Sweet Sayings

Our little 2 year old LOVES to talk. I never know what is going to come out of her mouth but today she absolutely melted my heart. Ivey Kate started getting a little fussy in the car and I started talking to calm her down. She quit crying and Mattilee said "Thank you for making my Ivey Kate happy, Momma." What a sweetheart! Don't get me wrong, she is a two-year old and everything that she does and says isn't always "sweet" but more often than not she makes me smile and laugh.

Here are a few of my favorite things she says:

"My booboo is all better now, Momma." -After I kiss a booboo for her. Sure knows how to make Momma feel special.

"Momma, can I hold you?" -Of course you can!:)

"She smiled at me Mommy!" -She gets so excited when she makes Ivey Kate smile.

"I'm happy now!" -this she usually says after I've told her to stop crying or whining about something.:)

"Going to Pop and Gigi's house." -as she walks to the door with her purse. She usually comes back and says "I need Momma's keys."

When she starts to leave a room she almost always turns back around and says "I'll be right back."

"I love you, Momma... and Daddy and Ivey Kate and Jesus..." the list goes on and on.

Easter 2012

This Easter Rick Burgess spoke at our church and he did an incredible job. He definitely didn't hold anything back. He was very straightforward and I think he did a really good job of sharing truth. Here is the link to the podcast:

http://www.ewestwood.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=124673&programId=121593

You may have to copy and paste in your web browser.

I hope you can take the time to watch or listen.

We went to our church's Saturday night service and then went to church with my parents on Easter Sunday. After church we went to my aunt and uncle's house for lunch and an Easter egg hunt.

My little Easter angels

I love both of these smiles so much.

Mattilee loves "holding" Ivey Kate.

Mattilee really is a good big sister. I'm excited about the special relationship they will have.

Mattilee and sweet Addie Brown

Easter hugs

Lyla, Addie Brown, Ivey Kate and Mattilee

It's hard to believe that my parents got four granddaughters within about two years.

Playing with Easter eggs

She opened every one of them to see if there was anything inside.

Looking for eggs with Addie Brown

Checking out her findings

Sweet cousins hunting eggs :)

Ivey Kate and Matti's Easter baskets from Gigi. They are so cute.

Healthy, Happy Babies

Praise God for healthy, happy babies. Our trip to the doctor for Ivey Kate's 4 month checkup and Mattilee's 2 year was a reminder of how blessed we are to have healthy babies. We've had our share of colds and common illnesses, but our children are overall very healthy and generally have a happy disposition. For both, I am very thankful.

At two years old Mattilee is weighing in at 26lbs and 8 ounces. She is 35 1/4 inches tall. These put her in the 50% for weight and 75% for height. Mattilee can say anything and she talks all the time, about anything and everything. She loves to tell stories and we love listening to them. She keeps us laughing and when we laugh, she keeps going.:) She's got such a fun little personality. She is losing her "baby" look and is looking more and more like a little girl. She also looks more like a little girl since she's not wearing a diaper anymore.

Mattilee 2 years old

At 4 months Ivey Kate is 14lbs 11oz and 26 inches. She is in the 75% for weight and 95% for height. This sweet thing loves to give kisses. When you lean in to give her a kiss she opens her mouth.:) So precious. She has been rolling from her tummy to back for a few weeks now but hasn't rolled from back to tummy yet. She loves to look at herself in the mirror (and can you blame her:)). Her little play mat has a mirror that hangs above her head and she just laughs and squeals at herself. She also laughs and squeals at her daddy. She "talks" to him more than she does to anyone else. She started sleeping through the night consistently at about 12 weeks old. It's amazing how much better I feel after a full night's sleep. I told my husband that to me, this age is the "honeymoon" stage of parenting. She's sleeping through the night, she lights up when she sees us, thinks everything we do is funny, and she's not mobile yet. When she's trying to keep up with her sister and into everything I'm really going to have my hands full.:)

Ivey Kate trying food for the first time at 4 months. We started with rice cereal. She liked it, it just took her a little while to figure out how to keep it in her mouth.

Couldn't be more in love with my two precious girls or their amazing daddy. What sweet blessings they all are!!

