Pig Tail Queen!

It's a milestone for my sweet Madden who has been oh so cutely 'ballhairded' (as our precious little friend, Emma, says!) for so long! My hair bow-making, ponytail putting-upper, hair trimming friend Helena put Mad's hair in pigtails yesterday. There is still very little to pull up, but who cares! I tried my hand at it today, but it didn't look quite as cute and she didn't stay quite as STILL for me...I suppose I have many years of practice to come.

Look at me!

I'm Maddie, could I BE wearing anymore clothes!?!?

Madden Turns TWO!

9 months...

Miller had his nine month well check yesterday....technically it was his 'well check', but he has developed a yucky, wet cough again (he had the same cough a few weeks back for a 2-3 week period). So, to make a long story short. We ended up going to Coastal Imaging for a chest x-ray and repeat ultrasound of his little kidneys (they needed to check his kidneys for a problem that had been noted at his US he had at 4 months). We were relieved and felt very blessed that his lungs showed no pneumonia and the US of his abdomen looked good. What a blessing! He is just enduring breathing treatments now to help rid him of his dreadful cough.

Miller is still a little fella-- he weighed in at 16 lbs, 6 oz and he was 28.5 inches long...both his height and head circumference were up considerably from his 6 month appointment, so Dr. Hobby is not concerned...he is just going to be long and lean! Mill is really getting around these days...he does the army crawl just like his big brother did and it is too cute and FAST. He is also pulling up on everything, babbling like crazy and eating like a little hog(g)...he is also feeding himself bananas, cheerios and crackers. He loves to watch and play with his brother and sister...that is until he sees his mommy--then NO ONE else will do...he is a textbook 'mama's boy' for sure! If only a third child could just be genetically predispositioned to not be so needy...wouldn't that be grand...no matter how much he cries, we just love him more and more everyday and enjoy every second of seeing him change and develop...

Yay, for 9 month milestones!

don't ask!?- - volume 1

???

Amish bubble beard

peep eye!

miller aka catfish davis

ley's lunch creation...interesting

boys will be boys. ugh.

Birthday Love...

My sweet Madden--

I had trouble sleeping last night...I kept thinking about the fact that two years ago, I was preparing for your birth! Seriously, at 1 AM I was laying in bed listening to you cough through the monitor and remembering that I was pacing the halls of Candler hospital with my dear friend Ashley at my side--trying to help my body dilate! And dilate it did...and then you were here...amazing as ever and so small (especially in comparison to your brothers!!) and perfect in every way...

I cannot believe how you have grown in the past two years...I am loving every minute of being your Mommy! How you make me smile...and laugh, oh my goodness! Your laugh is contagious...Thank you, Jesus, for blessing me with Maddie...she is and always will be 'my best girl'...

Happy, happy birthday, Maddie!

Jer holds his sweet baby girl for the first time...

Ley meets and holds Maddie!

Maddie ready to go home in Mommy's dress...

Can you say VACATION?

No, not Disney World or NYC (can't wait to hear about your girl's trip my Mere!?) or even Tybee Beach for me...just a little blog vacay that turned into a sabbatical of sorts. Don't get me wrong--I have still been around checking up on all of you and your precious little families. I just needed a break, like I am known to do periodically. So, since the beginning of April I allowed my blog to go by the wayside...but I am coming back around...slowly...no pressure or anything, right? But just so you know I have truly enjoyed all the goody in everyone else's blogs/myspace/friendbook (each to their own, although I apologize to those who blog or post pics on myspace or friendbook because I rarely get time to browse those venues anymore--and, well, blogs are just much more fun and family friendly!!)...it is so wonderful to be able to keep up with friends and family and read about their interests, struggles, outings, fun(ny) stories, life changes, and most of all--see their sweet faces! So, to all my fabulous friends who have continued to check my blog for the past 75 days with no news of the Davis' wild and crazy life, and who truly wondered if being outnumbered as parents could have POSSIBLY really done us in for good--we are still standing (actually, I spend most of my days on the floor in some capacity--but you get my drift)!

In Other News...

Leighton went for his kindergarten placement exam at the elementary school yesterday. He passed with no problems! He was a little nervous beforehand, but our prayers were answered as he seemed completely comfortable when we arrived. I can't believe he is starting 'big kid' school next year. Seems like just the other day I was starting him at Mother's Day Out At First West in West Monroe, LA and was so worried about leaving my barely two-year old!

Then...

June 2005--A few months before we moved to GA

And most recently...

Big Brother, Little Brother

Ley with Mad last Sunday

Hi-larious.

15

How is it I have no time to blog about my sweet, dear, crazy, growing family but I have enough free moments to find out how many small children I could thwart if the need ever became apparent?!?! Yeah, don't judge me...you know you are totally going to click on it, too...:)

Happy, happy, joy, joy....

