Christopher's Photographs

We had such fun last Friday, getting together with our friends, Christopher and Rosie, and their two boys, Michael and Justin (each a few months older than our girls).  Christopher has been a videographer for years, but in the past few years has branched out to photography as well.  He offered to take some pictures of me and the girls (hoping to capture something similar to the one I have of Adeline and me when she was 6 weeks old), and we had SUCH fun!  Here is a sampling of what he captured...

...and I'm not even going to show you the one I chose to use for Camille's baby announcements (yet).

...and THEN, there are the jaw dropping, AMAZING shots of my precious, blue eyed Adeline.

...and lest you think this was easy, here is what happened when we tried to get a group shot.  Everyone was "all done" at this point.  Yes, sometimes the candids are the most fun.

Thanks Christopher (and the entire Apperson family).  We had a blast!

Me and my girls

Getting a decent family picture has just reached a whole new level of difficult...

Wordless Wednesday---Found this in grandma's room...

Adeline Pictures

Because it took me a while to figure out how to use our scanner, I am only now posting these pictures. These are from when she was 18 months old (I remember those curls....sigh). My favorite is the bottom right.

2 yo pictures...

Mommy (between wardrobe changes):

"Adeline, where's your belly button?"

YES!!!

Sisters

The first time my girls met, Adeline was gentle and timid.  She climbed in the hospital bed beside mommy and talked about her "baby sister."  She touched her gently and even gave her a kiss on the head.  She didn't want to hold her or get too close.  She was just taking it all in....

Soon she wanted daddy, and then she became more interested in the bus parked outside the window than in any of us in the room.

Adeline has not demonstrated many signs of jealousy.  I try to still give her lots of snuggles and kisses and tell her all the time how much I love her.  She says "Hi baby Camille" every morning.

  Adeline had a fever after we were home for a few days, so we had to avoid kisses with Camille.  One morning while I was nursing, Adeline came in....

A:  Hi mommy

Me: Hi Adeline

A: Hi baby Camille

Me:  She says hi Adeline

A:  I want to kiss her.

Me:  Honey, you are a little bit sick so you can't give her kisses right now.  Do you want to blow her some kisses?

A:  Blows Camille a kiss and then walks closer and kisses the back of her head.  Then to top it off, she nuzzled her cheek next to Camille's soft baby hair and says, "baby sister."

Melt my mommy heart!

For the most part, Adeline has been very gentle.  She loves to give and get hugs and kisses, so we have to make sure Camille doesn't get smothered sometimes.

When Camille cries, Adeline says, "Mommy, get her." or "She needs milk."

If I am playing with Adeline or tucking her in for a nap and I need to check on baby Camille, Adeline never complains.  She says, "okay."  I am amazed by her grace and maturity.  I am so blessed by both of my sweet girls.

Some days...

...are just easier than others.  One of my best friends told me (after her first child) that some days the only thing she got done was taking care of her baby.  I took that advice to heart and tried to remember that it is okay if the checks do not appear on my things to do list every day.  Tuesday was one of those days.  Camille had a rough night on Monday, and she needed held most of the day on Tuesday.  Adeline was a bit clingy too, and I just couldn't get anything done.

Then, God blessed me with Wednesday.  By 9 am I WAS SHOWERED and dressed, I bathed Camille, and both girls were in their daytime clothes.  Everyone was fed, the bed was made, and I folded and put away a load of laundry.  I KNOW!!!  As if that wasn't enough, Camille took a three hour nap in her swing, allowing me to clean up the kitchen and spend some quality time with Adeline (who ate lunch and went down for a nap without incident).  Then, I nursed Camille and took a little nap with her.  I felt so good, Adeline and I even made cupcakes later that afternoon.  It felt so good to have an organized and clean home for Patrick when he came home...not that he complains otherwise, but it was just nice.  Thank you, Lord, for days like Wednesday to make me feel like super mom, and thank you for Tuesdays that remind me whose I am and where my strength lies.

Wordless Wednesday

Tiny Talk Tuesday

Adeline is talking SO much these days.  I am amazed by how she is using sentences, and she has always had amazing annunciation.  Here are some of the cute things she said recently...

