Tis the Season!

Some picture highlights of the last month:

Pipes napping with her baby.

Celebrating Swags!

Playing "so Big" with Aunt KK

It's been such a long time since I've written on here. I kind of knew I'd have trouble keeping up with blogging. I'd much rather talk than write out my thoughts.

These past months have been filled with challenging and fun days all mixed together. Piper is a completely different girl now. She is so funny and sweet. She reaches for her Dad and me, splashes in the bath tub, and blows oatmeal in our faces at meal times.

She is still sleeping so well, and growing too.

I'm so stoked for her first Christmas. It's the first time I've gotten to put "From Mom and Dad" on gifts. It makes me smile. All of these hard days, trying to figure out how to be Piper's mom and Lee's wife, and still be Amanda. It's tough. A lot tougher than I had anticipated. I've been struggling with balancing it at all. I'm ready for my favorite time of year to be here so that I can take a little mental break from trying to figure that all out and focusing on things that I know matter. Several dear friends have given us sweet ornaments for our tree to celebrate our first Christmas as a family of three, and everything just feels right when I look around. Lots of love.

Gangy and Pop Pop are coming to Norman next week to spend some time with us over Christmas! I wonder how crazy this is going to be...a first Christmas with a grand kid.

We also cut down a tree with the Rays! It was crazy, trying to pick one out, I sometimes hate that I am so terrible at making easy decisions. I love having traditions with friends though, and Lee and Ryan somehow managed to drill and mount a ridiculously crooked tree. It was a long and hilarious night.

Ryan has been living with us for about four weeks now. I have always wanted to get to host someone at our house. We've had tons of fun hosting him. He has helped tons doing little and big projects around the house. I've found it quite amusing and sometimes overwhelming how alike he and Lee are. He is a super easy roommate-tidy, courteous, thoughtful, thankful. It's hard to see him miss Jamie so much. We are ready for her to be here too!

Love and Christmas wishes to all of you. Cheers to figuring out who we are and what we want to be. We only get this one shot at life.

-A

Got Em Mom

Pipes has been doing cute new things lately, one of them being that she can grab her feet. Lee and I finally caught it on camera tonight after bath time.

Pumpkins with the Pumpkin

We took Piper Jae to TG farms a few weeks ago to get some pumpkins with the Wolfinbabies. She was cute, but it was more for Lee and me than Piper. I don't think she had any idea what was going on. We did a corn maze, a hay ride and picked pumpkins out of a fake, but cute patch.

Vintage Pipes

Sarah got Piper this awesome outfit. I am in love.

Rockstar

I needed to have this picture protected in history, so I am blogging it. Thanks to Al for the world's best baby party favors. These glasses and a special little bracelet with Piper's name on it were the best! It was a special day celebrating Millie and Beau turning 3!

Celebrating Mills and Owie

So, both Millie and Owen had birthday's at the end of September. I am going through photo's right now, and just had a wave of thankfulness come over me for the Ray family. Allison is someone I truly love to be around. She is a true friend, and has taught me how to really celebrate people.

We love you Mills and O! Loving seeing you grow up right before our eyes!

My Very First OU Game

Tonight we took Piper to OU vs. Iowa State. First we strolled around campus, checking out the OU Bookstore and then I made a pit stop in the Price College of Business. Just being inside for a few moments made me really want to go back to school. Lee and I have talked about my future quite a bit since I left CHK. I really love QuiBids and the flexibility it gives me to be a great Momma to Piper. Lately I've been considering the student route again because I have a considerably larger amount of free time since going part time at work. So, getting a Master's or PhD is creeping into my thoughts again. It was always my plan to go back, but we shall see.

Our next stop was the Gray tailgate, which has quickly become a tradition Lee and I look forward to. I love getting to catch up with Tyler and Lauren. Lauren always makes me feel welcome and Tyler is always a little more fun on game day. We were also lucky this week because Misty stopped by. LOVE her. Having a friend with a baby just a week apart from me is both good and bad. I've been greatful to have someone to chat with about our ever-changing babes. I just happen to easily fall into comparison mode, and generally it's not a healthy place for my mind to wander. That being said, Daxton and Piper are right on track with each other, which makes me happy since the Isaacs are smarties.

After the tailgate, Lee and I wrapped Pipes up in the Moby and headed to the game. She did great! She seriously didn't even cry once. We got lots of compliments on our little cutie.