Playing outside

Last Sunday, I took the girls outside on our back deck and let them play and enjoy the outdoors. It was about 4 or 5 o'clock and they both LOVED it! I had so much fun watching them enjoy the sights and sounds of our back yard! They just talked and kicked their legs and smiled. I wondered how long it would last (usually they aren't happy with any activity too long) but we were out there almost an hour. It was so fun! Here are some photos from that day, along with a few others...

Kennedy & Natalie

Whenever I lay them close together like this, they always seem to find each other's hands

Kennedy (and Natalie trying to hold her hand)

K just happy in her seat

Kennedy in her bumbo seat, playing with toys

Natalie chilling on the blanket

Aunt Laura with Caroline

I thought it was so sweet that Caroline was asleep on Laura

For those of you who know Caroline, she doesn't sit still for much, so I thought

I would get a picture while it lasted! :o)

All the kids at the Crawfish Boil

It was our first time to attend, and the girls did awesome and were so good

and happy the whole time! I am not exactly a fan of any seafood or things that live in

a swamp, BUT I did try one just to say I did. I mean, they had come by Fed Ex from

Louisiana (and were alive when they were thrown in the pot) so I figured I had to at least

eat one. And that's all I ate - ONE. But we had a great time hanging out with our friends,

which was what it was all about anyway!

K & N

It was such a pretty, breezy day for the Crawfish Boil

The girls loved being outdoors

Joel with Kennedy

Natalie feel asleep and she looks like she is smiling here, but she was sucking her thumb

Natalie in her "turban"

Mommy and Natalie

She was kind of fussy one night, so I loaded her up in the baby carrier and went

outside and she was so happy! This girl is like her daddy and loves the outdoors!

We are enjoying spring!

We had the girls four month check-up yesterday and Dr. Leeper was very impressed with how the girls are growing and developing! Natalie is 24 inches long and weighs 12 lbs 12 oz and Kennedy is 23 inches long and weighs 14 lbs. They still eat about every four hours (I am nursing and we also give them formula) and usually sleep 5-7 hours at night (we're working our way up to a full night's sleep - hopefully not too much longer!!!) Both girls are smiling and talking and I just love it!

Some facts about Natalie ~

Loves being outside

Enjoys riding in the Baby Bjorn, facing out so she can look at everything

Talks up a storm

Likes to look at things that light up, and currently is very enthralled with the t.v.

Kicks her legs so fast

Is almost rolling from her back to her tummy

Sucks her thumb

Still likes to fly around

Some facts about Kennedy ~

She enjoys being in the jumperoo (she doesn't quite jump yet, but likes hanging around)

Her smile lights up her face

She likes tummy time and holds up her head so well

She loves being around people and looking and smiling at you

She has conversations back and forth with you

Is really trying to sit up and likes for you to pull her forward when she is laying back

She is a cuddlebug

Is starting to grab at things

Joel & I have more and more fun with our sweet girls! We enjoy watching them learn things and discover their feet and how to shake a rattle. They love to interact with us and we love playing with them! We are taking advantage of the pretty weather and try and get outside, even if just for a few minutes. Mimi watched the girls last week so Joel & I could have a date night. We ventured out to Opry Mills (we hardly ever go out there!) and ate a wonderful dinner at the Aquarium restaurant - that place is really cool! We even got to see two scuba divers inside the tank feeding the fish, eel, sharks, and sting rays. We loved it! Then we had to visit Bass Pro (one of Joel's favorite places) and Old Navy (one of my favorite places) and then just enjoyed walking around, holding hands, happy to be together and knowing our girls were in loving hands. It was a blast and we are so thankful for that time!

Other than that, all is well with us and we are looking forward to the summer, and hopefully a vacation to the mountains with my family and the beach with Joel's family. More fun ahead! :o)

Kennedy & Mommy had some one-on-one time while

Natalie was taking a nap
Here is Natalie napping

Daddy gave her this fish to play with, and she fell asleep, still holding on to it!


While playing at Mimi's house, she thought it would be cute to put N in the
baby doll stroller and give her the pretend bottle
Guess Natalie doesn't know what to think of it!


Kennedy's sweet smile

Natalie getting ready to go for a walk

Love the look on her face

Kennedy is ready to go on a walk!

We're trying out the big girl stroller for the first time!

