The Byrd House

Christmas 2011.....a bit late but lots of pictures!

2012-01-28T19:14:00.008-06:00

We started celebrating xmas a week early at my parent's house so we could spend a long 3 day weekend with them. Just plain craziness with the kids running around all the time but lots of fun!

We always come up stairs for stockings first.....mom goes overboard with the stockings so it's always a fun start! The grand kids got these red chairs to match the ones the adult kids got last year.

Toy Story book for Rosson...

Her vanity from G & G....I think she liked it! Rosson got a tool bench & loves it too.

Matching Minnie Mouse hats.....adorable.

Michael gave him this ball tent.....not sure who liked it more!

The Clark grand kids....Macy (almost 4), Jaylen (4), Max (5 mths) & Rosson (2)

Our family heading to church...

Sweet girls...

Mom & Dad with their grand kids....they all ended up wearing black & red to church that day.

The next weekend we went to Gavan's parent's house for another xmas weekend.

Nana & Papa with their grand kids....Spencer (9), Ethan (11), Corbin (almost 13), Jaylen (4), Dayona (almost 5), Rosson (2) & Sam (6)

Rosson got a big Buzz!

Jaylen got Baby Alive!

We came home xmas eve night so we wouldn't miss Santa coming to our house the next morning. Jaylen was super excited xmas morning but Rosson had no clue what all the "magic" was about. He liked the presents though!

Santa brought him a Toy Story racing car toy!

Santa brought Jaylen the makeup set she requested.....she never changed her mind the entire month of December on what she wanted from Santa, unfortunately. I thought the makeup phase would start a little later in life but oh well.

A leapster & Tinkerbell game!

A Toy Story tent....love, love, loved it!

We enjoyed a wonderful Sunday morning service at church after all the presents were opened & had fun the rest of the day playing with all the new stuff. That night we went to see the new Chipmunk movie. It wasn't too busy & the kids had a great time. Can you believe that Rosson actually sat in his own seat from almost all of the movie?! The rest was in my lap but he was totally into the 'Mickmunks', as he calls them. I think it might be our new family tradition to go see a movie together xmas day night.

Overall, we had a wonderful holiday season with our family & friends. 2011 was a hard year for our families as we lost 3 of our 4 grandparents & the xmas get togethers definitely were not the same but we still feel very blessed. You can't beat the love of a family & most of all the love of the Lord. He continues to bless our family every single day & we look forward to 2012 (can't believe January is just about finished already!). Especially excited to add Easton to our family in May this year! He'll be here before we know it!

Another Byrd boy coming.....

2011-12-28T09:58:00.004-06:00

Well, we had planned not to find out what Baby #3 was but the ultrasound tech didn't do a very good job of keeping anything hidden from us, even after she turned our screen off when she was "down there". We were bummed about it but still excited to say we have another BOY on the way! When we broke the news to Jaylen, she said she was still really wanting a sister but has already embraced the idea of being the only princess in the house!

Just trying to imagine what our family picture will look like this time next year!

We feel so blessed!

Merry Christmas....

2011-12-25T22:38:00.002-06:00

From our family to yours!

Rosson's 2nd Birthday.....

2011-12-11T23:18:00.003-06:00

We celebrated Rosson's birthday a week early due to a family xmas happening on his actual birthday. It was a monster party, which was very appropriate for him! I didn't even get many pictures cause this crazy monster would hardly sit or stand still for any of them! He could of cared less about the presents but still had a great time!

Here is my attempt at a monster cake....

Rosson & his MeMa (Gavan's grandma)....he loves her!

His lawnmower from us....he loves pulling the cord to start it!

We had to hold him & open all his presents really fast cause he just wanted to get down
& go play!

Me & my little man!

Here he is in his birthday shirt!

Eating a piece of cake.....he was actually really clean with it!

Can't belive it is December....

2011-12-02T14:29:00.002-06:00

I've got most of the xmas shopping done but still can't believe that its December already! That means that monster man will be 2 in just a couple of weeks! We started off the season with The Lighting of the Commons at OC & snapped a family pic with Santa. Pretty good of the kids this year!

Here's hoping to a wonderful holiday season!

The princess party....

2011-11-27T21:22:00.004-06:00

Jaylen had a princess party & loved every single minute of it. In fact, she said that people were leaving to soon when they started to leave!

The fam (even the baby bump!) after the party!

Our sweet princess.....ready for the party!

Snow White was a surprise visitor at the party. She brought Jay a gift, which was a book, then read it to all the little girls. She met each one & took pictures with them all. She was a hit!

Snow White & Jaylen

She wanted pumpkin muffins this year instead of a cake.....fine with me cause they are my favorite too! Ready to blow out her candle....

BFF's

Princess "4" shirt & tutu (of course!).....wonder how long she'll let me make her one of these!

The "triplets" at our annual triplet party.

Addi, Jay & Viv......such big girls now!

Getting her spankins' (her choice over hugs!) at Sonshine School!

Can't get this second picture off so you get 2...

4 a.m......really, kids?

2011-11-26T11:28:00.004-06:00

Rosson woke up screaming at 2:30 this morning & would not go back to sleep. I think he's got a 2 year molar trying to come in. Gave him some tylenol but he was still crying & saying "hold you momma" so I decided to go downstairs with him to calm him down. Apparently he woke up Jaylen cause here she came walking down the stairs wide awake.....it's almost 4 a.m. now. So, what do we do at 4 a.m.? We watch the entire movie of Toy Story 3. My thinking was they'd get drowsy after just a little bit of snuggling on the couch & fall back asleep.....nope. Both still awake when it was over & so was I. Luckily, Rosson let me put him back in his crib & he fell right to sleep. I laid with Jay for a little bit till she fell asleep & crawled back in my bed about 6:30. Thankfully the kids slept till 8:30 & Gavan let me sleep till 10 but still not the night I had in mind.

It's a good thing I love these 2 cutie patooties so much!

4 years old....

2011-11-18T23:06:00.004-06:00

This sweet preemie is 4 years old tomorrow! Can't believe how much of a big girl she is now!

Happy Birthday Miss Jaylen Jane!

She's just a tad bit excited about her princess party tomorrow.....

Tea with Belle...

2011-11-07T12:49:00.003-06:00

Aunt Myra took Jaylen to Tea with Belle at OC this weekend. She was very excited to go & wanted to look pretty so i curled her hair. Poor girl has such straight hair that the curls were gone by the time she came home an hour later. She had fun but told me she didn't want to meet Gaston cause he wasn't nice in the movie! Thanks Myra for taking her....she loves you!

Happy Halloween.....

2011-10-31T13:29:00.002-06:00

I'm already worn out from Halloween festivities but just one more night......:)

Scentsy Fundraiser time.....

2011-10-15T21:30:00.003-06:00

Yep, these 2 cuties are having a Scentsy fundraiser for their Sonshine School again this year. You can order anything from the full online catalog at www.scentsy.com. Any orders placed are free of shipping but the order comes to me & I get it to you. If you'd like to order & have it shipped to you, that is available to do but you'd have to pay shipping then.

Let me know if you would like to place an order!

Here we go again....

2011-10-12T21:37:00.003-06:00

For those of you who didn't see it on facebook tonight........we're expecting Baby Byrd #3 in May!

Jaylen is very excited about the baby but is bound & determined for it to be a girl. We aren't finding out what it is so I hope she's not too upset if it's a boy! Rosson has no idea yet but will probably be upset either way....he's a momma's boy for sure!

Just to answer a few questions I've already been asked:

1. We planned this one.

2. This is our last one.

3. We aren't finding out what we are having.

4. I'm due May 21st.

5. I'm 8 weeks today.

6. I'm feeling pretty good just nausea at times.

7. We are all excited!

Catching up....

2011-10-08T12:23:00.007-06:00

Wow, it's been a while! I'll just post a bunch of pics to recap our last month or so. We started by going to the Hinton Fair.....as always, we enjoyed the rides & yummy homemade ice cream.

Her favorite this year was the swings....
Oh the prized rainbow pony......we waited for this beauty to come available to ride & judging by her smile, it was worth it!

They both loved the train with it's loud horn....

His first time to ride the cars.....he couldn't decide if he liked them or not!

She's an old pro at the cars....

Ready for church one morning....Rosson looks like such a big boy in this pic!

We went to see Toy Story on Ice at the State Fair.....it did not disappoint!

Then the girls enjoyed the State Fair a bit!

Proud of her ribbon she got! Love her...

Waiting for their turn at karaoke.....

We also took a little trip to Branson for a State Farm meeting. Here are the kids meeting the GoodNeigh Bear for the first time....of course, Rosson is grabbing suckers instead of smiling for the picture......classic.

A little wrestling in the hotel before we hit the pool....

The fountain show at Branson Landing

Rosson obviously loved the fountains!

Waiting for the show to start....

I told her to go stand in front so I could take a pic. She walks up then slowly raises her arms to this position & smiles.....it was so funny!

We stayed at the Encore (twin to the Wynn) & it was amazing! As much as I love my bed at home, I really hated to leave that hotel....

Downtown Vegas at the light show....

Gav & I at our finale night of the convention...heading to the Don Henley concert. We had such a blast in Vegas & I have a couple new friends too! I met several wives of his classmates & really hit if off with a couple of them!

We just got back from Vegas on Wednesday & it really came at a great time. We needed that little escape from normal life. This year has been full of loss (young & old) for our family. Right before we left, we buried Gavan's grandpa, Junior Mullins. He was the 3rd out of our 4 grandparents that we have lost in 2011. He was such a great man who influenced SO many people during his life. He is already greatly missed. Thank goodness he isn't in pain anymore & that we'll get to see him someday again!

Now, we are gearing up for Halloween, Jaylen's birthday, Thanksgiving, Rosson's birthday, Gavan's birthday & then Christmas.....whew! That's what I get for having babies a week before Thanksgiving & a week before Christmas....ha! It's my favorite time of the year so I need to just try to slow down, breathe & actually enjoy it! Here's to the busyness of life never ending! Happy Fall!!!

For sale.....

2011-09-10T19:43:00.004-06:00

Well, we put our house on the market today.....a For Sale By Owner sign in our yard. We still don't know where we are moving to or when we will be moving but we really don't want to get stuck not being able to sell our house. Gavan gets finished with training in December so it can be anytime after that, even up to a year or so. Since we have no real time frame, we want to be safer than sorry in the house selling situation.

With that being said, please help spread the word on our available house. We have a blog with all the info & pictures of the house. It's http://www.14209scottst.blogspot.com/.

It's so bittersweet seeing the sign in the yard cause that means eventually we will be moving away from family & friends. I just don't let myself think about that part.....I'll deal with it when the time comes. Please just pray that our house sells!

20 months.....

