A year in our sweet home....

A year ago this week, we were in complete chaos, moving our family cross-country to our "sweet home in Alabama."  Today I think back to that week and, well, I'm glad it's over, but also can't believe it's been a whole YEAR!  Want to know the sad part?  I haven't left the state since I got here.  Seriously.  I've spent the past 365+ nights in the state of Alabama, with my babies.  I guess having a newborn attached to my breast and a very busy young boy has made it difficult to really get away.  We have, however, had a wonderful flow of friends and family come stay with us, which has helped us so much.  Over the past year so much has happened...we have watched our baby grow into a toddler and our toddler grow into a child, we've bought a home that we love, have made some great friends, become much closer as a family, watched Dr. M truly thrive in his new career, have a deeper appreciation for college football and have started using the word "y'all"(kidding!).  Though we really do like it down here (for the most part) we have noticed some differences in communication.  For example, some phrases that were new to us: 

 -Ya'll - Used all. the. time. Even in email, text and conversation.

-Yes, Ma'am - Everyone, all the time!  Makes me feel like I'm 92. 

- Mightacould - This one kills me.  It's Dr. M's favorite.  Seriously people use it in sentences like "you mightacould fix that." I just pretend like I didn't hear it.

- Buggy - It's what the shopping carts at the grocery store/Target are called.  Really.  This cracks me up.  It totally caught me off guard the first time someone asked me if I needed a buggy.

- Meat 'n' three -  This is a food option or a way of describing a restaurant like "City Cafe is a meat'n'three place".  It means exactly what it sounds like, you can order the meat of the day with three sides of your choice.

- Roll Tide Roll - Football is religion down here...every Saturday in the fall.  If you don't know who Saban is or what Bryant Denny is then you might as well leave town.

- April 27th - A day that no one in Tuscaloosa will ever forget.

Overall, we feel settled in here in T-Town and it's feeling like home more and more each day, though we still miss our family and friends dearly.  It still seems strange to me that we actually live in Alabama and that our kids may pick up an accent (I refuse to!).  I have no idea what the future down here has in store for us, but I feel good where we are right now and look forward to it.

  

13 months!

According to the internet, our baby girl is now a toddler.  This can't be true!  She can't be over a year....yet!  Crazy how fast it's gone.  I do, however, have to admit that she is in fact a toddler....well, she's trying anyway.  She'll take a few steps between Dr. M and I or from pieces of furniture, even across the middle of the floor, but she's working on her overall balance before she wobbles and lowers herself to the floor.  She wants so badly to keep up with her brother and chase after him (esp if he's just stolen a toy from her).  I think she will take off running before she walks!  I feel like she's really grown this month - her communication and physical skills have really developed.  She's also babbling non stop and knows the sign for "all done" (which she says "ahhduh") and uses it in her highchair or even after nursing.  She's so funny.  She even blows adorable kisses and says "mmuah"!  Her hair is getting so long, it's a little out-of-control and, of course, she won't tolerate bows, which makes it worse.  She still has 4 teeth, but I can see two more on the top trying to make an appearance.  She's still nursing a TON, which I can't believe....but doesn't really seem to like any alternative milks, which we keep trying.  She eats just about everything, but is loooving strawberries and hotdogs (don't judge).  She's still the sweetest, most amazing little girl I know and I love every minute with her!!

ETA:  Our little peanut at her well-check

12 Month Stats:

Weight - 17 lbs 4 oz (0%)

Height - 29 inches (50%) 

4th of July!

The exhausting, record breaking, triple-digit heat across the south east continued through our 4th this year.  I know it's supposed to be hot on the 4th, but this was ridiculous.  Needless to say, we spent most  of the day in the nice cool house.  The day before, however, the kids and I went to the Children's Museum not realizing they were having a 4th of July celebration.  They had a DJ, beaded necklaces, flags, lots of games and hotdogs and popcorn for lunch.  They even did a special showing in their planetarium, just for E - he was in heaven!  It was a very exciting afternoon for the kids and I (it was Dr. M's first week of summer school).  After a relaxing day at home, we had friends over for a quick summer dinner (BLT's!) and then we packed up all the kids (they have two also) and headed to the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater  for all sorts of fun.  They had a children's zone with bounce-houses, snow cones, balloons, climbing walls, food trucks and all sorts of games.  Eventually, we made our way in to the amphitheater to hear the symphony play and a former Miss America sing patriotic melodies as the kids ran around the concession area chasing each other and playing with the glow-bracelets we brought.  They had a blast...until the big fireworks began.  This was the first time E (or H) had ever seen/heard fireworks like this.  The loud noise frightened them at first, but then they began to enjoy it.  E thought they were "going to get us" but loved them at the same time and couldn't take his eyes off of them.  It was a late night, but such fun, memorable family time together.

Sunday

Today I love...

The chocolate cookies I made with E yesterday; NPR; my sonicare toothbrush; Harper's curls on the back of her head; that Dr. M did all the dishes after dinner tonight; the amazing strawberries we bought today; that I went to the gym even though I didn't want to; Sam Adams Cherry Wheat; the numerous, unsolicited "I love you mama" I get from E; the long chat I had with Mars this morning; that Harper smiles at everyone she sees; that I can think of more things that I love than I don't today; my truly amazing family, whom I love more than they will ever know.   

Today I don't love...

The exhaustingly hot, triple-digit weather; potty-training E; that I still don't feel 100% mentally; I miss my family and friends; that we had McDonald's for lunch today; how easily the kids frustrate Dr. M and I; Dr. M's stinky socks sitting on the couch next to me (that I just noticed); hearing Harper cry when I put her down to sleep; that it rained all around us, but not here today; that a woman asked me "when is your baby due?" a couple weeks ago and I'm still upset about it; that we live so far from our loved ones.