Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Sarah's Classroom

Today we played with Sarah Grace Brown, which is exactly how she introduces herself. She answered the door in a Cinderella dress, and proceeded thru a fairy-witch, princess bride and Minnie Mouse dresses before we left. Sarah is 3 and a 1/2, and always gives me a good dose of the fun days to come!

Sarah's obviously done this before!

Georgia loves to play with "big kids". I think she's just fascinated by all they can do. And they always have cool toys! We've gotten to play with Sarah lots (though never often enough!) and I love to watch them interact. For an only child, Sarah plays big sis very well and teaches Georgia things like sharing, pretend, eating mac n' cheese and sumersaults. And we always leave with some awesome hand-me-downs!!

Awww- hugs!

I also love playing with big kids! I love the time with a mom who's just ahead of me so I can pick her brain, ask tons of questions, and, really, just observe. Debby (& Matt!) have done an awesome job with Sarah and I love that she teaches Sarah thru her parenting. For example- "You can't do that." "Why?", or, usually, crying... "Because it's mommy's job to protect the baby, and if I let you do that you will get a boo-boo and mommy won't be doing her job." It sounds simple, but means so much! And I really love when Debby warns Sarah about "being sassy" - or attitude!

What is she laughing about?

There is so much to learn and I think the best way to learn is just by being with other moms. So to all the moms out there with big kids, little kids and, even, new kids- thanks for being my teachers to the hardest course I've ever been in! I promise to study lots, take good notes, and pay attention to your examples, in hopes that I will be prepared when the test comes!

Monday, January 28, 2008

Friends, Family & a Playhouse

We have some cute pictures to share from some of our recent fun:

1) Friday we had a playdate with Avery McClain, and her momma Nancy. We enjoyed eating lunch with them, and Avery had lots of fun toys - especially a waterbottle both girls wanted to play with! Why do we bother buying any toys? Just give them waterbottles, spoons and bowls! :) See Avery's Blog for more cute pictures...


2) Friday night we went out to a belated Birthday dinner for Larry's cousin, Jaclyn. It was fun to get to celebrate with her, and we all enjoyed the cake Larry's sister, Heather, made her- and the story that went with it! ;)


3) Finally, I made Georgia a playhouse! Since I was one of those kids that draped sheets ALL over the family room into "forts", I was very excited about our little playhouse! I took the big box her carseat came in and cut in it some doors and a window. I had to crawl thru it (don't ask how I fit!) to show her how to use it, and since then she's enjoyed crawling thru it, and taking Ann & Andy in it to play! We'll see how long it holds up- and how long daddy can stand it taking up half the living room floor!

Dog Dance

I couldn't help but share the laughter of this little YouTube video my dad sent me! It had me overcome with giggles- and who wouldn't want to be overcome with giggles?! Especially on a Monday! So take a look!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqbVbPvlDoM

I don't think I'll be able to get Bernie to dance with me like this anytime soon...

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Hair Do's

Georgia has always had a lot of hair, even as a newbie, and it continues to grow! It's getting to the point now where it will hang over her face, and I definitely feel like a mom as I complain about "that hair in your eyes!" We've been collecting bows and barrettes for a while now, as I was hoping she's be used to them if I started with them early. Not the case... she pulls them right out! The hardest part in getting these pictures was getting her to leave in the barettes and getting her to sit still!

Lately I've been trying a few new do's, since her hair is long enough:

Pigtails - We just have barrette's, so these didn't stay in very well...

Double Barrette- SO cute, but she didn't let them stay in very long!

Sleepyhead- My personal favorite! :) She looks like her daddy when she wakes up!

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Snow Day Double-Feature

Being a Floridian, I'm still excited about the snow we had here last weekend! What can I say- warm salty breezes run thru my veins! It's always funny when I talk to my mom in Tampa and she says something like "It's gotting cold down here- we've turned off the AC and closed the windows!" So- that's where I'm from and why a few snowflakes are so exciting!
Here are a few videos I wanted to share- Georgia did not share in my excitement of the snow, though she tolerated it more from the view from daddy's arms!

