Thanksgiving. New Mexico

Well we had a great Thanksgiving!!! We spent the earlier half of the day with Nats family and the later half of the day with my family.... Man oh man did we have some delicious food!! I still haven't felt un-full since Thursday! We had a great time visiting with our families!

I have been quite the loser when it comes to taking pictures lately. So I don't got much for ya from Thanksgiving which I am mad at myself for.

Madelynn playing minutes before a horrendous, disgusting blowout diaper

eating the 18th helping of something sweet. I was pretty sure that she was gonna barf everything up that night.

Payton and mimi

my sisters and my dad were doing this ^^ and Madelynn thought it was so cool so we let her get on.

Friday, I got up early and went shoppin with me mom. Nat and I had planned to go but then decided at the last minute that we probably shouldn't spend the little bit of extra money that we had on that so we decided not to go. I ended up going with my mom with the intention of NOT spending money. Have you ever heard anything so stupid?!?! Not spending money on black friday. Ya, I was gonna try. But I failed... miserably!!! I did get the girls some stuff for Christmas so they are set. Stuff that I absolutely could not pass up! I also got Nat a phone. Is he spoiled rotten or what??? :) It ended up being free at Best buy on black friday so I as like hey, why not. He was so thrilled... and still us. Nat and I are plain-jane flip phone kinda people so for him to get a touch phone was like givin him a new tv. He is in love!!

Friday, we got all of our Christmas stuff out and put up and I LOVE it.

our little Christmas tree. Please note that all the ornaments are now on the upper half of the tree... and in the first 15 minutes it was up, 2 ornaments were broken... I don't suppose I'll be able to wrap the presents and put 'em under the tree till Christmas eve huh???

Shelf with some Christmas decor on it. See the 3 little snowmen on the bottom shelf??? Well I gave the baby one to Nat 2 Christmas' ago as a gift to tell him that I was preggo (with Madelynn) he didn't get it tho... even after he saw the pregnancy test. That was the funnest Christmas present ever! I now added another little baby snowman for Ms Payton.

Then that evening, we headed out to New Mexico to visit Nats brother, sister and their families . We thought it would be wise to travel at night so that Madelynn would sleep in the car. That was a big fat joke! She slept for 10 min, woke up and cried for 10 minutes... and on and on and on and on and on and on and on. It was a long trip there. We had a wonderful time there visiting with them. Nats brother, Jim puts up around 60,000 Christmas lights that dance to music. ok... so they don't technically dance, you like have this computer program and you synchronize the lights to the music. Get that??? I can't think of how to describe it... anyways, its amazing!! Madelynn was absolutely in awe of it. She wanted to sit outside all night long and when we made her come in, she cried and cried and went and stood by the door. She just laughed and smiled and clapped. It was neat.

Watchin the lights

here is a little bit of the lights. Couldn't get half of it on the camera screen.

Madelynn and her aunt Veronica watchin the lights

I have wondered what Madelynn would think of santa clause this year...

This is my answer:

She was absolutely scared outta her mind! It was sad. If you got close to it, she would squeeze you as tight as she could and pull away. Not sure if we will be visiting santa this year. We'll give it a try.

Madelynn and her uncle Jim. (She has gotten to where she bites her nails when she is nervous or scared.)

We got home around 4 or so and it was good to be home and to put the girls down in their own beds. They did pretty well considering they weren't in there own environment. Night time was the hardest of all. We didn't get a whole lotta sleep. Three days is a long time to be away from home with little ones! Anyways... hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Oh.. and btw, in case you were wondering, the girls sleeping in the same room has gone wonderfully. We put them down at the same time and for the most part, they both go right to sleep. A couple of times Payton has cried and needed her paci or a bottle but Madelynn sleeps right through it.

can't really see them but this is there first time sleepin together!

Meet my husband...

