My First iPhone Dump

Kate has become quite the helper! She loves doing anything to help me with Morgan, and has even helped with a few things around the house. When she helps, it takes a GOOD bit longer, but I am trying to appreciate her willingness! Yesterday, she helped me vacuum and wash dishes.

My sweet Morgan isthe dress up doll around here! Kate loves putting any costume on her. I have to watch Blake, he tries to put his entire blanket over her head.

Blake got a REAL football uniform for Christmas this year, but I can't figure out how to turn it the other way. I got a new iphone for Christmas, and I am LOVING it! I am just not 100% comfortable with all the tricks it does. I talk to Siri on a daily basis, whether it is to ask her when a certain tv show starts back, or to get directions while I drive without using my hands.

We rang in the new year in Greenville this year, and the kids loved doing fireworks in their pajamas!

This Thanksgiving

I have to say that this Thanksgiving, I was MOST thankful for family. Especially my sweet Nanny! She joined us at my parents' house this year, and it was so sweet to have her there. She isn't quite the same Nanny as I grew up with, since she had a stroke/brain injury the beginning of 2011, but she still has moments where she surprises us all with her comments and random memories. She remembered Brandon's name without prompting, but then she told me that Morgan has "pretty blue ears." A year ago today, her husband, Dink, went to his forever home with Jesus, and I miss him just as much as I did this time last year. Losing him was hard, but it also makes us thankful for the family we do have here! I had to post a picture of my girls with Nanny!

Kate has loved her "big girl bike" and rode all around her GiGi and PopPop's driveway. All of the sudden, I look at her and realize just how big she is getting!

Not the greatest picture of the kids, but I wanted a family picture with Nanny.

A little better, with my parents.

This year, Brandon had to work on Thanksgiving morning, and the morning after, so it limited our traveling. So, we had his parents drive here to celebrate with us! The kids loved having their 4 grandparents all in the same place. Nothing like a little extra attention!

Now that I have posted about Thanksgiving, Christmas is coming around the corner! I guess I will get to that after the New Year!

My Helper

Bathtime has gotten easier at our house now! I bathe Kate and Blake first, then Blake gets out... He is just a little too active, messy, dangerous, etc. to keep in there with Morgan! And then, I just pass Morgan to Kate. She helps me lay her down to wash her not much hair, then sit her up to rinse her off.

Kate's new name for Morgan is Mor-guinea-pig. Didn't love that at first, but it is kind of catching on for the kids at least. So now we have Katebug, Bubby, and Morguinea Pig... awesome! A funny story about Blake- he calls himself Bubby all the time and will correct you if you don't. He was in the church nursery the other day and came home with a family tree craft with the names "Mom, Dad, Kate, Bobby and Morgan." I laughed outloud because the sweet lady thought his name was really Bobby. Either that, or he corrected her when she said Blake. What a mess!

I am posting this picture mainly for myself... Morgan seems so tiny, and is very light, but she has some thighs! Her leg chub makes me laugh because you just don't expect to see this when you see her with her clothes on. We go to her 4 month appointment next week, so I will keep you posted on her growth progress.

Sharing Our Saturday

Morgan is being sweet, sitting up in her Bumbo watching her brother pitch a fit for no reason. She really looks at me sometimes like, "Could you tell him to be quiet?" or, "Can you tell them to get out of my face?"
She was sleeping great for a while, but has been waking up in the middle of the night again. Maybe a growth spurt? I think I remember a weird sleep time around 4 months with the others.











We went to the grocery store this morning, and he has been screaming since we got back because he wants to go somewhere else. I think he is tired of me, Kate, and Morgan. He turned 3 on Halloween, but he isn't acting any bigger. People have told me that boys are worse at 3 than at 2, and I might believe them. He has been pitching some wild fits lately. We are pushing through it, spanking regularly, and maybe, just maybe we will kick this habit! Don't get me wrong, he is a wild man, but he sure is sweet too! He has gotten a lot more interested in Morgan lately, he loves to giver her the pacifier if she is crying and when he is sad, he asks to hug her.







Kate has been laying on the couch watching Mary Poppins, and she told me it was "so long it passed her right out." She then told me that Blake was driving her nuts. Me too, Kate! I wish I had more exciting things to share on Saturday, but this is it, folks! Daddy is working, so we are relaxing and trying to clean up around here.

New Tricks and A Big Trip

Remember those curls in the last post? GONE! His hair was out of control, so we went for his first professional haircut, and he did great. I wouldn't have put him through the trauma of cutting it myself if I had known how easy it was to get it done, although way more expensive than it should be for a child!