2011-08-30T21:43:00.002-06:00

Rosson turned 20 months a couple weeks ago....can't believe it. I say this every month when either of my kids turn another month older but it's true. I was just talking with some friends today & we were talking about as we get older, time just goes by faster. It feels like they are growing up so fast & they haven't even started school yet so I know it will feel even faster when that happens. Until then, I'm enjoying every minute!
This sweet boy is a ball full of energy, let me tell ya! He is going non-stop all day long. He's constantly throwing things, banging on things, hiding things (I have to check the trash can often cause he throws stuff in there all the time), jumping/stepping off things....you know the things that boys do. I haven't weighed him in several months but he's probably between 35-38 pounds & wears a size 8 shoe.....I know! It's the same size as Jaylen's! He loves "Mo" which is milk & carries his blankie around like Linus from Charlie Brown. He goes down for his nap & nighttime very easy....loves his bed. Sleeps like a champ & wakes up happy & that makes me happy!

He loves getting into water, either in the sink.....or the toilet. The bathroom doors have to stay closed but he's just about perfected getting those open. He climbs up on the toilet, gets on the counter, turns the water on & plays. When we visited Gavan in Columbia, he crammed a bath towel in the toilet, shut the lid & left it for me! Luckily, the toilet had been flushed before he did that. I feel like he's been teething since he turned 1 cause he's constantly chewing/biting on things but he's got all his teeth in & is ready for his 2 year molars. He loves playing outside & swinging in his swing but with the mosquitoes & heat this summer, we haven't been able to do this much.

He jabbers all day long so combine that with his sister (if you know her, you know she's not quiet!) and the volume in our house is always on high! He says several words like mama, dada, jayjay, mo (milk), again, blankie, paipee (paisley our dog), papi (paci), oh man, bye-bye, love you & push play (when he wants to watch a video). His personality is so fun & really coming out. He squeals like a girl when he gets really excited & his belly laugh is pretty funny.

I asked Gavan the other day what we should do for his birthday party. We were thinking about what he likes right now & he said, "He doesn't really like anything, he's just a little monster" so we're doing a monster party! He just likes to get into everything & create more work for me!

He's my sweet little man who I wouldn't change for anything. We matched this day so Jaylen snapped a pic of us.

Thank you Lord for the rain....

2011-08-12T11:16:00.002-06:00

we sure needed it! I let the kids take full advantage of the cool weather we had yesterday morning. They LOVED playing in the rain & running/stomping in the little puddles in the driveway. Actually, Rosson sat down in a stream of water throwing a fit when I said it was time to go in!

He's always up for swinging no matter if its cold & rainy or 105 degrees!
Splashing in the water....

She loved getting to use her umbrella....it was a bit dusty from the lack of use!

Calling for Paisley through the fence....

She's still taller than him, at least for now!

That rain was a true answered prayer!

Lately.....

2011-08-03T08:09:00.003-06:00

We are in the 3rd week of Gavan being gone & have been trying to stay entertained while having to stay mostly inside due to this insane heat. Sometimes you have to really get creative too. Just a recap of lately....

Playing with cousins.....
Swinging while sweating.....

Visiting Daddy & hitting the hotel pool....

Ready for the pool....

Got this from Pinterest.....put a bunch of toys in water, then freeze & let them dig them out of the ice! They loved it & wanted to do it again but had to wait for the ice to freeze.....

We curled Jaylen's stick straight hair....

A little unsure of the curls cause she's never had them....and they didn't stay long.

We made colored pancakes....pink, purple, green & blue! My little helpers!

The green ones were already eaten!

We keep praying for a break in the heat.....we'll even take mid-nineties at this point!

The Goose Egg....

2011-07-20T22:01:00.004-06:00

The pictures show it all. It was an accident but Jaylen basically laid/landed on him as he was going up some stairs & smacked his head on a wooded board. He held his breath, cried for a minute & then wanted down to keep playing. Seriously, this kid is one. tough. cookie!

But it looks awful!!! I'm scared to see what it looks like in the morning....

Right after he hit his head....

Getting redder & bigger...

Bigger than a quarter....

Side profile.....I know, way too many pics but it was the biggest goose egg I've ever seen!

Seriously, that looks SOOOOO bad.

Got his milk & went back to playing...

Such a tough guy....it's pretty bad when I've got a picture folder labeled "Rosson's Ouchies" on my computer. So far the big ouchies are a black eye, this goose egg & the infamous double bite he got from a kid at Chick-fil-A.

I'm just hoping the first ER visit holds off for several more years!

Happy 4th of July & Happy Birthday Max!...

2011-07-03T15:37:00.004-06:00

My nephew, Max Stephen Clark, was born on Friday & was named after my dad, Stephen Michael Clark. He is doing great & I love holding that precious boy however, my precious boy does not like me to hold him!

Here is Michael & I with our boys!
Katie & I with sweet Max! She was a rockstar!

Macy & Jaylen holding Max....

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!
I hope everyone enjoys the holiday weekend!

Couldn't love these 3 more!

Can't believe they both smiled at the same time!

Love this sweet girl!

To Grandma's house we go....

2011-06-27T10:04:00.004-06:00

Jaylen & Macy went home with Grandpa & Grandma yesterday. They were both so excited to take their little suitcases & ride in Grandma's car. Here they are with my mom all ready to go.

Jaylen loves packing her suitcase but it always only consists of blankets, blankies & her "friends" (stuffed animals).....you know, the important things!

Heading to the car....

Going to have a great time.....

All set with their blankies, "friends", & Tangled playing in the DVD player....

A little play time before they left.....such good friends & cousins!

Rosson wanted in on the action too.....

We played at the mall the other day to beat the heat.....Rosson kept trying to "jump" off this log, pretty cute but can't really jump yet! He was copying big sis.....

Here's Big Sis.....seriously, she looks so grown up in this pic......she's all me when I was 3!

And this is how I find Mr. Rosson a lot during the day. Like I've said before, all boy....all the time!

Now he is going to hate Chick-fil-A....

2011-06-22T20:18:00.002-06:00

Rosson was playing in the little car area at the Chick-fil-A playground & got bit TWICE by another little boy about his age. He was bit on the cheek under his eye & then on the forearm. The other side of his face was scratched like the boy grabbed him when he bit him. I heard him screaming & found just the 2 of them in the car so I knew which little boy did it. Rosson looked terrified by the little boy & was about to hyperventilate from everything. The boy's mom apologized to me but that was about it. I was beyond upset, shaking & really wanted to lay into that mom but I didn't cause there was nothing to do about it after the fact. I just left as soon as we could. Poor little guy fell asleep out of exhaustion from it all soon after we got in the car & then slept for 3 hours. He woke up like nothing happened but he just looked like he had been attacked!

Here's the bite that evening after his bath....
And here is the bite on his arm.....

Didn't keep him from having fun outside later that day though!

Sweet boy!

I'm just so thankful that the little boy didn't hurt Rosson's eye or take a chunk out of his face or arm. Thankfully, neither bite broke the skin but there was a clear implant of both upper & lower sets of teeth. Hope we don't go through that again anytime soon!

A little recap....

2011-06-08T22:02:00.005-06:00

Here's what we've been up to the past week or so....

At church tonight.....Macy & Jay showed up in matching dresses!
At the mall.....love that smile! He was having a great time!

My little girl is getting so old & so pretty! Love her!

Their friend Cooper!

Lots of getting wet in the backyard.....only way we can survive the heat!

Taking it easy....

In the sandbox....he throws sand (& everything else!) everywhere.....all boy!

In the castle.....

Oh, the belly.....

We went to visit PaPa during wheat harvest........checking out the combine!

Takign a ride with PaPa.....she had to wear her boots!

He wasn't so sure about a ride but wanted to touch all the buttons inside!

Inside the wheat truck.....neither really liked standing in the wheat plus it was HOT & WINDY!

8 years...

2011-06-02T14:10:00.003-06:00

I feel like the years go by so much faster now as I get older. It honestly seems just like yesterday that we got married then I blinked & had 2 kids who are growing like weeds & getting older by the minute. We've had tons of fun & have experienced a lot during the last 8 years.....who knows what is in store next but we are ready & excited for it!

I feel extremely blessed by these 3 people & couldn't ask for anything more!

Funder Up!....

2011-05-25T17:58:00.002-06:00

Let's Go Funder!

Macy & Jaylen

Who turned 18 months this week?......

2011-05-20T14:26:00.002-06:00

this guy did!

And who likes to play tee ball naked?!

this girl does!

We finished Sonshine School yesterday so let our summer begin! After 3 summers of teaching, I'm taking a break this year & am really excited about it! I see lots of swimming in our future!

I'm sure this is the first of many....

2011-05-11T11:55:00.003-06:00

black eyes, that is! Rosson fell into the slide outside on Saturday & gave himself a shiner. It's very black now & starting to turn green. At least there are no important pictures in his future!

This face totally sums up his personality........tough & ornery!

A change is a comin'.......

2011-05-06T06:40:00.006-06:00

Today is Gavan's LAST DAY at Chesapeake. He has worked there for about 5 1/2 years & it has been a wonderful company to work for. He has lots of buddies he will be leaving & also lots of great benefits/perks too. He is not leaving on ill terms or anything like that. We have been truly blessed by him working there. It was a secure job, gave us a comfortable life & he is leaving on a positive note with them. But now we are ending this phase of life to start a new one.
Starting on Monday he will be employed by State Farm Insurance. We have thought about doing this for years now but it never seemed like the right time for him or our family until now. He will start with a month of studying & licensing exams, followed by 6 months of training & will end with him being THE agent of a SF office. His 6 months of training will be half here & half in Columbia, MO.....meaning he will be here a week & then in MO the next week. Me & the kids will probably go with him some of those weeks but it will still be a hard 6 months.

The position we accepted will place us in a small town in western OK. The towns we could go to are Weatherford, Clinton, Elk City or Sayre. It's not our choice between those towns, they will place us there. I know you are probably thinking, "Really, a small town?" but it was our choice to go to a small town instead of a metro location. We both were raised in small towns & loved it. We feel like we want to raise our family in a small town & give that experience to our children. We both have been in Edmond since 1999 so this is going to be a bit of a shock to us at first but I know it will be great for our family. We don't know the location we will end up in yet but hopefully we will within a few months & then open our office after the first of the year.

So yes, this means we will be moving away from Edmond but at this time we don't know exactly where or when! It is going to take a lot of time, energy, hard work, financial changes, patience, & mostly faith & trust in God. My dad has been a SF agent for about 32 years now & has been very successful. We have a great mentor at our fingertips so that is comforting. SF invests so much into their employees & do everything they can to help you be successful & make it so we know we are supported 100%. We are very excited about getting it all started......it's finally here!

