My Baby is Growing Up...

It was a big day for Sullivan Grace.... she moved downstairs last night and slept in her new bed.  Ryan and I weren't sure how she would do, but she was a rock star!!!

She made no fuss about it at all, and I am certain she didn't move a muscle all night long!!

Sullivan reading books in her new bed before bedtime.

Quinn and Sullivan together....

Exciting times - exciting times!!!

Our Dear Sweet Nephews....

We were so fortunate to spend our weekend at the hospital visiting the new twins!  After much deliberation, Meredith and Matt have decided on two fabulous names for the boys!!!!

Baby A - Judson Henry

Baby B- Crew Thomas

I have to say they are absolutely perfect! Quinn and Sullivan think so too!  Quinn was a little meek around them at first - observing them and taking it all in!  She wasn't sure about holding them.  Sullivan stepped right in there and wanted to hold the babies right away.  She had a few demands though - she wanted Uncle Matt to help her hold the baby.  She wanted to only hold Baby B (Crew).  She wanted Crew to hold her finger while she was holding him.  She took a liking to Crew right away.  So much so that she didn't really want anything to do with Judson and declared Crew, "My Baby!"  (Sorry Judson - that will all change soon!)  There were plenty of other people willing to give Judson the love and cuddles he deserved!!!

A few highlights from the weekend:

Crew (left) and Judson (right) cuddling with their new mama!

Matt with Dave (his dad) and Crew

The two grandmas holding their new grandsons

Who doesn't love baby feet?!

Sullivan with "her baby" and Uncle Matt

Quinn holding Baby Judson

Matt has his hands full!

The girls hopped in bed with Auntie Mer

The girls sporting their "Big Cousin" shirts

What a fabulous weekend - we are more than blessed to have these two little ones in our lives!  We are excited to make many more memories with these little bundles of joy in the days ahead!

They're Here.....

The twins are here!!!  And we couldn't be more elated! 

Meredith and Matt had the baby boys last night around 7:45 p.m.  Both babies were very healthy and Meredith is doing great!

Baby B - born at 5 lbs., 6 oz.

Baby A - born at 6 lbs., 5 oz.

No name have been announced yet - I will post more pictures when I get them and let everyone know how they are doing!!Congratulations Mer and Matt!!!!  The bundles of joy are precious!!!

100 Days Later

Today was Quinn's 100th day of Kindergarten.  And celebrating 100 days of school in Kindergarten is a BIG deal!  To celebrate this occasion, Quinn had to create a project that contained 100 of something.  We tossed around a few ideas, but landed on this:

Quinn's foolish mother also thought that her lovely daughter needed a cute shirt to commemorate the important day.  And seeing how much Quinn loves buttons, this same foolish mother decided to sew 100 buttons onto a shirt for her to wear.

Seeing that I do not sew at all, this was a HUGE undertaking.  Let's just say that after about 20 buttons, I was regretting my decision to do this.... but knowing how much Quinn would appreciate this, I persevered and finished the remaining 80!  And I must say it turned out pretty cute.  Even cuter on Quinn!!

Happy 100th day of school, Quinner!

Homework

Quinn typically has homework once a week and as such, usually enjoys doing it.  She is to trace and write some words, then draw a picture and write a sentence about the picture.  Since Christmas time, I have been challenging Quinn to write two sentences.  I think she is capable of doing it and so the teacher in me wants to challenge her.

The other night she did her homework while I was picking up the house.  When I went to grab her homework to put in her folder, I turned it over to read her sentences.  This is what I found:

Ha!  To exude such confidence - I LOVE it!!!!  May her ability to like who she is and feel good about that continue for the rest of her life!!!

Not to Be Upstaged...

Quinn saw me creating the post last week about baking with Sullivan.  She more than anyone loves to bake.  She always has.  To say that she was sad would be an understatement.

So to make the world fair and even again, Quinn asked if she could bake with me last weekend.  I told her we would wait and see, but most likely we could do that.  I think I was asked 1,214 times over the weekend if we could bake.  Sunday afternoon we took on the challenge.... the end result?!  Blueberry muffins!

Two minutes into our baking time, Quinn stopped dead in her tracks and told me that we couldn't start yet!!!  When I asked why, she boldly told me that I had forgotten to get the camera out so I could take pictures of her!  Little did I know, foolishly, that when the world has to be even, that it has to be E.V.E.N.  Sullivan got pictures taken of her, so Quinn better get them too!!

Here is Quinny making blueberry muffins and enjoying the spatula afterwards!!!

