Casa de Davis

All You Need is Love

2012-02-14T15:55:00.001-06:00

hApPy HeArT DaY!

happy valentine's day to my little lovette.

my bright and shining star.

you are beautiful, smart, energetic, and oh, so funny.

you fill my heart with love and my life with sunshine.

i LoVe YoU!

happy valentine's day to my baby love. my bean.

you are my dream baby, so sweet and cuddly.

you, too, fill my life with love and sunshine.

i LoVe YoU!

Typewriter

2012-02-10T22:34:00.001-06:00

For the last year or so Mallory has been "playing ABC's" on my computer. We open Word, she picks a color, I turn the caps lock on and she goes to town. At first she would just hit random letters and watch them appear on the screen. Then over time, she started identifying them. This morning while I was getting everyone dressed, I opened Word for her to play.

After a couple of minutes she started yelling, "I spelled my name! Momma, I spelled my name!"

And I walked in to see this...

To say I'm proud of my smart girl would be an understatement.

things just got a little crazier...

2012-02-05T21:02:00.000-06:00

the bean is now a crawling machine. and on super bowl sunday of all days! one second he was inchworming across the living room and the next he was up on all fours zooming around the house. this guy doesn't mess around, he's quick!

Warm Winters

2012-01-31T16:03:00.000-06:00

We haven't had much of a winter this year. We pretty much went from summer to fall to spring. And I'm not gonna lie, I could totally get used to a winter-free life. And I think these kids could too...

They're loving all the extra outside time!

Gatlin Gray: Eight Months

2012-01-26T15:57:00.000-06:00

happy

{eight months}

gatlin gray!

Today, sweet bean, you are eight months old. I feel like your first year of life is flying by much faster than your sister's did. But then I think about it and I can't really remember life before you.

At eight months you have 6 (almost 8) teeth. You aren't officially crawling, but you do move forward. You get up on all fours, rock, stand up with your hands on the ground (like you're about to bear crawl), and then lunge forward. It takes everything you have, but you get where you're going!

I could probably sum up life at this stage in just a few words:

BIG

you are a big, big boy. i would say you probably weigh around 25 pounds. you wear 12-18 month clothes and a size 4 diaper.

you've got the biggest toothy smile that could make even the worst of days good.

you've got big, blue eyes that are always looking for something to get into.

you've got big hands. i know that sounds weird, but they're so big!

and they have a crazy amount of fat rolls on them.

cracks me up.

HAPPY

you are always happy.

we say it all the time, but you're such an easy baby.

you could sit or lay on the floor and play with your toys all day if we let you.

PICKY

you know what works for you and you do not like to change things up.

you have been so stubborn when it comes to your new food routine.

you do not want to start eating baby food.

things looked so promising at first, but then after two scary incidents we discovered you are allergic to rice flour and now you won't eat anything. nothing. nada. zilch.

we're working on a new sleep routine. it's been a bit of a struggle, but i think we're making progress.

I took you outside and put you on a blanket to take your monthly pictures, but all you wanted to do was touch the grass. I would sit you in the middle and the next thing I knew, you'd be scootin' your way to the edge. You would go right up to the edge, pull the blanket back, and brush your hand back and forth over the dead grass.

I sure do love you, silly boy.

{embracing} the bean

2012-01-19T11:21:00.000-06:00

we're baaaaack!

...and more importantly, we're embracing!

momma and the bean enjoying a little one-on-one time while sister was at mdo.

famous in a small town

2012-01-04T10:55:00.000-06:00

see this face? yep, it's cute, but now it's also famous. ok, so maybe not famous famous, but famous enough for this momma to brag about.

you see, ramsay and i always joke about gatlin's cute little gap between his front teeth. we say things like "this kid's going to give michael strahan a run for his money" and "michael strahan ain't got nothin' on this kid!'. so yesterday when mallory was napping, the bean and i were enjoying some quality time together. he was being way too smiley and cute not to take a picture and i ended up snapping this one with my phone. i sent it to ramsay with a text saying something along the lines of "we should send this to michael strahan!". and well... he did. via twitter.

and mr. michael strahan tweeted back!

see?! what'd i tell ya? famous.

HaPpY nEw YeAr!

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000-06:00

We finally managed to stay up until midnight this year! Yay! And in true mommarazzi fashion, I went around and took pictures of everyone at midnight. Nerd alert!

Hello, 2012! Here's to a new and promising year!

Gatlin Gray: Seven Months

2011-12-26T15:41:00.000-06:00

happy

{seven months}

gatlin gray

today, my little bean, you are seven months old! seven!

you have blonde hair and the bluest of blue eyes,

long eyelashes,

six teeth --

two on top, four on bottom

and when you smile, you can see all of them.

i think nana would probably say you have your momma's big smile.

you roll everywhere now.

you can sit up for a few minutes at a time,

but always end up throwing yourself backwards.

you are so very close to crawling.

you rock on all fours and then scoot backwards.

you "talk" all the time.

your favorite noise to make is the "g" sound.

silly goose.

you wear 12-18 month clothes,

size 4 diapers.

you've started eating cereal and love it,

peas, and love them.

next up is sweet potatoes.

you laugh when...

momma makes silly faces.

mallory does anything.
and i mean anything.

we lift you in the air.

we say "boo!"

i kiss you all over.

we blow raspberries in your neck.

we help you clap your hands.

i sing "you are my sunshine"

you cry when...

you're left in a room alone.

someone takes something from you.

you wake up alone.

you're in the car at night.

i love you, bean!

you're sweet and happy and handsome and growing like a weed.

i couldn't ask for anything more

...except a full night's sleep.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T22:39:00.000-06:00

This year we did Christmas a little different than we have in the past. We've decided to spend Christmas at home as a family rather than driving back and forth from house to house. And I must say, I'm so glad we did! This was probably one of the best Christmas' I've ever had. We woke up Christmas morning with one really excited little girl! She couldn't wait to see if Santa had eaten his cookies. Seeing her presents was just icing on the cake. This year Santa brought the kiddos exactly what they asked for -- a new blue scooter for Mallory and a pony {rocking horse} for Gatlin! They also got three presents from us. This is something we will always do. Mallory knows {and eventually Gatlin will too} that Jesus got three gifts from the wise men so I feel like giving them each three gifts is another way of reminding them of the reason we celebrate. We spent the morning opening presents, eating breakfast, and playing. I'm so thankful for my little Oklahoma family. This was definitely a Christmas to remember!

Christmas Traditions

2011-12-24T22:37:00.000-06:00

This year is really the first year Mallory gets the whole Christmas thing. She knows about Santa and is super excited about his visit. She knows that we're celebrating Jesus' birthday and He's the reason for all the celebration. And since this is the first year she's actually understood things, we decided to start our Christmas traditions. Growing up, I don't really remember having any traditions {my parents will probably be calling in about 10 minutes to remind me of all of them} so these are new to all of us!

The Davis' Christmas Eve Traditions

bake cookies for Santa

bake a cake for Jesus

say goodbye to Zeke

go to church

open Christmas jamas from Zeke

The Davis Express -

put on your new Christmas jamas, pack up a few cookies and some milk, and drive around listening to Christmas music and looking at Christmas lights

put out a plate of cookies and some milk for Santa with a few carrots for the reindeer

more, pease!

2011-12-19T21:54:00.000-06:00

Gatlin had his first taste of baby food for dinner. I wasn't expecting a positive reaction since his big sister refused to eat anything for her first year of life. Well, that and the fact that it was peas. I mean, who likes peas other than my husband?! And I really wasn't expecting anything after this face...

But I was wrong. This little tank will {happily} eat just about anything we put in front of him. We finally have a good eater in this family!

O Christmas Tree

2011-12-18T19:19:00.000-06:00

2011 Christmas Card

2011-12-14T12:24:00.000-06:00

What Gift Did You Bring The King?

2011-12-13T19:01:00.000-06:00

Mallory had her first Christmas program tonight. Sitting in the sanctuary with a billion other families, camera in hand will really snap you into reality. We're parents. And not just parents of little babies (even though they'll always be my babies), but parents of a little kid. A kid big enough to go to school, memorize songs, practice, and perform in front of a packed house.

I was really surprised at how shy and reserved she was once they got up there. She sang all her songs, rang her jingle bells, and took a bow (which was definitely not scripted, but probably my favorite part).

After each age group performed, they all came back as a school to sing a few more songs. On her way up to the stage, Mallory picked a leaf off one of the poinsettias. I'm actually surprised she only picked one. The child is obsessed with picking flowers! After one song, I guess Mallory decided she was through and started to walk off the stage, but Miss Loralie grabbed her and Mallory sat in her lap through the rest of the program... while picking her nose. Yep, she was that kid.

