Church Buddies

Presley has been sitting in "big church" the past couple of weeks and is doing amazing. She is quiet, colors on her children's bulletin or opens the hymnal and looks at the music. Kali is usually sitting with the youth but today she decided to sit with me (love when she does!) I snuck this pic during the homily. I just love how good they are to one another. Kali wants to hold her on her lap

and Presley lets her. 

You do my makeup, I'll do yours!

Kali did Presley's makeup tonight, just because. Which in turn turned into Presley asking, "mom can I do YOUR makeup?" Which turned into Kali AND Presley doing my makeup and since Kali was still war paint free, I told Presley to do her makeup!

Presley is 1

Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday sweet Presley, happy birthday to you! I love more than words can say and have loved being able to watch you grow and change into the feisty, lovable, funny little girl you have become. Being your mom is the best thing that has ever happened to me and is such an honor!

Today you had your 12 year old check up and shots :( I know, I'm such a bad mommy I made you get shots on your birthday....but it is only to keep you healthy. You know longer will sit up on the table and laugh at yourself in the mirror, you are on the floor walking and opening every cabinet, pushing around every chair and just constantly moving. I love it! Here are some fun things that you are doing and into these days....

* you are 18 pounds 4 ounces

* you are 30 inches long

* you are wearing a size 4 diaper

* shirts you can wear a size 12-18 months, pants are still 12 months. You are long enough for 18 month pants, just not fat enough to fill them out :)

* you are wearing a size 4 shoe

* you eat anything and everything. There is nothing that you will NOT eat

* you love moving things...pushing, pulling, it doesn't matter. As long as you can take it from point A to point B then you are a happy camper

* you are not sleeping all the way through the night, however we have gotten better. You get up just once in the middle of the night, I take you out of the crib and you and I will snuggle and fall asleep next to one another. I love it. Part of me wants you to sleep through the night just because it would be nice to have a solid nights sleep, but the other part will miss you wrapping your arms around me and wanting to cuddle

* you will tolerate me putting little ponytails in your hair..however you rip out any bow or head band that I put it.

* you love all the animals. You are constantly trying to give the dogs hugs or lay on top of the cats (which they can't stand) but then you chase them around the house screaming!

* you love face timing on my phone with anyone who will talk to you

* you are doing better with being in the car seat. Some car rides are tear free, while some are full on bloody murder screams

* you love playing with kids. Little kids, big kids, anyone who will play with you - you are all about it

* you have 8 teeth and have learned how to bite

* you have started giving kisses and hugs.

Now that you are done with your appointment, it is time to go home, pick up Bridget and head to Aunt Gwen and Uncle Kendall's house!



Heading to the Fort

After the doctors, the birthday girl, Bridget and I headed to Kendall and Gwen's. Kelly was driving separate because he had to stay in fort smith after our vacation because he had to drill, so us girls were loaded down and ready to party :)

I have to admit that I had a felt like a horrible mom because today is Presley's birthday and she had to wake up and get shots, then spend 3 hours in the car, and then to top it all off we didn't do anything for her birthday on her birthday. No cake, no cupcake with a candle...nothing. But like Kelly kept telling me all day...her party is tomorrow so we will celebrate then. Plus she is only 1 and will have no rec election of her first birthday, only what she reads here :) So with that, I will end and finish getting things ready for her big day and go to bed thinking that I still can't believe that I have a ONE YEAR OLD!!!!!

Bridget

This sweet monster of a pooch is Bridget. She is a 9 year old English Mastiff, who I have had since she was 3 years old. A little back story about Bridget....I was working at a vet clinic in Alton, Illinois, living with my ex when I saw an English Mastiff for the fist time at work and fell in love. I wanted one right there. After doing a little research and realizing that a pure bread mastiff could cost around the thousands (yikes!), I figured that wouldn't happen for a while.

My friend Dana, who had previously worked at another clinic in town told me about Bridget. After getting some information about her and her owner, I realized that her owner and I went to the same grade school and high school and knew one another. She had a male mastiff and Bridget. Her plan was to breed them and sell the puppies. Then Bridget developed a pyometra (infection in the utreus) and needed an emergency spay. So unfortunatly/fortunatly Bridget wasn't able to having babies.

