Breathtaking

She will be 3 in about a month. She is my first...my guinea pig. Although there are times where I have to take a few deep breaths in order to keep my cool when she is being disobedient, there are other times when I just look at her and she takes my breath away with her beauty both inside and out. I am envious of her zest for life. She sees beauty in the mundane...something my almost 31 year old eyes no longer see because I see and hear all the evil going on in the world. Put her in a room with no toys and she still could find something to do by using her vivid imagination. On miles upon miles of beach, she was happy just feeling the sand and water beneath her feet and drawing pictures in the sand. She was happy to find a broken shell...to her, it did not matter that it was broken. She thought she had found a buried treasure. 

For her birthday, we got her a free, used princess bike. It is worn, but I guarantee you that she will never notice. To her, she has a new bike to learn to ride. Her family is her whole world. She does not care about having new things...only being surrounded by those who love her. She is my little mommy. She genuinely cares about others. She has so much love to give!

At what point do we lose that 3 year old innocence? Oh how I hope to keep her humble. How I hope that even though she is undoubtedly beautiful physically, that her inner beauty is what will always shine brighter.  To me, it is her heart that is truly breathtaking. 

She is my hero. She is who I strive to be like. 

Dreaming of Blue skies

We just got back from the most wonderful family vacation. We are blessed to have family who lives down in South Florida...we get a free beach vacation a couple times a year and family time all in one trip. Plus, there is nothing better than Andrew's mother's cooking. Yummy!

We stopped half way through our 12 hour trip to visit my 91 year old grandfather and grandmother in the north part of Florida for a few days. It is always such a blessing to spend time with them. Ella enjoyed two days of running around my grandparents fruit tree haven and playing with their baby ducks.

After that, we spent 5 glorious days in 80 degree perfect, breezy, not a cloud in the sky, south Florida. Here are just a few pictures of Ella on her first day at the beach. She definitely looks like a Florida girl with that wind blown blonde hair!

On the eve of our final day there, Jacob decided to get sick. Better the end of the trip than the beginning, I suppose. When we got back, I took him to an urgent care place and they gave him breathing treatments for the wheezing. He still is pretty sick, but as with all viruses, all we can do is keep treating the wheezing and fever until the virus has run its course. Poor little guy!

I can't wait to work on all the photos I took. I didn't take tons and tons like I usually do, but I got enough to at least commemorate our lovely week away. After a week of lobster, swordfish, filet mignon and blue skies, it felt like we were on a cruise! But, it is always great to come home and sleep in my own bed. But these gray Atlanta skies have me missing the Florida sunshine!

One year ago

Everyone says that the days are long, but the years are short. How true that is indeed! One year ago, our little Ella was just becoming quite the toddler. Not quite 2 years, she was still walking around with the silly paci and sporting just enough hair to pull into pig tails...which she would, of course, immediately rip out once out of my vision for one moment.

Ella-March 2010

She was a temper tantrum throwing little spit fire who was for sure testing me to see who was boss. We enjoyed every hard minute with her, but boy did she ever show us her passionate personality!

Ella-March 2010

But, now, that barely talking 22 month old, is now almost 3! And we are seeing the fruits of our labor. Parents, do not be discouraged if you have a strong willed little one. They are such a blessing. So full of personality and passion for life...strong willed children also LOVE very deeply and as passionately as they show the other emotions. Would you just look at this gorgeous little lady she has become over the past year?

Breathtaking...

Stunning, right? I mean she has the most GORGEOUS long, blonde hair and BIG blue eyes to go with that big personality...that I have just learned to finally embrace and love so much! 

I would not change her one little bit. She is my first...my guinea pig in this whole parenting gig. And I just absolutely love that she is so passionate about life. She loves her family and teachers and friends with so much enthusiasm. 

And yesterday...sigh...she told me I was her best friend. Geez, I almost needed to pull over the car. 

Ella, I do not even really know how to fully write down and explain how amazing you are little darling. You amaze me. You teach me way more than I teach you. I LOVE that you have a strong personality...you will surely be a strong woman because of it. Your preschool teacher says you are shy and very well behaved. How proud I feel, yet I cannot take credit. I have never seen a strong willed child who is shy in public...what a complex person you are! But, my little lady, I wouldn't change one thing about you. You, too, are one of my best friends, my buddy, my little dose of heaven every. single. day. And although I am still the mommy, I look forward to watching our friendship blossom as God continues to shape you into this incredible little lady. 

I love you a thousand times,

Mommy (or Mum...too many English cartoons, perhaps?)

Why I'm not an English teacher...

I've always loved the idea of being an English teacher...but, I don't always use proper grammar.

I've always loved the idea of being an English teacher, but I've never been able to figure out is it grey or gray? and is it effect or affect? and for the life of me, I can't figure out why you can't end something in a prepositions.

But, probably most importantly...I have this issue with spelling. You know...like as in "I can't even spell the title of my own blog correctly."

It's "formerly" ya'll! NOT FORMALY!!  How long were you all going to let me keep going like that?

Thanks Mom

Half Birthday

Audrey Helene 3 lbs. 2 oz.

Jacob Pierce 3lbs. 7 oz.

Today is a special day. Today, our two littlest darlings are 6 months old. We are celebrating by having half a cake! Doesn't that sound lovely? People always ask me "but how old are they really?" Well, they STILL are 6 months. Their birthday will always be September 1st. They may only be developmentally like 3 month olds, but it doesn't change how old they actually are. By age 2, you will never know that they were born 3 months early (that's when the doctors predict they will catch up).



Their current weights are as follows: Jacob is 15 pounds and Audrey is 12 pounds. They are sleeping about 7 hour stretches most nights now...not every night, but almost. I talked to the pediatrician about Jacob a month or so ago because I felt like he should be sleeping longer (he was only going 4 hours at night) and he told me that it is not just a weight thing that makes babies sleep. That is a myth! It is actually more a developmental milestone. That was good to know because I thought it was odd that Audrey, who weighs 3 pounds less, has been sleeping 7-8 hours at night for over a month now.

I pretty much keep them both on the same schedule. Audrey naps longer than Jacob, but I will usually go wake her up soon after so that they stay on the same routine all day. I know that sounds crazy, but it works for us. I also do this because it is really important that all three kids are napping at the same time when it is time for Ella to take a late afternoon nap. I need a little break...I tell Andrew if he gets an hour lunch break everyday, then so do I! Ha!

I survived my first night by myself with all three the other night. Andrew had to leave Sunday morning to go to a conference he was speaking at. Unfortunately, he woke up at 4am in his hotel vomiting his head off. I guess he got Ella and Audrey's stomach bug. I wasn't feeling so hot myself, but I never officially vomited. That morning, he was so sick he FAINTED in the shower in the hotel and hit his head! He is lucky he didn't drown or something. Anyway, he was finally able to eat something and perk up enough to speak at his session and called and said he was going to try and drive home. We can't seem to get this stomach bug out of our house.

Anyway, I am going to take some 6 month pictures of the twins when we go to the beach this month. We are so blessed to have them in our family. We never stop being grateful for the many miracles God performed in their lives in the short time they have been here. They and Ella continue to be a living example of mercy for us.

Happy 6 months my lovely little darlings!