Halloween

Dearest Gifts~

Happy Halloween!  I put you two in the only orange shirts I could find!  Grace, you wore one of Joshua's shirts that he grew out of.  So, it was big on you but you didn't seem to mind.  ;-)

Grace, you woke up at 4:40am.  Daddy changed you and then I nursed you.  I also got a quick pump in this morning to build up your mommy milk for wednesday.  You also ate an entire container of a chicken and veggie mixture!  Whoa little lady!  :-)

Joshua, you did well for Kim today during speech therapy.  You made your 'yummy' noise of 'mmmm' one time and Kim was so excited!  We have to keep practicing at home.  We did the PECS program more and you identified pictures in a book with 93% accuracy.  Way to go little man!

You two napped once we were home.  Afterward, I changed you two into new diapers.  Joshua, you ate one and a quarter string cheeses and Grace, you ate an entire mixture of apples, strawberries, and bananas!

After you all ate, you two helped me sweep and vacuum the kitchen.  Then, we vacuumed the living room.  :-)

We had fun this afternoon .... we baked some chocolate chip cookies!  Woo hoo!  The kitchen smelled nice once we were done!

It rained this afternoon and evening.  The temperature also dipped, so we didn't go out for 'trick or treating' .... in fact, we didn't even put our lights on to give out candy.  We didn't even buy any.  We still had one person ring our doorbell while we were eating dinner.  :-)

Our contractor, Kenneth, called me late this afternoon.  He and his crew are coming over tomorrow to open up that wall between the living room and the study!  Woo hoo!  After dinner, daddy helped us move all the furntire out and take down the pictures on the wall.  The house will look nice once that's open.  You two will have so much room to play in.  Then, we'll have the carpets taken out and new floors placed.  The carpet needs to be ripped out since the cat peed everywhere!  Yuck!

Joshua, you didn't have a great dinner.  You tried different things by putting them in your mouth .... eggs, veggies .... but then you spit them out.  Ugh!  Grace, you ate almost an entire container of fruit and rice cereal .... you had almost 3 whole containers of solid food total .... 10.5 ounces!  Wow!

This evening we all played.  I weighed both of you.  Grace, you're 16.5 pounds and Joshua, you're 24 pounds!  Whoa!  You're getting heavy little man!  ;-)  Oh, I cut Grace's nails this evening because they were so sharp.  She was pimching me each time I nursed her.  :-P

I hope the weather is better tomorrow! 

Sleep tight little ones!

I love you both!

~Mommy

Daddy Home

Dearest Angels~

Little lady, you stirred and made some noises at 2:20am this morning.  You didn't wake up though.  I got up and checked on you and Joshua.  You didn't wake up to eat until 6am.  I changed your diaper and then nursed you.  You fell asleep early last night, so I was surprised you slept until 6am!  Wow!

We all played this morning with Uncle James.  Joshua, you stacked more blocks with his help.  :-)  You mostly like to knock them over.  :-P  We put on some old 'He-Man' shows to watch too.

Joshua, you ate some cheerios this morning.  Grace, you ate a container of oatmeal and fruit.  You ate another whole container at lunch!  Joshua, you ate an entire string cheese and spit out everything else.

Uncle James left at lunch time.  So, once people were fed, we went upstairs and played.  I got a pump in while you two crawled and ran around.  Then, we went into Joshua's room and we all laid down on his bed.  I sand to you all as Joshua went down for a nap.  I ended up nursing Grace and then she fell asleep too.  I closed my eyes and laid with you two.  I really enjoyed the moment .... we are so blessed to have you two!  :-)

Daddy got home around 4pm.  His flights were delayed.  He came in right when Joshua was waking up.  Once we caught up with daddy, we made a quick trip to Target to get a few little things and to stretch our legs.  Joshua, you ate two cookies! 

At dinner, Grace ate an entire container of a veggie and chicken mixture.  You ate at least 2.5 containers of solid food today!  Joshua, you ate a little bit of pizza, hotdog, and puffs.

This evening we relaxed as a family.  We missed daddy and he missed us.  It was nice to be a complete family again!  

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both so much!

~Mommy

34 Years

Dearest Blessings~

Thirty four years ago today your Gigi and Grandpa Jim got married on Carolina Beach.  Today we celebrated the wonderful blessing of their marriage.  I pray that daddy and I have 34 years together .... and then some!  :-)

This morning Grace woke up at 5:20am.  I was a little surprised since she ate so well yesterday.  I changed and nursed her and then listened to the rain fall outside.  Joshua woke up at 7am and immediately ran into the bonus room to play with Grandpa Jim. 

Joshua, you didn't want any Cheerios this morning.  Grace, you ate a little bit of oatmeal with fruit.  You also tried a 'puff' for the first time.  It's basically a 'cheerio' that dissolves in your mouth.  You gave the funniest face with it!  We'll keep trying since you're eating more solid foods .... plus it will help your fine motor skills to learn to pick them up!

This morning you all played with Grandpa Jim, Gigi, and Uncle James .... remember they all spent the night since daddy was out of town.  I prepared the crock pot for an anniversary pot roast and veggies!  

Grace, you have two new nicknames .... Gigi calls you 'chickpea' since my nickname is 'sweetpea' .... and Grandpa Jim calls you 'scooter' since you're really crawling fast now!  He also still calls you 'peanut' too!  :-)

Joshua, you love playing with Uncle James.  You all had art time this morning, and played with some puzzles and blocks.  Grandpa Jim helped us with some errands .... he took all our boxes to the recycling center.  Everyone helped us rearrange and organize the playroom and Joshua's room.

We all watched the UNC football game this afternoon!  It was homecoming at UNC this weekend.  We were going to meet our friends there .... Stephanie, Emily, Sherrill, Alicia .... but things just got so busy this weekend and daddy was gone.  But, UNC won!  Woo hoo!

This evening Joshua had a chicken nugget and a few hotdog pieces.  Grace, you ate a container of oatmeal and fruit.  But, you also spit up this evening.  You haven't done that in a long time.

Uncle James stayed with us this evening.  It was really nice to catch up with him since I don't get to see him very often.  Plus, Joshua loved having someone to stack blocks with.  Grace, you got your hand squished by a toy but it was an accident and you were fine once I picked you up.

Uncle James read Joshua his bedtime story.  I stayed in his room and laid down in his bed with him until he fell asleep.  Grace, you fell asleep early in the crib after I nursed you.  We'll see how long you stay sleeping.

This afternoon was our friend Allison's mom's memorial service.  I went as you all played at the house.  Allison spoke touching words about her mother during the service and I wanted to share with you both some things that she said.  

She said something that's so true .... every generation goes through it without realizing it at the time.  Every little girl grows up trying not to become their mother.  But, despite their best effort and intentions, they always do.  As she spoke of her own similarity to her mother, I started to think of my own mother, Gigi.  I hope I become like my mother as well, even if I just become half the person she is. Which means, Grace .... you may become like me!  ;-)

It was cold and rainy all morning.  But, as the service started, the sun came out.  It looked like God's shining light coming into the church.  We will continue to pray for Allison and her father during this time.  

