miss priss

posting some more pics of our growing little girl or as i like to call her- "miss priss". i was finally able to prop her up a little bit today so we could get a better view of her. she is finally starting to have more happy awake times during the day- even if they only last about 20 minutes! i thought this picture was great to compare to the picture below of henry. you can see how much they really resemble each other! some days i don't see henry in her at all but i do think we have had more days where she looks just like her brother. when henry was younger we had numerous occasions where henry & i would be at the grocery store, he was dressed in all blue- total boy outfit- and people would say "SHE is so beautiful!". So, i guess he does have a little girl in him!

henry at about 4 or 5 weeks old

lucy visited last week & got some practice in on being a big sister. she is gonna have some big duties to fill come july!

we moved fran into her bed & out of the moses basket as of 2 nights ago. it kind of makes me sad to have her out of the basket- it just means she is already getting so big! and yes- we have another tummy sleeper. she will sleep on her back but tends to sleep better on the tummy. it still isn't giving us more than 3.5 hours but hopefully we are on the right track! i'm about ready for some improvement!!! my eyelids are quite heavy during those 3 night feedings!

big bro is doing awesome. always wanting to love & kiss on her. he really has been very gentle with her & i will say i am very very surprised by that. he has learned to play by himself, go potty all by himself, & his patience level has drastically improved. i am so proud of him. i feel like he has grown 2 feet & 2 years just in the past 4 weeks.

her 1 month check up is tomorrow- look at that belly! watch out big girl!

i had to end on a pretty picture for the princess. laura came in town last week just to visit miss fran and took some great photos. i just LOVE this one. shows how sweet she really is. don't you just want to kiss her all over????

good night....pray for some extended sleep! it is hard not to wish for when your first one slept 12 hours at 6 weeks old!!! aaagghhh!!!

deep thoughts by henry

my little man has been gone for this week & i am really missing him! he went back to Bham with brett's parents so we could have some quiet time with miss fran this week. brett will be meeting them in atlanta tomorrow to do the exchange so i am counting down the hours till i get one of my good tight hugs!! but i had to post some funny things he has been saying lately so i don't ever forget!

* last week he woke up & fran was still sleeping so we put him in bed with us to snuggle. i was talking to him pretty close face to face about something & he totally interrupts me & says "mommy, you stinky". uummm.....yes that would be called morning breath & you have it too!

*he was checking fran out when i was changing her diaper & he noticed her umbilical cord stump & shouts "eeewww mommy- fran has poo poo on her belly!"

*when brett's parents pulled into their neighborhood the other day from the road trip from charlotte Henry immediately started clapping and yelling yay!!! he sure does have a good memory!

*this last one is definitely my favorite- the picture below is full proof. when it is time for me to nurse fran i will sometimes do this in our room on the bed. i have two of those nursing pillows that i borrowed from friends. i will get into my "position" with her & then hen decides he needs to get in his position too with the nursing pillow while watching his cartoon. he goes to get it from the other room, gets on the bed & totally straps it on. brett walked in the first time this happened & couldn't believe his eyes. a picture of both of us would be hilarious but i don't really feel like exposing myself on the internet :) .

what we've been doin' lately

this is what we've been doin' lately ( a little late in my post)! thank goodness the snow has melted & school started back! at home 5 days in a row stuck inside with a 1 week old and a 3 year old isn't that easy but we made it! thank goodness for grandparents!!! here are some photos of the two butt buddies in the snow. i also have a video of them playing beauty shop on the snow day which i need to upload for a good laugh. hopefully that will be done soon.....we will see!

note to mom: find snow gear for next year!

this is what the "beauty" has been up to- what she does best: sleeping & looking pretty!

TEN years!!!

(our return from the honeymoon)

ten years of good times, lots of laughs & so many memories with my very best friend. i couldn't ask for someone to love me more than you do. you are there for me every day & always wanting me to have the best.

from our first night out on the town together (at good ole' providence road sundries) we both knew it was a relationship to last forever. you courted me that summer of 1999 & i was wrapped around your heart.

thank you for loving me so much. thank you for being an outstanding father to henry & now to fran. thank you for always thinking of me before you think of yourself.

to many more years with gray hairs & wrinkles! i loves you so much!

week one: beauty & the beast

the post title says it all. we have survived week one.....with our children "beauty & the beast" (their new nicknames :) ). the only way i have survived is because of the tremendous help from my hubbie. he totally knows how to step it up, take charge & get it all done. we have also been so thankful for all the help from grandparents, aunts & uncles- from play dates to meals to running our errands it has all helped us survive. the three year old "beast" is harder than the one week old "beauty"!

