Well, Get Ready! 6 Months of Fun Crammed Into 1 Post!!!

Now I have LOTS of catching up to do! I thought my first offical post should be a glance at a few of my favorite moments in time, among thousands, that we have "captured". I have dreamed my whole life of being a mom, and I can only say that God always exceeds my expectations. There are no words for my love for this little sweet face!

Shaelyn Jade Andrews, Born May 16, 2009; 8 lb 9 oz, 21 1/2 inches...




Richard sat staring at her for days... and I sat staring at him with her! How did this "french class boy" end up as the father of my baby? God is SO GOOD!


No one was as excited to hear "It's a GIRL" as my mom! I was so excited to tell her that she would be named after her, Shaelyn Jade... and it was so sweet that she was able to give her her first bath!


Our first photo as a family of 3!!


It was so special to us that Rich's Mom and Dad were able to be there right after she was born... and I must say she definitely favors the Andrews side! :) We miss our Nanma and Grampy!!!


I remember waking up to this face in the wee hours of my first morning as a mom and thinking perhaps I'd given birth to a cartoon character. This is one of my favorite pictures in the world!



Rich told me after she was born that he'd always watched Nathan and Joey's kids come by and see them at work, and he'd longed for the day when he would have kids to come see him at work, too! It's hard to get anything done when she pops in to say hello!


My sweet "Aunt-Sister" Sonya has always been my dearest and best friend in this life, and we have dreamed all of our lives of someday having girls to raise together just like us! Livi loved her "Shae Ja" from the minute she laid eyes on her!


Enough said, right?


Our 3 month old little lady somehow managed to take the prize for youngest swine flu patient at our pediatric clinic...and we think she may have gotten it from kissing this friend in the mouth!



This is truly one of my favorites! My sweet Dad loves my baby girl, and I am so thankful that she, too, will grow up hearing her Poppi read God's Word to her.


But OF COURSE she had a bathing suit and sunglasses at 6 weeks... just like her Non!


First Family Vacation to South Carolina in June...


How could a baby girl look so much like a grown man???


Our first trip to Florida, just the 3 of us! It was a dream...


...And somehow we ended up getting in on another Florida trip just a month later, with the whole family again, which was a blast!



Everyone knows that Briley is my sweet, sweet girl who has always just brightened my life... and I don't think anyone wanted a girl as bad as she did! I will forever be thankful for the memories of the day Shaelyn Jade was born, and how Briley was there for every single bit of it! I always tell her that Shaelyn Jade will always want to be JUST LIKE HER!


This girl LOVES being outside! We walk a lot...and I think she would literally stay happy in her stroller for days!


We are so thankful for our cousins...





Rich has sat and played the guitar for her since the first days we brought her home, and she is just now really starting to react to it. She's already grabbing for the guitar, trying to play... so we hope she'll love music like her Daddy!




And last, but not least... this was just taken last night. This little lady LOVES bathtime, and it is such a fun way for us to end our days together...


Well, I am afraid that for all 3 of the people that might have thought about following this blog---I have probably scared you off with the length of this post. I PROMISE they won't all be like this, but I had 6 months to catch up on! Wanted everyone to see just a little bit of the joy we've experienced since Shaelyn Jade showed up. She makes our days so happy...