Dubose Pictures

I finally got Molly Anne's Dubose pictures framed!  These pictures were taken in April and she was almost 10 months old.  It took awhile to get the proofs back, then we took awhile to order them, then we had to recover from paying a million dollars for one 8x10 and one 5x7 picture.  THEN we framed them.  Ha!  Here's the big girl frame haha....I had it done at Harris Holt in Charlotte.  It's currently in our room and we'll probably keep it there in our new house.

Then I just picked up a frame at HomeGoods for the 5x7 and it's on our bookshelf in the den.  This was the less formal pose so we thought it was perfect for the den!

We are pleased with them!  We'll probably wait a couple years and get some updated ones done!  Maybe Spring 2018.  We'll see!  I'm not one of those big, "I must get professional family photos for every Fall and Christmas done" so these felt really special and timeless for us!  

Weekend with Hurricane Evacuees

Well, we got a call about 12:30pm on Friday that said, "we're on the way!"  My brother and his family headed west to our house.  We had been waiting all week because every day they said they may come the next day.  Ha!  So we're glad they finally came and we got to have some FFF (forced family fun)!  

Mills' world got turned upside down by his two golden cousins, Fin and Gill.  Ha!  He was obsessed and felt like he was at Camp in his own house all weekend!  

The first night, we had already had Kathryn coming over to babysit so she just watched all three girls and all three golden boys.  The boys were probably hardest to deal with ha!  We went for drinks at Brazwells then dinner at Beef and Bottle.

Then we bounced back over to the Montford area and hit up Park Lanes then back to Brazwells.  Chaos.  The outlaws...

James (my brother's friend) was also in Charlotte with his family for the evacuation so he met us out.  We had a big time and of course Ubered everywhere.  Duh!  

The next morning, Emily and I took the girls uptown to Discovery Place.  I think the entire state of North Carolina and South Carolina was there.  Thankfully we got in early so it was really getting crowded when we left.  MA loved the water table of course!

The big girls loved playing and figuring out all of the science stuff on the second floor!  And helping their cousin play..!

That afternoon we all hung around the house, took naps.  Clay and Kevin went to lunch and to Cabelas together.  We grilled out for dinner and chilled.

Gill took a goodie bag home of some of Mills' 8 million toys!

They got on the road back to their house on Sunday morning.  My brother bought a generator here in Charlotte and Emily went to the grocery store before they left.  They were well stocked going back.  They didn't have any traffic and all was well when they got home.  They already knew the status of their house - house was fine except for one fan blade missing on their covered porch, lots of marsh grass in their yard and 6 floating docks in their yard.  Most of their dock will also have to be rebuilt but that's minor in the grand scheme.  They don't have power yet but hopefully will soon.  In the meantime, the generator will help.  Thankful they were so fortunate!

After Molly Anne's nap yesterday afternoon, the three of us went back to Cabelas to return something and get a new size.  Then we went to dinner at Viva Chicken, something different for us!  So good!  PS - Molly Anne loves the animals and the aquarium at Cabelas so we never mind going there with Kevin!

We have to go to the doctor again today because she has a spot on the back of her head that isn't clearing up.  Ughhhh, it's been something every week the last few weeks!  I hope we get some answers.  

My friend Sara gave Molly Anne this cute Halloween pop up book!  She loves it and it's kinda a peekaboo book.  She says "eyes" when I put it in front of my face then proceeds to put her eyes up to the holes in it!  Too funny!

It's finally beginning to feel like Fall in Charlotte!  Happy Monday!

Five on Friday - Shower Curtain, Junko Bunko, Hat

1.  I saw April's post on updating her girl's bathroom and thought it was genius and the shower rod was only $9.  Yes please.  See before and after posts....

Comparison picture..

2.  Junko bunko - we all brought all of our "junk" and it was fair game.  Anyone could take anything! 

This is what I went home with - a pretty silver bowl, gorgeous smocked dress, passport cover, two Molly Anne books and the latest Real Simple!  So fun!

3.  This week was the year anniversary of Molly Anne being with Ms. Becky!  We are incredibly thankful for Ms. Becky and all that she has done for us.  My friend Lisa who connected us with Ms. Becky told me way back when that she was the biggest blessing and basically part of their family.  We feel the same way!  Ms. Becky sent me this picture of her on Wednesday that she had on her phone from her first days!  Too cute!

4.  I got this adorable toddler hat off of Etsy for our little queenie!  I can't stand the cuteness!

5.  Mills has kept us all straight this week.  We are making final decisions on the exterior of our house today and I have a post teed up for next week to share those with you all!  

I'm hoping Hurricane Matthew weakens and doesn't bother the coast too much.  Thinking of my Aunt and Uncle who live in New Smyrna Beach and my brother and his family in Pawleys.  My brother was going to come here but they decided to stay and wait it out since it's predicted to turn into a tropical storm for them.  

Happy Friday friends.

