Black Friday Bounty!

Wanted to tell everybody what I got last Friday when we went on our shopping extravaganza! We started at 11:00 Thursday night to be exact, and got to the Wal-Mart in Murfreesboro at 11:45. We were totally disgusted about the state of things there and decided to leave! (We have never given up on Wal-Mart before, but it was a total bust) So my mom and I went to Target and waited in line, outside in the sleet, until they opened at 4:00 and we ran through the store getting what we needed. It was GREAT! Then we went to a couple more stores - but I'll just give you the run-down on what all I got:

• New Digital Camera (Nikon L110)


• Dave a NICE new coffeemaker


• TONS of movies for the girls' Christmas


• A dual-screen DVD player for the car


• A new Coach purse (this was Dave's Birthday/Christmas present for me)


• New undergarments (which is totally exciting for me)


• Some clothes and house-shoes for the girls


• A new snow globe for the girls (that is what they collect - both girls LOVE them)


• A new LED flashlight (believe it or not I was really excited about this... I can never find one when I need it and this one was on sale from $20 to $6.99!)


• And a few other items - gifts for other family members and for the girls

It was a huge success! Can't wait to post some pics taken with my new digital camera

Well..... here I go again! It's been a month since my last post and someone in my family has been sick ever since! Tatum has had round after round of illness bless her little heart. She had a cold that turned into a sinus infection that turned into Roseola! Then Cadence brought home a stomach bug (Thank you so much CadiMor) that she gave to EVERYONE! The order of the infected is as follows: Cadence, Dave, Me, Tatum, Mumsie, Uncle Dan, Barbara... hopefully Barbara will be the last. Thankfully, everyone is currently well and I'm praying that we all stay that way. There are just two more weeks until Thanksgiving and I cannot wait! Our Thanksgiving tradition for the last 3yrs has been to have all of the families over to my house for the big meal on Thursday evening. It is always a big hustle/bustle to get everything fixed in time and make sure my house is clean enough, but I LOVE it!!!! I wake up on Thanksgiving morning and immediately get excited about everything going on. I turn on my Christmas music and start cooking and getting out the extra tables and chairs, warms my heart just thinking about it. Then after the family is stuffed, the kitchen is clean and the kids are playing, my mom and I map out our route for the shopping extravaganza to be started in just a few hours. Black Friday is as big a holiday as any other for my mom and me, and we always start out that morning at about 3:00am! We run and shop until we get everything we need, then we eat brunch out somewhere, then we go home to nap and show off our bounty. :) Then on Friday evening - I put up the Christmas Tree!!!!!!! I truly cannot wait to see how the girls react to the tree this year. I have all new ornaments and the colors are great, it's going to be beautiful. So... just had to have that wave of nostalgia... now for updates:

Dave is doing great in school. Making straight As as usual. He just has a few weeks left of this semester and has already registered for his class for next semester. He is on the home stretch of one aspect of school and on the cusp of another. In the Spring he will be applying to the Physical Therapy Assisting Program. I'll tell you all the details of that process when it gets closer to that time, but I am already praying about it.

Cadence is doing well in school. All of the little boys in her class love her, which makes me proud :). (Doesn't do a lot for Dave though I'll tell ya!) She is doing great with the potty training, only having accidents on some days, and telling me most of the time when she needs to go. I don't know what people are talking about the "Terrible Twos" though, because she was great at two.... Now at three... that is a different story! She is SOOOOO strong willed and opinionated! She is totally unrelenting when she makes up her mind, and it usually ends in a spanking or a toy being taken away. Cadence wants to be mean to her sister and aggravate every chance she gets, which makes me angry. I find myself yelling at her a lot and it really makes me feel bad. I don't think that she's gone one full day without getting in trouble in the last 2wks (except for maybe the days that she was sick). I'm hoping that she will realize that I am the boss of her and not the other way around soon so that we can go back to the "Terrific Threes". I still love her to pieces and pieces in case you were wondering ♥.

Tatum is doing well. She is walking when she wants to, but she still thinks that she can crawl faster, so that is her preferred method of travel. She is starting to say more words, like Ball, Balloon, Good Girl, and she makes a little brrrmm noise when playing with any kind of automobile. She is the most ticklish little thing you could imagine and I love to tickle her until she is red in the face from laughing. This daughter of mine is also a Diva though, and likes to get her way. She screetches when she wants to get her point across and that is enough to make you want to scream :). She is having to learn the meaning of the word "No" and doesn't take kindly to the lessons. I love it when she looks at me and pops her little lips in a kissing motion... she wins my smile over with this one a lot now. I love squeezing my little TaTa as much as possible.