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both!

~Mommy

8 Months

Dearest Precious Angels~

Guess what today is .... today Grace turns 8 months old!  Wow little lady!  You're getting so old!  ;-)

Daddy woke up at 2:28am this morning.  He didn't feel well.  I woke up too.  Neither of us slept well since daddy was flying out to New Orleans today for a wedding.  We were both invited, but I decided to stay here with you all since I'm still nursing Grace.  Daddy will be back home sunday afternoon, so we'll be separated for 2.5 days.  :-( 

Daddy left at 4:30am to catch his 6am flight.  He didn't want to leave us and we missed him as soon as he left.  Joshua got up as daddy was leaving.  He whimpered in the hallway because he didn't want daddy to go.  Daddy got to kiss you little man.  Then, I put you back in your bed and laid down with you and fell asleep with you.  I listened to you breathing before I fell asleep.  I stayed there until 6:20am when Grace woke up.  I changed her and then nursed her.

Grace, you ate some puréed mac and cheese this morning.  Joshua, you ate some gold fish, but I had to take them away from you because Grace got a few in her mouth!

I boiled some hotdogs for Joshua this morning.  Today was a cold and wet day.  However, we did manage to get out some and run a few errands.

First, we dropped off a teapot that we sold online.  It was our first sale!  Ha!  We're saving up for a camera lens!  ;-)  Then, we went to Target for some groceries.  Joshua, you ate two cookies!  After that, we gassed up the car and headed home.

We were home by lunch.  Joshua, you ate one third of a hotdog and Grace finished her mac and cheese mixture.  You started a chicken noodle mix.

We had some music and play time this afternoon.  Joshua, you took a nap at 2pm.  After your nap, we picked up Joshua' new prevacid prescription.  They made it a liquid so we'll see how well that works vs the pill.  I did a dry spoon trial with Joshua once home.  I had to hold his hands down, but he became more cooperative towards the end.

This evening Gigi, Grandpa Jim, and Uncle James came over!  We all had dinner together and Joshua ate some chicken nuggets!  Grace, you ate 1.5 containers of chicken noodle .... that means you ate 2.5 containers of solid food today (about 8.5 ounces).  :-)

We all played this evening and watched some baseball.  Grandpa Jim's team the St. Louis Cardinals won the world series!  Woo hoo!  I read Joshua his bedtime story and then Gigi stayed next to him until he fell asleep.  I nursed Grace.  Grandpa Jim, Gigi, and Uncle James spent the night with us.  :-)

Tomorrow is Gigi and Grandpa Jim's 34th wedding anniversary so we're going to celebrate!  :-)

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both!

~Mommy

Crowns

Dearest Gifts~

At 6:20am, daddy changed little Grace's diaper.  I nursed her and then got ready for work.  Joshua, you were awake this morning, so I got to kiss you before leaving.  :-)

I had a good day at work.  I got to deliver two crowns this morning .... for teeth #8 and #9 .... and the patient was so happy with them!  She said she stopped smiling in photographs because she didn't like how her teeth looked.  Now, she was happy to smile!  The assistant, Hilsy, and I were also excited for her.  We don't always get patients who are grateful and thank us for what we do!  It really made our day!  :-)

Penny said that Joshua ate pretty well today!  And Grace ate an entire pureed mac and cheese mixture!  Wow!  Penny also noted that Grace is waving, or at least trying to wave, bye bye now.  You three went to the park again today and played with a little boy named Derick.  Joshua, you took two of your toy cars to the park and you shared them with Derick!  And, you showed him how to wave!  Wow!  So, now that we know you're capable of sharing, lets work on that at home with Grace, ok?  ;-)  

You two greeted daddy on the front porch this afternoon.  Joshua, you had your toy lawn mower out and you were mowing the lawn.  Too cute!  Grace, you were sitting in a box .... or a 'Penny chair' .... to 'contain you' as Penny said!  Ha!  It was a short box, so you were looking out at Joshua and daddy!  Ha!  I guess I should show Penny where the pack and play is located!  ;-)

Grace, when you pull up on furniture, you're starting to take some side steps to get around while holding on.  It won't be long now before you're running all around like Joshua!  You love watching him run too!  :-)

This evening we helped daddy pack for his trip.  He's flying to New Orleans this weekend for a wedding.  Joshua, this means you'll be the man of the house.  You'll have to help Grace and I out this weekend.  Daddy will be back by sunday afternoon, but we'll miss him.  This will be the first time we'll be separated for any real amount of time!  Daddy's flight is at 6am tomorrow morning, so I know we probably won't sleep well since we'll be anxious about his trip.  We'll say a little prayer for daddy's flight before bed.

Sleep tight you two!

I love you so much!  

~Mommy

Showing Off

Dearest Miracles~

Today is your Great Grandma's birthday!  We were able to speak to her and sing her 'happy birthday' this evening once I was home from work!  She missed you two and I know you all miss her as well.  We need to find some time to go to Asheboro to visit.

Little lady, you woke up at 5:30am this morning.  Daddy changed your diaper and then I nursed you.  You two were both up and playing around by the time Penny got here.  I kissed you both before leaving for work.

You all had fun with Penny today.  You two had some art time and play time at the park.  You all met a little girl named Emma and one named Alice.  Penny said that Joshua said 'bye bye' to them as they were leaving!  Wow!  You never say that little man!  Where you showing off for the ladies?  ;-)

Uncle Brennan and Aunt Katie came by this afternoon to relieve Penny.  You all were playing when I walked in.  Grace, you ate some sweet potato and corn mixture.  Daddy picked up some Bojanges for dinner and Joshua had some french fries.  

I worked some more thank you cards this evening .... one from Joshua's birthday and one for the Gibson's .... remember they cooked us dinner last weekend?  Afterward, we all relaxed in the play room.  

Tomorrow's another day at work, but then we get the spend five whole days together!  I miss you two each time I leave!  

Sleep tight!

I love you both!

~Mommy

Early Appointment

Dearest Blessings~

What a sleepless morning!  For some reason, Joshua, you got out of your bed and started to whimper as you walked through the hallway into our bedroom.  It was 3:30am.  You ended up noodling into our bed to sleep.  Then, at 4am, Grace got up hungry.  Daddy changed her diaper and then I nursed her.  I didn't put her back into her crib until 5am.  :-P

I ended up having to wake up Joshua early so we could get ready for his appointment.  We had an appointment at Rex Hospital to see more of the feeding team.  We had to leave the house a little after 8am to make it in time.  And, we would have been early if the traffic wasn't backed up on the beltline.  We were about 5 minutes late.  :-P 

We did some dry spoon trials with Krista, a speech and language pathologist there who also works with food aversion.  It took a long time to do the trials because Joshua is so stubborn.  :-P  You have a very strong will and did not want to open your mouth for a dry spoon.  That was behavior, nor reflux, since there was nothing on the spoon.  But, you're not the most extreme case that she's seen.  She's once saw a two year old girl who was still nursing and not eating any solid foods!  Grace, sweetie, you will definitely be weaned prior to two years old!  ;-)

I tried you on the yogurt and gold fish crackers as well.  You spit out the yogurt and a few gold fish.  That, she said, was reflux because you also coughed with them.  They are suppose to call in a new prescription for prevacid as a liquid since you don't take the pills very well.  And, depending on how that goes, you might go on a decongestant as well .... just for the side affect of weight gain.  We have another follow up appointment in november.