I am already so proud of this guy & I know he is going to do an awesome job as an agent. I am so blessed to have Gavan in my life. We are have lots of adjusting to do in the next couple of years but we will do it together. We are really going to miss our friends, family & church home here in Edmond.......that's going to be tough & I'm trying not to think about that part of it right now. I know the friendships we've made are life-lasting so no matter where we move, the friendship will last. We'd appreciate any prayers for our family during this time of transition! Here's to the change that is a comin'!

The angels are rejoicing today....

2011-04-27T22:45:00.003-06:00

My sweet Grandma Betty lost her battle with cancer this afternoon. She beat breast cancer & stayed cancer free for 10 years but then it came back & she wasn't able to beat it this time. She was living in her home, with a little assistance, up until a week ago so this seems very sudden to me. I could not have asked for anything more from a grandma. She was very nice to everyone all of the time. I remember when Gavan & I got married he said that he had never know anyone as nice as her. She was a widow for about 40 years & I never knew her to be sad about it. Of course she missed my Grandpa but she made the best of what she was dealt & truly enjoyed her life to the fullest. She had 4 children, 10 grandchildren & 3 great-grandchildren with one more on the way & she absolutely loved each of us with her entire heart....there was no doubt. I will miss her a ton but I know I'll see her again one day!

My Grandma with Rosson last Memorial Day....his name was her mother's maiden name.
And Jaylen with her on Memorial Day last year too.

Grandma, I will miss you dearly but love you forever.

Easter pics.....

2011-04-15T07:44:00.006-06:00

The kids had pics taken by Lesley Proctor Photography a couple weeks ago & they turned out SO good! I love them all! Here are some of my favorites!

The less laundry, the better.....

2011-04-08T19:08:00.003-06:00

I'm all about doing less laundry so if this is how my kids want to run around all spring & summer then I'm totally okay with it! Jaylen strips down pretty much everyday after we get home from school or errands or whatever & now I guess Rosson is following suit. She's my "hotbox" as I like to call her & constantly wants to be naked! We got the sprinklers out today & they had a blast in them. I see many, many more sprinkler days in our future.

By the way, this chair was mine as a kid & they both LOVE sitting in it. It is starting to come apart a bit & has puzzle pieces stuffed down inside it but it's a great chair cause it doesn't tip over easily. Rosson is quickly becoming obsessed with Toy Story so he will get his blanket, sit in this chair & point at the tv for me to turn on a Toy Story movie. It's pretty cute & he just squeals in delight when the movie comes on!

When did my little girl....

2011-04-04T08:59:00.003-06:00

start turning into a big girl?!

Couldn't be any sweeter! I just love her.

Spring Break 2011......

2011-03-26T20:17:00.006-06:00

This was our first official family vacation as a family of 4. It was kind of a last minute trip but everything worked out pretty good. We knew going over Spring Break was going to be crazy but it was the only time our friends Doug & Dixie could go since he is a teacher & baseball coach. So, we got busy booking hotel rooms, condo, etc. We also knew that taking 5 kids under the age of 4 is just plain crazy but we were determined to make the best of everything. On our first day, we met D & D in Allen, TX at the outlet mall, shopped for a couple hours then got to San Antonio that night. Hit Sea World the next day & then drove to our condo in Port Aransas, which is just past Corpus Cristi. We spent 3 nights in the condo, enjoyed the beach everyday, boogie boarded in the ocean, lounged on the balcony in the mornings, enjoyed letting the kids play together all day, watched movies, played Yahtzee, didn't leave the condo for any meals, boys played shuffleboard, & really just enjoyed ourselves! We left the condo, hit the outlet malls in San Marcos, spent the night in Waco & then got home the next day. All the kids did awesome on the car rides, sleeping at night, etc. They were so perfect the whole trip! Overall, it was a great family vacation with great friends & hopefully there will be many more trips together.Our boardwalk down to the beach....about a 5 minute walk.

The view from our balcony......

One of my favorite pics from the trip....he was so proud of himself!

Just getting to Sea World & ready to see everything...

Looking at the SHARKS!

Me & my babies with the flamingos....

Waiting to see SHAMU!

My favorite part of Sea World...

Ready for the splash park at Sea World......awkward photo?! They will love this pic in 20 years!

If there is a carousel, Jaylen wants to ride it!

Group shot....Jaylen (3), Rosson (1), Ethan (4), Kathryn (7 mths), & Owen (2)

My fam at the beach....our kids' first time to see the ocean.

Jaylen was in the water for about 2 minutes....it was cold for the kids!

My beach babe who ate lots of sand but loved every minute of it!

The big kids digging a big hole....

Loving the sun & sand!

Thunder Up!.....

2011-03-03T20:16:00.004-06:00

We took Jaylen to the Thunder game last night. She had been asking Gavan if she could go with him to several of the last games so she finally got her chance! She was so cute yelling 'De-Fense' with the crowd, saying 'Thunder Up!' & got really excited when she got some thunder sticks! It was a fun night for the 3 of us. Rosson was home with our babysitter Lauren having a great time & got to go to bed on time......Jaylen, on the other hand, was asleep about 8 minutes after we got in the car.

Just soaking up everything going on!

Gavan brought her a Rumble bison.....personally, I think he's a bit scary looking.

Rumble came to our section & she seemed excited to see him up close....

But....this is what happened when he got closer!

Princess Tea with Daddy.....

2011-02-15T21:05:00.004-06:00

Jaylen & her Prince went to the Princess Tea at church tonight & had a great time! They drank pink princess tea, had yummy desserts, played games, made princess things & got to put on makeup! I'm sure the makeup was Jay's favorite part.....she begs me for makeup pretty much everyday. Thanks to the Prince for snapping some pics for me!

Can't get much cuter than these 2!
Jay sure loves her Prince!

Sipping pink princess tea....

Chelsea.....BFF's!

Playing the musical pillows game.....

Getting eye shadow.....I'm sure she was loving this!

Getting her nails painted!

Enjoying the day....

2011-01-29T12:23:00.002-06:00

We got outside & enjoyed the day yesterday by going to the zoo in the morning & then playing outside in the afternoon. Just getting all our outside playing in until winter comes back in a couple of days. Just some fun pics of yesterday!

My kids are looking so big lately....
Bubba Drew!

Where did my little baby go?

Love this face!

My sweet girl!

13 months....

2011-01-21T08:47:00.004-06:00

Yes, this guy turned 13 months this week!

As you can see in the picture, he is still as happy & smiley as ever. He likes his new rocking horse he got for Christmas. Here are so facts for me to remember about him at this age.

He is done with baby food & really likes anything you put in front of him
drinks milk like its going out of style
weighed 28.5 pounds at his 1 year check-up
wears size 4 diapers & size 5 overnight diapers
wears size 5 shoes & really only converse all-stars fit him cause of his cankles & thick foot
wears 18-24 month clothes but the 18 mth pants are getting a bit short
sleeps like a champ at night & for naps too....still takes 2 a day on most day
loves his sister but bugs her so much by knocking any & all of her stuff down, no matter if it is blocks, princesses or kitchen stuff. Doesn't matter what it is, he knocks it down.
is constantly pounding on stuff & throwing things so they will make noise
LOVES his bath & splashes water EVERYWHERE....the kid doesn't sit still at all in the bath
crawls super fast
took his first steps on xmas day but really just started walking more this week...he's almost got it completely down
says dada, mama, ball, bye-bye, nana (banana), night-night, papa
knows where his nose is & working on his ears
will show you a 1 when you ask him how old he is
has 8 teeth in & a molar just broke through this week
can give you a high five
loves to be read too

On the quilt made by his namesake (great-great gma) & his gma.

Helping me out in the kitchen....

Love that smile!

I know, I know, I'm SO behind.....

2011-01-19T13:26:00.004-06:00

You probably don't want to look at anymore Christmas pics but I'm posting them for my benefit.

The kids at home on Christmas Eve opening their stockings.

Leaving the cookies & milk for Santa......don't you love the pose?....she's playing her new pink harmonica.

Wearing her new jewelry from her stocking.

Here's Rosson on Christmas morning with his new railroad track, tank engines & dump truck.

Jaylen & all her pink stuff!

Our family at Gavan's parent's house.

The Byrd cousins

Sam, Dayona, Jaylen, Corbin, Rosson, Spencer & Ethan

DayDay & JayJay....the only girls!

Her Tinkerbell dress!

His huge dump truck!

Christmas with the Clarks....

2011-01-06T21:07:00.004-06:00

We celebrated in Wichita the weekend before Christmas with my family. Lots of fun & toys all over the place. Jaylen had a blast playing with Macy all weekend.

Macy, Grandma & Jaylen getting ready to light the illuminaries outside.
Jay helping Rosson open his present....he wasn't too interested in unwrapping them.

Jay opening her tea set....love that tongue!

Having a tea party on Macy's new princess table

My sweeties.....

Rosson & Jaylen with their Grandpa!

The grandkids each got animal umbrellas.....here they are with Aunt Myra!

Having breakfast in his new pj's....such a happy boy!

Ok, let's review....

2010-12-23T15:37:00.005-06:00

Wow, now that I'm finished with 3 birthdays & 2 holidays over that last month & half, I can start to blog again. First, we had Jaylen's 3rd birthday on November 19th. Can't believe she's 3!!!!

"Triplet Party" with Addi & Viv

Jay & her cake.....she's holding up a 3! She loves Jessie & Bullseye!

The fam at her birthday party

Grandma showing the back of the shirt I made Jay...."Yee-haw!"

Pin the tail on Bullseye!

Opening her doctor's kit

Then it was onto Thanksgiving in Wichita at my parent's house. Here are the kids playing Just Dance on the Wii.....such a fun game & quite a workout!

Macy, Ethan & Jaylen

The big kids...Ethan (almost 4), Jaylen (3), Macy (2 1/2) & Owen (2)

Such sweet friends!

Then it was onto Gavan's 30th birthday on December 15th. I had a party for him with lots of yummy goodies & friends but didn't take any pictures....sorry babe.

2 days later it was Rosson's 1st birthday on December 17th.

My sweet boy & I....just love him SO much!

The fam at Rosson's party

Opening some trucks & cars....his first much needed "boy" toys!

This quilt was hand-stitched by his namesake, his great-great grandma Rosson, & hand-quilted by his grandma (my mom)! Such a sweet gift & something he will have forever! Thanks Mom!

Birthday boy & his little cake!

Ummm.....yeah, I think he liked it!

Jaylen's 3 year pics....

2010-11-24T10:29:00.004-06:00

Lesley Proctor snapped some adorable pics of Jaylen the other day & I LOVE them! So glad we got some good smiles cause those can be few & far between when I'm trying to take her picture. Can't believe my baby is 3!

Happy Birthday Jaylen.......

2010-11-19T22:12:00.004-06:00

Happy 3rd Birthday to my sweet baby Jay!

