WELCOME LUKE!!!

We have a new nephew!  Introducing Luke Everett Gillies, 8 lb 14 oz, born last night to Jake's sister Betsy and our brother-in-law Paul.

Here is almost-2-year-old Cade meeting his little brother!  We are so excited for this precious new addition to the family and so thankful for the blessing of his wonderful delivery!  Way to go, Bets!!!
Jake and I leave these two together tomorrow...while we head up to Mammoth for our third annual ski trip with our sweet friends!!  We are excited for our first weekend away without our little one and have NO fears for the wonderful time she'll have with Grammy.  I think we'll miss her more than she'll miss us.  We'll update next week!!  Happy weekend, everyone!

Weekend Doings

Last weekend was Homecoming on campus, and Jake emceed this huge event called Lip Sync, but it's really more of a dance-off b/w student groups participating for Spirit Cup (think Greek Week, except students actually get into it and non-Greek student groups participate, too.)  

Abby Jane helped Jake tally scores to find out who won Spirit Cup this year.

Sunday afternoon on Alumni Park- she's learning to toss the ole pigskin around.  We're working on tackling Daddy...

Bubbles are one of our favorite things!

I put this video on Facebook on Sunday, and since it's been quite a hit, I thought I'd share it here.  This happened after Jake brought home this tiny iHome he used at another Homecoming event on Friday afternoon...

To clarify some previous misunderstanding, Jake said "Rock it, Jane" not "Drop it, Jane!"  I promise Praise Baby is the usual genre of music in our home...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Homemade valentines...

plus family breakfast of heart-shaped pancakes...
equals a fun Valentine's morning!  Last Monday, we had a handpainting party for Valentine's.Here are Les and Sammy with Em J. and Baby Jones-on-the-way hard at work.  (Lay out a vinyl tablecloth and handpainting inside is a breeze!)  Les was creative and did Sammy's footprints on either side of the heart.  Em J. did a lot of prep work and had all these cute lips and little hearts to put on her valentines!

Everyone taking a break from painting to play.  Notice Canon mid-toss with the football.  Good form, little man- you can tell your mama is an SEC girl.  

Have a great weekend, everyone!

One Year Old...

My tiny baby...

is such a big girl now!!!

We were able to do some sweet reflecting last week and on a date last weekend while my mom was here, and it's just amazing what all the Lord has done in the last year in this little girl's life.  I am by no means pregnant, but it's such a blessing to look at your child and say... we can't wait to have more!!!

Our one year old...

-can now say that a sheep says "ba," a cow says "moo," monkey says "ooo ooo ooo," and the wind says a raspberry sound; new words this month are "nana" for banana, "ba?" balloon, and a decent version of "shoe"

-throws hands in air with raised eyebrows for "what...?" Like this...

-has become one of the busy kids at library reading time

-blows kisses

-is totally transitioned into sippy cups and finger foods, including the rice cakes that she is shoving into her mouth below

-when you go in to get her from her crib, she is immediately pointing around the room and saying "ah???" at different objects

-giggles a lot, especially when she lays flat on the floor, waiting for tickles or kisses

-have we mentioned that she kisses with her mouth hugely open and head cocked back?

-draws with sidewalk chalk and tries to help blow bubbles at playgroup

-we have different playgroups at least twice a week, and this week we've had different playdates every day... which is SOO good for her to learn to be with little friends and fun for me to be with the mamas!

- still loves books, balls, bubbles, fridge farm, and Baby, now adding Piggy (see last post of oversized pig chair) to favorite things

-gets music going on a toy, then turns round and round

-obeys many requests to get things or go places!

Praise Jesus for our sweet little girl!  Thanks for all the birthday wishes, friends...

Party Girl

Our little Abby Jane turned one on Sunday! Her party was Saturday afternoon, and it was to be at this amazing field on campus overlooking the ocean. Last weekend we were out there, and it was gorgeous and in the 70s. Well all week, it rained and got colder and colder until the forecast for Saturday afternoon was 70% chance of rain and in the 50's! The Lord answered prayer and gave us sun, but the field was too wet, so we moved the party to the patio and courtyard area within our apartment complex... I was a little sad about this change of location as I had been envisioning the party on the field for months as opposed to the concrete patio, but the Lord more than blessed the party as was, and everyone had a great time!!!

There were about 34 adults and 12 children 2 and under- so Abby Jane felt loved and her mama and daddy were extremely humbled by all these friends coming to celebrate!

My mama came in on Thursday night so I could make these on Friday...

Jake was sent to the store for 10 balloons and came home with 30, so the patio area was very festive indeed!

Some of the friends...

Abby Jane was playing on a riding toy when it came time for cake. She was not thrilled to leave her toy, then I plopped her down in front of 40 people singing to her, and this is what she had to say...

Why would we think that the child who has marched to the beat of her own drum since Day 1 would do the normal diving-into-the-cake thing that babies normally do at their 1st birthday?!!

You should know that the cake was vanilla and... organic. I wimped out on going hard-core fully-loaded sugar for her first sugar. So I obviously got some ribbing since she so politely turned up her nose at her "healthy" cake. She's already such a GIRL, loving her chocolate!!!

One of her favorite things she received at the party whose invitation requested "no presents, please!"

We had everyone sign a mat, and it turned out so cute!

More to come on what my 1-year-old is like these days, but I thought this was enough pics for one day!

P.S. I am probably the only heathen of those who read this blog who watches Grey's Anatomy, but if any of you DO watch... "Dr. Mark Sloan" a.k.a. "McSteamy" ordered coffee behind my mama and I at the Coffee Bean on Sunday afternoon at the Country Mart. I was proud of Mom for keeping it cool... she is another heathen who watches Grey's.

Right Round

After one too many sips on that sippy cup...

We passed Pamela Anderson this morning after playing by the fountain Abby Jane loves next to Starbucks.  At some point, that will be a very bizarre thing to say in an everyday post.  But she's like the town mom out here...

Last night, Abby Jane was turning red and making some unladylike sounds, and I asked her if she was pooping (we're trying to associate actions.)  She said a garbled version of "yes," to which I said, "Did you just say 'yes?' " And she said, "yeah!"  Now to work on the "ma'am"...

Our Thursday...

The day started out with a fabulous playdate at a park with three other mama friends from church and their precious little ones.  It was the nicest morning, and we're going to make it a regular date!!

But then, we were in line at a coffee shop this afternoon and this lady behind us says, "Well, with those lips, she's never going to have to have Botox!  Her lips are just like Brad and Angelina's little girl's."

Thanks?  So many lines come to mind to insert here that it's hard to put just one here, so I'll let you think of your own comeback to crazy lady in line behind me.  I just changed the subject.

ALSO... Tonight, we sat down to dinner and were about to say the blessing, and Abby Jane folded her hands to pray BEFORE either Jake or I!!!  We used to hold hands when we said the blessing, but she doesn't hold hands.  So Jake and I started folding our hands, and now she did too!!! 

And... drumroll... she pointed out Aubie in her Auburn 101 board book!  I know.  Not sure life gets any better now that she obviously loves God and Auburn.