Abby Loves It!

Fun and Frugal Family Craft

2009-10-29T12:05:00.002-05:00

Please visit Amy Loves It for more on our fun and frugal fall wreath!

Wordless Wednesday: The New Sonic Playground

2009-10-07T08:29:00.001-05:00

Our small town has had a Sonic for as long as I can remember (big surprise, when the headquarters for Sonic reside in our great state). I am addicted to love their Cokes. Hubby likes their Sweet Tea.

Great. Now I’m thirsty.

Anyway, we now have a brand new Sonic that includes a fenced-in playground.

Looks like I’ll be getting my fix in Cokes for awhile {there goes the water-only drink diet}.

Well, it was supposed to be a wordless post. But, wordless might just be beyond me. Oops

Originally posted at Amy Loves It!.

Labor Day Weekend Trip to Great Wolf Lodge

2009-09-08T15:58:00.004-05:00

"Labor" Day...

2009-09-07T21:58:00.004-05:00

Well, Labor Day is almost over, but I saw this post on DoodlesPlace, and I just had to participate!

So, here are my "Labor" Day stats:

How long were your labors?
Abby Grace – 22 hours, 15 minutes
Ella Reese – 11 hours, 1 minute
Meleah Faye Estelle – 1 hour, 30 minutes

How did you know you were in labor?
Abby Grace – major back pains and regular contractions
Reese – regular, hard contractions that woke me up
Meleah – when the nurse was about to give me Pitocin, and I had 2 contractions within one minute

Where did you deliver?
Abby Grace - hospital in Ada, Oklahoma
Reese – the same hospital in Ada, Oklahoma
Meleah – the same hospital as her sisters (are you seeing a theme here?!)

Drugs?
Abby Grace – Epidural
Reese – Epidural
Meleah – none

C-section?
Abby Grace – no
Reese – no
Meleah – no

Who delivered?
Abby Grace - our *favorite* student-nurse-midwife, Kyanna
Reese - a midwife (whom we liked!)
Meleah – a doctor who I had never met before (and who almost delivered her bare-handed!)

(And a bonus question) How long were you pregnant?
Abby Grace – 41 weeks, 1 days
Reese – 39 weeks, 6 days
Meleah – 39 weeks

Meleah's 1st Birthday Party

2009-09-04T09:01:00.004-05:00

My BABY is ONE!

2009-09-03T09:06:00.000-05:00

It was one year ago, today, that my sweet #3 graced us with her presence in this world.

Meleah Faye Estelle was born at 8:00 am on Wednesday, September 3, 2008. You can read her birth story here (please keep in mind, that it was one of my first posts… lol). Yes, I really had her naturally… without any medication. And, no, it did not hurt. I only had a few painful contractions, and they came about 20 minutes BEFORE she was born.

Children are a priceless treasure. We are so blessed by our three girls.

The history behind the name…

Meleah is a special girl… we named her after my grandmothers, who have lived with Jesus for several years now. I may be sentimental, but I like to think that my Gigi and Mamaw “met” Meleah before we did.

Mildred Faye is my maternal grandmother, Gigi, who went by her middle name: Faye.

Estelle comes from my paternal grandmother, Mamaw, whose full name was Frankie Juanita Estelle.

Meleah is a name we fell in love with, and she shares the name with a girl who went to church camp with us last summer.

Story Time...

2009-08-20T11:35:00.000-05:00

The Letter, "b," brought to you by Reese!

2009-08-20T11:24:00.003-05:00

Look at my 3-year-old! Isn't she doing a WONDERFUL job writing her letters? I am so proud of her!

Another Day of Homeschool!

2009-08-19T12:25:00.005-05:00

Wow! The girls are really loving school. Both are very cooperative, engaged, and excited about their lessons. I am very proud of them. It works well, because Meleah lays down for her morning nap, and gives us quiet time to focus on our lessons. We do our reading and quiet time in the afternoon while Meleah takes her second nap.

Here are a few pictures from our day! Enjoy!

(Home) School has begun!

2009-08-08T09:18:00.007-05:00

Our first day of school was a great success, as both girls really enjoyed working and learning. Reese is really in to all of it right now, and I pray that continues. Here are some snaps of our first two days.

Fun at the Circus!

2009-08-08T08:57:00.006-05:00

A few Wednesdays ago, Abby Grace, Reese, and I headed to Dallas to see the Ringling Brother's and Barnum and Bailey circus.

I have to say, it was not what I expected, but for the most part, was an okay show. You can read more about our adventure here.

The girls had a BLAST! Reese made a new friend, as you can see. She adores "Miss" Stephanie, and Stephanie returns the love.Abby Grace refused to take pictures, so here is one of Reesey and me.

And here is the group of friends I met up with... we all look like big cheesers, but if you could have seen what our kiddos were doing...l-r: Stephanie, Rachel, Alyssa (with baby Colin), me, and Reese (who had just woken up!)