To my dear sweet baker - I love every minute of our time together!  May we have many more days of baking together in our future!  Love!

A Budding Artist...

I know that I have posted pictures of Quinn's artwork before, but when she brought this picture home from school this week, I was amazed!!!! I would have loved to have had this before the holiday break so we could have displayed it!

I didn't question her in a accusatory tone, but had to ask if she had any help.  I thought the details were so good, that she had to have had some help.  Quinn said that she didn't have any help at all - the art teacher had an example on the board and she drew it from the example!!

I know she loves to draw and LOVES to go to art class.  I am thankful that she has that opportunity to do what she loves... and I am happy to reap the rewards of ALL the artwork she creates!

Yummy, Yummy!!!!

Isn't the best part of baking licking the spatula?! Gracie sure thought so...

I got a new Kitchen-Aide mixer for Christmas (!!!!!) and I have been dying to break it in!  Sullivan helped me accomplish that task tonight while Quinny was at Gymnastics.  We took on the task of making peanut butter cheesecake brownie bars.  Sounds sinful.... we'll see how they taste!

I wasn't sure how it was going to go baking with a 2 year old, but Sull was a good help tonight! She loved turning the mixer on and off and watching it do its thing!

The mixer is officially broken in - it was as great as I thought it would be!!!!

Letter S

(I know! It has been ages since I have posted a "What We Love..." post.  The Christmas season got away from me!)

Quinn - Squinkies

What are Squinkies, you ask?!?  The next big why-didn't-I-think-of-that toy (kind of like silly bands!).  They are tiny little rubber creatures that live in little plastic balls - the plastic balls remind me of those bubble containers we used to get out of the 25 cent vending toy machines.  Except these little creatures cost far more than 25 cents a piece.  AND they come with all sorts of accessories and houses and gadgets that one MUST have to complete the set!  Anyway... Quinn's on the band wagon - full force ahead!!!  She loves them and has to have them!!

Sullivan - Spanish

Sullivan has taken a liking to counting.  Not just any counting - but counting in Spanish!!  Check out this video of her showing off her stuff!

Ryan - Sushi

Yuck, yuck, double yuck!!  I can't stand the thought of sushi, let alone the taste or smell.  However my husband is quite the opposite - he LOVES, LOVES it!  He got hooked on it when we lived in Nashville and has loved it ever since.  Whenever he can round someone up to go with him, he takes full advantage of going to get sushi!  Whatever floats his boat (!!!) - just don't take me on that boat ride with you!

Audra - Scentsy

I love my Scentsy plug-in.  On days when my house needs a pick-me-up or needs to be freshened up, I plug that baby in and away she works.  I am amazed at the amount of smell it puts off - much better than any candle that I have found. And it comes in a million different scents!!  If I get tired of one scent, I can easily pop in a different scent with little hassle!!  Anyone who doesn't have, truly is missing out!

One Last Christopher Posting

With the Christmas season so busy and hectic, I didn't get a chance to post much.  Christopher had a few great sightings right before Christmas time that are definitely worth noting.

Using the Lite Brite

Chris used the girls' Lite Brite to write them a message.  The girls were ecstatic to see this when they woke up.

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Riding the Neigh-Neigh

Sullivan didn't know what to think when she saw this.  She was beside herself when her beloved neigh neigh was gone, but then she realized her boots were too.  She kept asking, "He give them back?" 

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Reading Bible Stories

We found Christopher one morning reading books again - we are guessing he loves books as much as the girls do!!!  Christopher was not just reading any books - he was reading bible stories to the nativity scene.  Kind of ironic?!? If those figures could talk, what do you suppose they would say?

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Riding the Train

Christopher found our train set in the basement and set it up one night.  When we woke up in the morning he was sitting under the Christmas tree on top of the train.  The girls wanted to see him take a spin around the tree, so Ryan carefully turned it on.  The bad news is he almost fell off. And being that he is magic and we can't touch him to help him back on, he had to stay on the train lopsided for awhile!

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We had a great season with Christopher this season.  We miss him already, but know he is busy in the North Pole helping out Santa.  We anxiously anticipate his arrival next season to see what antics he will be up to then!!!  

Am I Seeing Double?!

Quinn got a new doll from Santa this year.... she had wanted one for some time!  The thing she wanted most in a doll was one that she could dress up just like her!  Done.Check.

My mom was happy to oblige with this request and got Quinn matching PJs for both her and her doll for Christmas!  Quinn was ecstatic about dressing up her doll tonight and letting it sleep with her.  She was most definitely one proud girl tonight!!!