The Littlest Fan Club

2011-12-11T14:18:00.001-06:00

Who dat say they gonna beat them Saints?!

Santa Baby

2011-12-10T22:09:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure why, but I have always insisted that our kids see the same Santa each year. Even if the actual Santa changes, the setup is still the same and for some crazy reason, that's important to me. When we lived in Texas, we visited Santa at the Gaylord. Well, we finally chose our Oklahoma Santa and headed to the city to have pictures taken at Bass Pro. One of my friends had posted on Facebook that he was a really good Santa and that they even let you take your own pictures and she was right! Not only do they let you take your own pictures, they give you a free 4x6 of the picture they take!

What I didn't know was that they have their own special system for seeing Santa. We walked in at 3:45 prepared to stand in line, but we were given a "ticket". It was a pass for a 5:30 time slot. Yep. We wouldn't even be able to get in line for another hour and a half! So we took our pass, loaded back into the car and drove around for a while. Once we got back and were able to get in line, things moved pretty quickly.

Gatlin was so excited to meet Santa for the first time.

And "excited" doesn't even begin to describe how this beauty felt. She was so ready to see Santa and tell him all about the blue scooter she's been talking about.

Her first glimpse of the man himself.

Mallory has never been one to cry, but I'm not going to lie, I thought Gatlin would for sure. Ramsay sat him down and walked away, but the tears never came. He stared at him for a while, checking him out, and then started looking around for us.

Our 2011 visit was a success!

Mallory wants a blue scooter and Gatlin wants a pony... or so Mallory says.

Mallory's Wonderland

2011-11-26T17:30:00.000-06:00

I've decided, after three attempts and three fails, that it's impossible to take decent pictures and host a birthday party. The first year I took a ton of pictures, but the party fell through the cracks. The second year, I put someone else in charge of the camera and focused my attention on hosting. This year I'm not sure what I was thinking, but I attempted to do both... and I have the {terrible} pictures to prove it.

The theme was Alice in Wonderland inspired - lots of bright colors, whimsical decor, and a sprinkle of tea party. This was the invitation that I came up with.

Last year the bounce house was such a huge hit that we decided to never throw a party without one ever again. Mallory couldn't wait for her guests to arrive before getting her jump on so here she is enjoying her pre-party bounce time.

After most of the guests had arrived and had time to bounce, I herded them in for craft time. This was the first year I had a party craft and I'm so glad I did! Each kid was given a foam crown to decorate. Of course some enjoyed it more than others... mallorydashandlyric, but they all participated.

side note: somehow riley managed to craft and go without a picture, but he was there!

Since some of the kids were still inside after crafting, we called in the rest and dove right into {cup}cake time! I love watching Mallory when she hears people singing "Happy Birthday". I think it's probably her favorite song.

...and speaking of cupcakes, they were amazing! Once again, my super talented friend, Joanna, made them. They were exactly what I wanted and tasted as good as they looked... although in hindsight chocolate probably wasn't the best idea. There was chocolate cupcake everywhere when all was said and done!

I still can't believe she's three!

This is where I stopped taking pictures, but the party continued with more jumping, presents, and goodbyes.

When the guests left, they were given their decorated crown and a chocolate spoon. Even though I didn't take any pictures of the spoons on party day, I did manage to snap one with my phone while I was making them.

Happy third birthday to you, Mallory Anne!

I hope you always know how special and loved you are.

Gatlin Gray: Six Months

2011-11-26T13:14:00.000-06:00

happy

{six months}

gatlin gray

My sweet sunshine, today you are six months old. My favorite age. I love that you interact and know who we are. I love that you smile and "talk" to us, but you still want to be held and cuddled. You aren't mobile yet so you aren't into anything. I can still lay you on the floor without you crawling away and swallowing a Barbie shoe. It really is the perfect age.

You've already been to your well baby visit where they told us that you're healthy and continuing to grow like a weed. You're in the 97th percentile for weight and 90th for height and head circumference. The doctor gave us the green light to start cereal, fruits, and veggies. I'm thinking we'll probably start after our December trip to Texas. Don't tell anybody, but I gave you a little bit of mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving and you loved them! I think you're going to be my good eater.

I know I say this all the time, but you are such a good, happy baby. You are so laid back and easy. You're pretty predictable as far as your schedule goes, but are also really flexible which is nice since since we've been traveling so often.

The older you get, the more your cute little personality starts to come out. You're a pretty funny little guy! You love your momma most of all, but you also love your big sister and daddy. You love to jump, whether it's in our laps or in your jumperoo. You've just recently started enjoying your playtime on the floor. You want to crawl so bad and work at it constantly. You can get up on all fours and rock, but you always end up going backwards. You've rolled over a few times, but still prefer to stay in the position I lay you in. Your favorite song is "You Are My Sunshine". If we ever want to get a smile out of you, all we have to do is sing that song.

I love you more than words, my little man. You bring so much joy to our family.

They Say It's Your Birthday!

2011-11-19T21:00:00.000-06:00

Today, my sweet angel face, you turned three years old. Man, oh, man. How did that even happen?! When you were born, I decided that I would always do my best to keep your birthday special and separate from the day of your party. A day where we can celebrate you as a family. You had a fun day, filled with all the things you've been asking for, for months.

We started the day with a picture. Good morning, birthday girl!

Then, you "opened" your present. A new, pink, big girl bike! Of course you had to test it out immediately so we put your hat and boots on and headed outside.

It didn't take long for you to get a little crazy.

And then it was time for the main event. Horseback riding! You've been saying for months and months that you wanted to ride a horse for your birthday so we made a reservation and headed to Thunderbird Stables.

Since you're not old enough to ride by yourself, Daddy rode with you. And let me tell you, they don't mess around. They brought the horse around, Daddy jumped on, they stuck you on his lap, and off y'all went. An hour later, y'all came back (in once piece). You had so much fun and couldn't wait to tell me and Gatlin all about riding Whisper.

Our sweet family of four celebrating our birthday cowgirl.

I love this picture of you sitting on the saddle and watching the horses in the stables.

Before bedtime, we sang happy birthday (three times, per your request) and enjoyed mini cupcakes with sprinkles... your favorite.

hApPy HaPpY bIrThDaY MaLLoRy aNnE!

We love you to the moon and back and hope you're birthday was extra special!

Mallory Anne: Three

2011-11-19T05:10:00.000-06:00

happy

{third birthday}

mallory anne!

...and just like that, you're three years old.

The Stats:

weight: 36 lbs. 8 oz. (90th percentile)

height: 38 1/2 inches (80th percentile)

how can it be?! weren't you just born last week? this past year has been such a fun year with you. i have loved watching you grow into the little girl you've become. you've got quite the personality, miss priss. you're super silly and sassy, but you have such a sweet and caring heart. you're our little social butterfly. you love school and church and any type of get together. you say the funniest things! we are constantly wondering where you come up with some of the things you say. you also talk with a crazy southern accent. you say "won't" instead of "want" and I crack up every time you say or sing "hallelujah".

you started school this month and to say you love it would be the understatement of the century. putting you in school one day a week was probably one of the best things we've done for you. you love your teachers and your friends. you instantly bonded with a little girl in your class named madison. you always talk about her and julianna and tell us that they're your "best friends". i love that you're making friends at such a young age.

you're still a picky eater and tend to stick to your favorites -- hot dogs, spaghetti, peanut butter and jelly or peanut butter and honey sandwiches, grilled cheese, burritos, quesadillas, corn dogs, chicken strips, pizza, and "burger burgers". you also like french fries, mexican rice, refried beans, macaroni and cheese, carrots, broccoli, corn, and pretty much any fruit we put in front of you.

your bedtime and naptime routine is still a struggle. we still have to sit in the chair in your room until you fall asleep, which can take anywhere from 20 minutes on a good day to over an hour. this is something we really need to work on. you usually sleep around 12 hours each night and take one afternoon nap. sometimes your nap is only 30 minutes long and sometimes it's a couple of hours. we never really know what we're going to get with you.

for the past 6 months we've been telling you that when you turned three, you'd have to give up your "nunu". you knew that when this day came, we'd pack them up and send them off to the new babies in the hospital. we were prepared for the worst, but you did so good! we gathered them all up and you put them in a box. you've managed to nap and ride in the car without it!

you continue to be our little sponge. you have memorized a handful of books and love to "read" to us. you can identify all your capital letters and can count to 14. you have started "writing" your name (a long line of squiggles) on your papers. you still love love love anything artsy craftsy. you like to draw trees and flowers, people, fish, and circles. you have a new love for games and could spend hours playing them. you're also way into puzzles and can complete small 12-24 piece ones all by yourself!

