Can't wait for Cate...

Well, this pregnancy is coming to an end...only 4 more days until we get to meet our sweet little girl. Where did the time go???? This has been by far, the easiest and yet strangest of all three of my pregnancies. I guess chasing after the other two has given me little time to sit back and dwell on being pregnant. However, that doesn't mean I haven't been counting down the hours until I get to meet that sweet little face! Having only gained 12 pounds and had absolutely NO swelling (this is HUGE for me!) this pregnancy has been so laid back and low - key...wonder if her little personality will match??? Can't wait to find out! Who will she look like? What will the other two think? How am I going to handle three??? We'll soon see! Let the countdown begin!!! See you Friday, Cate!

A walk in the park...

After what seemed like weeks and weeks of rainy weather, Georgia and I were sooo ready to get out and enjoy the beautiful fall weather last week! After our trip to the library, we stopped by one of city parks and took in the playground - which we ended up having all to ourselves! She had a blast!

Library Storytime

Georgia and I have have been attending our local library's Pee Wee storytime each Wednesday morning this fall. Much to my delight, she is having a blast! Each week centers on a certain theme - last week it was kittens (her absolute favorite!) - and includes a story, singing and a craft. Sooo cute! We have such an incredible childrens' library here - I see many more trips in our future!

Kickball 2009

Sensational Kids kickball season is here once again...but apparently Mother Nature didn't get the message! Almost all of our games have been rained out! I did take some pictures the other night, however, shooting through a chainlink fence while chasing an almost 2 year old, resulted in less than ideal shots, to say the least! Hope to post more as soon as Georgia, and the weather, allows!

Playhouse Disney Live

Grammy and I took the kids to Playhouse Disney Live at the Convo Center last weekend. While it was definitely not my favorite show we've taken them too, the kids had a blast and sat glued to the show! Thanks Grammy, for going with us - it's always a good idea to bring back-up!

County Fair 2009

Kevin, Georgia and I meet Sam's class at the Craighead County fair a few weeks ago for our annual trip to the petting zoo. That Sam loves to feed all the animals...little sister - not so much! We all had a great time despite the yucky weather and muddy fairgrounds!

Sam's 1st Day of 1st Grade

Where o' where did my baby boy go??? A first grader??? I can hardly stand it! But as you can see from the photo, while Mom may have been a little bit misty-eyed, my sweet Sam was all smiles! Now 3 weeks into the new school year, I am happy to report that things are still going great! The word "proud" can't begin to adequately express just how much I love this little man! Way to go, Sam!!

Gulf Shores Vacation 2009

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Better late than never, right?? Things have been so crazy around here the last few weeks, that I am just now getting our vacation pictures posted! Our 3rd annual trip to The Beach Club was a blast! And we were so glad that Grammy and Papa were able to make the trip with us again this year - great company and 2 extra sets of hands!! And of course, with one child (Sam) that LOVED the ocean - except for the 20+ jellyfish stings his poor little feet endured, and one that LOVED the pool (Georgia), it sure was nice to have the "manpower" to split our time between the two! Can't wait for next year...a 7 year old, a two year old, and a 10 month old...better start eating my Wheaties now!!

Our latest glimpse of Baby #3....

Kevin, Grammy and I had the best time Thursday morning at my 4D Ultrasound appointment! It's always so much fun to get such an up-close look at our sweet baby girl! She is one of the 3 cutest babies I've ever seen! Simply adorable! And we couldn't get over just how much she looked like Georgia. We got so tickled watching her yawn, try to suck her thumb, stick out her tongue and smile! Perfection! She now weighs 2 lbs. 14 oz. and looks great! I, too, am progressing right along, having only gained a whopping 6 lbs. so far....and actually lost a pound this month...the doctor's not concerned as long as the baby looks good and just told me to consider myself lucky! Guess I won't complain! No swelling, feel great, plenty of energy - Life is good! I am now 29 weeks pregnant - only 11 more to go! Can't wait to see this sweet little face in person!

Stop and smell the roses...or petunias...

Georgia had to stop and smell every flower in every pot outside of Union Station...

A Quick Dip....

The kiddos (all 3 of them) enjoyed a quick trip to the hotel pool while trying to beat the heat!!!

The Children's Museum 2009

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Purina Farms 2009

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Grant's Farm 2009

Make a Smilebox slideshow

St. Louis Cardinals Game 2009

St. Louis Vacation 2009

After a long but successful Kindergarten year, Kevin and I decided to treat the kiddos to much needed/deserved quick trip to St. Louis. We have a wonderful time and managed to pack alot into 3 short days! The kids had a blast and were the perfect little travelers - not a peep from either of them! Just throw in a DVD, hand out some juice and pretzels and hit the road - makes for a much easier trip for all involved! Enjoy the pictures!

Loving My Babies..

I'm borrowing this from another friend's blog, but just thought it was too good to pass up....

You have Taught Me
By Anne Maclellan March 1998

You have Taught Me
You have taught me patience to rejoice in small gains which others take for granted.
You have taught me tolerance to accept that your perspective is different and deserves respect.
You have taught me courage to fight for you when no one else will.
You have taught me endurance to go on when I feel I can't any more.
You have taught me humility to accept when I can't make
things better but can only be here for you.
You have taught me to love at a deeper level than I ever thought possible

Kindermusik 2009

Georgia and I had the best time in Kindermusik class this spring! She had so much fun singing and dancing with all the other cute little kiddos and we both made lots of new friends! Can't wait for the next session to begin!

18 Month Update

Wow...can't believe my baby girl is already 18 months old! Where does the time go?? Georgia has been such a fun addition to our family - don't know what we ever did without her! She is such a little mess! But sooo much fun! Such a BIG personality in that tiny little body! Oh how I love her so! Here's a quick rundown of her latest developments:

Size - Since we haven't scheduled our 18 month check-up yet...I know, I know, I'm a little behind on this...I'm not exactly sure of her measurements and will have to post them once we go to the doctor. But I can tell you she's a tiny little thing compared to her brother at this age. She's still wearing 12-18 month clothes. Can wear some 18 month, but for the most part, they're still just a little too big. As for shoes, she's in a size 5, and has way too many pairs to count! Did I mention this child's already growing obsession with shoes?? She LOVES them! And can take them off and on all by herself. We won't even talk about taking her to a shoe store...you can barely drag her out of there...kicking and screaming!! She wants one in every color!

Eating - While she may be small, you'd never know it by her appetite! This girl loves to eat! And the nicest part is that she's not the least bit picky! She'll eat just about anything I serve her, and is willing to try anything I ask! After 6 years of trying to feed possibly the world's most picky eater, this has been such a blessing! Georgia loves her veggies, especially carrots and green beans. She also loves oatmeal, manderin oranges, blueberry pancakes, speghetti, cheese, bananas, corn, pears, goldfish, and anything with ketchup! Honestly, I can't think of anything she doesn't like...except maybe raw onions...which she begged me to let her try recently! And she even took several bites of it, before deciding against it! Of course, she wouldn't be her brother's sister if she didn't also have a penchant for snack foods, too! Whatever he's having, she wants it too! This girl has yet to meet a chip she doesn't like! Loves juice, which is also the word she uses for milk, and will drink both without hesitation out of her sippy cup. She's beginning to use her fork and spoon rather well, and has reached the stage where she wants to do everything herself! Including feeding herself, which has turned out to be a very messy adventure! But as trying as this stage can be, I am so proud of her growing independance!

Sleeping - I am so blessed to have such a great sleeper! While she only takes 1 nap a day (usually from around 11:30 to 1:30) she is no trouble to put to bed. Once I tell her its time for a nap, she heads up the stairs, reaches for her "baby" (her beloved stuffed puppy dog), leans over for a kiss, and lays down. Its just that easy! And the same goes for bedtime to! She usually goes to bed around 8:00 and doesn't wake until usually around 7:30 in the morning - with no waking in the night! Yay for sleep!

Play - She is so busy these days! I love to watch her love on and feed her baby dolls, play with her little people barn and animals, slide outside, jump on the trampoline, and just generally see what else she can get into! This one NEVER slows down! She still loves the Wonder Pets (especially Ming Ming) often requesting them in the morning by saying "Ming Ming" and handing me the remote! I just love to watch her dance to their songs - so cute!

