The Powers That Be

Flying monkeys

2012-01-05T16:25:00.001-06:00

Since we spent New Year's Eve cooped up with the sick (Lucy was running a fever and throwing up for half of the day), we decided to get outside for a while on New Year's Day. We went to "Betty Borginya" park to try out a few of Lucy's new Christmas presents ~ a frisbee (thanks, Aunt Katie!) and a monkey-shaped kite. We got there right before sunset and caught a perfect breeze. Andrew got it up in the air, but Lucy quickly took over the strings and couldn't have been more thrilled! Sister was content just to be along for the ride.

Blurry, but beautiful

Ho, ho, ho!

2011-12-19T10:37:00.000-06:00

This was Hannah's first time meeting Santa ~ no tears! She had a major freak out when Rudolph came around to say hello while waiting we were in line, so I did not have very high hopes for a good St. Nick encounter. Lucy told Santa that she wanted a baby doll "named Hannah" for Christmas and that was it. She's been very cryptic about her requests this year, saying only that she wants some toys. Hannah's new party trick is to respond, "Ho, ho!" in a deep voice when asked "What does Santa Claus say?". It's quite entertaining!

I've had a blast this Christmas season watching these two become excited about lights and Christmas carols and trees and baby Jesus. Hannah likes to walk around holding "Jeeshus" from the nativity scene and Lucy is finally starting to get that Christmas is a celebration of Jesus' birth. Christmas has also been a truly lovely time of year for me, but it is ever so much magical when seen through the eyes of a child.

I guess that's why they call it the blues

2011-12-10T15:27:00.003-06:00

We hit up the Highland Jazz and Blues Festival a couple of weekends ago, and it was suprisingly fabulous! The weather was warm, the food was good (we tried Geauxcicles for the first time - yum!), and the musicians were super talented. Plus it's set in Columbia Park, so there is a ton of playground equipment to keep the kiddos entertained. It was a very bohemian, spread your blanket on the lawn, bring your dog and your baby, and dance like a hippie kind of event... and I loved it.

We got there just in time to hear the Preservation Hall Jazz Band out of NOLA entertain the crowd - for free! They were really great and the girls loved dancing to those famous Crescent City jams. It's a super fun event for the city of Shreveport and we're already looking to going back again next year.

A thrill of hope

2011-12-07T22:57:00.003-06:00

It is no surprise to anyone living in my household that I LOVE Christmas music. I have mixes on my iPod, listen to a holiday station on Pandora, and love traveling along with the cheesy holiday station on the local radio. The girls and I had a dance party in the living room to the Rat Pack holiday tunes the other night. I even burned a CD mix with my favorite songs on it as a Christmas gift for our family members many years ago.

And while I have many favorites, both secular (Zooey Deschanel's version of "Baby It's Cold Outside" from the Elf soundtrack just knocks my socks off) and religious, there is only one song that causes me to sit in the driveway with the car running until it's over ~ "O Holy Night". These lyrics and the musical notes that accompany them get me every single time:

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! O hear the angels' voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
O night divine, O night, O night Divine.

I literally cry almost every single time I hear this song. It's stunningly beautiful. I've heard it so many times, sung by so many different artists, but something new stirred in me today while driving the girls home (listening to Mariah Carey's version no less): a thrill of hope. Because really, isn't that what the Christmas season is all about? Hope that God would send his son, the Saviour, so that we might be made new. Hope that broken relationships may be mended. Hope for a fresh start and a new beginning.

So during this advent season, I will pray for the thrill of hope to take seed in my heart as I prepare to hear the good news.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2 NIV)

Wordless Wednesday: It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas edition

2011-12-07T21:57:00.000-06:00

Mommy's little helper

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care

"Little Cindy Lou Who who was no more than two..."

Wordless Wednesday: Baby love edition

2011-11-16T15:25:00.000-06:00

Louisiana State Fair ~ 10.29.11

The Rebel

2011-10-31T14:35:00.003-05:00

We took the girls to their first ever Red River Revel a few weekends ago, which Lucy now affectionately refers to as "The Rebel." The day was a big hit -- beautiful weather, great food (hello again, muffaletta pizza!), and lots of really entertaining kid-friendly activities.

Making a sand art bottle person thing

Face painting tent

Blue sno cone with purple and gold pumpkin (to match our ensemble, of course)

Baby "Mac" rocking her mullet

Trying to con Daddy out of his funnel cake

"But I want to go back to the grocery store tent!!!"

In addition to browsing all of the artist stalls, we also got to take in some performances (belly dancers, jugglers, and Bossier students singing "Little Mermaid" songs). Thanks, Rebel! We look forward to seeing you and your bad self again next year. :)

Monkey see, monkey do

2011-10-22T15:13:00.000-05:00

Pretty much sums up the theme around our new house these days!

Au revoir, Red Stick!

2011-08-12T05:41:00.000-05:00

Louisiana State Capitol during Fest For All ~ May 2009

Or... so long, Baton Rouge! You've been pretty good to the Powers family -- provided us with amazing eats, educational experiences, a church family, steady jobs, a nice home, and lasting personal and professional relationships, just to name a few. And after over 10 years in your fair city, it's finally time for us to say goodbye to 1429 King Dean Drive.

In this room alone, Handy Andy scraped popcorn and painted the ceiling, painted out the fireplace, sanded and painted the built-in cabinets, painted the walls, installed new flooring, and replaced the ceiling fan and curtain hardware. Whew!

Our moving day was nothing close to being picturesque; in fact, I'd probably list it as being one of the Top 5 worst days of my life. It was so charged with unbelievable stress and high emotions with very little time for reflection -- I had to finish up some projects at work while Andrew was left to complete all the packing and cleaning alone before our 3 pm closing. Everything that could possibly go wrong that day did. Seriously. But we did get to take about 30 seconds (literally) right before we closed the door one last time to hug and thank God for all of the lovely memories we created there.

It was the first house we bought together, and it was in this home that we adopted our sweet Evie and eventually brought two perfect little girls home from the hospital. It was where we become a family. Andrew's devotion to us can be seen in every room since he almost single-handedly remodeled the entire space over the course of 4+ years. We became close to two sets of neighbors on our street, one of whom immediately began to treat us like family. They invited us over to watch football games, took care of our house and dog when we went out of town, cooked us food and provided support when the babies were born... The list could go on and on and on. After the girls came along, we realized just how difficult it is to work full-time and be so far away from family. I feel like the Favaloros were sent from heaven to take us under their wings. We were truly blessed to get to know them and watch their kids grow over the years.

Bailey Favaloro with Lucy ~ October 2008

So before moving on, I thought I'd compile this little list as a tribute to the Old War Skule town.

We will miss: our friends and neighbors, LSU football games and tailgate parties, fresh seafood and beer at the Chimes, day trips to NOLA, the zoo, Whole Foods, my co-workers, omelets and biscuits Louie's, our amazing daycare center, live music, crawfish at Sammy's, beignets and cafe au lait at Coffee Call, oak trees on campus, St. Patty's Day parade at the Craigs. Did I mention the FOOD?

We will not miss: your traffic (hiss, boo!!!) and crazy drivers, politicians and backwards politics, lack of interest in improving the public education system, humidity, interstate system, daycare/private school tuition. Did I mention the TRAFFIC?

I never thought I'd miss: daily afternoon thunderstorms (it's so hot in Shreveport it makes you wanna slap your momma), turning left on red lights, men who actually wear sleeves on their shirts, coonass/Cajun accents, kiddie swimming pool at the Y, my job, the feel of living in a "college town". Did I mention the RAIN?

Now that we have the computer up and running, I'll start filling you in on more of our summer activities and our move back to the Port City. We'll miss you BR!!!

A year in the life of Daddy

2011-06-19T22:06:00.001-05:00

Our lives have changed a lot since last Father's Day with the addition of another little person to our family. And Andrew has taken it all in stride, quickly adjusting and thriving in our Kingdom of Pink. I've said before that I had no idea what a remarkable father Andrew would be when we got married -- I knew that he was kind and funny and passionate -- but the enthusiasm with which he has embraced this amazing responsibility has surpassed my wildest imagination.

He's made simply being there for his girls one of the highest priorities in his life and I know how lucky we are to be the recipients of that kind of devotion. So three cheers this Father's Day for the man who:

opened up his heart to love another baby girl unconditionally,

provided a shoulder to lean on,

kept himself grounded so those around him could soar,

encouraged his family's spiritual development,

played hopscotch in the driveway,

became close personal friends with Dora and Elmo and George,

fostered sweet dreams and cozy mornings,

attended impromptu tea parties,

gave chauffeured zoo tours,

taught a little fisherman how to cast a reel,

eased fears,

calmed tears,

cheered on brave attempts at carnival rides,

and turned an ordinary afternoon into a WWF audition.

That's quite the year you've had, Daddy! Your girls look up to you and absolutely adore you ~ it's easy to see why. I'm incredibly blessed to be walking this journey as parents with you and I can't wait to see how fatherhood continues to mold you in the years to come.

The sun comes shinin' through

2011-06-17T15:06:00.000-05:00

When you're smilin'....keep on smilin'

The whole world smiles with you

And when you're laughin'....keep on laughin'

The sun comes shinin' through

~Louis Armstrong

Cindy Lou Who

2011-06-12T15:33:00.000-05:00

Memorial Day mishap

2011-06-09T22:08:00.001-05:00

Having the day off of work and all, we decided to cook up a little family adventure after nap time on Memorial Day. We packed up the towels, snacks, sunscreen, etc., put everyone's swimsuits on, and took the 25 minute drive out to Gonzales to play in the Jambalaya Park splash pad thingy. It looked so neat and refreshing online, so imagine our delight when we got all the way there and saw the big sign that read "Closed on Monday". What the what, G-town? Fail.

So... we let the girls play in a regular old park for a bit but surrendered once the heat became too relentless and went on back home. We dug out Lucy's old splash mat (a 1st birthday present) and let the girls play in the backyard as the sun went down. I think they had a better time than they would have at the fancy water park and their parents were happy to be within reaching distance of a nice cold Abita satsuma beer. :) Summertime and the livin' is easy... if you let it be.

Wordless Wednesday: Saturday morning cartoons edition

2011-06-08T20:29:00.000-05:00

You outta be in pictures

2011-06-08T20:23:00.000-05:00

So as many of you may know, now that we've finally gotten most of the renovations complete on our 1970s abode... we're gearing up to sell up. I've taken a ton of pictures in the last week getting ready to post our listing on FSBOBR.com, and as I starting scrolling them them I kept finding errant heads and smiles popping up in the frames. Some are goofy, some are cute, and some are completely nonchalant. But they all remind me of the people who live in this house, particularly the little ones who helped us make this house a home.

