A New Year

   Has it really been over four months since I posted last? Yes, yes it has. Yikes! Where does time go these days? We have been keeping plenty busy with our precious girls and definitely enjoyed the holidays and Christmastime this year as Emily was more into it this year. She was very excited and intrigued with the many packages, those that were hers and everyone else's as well. It was a fun day for everybody. Annie is growing fast and becoming her own little self. She is a sweet baby, calm most of the time, and aside from a few little bumps in the road (a growth spurt I think), she is a good sleeper. As 2012 starts I'll give a little update on what my girls are up to these days...

Emily: 

-Loves ice cream (or to talk about it anyway...Any time we ask her where she is going, her response is aways 'I Keem')

-yogurt and cheese...probably her favorite foods

-Ducks or 'quack quacks'

-Books

-Dora

-Mickey Mouse

-Pretend play...house cleaning, cooking, driving her car, being a little mommy...so cute

-She is potty-trained!! Yay. Pretty proud of her and that accomplishment. (She still wears a diaper at bedtime, but thats it!)

-Talking, Mocking, Jibbering, and figuring out how to put sentences together

-Yellow, everything is yellow

-KidFirst...she goes to 'school' on Thursdays and loves it

-Being a big sister...she loves her sister Annie 

-Bathtime

Annie:

-Milk...enough said

-Some solid foods, I've introduced bananas, apples, pears, peaches, squash, carrots, and peas. She prefers the fruit...the obvious choice since it's sweeter

-Baby-dog, her favorite toy

-Her paci

-Listening to music, mostly the 'Lullaby Radio' on Pandora-usually calms her down and she tunes in to it

-Laughing and watching big sister Emily

-Being held...of course that always calms her down too!

   Having two little girls so close together is fun, challenging, tiring, and above all, a blessing. They are sweet and love eachother which is all I could ask for. I look forward to this new year and watching them continue to grow and change daily! Emily will be 2 in just a few weeks. This is really hard to swallow and really amazing at the same time to see how she has become an incredible little girl. We continue to count our blessings and pray daily that God will teach us to love how he loves and parent how he desires us to. Jeffery and I celebrated our FIVE year anniversary on December 30. We look forward to many many many more!

   As you read this, I pray that your 2012 is full of blessings of God's peace, protection, and provision always. And that we all will acknowledge daily how great and mighty is our God. 

Here are a few pictures from our busy, wonderful Christmas 2011!

       

Cool weather = Cool day at the park

The cooler weather has been a nice prompt to get outside more! The girls and I went to the park and had a great time on Monday. My mom was able to go along so two strollers wasn't too much to handle. We were able to walk for a quick exercise and then let Emily play on the playground. Annie loved it too...as seen from the pictures below! 

I don't know when and how Emily got so big and so funny. She is a big girl and makes me laugh all the time. She is a joy and really had a fun time playing. 

My girls

These are the precious faces that keep me busy! But we are having fun everyday figuring eachother out better and better. Annie Sarah is 3 weeks old already and starting to become her own sweet little person. She is in a pretty good routine now and sleeps good for me at night. Emily is doing great with her. Her aggressiveness has pretty much subsided. Praise the Lord! She loves her sister and even says 'Annie' a few times a day if I'm lucky and listening at just the right time. I am blessed, happy, and oh so thankful for my girls.

John 1:16 From the fullness of HIS grace we all receive blessing after blessing.

Emily and Annie

    Things are definitely different around our house with the precious addition of Annie Sarah. Different but better for sure. Emily is adjusting (all of us are) well to her little sister. She has become much sweeter in her interactions with Annie and less aggressive. That is an answer to prayer. She wants to love on her all the time, give her a paci-even if she is sound asleep she really wants to push it in Annie's mouth, hold her, touch her feet and toes, and read her books. One thing she does NOT want to do is say 'Annie'. It is the funniest thing because she has yet to say Annie consistently. Jeffery got her to say it once and my mother in law too, but no consistency because Emily, for now anyway, prefers to call her 'baby'. We say 'Annie', she says, 'Baby', over and over and over. Funny girl because I know that she is capable of saying it. I have enjoyed getting used to the days at home with two little girls. It is not as intimidating as I thought and has been an easier transition. I feared that Emily would feel neglected or left out because of added attention that must be given to Annie, but it really hasn't seemed to bother her. I guess I'd forgotten how much a new baby sleeps and is content to do just that for hours at a time. So while Annie sleeps in her swing, or her lamb seat, or wherever, Emily and I can still carry on with the things and routine we are used to. 

