Friday Fun at GG's

 this past week we went to GG's for lunch, a little classical music and some unexpected exercise.  Interesting combo, i know, but these 2 little girls LOVED running around and exploring GG's apartment.  Beece came with us and wE ate lunch on the porch.  It was delightful but we eventually gave in to Betsy Grace's request to go inside.

Shoes off, running FULL speed

And then they discovered this little treasure...a portable cassette player!  The tape that was in it was a recording of the Christmas Music Service at our church and they LOVED it!  It was hilarious how they were so intrigued by an outdated electronic :)

This particular one had speakers, so no head phones required.  Little Sissy is having her turn but can't quite figure out where that music is coming from...

Once she figure it out, she was not going to let go...they literally fought over it!

Photo attempt with GG...they were both a little too squirmy to capture a good one.

But this one is my fave because GG was so tickled by how silly they were.  

My grandmother is THE MOST organized and tidy person I know.  Everything has a place and purpose and I have always been in awe of her closet.  Not being very tall herself, GG has many stools and step ladders, so Betsy Grace felt right at home.  so much so that she put on GG's slippers and wore them around the house!

It was so much fun but everyone was worn out by the end, children and adults :) perfect recipe for a long afternoon nap!  Thank you GG for having my wild crew invade your orderly house!  WE will come back very soon to visit your slippers and cassette player!

xoxo

Glad to have Izzy Back!

Our sweet Cousin Izzy has been on a month long vaca and we have missed her so very much!  But absence sure makes the heart grow fonder because these girls could not get enough of each other this weekend!  We hung out at Brun and Ella's on Saturday and then enjoyed a Mexican lunch on sunday.  Afterwards we took some pics, they are too cute together not to capture the moments!

Impossible to get everyone looking at the same time but at least you can tell that Izzy is smiling.

Sutton on the move, got herself some new shoes and she is a full time walker, watch out world!

Discussing how ridiculous betsy Grace is, the child has a mind of her own.

And while Izzy thinks that everything BG does is funny, sutton is OVER IT!  

Enough with the Monkey Business!

xoxo

A new kind of Lake Lure Getaway

Ahhh, Lake Lure....used to be associated with taking time off to relax, throwing your watch in the basket at the front door and soaking up clean air and great views from the infamous back deck.  oh the memories are so wonderful but now that we stand in a very different stage of our lives (enter 2 toddlers), Lake Lure is just not the same...but we can't say we tried!  

We took the Cowdens and all of our children up a couple of weekends ago and had high hopes of rest, fun and adult time at the end of the day.  We got there on Friday afternoon and started off with a bang.  Had the traditional visit to Larkin's for the kiddos to eat dinner and we of course had to enjoy a pitcher of Margaritas. 

Then we got the Girls to bed and settled into our rocking chairs with our glasses full of Prosecco while the men cooked.  

 Our enjoyment and relaxation lasted a little too late and I paid for it BIG TIME when Sutton decided to wake up for the day at 3:30am.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Mommy did not feel so hot and her headache was further induced by my child headbanging mine.  She thought it was hilarious, me, not so much.  

Needless to say, the next day was not as enjoyable.  sutton didn't want to nap and I was exhausted.  Thankfully the daddy's took the big girls out on a morning excursion and they were beside themselves happy with rock candy and a visit to Chimney Rock.  

We ended the day with a visit to the "beach", which was a hit, thankfully!  The water and Spray Ground were just what the doctor ordered and the girls played until they were Blue lipped and Shaking.  It wasn't cold but definitely was not Hot!  

Everyone got to bed early and Mac and I found ourselves exhausted as we drove home the next day.  The cowden's are some of our very best friends and our time with them was priceless but let's be honest, traveling with children this age is NOT EASY...for anyone!  

It's pretty safe to say that our next jaunt up to good ol' Lake Lure will be sans kiddos and it will be worth every pretty penny that we pay a babysitter to stay at home with our girls.

xoxo

Sunday Night Dinner

Our family gathered last night for a fun dinner al fresco, many thanks to Grandmommy.  at the amazing age of 95, she is still the hostess with the mostess and finds no greater joy than watching all the generations together.  

It's near impossible to get everyone in attendance but we came pretty close this time!  

THe ladies

BG had a blast!

Happy Face!

i hope I inherited her genes, still life of the party after almost a century of living!!!

xoxo

Coming into her own

It's funny to think that when Betsy Grace was this age, I thought she was so old.  Sutton on the other hand, is my baby and i feel like she is so young.  It has nothing to do with their ability or development, it's just that BG is my big girl and Sutt is my baby.  

