Birthday times 2!

For my sister and sisters in law-that's a round belly too!

Matchy matchy!

Pinata fun!

Only family picture we got



Actual birthday with her choice of dinner and dessert-dinner with Papa C at Moe's (as M distinguishes: with the quesadillas-not to be confused with Moes with the picnic tables. A BBQ place in town which we frequent-quite frequently). Then onto Yogurt Lab.

Birthday celebration at MDO. A new favorite of hers is Dunkin Donuts (Mommy's too), and she requested munchkins for her class. They were a big hit!

Birthday party was a princess themed party! Sadly our cousin (who is an incredible cake decorator) had a conflict and couldn't make hers so we resorted to Publix. We had about 10 girls and 1 cowboy (M's BFF Walker) at her party. Everyone wore their favorite dress up. We hosted it at church (which was such a blessing to not have to clean my house before and after). We had our jumping castle, we decorated crowns (thanks Carianne for getting them! Sadly, I forgot to take pictures), had a pinata, danced to "Beauty and the Beast," and ate cake and ice cream. It was a sweet party.

Agh! I have had this post started since Jan. 26th, but just could not seem to get back downstairs to finish it. Mostly due to the fact that its freezing down there. The room has its own individual unit and it broke. Sadly, the heating/ac people cannot find anyone who has parts for it due to it being out production, so it looks like it will require a complete replacement. Its not cheap either! We need a new roof first so until spring I guess we'll just have to play upstairs.

M had a true birthday week. My parents came in town the weekend before to celebrate Paxton's baptism and Madeline's birthday. That Saturday we headed to the mall for lunch at Chic-fil-a, a ride on the carousel, and M's first trip to Build-a-bear. Like a fool, I forgot my camera and forgot to get the pictures off my parent's camera before they left. Madeline made a bear she named "Princess" who has been a constant companion recently. On Thursday morning, Jan. 20 (her actual birthday), we were having pancakes when my parents called. My brother and sister-in-law had our nephew, Vincent, earlier that morning! he was about 4 1/2 weeks early, 5 lbs. 8 oz, but otherwise perfect! So, he and M have the same birthday now. Can't wait for spring break so I can hold him! This our first time being an Aunt and Uncle.

In other news, I took the girls to the doctor this week for checkups. Madeline is now 39 1/2 lbs. (50-75th %), 41 1/2 in tall (75-90th %). Paxton is 19 lbs 11 oz (over 100%) and 26 in (75-90th) at 6 months. Now I know why my back hurts so much! I started solids finally a couple of weeks ago. I hope now that she has started some solids, her weight will slow down. She is getting pretty good at sitting up without support, and had finally rolled over a handful of times. She babbles a little, has found her feet, and is generally still just the sweetest of babies. 6-9 months is my favorite baby age!

I must say, I am loving 4 years old. 3 was a rough year for us-I know we had some big life changes, but her personality came out a lot more as well. Its hard to see your child deal with the same sin patterns as yourself. And its hard to deal with your own sin as you try to discipline and teach your child not to do the same junk you have done for the past 31 years. I think I have said this before, but this part of parenting is definitely the long obedience in the same direction. The last 2 months have been wonderful. She has so much more independence and is able to do a lot for herself. Getting dressed, cleaning up after herself, following directions (without complaining or whining sometimes even!). Its also brought on a lot of understanding of things I would rather still shield her from. I know I sound old now, but I can't stand how violent and sexually suggestive commercials are. The only channels I feel good about watching in front of Madeline are HGTV and The Food Network for the most part. Anyways, this post has gone on forever. Time to go do my real job.

Paxton's Baptism

I'm back blogging. My poor, old, and very slow computer is downstairs and I just cant seem to get down here enough to blog (or exercise for that matter, but I'm doing both tonight). Paxton was baptized last Sunday, Jan. 16, into our covenant family. We are so thankful that the Lord has blessed us with this precious girl, and we are honored to be her parents. So thankful for the Lord's promises as well and that it won't be our stellar parenting (or lack there of) that draws her to himself. But just the same way he came and died to save us from ourselves, so too, will he draw her to himself. May we rest in his peace before we see his provision.

Christmas-Revised

Christmas celebrations in Tuscaloosa. Sadly I took very few pictures of it all and forgot my camera one place and could not take a picture at the other side of the family's house. Boo!

playing in the snow the day after Christmas

Our snowman. I had to school Lance from the front door on how to put one this big together. His kept falling apart from lack of packing around the connection points.

We all took a turn playing Just Dance on the Wii. M was really sweet trying to play but just doesn't have the coordination yet (which some would say of me at 31!)

M's face whenever she thinks Paxton is getting more attention than she is. But alas, Its the best pic I have of their matching shirts-a first for me. Lance's mom would be so happy to see this! If she were still alive they would have lots of matchy-matchy things by now-and bows in both their hair. Even if Paxton's was held in by toothpaste.

Kelly and JC gave her a unicorn pillow pet-she was pumped. She can pretty much recite the whole commercial. She told me about its "double stitching" and that "your grandchild will fall in love from the first hug." Literally, those were quotes from her, unprompted.

Aunt Kelly and Uncle JC arrived X-mas morning to go down to T-town with us and spent the night too. I always take pictures of Kelly, but forget ones of JC who is almost always sitting right beside her. Sorry Justin!

Papa C came and spent the night on Christmas eve so he could see the girls open presents

M with her loot. I forgot to take one of Paxton with hers. So I can remember later-she got a ball popper thing, a small kitchen, a musical hammer and some clothes.

Papa C got M a new bike! Gotta love the Huffy. Which Papa C, Lance and I said we all had one as well.

