Not so Friendly Skies

It's official....I don't like flying with kids. There I said it. Two days after Christmas, I loaded up the girls to head back to Marietta. Paul had left the day before because ZBB was going out for a few shows and he had to be back the day after Christmas. Chad drove me to the airport and both girls were quiet and happy watching the Lion King on the way. We drove up to the airport, and Maysie puked....everywhere. All over herself, all over Caden's carseat and I am sure all over Chad's car. Awesome. I pulled her out of the car and quickly undressed her. Better to be naked in 45 degree weather than to sit in puke clothes right? Then changed her into the first thing I could find in the suitcase, which was one of her shirts and a pair of Railey's pants. She looked like a homeless child with no shoes and clothes that didn't match or fit. We finally went into the airport so we could catch the plane. Disclaimer...at this point, I felt confident it was motion sickness....Maysie had never been forward facing in a carseat and I think that, combined with watching a movie, did her in. Turns out I was right and it wasn't a bug....thank god. Most people (except Chad) would think that I was lucky that it happened before our flight in the car rather than on the plane. I would agree. The flight went fairly well. Maysie was restless but nothing out of the ordinary. We were thirty minutes away from Atlanta and the plane started getting a little turbulent. Railey turned to me and said, "Mommy, I don't feel good." ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!? I tried to distract her while holding Maysie in one hand and a puke bag in the other. Ten minutes passed...all good. Then she told me she had to throw up. I handed my homeless looking second child to the lady sitting across from me and turned to Railey just in time to catch ALL of her throw up in the bag. Disgusting. By the time I turned back to Maysie, she was sleeping in the arms of the sweet stranger and Railey was happy again telling me that she was thirsty. We packed up our things and headed off the plane to go home. And this is why i don't like flying with kids.....

Christmas Time

Since Ansley had baby #2 last month, Paul and I decided to pack up the girls and head to Texas to celebrate Christmas this year. Needless to say, I have a whole new respect for people that have no choice but to fly every year. Poppy picked us up from the airport and little Maysie couldn't contain her excitement. She tried to get his attention, and suceeded in doing so, the entire 45 minute drive to Ansley and Chad's house...which would have been fine if he wasn't driving. Railey was obsessed with her new cousin Chance and held him every minute that we would let her.

Chance is an ANGEL! He barely cried and slept almost the entire time we were there....

Maysie loved her new cousin too...kisses the whole time we were there.

Christmas pajamas from Tutu and Poppy!

Poppy sat with the kids to eat dinner and lunch....every single time they ate. Thanks dad:)

Christmas Eve came and we loaded up three cars to go to church. Railey and Chance got to sit up front for the entire service and once we got home, it was time to get ready for Santa. We sprinkled reindeer food outside, set out cookies for Santa, sprinkled baby powder so we could see where Santa walked, and, of course, did a little snuggling with Poppy

After the kids FINALLY fell asleep, Santa came and filled stockings

Ate cookies

Left presents

And we even saw his footprints where he stepped out of the chimney and peeked into the kids rooms....

The aftermath....horrible picture quality but I had to include

Caden and Railey were so proud of their new slippers picked out by yours truly. Saw them on a commercial, Railey freaked out, and I ordered three pair in less than two minutes.... (Notice Maysie in the background in Chances' baby swing. Obsessed)

Group shots....I get an A plus plus this year.

Merry Christmas Y'all!

Mt Bethel Christmas Program

Railey's Christmas program was the cutest thing! The kids processed through the church to their seats while waving to their parents. When it was time for the program to start, the marjority of the parents (including me) had their camcorders ready to go....a few even were holding their IPads up to record....what a difference a year makes:) Since I was recording the video from my camera, I only got a few shots. I think that we have a little performer on our hands....

Doing her best impression of Tim Tebow

Taking a bow

5 Things I Love...

Have I mentioned how much I love living in Marietta?  Although the list of things I love changes on a weekly basis, here are some of my favorites....

1) Dobbins Air Force Base is in Marietta so the jets constantly fly over our house.  It reminds me of Captain...he would have loved to sit on our back deck and try to tell me what kind of plane it was
2) Signs EVERYWHERE, in people's front yards, cars, and almost every business, saying "GO RAIDERS!"  Walton High School (the school that Railey and Maysie will go to) is competing in the State Champoinship game.  Although I have no idea when this game is going to happen, I know that in 10 short years, I will be one of the people with a sign in my front yard:)
3) Our neighbors!!!  They have been so amazing.  We have spent time with four of the families in our neighborhood and love them.  Between these four families, there are 11 kids....three of them are going to be in Kindergarten next year with Railey
4) Railey's new school
5) Our house.  Now that we are getting more settled in, it truly feels like home now.  And I will never move again. 

What a Week

The past week has been a blur.  Mix one sick 18 month old with a crazy mom who is trying to get everything pulled together for Christmas and you have disaster.  Little Maysie got a bug, or either food poisoning, and had the worst diaper rash I have ever seen on a child.  She was screaming at the top of her lungs when I would try to put ointment on her or put her in the bath and waking up 2-3 times a night.  Day three, I had enough.  So I called Aunt Coco (aka Internet Researcher Extraordinaire) and she had just been through this with Little D.  Lots of advice was given, the most important being that I needed to take Maysie's diaper off and let the rash dry up.  Done and done.  She woke up the next morning, I put her in the bath and took her downstairs, sans diaper, to drink on Pedialyte and wait for big sister to make her appearance.  Things were so calm, and Maysie was playing with the dogs.  Thats when I noticed it.  I took my eyes off of her for FIVE MINUTES and she had managed to go to the bathroom 4 times....marking her territory from one side of the kitchen to the other. 

So mama disinfected and the diaper is back on.  Now to find some more surefire ways to get rid of diaper rash.....

Mountain Time

Mountain trip with some of my favorite girls...