12-27-14 - 2014 Christmas Recap

Another wonderful Christmas!  We are so blessed and I am so thankful!  Andy's grandparents came and spent Christmas with us again this year, and we really enjoyed our time together.  We were able to get them a digital picture frame and load a bunch of old photos from their 50+ years together to surprise them and they were both so surprised!  Mama said it was one of the nicest gifts she'd ever received.  Definitely worth the effort we put into surprising them, just to see their reaction!  

Our annual family picture ornament:

 Me and the girls took time to make some melty beads ornaments together.  Fun little project, although not as straightforward as Pinterest made it sound! Haha!  Despite oiling the cookie cutters, the beads STUCK completely still.  Ruined a couple of my nice cutters, but it was still a worthwhile project.  Anna Claire loved doing it!

Juliana made this ornament at Playpals.  So glad all my girls have such nice teachers that look for ways to engage the class and make things meaningful.   

Andy's ornament to commemorate 2014: he took up cycling this year and has really enjoyed it.  In fact, Mama Betty got him a lot of cycling clothes and some new pedals for his Christmas present. 

 

 Anna Claire's 2014 ornament: the biggest thing that happened to her this year was starting school - she has changed and grown SO MUCH from the experience.  I am pleased and proud to see how she amazing she is, even though a piece of me feels like I'm losing a part of my baby.  :-)  Silly mama stuff.

 My 2014 ornament:  This year has been so incredibly blessed, but so challenging.  Sometimes I think I should have a superhero cape just for making it through the day!  :-)   Life is grand though, and I love my busy little family.

 Eliza's 2014 ornament - our traditional "Baby's 1st Christmas" ornament

Juliana really enjoyed Frozen this year.  Well, she and Anna Claire both have really, but at Christmastime this year, when I was considering what she really was "into" the most this year, it was a close tie between Frozen and Monsters,Inc./University.  In the end though, I decided Frozen probably won out. :-)

 Anna Claire's handiwork.

 Another ornament Anna Claire made at school. Cute.

 Juliana made this ornament. Sometimes it's just the simple things they really enjoy.

Mom found these cute little crocheted ornaments at the Southern Women's Show that we try to go to every year in Jacksonville.  She got them for Eliza so she would have something of her own. :-)

Poor little cute fingerprint bell. Anna Claire made it, but it's been through the wringer already.  Broken and repaired twice just this year.  Oh my!

Mom also bought me this cool goard at the Craft show - it lights up when plugged in.  Neat, huh?  I love the goard.  So pretty!

And finally......my VERY long-awaited Jesse Tree is finally finished!!  I am so proud of this!

12-26-14

12-25-14

12-15-14

Took all three girls to the park today and we had so much fun! Maybe Liza didn't care too much one way or another, but the other two girls had a blast! It was hot, but not too hot and they could run and play and have a wonderful time. When we left, I took the two little girls to the van and put them in it first and then came out to get Anna Claire. She said to me, "Mommy, I was missing you! Where were you?" And I told her that I had taken the other two girls to the car but that I would always come back for her and never leave her. She said, "You never leave me, because I would cry and be very sad." :-) Isn't that so sweet! She said "I love you, Mommy!" Such a precious girl! I hope they all grow up to love me like they do now. :-)

Junia was making Eliza laugh so much on our walk tonight!

She's learned to say "Liza"---it's adorable even though it's usually paired with, "no, Liza!"

12-13-14

So many cute memories--too many to ever be able to record!

Today the big girls baked Christmas (and Mickey) cookies with me and Nani. Fun times!! Juliana even pressed her cookie cutter down and then helped sprinkle. I think sprinkles were everywhere!!! It's an understatement to say that they really, really like shaking the sprinkles!!

Juliana was going in and out the back door and was hitting the wall with the knob as she would sling it open--I went out to scold her for slamming the door and she looked at me with all the mischief in her eyes that she could muster and said, "I MEAN!!"
I cracked up.

(Of course I tried to keep my scolding face on, but it was hilarious!!!)

The girls are really starting to play well together. The fight a good bit too but they really do love each other and that pleases me so much!

