Wordless Wednesday

3 Year & 4 Month Checkups

I took Avi and Sally Sharp for their 3 year and 4 month checkups respectively about a week and a half ago. We never made it to Avi's 2 year checkup (!), so I was curious to see how tall she was. I was also very curious to see how much Sally Sharp weighed. They had both grown a lot and got a thumbs up on their development! See below for details.

Sally Sharp:

Weight--14 pounds 10 ounces (90%)

Length--25 inches (90%)

Her smile is infectious!

She's also doing a lot of sucking on her fists and fingers these days. She's been a bit fussy the past few days, and she's drooling like a faucet, so if I didn't know any better, I'd say she was teething (even though it is really too early for that in my opinion!).

Look who's exersaucing! She's still working on figuring out how to use her hands appropriately while in the fun contraption, but she enjoys being able to look around.

Avi Grace:

Weight--31 pounds (75%)

Height--38 3/4 inches (90%)

She enjoys reading to Sally Sharp :).

New Hats & A Movie

Avi wearing her "303" glasses, as she calls them LOL, from the movie!

Those of you on Facebook already know that I took Avi to her first movie at a theater on Saturday, but I also wanted to make sure it was documented here. We went to see Tangled, and she loved it. She even wore her 3D glasses the entire time without a fuss. During the movie, she would turn to me and raise her shoulders and just giggle! It was adorable. She is still too light to sit in one of the theater seats without it closing up on her, so she spent some time sitting in my lap and she sat in her chair just leaning forward. At one point I leaned forward, and she told me I needed to sit back! At the end of the movie when Rapunzel found her real parents, Avi said out loud (about Rapunzel and her mom), "They match!" We had a great time, and I can't wait to go to another movie with her soon.

Aren't these hats adorable? A girl from West Point whipped these up for me. They are faces of "girl cows." I think they are so cute, and the girls enjoyed wearing them yesterday for the first time! I got them on Friday, just in the nick of time for this crazy freezing weather!!

Giving Thanks, Y'all!

Can I just say how thankful I am for my family? God has given us 2 beautiful, sweet, loving little girls who keep amazing us every day. We are blessed beyond anything we could want for, and so many times we take it all for granted. Even after having a beautiful baby boy taken from us, we are no different from everyone else...we still take life and our many blessings for granted. Today I am reflecting on God's faithfulness. We don't deserve His grace, but thankfully His grace covers us and we are saved from ourselves because of Him.

Sally Sharp at 3 and a half months (She's 4 months now but I am behind on posting pics). I love her big eyes and long eyelashes.

I love the high heels and pearls with her Minnie costume :), and yes, she is still wearing her Minnie costume almost daily. Can you guess what she is getting for Christmas?

I know it may seem strange that I posted this picture, but for some reason I love it! Not a care in the world...just playing with her jeep in her Minnie costume!

Grandaddy and Avi a couple of Saturdays ago at our house.

We are also thankful for wonderful Grandparents who spend so much time with our children. (Sorry this is the only picture of grandparents today...it was the most recent one I have taken). But, between Drew and I and our parents, we definitely have 2 very loved children that we are beyond thankful for today and every day. Thanks Grandparents for always spending time with our children and giving them so much love.

My Love for Unique Items & Shutterfly

So, friends, here’s the deal. I love all things creative…I’m not saying I am the best at actually making creative things by any means, but I am in love with and thoroughly enjoy obsess over fabrics, colors, furniture—old and new, oil paintings—florals, still lifes, portraits, interesting papers and cards, and pretty much anything else you can think of along those lines. It just makes my heart happy. I could spend my life searching antique malls and just random stores that carry unique items. Anything that is out of the ordinary…I love it.

