Poor Baby

Two weeks ago my poor baby started coughing and it was waking her up at night. It started on a Saturday night and by Monday her cough was a little worse so I decided to go ahead and take her to the doctor. My poor baby had a bronchial virus and we had to do a breathing treatment and we were sent home with oral steroids and had to do breathing treatments all week at home.

It was an awful week! She was so grumpy and my baby who was such a good sleeper and napper left and in her place was a fussy baby who never slept more than 3 hours at a time at night and 30 minutes at nap time. Praise the Lord that she didn't mind the breathing treatments, she only cried while doing them a few times. I did not see a great improvement either. So, we went back this past Monday and she is now on a 5 day treatment of antibiotics and breathing treatments.

After the first dose of antibiotics I saw a huge difference. My sweet baby has returned! She has been sleeping 8 to 9 hour stretches at night and is back to her 3 to 4 hour daily nap another small nap in the morning and afternoon. I am so glad she feels better!!!

Sisters

Layla is TWO Months!

My sweet Layla Lou, you are already two months old! We went to the doctor this morning for your check up and you weighed 15 pounds 4 ounces, that is over the 100th percentile, yep sweet girl you are off the charts! You are 23-3/4" long which puts you in the 97th percentile and your head is 40 cm which is 96th percentile. So you are proportionate, just big and beautiful. You had to get three shots and drink some yucky stuff. You cried for about a minute, but then you realized your Momma had you are you were okay. Then I put you in your car seat and you realized Momma wasn't holding you are you get a little upset, but got over it! You like to be held.

Your neck is good and strong and you can lift it up when you are on your tummy. The doctor said since you are big it is a lot to hold up, but you showed her. You smiled and cooed for her. You are just like your sister, when you smile your whole face lights up. You have the biggest sweetest cheeks. You like for your Momma to rub her nose in your cheeks and you chuckle every time I do it. It is almost a laugh, but not quite.

You are still a strictly breast fed baby. You have had a bottle once when Mom had a photo shoot to do and you took it like a champ for your daddy. That is the only bottle you have had and you still won't take a pacifier. You just don't like it. I have bought every different kind they sell, but you just aren't interested.

You generally go to sleep around 10:45 p.m. and you sleep until about 5:30a.m. You eat, I change your diaper and back to sleep you go until around 9:30 a.m. You go back to sleep at 12:00 p.m. and take a 3-4 hour nap. You take little cat naps the rest of the day.

You are a good natured baby and only cry when you are tired or hungry. But when you are hungry you let everyone around know! This girl likes to eat, can't you tell! You nurse at 5:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. when you wake up for the day and again at 12:00 p.m. before your big nap. You eat at 4:00 p.m. when you wake up. Then it gets a little tricky at night. Sometimes you eat at 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. others it is at 6,8, and 10. I have not put you on a schedule, you sort of did that yourself. When you are ready you will figure out your night time routine. Two or three feedings, it makes no difference to me. I have been pumping during your big nap and freezing it just in case I ever need to give you a bottle I have it ready.

I love you, I love you, I love you and I couldn't be happier that you joined our family!

Ella is Two and a half!

My sweet girl is growing up so fast. She turned 2-1/2 years old on July 6th. Sometimes I can't believe she is 2-1/2 and sometimes I can't believe she is only 2-1/2! Here is how I would describe my girl:

1) So sweet! You still love to give your mommy and daddy big hugs and sugars. Every night when we lay in bed and I sing to you and we say our prayers you run your hands through my hair and tough my face. You always say "I love you Mommy" so sweetly, it just melts my heart. Those are the times I wish I could bottle up and keep forever.

2) Fun! You love to run, play and laugh. You have a deep belly laugh and laugh with your entire body. You love to run up to Daddy jump in his lap and say "I'm gonna get you!" and tickle him.

3) Sassy! You have a sassy little attitude. You are very girly. You loves shoes, purses, dresses, and make up. I believe you are 2 going on 16 the way you act sometimes. You huff when you don't get your way sometimes and you put your hand on your hip with so much attitude. 

4) Smart! My goodness girl you are so smart! You know and can sing all the words to the ABC's, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, You are My Sundhine, Jesus Loves Me, Jesus Loves the Little Children, Old McDonald, and all those crazy Yo Gabba Gabba, Dora and Fresh Beath Songs! You can count to ten and count mommy's fingers, toes, eyes, items on tables and such all the time. You know the colors black, white, blue, green, purple, pink, red, yellow, green and orange. You know the shapes of a cirle, triangle, star and square. You don't know the rectangle yet, you still think it is a square! It's tricky, I know. You talk in sentences and there aren't a lot of words that you don't know. You talk more like a four year old than a two year old and most people think you are 4.

