Teeny Bikini

We took a trip to Atlanta this weekend to visit Sean's brother. It was Maddi's first trip to Atlanta (unless you count the time she was in my tummy), and although it was a super short trip, it was nice to just get away from the monotony of our lives for a few days. The kids did so well on the way down there and Sean and I talked and laughed the entire way. While we were there Maddi got to go swimming for the first time, we ate at Dave and Busters (like an adult Chuckie Cheese and it was soooo fun), and went to the Outlet Mall in Columbus, GA. We had so much fun together, and it's little getaways like this that make all of the hard work worthwhile.

Promo

I love love love this new little gadget. It's called the Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder, and it is AWESOME. It has a netted pouch that you fill with fresh foods and then baby can chomp and mush and suck on it without having to worry about getting big chunks of food and choking. I love it because she can feed herself while I do dishes or clean the kitchen around her, she can eat organic, fresh foods, and she can eat exactly what we're eating which makes her one happy baby. I must admit that I looked at it several times but put it back because I was a little wary of the whole netting situation. I could just picture little bits of old, crusty food stuck in the net holes. YUCK! However, I discovered that it is super easy to clean out and can even go in the dishwasher. So, I am totally in love with my new munchkin feeder... oh yeah, and Maddi likes it too ;)

Snaggle Tooth

Drew lost his front tooth! Maddi was lunging toward him trying to get him to hold her when she punched him in the mouth. Oops! So, one tooth is gone, and the other is bArEly hanging on, thus the beautiful snaggle-tooth effect. Drew also got a new pair of heelys. He took all of his birthday money and scoured the internet for the perfect pair. He absolutely LOVES them and scoots around everywhere we go. I love this kid more than words can say, and I feel so blessed to have him in my life.

The Thief

To anyone who has ever met cancer... who has called it by a name and looked into its eyes every day. To anyone who's hope has been stolen and to those who continue to fight for ownership of their body again... here is a BEAUTIFUL dance. It's amazing how the graceful movement of a body can bring back a flood of memories. As I watched her jump on to his back, I immediately felt the weight of the world on my shoulders again, I smelled the Pine-sol from cleaning their kitchen and felt the hundreds of pills that I sorted each week in my hands. I heard the muted voices and ruffling of magazine pages as we sat in countless doctors' offices. I remembered sweeping piles of fallen hair from the floor and listening to vows of beating this one day. Oddly, I think that occasionally we have to go back so that we're able to move forward, and I'm grateful that this dance was able to take me on that journey.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBlRvrIWC-4

Fish and Lemons

Maddi LOVES lemons!!

The kids fed the fish at the park. There were bazillions of them & they were HUGE... I guess that's what happens when they eat bread, popcorn, pizza, and anything else that gets thrown in the water .

It's only been a few days since I've posted, but it seems like so much has happened. We're slowly adjusting to Sean's new work schedule. It's been hard trying to find time to work around his schedule, so I've just given up on trying to go to the Civic Center during the day and have dedicated my days to being with the kids and working at home on the Internet; then I take the kids to the civic center every night to work. It's been hard taking them EVERY night, but I have really enjoyed being with them all day, and I've actually had time to do things like clean my entire house, catch up on laundry, clean the fish tank, clean out a few closets, move some furniture around, and wrangle myself into some sort of a schedule with the kids playtime/mealtime/study time. Despite my ample time to perfect my homemaking skills, it's been hard having Sean gone about 12 hours a day. He's my absolute best friend and I just miss him when he's gone, but we try and go visit him at least once a day and then we spend ALL day together Sunday and Monday which I have REALLY enjoyed. It's been a long time since we've had two consecutive days together as a family and I'm already spoiled by it :)

Maddi is seven months old already. I can't believe it!! I just keep staring at her and wondering how she grew up so quickly. I am totally and completely in love with this time in my life though. I finally feel comfortable in my own skin again, I don't feel overwhelmed at all taking both kids out anymore, Maddi is happy and fun and expressive now, Drew is an incredible helper and an even better snuggle buddy, and we've finally settled into a routine together. Maddi has started crawling (backwards of course) and pulls up on me from a sitting to standing position. It seems like she's doing things so much faster than Drew did, but I got out his baby calender from the pre-blog era and she's on about the same time line as him. I'm just glad that I'm able to capture all of these sweet moments and share them with those that we love.

