Our Lives Lately

We have had quite a busy few weeks! Bradley and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary in June! We were so happy to celebrate such a milestone with our precious baby girl. Bradley took Claire and I to Myrtle Beach for the weekend. It was Claire's first trip to the beach and honestly, it was difficult for us to tell if she liked it or not. At least she didn't cry. She just seemed to take it all in. After her time at the beach though, it was her naptime and she went right to sleep! She was worn out!!

Also, my parents came into town for a week. Nana and Grandpa had a BLAST with Claire! She actually started laughing a few days before they came into town so they were really able to see her personality come alive! We were so thankful for their visit and just had a wonderful time. Claire loved to sit on the front porch with Nana while she watched her Grandpa water the yard or pull weeds out of her mommy's flower garden. (By the way...THANKS, Daddy for helping me out with my flower beds and the yard!). While my parents were here we also celebrated the 4th of July. We went to a friend's house where our church had a huge celebration. We were able to hang out with lots of friends and family. There was even a great fireworks show. Bradley and I thought for sure that the fireworks would wake up Claire, but she slept right on through them! It was really fun to look at the toddlers playing in the grass on the fourth and imagine what it will be like next year for us. Next year, Claire will be walking and talking during that time. She's already grown so much. I think I say this in each of my posts, but I just adore my baby girl. She's such a joy in my life. One of my favorite things to do is to watch her play with her daddy. Such a sweet, heart-warming time. Enjoy the pics below!


Chilling out under an umbrella with her daddy at the beach.


Her first time in the ocean. She wasn't so sure about it. :)


Daddy got his time in the water with Claire too.

Such a chunky thing! I just love this sun-hat!

After her time at the beach and a little bit in the pool, Claire was tired and cold. So we wrapped her up in a towel, took her upstairs for a bath and she went right to sleep. She was pooped!

Claire is scooting around on the floor more and more. I've gotten to the point where I'll just let her go where she wants. This day she made her way under the coffee table and out the other side. And as a bonus, I was able to capture her laughing.

Claire is on her way to the beach for the first time!

Just chilling with her daddy.

Our little family out to dinner celebrating our 5 year anniversary.

My friend, Melissa, sent us this mobile for Claire and she LOVES it! This is Claire's first time with it. I'm not sure what was up with her hair that day. Ha ha ha.

Claire LOVES hanging out on the front porch. She watches the leaves blow around, listens to the birds sing and loves the wind on her face. I'm so thankful that she enjoys being outside. Once she gets bigger, we'll be spending many a day playing outside.

We just can't resist torturing our cat, Papa. I think that Claire is finally too big to sit on Papa like this. Neither of them look to happy about us playing like this. But, boy, do Bradley and I have fun!! :)

On the 4th of July, we went to an outlet mall with my parents. It was Claire's first time to ride in her stroller and she loved it.

Claire is supposed to be napping, but there was so much activity around her that she couldn't settle down. We're hanging out on the lawn waiting for the band to start playing.

Claire enjoyed spending time with both sets of grandparents on her first 4th of July.

Claire and her Nana sitting on the porch. It was my parents last evening in Coats.

Claire and Nana.

Just recently I put Claire in her bouncy play seat. I put it together about a month ago but she was still too little to enjoy it. She's still pretty tiny, but I stuffed a towel behind her in the seat and she was able to play some. I think she'll be loving this activity center in a few weeks!

Happy Father's Day!!

Claire with her daddy on his FIRST Father's Day!


I love how they're smiling at each other. Claire gave her daddy JUST what he wanted for Father's Day...a Lowe's gift card. :)


Our little family on Father's Day. (You can even see Papa looking at us through the glass door behind us). Thank you, Lord, for our precious baby girl. We just love and adore her more than words can describe.

Happy Father's Day, Grandpa! I can't wait to see you again next week!

Happy Father's Day, Granddaddy! You are always so wonderful to cuddle up with.

Our Baby Girl

Claire continues to grow and grow. Last weekend I heard her fussing during her nap. It was about 20 mins early for her to be waking up (and this girl will sleep until it's time to wake up!) so I went to check on her and saw that she'd flipped herself over! We were thrilled! But, it hasn't happened again. I think it may have been an accident that happened in her sleep. I know that I shouldn't be to eager for her to grow up because very soon I will look back and be sad that my baby is all grown up! Another thing that she's been doing more and more of lately is jibber jabber. She talks ALL of the time. And she'll pause long enough for you to talk back and then she'll continue talking. It's almost like she's carrying on a baby conversation with us. It's been so cute. Well, here are some more pictures.



This crazy girl backs herself off of her playmat everytime she's on it now. Sometimes I'll look up and she'll be underneath the coffee table! She's so fast now too. It seems like I'm constantly pulling her back on the mat. I have laughed and laughed at her when she does this.


She is on her way to church for the first time. We put her in a precious little dress with a bow in her hair (I'm not much of one to dress her up everyday...onesies are my best friend). She did great at church and the nursery worker said that she just wanted to hold her because she was such a sweet natured baby. (Aww)


I try to give her some tummy time everyday. I've read that it's good for her to gain strength in her neck, arms and legs. She often seems a little stunned when I put her on her tummy so I will get in the floor with her. I cannot say it enough, I just love spending time with her.



