Georgia's Bling

One of Georgia's favorite things to do is play with my bracelets. I've figured out that when I have to get ready and Shelby is gone (which has been often lately, unfortunately) she will sit for quite a while and play. None of them cost much and I love that she enjoys it. Today she started putting them on her wrist and did not want to take them off. I love these pictures of her with her bling...

Sweetness

I've become quite the "Betty Crocker" lately and I'm really enjoying learning to do more in the kitchen. Shelby isn't complaining either! =) One of my very favorite things to do is to get together with my parents and eat a home-cooked meal from my mom. Around Christmas I started thinking that I needed to start learning to do more in the kitchen if I was going to pass on that love of "getting together" with my girls. As I was cooking supper a few days ago I put Ivy Jane in the bouncy seat near me in the kitchen. That way, I had my eye on her and she had her eye on me! She seems to be content as long as she has Momma in sight! Georgia Claire was busy in the living room playing but before long, she walked in-carrying her little chair (the chair that used to be brown...also the chair that was Shelby's when he was a little boy) and put it beside Ivy Jane and sat down. Right after I took this picture she patted her and gave her a kiss. She LOVES her baby sister! I was thinking today what a blessing it is to have an older sister that is so sweet and so caring when it comes to her baby sister. I realize it might not always be this way, but I'm sure enjoying the sweetness of it right now!

Speaking of sweetness...I love this picture of Georgia & Caroline! Last Friday was our first experience with a playgroup that meets once a week. It involves several kids/moms from our church & MDO...including my sister and some other moms that are TERRIFIC! It gives me a break by getting out and visiting with other moms and it gives Georgia a break from our home. Ivy Jane was very happy just sitting in her stroller watching everyone! Georgia was initiated with a busted lip about 15 minutes after we got there but she was a trooper and got right back out there after most of the bleeding stopped. Caroline was SO sweet to Georgia, playing right beside her most of the time! There is a little over 2 years between these girls and I cannot wait to watch them grow to be best friends! It makes my heart happy! Caroline is HILARIOUS and if any of that rubs off onto Georgia it will be fine by me!
Thank you Lord for the sweetness of these little girls that are in my life!

Our Newest Addition

Our newest addition to our household is not another baby or a pet...it's a potty for Georgia! Some of you may be thinking that 19 months is too early, but she is starting to show the "signs" that she is interested in it! Last week she started saying, "poo poo" and pulling on her diaper. When I asked her if she had poo poo she said, "yeah yeah yeah yeah" and then I asked her if she wanted to go change her diaper and she said, "yeah yeah yeah yeah", went to the changing table, and held up her arms for me to pick her up! Since then, every time she has poo poo she tells me and points or starts heading to the changing table! I'm not going to be a pushy mom, but I wanted to go ahead and get a potty so she could start getting used to it. She's a smart girl and she'll figure it out in her time! I realize we may have the potty for 6 months or even a year before she is officially potty-trained, but that's ok with me! Here she is seeing the potty for the first time...

And so begins the next chapter in parenthood...

Growing Pains

Sweet Ivy Jane hasn't been so sweet lately...poor baby!

Apparently she is going through a growth spurt and is dealing with growing pains! Last Tuesday I thought she was sick so I took her to the doctor, only to hear that she was fine...just a little congestion. SO, we came home and started using the humidifier, saline nose mist, and I even propped her mattress up on one end with some books under it so that she could breathe easier. Wednesday night she woke up in the middle of the night...not like her! She's been sleeping 9-11 hours each night! Thursday night she woke up every 2 hours or so, Friday night she was up every hour or two! Ugh! By Saturday I was CONVINCED she had to have an ear infection since she was waking up so much. I was exhausted, and so was she. (Did it phase Georgia? Not one bit! She continued her 11-12 hour sleeping schedule! Thank goodness!) On Monday I went BACK to the doctor with Ivy Jane only to hear, "Her ears are clear. She has no fever. AND, her lungs sound clear!" SO, WHY in the world has she been waking up every hour or two? Growing pains...possibly starting to teethe. When we got home I was determined to get my sweet Ivy Jane back-the plan was to feed her as much as possible and it has seemed to help! She's getting back on her schedule & I couldn't be happier.

Even Big Sis Georgia has gotten in on the feeding!

Last night Ivy Jane woke up at 11:30 and instead of picking her up and feeding her, I let her cry it out. She had just had milk at 9:00, so I knew she wasn't hungry. I went in & checked on her...gave her her paci and closed her door...I stood in my room with the monitor in my hand praying that God would help her to go to sleep and in about 5 minutes she was snoring! Yippee! I'm sure these aren't the only growing pains we will experience, but I'm hoping these are on their way out the door!

Cell Phones & Sippy Cups

One of Georgia's favorite things to do is talk on one of our old cell phones...she carries on conversations with her friend or Daddy or PawPaw or Mimi or whoever it is that she's talking to! She has two play cell phones & two of our old ones that she LOVES. It feels like I pick up those four cell phones & sippy cups all day! I was doing laundry this morning and this is what I found when I came into the living room...

She is in a daze saying, "bye bye" and all kinds of things on her phone with her sippy cup of milk nearby! I can see it now, in about 15 years or so, lounging in a chair, talking to her BFF, & instead of a sippy cup of milk, she'll be sipping on a drink from Starbucks! These days are not going to last long, and I realize it. She's such a little helper...loves helping with laundry, picking up toys, helping Ivy, cooking, etc. As I was getting breakfast this morning Ivy started crying and Georgia found the basket with all of the rattles, teethers, and soft toys. I watched from the kitchen as Georgia gave her little sister not one, not two, but FOURTEEN toys. Guess who stopped crying?

