Random Pictures 2/12-2/16/09
Mary, 2/12/09 (I think?)
Savannah, 2/14/09 Wearing Daddy’s boots.
Daddy, Savannah and the brownie spatula. Monday, 2/16/09
Three Little Jewells
Archive for the month “February, 2009”
Circus
The Greatest Show on Earth…
Because Savannah was so sick we canceled our plans to go to the circus. I was so disappointed! Apparently though, Kip and I had a miscommunication because he called me as I was walking back into the house (from taking Savvy to the pediatrician. Barbara stayed with the big kids) to say that he had bought the tickets. Our regular sitter, Ms. Barbara, overheard me saying to Kip “Oh no! I’ve already emailed M (our other sitter) and canceled!” Barbara graciously offered to stay with Savvy so that we could still go. I would normally not have left a sick baby but Barbara has 2 grown daughters of her own plus she taught Kindergarten and First Grade for 26 years (I think) and has taught First Grade for 20ish years. All that to say, she has plenty of experience. She has been our regular sitter for 18 months now so I knew Savvy was comfortable with her.
Mary and Nathan, ready to go!
Mary, with the horses.
The acrobatics were truly amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it. Really fabulous.
Each child was allowed to pick a souvenir. Not surprisingly, Nathan chose a sword and Mary chose a Horse.
2/14/09
Valentine’s Day 2009!
As I’ve mentioned numerous times before, we do all holidays and birthdays kind of like Christmas morning. After the chicks were sent off to bed Friday night we set up their Valentine’s surprises at the table. When they came down on Saturday morning, it was quite the surprise.
The table, all set up for the kids. Mary and Nathan each received one small box of candy, a coloring book and a small Playmboil set. Savannah received a little package of Valentine’s peeps, a Touch-and-Feel book and a wooden stacker toy. Mary and Nathan also got a set of Dot-A-Dot art supplies. They have been a big hit- I’m so glad I used my gift card to purchase these.
Kip always brings home special heart shaped doughnuts for breakfast for Valentine’s Day. The extra cards and such you see are from Ms. Barbara and my Mom- they both sent some little Valentine’s treats for the kids. Flowers and card are, of course, from Kip. Close up pictures of the flowers below- they are gorgeous!
Excitement!
Aren’t they beautiful? 
Really?
Not Again.
The baby is sick again. She’s running another fever tonight so we’ve stripped her down to light clothing and are back to alternating tylenol and motrin. What is going on? Poor puddin’. 
I just hate seeing her so sick!
Mary’s Birthday Party
FINALLY! Pictures from Mary’s 5th Birthday Party!
We had to hold Mary’s birthday party on Saturday, 2/7 because everyone was working on her actual birthday (Tuesday, 2/3). Papa James and Mema came from Charlotte. Aunt Saro and Alec came. So did Paw Paw and Mimi and Ms. Barbara. Pap Pap sent his gift down from Pittsburgh. The only gift I didn’t get a picture of her opening is from Aunt Saro (my sister, Sarah). She gave Mary a very cool Viewmaster Projector like she gave Nathan for his birthday. They lOVE these projectors- every night they play them up on their ceiling while they are going to sleep.
Mary Madison, 5 years old
Mary’s Birthday Cake- I used the Williams Sonoma Great Cupcake Pan that Kip got me for Christmas to bake this cake. The cute candles were from Ms. Barbara. (Although lately the kids have been calling her “Miz Barbee” which we think is very cute.)
Paw Paw and Mimi
Mary opening her card from Mema (my Mom). It was a coloring card which she thought was very fabulous!
Mom gave Mary this beautiful doll. Mary has named her “Katie” and loves her- she sleeps with her every night!
“The Honeybee Hop” game from Pap Pap (my Dad). I love this game because it’s an active game- great for rainy winter days spent indoors.
SO COOL! Paw Paw and Mimi gave Mary this Circus set. She loves it and has played with it daily.
