thanksgiving

Each and everyday I am thankful for so many things. I've been blessed with so many wonderful things in my life. I have a happy and healthy family and for that I am truly grateful. This past Thanksgiving my mom and Jim spent the day with us. I cooked and put up Christmas decorations. Mom and Jim entertained the girls for most of the day. Addison decided that she needed to look pretty for dinner. She pulled out her Halloween makeup and went to town. I didn't care one bit.

I'm thankful that I get to take pictures like this.

 Addison didn't want Morgan to feel left out so she prettied her up too.

Today my brother and sis-in-law officially became the parents of baby M. They will soon have the birth certificate to prove it. They have been blessed with a beautiful baby girl. I'm thankful she's a part of our family.

We're in full Christmas mode around our house. The decorations are up and presents are being purchased. Zarkle the elf has arrived and Addison keeps asking me if he's real. Christmas books are read each night before bed. And every stuffed animal that plays Christmas music and dances is being tested. Michael and I are loving it! No, seriously. We are.

*last photo by Taryn Lewis at www.thesugartreestudios.com

a little extreme

This is a true depiction of what goes on at our house on the weekends after the girls go to bed.

On this particular Saturday night:

• Tennessee football is on the computer to the left because they suck so bad and weren't on tv.
• Some kind of political site on computer in his lap.
• Checking other football scores on the phone.
• Beer
• Who knows what is on the tv, but I'm sure it wasn't anything too important or how on earth could he keep up.
• Me? In the bedroom catching up on my dvr'd shows.

Boring and lame to some, but for us - totally AWESOME!

stats and shots, two kinds

This past Friday I took Morgan to the doctor for her 18 month well visit. Here's the stats:

Weight:   21.8 pounds / 15th percentile
Height:    33 inches / 85 percentile
Head:      18.125 inches / 35th percentile

In three months she's gained 6 ounces and grown 1.5 inches. The girl can eat so I'm really not sure where the food is going. Doc doesn't have any concerns about her weight since she's still progressing and eating a well balanced diet. She got 3 shots and it was a little rough for both of us. I think she knows they're coming now. Overall she's healthy and that's all that matters. She's just a little peanut and I'm okay with that. I think it makes her more snuggly.

And doesn't this picture just make you want to snuggle her more?

We went this past Sunday and had family pictures taken by Taryn (see her HERE). We've worked with her several times now and she knows just what to do to get the girls to cooperate. I think they are use to her and her camera too. The weather was perfect and thanks to the rubber chicken we had a good time. I can't wait to see the rest of them.

You want to see another one? Addison pulled her usual, but somehow Taryn makes it work. Doesn't she look so grown up?

If you need GREAT pictures, go see Taryn. She'll make it happen.

*done by: Taryn Lewis photography - www.thesugartreestudios.com

year and a half

Dear Morgan,

Yesterday was my birthday. It was sort of a birthday for you too. You've been on this earth and in my arms for a year and half now. I held you the other night after you got out of the bath, all wrapped up in your towel. It's one of the only times during the day that you let me cradle and rock you back and forth while signing you a song. You look up at me and you know that I am your momma. You smile behind your paci, water still on your face. I look down and thank God that he sent you to me. I used to hold a snugly baby, but now you're half as tall as me. It's hard for me to keep your feet warm because they stick out from under the towel. Some nights I get teary because you're growing so fast. All of this is short lived. A few minutes pass and then you're on the go again.

You are so full of energy. So full of life. There is not a thing in our house that goes untouched. I randomly hear the pantry door open and I know you are in the junk drawer pulling something out that you shouldn't. We've had to permanently remove the scissors from the drawer because they were your favorite thing. The scotch tape and pliers soon followed. You love to go in the bathroom and pull all of my lotions and toothpaste out of the drawer. I usually find a trail to your toys when I come home in the afternoon. If the house is quiet I know I can find you in your room. You're either sitting in the floor flipping through books, pulling all of the shoes out of your dresser, or locking yourself in your closet. Most of the time you can open the door and get out on your own, but when you get stuck I giggle a little. Watching you dance has to be one of the cutest things ever. You start breaking it down to anything that sounds close to a tune. The head bob, knee bounce and body wiggle are your signature moves.