Once we were done, I ended up nursing Grace in the car.  Then, we made a quick trip to Target because we needed diapers!  We were home by lunch.  Joshua, you ate half a hotdog and Grace ate some peas, but not much.  Still don't like those peas, huh?  ;-)

Today was a beautiful day!  We went for another 6.5 mile walk this afternoon!  We did it in just shy of two hours .... I shaved a few minutes off my time!  ;-)  You two took a nice nap.  Oh, Joshua, you ate two thirds of a string cheese when we got back home. 

I organized your shelf in the fridge so Penny will know where your food is.  Then, I made my lunches for work this week as you two played.  You two also helped me start some laundry .... I forgot I needed to wash my scrubs for tomorrow! 

Joshua, you had a good dinner this evening.  You ate some shredded chicken, hotdog pieces, and some mac and cheese.  Grace, you ate almost a whole container of a sweet potato and corn mixture!  :-)

Joshua, daddy gave you a nice bath this evening after dinner.  Grace, you went with me to run an errand and you cried in the car the entire time.  :-P

I tried to see if you would calm yourself this evening, so I put you to bed by yourself in the crib little lady.  Nope.  You just kept crying and crying.  You ended up using me as a pacifier to go to bed.  You wake up crying and I wonder if this is why .... you can't go to bed by yourself, so once you fall asleep I put you in the crib.  This reminds me of Joshua when we tried to get him to sleep in crib .... he never learned to put himself to bed either.  

Tomorrow's another work day, so Penny will be here!  Daddy has a meeting after work, so Uncle Brennan and Aunt Katie will be here to watch you all once Penny needs to leave.  

Sleep tight!

I love you both!

~Mommy

Ribbon

Dearest Blessings~

Little lady, you woke up at 5:20am this morning.  Daddy changed you and I nursed you.  Once everyone else was up, I got a quick pump in.  Grace, you were not cooperative with your peas this morning.  :-P

Joshua, you weren't really with it today during your speech therapy appointment.  I wonder if you were just tired?  You didn't really cooperate with the PECS cards.  We'll keep trying at the house. 

You two both fell asleep in the car ride back home.  I quickly prepared the crock pot for dinner as you two napped.  I made some chicken and dumplings.  :-)  I put Joshua in his bed to nap and then I nursed Grace.  Grace, you got to play with all the toys since Joshua was napping and couldn't take them away!  Ha!  I ended up waking Joshua back up because he had a 2:30pm occupational therapy appointment with Mary Beth.  I moved both appointments to today since we're seeing the UNC feeding team at Rex tomorrow morning.

Grace, your poop is now green!  It must be from all the green beans, garden veggies, and peas you've been eating!  Ha!

Joshua, you did well with Mary Beth.  You did some swing exercises and therapy ball work.  She tried to get you to play with the shaving cream, but you didn't like that feeling on your hands!  

Once home, I got another quick pump in and Grace ate half a container of peas!  Woo hoo!
 

What what daddy did today .... he was able to pick up my photograph and ribbon from the Fair grounds during his lunch!  The last day of the Fair was yesterday, so everything had to be out of the building by today.  You all got to see the ribbon!  I'm so proud of it!  Yippie!  You two will have to continue to inspire and encourage me with photography!  :-)

You two had a great dinner.  Joshua, you ate at least half of a hotdog, some chicken, and a cookie!  Grace, you ate an entire garden veggie container and started on a new container of peas!  Wow!  I guess that means we'll see some more green poop in the future!  Oh, and Joshua, you can now use hard top sippy cups.  You wouldn't use them before, but I've been putting water in one and you've been drinking from it.  :-)

We watched some country/folk concerts this evening in the play room and relaxed.  I cut Joshua's nails before bedtime and it was a scream fest!  You fought me, but it had to get done.  They were getting long, sharp, and dirty!  I tried to calm you after with kisses.  Daddy was able to calm you though by reading you a story.  I nursed Grace. 

Tomorrow we head to Rex to see the feeding team.  The weather's suppose to be nice, so maybe we can go for a walk in the afternoon!  :-)

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both so very much!

~Mommy

Beautiful Hearts

Dearest Gifts~

Today is Cousin Stephanie's birthday!  I'm sure she'd hurt me if she knew I was telling you this .... but she's turning 30!  ;-)

Grace, you woke up at 5:40am this morning.  Daddy changed you and then I nursed you.  Once you were full awake, you had some garden veggies for breakfast.  You ate half a container!

I got a quick pump in this morning.  I'm building up some mommy milk for Grace for wednesday.  I love fridays and saturdays because those are my rest days from pumping.  ;-)  Then, I packed the diaper bag for our big day.  Grace, you also got a bath this morning.  Joshua, you'll likely get one tomorrow.  ;-)

We all went to Gigi's house for lunch today.  Grandpa Jim had some sandwiches there.  Once everyone ate, you two went for a little walk with daddy, Grandpa Jim, and Uncle James.  I stayed at the house and caught up with Gigi. 

We went to Gigi's because your Great Grandparents came over to see Joshua for his birthday .... and wednesday is Great Grandma's birthday!  They brought over a cake .... it was good!  Grace, you had some applesauce.  

Both of you took a little nap while there.  Joshua, Gigi rocked you to sleep and then you continued sleeping on her lap.  Grace, you took a nap on Great Grandma and then Grandpa Jim.  You two were so excited to see everyone!  We need to find some time to see your Great Grandparents more often.

Once home, Joshua ate some carrots and a cookie for dinner.  Grace, you finished your garden veggie mix and half a peas container.  After dinner I did a quick sweep and vacuum of the kitchen.  And, I got another pump in.

We all played in the bonus room this evening.  Joshua, you still need to learn how to share.  We have a lot of toys around here, so you don't need to keep taking things away from Grace.  :-P

I read a wonderful paragraph this evening from a devotional book I'm going through.  I want to share it with you both.  It says:

"The best way for mothers to have a playful heart is to follow their children's lead.  I often pray for God to give me a heart as happy, as playful, as loving, as forgiving, as resilient, as patient, and as beautiful as the hearts I see in my children.  It is no wonder that Jesus calls us to be like the little children in order to enter the kingdom of heaven .... If you need a more playful heart, study a three year old closely.  I often say everyone needs a three year old somewhere in his or her life."

