Christmas and Daddy

Eric and I decided that FOR THIS YEAR ONLY, a Christmas tree was a little too much to handle at our house (for me).  With a large belly and two almost-one-year-olds getting into everything, I want life to be as easy as possible.  So, the week before Thanksgiving, I went up into the attic to scrounge up our stockings, mantle decorations, tiny Christmas trees for the front porch, two wreaths, and our Christmas wrapping paper.  Eve thought she was in HEAVEN.  She loved it!  There was a bit of guilt in me, thinking she was going to miss not having a tree to decorate and put presents under, but God knew... and this little girl's expectations have been met!!  Everytime we see someone else's Christmas tree or decorations or lights around the outside of the house, she says, "Momma, look!  They have Christmas at their house just like we do!!!"  or "That Christmas tree is beautiful, just like ours!"

I bought a kit at Target for making Christmas Tree Cupcakes, and I was REALLY wanting some cake, so Eve and I pulled that out last week and got to baking.  She was SO excited to decorate with the icing and sprinkles, and little candy balls.  One thing I LOVE about Eve (and I hope our others will adopt it) is her desire for Eric's attention.  Everything she draws, wears, does, or says; when she dances, sings, plays, builds...whatever it is, she wants her dad to oooh and aaaahh over her.  He loves it, and so do I.  Well, dad was watching the little girls (and a football game) in the living room while Eve and I were decorating, so I thought it would be easier (clearly, I was NOT thinking) to have Eve bring daddy the tray of cupcakes to show him.  I got a clean pan to put them on so the leftover sprinkles wouldn't dump out on the carpet, I went before her and got every toy and doll out of the way... and SPLAT... Eve, tray, cupcakes, and sprinkles ... EVERYWHERE!  The cupcakes fell icing-side-down on the carpet, and Eve barely dodged the fireplace :(  She was screaming about a hurt finger (dramatically) and mostly from disappointment.  I angrily calmly picked up the cupcakes, put them back on the tray, and gave them to Eve to finish "showing them off".  The now-mangled cupcakes looked so pitiful, but Eric made Eve feel like they were the most beautiful cupcakes he had ever seen.  They both ate one and enjoyed the rest of  the night, while I scrubbed icing out of my carpet.  I'm so thankful for a daddy who sees the importance of making his daughter(s) feel like a princess.  Me and my girls are blessed :)

 

Coleman Jude Lairsey

I am 27 weeks pregnant with Coleman, and the weeks are flying by!  We have two weeks til Thanksgiving, then a month til Christmas, then two weeks til Coleman joins our family in the flesh :)  I can hardly believe it!!!  Dr. Morgan Gibbs is projecting a c-section during the week of January 9... that is NOT far off!!  Here is a picture from today's sonogram of his foot/leg.  It is still AMAZING to me that LIFE is growing in my belly...AMAZING.  

Jesus In Your Heart

After I put the little girls to bed (I like to give them a little bit of a head start :)), Eve and I were up watching The Sing Off.  Out of no where, she looked up at me so sweetly and said, "Mommy, is Jesus in everyone's heart?"  Hmmmm... how deep can I go with a 3-year-old??  "No, baby.  Jesus only comes in people's hearts when they ask him to.  There are some people who haven't asked Jesus to come in their heart."  "Oh, mommy.  You need to ask Jesus to come in your heart right now."  "I already did, Eve."  "You need to again.  Right now.  I'll help you."  I give in.  "Ok.  Jesus, please come into my heart and ..."  Eve interrupts and starts her own beautiful prayer:  "Jesus and God, please come into my mommy's heart and help her and me to be sweet and be on green and on happy frog.  And come in forever.  And bless her to be sweet.  And daddy too.  Thank you for doing that.  Amen."  Then she looks at me, pulls up my shirt, and points to my belly button, "Jesus slid down that hole right there, mommy.  He went straight to your heart.  He just slid down."

I love that girl.  I love thinking about her growing up around the things of God.  Jesus, capture her heart... and I pray she will serve YOU every day that she lives!

Believe It or Not...

The twins are about to start WALKING!  Ten months old!  

They have both totally mastered crawling...and are quite speedy.  They can go anywhere and everywhere they want to.  I wasn't quite ready for that!  It is definitely a rude-awakening to what my life holds over the next 2 years or so :)    Both girls will crawl over to something and pull themselves up to standing!  I cannot believe it!  Eve was not an early walker, and the twins were so preemie, that I just assumed they'd be hitting milestones later than Eve...but not true!  Can I possibly be ready for this??

I just moved Ellie from her crib in the office downstairs to the "Big Girl Room" upstairs with Clara and Eve.  She thinks she is BIG STUFF.  She never cries.  She is as content as she could be!! :)  If I have to go up there to console Clara or get on to Eve, I'll see Ellie's head pop up over the railing with the biggest grin you could imagine!  I think she's saying, "Look, mom!  I'm a big girl!  I'm not crying!!"  Love it!

