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.