New Braunfels Vacation Re-Cap

2009-07-08T12:15:00.003-05:00

Head on over to Amy Loves It! to read up on our trip to New Braunfels.

You can also read about Reese's "miracle cure" for bee stings.

Happy Birthday, Ada!

2009-05-29T14:20:00.002-05:00

Ada Marie's 19th birthday is today. And, while she is not our daughter by birth, she is ours in every way that counts. We are so proud of our Ada!!!

Total Randomness...

2009-05-29T14:19:00.001-05:00

Are you wondering what the last week of our lives have been like? Check out this post on Amy Loves It!

Homeschool Time!

2009-05-17T14:23:00.002-05:00

We are proud to announce that the decision has been made! We will be homeschooling Abby Grace for her Kindergarten year!

We cannot wait to share with you all of the awesome things we will be doing this school year. Thanks to all for your love and support in this decision.

And, while we're at it, check out the Homeschooler's Wish List, posted on my blog site.

My "baby" is five!!!

2009-05-14T11:16:00.002-05:00

It does not seem like it has been five years since I gave birth to my sweet Abby Grace. FIVE years!

She weighed 7 lbs, 14 oz (or as my DH put it to one person: 14 lbs, 7 oz!), and was 21″ long. She had beautiful blue eyes and a smidge of dark hair.

I was in labor with her for 22 hours, and she was born at 5:45 am, on Friday, May 14, 2004. Shane, Grammy (my mom), MeMe (Shane's mom), and Kristi (Shane's sister) were all right there as she was born. PoPow (my daddy), PaPa (Shane's dad), Allen (my brother), and Raigan and Kerrigan (I only had two nieces then!) were on the other side of the curtain. A student nurse-midwife (whom we adored) delivered my sweet girl. It was an amazing, if long, experience.

Now, five years later, she is a tall, skinny little thing with curly blonde hair that won’t grow past her chin. She is a smartie-pants, and writes her letters well. Abby Grace has taught herself several letters. She enjoys coupon-shopping with her Momma, helping bake and cook, sorting laundry, and reading books.

Abby Grace is a joy, and I am so glad to be her Momma.

I just cannot believe she is 5.

A Double Birthday Party

2009-05-07T23:45:00.002-05:00

My sweet girls, Abby Grace and Reese had a double birthday party on Saturday. It was a lot of fun, and we did it as frugally as possible (feel free to giggle at me and my crazy ideas!).

Reese turned 3 in March, and we had a family party then. Abby Grace will be 5 on May 14. It is soooo sad that my baby is going to be 5! It does not seem like I was preggers with her 5 years ago. Ah....

Anywho, Shane-O and I decided to make it easy on ~~ourselves~~ our family and have two parties in one. Summer gets so busy, and a lot of family and friends are unable to attend both parties.

So, the plan was to have a nice little get-together and hang out in our backyard. Ha! It rained the entire week before... this is what our backyard looked like - minus the cars.

But, not to worry. Luckily, I had cleaned out our garage, and it was nice and neat. Seriously. I don't like it when our garage is messy.

So, while it sprinkled, everyone chilled (and, it was chilly!) in lawn chairs in the garage, while the kiddos rode bikes, ~~dodged the bad drivers~~ played in the Barbie car (that belongs to my MIL), played basketball, and chit-chatted.

Would ya like to know what we ate? I know you're just waiting to hear about my ~~gourmet~~ budgeted birthday meal. Well, here it is... and if you are wondering, yes I really served beans, and no I didn't pay for them!

Beans (cooked in the crockpot for 8 hours) - all TWO pounds of them were gone. I received a ton of compliments for 'em. Who says cheap isn't gourmet? Thank you, WIC!
BBQ shredded chicken on rolls. I cooked the chicken the night before in the crockpot. Thank you, Proverbs Wife!
Cake... what cake? Not me! I used two brownie mixes from my stockpile, and topped 'em with cream cheese icing.

I didn't go to the store for a thing (well, you know what I mean). Does it count that my MIL picked up rolls for me before she came since mine NEVER rose??? {stupid weather} BUT, the unrisen rolls did not go to waste, as my family ate 'em anyway.

The day was great. Shane picked out a swimming pool for the girls, and they got lots of great things from our wonderful family and friends. More importantly than gifts was getting to spend TIME with those family and friends. It was a wonderful, fun, happy day.

And boy was I worn out after it was over.

Photo by U.S. Geological Survey and Lotsa pix by ME

Also posted on AmyLovesIt!

The girls' new video...

2009-04-25T14:23:00.001-05:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

You know your kid watches too much tv when...

2009-04-05T13:21:00.002-05:00

Abby Grace announced today, "You know what? I saved money with GeiGo (aka, Geico)! Fifteen minutes will help you save money with GeiGo."

