Fun Firsts

Lookey who rolled over for the first time today!!!





She started out on her back, with her feet toward the top of the photo and her head toward the bottom... and ended up like this! She's been orbiting herself for some time now, but this is the first time she's rolled from her back to her tummy! Yay, Anna Kate!

Trick or Treat!

Lucky to be in Kentucky!

Well, I survived the return flight (me traveling alone with two babies... everyone that passed me said, "Are you traveling alone??" in a tone that clearly conveyed "Are you CRAZY?!!"). We're back home in Florida and before resuming our normal state of chaos, I thought I'd fill you in on the rest of our trip. This photo is meant to document Anna Kate's very first flight on an airplane. But I couldn't back up that much, so you really can't tell she's on an airplane. But this pretty much sums up what she did on both flights... thank goodness, since Wesley was bouncing off the walls!





Wesley loved this Jessie book he found at Grandma's (Jessie is the cowgirl from Toy Story 2). He cracked me up the way he would leaf through it while eating... just like a grown-up reading The New York Times or something!
(below) Granddaddy putting Wesley in a bubble at the Lexington Children's Museum. Wesley's favorite activity in the bubble room was putting bubbles in his ears, on his face, and in his hair!







Wesley walking on the moon (pretty bright little feller, huh?)

Halfway through our visit to Kentucky, it got COLD. I enjoyed the cold, but could have done without the frigid rain. Either way, it felt good to be someplace cold enough to enjoy a warm crackling fire. I love eating at Cracker Barrel on a cold day! Okay, folks... I broke down and started using the headband. I just couldn't balance a bow on the 12 hairs Anna Kate has left on top anymore!





Wesley singing his new favorite song with Grandma. It's a Halloween song, but instead of singing, "stirring and stirring and stirring the brew," they sing, "stirring, and stirring, and stirring the stew." His favorite part is the "tip-toe, tip-toe, tip-toe, BOO!"





Wednesday we had a fun night at Jerri Ann's house. Lyla could not wait to love on Anna Kate!





Wesley getting a group hug from Luke, Ty, and Lyla.
My mom is the director of their church's preschool. They had their fall party Thursday, and Wesley loved all the games and activities. He would love preschool, but I can't find a 1-day-a-week preschool locally, and I'm not ready to give him up for more than one day a week yet! Anyway, Mom's dressed up for the party... she does not always dress like a pumpkin!





Thursday night my sister drove up from Nashville with her three kids. Having his cousins there officially made Grandma's house Wesley's favorite place in the world! Here's Gabe, Caleb, Wesley, and Abby in the tub. I was trying to get Abby to look at the camera, so I asked her to show me her chin. It didn't work, but Caleb and Wesley can never pass up an opportunity to show of their genius!

One of the main purposes of our trip to Kentucky was to introduce Anna Kate to her great-grandparents! Here's Anna Kate with her Great-Granny.





And here's Anna Kate with her Great-Granddaddy. The very first thing Granddaddy did when I handed him AK was stroke her cheek to see if it would make her smile. He loves to tell the story of how he could make me smile as a tiny newborn by just stroking my cheek. It's one of his favorite memories... he even mentioned it while officiating my wedding ceremony. It was neat to see Granddaddy try it with Anna Kate, because even though it was unspoken, I knew exactly what he was doing!





Anna Kate with her Great-Grandmother. Grandmother was so tickled to have all 5 of her great-grandchildren in her house at the same time... she could not stop giggling at every cute little thing any of them did. (below) Wesley, Gabe, Caleb, and Abby playing in Great-Grandmother and Great-Granddaddy's garden. They had a big time picking chili peppers. Great-Grandmother showed Caleb how to string them on dental floss. Our eyes watered the whole drove home with those peppers in my sister's van!





Wesley and Mommy at Gatti-Town last night. I've never seen a Gatti-Town anywhere but Lexington, but the kids all think it's big stuff! Dad gave Wesley his own card to use on the games, but all he wanted to do was ride the carousel! He rode it 3 times. We had a great trip, but we're happy to be home, and we're super-happy to be with Daddy!

Finding Fall

Well fall never came to Florida, so we had to go to fall! The kiddos and I flew to my hometown of Lexington, Kentucky, on Thursday to escape eternal summer. I also came up to attend my 10-year high school reunion (wow I feel old). The top photo was taken in Mom's front yard... Anna Kate is asleep, thus the rag doll pose. Stay tuned for the big Woodford County High School Class of '97 post when I get home... I'm going to wait until I can access my old high school photos so I can entertain myself with some priceless "now & then" photos. Until then, here's some photos from our visit to Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill today.





Shakertown is one my favorite places to visit in the fall when the leaves are pretty, and in the spring when the flowers are in bloom. When I was in school, Mom would occasionally surprise me by showing up to sign me out and take me someplace special for some "mom and daughter" time (one time she surprised me at school and took me to see Barbara Bush when she was visiting Lexington on a campaign stop. I got to shake her hand, and she asked me why I wasn't in school!). Sometimes Mom would take me to Shakertown for lunch. I have many special memories of this place!





Wesley watching the sheep. We ate lunch and then walked through the village. The restaurant serves original Shaker dishes, and most of the vegetables are grown here at Pleasant Hill.





Wesley doing what he does best... running away from me in wide open spaces! The way I got him to come back toward me was to point out the kitty cat in the opposite direction. Below is Wesley running for the kitty.





