Wild Weekend

Our weekend fun started Friday night. The kids and I went to the Leyvas' house for a dinner playdate. Lexi is 6 weeks older than Emerson, and Paisley is 2 weeks older than Jax, so we have a lot in common! It was so much fun being pregnant with Kyna both times. Anyway, our husbands were at a meeting together, so we let our kiddos play and we chowed on some Pei Wei. Yum!

Saturday began with a morning trip to the zoo. Emerson thought the monkeys were pretty fun until one of the mommies let her baby dangle and drop from her arms. Emerson started to cry and didn't want anything to do with the monkeys after that. In the petting zoo area, she immediately went up to a goat, grabbed its neck, laughed a somewhat sinister laugh, then spent the rest of the time fascinated with running around in circles, oblivious to the animals. She also enjoyed the playground.

After two-hour naps for everyone, including Mommy & Daddy (yippee!), we played with sidewalk chalk on the driveway while Daddy mowed the lawn.

Here is Emerson displaying what we affectionately refer to as The Stinkeye. Gotta love it. Notice she's mixing things up a little bit by throwing in a thumb-suck and a hair-twirl. She's multi-talented, that one.

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!