Last soccer game and a birthday party

Mia had her last soccer game today and it was FREEZING. I mean, freezing.
She did better in this game than any of the others.  She actually kicked the ball, THREE times, one of which was toward the goal (the mean goalie stopped it! HA!) and ran like crazy during the whole first quarter (or whatever segments they are in soccer!!). After that, she was back to running on and off the field, being off in lala land and just playing with some of the other non pay attentioners.  HAHA
Oh well, she’s FOUR!  She gets more excited about the snack at the end than anything!!

And she got a medal today!!


Most of her team!


After the game, we got news that my parents boxer had started giving birth to her first litter of pups!!  I obviously had to head over and watch that!  The miracle of birth, human or animal, amazes me.  God is so amazing.  I honestly don’t know how anyone, after seeing a birth, could deny that there is a God.  And He is awesome!

This was the second one.  He was the runt.  I think Layla knew there was something wrong with him, because she never really took care of him.  She kept ignoring this one and I hated that.  We tried everything we could, including my sweet dad staying home with it, cuddling it, warming towels for it and even bottle feeding it puppy formula!  This poor thing was too weak to nurse and didn’t really even root.  I tried some skin-to-fur and bottle feeding it as well.  It did take some formula, so we thought it may have a chance.  However, every time we put him with his mama, she moved him away from her and ignored him.  Simply heartbreaking.  {{Little fighter passed away the next morning}}


After all that craziness, we went to Charlie’s 9th birthday party! I have no idea how he is NINE.  Seriously crazy. 
He wanted a Halloween/costume party!
My little mouse…


Max, AKA the cutest little sock monkey!




I didn’t get any pics of the older boys (who were the spandex guys), or kids in general, because they were crazy busy and playing!  Plus, mama was talking and stuffing her face with delicious food!
The only picture I managed to get of princess Ariel!  Eating cake like it’s her job. HA!


Such a crazy, busy, fun filled day!!!

Just the girls

This not so chunk a monk LOVES to eat!
Mouth full of Nutri Grain bar!


She is my child and I still can NOT get over that she is only in the 10%.  Totally baffles me. It obviously doesn’t phase her :)




My little buddies…

It’s a good thing she is such a patient child and loves her big sister so much!  Mia loves to baby her little sister!




Getting too big!


Playing peek-a-boo!


Because these are too sweet not to post…



Finley loves her “dah dah” (dog dog) and Sammy sure loves her girls!

Mama just loves all her girls so much!  And of course my main man ;)

Full heart.

Mia’s endocrine appointment and STATS

Today was Mia’s endocrinology check up.  Just mama and the big girl for this one.  I hate these appointments because, although they are only every 6 months, I hate seeing her have her blood drawn.  And, she is now old enough to know where we are and what happens at these appointments.

Blood pressure check!


Waiting…


Mia checked out perfectly!!  She is growing perfectly and staying on her growth curve (unlike little sister, ahem.)
Because everyone loves some statistics:
Weight: 36.8 lbs.- 43%
Height: 40 inches- 34%
Yes, the endocrinologist gets very SPECIFIC!!

They said according to her growth and mine and Dave's height, with their little calculations, she will be 5’5 when she is grown!  That is awesome because that is 2 inches taller than me!!  They told me the 95% of the time that is what she will be, but there is a 5% chance that she could be either 2 inches taller than 5’5 or 2 inches shorter.  So at the very least, she will be the same as me! 

Waiting for her blood draw.  She got really sweet and cuddly.  If you know my kid, this is totally abnormal behavior!!

Holding my hand and all!  You better believe I soaked up every last ounce of that sweetness!


I can’t even take a picture during the blood draw, because as soon as she sees the phlebotomist that always sticks her, she goes into full panic mode.  And she gets CRAZY strong.  It was next to impossible to even get her arm out of her sleeve!  After three grown adults held her still, we got to blood!  Every single time we do this, she has petechiae on her face and arm and is always bruised.  My poor baby.

She said “They took my arm, and stuck it and got bleed out!”

Finley’s 9 month appointment and STATS

Today was Finley’s nine month doctor appointment.  I always love going to the well  visits, because I get to see the best pediatrician and I get to brag on my babies a little bit!  Plus I love to know their stats and how they are growing, etc..



A couple waiting-in-the-room selfies to pass the time.  And because we are silly like that! HA!




Finley’s nine month STATS:
Weight: 15lbs 5 ounces- 9-10%
Length: 26 3/4 inches- 25%
Head: 17 1/2 inches- 75%

I was totally alarmed by her weight.  She went from the 25% to the 10% on the curve.  Although Dr. Kim was not concerned and told me to look at the baby!  She looks and acts totally healthy and appropriate!, I still can’t help but look at the stupid numbers!  I asked if I should supplement, (I am totally NOT one of those ANTI formula, ALL boob, kind of gals) because quite frankly, I was thinking I should.  The doctor told me I didn’t have to, but it was my choice.  After talking to friends, LC’s and nurses, everyone (AFTER their initial shock of her being so little, because she looks so fluffy) all thought I was ok to NOT supplement.  Honestly, I am still contemplating it.  I love nursing her (and I still will until she is 12 months), but I kind of feel like a failure. ??  Like, am I starving her?  She is meeting all of her milestone and is a completely content and happy baby, but I can’t help but feel bad.  Has anyone else ever been through this?

As far as the length, sorry sister, mama is a shorty :)
As far as the head, you get that from yo’ daddy!  HAHA

All in all, my baby is totally age appropriate, and I need to focus on that.  Babies come in all shapes and sizes :)

And no matter what the size, this one is one of my favorites !!