Here are some of the "outtakes":

Hannah's room

Hallway

Lucy's "Baby Girl Pink" room

Living room

Because we've been in a constant state of renovation the entire time we've lived in this house, I don't know if I ever really and truly felt at home in it (like I didn't need to be painting something, etc.). And now that we're getting ready to leave it, I've never felt more at home here. Of course. I guess it doesn't hurt that the house has never been cleaner!

If you know anyone looking for a house in Baton Rouge, please send them our way! And please keep us in your prayers for a speedy sale -- we have open houses this Sunday and next Sunday. And Lucy's birthday party this Saturday, and a baby shower and Father's Day next weekend, and my church small group here in a few weeks, and a beach trip the weekend after that, and Hannah's 1st birthday party the weekend after that... Calgon take me away!

Wordless Wednesday: "The Sunshine of My Life" edition

2011-05-25T08:32:00.001-05:00

You are the sunshine of my life

That's why I'll always be around,

You are the apple of my eye,

Forever you'll stay in my heart...

~ Stevie Wonder, 1973

Waited on hand and foot

2011-05-24T21:07:00.001-05:00

You know you're a lucky little girl when your aunt opens up her very exclusive nail salon for an impromptu mani/pedi on Easter Sunday.

Please come back soon, Aunt Katie! We miss you already!!!

I'm with the band

2011-05-23T20:46:00.001-05:00

The girls and I were excited to hear Andrew's band compete in a festival-type competition at the school where he used to student teach a few weeks ago. Instead, I received a call on our way out of the neighborhood saying that his bus driver cancelled at the last minute so the band couldn't get there. Bummer.

But since we were already gussied up, strapped in our car seats, and in possession of a packed diaper bag, we headed on over to the Tara High band room to wait with Daddy while all the kids got picked up. Not one to let a change in plans slow her down, Lucy made quick friends with all the percussion instruments while sister bopped along to the beat. She's become quite enamored with the whole big-kids-playing-big-instruments thing this year; can't wait to see what she ends up wanting to play!

Seeing these pictures reminded me of a cute video I got of Lucy dancing along to the band last fall during a football game. I was having problems posting videos back then, but here it is for your viewing pleasure!

Andrew has encountered so many difficult and frustrating situations this year -- student apathy, misbehavior and fighting, a severe lack of resources, little or no parental support, etc. I could go on, but you get the idea. And through it all, he's kept his head up and kept moving forward, shaping young lives and leading by example. The road was long and steep, but we're so very proud of Mr. Powers for all that he's accomplished this year.

Wordless Wednesday: Puppy love edition

2011-05-04T19:02:00.002-05:00

10 months and life to go...

2011-04-30T09:31:00.001-05:00

Hooray for Mommy -- I've been having trouble posting videos to Blogger for a while now, but I finally figured out how to post them on YouTube and then insert the clips here! After Hannah went to bed last night, Lucy sat on my lap in front of the computer screen and we spent some quality time watching videos of her "when I was a baby." Which made me realize how very few videos of Hannah I have... which is leading me to promise our blog followers that I'll try to do much better.

This one is of 10-month-old (!) Hannah exhibiting some of her new skills -- mainly crawling like a champ and talking up a storm. "Sister" is also now pulling up on the furniture, feeding herself Cheerios and other finger foods, learning to use a sippy cup, giving high fives and waving bye-bye, and saying "mama", "dada", and "dog". She loves to swing and to bop along to music, but her most favorite thing is to laugh at/with Lucy. This little monkey is into everything and she delights my soul with her sweet smile on a daily basis. I cannot believe my baby is so close to being 1!

Tiny bubbles make me me feel happy, make me feel fine

2011-04-28T21:45:00.002-05:00

Bubbles, Mommy, BUBBLES!

Lucy's favorite present from the Easter bunny this year by far is this plastic bubble blower. She's asked to "play bubbles" outside every single day this week as soon as we get home. She alternates between running through the bubbles and instructing us to catch them, and then squeals with delight over the abundance of soapy circles in the driveway. It's lovely to behold the sheer simplicity that brings such unbridled joy to the preschool set. :)

Wordless Wednesday: Easter egg hunt edition

2011-04-27T20:00:00.000-05:00

Southland in the spring time

2011-04-27T19:52:00.001-05:00

Work has been crazy banana pants lately and the weather (outside of my windowless office) has been beautiful, which means that I've been experiencing a bit of the ol' cabin fever lately. So I recently convinced the mister to gather up the troops and take a little Saturday road trip down to New Orleans to spend some quality time wandering around outside. We got a late start, but had enough time to take in an afternoon at City Park. It was perfect -- inexpensive, covered by the shade of fabulous old oak trees, and full of local characters. :)

We started off by meeting up with some old friends and exploring the playground in Storybook Village,

Noah Rogers = CUTIE PIE

the Three Little Pigs

Hannah in Wonderland

"And the cow (and Lucy) jumped over the moon..."

then headed over to check out some of the Carousel Park amusement rides,

Andrew & Lucy cruising down the giant "Fun Slide"

Satisfied customers

The last antique wooden carousel in Louisiana ~ gorgeous!

The princess practicing her royal wave

Late afternoon sunlight filtering through Spanish moss

We went home tired, full, and happy, which is what New Orleans is all about right?

What good is a blog without...

2011-04-08T20:59:00.003-05:00

an obligatory baby-making-a-mess-in-the-highchair picture?

Squash casserole ~ finger licking good!

P.S. All appearances to the contrary, I promise that I am this child's biological mother and that I did in fact carry her inside my womb for almost 41 weeks.

No more monkeys jumping on the bed

2011-04-08T20:27:00.001-05:00

Lucy has recently discovered the serious joy involved in making her sibling laugh. I was cleaning house and moving them from room to room with me on a recent Saturday when she decided it would be hilarious to make Hannah "bounce" on her bed while I changed the sheets. Turns out she was right -- the more enthusiastically Lucy jumped, the more little sister squealed with delight.

Lucy may break one of Hannah's limbs by the time she turns one, but... I should be grateful that she wants them to play together. Right?

On a side note, check out this recent survey of 2100+ families by a British parenting website: http://www.parenting.com/blogs/show-and-tell/kate-parentingcom/study-two-daughter-families-are-happiest. Their results show that families with two daughters are the happiest of all family types due to the following reasons ~ two sisters tend to fight less, make less noise (ha!), play well together, help out more around the house, etc. They also found that families with four daughters were the least happy. DUH. All that estrogen under one roof can lead to nothing good!

Not sure this research is all that valid (I know many very happy families that don't fit this mold), but it's certainly an interesting topic of discussion. Also interesting -- why is it that I personally know only ONE other family with just two daughters. Is this your experience as well?

Flashback Friday

2011-04-01T15:18:00.000-05:00

While doing Lucy's hair this morning, it just felt like a pig-tail kind of a day to me.

33 months

And when I decided to do a Flashback Friday to show how much she has grown over the last year, guess what I found in the photo file on the computer named "April 1, 2010"? The first time she wore pigtails to school!

Easter egg hunt, 21 months

And just to prove how far we've come, in the hair department and otherwise, I present this little gem from April 2009:

With Uncle Mike, 9 months

Sweet girl, please slow down! No matter how big you get, you'll always be my baby.

Wordless Wednesday: "This little piggy went to market" edition

2011-03-30T20:03:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I know this is supposed to be Wordless Wednesday and all, but isn't this THE cutest picture you have EV-ER seen? I just adore the way Hannah's gazing at big sister lovingly as Lucy plays with her little chubby toes. And all while they're wearing matching dresses? Sigh...

Swingers

2011-03-26T12:54:00.000-05:00

Hannah has discovered the swing and is loving it, which means Lucy is having to adjust to taking turns. She still pretty much had full run over all the toys and such but now that Hannah is crawling and into everything, Lucy's realizing that another person is equally as interested in her "stuff." In fact, she has started tattling whenever Hannah takes something of hers! Sibling rivalry, here we come...

But for the most part, they are so very sweet with each other. Lucy has started calling sister "my Hannah" and complaining when she has to take a nap because the boss of everything wants her to keep playing. :) I so love watching these two delight in each other's company.

"I push Hannah real high!" Yikes.

Whee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My turn

"You don't take my picture, okay?"

I like Mike

2011-03-24T21:15:00.000-05:00

As a frequent visitor to http://www.lsusports.net/ this fall to follow the Tigers football schedule, I got into the habit of entering the "Taco Bell Behind the Scenes" competition. The prize -- tickets to the game, of course, but also a coveted march into Tiger Stadium with the Golden Band from Tigerland. Unfortunately, I didn't win the big prize during football season but... I did recently win tickets to a basketball game! We decided to get a babysitter for Hannah and take our big girl to enjoy a day on campus to see the Tigers play Vanderbilt.

In addition to getting to eat lunch in the "corporate VIP" room, we also got to watch the players warm up (according to Lucy, everything was TOO LOUD!),

pose with the cheerleaders,

watch the Bengal Brass band play,

meet Mike the Tiger,

dance along with Tiger Girls during their reunion halftime show,

and see the 2009-2010 Tigers football team with their Cotton Bowl trophy (I love the expression of the short white guy looking up at Jordan Jefferson!).

The highlight from the day for me was meeting Coach Miles ~ he shook my hand and gave Lucy a high five on our way to the restroom (having a cute kid wearing purple & gold in tow is a major plus in these situations). Apparently she was not at all interested in acknowledging this strange man, and everybody sitting near us thought her diss of the most popular man at LSU was quite hilarious. :)

Of course, Lucy's favorite part was getting to meet Mike. Even though she wouldn't speak to him or touch him, she spent the entire game asking, "Where Mike go?". We stopped by the real Mike the Tiger's ~~outdoor mansion~~ cage on our way home and caught him taking a cat nap. Ever since the game a few weeks ago, Lucy's been asking to "go to LSU"... I guess I can consider my brainwashing campaign a complete success!

Wordless Wednesday: Curious little monkey edition

2011-03-23T20:48:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday: My two front teeth edition

2011-03-02T18:41:00.002-06:00

The salad days

2011-02-24T00:28:00.013-06:00

Books have been a passion for virtually my entire life, but the indulgence of reading for fun has come to an abrupt halt in the last couple of years. It seems that for some reason or another (hmmm... dare to fancy a guess?), I can never seem to get through more than a page or two at night before my eyelids slam shut and I fall asleep with the bedside lamp glaring, glasses slipping down my nose, and a paperback open on my chest.

However, Thing 2 finally decided to start sleeping through the night right before the holidays, so I picked up a few novels that have been collecting dust on my bookshelf. After seeing a movie preview for Water for Elephants, I decided to read the book: a) before the movie comes out, and b) to pacify my sister's nagging me to read it so we could discuss it. I was a little slow getting into the plot, but I absolutely loved this book!

There are many things I adore about a good book -- characters in whose lives you become invested, an amazingly vivid setting, suspense, an enduring love story, a search for one's true self... I could go on and on. What I thought I loved about this book, set in the gritty circus culture of the Depression era, was that it transported me to a place and time of which I have no intimate knowledge. I always delight in getting lost in something completely outside of my experience, which is why I enjoyed books like Angela's Ashes or Memoirs of a Geisha so much, even though they were sometimes difficult to read.