Talking - Boy does this girl like to gab! Right now, its mainly just a lot of jabbering with plenty of head nods and hand gestures thrown in for good measure! But she also speaks many very intelligble words as well, including: Mama, Dada, Sam, Maggie, Papa, Ming Ming, outside, slide, swing, book, hi, bye, juice, please, more, ball, Tippy, Sarah, Zach, and of course, SHOES! And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention her wide array of animal sounds, including everything from dogs and cats, to lions, monkeys, cows, even fish - PRICELESS!! She LOVES animals - especially dogs, and can't get enough of our Maggie! Theirs is a sweet bond, and I have to admit that I'm impressed with how tolerant and patient Maggie can be with her, whether Georgia is wiping her face with baby wipes, counting Maggies toenails, or trying to brush her hair!

I could go on and on for days about just how special you are, Little Miss! You truly are my Sunshine. We love you so much, GiGi!!

A girl and her dog..

Memorial Day 2009

We had a fun relaxing Memorial Day weekend. Georgia and Sam had a ball playing in the sprinklers and kiddie pool (and yes, I realize that there are no pictures of Sam on here - someone isn't too keen on having his picture taken these days...) and our friends, Scott, Sarah and Zach came over for homemade French Dip subs, Mississippi Sin dip, and strawberry shortcake. YUMM-O! Good times...

Georgia's 1st Pigtails

Potty Training 101

With another little on the way, I decided a few weeks ago, to begin introducing Georgia to the "big girl" potty....However, something tells me that I may have a long road ahead of me when your daughter prefers to sit "in" the potty, rather than "on" the potty....

Just a few more...

Looks like Georgia likes Grammy's strawberry pie as much as I do!!!

Easter 2009

Better late than never, right??? I know this post is soooo overdue, but I couldn't just skip ahead a few months and forget about Easter! We had a great day (despite the torrential downpour)! Since Sam woke up before the crack of dawn...as usual...he got the chance to hunt his eggs outside before the rain moved in. Georgia, on the other hand, decided to sleep in and had to hunt her eggs in the living room before church. Grammy, Papa, and my Nanny came up for church and to eat lunch with us. I made a ham, hashbrown casserole, green beans, and rolls. And Grammy brought my favorite, her strawberry pie for dessert. Everything was delicious - if I do say so myself! Sarah and Zach joined us for lunch, as well, since Scott was on call. What a wonderful day with the best family and friends!

Oh my gosh....how could I forget???

Even with all the craziness that end-of-school year activities bring, I can't believe that I almost forgot to blog about our exciting news....WE'RE HAVING.....ANOTHER GIRL!!!! That's right, the Bryant household is about to get another estrogen boost! (Poor Kev and Sam!) We went to the doctor last week for my 17 week check up, and my doctor asked if I wanted to see if she could sneak me in for a quick gender scan (I think she's as excited and curious as I am!) so of course, I said SURE!! So thanks to sweet Dr. Wilkie's manuvering, we were able to sneak down the hall and take a look at our newest little princess! I was so surprised - again, my mommy's instinct was way off ( thought for sure it was a boy) and there she was! So sweet! We even sneaked a peek at her in 4D! Still super tiny (still under 1 lb) but absolutely beautiful! Thankfully, Kevin had the day off and was there with me! Even Georgia got to see her new little sister! I am so excited for her, and Sam! Now he'll have 2 sweet sisters to look after him...I can't think of anything better! Bring on the PINK!!!

Pictures coming soon!!

What a beautiful sentiment...

A dear friend sent this to me today, and I just had to share it with all of you...


GOD CHOOSES A MOM FOR A DISABLED CHILD
by Erma Bombeck

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures, and a couple by habit. This year, nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of handicapped children. Did you ever wonder how mothers of handicapped children are chosen? Somehow I visualize God hovering over Earth selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he observes, he instructs his angels to make notes in a giant ledger.
"Armstrong, Beth; son; patron saint, Matthew.
"Forrest, Marjorie; daughter; patron saint, Cecelia.
"Rudledge, Carrie; twins; patron saint.... give her Gerard. He's used to profanity."
Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a handicapped child."
The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy."
"Exactly," smiles God. "Could I give a handicapped child a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."
"But has she patience?" asks the angel.
"I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wears off, she'll handle it. I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independance. She'll have to teach the child to live in her world and that's not going to be easy."
"But, Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."
God smiles. "No matter. I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness."
The angel gasps, "Selfishness? Is that a virtue?"
God nods. "If she can't seperate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, there is a woman I will bless with a child less then perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a 'spoken word.' She will never consider a 'step' ordinary. When her child says 'Momma' for the first time, she will be present at a miracle and know it! When she describes a tree or a sunset to her blind child, she will see it as few people ever see my creations.
"I will permit her to see clearly the things I see --- ignorance, cruelty, prejudice --- and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."
"And what about her patron saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in midair.
God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."

Praying for Kayleigh Anne...

This sweet tiny girl is the daughter of a friend of a friend of a friend. Click the button above to read her incredible story. Unfortunately, she has recently taken a very serious turn for the worse. My mind can't begin to fathom the anquish this family must be feeling. Would you please join me in lifting them in up in prayer? Thanks so much.

Memphis Zoo

We made our first trip of the year to the zoo last week. It was such a beautiful day and Kevin was actually off work, so we decided to let Sam "play hookey" and skip school to go to the zoo! We had such an incredible time - we LOVE the Memphis zoo! Georgia loved all the animals and was trying to make all the animal sounds she could! And I think Sam just enjoyed a day off from school and therapy - and he deserves it! As you can see, all the excitement absolutely wore him out on the way home!

My baby girl....with her baby girl!

Looks like I have quite the little mommy on my hands these days! This girl LOVES her baby dolls! Its so sweet to watch her love on them and feed them - heck, she'll even share a seat with them! And, no, she's not still in an infant seat - I bought a new one for our impending arrival, never expecting the endless fun it would provide Georgia! I can't begin to tell you the number of times each day those babies get put in and out of that seat! And as you can see, she finds it pretty comfy, as well!

A Beautiful Day

These pictures are actually a couple of weeks old, but I couldn't help but post them! The kiddos (all 3 of them!) LOVE to play outside when the weather's nice. Whether its swinging, jumping on the trampoline or playing with toys -there's always plenty to do in the backyard!

Happy 6th Birthday, Sam!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Baby Update

Okay, so not exactly an exciting update, rather than a brief synopopsis of my last doctor's visit.....baby's doing great! Heartrate at 161 beats per minute, mommy dealing with the usual exhaustion and indigestion, but all in all, smooth sailing so far - completely uneventful....just the way I like it!!
One trimester down, two more to go!

Extreme Blog Makeover

So, how do you like our new look??? I, for one, LOVE it!! I finally got tired of looking at the same old boring layout and decided it was high time for a make-over! Now, thanks to Jenissa at www.onceuponablog.org, our blog will shine as bright as the two little kids that are featured in it! Thanks Jenissa - you're the best!!

SURPRISE!!!!

8 weeks gestation (3/9/09)

We're having (another) baby!!
That's right you are now looking at the first baby picture of one of the 3 most beautiful babies in the whole world (brother and sister are the other two, of course!) I am now 9 weeks pregnant and in this picture the baby was only 8 weeks old (about the size of a pea!) Because of it's small size, its really difficult to make out in this picture. But the round shape on top is not the baby, its the yolk sac. The baby is underneath that, you can barely make out its sweet little arms and legs. And if this were animated, you'd see its sweet little heart beating at 163 beats per minute! And you'd hear mine pounding with pride!

We are super excited!! And still in just a little bit of shock! Not that this wasn't planned, it just happened VERY quickly! Our sweet little bundle's due date is October 17th, and we can hardly wait! Just the thought of a new little face and personality around our home gets me so excited! Who will this one look like? Will he/she have Sam's laid-back disposition or Georgia's BIG personality? Will they have the same big pretty eyes of the other two? And what will big brother and sister think about our new addition? Sam's so good with Georgia, I fully expect for him to carry on the role of gentle protective big brother. As for Georgia, we'll see....I can see her being another little mommy to this one! I am already positively IN LOVE!!!

Happy Birthday Sam!!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I simply can't believe my baby boy is 6 years old today! It seems like only yesterday you entered this world and changed my life for the better. Upon the realization that there are no baby pictures of Sam on my blog (since I only started it a few years ago), I figured it was high time I showed off a few pictures of my beautiful baby boy. Here's to you Sam: from the tiny baby boy you were to the fine young man you've become. Happy Birthday, Toodles! I love you.

