We LOVE Fall

This week I am certain the temperatures have dropped to fall like weather and I firmly believe they will stay that way.... PRAISE JESUS, fall is here! I love fall. It is always the season I am most looking forward too. By the time fall rolls around, I am tired of the heat (especially when it started in March), I am excited for fall clothes, shoes, and socks, I am ready to be able to take walks and be able to breath, and I am longing for the yummy tastes of fall. So this week we are officially enjoying fall and this weekend we look forward to Trick-Or- Treating twice.... because we are lucky like that!! :)

Tula is smiling because fall is here!!

Ivy is showing off her fall treats to share with her friends at Kristy's house!

Awwww, a close up of the cat cookies!! Ivy was so proud of her masterpieces!

Tula bundled up ready for a walk in the gorgeous fall breeze.... can you say "Ivy"?

She looks so much like sister here! :)

Happy Birthday, Unc!

Dear Unc,

For your birthday I decided to make you a video.... your birthday wish granted! I didn't want to sing the regular birthday song (BORING) so instead I sang two of my favorite tunes that I am sure you will now proudly sing down the hallways of UC, CCU, and UCC (look at those acronyms)!! I hope you enjoy :) I love you and Esie and I am glad we got to play a lot last weekend!

Happy Birthday!

Love,

Ivy

It's Official

Tula is now "tattoo" official!! I got my second little pink dot added to my motherhood knot a couple of weeks ago. It has healed beautifully and has me already wondering about the next little dot.... will it be pink or blue? :)

PS- Tula was the youngest patron (5 weeks old) to ever visit Electric Art!! They all loved her!

Tula's Playtime

Tula is growing up!! Every day she seems to spend a longer time "awake" after eating before dozing off for another sleep session. I am loving settling into the eat, wake, sleep routine that worked so well for Ivy. More wake time proved to be a little more difficult at first because she only wanted to be in my arms. This is not alway a bad thing because I LOVE the newborn stage but when I need to shower, drink my morning coffee, or cook this is not safe. After a little trial and error we have found some playtime activities that suit our growing Tula just fine!

***

By the way, she really is growing we went to the doctor last Friday and Tula had gained 2 lbs and went from the 5th to 15th percentile in just 3 weeks. The baby girl likes to eat!

This is Tula enjoying a nap after quite the play session in her new swing (Thanks to her soon to be best friend, Sidney Shea!) Before shutting those eyes she loves watching the little bird mobile and she coos and talks to them. It is so cute!

She is starting to focus on objects so she enjoys looking at some of the little toys she will soon be grabbing for!

Playing patty-cake is her all time favorite activity! This picture is capturing the start or finish of her big, open mouth grin! :) I have only gotten a good smile picture on my cell phone. I am not quick enough!

Tula will lay on her tummy but we have to be winding down, because this is a quick way to put her fast asleep. She gets a little too cozy!

**Now that we are mastering the eat, wake, sleep routine we are starting a night time ritual and a set wake time this week. This will help get her ready for Mommy's back to work in 5 more weeks! I will be posting about Tula's nights sometime soon :)**

Boyd's HOT Orchard

Last weekend we decided it would be fun to go to Boyd's Orchard for the first time this season. Fun is not the best word to describe our trip.... HOT fits much better! It was about 88 degrees.... yes, 20 degrees hotter than it is supposed to be today.... and we were roasting. Ivy will definitely say that she had fun but I hope to go back sometime soon and show her how much more pleasant the orchard can be when it feels like October rather than July! Even though we were in an extreme heat wave, I still managed to capture my favorite fall activity.

This was about the only animal action we had.... they were all sweltering and overfed so they weren't much fun to feed! But Ivy made for a cute little lamb!

Ivy enjoying the hay bale playground!

Take a closer look and you can see her face painting :)

Taking a break from the heat to go on a shaded hay ride.

Ivy and Daddy taking a look around.... next time we might get off the hay ride and actually enjoy the grounds but this time it was TOO hot!

Ivy and Tula

Fall 2010

Boyd's Orchard

Color Words

Over the past 6 months Ivy has been learning her color word songs with her friends at Kristy's house. She is always singing a new song and so I thought I would finally capture them on video! Enjoy :)

5 Short Weeks.....

It is hard to believe that Tula is 5 weeks and 2 days old. I feel like time is flying by and I am standing still in shock. Once Ivy was born life seemed to move a bit too quick but having a second baby has proven to make life speed up even faster. Message to life: SLOW THE HECK DOWN!!! (I am sure if I say that out loud my 3 year old will be repeating it in an instance!) In 5 weeks Tula has grown and already started changing and I am sure in the next 5 weeks that will continue to happen! So far here's what's been going on in Miss Tula's life :)

We have realized (once again) that Daddy's sweetheart most definitely has Daddy's brow line. We joke that our children will need botox by the age of 12 :) Totally joking- I will love their little forehead wrinkles just like I love my husband's!!

Tula is sleeping great!! We are using this great co-sleeper that attaches to our bed and love the convenience of being right there. With Ivy this wasn't necessary because she was two steps away, but with more space between our rooms I wanted her right there. During the day she is flexible to sleep wherever and eats every 3 hours in the morning and every 2 hours in the evening. We started our sleep routine this week and she goes 4 to 5 hours. Last night was glorious.... she ate at 8:30 and 1:40 and then 5:45!!

Go Tula :) Mommy loves that sleep!!

Tula loves resting in her big bed and listening to the music on her mobile. (While sucking on her paci.... yes, we have another paci girl but she has made it clear she will be taking none other than the green paci!!) Ivy loves being able to stand on a stool and show Tula all of her toys and books while Tula lays safe and sound in her crib.

Love this picture of Tula and Jack hanging out! Yes, this is the paci that Tula informed me that she will not be using. Funny story- (I wanted to wean her from the hospital paci since the soothies in the store are NOT the same as the one they give you at the hospital.... but Tula had plans of her own!) I tried the MAM first since that is what Ivy loved. It was a no go. Then I tried the Nuk since I have several friend's who use this kind. For two days Tula seemed to like the Nuk until a tummy ache hit. She cried and wouldn't even use the paci to console her. So I thought well, maybe (just maybe!!) she will take the green one. Oh my goodness.... she grabbed the sides and sucked on that little paci for dear life.... I am talking 2 hours!! Until I took it out for her to eat and she screamed like she was saying "Don't you ever take that paci from me again!!!" So the hospital paci it is.... and they sell them at the Central Baptist gift shop thank goodness!

Tula is ready for fall with her little toboggan on! She enjoyed getting outside with the cooler temperatures. We have taken lots of walks and went to the park a few times. Too bad this weekend is going to get steamy again.... so we will bust out the short sleeves and put the hat away!

*****

In 5 short weeks, my heart has grown by a million. I love this little girl to pieces!

Sisters

"Having a sister is like having a best friend you can't get rid of. You know whatever you do, they'll still be there."

Wedding Weekend- Kevin & Jennifer

This weekend was a special one! Not only did we celebrate my mama's last birthday in her 40s.... but also got to enjoy a beautiful wedding and fun reception for my cousin, Kevin, and his new bride, Jennifer. Ivy has now been to 3 weddings and loves every second of them. In fact, she reminisces about weddings often talking about the pretty princesses and the fun dancing. She loves getting dressed up and this was no exception. We had a great time celebrating this amazing couple!

The beautiful couple.... Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Edlin

(Thanks, Chelsea, for letting me steal this pic!)

Ivy and her Unc dancing.... she was warming him up for the Dougie

Ivy and Nana dancing in their snazzy shoes!

Tula enjoyed her first big night out eating and sleeping!!!