Triple A Girls

Sleepover!!

2010-09-05T12:46:00.000-07:00

Over the summer, we had cousin Ally over for a sleepover! The girls had a blast! It was so cute. They all wanted to sleep on the
floor in the living room. Ava tried, but it was too exciting for her, so she ended up in her crib. The next day, I took them to
storytime at the library. They were so good. They all sat by each other (even Ava) and listened to the stories. What big girls!

Branson 2010

2010-07-11T20:57:00.000-07:00

My mom, Shannon, and me took the kiddos to Branson earlier this summer. Alexis brought along her friend, Abby, and Ava got to stay home with Daddy and hang out with Papaw Tom. It was a really fun little trip. I hope we continue to do something like this every summer! The kids really enjoyed it!

Ally and AK on the way

AK and Ally with Santa in front of the Christmas Store

Alexis and Abby with our waiter (Jason Yeager from Season 7 of American Idol, top 12 finalist) at Hard Luck
Diner ( where all the waiters sing) The girls thought that was the neatest thing!

The girls on the Tea Cups at a little amusement park by our hotel

Wizard of Oz Play

2010-07-11T20:41:00.000-07:00

Shannon and I took the kids to see the Wizard of Oz play. Alexis was a big fan (and still is) when she was younger and now Noah, Ally, and AK are really into it. It was a really good production! Shannon, Ally, and Alexis were having fun singing along, while I think AK was in awe of the entire show. She is my very observant one. She likes to just sit and watch intensely and take it all in. Alexis is my dramatic one and likes to join in on the fun!

Ava at 20 months!

2010-07-11T20:38:00.000-07:00

Ava was 20 months on June 23rd! This is the age Anna Klaire was when she was born!! Wow! I remember when she was born and it made AK look SO big!! I still picture Ava as my Baby Ava, not a toddler. She loves playing in her room with the girls' kitchen. She makes all of us come in there and points to the floor and wants us to sit so she can serve us. She loves to play with her babies and I think I have created another "Princess" girl!! She is in love with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The girls have the little figurines of all of them and her favorite is Dopey. Every morning when she wakes up and I get out of her bed she always says "Drink and Hi-Ho". She wants something to drink and she wants to watch "Hi-Ho" which is Snow White. As you can guess, her favorite part is when the dwarfs are singing "Hi-Ho." I will sometimes catch her in her room playing with all of them and singing "Hi-ho, Hi-ho." I just tiptoe in there to listen but make sure she doesn't see me. It is precious!

Father's Day 2010

2010-07-11T20:18:00.000-07:00

Softball, Softball, Softball

2010-06-18T22:08:00.000-07:00

Whoo! What a season we had in softball! I had the priviledge to help coach this season, and it was such
a joy! The girls just amazed me with their sweet personalities and aggressiveness at in the field. I never thought I
would get into the game as much as I did. I really enjoyed watching Alexis grow and learn so much this
season. I am so very proud of her! She had 3 home runs this season on top of a single-double play!!
Our record was 8 wins to 4 losses. Not bad at all! I think we are going to try some tournaments over the summer.
Alexis is very interested so we think it would be good to just keep going. Here are a few pics from some of the games!
It was hard for me to be the photographer on top of trying to help coach! But, it was a lot of fun!
Go Waller Storage!

Talent Show

2010-06-18T21:37:00.000-07:00

Alexis sang Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me" this year in her school-wide talent show.
She did an excellent job! She has been participating in the talent show every year since
Kindergarten. However, this year was different. It was in front of the entire primary school (K-3rd).
In years past, the talent show was held during the regular music class. But, you would have never thought
she was nervous! I'm really proud of her. She would practice all the time before the "big day" in the car or in her
room. I was able to video tape it as well. If I ever find the cord for the computer, I will have to upload the video.
Good Job, Alexis! Mommy loves you and is very proud of all your accomplishments in the 3rd grade.

"If You're Happy and You Know It..."

2010-06-18T19:33:00.000-07:00

During Anna Klaire's daycare end of the year program, her little class sang "If You're Happy and
You Know It." It was precious! She did really good. She was a little shy at first, but as the song went on
she really started to get into it. They were all so cute!

AK showing me she got a happy face that day during class time

Watching her teacher

"Clap your hands...." now she's getting the hang of it

"If Your Happy and You Know It, Shout AMEN!!" Yay, Anna Klaire!

Muffins for Mom

2010-06-18T19:24:00.000-07:00

I was very fortunate to get to go to the girls' Muffins for Moms for Mother's Day! Thanks to a wonderful parent of one of my students
for coming in one morning while I ran to the girls' daycare to eat some muffins with my babies. It was so sweet! Anna Klaire made a
cute little butterfly magnet and colored me a beautiful picture. Alexis was at her school, since it was a Friday morning so I didn't get a chance to get a picture of her on this day. So, I had to post a picture of us two taken one day before church. Mother's Day just keeps
getting better and better every year! I love my three babies so much!

Disney on Ice

2010-06-18T19:07:00.000-07:00

During the weekend of Disney on Ice, I came down with strep. I was planning on taking the girls with my mom,
but Papa had to step in and help. Ava stayed with Lolli and Pops. I heard the production was great and the three
princesses had a magical time! Thanks Mimi and Papa for taking the girls! And thanks Lolli and Pops for helping with
Ava. Glad to say that none of the girls or Kyle caught my strep! Thank goodness!

Just Stuff.....

2010-05-16T14:11:00.000-07:00

As I sit here listening to the rain fall down outside, I am reminded of how blessed I am! So, instead of doing housework or taking a nap with the two little ones, I decided that I needed to blog about some things while I have a chance. Alexis has been gone all weekend with some great friends to the Memphis Zoo, so I had just the two little sweet babies. And yes, how sweet they are! I was able to enjoy the two of them yesteday by taking them to a Princess Tea Party/ Fashion Show, which is right up AK's alley. She was in awe the entire time. Later that night, they both spent the night with Mimi and Papa. But, boy did I miss all 3 of them! It's bittersweet, I guess, for when you get a little break from your kiddos why do I still miss them with all my heart and want them with me! I know that's funny, but that is how I feel! This is also one reason I needed to just blog.....let it all out!

