Our world & everything in it...

Battle over TV...LOST

2010-09-07T11:03:00.002-04:00

Okay...so I've lost the battle with the TV (sort of). YES - to my 2 year old! Each morning we come down after we wake up, I turn on the TODAY show and she says, "No mama. No news!"
So I say, "Maddie, mommy is going to watch the news for a little while and after you are done eating breakfast, you may have your turn." So we watch ONE show each morning and my hope is that as she gets into pre-school which starts TOMORROW, we will eventually phase out the TV time almost 100%. Now don't get me wrong, I think educational TV is just fine for toddlers, but in small doses. We used to watch a TON and I noticed how Maddie's ability to actually listen to me and follow instruction decreased. SO, this has been my latest strategy, to decrease the number of times Baby Einstein or Sesame Street, or Blues Clues is put on MY TV...:-) Anyway, Madeline is super excited for school to start. She'll be going M-W-F for 4 hours and she has wonderful Teachers - Miss Kristin and Miss Laura! JCUMC is the Best PreSchool ever! We had a meet & greet last week and mommy now feels totally comfortable with this new transition. AnnaKate and myself are also ready to get back on to a more normal schedule. She and I will be doing a lot together just 1 on 1 and I'm excited. I asked Maddie what she wanted to do today and she said "SCHOOL mama!" and I said "really, are you ready for school?" to which she said, "I certainly do!" (think she meant "certainly AM") How cuuuute. Made me smile. :-) My two daughters, as much work as it is raising 2 young girls, are really the best. Just love 'em.
Stay tuned for posted pics of her first day of school tomorrow!! Yay Maddie.

grocery store and cell phones

2010-08-25T14:25:00.003-04:00

Did you ever realize how much faster shopping goes when you are NOT on your cell phone?? I sure do. When the girls and I were out shopping the other day, a man in front of us was, what I thought, talking to himself. However, he had an earpiece on that connected to his cell phone and was chatting away. He was "driving" his cart like a drunk person, swerving here and there to pick up the apples, then the onions, and then the salad, only he did it in reverse because he couldn't possibly be paying attention to two things at once. All the while, we got sort of stuck behind him and it was the most aggravating thing..not only was he wasting time, but he was wasting ours! And if you've ever shopped with toddlers, you KNOW what I am talking about. You've got about 20 precious minutes in that grocery store before mayhem arrives and it's all over. Each moment matters. All I'm sayin' is, "People, hang up and shop!". :-) He even tried ordering his deli meat while STILL on the phone. Ugh...Anyway, something for us all to be more aware of when taking others into consideration - (a) they might not actually CARE to hear what you are saying about your brother's wife's mother; and (b) there is already too much noise in this world, why contribute? I'm just sayin'. :-)
Madeline and myself were just in NY visiting family and she got to experience the "Hairplane!" She did so well and I was so very proud of her. I think we'll do it again sometime! Maddie got to see her cousins and have lots of fun time with them and we were away from the horrid humidity of the ATL for a few days - relief! We are gearing up for pre-school to start here in about a week. This is a good thing considering Maddie keeps asking every morning to "go to school". Guess she's sick of the summer hum-drum too. Getting back in a routine will be a bonus. Anna-Kate is exerting her own ideas and opinions lately too - sometimes in not so nice ways. So we're gonna have to nip that one in the bud real quick! Neal and I were just looking at her the other night asleep in her crib thinking, "Oh my goodness. Look how tall she's gotten." So a little person she has become, with a big personality (both a pro and a con!! :-) Bye for now all, hope to be back on here soon.

wouldn't ya know...

2010-08-06T13:39:00.003-04:00

Hey (to all 3..hahaha) of my followers..:-) It has been like a decade since I've written in this thing, but since I have recently turned into a night owl, it's easier to get things done and with swiftness - with both girls in bed!! Ahhhh...they are napping now, and will be for the next 2 hours! Wow, these days won't last long, I'm positive. Anyway, Maddie is now a 2.5 year old and just hamming it up all over the place and has her occasional "terrible two" moments (occasional is actually an understatement, but overall, we're blessed with a pretty good little gal!)
Anna-Kate is now 14 months and walking all over tarnation! She has just gotten through a particularly clingy stage and I think that has much to do with teething. The other day, AK was sitting in maddies "cozy chair" in her room and looked at me and said "ut-ohhh. dup" -- translated "Ut Oh. Cup!" She was looking down over the arm of the chair to the floor as a cup of (really OLD) milk was stuck down there! Thank goodness she pointed it out b/c it was NASTY..! But she amazes me already at how she can communicate. I just love it, and HER! Being a stay at home mom is SO much fun, most days; and I have the blessing/gift of watching my girls grow up before my eyes. Thank you to God for enabling Neal to still have his job and provide the means for us to keep choosing this lifestyle. I both appreciate it and love it.
Maddie and mommy are getting ready to take a little trip - just the two of us - on the "HairPlane" (as Maddie says) to fly and see Nana, Papa, Uncle Nolan (who she adores), aunt Amy, Darien, Carson, and Bray. Uncle Ry, and (soon to be) aunt Laura. We are SO excited and Maddie won't stop talking about the "hairplane". Every time she sees one in the sky or hears it, she yells, "nana, uncle nolan in hairplane!!". It is nothing short of comical and all kinds of CUTE. Hopefully you all are enjoying the end of the summer!! We are trying to stay inside down here - it is just too hot to do much of anything outside these days. Can you say "LOTS of art projects & coloring"?? We've gone through like 2 sets of markers this summer and about 400 sheets of paper. :-) Can't really leave crayons layin' out around here cuz Anna-Kate eats them...her teeth were purple for like the whole afternoon the other day cuz she got a hold of one that was "hiding" in a corner by the easel. Bye for now all...Hugs.

mind racing...