My pregnancy with you was quite a wild ride but so worth it! You keep our lives exciting & house noisy but we wouldn't change a thing!

We love you SO much!

MRI Tomorrow....

2010-11-17T13:58:00.004-06:00

Rosson's MRI is tomorrow at 10. We have to be there at 9 to start paperwork & his work up. He can't have a bottle after 3 a.m., only 1/2 c. of clear liquid between 3 & 7 a.m. & NOTHING after 7 till the procedure is over. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to eat or drink after 7, not even sonic ice or anything. Seeing how he woke up early & had drank 2 bottles by 10 this morning, it's not going to be a fun morning tomorrow. Please pray for him.......and me!

I know this sweet face will not remember anything & everything will be fine. Can't believe he's 11 months old today!

Fall Favorites.....

2010-11-12T15:20:00.003-06:00

I know you think I'm talking about this yummy pumpkin spice cappuccino.....

BUT, I'm really talking about these 2 cuties in the fall leaves!

Yes, of course, I love pumpkin spice cappuccinos but I love these kids SO much more!

Happy Fall! Kiss your kids today!

Just because.....

2010-11-09T22:09:00.003-06:00

I can't tell you how much I love these 2 kids. They really have made my life so much better than it already was. They continue to amaze me & bless my life & really just make me smile! Watching them grow, learn & develop is just amazing. God really knew what he was doing. The joy they bring to my life just floods my heart & I love them more & more everyday.

Gavan was gone for a meeting tonight so I had a little movie night with the kids. We had popcorn & watched Beauty & the Beast. Jaylen loved it & Rosson just played around & snuggled with me. I know I don't do this as often as I should & give them my complete attention. These times will be gone before I know it so I'm trying to really keep what is really important my top priority. The dishes, laundry, dvr'd shows, facebook, etc can all wait. I'm so grateful for my healthy & happy kids & pray daily that Gavan & I can bring them up to know the Lord. I pray that we always live our lives for Christ & that our children will see us as different to the world.

Tonight, I'm thankful for my family. Gavan, Jaylen & Rosson.....I love you more than you'll ever know. You light up my world & keep my heart so full of love.

I can't kiss this sweet face enough!

Such a happy girl & love her excitement for life!

Met Gavan when I was 12 & always knew I'd spend my life with him.

Halloween 2010.....

2010-11-01T15:29:00.006-06:00

Halloween was pretty fun this year, especially with Jaylen. She was really into trick or treating & totally got the concept of getting lots of candy in her pumpkin bucket! We carved a pumpkin, went to our Fall Festival at church, had a party at Sonshine School, trick or treated the OC dorms & also trick or treated the neighborhood with Chelsea. Rosson was pretty much just along for the ride but he loved watching all the kids running around! He's so good & just went with the flow! It was a fun week but I'm glad it's over with! Now to get rid of the huge basket of candy! Enjoy the pics!

Ready to carve....

Rosson looks real excited....

The bat that Jaylen picked out....

Grandma made Halloween candy/suckers with the girls....

Best friends?!......at least, for now.....

Our dalmation! This costume was worn by all 4 of our nephews so Rosson had to take his turn too!

Our fairy!

The Triplets (all born on Nov. 19, 2007).........Jaylen, Vivian, Addisyn..........can't believe they will be 3 soon!

Fall Festival at church....Chelsea, Jaylen & Macy

Trick or treating the OC dorms......Chelsea, Jaylen, Violet & Vivian

Sweet Cousins!

World's Cutest Monster.....

Seriously, this is the best one I got of them in their costumes!

Best family pic I could get too!

Ready to trick or treat the neighborhood!

Are they home?!

Ready to call it a night with our buckets full!

Jaylen's First Fundraiser.....

2010-10-24T20:35:00.005-06:00

Can't believe we are already starting fundraisers but oh well! Edmond C of C Sonshine School, where I teach & the kids go to school, is having a Fundraiser with Scentsy. You can order anything from the online catalog & holiday line too. Make sure you click on the online catalog to view it & see the prices. There is NO TAX & NO SHIPPING through the fundraiser so the price you see is the price you pay. The kids are trying to raise money to improve their playground, which is needed.

I already have 2 warmers so I'm just getting a couple of new scent bars. I'm getting Skinny Dippin' & Clove & Cinnamon! Skinny Dippin' just smells fun & Clove & Cinnamon is for Christmas time in my house!

Soooooooo, if you would like to order anything let me know! Her orders are due this Thursday, Oct. 28th.

The website is http://www.scentsy.net/

Besides, how can you resist this sweet face?!

MRI date.....

2010-10-20T20:55:00.003-06:00

Dr. Grau's office called me back this evening & said that the MRI is scheduled for Nov. 18th at Children's. I really don't know many details of the procedure......a nurse from Children's is supposed to call me a day or 2 before it but I'd like to know some details now. They said that he'd be put out with IV sedation, intubated, etc. Also, he won't be able to eat for 8 hours before the procedure......really?......he's 11 months old & still eats like every 3-4 hours! I've emailed our pedi to see if he can give me details about it too.

I know that everything is going to be fine but I'm REALLY not looking forward to putting him through all this stuff. It's just going to be hard to hand over my little boy! Thanks for all the thoughts & prayers......I really appreciate it!

God is SO good & I have complete faith in Him & his plan!

Rosson's dermatology appointment....

2010-10-18T14:58:00.004-06:00

We took Rosson to the dermatologist this morning (after waiting almost 2 months to get it) & got that spot on his back checked out. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, we started noticing a raised bump on the lower part of his back, right under where is diaper hits, when he was about 7 months old. Since then it has spread or gotten a couple more raised bumps added to the spot. There is extra little hairs on this spot but there is no color to it. It isn't painful to him & he has no idea it is even there. Anyways, our pedi wasn't really sure what to think of it so he sent us to see Dr. Renee Grau.

Today (after waiting over an hour to be seen.....with a 10 month old, thank goodness he is a great boy!) she was pretty sure it is a hamartoma, which is basically a benign, bunch of extra connective tissue, collagen, fat, etc that is built up. She said she has seen these before but occasionally they are caused by part of the spine not closing or forming all the way. She was fairly confident that this was NOT the case with Rosson but thought an ultrasound was needed to be sure. No sampling needed to be done on it but if it gets much worse, she might take some. He has also had a rash/bumps on his cheeks for a long time now too. She said it was Keratosis pilaris, which he should grow out of. I'm getting some cream she suggested that should help it.

So, we left the appointment feeling like it was a good diagnosis & more than likely wasn't anything to be worried about. Dr. Grau left me a message about 20 minutes after we left & said that after talking to her colleagues, they felt like an MRI would give us better images than the ultrasound & would be better. So, they are calling me tomorrow with our scheduled MRI, which should be at Children's Hospital.

I feel like Rosson is super healthy, crawls all over the place & just can't imagine anything major being wrong with him. Please just pray that the MRI process goes smooth with him (hopefully he can sleep through it) & that we have peace about it. I've been a "nervous nellie" the last couple of days about this. Gavan is the strong & stable one during things like this but I get super emotional, especially when it involves my kiddos! Thanks for the thoughts, texts & prayers today about our sweet boy!

This sweet boy was a champ today too since he only had a 15 minute nap in the car on the way there & then being held the whole time we were waiting to see the doctor. I just love him to pieces! Happy 10 months to you baby boy!

My sweet boy.....

2010-10-12T22:13:00.004-06:00

Rosson must be too sweet cause the mosquitoes LOVE him. They are really bad out front by our flowers so he had to stay inside the other day when Jaylen was out with Gavan.

Watching Daddy.......
Watching Jaylen......

Sweet sister talking to him.....

He's still happy.....even if he has to stay inside!

Zoo.....

2010-10-08T13:23:00.005-06:00

I'm really going to try to take advantage of our zoo pass with this great weather we are having. We met Katie & Macy there on Wednesday & had a fun morning. Here's just a few pics I snapped.

Look at my big boy!
And big girl!

Macy & Jaylen watching the sea lions.....

On the turtle.....

Cousins.....

The crew.....

They both crashed on the way home.....

So sweet when they are sleeping, aren't they?!

Hope everyone can get out & enjoy the great weather this weekend!

OU/Texas weekend.....

2010-10-06T12:19:00.002-06:00

I forgot my camera last weekend but Vanessa snapped this one on her phone for us. We had a fun weekend! Michael, Katie, Gavan & I rode down together & ended up meeting Clay & Vanessa at IKEA friday afternoon. It was my first time but it was great! We got a nice storage unit for our playroom that I had been wanting & makes it so much nicer to organize the toys. Then we all headed to Pappadeaux's Seafood Kitchen, which is one of Michael & Katie's favorite places. It was yummy & of course we ate way too much. We found our hotel & then caught a late movie.......The Social Network. It was a really good movie that I'd recommend. We got to sleep in, go the the fair for lunch & then into the game. We won so it made the weekend worth it & even better!

Boomer Sooner!

Mexico!!!

2010-09-22T13:14:00.007-06:00

Let me just tell you that we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! The Excellence Playa Mujeres in Cancun was fantastic in every way so I highly recommend it if you are going anytime soon! We had good weather, were there a great amount of time, got caught up on some good sleep, ate great food, got sunburned......I really can't complain about one thing! I won't forget this birthday, that's for sure. Thanks Gavan for a wonderful surprise! The view from our room

Our room

Couch in our room

Bathroom

Our mini-bar that was stocked daily

On our balcony waiting for breakfast......we had room service breakfast every morning out here!

Eating lunch right next to the ocean

We watched lots of parasailers

View of the hammocks in the pool at night

We arrived on Mexico's Independence Day so there was a big party & buffet that night.....yummy!

Our 2nd day it rained on & off all day, so we camped out in this hut bed for a lot of the day. When the sun would come out, we'd just hop in the pool & then go back to reading when it started raining again. Not too shabby!

Our view from the beach

At the beach

Heading to dinner

We painted this bowl together one day right beside the pool......our souvenir.

Enjoying ourselves quite a bit!

We ate this appetizer at almost every meal.......SO GOOD!

Look at the crazy wax candelabra behind us! This was our last dinner of the trip....

Jaylen with her gifts we brought her.....a bracelet, doll & "shake-a-rockas", as she calls them! Rosson's gift was the blue one so he wasn't left out! We missed them quite a bit but had such a wonderful trip. Turning 30 wasn't bad at all!

You only turn 30 once.....

2010-09-11T21:25:00.003-06:00

Yep, that's right.....I'll be here...in.....4...days!

Friday is my birthday & Gavan surprised me tonight by telling me we were leaving for Mexico on Wednesday morning at 6 a.m.! Just the two of us relaxing for 5 days!

Happy birthday to me..........and Gavan cause he hits the big 3-0 in a few months too!

