Natalie Quote

N: Mommie, you really need to clean the potty. It is really dirty.
Me: You're right, I do.

Called out by a 3 year old. Ouch!

Refreshing

I have been away from blog-snooping for about a week and just caught-up with some of my favorite people. I love checking out my friends's blogs. It makes me feel like in some small sense I am keeping up with them. I love knowing that Dawn finally got a HOT shower, that Jenny's baby is growing well, that Kristen had a special day with her little man, that Christy's had the same luck with the holiday photo shoot that I did. You get the point.

While many of the people that I love are living in many different places I love having this way to keep in touch with them. I am terrible with the phone, ok with email, too lame for Facebook.

OK, now I must get to what I really came to the computer to do. My job.

Shopping

I'm home. It was a success. I got some great deals. I saw some craziness (people with their infants/toddlers with them). I got yelled at by gray-hairs (not at me specifically but at the crowd). Aside from the gray-hairs no one was mean. Had some fun times with Lindsay. There were A LOT more people out than I thought there would be. I would do it again, I think.

Happy Thanksgiving

I love this holiday. As I sat this morning and watched the Macy's Parade I was nearly in tears. The simple joys. Being snuggled with my girls in jammies sharing something with them that I have loved for so many years. Watching Natalie dance like one of the Rockettes. A day to enjoy yummy food with friends and family.
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I need to get in touch with basketball season. I think that I am in denial that it is here. I can't believe that football season is this close to being over (after last weekend, it looks like it is time for it to be over). I haven't watched a full game yet. Are you kidding me. I need to get serious about some Tarheel basketball. Watching games brings me great joy. I need to get with the program.
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Natalie has been challenging lately. Last week she told me that she missed the carpet from our house in Virginia. I don't think that Kim and I have thought about how tough this move has been on her. It has been easy for us. We moved home. Virginia was home for Natalie. She doesn't remember living here. I am trying to be more reasonable and loving. She is getting better. Parenting is hard.
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Paige sleeps terribly in her pack-n-play. TERRIBLY!!! We have been out of town for the past to weekends and her sleep has been awful!! Quite a challenge. She sleeps great at home so I should count my blessings. Anyone have any tips?
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I am going to Kohl's at 4:00 tomorrow morning with Lindsay. Am I crazy? Yes, I am. I have never had the crazy after-Thanksgiving shopping experience. Lindsay has. She is a vet. I have to be home by 6:00 when the girls will wake-up (Kim works till 2:00 in the morning). I will let you know how it goes.

Halloween (creative, I know)

It was a perfect evening... an early yummy dinner, dressing up, time for family pictures, amazing weather for wandering through the neighborhood, fun times gathering with friends. Perfect!

A sweet little horse.

My Little Minnie.

Kim's mad skills!!!

Thankful Thursday

• A morning with the girls (and Reed)
• Coordinated naptimes
• Beautiful fall afternoons
• Borrowed halloween costumes
• VH1 Classics

Kids do the....

This is what I discovered when I went in to help Natalie wipe. Where do kids learn this suff?

Something new

So, I started something new today with some friends of mine. They have been doing this for a while and invited me to join in. It is a dinner co-op of sorts. I cook dinner for all three of us one night during the week and in turn I get meals delivered to me two other nights. I am really excited. I am not that gifted in the kitchen...we will see how it turns out. Stay posted. It could free me up for more blogging!

The Happy Couple

So, here they are. Just after he popped the question. Are they cute or what!?

He proposed on the beach. A beach that they visit often (they live in Florida). I hear that he was so nervous that he almost fell down the stairs getting onto the beach. I hear that he didn't really even get to ask, he just got down on one knee (as it should be) and she tackled him in the sand.

My heart is overflowing with joy. You see, Miranda is perfect for Dave. We all know that Dave has his quirks and Miranda loves him and his quirks. Miranda is great for Dave, she doesn't take any crap from him, in a loving way. Dave is great for Miranda. He loves her deeply. He supports her, encourages her. They are best friends. They do puzzles together, I think that is the cutest thing ever.

I am filled with joy because I am so proud of my brother and the man that he has become. Like lots of young people, Dave made some not-so-great decisions but about five years ago he started making great decisions and has continued to do so. He is filled with compassion and love beyond belief.

In some ways this is the completion of our family. I have my second and final sister. Miranda is promising to love Dave and our family forever, I hope she knows what she is in for...I love you guys. I am so excited for you! Let's PARTY!