SNOW

Snow came to town on Sunday! The flakes were HUGE and it was very pretty...our little winter wonderland! Georgia Claire experienced the snow last February but she doesn't remember it, I'm sure. Shelby was sick with bronchitis (I had it previously) so we all rested that afternoon. Ivy Jane and I napped on the couch while Georgia Claire napped in her bed and Daddy slept in our bed. When I woke up it was snowing so hard! Georgia didn't know what to think when I opened the blinds in her room after she woke up from her nap. She smiled and laughed and said "Oooohhhh"!

Side Note-(Sunday was a big day for our church-we had a man come in view of a call & the church voted to make him our new youth minister! I am very excited for our church, especially our youth! I'm also excited for Georgia Claire because our new youth minister & his wife have an adorable little girl who is 15 months and her name is Jenna Klaire! =) Georgia Claire & Jenna Klaire played peek-a-boo in Sunday School! I'm hoping to set up some play dates with her soon!)

We took the girls out (for about ten minutes) on Monday to experience the snow. Shelby stayed home sick but he had to come outside with us. It took Georgia Claire about 9 minutes to walk from the front door to the yard...OK, not really, but it sure seemed like it! She was so funny-took itty bitty baby steps the whole way! =)

"Oooohhhh!"
Touching the snow for the first time...
Stepping in the snow...
Laughing at Daddy throwing snowballs. She didn't move around much...
Snow day & sick hubby=no make-up or shower day for Momma! I was on call the entire day...meds & drinks & tissues for daddy and playing all day with the girls...we read books (every book in the house, I think!), we played kitchen, we bowled, we worked puzzles, we watched a video, we ate, they napped (thank goodness!), we played babies, we played with the dollhouse, we played instruments, etc. etc! At about 9:00 that night as I was trying to get Ivy Jane to sleep I told Shelby that all I wanted to do was take a shower...sad to say it was 11 PM when I finally got my wish! Life of a mom, right?!

Daddy & his little spitting image...
Yea! A family picture! =)
10 minutes...she started crying...no more snow for us! Maybe next year (if we get more snow) we'll throw a snowball or actually build a snowman!

Two Baby Girls

These are just random pictures I've taken the last few days of Georgia Claire & Ivy Jane. At least a couple times a week Shelby and I have a conversation that starts with something like this..."Can you BELIEVE we have two baby girls?!" We are still in awe of how good our God has been to us. Although there are days that I literally fall into bed from exhaustion, I love my life and I love these baby girls. I realize this time of our life will only be here for a short time and I intend to enjoy it to the fullest!

Sunday morning...I caught Georgia Claire on the run. Her new game is to run from me when she sees the camera! Little stinker!

Ivy Jane can't go anywhere yet so I can get as many pictures of her as I want!
Georgia Claire is learning to help with EVERYTHING! She is a little sponge right now and put Daddy's gloves on while he was starting a fire.
Ivy Jane hanging out in her Bumbo...being as sweet as ever!
Georgia Claire loves the little spot between the bookcase and the hearth-it's just big enough for her to fit! We laugh on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis at this little funny bunny. She picks the most random things to play with at times! In this picture she had a jingle bell stick and a couple pair of sunglasses!
Two baby girls...two happy parents!

Time Flies

...when you are having fun AND when you are trying to keep up with a 5 month old and an 18 month old! Five months ago today we were blessed with the arrival of Ivy Jane. It's hard to believe that this little jaundiced baby drowning in her newborn clothes...

Is now this chubby, happy baby barely fitting in her 9 month clothes!

Also, one year ago TODAY is the day that we told our parents and Aunt Heather Georgia Claire's big news....

It's REALLY hard to believe that the little chunky, happy baby in her "Big Sis" shirt is now this happy & funny 18 month old finishing up her milk & brushing her teeth before going to church...

What an exciting year full of fun & happiness! In 2009 we welcomed Georgia Claire, in 2010 we welcomed Ivy Jane, and now in 2011...we're going to ENJOY these two baby girls! They won't be babies for long!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The quote of the night on New Year's Eve came from Shelby, as we are sitting in the living room having a tea party with Mary Katherine & Georgia Claire watching a Strawberry Shortcake movie. I asked him if he was OK, that I thought he was sort of being a bump on a log, and he said, "I'm fine! There's just a little too much estrogen in the room at the moment." Hahahaha! If he thinks there's a lot of estrogen right now just wait until we have two teenage girls! I'm thinking he's probably going to take up hunting or something...an excuse to get out of the house from time to time! =) It's not like our New Year's Eve celebrations have ever been wild and crazy but this year was especially comical. Mary Katherine spent the night with us and we made homemade pizza, played with Georgia's new toys, and were in bed by 10:15. We wouldn't trade it though. Shelby loves his girls...and I think he secretly enjoyed the tea party!

I told Kathy that if Mary Katherine wasn't only five I'd seriously consider hiring her once a week to play with & babysit Georgia Claire. THEY LOVE EACH OTHER! It is PRECIOUS to watch. Mary Katherine kept picking her up and telling her in the sweetest little voice, "You're heavy, you know that Georgia? You're a big girl!" She probably said it 10 times throughout the evening. Georgia kept patting MK on the back and smiling at her. While I got the pizza dough going, the girls read books (Ivy Jane "helped" me in the kitchen).

Then they came in and helped spread the sauce and sprinkle the cheese...
I decided we needed to have a New Year's Eve celebration, so I dug in the pantry and found goldfish, marshmallows, and fruit snacks...Mother of the Year, right?! We also had some sparkling grape juice (Georgia didn't like it, though). Mary Katherine said, "This is SO awesome! Can we do it again in the morning?"
The next morning while Georgia Claire & her daddy were still sleeping, Mary Katherine, Ivy Jane, & I got up and watched a little TV. Ivy enjoyed cuddling with her big cousin!