Eden Weighs In

It's funny how one of the first questions people asks about babies is "How much does she weigh?" No wonder our culture is obessed with weight!

Well, I hadn't gotten Eden's weight since her 2 month wellness check so I thought I'd go to the lactation center while Claire was at MDO today. At 2 months, she weighed 10 lbs. even and today, being 2 days shy of 3 months, she weighed in at 11 lbs. even. At first I was shocked and wondered if the scale was calibrated but a consultant came in to check. She said it was and then she eased my concern which was so nice of her. She said she looks healthy, has the number of wet diapers she needs, is satisfied after eating and is just low on the scale of weight gain. At this age they should gain 4-7 oz. a week and she is gainig the 4 oz. so she said Eden's good and I shouldn't be worried! All that aside, she is the most perfect little thing I've ever seen! Here she is with her heart cheetah shirt and the most perfect, round tummy! Look at those checks - you'd never think she was only 11 lbs. HA!! You should see her leg and arm rolls just like her sister!

Eden's Day

Today was a great day for Eden! We hosted out first playgroup and she got to spend some time with her friend Caleb! What a cutie he is! They are only a week and 1 day apart so we know they will become fast friends as they grow up together. Eden also took some time out to flash her smile this evening while doing tummy time - tummy time and smiling? WOW! Didn't know that would happen together so soon when she isn't smiling all the time yet! She really responds to her tickle spot under her chin so we do it a lot! She's smiling more everyday and looking cuter all the time. She's also starting to resemble her sister more and more... Enjoy these pics!

Claire trying out the tickle spot!

Caleb and Eden hanging out - these are two of our favorite seats in the house. Thanks Kate for letting us borrow them!! We LOVE the portable swing!
Getting stronger all the time!

This is my favorite one so far!

" Mom, why did you have to go and stick a bow on my head?"

Claire singing a scale on solfege!

All you choir or singing nerds will love this one! Claire's been singing the solfege for awhile now but I could never get it on video (for those who don't know it's the do, re, mi, fa.... you know! From the "Sound of Music"). I captured it the other day right before nap time. She's going to be a pro at sight-reading! She's certainly her mother's daughter.

Tuesday's Tribute: Dad

My dad just celebrated his 61st birthday last week so I wanted to write something special to honor him!

First of all, a picture of the girls with Grandpa celebrating with paninis, soup and of course, cake!



My dad would do anything for almost anyone. He has such a giving heart when it comes to his time and talents - especially to our family. I can't even count the times he has come to our rescue the past few years. If it means watching Claire on a whim, picking up a can of soup for me when I don't want to pack the kiddos up, helping us with our cars or household projects... I could go on and on! He is someone that I can talk to about most everything. He is sensitive. He is a listener and an observer. He NEVER hangs up the phone without saying "I love you" and never leaves us without a hug and kiss. He's so funny calling me often to just check up on "his girls". God has truly blessed our family so much with him!

Dad, you are such a wonderful man, dad and especially, grandpa! I LOVE watching you with the girls and the light they bring to your eyes. I pray that they have years and years to come to build up memories with you and mom. I love that I feel comfortable talking to you about anything - we don't have to agree on everything but I know we respect each other's opinions. I really thank you for that. Thank you for being such a positive light in my life. I love you!

Happy Valentine's Day - our story

I know so many who think today is such a crock - a cheesy way to get us to buy things - but if it's one more day that you intentionally tell those around you that you love them then why not? We shouldn't need an excuse to do so but if it helps someone who truly deserves it feel special, then it is way worth the fuss...

Enough about that!! Now for the good stuff - Happy Valentine's Day to my wonderful husband!

14 years ago on Valentine's Day, I got ready for my first real date. I dressed up in a short, red dress with a heart cut out and curled the heck out of my long hair. Actually, I think my sister did my hair for me! I was so nervous and excited - we were going on a Project Graduation Fundraiser dinner to Fiesta Texas. My date was this new guy who was a studly senior and had been taking me home from school the past month. Yup, you guessed it! It was Neil! He brought me a frog planter with a purple heart (He knew I loved frogs and the color purple). I was so nervous and excited but glad that we were picking up some friends on the way, Mikey and Chris Locke. On the way out there, the four of us crammed into Neil's tiny white Mazda Truck that was on it's last leg (way too dangerous when we look back!). It was SO foggy that night and we got lost on our way to Fiesta TX which is hard to imagine these days. We had a great time and honestly, I don't remember much except for the ride and getting ready!