A very neat magnetic paper doll from Ms. Barbara.
Mary and “Katie”
Mema, Mary and Katie.
Paw Paw and his little love- Paw Paw must have spent 15 or 20 minutes following Savannah up and down the stairs to make sure she didn’t fall. He would laugh and laugh at her antics. I think she is Paw Paw’s girl for sure.
Cousins!
We so enjoyed having my cousin’s family here for a visit last week!
Here are some pictures of all the kids together.
The two 5 year olds- Mary and M- Mary is in the 10% and M. is in the 95% for height. Quite a difference!
All the kids together the morning they left-
2yo J, 7yo P, 4yo Nathan, 5yo Mary in the back. In front, 10yo S. holding 1yo Savannah, 5yo M. on the right.
I think S. was a little surprised by Mary!
10 year old Alec on left, in the middle of the airplane is M, Nathan and P. Mary and S. on right.
The kids all spent a lot of time outside playing. That’s 5yo M on the left, 7yo P in the front, 10yo S in the back, Mary and then Nathan on the right.
Notice 5yo. M climbing on the roof- this is sure to give Mary and Nathan some ideas!
Mary and S. climbing together.
2yo. J- isn’t he a cutie???
Kip, Chad (my cousin), Mike (my brother). I see some resemblance between Chad and Mike. I should have got a pictures of me, Sarah, Mike and Chad together but didn’t think of it until they were gone. Next time??
Catching UP
Time to play catch up!
Sick Baby Update
Savannah was very sick last week. She started running a fever Tuesday afternoon that did not break until Saturday morning. Nothing we do seemed to get it down much and we were starting to get quite worried. The pediatrician said it was a virus and to just continue alternating Tylenol and Motrin, tepid baths, light clothing, etc. Finally her fever broke Saturday morning and by lunch she was covered in a rash. ROSEOLA! Sunday, Monday and Tuesday she continued to recover- she slept a lot. 2 hour morning naps followed by 3 1/2 to 5 hour afternoon naps and still sleeping 12 hours a night. By Wednesday she was back to normal.
Savannah’s 18 month Physical
On Thursday she had her 18 month physical. She scored a 5 in gross motor on the 18mo. ASQ Evaluation but since there has been progress the pediatrician agreed with our decision to wait and see. She weighs 20lbs. 15oz. and is in the 5% for weight. At her 15 month appointment the pediatrician was concerned- her weight was steadily dropping- 40%, 20%, 10% down to 5%. He felt better about her weight at this appointment. Although she’s still quite small, her weight seems to have stabilized and it isn’t dropping anymore. She’s in the 50% for height. Overall, it was a good appointment. I did ask to delay her last vaccine because she has been so sick- I didn’t want her body to have to deal with anything else so soon.
Company
Our company arrived Saturday and left Tuesday. It was my cousin, his wife, Susy, and their 4 boys. We had a wonderful time. Their boys are quite well-behaved so the house really was not chaotic. It is always nice to glean from someone who is further along the parenting and homeschooling path so I very much enjoyed my conversations with Susy.
One of the things that struck me most about this visit was a conversation that Susy and I had about the children. One evening while we were preparing dinner we were able to have an open conversation about our children and what areas we each thought the other needed to improve on. What a blessing that conversation was! It was nice to be able to talk about these things without the other party getting their pride hurt or behaving defensively. She had some thoughts on two behaviors she thought we needed to address and how my responses affect those behaviors. She asked what I thought about her boys and I was able to share with her some behaviors that I had observed. It was so refreshing to me to be able to have that conversation though- I really believe that to often parents allow their own pride to get in the way of having honest conversations like this. Because, truthfully, there ARE times where someone on the outside can see things that we cannot see. Pictures coming soon of all the cousins together. On Sunday my sister came over with Alec. We had 8 children here, 6 boys and 2 girls. The kids were 10, 10, 7, 5, 5, 4, 2, and 1.
