Bath Time

Atley is beginning to like shampoo in her hair and thought it was so funny when daddy spiked it up like this.


Avery also liked her hair spiked up, it just doesn't have the same effect....but hey, it's growing!

Avery and Atley. Notice how Atley is sitting. She ALWAYS sits like this. Little cheerleader pose.


K-I-S-S-I-N-G

Happy Memorial Day!
We'll have lots of pictures by the end of the weekend. Uncle Matt and Aunt Lauren are getting married on Friday and the girls are flower girls. They may not be walking down the isle, but they have dresses and will be So cute!

No More Bottles

I know...most people switch from bottles to sippy cups when their kids turn 1, but my girls loved their bottles and I figured why the rush. They would probably STILL be drinking all bottles every day if it weren't for the "plastic" craze that is going around on the media. After finding out that their Avent bottles were number 7's, which is the worst kind of plastic to use, especially if you heat it - which we were doing - we switched to sippy cups the next week. Since the girls were almost 16 months when I made the change, they were ready.
We recently bought Born Free sippy cups and the girls LOVE them. They carry these at Whole Foods and Babies R Us now, so they are easier to get and worth it since all the old baby bottles are possibly going to be banned. Very interesting.
Anyway, the girls even take their sippy cups at night during dinner, then we take a bath (most nights) and put on pjs', read a book and go to bed. They are doing great so far! This was on my list of things to accomplish with them before the new baby comes. They are walking everywhere and becoming more independant by the day. We even put their high chairs down to the lowest level so they can crawl in and out by themselves. This saves me SIXTEEN times each day of picking them up. Next on my list...getting them to use a spoon. When I tried today with Avery she was scared and started crying! Obviously not ready yet....
Here are some quick pics, some very random.
Hope you enjoy!
ps. I'll post my first pregnancy picture soon....I've been waiting for this belly to really pop out!
It is very different with only one baby in there...I feel so small!
Love, Shelly


Here is our play kitchen. We brought it upstairs so they can play up here now.


Here are their new sippy cups.


High chairs down low


Avery has her mouth full of food. She does this all the time :)


Both girls love getting in Lilly's crate so much that they dont' wait their turn anymore. It always results in one or both girls getting stuck. Avery was inside crying and Atley was wiggling out...:)

Pink or Blue?

BLUE!
It's a boy!
What a surprise and thrill for us! We found out yesterday at my ultrasound, by surprise! Little boy parts don't hide themselves very well, so the ultrasound technician had no trouble telling us it was a boy. I am only 15 weeks, and she was positive! What a surprise...we thought we'd have to wait 3 more weeks.
We also found out my cervix is a moderate length, but not a good length. So please be praying for protection over this pregnancy, and no bedrest or crazy medication for me. These are big things I DON'T want to do again.
Thank you and blessings to you all!
Shelly
ps. I would post the ultrasound picture, but it is a little hard to tell because he is upside down and his head isn't in the picture....:)

We love playing outside

Despite a few (or four) scuffed knees and some dirt in their mouths, the girls have LOVED going outside each day and discovering new things. Phillip and I are in the process of getting a swing set and cleaning the garage. Two things that will greatly help our daily explorations. Here are some pictures from our recent outings.

We went to the park yesterday with the girls. They were so big!


Trying out all the new toys


Avery swinging. She wasn't too sure about the swing until Atley also started swinging. Then she knew it was okay and started clapping and waving her arms.


Atley was a natural swinger. She was even pumping herself!


Back at home...Avery hanging out on the kitchen cabinet.


Avery studying the grass


Phillip blew up our pool and put a bunch of plastic balls in it. The girls really enjoyed playing in this outside in the grass and now Atley's favorite thing is to throw the balls down the driveway....it didn't last for long :)


Atley and Avery in their "ball pool"


First Haircuts! Phillip's mom came over and cut the girl's hair. Just a trim to help even it out...



Sharing! They have such a give and take relationship at this age... Atley is usually the biggest helper and is always finding pacis', lambs, or sippy cups and giving one to Avery. Already the little mama.


They are drinking sippy cups for 3 out of 4 meals so far. It was a fairly easy transition and we are only doing the bottle for before bed.


