Sisterly Love

This morning, while loading the kids into the car for Bible Study, Ella looks over at Amelia in her carseat and says to me, "Mom, Amelia is my friend?"  I innocently tell her, "Amelia's your sister, Ella."  She looks back at her, then back at me, "Momma, Amelia is my sister AND my friend." 

Awwww.....warms my heart.

Why my dinner was not what was expected...

I will be honest....I don't love to cook.  I liked to cook more when I wasn't pregnant and didn't own a business, but now, not so much.  I try to have a fish sticks, mac & cheese and peas night only once a week, but that still leaves me with six days out of the week to figure out what the heck we're going to eat.  The thing I really hate most is thawing out stuff...I don't know why.  I hate to wait.  I am a spur-of-the-moment kinda cook, I guess.  Anyway, this past week, I have been working a lot to get my embroidery orders done, and we've had take out quite a lot.  So, this week I decided to cook something every night of the week.  I had fresh ground meat and potatoes, so I decided to make meatloaf, homemade mashed potatoes and a veggie.  I love my meatloaf, and the whole family loves it too.  It's one thing I do well. 

Before Bart even left with the girls for the gym for an hour, I had my potatoes peeled and cut, and my meatloaf was in the oven.  I had to run to Hobby Lobby to pick up one piece of fabric, so I could just boil my potatoes when I got back. 

Baby Farrell had another idea though, as she continues to suck all sense from my brain.  I drive down to the Hobby Lobby, and as I go to grab my wallet and keys out of my purse, I realize I forgot my wallet at home AGAIN.  This is the second time in one week!!  What!?!1  I needed this fabric badly, so I drove all the way home, get my wallet and go back to Hobby Lobby to run my errand.  This set me back almost an hour.  By the time I got back to the house, I started boiling the potatoes and I threw the quickest veggie I could find in the microwave:  carrots.  I am way behind here! 

Soon after, Bart arrives with two starving girls...

Potatoes are not close to being done, so I served them carrots and meatloaf, except as I am cutting my meatloaf, it seems really soggy???!!  I still don't know what happened, but apparently, I didn't read the recipe correctly, and I put too much milk in it (for the first time in five years).  Bart actually spit a little of his back onto his plate during dinner...politely OF COURSE (yeah right)!, because it tasted funny.  And the carrots??  They were freezer burnt and tasteless too.  Ella put one in her mouth, chewed it, and spit it out as well - YUCKY!  It was a disaster!!

Ten minutes into our "meal," the mashed potatoes were finally ready.  Those at least were a hit, and even the girls, who rarely like mashed potatoes, scarfed them down (probably because they were starving!) 

A little sidenote:  Ella is all about helping in the kitchen right now.  If I am cooking, she wants to stir.  If I am adding items, she wants to pour them in.  If I am serving, she wants to serve. 

Since the pot of mashed potatoes were on the table, I decided to let her serve everyone seconds on the mashed potatoes.  She plopped a spoonful onto Bart's plate and then onto her plate, but the glob of potatoes didn't quite come all the way off when she served hers.  So, she swung the spoon back and forth to get it off....shooting a big dollop of potatoes behind her.....right at Amelia's face. 

In her eye to be exact.

I could contain my laughter no more.  I was laughing.  Bart was laughing.  Ella was laughing, and Amelia was screaming!  She started to rub at it, getting it more in her eye and all over her face.  I finally helped her wipe it all out, but it was just what this disastrous dinner needed to make us all laugh as a family.  It's moments like this that instead of crying (which don't get me wrong, sometimes I do!) I laugh...hysterically, and embrace the chaos and craziness that is my life.

Bad, bad mommy

Ok, I am officially fired from being Super Mommy Blogger! 

It has been a LONG time (since last fall) since I have posted on my babies blog, and I should be ashamed.  In all honesty, I have been EXHAUSTED!!  I found out I was pregnant in October AND my business went into full swing all in the same month, so the blog was last place on my priority list.  More time passed, and I knew I had a lot of catching up to do.  Then it kinda became that tee tee game....you hold it and hold it because you know once you go, you're gonna have to go all the time.  So, I held off on posting....and here we are 7 months later.  I have SO MUCH to say and update on here, but rather than trying to backtrack, I am just going to press forward with the present. 

