The Zoo

My mom took me to the zoo for the first time today. I loved it! I loved the pandas, the giraffes and the kangaroos. I especially loved the petting zoo and chasing around the goats and pigs.

At the end of the zoo there is a brand new playground that my Mom and Dad helped build (along with 200 volunteers) two weeks ago. It is so fun! If you live in Atlanta, you should check it out soon!

Hmm, for years Mom has reassured her communities that the playground mulch is non-toxic and isn't harmful if kids eat it. Wonder if she will care if her own child eats it? :)

Thanksgiving in Virginia

We had a great Thanksgiving at the farm! I loved playing with all of my cousins. Mom wouldn't let shoot skeet yet but I got to go to the playground and feed the horses. Mom and Dad went to Williamsburg for a night to celebrate their 3rd anniversary and I stayed with Grandpa and Grandma. They did a great job taking care of me and Mom and Dad were worry-free as they left me alone overnight for the first time!

Apple Jack

Grandpa got out the apple cider maker that belonged to my great-grandfather and all the kids helped make cider. Well, I sort of helped. Mom looked down to find me eating a stolen apple! The cider was very tasty!

Turkey Trot 5K

The Councill family minus a few (me and Greyson) ran the First Annual 5K Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. The Y ran out of t-shirts so Uncle Will made everyone their own along with sweatbands and tube socks. Here is a pic of the clan along with one of Daddy, Grandpa and Uncle Jordan.

Visit to Dottie's

We started our Thanksgiving week with a stop in Winston-Salem to visit Dottie, my great-grandma. It was a fun time with a trip to Old Salem and yummy food!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Congrats Katie and Matt!

My friends Katie Kohl and Matt Steier got engaged over the weekend! My mom was trying to get me to hold this special sign for them but as you can I liked pushing it on my truck. We are so excited for Katie and Matt and can't wait to celebrate with them!!

Standing

Besides walking with my toy, my other new trick is standing all by myself. We played outside today and I liked picking up sticks and leaves.


I played for a while and let mom read her magazine in peace but eventually it was my turn to tear up the pages.

Jack walking (sort of)

Mom bought me this toy a few months ago hoping it would help me learn to walk. I had ZERO interest. Suddenly today, I was playing with it and decided it was time to walk! I alternated between this and my Tonka truck one Mimi and Goose gave me for my birthday!

One Year

One year ago today, our lives were changed in a big way! At 11:48 pm on November 8, 2006, John Connor Councill made his way into the world. After 14 hours of labor, 2 epidurals (one fell out) and a lot of anticipation to meet our little boy or girl (we didn't find out!), it was a wonderful moment, when Clay screamed "It's a BOY!" and I heard Jack's first cries. So in my whole year of motherhood, here are a few things I have learned:

1) Miracles-The body could only have been created by God. To be able to create life, carry a child and nourish that child is truly a miracle. I believed that before becoming a mother- I know it now.

2)Breastfeeding- Never thought it was for me. Kind of grossed me out. Didn’t like it when people did it in public. Now, I realize that it is the greatest bond between mother and child and gives you an incredible feeling of accomplishment that you can be the sole nourishment for your baby. Besides it saves BIG dollars and is so very convenient.

3) Sleep deprivation-You can get up at 12, 2, 4 and 6 and still function the next day. I don’t know how it works but it does. And you just do it. For months.

4) New mother bond- You will strike up conversations with complete strangers at Ann Taylor Loft about breastfeeding, and bumbo seats just because they too have an infant. I met my friend Emily this way. People who don’t have kids laugh when we tell them; people who do completely understand.

5)Baby-friendly places- I have written about Nordstroms here before but let me again sing their praises. Not only do they have the best shoes but they also have the nicest mother’s room with lovely couches and privacy for feeding and changing the baby. Kids get free balloons and all of their doors have the handicap buttons that you push so the doors open automatically and you are not stuck trying to simultaneously open the door and push the stroller through while the man behind you is waiting impatiently and not offering to help.

6) Bumbo- Listen, I know they recalled them but my kid has the biggest head in the world, very top heavy and he never fell out. I just realized when he was too big to be in it and put it away. I LOVE THE BUMBO. I did laundry, cooked dinner, got ready to go out- pretty much I was able to function because of the Bumbo.