Resurrection Sunday

We are so glad to be back home, although we so enjoyed seeing our family and friends back in Louisiana for our very brief time there. We are still trying to recover from our 12 hour trip home on Monday...love to you all...

To Uncle Jeff and Aunt Shan--Love, Leighton

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

Rainy Monday...

Just some random photos of the kids: playing outside, our friend Jackson's 3rd birthday party, mommy/ son date night to FBC Team Impact event, and just some of the many faces of the Davis three and friends too...

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

i heart my friends...

thanks for being there, girls....let's keep enjoying the journey God has laid out for us....and not just the sweet friends in this photo-- also the ones who are separated from me by distance or who i haven't talked to in quite some time--and my dear blogging buddies too! love to you all!

“Friendships need to be nurtured and guarded and fought for. We need to call one another without waiting to be called first. We need to ask how our friends are doing and really listen to their answers … we love our friends by pursuing them.” ~Stasi Eldredge (Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul)

Ugh.

Jeremy and Leighton came home from a ride in the woods with this jem. It gives me the willies, for sure. Maybe Ley will be an orthopedic surgeon or chiropractor...this kid is all about some bones...I'm okay with that in theory, but when he comes home with a feline skull--it's a bit much for me. This animal could have been someone's dear pet and now it's skull is in my backyard! We have got to get our oldest to D.C. to see the dinosaur bones...hope he doesn't ask to bring those home, too...

Ceme de la Creme: Maddie Moments

Here is Miss Madden--live and unplugged! When I look at these videos I am reminded of what a sweetie she is, but the days that she colors on the carpet with a sharpie (yeah, that ain't coming out!) or strips all the screws out of the drawer under her crib by standing in it, are quite trying for me...she is quite a handful at 19 months...I need to clone myself just to keep up with her!

Miller Diller...

That is Jeremy's newest nickname for baby brother. Just needed to let everyone know Miller is doing better. We had kind of a 'setback' and had to go back to the doctor before his 4 month checkup due to stagnant weight. I knew he wasn't gaining and became worried. That's when Dr. H kicked things up a notch for Miller. We have been testing urine (I am a seasoned pro at catching pee in a bag!) and blood, looking at kidneys and abdomen via ultrasound, visiting the pediatric gastroenterologist. Lots of 'fun' stuff to begin ruling out all possibilities...also visited a new lactation consultant who I love, love, LOVE and who is the utmost of encouraging with my need and desire to continue breastfeeding as it is truly what is best for him (even though he does consume a nice concoction of breastmilk and formula!!). Dr. H put him on Zantac but the GI doc changed it to Prevacid--he definitely seems to have some reflux-ey symptoms, but it is the silent type (he's not excessively spitty) and from what I hear, reflux is quite overdiagnosed--but we will see how it goes. He is already gaining! He was only 10 lb, 11 oz at the office on the 16th of the month on the 23rd he was up to 11 lb, 4 oz (2 %ile)!

So, God is in control and working things out for his little body! So, we are still supplementing with the SNS, but we switched to a new device that I call the 'mack daddy' nurser--it holds more and it has bigger tubing so he gets more milk a little more quickly. I am also supplementing at all feedings instead of just the afternoon/evening ones. Miller is changing so much! We love all his jibberish and he is all about reaching for whatever you have close to him! His smile just melts my heart...

Everyone else is doing well except for Miss Maddie who may have a case of pink eye. Ugh. She woke up with the reddish eye on Saturday morn. I kept her home from church today and now the other eye is pinkish too. It does not seem to slow her down or even bother her really. No rubbing or itching her eyes anyway...please pray that if it is conjunctivitis, that we can keep it at bay--that stuff spreads like the plague!

Here are a few pics of our serious little fella--

Bits and Pieces...

It's all I have time for these days! I finally was able to post Christmas pics. We had a great time with my Mom and Dad and really missed Jeff and Shannon. But, they are the proud new foster parents of a sweet, 2 month old, baby girl--so that is the best present they could have received. I wish I could post a picture of her, but believe me, she is just precious! Also, I want to congratulate my sweet sister, Jansen, and her hubby Chris on their baby news! I will be an aunt again come September!

Hope everyone had a wonderful New Year--we celebrated very low key: movies, popcorn, and watching our neighbor's fireworks! That's all I had the energy for anyway!

