Meet the Family

All of these pictures loaded backwards. And since I've adopted the old typing technique of "hunt and peck" due to the fact that I'm simultaneously nursing a newborn while I type this (sorry for the mental image I'm sure none of you wanted), the cut/paste step is just too complicated to do with one hand.

So... these pictures are in opposite chronological order of how they actually happened, but I'm sure you don't care.

After weeks of hibernation, Keatyn is finally meeting her family! Between sickness and scheduling conflicts, everyone is just now meeting my sweet girl. In the last 2 weeks she has met all of her aunts and uncles, several of her cousins, her great Frank, her Mimmie, and Flo. This is Flo...
my cousin's new shitzu. She is yummy! It's a wonder this precious pup survived these two.

We had the first official Sunday dinner back at my Nanny's (other than when we were re-doing her house last Spring) since my Papaw died 16 years ago. We were celebrating all of the February and March birthdays. I think it did Nanny good to have us all back there doing this in her yard...
I have SO many memories of growing up playing ball in the backyard. Papaw even had a real home plate put in the ground. He used to sit for hours on a stool and pitch baseballs to me, Andy, and my cousins. I can't tell you how many times we've climbed over that fence fishing balls out of the neighbors yard. It was very special to see the next generation continuing the tradition that was started by my mom, aunt and uncle so many years ago. I know Papaw would be proud!
I would love to tell you that he knocked that ball over the fence. But I have no idea.

Gettin a little Vitamin D with Daddy. She has stolen his heart and it is so precious!



Aunt Gail and Royce came over the other night and had my cousin Casey's baby, Cole. He just turned one and he is adorable!


On Saturday, we went and smuggled Great Frank out of the old folks home for a little playground and milkshake action. This picture was hilarious. Trace was behind him walking through Burger King to get to the playground, and well, you can imagine how fast a 92-year-old on a walker moves compared to a lively 4-year-old with a playground in sight. He couldn't get around him. Jimmy was behind Trace yelling, "Shoot the gap, son, shoot the gap."

He went for it...
I'm pleased to report no hips were broken or walkers overturned during the making of his breakaway.

Two weeks ago, Mimmie, and Jimmy's aunts Sheila and Sandi came for a visit. Mimmie couldn't wait to get her hands on her 7th great grandbaby...
or her 4th.


I hate that I don't have one single picture of Sheila, but it would have been a picture of her taking a picture. I don't think she ever put her camera down!

Keatyn still has many more to meet. We just keep going, and going, and going...

Pretty in Pink (and purple)

I love how Keatyn's nursery turned out. You know how some people can take something simple and create something beautiful and special out of it?

Well, I'm unfortunately not one of those people.

But, luckily my mother-in-law is.

I found a pink toile fabric online and Sylvia literally did the rest.

She made the bed skirt for the full size bed, all of the crib bedding, the roman shade for the window, and recovered my vanity stool for under her table. I can't wait to tell her one day that her Sisty did all of this to make her room special. I hope she teaches Keatyn how to do all of these things. She doesn't stand a chance learning anything from me, I'm incapable of sewing on a button.

When we found out Girby was a girl (hence the name "Girby" short for Girl Baby) I immediately thought, "Great, now we won't have to paint her nursery... it's already purple."

OK, actually my first thoughts were of buying prom dresses, big hair bows, planning a wedding, and countless shopping trips with my little girl. But shortly following those thoughts were, "Great, now we won't have to paint her nursery... it's already purple."

What I love the most is it's full of sentimental things.

The shadow box has the purple dress she came home from the hospital in, the same dress I came home in nearly 36 years ago. My plan is to get a picture from mom's of me in that dress and put it next to her picture on the shelf.View from the door...

All of the white furniture (except for the bed) was Jimmy's furniture growing up. When we first moved into the house, I painted it all white, distressed it, and changed the hardware and used it in my guest room. I never dreamed I would be using it one day in my baby girls room!
At my baby shower, Sisty showed me this cross stitched throw hanging above the glider that she had been working on. She finished it just days after she was born. Granddaddy told me she had at least 450 to 500 hours of work invested in that. She worked on it a little at a time, from the time she learned she was a girl. That is so special!
The glider was from a consignment shop and the lamp light post was Trace's, given to him by Penny and Lynda. The beautiful pillow with her initials on it was made by my friend Leslie's mom, Patty. She made it out of a table cloth used by her mother and handed down to her. She also made a purple pillow cover with her name on it. (See why I was SO stressed when Jimmy wanted to change her name!)

