Laurie's Life

I was so happy to be able to put Emily in Fall clothes this morning. She insisted that she have her picture made in the crib with Sarah Kate. You know the saying," pick your battles." I didn't figure it would hurt.

I have been seeing a show advertised on T.V. called "Worst Week." Although I did not see the show when it premiered this week, I have found my self saying it's name......."this has been the worst week." I feel like I have not heard too much of anything good. Every phone call has been a bad report about someone or something. Let me just name a few of the things I have faced this week. A friend/neighbor had a miscarriage, some good friends in our Sunday School class are moving out of state, a cousin is in the hospital with numerous blood clots in his lungs and stomach, a close friend at church lost her Dad to ALS,a highschool friend lost his son in a car accident, and the kicker....my best lifelong friend's Dad was diagnosed with a brain tumor. After I talked to my friend Thursday night after the diagnosis, I was just in a daze. I was so stunned that I did crazy things like put the milk in the pantry and that sort of thing. In this life, Bad things...

I had a big big weekend in Mt Magazine at my friend Hillary's wedding. I was so honored to be a bridesmaid. I had a great time with my friends in a beautiful setting. I have not ever been a bridesmaid and a mother, although I was thirteen weeks pregnant in Megan's wedding. This is Megan in the picture with my best friend, Kelly. My mother went along and took care of Sarah Kate. I am so thankful I had my mother there to take care of SK while a participated in the wedding activites. SK got a terrible cold earlier in the week and she has been so stopped up and congested. Emily stayed home with her Daddy, my Dad and Steve's parents. I was so thankful I invited all the parents to come because Emily got sick and had to go to to the Doctor on Sat. morning. Emily has Croup, Bless her heart! I could not have made and stayed sane without the parents to help out. Here is the couple: Josh and Hillary Here is some of the wedding party with Hillary. Kelly and I ready for pic...

This past weekend I had my college friend, Kim come and visit. Kim is one of the most kind and wise people I have ever known. She could also be a professional comedian. She is so funny. I just look at her and start laughing. Kim has a foster baby right now who is the same age as Sarah Kate. It was so fun to have another baby in the house. I busted out this Bumbo seat for the babies this weekend. I love it and so does Sarah Kate. She looks like a little woman sitting in it. Sarah Kate was 3 months on Sunday so I took the girls to get their pictures made yesterday. I was pretty pleased with how they turned out. I just had to share this black and white. It was the best!

I hosted playgroup today at my house. We had lots of fun and craziness. I had intended to take a picture of every Mom and baby, but as the crowd got bigger I forgot about the camera. I was too busy making sure everyone had food and drink and no children escaped out the door and that Emily was sharing and Sarah Kate was not crying, that sort of thing. BUT, the pictures I did take were wonderful! I love having guest in our home! This is Amanda and Neely. Mary Avery and John Michael with Sarah Kate. This is Susanne , Hope and Hudson. Jessica and Braxton A friend at church made this new carseat cover for Sarah Kate. The old one was old, dirty and boyish looking. She did a great job on this and did it sooo fast!

Minutes after Sarah Kate was born I noticed her sucking her thumb. She never really did it again until a couple of weeks ago. Now, she loves to suck her left thumb. I sucked my thumb till I was about 4. Steve also sucked his thumb. She gets it natural. She was 12 weeks old Saturday. Time is going by too fast!

My last post did NOT capture the after shots like I intended them to. These show the real look after the haircut.

This is Emily before her second haircut. She was so excited to get it cut and I had really talked it up all week. The minute Bekah sprayed her hair with a water bottle it was all downhill from there. Emily cried and screamed and acted terrible. BUT....the results were beautiful! It is hard to tell the difference in the pictures, but it looks so cute! The next two pictures were taken when we got home. She is so proud of her new look!

