Before I get disowned...

Okay, because I think my mom is taking applications for new daughters, I figured I had better get a post done! But we've had a fun couple of weeks! I found out on the 16th that I passed the bar exam which has been both exciting and terrifying :) I spent two and a half months worrying and it was a huge relief to see my name on the site! However, going from paralegal to attorney is quite a scary transition! I have to keep reminding myself that every new experience has an adjustment period, and I just have to make my way through this one!

We left the same day to go to Miami because I had a conference for work. I was so lucky to be able to have John Michael, Addie and Landon come along with me! We left our house to go to the airport about 20 minutes after the bar results were posted (I'm still not sure what I would've done had I not passed...thank goodness I didn't have to find out :)) and got into Miami that evening! We checked into our hotel and within 20 minutes decided we needed to upgrade our room. I can't imagine us all having stayed in that regular hotel room for five nights! It didn't even have a refrigerator! I was trying to figure out what in the world I would do with my milk when John Michael called the front desk to see if we could move to a suite. The only downside was that we were three floors lower in the suite, but still had an amazing view!

Anyway - I had a training seminar all day Saturday, but that evening we went out to dinner with my boss, Shauna, and her family to Bubba Gump's. I must say that for a chain restaurant, the food was really good! I was pleasantly surprised. And it was kid-friendly, which obviously is what we were going for. The next day we went to the Miami Zoo - AMAZING!!! I loooove our zoo here, don't get me wrong, but this one blew it out of the water. It was awesome. Addie loved it and was such a good girl! Landon was a joy, too. Monday, I had class again and right now I can't remember what JM did with the kids (and he's asleep right now so I can't ask him!). I think he had a blast with them, though, and was SuperDad once again, handling them on his own. Thankfully, both kids were really great the whole trip. We got a short trip to the beach on Tuesday but it was super windy. Landon was loving sitting in the sand and Addie was loving kicking it (*sigh* :)). We left to come back home on Wednesday! We had a great "becation" (as Addie called it). JM and I ended up with at least one baby in our bed every evening, but besides the sleeping issues, it was great. Oh, I also have to add that both babies were PERFECT on the airplane rides. I could not have been prouder. We got tons of comments about how good they were, and questions as to whether they are always that good. I, of course, said yes. HEHEHEHE!

Anyway, we celebrated my birthday last weekend and had Addie's last soccer game. Landon and I ended up not going because it was cold and drizzly, but Addie refused to play. She did have a good time tumbling on the sidelines! The other mommies got a kick out of it (they told me at her team party, which we did all go to right after the game). She's definitely a free spirit!

Saturday afternoon we watched a little of the UT-Alabama game with Lynn & Kris and then went over to Mimi & PawPaw's for my yummy birthday dinner. Sunday was fun, too, as we got to see Uncle Nate & Aunt Rissa and Gran & Pop at Nana & Papa's. I only wish birthday fun-time could've lasted even longer :)

Movie Star Addie in the hotel room

(Loved her hair in this picture!)

Too cute

Sissy was exhausted after a fun day Monday and fell asleep watching CareBears on her little DVD player!

The view from one side of our room. We had a corner room so we had great views all the way around! It was a great hotel - we'd recommend it (and the upgrade to the suite) - Hilton Downtown Miami.

Addie getting her first trophy!

Seven months

Landon turned seven months old last week. My goodness! And so far, this has been the most eventful month (especially considering we're only 5 days into it). Phew! He came down with a little cold last weekend but seemed to be doing okay. Then on Wednesday morning, he seemed a little wheezy, so we gave him a breathing treatment, which helped. We took him to school, assuming the treatment had done the trick. Not so much. Around 1:30, I got a call from the daycare director that his teacher had called up to the front desk because she was really concerned about his breathing. The director said, "He's wheezy. Like, concerning wheezy." Goodness. After what seemed the l o n g e s t drive of my life (well, up there, at least), I got to my sweet boy. When I opened the door to the classroom, he was sitting on the floor with his teacher playing and laughing. BUT - I could hear him wheezing immediately. From the door. That's how loud it was. We went straight home to do a treatment (these are supposed to last at least four hours) and headed up to see the doctor. By the time we got seen, he was having a hard time breathing again. He was still smiling and laughing, so I wasn't too terribly freaked out, but it was still worrisome. Dr. Hood did a "super-dose" of an oral steroid and he got another albuterol treatment while we were there. Also, bad/good news: Landon will start a daily steroid breathing treatment, just like Addie. I say bad news for the obvious reasons, but I say good news because (knock on wood) I am hopeful that this will keep him from having another serious episode again. I'm especially cautious during this flu season (I had a young, healthy co-worker pass away from H1N1 about three weeks ago - it turned into pneumonia), and hope we can keep future colds from settling directly into his lungs.

