Monday, June 30, 2008

In the words of another bloggy mommy....

--
"I'm going to be packing Pampers for college!!!!"
(taken from Irene's blog)

--
Between it being used as an ottoman for her feet and a stool so she can look in the mirror, this potty is going to have an identity crisis!!!!
--
Seriously, Bella shows absolutely, postively zero interest in using the potty. She will tell me when she needs (or wants) a diaper change and even when Brooklyn might need one - but if you ask her if she wants to use the potty, she says no...And we aren't going to force her - we know that when SHE is ready, she will do it!!!

The Playset - Part I

--
For their birthday this year - the girls have received a new playset! Bella has been so excited about this since she learned that one had been ordered. Then when it came in and I told her, she said "I have to tell my friends, Momma!!". The playset did, indeed, arrive on Friday. Nana and Pop spent all day Saturday working on it and Brannon helped when he got home from work. There was not much left to be done on Sunday morning, Brannon, Nana and Pop finished it off!
--
Here are some pics from day one of assembly!







Kennedy....

Kennedy and her family are blogging friends that I have "met" through blogging! Kennedy is a 4-year old little girl who is having yet another surgery tomorrow -I think this makes 16 or 18 (I'm not sure about the number - it is somewhere on Rene's blog). You can read all about Kennedy at her blog (I linked to just the posts about Kennedy)...
--
As taken from Renee's blog (hope you don't mind Renee), 'Kennedy is having her spine fusion surgery. They anticipate the surgery to be 8-9 hours. This will be her longest surgery yet. After surgery Kennedy will have her halo on and go to ICU for 24-48 hours. Then she will go to a regular hospital room for about a week. Then we will be released, but we have to stick around Philadelphia so they can watch her and do her first post-op CT scans.'
--
Please keep Kennedy and her family in your thoughts and prayers tomorrow!

Friday, June 27, 2008

The Birth Order of Children

BIRTH ORDER OF CHILDREN - with #3 on the way, I thought this was a cute post!

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.

Preparing for the Birth:

1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don't bother because you remember that last time, breathing didn't do a thing.
3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your eighth month.
The Layette :
1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.
2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?
Worries:
1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up the baby.
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.
Pacifier:
1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.
2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby's bottle.
3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.
Diapering:
1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.
2nd baby: You change th eir diaper every two to three hours, if needed.
3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.
Activities:
1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and Baby Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.
Going Out:
1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home five times.
2nd baby : Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.

At Home:
1st baby: You spend a good bit of every d ay just gazing at th e baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking or hitting the baby
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.

Swallowing Coins:
1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the hospital and demand x-rays.
2nd child: When second child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for the coin to pass.
3rd child: When third child swallows a coin, you deduct it fr om his allowance!

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Say Cheese!!!

--
We went to Atlanta for Life University's graduation on Friday and we stopped at California Pizza Kitchen before heading to graduation! I told Brooklyn to say "cheese" and she still humors me by actually giving me a "cheesey" face!

As you can see, Bella was just to busy to humor me and even look at the camera!!

From the mouth of Bella...

Just a few things Bella has said lately that have left us laughing and/or shaking our heads wondering where she ever could have heard that!

  • Ah Man!!!!
  • I got to tell my friends (said this when I told her the swing set was arriving on Friday)
  • Momma, I hang these up with the magets! (that would be magNets, we do not have maggots in or around our home).
  • Momma, I not big, I still small...but I big enough (have no idea where this came from)!
  • Momma, hush! Brooke is sleeping (this has been said a couple of times while we are in the car and I'm talking to Brannon).
  • Momma, I otay..I just a little sick! (this was said on the way to school after she had coughed one time. I usually ask if they are okay after they cough, but I guess she anticipated the question -so she just gave me the answer - that's being proactive in my opinion)!
I know there are more, I just cannot think of any more right now! She definitely keeps us entertained!!!

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

How am I supposed to discipline these children?

--
Bella wanted spaghetti for lunch on Sunday, so I obliged and made spaghetti! They decided it was way more fun to throw the noodles on the floor rather than eat them!!! I told them no and even said I'd put them in the corner if they did it until they started giggling - then I start laughing at them and it's just down hill from there! So you tell me how am I supposed to discipline these children?