5) Stubborn!!!! You are very stubborn. You do thinkgs your way and like it that way. Unfortunately this leads to a lot of spankings. The good news is, I won't ever have to worry about someone walking all over you, you will never be a doormat!

6) Beautiful. You have the prettiest blue eyes and blonde hair. You hair is getting so long and has the prettiest soft ringlets in it. You have porcelain skin and the cutest lips. Sometimes I look at you and am amazed at how pretty you are.

7) A Momma's girl! You still are attached to my hip and I wouldn't have it any other way. You are my little partner, my little buddy, and lately you have been my little helper! You help momma pick up your toys, bring me diapers for your little sister, throw things away for me and always seem so eager to please.

8) A great big sister. You love your baby sister and always want to give her sugars and hold her. Thank you for being so sweet to her and not being jealous like I thought you would. You love to have her around and are always checking on her.

You are such a delight and a joy in my life. Yes, there are days when you try my patience and I can't wait for your Daddy to get home from work, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. You are a carbon copy of me and as my Mom has told me several times. I am so thankful that God blessed Trey and I with you and love watching you grow up! 

My Dad

One of my Dad's hobbies is making knives. For years, well as long as I can remember, my Dad has made them. He made me one when I was little, of course he didn't sharpen the blade. Apparently I used it to try and cut concrete so my Dad took it away and put it in a safe place for keeping until I was old enough to have it and not to try and cut concrete again. Well, apparently it was a very safe place because to this day he still can not find it.

I have watched him make knife after knife after knife. I always wanted another one, so I finally gave him a hard time about everyone he has ever known having one except for his youngest daughter and asked him to make me one. I picked out my handle material. A year later I checked to see how his progress was coming. I had seen him start and finish multiple knives in that time. Another year passed and again I checked on his progress, still nothing! Well, another year later and I am happy to report I finally have my knife.

I love it and I believe it is the prettiest knife I have seen my Dad make. Of course I wanted a specific material for my handle and blade, but Dad went above and beyond and made it extra fancy for me. What can I say, after 28 years the man knows me!

Isn't this beautiful?

I even got my name on it. He always puts his name on it and a bear, that is his nickname.

My Dad works so hard on these and is so meticulous. He does not sell them, he gives them away to the special people in his life. He is a man that feels blessed to be able to make them and give them away. Yes it is a beautiful knife, but for me it is even more special because my Dad made it for me. I will always have it and always know how hard he worked on it to get it just right for one picky customer! Thanks Dad!!!

Fourth Of July

Every year our Sunday school teachers have a July 4th party at their house. They have a gorgeous house on an acre lot so there is plenty of room for the little kids to run around and the big kids to do fireworks because it is outside the city limits. We have the most amazing Sunday school teachers and a great group of people in our class. Last year we were one of only a handful of couple with kids and this year those without kids were in the minority! What a difference a year makes!

My girls got all dressed up in their red, white, and blue. Ella was so excited because she got to hold Layla. I don't think Layla was as excited!

Just after this picture was taken Trey got up off the swing and got stung by a wasp. Then we discovered there was a nest on the back of the swing. Praise the Lord none of the little ones who had been sitting on the swing all night got stung. And poor Trey, he seems to always be the one that stuff happens to.

These are the new babies in the class. There will be three more in the next few months, so we are a growing class! From left to right, Mallory, Liam, Katie, and Layla. I love that all the girls have on their big red bows. I did not get the memo that the bow was suppose to be on the other side of Layla's head though!

We had a great time! last year we stayed out much later, but Layla was fading fast so we left the party around 9:30. She was so good though and Ella of course was sweet and sassy as always!

A New Nephew

Friday my newest nephew, Heath Robert Jones, was born. Me and the girls met my Mom, Dad, sister and other nephew Caleb at Olive Garden for lunch before heading to the hospital. Ella LOVES Caleb, so she was so excited to see him and they were both bouncing off the walls. Praise the Lord we were tucked in a corner or we might have been asked to leave!

We went to the hospital and waited and waited and waited some more. The hospital she delivered at is under a lot of construction so it was very confusing and they had the big waiting room blocked off, so we were in a tiny room with three kids, Hunter joined us there, and there were three other couples already in the room so it was PACKED and NOISY! Finally we got the see baby Heath through the window in the nursery for about 3 minutes and then it was back to the waiting room. He got to visit Jennie, but decided we would come back the next day to see Heath.

Saturday my Mom, the girls and I headed back to the hospital and this time we got to see him and hold him! He looks just like his big brother when he was born. Mom holding Heath. Ella had to get in the picture with her Granny. After all, it is HER Granny and she doesn't really like to share her!

So sweet!

Mom stayed with us Friday night and Saturday night and Dad came to pick her up on Sunday. Ella was very sad to see her go, so was I. It is so nice having her here because I know Ella is just crazy about her and I know she is getting the attention she hasn't been getting when it is just me.