Congratulations!!

My baby brother is engaged. I cannot believe it. I am so excited for he and Miranda. More thoughts on this later, we are visiting with friends in Virginia. My baby brother is getting married.....

Growing Up

She is getting so big I can hardly stand it. I was looking at her shoes sitting on the stairs and it made me cry. She is not supposed to be this big yet. My baby. My sweet girl.

Paige Pics

By popular demand, here are some recent pictures of my Sweet Pea...

She has rolled over three time (I missed two of them because my back was to her, one of which was the first.)

Just two days ago she started sitting on her own.


She LOVES sucking on her toes!!

Jumpin' Back In

It is so weird to try to get back into doing something after you have been slack for a long time. How do you get back in? How do you pick up the ball after you have let it drop? Well, here is my attempt at the awkward "first post back" and hopefully the blogging juices will start flowing again.

Natalie Quote

Natalie: Mommie, I'm sorry your disappointed in my behavior.

Yup, that sums up our day.

Girl Time

This afternoon Natalie, Paige and I hung out with some of our favorite girlfriends, Andrea, Olivia, Ashlyn and Elli.

By the end of our time playing together, Olivia and Ashlyn were running around in the basement with just their panties on (Olivia had on a few other dress-up accessories but nothing that would count as clothing). Natalie was wearing a dress-up tube-top that was not covering everything that it should. Elli had on a onesie and dress-up heels. It was madness. Girls gone wild, I tell you.

The Toad

I don't think this happens to normal people.

Kim got home at 2:45 in the morning from work. I heard him come in, woke-up to say welcome home. As he came in our room he noticed something on the floor....A TOAD! That's right! In the middle of our bedroom floor, a toad!! I am so glad that I didn't step on it on the way to the bathroom.

Now the real question...where the @#% did it come from?

Two kinds of days

There appear to be two kinds of days in my life...

Option A: I get lots of things on my To-Do list done.

Option B: I have lots of fun playing with my kids.

If anyone knows how to make these two things come together, that doesn't involve staying up past 10 please let me know. Thanks!

Good news abounds

First of all and what this post is all about....we got the results of Paige's MRI and it was normal!!! "Normal appearing brain for age" to be exact. We are so thankful! We see the eye doctor again in 4 weeks and will see what he says. Overall, I am very encouraged. Paige is doing things all the time that make me believe that she can see well right now. She has a GREAT social smile. She watches you walk around the room, she reaches for toys, she reaches for my hand when I am feeding her. All of these have to be good signs. When she tries to focus on objects that are far away her eyes jerk a lot more than if she tries to look at something close. She doesn't seem to have much of a "head tilt", she doesn't hold her head a certain way to make her vision clearer (this would be one of the big things that would make her need surgery). So, we will just keep watching, waiting and praying. Thanks for all the encouragement!

Now some silly things that I am thankful for....

Today is the first official weekend of college football! Love it!! Perhaps the Heels will have a better year, we will see. I just love the football time of year.

Natalie has gone 4 days without pooping in her pants! Now that I have posted, I am sure we will have an accident today. She even went at her "open house" for school on Thursday night. I thought this child would NEVER be potty trained, we will see.

Because Natalie's school is peanut/treenut free there can be no homemade baked goods brought in! Woohoo!! I know you think I am silly but think of the pressure this relieves...no pressure for the perfect, homemade brownies on her birthday or for the million parties throughout the year. Can you hear the sigh of relief? If you bring in fruit/veggies they cut it up for you in the peanut-free kitchen. This is awesome!!

Kim and I went on a date last night. A yummy, yummy dinner. Time shopping for stuff for the house. Time for just us. It was great!

MRI done

Paige had her MRI yesterday. She handled the procedure really well. She was really sleepy last night when we got home and grumpy when she woke-up but seems to be back to herself today. She is such a sweet, sweet girl!!

We stayed with her until the medicine made her really, really sleepy and then we had to leave for the nurse to start her IV and do the procedure. Leaving her was so hard! I don't ever want to have to do that again. I can't decide if being a nurse helps or hurts in those situations. Leaving your baby, not easy!! Kim said that I would never make it if one of our kids had to have major surgery and he is right.

We should get the results in the next couple of days. Waiting, not easy!!

This was fun.

Thanks roomies for the idea.
Go here if you are looking for an explanation.