The constant noise is both cute and a little annoying. You and Addison love to egg each other on, especially when you shouldn't be.The quiet dinners we use to have are long gone. You look up to your sister so much. You copy her movements and sounds and always want what she has. The fight over the crayons is always a favorite. I'm not sure why you have to have the one that she is coloring with when the tub of 50 is sitting right in front of you. The other night you found a marker that you know you're not allowed to have and then ran to the kitchen to check it out. I laughed at your sneakiness. Books and puzzles are all the rage right now, specifically those with animals. If you see a star or a spider you break out the hand movements used in the songs. You've recently perfected your animal sounds. The meow is definitely the cutest and the quack quack makes me smile. You stop in your tracks if you hear a dog in the distance just to imitate it. Every night when we pull in you start screaming for dada. You don't call me mama often so it makes it that more special when you do.

I still can't get over how blonde your hair is and how long and curly it is in the back. Your daddy is begging me to cut it, but I refuse. I don't want it to ever change. You are now an excellent sleeper. In the morning when you wake up you always snuggle with me or daddy for a good ten minutes before starting your day. I never have to worry about you eating enough because you love to shovel it in. I still worry about you putting whole animal cookies in your mouth, but not as much as before. I think you've become a pro at eating like this. I just make sure you have plenty of milk to wash it down. You know what you want and have a serious attitude when you don't get your way. You slap your belly and pout. Every time you trip and fall or bump your head I freak out a little. I still fear that you will have a seizure. The other night I put you to bed and for some reason I had to check on your 3 times that night. I admit I'm a little over protective of you because of everything that happen, but that's okay. I'm your mom. I'm allowed to be.

I love you more than words.

Love,
Mama

(All pictures were taken last night while eating our birthday cupcakes. Daddy was behind me making you laugh.)

no milk needed

What's better than an Oreo?

Probably not much.

But Oreo pudding,

is definitley up there.

trick-or-treat

This is the last of them. Promise. I try so hard to get a good family picture. It almost happen, but Addison is doing some mouth thing. Trust me. This was the better of the two of them. I've already started bribing her for family pictures this weekend.

Start of the evening. They were checking out the neighbor's house to see if they were home. Addison picked out a lollipop and sucked on that thing all night. We were both a sticky mess by the time it was all over.

Morgan was so funny. She would walk up to a door with Addison and as soon as it opened she would run away. There was no fear. I honestly think she thought it was a game. Addison would get her candy, say "thank you" and then reach in the bowl for another piece. The people thought she was being greedy, but she was really getting a piece to give to Morgan. Everyone melted when they realized what she was doing.

I did wear wings and a Halloween headband. Addison loved it. These were the end of the night. Notice the candy in their hands.

Most of the stuff is now put away and I'm gearing up for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm taking a break this weekend though to get caught up on my shows.

mistake

Normally we carve the pumpkin in the kitchen floor and everyone participates. This year we waited until the last minute. Saturday morning rolled around and the thing was sitting there still uncarved so we headed to the front yard. The girls and I were still in our pajamas, but that's how we do it around our house.

Huge mistake.

Morgan wanted nothing to do with the pumpkin because there were balls and push lawnmowers calling her name. Addison just wanted to ride her bike. After some pleading Michael finally convinced her to help cut. I think it was the knife part that drew her in.

A big thank you to my dad for getting me the pumpkin carving kit last year. It makes such a huge difference when you're not using a butcher knife from your kitchen. I think the finished product turned out pretty good.

the day before halloween

This past Saturday marked the 4 year anniversary of my mom's first breast cancer surgery. I sat in the waiting room with other people who love her, waiting for the news that everything was okay. It was and still is. I'm just grateful that she found it early and that the doctors were aggressive. She was in surgery within weeks. I was pregnant with Addison, worn out and tired from the two days I was back at home. But I had it easy. I know the chemo wore her down and it was rough for awhile, but here we are today.

Today she gets to feed the geese in the backyard with her granddaughters.

She gets to enjoy the little things in life, like seeing someone smile.

And she gets to celebrate her four years of surviving.

I love you mom and I'm proud of you for being so strong.

(I know it's hard to count them, but there were 34 geese in the backyard that day. And Morgan likes to eat the bread just like her sister.)