Some call him Nat, some call him Nathaniel, Nate, Nathan, or my moms favorite- Matt, Personally I like to call him babe, baby, love of my life, lover boy, honey, sugar lips, baby daddy... ya know... all the names. Well I have a new one for him SURPRISE RUINER!!!!!!! Ugh... I could beat him up for it to. I have said it before and I'll say it again... I LOVE surprising people and love holidays, and birthdays. This year, I was gonna give the ultimate surprise for Christmas and he was gonna die over it and love me forever and ever amen. A new HD LCD ABCD WXYZ (who really knows what all those letters are for anyways???.....besides my brother) tv. Wait a sec... lemme back up a few months here... When we were dating and Wal Mart still had layaway (come back lay away!!!!!!) Nat and I would slowly buy stuff for our new house for when we got married. We got all of our bedroom furniture, Entertainment center, TV and would slowly pay it off. It was a great way to start our marriage off. Debt free!! We were very proud of ourselves for it to!! Anyways... we got a 32 in tv, an old fat one of course cuz then, the flat screens were a bazillion dollars. About 4 months ago, the TV decided to stop working so we had to move our little bitty baby 25 in tv outta our bedroom and into the living room, and ever since, we have been squinting our little eyes out to see it.... and ever since then, Nat has been talkin about gettin a new tv! Long story short, I got my brother to help me pick it up and store it at his house TILL CHRISTMAS. Tonight we went on a date and were going to go see Blind side (GO SEE IT!!!!!!) ended up the showing we were going to was sold out... so what else do you do till the next showing... go to Wal Mart DUH! Ends up Nat slams (yes, Im being a tad but dramatic) on the brakes at the turn to Best Buy and says lets go to BB and look at TV's. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Lets not (I said in my head). So here we are la di dahin around and he is talkin about buyin a new TV so I end up having to tell him that I bought him one for Christmas and its at Tylers house. He didnt believe me.

Now, he does.

Be gone little tv.

Hello big (to us) TV . He loves it! Its amazing how you don't see the difference in HD and regular TV till its in your house. Very nice.

Hope everyone has a wonderful, happy, warm Thanksgiving thats full of Love and family! Be thankful for what God has blessed you with cuz just as easy as it was givin to you, it can just as easily be taken away from you!

I am thankful for the 16 beautiful months the Lord has given Nat and I with the blonde one, and the 3 months that He has given us with the one with the crazy hair. There are no 2 better girls for Nat and I, and no better parents to those 2 girls.

^^ That is what I am most thankful for this year!

That, and this guy.

I am also thankful for my parents and the time they put into raising me and my brother and sisters. I am thankful for my Big brother and his kindness and love for his family and his little sisters. I am thankful for his wife, Kinsey. Glad that we are on this child rearing journey together. Thankful for my 2 handsome nephews, Cash and Jedd. They are the big brothers that my girls will never have. I am also thankful for my little sister Elizabeth. Im thankful for the years we were stuck sharing a room. The many house, babies, barbie sessions we had together. The littler sister and the littlest sister. They are both growing up to be such beautiful young ladies. I am also thankful for my wonderful in-laws for raising such a handsome, caring, loving young man that God had set out for me since the day I was born. I am thankful for Karl for putting up with Nat and being his big brother and then very graciously handing him off to me. And last but not least, Crystal for loving our girls and for moving right down the street so I can borrow sugar whenever I need it. Although I must say, any time that I have needed to borrow something she has been at work. :)

Almost done... I am VERY grateful that my girls have 4 grandparents that invest their time and their life into them. I am so glad that they will grow up close to ya'll.... P.S.... thanks for being a free babysitter!!!!!!

Its 3 in the mornin and I need to go to bed.... or I would go on and on!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

Her room, becomes their room!

We did the big move and moved Payton in with Madelynn. I am excited that they will be together!!! I always lay in bed and feel a little sad cuz Madelynn is in her room all alone and were all 3 cozy in mine and Nat's room... I know, stupid... but thats me for ya. I will find some way to feel sorry for someone or something. :) I just did it this mornin so we shall see what tonight brings!! Payton has started to go to bed earlier... sometimes even before Madelynn so I figured now is the perfect time. To make matters even better, last night we put them both down at 9 and they both slept till 9!! How awesome is that?!?

