Happy 9 months to Mary Clare (Yesterday)

Mary Clare~
Even though you were crying because mommy took away the paper you were trying to swallow, I love hearing you cry. I love seeing you drool. I love watching you clap your feet. I love your peach fuzz blonde hair. I love watching you roll every where.
I love every inch of you because you bring me so much joy. Even if I never accomplish anything again in my life, you and your sister are the best things I have ever done. By far. I am forever grateful for God blessing me with you and your big sister Kate. I love you!

SSB Dance Center Christmas Recital

Here is part of Kate's dance class before their big show. Our neighbor Kateri is in her class, along with her friend from school Presley. Presley wasn't sure about me taking her picture.

Bad picture of them on stage (taken with my iPhone - camera battery was out of juice). Kate is on the far left. She loved being on stage so much that she AND Presley ran around on stage after everyone was already off!

Kate thrilled after her stunning performance.

Let's rewind back to Thanksigiving in Austin

WE went to Austin for Thanksgiving. The main reason was to have Thanksgiving with my brother, sister in law, and my niece Caroline. But Tim also wanted to go to the A&M vs Texas game. Since Kate's birthday always falls right before Thanksgiving, Caroline didn't make it up for Kate's birthday party. Aunt Amanda made Pinkalicious cupcakes for Kate and we had little Bindel family birthday party with her cousin Georgia there as well. Below is a picture of Kate and Caroline about to eat a cupcake, and above is Georgia after devouring hers. Love those girls!

Family pics

Scenario:
Saturday afternoon. Praying for beautiful weather for family pictures. Instead it is 40 degrees with blustery winds that made it feel like it was a heck of a lot colder than that. A three year old who was sick and had to be woken up from her nap. A 7 month old who is teething and had fluids coming out of either the mouth or nose at all times. Think we would get some good pictures? Probably not. Guess again.
DeEdra is amazing. Truly amazing. This is just one of the many shots that she took that I abso-freakin-lutely love. If you haven't heard of her you need to check out her blog. If you have heard of her and haven't used her as your photographer then you should. You are missing out.
Here is her blog:
http://weblog.xanga.com/fotobydeedra

Christmas is 15 days away

and I still haven't uploaded any pictures that I took from the month of November. Here is a fun picture of Kate and Mary Clare hanging out with one of neighbors. Maybe I should have said that Kate and her friend were hanging all over MC. They love that baby!

A Few Pics from Halloween (right before Thanksigiving!)

I am really far behind. I think I am pretty much going to be like that for the rest of my life - or at least until I am not working out of the house as much anymore. WE have something almost every single weekend in October, and now that November is almost over I have realized it was the same for this month as well. And next month too. Then two of my sister in laws and some friends are having babies the first three months in 2009. Hold on to your hats folks - Life moves fast.

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. —Psalm 9:1

Here are pictures from Kate & Mary Clare's Fall Festival at School for Little People.

Aggie Game

Hannah, Kate & Patrick make the trek back to the tailgate from the game. They held hands like this almost the entire time. They are the sweetest cousins and Kate loves hanging out with them.

Auntie M & Mary Clare hanging out before the game.
Aunt Mary's (Auntie M to my girls) beloved Red Raiders beat A&M (big time) but lost (blowout) to OU this past weekend.

My camera caught Hannah closing her eyes, but this is still a precious picture. IT was really hot at the game, so by the time I got there I had to take off Kate's turtleneck. She was sweating! She loves the Aggie Band though so she didn't mind!

Happy Happy Happy

This picture pretty much reflects Mary Clare's mood all the time. She is such a sweet & happy go lucky baby. Unless if you mess with her food - She doesn't like that too much!!
Other than that she is full of smiles & drool! And she LOVES giving mommy kissies!

It's a heart

Kate took some pictures of her own one day, and marveled at the shape the bracelet made on the floor. The bracelet fell off of her arm, and when she found it she exclaimed, "Look Mommy! It's a heart!" I couldn't touch it for the rest of the day because she wanted to show everyone that came over.

October 12th - Smith's Gardentown Pumpkin Patch

Can you believe that Kate had a meltdown about 60 seconds before this picture because I made her get off of her "Car" in the picture below?

The sweetest little picture of Mary Clare from that day. I wish we would have had more time there. WE got there 35 minutes before they closed, and Kate was SO EXCITED to see all of the pumpkins. These pictures were from the last 5 minutes, and were probably the best ones!

6 month picture & the onesie says it all.....

Precious.
That is exactly what she is.
My little precious angel from God.

September has flown by......

Here is a little time line of some of the things we did in September. I can't believe the middle of October is already here. At least I have already got some Christmas shopping done! The beginning at the month starts at the bottom on the post.

