Santa Claus came to town...

As you know, our chimney (metaphorically speaking) has moved to Alabama... and apparently Santa got the memo. He truly does see everything, doesn't he? In fact... he even knew to pay our house an early visit since we will be in Florida over Christmas. This is our last weekend before we leave and you can imagine our surprise when we awoke to a tree full of presents, overflowing stockings and a half eaten plate of christmas cookies anaccompanied by an empty glass of milk. The reindeers must have been hungry from their early excursion, because both the carrots left for them were devoured; do you think rudolph gets first dibbs? Aside from the recently endured terror of sitting on his lap... Brody is starting to think that Santa is a pretty neat guy!

By the way... if you are 3 and have a baby sister, her toys are way cooler than yours!

Half a year and a lifetime of joy...

I know it sounds cliche but it is so hard to fathom that Leilah is already 6 months old. On one hand, it seems like yesterday that I saw her sweet little face for the very first time and I knew, yet again, love at first sight. On the other hand it seems impossible to imagine life before the joy of her beautiful smile and the completeness that she brings to our family. She is such a little ray of sunshine and simply put we cannot get enough of her. She definitely has eyes for her mommy and thinks her brother is the funniest thing she has ever laid eyes on. As long as she gets in her snuggles and cuddles, she is the most content baby... she makes being adorable seem so easy! Weighing in at 15 lbs 8 oz and 26 3/4 inches long, she falls in 25th-50th percentile for weight and 75th percentile for length. Sitting up almost all by herself, scooting around the floor and starting baby food are subtle reminders that she will soon be a little girl... running, dancing, singing and playing. I can only imagine what God has in store for her, but I have no doubt that she will continue to bless the lives of those who know her in her own sweet way. For now, I appreciate each and every moment... embracing the sleep deprivation and the baby attached to my hip as a privilege. A privilege of the all-encompassing gift of motherhood. As soon as I think life cannot get any better... it does!

His eyes- how they twinkled! His dimples- how merry!

"A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, soon gave me to know there was nothing to dread."

We paid a visit to the jolly old elf himself at the Wiregrass Commons Mall. We were a bit apprehensive about how Brody would do... seeing as how he has cried every other year and the poor kid is scared of his own shadow. His little lip quivered as we sat him down and I just knew he was going to lose it. However, whether it was for the promised cookie afterwards (otherwise known as a bribe) or the big brother front he was putting on for his sister he held it together; terrified... but together nonetheless.








Just an interesting FYI:
Instead of ordering prints, they gave us the pictures on a usb with the copyrights. I'm not even sure that there was such a thing when I got my pictures taken with Santa (which I should admit, wasn't the most comforting experinece for me either).

Christmas Cookies...

The Christmas season would not be complete without making Christmas cookies. This year was better than ever, now that I have an extra set of two very willing (and very busy) helping hands!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

The children were nestled, all snug in their beds...

This picture is a pretty good indicator of the different sleeping habits of our 2 babies. And yes... Leilah's sweet smile is pretty hard to ignore, even at 2 am!

Cutie-patootie~

~Our lil' Miss at 5 months~

We made it... all in one piece.

If a picture is worth a thousand words... then this picture taken 5 miles out of Warrensburg would sum up our 14 hour drive to our new home. :)

Too cute to spook!

Make a Smilebox scrap pages

The dog ate my keyboard???

After a move-induced break, the blog is officially up and running again. Enjoy!

Our lil' Boo...

Just thought I would share a picture of Leilah getting into the spirit of Halloween! Although, I am fairly certain that sweet little face couldn't scare a soul! :)

4 months old and Sweeter by the Day

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Pumpkin Patch

Last weekend we visited Carolyn's Country Cousins Pumpkin Patch with our wonderful friends, the Epple family. It was fabulous; the perfect fall outing! This place is the Disney World of pumpkin patches... trains, playgrounds, petting zoos, hay rides. In case you are curious, you can check out the website: http://www.carolynscountrycousins.com/index2.html

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Happy 1st Birthday Ethan!

My most favorite nephew in the world is 1 today! Happy First Birthday sweet boy! We love you!

