Big Girl Cup

Funny little Georgia story:

Today mom & I were picking up a few things from Publix, with Georgia riding along in the cart. We had picked up a large cup of ice water from the soda fountain when we came in (water from the fountain is part of Publix hospitality, fyi) and Georgia was carrying it in the cart with her, drinking from the straw like a big girl. We stopped in the card aisle for a bit, and apparently got too involved in our selection. Next time we look over at Georgia, she has thrown the straw on the floor and has been tipping the big cup of ice water up to her mouth, pouring it ALL down the front of her dress! She was SOAKED!! And she was so cold from the ice running down her belly, her little knees were shaking and she had goosebumps. But she would NOT, no matter our persuasion, give us that cup back! She was being a big girl and was going to drink out of her cup the big girl way! I finally got her to trade it to me for a really cool pen from mommy's purse as we walked out the door. She rode home in just her bloomers while her belly thawed! Mom and I just laughed at our determined Big Girl!!

Poetry in Motion

My mom is in town this week- you know she can't go more than a couple of weeks without seeing Georgia! And we love it! Yesterday we took Georgia to Aldridge Gardens, off Lorna Rd in Hoover. It was our first time there and it is very beautiful. There is a big lake with ducks & geese (& snakes!), long paths thru the gorgeous flowers, and plenty of benches and grassy spots for a picnic. And all the hydrangeas are in bloom, which is so beautiful.

I've been wanting to try to take some more pictures of Georgia (like we don't have enuf!), and it's easier to do with another set of hands to catch her. So, with mom's help, we got a few good ones, but most of them were of her running by me at top speed! It was much easier to get pictures of the hydrangeas!

See more in Georgia's Picture Album!!

Grandma Gert

Four generations!

On Sunday we got a chance to share lunch with Dad and my Grandmother. Grandma is amazing- I want to "grow up" to be like her! She's 89, in great health, still drives herself, sings, dances, knits, and plays a mean hand of cards! Every summer leaves her home in Navarre, FL and heads up to Michigan, where my dad & his brothers grew up, and spends the hot months up there with the lake and her blackberry bushes. I guess she's a backwards snow-bird!
Dad was driving her up to MI, and since they come straight thru Bham, we met up at Cracker Barrel for lunch and catching up. Georgia enjoyed seeing her great-grandmother and Grandad, charming everyone with her smiles and energy!
Have a great Michigan summer, Grandma!


Mom, Son & great-Granddaughter


Grandmother, Granddaughter & great-Granddaughter

Mac 'N Cheese

Georgia's eating habits have not been getting any better as she gets older. She is so picky, which can be frustrating. So, today, in an attempt to break her out of her "fruit & cheerios" diet, I gave her some mac 'n cheese for lunch. Not a somewhat-healthy noodles & cheddar variety, no no, she won't touch that. She only eats the full-of-fat & unpronounceable ingredients, microwavable, chef boyardee variety. The kind that's extra saucy and a weird shade of orange. Oh, yea, and she won't eat anything off a spoon- a big pain & mess for me- although she likes to hold her own spoon.

I realize I haven't posted any videos in awhile, so thought I'd share this experience with you in action:

Here's a few other fun pictures of Georgia eating that I've been saving:
Mac N cheese is good all-over!

Ravioli makes good body paint!

I call this my "Cheerio-hair"!

The Trifecta

I thought I would surprise you all by finally blogging again...
Hello, there!!

It is a special time of year in the Hipp House- the time of the Trifecta! Our Anniversary, Mother's Day and my Birthday all fall within a week of each other- three seperate and distinct holidays which, together, Larry has named The Trifecta. I am a traditionalist at heart, and my 'love language' seems to be gifts- things my dear sweet husband has known and accepted about me since we first met. And really, he's encouraged this in me because he's a great gift-giver!! I just love special occasions, surprises and celebrations, so the Trifecta is a great week!!


Anniversary roses!

We started this year's Trifecta celebration Saturday night with dinner at the Melting Pot to celebrate our 5th anniversary. It was our first time there and an interesting experience. Definitely the longest dinner we've ever had out! It took 3 hours to get thru 4 courses: cheese fondue, salad, the meat & veggie fondue, and finally, our favorite, chocolate s'mores fondue for dessert! Yummy!! And Larry surprised me with a gorgeous 'anniversary band' ring that will sit above my wedding rings! Told you he's a good gift-giver! :)


Trying to get a picture of mom & daughter on Mother's Day!

Sunday was Mother's day, and started with Georgia and Larry each bringing me a sweet card. It gets me every time when she carries in the card by herself! Larry's mom, sister & brother joined us for church and afterward we enjoyed a Mother's day Mexican lunch. On the way home we picked up my mommas day present- an elliptical machine! I've convinced Larry- and myself!- that this will be a working machine, not a dust-collector! And he even spent the afternoon painstakingly putting it together for me!


The Hipps on Mother's Day

We'll round out the Trifecta on Friday, the 16th, with my 28th Birthday. Then we'll have to wait a whole 'nother year to start the celebration again! Thanks to my sweet hubby for keeping the Trifecta alive and full of fun surprises!

A New Hippo in the Herd!

Yes Yes- we will be adding another little "hippo" to our herd, due to appear December 5th, 2008! I just barely made Larry's deadline to get another one in for next year's taxes! ;)

We actually found out I was pregnant the day before Georgia's first birthday party- talk about timing! It definitely put a new light on the whole affair, thinking how different it will be next year, and from now on! Georgia and her little brother or sis-to-come will be about 20 months apart. Everyone says "oh, a good distance apart", but I think they're really thinking, "those Hipps must be a little crazy!" And, so, maybe we are! I can accept that! We are just excited that God has chosen to give us another sweet blessing and ask for your prayers for a healthy little one!

When mom was up here last week we got to tell her the news with an old trick- Georgia wore the t-shirt below that says "Not the Baby Anymore!" We put a similar shirt on Bernie, the dog, when we were telling them about being pregnant with Georgia!

We had our first visit to the doc today and all's well- Hippo is 8 weeks 4 days old, and a bit short of an inch. About the size of a kidney bean! We saw a strong heart just beating away, and little arm & leg stubs waving around. The ultrasound tech called this the gummy-bear stage, since at this point the baby has a big head and barely some little arms and legs! :) We'll go back in a month to see how things are going!

Thank you for your prayers as this little one grows and develops, and as we start to prepare to become a family of four! We are thrilled to share this time with such sweet family & friends!