the blankie-otomy

Today I performed surgery on a blanket. Something had to be done. If you have seen Lilly's blanket face-to-face, you will understand completely. I don't know why my daughter chose to become completely obsessed with a hand-knit Amy Coe blanket that I registered for at Target, but she did. Once I realized she was hopelessly attached to it I tried in vain to find a back-up. Of course they had just discontinued it at Target, and I was never able to find another on ebay, so it is truly irreplaceable. She never took a pacifier--just her pink blanket. She has been sucking on it to fall asleep since I can remember and has only had to take a nap one time without it in almost three years (it was a HORRIBLE experience). She crams as much of it as she possibly can into her mouth and sucks on it. Yes, it is completely disgusting, but she loves it. I have to go into her room as soon as she falls asleep and pull it all out of her mouth so she won't choke to death while she sleeps. There is only one side she likes to suck on, and it is brown. Not brown-ish, but brown. It looks like it is harboring some type of horrible disease and like it has never been washed although I wash it faithfully almost every single day. I also feel the need to tell anyone that may see Lilly's blanket that I do wash it and it really IS clean, despite the way it looks. When people have to touch it, they usually pick it up with two fingers like they are going to catch something from it. That being said, all the washing and love are about to make her blankie meet its end. It had a huge unraveling run going through it that was about to split it in two. So after much trimming and zig-zagging on the sewing machine, we now have two blankies that look a little bit less pitiful. Lilly was actually so excited--I couldn't believe it.

Hooray! Now I have TWO blankies!

I love to cram my blanket in my mouth. It is soooo good!


The blanket--pre-operation

Some of what I trimmed off during the blanket "surgery"

The new and improved "two blankies" (it's all relative--I know they still look pretty pitiful)

happy thanksgiving!

Lilly and Mamie with their great-grandmother (Granny)

The girls with their great-grandaddy

(Ladies--you can learn an important lesson from this picture and avoid wearing your bright blue Little Mermaid panties with your cream-colored tights!)

Aunt Kristin helping Lilly make hand turkeys for EVERYONE


Lilly and daddy

We spent Thanksgiving day at Jon's grandparents' house. There's always tons of great food and plenty of people for Lilly to show off for. I'm so thankful Lilly and Mamie have great-grandparents--I never knew any of mine. When we got there today I was afraid Lilly was going to have a total meltdown because her second cousins, Noah and Loren, who she LOVES weren't there this year. Jon and I had no idea they weren't coming, so we had talked it up the whole way there, telling her she was going to get to play with Noah and Loren. I won't make that mistake again--no talk of cousins until there is visual confirmation! She got over it pretty quickly and had PLENTY of attention from everyone else to take her mind off of it. Some of Jon's cousins and all of his brothers and sisters were there except for Zach and Kim who were in Huntsville with his family this year. Next year Lilly and Mamie will have a new little BOY cousin to play with!! Zach and Kim found out they're expecting a little boy in April. Lilly is so excited. When I ask her what is in Kim's tummy she says, "a tousin!" We're so excited to have a new addition to the family! We all have so much to be thankful for. I hope everyone had a happy holiday!

mamie sister's 9 month visit to the doctor

Mamie had her 9 month check-up a few days ago. Everything was great--she weighs 19.8! Lilly only weighed 17 pounds at 9 months. Mamie's in the 50th% for weight, and the 75th% for height and head size. As usual, since her 2 week appointment, the doctor commented on her "superhuman" strength. She is like a little ball of muscle--dressing her or changing her diaper is a completely exhausting battle. She's cruising everywhere and pushing her little walking toys all over the house. She's also started climbing stairs this week. I had no idea she could do it until I turned around from the computer and there she was, playing with toys on the floor in the playroom upstairs. She is always so happy and content and lets Lilly do almost anything to her without making a peep. She'll get even one day--I have a feeling she'll be able to defend herself just fine when she gets a little bit bigger. I just can't believe she's already nine months! It seems to fly by even faster with the second one. I love you sweet little Mamie sister!

oh where, oh where has octo-ber gone?