Madeline and Paxton had been up late on Christmas Eve due to church and then dinner with friends after so they slept late the next morning. We don't push Santa too much. For me, its just been very confusing all my life about the true meaning of Christmas, and we wanted to be sure that it was about Jesus first. Consumerism is going to grab our children up (and has already in many ways), so we are trying to at an early age put that first. Santa, in my opinion (which means nothing to anyone besides myself) got in the way of that for me. Madeline believes in Santa, but mostly because others talk to her about it and we don't contradict them. Madeline also cant keep a secret, so I dont want her to ruin it for other friends who do Santa. Gift giving is not a love language for either Lance or me. I dont feel love by giving gifts, nor do I feel very loved by receiving gifts. I know this is completely foreign to some of you. I get overwhelmed with having to buy things for lots of people at the same time. It feels like 2 different celebrations. Hey, its the day Jesus came into the world to save us from ourselves, and what presents to you want for yourself? Anyways, I say all this to give you the reasons behind the following story that happened on Christmas Eve. All week she kept saying things like, "you can take me to the mall on Christmas to see Santa." I didn't quite understand why she kept saying this and kept passing it off hoping to not have to have the santa talk just yet. Well it all came to a head on Xmas eve. At the party someone asked what she asked for from Santa, to which she said that she was going to ask tomorrow and the person said it would be too late then. Great, thanks Man. Tell a 3 year old its too late? She got pretty upset and kept telling me she needed to go to the mall to tell Santa what she wanted. I didnt have the heart to go into it all right then, so I said I told him what she wanted. She promptly wanted to know how I told him, and I said I sent a letter (blah! The one thing I didn't want to do, perpetuate Santa). I so wish Christmas wasn't so much about presents. I was thankful to read a blog about a family who doesn't give presents to each other at all. You can read about them here if you are interested in seeing what they do instead. We did this as well this year. On Christmas Eve we sat down with the computer and watched videos from Samaritans Purse. I think she got it a little that Christmas for most of the world is very different. But again, Santa got in the way. She said Santa would bring toys to those kids as well. She picked out a few things she wanted to give to these children and their families. Friends that read this, I am not the most well spoken individuals, and I write this blog for myself as a way to remember our life with small children and what I am being taught by the Lord at this time in my life. I really appreciate y'all wanting to be connected to our life by reading this blog. So please do not read the above and think I think this is how all people should view Santa. Its a jumbled mess of thoughts, much the way I still feel at Christmas time as I try to allow the Lord to work in my own heart.
On Christmas morning, M came in our room at about 7:30 and her first words were "Merry Christmas Mama." Melt my heart. She waited patiently for us to get breakfast ready to then open presents. After a long day in T-town, both girls needed baths when we got home, both of them were having total meltdowns during it. I think that incident might have curved any desire for JC and Kelly to have children any time soon. I went into check on M about 30 minutes later. She was half asleep and said, "Thank you Mommy for all my presents. I love them all. I love my pillow pet. I love you too Mommy." Sweet ending to the day.

Gail's absence was felt pretty hard by us this year. We did all our same activities, but her presence was sorely missed. Even though she spent last Christmas in the hospital, it was different to not go to her house at all. By God's grace, the house sold in October to a sweet family who Lance had gone to high school with. We all drove by it, but it didnt feel like home any longer. That was sad. We are thankful that our separation is not permanent, but because of Jesus, we'll be together again-forever.

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Too Lazy to Separate All This

Lance's favorite part of the day-reading to his girls

M's MDO Christmas party. I'm the room mom which is hilarious as I am not room mom "material." I became so by default-no one else could do it. I am not gifted with general thoughtfulness and party planning skills (what I would consider essential for room mom). I do have a room mom coach which is helpful to bounce things off of and for her to remind me of when things need to get done. Thankfully her teacher is so easy going and low maintenance. Mrs. Kelly is so wonderful and M really loves her. She is always so hesitant to like a new teacher because she loves her old one so well. I fear the year (b/c Im sure its going to happen in the next 20 years of schooling) that she gets a teacher she does not like. She will never look at the camera and is in a smirking phase. She has a beautiful smile when she is willing, but those are few and far between.

If you could only see the number of rolls under this towel! Pax had her 4 mo check up a couple of weeks ago. She was a whopping 17 lbs and 3 oz., 25 1/2 inches long. 95 percentile for height and weight. She's proportional, just a big girl! I looked back at M's 4 month stats-same height, but only 15 lbs 10 oz. Which was big too-just90th percentile. Its still like having the same baby in so many ways to me. She is still not rolling over, but trying to sit up more and prefers to be in a sitting up position instead of reclined. M did the same thing. She was sitting up before she ever rolled over. Lets be honest, its a lot of weight to have to maneuver! I hate to already be comparing my children. I promise I'm being conscience of this so it doesn't carry into later life (though inevitable in some ways). Im sure Paxton will soon separate herself.

She pulled herself into a sitting position so she could eat on this bird

Madeline made this "space ship" for her and Paxton. It was so sweet to see her playing with Pax. She had this whole story made up of them blasting off and of Pax helping drive. M keeps saying things like "when is Paxton going to get big and be my sister?" I say "She's already your sister." M says "no, she's just a baby." Translation-Paxton's not big enough to play with me yet.

M took this-not too shabby

Last pic of 2010

M and her BFF Walker

We tried ice skating one day over the break. We enlisted the help of our Canadian hockey playing friends to help teach M as Lance and I have trouble keeping ourselves up.

This is what happened whenever she tried to glide. Her feet would come out from under her.



BFF Jenny got the stay the night and I took her and the boys to the airport the next day. They were headed to Cincy for X-mas for $29 flights on Southwest! It was fun to have a full car-two kids and two babies though Davis is hidden behind Madeline.

Buddy Davis flirting with Paxton

Pax has quite the phohawk going. Its hard to capture on film due to her baby fine hair

pulled out the exersaucer