Easter 2017

The weekend before Easter, we took the kids to have their picture made with the Easter bunny. The boys were obviously thrilled, but Mae Stanley seemed a little concerned with the giant rabbit.

(I took a picture of a picture, so the proportions look a little off. Woody's legs aren't that short!)

That Sunday was Palm Sunday. Our church has the children follow a live donkey down the aisles of the church waving palm branches. The boys were thrilled to get their own branches.

Gaines especially enjoyed using his as a sword.

On to Easter weekend...we stayed in Atlanta this year. On Saturday, Woody had a baseball game and then it was on to our church's Easter Egg Hunt.

(Gaines trying to convince Woody to trade baskets)

Harvard Brothers Strategizing

Maybe next year Sister can get in on the action!

Give me all the Little House on the Prairie 

Also need to learn how to tie a bonnet bow

Easter Sunday! He is risen! He is risen indeed!

(I have no idea what the weird shadow on G's face is!)

He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:  ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ 

Luke 24:6-7

Mae Stanley- Six Months

Woody crashed Gaines's six month photos too

(Too lazy to flip- sorry!)

Mae Stanley Facts

• Weight and Height: 16lbs 7oz (50th percentile) and 26.5in (75th percentile)
• Diaper Size: 3
• Clothing Size: 6-9 mo- She hit a big growth spurt in the last month!
• Sleep: You guys...we turned a corner! At night at least! We are using Moms on Call, and I swear, it worked the first night! I know that is not the norm, but I will take it. She is sleeping 12 hours most nights. Some nights she wakes after ten hours, but goes right back down after a feeding. Naps are still a hit or miss. We are working on going down to three a day, but we are in the car so much, most days are four. She tries to wake after 30-40 minutes, but I make her stay in her crib for an hour. Sometimes she goes back to sleep and will take a long nap, but a lot of time she just fusses. I hope if I stay (as) consistent (as I can), then maybe she will eventually start napping longer. Honestly though, if I had to pick being a great nighttime or daytime sleeper, I would pick night! She also is no longer using a sleepsack to sleep. We just put her in her crib with her lovie.
• Eat: We started solids, but things haven't gone awesome. She has had some reactions, so we have had to be very careful when introducing new foods and have to keep the Benadryl close by. Her stomach is beginning to tolerate the food better though. We are going to meet with an allergist as well since she had such a strong reaction to some foods.
• Her bottom two teeth just broke through! 
• Her hair is light brown and has blue eyes
• Can sit up a little bit. She has to balance on her hands and usually falls over quickly. If I put her in her bouncy chair, she tried to use her little ab muscles to pull up to a sitting position.
• Loves to blow spit bubbles. Gaines will tell her, "No spitting Mae-Mae!"
• At dinner, Mae Stanley and Gaines will kick each other and laugh and laugh. She is fitting in nicely with her brothers!
• But both of her brothers are her heart. They love her and she loves them! The boys were at my parents during Spring Break, and she would get so sad in the car when they weren't next to her. When I picked them up, she just stared at them the whole way home.
• Nicknames: The Ness, MaeMae, BaeMaeStay (Baby Mae Stanley), Squeak

Mae Stanley's Baptism

On April 2nd, Mae Stanley was baptized as a child of God. It was such a special day. Infant baptisms may seem silly to some, and no, we don't look at it as her "safety net" to Heaven. The sacrament of baptism represents the grace God gave us through Jesus Christ and the new life we have in Him. Even though Mae Stanley will never remember this day, her family will. We promised to teach Mae Stanley about her wonderful Savior, and we eagerly pray for the day when she stands in front of the church body and proclaims for herself that Jesus Christ is Lord of her life.

After the service, we had our families over to our house for a light brunch. Sister blogged about it here.

Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.

John 7:38

and now March...

Do you have a child age 6 mo-7?

Do you have a bubble machine?

No?

Buy two.

Seriously, bubble machines entertain my kids for hours

One Saturday, it was raining, so Woody's baseball game was cancelled. He was really upset, so Brooks decided to take just him on a fly fishing trip. They had a great time together. However, both Woody and Gaines asked where the other was all day!

Gaines had a fun day too. We went to his buddy, Bo's birthday party and had a lunch date. Then before his nap, he wanted to read Mae Stanley a bedtime story.

Gaines also potty trained! It took him about a week to get the hang of it, but has been doing awesome!

Remember when I said Gaines only wants to play with Woody? Woody had met some other friends and was playing with them at the park. Gaines was not happy, and would yell, "Yu-yee (Woody), tome back here!"

Woody having a blast at his friend, Neel's, birthday party. He had the best time at this trampoline park.

I bought Mae Stanley a door jumper. She likes it a lot more than the exersaucer. I just have to be right with her when she is in it, because the boys love to give her a little push in it!

Woody was filling up the car with some "gas"

We changed insurance, and Woody's old dentist did not take our new insurance. It took me forever to find a new dentist that accepted ours, but I found a great one! The boys did really well. Woody is a little more reluctant with any type of doctor or medicine, but Gaines loves those types of things!

Woody was trying to convince the dentist to let him have his prize first.

Gaines was loving the TVs on the ceiling.

Hehe...when you skip your nap and then crash on the couch, your Momma takes embarrassing pictures

Last week, Jessica drove in from Alabama, so Lisa, Alli, and I met at Catherine's for a playdate.

Of course, we had to get a picture of the TEN kids!

From Left to Right: Gaines-3(mine), Mae Stanley-5 months(mine), Blakely-4(Alli), Emma-10 months(Lisa), Jackson-6(Alli), Quinn-12 mo(Alli), Woody-4(mine), Hylan Marie-2(Jessica), Burke-5(Jessica), and Gracelyn-almost 4(Catherine)

When we all started teaching, we had no kids, and now there are ten! These girls made teaching so special and were such a support system. I wish we all still lived close, but it is fun watching our kids together. They are like their mommas and pick up right where they left off.

My Pretty Girl

I wonder if the boys will adore her as much when she becomes mobile and touches their toys.

After school, they saw a bumble bee and were fascinated. They watched it for the longest time!

The next day Gaines couldn't wait until he got inside to throw a fit. 

End of school+lunchtime+naptime=Meltdown City

It has been so pretty outside, but as each sunny day passes, I have been waiting for Woody's allergies to attack. It happens every year. His eyes had been a little puffy, but manageable. Then last Friday he woke up screaming. His eyes were so swollen they were closed. He looked awful, so to the pediatrician we went.

Poor buddy- but still smiling!

Later that afternoon, they were still swollen, but looked a little better. He was so cute though, he kept smiling and saying, "My eyes are all better now!"

Whew! That's all! Yay for bubble season!