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.

Today Judie brought her kids over for lunch and to play. Nicholas is 4 and Macy is about 3 weeks younger than Vivian. We all had fun!

Nicholas brought his swords over since he knew we wouldn't have any toys for boys. He and Judie went down to the basement for a fight while we girls played in Vivian's room. He was excited about having James over for his first sleepover tonight. :)

On Friday night we were invited to a game night at Rob and Lubeth's. There was a great mix of people from our congregation there so that we could get to know different people.
We played Battle of the Sexes, which was not entirely a fair game because Aaron and I have that game and we have on occasions quizzed each other, so we already knew a lot of the answers! I told the women this before we started, but I guess they forgot because everyone seemed impressed that I knew that BMW stands for Bavarian Motor Works, and that Sarah Ferguson Duchess of York's daughters are named Beatrice and Eugenie. :)

Vivian has clapped before, but I think today was the first time she realized what she was doing and could do it again if I asked. So dinner was fun tonight :) Sorry the video is so short...the memory card was full on the camera.

Today Aaron and I were going to meet Papa and Gramme for lunch, and while we waited we walked around Big Lots. We saw Dana Reed and 3 of her kids there, and they played with Vivian on the display bed. Caroline, Buddy, and Camden...sorry Buddy, didn't mean to cut your head off! Buddy and Camden are 14 months apart, so I'm sure Dana will be a great resource for me in the near future!

“Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace, nor are your best days ever so good that you are beyond the need of it.”
- Jerry Bridges, Discipline of Grace

Those two bottom teeth have done much damage to the crib. As a new mom, I am frustrated that I didn't think about this before...I could have prevented this with a teething rail (I ordered one but I'm sad that it's a little late in the game).
First-time moms beware!!

Aside from Monday when it was sunny and mild, we've been staying in the house a lot this week. It's been pretty rainy and cold. Vivian is learning to explore her toys in new ways and is growing out of others. We'll be able to put some away in storage until the fall!She now prefers to play on the outside of the exersaucer...I guess she doesn't like the confinement of being in the seat in the middle of it. Here she is staring at herself in a plastic mirror. She smiles at herself and gives herself kisses in it.

And I think this is one of the last times she'll play in the jumper...again, she would rather be out in the open on the floor to play. I caught a short video, although I wish everyone could have seen her a couple of months ago jumping in it...she was much more into it at that time and could jump consistently for a long time!

We had an awesome weekend! I've already posted about our fun date on Friday night. Well, on Saturday I met about 25 women at the church and we carpooled down to Charlotte to spend the day shopping at Concord Mills. I'm not a big shopper (7 hours of shopping?!? I actually ended up going to the movies for a chunk of that time haha), but I was interested in the Carter's store and a couple of the other outlets...I'm so glad I went. The girls were hilarious to be around and I got lots of great summer clothes for Vivian and a couple of things for me. It was a really long day- we didn't get back until around midnight! There are lots of stories to tell but it's hard to type it out...

Destiny, Crystal, Lauren, and Jody
We met around 5:30 to leave the mall and get something to eat before heading home. I didn't get a picture of the whole group :(

Once we got to the mall I went by myself to shop, but I met up with Judie and Amber for some Cold Stone ice cream!

Meanwhile at home, Aaron kept Vivian all day and had an awesome Dad/daughter day. At one point he said he needed to cut the grass so he set her outside on a blanket with some toys, and she loved watching him with the lawn mower! He said every time he came around the corner she lost control with so much excitement. I'm glad she's not afraid of it :) They did lots of fun things I've heard, including going to the park for a walk with Gramme.

Yesterday was busy with lots of church things. We are already looking forward to next weekend! It's this warmer weather...it easily makes for happy moods :)