HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE MAN!!

I just wanted to share a few shots from Emerson's first birthday.  It has been a busy past year to say the least.  I have had very little time for taking pictures & even less time for blogging!  I feel like I've missed a lot in between the months but I wanted to be sure to document this wonderful occasion.  It's bittersweet as this will be the last one year birthday we celebrate for our children!  I'm so overjoyed to have this boy in my life.  Emerson, you are a wonder of God's creation in every way.  You brighten the lives of ALL who meet you & I know that the Lord has great plans for your future.  Be blessed my little man & rest in the happiness of childhood :) xoxox

Marshmallows...

A few shots from a couple nights ago. Brian made a lovely fire in our outdoor pit & the girls had a blast roasting marshmallows & playing with left over sparklers from last 4th of July. I cherish each of these little moments with my family. The pictures are a little blurry because it was hard to capture a quick shot in the lighting, but you get the point :)

Baby Genius...

"Look Mom, I'm reading!!" - he may only be five months but he's way ahead of the average baby ;) Just kidding, I'm not one to boast about my kids but I thought this was pretty funny. The girls are always doing interesting things to baby Emerson. Guess that's the result of being a third child AND the only boy. Good luck buddy, good luck haha

This is just another example of what I mean...

(good thing daddy wasn't around for this one!!!)

Pumpkin Patch...

I know I have a lot of updating to do but my sister asked me to put these photos of our pumpkin patch visit up on the blog...sooo here they are!! We had a lot of fun this year (as a family of FIVE! still can't believe that!) so I hope you enjoy the pictures :)

Emerson Michael...

So obviously it has been pretty much my ENTIRE pregnancy since my last post. Well ok, I guess I was 18 weeks (but that was a LONG time ago considering my little man has arrived!!) We were induced on May 12th after many painful nights of 4 cm dilation & costant drops in baby's position. I don't think I could have made it one more day so I was very grateful to get the show on the road!! We were admitted to CMC Northeast (amazing hospital by the way) at 5:30 a.m. & by 7:30 a.m. the process was in full swing. Going into this birth experience I had a game plan & I am SO glad I did. I requested my epidural BEFORE my wonderful dr broke my water because I KNEW things would speed up rapidly at that point. The epidural man was a God send. He was an older "grandfather" type & listened to each of my concerns (from past experiences) very intently. He did such a wonderful job and came back to check on me 3 and 4 times (even AFTER the baby was born!) All I know is that after this labor, I can CONFIDENTLY say that my epidurals with the girls did NOT work the way they were supposed to. So after starting the Pitocin and setting up the epidural, my water was broken. In about 3 hours time everything had pushed me to 8 cm & driven my contractions to 3 minutes apart (I arrived at the hospital 5 cm & contractions every 5 minutes apart). My Pitocin was slightly increased and by 11:00 a.m. we were ready to push!!
I had joked with my dr earlier that morning that if she could get me through this labor with LITTLE pain and NO need for any extra medical attention, that I would award her the honorary plaque of 5 golden stars to add to her wall of achievements. She was happy to accept the challenge & after 5 contractions of pushing she certainly earned those stars! Right before we began pushing, I noticed that the heart monitor was dying out COMPLETELY with each contraction I had. I called in the nurse and she assured me it was simply because of how low the baby had dropped in order to deliver (but I could tell by her demeanor & quick action to get my dr that something was wrong). Turns out, Emerson had the cord wrapped tightly around his neck so there were a few moments of concern for sure. My dr talked me through each step however & my amazing son was delivered happy, healthy & without causing ANY "damages" to his mama :)
7 lbs 3 oz & 20 inches long, Emerson Michael Knott was born on May 12th, 2011 at 11:13 a.m. I had WONDERFUL nursing staff during my hospital stay (which was only an amazing 1.25 days haha) and I could not have been any more blessed from the Lord through this experience. For those of you who know me well, you know that my labor, delivery, recovery and breastfeeding journey with BOTH my girls was ROUGH. I am sitting here very happy to report that Emerson has been a breeze. He nurses, sleeps, poops, pees & participates in family life like a champ. God is SO kind & I want to thank each of you for praying for me and loving us. More to come (pictures etc...) once I get the internet re-activated on MY computer. Thanks for reading!!