You may be asking yourself why I am telling you all of this. So, I’ll tell you! One place I enjoy spending time on is Shutterfly.com. They have unique and interesting Christmas cards, gift tags, address labels, birthday invitations, and photo books., among other fun items. I have ordered multiple items from Shutterfly…my Christmas card from last year was created by Shutterfly (If I had a scanner at home, I would post my actual card from last year). I'm planning to order my Christmas card from Shutterfly this year as well. My favorites this year are...well I have lots of favorites, but here are 3 that I really love: Family Wall Red, Swirling Ornaments, and Initially Yours. I think each of these designs is unique and fun, and you will probably be seeing one of these cards in the mail during December, unless I find another Shutterfly card that I love even better between now and then :).

Okay, so here's what I haven't told you yet. You need to blog about Shutterfly too! The awesome site is offering bloggers the opportunity to get 50 free holiday cards. You should sign up to receive the cards yourself

Baby Talk

I love to hear Sally Sharp squeal and talk. She especially likes to squeal when she is watching her mobile. So much fun. In other SS news, she has thankfully pretty well developed her morning nap. About 2 weeks ago she started stretching out her morning nap to between an hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours. Her other naps are kind of hit or miss...she will wake up about 45 minutes into a nap, but she is still sleepy. It can be frustrating, but it is very sweet to cuddle with her when she still needs to sleep. She has also begun going down in her bassinet (yep, she's still in the bassinet at almost 4 months--and she sleeps in our laundry room, but that is for another post and another day!) very well for naps without crying, and she does the same at night for bedtime. She is still getting up once to eat at night, but goes back down very easily. As long as she is going back to sleep, I can handle it. There for a while, I thought she'd never get the hang of "it's still the middle of the night...please go back to sleep!" Oh well, the joys of motherhood :). We are just so blessed and thankful for 2 healthy sweet girls.

Sweet Saturday

Isn't this the sweetest face ever?

While there was nothing particularly exciting about our Saturday, it was a pleasant day nonetheless. We spent most of the day around the house. The girls were sweet and we enjoyed the nice (but cooler) weather outside.

Sally Sharp is really talking and kicking her legs these days, which moves her all around when she's looking at her mobile. She started laughing out loud this past week, which I love! It's so sweet. Avi Grace still loves on her baby sister all the time, and Sally Sharp is keeping her eyes on Avi more and more! Much fun in the future for these too, I'm sure!

Happy Halloween!

So Avi Grace was Minnie Mouse this year. I love her costume. I think it is adorable on her. She loves it too. She's been wearing it every day for about 3 weeks now! We had perfect weather here today, and Avi Grace and I went to the Fall Festival at our church tonight. Drew and Sally Sharp stayed home to make things a little easier on everyone.

The girls and daddy

At the fall festival, we pretty much spent the entire hour and a half outside at the jumpers.

She had a blast! She went down the slide over and over again!!

Avi got to wear her costume to school on Friday, and as we were getting ready to leave the house, I put Sally Sharp in the chair as I went to the bedroom to grab something. When I came out of the bedroom, I found them in the chair together, and Avi had her arm around Sally Sharp. Very sweet.

I'm Sorry, But...

I just had to post this picture. I've been debating for a while now as to whether to post it or not. It's just too funny not to post...but I guess I'll let you be the judge of that!About a week after Sally Sharp was born, I was feeding her one day, and Avi asked me to take her shirt off. I thought it a little strange, but I complied nonetheless. The next thing I know she had gotten her baby doll, Penny, and was "feeding" her just like mommy was feeding Sally Sharp. I had a good laugh at it and told Drew about it. Then, Avi continued to "feed" her baby. I finally got a picture of it, but I lost it with the pictures from the birthday party (so sad about losing those pics). I was able to get another shot of her "feeding" the other day...complete with the boppy and everything! Quite hilarious!

Since Sally Sharp has been born, I have enjoyed questions like, "Mommy, why does Sally Sharp drink milk from your tummy?" And statements like, "Mommy, I want to drink milk like that too." Um, I don't think so, sweetheart!

She definitely makes us laugh at times, and she is definitely trying my patience at times these days. I've heard from many friends that age 3 is harder than age 2 because they know what they are doing when they talk back...I'm beginning to believe them! We've had more time outs and spankings lately than I would like to acknowledge, and it doesn't really seem to phase her! We are working through the discipline! (As I am typing this, I just had to tell her to stop jumping on the couch, and she laughed at me!) Dear Lord, please give me patience! Ha!

