Look at that Grin!

Susanna is now two and a half months old and has really learned how to smile these last few weeks! She charms us with her dimpled grins and shining blue eyes. She’s also been cooing and squealing more, and has been busy learning how to roll over—she can make it halfway already! Her favorite things to stare at are our faces, her hands, the ceiling fan, and the trees—she can be very focused at times! She’s continued filling out nicely, too, weighing nearly 12 pounds at her last doctor visit!
One of my favorite recent accomplishments of hers, though, is that she’s started sleeping through the night! Sometimes she gets a late start, but she doesn’t wake me up for nighttime feedings anymore, so I couldn’t be more grateful! We’ll see how it goes overseas—the time difference is exactly 12 hours. Poor thing! Just when she’s figured out her nights and days here, we move to where it’s exactly opposite! Let’s just hope she gets her nights and days straightened out there as quickly as she did here!

It's Great to be Two!

Who said twos were so terrible? Two in the life of Caleb means adventure, energy and fun! There’s never a dull moment as Caleb exercises his independence, and yes, we’ve had our share of frustration and challenges! But for us, this age is far from terrible. Caleb is inquisitive, intelligent, and happy to the bottom of his little soul—he always has a song in his heart and hums wherever he goes. I delight in his care-free spirit and love for people—he never meets a stranger. And conversations with him are always interesting. Recently he asked for “monster gorilla sticks” (mozzarella sticks) for dinner!
It’s thrilling to see his endless imagination, his impressions of the world around him, and his expressions about what he’s learning. The other day he was playing the piano, going down the keyboard note by note, and when he got to the deepest notes he shivered and said “Ooooooo, it’s scary down there!”
Caleb is certainly your typical rough and tumble, “all-boy” two year old, but he’s also very loving and empathetic. One time he overheard David comfort Susanna when she was crying in the car, saying, “It’s okay, Susanna. We’re almost there.” So a couple weeks later when he heard me crying in the car, he said, “It’s okay, Mommy. We’re almost there.” He’s also not short of compliments and has brightened my day many times with, “You’re a beautiful lady!” or “You look pretty!” Just the other day he walked in and said, “Hey, you big handsome Mommy!” He also loves to give: “Here, Mommy, I caught (got) you a flower!” or “This rock’s for you, Dadda!” Yes, there’s nothing like our two-year old Caleb. I love every bit of this age, and I wouldn’t trade this time with him for anything in the world!

Mother's Day Weekend

Mother's Day was a special and eventful time for us. Saturday evening, we had dinner with David's parents in South Carolina--a treat for David, who has spent the last several Mother's Days away from his mom. Sunday we were able to spend some time with both of my grandmothers, along with several other family members. My brothers and I along with our families celebrated our mom that evening by taking her to dinner at a favorite restaurant in Athens.

It is always so meaningful to me when all four generations are together. As sit beside my mom and watch my daughter's tiny hand in the hand of my grandmother, I feel so honored to share the bond of motherhood with such precious women. In light of our upcoming move, I certainly don't take these times for granted!

Five wonderful years...

David and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary on May 11th with a weekend getaway to a cabin in Cleveland, South Carolina. Caleb spent the weekend with Dave's parents and had a blast, and Susanna got to stay with us and see the mountains for the first time. The romance abounded in spite of having a two month old with us--we visited a beautiful outdoor chapel called "Pretty Place", renewed our vows at Caesar's Head overlook, and enjoyed numerous other spectacular views together. The highlight for us, though, was watching our wedding video and looking through our old pictures, notes and other memorabilia I've saved since we've been dating. It was so special to reminisce about our story and all the great times we've shared, to relive our journey and see how much we've grown and changed, and to reaffirm our love and gratitude for each other. We came away with full hearts and a deeper connection than ever before, looking forward to many more years together...

Go Braves!!!

Some good friends of ours treated us to dinner and a Braves game a couple weeks back--Braves vs. Padres. It was a fun time--we had great seats, got to see the face off between Smoltz and Maddux, and even taught Susanna the tomahawk chop--she's a big Braves fan, you know!

To the Beach!

We were recently able to take a weekend trip to Seagrove Beach, FL with some friends we went to college with, where we helped with childcare at a conference. We had a great time, especially since we got to enjoy staying in a condo right on the beach as part of our pay for keeping the kids. We were on the 6th floor and our balcony afforded us an incredible view--we even got to see a school of about 30 dolphins swim by at lunch one day!

Boy was it great to see the ocean again! It was Susanna's first time to go, and she was highly impressed--she thought it was the best place ever to take a nap. I think so too--there's nothing like the warm sun, ocean breeze, and the sound of the waves on the shore...(can you tell I love the beach?!). Caleb's been wanting to return to the ocean since last summer's family vacation to Charleston, so he was ecstatic! There's something so invigorating about watching a child enjoy the beach. Caleb's uninhibited delight was infectious, and we found ourselves running and splashing and giggling right along with him. He found camaraderie with two little boys who were playing soccer nearby, and again at the pool with a little girl who shared her toys with him. It was a fun trip--a nice getaway in the midst of all our packing and preparations!

Lots of family fun!

Lately we've had lots of opportunities for family fun and making memories. A couple of weeks ago we went to the Yellow River Game Ranch in Snellville--a petting zoo with a wide variety of animals. The weather was gorgeous, and we loved walking through the great outdoors enjoying all the critters. Caleb got a chance to feed some deer, squirrels, goats, and rabbits while Susanna slept comfortably in the baby carrier. The braying donkeys, crowing roosters, and squawking peacocks didn't bother her!

A couple of days later the fair was in town, so we went with my (Gracy's) parents and enjoyed the rides and entertainment. The carousel, the rocking boat, and the big slide were Caleb's favorites. And Susanna's favorite ride, again, was the baby carrier!

And last week, downtown Monroe hosted a Super Summer family fun night, complete with moonwalks, face painting, a puppet show, and other activities. We had a great time seeing all the kids and running into people we know. Caleb enjoyed the various activities, but a bubble machine at the courthouse square and the fountain at City Hall provided the most entertainment for him. Sometimes the simple things in life are the best!