Julie Ann Mears

We are so excited to tell you about our newest addition to the family! Julie Ann Mears was born April 19, 2011 at 11:26 a.m. She was 20 1/2 inches long. Her weight is a story we will have to tell for the rest of her life. She weighed 7 pounds 6 ounces on the scale after she was born. However, later that night she weight 7 pounds 13 ounces. Hmmmm... babies don't gain weight their first day. ha! So, we assume the first scale was not calibrated. We think she weighed closer to 7 pounds 15 ounces... or Steve's guess 8 pounds 2 ounces. She was definitely big.

I was 40 weeks pregnant and not progressing very much. I was pretty anxious about the whole delivery since I wasn't progressed very well. However, God had perfect timing for this little girl to be born. I was able to have more time with Laura Beth. Laura Beth was able to have strep without the scare that Julie Ann would get it. Steve had a little more time to focus on ministry as he is still new at the church with LOTS of events coming up. Julie Ann was born on Passover and Easter week for this year. It made for a wonderful week of celebrating new life.

I am recovering well. In fact, they let us go home after 24 hours as I was doing so well and Julie Ann was doing well. My mother came and stayed with us for the entire week. She played with Laura Beth while we were in the hospital. She was also the videographer and photographer several times that week. I am sooo appreciative of her time, PATIENCE, and help. We miss her.

Now for the fun stuff... Here is a video I made to summarize the days in the hospital and first day home. I have MANY more pictures to post, but those are from Easter, etc. I'll get to them soon.

For me, as emotional as I am right now, this video makes me tear up. I am so thankful to God for the precious children He has blessed us with. How He love us.

Dyeing Easter Eggs

Laura Beth was home sick (Strep and Scarlet Fever). So we decided to dye Easter Eggs. Laura Beth has never done this before. I tried to explain that it was "coloring" the eggs. NOT COOKING them. ha! We had a great time. Enjoy the video.

Azalea Lane

We live on Azalea Lane here in Pineville, LA. They call it that for a reason. :)

We love having pictures of Laura Beth of Laura Beth at each year of her life. HOWEVER, photos are NOT Laura Beth's favorite thing to do. Actually, she pretty much hates having her picture taken. These turned out pretty good though.

I didn't edit these pictures too much. Just cropped them in a little.

I had to post these last 2 pictures. Laura Beth is SOOO literal. She was tilting her head side to side during pictures, so I said, "Laura Beth, can you please hold your head up?"

This is what we got...

It was fun taking pictures of her for all of 10 minutes while she was napped and in the mood. PLUS we bribed her with popsicles. ha!

Playing in Pineville.

A while ago, we went to a HUGE church in Alexandria (Calvary Baptist) that had an indoor playground (Noah's Ark). It was 3 stories tall. Incredible. Laura Beth had fun in it, but got a little lost a couple of times. This picture below is of Laura Beth, her friend Hannah and Steve looking at "nemo" in the aquarium at the church and also watching "Nemo" the movie on steve's phone. ha!

Eating popsicles with our neighbors. That's Laura Beth's new wagon.

On Saturday's, we usually go to the Upward Soccer Field's at our church and watch everyone play. The youth run the concession stands, so we like to go buy popsicles from them. Laura Beth LOVES to yell "kick it" at all of the players and clap when they score. I can't wait for next year when Laura Beth can play.

Staying cool under the umbrella.

Yesterday, we dyed Easter Eggs here at the house with some Kingsville Baptist Church girls. SO fun! (Maybe a video or something to come soon.)

Do you know what this next thing is?

Laura Beth calls it a tractor. I call it a riding lawn mower. Steve calls it is new favorite "man" toy. He is so happy to have this lawn mower. A member of the church GAVE it to us. We are so blessed by it. Steve has driven it everyday since it got here. INCLUDING after dark the first night it arrived. (The neighbors probably love us for that). Laura Beth rides on it and thinks it is so fun. She wouldn't look at the camera because she was looking at the flowers she was about to water, note the watering can. ha!

Today we went to the local library and then to Kees Park. The park has slides and all kinds of other things, but these are Laura Beth's favorite things to do...

(side note: she is getting so big. She only swings in "big girl" swings now and she wants to go SOOOO high!)

I took this next picture quickly. Laura Beth has been doing this "rubbing" on the sides of her hair for about a week now. She got it from...can you guess? RAPUNZEL! The other day she told me and Steve she would let her hair down off of a balcony we were standing on. Too much "Tangled" I guess.

