Surprise... I'm back, then gone again...

Okay, well, it's been awhile....I know this. I am not your normal blogger though. I reserve the right to drop from the blogosphere whenever needed. And, well, it couldn't be helped. Life is a little nuts right now at the Davis house, but I wanted to at least write something before we leave to 'vacation' in North LA for a week. I definitely won't be posting pics or any wonderful words of wisdom while I am there. Our time there will be busy to say the least, but hopefully enjoyable. I tend to not write much when I don't have photos to post with it and well, I haven't taken many pics of the kids lately (yes, I have been slacking in many ways; you would know this if you saw my house and my half-packed bags!). I do have this lovely little montage of older photos along with a few new ones...hope you enjoy and will hopefully have lots of fun and interesting news when we return from the distant land of the Twin Cities...

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No PB & J at Our House....

Yes, it seems I infected my child with salmonella last week. It is the only reason I can think of for the 'tummy troubles' Leighton was suffering from that I spoke of in the last post. He missed two days of school due to inexplicable diarrhea that lasted for a good 5-6 days. He had no other symptoms (i.e. fever or cramping), thankfully. But, it was about to drive me nuts trying to figure out where the problem stemmed. He wasn't drinking too much juice, or eating too much fruit, etc. When I finally realized we had a jar from the batch of comtaminated Great Value peanut butter. Both Peter Pan and Great Value Brands of peanut butter are part of a recall due to risk of contamination with Salmonella Tennessee. The affected jars of peanut butter have a product code located on the lid of the jar that begins with the number "2111." I felt awful because my poor child had PB&J sandwiches on two different occasions last week (due to my laziness on those particular days). I think I even had a touch of it as well, since I also tend to snack on PB and graham crackers, as well as sharing a fancy PB&J lunch with Ley. I think this recall only affects us because these jars of peanut butter were made at a plant here in GA...but, if your close by, it wouldn't hurt to check the top of YOUR jar...that is unless you are a choosy mom who chooses Jif--then you're in the clear...

Pajamas and Cookies for My Sweet Valentine...

Here are some pics of Ley opening his Valentine card and gift from my parents...they are not so good since in the majority of them he was stripping down in the middle of the kitchen floor, removing his current pajamas to be replaced by his new Valentine dinosaur pajamas (that he wore the rest of the day, actually). But, it seems these days that if you didn't see Ley only half-dressed, it just wouldn't be my sweet Leighton. His lovely and much-loved Anne also made him some delicious heart-shaped rice krispy treats that she personalized just for him and sent all the way from Richmond! He had a great V day although he had to miss school (and therefore, the big Valentine exchange/party at preschool) due to some tummy issues the past week (which are, thankfully, subsiding today!).

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Happy Valentine's...Early

I love this commercial--it brings tears to my eyes everytime I see it...I am such a cheeseball, I know...just thought I would share...

Where The Wild Things Are: Leighton's First Ballet

We had a fun evening yesterday. Columbia City Ballet presented Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, the acclaimed children's book which describes the imaginary adventures of a young boy named Max, who is angry after being sent to his room without supper and his encounters with mythical creatures. It was a 45 minute one-act ballet that was full of colorful costumes, giant puppets and animated scenery. Leighton ended up really enjoying the performance, although we were questioning ourselves when we arrived.

First of all, I see women all dressed in evening attire, some quite formal. I think to myself, "Self, not only are you wearing jeans and a fleece, but you are sporting the ultimate casual accessories: small children!" Once, we arrived in the theatre we were relieved to see an abundance of other children. Secondly, there were two original ballets to be performed before Max and the monsters were to take the stage. One was a comedy called "Men's Class" (that was a bit funny, but not so much to the kiddos) about a male ballet class, and the second was "A Tribute to Fred Astaire" which was in my opinion, just not so entertaining (sorry, if there any die-hard ballet fans in my audience). At this point, Leighton turned to his daddy and said, " I have had just about enough of the dancing!" Thankfully, after a short intermission, the wild and imaginative show began. I have a video clip (although it is not the best; I was holding a sleeping baby!) that really shows the giant puppets well...

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We really had a wonderful time and Maddie was so good through the entire evening, which was also a blessing (this was also, her first ballet, by the way!). She was awake until about the last 30 minutes, and she napped through the best part! Ley napped on the way home...

Photo Shoot Gone Awry...

I do love to photograph my kiddos, I must admit. I definitely lack any kind of training, though hard I may try. Yesterday, I thought I would take a few pics of Maddie and Ley together, but it did not quite work out as planned. Even though Madden's nose was running and Leighton had leftover lunchtime crumbs on his face, I thought I could get a cute shot. No such luck, but I will go ahead and post the outcome...afterall, I need something to post...