I am a super duper matchy kinda person, I annoy myself sometimes with it... but hey, its the way God made me... so the fact that the crib is Cherry color and all of the other furniture is white drives me up the wall!! So in order to try and settle this inside myself, I put the bedskirt that goes with Madelynns bedspread on the crib so that it would match with Madelynns bed. Yes, it does make me feel better about this matchty issue I have.

Payton is 3 months now. She is such a joyful little girl. Always so very happy and smiling. I know I've said that a million times but I just love that about her. And my oh my she has chubby legs like her big sister!! She has one less roll than Madelynn does... yes, I do pay attention to that kinda stuff.

Don't yall look at her and see a basketball player??

In Madelynn news, she has "hangin hair" as I like to call it. Her hair has gotten so long that it hangs... yes, I notice silly things like this, and how many rolls my children have in there legs. When she walks it bounces. Its so sweet! She has the most beautiful hair!! The front part has also gotten alot longer and hangs in her face so I have been clippin it back. Im not so much into the bang thing so Im just gonna let it keep growing.

and she is a weirdo and does stuff like this.

She always seem to save the poor dogs form "the kennel" when us mean humans put them in there. This time she decided to join the dog rather than let her out. Hey... whatever makes the kid happy.

She even brought her little Bible in there with her. What a good little girl. Trying to 'save' the dog.. HA! get it??

Anyways......... I have been in like super duper cleaning and baking mode the past 2 days so I am wearing myself out!!!!!! I have gone to bed the past 2 nights with an aching back and my legs and feet killin me!! But, I have a clean house and (almost) all the laundry done... ooh and I have homemade cookies too. Matter of fact... I do believe I will be leavin you now to go eat some!

Check up

Today was Madelynns 15 month check up. Yes, she will be 16 months tomorrow... its just been pushed back and pushed back for different reasons. Got some shots... and the flu shot!! I was soooo glad when they offered it. I have been wantin to atleast get her one this winter and they cancelled our appointment to get the them a month or so ago because they ran out. She was a trooper... she did so good that we went to sonic (YEA for Happy hour!!!) and got a slushy!! Her and I had some fun in the room waitin for the Dr to come in. She had a blast bringing me books and walkin across the room and back and forth. She tried to run from me which was so funny to me. She is still in the wobbly state of walking so to see her get so excited she can't contain herself and try to run, and hold her balance was funny. We were loud, and laughing. Im sure that everyone in the halls and the people in the room next to us were wondering what on earth we were doin. It was fun. We had some good, and much needed, mommy and Madelynn time.

Lets see here. She is in the 40th percentile in both weight and height. She is a little girl. Weighed 21 lbs. and was 30 in long. She checked out perfect. I have been a little concerned about her nutrition. She is not (hardly) eating fruits or veggies and she has also stopped drinking a whole lot of milk. Definitely does not get the daily amount. Dr was not to concerned... just said it was a stage and to just keep offering it to her so that made me feel a little better as a mom.. that she's not gonna deteriorate right before my eyes cuz she does not eat healthily. I know... first time mom dumb thinking... :) But this evening, she ate 3 pieces a pizzza. Not even kidding. She probably would have eaten more but I figured 3 was enough. As long as she is eating right???

and I finally am able to upload videos!!! I guess maybe the internet connection/speed here is a little better than the one out in Mertzon. I totally just made that up. Don't really know if that makes a difference or not. So we'll just go with it. Sounds good.

This was the other day, It was after church and she was totally and completely exhausted and it was waaaay past naptime for her. I noticed her fallin asleep in the highchair and Micaela ran and got my camera and got this.