With that said, here's a quick intro:

Yes, I am seven months pregnant for a baby girl.  We just had an ultrasound yesterday, and she is healthy and beautiful.  We have a few names in mind....Sophia, Olivia or Isla.  We really kinda know what it is, but I like to leave something for that big day!  Plus I have no clue on a middle name just yet.  It's fun to refer to her by a name though....especially when talking to Ella and Amelia.  They point to my belly and tell everyone that she's in there, and they like to put their hands on my belly and feel for kicks.  Since I know they have the attention span of a cocker spaniel, I fake some bounces and Ella gets so excited!

My embroidery business has really taken off since last August when I started.  I haven't even had my machine a full year yet, and I have put some major miles on it.  My friend Kim and I have done three craft shows in the Fall, and we did one this Spring in Louisiana, all of which were successful.  It has been so much fun and rewarding making cute little things for people, and of course, I love making clothes for my girls.  It gets quite busy and hectic at times though....especially with the pregnancy.  I usually was sewing at night after they go to sleep, but I've been so tired after they go to bed, I would crash too.  It's much better in this third trimester....I'll be happy to get my full energy back.  I'll need it!! 

Ella is in a mother's day out program called Lamb School at The Met church.  She goes two days a week, and she loves it!  She knows all the kids in her class, and most of her best friends are BOYS!  Ha ha...next year (September), both girls are registered for a similar program at Bear Creek Baptist.  Two days of mommy and new baby time a week....whatever will I do with myself??!!  Ella's working on potty training, and she's becoming such a big girl.  I love that she can speak so well now....it's so nice to communicate with her.  Most of the time.  She's an average two-year-old: headstrong, opinionated and bossy!!  But she makes me laugh every day with the new stuff she comes up with, and she's so beautiful.

Amelia is growing at a rapid pace.  She talks ALOT for a 16 month old - she's a regular little parrot, and it makes life a little easier to somewhat communicate with her too.  She tells me if she likes something, and has no problem telling me NO if she doesn't.  She has the most adorable head of light brown curls, and people talk about it everywhere we go.  She's loves her big sister, and they wrestle (no, not like cute little wrestling...I'm talking, legs wrapped around the head, wrestling), which is hilarious (and a bit disturbing) to watch.  She has the sweetest smile and personality, and she is as big as her sister.  Literally, they are one size apart.  She is so beautiful as well. 

Bart's doing great...keeping busy with his job.  He likes the position he is in now, and they had a good year, despite the Gulf shutting down most drilling (thank you, Obama).  He joined a country music band, and they practice Thursday nights.  It's definitely a different atmosphere for him, but he loves to play no matter what, so he's enjoying it.  He loves his girls, and they LOVE their dad.  I would have no business it if weren't for him, and he helps me SO MUCH with them.  I could NEVER be having a third child if it weren't for the relief he gives me as a momma.  I am so blessed to have him as a husband, and the kids are lucky to have such an active father as a dad. 

And we're quite settled into Houston now.  We love our neighbors and our new friends.  Life is pretty busy with 2.5 kids, so it's hard to get homesick, although we still do now and then.  Louisiana is just a quick five hour drive away though, and even though we don't go home as often as we used to, we still get to see friends and family often enough. 

Now, I am committed to get back to this blogging.  Baby number three is entitled to some blogging love, so I promise to start getting back into the routine.  Every day is a new story to tell, and I know I will write a book one day.  Hopefully this will help me do it.  Thanks to everyone who has been urging me to get back into it!!

Love, MamaFred

Picture Day

Today was picture day at school...doesn't she look like a little autumn princess?  Hee hee.

P.S.  Her hair was curlier this morning....yes, I actually took a curling iron to her hair.

Morning Playdate at the Zoo!

The weather has been absolutely fabulous for the past week or so here in Houston, so we couldn't pass up a chance to go to the zoo with some of Amelia and Ella's best friends.  It was Meganne & Mason, Kai, Anna & Nathaniel, and Nathan - the whole gang.  Ella Pearl was especially excited to ride in the wagon with Meganne, since she's used to being cooped up in the double stroller. 

