here is my sweet heart

I have been agonizing over this post, which pictures and how to say how much we love her and capture the events of those days we were there. Mom and I found a letter from PawPaw to Leah in her baby book. One day Brynn Leigh may want to read what Auntie said about her first days in this world, that is some pressure. But seeing as she is almost 3 weeks old I just need to post it whether it is perfect or not.



First Impressions of my First Niece

We walked up to the door, Room 264, and knocked softly. Opening the door she was behind a curtain in her daddy's arms. Swaddled in pink. Sweet and peaceful.

I think I torn her out of Michael's hands. I wanted to see her and hold her and tell her my name. She is perfect. Looks like a mix of Brody and Dylan but with a sweet feminine mouth and girly features.
She won't remember but she was loved so much from the very moment she was born and we fell all over ourselves to get to meet her. She was so quiet until David held her while standing, she screamed a piercing girl yelp. We all joked that she could sense a change in altitude.

I spent the next few days going back and forth between the hospital and the house. After breakfast I would get in Dylan's bed and David would get in Brody's bed and they would show us all their toys or try to attack David. And one morning we played Monopoly Jr. I called it "my mid-morning rest".  Then mom and I went up to the hospital. Everyday I wanted so badly to take care of my Leah. Her body did an amazing job growing and caring and giving birth to our little BL. Although recovering, Leah had a sense of peace around her. The hospital room was so calm and felt light. Little promise wrapped in a blanket, squeaking in her mother's arms bathes the room in cozy, warm love. She may not remember but those were special days in the hospital.

It was raining on homecoming day.

She didn't like her car seat at first and let everyone know. Over all she is a fearless, easy going baby who knows what she wants.

Mimi loaded the car with all her gear and Michael drove slow to avoid any bumps in the road. When we walked in the house everyone came over. Brynn Leigh can draw a crowd.

Dylan sang her the song he wrote for her "baby don't cry" and Brody was quick with his assigned job of pressing the music soother. Dylan wanted to hold her and did a great job of watching cartoons and holding a baby at the same time. She is so lucky to have big brothers to bring her toys when she is sad. (And stick monkey hands in her mouth)

Her first day home we held her non-stop, and by we I mean me. I couldn't put this sugar lump down. Brynn Leigh had no complaints for her auntie. Even though I was only around for a couple of days I changed one pp diaper. And she dealt with that debacle, I can already tell she is going to be one tough cookie.

We had dinner that night in the dining room, all of us. Leah, Michael, Dyan and Brody (at their small table they carried into the dining room together), Mimi and Cool and Auntie and David and Brynn Leigh. Everyone together. And that night we had movie night and watch Madagascar 3.


Hard to sum up new life. First days in this world, and possibility and change. And what I want Brynn Leigh to remember about her first days is

         She is loved

         Her family came all the way to Arkansas to meet her
         Uncle David and Brody both loved petting her head - her dark hair
         Auntie loved her widdle chin and her tiny squeaks
         Mimi stayed with her for 3 weeks + 1 week before
         Mimi sent "Picture of the Day" to Auntie
         Brothers love her so much
         She is a star and a sweet heart.

march comes in like a lion

This March came in like a lion, lots of roaring and unexpected challenges and one very special treat.

 

Houston

Two Saturdays ago Mary had a seizure/s and was rushed to the hospital for tests. David got the call and was at his parents house in less than five minutes, yet another reminder of how nice it is to be close to them for emergencies. Thankfully she was fine and did well in the hospital even with a roommate!

 

Last weekend, and a little before and a little after, Gil was in Miami for the derm convention and we had Mary for four days. I tend to get nervous around this time of year because it is a lot of responsibility to care for another human being, especially one with health problems.

 

I wonder sometimes what was God thinking? If I were to pick a person who would cope with a terminally ill MIL, I would choose someone tender, caring, selfless and easy going. Not going to fool myself into thinking I am any of those things. When David was struggling seeing his mom in the hospital I didn't know how to comfort him, I just made stupid jokes about Ceasar medication.

In general what was God thinking with me? He made me so different and so bad at all the stuff that makes someone a good person.

Arkansas

Thursday, March 7th 2013

My niece Brynn Leigh was born! I love saying her name, Brynn Leigh and calling her my niece. I love her lots.

Friday we flew to AR to meet her! Went straight to the hospital for the first snuggles. David went to his post with the boys. I swear they think he is their best friend. They love me, but the LUUURVE him, they cried when they found out Dp wasn't staying forever. (They asked him to buy a house in Arkansalt)  I got to take care of Leah and Brynn Leigh but Dp stayed on twin duty all weekend. But watching him play Transformers it didn't look like duty to me.

