Wow! lots of updates

I've realized when I am not working I am much less reliant on technology so I have been around the computer very little this break. But here we go...

Christmas Eve
We had my parents over for Christmas Eve/ My Dad's Birthday Party. All was going well and our friends Amy and Caroline dropped by to give us cookies. While they were here Natalie decided to climb up on a box of a foot spa Ruth gave me. The box was maybe 6 inches off the floor. Somehow she managed to fall off and start screaming. I was not too worried...really- what could have happened. So as I am cuddling her Clint notices there is blood steadily streaming from her mouth. GREAT! So I am trying to get her calmed down all the while trying not to care that her special Christmas Eve outfit I got her is getting an enormous blood stain on it. So then Melanie realizes drama is occurring and comes over to see the blood and becomes hysterical. So, Amy takes Melanie away to calm her down and Clint and get Natalie calmed down to see where the blood is coming from. It was from inside her mouth- around where one of her top teeth was coming in. So we give her some Motrin, a paci and Clint holds her until she falls asleep. Meanwhile I frantically try to finish cleaning the house, preparing the food (or snacks) for my family and getting myself ready. (The girls were both ready). My parents were due to arrive between 6:30 and 7:00 and wouldn't you know it that around 6:30 when I still don't have makeup on and the snacks are not all prepared that Melanie decides to go in the bathroom stand there and pee in her Christmas Eve outfit I had purchased for her. So, I made her strip down and clean up the bathroom as I finished getting everything ready and then had to put her in a back up outfit (Natalie on the other hand just wore her blood-stained clothes). So eventually everyone was put together, the food was put together, my parents arrived and the Christmas fun began. The girls loved eating an amazing Banana Split Cake my mom made and Melanie really enjoyed opening up one present that night (and taking over Natalie's as well). Natalie got a walk behind hippo/fisher price see through block thing and guess what, she can walk behind and push it across the room- WOW! So all in all it was wonderful and turned out to be a calm, happy night. Melanie was really excited to lay out the cookies that she made with me and decorated with Clint and reindeer food (thanks Becca- the trail mix worked out great! and was a tasty treat for the "reindeer" that ate it that night).

Christmas Morning
Well, as with life with little ones it could not be drama free. Natalie was up from about 2:30 am on (I think her Motrin wore off) and Melanie woke up after peeing in her bed so her Christmas morning pjs were a bust (why do I even bother?). However, after that drama the girls had an awesome time with presents. The funniest part was Natalie. She ONLY wanted Melanie's opened presents...she did not care about opening them or anything made for her...ONLY Melanie's. Oh, I also made pancakes, bacon and fruit that morning and Natalie ate an entire pancake and tons of fruit (it was the beginning of her current amazing eating streak- she is eating way more than Melanie at meals right now- no baby food only our table food). Melanie's favorite gift was an Animal Hospital from the Parent's line at Target. Natalie didn't really have a favorite- she liked the cars TJ and Becca had given her earlier in the week (also from the Parent's line at Target) and Melanie was still pretty obsessed with Candy Land game TJ and BEcca had given her (though she does not like to lose and prays at night that she will win and daddy will lose :) hee hee). Clint and I only did stocking stuffers for each other- his favorite gift was an MP3 player (great for his new work out regiment) and my favorite was a set of earpieces for working out (I am training for a 10K in March). THe funniest was a car Atlas I gave Clint. He used to always say he needed an updated one but never bought it for himself so I thought I was pretty smart and bought it. He wasn't overly thrilled and I asked if he already bought it for himself and he said no, he got an GPS. Oh yeah, I guess I forgot that detail :)

Christmas Afternoon
We went over to Clint's parents for a great lunch and massive present openings. The girls got so spoiled. Melanie got a Hot Wheel that she was not initially thrilled with b/c she is not so great at steering and pedaling. But, after some outside practice she really came around and did great and grew to like it. Natalie got a cute push behind baby stroller and showed off her walking skills again. Melanie's favorite present was a real digital camera that uncle Brian gave her. She took over 100 pics. Natalie fell asleep during the festivities. My favorite present was a new digital camera that Rodney and Donna got me and Clint- wahoo! Wait until you all see the quality of the movies it takes. One funny point is that it has a setting where it will automatically take pics when it senses a smile- it will take them constantly for normal people but only once has it taken one for Melanie- apparently her weird smile doesn't even register :)

