Bronx Zoo!

Bug Ride with Mommy!

RAIN RAIN RAIN.. DRENCHED!



American Girl House!

BAHHHH!!

DUCK DUCK.. QUACK QUACK!

IM POOPED! Bella layed down in the middle of the Zoo!

Moddy telling B all about the P Dogs!



Saturday Steph (Moddy), Bella and I loaded up for a long subway ride to the Bronx Zoo. Bella doesn't do well on long rides due to her Aunt Beka! Beka LOVES holding Bella and has made it difficult for me to enjoy strolling with her, due to Bella wanting to be held! Stephanie had to teach me a lesson REAL fast on patience and self control and Bella learned even FASTER that she wasn't coming out of the stroller! Once we got that straight it was a fun day. The 3 things Bella enjoyed the best were PRAIRIE DOGS, TURTLES AND DUCKS (GO FIGURE). She was terrified of the monkeys and didn't think too much of the lambs! The lamb in the picture "BAHHHH'D" at Bella as soon as we set for a pose, hence Bella and my reaction! It was pretty funny. After a long day at the Zoo Bella decided to LAY DOWN IN the MIDDLE OF THE ZOO on the road. Stephanie and I couldn't figure out what on earth she was doing, but she thought it was soo funny! Steph and I immediately freaked about germs and our OCD kicked it!
We left and on the way home we were hit with a DOWN POUR! It was such a hot day and the rain wasn't going to kill us so we walked in it! It was pretty funny and Bella thought it was great! What a fun, but tiring day.

B LOVES NYC!!!

Carly and Me

Sleepy Bella after a long day on the subway home.

Took off her diaper and grabbed her sunglasses! What a life!

Moddy and Mommy!

Moddy and Bella playing in Central Park

Robyn,Lauren and Bella watching DORA!!

Claire sharing her love of Reading with Bella and I!


Jenny and Bella laid back living!
Last weekend Bella and I made a trip to NYC to visit Moddy (Stephanie) and take Bella to some fun places. Stephanie and I always have a great time when we get together and I love having her as Bella's Godmother. She brings so much to her life and I couldn't ask for a more involved person. Bella loves her.
Our trip was very relaxed, but fun filled. We went to the Bronx Zoo, The Manhattan Children's Museum, Swimming, the park, shopping.. etc! What can you NOT do in NYC! :) We had such a good time. Bella really took to Jenny, Stephanie's roommate. Bella thought she was so funny and Jenny taught her all about FASHION! It was cute! Bella did great on the flights. She had a hard time Friday adjusting to the schedule change and subways, but Stephanie taught me will power pretty quickly.. THANKS STEPH! Bella Got a little restless on the way back after our 11 hour delay and DRIVE HOME AT MIDNIGHT FROM ATLANTA, but other than that.. she was a princess. :)
ANOTHER reason I love NYC is my wonderful girlfriends. I went to NYC 4 years ago thinking I could never find close girlfriends in 2 years of school and BOY WAS A WRONG! Clarissa, Robyn, Lauren and Carly are 4 people I can honestly say have pulled me very far! They are always very close in heart and phone! I love bringing Bella to see them because they were of the first to learn of her existence and have adored her from day one. 4 + 1 (Steph) are GREAT REASONS TO RETURN~~!!! :)

Laura Beth and Harris Bond!

Laura Beth and Harris Bond

Uncle Joe and Sweet Allison Griffin

Beka and I

Beka Boo and B

Harris measuring up to the Shields' brothers!

Cousin Josh, Cousin Anna

My Cousin Stacey and Her Husband Bill with Clare and Will
Mr. and Mrs. Bond

Richard Shields, Lenore Shields Griffin, Tommy Shields

This past weekend we got to spend the day with my dad's side of the family to celebrate my sweet cousin Laura Beth's wedding! Mom and Beka came Friday afternoon to Jackson and we spent the day shopping and having lots of girl time. It was wonderful! Saturday we met Drew and the rest of the Shields' crew in Collins. Well..minus Adam who had prior commitments for Orrientation for Mississippi State.
The wedding was so sweet and very much a celebration of two people madly in love! I couldn't be happier for the new Mr. and Mrs. Bond! Congrats Laura Beth!!

We got to see so many special people and spend a day together. I know my dad was very happy that day! He always treasured his brothers and sisters and also got so excited when the whole family was together. It means so much to me now as a mom to get to share Bella with the rest of my extended family. They are very supportive of both Bella and I. I am very blessed to have them! Im looking forwards to Thanksgiving on the Coast already!! Can't wait for My Aunt Martha and Noe's good cooking! YUMMMM!!!

Weekend With Daddy, Gammie, Aunt Kathryn!

