Siblings

Tonight as I was lounging in the living room with the kids, waiting for Daddy to come home for dinner, I decided it would be fun to snap a few pictures of the munchkins and maybe even get them together for a few. Okay, for those of you who know me well, the word 'few' can never be placed in the same sentence with the word 'pictures.' I become the freakin' paparazzi when I get my Sony Cyber-Shot in my hands. But tonight, little did I know I would witness some sibling magic through my little 2" screen. First of all, I had Emerson come over and give Jax some 'Bubba Tisses' as she so affectionately calls them. Notice the look on his face as he hears/sees her coming.

This next picture is like those National Geographic clips of the lion going in for the kill on a poor, helpless gazelle. She's got her death grip on his little onesie, and little man is even trying to look away. All the while I'm reminding her to be GENTLE, Emerson, GENTLE.

Here's the after shot. Notice the approximately 5" drool string connecting the two of them. Nice. She really laid one on him. He looks completely paralyzed, probably from fear.

Next I thought I'd take the fun to a whole 'nother level by letting the serial kisser hold the fear-stricken baby. The minute I placed his chubby self against Emerson, she immediately burst into her normal laughing that borders screaming. It's this almost hysterical laugh that is shockingly funny and catches people off guard if they're not ready. She also apparently decides to put him in a choke hold, something I missed while viewing the festivities through my afore-mentioned 2" screen.

Brother has enough and decides to just punch her in the nose.

Emerson then apologizes for her shenanigans and instead focuses her energy on measuring just how much Jax has grown. And sucking her thumb.

Our little evening ends on a high note... my two precious children decided to do a little snuggling. The almost-two-year-old loving on her 16-lb-6-oz-bulldog-of-a-9-week-old brother is undoubtedly going to be one of my favorite pictures from his baby months. I had this crazy flash-forward, imagining them all grown up, realizing that their love for each other starts right now and I get to witness it. What a precious gift. I love being a Mommy.

Emerson's interpretation of the new family... and pictures of my twin children

This morning I had Emerson on my lap and we were looking at Avery's pictures. I said each person's name for her to repeat:

Uncle Eric = Un-cuh Did-It (technically she's correct on this one)

Aunt Miley = At Miney

Baby Avery = Baby Aywee

Now for a comparison of Emerson (in the giraffe costume) at 7 weeks and Jax at 8 weeks. Same expression & everything! Ha!

She's Here!

My little sister Miley gave birth yesterday to beautiful Avery Lynn, my second niece and the first baby for her & her hubby Eric. I got to talk to her on the phone today, and it turns out she's as hard-headed as me and didn't get an epidural... with pitocin! I'm so stinkin' proud of her. I knew she could do it... she's a state champion in long-distance track as a high-schooler, a tall and beautiful 5'10" slim glass of water, and I must admit I've always been jealous! I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on that sweet little bit of sugar and give her Auntie kisses.

Fabulous find - melamine bowls!

I admit it... I'm a mixing bowl junkie. Right now I literally have 4 sets in my cabinet, and I seriously use all 4 at one point or another. So, what's a girl to do when I find a $10 off online coupon for JCPenney.com??? Buy another set of mixing bowls, of course! They were originally $59.99 and I got them for $19.99. Aren't they so cute?!

If you're in need of some retail therapy, enter "GR8DAD" at checkout (I think the coupon's only good through today, but I might be wrong).

I'm off to feed the ever-growing 2-month-old, put some makeup on (the hubby and I are going out for our 7-yr anniversary tonight... leaving the kids with a babysitter), and hopefully hear from my mom soon. She's in Peoria for the birth of my niece Avery. At 1:00 Mley was dilated to a 6 and feeling good. I'm so stinkin' excited!!!

Fun family weekend

There's nothing quite as fun as seeing family you haven't seen in a long time, especially when you love 'em so much! My brother Jace, his wife Liz, and their kids Parker, Addison, and soon-to-be Vance, drove in from Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. Last time we were all together, Emerson wasn't quite old enough to really enjoy her cousins, but this time she made the most of it! She and Addie are only 7 months apart... I have flash-forwards of lots of fun girl time in their future. The two of them are sure to cause lots of trouble.

The four of us went to Mahogany Steakhouse on Saturday night... YUM... while Grammy & Grandpa watched the munchkins at our house. I miss being a pharma rep for that reason and that reason alone... eating at Mahogany's on a regular basis. :) Sunday morning Jax was dedicated at our church, and it was special having family on stage with us. Emerson decided to become a bucking bronc in my arms for a little bit, but everything else went smoothly.

Yesterday Emerson and I went out to get the mail, and our neighbor Clint across the street was in his driveway. Emerson shouted, "Un-cuh Dace! Un-cuh Dace!" So cute. She misses her Uncle Jace.

Here are some pictures of our fun weekend. We miss you guys something terrible! I'll, of course, post pics of baby Vance Drager when he gets here in July. Speaking of babies, my sister Miley is set to be induced on Friday morning! Avery Lynn will be here before we know it!

End of a long week

Boy, am I glad it's Friday. Tomorrow my brother, sister-in-law, and their two (soon-to-be three) kids are driving up from Nashville, and we're looking forward to a wonderful, long weekend of catching up and letting the kids play & get reaquainted. I'm sure I'll be posting about the cousins & the fun they had. But I think more than anything, the reason I'm glad it's Friday is that it's finally the end to a long week for my hubby. He's been incredibly busy lately... lots of stress at work, and he had to fly to Kansas City on Wednesday for a 1-day meeting. He's got one of those jobs that never really ends because he can't leave his work at work. Most days he answers close to 50 or 60 emails (probably more than that), and the cell phone never stops ringing. Even during dinner. Even when he's playing with Emerson or getting her ready for bed. I'm incredibly thankful that he does a good job of only answering the imperative calls and saving his emails for after the kids go to bed, but now that Jax is here, I spend my evenings taking care of him (he's always wide awake from 7-9), so I feel like Daddy and I do a lot of co-existing. Tonight we sat on the couch, and I reminded him that when Jax is old enough to drop his last feeding and goes to bed when Emerson does, our 'old life' will come back, and we'll have more time together. It's amazing how important that time is to both of us. It's so hard being a mom & balancing time with your babies and their Daddy! One thing I know for sure, though, is that I'm eternally grateful to him for providing for our family and having a job that allows me to be home with my children, experiencing them changing and growing right before my eyes every day. There's nothing like it.