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

Winter had one last hurrah here in Northeast Arkansas this weekend, with over 5 inches of snow falling throughout the day Saturday! This was the most snow I can remember seeing here in quite sometime. Thankfully, there was no ice to accompany the snow this time! Kevin and Georgia ventured out in the middle of the "blizzard" to get a few pictures, and had a blast! Georgia LOVED the snow and screamed and cried when we brought her back in!! What a funny little snowbunny!

Way to go, Sam!!!

I am soooo proud, I just had to brag!! Sam was named Valley View Elementary's Student of the Month!! I could just burst with pride!! Those of you who know him, know just how big this is for him! He works so hard everyday, always with a smile on his face and a skip in his step. If only we could all face our difficulties with the same diligence and determination! He makes me so proud to be his Mom! The fact that God found me worthy enough to parent this beautiful child, continues to humble me everyday. He's such a blessing to my soul.

Caught Red-Handed!

My little graffitti artist at work!


Busted!!


The evidence.

Seems we have a budding little artist on our hands here in the Bryant household! She is always into something, so when things get too quiet, I know its time to find out what Georgia's gotten into this time. Saturday (Valentine's Day) I found our little Van Gogh busy at work making Mama a Valentine on the Dining Room wall.....okay, well, it kinda looks like a little heart...........

Sam's Valentine Party

Sam and his aide, "Miss" Diane


Georgia thought she was soo big sitting at the table with Sam!

Lovin' at the Valentine party!

Class of 2021

Sam's class held their Valentine's Party last Friday morning. The kids all had such a fun time with crafts, snacks and opening their valentines. Of course, Georgia had to join in the fun, as well. She took a seat at the table next to brother and did everything the big kids did - even opened up some of Sam's valentines for him!! I tell you, this girl is 14 months going on 4 years old! Sam had fun and seemed to enjoy showing off his little sister to his classmates. Happy Valentine's Day to the two joys of my heart!

Spaghetti!!!

Guess who loves spaghetti??? She ate 2 big bowls full last night and by the looks of it, tried to lick her bowl clean!!!

My little Gypsy

I originally took this picture because Georgia was pretending to wear Grammy's earrings. She thought she looked sooo good! But now that I look at it, all I can see are those big bright eyes. She makes me melt!!

Georgia's 1st Pedicure

It was no small "feat" to paint these busy little toes!! She actually sat very still and watched my every move very closely!! I just can't get enough of them - I could just eat her up!!

My Mini Monet!

Or maybe Jackson Pollack is more like it!! However you choose to categorize it, Georgia created her 1st work of art last week!! We'll begin the bidding at $1.50......but Mama thinks it's absolutely priceless!!

The 100th Day of School

Sam's class celebrated the 100th day of school last week with a fashion show! Each child was to decorate a t-shirt with 100 things and then each got the chance to parade around in front of the 1st and 2nd graders to show off their work! We decided on stamping 100 baseballs and basketball onto the front and back of Sam's shirt, and as you can see, it turned out pretty cute!! We had a lot of fun and Sam was soooo proud - just look at that grin!

Georgia's Walking!

Yep! That's right! My baby girl is "officially" a walker now! And sooooo proud of herself! In fact, she insisted on walking into and out of Pizza Inn yesterday when we went to lunch! Grinning ear to ear, of course! She simply woke up from her nap Sunday afternoon and just decided that crawling was a thing of the past! She looks so funny in that tiny little body walking all over the place! Video to come.....

Christmas 2008

We had such a great Christmas this year! This was Georgia's first Christmas to be really be involved (she was only 2 weeks old last year!) and she had a blast! Santa brought Sam a new train table and train set, lots of new movies, some puzzles, a set of Disney movie books, and lots, lots more! Georgia received a ride-on alphabet train, a huge stuffed puppy dog, twin baby dolls, a new tea set, and much more! Santa went a little overboard this year! Unfortunately, Daddy was on call this Christmas, and was gone to the hospital ALL DAY LONG! BOOOOO!!! Thankfully, though, Grammy and Papa, came up to watch the kids open presents and share a delicious Christmas lunch with us. (Poor Daddy and the rest of the surgical staff got to enjoy our leftovers!) With the huge exception of missing Daddy all day, you guys had the best time!

Tea Party Time

Georgia's 1st Birthday Party

Better late than never, right?!?! You had the most spectacular birthday party, Georgia. Mommy had the best time planning and decorating for it! Surrounded by friends and family, it was a truly beautiful day. We had cupcakes and cookies to eat, and more gifts than you knew what to do with. You received a Disney Princess throne, a stuffed tea cup Yorkie, several books, clothes, a baby stroller, and so much more. You had the best time! You "read" every card on each gift and just ooohed and aaaahed at everything you received! Too cute! And, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention your adorable smocked birthday dress you wore from Grammy and Papa - they bought that for you before you were even born. As a matter of fact, Grammy's already bought yours for your 2nd birthday, as well!!

Between myself, Aunt Wendy, and Grammy I bet we took over 200 pictures of your special day, but instead of detailing every moment here, I thought I would just post a few that truly captured your little spirit the best. I love you, my sweet little one year old girl!

Happy Birthday, Georgia!!!!

I can't believe my baby girl is one year old?!?!? Where did the year go? I guess time really flies quickly when your chasing after 2 children! Especially you, little Miss! I tell everyone that you came out of the womb 6 months old, so that may explain how quickly your first year has passed!! You are such a little firecracker! The life of every party......and checkout line, and restaurant, and grocery store! You definitely have your Daddy's outgoing personality and NEVER meet a stranger! I've had to literally pry you away from complete strangers sitting next to us at restaurants, or standing behind us in line at the store! Such a flirt!! No one can seem to resist that cute little smile, crinkled up nose, or big bright eyes! What are we going to do with you?!?

We haven't been able to get into the doctor for your 12 month check-up yet, so I don't have any of your stats, but I'll post them when we get go. Not that I mind staying out of the doctor's office this time of year!!! I am so proud to say that you haven't been sick one time this entire year - not one single sick visit to the doctor! That's got to be some kind of record!

Here's a little snippet of what life looks like at one year old....

Eating: You are such a good little eater! A thrill for Mommy since your big brother is so picky! You've been off baby food for months and only eat table food now. You want whatever everyone else is having. It amazes me with only 6 teeth (yes, 6 teeth!!!) that you can chew things so well! You love pasta, pizza, pears, grilled cheese, spaghetti, applesauce, peaches, pancakes, and SALAD! But, your favorite foods are still green beans, carrots and peas! I'm so proud of my little vegetable eater!! You loved your birthday cake, and insisted on eating it with a fork! You'd think with all this eating, you'd be a little roly poly, but you are still a tiny little thing, wearing 12 months clothes and size 4 shoes. Guess you work off all those calories, crawling around EVERYWHERE! You are never still! We're still not walking (although, you have taken a step here and there), but you are standing alone really well, and love to walk while holding on to our fingers. Walking, or should I say with you, running, should come very soon......oh boy!

Sleeping: You are still such a great sleeper. You go down for the night around 7:30 p.m. and don't wake up again until around 7-8:00 a.m! And you don't even cry to get out of your crib - you just sit there patiently for someone to come discover you're awake! What a dream!!! Of course, you compensate for such a great night's sleep by only taking one nap a day from around 10:30 a.m. to around 12 noon, leaving mommy with only an hour and a half a day to take a breather! But I wouldn't trade 3 naps a day for my uninterrupted nighttime sleep!!!

Playing: You still LOVE stuffed animals and just oooooh and aaaaah everytime you see one. You are so cute hugging and kissing all your "babies"! Of course, your favorite is still your stuffed puppy, "Baby". We don't go far without him! I love the way, you hold one of his ears with one hand and rub his tail with the other while trying to go to sleep - PRECIOUS!!! Of course, you love all dogs, real or stuffed, and can't wait to get your hands on them. You and Maggie are still big buddies and you just think she is the funniest thing ever! You love to play with your Little People barn and animals, as well as your school bus, which you "drive" all over the house. And you can almost catch and throw a ball like a big kid. Of course, your favorite thing to do is climb the stairs, and you can scale those steps in a flash - makes Mommy a nervous wreck! You are not much on watching TV, but will stop what you are doing to watch "My Friends Tigger and Pooh"! You are still jabbering ALL the time and I LOVE to hear your cute little voice! You can say: baby, puppy, Mama, Dada, Sam, bye, picture, pretty, see, uh-oh, stay, Papa, up,what's that, Meme (Maggie), and several more that I can't understand! Priceless..... Your favorite people are Mommy & Daddy, Sam (whom you ADORE), Papa, Uncle Brett & Landen,Tippy, & Sarah. But everyone has to take a back seat to your Grammy!! She is your absolute favorite person in the world and you want no one else when she's around. I'm pretty sure the feeling is mutual!!! You two are crazy about each other!!

