Dressing Up

I am not a "girly girl" by any means, so raising two little girls has been, and I'm sure will be, a challenge at times. Georgia Claire has enjoyed playing dress-up at Mary Katherine & Caroline's house, so I thought some dress-up stuff would be fun for her this Christmas. Shelby's mom & sister came through with some great heels, jewelry, tiaras, wands, and even a set of butterfly wings! We've also accumulated some of Caroline's hand-me-downs from her dance classes and performances. GC now has an entire drawer of tutus and leotards...I'm beginning to pray for my sanity now! Please join me, won't you? :)

Caroline & Mary Katherine came for a visit today & Caroline comes running out of Georgia's room this evening and asks, "BB, can Georgia and I take our clothes off and put on dress up stuff? PLEASE?" Of course I said yes, why wouldn't I? The squeals and giggles were THE BEST!

I hope you have recently gone to the bathroom because if you haven't you just might pee in your pants! The following pictures are HYSTERICAL!

Look at the little diva...

As I was taking this photo I was saying, "Georgia Claire, you will never wear a skirt this short as a teenager!"

And this series of pictures of GC & Caroline...

LOVE IT! I can't wait until Ivy Jane struts her stuff in the heels...might just have to break out the video camera for that!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our family to yours! Our Christmas celebrations began last Sunday, when we loaded up and hit the road to go to Mimi & Granby's for a few days. We left after lunch, right before nap time, thinking the girls would be so sleepy they would sleep most of the 4 hour trip...WRONG! Ivy Jane fell asleep about 10 minutes down the road but took about a 30 minute nap and was done! Georgia Claire was obviously tired but did not give in. About 15 minutes into the trip she said, "I get out now!" and 10 minutes before we arrived she said, "I go to sweep now!" I had to laugh...isn't that typical?! That's what I get for always trying to plan things out. I try to stick as closely as I can to their schedule, but it doesn't always work!

We had a delicious home-cooked meal when we arrived at Mimi & Granby's house, and enjoyed an evening of watching the girls play and enjoy being out of the car. Shelby's parents have the most incredible display of Christmas trees and decorations and I loved watching the girls admire all of them. Christmas through the eyes of a child is so wonderful!

The following day was jam packed, but LOTS of fun! After going to see some dear friends we headed to the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine for lunch and a tour of their awesome Christmas display! This pretty much sums up Georgia's face the entire time...

There were lights and ornaments and trains and music and people and the list goes on and on! It was BEAUTIFUL, but probably a little overwhelming to a 2 year old and her little sister. They did great and seemed to really enjoy seeing everything. I know I did!

Granby & Mimi and the girls...

I was going to get a picture of Heather & Julian but Georgia wanted to be with "Hedder and Juse" so she got in the picture as well...and then Barry & Ivy Jane snuck in, too! Ha!
Ivy Jane enjoyed walking along with two of her biggest fans!
I had to get this picture...
They had all of the reindeer dressed up in different roles. I can't remember her name, but she was a "domestic engineer" or something like that. I had to get a picture with Ivy Jane and her yellow paci because the reindeer's baby looked so similar! Been there and done that with a cookbook in one hand and a baby in the other!

Afterwards, the girls were worn out and slept for an hour in the car...

That afternoon we hung out at the house. I love this picture of Ivy Jane with Daddy & Granby. She thought she was so big working the puzzle with them!
Even Great Grandma got in on coloring! Georgia Claire was bossing her around telling her, "You sit here, Grandma & codor!"
Later we had a special guest, and the newest member of the family come by for a visit. Heather & Julian rescued a dog from a local shelter. His name is Han & he's a terrior mix and is such a gentle soul. He was SO good with the girls, however Georgia wasn't too sure of him. He gave Ivy Jane lots of kisses and she thought it was funny!
Ivy Jane decided Han's bed looked pretty comfy, so she gave it a try...he came over to check things out...Looking at ornaments with Mimi...
We had a wonderful time! Georgia & Ivy Jane are the only grandkids on Shelby's side of the family, so they enjoy the attention tremendously (and I enjoy the help)! We got home on Wednesday evening and the girls were so excited to start playing with their new toys, etc. I put them in our bathroom to play with some of their new dress up things or "jewry" as Georgia calls it, while I unpacked and repacked.
We were home for about 24 hours and left for Grandma & Paw Paw's house Thursday evening. My sister Angie & her family were in from the hill country & my sister Kathy & her family were there as well. It was a great couple of days filled with good food & lots of silly cousin time! Thursday night Gabe & Luke, the two oldest cousins, spent the night together at Luke's house while Will, Mary Katherine, Caroline, Georgia & Ivy Jane had a sleepover at Grandma & Paw Paw's house. After getting all 5 kiddos bathed and getting Ivy Jane to sleep, the other 4 little monkeys enjoyed jumping on Grandma & Paw Paw's bed! They were jumping from the settee in the window to the bed & squealing the entire time!

