So Much to Catch Up On!!

This Momma is one tired chick!
Life is way too busy right now.....school started, and my time is no longer my own.

I'm going to post random thoughts here and pictures in the hopes of redeeming myself as a blogger.

I hope you all are doing well.  Thanks for stopping by.

Some random things that bring me so much joy right now:

• Macy still calls her fingers "fingerin"....it sounds like something from Harry Potter
• Molly is so happy to see me when I get home these days....she used to not show much interested when I walked in the door, but I am loving this change in her greeting of me!
• The girls are really catching on to their manners.  The other day, I was in our bedroom and could hear them in the den....Macy said, "Thank you, Molly"....and Molly returned with, "You're welcome."  
• They are really fun to take on a walk now because they actually stay on the sidewalk, and we've finally convinced them that they HAVE to hold our hands when we cross the road.
• They look at the mailbox differently now, thanks to "Blues Clues" cartoon segment about "MAILTIME".....they get excited to go to the mailbox and get letters.
• They can identify almost every letter of the alphabet.  I love to hear them singing the alphabet song.  Recently, Macy identified the letter "D" on the wall at the grocery store in the Dairy Department.

These are pictures from your Grandaddy's Birthday Party, earlier in September.  His house was filled with family, friends, and little girls with pigtails.  It was a fun evening!

What a Wonderful Summer!

THIS summer.....no chemo!
THIS summer.....we could get 'dirty' in the yard...no problem....mommy can handle giving you a bath without waiting for Daddy to get home.
THIS summer, we could go somewhere on whim.
This summer has been absolutely DIVINE.

I am soooo behind on writing and posting pictures about our three short trips we took this summer....to Charleston....to the Upstate....and to Murrell's Inlet.....I will catch up!!  Soon.

But this morning, on my mind are all the big and little things that you've both done this summer that thrill me.

Here's a list of some of the wonderful developments:

• You both know how to put on your SHOES!!  Wooo hooo!!
• You can climb into the van AND into your carseat!  Molly, you love the challenge of 'buckling' the top part of the carseat straps....and get offended sometimes when I forget to let you do it.  :)
• You happily sing along with me or a video or a toy when you hear "A B C D....."
• You can both count to 10 --- amazes me!!  Sometimes I'll be in the kitchen and hear one of you just start counting.  I lub it!!
• You both know the letter "B"!!!  You can identify it.  In fact, Daddy made such an impression teaching you that letter...that one morning...early....I heard you, Macy, in your crib saying, "Letta Beeeee.....Letta Beeee!!!"  There's nothing cuter!
• You've both started saying, "Looooook!"  or "Watch!!" and I adore it!!  You have my attention, baby!
• Wooden blocks and books are your favorite toys.  I love it!!  I also am amazed that you (so far) have not gotten mad at each other for knocking down your block creations...which happens frequently.  
• Macy, you're becoming known for your Dolly Parton/sweet southern rendition of the phrase, "Oh My Goodness!!"  Your cousin, Wes, likes to ask you to say it when he sees you.  
• You've jumped on board with me as I've started exercising....it is beyond adorable to see y'all try to mimic the exercises happening on the video....and it cracks me up when, 1/2 way through, you start saying, "Bye bye Jillian" because you're ready for it to be over.
• "Dip" (ketchup or ranch) has become hugely popular for you two....Molly, especially, gets excited about DIP!!
• Popsicle are such a fun treat....you  love them...and it is a great way to practice color recognition....I think it is so sweet that when y'all see Mommy holding a popsicle you start naming a color through your almost panting type of excitement and (right now) the color you name is usually wrong....so, I tell you what color it is and you repeat it in your sweet, affirming tone...without being upset.
• You love to "kalah, kalah" (color) and you usually say the word twice.  You're not at the point where you can be trusted with crayons unsupervised yet.  The writing is on the walls!  :)
• Annoying but cute, is a weird thing y'all have come up with.....a backseat driver kind of thing....when I'm turning left or right (driving down the road), many times y'all will say, "That a way....THAT A WAY!!!!!" with a very stressed out tone to your voice....and in your opinion, I've gone the wrong way.  Only occasionally do you have the tone to those words of relief....like, FINALLY, she went the right way.  
• You do GREAT in stores when I need to get groceries or run in for diapers or most recently, I took you with me for only the 2nd time to get my hair cut...you did great!  I am so thankful for that!
• Right now as I type, you're having a giggling competition in your cribs.  Molly's tone is a deep one....and then Macy follows.