For all these things, and so much more, I love you, sweet girl. You light up my life! Can't wait to see what the next year holds in store! Happy Birthday, Georgia!

Update: Your 12 month check-up went great, as expected. You are now 20 lbs. and 29 inches, placing you into the 50% on height, and the 30% on weight. The doctor called you "dainty". I'm sure she was talking of your stature, not personality!!

Made with Love

My sweet niece, Katherine, is such a talented little knitter! She made Georgia the cutest little slippers last week! They just fit her and are even monogrammed with her initials! Thanks so much Katherine! We love you!

Thanksgiving

What a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday we had this year! Our God has indeed blessed us richly! And our family tops the list! We had the best time last Thursday traveling from J'boro to Benton, Benton to LR and then on to Augusta. And while we were surrounded by family all day long, these were some of the only pictures I got all day (Guess I was too busy stuffing my face!) Anyway, my two kiddos were loved on all day long - and ate it up! Courtney and Hannah were only 2 of MANY, MANY cousins that day who took their turns doting on them, but I thought I'd post these pictures since they were so cute! As you can see, I have one child who is a camera hog and the other who refused to have his picture taken at all that day! And after a long day of traveling and being passed around, this little girl found one of her favorite spots to rest - on Papa's lap!

My Big Girl

Guess who's using a spoon these days and INSISTING on feeding herself? She is soooo proud and REALLY MESSY! What happened to my baby? I think this one came out of the womb all grown up!

Georgia's new "Hangout"

Georgia's found a new favorite place to play this week - under the kitchen table! There's a little space down there that is just her size and she loves to sit down there and hangout! It has a glass top, so she loves to look up at you through the glass and play "peek-a-boo" and laugh! She is so much fun and constantly on the move!!

My Star Student

No picture, but I did have to brag! Sam was named "Student of the Week" last week at school! He has done so well this year, and is even ahead of his class when it comes to phonics and numbers! He's such a smart little guy! And when you consider all the obstacles he faces on a daily basis, and the extra amount of work that he puts in each day (from 8 am to 5:30 pm), all with a smile on his face and a skip in his step, you really begin to get a sense of what a special little boy he is! I am so proud!! Congratulations Sam! I love you "more than words"....

I don't ever want to forget....

*The sweet way you crinkle up your nose when you smile.

*The way you fake cough to get someone's attention.

*The beautiful sound of your little voice, and the way you say "what's that?" or rather, "wats dat?" ALL the time!

*And when you're not saying that, your either wanting to go "outsi" (outside), or calling for "meme" (Maggie), or "Sa" (Sam).

*What a little monkey you are! You can climb up the entire flight of stairs at our house, and even climbed up the slide on our swing set all by yourself the other day.

*How you think you won't get in trouble when your told "no" if you just turn around and smile real big before proceeding!


I could go on and on, but I'll save more for your one year update. Wow....I can't believe we're almost there. Where has the year gone? Eleven months and counting....I love you Gigi!

Halloween 2008

We had such a great time on Halloween this year. Sam was a NASA astronaut, and Georgia spent her very first Halloween as a pumpkin. They both looked adorable - if I do say so myself!! The kids (and adults!) enjoyed Madeline and Ella's Halloween party next door, and then we were off to our church's fabulous Fall Festival. There were games, bounce houses and pony rides at every stop, and enough candy to leave Sam on a sugar high for the next few days!! (Mom and Dad have enjoyed their fair share, too!)

Georgia's Surgery

My sweet baby girl had to have minor surgery a few weeks ago - a frenulectomy to be exact. We discovered a few months ago that she was very slightly tongue-tied, and while our pediatrician wanted to take the "wait and see" approach and didn't think it would at all interfere with her speech, Kevin and I made the decision to go ahead with the surgery before there was even a possibility of a speech problem developing. With our history of Sam's difficulties, I wasn't about to wait around to see if Georgia would have a problem. So long story short, the procedure took about 5 minutes, and we were back home in time for Sam to go to school. She did great, was loved on by all of Daddy's friends in surgery, and never even had to take any Motrin at all!! Sooooo glad this is over and behind us! And from the look of things, the surgery was a complete success - she's been sticking her tongue out at everyone she sees!

Pumpkin Patch 2008

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Guess who's found Mommy's stash of Coke Zero? Anyone who knows me well, knows about my affinity/addiction to Coke Zero...guess she's just trying to be like Mommy? She was so proud of herself and I think she thought she was really drinking it, too. (Don't worry it wasn't opened!) Guess I better switch over to water or milk soon........

End of the Season Kickball Party

Kickball season's come to close - and with it comes the annual end-of-season kickball party/awards ceremony. This year the party was moved indoors due to last year's swarms of mosquitos ruining everyone's fun. So off the Cici's we went, along with close to 75? other special needs kiddos and their families....need I say more? It was a bit crazy and alot loud - but, everyone seemed to have a great time. Every child received a personalized trophy and took part in team pictures. What a night! Thanks to Grammy for coming up to stay with sister ( who's been a little under the weather for the past couple of days). We are so proud of you buddy!

County Fair Time!

Last week we made our annual trip to the Craighead County fair here in Jonesboro - the kids wanted to go to the petting zoo, Kevin and I wanted a corndog and a funnel cake! Needless to say, we all went home satisfied! Sam and Georgia fed those poor animals more carrots than I can count! And as you can see from the pictures, Georgia even wanted to climb into the stalls with them! That girl is too much!

A "Howling" Good Time....

Kevin, Sam and I attended our first Arkansas State football game of the season on Saturday night. This was my first time to cheer on the new "Red Wolves", and I have to admit that I was impressed with how well the university has made the transition to their new mascot - I did, however, have a few slips and found myself cheering for the "Indians" a few times - guess old habits die hard! Either way, the three of us had such a great time - despite the final score. We even managed to keep Hurricane Ike at bay until the game was over! Sam laughed and cheered the entire game and was in heaven with all the candy and stadium food! Kev and I try to make a conscious effort to spend some quality time with him away from little sis every once in a while - its nice to not have to compete for time alone with Mom and Dad! Thanks Grammy for watching Georgia for us. Here's to many more A-State family nights! GO RED WOLVES!!!!!

Georgia's Nine Month Update

Nine months already!?!?!? Where does the time go? Especially with this one - she came out of the womb all grown up! What did we ever do without her? She has brought us immeasurable joy over the past nine months- everyday is new adventure! She now weighs 18 lbs. 6 oz. (40th percentile), is 27 3/4 inches long (50th percentile) and has a head circumference of 17 3/4 inches (75th percentile). Just perfect. Here's a little snippet of what nine months old looks like for our sweet baby girl...

Eating: You are such a good eater, Georgia. You gave up baby food all together several weeks ago, and are now eating table food just like the rest of us! You especially like anything that Sam is eating at the moment! You love green peas, green beans, chicken, noodles, crackers, cheeseburgers (yes, I said cheeseburgers!), spaghetti and pretty much anything else we give you. You are down to 3 bottles (24 oz.) a day, and seem to prefer your sippy cup (with formula or watered down juice) - once you figure out how to hold it yourself. You now have 4- count 'em - 4 teeth, but the way you chew, you'd think you have a mouthful! And even though you seem to have such a hearty appetite, you remain so tiny in comparison! Of course, the fact that you are NEVER still, helps explain how you seem to burn off all those calories! Speaking of being on the move, boy, are you ever!! You are crawling everywhere - and FAST! You've been crawling since you were right at 6 months old, and there's been no stopping you since! You've also been pulling up to everything for several months and can now climb steps....not so sure how I feel about that one! You've even begun cruising around the furniture and have stood alone a couple of times (for just a few seconds). Dr. Bailey said he fully expects you to be running before too long - Oh boy! Of course, you're favorite mode of transportation is still Mommy's hip - which I don't mind a bit!

Sleeping: You are still such a wonderful sleeper - at night that is! You go to sleep (with your thumb and bunny) every night around 7:30 and don't wake up until around 7:00 the next morning. Hallelujah!!! Of course, this translates into a baby that doesn't nap well during the day, taking only one nap a day for only an hour and a half, if I'm lucky. Seems you just don't seem to need as much sleep as the rest (you and Sam both!) You still take a bottle at night before bedtime, but only because I encourage it, you'd just as soon hold your bunny's ear and suck your thumb and call it a night -so sweet! I think we'll be able to wean you off the bottle completely within the next month or so. You're still a thumbsucker - never would take a pacifier - but only when tired. Weaning you off of that will be a whole other story....

