She LOVES her jumparoo!

Happy Thanksgiving!!! Gobble Gobble

(The whole Hauser / Hensley Clan.)

(Miss Samantha in her Thanksgiving Day gear. What you can't see is the Turkey on her booty!)

(Chase and Samantha on their First Thanksgiving ever!)

Today I was able to sleep in a bit since Jeff was home. Once I finally got up Jeff and I had cinnamon rolls and watched a little t.v. before we got ready for our first Thanksgiving Day feast. We went to the Hauser/Hensley family meal at 12:30 and were able to stay and visit until about 2 PM. Then we went over to Nick and Mandy's for our second meal of the day. It was so nice getting to spend some time with both sides of the family since I am normally working or sleeping during most family events. But, like normal, I had to leave at 3:30 PM to be at work by 4 PM. Although I am still blessed to be able to spend as much time as I did with my family. This year especially there is a lot to be thankful for. My husband and daughter are an amazing blessing and I wouldn't be who I am today without them! Today I am most thankful for my family, all of you! And thankful for those that have been "adopted" as my extended family.

Pre-Thanksgiving Day Dinner

(All the ladies at Jim and Libby's after a wonderful meal!)

(Jim and Jamie.)

(Larry and Pa.)

(Jimmy, Samantha and Jeff.)

(Ernie.)

Jeff took off Tuesday and Wednesday this week for the holiday so we were able to spend two glorious days together. We painted our bedroom and reorganized our living room on Tuesday. And on Wednesday Jeff had lunch with his friend Mark Manning, who was in town from California, while Samantha and I had lunch with my mom. Then we lounged around the house until the Hauser Family Pre-Thanksgiving Day dinner. This year Jim and Libby hosted it and there were about 30 of us there in total. We ate fried chicken and all the normal Thanksgiving Day side dishes. We ended up hanging out until 10 PM...which is REALLY late for Jeff and I. Then we came home and watched a two hour special about The Biggest Loser / "Where are they now". We LOVE that show. So we ended up going to bed around midnight which is the latest I have stayed up since Samantha was born.

PS: I have to apologize for it being so long since I have blogged. My dad, Libby, and Tonia have all "complained" that is has taken me too long to post anything...so this is for you guys! (I guess the saying is true...the squeaky wheel gets the oil!)

Chase finally gets to come home!

This morning Nick and Mandy dropped of Grady so they could go pick up Chase from the hospital. Above is a picture of Samantha in her Jump-a-roo and Grady in the background. He loves playing with her so much! I hope they will be life long buddies. Samantha is going to need a "big brother" and I think Grady will gladly fill those shoes!

This is my first time getting to meet and hold Chase. He seems so small compared to Samantha!

Their first family photo!

Grady checking out his new baby brother for the first time!

Chase Davidson Hague...9 days old!

Play date with Sylvia!

(Samantha and Sylvia playing...they are a little over 2 weeks apart.)

(Sylvia generously feeding Samantha her hand!)

(Getting to know each other.)

Today Samantha and I had a play date with Amanda and Sylvia. Amanda and I have been friends since 7th grade and ended up having baby girls only 2 1/2 weeks apart from each other. Both of our girls are "healthy" sized babies and it was fun getting to see them together!

Our 100th Post!

Here is a picture of Jeff and Samantha this morning before we went to work! What a cute winter baby!

Samantha is 5 months old today!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAMANTHA!!!

Jenny and Doug Hauser!

(Samantha playing with Pawpaw's face!)

(Mawmaw and Samantha.)

(Sleepy girl...)

Jeff and Samantha went to Jenny and Doug Hauser's wedding on Saturday...11/7/09. Since I had to work I couldn't go. Jeff and Samantha were picked up at 10:30 AM by Mawmaw and PawPaw and did not get home until almost 11:00 PM!!! I was worried that Samantha might be a handful b/c she is teething and not as happy as she normally is, but Jeff said she did pretty good. He did miss the whole ceremony though b/c Samantha was "talking" a lot! So Congrats to the New Bride and Groom. Hopefully someone will send me a picture so I can add one on the blog!

~Lauren

Chase Davidson Hague

This morning my brother and sister-in-law brought my nephew, Chase Davidson Hague, into the world. He was 6.8 pounds, 20 1/2 inches long and 3 1/2 weeks early. He was having a little trouble breathing (they said he sounded a bit like a goat) so he was taken to the NICU. Since the H1N1 outbreak the NICU is only open to parent and grandparents. So when Jeff and I went to the hospital today we were not able to see him. I am praying for a short stay in the hospital for both Chase and Mandy. I know from experience that it is very hard having a baby in the NICU. But we are blessed that he is an otherwise healthy baby and not tiny like most preemies. Welcome to the family Chase, we already love you so much!

Samantha's State Map

I am going to try and keep track of all the States that Samantha has visited! So far she has been to 10 states...not too shabby for an almost 5 month old!

She is cutting her first tooth!

(A cute picture from yesterday of her stylin in her jean jacket!)

(Looking adorable in her jeans...size 6-12 months!)