I'm having a harder time than ever this year  leaving you to go back to work.  Your Daddy had the pleasure the other night of coming home to a 'mess' of a Mommy who was sobbing about all kinds of things....and much of it was because I want to be the one to spend time with you....I want to be the one to see the new things you learn to do.....I want to be the one who is the translator of your toddler talk.  In between heaves, I   told your Daddy that there's so many little things that I know about you that I don't know if I can convey them all to our wonderful caretaker who is coming and will love you and take wonderful care of you.  It pains me to think about you waking up on Monday and realizing....oh, Mommy's not here....and day after day, maybe wondering why all of a sudden Mommy's not spending the days with us anymore.  But, for our family's sake, I need to continue teaching.  I do love it, but my heart is most definitely torn.  

You are precious and wonderful girls....I am absolutely constantly amazed by you....for all kinds of reasons.

I have enough love and wonder and thrills in my heart to last many, many lifetimes.

Thank you for being so precious and wonderful.

I love you both so very much.

Speedy Manners

Molly has started saying "thank-um"....at the time when it is appropriate to say "thank you" .... she's combining "thank you" with "you're welcome" and it is sooooooo precious!!  Love it!!

Mommy Takes Requests!

A short little post here to say that it cracks me up when you girls interrupt whatever verse/song I'm singing to request something different.

Molly, you are especially funny in this regard....

If I'm singing "The Wheels on the Bus"....I'll start singing it like normal....and you'll say "baybay" (baby) meaning that you want me to change to "The Baby on the Bus"......then, when I do that....you'll quickly start saying, "honk honk"...meaning, "The Horn on the Bus".

If I start singing, "The Itsy Bitsy Spider".....after I get started, you'll say, "Pat Pat" meaning that you want me to switch to "Patty Cake Patty Cake" ....

The little smile that comes over your face while you're making your request is the icing on the cake!

A Wonderfully Normal Summer Day

We had such a good day together today.

Our normal, lazy summer days kind of go something like this.....you get up and walk into the den with your tired smiles and messy hair.....you start to say 'yogurt' and your Daddy usually feeds you that plus some 'fuut' (fruit).  I brush your hair and fix your pigtails.....we play on the floor....you watch a cartoon while I take my shower.....it is so relaxed and nice.

Today, though, Mommy was kind of 'down' feeling...and during your nap, I had too much time to think.  Sometimes that's good and sometimes it is just too much.

So, a storm came up and the thunder was loud enough to wake y'all up.....I stopped what I was doing (which is usually working on my little photography business) and went in to scoop y'all up.  I sat on the floor with y'all while you looked out your bedroom window at the heavy rain.  You were amazed by the sounds and the sights of the thunderstorm.  In fact, you know the word thunder and instead you cutely say, "thunderin".  You looked back and forth at me with sincere, and oh so cute, "Oh!s" and you were ready for the storm to be over.  So, both of you said, "Bye bye thunderin" and you waved at the window....it was clear you had decided that the storm was to end.  When you walked into the den, y'all looked back and forth at me and each other, because much to your surprise, there was a storm outside THESE windows, too!

Now, Mommy loves thunderstorms, but you two girls don't.....so, secretly, I relish in the fact that you come running to me when the big sounds happen....but outwardly, I try to show you that it is no big deal.

So, I decided that we would watch a movie, alllll cuddled up, while it was dark and stormy outside........this may sound like no biggie, but, it is something that I rarely do.  I loved it.  We layed on the couch....Molly on my left; Macy on my right, and named all the animals on the "Neighborhood Animals" video that y'all like.  It was a wonderful feeling to just put everything aside and enjoy snuggling with the two of you.  I love you to burstin!

We had our afternoon snack....changed diapers....got ready - BY THE WAY - YOU GIRLS NOW KNOW HOW TO PUT YOUR SHOES ON!!!!!!!!!!  THAT'S CRAZY TO ME!  I can say, "Put your shoes on...and you DO!"  Woah!!!   We went to meet Daddy after his work day ended because Mommy wanted to get out of the house!  :)  So, thankfully the storm passed and we were able to go eat and walk around the shops at Sandhills.  You absolutely LOVE being able to walk freely...and it absolutely terrifies me!  But, it is soooooooooo cute to see your little bodies walking confidently and happily....weaving in and out (no manners/no understanding of 'walk on the right') of the wide variety of people there.....and the cutest thing of all is to see one of your chubby little hands lift up and wave at someone who looks soooo different than you....and to see them wave back.  I'm particularly thinking of some 'tough' looking teenagers, walking around last night, trying to project their certain look...and them having a hard time resisting a cute little 2 foot tall 'waver' and dimple clad "Hi".