Weekend of September 20th~ We hung out with other Bindel's at cousin Carolyn Hamm's baby shower! It was a fancy time! Carolyn is expecting another miracle from God on November 21st - Kate's birthday! WE can not wait to meet her new baby boy!

Here is Mary Clare and Danielle Marie. Their mommy's are cousins (Anna Marie & I) and they were born on the same day! A lot of prayers were being said for these two precious babies, and we are so glad that they are here safe and sound. They bring so much joy to us and we are forever grateful to God for his gifts to us!

I have no idea what Kate and Grace Ann were doing, but they sure did enjoy the stage that was there in the rec room. They would run around the stage and then stop and jump with a "Ta-Da!"

Didn't I say it was a fabulous party? The girls got to wear their "Fancy Nancy" hats!

Weekend of September 13th - The Foley females went and stayed the night with the Boatner's in Keller. We love them so much and are so blessed to have them in our family. Kate and I were talking about how much we already missed them less than 15 minutes after we pulled out of their driveway to head back home. We'll come back soon! We promise! Thanks for a great weekend!

Here is Anna, Lilly (at the window), Kate and Chuckie eating a yummy breakfast!

Mary Clare wasn't (and still isn't) as mobile as Lilly so she admired Lilly from the
Bumbo.

Mary Clare and Lilly are almost two months apart. It is such a blessing that our girls are going to grow up together just like Liz & I did. Liz is probably the closest thing I have to a sister, and I hope my girls cherish their cousins as much as I do!

Daddy took this picture of Kate!

I can't help myself. I purchase matching dresses for the girls ALL THE TIME. (I'm a sucker for Janie & Jack!) So - Mary Clare got to wear a special dress for her big sister's first day of Pre-K. As you can tell by the picture - Mary Clare was happy, and I am still unsure if Kate was bored or a little peeved that MC was dressed like her......AGAIN. When Kate saw this picture she told me that she was thinking. I wonder about what?
September 3: Kate on her first day of Pre 3-K at School for Little People. She has been there since she was 9 months old and it keeps getting better and better! The Princess backpack was her prize for mastering her potty training! She got to pick it out herself and is so proud of it!

Licking the batter is ever so important for delicious cupcakes!

September 2: Kate helped me make cupcakes for her first day of preschool!

Give me an "A" for Aggie!

While I was my women's renewal retreat at church this past weekend, Tim got brave and took both of the girls to College Station to watch the A&M battle it out against Army. They won! Finally!



Here Kate looks like she is in mid cheer in front of Kyle Field. She isn't going to be too happy in a few years when she finds out that the Aggies don't have actual girl cheer leaders! Speaking of cheerleaders, Tim took the girls to Target in College Station that morning and bought them matching cheer outfits. Isn't that cute!






Kate was so good while the pretty little co-ed painted her cheek. The picture above shows how thrilled Mary Clare was with the whole thing. She was so proud of her cheek that she threw a tantrum when Tim tried to wash it off that night at bath time. It finally came off Sunday night!!




BTW - Kate loves the Aggie band. Obsessed really. So, Tim put her on his shoulders and they went and watched the band and corp march into the stadium. Kate clapped her hands profusely and kept squealing with delight. She even got so excited when the band was marching across from her that she couldn't contain her excitement & she tee-teed all over her daddy. True Story!

It's Tea Time!

Yes - Yes - Yes! I have been a busy mama lately...like you! Do I have pictures of Kate licking the batter bowl while we were making cupcakes for her first day of 3 Pre-K? Yes. Do I have pictures of Kate and Mary Clare in identical dresses (again!) on Kate's first official day of 3 Pre-K? Of course! What about Kate, Mary Clare & I hanging around the house with the Boatner family a couple of weeks ago? Sure! Have I uploaded them from my camera to my computer yet? Who has time for that? :) I will shortly - I think this week may not be so crazy!


I was looking on my cousin Carolyn's MySpace page and she posted some new pictures from her Fancy Tea Time Baby Shower the other day. Anna Marie (sister) and Aunt Margaret (mom) worked their tail off (what little tails they have!) to make it one of the cutest showers I have been to! There were little porcelain tea cups, tea, tea cookies, crackers, mini cheesecake bites, fancy hats and scarves, boas......I could go on and on. It sure was cute and I am so glad I went! Here are some picture of the party!


Mary Clare and Danielle (cousin Anna Marie's daughter) were born on the same day! Danielle was 6 weeks premature and has already tripled her birth weight! You go girl! WE are going to have so much fun with these two!





My Cousins Carolyn (she's pregnant but you can't even tell!) Katie & Anna Marie




Aunt Linda feeding Mary Clare, Katie, me & Kate. MY BEE-U-TEE-MOUS hat had tulle, greenery, and lillies! I have a cute picture of Kate FINALLY letting us put a hat on her. I'll post it soon!

A Random Forward that I am posting.......

