Jib jab fun

 

Letters to Santa

The kids wrote letters to Santa at the beach museum today, they did a great job writing them on their own, then went and mailed their own letter in the special mailbox...

...And we got letters in the mail from Santa a few weeks later!

 

Beach museum

We love visiting the beach museum and especially the touch tank every time we are at the beach!

 

Sweet baby

Delaney was having a mommy day today, and yesterday...come to find out later she had the beginning of Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease. I was so tired of holding her, but knew she needed me, so I wrapped her up like Lilli Jane in the wrap. She thought it was funny and I thought she would be out soon, but she stayed in it for an hour or more! Poor thing, she didn't feel good, I don't know that she has ever been that still for so long before.

 

Thanksgiving dinner

Delaney gets a special hot chocolate drink from Mama.

A wonderful Thanksgiving lunch! We had the Blake's over! they brought some food and mom prepared some food! we had a wonderful traditional Thanksgiving dinner thanks to all the cooks! Thanks for making my favorites mom!!

 

Thanksgiving runner

We made a runner with all of our hands to remember this Thanksgiving...well, one foot and all hands. It will be fun to pull it out in two years and compare sizes of hands. We realized that several of us have a high palm, while others have a flat one from the print.

 

Bedtime at the beach

I believe we need a bigger reading chair...no room for Lilli Jane next year.

 

Flotilla

The Grand Treasure wins the 1st place award for "on load" flotilla in the annual parade! Grandddad did an amazing job with the ship and the kids, big and small, helped with the finishing touches. We all enjoyed it every night! So did all that came by boat and car to see it. Great job dad!

 

Cousin Taylor

We were all excited to have Taylor with us over Thanksgiving break at the beach!

 

Friends

Maleah and Harper are two of Delaney's friends this year.

 

A bed at the beach

Delaney decided that she wanted to sleep in the crib, with the mattress up high, she can get in and out easily, instead of having the mattress on the floor this time. I thought it was so funny, just had to document it, so here she is!

 

Feast

Delaney talked about her feast all month, finally today was the day. We prepared the deviled eggs in advance and she was so proud to bring them for everyone. They were all dressed so cute and we ate well. I am thankful for this little girls everyday, she has joy about everything.

 

New playroom

We are so excited to have the new playroom finally finished!

 

Let's go Gamecocks!

Today we had a special day with Chuck and Katie at the USC game without kids with us. I was even able to leave Lilli Jane at the condo while we enjoyed some adult time with my best friend and her husband.

 

Build-a-Bear

Blake went to Griffins birthday party today and made a bearwi th a dragon shirt on. He loves his animals. I hope he never outgrows that love.

 

Cousins

You and your Davis cousins! They came to be there for you for your dedication at church. You are so loved and the baby in both families, you are going to be well looked after your whole life!

 

Lilli Jane's dedication

What a blessing it was to have all of the aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and a great aunt and uncle there to celebrate with Lilli Jane and us. We are proud to dedicate her to God in front of all our church friends and family that will help us raise her to know and love God.

She did wonderful on stage as always, such a perfect baby!

Lunch was at our house afterwards, she napped through it, but everyone else enjoyed some fun time together with Pete's BBQ and chicken bogg.

 

This is a priceless pictures with all the cousins that we take once every few years. I cherish these with all the kids at their dedications.

 

Lilli Jane is 6 months old!

