Brooks Matthew Warren!!!!

Soooo, today we had our doctor put the new baby's ultrasound picture in a sealed envelope for Matt and I to open on our dinner date! It was TORTURE having it in my presence all morning, so I took it to the car in the afternoon. It sat there until we left for downtown :) We arrived at Blue Marlin and barely ate a bit of bread before deciding to open the envelope! (Matt had wanted to wait until dessert! HA!) We opened it and read "Livi's lil' BRO"!!!! We could not believe it! I had been having 'boy' dreams all along, but since I was wrong about Livi, I figured I was wrong about this lil' peanut, too! But I was right!!!! :) We hugged, and cried, and hugged a little more. Then we literally sat silently for a few minutes, thinking about what had just been revealed to us and how our lives would never be the same! We decided to wait and call family when we were finished with dinner...which we gulped down! We were so ready to tell everyone! Brooks Matthew Warren! BMW! Beamer! "Brooksy" (said in a New York baseball fan-type voice!) God is so good and we're so blessed to have a healthy lil' one on the way! YAY!

Silly Wake Up :)

I just happened to have my camera with me when I woke Livi up this afternoon. She was in the most hilarious mood! She decided to hug each of her stuffed animals, falling over and laughing after each hug :) This must have gone on for 10 minutes - I was wondering if she would ever want to get out of her crib! Such a sweet pea :)

Sleepin' the day away :)

Lovin' that thumb!

There's that sweet smile!

I love it when she wakes up like this :)

Awww, love the pig!

And then fall over :)

Awww, love the bear!

And then fall over and laugh hysterically! :)

Almost There!

Well, I thought I would write a quick note (mainly so I won't forget) about how today (11/18) Livi walked with only 1 hand for guidance! We were practicing in the kitchen, when all of a sudden, she saw 1 lone birthday balloon still going strong, and reached for the string. In no time, she was walking and holding the string at the same time! She didn't even know it! I know it's not quite "walking", but it's closer than ever! :) YAY! :) Ok, that's it. Bye!

Livi's 1st Birthday!

It's so hard to believe, but Livi just turned 1!!!! We celebrated with 2 different parties - 1 for her little friends and 1 for family. Both were so much fun and she enjoyed every minute! We are truly blessed! :)

All the girls trying to figure out the "Match-a-Month" game :)

More guests arriving!

Dana and her sweet Anna Kate, who just had her 1st birthday a few days before Livi!

YAY! Aunt Jenn made it! Livi went right to her and would not let her go!

Livi was in no mood for more pics, she wanted that cake! :)

And...she...got it! :)

Precious Sydney got some cake, too!

Trace and Blythe decided they wanted some of the "Big Kid" cake :)

The Player Fam - Winners of the "Match-a-Month" game! :) YAY!

Now on to Livi's Family Birthday Party :) It was a special day for many reasons...My grandparents and aunt and uncle from south GA surprised us all by driving over 10 hours to attend Livi's party! What a blessing! Also a blessing was our time with Papa, Matt's grandfather who went home to be with the Lord (and to be reunited with his dear wife) early Sunday morning after Livi's party on Saturday. We are so grateful he was able to be surrounded by family and friends in his last hours. God is so good!

Livi with my Grandmama - her Great Grandmother from south GA :)

A shot of the spread

Livi with my mom, Grammy :)

Livi thought it was really funny when her Uncle Drey got on the floor to play with her new toys!

YAY for cake!

Priceless face ;)

September / October in the Warren House!

It's so hard to believe that Livi is going to be turning 1 in a few weeks! Matt and I were just saying today how it seems like yesterday when we welcomed her to the world...watching her sleep, holding her so carefully, learning her sounds, recording so many firsts...first smile, first time sitting up without help, first bath in the big tub, first trip to church, first clap, first crawl, first time pulling up, etc. So much happened this year...and I hear it continues in this fashion! I can only imagine what the next year will hold! We are so blessed to have such a sweet little girl in our lives :) We thank the Lord every day for allowing us to raise her!

Livi loved her new cow pajamas!

Blue-eyed girl!

Getting into momm's purse...a trick daddy taught her!

Trying to put the bow in her hair...Miss Independent ;)

Loving her 1st Clemson game...the balloons were the best! She pointed @ them forever!

Very lady-like! :)

Sittin' with her great grandmother :)

Tellin' jokes with her great granddaddy!

So excited to be so close to turning 1 :)

I tried to tell her, that's not how you use a walker!

Livi's Gonna Be A Big Sister!

Soooooooo, August 18th will always be a day we'll remember in the Warren house! I just had a feeling...and I was right! After jumping around the kitchen (and waking up Livi in the process) we went to the library. Livi found a special book she would use to tell her daddy that there was going to be another baby in the house!

When Matt got home from work, I asked him to read Livi her new book while cooked supper. He got about 2 pages in before he realized what he was reading...it was all about being a big sister! He was so excited!

Next we told Pop and Grandma, Matt's parents. We took the book to their house and when Matt started reading it to Livi, it didn't take but a second for them to figure it out :)

Then we told Gramps and Grammy, my parents. They came all the way to Columbia for the weekend, thinking they were just visiting Livi. Once they got here, we ate lunch, got Grammy's hair cut, and had some time to sit around catching up. I went to get Livi up from her nap, pinned a cute little pin that said "I'm a Big Sister" on her and walked her out. Grammy about fell on the floor. She thought it was a joke! Gramps said he had a feeling ;)

Then we were able to call our other family and friends. It's always fun sharing news, especially when no one was expecting it!

Livi with her "Big Sis" pin

Close-up of the pin...thanks Laura, for letting me borrow it!

Livi enjoyed reading the synopsis on the back of the "Big Sis" book

Just re-reading her favorite parts

See my book?!?!?!?! :)

Livi is 9 Months Old!!

We can't believe our lil' Livi just turned 9 months! She's growing so fast and doing so many new things; it's hard to keep track of them all! It feels like every day I'm writing in her record book some new task she's accomplished...or at least attempted!

At her 9 month check-up, Livi was given a clean bill of health, weighed 17 lbs 12 oz (50th %ile), and was 28 inches long (75th %ile).

Here are a few recent pics!

Livi and her Bopppy :)

Scrub-a-dub-dub Blue Eyes!

Playin' around the house in her pj's

Hangin' out with Aunt Liz @ Anna's beautiful wedding in Rock Hill, SC

Gettin' some grub @ Moe's!

Sweet smile!

Livi was soooo tired!

Playin' with Mommy

"I'm gonna get you!"

She discovered the vent!...

...and the wall!

She's so easily amused! :)

Getting close to crawling! :)

Sittin' in the crib with her buddies...and her 9 month sign :)

Where's Livi??

Rocka rocka rocka :)

My rockin' lil' baby! :)

I snuck up behind her on this one!