2010-03-18T23:21:00.002-04:00

Wow. So I was laying down for a nice long nite sleep and after 25 minutes, realized that my mind was not shutting off. I thought to myself, "Goodness, I haven't written in my blog for like, EVER!" So here I am and I thought of something reather interesting to write about (besides my girls; more on them later). I was working out at my local YMCA the other day and had to just crack up because the "warning" on the treadmill read, "Stop exercising if you start to feel pain, faint, dizzy, or short of breath." Is that not hilarious?!! I mean seriously, what person in their entire lifetime of working out hasn't felt those things throughout a workout? (or at least they should if they're really working hard enough!) Okay, so increase the incline to about 7 and you'll start feeling the pain. Do some interval training and you're bound to feel "faint". Try watching the TV they have set up in front of your face and you may feel dizzy. And lastly, if you're doing ANY kind of beneficial workout AT ALL, prepare yourself to feel "short of breath". Well, anyway...I just thought that was too funny and I really needed a laugh that day anyway! :-)
So...the girls. Ahhh, my babies...Maddie is now couting to 30, except thirty is called "twenty-ten" insteat of thirty. She consistently gets worse every day at actually hearing what I'm saying to her. Or could that be because she's 2 now? Not really ever sure. :-) Or it could be because she's almost 3, or almost 10, or almost 20...this, sadly, will probably never change. ;-) Am I right? (to all my friends who've gone before me?) Love her to death and she cracks us up every day! Anna-Kate is now crawling, BACKWARDS. I am continually pulling her out from under things she gets stuck on when she crawls in reverse. The latest has been our entertainment center. Which she didn't seem to mind because Maddie was playing a game with her where she was laughing hysterically. She copies almost every sound she hears (some good, some bad...haha). But most of all, she is just a complete joy. The girl smiles all the time and you can see all EIGHT teeth she has now. It's just unreal how fast she's growing up. Neal and I frequently talk about "going for the boy" and having one last little one...But hold your horses. That's not going to happen until this mommy-chica is much much healthier! I hope you all are doing well and we can't WAIT until spring. The germs just gotta go! We've been sick way too long and have recently bought stock in Clorox wipes! Bye for now all...

To all my mommy friends...this one's for you!

2010-02-05T14:36:00.002-05:00

Hey...so if you've been feeling a bit down lately about the (sometimes) thankless job of motherhood...then read on. Cuz this one's for you and I hope it brings a bit of sunshine to your day! One of my sweet mommy friends, Laurie, recently sent this to me and it just made my day and lifted my heart (spirits)! (Thanks Laurie!)

Invisible Mother.....

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'
Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible.. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this??
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude -but now, they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!?
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England . Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe .
I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by
the roof, No one will ever see it. And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does.
No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become. At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction.. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there..'
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Great Job, MOM!

The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you. To all the wonderful mothers out there...

interesting findings...

2010-01-26T22:28:00.002-05:00

Okay, so this entry doesn't have much to do with my kiddos or our family, but I just had to write about these two things. Both just sort of made me do a double take like, "What? Really?". The first was when our carpet cleaning company came out last week. He was a nice guy about in his mid twenties. I actually think the time he took just shootin' the breeze with me was longer than it took to clean my carpets. But nonetheless, he did a stellar job and our carpets look as good as new! While talking to him, I found out that since he started this job in the fall of last year, he's lost a little over 40 lbs.!! That's right, JUST BY CLEANING CARPETS!! I call it the "carpet cleaning diet". Just join the ZeroRez carpet cleaning company and start hauling around their equipment through people's houses like a madman (or woman) and you too could be a success story. He even showed me the picture on his license and wow, what a difference. Well Neal, sorry hunny, but the girls are gonna have to go into daycare cuz my new weight loss journey begins with ZeroRez...not! (do people actually say "not!" anymore? oh well, I do) The second interesting finding was tonight while I was reading my latest edition of Parenting magazine. I came across an article titled "Top Tips for Tech Aches". Seriously, we are now a nation offering advice to others on how to reduce pain due to texting/teching! Amazing. It talked about how we could do certain "exercises" for our fingers, or to alternate fingers or to use a stylus pen. Or for "laptop neck" try pausing every 20 minutes to do head rolls and shoulder shrugs. Perhaps if you have "phone shoulder" you should try purchasing an earpiece. All the latest buzz going around about texting & talking on a cell while driving is just downright scary! So perhaps if all of us just stopped doing this type of stuff in the car (which is where a lot of us spend our time anyway; esp. in Atlanta traffic) then we wouldn't need physical therapy for our "tech aches" after all. Fair enough?! :-) One last thing...I just heard on tonight's news that a man, whilst commuting home, saw another man on his LAPTOP in the car. Yes, traffic was moving slowly, but really? Seriously? Come on people, give it a rest. Okay, second last thing...don't cops use laptops in their cars? Hmmm...something to think about (government). :-) nite nite.

Coupon Clippers of the World....Unite..!! :-)

2010-01-20T14:05:00.003-05:00

Hey to all my lady friends, but this email would really benefit my southern lady friends (sorry northern chicks...wish this could help you too). Oh wait, the first two sites might apply to other areas of the country too!! So give it a shot. Anyway, I just wanted to let all in on a few awesome coupon websites that have been passed along to me recently. Thank the Lord I have a great network of amazing mommy girlfriends who all network together and share this stuff - or I don't know where I would be. So to all you Christy's, random lady in Publix, and super moms out there...her ya go. The first website was told to me by a lady in front of me at my grocery store. She was carrying an 8 1/2 x 13 HUGE STUFFED binder of, I think, coupons only! I was shocked. She handed the checkout clerk all of her coupons and I think it added an extra 10 minutes to my checkout time simply by waiting for her...but nonetheless, I was oober-curious. :-) The site she told me about (actually there were 2)- www.afullcup.com and couponclippers.com -- Anyway, see if these help you at all.
The second site was sent to me by a most precious friend Christy Haynes. She is a super saver mom must like I am trying to be and she thought this website would be helpful to some of us trying to save some coins. It's www.southernsavers.com
I have only searched these websites, and am just becoming a user of them. I'm by no means and expert yet. So y'all check 'em out and let me know how it goes.

Happenings...