Three Months Old Today

Sally Sharp is 3 months old today (Thursday, October 21st). Where has the time gone? It is amazing to me how just in the past two weeks she has really started to develop. These are just a few facts about little Sally Sharper (as we call her most of the time):

• She loves her bath time

• She is cooing and squealing up a storm

• She loves her bumbo seat

• She is so close to finding her feet it's not even funny

• She has taken a 2 hour nap and a 3 hour nap in her bed the past two days respectively--woohoo

• She still spits up all the time, but she is much better adjusted to eating and burping

Okay, so I wanted to post a picture with this, but I forgot to take one of her today :(. I will try to take one of her tomorrow and post it!

AVI-isms Part II

I've been wanting to post these for some time now. I've been writing things down as I have remembered them, and I just haven't taken the time to sit down and post them. Avi came home from school with a fever on Tuesday, so we are at home and I have time to do it! She's feeling better today...has had no real symptoms other than fever. Strange. Enjoy my sweet little girl's fun words! (P.S. She has started speaking this jibberish that is just really annoying...not sure it's okay to say that about something your child does, but it is annoying nonetheless...we've told her over and over again not to speak like that, but she continues to do it some. Hopefully she will get over that phase soon!)

Magazing--love the "g" she puts on the end of this word. She's actually looking at a magazing right beside me as I type this blog post (eddiebauer...I'm sure it is very interesting to her!).

Breppast--this would be what she eats for nourishment in the morning time. Usually it is a blueberry nutrigrain bar and some yogurt.

Helfy--in other words, is this good for me to eat? Drew started talking with her some time ago about healthy food and explaining that some foods are healthy and some are not. Now she asks us about almost every food..."Is [insert food] healthy, daddy?" Guess it's never to early to learn about eating healthy foods. Yesterday she asked me if Cheetos were helfy, as she was eating them for lunch at Bulldog Deli :).

All Aborn--we have a Mickey Mouse DVD that is about a choo choo train (she's actually watching it right now too...she's a multi-tasker already). Anytime they say All Aboard, she always says, "All Aborn." It's quite cute.

Mickey Mouse Clughouse--speaking of Mickey Mouse, instead of Clubhouse, she says "Clughouse." Too cute.

Basagna--a.k.a lasagna

Cuvvy--okay, any guesses as to what this one is? This is her word for her cubby in her classroom where her nap mat goes! I love to hear her say this one.

Antything--the extra "t" just makes it unique.

Shoe Fox--"Have you ever seen a shoe fox"...or actually it should be shoe box! There is a song on a CD we listen to in the car that sings "Have you ever seen a shoe box," and she always says shoe fox. Funny.

Garvies--My all time favorite. Bet you can't guess what this one is. I haven't had the heart to correct her on this one because I love it so much. Garvies. Yes, Barbies. When she goes to my mom's house, she plays with mine and my sister's old Barbies or Garvies as she has always called them. I just want to hug her when she says it. I think it is adorable.

I'm sure I've left some out, and as soon as I post this I will think of 3 more! I'll start writing them down again so I can share again soon.

Wordless Wednesday

My Little Smiley Girl

Such a sweet smile! It melts my heart. I love it.

When she's focused on your face, it just makes you want to squeeze her!

I got out the bumbo seat on Friday. She loves it. She enjoys sitting up and being able to see everything that is going on around her.

And of course, Avi Grace had to have her turn in the bumbo seat as well! Ha!

She started doing her "crunches" as I like to call them about a week and a half ago. Anytime she is on her back, she kicks her legs incessantly and picks her sweet little head up. Cuteness.

Wow...