Morgan is into her new play gym. We had a terrible one from when Kate was a baby, but I got this and she can lay on it for over an hour. She kicks the piano keys with her feet, and has started grabbing the toys that hang down. She sees herself in the mirror and just coos and coos, it is sweet! This baby continues to amaze me with her laid-back spirit... just not used to it!


She likes sitting in her Bumbo (for a little bit). Her eyes are looking more like Kate these days, and she reminds me of her when she smiles.

Morgan went on a getaway weekend with just me and Brandon a few weekends ago. It was so nice to get away and relax. Here is what Morgan did while I sat on the beach. Brandon just sat on the porch reading with her in the swing so I could enjoy some cool beach breeze and a good book. Heaven! And while we were there, the "big kids" went on an exciting trip of their own!




Their Papa G and JoJo took them to DISNEY WORLD! I think it was the trip of a lifetime, they did everything fun, and more! I was impressed when Jody said they wanted to take them by themselves, they are sweet kids, but a few days with them will wear anyone out! They ate with the princesses, went to the Not-So-Scary Halloween Parade, and saw "the real" Finding Nemo. Kate has an autograph book from all of the princesses, Donald Duck, Eeyore, etc. So cute! I was sad to miss seeing it all in person, but I know they couldn't have had more fun- they are just slighty obsessed with Papa G and JoJo. And they kept us up to date with picture texts of all the fun things they did.

Kate with Belle... she was probably so excited, she couldn't stand still!

Donald... I love Blake's body language.



The kids in Mickey ears.

Riding fun rides with JoJo!

Time Is Flying By

Mothers' Day Out starts in the morning, and I am ready! I told Kate I would miss her tomorrow (a little), and she told me I could take a picture of her with me and wave it around so I would think she was with me. Smart girl! She is so excited about school, I really will miss her help during the day, but it will be nice to run errands with just a carseat.
I just had to show you the difference in my girls' eyes. At first glance, you think Morgan looks like Kate because of the pointy chin and pretty pointed top lips (that Kate is hiding)... but the eyes make all the difference! I think Morgan's eyes are a lot like Blake's- but they are getting bluer (is that a word) everyday! Blake's are more hazel.

A good picture of Blake's eyes- he is my sweet boy! He tells me he will NOT cry when I drop him off at MDO in the morning, we will see. :) He is still my shy one, doesn't love jumping into social settings quite like Kate does.

Wanted to show you Blake's sweet curls in the back that tell me it is time for a haircut.

Morgan started smiling between 6 and 7 weeks old, and it is precious. She is 8 weeks now! She has also started the soft "talking" to you when you make eye contact with her. Love it!

Kate still LOVES Morgan, and tonight I walked in to find her "patting" Morgan's cheek while she cried because I pat Morgan's bottom when she cries. I don't think she realized Morgan was crying BECAUSE she was smacking her face- yikes!

Nothing like a sleeping baby! Morgan is still doing great in the sleep department- waking up once a night. I feed her around 8:30 or 9 and she wakes up around 4:30 to 5, then sleeps till 8 in the morning. Once again, NO COMPLAINTS here! I told Brandon I don't know what it would have been like if she had been our first, but he just laughed and said, "Like we could have had more kids any sooner?" I guess the sleep doesn't matter all that much anyway, I just love babies!

Maybe Weakness Isn't So Bad

This post is to remind MYSELF of God's truth. The past week, the "big kids" have driven me CRAZY... is that horrible to admit? I think they are stir crazy, tired of summer, and bored with me. So, they pull out every toy they own, destroy everything I have just cleaned, get toothpaste all over the bathroom sink, tear up paper into tiny pieces to "decorate" their room, etc, etc. I have lost my patience, been visibly frustrated, sent them to time out just so I wouldn't yell at them, and broken down in tears. You would think a newborn would be the "thorn in my side" at the moment- NOPE, she has been sweet. She has started spitting up some, a little fussy sometimes, but she still sleeps well and snuggles like a champ. I told a friend that I would love a day just with the baby, that would be a vacation from these wild kids. Not to discredit how hard one child is, I know how hard babies are, whether you have 1 or 3! It hasn't helped that Brandon has been on a bad rotation at work this month, the first two weeks were night shift, and now he just has long days and works all weekend. He is helpful when he is home, so it hurts not to have him!
This morning I sat down with coffee to do my quiet time, and I was reminded that I should be thankful even in times like this! I need Him to remind me that when I feel the weakest, I should be relying solely on HIM! He is using these times to draw me closer to Him.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10- "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, 'I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."