2010-01-11T22:51:00.004-05:00

As you can see from the pictures below, we had a lot of fun decorating our living room for Christmas 2009! After typing this post, I will upload some other pictures of the girls...boy did we have a memorable Christmas! It was a lot of fun seeing Maddie enjoy her 2-year old self :-) Anna-Kate just watched and watched..simply happy to just have everyone around! She is quickly becoming "Kate-Kate" these days...but think eventually she'll just be Kate all together...which suits her just the same. We did not travel anywhere this Christmas (unfortunately) and we really missed being with Nana & Papa, Uncle Ry & Laura, and aunt Amy and uncle Nolan...and of course Darien & Carson! Hopefully next year we'll be taking a road trip up there. It's just probably going to be easier that way instead of the hustle & bustle of the airport. We'll see.
Anyway, I got the flu on Christmas day - for the third Christmas in a row. I'm not quite sure why, but it was not much fun and we'll leave it at that! I actually think Neal and I had more fun than the girls mainly because we just loved getting our home decorated and doing the family stockings. I'm sure that the blessed event of Christmas will get more fun (and more expensive) over time! :-) Maddie has now learned that she can "play" with her sister and make her laugh uncontrolably. She is also quite the helper as she picks up her own toys and also the ones AK drops on the floor..she gives them right back to her saying "Kate Kate's toy". Maddie's vocabulary has just exploded and she has become the repeater of all things - good or bad...hopefully not much bad. I had to inform her teachers the other day that she is saying the words Frog, Crab, and Fish because they end up sounding like cuss words...I'll leave the decoding to you! Anna-Kate has become quite the little noise machine. She makes this sound like a little seal where she kind of squeals from the back of the throat. I have it on video and will probably upload it sooner than later. It is absolutely hilarious (at least to me it is). Both girls are TV hounds and I have to really control how much they watch Elmo, Baby Einstein, and Thomas the Train - all of which drive me into the loony bin. But, if mommy's desperate and needs to cook some dinner or do a few chores, it keeps them busy/happy. AK has two bottom teeth and is working on the top 4 right now. Her poor little gums look like they're going to just burst. Thank heavens we don't remember teething right? Just a nagging pain/ache that won't go away. It must be so frustrating. We'll I've got to go catch some shut-eye but wanted to get on here b/c it's been forever and just HAD to upload a new picture of the four of us for my official blog picture. Hugs to all.

Christmas 2009 - our decor

2010-01-11T22:25:00.000-05:00

recent product reviews

2009-12-03T14:07:00.007-05:00

Well, to all you readers out there who have little ones, I have found two products that I think are totally priceless. Since I have a two-year-old who HATES (I mean that in the strongest sense of the word) getting her nose wiped, these special wipes are just for little noses. They are soft and smell super yummy! The grape ones smell so good it makes me want to eat one! haha. Here is a picture of them so you can quickly identify and try 'em for yourself (I mean, your little one. hehe).

Product #2 is for little cheeks and lips. I have only used this on my baby Anna-Kate because she has super dry cheeks and I've also put it on the tops of her little hands because they are cracked too. At night however, I use Triple Cream on her hands, which I think is a great product for super dry skin/eczema. This Boudreaux lip product doesn't smell or taste bad (actually seems odorless and tasteless I think)and I've used it on MY lips too at night and it provides great overnight repair..:-) Enjoy and here's a pic.

the happenings as of late...

2009-12-02T15:49:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I'm realizing that my last post was in WHAT....October?!! Yikes. Anyway, we've been up to a lot lately. Anna-Kate has recently gotten her two bottom teeth (thank you Lord) and no longer has the toothless grin (so sad...) I'm sort of bummed and relieved at the same time that my daughters are growing so quickly. It seems that once you wish you were OUT of a certain stage, you enter a new one and you want the old one back again!! Oh, well. Maddie had a wonderful Thanksgiving with her pre-school class. They made a million different crafts that month - sparkly pumpkins, tee-pees, feather paintings, etc. I'll soon be taking a picture of ALL the crafts put together and post it on here. She is quite the artist (she doesn't get that from me, I'll tell you that much). She probably gets it from my mom's, Mary, creative mind and my MIL Charlene's artsy talented self. At any rate, they're all precious little projects. Most of which I'm thankful were done at school and not in my kitchen! Ha. My mom recently visited us and the two girls had a blast with her. Maddie, in particular, remembers "nana" and took to her immediately. It's so nice to have your own mommy shower your children with love, hugs and kisses. Awww...We are really looking forward to Maddie's SECOND birthday on the 12th and will be having a tiny little party for her, nothing major. Of course we are looking toward Christmas too...Our stockings are being embroidered as we speak (with our names). How fun. I have already bought the girls each an ornament for this year and matching Christmas jammies. We've decided to do that as a tradition every year. When I was growing up, one of the things my parents always did was buy us each an ornament every Christmas. My "theme" was Angels. When I married Neal, mom gave me all my precious angel ornaments to then put on my own tree...how special! Toooo sweet. (thanks mom & dad). Maddie's "theme" is gingerbread men and/or bears (we've always called her Maddie-bear, thought that would be cute), and Anna-Kate's theme will be Angels. Yes, I know it was my theme too, but Anna-Kate really is a precious angel. I however, was not. Perhaps I'll pass my angel ornaments on to her one day. :-)
I'll be back soon with pics! Don't have the time to do them right now, AK is ready for her 4 o'clock bottle and then on to the yummy fruits & veggies. Oh, by the way - she started solids this past weekend and she's a PRO...loves the cereal, fruits & veggies. I actually think she's a better eater than Maddie (who was quite the picky & gagging one). Bye for now.

my Ipod is my friend

2009-10-29T13:29:00.002-04:00

Well, it's been a while since my last posting, but I wanted to just let y'all know we've been working on getting my youngest daughter Anna-Kate to SLEEP. She has been refusing to sleep during the day and in an effort to get her to get some type of rest, I allow her to cry and see if she eventually will fall asleep. NOPE. So, in goes the IPod with praise & worship music. I think I've charged it like 3 times this week already because I've used it for like every nap I try to lay her down for. I am at a loss of what to do and have convinced myself that "this is just a phase" is true. Hopefully this too shall pass. On the plus side, Anna-Kate does (once she finally falls asleep) sleep through the night - 10-12 hours at least...So I can't complain too much and will just stop at that. :-)
In the meantime, Madeline LOVES pre-school (or "mother's morning out" as they call it down here). She goes on Monday and Wednesday and she's been learning about owls, scarecrows, candy-corn, etc...this month. She made the cutest sparkly pumpkin the other day at the fall festival and when I picked her up, she had a pumpkin painted on her face. Wouldn't you know I FORGOT my camera. If I'dve known she was going to look so cute! Bummer. At any rate, stay posted for another post AND pictures later today or tomorrow because this afternoon is Halloween trick or treat day at daddy's office!!! All of Neal's office was sent an invitation for their kids to come in dressed up for trick or treat time & Halloween party. We are SO excited and Neal is even more so. He'll get to show off his little Tiger (from Winnie the Pooh) and butterfly! This will be fun and I will surely NOT forget my camera for this one! Until later friends & fam.

what ya gotta do...

