Logan

My Guy

Poser

I never even dreamed that having a boy in the house would be this fun. There are a few things that are just uniquely boy.
1- Obsessions with dirt and tractors.
2- Hugs that can melt your heart.
3- Thinks bodily noises are hilarious.
4- Hates winter because he just wants to go outside

5- Wants Daddy when it's time to play and Mommy when it's time to snuggle

Logan has had kind of a rough go of it so far this year. He had tubes put in and his adnoids taken out. Alyssa had the same surgery when she was 18 months old. her recovery was absolutely nothing. But, poor Logan, he fevered for a full week afterward. He really wasn't my happy guy for two weeks. We are all hoping that the tubes will solve our ear infection woes.


All smiles on his way into the hospital, not so much on the way out

Gracie

Emma Grace is at such a cute age. She keeps us smiling even when we feel like crying. Here are a few of her latest:

1- At church a month or so ago I found myself in the hall with two rowdy children. (Logan and Emma Grace) While we were wondering the halls Logan discovered that he is now tall enough to play in the water fountain. Oh what joy, he was just so cute that I didn’t have the heart to stop him. And, truth be told he wasn’t completely soaked, so why bother. He was finally happy. Well, Emma Grace knows that playing in the water fountain is not acceptable Sunday behavior and she was going to see to it that her brother learned his lesson. On her approach toward Logan I warned her not to touch him. So, she stopped a few feet away, started performing a beautiful tap dance accompanied by a lovely song about not playing in the water fountain. She really put on a good show and had Logan paid any attention at all he maybe would have learned his lesson. As it stood, water is far to distracting. Emma Grace seeing that her quest was futile, stomped her feet, marched back to where I stood watching, put her hands on her hips and with a big sigh said, “Well, that didn’t work.”

Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam

2- Our little darling started attending the “Sunbeam” class in “Big Primary” at church. I just have to say before I start that Emma Grace really hated nursery. It wasn’t the leaders in nursery. I’m not really certain what the problem was, but the child would not go to nursery unless Mike or I stayed with her. So, it was with baited hook that we waited to see what her reaction would be to Sunbeams. We taught her the “Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam” song, we talked, but not too much, about how great big primary is, and then we took her to her new class.
Oh happy day, she loved it! Sister Hammond was there to greet her as soon as we walked in the door. Emma Grace looked at her and said, “Hi, I am Emma Grace. I’m 3 days old.” (I keep trying to tell her that she years not days, but when you’re nervous you revert back to old habits.) Anyway, she absolutely loved it. Her only complaint was that I took too long to come and get her. I guess I’m glad she missed me. I missed her too. But, I still get to enjoy nursery because she taught Logan everything she knows before moving on.

3- Emma Grace loves pink. She loves the color so much that she feels it a very important part of who she is. It is not a rare thing to hear her say, "hello, I'm Gracie. My fabrit color is pink."

Pink, Pink, Pink!

4- We love to play tea party and store. While shopping at Hobby Lobby the other day Gracie put her selections on the counter and said, "Hello my maam. We would like these please."

Gracie and Lacy

5- Gracie is so full of love. There are times when she just cannot contain it. Her prayer a few nights ago was a great example. In a not small voice she started, "Heavenly Father, I Love EVERYONE. I love mommy and daddy and Granny and Mommy and Cozettie and Nanna and Mommy and Lissy and Grandpa and Mommy and Grandma and Mommy and Logan and Grandad and Daddy and Mommy. Amen" I felt pretty special that I was not left out of her outburst of love.

6- Gracie is starting to sing, ALOT. She makes up little ditties about anything she has to say. My favorite goes like this: I really love as you, you I love as you. I really really love as you.

She sings it over and over, and if you interupt or think she is finished she lets you know how rude you are to interupt her beautiful music.


7- Gracie loves to dance. Her and Logan enjoy improv.

Note the prints on the dishwasher, they're footprints

8- Gracie can wink with both eyes!

Right eye

Left eye

It starts

As part of Alyssa's Christmas class party Mrs. Anderson planned a Christmas in the Big Woods. The parents brought in breakfast of hot cakes, biscuits, bacon, sausage, grits, and O.J.

We played games, and then the kids had a square dance. Mrs. Anderson told the kids that at a real square dance there was no teacher to assign partners. The boys were in charge of asking the girls to dance, and the girls were to be polite.

Well, if that wasn't enough to cause a rukus I don't know what would. The kids were all in a flutter. While they were eating their breakfast the boys would sneak away to ask a girl to dance. The girls were giggling and discussing how many boys had asked them to dance. I asked Alyssa if she had been asked. She said that Luke had asked her and she had told him maybe.

