Ella Grace - almost three?!

Ella Grace's birthday is coming up soon! She has selected a bumblebee theme for her party this year. I took her yesterday to have her picture made. She was a little intimidated at first, but she warmed up to the camera pretty well!

Can't forget Santa!

I almost forgot the best picture of all! Our annual Santa picture!


This was Ella Grace's first Christmas in 2006. She obviously didn't care for Santa!

Last year was Major's first Christmas. He didn't mind the jolly old elf, but Ella Grace's feelings had not changed.

And then the visit this year. Major didn't mind sitting in his lap, but Ella Grace still didn't want to go - that's why I'm in the picture!

Merry Christmas!

We hope you all have had a wonderful Christmas! We have been out of town for the majority of the last 2 weeks. To begin our holidays, Jeremy had Lasik surgery on Thursday, December 18th in Madison- so far he is loving it! When we went back for a follow-up visit on Friday he had 20/20 binocular vision. On Saturday, the 20th my sister got married. Our first few days were busy, busy!

On Monday, 12/22, my Dad and I took Ella Grace and Major to the airport to watch the planes take off and land. They absolutely loved it! Ella Grace is always pointing out planes in the sky with their trail of white smoke. She is so observant (or as she would say, "No I'm not. I'm Ella Grace!" very matter of factly.) Afterwards, we ate at a restaurant nearby - tamales, chicken and dumplings, okra, fried green tomatoes and Mexican cornbread! Yum! Then, we took Mee Maw a plate and played with the "junk" (toys) at her house.

We had a great Christmas Eve breakfast at Jeremy's grandmother's house. Yummy homemade biscuits and some time with family we don't get to see very often.

(first picture on post)

We then took the kids back home to celebrate Christmas morning at our house. Oh, my! Ella Grace was so excited to track Santa on the computer with Daddy, leave cookies for Santa on the table and spread reindeer food in the front yard! There is a little elf that delivers new pajamas to the kids each Christmas Eve evening that they get to wear to bed that night. So, they were both excited to tear in to their gift. Ella Grace was thrilled to discover on Christmas morning that she had received the purple mermaid and the Cinderella suckers she has been asking for for the past several months. Major was not too excited about the elephant nor the dinosaur that he received.

At my Granny's house we got to see all our cousins except two (they were able to make it for the wedding, but had to return to SC). It was great all being together with Gran!

So, now we are home - the kids are napping and we are trying to get unpacked and packed again(Christmas, that is!). Luckily, I have a few more days off work that I will be able to get readjusted to life at home and the home back in order before we are in full swing again in a new year!

The results...

Major made a visit to the allergist today for a follow-up on last week's appointment. We had a time giving him one of his prescriptions. After Jeremy tried putting it with some chocolate ice cream and his still wouldn't take it, we knew it was bad! Anyway, the doctor said he was surprised at what an improvement he showed over the course of the week. Major has to continue the breathing treatment (inhaler) and some nose spray. He also had some allergy tests done. He was such a trooper - didn't start pouting until about the 8th prick. The results - dust mites and dogs. The doctor said it was okay to keep Roscoe since he doesn't come in to eat or sleep.

Jeremy has taken the kids to Cullman for the night. They will be back tomorrow, and we'll have a busy weekend!

Sick Little Man

It's been a busy week for little Major. He had his 15 month check-up on Tuesday, and was scheduled for some shots. He was running a low-grade fever and has some congestion he has been battling for several months. Dr. B referred us to an allergy & asthma doctor for Thursday (12/4). Jeremy had to pick up Major from school on Wednesday because he was running a fever before lunch and had to get Xopenex for his nebulizer. While there, Ella Grace took a tumble from the shopping cart and brought home a goose-egg on her noggin.
I took Major to the doctor on Thursday morning. The doctor said he had a sinus infection and gave us several medicines to give him over the course of the next week (including nose spray, a steroid, an antibiotic and an inhaler)...Major goes back to the allergy doctor on Thursday of this week for allergy tests. Nana came to keep Major Thursday morning after the doctor and spent her birthday (Happy Birthday, Nana!) with him (and us) and stayed with us until Friday.
I finish up my classes this week for the fall term. Between now and Thursday evening, I will turn in two research papers, take a final and give a presentation...but, next Friday at 8:00pm it will all be over, right?!