This is so true and such a precious statement!  Children are so playful and adults appear to lose this playfulness.  You two are so innocent and full of love.  I pray that God will give me a heart as beautiful as you two!  I love you both so much! 

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both!

~Mommy

Chicken Pot Pie

Dearest Joshua David and Grace Elizabeth~

Woo hoo!  Grace, you didn't wake up until 7am this morning!  Daddy changed your diaper and then I nursed you!  Joshua, you woke up at 7:45am.  Whoa!  Way to sleep in pal!  ;-)

Daddy made pancakes for breakfast this morning.  Grace, you had some green beans.  Joshua, you had a dry spoon trial and you fought it again.  :-P

We all made a trip to Target this morning for some groceries.  Joshua, you ate two cookies!  Grace, you fell asleep on me in the carrier.  We got some extra bed sheets for Joshua.  I switched your bedding when we got home and did a load of you all's laundry.  :-)

Joshua, you fought lunch today.  :-P  Grace, you finished your green beans and then started on some peas. 

We watched another UNC football game, but we lost.  :-P

This afternoon you all helped us organize the play room.  We folded some laundry and had lots of music time.  Mrs. Gibson brought us some dinner this evening.  She brought some chicken pot pie, green beans, salad, and chocolate chip cookies!  Joshua, you surprised us all .... you ate some of the chicken, carrots, and a cookie!  Yippie!  Grace, you didn't eat much .... I don't know if you like peas that much.  Neither does Gigi .... perhaps you're taking after her!  ;-)  Fr. Gibson didn't come, so we'll have to discuss Grace's baptism at another point.

We all played downstairs after dinner in the living room.  Joshua, you love your race cars that Uncle Brennan and Aunt Katie got you!  You even go to bed with a little race car now.  Grace, you played with my hair!  :-)

Joshua, you've started to play with the kitchen spatulas.  You like to walk around with them but then you bang them or hit them against things.  :-P

We flipped our mattress this evening.  Joshua, you got in trouble because you kept getting in the way and under it.  It's a heavy king size mattress little man .... we're trying to keep you safe!  

Joshua and daddy played with play doh as I nursed Grace this evening.  Then, we watched the movie 'Cars' .... Joshua LOVED it! 

I read some great Bible verses this evening that I wanted to share with you all:

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful"  

Colossians 4:2 (NIV) 

“May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other"  

Genesis 31:49 (NIV)

The second verse really spoke to me .... it reminded me of each wednesday and thursday morning when I leave you two to go to work.  As I pull out of the driveway, I always wave 'I Love You' in sign language back at the house .... even though I know you two can't see me.  Each time we are apart, I pray that God protects you all and keeps you safe!  It's always so hard to leave you two those mornings!  I'm going to try to commit this verse to memory .... it's a great prayer!  :-)

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both so much!  :-)

~Mommy

6.5 Miles

Dearest Angels~

Little Grace, you woke up at 6:45am this morning.  I nursed you after daddy changed your diaper.  Joshua, you woke up shortly after this.  Once everyone was awake, you two helped me with some chores around the house.

We steam sterilized the pump pieces and then unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher.  I finally got some appointments scheduled for Joshua to see the UNC feeding team again!  We have an appointment this coming tuesday, so I switched your OT and ST appointments with Mary Beth and Kim to monday.  I was also able to make a second appointment in november for you.  :-)  We won't have to go to UNC for these appointments though .... we can go to Rex Hospital and stay in Raleigh.

Hummm .... no one was too cooperative for breakfast this morning.  Grace, you ate a little bit of your apple and blueberry mixture.  Then you tried some green beans.  Joshua, I did a dry spoon trial with you and you cried and fussed the entire time!  I dipped the spoon in some peaches at the end, but you spit them out on me, you, and the table.  :-P

We played this morning in the bonus room.  I put a CD on for some music fun and we danced around a little as we also tried to straighten the play room.

After lunch, you two helped me sweep and vacuum the kitchen.  Then, we vacuumed the living room and backed up my computer.  :-)

The weather today was beautiful .... it was in the 60's!  So, we went for a nice walk.  We ended up walking 6.5 miles!  It took me 2 hours, but in my defense I was pushing a double jogging stroller with 40 lbs of children inside.  ;-)  You two slept in the stroller, so I just kept walking so you would have a nice nap.  And, I needed the exercise!  I want to be healthy for you two so we can have active lives together.  Plus, I want to be around for your adult milestones .... graduations, weddings, births .... by the way, I will be dancing at both of your weddings!  ;-)

We made a pizza for dinner.  Joshua, you ate some!  After dinner, we relaxed in the play room.  Grace, your left eye is still teary.  I hope it clears up.  If not, we'll have to see an eye doctor.  Oh, we trimmed Grace's nails this evening.  She's beginning to fight it now though.  :-P

Tomorrow we're having Fr. and Mrs. Gibson over for dinner!  We'll talk to them about Grace's baptism while they're here.  

Sleep tight little ones!

I love you both!

~Mommy

Artwork

Dearest Miracles~

Grace, you woke up a little later this morning.  It wasn't until 5:45am that we heard you.  Daddy changed your little diaper and then I nursed you.  I stayed awake again since it was another work day.

Before I nursed Grace again (I always do one last nursing session before heading to work), she decided to have a nice poopy diaper.  :-P  Little lady, your poopy diapers are getting thinker from your solid foods.  :-P  I put more desitin on your since you still had a little bit of a rash.

You two had fun, as usual, with Penny.  Joshua, you two had a 'tea party' with crackers and you 'drank out of the small yellow cup and did not spill a drop' ..... way to go little man!  Good job!  :-)  You all also had fun with play doh, the Mr. Potato Head, and had story time.   

I got home early this evening!  I was home by 6pm!!  Woo hoo!  My last patient cancelled, so I took advantage of the extra time so I could come home and see you all! 

Once home, I gave Grace some more of the apple/blueberry mixture.  You finished your container!  Yeah little lady!  And, I had a lot of milk to freeze for you from pumping at work!  Yippie!  :-)

Joshua, you did some more artwork and Penny hung it on the wall in the play room!  It's so cute hanging there.  Daddy's cartoons are hung on the wall, and your marker drawings are right next to his.  Perhaps you'll be an artist too!  ;-)

Guess what .... I got to read to Joshua before bed time!  Usually daddy does it as I nurse Grace.  Daddy played with Grace so I could do it this evening.  I had to go nurse her before he fell asleep, but it was still nice to do some of the bedtime reading.  :-)

Tomorrow's suppose to be a little cooler, but I'm hoping we can still get out and enjoy the weather.

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both!