They are also eating organic cheerios from little kiddie bowls. All of these little independant things they are doing are really helping mommie out :)


How could I not add this sweet picture of Avery....always climbing in and out of things.


Our little girls...all 3 of them!


Avery was so funny. This was her first time in the grass (her first real time) and she didn't want her feet to touch the grass. She kept that foot off the ground the entire time she was sitting there. Lately I've noticed a rash spreading from her legs now to her tummy....I wonder if she was trying to tell me something?!


My mom, Nana, was here that week and helped us play outside.


This is one of 5 tunnels that we bought at a garage sale. The girls were just learning how to get in and out.

That is all for now!
Blessings to you all!
shelly

Thank goodness for moms

Just to update, Phillip and I had a wonderful time away last week (or has it almost been two!) on our ZOE retreat and enjoyed relaxing and talking with our best of friends.
Then the next week my mom came in town for my birthday, and allowed me to lay on the couch as much as I wanted while she helped out with the twins. We also ran some fun errands and she cooked a lot in the kitchen. Unfortunately my mom and Phillip woke up in the middle of the night on Friday throwing up. I decided to sleep on the couch and try to avoid any germs.... Well by 7am I was throwing up as well. I called my mother-in-law and she took my poor mom to the airport and then took the girls to her house for the afternoon so Phillip and I could throw up without babies pulling on our legs. We are doing better today, but don't want Atley and Avery to catch this nasty bug, so they are spending the day at Grammi and Grandpas again (my mother and father in law). What would I do without the blessings of mothers. I am so glad that I have daughters and know that someday I'll be the one selflessly cleaning and serving them in return. I'll also be the one cleaning and serving for my mothers when they are too old to do it for me anymore:)
So, thank you moms for ALL you do for me!
Shelly

much needed break

yeah! Phillip and I are leaving tomorrow to go on a ZOE leaders retreat. We are going to Innsbrook Lake with 9 of our dearest friends. We are staying in an amazing lake house that a family from church owns. We are going to relax and just have fun! The girls are staying here with Phillip's parents and I know they will have a great time. I am very excited to have this two day break and be able to relax a little. I've been feeling great with this pregnancy (I'm almost 12 weeks) but my body again is doing some funny things. The baby is doing great, heart rate is going strong and very fast. I'll go back in 4 weeks to check my cervical length (which if any of you followed my last pregnancy, this is a BIG deal), please be praying for this! We are doing the Beth Moore Psalms of Assents study at my church bible study, and we studied Psalm 121 last week. It is about the Lord being our protector. I felt very strongly that the Lord was speaking to me about my pregnancy. I have a great peace, even despite what my body is telling me.
So nevertheless, a must needed rest at the lake with best friends will be FUN!
Getting ready to leave (even if only for 2 days!) requires much preparation on my part. Today was my day to do laundry, cook and get the girl's food ready, and I'm putting the cleaning off until tomorrow. Phillip took some pictures of the girls playing in the laundry basket while I was folding clothes. Here are my 15 month old sweeties!
Having fun in the laundry basket.
Atley and Avery not sure if they want to smile or not....
Avery playing with her "play" cell phone. She has little curls coming in, and is walking more every day! yeah!
Atley with her auburn hair, curly in the back, and most always out of control! :)

eye opener

As most of you know, I've tried my very hardest to feed Atley and Avery the very best food I can. As a result, they are wonderful eaters, and each night as they are eating what I call "mush" - a mixture of avocado, goats protein powder, flax seed, vitamin C Powder, and probiotic - I am so grateful for what I've learned.
Just tonight I happened upon a blog and was once again reminded of the food/obesity epedemic occurring in America. If you have time to read this blog, please do! If not, please at least watch Video #4. What a great reminder to eat the foods the Lord provided for us, even if they are poorly advertised and highly overpriced. He ended his post with this verse: "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" - 1 Corinthians 10:31

*Here is the blog http://thebleeckerblog.blogspot.com/
*You'll have to scan down to the March 12th posting - its the 3rd one down
*It's long - but worth every minute of reading....REALLY! We all need our eyes opened to the marketing schemes and streams of lies on the food labels.

Happy Reading and learning!
Shelly