Sweet Sisters!

Oh how I love these sweet sisters!  

Full Circle

In January 2009, we had Mark's sister take pictures of us.  We didn't tell anyone,  but we knew they were for our future adoption scrapbook.

We made our scrapbook that June.  

See that bridge?

Today we walked across it as a family of four, and our Landrie Grace checked out the fish.

3.years ago, having babies was such a far away dream, something we prayed for all the time.  Today, we are in awe as we look at all God has done for us.  Really??  He continually knocks my socks off!  

Bye-Bye Diapers!!

Since I wrote my last post about Tatem sleeping through the night, she's woken up twice.  haha!  In light of that,  I really shouldn't write this one!  If you have ever been the mom of a little one, then you know that POTTY TRAINING is probably right up there with graduating from high school. :)  Landrie went a few times at 18 months old, but neither one of us were ready.  Then, I had a newborn, so you know I wasn't up for it.  The whole time, Landrie's been going every once in awhile.  In March, I decided to commit!

Landrie was SO ready!  She loves to sing her song and run to the potty.  I love that whenever I go now, I get a very heartfelt, "Good job, Mommy!!!  I SO proud of you!"

I wasn't a great potty-trainer, but Landrie sure reminded me!  We used the kitchen timer every 30 minutes for the first day or two.  Now, when I use it in my baking, she stops what she's doing, hollers "POTTY!" and takes off. :)  

She ADORES those Dora panties!  Her first time to go potty by herself she came out SO proud of herself.  I didn't have the heart to correct her, so I just let her run around with her undies OVER her shorts.  :)

This week she decided to give all of her leftover diapers to her sister.  When we get dressed, she always says, "I no need diapers, Mommy!"  It's Dora undies around the clock for my Landrie Grace.  If you've been around her lately, she's probably shown them to you.  We're working on that... :)

Bye- bye, diapers!

Goodnight, sleep tight!

Right around Tatem's 7 month birthday, sweet Tatem started sleeping through the night.  I feel like a new woman!!

We put her bumpers back in her crib because she kept rolling over and hitting her head.  Without that helmet on anymore, it hurt!  Now she uses them as pillows.  :)

This weekend we passed the Strauss family cradle on to my little cousin, Ali.  She's expecting her first baby girl in 2 months!  I took a few shots of Tatem in it before we let it go.

She spent many months in it!

And obviously has great memories of it!

 

I love getting Tatem up and being greeted by this happy face!!  Those night time feeding are such a sweet time with my babies, but I am ready to enjoy my sleep again, and so is Tatem.  :)

Easter Festivities

Well, I already blogged about the Keller Egg Scramble here.  Landrie had a ball, so I knew she'd have fun doing it again with some sweet friends. :)

This cutie loved every minute of it!  She gets SO excited to play with her friends.  She names them all and their mommies too.  She squeals really, really loud, like only a little girl can every few names.  haha!

Then my parents came in for the weekend to celebrate Easter and my brother's birthday!

We went to the Friday night service at church.  My parents snapped a picture before we ran out the door!

Saturday we headed over to my brother's house for his SURPRISE 40th party! 

 (I need to add here that I am MUCH younger than him! :) )

This cutie was ready to party!

The girls loved all the extra attention from my parents this weekend!

Landrie and my dad!  I love that Landrie has a dirt "beard" in all these pictures!  She played hard with all the big kids.

My brother and his wife drove in from New Orleans to celebrate!  Aunt Melissa got some good snuggle time in with Miss Tatem. 

So did Uncle Eric!  

Kevin was COMPLETELY surprised!  He drove up to a huge banner and all of us!  How did Christy pull of the surprise?  Well, she had major back surgery the next day, so he didn't expect her to be out of bed much, and she didn't tell her kids. :)

So happy!

Christy and the birthday boy!

My uncle and cousin drove in for the party too!  My aunt is in South Africa visiting my other cousin, who is expecting her first baby.  Beth, your dad was getting some good practice!  :)

Look at that cutie!!  I love you, Baby!

My mom made her famous, ridiculously good Texas Sheet Cake!  

It's not a party until someone gets pushed in the pool. :)

Tatem is usually awake 1-2 hours at a time.  She stayed awake for almost the ENTIRE party!  She only took one little catnap in the moby wrap.  She was a happy baby though!

Sunday morning Landrie woke up with a stomach bug, so we skipped out on brunch with the whole family.  Of course we still threw on their Easter dresses and did a quick egg hunt!  She forgot all about her tummy ache when we mentioned hunting eggs. :)  My non-napping Landrie took a 4 hour nap after my parents left.  It was a FULL weekend, and she was tuckered out!