And then I came to the passage below about three pages from the end, and I felt like I had been socked in the gut. The book is told from the point of view of Jacob, an elderly man in a nursing home looking back on his adventures as a young man. Here he is describing the early years of his marriage:

"Those were the salad days, the halcyon* years! The sleepless nights, the wailing babies; the days the interior of the house looked like it had been hit by a hurricane; the times I had five kids and a wife in bed with fever. Even when the fourth glass of milk got spilled in a single night, or the shrill screeching threatened to split my skull, or when I was bailing out some son or other from a minor predicament at the police station, they were good years, grand years.

But it all zipped by. One minute [we] were in it up to our eyeballs, and the next thing we knew the kids were borrowing the car and fleeing the coop for college. And now, here I am. In my nineties and alone."

Wow. Cue the lump in my throat.

I'm exhausted. Seriously, the girls have not both slept soundly through the night at the same time since around Christmas. Hannah's had a constant stream of colds and recurring ear infections, followed by a serious bout of teething and recent attempts to become mobile. Meanwhile, Lucy's been battling a cough as well as nightmares (apparently there are ladybugs and scary robots in her bed). Andrew and I have been ~~elbowing each other~~ getting up every couple of hours or so, every night, for weeks and weeks on end. Then we wake up at 5:30 am and try to function all day at work, squeeze in communicating with our friends and families, and come home striving our hardest to be good parents. And while I love my children with every fiber of my heart and soul, I've been missing the salad days! It won't be long at all until I turn around, notice that my house is eerily quiet, and ache for a little baby to wake me up at night. These CRAZY days snuggling wiggly little bodies that are all funky and warm from sleep are the ones I'll miss the most when I'm in the nursing home.

A friend once posted on Facebook that she doesn't read novels because there's too much out there to learn from works of nonfiction. Those books most certainly have their place, and Lord knows I could stand to read less fluff and more history, but... in this particular instance, I'll have to respectfully disagree.

Enjoying the Friday afternoon sunshine in the front yard

*Webster defines halcyon as calm, golden, or prosperous. The term is used as an adjective to "refer to a happy and successful time in the past that is remembered as being better than today."

Wordless Wednesday: "Saturday in the park" edition

2011-02-02T09:41:00.001-06:00

Wordless Wednesday: The wagon train edition

2011-01-26T20:35:00.001-06:00

Let's go fly a kite

2011-01-26T07:25:00.001-06:00

Our oldest baby (or Thing 1 as Andrew has taken to calling her lately) is nothing if not persistent. So after viewing a recent episode of Curious George wherein said monkey gets into some crazy kite-flying predicament, Lucy could not think of anything else but flying a kite. For days. As in, "I wanna fly a kite, mommy. I wanna fly a kite, mommy. I wanna fly a kite, mommy." You get the idea.

So... Daddy dutifully bought the cheap princess kite and we all headed out to the park on Saturday to give it a go. And the results were glorious. A beautiful crisp sunny day with just enough wind to keep Ariel flying for a while left our big girl with a big grin on her face. Sometimes peristence (however annoying) really pays off!

The Tiger in Me

2011-01-22T12:31:00.000-06:00

Ok, so I'm a few weeks posting this after our big Cotton Bowl win over the Texas A&M Aggies (what up Lesley and Jeremy?), but... I just came across this and had to post it. I mean "tiger bait is all I eat" is a pretty classic line, no? This is good stuff, y'all.

Love Purple, Live Gold! GEAUX TIGERS!!!

What you talkin' bout, Daddy?

2011-01-19T23:06:00.000-06:00

Puppy love

2011-01-19T22:50:00.000-06:00

Evie's finally found someone to give her some undivided attention. Poor thing.

If you're happy and you know it

2011-01-14T19:59:00.002-06:00

...your face will surely show it!

Can you tell how much fun I'm having with my new camera? It helps to have such amazingly beautiful subject matter.

The world according to Lucy

2011-01-07T14:42:00.002-06:00

The "fairy queen" bossing around Honey during her recent visit

Being the parent of a 2-year-old toddler (with a seemingly endless supply of energy) can severely try your patience, leave you incredibly frustrated, and drive you to the edge of exhaustion. When she's not throwing sippy cups off the table, declining naps, demanding graham crackers, or refusing to get dressed, etc., Lucy has a very strong and funny little personality which keeps us laughing and highly entertained... most of the time. We may be tired, but we're frequently bored.

Here are some of her current favorite catch phrases, comments, and observations:

"I wanna paint my finger toes, too!"

Upon seeing my painted toe nails propped up on the coffee table.

"Don't be not nice to Lucy. Gots to be nice to me. ALL. DAY. LONG!"

This is usually spoken whenever one of us tells her to stop doing something wrong. You know, like hurling toys clear across the room or coloring on the walls with crayons. Basically your standard unreasonable requests.

"I talking to baby Hannah, I not talking to you."

Well. Okay, then.

"I done told you already."

It's usually necessary to remind your royal subjects when you will not be taking a bath or when they are not fetching your string cheese at a fast enough rate.

"Are you coming to my birthday par-lee? Gots to have cupcake and candy and balloons and chocolate..."

The list of invitees and menu demands for this fictitious party grow daily. Apparently Lucy didn't really understand the concept of "birthday party" when she turned two, but having been to several since, she's all about it now. I'm truly nervous about what kind of 3rd birthday bash we're going to have to throw to match her grand expectations. And we're still six months away from it.

"I loves you anyway, too."

We're very into Olivia right now (a character that truly matches both sides of my firstborn's disposition -- sweet and saucy). The phrase above comes at the end of the original book when Olivia's mom tell her, "You know you really wear me out, but I love you anyway." Olivia responds with, "I love you anyway, too."

This last one just about sums up our relationship with Hurricane Lucy right now. And we wouldn't have her any other way. J

Wordless Wednesday: Rub-a-dub-dub edition

2011-01-05T17:22:00.000-06:00

Jesus' birthday party

2010-12-28T22:30:00.003-06:00

Our Christmas journey was a little bit crazy this year. It was our first long distance road trip with both of the girls in tow, but it actually went shockingly well thanks to our only Black Friday purchase -- a DVD player for the car. All of our surprises would surface after we arrived at our destination. Our car got a flat tire (which had been repaired before we left), the plumbing under the kitchen sink at my in-laws was massively leaking and they scrambled to find a plumber open on Christmas Eve, my grandfather got a stomach bug so he missed meeting Hannah for the first time, and then Hannah & I got sick with bad colds (were both running fevers and placed on antibiotics by the time we got to an after hours clinic) so we missed seeing our friends. My head was a total fog for almost all of our visit.

But amid the hustle and bustle, we had a great time just being together with our families and watching the little ones delight in the magic of Christmas. Lucy woke up next to me on Christmas morning and whispered, "It's Jesus' birthday party!" Wow. I thought that the real meaning of the holiday had really sunk in and was so proud -- I mean, we have been reading Christmas books, singing carols, attending children's time in church, talking about the nativity scene, etc. for weeks. But... then she continued with, "It's Daddy birthday party! And Hannah birthday, too!". At least we're getting closer. :)

Lucy really took her time opening each gift and would exclaim, "Mama, look what I got!" with a huge smile and an expression of sheer joy. And my happy baby Hannah was thrilled just to crinkle wrapping paper and to have a seemingly endless supply of arms available to hold her -- her very most favorite thing. Santa was very good to me this year... I finally got a DSLR camera! You can see the evidence of my new present (major props to the hubby) in these two shots and in the slide show below. The first couple of pics in the slide show are from my old camera and the rest are from the new one -- you can really tell the difference in picture quality. I am so excited about learning how to use it to capture the unique expressions of my beautiful subjects. Yay!

Merry Christmas to all!!!

Merry and bright

Trying on Pop Pop's reading glasses

Personalize your own slideshow

Life's a zoo

2010-12-22T15:24:00.001-06:00

For this week's Wordless Wednesday edition, a few pictures from our recent trip to the BREC Baton Rouge Zoo to see the holiday "Zoo Lights" decorations.

Seriously

2010-12-21T11:00:00.002-06:00

Just look at those baby blue eyes and that spiky strawberry-blond hair and those cheeks. Oh, those sweet pinchable cheeks. And don't even get me started on that "life is wonderful" grin. I have a hard time with people who don't fawn all over themselves when in contact with such a happy chubby baby.

I know, I know "every crow thinks hers is the blackest" and all that. But, come on. Seriously. :)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2010-12-20T16:10:00.009-06:00

And then there were four...

Helping Daddy trim the tree

Building our first ever gingerbread house with sweet Cooper

There was something so fulfilling and exciting about hanging stockings up this year. The babies we have been dreaming about and praying for the last few years are here at last, in our little home, ready to experience the joy and love that surrounds the holiday season. Andrew & I have been a married unit since April 2004, but now it finally feels like we are really a family. I guess I can't really describe the emotions all that well in words.

Lucy was hardly aware of Christmas last year, but this year is a whole other story. She adored getting to decorate the tree and has really enjoyed reading Christmas stories, ranging from the nativity story to Santa Claus to Olivia. She has helped me roll out and decorate sugar cookies for her school's holiday party, declared that she wants a "train, princess, and football" from Santa, and sung bits and pieces of random carols (like Frosty the "No-man"). But I think she's most impressed with the bling and keeps asking to go see the lights in our neighborhood! It's such a blast to see the magic of Christmas through a little one's eyes, especially since she has yet to be caught up in the commercial aspect of the season.

I love Christmas -- not only is it a special time devoted to celebrating the birth of our Savior, but done correctly, it's also a time to express generosity to friends and families and those in need. Plus, I've always been ministered to through music so the simplicity and passion expressed through a beautifully-sung Christmas hymn gets me every time. You will never see me with dry eyes after a room full of people sing a candlelit, a capella version of Silent Night during Christmas Eve service.

However... our extended families are "broken" by divorce, our grandfathers are celebrating without the long-time companionship of their wives, and the amount of hurt and need in the world sometimes seems cruel and overwhelming. So my prayer for this holiday season is for LOVE. Love to heal hearts and relationships and bodies. Love that mirrors that of a Father who gave his only son to bring hope to the world. Amid the rampant chaos and spending and loneliness and hurry, I'm trying to make this Christmas all about love, love, love. Join me?

Wordless Wednesday: Christmas card outtakes edition

2010-12-15T21:57:00.002-06:00

Showing off our new Christmas pjs ~ thanks Honey!

This is one of a series where Lucy is either: sticking her finger in Hannah's mouth, pulling her ears, placing her in a headlock, or making sister mad by holding her hands down. Needless to say... we didn't use any of these. :)

Watching "Frosty the Snowman" (again!) and getting a little emotional when he starts to melt

Okay, so this one wasn't really taken for the purpose of using it on a card, but I couldn't resist posting it. I mean, cute baby hat + cheap plastic Dora sunglasses + big Daddy smile = priceless.

