Bella Comes Home!

Most of you know that Bella spent Christmas this year with her daddy in Georgia. I had a very hard time letting her go, but Zack did a good job of reassuring me all week. They called me everyday! Hearing Bella always cheered me up! Zack had his hands full with a 2 year old, but I think all in all they both really loved seeing each other. I ended up working everyday including Saturday and Christmas day to keep myself busy. As much as I missed my little princess, I did LOVE having time to sleep and go to the grocery ALONE! :) Because the ride over there was 7 hours and tough on both Bella and Zack, Zack decided to fly her back. It turned out to be a GREAT idea! This is Bella's return home! I wish you could hear her.. she was so excited to see her Mommy! Christmas a day after was just as wonderful because she was home!

Christmas Cards

I just wanted to post my Christmas card this year made by my sweet and talented friend Jenny Holloway! Even though they just got out today due to my over energized schedule, you will be getting one! Jenny did such a great job and I was so impressed! Please check out her website www.jennyhollowaydesigns.blogspot.com or www.hollowayfamily.blogspots.com. She can do ANYTHING you need! She is amazing! Thanks again, Jen.. I love ya.

Little B's Second Bday!

For Bella's birthday party we had it at the Play Place of Ridgeland. It turned out to be a GREAT place to have a 2 year old birthday! There was such much for the kids to play with and enough room for all the adults! I was very pleased and think Bella had a ball! She sang Happy birthday at least 10 more times that day to herself, so Im pretty sure she knew it was for her! On top of it, she has enough toys and dress up clothes to last year until she is 5 so don't worry with the next 4 birthdays! JK... she really did get alot of fun things and my apartment is flooded with singing and moving toys, so mission accomplished! Here are some pictures my Aunt Noe took. All my pictures are on Shutterfly so as soon as I get them on my desk top I will add a lot more of the party!
Thanks to everyone who came! I am so blessed to have such supportive and sweet friends! Thanks to Beka, Steph and Kyle for all their help with the food.. LIFESAVERS!To my Mom, Paul, Adam and Drew for all their help with set up and crazy, psycho ME who couldn't get everything done alone! Thanks to my Aunt Noe and Uncle Joe for taking all the pictures and Mrs. Ginger for the all your help with Bella's cake preperation! It was yummy! I wouldn't have had a ONE if it wasn't for you guys! And to all my friends who came who are CHILDLESS.. man, you guys are troopers! :) 10 two year olds and 3 babies and not a one complaint! :)
I still can't believe she is 2!! How much my life has changed in 2 years! ;)

School Party and Dinner for B!

I can hardly believe that Bella turned 2 last week! I think this past year has taught me so much about myself and about being a mom! As Bella grows into this sweet little girl with so much love, she reminds me the importance of being comfortable in your own skin and loving the ones you care about with no ends! I thought birth through age one was fun, but MAN! 1 to 2 is awesome! I'm loving all the hugs, kisses, funny one liners and EVEN her sassiness! (wonder where she gets that)
For her actual birthday, her Godmother, Steph flew in from NYC and Beka came up early. We had a party at school filled with cupcakes and lots of playing! Bella even blew out her own candle! That night we went to eat at Little Tokyo Habaci Grill where Cadie and Claire joined us. Bella LOVES ginger salades and rice so she was in heaven! She also loves to watch the cook with all his tricks! She's just not too sure about the FIRE part! She kept saying, "mommy its Hot" and acting like she was blowing out the fire! TOO CUTE. I have to give her props, it was the first meal in a while where she sat through the entire dinner in her OWN seat with no outburst or tears! It was great! She was precious and it couldn't have been a better night! Thanks to the girls for all their gifts and for sharing this special night with us! We love you!!
We went for her 2 year check up to find out JUST how small she is! :( She weighed 22lbs (5%) and was 32in tall(10%). Doctor Ellison joked that she would be on whole milk until she was 16! What can I say.. she may be a petite little thing but she is a firecracker at heart! I can't wait to see what the next year has in store!
The pictures include Jacey Woods, her BFF :) Steph and one of her teachers Christine or "Nina" Beka, i couldn't find a cute one of yall but I promise to make it up to you! xoxo

Tonsillitis and Nanu's!

Every Thanksgiving my family loads up and heads to the MS Gulf Coast for the Shields' family extravaganza. We all meet in Moss Point/Pascagoula area for a fun few days of great food, family and friends. HOWEVER.. this year the car was packed and we were finishing up work when I received a phone call saying.. MS SHIELDS, Bella has 103.5 fever, could you please come get her from school! I panicked! I was an hour away at work so who else do I call.. CADIE! Sweet Cadie took B to the Doctor to find out that she has apparently had TONSILLITIS for the past MONTH. The doctor said her adenoids and tonsils were the size of golf balls and she had puss pockets on her throat! :( I cried probably as hard as B because I have been so stricked on snacks lately because SHE HANS"T BEEN EATIN! It's been a time!
Well, NOW WE KNOW WHY! Poor thing was sick. So.. Bella and I spent Thanksgiving in Jackson and ate Thursday with the Benson's. BOY WAS IT GOOD! Thanks Mrs. Ginger and Mr. Rick for always being our Family! :)
Bella's fever was a roller coaster ride! UP DOWN AND ALL AROUND FOR 4 days! Once it came down we came on to Columbus to see the whole family post Thanksgiving on the coast. To my surprise Nanu and Pop Pop had a surprise for Bella of their own! They MADE HER A TRAIN! Its an early birthday present and we LOVE it! Its so creative and super fun! If you are ever around Columbus, Call my mom! She is all about taking friends on the Train! Luck us to have them both!
I hate we missed a great Thanksgiving with the whole fam, but I'm glad to say that B is much better and we are gearing up for a BIG 2nd birthday!