Almost 9 months....

2010-09-08T20:19:00.004-06:00

My sweet boy will be 9 months in about a week! He had his check up yesterday & weighs 26.9 lbs & was 31.25 inches long. Both still right up in the 100%, like usual. He is so long......I'm a little hesitant to buy him 12 month pants cause they'll be too short before Winter! He has been battling congestion & coughing for over a week now & realized during the appointment that he had an ear infection too. First one for him & Jaylen still has never had one (knock on wood....). He is in the early stages of crawling but not "technically" crawling. He's starting to pull up on things up to his knees too. He says "Mama" & "Dada" all the time.......says Mama more too! He has 3 bottom teeth & really likes feeding himself anything I give him. He hasn't not liked one thing I've given him & loves all the baby food.

Gavan & I noticed a spot on his lower back, right below where his diaper rubs, that started as what I thought was dry skin. But it started changing & now it is 3 raised bumps that are about 2 inches wide all together. There is no color to it & it has a little blonde hair on it. We have an appointment with a dermatologist next month to take a look at it. Our pedi wasn't completely sure what it is so we're checking it out. It doesn't bother him & you wouldn't even notice it unless you felt it.

Anyways, Rosson is still such a sweet, sweet boy who is doing new things everyday & continuing to change constantly. He LOVES watching his big sis & likes to sit & play with her. She's pretty good with him but doesn't like it when he dumps out all the toys & makes a mess! I hope they grow up liking each other & are great friends (fingers crossed!).

Sweet Bubba Drew! Looks like such a big boy......

A little of this & little of that....

2010-09-03T12:06:00.005-06:00

Can't believe that it is already SEPTEMBER! This month starts my favorite time of the year. My birthday is this month, followed by the rest of my family in Nov & Dec & then all the holidays in between! Not too mention Fall is my favorite season. Anyways, I just love everything that Fall brings, especially Pumpkin Spice cappuccinos! As usual, we have continued to stay busy each weekend but I think those are coming to end.......after we spend a long weekend in Tulsa for Labor Day. So here's a little picture recap of what we've been up to lately.

We've built forts.....
We went to the Hinton Fair and.......rode the carousel....

played the Duck game.....

tried to win a stuffed animal.....

got that stuffed animal.....(way to go Daddy!)

did some sidewalk chalk writing....

went to the lake & ......swam with daddy

high-fived on the boat....

actually enjoyed the boat this year (last year not so much).....

and of course, lots of coloring!

She wanted to go out in the pouring rain last night so we let her.....it was pretty funny! She had fun!

But it got cold pretty quickly!

Enjoy your Labor Day Weekend!

Success!.......at least I hope.

2010-08-25T21:08:00.002-06:00

I think/hope/pray that Miss Jaylen is paci-free & okay with it. Today for nap time, she went down with zero tears. Yay! Tonight for bed, she went down with just a little hesitation & talking about wanting it again but zero tears! Dare I say we are over with the crying like last night?! I hope so!

And yes............the baby doll & her paci went to bed with Jaylen again tonight & as I was leaving her room she told me: "My baby doll will share her paci with me!" I just laughed to myself & said "Good night sweetie". Oh, I love that girl!

Paci update......

2010-08-25T13:16:00.003-06:00

Well, bedtime didn't go so hot without the paci. She cried & wanted it for quite a while so we comforted her. She started up crying & wanting it some more so I went into talk to her but she really wouldn't say much to me. I left & after a bit it was quiet so I went into check on her & NO LIE, she was holding her baby & was sucking on her baby's paci that was attached to the baby! It's a tiny hard little paci! I wanted to snap a picture but I knew it would wake her up. She woke up at 1:30 crying but just for a little bit & then woke up happy this morning.

Today for nap time, she went down without any crying but was holding onto that baby pretty tight ! I should go check to see if she's got that baby's paci in her mouth again! Such a funny girl! I'm sure the next night or two will still be rough but I know she'll get it. Just glad we are getting it over with.

Jaylen says bye bye to her paci.....

2010-08-24T18:37:00.006-06:00

Yep, the Paci Fairy made a visit to our house this afternoon. We've been working up to this for a couple months now & today was the day. We told Jaylen that she had to put her last 2 pacis in the mailbox & the Paci Fairy would pick them up & leave a surprise in their place. We told her that the Paci Fairy would take her pacis & give them to a new baby who needed them since she was a big girl now. We went for a walk tonight so she left them in the mailbox on the way out & the Paci Fairy "visited" while we were gone. After we got home, her surprise was there! She was such a big girl about the whole thing & I think the pictures are priceless! There was no crying but we'll see how bedtime goes tonight.......

One last suck.....
In they go.....

Her last 2.....

Waving goodbye to them.....

Big girl! After this we left for our walk.....

Checking to see what the Paci Fairy left....

It's Jessie......her favorite!

My sweet girl.....

Jaylen & Jessie......we wrote her name on Jessie's boot too!

I know my day is coming.....

2010-08-19T21:34:00.003-06:00

when I have to send my kids off to big school. I've been looking at all the pictures of my friends who sent their babies off to school by themselves today & I know that I'll be there someday. For now, I'm going to try to enjoy every single second I have with my babies. They continue to "grow up" every day & I'm going to embrace each phase & enjoy it to the fullest cause I know one day soon that I won't be in complete control over them & they'll venture out to public school. I just pray that I do the best job of preparing them. Thank you God for giving me these 2 wonderful, healthy, happy kids who I absolutely adore. I might just have to have one more......

Here are just a few fun pics from today!

Someone had their first biter biscuit & loved it......ate the entire thing quickly!
He looks so big here.....keeps getting closer to crawling too!

This sweet girl I can't get enough of!

Love her so much!

Macy came over to play this evening.....they are quite a pair! And it's just more fun to play without your clothes on!

8 months old.....

2010-08-17T15:38:00.004-06:00

My sweet baby boy is 8 months old today! The time is flying by so fast I can hardly believe it! He is an absolute joy to our family & we are all so in love with him! A little about what he's doing now:

- He is the happiest boy you'll ever meet & he is always showing off that big grin of his.
- His hands are constantly in his mouth & if there is something within his reach, it goes directly in his mouth too.
- He has 2 bottom middle teeth & I'm sure more on the way soon.
- He is getting closer & closer to crawling so I bet he'll be there within the next month.
- He babbles a lot, especially Dada. He usually only says Mama when he's really tired. The other day he looked right at Gavan & said Dada.
- He loves the water & has really enjoyed all the swimming days & lake vacations this summer. But he must be too sweet cause the mosquitoes really love him so I'm ready for the cooler weather.
- He loves bath time, especially with Jaylen. His legs never stop moving so it always ends with water EVERYWHERE! I can hardly stop laughing at him & he likes laughing at himself too....it's pretty cute!
- He eats puffs like they are going out of style.....by the fistful!

He is just one big chubby ball of love who we can't get enough of!

Love you Rosson Drew!

Lake Texoma with the Byrds.....

2010-08-17T07:53:00.006-06:00

We had a great weekend at Lake Texoma with the Byrd's. We stayed at a resort on the lake called Tanglewood. It had 3 pools, game room, playground, restaraunts, etc. The guys went on a guided fishing tour & caught over 60 fish! The guide cleaned & filleted them all & we got to bring them home. We did a lot of swimming in the pools, eating & playing in the lake. Jaylen was SO excited to spend the weekend with her cousins & especially ride the elevator or "alligator" as she calls it. She never wanted to go to sleep at night cause she thought she was going to miss out on something! Thanks to Nana & Papa for a great weekend!

The cousins (minus one): Corbin (11), Jaylen (2 1/2), Ethan (9), Rosson (8 months), Sam (almost 5), & Spencer (7)

Dayona (3 1/2) & Jaylen (2 1/2) eating lunch.....DayDay & JayJay are great friends!

Waiting on our dinner......he really does like her!

Outside the mexican restaraunt.....the sun was right in their eyes.

Sam & Jay making a wish....

The fam enjoying the lake.....

Sam & Jay making sand castles.....

Our little fish.....she's gotten so good in the water this summer.

Can't believe my little girl will be 3 soon! Love her.

Beaver Lake weekend with Clarks.....

2010-08-13T11:17:00.005-06:00

We went to Beaver Lake with my family last weekend & really enjoyed ourselves in the cabin & on the lake. We did some tubing, skiing, wake boarding, pontooning & swimming. It is a beautiful lake with such clear water. Michael, Katie, Macy, me & my kids rode up together & Gavan came after work on Friday. Thanks to Mom & Dad for making it such a fun weekend! We were able to stop in Tulsa & meet sweet baby Kathryn Joy Gunselman on our way too! Dixie & I with our girls!

Such a sweet baby girl.....of course, I took her some bows!

Cousins Macy & Jaylen....

They had a blast playing together all weekend.....

They were great in the car....thank you Backyardigans!

Me & Gav

Sisters.......Me, Myra, Katie

Katie & Michael

The hubs....

Deep in thought?!......

Help me!......

2010-08-12T13:52:00.001-06:00

I need help from all of you computer savy/bloggy people. This Photobucket square thingy showed up on my blog like a week ago. I don't know how it got on there or how to get it off. I don't even use Photobucket. Please help me get it off!

Update.....

2010-08-04T12:59:00.002-06:00

Just a little update......

* I finished up Summer Sonshine School last Thursday & now have 6 weeks until we start back for the fall.

* I just loved typing that word.......FALL! I can't wait for it to get here....I'm over this heat.

* I caught a stomach bug Friday night & finally felt better on Monday but it totally wiped me out. Have not been that sick in a really long time.

* I was without my own computer for a week so that's why I haven't been able to post any pics but I've enjoyed using Myra's MAC!

* Packing today for a long weekend with my family at Beaver Lake & we leave tomorrow. So excited!

* Rosson is 7 1/2 months & can eat puffs all by himself.....he's growing up SO quick! He lunges for everything & getting closer to getting up on his hands & knees. Still such a great baby!

* Jaylen swims/floats (with arm floaties) without my help & is so proud of herself.......not to mention she is completely potty trained as of several weeks ago! No more buying diapers for 2!

* Our great friends, Doug & Dixie, had their baby girl last night, Kathryn Joy! We get to stop in & see them in Tulsa on our way to the lake tomorrow!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Sooner baby....

2010-07-16T10:02:00.002-06:00

I snapped these in our front yard this morning & love them! He is such a great picture taker cause he smiles all the time! I can't help but say he's the cutest kid ever......it's my blog & I'll say what I want about my kids! I really took these for my dad cause I know he'd love to have one for his desk. Boomer Sooner!

4th of July......