Turning tricks

2010-12-04T12:14:00.000-06:00

Hannah is now 5 months old (!) and has recently acquired a who new set of skills and tricks. Here are a few adorable highlights:

Learning to sit up by myself

~~Devouring~~ Eating oatmeal cereal & trying out veggies like sweet potatoes

Finding my feet and trying to stick them in my mouth

Snuggling with sister in her big girl bed. She's particularly fond of "hugging" me in a headlock position.

School lunch

2010-11-24T17:41:00.001-06:00

My little Butterball

Her placemat read: "I am thankful for Hannah." Be still my heart!

Chef Ronnell lovingly prepares the feast

Andrew and I attended our daycare's annual Thanksgiving lunch for parents yesterday and experienced our first "divide and conquer" scenario -- he ate in the Tigers classroom with Lucy and I ate in the Nursery with Hannah. It's a wonderful opportunity for us to slow down a little bit and show our appreciation for the people who do an amazing job of caring for our little ones. It's also nice to get a chance to visit with the other parents and swap stories from the trenches. Mr. Ronnell is the center's on-site chef (he runs a catering business on the side) and he makes a mean fried turkey and cornbread dressing combo! The teachers helped the kids create personalized place mats for their families and make crafts to decorate the dining rooms.

We moved Lucy to this center when she was 9 months old & it's one of the best decisions we've made -- there's yet to be a single day that I picked her up that she hasn't been smiling and content. Yet another thing to be grateful for this holiday season ~ people who love your children and are invested in their growth. It's the only thing that makes it possible for this working mommy to get to the office everyday. Oh, and did I mention that Lucy's teacher, Ms. Betty, was absolutely instrumental in our potty training success? We love her.

I got to end the lunch by rocking Hannah to sleep in the nursery glider before heading back to work. Thanks again Southside for the thoughtful meal and for everything you do for our babies!

The help

2010-11-12T09:43:00.000-06:00

Hannah is eating rice cereal now and big sister is oh-so-eager to lend a helping hand. It's like playing baby doll come to life! We may be just a tad bit enthusiastic ~~forceful~~ with the spoon, but... our heart is certainly in the right place. Lucy is all about baby sister right now -- she shares her lovey when Hannah starts crying, smothers her with goodnight kisses, and wants to help me change her diaper. I even caught her "reading" Hannah a book the other night (complete with showing the pictures like a librarian at story time) while I put away laundry. Fingers crossed that these warm & fuzzy feelings continue to permeate our household and that Hannah survives all of Lucy's "help" with her limbs fully intact.

Lucy showing baby sister how to eat with a spoon -- she's a pro!

Hannah's not completely sure what to think about this new taste/texture, but she's slowly getting the hang of it.

P.S. Would you just look at that sweet baby skin and those rubber-band thighs? Swoon!

Wordless Wednesday ~ For Aunt Katie

2010-11-10T09:26:00.001-06:00

Lucy ~ 28 months

Hannah ~ 4 months

Now who's lame? :)

Five on Friday ~ Halloween edition

2010-11-07T15:58:00.003-06:00

The "top 5" things I loved about this Halloween season:

1. Getting to put my kids in matching outfits for the first time! This struck me as something so incredibly fun and inherently girly -- I can't wait to do it again at Thanksgiving and Christmas. I used to hate it when my mom put me & my sister in matching clothes, but I totally get it now.

My favorite "lay lay" bug

2. Picking out tiny pumpkins and posing in our church's annual pumpkin patch. Oh, and actually making it to church ~~only slightly late~~ on-time for the first time since Hannah's birth.

3. Leaving work early to participate in our daycare's Fall Fest activities. Lucy got her face painted, did a bean bag toss, and pinned a tail on the pumpkin and received candy along the way. Mommy got to spend a Friday afternoon outside in beautiful weather with her two best girls. Win-win.

4. Seeing the delight on my big girl's eyes as she ran from door to door to trick-or-treat for the first real time this year. Lucy's still saying, "I go trick-or-treat. Get candy in pumpkin!" Here she is with her friend Cooper (aka Buzz Lightyear), inspecting their loot.

5. Experiencing the pure joy of watching your good friend's child become friends with your own. There's simply nothing like it, and we're so fortunate to have the James family in our lives.

Cooper and his sweet mama Jessi

'Stay Brady Stay': The Louisiana brain drain | Washington Times Communities

2010-09-29T14:29:00.001-05:00

Check out this very interesting article about one of the most pressing issue facing our great state. I adore Louisiana's culture and colorful history (and it seems the author does too), but... his commentary pretty much explains why almost none of my friends from high school still live here.

'Stay Brady Stay': The Louisiana brain drain Washington Times Communities

True love

2010-09-21T09:30:00.026-05:00

...is balancing a breast pump on your knees to pump milk for your 3-month old in a bathroom during a work meeting outside of the office. That's two trips to a cramped stall to stare at the back of a badly painted turquoise door and try not to fall asleep while listening to the monotonous whir of the motor. While sitting hunched over on a toilet seat. In dress clothes and heels. And then asking the cafeteria ladies to store it in the refrigerator.

Some days the only thing that keeps me going is thinking about this sweet little face.

Tummy time ~ for Candace

In addition to encouraging me to spend some quality "tummy time" with Hannah to encourage her physical development, my friend Candace has also been encouraging my spiritual development lately. It's so easy to get bogged down into the everydayness of life when you have little ones and feel like picking up, giving baths, folding laundry, changing dirty diapers, and cooking macaroni & cheese for the 100th time has taken over your very existence. She should know -- she has three little ones at home, ages 5 and under, including a new baby.

One of her recent blog posts reminded me that God recognizes all the little things we do for the benefit of others and that we should approach even the most mundane tasks as if we were doing them for Him:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.

~Colossians 3:23

Thanks friend.

When I say "Geaux"

2010-09-17T10:40:00.001-05:00

...you say "Tigers"!

GEAUX...

TIGERS!

GEAUX...

TIGERS!

Yes, that's right folks, this weekend is the first LSU home football game of the year! You can feel the electricity and excitement in the air ~ which is still a lovely 94 degrees ~ all around Baton Rouge. The RVs have arrived on campus, mini flags are waving from car windows, and everyone is sporting purple & gold at work (and daycare) today.

We'll be at a wedding in New Orleans so I'll have to miss the game (seriously, who schedules a wedding on a football Saturday night in South Louisiana?). Hopefully my little cheerleaders will give our Bayou Bengals the added push they need to pull out the win! If not, at least they'll still look cute.

Someone turned 35 this week...

2010-09-16T21:31:00.000-05:00

and it wasn't me! Although Lucy would have you believe it was her birthday. All week long. :)

Happy birthday, Andrew!!! Your girls all had a wonderful time celebrating your special day with you. I pray that this new year of your life brings you abundant health, joy, blessings, and success. We love you!

I sure do wish I had some teeth right about now!

Great grandparents

2010-09-12T07:53:00.052-05:00

According to Wikipedia, "National Grandparents Day is a secular holiday celebrated originating in the United States in 1978 and now officially recognized in a number of countries on various days of the year." It always falls on the first Sunday after Labor Day and is meant to "...to honor grandparents, to give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children's children, and to help children become aware of strength, information, and guidance older people can offer".

To us, Grandparents Day means paying tribute to the people in our children's lives who:

Come and take care of them for a week while their baby's in the hospital giving birth to her new baby,

take wonderful pictures of them with your fabulous camera to give them happy memories of being little,

delight in their every last word and encourage a tremendous love of reading,

drive fours hours without blinking an eye every time they get sick to love on them and make them peal with laughter,

push them in a swing until their arms get tired, take them boat riding, and pretend to drink their "coffee",

and get in the car for a road trip at the age of 92 just to smile as they watch their only great-grandchildren coo and play.

We are just so very thankful for the ways that all of the grandparents in our lives love us and our children unconditionally. I pray that my daughters will one day develop the kind of relationship with them that I had with my Mammaw. I miss her so much today that my heart aches, and I'd give anything to hear her voice or get one of her letters in the mail. Her love shaped my life in such a positive way and I'm eternally grateful for the person she was and the way she lived her life.

I can't wait to introduce Hannah to my Pappaw soon -- I think she looks a little bit like Mammaw, and I know that will touch and delight him to no end. Happy Grandparent's Day!

Five for Friday

2010-09-10T08:10:00.048-05:00

Since it's been a while since I've had a post exclusively dedicated to my first-born (who has been happily declaring, "I a big gurl!" this week), here's a glimpse into five of her current favorite things:

1. Pockets, as in "I pockets, Mama!" (oh, and saying 'cheese' for the camera).

2. Playing the guitar like Daddy. Current favorite hits include: The Alphabet Song, Mommy's Song (a variation on the Elmo's World theme song), and The Wheels on the Bus. She's even got the strumming and singing at the same time thing down pat. Watch out, Taylor Swift!

3. Dora sunglasses, and well... everything Dora. She's more than a little obsessed with everyone's favorite 'super cool exploradora' right now. If I hear, "I'm the map, I'm the map, I'm the map, I'm the maaaaap!" one more time...

4. Sparkly princess shoes. I mean, with kicks this fabulous, who can really blame her?

5. Chocolate milk. We pretty much ask for "chocko malk" all day long, every single day. At least she's getting plenty of calcium, right?

Summer time and the livin' is easy when you're two! I love you, big girl. Just stop getting big so fast.

What a long, strange trip it's been

2010-09-07T15:06:00.002-05:00

So... in an effort to explain my blogging hiatus (you know, other than having a infant and a toddler to take care of and then going back to work full-time!), let me give you the down low on the insane events that have dominated our lives over the last few weeks. I'm up nursing a 6-weeks-old Hannah around 1:30 am on Wednesday, August 11 (also known as the First Day of School) and Andrew starts complaining about having a sharp pain in his chest. He'd been suffering from a bad stomach bug for a few days, so we assumed it was heartburn/indigestion and he took some Pepto and went back to bed. Cut to a few hours later when the pain got really intense and he left to go to the emergency room. Cut to a few more hours later -- our neighbor came over to sit with Lucy while she slept so I could go to the hospital and check on my husband, only to find him scared he was having a heart attack and doubled over in pain. He was admitted to the hospital for a few days while they ran a battery of cardio tests and although no definitive diagnosis ever came our way. The doctors think he had a virus related to the stomach bug that caused the muscles in his back and chest to become inflamed. He was released on Friday morning with some medications and told to go home and rest.