I brought the boys a scavenger hunt for the park expecting them to half pay attention. But Saturday we went to the park and they were really into it. Brody especially. Things we found I didn't think we would find: birds nest, butterfly, kite, someone riding a bike. Things we found that weren't on the list: duck, bridge, tree stump and fish.  Daddy Cool and David taught the boys to skip rocks. We wore those boys out, Brody asked to go home, he wanted to play on the play ground but he was tired and his feet hurt.

 

Houston

Monday we left mom and Mercer's and BL and flew home. Terrible feeling leaving the people you love. I had so much time with the twins when they were born, and I want BL to know me just the same.

When we got home I noticed the bathroom floor was soaked. My first thought was "David mopped!!" and then quickly realized no, husbands don't do house work. We had a burst pipe in the attic and water was dripping from the ceiling.

When have you ever heard someone say "I was at home and heard a dripping noise and it was a leaky pipe so we turned off the water and called a plumber before any damage was done." ? Never.

ALWAYS " We came home from a trip and the _____room was flooded." Always.

Thankfully

• Pipe was an easy, fairly inexpensive, fix.
• Husband mopped the bathroom floor!!

last chance to daydream

I won't have to daydream about my little niece anymore.

I won't have to wonder
will she have a squeaky voice and texas twang like mama
or a big laugh like daddy?

will she be kind, thoughtful and a dancer like brother
or tender, funny and a lover of stuffed animals like other brother?

will she have dark hair or strawberry blonde hair
will she have hair?!

will we still call her Sweet Monkey 10 years from now when she wears lip gloss and has pierced ears?
will she be like Daddy Cool's family emotional and creative?
is she going to eat beef?
will she love the beach?

maybe when she is 5 will she know all the songs to annie or maybe play soccer
maybe she will watch astro's games with daddy
and play in mommy's old super high heels and sneak a spray of perfume

maybe she will love bluebonnets or sunflowers
maybe her favorite animal will be the elephant and she will learn to make a perfect trunk horn with her hands

I won't have to guess her name
or imagine her face and smile
and little baby girl smell

or daydream about my first niece hug.


sweet monkey

sugar and spice

Having a sister maybe the best ever.

It was like having a best friend from birth. Someone to play with, sing and dance with, race, fight, share a bed, and teach me SO much. Being the little sister takes the cake.

When the boys were born I fell in love. It was like they were mine in a special way. I saw my sister in these two crazy boys. Sometimes even seeing myself in them. Brody and Dylan have always been pure joy, just giggles and smiles. Being an auntie is almost better than being a little sister.

Watching Leah & Michael yearn for another child was hard. I wanted a baby for her so badly. When she told me they were expecting - it was pure joy again! Thrilled doesn't describe the joy, I was so so so so happy and thankful. And imagine my squeals when we found out I have a NIECE !!!

I'm so excited to have a niece but also for the boys to have a sister, and Michael to have a daughter, and my sweet sister to have everything her heart wished for. Nothing makes me quite as thankful this Thanksgiving than little Sweet Monkey.

And I've already started a list of all the things her Auntie will do with her:

• Watch Seven Brides for Seven Brothers with her and dance during the barn raising and June Bride.
• Teach her how to color and that Crayola is the best crayons. (I'm sure Leah will show her how to keep all them in their correct spot in the box.)
• Pretend church, boat, train, beauty parlor and whatever else. (But probably not school.)
• Clap the loudest when she learns a new cheer and does a perfect cartwheel.
• Give her lots of candy.
• Paint her nails with pretty pink polish.
• Rock her baby doll when she tells me to.
• Play checkers and Go Fish when her brothers don't want to play with a girl.
• Push her in the swing.
• LOVE HER TO PIECES

baby weekend

Theme of the Weekend -- babies babies babies
two weekends ago)

Thursday night David and I picked up his brother and SIL and nephew Andrew at the airport. They live in Philly and we haden't met little Andrew yet. He was a sweet little baby.

Friday night dp's cousins came into town to meet Andrew. It was also a big celebration for Gil and Mary's 40th wedding anniversary. With Mary's failing health this was an esspecially important celebration.

Hugo's --When I daydream, I'm dreaming of Hugo's. Delicious.