Afer finding out that her owner needed to find a good home for Bridget, I was all over it. She was full blood (not that that matters to me at all), but was current on vaccines, spayed, well mannered, potty trained and just wanted to be loved....she was mine. Best part of it all...she was FREE!

I brought her home with me and the rest is history! She has been throught a lot with me. Break-ups, moves, new jobs, a husband and now kids. She has taken it all in stride and is truely my best friend. We had a little reality check with Bridget today when she started having seizures. I have always said that she is an old lady and the vet tech part of me knows that our days are becoming numbered, but the parent side (yes she is like my child) doesn't want to ever have to say good bye to my first child.

We had made plans to go back out to the lake to hang out with Megan and Graham before they headed back to Poteau and that day she had her first seizure. From then on we had have had 3 within 48 short hours. Kelly and I took her up to my old job and we ran bloodwork on her and it came back that her thyroid was low. So we started her on thryroid medication in hopes that that was what was causing her seizures.

Along with having a seizuring dog, we also have a 1st birthday coming up that we have already made plans to have a birthday party for Presley at my in-laws in a few short days so now instead of leaving Bridget at home with the other two (Sadi and Samara), she will come with us so that she can continued to be watched. What a way to throw a wrench in the plans Bridg!

Hanging out with the Dunn's

Friends of ours from Poteau came down to Lake Thunderbird because their son, Asher, is in a wake boarding camp. Megan and Graham invited us out to their campsite to hangout and out out on their boat. This was going to be Presley's first boat ride and I will say I was kinda nervous.

Right after we got to the campsite, first thing to do was go out on the boat! This was before the boat took off and Presley had a huge melt down, ha ha. She did not like the noise of the boat. Megan was wake boarding so I would try and have her watch Megan thinking that that would get her mind off of the noise of the engine, but that was a no go.

I finally realized that if I covered her ears while we were moving, she did much better. So the last half of the boat ride was pretty enjoyable.

After we docked the boat and brought everything up to the campsite, it was time to start the grill for some dinner. Hamburgers, hot dogs and brats :) Yummy!

Cambry and Asher had collected shells off the beach and were saving them in this Ziploc bag...sticky fingers Lynn got a hold of the bag, and she was off!

I swear she is becoming more and more like a little squirrel. Needs to collect as many things as she can and try and carry all of it at one time.

Presley is ready for her turn on the wake board

Cambry was so sweet with Presley. She was very patient and willing to play with her. Such a sweet little girl.

And pretty silly :)



Kali's Trip to Branson

After the graduation, Nanny and Papa dropped Kelly off at home and picked Kali up. They were going to go to Branson with Mimi and Papa (Ricci's parents) and Kali wanted to tag along. Mimi and Papa have a time share down there so they is tons of stuff for Kali to during the day just around the condo.

She had a little hot tub fun!

As usual she is able to make friends in no time

a little Ping Pong action.

I was so jealous when Nanny sent me this pic! What I wouldn't give to go sit in a nice hot sauna and just relax! Kelly and I were commenting that it kinda looks like she was photo shopped in this picture because of the wide bench. It looks like her upper half is so tiny and her legs and feet are soooo long. She looks like she is a having a blast though!

A little night swim with some friends anyone?

One day Nanny and Papa made a trip over to Silver Dollar City for the day....I have been there once and what I remember of it was it was so neat. Tons of shopping and rides and yummy food!

Getting some practice in before she goes up to the farm!

what a nut!

What a goober!

Oh I am so not ready for this one to be a teenager! This picture just screams "miss thannng" to me :)

Papa and his little girl on the giant swings.. She is very lucky to have such an awesome Papa!

Up, up, and away :)

They also took in some shows while they were there...These were the Chinese Acrobats. That was probably a really neat show to see.

They also went to the Wax Museum. Let me just say that after Nanny texted this picture to Kelly and I picked him up from off the floor we both looked at one another and thought "NEVER!" Although I will admit it was funny watching her daddy squirm and freak out :)

Hanging in the condo with the group! She is so much fun. She was the only kid with four adults and she can still manage to have a blast! Crazy girl! I'm sure she was enjoying the one on one time she got her with her Nanny and Papa and was able to have a break from her little sister, but I will say Presley was surely missing her big sister. We would face time and every time she saw Kali she would scream and smile and take the phone and walk all around the house blabbing away. So Kali just know that not only were you miss my your parents but also by your little sister :)