I AM … tired - but overwhelmingly blessed
I WANT… to be a size 8.
I HAVE … the best family!
I KEEP … a lot of stuff I shouldn't.
I WISH I COULD … finish renovating the house.

I HATE … bad breath.
I FEAR … fear.
I HEAR … Kate.
I DON’T THINK …...........
I REGRET … Do we really have to go there? I have a list of my regrets!
I LOVE … hanging out with Kate & Mary Clare & Tim.
I AM NOT … going to get pregnant anytime soon.
I DANCE … with Kate to princess music
I SING … all the time in the shower. I miss my choir days!
I NEVER … say NEVER.
I RARELY … want to stay home.
I CRY WHEN I WATCH … any of the baby stories on TLC or Discovery!
I AM NOT ALWAYS … organized.
I HATE THAT … I can't stick to the healthy transformation of my body plan.
I’M CONFUSED ABOUT … why my gay-dar seemed to have faded away.
I NEED … to sort through all of the girls clothes!
I SHOULD … be more disciplined and stick with my lists. I am a list girl

Happy 5 months Mary Clare!

These were probably taken almost a month ago. They are the most recent pictures I have that are actually downloaded on my computer. Needless to say that her first feeding didn't go so well. Now she loves it.!We starts veggies about a week and a half ago and by then end of the month we'll add some fruits. Bon Appetit!

Dancing Queen

I haven't been able to sleep much lately. It's all stress related. MY job situation (Offered a job - accepted - talked to boss - declined new job), Mary Clare's appointment, youngest brother moving to Georgia for a girl (not the one Russia recently invaded - Jimmy Carter's Georgia), and not to mention the business at work. But because of my lack of sleep, you would think that I would be able to go to bed since Mary Clare's appt is over right? NO. SO I am going to share a little funny story and hopefully by the end I shall be ready for slumber.

It was the Sunday night before last, and Kate was on her chair playing with her stickers on the counter and I was cleaning up after dinner. I had made a quick spaghetti dinner because
1 - I didn't want to cook because I was tired and 2 - it was a Micheal Phelps night and I couldn't miss it! So, I took off Kate's shirt before she ate in fear of her staining it. She was still topless playing with her stickers and calls out, "Mommy! Look at me!" Now usually when Kate plays with her Princess stickers, she covers her arms, legs, and face with them. Then I, in turn, tell her that "She's my little princess Kate!!!" and run over and give her a bunch of huggies and kissies. Didn't happen this way this time. I turned around and had to pick up my jaw off the floor because Kate had two star stickers on her chest - one on each nipple! And they were pink! And then she topped it off by saying - "I've got stars on my nipples!" and starts doing her "Shake your bootie" dance. What?!?!?! What two year old tells her mommy she has stars on her nipples and then starts dancing?!?! I'm thinking - Oh my! She is two! She put pasties on her nipples! Is she destined to be a pole dancer?
Just thought I would share a story of a horrified mother and an innocent, fun-loving two year old.
Lord, please guide her to a horizontal wooden ballet bar instead of a vertical metal pole. In your name I pray. Amen.

Time is flying by me again!

I can not believe it! (Little Einsteins anyone?)

It has been a month since my last post! Whew! We have had yet another busy month and September is literally right around the corner. Autumn is my favorite time of year - the fall colors, the fall clothes, Friday night lights, tailgating at Aggie games in College Station on Saturdays (when I can get down there - Tim has been going solo here these past couple of years), the leaves on the ground, pumpkins, cornucopia's, and so on. Before you know it we are celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So, as I am doing my best to keep up with my family and activities here, I will try to keep up on our blog.

We just got back from sweet little Mary Clare's appointment with Dr. Honeycutt at Cook's Children Hospital today. He said he think she is going to be fine, but he just wants to monitor her just to make sure. Her MRI in July showed some abnormalities, and he is a little worried about that. So we are just going to watch and pray that everything is going to be ok before we jump into anything. We go back for a follow up late October.

Mary Clare is growing so fast! She is 5 months today! They weighted her today at the hospital and she weighs over 20 pounds. My little butterball brings me so much joy! I actually just spoke to Torin Halsey tonight about having Mary CLare's five month portraits taken. www.photosbytorin.com
I got a really good deal with him at Christmas Magic Auction last year, and saved it for Mary Clare! I talked to another photographer/mommy friend of mine who did Kate's 1 year and our family photos in 2006 and she is going to be on board to do our family pictures again this year.


Our little cherub Kate starts 3's Pre-K at School for Little People on Wednesday, September 3. She should be starting the two's, but we talked with the director and she moved her up. We'll keep her their next year as well and then move her to a different Pre-K program for her final year in Pre-K since she will be too young to start kindergarten. She is ready though! Her hair is cut, she has her lunch box and back pack, we have the outfit (I think!) and all we have left to get is the shoes. I'll post pictures soon!