I put the girls in the same crib and let them play.  It was precious.  I love to watch them interact!!

At their 9 mth check up, Ellie weighed 14lb 2oz, and Clara was 18lb 1oz (I checked Eve's baby book when we got home to find that she weighed 18 lb at her 9 mth check up).  They are doing phenomenal!  I am amazed at what God is continuing to do in their little lives.  We went back to the NICU clinic to be followed up on by the neonatologists.  Dr. Boedy was ASTONISHED at their progress.  Here is how he would approach their developmental milestones, "Now, Mrs. Lairsey...Is Ellie smiling?"  "Yes" "Oh, great!  Now, this is possible, but not probable:  Is Ellie trying to roll from her back to her belly?"  "Yes" "Oh great!  Now, this is not likely, but is she attempting to sit, unsupported?" At this point, I say, "Sir, she is pulling up!"  "Pulling up??  What do you mean?"  "I mean, she will crawl over to the couch or my hands and pull herself up to standing."  "Wow!!  Not only is she beyond her adjusted milestones (meaning 2 mths behind), she has caught up with her actual age milestones!  That is fantastic!  Now, is Clara smiling?"  :)  I just grin and tell him that Clara is doing everything Ellie is and about a week ahead.  He was amazed.  So am I.  But not at Clara and Ellie, at GOD.  He is the reason.

Ellie still has not cut a tooth, and I cant find one close to coming through.  Clara has her two on the bottom :)  When she smiles, she exaggerates her lower teeth as if to show them off so everyone knows they are there!!  Happy girl!  The girls both LOVE Cheerios, Puffs, Teething Biscuits, and baby food (Ellie is a little more picky than Clara, but either of them will pretty much eat anything).

I am IN LOVE with my family.  They are more than I could have ever hoped or asked for!!

 

I Know I'm Her Mother...

But my 3 year old is a genius!  I love watching her little mind work!  

Eve is starting to find her name EVErywhere... on billboard signs, on the credits of a movie, in words to songs, on her EVEnflo highchair...the list goes on.  She even points out that her name is in the title of "Eye Glass World" that we frequently pass.  Is she brilliant, or what??

A few days ago, I picked her up from school.  She reported that she was on "sad frog" that day.  I replied, "Eve, it makes mommy sad when you get on sad frog at school!"  To which she said, "What about when I get on happy frog?  How does that make you feel?  Does it make you.... jealous?"  :)  

I overheard Eric and Eve having a conversation about loving each other.  Eric told her that he loved her THIIIIIIISSSSSS much (and stretched out his arms as wide as he could).  Eve looked at him plainly and said, "You dont love ME, daddy!  You love food!"  THAT was hilarious!  :)

I have a rule about closing doors inside the house.  I dont like when Eve closes her bedroom door, our bathroom door, the laundry room door, etc.  It makes me nervous with the little girls (and soon to be Coleman) crawling around everywhere.  Eve knows about this rule, but she LOVES closing the doors (almost all the way, but a little bit cracked...just to get under my skin).  Getting ready for church one Sunday morning, I was drying my hair and she was playing with the little girls.  I guess the blow dryer was too loud for her, because she walked in and closed the door almost all the way.  I called her back and said, "Eve, we're not closing doors!  Mommy wants the doors open!"  She replied in a very ugly voice, "But you don't know that the right way works all the time in the bad time and the right way works when it's not fair!"  Not sure exactly what she was getting at with that comment, but the attitude behind it deserved the spanking it got :)

Back to the cuteness...Eve is OBSESSED with "hiding your eyes" for everything.  And she doesnt mean JUST to close your eyes!  She means COVER them with your hands!  She loves to "surprise" Eric and I with the outfit she is going to wear or the paper she colored or cut out at school.  She is precious!

  

Clara Can Finally Fight Back...

Eve ADORES her sisters!  ADORES them.  She loves to body-slam, plop down on top of, hug so tight she is going to strangle them, play with them.  Clara and Ellie have grown accustomed to her "rough love" and are starting to fight back... especially Clara.  I love it!  Here are a few pics I snapped mid-action!!

 tongue sticking out and all... this is INTENSE!

I love how Ellie is laughing in this one... as if to say, "Get her, Clara!  She deserves it!!" :)

You Might Be a Three-Year-Old Little Girl If...

1- You draw a picture of your mommy and it looks like this...

2 - You think that the "WifeSaver" sign says "Tangled" because they are written in the same font.

3 - You can get away with saying "I left my panties at Joe's" with no further explanation (meaning you left them in the bathroom at Monkey Joe's during a potty break)

4 - You say "your kisses hurt me" and daddy starts shaving more often and without complaint.

I LOVE THIS GIRL :)