TrOuBle!

He keeps us on our toes that is for sure! :)

The greatest of days! :)

My birthday was spent with some of my favorite people on earth. I had a relaxing day with my sweet family. I got tons of birthday calls from my friends and family and lots and lots of facebook wishes. It is nice to be loved. I am very, very thankful for my many blessings. The thing I love about getting older is my children. I think with age I have learned to appreciate things more. I know how blessed I am and I really try to not take that for granted. So, thank you, Greg, Kennedy and Whitty for making this day so special. Your smiles and laughter were all I needed. I love you all so, very, very much! I am ok with my extreme oldness. I don't want to go back and relive anything I have walked through. I enjoy the now. I look forward to the future but I think now is pretty great and I am going to enjoy that. :)

TOBY

Long ago, in the land of Dyersburg, TN, my parents decided to get a new dog. They drove to some little trailer outside of Memphis, TN and found a little red haired dachshund that they brought home. I remember being so excited about that sweet dog. He had so much energy and would bound around the house. Dachshunds have bad reputations which old Toby lived up to. He was snappy when he didn't like you. He only bit his family members and vets. He would never bite a stranger. He was my little buddy through high school. He would sneak in my room and burrow down under the covers every night with me. When I came home from college he never forgot me. He would run up to me so happy I was home! When I got married all my friends from high school came into my parents house and screamed, "TOBY!" just because he was such a huge memory to them too! Then we got Riley and she met Toby. He was getting old by then and he didn't much care. I brought two babies to my mom's house and old Toby was just fine with that too. He always looked at me through the same eyes as if to say, "I'm glad you're back, Katie." He never forgot me although you would think a dog would. He was mean and nasty that dog. He was grumpy in his old age. But he loved me. He loved my mom. He was a friend and companion to each of us. He passed away yesterday. 15 years with a dog....they are your family, no matter if you have grown up, moved out, had your own kids and your own dog. We'll miss you sweet Toby. You'll always have a special place in my heart.

Any old day...

It is funny how the older you get the less your birthday means. Your children's birthday's become these huge celebrations and yours is kind of pushed away. It is birthday season around here lately!! Kennedy has been to a million birthday parties lately and today she helped to celebrate Drew's big 3rd birthday! We walked in Michelle's this morning and she goes over to Drew, hugs him, gives him a kiss, and sweetly says, "Happy Birthday ,Drew!" Gosh, it melted my heart. When it's your own birthday it is memories of so many things. Fun parties, big milestones, but not things that I get nostalgic about. I don't long to go back to that pink birthday party I had when I was three. With my kids, their birthdays bring back a flood of memories. I remember the first time I ever saw their faces, the first time I heard them cry, the first time our families met them, the first time we ever sang them happy birthday, and on and on.... Every year, I think...has it been another year?!!! I remember the moment Drew met Kennedy. They had no clue but it had so much meaning to us. I hoped that they would love each other. I had nothing to worry about on that. She loves him with her whole heart. So, as my birthday approaches, I am not going to push it away. I am going to spend it with my favorite people on earth, my sweet precious family. I'm learning that my birthday might should be celebrated by my mom and not me. I should probably be buying her a present. I never thought about what it was to her because it is MY birthday you know. So, mom, as you think back where you were 30 something...he...he...ok, ok, 31 years ago, know that this year I have a new knowledge. I know what you do each year on my birthday. I know why you tell me the same story about my big bottom over and over. I know how much that day means to you. It was our first day together. 31 years.....goodness gracious! You must be old to have a daughter that old!! It only took me 31 years to understand ,but now I do. I love you. I'm your Kennedy and my goodness that is pretty stinking awesome if you ask me.

GEORGIA! SOUTHERN!

Well, we made it to the game!!! Now aren't you proud?!!! I would like to thank the Free's, Smallman's and Webb's for letting us crash your tailgating! They saved us from the rain!! It was a lot of fun! The kids did great and we made it to half time! Here all some of my favorite pics from the night. :)

All our kiddos! Lillian, Kennedy, Emma, Tucker, Peyton, Whit and Banks....all super cute, huh?

I love this one. Banks is so happy and Whit is like, what are you so happy about? They are so going to be good friends. ;) I wish I had taken one of Whit and Tucker. They were cracking up at each other on the way home.
K and Lil

I LOVE this one too! I have a feeling they are going to be trouble as they get older. K more than Lillian...she is too sweet.

Kennedy tring to be one of the big girls! They are big Pre-K'ers you know.

Cheerleader in training! I love it!!

WOW!! Thanks Jonathan!! You can always count on Jonathan for a little cheerleader flavor. :)

He LOVED it!

The Smith's...I love them. I really, really, hope they stay here forever. For me, really...although I am sure South Carolina will call them home someday, but I am keeping my fingers crossed they stay here!!

And the GAME! Yes, there was also football involved!

Our boys...so sweet!

K and Drewbie

A daddy, his boy, and football. A perfect world. :)

GO EAGLES!!

