This afternoon we went with Jody and Ansley to the mall to walk around and eat lunch. The girls didn't interact that much because they were in strollers, but Jody and I had fun hanging out! Vivian got some shorts for the warmer weather.

On Saturday we headed from Raleigh to Four Oaks for the family reunion we've been looking forward to for months. Danny and Nan hosted us and it was awesome to hang out with family that we haven't seen in a while. It was a pretty relaxing afternoon and the food was unreal...there was so much of it! Vivian was a trooper, meeting lots of new people and being passed around a lot. She saw (Great) Granddaddy and Grandma Carolyn for the first time since December. I think in this picture she was concentrating hard on what Granddaddy was saying. This was the perfect spot for her to hang out. We can't wait until we have our very own in our backyard (ahem). :)

Ha! I have no idea what was so repulsive to Stephen...it's just water in that cup!

Aaron took her on the big kids toy and we quickly realized it wasn't for us. We transferred her to the little kids play area (below).

Emily came to play with her for a few minutes. Vivian caught sight of Emily's snack very quickly and...

made a move to help herself to it.

Joey and Sierra drove down and back in the same day!

Left to right: Frank, Aunt Elsie, Judy, MarieMarie and Grandma

Dad and Roy Lee

Thanks to Nan and Danny! We had a great time. Looking forward to next year already :)

Yesterday morning Vivian and I bought a blow-up pool for her and after her second nap she played in the water! I think she enjoyed it but the water might have been a little cold for her. She wasn't too crazy about the sprinkler on the front of the pool. I didn't get many good pictures, but the video is cute.I hope she enjoys it for the whole summer because it was really a challenge to blow the thing up! Yes, that's a Netty Pot that she's playing with :) haha

We are so thankful for the warmer weather this week and we know summertime will be so fun!

We've had a busy busy weekend. We took a trip to NC and got back late last night. I will post pictures of the party soon!I was a little late to church this morning because I just couldn't bear to wake this sleeping baby from her nap. I went in to get her and she was sleeping with her butt straight up in the air...how can this be comfortable?!
P.S. She was so tired, she didn't even wake up when the flash went off :)

Also while we were there visiting, Aaron took a belly shot for me. Here is the baby belly at 24.5 weeks. I am much bigger this time than I was with Vivian and my weight gain has been significantly higher :(. Since the doctor's appt. on Monday when I found out how much I've gained, I have not been eating so many desserts/sweets.
The other thing that is different about this pregnancy is that this time I have pregnancy rhinitis. The hormones are causing the membranes in my nose to swell, making it difficult to breathe through my nose. It is especially hard at night. Afrin provides some relief, but I still feel fatigued during the day because of restless sleep at night. Not only will I be ready to meet Baby in August, but I will be excited about being able to breathe again!
Thanks to Kristin for letting me borrow her maternity clothes!

Today we went to Aaron's work to eat lunch at the picnic table (too many bugs, though!) and while we were there Vivian got to do wild and crazy things with her Uncle Joey. He let her ride on his motorcycle. Notice how much she loves him...she didn't care anything about the shiny red bike, just wanted to give him hugs and play with the pens in his pocket.

He even let her drive his battery truck!

Vivian likes to play around the dishwasher while I'm unloading it from the day before and cleaning up from breakfast. This morning she got a little too brave :)

On Saturday Vivian turned 10 months old! Aaron talks about how big she's getting almost every night when he comes home. We are having a lot of fun with her at this age...she is absolutely delightful. Couldn't get her to smile during our photo shoot, and I couldn't figure out how to use the flash to get the best pictures... :(

At 10 months, Vivian:

-eats breakfast at 8, lunch at 12, and dinner at 5:30. She drinks a bottle at 7 am and 7 pm, and one either at 11 or 4, but not both times.

-has the same sleep schedule basically (although her waketimes are longer which sometimes means her afternoon nap starts later, around 2 pm.

-has longer hair, it continues to grow!

-points at things now

-crawls around well and pulls up on anything in sight

-cruises around furniture, up and down the couch for example. She can also transfer from one object to another that's close by

-is learning and practicing how to let go and sit down from a standing position

-loves to play on the dishwasher while I'm cleaning the kitchen :)

-loves babies! Live ones and ones in pictures.

-"kisses" when I ask her to...she will put her mouth on my belly when I raise up my shirt and ask her to give the baby a kiss :)

-is looking forward to consistent warm weather because she loves to be outside

-crosses her legs like a little lady when in her car seat, high chair, in my lap drinking a bottle, etc. It is so cute...I'll try to get some pictures soon.

-mostly makes the "dadada" sounds, but I've also heard the "m", "g", and "b" sounds occasionally
-has a favorite food: string cheese sticks

-is anxiously awaiting her coming role of Big Sister!

We just got back from having lunch with Erin and Julia. Erin is not working this week because of Spring Break and so we have a taste of what this summer will be like when we can hang out with them more often! Vivian of course loved watching Julia, but she also got a kick out of Callie, their dog. And it was fun for her to play with different toys.
Erin made a Chicken Ceasar salad for us and it was so nice to sit and talk with her. Wish we could see each other more! Vivian gave Julia kisses when I asked her to...it is sooo sweet! When Vivian gets excited she flaps her arms around wildly...it becomes a problem when she is close to someone- she hit Julia in the head several times. Julia took it like a champ.

Yes, Vivi's pants are unbuttoned. She needs new, bigger clothes :)

No scene in sacred history ever gladdens the soul like Calvary’s tragedy.
-Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening

Whenever Aaron is in eyesight of Vivian, she can't take her eyes off him. After a few minutes of sitting at the door like this watching him plant flowers and mulch, I put her coat on and we went outside to be closer to the action.
Productive Saturday and a day of waiting for the resurrection of our Lord!

On Tuesday, April 7th, Ryan and Sarah finally met their little boy, Cyrus Xavier Hurley! He weighed 9 lbs, 7 oz. and was 22 inches long. We went to visit last night and he is a cute fella! Poor thing is sick, though. He has Group B Strep and they've moved him to the Pediatric floor for about 10 days total so he can get the antibiotics he needs. Although the new parents are anxious to get him home, he is getting great care and will be better soon. Thanks be to God, the giver of life.