Anyway, he's been doing...okay...since then. Not great, not bad, still smiling, but not quite my sweet Landon. But this morning he woke up with two VERY gunky eyes. Yup, pinkeye. It's by far the worst case I've ever seen. My mom assures me I had worse as a child, so that made me feel good :) We got eyedrops called in as soon as our pediatrician's office opened this morning, so hopefully that'll be cleared up by tomorrow. Poor sweet baby!

Back to the stats...at 7 months Landon is:
* getting heavy. Not sure how much he weighs ;)
* in size 3 diapers still
* in 6 month clothes but can also wear up to 12-month
* army crawling like a mad man!
* pulling up to stand with the teeniest bit of help
* not really content to be held but always wants someone nearby
* still in his mommy phase
* sleeping much better and now putting himself to sleep with NO cry-it-out phase! HALLELUJAH!
* enjoying his solids. He has had peas, green beans, squash, applesauce, pears, carrots, apples & prunes blend, squash & corn blend, vegetable blend, and tonight, he tried (and adored) whole milk plain yogurt (I'm super excited about that one - it was Addie's favorite :))
* still only drinking breastmilk, but I anticipate having to supplement a little with formula at some point this month. *Sigh.*
* INTO EVERYTHING! I mean, seriously! I thought Addie was into everything, but he puts her to shame. I know all my friends with boys are now saying "toldja so!" :)

Okey doke...looking for the camera. I'll find it and get pics posted asap, I promise!

Over and out, soldier!

Dear Time: Slow down!

We've got a serious army crawler! Video to follow...

Only a couple weeks late

We went to east TN a few weekends ago for the UT/UCLA game with Nana and Papa and had such a blast! We stayed in a cabin in Wears Valley, right on the border of the National Park. Ahhh...so relaxing. The babies were both so good, and...(drum roll, please)...no one got sick! Sure, I do have to admit that they were both stuffy & coughy (is that a word?), but no puking! This is a first for Addie in the mountains - WOOHOO! She was 3 for 3 before this trip. Score one for us, finally.

Anyway, we arrived late Thursday night and then went hiking Friday. We did a 2-mile hike to and from Laurel Falls. It was gorgeous, and an easy hike (for out-of-shapers like me ;)). JM and his dad each carried a munchkin on his back and both kids seemed to LOVE their rides! I lost count of how many passersby said something to the effect of, "Now THAT's the way to travel!" Awesome. And I also lost track of how many times I responded, "Yeah, I tried to get them to carry me!" I think I'm so funny sometimes.

;)

Again, I digress. Soooo, the hike was great, dinner Friday was awesome (King Crab legs...mmmm...), and Saturday, we went to campus. Although Addie had been to a tailgate before, she had never been to a game. The last one I had been to was when I was pregnant with her! I can't believe I made it so long. Craziness. The tailgate went well, overall. We actually got there a little bit late (we had been checking out the black bear at the cabin!), so we ended up dropping Landon & Addie off with Nana and Papa for a "few" minutes to go to the bookstore to get a hat for Landon. Of course, it was Vol Walk time, so it took us a little longer to get from the Communications Building to the UC than we expected (yes, we now know to go to Stokeley, but we weren't thinking...), so we got back with only a few minutes before the game. It was SO exciting to walk into the stadium with my babies! It may sound cheesy, and I know they probably won't remember it, but I was so super excited to share that with them. What a feeling.

