Mom says

Hello again. I thought everyone would be interested in seeing cute pictures of me again..oh, and maybe some of Erin too. I can put my own diaper in the bin now all by myself. Mom says it's a good thing I can help clean up some of the mess I make.
See, here's me still helping. Mom says it's a good thing I have such a cute face when she walks in the room and sees all the piles I have made. I like to make piles. Piles of potatoes, cds, toys, papers I find stuffed in drawers, pencils I find in those drawers, clothes. Oh, there's all kinds of stuff to find in this house. Mom says it's a good thing we don't have more stuff or we would never be able to walk through all the piles.
Erin is a whole 16 weeks old. Mom says she is getting big. I like the signs she puts on her. Mom says it's a good thing she can get one picture with the sign with all of my helping going on.
Erin likes to smile...even at me. Mom says she doesn't understand why she isn't afraid of me. I don't know why she should be.
Mom says she loves this picture because she isn't in it. I think that means that she really enjoyed taking a break. I am so much fun that I really wear her out, so she says.

New Experiences

I'm taking this rare and quiet moment while both girls are peacefully sleeping to let you in on some of the fun we have been having around here. This being Emma's first Christmas where she really knows what's going on, we are having a lot of fun with new experiences. Last week at church, we helped bake cookies to give to our neighbors. Emma really enjoyed the cookie dough, as you can see.
She helped stir. She always wants to be right in the middle of everything. So...we let her and she had a blast!
We decorated the tree this week and Emma undecorated it for us. I wonder what is going through her head about having a tree inside the house. She leaves it alone for the most part, but manages to pull about one ornament off a day.
She did manage to find the candy canes and had quite a yummy time. We came to truly understand what it means to take candy from a baby. Not a very fun experience.
We had our first decent snow and we bundled the little bundle of joy up and let her explore. She didn't quite know what to think. She just stood in one place and looked around, probably trying to figure out where all that white stuff came from.
Here is Miss Thing helping Daddy pick out a pretty tree. She is quite the Daddy's helper.
Here is Miss Erin at 15 weeks. She is such a sweet baby. I can't believe God has allowed me to have two such good natured babies. Thank you, Lord. He knows what I can and cannot handle.
Erin is really getting into this book, or maybe it's just the position she is stuck down in that chair. She is mostly very content when we are holding her. She just wants to be a part of what's going on and probably wants to be protected from a certain wandering one year old I know.
This is late and fuzzy, but here Erin is at 14 weeks old. The girls are such a joy and I am having a very good time being their Mommy.

Thank you, God!

Dear God, This is Emma. I have been told that it is Thanksgiving and so we are supposed to thank you for the things you give us. I'm a little confused because I thought we were supposed to thank you all the time. But here is my list. Thank you for a Mommy and a Daddy that love me and feed me and give me baths and get me dressed and play with me and do all the things that I want.
Thank you for the big turkey that Mamaw made for us. I am also very thankful that I am very big and can sit at the table with everyone.
I want to thank you for my new haircut. I am still very small, but I had long hair and now it is very pretty. Thank you for helping me be good when I sat in that big chair and let that lady cut with scissors on my hair.
My little sister makes me thankful, because I get to be a big helper big sister. She smiles at me and likes me a lot. I can be pretty nice to her quite a bit, huh? You think I am good? I try really hard....sometimes. A few more things, I am thankful for Crunchies, cheese, juice, books, music, church, Lassie, Mamaw, Papaw, Grammy, Grandpa, all my aunts and uncles, and all the wonderful people that love me and make me happy. Thank you very much, Amen.
Dear God, This is Erin. I want you to know that even though I am very little still, I know that you are the one I have to thank for the good things that make me happy. I am very thankful for my big sister, Emma, who I know loves me. She talks to me and tells me all the things I need to know.
I am really thankful when she is sleeping. It is nice and quiet and she doesn't come real close and scare me. Thank you for my Mommy and Daddy that take good care of me. And...well, I don't know that much else now because I am still little. But when I learn more, I will know to tell you thank you. Thanks, Amen.
Dear God, This is Mommy. I have so many things to be thankful for that it is very difficult to confine it to this blog, but I will shorten it to some of the most important. Thank you for my very sweet and beautiful, Erin. Thank you that she is healthy and happy and sleeping more through the night.
Thank you for my funny and adventurous Emma. I get so much joy from watching her grow and learn new things everyday. She makes me laugh and smile so many times in a day. Thank you that she is healthy and growing well. I am also very thankful that you have given me the strength to be a Mommy to these two great girls. Thank you for my health, my wonderful new home, the Sonic and Chick-Fil-A down the street, and the deer and rabbits we see in our yard. You even gave me a tree swing. Thank you for my wonderful husband who loves me and cares for me well and for making him into a great Daddy for the girls. Thank you for giving him a job that he loves. Most of all, thank you for your Son that you gave for me. Watching my girls, I can't imagine allowing them to go through pain for someone who didn't even know them or me. Thank you for your gift! Thank you for the love that you have put in my heart for my family and for you. I love you. Amen.