Leighton returned to school this week. It is hard to believe his school is already sending out info for PreK 'graduation'! Yikes! Ley turned five right before Christmas and we have really enjoyed his musings on life lately; I am so thankful for his big imagination and creative side. He absolutely loves to dress up and pretend he is someone else! He gets out in our backyard and it seems to become a different world for him: a pirate ship, an ARMY camp, a land of prehistoric dinosaurs! Also, he helps me so much when it comes to M&M: retrieving pacifiers, getting gas drops, throwing away stinky diapers, letting me know when Mad is about to destroy something :). The Lord has given him such a sweet spirit! He is so loving with Miller and is all about giving him kisses these days; he is so ready to have a playmate in his little brother, but until that day comes, his little sister will have to do!

Maddie is energetic as ever. I will post a video clip when I can, of her 'dancing'. She truly rarely walks--she is all about jumping, and if she isn't doing the hop she is running or spinning...and belly laughing all the while. She is currently trying to get a few more teeth--SIX to be exact! She loves her dolls and I think she is realizing that MillerMac could be her own personal doll baby!! She is all about putting (aka jamming) the pacifier in his mouth although in the car she likes to jerk the pacifier off the clip and have it for herself! Her best trick these days is stripping down to absolutely nothing in the AM and at naptime...she can remove any type of pajamas you put on her--two piece, snaps, or zippers (i recently put a non-footed sleeper on her BACKWARDS and she couldn't get it off--I think she may find a way though!). I have also started putting masking tape on her diapers when she is in the bed because...well, I am sure all you can figure out what happened with that...I will do anything and everything to avoid cleaning up that kind of mess again!

And of course, sweet Miller! He seems to be doing well. As of last week, he was continuing to gain weight. His last weight check was 10 lb, 11 oz. He is slowly but consistently gaining. We are still using the supplemental nursing system and will continue to do so until we see the pediatrician on January 23, then we will reevaluate. He is smiling all the time and laughing some too. He is quite ticklish and you can sometimes get a giggle from him by poking his ribs. Last night he laughed at his Daddy's funny faces, which was a first. He is rolling over from his tummy to his back. He is still waking some in the night (both Maddie and Ley were sleeping through the night consistently quite a few weeks before this age)--sometimes to eat but usually he needs the paci and a little comfort :) I am hoping to transistion him to his romm with Ley in the coming weeks...should be interesting!

Well, I am sure if I had more time to think I would have more news to post but time is little these days!

Christmas Unwrapped 2007

Update: MillerMac

Miller went for his two month checkup last Tuesday and we found out he was very underweight. It has been a difficult week and a half. We had to go to the hospital and have labs drawn to make sure his electrolytes weren't off kilter (Praise God, they were not, or he would have been admitted!!) and then we went home and proceeded to pump him full of breast milk and a little formula too. The doc wanted him to get 4-6 oz every three hours and see if he gained any in by Thursday. We went back last Thursday and he had gained a few ounces. I have been nursing him as much as humanly possible, pumping as often as possible when I am not nursing or running after Madden, seeing the lactation consultant, using an SNS (supplemental nursing system) device to get more milk in him when he does nurse, taking fenugreek and other herbs to help increase my milk production....it has been even busier around here than normal and I think I have been more tired than I was after he was first born!

He had his labs drawn again on Monday to check his liver enzymes (they were extremely elevated the first time but may just be due to him being a little dehydrated) and then to see the Doc again yesterday for a weight check and to get 2 month shots. Praise our Father in heaven above, he had gained 9 ounces since the first visit to the doctor 9 days before! God is so good and we are so relieved that he is gaining. I will be checking his weight at the doctor's office every couple of weeks to make sure the trend continues.

Thank you for all your prayers and I apologize to all my friends and loved ones who have no idea what has been going on--I just had no time to post about it the past several days. But, please continue to pray for Miller to be a strong eater and continue on his way to being a robust little fella; I really think that he might be a bit of a lazy eater which is quite foreign to me! Both Ley and Mad loved to nurse and were quite good at it. I am just now coming to terms with the fact that he is different than they are in this aspect and needs a little help and extra attention. It's been difficult for me though because nursing has always been SUPER easy for me--I am very thankful for all the support I have from friends close by and far away (Helena, Ash, Terri, and my Mere--you ROCK and I love you!)...I definitely have a much better view of why many new mommies don't stick with breastfeeding. If you don't have a core group of people to encourage you and tell you "You can do this!", it would be so easy to just quit...I am so blessed to be surrounded by uplifting and prayerful people!

I am going to stop now so I can post some pics...

So you think you can dance...

Maddie thinks so. Mad loves lots of things: eating, running, jumping, talking (what she says most of the time, we are not sure), EATING (and drinking milk), laughing, undressing (the best she can--usually halfway), playing outside, EATING :). But, one thing she really enjoys is dancing! She immediately begins to sway as soon as she hears the first notes of a song. She loves it! And she doesn't even need real music--you can just sing to her and she will begin to move, twirl and jump about! We love to watch her...it cracks us up--maybe this will make you laugh, too!