Then she starts dancing around the room singing the theme song, "I always feel like somebody's watchin' me!"

I blame her love for Man vs. Wild and all things Discovery Channel.

You'll get it when you get to Heaven...

2009-04-05T13:09:00.003-05:00

After church today, we went to McDonald's for a nice, healthy, family meal. We had a really good time.

As we were getting back in the Tahoe, the wind blew out one of Reese's Sunday school papers. We did not catch it... it was long gone. On the way home, Reese was a little upset about losing her paper.

Abby Grace tried to comfort her:

Abby Grace, "I see it! Jesus is riding on a unicorn and he grabbed it!"

Reese, "No, I don't want Him to get my paper. I want it."

Abby Grace, "It's okay... you'll get it when you get to Heaven!"

Pause.

Abby Grace, with a big smile on her face, "Isn't that NEAT?!"

Thank you... Cookie Monster???

2009-03-11T22:59:00.005-05:00

I asked this question on Twitter today: Is it blasphemy when your child ends her prayers, "Thank you Jesus Cookie Monster."?

I received several great answers to this question, but none beats Aaron Rudd's answer:

"cookie = sweet, monster = unseen"
"thank you 'sweet' Jesus who I 'cannot see'"

Perfect! Thanks, Aaron. Made me feel better :-)

Wordless Wednesday

2009-03-11T00:01:00.003-05:00

Mommy's Kitchen Helpers

Rainforest unit

2009-03-10T11:58:00.004-05:00

We finished up our unit on the Rainforest, and here is the finished product:

Going Bananas

2009-03-09T23:14:00.006-05:00

Meleah ate her first "real" food tonight... mashed bananas. I plan on making my own baby food (for the most part), and it does not get any easier than to feed my girl straight from my own plate!

She loved it, of course. If she could talk, she would say, "Nom, nom."

Planting fruits and veggies

2009-03-09T22:01:00.007-05:00

We started our garden today, and if it is anything like last year's, there will not be much to ~~brag~~ talk about come fall. But, I remain hopeful, as I am really excited about what we did today.

After a trip to the local feed store (and played with some chicks), we got to work. I purchased white tubs and let the girls paint them. They did such a good job.

Then, we planted our strawberry plants in their pretty tubs. I planted my basil start in Meleah's pot.

My sweet Shane tilled up a patch on the west side of our house (aka, the "full sun" side) for me to plant my onions, tomato plants, and tomato seeds. Bell pepper seeds are planted in a wooden barrel next to the onion/tomato patch.

In Sunday school, the girls received flowers to plant, so we moved them from their Styrofoam cup to this clay pot that sits in front of our home.

All in all, it was a very productive - if messy - day! We love our Mondays because they are "Daddy's Day Off"!

Meleah's dedication

2009-03-09T20:59:00.005-05:00

Sunday, March 1, we had Meleah's baby dedication. One of our best friends is the Children's pastor at FBC, and he did the dedication for us. It was really special to have Shane (Wolfe) do our third little girl's dedication.

In attendance were Meleah's big sissy Abby Grace, big sister Reese, Grammy and PoPow (maternal grandparents), MeMe and PaPa (paternal grandparents), Nana (paternal great-grandmother), Daddy and Momma, and MANY friends and supporters (aka, wonderful church members!). Everyone was well-behaved... especially the Baby-of-Honor who slept through her entire dedication :)

FYI, Meleah is named after her maternal great-grandmothers, Faye and Frankie Juanita Estelle, both of whom are in Heaven with Jesus. Meleah's full name is Meleah Faye Estelle. She is a special girl named after two very special women.

Link to All Access Amy

2009-03-07T11:21:00.004-06:00

Every Saturday I post my top 3 "Mommy Moments" of the week. You can find that post here. In that post, you will find a link to my latest piece for Family Bliss. It is about my two oldest girls, and the bond they have as sisters and friends. Please check it out!

Random pictures of my sweeties

2009-02-26T21:04:00.006-06:00

Meleah... almost a crawler!

2009-02-26T20:29:00.005-06:00

Meleah has been scooting around quite a bit lately, and she pushed up on all fours today! Once she was up on all fours, she was rocking her chubby body back-and-forth. She did this several times today. Abby Grace and Reese hampered her efforts just a bit because they got soooo excited and crowded around her.

Meleah is their pride and joy. They love teaching her, playing with her, feeding her, dressing her, "babysitting" while Mom runs (very, very quickly) to another room. They are the best big sisters in the world!

Link to Abby Grace's pictures

2009-02-26T20:25:00.003-06:00

I took some pictures of sweet little Abby Grace (aka, Mittens) and posted them on my other site. You can view them here.

