I am so loved.

Dori,

This has been a week of gifts for you! It started out with several outfits that I had ordered arriving. Then, The Brown Family from Richmond Virginia sent you an adorable pink outfit, two picture frames, and a gift certificate for Babies"R"Us and a nice card. Next, Mommy helped a couple out in one of her new construction communities and they were so thankful, they brought you an outfit. But, to top it all off, Me-Maw and Hunter went shopping today and bought you your carseat and stroller combo!!!! I think you will love it. Daddy has been "test driving" all of the strollers to make sure they are smooth when they roll. I can't wait for you to try it out. I also think it looks very comfy, you will have to let us know. Above, I have posted a picture of the stroller and carseat for everyone to see.

I love you! Sleep tight.

Mommy

Your beautiful name

Dori,
It just occurred to me that Daddy and I have not explained how we chose your beautiful name.

Your first name, Dori, is in honor of Daddy's grandmother, your great-grandmother. Her full name is Doris Ann Lawrence. She is such a sweet and loving woman. We are so excited for you to meet her! She has taken great care of Daddy and I am sure that she will love you and take wonderful care of you too! I know Daddy will have plenty of stories to share with you about her not only on this blog but for many years to come. Since I have known her, she has taken me in just as if I am her grand-daughter. I could not ask for anybody to treat me so great.

Your middle name, Alise, is in memory of Mommy's great-grandmother, your great-great-grandmother. Her full name was Bernice Alise Nix Lawrence. Don't worry, I know what you think.......Daddy and I are NOT cousins!!! We all called her Lawrencee. She was the most perfect lady I will EVER have known. She never found fault in anyone. When Mommy was a little girl, I stayed with her and she let me do anything I wanted! Each day as she fixed lunch, she would make me dough to play with. She taught me how to crochet, to sew and so much more. After lunch, we would watch General Hospital ( a popular soap opera at the time ). She would sit on the couch and I would lay my head in her lap and she would play with my hair. Each night she put me to bed, she would tell me stories of when she was a little girl, the whole time playing with my hair and my ears. I have so many special memories of her and can't wait to share them with you. She was the best thing in my life until I met Daddy. He is good, but he will not play with my hair and ears until I go to sleep! he he!

I wish the best for you and hope you realize how much you are loved.

Love,
Mommy

I love you little girl!

Dori,

It's Mommy! As you know by now, Daddy is the one that loves to write and talk too! The more you get to know him, you will find out what a wonderful man he is. He is the most loving guy I have ever known. My wish for you is to find someone that will treat you the way Daddy treats me.
We have been getting ready for you and have been busy picking out your bedding set, your crib and all of the accessories for your room. Just so you know.....I have been searching for the perfect crib and bedding set for three or four years now. I wanted everything to be the best for you, I hope that you approve. We are not going to have a theme, but the colors will be pink and brown. For now, your crib will not be here until May....can you believe that! That is the one thing that I wanted. I will keep you updated as we prepare for your arrival.
I love you,
Mommy

Fashion Diva

Happy Easter Dori!

Sorry it has been awhile since I've written. I could come up with every excuse in the book, but the truth of the matter is that I have been working and working to support your shopping habit. Imagine that, you're not even here yet and your wardrobe is already growing faster than you are ...... exponentially you might say. Actually, everything you see here is from our first shopping trip yesterday.

The title of your blog today is "Fashion Diva" and for good reason .... you will get it honest as Mommy and Daddy love clothes. Mommy has a big shoe fetish and me, I'm a shirt and blazer kinda guy. Mommy has done a great job organizing your closet, but I fear that it will soon be too small. With two girls in the house, I don't stand much of a chance. Mommy has been encroaching on my side of the closet now for years and I'm sure you will be just like her. All that being said, we have only begun to scratch the surface. Aunt Mindy has already found some very cute outfits for you and there will be much more to come as your arrival draws nearer.