As for me, I am good... I find myself thinking about my age a lot lately, probably since my birthday is just around the corner... I will be entering my "Late Twenties" next year and wonder how I'll feel when the big 30 is upon me. Even though I'm not really excited about the numbers of my years flashing by, I am proud of what I have accomplished thus far. I have a job that I love, which earns enough to support my family. I have a wonderful husband who goes out of his way to better himself and do whatever he can for me and the girls. I have two AMAZING daughters who make the sun rise and set for me. I have two families that would and have done anything for me at the drop of a hat. And I have friendships that have been built and thrive on love and trust. There are so many more things I want to do in the coming years, and I can't wait until Dave and I can see our goals come together. But for where I am right now, at 25 years old, I am pretty stinkin' proud of my life. I know that none of it would be possible if I didn't have Jesus as my Savior, and I thank God every day for the gift of His son. I always have so much more than I deserve.

As always, I'll try to do better about posting so that there isn't just a book to post each month :)

Firsts

As usual I can't keep up!
Have a "First" for each girl to report.

Last Thursday a little boy named Jack gave Cadence a flower on the playground... It was the tiniest little dandelion and it hasn't even really bloomed, so all the petals are still inside - but it is still the SWEETEST little flower I've ever seen. When I picked her up her teacher handed me the flower and told Cadence to tell me about it. (I thought that she was going to say that she picked it for me) So Cadence said, "This is MY flower... Jack gave it to me". I cried the whole way from pre-school to the sitter's just because it struck my heart. My little baby got a flower from a boy! Bittersweet. Let's just say that Daddy wasn't as weepy about it as I was... he said "Oh NO! It's way too early for that!"

Then... on Friday night, Tatum took her first steps (unassisted)... toward Dave!!!! Me, her Mumsie, and Pop-Pop have all been working with her for several weeks and Dave had not been in the living room for 2minutes when she just let go and walked to him! I am happy about it, I just wish she would have taken those first steps to me :).

My girles are just growing up way too fast!

Can't Keep Up!

Needless to say since I haven't posted a picture or blog in forever! I will try to get online tonight with pics from both of the girls' birthday parties. Meantime - here is what is going on with them

Cadence:
Attitude Attitude Attitude!!! My goodness this child is full of "piss and vinegar" lately. I thought that the few fits that she had at age 2 were bad, but they are nothing compared to her current demeanor. Luckily, she doesn't show this side to many - she is the perfect angel when we are out or she is at school... in fact I think her teacher thinks she is a little saint :). Also, she hasn't had any fits out in public KNOCK ON WOOD! It is just when we are at home that when I tell her to do something she says "No, my not want to!" Oh lordy, it drives me batty. I have to use my "mom voice" all the time with her. Bless her little heart, I think that SHE thinks that she is the center of the universe and her way is the only way... guess it comes from being my only little girl for 2yrs... I am hoping that she moves on from this stage quickly. I didn't even realize it, but the other day we were riding in the car and I was listening to her sing and I realized that she had just sung the entire alphabet song by herself!!!! I had no idea that she knew it all - kinda makes me sad that she is getting so "big" so quick.

Tatum:
Can we say temper temper??? This fiesty little buggar will throw herself face-down in the floor when you tell her NO about something! And she's so dramatic about it - she just colapses into screaming like you've murdered her dog or something! Every time I tell her No about something she has a little meltdown, and I can't help it - but I laugh at her sometimes! She's just like her big sissy - thinks it's all about her :). She is still just cruising... if she would get brave and let go she could walk just fine on her own, she's just scared. She is is saying several words now... Hi, Bye, DaDa, Look, GoodGirl (to any animal she sees). And she can blow kisses - it just melts me. She follows Cadence around everywhere and loves being in the water.

It is so amazing to see how similar my girls are... I thought that they would be polar opposites, I think most sisters are... but they think just alike! And they "agg" each other on all the time. I think that Dave and I will definitely have our hands full when they are a little older - they will be little co-conspiritors... That's all I have for now - Hopefully pics will follow.