In the mornings I've learned to not put clothes on her for a while after she's done eating. She's been spitting up more and more. One day I had to change her onesie 3 times in 30 minutes because she spit up so much! So, now I just leave her in her diaper for a while and then get her dressed. I thought she looked so funny in this picture. Look at that belly! Thank you, Lord, for a child that is gaining weight well! Her first month of life, she was not gaining weight well and we had to supplement with additional food along with nursing her. She just was not eating well at all. Well, this picture is proof that she is eating well now! (And by the way, we are no longer supplementing). Again, thank you, Lord for answered prayers.

What a difference!

Our baby girl is now 10 weeks old and getting bigger and bigger every day. It's hard to imagine that just a few short weeks ago she was a newborn. She has developed quite a personality and loves to coo, laugh and smile all of the time. Below are three different shots taken of Claire in her basket. She is now too big for it, but we took a photo just for comparison. Oh my, she is growing and growing. Thank you, Lord for the blessing of our precious baby girl!

2 weeks old...too tiny to sleep anywhere but this little Moses basket

5 weeks old...beginning to outgrow her basket, but since she was still drawing up her legs, it still worked.

10 weeks old...way too big for the basket. :)

2 Months Old...Already?!

Well, our baby girl is now 2 months old. It's hard to believe, but it's true, what everybody tells you...it goes by so quickly. I've got some additional pictures below. First of all, Bradley and I aren't the best photographers. Secondly, in most of these pics, we've either waited too long and it's nap time and she's fussy...or she's sound asleep. Oh well, we still think that she's the most adorable child, even if she looks like she's fussy. Enjoy. :)


Claire's first time in her Bumbo Seat...6 weeks.


She was supposed to have "awake" time in her swing...but Mommy made the mistake of putting the pacifier in her mouth and next thing I knew she was sound asleep. I love this though because her eyes are kind of open, her mouth is wide open and the pacifier has fallen out of her mouth. Sleep is Bliss.


Claire LOVES time on her play mat. She will laugh, smile and coo the entire time. This is a smile that is rarely caught on camera.


Claire and her Grandma...8 weeks old.


Claire and her Mommy...8 weeks old. She's not too happy with me holding her that way, but I just can't help but squeeze her tightly.

I love watching her sleep. She is so adorable. And these ruffles on this outfit...too cute.

2 months old...in the outfit that we brought her home from the hospital in. She's getting SO big!

Sound asleep on Daddy. I just love it when she falls asleep on us.

Our sweet baby girl

Sorry that it's taken us so long to post more pics. (We haven't gotten much sleep lately)...:) But, we are LOVING our baby girl. She is now almost 6 weeks old and we've had quite a crazy 6 weeks. Bradley was able to take 2 weeks off to spend with us, my parents came for a week and my sister and uncle came for an extended weekend. Claire and I have spent lots of time at the house together and I just see her grow and change every day. I look forward to Bradley coming home every day so that we can share together in just how adorable she is. Thank you, Lord, for this blessing that you have given to us. We just love her with our whole hearts.

With the Wilkie's on Easter Sunday...

Claire was 2 weeks old.

With the Tomlinson's on Easter Sunday.

Claire and her Daddy on Easter Sunday

Bradley, Claire and I on Easter Sunday

Claire and her cousin, Charlie.

Claire was 3 weeks old.

Claire with her Grandpa...3 weeks old.

Claire with her Nana...2 1/2 weeks old.

My sister, Angy, called Bradley, Claire and I "Team Wilkie" before we knew if Claire was a boy or a girl. We were "Team Wilkie" until she was born...so Angy had this onesie made...and we LOVE it. Claire looks TOO cute in it! :)

Claire's chunky cheeks are so cute.

Looking like a cutie pie in her stylish jean skirt that Uncle Jr got her.

4 weeks old.

Yes, we have a camo outfit. I know it won't be long before she's out hunting and fishing with her daddy. :)

Bradley had just gotten home from work and both Claire and Papa (our cat) wanted to spend time with him.

Bradley's birthday...we went out to eat with Chad and Jamie. Claire went to Grandma and Granddaddy's for a few hours while mom and dad went out to eat. Our first date since she was born. Claire is 5 weeks old.

Smiling at her daddy...she's been smiling for several weeks...we just have a difficult time getting it on camera. 5 weeks old.


Me and my baby girl on my first Mother's Day.

6 weeks old.


She was NOT happy during this picture...but I just HAD to get a picture of her in this sweet dress. Again, my first Mother's Day.


She kind of looks funny in this picture...again, it's SO difficult to get the smiles on camera.

Claire Marie

Claire Marie Wilkie


Claire and her proud Daddy about to leave the hospital and go home.

Our precious Claire arrived on March 29th. After just one week, we just can't imagine our lives without her. Thank you, Lord, for our precious child. More pics to come...