Andrew returned to work the following Tuesday only to be sent home around noon by the school nurse and assistant principal because he looked so pale and puny. He was complaining of severe stomach pain this time around and went to see our family doctor who did a CAT scan, the results of which caused him to be re-admitted to the hospital the next morning. He underwent an additional scan, an ultrasound test, a colonoscopy (ouch!) and endoscopy exam and the final result was... we still don't really know! Once again we were unable to get a concrete diagnosis, but they think he had a staph infection caused by the heart catheter test he underwent the first time he was in the hospital. He was treated with high-dose antibiotics and hospitalized until Saturday this time around. And of course, in between dropping Lucy off at daycare, trying to take care of Hannah and the house, coordinating family members who came down to help, and running back and forth to the hospital, I developed not only a nasty stomach bug myself but also a raging case of mastitis that landed me in bed with aches, chills, and a 102.5 fever. Not a situation I would recommend to anyone that is already up all night with a newborn. I truly believe that God doesn't give you more than you can handle, but it felt like we were getting awfully close.

This has NOT an awesome time for the Powers family. Andrew's illnesses had him down for the count for the better part of two weeks, and it hit me really hard just how much I rely on him to help me around the house and with the girls and just to be there for me emotionally. It was really a time of struggle for us trying to figure out how to be there for each other and to still provide the best quality of care for our children. We're still struggling a few weeks later -- Andrew missed the first few weeks of school and is having a difficult time rallying his band into fighting form, and I had to return to work just a couple of days after he came home from the hospital after not sleeping for what felt like infinity (and still kind of does).

My transition back to work has not been smooth -- the commute is awful, I miss my baby, packing up/cleaning breast pump supplies every day and finding time to squeeze it in between projects and meetings sucks (there's really no more eloquent way to say it), and... Hannah screams relentlessly in the car on the way to and from daycare every day. BUT (yes, there is a but), Hannah is finally sleeping 6-8 hour stretches in a row at night, has learned to take a bottle, and is being very well cared for during the day, Andrew's feeling enormously better, and Lucy is truly thriving in her new big girl class at "school". And most importantly, the stress of this whole ordeal has brought into crystal clear focus that the most important things in life are: our physical health, our spiritual health, and the health of our family unit. All of which have been a little battered recently, but are on the mend. And all of which could use your prayers, if you're so inclined. More than ever, we've realized our desire to forge a stronger relationship bond and to be healthy enough to watch our babies grow up together.

Almost a month later, I'm finally feeling a bit of normalcy return to our household so I'm happy to report the resurrection of The Powers That Be. Stay tuned for some (hopefully much more upbeat) updates coming very soon!

So glad to have Daddy home again!

My new favorite picture

2010-08-25T10:30:00.001-05:00

The many faces of Hannah

2010-07-28T14:58:00.000-05:00

Content

Hungry

Pensive

Sleepy

Sister, sister

2010-07-21T22:30:00.002-05:00

Ok, maybe just a few words... I think this last one should probably be captioned: "Help!"

Things that delighted me this weekend

2010-07-20T17:41:00.002-05:00

Pop Pop watching Sesame Street with his two best girls

Andrew's first attempt at Mickey Mouse pancakes

A swaddled baby Hannah napping in my bed

Andrew and his dad taking Lucy on a boat ride so I could rest and catch up on e-mail and paying bills

A beautiful bouquet of summer roses picked out by my husband and delivered by a beaming toddler

Pop Pop supervising Lucy's afternoon play session while we cooked a delicious steak dinner

Hannah's still eating almost every 3 hours on the dot (including at night), which means I'm pretty much in a constant state of exhaustion. Combine this with the release of some serious post-pregnancy hormones and the picture is not always pretty in our house right now. So... I'm trying to revert back to the idea of the gratitude journal I kept in college and make it a point to recognize all the small things that I'm thankful for, no matter how mundane. Today, I'm grateful that I finally got to talk to my mom on the phone and that the laundry got put away. It's the little things...

Better late than never

2010-07-17T10:17:00.002-05:00

Dear Pop Pop,
You are developing quite the devoted entourage of young ladies around here. :) Thank you for all that you do to always shower love and support on our growing family. We truly appreciate everything you do for us! Here's hoping this new year of your life brings you abundant health, joy, love, and success. Your girls are looking forward to seeing you again very soon. Happy, happy (belated) birthday!!!

Snuggling with newborn Hannah in the hospital

Reading Shel Silverstein with Lucy before bedtime

Bathing beauty

2010-07-16T12:18:00.001-05:00

Some scenes from Hannah's first bath, a few days after we came home from the hospital ~

The obligatory blood curdling screams,

followed by some tender emotions from Lucy as she watched her baby sister cry.

"Shhh! It's okay, baby" is a new favorite phrase at our house.

A post-bath snuggle with grandma makes everything better!

Many thanks to Honey for all of her help as we came home from the hospital and made the rocky transition towards becoming a family of four.

E.S.P.

2010-07-13T10:36:00.000-05:00

Hannah had her 1-week (okay, 9 days) check-up last Thursday, and one thing is exceedingly clear -- the girl loves to eat! We weighed in at a healthy 8 lbs., 12 oz., which mean she gained back to her birth weight and then some. I for one am not at all surprised by this development since it seems like all I've done for the last two weeks is nurse this child. It can be so exhausting at times, but the reward is a healthy and happy newborn baby! Our doctor said she is performing her E.S.P. (eat, sleep, poop) role perfectly.

So far Hannah is an absolute joy to be around -- she appears content to go with the flow (not even the dog barking or big sister yelling at the top of her lungs phases this little one) and is sleeping well. She slept for 5 hours straight last night! We're working on incorporating more sunshine and walks into our days as I recover, but that 100+ degree heat index is brutal.

Even though trying to juggle a newborn's constant needs with a toddler's demands for attention is pretty challenging, everything seems a bit easier this time around. I guess it's because we are more relaxed and able to trust our instincts instead of being so nervous -- for example, I no longer think my baby is going to end up in therapy if I let her cry for a minute so I can go to the bathroom. :)

Here are some of my favorite parts of Hannah to stare at and touch endlessly -- the ridiculously soft, super blonde (!) baby fuzz behind her ears and her long little legs and toes. What a cutie pie!

Sibling rivalry

2010-07-08T15:20:00.002-05:00

All Andrew and I could keep saying about little sister in the delivery room was, "She looks just like Lucy!". The resemblance is truly uncanny. Take a look...

Lucy ~ 8 lbs., 4 oz., 20 in.

Hannah ~ 8 lbs., 10 oz., 21.5 in.

Lucy ~ 6/22/08

Hannah ~ 6/29/10

But, I'm starting to notice slight differences between my two girls now. At birth, Lucy's head was bigger while Hannah's cheeks are as round as a chipmunk's. Lucy's hair was light brown, while Hannah's peach fuzz is almost blonde. Lucy was always a little chunk, while Hannah is long and has lean arms and legs that go on for days (even though she weighs more).

Either way, I can't seem to help myself from kissing either one of their sweet baby heads endlessly. One thing is for sure ~ that Powers gene sure runs strong!

Hannah and her sister

2010-07-03T22:06:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the family, baby "Hadda"! Big sister is completely captivated by you and loves you already.

Flashes before your eyes

2010-06-24T11:28:00.002-05:00

Birth day

1 year

2 years

Dear Lucy,
Happy, happy birthday sweet baby girl! This new year of your life has brought about an incredible amount of change as you have developed and grown. It's been amazing to see you morph into a little person with a big personality. You went from crawling to walking to running and jumping, from saying just a few words to forming complete sentences ("Baby is sleepy" and "I eat cheese, mama" are some of your current favorites), from being fed to feeding yourself using utensils and drinking from a sippy cup, from holding balls to throwing and kicking them... all in the span of just 12 months. You love to laugh, sing and dance, swing, play with Evie and chase Ella, rock baby dolls, read books, talk on the computer with Aunt Michelle and Aunt Katie, blow bubbles, make animal noises, avoid taking naps, watch Curious George and Elmo, and swim and splash around in the water.

You might be small, but your enthusiasm and passion for life is oversized and you are an absolute joy to be around. You pout with determination, but love fiercely and deeply. And you continue to teach me and your Daddy about the true meaning of unconditional love. We can't wait to see what the next year of your life has in store as you continue the remarkable journey from baby girl to big sister. I have a pretty good feeling that "Hadda" will spend the rest of her life looking up to you. :)

XOXO,
Mama

Ode to Dada

2010-06-21T19:54:00.004-05:00

The transformation I have witnessed in my husband during the last two years of fatherhood has been nothing short of amazing. I've seen his face fill with abundant joy, his heart swell with love and pride, and his entire life take on deeper meaning and purpose. He completely delights in Lucy's company and it's obvious to anyone observing them that the feeling is exceedingly mutual. He is anxiously awaiting the new addition to our family, and I've been sharing with the squirming baby girl in utero how lucky she is to already be loved by such a wonderful Daddy.

So three cheers for the Dada who...

is always there to share in celebrating the most special days,

paints rooms a delicious shade of Baby Girl pink (and installs floors and crown molding, and puts together beds and dressers, and installs kitchen cooktops and tile backsplashes...),

sets up afternoon play sessions in the backyard baby pool,

tickles little girls until they squeal with excitement and can hardly breathe,

is victorious at the mini-golf course while recreating our very first date,

instills a healthy appreciation of a variety of musical instruments,

loves to fish and to be in the great outdoors,

lifts babies onto his shoulders and makes them feel larger than life,

participates in swim lessons even though he generally hates going to the pool,

picks up flowers for his pregnant wife while grocery shopping,

and teaches burgeoning chefs how to cook.

We are truly blessed beyond measure to call this Renaissance man our husband and father. Happy Father's Day!!!

They say it's your birthday

2010-06-19T08:44:00.000-05:00

The party continues! We took cupcakes and snacks up to Lucy's daycare center one day this week to share a good time with her little friends. And after their little fingers were drenched in chocolate icing and they had made a complete and total mess of themselves, Dada busted out his guitar to sing some kiddie songs (those early days as an elementary school teacher really come in handy nowadays).

The kids loved the entertainment and danced around like crazy fools, applauding like mad at the end. I'm pretty sure it was the best standing ovation that Andrew's ever gotten. :) Lucy loves her friends at "school" and was pretty excited to have this sweet time with them!

I'm two!!! Sharing Elmo cupcake fun with friends Christopher, Sarah, and Eli.

Camryn, Patrick (Pa Pa), and Harper dig in!

Jamming out to "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" with Mr. Andrew

Lucy's new favorite song ~ E-I-E-I-O!

The eye of the tiger

2010-06-16T10:47:00.000-05:00

The princess has really gotten into naming animals and the sounds that accompany them lately (especially monkeys due to a strong love for Curious George), so we headed out for a day at the Baton Rouge Zoo a few weekends ago.

We started out with a ride on the (lame) choo choo train,

And then went to catch the daily elephant show... right before the sky completey fell out. We were getting absolutely soaked, so we ran over to the brand new "Realm of the Tiger" exhibit to take cover.

We saw the monkeys showing off and then decided to hide inside of the tiger cage. When you climb far enough into it, a loud growling sound goes off. It scares the mess out of kids and makes parents laugh hysterically at the result.