I still need to post pictures from Mary’s birthday party, the circus (we got to go afterall!) and Valentine’s Day. I should be back to posting daily now that Savannah is better. I’m trying to get all my pictures downloaded and edited today so they’ll be ready for posting.
The baby…
The baby is very sick.
We’ve spent the night fighting a fever of 104.2 with multiple tepid baths. We’ve tried turning the AC on in the house to lower the temperature, stripping her down to a light t-shirt. She’s refusing to drink so we’re giving her cold icewater, one teaspoon at a time from a syringe. Alternating Motrin and tylenol. And still fighting the fever. I can’t think of anything else we should be doing.
We’re off to the pediatrician in a few minutes (waiting for them to open at 8:30am)
Company is coming on Saturday- I’ve got to much to do and not enough time to do it all so I may not post again until next week. Will try to post a quick update though this afternoon when we get home from the pediatrician.
We were supposed to surprise the big kids by taking them to the circus for the first time tonight but I’m guessing that will probably be out. Unless we get good news at the peds office and she improves over the course of today. We even had a babysitter. sigh. Next year, maybe.
Savannah, 2/7/09
BIG NEWS!
On Saturday Savannah took her FIRST STEPS!
Mary was holding Savannah’s hands and helping her to walk. She let go and backed up and Savannah took her first step towards Mary! She fell down, we helped her back up and then she took two more steps. That night, at Mary’s birthday party, she took 4 steps in a row and then 5 steps in a row! My Mom, her husband James and my sister were still here (everyone else had left) so they got to see it too!
She’s on her way! Her second set of first steps with Mary- after the first step I ran and got my camera so that I could get a picture of her next attempt!
I love her little feet tucked up under her cute buns while she’s playing with blocks. Cuteness.
More pictures later or tomorrow of Mary’s birthday party!
Disney… and Mary’s Birthday, volume 2
Disney
Our financial advisor just sent us The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2009. Myword. Now, you all know that I am a planner. I had intended on doing a lot of planning for our trip- you know- what day we will leave, which days we will visit Disney World and Sea World, which days will be spent at the house we’re renting. I’d probably plan most of my menu for while we are down there.
Still- it never even occurred to me that I would need to plan for the actual visit to Disney World. I thought we’d just show up on Monday morning. Let’s just say the book has been an eye-opener for me. If it means I can save hours waiting in line, or get a ticket to a Character lunch though- then that’s okay with me. I don’t mind planning the visit, I just didn’t know I needed to. I mean, it’s a theme park for heaven’s sake. Apparently though- Disney is 2009 is a far, far different place than Disney in 1991 (the last time I went- with Sarah Brown’s family!)
Mary’s Birthday-
As I’ve mentioned before, we do Birthdays (Valentine’s Day, Easter, etc.) similar to Christmas morning here at our house. When the kids wake up in the morning they rush downstairs to see what’s arrived in the night. 
For months now, whenever anyone asks Mary what she wanted for Christmas or her birthday, the answer was always the same. “I want a fixer and a washer and a hangar”. Translation: a sewing machine, something to wash her doll clothes and a clothes line.
Mary’s birthday presents. This is what she saw when she came in the kitchen that morning.
Rounding the corner into the kitchen- sooo excited when she saw her “fixer, washer and hangar”.
Looking at her Birthday card.
Inspecting her clothes line.
Mary loves to draw and I’ve long debated if it was worth the money to buy her some really high quality color pencils. I ordered these from Magic Cabin and I must say- they really are pretty fabulous. They are smooth, the colors are rich and intense. I will buy another set when these are gone. Totally worth the $12.
Horsey puzzle- Mary loves doing puzzles lately.
Her “fixer”.
We put water with a tiny bit of soap into the little pink basin. Mary washed all her doll clothes, hung them up to dry on her clothes line and then ironed them later in the afternoon. She was in heaven.
