The Weekend

This weekend couldn't have started out any better. On Friday Ella Ann went to school and Rane went to his first PMO (Parents Morning Out) at our church from 9-12. Do you know what that meant? I was alone for 3 hours! What else is a girl to do besides shop? After Megan and I dropped off our boys (who happily went to class) we headed to the mall to shop for our baby girls (Megan is due with a baby girl in December). We were pretty much giddy with excitement over 1) not having to push a stroller and deal with children and all their gear, 2) shop uninterrupted at a very slow pace for cute baby girl clothes and 3) talk, uninterrupted again! It was so refreshing to just spend time without kids with a good friend. It truly made my entire week!

We went back to church around twelve to pick up the boys and they did great! A friend at church got the ball rolling for a PMO this year and I couldn't be happier about it. Poor Rane doesn't have any "friends" of his own because all of the siblings of Ella Ann's friends are older than him so really he doesn't have anything to do besides hang out with the girls. He needed to get out, not that he has separation anxiety, but he needs interaction with other kids his age. The class of 11 has a teacher that does Bible-based activities, songs, stories, etc. with them. He will go on Tuesdays and Fridays and I know he will just love it. When I was putting him in the car I had a little conversation with him:

Me: "Rane, did you have fun?"
Rane: "Unnnn!" (His version of "fun" as he is shaking his head yes.)
Me: "Did you have a snack?"
Rane: "Nack!"
Me: "Did you play?"
Rane: "Pay!!!"
I love that he is learning language at a rapid pace now and it is so cute to hear him repeat the last words of every sentence we say! He was smiling so big when I was talking to him!

After that we headed home for lunch, Ella Ann got off the bus a little after 2:30 p.m. (by the way, that is going great) and after running some errands I picked up a large frappuccino for Spencer and I to split...mmmmmm! Spencer and Ella Ann worked on making a pizza for dinner and it was very, very good but of course Ella Ann didn't eat a bite. We got the dough from Whole Foods and it was so yummy and it was only $2.50! We put Rane to bed and let Ella Ann stay up late to watch "Toy Story" as a special treat. She ended up in Spencer's lap with major sweaty palms and feet because she was scared half to death! Oh and I made chocolate pudding cake in the crock pot for dessert. What a day!!!

On Saturday we did our usual run to the Farmer's Market and after lunch we stuck around the house for the day. Gary and Gayla gave us a blow up pool since they are moving and didn't want to have to move it. Spencer blew it up for the kids to play in and after we moved the playground's slide into the water it was a water park in itself! Very fun!

Church was Sunday morning and Ella Ann attended Children's Church for the first time since she is old enough now. She has several friends in her class so she enjoyed it a lot....much better than the nursery!

Helping Daddy roll out the pizza dough. Yes, that would be her pajama shirt under her dress. If I make her wear a sleeveless shirt or dress (she will throw a fit about it too) she will always wear a pajama shirt under it when we are at home....it is my compromise to her. I know, aren't I nice???

Rane "helping" by running off with the pizza pan!

Spencer teaching Rane how to use a gun at the tender age of 19 months.

Ohhh the fun!

Once Rane saw Ella Ann go down the slide he climbed right up and took off!

He and Ella Ann would climb up the wet slide and slide down it backwards....that was the most fun for them.

Once Rane got to the top of the playground he would yell and squeal as he looked in the telescope and shouted "Hiiieeeeeee!" to us!

Photography

I do not, by any means, claim to be a good photographer, even though I absolutely love taking pictures....especially of my kids! There is something so special about their sweet, innocent faces that melts my heart and I always want to be surrounded by them, albeit in photographs, for the rest of my life. I have all kinds of professional photos of Ella Ann in 6-month increments until she turned 2, then I started having both kids pictures taken at the same time once a year. To be fair to Rane, I "strap" on my camera and try my very best to capture him as a "real" photographer would every 6 months. We recently bought a new camera that is fantastic, and, along with a professional picture editing thingy on our computer I managed to turn Rane into a super model baby! hahahaa! I understand that I have a completely horrible background, but I honestly didn't expect to get any good pictures of him when I was taking them so I didn't bother to move him from the spot where he laid down. I tried to figure out how to fade the background but I couldn't do it so the last picture is the best, where my air vent is covered up! Just focus on his cute face instead!

