The Craigs

10 months

Our girl is 10 months old today. She'll be 1 in no time! How is that possible???

She's had a lot of transition in her life lately and I think she's handled it pretty well (I'll have more on her TX life soon).

From 10 months

I'm back to loving this age. She has picked up so many new things lately. She's talking up a storm- dada, mama & ba are her favorite words. And although I hate to share this- dada was her first word. Killed me that she would say dada over mama first but what can you do? She still isn't crawling much (little stinker). She gets up on all fours and goes backwards but hasn't mastered the art of going forward. Her favorite thing to do is hold on to your fingers and do laps around the house. I swear she thinks she can walk on her own. I think she'll go straight to walking & RUNNING very soon. She's also got 6 teeth to eat her favorite foods which include french fries, pancakes, veggie sticks, maple sticks & crackers. I'm hoping her pallet will expand soon :-)

Now to our monthly pics. The bunny is in the barn somewhere with all the rest of our belongings & I just couldn't find it. Oh well.

From 10 months

We were in Arkansas last weekend for my sister's graduation from Grad school. Pics coming soon!!!

Olivia

My brother & his wife are living in Pensacola, FL now so he can go to flight school with the Navy. Pensacola is just 1.5 hrs away from Destin and on the way to TX so we left Destin last Monday and headed to see our new niece/cousin OLIVIA. My parents just happened to be in town too so we got to see them as well. It was a quick visit but a good one.

Jonathan loves his girl

From Florida

Paisley loved their 3 dogs & even tried to share her veggie stick with them

From Florida

Here is Miss Olivia. She looks just like her momma!

From Florida

These two were just meant to be grand parents!

From Florida

Congrats to Jonathan & Rachel. Olivia is just perfect. So glad we got to see yall on the way home.

Much love,
Candice

We're in Texas!

Hello blog! How are you? Well I'm writing this post on the back porch of my parents house in Spurger, TX! We are here. We got here Tuesday. Movers came yesterday with our stuff and we're all set up. Not sure how long we will be able to live in 2 small rooms and an HOUR away from civilization but here we are!

We did a bit of traveling to get here. Last Thursday Paisley & I flew to Destin, FL to hang out with Todd's family. We had a great time. Here are a few pics from the weekend.

We put P in the pool for the first time & she loved it!

From Florida

She started kicking her feet right away. I guess its a natural instinct? I'm glad she likes the water because I signed her up for swimming lessons in June!

From Florida

We did the beach one day for all of 15 minutes. She wasn't a big fan of the sand.

From Florida

I absolutely love this shot of her in between her daddy's legs!

From Florida

P loves to wave now. It's just the cutest thing.

From Florida

My sister-in-law Lisa's kids don't like the camera like Paisley does :-)

From Florida

She wasn't quite sure what to do when the ocean water hit her feet.

From Florida

So she hiked her leg up.

From Florida

Then she hiked both feet up

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And started to cry so we took her out

From Florida

I tried my hardest to get my niece Kinley to look at my camera but she wasn't nothing to do with it. However, I do love this picture of her

From Florida

I almost got her eyes in this shot. Love this of her!

From Florida

Paisley was a big fan of her Uncle Marcus. I think it's because she looks like him with that red hair.

From Florida

Don't mind the fact that my child is chewing on a beer can opener. Pretty sure I'll win mother of the year for this one!

From Florida

We took advantage of free babysitters & left the kids with Todd's parents for a date night with Marcus & Lisa. I mean are they just adorable??!!

From Florida

Love this too with my in-laws and Paisley

From Florida

We also celebrated my mother in law's 70th birthday while we were there.

From Florida

Lots of fun had!!!

Next up: our trip to Pensacola to meet our new niece/cousin OLIVIA!!!!

Bye Bye NC

It's Tuesday and the movers are coming tomorrow!!!!! Not sure if it's hit me yet that we're moving (even though we are up to our necks in boxes). Side note- have I told you lately how much I despise moving? If you thought it sucked before, it really sucks with kids. Especially children who want to be on their mothers hip 24/7. Fortunately we have had AMAZING friends to come and help with Paisley. Here a shout out to Victoria, Kaleena, Laci & Mama Karen for coming to the rescue!!!!! Thank you ladies.

From Paisley_9 months

I was reading Proverbs 31 devotional this morning and it was talking about loving our mothers & making time for them. I don't know why but it got me all choked up. It's been 13 years and I'm finally going back to the hands that pushed me out. Those hands pushed me to get a degree, pushed me to take a job 1,500 miles away. It's those hands that I literally can't live without. It's those hands that I strive to be like when it comes to raising Paisley. I know in my heart we are doing the right thing because when you have a set of hands in your life like Momma T's, then you can't live too far away from them. They are too precious. Far more valuable than gold.

That said, I'm going to miss our life in NC. I'll miss our friends. Our amazing church. Every time I move (to NY & NC), God was faithful to provide friends who became family. So it's hard to say goodbye. I haven't cried much when telling our friends goodbye. I tend to cry on the backside. Give me 3 months and it will hit me that we left our life & our friends in NC. Then the tears will flow like a river. It usually takes me about a year to adjust to living in a new state. Surely it won't be that way now that I'm moving back home? But we'll see!

So for all you North Carolinans that read the blog- I LOVE YOU. We'll MISS YOU! Thank you for being apart of my life. Thank you for your support & your friendship. If you ever want to make a trip to the Lone Star State, our door is always open!!!!

Love you NC!
Candice

Mommy & Me pictures

I rarely have pictures of Paisley & I together because I'm usually behind the camera. That's sad to me because I'm the one that hangs out with her all day long. I will sometimes hand off the camera to Todd and unfortunately we don't always get the best of shots.

From Paisley_9 months

Remind me to teach Todd about focus, the rule of thirds & negative space!

From Paisley_9 months

Fortunately God has blessed me with some pretty amazing photographer friends who are willing to take pictures of me & my sweet P. Please go to my friend Ashley's website by clicking here to check out the great memories that she captured for us.

I can't thank you enough Ashley. I treasure these images & our friendship!
Candice

9 months

It's been such a better month!!!! Our Paisley is healthy & well and loving life. She is back to her happy, healthy self. She has even started to eat food now. After 3 months of trying, we realized she doesn't like baby food and she doesn't like to be fed. She likes to feed herself. After a trip to Chili's one day, we learned that she really likes french fries (wonder where she gets that from?!). Anything that is shaped like a french fry also works. She's been eating lots of Sweet potato fries, veggie sticks and pancakes. But her absolute favorite thing to eat is MAPLE STICKS.

From Paisley_9 months

Todd came home with these one day and she's already gone through a can of them. I've learned to hide the can and not give her these until after she's finished with her other food because if she gets these first then she won't eat anything else. Little stinker! Guess she's really using those 4 teeth she has now.

From Paisley_9 months

And now to our monthly pictures. These are the last pictures in our house in NC. I'm still going to take the monthly pics once we move but the background won't be the same unfortunately.

From Paisley_9 months

The faces she makes are hysterical!

From Paisley_9 months

Bye Bye North Carolina!!! We're going to miss you.

Only 8 more days til the packers come.

Hat hair & grass

It's Wittle People Wednesday over on my friend Ashley's blog. I decided to link up today.

It's getting warm outside and looks like we've skipped Spring all together in the last week. Guess it's a little preview of what life will look like in Texas. 14 days til the packers come but whose counting??????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got Paisley in the grass this weekend. I don't think she's ever really seen, sat or played with grass since its been so cold. She really didn't know what to do with it.