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Snow Day


Today we had snow! Yes- SNOW in Birmingham, Alabama! And not just a light powdering, but some real stick-to-the-ground, throw-at-someone snow! They (the meterologists) had been predicting snow all week, but we were skeptical. After all- it was 56 degrees out yesterday and I was burning up in my sweater! But the temperature dropped overnight, we got some precipitation, and, wha-la! Snow!! :)

All the kids in our neighborhood were out this morning, having fun in the snow. So I bundled Georgia up and took her out to experience her first snowfall. But she was NOT impressed! She just thought it was wet, cold and no fun! Bernie couldn't even convince her as he ran basset 500's in the yard and licked up my snowball! It probably didn't help that I just plopped her down in it and asked her to smile. I guess she's already a southern girl, thru & thru!

Here's some cute snow pics:




Thursday, January 10, 2008

9 Months and First Steps!

Georgia Kate,
You are 9 months and 10 days old today and turning into such a big girl! We went to your 9 month checkup today and you are 17 lbs, 11 oz and 28 inches- 25% for weight for babies your age and 75% for height. Dr Anderson called you a tall thin supermodel and said you are healthy and doing great! I can't agree more- you are learning so fast and just excited about life! It makes hanging out with you every day so great!!

~ Your latest and, in my opinion, greatest accomplishment: WALKING!!!
That's right- YOU WALKED!!!
Here's the story of your first steps: last night you were standing against the big chair, holding Andy, and you saw Ann on the ground and just walked over to her- about 4 steps all on your own! I was amazed!! I quickly grabbed the video camera, which I've kept w/in arms reach the last month in anticipation of this very event, and set you up to do it again- and you did! You took about 4 more steps towards an outstretched Raggedy Ann doll! I should have known what was missing the last month was sufficient bait to get you to walk! So I got the moment on video, like a good mommy (& will get it posted here as soon as I figure out how to get it from video camera to computer- daddy started classes so mommy is having to figure a few things out on her own- yikes!).
Of course now I can't get you to do it again- but I know it's coming! The doc was very impressed (only 40% of babies are even crawling at 9 months!), and warned me you'll be running around the house within weeks- something I'm not sure we're ready for but I'm sure you won't ask permission!

Of course we have other things going on too:
~You love to read, and your favorite books are Dog, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, A Very Good Day (thanks, steph!), & Guess How Much I Love You
~You love playing and will play for almost an hour by yourself. You drag ALL your toys out of the basket and spread them everywhere and crawl around, playing with each one. You even try to share them with Bernie, which is confusing to him b/c he knows he's not supposed to eat your toys!
~You love Bernie and squeal and laugh when he comes in your room. You are always looking for him and laughing at him! You love to pat him and he'll roll over so you can pat his belly. You even try to kiss him, but I try to stop you b/c you both kiss with your tongues out! Eww!!
~You have started kissing! It is so sweet- and slobbery! You don't always do it when asked, and sometimes offer kisses at random times- but we take them anytime! We certainly try to set an example by giving you hundreds of kisses a day!
~You still don't like to eat much, except when Grammie is feeding you! You drink your bottle fine, but eat solids at your own whim. Like this morning- you refused even a bite of bananas, but ate an entire jar at lunch. You're getting better about this, though, and are starting to eat some finger foods- cheerios, "Puffs", "Wheels", real banana, soft carrot, avocado, bread & crackers... you also love to feed your food to Bernie! (He loves it too!)
~You love to drink out of your straw. You won't even use a sippy cup, but love the straw! You'll drink some of your milk from the straw, but not much yet.
~You are super busy, crawling fast, "cruising" and standing against everything. You are even starting to try to climb- my favorite story about this: over Christmas you grabbed onto Grammie's oven door with both hands, pulled both feet up against the glass, and, when it started to open, just rode it down- till you bumped your head on the ground!
~You're also very tough as you bump your head all the time!
~You love bath time and splash and swim in the water!
~You are a great waver, and wave at everyone. You even say "HEY" sometimes when you wave- you say it enuf that we'll count it as your first word!

I could go on & on (and I think I just did!)- I am such a proud momma! We spent 9 long months preparing for you, and now the first 9 with you have flown by! Thank you for the joy you bring to daddy & my days! We thank God every day for our healthy, happy, sweet and smart baby girl!
Love you, Mommy

Playtime with Ann & Andy


This is in response to a request for more Ann & Andy- Georgia is really loving playing with them and I finally caught some of it on video and pictures. She drags them everywhere and loves to take them over to her "Stand & Sing" (or whatever it's called) and play music for them and sing and dance with them. She'll also drag one over to Bernie and hold it out, as if to offer one to him to play with! Watch out Berns- tea parties may be in your future!



