ROLL TIDE ROLL

ROLL TIDE everyone! We've had a great day at my parents' house so far - the children have played outside, rode bikes, skated, played in the little pool, washed my car, and then my dad took my car to get the oil changed - it's been good for me folks! Lots of extra hands. My sister and her boyfriend came out last night and we had dinner and cake for her birthday. They brought their cute little boxer named Tyson and Emma Claire and Wilson had a blast with him - he did tackle Wilson once though, and that was the end of that. After getting eaten alive by mosquitos, we had to come inside and play. Emma Claire whispered to Katie -"can I take him home"? It was so cute! Now, it's rest time and then we'll get ready to watch the Tide! I hope everyone is having a super weekend!

There's a Hur'cane a'comin folks!

Just in case you don't have a television or radio or Internet (though you wouldn't be reading this if you didn't have Internet, now would you?) There's a hurricane a comin!!! My prayer is that it will just die down and do minimal damage, but it sure doesn't look that way!

Enjoy the hot sunshiny weather this weekend, b/c I'm sure it will rain ALL next week. My flowers sure do look good though - thanks to Fay.

Can New Orleans take any more? How sad to have to go through this again. I'm thankful I don't live there, but I have lots of friends in Dothan and I know how bad it can get there during a hurricane and it's 90 miles north of the ocean (gulf). I do have family in Florida, so I hope they're prepared.

It's bad enough here with all the rain and tornadoes - we sure do get a lot of tornadoes here. Don't plan on watching any tv next week, b/c all that will be on is weather. That's okay with me - I've always been fascinated with severe weather (no I'm not sick, it's just something that amazes me!)

The children and the dog will be going crazy before too long again - just gazing outside wanting to know when they can go "sing" (swing in Wilson's language) I can't tell you how many times he asked me to swing last week - and all I could say was it's raining honey - all wet!!! He doesn't understand - he would have loved to swing in the rain - me, not so much!

I'm really not pessimistic at all, actually I'm very much an optimist! I love a rainy day, I just hope there's not much damage from Gustav - that just breaks my heart! Enjoy this hot summer weather for the next 3 days, because he's a comin! Go away Gustav, and don't even think about it Hannah! Let's start prayin!

Roll Tide!

Happy Birthday Emma Claire - officially!!!

The date on this post should be August 27th, 2008 - I began a draft yesterday, so I guess that's when it dated it - sorry Emma Claire!

Happy 4th Birthday to my first born. After a months' worth of birthday parties and celebrations - it is now your official birthday - I know you are confused, I could tell by the look of astonishment on your face when I told you you were FINALLY 4!!! Happy Birthday to my one daughter whom I love with all my life. You have come so far from that incubator you stayed in for a full month! God knew what he was doing when he brought you here 2 months early - what great godly friends you will be surrounded with the rest of your life, simply b/c you were born before Sept. 1st. You are what drives me to be a better mom - you make me laugh, make me smile, make me strive harder to be a better person, because you are a sweet sweet soul who loves life! You are my compliant one who wants to please, who loves scary movies just like her daddy and nana, who is neat and hates to be dirty like her mommy, who loves her brothers and has never complained that I often have to spend more time focusing on them because you just tend to "take care of yourself". I love you sweetie and one day very soon, when you can read this I want you to know how much I love you. You are the predictable one, the independent one who can play for hours by yourself and be so happy doing it. You love others and are sensitive to their needs - you and your "bestest" friend and cousin Patton will forever be best buddies, is my prayer. I pray that God will continue to grow you up with a love for Him and His Word, with a love for others and with a love for life! I love you!



Now, I need everyone's help. Of course everyone has their opinion about who Henderson looks like and I, as his mother, cannot tell. From first look, I would say he resembles Emma Claire's baby pictures, but I think it's just because their heads (hair) are exactly alike. What do you think - please tell me!