On a side note - they did help me pick up each and every noodle they threw on the floor - actually, they picked them all up and handed them to me! So no harm done, right??


Tuesday, June 24, 2008

The Beach

--
--
We decided to go to Pensacola one Sunday (that is Brannon's only off day - so sometimes we splurge and hit the road). We didn't really go anywhere specific - ate lunch, walked around the Mall and then decided we'd go to Pensacola Beach for a few minutes - none of us were really dressed for it and I didn't have a change of clothes for the girls. But -we were so close and who cares if they had to ride back in their diapers with sand all over them, right?
--



Sprinkler Time!

--
We got the girls this sprinkler about a month ago and set it up for a bit one Sunday afternoon. Neither of the girls were very sure of it at first or later for that matter! It was so hot - so we didn't keep them out for too long. Hopefully, this will provide some cool summertime fun for them over the next few months!





Sunday, June 15, 2008

Happy Father's Day

-
WE LOVE YOU DADDY!!!
--

Saturday, June 14, 2008

World's Strangest Looking Animals

--
Pink Fairy Armadillo
It is found in central Argentina where it inhabits dry grasslands and sandy plains with thorn bushes and cacti. It has the ability to bury itself completely in a matter of seconds if frightened.The Pink Fairy Armadillo burrows small holes near ant colonies in dry dirt. It feeds mainly on ants and ant larvae near its burrow.

Saiga Antelope

Saiga is classified as critically endangered by the IUCN. There is an estimated total number of 50,000 Saigas today, which live in Kalmykia, three areas of Kazakhstan and in two isolated areas of Mongolia.

Star nosed mole

The Star-nosed Mole lives in wet lowland areas and eats small invertebrates, aquatic insects, worms and mollusks. It is a good swimmer and can forage along the bottoms of streams and ponds. Like other moles, this animal digs shallow surface tunnels for foraging; often, these tunnels exit underwater.The incredibly sensitive nasal tentacles are covered with almost one hundred thousand minute touch receptors known as Eimer's organs.

Elephant shrew
They are widely distributed across the southern part of Africa, and although common nowhere, can be found in almost any type of habitat, from the Namib Desert to boulder-strewn outcrops in South Africa to thick forest.


Long-beaked echidna

Echidnas are one of the two types of mammals that lay eggs (the other one is platypus). The long-beaked echidna is found in New Guinea, where it is widespread.


Long-eared Jerboa

"The Mickey Mouse of the desert" - mouse-like rodent with a long tail, long hind legs for jumping, and exceptionally large ears. The jerboa, found in the deserts of Mongolia and China, is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.


Matamata Turtle

The mata mata inhabits slow moving, blackwater streams, stagnant pools, marshes, and swamps ranging into northern Bolivia, eastern Peru, Ecuador, eastern Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, and northern and central Brazil. The mata mata is strictly an aquatic species but it prefers standing in shallow water where its snout can reach the surface to breathe.


Patagonian Cavy (Mara)

A large rodent that looks sort of like a rabbit, sort of like a donkey. The Patagonian Mara lives in Central and Southern Argentina. Maras inhabit arid grasslands and scrub desert

Pelochelys cantorii (Cantor's giant soft-shelled turtle)
The turtle is found primarily in inland, slow-moving fresh water rivers and streams. Cantor's giant soft-shelled turtles can grow up to 6 feet (about 2 meters) in length and weigh more than 100 pounds (about 50 kilograms).

Friday, June 13, 2008

Bella loves to read

On Saturday - Bella wanted to watch a movie and I was trying to get the house cleaned and Brooklyn was napping - so I agreed! I put in the movie of her choice and instead of watching the movie - she went in her room got some books and then sat at her table to read them!!! I love that she loves to read so much - I hope she always loves to rea



Silly Brooklyn!





Thursday, June 12, 2008

Getting Adjusted...

--
The girls love to get on daddy's table that we have at the house (it is portable) and get checked and adjusted (if need be)! It is often a "fight" over who gets to go first. In this case, Brooklyn made it on the table first!

And this is usually what happens after Brooklyn has had her turn and it is Bella's turn...