Dannika

Cold Weather and Church Dedications!

We took Dannika to church today to be dedicated. The church that Nick and I have found and attend does not baptize babies. They believe that it's the parents responsibility to guide and raise your child to Christ, and one day, your child can decide on their own if they want to be baptized or not. Instead, they do what they call child dedications. We had our whole family in front of the entire congregation while Pastor Mark prayed for Dannika and for Nick and me. She looked very confused up on that big state with all the lights and this strange man holding her...lol. I will get the pictures from the actual dedication from the church soon. It felt good to be back in church. Nick and I made a pact today in the car on the way back that we do daily devotions every day for our spiritual growth and for Dannika's.

The weather is finally cold!!

Dannika modeling her winter stuff.

at church

Mommy and me time

Nick was in the field this week again. It is getting closer till he leaves for Afghanistan in January to be our hero and fight terrorists! We still don't have exact dates yet, but we have a window from the middle of January until the beginning of February. This week gave me a chance to get a taste of what it was gonna be like to be a single mommy for a little bit. It was EXHAUSTING...especially with work thrown in the mix. So kudos to all my Marine wives out there and single moms!!! I don't know how y'all do it! Dannika is growing up so fast right before my eyes. I was looking at some pictures of when we brought her home from the hospital and it made me really sad that she's already grown to be this bouncing ball of fire now! As sad as we are that Nick is leaving us for 7 months, I am relieved that I will have Dannika to keep me busy. I'm hoping it makes the deployment go by faster. I'm lucky that I have been blessed with such a happy baby. Today she is going to be dedicated at church. My church doesn't baptize babies, and instead wants a person to decide on their own when they are ready to be saved; HOWEVER...they do baby dedications and will pray for them in front of the congregation. I am very excited for that. Here is our update! And here she is!

Dannika held her bottle ALL BY HERSELF and I got it on camera!!!

Getting ready to go Christmas shopping with mommy

This was her reaction to seeing Nick after his week in the field. She was thrilled she had her daddy back!

Our Little Princess

The End of Fall and Beginning of Winter!

This year was Dannika's first Thanksgiving. I am so blessed that Nick gets to spend the holidays at home and will not be deploying for Afghanistan till after the New Year. This year I had so much to be thankful for. God has blessed our little family with SO MUCH this year. With the purchase of our first home, the birth of our healthy beautiful little girl, the most wonderful husband and father, and my success as a recruiter....I just can't think of what I did to deserve all of this bliss! We spent Thanksgiving this year with the Gilbert family at their beautiful home. It was just the perfect way to end the fall to spend Thanksgiving with our friends, good food, GREAT wine, and the most awesome family! Nick and I are not real into that whole Black Friday shopping, however, we did make a trip to Camp Pendleton to do our Christmas shopping for his family. We finally have our Christmas lights up, and I officially don't feel like an idiot for putting my Christmas stuff up BEFORE Thanksgiving!

Our Christmas stockings

Dannika's stocking

Watching Daddy put the Christmas tree up

Putting the star on

Hanging out with daddy in the morning before he goes to work

Thanksgiving!

Dannika and Uncle Ellis

She is happy!