A Busy week

Last Tuesday morning I noticed Major was getting a diaper rash. It progressively got worse, so I called the doctor on Wednesday. We tried the Resinol they suggested, but it didn't seem to stop it from spreading. School called Thursday (for both kids) so I picked them up and made an appointment that afternoon. We receive some prescriptions and were on our way home to recover.

It was definitely a busy weekend, too. I had a paper draft due on Monday, and since UA had a home game Saturday Daddy had to work. And we had a fellowship at church Sunday night. I was not sure when my paper was going to get written (by itself, of course)...Nana & Pop had planned a trip to the beach (which we had forgotten about)...Grandmother and Grandaddy were getting to go to the beach, too...so then I called Aunt Lo-Lo...she saved the weekend by coming down on Friday and helping out while I removed myself to go write. Everything turned out great and Ella Grace & Major enjoyed her visit very much!

So, our fellowship was actually a farewell gathering. Our church has had an interim pastor for about 20 months. We will soon be welcoming our new pastor, though! We are really excited about this, but will sure miss Bro. Bill. Ella Grace has grown attached to him. Each Sunday night after Awanas she asked to go to the sanctuary to see him. Bro. Bill and Mrs. Jessie even gave her a little doll (Baby Billie) and Major a small stuffed animal. Sunday night Ella Grace tried to get his attention saying "Brudder Bill! Brudder Bill!" She just wanted to give him a hug...

Kisses all around!

Jeremy warned me when Major was about 9 months that he wouldn't enjoy giving his Mommy kisses much longer. So, anytime the little guy is giving them out I take all I can, and cherish each one. Same for Ella Grace. I know it won't be "cool" forever.

Tonight seemed to be an exception. Major puckered up for me several times just before his bed time. Then, when I put Ella Grace to bed she gave me a sweet kiss, too. Sometimes we give butterfly kisses, but tonight she came up with a new one. Her cheek gave my cheek a kiss. She also gave me a special kiss to give Daddy when he gets home later tonight.

I love to see her little mind working, so this new way of kissing was awesome. Ella Grace is becoming so imaginative (like Major having a job...), and we think she is a pretty smart girl. I know Major is going to follow his big sis, 'Ace.

Festibul, Disney on Ice, Trick or Treating and the Parade

Wow! What a busy week we have had! We all attended our church's Fall "Festibul" (as Ella Grace referred to it) on Wednesday night, where we enjoyed what else but hot dogs and chili! It was fun but c-r-a-z-y - trying to stand in line for food for the kids, then for ourselves and keeping a hold on them through it all. But, totally worth it when we got in the car afterwards and Ella Grace exclaimed "That was FUN!" Ella Grace got to slide down a bouncy slide and had a ladybug painted on her face by John McCain! What a lucky girl!


Thursday morning, Jeremy & I surprised Ella Grace by taking her to Disney on Ice at the BJCC. Oh, to see the excitement on her face at seeing Mickey Mouse and Cinderella (her ultimate fave right now). She had a big time, to say the least. We will definitely have to take Major in a couple of years. Absolutely no way he would have been still through the program.

Ella Grace and Major had Fall parties at school on Friday and brought home lots of fun stuff. Our friends the Busby's joined us for Trick or Treating on Friday night. Ella Grace (and later Major) were eager to eat each piece of candy as soon as it hit the bottom of their pails. (They were Jack & Jill, thus the band-aid on Major's head in the first picture.)

Then, this morning we hit campus for the homecoming parade. Poor little man fell asleep during the parade. He would jump in my arms each time a siren would sound, then right back to sleep. We met my college friend Donna and her husband Brad prior to the parade, then hung out on the Quad afterwards. They will be coming over after the game and staying til tomorrow. Major definitely took to Brad, I guess he found a new friend! When we left campus we got to see Daddy on his traffic post and met his friends that tailgate around him each home game. After that we went to McDonald's for lunch and a little play time, then came home for a much needed nap!

Guess we need to see how UA is doing...Roll Tide!

Introduction

As Jeremy said just last night - I've got too much time on my hands...so why not begin a new endeavor, right?!

This will not be the place for eloquent stories...we read Good Dog, Carl very often, and there are 12 words in the entire book. Short and to the point, that's what we do these days! That being said...here they are! Ella Grace, 2 1/2 years, and Major, 1 year, our precious little children! They certainly keep us laughing, and praying! Major is so interested in being like his sister. Ella Grace is definitely taking on the role of being the big sister - leading and helping Mommy & Daddy teach Major that "it's okay" and "don't cry."