Traveling to Wewa

This is the first time we've traveled during the day with kid(s). We usually go at night. I have to say, I liked the day time travel. We weren't zombies when we got there, and it wasn't too bad in the car. We took our time with a couple of stops on the way for breakfast at Waffle House and lunch at Zaxby's. Farrah slept the whole time, and Bella got good naps. And Wiggles on the portable DVD player was an awesome tool!

When we stopped at Zaxby's, Bella and Chris played on the "playground" (it was actually just a gravel/grassy place behind Zaxby's with a retaining pond to throw rocks in) :) Chris took some cute pictures of Bella as usual. :)

Yes, Bella is in her pj's that match mama's.

And can I say that Chris has got such an eye. What would I do without him to take such great pics?

Bella liked to pick up rocks, hand them to Chris, and say "1, 2, 3, GO!!" and just laugh so hard when he did so.

Gift Idea

On one of her birthdays, I gave my Grandmother (mom's mom) this book:



It was a cool find. She was to fill out all sorts of information, memories, and stories of her childhood, early marriage, faith, her kids and grandkids. Then, give it back to me.

It was one of the coolest gifts I had ever received! It takes a little bit to fill out, so it was a surprise when I got it back some time later. It was so special, I knew I had to have my other grandparents fill one out, too.

So a few years ago, we put one in each of our grandparents and parents stockings. I've received a few back.

It was that much cooler when I had my Grandmom's (dad's mom) book to look back on after she passed a couple of weeks ago. Everyone at the memorial service loved looking back on some of her stories. What a cool thing to have!

Just an idea if you are looking for a special or different gift for a holiday or birthday! They have them for Grandmothers, Grandfathers, Mom's & Dad's!

http://www.amazon.com/Grandmothers-Memories-Grandchild-Journal-Faith/dp/084995911X/ref=pd_sim_b_1#noop

Farrah is Two Months Old!

Two months. It seems like she is growing so fast, right before our eyes, but yet it seems like we've known her so much longer!



I don't know her offical weight, but by my unofficial scale games, she's around 13 lbs!?! And I swear she's 4 feet tall. Haha. I am switching peditricans, so I'll be off about two weeks on her stats. :)

Farrah is such a good, sweet baby. She is sleeping through the night!! Praise the Lord! She traveled to Florida like a champ - didn't cry a bit and slept the whole time. We've figured out the fussiness at night was over-stimulation. If she becomes fussy, she needs a nap AWAY from the craziness of the Green household the night brings. Almost like a reset button!

The second month of Farrah being with us has brought with it smiles and more smiles. They are hard to capture in pictures (partly because we fail to get the camera out as much!) Is there anything sweeter than a smiling, cooing baby?

Well, maybe... two, sweet smiling girls :) Love my girls, they have my heart.

Bella's first hair cut

Right before we left to go to Pigtails and Crewcuts:


We wanted to get Bella's hair evened out, because it's different lengths all over. But I of course didn't want to lose any length! (it's taken 2 years+ for it to get this long!)



She loved getting in the car. Then we buckled her in and she started to get unsure. She almost lost it when the lady tried to put a smock around her. But, all was good when she got hold of a sucker.



Look how much it's grown in a year!!!




Farrah trying to contain her excitement:


There's not much difference in the hair cut, but I can tell :) And it was a fun experience - a toy train to play with before hand, a sucker, TV, and a toy from the treasure chest when she finished.

Nice nap on the water bottle on the way home. Sweet girl.


Video:

For Daddy

We have a conversation similar to this every morning after Dad leaves. It used to be filled with a lot of "WHY" questions, but I've since learned to turn the questions back on her.

And, this is Farrah's hat she decided would look good stretched out on her head.

It's cold!

But I'm cute!!

videos

Here are some fun videos!

Farrah recently started smiling. I've been trying to get them on camera for a week or two now, and finally caught some good ones on film! She is so sweet. Can't wait to hear what her little laugh sounds like.



Here is one of my attempts at getting a smile, and big sister wanting the camera on her. BTW, she loves the word "sandwich". She cracked herself up to sleep the other night saying it over and over.



Here's our 4 mintues (MAX!) in the snow the other day. It was just too darn cold!! Bella was so excited to look out of the house at the snow and talk about snowmen, but wasn't too excited about going out there. Thanks, Erin and Maggie, for the snowsuit!!! Bella wanted to know why I wasn't wearing one, too.



We got all bundled up (Farrah had a cute warm jacket/onesie thing on from her Uncle Ryan) I wanted to go out first to get a video of Bella coming out. We had no idea how cold it was, so I went out, and right back in!! So, this is Farrah's experience of the snow :)



Ok, here's Bella's best Jay Sean:




And, she'll kill me for this one day...

Grandmom
Dec 8, 1931 - January 6, 2010



My Dad's mom, "Grandmom", passed away yesterday. She's been sick for a bit, but it's still always a shock and sad. My parents were able to be down there and with her, which I know they are thankful for. I have so many great memories of my Grandmom and loved her so much.

*Thanksgivings were always spent with Grandmom and Grandpop growing up. I LOVED all of her food, but her fruit salad was my absolute favorite, with her dressing as a close second. I remember back from at least the last 20 years, cutting up fruit and us stealing tastes together.