The wisdom of a 4-year-old

2009-02-25T11:58:00.003-06:00

After my computer crashed today (it has been doing that quite a bit lately), Shane offered to come home and look at it. While I was waiting for him, Abby Grace (while coloring) gave me a piece of her wisdom:

"Mommy, I know you need your computer, but that's just part of life. Sorry!" She said all this without even giving me a glance.

Ah, the wisdom of a preschooler...

Reese and the "Guy"

2009-02-23T20:14:00.005-06:00

After a VERY specific and looooong prayer, Reese concluded with an exuberant, "Amen! Thank you, guy!!!"

If u need a little giggle...

2009-02-11T13:43:00.006-06:00

While the events of last night were nowhere near laughable, you might enjoy the story of what went on at our house last night. Here's a preview...

I'm lovin' it...

2009-02-09T22:26:00.006-06:00

I cannot say it enough: I love being a Mommy! And, I am especially blessed to be the Mommy of three aMaZiNg girls.

sharin' some love

Buds, BFFs, Sistas

Look, Mom, Big Sister is reading to me!!!

Reese is such a good big sis!

Helping Mommy

New... All Access Amy

2009-02-06T16:10:00.004-06:00

If any of you subscribe to my other blog, you will find the name to my site has changed. You will no longer be able to access Norton's Thoughts. My name is All Access Amy. And, hey, if you haven't checked it out yet, you are missing something wonderful (another shameless self-promotion)! What??? You're still here? Go on! I dare you to click this link. I promise it won't hurt a bit (well, it might... but not very much).

Shamelessly promoting myself

2009-02-06T09:50:00.003-06:00

Please check this out. Thanks!

The little girl and the potty

2009-02-05T12:09:00.005-06:00

Reese is using the potty and wearing panties (during the day)! I have tried for a year now to encourage her to forgo the diapers, but until lately, she was not interested. Last week (while she was sick), she threw off her diaper and hollered for panties. She has only had two accidents since, and yesterday she took a nap in her panties. Daddy and I are so proud of our little big girl. It is certainly going to save us a LOT of money!

Homeschool Corner

2009-02-05T09:17:00.007-06:00

We took a small break last week and now we are back! We are still in our Rainforest unit, and the girls are loving it. We have added three animals to our Rainforest. On Tuesday we learned about birds, specifically the Toucan and the Macaw. Abby Grace also reviewed writing her letters R and T. She is doing so well writing her letters.

On Wednesday, we added the Boa Constrictor to our Rainforest. Abby Grace already knew quite a bit about the Boa Constrictor. She proceeded to tell me that it is smaller than the Anaconda; it squeezed other animals so it can eat; and that it did not chew its food but, swallowed it whole. Thank you, Man vs Wild and Daddy!

Reese told us that snakes make a "hiss" sound. She also thought it was really funny when Abby Grace dropped to the ground and "slithered" just like a snake. (She did a good job, but it really brought on images of her Daddy doing the Worm).

Abby Grace can name all of the layers in the Rainforest by name, and in order from top layer to bottom layer. She can also describe the details of each layer.

The new sleeping arrangement

2009-02-05T09:10:00.001-06:00

The girls are finally feeling better, and are back to sleeping in their room (hallelujah!). Tuesday night was their first night back in the "normal" routine. Neither girl was happy about sleeping alone (haven't figured this one out yet... all three sleep in the same room!). So, Abby Grace invited Reese to sleep in her bed. Thanks to Uncle Jim Bob and Aunt Tabby, Abby Grace has a full-size bed that can accommodate two squirmy wormy girls. This is how I found them.

Jesus told me I could...

2009-02-05T08:58:00.004-06:00

Tuesday night:

Abby Grace - "I want to put on my pajamas."

Daddy - "We are about to take a bath. Then, you can put on your pajamas."

Abby Grace (very loudly) - "No! I don't want to take a bath! I want to put on my pajamas NOW!"

Daddy - "In just a minute, after your bath."

Pause

Abby Grace (very calmly) - "Well, Jesus just told me I didn't have to take a bath and I can put on my pajamas now."

*Mommy and Daddy trying to hide their snickers, keep a straight face, and think of something to say.*

Mommy - "It's funny that Jesus forgot to tell that to Mommy and Daddy."

Daddy (whispering to Mommy) - "It's funny that she made that up."

Abby Grace (upon hearing Daddy's whisper) - "I did NOT make it up! I'm telling the truth! Jesus really told me that!"

Look at that face...

2009-01-28T19:48:00.004-06:00

New post...

2009-01-28T09:59:00.003-06:00

Check out my new BD post here. I am proud to say that Shane and I collaborated on this. We enjoyed working together. So, a BIG shout-out to my sweetie... Thanks!!!