Congrats WO-1 Gentry!

There is no telling how many miles you will have to run while chasing a dream.

~Author Unknown

After a grueling 2 1/2 weeks, Bobby is back at home and we couldn't be happier or more proud. He graduated with honors on the commandants list... which he wouldn't tell you... but I DO enjoy bragging about him. It is such an awesome feeling to know how long this has been a dream of his and to realize it is finally a reality!

Do they look excited or what??

My lovely chalk masterpiece...

Daddy's biggest fan club

Little Leilah is 3 months old!

Our sweet little one is 3 months old today. I thought that time flew by with Brody, but I cannot even begin to fathom that Leilah has been blessing our lives for 3 months already. I also cannot imagine our lives anymore without the beauty she has brought to it. She is blossoming more and more everyday into the little lady that I am sure she is destined to become. She is as mighty as she is small (just now starting to wear 0-3 month clothes) and started rolling over from her back to her front. She loves to lay on her belly and hold her head up... especially if she is watching mommy walk around the room. I love it when she lays in my lap and looks up at me with her magical blue eyes and coos... those are the moments that I want to imprint in my mind forever. Bath time still seems to be her favorite and she will just sit in her little tub and watch her feet and hands as the water ricochets around them. The flower on her gym as become one of her closest companions; she loves to smile and coo at it as it grins down at her. Miraculously, she sleeps for 9 hour stretches at night! Amazing, right? The smiles that filled our days are now accompanied by the tiniest twinkle of a giggle. Oh, how she melts my heart!

I hope you enjoy our 3 month photo shoot as much as we enjoyed doing it!

Make a Smilebox postcard

Our lil' Picasso...

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up. ~Pablo Picasso




Brody created this brilliant masterpiece... and being the proud mommy I am, I just had to share~ :)

Summer lovin', had me a blast!

When I walked outside this afternoon I was struck by the sudden realization that Summer is over and Fall is upon us! The wind was crisp and the smell of a fireplace burning left me wishing that I had my handsome hunk of a husband to lounge around with in our old sweatshirts. Ahh... I have already been researching Halloween costumes; Bobby wants Brody to be a pirate and I am thrilled to find the perfect dainty girl costume for Leilah's first Halloween. I am contemplating getting out my fall decorations! Premature??? Perhaps... but there is just something about the coziness of fall that is undeniable. However, with the onset of fall comes yet another reminder that our move is just around the corner.

Since I have not been the A+ author of the blogging world recently... I will try to fill you in. The past month has been spent soaking up the sun and memories. We are considering becoming homeless and setting up a tent at the park... seeing as how we have become almost as permanent the slide. Whether it is for play dates, picnics, geo-caching excursion (thanks mom), or just a release from the day... watching Brody play at the park is a constant reminder that our "baby" is in fact a little boy. Sniff sniff. Bobby is gone for 2 1/2 weeks to complete his Warrant Officer Course in Alabama. Last night was the first time that he could call me, and they now are allowed a "7 minute" phone call everyday. Interestingly enough, waiting up for that 7 minute call is how I found time to write this blog! What a win-win situation, right?! The pride I feel for him is indescribable as I watch him literally conquer each step to fulfill his dream of becoming a pilot. Leilah is still my joy; I simply cannot get enough of her. She has the most contagious smile that starts as a sparkle in her eye and lights up her whole face.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Our hearts have grown...

"A daughter is a day brightener and a heart warmer."
~Author Unknown

Leilah is 2 months old now and everyday is better than the last with her in our lives. She is such a beautiful little thing on the inside and out, and it radiates throughout our home and hearts. At two months she weighs in at a whopping 11.3 pounds (25-50 percentile) and is 21.5 inches long (5-10 percentile)... no worries ... what she lacks in size is made up for by her personality. Her smile has been getting a lot of practice over the past month and is truly my morning sunshine and fills my nighttime dreams. She sleeps for 6 hour stretches at night and is in no way ready to wake up when we hear Brody crack the door and say, "morning." She is a conversationalist now with her sweet little coos (when she can get a word in). Needless to say, we have quite the talkative household now. Brody still thinks that Leilah is the best thing that ever happened to him and truly believes that every facial expression, sound or movement she makes is for his benefit alone. He loves to lie IN her play gym with her and just giggle every time that she bats at the toys. These are the moments that overwhelm my heart in a way that I didn't know was possible. These are truly the days...