So, here are some updates on my 3 little miracles who I can not imagine life without:

Alexis: 9 in a half

Where do I start?! She loves playing sports, but still is my girly girl. It's so neat to watch her play softball b/c it's like a different girl out there from last year. She has become more aggressive and competitive. She is a good sport and cheers for the others. She plays with and lets her sisters play with her things a lot more (don't know how much longer that will last), but she is doing really good with them. She is a great friend to all and doesn't want to leave anyone out. I'm so very proud of her sweet heart and caring attitude to others.

Anna Klaire: 3

I know I say every age is a fun age, but this is really a sweet age! She's still is into princesses, dressing up, singing, playing Mommy and Daddy, and playing little mother hen to Ava. And wow, how surprised I am on how she treats Ava....Ava could pull her hair or try to lay on her or something, and all AK will say is "Mommy, Ava pulled my hair!" She is so sweet, she will not even turn around and do something back to Ava. So, I really have to watch little Ava around her big sis. Here are some funny sayings AK has said:

Mom, you didn't watch Sissy's game, you just coached
Just walking around the house she will say, "Mom? I love you!"
She wants to hear that country song, "I Need You Now" all the time

Ava: 19 months

Whoo! She is jabbering up a storm and has been for awhile. She will say something that sounds foreign and it will go on and on and then she will laugh afterwards. She will holler out "Momma?" if I am somewhere else in the house and when I say "yes", she will continue to tell me something in jibber jabber (and she knows what she is saying). She will also do that with her toy phones and have the biggest conversation for the longest time with laughing and all. Here is what she is saying(what we can understand) and doing at this age:

"Wassy" for passy(pacifier)
Loves to give big hugs and kisses
Loves to sing "Deep and Wide"
Loves to play babies and hold and rock them

I'm sure there are many more things that these 3 are into right now, but as the rain fades away, I'm starting to hear some little girls' voices waking up. So, I better go!

More of Miss Ava and Daddy

2010-05-08T10:35:00.000-07:00

Happy Girl who loves to be outside

Doing a little dance

They look just alike!

Hi Mommy!!

Daddy and Ava

2010-05-08T10:33:00.000-07:00

Daddy's going to get her!

Daddy's girl

Daddy taking care of his little girl

Ava at the Park

2010-05-08T10:30:00.000-07:00

One evening, Kyle and I took Ava to the park all by herself. She loved it!! She did not want to leave. She could have swung for hours, but she loved the slide and she loved just running around in the wide open field! We had a blast with her! I can't believe she is 18 months+ already. That's a toddler, not a baby anymore! Ava: Mommy and Daddy love you very much!

More Easter with Cousins

2010-04-24T17:22:00.000-07:00

Easter with Cousins

2010-04-24T17:19:00.000-07:00

My family at Easter

2010-04-24T17:14:00.000-07:00

More Easter 2010

2010-04-24T17:11:00.000-07:00

What a busy Easter weekend the girls had! I think they ended up going to 3 Easter Egg Hunts: one at Maumelle park, our Church hunt, and one at Shannon's house! It was a lot of fun! The Easter Bunny gave them a scavenger hunt to find their baskets. They had to read the clues and go all over the house to finally find them in the laundry room. After church, we went to Shannon's for Easter lunch and had a hunt and Noah and Alexis dyed some eggs with Mimi. The little girls were too busy playing dress-up, babies, or running around outside. Oh, what a beautiful day it was!

Easter 2010

2010-04-24T17:01:00.000-07:00

Ava at 18 months!

2010-04-24T16:57:00.000-07:00

Ava at 18 months!

2010-04-24T16:53:00.000-07:00

Anna Klaire and Ally

2010-04-09T18:52:00.000-07:00

I love how AK is looking at her sweet cuz, Ally!

My sweet baby who is growing up way too fast!
She told me the other day that "crows eat corn" and
"Mimi is Papa's wife", and "Mom, go quickly!" She is
is like a little sponge! She soaks up everything she hears!

Anna Klaire and Ally--Cousins/Best Friends

Ava is 17 Months!

2010-03-23T18:02:00.000-07:00

More Snow Day with Ava

2010-03-23T17:54:00.000-07:00

Ava loved the snow ball!

Trying to kick the ball

What a happy girl!

Daddy and Ava

Snow Day!

2010-03-23T17:48:00.000-07:00

Papa and the girls on the four wheeler

Alexis and Papa doing do-nuts

Alexis and Anna Klaire sledding

More Princess Party Pics

2010-02-12T19:27:00.000-08:00

More of Princess Anna Klaire's Birthday!

2010-02-12T19:17:00.000-08:00

Playing pass the "Poison Apple"

Snow White

First seeing Snow White

Alexis, AK, and Snow White

Happy 3rd Birthday Anna Klaire!

2010-02-12T19:12:00.000-08:00

Anna Klaire turned 3 on February 9th! We had her "Princess Party" at the house.
She is very much into princesses! You name it, she has it when it comes to princesses.
Every little girl dressed up as their favorite princess and even the little boys dressed up
as a prince. It was kind of crazy at first and as the day was going on, I was thinking to
myself, "why did I have this at my house?!". It sounded like a good idea a month ago, but
not today! However, it turned out great! The highlight was when Snow White arrived!
Anna Klaire didn't know what to think at first, but then she loosened up and started talking.
When I asked her what was her favorite part of her bday, she said Snow White! Now, when we
are reading a princess book and she sees Snow White, she says, "she came to my party." It was a
fun day! So happy for pictures b/c now she will be able to look at these for years to come in her album!
Happy Birthday, Anna Klaire Bear! I love you very much!

Basketball

2010-02-09T21:02:00.000-08:00

This is Alexis' first year to play basketball. She plays for Upward and is loving it.
It is really a great program and she is doing so well and learning so much.
I have really enjoyed watching and cheering her on. The atmosphere and positive
attitude from everyone makes the game so much fun. Here are a few pictures from
one of her games.

Alexis running out when her name was called

Praying before the game

Playing Defense

Getting ready to shoot!

9 years old!

2010-02-08T19:09:00.000-08:00

Alexis' 9th Birthday

2010-02-08T19:05:00.000-08:00

Happy 9th Birthday Alexis!