I made the programs for my wedding, and regretted it. Messing around with a printer is always a pain. It is the one thing I would change. And I did it again. I thought, Oh I'll just whip somethign up, no big deal. 8 hours later the little placecards looked like junk. Luckily, dp's family isn't detail oriented people and thought they looked great.

I also made flower arrangements. Notice the "rubies" in the vase for their 40th.



Saturday morning we drove to DFW to find out the gender of my new nephew! Jeni, my Navy Sister, is pregnant with her second. I don't know how they can have another cuter than Logan. He is my buddy. He kills me.

Two words - Hulk Smash. :)


And then the reveal....

Another BOY!!!


2011 Baby Boom has arrived.

we stopped by

I think we visited everyone we knew in the DFW area this weekend. I can not believe we crammed it all in.

The goal was to go up for my best friend Jeni's mom's wedding, see Logan before his 1 year b-day, Grandaddy's 80th birthday, meet our new twin cousins.


Friday
Spent the morning/afternoon at the dr's. (long story)
Left Houston at 330ish.
Got to Lewisville in time to meet people at the rehearsal dinner.
Jeni and I got froyo and David and Chris played video games... you can almost hear dp's happy gargle in the distance


Saturday
Woke up, went to the church, got the ladies dressed.
Had a wedding!
Left Lewisville at 330ish (a trend this weekend) to head toward Ft. Worth.
Played pear pickin' outside, wagon rides, slide all before dinner.
Grammy icecream! oh wow.
Talked with the cousins, and played with the boys.


Sunday
Woke up, played with the boys and went on the where is the red truck hunt.
David realised he left all his clothes in Lewisville.
930 we head back to Lewisville, pick up clothes, and watch Logan open his birthday present.
Onward to Dallas!
Met Elizabeth and Isabella, David's cousin's new twins.
Had lunch with Aunt Marilyn, Lisa, Lori, Voung and Miles the doggie.
330 left for Houston


Goals achieved!

Of course I didn't get pictures of the important stuff, like granddaddy blowing out the candles, or the wedding, or the new twins... But here is the good stuff!

i ran a red light

June is a busy month for us this year and we kicked off the first weekend in June with a packed weekend.

How can I have more if I haven’t had any yet?
Friday night Mexican was a little different. We went to Amazon Grill, it is kind of ridiculous good. Got my normal #7 Puntas with the black bean sauce. (eat it. it is incredible), this fresh jicama salad called escabeche vegetables- love love love.

Then somehow I convinced us to get the s’mores. I had fun eating them, David had fun burning things. It was kinda perfect. And it made me want to go camping.

I ran a red light… literallySaturday was our 5k Heights Fun Run. This one was a lot more enjoyable, 90% shade, a breeze, and lots of great people watching. Oh yeah and we didn’t have to walk on a slanted freeway entrance.

My goal was to run more than we did on the last one, which was easy considering I was dead at mile one in our last 5K. And I can say I ran under many red lights up and down Heights Blvd. Silly pun.

Yes Ma’ams!
Saturday evening we got Spanish Flowers, delish. I just can’t live without that place. And then we stopped by Mam’s House of Ice for our first snowball of the season. YAY! We got blackberry and some kind of orchid cream. Yumms! (I had intended on taking a picture, but I ate it…)

254
Still on Saturday, we parked in my garage and walked to the ball game (free parking!). But we walked a ton that day. Game was fun, I like going to the ball park, it is just a fun experience. It was a pretty full park considering how much we suck as a team.

We tried practicing picture taking because we have under 20 days till the cruise and Dp always makes weird faces in pictures. See…
*We were playing the cubs and dp definitely did wear Cub's blue...

RexySunday we got to meet “little” Rex. He was 22” when he was born!! He is a cutie. Can you tell from the fuzzy pic? Thanks David. We are going to have to practice practice practice before we cruise.
My Brown ThumbI murder plants. Gosh I really wish I had a green thumb and wouldn’t kill everything that comes into my possession. So I had two plants some lavender or sage or something and a blue daze that weren’t completely dead, so I dug out all the crispy brown guys from my pots and watered the “still living” plants. So I get it now, you have to water the plants… right, we’ll try that this time.

I can’t wait to drive up to my house tonight and see the porch free of Plant-Morgue.

CRUISIN’EEEEEEP is the only sound I can make to convey the excitement I have for the cruise! But the past couple of weeks of book hunting have not produced a reading selection for the cruise.

Help! How do I pick a great book/s for my trip?

no baby fever...

Just wondering if I am the last woman on the planet who isn't pregnant?

I think pretty much every woman in my generation is...
was there a memo I missed?