OH - and about my business - I have several things made up and am ready to launch a new website and FaceBook page with pics and info - but I CAN'T come up with a name!.!.!.!.! I have been trying for about a week and still can't seem to come up with anything solid... I'm toying with a few, but nothing has just screamed - "this is your business' name". If any of you have any thoughts please let me know! Thanks :)

Misc.

OK, so I still haven't posted the pics of Cadence's B-Day Party, but I haven't had 5 free minutes in the last few weeks... and this weekend is Tatum's party, so I don't think it'll be this week either! Bless it, sooner or later I will get some pics posted.

We went to Atlanta this past weekend to visit my mom... had an eventful weekend to say the least! Cadence and I both fell and hurt ourselves and Tatum fell off the bed, so we all came home looking like we've been beat! I did win $25 (had to split the $100 prize with others) at Bingo :). I do LOVE to play Bingo when I go to Atlanta.

On a little different note - I love to craft... always have. I used to paint nursery letters for my friends when they were having babies, but I can also paint other things. I have wanted to make things to sell for a couple of years now, so I think I am finally going to take the plunge and try out making and selling custom items. I'm going to make a hairbow holder for Tatum this week/weekend and see about starting up a seperate blog and getting some pics together. Right now I want to start with Hairbow Holders, Nursery Letters and plaques, Kid Measurers, Kids Stools and Mailboxes (yes I know that sounds strange, but I love a custom Mailbox). This is going to help Dave and I supplement our income a little while he is in school and hopefully get a small business endeavor going for me so that one day I can have my own store (a secret dream of mine that I'm now throwing out there for the whole world to know :)). Please be praying for me, and if you have any ideas on a name for my tiny business let me know! Thanks All - have a great week!

Cadence Morgan Reynolds

Although her birthday isn't technically until Monday I wanted to write a few words about my big girl turning 3. I'm flipping through her scrapbook and thinking about how quickly the last few years has gone by... seems like only yesterday...

We went to the hospital at 12:00 a.m. on August 23rd 2007 to be induced. I was already a week overdue, and showed no signs of going into labor myself. I want to also preface this story by noting that I was holding my breath the whole time I was pregnant. I took 6 at home pregnancy tests before calling the doctors office to schedule an appointment and I was SCARED to death! My mom called to wish me Happy Birthday on December 12th and I busted out crying and told her that I had just found out that morning that I was pregnant and Dave and I weren't ready. After having a couple of surgeries for various female problems I wasn't sure that I'd ever have a baby. Then just 3 short months after Dave and I got home from Jamaica we were shocked to find out that we were expecting. I had some spotting at the end of my first trimester and immediately thought that I was miscarrying. I remember Dave driving me to Summit after church that Sunday and holding his hand as tears just rolled down my cheeks. Turned out that I had a few other embryos that were dissolving and I wasn't losing the pregnancy, but they did several tests and finally an ultrasound to make sure. That was the first time that I saw Cadence move. She was like this tiny little jumping bean with arms and hands (makes me cry right now). I was so proud of those ultrasound pictures ♥. I had a dream when I was about 8wks that I was having a little girl, but we had to wait until I was 21wks to find out, and sure enough - we were expecting a little princess :). I didn't gain much weight and had an aversion to meat of any kind the whole time I was pregnant with her... and I was still holding my breath. I was excited on the outside, but SO scared to get my hopes up on the inside. When it finally came time to be induced I was so anxious I wanted to scream. SO... when I went in to be induced they immediately gave me a tablet of cervadil to encourage my cervix to dilate. By 6 a.m. I still had not dilated AT ALL, but Dr. J went ahead and broke my water to see if that would jump start dilation. After about 9 hours of contractions I finally decided on an epidural but was still only dilated to about 6cm. At one point the nurse rushed into the room and flipped me onto my side and put an oxygen mask over my face because Cadence's heart rate had dropped so much due to the long labor. As I lay there hour after hour I kept thinking "This is it... she's going to die, I've made it all the way to the end and my baby isn't going to survive this." I wish, looking back, that I would have had more faith in God about it, but I was so emotionally exhausted that I couldn't make myself believe that it was going to be OK. Finally, at about 11:00 the doctor came in to check me before going home and discovered that I was fully dilated. Due to having surgery on my cervix before, it was extremely scarred and resistant to opening. When the doctor checked me before I could push she said "Your baby is face up", which makes it impossible to get the baby out. Luckily, she was able to turn Cadence in just a few short minutes and I began to push. I remember that everyone was saying encouraging words while I was pushing (which wasn't long) but I didn't hear any of it (I saw it later on the video)... It seemed almost quiet in my mind as I was waiting for what I knew would be one of the most important moments in my life. I heard Dr. J say "The cord is around her neck.. (pause).. and her body". "Oh but I've got that off, and it looks like she's coming out with her arm first". Then it happened. A tiny tiny little conehead was laid up on my belly and she was howling like a baby calf. When she heard me talking to her she quietened down and was as awake and alert as she could be. She formed an immediate connection with Dave and seemed to be winking at him from the start. When the nurse took her from me to get her cleaned up I just started sobbing. I don't think that anyone can truly understand or describe that moment when you realize the gift that you've been given in your brand new baby. It's like God just chose to grant you this one miracle and it's so overwhelming. I knew then that she was meant to live and I was meant to be her mother.