I bought these mirrors on the 30% off end cap at Target. I changed the ribbon to pink, and Ms. Jennifer, one of Trace's teachers at school, printed the vinyl letters for her initials.
Ms. Jennifer also did the bible verse above her bed (For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord... Jeremiah 29:11) and her name plates. She is starting her own business in vinyl lettering and crafts and is very talented!
This iron bed was Jimmy's grandmother's as a child. It has been every color in the rainbow. Jimmy's dad painted it white for us. I love the fact that when she's bigger, she will sleep on something that has been handed down through the generations. Hopefully, her little girl will sleep in that bed one day too.(The snoozing baby in the picture is not for effect, she just fell asleep while I was taking pictures and my mama taught me to never wake a sleeping baby.)
That beautiful purple blanket she's wrapped in was hand made by one of the Golden Girls, Bonnie. She actually made her two. I can't even imagine all of the hours she spent on those.

Things like that have so much meaning when you know how much time someone took making it for you, thinking about the baby that will use it, and hopefully saying a prayer or two for your little one in the process. It amazes me that these women spent their precious time working on things for my daughter. She is certainly a blessed little girl!

What a Weekend...

It's kinda sad when your preschooler has a better social life than you do. But, I'm not too proud to say... it's true.

I'm a little behind, but last weekend Trace had what would be considered in kiddie terms, the "Disneyworld" of boy's weekends.

A couple of weeks ago, my brother asked if he and Kadi could take him to the monster truck show at the Arena. We went to the circus there last year and spent the majority of our time in the bathroom, but even after that warning and my scary prediction of mixing 4-year-olds and EXTREMELY loud noises, he claimed they still wanted to go.

So Friday night they set off, armed with Papaw's headphones to damper the deafening sounds, I was sure would be the ruin of a perfectly good evening. Turns out, it took wax ear plugs, headphones, and the occasional old fashioned hand over the ears cover, but luckily everyone survived.

(And Andy said, much to Kadi's dismay, that they feed and hydrated him very infrequently to avoid the nasty public bathrooms we spent so much time in at the circus. His philosophy is, if he's ain't askin', don't offer... what goes in, must come out.)

Good call brother. I believe he's ready for fatherhood.
I hope my future nieces and nephews get those adorable dimples!
Can't you just hear the grunts and growls? Love this...
Four hours later they returned, all wearing smiles and Trace sporting his new "Gravedigger" T-shirt, which he insisted on sleeping in.
I knew he would either come in sound asleep on Uncle Andy's shoulder (it wasn't over until after 10:00) or bounding through the door talking 90 miles an hour. The latter prevailed. He was so wired he didn't collapse into the bed until 1 a.m. only to get a few hours of sleep before his next adventure...

So, Saturday morning my friend Leslie and her hubby Sean came to pick Trace up to go to the train exhibit with their son Jack. She knew we weren't really getting Keatyn out yet and knows Trace's love of trains. So with only a few hours of sleep and monster trucks on the brain, they headed to North Georgia to the Colonnade.


The train museum was somewhat of a bust they said (much more for the avid collector that preschool boys... I'm assuming they uttered the phrase, "Just look...no, no, no... don't touch" a few dozen times.) So after about 30 minutes, they moved on to the Aquarium.

I have been in the car with these two rascals before, and I'm telling you the conversations heard from the backseat beat any reality show on TV today... hilarious!
They went back to Leslie and Sean's for PB&J's and a little home spun music.

"Alright... Wheels on the Bus, from the top, on my count."
And then a little tackle football in the front yard.

Looks like Sean might need some head protection himself.
Nothing better than a big ol' sand pile, or mulch pile, or rock pile... actually, any pile will do. And when there's a neighborhood under construction, you're never short on piles!
And finishing the day off... feeding the ducks and throwing rocks in the pond (not at the ducks boys.)

I believe this was about the time when Trace's late night partying caught up with him.

After his confessional at home, I learned he ran out into the road on the way back to their house, wastefully threw whole pieces of bread into the water, and basically shut down all listening skills he's acquired over the last 4 years.

Well, the fun was nice while it lasted... time to go home :)
So after a day full of trains, sharks, drums, football, rock throwing, and sand piles, I'm really gonna have to step up my game. When I had Jack over last summer after Leslie's shoulder surgery, we played T-ball in the front yard and ate a sack full of Krystal's on a picnic table in the driveway. Woo-hoo!

Lame, I know.

It's a wonder Jack still speaks to us.

I can't thank Uncle Andy, Aunt Kadi, Leslie, Sean, and Jack enough for entertaining my boy, while I stayed home and did riveting things like wash 19 loads of laundry in Dreft, clean out my closet, and watch countless episodes of Say Yes to the Dress while nursing a newborn. Sounds like Disneyworld, doesn't it?