I asked them to pose for the camera and this is what I got! I thought it was too funny not to post!

Mary Katherine & Caroline are SO good with Georgia Claire...I don't think GC stopped smiling the ENTIRE time! That night Caroline & GC slept on a pallet on the floor in Grandma & Paw Paw's room. Georgia Claire didn't go to sleep until 10:oo and was up and at 'em at 5:00! She has never been awake that early! By the time I got up at 7:00 she had already had juice, fruit, and some peanut butter crackers...Paw Paw was in charge!

What would Christmas be without science experiments?! My dad bought a whole bag of experiments but they turned out to mostly be duds. MK said matter of factly, "This isn't fun at all!" Poor Paw Paw! He's already planning bigger & better experiments for the next time!

Later that night Paw Paw redeemed himself with a great fireworks display! Georgia Claire loved the sparklers...

Ivy Jane wanted to climb & slide over and over and over!

Georgia was giggling the whole time she was swinging!
And this was the best picture I got of Paw Paw, Grandma & the sweet little 7 darlings! (Yes, that would be my child with her hands over her eyes!)
We made it home on Christmas Eve & Santa found his way to our home. We have enjoyed our day at home...I cooked 3 meals, the girls took great naps, we started purging & organizing toys, Shelby had a fire going most of the day, he & I have almost finished a 1,000 piece puzzle that we started last night, & I even started taking down our Christmas decorations. I love Christmas SO much but next year I plan to start earlier & make things simpler.

I want to begin observing Advent with our girls. Georgia already knows that Christmas is Jesus's birthday & knows who Mary & Joseph are, and that shepherds & wise men came to see Baby Jesus in a manger. Every night we sing "Away in a Manger" and she tells Baby Jesus "night night" as he goes to sleep in her nativity set. Today we sang "Happy Birthday" to him TWICE! How precious to begin our season celebrating the coming of Emmanuel with these two precious miracles that God has given us! A friend of mine said in her blog that Advent had helped her family to "settle their holiday restlessness" and that it was like a "slow, deep breath"...don't we ALL need that during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season? It sounds glorious and I'm already looking forward to it!

Tonight Georgia said it best in her prayer, "Dear God, thank you for Baby Jesus. Thank you for home all day and our naps. I yub you. Amen." I'm in love...

Family Photo Session

Emily Grace, a very talented 18 year old young lady and a budding photographer, took these FABULOUS pictures of our girls, and us four. I LOVE how they turned out!

This was our Christmas card...I loved their facial expressions and the sunlight behind them!

Thank you, Emily! We are so thankful to have these photos to remember this time of our life!

Georgia being Georgia

We "worked" 3 weekends selling Christmas trees at our family farm. The girls did REALLY well considering the fact that they are 2 1/2 & 16 months old! I love watching my girls play outside at the farm, riding the hayride, eating candy canes, running with their cousins...sweet memories! Of course, I either didn't have my camera or forgot to take pictures most of the time while we were there. Two weekends ago Georgia Claire went to Joel (a long-time family friend, and one of the best men I've ever known) and got really still. I thought it was so sweet that she was cuddling with him...

Then I saw this...
Poor baby was worn slap out! She fell asleep in about 3 minutes on his shoulder! It was precious!

Speaking of precious, she's been saying things that make me laugh out loud or grab her up and give her a big 'ol kiss! This morning I listened on the monitor as she was waking up and reading books. She'll stay in bed for a good 30 minutes reading before she wants to get out of bed. Today I heard this, "Momma, where are you? Daddy, where are you? Ibee Jane, where are you?" then there was a few seconds of silence and she said, "Everyone?!" Hahaha! funny girl! At night when we put her to bed she says, "I yub you! Have a gwate day! Be caweful!"