In the Car.....Again

We hit the road, yet again, and headed to Nashville on Friday and on Saturday, Kentucky, for Spencer's side of the family's annual get together at his Uncle Wayne and Aunt Connie's house. We love going each year so even though we were sick of traveling, as we have been on the road a LOT in the last 6 weeks and just a lot in general this summer, we knew it would be worth it. We have a ton of fun each year we go and Ella Ann couldn't wait to see her cousins, play and eat lots and lots of goodies! We picked up Ella Ann about 45 minutes early from school on Friday afternoon and proceeded to have a horrible trip with Rane. Won't get into that, but just know it was awful!

After spending the night at Zach and Mandy's house Friday night we got up bright and early and headed north to Connie's house. Thankfully Rane slept in the car (he was up at 5:45 a.m.) so that was his nap for the day. Ella Ann got to ride in the car with Carter, Seth and Ethan so she was extremely happy! It was so great to visit with everyone on Saturday and the kids had a blast. There were 8 kids 5 and under and Clisty, who entertained our kids all day long! Gayla and Connie rented a bouncy house for the kids and Carter, Seth, Thatcher and Ella Ann rarely exited the house unless it was to eat, get water or go to the bathroom! To say they loved it was an understatement! The adults enjoyed great food and conversations while we sat outside in the shade and watched the kids. Rane and Ethan rolled around in the dirt and grass most of the time! Rane really liked the bouncy house too but would only "bounce" if someone was holding him. Craig stayed in the bouncy house a lot of the day and wrestled/played with the kids....they loved it!

While we were sitting outside Papa took Rane over to the garden to explore it all. Little did Gary know how much Rane really, really liked vegetables, especially tomatoes. Wayne had tons and tons of little cherry tomatoes and yellow bell tomatoes ripe and ready to eat right off the plants. Gary picked so many for Rane to eat and he couldn't shove them fast enough in his mouth! By the time it was all said and done (after going back for round #2), Rane had probably eaten 40 tomatoes! I took him to pick a few at some point and when I looked down he was even eating the green ones! He always loves eating tomatoes at mealtime but this was a whole new world for him....picking them off the plant and eating nonstop!

After spending Saturday with the family, we headed back to Zach and Mandy's house (so we'd be closer to Atlanta for the drive on Sunday) after dinner. Ella Ann did not want to leave and I'm sure Rane didn't either. I think Rane was asleep before we even pulled out of the neighborhood! Thanks again, Wayne and Connie, for a fantastic time and all that you did for all of us!

When we got to Connie's house Saturday morning it was pouring down rain so the kids played inside (all with the same toy) for a little while.

Rane playing with Hadley and Harrison.

It was so humid outside after it rained that my camera wouldn't stop fogging up!

Notice Craig in the background taking down Carter! Ethan clung to Kasey and then was so hot that I don't think he got back in for the rest of the day! It was a sauna in that thing! I bounced for a few minutes with Spencer but then decided the baby bouncing on my bladder didn't feel so good so I had to quit! It was really fun, though!

Clisty was holding Rane trying to get him to jump and Craig was en route to attack Ella Ann. I love the funny faces!

With all the little boys there was an excessive amount of wrestling going on. At first Ella Ann wouldn't even get in the house because they were going crazy but I think she finally realized that if she wanted to have a good time she was just going to have to join them, and that she did!

Thatcher was so sweet...he grabbed Rane's hand when they walked out of the house and he helped him all the way to the yard!

I love this picture of Rane. This is what I see in my future after we move.....a big garden and my kids enjoying the fresh fruits and vegetables right off the plants.

Boy did he love the yellow ones!

Gary leading the pack of kids!

Yes indeed, Spencer was riding tricycles with Rane!

He cannot even escape the girly toys at Connie's house! He has no problem with it, though, as you can see!

Spencer jumping with Rane.

Harrison, Ethan and Rane have the same outfit so Danielle, Mandy and I packed the outfit just for this cute picture! Harrison is 8 months, Ethan is 15 months and Rane is 19 months.

It was impossible to get a good picture but I had to post this one because it was so cute!

I was reading a magazine on the way home that had an article about things people collect and/or children and their lovies. As I was reading, my pregnancy hormones kicked in and I couldn't stop the tears because I was thinking about how both my children are extremely attached to their blankets and how they provide so much comfort and security to them. I realized that this will not be forever and one day they will be mementos of mine and I can see myself sneaking a sniff and cuddling with them to remind me of their babyhood when they are teens. I grabbed my camera and turned around to take their picture while they were both cuddling their special blankets. They sit like this, always, for every single trip. The blankets are never, ever on the floor. I didn't even tell them to say "cheese," they were just sitting in their seats, happy as little clams.

It's A.........