     Annie is still doing great. She sleeps alot throughout the day still but has about 2-3 hours total of good awake time a day. During that time we talk to her, read her stories, go outside (only for a few minutes though in this heat), listen to music, and play with big sister's toys. She sleeps great at night so far. She always sleeps a three hour stretch at least-but often she stretches it to four hours. So I am great with that. She is a good eater as evidenced by her one week weight last week at the Dr. of 7 pounds, 9 ounces. Up from her birth weight of 7.1, Dr. Stagg says she is doing just great. She was slightly jaundiced but nothing too high to really worry about. She has been spending a few hours in her diaper in the window getting a little sun-therapy to help with that. I can tell it is getting better. We will visit the Dr. again this week to see where we are now. 

     Emily is going to start going to 'school' this week! Really just mothers day out at KidFirst at our church starting Thursday. She is used to the facility from being there at the nursery, but will have different teachers with her than those she is familiar with. It will be fun and good for her to have interaction with other kids her age and to have a consistent routine of going. I am looking forward also to having a day of 'alone time' with my sweet Annie. It will be a good change for Emily. 

     

     My heart really is full and my home is filled with joy because of the great gift we've been given with our second daughter. What a blessing and a constant reminder of God's love over us. 

Window-Sun bathing beauty

I love catching these first little smiles

Being a patient, big girl at the Pedi Clinic

It actually rained here over the weekend, not a whole lot, but pretty hard for about 30 minutes. We are thankful for every drop and continue to faithfully trust that God will send more.

Emily loved it, she had a BIG time splashing in, riding her scooter in, and even drinking the rain water!

Annie's first trip to Sunday Morning church-Pretty in Pink

Sisters. Love. 

That's all He had to say

John 12:47-50
The Message (MSG)
 47-50"If anyone hears what I am saying and doesn't take it seriously, I don't reject him. I didn't come to reject the world; I came to save the world. But you need to know that whoever puts me off, refusing to take in what I'm saying, is willfully choosing rejection. The Word, the Word-made-flesh that I have spoken and that I am, that Word and no other is the last word. I'm not making any of this up on my own. The Father who sent me gave me orders, told me what to say and how to say it. And I know exactly what his command produces: real and eternal life. That's all I have to say. What the Father told me, I tell you."

I don't normally read from The Message translation but today wanted to reread what our pastor shared last night and decided to see how The Message said it. I was reminded in the above verses of how our God is so not dependent upon us but still chooses to bless us and show his favor to those who seek him. He came to save, not to condemn. He came to share love not to spread dissension. He came to fulfill that which the Father God had commanded him to do. And that's all he had to say!

A new baby...a new adventure

Annie Sarah Crabb

August 12, 2011 at 4:43 pm

7 pounds 1 ounce and 20 inches long

She is here and she is such a sweet blessing to our family already. Thankful for God's protection bringing her into the world. It was a long day, but a good day. We are very thankful

Our first 'Family of FOUR' picture

Happy Mama

Showing her baby sister off at home. Proud Emily. 

This is what she likes to do most all day...she is very calm and peaceful. Annie is a good eater and a good sleeper. I feel very blessed. The transition from one to two has been alot smoother than I anticipated. Thanks to so many who prayed over this transition in our lives. God is faithful to answer our prayers. I am feeling good and adjusting well. I have much more energy than I thought. Jeffery, of course, is in love with his newest girl. So sweet. He is a big help but also has been able to get back to work during this busy time there. I am thankful for his dedication to taking care of this family. Emily is not sure day to day what to think about Annie. She has figured out now that Annie is here to stay and definitely a part of us now, but she has to be watched VERY closely around her. I know she doesn't mean to be too aggressive, she just is. So its repetition of 'be sweet Emily', 'soft love Emily', 'NO NO NO Emily'...you get the idea. But I'm sure she will get better and better with Annie as the days go by. 

Still the prettiest blue eyed girl I know. 

Summer fun

I love that smile. Emily loves swimming. She really has no fear when it comes to swim-time. We have had lots of fun the past few weeks getting used to the pool. It is also a nice way to cool off too during these hot days. We have been staying busy and doing good. Had a fun last weekend celebrating my dear friend, Caroline's, beautiful wedding in Dallas. Jeffery and I enjoyed some time alone away from home and saw so many friends! That will probably be the extent of my summer traveling since I am due in 8 weeks. Crazy. People told me that this second pregnancy would go by faster than the first and it certainly has. I can't believe that we only have a few days of June left then onto July. August will be here before I know it. I am feeling good, just pregnant and beginning to have heartburn with EVERYTHING. Oh well, I just remember how quickly the heartburn left after Emily was born and I trust it will be the same this time. 

I have been reading the Psalms lately and today the truth and power of Psalm 23 has stood out in my mind. A Psalm that many of us know by heart and have heard or prayed so many times, but how comforting to claim it's truth and promise. 

'The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all of the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.' Psalm 23