The kitty promptly ran from him... with Wes in hot pursuit yelling, "C'mere kitty-cat!" (below) Wesley waving and saying, "Bye-bye, kitty cat."









Shakertown is a restored village left behind by the Shakers, who set up their community at Pleasant Hill in the mid-1800s. They believed any relationship between men and women to be evil, even marriage. So men and women were kept completely separate (but equal... women were equally valued and held equal leadership in the community). All the buildings have two doors because men and women had to enter through different doors and remain on separate sides of any building. They were known as Shakers because they believed they had to shake their sins off, and would shake and dance during religious services. So there's your little history lesson for the day. Happy Fall!!





Jumping in the leaves with Grandma. We fly home Sunday. Until then we're soaking up fall colors, cooler weather, and lots of grandparent luv'n! (But we miss Daddy, who's home doing the whole supporting the fam thing... we love you, Daddy!)

Jonah and Claire are HERE!!!

Claire Marie Griffies, 4 pounds, 11 ounces. 18.5 inches long
Jonah Andrew Griffies, 3 pounds, 15 ounces. 18.5 inches long

Tony giving the new grandparents their first glimpse at their new grandbabies! Dr. Langley said everything couldn't have gone smoother. Susan did great, and the babies are just perfect!





Stephanie, Thea, Paige, Debi, Anna Kate, and Shirley admiring Jonah and Claire's first movie. Jonah has a much darker complexion than Claire, and he has a head full of dark hair. Claire has lots of hair as well, but it's as blond as can be! They are both absolutely beautiful, and I definitely see bits of their Mommy and Daddy in both of them!

Back in the NICU with Claire. Both babies are strong and healthy. Neither is on oxygen or anything else but a simple monitor. The photos are a little grainy because we could not use a camera flash.





You done good, Susan!!! Susan is in the EXACT same room at LRMC that I was in with Anna Kate! There are something like 60 mother-and-baby rooms at LRMC, and Susan just happened to be in mine! I got all emotional sitting in the room and looking at the chair where I first rocked Anna Kate, and seeing Susan in the bed where I spent my first night cuddling my baby girl!



Many thanks to all of you that have been praying for Susan and these sweet babies. Praise God for such incredible little miracles!

Go Wildcats!!!

Sorry, LSU fans (Kristy, I love you dearly). It's not like to me to care much about sports, but this whole being-decent-at-football concept is so foreign to me... I had to document it for my Kentucky-loving offspring! We're supposed to be too busy rock'n basketball to be any good at football!

Oh, and while I'm on the subject of sports, my husband would also like it noted that Auburn won its game this weekend as well. So we're a happy family this weekend!

I fly home Thursday and will be at my 10-year-reunion in Lexington DURING the UK/Florida game. They're going to have the game playing at the reunion. I'm going to be a little nervous to admit to people that my husband is a professor at the University of Florida! I'd better wear a helmet! Don't worry, though... I'd never root for Florida over UK! Go Wildcats!

Three Months Old!

Anna Kate is three months old today!!!







In celebration, Anna Kate has decided to start sleeping through the night! She's come close to sleeping through the night before (made it to 5 a.m. or so), but Wednesday night I put her down at 9 p.m., and she didn't wake up until 7:30 a.m.! I was up about every 30 min. after 4 a.m. checking for a breathing baby! Last night she slept from 9 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. again (and this time I only checked on her a couple of times). I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts, but I'm not convinced that I've seen the last of 3 a.m. feedings with her... Wesley started sleeping through the night at about 3 months, but that only lasted 2 or 3 months until he reverted back to waking up for night feedings. He didn't go back to sleeping through the night until I weaned him!

Anna Kate smiles at just seeing us pass by now - makes it hard not to want to hold her all the time! I keep fixing red-eye in photos, but it takes away the twinkle in her eyes. She has much more expression in her eyes than these photos show! I've got to figure out how to change my camera settings to fix the red-eye problem... feels like I have to fix just about every photo. But babies don't stay still long enough for that strobing flash that prevents red-eye!

Here's what Wesley looked like the day he turned 3-months-old. November 16, 2005.





Wesley was "standing" on our laps at 3-months, pushing off against our legs. When we hold Anna Kate on our laps like this, she jumps like she's in a bouncy seat! She's not standing up like this yet... only for a few seconds at a time.

As you can see, Wesley is enjoying Anna Kate's new Bumbo more than she is! He should be way too big for it by now... I can't believe he can latch the tray on and everything! He loves to sit in the Bumbo and eat cheerios. He carries the Bumbo around groaning, "Heavy, heeeeavy!" Sometimes he can't find it and will come to me saying, "Bumbo?" I tried to put Anna Kate in the Bumbo in Wesley's presence this morning, and he got upset... our first little taste of sibling rivalry! uh-oh.





The kids and I took my Aunt Gail to Bok Tower Sanctuary in Lake Wales yesterday. I'd post pictures this weekend, but I'm gearing up for the arrival of the twins on Monday!! Susan went to the doctor today and she's already somewhat dilated and effaced and all that good stuff, so it looks like it's a go for Monday! So stay tuned for a big "Welcome Jonah and Claire!" post on Monday! Bok Tower photos will have to wait. Please say a prayer for a safe and healthy delivery for Susan and the babies.