Pickles

Maddi had her first solid food this week... pickles

Blueberries

We went to the Mary Mac Berry Farm in Brownsboro yesterday. We picked a few pounds of blueberries... and ate a few pounds while we were picking. They are delicious! Maddi had the best picking technique... she squashed them on the bush and then quickly crammed all of the blueberry goop that would fit into her mouth :)

a dance.

Sometimes I get inspiration from the oddest places... a book, a song, a conversation about a completely unrelated topic.... today it was a dance.
I believe we each have a weakness... that one temptation that looms over us and persuades us when we're least expecting it. There's always that one thing that we swear we'll never do again... that one thing that we convince ourselves we've overcome. This dance portrayed the emotions I've carried in my heart but could never find words for. So now, when that darkness creeps into my mind, I'll think of this dance and know I'm not alone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svPgENMwYko

Our New Business Adventure

Sean has taken over my Dad's BBQ business as his new full time job. We are thrilled that Sean won't have to work a bazillion jobs anymore and can focus his efforts in one direction now. Please come by and check out our food (we are located on the NW corner of Holmes Avenue & Jordan Lane, Th-Sa 11AM-7PM), and be sure to spread the word to all of your friends & family.

Here are a few links:

our website: http://www.uncletommysbbq.com/ (you can also click on the logo on the sidebar for easy access)

become a fan on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Huntsville-AL/Uncle-Tommys-BBQ/100528644893?ref=s

See you soon :)

Summer Nights

Sean & Maddi watching the kids play in the sprinklers.

We seem to be night owls lately. Mornings are rough, and I usually don't get my act together until after 11AM. I know. It's pitiful. Then the day just gets crammed full of work and other monotonous stuff, so by the time we get to do fun things together, it's a little later in the day than I usually anticipate.

Here are a few pics of Maddi and Uncle Kevin at last week's concert in the park. My kids are so lucky to have their Uncle Kevin. He's so kind and patient with them, and he tends to spoil them just a bit (which every kid needs). He even watches BOTH of them for us so we can have the occasional night out. What a man, right?

Summertime

Maddi discovered grass today :)

Uh-Oh

We were outside having a water balloon fight this morning when I noticed that Maddi was chattering away, so I grabbed the camera to get a video of her saying dada, but as soon as I turned it on, she stopped talking and made this wretched pterodactyl noise. I, however, kept the camera rolling and ended up getting a little more than I bargained for....

(Please excuse my sister's redneck "DAAAAAYNG. Getcha suuuum" in the background. I guess that's what happens when you grow up in Meridianville, AL. lol. Oh and I promise I'm a good mommy even though my baby has fallen over and hit her head in the last two videos I posted. I just happened to get the only two times she's ever fallen on camera.)

Birthday Boy

My baby boy turned SEVEN on Tuesday! SEVEN!! It seems like I was just cradling him in my arms.

Drew had a party at kids space. We had lots of friends and family there to celebrate, so he had a great time.

I took the kids to the doctor for their check ups. They are both healthy and growing perfectly. Drew is in the 75th percentile in both his height and weight, and Maddi was in the 90th percentile in her weight and the 95th in her height. Looks like they're both going to be tall like Daddy.

Drew at age 7

loves to read

loves to be outside

loves animals & wants to be a vet or a policeman

loves to run & ride bikes

adores his little sister

is polite & kind & compassionate

is afraid of the dark

loves to play wii

loves music & all instruments

loves to paint

favorite food is yellow rice & chicken

tells us he loves us a million times a day :)

Maddi at 6 months

says dad and dada

loves to eat real food & says mmm..mmm 'til I give her a taste of my food

loves to make noise & bounce around

doesn't like sleeping

sits up by herself

laughs & smiles all of the time

is a social butterfly, the more people & noise, the better

grabs for everything & sticks it straight in her mouth

loves being outside

favorite food is blueberries & guava

hates shoes

loves animals

sneezes all the time

adores her big brother