Aunt Emily holding the girls before bedtime

Natalie getting ready to "spike the ball"

Joel has been working with her on her volleyball skills

Kennedy playing in her bumbo seat

Natalie not so happy in the bumbo seat

For some reason, Natalie does like looking at the t.v. though

Don't worry, we really don't just sit our kids in front of the t.v.

We thought it'd be funny to take a picture like this :o)

So here is Natalie watching bull riding

Both girls fell asleep after nursing and are holding hands

Kennedy getting ready for church

Natalie looking up at Aunt Emily

Happy Easter!!!

Well, it was a beautiful Easter Sunday here in Nashville! I didn't want the day to end, it was so perfect. We celebrated Christ, and reflected on the meaning that our Savior is alive, but had died for our sins, to redeem us to the Father. What amazing love! After church, we headed over to Laura & Justin's house. Mims made the best beef tenderloin, and we also had mac 'n' cheese, green bean casserole, scalloped potatoes, and a fruit salad. It was all so yummy! And of course, Natalie & Kennedy got Easter baskets from both sets of grandparents, even though they can't have candy yet! And Joel & I got our own Easter baskets, so we had lots of candy to eat!
We enjoyed the time outside and just relaxed. All the girls looked beautiful and overall, it was a very special day!!!
In other news, both the girls had pink eye AND ear infections over the weekend, so we had to visit Dr. Leeper, who gave us an antibiotic, which neither of the girls likes in the least bit and they fight us over taking it (it's an oral medicine, amoxicillan, I think) Anyway, the pink eye has cleared up (thankfully) and we're on Day 5 of 10 of the antibiotic. Unfortunately, I now have pink eye, so I'm on eye drops for that. Hopefully Joel won't get it. Other than that, we are really doing great! Natalie has really found her voice, and talks up a storm. It is the sweetest sound. Kennedy is really trying to sit up and every time we have her laying back, she works her muscles and tries to sit forward. Both like sitting in their bumbo seat and have tried the jumperoo a few times. They are just starting to grasp stuff, but usually it's not on purpose. They both are so, so sweet and we are enjoying every second!!! We are truly grateful.
Here are a few pics from Easter (I have more and will post them soon) and other random photos... enjoy!!!

Mims with Anna Kate & Natalie

Our family

Kennedy in her monogrammed bloomers

Mommy & her girls


Natalie in her bloomers

Kennedy in her Easter dress

This was my dress when I was a baby!

K smiling at Daddy

Natalie in her Easter dress

Natalie ready for church

Natalie sucking that thumb

Natalie playing on the surf board


Me cuddling with Natalie

Kissing those sweet heads

Mommy holding her sleeping babies

Soon they will be too big to both fit on my chest

Kennedy checking out Daddy

K & N

When Daddy's Away...

We miss him!!! Joel and his dad left for Oklahoma on Tuesday to visit his grandpa. The same day, his sister Laura had baby #2, Anna Kate! The girls and I got to go to the hospital for a visit, and are so very happy that she is here. Lots of play dates to come, with the four girls. While Daddy is out of town, I have had help from my sister, who has graciously offered to get up early in the morning with me to help me get the girls ready, load up all their stuff, etc. In the evenings while she is at work, friends from church have to come over to help me out. I couldn't do it with out them and am incredibly grateful for their willingness to give me their time and energy.

So thank you Lynn, Cassie, Fran, and Tracy!!!

It's been a wild couple of days, including ants in the pantry (ugh!), locking the girls AND my keys inside the Explorer in the parking lot of the church day care (so dumb, thankfully right after calling the Brentwood Police, I figured out our key code and got inside. Thankfully, the girls were happy and it didn't last longer than five minutes), MORE ants in the pantry, a tornado warning, ants on the counters, and finally calling the pest man. I'm also trying to get ready for my parents, who are coming in town on Saturday.

We can't wait til Joel comes home, so until then, these pics are for you, Daddy!!!

Miss Ken trying out the jumperoo

Mommy & Kennedy ready for our walk

You can see her big eyes behind the sunglasses - love it!

Daddy & Natalie are ready for a walk

Daddy and Natalie watching the storm (love this picture!)

Fell asleep on the boppy after nursing

In our sleep sacks

Cute for church

Meet my new niece, Anna Kate Head!

Born March 31 at 4:00 p.m. and weighed 8 lbs, 13 oz and was 21 inches long

Isn't she lovely?!?!!?