Baby Hannah

12 years ago today we had our first child... A girl. She was still-born. She had anencephaly (a condition where she had not developed a brain). It was the hardest day of my life! Yearning to be a mother, yet not having a baby to bring home was hard!Accepting that this trial (infertility/still born baby) was part of God's plan for me was even harder. But I trust that someday we will see her again. Families are forever! Happy birthday Hannah!

We had Rebecca and Anson over for a sleepover the other night. They all had fun! Super funny though: Just when I thought that all the kids had finally gone to sleep, Tate came out of his room and said that he wanted to sleep on the couch. He said that he didn't want to sleep with Rebecca in his room... Just because she's a girl and that it's not appropriate to sleep in the same room as her. I explained to him that it's okay because they're cousins. He stood firm though and ended up sleeping on the couch. Ha/Ha. I'm glad that he wants to do what he believes is right!

June 2011

My baby eats everything-even grass!

8 Months old!

Dressing up like Daddy:)

Missing teeth

This is one of Tate's favorite hobbies. Yes, it's dangerous (he actually started a cracker box on fire once)... But I let him have fun with a magnifying glass under my supervision.

Me and my baby sharing a licorice

Mexico!

We (Bryan, Tate, and I) went to Rocky Point this last weekend. It was amazing, not at all scary! I don't know what everyone is talking about being too afraid to travel there... but I felt safe there and that's saying something. Anyways, we had so much fun playing at the ocean for 3 days. We rented a jet ski on the first day and got to go riding out by the dolphins. They were swimming all around us and it was too cool! The second day we drove downtown and went shopping. We got a bunch of sombreros. The third day we rode a boat out to bird island where there is a colony of sea lions. We got to go snorkling with them. It was amazing! We will definitely want to repeat this vacation sometime.

In the Merry Month of May

Samuel learned how to drink from a sippy cup on his first try. Surprised me and drank it all gone!
Playing ball-already.

Cinco de Mayo

I couldn't find Tate one day, so I checked out front and

this is what he was doing... He even had put his face and head in the running water. YUCK! I guess boys will be boys. My sister Christina, her husband Joseph, and their two boys came to stay with us for a few days. It was awesome! Samuel got to meet his cousin Tyler who is only 3 months younger.

Tate tells me that he is already a scientist. He's ALWAYS performing experiments. Here he is trying to make electicity with water, a copper wire, and aluminum foil. Notice the gloves and goggles? He told me that he didn't want to get shocked or hurt.

Sam loves his toes. He plays with them constantly and even sticks them in his mouth sometimes.

Adorable!!! I love this picture of Sam.

I got a bike trailer for Mother's Day:) It is my newest favorite thing and we use it all the time. Samuel enjoys it. Tate prefers to ride his own bike which I'm glad about. It's less weight for me to pull and a great energy releaser for him.
We went shooting as a family in the Superstitions. It was only my second time shooting because I'm kind of terrified of guns. Anyways, I was proud of myself because I faced my fears and was the only one to hit a bullseye.
Playing in the dirt. Actually he was looking for cool rocks.
Bryan teaching Tate all he knows about shooting.
Sam and Bryan hanging out on the tailgate.
Our little family.

The entire Manning family (all 27 of us!) I can't believe how much we have grown.

Tate survived T-ball for his very last time!

Brothers playing together (Oh it makes me so happy!)

Easter

Wow! It seems like Easter was forever ago and I'm just playing catch up now. Sam was obviously too little to find his basket and eggs, but Tate enjoyed not being the only kid and having him Sam there nonetheless.

Meet Josie

My brother James & his wife Julie just had their first baby and she is a little doll. Makes me want a girl next. They came over the other night and I just couldn't stop taking pictures of her. She's one BEAUTIFUL baby!