But i am here to tell you that this "baby" has definitely come into her own and found her own little personality, separate from her sissy.  Even though she is a more "high maintenance" child, she has grown very full of herself, started taking risks and is a very funny little girl.  She cracks up when she is told "NO" and continues to test the limits.  Her favorite thing to do at her little camp is to climb on the table and laugh and dance...Daddy is scared!  Her smile is super-contagious, she crinkles up her nose and smiles a toothy grin and no one can get her to smile faster than her sissy.  

With my girls so close in age and being the same sex, I really want them to find their own way, be different from each other and have their own identities BUT still love and respect each other.  Huge wish, I know but it looks like we are off to a great start!

Proud of herself for figuring out how to turn on the water...

scares me to death, she knows it and LOVES it!

This is how we found her one morning, after our daily search of "Where's Sutton"

I can read her mind as she is looking at us...

"Who you callin' a baby?!?! I'm a big girl and I can go potty just like sissy"

Another happy face, cant remember the moment but I am sure it had something to do with throwing food on the floor, another favorite trick :)

SuttBear, you are a character and i love watching your little personality set you apart from your sissy.  You are a mommy's girl like no other and despite it making things tough, occasionally, i love that your love and preference are Mommy.  I just have 2 requests...first, i know you wont always be a "baby" but just let me think of you as one for a little while longer, please???  and second, go easy on my every now and then, ok?  i have a feeling that we are going to have our hands full with you and if you could stop waking up in the middle of the night for no reason, I could rest up for the years to come.  Kidding....kinda ;)

xoxo

How is she already 3?!?!

I mean, did I not just give birth to this child????  I cannot believe that we just celebrated my first baby's 3rd birthday but we did and it was a blast!  For some reason, the crossing over into her 4th year of life hit me hard.  not in a bad way but really caused me to realize that There is no baby left here, she is all Little girl. 

She still is the smiliest child, although now those smiles can be followed by a huge tantrum just minutes after (mood swings are in full effect). She still loves to cuddle with me and "get cozy" with her daddy but she calls us Mom and dad.  She no longer wears diapers, is potty trained and about to leave her crib in the dust for greener pastures in her "big girl" bed. She is still very imaginative and loves to play by herself but this independence has created a very strong willed personality...she is a woman who knows what she wants.  She has always had great balance and been a tough and sturdy girl but this girl is strong!  She can easily carry her stool or a chair to something that is out of her reach, she doesn't want ANY help.  She has always been well rounded as far as interests but her current infatuations range from anything Princess to playing "soccer ball" (daddy is smiling).  She still loves her SuttBear but doesn't really like the way Sutton comes in a messes up "her" things.  She has always been opinionated but now she is just plain bossy and borderline OCD. 

But even though she is 3 and she has crossed from being a baby to a little girl, many things remain exactly the same. she still gives the BEST hugs. she is Friendly to EVERYONE and calls everyone her friend. she loves anything sugary and sweet. she can con you in a second to getting what she wants. she LOVES jesus and sings "Amazing Grace" and "jesus Loves Me" very loudly in public places.  If you ask her about Jesus, she will tell you "Jesus lives in my heart".  and she brightens my day the moment I walk into her room in the morning, in fact, Mac and I fight to get to her room first :)  She still loves puzzles and Books and gets a thrill of teaching Sutton her technique (although most of the time Sutton is playing her own way, much to big sissy's dismay). She has the best sense of direction, seriously might have a photographic memory.  She still is a tough cookie when it comes to getting hurt, she gets right back up and says "I'm ok!" She has a very tender heart, cannot stand to see me cry but inherited a very bad emotion/reaction from me where she laughs when someone gets hurt, terrible.  I promise, its not out of meaness, its a nervous reaction.  I did the exact same when i was little and my sister got hurt.  She is way smaller than her friends and now her sister but we have yet to see it bother her or stop her from joining in with others.  She is never intimidated or shy around "big kids", in fact, they are her favorite.  She still loves music but is so opinionated about what we listen to in the car, it drives me nuts.  And no, its not Nursery Rhymes or Raffi, it's top 40's pop music and she can identify an Usher or Rhianna song in a second.  She is always up for a dance party, our favorites are in our pj's and Sutton loves to join in...Daddy thinks we are all crazy!  

Anyway, I could go on and on but just don't want time to pass without me documenting these feelings and moments. 

Here are some recent pics, tell me she doesn't look grown up!

 Loves her some popsicles, especially the ones that turn your mouth colors ;)

On her actual birthday, eyes fixed on that yummy cupcake

about to jump out of her skin for that yummy birthday treat

Make a wish, sweet girly

Just the way she likes them, with icing and sprinkles, thanks Aunt Haines!

