Meet Jill

We have another new addition! Her name is Jill and she is the friendliest, love-iest yellow lab puppy. She is 11 weeks old and we couldn't be more excited to have her join our family.

Here, Jill was 10 days old when we went to pick her out. Turns out we ended up with the alpha/"pick of the litter," so she ended up being a great pick! :)

Here she is today at 11 weeks old. She is MOSTLY house-broken, but still has a few accidents here and there. She's such a sweetheart. Now, the reason we got her: The week before Christmas, Trey was working outside and had big Zoe out with him. He got side-tracked in his project and forgot she was out with him, all the while something, probably some sort of bird or squirrel, "lured" her away (which was VERY uncommon) and she lost her way home. By the time he realized she was missing and started calling for her to come back, a couple hours later, he was unable to find her. We called and called and she never returned. We posted signs that evening and continued looking. The next morning we went to emergency vet clinics to see if anyone had turned her in or called them about a lost dog. We found her. She had been hit by a car and killed. We were both torn apart and Trey knew the only way he could replace the hole in his heart would be to get another dog just like her. So he contacted the trainer that helped him with Zoe about getting one and he led us to Jill's breeder and here we are today. We still have bad days and miss her tremendously, but we are healing. Here's Zoe:

And, of course, here's a 6 week photo of Cash...strrrreeeetccching!! :)

1 month! {errr 5.5 weeks}

I had every intention of ordering these cute little monthly progression stickers you put on onesies to take a picture each month to gauge growth - but I just never got around to it. Mostly because I couldn't make up my mind as to which set I wanted to buy. Luckily my sister saved me from myself and bought some for me, a little late, but nonetheless, she came to my rescue!! So, here is Cash's "one month" picture - at 5.5 weeks! I promise I will do them on time going forward. I'm also posting a picture from a little photo session we had in my living room of my niece, Kaila, and Cash. Oma wanted to get a good picture of both her grandbabies to keep on her phone, so I decided to try and get a good one as well. I only had to take 100 pictures to get it, but alas, I did! And Kaila finally had enough photos! She said "NO MORE PICTURES!!!!"

eat. sleep. golf.

My friend Bobbie made Cash an adorable blanket (white with little black dots and orange, turquoise, blue and gray argyle on the other and it has orange edging). I. LOVE. it. She invited us to go to take pictures in the park with her and her 3 daughters the other day. I wasn't going to turn down a photo session, especially when Bobbie takes GREAT photos. (you can see for yourself). So I brought this blanket as I thought it would be a GREAT opportunity to showcase it! She gave me my images today and Oh. my. goodness. I'm in love. I'm going to have to do something special for mother's day (for the grandma's) and father's day with them. I just can't wait!! Here are just a couple of my favorites:

Our First Outing..

Our second day at home, we decided to go to the park. It was just soooo nice outside and Miss Aubrey NEEDED to get outside and play. So Trey, me and Cash tagged along! Of course he got hungry while we were out...and of course some man and his little girl showed up to play while I was feeding him :/

I just love this picture...you can see his little scowl in it; one of the ONLY characteristics he got from me. :)

Visitors and Coming home

Trey was going absolutely stir crazy while we were in the hospital and couldn't WAIT to get out of there. We couldn't get any sleep with all the hospital staff constantly in and out. Not to mention, the weather outside was BEAUTIFUL and all we could do was stare out the window to the side of a parking garage. Boo. So while I was in the shower on discharge day, Trey packed up all of our belongings, changed and clothed Cash in the outfit I'd brought for him to go home in and surprised me with this cuteness when I got out: (he had even taken pictures already)


Trey's great Aunt Margie made the booties (and a hat to match, but it was WAY too big for right now).

We had several visitors while we were in the hospital. I only got my camera out a couple times. My sister did a better job of taking photos for me, but I haven't received her images yet. I will update again once I receive them. Her plan was to try and get here just before Cash's birth so she could photograph the delivery for me, however, Cash arrived just a few hours early. Danielle and Aubrey still got maximum time with him, but it still put a little damper on our photography plans. Oh well.

So here are some of the photos me and Leslie (MIL) got of our visitors in the hospital and the days after here at the house.

His hospital visitors included Poppy Crawford, Danielle and Aubrey, Amy and Kaila, "Uncle" John, "Tia" Leticia and Leah, Lindsey and Debbie (whom he didn't get to see as the nursery had him), but they brought him the cute mum on the door and also one for his bassinet that the nursery brought him back and forth in, and of course Oma and Grammy and PaPaw. Pop Bill was there for his birth also, but we didn't get any pictures of Pop Bill or PaPaw I don't believe. :(

Gigi and Poppy came to visit at the house afterwards as they were at a bowling tournament in San Antonio while he was being born. Gigi will owe him flowers or an Edible Arrangement every year on his birthday just like Poppy does for Amy since she missed it. ;)

Our good friends Bobbie and Damion came to visit the day we came home as well; but we neglected to take photos of their visit.

*This post has been edited..I have updated it with photos from my sister!*

Meet Cash Benjamin!!

Well, I'm a slacker. But at least I have a good excuse. :)

I'm just going to get right down to it, folks.

I was soooooooo worried I wouldn't know when I was in labor. And if I had to depend on contractions, I don't think I would have known. Because even once they started, I wasn't sure that's what they were. But my water broke first. At 4:48am. I was getting out of bed to go potty and as SOON as I stood up I felt leakage. I thought "I KNOW I did NOT just pee on myself, my water must have broke." As I waddled into the bathroom, it was confirmed because a LOT more came out as I pulled my pants down and headed for the toilet. (graphic, I know, but I just don't know how else to tell it) A puddle hit the floor - all clear - and it just kept pouring out in the toilet. I gave it the sniff test, just to be sure and yes, NOT pee. I yelled at Trey "Babe, my water just broke" in a feeble voice - a couple of times. Asked him to get my phone so I could call the doctor - who told us to get directly to the hospital, because when the water breaks with no contractions, it could lead to infection. So we were on our merry way! (BTW, I had a feeling before I went to bed that something would happen that night or early in the morning becuase Cash was super active in there. As if he were clawing at the "sac", ready to make an escape.)

Contractions started when we were getting into the truck. They were pretty mild. Just felt like cramps or a stomach ache and really I thought I should go back in the house to poop. But I didn't. The ride downtown was a bit painful as contractions were coming about every minute and lasting about a minute.

I decided to get the epidural because my Neurologist explained that it would be very helpful in warding off stress for my body to prevent a seizure, so I said "say no more, I'll do it". I got it when I was dilated to about a 6, which happened right after they gave me a small dose of ptosin. (My cervix was dilating faster than my contractions were getting stronger and Dr. Gullett was fearful that my uterus would give out and send me to a C-Section.)


Cash Benjamin was born soon after, at 10:31am. Grammy, Oma and Daddy were all there to witness and take LOTS of pictures! Mommy cried her eyes out!

Mission Complete: Nursery

We FINALLY have the nursery completed! yay. Yay. YAY!!!! The only thing missing is the area rug. It's on order, but hasn't shipped yet. I've gotten a notification that it's processing, but the ship date has been pushed back. I'm sad about this news. :( At least everything else is done. :)

Take a look-see:

This dadgum vinyl decal on the wall apparently was exposed to too much heat in shipping and is NOT sticking to the wall. Trey says it will be on the floor in the morning. Unfortunately I believe him. I've already had to press it back on about 3 times. :( Not sure what I'm going to do about that, besides pout about it.






The rug that I'm waiting on is pictured at the bottom. My posting is acting weird and not letting me caption the photos for some reason.... ??