Playing: You still love Maggie - really any dog or animal for that matter, and have the best time playing tug of war with Maggie's stuffed "sissy" toy. And speaking of stuffed toys, you LOVE them! You just coo and get so excited any time you see a stuffed animal or doll, and immediately grab onto an appendage with one hand and stick your thumb in your mouth with the other! You also love blocks (knocking them down is so much more fun than stacking them up!), the refrigerator animal magnets, and have recently begun "driving" your toys around the house - never mind if they have wheels or not! Of course, your favorite toy is still whatever Sam happens to be playing with at the time - which just drives him silly sometimes! But his gentle nature and depth of patience with you never ceases to amaze me. What a lucky girl you are to have such a wonderful big brother. He truly loves you so much - even when you are on top of his favorite movie...Now when you scream at the top of your lungs, every time I strap you in your car seat, or anything else that confines you (aka - exersaucer, stroller, etc.) for that matter, that is another story! He's just covers his ears and rolls his eyes and waits for it to end! Too funny! Of course, the sweetest sounds you make are when you say "mama" or "dada" or "byebye". I'll never grow tired of hearing those sweet first words. You jabber/talk all the time and have even begun to sound like you are trying to imitate a few other words, like "dog" and "what's that?" / "want that" which comes out more like "wa dat" but seems pretty appropriate and reliable nonetheless! The sound of your sweet little voice comforts me to my core.

For all these things, and so much more, we are so proud to call you our own. I love you "Gigi".

Love,
Mommy

Friday morning

Check out those 2 front teeth - hysterical!!!

She's such a little daredevil!! Mind you, she's only 9 months old.

Kickball 2008

Another exciting season of Sensational Kids kickball has begun! Sam played his first game this past week. Needless to say, he had a blast! And so did his Daddy!! This year's team is "The Purple Crush". This is such a fantastic program and we're so grateful to Sensational Kids for their thoughtfulness and dedication to all of our kiddos with special needs. Just the look on the faces of these children as they get to take part in a team sport is priceless. It lifts my spirit in a way that few other things can. Let's play ball!!!

Look how big my little Kindergartener has grown!

I just can't get over how much he's grown! Doesn't look like my "baby" anymore...he's definitely a growing boy now!!

My girl

Never a dull moment....

You can't turn you're back on this one for a minute! She wants whatever her big brother has - and she doesn't quit until she makes it her own! Boy, do I have my hands full!!!

Georgia's First Day of "School"

Georgia attended her first day of "school" last week! Well, okay, so its not exactly school, but we were excited nonetheless! She is attending Central Baptist's "Mother's Day Out" once a week this year to give us both a little break! She's done so well - not the least bit upset when I drop her off, and the teachers say she's a "delight"! She just loves getting to play with all the other babies. We love you sweet girl!

Gulf Shores 2008

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Well, it only took me about a month, but with Georgia attending her first day of "Mother's Day Out", I have finally had the chance to sort through and post our vacation pics!!! Whew!! Anyway, we had a wonderful time, as usual - but could have done with a little less rain and a few more days! Enjoy!

Our newest little Cookie Monster?!?!?

Look who got into brother's Oreos!!! And boy is she fast - I just had my back turned for a minute, and when I turned around, there she was shoving those cookies in just as fast as she could!!! She was soooo proud of herself. I love you my little Cookie Monster!!!

Happy Birthday, Papa!!

We had a great time celebrating Papa's birthday this weekend. As you can tell from the picture, it wasn't exactly relaxing, but a fun time nonetheless! Hope you enjoy your Wii as much as we did - maybe you'll finally get a chance to play it now all the kids are gone!!

Ladies who lunch

Georgia and I got the chance to visit with my friend, Beth, on Wednesday. Beth is one of my oldest and dearest friends - you know the kind, when you don't even remember a time when you weren't the best of friends - you just always were. Our time together is especially dear now that she lives in England. It calls for alot of catching up! So we've kind of made a yearly ritual out of meeting for lunch once a year when she's in the States. She and her mother Terry come to Jonesboro and each have lunch with their best friends from high school - she and her friend, Holly; and myself and Beth. And of course, Georgia got to join in this year. We had a great food and an even better time. Thanks for inviting us, Bethy. We miss you. (And Georgia loves her new "English" tea set!)

Sam's 1st Day of Kindergarten

Well, today was the day that I have been dreading for the past several years....Sam's first day of school. We've been talking it up for the past several weeks and have even visited his teacher ( a good friend of mine) and his classroom a few times. Well, all our efforts must have paid off because, HE DID GREAT!!!!!!!!!!! And so did Mommy, thank you very much! They don't allow parents to walk their children into school here - not even on the first day :( so you have to drop them off at the front door and an aide or teacher gets them out of the car and walks them in. I fully expected to have a fit on my hands when we got there, but once again my smart little boy proved me wrong and reminded me that we can never doubt what he's able to accomplish. He gave us (Kev was able to go in late this morning and be there, as well) a kiss and a high-five and jumped out of the car taking Miss Shari's hand, only turning around once to wave bye! Not so much as a tear - from any of us!! Which is quite a feat considering even the thought of it has had me literally nauseous for the past couple of days! Wow.....I couldn't be more proud of the little man he's growing into. So strong and capable. Please join us in praying that this transition continues to go smoothly and that today be just the beginning of a long list of Sam's successful accomplishments.

A day of firsts.....

Georgia learned to wave (at everyone and anything!) while we were on vacation in Gulf Shores last week. But, yesterday she finally was able to put it together while saying "bye"! So cute! And while grinning at me so big (she was very proud of herself!) I noticed another first - she has a top tooth now! Her left central incisor (tooth "f" to be exact) - sorry, that's just the dental hygienist in me! So now the tooth count is at three and counting!

Back from the beach!

We made it back from vacation on Friday, and boy did we hate to leave! Sam absolutely LOVES the ocean! Too bad we don't live any closer! Pictures coming soon! (I only have hundreds to sort through....)

Peek-A-Boo!!!

Grammy and Papa -this one's for you!!! Look familiar?!?!?!?

My sweet "baby" boy!

Guess I can't call him that much longer :( He's such fun, sweet spirited little boy! Don't know if you can tell from these pictures, but his eyes matched the exact color of his shorts this morning. Just beautiful......

In her Sunday best....

This is the first dress that Georgia's Grammy bought for her when we found out she was a girl! It didn't take too long - we were out shopping an hour after my ultrasound!! She looks like a little angel in it! Thanks for the beautiful dress, Grammy! ( And for the dozens more you've bought since!)

Gentlemen, start your engines!

What a beautiful Saturday afternoon!

We spent the weekend just as it was intended - playing outside in this unseasonably beautiful August weather! Only wish it would stay this way......

Fast asleep......

The sweetest sound...

This afternoon in the car on the way back home from Target (our second home!) I heard the most beautiful sound......."mamamamama"! I wasn't sure if she was just jabbering or if she truly meant to say it until we pulled into the garage and as I was getting her out of the carseat, she looked up at me with those big, bright eyes and said "Mama!" How sweet the sound!

Happy Anniversary, Honey!!

Today, Kevin and I have been married 9 years. Wow, sometimes it seems like just yesterday, and then on others, it seems like an eternity!! We've had a really low key day, but plan on a date night of dinner at Omar's (our favorite) and a movie (the new Batman) tomorrow night. Grammy was kind enough to offer her services for a much needed parents' night out!

Happy anniversary, Kevin! I love you more than words can express. Thanks for being such a wonderful husband, daddy, and friend.

Dada, Dada, Dada

That's the sound around our house this week! Georgia's saying "Dada"!!!! Over, and over, and over again!!!! It's music to her Daddy's ears!! So cute - I'll try to post video of it soon!!

Wow.....he's really about to start kindergarten....

I took Sam for his Kindergarten physical on Tuesday. I guess this means he really is about to start to school......boy, do I have mixed feelings about this one. He begins the week after we get back from vacation. I just hope I can enjoy myself on vacation and not worry about it all week long. Of course, he'll be fine, and I'm sure he will love school - it's me I'm worried about!!! Anyway, he saw Dr. Bailey for his physical and Sam weighs 46 lbs and is 46 inches tall. I wasn't sure of his exact measurements, since - and I kid you not - besides, his yearly well-child check-ups, Sam has not been sick or to the doctor in almost 3 YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!! No kidding,he is seriously one of the healthiest kids I've ever heard of. Almost unnaturally healthy - like his immune system is in overdrive!!! So needless to say we're not regulars at the pediatricians' office. And I like it that way!! He got a clean bill of health, and Dr. Bailey says that he is in the 95th percentile in height (guess he's got my families tall genes!) and 75th percentile in weight. Just perfect.....but I didn't need a doctor to tell me that.