2010-07-09T14:58:00.005-06:00

We celebrated the 4th with the Gunselman's again this year but I think we all enjoyed this year better than last since we were trying to get their house ready to sell last year. We just relaxed this year by eating, swimming, watching a movie, making homemade ice cream & just letting the kids play a lot. It's funny how we can go from no kids to 4 & one on the way in just 3 1/2 years! No more days of us 4 playing Battle of the Sexes till 1 a.m.! Dixie is due in a month of so with their 3rd & they are getting a girl this time! So excited to meet her! A fun weekend & there is never a dull moment when we get together! Dixie, me & Rosson watching the fireworks show.
Doug & Gavan

The kids watching the show.....Jaylen watched the whole thing like this but still enjoyed them!

Jaylen & Ethan with their sparklers!

Gavan giving Jaylen her first sparkler!

The best pic we got of all 4 after church that night.

Owen (22 months), Ethan (3 1/2), Jaylen (2 1/2), Rosson (6 1/2 months)

So sweet..... they barely wore clothes the whole weekend!

Trying to get a pic....

The best one!

Minnesota trip....

2010-07-09T14:13:00.005-06:00

I've been sorting through pictures today & trying to get things organized & caught up so I'm just now posting about our Minnesota trip. My kids & I went with my parents to a cousin's wedding several weeks ago & had a great time. Our longest day in the car on the way up there was 12 hours & I couldn't of asked for better car traveling out of the kids. No crying or meltdowns the entire drive. Thanks to Grandma for all the "surprises" for the kids along the way too.....I know that helped the car ride. The weather was awesome as it didn't get above 80 the entire time we were there & we enjoyed campfires at the lake with a sweatshirt on at night! We got to see lots of family & everyone got to meet Rosson & see Jaylen again (most hadn't seen her since she was 1). Jaylen got to play with her cousins & I loved watching her play. I grew up going up to Minnesota every summer & playing on the same lake shore with my cousins so it was pretty surreal to see her playing with my cousin's children......the next generation. All in all, it was a great trip but we did miss Gavan quite a bit since he stayed home to work.

Some of the cousins jumping on the tramp during the reception

The kids & I on our dock at Potato Lake....so beautiful up there.
Grandma bought them their cute hats....they Beach Dude & Beach Princess from Minnesota on them.
Enjoying the lake even if it was a little chilly.

Rosson dipping his feet in with Grandma...

Despite the cold water, she still ended up in only her pulll-up....

Jaylen got to "ride" (sit on) my cousin Tonya's horse & thought it was pretty fun. She kept
wanting to ride her colt (that's what she is pointing at) but settled for the nice, calm one.

Maida ( my cousin Kara's 3 year old) & Jaylen (2 1/2).......they had some fun times. Reminded me a lot of Kara & I playing together when we were little girls!

6 1/2 months.......

2010-07-01T15:27:00.004-06:00

Rosson had his 6 month check up yesterday, a little late but oh well, & he is as healthy as can be. He weighed in at 24 lbs & was 30 inches long........95-100%. Yes people, he is a big baby, so this was not a shocker to me. He is such a happy baby & is in happy/smiley mode about 90% of the time! He is rolling over both ways, sitting up almost all by himself, eating baby food, jabbering all the time & is in constant motion. No teeth yet but drooling has picked back up & anything & everything goes into his mouth, if his hands aren't already in there! Lately, he's been trying to put his toes in his mouth & suck on those too! He loves his big sister & is always watching, smiling & laughing at her. It's pretty cute to watch. He started sleeping through the night finally at 5 months when I started putting him on his stomach, which has been a nice change for my nights. We are so blessed to have him in our family......not too mention my arms get a constant workout from carrying my adorable 24 lb weight! Hopefully they stay friends forever.....

What he does best.....smile & drool!

L O V E this sweet boy!

He can bend all the way over & suck on his toes.....pretty amazing with his big belly in the way.

Gettin' those toes.....

Just documenting the cute rolls! If they were only cute on big people too.....

Memorial Day......

2010-06-03T10:39:00.004-06:00

Most Memorial Day holidays, we go to my Grandma's house with my Dad's side of the family to decorate graves & spend time together. Not everyone got to be there this year but we still had a great weekend visiting Grandma. She is my only living grandparent & she is the most amazing lady! My Grandpa passed away from a heart attack when he was 41 so that left her to take care of the 4 kiddos.....my dad was 19 at the time. So not only did I never get to meet him, but my mom never met her father-in-law either. We always clean his grave & put all new flowers out for him. I always enjoy this holiday cause I get to hear Grandma tell all kinds of stories, especially about my Grandpa. She truly is THE sweetest lady you will ever meet & has always been a wonderful Christian example for me. She already beat breast cancer 10 years ago but we just found out that it is back in her bone marrow. She's getting ready to start chemo & her doc feels confident it will work. Please keep her in your prayers & win this battle. Here are some pics from the weekend. It was precious watching Jaylen help with the graves, even though she had no clue who he was or what a grave even is.

Jaylen & Dad planting some flowers....
Jaylen & my sweet Grandma Betty......

Jaylen, Mom, Neil, & Dad cleaning Grandpa's grave & putting the new flowers out....

All the grand kids & great-grand kids that were there for the weekend with Grandma....

Myra, Jaylen, Jessamyn, Neil, Grandma, Maddie, Gavan, Rosson & I

Finally an updated family picture!

Rosson 5 1/2 months & Jaylen 2 1/2 years

Grandma & Rosson.....he was named after her mother!

4 generations!

My little chunk at 5 months......

2010-05-25T10:20:00.003-06:00

Rosson turned 5 months last week......time is flying so quickly that I forgot to post anything about him! He's such a happy baby & is loved so much by all of us! Thank you God for giving him to us!

- He is quite the ball of energy. Constantly moving his arms, legs & whole body!

- He smiles ALL THE TIME....which is great for taking pictures!

-He also drools ALL THE TIME.....

- He will smile & talk to anyone who will talk sweet to him.

- He has rolled over once but I think it was an accident....

- H still loves his bottle but isn't too crazy about rice or oatmeal. I really think he could care less about it cause I'll put a bite in his mouth & he'll just smile at me & leave it in there till it runs out the sides of his mouth! Hopefully he'll catch on soon.

- He is not sleeping through the night yet.....most of the time he wakes up once & I'll rock him back to sleep quickly & then he'll wake another time to have a bottle. I really need him sleeping through the night....Jay started sleeping 10-12 hours a night at 12 weeks so I'm dying here!

- He is wearing size 3 diapers & size 6-9 months clothes, for the most part.

- He weighs 22 1/2 pounds & has officially grown out of his infant carrier so is now in the big boy reversible car seat......but not sitting up yet so that stinks for grocery shopping.

- He is starting to sit up but still has a ways to go.

- He is liking tummy time more now but still would really just not like to do it.

All smiles...

Big boy ready for some cereal....

Yes, he does have a diaper on!

Look at those thighs!

Outside under a tree while sister plays in her pool!

Happy 5 months kiddo!

Mother's Day......I know it's late.

2010-05-20T12:00:00.003-06:00

We met my parents in Guthrie on Saturday night for dinner at a yummy Italian place called Roma's. It was yummy food & then we went across the street to a park to let the girls play for a bit before they headed back to Wichita. It was short & sweet but a good time! We made a mad dash out to Gavan's parents on Sunday for lunch but I didn't take any pics that day......I didn't even get a pic of myself with my own children on the actual day!

Aunt Myra with Jaylen & Macy smelling the flowers from Grandma's bouquet!
Aunt Myra with my smiley boy!

Mom & Dad with my kids.....love this pic!

Havin' fun on the slide!

The only one I got of the girls both sort of looking at the camera.....Macy was gone 1 second later!

Me & my sweet cheeks!

We made stepping stones for Grandma & Nana with their footprints on them...

I made my siblings take a group picture cause I don't have a recent one.....

Then I snapped one of my family while we were all there too!

Zoo day.....

2010-05-12T13:16:00.004-06:00

We finally got to meet Vanessa & Cooper at the zoo last week after getting rained out the previous days we had planned to meet. It was the first time we went into the Children's Zoo but the water area was Jaylen's favorite. I had no idea it was there so we had no spare clothes or towels but I still let her soak herself & she had a blast. We were leaving right afterwards so it was fine. Giraffes & Flamingos were here favorite.......Cooper & Rosson just hung out in their strollers most of the time. It was lots of fun & gave Vanessa & I a chance to catch up! Cooper & Jaylen

Excited about the alligators!

Of course, she had to ride the carosel....

At the splash park.....

Exploring the riverbed....

Having fun....

Soaking wet!

Who's Who?!

2010-05-04T21:43:00.005-06:00

I was looking through Jaylen's baby pictures the other night & thought she looked so much like Rosson in this one!

Same eyes, same nose, same hair & similar mouth.

I had to dig the 0-3 month sleeper out of the tub of clothes that he has already grown out of in order to re-create the picture! At 4 months, she still had growing room & at 4 1/2 months, he couldn't even straighten out his legs plus his sleeves were super short!

Jaylen on top at 4 months & Rosson on bottom at 4 1/2 months!

Jaylen's Sonshine School program

2010-05-01T08:46:00.001-06:00

Here is Jaylen's program from Sonshine School. She was really excited about getting to sing on the "risers in the big auditorium" & then getting candy afterwards from her teachers if she sang good! We figured she would either clam up & just sit there or really get into it. It was so fun to watch her up there! Enjoy!

Just for fun.....

2010-04-30T21:36:00.004-06:00

He pretty much always smiles on cue!

"Ok sis, look into my eyes & listen to what I'm sayin'!"
My paci babies ready for bed......twins?!

Sweet siblings....

She wanted to put her towel on her head like I do but she kept laughing cause she

couldn't hold her head up!

Giggly kids during bathtime!

They don't normally bath together but she wanted to tonight......don't know why this is blue & underlined.

Cute cousins definately up to something!

"Do you see my pigtails?!"

Funny girl.....

My boys!

4 months & best friends.....

2010-04-22T19:14:00.004-06:00

Rosson turned 4 months on Saturday & I really can't believe it. He keeps getting funner by the day! It's so cute to watch him grab for toys under his play mat or in his bouncy seat or on his exersaucer......you can see the determination in his face! Of course he is all smiles for Jaylen & loves the attention she gives him. After she gets up in the mornings & gives me a hug, she always asks where Rosson is & wants to see him right away! I'm so glad it looks like they are starting to become best friends but we'll see if it keeps on this path as they get older! Here are some pics from this week. Love my kids!

First taste of rice cereal.....

Big boy in his high chair! Love that grin!

JayJay & Bubba Drew (that's what I like to call him!)

Cutest kid ever (it's my blog so I can say that!)......Rosson Drew!

Gosh, they look so much alike! (Jay - 2 1/2 & Rosson - 4 months)

Jay was sporting her new swimsuit around the house that day!

I can't kiss those cheeks enough!