12-07-14

Eliza is trying so very hard to walk! I think it must be a matter of days before she gives it a good shot! :-) She is such a beautiful baby---all my babies have been beautiful, but right now she is just gorgeous. Big blue eyes, pretty pink lips with little points at the top, big gummy baby grin, strawberry blonde hair with curls around the back. Oh such a sweetie!

My big girls looked so pretty in their Christmas outfits together!

12-06-14

Fun day! Went to the Ashford christmas parade for the first time--me and the girls with the Kent's. It wasn't anything terribly special but it was active and lively and the girls had fun getting candy. :-)

Wore Eliza out though! She slept through the sirens and everything! She is such a charmer--she is loved everywhere she goes! And she's so beautiful!

Then afterwards Anna Claire got her face painted! Yay! Juliana thought she wanted to but it only took one stroke of the brush to decide differently! Haha!

Tonight we made a fire in my birthday fire pit for the first time (my gift from LAST YEAR!). Roasted a couple of hot dogs -- Anna Claire says, "I want to burn a hot dog< Mama!" So funny!

Me and Juliana took a long shower together to get the smoke off and she was hilarious--scolding her toys and shaking her little finger saying "no no-be nice!" She liked that! And filling cups with water and pouring them out. Sweet time with my middle baby. Love her so much.

12-05-14

Fun day with the family. Ate Goldfingers for lunch and laughed at Juliana's antics. She can be so sweet and silly when she's in the mood! She is just jabbering up a storm and gets soooo frustrated when you don't understand her! I feel the same way that I do when I am listening to two Spanish speaking people having a conversation---just grabbing for a word here or there that I can work from to determine the overall meaning!

Andy and the girls burned some leaves and pine straw, and then we tried our hand at making peeler bead ornaments for their teachers....turned out fair but nothing to write home about. Fun time together though!

12-04-14

Juliana loves her "school" although she forgets that every time we drop her off!

Today they were "reindeer!"

Juliana cracks me up! She's starting to develop a more individual "big girl" personality. She is absolutely in love with Monsters, Inc and Monsters University--she calls it monsters and giggles so cute and high pitched when you put it on!

She also said to me today "tickle me!" That's the first time I've heard her use any pronouns. Her speech is really taking off!

Today was Anna Claire's first school Christmas program! We enjoyed it so much! She was the letter "O" for omega. She spoke clearly and loudly and did fantastic! The only problem was that she and Caroline got into a tugging spat over who was going to hold the "o" place card up for the audience to see. :-(

Then tonight she helped me decorate my tree! Fun and special times with my big girl!

She actually did really well--placed them well and didn't pull on the branches. I was impressed!

12-03-14

The girls enjoyed being outside today!

Beautiful fall weather!

11-25-14

Anna Claire has been visiting Nani and Pawpaw since Saturday and is having a blast. Probably spoiled rotten but, hey, what are grandparents for? ;-)

Juliana watched her on FaceTime today and just smiled and laughed at her antics--even though she was just playing, unaware that she was being watched. She absolutely hates to Facetime--hates to slow down long enough so I didn't press her today--seems to make things worse if we do. I do miss the little bugger though.....makes me kind of sad that she couldn't care less whether we are around or not though. Silly mama stuff, I guess. I don't want her to be homesick or sad, just maybe to be excited to see us.....we will see how we are welcomed tomorrow.

Juliana has been an absolute doll while Sissy has been gone. I think she has really enjoyed the extra attention from Mommy and Daddy. She stayed in our bed watching Monsters University, her current favorite movie (calls it "monsters!!"), until 10:30 the other night because we didn't have the heart to evict her--she was just too sweet!

Her language skills are astounding me! Today she said, "Mommy hold me!" That's the first sentence I remember her saying. She says almost anything she wants these days and gets angry if you can't understand her!

Her little haircut that she got on vacation is adorable still--makes her look sweet and grownup! Playing in Sunday school--so pretty with her haircut and little dress!

The girls at church love to play with her--sometimes she complies....sometimes she doesn't! :-) She certainly knows her own mind!

