firepower

"boom, boom, firepower!!!" i believe it's an oft-quoted line from "night at the museum 2". nora has picked up on it. so cute!!!

i know it's a lot of posts today.... but i had the computer out, so it worked!!!

happy to you....

my sweet little boy... he's in the exersaucer now. so big... and so cute!!! he sleeps "through the night", getting up around 5 am to eat, and then going back to sleep. most nights, our kids are in bed by 7 or 7:30 pm. it's lovely! (i am sure as i write this, it will change!!! i am knocking on wood!!!)

nora put on water wings yesterday. she is now independent in the pool. she swam all the way to the deep end and back BY HERSELF (okay, i was right next to her, just in case!!!). and she loves her newfound independence. it's so fun to watch the joy on her face as she swims! we will probably do lessons at the end of the summer, but this means i can go to the pool with two kids, by myself!

james loves the pool, too! he kicks and splashes. then, looks like, "why did i get wet??" with these hot days, i am so glad that my kids enjoy being in the water!!!

family swim time....

yesterday morning, everett, moira, and tania came over for a swim. nora looks up to moira so much! it's so cute....

we were getting baby ready to go to the car with us. and, her hair just looked too cute!!!

my two-year old!!!

29 july 2008....

29 july 2007....

28 july 2007... my how times have changed! i can't believe that two years have FLOWN!!! i love my daughter like crazy... she is such a joy in my life. last night, i was in the family room, and i heard her saying something... i look over, and she was sweeping the kitchen and telling me about it. when you ask her what she wants for her birthday, she says "cake". she's so smart and fun... she adores her brother and is such a good "mother" to him.

and.... she's still asleep! i can't wait for her to get up so we can sing and start her day. but, it's 9:15, i've gone in twice to check on her, and she's sound asleep! maybe we should swim every morning and afternoon!!

nursing

and then, nora proceeded to breastfeed her baby! "give him nummies", as she called it!

jumping....

nora loves to jump in her bed...

laughing up a storm!

james had his four month check-up the other day... we got a lot of one-on-one time in the doctor's office. we had SO MUCH fun!!! he's such a cute little boy...

love you forever...

nora was singing to her baby yesterday morning... this is the song from the book "love you forever". she also sang "jesus loves me". it was so sweet!!! she carried her baby around ALL DAY. to the car... just like i carried james. she held her in the carseat, and when the baby fell, she got quite sad.

baby didn't go with us into nora's doctor's appointment. her two year check-up. but nora is 26 pounds, 2 oz and 33 1/4 inches long.

on the way home from the doctor's, nora put her finger into baby's mouth and aksed "did you get a new tooth? oh, you did!" it was SO FUNNY!!!

bachelorette party!!

we had a bachelorette party last night... so much fun!! lots of estrogen in one room!!

nora was saying "cheese!!"

saying good-bye to some good friends... we will miss them!!!

the girls.... courtney (or "co-ey", as we know her!!) and kristen (mother to "baby ca-yeb, no hair...")

nora snuggling with mr. andrew!!

leftover from auntie byssa... she let brindie borrow her sunnies

james, too...

we had his 4 month check-up yesterday... he is 16 lbs, 2 oz and 25 inches long. what a big boy. he's in the 75/50th percentiles, respectively! i had to laugh, with maybe a little frustration in my laugh, when i had to teach the resident some things... for example, he couldn't find james' "soft spot". he was all surprised that it had closed. i had to show him that james still had his.... they don't close until MUCH later!!!

however, i loved our "real" doctor! he had actually looked at my child's chart! (and james' x-rays) he knew what was going on with james (i had to tell the resident's that james had club feet.... it's ALL over his chart!) and spent quite a bit of time with me talking about it. he wants us to do a lower back x-ray, to make sure there is nothing from his spine that could have caused the club feet. he does think the x-ray will show absolutely nothing, but just to be sure.