Ok so I am rambling now. Good night!

Everyone Loves a Blue Eyed Girl!

Look at my little beauty Mary Clare. She is now four months old. I can not believe how fast the time has gone. She brings me so much joy, and I am so blessed to have two precious daughters. Mary Clare is completely different that Kate was as a baby. Kate didn't weigh 15 pounds until she was 6 months, and she weighed 11 lbs 7 oz when she was born. Mary Clare weighed 11 even at birth and when we weighed her at 3 1/2 months she weighed 17 1/2 pounds! She is definitely on track to doubling her birth weight! She is so easy going, hardly ever fusses, gives me the cutest gummy smiles all the time and I thank God for her daily. We had a little scare with her while I was pregnant because her left ventricle in her brain was slightly enlarged. Her head is still growing faster than it should be now so we had to take her in for a MRI almost two weeks ago. Seems as though the problem with the ventricle is still there, although it is not causing any major problems yet. Does that make sense? Actually, the radiologist told her pediatrician that both ventricles in her brain were enlarged now. We are going to Fort Worth in September to see a Pediatric Neurologist. Pray that he tells us that she just has a big noggin and doesn't need surgery!

TWO NEW BIG SISTERS!

No No No! Not Kate and Mary Clare (as of yet)! My nieces Caroline and Georgia are going to be BIG SISTERS! Check out the surprise I got at Mary Clare's baptism reception. I kind of had a hunch that something was up, and I was relieved to find out that I was right! Congratulations Carlye & Marc and Amanda& John! I can't wait to meet my new nieces &/or nephews! Love you!

Check out this Cake!

This is the cake I ordered from the Market Street bakery the day BEFORE Mary Clare's baptism. Special thanks to Stephanie Mitchell who helped me. I said I wanted a cross on the cake with some flowers and this is what she did. Just beautiful!!!! Thanks Stephanie!

Long time, No Post

Well, I can not believe that it has almost been a month since my last post. Partly because our DSL messed up when we were at the lake for July 4th and because our life has been such a whirlwind for the past month that I don't know where to begin! Looks like I left off with swimming lessons. Hmm...We went to the condo for the 4th of July and had a great time. None of us (the girls or their parents) made it to watch the fireworks. We were all too pooped!

The week following we were getting prepared for our family and friends coming in town for Mary Clare's baptism. We were completely shocked (and still are) about the loss of one of Tim's friends Chris Brumley. Tim has know Chris since high school and is actually best friends with Chris' brother Nathan. Chris was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident just an hour and a half away from Wichita Falls. He leaves behind his wife and 2 1/2 month old son. I think why it has affected me so much is that it brought back all of the memories and anguish I had when my dad suddenly died in March 2007. What got me the most though is that he is leaving behind his newborn son. His two month old son that he was crazy about. I can't imagine Tim not being in Kate or Mary Clare's life. Just the thought of something happening to him and him not being here makes me ill. I know that God has His Master Plan set for us all the day we are born, and we must stay strong in our faith and know that He is in complete control. My faith is the only thing that has not let me down, even though I catch myself wondering why sometimes. Please pray for Chris' wife Jennifer and his son Chase. Please pray for acceptance of God's will and strength of her faith during this difficult time.

http://www.owensandbrumley.com/obituary.php?id=484&cp=8#condl

After we left his funeral that Saturday morning, we had to get ready for Mary Clare's baptism. We were so overwhelmed by the love and support we received from our family. I don't think the dinner after the Mass would have been successful if it wasn't for my two favorite sisters (in-laws) Carlye and Amanda. Thanks ladies! The picture below is our family with Mary Clare's Godparents Theresa and Chuck Berend from Fort Worth, Texas. We are really blessed to have them in our lives.



After the baptism we prepared for our 2,800 mile vacation. We drove to Omaha, Nebraska, then to Chicago and Lisle, Illinois, over to South Bend, Indiana, to Effingham, and stopped off in Fort Smith, Arkansas before our return home. We are resting up this week in preparation of our busy month in August! Vacation pictures and more pictures of the girls soon!

Swimming at Harrell Park Pool

Tim suprised me earlier this week and said that he had signed Kate up for Mommy & me swim lessons at Harrell Park pool. We missed one day - but Kate learned a lot the other four days we were there. She also realized that her feet can touch the bottom of the pool (yes she is two & a half and already over three feet tall). Cousins Carolyn and Luke tried to make it - but Luke wanted to swim with out his mommy helping him. Unfortunately Luke let his mom know that he wasn't happy with her and wanted to leave. Maybe next time!

She just came up from putting her head under the water for the first time. She was screaming for joy (I think/hope!)

Are we looking at the next Janet Evans? Quite possibly.

Mary Clare always misses out on the fun stuff. She is such a good baby! She hardly ever cries and she sleeps all the time!