Lauren's Wedding!

A few weeks ago I got to go to NYC for a long weekend with my girlfriends to celebrate my sweet friend, Lauren's wedding. I got to see Steph, do some shopping, eat good food and see LOTS of Christmas lights! there is nothing better than NYC during Holiday season. Lauren's wedding was a blast! It was my first Jewish wedding and I have to say.. they have some great traditions and throw the BEST parties! :) I really had a great time and loved seeing everyone! It was good for all of us girls, minus Robyn, to get together. We missed you Robs! Congrats again to Lauren and I can't wait to come back next month! ;)

Halloween with Daddy!

Bella had her first full weekend with her Daddy here in Jackson over Halloween. Zack took her trick or treating in Madison Friday night. I think she turned out to be the cutest "B" ever! :) Please noticed the pumpkin bag my mom made! It was precious! Saturday they went shopping and did lots of playing together. Bella came back with lots of goodies! Sunday, Zack, Bella and I had breakfast together and I think it was a huge success. All in all, she had a fun weekend with her daddy and did lots of talking about it when he was gone!

Halloween with Mommy!

Bella, Cadie and I spent Halloween together on Wednesday night since Zack was coming into town. We had the pleasure of going with the Herring's to their Fall Festival at their church in Madison. They had the BEST Food and tons of games and stations for the kids to play! Bella and Harper spent the entire night either JUMPING or running around kicking balls. Those two are a site to see. Bella kept saying "Come on, Harpa" it was so cute! I think Harper thought she was crazy by the end of the night! I love when we get to see them! We always have the best time! Thanks Brooks for inviting us and to Cadie for ALWAYS being my "BETTER HALF" haha..

ELMO MAKES MUSIC!

A few weeks ago Winnie the Pooh Live was coming to Vicksburg. Bella is such a Pooh fanatic that I got us tickets. Well, then I got my appendix taken out and Bella didn't get to go! I was so upset for her! I felt terrible that It was my fault that she didn't get to go! Luckily, Elmo Makes Music/Sesame Street Live was coming to Jackson and I thought it would be a great way to make up for missing Pooh! Well, my sweet brother Drew took the initiative to get Bella and I tickets! We were on the 8th row front and center! WE had a ball! She danced and played the whole time! Thanks Drew for the tickets! I hope the picture shows you just how much Bella loved it!

NANU THE GREAT!

I totally forgot about these pictures taken on my phone and I just had to post them! My mom came in town last week to help me around the house and with Bella. Bella had come down with a bad cold and I couldn't take off anymore days so thank goodness Nanu is retired! ;) She rushed to my side! It was just what B and I both needed to cheer us up! Bella just adores her and nothing makes me as happy, then to see them together! thanks Mom for all your help! B and I love you! xoxo

OOOUCCH Mommy!

Last Thursday morning while I was at work, I started having really bad stomach pains. I thought I was coming down with the stomach bug! However within an hour I was rushed to the ER with appendicitis and was transfered to River Oaks Hospital where they did an Emergency Appendectomy. Needless to say, things went great! I was out of the hospital Friday afternoon. Mrs. Ginger and Mr. Rick Benson rushed to my side and did a great job taking care of me and arranging surgery with the best doctors! My mom, poor thing, was in Columbus sick with the stomach bug herself so she had to stay in Columbus. Beka, Cadie and Kyle took care of Bella for me until I could get home.
Once home, I realized JUST how slow I was! Once Mom got to feeling better, we made the decision for Bella to head to Columbus so I could recover. Pretty hard to take care of a toddler when you can't lift or bend! Sweet Beka took her and Bella will come home tomorrow! I'm doing much better and hope to return to work soon. I go back to the doctor Wednesday to remove my Staples. I'm really looking forwards to seeing Bella and having her back here. Even though I know she is having a blast with her NANU, its been too quite without her! :( Thanks to my family the Benson Family,the Holloway's, Brooks, Claire, Cadie, Kyle and everyone else who helped me this past weekend! I'm so blessed to have such great friends and family~
The picture above are flowers from The Benson's and the Holloway's. Thank you both for the beautiful flowers and food! They brightened my day!

Petting Zoo!

While we were at the Mississippi State Fair, Cadie convinced me to take Bella into the petting zoo. It was their first outing together last year when Cadie started keeping Bella. I can't believe time flew so fast!
I had big hesitations about the petting zoo. All I could think was.. GROSS animals with gross germs! However, once I got in there and realized how much fun Bella was having, I seemed to calm down!I did Purell A LOT later! haha. She was so cute with them! She would point out eat animal with their sound i.e. Cow.. "MOOO" before she would feed them. I think she and Cadie both had a great time! I especially love the picture of her with the pigs. She thought they were so funny!

Mississippi State Fair 08!

Last weekend Cadie and I ventured out to the Mississippi State Fair. It was my first time! Man was it expensive! Geez.. I had no idea it was going to cost a MILLION dollars to ride 4 rides and eat! Needless to say, I learned that my sweet Bella is an adventurous! She loved the fast rides and hated the slow "round-n-round" ones. The best part of all was eating! YUMMMY funny cakes and chicken on a stick! Goodness, I think we gained 10lbs just walking in. Bella has a new thing for FOOD ON A STICK. She thought it was pretty cool, especially the corn dogs! ;) Im so thankful Cadie went with us. Its so good to have her to share Bella with! I hope she will continue to go everywhere with us! Bella and I both enjoy her so much.