One of the tigers ventured right over to Lucy and his face was just a couple of inches away from hers with nothing but a glass panel separating the two. I thought she would be scared, but instead she put her hands up on the glass, roared, and then said, "I touch it, Momma." Her lack of fear can be just a tiny bit disconcerting at times!

We got a family pass to the zoo this year, so we're looking forward to going back once the heat, rain, and humidity finally pass through town -- which will most likely be in October. :)

Hair today, gone tomorrow

2010-06-12T19:58:00.002-05:00

I may have the world's curliest head of hair now, but as a child my hair was severely straight and long. Pigtails and french braids were staples of my mom's hair-styling repertoire. So even though Lucy's hair has steadily gotten longer and more unruly over the last couple of months, I just couldn't bring myself to get it cut. It was just so shiny and sweet with the most beautiful, soft flowing curls on the end that I didn't want to disappear. But once it hit a daily 90 degrees here and we were blow-drying every night before bed/waking up with a huge rats nest of tangles in the morning, I submitted to the siren call of the summer 'do.

Here we are before,

during,

and after.

Given her recent propensity for toddler tantrums and disagreeing with pretty much everything ("No, mama, no!" is a new favorite phrase), I expected tears during Lucy's first haircut and was fully prepared with bribes. But she sat quietly the entire time (I think sitting in the airplane chair and getting to watch a puppy movie may have helped) and instead I was the one who cried because my baby morphed into a big girl right before my very eyes. The new bob has served two purposes -- it suits her feisty little personality just perfectly and it has helped me realize that I have to learn to let her grow up. Just a little bit.

A very merry un-birthday

2010-06-02T21:04:00.001-05:00

Since baby sister's birth day is fast impending upon Lucy's birthday, we decided to start celebrating our big girl turning 2 a little bit early! While in Shreveport for Aunt Katie's graduation party, we gathered together with family and a few friends to wish Lucy a very merry "unbirthday", complete with Johnny's pizza, ice cream, and an adorable Elmo cake from Julie Ann's. She absolutely loved her new pink tricycle (with a basket in front for baby to ride) and My Little Pony baby, but I think the balloons captivated her attention more than any of the presents!

I wasn't completely sure that she knew what was going on, so while changing her diaper in the middle of the festivities I said, "Isn't this fun? It's a birthday party just for Lucy!" She smiled widely and clapped her hands while exclaiming "Yeah!!!" It's a memory I'll never forget. Thanks to the Powers clan for making such a special day happen for our precious girl.

I don't know how you do it

2010-05-19T23:01:00.006-05:00

So, it's been a while since I've had time to keep up with the blogging thing -- I go through spells when it's a really fun way to connect and then have times when it feels like just one more thing to check off of my to-do list. And man, has that list gotten really long as of late. It all started off a few weeks ago when Lucy woke up on a Sunday night with pinkeye plus a horrible cough and fever that turned out to be croup, and said croup turned into pneumonia by week's end. Poor baby looked and felt awful for days on end, and Andrew and I were struggling with what to do about caring for her. I'm desperately trying to hoard my days off for maternity leave, and he only had about 3 paid days off for the rest of the year by that point. So we alternated staying home with her every day that week until Boogie swooped in like a granny angel on Thursday and stayed until everyone seemed to be on the mend. It just about killed me going to work at all that week -- when your baby's sick, you don't want to do anything but hold her. But... you do what you have to do.

Already exhausted from a long and trying week (Lucy was up almost every hour on the hour for nights on end), I spent that weekend processing approx. 750 projects for the state social studies fair and then had to head to Lake Charles to oversee the registration desk on Monday. Of course, by then I had become sick and my doctor told me that I since didn't need antibiotics I would just have to "wait it out." Super. I was already way behind at work and the goal of catching up was slipping further and further away.

Let's just make a long story short by saying that between trying to manage being a good mommy, wife, friend, sister, daughter, etc. and various personal and professional commitments, I've been drowning for a few weeks now and I absolutely cannot seem to get my head above water. I've told Andrew on several occasions that I feel like I just can't get it together. I know it's the combination of few factors creating a perfect storm -- budget cuts at the state level creating dread and stress, job boredom, the onset of some serious "terrible two" behavior, raging hormones, and an ever-expanding belly that's making it uncomfortable to do just about everything (including sleep). It seems like everyone needs or wants something from me lately and I can't deliver. At least not as well as I'd like to anyway.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
I went out to eat last week to celebrate a girlfriend's birthday, and one of our friends without kids delivered the old stand-by line of "I don't know how you do it." I smiled and said something about just trying to take things day by day. But on the ride home, I discussed with a couple other moms how much I hate it when people say that to me because it's a falsehood. (Plus, I never really know if they're saying it to be supportive or judgmental). The truth is that it's impossible to be a full-time mom and a full-time employee. For me, the two worlds are constantly spilling over into each other which leaves me feeling like I'm never devoting my whole self to either responsibility. I know there are some people that make it look easy, and maybe they are just better at managing the struggle than I am. Some of them may have relatives nearby that help out a lot, can afford to hire a housekeeper, have the flexibility to work from home a few days a week, etc. I don't know.

But I do know that as we add this new baby to our family in just a few weeks, something will have to give. Since I have to go back to work, I'm guessing that something will either have to be my ever-present guilt or my expectations, or... both. Even though life with a newborn is exhausting and stressful, I feel like if I can just make it the next few weeks until I am holding that precious little girl in my arms that I'll be okay. I won't have a lot of time off, but the time I do have will be filled with joy and lots of reinforcements. And I won't have to get dressed up everyday, put on make-up, or fight the horrendous morning commute!

So, please pray for me to have the stamina to make this balancing act work just a little bit longer and to maintain my sanity in the process. Lord knows I can't do this alone. And please leave any advice and/or words of wisdom in the comments section. I need them.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-28T08:23:00.000-05:00

Easter people, raise your voices

2010-04-12T11:57:00.000-05:00

Our Easter weekend started out with an egg hunt at Lucy's daycare center. We didn't do Easter baskets last year and hadn't really talked about the concept of eggs last year, much less dyed or stuffed them, but baby girl acted like a pro when it was time to start hunting and gathering! She's a fast learner, that one -- as soon as she figured out that there was candy in the eggs, she spent the next few days ~~begging~~ asking for "some".

The biggest hit by far was an egg filled with a mini-wand and bubbles. Our most favorite phrase these days is, "I blow bubbles!" The child wakes up in the morning wanting to go outside to blow bubbles and is still talking about them before she goes to bed at night. :)

Boogie and Pop Pop came in town for the weekend to help us turn what is now the guest room/study ready into a pink bedroom for the girls to share. Handy Andy once again worked his magic by undertaking the following tasks: scraping the popcorn ceiling and then patching and painting it, ripping out old carpet and installing a new floor, painting walls, and installing crown molding. It's becoming a room fit for a princess (or two!). Meanwhile, us girls enjoyed a much-needed pedicure and some shopping time!

On Sunday morning we did Easter baskets and headed to church. This was about the only picture we could get of Lucy looking at the camera in her Sunday best (I came down with a wicked stomach bug that would last for 5 days, thus my ghostly appearance here). Our church has an amazing choir, and they always pull out all the stops on holidays. A truly magnificent rendition of the "Hallelujah" chorus and sharing communion with other believers in celebration of the new life we've been granted can cure almost any illness.

In between snuggle time with Lucy, Boogie cleaned and did laundry and helped us get organized. We got down Lucy's old clothes from the attic and starting sorting them for baby Hannah. There was much disbelief over the fact that Lucy was ever small enough to wear any of it and it helped us anticipate our new arrival!

We are so incredibly grateful for all the love and support we continue to receive as we prepare our house to become a home for a family of four. Even though we're already out of space, I'm starting to think that we'll finally get our house completely remodeled if we just keep on having babies! :)

Pictures of Lucy's big girl bed and the new pink palace to come...

That was then, this is now

2010-04-08T11:54:00.003-05:00

I start week 29 of my pregnancy today, and we are officially in the third trimester! I absolutely cannot believe that we only have about 10-11 more weeks to go before we meet our little one. :) I won't say that this pregnancy has flown by, but time has definitely gone by a lot faster this time with a toddler to take care of while working full-time.

A few other ways this pregnancy is noticeably different than pregnancy #1:

Then, I played tennis until I could no longer reach around my belly to complete a full backhand swing. Now... my racquet is collecting dust bunnies in the closet.
Then, I shopped for hours to find the perfect cute maternity tankini. Now... I'm all about the all-black one piece I picked off the rack at Target. It's comfortable, covers everything, and I love it.
Then, I kept a minimum of three pregnancy-related books on my nightstand and religiously read them all. And made Andrew read a "daddy" book. Now... I get weekly updates on baby's growth delivered via my e-mail inbox.
Then, I attended almost every single prenatal class that my hospital offered. Now... I attend the weekly viewing of the final season of "Lost" in my living room.
Then, I took a nap after work almost every day in my first and third trimesters and on both days of the weekend. Now... I can count the number of naps I've had in the last seven months on my two hands.
Then, I stocked up on every single baby thing that "they" said I needed and that ~~I thought I couldn't live without~~ was just too precious to pass up! Now... I've bought some new pacifiers and diapers, and just a few things we actually needed last time and didn't have -- sleepers that zip instead of snap, socks that actually stay on, and newborn onesies (that 0-3 months size does not fit newborns).
Then, I placed iPod speakers on my belly for baby to listen to classical music and made Andrew talk to my belly. Now... baby #2 gets to enjoy the sound of big sister learning to "sing" and to eavesdrop on our bedtime stories.
Then, I wondered about how much a baby would really change our lives. Now... I know that we are getting ready to plunge into complete and total chaos -- less money, more laundry, no sleep -- and I couldn't be happier. :) I could NEVER in my wildest dreams have imagined the amount of pure love and laughter that Lucy would bring into our lives, and I can already feel my heart expanding in preparation for the arrival of a new little person.

It's still a complete mystery about how Lucy will react to the baby, what she will look like and how her unique personality will fit into our family dynamic. But, we already love her and cannot wait to know her soon.

In the meantime, check out this video about how baby will grow between now and week 37: http://www.babycenter.com/2_inside-pregnancy-weeks-28-to-37_3658874.bc. (Note ~ might not be suitable for kids). Amazing!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-31T20:02:00.001-05:00

A few of my favorite things...

2010-03-29T20:03:00.002-05:00

Wearing my Elmo t-shirt

Swinging (whee!)

Pulling off my socks and shoes

Giving kisses to Evie

Life is good!

XOXO, ♥Lucy

Pouty princess

2010-03-26T19:20:00.001-05:00

You can make me play dress up, but you can't make me smile!