2010-02-08T19:01:00.000-08:00

Alexis turned 9 on January 16th! She had her bday party at the Ice Skating Rink. Wow! I can't believe it! It just seems like yesterday that my sister, Shannon, was driving me and her dad to the hospital after my water broke! We were all so very excited and nervous! It was such a joyful experience! It's sometimes hard to remember when she was a baby 9 years a go....but sometimes I can really feel those feelings like I did when she was born! I just fell in love with her when I saw her and I just love her more and more every day! She is growing up so fast! She is still such a sweet little girl and has become my best friend. Happy 9th Birthday, Lexy Poo! I love you very much! Love, Mommy

Ava is 15 Months!

2010-01-23T15:57:00.000-08:00

Ava is 15th months today! (She was around 14 months when these pictures were taken...I'm a little behind!) She is such a doll! She loves to dance, play with her sisters, play with her baba (baby), and go bye-bye. Here are some words she is saying at this age: ball, balloon, baba for baby, sissy sometimes, Papaw, Paul for my brother Jon Paul, Mommy and Daddy real clear, hi, bye-bye, blow (when we clean her nose, we tell her to blow and she does, and then she will try to say blow). She loves sleeping on a pillow, and when I say on, I mean literally her entire body is on the pillow (not just her head). It is so cute!! When she is feeling good and not teething, she will sleep 12 hours a night and take a good 2-3 hr. nap. What a sweetie! I love this girl so much and am so thankful everyday for her and all my girls! Mommy loves you Ava!

AK and Santa

2010-01-22T17:08:00.000-08:00

Anna Klaire sat on Santa's lap all by herself at my Mamaw's Christmas

get together! We were so proud of her! Thanks Shannon for getting this pic!

Christmas Morning

2010-01-22T17:05:00.000-08:00

Anna Klaire on her new princess chair that came w/her table

The Girls first seeing the Princess Vanity

Alexis and her American Girl doll

Merry Christmas!

COOKIES FOR SANTA

2009-12-22T19:27:00.000-08:00

ALEXIS' COOKIES

ANNA KLAIRE'S COOKIES

AVA, THE TASTE TESTER

Santa Baby

2009-12-14T19:40:00.000-08:00

Alexis and Santa

Alexis, Anna Klaire and "Ho Ho"
I was so proud of Anna Klaire for getting that
close to Santa (even though she had to sit on
Sissy's lap). I just love how she is smiling
at him and really taking it all in! And I love
how Alexis is being such the big sister. So proud
of her too!

Bless Baby Ava's heart. I just had
to get her in the picture too. One day,
(maybe) she will thank me for this pic.

Bless "Ho Ho's" heart!

Triple A Girls

2009-12-05T20:40:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-12-05T20:34:00.000-08:00

The kids singing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town".
And yes, it was warm enough on this day for popsicles!

Mimi and Papa with the wild crew!

Anna Klaire would not let up on the popsicle.

Thanksgiving at Lolli and Pops!

Thanksgiving Break

2009-11-28T21:14:00.000-08:00

As I was posting this post, I thought--"I need to watch my kids a little better! They are into everything!" My lipstick, the changing table (literally), and getting food all over themselves!" Wow! I turn my back for five seconds and this is what happens! The last three posts have happened over Thanksgiving break! It has been a long but very fun break! I am so thankful I was able to spend this quality time with my girls. They have brought many smiles and laughs to our family.

Whoops! I got caught!

But I love Mommy's lipstick!

Ava's New Spot

2009-11-28T21:05:00.000-08:00

Messy Girl

2009-11-28T21:03:00.000-08:00

Did any of the fruit bar get in her belly?

She thougt it was funny! And usually, she doesn't like to get dirty!

No! Don't play Peek-a-boo, that's how you got like this!

Anna Klaire And Her Stacking Cups

2009-11-06T16:00:00.000-08:00

Anna Klaire loves playing with the stacking cups that Ava got for her birthday! I turned my back for a quick second, and she had it completed just like that! She was so proud! As you can see, she started counting them and started posing by them. She is such a sweetie! Today at the park when we were walking to see the ducks, she just came out and said, "I love you Mommy"! I had to stop right then and grab her and give her the biggest hug and kiss ever! Little moments like this are the best! I thought I should post some things that she is doing right now:

Anna Klaire at 2-in-a-half:
*Loves wearing her Dorothy shoes everywhere-as you can see in the pics
*Loves The Wizard of Oz just like her big sis did at this age
*Loves all the princesses
*Loves hearing stories--The Three Little Pigs, Goldilocks and The Three Bears and talks about these stories ALL the time (she doesn't like the Big Bad Wolf, but she likes the "Good" Big Bad Wolf)
*Her favorite saying: "Do you know that?"
*Favorite show: Max and Ruby! She can't get enough! She doesn't understand commercials--every time a commercial comes on, she says, "I want to watch another Max and Ruby"

More of Ava's Birthday

2009-11-06T15:47:00.000-08:00

TA-DA!!

Sweet Cousins!

The kiddos!

The Girls!

AVA'S FIRST BIRTHDAY

2009-11-06T15:42:00.000-08:00

I love my squeaky shoes!

Birthday Girl!

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY AVA!

2009-11-06T15:39:00.000-08:00

I can't believe my baby is 1! She has been such a blessing to our family! We celebrated Ava's first birthday with family and friends at our house a couple of weeks ago. She had a blast! She loved the cake, but was very picky at first with it! She was being very dainty, until Papaw Tom showed her want to do. Then she looked at him like "why did you do that?" It was so cute! The highlight of the day was watching and listening to her walk around showing off her "squeaky" shoes! Everytime she walked, her new pink shoes would squeak! (Good thing you can take the squeaky part out!) Wow! There is so much to update on her--she is doing so much at this age! Happy Birthday Ava! Mommy and Daddy love you very much!

Ava at 1 year old:

*Weighs 19 lbs. 9 oz. (30th per.)
* 29. 75 inches long (75 per.)--long and skinny
*Walking everywhere
*Loves to give hugs
*Can do itsy bitsy spider
*Can do pat-a-cake and If You're Happy and You Know It
*Can do "So big" and Ta Da
*Can say Dada and sometimes Mama, but is always jabbering up a storm!
*Can say Uh-Oh
*Likes to watch ballgames and claps when she sees everyone on TV clapping

Alexis' First Day of 3rd Grade!