Super Mommy...or not

This week I made homemade bread for the first time ever. I was so proud of myself thinking, "Wow, Melissa, you are the ultimate Mommy. Homemade bread! The girls will adore you." Then I realize that they are at my ankles crying because I am kneading bread and they are needing me. I am saying, "One more minute, Mommy's almost done."

(12 weeks)

I spend one on one cooing time with my beautiful new daughter and think "I am getting the hang of this Mommy thing." Then we sit down to eat and Erin begins crying and I let her sit there until I stuff the last bite down my throat. There goes the Mommy award again.

(P.S. I love this picture. I walked into Emma's room the other night and she had pushed her feet between the crib bars. Super Mommy did move them back under the covers without her waking up!)

I dress my children in beautiful clothes that I get discount and pat myself on the back, then mourn the fact that I don't sew their clothes.

I read books to Emma until I am blue in the face but get discouraged when I put that Lassie video in one more time.

I may never win Mommy of the Century, but I am the only Mommy these girls will ever have and I am proud of that and will continue to do my best. I love them and their Daddy with all my heart and know that this is what God made me to do...to love and serve this family the best I know how. If that means making bread but watching Lassie, then that's what you'll find us doing.

When I look at that face, I can't help but want to do my best every waking, but bleary-eyed, moment.

"Mommy Live"-The Musical

Some time last week, I was doing some mundane chore and realized that I was repeating in song what my hands were doing. I have recently been enlightened to the fact that since I have become a Mommy I sing as I work to keep the children, mainly Emma, entertained and not upset that I am turning my attentions elsewhere. So....my life is a musical. Who should play me on Broadway? Here are just a few of the lyrics that might pop up during a seemingly normal day. (Whatever normal means, right?)

"Let's take a picture, Let's take a picture. Erin is 11 weeks, yay for her. Emma, Emma, let me have the camera. Put the sign back, put the sign back, put the sign back now."

"You are cute, yes, you are. Don't hurt the baby, be gentle with the baby. That's, yes, that's a goooooooood giiiirlllll."

"Sitting at our de-esk, sitting at our de-esk. Let's have a sna-ack, let's have a sna-ack."

"Emma! Emma! Don't sguish the baby, the baby, the baby today! Let her live, let her live, let her live to see another da-ay, anoooother daaaay!"

"Mommy's being silly, yes, silly, yes, silly. Mommy's being silly. Gotta have some fun today."

"Where is Erin, Where is Erin, There she is, There she is. Hiding in the animals, hiding in the animals, She is cute, She is cute." (This one is to the tune of Frere Jacques. The rest are originals.)

Well, I hope you have enjoyed our little stroll through the day in music. You have to really use your imagination, but it is quite funny. Maybe when the kids are asleep I will write a screenplay and make some money!

Big Helper

Hey! This is Emma. I wanted to let you know what was going on at my house. Mainly I am being the big helper since we have a new little baby at my house who can't really do anything. She cries and eats and I give her hugs and try to play with her, but she doesn't really do a lot. I have to help Daddy. He put pictures in my room and I helped hold the pencil and the screwdriver, but they kept taking it away from me.

