first sleepover!

Our friends the Snellings are visitng this weekend and we've had a blast despite the chaos of 5 children. Jack and Libby both hit a milestone this weekend...their first sleepover! Jack was excited to share his room with Libby and they both slept on the floor in sleeping bags. Like any good sleepover, there was not much sleeping going on! Both children are extreme talkers and a little on the bossy side (oldest child syndrome, you know) so they took turns coming to tattle on the other. After about an hour and a half they finally fell asleep and we were able to get this really cute picture. Libby, being the Florida girl she is, is wearing some of Jack's winter jammies over her own measly excuse for jammies.


About halfway through the night, Jack got up to potty and when I walked him back into his room, he crawled into his bed. After a second, he sat up and said, "What am I doing up here?" and got back down in his sleeping bag. As I was getting him settled, I looked around for Libby, as her sleeping bag was empty, and noticed her curled up in a ball smack in the middle of the floor! It wasn't over then, at 5:30 Libby got up to look for her mommy and Alex found her halfway down the stairs! In her half-asleep state, she was terrified by Alex and her mommy quickly came running at her screams!

PSF - two

My sweet little Melody turns two Friday!! She's a ham and full of laughter that's completely contagious. She's mischievous and daring. Cheese and M&Ms are among her favorite foods. She hardly has any hair, but has the most beautiful blue eyes. Melody will build with blocks for hours but likes to have a Barney break now and then. When she cries, she cries hard; a true Drama Queen. She's full of hugs and snuggles and there aren't enough words to describe how much I love my sweet baby girl.

1 week


4 months
7 months

9 months

12 months


16 months

18 months
20 months

TWO!!




Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

baby or big girl?

In preparation for Melody's 2nd birthday this week, we have been talking about what a "big girl" she is. Apparently we spoke too soon...



**Yes, I understand that I have just shot myself in the foot by videoing this instead of immediately removing her and I understand that she'll probably be getting in the jumperoo daily now. Actually, that is already happening; after I videoed her, she got in three more times!**

ww - sittin' pretty

We've been working on sitting independently.

So far we've made it about 30 seconds before....

oops...I need some help, Mommy!

Mommy! Mommy! Help!

Oh, this isn't so bad!

charlie is 4 months!

Our little Charlie is 4 months old today. Some of you might remember the dump truck pictures I took of Melody...where I placed her in Jack's dump truck every month for 6 months to have something to judge her growth by.

Here she is at 1 month

and almost 6 months and sitting up on her own.

So I tried a similar idea with Charlie using Melody's doll stroller.
It didn't really work, because as you can see at one
month he was already too big for it.

However, for posterity, I did it again a few days ago.
I'm pretty sure I won't be doing it again as, at 16+ pounds,
he's got to be nearing the weight limit!

not me monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I did not have a fabulous weekend with the luxury of just one child. Who sleeps...a lot.

I did not miss my other two like crazy. As in calling them both everyday to check on them as if their grandparents are watching them like hawks.

I did not have 2 hours of pampering getting highlights and a hair cut at Bob Steele Friday afternoon. Including a hand massage. Is there anything better, really??

I did not enjoy some quality time with the husband. I won't elaborate...

I did not throw what I thought was a fabulous baby shower for our good friends, Webb and Lindsey. Good friends, fun times, and a lot of sushi. And I mean a lot...I had enough sushi for an army. Egg rolls too...but surprisingly there weren't any of those left over. However, I did find out later that most people at 2 or 3 they were so good. I however, *did not* eat more than one. Who would eat that many egg rolls?! Not me!

water baby

My children love the bath. Love love love it. Charlie loves to just kick his little feet. Jack, who can shower on his own now, loves to simply make the water spray in as many directions as it can go. And Melody simply loves to lay in the bath. She immediately gets in and says, "I lay back." She then proceeds to just lay there laughing..

August 2007

Here's today's random picture challenge courtesy of 4 little men.
This picture is the 30th picture taken from in August 2007....


This is our niece, Anna Grace, holding Melody. AG was almost 8 and Melody was 7 months. We were visiting the Powell family in Birmingham for a few days and then went onto Jackson to visit the Mitchells for a few days. The little dress Melody is wearing was one of my favorites...it's kind of hard to tell, but it has little pineapples on it. Melody really looks like Charlie to me in this picture.

the rock

Tuesday afternoon, I was watching some of the inauguration festivities on TV when Jack came and sat beside me. He asked what I was watching, I told him and he responded that they learned about the new president at school.
"Oh," I said to him, "what's his name?"
"The Rock Obama," was his reply.
Through my laughter I corrected him, "Barack...let's sound it out."
After a few minutes of practice, he was saying Barack.
We sat there watching TV a few more moments and then the new president came on the screen.
"There he is, Mom!" Jack said, "The Rock!"

