Maggie Loves to PattiCake PattiCake...

Maggie loves lots of new tricks. Seems like she is learning something new all the time.

Lately, her favorite thing has been to Patti Cake Patti Cake Baker's Man. She LOVES to roll it up, roll it up...It is so cute! Thought we should share.

She also loves to play Peek-a-Boo. She is so funny. She cheats all the time. She will throw her hands up to her face and peek out one side. Little Stinker!!!

Hope you enjoy these sweet videos as much as I do!

Doctor Results...

First of all, thank you so much to each of you for your love and support through calls, emails, and prayers. We felt your love today.

Josh's appointment went as scheduled. Echo cardiogram at 8:15...can I just say that the parking garages at Vanderbilt University Medical Center are utterly ridiculous. We went in one, out that one, into another one, out that one, only to find out that we were originally in the right place...urggg.

Anyway, arrived just a tid bit late for the Echo...but they were running a tid bit late, so that worked out just fine. I was able to go back and be in the room for the test (have never been able to do that before)...It was amazing. It is basically like an ultrasound they do when you are pregnant, only of your heart! It was too cool. To see his heart just working and pumping and his valves so clear, it did my heart good. Test concluded around 9:15.

We went straight in to wait to see Dr. Keith Churchwell. Okay, allow me to just go on record and say that Josh's team of doctors are all just out of this world, especially this man. He is so thoughtful and comfortable to be around...and I swear the best dresser I have ever seen. Not the point, I know...but worth mentioning.
Dr. Churchwell reviewed Josh's Echo and reported the following:

~no fluid in or around his heart (answered prayer)
~no issues with his pericardium (another answered prayer)

~he does have some inflammation around this heart

Dr. C acted as though this was a normal finding because of the issues Josh had been feeling over the past week. He was concerned about it, but not overly concerned. He reviewed the lengthy list of medications that Josh is on...only to look at us and say, "What is all this stuff for?" Too funny. That is just the Dr. that he is. He remembered that Josh was still under treatment with his rheumatogist for any auto-immune issues...he just didn't understand the meds. Let me just tell you, Josh (bless his heart) takes a ton of medication a day. He doesn't mind, necessarily, but it is a lot.

He prescribed Josh a steroid pack plan of action to get him back off of the devil medication, prednisone. He wants to see Josh again in a month, probably around the time of Maggie's Birthday. Dr. Churchwell is hoping that this is just like a one time case...hopefully, the steriod pack will check it, especially since he caught it early.

All in all, it was a huge load off for right now. Josh doesn't feel great, but getting some good news today made him feel better. We were both very worried about how it would all turn out. The Echo involves quite a bit of pushing and re-positioning for them to get the images they needed, so Josh was a bit sore after the whole ordeal. We stopped by his work to arrange some things, and came home for an afternoon of resting.

I love this man. This adventure we have been on over the past year has really shown us how you can get through almost anything...especially if you love each other enough. It was kinda fun today to go through the hospital just us, holding hands and playing silly games in the waiting room. Josh is an amazing man, one that anyone would love to be around. I am just so blessed to be able to love him as much as I do.

Again, thank you for your prayers and concern. I will continue to update everyone on how he is...

Maggie's Daddy Is My Hero...

Maggie got a new pair of shoes for her upcoming 1st birthday (Can you believe that???).

Her JuJu and Poppie Eddie got her these adorable bright pink All Star Chuck Taylor's. She loves them...She also loves to untie them. Josh has a pair as well. He loves his Converse tennis shoes. He will put together outfits that look ridiculous together and come out wearing his Converse tennis shoes...I think he just dresses to wear his shoes.

I wanted to capture a picture of Maggie and Josh in their new digs. I love the way this turned out. I am terrible at photography...I can sew, I can do laundry, I can organize, I can use a label maker like a champ...I can't take a good picture to save me. But this one...I did! I love it!

Tomorrow is a big day for us. Josh returns to his Cardiologist tomorrow morning at 8 am. At the end of last week, Josh mentioned that he was having a bit of trouble breathing when he went to lie down at night. He said it felt like his breathing was "heavy." So we watched it and took note of it and waited to see how he felt on Thursday. Thursday came and he was now laboring a bit to breathe comfortably so he decided it was time to call the Dr.

He goes to the Cardiologist for an Echo cardiogram tomorrow morning at 8 with a visit with Dr. Churchwell at Vanderbilt at 9:30ish. We are VERY nervous. We are VERY anxious. We are VERY worried.

Josh doesn't want to be sick again. He hasn't jumped to any conclusions, I don't want to give you the wrong impression, but he knows that the symptoms he is feeling currently feels like Pericarditis...

which is what he was diagnosed with last year before the whole Cardiac Arrest issue. I think he is scared to death that the illness that he feels like is coming back, could also be the illness that tried to take his life last year. That is a very scary thought.