11-16-14

After last night's debacle with the Elsa nightgown - tonight Juliana was crying and we were trying to start getting her diaper changed and dressed for bed.  In response to her crying, Anna Claire asked Juliana (without being prompted, mind you!) "wanna wear Elsa?" This made Juliana immediately happy---but not as happy as it made me!! I was well aware that Anna Claire wanted to wear her Elsa gown tonight but she shared with Juliana just to make her happy! Soooo love seeing glimpses of selflessness in the midst of so much toddler selfishness! :-)

Also tonight -- cracked me up!!!! Anna Claire just told Juliana (who is screaming over nothing) that she needs to "straighten up that attitude".....Junia screams "NO" at her and Anna Claire says very calmly, "okay, you are going to bed when we get home." HAHAHA!!!!

11-15-14

I'm sick today, but I have been lax in updating this blog lately with my sweet memories of my girls.

So here goes!

Anna Claire is loving school! It has been just a wonderful experience for her and I couldn't be more pleased with Ridgecrest's program. She knows all of her alphabet - uppercase and lowercase. She knows her numbers to 20 and is working on numbers to 40. She makes a craft all the time and loves to cut and draw. Her coloring is getting much better and she's learning how to stay in the lines, something that I was beginning to become concerned about over the summer because all she would do a scribble! Ha ha! She loves her teachers, and I love all the extra opportunity she has for fun things to do like field trips, chapel, special programs, etc. Two different adults stopped me Wednesday night and another talked to Andy the next day about how much Anna Claire has changed since starting school. Her attention span has improved and she is learning to follow given instructions much better. There is still much improvement to be had on that front though! :-)

Juliana's speech has really taken off! She can say anything she wants to, when she wants to! Her favorite word for the moment appears to be "no." :-) She loves her sisters, and the time has finally come when Eliza doesn't get a pass on playing with her toys. I wondered how long it would take before she would become possessive with her things with Baby Liza, but the time is now here. For the longest time Baby Liza could do no wrong! She still lights up every time Eliza comes into the room from napping or being away from her, and she loves her so very much! She loves Anna Claire also, and they are really starting to play well together. The kicker is always how much patience Juliana is willing to exhibit, and how much pestering Anna Claire is wanting to do. When Anna Claire stops trying to be the boss and just plays with her like an equal, usually things go okay. it makes me so proud and it makes my heart smile when I see them play well together. I hope that as they get older that they will be very close and learn to play well and have similar interests.

Eliza is turning into a toddler slowly but surely! She wants to walk so bad she can't stand it, but right now she has to settle for standing without assistance. She tried to take one step but it was unsuccessful. She has tried again since then that I have noticed, but she stands and pulls up on everything! :-) She is a joy and everybody loves to be around her because of her happy playful personality! We also get stopped every where we go from strangers to talk about what a beautiful baby she is in what pretty big blue eyes she has! She charms everyone with how easily she smiles! She is babbling a lot also, saying "mama and "dada" and many other little words. Her daddy loves to hear her scream in the shrill way that she likes to do when she is happy! She does love to scream, and it is especially annoying whatever you were trapped in the van with her! Even Anna Claire has been known to say, "Be quiet, Baby Liza!"

Anna Claire is at a trying place for discipline. Her mouth gets her in much trouble. She think she has to comment back to everything we tell her to do. That doesn't always go over so well when you tell her to do something and she says you do whatever it was that you told her to do. You would think she would learn after so many bad endings to that scenario. :-) The other night one of the girls from the youth was trying to make sure that it was okay for her to sit away from us at Wednesday night supper and she asked her once about it, and when she asked for the second time, and Anna Claire responded with a frank, "you're pestering me!" :-O Thankfully the girl thought it was cute, but Mama wasn't quite so impressed. :-)

Tonight Juliana saw Anna Claire's Frozen nightgown and got sooo excited! "Eh-sa!"  (Elsa) "an-na!!" We let her wear it (much to Anna Claire's discontent), and her evening was absolutely made!! It was a good opportunity to talk with Anna Claire about putting her sisters happiness ahead of her own. I don't know if she got it or not, but when Juliana came into the bedroom smiling from ear to ear, Anna Claire hugged her and with some encouragement told her she was pretty in the gown. After that Juliana just absolutely SHOWERED her with love--kissing and wrestling and wanting to be all over her--and thankfully Anna Claire responded happily. They really do love each other!