**P.S. If you have motion sickness, or get a little woozy from fast moving objects, you may

wanna go take a dramamine or something before you watch this cuz the videographer was a little dizzy?? drunk?? somethin, I dont know. LOVE YOU MICAELA!! :)

Heres just a few cute pictures in case you forgot what my girls look like. HA!! I know what you just thought... Like that would ever happen. :)

Miss Payton and her Christmas socks! Christmas is just right around the corner can you believe that?? And we can't overlook Thanksgiving in a week. Can you believe that??? I still am in awe that Thanksgiving is so close but I am sooo lookin forward to some days off with Nat!!

that is a daddys girl right there... walkin around with a screw driver workin on the car.

my 2 little duckies.

blah...

I feel so outta touch with the internet world. Haven't had my computer for a couple days now. I had this whole blog post in my head and now, I do believe that it has vanished due to other (stupid, annoying) things on my head right now. Anyways.. I have this Macbook, and on macbooks the plug charger thing is magnetic. Ya, its easy, convenient, and fun but what they failed to think of when inventing this wonderful, magnetism of a thing is that little 16 month old hands can very easily, and very sneakily pull it out and suck on it when momma isn't looking. So this has happened one to many times and it stops working for a day or so. I have gotten lucky and it starts to work again... this time I was outta luck. Stopped working and computer died after a few days. Praise the Lord that we bought the bazillion dollar 3 year warranty when we got this thing or else I wouldn't be here and neither would my mac. :) Aren't you thrilled that we spent our life savings for moments like this??? Anyways... so there gonna send me a new one and I gotta send this corroded one back. For now, Im runnin on the wee little bit of battery that the '"geek squad" provided me with.

We have really not been up to much.

-Gone to a couple of Micaelas basketball games. Brings back sooooo many memories!! I would love to play basketball again. Maybe one day I will actually be back in shape. One can only hope.

-We.. or I should say I, am still having ALOT of trouble with Madelynns sleeping... matter of fact, she is sittin right here next to me and its 11:54 pm. Its been horribly frustrating for me. She wont sleep at night... but she gets to take good long naps during the day... I dont. I know, I know poor me right??? I think so.

- Remember what I said about Madelynn sitting and watching Tigger and Pooh?? Well she is soooooo obsessed with Winnie the Pooh now, and I love it! I love winnie the Pooh. My favorite character was always Eeyore... my mom always called me eeyore because I was always negative, depressing, sad, ya know... just like eeyore. So she has a few eeyore things that we have gotten her... BUT, me trying to pass my likings onto my child has failed, it turns out that she absolutely loves tigger! Its so sweet. She has a tigger stuffed animal and she carries him everywhere. Its her new found love in happiness in life. She bounces him all over the place.

-Which brings me to the best news EVER. I think its ok to say that the little turkey head is WALKING! Can you believe it?? 16 months old on Friday and she FINALLY decides to walk. She only crawls when she is in a super duper hurry to get somewhere. Uhh... I love it. As if having kids couldn't be more fun. Then the waking begins. I think people are crazy when they say you'll regret ever wanting them to walk. I couldn't be more excited.

-Payton is fixin to be 3 months. Did I not JUST say that she was 2 months?? pretty sure that was yesterday right??? (because I cant sleep and am kinda bored and am just rambling anyways...) Here is Ms. Payton Elizabeths 3 months facts

*wearing 6-9 months clothes.

*pretty close to being as long as her sister

*Size 2 diapers.. pretty close to being in 3's... like her big sister

*drinks 5 oz bottles

* Holds head up pretty well (and its STRAIGHT!!! PTL)

* Still not rolling over

*recognizes bottles

*loves to smile and loves to laugh

*loves to watch her big sisters every move.

Guess thats about all you can say about a 3 month old. Next month starts the fun stuff! Baby food!!! Im excited. Hope she takes to it better than Madelynn did. I am really thinkin about makin my own baby food this time.

*Now and then*

Payton- 3 months

Madelynn- 4 months.

So that was long and a bunch of random. Just be glad I didn't share EVERYTHING on my mind... that would be scary. Just keep us in your prayers right now. Just unmentionable things. I'de appreciate it!