We found out on Tuesday that we are having another girl! Currently she weighs 9 oz and is very cute, in my opinion! The radiology tech and the doctor had a hard time taking any pictures of her because she was face down and wouldn't cooperate, so unfortunately, we didn't come home with a cute picture of her little face. Ella Ann is thrilled beyond belief, as you can tell, and has already named her Sparkle. She loves that name and will call her that, I'm sure, the entire time her sister is in utero! Funny kid! Poor Rane, he'll have to hang with us crazy girls but luckily he has Spencer to do manly things with him as he grows older. He will be a fantastic big brother (so weird to think that Baby Rane will be a BIG brother this winter) and Ella Ann is already a great big sister so I know she will be invaluable to me when this baby is born...at least when she's not at school all day!

First pregnancy shot with this baby (19, almost 20 weeks). I think I chronicled most months when I was pregnant with Ella Ann, a few months with Rane and so far 1 month with this baby. Such is the life of the 3rd already! Side note, I know this is a terrible picture of me and a not so good picture in general but that is because Ella Ann was standing on a chair and took it for me!

$4 of Fun

Spencer was in Toccoa this weekend so the kids and I didn't have too much going on. We made our usual trip to the farmer's market Saturday morning then after Rane's nap I surprised Ella Ann and told her we were going to ride MARTA all the way to the airport and back! Yes thrilling, I know, but to a 4-year-old it truly is! We see the MARTA train all the time and a month or so back I told Ella Ann that one day soon we would ride it. We drove to the train station closest to our house and, once we got our ticket bought (the kids were free so it was just $4 for me), we waited by the tracks for about 5 minutes. Rane was already hating the stroller but Ella Ann had fun watching the countdown on a screen as to when the train would be arriving.......
Once it came roaring into the station we hopped on and got our seats. Ella Ann was grinning from ear-to-ear and couldn't wait for the train to get going! Rane was fascinated as well with the automatic doors, people going in and out and just the train car itself.
The underground tunnels were pretty neat to Ella Ann but she really enjoyed seeing the city and all the fun sights (like going over cars on the highway or right beside them....ohhh and it goes super fast too). Rane sat happily in his stroller for most of the trip down to the airport but then I got him out so he could look out the window as well.....They both LOVED it! It was so cute to watch them get so excited over something so simple. I had only ridden MARTA once a couple of years ago so I thought it was pretty neat too. Once we got to the airport we got off and went inside. It was packed and I was hoping to be able to watch the planes take off and land but I quickly found out that that wouldn't happen since we would've had to cross through security. I miss the gold ole' days of airports being fun and exciting! So after a quick tour of baggage claim and the lobby of the airport we got back on the northbound train and headed home. Rane screamed the entire 20 minutes on the packed car because he was over riding MARTA and wanted to walk around. It was a nightmare so if I ever, ever do this again it will only be with children that are old enough to handle the trip both to AND from!

Side note, I'm sure you can see that I had Rane's hair chopped. His curls are all gone...sniff, sniff. It was a big mistake that I will not be making again. I didn't mean for the stylist to cut ALL of his hair off but she did. When I picked up Ella Ann after school that afternoon the first thing she said to me was, "Mom! Where are Rane's curls????" I told her that he got a haircut and her response was, "Mooooooommmm, I want you to put his curls back on!" Me too, Ella Ann, me too. He looks about 3 years old now and so different.

What A Big Girl

Today was the BIG day. Ella Ann started Pre-K at public school. I had some nervousness/anxiety about the whole situation but Ella Ann did not. She was so excited after we went to her open house last Thursday and checked out her room, cafeteria, playground and met her teacher. She was thrilled to see all brand new stuff! The elementary school she attends is a Montessori school but this year they had a lottery and drew names to determine, out of the 40 Pre-K kids, which ones would be in the Montessori program and which ones would be in the new traditional. I was happy that Ella Ann is in the traditional program because it is structured and not a child-centered learning environment. Ella Ann does well with structure, as do I! She walked in the school this morning wearing her little backpack and carrying her new lunch box and she looked so tiny compared to all the kids passing us. She didn't notice a bit and pretty much bounced to her classroom! She had to be there at 7:45 a.m. but we arrived at 7:30 so I could drop off her school supplies and get her settled. We explored all the new toys, kitchen, games, puzzles, instruments, dolls, costumes, reading area, millions of books, art, etc. Some of the kids were at a table coloring so I sat Ella Ann down next to a little girl and asked what her name was. After she told me I introduced her to Ella Ann and that was that. I told her I needed to leave and she said, "Okay Mommy. Bye!" I got a big kiss and walked out the door. I was so proud of her for not crying or even showing any signs of clingyness....so.not.like.Ella Ann. My heart swelled but hurt just a bit because I knew she was ready to do this and maybe I wasn't. I missed her tons today, cried on the way home and cried later in the morning. My house was so quiet, even with Rane, but 2:15 p.m. came pretty quickly and I was anxious to pick her up. I walked in the building to get her and talked to her teacher for a minute. She told me how well Ella Ann did the entire day and how she had a great time. Yeay! I did have to wait for her to be dismissed in the lobby so when I saw her I thought she'd come running.....Rane and I were standing there waiting with big smiles but she stuck out her bottom lip and hunched her shoulders. I asked, "What's the matter? Do you not want to go home?" She shook her head and said, "No, I want to stay!" Hooray for a glorious first day! She cannot wait to go back tomorrow!