2009-10-15T21:28:00.002-04:00

I am sitting here at my computer not only typing this update, but also listening to my ipod. I don't usually listen to my ipod much, but it is a must tonight. Little Anna-Kate has not stopped crying for an hour straight. We have seriously tried everything - gas drops, a small dose of tylenol, pacifier, put her in her carseat on top of the dryer...nothing is working and guess she just needs to blow off steam. You see, our little Anna-Kate is sooo very different than her big sister Maddie. In fact, most of time (excluding tonight), when I do in to check in AK, she stops crying and just gives me a huge smile like "HA! Gotcha mom...gotcha to come in didn't I?!!" Little bugger is a social thing, and she's miss precious! However, it's NOT so precious when she's been going on and on for over an hour. You see, inside a mommy's heart, her babies crying really does something to her...Neal could listen for hours and be totally fine. Me, not so much. I just absolutely crumble. There must be something I can do...how can I make her "pain/crying" go away. The crying just crushes you so much that you totally forget that sometimes the little stinkers just cry for no reason. But as a mommy, there's GOT to be a reason! Huh....I'll never understand why God's made me like that...but he did. Well, yesterday was the 4 month check up for AK and Maddie's 18 month (a little belated!!! whoops!) check up. BOTH girls had to get FOUR shots each. They were fine after about 1 minute...Me on the other hand, can you guess? I was a MESS. Thank goodness for wonderful nurses who helped out immensely. All of that madness at the doctor's office, it led SUPER long afternoon naps for all of us...yes, even Anna-Kate - the infamous "I don't nap during the day people." person. Maddie is currently off the charts (still) for her height and she weighs 30lbs. Anna-Kate is like 75th percentile for everything and weighed in at 16lbs. She's only 4 months old and weights HALF of what her sister weighs...YIKES :-) Baby got a bit appetite. Ya know what I mean?! Until next time...

who else is...

2009-10-11T15:33:00.002-04:00

excited for SOUP and HOT CHOCOLATE season!! I am super excited about doing soups in the crock pot or anywhere else for that matter...(a) because they are easy; and (b) they are a good filler for those of us watching our calories! Yummm Yum. Oh, boy, as I sit here writing, poor Anna-Kate has started to cry...I'm not sure quite why but she is having a hard time adjusting to a bit of a new schedule for her...She's not napping well at all and poor mommy doesn't know why sometimes. I go through the typical mommy questions: "is she wet/dirty", "is it her teeth", "is it her tummy", and so on...All of you mommies out there know the drill. She has now woken up Maddie who was resting peacefully and my house has quickly turned into "the crying zone". Might be time to put on the Ipod tunes as I tell myself "it won't always be this way" (will it?) Ohhh geepers. Anyway, Anna-Kate is 4 months old TODAY and the time has totally flown by. She has her check up on Tuesday and I'm excited to see how much she weighs and all of the percentile stuff. She's not even able to wear nearly ANY of Maddie's old clothes, but we've tried what we can and was told by a good friend (in the similar situation) that for about the first year, none of the clothes "worked". Gap, Carters, Target, & Gymboree here we come! Oh gracious.
Maddie has taken to using mommy's blush and make-up brushes just wonderfully. I walked into the bathroom the other day and she was dipping the blush brush into my bronzer and poking it onto her already rosey cheeks! What a doll...she is getting cuter by the minute and is losing her super chubby legs and is getting taller - turning into quite the little girl and exiting toddler-world. Anyway, I better go rescue my screaming girls and guess pictures will have to wait until next time. C'est La Vie.

and you thought....

2009-10-08T16:35:00.002-04:00

just having one to take care of was hard...well today brought on a shocking revelation for me. My MIL Charlene took my older daughter Madeline for the day and is keeping her for an over night with "ya-ya and pop-pop"...so it's just been me and little FOUR month old Anna-Kate for the day. Gee I forgot how truly easy it was just having one little one. Your arms are so much more available, and you only have to carry one child down the stairs, push one in the grocery cart and running errands takes half the time! Yea for great grand-parents - if only Nana and Papa were closer, Maddie would love an overnite with them too...She is a blast these days and really makes us laugh (most of the time). However, she is almost 2 and that makes for some interesting "moments". We have some exciting news to share...(no, I'm not pregnant) -- we just got a call from a local church and they have an opening for Maddie on Mon. & Wed. for Moms Morning Out...they teach a music class, phys ed class, ART class, and have Bible reading/story time. She is going to have a blast and that will allow for me to have some much needed one-on-one time with Anna-Kate. You sort of get to feeling like the 2nd (or 3rd, or 4th) child gets ripped off a little bit as far as time with mommy & daddy...so this will be good. And besides, Maddie is a "get up and GO" kinda girl and she will love this -- although, at the same time, she is a very cautious one of new places/things..so we could be in for a bit of an adjustment period. I think she will thrive on the structure as will AnnaKate having at least one nap at home instead of ALL in the carseat - poor thing..:-) So that's what's been up with us. New pics coming soon. AnnaKate is getting SO big and Maddie is just a piece of work! How adorable (but hey, I'm biased).

don't forget to check...