2009-10-14T18:55:00.000-07:00

Alexis was very excited about her first day of 3rd Grade! She loves her teacher and is doing very well. Wow! The first nine weeks is already over with and she ended up with all A's! I am very proud of her! She really wants to do good in school. However, it is totally different from last year. She has many more tests and projects this year. So we are studying a lot--even Mimi and her study on the way to school! Thanks Mimi! I can't believe she is already in 3rd grade! One way I know she is growing up is when I still try to put a bow in her hair and she says, "Mom, I'm not 2 anymore!" But, every once in awhile she lets me sneak one in. :) Good Job, Alexis! Keep up the hard work in school! Love you!

Whoo Pig Sooie! Go Hogs!

2009-10-09T18:55:00.000-07:00

Ava walking at 11 months!

She loves to be outside.

Cheering for those HOGS!

Having fun with Daddy!

Ava walking and playing outside

2009-10-09T18:52:00.000-07:00

More Playhouse Disney

2009-10-01T19:14:00.000-07:00

Mommy and AK

Noah, Shan Shan, and Ally

Anna Klaire

Playhouse Disney Live

2009-10-01T19:11:00.000-07:00

Shannon and I were able to take the kids to Playhouse Disney Live at Verizon Arena. Even though it was just "ok", I think the kids enjoyed it a little and I know Anna Klaire loved just seeing her cousins! It was all the characters from Playhouse Disney like--Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny, The Little Einsteins, and Tigger and Pooh. However, Anna Klaire kept asking when Dora and The Wizard of Oz were going to show up and Ally really wanted to see Daisy and Pluto (who weren't there!) Thanks Ally and Bubba for going with us! It was fun!

I thought this was too sweet!

Sweet girls!

So excited to see Mickey Mouse Clubhouse!

Sharing a seat!

Ava is 11 months old!

2009-09-29T18:56:00.000-07:00

Susan's Birthday Celebration

2009-09-21T19:11:00.000-07:00

We celebrated one of my best friends', Susan's birthday in August. Susan and I have been friends since grade school! She is an awesome person and friend. She was actually the one who introduced Kyle and me. What a sweet friend. Thanks Sue! Susan was surprised to see all of her friends at Lulav because she just thought she was going out to eat with her boyfriend. I was so glad we were able to surprise her! We had a ton of fun! The food was awesome at Lulav and we all had a wonderful time. I hope you had a wonderful birthday, Sue!

Wagon Ride

2009-09-21T18:58:00.000-07:00

Papaw Tom was able to fix the girls up with two wagons! They love it! Anna Klaire calls it a choo choo train and she lets Ava ride in the front and she rides in the back. It is so cute! Thanks Papaw Tom for our awesome wagon! We love it! In this picture, Anna Klaire is so surprised to see me because I snuck up and came around the corner to catch a picture of them while they were on a morning walk with Papaw Tom.

Sunshine Academy

2009-09-21T15:54:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Ally's 3rd Birthday at Sunshine Academy! The kids had a great time! It was a very active birthday party!
Happy Birthday Ally! Your cousins love you very much! (If you click on the collage, it will make the picutures bigger.)

More Ava at 10 months

2009-09-06T21:51:00.000-07:00

10 Months Old

2009-09-06T21:42:00.000-07:00

Here are a few cute pics of Ava at 10 months old! She is really getting around now and fast! She is very curious with everything around her, so we really have to keep an eye on her. And she now knows when she is doing something she isn't supposed to be doing---crawling towards the bar stools, crawling towards the TV or cabinets, trying to open the drawers in her bedroom, and crawling towards Anna Klaire to pull her hair. Wow! What will she be doing when she learns to walk?! We have a feeling it won't be long.

She is such a sweetie and brings so much joy to our entire family. Her big sisters love her very much and I love to see her face when she sees them walk into the room. Aunt Shannon thinks she is more of a mommy's girl than my other two were... (at least at this age)! She definitely doesn't like mommy leaving her at daycare every morning before I go to school, but it's getting better. She also knows when I am putting her in her crib for night time because she starts holding my shirt really tight and putting her sweet head on my shoulder. Oh how I love these moments!

Celebration!

2009-08-21T20:22:00.000-07:00

One of my good friends, Fayla, turned 30 this month. So, to celebrate, her husband put together a little "surpise" party at one of her favorite restaurants. We had such a good time! It was a much needed break before my start of the new school year! :) Here are some pictures of my best of friends! These girls are awesome and so much fun! I'm so glad we got to celebrate together--even though it did remind me of my 30th b-day just around the corner!!

More Alexis

2009-08-11T08:37:00.000-07:00

Alexis

2009-08-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

After watching Noah and Ally in a fashion show in downtown Conway, I decided to take a few pics of Alexis on the tracks and by the caboose. She loves to pose! She was very excited about her new boots I got her for the Keith Urban concert that she went to with her dad. But, it was sooo hot, so we didn't stay out there for very long.

It was a really neat little fashion show! Noah and Ally looked like little models. So cute! Radio Disney was there too. They hosted the show, played some music, and played a few games for the kids. So of course that was right up Alexis' alley!

I can't believe Alexis is 8 in a half! She is growing up way too fast! Love you Lexy Pooh!

More Summer 09

2009-08-05T22:04:00.000-07:00

Summer 09

2009-08-05T22:01:00.000-07:00

WOW! Where has the summer gone! I can't believe I have to go back to work in a week. Even though we have had a low key summer, I still enjoyed every minute of it with my girls! Oh, how I will miss them so. We did however, have a pretty fun summer. We did a lot of swinging, playing with cousins and friends, swimming, going to WRC, hanging out with the family, going to visit Mamaw Coney, eating a lot of pop ices, and just relaxing at home in our pj's all day every once in awhile! Here are just a few pictures (memories) that I thought would be nice to post.

Dress Up

2009-08-05T21:32:00.000-07:00

Anna Klaire loves clothes, playing dress up, and SHOES!! Ever since I can remember, she has been able to put on her own shoes (the right way), buckle them, and go threw about five a day! This day she got into mommy's closet and found some sandals. What a little priss! Notice the hand on the hip. I wonder where she got that from!