I will admit that I am a fair weathered fan. I have TWO degrees from Georgia Southern and I really could care less if they win or lose. That is a sad fact, I know. I am ashamed to admit it but I need to be honest. I grew up with UT football. Big college football, big games...mmmm....it was such a treat to get to go to the games. Then I came to Southern and went to a football game and was in shock. I had never been to a non SEC college football game. I enjoyed them as a social aspect but it is nothing like big football. I am also fully aware of how loserish it is to truly love a team you didn't even got to college at but I will always be a Tennessee fan deep down. That was my fall Saturdays growing up. In high school we had big parties on game days. :) Kennedy had a GSU party to go to today so we borrowed a GSU cheerleading outfit. I put it on her and it made me happy. I actually had a little school pride when I saw my daughter wearing MY school colors. So, welcome back, GSU pride. I am going to be more supportive of you from now on!! We might even go to the game today. :)

The best of friends.....they really function like twins. She takes care of him in strange situations. She is always checking on where he is. I love their little relationship. :)

My first attempt at a multilayerd bow. I think it turned out cute!! I am going to get out of control with this soon. Christmas bows, here I come!! I could never justify a specic bow like this for $10 that went with one thing. $1 or $2 for a bow like this...I can handle that! :)

Silly girl

K and Drew...GO EAGLES!

My little cheerleader...this is so cute on her!

Precious...I love this little girl!!

14 Months

I have to think hard to answer the "How old is he?" question. One, is usually my reply. With Kennedy it was 13 1/2 months or whatever the round half or whole was. How silly...:) I think he is very unconcerned about my lack of keeping up with his age. He is busy growing into a little boy and that involves getting into EVERYTHING around here.

I think I enjoyed each stage K has walked through. I remember at this point thinking about how grown up she was. I blogged about her becoming a little girl. I don't think I pushed her through any stage. I really feel like I enjoyed each one. With Whit I find myself lingering in the stages. I guess as much as I tried to soak it all in with K I wanted to see her grow. I started to view her as my older child at this point because by now I was halfway through my pregnancy with Whit. I treat Whit like my baby. Oh, he is just the baby...that is heard a lot around here. I love that waddle. I wish, wish, wish, I could keep it in my mind forever. All too soon he will be running and I will forget. I think my knowledge this time makes me try to soak it in a little more. I probably baby him a little too much. I am totally ok with that. He is my baby. And I think he is pretty stinking precious.

Here is what Whitty is into these days....
*Balls of any kind
*GOLF! He always has a club in his hand in the yard
*Talking: He is the king of one word demands....bite, ball, dog...we also hear a LOT of DA...or BA...which mean nothing but that he wants to say what he is pointing to but doesn't know the word or can't say it. I speak fluent Whit so I can figure out a few things but to the average ear it is DA and BA! He can tell you where his hair is and his toes. He is completely uninterested in the rest of his parts I am trying to teach him. He can show you his shoes. He does not care to make animal sounds. Occasionally you will get a moo or woof but he really doesn't like to do that. SuSu taught him ribbit which comes out as a deep voice roar...but he is saying ribbit. You have to speak fluent Whit to understand that as well. He can say Dew and Jack and I think that is sweet. He has friends. :) I guess Lorelei and Kennedy are a bit harder to say! :)
*He is so good at following directions. This amazes me. I think it is because K still doesn't do it. Whit came to me with something to throw away and says Da! I say, "Go put it in the trash." He walks to the trash and throws it in. He is a smart boy. :)
*He climbs. I think he would be on the counter if he could figure that out.
*"SIDE" this is Whit's version of outside. He goes to the door and yells, "side!" When I mention these one syllable words you need to picture a baby barking a demand. Everything he says is a demand. He yells it. SIDE! Ok, ok, we're going! ;)
*He is now walking very fast. It is close to a run, but he falls on a regular basis. When he sees a step he sits down to go down. So cute...:)
*He gives the best kisses and hugs.
*He is a champion food thrower. We are discussing the importance of keeping your food on your plate. I have also discussed with him the fact that there are not dogs at restaurants to clean up under him. He doesn't care. He still throws.
*He is learning to use a spoon and is pretty good at it.
*He is good at making us happy. He makes everyone in this house a little happier when he is around. Even Riley's life is better with him here. We love you, sweet Whitty Whit.

As always, he is on the go!


I am so, so blessed to have this baby in my life. I wanted a girl so badly. I think all women want a girl deep down. Then when you have a little boy you realize how much you needed him. We need that calmness in this house. Whit has fit into this family and made it feel whole. I am so thankful I didn't have time to worry about ever having a second child. I was just given him. I don't know what great thing I did to deserve him, but I do know I am grateful. Thank you God, for filling my home with these precious little feet. 14 months ago I was worried about how I would make it.....would I be a good mom to two? I don't know how good I have been but my kids seem to be making it. And each day that passes I know that I am blessed. I am so, so proud to be your mommy, Whitfield Daniel. I love you!