Friday Zack, Mrs. Lynn (Gammie) and Kathryn drove over for the weekend to see Bella. Friday night was Bella's first time to spend the night with Daddy. She had such a good time!! Zack said she took a little time to adjust, but did great for him! He said he really enjoyed his visit with her and I know Bella did too! She always loves getting to see Daddy, Gammie and Aunt Kat! They spoil her to pieces!
I'm not going to lie.. I worried all night about her; calling and texting Zack frequently! However, I realized quickly that Zack is very protective of his little girl and does a great job when he keeps her! I came home Saturday thinking she would run into my arms and shower me with a million hugs! To my surprise; she quietly grinned! (INSERT POUT) I was secretly sad that she didn't make a big fuss over seeing me, but when its all said and done, I was excited that her and Zack had such a great weekend together! Here's to many more with Bella and Daddy!
Oh and let me say thank you to Mrs. Lynn who made me a HUGE bowl of chicken salad and pimiento cheese! YUMMMMM!! Hers is the BEST! Bella and I have indulged ourselves in both! Thanks Gammie!

Casey Collins!

Cadie (Ce-Ce) had a big birthday last week so she took a week off from keeping Bella to go to the beach! So, her sister Casey kept Bella. I was very nervous at first given that Bella is so attached to Cadie and has been "clingy" a lot more lately. I figured within the first day Casey would be calling me to come home! However, this was SOO not the case. Casey had Bella at the pool, park, eating, sleeping and running around happy as a lark! I was extremely excited to come home each day and see a smile on BOTH of their faces! Bella also started calling Casey "Say-Cee" It was so cute! She took to her very well!

Casey is 19 and has a Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease which is a inherited Neurological Disorder affecting your sensory and motor nerves. In Casey's situation it affects her lower extremities causing her to have muscle weakness in her legs. I was atonished to hear she had this disease being that it ony affects 1 in 2,500 people in th US and that my Granmother Shields was one of the first cases. My grandmother was very limited at times having to crawl on her knees or wear braces to get around. Casey does EXTREMELY well and is such a delight to watch! She is a very strong and independent girl with lots of personality much like my grandmother.

If any of you Mom's are looking for help this summer, Casey is home for the summer from school and is looking to help a family with children. I am the first to say she is WONDERFUL and would make you and your kids so happy! If you are interested, please let me know!
THANKS CASEY for helping me and Cadie out this week! You are fabulous!

Sweet Bella!

Yesterday we took a trip to Columbus to visit Nanu (Mom) and the rest of my crew. We also scheduled in time to meet Ms. Robin Cregeen and her girls at Lake Lowndes for some pictures of Bella. It turned out to be such a fun day! Bella was in the best mood and the weather couldn't have been better. We had a lot of fun just playing. These were some of my favorites, however I love every picture of Bella! Guess I am kinda partial!


Thanks Ms. Robin for taking them! I really think they turned out great! Also thanks to Mom, Paul, Adam and Beka for a fun day at home! I love you guys!

Mommy Day!

Yesterday was the BEST Mother's Day! I spent the entire day with Bella and It I couldn't have been happier. One of my greatest Friends, Annelise and her sister Sarah Kathryn came by to visit us. Annelise brought her puppy Norman. We had BIG time!!
Friday started my Mother's Day weekend when I received a box of GODIVA chocolates from Bella's Godmother, Stephanie! Steph and I share a love for Godiva and Bella! ;) It was so sweet and thoughtful of her to remember me. I ate EVERY LAST PIECE before Mother's day even arrived! ;) Thanks Steph.. you are the best ever!

Saturday Mom and Adam (Nanu and A-ham as Bella says) came to keep Bella for the day while Kyle and I threw a baby shower for our good friends the Bell's. To my surprise Mom and Adam had created the sweetest gifts for me! A huge wall frame of a tone of photos I had never seen of Bella. They were all so cute and It couldn't have been sweeter. Adam also made me a personalized frame from Bella that said "MOMMY I LOVE YOU THIS MUCH" with a picture of Bella standing with her arms wide open! Definitely brought tears to my eyes. I have the best family. Thank you so much. I love you.

THEN.. Saturday night after coming home, I found a DOZEN long stem Red roses and One white rose on my door step! The card read "TO MOMMY, I LOVE YOU BELLA!" I later found out that they were sent by Bella's Gammie, Zack's Mom. They were the icing on the cake! Thank you so much Mrs. Lynn, they are beautiful!! I am enjoying them so much!

As you can see not just by the gifts, but also by all the love and support that I am the luckiest Mom in the world! I have to best family and a sweet little girl who adores me. What more could you want?