Lucy Go Bragh

2010-03-18T17:59:00.001-05:00

My co-worker Susannah lives on the route of the B.R. St. Patrick's Day parade, and she invited us to join the annual parade party at their Garden District house. She and her husband are the ultimate hosts -- fun personalities, great food (Stewart was the kitchen manager at our church for years), and gracious. I always enjoy spending time with them and their family.

The weather was absolutely gorgeous, so we brought Lucy out to enjoy her very first parade! I'm not so sure she knew what to think about all of the noise (screaming crowds, music on floats, and marching bands), but... she loved all the jewelry and the snacks, especially the brownies. She's already a bling and chocolate kind of a girl!!! We're already looking forward to doing it again next year.

Super Saturday!

2010-03-13T20:01:00.001-06:00

Last Saturday was a bit of a whirlwind -- jammed pack full of fun activities and shuffling all across town. We started off the day with Lucy playing beauty shop with Daddy while watching "Sesame Street." Hmmm... looks to me like they both need to get their hair did.

Then we met up with our old friends, the Chaneys, at Frank's Restaurant for an early breakfast. They were in town for a family 80th birthday celebration, and it was a big treat for us to be able to share a little time with them during a busy weekend on the road. Candace and I have been friends since were 14 years old and it is absolutely amazing to now see our children playing together. She's due with her third baby right now, and our due dates are only about 5 weeks apart. I hope our new little ones will have the opportunity to get to know each other as they grow.

Anna Grace took a quick liking to Lucy.

Lucy with her baby, Anna Grace with her blankie, and Zeke with his truck ~ I love it!

You can't especially tell I'm pregnant here, what with the dark shirt and the bulky maternity bathing suit on underneath, but Candace's perfectly round pregnant belly is just adorable!

After breakfast, we headed to our second year of Water Babies swim lessons at the Y. Lucy loves it, but we still need a little bit more practice -- she still likes to swallow the water instead of blowing bubbles in it. She also has no fear and likes to lunge herself into the water whenever possible. Yikes!

We finished up our day with a trip to Lowe's to get new countertops. We're finally getting the chance to replace the faded yellow, cracked laminate counter we've lived with for the better part of three years, and I'm SO excited. Lucy spent the excursion climbing underneath the sinks of all the model cabinets and "hiding" behind the doors. Then we went to Sears to grab our new cooktop (double yeah!), and... I ended up in tears of exhaustion by the time we got home. Note to self -- the Mall of Louisiana is always a bad idea on a Saturday afternoon, but it's especially bad when you're pregnant, have been going all day, and haven't had a nap in months. Someday I'll learn. :)

Dancing queen

2010-03-03T08:44:00.000-06:00

This is how I know that Andrew adores Lucy -- he learned the "Elmo's World" song on his guitar just for her. She'll dance to pretty much anything right now, but this song ranks way up there on her current favorites list. And to even further demonstrate his devotion to making her smile, he usually sings the lyrics, too (he was just being shy for the camera).

Watching these two together makes my heart so happy.

This is what 22 weeks looks like...

2010-02-27T08:16:00.004-06:00

...the second time around. :)

I had my 22/23 weeks check-up on Wednesday, and everything looks great! Baby's heartbeat is perfect, she's kicking around like crazy, and I finally gained some weight. I got a lecture at my last appointment because I had only gained 2 pounds in my entire pregnancy up until that point (even though my belly was already pretty big). Apparently all that king cake did the trick!

And yes, I said SHE! I think we've already told most everyone, but my 20-wk ultrasound revealed that baby Powers #2 is another girl! Andrew says we're going to try for #3 now, but I think he is failing to take the following information into consideration:

We've yet to win the Louisiana lottery,
Baby #3 could also very likely be a girl (there being a 50/50 chance and all), and
He is a really great Daddy to little girls.

We would have been super excited either way, but at least now we don't have to buy any clothes, bibs, blankets, etc. in any blue shades. I think we've decided on Hannah for baby's first name, but we're still working on a middle name. Please keep this little one in your prayers as she continues to grow. We can't wait to meet her in just four months! Crazy.

Caption: Apparently baby girl already shares her father's proclivity for mooning people.

It's Carnival time

2010-02-25T19:18:00.005-06:00

We decided to skip the extended Super Bowl/Mardi Gras celebration (a.k.a. "South Louisiana has completely lost its mind") and head up north to Shreveport to spend some time with friends and family during our mini-vacation. It was sleeting and snowing the morning before we planned to leave, so we even scored an extra snow day off! Nothing stuck to the ground down here, but Lucy sure did love trying to catch the snowflakes. And she rocked her pink cold weather ensemble quite well.

Uncle Mike and Aunt Katie came in town (from Arkansas and Texas, respectively) to love on Lucy, and we got to spend a lot of quality time with Boogie and Pop Pop, too. Lucy especially enjoyed getting to play "pajama dress-up party" in all of Boogie's jewelry. Don't we look like the height of fancy?

We took in some lunch at Superior and had a grand time at the annual Hank & Audrey birthday party/Mardi Gras bash at the Welch household. It's so nice to get the chance to hang out with so many friends our age with kids and to just let them all run a little wild! The Cate girls were nice enough to let us ride with them in their Barbie-themed float, so Lucy got to participate in the kiddie parade that rolled up and down East Kings Highway throwing candy and beads.

On Sunday, we got in a short visit with Nana and PawPaw who were visiting from Dallas and then had lunch at Imperial Cathay with Honey. Lucy's a lucky girl to be able to see all of her grandparents in one weekend! Honey had a super special Valentine's Day present waiting for Lucy at the restaurant. His name is Max and he is so huggable!

And because we completely and totally refused to nap pretty much during our entire visit, Lucy missed most of the visit I had with my wonderful high school friends Lisa and Jen. We met at the park, but it was so cold that we had to move to library to keep talking (in whispers). Lucy threw a tantrum and had to go home, but cutie Caroline Walls was an absolute perfect angel. Love that little one! I miss these ladies like crazy and it was great to catch up and learn about all the happiness in their lives right now.

Special thanks to Boogie for keeping Lucy so we could go out on a Valentine's double date with Aunt Katie and Dave at Olive Street Bistro. It was cold in the restaurant, they weren't offering their regular menu (big disappointment), and the musical entertainment was horrid, but... it was a Date Night, people!!!

There's never enough time to do everything and see everyone we want to on these visits. I wished we lived closer to everybody so these fun times could happen more often, but we so cherish the times we get to share with those we love. Laissez les bon temp rouler!

Big fun at The Little Gym

2010-02-23T19:58:00.006-06:00

I'm just getting around to posting these pictures from Lucy's first "school" birthday party from a few weekends ago. It was a gymnastics free-for-all for 2-yr. old Haydon at The Little Gym, and Lucy had an absolute ball! I think she was one of the youngest kids there, but she went all out for each activity. Her lack of fear is a little bit scary to me sometimes, but... I guess it's better than the alternative? Such a great toddler energy-expending activity on a cold Sunday afternoon. We might look into taking a couple of Mommy & me classes there soon.

Chasing bubbles with the birthday boy

Enjoying birthday cake, ice cream, and juice with the big kids

Hugging her sweet friend from daycare, Jack Henry (it was too cute -- they would grasp each other and say, "Awwww!", tackle each other to the ground laughing, and then get up and do the whole thing over again)

Like I was saying... no fear. But just look at that satisfied smile on her face at the end. "Susy" (as she calls herself now) thinks she is some pretty big stuff!

Just say no

2010-02-19T18:58:00.000-06:00

We were trying to get a picture of Lucy with yogurt all over her face after a messy self-feeding session, and as soon as Andrew turned the camera on her all we got was a resounding, "NO!" This is one of the few sentiments we seem to be able to convey with absolutely no confusion these days.

Splish, splash I was taking a bath

2010-02-08T10:31:00.002-06:00

We're moving on up... to the big girl tub! We still have a Sesame Street bumper around the tub edges, and a non-slip mat on the bottom, but Lucy's now having a blast splashing and kicking around in all that space. She's also highly interested in standing up to clean the shower walls with her wash cloth. Fine by me! Baby girl loves bath time (except when I have to wash her crazy toddler hair).

A post-bath snuggle with Daddy and Elmo is just the thing to get us ready for bed.

Let's go fly a kite

2010-02-06T08:37:00.001-06:00

We took Lucy to the park last weekend to fly our Pooh Bear kite for the first time, and it was a big hit! It was warm enough to head out without coats (notice Andrew in shorts), the sun was shining in full force, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. In south Louisiana, you just never know if you're going to be wearing short sleeves or a ski jacket in January. Beautiful day.

P.S. I think this bottom picture perfectly illustrates what happens to little girls at the end of a long day when they refuse to take a nap! :)

Aunt Michelle's visit

2010-01-27T14:46:00.001-06:00

My sister and I talk on the phone several times a week -- sometimes it's just for a few minutes, sometimes it's for an hour, but it's absolutely no replacement for getting to see each other in person. Aunt Michelle came to see us over the extended MLK Jr. weekend and we had such a great time! She was absolutely instrumental in helping us finally get all the Christmas decorations put away and was a fantastic babysitter, which allowed me & Andrew to have our first date night in a long time.

We did some mall shopping thanks to our holiday gift cards, went to a movie ("It's Complicated" -- hilarious), ~~inhaled~~ ate some delicious beignets and played with Lucy in the park, and took a day trip to the always stunning Oak Alley plantation (partly to get Lucy to take a nap in the car, but mostly to get out of the house on a pretty day). We crammed a lot of fun and laughter into three days and we can't wait for "Chelle" to come back again soon!

Please won't you be my neighbor?

2010-01-17T19:41:00.009-06:00

Some pictures from our post-Christmas trip to the New Orleans Children's Museum. Lucy napped on the way down, played her little heart out (the toddler area and Mr. Roger's Neighborhood were some favorites), and then crashed on the way home... which led to a very relaxing and enjoyable day for all three of us!

We were able to catch up with our friends Jeff and Rebecca for a visit and some pizza before we drove back. They're expecting their first baby next month, and Lucy did a great job of showing them all the places in their house they still need to baby-proof. :) We ♥ our NOLA day trips!

In Excelsis Deo

2010-01-12T19:34:00.000-06:00

"In Excelsis Deo" was the message of this year's Christmas Eve service at church and the theme of the our holiday celebration as well. We have a beautiful daughter who fills our lives daily with joy and another family member on the way, we are blessed with steady jobs that provide us abundant food, shelter, and clothing, we have friends and family who love and support us... And the most important gift of Christmas -- we have been given a Savior who delights in us despite our (immense) imperfections and who catches us when we fall. Glory to God in the highest, indeed.

I spent most of the holiday in the kitchen and loved every minute of it. I hardly ever get the opportunity to make a big batch of stuff from scratch anymore, but with some time off of work and some babysitting reinforcements, I got to play hostess again! Boogie and PopPop, Uncle Mike, and Pop all made their way down to BR from Shreveport/Arkansas, and we were so grateful to wake up in our own home on Christmas morning. Lucy had an absolute blast getting acquanited with all the "big girl" toys Santa left her, and we all ate, laughed, and napped way too much. I hope this is the start of a new family tradition!