He is so blessed to have such wonderful people in his life to love and make memories with... we love you all!

One Month

Well, my little diva is one month old today. It's hard to believe.

She is such a joy and the good news is her big brother still thinks so too! He asks to hold her a dozen times a day, always coming to me holding both hands up in the air like McDreamy when he's getting "gowned up" for surgery on Grey's Anatomy. Except I hear, "Mommy, smell em'... I washed all the germs off. Can I hold Girby now?"

I had avoided having to take her into Trace's germ ridden preschool until one day late last week. I covered her with a blanket in her car seat but once we hit the door, Trace ripped that blanket right off and ran to get all of his friends to come meet his baby sister. He then shot out of his room, ran down the hall and drug the other teachers down to see her.

He was very proud, and it made my heart smile!
She is loving her baths. Thank you Bonnie for the bath bib. (I've forgotten the real name) It's like a bib you submerge in the warm water and it fits over their shoulders and belly perfectly to keep them warm. So simple, so smart... why didn't I think of that?
Is it a smile... or just gas?
After the bath, all wrapped up in big brothers bathrobe and rattle socks.
I pulled into Women's East yesterday for my follow-up appointment and looked up at the window to my room. I couldn't help but think about who was lying there in that very same room right then, probably in excruciating pain, begging, hoping, praying for 10... come on 10!!! Only to be followed by the indescribable, pure joy when her baby is placed on her chest for the first time.

It's amazing to think all of that is going on just inside that building as we go about our day, getting sweet tea from Chick-fil-A, searching for a parking space in the crowded hospital lot, riding the elevator up to the doctors office, when right through those double doors, someone's life is just beginning and someone's heart is changing forever.

*** Some of you may be wondering why I went back for my follow-up at 4 weeks instead of the typical 6. My doctor told me after my delivery that there have been some women come back for their post baby checkup after 6 weeks already pregnant again...yes, you heard me right... pregnant AGAIN!

Seriously???

I assured her that would NOT be the case with this ole' girl, but 4 weeks is apparently the new norm.
Peace out.

Trace-isms

Life with a 4-year-old is never dull.

Life with my 4-year-old is an experience all in itself. He is SO full of energy, enthusiasm, and little boy wonder that it amazes me and keeps me on my toes.


We have been celebrating his birthday for a month now... it's honestly like the birthday that won't die. His official party was on the 15th of January, but since then Sisty has brought back out-of-town birthday presents from family in Alabama, both sets of great grandmothers gave him birthday money that prompted 2 trips to Toys "R" Us, my friends Lynda and Penny (that were unable to come to his party) brought their gift over the other night, and then of course on February 7th, we celebrated again with a mini Buzz Lightyear cake for our little family of four.

Sigh... it was the longest birthday in history. So now of course my child thinks every time he turns around there should be another gift, card, or cake with his name on it celebrating his blessed birth. ha!
As I sit downloading these pictures, he is running around the house with his crocodile Halloween costume on over his pajamas, which has been recycled into a dinosaur named Buddy from the PBS show Dinosaur Train.

At least he's resourceful.

To complete the look, he has on my dad's huge gun shooting range headphones that he borrowed for the monster truck show my brother and Kadi are taking him to tomorrow night.

For the better part of an hour last week, I thought he was going to accompany me to the bi-lo wearing this ensemble, and believe it or not, I was OK with that.

Between my hormonal, acne riddled face, the dark circles under my eyes, the fact that I haven't donned "real" clothes in months, and my hair that's in desperate need of maintenance, I was looking pretty prehistoric myself. At least "Buddy" would have diverted attention from me.

But suddenly as we were walking out the door, he says, "Oh I guess I need to take my costume off."

Sadly, my "costume" won't come off so easily.

Just a few Trace-isms I want to remember...

"Tell me an 'all of a sudden' story." This comes from Thomas books, so he now thinks every story told must contain an "all of a sudden" moment and he waits patiently for it and then he pauses and replies, "what happened?" It's like the equivalent of what us adults call the cliffhanger.

"Well... kinda had a lil' bit of trouble." He says, with a slumped, defeated face whenever he has been in trouble or something has happened at school that he needs to confess.

"I've got a perfectly good idea... let's go to Chick-a-lay!"

"In just a minute... I'm a little busy." I hear this whenever he's asked to get dressed or put on his shoes before we leave to go somewhere. This phrase typically causes my blood pressure to spike.