~Mommy

Rainy And Giggles

Dearest Blessings~

So, I didn't get to tell you what happened last night.  I nursed Grace to sleep as daddy did the bedtime routine with Joshua .... clean diaper, teeth brushed, read him a book.  Once I put Grace in her crib, I went into Joshua's room and laid down next to him.  He was already sleeping.  I kissed him, told him that I love him, and then said a little prayer for you both.  It was nice to be still and listen to the rain fall outside the windows.  :-)

This morning Grace woke up at 4:40am.  Daddy changed her diaper and then I nursed her.  I was so tired.  Since today was a work day, I just stayed awake after Grace fell back asleep.  Joshua, I kissed you before I left for work .... you were still sleeping.

You two had fun with Penny today.  Joshua, you did some artwork and played around.  Grace, you continued to practice your words.  You made 'mama' 'dada' 'baba' noises for Penny.  You two also played with blocks.  Grace, you can transfer them and you like to bang two block together.  You're also able to take them out of their container and you're close to being able to put them back in.  Of course, we're still working with Joshua on putting them back in too to clean up his toys.  :-)

Grace, you had a diaper rash this evening, so I put some desitin on you.  I also fed you an entire bananas container when I got home from work.  You ate half of one with Penny, so you ate 1.5 all day total.  Then, I tried you on a new container of an apple/blueberry mixture.  You only took a few bites.  :-P

It was rainy all day.  Hopefully the weather will clear up so we can go for a walk this weekend.  I think it's suppose to be cooler. 

This evening at bedtime, I tickled Joshua in his bed as I said goodnight.  He giggled and it was so precious! 

Sleep tight little ones!

I love you so much!

~Mommy

Lost Remote

Dearest Angels~

Little lady, I changed and nursed you at 6:45am this morning.  I checked on Joshua and he was still sleeping.  Grace, you woke up without crying.  You usually cry in the morning, but you just got up and looked at me from the crib.  I was already awake.  I nursed Grace back to sleep and then held her and leaned back in the bed.  When Joshua woke up, he danced into our room, Grace popped up, and you two smiled at each other!  :-)

Joshua, you did well with your occupational therapy appointment with Mary Beth today.  You went on the therapy balance ball, played with some puzzles, and put some trains together.  You did 'ok' with Kim today for your food avoidance appointment.  We tried peaches, which was ironic since that's the food we're trying with Grace.  You took a few bites, but I had to hold your arms down.  :-P

When we got home, you ate some gold fish crackers.  Grace, you ate some peaches .... a different container than the one we opened for Joshua.  :-P  Then, I changed your diapers and outfits.  And, you two helped me start some laundry.  :-)

After lunch we all came upstairs to play.  I couldn't find the remote control to the television set anywhere!  I tore the playroom apart looking for it and took apart the couch and all the cushions.  Finally, I thought, perhaps it 'wandered off' with the help from a toddler?  So, I thought to myself where are all the places that Joshua likes to hide toys.  My first thought was the bathtub, so I started there.  Low and behold, the remote was sitting on the side of the bathtub.  :-P  That will teach me to leave things out for a toddler to wander off with!  :-P

Once people were settled, I realized that no one was going to take an afternoon nap .... so, I loaded you two up and we made a quick trip to Target.  I needed some more fruits and veggies for Grace since we ate almost everything I bought a few days ago!  Joshua, you ate a cookie while there.  I also walked around a little while there since we didn't go for a walk around the neighborhood.  :-)

We did a lot of cooking once we were home.  We made a 'Tater Tot' casserole for dinner and then a pot of potatoes and veggies for lunches this week.  We used chicken sausage in the casserole and it turned out pretty good.  :-)

I started some thank you notes for Joshua to sent out for his birthday gifts.  Once he learns to read and write better he can do them himself.  ;-)

Grace, you finished your peaches at dinner and then ate half a container of bananas!  Good job little lady!  :-)

Joshua, you like to dance to the song 'head and shoulders knees and toes' .... it's so cute!  You bop around when it's on. 

Tomorrow's another work day.  I'm sure you'll have lots of fun with Penny.  You two will have to show her all of Joshua's new toys!

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both!  :-)

Check Up

Dearest Blessings~

Grace, you woke up at 7:30am this morning!  Wow!  Those pears must have filled you up yesterday! You did eat two whole containers!  

I had gotten up earlier to pack the diaper bag for the day.  I prepared it for a fun day out!  We had to wake Joshua up to get him ready.  He had an early morning pediatrician appointment for his two year check up.  :-)  Daddy took the day off so that we could go have fun as a family to continue to celebrate Joshua's birthday!  

Dr. Medero was happy to see you today!  You're now 34 inches tall and you weigh 23.2 pounds!  Woo hoo!  You're gaining weight!  You got two shots today .... one was the flu shot.  You also got your finger pricked and had some blood drawn.  I had to hold you in my lap to keep you still.  You were so brave little man!  I was so proud of you!  

Dr. Medero wrote another prescription for the prevacid for you.  I can't get a hold of UNC to make another appointment, which is so frustrating.  If we continue to have trouble, then we'll call Dr. Medero to see if she can get through.

Afterward, we all went to the State Fair again!  It was just the four of us as a family, so it was nice and relaxing.  Plus, it wasn't as crowded as it was on saturday.  We had so much fun!  You two were getting antsy at the end and then fell asleep as we were walking to the car. 

Guess what .... we got to see my photo again!!  It made me so happy!  And, there were people around it admiring it as I was standing there.  ;-)  I know it's just an 'Honorable Mention' but I'm so proud of it!  I smile every time I think that my little photograph is on display for the whole state to see!  This is the first time I've ever really won something, so I want to soak it in as much as possible!  What a blessing to have encouragement from you two and daddy to even enter the competition!  I will always remember this joy and excitement of having my photograph up for others to see and enjoy.  I love watching people walk by it and smile!  :-)

Once we got home, we all played downstairs and I did a quick pump so Grace would have some mommy milk for wednesday.  Grace, you tried some peaches and you ate one entire container today!

Everyone got baths this evening.  I nursed Grace as daddy gave Joshua his bath.  Joshua, after his bath, came running around the corner into the playroom with nothing but a diaper on when he was done!  It was so cute and precious .... I just had to laugh and smile!  :-)

I received some very sad news this evening .... a very close friend of mine lost her mother this evening.  Allison, whom you two have met, lost her mother to cancer and she passed away around 6:35pm.  It's so heart breaking to know that someone has gone through such a loss.  I called our friend, but I know it will take some time for this loss to heal.  Allison is younger than me .... I can't even imagine what it would be like to lose my mother at this age.  Allison is such a strong person .... she was with her mother until the end and helping her father along this process.  Our prayers go out to her and her father as they heal from this loss.  I gave you two an extra hug and kiss this evening after learning this and speaking to Allison.  

 

Gigi and I email, call, or text each other almost everyday.  Having a mother, and being a mother, is such a precious blessing.  I will never take that for granted! 

Sleep tight you two!

I love you two so much!

~Mommy

Two Pounds To Two Years

Dearest Precious Gifts from God~

"Every good and perfect gift is from above"  James 1:17 (NIV)

Two years ago daddy and I had our whole weekend planned out.  We were going to head to Chapel Hill for the start of the basketball season (Late Night with Roy) and then go to the NC State Fair the next day.  Instead, we found ourselves at Wake Medical Hospital and Joshua was born! 