*Updated... the link is correct now. Sorry for any confusion!*

This is how we... sleep

2009-01-27T23:16:00.007-06:00

Well, it is how we sleep when we are sick, and do not want to infect our baby sister. The girls share a room now (and it is working out very well), but because Abby Grace and Reese are sick, the doctor has recommended that they sleep in different rooms. Enter in mattresses from the toddler bed and Ada's bed. Plop them on the floor in the living room and, Voila! Oh! I must have forgotten to mention... Momma and Daddy have to sleep in the living room, too. Thank goodness for our extra-long couch so Daddy's feet do not hang off.

My first published post

2009-01-23T07:34:00.004-06:00

As some of you know, I was asked by an editor from Blissfully Domestic to be a contributor on their website. I was beyond thrilled! Today is the day I have been waiting for, because my first post for the FamilyBliss channel has been published on their site! You can view my post here. Thank you for coming with me on this amazing adventure.

Naked Baby Pics

2009-01-21T11:33:00.002-06:00

I cannot leave Meleah out. Check out her sweet rolls! She is such a little doll.

Homeschool Corner

2009-01-21T10:15:00.004-06:00

We are starting a new unit on the Rainforest. It stems from Abby Grace's new found love for the television show, Man vs Wild. We learned the letter R. If you look at the slideshow, you will see pictures of our Rainforest (so far) and Abby's letter R's.

Fun Facts about the Rainforest
*There are 4 layers in the rainforest:
*Emergent - the top layer
*Canopy - the second layer from the top
*Understory - the third layer
*Forest Floor - the bottom layer

In the next several days, we will learn about the different animals that live in the Rainforest. We will put the animals in their corresponding layer in our Rainforest. Both girls are really excited, and as you can see, they already know quite a bit about the Rainforest.

They also posed some great questions.

Thank you for joining us on our excursion through the Rainforest!

We love Uncle Griffy...

2009-01-16T09:32:00.004-06:00

Yesterday was a busy day. We loaded up and headed to two Wal-Marts, VA, Sam's Club, and Lifeway. Shane needed to replace the televisions in the youth building. Wal-Mart in Gainesville had one tv in stock, and the Wal-Mart in Sherman had one tv in stock. So, we visited both. Then, we headed to VA (Van Alstyne, to those who don't already know!) to see Griff and check on little Kailan, who has RSV (no, we didn't get near her). Abby Grace and Reese spent the ENTIRE DRIVE talking about going to see Uncle Griffy. Reese named him that, BTW. Both girls just love Griff, but Reese flat-out adores him. She loves to tease, hug, and talk to him.

On the way home, I texted Griff that the girls just kept talking about, "the fun trip to see Uncle Griffy." He asked why they liked him so much, so I asked Abby Grace. This is what she said:

"Griffy is nice. He likes us. He has Servati daughters. I'm going to find flowers and take them to him. He is kind."

Sweet, huh? Reese replied to my question, "I like Uncle Griffy." :)

New Venture...

2009-01-16T09:25:00.004-06:00

I know this blog is about my girls, but you need to check this out on my personal blog site. I'm beyond excited :)

Christmas in January

2009-01-13T00:01:00.007-06:00

We had our Christmas with my extended family Saturday night. It was a lot of fun. Aunt Sue gave all of us cousins the sweetest gift: she made a collage that included pictures of Mamaw, Papaw, Uncle Dutch, Aunt Juanita, Grandpa (Bone), Uncle Texas, Mamaw & Uncle Dutch's parents, and a picture with all the cousins, Mamaw, Papaw, and Aunt Sue. I bawled like a little baby :)

All of them live in Heaven now, but we still really miss them. It's been especially tough since I named Meleah after Mamaw and Gigi... I do believe that they know they have a granddaughter that shares their names. I also believe they know about the other sweet great-granddaughters they have.

Okay, let's get to the fam. Those you will see in the slideshow are: Aunt Sue, Uncle John, Aunt Rita, Mother, Daddy, Steven, Cynthia (his girlfriend), Lyzette (her daughter), Courtney, Cliff, Emma Faith, and my family. Click here to view the slideshow. Oh, and we all gave Emma a bath! It took 6 girls plus Shane-O to bathe, dry off, and clothe that sweet girl... well, Shane took the pictures, anyway!

Girls' Christmas Slideshow

2009-01-12T12:33:00.002-06:00

Weaving gifts

2009-01-10T00:01:00.001-06:00

I have been looking for crafts that also make good gifts, so for Christmas this year, some of our family and teachers received weaved gifts. They can be used for potholders, coasters, or whatever. We worked on a few today for my family's Christmas in January party on Saturday. Abby Grace has gotten really good at weaving the loops.

Sleeping Cutie

2009-01-09T08:52:00.003-06:00

Just so you all know, Shane and I lay her down on her back to sleep. This girl is only 4 months old, and look what she can do! Unfortunately, she gets her chubby legs stuck between the crib slats and can't move!