Practice With My Camera

2009-07-29T20:29:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy taking pictures and I am learning to do a lot more with my camera and with editing pictures. So, here are just a few examples from the park the other day. I'm also excited about the photo shoot I did of my adorable niece and nephew. To view a few of their pics, go to my sister's blog located on My Blog Friends (Foster family) or at www.noahandally.blogspot.com. It was a lot of fun taking their pictures! What precious kiddos! More pics to come soon!

Happy Birthday Lolli!

2009-07-28T16:45:00.000-07:00

We also celebrated Lolli's birthday this month! Her birthday is July 29th. Happy birthday Lolli! We love you and hope you have a wonderful birthday!

Happy Birthday Papaw Tom!

2009-07-28T16:41:00.000-07:00

Ava turned 9 months old on Papaw Tom's b-day, July 23rd. Happy birthday Papaw! We love you!

9 months old

2009-07-28T16:34:00.000-07:00

Ava turned 9 months old on July 23rd (Papaw Tom's b-day). She actually started crawling on this day and is now getting around pretty good. She is pulling up on everything! She has her two bottom teeth and is starting to get her two top teeth. She weighs 18 lbs. 11 oz. and is 28 inches long. We are really enjoying our summer with her. I am so glad I was able to stay at home with her this summer. I don't know who will take it harder when school starts back up--mommy or baby Ava! She has become a Mommy's girl these past couple of months!

Happy Birthday Mimi! (a little late...)

2009-07-28T16:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Mimi! We love you! My mom, Mimi, celebrated her b-day by going to Dora the Explorer with me and the little kids on July 8th. What a way to spend your birthday. Ha Ha! We had a good time!

I can't believe I am this far behind on blogging. We have had a lot of July birthdays, including the best sis in the entire world, Shannon's! Happy late b-day Shan! Love you!

Summer on the Lake

2009-07-28T15:39:00.000-07:00

We were able to take a weekend trip to the lake with Shannon's family and her in-laws. It was a lot fun! The entire family was able to go. We went out on their party barge, did some tubeing, swam in the lake, and just relaxed on one of the islands at Lake Ouachita. The kids really enjoyed it! Thanks Shannon and Travis for inviting us!

Just a Few Things

2009-07-02T07:14:00.000-07:00

It's funny how great minds think alike (and sisters)! Shannon's last post reminded me of something I need to do. All this summer, I have been trying to jot down the funny and cute things Anna Klaire is saying at this fun age. And I know I need to write it down before I forget and before the summer passes me by! I do have a baby book for AK and Ava, but I've been bad about keeping up with theirs! You should see Alexis' baby book....boy, is it thick! But, I have to keep reminding myself that she was the only one for 6 years! So, this is why I love the blog. I am able to print out my posts and put them in their baby books. My sister and I are having so much fun with our two-year-old's. The things children say! So, I wanted to share a few doings and sayings of Anna Klaire's:

*She calls McDonald's "Old McDonald's"

*When we were praying the other night before bedtime, I said God bless... wanting her to pick someone and she answered with Jesus

*I'm sure she picked this one up from her big sister....but when I know she is doing something she isn't supposed too, I will ask her "What are you doing?" and she always answers with "nothing"

*She loves her cousins Noah and Ally and when there is two of something (chairs, babies, etc.) she always says "this one is for me, and this one is for Ally". I can just picture these two in 10-15 years! I'm sure they will be over at each other's houses all the time. And it won't be long until baby Ava will be following them around as well.

*She loves to help me w/ Ava and the other day when I asked her to go see if she could make Ava happy b/c she was crying, I saw her playing peek-a-boo w/ her and covering up her face w/ her hands and saying "where is me?", "here I am". It got Ava happy!

8 Months Old!

2009-06-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

Well, I am officially sitting up all by myself! What a big girl! I love watching my sisters and my cousins play, I love watching Baby Einsteins, and I love swimming. Here are a few pics to show how much I am growing up!

Swimming with Daddy

Me and Daddy swimming

Me and Mommy proud of the HOGS

Summertime

2009-06-16T20:23:00.000-07:00

Ava watching the girls ride rides at Aidan's b-day party at Funland

Flying in an airplane, looking out the window, watching the clouds go by.....

Hold on tight!

Hope she doesn't drive like her Momma! :)

AK and Mommy on the carousel at Aidan's b-day party

Little softball player

My tough catcher

Mimi and the grandkids at the park

Congratulaions Sarah and Steven!!

2009-06-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

Some of our best friends, Sarah and Steven, got married on Saturday, June 13th. It was such a beautiful wedding and the bride looked gorgeous! Kyle and I are so happy for them. We were both in the wedding and Kyle had the honor of being best man. So, that meant a speech at the rehearsal dinner....if you know Kyle, public speaking is not one of his favorite things to do! With no cheat sheet, he did a pretty good job! I was so proud of him!! It was such a fun filled weekend! Congratulations Sarah and Steven! We love you both so much and can't wait to be an old married couple with you guys for many years to come!

Happy Mother's Day!!

2009-05-11T15:17:00.001-07:00

I had a wonderful Mother's Day with my family. It started on Saturday, going to church for Alexis' First Communion and then going out to eat with my family. Kyle let me sleep in on Sunday (since we had already been to church) and he fed the girls breakfast. Once I awoke, we just hung around the house and played with the girls. Kyle cooked me lunch and then he and his dad took Alexis to the batting cages to practice softball. By then it was about naptime for the little girls (and me too)! I know....more sleep. Something I haven't gotten a lot of lately! Later that night, Alexis gave me a spa treatment. It was very sweet of her and her own idea! Then we played SceneIt? together as we watched Amazing Race.

Being at home all day with my girls really made me think of how lucky I am to be a mom to three precious girls! Being a mommy is my number one job and favorite job in the whole world! Thank you Dear God for them!! I love being with each one of them and watching them grow. This Mother's Day has got to be the best one yet....but I know each year will be the best as long as I have my family with me! God is Great--All the Time!! Above is a picture of me and my girls before bedtime on Mother's Day (I hope I don't scare anyone w/ no make up on)!

6 months old!

