Jacelyn got her ears pierced!!!

Jacelyn finally got her ears pierced on Jan 1st! I've been putting it off because I didn't want to be the one that took her. It's hard enough to see her get shots, and those she needs! My friend Ashley took Carlie for her 2nd birthday and she planned to take Jacelyn for her 2nd birthday also. We both ended up getting really busy and never found the time to do it. My dad decided to give her the money to get it done for Christmas. We took her on New Years day and she was such a big girl. One of the ladies that was helping said "Are you sure you want to do this? It's going to hurt" and Jacelyn said yes. She was smiling the whole time and SO excited about getting earrings. She picked out her earrings and sat on the chair. She let them clean the spot and apply the dot on each ear. She let them put the guns up to each ear at the same time and then...bam, she realized that it hurt and started screaming! My poor baby. She only cried for about 2 minutes and then she was over it. I was so proud of her. She's been very good with them so far. She doesn't touch or bother them and she shows them off to everyone! I haven't gotten a good picture of them yet but here is one from Carlie's party where you can see one ear.

Birthday Pictures

I'm finally posting pictures from Carlie's birthday party! Enjoy!

Party host, "Sparky", and Carlie

Her new backpack and lunch box with her name on it.


Brooklyn (Carlie's other sis), Carlie, and Jacelyn

My sweet 6 year old!!!

Smarty Pants

On the way home from picking Carlie up at her after school gymnastics program, she said "This is a rectangular prism and this is a sphere". She's in kindergarten. I don't think I knew what either of these shapes were until geometry class!

After that, we started talking about where everyone in our family was born. I told her what city daddy was born in and she asked why he was born there instead of where we all were born. (Me, Carlie, Jacelyn, and 2 of my 3 sisters were all born at the same hospital). I told her it was because "Ma" and "Grandpapa" lived there at the time. Then she asked why they don't live together anymore. Then she asked why my parents "Memaw" and "Grandpa" don't live together and why "Memaw" now lives with "Papaw". They are all divorced so I had to, for the first time, explain an adult concept to her. I have no idea if I explained divorce correctly but she seemed pretty confused after our talk. lol. I'm just praying that she doesn't ask where babies come from any time soon. I don't think I could handle that one.

3 a.m. Wake Up Call

We are having major trouble with keeping Jacelyn in bed. We would start trying to get her down around 7:30-7:45pm. She would get out of bed every 5-10 minutes until about 10pm. We cut out naps to see if she was tired enough to get in bed at her normal time. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Last night, she went straight to sleep! I went to the gym, got home and cleaned the kitchen from supper, made Carlie's lunch for today, set her alarm clock, laid out the girls clothes for today, fed the fish, and went to bed. Around 1-ish Jacelyn got up, I put her back to bed. She got back up not long after that and I put her back to bed again. She got up AGAIN and Rick put her back to bed. She finally got up around 3am and Rick put her to bed with us. She didn't want to go to sleep. She wanted to play and watch T.V. Around 5:30am she started screaming that she wanted Carlie to get up and play. She finally somehow dozed off around 6am. I managed to get in a few more minutes of sleep, with her kicking me in the back, before I had to get up and get ready for work. It's going to be a LONG day!

The Gym

So I joined a gym a few weeks ago. My plan was to start going 3 or 4 days a week after January 1st. I also started Weight Watchers on the 1st. I'm not going to the meetings or weigh ins though. I already know how many points I can have and how to figure points, etc. I've lost 3 1/2 lbs since the 1st. Now, don't get me wrong, 3 1/2 lbs is good for 1 1/2 weeks. My problem is that I lost it all in the first 4 days. I haven't lost a pound in a week! I went to the gym for one hour, 3 days last week AND I did exactly what I was supposed to on my diet. I've lost weight before on WW fairly quickly so I'm pretty sure it works for me. Is it the gym? Am I building muscle, therefor I'm not losing pounds? I read somewhere that when women work out, they don't gain mass like men do. I have no idea if that is true. Am I doing something wrong at the gym? Here is a normal night at the gym for me. Bike for 20 minutes, walk for 20 minutes, stomach crunch machine 20 times (reps maybe?), some kind of upper arm/shoulder area machine, and then back on the treadmill for another 5 or 10 minutes to cool off. According to the bike and treadmill, I burn about 250 calories, not counting any that I burn on the other machines. Oh, and on the days/nights that I don't work out (like this weekend) I do other physical things like shopping (walking)/cleaning/chasing the girls on their bikes, etc. I'm scared that if I keep getting discouraged that I'll end up giving up and I don't want to! I need to see some results soon though!

