July...holiday, happy baby and head trauma?

July has been an eventful month...I captured a few photos on the 4th, even though we didn't do anything special. TJ and I watched a tribute in D.C., and he danced to all the music--especially Huey Lewis!

And if the 4th wasn't enough flair...on Friday, July 11th (my dad and little sister's birthday), TJ slipped on a toy in our living room and fell face first into the edge of our coffee table! He screamed and his head started gushing blood! (This is no exaggeration...and I was calm thru the whole thing...but it bled very bad.) The only thing I could do was sit him in our kitchen sink so that he could play with the water while I held something on his head to try and stop the bleeding. In about two minutes, I called the pediatrician and Buckie at work. I knew before they said so that TJ would need stitches for this deep cut. So, Buckie rushed home from work (and thank goodness he works just around the corner from us now), we changed TJ's clothes (he was soaked from playing in the sink), put a bandage on his head, and loaded up in the car. TJ did very good being seen by the doctor and having the stitches put in--with the help of the full-body "cocoon" they use to hold children's arms and legs and body still. He came away with a smile and a really cool crayon bandaid! We were there so long that we went thru a drive-thru to get him a Happy Meal on the way home. I think he'd bonk his head again if it means he gets a Happy Meal! The next photo is the next morning...while eating breakfast. Still more smiles! I think he liked all the attention and photos! :)

Later that afternoon, I took a picture of him on top of the coffee table he took out with his head! He is "making a muscle" in this one! He loves to do that! And he just HAD to stand on the table to show how much stronger than that table he really is! He also liked the super cool Scooby Doo bandaids we got for his head while it heals!

And I cannot forget about Miss Sadie! She is growing so fast! She has the cutest smile and flashes it whenever she catches your eye and while watching some of her toys. Tonight, just before she went to bed, she actually chuckled a little bit while "talking" to me! She likes to gurgle and I think she's going to be my little conversationalist!

Sadie also reached a milestone this week that I definitely did NOT expect this early! She is now sleeping 12 HOURS at night!!!! WOOHOO! I haven't pushed her or given her formula at night or anything...she just seems to sleep very well!

She also is rolling over from tummy to back! At first, it was "accidental" from pushing with her legs when she wakes up on her tummy. But now, she does it on purpose to roll over onto her back when she wakes up every time! The good thing is that she doesn't get scared when she rolls over like TJ did--he always looked like a roach that had run into the wall in the corner and rolled over with its legs up! :) But Sadie just lies there and smiles at whatever she can see...and sometimes that is NOTHING since it's pitch-black dark in her room! She is just the most peaceful and content baby I have EVER been around!

I am so thankful to have the babies I have! TJ is so resilient and can take anything! And Sadie is calm and patient...thank GOD!...since she often has to wait for what she wants since she has a big brother who is on full-speed-ahead these days!

And...just a side note for those of you reading...I have really gotten into babywearing with Sadie, and we both LOVE it! I've got a great ring sling (Maya Wrap Lightly Padded) now that goes with me everywhere--and I use it with both TJ and Sadie at times. And I just ordered a new Kozy Carrier mei tai carrier--one I can put TJ and/or Sadie on my back at times! I am so excited for it to get here! It should free up my hands a bit more for chasing TJ around! And...if you are interested in more info about babywearing or the different types of carriers (and you live in the Birmingham area), check out www.magiccityslingers.com, and any of the links that are shown! I went last month for the first time and it was GREAT! Maybe I'll see you there!

Great summer to you all!

Dedicated to Sadie!!!

This post is dedicated to Sadie...because she was dedicated at our church this morning! It is not a formal event, we just take the babies up front with all the others and have the entire church pray for them and for our family. TJ was so funny on stage--he kept pointing at everything and asking "what's that?" (he has never been in "big church" before). We got someone to take pics for us so we'd have some of her dedication Sunday.


And while I'm on here--I'll share a few pics of TJ and his latest...andI must share the stories behind them, too!

I went down the hall to change Sadie's diaper in her room one morning and came back to find TJ had crawled up into her baby swing and was swinging away!! He never liked this swing when he was an infant, but now that Sadie gets to swing, he wants to! I'm going to have to get him a toddler swing for him to ride--one that can support his weight better than this one!





And--on the same day that he crawled into the swing, I walked into the kitchen from our living room (which, for those of you who have been here, it's about 4 feet away). I heard a whine after only a few seconds of entering the kitchen. I walked back out to find that TJ had gotten himself into quite a predicament this time. He usually turns this copper bin upside down and sits on it or bangs on it...this time he forgot to turn it over apparently...because he ended up IN it!!! His face says it all...

TJ is such a character! He gets into stuff sometimes...but what 18-month-old doesn't?!? Overall, he is a GREAT little boy and a super big brother--he absolutely LOVES giving Sadie kisses whenever he can! And she just grins at him when he does! They are going to be quite a pair as they get older together!

Happy Fourth of July and enjoy the rest of your summer!