Happy Birthday Daddy!

Today, the love of my life is 29.

Justin and I are complete opposites.  We like different music.  I love movies, he doesn't care about them practically at all.  He's tall dark and handsome, I'm short(er than him), blonde (normally) and homely. :)  He likes sports and ESPN (which I'm ok with SOMETIMES and depending on the sport), I like reality t.v.  He likes to cook and eat almost anything.  I despise cooking and like to eat what he cooks (mostly).  He likes to sleep the days away on the weekends.  I like to get out and do something, anything really.

Fundamentally, however, we have the same priorities: friends and family come first and foremost.  It's great if you like your work, but really work is what you do so you can do what you want outside of work.  I know he would do anything for me, and Lord knows I'm stubborn and I don't deserve someone like him.  But for some reason, he puts up with me.  It's probably because I gave him the cutest little girl in the world.

I love you more than anything, Justin David Hales, and I am looking forward to at least 50 years more of birthdays, anniversaries and holidays with you and our family.

Here's a look at 7 years of pictures (well almost):

College and immediately post college (for me):

Grad school:

A few engagement photos:

A few wedding photos:

A few pro honeymoon photos:

A some of our new family of 3:

Believe it or not, I have more than this...a lot more I think.  I'll save those for October :).

New favorite activity

Last week, I quickly snapped some photos of Kayla's new favorite activity:

Pulling herself up to stand next to the coffee table, then proceeding to slap the table with her open palm while yelling out.

Step 1:  Pull up to stand

 Step 2: Yell at mommy (note my 2 baby teeth)

 Step 3:  Make my new favorite "scrunchy nose" face at Mommy

 Step 4: Slap the table with my hand

 Step 5: More yelling and laughing

 Step 6:  Watch myself hit the table some more.

 Step 6: Yawn

 Step 8: "Mommy, aren't I funny?"

Side note:  Can anyone tell me why the photos look so blurry in blogger?  They aren't super crisp but if you click on them, they are significantly LESS blurry.  I save them from photoshop as high quality jpegs...hm...

Feeling Guilty.

I've been feeling really guilty for about 6.5 months now.  (Ok more like 3.5 months because I forgive myself for the first 3 months due to my post partum depression.)

All of our wonderful friends and family that sent us beautiful and thoughtful gifts after Kayla was born have not gotten Thank You cards.  At first, I was too overwhelmed to think about it.  Then I wanted to put it off a bit so I could make it an announcement/thank you/new address card.  Then we still haven't moved.  Now, when we move it's a little bit late to announce our "new arrival."

In my defense, I have a list.  It contains everyone's name and what they sent us.  It's been sitting on the nightstand for 6.5 months.  So I had great intentions.

So this is my informal thank you note (until we ACTUALLY move and I can send "We moved and by the way, thanks for that baby gift..."cards!)

Dear friends and family,

Thank you so much for all the wonderful and thoughtful gifts you sent to us and Kayla in January.  We appreciated first and foremost that you thought of us and second all the adorable outfits, blankets, burp rags and all the other baby trinkets we received.  Everyone always comments on how well dressed Kayla is and much of that is due to you all!  I'm so sorry it has taken me this long to show our appreciation, but I want you to know that it didn't go unnoticed and it was NOT forgotten!  So thank you so much, and look forward to a handmade card when things get a little more normal for us!

And a note from Kayla:  Thanks everyone for keeping me looking so stylish.  I couldn't be so cute without your help! :)

Love,
Mommy and Daddy Hales & Kayla

So I'm looking forward to getting settled so I can formally let everyone know that I appreciate their thoughts.  For now, there's this blog letter.  And here's an obligatory Kayla photo.

I will have a lot to post about this week hopefully, including but not limited too:  Our BFE Pennsylvania road trip, Daddy's birthday, life update, a 1st birthday party, another sleep post, possibly a post about my inability to let go, and of course, new mom Mondays.