The game ended up being at Landon's feeding time, so he took a bottle and passed out for the whole first half of the game (yes, I really did pump in the car surrounded by about two dozen tailgate parties before the game - awesome :)). Addie started out a little timid with all the noise in Neyland, but then really got into it and was clapping and cheering. It was way too cute. She did great until about two minutes left in the second quarter, so we took our cue and left then. I'm still surprised we got to see (nearly) an entire half of a game with two little ones! We definitely couldn't have done it without the assistance of 1) Nana & Papa; 2) popcorn; and 3) Dippin' Dots. Ha!

It was such an awesome, relaxing weekend and we are so very grateful to Nana and Papa for it. Can't wait to do it again!

On the road (after nap #1)



Addie & Papa shelling beans in the cabin. Addie is a natural!




(actually, this was on the trail right outside the front door of our cabin, before our "big" hike)




Look at that face! AAAH!


Ready to hike!


On the way to campus


Landon was apparently not feeling so photogenic. But 3 outta 4 ain't bad... ;)


I think the Elmo hat was her "security blanket" for the stadium...



YAY!


As a matter of fact, I did airbrush the random girl's cleavage out of this picture. So there!

A half a year already?!

Sometimes I think I'd be very interested in a device that could make time stand still. I can hardly believe how fast everything goes by! I am fully aware that it is cliche, but it really does seem just like yesterday that we were headed to the hospital to meet our sweet boy, and now he is six months old! I can't even begin to describe the amount of joy he brings to us. He is such a sweet, loving baby. Yes, Addie still thinks he is the greatest thing ever, but she is starting to get irritated when he grabs her things, or if he's kicking blindly while feeding and kicks her. He has been in a mommy phase for the past month or so, which I don't hate ;)

At six months, Landon is:
* 17 pounds, 10 ounces (50th percentile)!
* 26.5 inches long (50th percentile)
* sitting up all by himself
* grabbing anything and everything he gets near
* sleeping much better at night; wakes up once around 2:30 or so and usually puts himself back to sleep after babbling for a little while
* still squealing all the time
* rolling everywhere; still no signs of crawling anytime soon
* starting to eat baby food - so fun! We tried out sweet potatoes two days before he turned six months old - he did great. Peas came two days after, and he adored them. Tonight we tried carrots - he ate the whole jar!
* the proud recipient of the "Best Smiles" award at school. Ha!
* still thinking he's too cool to breastfeed. He'll nurse only first thing in the morning. I can't decide whether I think the breastpump is the best or worst invention in the world... :)
* babbling nonstop
* wanting to be held all the time lately
* my sweet little boy!!!

At sissy's soccer game

First time for everything!

Well, maybe not everything, but Addie did have a lot of firsts over the past week or so! She started out with her first soccer practice on Tuesday, the 25th. Both JM and I were out of town (my first work trip ever!), so Nana took her. She seemed to have a blast! Nana said she practiced with the team pretty well and also did her fair share of somersaults in the field. That's my girl!

Then, last Saturday, we took Addie for her first haircut! Yes, ever! Her pretty curls were getting to be impossible to comb through, so I thought they needed a little trim to clean the ends up. She was SO excited to go! I took her to my hairdresser, Lauren, at Unruli in Franklin. I am so glad we went there! It was so great to have someone I knew cut my baby girl's hair for the first time. I'm aware that that sounds silly because she's 3, but it was still a teeny bit bittersweet for me! :) As soon as we got there, Lauren asked if she could straighten her hair. After I panicked for a split second, she assured me it was just to cut and that she'd re-wet it so her curls would come back. Phew! Ha! It was so funny to see it straight and see how long it is! Since Lauren was using a flat iron, she didn't get close to her scalp, so there was still some curl there, but it was still amazing to see most of her hair completely straight. Addie was thoroughly amused by the stranger looking back at her in the mirror. Anyway, Lauren just cleaned up the ends on Addie's hair and it is crazy how much healthier it looks. Now that the initial trauma is over (don't worry, it really wasn't hard on me :)), we'll be sure to have regular trims!

