update

Happy Birthday to my mom! Unfortunately, she is cooped up in the hospital on this beautiful day, but we did get to celebrate during lunch today!

I want to give a quick update on my dad and brother. My Dad is doing better. He's been in quite a bit of pain the past few days, but I think they have it under control now. He is running a fever now, so they are digging deeper into why.

My brother is still at the hospital too. He's probably as stir crazy as they come! He is waiting to get discharged hopefully sometime this evening. He does not have to have surgery- which is a great thing for him as well as the nurses and doctors there too! Ha!

And I want to add that this is my mom's 2nd birthday in a row that she has spent at a hospital. Last year we all sat in vandy childrens ER for emery and her breathing! Oh, the things mom's do for their babies and their babies' babies!

More beach pictures coming soon!

Pop & Bud

We are back from the beach but things are crazy around here! My sweet dad got sick while at the beach and actually had surgery early this morning. (He has some history with intestinal issues since birth, so this is still related to that!)The surgery was a success, but he's still in pain. He will be in the hospital until the weekend. To add to the drama, my brother (a.k.a. Bud) was bit by my parents cat. He has now been admitted for some kind of infection relating to the bite, and a surgeon is actually going to have to take a look at this hand in the morning. This is such a weird, freak thing. He and my dad are in the same hospital, but I know this is just so much for my mom to handle. Jim is actually at the hospital right now with mom,dad, and austin. I keep halfway smiling thinking that if Jim stayed the night with my brother (I don't think Austin will need anyone though)- I wonder if nurses & doctors would think they are together??? ha! But in all seriousness- please say quick prayer for my dad, brother, and mom!

A few pictures from the last few weeks- We've had a great summer! We are wrapping summer up with a beach trip. We leave in just a few hours!!my grandmother & merrill

naked sprinkler-ing

playing in the creek at kiki's

playing in kiki's playhouse

cooper & merrill (3 days apart, but many pounds apart!)

Cara & Emery at the bowling alley

Wii-ing

standing- what merrill is wanting to do all day!

emery & tori being big girls

emery had been wanting to go to a sounds game all summer. She finally got to go!

one of my favorites- hudson, merrill, and Hollis. Lots of baby to love on in this picture. Merrill is the oldest by about 4 months, but by far the smallest!

weekend with nana & poppy

What do you get when my 3 favorite people go to bed early? Plenty of "uploading"time for me! Sorry- there are too many pictures on here....

For Labor Day we took off to Atlanta. It had been a year, yes I wrote a YEAR since we had been to nana and poppy's house. Before you cast any judgement on me and Jim, we've gotten to see his parents more than ever this last year. They have been wonderful about travelling to us!

We spent the night in atlanta and then headed to the lake house for a night! We had a great time!

Jim's still got it! I plan to learn to ski next year. That is one thing on my bucket list for age 30! I just don't know why I can't get it!

excuse the glasses- its the only decent pair that the local chevron sold. I'm talking a small town chevron guys!

school's in!

Well I wish I had some adorable pictures to share from emery's first day. These will certainly have to do. Why is it when you want your little one's to smile perfectly at the camera, they won't?

Emery is already loving school! She has a great teacher that reminds us of Jim's mom- Nana! She has a great class and some great mommy's too! Thanks to Kiki for making our back to school outfit!

can you sense how well she is cooperating with me?

fun times, fun times! Look at emery's face! (side note: i will no longer post about either of my kids not crying much. merrill has not stopped crying since I posted that she didn't cry much! no really- it's got to be teeth!)

a few pictures until I can really update... Emery and I both couldn't be happier that preschool starts on Tuesday! This was before meet-the-teacher yesterday...

sporting a very short new do

merrill thinking she's big stuff because she can pull up on things now

I just liked this picture

Happy Labor Day to all!

8 Months and counting....

I'm a little late in getting this posted, but I wanted to anyway. I really can't believe that merrill is already 8 months old. She has such a sweet little personality- if I say so myself!

She really doesn't cry that much unless she's exhausted or gets startled by something (erin!!!)
She is army crawling in combination with a normal crawl sometimes too.
Her little legs are really short, but strong. The girl thinks that she can walk and will pull up!
I'm guessing that she weighs around 15 pounds and is still what our nurse/I call "vertically" challenged. Where does she get that?
I'll skip over the sleeping area....
She eats whatever is in front of her
I often think of her as a trooper- she puts up with a lot!

in sunday school

after her sister put mascara on her for the SECOND time (how does emery keep finding it?)

eating an apple

pulling up on the couch (did I forget to mention that she perfers to be held over anything else? that's what she's wanting here!)

I tried to get a picture of her sitting in the chair and she kept standing up- this is the best I got!

emery being rough

emery thinking it is funny when merrill has had enough

their first game together

hinny shot! (I haven't posted any sewing projects lately, but I did make these outfits)