Christmas Evening
Finally to end the day we went to my parents for Christmas Snacks and more presents. I got an AMAZING wooden jewelry box with a glass top with my initials etched in from my parents. IT is huge but already full. Natalie got a Fisher Price Crawl through Home thing that she and Melanie both love. Then to top off the night Melanie got the much coveted Baby Alive. We kept it to the last present of the night. She had said that she was sad that she didn't get a Baby Alive. Then, she was so excited...until we opened it and turned it on. I wished I had a video of it. As soon as we pressed the button and it said, "Hello, I love you Mommy." Melanie freaked out and wouldn't touch it. She eventually came around and loves it and will tell you that her daddy thinks it is creepy. It eats, drinks, poops, pees, goes potty, plays peekaboo, sings and Lord knows what else. But, it was the hit of the night.

We have settled down and started organizing our house to fit all of the new toys, clothes, and things. It was amazing and such a fun, busy Christmas. I especially happy Clint had 8 days off to spend with our family. I wouldn't have changed anything (even the crazy drama of all of the outfits- no worries- our main Christmas outfits had no problems). It all made for fun Christmas memories. Enjoy all of the videos and pics to come.

Quick Natalie update:
She is so busy learning new things...cruising on furniture, walking behind toys, shaking her head no, nodding her had in the song "If You're Happy and You Know It," making kissing noises and then kissing you with an open mouth and actually kind of playing with toys- what fun!

Melanie's Sweet Story

Sweaters my parapro's mother in law knitted for the girls...no they are not too happy right then



check out all of my donations for the pj drive!

One of Melanie's favorite shows is Jon & Kate + 8. Recently they had an episode where the kids got to go to KMart and each pick 3 toys to throw in the cart to take up to St. Jude to give to kids that did not have any toys for Christmas. Melanie really watched the show and was paying attention. She also has kind of understood donations of food and clothes to the Lilburn Co-Op and the PJ drive that I held. (Which, by the way I collect 49 pairs of pjs and 18 books- THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!) Well, we were donating some toys for Toys for Tots at Publix last week so she understood that they had a donation box. After we put our items in the box we went to shop for groceries. Publix has this giant toy display you have to walk past before you can get to the groceries. Melanie gets excited and says "Look, mom!" I knew exactly what she was looking at and I say, what is it? And she says, "Look, mom, a Sleeping Beauty Barbie." I tell her, "Yes, it's beautiful." Then she says, "I know.." And, I think I know what she is talking about, and say, "What do you know?" She says, "We should buy the Sleeping Beauty Barbie and give it to kids that don't have Sleeping Beauty Barbies for Christmas like on Jon + 8 (that is what she calls it)." Of course I had to agree to that plan. She never once asked for it for herself, it was always for other kids. Then she said, the Barbie can be for a girl but we need to get a boy something and she picked out a bean bag Tigger. Too sweet.