Naps - 2 to 1

Wellllllllll, a couple of weeks ago, Molly Anne started waking up at 5:30am and she did for 4 days in a row.  Umm no.  That does not work in our house when you've gotten up at 6:30/7 your whole life.  I knew something was up.

Her Doctor and Ms. Becky said to keep two naps until 18 months.  We tried, we really did.  I talked to Becky one Monday and we decided that Tuesday would be the start of her new schedule!  Since we switched to one nap a day, she has been sleeping later in the morning.  We're still in that transition because this is the 3rd full week but it's getting better.  She's still a bit grumpy around 11am but we keep her busy so she stays awake.  I think it'll take her at least a month to fully get used to it.

There was no real magic of actually making it happen, I simply just didn't put her in her crib one morning and haven't since then.  She goes to sleep between 12:30-1pm at Ms. Becky's so we try to keep on that same schedule at home.  She falls asleep much quicker now so that's been nice.  Right now she sleeps until 3ish, sometimes later.  

Pros and cons to not having that morning nap.  I miss that time to get things done around the house but it's been so nice to actually have an entire morning to do fun things on the weekend!  

Okay, I know, boring post but I wanted it here so I remember for next time!

Bookcase

I'm not sure I ever shared the bookcase that my Dad made Molly Anne!  My Dad loves woodworking and it's always been a hobby of his.  He has made a lot of pieces of furniture but this one and the cradle he made her are most special to us.  

It's super sturdy, heavy and fits a bunch of books!  It will be passed down to our children and I hope their kids use it too!  A very special piece of furniture!  Thanks Dad/Poppa!

Molly Anne is 15 months!

I really hadn't planned on doing monthly posts but I have so many things I want to remember and it's easy to have them all in one place.  So here are some thoughts for Molly Anne at 15 months!

1.  A couple of weeks ago she weighed 22 pounds, 8 ounces and were 31" long!  She wears size 12 month clothes.  Size 2.5/3 shoes (tiny!).  Size 4 pampers cruiser.  

2.  She has been talking a lot this month and in the last 2 weeks, she will say anything.  If you say, "Say Mills" she'll try to say Mills.  She'll try to say anything you tell her to say.  Turtle is one of her latest favorites.  Oh and Baby too.

3.  She knows where her nose, mouth, eyes and ears are.  If I say, "Molly Anne, where are your eyes?" she'll point to them.  It's so cute.

4.  She did take a couple of steps last Monday but no walking since then.  She'll walk one day, I know.  I'm trying not to stress about it.  Doc said she'll walk in the next month.  We shall see!

5.  She loves her toothbrush, really soft stuffed animals, books books and more books (specifically touch and feel or peekaboo), her soft blanket from PBK, being outside and going for walks, any toys that make noise and/or have lights and little things - like her little people or little figurines.  You can take her anywhere and she is happy to watch cars or people go by.  Any sort of entertainment, she is happy.  She loves watching anything in action.  A show like Disney on Ice is heavenly to her.  We are going to all of the fall festivals and pumpkin patches.

6.  She eats anything but I still haven't given her honey.  I really need to do that...maybe this weekend.  She drinks organic whole milk with all three meals.  Water at snack time and bed time and whenever she wants it during the day.  

7.  She is in the bathtub at 6:30pm.  Books at 6:45pm.  Bed at 7pm.  Every night.  Staying on a routine has been crucial to us since she was born.  She sleeps until usually 6:30 or 6:45 every morning.  She now takes only one nap and it's usually 12:45 until 3ish.

8.  She's ticklish mostly around her neck and she giggles and giggles when you tickle her.  She also loves and giggles at playing peekaboo with her bath towel as we dry her off at night.  So cute. And ever since she was a tiny baby, she has loved seeing the world from upside down as I call it.  Same thing now.  

9.  Teeth - she has 8 teeth.  4 up and 4 down.  I do think she's getting those one year molars any day but so far nothing has come through!  

10.  I can tell yall that she will be (and already is) a strong willed child.  She knows what she wants and her mind is set on it.  I think this will be interesting to parent through the years but long term it'll prove her well.  ;)

Disney On Ice

I was a bad mom this weekend. I took Molly Anne to Disney on Ice Saturday when she was sick.  She's had a fever since last Thursday off and on.  Mornings she usually hasn't but afternoons she has. I think she's on the mend because she hasn't had a fever since Saturday evening.  We are keeping her home today just to be sure she's 100% before going back to Ms. Becky's tomorrow. 

Here are some pictures from Disney on Ice.  Christine made us the most adorable matching shirts for the girls!  

SHE LOVED IT!!!  I knew she would!  Mesmerized!

We did lots of this which I soaked up because she usually doesn't stay this still ever anymore!

I got to go celebrate Sarah's birthday for a few minutes yesterday afternoon!  

Then come right back for bedtime.  

An evening stroll with my mills.  I loved the cooler weather this weekend. We went on several walks!

Crashed!