2009-09-30T23:15:00.002-04:00

When you pull away from ANY drive-thru, you better make double sure you have your coffee before dashing off to the next thing on your schedule...or you might not make it through the next thing on your schedule! Well, today, I was, of course, running late...and we rushed out of the house before I could feed my daughter breakfast (or myself for that matter). So what did I do? Drove through McD's of course. Hotcakes and egg for Maddie and a Large LARGE coffee for me! Being the hurried mom that I am, I didn't bother to check the bag and was in such a rush, didn't realize they hadn't handed me my "make it through the day" concoction and forgot Maddie's egg. Meanwhile, I haven't had my coffee, and also have a toddler yelling "egg! eggie!!" in the backseat. Oh, boy what a start to the day. It was off to the Georgia Aquarium we went... Even though Nana & Papa just brought her there this past April, you would have thought that she'd never been there before! It's like everything was brand-spankin-new...she LOVED it. She was 16 months the first time and now she's 21 months, so it's amazing how just a few months makes a difference in how she experiences something. She just keeps getting funner an funner...(okay, I know that's not a word, but c'mon, I hang out with a 2 yr old and a 3 month old all day people!). After we saw the "fishees" we had a picnic lunch out on the quad with friends Maddie's friends Olivia and Abby...while the mommies - Sally, Brenda, and Lesley had adult chat while watching the girls run after butterflies, twirl their stremers in the air, and just wear themselves out. Here I thought I was being smart - "oh, goodie. Maddie can just run some more outside and she'll be extra tired for her nap."...Nice try Les, but no cigar. Do you know that my daughter only slept for 35 minutes in the car and then was wide awake the rest of the afternoon?!!! Can someone say "majore melt-down time" by 6 o'clock...My precious Maddie quickly turned into a pumpkin and early nite-nite she went...But man what a fun day. I love being an at-home mommy...hardest think I've ever done, but well worth it. Little Anna-Kate sat this one out and had a MUCH more fun time with "ya-ya" (grandma Char). She'll get her chance someday soon..:-)

the MONSOON at our house..

2009-09-22T13:42:00.004-04:00

This is a pic from my driveway...by the end of the day, that mailbox
off in the distance wasn't visible! My neighbor couldn't even get out of his house.

2009-09-22T13:37:00.001-04:00

about the pic...

2009-09-21T13:40:00.002-04:00

Oh, I've been wanting to let y'all know this for quite some time now...but the picture up above (of the three of us) seems contradictory of the title of my blog "And Then There Were Four" only because we don't HAVE a picture of the four of us yet - at least not a good one. This picture above is of Madeline when she was 4 months old (Easter 2008). However, this will all change come October, because we are hopefully going to have our friend Carrie Christmas Workman (amazing professional photographer) snap some pics of the girls and do a family pic for us...a REAL one! We can't wait to have her and she is going to do such a good job - so stay tuned for those pics soon.
Hopefully we'll get some nice weather one of these days because all we've gotten lately is the rain..and I'd love to get some outdoor pictures too! So say a few quick prayers to the weather gods if you would, (haha) we'd love some cooperating weather for the photo shoot!

don't understand this...

2009-09-19T13:13:00.002-04:00

so why, in the grocery store, are the healthier things on the top?!! If the average woman is 5'4" in height and most women in their family do the shopping, why oh why would they put the healthier items all the way on the top shelf where they cannot be reached?!! I mean, I'm 5'9" and I can reach them, but when I was in the store today, I had to help a woman get her favorite type of cereal from the top shelf cuz the poor thing couldn't reach it! Oh, if we only realized what high-fructose ANYTHING or partially-hydrogenated ANYTHING did to our bodies - even the grocery store managers couldn't get themselves to put that junk out at all..:-) Can you tell I'm reading Jillian Michael's book "Master Your Metabolism"?? Right, what metabolism...where has mine gone...working on getting it back!!
Anyway, we had a good weekend with the girls...AnnaKate is really "coming alive" and is such a joy to interact with - she just gets more precious by the hour. Maddie is cracking us up...seems she is going to be quite the funny one and she knows exactly what makes us laugh, and then keeps doing it all day. She is starting to group two words together more often now - she's been saying "thank you", "help me", "love you", and now she's started saying "yes, please". Of course it involves some mommy interpretation, but she's doing well with it and working on her manners (aunt Amy Stamper would be proud)!! That's it from here...write more in a jiff.

look alike contest...

2009-09-19T10:10:00.006-04:00

Okay - how alike do you think these two girls look??
Anna-Kate is on the left and Madeline is on the right - both of them
at 3 months of age...Get a load of those cheeks on Maddie! (and AK for that matter)
Wow my girls are good eaters! So what do ya'll think...? Isn't is just somethin'?!

rain, rain, go AWAY!

2009-09-19T09:47:00.002-04:00

So we've had rain for oh.....8 days straight now (just guessing). At any rate, it's seems like an eternity when you can't get out of the house with a bored 21 month old...Oh my heart! She is doing the best she can to hold it together, but we've tried to just get creative in the "fun" things we do. For example, we built a "tupperware tower", or for you QVC viewers, a "Lock-n-Lock Tower" - then we'd knock it down and scream...Ohhh, how fun. Then it's been a lot of coloring, climbing on things she shouldn't, and helping mom cook/bake...Yes, I've actually made a couple of meals the last few nights...Yeah me! hahaha. Nothing special, just a quiche and some stuffed shells. Okay, question for you all...are my childs teeth going to rot because she now says JUICE instead of accepting water?? Too bad I'm a mean mommy and give her water anyway. Juice only comes twice a day and that's it. So, to answer my own question, I guess I'm not over doing the juice and giving in to my precious daughter's demands. From what I understand, as daughters get older, the demands only get more complicated..! right?! (mom). haha. Maddie has started saying "boom-boom" a lot when it's raining because we've had so much thunder lately, she now things that the "boom boom" just comes along with the rain every time. It's totally precious when she says it though! Our poor dog Molly must be quite fed up with the rain too because Maddie is just all over her like she's our horse or something. We are trying to teach Maddie to be "gentle" but I'm afraid we're only making a tiny bit of progress at a time. It's just too cute when Maddie lays on the dog and Molly showers her with kisses and just lays there like a champ w/ a 2 yr old climbing all over her. I have to give the dog credit, she's more tolerant than me!! :-) We had a good friend over for dinner Thursday night, Jeremy, and he told us all about what's been happening at Somba Road (the home/ministry in Brazil). It is just so neat to see how God has both used him as a servant but how his life/heart has been changed forever! In more ways than one right Jeremy?!! Can't wait for you to keep us posted on upcoming events, if you know what I mean! Anyway, Maddie just loved him to death and warmed right up to him, which, to Jeremy's credit, she doesn't often do. That was fun for her to have someone else around she could show off for, and of COURSE be on her best behavior so that all our dear friends would "think" we have perfect children...Not! But nontheless, we had a wonderful visit and the girls were delightful. Anna-Kate didn't make a peep all night - she was a true Georgia peach! so I'm thinking I need to enroll Maddie in some type of gymnastics program. In the midst of the crappy weather, she's been rolling, jumping, you name it- off the chaise lounge in our living room. She'll jump off the end, hit the floor and look at me for some type of expression...I AM the forever audience for her anyway and she loves being silly/funny. Anna-Kate's "talking" is getting louder and louder and cuter and cuter. I can't wait to post the new pics I have, but that will have to wait until later...I have the girls by myself today b/c Neal is at some type of business/mens retreat in N. Georgia fly-fishing, boating, etc...Hope they have fun in this monsoon!! :-) haha. Post the pics soon friends...bye bye for now.

