What's New ...

Coleman (or "man-man", as Eve and I call him)  is 4 months old.  He is smiling and giggling up a storm.  He weighs 13lbs 7oz and is 25 inches long.  He is 50% height and 18% weight, the drs are thinking that the thrush he had a while back gave him a little hurdle to overcome in the weight category.  BUT he is healthy and happy as can be now.  His sisters LOVE him.  All of them.  They stop mid-play to give him kisses, and will bring me a pacy for him (unprompted) if he starts crying.  Sweet.  I love it.  He is finally out-growing 3 mth clothes and size 1 diapers.  He sleeps between every feeding (at least an hour) and sleeps 12 hours at night.  Every night.  He doesn't love his carseat, but is overall an ideal baby for our number 4.  Goes-with-the-flow and easy.  Laid back and calm.  Content and peaceful.

Clara and Ellie are doing great.  I have ventured out with all 4 kids to Eric's softball games 3-4 times by myself.  There is a huge semi-circle of grass behind home plate that the girls know to stay on.  They have done a great job with obedience and only need a few reminders to play in the grass (maybe a pop or two, but that's to be expected).  They play well together and are doing a good job learning to share and "take turns".  They will give something to the other one if they were caught snatching it or if they have the wrong cup/pacy.  They love each other.

Ellie:  Hey Clara!  Can I sit with you?

Clara:  Sure!  There's plenty of room!!  :)

I bought an inflatable to use in our backyard this summer.  So far, Eve LOVES it, Clara LIKES it, and Ellie HATES it.  Cant win 'em all, I guess :)  I'm praying after multiple days of me MAKING Ellie play in it, she'll eventually stop crying the WHOLE time.  She may actually like it.  We'll see!

Eve is being a great big sister.  She sets a good example and loves to read to everyone.  Well, really loves to do all things "teacher-y" to everyone.  When MiMi and Poppa were over, she had a "classroom moment" where she was the teacher and everyone needed to listen to her instructions, "HIPS ON LIPS!  HIPS ON LIPS!" With her pointer finger pursed to her lips.  I guess she meant to say hips AND lips, but we were laughing hysterically at putting our hips on our lips :)  She even put Poppa and Ellie in the "thinking chair" for not being quiet while she was giving out pretend stickers and asking us questions.  Hilarious.  

My four kiddos... did I really just say that??  I have 4 kids??? :)

  I know I have one million pictures like this, but this is all I see almost all the time.  Eve LOVES to hold Coleman like this, and he LOVES for her to.  They look sweet and cozy.  My heart melts.

Gotta get time with all three :)  It's all fun and games...

until Ellie gets hurt...

 and Clara gets mad!!  :)

 I love this pic of Eve and Miney Moe.  Captures their personalities TO.A.TEE.

Coleman's Hair and Levi's Here!

I finally allowed Eric to convince me that we needed to cut Coleman's hair... well, really, shave it.  He was starting to lose LARGE patches of hair, and since it was so long and dark, it was making him looked a little unkempt and sloppy... so I gave in.  And started to cry after the first few swipes.  So, Yaya has affectionately re-named him to "bootcamp" because it looks like my 4 mth old has a military buzz cut.  Eric said he was "honored to get the chance to give his son his first hair cut with his clippers" and i have decided it is going to take me a WHILE to get used to it.  When Eve first saw him, he was getting a little squirmy for his bottle, she says, "Oh, Cole-man-man, dont cry!  Momma, he's upset cuz he wants his hair back!  Now he and daddy have the same hair!"  I hope it grows back quickly.  All things considered,  I think it looks much better than it did, but it is hard for me to see my ONLY baby with HAIR ... bald!  On the bright side, Ellie is not the family member with the least amount of hair now :)  Pictures will come ...

Baby Levi Nicholas Davis arrived in our lives on May 24 ... he is VERY cute.  I couldn't wait to get my chance to hold him, so Eve and I went up there that afternoon.  The first thing Eve said when I invited her to go with me was, "oh momma!  I LOVE to pet little babies through the circle things!"  I sat and thought for a minute... then realized she was referring to Clara and Ellie's NICU beds.  Melt.my.heart.   She remembered.  She was 2 and a half!  I did explain to her that Levi was going to be a healthy baby, like Coleman.  She seemed to understand and couldn't wait to meet him.  When we pulled in the parking garage, Eve was so excited!  She jumped out of the van looking around everywhere saying, "Levi, Levi... I can't find you anywhere!!"  I'm sure TayTay was exhausted... but she let us hold and play with him for a little bit.  Just like every other place we go, Eve didn't meet a stranger.  She told the women we passed in the hallway who commented on how beautiful her ponytails were that "they are BRAIDS!  not ponytails!"  and told kristen's nurse, "see ya later, when we need ya" and the woman looking at her great nephew through the nursery window that "her baby needed to be named Brightley because that was a good name, and so was Julie if she had a baby girl.  There is a baby girl doll in the corner over there that is not a real baby, but a real baby doll.  She has a sunflower on her hat like a baby doll.  It is a beautiful sunflower hat and looks so silly.  I would like a purple sunflower hat just like that real baby doll" and the man in the elevator "we're going to see our baby Levi and he's our baby cousin, TayTay and Uncle Bill have him" and she told TayTay that "her baby Levi loved her the really mostest".  I have to really pick and choose the places in public I take her too :)

Compliments to the chef...