"mowry" anne davis

"free" years old

what is your favorite color? red

what is your favorite toy? jessie (toy story doll)

what is your favorite snack? graham crackers

what is your favorite thing to have for dinner? cheese bread

what is your favorite game? cards (memory)

who is your best friend? madison

what is your favorite animal? a cow

what is your favorite song? Jesus Loves Me

what is your favorite book? the airplane one (That's Not My Plane)

what do you want to be when you grow up? a clown

Discover Oklahoma: {Arcadia}

2011-11-13T16:21:00.001-06:00

a few months ago, ramsay and i loaded the kids in the car and started driving. we ended up in guthrie, oklahoma, had dinner, drove around town for a little while, then headed back home. it was fun to get out and discover all the places our new home has to offer. since then we've been to several different cities.

when i read about a fun little gas station cafe called pops, i knew arcadia, ok would be the next town to visit.

and it did not disappoint! after we said goodbye to the last texas visitor this afternoon, we loaded up and headed north to arcadia.

pops is a really cute and fun little gas station cafe. colorful soda bottles line the glass walls from floor to ceiling. we dined on burgers and fries... and, of course, yummy sodas (except mallory. she wanted "white milk").

i felt like such a tourist, but the place was just too cute so i busted out the camera and snapped some pictures.

ramsay said at night this soda bottle lights up a million different colors!

A Budding Artist and the Bean

2011-11-07T10:43:00.001-06:00

this little beauty has such an intense love for all things creative... and cake. the girl loves her some cake! but that's not what we're here for so let's get back to it. she could spend all day coloring, painting, gluing, and cutting. i know i'm her momma and all, but the girl is pretty good!

here she is painting. she calls this one "rain on the flowers".

i think wearing her "a dash of pretty" headband gives her art that extra oomph.

and, of course, the bean in all his irresistible cuteness.

On Shaky Ground

2011-11-06T08:06:00.000-06:00

http://www.okgeosurvey1.gov/

Well, we experienced our first earthquake last night! What a year for extreme weather! In February we had more snow and colder temperatures than I've ever seen followed by a tornado in May where I found myself in a neighbor's storm shelter two days before giving birth. Then, we had a summer of record heat with more days of 110+ degree temperatures than I'd like to remember and now this!

It was just before 11 pm, Ramsay was in the living room watching TV with his dad, Mallory was asleep, and I was laying down with Gatlin in our room when the house starting shaking. I had no idea what was going on at first, but very quickly realized it was an earthquake. They're saying it was a 5.6 which would make it the largest in Oklahoma history!

...and the babies? my terrible sleepers who never sleep? yeah, they slept right through it.

Our Tiny Turtle

2011-11-02T16:11:00.001-05:00

way back in august we tried to enroll mallory in preschool at a local church, but couldn't because it was full. turns out preschools aren't that easy to get into these days. you actually have to register in the spring if you want any chance of getting in. so we were put on a waiting list. september rolled around and school started and that call that i was hoping to get (the one letting us know they found a spot for us) never came. i had pretty much given up on the fact that she would start school this year and moved on to the idea of gymnastics.

and then we got the call... yesterday afternoon. letting us know a spot opened up and it was ours if we wanted it. and we did! so she started today. yep. less than 24 hours later. it's probably better that way. i was too busy finding a full-size backpack, lunchbox, and nap mat to even think about what was actually happening. my baby was starting school!

this morning was ca-razy trying to get all three of us dressed, fed, and out the door on time. we were totally late, but that didn't stop me from taking pictures of our Tiny Turtle (that's the name of her class. so cute!). the biggest surprise of the morning was that i wasn't emotional at all. i thought for sure i'd get choked up when i drove away, but i didn't! i was totally fine!

i'm sure with more notice i would've put a lot more thought into this huge milestone and started a lot of fun traditions, but with less than 24 hours all i could come up with was to continue the tradition of writing a sweet note on her lunch napkin (something my mom did until i graduated from high school). on our way to school ramsay called her and sang the same "first day of school" song his mom always sang to him. i love that he thought to do that.

mallory's teachers said she had a really great day and that she really liked PE. i'm going to have to take their word for it because mallory refuses to talk about it. the only thing she has said is, "It was pretty cool." yep, that's my teenager... two going on sixteen.

i should probably also mention that part of the reason we were late is because she got mad that i wouldn't let her wear "pink cheeks" (blush) to school. seriously. she's two.

HaPpY HaLLoWeEn

2011-10-31T23:00:00.001-05:00

...and this is the best shot i could get of them together. clearly i had to bribe a certain someone to sit still and look at the camera.

no bribing necessary for this photogenic little dino.

he was DINO-mite!

and another attempt at the stubborn little hippo. at least you can see her costume.

Gatlin Gray: Five Months

2011-10-26T23:08:00.000-05:00

happy

{five months}

gatlin gray

oh, my sweet sweet boy, where do i even begin? today you are five months old. each day you get bigger and bigger, your eyes get bluer, and your sleeping habits get worse. i'm pretty sure you slept a whoppin' 30 minutes today. and don't even get me started on how long you sleep at night! you refuse to sleep unless you are somehow touching me. and on the rare occasion that i can actually lay you down and walk away, you always manage to wake up within an hour. it's been terrible. i've tried to let you cry it out during the day, but you are stubborn and if you aren't happy, nobody is.

unlike your big sister, you aren't big on your nunu. you'll take it in the car and will chew on it when you're in the baby rocker, but that's about it.

speaking of the car, you hate it. absolutely can not stand riding in the car. no matter how long the trip, you scream from the time we shut the door until we pull you out. and boy are you loud!

but enough with the bad news, you're starting to sound like oscar the grouch and that just isn't the case. despite your poor sleeping habits and low tolerance for the car, you are a very happy baby. you love to play, both on your tummy and your back. you can jump with the best of them and would probably do so all day if we let you (and i stayed in the room with you). you love your sister. she makes you smile. she makes you laugh. and you practically break your neck looking for her if she leaves the room. sweet, sweet love. you are definitely a momma's boy, much more cuddly than mallory ever was. you love to be hugged and kissed and held.

you won't go back to the doctor until after thanksgiving so i'm not sure of your stats, but i know you're growing! all your current clothes are 12 months and you're still wearing a size 3 diaper. you've got your bottom teeth, but i'm thinking we'll see the top two sometime real soon. you are constantly sucking and chewing on anything you can get in your sweet mouth. you aren't rolling over yet, but you are really close. if you could just get that arm out of the way you would have it!

you are the perfect addition to our family and have brought more love and happiness than we ever thought possible. we are so proud to be your momma and daddy... and big sister.

we love you, bubs!

A Piece of My Happiness

2011-10-19T22:17:00.000-05:00

eeek! the cuteness is too much to handle sometimes. i could just eat him up!

Project Pumpkin

2011-10-17T20:24:00.002-05:00

Mallory finally completed her pumpkins... and it only took {three} days!

Allow me to introduce you to Super Grover (on the left) and Pumpkin (on the right). Just between you and me, I think she's playing favorites. I mean, not only did Super Grover get a name, but he also got a normal looking face and all the sparkles. Poor Pumpkin.

photo booth

2011-10-13T20:45:00.002-05:00

mallory has been in major daddy mode lately. she wakes up asking about him and doesn't let up until he comes home at night. i knew she needed some extra special time with him so i arranged a date night. i even let her pick out her own outfit for the occasion. but before they left we had a little photo booth fun.

Double Take

2011-10-13T19:17:00.000-05:00

I don't do a whole lot of comparing. After each doctor visit, I look back in the blog to compare stats, but that's about it. I really don't compare their baby pictures, but when Gatlin fell asleep in the jumperoo this afternoon it was like deja vu.

Both babes sleeping on the job... and both are right around 5 months old.

*side note: isn't it crazy that even my cell phone pictures have improved in the past 3 years?! these were taken with the same phone.