Mommy often needs my help because she is busy cooking or doing laundry or dishes or taking care of the baby or something. The other day I pulled out all of the pots and pans for her. Those safety latches don't work as well as they think. It was lots of fun...but then I fell in. Mommy had to come and rescue me.

One day I will actually do the cooking too. Mommy says she hopes I want to help later as much as I want to help now. Sure, if I help we can have more time to play, right?

We ate a pizza the other day, so we had to get rid of the box, I helped, of course. But, first I had to play in it a little. I have to have some fun.

Here's me helping Daddy again. He needs help a lot. I helped him with the bills. I held up the paper and he wrote the check. They won't let me have the checkbook yet.

I am trying to study up on my Spanish so I can help him with that too. I speak it quite well, but Mommy and Daddy just smile because they think I am speaking jibberish. Oh, the things they have to learn!

See, how I am helping. I am sure the babies feet were hot, so I took them off. She thanked me. Mommy doesn't understand, but Erin knows I am just helping.

I give good hugs. I know Erin and I will be good friends. I can't wait til she can do something....anything.

This is Erin. She is 10 weeks old today. That must be some kind of big deal because Mommy takes all these pictures. I don't even know how many weeks old I am because I am very old. She likes to smile at me and sits in her swing and makes faces at the toy on it.

Isn't she cute? She may even grow up to be as cute as I am. We will have to just wait and see.

Puppies and one year olds

What a happy girl! We just can't believe how much she smiles at us. Erin is already focusing on toys. She just sits in her swing and watches the toys.

O.K. Now for the topic of the day: Puppies and One year olds. I am constantly amazed at the similarities between these two as I walk through my house and find trails that can inevitably lead me to my one year old, Emma. Like a small puppy, her curiosity leads her to riffle through whatever is close at hand.

Many times I have come upon a perfectly filled bag to be completely emptied and the contents to be dragged throughout the house.

They both also have to be trained. Although puppies never learn to use a spoon, they have to learn where the food is and who provides it. Once they learn this, they will always be begging at your knees for whatever you have...as will a one year old. I cannot enjoy a cookie without a little girl needing a bite for herself.
Also, whenever an easier way is found...take it. Others similarities I have thought of include:

-To be easily controlled, they should both be kept on a leash.

-You don't seem to know how, but they often wind up under the covers in your bed inching you off the side.

-Their energy always seems to surpass yours.

-They work for praise. A little hand clapping and "Good Girl" go a long way.

-They both require constant and uninterrupted attention.

-Twenty times a day at least, I want to say "Sit, Stay."

-Good furniture and carpet will always be ruined.

Lastly, that cute little face can get you every time!

My busy girl and her new playtoy, Erin

Checking each other out. Emma has just stolen the tag for Erin's 8 week picture. I think you can see a little fear in Erin's eyes. Emma loves her sister and hovers over her constantly. She gets so excited and rough that poor Erin has several claw marks on her face...battle wounds that come with living with a toddler. If she survives this year, she should win a medal of honor or purple heart or something.

Our busy girl finds herself in the middle of just about everything. She brings joy to our hearts and pick-up in our step as we chase after her.

She loves "helping" with the laundry and wearing my hose around her neck. I suspect she just might be the comedian of the family. She loves being the star of the show, probably because she knows she already is.

Want an idea for Christmas? Emma loves the Q-tips. I guess this is what safety latches are for. Left alone for 2 seconds, she can make quite a mess.

Trying to be a big girl already. This picture kinda makes me sad because one day, all too soon, she will be able to fit into that coat.

Here is some more antics with the laundry, wearing Daddy's CLEAN underwear on her neck. She walked around like this for a long time. She knows she is funny!
She keeps me entertained and on my toes!

Lovely lady Erin does not allow herself to be overlooked. She stops us all dead in our tracks with those beautiful smiles.

Emma just can't wait to play with her because she already knows she will be fun. I can't wait til they are running around together...maybe I will lose some weight chasing them.