Tonight I made barbeque chicken (brings back memories of my own childhood--thanks, mom!).  Eve says, "MMMMMMMmmmmmmm, this is yummy!  You make the best food ever, mom.  We ALWAYS love your food.  But sometimes I don't.  Sometimes I think it's NASTY."

Thanks, Eve (and Eric--who was laughing his rear-end off)

New Family Photo

While in Blackshear, we took advantage of the whole family being together, and used Aunt Tori to help us take a new family picture.  This first one cracks me up.  It was HARD (to say the least) to get one of everyone looking in the same direction... much less SMILING!  So here's what we got.  

Good enough for me.  

Side Note:  It was HOT, there were TONS of gnats, and Eve did her typical "look off to the side" pose in almost EVERY picture.  We'll attempt another picture when Coleman can be a little more "present" in the picture.  Maybe sitting up, or standing :)  

Family Love

Eve and MiMi 

 Poppa and Clara

Thumb-sucking twins

Toothy smile... she LOVES that seahorse/glowworm!

one of her famous faces

Giggles with Daddy

Easter Egg Hunts

We had two Easter Egg Hunts for the girls this year.  One in Blackshear, and the other at Grace Baptist.  Eve LOVED it so much Eric re-hid the eggs so she, Whitt, and Reagan could look again.  

 Clara just liked pulling the green grass out ... and leaving a trail of it behind her :)

 Grandma had bought all of the kids some Easter candy, including a HUGE marshmallow on a stick.

 Eve cheered them on from the side-lines :)  

More Conversations With Eve

Eve: "I put those hair pins in the potty and flushed them."

Me: "What?  You flushed the pins?  Why would you do that?"

Eve: "Well, I dropped them."

Me: "Why didn't you call me in here to get them out for you before you flushed them?"

Eve: "Because I didn't want you to see that I poopy-ed!"

Me: "Eve.  We dont flush things down the potty that dont belong there.  Those cost money."

Eve: "Well, we'll just have to buy some more."

Me: "Where are we gonna get money to buy some more.  Do you have money?"

Eve: "No.  But God'll give us some.  You just gotta ask him." (she looks up at the ceiling) "God, will you please give us some money to buy some things?" (she holds her hand out for a minute, then turns her empty, up-turned palm to me) "Here ya go, mom.  It's from God.  I'm just pretendin."

Me: "Thanks."

Eve got up this morning  before I left for work, so she came down to the kitchen while I was getting my breakfast.  "Where are you going, mom?"  "I'm going to work, baby.  I'll see you again when I pick you up from school."  "Ok.  Tell your kids to raise their hands if they need you.  And you ask if you can be sweet.  Ok, mom?  You gotta see if you can be sweet to your friends."

We came home from picking up Eve from school and the little girls and Coleman were a little whiney.  Eve announces, "I think it is time for ALL the little baby misters to go to bed!"  

Eve's class at school has memorized the Lord's Prayer.  It is awesome to hear her recite it.  She loves to say the first few words and pause for you to repeat after her.  Such a teacher.  Today, she informs me that a little girl from her class is "trying to lead me into temptation."  So, of course, I ask her what kind of temptation.  She replies, "She was trying to get me to say to Mrs. Ann and Mrs. Hope some not so nice words."  Wow.  The kid actually knows what temptation is??  I was impressed.  Lauren, who was listening to this conversation then asks Eve was is a "trespass".  Eve says, "it's something when you don't obey."  Hmmm..  I love my smart girl.

  

Side-by-Side

Miss Eliza took this picture of the girls.  They look nothing alike!

To Grandmother's House We Go...

Going to Blackshear for Spring Break has become a tradition for us.  We love it.  We get to stay all week!!  Usually, it is because we have rented our house out for the Masters, but this year we did not.  

Grandma has set up a room for us at her house that has worked out perfectly.  We have our own bathroom, and a room big enough for all the kids.  Eric and I sleep in a king bed, Clara and Ellie share a crib, Coleman sleeps in a pack-and-play in the corner of the room, and we flip a couch around against the wall for Eve to sleep on.  They all did great!  Slept all night every night!   

 Noah was with us this week.  We played outside everyday...trying to stay cool :)

sweet, sweaty cheeks! 

Grandma and Uncle Scott rented an inflatable water slide from Caleb's company in Waycross for the week.  It was perfect!  Gave us something to do everyday.  Eve and the little girls loved it.  Whitt, Reagan, and Eli came by almost everyday to play with us too. 

 Again, NEVER looking right at the camera.  BUT, I love this pic of her curls!

 Clara loved the "tunnel" at the end of the water slide.  She'd slip and slide all over the place.  

I love my happy little man.   

Coleman napping, Clara and Ellie taking a snack break.  

Girls Spring Photo Shoot

Not really a photo shoot ... just mom and a camera in the front yard, but it works!  

I thought it was hilarious that I was able to capture their personalities in these pics.  Let me explain:

Clara Bet

 This girl is all heart!  She smiles big, laughs a lot, makes funny faces, squeals loud, and plays hard!

BUT ... she also gets her feelings hurt easily, gets frustrated often, and can pitch quite the fit.    

Elle Belle

 She is my thinker, always analyzing.  She loves to smile, but only if she deems you "worthy" of it.  She is a sweetheart, and a good sister.  If she has something Clara wants, she will usually give it up.

Sue-Sue

There is hardly a one-word descriptor for her :)  She is my ball-of-fire, with the most beautiful eyes that she NEVER aims at the camera!!!  This day it was because "the sun is iinn mmmyyy eeeyyyeees!"