Sisters

Little bit of sister love.

Madelynn.. the horrible sleeper

Ever since the day she was born.

Here is how our night went last night: Put Madelynn to bed at 9, like we always do. Go in there at 10 to get some clothes outta there, she is still awake???? ok, I thought you were beyond exhausted but whatever. Momma and daddy are ready to go to bed at 11:30, Madelynn begins to cry. Not just a cry.... a bloody murder, someone is chopping my fingers off kinda cry. Know that one?? Try to get her to go to bed. unsuccessful. Get her up. Give her some benadryl. Take her in bed with us... everyone loves to sleep with mom and dad right??? After about ten more minutes of screaming, and about 30 minutes of her so very amused by slapping Nats face, and sticking her fingers up his nose, then slapping herself in the head for another 10 minutes... she falls asleep at around 12:30. I wake up at 2:30 hoping that its morning... its not. I wake Nat up to put her in her bed. Hallelujah, she stayed asleep... and I can MOVE!!! 4:30 we hear a huge thud. She fell off the bed. more crying. back to bed around 5... 5:30 she is up wondering around the house crying, looking for us. Bring her back to bed with us. She doesn't sleep till about 6:30. Up at 7 am sharp.... and here we are. Wow... how is she not falling over dead... I know im about ready to. Poor Nat had to get up and go to work this mornin.

At last...

We are moved in!! The last box has been unpacked. Well... we have been moved in and unpacked since a couple days after we got here... but you know "that box" I think that I have talked about this once before... but its the box with all the random stuff that you have no clue what to do with. Ya, we had 4 of those hangin out in the laundry room. That and a shelf that had Nat's tools thrown ALL over it. It was a messy lookin room. Not one that I am proud of, and not one that matched my house. It was my (or more like Nats) weakness. We all got drawers or closets like that right?!?! I have desperately wanted to get in there and get it all cleaned up... but its mostly, like I said, Nats stuff. So when he got in there yesterday and started cleaning it up, I was thrilled... He got all his tools put up and organized (thank the Lord) Who knew one could have so many tools?? Got the shelf hung and everything straightened up. It looks oh so beautiful in there!!!

In other sickly news, Payton is a much happier, sweeter baby and feeling much better!! Madelynn on the other hand still all stuffed up and miserable. She has pretty much stayed stable at where she is, she is not getting better, but she is not getting worse. Still hasn't ran fever. You can just see it in her eyes that she doesn't feel good.

We have pretty much just been hangin out in our jammies this week.

Here is (the best) picture I could get of Madelynn STANDING... and WALKING. Isn't it so nice to see her whole body??? I am sure enjoyin it. :)

And in little miss Payton news... look at her holdin that head up!! She is doin soooo much better on her tummy. Still has yet to roll over.

Sleep....

.. is for losers

sleep is for the weak

sleep is not for me.

I wanna be a loser. I wanna be weak. I want it to be just the thing for me.

My dear sweet children prefer sleep to not be there thing. They are both sick.. I am thinkin that its just allergies the poor little things. I do feel so bad for them. I get allergies a few weeks outta the year... and its of course this time of the year. And its just about the worst thing EVER. When I was pregnant with both of them, I prayed every day that they would not get Nat's horrible allergies!! So I am really hoping that its just a this time of year kinda thing. They both are sneezing, got red eyes and runny noses. And guess what?? Were supposed to have family pictures done with my whole family on Saturday!! Every stinkin time that we have had our pictures done Madelynn has gotten sick right before and usually has a snotty red nose for pictures.

Payton is not an easy "not feeling good" baby. She wants to be held.. but she really doesn't wanna be held. She wants to swing... but she really doesn't wanna swing. She wants to eat... but she just won't eat. She wants her paci.. but she doesn't want her paci. Get it?? So to be quite 100% honest with you... I am about ready to pull my hair out!!! (as she lays in her swing screaming her head off) I am outta patience and outta love. Ever get that way?? Madelynn has been relatively well. Just wants her paci and she just kinda lays around and ever so often gets up and plays, then goes back to laying down. She is feeling better today I think. Good enough to eat dog food and dump the dogs water out. Oh happy day!