That was 3 years ago and I still remember it so well. I've cried the whole time I've been writing this entry just because I still can't get over how blessed I have been to be Cadence's Mommy. She has brought so much joy to my family and Dave's family and has made my whole existence worthwhile. When she started pre-school last week I thought that I would have a breakdown, but she has surpassed all my expectations and has taken to it like a fish in water. She has always been a troublesome little thing, a diva, and a rambunctious child her whole life, but I couldn't imagine her any other way. I feel strongly convicted that the whole reason for my being put on this Earth is to be my baby girls' Momma. They have brought so much meaning and joy to my life.

Cadence's First Day of Pre-School

I don't know if I've ever posted about this, but since Tatum came home from the hospital Cadence has been sleeping in the bed with me. Dave works 3rd shift, so the girls and I are home alone at night (don't worry, we have PLENTY of protection) so I haven't really tried to push her out of the bed with me. So last night, as we were laying in bed, she was rubbing on my nightgown and giggling at me (a usual thing for her) and I couldn't help but shed a tear. I knew that this morning I would wake her up and get her ready for her first day at pre-school and it was going to be bittersweet. Cadence woke up in a great mood today... excited about school from the start. She walked into her class, sat down, and said "Bye Momma!" So I left her there... went to the car... and had a little cry :). My big girl is so... ... BIG! She did great all day at school and was really excited to go to the new sitter, Mrs. Ashley, 's house. Her and Tatum did really well there this afternoon and Cadence threw a fit when Dave went to get them because she didn't want to leave! I could not have asked for a better day for my baby girls. God has truly answered my prayers.

Fair Pics

Busy

I know that I'm seriously slacking on posting Fair pics... but I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off lately! I am SO busy this month - here's what's going on:
Aug. 10 - Cadence's first day of pre-school. OMG - I don't think I could be any more emotional about this. Where has time gone? I remember holding my breath for the 9 1/2 months I carried her and now I'm holding my breath for her to start Day School.
Aug. 15 - Father-in-law's Birthday, we usually do dinner for this
Aug. 21 - Cadence's Birthday Party - finally got the silly hats and centerpieces for this made last night... This is also mine and Dave's 4yr wedding anniversary. I don't think we'll be able to go out on this night or maybe even weekend, but maybe soon after
Aug. 23 - Cadence's 3rd birthday. I have to work this day, but I still want to make it special for her so I'm thinking I'll take her a present home.
Then September will be here and we'll have Tatum's birthday bash to choreograph!
I'm hoping that I'll be able to take a couple of pics tomorrow of Cadence going to her first day of pre-school, so maybe I'll be able to post these along with the Fair pics. Everyone please say a little prayer for all the little ones starting Day School tomorrow :/

♥ Winner's Circle ♥

I don't have time right this minute to post the pics, but I promise I will soon. Just wanted to tell the world that BOTH of my baby girls got 1st Runner Up in their DeKalb County Fair Pageants!!! I felt like I was on cloud 9! I wasn't really that surprised that Tatum placed because she just cheeses all over the place all the time and she grinned so big to the judges. But Miss Priss didn't really show off her beautiful smile in her pageant... the judges got to see Miss "I'm hot and really tired of this mess" face :). She still placed though! Also, Cadence got to ride several rides and play several games this year. I can't wait to post the pics, hopefully I can get it done tonight or tomorrow.