Today you are 6 months old!  You are changing daily and learning new things quickly.  You eat solid food, straight from our plates now.  You see our hand coming and you pull your fingers out, get wide eyed and open your mouth.  You like the baby oatmeal, but would rather have the solids.  The kids like giving you "treats".  This past weekend you were home with daddy and me alone, I could tell you missed the action, you missed the big kids.  You slept 12 hours a couple nights now, but still usually sleep 13 getting up once around 3am.  I like that the best so we are not awake too early.  You take 2-4 naps a day depending on how long they are and when you wake up in the morning.  You put yourself to sleep and have 2 loveys that you hold when going to sleep.  Your seahorse is still a favorite too and you use it for naps.  I am making bottle for you every night now and you have 3-4 a week usually.  You suck them down in a minute or two.  You are spitting bubbles and food now while learning new things to do with your mouth.  You talk some days and other days you are totally quiet.  You are pooping solid now and it stinks!  Thanks to those solid foods!  Weight gain has been tough on you, maybe the new foods will help. You are on all 4s rocking a lot and are pick up our knees, but can't figure out the hands moving yet, I think we are only days away.  Sitting is getting better and better each day, I will walk off and leave you now, you used your hand today to hold yourself up.  You still smile ALL THE TIME.  You don't smile at strangers as quick, but eventually you will every time.  Everyone at church loves you, the teachers at Dayschool always want to hold you and the nursery workers fight over who gets you.  You are so cute!  You slept at Mama's house and at Pam's last weekend and did great, we moved you in the car home, I fed you and you went right back to sleep!  I love that you are so laid back and will go with the flow.  Thank you!  Now slow down, quit growing up so fast!  I love you sweet girl!

Delaney Katherine

Delaney Katherine, you have grown up so much.  You are still so free spirited and full of life!  We had a girl's day today while Blake was gone after school and after dinner.  I could tell you missed him, but you love mommy time.  We had a bath together, played dolls, made a train track, read books, played "big sister" and school, had pie that you made at Nanny's house this weekend, cleaned up, read, and laid in bed together singing and saying prayers (you jumped int he prayers with help John Parker get better before I could even get to it).  You smiled all afternoon with that bright smile I love!  You made Lilli Jane laugh tonight while blowing on her belly, that was a first, you were so proud of yourself.  

You still have trouble focusing on eating your food at every meal, but do not have trouble with anything with sugar in it.  You have a sweet tooth for sure!  You don't eat every crumb though, that's good, you are able to control that part better than me!  You love getting pretty and making your dolls pretty.  We painted your nails tonight, you sat still long enough for them to dry even because you love them so much.  We are growing your bangs out right now, but you don't mind me pulling your hair back, so it's made it easier on both of us, it's just so thin that it doesn't stay up well throughout the day.  You love giving to others and walked around tonightpretending like you were Mrs. Claus giving present to everyone, you had fun with that, I hope that your attitude about giving to others is fun sticks around.  You play alone well (better than Blake right now), but have started to really aggravate him when you can, you learned how to push his buttons quietly.  You don't like going to bed and take a while to fall asleep sometimes, but you sleep through the night and stay in your room until 7 am when your light turns green on your clock even if you do wak earlier.  You just don't need much sleep.  

You have bitten 3 people in the past week, not a good stage to go through, let's hope it stopstoday!  You do love school once you are there, but with it and church you are clinging on to me a little more than you should, or that I wish you would.  You hated dance a few weeks ago so we stopped going and tried another studio, you LOVED it and asked to go back, so tomorrowyou are starting a new dance class, I hope you like it as much as you did the first week.  

You started to get allowance a few weeks ago and you are already learning the value of $1.  You wanted to buy something from my store that was $2 and you only have $1 each week, you worked REALLY hard to do 4 extra chores to earn your other $1 to buy it today.  I'm proud of you!

You are compassionate about life and other people.  Keep that spirit up and enjoy life like you do now forever.  I love you princess!

Zeta Tau Alpha

I was so excited to surprise Taylor during initiation tonight at PC. She had no idea I was going to be there when she came in the room to be intiated. When she saw me her face was priceless, she grabbed my hand and I stayed by her side during it. She sent me these pictures of the book that we both have now signed while I was on my way to see her. How special!

 

 

Our babies...

 

Her baby ages with my baby, sleeps when my baby sleeps, eats with her, but when I say your baby is potty trained so she doesn't need her diaper she says with a giggle, "no mommy, my baby isn't real". Sure seems like it to me. As I cleaned out Delaney's toys today I found a lot of Lilli Jane's things, toys, shoes, diapers, clothes. Her baby needs to use them she says. She loves her American Girl doll and is excited to ask for things for her and clothes for her for Christmas.