Goings On

Lordy, y'all, I have been too busy for words.  I hate neglecting the blog - I would love to get in a "Christmas" post with a few of my favorite photos before L's birthday next week (so much to do!).  Anyway, I thought I'd do a quick catch-up post in photos.

Below are some cute (but random) photos of L testing out some of her new Christmas gifts last week.  First, a wagon from Mommy and Daddy (canopy coming for her birthday using her birthday coupon, woot!):

Andddd the dinosaur ball pit from Grandmommy & Pawpaw:

I should  mention that I kind of hate that gift.  Don't get me wrong, I am grateful and L LOVES it, but seriously all I do is chase those d@mn balls around the house.  Thanks, Mom!  :-)

Her other favorite thing so far is a Step 2 Pusharound Buggy from Grandma Susie & Papa:

  

More photos to come in the Christmas post.

Soooooo in other news, Lilly started walking over Christmas break.  I know, right?  So crazy.  And bittersweet.  I am so proud of my independent girl, but am a little sad when I wonder where my baby girl (and the past [almost] year!) went.  She had taken a step or two here and there, but the below video captured her first sequence of steps.  Two things to note: 1. It's an iPhone video,  sorry about the poor quality.  2.  Ignore my laugh, it's so weird, I know.

Also, I can't take credit for the my video skillz (hehe).  Jon taught me everything I know, and I copied the slowdown from Hadley's walking video.  Thanks, friends!

Now that L knows how to walk, she wants to walk EVERYWHERE.  Well, except when she wants to run, which is pretty much all of the time.  She's pretty good at stopping to try to balance herself, but Lord it scares me to death.  A few days after she started walking, she got her first walking battle wound when she lunged straight into the coffee table and it left a line on the right side (left side if you're looking at her) of her little face: 

:-( SO sad, right?  I mean we have corner covers on the table, but I never imagined that she'd fall straight into the side!

This past weekend, my parents came to town to help out with Lilly because we were SUPER busy attending events for the governor's inauguration.  All in a day's work for Prince Danny!  On Thursday night we attended Rock the Ball, which was hosted by the Junior League of Raleigh.  Here is the only photo I am not embarrassed to able to show you ("Moms Gone Wild" was a phrase to describe this night, oy):

Friday  night was the more formal event - the Gala Presentation and Inaugural Ball:

The MOST important thing that happened on this night was that I MET STEDMAN GRAHAM. If you do not know who he is, you obviously do not know me.  

That's right, Oprah's boyfriend and I are besties.  Which basically means Oprah and I are besties.  Be jealous.  I've had pretty good luck meeting celebs at the Inaugural Balls if I do say so myself - Stedman on Friday and Eric Church four years ago.  The night would have REALLY been great if (a) Oprah herself had attended OR (b) I'd been able to stalk track down the Avett Brothers for a photo.  Oh well, I guess!

Saturday night was actually my favorite of all of the events, I think.  Maybe because I wore sequins - who doesn't love those?  Anyway, it was a fundraiser:

We were both beyond exhausted on Sunday.  Luckily the weather was beautiful, and we did not have one thing planned, so we got to relax.  Since the weather was so nice (read: almost 80 degrees in January!!!), my Dad and Dan installed the swing that Dan got Lilly for Christmas:

The following 10 million photos will prove to you that Lilly LOVES it.  I was able to get a ton of cute pictures because she was giggling and squealing, and I couldn't narrow them down, sorry bout it:

Getting ready to go test out the new swing!

Look at those teeth!  My little snaggletooth.

I think that catches us up from last week.  I promise to TRY to blog about Christmas this week in between crafting and general birthday party planning.  I still cannot believe that my baby girl turns ONE next week!

Happy Monday!

Sarah