Play with me, Bernie!


Let's go, Ann & Andy!

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

The Dog Book

Our friends the Brennans sent us this book shortly after Georgia was born, and I'd have to call it her favorite! It is simply titled "Dog" and not only features big photos of different dogs, but also has 'touch & feel' pages- ie. silky dog, shaggy dog, and, Georgia's favorite, "soft ears floppy". It also has moving parts- pull the tab and the dog shakes his head, or scratches his leg, but we don't do that part any more because she got a little excited and pulled one dog's head off. She loves to read "Dog" to Bernie the basset, to which he responds by flopping over on his back or moving away from her, as if to say her chattering is interrupting his snoozing! I think it is safe to say our little girl is going to be an animal lover!

Monday, January 7, 2008

Raggedy Ann & Andy

Georgia has some new buddies. My mom's friend's mother lovingly MADE Raggendy Ann & Andy dolls for Georgia for Christmas, and she loves them! (She also made Georgia a beautiful quilt that she sent when Georgia was born!) This morning Georgia was crawling around with one doll in each hand- no small feat as the dolls are as big as she is! It was quite a challenge, but she was unwilling to leave either one behind. She'd crawl a step, drop one, go back for it, crawl a couple more steps- poor Ann & Andy were getting a little roughed up, but I like to think her love for them overshadows any pain they have from being dragged around! I love how she loves them as it reminds me of the Ann & Andy dolls I had as a child- and also loved!
This little video is from last night- I set her in the rocking chair in her room where Ann & Andy sit, and she was so content to snuggle there in the chair with them!

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Baby's First Christmas


We are back home from our Christmas visit to Tampa. It was a wonderful visit and a great baby's first Christmas for Georgia. The whole Christmas season seemed to go by so quick! I am left with little snippets in my mind of some of my favorite moments:

Georgia opening presents! She loved it and got really good at tearing the paper off pretty quick. She also loved presents in bags so she could pull all the tissue paper out. I love this picture of her sitting on Larry's lap, opening the first present on Christmas morning- well, really she was trying to eat the big shiny bow!

Of course, once the present was open, she just wanted to chew on the box. Eventually we just put her IN a big box, to keep her out of everyone else's present piles!


All of us together! It was great just all being together again, and for Georgia to get to spend time with Grammie, Grandad, Uncle Wes and Uncle Michael. We miss them and it had been too long since I'd been together with both my brothers again. Love you, BIG bros! ;) And notice our cute matching pj bottoms, something that may become my new tradition! :)



Speaking of pj bottoms, mom got Georgia these CUTE Christmas pjs that say "My First Christmas 2007, Georgia Kate" on the little flap over the booty. SO cute, Grammie! :)


Wes gets a present that blows his mind! My brother Wesley got THE present of the year from his girlfriend Jenn- a SIGNED Auburn jersey by Carnell "Cadillac" Williams!! It was Awesome!!! Thanks Jenn, for letting us watch him open it! Wes wouldn't let any of us try it on, and it should be in a frame by now, ready for a spot of honor- maybe above the mantle?!


Michael gets a new ride! My youngest bro Micheal also got an awesome present- a new Yamaha Vino moped! This shiny little ride will be great to help him get back and forth from classes this year. I got to take a ride on it, and it was really fun! I loved the look on his face when he saw it!!


Our "day off"! Larry and I got to have a "day off" while Grammie & Grandad had a day of Georgia. It was great- we were like kids again! We went to Busch Gardens for the day and rode all the big roller coasters and saw all the animals. Then, after going by the house to change and say goodnight to our baby girl, we went out to a nice dinner and a late movie. Grammie even got up early with Georgia the next morning so we could sleep in!


Now we're back home and doing 9 days of laundry. I'm procrastinating taking down our Christmas decorations, because that means it's really over. But we have these fun memories and the promise of a GREAT 2008 ahead!
Thanks to mom & dad, Wes & Michael, the Brookes, the Jungers, the Waltrips, Janet and everyone else for a great trip and baby's first Christmas! We are truly blessed by our family and friends!
More pictures in Georgia's Album!