Trying to get a coherent family picture after church... Oh well.

Enjoying the snow globe in a neighbors yard

Whee! The look on her face when Lucy saw this treehouse slide on Christmas morning was priceless -- something akin to: "Is this for me? For real?"

Our new Elmo-watching chair

Cooking up some trouble in the pint-sized kitchen. Thanks Nana and PawPaw -- it's a big hit!

It's like rain on your wedding day

2010-01-02T15:12:00.002-06:00

Jill, my long-time friend/former roommate and partner in crime, finally got the chance to marry her knight in shining armor (aka Jeff) on Saturday, December 12, in New Orleans. And let's just say it's a very good thing that these two are crazy in love and were so committed to joining their lives together, because the wedding day quickly turned into a case of Murphy's law so severe that it resembled the screwball ending of a bad romantic comedy!

For those of you who don't live in Louisiana, we experienced day after day after day of wet, soggy, cold dreariness that eventually resulted in record rainfall levels for December. The morning of the wedding was drizzly and overcast (normal) while we went to get our hair and make-up done, but by the time the photographer arrived at the hotel suite to take pictures that afternoon there were severe flash flood warnings on the radio. Long story short, the entire town of New Orleans (especially the downtown area where we were located) had become almost completely submerged with water within just a few short hours...

The interstate exits were all full of water, so the limos were stuck and were almost two hours late picking us up. We passed the time by taking pictures in the hotel lobby, and bringing Jill some desperately needed wine and champagne.

Once the limos got there, everyone had to take off their shoes and hike up their dresses to get in. We had a police escort down St. Charles Avenue to get to the church since cars were stalled out all along the sides of the road. You could hear the water rushing underneath the car on the way there. Not fun.

The church ladies were furious about our tardiness, the flower girl didn't make it down the aisle, the ceremony started about an hour and a half late, many of the guests couldn't make it to the church due to the storm, and Jill almost passed out during her vows. (Note: Methodist women are not used to having to kneel all the way through a Catholic mass!). But in the end, it was beautiful and sweet and romantic -- everything a wedding should be. :) Jill handled the whole scene with a composure and grace I undoubtedly would not have possessed if the roles were reversed.

And... at the end of that crazy day, we finally had a bride and a groom! Congrats, Mr. and Mrs. Waltz!!! We wish you a lifetime of love, friendship, and happiness!

P.S. The lobby of the newly-renovated Roosevelt Hotel was just stunning! Can't wait to bring Lucy back there next year to see the gorgeous Christmas decorations and to have "Holiday Tea with Santa."

P.P.S. Apologies to my husband who drove all the way down to NOLA only to have to turn around and drive back home because the car wouldn't make it through the flood waters. I appreciate the effort and can only imagine how handsome you looked in your suit!

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you

2009-12-29T14:42:00.002-06:00

Baby Powers ultrasound #1 ~ December 15

Since I found out I was pregnant in mid-October, I have most definitely experienced the full gamut of early pregnancy symptoms -- extreme fatigue, nauseau, headaches, heartburn, and other gastrointestional unpleasantness (which shall not be described further here)... We saw the bright pink plus sign on the pregnancy test, but there is absolutely nothing in this world that makes the reality of a new life being formed inside your body a reality like seeing the baby during the first ultrasound. Absolutely, positively breathtaking. Hearing that strong heartbeat and seeing the formation of those precious limbs is so amazingly reassuring when you can't know what's going on inside your womb.

Apparently Baby Powers is happy and right at home in there -- she was kicking and floating around with a beautiful ease. At one point the baby was face down and brought a hand up close to its face which disturbed its equilibrium and quickly brought her right side up again. We both smiled and laughed at getting to see this little one performing gymnastics in all his comic glory. :)

When we saw Lucy's first ultrasound, she was only around 8 weeks old and she was tiny. You could hardly make out any features at all and she looked more like than a peanut than a human being. The ultrasound for this baby happened between 12-13 weeks, and the amount of development that occurs within just this short time span is remarkable. We could see the heart and a nose and lips and arms and legs. And by now it has fingernails and fingerprints and kidneys... Did I mention how amazing the miracle of life is?

As we were leaving the appointment, I turned to Andrew and asked him what this baby's nickname was going to be (Lucy's was "Peanut"). His immediate response: "Peanut II." Duh. Of course.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Powers!

2009-12-17T10:31:00.006-06:00

I had the honor of attending the annual Tara High School Christmas concert last week to see Mr. Powers and his students in action. After our babysitter got to the house (thanks again, Amy!), I rushed like a crazy person across town through the cold, rainy night to get there on time, only to find that I first had to sit through the following -- the beginning, intermediate, and advanced orchestras, the hand bell choir, the show choir, the ladies ensemble choir, etc. -- in order to hear the band's performance.

I tried to remind myself that all these people were stuffed into an overheated and crowded auditorium full of screaming babies waiting patiently just to see their child perform, and settled in to enjoy the show. One of the ten choirs sang a slow, sort of wistful holiday tune called "Somewhere in My Memory" while their baby pictures flashed on the screen behind them. I'm telling you, I completely lost it and started bawling thinking about how one day WAY TOO SOON it will be us watching Lucy in a similar program with her baby picture smiling out at the audience. I chalked it up to the pregnancy hormones and tried to pull myself together since: (1) I was sitting in between two complete strangers, and (2) I remembered that my child is only 18 months old.

Once the band finally started playing, Andrew surprised me by joining in with his jazz band ensemble to play the guitar. They were so cute up there and you could tell that these boys thought they were way cool to be part of such a group. The band played classics like "The Christmas Song" (they sang the last line a capella) and "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer".

Side note ~ don't you just love the "teacher look" Mr. Powers is shooting them in this picture?

Then he took the stage and directed the entire Trojan band in some holiday tunes like "Silent Night" and "The Ultimate Christmas Sing-a-long" (a duet with the choir). I love to watch him conduct. :)

You can tell the kids really love and appreciate Andrew for all of his hard work, and despite the occasional grumblings to the contrary, I can tell that the feeling is mutual. Many of the parents and grandparents came up to the stage after the show to compliment him on his dedication and on the progress the kids have made this year. Great job, Mr. Powers! We are so very proud of you.

Thanksgiving road trip, parts III & IV

2009-12-09T11:41:00.010-06:00

This post is outrageously late, but as my mother likes to say, "Better late than never." So... we continued our road trip by pulling into the Big D on Wednesday afternoon where Mom (Nana) and Glen (PawPaw) treated us to a really yummy Mexican dinner -- Lucy's favorite!

Part III

Aunt Michelle held down the fort while we waited for a table.

Getting Lucy to hold still for a proper picture these days is like trying to wrestle a deranged and highly pissed off monkey. At least Nana & I were having a good time!

We had cabin fever after our delicious feast on Thanksgiving (featuring Glenn's amazing smoked turkey and ham and my pumpkin cheesecake), so we headed to Breckinridge Park in Richardson to let off some steam. Uncle Allan volunteered to accompany Lucy down the "big slide" and realized that he'd have to take her through the tunnel to get there.

Lucy went plowing straight down the hill in order to get to the ducks. She spent the whole time we were there yelling, "Quack, quack!". Of course, this resulted in the ducks flying away as fast as they could... which led to a major pouting/crying session. :)

We headed back to the park the next day for PawPaw to take pictures for the Powers Christmas card -- this was by far my favorite outtake.

Part IV

On Saturday, we began our journey back home and made an overnight visit to see Honey in Natchitoches. Lucky for us the annual Christmas Festival was already in full effect! We strolled the river to see all the lights, enjoyed some meat pies and crawfish pies, and visited some of the truly unique downtown merchants.

This psychedelic Christmas tree was gigantic and really interesting to watch -- we hung out under its branches while watching Lucy doing the "toddler butt dump" dance to the local band performing on a nearby stage.

Honey made us a delicious breakfast the next morning while Andrew and Lucy checked out all her old picture albums. So precious to see her point to pictures of Andrew when he was little and exclaim, "baby!". She called all the pictures of PopPop "Daddy" -- to be fair, he did have brown hair and a constant beard at that age!

We finally made it home on Sunday afternoon (after a speeding ticket fiasco) and Ella was beyond thrilled to see us! We have so incredibly much to be thankful for this year -- most notably our large, extended family who loves us without fault and the promise of new life.

P.S. Did I mention that we're really, really looking forward to staying home for Christmas?

Lucy's BIG news

2009-12-09T09:44:00.004-06:00

I'M GOING TO BE A BIG SISTER! Hooray!!! I'm so excited to have a new baby to play with.

At least I was until I found out that Mommy's almost 12 weeks along which means that my little brother or sister has the same due date that I did (June 25) and might even be born on my birthday. I don't want to share my birthday! I'm still a really big deal, right?

My Daddy is secretly thrilled at the idea of only having to pay for one party. :) I get to see pictures of the new baby for the first time on Dec. 15th. I'll share them with you soon. Yeah!

Love, Lucy

Thanksgiving road trip, parts I & II

2009-12-08T22:03:00.002-06:00

We embarked on our Thanksgiving road trip to north Louisiana and Texas for the holiday -- packed up the baby and the dog and all of our gear and got ready for lots of "hugging necks" and great food. Our first pit stop was Boogie & Pop Pop's house in Shreveport where Charlie cooked up a delicious batch of his infamous chicken sauce piquant.

Lucy talked Boogie into getting her a snack before dinner. Actually, Lucy opened the pantry door, grabbed the box of Cheerios, sat down on the floor and stuck her hand in there. By the time we caught the little thief, her cheeks were so full of cereal that she looked like a chipmunk.

Lucy entertained Pop with her antics after supper. She's his only great-grandchild and he just delights in her every word and action. That's three generations of trouble right there. The next morning we were off to Tyler, TX to see my grandfather...

Lucy got to play on the porch swing with my cousin Heather's baby boy, Branson. They're only about a month apart so it was really fun to see them interact. We had a few minor tussles over the Elmo (aka "Elbow!") guitar, but they got along great other than that.

Pappaw on the swing and front porch he built by hand

We had Texas Roadhouse BBQ for lunch which turned out to be a really nice departure from all the traditional Thanksgiving fare. I'm so glad we had this special quiet time to share with Pappaw -- my grandmother passed away this summer and he is still having a really tough go of things. They were married for 57 years and I can't imagine the loneliness that would follow losing your life long partner. We are so proud of him for learning to cook and do all the other things he used to depend on Mammaw for. His faith is slowly and surely seeing him through the darkness, but I know the holidays will be really difficult.

On the way to Dallas for the next leg of the trip -- we have no Dairy Queen in Baton Rouge (yes, it is a huge travesty), so it's our traveling ritual to stop for a Blizzard when we're driving through the Lone Star State. Stay tuned for the rest of the journey...