2009-05-10T15:43:00.000-07:00

Ava is six months old and counting! She is getting so big and is such a good baby! She just goes with the flow and is so happy all the time. She's not completely sitting up yet, but really trying. She loves to jabber and talk, especially in the mornings when she wakes up. She is such a morning sunshine which she gets from her daddy, because mommy is not a morning person! This is such a fun age!

Disney on Ice

2009-05-10T15:34:00.001-07:00

Anna Klaire and Alexis got to go to Disney on Ice a couple of weeks ago with Lolli and Pops. They had a big time! I think Anna Klaire was scared at first but as the show went on, I heard she really enjoyed it. Even when I ask her today, she says her favorite was Minnie Mouse. Here is a picture of her before the show with her own Minnie Mouse. Thanks Lolli and Pops for fun day!!

Alexis' First Communion

2009-05-10T14:24:00.000-07:00

Alexis made her First Communion on Saturday. It was a very special day for her. She was very excited and has been for about a year or so! We have talked about this big day for a while now, studied about it in her Religion book, and have attended the First Communion retreat together. I really feel in my heart that Alexis was ready and understood the importance of receiving communion for the first time and asking God to come into her heart for the first time. I was very proud of her and as we were walking up to receive communion, tears came to my eyes as I was praying to God and thanking him for giving Alexis the opportunity to experience Jesus' love in receiving the Eucharist for the first time.

I dedicate this blog to you, Alexis, and I end with this:

Dear Precious Daughter,
Once a little girl in God's eyes, now you are a young lady promising to let Him live in your heart always. I pray that you will continue to receive Him throughout your life. Mommy will always be here for you. Congratulations on your First Communion! God Bless You!! Love, Mommy

Easter Egg Hunt

2009-04-18T19:51:00.001-07:00

Anna Klaire and Ally hunting for eggs.

Keeping an eye on that Easter Bunny...

Easter 2009

2009-04-18T19:30:00.000-07:00

This has been a very busy time of year for the Fowlkes' family! But, we had a wonderful Easter with our families. The weekend before we went to an Easter egg hunt. My mom brought my niece Ally. Alexis had fun hunting for eggs with her friends from Girl Scouts, while my mom and me helped Anna Klaire and Ally. Ava stayed bundled up in the stroller. It was very windy day! The Easter Bunny made his appearance, but the two little girls didn't want to have anything to do with him. So, we had to stay as far away as possible!

On Easter morning, the Easter Bunny sent Alexis on a scavenger hunt to find her Easter basket, while Anna Klaire enjoyed looking in hers and finding lots of fun treats, including her favorite, a Barney Easter book. Then we headed to Conway to go to church with my mom and dad and Shannon's family at Shannon's church. We had lunch at Shannon's and an Easter egg hunt inside, since it was raining! :( It didn't matter to the kids; they were just excited to be together and have fun running around! Ally, my niece kept saying, Happy Easter Bunny!

I am so blessed to have been able to spend this time with my family. Happy Easter 2009!

Happy Spring!

2009-03-17T20:04:00.000-07:00

Ava is 4 months old!

2009-02-28T08:17:00.000-08:00

Ava was 4 months old on February 23rd! She loves to hear her own voice. She is starting to scream and squeal when she's playing with us or when we are not paying her any attention! She has the cutest little laugh and is rolling over from her back to tummy and tummy to back. She constantly keeps her little fingers and hands in her mouth. So, I wonder if she is starting to begin to teethe?! Her little blocked tear duct seems to have cleared up this week! Yay! Maybe the doctor will not have to do anything after all. We take her to her 4 month check-up soon, so I will have to update later on the results. She started eating cereal this week and seems to like it. I give it to her before she goes to sleep and it has helped her sleep better and longer during the night! (Which has also helped Mom!) This is such a fun age right now! She is such a little sweetie and Kyle and I are so blessed to have her in our lives! We love you Baby Ava.

Happy Birthday Papa!!

2009-02-28T07:59:00.000-08:00

This is a busy time of year it with lots of birthdays! We celebrated my dad's birthday a.k.a. Papa at Shannon's house on Tuesday night. All he said he wanted for his birthday was for his family (especially his grandkids) to be there. So, Shannon made a dinner for him and I brought the cake. Anna Klaire went with me to pick out a "Pig Soooie" cookie cake for him. Yum! Yum! We had a great time! Happy Birthday, Papa!! We all love you very much! Here is a picture with Papa and Mimi with all their grandkids (and half of Kyle holding Ava).

Happy 2nd Birthday Anna Klaire!

2009-02-11T19:52:00.000-08:00

Anna Klaire turned 2 on February 9th! It just seemed like yesterday that she was born. She loved her Barney cake and all her presents! When opening her presents, she would say "Ooooh..." and then run to Papa so he could open them up so she could start playing with them. As we were singing the Happy Birthday song, she didn't know what to think. She just stared at all of us and wondered what in the world we were doing.

I had to add a picture of her at her 1st birthday last year. I wanted to see how much she had changed. I know one thing is for sure...she still has that beautiful bright red hair!

Here are some cute doings and sayings that she is doing at 2:
*Can sing her ABC's, sings "I Love You" all the time
*Can identify the letters A, B, C, D, M, O, S and say the sounds for A, M, and S
*Can identify her name and is starting to say it more clearly
*Can count to 12 and then all the teen numbers start to sound alike
*Can identify the numbers 0, 1, 2
*She knows the colors red, blue, pink, yellow, green, orange, black, brown, white, purple, and is starting to pick up on gray
*She can identify and (say some) of the shapes: circle, square, rectangle, star, heart, triangle
*She can put on her socks and shoes and pants (and wants to do it all the time)VERY INDEPENDENT!

Mommy is very proud of you Anna Klaire Bear! Happy Birthday! I love you!

Anna Klaire and Her Barney

2009-01-31T13:59:00.000-08:00

What a JOY!

2009-01-19T13:15:00.000-08:00

Here are the many faces of Baby Ava--smiling, cooing, laughing, talking! She will be three months old on January 23rd. She is really starting to smile and talk to us now. She even loves Hannah Montana like her big sister, Alexis. When Alexis sings her songs, she just starts laughing and cooing.

