Our Little Family

Our Little Family

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Peek-a-Boo

My phone rang yesterday at about 5:30. My Dad said that he and Mom were going to Luke's baseball game and they would be by in about 20 minutes to get Georgia. I hung up the phone and asked Georgia if she wanted to go bye-bye with Grandma & Paw Paw and she looked at her Daddy & me and said, "Yeah yeah. Bye-Bye Momma! Bye-Bye Daddy!" Uh-you think she loves her Grandma & Paw Paw?! When they picked her up she RAN to the door and started yelling "PAW PAW...BYE BYE!" She left with her folding chair & back pack full of snacks and came back with dirty crocs & a big smile on her face!

Shelby & I had almost 2 whole hours with Miss Ivy Jane. That doesn't happen often & we knew GC was VERY HAPPY, so we enjoyed our one-on-one time with IJ. After she ate supper she started playing peek-a-boo with me in her high chair. She was laughing and smiling SO big...I had to capture it!

Hi Momma...

And laughing hysterically...LOVE this baby girl!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

What We've Been Up To...

I went to get my hair cut & colored today. Georgia was at MDO and Mom watched Ivy for me, so I had a whole TWO hours at the salon reading the trashy gossip magazines...HEAVEN! It's my guilty pleasure...I love seeing the pics of the celebrities out and about all over town! After listening to my stylist talk about her week-long Disney trip with her husband & daughter and her tanning appointments and going out with friends, she asks me, "So, what about you? What have you been up to?" I simply replied, "Me? Oh you know, BABIES!"

That got me to thinking that the last few weeks have been busy with these babies of mine. Georgia Claire is A HOOT! Her new favorite word is, "No!" Sometimes even when she means yes, she says no! Can you say almost TWO?! She's saying lots of words...Momma, Da-ee (Daddy), I-ee (Ivy), Paw Paw, Yamaw (Grandma), Mimi, Kathy, Yi-yine (Caroline), Kate, Luke, peas (please), tank to (thank you), bye-bye, hi, ni-ni (night night), pooboo (peek-a-boo), milk, juice, shoes, bag, ball, cook, ket-ket (blanket), paci, essets (bracelets), poo-poo, pawee (potty), book, house, sing (swing), puppy, cat, bebby (baby), bath, toys, sit, yay, and all of the animal sounds. I was starting to worry because she wasn't saying any two-word phrases like she should be at her age. And then, what seems like overnight, she has started! Her favorite phrase? "No no I-ee!" I was feeding Ivy breakfast the other morning and Georgia was already done but standing beside me watching. Ivy started spitting and I said, "Ivy, no no!" and then Georgia chimed in, "No no I-ee!" She also says, "Momma, shoes!" before we leave the house. As we are pulling out of the driveway I usually hear, "Bye bye house!" She also has learned to say, "Momma peas" or "Da-ee peas" when she needs help or "Tank to Momma" or "Tank to Da-ee" usually when prompted. She's also started taking us by the hand and leading us to her toys. Then she'll look at us and say, "Sit!" Sometimes Shelby will lie down on the floor and try to play but she won't have it! He has to sit up! Tonight during bath time she stood up and was playing peek-a-boo in the shower curtain. Shelby & I were saying "Where's Georgia? Peek-a-boo!" and she started saying "Whes Jo-gia? Pooboo!" After some our normal family play time after bath, Shelby & Georgia settled in to the glider with her blanket & baby, and she looked up at me and said, "Ni-ni, Momma!" and waved bye!

In the last week or so she has really been into her Bitty Baby. Yesterday she hardly put her down. I especially love how she carries her by the foot...poor baby! She pushes the baby in the stroller, we change her clothes (she was wearing one of Ivy's dresses yesterday), we change her diaper, she feeds her, she gives her a bottle, she puts powder on her, she rocks her, etc. It is so very sweet to see a tiny little girl being a little nurturing Momma already! I love it! Here are some pictures I've captured in the last week...