A rained out soccer game and Christmas shopping

We were literally on our way to Mia’s soccer game this morning when it got rained out!  So we made an impromptu breakfast trip to Cracker Barrel!

Miss Mia had pancakes and bacon and Miss Finley had eggs, pancakes, biscuit and jelly.  So thankful my girls are good eaters.  Hopefully it will stay that way!


Then we went home, got ready ready.  You know, like, showered, dressed and make-up ready.  We headed out for some early Christmas shopping…

Checking out the baby doll…


Seriously?  Seriously.


You guys?  This was NOT prompted.  She may be the death of me.  Maybe not physically, but emotionally!  I love this girl more than life, but when I say she is sassy, that is putting it very, VERY lightly. But that is a whole other post in itself.  In other words, isn’t she pretty??

Finley Claire is NINE months old!

You guys, why? Why does her life have to go by so fast?? 

This girl is a ham!




This month, I have seen the greatest changes.  Not exactly physically, but her little personality is really coming out.  She will let Mia know when she is not sharing and does not approve of Mia doing something.  She literally screams at her.  Not cry, but screams.  It’s hysterical, actually.  At least for now!  HAHA

Although some sass is coming out, girlfriend is still the happiest baby I know.  She smiles at everyone and now WAVES!  At everyone.  It is so sweet!  She flails that little arm just as fast and enthusiastically as she can!!
 






Also this month!  She could roll to her tummy before, but never did because she didn’t like it.  However, this month, she is a rolling machine.  I will lay her in one spot, look up a minute later and she is all the way across the living room!  This is a combination of rolling and half crawling!



She doesn’t pull up yet and her crawl isn’t exactly a crawl.  She gets her knees under her, rocks, takes a lunge and then goes back to flat on her belly, followed by a flying super man type pose.  Repeat.  HAHA.  I just know the full blown crawl is days away, and then my life will see a whole new set of challenges :)



Eat:  Finley eats just about everything we do.  She is actually starting to turn her nose up at baby food now that she has had the goods!  She likes everything we put in her mouth.  Seriously.  She has not spit anything out.  But her LOVES are goldfish crackers, nutri grain bars and plain townhouse crackers.  She loves to feed herself!  We are still working on a cup.  She still also nurses frequently through the night and just a little bit less during the day.  I honestly think she is doing it now more so for the bonding, not for hunger.  But, again, I love to bond with her, so it’s fine.
Sleep:  She goes to bed between 8-9 and wakes up every 3-4 hours to eat.  Wakes up for the morning around 730.  Takes about 3 naps per day, about 1-2 hours each.  However, this past month, whenever I put her back in her rock and play sleeper, she would arch and scream and was waking every HOUR!  We decided that she probably didn’t like it anymore, now that she can roll.  She probably wants to stretch out and lay on her belly.  Every time we put her in her bed, while she is awake, she never cries and puts herself to sleep.  So we decided that this past weekend actually, we would try her sleeping in her bed for the night.  Her first stretch of sleep was 5 hours, then 4 hours. She has given me ONE 8 hour stretch and a few 7 hour stretches!!  Lets hope mama can start getting some sleep now!

We go to the doctor next week, so I will have stats soon!

Finley Claire, you are still an absolute joy and I love being your mama!  You have proved to me that my heart can expand with love way beyond what I thought was capable.  You are such a delight!  Everyone wants to hold you and talk to you because you are such a ray of sunshine!  My sunshine.  You definitely shine and make people happy, even when the skies are gray!  I love you so much baby girl!

Just another manic Monday

Lots of business.  Or, busy-ness.  We took Mia to school, hit the gym, ran to the grocery, took groceries home, grabbed Sam, went to pick up Mia, then headed to the park!
Whew.

We frequent this park A LOT.  As you can see, it’s a huge, fenced in park, and there NO one there every time we go!  Sam can run loose and they can burn up tons of energy.  It’s a win all the way around!


After the park, we came home, made chili, got ready and when daddy left for work, the girls and I went to hang out with Meme, Poppy and Ben! 
Then we came back home, did bath time and hit the sheets!  Busy day, but full of fun and family!

Special sisters reading together before bed!

Soccer game and pumpkin patch

This morning started out lazy.  We hung out in our PJ’s until late morning and then got ready for the day.  Mia had her 3 soccer game this afternoon.  Is it bad that my favorite part is dressing her the part??

I mean, seriously.


When we get to the game, all of the teams go with their coach and do some pre-game type stuff.  While the other coaches were practicing kicking the ball, our coach gathered his team, all sat in a circle, opened his bible and started teaching them the story of Levi, the tax collector.  And I? LOVE THAT!  I am so grateful to have such great influences in her life.  Even in her soccer coach.

It really does take a village…


Prayer before the game…


Now the game begins…


Mia starts out like gang busters, running full speed, chasing the ball, never kicking it,  and loving it.  She then fizzles out, quickly!  HA!  She comes over to the sidelines, red faced and all, panting and asking for a drink, throughout the entire second half of the game :)

After the game, we headed to a local pumpkin patch!
Waiting for our turn on the hay ride…


New shoes on the hayride :)


Baby girl got her pumpkin!




OH my girls, how I love them so!


Daddy and his girls.  My people. Be still my heart.


Mommy and her sweet babies…




My peeps on the hayride…


Mia picking her heavy pumpkin! HAHA!


Poppy and his girl; Ben and Dave.  Sorry B, had to post this!  My brutus husband being silly :)


After the pumpkin patch, we went to see Nana (who is recovering from back surgery), Papaw, Aunt Terri and baby Jackson!
It’s the little things.  Such blessings.  I’m thankful for every one!