The way Juliana talks is so cute!!  Tonight's word!! "He-up!!" (Help!) at the top of our lungs repeatedly!

11-10-14

Fun times---

Eliza eating her foot tonight.

Anna Claire driving (poorly) in the backyard! What fun they had screaming together!

Juliana helped me "cook" breakfast gravy this morning.

11-09-14

Girls were painting tonight.....Juliana decided to paint herself! Anna Claire thought it was a great idea! Off to the bath we went shortly thereafter!

11-4-14

On vacation in Helen, Georgia this week and having a wonderful time!

Today we ate breakfast at home and then walked in town for a while and had lunch out at a local place called Bigg Daddy's. Overpriced but yummy! Had some Gouda macaroni and cheese that was killer!

Then we let the girls play at the playground for a while before making the little girls go down to nap. Andy and I took Anna Claire walking up to Anna Ruby Falls while Mama stayed with the babies.

Oh and baby Eliza FINALLY got another tooth in! Facing her, it's her upper right front tooth. The left one is right behind it! She's been working on those for a while!

11-1-14

My sweet girls have gotten along so well today! If they only knew how happy that makes this mama! Not only because it helps my day be more peaceful and productive, but even more so because it pleases me to see them love each other. I very much hope they can win day except each other has a wonderful gift from the Lord!

Watching Despicable Me together!

10-29-14

Juliana was busy while my back was turned! I think that's almost every hand towel and washcloth in that end of the house!

10-28-14

Eliza had a great nine month well baby doctor visit today! She weighed 21 lbs. 3 oz., and was 28 1/4 inches long. That's the 85th percentile on weight in the 60th on hike! It looks like we're going to have another solid but vertically challenged child. :-) That makes three out of three! Ha ha! I guess with us as parents they can't exactly hope to be giants. :-)

Juliana's speech has really taken off! I am amazed at how quickly she is learning new words and starting to use phrases easily. She was teasing me and trying to take a blanket away from me and would say "I got it!" She says I'm sorry when she gets in trouble without being prompted usually, and has the most tender spirit.

The girls are fighting a lot right now though, which is discouraging to me. They just drive each other nuts some days. Juliana screams at every little thing that .irritates her that Anna Claire does. Anna Claire loves to pester and get her to scream. Makes me want to pull my hair out! Andy can't hardly stand it either! I keep trying to remind them that one day they'll be best friends. It is very discouraging to see them being unkind to each other though. The funny thing is, both of them absolutely adore Eliza. They actually fight over who is going to pay her attention or who is making her laugh! They never get irritated with her crying or bothering them at all. Only with each other!

10-24-14

So wonderful to hear my girls so excited when they saw me walking to the car with a pumpkin! Anna Claire: we got a BIG pumpkin! Juliana: "Pupki!! Pupki!!"

Halloween dress up opportunity #1 tonight: Anna Claire--Anna from frozen, Juliana a cowgirl and Eliza as Snow White bexause the masseys/chiltons party is outside and I didn't want her to be cold as a ballerina. :-)

10-21-14

Took all three girls to the park today and we had so much fun! Baby Liza didn't care too much one way or another, but the other two girls had a blast! It was hot, but not too hot and they could run and play and have a wonderful time. When we left, I took the two little girls to the van and put them in it first and then came out to get Anna Claire. She said to me, "Mommy, I was missing you! Where were you?" And I told her that I had taken the other two girls to the car but that I would always come back for her and never leave her. She said "You never leave me, because I would cry and be very sad." :-) Isn't that so sweet! She said, "I love you mommy!" Such a precious girl! I hope they all grow up to love me like they do now. :-)

10-20-14

Took Juliana to the doctor regarding a rash today. Nothing bad--just irritation rash. :-) I was very glad her weight was back up to 28.2 lbs today. :-)

10-16-14

I've had a rough week or so emotionally. Not really sure why, but probably hormones. A little of the dark cloud trying to have her in over me. Regardless of the cause, Anna Claire saw me tearing up after I got off the phone with Andy. I was crying just a little but trying to keep it to myself. She came over to me and said, "don't cry mama, dry those tears. Dry those tears." It was so sweet and I was so touched that I started to cry more. She said the same thing again, "dry those tears." I said to her, "who made you so sweet?" She replied matter-of-factly, "Jesus."