Josh is almost one year post-trauma. July 30th will be one year. In some ways, that is so hard to believe, in others it literally feels like it happened yesterday. I know that Josh is so grateful to be alive. I know that Josh thanks God for that blessing...I also know that Josh loves life too much to be sick again.

Please pray for us tomorrow. Pray that Josh will have the patience and understanding he needs to wrap his mind around what is going on currently...Pray that I will hold it together for us both...Pray that Maggie will be a good little stinker while JuJu watches her (thanks JuJu!!!)...Pray that Dr. Churchwell has the information he needs and a clear mind to provide us information...Pray that we will rely on God to get us through whatever may be going on.

Thank you for your love and concern. Thank you for your prayers!

How Cool Is This...

So a great friend of my sister's, Alison B., emailed me today. She wanted to be sure it was cool if she did a giveaway on her blog of one of my custom Maggie Moo Creations. Of course, I said SURE! So I just wanted to pass the word along to you guys.

All you have to do is hop over to Alison B.'s Adoption Photo Blog and leave a comment under the current post where she mentions the giveaway. She will pull out a winner among the comments and the winner gets to work with me to create a custom shirt (or one of my previous designs) for FREE!

Love it...Thought you might love it too! Thanks Alison B.!!!

You can click HERE to hop (not skip) over to her blog!

Where Has Time Gone...

Man, it seems like forever since I have blogged on here. I am blogging like crazy on my new sewing blog...which I love. Let's see...what has been happening with The Harris Home...

Josh and I have been enjoying a lot of time together lately. We have been doing some cool things that we have never done before.

We went to the Zoo with some great friends of ours. We met up with Molly and her family, which is just like a second family to me. I love every single one of them and they have always loved me. We had a great day together and it was fun just getting to see Karin (Molly's sister) and her son, Matthew...We have never met Matthew. They live in NH...Karin and I are determined to make sure that Matthew and Maggie get married. Karin even got Maggie the cutest bib...Maggie's reads "I love Matthew" and Matthew's bib reads "I love Maggie." So cute and so thoughtful! It was an awesome day and we were blessed to be surrounded by such great people!

...Daddy and Maggie...

...Matthew and Maggie...
...little love birds...

...Molly and Alie...

We also went to the Franklin Main Street Festival with Aunt Molly and later met up with Uncle Josh. It was great day! We have never been there before, but I heard about a great craft show called Mamamade and I wanted to check it out along with the Festival.

...Uncle Josh and Maggie...
This picture was actually taken at the Zoo, but I love it of both of them.

Next...

My great co-worker and friend, Courtney and her husband, Kerry, welcomed their sweet little girl, Kaylor into the world. Kaylor is such a beautiful baby and apparently is a champ at sleeping! Courtney and I have become very good friends, and it is such a sweet thing that we both have little girls now. She is just a cutie!

Lastly, I introduced and launched my new sewing blog. I have loved this little adventure that this sewing craft as taken me on. I have met some great people and feel that for once, I am creative at something! :)

maggiemoosmom.wordpress.com

Be sure to check out my new home...

Here are a couple of pictures of some of my most recent work...
Just in case you were wondering, Dexter Bing is doing just fine...cute as ever!

I know this has been a super long post, but a fun one at that. I leave you with an adorable picture that Josh captured of Maggie yesterday. She is getting so big. It is so wonderful to have a photographer at hand all the time. Have you seen Josh's Photography Blog lately? Check it out as well. He is so stinkin' talented and I love him so!

jdharrisphotography.wordpress.com

Hope your all doing well and enjoying the summer!

...Happy Mother's Day...

Mother's Day...What a day of love.

I know that I am loved everyday of the year, both by Maggie and Josh. It is just wonderful to celebrate my first Mother's Day tomorrow as a mother. What a year. I remember being pregnant last year on Mother's Day and receiving the sweetest cards in the mail from family and friends talking about how I was going to be the best mom. I remember reading those cards and thinking, I truly wonder what motherhood would be like.

I have to say that being a Mom is the best job I could ever have. I love little Maggie with all that I am. I know that she is the best gift from God...I don't think Josh and I could have ever imagined what a little sweetheart she would be. She is so happy and loves to be Maggie.

I feel a love like no other for her...I love my Mags.

Happy Mother's Day!

Maggie Moo...

Just in case you didn't make it over to Josh's Photography Blog, I wanted to post some more of Maggie's 9 month pictures. She is just a true beauty and it is impossible to describe how much we love her!

My Maggie...Little Stinker...

Maggie has about $400 dollars worth (Holland exaggeration, of course!) of nice toys...what does she always want to play with?

The TRASH CAN and the trash that is in it!

Does anyone else have this problem?

My Sweet Maggie Moo is 9 Months Old...

Words can not describe how much this little girl means to me. I can't believe that this week she will be 9 months old.

