Birthday Dinner

Gracie has two favorite restaurants: O'Charley's and Cracker Barrel. I don't know what it is about these two specific places, but whenever we mention eating out those are her two picks! Always! So on Monday night when Pawpaw was in town and took us to dinner at Olive Garden, we discussed getting together Wednesday night for her birthday. When asked where she wanted to celebrate, she said Cracker Barrel. The cake you see in the photos is one I actually made at home, complete with princess sprinkles! When I called Cracker Barrel, I was disappointed to find out that they don't "do" anything for birthdays outside of singing. So I opted to bring my own cake and they were fine with that!


I was suprised she didn't start crying when they were singing to her! But she enjoyed it!


This was when she opened her Hannah Montana barbie doll that Pawpaw got her. I don't know what it is with this child and Hannah Montana, but she LOVED the doll! She also got a bag full of clothes, but the bag was so big none of the pictures turned out right.


Baby James and Anniston also received gifts (the cutest little sea horses with light up tummies - they remind me of Glo Worms). Gracie was not too happy about sharing gifts on her birthday, but she was when I told her she could open her brother's gift for him.


While Gracie opened her brother's gift, Tara opened the one for Anniston (Anniston is hidden behind the bag!)


James with Pawpaw


The birthday girl and her Pawpaw!

Pawpaw had to go home on Friday afternoon, but Gracie really enjoyed the fact that he was here again on her birthday (he was also here last year!) We are glad we got to spend time with Pawpaw while he was here on business!

Halloween 2009

So on Friday we went to downtown Prattville to do the candy walk and then over to First Baptist of Prattville for their fall festival. Saturday night we went to Millbrook Baptist for their fall festival, but I forgot the camera in the car. Here are the pictures from Friday night. Enjoy my little monkey and fairy princess!
My little Monkey Man!





My Fairy Princess




And speaking of my fairy princess, I have (coming soon) pictures from her birthday dinner! And this afternoon we are having her birthday party, and there will be pictures from that as well!

My Birthday Princess

Although her birthday isn't official until 3:35 this afternoon, please leave a comment for Gracie and wish her a very happy fourth birthday. Her party is on Saturday but tonight we're having dinner with Pawpaw at Cracker Barrel (one of Gracie's favorite restaurants).

So I'm wishing my birthday princess a happy birthday! She is my firstborn, my beautiful baby girl. She's the one who has the infectious laugh and the vividly wild imagination. She is my super sensitive girl who gets her feelings hurt very easily. She has a big heart that is filled with love for her aunts, her baby brother, and Jesus (and she'll tell you that).

She loves to sing, to look at books, and entertain her baby brother.

She went from being this little creature who was totally dependent on me to developing into her own little person.

My baby, my big girl - no matter what, she is mine. And I thank God every single day for bringing her into my life.

James' 2-Month Check Up and More!

So I am totally slacking in the post department! I was doing good on maternity leave to try and update every day and then I went back to work October 15 and the bottom fell out!
Anyway, James' 2 month check up was on October 20th and here is his info (compared to Gracie's):

James' Stats:
Height: 24 3/4 inches
Weight: 13 lbs, 14 oz

Gracie's Stats:
Height: 23 inches
Weight: 12 lbs, 5 oz

So by month two he has already outgrown his big sister!

Speaking of his big sister, her fourth (OMG) birthday is coming up on November 4th! It's going to be at the local YMCA, and I've already met with the catering company who works with the Y for these parties and Gracie is getting a Cinderella cake that will look somewhat like one of these cakes.

I was telling Bryan last night I can't believe how big she is now! I had her in my lap last night and I remember when, like James now, her whole body fit on one of my arms. Like the length from my elbow to my fingertips was how long she was. Now she can physically wrap both arms and legs around me! And she's so big! When I look at her, I'm just amazed to know she was as small as her brother once. I think she has grown several inches in the past year, too.

James is still continuing to babble, coo, and smile at us. He is enjoying daycare and his teachers all rave about how good a baby he is. That makes me happy to hear! He is also enjoying his night time bath, and he splashed so much the other night Bryan had to mop it up with a towel. But he loves his bath time! He's just like his big sister in that area!

Other than Gracie's birthday, we do have Halloween coming up. I almost posted pictures of their costumes the other day and decided against it - you'll have to wait and see! Gracie and I put James in his costume the other night and laughed hysterically for a good bit before taking it back off! Can you guess what he's going to be? If you already know, don't give it away....

Come to think of it, I may have posted about it a few weeks ago! Hhmmm..we'll see!

Today....

Today, I sent both of my sweet babies to daycare. Both of them, for the first time. And no...I don't want to talk about it.

James - Two Months

James at one month.....

and James at two months!


The first few physical appearances I notice: his face is not as round anymore. He is getting longer (I can tell by comparing the area of the bouncy seat he covers in each photo). His hair acts like it is starting to thin out, and I really am beginning to think that his hair is going to be curly (any time he gets it washed or he gets sweaty, it curls up in the back).

Other milestones:
1.I got my first official smile at 1AM on Sept 24th!
2.He slept through the night for the first time on Sept 27th (although he hasn't done it since then! Did anybody else have this problem with one of their babies? Gracie slept through the night at 3 weeks old!)
3. He is more vocal - babbling, cooing, whining (crying but it's just noise, no real crying) and hates it when you stop talking to him.
4. He is staying awake for longer periods of time and developing some kind of schedule I can follow
5. He is starting to like his swing more! YAY!
6. He has started to notice that he has a tongue, and that if he moves his arms and legs - THEY WORK!
7. He still prefers to be swaddled when he's going to sleep, but I think that's only occasionally now
8. He seems to have outgrown his colic/it's not as bad at night anymore. Whoo hoo!

He will get the last bottle of breast milk that I have on Monday, and then he starts daycare on Tuesday. I go back to work officially on Thursday. Pray for me, I'm already dreading it!

Cheese G.R.I.T.S and Jesus!

Stop laughing.

And don't ask questions.

What do Cheese G.R.I.T.S and Jesus have in common? GO HERE and find out!