Today, an Architect

2011-10-11T09:51:00.000-05:00

i'm not sure what mallory will be when she grows up. the last time I asked her she told me she wanted to cook hot dogs. what can I say? she dreams big. and you never know, she may just do that. living the good life in the big apple and selling hot dogs off a cart to get by until she makes it big doing whatever it is she loves.

because one thing is for sure... this child will do something creative. her days are filled with acting, dancing, singing, and art. Lots and lots of art. she would do crafts all day, everyday if she could (with short breaks for a couple of cartoons where she would proceed to act and dance and sing along).

on this night she decided she wanted to "build" before bedtime. it was very serious and intense work.

pablo picasso once said, "the important thing is to create." i think he would most certainly be proud of our little creative genius.

Zoo School: Scaled Down

2011-10-08T17:45:00.001-05:00

Once a month, the OKC Zoo has a special class for toddlers that we like to call "zoo school". Each month they focus on a different topic and this month the class was called "Scaled Down". Ugh. I hate reptiles (...and amphibians and birds), but whatever, it's not about me. I knew Mallory would love it so we signed her up. The class was actually pretty great. They started off talking about scales. Then, they passed around different toy reptiles and read a book about snakes (which was far from age appropriate, causing most of the kids to lose interest). But then they busted out ~~the big guns~~ Scooter the turtle to reel the kids back in. Since it was a 2 year old class, they weren't allowed to touch him. It took everything Mallory had not to pet him, but the teacher did let him crawl around for a little bit.

Afterward, we moved onto crafts where each child was given some crayons and dot stickers (scales) to decorate their snake.

And finally, before we left for the reptile tour, we had a snack. How crazy is it that Mallory got the hippo cup?!

I love doing things like this with our kiddos. I think it's so important for them to experience as much as possible. Overall, the class was cute, fun, and very informative. But even more importantly, Mallory loved it so we'll definitely be signing up again.

A Visit From "Rolly"

2011-09-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

Our BFF's made an impromptu, mid-week trip across the river to visit us yesterday. They actually got in Tuesday night and stayed to play with us all day Wednesday while the dads went to work. It was such a pretty day... a little on the warm side, but that wasn't going to stop us from making the most of our time. We stripped 'em down, turned on the sprinkler, and let them go!

I've said it a million times, but I'll say it again... I love their sweet friendship. They really do love each other.

Gatlin hung out with the moms and enjoyed the cool breeze while I took a bazillion pictures of his crazy blue eyes. Beautiful.

Gatlin Gray: Four Months

2011-09-26T18:57:00.000-05:00

Happy

{four months}

Gatlin Gray!

The little man of the house, Gatlin Gray is four months old today!

And for the first time in almost three years, I'm not going to say anything about time going by too quickly. I mean it is, but what I can't believe is that he's only been with us for four months. Only four months. You'd think I'd be able to remember life before him, life before we added the bean, but I just don't. He seems to be growing by the minute, and for that I am sad, but he brings so much joy and sunshine into our lives that I can't help but celebrate and embrace all his milestones... even if that means he is getting bigger.

new {loves}:

to swing

jumping in the jumperoo

"jumping" on the bed with your sister

playing outside

taking walks and riding in the stroller

{giggles}:

softly touching the sides of your face

kissing your neck

making funny faces and noises

swinging

jumping on the bed with Mallory

the {facts}:

height: 26.5 in (90%)

weight: 20 lbs (97%+)

hair: still a light blonde, parted on the right

eyes: the prettiest blue eyes in the world

(i can say that because Mallory's are green)

clothes: anything from 9-12 months

diapers: size 3

{milestones}:

you have {TWO} teeth! both on the bottom. both crooked, but oh, so cute.

I love you to the moon and back, Gatlin Gray.

Joe the Giraffe

2011-09-24T22:09:00.001-05:00

We decided to take advantage of another beautiful day {and our zoo friends passes} and headed to the OKC zoo. I thought I was doing pretty good... I remembered a snack and water cup for Mallory, a packed diaper bag, the camera, and the zoo passes! Unfortunately, I forgot to charge the camera battery before we left so it died right before the elephant show. Bummer. But, on a positive note, I did manage to get a few pictures of Mallory feeding the giraffes!

She named him Joe.

Friday Fun

2011-09-23T19:18:00.001-05:00

After a miserably hot summer, I am seriously loving this weather! I feel like we've been on lock down since Gatlin was born. 100+ temps aren't exactly the ideal conditions for a toddler and a newborn... or their momma for that matter! Now that it's a little bit cooler, we're spending a lot of mornings and afternoons outside playing and the babes are loving it. They seriously can't get enough.

The next Mia Hamm perhaps? Her Nana will be so proud!

{we won't tell her Mallory actually jumped while throwing the ball in the air. we'll just let her think Mallory's a soccer prodigy.}

And, of course no post is complete without the little mister... sitting up all by himself. I think he was just as surprised as I was!

Another Milestone

2011-09-15T16:57:00.000-05:00

This guy slept in his own room for the first time last night! I was a nervous wreck and didn't sleep at all, but he managed to sleep 8 straight hours! Go, Gatlin, go! He woke up at 4:00am and wouldn't go back to sleep in his crib so I laid him in the bassinet next to our bed until we all got up and going this morning. I think maybe his nightlight is too bright, but I definitely plan on trying again tonight.

And here's the first picture I've been able to get of that little shark tooth. See it peeking out on the bottom? No? Look again. See that spot that looks like the light is reflecting off his gums? Yep. That's his tooth. A little crooked and oh, so cute!

Faces

2011-09-13T07:52:00.005-05:00

Mallory's currently going through a "don't take my picture" phase, making it nearly impossible to get anywhere near her with a camera. I've tried bribing her, but that only works a couple of times a week. The rest of the time is spent chasing after her or waiting patiently off to the side for her to glance in my direction. I'm hoping this phase doesn't last too much longer, but I'm thinking it will.

And while I wait for this phase to pass, I'll continue to take a million pictures of this beautiful face because he can't run away.

My Boys

2011-09-12T15:18:00.000-05:00

On This Day...

2011-09-11T15:56:00.000-05:00

ten years ago, I was a freshman in college at The University of North Texas. It was a Tuesday and I was sound asleep... because that's what you do when you don't have class. I remember my phone ringing and the person on the other end asking me if I was watching the news. Umm... no? Why would I be watching the news this early in the morning? I'll never forget the images I saw that morning or the feelings of shock and disbelief and uncertainty. That day changed our world forever.

As the 10-year anniversary approached, I started thinking of ways I could teach Mallory, and someday Gatlin, about the importance of September 11th. How do you explain to a toddler the significance of this day? We talked about all the things that happened 10 years ago. We talked about the airplanes and the twin towers. We talked about the fire and all the heroes, both police and fire, that risked their lives to save others. Afterward, I had her make a thank you card for our local firemen and then I drove her to the nearest fire station so she could give it to them. The firemen on duty were appreciative and even gave her a tour! She loved every second of it.

And here's the bean choking back tears after he realized his momma wasn't holding him. Such a momma's boy and I love it!

For all those who lost their lives and all those who lost loved ones,

WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER.

{embracing} family time

2011-09-08T19:49:00.004-05:00

celebrating the cooler weather with a whataburger picnic in the front yard.
i love this picture for a couple of reasons. one being that mallory took it... which is why it's all wonky and out of focus. and that brings me to the second reason i love it - it's all wonky and out of focus. i like to think the blurry-ness distracts from the fact that i still have 15 pounds of baby weight to lose, i'm wearing a {somewhat inappropriate} shirt from high school, no makeup, and my hair is a ca-razy mess. unfortunately, it also blurs out the colored circles on mallory's shirt. they're the stickers that whataburger uses to label the hamburgers. she has a couple of mayo ones, a ketchup, and maybe a mustard or two. only mallory can make condiment stickers look good.

this is a close second in the running for favorite family photo. ramsay told us all at the last second to make a funny face... so we did. and apparently mallory decided to buck like a bronco/attempt a handstand. greatness.

{embracing} the bean

2011-09-08T10:25:00.001-05:00

man, i love this kid.

i love his smile. i especially love his laugh. i love his amazing blue eyes. i love his fat rolls... all 842 of them. i love that he's wearing overalls that are 12 months, but already fit him pretty good. i love that he's such a laid back baby and happy with anything. i even love him at 1:22, 4:08, and 6:00 in the morning when he's talking and laughing instead of sleeping.

momma loves you, gatlin gray!

Labor Day Weekend

2011-09-05T22:19:00.001-05:00

texas the park swimming family good food baths in the kitchen sink picnics friends football smiles road trip

Shark Tooth

2011-09-04T10:07:00.001-05:00

this little guy woke up this morning with his first tooth! i discovered it while we were at church. i went to wipe the spit up from his mouth and the cloth diaper got caught on something. when i looked, there it was... his bottom right tooth. amazing. he hasn't been fussy or anything lately. i'm totally heartbroken that the days of gummy smiles are behind us.