To top off the evening, we rode the "choo choo terrain"  (train) that you can pay way too much money to ride around for a few minutes.  For a while now, y'all have seemed interested in trains, so I was excited to see y'alls reactions.  I was amazed that all 4 of us could fit in one car together.  Y'all were excited, but also, very unsure of all the 'piped in' train sounds coming through the speakers.  But, you had a fun time....in fact, at one point, Macy said, "Fun", and nodded her head up and down to confirm it.  So precious.

On the ride home, Molly started saying, "Buh-time", which means 'bedtime'.......and so your normal day came to an end.

Picture of us on the train coming sooooon :).

Flashback to Spring

Here are a few pictures from our fun time that we had at the Sparkleberry Country Fair!  I've driven past this for years, but this time, my friend Cynthia and I decided to go.  It was SOOOOO worth it.  There were animals there that I've never seen - even in books!  Dr. Seuss type animals!  We had a great time!

There's little Faith and my friend, Cynthia

Cute little locomotive hats were given out!

Chugga chugga chugga chugga choo choo!
These days, y'all say, "Choo Choo cha-rain"

Random Bits of Summer

At long last, I was able to get the pictures off of my phone...they're not amazing or anything, but they help me remember what we've been up to this summer.  It has been a wonderful and relaxing summer....I took the whole first month to just 'veg out' and relax.

Now, this week, I've started my big projects that I've been putting off and have tried to continue my commitment to exercise.....but, yesterday, it all came tumbling down.  My back had a terrible pain that was so bad, I had to call your Daddy home from work.  I do pray that you both find a mate like your Daddy.  He has taken such great care of me, especially yesterday!  So, our house is in disarray....I'm in the middle of a huge 'cleaning out' and am getting ready for a yard sale, but the wheels are turning much slower now.

Some of the cute things y'all are saying these days:

• Macy, when I walk into y'alls bedroom to settle you down during nap time, you sound so funny saying, "Hey Baby" and "Hey Darling"...it reminds me of what it must be like to be a super attractive lady walking into a bar....with you draped over the side of your crib...pacifier just barely hanging in your mouth....oh you are soooo cute!
• Molly, you like to kiss on the cheek....sometimes when I go to kiss you, you say, "Cheek, cheek" and you want me to turn my head from side to side....kind of European...  :)
• The cutest thing going right now is when Macy says, "Oh my goodness" in a voice that is so cute!!

Here's some random cell phone pictures:

This goes back to the beginning of the summer when we went to have lunch and explore at Old McCaskill's Farm near Camden.  It is a magical place!

Here's Auntie Tajia helping Macy swing.

The new baby chicks were fascinating, to say the least!

Brave Bethany holding a chick, with Macy looking on.

Chickens!!

More chickens!

This picture cracks me up!  I love the way Molly and the pig are looking at each other.

Mrs. Holmberg and Molly looking at the chickens!

LUNCH!!!  Y'all kept Mommy hopping during this delicious lunch...baked spaghetti...
you both loved it....but you just can't sit still!

Goats....y'all are experts in goat feeding, thanks to Grandaddy.

This is at the Clemson Extension property in NE Columbia...
Y'all love to go in and out of Old McDonald's farmhouse!

Molly definitely loves to stop and smell the flowers.
I love that.

Precious!

This is at a Pet Store that is nearby....this time, I let y'all walk in...instead of having you in a stroller....
it was...interesting .... and fun!

This was a fun spot....you were able to stand on the chairs and
watch the grooming!  Love it!

2 Year Old - Doctor Visit

Recently, we went to see Dr. DuBose for your 2 year appointment....he is such a nice man.  We were dreading the shot part of things....but thankfully, that was quick and over speedily.

Here's your "vitals" -

Macy
Height - 35 inches   (up from 33.5 inches @ 18 months)
Weight - 26.7 pounds   (up from 23.3 pounds)
BMI - 15.3  (this is the first time they've charted that measurement)

Molly
Height - 35 inches (up from 34.5 inches @ 18 months)
Weight - 25.9 pounds   (up from 22.2 pounds)
BMI - 14.9  (this is the first time they've charted that measurement)

...and they've stopped measuring your head circumference.....you're growing up!