Other Georgia-isms that I don't want to forget...she says, "Hold on!" when she knows it's going to take her a minute to do something. She also says, "Just a second!" and "I'll be wite back!" Yesterday Shelby worked late so while supper was cooking I took the girls in the backyard to swing/climb/slide--after about 30 minutes we came inside to eat and I went to our room to take my shoes off. Georgia said, "I take my shoes off too!" I didn't notice until after she had gone to bed what she had done...
She put her shoes in mine! How precious is THAT?! (And in true Georgia form they are backwards!) I never want to forget these precious moments I have with these baby girls. I know they will be over before I know it....{sigh}...

That's My Brudder

Today Georgia put her arm around Ivy Jane and said, "Momma, that's my brudder!" I said, "No, Ivy Jane is your sister!" She turned and looked at Ivy Jane and said, "Oh ok! You my SISTER Ibee Jane!" These sisters make me smile inside & out!

I took them to the doctor yesterday because Georgia has been so stopped up & coughing and Ivy Jane STILL has a bad cough. The doctor wanted to do a little blood work only to show it is viral...probably a cold on top of a cold on top of a cold. So, the cure? Take them out of MDO, never put them in the church nursery and keep them home all day every day in a bubble! :) The funny thing is when the doctor was jokingly saying this to me, Ivy Jane was chewing on my cell phone and I said, "So, Ivy Jane chewing on my phone right now is probably not in that prescription, right?!" Of course he knows I'm not going to keep them home every day, but he DID say that this will make them healthier adults in the long run because these colds, etc. are building their immune systems. Here are the sweeties waiting on the doctor reading books...

Ivy Jane is talking like CRAZY and doing SO much! She's now saying just about anything we tell her to or she wants to say! She's started saying, "Hold you!" and "Love you!" This picture cracks me up. She's so independent and was trying to put on her boots after bath time. She picks up her foot and tries to put it in the boot...SO MUCH concentration!
Today we have had a FABULOUS morning AT HOME! Between therapy two days a week, MDO two days a week, and church on Sunday, a morning at home is SO WELCOME to all of us! I wrapped Christmas presents & cleaned while the girls just played and played together. They pushed their babies in their strollers all over the house for at least 30 minutes! Georgia came in and announced, "Ibee Jane and I are going to the store! OK, Momma?"
Going to the store...
Then they emptied one of the toy baskets & climbed in and played for another 15-20 minutes! I love it!
Now all I hear is snoring on the monitors as I MAKE myself blog. December is SO busy. I'm DETERMINED to start earlier next year and to change some things, but for now I'm feeling great about everything I've accomplished, especially with the two little sisters running around!

Funny Funny Girl

Oh my goodness how we LOVE our Georgia Claire! She is becoming a funny funny little girl with a big personality! Look at this smile...

Some of the funny things she has said lately...

She calls me momma most of the time, but "BB" some. That's what my nieces and nephews call me & she has picked up on it!

"Nevermind!"...says it when I can't understand her and she has repeated herself several times. Ha!

When I asked her if she wanted to sit on the potty like a big girl, she replied, "No, BB I did it yesterday, SORRY!" (The funny thing is she actually DID sit on the potty the day before!)

She sings "Jesus Loves Me" like this--"Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so! Little ones to him belong, for the Bible tells me so!" and she keeps repeating it again and again...it never ends! (unless she gets tired of singing it)

She exclaims, "OH MY GOODNESS" when something happens-bad or good!

I know there are others, but those are what I can remember at the moment.

She also LOVES to help. It dawned on me the other day that she is going to actually be able to help me CLEAN the house one day! I think back to my childhood and all of the chores we had growing up...I mowed the lawn, we all dusted & vacuumed our own rooms, cleaned our bathrooms, helped with the dishes, sometimes dusted & vacuumed the other rooms in the house, as well as help at the farm almost every Saturday. I'm going to have two little helpers one day! YESSS!!! Is it bad that I feel that way?! I love the work ethic my parents instilled in my sisters & myself and I hope that my girls grow up with the same work ethic. I know there will probably come a day that we have arguments over chores, but I'm going to enjoy my little helper(s) that I have now. Georgia LOVES to run my little sweeper, which she calls the vacuum. She loves to rinse the dishes. She loves to unload the dishwasher. And she LOVES to help cook! On Tuesday I baked my first batch of Christmas cookies, and Georgia helped! When I got down to the last little bit of dough I gave it to her and she had a blast rolling it out & cutting out cookies. She stood on her stool and "cooked" for about 20 minutes!
Thank you, Lord for this funny funny girl and wonderful little helper!