{embracing} daddyhood

2011-09-01T09:28:00.002-05:00

a man who will take a minute out of his "boy time" with the bean to whisper, tell secrets, and be silly with his sweet girl?! i picked a good one, ladies!

No Fear

2011-08-31T12:08:00.002-05:00

stop it. i know what you're thinking... "no wonder your child bruised her ear and chin, bit her tongue, and nearly cracked her head open all in one weekend. your child is jumping off something in every picture you post." and you're right. the kid loves to jump and has no fear. but really she never gets hurt doing the wild and crazy stuff {except that one time she missed the pillow}. it's the normal everyday stuff that she has trouble with... like walking down the street and getting into bed. take her for a stroll around the neighborhood and 9 times out of 10, she'll come back with scraped knees, but let her fly off couches and jump on beds and the girl is fine. it makes absolutely no sense.

The Noggin vs. The Bed

2011-08-28T16:16:00.001-05:00

mallory is 2 1/2. she is very strong willed. she throws tantrums. they usually involve screaming and throwing herself on the ground. and they're usually ignored. unless they result in something that looks like this...

a black and blue goose egg the size of texas.

she really didn't cry that hard or for that long. she has a complete meltdown when she scrapes her knees, but she slams her head into the edge of her bed and she cries for maybe a minute? she hasn't even complained about it hurting... not even once. i guess it looks a lot worse than it really is.

Good Morning, Sunshine!

2011-08-27T16:01:00.001-05:00

How can you not be happy when you get to wake up to this sweet face each morning?!

two going on sixteen

2011-08-27T14:09:00.000-05:00

check out this sassy little teeny bopper that's been hanging around our house lately. mercy! we are in trouble!

Gatlin Gray: Three Months

2011-08-26T07:29:00.002-05:00

happy

{three months}

gatlin gray!

The big {three} months!

You are growing up so quickly my little man. Let's slow this train down just a bit, okay? Your personality is starting to come out a little more every day and your newborn-ness is quickly turning into baby. You are still the sweetest, happiest, and cuddliest baby ever. You never cry unless you're hurt {but let's not talk about that} or tired of being in the car. You are constantly smiling and talking to us. And don't even get me started on your little laugh. I die. It's absolutely the cutest thing ever!

you {love}:

to stand up on our legs

your sister

your momma

to suck on your left fist

your "lovie"{a raccoon blanket}

when we talk to you and make funny noises

ceiling fans

the black and white framed sillhouettes

to lay on your back and reach for your toys. and always with your left hand. will you be a lefty like your momma?! only time will tell.

to cuddle until you fall asleep

to sleep on your stomach

bath time

naps

when i read to you

momma {loves}:

your infectious laugh

that you're an awesome sleeper

when you smile in your sleep

the hairs in the middle of your head that refuse to lay down, leaving you with the fohawk your daddy swore you'd never have

your chubbiness

your huge smile

your beautiful blue eyes

that you're already on a schedule

our one-on-one time

Gatlin Gray, you are truly are a blessing. Words cannot describe how much we love you.

{embracing} the first flight

2011-08-25T08:09:00.003-05:00

It's a bird!

It's a plane!

It's Gatlin Bean!

too cool for school

2011-08-22T20:19:00.000-05:00

This is quite possibly my favorite picture to date of this crazy girl... top three for sure.

Lovie

2011-08-20T17:03:00.000-05:00

Gatlin has officially attached himself to a "lovie". Mallory never had a special blanket or stuffed animal that she was attached to, just a pacifier, but once again my children are proving to be complete opposites so I'm not sure why I'm surprised that Gatlin has attached himself to this little raccoon. And by attached I mean he actually holds onto it, sleeps with it, tries to eat it, and rubs it on his face. The kid isn't even 3 months old yet so I doubt he'd lose sleep if it was ever lost, but I don't think it'll be that much longer before we cross that bridge.

captured: {love}

2011-08-18T16:52:00.001-05:00

Moments I hope I never forget...

singing ABC's to "Gackin" while twirling her hair between her fingers

followed by sweet kisses

Friends are Friends Forever

2011-08-15T15:50:00.000-05:00

We just got back from a much needed weekend in Texas. I know Oklahoma is definitely where we're supposed to be right now, but I sure do miss being close to friends and family. It's amazing what a weekend with great friends does for the soul!

Unfortunately, I was a slacker {and the opposite of Mom of the Year. Let's just say one of the babes now has his first black eye.} and didn't take very many pictures. I guess I was having entirely too much fun to get out the camera. I did, however, manage to snap a few of the kids on Sunday night before we left town.

not pictured: Gatlin... mean ol' Daddy had already loaded him into the car

...and of course we couldn't leave without getting one of the three musketeers.

Self Portrait

2011-08-08T22:33:00.000-05:00

Mallory's first self portrait.

10 Week Comparison

2011-08-06T22:08:00.000-05:00

Mallory Anne, 10 weeks

Gatlin Gray, 10 weeks

Sometimes I think they look so much alike, but other times I'm just not so sure. Mallory was definitely rounder than Gatlin is and Gatlin's eyes are a lot bluer, but they have a lot of similarities.

Gatlin Gray: Two Months

2011-07-26T09:11:00.060-05:00

happy

{two months}

gatlin gray!

today you are two months old! has it really only been two months since i first held you in my arms and saw your sweet little face?! i feel like you've always been a part of our lives. you are still as sweet as can be. you have the biggest smile i've ever seen and it's very rare that i catch you without it. you've done a lot of growing this past month. i never realize just how big you are until i see other babies.

the facts:

weight: 16 pounds 3.2 ounces

height: 23.5 inches

hair: blonde peach fuzz

eyes: the prettiest steel blue eyes i've ever seen

clothes: 3-6 months

diapers: size 2

in the past month you...

have started "talking" to us.

learned how to roll from your tummy to your back, making tummy time short and sweet.

started noticing things around you. you love ceiling fans and the family silhouettes and could stare at them for hours!

went "swimming" for the first time and loved it!

started taking the occasional nap in your crib.

have tried time and time again to suck that little thumb, but momma and daddy are mean and won't let you.

have started sleeping without being swaddled.

continue to love hanging out in the moby wrap.

in the past two months, you have brought so much joy to our family. i love you more than words, gatlin gray and am so proud to be your momma!

Two Month Checkup

2011-07-25T14:42:00.001-05:00

Gatlin had his 2-month checkup this morning. He was such a little trooper. I know everyone always says all babies are different, but nobody told me my babies would be completely opposite! After having a child who absolutely hated the doctor and screamed from the moment we walked through the door, I was prepared for the worst, but sweet little man did great and didn't make a peep until they poked him {three times!}. Our new pediatrician's office has a mirror next to the bed and I tried to get Gatlin to look at himself while we waited, but he just kept rolling around. Silly boy. We left with a good report today. He's healthy and happy and growing leaps and bounds. At one day shy of two months old, his stats are...

Weight: 16 lbs 3.2 oz (97%+)

Height: 23.5 in (75%)

And here's the handsome man after we got home, showing off his band-aids {he's pointing to them so you don't miss them}. The nurse gave him bright orange ones to match his outfit. I didn't really notice until we were home, but I love that she took the time to pick out a coordinating color. I mean if you're forced to sport bandages, they might as well look good, right?!

Welcome to My Crib

2011-07-19T22:54:00.000-05:00

Gatlin took a nap in his crib for the first time today... actually he took two naps. After more than 7 weeks of laying him in his rock n' play sleeper and trying to keep Mallory from getting too loud, I broke down and laid him in his crib. The biggest problem I have with him in his crib is that he sleeps best on his stomach and I'm super paranoid that something will happen to him. We make him sleep on his back at night, but during the day when I can keep a close eye on him {and by close eye I mean I check on him every 3 minutes... like seriously}, I cheat and let him lay on his stomach. And the kid slept for 3 hours straight! Poor baby must have been exhausted.

This is the cute face I walked in on after 3 hours. He didn't even make a peep. He just looked around trying to figure out where he was. The cuteness is too much!

Blue Eyes

2011-07-17T18:12:00.000-05:00

this little man couldn't be any sweeter.

his eyes couldn't be any bluer.

his smile couldn't be any bigger.

...and yes, every once in a while, i do put clothes on him.

Two Little Monkeys

2011-07-17T17:50:00.000-05:00

I love watching these two kiddos play together. They really do love each other and it doesn't matter if it's been days or months between visits, they always pick up right where they left off.