Tuesdays Visitors

My Aunt Beebo (no that's not her real name - its Marcia - not sure where the Beebo came from), her granddaughter Carrie and Carrie's husband, Jacob, came up for a visit on Tuesday. They were sweet enough to watch Georgia for me while I took Sam for his Kindergarten physical. And then, as if babysitting for me wasn't enough, they then took us out for lunch! The kids and I had such a wonderful time and were so thankful for their visit. You guys are the best! Come back anytime!!!

What a big girl!!

Oh, she is so pleased with herself!!! Doesn't she look so funny and tiny sitting up there at the table?!?! 7 months going on 7 years.......

That hair!!!!!!!!!!!

These were taken right after her bath last night - doesn't she look just like one of those little baby orangutans?!?!?!??

Our weekend guests

My cousin, Shelly, and her two children, (gosh, guess they're not really "children" anymore - man, do I feel old!!) Alex & Erinn came up from Benton Friday and spent the night with us on their way to a family reunion. We enjoyed alot of great visiting and great food (they never make a trip up this way without a trip to Couch's for BBQ and chocolate fried pies!!) They are out of this world!! Sure wish ya'll lived a little closer - I never had to worry for a minute about the kiddos - they had everyone's undivided attention the entire time!! Come back again soon!!

Georgia and her Grammy

These two are crazy about each other!

My beautiful son...

Just love this picture.....

Time for a baby gate.....

Boy, does this one keep me on my toes!!!

Saturday Morning

It's a little blurry, but I love this picture of Sam - it really captures his little spirit!

All played out

Now that's what I call "tuckered out"! She fell fast asleep standing up watching Baby Einstein!

ABCD.......

Kevin found this on the kitchen floor last week. Sam has rediscovered the LeapFrog refridgerator magnets ( we've had them for years) and is suddenly infatuated with his ABCs. We're missing several of the letters, as you can see, but the thing that I found the most impressive (besides the obvious recognition of his letters) was the pattern in which they were placed. Of course, those who know Sam, realize this display screams his name!! Oh how I wonder what goes on in that sweet little mind of his.....

God Bless America

Peek-A-Boo

Now that she's crawling EVERYWHERE, Georgia loves to crawl up to the backdoor and look at Maggie through the blinds! That girl and her dog.....she can't wait for me to let Maggie back in!!!

Saturday Morning at Grammy & Papa's

These were too cute not to post! Check out Sam eating popcorn for BREAKFAST! That's all he wanted that morning! Guess anything goes when you're at Grandma's!!!! And he knows it too well!!!

4-Wheeling on the Fourth

Sam had lots of fun riding 4 wheelers with his Uncle Brett!

Fun on the Fourth

We had a great time swimming at Aunt Wendy and Uncle Jim's this weekend. Looks like we have another "water bug" on our hands. In the last picture, Georgia was "floating" on her back! She would stand up in the water and then just throw her head backwards and kick her feet up and float! It was the funniest thing! And yes, she looked adorable in her little swimshirt and board shorts, but was much happier skinnydipping!

Sitting Pretty....

Sissy discovered the Sit-n-Spin this morning!

Playdate with Kohen

One of my best friends from college, Laura and her little boy, Kohen, stopped by Monday to visit. Georgia seemed smitten! Sam, on the other hand, wasn't too thrilled about another set of tiny hands getting into his stuff!! Anyway, we had a great time, and were only able to get these two pics - they were never still enough to get any more! Thanks Laura for stopping by - we'll have to get the kids together again soon!!!

Visit with Uncle Brett & Landen

My cousin, Carrie was married last weekend in Searcy. She was a beautiful bride, but I guess you'll have to take my word for it since she seems to be the one person I didn't get a picture of - sorry Carrie!! Anyway, it was a great opportunity to see everyone and visit with family. Between Brett and Landen, I don't know if anyone else got the chance to see Georgia at all - those boys are pretty crazy about her - and likewise!

Happy Birthday Grammy!!

Hope you have a wonderful day! We love you!!

Georgia's 6 Month Portraits

Georgia's 6 month portraits are finally ready for viewing! I think they turned out fantastic!! There's also several great ones of big brother, Sam! I am so pleased!! To take a look, go to www.tlee.photobiz.com/cart/ then click on Bryant (the photo of Georgia) and enter your e-mail address. Let me know what you think! They will only be available to view for the next 3 weeks.

Gentlemen, start your engines.....

We have a crawler! Actually this post is a little late, she's been crawling for about a week now. She looks so funny and tiny crawling around the floor, getting into EVERYTHING...... Video to come.....

Our first baby...

This is our Maggie, we've had her for almost 7 years now. The kids adore her! Kev and I love her, too, but she is seriously like having a third child! A defiant, wild, misbehaving third child....

Wednesday Morning

Georgia loves her Baby Einstein movies. And of course, she never goes too far without her stuffed puppy dog, Darby,.......or her thumb!

Her Daddy's Eyes

"Wii" are having so much fun!!!

Thanks to our sweet Aunt Wendy, Sam is now the proud owner of his very own Wii! And as you can tell by the pics, he loves it! He's still getting the hang of the remote, but has the best time playing. Of course, that is when he can pry his daddy off of it!! Kevin and I made a pact that we would only play with it when the kids are in bed. Needless to say, we are both sleep deprived and sore from staying up all night playing tennis and baseball!

Fun in the sink

Now that Georgia has 2 teeth (yes, she I said 2 teeth)- more pics when I figure out how to get a good picture of them! - she's been gnawing on everything she can get her hands on! So when we gave her one of those biter biscuits the other day, she loved it!! But, those of you who have little ones know what I'm talking about, they are soooo messy! So needless to say we had to "hose" her down in the sink when she was done. She LOVED it!

Howdy Partner!

Sam began his first session of hippotherapy this afternoon. Hippotherapy - you ask? He's riding a horse! Well, hippos is the Greek word for horse. Hippotherapy is a treatment that uses the multidimensional movement of a horse to provide sensory input which is variable, rhythmic and repetitive. The theory behind it is that the variability of the horses gait enables the therapist to grade the degree of sensory input needed by the client to achieve the desirable results. A good friend (and speech therapist) of mine, "Miss Dayna" is working with Sam this summer in an attempt to help with his diaphramatic breathing and speech in a natural and relaxed setting. Now that you understand the basis for the therapy, I have to brag! He did awesome!!! I was a little worried that he wouldn't even step near the horse, but boy, was I ever wrong! He practically climbed up the horse himself, and rode around the course sitting up so tall and proud of himself!! It was the cutest thing! Can't wait to see how he does next week - look out Lone Ranger!

My Three Kids...

Friday "Matinee"

Those of you who know Sam, know how much he LOVES his movies....well, baby sister wanted to see what the fuss is all about! But much to Sam's disapproval, she wanted a "front row seat"!! I have to say he was very sweet and patient with her (and maybe a little frustrated!) and allowed her to share his Friday afternoon viewing of Thomas the Train!

I'm a big kid now!

Georgia's already figured out how to drink out of sippy cup - and she is sooo proud of herself!

Georgia's 6 Month Update

Where does the time go?!?!? I can't believe you're already 6 months old!!! The time passes by so quickly, I do my best just to savor every sweet moment! You are such a little ray of sunshine! I feel so blessed to call you my own! You now weighs 16 lbs. and 6 oz. (65th percentile) and measures 27 inches tall (90th percentile - she's tall, wonder where she gets that from....). Your head circumference is 27 inches (75th percentile). Dr. Beck says you are just perfect (of course, we already knew that!) Here are a few of the things you are doing now at 6 months:

Eating: You are now eating solid foods (and have been for several weeks now). You have even tried a couple of the 2nd foods already! You are such a good eater, and seem to like everything we feed you. You get cereal (either oatmeal or barley) with fruit every morning for breakfast. And you eat half a jar of veggies and fruit for lunch and dinner. Of course, you think you are too big for baby food, and really just want to eat (or drink) whatever anyone else around you is eating. I have been feeding you small bites of table food when you seem interested, and you LOVE it!! Especially ice cream!!!! You get sooooo mad when I take the spoon away! You are also eating cheerios and fruit puffs for snacks in the afternoon. As for drinking, you are now taking approximately 7 ounces of formula about 4 times a day, and have already learned how to drink from a sippy cup - you are so proud of yourself! I give you a little water in your cup along with your cheerios for a snack and you sit up in your high chair with the biggest grin!