I had to leave her two weeks ago at daycare so I could go back to work. It was very hard and every time someone at work would ask me about her, I would almost cry! But thank you to all my blog buddies for your thoughts and prayers during our transition. She is doing great at daycare. They have even brought Anna Klaire over to her room so they could see each other for a minute. Last Friday, she got to stay home with Daddy which was nice. They had some bonding time. Enjoy the pictures!

Happy 8th Birthday Alexis!

2009-01-19T12:14:00.001-08:00

I cannot believe Alexis was 8 years old on Friday, January 16th! She celebrated her birthday all weekend long...it started with her taking Hannah Montana cupcakes to school, going out to eat Friday night at the Olive Garden (her choice), spending the night with her daddy Saturday night and going to PlayTime Pizza, and then having a bowling party with her friends on Sunday. Wow! What a time! I am so glad we were able to relax today, since it was a holiday and no school!! Yippee!

I just wanted to post a few pictures of Alexis. The first one is an older one of me and her when she was just 5. How she has changed! The second one is a more recent pic of us. Happy Birthday Alexis! Mommy loves you very much and am very proud of you!

"Baby Jesus"

2008-12-30T09:53:00.001-08:00

During the children's mass at our church on Christmas Eve, Ava was Baby Jesus. It was precious! A 13-year-old little girl played the part of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. She had to walk in holding Ava and hold her throughout the entire mass up in front of the church. She did a wonderful job. Bless her heart, her arms had to be tired! Ava was also very good. She pretty much slept the entire time, but if she did whimper, a little boy who played Joseph, would put a pacifier in her mouth to help Mary. It was very sweet! I think we may have some babysitters lined up.

It was a very special Christmas for Baby Ava and our family. This is something I will definitely put in her baby book. Not all babies get to be Baby Jesus at Christmas, however Kyle was also Baby Jesus at his church when he was a baby. How neat is that! What a special Christmas memory!

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-30T09:31:00.000-08:00

I'm sad but glad that Christmas is over. It was busy, busy, busy! But the girls had a lot of fun. Anna Klaire was at a fun age and Kyle and me just had fun watching her open presents. She got a baby stroller and high chair from Santa. As soon as she saw it, she started strolling it around. Alexis also had a great time. She got a Singing Machine (karaoke machine) from Santa. This was right up her ally because she loves to sing. Even the cafeteria ladies at school have told me that she comes through the line for lunch just a singing away! However, I think the entire family will enjoy this! Good family quality time. Poor little Ava didn't even know that Christmas had come and gone, but we are very blessed that she was here for her first Christmas. I know she is taking everything in listening to her two older sisters singing on the karaoke machine and watching them run around dancing to the songs. All in all, we had a wonderful Christmas with our families. I'm looking forward to a wonderful 2009!

It's That Time of Year

2008-12-17T13:09:00.000-08:00

I have been out of pocket the last couple of weeks...our laptop crashed on us! So, we had to get Kyle's laptop hooked up to the internet. Computers are very frustrating to me!! But it's very interesting how much you can get accomplished without the internet in your home! :) We have been very busy lately during this holiday season. However, it is catching up to me. I am officially exhausted! I know that it will slow down after Christmas, but if you book too many activities, it sometimes takes the fun out of everything. These last two days have been good...Alexis was out of school because of the weather, so Kyle, me, and the girls enjoyed some quality time together just hanging around the house trying to stay warm. It made me realize how much I am going to miss staying home with the girls and having to return to school after the Christmas break. I go back to work on January 5th. I dread the first day I drop off Ava at daycare. I know she will be ok, but I don't think momma will. So, please pray for us on January 5th. Thanks.

Here are some updates on the girls:
Ava will be 8 weeks old tomorrow. She is doing great. She is a good sleeper--usually she will go to bed at night around 9:30 and sleep anywhere to 3:30 or 4:00. She is starting to follow us and smile at us. She loves to be talked too, sung too, and held. I take her for her 2 month check-up next week.

Anna Klaire is becoming something else! She loves to talk, sing, and put Ava's diapers on her own baby dolls! She loves to sing the Barney song, "I Love You". I even heard her the other night singing it in her crib after I put her down for the night. It was precious! Her speech is starting to become clearer. Here are a few cute sayings she is saying now days:
*Eva for Ava
*"Ho-Ho" for Santa Clause
*Larney for Barney
*Little Sissy and Big Sissy for Ava and Alexis
*She can say her ABC's and count to 10 (some letters and numbers are hard to understand, but I think she knows what she means)

Alexis has really surprised me with baby Ava. She is becoming a little mother hen. She is so sweet with Ava. She wants to hold her all the time. She is a big help with both the girls. Every day after school, she is so excited to see Anna Klaire. She will play with her, bathe with her, and even lets her go into her room!

Here are some recent pictures.

A Visit to Mamaw Coney's

2008-11-21T19:57:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday, Anna Klaire, Ava, and myself went to visit my grandma in Greenbrier. We started the day off by going to eat lunch with Alexis at school. It was a Thanksgiving lunch. Yum! Yum! Then we headed to Greenbrier. This was the second time she had seen Ava. Kyle and I took her the first week she was born after her doctor's appointment. Mamaw thought she had grown so much since the first week. She also thought Anna Klaire was getting so big too. We figured out that Ava is the 23rd great-grandchild!! Wow! It will be easy for me to remember because Ava was born on October 23rd.

I am so glad I was able to take both girls to see Mamaw. I love my grandma so much. She has always been so good to me. She is a wonderful grandma to all of her grandkids and great-grandkids. She loves each and every one of us all the same. She has always had kind words to say about all of us--no matter what is going on in our lives! She is such a positive, loving, and caring person. We love you Mamaw!

Alexis' New Haircut

2008-11-21T19:20:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of Alexis' new do. She has been begging me for some time now to get her hair cut. So, I finally gave in. It is so cute. I'm so glad we did it. She loves it and is so proud! I think she looks older! :( The last time we got her hair cut this short, she had enough to donate to Locks for Love. This time she didn't have enough, but she said she's going to grow it out so she can donate the next time.

Recent photos of Ava

2008-11-17T13:50:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Ava is four weeks old! We have been really busy lately. Anna Klaire and Kyle both had the stomach virus, so it has been a little crazy around here. Luckily Ava did not get it. Ava is doing good. She weighed 8 lbs. 15 ounces when she was 19 days old. I take her for her one month check-up on Nov. 24. She loves being held and she loves to eat! She is starting to follow our movements when we are talking to her. It is so sweet! If you click on the collage, it will make the pictures bigger in a different screen. Somehow I accidently put some of the photos on here twice. Enjoy the pictures and thanks for stopping by.