I have been so busy lately I haven't had time to post anything, so I played catch up tonight and posted 4 times. I can't believe it's November already! Courtney called me a slacker--so here you go! Plenty to read and plenty of pictures!

Trick or Treat!

Lilly and Mamie were a princess and an octopus for Halloween. Obviously, there was no real theme here--just pink. Lilly was so excited this year and it was so much fun to see her really get into Halloween and trick-or-treating. She got to wear her costume to mother's day out at our church on Tuesday. I have never seen her so proud or excited. Mamie is probably still wondering why I dressed her in a costume with extra arms and legs and we knocked on everyone's door. Jon unfortunately had to work until 9:30 and I had both girls and the 94,000 trick-or-treaters that knocked on our door by myself. We have run out of candy every year we have lived in this house. Our neighborhood really gets into Halloween and it seems like every kid (and adult) in Lebanon comes here to trick-or-treat. Does anyone else have adult trick-or-treaters? I find this very strange and just can't fathom knocking on someone's door in my jeans and t-shirt and asking another adult to drop candy into my plastic grocery bag. Oh well. I finally turned the lights out after I ran out of candy and put Scole (the killer dog) on the front porch to scare everyone away. It worked.

Posing after a hard night of trick-or-treating. Our Jack-O-Lantern was a tribute to Mamie and her 2 teeth!

Octo-Mamie

Princess Lilly

riding in the wagon to trick-or-treat

I am so glad we had such beautiful warm weather!

Lilly carving her "Mamie" pumpkin with daddy

I just had to post this picture--I couldn't believe Mamie actually kept this hat on! I loved it and you can see her 2 little teeth.

Happy Birthday Jon!

Jon's birthday (the big three-one) was Monday, and me, Lilly, and Mamie came from Huntsville to meet Jon's family for his birthday dinner at PF Chang's. Everyone was able to be there except for his sister Kim and her husband Zach, who are expecting a baby in April! Lilly is so excited about her new "tousin." I can't wait to have a new baby in the family! Anyway, we had a great time. Lilly and Mamie are so blessed to have such great aunts & uncles and grandparents.

Sorry I cut your faces off Jeff and Kellye--I couldn't see what I was taking!

Mamie laughing at her daddy

Lilly and "Sassy" (Jon's mom)

Me (with my new brown hair) and Kristin

Mamie and her uncle Branson (Kristin's husband) with uncle Jeff in the background

an overdue visit to CJ & Pop's

We left Will's party last Saturday and headed straight for Huntsville to visit my mom and dad for a few days. They were dying to see the girls and we had a great time. Lilly is crazy about her CJ and Pop!

After church on Sunday

My mom and I went shopping and came home to find Mamie passed out on Pop's lap. So cute!

It is becoming IMPOSSIBLE to get a picture of both of them--Lilly always has to do something silly or look the other way!

Lilliy posing on the porch

Pop getting Mamie out of the bath

Mamie showing off her newest trick for CJ & Pop--walking around behind her little push-toy

Happy Birthday Punkin' Head!

Last weekend we got to go to Walden Farm for Will's first birthday party. It was beautiful weather and so much fun! It was great getting to catch up with Courtney and Casey and all of Courtney's family. Will was the cutest birthday boy and Courtney had a pumpkin patch party that would have made Martha Stewart proud. Casey and Henley came in from Memphis and stayed with us Friday night, which made is even more fun. Lilly is still talking about Casey and sweet little baby Henley. I miss seeing my friends from college--I'm ready for us to all live in the same town!

Me & Mamie, Lilly, Will, Courtney, Casey & Henley

The birthday boy with his mommy and daddy and adorable cake

Lilly, Will & his MiMi (Michael's mom), and Abby on the hayride

Mamie loved the hayride--she squealed the whole time

Sweet little buddies--Mamie and Henley hangin' out at the party