Droid and iPad

I am actually posting this from my brand new iPad!! As excited as I was to get my new phone today - which turned out to be a Droid- I was totally floored by getting this iPad as a surprise gift. I can't even begin to describe how excited I am about this... And it'll probably take me 2 yes to figure everything out, but I don't care. From now on if any of you have any question as to what to get me for a gift - iTunes gift card it is!!!!!!

Bye Bye

Last night my little Tater waved and SAID "Bye Bye" to her Pa... I was getting so mushy about it, in fact, I'm tearing up just typing about it! She's been working on saying it for a week or two now, but hasn't put the waving and saying it together like that. Her chubby little hand was just opening and closing and I couldn't believe that she had done it! It is so amazing to me that just in the last 3 wks she has started pulling up to standing, saying so much, and fussing when I say No. She can say: DaDa, Hi, Uh-Oh, and Bye Bye. She is just like her big sister when she cries out after being scolded too. My babies are just growing up WAY too fast!

Cadence got in trouble Saturday night for acting like she was smoking her blue crayon at The Old Spagetti Factory... we don't know where she got that because nobody in either family smokes, but she did it none the less! Then she also colored all over my car window because she snuck that same crayon into the car! But she's still my sweet angel - she still tells me that I'm her best friend.

My daughters are the best thing that has ever happened to me ♥

Cadence at Olive Garden with her olive on her finger (her usual thing)

Tatum pulling all the books off the bookshelf (her usual thing)

Tatum - 9 months

Tater Bug's 9 month check-up was yesterday and all went really well. Here are her stats:
22lbs, 3oz - 90%
27 inches - 30%
Can't remember head circumference, but I'll edit it in here later :)

I told the doctor that I was concerned about her weight, but she told me, AGAIN, that there was absolutely nothing wrong with Tatum's weight and that she was perfectly healthy. She said that Tatum just looks so rolly because she is so short and that between 9 and 12 months, and especially when she starts walking, that she will slim out some. She said to give her carrots, celery, and steamed veggies to snack on as well as any soft fruit. Developmentally she is doing "excellent" and is reaching every milestone she should be at this age. She didn't have to have shots, but did have to have her finger pricked to check for anemia. All in all a great visit.

On a side note, Cadence was talking to Dr. C about her baby sister and Dr. C looked at me with this big grin and said "My my, she sure does have a drawl doesn't she!" I said Oh Yeah! :D

Meanwhile, we have been shopping like crazy for the girls' pageant outfits... I know exactly what I want, just trying to find the cheapest way to get it :) I'll let you know how that goes - I hope Cadence does well again this year, but more importantly I hope that she has FUN prissing around stage in her outfit.

A few little milestones

This week Tatum started sitting up on her own... now when I say "sitting up" I mean that she has figured out how to make it from her belly to her bottom :). We haven't actually seen her do it, but when we have been going into her room to get her out of her crib she is sitting up grinning like the cheshire cat ♥. I know that we are going to blink and she will be pulling up, standing, walking, and then running - it goes by way too fast!

Cadence's new favorite thing to do is sing - she sings (screams) at the top of her lungs all the time and about everything. She will even pretend that she has a microphone to sing into!

I took both of the girls to the pool yesterday, we went with my friend Lynn and her little boy Jordan who is exactly one year younger than Cadence. All of the babies had a good time, but I think Tatum liked the water best of all - she did SO good for it to be her first time. I hope that we are able to go to the pool several more times this Summer.

I didn't want to post them yet, but I just cannot help myself - here are just a couple of the newest pics of Cadence and Tatum (and Dallas :)) from Tatum's 9month photo session. As always - Lisa Nixon of Loving Touch Photography did them, and they only get better at each session since we are finally getting the girls to both cooperate for pics :).

A few VACA pics (as promised)

Dave & Cadence at the top of Fort Pulaski

Cadence looking at a nest inside the cannon



This was underground in a storage bunker! It was pretty neat

Here they are standing on top of an undergroud tunnel

Me and my big girl before we got started

Swinging in a hammock at the cottage with Tatum ♥

Isn't she just a little doll?

Cadence and her Pop-Pop