Today, our little 'gift from above' turns two years old!  From two pounds to two years .... daddy and I are so proud of you!  We love you so much!  God is so good!  He has blessed us with two wonderful children!  Happy Birthday my little Joshua!  :-)

Grace, you started crying last night after I put you in your crib.  So, you noodled into our bed to sleep last night.  Uh oh!  We've seen this before! 

We did some laundry this morning before people started coming over for our lunch cookout!  We saw Gigi, Grandpa Jim, Uncle James, Mimi, Grandpa Mike, and Uncle Brennan.  Daddy made hamburgers and hotdogs.  Grace, you finished an entire container of pears by lunch time, and this was your first time even trying pears!  Wow little lady!

Joshua, you got so many gifts today!  You got trucks, cars, a toy guitar, some play-doh, markers, a toy restaurant .... you had a blast!  Grace started to play with some of your toys, but you didn't seem to mind that much since there were so many things to play with.  Even Grace got you something.  She got you two toy trucks with some blocks!  Her card said 'Happy Birthday Big Brother!  I love you!' .... I had to help her order it, but she picked it out!  ;-)

Once people left, we made a quick trip to Kohl's.  They sometimes have those Dr. Seuss books there that you love so much, little man, so we thought we would get you one for your birthday.  But, they didn't have any.  You got fussy anyway, so we came home and took a little walk instead.  You two fell asleep in the stroller.  Joshua stayed sleeping when we got back home and Grace played around with all of his new toys!  Ha!  She had to take advantage of all the toys before Joshua woke up!  ;-)

Oh, Grace, you ate an entire pear container at dinner.  So, you ate two whole containers today .... 7 ounces .... we're now out of pears!  :-)

Tomorrow Joshua has his two year check up with the pediatrician.  Daddy took off to continue to celebrate Joshua's birthday.  We may go back to the Fair again!

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both so very much .... forever and ever!

Happy Birthday my little Joshua!  :-)

~Mommy

State Fair

Dearest Blessings~

My oh my .... Grace, you didn't wake up until 7:10am!  Wow!  Daddy changed you and then I nursed you.  I also cut your nails little lady.  Daddy was able to cut some of Joshua's nails before he woke up. 

Today was a fun day .... we went to the NC State Fair!  We spent the whole day out!  We got there around 11am and got back to the car by 5pm.  :-)  We saw Grandpa Jim, Uncle James, Cousin Stephanie, and our friends Emily and Stephanie.  

You two both took naps in the stroller.  I also nursed Grace while there and she fell asleep on me.  It was really crowded but we managed to see a lot of things.  We saw animals, exhibits, rides .... there were so many noises and smells from all the food.  Daddy and I got sunburn but you two were fine.  Poor daddy's face looks like a lobster.  :-P

But, the highlight of the Fair (in my opinion) was seeing my photograph on display!!  There were so many other people there looking at it and admiring it.  And, I got to see my ribbon!  Daddy says I can frame the ribbon too and we can hang the photograph and ribbon together at the house.  You two will have to encourage me to continue with this hobby.  Photography is fun, and you two make wonderful subjects.  ;-)  You two and daddy encourage me all the time. 

After the Fair, we took a quick trip to Target.  We're having a cookout for tomorrow for Joshua's birthday!  I can't believe he's turning two years old!  Time has flown by!

This evening we all relaxed.  Our feet were so tired from walking around that it was nice to sit and do nothing!  Grace, you had an entire 3.5 ounce container of applesauce today.  Joshua, you ate some pizza with daddy and me.

I'm so excited about tomorrow!  It's someone's birthday!!

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both!

~Mommy

Blisters

Dearest Miracles~

Well, we had a rough night last night and this morning.  We couldn't get Grace to sleep.  She ended up falling asleep in our bed between us.  Hummm .... not that again.  We just got Joshua use to his own bed and now Grace is in there.  :-P  Little lady, you woke up at 5:40am crying.  Daddy changed you and then I nursed you.

I swept and vacuumed the kitchen this morning .... there were crumbs everywhere!  :-P

This morning we did a few errands.  First, we stopped at Grandpa Jim's office on our way to Target.  He had some State Fair passes for us from Cousin Stephanie.  He got to see you all briefly (there was someone in his office so we couldn't talk long).  Then, we headed to Target.  I just picked up a few basic things.  We needed some milk and Grace needed some fruits and veggies.  Joshua, you ate a cookie while we were there.  :-)

Grace, you ate one quarter to one third of a container of applesauce for lunch today.  Perhaps you're getting use to the taste.  Joshua, you didn't eat well for me all day.  You spit out cheerios, hotdog pieces, pepperoni pieces, string cheese .... you ate some crackers, so I guess that's something.

This afternoon we had beautiful weather!  We went for a walk and stayed out for an hour and 45 minutes!  We had to have gone at least 5 miles!  I didn't think we would walk that far or long so I only had my sandals on.  When we were done, I had some pretty nasty blisters on my feet.  :-P  I thought we would just go to the park, but the swings were taken when we got there.  I figured Joshua would want to run around since it was crowded, and I wouldn't be able to chase him and watch Grace in a swing at the same time.  So, that's why I just kept walking.  :-P  Oh, well .... I needed the exercise!  We got home just as daddy was driving up!  You two fell asleep in the stroller.  :-)

Grace, at dinner you finished your applesauce container!  Joshua, you ate better at dinner as well.  And, you stood on the scale this evening and it read 23.5 pounds.  That's the heaviest it's ever been for you!  You have your two year check up monday morning, so we'll see how much you weigh then.

This evening we all relaxed and you two told daddy about our long walk.  Tomorrow is going to be another gorgeous day, so I think we'll head to the State Fair!

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both so very much!  :-)

~Mommy

Award Winning

Dearest Gifts~

Oh my oh my little Grace!  You were up at 2:30am this morning!  What's up with that?  Daddy changed you and I nursed you.  We were so tired.  Once you fell asleep, I put you back int he crib.  You promptly rolled over and woke up crying!  I picked you back up and held you until 3:30am.  Then, I put you back in the crib and tried to fall back asleep (I think it was around 4ish).  I checked on Joshua before going back to sleep. 

Later in the morning I woke Grace up by gently changing her diaper.  I wanted to nurse her once more before heading to work.  Grace, you like to play with my hair as I nurse you.  It's cute, but some times you tough on my hair.  :-P

Joshua, you apparently had a great eating day with Penny.  You ate crackers, hotdog pieces, cheese, and pepperoni pieces.  Then, you had a huge Burp!  And, when daddy got home, you ate two entire chicken nuggets!  Wow!  Good job little man!