Recycling play clothes....

2010-04-21T15:47:00.003-06:00

I don't know about you but I love the Garanimals clothes from Wally World for play clothes......at least the solid colored stuff.....the prints are questionable alot of the time. But, they are cheap so I don't care if they get ruined. Anyways, Jaylen has several knit pants from the fall/winter that she wore all the time & still fit her other than the length. So, today I made them into capris for summer play clothes! Here's what I did.......it was extremely easy!

Here are the pants before I cut them off. I had Jay try them on, rolled up the leg to the length I wanted & put a pin in it to mark it.
Then I just cut them off with my rotary cutter. I'm sure they are not even but it doesn't matter if you are off a bit.

Then I zig-zag stitched around the edge, while pulling the material tight, to give them this cute, ruffly edge!

This was super easy, I didn't spend a dime & now she has 3 pair of play capri pants! You could easily make shorts instead of capris too.

Let's just say he's healthy.....

2010-04-15T12:47:00.003-06:00

Mr. Rosson had his 4 month check up this morning & was such a happy little guy through the whole appointment, at least until his shots. He weighed in at 18 lbs 4 oz & was 27 1/4 inches long.....both in the 95th% still! He gained 4 lbs & grew over 2 inches in the last 2 months! He might be huge but at least he's healthy!

She said he was growing great, has good head/neck control & we think his umbilical hernia is gone! We are completely in love with this guy & love watching him explore the world with his eyes & try to tell us all about it by "talking" to us! He absolutely loves his big sister & she's adores him too. She's been wanting to help give him his bottle lately.....it's pretty cute! He has pretty much grown out of his swing & bouncy seat & now is loving his exersaucer. His hands are constantly in his mouth & he loves to suck on them. I could hear him sucking on his hands the other night while he was in the den with Gavan & I was up in the kitchen! It was pretty funny.

Is this not the cutest, chubbiest face?

Me & my little man!

Easter 2010.....

2010-04-07T12:57:00.005-06:00

We had a great Easter weekend with Gavan's famil this year. Jaylen was really into hunting the eggs & especially finding out what was inside of them! She had a blast with her cousins, however, I have no pictures of her with them to prove it! Rosson just hung out & enjoyed all his aunts & uncles, nana & papa loving on him! Enjoy the pics.....there are several of Jay that I love & are completely her personality!

Dyeing eggs at home Saturday night.....

"Look at my egg!"

Her finished product of princess eggs....

Her favorite ones....

Happy girl....

Love this sweetie pie!

What the Easter Bunny left her.....what a pose!

My babies!

Sweet smiles....

The best family pic we could get!

14 weeks....

2010-03-25T19:34:00.003-06:00

Yep, this guy is 14 weeks today! He still loves to eat & is doing pretty good sleeping at night. He's got a little cold right now so his coughing more, which wakes him up. Before the cold, he was sleeping pretty good from about 10:30-6:30 so hopefully he'll go back to that after the cold & continue to stretch it out. We put him in the exersaucer at my parent's house over the weekend & he really liked it. He needs to be propped up with a blanket to keep him from flopping all over the place but it works. He spins himself around & likes being upright looking all around. His hands are constantly in his mouth & he is drooling a lot. I can't imagine him getting teeth early cause Jaylen didn't get her first until 8 months. He has lost almost all of his hair except for the "old man" band across the back but it's fading quick too! He's always smiling at us & recognizes Jaylen too. She's still doing great with him. She really loves her little brother & is pretty proud of him!

Jaylen - 28 months & Rosson - 14 weeks

Look at those chubby cheeks!

Sesame Street Live.....

2010-03-19T08:46:00.004-06:00

We took Jaylen to see "Elmo & all his friends" last Sunday afternoon. We kept telling her she was going to see the real Elmo & she would add "and all his friends!". Nana & Papa came to keep Rosson while we went so it was just a date with us & Jaylen. Before the show, she was acting scared & unsure about all the people, the stage & big blue curtain. As soon as it started, she sat with Gavan & just stared at the characters dancing around & singing for about 10 minutes......no smiling or talking & she might not of blinked either. Then she really started to enjoy it & sat in her own seat snacking on her raisins. We went over to see Vivian at the intermission & snapped a few pics of the girls together. Overall, it was a good show & she really had a fun time!

Heading inside to the show.....a very excited girl & her daddy!

Waiting for the show to start.....

This was her face for the first 10 minutes!

Self-family portrait...

Elmo & Abby.....her favorites!

Viv & Jay......sweet friends.

She looks like such a big girl......

Enjoying the show!

Cousins....

2010-03-18T10:55:00.004-06:00

Mom & I took the kids to the park a few weeks ago when it was pretty nice outside. Macy & Jaylen ran around laughing at each other & having a great time! Can't believe they are both 2 now!

My babies love each other.....

2010-03-10T21:47:00.004-06:00

I can't thank my kids enough for making our transition from 1 kid to 2 so great. Rosson is a great baby who eat & sleeps so good & Jaylen has accepted him with open arms & lots of kisses! She absolutely loves him........gives him his paci when he cries, sings songs to him, reads him books, is gentle (most of the time!) with him & is not jealous of him....at all! I'm actually surprised it has gone this smooth and been so good. They are such happy & smiley kids! Rosson knows Jaylen's voice & smiles at her a lot when she is playing (right up in his face!) & singing to him....it's so precious. He will be 12 weeks tomorrow, which is hard to believe, & had his best night of sleep ever last night. He went from 10:30 to 6:30 without making a peep! It was great! With him being a bigger boy & needing more calories, this was a great night sleep for him & hopefully he will continue to start stretching out his nights. Here's some recent pics of my smiley kids....love them so much! Ready for a walk with mom.....

Love this one!

Umm......can you tell they are brother & sister?!

Ready for school......

Happy boy!

2 month checkup.....

2010-02-22T12:40:00.003-06:00

Rosson had his 2 month checkup this morning complete with shots and all. Poor baby. He took them like a champ though & stopped crying as soon as I picked him up. I think Jaylen was more upset about them than he was! She didn't like him crying! She gave him a sticker for being a big boy at his appointment......it was really sweet. He weighed in at 14.5 lbs (95%) & was 25 inches long (95%)!!!! Yes, that is like the size of a 4 month old! The last couple of weeks I've noticed his belly button turning from an "inny" to an "outy" & just figured it was cause his belly is getting so big but he actually has a little umbilical hernia. It should fix itself but we will watch it carefully. Other than that, he's as healthy as can be.

We love this chunky monkey so much & has been such a blessing to our family already. I love his smiles & coos that he gives me & he is starting to notice his big sister too. She was talking to him the other day and he gave her the biggest smile......she loved it! He is a good sleeper, during the day & night, & is obviously a great eater! He holds his head up pretty good but HATES tummy time.....so did Jaylen. He's generally a happy baby unless he's given himself gas from guzzling his bottle too fast or he's having one of those fussy times in the evenings. He is finally starting to enjoy his baths......don't know why but he doesn't like his baths. He really enjoys being in his bouncy seat or swing.........& usually always falls asleep in his swing.

We love you Rosson Drew!

almost 2 months....

the big sister & little brother.....

Big smiles......love this!

Sorry about the naughty finger......

Sweet baby....

Not doing so good with pictures this time.....

2010-02-12T13:27:00.003-06:00

I think I have at least double the amount of pictures of Jaylen than I do of Rosson at 8 weeks. I guess that's how it goes with babies other than the first.....not too mention my zoom isn't working on my camera. Very frustrating....not sure if it just broke or Jaylen got a hold of it.

He's been smiling at us for a couple of weeks now & I actually caught one the other day. He's such a cute, chubby, smiley thing! Still sleeping a lot during the day & night & is generally happy all the time. The past 8 weeks have flown by & we'll be celebrating his first birthday before I know it.....and before I lose the baby weight.

Speaking of baby weight.......I think I still have like 15 pounds to go to get back to pre-prego weight but it's going to be tough this time around. It's just harder to find time to work out, plus I don't have a double jogger stroller so I can't take them both out for a walk/run.....not too mention it's been freezing outside ever since he was born. I'm looking for a used double jogger so if anybody has one they'd like to sell, let me know!

I've just got to get with the program & prioritize my day & do some working out around the house or something. Maybe I'll dig out those Pilates DVD's that I begged Gavan to let me by off the tv after we first got married! I need to start running too but I HATE it. Can't stand it but it is going to have to be done.....soon.

Well, enjoy the couple of recent pics I have of my kids.

Jaylen after her Valentine's Party at SS yesterday

She loves putting her hands in her pockets......"I keep my hands warm!"

8 weeks old

Finally caught a smile on camera last week!

The last couple of weeks....

2010-01-29T19:29:00.002-06:00

Nothing too exciting has happened so I'll just throw a few pictures on here of the last couple of weeks. Rosson is changing so much & starting to put on the pounds! Jaylen still loves him & has been wanting to lay in his crib with him when he's in there awake. I got a cute video the other day of them in there & she was singing "twinkle, twinkle little star" to him. Hope everyone is staying safe & warm this week!

No, she's not potty training but she likes to sit & read a potty training book every now & then!
Her ballerina pj's she wore to school for PJ day....she loves the tutu.

My babies!

After church last Sunday....

This was the last time he wore his 'little brother' shirt....can't believe that I already have a bin started for him to put the clothes he has grown out of in!

Sweet baby boy......actually awake for me to take his picture! Seriously, he's quite the sleeper!

4 weeks....

2010-01-14T21:08:00.003-06:00

Rosson turned 4 weeks today! I thought Jaylen grew up fast but man, the second one goes even faster! Not sure how much he weighs.....2 weeks ago he was 8 lbs 8 oz. He's a great eater & sleeper so we can't really ask for more from him! Jaylen is just in love with him & is very sweet with him. She loves to help me with him & always wants to put his paci back in his mouth if he starts crying. I snapped a few pics after church last night......he looks like a little man! Love him!

Brad Paisley concert.....

2010-01-12T13:35:00.003-06:00

The concert was awesome & we had a great time. We didn't have tickets before we got down there cause we thought we'd just scalp some but since it was so stinkin' cold, there was only 1 scalper with 3 single tickets. The box office still had some available & they ended up being great seats at a decent price so it all worked out! We needed a night out together cause it had been quite a while since we'd been on a date! The zoom on my camera isn't working properly so I couldn't take any of the stage but he got some on his phone. Here is a self portrait we snapped......I don't have many pics of just us 2 anymore!

And here is Mr. Brad Paisley! He is one of our favorite country singers.......our lab's name is Paisley too! He puts on such a great concert! Can you believe I even cried not once, but twice during it?! Well, you probably can cause I'm still a hormonal momma. Some of his songs just hit you just right & I guess that happened that night but they were good tears!