The next 2 pictures are of Henderson

The next 2 pictures are of Emma Claire

This next one is Emma Claire and Wilson

They are all between 3 1/2 and 5 months (Emma Claire is older in all of them, but she was born 2 months early, so it should make it even.)

Dress up days!

Emma Claire and her best buddy and cousin Patton!

As I have mentioned before, we dress up alot at our house - I am always on the lookout for inexpensive dress up clothes for girls AND boys at consignment shops, sales, etc. I found this cute dragon costume at a local consignment shop- it's much better for the boys than the PRINCESS dresses he usually gets put in.

This is my 10th grade prom dress from when I went to prom with Tommy T!!! - Wow that was a long time ago! - No, I wasn't 3 ft tall in the 10th grade - the dress is supposed to hit right above the knee! Wilson couldn't resist being able to climb up on furniture!

Henderson doesn't get dressed up in costumes YET, but I couldn't resist this SMILE picture (sorry Katie)!

Happy Birthday Emma Claire!

A Quick note: My sister Katie is telling me that the pictures in this blog are "cut off" and somehow distorted. I am seeing them just fine on my computer, so please leave a comment letting me know what you see. I'm hoping it's just HER computer, but with my luck, Probably not. Let me know!

We had a fabulous time at Emma Claire and Patton's 4th Birthday Party! All 30 children enjoyed the gymnastics apparatus, especially the foam pit and trampolines! Wilson surprised us all by being "afraid" at first to jump in. I think seeing the gigantic moonwalk right when he walked in the door did him in - he is terrified of those and anything in big costume (i.e., Big Al, Chuck E Cheese, etc.) They freak him out! You can see by the picture below that he was very "cautious", just watching everybody else jump in the foam pit. It is so funny to see him scared of something b/c usually he is fearless. Emma Claire had a great time, I can't believe she is turning 4!!??? My how time has flown by - God has been so good to us to bless us with 3 healthy, beautiful children in such a short time! Emma Claire is such a good, responsible child and I thank God everyday for what a blessing she is in my life!

I finally caught Henderson's smile on camera - he smiles all the time, but by the time my SLOW digital camera gets around to taking the picture, he's not smiling anymore - he's such a joy!!!

I could just eat that face off of him!!!

A random shot of Emma Claire, Henderson and myself on a Sunday afternoon - Wilson is taking a much needed nap!

Emma Claire's newest thing is feeding Henderson a bottle- which is VERY helpful in the mornings when it is RUSH RUSH!!!!

A Great Visit and The Little Rascal

Thanks Aunt Katie for a fun visit last weekend - we went to the pool, made brownies and had lots of fun at home!

Now to the Little Rascal aka Wilson!!!!

This morning as we were getting ready for work/school, Wilson came into the bathroon with a large ziplock bag saying "Dat Dat" (meaning I want that - food). I knew he had been in the kitchen by himself (which is never good) so I immediately followed him in there to see what damage he had done. I don't have a picture, but he had emptied the drawer with all the ziplock bags all over the kitchen, emptied out my pump with all the accessories and emptied out the mini cooler (which held my drinks for the day) - but the drinks could not be found anywhere???? I asked Wilson "Where are mommy's drinks?" He said "Mommy's juice dat" and pointed to the lower oven - low and behold, there they were - in the oven. I guess since he can't open the refrigerator (Thank God!!!) he thought they would fit nicely in the oven. I'm just glad I found them before i turned the oven on - what would canned soda do in a 350 degree oven??? Hmmm??? I don't want to find out!