due to the fun snow & ice storm (not really fun- total joke- we need school to open back up ASAP) we still haven't been to the doctor for fran's first weight check. luckily they will be open tomorrow & we will see what the girl has been packin' on. her cheeks are getting chunky & so are her thighs so i am thinking she is doing her part. she pretty much just eats, sleeps & does a lot of blowing out the diapers- so many times that henry gets a kick out of it and loves to say "excuse you fran!".

henry has been doing pretty good- but definitely room for improvement! i think part of it is because we have been stuck inside so much because of the weather. he is missing school & really needing the exercise & play time with his friends. whenever he does come back to the house from being gone he ask for her immediately & always wants to love on her. the funniest part about the past week was it took four days for him to actually call her by her name! for the longest time we kept asking him what her name was & he would just say "i don't know" with this sly smile on his face. i knew he knew but he just wanted to put us to the test!!

my dad always took our pictures growing up with the sign beside us showing how old we were at the time. i really regretted that i didn't do it with henry so i have promised myself i would do it for fran. i figured why not put them both in the picture?? she will be the princess but i thought hen could also have some spotlight as well.

enjoy some highlights from her "first week". i truly want to "soak up" this time with her at home since i know it will be short & sweet before i return to work. she is going to be my princess :).

perfect for pink

frances mae boner

january 4th 2011

10:32 am

6 lbs 13 ozs

20 inches

she couldn't be more perfect to us. what a blessing she is! i really didn't think i was going to be going shopping for all those fun girlie things but i get to!!!!

miss fran joined us yesterday & has filled our hearts with love again. with her head full of blond hair & (we think) blue eyes she is all that we could ask God for and more. her big brother henry is beyond excited & loaded with questions & lots of love.

quick recap of the events so i never forget! on monday i luckily got in bed around 9:30 & crashed pretty quickly after henry & i had a long busy day together. about 12:30 i woke up with a nice contraction & tried to ignore it but 10 mins later another one came. they continued for another hour so at 1:30 i woke brett up to tell him i was going to take a shower but that i thought this was going to be the birthday! i showered, finished packing & then decided to lay back down. the contractions were still 10 mins apart & lasted that way till about 5:45- then they increased in pain & started to get much closer- 5 to 6 mins apart.

the text message was sent to honey at 6am that we would need her help & she called within 5 seconds! at 7:15 the doctor said to come on in so honey stayed with henry to get him to school. we checked in to the hospital around 7:45 & as the nurse was checking me to see how dilated i was she said "wow- your not gonna believe this but you are 9cm!". so i immediately freaked out & was afraid i wouldn't get the epidural (yes- i am the girl that wants/has to have the drugs). luckily, they hooked me up to everything quickly & the doctor got in fast with a spinal and an epidural so it would work quicker. they broke my water probably around 9:30 and then at 9:45 the pushing started! at 10:32 Fran graced us with her presence and we couldn't believe that we actually had a girl!!

big brother henry came to visit late in the afternoon & immediately got comfy in bed with me so he could hold & love on his sissy. i couldn't get over how much sweetness he already had in his little heart for her. it was like he knew just what to do.

thank you to family & friends for all your calls, emails & visits. we are beyond thrilled to share this miracle with everyone & we can't wait for each of you to meet her in person!

headed to the hospital around 7:30am

the new family!

big brother & little sissy

check out all her hair!

he settled right in with snacks & bed quite quickly

me with the three little rascals

Christmas celebration

having a believer in the house sure does make Christmas morning & the whole season so much more exciting. i still had to remind henry that santa had come- he was more immediately concerned about what room elvis (the elf on the shelf) was in! once he put it together he was ready to go on in & see what was under the tree. we got all situated- lights on, music on, & he walked in the room & a big smile went on his face as he saw his toys sitting out. but i will say within about 5 seconds after he looked at them he said "let's open presents!". he knew the drill by then with lots of practice from his birthday and Christmas Eve! luckily we got him to check out the treats & stocking first before we opened up the gifts. we were able to stretch out Christmas morning for about 30 minutes and then everything was already opened!!

checking out his spot where santa always leaves his toys

the stocking was filled with new lighting mcqueen cars, a movie and cheetos.....gotta go for chips when your kid doesn't like candy!

the big surprise was from bebe & papa & was waiting in the side den. they had written santa and asked him to drop off his new gator!

santa's big present was a real golf bag. the kid loves it! he has been playing with it every single day. luckily santa had a blue one since that is his favorite color.

the mantle at mom & dad's house- how are we gonna fit two more??

here are hen and goose at mom & dads Christmas morning. they are watching the "big loader" battery operated toy. jeff, stephen and i always had one growing up & we always brought it out at Christmas time. we would just sit & watch this thing forever. last year mom brought out our old one but it just wouldn't go. luckily this year i found the newer version at the toy store so i knew it had to be an immediate purchase! luckily the kiddos liked it just as much as we did.