celebrating our Mama II

After the game and a late lunch, we headed to Andalusia for Mama II's 90th birthday! It is so cool for me that my two daughters have a great-grandmother to love on.

{this is one of Ashley's favorite photos}

Everyone who could make it was there - Colin, Alicia, and Morgan in this picture...

The one time Lydia let someone else hold her other than Ashley or Nona - we were told that nobody could come near her after we left Mobile except Nona - no Big Daddy and no Aunt Ashley. Funny.

It was harvest time for Mama II's lime tree - in 15 minutes we had our fill...

I can remember growing up and visiting my Mama II and Big Daddy. The backyard was always a hit. It seemed so big with so many places to explore. EB, Lydia, and Morgan got to pal around it on Sunday which was fun to see ...

{from Ashley ... this photo reminds me of the large photo of 
Aunt Denise and the kiddos hanging in Mama II's house}

 

There is a famous (at least to our family) photo of all the cousins in this truck like 20 years ago. We tried to recapture it with the new set of kiddos ...

 Uncle Bob, we need the group photo that you took!
 

and just because the pictures are so sweet, here are pictures from last year at the same time ...

Happy Birthday Mama II! Thanks for having us. We love you and look forward to several more birthdays to come...

Mama II's backyard

On Sunday, Ashely took her camera and snapped some great shots in Mama II's backyard ...

the alphabet song & babies going night-night

I meant to post this last month, but things have been a bit busy. Anyhow, lately, E has been writing things on her own, and we've been encouraging her to just write things down the way they sound. It's amazing to see what she comes up with. Last month, she was writing on her own and started asking me what letter went with certain sounds. I was helping L with a snack while answering E's questions, and when I looked down later, I realized she had just written the ABC Song. Notice the last two lines -- "Now I know my ABCs. Next time won't you sing 'em with-a me." I was simply blown away.

In other news, L is obsessed with her babies.

She will sit and put her baby to sleep or "night-night" for a good 10 minutes, just wrapping and unwrapping and then patting and shushing.

After playing with her babies, L's sister decided to take a few photos ...

And then they had to check them out ...

one and a half

On November 3rd, our little one turned one-and-a-half! So crazy.

Around her 18-month day, we went in to see the doctor about a mysterious and barely-there rash that PDO called to tell us about and while at the doctor found out that Miss Lydia is finally 20 pounds!

Some of her "words" at this point include "no, mine," bird, dog, more, no, yes, Mama, Dada, Sissy, baby, night-night, wawa, cracker, knee, baba (for paci), and CC.

She makes the appropriate sounds for dog, cat, duck, cow, elephant, monkey, and bird (waves her arms) as well as a good "mmmwwwaaa" sound when she gives a kiss, and she can point to her hair, ear, eyes, nose, mouth, teeth, cheeks, chin, arm, belly, feet, toes, and just today learned knee.

She just this week had two more teeth cut through her top gums, for a total of 6 teeth now.

She is without a doubt a momma's girl. So much so that if I'm in the room, she really isn't going to allow anyone else to hold her, even her daddy. While it at times can take a toll on my back, I adore that she calms down and sighs pretty much the moment I pick her up. 

It's a good thing I can calm her down most of the time because she has started full-on screaming fits now if she does not get what she wants. As long as you acknowledge what she is screaming for and then move on to something else, she usually calms down pretty quickly. (Except when I leave her and she doesn't want me to. Graham said she cried and was upset almost the whole time I was at gymnastics with E the other night. Oy.)

She also adores her sister and attempts to do exactly what E is doing ... dancing, requesting to eat exactly the same food. If L is upset, a quick song from her sister can usually calm her down and usually ends with L clapping and asking for more.

Here are her photo shoot pics from right around her 18-month-day ...

I pulled out the same dress that E had on for her 18-month photos. It's one of my all-time favorites ...

and some pics with the iphone ...

We just adore our little Lela!

At the park

Three days in a row ...

... after school on Thursday ...

 

after E's Kindergarten screening on Friday morning (with celebratory donut holes for a snack) ... EB asked for the phone to take some pics ...

 

Saturday morning family time after a trip to Target ...

 

SuperGirl showed up at the park

... this girl is addicted to wipes

 

... Using the slide to stare up at the trees

Miss E wanted to show CC the dress she had on

which baby girl?

I know some of you will figure this out easily, but I love seeing the same look on their faces.

- ashley

answer: top = Lydia looking at her sis, bottom = Eden Brooks looking at her Daddy

We voted.

Thankfully, our polling place is just across the street from our house, at the local elementary school. Since the girls didn't have school today, they went to vote with their Daddy in the morning and with me in the afternoon. Eden Brooks led the way since she knew where to go ...

When we got inside the voting curtain,  I showed E the ballot and my choice for president. Her response, "That's the same person Daddy voted for!"

Today, I am thankful that I can stroll my girls in the double stroller in with me while I vote for the highest office in our country ... ... without fear for safety and without having to argue for my right to be able to vote.

We had a pretty great day.