I will leave ya'll with a cute pic of Leighton in his alligator visor he made at school last week that he has literally worn until it is falling apart! He asked me today why it isn't fitting anymore...I told him that paper and yarn aren't meant to be lived in!

Shake Your Moneymaker!

Watch out, JT, Leighton is bringing 'funky' back...my son has mad skills, I tell you...We can't get Ley to tell us much about his daily routine at preschool, but we are wondering if he is nearly as entertaining for his teacher and classmates at the First Baptist Church, as he is at home! I wonder who he gets his dancing abilities from?

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A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words...

And, well, it needs to right now, because I have no time to post about the absolute screaming good time (yes, there was actual screaming involved...) we had at the show on Saturday night. Although I am pretty sure we were the oldest attendees in the audience (except for the parental chaperones of the oodles and oodles of 12 and 13 year old girls!), it didn't matter--we had a blast! Of course there is a story behind this photo, but I have no time to indulge you all...if you get a chance to see The Fray--you should...even Jeremy (who thinks their songs all sound alike) seemed to enjoy himself... a little (he took the above pic, too; what a great hubby!!)! Will try to post more later...took some video clips and such, but not sure they turned out as anything but buzzing....

Soon-to-be Chatterbox...

Maddie uttered her first sounds yesterday (well, besides 'thpppt'!) and it was 'mamamama'! Ley did say 'dada' first so I was kindof expecting the same, but what a pleasant surprise! It is so fun right now and I will enjoy every moment of her saying it before she realizes that mama=me, and then it becomes less cute and precious all the time. Gone are the peaceful days of speechlessness...

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How To Save a Life...

Live music, here I come! The Fray is coming to Savannah this weekend...woo-hoo! I can't remember the last time I saw a great musical act of the rock/pop genre. I really think the last concert of any kind that I was in attendance, was the Mercy Me show (and it was amazing!!) in Monroe many moons ago. I haven't even seen my hubby's band play in *forever*. It's quite sad for a girl who so loves so many kinds of music....

I had no idea that the guys from The Fray used to be part of the Christian genre...guess I am behind. You can read more about it here:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/interviews/2006/thefray-0706.html

In honor of the occasion of me getting out of the house sans kiddos, I added a playlist (under my 'links' section) of some fun music...now, if it actually works, I am unsure, but I tried. Look at me, trying to get all technological and such on my blog...kind of scary. Maybe I should just stick to the making slide shows and posting video of my munchkins!

Hey Baby, What's Yo Sign?!

Well, I'm a sagittarius, but who really cares? This past weekend I started to try some baby sign language with Maddie. I never really did it with Leighton (by the time I thought about trying it, I thought he was too old, although he *probably* was not), and my friend, Mere, did it with Ella and it was so great that she could communicate things she needed at such a young age. So, now this Mer is going to try it with her sweet girl. We will see how it goes for us. I don't have any of the books, so I am just getting my information from the internet. We are doing the sign for 'more'(that is the sign the cute, random baby above is doing), but I think I should have started with 'milk', so we are going to start trying out the 'milk' sign when it is time to nurse. Will keep ya'll posted on any developments...


Leighton made it through his checkup. I was SO glad to have his daddy there with me! Jeremy was so great with Ley and just stepped right up to the plate as far as voicing the concerns we had with Leighton's health and development. I think I will just send Jeremy to the pediatrician with the kids from now on!

Ley has been having some issues with frequent urination off an on since Christmas time and we were so relieved to find out there is no real problem (specifically diabetes). Dr. Hobby called it 'benign polyuria' which is just a fancy term for non-pathological needing to pee all the time! Ley will be having a speech evaluation in the next month or so--he is having difficulty with his 'tr', 'ch', and 'sh' type consonant-consonant sounds (the words 'trees' and 'cheese' sound exactly the same). We are not sure if he truly needs an eval, but I feel like it is the right thing to do right now. We don't want to wait too long if he does need some work, you know? The shots were traumatic (and this is an understatement) and there was an excessive amount of high-pitched screaming, kicking, and crying, but thanks to Jeremy's help and as well as 2 nurses, he was inoculated with 4 shots! He was over it very quickly, and we all enjoyed a post-wellcheck-party at the local Chick-fil-a playland. Next year, he will only have one shot to look forward to, thank goodness!

I will leave ya'll with a pic of us from Maddie's first checkup after birth so you can see Dr. Hobby! He is so great with my kiddos! Thank you Jesus for wonderful doctors to take care of us!

Immunizations this AM---should be interesting...