We all met at 10am, and the weather was almost a little chilly.  The zoo was empty, and all the animals were eating and out and about.  It was the BEST time to be at the zoo.

Amelia is ready for the zoo in her little pink jacket!

Ella and friends had a great time brushing the goats.

Nathan wanted in on some brushing action!

Amelia bug taking a little snack break at the zoo playground.

After the zoo, we had a picnic in the park, and then another playground.

Amelia in her first pair of jeans....could you not just eat that up!?

Giggly, smiley girls!

The brat pack, attempting to all pose for a picture.

Ella's Fun Run

Ella participated in a Fun Run at her school.  For every lap she made, friends and family pledged her money to go towards the school.  Ella had a blast, and she ran 14 laps!!  The race took place in the atrium at the Met, and it was roped off with checkered flags and pom poms.  Parents and teachers waved and cheered from within the course, and Ella trotted along.

Here's Ella sitting with her class, conditioning for the big run!

Thank God for the pom poms, or else we never would've made it!

 

Every time they completed a lap, someone would holepunch their number.



Fourteen laps and we earned that water bottle!!



I just had to get a shot of Ella lined up with her class to go back to her classroom.  Aren't they so cute?!

This was just a shot to show what the atrium looked like all set up. 

Fun times!



Very Delayed Update

Yes, I have been a MAJOR slacker.  It has been too long, and even since I have posted, I have not posted any monumental events (like the fact that Amelia has been walking for almost two months now - in fact, she's almost trotting now).  Yes, our little baby girls are growing by leaps and bounds.

Ella Pearl is getting to be such a big girl.  She is in school twice a week at The Met's Lamb School program, and it is such a wonderful place to be.  She loves her teachers, Mrs Kelley and Mrs Hilton, and she even naps on a mat at naptime!  The school does such wonderful things with the kids, like fingerpainting, sand art, and making all kinds of neat artwork.  Last week, Ella participated in a Fun Run, and in a few weeks, we have a pumpkin patch.  Ella has been talking so much lately, expanding her vocabulary every day.  When she sees football on the tv, she says, "C'mon Tigers!" or "Go Saints Go!"  Ella has great manners, saying, "Thank You," "Bless You," and "You're Welcome," and we're working on "Please" and "Excuse Me" (mainly when she toots!).  She knows all the Sesame Street characters by name, and she and Amelia are planning to be who else other than Bert and Ernie for Halloween.  She's goes to sleep every night in her big girl bed, and when I tuck her in, she tells me "Good Night, Mom...I love you."  Completely and utterly melts my heart every night.  She loves rice, pasta and pickles...her favorite movie this week is Follow that Bird.  Her best friends are Meganne and IV, and I can't even begin to name her favorite song because the child is ALWAYS singing (sounds like someone I know....)

Then there is my little precious angel, Amelia.  Amelia has grown up so much quicker than I ever imagine, quicker than Ella ever thought about growing up.  She is constantly trying to keep up with her big sister, and she does an excellent job at it.  Amelia had six teeth which seemed to pop out all at once super early.  Then I was talking to some friends today trying to remember when Amelia learned to crawl....I just looked back, and she was crawling in June, so that would be seven months.  A month a half later, she was taking her first steps.  And now, she's pretty much jogging!  Ha ha...ok, maybe not jogging, but she is walking everywhere at 10 months.  She no longer crawls, and we're in that phase of bumps and bruises, but she's pretty good on her feet nowadays.  She's such a happy spirit.  I was so blessed to have my second baby be such a sweet, happy little pumpkin.  She has the most contagious, sweet laugh, and her little dimples frame her perfect little smile.  And of course, then there's that head of thick, curly hair...it is GORGEOUS, and people talk about it everywhere we go.  Amelia loves her big sister, and Ella loves her right back.  They have their moments, but I truly can tell Ella is just chomping at the bit for when Amelia will finally be able to play with her.  They play well together sometimes too....it all depends on the day and time.  Amelia loves rice and fruit, and she is hilarious when she slurps noodles.  She dances when she hears music, and she giggles when she sees Elmo. 

I love my two babies so much, and every day is a new adventure bringing them up.  I am so blessed to have the opportunity to witness their daily progress, and I love being Ella and Amelia's mommy.