SURPRISE!!!!

September 21st:

I have never successfully hosted a surprise party.... I am a terrible secret keeper. That's not entirely accurate, I am a terrible HAPPY secret keeper. I am GREAT at keeping SAD secrets; I am not a "prayer request" gossip. However, if you tell me happy news (engagements, presents, babies, parties, etc.) it takes EVERY OUNCE of strength for me to keep it in. I just love telling people happy news... it makes them happy!! And who doesn't want to make people happy? That is why I am super proud to announce that for Alyssa's 30th birthday Matt and I REALLY, REALLY surprised her!!!!

Alyssa thought she was just going over to our parents house for the standard family birthday dinner, but then Matt got a call from Richard that Blakely needed picked up (this is a pretty normal request for our family) and she got a HUGE surprise when they pulled on our street!!

I had doubts this week as to whether or not she knew... but when I saw her face as they pulled up, I knew we had her! She was pale and flushed and a little misty. SHOCK.... total SHOCK!

Ryan and Olivia came all the way from Charleston; Kathryn, Caleb and Wilson came from Greenville/Spartanburg; and The Boyd's came all the way from Augusta, GA!! Alyssa was happily surprised and overwhelmed by all the friends that had traveled for her party!! It was great day.

This was our first big (ie more than family) party at our house, and we couldn't have asked for better weather!!! Sunny and low 80s; and not a cloud in the sky!!

The party theme was "Wild Thang!"/ Cougar Season. Alyssa is 6 months older than Matt, and so for 6 months every year Matt LOVES to call Alyssa a cougar! HA! Matt had ordered a cake with a real picture of a cougar on it... he also ordered it to have Strawberry filling. What he did not account for was that it was gonna look like that poor cougar was bleeding to death when we hacked in to! ("Grey icing! I cannot even begin to think how you'd make grey icing!" Anyone???)

Happy Birthday to our favorite Cougar!!

In lieu of gifts, we asked everyone to bring a funny 30's survival gift. This got pretty hysterical. Gifts included: Centrum Silver, Estrogen pills, AARP card, Life Alert button coupon and a "walker!"

To clarify, my parents gave Alyssa the "walker." It was a name pendant GG made for my new nephew Walker Jeffrey Cogdill!! So beautiful... my mom has mad skills!

Ironically Alyssa is also 30 weeks pregnant, so maybe my sign was really for Walker!! Love him already!!

Such a good turn out to celebrate the BESTEST sister and best friend a girl could have!! Obviously, I am in good company!



Everyone loves Auntie!!! Katy Ellis attempted to sleep through the WHOLE party, but made a cameo near the end.

We (the adults) had a LOT of fun, but I know our kids had WAY more fun!! They were sweaty, dirty and sticky.... all signs of a great party. Carla had to play ring around the rosie like 80 times! They were loving it. Blakely's favorite part was the "all fall down!" She was often a little too eager to get there, and often collapsed during the line "Ring around the rosie..." She's so silly! Love that crazy girl!!

After all the guests left, we exchanged presents with Alyssa. And I shocked her again!! I usually tell her everything, and some how since JULY I have managed to keep her present and the party a secret!!! I am getting better with age ;) HA!

I don't know how to put video on here or I would upload the video of Blakely singing "Happy Birthday" to Auntie, which is beyond precious!!! However, the interesting thing is that Blakely is really getting a sense for what a birthday is, and what to expect. She even keeps asking "Mommy, when's my birthday?" Yesterday after I told her it was Aunties birthday, she asked if she could make her a present. I'm not sure why, but Blakely said that this bird "looks like Auntie" (the big eyes, maybe?????). Blakely was so proud to give her favorite Auntie a birthday gift!! Love my tender hearted girl!!!

Had such a perfect day, and I hope that Alyssa knows how loved she is!!!

I have known her for her entire life, and she is a part of all my memories that I can remember!! From barbies and babies in the basement to a shared car and cellphone... now raising our own kids together!! She has been my bestest friend and confident for 30 years, and she is the only friend that I KNOW I will still be just as close with in another 30 years. So, so very thankful to God that he cared enough about me to give me such a kind, fun-loving, crazy, amazing, brilliant, beautiful and Godly sister!!

We love you, Alyssa!!! Happy, Happy, Happy BIRTHDAY you 'ole Cougar!!!

KE is 7 Months Old!!

September 3rd: Katy Ellis is 7 Month Old

I really don't remember the months flying by this fast when Blakely was this age. I feel like every time I blink this girl gets bigger and can do more things! This past weekend, Rich and I went to a physicians retreat at Wild Dunes and left the girls with my parents. In doing so, we discovered that MAX time away from them at this age is about 2 days. The girls were fine, Rich and I were the ones missing them BIG TIME!! No week long trips for this Mommy and Daddy... yet!

When we came back this little monkey had acquired some new skills. 1) She can sit up- no tripod! 2) She is up on her knees more and more doing "rocking horse!" We are going to have an early crawler! MUST BY BABY PROOFING GEAR!

New Nicknames: Grabby McGhee!! This girl will grab a hold of ANYTHING she can get her hands on, and then it is going in her mouth!

The other day I had her in the bumbo on the counter while I prepped dinner (good pediatrician...right?), and she grabbed both baby monitors and was happily banging them together. ANYTHING can be a toy at this age!!

Likes: Baby Food- her favorites are Green beans and Zucchini with Corn. It is so fun to have a baby that likes to eat. Blakely NEVER liked to eat. She still doesn't. But Katy Ellis LOVES to eat baby food, she is so quick and efficient! Loves tummy/knee time, too!

This girl just cracks me up! Her little personality is totally erupting! She is a wildcat and beyond curious!

All things are up for examination- her toes, her hands, my nose, my hair... she wants to get a hold of it all!