Sleeping: I am soooo pleased to report that you are still a fantastic sleeper!!! You go to bed between 7:30 and 8:00 p.m. every night and don't wake up again until around 7 AM!!!! Of course, the downside of all of this is that your not much of a napper during the day, with only one good nap around 11 AM, but you usually stay asleep for around 2 hours. I am definitely not complaining - your big brother didn't sleep through the night until he was well over one year old, so your great sleeping habits have been such a wonderful surprise!! Of course, you suck your thumb to go to sleep (will not take a pacifier for anything), and I know that we may have difficulties with that later on, but for now, it's convenient and soothes you so well. You look like such an angel when you sleep!

Playing: You LOVE dogs!! Real ones, stuffed ones, pictures of them in books - you name it!! Nothing and no one makes you laugh like our dog, Maggie. You guys are going to have so much fun together - once you learn not pull her fur! Of course, you also love mommy and daddy, and think that big brother, Sam, hung the moon! And you just think your Grammy is the funniest person around! You still like your exersaucer, but now that you are almost mobile - I think you'll be crawling by the end of the week!!!! - you prefer to be on the floor and getting into brothers books and cars. Not so sure he's crazy about your newfound exploration, but it sure does tickle you! You are rocking back and forth on all fours, and have already figured out the legs, but we're still working on the arms to be able to crawl. However, that sure doesn't slow you down, you can roll all over the floor and get anywhere you want! You love books, especially the kind with buttons that make music. And this summer, you are really enjoying the pool. You just float around and kick all over the pool - not the least bit afraid. I think you're going to be a water baby like Sam!

You have one tooth already (its been in for a few weeks now) and the other one is almost through the gums as well! They are so cute, but I'll be glad when all this teething is over!!! It sure makes you feel bad and fussy!

You are still sooooo alert and don't miss a thing. Strangers stop me all the time to comment on your alertness and cute little smile. You smile at EVERYONE, and if they don't pay attention to them, you cough and sneeze or squeal at them until they do! You are such a ham!! You love to "talk" and have really found your voice lately. And when you laugh, its such a deep little belly laugh, you just melt my heart. I love the way you smile with your eyes!

I could go on and on forever about all the cute little things you do, and I'd never be able to do justice to just how special you are. You light up my life, sweet girl. We love you so much and can't wait to see what the next 6 months hold in store!

Love,
Mommy

Georgia's 6 Month Pictures

These were just a "sneak peek" that the photographer sent us. I think they turned out great! Can't wait to see the rest! Unfortunately, they won't be available for viewing for a few more weeks. I'll post the link to the others on here when they become available.

Cutie Booty

She's going to hate me for this someday, but I couldn't resist posting this picture!

Pool Time

After a hard day of shopping and preschool, the kids felt it was time to unwind and relax in their new pool! We upgraded this year to bigger ( and deeper ) inflatable one, and needless to say, its a big hit with both of them! Sam wants to get in first thing in the morning (before breakfast - pajamas and all!) and Georgia loves to float around in her baby raft. You should see her kick her legs down there in the water - just like a little duck! She just motors herself all over the pool. And with the funniest expressions - soooo proud of herself! PS - I made these pictures with my new camera (thanks Kev!) I LOVE IT!!!!! It's so fancy and has so many neat settings, I can't wait to find out what all it can do. Some little 5 year old (I won't name any names......) broke mine last week, and its been torture waiting for my new one to come in. Much more pictures to come as I have fun learning/playing with this one!

Memphis Zoo 2008

With Kevin off this week on vacation, we decided to make the most of this beautiful weather and headed off to Memphis to take the kids to the zoo. We had a wonderful time - it wasn't very crowded and the temperature was in the 70s. You couldn't have asked for a better day. We all had a blast! Sam loved all the animals (especially the polar bears!) and Georgia just rode around and smiled at everyone who passed by!

Memorial Day 2008

We spent an enjoyable Memorial Day relaxing with our good friends, Scott and Sarah at their house yesterday. Sam was so excited to get into their pool, but the water was a little on the chilly side, as you can tell by his expressions! Georgia, meanwhile, had a blast playing with their dog, Maggie. She LOVES dogs and just laughed and laughed at theirs. Poor Maggie, she had about all the little kids she could take for one afternoon! Afterwards, Scott cooked out on his new grill - and it was DELICIOUS!! Thanks guys for having us over - it's always a good time when you're hanging out with great friends!

Sam's Preschool Graduation

Sam had his official "graduation" ceremony from The Learning Center last Friday morning. It was such a cute program and all the kids were so excited. Since Sam "accidently" broke our digital camera last week, I had to borrow Grammy's and unfortunately did not get many pictures. We did capture lots of great video however, and once I figure out how to download video to my blog, I'll be sure to add it. They had the sweetest slide show at the beginning of the program with pictures of all of the children throughout their year's at TLC. Boy, did that get the tears flowing! I can't believe my baby is about to start kindergarten. Where does the time go? In any case, we are so proud of Sam and all he's accomplished thus far, and can't wait to see what progress the future holds for him. He is such a smart and determined little boy, and I truly believe that with a little work and lot of prayer, there is nothing he can't do. He is truly my hero and such a inspiration to us all.

Just a swingin'

Looks like she's giving her new swing a thumbs up!

Kevin installed Georgia's new big girl swing yesterday, and boy, does she love it! In fact, she'd scream and cry everytime she stopped swinging or I attempted to take her out! Now she has an activity she can share with her big brother. Sam thought she looked so funny in that little swing. And speaking of swinging, you should see him at it! He can pump and get going so high, it looks like he's about to flip over the swingset! And today, he got real brave and would let go of the chains when he'd reach the top - laughing his head off the whole time! 'Bout gave his poor mommy a heart attack! Looking forward to alot of beautiful summer days, just a swingin'......

A lazy morning in bed...

Waking up from her afternoon nap...

Sweet Baby Face

Mother's Day 2008

How blessed I am this Mother's Day to be the mommy of two of the most beautiful children ever. My heart swells with pride. Sam and Georgia, Mommy loves you both and will be forever thankful that God saw me worthy enough to entrust your care to Daddy and I. I've had a lot of jobs in my life but never one as fullfilling as being a "Mama". I love you to the moon and back, to infinity and beyond....

(They both looked so cute in their Sunday clothes this past weekend, but as you can tell one of them was not so keen on having his picture taken, and well, the other one, never stops posing!)

Sunday in Conway

Since we spent Saturday with my family, we decided to travel from Benton to Conway to spend Mother's Day with Kevin's side of the family. After church on Sunday, Wendy, Jim and the kids came up for lunch. We all had a great time!

Happy Birthday, Logan!

In conjunction with Mother's Day, my family got together in Benton this past weekend to throw a surprise 14th birthday party for my cousin, Logan. He's such a good kid and very special to Kevin and I. We had a wonderful time visiting with family and enjoyed a fantastic backyard barbeque. Thanks for the great time and great food, Carol! Look forward to seeing everyone again real soon!

Stephen Fite Concert

The Learning Center (Sam's Preschool) attended the Stephen Fite Concert at ASU yesterday. Luckily for sister and I, they were short a chaperone and we were able to go, as well. It was soooo cute! It was a non-stop hour of singing and dancing to all sorts of cute songs - kept the kids (all 1,000? in attendance) engaged the entire time! And that's hard to do with 4 and 5 year olds! I was worried that it might be a little too much for baby sister, but she loved it, too! Especially all the attention she got from being surrounded by "big kids"! Sam was awestruck, as you can see in the pictures, and clearly was not interested in having his pictures made (I think he was too cool - I was probably embarrassing him in front of his friends!) He had a wonderful time and even got to ride the bus to and from the show.

Georgia's First Cracker

As you can see, she LOVED it!!

Tuesday morning

How in the world did I give birth to a "morning person"?!?!?

Happy Feet

Thanks for the new sandals, Grammy!

Under the Big Top....

Kevin & I took Sam to the circus here in Jonesboro last week for a little "mommy & daddy time" without baby sister! He's been needing a little extra attention lately! So while Georgia stayed at home with her Grammy, we headed off to the Convo Center for the action. Sam really seemed to have a good time - LOVED the elephants (his favorite animal), HATED the tigers (wouldn't even look at them!) But truth be told, I don't which was the bigger hit - the circus or getting to have a coke and popcorn all to himself!