Mommy, "The Interpreter"

Lately, your Daddy has said several times that he is glad that I know what y'all are saying because lots of times, he doesn't.  I told him that it thrills me to be the one who knows what your sounds and attempts at words and phrases mean.  The look on your faces when I repeat back to you what you're trying to say is such a reward.  You either smile and nod, or you say it again with a "yes, that's what I meant" tone to your voice.


You have a book about Elmo's Birthday Party that has provided lots of fun for you and for me......for one thing, Macy, you've started saying, "Happy to you", meaning "Happy Birthday to You"....you started saying that after we went to our little friend, Faith's, birthday party.  If I start singing the song, y'all will string sounds together, kind of singing with me, and that is a wonderful feeling.  Macy, you will say, "Happy TO you, Happy to YOU..." with the emphasis in different places and in such a light, sweet sound....I can't get enough!  There's a page in the book where Elmo gets a box with a sheep in it as a gift....the sheep is happy...has big eyes....and everybody around is happy.  But for some mysterious reason, I can't figure out why you both say, "Kye, Kye" (cry, cry) when you see the picture of the lamb...without fail.  And every time, I say, "No, the sheep is happy."  Molly, you will desperately search for this book in our big ol' pile of books...and then bring it to me and say, "Happy".

So, in honor of the 108 degree heat, and your fascination with "Happy Birthday", I bought y'all some fun looking ice cream last night.  It was cotton candy flavor with sprinkles on top (this is a big, big treat - y'all rarely get stuff like this). Macy, when you saw it, you said, "Happy Cake".....which I think meant 'birthday cake'.  And, for probably several reasons, you both kept saying, "happy" as you were eating it.



So far, our summer has been filled with lazy days, visits to friends and family....watching episodes of "Yo Gabba Gabba", Mommy rotating toys in and out trying to keep things fresh, playing at the water table in the back yard, going to the Children's Garden Park, and now recently, staying inside - with the blinds closed trying to keep our house cool in the record breaking temperatures.

Good Golly Ms. Molly!

The other day, I noticed, for the first time, Molly was pretending!  Macy did something recently, too, that Charles said was like pretending...and this time it was me who caught a glimpse of that.....Molly was trying to feed a little plastic horse....as she was 'feeding him', she was saying, "Nummy nummy."  Love that moment!

Today, she stopped me in my tracks.  I was stunned.  Almost like I was watching her solve an algebraic equation in her little two year old body.  Here's what happened - Macy, alllll day long, had been challenging me, and thinking it was HILARIOUS.  So, when I sat down on the floor to change their diapers, she went running.    I used my stern voice and called her several times....she went behind the recliner, giggling.  Molly walked over to her....got behind her....and started pushing her towards me....very 'directionally' and several times said, "Mommy" as if to say, "Go to Mommy".  I was stunned.  Molly "guided" her all the way to me.  (Macy thought that was funny, too.)  I sat there in disbelief and elation and sadness.....elation that my Molly was smart enough to think to do that, and sadness that Molly was so tired of hearing me fuss at Macy, that she decided to take matters in to her own hands.

These girls are such a huge blessing in my life.  I love them beyond description.

We are having a very simple summer....and it is wonderful.  I'm just enjoying my lazy days....saving all my "gotta get done" projects for July.  The girls are loving the water table that their Aunt Ginger gave them last summer.  Mommy actually has energy to do things....and to give baths....and it is wonderful!  Last night,  the girls played while Charles grilled our supper.  I felt like we were on Leave it to Beaver.  It was so idyllic.

Molly - playing with magnets

....realizing that they stick together!

Macy - playing with magnets

I love this picture!
Coloring is kind of new for us....

I love the way she's holding the crayon!

They kept switching seats....back and forth....with no real discussion...
they would just stand and without much ado, they'd
switch seats, over and over, happily.

Looking at Mrs. Julie James!

A perfect summer night....playing while Daddy grills!

If you look closely, you can see that Molly has her fingers in the "shhhhhhh" position.
If I had taken this picture straight on, you'd be able to see that she holds her finger
a little off to the side and it is so cute.  Macy's started doing it, too.  :)

I love that Molly's peeking from behind!  So sweet!