Yellow Rose of Grand Prairie

When my Mom's grandkids are born, she writes them a song to a well-known tune to help them learn their name and birthday. It also includes important things like where they were born, siblings names, etc. It's short, catchy, personal, and fun!
On Sunday, KatieKate turned 8 months and was wearing a dress with yellow roses to church. How appropriate, since "her song" is to the tune of "The Yellow Rose of Texas."

She's Katherine Joy Davis, who lives in Grand Prairie.
On 8/20/07, she joined the family.
She looks just like her mother, from many years ago,
Her brother is Jack Davis, and her sister's name is Jo.

Happy 8 months to our little rose. She is scooting on her tummy, making this hilarious scrunched-up-nose-and-mouth face, talking a ton (and loudly!), nursing and eating great, sleeping not so great due to teething (2 bottom teeth) and taking baths with Jack and Jo. She is a little copycat - waving bye-bye and nodding her head yes! She has a new love of licking J/J's popsicles in the bathtub and rolling under beds during playtime. My early prediction is that she will always keep me on my toes - you know, she'll want her ears pierced at the age of 3!

Kate, you are my baby and my sidekick. I want you to know that I won't ever forget what you were like at 8 months old. I will never forget your stringy black hair. I will never forget your legs, kicking with excitement as I get you out of the bed in the morning. I will never forget your belly laugh as I tickle your tummy. You love to be surprised and jump like me! I will never forget to thank God for making you so unique, so pretty, such a fit for our family.

New Ride

I am so excited for Will. We have been seeing billboards advertising the state's clean air project, and decided it was worth a try to apply. Basically, if you drive an old car, they want it off the road and will give you a $3000 or more voucher towards a newer, environmentally safe car. Will received the letter last week with the voucher, and purchased a 2007 Dodge Caliber on Friday! He is almost giddy about the car, and I am so happy for him. His patience has paid off...15+ years of driving and sharing hand-me-down cars, and now he has one of his own.
He is looking good in his new ride!

Acts 3

If you are in need of encouragement, or just want to be "filled with wonder and amazement" at what the Lord has done, click here to listen to Will's sermon on Acts 3 last Sunday.
It was a reminder to me of the Lord's power and strength through his believers.
I pray He will use me to touch other's lives as He did Peter and John.

As it Should Be!

Hooray! Cousins Clay and Evy are in Texas, and we are so excited that they are just a few hours away. Kat and I talk daily about what it would be like to live so close that we could celebrate birthdays together, eat lunch randomly together, and just be a part of each other's daily routine.
Well, I can tell you, that it would be awesome! On Wednesday, Jack and Josie enjoyed roaming the farm with Clay, while Kate met sweet little Evy. And me, well, I got to hang out with my best friend and sis Kat! It was a happy day.
We don't take for granted this special time as a family and look forward to the day when we are a part of each other's day-to-day.

hues of blue

I never dreamed I would have such blue-eyed babies!
Jack's blue is like these bluebonnets. Josie's blue is crystal like the ocean. Kate's blue is like the midnight sky.
We love our hues of blue!

It's Here

I have been dreading this day for 7 months now.
Kate is teething - for real. She just cut her first one.
You see, teething for the average, mild, even-tempered child is not a big deal.
But, for this high-maintenance child, anything that throws her off schedule, is a huge deal. This morning, after a rough night with little sis, I tried to sing that Trace Adkins song "You're Gonna Miss This." It has been inspiring me to enjoy the little moments, because one day they'll be gone, and I will miss them.
I am sorry, but I will not miss this....the cuddling maybe, but not the painful crying from 2-3 am.
And please, for those of you who "have never had trouble with teething," I don't want to hear about it right now!
Let's hope this process doesn't spread out too painfully long.
Off to sleep, and hoping for the best.

Superlatives

Josie has figured out the effects of using superlatives when speaking. When she really wants to exaggerate a point, she adds at the end "that I ever see." Some of her favorites right now are:
1. "my favoritest color" - purple and pink
2. "my best friend" - Ray-Ray
3. "the cutest baby I ever see" - Brylie from school
4. "my favorite song" - Sandyland (Don't build your house on a sandyland...old school Psalty praise song)
She still makes us laugh and I love her outlook on life. I even find myself laughing when she gets "mad." Her new thing is to cover her face and hang her head when things don't work out the way she planned! This girl is the funniest, quirkiest, and cutest 2-year old I know.

Singing Show

Jack is our musical child. He loves music class, learns things to music, plays to music, sings along in the car to music, and loves our music time each morning in his room.
So, we allow him to watch a few singers each Tuesday night on "the singing show." I don't like that it's called American Idol so we call it the singing show. Anyway, Jack has taken a special liking to Kristy Lee this season. During her song last night, he said, "Mommy, her singing does not hurt my ears." Then, he walked up to the tv, and tried to hug her! He asked, "how do I get in there?" It was a funny moment that I wanted to remember.
I think someday we'll be watching him on a singing show.
On a side note, I saw that this is my 200th post. Happy 200th, blog!

Thanks, Mom

Thank you, Mom, for giving birth to me 30 YEARS AGO TODAY!
You loved me through those high-maintenance baby days.
You loved me through those turbulent toddler years. (I believe my baby book reads "she is equally a joy and a terror....)
You loved me through those annoying perfectionistic grade school years.
You loved me through the moody teenager years.
You loved me by working so I could go to college, and then paid for my wedding.
Then, I had babies and suddenly, you became a grandma and my best friend. (not to mention #1 on speed dial)
Today is not really about me. No, it's about you because you have stuck by me for 30 years!
Thank you Mom, for giving me a birthday!


Cara Joyce Kennedy at one day old, April 1978