To refill my love meter and to gain my patience back.. I am leaving... on a jet plane... ok no, not really. Just gonna go out by myself and let there nana come give them some love. See ya.

Returning the favor????

So the other day, I was at my moms house and I asked Naomi if she would change Madelynns diaper for me... and she said ewww no, I dont wanna do that, I wanna potty train her, Can I??? You need not say any more my dear sweet littlest sister. Go for it. In case you don't know, I potty trained Naomi. My mom said she would give me $25 potty train her.. and back then, $25 was like a million bucks in your pocket. So when the time actually comes, and Madelynn is ready to potty train, Im gonna send her on over to her Aunt Na Na!! (with a potty chair) :)

Madelynn is gettin so big and advancing so much. Every day, she always has got somethin new for us. You really don't realize how cool it is for someone to grow up in front of your eyes until you have your own kids. I have watched soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many kids in my lifetime and watched them grow up, but you just don't appreciate it the same as you do your own kids. I would say she is walking and crawling 50-50 now. Words she says now: mama, daddy, doggy (goggy) na na (aunt naomi) kay kay (aunt Micaela) Kacey (Uncle Karl and Aunt Crystals chinchilla, Sorry if I spelled his name wrong) eat, paci (aaaa-eee) She has said a few times, but not consistently: PaPa, sister, maggie, nana (Sharon.) Knows animal sounds for: Dog, Cat, monkey. Loves loves LOVES the show My friends Tigger and Pooh, she will sit and watch the whole episode. Loves her tigger and eeyore stuffed animals.

This is somethin I made for her.

Two weeks

3 months

6 months

1 year.

What a beautiful little girl she has turned out to be!!

Sorry if I sound like a broken record, I feel like I say this about her all the time.

Payton is a growing machine. She has found her fingers and her hands so she is reaching for things, not yet able to grab them, but she is sure trying!! She recognizes her bottle.

I can't wait until she can crawl and play with Madelynn. I know that I have said this before to, but I just cant wait for her to grow up.. Im ready to start feeding her solids, Im ready for her to crawl, I have heard alot of people say that with their second, they didn't want them to crawl, or walk as long as possible. I am soooo the opposite of that.... I am enjoying her and enjoying being able to contain atleast one of my kids... but I just know how much more fun its gonna be when she gets older.

*Now and then*

Daddy gettin big smiles from Madelynn

and from Payton

and at last, I got a video of Madelynn walkin... but you'll have to turn your head around to see it. :)

Pick-a-nic

This week has been a long one for us. Nat has gone out of town 3 days, and not got home until 7 or 8 pretty much every day this week, and we he was not able to come home for lunch once all week... so I KNOW that he is exhausted and missin his family and I also know that we are probably missin him even more than that!! I have pretty much felt like a single mom all week. So we have definitely needed some time together. We went out on a date last night. It was nice to have some time with him. And today we had some time with just our family... now Im way not into this 75-80 degree weather in November...I guess I signed up for it for livin in Texas right?? But today is a gorgeous day!! So I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get outside. I packed up our picnic bag and we headed out to the park. We had a really good time just being together.... and of course Madelynn had a blast! Nat is on call this weekend so his phone was ringin quite often, every time it did I just cringed and hoped that he wasn't gonna have to leave us today. So far we still got him. :) I love it when he is off on Saturdays!!

eatin lunch

we put her on the see-saw and this little girl came over and sat on the other side and very gently bounced Madelynn. She thought that it was the coolest thing in the world.

Not to big of a fan of this thing

I think that its safe to say that her most favorite thing is sliding.

and Ms. Payton just slept the day away.

We wore that girl out! She came home and took a 3 hour nap!