Just Couldn't Resist...

I've been waiting far too long to buy something boy to let this pass by me in Target!! First purchase for my little buddy...it just makes me smile :)

Few and Far Between...

Well, my blogging has greatly suffered lately. Between pregnancy illness & the exhaustion of chasing the girls around, I would rather spend my "free time" napping or being more productive haha Anyways, I thought I would share these ultrasound pictures :) It is finally official, the completion of our family with a SON!! We couldn't be more thrilled and grateful to God for this blessing. Little man is due May 19th (so they tell me). We are still talking about names, but once we DO decided we are keeping it a secret until he is born. It's our last little bundle of joy so we thought we'd keep it interesting (as well as keep any negative opinions at bay...come on now, you ALL KNOW that you've shared your two cents on someone's baby's name when it MIGHT not have been appreciated hahaha). Enjoy!!! He was head down and facing my back so basically the only GOOD shots the ultrasound tech could get were those proving his gender...the manly pride has begun early!! The first picture is his foot (you can see the tiny toes!!) and the second is his arm up by his head. The third speaks for itself :)

Updates Anyone??

I do realize that this blog is in serious need of an update (or two...oooor three) haha I PROMISE to get at least one on here by the end of the weekend :) Along with fall came a pretty packed calendar but it SEEMS to be settling down so check back Monday...

Counting Cars...

Today Sophia was quite frustrated while sitting in the car. As we were stopped at a traffic light, I could hear mutterings of a numbered nature..."six, seven, eight...errrrr!!". So it goes...

Me: "Whats wrong babe?"

Sophia: "I just not do it Mom. They just not stopping!"

Me: "What's not stopping? I don't understand!?!?"

Sophia: "The cars Mom. I have to count them and they just keep on driving! I can't count them if they moving!"

Me: **trying not to smile and giggle because she is being VERY serious LOL**

Sometimes I just sit and marvel at the inner workings of a pre-schoolers brain. As if the world is supposed to just STOP in it's tracks at their every whim. Oh, I love that girl :)

L.O.V.E

A daughter brings a special joy
That comes from deep inside,
And as she grows to womanhood
She fills your heart with pride.

The love she gives so freely
Is a rare and beautiful gift.
She brings the sunshine right indoors
And gives your heart a lift.

With every busy, happy year
She’s dearer than before,
Through every stage…through every age,
You love her more and more.

-unknown

Fresh...

Brian and I got a RARE date morning this past Saturday!! My mom took the girls overnight Friday and we went into downtown Davidson for breakfast in the morning. We went to my FAVORITE old town cafe called Toast. Love it there...very quaint and historic feeling :) Anyways, they have a farmers market in the surrounding quad (right by the college and library) and I had never checked it out!! So we went and I coaxed my adoring husband into buying me these AMAZING fresh flowers. I haven't had such pretty flowers in a REALLY long time and was super excited. I had to share some pictures of them. They evoked joy in my heart for two reasons. First because the colors had an interesting way of bringing summer & fall into a happy place of acceptable co-existence. Second because my girls couldn't stop marveling at how pretty they were and commenting how they smelled so "nummy"!! Unfortunately when flowers are so "home grown" they die pretty easily. On the bright side, I was able to snap these before they began their droopy decline :)

My Wonderful Little Terror...