My little shopping buddy

2009-01-08T12:27:00.005-06:00

I went to Tom Thumb, Wal-Mart, and CVS last night. I had every intention of being back by 7:00 for church. I *blush* didn't make it home until almost 9. That was around three hours of shopping. Hey, it takes awhile to get all those bargains! When we put Reese to bed, she was NOT happy. It seemed as though nothing would calm her down... until I asked if she wanted to hear about my grocery shopping trip.

At first, she shook her head no, and then immediately said, "Yes." So, I crawled into bed next to her and proceeded to tell her in detail about my trip. She LOVES to go to the grocery store, especially when it is just the two of us. She is great help, and I have nicknamed her, "Mommy's Shopping Buddy." By the time my story was over, she was asking to go see the nice ladies at CVS. When she woke up this morning, she asked me if she and I were going to the store today to see the nice ladies. When I told her, no, not today, she started crying! She said that she, "really wanted to go to the store with Mommy!" I guess I'm going to have to take her to Homeland soon so she can get her "grocery shopping fix"!

New Year's Trip 09

2009-01-07T12:08:00.003-06:00

While in Norman, we celebrated New Year's Eve at the hotel. On Friday, we visited the Sam Noble Museum. As you will see in the slideshow, the kiddo that had the most fun was Shane!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

"The Baddest Bath Ever!"

2009-01-05T09:53:00.006-06:00

While in Norman for our New Years vacation with Shane's family, the girls went swimming. Shane gave our girls their baths after swimming. One night, it was just Abby Grace and Reese. Jaidan joined them the next time. The next time, Kerrigan and Kailan jumped in the tub, too... as you can see in the pictures. Kerrigan deemed this the, "baddest bath ever!" I cannot imagine why... the four other girls were climbing all over her. And it was such a bad bath that she hopped in with them AGAIN the next day!

A New Form of Art

2008-12-19T09:38:00.005-06:00

Last night, I went to the store and the girls stayed home with Shane. I was gone about 40 minutes. Here is what the girls accomplished in that time (this is not including pulling out every toy they own!). And, in case you are wondering, I did not get mad. I took pictures. Things like this (hopefully!) only happen every once in awhile. The girls were so proud of themselves. I have to say, I was speechless for a few minutes. I think that spoke volumes to Abby Grace, because she looked at me and said, "Mommy, we weren't supposed to put stickers on the wall, were we?" I told her that, no we only put stickers on paper, but that she wasn't in trouble this time. As it turned out, the hallway wasn't the only place the Sticker Bandits hit. My dining room table, chairs, hutch, desk, and bedroom wall were hit. Just this morning, I found a sticker on a flip-flop I left in my bathroom.

Creating Christmas Gifts...

2008-12-04T10:56:00.001-06:00

We have been working on Christmas gifts for the girls' teachers. Abby Grace gave Mrs. Susan (Choate) and Mrs. Kim (Chavarria) their gifts last night at Children's Choir. Each teacher received a custom-made potholder, hand-painted suncatcher, and a handwritten card thanking them for teaching about Jesus. Their Sunday school teachers will receive their gifts on Sunday. Reese wasn't really in the mood to paint when I took these pictures, but she did contribute!

Meleah's letter to Santa

2008-12-04T10:11:00.001-06:00

Dear Santa,

Hi! This is my first Christmas. I need some new pajamas because I am getting so big! Please bring my big sisters Abby Grace and Reese some new toys and may-be some pajamas that match mine.

Thank you,
Meleah Norton
3 ½ months

Reese's letter to Santa

2008-12-04T10:09:00.001-06:00

Dear Santa,

Hi! I would like some Barbie dolls and Princess Polly’s please. Please bring my big sister Abby Grace some good toys because I like to play with hers. And, I have a new baby sister. Please bring Meleah her own baby doll.

Thank you,
Reese Norton
2 ½

Abby Grace's letter to Santa

2008-12-04T10:01:00.001-06:00

Dear Santa,

Hi! I would like a big Jasmine doll, a big Snow White doll, Aladdin, Snow White's prince, Oliver and Company dvd, Barbie and the Diamond Castle dvd, and Imagination Movers stuff, and toys. Please don’t forget my sisters Reese and Meleah!

Thank you,
Abby Grace Norton
4 ½

Pajama Girls

2008-12-04T09:46:00.002-06:00

I just had to post these pics... the girls look adorable in their matching pajamas!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2008-12-04T09:07:00.001-06:00

After Thanksgiving, we hung up our stockings and decorated the Christmas tree. This is the first year we have actually hung ornaments on the tree (usually, we just have lights). As you can see in the pictures, Meleah is truly excited about all of this Christmas hoopla!

Family Wreath

2008-12-04T08:55:00.001-06:00

Shane was off the entire week of Thanksgiving, so we worked on several crafts. The main craft was the creation of a family wreath. It now hangs on our front door.

