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!

The Best Christmas Gift

My sister Angie gave us all a very special gift this year. It's a book titled, "Lessons Learned in the Hospital"...Angie is the author and Will is the illustrator. On the inside cover it reads, "This little book is dedicated to all children spending Christmas in the hospital." On the next page it says, "The pictures in this book were drawn and colored by 5 yr old Will 3 days after surgery to remove his lung on October 5, 2010. Some are dot-to-dots drawn by his PawPaw. Will reminds us that miracles happen!

"It's OK to want to sail away sometimes."

"If all else fails...show them your TEETH!"
"There is someone who will always answer when you call."
"We are all vulnerable without protection."
"Sometimes the simplest machines pack the most power!"
"I think I can...I think I can...I KNOW I can! You are as strong as you believe yourself to be!"
"The view is always better up HIGH!"
"Beauty can be found...Anywhere!"
Does this put things into perspective or what?! It's not about fancy gifts or the latest gadgets. This Christmas I really thought about what it all means to me...spending time with our family, creating memories with our girls, counting my blessings of which there are many, and being thankful for the miraculous birth of our savior. What a SPECIAL time of year!

Christmas with Grandma & Paw Paw (and all of the cousins!)

It's a tradition that as soon as we get into Grandma & Paw Paw's neighborhood, Georgia gets to get in the front seat with us. We started that with my nieces & nephews and the tradition continues. I LOVE THIS PICTURE of GC & Shelby...

As soon as I took it she wanted to see the picture and then said, "Momma"...she wanted to take a picture with me, too. So, here ya go...
Ivy Jane got a glo-worm and LOVES it! Georgia loves it, too! We went right home and found the one Stacy had given her last Christmas...I think she had forgotten about it! Now it's one of her babies in her bed with her each night.
Caroline decided that she could be in a "TV" in this box. This kid is HILARIOUS! She's the one when I asked her if she had eaten lunch she said, "No-just a fousand fousand cookies!" When Andy (her daddy) asked her what she ate for lunch she said, "Carrots, candy & cookies!"
Sweet William Robert & Mary Katherine making cookies together.
We celebrated with everyone on Sunday, the day after Christmas because Will had to go back to the hospital last week. Early Sunday morning his fever spiked so they went back to Houston to stay for a couple nights. The IV antibiotics will hopefully clear up any infection he has in his lung. He got to spend the night with Mary Katherine and Caroline...first time ever and he is FIVE. He was beside himself...couldn't wait to go! He's only spent the night away from his mom with his nurse Kathy. SO, spending the night with his cousins was a HUGE deal!

That night Georgia slept from 9:30 until 10:30 the next morning and still took a 3 hour nap! Christmas WORE HER OUT! I think it was a combination of things, really. She's cutting all four of her eye teeth, for one! One toy she couldn't wait to play with was her stroller & baby bottles. She loves being Momma to her babies...

Her new favorite thing to do is get in Ivy's bed with her. She walks over to Ivy's bed, hikes up her leg, looks at me and says, "Pwee?!" meaning "please?!" How can I possibly say no to that?! I can remember being a little girl and always wanting to sleep with my sisters. One of my fondest memories is every Christmas Eve sleeping together in Angie's "big" bed...a full size, and listening for Santa's reindeer! Angie & Kathy used to always make me go and ask..."Mom, Dad, can we sleep together tonight?!" It was always such a HUGE DEAL! I hope our girls are as close as Angie, Kathy & I were and still are. I can't wait to see these two asleep together! =)