1.  We taught Adeline to fold her hands to pray (because when she was one she didn't understand why mommy and daddy were "restraining" her hands when we tried to hold them).  Several months ago, we tried the family holding hands thing again, and she loved it.  Sometimes, she still automatically reverts to folding her hands when we say, "Let's pray to Jesus."  The other night at dinner, Adeline had her hands folded, and Patrick and I put out our hands and asked her if she wanted to hold hands with mommy and daddy.  She said...

Adeline:  "I'm holding Adeline's hands."

2.  Two days after we were home from the hospital....Camille is fussing in her swing.

Adeline:  (with her head tilted and an "I'm going to teach you something" voice...)  "Mommy, she needs some milk."

3.  Me:  "Adeline, can you give mommy your paci, please?"

Adeline:  "No, mommy, I want to suck on it.  Doooon't bite it.  Suck on it."  

4.  Pretty much anything that beeps, whistles, or makes a loud noise is not on Adeline's happy list.  On a daily basis, she reminds us....

Adeline:  "Lawnmowers are noisy.  I don't like the lawnmowers.  I don't like the ambulance.  I don't like the ice cream truck."

5.  Prayers....Thank you Jesus for...

vitamins, milk, pizza, and baby Camille.   

Head over to Mary's blog to read about more tiny talkers....

The triathletes

Two years ago, Patrick completed his first sprint triathlon.  My parents came, and I encouraged my dad (who is just naturally in shape) to do the race the next year.  He did....and I missed it because we were in Korea.  I told him I would come home if he did it, but then Patrick had to stay longer than we thought, and I didn't want to voluntarily be apart from him for 8 weeks.  So, I broke my promise and extended my time in Korea.  Dad understood.  This year, I was proud to watch both these important men in my life compete.  Here are "the girls" getting situated....my mom and grandmother stayed with the girls close to the transition area where they could see the guys take off and come back from each event.  I ran around trying to get pictures and occasionally checking in with them.

Camille slept most of the time in the arms of my 88 yo grandmother.  They were both happy with this arrangement.

Patrick coming out of the water...

Dad taking off on his bike...

Dad starting the final stretch...the 5K run.

Patrick approaching the finish line (still smiling).

He did it!!!

Congratulations Dad and Patrick!!!  You both trained hard and did a great job.  The women in your life are so proud. 

 FYI...both guys beat their previous times.

Family Day

After Camille's 2 week well baby visit on Wednesday, we took a family day to "the beach"...okay, so it was the Chesapeake River, but to a 2 yo sand and water= the ocean.

One of the main reasons for our trip was so Patrick could practice swimming in his wet suit before the sprint triathlon he did on Saturday.

Adeline loved jumping in the water (once she got past her initial girly fear), and she had a blast getting dirty in the sand.

This little boy decided to come over and play (read throw sand at Adeline and try to pull off her hat).

I guess tonight will be bath night...

I didn't know...

-  I would fall madly in love with my second child instantly.  I know everyone says you have enough love to go around, and I knew I would love my kids equally, but truth be told, the baby phase is usually not my favorite.  I like when there is a little more interaction....when they can do more than pee, poop, and eat.  But oh my goodness....I could kiss those sweet cheeks all. day. long.

-  God would use a C-Section to point out issues of pride in my life, and redirect my perspective to what is truly important.

-  I would still look 5 months pregnant a week after giving birth....yeah, I remember wearing maternity clothes for a while after Adeline was born, but I am really looking forward to my belly not sticking out as far as my *boobs*!

-...my 2 year old would get a fever two days after we came home from the hospital and thrust me into the reality of being a mom to two (who both need mommy...a lot).

-...how much I would LOVE watching Adeline and Patrick bond with Camille.  Patrick already has this look of daddy protection when he holds her.  He has "daddy magic" that calms her when she is fussy.  It melts my heart.  I'll do another post about Adeline and Camille....

-...Adeline would look like she aged three years after bringing home this little one.  Seriously folks, she's HUGE!!!  What happened to my "baby girl?"

-...and those newborn diapers....holy tiny cuteness!