I changed as a person the day my sweet girl was born, my heart, my attitude, my love and i could not be more proud to have her as a daughter.  Then when she was diagnosed with her Dwarfism, i knew our path would be different but I had no clue how wonderful it would be.  Just like anyone, our path is still unfolding but i can honestly say that I wouldn't want to be on any other path than ours.  Betsy Grace, you are my abundant blessing and my love, always and forever!

xoxo

Summer Pool Days

The best way to beat this scorching heat is to spend LOTS of time at the pool.  And what better company than our besties, Margaret Blount and Elizabeth.  quinerly and I are so thankful for each other and our girls who are just months apart from each other.  

BG and MB cannot get enough of each other!

And their little sissy's are becoming the same way!

How funny is it that these 2 looks just like their fathers?!?!

xoxo

Trying to find balance

This month may have been my busiest EVER!  We started the month with a Beach trip, celebrated 2 birthdays, Sprinkled Pregnant friends and started camp, all while Mommy is trying to get back to work.  I took a full year off starting when Sutton was born but a couple of months ago, I got the itch to delve into something for myself.  I have been so blessed to have Mary in my life since before I had children and feel so inspired just walking into Abode.  I have learned so much over the years as her assistant and now I feel ready to begin my own design work.  I am so excited to get back into all things interior and I couldn't be more thankful for the opportunity to join Mary, as I will be under the Abode "umbrella".   

This was a huge decision for Mac and myself.  Working Part-time is not easy because I feel like I need to wear both hats well and have a hard time doing anything just "part" of the way.  I will never take that attitude as a wife, mother or friend but I also find it hard not to become obsessed with a current work project.  So I am going to have to find my groove somewhere in the middle.  One huge thing that I did was hire our sweet babysitter Dorothy 2 days a week to help me with the girls.  They will both be in school(BG 4 days and Sutton 2 days) but there is only so much a mama can get done in 3 hours.  So hopefully, between school and Dorothy, I can get in work and some time for myself and the rest of the time I can focus on mac and my girls, without feeling pulled towards work.  Easier said than done but its all about Balance, right?!?!

Along with everything else on my plate, I am going to start a blog for Abode where i can pour into interior design projects, trends and inspirations.  Therefore, this blog will still just be about my 2 Cute Chicks.  One more attempt on my part to keep my life organized ;)  I will send a link once things get up a running.

xoxo

Happy First Birthday Sweet SuttBear!

Happy First Birthday to my Baby!!!!

 My my, how time flies!!!  A year ago, my sweet baby was in the NICU not breathing on her own and look at her today...absolutely the sweetest One year old ever!  We were at the beach with all of the Barksdales during Sutton's big day, so we had a fabulous beach celebration!

Aunt Haines made the cake, so cute and tasty!

Brun made his signature daquiris

 and the birthday girl brought her most favorite item, Baby Lamb :)

Big sister did a pretty good job sharing the attention but we did have a few tears pre-cake :)

Isabelle and Brooks, ready to get their cake on

Silly Brun

Presenting the smash cake

Big Sissy assisting

Sutton's face is priceless, she is ready to dig in!

my loves

She wants to eat the cake, I want to eat those cheeks!!!!

Party Girl

Opening Presents

Izz in the birthday spirit, Sutton's birthday is Isabelle's Birthday Eve. 

That's right, the next day we got to celebrate all over again :)

  

Sweet Caden.  

Proudest Mommy and Daddy

 Sutton, We love you with all our hearts.  our beginning was rough, nothing went as planned but look at you now.  You are such a lovebug, love to be held, give hugs and snuggle.  Despite your extremely sensitive tummy and multiple ear infections, you are such laid back and flexible baby.  Daddy and I know that your middle of the night cries just mean that you want to be with us.  You adore your sister and spend every waking second trying to keep up and be right beside her.  at your 1 year appointment you weighed 22.5 lbs (75th percentile) and were 29" tall (50th percentile) and you cried your eyes out when you got your shots.  Your bright blue eyes are magical and your beauty inside and out never ceases to amaze me.  And those cheeks, oh those cheeks!  I probably kiss them a thousand times a day and still can't get enough.  My heart is so full with love for you, I can't believe that I ever worried how I would love you as much as I love your sister!!!!  Happy Birthday!

Then it was Isabelle's Birthday and time for another big celebration.

the party kicked off with music and dancing...Brun was ready to boogie!

and all of the cousins had fun hats, which they LOVED!

Sweet Birthday Girl taking it all in

Haines and Fran

Cool Chick

Birthday Princess with a crown

Cool Dude Brooks

Haines got a break and Ordered an ice cream cake from Baskin & Robbins, it was delicious!

Caden and his Daddy, Eric

Look at all those teeth

Izz got a blowup boat for her birthday and the girls had a ball getting in and out, in and out

And then at the end of the day, all were in bed and the adults enjoyed a few hours of peace and quiet before an early bed time.  It was a full moon and it was beautiful

Good night moon

xoxo