You two also had music and dance time, reading time, block play, and went to the park.  Penny put a headband on Grace and she wore it for an hour.  She apparently kept saying 'dada' so Joshua starting saying 'dada' after hearing Grace!  Ha!  ;-)

I got an exciting phone call when I was at work today.  Remember last weekend when you two helped me drop off my photo for the photography contest at the State Fair?  Well, I got a phone call from the NC State Fair Art Dept .... my photograph 'Electric Slide' WON an HONORABLE MENTION and will be on display!!  Woo hoo!!  That means I am now an 'Award Winning Photographer' .... in case anyone asks.  ;-)  I was so excited and I told all my coworkers this afternoon!  I can't wait to take you two to the fair this weekend so we can see it hung up!  They say hundreds of thousands of people go to the State Fair each year .... which means all those people can see my photograph!  Maybe now we can convince daddy that I need a wide angle lens.  ;-)

Grace, it sounds like you're saying 'mama' now!  How exciting!  Oh, and Joshua now knows how to 'show nice' to people.  Gigi taught him to gently rub Grace's arm (and not hit or tug) to be nice to her.  When I asked him to 'show me nice' this evening, he gently petted and rubbed Grace's arm.  It was so adorable.  :-)

Grace, you were screaming at midnight this evening.  I nursed you and don't know what time we actually went to bed.  I hope you sleep better soon.

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both!

~Mommy

Fine Motor Skills

Dearest Blessings~

Little lady, you woke up earlier this morning.  Daddy was changing you at 5:30am and then I nursed you.  You've become a master at rolling over while someone is trying to change your diaper.  It's not too bad during the day, but when it's early in the morning and people are tired, it can be a little annoying.  :-P  Once you finished, I just stayed awake since I had work today.

Today was another rainy day.  Joshua, you were still sleeping as I was getting ready for work.  I kissed you both before I had to leave for work.

You two had fun with Penny today.  You all played with blocks, had story time, played with puzzles, and had music time.  Penny said that Grace practiced her words and it almost sounded like she said 'hi there' at one moment.  ;-)  Joshua, Penny said that you have the best fine motor skills of any two year old she's ever seen!  Wow!  I'm so proud of you! 

When I got home, I kissed you both!  I missed you so much!  I missed you little smiling faces!  :-)

I'll try to get some sooner tomorrow.  I'm so excited because the State Fair opens tomorrow!  Woo hoo!  We took Joshua to it last year on his birthday.  I'm sure we'll do the same this year.  What do you want for your birthday little man?  I can't believe you're going to be two!  Wow how time flies!

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both!

~Mommy

Drizzly Day

Dearest Miracles~

At 6:30am daddy changed little Grace and I nursed her.  I listened to the rain outside as we were on the bed.  I'm glad we went on a walk yesterday and took advantage of that weather.  It doesn't look like we're going to get out today for a walk with the rain.

Joshua, you had fun with Mary Beth this morning during your occupational therapy appointment.  You did some lotion play and crawled around on the crash cushions.  You didn't, however, do so well with Kim during our food aversion appointment.  You didn't eat much of the pudding I brought in at all!  We're going back to dry spoon trials.  

I called UNC to see what's going on with your appointments.  From what daddy understood, they were suppose to call us and they hadn't.  Apparently I have to keep calling back since no appointments were available.  This is so frustrating.  I wish you would eat little man!

Since it was drizzly all day we didn't go for a walk.  We played inside this afternoon.  I took some more pictures of you both.  Joshua, you can really stack blocks now!  I'm very impressed!  You love to stack them on your table!  We have to be careful though because Grace wants to chew on them and we can't let her.  So, when you're done, we have to put them away.

I cooked some potatoes and veggies for dinner.  As they were cooking, I tried to clear off a shelf to put you all's food so Penny could find them.  I accidentally dropped and spilled Grace's carrots on the kitchen floor.  Ugh!  But, have no fear, we had another carrot container in the pantry!  ;-)  Grace, I know you were worried for a second there!  :-P 

Oh, and by the way, Grace, you ate half a container of carrots .... the new one not the one I dropped!  ;-)  Good job little lady!  You got the carrots all over your face, hands, and outfit.  So, after dinner I gave you a bath.  Joshua, you ate some string cheese, gold fish crackers, and pumpkin bread.  After dinner, you got some desitin, little man .... you somehow developed a rash on your bottom.

Grace, you did the funniest thing at dinner this evening.  I kept saying 'mama mama mama' over and over to you as I was feeding you carrots.  You kept saying 'dada dada dada' to me as you were eating them!  My goodness!  I hope you say 'mama' soon!  ;-)

You two watched some 'Scooby Do' with daddy as I took a shower.  Then, we all played in the bonus room.

Tomorrow's another work day so Penny will be here with you all.  I'll rush home as soon as I can!

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both!

~Mommy

Turtle

Dearest Joshua David and Grace Elizabeth~

At 7:15am, I changed and nursed little Grace.  I didn't put her back in the crib until early this morning since she woke up late hungry last night.

We all played this morning.  I love watched you two interact together.  Grace and I ordered something online.  But, we can't say what it is.  I'll give you a hint though .... someone will be turning 2 years old soon!  ;-)

No one was cooperative with our mid morning snack time.  :-P  Joshua, I tried to give you string cheese, and Grace, I tried to give you carrots.  Oh well, we'll try again later.

You two were 'singing' in the backseat as I was driving to Joshua's speech therapy appointment.  I couldn't help but smile.  It was so precious!  I'm going to miss these precious noises and moments when you two are old!  ;-)

Joshua, you did well with Kim today!  We're still using the PECS program.  You're leaning to create sentences.  We have an 'I Want' picture for you to use.  We'll try it at home and see how well you do. 

I got a quick pump in once we got home and you two were playing.  Once people were fed and settled, we went for a 4 mile walk around the neighborhood.  The weather was beautiful!  We even saw a turtle on the sidewalk.  Joshua wanted to keep it.  Grace, you fell sleep. ;-)

Joshua, you're trying to go up the stairs like a big boy now and not crawling.  You still need help so we hold your hand.  I'm so proud of you!

I tried Grace on some applesauce at dinner since we weren't successful with carrots earlier.  Oh my!  You should have seen the face that you made!  You didn't like it at all!  :-P  Joshua, you ate some pumpkin bread from yesterday.

We all played this evening.  Joshua, you never took a nap so, you went to bed earlier this evening.

Joshua, you love to play with your blocks on your table and chairs!  I put the blocks in a container where you can reach them.  You still need to learn how to put them back though.  We can't have Grace chewing on them.  :-P

Sleep tight little ones!

I love you both! 

~Mommy

Park And Carrots

Dearest Angels~

Guess what today is .... it's one week until Joshua's birthday!!  And, two months until my birthday!  Ha!  ;-)  Joshua, you'll be two years old!  Wow!  I can't believe how long you are!  It seems like yesterday when we brought you home from the hospital.

Grace, you woke up at 6am.  Daddy changed your diaper and then I nursed you.  This morning, you two helped me prepare the crock pot.  We made chicken and dumplings.  Yummm! 