I'd pay to go see him again tonight if he was here! Thanks for the date Gav!

My kids (still getting used it being plural!)......

2010-01-09T21:16:00.003-06:00

Love this cute little guy.....

About 1 week old....

About 2 weeks old.....

About 3 weeks old....

Oh yeah, I love this cute little girl too.....

Footed PJ's always end up like this......even after she goes to bed!

My sweet babies.....she LOVES her baby brother.

"I just wanted a snack".....

2010-01-06T15:11:00.002-06:00

Gotta love the independence of 2 year
olds!

Scariest moment of our lives.....

2009-12-29T10:13:00.005-06:00

Saturday at 9:30, Gavan, I & the kids were all loaded up & heading to Christmas with his family in Lookeba. As we were approaching the entrance/exit to the neighborhood, we started to slide into 33rd St. on the ice. We were unable to get out of the way & there was an expedition coming down the hill going about 35-40 mph. Once they realized we weren't going to get out of the way, they locked up their brakes & began to slide as well. We were perpendicular to the road so they slammed into the left side of our Tahoe (t-boned us).......i felt like we were a sitting duck since we were hardly moving & couldn't get out of the way. We spun around 1 1/4 times & came to stop on the other side of the street going to opposite way. Somehow we came out of it with only cuts, bruises, & soreness. I just shiver when I look at this picture below because my brand new little boy was only 9 days old & was sitting on the other side of the door that took most of the hit. I know that God had his hands around us that day & especially around Rosson.

It was totalled.....

This is the metal clip holding the seat belt tight keeping Jaylen's car seat in place......it used to be flat. This shows you how important it is to install your car seats properly.

I know my body is hating me right now because within a period of 9 days, not only did I have a baby but I also was in this car accident. Thankfully I'm feeling better & better each day, getting rid of the soreness & adjusting to having 2 kids. I'm still scared to drive myself anywhere though......just not quite ready for that.

Thank you God for keeping my family safe.

Not bad for a 2 year old & a 2 day old.....

2009-12-25T21:57:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

Rosson Drew Byrd

2009-12-18T13:25:00.006-06:00

This is Gavan posting so details will be brief. Mel can give you the full story later. We came to the hospital at 10:30pm Wed night, were admitted at 12:30am Thursday morning, Rosson was here at 4:30am. Mom and baby are doing very well. We'll come home tonight around 6:00-7:00. We think Rosson resembles Jaylen's newborn pics a lot.

Rosson was a healthy 8lb, 6oz and 21 inches long!

Jaylen's 2 year pics......

2009-12-13T17:15:00.004-06:00

Our best bud, Brandon Haynie, took some 2 year pics of Jaylen for us last week & they turned out great. She was in a great mood & it was a fun hour of picture taking with her. She's turning into such a little girl & growing up SO fast but I love her so much more each day. She is such a blessing to our family & will be such a great big sis to Rosson......as soon as he decides to make his entrance, which I hope is sooner than later! Enjoy the pics!

Playing peek-a-boo!

Happy girl!

She loves "taking pictures"!

Doesn't look like my little 2 year old here.....

Love it!

I think this one is my favorite!

Playing in the leaves....

37 1/2 weeks......

2009-12-11T15:29:00.003-06:00

I saw Dr. Huff this morning & I'm still about 50% effaced but have dilated to almost a 3 now. She said I'm progressing as I should & still feels like I'm going to go into labor on my own next week. If I'm still prego next Friday at my appt, we'll talk about inducing. I don't really want to be induced so hopefully Rosson is picking out his birth date for sometime next week! Gavan's birthday is on Tuesday so they might end up sharing it! I'm still having contractions everyday but nothing crazy. I think Rosson is pushing on a nerve cause I've been having pains shooting down my right hip/leg since yesterday......hopefully he'll move soon!

I've officially grown out of my above the belly band maturnity pants.....they went from above the belly to mid-belly & now they are below the belly! They just won't stay up anymore & most of my shirts aren't long enough to cover everything.....it's a bit drafty at times too! He keeps dropping & changing my belly shape but I know that this all will be done soon! I'm so thankful to have these problems & to still be pregnant, even though I have days where I'm so uncomfortable & ready to be un-pregnant! God has answered my prayers of having a "normal, smooth, full-term" pregnancy & we are so blessed because of it. I can't imagine being on 2 months of bed rest with a toddler running around this time! We are SO excited to meet Rosson & bring him into our family......what a Merry Christmas it will be!

We'll keep you posted! Here I am last week at 36 1/2 weeks with my basketball!

36 week appointment.......

2009-12-03T21:51:00.002-06:00

I saw Dr. Huff today for my 36 week appointment & it went great. I know Rosson doesn't have much room in my belly to move around but he was seriously doing acrobatics in there today while she was trying to listen to his heartbeat. She was amazed at how much he was "jumping around"! He sounded good, my blood pressure was great & I actually lost a pound over the last 2 weeks. I am dilated to a 1 and 50% effaced as of now. The ultrasound I had last week showed him to be around 6 lb 9 oz & it showed my due date of the 20th, according to his size. It also showed I have a "healthy" amount of amniotic fluid, which is good but might be adding to my uncomfortableness (not sure if that is a word!).

So basically, Rosson & I are both doing great & it's just a "wait and see" game. I'm just so thankful that I've made it this far & had such a smooth pregnancy. God is so good & has answered my prayers. We are getting so excited to meet him & add him to our family!

Birthday party pics......

2009-11-23T14:20:00.008-06:00

We had Jaylen's party on Saturday & she had a great time. She wasn't too crazy about everyone sitting around watching her open the presents so I opened pretty much all of them. She wasn't too interested in her cake & ice cream either. I think she just wanted to play with her friends & cousins more than anything! It ended up being a great time & she loves all her new toys & gifts she got.

She had her 2 year check up this morning too. She weighs 28 lbs (67%) & is 33 in. tall (about 30%). He said she's doing great & she doesn't have to go back till she is 3. She did get a couple shots today & didn't like them but overall did pretty good. I took her to Sonic & let her sit in the front seat with me to eat since she did so good at the doctor. She thought she was pretty big stuff too! We are just so thankful & blessed that she's been such a healthy girl.....she's just got an awesome immune system since she's only had 1 round of antibiotics in her whole 2 years! I just hope Rosson follows in her footsteps!

In chapel at Sonshine School for her birthday...

Getting birthday spankins'......per her request!

The birthday girl!......I made her outfit yes, even the pants! It was my first pair of pants, well really my first attempt at anything with a pattern & I thought it turned out pretty good.

Daddy & Jay with her Elmo & Abby table....

Her cake.....thanks Katie!

We gave her a piggy bank......

She's looking at me like "Can I open this?".....

She got a Little People farm......

Playing with her animals....

Jaylen, Macy & Chelsea

Very excited about her kitchen we gave her.......

Checking it all out.....

Addi, Viv & Jay

We had a little triplet birthday party on their actual birthday.......so fun to watch them grow up this past year & play together that night!

Jay, Addi, Viv.......cute little 2 year olds!

Jaylen is 2!.......

2009-11-19T22:11:00.011-06:00

Yep, that's right. My sweet baby girl turned 2 years old today. She had a great day at Sonshine School, then a quick visit from Grandma, Aunt Myra & Macy & then a fun 'triplet' birthday party tonight with Addi & Viv. Loved watching the girls play together! Her birthday party is on Saturday so it should be fun time with our friends Elmo & Abby Cadabby. She did get to open a couple presents from Gav & I today & one from Jeffrey & Mir last night. She definitely knows what to do when she gets a present! Should be a fun party! The past 2 years feel like they've just flown by to me & it was just yesterday we brought this sweet girl home!

1 month old....

At her 1st birthday.....

Just a couple weeks ago.....

Happy Birthday Jaylen! We love you!

34 weeks.....

2009-11-18T09:32:00.004-06:00

My dr's appointment went good yesterday & Rosson sounded great! Jaylen loves listening to his heartbeat at my appointments. At my last 2 checkups, I had measured 4 weeks ahead but he has slowed down a bit now & I am only measuring 1 1/2 weeks ahead. I started having contractions last week but they are just Braxton-Hicks & aren't frequent enough to worry about them yet. She just told me to keep track of them & if they get more regular or start to hurt to call her. I have an ultrasound next Wednesday to get a size estimate of him & just to check things out one last time before he gets here. She said he's still head down & feels like I'll have him around 37 weeks.......that's just 3 weeks away!

His room is finished, car seat installed, bags packed, & his clothes all washed so we're ready for him to get here. We have a diaper shower at Chesapeake on Friday so after that we should be set with diapers for a while as well! So thankful for Gavan's department to give us the shower too. We are all 3 getting pretty excited to meet him, especially his sister! This is a big week for her since she turns 2 tomorrow! She has been saying that she is going to get birthday spankins' instead of hugs from Miss Kathy tomorrow during chapel so we'll see if she goes through with it! The triplets are celebrating their birthday tomorrow night together & then Jaylen's party with the family is on Saturday. I finally get to give her the kitchen we bought her like 3 months ago! It's been hidden in the garage & I've wanted to give it to her since the day we got it!

I'm starting to get a little uncomfortable but still sleeping pretty good so I won't complain. Only one progesterone shot left to go next Tuesday too! A big thanks to Gavan for giving them to me so I don't have to go to the hospital every week just to get a shot. He's done a great job! Here are the most recent prego pics of me. Gotta love the comfort of dresses when you are pregnant!

32 weeks

Jaylen wanted to take my picture & this is it!......just thought it was funny.

34 weeks

Rosson's Baby Shower.....

2009-11-16T13:21:00.007-06:00

Some very sweet ladies gave me a baby shower for Rosson & it was just wonderful. I loved everything they did for it & feel so blessed to have such great friends & family who love us & are excited to meet our little guy! My hostesses gave me a double stroller but I don't have a pic of it since it was in the box. I truly appreciate everything you girls did & can't thank you enough! Here are a ton of pics from the day of the shower!

Adorable annoucement....

The table....

The yummy strawberries......

The cake made by the talented Katie Rowten....

My awesome hostesses......Heidi, Miranda, Katie, me, Kathy, Mandy, Amanda, Amy w/ Addi & Anna w/ Violet

My family.....sis-in-law Katie, sis Myra, me w/ Jaylen & my mom Becky

The Byrd side of my family.....cousin Andrea, Grandma Deloris, mother-in-law Bev, me w/ Jaylen, sis-in-law GayLyn & aunt Sharbee

Quilt from Nana....

Jay helped me open the gifts.....

Getting these tractors felt a bit weird but we love them....

Mom's card played Twinkle, Twinkle Little Start & Jaylen loved it....

My sweet, big helper.....

Big girl.....

So glad the triplets were all there & had fun together.....look how big they are! Turning 2 this week!

Looking for trouble?!........