I then walked by the boys table to hear them dicussing the same thing. Some of them were talking about who they were going to ask. One little guy said he was going to ask Alyssa. Well, you should have heard the uproar from Luke. "I already asked her, she's mine." "No. She didn't say yes. Maybe is not yes."

I went back to Alyssa and told her that she needed to say yes or no. That she was causing some drama at the boys table. So, she walked over to their table, waited until she had Lukes full attention and then said, "Yes." Then she walked away.

"Yahoo! Yes! That's the way to get the girl! Give me five!" These are the exclamations heard from the boys. I heard Luke tell Mrs. Anderson all about it. He was very excited.

When the time for dancing came Mrs. Anderson disappointed the Romeo crowd by making them dance with their Moms. The last dance she let them dance with whomever they chose. Timidly they paired off and danced the dance.

Luke and Alyssa have been buddies since kindergarten. He's a sweet boy, but I don't want anyone putting designs on my baby just yet.

White Christmas 2010

This Christmas was different from any other Christmas. Jay and Kathy came out to celebrate with us. We have asked them several times to come out, but it wasn’t until Savannah asked that the answer was yes. I think they had a great time watching the kids get so excited.
Christmas Eve we had a party with friends. The Daltons, Andrades, Simpsons, and Dollars came over for lunch and games. Bingo with prizes was a favorite for the kids. The adults competed for the coveted ping-pong trophy. The Dollars won. You would think that since it’s our table that we would rock the competition, but sadly, no we did not make a good showing at all. Next year is our year I’m just sure of it.

The Boys: Brad, Patrick, Jay, & Mike (missing Andy)

The Girls: Jeannie, Betsy, & Esther (missing Jessica)

More Girls: Kathy & Betsy

Fierce concentration

Ping-Pong is a contact sport: all participants must sign a waiver

The Hunter

The Hunted

The Victim

After the party we took a break and watched Santa Paws. That evening we assigned parts for the Nativity. Emma Grace was Mary. She was very tender with her baby. I spoke with her about who Mary was. I explained to her that Mary was baby Jesus’ Mommy. That she rode on a donkey a long way and then had the baby In a stable. We talked about the star and the shepherds. It was a very sweet conversation. She added that Mary loved the baby. I confirmed that yes she loved him very much. She replied, “That’s right Mommy, Good Job, that’s what my teacher told me, too.”

Mary Mother Mild

That was the extent of our full family pagent. The babies were too tired to last any longer. Savannah and Alyssa's version of the story was a bit more dramatic.

No, you can't stay here! There's no room!

Angels we have heard on high!

PJ's for all

Hiding from Santa is a big deal at our house. Santa writes us a note letting us know how the deliveries are going and what time we should be sure to be asleep. We make sure that we are waiting to watch the big guy at work. Grandma and Grandpa had never seen Santa in action. They were very excited. We all got into our hiding places and Savannah acted the Santa role. “Ho Ho Ho. The Baughs are a great family. Grandpa I can see your head. Ho Ho. Savannah sure has been good, but Alyssa is on the naughty list. (Hee Hee). Grandma your hair is fluffy I can see it.” When everyone was sufficiently hidden then girls were encouraged to go to sleep. Yeah, right.
Santa came right on time and we were there to see it all. Amazing how he knows all about us, even that Logan needs to quit hitting Emma Grace. He spoiled us rotten as usual. The kids got new ATV’s and the babies got John Deere’s.

The cherry on the top of our perfect day was when snow started falling from the heavens. Real snow. Real go sledding, build a snowman snow. The girls had fun sledding down our hill.

Christmas is a fun time. It’s fun to be with family and friends. It’s also fun to remember the eternal gifts that were given to us. Jesus Christ, is attonement, and the gift of Resurrection. I love my Savior and I love celebrating His birth.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Goodnight

stuffed with fluff

I made some "PRAY" pillows for my young women for Christmas. I had to buy several bags of fluff to stuff them all. One day while I was otherwise engaged my babies let me know that I should "stuff it".

Snow!!!???? Kind of.

The kids were so excited when they looked out the window to see SNOW! Too bad it didn't stick to anything and all their dreams of school being canceled were smashed.

Preschool Christmas Program

Emma Grace loves her preschool. She comes home full of stories and adventures of the day. One of the highlights of the year is the Christmas program. All of the little children come to school dressed in their festive attire. They get to perform for their parents in the main worship hall. It really is a beautiful thing to see tiny children singing praises to our King.

Emma Grace was in rare form. She sang with her whole soul. There was a particular note in a song that she loved the very best. To show her enthusiam for it she raised both hands above her head when she sang it. I really think she thought the whole crowd was there just to see her. At the end of every song she would put on her most humble face, close her eyes, and take a little bow. It was hysterical.

Emma Grace with Ms. Elina