This evening I fed Samantha and she was really drooly. So I thought to myself, is she teething? So I put my finger in her mouth and sure enough there is a tiny tooth poking through on the bottom! What a milestone! Our little baby is really growing up! I wish I could have gotten a picture of her little tooth. Hopefully I will be able to capture it soon.

Can life really get any better...?

First, Lauren's blog yesterday absolutely blew me away! I am man enough to admit that I cried like a baby when I read it. Every time I think God has bestowed a life's worth of blessings upon me; I am reminded again of more. I have no idea what I have done to deserve this life that I have but I will try to always earn it.
I know every parent probably feels the same but I really don't see how anyone can love their child or their wife as much as I love Samantha and Lauren. I really don't think it's possible for anyone else in this world to be as happy as I am. I am not skilled enough to accurately articulate the love I have for my family.
I am as guilty as anyone of getting caught up in the stress and pressure of living every day life. Time demands and facing the almighty ticking clock at times leaves me feeling like I will never accomplish all I need to do. However, lately I have tried to make a real effort to slow down and enjoy the small things.
Tonight, Lauren is working so it's just me and my baby. She played in the basement while I worked out after work and after I showered and fed her we went to the grocery store. I know people who walked by me must have thought I was insane for all the laughing, smiling and crazy faces I was making. Looking down and seeing my beautiful daughter look up and smile at her Papa overflowed my heart with joy. During those moments, I was not concerned with the chores waiting for me at home or tasks I wanted to accomplish. I was simply enjoying every second of that experience.
Trust me when I say that you have no idea how perfect my life is. Yes, there are always things that can be better but usually the things I complain about are the things that do not really matter. I have the most perfect, amazing, beautiful, loving and caring wife in the world and I have the most perfect child. Sorry to everyone else who thought their baby was the most perfect...Samantha has won that contest! :)

My inspriation...

(My sleeping beauty.)

"No woman can call herself free until she can choose consciously whether she will or will not be a mother." --Margaret Sanger

I am not an eloquent enough of a writer to describe the joys of being a mother. Today, right now, my sweet baby is sleeping. Her beautiful resting face can almost bring me to tears. I couldn't be happier. For the past three days I have hardly gotten to see my family. I am at work when they are asleep and I am asleep when they are awake...the worst part about my schedule. So I look forward to Tuesdays, my day off, like most people look forward to Fridays. This is MY time, and my time alone, to be with Samantha. I don't have to share any of her with anyone. I can hold her as much as I want. Play with her as frequently as she will let me. And love on her with all of my silly faces. No one is around so I get to delight in her all by myself. When she smiles I know that smile was meant just for me. When I hear her "talk" I know that she is talking to me.

These days, my alone days with her, are nothing short of amazing. I soak up everything there is about her; her smell, her sounds, her sweet face, and little hands, her round belly, her beautiful blue eyes, her cute dimples.

Every parent gives their child a nickname of sorts, ne a term-of-endearment. My father called me Peach and still does to this day. My mother called me and now calls Samantha, Bundle of Joy, BOJ for short. Now as a mother myself, I call my sweet baby, Chunky Monkey. HA While that doesn't sounds much like a term-of-endearment, to me it is. It is what I lovingly call her to let her know she is extra special to me. Not just my baby Samantha but also my very own Chunky Monkey. Hopefully when she grows out of her chunky stage I will come up with a new, more sweet, nickname for her. Because to me she is the sweetest thing in the world.

Jeff and I were talking last night about how as we get to know Samantha better we love her more and more. Just like the more I get to know my husband the more I love him. I wonder, how big can my heart be? The amount of love that I have for my daughter and my husband is so big. Will someday my heart explode from all the love? When she chooses to give her life to Christ, will it explode then? When I watch my daughter marry the man of her dreams, will it explode then? When she brings her very own child into this world, will it explode then? Will my chest become hump-backed to make room for my growing heart? I think now that God's heart must be as big as the sun to account for the love of all his children.

Samantha,

Someday you will read this and I want you to know that you are a blessing to your father and I. We wanted you so much! We love you more that I can describe and will do everything we can to take care of you, teach you everything you need to know, help develop your relationship with Christ, prepare you for the "real" world and love you with two REALLY big hearts.

Love, Mom

Lobster Couple

(The only one without Samantha hand in her mouth.)

(Jackson looking at Erin wondering why she is putting him in a costume AFTER Halloween!)

Tonight at our Small Group we put Samantha and Jackson in their lobster costumes so we could have a photo session.

**Jackson Schindel is the son of Dan and Erin. I have gone to church with Dan forever. And we ended up having babies only 4 days apart! Jackson is the older one but definitely not the bigger one, haha!**

However, neither baby was really in the mood! My mom bought the lobster costume for us right after Jeff and I got married. We were not even pregnant yet, but she thought that since we got married in Maine a lobster was the perfect costume for our first baby. And it worked out well because it fit her and was warm too! When Dan Schindel told me that Jackson was going to be a lobster too our mothers wanted us to get a picture of them together...so we tried, but they were both over the whole Halloween thing. Sorry Moms...we tried!