I thought, since I was pondering the miracle of my littlest girlie today, that I would just give a quick recount of her recent mischievous actions :) As each day passes, her "I didn't do it" and "I'm cute, but dangerous!" faces are making more frequent appearances. To summarize what I am talking about, this ALL happened yesterday...

the morning begins WITH...

the removal of a #2 filled pull-up (for the millionth time this week) and by removal I unfortunately do not mean by me or with even a shred of my knowledge

and then progresses to...

a quick trip to the bathroom for ME and a sneaky relocation of the kitchen stool, mounting of the kitchen countertop, removal of every spice from the spice rack & pouring and sloshing of expensive olive oil onto the newly cleaned floor for AUTUMN

and finally ends at...

a purposeful "watering" of the bathroom rug in an attempt to "communicate" dissatisfaction of a much needed tubby AND a revengeful "reorganization" of every clothing item from her dresser drawers in an attempt to "communicate" her disapproval of bedtime.

SIGH...good thing she is so darn adorable and I remembered to have my quiet time ( in which I sovereignly listened to http://www.covlife.org/resources/2671419-The_Lord_Is_In_Your_Boat ) that day!! :) Oh Lord, grant all of us mommies with crazy second born children, MUCH grace and patience, AMEN.

Seriously in Love...

Ode to Autumn's Curls...

Oh beautiful ringlets that adorn her head,

I pray you grow, abound and spread.

Never leaving or fading away,

Please remain, yes forever to stay.

A smile to my face you bring,

A song in my heart you tempt me to sing.

A giggle you inspire as you bounce around,

A grace you provide without making a sound.

One day I am sure my daughter will say,

"Oh these curls they just get in my way!".

And so I'll assure my sweet baby girl,

"Your curls are more rare than a fresh water pearl!"

I love them I love them and love them some more,

I love these curly cues like never before.

I gawk, I stare, I squint and I strain,

To etch their image into my brain.

Oh beautiful ringlets that adorn her head,

I pray you grow, abound and spread.

Never leaving or fading away,

Please remain, yes forever to stay.

Father's Day 2010...

It is widely known amongst our family that Brian and the girls have a very special and unique relationship. On a daily basis, the girls adore taunting and teasing their daddy (aaand vise versa on Brian's end). It amazes me how one moment they are screaming "NO DADDY, GO AWAY!" and the next they are grasping his legs and proclaiming "Oh Daddy, I love you so much!" :) Time has gone by so quickly and I know that Brian will always dotingly remember this stage in our lives. Autumn helped make breakfast in the morning and then the girls presented Brian with their "Daddy and Me" collages. We went to Outback for a late lunch (Brian HAD to have the crab legs) and just relaxed at the pool for the remainder of the day. All in all, it was a successful expression of how much we three ladies love and appreciate our man ;) xoxox

Her awesome shirt says "I get my good looks from my Dad"

I forgot to mention that we got Brian the Avatar DVD...the girls made their own wrapping paper!

Autumn's collage above...

Phia's collage below...

In other news...

During the months of May, June and July we also had Autumn's 2nd birthday, Father's Day, our 6 year anniversary and the 4th of July (which included a visit from my sister)...

I'll start with Autumn's 2nd birthday, mainly because I can't believe my baby is TWO!! We decided to surprise the girls with bikes to celebrate the occasion. Yes, I know it was Autumn's birthday BUT when you have two kids so close in age it's hard to give milestone presents in quantities of 1 :) So both girls were blessed with their FIRST BIKES!! My mom came with us to "test drive" them and pick out the perfect fit for each girlie. They were delighted when we brought them home but unfortunately it was raining so they had to ride inside.

Dear Friends...

The second VERY noteworthy event that recently occurred was the visit of our beloved friends, the Whites :) Words cannot express how much their short weekend trip to see us meant to me. I can feel the tears welling up as I type (granted I am horribly overtired) but for both these reasons I will post a few snapshots and simply say:

Tiff, I love you and am so honored to call you my friend. Thank you Bryant for sacrificing your time and sanity to drive your family to see us. Boys (and little incubating girls), you are incredible little people and I love having the privilege of watching you grow...even if mostly from afar :)

I wish I had taken more pictures but catching up seemed more important. I was so happy to be with you all that I just kept forgetting my camera!!