Last week was a whirlwind of activity. Both girls getting sick then better. Melanie did have to miss her last mommy and me gymnastics class :( I can't believe she is too old for them anymore. She will start classes without me in January and Natalie will start mommy and me... I can't believe she is big enough! Then Melanie had she Christmas performance at school. I had to miss it but my mom, Clint, his parents, and brother all made it so she had a great audience. She sang 3 Christmas songs and was a sheep :) I got to watch the video Clint took and it was so cute. Santa came to my work and the kids had a great time (look closely at the pics to figure out the resemblance to anyone!). We had our gift exchange/dinner with Chris, Aileen, Nate, TJ, and Becca. The girls have so many gifts already between that exchange and all of the gifts people have been so kind to mail us. Melanie also got a package from Santa on the front porch on Saturday and was so excited. He sent her a humidifier to make sure she is getting good sleep this time before Christmas (we were having problems with her waking up coughing and were having to decide which sick baby got the humidifier so Santa was kind enough to bring anther one...a Pooh one). I also finsihed my last class for this semester so I am 1/3 of the way through my Specialist's Program. Wahoo! It wasn't too bad- I am the queen of procrastination in it. I started and finished a paper on Friday that was due on Saturday morning. Not too bad. I've learned to think and type fast so I can move on to laundry, dinner, work, whatever. It was nice b/c Clint was off so I was able to have him watch the girls while I wrote the paper. Oh, since I am updating on everyone, Clint is now the master plumber. We've had 2 toilets leak constantly all of a sudden and Clint figured out how to completely take them apart and replace all of the inner "workings" and now we have no problem. Maybe this can be his side job :)

Quite the Eventful Weekend

Well, as a mom you have to make choices (and sometimes listen to your gut). Saturday morning Natalie woke up and the skin around her eye looked a bit red and swollen. I thought possibly pink eye. So,I called the nurse answering service and I began a 2 hour run around with them trying to finally talk to someone who would either tell me to come in or not. However, by the time I finally got someone who told me "it is your choice" it was 8:30 and Melanie had plans for breakfast with Santa around 9:30. So, I had to make the choice of letting Melanie see Santa as planned or telling her that plan was off b/c it was a possibility that the redness around her sister's eye was pink eye (like my gut told me). I also had a really big weekend planned so we went with maybe it was just drainage from Natalie's 3 week cold and we decided to not worry about it.

We went to see Santa at church and he was wonderful! He was so kind and spent a lot of time with the girls. Neither girl cried though Natalie wasn't overly excited. Melanie told him she wanted a Baby Alive for Christmas. She completed some crafts, ate pancakes, took pretty good pictures and we were on our way home to begin the long line of plans.

I REALLY needed a girls day out. I haven't been away from the girls (and not at work) in almost 2 months. So, I had plans to get my hair cut and colored and then meet Ruth at TEN at the Avenue for a deluxe, amazing pedicure (for those of you who have never been there you get a hour long spa pedicure in complete silence with a massage and this eye mask, and ahhhhh goodness!) So I went about my plans and Clint tried calling various clinics to see if any of them took babies- (the answer is no, only Children's Healthcare of Atlanta satellite offices). Then when we returned we went to TJs Christmas Party while the Gilbreath's kindly watched the girls for us to have a "date night." The nurses Clint talked to pretty much chalked it up to her cold and told us not to worry.

THEN, Sunday morning arrived. Melanie and Natalie woke up with eyes glued shut with gunk and they were all red, swollen, and pitiful. Clint had plans for his much needed guy day away to play golf. So, I was left with the sick girls. Though none of the clinics would see Natalie they would see Melanie (you had to be 18 months). So, I took her to one of the weird clinics in CVS. They were really nice. I wouldn't go for a real illness but something like pink eye which I could diagnose I feel comfortable with their care. Melanie most definitely had pink eye (it was really obvious as pus is oozing out of her eye and stuck in her eye lashes) and was put on eye drops. However, I couldn't make Natalie just suffer so I broke a rule, yes me, broke a rule. I read up and studied and the eye drops were fine as long as you: a) were over 2 months, b) were not pregnant, and c) didn't put them directly on sperm- WHAT? So, since those ideas didn't apply to Natalie and I never touched the droppper to the eye I gave Natalie 3 doses of them also.

By this morning, Melanie seemed on the path to improvement, and Natalie wasn't gunky but the skin around her eye was BRIGHT red and swollen and I was sure that I should have followed the rules and not shared antibiotics around my children and that I was causing Natalie to go blind. So, I called her dr office and brought her in this morning to get her own prescription for pink eye drops. Well, it turns our her 3 week cold finally moved to her ears and she had an ear infection full on in one ear and developing in the other ear, pink eye in both eyes and she is getting 4 teeth in all at once. Poor thing. So she is in on antibiotics, eye drops and Motrin as needed. As the evening wore on they are doing so much better. Their eyes are dramatically improved. Smarty pants Melanie was listening at the dr when I asked her about how to get Melanie and Natalie to open their eyes for the drops she said it was fine if their eyes stayed shut and I squeeze in the corner b/c they will blink and open and it will get in. So, at home I go to put Melanie's drops in and tell her to please open her eyes for me and she replies, "The doctor says I don't have to open my eyes. She said I could leave my eyes shut." That little twerp!