Our very big girl ready to go this morning.

Sporting the cute back pack my friend, Andrea, gave her for Christmas.

Since Ella Ann wasn't home to "babysit" Rane while I took a shower this morning I left him to fend for himself for like 8 minutes. I kept the bedroom door open and moved everything he could possibly get into, or so I thought. When I got out of the shower he came into the room covered from the top of his head to his toes (only had on a diaper and pajama top) in some sort of goo. I couldn't figure out what it was so I asked him to show me what he was doing. I followed him to the living room to find an open jar of Vaseline on the floor. He had taken gobs of it and just smeared it in his hair, all over his arms and legs and on his shirt. It was so thick that the bath and extreme scrubbing/towel drying wouldn't get a lot of it off so I just left him to be....greasy hair and all. It looked like I put wayyyy too much styling gel in my toddler's hair but actually he did it all by himself........

I think he was going for the Robert Pattinson look. What do you think?

I mean he is such a nut! I took these pictures after he woke up from his nap!

Another Fun Wedding

Spencer and I haven't been to a wedding in years since most of our friends have already gotten married. However, we have gone to two weddings this summer and we really looked forward to them because it had been so long! My long time friend, Leigh, got married this weekend in Nashville. Leigh and I have been friends since high school so I was so excited to meet her fiance and get to see Leigh! She lives in Texas so it is a rare occasion that I even get to see her. We left Friday morning and headed to Zach and Mandy's house to spend the weekend with them. It was so nice to get there early so we could maximize the playing time for the kids. Ella Ann and Rane were very excited to be there and they all played nonstop together the entire time. Gary and Gayla drove down on Saturday morning to spend the day with us. We went out to lunch and after a little bit of tax free shopping, we headed home and Spencer and I got ready for the wedding. It was at the Governor's Club Saturday evening so we were dressed in our "Sunday best!" My parents were also there so it was so good to spend a little time with them. Zach and Mandy so very kindly kept our kids so we could go to the wedding. Cocktails were served before the ceremony and afterwards we had a great sit down dinner. I enjoyed seeing some old, familiar faces and my friend, Sara, was also there with her husband and two kids. We stayed for quite a while chatting with friends and my family, eating, having cocktails (well, not me) and, of course, eating cake! I made sure I was one of the first in line for the groom's cake....red velvet, my favorite! My reasoning for eating three pieces was that I am pregnant and the baby and I need lots of cake!

After saying goodbye to my friends and my parents, we headed back to Mandy and Zach's house for the night. We had a great trip both to and from with the kids (why does that always happen ONLY when Spencer is traveling with us????). Thanks again Gary and Gayla for coming down for the day to visit and to Zach and Mandy for keeping Ella Ann and Rane!

So I am too lazy to rearrange my pictures so our play date at Andria's house on Thursday morning is first! We went to her house for our last hurrah before Luke and Ella Ann start full-time school. The kids enjoyed playing in the pool and eating yummy peaches! I enjoyed catching up with Andria and Megan but had to leave right as Ruth and her crew walked in the door. At least I'll still have Rane to take to play dates!

The big kids were bouncing on the side of the pool and Rane was not happy about that so he was trying to escape with no luck!

Ethan and Rane, who are only 4 months apart, are somewhat starting to play together....mainly along side each other. They are too cute!

Rane loved playing with the boys!

Tiny little fists of fury!

Mandy told the kids to sing "The Wheels On the Bus" to Rane and Ethan so we could prepare dinner. They were so cute singing it and the little boys were totally into it! (Rane is doing the motions with them.)

The kids played outside in the sprinkler on Saturday and I completely forgot to pack Ella Ann's swimsuit so she happily (cannot believe it) wore Carter's swim trunks, shirt and put on his socks when she came inside!

Before the wedding.

Mica and Leigh's first dance.

With Mom and Dad.

Leigh, the beautiful bride!