Happy Birthday to Carlie!!!

My baby turned 6 today! We had a great day full of bike riding, cup cake eating, and birthday singing! She even asked me to take her to Chick-Fil-A for her birthday dinner so her and Jacelyn could play in their indoor play room.

I still can't believe that 6 years ago was when first laid eyes on my beautiful, bald, cone shaped headed baby girl! She was due on December 27th but didn't come so we were going to be induced on January 3rd. I was put on bedrest for symptoms of pre eclampsia the last week of my pregnancy. I was on the couch at my moms with my Nanny all day on Thursday the 2nd. I had what seemed to be cramps around 5:30am but they went away. That afternoon, they seemed to be coming a little more often but none were painful and I didn't "know" I was in labor like they said I was. My mom got home around 5:15pm and she said she could tell I was having contractions and wanted to take me to L&D just to be sure, even though I wasn't in pain. I got there around 5:30pm and I was 5cm dilated. Carlie wasn't going to have anyone tell her what to do and when to do it so she wanted to come out on her own terms (a lot like she is now). I finally got an epidural when I was 8cm and by the time they were done administering it, I was 10 cm and ready to push. I started pushing around 8pm but her head was turned sideways so that made it difficult to deliver. They had to use a suction but it wasn't working too well. The doc said she was going to try it one more time before she sent me for an emergency C-Section and thankfully it worked that time. She was born at 9pm on Thursday, January 2nd, 2003 weighing 6lb 14oz and was COMPLETELY BALD! She is a very strong willed and determined little girl. She is very beautiful, caring, loving, funny, witty, and smart. She definitely knows how to test her limits but also knows how to give the best and biggest hugs ever. I have no doubt in my mind that she will grow up to be successful and I can't wait to see the woman that she will become. Okay, I guess I can wait. I don't want her to grow up too fast...she's already 6!

I wanted to do a timeline type thing with pictures but I don't have many pictures of Carlie on my computer before the age of 3 1/2 b/c I didn't have a digital camera until then. I'll have to scan some and then add to this post later.

The night Carlie was born!

Carlie in her crib

Pictures from this morning!

Christmas!

So I'm finally getting around to posting pictures from Christmas. We had, I think, the best Christmas that I can remember. No one was sick, everyone behaved, and we enjoyed time with family. We stayed the night at Rick's dad and step mom's house Christmas Eve night. The only mishap was that I forgot Jacelyn's PJ's at our house an hour away. The girls always open one present Christmas Eve night and it's always their Christmas pj's so Jacelyn had to wear one of Grandpapa's tshirts until Daddy got into town from work.

Our *tiny* tree... Rick bought this last year after Christmas because he thought it was great. I was really sad to part with my GIANT, BEAUTIFUL tree but I trusted him that this one would be just as great. Lets just say we are getting a new tree for next year!!!

Rick's dad reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" On Christmas Eve

Carlie in front of the tree

The best picture of Jacelyn I could get in front of the tree.

The girls eating their cinnamon rolls Christmas morning.

I have no idea why she showed me her barbie's butt for the picture. lol

Carlie LOVES her new Leapster!

The damage (after filling 2 giant trashbags full of wrapping paper)

Jacelyn with her sweater and matching monkey!!!