It's a Girl!

Frances Taylor Vaughan
(aka "Flower")

Born August 2, at 1:27 pm
She weighed 4 pounds, 13 ounces

Congratulations Elizabeth and James!
Charlotte and Jay-- you have a beautiful baby sister, and I know she will be blessed to have such a wonderful big brother and wonderful big sister!

We love you Frances, and we can't wait to meet you!!!

Overdue Portraits!

My mom and I took Wilson and Alexandria to have some portraits made (Alexandria's first professional pictures... the poor neglected second child!). I knew I had to do it because the bonnet she wore for her Christening (only 4 weeks before) was getting too small.

I know where thes pictures are, so this is my first back-to-blogging post....
















Aren't they cute?

More to come.... soon!

No TV

Holy Moly! I wasn't even sure if I knew my username and password! I have given up television as an experiment, and I have become a much more productive person as a result. Thank goodness I have blogging to fall back on as a procrastination method...

Happy Valentine's Day!

I snapped a few pictures to print for the grandparents for Valentine's Day. Wilson (21 months) and Alexandria (4 months) adore each other... it is so sweet!!!

Must Be Sweet Dreams

Wilson seems to be enjoying his naps more and more these days. He actually tries to climb into his crib when you ask if he is ready for a nap! After 2 1/2 hours, I went in to wake him up the other day (we had an appointment to get to), and this is the preciousness I found. He didn't even stir after 4 or 5 flashes of the camera!

Yummm!!!

Alexandria experienced her first rice cereal last night... I think she might like it. I have high hopes for this stuff... we are still waiting for those full nights of sleep, if they really exist.

The girl weighs 14 pounds and is 26 inches long, as of our 4-month well check on Tuesday. She is a very happy baby, only fusses when she is very tired, loves kisses on her cheeks and to snuggle face to face. She adores her big brother and just laughs while watching him play.

I wish...

I could invent something like this!!! These stretchy rubber labels are awesome (Thanks, Jamie!) and can be used in so many ways! Moms-- let me know what you think... and if you are interested in getting some, go to Bumpy Name.

2 Things

are going on these days:

1. I am experiencing that lovely post-partum shed-- my hair is EVERYWHERE! At least once a day Wilson comes up to me with that "help me, momma" look on his face while sticking his tongue out trying to get a hair out of his mouth... GROSS!!!! This unfortunate rite of passage means it has been about 4 months since Alexandria was born, and I have only posted a few times since she was about a month old. However...

2. Alexandria is sleeping through the night!!!!!!!! Wilson spoiled us rotten sleeping thru at 9 weeks... Alexandria had no such intention. It has been quite the (exhausting) experience getting to where we are today, at 4 months old-- I never thought I would have to endure an hour and a half of crying from 3-4:30am to get here, but thank goodness that was only one night. The next night was 10 minutes of light fussing, and then... nada! No wakie uppie! Hooray!

SO, my intention is to post more regularly again... now that I shouldn't have to go to bed at 8:00 at night.... and I am seriously ready for a girls' night out!

The Playset

Papa wanted to give Wilson a playset for Christmas... the piles of wood were a little intimidating and the sight of Tom and Brian hovering over large power tools frightens me!






Progress was made smoothly and quickly. The kit promised that the playset could be assembled in 8 hours or less-- well, it took these guys a few days, but they did a fabulous job!!!
Watching Wilson having so much fun on his own slide and swing makes it all worth it. Actually, it is debatable who gets the most out of the playset-- me, since I don't have to get into the car to take Wilson out for some good playtime outdoors, Wilson, or anyone who is etertained by his "weeeeeeee's" and hysterical laughter.




Thank you Papa, So Much!!!!!

Happy Birthday Granddaddy!

We went out for a little birthday celebration at Coco's while Nana was here. Wow, Dad, you are really old... but thanks for an excuse to go out to dinner, and I hope you enjoy your Nearly-Giant Snowglobe!

The Box

Some people prefer to thing outside of the box, however Wilson apparently likes to get into the box. Hmmm... what in the world gave him this idea?

Nana

I took the kids to SaSa's house for a visit with Nana, visiting from Florida for Thanksgiving... last Thanksgiving she met great grandson, Wilson. This year she met great granddaughter, Alexandria. She is 92 years old, and still a gorgeous woman!









Wilson goes straight for the blue box of toys at SaSa's house... he knows where his toys are. SaSa loves that Wilson loves SaSa's house!
And here's SaSa with the princess...

Papa

We are so blessed to have most of our families right here in Charleston, which means we get to see and spend time with them on a regular basis. Wilson adores his grandparents-- it is priceless to see! Here is a very proud Papa (Brian's dad), with his two newest grands...

18 Months

I wanted to document Wilson at 18 months old...

he is a "sweet loving duck", to which he replies, "QUACK!"

He is getting busier and busier, sometimes better on his feet, but still not the most coordinated cookie on the sheet. He is pretty sweet towards Alexandria, but is still getting used to her presence in our lives. He is still a pretty good eater-- getting a bit pickier. I suppose he is just more able to express his own opinions. Quesadillas, mac-n-cheese, green beans and peas... these are our staples. I am trying to expand out food horizons, slowly but surely.