how do they do it??

2009-09-16T13:39:00.002-04:00

Wow, I just realized it's been for-stinkin'-ever since I last posted...but things have been a little nuts around here. I've got things with the girls going on for Tuesdays and Thursdays, and seems like we're in and out a lot. Also, I had to see the doc the other day b/c one of my incisions from gall bladder surgery has decided to make it's own plans by becoming infected. Blah blah blah...can't wait to get my health back to normal. Feeling like I've been pregnant for the last two years and various medical stuff is really getting old (insert big sigh...)
So, "how do they do it?" is the question of the day. So I was at the "soft" playground at the mall the other day (because it's been a monsoon here for 3 days straight) - and I was observing all of the moms, and a few dads, run around after their little tots...But all of them, almost all of them, were so put together, yet I sit over there with baby in arms trying to keep an eye out on Maddie, feeding "the other one" (a.k.a. Anna-Kate), in my sweats, hair up in God knows what kind of mess, and no make-up...just my pale pasty-white skin tone (gorgeous right?! a sight for no so sore eyes!). So, if they can do it, why can't I? Wheew, I've got to get my bottie in gear or something! I need a better "system" if there can be one when you have a 21 month old and a 3 month old...Suggestions anyone! I'd love to know what works. Maddie is adding new words to her vocabulary like every day...the latest words are "Kroger" and "Mall"...does that explain where all of our "outings" are..?!! hahaha. At least she's not saying "credit card mommy" or "charge it" yet either...That'll be the day. Um, no it won't, cuz MY daughter won't be charging anything (chahhh right...Nordstrom card, here we come). Anna-Kate is now giggling and staying awake a lot more these days...she's getting stonger and stronger & cuter and cuter! I will have more pics the next time I post - or as soon as I get them uploaded...or downloaded...What's the flippin' difference..? Anyone know. Cuz I don't. Tahh Tahh for now (or for all you texters out there TTFN). Yes, I am LOL'ing at myself right now..ha!

I met a "Real" Housewife today...

2009-09-05T22:26:00.002-04:00

Hey all...so I got to meet a "Real" housewife today. Her name is Kim and she is on the Bravo network show called "Real Housewives of Atlanta"...funny that she and at least 2 others on the show are not housewives at all. They are single moms but just live an extravagant lifestyle. So I was sitting at my nail salon called "Solara Sol" getting a much needed pedi, and when they were finished, sent me over to the drying station. I was about half way through my drying time, and over walks this lady...fit as a fiddle wearing some strapless casual number, HUGE dark sunglasses and a wig. I guess she was trying to be incognito as if everyone was supposed to know she was "big time" famous. I, on the other hand, had NO stinking idea who she was because apparently if you are a real LIFE housewife, one doesn't have time to watch such shows that miss Kim is the star of. We started talking, and I got the chance to ask her "So what do you do?", and she said(with a rather annoyed look on her face like I should know her or something) "I am an actress." Funny that she called herself an actress, because she is on a "reality" tv show and from what I understand, NONE of that is acting (or perhaps it is...). But what do I know, I'm just a housewife!! hahaha.
Anyway, I had a good day today and love it when I find good deals at Pottery Barn Kids. I'm in the middle of decorating Madeline's "big girl room". We'll be moving her to her new room by the end of this months because sister Anna-Kate (no, she's not a nun), needs the 'ole crib (crib, as in sleeping crib, not crib as in "come on over. we're hangin' at my crib"). Fun fun day and the girls just LOVED spending it with their daddy. Neal is such a great daddy and the girls just adore him. Bye for now...

Anna-Kate has a "chat" with Mommy...

2009-09-04T14:54:00.001-04:00

Our Little "talker"! Priceless...

Fun visiting Daddy at his office day...

2009-09-04T13:43:00.002-04:00

Oh, if we would have just timed it right...Last night Neal and I decided it would be great day on Friday to bring the girls in to his office for a visit. After all, so many people have been asking to see the "new addition" and an update on miss Maddie. Soooo, we were out the door this morning by 10am but mommy didn't have her thinking cap on to tight because by the time we got there to finally say hello to our expectant guests, miss AnnaKate was ultra-cranky because it was bottle time!! Whoops, good one mom! She just started a new schedule a few days ago and I haven't quite comitted it to memory yet so I forgot that the feeding would be at 11 instead of 12 noon. Anyway, Maddie was enjoyed by all an she was just as sweet as could be - showing off by saying all of her words and crinkling up her nose and saying "hewwoh" (hello) to everyone! Ahhh, if she were only ALWAYS that cute right?! ha. Daddy took his girls to the Phipps Plaza food court where we all ate Moes Burriotos -- each weighing in at about 12 lbs!! Man, one of those could feed an army of hungry grown men! We're looking forward to long holiday weekend w/ Daddy being home and Madeline will get to play in her new "Poooooool". Oh, I forgot to mention that AnnaKate is being a champ and has been sleeping through the night from 9-7:30! We've been on a roll for like 10 days now and we're lovin' it.. Thank you Moms On Call - nurse Jennifer and nurse Laura! You all are the best: http://www.momsoncall.com - not only have those sweet ladies become our friends, but they sure know their stuff. Combine that with tips from both my mom and mother-in-law...we're good to go! Until next time friends and happy Labor Day...(another excuse for a day off...yes!).

houston...we have a thumb sucker!! Ut oh...