I just love my little Easter eggs. :)

(If you missed out on their other precious Easter pictures, click here!)

Easter Morning

As I look at the joy on my babies' faces this Easter morning, I can't help but think of how much it reflects the joy I feel that my savior is ALIVE!  He loved me SO much that he died for my sins, then 3 days later he conquered death and rose again!

As I bathed them to get them all clean and ironed their dresses, I am reminded of how my God washed away all of my sins.  

As my heart overflows and almost bursts it's so full of love for my Landrie and Tatem, I am blown away that God loves me even more- no matter what I do.

As I look back at Landrie at her first Easter, I'm reminded of how much people can change, both on the inside and the outside too.  

Check it out: How People Change

Happy Easter!!  I hope things all around you remind you of God's great love!

Keller Egg Hunt!

Last Saturday, we went to the Keller Egg Scramble!  Our girls LOVED IT!

The first thing Landrie spotted as we walked to the park was...

...something that made her squeal with glee and jump up and down!!

It was the Easter Bunny!

Big hugs!  Mark and I were taking bets as to if she would love him or cry. :)

It was less than 12 hours after we got the news that Tatem was done with her helmet, so I found the biggest pink bow we have and put it on her head!  The girls looked so sweet in their white dresses!  (Landrie's is on wash #2 after lots of chocolate!)

Landrie wanted to stop at every booth and color.  

Tatem was just happy to kick back and take it all in!

Can you tell how over-the-edge-excited Landrie was to go get those eggs?!

Precious baby girl

and my other precious baby girl!

Got it!

There were SO MANY people there!!  We even ran into a few friends while we were there!

Our family :)

jump!

Eventually, we went way too far into Tatem's nap and had to switch to the Moby Wrap.  It works even with a 7 month old, and it works great with the Pavlik Harness too!  Mine is a homemade knock off.  All you need is a pair of scissors.  Here's a tutorial!

Landrie loved every single second of this day!  

I had no idea she'd be so into Easter.  She loved Christmas, and she loves birthdays, so I should have known!  After the egg hunt, I was explaining why we celebrate Easter.  I finished with, "...and after 3 days, Jesus rose again!!"  and Landrie said, "YES!!  And He gave me CANDY!!!"  hahaha!

Spring Break 2012!

Yup!  We are still clinging to the ole spring break tradition around here!  As I teacher I LOVED it, and now it doesn't mean nearly as much to me, but my mom was off for the week, so we celebrated with a visit to my parents' house in Houston. :)

My brother and his family joined us too!

One day we headed to the Houston Mueseum of Science and History.  Landrie ADORES her cousins.  

Adelynn, Abbie, Landrie and Anna

We got to check out the butterfly exhibit too!  They had lots to see before the actual butterflies.

My mom snuggled Tatem.  I think Tatem's checking out a giant bug leg!

My true love and I headed into the jungle.  If you've been to Houston, you probably have a very vivid memory of how humid it is!  The only thing more humid is the indoor rain forest full of butterflies!  

Tatem with her P-Pa and GranJan!

Me, my mom and Tatem, Christy and Anna

There were thousands of butterflies everywhere you looked!

The centerpiece of the indoor rain forest was this huge waterfall.  

The cousins at the base of the waterfall:)

We all cracked up at this! You know how museums have little interactive videos?  Well, this one guy on there looked just like my dad!  He had a mustache for ages too. :)

My brother and his girls!

Anna, Christy, Abbie, Kevin and Adelynn

The Long Family :)

They had these little nacho cheese insects you could buy and eat.  Ewww...  My mom, Landrie, Abbie and Kevin were the brave souls who tried them.  Check out Landrie's face!  

The girls rode home with us.  I asked everyone what their favorite part was.  Was it seeing the huge dinosaurs?  The gem and jewelry exhibit?  The butterflies landing on their arms?  Nope, it was this little interactive fossil dig.  They finally had to close it to get the girls to leave!  :)

This amazing Africa exhibit had animals that were posed to look so life-like!  Mark's mom was actually in Africa with Rafiki while we were at the exhibit!  Do you see Landrie's look of adoration at her big cousins?  So sweet!

Could this be any cuter??  We had such a great time!  The girls love being spoiled and playing with GranJan and P-Pa!

I took a few of my parents by themselves, because once you have kids, it seems like these shots are few and far between!

I love this one!

Spring break always makes me start thinking about summertime.  I can't wait to see what a summer with two sweet little girls will hold!