*She had great perfume. If you know me, I am not a perfume person, but I always thought hers smelled so good!!



*Her love for her most current hometown - Wewahitchka. We always joked about how there is NOTHING to do in Wewa, but I think that made for the best memories. When we weren't at the stock car races, Dixie Dandy or fishing, we were in that little house playing cards, looking at pictures, EATING, or laughing at Grandpop and his jokes. But she also loved it down there - her small Catholic church, the Dixie Dandy, fishing and bowling, and her neighbors and friends.



*Her high squeal. There is nothing like it! So fun, so Grandmom.



Panama City, 2002:


Our wedding, some of the McIver extended family:


Grandmothers when I found my wedding dress:


Thanksgiving 2007, Bella was 6 weeks old:


I'm also glad Bella was able to meet Grandmom a few times. I don't know that she'll remember much of her when she grows up, but it was sweet as I was going through pictures and she pointed to Grandmom and said "Grandmommy." Grandmom would love that.

I will miss Grandmom and the thanksgiving traditions and memories. But I am thankful she is now at peace.

update (aka: rambling post)

Farrah is now 6.5 weeks. We are sort-of in a schedule around here, or at least some level of normalcy or something that doesn't look like total chaos :) Around 4 weeks, I quit waking her every 3 hours at night like the doctor wanted. I could tell she was putting on weight - and who wants to wake a sleeping baby when the mama is so darn tired too?? She's now just waking up once (around 3-4 AM I think - I'm too half asleep to remember!) and sleeping like a champ. I haven't been brave enough to put her in the room with Bella yet. I'm still so tired and sleeping so heavy, I guess I'm worried I wouldn't hear her. And that would result in screaming and feeling bad that I didn't hear her, or waking Bella up. So, I'd rather wait a bit longer.

Farrah is starting to smile - which totally melts my heart. It's so fun to catch these (usually right after she's eaten, or when I come back in the room from being away from her.) She also already loves watching her big sister and gives her some gummy grins, too. She's just starting this past week to really watch mobiles and toys hanging above her. She's generally a content baby, although we have had MAJOR fussy time around the dinner hours for about 4 nights this week. My guess is a little gas/ and just being tired from the day. But wow, there is nothing like a screaming baby and when nothing seems to work. I did a little research, and found (online :)) that feeding them (even if it's not "time" to eat), helps move the gas along. That seemed to work tonight. So that is good. ANYTHING to keep that red-faced scream at bay :)

Bella continues to LOVE her baby sister. This afternoon, I took Bella out to Kroger for a few things. She told everyone we passed that she had a baby sister. And Farrah wasn't even with us. She is a proud sister!! She LOVES giving baby kisses, and basically repeating ALL things I say:
"It's ok, baby"
"Baby sister is so cute!!!"
"All better" (sounds like "All Butter")
"Calm down, baby"

And then adds in a few of her own lines:
"Baby, quiet!"

Bella is seriously a little parrot, a little mini-me.
She's talking in complete sentences, non-stop, these days. There's not much she can't say. If I need a compliment, all I have to say is "Bella is pretty" and she'll say, "Mama's pretty!" It's great. Great on days when I haven't brushed my teeth, taken a shower or even looked in the mirror. Some of my other favorites are "Bella's cute" "Bella's Funny" "Bella's Silly" "Bella's Crazy" and my favorite, "Bella's Hot".
Don't hate.

Let's see? What else can I ramble about?

Oh yeah, Chris and I are doing Buckhead Church's 21 day fast. I am fasting from Twitter and Facebook and Words with Friends. (If you don't know what the last thing is on the iPhone, don't ask. It's addictive). We are both fasting from TV. And we're only drinking water and coffee (sounds silly, but we don't drink a lot of coffee around here, and when we need it... we need it :) The point is to spend time in prayer, and I knew Twitter and TV in particular are things I waste TOO much time on.

We are also going to start the 30 day shred... any day now.....

Oh, and I am going to take some dance classes at Dance 411. I love dancing, and keep telling myself to do this. Well, I am doing it. No more time to put things off that I love.

My days mostly just consist of taking care of two precious girls. And feedings, lot of those. But I know these days will go by so fast so I truly do live in that thought everyday, and just enjoy them. Love being a mom. I am just trying to remember I can't do EVERYTHING. So, my house is a wreck. But who am I kidding, it always has been :)

Ok, enough rambling for now. I have some videos to post. Bella and I have frequent "Dance Parties" in the house. Three of my favorite songs are "Forever" by Chris Brown, "Singles Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", and "Down" by Jay Sean. I know, great songs, huh? Along with still singing "Go Tell it on a Mountain" Bella will sing a little "Down". Oh, and she's learned "Boom, Boom, Pow" at school. haha. Videos to come.

Oh! And two questions for you:
1) What did you do for your gassy/fussy baby during that stage? I know different things work for different babies - but love to know what you did.

2) What ideas do you have for activities in the house when it's so cold outside??? I can't watch anymore Wiggles or I might poke out my eyes.

2009 in Pictures (& a couple of Videos)

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