lovin' the "beeesh"

first day at the beach




splashing with grandma jane




showing off the baby bump






getting together with friends...
mary was the "babysitter"





off to the beach again...







we had to get ONE naked beach baby photo



last day of sunshine, sand, and waves





she tried to LICK the sand off her toes!



dinner with good friends




posing with grandma di





family shots are hard to come by...



one more with grandma jane




We took a trip home to Panama City to visit our families and friends AND to enjoy the world's most beautiful beaches before the BP oil spill spoils them. We had a wonderful time and it was hard to leave. Emma Jane got to see all of her local grandparents and great grandparents, as well as lots of special friends. Everyone could not believe how much she has changed in just a few short months. Most of our days were spent at the beach...three in a row! Emma Jane LOVED splashing in the gulf and playing with her toys in the sand. She was FEARLESS and we had to keep a close eye on her since she would run to the shoreline and jump right in the gulf! She didn't even want us to hold her hand while in the water. She kept shouting, "All myself!!" Little does she know that if she was given the freedom, those waves would sweep her right away!

spwaash!!!

Emma Jane loves to splash! She splashes in the bathtub, in the sink when she's washing her hands, and outside in the sprinklers. Yesterday we met Sara and Lily at Irmo Town Park where they have a little man-made stream complete with shiny pebbles. I brought Emma Jane's rainboots because I knew just what she would want to do in that stream! (We'd been there before and she got covered in mud!) Unfortunately, I also put a longer sundress on her, so that had to be tucked up in her bloomers! Emma Jane and Lily had a blast "spwaashing" in the stream and throwing pebbles into it. Emma Jane even let Lily borrow her rainboots for awhile. It was so much fun to watch the girls play with such pure joy!

big news

Emma Jane has big news....




Yes, she is going to be a big sister! We are thrilled to announce that I am 12 weeks pregnant. We are ecstatic to share this wonderful news with family and friends. This baby is a gift from God and we are so grateful. Today's ultrasound measured Baby Street at 12 weeks, 4 days. We saw the most precious profile, two cute little arms (seemingly waving at us!) and two adorable little legs (crossed at the ankles). The baby's heartbeat is strong at 164 bpm. We are so blessed!

rhythm & blooms

The Riverbanks Botanical Gardens is hosting musical groups every Thursday night this month for their Rhythm & Blooms series. Since we have a little dancer on our hands, we knew we couldn't miss it. Emma Jane met her friends Kaitlyn and Lily there and they had a ball! Emma Jane and Lily had fun pouring water into each other's cups (mostly spilling it, but it was a fun experiment!). The girls were mesmerized by the band and danced their little hearts out. Emma Jane tried to "escape" several times and Paul had to round her up. We had such a good time and look forward to going again next week.

happy mama's day

I couldn't have asked for a better Mother's Day this year. Emma Jane made me a very special card and then she and Paul took me to the capitol grounds for a picnic. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed every moment. Since Emma Jane calls me "mama" we taught her to say, "Happy Mama's Day!" and indeed, it was!

a visit from grandma & grandpa

Emma Jane had a ton of fun with her Grandma Jane and Grandpa Bill this past weekend. During their visit, we took them to the zoo and to the Riverfront Park. We also spent time in the yard playing in the sprinkler and with Emma Jane's new rides! Grandma and Grandpa brought her a Disney princess bike and a used Barbie Jeep that Grandpa fixed up just for her. You can imagine Emma Jane's surprise when she realized that just a touch of the gas pedal makes the Jeep GO GO! We had lots of fun with our special guests and hated to see them go.

graduation day

We are happy to announce that Paul has officially graduated! It was a big day for all of us. Of course, Bill and Jane came in town to attend the big event. The ceremony was held at the Koger Center in downtown Columbia. We sat in the upper balcony at the end of an aisle since we knew Emma Jane would probably get restless. We were right! She actually did pretty well in her seat for the first hour since we had plenty of snacks for her to enjoy. After the snacks ran out, we took turns taking her out of the auditorium to climb the steps and run around. She did manage to stay put until her daddy walked across the stage. She got really excited when she heard her mama's name called out. Several students had Renee as their middle name and at one point she shouted out, "Weenaa!!" over and over. Paul told us later that he could hear her all the way across the auditorium!

Later that night we went out to dinner to celebrate. We don't go out to dinner much these days, so this was a real treat for us! We are so proud of Paul and all that he has accomplished. As Emma Jane has learned to say, "Congwats, Daddy!"

happy gra-da-day-tion

On Friday, Paul graduates with a Masters in nurse anesthesia from USC! We are also proud to announce that he received the award for the most outstanding nurse anesthesia student in his class. We are so proud of him! Emma Jane has been practicing saying "Happy Graduation!" but that's a tough one. It comes out "Happy Gra-da-day-tion!"