Georgia's visit with Alex & Drew

Just a swingin'

Autism Awareness Weekend 2008

This past weekend was the 2nd Annual Autism Awareness Weekend in Northeast Arkansas. Our family participated "For Sam's Sake" (the name of our team). A special thanks to everyone who donated money on Sam's behalf. This is a cause that is so close to our hearts and it really means alot to have the support of our family and friends. This year's event raised over $60,000 to go towards education and awareness of this puzzling disorder. Another very special thank you to Grammy & Papa, Grandma Jo, Uncle Brett & Landen, Jenny & Caleb, and Scott & Sarah for taking the time to come out and participate in this year's event. Words cannot adequately express my appreciation. My heart overflows...

Georgia's First Bite

Georgia got a taste of her first real "food" last week - rice cereal. She really wasn't too sure about it, but gave us a big smile anyway! Of course, I think most of it ended up on her face, rather than in her mouth!

Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?

Looks like we have a little "Cookie Monster" on our hands! This was all that was left of the Oreos when I awoke last Thursday morning...

Georgia's 4 Month Update

Today we went to the doctor for Georgia's four month old well-child check-up. Everything went smoothly and the doctor said she was perfect (of course, we already knew that!) She currently weighs 13 lbs. 8 ozs. (55th percentile) and is 24 inches long (50th percentile). She is the perfect size for her age. The doctor also verified that she has reached all of her appropriate developmental milestones thus far. The nurse couldn't believe how healthy she is, without so much as a cold all winter long, and no medicine at all - not even tylenol! It was such a quick and easy check-up, just the kind we like! Here are some of the things she doing right now at four months old....

Sleeping: Georgia, you are such a good sleeper!!! You go to sleep around 9 p.m. every night and don't wake up until around 7:30 each morning! You sleep straight through the night EVERY night! I couldn't be more proud (and relieved!). Of course, the only down side to this, is that you don't nap too much during the daytime (leaving mommy very little time to get things done!) You usually lay down around 10:30 each morning and sleep until 1:30, and then catnap in your bouncy seat again from around 5:30 until maybe 7 p.m. Come 8 o'clock your ready for a bath and a bottle!

Eating: While the doctor says that you are gaining weight at the appropriate rate, you still worry me with your eating. You are such a lazy eater and don't really care much for your bottle....of course, your usually too busy trying to see what's going on to eat! You even try to crane your neck to see the television if its on! You are currently taking 5-6 oz. at a time, for a total of about 20-25 oz each day. We haven't tried any solid foods yet, but maybe sometime within the next week or so, we'll let you have your first taste of rice cereal - yummy!

Playing: You LOVE your exersaucer! And have even discovered how to turn a complete 360 degrees in it! We can't put you in your bouncy seat anymore, you simply try to roll over out of it every time we place you in it awake! And you never cared for your swing.... You are putting everything in your mouth these days and drool is everywhere! You are constantly gnawing on something (especially your thumb!) and I can see the beginnings of two little teeth on the bottom! You love to stand on my lap (supported, of course!) and hate to be held like a baby, unless taking a bottle. You are getting too big for your britches! You definitely think your a much bigger girl than you really are!

You are so alert - and I get told that by EVERYONE who sees you - you don't miss a thing! And if someone dares to walk by you without speaking to you in the store, you'll cough or coo at them until they do! You jabber all the time and love to try to imitate different sounds and mouth movements!

Your hair is starting to thicken up and is really looking dark. In certain lights, in kind of looks auburn, however, the older you get the more you look like your daddy (which tickles him to no end!) I love your little eyebrows and long eyelashes! Your eyes are a dark blue with a little bit of hazel around the middle. They are so pretty, but don't seem near as light as Sam's.

You are such a joy and your daddy and I often say that if the rest were as pleasant as you and your brother, we'd have a couple more! Your daddy's nickname for you is "pumpkin loaf"! And I just call you "sweet girl". You adore your big brother, and just light up when he looks at you! He loves to make your toys light up and play music, and won't go in anywhere until he makes sure I get you out of the car to go with us!

We love you sweet girl and look forward to each new discovery and milestone along the way!

Flower Child

Playing dress-up....

My crazy husband...

Is there any wonder why I stay frazzled?!?!? Do not attempt this at home! No, he didn't land on them, he was jumping over them......mind you, I was screaming while snapping these photos. With 3 kids (notice I said three, not two) the gray hairs are sure to be sprouting up here soon.....

We miss you, Katherine!

Our niece Katherine came to Jonesboro this past week to visit/babysit while she was on Spring Break. We had the best time, and the kids really enjoyed having her here, too. She was such a big help! Thanks Katherine! We miss you already!

Caught in the act.....

For those of you who know me well, this will come as no surprise.....I caught Sam red-handed with the salt shaker this morning, and he was so surprised ( and proud of himself ). Like mother, like son?!?!?

My future's so bright, I gotta wear shades...

Georgia posing in her new sunglasses from the Easter bunny (aka - Grammy)!

Easter 2008

We had such a wonderful Easter holiday with all of my family coming up to Jonesboro to attend church with us and join in afterwards for a delicious (if I do say so myself :) homecooked meal, by none other than yours truly! The church service was beautiful and the company even better!Thanks Mom & Dad, Brett & Jenny, Kev and my kiddos for truly making this an Easter to remember!

Bryant Look-alike Meter

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celeb - Collage - Morph

Our Little Love Bug

Hanging out at Uncle Brett's

We made quick trip to Conway this weekend so that mommy could go to her favorite consignment sale. This was Georgia's first trip to Conway. She and Sam stayed with their Grandma Jo and Great Grandma, while mommy and grammy shopped. On our way back home, we stopped by Vilonia and spent the afternoon hanging out there. It's always good to go back to Conway for visits, but I'm sure glad to be back in Jonesboro when we get home. Kevin and I loved Conway for many years, but we now know for certain, that Jonesboro is home and where we are definitely supposed to be.

A lazy Saturday morning in bed.....

Arkansas "Blizzard" 2008

Last weekend we had our 1st ( and last) "big"snow here in Jonesboro. We got around 4 inches at our house and got out to enjoy a neighborhood snow day! I think my oldest child (Kevin) had the most fun of all! Sam enjoyed the snow, but refused to wear any gloves and came in after a little while with his little hands red and painful. Sister and I just enjoyed the pretty view from indoors. Of course, it had all but melted by the next morning, but it was fun while it lasted....

Georgia's 3 Month Update

Wow! Time sure flies when you're having fun!!

Georgia, Mommy can't believe you are already 3 months old! You are getting to be such a big girl! I don't ever want to forget how cute you are at this age. And while I'm sad that with each month you're growing older, I can't wait to see the sweet little girl you're growing up to be! There is such spirit shining in those eyes - you are such a doll.

You are now officially sleeping through the night from around 10 pm until 7:30 am!!! However, you still sleep in your bassinet next to Mommy & Daddy because I can't bear the thought of you alone upstairs on the other side of the house away from me at night. So, no, you haven't slept in your crib YET, but I am slowly trying to talk myself (or wean myself) into it! You are also taking two good naps during the day and one short cat nap at night after supper.

You are such a talker! I've never heard such a tiny baby make more noise! You are already making consonant-vowel sounds and really think you are holding up your end of the conversation. When you do begin to speak, we may not be able to shut you up! It truly is like music to my ears...

You think you are already a big girl, and hate to be cradled in my arms (unless, taking a bottle). You would much rather stand up on my lap and see everything that's going on. You don't miss a thing. You're in a tizzy when we go into a store, with so much to see, your little head just turns back & forth, back & forth! And heaven forbid, someone doesn't stop to talk to you. You'll stare a whole through them or "talk" at them until they pay you the attention you demand!! You tickle me!

You are now getting to enjoy your bumbo seat and excersaucer - although they are still a little big for you - your neck strength and head control are excellent and these new toys really allow you to see what's going on.

You're not quite laughing yet, but you sure are close. But that little gummy grin, just lights up my days! And you're little eyes just smile along with it! Sometimes, you can barely take your bottle for grinning. Speaking of feeding, you are now taking between 4-5 oz. at a time (around 20 oz. per day). This is the only difficulty we have, you are just not very interested in your bottle - I think you are just too busy! However, this is just the worried mommy in me, because you are right on track with your weight and height (approx 12 1/4 lbs.)

I love you sooooo much and can't wait to see what the next three months hold in store!

Mommy's sweet girl

Sam's 5th Birthday party at Pump It Up!