I'm sad b/c I think Melanie will probably not be well enough for her gymnastics show tomorrow (though technically she will have been on antibiotics long enough I don't want anyone else to get it). I just hope she is fine by Wednesday and Friday for her school holiday party and the play that she is in- she is a sheep :)

Mississippi Pics/ Thanksgiving Pics and Tree Pic

The girls with my cousin

Natalie's 9 month Dr. Appointment

Yes, I know I am behind on pictures- they are all on my home computer...I will get to it.

However, quick update on Miss Natalie. She had her 9 month dr appointment yesterday. She was so happy (aside from the shot) but great otherwise. She weighs 19 lbs 10 oz (65th%) is 27 inches long (49th%) and her head is in the 90th%. I don't know if you all remember but her head was TINY when she was born (either the 11th% or the 14th% I can't remember which girl had which head). I am thankful for being able to deliver tiny head babies but that means a lot of growing is in store and boy do they grow! She has had a pretty bad cough (for going on 3 weeks) and a really runny nose. She was doing all of her coughing for him but he was not concerned. I got the great response of you guessed it, a humidifier. That is why I hardly ever take my girls to the dr...they always prescribe a humidifier. However, the doctor was concerned about her dry skin. I didn't think it was as dry as he did but she also has some eczema that we were aware of. He wants us to not clean her in the tub (just let her play in the water) and to coat her in aquaphor or eucerin when she gets out. We tried it last night and she was like a greased pig. It was quite funny. Overall she was great...even while he was picking around in her ears. He was fine with her chunky belly (she is still nursing about 4 times per day but other than that eats mostly all table foods...no baby foods any more). Yesterday at Moes she had a bowl of black beans and a Ritz dipped in guacamole :) All in all life is great and that are happy with her. She is crawling, trying to pull to stand, and can say dada and wave hi and bye. She likes to take blocks out but will not put them in for anything and loves to drop things over the side of her highchair. A super happy baby that LOVES her mommy!

My Smarty Pants Kiddo

Well, I know I often brag about Natalie these days, but for the past week Melanie deserves the praise. Here are her latest stories...

Tuesday I was sitting at Moes with Melanie and Natalie when Melanie had the neatest conversation with me:
Melanie: Mommy, today we went to Lauren's, gymnastics and lunch. What are we doing next?
Me: We are going to vote.
Mel: Why do we vote?
Me: To decide who is going to be the boss.
Mel: Are we voting for you, mommy?
Me: No, not for me.
Mel: Are we voting for Daddy?
Me: No we are not voting for Daddy?
Mel: What about Pops then?
Me: No, we are voting for who is going to be the boss of the whole country, of our state, Georgia.
Mel: Oh, then we need to vote for God then.

SO CUTE!

Then, yesterday I was holding Natalie while she napped. (She is not sleeping the best right now b/c a cold when through our family and she has a pretty yucky lingering cough.) It was time for Melanie's nap but I didn't want to wake Natalie up. I asked Melanie if she would just go take a nap and she said, "what about my story?" I convinced her to sit next to me on the couch while I read to her and then I asked her to go upstairs and take a nap. Can you believe it...she did! She went right on upstairs without complaint and took a 2 1/2 hour nap! What a good girl.

I will post about Thanksgiving, our trip to Mississippi and pics later.

Lots of Pics!

Aileen helped me so much the other day...the dreaded Christmas Card day. I really attempted to get good shots. What you are seeing is the best of about 100 pics between 2 photographers (me and Aileen) lots of tears, some cheerios and sweat. Enjoy all of the latest! Sorry the video is so blurry- our camera is seeing it's final days...maybe I can get a new one for Christmas!