A lap cuddle and a book is his favorite thing to do, and he likes to run around and laugh and play pee-pie anytime. When Daddy comes home, it is all about him, and on weekends he gets very attached. Wrestling and hopping on pop are great Daddy activities-- in fact if you pull out the "Hop On Pop" book, Wilson will immediately lay down in the middle of the floor on his back, just like Brian does! Wilson is all boy-- very busy, likes to bang and or throw things.

Wilson uses his own language, one that does not include most consonants... green, three, tree, keys-- they are all "eeeeeee", but it is fun that we can communicate more and more!!! We think he is very smart... but what else would we think?

Anyway... I suppose that's all for now.

Where, oh where?

have the last 8 weeks gone? Where, oh where could they be?

I have been a delinquent (sp?) blogger...
but I am going to try to catch up a little tonight.

Almost 4 Weeks Old

It's hard to believe Alexandria is already 4 weeks old! She is doing great overall, eating like a champ, and sleeping, well, not so much at night, but we'll get there. We have a doctor's appointment next week and I can't wait to get her stats-- she is growing so fast! Just look at those cheeks!

First Haircut

It was time... Wilson's hair was a bit out of control, so much to many folks' chagrin I made an appointment with Nick to get my hair cut and Wilson's too. Mamaw came to spend some time with Alexandria and Wilson and I were off!

We met SaSa at the salon, and it went better than I expected. Wilson went first, and only fussed a litttle bit, which is of course digitally captured.


We didn't take too much off as I didn't want to be in trouble with Mamaw. I like the results... no more mullet!

Tagged

My fun blogger friends are playing this little game of tag... I'm not sure whom I will tag after this, as I don't know anyone else who blogs. It's hard to answer these after you've read everyone else's answers... hopefully these are my own.

I am: chiefly a momma these days, but a wife, sister, daughter, friend and business owner too.
I want: to travel more.
I have: so much to be thankful for.
I wish: I could throw a big party and invite everyone I know-- that would be fun.
I hate: the word "hate".
I miss: my Connecticut Godchildren (and their parents too).
I hear: the quiet of a sleeping household and the cars driving by our house.
I wonder: how people deal with life without Jesus.
I regret: not doing things sooner.
I am not: the person I will be someday.
I dance: in the kitchen.
I sing: along with any song I know the words to.
I cry: at the thought of losing my children or husband.
I am not always: the momma, wife, sister, daughter, or friend I want to be.
I make with my hands: meals, curtains, Creative Memories photo albums.
I write: letters, but not as often as I would like.
I confuse: which day each grocery store starts their weekly sales.
I need: God's grace.
I should: stop drinking so much Diet Coke.
I start: a lot of to-do lists.
I finish: a few of the things on those lists, occasionally. When I do, I like to vigorously scratch them out if I can ever find the list again.


Here's a "Here and Now" Version too...

I am: chiefly a momma these days.
I want: my baby girl to sleep through the night.
I have: a whole lotta announcements to address and send out.
I wish: I had a double stroller already.
I hate: that I am turning Wilson into a TV junkie.
I miss: full-nights of sleep.
I hear: Sesame Street.
I wonder: how people deal with life without Jesus.
I regret: not keeping Alexandria awake more yesterday.
I am not: functioning on much sleep.
I dance: to make Wilson smile.
I sing: Jesus Loves Me over and over.
I cry: when she's been wide-eyed for more than 2 hours of rocking and walking.
I am not always: this grumpy.
I make with my hands: cheese sandwiches.
I write: on my blog... to feel like I have had some outside world conversation.
I confuse: what time Alexandria is supposed to eat.
I need: a back and neck massage.
I should: write some thank you notes.
I start: the day with Diet Coke.
I finish: the first Diet Coke too quickly.

If you are reading this and haven't been tagged, you are now... I think all the blogs on my link list have been tagged already-- lots of great answers!

Green

I've always wanted to be a goer and doer... and having a 3 week old keeps me in the house way too much.

For example... Many of my friends are going to JICP for the Festival of Lights Fun Run tonight and there will soon be lots of cute pictures on their blogs...

I am just jealous because I don't like missing out on anything, especially fun things...

But I suppose I wouldn't want to miss out on or wish away the first few weeks and months of my precious little girl's life, no matter how tiring it may be. These are days we will never get back and I want to treasure them.

So I am going to GO and DO my little chickens' dinners!

So if you are going (or went) to the Fun Run... miss me and have fun!

BTW I am working on my TAG...

Golf Lesson

Check out that swing! With Alexandria's arrival comes a lot of Daddy time for Wilson (he is COMPLETELY attached to Daddy on the weekends anyway). I caught a quick glimpse of this golf lesson...

and the cutest part was seeing Wilson turn his back to Brian a few feet away and then walk backwards until he was positioned to hit the ball.

PGA here we come!