Baby Love

2011-07-15T23:08:00.000-05:00

i love this boy.

Puddle Jumper

2011-07-13T21:31:00.000-05:00

With the weather being as hot and miserable as it has been over the past few weeks, we haven't been able to play outside and Mallory is going crazy! So when it rained for a few hours today, cooling it off to a freezing 87 degrees, I decided to bust out the parkas and mittens and head outside. Just kidding. I did, however, take Mallory out to jump in all the puddles. It took her a while to really get after it {I think she was in shock that we were encouraging her to get wet and messy}, but once she did, she had a blast. I see a lot more puddle jumping in our future.

Roly Poly

2011-07-11T21:13:00.000-05:00

guess who rolled over today?! 3 different times... and then again for his daddy!

this guy! yep, he's 6 1/2 weeks old and already rolling over. unbelievable. and a little sad really.

it's probably one of the cutest things i've ever seen. he sticks his little tongue out, starts rocking back and forth, and then rolls.

all smiles {and chins}

2011-07-09T15:17:00.000-05:00

Let Freedom Ring

2011-07-04T23:16:00.002-05:00

The fourth of July is one of my very favorite holidays. There's something about getting together with friends, cooking out, swimming, and watching fireworks that makes my heart happy. This year, however, we did things a little different. It was a fun day, but very low key. We had a late lunch at Red Robin and then made our weekly grocery store run with both babes in tow. After we got home, Mallory went down for a late nap so she could make it through the firework show without having a total meltdown. Before we left for the night, I took a few pictures of the kids in front of our homemade backdrop.

Mallory loved the fireworks! She clapped throughout the entire thing... and she was the only one clapping so I'm not sure where she picked up on that.

And I can't forget our littlest American. It was his first fourth of July {duh} so I wasn't sure how he would do, but he hung out in my lap the entire night and actually watched the fireworks go off. Such a dream baby!

It was a pretty awesome show and we ended up with the perfect seats. Even though we missed our Texas friends... and the pool... and grilling, we had a great day. I can't wait until next year!

the loves

2011-07-01T14:22:00.000-05:00

man, i love these kids

{embracing} this season of life

2011-06-29T20:22:00.006-05:00

a quick glimpse into my life these days...

stuff thrown all over the house. gatlin sleeping like a baby koala in the moby. mallory helping me cook dinner... and by "helping" I mean, eating butter by the finger-full straight from the tub while I cook. it may look chaotic, but I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Mid-Year Review

2011-06-28T15:50:00.005-05:00

so i was blog stalking recently {surprise, surprise} and i came across a post about new year's resolutions and it got me thinking...

we're halfway through 2011 and i honestly haven't given a single thought to my resolutions since i posted them back in january. even worse, five minutes ago, i couldn't have even told you what they were. terrible, i know. i have no excuses. i pretty much just suck at resolutions.

but i just went back and looked at them and just so you know, i'm not a total slacker after all. i've managed to work on quite a few of them without even realizing it! so here they are, exactly how i wrote them at the beginning of the year {with updates in red}...

1. blog more about everyday life <--- i'm proud to say that i've done a really great job with this. last year, i wrote 115 posts, but this year i've already posted 81 times!

2. go on {at least} one field trip each month <--- i'm not sure if we've necessarily been on one a month. maybe we have. but i do know that we've done a lot more things as a family and i'm pretty happy about that.

3. save more, spend less <--- yeah, i suck at this.

4. send more snail mail <--- and this.

5. get serious about tot school <--- ugh. haven't done anything with this one either.

6. find a balance between mommyhood, being a wife, and still finding time for myself <--- i don't really know how to measure progress for this one. with a newborn and a toddler, i feel like a lot of my time is "mommy time", but that's just the season i'm in and i'm ok with that.

7. take my camera off the automatic settings and really learn how to use it <--- i have worked really hard on this one and have learned a ton already. i know i have so much more to learn, but i'm so happy with the progress i've made so far.

8. finish the projects i start <--- i haven't really started any major projects this year, but i haven't finished any either. so yeah...

9. spend more time with ramsay <--- i could always use a little more time with the hubs, but we've been really good about this one lately

10. read at least 20 minutes each day to the babes <--- i can't take any credit for this one. we definitely haven't reached the "20 minute" goal, but ramsay reads to her every single night before she goes to sleep. such a good daddy! maybe i could learn a thing or two from him :)

11. organize the crafts <--- not even close.

12. finish and print 2008-2009 blog book <--- finished, but not printed

13. finish and print 2010 blog book <--- still working on it, but i've started it so that's got to count for something, right?

14. print and file favorite pictures <--- i think part of the reason i haven't tackled this one is because it just seems really overwhelming.

15. open etsy shop <--- i've taken steps in the right direction, but to have it up and running by the end of the year doesn't look too promising

16. enroll mallory in school <--- really, really need to do this!

17. enroll mallory in gymnastics <--- i drove by the gym last week, does that count for anything?

18. declutter and organize the kitchen <--- not exactly my strong point.

19. find a church <--- done! can i get an amen?!

20. learn more about couponing <--- after many episodes of extreme couponing, i've decided this isn't for me. i should modify this one.

21. finish decorating the kids' rooms <--- still a work in progress
22. learn how to sew <--- i am proud to say that i learned how to thread my machine and actually sewed a placemat! yes!

so out of 22 goals, there are 10 that i've totally neglected ...but 12 that i've at least worked on. i'd say that's some pretty good progress! definitely not as bad as i thought it was going to be. now if you'll excuse me, i need to get to work on the remaining 10...

Vote for Mallory!

2011-06-27T13:04:00.001-05:00

Mallory's hopscotch photo is currently in the running to become one of Parent Magazine's weekly Reader's Choice finalists! Each weekly finalist will have a chance to be one of the 10 finalists chosen to travel to New York City for the Parents Cover Contest photo shoot. We're so excited that she's made it this far, but now we need your help.

Please help our baby make it all the way! You can vote once a day through Sunday, July 3 so please do! ...and if you're feeling really generous, go ahead and vote for the other five pictures in her album!

Click here to vote.

Gatlin Gray: One Month

2011-06-26T13:13:00.011-05:00

HAPPY

{one month}

GATLIN GRAY

today you are one month old. how is it that my last month of pregnancy seems four times longer than your first month of life?! this past month has flown by, and i know from experience that it won't slow down from here. i'm trying my best to take in every second with you and enjoy it.

everyone always says what a great baby you are and i couldn't agree more. you are such a dream baby, gatlin! you sleep when you're supposed which, after two years of no sleep, i am very grateful for. you wake up every three hours to eat at night, but you always go right back to sleep.

i say this all the time, but you are so sweet. that's really the perfect word to describe you. you're happy all the time. the only time you ever cry is when you're hot or if we change your diaper. you do not like when we change your diaper. i'm pretty sure it's the cold wipes that upset you so maybe we'll break down and buy a wipe warmer.

in the first month...

you've already started smiling at us... mostly just momma, but mallory's stolen a few grins too. you have the biggest, most adorable smile. it melts my heart.

you love your tummy time. you like to lift your head and look all around. you only have enough strength for a few minutes at a time, but it's definitely your favorite position.

you keep trying to roll onto your left side. you haven't quite made it all the way over yet, but you're close!

you poop more than any baby i know. seriously, we go through more diapers than i ever dreamed possible.

despite all the little boys i've ever taken care of (and there are a lot), i had never been tinkled on until you came into my life. i think you tinkled on me every single time i changed your diaper for the first 3 weeks! it was ridiculous!

you have already been to your first movie and to church... both of which you happily sat through.

you have your daddy's eyes, mouth, and toes and momma's head and nose, but right now, i would say you look like mallory the most.

you wear a size1 huggies diaper and have since your first day home... no newborns for our chubby man!

you're kind of all over the place with clothes.

you can still squeeze into your newborns, but have worn all the way up to 3 months.

you've gone up to 6 hours between feedings, but average between 2.5 to 3. i like to call you my little milk man because you definitely aren't starving!

you have brought us so much joy over the past month, sweet boy. our family is a little more complete now that you're here. i love you to the moon and back, gatlin and can't wait to see what God has planned for you.

Father's Day 2011

2011-06-19T20:22:00.000-05:00

"The heart of a father is to train, protect, affirm, define, transfer, model, and enjoy their kids."

-Jeff Little

Father's Day felt a little more complete this year with The Bean around. We attempted our first church outing as a family of four, but haven't quite nailed down our timing with two babies so only Ramsay and Mallory were able to go. Afterwards, we all went to Ramsay's favorite sandwich shop for lunch. . Overall, it was a pretty low key day.