2009-09-03T14:12:00.004-04:00

Here is our first thumb sucking child...Maddie was never interested, but AnnaKate...here she goes. Can someone say "braces" are in our future cuz man does she love that thumb. "Yummie, aren't I cute!

2009-09-03T14:05:00.002-04:00

today was, "how many bows can we fit in Maddie's hair" day...she kept bringing me more bows to put in...
Maddie loves holding "L'il Sis" - how sweet.
here's L'il sis being just as sweet as she always is. gotta love that Anna-Kate!

just don't do it...

2009-09-03T13:53:00.003-04:00

never, and I mean never take an "almost two year old" to the North Point mall foodcourt without 2 one-dollar bills..!!! yes, that's right...the carosel of "horseeees" is there and if your lovely almost two year old spots the un-missable object -- you'd better have that 2 dollars handy for a token. Yours truly made that mistake today and it was tantrum-city! Ohh, boy was that interesting. I think AnnaKate is either learning how NOT to act towards mommy or she's learning some awful tricks from her big sister (I'm afraid it's the latter). Anyway, once the horsees were no longer in sight and mommy promised a cookie, the tantrum concluded! At least it was short lived and total disaster was averted (again...seems like a day after day routine). Boy I love my "almost two year old", but sometimes she can be a real stinkee-pot. Perhaps it is my mom who would say "well, dear...i can tell you where she gets it from..." Of course, of course...I'm reaping what was sewn in my childhood and the things I put my mommy through. But I don't believe I was all "that" bad of a child...right mom?? Let's hope not. I keep seeing other moms out and about, and it seems that the ones I end up talking to have so many good things to say about having their girls being so close together in age. I saw a mom today in line at Chick-Fila and her two girls looked like they were about 5 and 4 yrs old...they were just so sweet to each other and very plesant to their mother :-) Hopefully, one day - it is my goal - it will be the same for me. Gee I love my girls...they are too cute. Here are some recent pics of them.

don't EVER leave home without it...

2009-09-02T14:13:00.003-04:00

that would be the beloved gumdrop pacifier!!! Please don't leave home without it, or what you think would be a good substitute. I tried using a born-free pacifier today when we were on an awesome outing to the park...well, it started out awesome, and then Anna-Kate lost it, I mean lost it at the end & on the way home! Boy did she scream and I knew, I just knew, it had to do with the "incorrect" pacifier! Mommy made a poor choice this morning thinking "gee, let's try this pacifier and see how she likes it" - Bad, super bad idea! Anyway, total disaster was averted b/c we got home quickly and both girls went right to bed. It was so beautiful here today and perfect for the park. Thank you God, or mother nature, or whoever is responsible for the weather - cuz it was to die for.
As for me - I am stinking...totally stinking on this "diet". We have had some wonderful friends bring us dinner...every Tues. & Thurs. it's been someone else's turn. But they bring with them dessert...lots of yummie, yummie desserts! Perhaps I should wait until after the dinners are done coming and start then...:-) hehehe. Gotta go for now, girls are about to get up...peace.

there have been easier things...

2009-09-01T14:10:00.003-04:00

Okay, so there have been easier things than packing up two girls and actually getting out the door to Bible study. I felt like I'd gone through an entire day after we were finally in the car on the road...big sigh.....Wheew, we made it -- ON TIME even. Both girls decided to "poo-poo" TWICE in their diaper - AnnaKate went the second time BEFORE I had even put the new diaper on - yes, mommy had to change outfits too! Maddie did great in her classroom and AnnaKate slept most of the time (what else is new). I, on the other hand, needed to sleep and a strong cup of coffee after that ordeal...but just sitting down with other adults talking about sweet Jesus was enough for me. It was refreshing. I am starting to realize how hard it is to go out in public with both girls on my own. Half the time I feel so out of control, but then once the outing is over I realize, "hey, that wasn't so bad..." -- of course the help of great girlfriends does the trick when I'm feeding AK her bottle, or have to climb up in the treehouse to go get Maddie cuz she's stuck, etc...Girlfriends are the best, so THANKS! And then I realize, all was a success - both girls are in their beds napping, at the SAME TIME -- and immediately I know how thankful & lucky I am to have such angels. Yes, most of the time, they are angels. (note to self: keep repeating that to yourself over and over for the next 20 years).

All good things must come to an end...

2009-08-31T13:53:00.003-04:00

Okay, so today marks the beginning of my journey to lose ALL the baby (both babies) weight and then some!! The only treat I haven't given up is my morning coffee - iced or hot, I gotta have it. I sure have come up w/ some good tastee treats though...sugar free and all. At any rate, Lesley has jumped off the bandwagon of junk food and on the healthy train. I'm thinking that I'll be following part of the weight watchers program and some of the Best Life diet w/ Bob Green. So yup, I just tasted my last cookie, bowl of "bad" cereal, and Maddie's left over chicken McNugget that I'll taste for a VERY long time...how long you might ask -- as long as it takes. So for all my readers and friends/family, I will need your accountability and encouragement as this will be quite the journey for me...and one that will have an awesome ending to it -- my HEALTH.
Maddie is definitely our drama queen while AnnaKate just takes it all in (as you can tell from the pitures). You can tell she is quickly approaching TWO and mommy has many days of repeating "she's not always going to be like this" or "this is just a phase", or "where has my child gone"...Most days are manageable, but we have times where we just don't know what happened to Maddie. (insert sigh...). I just talked to a mom today at McD's and her two daughters are exactly 18 mo. apart just like mine -- and she said that it really DOES get better/easier...when the "second one is about two"...Whoops, does that mean we have until AnnaKate is two before we see the light again?? Holy smoke...what were we thinking..hahaha. We truly do love it though and being parents has been a genuinely treasured and life changing experience for us. Neal and I say all the time -- "we're glad God worked things out this way aren't you?" AnnaKate was surely a big most anticipated surprise - but we wouldn't (now) have it any other way. Thank you God...our family is (and I mean IS...for all the skeptics) complete! -- this is not a joke. We are happy, done, and have all we can handle...two beautiful girls -- what are we going to do when they're teenagers...I shall not ponder any further and cross that bridge when we come to it huh?