Leighton has his 4 year old well-check this morning. He will also be getting his vaccinations. The big kiddo above makes this look pretty easy--wonder what his mom promised him?? After taking Ley for his flu shot this year (with Maddie in tow of course), I enlisted the help of Jeremy for this appointment. I could barely get him to sit still for one shot--it will most certainly be difficult to approach him with between 3-5 vax (although hopefully at least 2 of the immunizations may be together in one injection)! It has been such a long time since he had 'shots', you know? I hope I don't have to chase Leighton around the room like my mom had to do to my brother (sorry, Jeff; okay, maybe you didn't actually run, I can't remember I was just 2, but I remember you put up a pretty good fight!)! If only I could get those shots for him...

Madden is Mobile!

Wow, now I actually have to vacuum on a regular basis...ugh. We first noticed her crawling at the beginning of the month...she crawled 2 steps. Her biggest deterrent has been crawling out of her clothes. I will find her laying on her tummy on the floor, sucking her thumb, with both legs in the torso portion of her footed outfits! She went from rocking to crawling so quickly, it seems to me. Of course, I am comparing her to the big brother who didn't *truly* crawl until he was 10 months old! He did the 'army crawl' starting at about 7 months and then finally when we were visiting my parents overseas, Ley decided to use his hands and knees instead of his tummy to get around. Maddie seems to be doing everything a little earlier than her brother did at this point (well, everything except eating solids and putting herself to sleep at night--Leighton beat her to the punch on those two!): rolling over, sitting alone, pulling self into sitting position, and crawling; she has even started pulling herself onto her knees to get into her toy basket and play on the learning table and such. I can't believe today is her 7 month birthday...it just blows my mind. It seems like yesterday, I was turning flips and doing handstands in the pool at my pastor's house to try and flip a breech baby, and now she is crawling around on my living room floor!

A Prayer for my Preschooler...

Father--
Please be with Leighton today as he begins a new phase in his life...preschool! He is so excited, Lord. I know You will be with him every step today. Help him to be obedient, listen and learn, play and have fun, make new friends (and remember to ask their names!!), share, be kind, be respectful. I pray that he would remember his memory verse from last week and "Love his neighbors as himself" as he meets new boys and girls. I specifically ask for a special friend that will stand out to him in his class, especially because he is starting halfway through the year. Hold him in the palm of your hand, Father; keep him safe and healthy. Allow him to adjust to the schedule easily and not skip a beat. Be with his teachers, Ms. Melissa and Ms. Kathy, as they teach Ley and guide him in his social, emotional, and spiritual development; I am so thankful for the teachers and aides You have placed at his school and in his classroom--thank you that we live in a place where we are able to send our children to school--especially to a preschool that is not only a school but a ministry as well! Thank you, Jesus, for my precious gift, Leighton, whom I have had at home with me for the vast majority of his 4 years; thank you that he belongs to You first and foremost. I am so glad that you designed him exactly the way he is and already know the plans and future You have for him (and I claim that for him, Lord!)...thank you for the priviledge I have to love and train him up in Your ways. Today, and everyday, I give him back to You...Amen.

The Mom List: Four Mysteries of Motherhood

I couldn't resist posting this little blip from my monthly Parenting magazine...although I should be writing about all the stuff going on in our lives right now...hopefully there will be a second post today.



4 mysteries of motherhood:

1. Why your children need you urgently--the instant you step in the shower.

2. How two kids are easier to take care of than one.

3. Why fruit snacks are neither fruit nor snacks, but candy.

4. The way the days can drag on forever, but the years go by so fast.
--Charlotte Latvala

The fruit snack mystery really made me smile because they are such a hot commodity in our house...Ley loves them and would eat goodness knows how many of these "corn syrup-filled chews in a bag" a day if I would let him! I have to remind him over and over that they are not a snack, they are a treat!

Tiny hands, tiny feet, there's someone new I can't wait to meet!

My bestest and dearest friend, Meredith, gave birth to her second, precious baby girl. On January 12, 2007 at 10:19 AM, Madeline Meredith Price was welcomed into the world. She was 7 pounds, 5 ounces and 19 3/4 inches long. She is just beautiful, like we all knew she would be and in fact looks very similar to her big sister, Ella, when she was born. I can't wait to hold her, and I am definitely loving her from 800 miles away! March cannot come soon enough! I was so excited to see the photos that I just had to post some...Congratulations Meredith, Jeff, and Ella--welcome to life as a family of four!

Children are a gift from God; they are His reward..." ~Psalm 127:3

Rise and Shine and Give God the Glory, Glory!