nora... let me tell you about this girl! i think i have mentioned the severe panic that ensues anytime we try to show her a video, in the jungle, on youtube. she previously LOVED it. it's a hippo singing the song! on saturday, david tried to show it to her. (i think he had only heard of her reactions, and was shocked to see how panicked she does actually get!!!) on sunday, nora was chatting in the car, telling us what she learned in the car... "obey God"... and then she started saying "what happened, mommy? why does jungle make nora sad? why the hippo? what happened?" yesterday, she continued along this vein (but won't answer when i ask why it makes her sad), and then started saying "nora is happy now, not sad anymore". but, still no jungle!

then, last night, we got home. i had to make brownies for the party, and james was in the swing. just as i was putting the brownies in the oven, james started getting hungry and a little fussy. nora walked over to him in the swing, got up in his face, and said "it's okay baby james, mommy will be right back. she's just in the kitchen. it's okay baby james!" what a great kid!!!

we move on friday... we move on friday!!!!!

glory, glory...

we walked up to starbucks and the bagel shop this morning... nora started singing "gooey, gooey"... it was so cute.

we went with some friends to the pool. nora is doing a great job swimming and jumping! it's so fun. we got back from the pool, and she wanted to go "pee-pee potty". i walked in with her, and she told me "go talk to the girls" and "go hang out with friends". she sat on the potty until she was done (bored....), and came to hang out with the friends! she sounds too grown up!

surfing safari!!!

at "cou-eys' " beach... nora loved to climb this dune!!!

might be one of my more favorite pictures of late!!!

watching auntie byssa go of into the surf!!!

surfing safari

did i mention that auntie byssa flew back with us!!! she was a God-send... our flight got diverted to new orleans, then flew back to houston, missed our flight, had to wait stand-by for the next two flights... finally made it home!

james got to hang out with uncle joey!!! and watch golf...

snuggling with my boy!!!

the sibs at a fabulous wedding!!!

helping pop-pop get firewood...

enjoying the bonfire.... after kids went to bed!!!

what a fabulous week at home! relaxing, entertaining, good parties!!! now we are home, showing byssa a good time!! oh, and getting ready to move!!

rocket man...

ready for the party...

hanging out with great-grandpa! so fun...

i got to go visit baby will!! he was a DOLL!!! i am in love with him... he's such a little miracle. already eight weeks old. we are praying him home... HOPEFULLY SOON!!! lori, thanks... it was SUCH a blessing for me to see him and be with you... i hope it was for you!

nora on the plane... all decked out! we boarded the plane, and nora turned to sit in a first class seat... oops... she's getting a little spoiled! actually, david's ticket got bumped up, so he let me sit in first. there was an empty seat next to me, so nora joined me for a bit!

this is how i found nora in the kitchen the morning before we left... she had the foods she wanted and her juice!

nora was SO EXCITED to see "yibby". in fact, we were looking at the thomas' blog today, and nora said "baby will, libby..." it's so fun to see her recognize her friends!!!

my two favorite james'. big james held my jamie and put him to sleep... so fun to see!

nora's new favorite... tummy time with james! love his expression!!!

this photo was taken at 11 AM! it was a horrendous thunderstorm. nora was so taken with it. her auntie coco took her outside and taught her how to play in the puddles. meanwhile, i got to sit and listen to the thunder and lightening!

ahh... the rocket ship! nora was a little wary at first, but then decided she LOVED it! this may have been the last of the presley parties with a rocket ship. but, it was good fun! my mom knows how to throw a party!

i love them...

post naptime joy!!

nora is getting so independent and so big! i wrote awhile back about her HORRIBLE diaper rashes. i think they come in association with teething. i think... anyway, she had the beginnings of one the other day, but it went away quickly. but, it's TORTURE to change her, because it hurts so badly. so, i tell her i am getting the uckies off, and putting on a cream to make it better.