I am also thankful for God's protection over our family. He continually protects us and keeps us safe. On the way to the doctor today, a deer ran right out in front of us on the interstate. It jumped right out in front of my car...in the middle of the day! I was on 459 and probably going 65 or 70 mph. Thankfully, the girls and I were just fine. The deer, on the other hand, didn't fare so well. By the sound of it, I thought for sure he had left his imprint on the front of my car but there wasn't even a scratch! If it wasn't for the deer hair in my grill, you would have never known I had hit him. Just thinking about how bad it could have been makes me so grateful we are all safe.

Sick Little Sister

The weekend of St. Patrick's Day Ivey Kate had to be admitted to the hospital. She had a cold for a few days (that her big sister shared with her) and on Friday she just wasn't eating well and was much more fussy than usual. She started running a slight fever that evening so we decided we would take her to the after-hours clinic. Poor thing had bronchiolitis and was not getting enough oxygen. They wanted her oxygen levels in the mid-high 90's and hers were in the high 80's. So, they had us stay at Children's two nights to monitor her oxygen levels. At Children's we also found out that she had RSV. She was a sick little girl. It was a little scary and sad. As a parent you feel so helpless when your child is sick. Even though we felt horrible for our sick baby girl, it was very humbling to stay at Children's surrounded by other families of very sick children. We saw so many children with cancer and other very serious illnesses, burns, etc.; children and families who pretty much live at the hospital. My heart just broke for so many children and parents I saw as I walked the halls of the hospital. It made me so grateful to walk out of that hospital with my baby girl who had only suffered from a common virus. We may not always be this healthy but for now I thank God every day (and several times a day) for blessing our family with good health.

Ivey Kate getting a breathing treatment that she did not enjoy.

Because she had to be hooked up to oxygen, she had to ride in an ambulance from the After Hours clinic to Children's Hospital. This of course was her first ambulance ride and I hope it was her last.

Our sweet, sick girl.

In the hospital bed at Children's Hospital

Mattilee is 2!

I cannot believe that the little doll who made me a mommy just turned two. Where did the time go?!? It's been such a WONDERFUL adventure to watch her grow and learn. She amazes me with what she knows and says. I can't really remember when she started forming sentences (it just seems like it happened overnight) but now she is speaking paragraphs and her little emphases and expressions are too cute. There are so many things I love about this little girl. She has the funniest little outgoing personality. She fills our home with so much laughter and joy. I'm so thankful I get to be her mommy.

We originally had her birthday party scheduled for Friday, March 2 which is her birthday. However, the Birmingham area was under severe weather alerts so we decided to postpone until Sunday. Saturday, Mattilee woke up with a really bad cold but since we had already postponed once, and she was so excited about her party we went ahead with it, even though she wasn't feeling great. We had her party at a place called Parties on the Move and all of the kids had a blast, even our sick birthday girl.

Two years old!

Having fun! I still haven't quite figured out how to use my new camera so this action shot is a little blurry.

Sweet cousin Addie Brown sliding

And this precious boy made me an aunt. I cannot believe he will be five soon and starting school!

Mattilee and Addie Brown going up to the big slide.

Such a big girl way up there all by herself!

I love this! Sweet cousins having fun!

Mattilee and Claire Kate. It seems these cars are always a hit with little ones.

Sitting in the big birthday chair getting ready to open presents.

With Treyman

Opening gifts!

Delicious birthday cake

Mmmm

I think it is safe to say that little cousin Ariston enjoyed the cake and ice cream.

In her party hat.

Birthday banner that Mattilee's sweet Aunt Erica helped me make (or really made for me) with her cricut.

The party room Parties on the Move decorated for her.

After the party our sick birthday girl is still smiling.

My favorites at this age:

I love how excited she gets about things. She just enjoys life so much.

I love how animated she is when telling a story.

I love seeing and hearing her just pick up things that we haven't really taught her. Like using the plural form of words, using proper pronouns, associating people and things, etc.

I love that she counts everything and then smiles like she's proud of herself.

I love that I'm only having to change Ivey Kate's diapers. Matti mastered potty training like a pro by about 21 months. Just in time for baby sister's arrival.

I love how she tries to "mother" Ivey Kate. If Ivey Kate cries, Matti runs to her rescue and pats her while saying "It's okay, Ivey Kate" or "What's wrong Ivey Kate?" She loves to give kisses to Ivey Kate and in the car if Ivey falls asleep she'll say "Shhh, be real quiet Momma. Ivey Kate's asleep."

I love how she still asks "Momma, can I hold you?" I know one day she won't want me to hold her so I'll hold her as long as she asks.