Abby can write her name!

2008-12-04T08:32:00.001-06:00

Well, it has been awhile since I've blogged. I miss it! It has actually been awhile since I've been able to type with both hands (in case you don't get it, Meleah is sleeping on the floor next to me instead of in my arms!). Anyway, the main reason for this blog is to show all of you Abby's new ability... well, it was new in September. She's an old hand at it, now! She can write her name very well. She can also write the names, "Tabby," (as in, Aunt Tabby), and "Daddy." She has mastered the capital 'A', capital 'T', and the lowercase letters 'b', 'd', and 'y'. I am really proud of her.

Couponing

2008-09-18T11:42:00.002-05:00

Now, this is not really related to the three girls, but couponing has become an obsession of mine. It is really weird how I look forward to Sundays and Wednesdays... and church has nothing to do with it.

Sunday mornings bring the Daily Oklahoman with several coupon circulars. The Daily Ardmoreite's Wednesday paper has the Homeland circular inside. I am constantly online (I have learned how to nurse a newborn and surf the internet at the same time... I'm really good at "pecking" the keyboard) searching for coupons, cheap groceries, and great deals.

I am addicted to finding the best bargain when I am grocery shopping.

I use the Homeland circular to find items really cheap and then hopefully match a coupon to that item. I keep a running total for each week as to how much my "main" grocery items cost, so I know it this is the best deal on them or not. The best part about Homeland? They DOUBLE COUPONS! That is the sweetest deal!

My most frequented website is now couponmom.com. It has links to several sites with free printable coupons. I have saved a few hundred dollars in the last few weeks by couponing and circular shopping.

Yes, I still visit Wal-Mart, but only because I like some of their products better. Check out the buttons I just put on my site from Coupon Cravings and Keeping the Kingdom First. They are awesome. Yes, I know I sound insane, but at least my insanity comes cheaply!

Meleah's birth story

2008-09-18T11:42:00.000-05:00

Well, this story is not for the faint-of-heart. I have no qualms about going into detail about the births of my daughters, so if you are a bit squeemish, I recommend you bypass this blog. Shane and I went to the hospital on the evening of Tuesday, September 2. I needed antibiotics because I tested positive for Group B Strep. Unfortunately, I am allergic to the main medication that treats strep, so I had to come in the night before to receive two doses of another med. I also took a pill to soften my cervix (which was supposed to help me dilate faster the next day. I got up at 5 am on Wednesday to take a shower and "get ready" for delivery. That means, I did my hair and make-up. I wanted to look good for all those pictures. At 6 am, Shane and I made our way down to Labor and Delivery. The "plan" was that I would be given Pitocin (to bring on contractions) and they would eventually break my water. For my other girls' births, Shane, Barbara, Mom, and Kristi were all right there with me, while Dad, Ronnie, my neices, and brother-in-law Griff were on the other side of the curtain. Even Abby Grace was there for Reese's birth! That was the plan for this time, of course.

Before my nurse could administer the Pitocin, I had two contractions less than a minute apart. She decided to wait on the Pitocin. A little bit later, they took my blood pressure, and it was high (of course... I'm in labor!), so they made me lay on my left side to re-take it. I felt a "pop" in my stomach and a "whoosh!" of something down below. I looked at my nurse and Shane and said, "Um, I think my water broke." Yup, it did, all by itself. I was really excited because I actually went into labor by myself. They checked me, and I was only dilated to a 3 (you have to get to 10), so we figured it would still be awhile. It didn't take long, and the contractions started to hurt. And, I wasn't getting a break; they were constant. I have a high pain tolerance, but I really didn't understand why they hurt so badly; neither of my other births felt like this. I said something to the nurse, she offered pain medication, and I said I would wait. I have always had an epidural (it numbs from the waist down), and planned on having one this time. WRONG! I told Shane that I felt pressure, and wanted to push. I finally decided that I might want some IV meds, when the nurse checked me again. Now remember, this is around 7:30 am. I've only been in labor for a little over an hour. Abby Grace was 22 hours, Reese took 11 hours. The nurse's eyes got HUGE and she said, "You aren't going to believe this, but you are a 9 and ready!" That's when the chaos started. My two nurses were running around, getting the tools and pads and baby stuff ready as fast as they could. It was quite comical. They gave me the IV meds really fast and kept telling me not to push. I didn't push, but she was coming anyway. The midwife wasn' there yet because it was right at shift change. One of the nurses ran to get the doctor on call. He was getting ready for a c-section. He comes running in, trying to get his gown on, and says, "I'm going to try to get these gloves on before I catch this baby." Meleah was coming without any help from me, and the doctor didn't know if he was going to have to get her bare-handed! As soon as those gloves were on, her head came. Three pushes total (and that's because they made me stop), and she was born. But, even though I didn't push, she was coming anyway.