Absolutely cracked me up! I immediately stop crying and laughed!

Juliana is really starting to turn into a little girl and not a baby. I am amazed at what she understands and what she can do. She is starting to show all the signs of potty training readiness, and has been for probably a month now. Definitely earlier than Anna Claire did, but then again Anna Claire didn't have an older sister to watch. She (Juliana) said to me, "I poo-poo Mama!" and patted herself, and I said, "Well, I will go get a diaper for you." When I came back she had climbed up on the changing table attached to her crib! She was laying there ready to be changed! What makes it hilarious to me, is that we do not use that changing table hardly ever. We did use it all the time for Anna Claire, but of course she was our first child. When Juliana came along we just change them wherever we could find a clean spot! Ha ha! How things change!

Then in the car the other day - we had just eaten lunch with Andy and we're dropping him back off at his truck - as we pulled away, Juliana got very upset and started crying, "Daddy, Daddy Daddy!" Anna Claire looked over at her and said, "Don't start, Junia!" It was hilarious even though I knew I should scold her for being unkind. Such a grown-up little thing she is turning into. :-)

Eliza's teeth are coming in up top and really giving her a fit. She has the worst diaper rash any of our children have ever had right now. She handled it so well though. If it had been one of the other two they would have been beside themselves, but she takes it in stride - barely crying even when I change her diaper. :-( I feel so sorry for the little trooper though. Can't wait for these teeth to get in and for her to feel better. :-) Love that little Eliza - what a joy she is!

10-08-14

Baby Eliza is growing so fast! I gave her a bath today and she smells so sweet and clean, just like a baby should! I love how she's got soft baby skin still, and her gummy baby smile! Just a little reverse beaver still--only her two bottom teeth are in yet. she's so sweet and lovable in every way. Her sisters are crazy over her and do a good bit of fighting over who is paying her attention. Juliana is the most attentive, which drives Eliza crazy at times from the constantness of her affection! :-) I am so blessed to have three wonderful babies, and I am so glad that Baby Liza is part of our family now. It makes me so happy all over when she grins at me, and in the way that she knows me and gets excited when Me or her Daddy walk into a room. She loves her Daddy so much and sometimes she even picks him over me! What a joy in our life she is!

10-07-14

Juliana weighed 25.8 lbs and was 2 ft 10" tall. I was concerned about her weight because she was down from September but I think it was because she had been sick with a stomach virus and had really had a poor appetite for a couple of weeks. Even so she was the 50th percentile on height and weight.

10-05-14

Something I never thought I'd see from my family on Sunday morning.....cowboy boots with a dress!!! Juliana absolutely refused to be satisfied with anything else!!

10-03-14

Dropped Anna Claire off this morning to school wearing her Sophia the First light-up shoes. She got out of the car in car line and I heard her say to the teacher, "I'm wearing my fast running shoes!" And here she runs into the building at top speed! I love her energy!

10-01-14

Today the fire truck came to church! Anna Claire has been excited for days!

Anna Claire got to give the fireman a card that her preschool class made for them!

Juliana got in--even though she wasn't sure about the noise and lights! Big step for her!

Then, before the firemen left, Mrs. April asked the boys and girls if they had a question for the firefighters. Of course, Anna Claire's little hand shot in the air and she asks the firemen, "you come to Junia's birthday [party]?" It was hilarious!

9-28-14

Mrs. Sue McNeal came to me and told me that after church today Anna Claire came to her (she was sitting several rows behind Andy and Anna Claire), and she said to her "I wrote you a letter! Mrs. Sue opened it and Anna Claire ran off. It was a lot of letter "A's" all over an offering envelope. Mrs. Sue went back to Anna Claire and said, "Well, tell me what does it say?" And Anna Claire said, "It says I love you." :-) Mrs. Sue said that she will keep it forever and that it was a precious memory to her! She said that it just warmed her heart so much that Anna Claire had noticed her.