Emily loves to pretend she is talking on the phone. She often pretends to call her grandparents and Uncle Justin and many times she calls Kelly and Scott. A few times she has even told us she has talked to God. This morning she was talking and she said it was Meme. She went on to say that "meme at the mall getting some cheese." When I think of the mall, I don't think of cheese. As Emily was telling me about her conversation with Meme, she closed her phone and put it in the side of her diaper and went on about her business. Those stretchy sides are not just for a good fit, they hold phones! A few weeks ago Meredith tagged me about 6 quirks about myself. I had to think about it and limit it to six. There are so many! 1. All the blinds in the house have to be either all closed up or all closed down before I can go to bed. 2. I always get the same thing each time at all the resturants we go to. Once I find a good item on the menu, I stick with it! 3. I HAVE to ...

Emily had her first day of Mother's Day Out. She had a super good day! She looks very very sleepy in this picture. When you click on the picture, notice the gobs of lotion on her hand and arm. When I give E lotion or soap, she always says, "want big Mama." That means a lot. Sarah Kate is 10 weeks old. When Emily was 10 weeks, my wonderful friend, Kim, came and took lots of pictures of her in this dress, on this changing table, with this blanket. Kim is an excellent photographer. Kim, I needed you today for these. I tried to capture the same look. The pictures Kim took were so good that I had some of them framed and they are hanging in our hall. I just love my girls so much and I am so thankful for them.

Here is Sarah Kate after she got her 2 month shots. The day was better then I expected. I pre-medicated her before we went to the Dr. This made a big difference. Her little legs were very tender and red, but she was a trooper. We visited MS and South Arkansas this past weekend and week. We had a great time with family! Here is Emily and her cousin Jackson. They had so much fun running. Emily and Kay-K after Emily woke up. BIG NEWS FOR LITTLE E: She used the potty 3 times at my parents house! We are all so proud! Sarah Kate sleeping in her favorite place: a swing. I know this is a bad habit, but she loves it My parents bought this rain forest swing for her while we were at their house.

Baby Sarah Kate was two months old yesterday. And...on her two month birthday, she slept 8 hours last night! I feel so good today! I have not said anything about this lately, but Emily has still been having LOTS of trouble staying in her bed. I started using a gate about 3 weeks ago and THAT was the answer. She has not gotten up one time this week in the afternoon or at night. This is a huge praise for us. If you looked on Kelly's Korner, you saw Emily visiting the wedding dress store. She had the time of her life. She has not stopped talking about it. I think we have gotten through the bed time troubles, now we must conquer potty training and getting rid of her pacifer, known as "cissy."

I put my girls in matching dresses today. I wanted their picture made together, but it is hard getting Emily to hold her sister for more than 3 seconds. Emily asks to hold her all the time, but then as soon as she gets her she will say, "Mama hold her!" I am thrilled to say that Sarah Kate had her best day ever yesterday. This was the first night that she did not have a 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. crying spell. Yeah! I really think she is going to turn out to be a good baby. She is 7 weeks old now. Time flies when you are having fun! Sarah Kate looks so much like Emily did at this age.

I found Sarah Kate cheering for the Razorbacks the other day!

We are so blessed to have a wonderful church nursery. Emily has had a favorite nursery worker since she was 3 or 4 months old. Her name is Sammy. She is the only one who has been able to calm Emily when she cries. Sammy spoils Emily and has always called her "my girl." She gave Emily and SK these outfits recently. I have waited for the day they could wear them. Just had to share this picture!

I love this little dress that Sarah Kate is wearing today. One of my best friends, Beth, sent this to me many months ago after we found out we were having a girl. Beth is always so sweet to send me little gifts. Beth is a great friend and prayer warrior. Steve even commented how cute this dress was-I think he was just glad to see some blue! Emily is so in love with her baby sister! She tells everyone that she has a baby sister. Emily just beams when she is around her. Sarah Kate likes her too. She started smiling last week and she loves to smile at Emily. Friends from church gave us this WONDERFUL book case. Emily's Pop hung it up for her. When Emily saw it she said, OH NO, MY BOOKS!" I think she thought her books had been pinned to the wall. Sarah Kate at 5 weeks.