7) Conversating- Trying to have a complete conversation with anyone takes on a whole new meaning when you have someone screaming for food, crawling towards the escalator or trying to stand up in their stroller. Moms will understand and your good friends will stay your friends even if you never finished telling them the story you started.

8) Crying- The baby cries. You cry. Your husband comes home to find you both on the couch crying. There is a lot of crying, especially in the beginning. But that is because of the above mentioned sleep deprivation and those crazy hormones. Crying is okay and soon it will be over. Later, the crying comes when your little one reaches milestones and you realize they are growing up. I cried alot today.

9) Reading- I was told “read to Jack from the beginning. He will know.” Really? A 2 month old? But I did and the result it amazing. He will now hand me a book and climb into my lap for story time. He even has favorite books. It will melt your heart.

10) Unconditional love and complete joy- "I couldn't have gotten through this with a lesser man." I heard this the other day and thought how true it is! My husband is my rock and the one who looks at me with no shower, covered in Jack's snot, puffy eyes from lack of sleep and tells me I am beautiful. We also feel that love for Jack. When he cries for the umpteenth time in the middle of the night and you think there is no way you can drag yourself out of bed again, you will because he is yours and you love him with all that you are. It is primal. I don't think Clay or I could ever anticipate the complete joy that this tiny being would bring to us. His smile, his laugh, the way he dances and does the itsy bitsy spider; it is all amazing.

They say no one can prepare you for what it is to be a parent. I believe this to some extent as it is trial and error most of the time but I also believe God gives us people we can emulate and learn from. For me, that is my mom, my sister and my friends who have done this before me. I couldn't have made it through this year without them. In turn, I hope I can be that person for another new mom.

When Clay and I were dating, we came across this great photographer at a street fair in Greenwich Village. I bought two of his prints later for Clay's wedding present. After we had Jack, he bought me another and it came with this quote "Children come with a message that God is not yet discouraged of man." How blessed we are that He entrusts us with these fantastic little people! Now on to year two...

Lunch with Annie

Today I visited my friend, Annie Vonderahe. She was nice enough to share her chicken and beans even though I had already had my own lunch.

Happy Birthday to Me!

My first birthday party was so fun! Mimi, Goose, Uncle Ryan and the Schupps joined lots of my friends in helping me celebrate. I LOVED my cake. My mom worked really hard on it and she was so happy that I tore into it and got it everywhere. Usually she tells me "no" when I throw food on the floor but she seemed fine with it today! I got to spread the icing in my hair and all over my face. It was awesome! There were lots of kids; it was complete madness but we only do it once a year, right?

Jack in the Box

Sorry for the delay in the Halloween pics. My mom has been busy getting ready for my birthday party! Yep, folks- I am almost ONE! Anyway, so mom dressed me as a Jack in the Box. She thought this was so clever. I really wanted to be a transformer or something cool but I guess I will have to wait another year or two until when I can express my opinion. We had a great time handing out candy and seeing all the cool costumes!

The stairs

Daddy taught me how to go down the stairs all by myself. He showed me and then I did it! Mommy was amazed. Here I am going down and then up. P.S. My dad is bilingual so that is him in the background. He likes to talk to me in Spanish alot.

Tricks and Treats

My Mom and Dad ran the Silver Comet Half Marathon this morning. They did very well- my mom even beat her 2 previous times (that she ran before she had me). My good friends, Jenna and Erica, came over this morning at 6:30am so Mom and Dad could go to the race. They fed me breakfast and got me ready. We even made Mom and Dad this great poster. They are so wonderful and we are so lucky to have friends like them! We went to the end of the course and waited for Mom and Dad. I loved clapping for all the runners.

Here I am congratulating Mom and Dad. I am so proud of them!
After an afternoon of resting, we went to church for the Trunk or Treat. Everyone decorated their trunks and had games and candy. I wore my costume. If you can't tell, I am a Jack in the Box! I loved going from car to car in my convertible.
Daddy sat in the car, dressed as a Virginia fan, to give out candy. Really he wanted to listen to the end of the GA/FL game. Go dawgs!