Phia loves her "Tiffnee"

Big boy Jack...

And smiley boy Aaron :)

Special Moments...

SUMMER IS HERE!! As usual, it has taken me far longer than anticipated to update my lovely blog. So here I am finally doing it (even if it IS almost midnight). Life has gone on as expected over the past few months (basically typical, mundane, daily activity) but there were a few special events worth mentioning. First to report is that we successfully had our annual summer vacation...woohoo!! In May, we were blessed to visit my in-laws at their home in Florida and Brian and I were able to take a whole 4 day cruise to the Bahamas, celebrating an early anniversary! During our two week stay, the girls were treated to a day at Disney World (among other things) which was strategically planned to ease the guilt we felt for leaving them behind on our open sea voyage. Brian will say we took them in honor of Autumn's 2nd birthday but for whatever reason(s) it was, they had the time of their lives :) All of the pictures from our trips are duly posted on my Facebook page so I won't bore any of you "loyal" readers with those again (since if your read my blog than you are clearly a friend of mine via Facebook). I will, however, give you a brief synopsis of each family member's highlights...

According to Autumn, the best part of the vacation was (and I quote) "ducks". In the best possible way a toddler knows how to explain herself, she will tell you that both feeding the ducks at Nana and Papa's AND watching Donald Duck in the Magic Kingdom 3-D movie theater were truly spectacular. In reality, that's my translation of what she mumbles and mimes about "the ducks" but I am MOM so I certainly have literary license :)

If you ask Sophia about her trip, she will tell you (plain and clear) that the beach and Daisy Duck were the best parts of all. Actually, when my mom asked her WHY Daisy Duck in particular she responded as follows : "Cause Meme, Daisy shoes and Daisy dress match! I showed her my Dora earrings! She was REALLY nice." She also noted that Nana and Papa's house was pretty and the sand at the beach was "ouchy" (aka ithcy) in her bathing suit. I mean honestly, if Sophia isn't the definition of a "girlie girl" than I don't know what is.

For Brian and I, it's pretty obvious that the cruise makes the top of the list. Before that first morning aboard the Monarch of the Seas, I could not even remember what it felt like to eat a meal (or even have a cup of coffee) without little utterances and little grabby hands all up in my business haha Don't get me wrong, I love the sound of those sweet voices and the sight of those tiny fingers....BUT there comes a time when a break is unequivocally needed. It was so nice to have quiet time. It was also VERY nice to just spend time as a couple. No distractions, no agendas, no cell phones ringing or e-mails waiting. It was truly a God ordained voyage and we were positively refreshed to say the least. Running a close second was seeing the faces of our little girls as we entered the "most magical place on earth". Priceless :) I know they will definitely enjoy it MUCH more as they get older, but the first time was surprisingly memorable. At times, Brian seemed to be having the most fun of all, but if you know Brian than that comes with little surprise.

In short, thank you Lord for the opportunity and provision for yet another annual family vacation AND thank you Mike and Nelida for your hospitality, generosity and love :)

What's the Deal??

Ok so Brian was right (yes, folks I said it...Brian was RIGHT) there is certainly something in the pollen this Spring. It's a substance that seems to be in overabundance and I have dubbed it "the nectar of life" haha Every where I go, every time I log onto Facebook, every phone conversation I have, I am inundated with news that yet another blessed young woman I know is indeed pregnant!! Brian says it's conspiracy...I say it's a sign, but who am I right? Yes, I want another one. It's no big secret. Although, I do agree with Brian that we are enjoying this time and season as a family of four. I'm thinking next summer is a good marker to aim for. In the meantime, I shall live vicariously through my besties and I wanted to formally say CONGRATS to each and every one of the NEW moms and the ONCE AGAIN moms of Spring 2010...happy pregnancies to all of you!! You are certainly blessed...

And yes, I will post something about my own kids while they nap today :)