"I'm Goldilocks." I turned around for 2 seconds the other day and he ate my entire bowl of cereal.

"Where is Girby's du danky?" and "Does Girby have baby boobies like me?" Can you tell there have been a lot of anatomy discussions about male and female parts around here in the last 3 weeks? We probably need to use the "proper" terms but du danky and boobies seem to have stuck for the time being.

"Let's name her Carter... oh yeah, the doctor already took her out of your belly and said her name was Keatyn." He announced her new name was Carter the other day after he walked out of school with his friend Emma Kate and her new baby brother, Carter.

"This is a keep out sign... no girls can come in, only Nanas, Papaws, and Traces."

Nanny meeting Keatyn...

It's a wonder she still has any hair, he kisses her head a 100 times a day. It's so sweet... just hope it lasts!
I hesitate to say this out loud, but for the last 4 nights this little lady has gone 5 and 6 hours between feedings!!! Oh, I'm actually feeling human again. I'm a sleeper, so to actually get several hours in a row has been miraculous. We had to put her on Axid for reflux so maybe that is helping and I pray it will continue to. You could tell how uncomfortable she was and the cute kitty cat sounds she was making turned out to be more like acid reflux growls...poor baby.

I'm hoping the good nights are here to stay, but I keep reminding myself this is a season of life, and if it's a season of sleepless nights, it won't last forever. Sweet dreams everyone!!

Baby Love

In honor of Valentines Day, I must admit something...

I'm in love.

Again.

This is my newest crush...
decked out in her finest Valentine attire.


And this is my newest crush's tushy, which I could just sink my teeth into... but I won't.
It still amazes me that just 11 days ago, this was the same hiney that would rise up just to the left of my bellybutton no less than 100 times a day. This was, of course, the preamble to the karate kid kick into my right rib that would inevitably follow, robbing me of my breath.

It's funny how a part of me misses that.
I love her Fat Albert cheeks and lips when they pout out.

I love the "kitty cat" sounds she makes... even at 3 a.m.

I love how she holds up her little hand when I'm nursing her, and then wraps her long, slender fingers around mine.

I love that by the mere raise of her eyebrows she can go from newborn to Walter Matthau in Grumpy Old Men.

I just love her!

Since she's been home, she's only been out 3 times. The first was last Wednesday to Highland Pediatric to meet Dr. Coffman. She checked out great and had only lost from 7 lbs. 13 oz. down to 7 lbs. 12oz!! That is music to a nursing mom's ears. There is no way of knowing how much they are eating, is the milk "good" enough, is she eating often enough. I have always heard it is common for them to loose 10% of their birth weight, so I was thrilled with her losing just 1 oz.

She's an eater, just like her Mama!

We decided to keep Trace out of school last week because there had been a few cases of RSV and a viral infection going around the church and preschool. So it was a LONG week for him, but luckily the grands were happy to step in and help entertain him.

Friday night, he spent the night at Nana and Papaw's house. When I went to get him, I left Keatyn with them and he and I went to Books-A-Million to get her a baby book. I put Keatyn in my dad's arms sitting in his recliner, and when I returned an hour and a half later, they were in the exact same position. I don't think he shared with Nana at all. I would imagine, he laid there with her on his chest, tickling her ear and smelling her head the entire time I was gone. And if I'm being honest, there were probably some tears shed... from him not her. My dad usually runs like his hair's on fire, always going 100 m.p.h. But you put his new grand baby in his arms, and the rest of the world disappears.

I love that about him.

Then Sunday night, she made her first trip to Sisty and Granddaddy's for steaks. I actually remembered my camera for once.

We were there for nearly 3 hours and I think she opened her eyes once. Trace insisted she sit next to him at dinner so we had to pull her car seat right up next to his chair. She was the perfect dinner guest... never ate a bite or uttered a word.
She is so blessed to be loved by so many!

We've walked a fine line this week between wanting Trace to bond with her, hold, and love on her, and trying to keep her well. Of all the precautions we have taken, he ended up with a snotty nose and hacky cough and has been on medicine. So every time he gets near her, he hears, "Go blow your nose and wash your hands before you touch her." "Ohhh, don't get right in her face buddy." "Just kiss her on the top of the head." Poor little guy :(




We celebrated Valentines Day with a meal of California Burritos and chips and salsa, picked up from El Metate. I think Jimmy ate his while I was bathing Trace and I reheated and ate mine an hour later while he was holding Keatyn and returning Trace to bed (for the 3rd time.)

Romantic, huh? But I couldn't be happier... or more exhausted!

Keatyn's birth at OneTrueMedia.com

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