These two kiddos are very lucky to have such an amazing Daddy, teacher, and role model. One who is loving and kind, caring and dedicated, and so much fun to be around! He loves them beyond words and I know they feel the same way about him.

Blessed

2011-06-16T12:05:00.000-05:00

Two beautiful, healthy kids...

a sweet, but sassy,

smart, and loving,

curly blonde haired,

sometimes blue, sometimes green eyed,

freckled

little girl

and a sweet and cuddly,

blonde haired,

blue eyed,

super laid back,

chubby

baby boy.

I am truly blessed.

My Littlest Love

2011-06-14T22:37:00.001-05:00

I'm not going to lie, life with two babies has been quite an adjustment. I've been lucky enough to have different family members and the BFF for life here with me since coming home from the hospital, but it's still been tough. I have no idea what I'm going to do when all "the help" packs up and I'm on my own. I don't even want to think about it really.

I keep getting requests for blog updates and pictures of the babes, but I haven't really taken any pictures. I know, crazy right?! I think I'm still trying to find our new normal. It's hard to take pictures with a baby in your arms... and I feel like one of them is always in my arms.

Having said that, I snapped a few pictures of Gatlin tonight.

He's always most alert between 8 and 10, as his sister is going down for the night. I take full advantage of this one-on-one time with my little man. We work on tummy time and cuddle.

He's only 19 days old, but he's getting so big! Slow down, sweet boy, I want you to be my baby forever!

2 Week Checkup

2011-06-07T13:38:00.000-05:00

Gatlin had his 2-week checkup today. We were originally scheduled for Friday, but I had to take Mallory in for the yucks that have been going around so the pediatrician squeezed Gatlin in too. At just twelve days old, here are his stats...

Weight: 10 lbs 4.8 oz. (97%+)

Height: 21.5 in (97%+)

Another big Davis baby!

Love at First Sight

2011-06-07T13:31:00.003-05:00

I'm pretty sure she fell in love with her little "beanie" the second she saw him in the hospital. And I'm sure in just a few short months, the feeling will be mutual.

she watched him sleep the whole way home from the hospital

"hode-ing Gackin"
...probably the reason why we have two sick kids right now

being a great big sister

First Haircut

2011-06-05T20:32:00.000-05:00

mallory got her hair cut for the first time today. it took 2 1/2 years, but i finally broke down and took her. mostly because it was impulsive and i didn't give myself enough time to think about what we were doing. really though, it was time. her hair just didn't look healthy and her curls were a constant tangled mess.

she was so good! and not scared at all. she sat patiently in the chair with her cape and sucker and did everything the stylist asked of her. anybody who knows my child knows patience and sitting still aren't exactly her strong points so i was one proud momma!

since her hair is curly, it's hard to tell how uneven it was to begin with, but i promise there's a difference. her curls are so much bigger and healthier, the back is evened up, and she even has little bangs that swoop! so cute!

{embrace} the camera: june 2

2011-06-02T10:19:00.002-05:00

momma and gatlin leaving the hospital

my first {embrace} with my newest love.

he has completely stolen my heart.

his button nose.

his chubby cheeks that resemble a little bulldog.

his extra long fingers and toes.

his blonde hair.

i love it all.

he made every miserable day of my pregnancy totally worth it.

i love you gatlin gray!

The Bean

2011-05-30T15:30:00.003-05:00

A few pictures of the Bean during our hospital stay...

On the Day You Were Born

2011-05-27T09:03:00.001-05:00

Gatlin Gray Davis,

The day you were born was one of the best days of our lives. You entrance into this world was a planned one, down to the minute. The actual surgery was relatively easy on Momma, and Daddy was such a trooper. He didn't pass out or throw up! I was so proud. Your NayNay, PawPaw, and Nana were all here to meet you in the morning. Gommy, Ollie, and the boys came later that night. But I have to say that your big sister was probably the most excited. She absolutely adores you and asks to hold you all the time. You are such a handsome little man, Gatlin. You are laid back and a great sleeper... a dream come true after two years of no sleep! I am so in love with you already and can't wait to see your personality shine through.

6:30 am - we checked into the hospital, more than ready to meet you

8:00 am - they wheeled me back to the OR and left Daddy to get his scrubs on

8:30 am - the second you were born you started screaming like a baby duck and didn't stop until they took you to the nursery for your first bath... where you continued to scream.

9:00 am - your sister saw you for the first time through the nursery window and was instantly in love

10:00 am - you left the nursery to join us in the room where we would stay for the rest of the weekend. you nursed like a champ from the very beginning.

Happy Birthday...

2011-05-26T08:57:00.002-05:00

Gatlin Gray Davis

May 26, 2011 at 8:30 am

9 lbs. 8 oz.

20 1/4 inches

First Flight

2011-05-23T19:57:00.000-05:00

sometimes i just have to let go and let them have their fun...

but i don't think i was able to breathe until her feet were back on the ground.

One Little Monkey

2011-05-23T07:10:00.002-05:00

The Last Weekend

2011-05-22T22:09:00.001-05:00

One last weekend as family of three...

it sure was a memorable one. now bring on the baby!

{Almost} 39 Weeks

2011-05-20T14:48:00.000-05:00

Gatlin Gray, all smiles at 37 weeks, 2 days

...and still going strong.

ok, that's not really true. he's still hanging on, but i'm not happy about it. i'm done.

but on a much happier note, this is our last weekend as a family of three! so crazy to think about. i think we might take mallory to chuck e. cheese tomorrow to celebrate her awesomeness... and well, anytime pizza and coke are involved, i'm in.

not much has changed in the past few weeks. gatlin has grown, along with my belly. we finally bought some diapers and my mom brought his bassinet when she came for my birthday so i guess we're ready. his nursery isn't complete, but he has a crib {with really cute bedding} and clothes so i'm not too worried about it. i don't think mallory has ever had a completely decorated room so it wouldn't be fair anyway. the hospital bags are packed, but that's only because we had a little scare this past tuesday and i really thought they were going to deliver him right then. obviously i was wrong.

i go in for my last appointment {but no ultrasound! yay!} on wednesday. then we'll check in to the hospital on thursday! he'll be here in less than a week! i have never been more ready.

Mallory Anne: Two and a Half

2011-05-19T07:34:00.001-05:00

Mallory Anne Davis,

Today you are 2 1/2 years old. How in the world did that happen?! Life is flying by much too quickly, sweet girl. You have grown and changed so much in the past six months.

You are still our little wild child, our social butterfly, and our little clown. In January, you figured out how to climb out of your crib so we made the official switch to a big girl bed. It took a while for you {and Momma and Daddy} to adjust, but we've finally got a routine nailed down and you're doing great. You have a ton of energy and are such a sweet and happy little girl. You love to play outside and with your "fends". You are always asking to go to church and telling us how much you love it. If you're awake, you're talking. The things you do and say are constantly cracking us up and leave us wondering where you come up with this stuff.

You are so much like your Daddy, it's not even funny. Not just your personality, but your looks too! ...at least you still have your Momma's blonde curls! You are still really tall for your age. People are always surprised when we tell them your age. Between your height and your speech, I guess they just assume you're older. The weather has been really nice lately so we've been spending a lot of time outside playing and the sun is bringing out all your cute little freckles. Most of them are under your left eye and I could kiss them a million times because they're so cute!

You are such a smart little girl. I am constantly amazed at how much you soak up each day. You know all your basic colors, plus magenta {thank you, Blue's Clues}. You also know all your basic shapes, including circle, square, triangle, star, diamond, heart, oval, and rectangle and will point them out whenever you see them. You know quite a few of your uppercase letters, but we're still working on that. Just recently, you've started "reading" to us. Some of the books you read are from memory, but sometimes you'll pick up a book that you're less familiar with and you'll make up your own story using the pictures. The teacher in me is so impressed!

Any day now you're going to be a big sister! I can't wait to see the two of you interact and grow up together. You already love him so much and include him in everything you do. You talk to him and kiss him all the time. You know his name is Gatlin, and will occasionally refer to him by name, but you still call him Beanie quite a bit. I'm thinking you probably always will.

Your Daddy and I love you so much, sweet girl, and are so very proud of the smart, beautiful, funny, and loving little girl you are becoming. God has big plans for you, Mallory Anne. I can't wait to see what your future holds!

