Little Miss Independent

This is my daredevil, on the go, independent, willful, and fearless child. Holy Heck she's cute! When I was pregnant with her, I knew deep down in my heart that she was going to be all personality. I didn't realize how true that feeling was. Pip continues to amaze me with how much she learns and how eager she is to do everything by herself.



In the ocean for the first time. No, that isn't her crying as the waves hit her and yes, she kept running for the ocean.

Pip has taken a liking to cars. She's so fearless, she drives standing up. On a sidenote, I shaved off a bulging belly using photoshop. Love that liquefy!

I thought for sure she would go running when we took her to the petting zoo. NOPE! she went straight for the goats. Me-that was one too many times being next to a goat. Ducks and goats...I simply won't do! Just so you know, I am pulling her hand away from the goat.

I wish I had a picture to show her on the airplane. She is a hoot! We were lucky enough to have a free seat next to us on the plane ride home. Pip sat herself down, "buckled" herself in, and "read" a magazine on the flight.

I'm making a prediction now: Pip will be my "did you know that if you do ______, this will happen?" child. Pray for me.

Houston, we have a problem...

I think I'm in love.


This summer Bobby is completing an internship for CenterPoint Energy (an energy company in d'town Houston, TX). Living in Texas has always eluded us-we applied to UT for MBA school-so when Bob got this offer we were really excited. This past week I spent some time in Texas helping Bobby get settled into his new bachelor pad. I arrived on Saturday, but since we couldn't move in to his apartment until Monday, we stayed at a hotel. For the first 2 days I was there, I felt like a tourist. But after we "moved" into the apartment, Houston actually felt like "home". I kept thinking to myself, "I could see us living in Texas." I mean seriously (and this is total blasphemy), I can hear Pip going "Hook 'em horns!" (my Bama friends are going to kill me for that one). The heat and humidity are terrible (and it's only May) and they have concrete roads (everywhere, not just interstate) -combine that with the sun and you have a very hot, blinding surface. I got a headache every time we drove somewhere because it was so bright. Everywhere you go takes 30minutes or longer and traffic is downright scary. Other than that, it's fabulous! I'm sad that I'll be staying here in Bloomington and won't get to experience every facet of Houston, but what I saw made me excited at the idea of living there.

Another thing that shocked me about Houston was that I really thought of myself as a suburb type of person. Bobby's apartment is a city apartment-heavily gated to keep the riffraff out, surrounded by office buildings, and barely out of "the loop". After being in the thick of it, the burbs seem...boring.

Shhhh...

While this cutie has been sleeping:

I've been busy sewing this:

Piper's Very Own "Quiet Book"

It took me an entire week working roughly 4-6 hours a day to complete. I really enjoyed making the "Quiet Book" and look forward to adding more pages. The hardest part was cutting the actual canvases (it would've been easier if I had followed the directions more closely...) . My favorite pages are the "Counting buttons" page and the "Barn" page. I hope she enjoys playing with it on the plane ride to Houston, TX!

and this...

Summer Sleep sack for Piper

The sleep sack was a total PAIN! First, I didn't have a pattern so I cut one from a sleeper she already had. Secondly, I had to attach a zipper which I had only done under direct and constant supervision from my mommy. I am proud to say I attached a zipper- all by myself! The stitching isn't perfect, but thankfully Piper will only sleep in it.

I have more sewing plans this summer: a few skirts for myself, another sleep sack (which I will sew under direct supervision of my mom), and more pages for the "Quiet Book".

It's So Hard to Say Goodbye...

I made a carrot cake. I ate 2 pieces of it today. I went out for an hour. When I left, there was half a carrot cake. When I returned, I found this-

and then I saw her-

GOODBYE CARROT CAKE! I will miss you. I am so sad you aren't on Facebook or have a blog. Because if you did, I could continue to check on you and it won't be like you were ever really gone. I feel as though I never really got to say a proper goodbye. Maybe if I had taken a pic of us together or spent more time talking to you, I wouldn't feel this way. Sigh.

Seriously, though... GOODBYE MBA FRIENDS! I will miss you. I'm terrible at goodbyes and just rush through them as if I'll see you tomorrow. Thankfully, I can continue to blog stalk you and keep up with you on Facebook. To the MBA playgroup girls, you were my saving grace when I moved here and needed some friends. Our life will always be connected in some way. Good luck as you move forward in your new adventures. Sigh.