Now back to my story ..... as the stack of clothes continued to get higher and higher, I looked at Mommy and said, "Awesome, how long will all of this last Dori"? Mommy then responded with "One season". Don't worry, Daddy didn't even flinch ..... really! Instead, my imagination began to spiral out of control ..... just a drop in the bucket compared to more clothes, car, college, wedding ..... wait a minute .... you won't date until you're 30 so we don't have to worry about that for a loooong time. So with that you go girl ...... buy all of the cute little clothes that your heart desires ..... I'll always see you as the little girl that you are today.

Love, Daddy

I think I did!!!!!

Hi Dori,

Tonight as I settled in for bed, I think I felt you for the first time. Everyone has told me and I have read that I may not know that it is you. They say it feels like a flutter or a little thump. Well, you surprised me and as I was lying in bed watching tv, I felt a small flutter! I thought to myself that you caught me off guard and I didn't feel it anymore. I am sure that you will let me know real soon that it is you for sure!
I love you and can't wait to see your beautiful little face!

Daddy's Little Girl

Good Morning Dori!

How is Daddy's Little Girl? In a way it sounds funny saying that, but at the same time so very natural. This is my first message to you and I want you to know that Mommy and I are so excited .... in many ways we've been waiting for this day for a long time. I already find myself filled with pride and joy .... just thinking about who you will be someday.

This fatherhood stuff is new to me so I hope that you will be patient and understanding as I learn the ropes. As you may have heard, I'm not very good with the diaper changing but practice makes perfect and I am certain that you will do your part to provide many training opportunities.

The good news is that your Mommy often tells me I'm a nut, crazy, or her favorite .... an idiot. I always take this as a compliment as those qualities are essential to being a good Daddy. We've already discovered that you like to dance and I'm sure that you are singing too .... although we can't hear that on the ultrasound. My imagination is running wild wondering what type of music you prefer. Is it Snoop Dog, Justin Timberlake, or do you like Country music? Alan Jackson or Taylor Swift perhaps? Nah, if you must listen to that dreaded Country music you're probably like Daddy ..... you are a Big & Rich (which is Rock and Roll Country) kinda girl. To Mommy's dismay (sometimes), I also sing and dance but it's all about the entertainment value .... if you can make others laugh it's all worth it. We're gonna knock em' dead with our Karaoke duet.

Well, I've rambled on long enough. There's so much that I want to say, but it's truly hard to put into words. I will continue to write my thoughts as we eagerly await your arrival. Enjoy your day and keep working on those dance moves. I love you and look forward to seeing you soon!


Love, Daddy
------------------<@

I'm too cute!!!!

I love to move and dance, you should see me. My Mommy still can't feel me, but trust me, I am all over the place. Daddy and Mommy saw me dance for the first time this week on my ultrasound. I got tired and was ready for a nap!

The nice lady at the doctor's office did a 4-D ultrasound just to see how cute I am so far! I think I am adorable, what do you think? Keep checking back to see my progress.

It's a Girl!!!!!

It's a girl! Tony and I went for an ultrasound today and found out Dori Alise Lawrence will be our first child!

I have started this blog for Dori to look back on and see how much she is loved. I hope everyone enjoys it along the way.

A little story about our life before Dori.

Tony and I met in late 1999 and married in June of 2000. At the time, Tony was in the Navy and was stationed in Virginia Beach, VA. We lived in Chesapeake. We were there for about three years. At that point, Tony got out of the Navy and went into the financial services industry and worked for a company named Clarke American. We moved to Roanoke, VA. After just under three years there, we moved back home to Alabama! We have been here in Pelham for almost two years.

When we moved back to Alabama, I got my real estate license. I work for Re/Max First Choice in Pelham. Even with a slow market, I love real estate!

We have two Jack Russell Terriers, Barkley and Lilah. They keep us busy and with Dori, it is just one more busy adventure in our lives .

We will keep everyone posted with pictures and updates as things happen.