The Big 28

2011-05-14T23:13:00.001-05:00

I turned 28 today. Yuck. Am I the only one who hates getting older? Please say no. Don't get me wrong, I love birthdays! Like love love love... but I do not love the getting older part. Birthdays are big around here, but since we are away from our families this year and I'm on Oklahoma lockdown until this baby arrives, I knew this year would be pretty low key. My mom came for the weekend to help with Mallory so Ramsay and I could have a date night and boy was I thankful! He took me to Bricktown for dinner and ice cream because he's great like that.

When we got home, Mallory was in bed, but not sleeping so my mom brought her out to see me. They had picked up a cake and decorated it while we were gone. And by decorated, I mean Mallory dumped a pile of sprinkles in the middle of the cake and they added candles. It was perfect!

I'm really lucky to have married a man with some pretty great friends. Not only are they great, but they even live in Oklahoma! They baked a birthday cake just for me and drove all the way to my house to deliver it. It just so happened to be lunchtime and Ramsay was at work, but I Mallory couldn't wait so we celebrated together and then had cake for lunch. Don't judge me. It was chocolate.

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-08T14:14:00.000-05:00

I'm so thankful I was chosen to be their Momma.

The First Glimpse

2011-05-04T14:17:00.000-05:00

Gatlin Gray, 36 weeks, 2 days

One of the benefits of weekly ultrasounds is that you get to know the tech really well. Today at my appointment, she spent a lot of time in 4D mode just watching our little man, resulting in some great pictures! Sssshhh! Don't tell, but we got to take a ton home with us! He looks just like his big sister did!

Although I know we're having a baby... he's real and he moves and he breathes, it didn't seem real until I saw his face. That's our little man! He's a real baby... with a cute button nose and sweet little lips and chubby cheeks... and no hair. He even opened and closed his eyes while we were watching him (which is what he's doing in the picture above).

I'm so in love with and excited to meet this little guy, I can hardly stand it!

There Are No Words

2011-05-03T13:49:00.000-05:00

36 Weeks

2011-05-02T07:06:00.001-05:00

Today, I am 36 weeks pregnant...

and I'm really not sure of the appropriate punctuation to end that sentence. An exclamation point would mean that I'm excited about being nine months pregnant. And sure, I'm excited, but I'm certainly not excited that I have to lug this big ol' belly around for another 3+ weeks. A period would end my thought, but with no emotion... and I've got plenty of emotion! If there were punctuation that said "I have been carrying this baby for 36 weeks and I am more than ready to get this show on the road. I'm over being pregnant. I'm over the contractions. The back pain. The lack of sleep. The shortness of breath. The lack of clothes that actually fit me." Then that's the punctuation I would choose.

My baby ~~bump~~ mountain is redonk. Everywhere we go strangers stop me to ask me how many babies I'm having. Really. I wouldn't even dream of stopping someone I didn't know to comment on their size! Just yesterday, we were walking around the Norman Music Festival and a lady approached me to tell me how adorable I looked. That I looked great, to which I thanked her. And then she said, "Now are you having one or two?" One. One giant baby, lady. Mallory measures my stomach with her measuring tape as least once an hour and always says the same thing... "it's huge!"

As Gatlin grows and prepares for his birthday and as I continue to get bigger, I'm reminded how soon our sweet family of three will welcome a fourth. We've been trying super hard to soak up as much time with our beautiful, curly blonde haired, sometimes-blue-sometimes-green eyed, first born child as possible. I want the transition from one to two to be a smooth one. I want her to know that her brother is not here to take away our time and love from her. She will always be our first born. And now she gets the extra special role of big sister. I know she's going to be the best one ever!

The Mini Version

2011-04-28T21:07:00.000-05:00

Mercy! Could this child look any more like her Daddy?!

35 Weeks, 2 Days

2011-04-27T14:12:00.001-05:00

As of today, I am 35 weeks, 2 days into this pregnancy. And no, I really can't see my feet anymore. I had to tilt the camera to get this shot.

I had another ultrasound along with a routine doctor appointment this morning to check on the no- so-little bean. Since he's been measuring a few weeks ahead, they wanted to check on him and get his stats. Well... it turns out that Gatlin has exceeded the 90th percentile marker. He is measuring 3 weeks, 2 days ahead, putting him at a whoppin' 8 lbs. 3 oz.! Yes, you read that right. My child still has 4 more weeks to bake (since I'm schedule for a c-section at 39 weeks) and he's already the same size that his sister was at 40 weeks! For comparison purposes, the average baby weighs 5 lbs. 4 oz. at 35 weeks. They're projecting his birth weight to be somewhere between 9 and 10 pounds! Yikes! And to add to his already large size, my fluids are high, making me even more miserable and uncomfortable... and large.

On a more exciting note, I've barely gained a pound since my last appointment 2 weeks ago, which is great news. My blood pressure is great and both Gatlin and I are as healthy as can be. The doctor sees no reason to change the date of my c-section (unless, of course, I go into labor). So if everything goes according to plan, Gatlin will make his debut in 29 days!

I feel like I've done a lot of complaining this time around. Don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful for this ~~toddler~~ baby growing inside me, but let's be real, at this point I'm carrying, and will continue to carry for another 4 weeks, a baby larger than most women ever give birth to. Mallory was also a big baby, but I never experienced back pain or swelling or Braxton Hicks like I have this time around. So yes, I complain (mostly to myself... and the hubs), but I wouldn't trade the outcome for anything in the world. I'm ready to meet this chunky monkey and kiss and squeeze each of his million fat rolls!

Her Imagination Runs Wild

2011-04-25T19:45:00.000-05:00

Mallory has a wild imagination. I mean, she is so creative... I'd even go as far as to say she's the most creative two-year-old I've ever met. Her favorite thing to do is "play bears". She pretends to be Baby Bear and then assigns us our roles - Momma Bear and Daddy Bear. Usually we all crawl around the house, ultimately ending up in the hallway next to her room, eating "berries" off the ~~wall~~ trees. Today Baby Bear and Daddy Bear must have taken things a step further because this is how I found them...

in the "cave".

The only way in and out of the bear cave was to crawl under the bed so obviously Momma Bear was unable to participate.

And since I wasn't in the bear cave, I was no longer welcome without a password. Oh, the things they come up with...

Unable to come up with the correct password, I was attacked by Baby Bear.

Easter 2011

2011-04-24T14:43:00.000-05:00

{happy easter}

for the first time ever, we spent easter in oklahoma as a family of three. it's strange to be away from our families on a holiday, but we're making the most of it and enjoying this lazy, rainy day.

we tried a new church today - LifeChurch. we really enjoyed it and are actually looking forward to visiting again {which is a first since moving here}.

this morning mallory woke up, and without wasting any time, starting opening the eggs in her easter basket. they were filled with money and candy... because really, what more could a girl want?

she wasn't too thrilled about wearing her bunny ears, but i was finally able to convince her to leave them on long enough for a quick picture. at this point ramsay was still ~~sleeping~~ laying in bed so we were hanging out in our room so he didn't miss any of the easter morning action.

after breakfast, we all got dressed in our easter best and headed to church. doesn't mallory look too cute for words in her smocked dress?! and she even smiled! i don't even care that she's watching the veggie tales easter story on television rather than looking at the camera... i'm just happy she's smiling her cute little picture smile instead of her trademark one-eye-closed-head-tilted-popeye-smile. and can i just say that this baby looks more and more like her daddy everyday?!

Never Have I Ever...

2011-04-22T21:02:00.000-05:00

seen clouds like these.

I mean seriously, these are some creepy looking clouds hanging over my house. Crazy Oklahoma and your extreme, crazy weather. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go figure out what county I reside in so I know when to take cover.

A Note For Mr. E. Bunny

2011-04-15T13:52:00.000-05:00

Dear Easter Bunny,

Please fill all my eggs with "beans and moneys".

Thank you,

Mallory Anne

Mommy Translation: jellybeans and coins for the piggy bank

Sleeping In

2011-04-12T13:25:00.002-05:00

I don't know what's going on around here, but just when I thought Mallory's schedule was pretty predictable, she threw me for another loop. Lately, she's been waking up around eight {which is totally normal}, but instead of cuddling up in my bed and watching one cartoon before starting our day, she's been falling back asleep until nine... sometimes ten. At first I thought it was awesome... until she stopped napping. Now I never know what to expect. I tried cutting out our morning cuddle time altogether, but that just makes her really cranky. I'm not going to worry about it too much though, because I know that in a short six weeks, her brother will be here and all schedules will be thrown out the window. Until then, I'll just enjoy this sweet sleeping baby next to me.