And Baby makes nine...

Grandchildren on my side of the family! My big sister Jodi had her third and last yesterday, a precious baby girl! She weighed in at 8 lb 6 oz... and that was at 12 days early! Name TBA. The boys were slightly disappointed that she is a "she"- there are now six girls to the three boys...

Mother's Day Idea

On the Saturday before Mother's Day, we're doing the 2010 Walk for Hope to raise money for the Hope Center. I'm asking that my Mother's Day gift from Jake and the girls (other than the pure delight of being their wife and mama!) be a donation to the Hope Center, and we're going to do the same for our moms (surprise, mamas!)

When the idea crossed my mind earlier this week, I was really impacted by the idea of "giving up" my Mother's Day gift in order to give towards someone else getting to be a a mama and have their own Mother's Day. I'm excited to get to be our church's liason for the event, and I got to share my idea with the congregation this morning!

So here's the challenge: give to a crisis pregnancy center for your or your mom's Mother's Day- I would be so honored if you were to support me, or give to your local crisis pregnancy center. The idea is to honor moms, and how better to honor them than to contribute towards a ministry that is striving to help more ladies become a mom by saving their babies' lives?

Spring

I love Southern spring.

The smell of honeysuckle reminds me of driving my Wrangler to school with the top down- I could smell the spring flowers as I drove.

The smell of dewey grass reminds me of watering my precious garden in Auburn before driving to my favorite nursing job I ever had.

Even the stink of Bradford pears reminds me of spring tennis season- people always seem to plant those trees near courts!

And now we're making new spring memories...

Every afternoon, we all play outside until dinnertime, Jake and Abby Jane lasting the longest (here is Joy practicing on Abby Jane's new tricycle).

Afternoon bubbles...

Picnic dinners in the yard...

Mom went with me earlier this week to buy some flowers after I realized my normal shopping cart strategy would leave no room for flower pots! Abby Jane got to pick out her very own (she chose a pink geranium) to plant and take care of!

Hope you're enjoying your spring as well!!

Celebrating Sunday

Our Easter was so, so sweet. We've been reading the Easter story in various children's books, so Abby Jane had an elementary grasp that "Jesus isn't dead anymore. Jesus is alive!" It's so sweet to see her begin to understand these stories.

On Easter Sunday, we gave the girls their baskets in the morning before church- including new bibs for the twins and a craft apron for Jane...

After the church service, we headed up to Cartersville for a DELICIOUS lunch with Jake's family and my mom. The adults enjoyed the GORGEOUS day out on the back patio while the kiddos napped. After naps came Easter Egg Hunt #3, and I'm glad Abby Jane had a couple of practice rounds under her belt before the big day so she could try to give big 3 yr. old Cade a run for his money!

It was such a perfect family day! Here are the little ladies in their Easter dresses... I love that with three little girls comes three little Easter dresses each year!

This year, Blythe and Joy's very first Easter dresses were incredibly special. My very dear and precious friend, Emily York, made them from start to finish- from cutting the fabric to the smocking to the last delicate lace-trimmed detail! WHAT an amazing labor of love! The dresses are absolutely gorgeous and were complimented all day. Thank you again, sweet Em!!!

Five Months

My big five-month-olds (who chose not to smile simultaneously this month for their shoot!)

Blythe- the child is just sunshine unless she's extraordinarily hungry or tired. She smiles at the drop of a hat and keeps up a running monologue (particularly when we're at home) that gives Abby Jane a run for her money.

Sweet Joy- this one has become a little less low-key than she had been and a little more of a mama's girl. She's still comparatively laid back and just a little chunk (sorry Joy) of snuggly love.

We have started weaning them from the swaddle and putting them to sleep every time looking like this. Joy typically looks about the same when we get her up, though she sometimes sneaks the other arm out.

Blythe usually ends up looking like this.

Since spring sprang this week, the afternoon rice cereal party is an outdoor affair so big sis can play while we eat. Oatmeal and rice cereal happen three times a day now, and don't you let these girls fool you- I regularly go through at least two bowls each feeding!!!

We introduced the exersaucer and jump-a-roo in the last week, and both girls enjoy them for short periods of time. Abby Jane's babies and animals utilize them the rest of the day.

Joy...

Blythe...

Twinsie items of note...

-getting a little too big to put them on the changing table at the same time

-often hold hands while they're nursing (or poke each other in the eye)

-both giggle most when you tickle their ribs with your nose

-both mostly wearing 6-9 month clothes now

-sleep schedule: nap from 9-10, sometimes cat nap 11:30-12ish, long nap 1-4, sometimes short nap 5:30-6ish, bedtime at 7:30... I know, it's ridiculous- we're so spoiled!

And now, all good things must come to an end...

Egg Hunt #2

This morning, the Gillies hosted a fabulous gathering for an egg hunt and delicious brunch.

We thoroughly enjoyed meeting Betsy and Paul's friends (who jumped right in with holding the twins!) and being a part of such a fun morning on a beautiful day!

Abby Jane loved hunting eggs again. On the way home, she clutched treats from her eggs in both hands (obeying our request to not eat any more until later)... until the chocolate melted into her hands!! Obviously they weren't M&M's...

Holly sent me the recipe for these cut-out cookies from this blog, and I made them yesterday for today and tomorrow. I highly recommend both the cookies and the icing- they were the best and easiest I've ever tried.

One last visit

We ran up to Chattanooga on Monday to spend the day with Jodi, Katie, and Ian before our newest niece or nephew arrives in a few weeks!

Abby Jane had a ball, as always, with Ian and Katie (after Katie got home from kindergarten). She is always amazed at the sheer volume of new (to her) toys at their house. The trampoline they got for Christmas was her favorite, though...
She literally jumped for hours, laughing so hard I thought she might be crying!

She hung tough with the big kids- yes, that is my firstborn's body going diagonally there... and dying laughing!!

Katie and Ian got in some last minute practice before their sister or brother comes... Katie is tickling Joy while Ian is reading to them!

It was a fantastic day!