Christmas & New Years Eve 2011

What an exciting, special Christmas this was for our sweet family! Last year Jonathan and I spent our Christmas in the NICU visiting Cecilia. She was 16 days old on Christmas day last year. Oh, what a difference a year makes!! Below is a picture from Christmas day last year. The nurses glued a red bow to her head. My precious girl!! She's a little fighter, that's for sure.


This year, we celebrated with my family a few days before in Gulfport. We celebrated Christmas and my little brother Jules' birthday (Christmas Eve baby). Then, we spent Christmas morning at our home watching Cecilia in amazement, followed by a Christmas service with Jonathan's family at their church, lunch and opening gifts at their home. The Tuesday after Christmas, we went to the family fish camp, Lagniappe, in Bay St. Louis to spend a few days with Jonathan's extended family. It was a busy week but oh so fun!!

Then there's New Years Eve. How your idea of what is fun changes!! New Years Eve Eve we had a low-key adult dinner at our favorite restaurant in Hattiesburg with two other couples, then on New Years Eve we had one of those couples over to our house for dinner. We were definitely sleeping at midnight.;)

Pics from Christmas day:

Rise and shine, Mommy & Daddy!! I'm ready!

At our house, tearing into her gifts from Santa

At Maama & Papa's house after church

Wishing Baxter a Merry Christmas. She asked her Daddy for a puppy, but he hasn't given in yet.

The Girls

Playing around with Uncle Josh

I love my new wagon!! Thanks, Maama & Papa! Now Baxter and I can cruise the neighborhood!!

Opening gifts is exhausting!!

Pics from Lagniappe:

The Girls

Grandchildren and one great!!

The Duhons

She can't get enough of Aunt Sarah!! CAN'T!! Thank goodness Sarah has some time off from medical school for the holidays. Mommy has commissioned her for some babysitting!!

Loving her wagon

Maama & Papa

Leah, Jonathan & Sarah

Another exhausting day of opening gifts!!

Three Generations

Aunt Leah & Uncle Josh

Getting clean after a long day

Pics from New Years Eve:

Waiting on her playdate to arrive!!

Cecilia and her New Years Eve playdate, Ella Hartel!! We can't wait to take these two on vacation!! Her Mom, Maurie, and I both stay at home with our babies, so there are many more playdates in their future.

Cuties!!

Of course, Cecilia found Mrs. Maurie's iphone on the floor and would not give it back!! All the toys and those babies always find what they aren't supposed to have.

Take this off!!

Maurie and I tried!!

I'd rather eat mine!!

Nummy!!

We told her that her playdate had to leave for bedtime, and this is what we got!! Her "OH NO" face!!

Jones Companies Christmas Party

Jonathan's company had their Christmas party a few weeks ago. So fun!! He has been with the company going on 6 years and accepted this position after leaving KPMG in Memphis, TN. He really enjoys the people, atmosphere and challenges, etc. The owners are wonderful, and we love them!! Jonathan Jones is one of Jonathan's best friends, and "JJ" as we call him is the primary reason (well, "the" reason) Jonathan left KPMG and moved to Hattiesburg. We are blessed Jonathan has this wonderful career that allows me to stay home with Cecilia. Pics below!

Love these guys!
L to R: John Karnes, Brett Jones, Jonathan Jones & Jonathan
We are all headed to their industry's annual convention in San Diego in February. The convention is always so much fun!!

Jonathan, Mr. Brett & Mrs. Lisa Jones (Mrs. Lisa is wonderful!)

Us!! What a great night. My Mom came up from Gulfport for two nights to watch Cecilia and let us attend our bible study Christmas party and his company's Christmas party --- and also let me wrap tons of gifts, do laundry, etc, etc, etc, etc. As my Mom pulled in our drive, I basically met her at the car with Cecilia for the hand-off.:) Ooops! Thanks, Mama Jo!! If I didn't have Maama (Jonathan's Mom) and Mama Jo, I'd be LOST!

Christmas Eve Breakfast with Daddy

Jonathan and Cecilia joined Forrest Hartel and his precious little girl, Ella, for breakfast this morning. This was not only super sweet but gave Mommy some time to relax. (I actually went back to sleep for over an hour!! After being up since 5:15 am, I didn't think I could easily close my eyes at 8:15 am for a quick nap... well, it ended up being quite easy;)). Let's hope these super Dads make Saturday morning breakfast a ritual. I know Forrest does! That's a start.

Cecilia and sweet Ella. According to the Dads, they laughed at each other the entire time, but neither J nor F had a quick enough camera to catch those two in action.

Merry Christmas Eve and Happy Birthday, Uncle Jules!!

Ella & her Daddy, Forrest

Cecilia & Daddy

Birthday Celebration for Uncle Jules!!

My little brother Jules turns 27 on Christmas Eve (today), and we celebrated at my Mom's in Gulfport earlier in the week. It was so, so fun!! We had an early dinner and were on the road back to Hattiesburg by 8 pm. Cecilia fell right to sleep when we got in the car. Very nice.;) Below are a few pictures my Stepdad took!! Thanks, Dave!!

Excited to see Mama Jo!!

Little brother Miles and I (this is what no make-up will get you...)

She finally let Brittany (Jules' girlfriend) hold her!! And how happy does she look??!

Someone dipped into Uncle Jules' birthday cake!! Nummy!!

She was dancing... arms were everywhere! Mommy and Ceci dance and sing around the house to Christmas music every day. Every. Single. Day. She sings with me and it is the CUTEST!! She still thinks I sing ok --- great because I know that won't last...;)

Ohhh, Cecilia!!

Cecilia LOVES other babies and loooves looking at pictures of them (especially those of herself;)). She gets extremely excited. See her below admiring my screensaver. Good thing her Daddy doesn't see her giving all those "kissies" to the babies on our Christmas cards as we get them in the mail each afternoon. Opening the mail with all these pictures of babies is her daily holiday highlight. One of her favorites --- Davis Pittman! (son of Josh & Elizabeth Pittman)... Oh goodness!!

2011 Christmas Card

Since our cards have gone out, I figured I could post ours to document on the blog! I thought Cecilia's pictures turned out too cute. I posted a few other pictures we were choosing among.






Photos by Sam McAlister

Cecilia's One Year Stats

Well, we had Cecilia's birthday party on Saturday, December 10th then went for her one year well-baby check-up on Monday, December 12th. I'm very glad we waited until after her party... she got four shots! Poor baby.

The visit went GREAT!! I have yet to post details re this, but our Cecilia was born prematurely --- at 29 weeks, 6 days weighing 3 lbs, 5 oz. I was diagnosed with placenta previa and was in the hospital on bed rest for six weeks before having her 10 weeks early. She stayed in the Forrest General Hospital NICU until her due date. She was just perfect but needed to grow a bit before we could bring her home.:) It was an exhausting and scary 16 weeks, but we made it through. Since arriving home, she has been flourishing beyond belief!! Our pediatrician gave us her stats and reassured us how quickly she has caught up with full-term babies and how well he thought she was doing. Wonderful report! Below are the stats for Cecilia compared to full-term babies (not preemies!). The doc told us everything couldn't look better, and she is going to be tall and thin. We have a model on our hands...;)

Height - 90th percentile (30 1/2 in)
Weight - 40th percentile (20 lbs, 9 oz)
Head - 90th percentile (18.4 in)

Oh, and she is finally getting some hair!! Papa (Jonathan's Dad) affectionately calls her "fuzz head!";)

Waiting for Dr. Shook...

Checking out the waiting room with Daddy...