Last weekend while my sister Katie was here for a visit and at some point Wilson came up missing. I found him in my bathroom covered in lipstick. Back up 30 minutes, I had painted my toenails while Wilson looked on eagerly - but being a boy, I did not paint his - though he wanted me to badly. Well, little Wilson decided he would do it on his own. He couldn't get the fingernail polish open (again, Thank God!), so he decided lipstick would do just fine - every toe nail and fingernail and mouth and stomach and legs (floor)- everywhere was covered in lipstick. How he got it I can't imagine, I keep my makeup bag way to the bag of the counter at all times just so this kind of thing won't happen - maeup cost way too much for little hands to destroy it! He must have used his monkey hands and feet to pull himself up just high enough to reach it and pull it down! The bittersweet part was, he had just gotten out of the bath - good b/c he only had a diaper on, bad b/c back in the bath he went!!! Two tubes of lipstick gone and this is how he looked!

Henderson is growing fast - he is such a good baby - he loves his fingers and thumbs and he has found his feet!

We've been doing a lot of exersaucer time and tummy time - he's not so crazy about tummy time!

Wilson is getting ready for Emma Claire's Princess/Power Ranger party tomorrow - which will he be - a Power Ranger I hope!! :)??? I'll try to get lots of great pictures and post Monday!

These ones I love!

How can these 3 come from the same parents yet be so different?

Emma Claire is the compliant one who tries really hard to always do what's right. Responsible she is - even as a just turned 2 year old, I could trust her with her newborn brother. She is very even keel - never gets too upset or too excited. Didn't smile regularly until she was 1 year old (sad huh)? Only occasionally do you see her competitive spirit come out in anger when things don't go her way.









Wilson, on the other hand, is always the life of the party. Very extreme in all senses. You definitely know if he's happy - all smiles and excitement- or angry - hitting anything in sight, throwing himself on the floor. ( His sister has NEVER done that). You never know quite what to expect next with Wilson!!!

Henderson is a very laid back little baby - sleeps 13 hours every night, rarely cries, and sucks his thumb - neither of the others sucked on anything - and both were very high maintenance babies! There is hope that he will be very responsible like his sister, yet he smiles alot like his brother!

Emma Claire was born 2 months early and has always been eager to learn, can sit through anything - we took her everywhere as an infant and toddler and she never gave us any trouble! She can sleep anywhere and everywhere - cars, tubes on the lake (being pulled behind a boat)- yes! - Alabama basketball and football games, kitchen table - you name she has fallen asleep there! She loves to watch movies and plays. Very calm demeanor!

Wilson has never been still (other than sleeping, which he does very little these days) for more than 15 minutes. He's visited maybe 2 restaurants in his entire life and he can climb ANYTHING!!! Nothing stops Wilson and he's good at everything he does - climbing and running especially. He gets very frustrated when he can't do something on his own (i.e dress himself). He rolled over at 4 weeks and hasn't stopped since.

Henderson doesn't nap great all the time(like brother), but night times have been great since day 1(like sister). He also rolled over at 4 weeks, but does seem laid-back and happy. We'll see if he has his brothers' excellent climbing abilities in about 9 months!

Emma Claire can eat like a champ and has always been a good eater - drank bottles well and ate solid food well from the beginning. She is very neat and hates for her hands and face to be dirty (oh! how I love this about her!)

Wilson would rather do anything than eat, and at nearly 2 years old and only 20 pounds, you can definitely tell. He has lately developed a liking for icing and ice cream - just what you love to feed your children! We have been through countless doctors appoointments and surgical procedures to find the underlying cause of this and have found NOTHING, except that he is genetically small (I am 5 ft tall) but alas, dad is 6'4"????? He is a terrible eater - some days he eats nothing that I can recall, but he does love his milk - especially out of a bottle, which we are trying really hard to wean from- but when he won't eat, you kind of feel sorry for him after while!!?

Henderson is an OKAY eater - he nurses great and takes a bottle great, but like his brother he only takes about 2 ounces at a time. The only difference is that he doesn't scream all the time after eating like Wilson did. He has reflux and spits up all the time, but he eats his 2 ounces about every hour!!!!! He is on the growth chart at about the 25%. (Unlike Wilson at -10%)!!!

My 3 angels - so different yet so alike and loved so much!