Next up was her first soccer game today! We arrived a few minutes early to get Addie's uniform and she was NOT impressed with having to change out of the outfit she was wearing. I kind of thought our day was over at that point. Then she clinged to my leg for the first 10 minutes or so. All of the sudden, she was ready to play! She did a great job running with her teammates and even kicked the ball once! WOOHOO! I have to say, I don't think I've laughed so hard in a long time. The kids were all so cute! One of the cutest Addie-isms of the day stemmed from Mimi telling Addie at the start of the game that if she went out and played and had fun that she could have a new princess dress. So when it was her turn to play, I tried to nudge her out there and she turned around to me and (at the top of her lungs) said, "I don't NEED a new princess dress! I already HAVE ONE!" All the other parents got a huge kick out of it. It was extra funny because I had not even mentioned the princess dress to her. :) Little stinker.

Here's some pictures of her week!

Heading in to Unruli!

Look how long!

Addie got to squirt Frasier in the face for being such a good girl!

Her second practice - look at what a peanut she is!

And...are we done yet?

Meltdown over the uniform

Notice her clinging to my leg!

Daddy's gonna give it a shot!

Hehe.

There she goes! YAY! She had a blast!

Wow.

I don't really know what else to say but wow. I had a crazy couple of months! My schedule was a little like this: wake up, eat, get kids ready & off to school, come back home, study, study, study, eat a little lunch, study a lot more, head up to the office to study some more and then come home and study a little bit more.

Phew. I made it. I don't know how the exam itself went (I felt horrible about the first day of it; the second day I felt halfway-decent about when I left, but feel terrible about it since...), and won't know whether I passed for nearly two more months still. Yuck. But we survived. The kiddos are back in a routine and don't seem to have missed a beat. I do have to point out, though, that I married the most amazing man ever. Seriously. He was practically a single dad for two months and never ONCE complained (at least not to me ;)). Not one single time. He amazes me. But then, you probably already know that :)

I also have to thank my wonderful family and friends. My parents and parents-in-law were so very gracious to help out with the babies as well. I don't know what I would do without them. And my friends were all so supportive and encouraging and PATIENT. I even came home after a long night of studying to find that Lynn had cleaned for me. Now that's friendship ;) I'm also very lucky to have an amazing boss and co-workers who allowed me to adjust my schedule quite drastically (ahem, a nice three-week leave of absence) to be able to study as much as I possibly could. I LOVE ALL OF YOU GUYS!!!!

Wow, I feel like I just gave an Oscar acceptance speech. Teehee.

Anyway, here's a very quick rundown of what's going on with us the past few months:

Addie:
* is getting even smarter every day! She comes home speaking in Spanish - often words that I (who took 5 years) have to really think about (or look up!) to understand
* moved up to the "Giggling Gators" classroom at school where she is learning to write - she can write almost all of her letters and can spell her whole name
* is becoming quite the little artist! There are lots of pictures she draws that I can actually tell what they're supposed to be :)
* continues to be an amazing big sister - she is so very loving to "Brother"
* is still obsessed with princesses and is already planning her Halloween costume :)
* is the best little helper around the house
* loves pink cupcakes! These are a special treat from mommy on some Fridays
* is starting soccer this season! We are SOOOO excited!
* now tells you that her name is "Princess Addie Leigh Lovey Dovey" (compliments of John Michael's boss' family - who also were a HUGE help to us while I was studying :))
* is still in her "dresses only" phase