2009-08-31T13:49:00.001-04:00

Best buds already!! How sweet.
Our cupboard queen...loves to "rearrange" mommy's things.

Thank Heaven for Little Girls...and PLAY GROUP!

2009-08-28T14:22:00.002-04:00

Okay, so today was our first day at our new playgroup and we had a blast, but boy was it crazy. Three of us mom's all have two kiddos within the ages of 14-18 months apart...Madeline is the oldest of the bunch and she was showing everyone all of her bad tricks (i.e. jumping on the couch, opening all the cabinets, etc...she is just non-stop and VERY into Elmo (and all of Sesame Street). Anyway, it is so wonderful to meet other women, who become such good friends, that are going through the same types of things in life you are. You could tell that many of us were probably in need of another cup of coffee as we chased around our oldest one, while the little one was demanding the bottle...These are the days and most of them really are fun -- but go by SO fast it's amazing. I can't believe Madeline is almost 2. She keeps us in stitches with all of her silly faces and noises; but it is especially precious when she sings...it just melts a mommies heart.
Neal is VERY happy to have both of his girls back (and his wife too I suppose..:-). The last two nights he's said "hey hun, why don't you go out and do whetever you'd like...I want to watch the girls and have some one on one time" -- actually it's now 'TWO on one time...haha. Keeps things interesting anyway. His business is going a lot better and he seems very busy lately w/ meetings, functions, and networking events. We are really praying for an awesome year because he has been working so incredibly hard, it would be such a blessing to see his efforts rewarded.
Until next time all...take care.

2009-08-27T13:56:00.000-04:00

Our Trip to NY...

2009-08-27T13:46:00.004-04:00

Hey all...wheew, what a fun and exciting, yet exhausting 2 1/2 weeks this has been. Thursday, August 11th began our journey home to NY to visit my family for TWO weeks. I wanted to get Anna-Kate up there after her first round of shots, so that everyone in the family could meet the precious bundle. And boy is she precious!! What a good baby and we have completely fallen in love. This whole trip could NOT have happened without the support and help of my mom, Mary -- or "NahNahs" as we call her... Mom flew down a few days after my gall bladder surgery to help out with that, and then we all flew up together on the 11th. We had such a blast up there. Madeline thoroughly enjoyed spending more time with her cousins - Darien, Carson, Carter, Harper, and Trevor. She got to run around the golf course (which my brother Nolan just purchased in April), ride golf carts, go to the "beach", play on the slip-n-slide, and eat lots of yummie "kahkahk" (a.k.a. hot dogs). Anna-Kate, well.....layed around. She was a dream child and as happy as can be. She has really started talking a lot and smiling "whole body" smiles. What a precious little lamb!
So now we are back in ATL and getting back into the swing of things. We're looking forward to a fabulous fall. I will be taking the girls to Community Bible Study (CBS) on Tuesdays and Moms & More on Thursdays. Monday, Wed. and Friday will be spent at the GYM...cuz mommy needs her butt kicked in the gym and can't wait to get back working out. That way the girls can "play" with other little ones and I can sweat off some much needed pounds. Here are some more pics for y'all to see - I'll more later when I get some from mom & dad's camera from our trip home...until then! Peace...

one day post-op...

2009-08-07T18:07:00.003-04:00

Hey to my readers...:-) Well, one day post-op on the gall bladder thingeee, and man am I sore. Wouldn't wish this surgery on anyone, but everything is going a lot better than I had anticipated. The girls (which still sounds wierd to say!!) have been staying with the best in-laws ever, "ya-ya" and "pops"...they've helped us out so much in the past couple years, it's incredible. Also, my very own mommy will be coming down on Sunday to help out, which will be fantastic. Boy, are we blessed or what?!! I should think sooooo.
Anyway, Madeline has started saying "NO" to basically everything - even when she DOES want something...and from what I understand, my brother Patrick was affectionately known as "No-Pete" for a couple of years because he did the same thing..."Pete, you want some ice cream?..NO!", "Pete, do you want candy instead of dinner? NO..!!" -- anyway, you get the picture. Anna-Kate has started "talking" and smiling super-huge smiles lately, and it's the most precious thing. In fact, I have some new pictures that I'll be posting shortly. Other than that, I've got to go remove these bandages and finally take a much needed SHOWER!! Love y'all and will be back soon.

Here goes nothin'...

2009-08-04T14:20:00.001-04:00

Okay...so when our first daughter, Madeline ("Maddie") was a mere 5 months old, I had the great idea of starting a blog. So I did. Where did I get with it? NOwhere! Gee, I thought I had my hands full then...wrong! As many of you know, my pregnancy with Maddie was one that I'd not wish on anyone...and as I recall, I told many people (probably some of you) that I was "NOT going to do this again" -- well, this past June 11, 2009 - was "again"!! Maddie was about 9 months old when we found out the super-shocking news that we were pregnant again. I just had a thought...Why do people say "We're pregnant." We're would imply that there was more than one person carrying a child...and we all know that those silly husbands of ours aren't the ones dealing with that morning sickness, tiredness...wait - exhaustion, swollen feet & hands, and the wonderful food aversions and/or cravings!! :-) However, we get to experience the joy of that first kick, and realize that, at the end of it all, we have a miracle in our arms! In our case, we have TWO...Our little Anna-Kate was born on Thursday, June 11th, at 3:06pm at Northside Hospital in Atlanta. She was 8lb 9oz - only 8oz. shy of her big sister. So lately...I've been wondering, "what about that blog I said I was goign to do?" Well, now I'm doing it...for real. So all of you skeptics out there (won't name any names, BEC!) can just hold your horses, cuz here goes nothin...