Swim

This summer has been so fun! I am thankful all the time I have spent with Emory swimming in all of the many swimming pools! On this day, we had a great time swimming with Em's favorite buddies: Grae, Will, Reed and Hudson.

Jump

I had the pleasure of spending the day with a couple of my favorite toddlers last week. Usually, when I get Grae for the day, we just hang out at the house and play...but I felt adventurous that day and decided to take the kids to the jumping party place.

The background story on this is that Emory loves to jump around on the floor here at home and anywhere else! She will jump down the hall instead of walk any day. So, I thought she would LOVE the jump place.

Well, let's say Grae had a GREAT time....and overlooked Emory's whining and crying. She did settle down for a few minutes when she discovered how fun jumping could be.....

We stayed for an hour, ran and got McDonald's (Emory's first happy meal ever) and went home. I finally figured out that she didn't feel good. She had good reason....103 fever.....maybe next time I should take the thermometer along with us!

Milk Duds

Awww, Milk Duds....a delicious combination of chocolate and caramel...who can resist? Jody and I went to a couple's retreat this weekend. We had a great time and came home with a fun welcome gift that had a movie gift card, popcorn, coke and the best part of all Milk Duds. I haven't had a Milk dud in my mouth since I was in High School. I am certain of that because as I opened the box today to taste one a funny memory came back to me. It is the same memory I always get when I see Milk Duds.

So join me on a memory journey: My Mom and I were on a Mother/Daughter date sometime back in High School. We were enjoying a chick flick in a movie theater together when I heard her say,"MMMMM". Now, it wasn't a good "MMMM", it was a "wonder what that was in my mouth "MMMM." Mom leaned over and said," I just bit into something hard in my Milk Duds, I took it out and dropped it on the floor." Okay, no biggie there. A couple of minutes passed and she said,"Cami, I just realized it was my crown." So, here we are digging around on the movie theater floor (sticky paradise) for her crown, which we can't see because it is soooo dark. Still makes me laugh. We found it. The moral of the story? always count your teeth before you eat Milk Duds.

Pigtails

When I found out I was having a girl this time, many thoughts and emotions flooded my mind....some great...some not so great (Like how much I am not looking forward to the teen age years), but one of my first thoughts that made me smile was the image of pigtails. I just LOVE them. In fact, if I could get away with it...I would wear them myself today. But, of course, I wouldn't want to make anyone jealous. Ha ha. Anyway, fast forward to my precious red-headed daughter and the thought of her sweet orange hair in pigtails....oh so sweet. The problem is, if you blink you miss them. At this current time, I can't get her to keep them in for more than 5 minutes. No pigtails....no pony tails.....So, I am posting a picture for those of you who are reading so you can see this precious girl with her piggies in, otherwise you won't see them at all.

"Mommie what I do?"

Emory has this new thing now....it's the phrase, "Mommie what I do?". She usually uses it when she hurts herself, pinches her finger in something or even when she hits (big trouble!). So, it's really hard when she hits and then immediatly says, "Mommie what I do?"....but I refrain from laughing and get to the discipline (my least favorite part) very quickly. So yesterday, she was playing on the couch and accidently rolled off of it....when she hit the floor she looked up and said, "Mommie what I do?"....now that was funny!

"My Little Tater Tot"

Here is my favorite picture of our sweet baby boy Tate. I cannot believe that he would be 4 years old now. Time passes by quickly. God did something very special during our time with Tate. My best friend "H" got pregnant a few weeks after me, so we had our boys in the same month. This is a really special thing within itself and we were very excited. But, after losing Tate, I realized how special it is and truly was. You see, now, I can keep up with the phases and things that Tate would be doing through her son R. I realize that may seem really sad, but it's not for me. It is a true delight. Most of the time I see "R" for "R" and don't think of Tate. But in those special moments when I really need some sort of connection, God lets my heart open to remember Tate through "R" . There are not many comforting things about losing a child, but I know that this is one comfort God afforded me and I am so thankful!

One of My Favorite God Things

One of my favorite things that God does now and then is when he drops people you have loved in the past back into your life. When I was in Jr. High and in my Dork phase...I needed a sweet Dorky friend and God lead me to her. We were the best of the Dorks and we thought we were pretty cool....until people kept throwing things at us and laughing in choir!!!Anyway, she moved away in High School and over time we lost contact...then....God dropped her back into my life! I am so thankful. We have both grown into God loving Christian women and still have so much in common. A few weeks ago, my sweet friend "E" took Em and her own daughter to the zoo. Emory still talks about it! The pics above say it all!

My Little Dancer

Emory loves music! She hears a song and either bobs her head along with it, or starts to dance. She has done this since the beginning. You can't tell me that God doesn't make us with a desire to dance. It is a natural, beautiful gift he gives us to express ourselves. If you don't believe me, come watch Emory rock out to "Skip to My Lou".

"Put Your Big Girl Panties On"

Most of the time when you hear the phrase "Put your big girl panties on..." it means "deal with it", but at our house lately it takes the literal meaning. We are living in potty central and things are going very well. Emory loves to go potty on her own and then get her reward sticker......I realize potty training is not a great big deal...but when you are in the middle of it, it tends to take up a LOT of time. So we are thankful for where we are at this point!

"She wants a drink"

When Emory was around 20 months old she started talking in third person. It was so very cute! Something I want to remember for sure. She would say things like "She wants a drink" or "Mommie, she needs a diaper" or "She loves You". Emory doesn't do this as much any more, but it is a memory that brings a smile to my face!

First Trip to the Lake

We took a trip to a friend's lakehouse this past weekend. We made many special memories there! Emory is a water baby much like her momma! She swam in the lake for the first time and got to ride in the boat for the first time. These simple joys are what make life so fun and so worth thanking our Creator for!

There are so many reasons for starting this blog....but the main one is that I want to have a place for memories. I keep telling myself I will write in journals for Emory and myself...but I can never find the time. So here is to all of you in the hot tub that encouraged us to start a blog.....thank you!