so, every so often, when i am changing her, she won't let me put on the new diaper until i put the cream on... and i love how she says cream. it's with the same pronunciation as exercise or madagascar. i love that "sc" sound!!

today, she wasn't obeying. i told her that if she didn't obey, i would take her and discipline her. she continued to not obey, so i took her away from the friend, into her bedroom. before i could say a THING, she said, "i'm sorry mommy obey" (which does mean i am sorry for not obeying). and she seemed sincere! so much better than DRAGGING the apology out of her!

alright... off to ohio in the morning!

wow... a year!!!

so, this is the pic from last year on her birthday... and the EXACT same outfit today... what a cute girl! how much she's grown up!

she finally likes wearing the hat! except, she dropped it in the store today, and i somehow missed it. noticed when we got to the car, and had to go back through the ENTIRE store before we found it! (we went out a different way than we came in, and it was RIGHT next to the exit!) i told her i was sad that we lost it, and she was so cute, trying to make up with me.

cute little boy... grabbing for his cupeez... speaking of... nora has a big girl bed now (just not set up until the new house), and we have been talking about how you don't need a cupeez in a big girl bed. she keeps talking about it, over and over!

it doesn't look like it, but she is hanging from her bed! her little bummy is not resting on those pillows! what a little monkey!!!

auntie kelsey came over! we had so much fun...

sweet boy, laughing at miss stef on the fourth! we went back to her pool and enjoyed a WONDERFUL fourth of july!!! (still waiting for the pool pics to get to my inbox... my camera was inside!)

"oh dad... whatcha looking at???"

snuggled with daddy... caught daddy a little of guard!!!

giving daddy a big kiss and saying "thank-you for being our hero!!!" and, it's a little late, but thanks to all those who are serving, or who have served, to give us our freedom! if you are looking for something to make you proud to be an american, our church had a wonderful service that you can watch online. shadowmountain.org.

nora waved her flag all day, and kept saying "happy to you!!!".

we painted our toes again... this time red! she loves them! daddy is out of town this week, and we have had a fun time. yesterday, we met chels and jeffrey at the mall, and to get nora to sit in her stroller, i told her we were going to go find them. she started saying "chelsey, jeffrey, where are you??", and continued to say that until we found them! (a good 15 minutes...) she is SUCH a joy in my life. i am so thankful for my two kids...

and now... off to do some work while two babies sleep!!!

jamie

today we have a video of james. he's started laughing and having so much fun! (okay, he was always a smiley baby, but now he laughs!!) we were hanging out with some friends on saturday, and one of the girls is an occupational therapist. she taught me some things to do with james' legs to help keep the muscles strong. so, we are working with him and playing!!! plus, i realized that i used to leave nora on blankets all the time... but with a toddler running around, i just don't do it!!! so, he needs some time somewhere other than his swing!!

i had him on his tummy first, to see what he would do without the shoes and bar on! he didn't like it so much... i think the bar and shoes really help anchor him to be able to move!!!

i will post some 4th pics later... but the video should tide you over!

sing him...

our day at the pool... the kids went down after about a half hour in the pool... and the moms just laid by the pool after that! i can't tell you the last time i just enjoyed laying by the pool!!! we are moving about a mile away... i may have found a new best friend!!!

james LOVED the pool.... we had so much fun!

james in his swim gear...

brayden enjoyed holding james... james, not so much!

a little fun with friends! jeffrey got to take a bath in OUR house this time! so fun...

so, i packed eight boxes this afternoon... some progress is being made! but, it's time to go rescue my boy from the swing... he's not loving it!

okay, i remembered that i put the title up there, but never explained it. james was sad earlier today... and nora said "sing him "honey, honey" mommy.". it was so cute! she knew what song tends to calm him, and that i should be doing it! she also said, when his cupeez fell and i was trying to nurse him, "hand cupeez to me mommy", like i wasn't doing it good enough, so i needed her to do it! what a GREAT big helper!!! i love her... and him.