"Dada, Dada, Dada"

Blah, blah, blah....
Why oh why does the little child that you carry for 10 months, get so fat for, get stretch marks for, go through Labor and Delivery for, produce milk for decide to go around smiling and saying "dada, dada, dada?"

Oh well, it is super cute. Both of my girlies had "dada" as their first words. We will be sitting around the dinner table and I will say, "Natalie, say mama" and she will look at Clint and say "dada." That stinker!

She is continuing to crawl and scream at the top of her lungs if we (i.e. ME) go out of sight. She is a bit overly attached to my hip at this moment. However, cute and as fat as ever. We love her so much. She is wearing 12 month and some 12-18 month clothes- GOOD GRIEF! Right now she has a small temp and a runny nose but she will survive. Just a quick update on my littlest baby.

Oh, by the way-
I am hosting a charity PJ and book drive for children in foster homes or shelters. You must donate NEW pjs or NEW books. If you would like to help out just give them to me the next time you see me or contact me for info on our open house/drop in to bring them by. If you would like to help many little kiddos would greatly appreciate it. Details on the charity can be found at www.thepajamaprogram.org

THANKS- and realize you are making a difference in someone's life each and every day by the actions and choices you make. Right here around the holidays help make a positive choice!

Let the Games Begin!

Well, as soon I posted last night's blog Natalie started crawling. Watch the video- it is not perfect but she is getting from point A to point B. I think Melanie has mixed feelings about it all. ENJOY!

These shoes are made for crawlin...

Check out those kicks!


Melanie's loony faces!



Melanie and Nate

So I took Natalie to get her 1st official pair of shoes today. She got fitted at Stride Rite (yes, I know a little pricey but Melanie's first few pairs and her tennis shoes always come from there b/c they size her and fit her well so Natalie does not get left out of the process). She wears a 2 1/2 on one side and 3 1/4 on the other so 3 1/2 it is. Oh, and of course a WIDE! They are kind of high tops to hold in all of her fat. Melanie's first were Robeez which I loved but Natalie's foot and cankles are too fat for that so we got this other kind. They are still the shoe you can bend in half but are oh so cute. She is trying her hardest to crawl and can crawl backwards but hasn't mastered the forward crawl. She loves all food we've given her. The only "real" food is bananas, crackers and cheese but she loves it all!

There haven't been any posts in a while b/c a nasty stomach bug hit Clint, Natalie, Me, Clint's mom, our neighbors, and all of Clint's store. So far Melanie has been in the clear. Yuck! Good thing is it is short lived (no more than 24 hours) so the end is in sight!

Happy shout out for my BFF Ruth- she just signed on a new house in Lawrenceville. We are getting closer and closer together- WAHOO!

Happy Halloween!

After a big night of trick or treating with our friend Glenda the good witch My little ladybug ;) Checking out the inside of a pumpkin for the first time Painting a pumpkin Daddy's girls Melanie on a horse Natalie's first experience at the pumpkin patch Well coordinated Elizabeth and Jeremy Kelly and Dills Amy and baby Nate The ladies of Cooper Woods Chris and Aileen's new baby, Nate Hmmm, maybe this was after I had a bit to drink :) Amy was our female costume winner :) Well, I guess I owe you all a bunch of pics. We've had a great end to October, enjoying fall festivals and various other things. My mom, Clint's mom, Melanie, and myself all went to see Disney on Ice. Melanie loved it! I highly reccommend it to folks over 2 years old- it was much more fun to her than the circus, zoo, and aquarium. My birthday party was another success- hooray to Toga Parties- cheap and easy. Moe's catered the party and I highly reccommend that plan also- inexpensive and super easy! Halloween was a blast. The girls enjoyed (kind-of) carving the pumpkin and they were cute ladybugs. I had a wonderful time on my birthday- the girls made me a pumpkin craft and Clint got me a new winter coat. Overall a great 2 weeks.