Dislikes: Not getting to eat when she is ready to eat! Otherwise, this is a happy baby. No real dislikes.

I try to put up attractive pictures of my children so they won't be humiliated in the future, but this one is a memory I want to remember. This is Katy Ellis getting up on her knees and rocking her bottom (ie the precursor to crawling)... but the part I like the most is that when she gets on her knees she goes bananas hollering and grunting. She is so proud of herself and so excited!!

Currently wearing size 6-9 month clothing. Still takes her milk from a bottle, but we are introducing the sippy cup. Eating stage 2 jar foods and puffs, no true solids yet.

When I was a little girl, I couldn't say sister properly and it came out "Dister." This subsequently morphed into DeeDee, which is what Banks (and soon Walker) call me today. Spontaneously this past week, Blakely has stopped calling Katy Ellis "Sissy" and has started calling her "Dister!" It must run in the family!

This girl is a smiling, giggling, happiness machine!! I just love her and those chubby cheeks!

Big Event for the month: First Weekend Away from Mommy and Daddy!! She did so well and was such an angel for GG and PopPop; however, she did get the new nickname "Baby Octopus!"

Back to School

September 3rd: First Day of Mother's Morning Out

Today was Blakely's first day of Lexington Baptist Mother's Morning Out. We did Mo.M.O. last year with Blakely in Charleston, so this was not extremely traumatizing. Next year, when we call it Preschool it will definitely be a little bit more painful to let her go. I expected Blakely to be a little tearful, but she was so brave and ready to have a great day! So proud of my little monkey!!

September 2nd: Meet the Teacher. Oddly enough, Blakely cried at Meet the Teacher, but kissed me and waved goodbye without tears at the real deal first day. Funny girl! (P.S. GG made that adorable bag for Blakely for her first ballet class!! Super, super cute!!)

Blakely and Banks are going to Mother's Morning Out at Lexington Baptist Preschool.
Thankfully, they are going to be in the same 2 year old class together!!
Their teachers are named Ms. Robin and Ms. Stephanie, and they seem really great!!
I know that these kiddos are going to have a great school year!!

Notice Gray has snuck into these pictures. This was one of my biggest concerns with starting Mo.M.O. again... Gray. At orientation they asked for us to leave their "lovies" at home. Last year, Blakely took Gray to Mo.M.O. with her, so this was going to be a big change. We had been talking about how Blakely was going to school all week, and how Gray was going to have to stay with Mommy and Katy Ellis during that time....but you NEVER know how these things are gonna go. When we pulled up to school this morning, Blakely gave Gray a kiss and put her in her car seat. This BIG GIRL was ready for school!! Crisis averted!

We still haven't mastered smiling... I feel like she always looks like she is in pain. However, I am just thankful she is looking at the camera!!! Baby steps!

Blakely yelled "oh no!" during the photo shoot, jumped up and ran and got her backpack. Apparently, your backpack NEEDS to be in your picture. Ha!

Blakely and Banks are only going to school 2 days a week from 8:30-11:45am.

Blakely and Banks were so excited when we got up to the church!! GG made them these adorable matching shirts for their first day of school. Don't they look school ready?

Stop time!! Don't let this little keep growing up. Being a mom makes you have such a strange relationship with time. Sometimes I find myself looking forward to when she is older, and I am always so proud of her development and achievements. Yet, I already miss my little baby, and I find myself begging time to stand still. I know this time where my girls are little and home with me is just a "flash in the pan," so I KNOW that I have to savor EVERY SINGLE MOMENT!!

Banks giving his Mommy a hug goodbye on his first day of school!

Me giving my girl one last hug before she is off on her big girl adventures!

I am so, so thankful that these two are in the same class and that they have each other!! Have fun Banks and Blakely!! I know that y'all are going to LOVE school as much as your Mommy's did!

My Beauties!!

Matching outfits... both of them smiling... I think I've died and gone to heaven!!!

Thank you Thank you Thank you, Mama and Daddy for my new camera lens!! It makes these beautiful girls look like my dreams!! LOVE Y'ALL!!

Random Pictures

Summer 2014: Random Pictures

No real big events associated with these pictures, just some memories I wanted to preserve.



This picture is awesome!! This just so represents our life right now. All three kids are dressed up and looking super-dee-duper cute in their matching cousin cuteness.... but trying to get a cute picture out of them is almost impossible. Add in trying to plan in a good photo shoot location and everyone being awake and clean, and you have got yourself your very own "Mission Impossible!" GG and the kids couldn't look better... BUT I LOVE that the photo shoot location is the Burger King play set. Keeping it classy, y'all! Ha Ha!!

Snuggling with my Katy Ellis girl on our vacation in Saratoga Springs.

This girl has become a giggle monster. She loves to laugh with her WHOLE body!! Love this little munch.

This summer has been the summer of the potty!! We are not full tilt potty training yet, but we have been putting her on there before and after she sleeps with pretty good success. She STILL won't tell us she needs to potty EVER. I think it is a control thing for her. Regardless, this picture cracks me up!! After a nap on vacation, we put her on the potty. She said in the most pathetic voice ever "cold. need towel. right here." She did this while shivering and rubbing her hands on her chest. Crazy girl!!

 

EVERYTHING goes in the mouth... EVERYTHING!! Don't get mobile anytime soon girlfriend, Mommy still needs to baby proof the new house.

 

 

Snuggles with her daddy!

This is what I am talking about! She loves to play dress up, but then she persists in the costume doing normal activities. She is so hilarious! Also note the zoo pass bracelet on her wrist. We cannot get it off her! If we go some place that has her wear an admissions bracelet, it will be 1-2 weeks before I get the ratty thing off her! She loves some jewelry!