Sally Sharp is a BIG GIRL. She will be 3 months old on Thursday, and she wore an outfit on Friday that Avi Grace was wearing when she was 6 months old!! (Avi Grace on the top and Sally Sharp on the bottom.) Cracks me up! Sally Sharp loves to be outside these days. If she is fussy and we go on the back porch and sit on the swing, she pretty much automatically settles down. And, thankfully we have had some BEAUTIFUL weather here lately. We thoroughly enjoyed the weather this weekend. We have finally settled into a little bit of a routine at night with the girls as far as getting them to sleep, etc. It is nice to have a somewhat predictable nightly routine again :).

Sally Sharp Snapshots

Sitting with Daddy before church last Sunday. Avi Grace refused to join in the picture!

Playing in her bouncy seat (she likes it for about 5 minutes, but in the beginning she is very animated in interacting with it!).

All this fun makes me sleepy!

Tummy time is hard work.

Patience is a Virtue...

And unfortunately I have none. I'm still praying for God to grant me patience! I've done this before (building that is)...I don't know why I thought it would be any different this time! Building a house takes FOREVER, and it is a very frustrating process. The house has only been under construction since the middle of July, I know (not to mention the house was started the week before I had Sally Sharp and I've been trying to make decisions with an infant on board), but it just seems like everything takes longer than it should. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about the people actually building the house. They are doing a great job and have been easy to work with, thankfully. It's just the process that I'm frustrated with! It is exciting to see the changes, but I'm ready to be blacked in and working on the inside...it will still be a while before that happens :).

View of the house from the street in front.

Very front of the house.

View of the lake from the upstairs sitting area.

One of the interior brick walls. This is the wall the stairs will be attached to.

The backyard from upstairs in one of the girl's rooms.

Back patio between the house and the garage.

Back of the house.

Another view of the back of the house.

Sally Sharp's 2 Month Checkup

(Two posts today, so keep scrolling down after you read this one.)

I took Sally Sharp for her 2 month checkup last Monday (yes, I'm sorry, it has been almost 2 weeks since I took her, and I am just now posting about it). She's doing great. She weighed 12 pounds, 11 ounces (90th percentile) and was 23 inches long (75th percentile). She has settled into eating about every 4 hours during the day and for about 2 weeks now she's been consistently sleeping for at least about an 8 hour stretch, and last night she slept for 10 hours (hopefully it won't change now that I have put it into writing!!). The nighttime is a juggling process these days. Most nights I feel like we barely make it through getting both of the girls to sleep, but I know with time it will get easier...I'm looking forward to those days!

Avi Grace still LOVES her baby sister. She is very sweet and kind to Sally Sharp; she's like a little mama to her, and she's pretty helpful when I need her to get things for me. Sweet times.

Random Update...I've Been Slacking!

I made cupcakes to send to school for Avi Grace's birthday a couple of weeks ago. We let her eat one on her actual birthday(the night before we took them to school), and she was so excited. Have I ever mentioned she L.O.V.E.S. cupcakes?

Can you tell she enjoyed it?

These are just a few of the birthday presents Avi got from her friends and family. The cheerleader uniform is courtesy of Aunt JoJo, Uncle Cory, Laura Leigh and Walt. She absolutely loves wearing it, and I can hardly get her to take it off. The adorable doll that you can color on is from AnnaClaire, and the high heels and beads are from Emily Adkerson. The high heels are another favorite. She cracks us up walking around in them...like she was born to wear them. However, you have to watch out, she has stepped on my toes/foot several times, and it really hurts!

I showed her a few cheerleader moves...we're still working on them (not sure I'm the best person to show her; I was only a cheerleader for one year when I was in the 7th grade)!

I took this picture this morning before I took Avi to school. She is wearing a cute dress her Nana made her (we've been waiting to wear it for some time now...it's been a little big). She was super excited it was wearable this morning. And her teacher at school is letting them do show and tell every Friday, and today she took her Strawberry Shortcake figure...that she adores. I grabbed a happy meal at McD's on Wednesday to take to Bible study for lunch, and the Strawberry Shortcake was the prize. I remember playing with Strawberry Shortcake when I was a little girl. I always loved how she smelled like Strawberries, and Avi loves it too! She took Strawberry Shortcake to school this morning to show her friends for show and tell.