I got a quick pump in this morning.  Grace, you had some sweet potatoes as daddy mowed the lawn. I did some laundry too.  Joshua, you really fussed with food today.  You ate a little bit of chicken at lunch.  I tried to give you applesauce, but you cried and cried.  You use to eat a lot of applesauce.  What happened?  :-P

Daddy made homemade pumpkin bread this afternoon.  I dropped the crib mattress since Grace stands in there.  It's on the second to bottom setting now.  One more left little lady!

Daddy took Joshua to the park near the house.  I stayed and nursed Grace.  She fell asleep on me so I held her.  Once home, daddy grilled some hotdogs for Joshua.  I swept and vacuumed the downstairs.  Grace, you finished all your sweet potatoes at dinner and tried some carrots for the first time.  You're not a huge fan.  :-P

After dinner, we all went to the park.  Grace, you went in the swing for the first time!  Joshua, you played in the sand box and the slide with daddy.  I pushed Grace in the baby swing.  Joshua, you started to get crabby since you never took a nap.

I weighed you two today.  Based on my scale .... Joshua, you weigh 23 pounds and Grace is 15.5 pounds.  Joshua, you have a pediatrician appointment next week for your two year check up, so we'll see how much you weigh then.

I had insomnia again this evening.  Daddy was awake when I went to bed.  I just laid there with my eyes closed.  I was still awake when daddy went to bed and was still awake when he was sleeping.  Grace woke up at midnight, and I had just fallen asleep.  :-P  I hope these insomnia nights go away.

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both!

~Mommy

Picnic

Dearest Blessings~

So, Grace, you woke up at 6:45am this morning.  Daddy changed you and I nursed you.  The last two days you woke up at 3 something.  There was no 3 something wake up call this morning.  Was it because of the extra fruit?  You ate almost a full container yesterday and slept through the night.  You had none with Penny and woke up in the middle of the night.  Do you need the extra fruit to fill you up?

You fell back asleep so I curled up with you and closed my eyes.  Joshua was still sleeping.  :-P

Daddy and I took showers early and took turns watching Grace.  After I took my shower, I crawled into Joshua's bed (the full size mattress in the back bedroom).  He was awake and we played together in the bed.  I don't get a lot of alone time with him so this was special.  :-)  Grace was watching 'I Love Lucy' with daddy in the playroom.

Grace finished her squash started on her last container of sweet potatoes.  Joshua, you ate some cheerios this morning.

We all ran some errands this morning.  First, we stopped by the fair grounds.  I'm entering a photograph in the photography contest.  It's silly, but I decided to enter anyway.  It's the picture of Joshua on the slide with his hair standing straight up.  Daddy titled it 'Electric Slide' for fun!  :-)  Afterward, we went to Capital City Lumber, which was right around the corner.  We wanted to price how much a storm door would be for the house.

For fun, we picked up some Chick-Fil-A sandwiches and nuggets for lunch on our way back home (Do these places still exist by the time you all read this?  I hope so!).  Joshua, you ate some chicken pieces and some fries.  :-)  Grace, you ate some sweet potatoes.  After you two ate, I swept the kitchen floor.  ;-)

UNC had another football game today.  We watched part of it (it started while we were out) and then took advantage of the beautiful weather!  We went for a walk .... over 4 miles!  You two fell asleep for part of it.  Our subdivision was having a community picnic late in the afternoon, so we stopped by on our way back home.  We got some BBQ for dinner.  Joshua ate an entire string cheese and a little bit of hotdog.  Grace, you had more sweet potatoes .... you ate half a container today.

Everyone got bathes after dinner.  Then, we started a movie of 'Around the World in 80 Days' .... I was disappointed it wasn't like the book, but it was nice to relax.

Tomorrow should be a pretty day too.  We've been having some really nice weather recently.  I hope it continues!  :-)

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both!  :-)

~Mommy

Organizing

Dearest Gifts~

Whoa little lady!  You were awake and crying at 3:20am this morning.  Daddy changed you and then I nursed you.  We were both so tired.  It was hard to keep my eyes open.  I thought we were done with the middle of the night feedings.  Are you going through a growth spurt?

I changed Grace's diaper to wake her up again and nursed her around 7:20am.  I had to go to UNC this morning for a CE (Continuing Education) course.  I have to have a certain number of hours a year to renew my dental license.  I kissed Joshua before I left.  Daddy worked from home and watched you both.  :-)

When I got home, I nursed Grace and then ran you all's laundry.  Joshua, you ate some cheese for me and Grace ate more squash.  We're having more success with the squash.  It's a little thicker than the sweet potatoes so I'm wondering if you like that texture more. 

I cut Grace's nails today, but she squirms now when I'm doing it.  It was so much easier when you weren't so mobile.  ;-)  You two helped me try to organize the playroom today.  I moved some more shelves into the room to put toys on and moved the little table and chairs to the side near the toys.  Penny said she loves that table and chairs!  I tried to put the puzzles and blocks near it.  :-)

It's so funny to watch toddlers run!  Joshua, when you get excited and start to run around the room, it's almost like you're hopping and dancing as well.  It's so cute!  ;-)  Grace, you're getting stronger too.  You can pull yourself up on a lot of furniture and you're getting braver.  You haven't taken any steps, but I can tell you want to.  I wonder when you'll start walking. 

We made a quick trip to Target this evening.  We picked up some groceries and Joshua ate two cookies!  We're going to try a new crock pot recipe this weekend, so I needed some supplies.  :-)  Also, we dropped off Joshua's prevacid prescription.  We got home late and everyone was hungry.  We didn't quite time that trip right since it was around dinner time.  Oh well.  :-P

The weather should be nice this weekend.  We'll try to go on some walks in the next few days.  :-)

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both!  :-)

~Mommy

Circles

Dearest Miracles~

Ok little lady .... what's up with these early morning wake up calls again?  You were sleeping through the night before.  You woke up at 3:18am this morning.  Daddy changed you and then I nursed you back to sleep.  I was so tired and it was hard to keep my eyes open.  I ended up changing you and nursing you one more time at 6:45am before I head to head out for work.

You all had fun with Penny today.  You had music and art time.  Penny said that she noticed Joshua 'drawing more circles today' .... way to go little man!  You all also went to the park and picked up some pretty leaves while out.  They were on the kitchen table for daddy and I to see when we got home from work.

Daddy made some pasta and veggies for dinner this evening.  It was good!  Grace, you had some more squash.  Penny didn't give you any fruit today or yesterday.  You ate some more me this evening. 

This evening we played in the bonus room.  Penny had moved a lot of downstairs toys up there today.  I guess you all must be spending more time up in the bonus room now.  I was tired and had a headache this evening.  I hope people sleep a little better this evening.  

Tomorrow daddy's working from home because I have to run out to Chapel Hill in the morning.  I won't be long though .... I'll be back home by mid morning.  

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both!  :-)

~Mommy