Here Fishy Fishy

We spent the past 4 days at the lake...I spent most of the time inside (my pregnancy hormones are still kickin and I can't stand the heat) while Paul and Railey played in the lake.

Around 2:00 today my spunky child came through the back door and announced that she had a surprise. She came up to me with her fists clenched and smiling from ear to ear. I waited patiently thinking it was going to be her typical, a flower she picked for mommy, a roly poly, a toy that someone had given her. Nope. Not even close.

She opened her hand and she was holding a fish. A DEAD FISH.

I jumped back and blurted the first thing that came to mind. "Railey, that fish is dead!" She replied with, "But mommy, her makes me so happy...I love her!" With that, she took a cup, put her fish in it, filled it with water and watched her float to the top.



Now I know that Railey has no concept of death yet but I can't help but think that this was her way of guilting me into another pet. Needless to say, I am going to the pet store tomorrow so two new fish will be waiting for her when she gets home from the lake on Tuesday.

So Many Visitors, SO Much Love

The past two weeks we have had so many visitors come over to meet Maysie. Unfortunately, Mommy is a little bit overwhelmed and only managed to get pictures of a few of them. Sweet Hayden is such a trooper. Maysie projectile vomited ALL over her arm but she decided to hold her one more time to get a picture

Sara Mays

During my week long hospital stay, some of my nearest and dearest friends came to meet the newest addition to the Chanon family. Railey and Sara Mays are lucky girls to have so many "aunts" and "uncles" who love them so!

Almost time to go home...let the fun begin!

On the Night You Were Born

On the night you were born, The moon smiled with such wonder That the stars peeked in to see you And the night wind whispered, “Life will never be the same.”

Because there had never been anyone like you…ever in the world.

So enchanted with you were the wind and the rain

That they whispered the sound of your wonderful name.

It sailed through the farmland

High on the breeze…

Over the ocean…

And through the trees…

Until everyone heard it

And everyone knew

Of the one and only ever you.

Not once had there been such eyes,

Such a nose,

Such silly, wiggly, wonderful toes.

When the polar bears heard,

They danced until dawn.

From faraway places,

The geese flew home.

The moon stayed up until

Morning next day.

And none of the ladybugs flew away.

So whenever you doubt just how special you are

And you wonder who loves you, how much and how far,

Listen for geese honking high in the sky.

(They’re singing a song to remember you by.)

or notice the bears asleep at the zoo.

(It’s because they’ve been dancing all night for you!)

Or drift off to sleep to the sound of the wind.

(Listen closely…it’s whispering your name again!)

If the moon stays up until morning one day,

Or a ladybug lands and decides to stay,

Or a little bird sits at your window awhile,

It’s because they’re all hoping to see you smile…

For never before in story or rhyme

(not even once upon a time)

Has the world ever known a you, my friend,

And it never will, not ever again…

Heaven blew every trumpet

And played every horn

On the wonderful, marvelous

Night you were born.



Do as I say....

Over the past year or so, I have realized that I need to watch what I say around Railey...it seems like overnight she turned into a little tape recorder that repeats EVERYTHING I say. Here are a few of my favorites over the past week...

• Me: How did you sleep last night Railey
  Railey: Not good. My baby was kicking me all night long
• This morning, I called downstairs to Railey to ask if she wanted to put on makeup with me to go to school. She came upstairs and perched herself on the tub beside the sink...her usual spot. After about a minute, I handed her the makeup brush and she asked me to hold on because she needed to prop her feet up, they were swelling.
• She asked that when she finished her bagel if I would make her another. Of course I said yes. Railey's response? Mommy, you're my hero!

I have no idea where she came up with the last one but the other two....I have a pretty good guess:)

The Little Things

Most of the past two weeks have been spent trying to prepare Railey for the day that she becomes a big sister. For the most part, she is excited and tells me how much she loves Sara Mays. We have only had one little outburst when she told me that she wanted to sit on her sister...I am choosing to concentrate on the positive though and have accepted the fact that there is, no doubt, going to be a transition for the next little while.

This weekend was especially busy since I go to the doctor on Monday. My delivery date is set for one week from Tuesday (only 8 days away) but on my last visit Dr. Moore suggested that I don't eat in the morning in case they have to take me in immediately for the low amniotic fluid they have been monitoring.

Tonight, Railey, Tutu and I went to run one last errand (Michael's fabric for the ribbon on the bassinet) and then out to dinner. On the way home, I noticed some major construction that had started on a side street close to our house. I slowed down the car, turned around, and we all went to see the "excavators" as Railey calls them (one of her books calls them excavators instead of bulldozers....it stuck). Tutu even took her out of the car to touch all three of the bulldozers.

Railey couldn't have been happier...this is an understatement. Made me realize that it is the spur of the moment, unexpected surprises that mean the most to my little girl.

The Princess Palace

Finally, Railey has a bedroom that is worthy of a princess! Once we finally completed the attic renovations and moved upstairs, it was time for Railey to move into her new bedroom (our old master bedroom) so Sara Mays could have the nursery.

She resisted at first, which was expected, but now loves her new pink bedroom!