Some precious shots of Madden this AM...how blessed am I to wake to this? She is such a happy girl when she comes out of her slumber...now drifting off TO sleep is not always such a lovely sight!

And a little video clip too...not sure why the quality is so awfully terrible...could it be because our camera is from the dark ages??


Okay, after all these sweet girl shots, I am feeling like Leighton is being left out! He is pretty happy in the AM, too. The only time he is ever still is when he is sleeping. This pic was taken several weeks back after he received a spiderman mini-sofa bed from his Grammy and Paw. He slept on it as a pallet on the floor a few nights when we had guests and then he had trouble going back to sleeping in his own bed...I discovered this before I went to bed...



Leighton is the most no-pants-wearing-est kid I know (except for maybe his friend Ella, who goes commando all the time!) We asked him to get ready to go out to dinner, and this is how he prepared himself to leave the house! My goodness, how I love him; he never fails to make me laugh....I guess he figured he eats his dinner at home in his underwear, why not at the Mexican restaurant downtown?!

Where does the time go?...

Madden had her 6 month shots & checkup yesterday! I can hardly fathom that she is already six months into her sure-to-be amazing life! She is a petite little girl--she weighed in at a whopping 13 lbs, 13 oz (15%)! If you saw her little thunder thighs and tush, you would have never guessed she was just under 14 pounds! She measured 25 3/4 (55%) inches long. She is still nursing 4 times a day and eating oatmeal in the morn and evenings. She just started green beans two nights ago--soon she will be moving onto squash, peas, sweet potatoes and all other plants from the vegetable and fruit kingdoms! She was a bit unsure of the green beans the first night; a bit stringy for her liking. So, last night I was sure to puree those little beans until they were super smooth (I am not Gerber, but as close as I can get with my Magic Bullet!) and it seemed to appeal to her little palate much more. Before I know it she will be eating table food!

Madden is sitting well on her own these days and has been for several weeks. She is already starting to try to to crawl which makes me very nervous. She definitely uses the 'inch worm' technique to get the toys she needs and loves to rock back and forth on her hands and knees. We haven't heard much out of her as far as vowel-consonant sounds and such, but she is definitely vocal (we are practicing 'ma ma ma ma ma' but everyone knows she will say 'da da da da da' first!!). She loves her Praise Baby (and Mom does too!!) and Baby Einstein DVDs; she continues to love the doorway bouncer, most of the time. She is a very cuddly baby and loves to be held and still loves to be swaddled! No teeth yet, but she continues to drool like crazy, so we know she is working on it. Maddie sleeps like a champ; 12 hours a night on average (I thought Leighton was a good sleeper as a baby, but she has exceeded even his sleep achievements thus far!).

Here are a few photos of Madden sitting up (and falling over!) and eating solid foods--her two newest feats!

“Train up a child in the way she should go, And when she is old she will not depart from it” ~Proverbs 22:6

Holidazed...

Sorry I have been MIA for another month...I feel like the world's worst blogger. But, you know what, I am so okay with that...I have nothing funny or witty to share right now...I am too dang tired... Here 's a slideshow of Christmas 2006 here in Savannah; it is the best I can do for now! Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas filled with Jesus, family and friends (oh, and food, of course!) and is looking forward to the new year as much as I am...

One More November Post...

I haven't posted because I am sick...ugh. I am hoping I am on the mend, but nervous that the crud may have developed into a sinus infection. May have to go to the doctor tomorrow--but I do feel a bit better today.

I had a very special Birthday/Thanksgiving in Richmond with my mom and dad. Jeremy was sick while we were there (thanks for passing it to me, Jer!), but he seemed to heal up nicely after about 36 hours. We celebrtated my 30th birthday very low-key (except for the raging fire on top of my cake...that was pretty exciting!) and had a woderful non-turkey dinner of roasted pork loin on Thanksgiving(MmMmmm...it was delicious, Dad!). My mom and I even shopped a little on Black Friday--we spent an hour at Kohl's. I found a coat within 15 minutes of arriving. Then, stood in line for over half an hour waiting to pay for it. We decided to go home after that! We went to colonial Williamsburg on Saturday and spent the afternoon there walking the streets of old. We were hoping they would have the town decorated for Christmas, but no such luck!

It was definitely worth the 17+ hour drive there and back with the other 38 million Americans traveling, to be with my precious family--thanks for inviting us up and taking such good care of us, Mom and Dad!


Wishing that I had put makeup on and fixed my hair that morning--but, c'mon, I was about to travel 8 hours in the car with two little ones!


Our Thanksgiving meal and Ley checking out the homemade cranberry sauce (boy, was it good with that pork loin!!)


Granddad and his kiddos!


Colonial Williamsburg, VA