All of the ABOVE "park fun" happened just before we found out Laura Beth had Strep with Scarlet Fever. UGH. She is napping now and has antibiotics. She never ran a FEVER, but she did have the crazy rash around her neck, face, and started to her arms. Poor thing. Her first "louisiana illness." Let's pray Steve or I don't get it. :)

Last Friday was our 5 year Anniversary. :)

What a WONDERFUL 5 years we have had together. God has really worked in our hearts and our marriage in such a short time. I cannot imagine what He will do in our lives with the rest of our time together.

And again, if you made it this far, you can see the 9 MONTH (39 weeks) tummy picture. UGH.

Spring Time!

We have loved the Spring weather here in Louisiana. The Mosquitos (and every other bug) are taking some getting used to for Laura Beth (her poor legs were covered in sores this week from scratching the bites), but the rest of our "outside time" has been wonderful! We planted flowers this week. I didn't take pictures of all of them, as many haven't bloomed yet. The picture above is Laura Beth's watering can and mine. The Hibiscus (above) just bloomed today. We live on Azalea Avenue. They don't call it that for nothing. These beautiful Azalea's are blooming all over the place. Picture below is from our yard.

We love sitting out on our swing together (Picture below Left). AND going to the see the ducks in a pond at the front of our neighborhood (Picture Below Right). One of the Kingsville Baptist Church members brought over a radio flyer wagon that they were finished using. I (9 months pregnant) pulled Laura Beth in the wagon to feed the ducks (it's "hilly" here too, ugh). She LOVES when the ducks start coming to eat the bread. (Note the pink purse. She is totally obsessed with purses as of this week. She carries it everywhere. She checks the items in it at every stop. She even calls me on her "cell phone" from the back seat.)

I am SOOO thankful for these days we get to spend together.

Since we've been outside so much. I really haven't done much on the inside. Hence, we have no house pictures up yet. I'll get there...I just hope it's before Julie Ann is born. :)

Tran-che-leen

In Pineville, we live next door to the preschool/ children's minister at Kingsville Baptist Church. They have children, Hannah and Lorelei (sp?). So they have toys too. :) Laura Beth's favorite toy that they have is a trampoline (or "Tran-che-leen," as Laura Beth says). When we leave our house, Laura Beth says, "Say bye to Hannah's playground." (referring to their backyard). HA!

Today, we got to jump on the trampoline for a while. :) So fun!

This is their dog. Laura Beth loves it, but she often calls it Kaddle (my parent's dog, which is the same type of dog). They have another dog, but I forgot it's name.

Today, we also saw Dr. Beiber (don't laugh. Not related to Justin Beiber). We are starting the 37th week. She is estimated at 6 pounds. I can't believe she will be here in a few short weeks.

Pineville Pictures

These are just a few pictures from Pineville. Being 9 months pregnant and "crazy" I didn't get ANY pictures of everyone that helped in Ft. Worth or in Pineville with the moving truck. UGH!

Daddy and Laura Beth swinging. We have missed our swing.

Me and Wabee. So thankful for her help this past week!

Wabee and Laura Beth.

A belly picture. 9 Months pregnant! UGH! Come on into the world Julie Ann, whenever you're ready.

9 Month pregnant women are allowed to do this. ha!

This is a Banana Split Pie that our Landlord left for us in the freezer. It was so frozen we couldn't cut it. ha! I picked it up to break it and realized I could just bite into it. IT WAS SOOOO GOOD. Mainly icecream. I only are one slice (the portion that I am biting in this picture, of course).

Gage and Laura Beth having the best time on the air matress. I am sad we couldn't get more pictures of them together. However, they did have a great time playing together.

Laura Beth got a new kitchen in our new house (excuse the pajamas). Her cousin, Hannah Claire, passed the kitchen down to us. We are VERY thankful!

Laura Beth's first day at "Mother's morning out" at Kingsville Baptist Church. It was St. Patrick's day. Laura Beth enjoyed it.

A door bell is a pretty fascinating thing to a 3 year old who never had one in her house before. ha! This is how happy she is to greet those who ring our door bell.

We live in a neighborhood with little lakes throughout it.

This was the first attempt to get a picture with Gran and Papaw.

Success!

Showing me her bread that she was throwing to the ducks.

All together, we are VERY excited about our new town, home, church, friends, etc! What a blessing from the Lord. I will put pictures of the house up soon.