Josh and I started to get her 9 month pictures going this weekend. This is just first picture of a ton of beautiful ones. YOU MUST check out Josh's Photography Blog for the others. They are just beautiful. I just love Josh's work.
Leave a comment and let us know what you think!

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE REST OF MAGGIE'S PICTURES!

Happy 9 months Maggie Moo...I love you!

Baby Gates...Here we come!!!

Tonight, Josh and I had placed Maggie on the floor while we cleaned up her room and got everything ready for bed. We decided to get down on the floor with her for our nightly prayers, when Maggie popped up and crawled over to us.

Josh ran and got the camera (of course!!), she was a little tired at this point, but you can see her in action...We can't believe it! She is getting so big...Just thought we would share! Hope you love it!

We are so proud of her!

Maggie's At It Again...Prepare to GIGGLE!

So Ms. Maggie is full of herself these days!

She loves to laugh...at anything. Bless her heart...She is teething so bad, it just breaks our hearts. We are trying to keep her in good spirits as much as possible.

You may not know this, but Dexter Bing (our dog) is Maggie's best friend. She LOVES him. She could be doing something and completely stop and just smile and laugh at Dexter whenever he comes in the room. Dexter loves Maggie equally. It is really sweet!

Turn up your volume and listen to Ms. Maggie giggling her head off at me barking at her...Hope you love it!

Just stop the music to the right and and hit play!

Maggie Daddy Day...

So every now and again, Josh will want to take Maggie to have some "Daddy-Daughter Time." I love it when he wants to do this because Maggie LOVES her daddy and doesn't get to spend as much time with him through the week as I do. Yesterday, I had to run a ton of errands...you know those errands were you literally have to run in, know exactly what you need, check out and your done. Well, with Mags, sometimes those 5 minute run-ins, take 30. Josh wanted to spend some time with her at home yesterday while I ran around town...he was a little jealous of all our "Mommy-Maggie Time" I got this week because of Spring Break.

Josh never ceases to amaze me. He was playing around with her yesterday and when I got home, this was these were two of the beautiful pictures he captured of her. I just love his eye for a picture and how he makes Maggie's eyes sparkle.

You can check out the rest of his awesome pictures from his sweet day with Maggie over at his photography blog or by clicking HERE.

Maggie Moo Went To The Zoo...

Today was awesome!

Maggie Moo and I headed over to the Nashville Zoo. We went with Aunt Brea, Anna, Isaac, Luke, Mary Elizabeth, Ms. Kim, McKinley, Jack, and JuJu. We kind of totally invited ourselves, but I am sure glad that we did. We had the best time ever! I love the zoo. The weather was PERFECT for a good day in the sunshine with all the animals.

Isaac and Luke were the best tour guides ever. Seriously, they knew where everything was and all about each animal. They are so smart.

We looked like something off of the Christmas Vacation movie...With 4 adults, 7 children, 3 little ones in strollers, with 3 strollers, 3 diaper bags, 2 car seats...if you needed it, we had it. We used everything from washcloths to q-tips...You gotta love moms...we had it ALL!

Little Jack and Mary Elizabeth cruising along in their strollers...

Maggie and her JuJu...

Anna, Isaac, and Luke...

Anna, Isaac, Luke, and McKinley...

You gotta love the animals...

We even ran into some awesome people. I meet Amy, mom to Savannah that I made Georgia the Giraffe for, and Erica, mom to Jazmyne and Parker that I made Ms. Edna, Thelma, and Louise and Parker the VW with Surfboard on top for. It was the coolest thing...I had told Erica in a previous email that it would just FLOOR me to be out in public and see a child wearing a Maggie Moo Original...Beautiful Ms. Jazmyne had her shirt on. She looked so sweet in it and said that she loved it. I have never meet either one of these moms, but from pictures we all recognized each other. How cool is that!!!??!! Erica and Amy, it was great to meet you both and your sweet children. Thank you for supporting my craft!!!

Here is a group shot including everyone but JuJu...

Maggie loved the zoo! We had a great time!

Aunt Molly & Maggie's Day Of Fun...

So, I love Spring Break. Period. It is the best stay-at-home, run errands, be on no schedule what-so-ever, hang out with Maggie, shop with JuJu, head to the zoo with Aunt Brea and the kiddos, and hit up an awesome fabric and notions sale week ever...that I am getting paid for. I think Spring Break is so important, because it gives teachers and kids the opportunity to refresh and get ready for more learning...ok, ok...I just like the time off...Who could blame me.

Today was an awesome day. Maggie Moo and I headed down to Franklin to meet up with our Awesomest Aunt Molly. Molly and I have been the best of friends since orientation before our Freshman year at Cumberland University. We roomed together for four years, played tennis together, celebrated birthdays together (21 years old four years in a row!!! wink, wink), did everything together. She is a great woman and one that I truly admire. She recently relocated from Hendersonville to Franklin, we were very sad to see her go, but we were all excited for her and her new adventure she was taking on.

