Merry New Year

Wow...it has been years since I have blogged. In my defense, I have to say that I have attempted to blog and have saved blogs from the past few months...my pictures won't upload to my blog...and what's a blog without pictures. Anyway here is attempt 3 or 4 in uploading pictures!! Well I think it worked....these are pictures taken by my best friend from Columbus Katie McDill with Image 4 Photography. She did an awesome job. We gave the picture of all of us to mom and dad for Christmas!! Enjoy!

Hamp's first swim

Last night we went swimming at DD and E's house. It was Hamp's first time to be in the pool. He loved it...it was also Emma's first time swimming all by herself. Enjoy the pictures!! I also included a picture of Emma during her first night at gymnastics.

Hamp's Baptism Weekend

Sunday, June 13, 2010 we Baptized Hamp here at St. Patricks. It was a beautifully HOT June day and all celebrated! His Godparents are Lynn and Daniel and thankfully they were able to share in the celebration by being here. We had such a wonderful weekend with the Hookers and Gigi and Pop.

Saturday morning we went blueberry picking and burnt up. It was so hot. Emma had a blast with Hannah Kate all weekend. They got into everything together and had so much fun doing it. They picked blueberries together, they played ballerina together, they snuck into Hamp's crib together, they played in the sprinkler together, and they took a bath together...they love each other so much. Reed and Hamp played too...Reed was trying to teach Hamp how to talk. It was so much fun...here are some pictures!!

Hampton Garton Ward

Hamp is here!! He was born on Friday, April 16, 2010 at 10:30 in the morning via c-section. He was a healthy 8.8lbs and 20 inches long. He has HAIR and long fingers and toes. He is growing and changing each and every day. He is precious.

The delivery was not bad at all. I think it had a lot to do with the fact that I had already experianced a c-section and knew what was coming. I never hurt...I was just sore.

Emma loves her brother Hamp and is very protective over him. She loves to kiss him and help change his diapers. She will run and get her stool and get on top of his changing table to bring us a diaper when we say it is time to change it. She is precious!

We are very thankful that my mom and dad were able to be with us and stay here with Emma through the delivery and hospital stay...as well as a few days after. They helped us more than they know and it just plain sucked when they had to leave. Thanks mom and dad!

We are so blessed and in love with both of our kids. They are amazing and surprise us with something new each day. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers...hope you enjoy the pictures.

OHH BOY!!

Here he is!! It is for sure a boy and we got to take a peek at him 4D!! It was so neat. We tried this on Emma, but didn't get a good look. He was great for the camera. I think he looks a lot like Emma...the cheeks and mouth. I have a better shot where his hand is not in front of his face, but can't seem to get it to load. I will try again before I post. I am feeling pretty good these days...getting back into the tired phase and chasing a sassy 2 year old around adds to my tiredness!

So we are still on for mid-April, somewhere around the 19th.

We are still alive!!

P.S. my computer is not letting me rearrange my blog the way I want it so read and then see the pictures!!

Emma and her friend Camryn
With Daddy holding a sparkler (NYE)

family photo

waking up to see what Santa brought

trying to take Christmas card pictures...she is a HUMBUG!

Whew...it has been a long time. I just don't ever make time to sit down and blog. Let's see where I left off.....Ohhh yes....Halloween.....hmmm a lot has happened between then and now like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years!! Don't worry you know me...i'll attach some pictures at the bottom.

We had a great Thanksgiving...Mom and Dad came down and helped us unpack some more (no, we still aren't finished)!! We watched MS State beat the hell out of Ole Miss (way to go Dawgs!). We ate, ate, and ate some more and I cooked it all!!

For Christmas we went to childrens mass at St. Patricks on Christmas Eve and then went riding looking at Christmas lights before we came home and went to bed to wait on the Jolly Ole Guy himself....and YES he did come!! Holy COW did he come. Emma's eyes were so big when she came in the living room and saw what he left her. She didn't know what to think....she got a kitchen, food, pots, and pans, and SOOO much more. After we played for a little while we rode up to Columbus to play my family. We had so much fun. I bought my mom a game called Things....EVERYONE needs to own this. It is a GREAT group game. HILARIOUS!! We had a wonderful weekend with everyone and then came back home so Tripp could go back to work for a few days before being off for....

New Years!! We have an amazing group of friends that had a New Years Eve party for the whole family....it was awesome!! Thanks Ben and Charissa for an awesome time! There was a hayride, playset, trampoline, and fireworks!! For New Years Day we hung out at the house....we had friends over to eat supper while Tripp grilled out hamburgers and we watched football!!

Some other things that have been going on at the Ward's house is that we found out we are having a boy!! Emma is going to have a baby brother....so we have been working around the clock the last few weeks to rearrange rooms and get the nursery set up....which still has a long way to go. We did however get Emma a new BIG GIRL BED and she is fast asleep in it for the first time as I write this. We have been piece by piece buying new furniture for our new house so it is starting to look like someone lives here.

We also have welcomed the NEWEST member of the Garton family!! My sister Lynn had a sweet little girl on January 10th!! Sarah Reed Hooker!! Check out her blog for stats and pictures. Although I haven't been able to physically hold her yet...I have talked to her on skype and she already thinks i'm her favorite (although we all new that anyway)!! She is precious and her big sister Hannah Kate is having fun taking care of her real live baby doll!!

In other news...we had a sad time last week when we recieved news that our friend Gail passed away. She was the lady I worked with in which we had the Kick Ass Chemo Party for her when she started her treatment. There is an older blog on here about that party. She was a great lady and will be missed by all!!

On the upside of things Tripp has a birthday next week and so does my mom along with my mom and dad's anniversary so we will continue celebrating through then!!

Well, I guess that is about it... It is way past my bedtime....so i'm turning it in!!