Trying to take her bib off after she fed her...
Putting her in bed & giving her a bottle...
Pushing her in the stroller (notice the upside down shades-she ALWAYS puts them on upside down!-and the bubbles in the other hand!)...
Pushing another baby instead of getting in the bathtub...
Ivy Jane has been busy, too! Between therapy & chiropractor visits, she's quite popular! We go every Wednesday morning for an adjustment and the physical therapist comes to our home every Wednesday afternoon for therapy. We're still not seeing much improvement in her head tilt, but her neck rotation is MUCH improved. The chiropractor said he doesn't expect to see a change this quickly. She still has 8 more weeks of adjustments. She is eating up a storm, has cut her third tooth (one of the top ones is poking through!), but is still not sleeping well. I really think she just gets stiff & uncomfortable because when she wakes up I turn her to a different side or position and she immediately goes back to sleep. The chiropractor assures me that this WILL improve! I'm keeping my fingers crossed! One thing that has improved DRAMATICALLY is her bowel function! Poor baby! She has been constipated for most of her 8 months, and in the last week she has been VERY regular with very little or no strain! Praise the Lord! I never thought I would be so happy to change so many dirty diapers! She is so happy and has the most hysterical laugh. When she sees GC she throws her body out with laughter...it is so funny! I know they are going to be best friends!

I've been doing "therapy" with her each and every day...a few times a day. She's getting better at rolling over and we've been working on reaching over to get a toy and coming back up, getting on all fours and rocking, and playing as she kneels beside a couch cushion. She is doing so much better with ALL OF THESE! I can't wait for Sue to come so that I can show her what we've been doing!

One of her new favorite things is to play the jingle bells...
Tummy time...reaching for toys, rolling over...
Up on all fours rocking...
Lunging forward and face planting! This therapy business is HARD WORK!
So, that's what we've been up to! I haven't had the time or the money to go tan, or go out with friends, or go to Disney World, but I have all I ever wanted right here in my own house! Thank you, Lord for these little miracles that I love so dearly.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Funny Bunnies...

I've started calling the girls my little funny bunnies at times...times like tonight after church when I was trying to get some new pics of them. It's quite comical, really!

I think you can see Georgia's tonsils in this picture...
Georgia decided to put her arm around Ivy...
I LOVE Ivy's expression...
And we're leaning...
And laughing at Momma! I LOVE my little funny bunnies!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Two Years Later...

The month of April 2009 was a BIG month for Shelby & me. On April 3, 2009, we found out that we were officially on the list with our agency for birthmothers to see, and about two weeks later (I still cannot believe that!), we were chosen by Julia! Our journey to Georgia really was an amazing one...one that only God could orchestrate. And since her birth, I am continually amazed and awed by how I personally have been blessed in these last two years. All I ever wanted to be was a stay-at-home mom and take care of my home, my children and my husband. My mom was the best stay-at-home mom when we were younger and is still an incredible example of what I believe God wants a mother and wife to be. Granted, I still have a lot to learn (namely how to get the laundry FOLDED & PUT AWAY before I start washing again!) UGH!

Two years ago I was dreaming of having a baby and now God has blessed me with two! Two years ago I was dreaming of giving up my teaching job and now my days revolve around meal time, play time, and nap time! Two years ago Shelby took on the role of being the sole provider for our family and God has blown us away with Shelby's success...He keeps blessing Shelby with raises and promotions...I'm so very proud of him. Two years ago I told my principal that we had been chosen by a birthmother and that I would not be returning the following year to teach. Thinking back he probably thought I was crazy...Georgia Claire had not been born and we had not even met her birthmother, yet I was resigning?! I can remember him saying something like, "Why don't you give it a little time? There's really no need to be in a rush." Now here we are two years later and, as of today, I have an 8 month old & a 21 month old! WOW! How I love my life! Granted there are days when I'm tired & sometimes overwhelmed, but then I capture moments like these and it makes my heart melt! Georgia LOVES giving Ivy kisses...




I'm so thankful that here we are, two years later, loving on two baby girls and loving this life that God has blessed us with. "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." -1 Corinthians 2:9