It is the most incredible feeling to give birth. It didn't hurt at all. It was so awesome. I watched the entire thing. It was just Shane and me (and one doctor, and two nurses). The doctor was in our room less than five minutes. Meleah came in about 2 minutes. Meleah Faye Estelle was born at 8:00 am on Wednesday, September 3, 2008. She weighed 7 lbs, 4.9 oz, and was 19.6 inches long. She is perfect.

Baby #3's room

2008-08-19T20:05:00.001-05:00

Here are pictures of #3's room (formerly Reese's room). It isn't fancy, but Shane and I love the blues, pinks, yellows, and purples. We are going for a mix of gingham, paisley print, and vintage. If you will notice in the pet net are stuffed animals from Shane's and my younger years. Anyway, for those who care, here are some pics! Also included is a pic of Baby's "Coming Home" outfit. Notice the "Just Hatched" on the little tee. Cute, huh?!

Abby Grace... just like her Daddy?

2008-08-19T19:34:00.000-05:00

Last week, the girls and I made aprons to wear when they make crafts (also, to celebrate the week of learning the letter "A"). I hadn't taken a picture of the girls showing off their aprons yet, so I decided to do that this evening. Neither girl took a nap, so Reese was too cranky to take one, but Abby Grace was ready and willing. She takes two really good pictures, and then asks if she can make a funny face. Well, she made several funny faces (check out the slide show at the bottom of the page).

The blog is actually about how she did exactly what her Daddy does every time we take pictures. I had to take a pic of him in his suit for the church website on Sunday, and if you look at the other slide show, you will see what was accomplished. He always takes silly pictures. Abby Grace has seen this, and totally imitated him tonight. We all had a good laugh, but as I type this blog, it makes me think about so many things. She writes backwards, is really into astronomy and the solar system, loves the Bible and church, changes her voice when she "reads" different characters' lines, and makes up stories; all from watching her Daddy. It is really amazing what children pick up from the major influences in their lives. Despite having extremely selective hearing, doing things backwards (which can be charming at times), and being so stinking optimistic (says the major pessimist, here!), Shane is a great example of the kind of person someone should strive to be. I will be very pleased if my eldest daughter turns out like her Daddy (minus the selective hearing!)

The letter B

2008-08-19T11:56:00.001-05:00

This week, we are learning the letter B. It started out being exciting because it is the next letter in Abby's name, which means that by the end of next week, she will be able to write her name. I don't know if I am teaching her wrong or what, but getting Abby Grace to make a line and two bubbles seems really difficult! Not to mention, the poor kid makes a line like her DADDY: from the bottom, up! I have *tiny* (see, tiny!) issues with this, but I won't get into them now. Shane DOES have perfect (really...) penmanship, so may-be Abby Grace will pick that up, too. Anyway, Abby got frustrated really quickly and kept telling me, "I can't do it!" and "I need you Mommy. Please help me." The truth is, she did a few really great B's, but as soon as she accomplished it, she went backwards and acted like she couldn't. So, we took a break from writing to paint birdhouses (as birdhouse begins with B). We will finish painting them tomorrow. Then, we worked on patterns with shapes and colors (a little harder than the fruit we patterned last week). She did a great job! The patterning really clicks with her. Next, we had "bears" served in a "bear" bowl with "bear" juice. AKA, Teddy Grahams in a Pooh Bear-shaped bowl and grape juice. After that, we were to try writing again. Let's just say she didn't really try at all. She just gave up. I am REALLY trying to be patient, as I'm sure a line and two bubbles are hard to connect to one another, but she did it earlier! What is so frustrating is that she gives up so easily, even after she has accomplished the goal! But, I'm no longer frustrated about it. She knows exactly what tomorrow will bring: more writing the letter B.

Homeschooling...

2008-08-19T11:43:00.001-05:00

I have been homeschooling both girls (mainly Abby Grace) since 12 August 08. Shane and I prayed really hard about whether or not to send Abby Grace to Preschool, or to home school her. Shane decided that I needed to home school the girls so they would receive the one-on-one instruction, as well as, Bible instruction. We also felt that Abby Grace was not ready for Preschool. So, Shane works on Mondays with both girls on Bible stories and with Abby Grace on astronomy. Abby is really loving the astronomy/Creation instruction. She has become very proficient in this area in only two weeks.

Last week, Abby learned the letter A, and did very well. We made craft aprons and learned several words (including "Abby") that begin with the letter A. She also worked on matching patterns, the Creation story, and did very well writing the letter A. She is also learning the proper way to hold a pencil (taught by a person... me!... who does NOT hold her pencil properly); this has been a real challenge! We will see how this homeschooling thing goes; we are certainly stuck or blessed (depending on the day!) with it for the next year!