More pictures of precious Ava

2008-11-03T20:18:00.000-08:00

Ava-11 days old

Posing for the picture

Auntie Shan Shan and Ava

Sweet Ava

Big Sister Alexis and Ava

Papaw and Ava

Little Big Sister kissing Ava

My Little Bumble Bee

2008-11-03T19:52:00.000-08:00

For Halloween, Anna Klaire was a little Bumble Bee--a sad little Bumble Bee. She did not want her picture taken!! This is not like her, but she knew Mimi and Papa were on their way to get her and take her to Shannon's church festival. So that was all that was on her mind. However, Kyle and I could not resist and we still took her picture, tears and all. We knew we probably wouldn't be able to get the outfit on her again and she looked so cute. So, here are some pictures of my sweet little Bumble Bee. Bless her little heart!

For Alexis, she was Gabriella from High School Musical. She too, did not want her picture taken! Her main concern was going trick-or-treating. So, with the drama I had just experienced with Anna Klaire, I did not make Alexis take a picture. She told me she would put her dress on another day so I could. Kyle, Alexis, Ava, and me went trick-or-treating in Maumelle. It was Ava's first Halloween and she did great sleeping the entire time. Anna Klaire had a big time with my parents, her aunt and uncle, and cousins Ally and Noah.

AVA COLLAGE

2008-10-28T07:31:00.000-07:00

As I was trying to post more pictures, I came across a collage that you can create. So, here are some pictures of Ava with her new family. If you click on the collage, the pictures will be bigger and you can see them better. Somehow, I posted the 4:00a.m pic of Kyle and me before heading to the hospital (the first time that day.) Yes, we went to the hospital early Thursday morning, but then turned around and came back home because I was only dilated to a 1 and my contractions were not close enough. We came home so I could rest. My contractions continued to get more intense and closer together and my water broke around 3:30 that afternoon. When we got back to the hospital, I was already at a 6! She was really ready to come by this time! Once I was given my epidural, everything was pretty calm and good from then on. I pushed for about an hour and she was here! She was just perfect!

AVA RENAE FOWLKES

2008-10-28T06:31:00.000-07:00

Ava is here! She arrived on Thursday, October 23rd, 2008, at 8:48 p.m. She weighed 7 lbs. and 10 ounces and was 21 inches long. Kyle and and I are very blessed to have a healthy baby girl. We are so excited that she is here! She and the rest of the family are doing great. Big sister Alexis is so proud. She keeps saying, "Mom, isn't she so cute?" And she wanted to take a little photo album to school on Monday to show all her friends and teachers. Anna Klaire is adjusting well so far. She keeps saying "baby" everytime she hears her crying or making noises. She also is a little helper. She will go get us Ava's diapers from under the bassinet when we are changing her and she always thinks Ava needs her "sassy" (pacifer), so she will always go find it and give it to me when I'm holding her.

Thank you to everyone for all your sweet comments and prayers for Ava. I will continue to keep everyone updated. Above are just a couple pictures of our angel. My computer is running slower than usual, so I wasn't able to upload a lot a one time. I'm still in the process of learning all about this blog thing.

Love, Amanda and Kyle

Pumpkin Patch Fun!

2008-10-19T18:46:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we headed out to the Johnston Pumpkin Patch in Greenbrier. It was a family affair. My mom, dad, Shannon, her kids, my Mamaw Coney, Anna Klaire and I all went. Alexis was at a Cheetah Girls' Concert with a neighbor from down the street. She had a great time and was able to touch one of the girls' hands. She was very excited!

While she was singing and dancing, we were having fun riding the hayride, looking at the farm animals, and listening and dancing to Brian Kinder (a children's music artist that was there that day).

Here are some pictures from our fun day!

THE NEW AND IMPROVED NURSERY

2008-10-12T14:39:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Daddy, Ava and Anna Klaire have a "new and improved nursery"! Kyle painted one wall with different sizes of pink circles on Saturday. Anna Klaire loves them and thinks they are balls. I walked in on her today pointing at all of them as if she was trying to count them. It was so cute! Kyle also hung up Ava's new letters to go above her baby bed. We didn't know what Anna Klaire would think of us moving her bed and letters to the other wall. When she came home on Sunday from Lolli and Pops (Kyle's mom and step-dad's), she just looked all around her room and then went straight to her Dora kitchen and started playing. So, maybe it will not be as bad as we thought. It was so much fun getting the girls' room ready. I think Kyle was really excited as well. When he asked me if I liked it, I said I loved it. He said, "Well, I had to get my baby girl's room ready for her." Thank you honey. You are the sweetest Daddy for doing that.

Where does the time go?

2008-10-09T15:18:00.000-07:00

I was just looking at Alexis the other day and talking "big girl" talk with her and I couldn't believe how much she has grown up! She is in the second grade and loving it! She comes home every day talking about her day or her teacher. Being the only child for 5 years and around adults a lot, she really grew up fast. However, I still try to 'protect' her and keep her young and innocent every day. She is still my first baby girl and there is something special about that. Before I know it, she will be a teenager. I guess you would call her a 'tween' right now.

So, I just wanted to jot a few things down and tell Miss Alexis how much she means to me and how much I love her. She has done wonderfully with all of our family adjustments these past 2-3 years. She has the biggest heart and thinks about everyone in her family. For instance, when she is drawing pictures or writing names, she always includes everyone from the family. I am so proud of her and know she will be a great big sister to new little Ava.

Alexis--this is for you! Mommy loves you very much always!

3 MORE WEEKS TO GO!

2008-10-04T13:18:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of me 9 months pregnant! Ava could come any day now! These are also a few pictures from my baby shower at my school. Thank you to all my "family" at Pine Forest Elementary. It was a very nice shower! My mom, sister, mother-in-law, my girls, and my niece and nephew were able to come. Ava got a lot of fun new things. Bless her heart being the third girl and having lots of hand-me-downs! But that's ok! She is going to be loved SO much! It was a very fun day!