Home Sweet Home

As most of you know, we are moving to Fort Rucker, Alabama for Bobby's flight school on November 12th. We are thrilled to experience a new adventure (and a lot of sweet tea)... but sad to leave our friends, family and our house behind. Having our house on the market is a very interesting experience to say the least; random drop ins, lots of cleaning and an array of emotions, ranging from hopeful and anxious to sentimental over a place that was once just a prospective house made into a home... our home. A man that is looking to buy our house wanted us to take pictures to send to his wife in South Carolina, so I made a slide show and thought I would share it with those of you who want to see the place we call home.

You're the reason that God made a girl...

"Could you be the most beautiful girl in the world?
It is plain to see... you're the reason that God made a girl!"
~Prince

To compensate for the super cheesy Prince lyrics I am sharing some pictures that I took of Leilah today! I'd say it is a pretty good trade-off!

Look at that yawn!!! I am sure that it is exhausting being so cute... and having mommy stick a camera in her face for a photo shoot! Can you blame me?

Happy Birthday Bobby!

Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
~Chili Davis

Today my wonderful hubby turns 27 years old. I am not sure that he is convinced that birthdays are a good thing anymore, and is feeling a bit old. Is it because he is almost 30? Is it because he would rather let his son "help" him blow out his candles than blow them out himself? Maybe it is because he has a wife that is perpetually younger than he is (sorry honey)! Whatever the reason, I think in his shoes each birthday marks yet another year that he has shared his life with those around him. I know that this is the 6th birthday that I have celebrated with Bobby and I am convinced that he just keeps getting better all the time! Happy Birthday honey! I love you more everyday and each birthday marks 365 days I have had to love you!

Bobby (and Brody) blowing out his candles

Notice Brody (aka lil' Sneaky Devil) licking the icing around his mouth!

Future Miss America: doing what she does best...

Halfway between 2 and 3... what a wonderful place to be!

Brody's half birthday was today! He is now, officially, 2 1/2 years old! You may be asking yourself what a half birthday is; you are in luck! It is simply a reason to celebrate an ordinary day. Growing up it was a day that we (I share my half birthday too) did something fun and exciting. It could have be anything from something special for dinner or a trip to Silver Dollar City... but it has always been a day that I looked forward to. There’s not much magic in calculating your half-birthday. Just take your birthday and add six months; for example, someone born on January 1 would have a half-birthday of July 1. That means that some unlucky people have no half birthday! Oh the travesty!

I made Brody half an angel food cake and decorated it with strawberries cut in half and blueberries. He had 2 1/2 candles to blow out after we sang "Happy half birthday to you!"


When it came to eating the cake, Brody didn't want to halve any of it. He wanted the WHOLE thing! Right after we finished singing he sunk his face right into the middle of the cake! Mmmm...

The Gentry family expands yet again...

Tonight my most favorite twin brother proposed to Kristin Monnig, his girlfriend of almost 4 years! I am completely thrilled for both of them to experience the joy of married life and to have Kristin as part of our family. They are shooting for a wedding date next summer, which Jimmy insists will give us a reason to come back from Alabama for a visit! I know the next year will fly by with planning and festivities, but I can hardly wait! Congratulations Jimmy and Kristin! We love you both!!!

Happy One Month Birthday little girl!

"A daughter is a gift of love." ~Author Unknown

It is so amazing that Leilah is already a month old. She is the sweetest baby... and definitely has us all wrapped around her tiny fingers. She is a cuddle bug... and it is the most blissful experience to just hold her. The most incredible thing about having her finally here with us is the completeness that she seems to bring to our family. She just fits... perfectly. Seeing the way Brody looks at her in adoration is something I will never tire of; to see these two beautiful little beings interact that Bobby and I were blessed with is miraculous. What a wonderful month and beautiful life we have to look forward to!

1 week old

2 weeks old

3 weeks old

One month old