We met Molly at her new house...Love her place! So cute and so Molly! We then headed over to do some shopping and eat some yummy, yummy lunch at Chili's. It was so good. After we refueled, we headed over to the mall. We did some retail exercise, you know were you get all your exercise walking from store to store...

These pictures were taken at Chili's for lunch. Maggie is such a sweet little girl and loves to sit in a highchair. She is very nosey so she loves to be able to see and hear everything. She also loved the coasters.

I captured this picture as we were heading on an elevator. She is so laid back and having such a great time. She even helped pick out her new pair of BabyLegs...not sure about these things yet, but we will see.

After our fun filled day, we had to take Aunt Molly back home, which we hated to do.

We love you Aunt Molly and we are so blessed that we got to come hang out with you today.

Thanks for having so much fun with us.

Happy Easter from The Harris Home...

... Happy Easter...

Love,

Josh, Alie, and Maggie

Being Proud...

There are so many people in life that I am constantly blown away by.

My sister, Brea, is one of those people.
I love Brea with all that I am. I have some of my best memories from my childhood because of her. Sure we had our fights, mainly about chores...go figure...but we still always knew the bottom line was that we loved each other. I will never forget Brea leaving for college and feeling like I had lost my best friend. Brea is such an amazing woman...period. She is a Christian and not afraid to tell you that. She is a wife to an amazing man, J, a mom to four beautiful children, she is a daughter, a sister, a sister-in-law, an auntie Brea, a business woman, a comedian (she is so stinkin' funny), and a friend to many.

Brea just finished up her Consignment sale, Encores and More North Children's Sale here in Hendersonville. The sale was out of this world. I have never seen a sale run so smoothly, with so many wonderful workers, wonderful consignors, and wonderful shoppers. I just couldn't believe that she was so well organized (not because she is not, but because it is a huge sale to organize) and in such great spirits the whole time. She makes it possible for hundreds of people to unload their goodies that they no longer need to make some extra money. She provides a great opportunity for new moms to shop for their upcoming bundles of joy.

When I went today to pick up my check and goodies that didn't sell (yes, the pick up time was today and she had checks ready TODAY!!!), I just looked at her with such admiration for her creativity, responsibility, and beauty. I know that there have been times when Brea and I have had our differences, but the bottom line is just the same as it was when we were kids. I love her more than I could ever tell her. I always want her to know how much I look up to her and how much her impact on my life has made me the woman and mother I am today. I will never forget when Josh got so sick and was in the ambulance in the driveway...she just sat with me and prayed. She just looked at me and said words that I will never forget..."Alie, you know...God is in control." I saw God through her that night. It is a night that I will never fully be able to wrap my mind and thoughts around, but I am still trying. I just remember that I knew that even with Josh being shocked with an AED with CPR right behind it, that he was surrounded with love.

I love her...I don't tell her that enough. She ALWAYS supports me and guides me through times when I am uncertain.

She is my sister, my cheerleader, my best friend and I am so proud of her.

Sweet Baby Jack...

...This is sweet baby Jack...

Our long time friends of our family, Kim & Chris came over today for their photo shoot with Josh. Mr. Jack is 3.5 months old and so sweet. He was such a joy just to watch.

Josh had a great time with his photo shoot.

You can just tell by Jack's laid back personality that he is going to be such a fun little boy. His big sister McKinley is a doll as well. She is so smart and couldn't wait to get out back to visit the "cooowwwsss."

It was great to see all of them and I hope that Kim & Chris love their pictures!

To see the rest of Jack's sneak peek to his shoot, jump over to Josh's photography blog by clicking here or going to http://www.jdharrisphotography.wordpress.com/.

Maggie Moo and Her Butterfly Buttercup...

Sweet Maggie got to wear her new shirt that her mommy made her today.

This is Buttercup the Butterfly made by Maggie Moo Designs.

She looked so cute in it and couldn't stop picking at the button. She is getting so big...quickly approaching 8 months old!

We can't believe it and love every single minute with her.

Guess Who's A Blogger...

Josh finally started a BLOG about his photography venture. I am so excited for him. He plans to use his blog to showcase his photography sessions.

I am so impressed with the beautiful pictures that he takes, not only of Maggie, but also of others. He has a great eye and a true skill.

Hop over and say hello...

jdharrisphotography.wordpress.com

These pictures were captured at our nephews, Isaac and Luke's, baseball practice yesterday. Brea and Jonathan couldn't take them to their practice so my dad, Poppy Eddie, and Josh took them. Josh said it was great! The boys are getting so big, it is hard to believe.

There are many other pictures to look through with more that will be added with time.

I am so proud of you honey!