**Speaking of our new president...if you haven't voted in my poll, GO VOTE!!**

PSF - empty family room

Normally my family room looks like this...

But today two thirds of my offspring are visiting grandparents, so my family room is neat and clean and it's awful quiet around here. Don't worry though...they'll be back soon!

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

cheering

My husband is a great dad. One thing I really love about him is the way he plays with our kids. He's a rough and tumble dad and just gets them moving, even when they're babies. One thing he loves to do with them is to "cheer" aka bouncing them around on his knees while singing Bodda-Getta.

Here's Jack at 2 months


And Charlie at 3 months

ww - tea party!

i need your vote!!

In light of today's historic inauguration, I figured a post where I need your vote is appropriate. Don't worry...it's not controversial but a lot of fun! Please keep reading and participate. Thanks!

Here's the backstory...
My friend Lauren is mommy of two sweet girls and pregnant with her third. She has decided to keep the gender a surprise...from most people at least. When she went in for her 20 week sonogram, the sonographer wrote the gender inside a card and sealed the envelope which Lauren took to the post office and mailed to ME! Seriously, only a true BFF would do this. I also exploded with excitement when I got the card in the mail and could hardly open it. Seriously, it set on my desk for a whole day before I could bring myself to even open it. I'm going to have to keep any events and emotions that happened afterwards a secret for fear of revealing this secret!

So, I told Lauren that I will make sure she is set, either way, with any clothes, bedding, etc, that she might need. This is where you come in. I have chosen three sets of bedding, per gender, and want you to vote on your favorite one. Lauren has approved all options and all will work with the baby's light green room.

I hope everyone will vote even though I will not be revealing the baby's gender. I love keeping secrets too much and this is definitely the best secret I've ever had! Don't worry though...you won't be in the dark forever. Lauren is due on May 1, so check back around then and all will be revealed.

If you click on the pictures, you will be linked to that website. I have attached polls on the sidebar where you can go an vote. I am leaving the poll opened for two weeks and will announce the top two choices (one boy and one girl) then.

GIRL


Hannah by Nautica

Daisy Garden by Pottery Barn Kids

Fairy by Pottery Barn Kids

BOY


My Little Farm by Bebe Star

Farm Yard by Kimberly Grant

Transportation by Pottery Barn Kids

not me monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.


I did not forget my coat in 20-something degree weather while running errands Friday.

I did not wonder why my normally sleepy baby was waking and crying erratically during the night ever since Thursday.

I did not wake up to the rest of my family still sleeping 40 minutes before we needed to leave for church on Sunday.

I did not realize that I yet again almost starved one of my babies by killing my milk supply by taking birth control pills.

I did not cry into the measly 3 ounces it took me 20 minutes to pump which is what caused me not to realize I was starving said baby and causing erratic waking and crying.

I did not throw out said pills.

I did not nurse my almost 4 month old like a newborn in order to begin building back up supply.

I did not cry four times while watching last night's Desperate Housewives.

I did not laugh hysterically when I walked into my son's room and found him holding two teddy-bears; the one he always have and the one we hide in case we lose the one he always has. "Look! Two Boo-boos!!" he said to me excitedly.

I did not snap a few quick pictures before one of the Boo-boos magically disappeared.

I did not feign ignorance when he later asked me where the other Boo-boo went.

16 things about me!

This is a fun idea I got over at 4littlemen...

I...

love to read.

really want to be either a personal shopper, a life coach, or a personal organizer.

can be kind of controlling (see above).

could eat way way more than I actually do. Self-control, people.

will probably back into you if you are parked behind me in a driveway. I've done this about 4 times.

have a ghetto-booty and I'm OK with that.

am running my first half-marathon on April 25.

love to listen to Aerosmith.

wish I was a vampire.

am totally into the Twilight Series (see above).

love jewelry. Bring on the bling.

once got lost in downtown DC with a friend and drove around for hours before we found our way out. Seriously, I think we actually drove on every state street. It was in high school...I lacked some common sense then.

think ebay is a really cool idea but I totally don't have the patience for it. Same goes for Craigslist.

love to rearrange furniture. Frequently my husband will come home to a rearranged house and it drives him crazy.

am a purse-a-holic. This also drives my husband nuts.

am planning on reading The Little House on the Prarie series with Melody as soon as she turns five. Yes, I love the TV show too. Yes, my family constantly makes fun of me for it.


And for fun I'm tagging Krystyn and Lauren to do this too...

for aunt mimi

My aunt told me that she liked my blog but wished there were more pictures of the kids. I love love love that my family can't get enough of Jack, Melody, and Charlie. But really, who could tire of looking at these sweet faces?!?!

Cute Charlie having fun in his exersaucer.

Jack is so sweet to his brother.

Playing with blocks (what else, right?)

My sweet baby girl.