Landon:
* had his first emergency room visit the weekend before my test. He had labored breathing (I can only describe it as an asthma attack, although he has never been diagnosed with asthma, obviously). By the time we got there, he was fine! The doctor did see a little ear infection so we got that taken care of and he also got an hour-long breathing treatment. Phew.
* was 16 pounds, 2 ounces as of July 24
* is sitting up ALL BY HIMSELF! AAAAH! He's been doing this since the week after he turned five months old. SLOW. DOWN.
* rolls everywhere. This morning I was cleaning his room & Addie's, so I put him down on a blanket on the floor. I went to Addie's room for maybe two minutes and came back and didn't see him. He had rolled all the way across the room UNDER HIS CRIB! Hehehehe...
* is just about the happiest baby ever. He rarely fusses unless he is sleepy or hungry.
* has decided that breastfeeding is not for cool kids, so the pump and I have become bff. Yay. :/
* is still a squealer! He squeals so loudly that it stops me in my tracks!
* loves his Jumperoo, just like Addie did!
* loves rice cereal and oatmeal. We will probably be trying a veggie or fruit within the next month or so. We tend to take it a little slow with the solids...
* is still waking up a few times at night, but just needs a paci. Any suggestions???? (Actually - he has slept straight through the past two nights, but I'm too nervous to say that this is a problem solved...)
* is wearing 6-9 month clothes and size 3 diapers (the size 2 fit slightly better, but Sam's only sells size 1-2 which are far too small, so we just went straight to the 3s and haven't had problems)

Laid back at Nana & Papa's (notice the princess high heels on the wrong feet :))



Jumpy Jumpy Jumpy!



Princess Potato!


We went to float down the Hiwassee River a couple of weekends ago - this is Addie and Landon ready to go!



They loved it until the first "rapids"...it was downhill after that!
(Before you think we're bad parents, the Hiwassee is a very lazy river - the "rapids" are a little bit like bubbles in a jacuzzi)



Addie's stress defense mechanism was just to pass out and sleep the whole way :)



Five months old! Look at those chins and cheeks and those legs!



I have to giggle whenever he cries because he's hungry, because I'm pretty sure he has a few days' worth stored up in those chubby thighs...


Sitting "tripod" on his five-month birthday - just a few days later, he sat up straighter on his own!



Super Dad!


Two nights in a row, Addie fell asleep at dinner time...





Addie was reading to Landon when he decided he wanted to eat the book instead



"Hey guys!"

I did not jump ship!

I have just been all-consumed with studying for the bar exam. This is no fun at all. NO FUN! I miss my family, my friends, my job. UGH. Ten days to go, then I promise you the longest, most comprehensive catch-up post ever. Til then...









HEHEHEHE. Did you laugh out loud, too? I'm not sure what it is about these pictures (particularly the one of Landon by himself), but I think they're so funny. Maybe it's the cheesy beach background? I think it's their ADORABLE smiles. Such cuties.

Oh, before I forget, Landon's 4-month checkup was two weeks ago...he's still a chubster but he's slowing down! I think he must have "bird bones" like his mama, because he's definitely lighter than he looks:

14 pounds, 10 ounces (50th percentile)
25 1/2 inches long (50th percentile)

* he is a SQUEALER! quite the chatterbox
* rolls front-to-back and back-to-front
* loves his feet
* grabs EVERYTHING he can get his hands on
* slept through the night great for a month but decided a few weeks ago that sleeping isn't for cool kids. Argh. Just needs a paci, but still...

I'll do a more detailed post later, honest!

p.s. Mom, I apologize for EVER giving you a hard time about not having a baby book for me because I'm the second child. Hehehe...

Verb conjugation?

Tonight we were out in the front yard while John Michael watered the flowers and Addie picked clover. She started getting a little too close to the street so we called her back. When she didn't come, I went after her and said, "Addison Leigh, you need to listen to your daddy and me and BEHAVE!" to which she replied, "But Mommy, I am being have!"

Awesome.

Seven years

Today is our anniversary! John Michael and I have been married for seven years. Sometimes it seems like just yesterday and other times I can't remember when we weren't together! I really don't know where to begin when talking about my sweet husband. He is one of the sweetest, smartest, most caring, most loving, and most SELFLESS men in the world. Of course, I have always known these things, but in the past year, they have become even more evident. John Michael keeps me grounded when I start to freak out about things. He is my biggest cheerleader and has more confidence in me than I ever could have for myself. He has not even hesitated, nor has he ever complained, about picking up extra duties with the babies and around the house with my study schedule. He is my very best friend and is an even better father than I knew he'd be. I love him even more now than I did the day we got married (although I never thought that was possible). I feel so very blessed to have him in my life and look forward to many more years together...

Prom 1999



Arizona 1999



May 18, 2002