Well, there is one more thing I remember... on the way home we dropped off Mikey and Chris so it was just the two of us in the truck. I chose to sit in the middle and Neil had his arm around me. SO why so memorable? Well, the truck was a standard so every time he had to shift, he'd have to reposition his arm!! What a sweetie! We didn't have a good night kiss that night but I'm sure we had a hug. We didn't see each other much longer after that but celebrated our next Valentine's Day together 7 years later in Baton Rouge. That was the weekend Neil told me he was in love with me... We haven't spent one apart since!

I love you Neil with all my heart! How fun is it to remember our stories together!? I'm so glad we're both nostalgic and that we've created such a wonderful love story together.

(I have a picture of our first V-day together when I was 14 and Neil was 17 but he wouldn't let me post it =( If you ever want to see it, you know I have it in a scrapbook and you'll get a kick out of it!!)

Happy Valentine's from the girls

Nothing like seeing your daughters be so in love with their daddy! He's doing such a great job teaching them how they should be cherished and loved. Hope you all had a great Valentine's day!

We love you Daddy!

Not daddy's hands but a cute one with Eden's first V-day bib!

Tuesday's Tribute: Mikey

I came across this awesome idea on Suzanne Steece's blog a.k.a. Quad Mom and it is in reference to a little girl named Tuesday who recently lost her struggle with cancer. Tuesday's Tribute is posting blogs about someone or something else and reminding ourselves that it's not about us(me). It allows us to express others light so here I am on the first Tuesday.

Let me introduce you to Micael Claire Schmidt a.k.a. Mikey - (Claire is named after her middle name) This picture says it all:

This picture was taken in her Freshman piano class at ACU and I love it - her personality shins through. Mikey was a crazy girl! I'll never forget when I first met her. It was at a Marshall football game when we were in the 8th grade. It was at the beginning of November and she was with another friend of mine, Crystal. They were having a joint birthday party held at Northwest Church of Christ and invited me after we all huddled under a blanket cheering on the Rams! They were so sweet to include me after Mikey had just met me.

Mikey and I didn't go to the same middle school so we didn't see each other much after that until our first day of high school in the choir room. We became very close friends super fast. We went to dances, sang in concerts, auditioned together countless times, stalked our latest crushes, listened to The Cranberries and Green Day, went to Soul Quest, hung out at her house (ALWAYS at her house unless it was someone's birthday!), listened to each other when our hearts got broken, scrounged up change for taco Sunday at Taco Bell and had our share of spats to go along with it all.

Throughout our high school years, we became part of a group of 10 girls who were known as "the choir girls". We were close but didn't keep in touch as much as we should've when we went off to our separate colleges. That all changed when we got the call on Feb. 12th 1999, spring of our freshman year, that Mikey had died in a car accident on her way home from ACU for a funeral. I'll never forget all the details of that day and the feeling I had when Kate called. We were all in shock and disbelief. We had just gotten together over the Christmas break so how could this happen?
Needless to say, we all coped with it differently but I think that is why we all got better at staying in touch. This week will be the 10th anniversary of the accident which is hard to believe.

Mikey had a certain light about her - she loved the Lord and helped me a lot in my younger years as a Christian. She had this sort of confidence about her that amazes me as I look back and remember. It wasn't arrogance but she always seemed sure of herself and what she was doing. I know she had insecurities but this strength that she had was beyond her years. She always had an opinion and always seemed to know what she wanted. None of this wishy-washy stuff... Her long, dark hair and bright smile always so beautiful. She had the most perfect lips I've ever seen. Her top lip peaked just so - almost like a bow. She has this pure soprano voice that I could've listend to all day. Now, like I mentioned, we weren't always on the best of terms, just like sisters, but I always knew she'd be there for me. I wish I would've given her one last hug when I saw her the last time sitting in the blue chair at her parents house. She wasn't feeling well and we'd stayed up all night so it was just a quick see you later...

So Mikey is my Tuesday's Tribute because of how she has affected my life along with many others. Going through such tragedy at such a young age has certainly played a huge part in who I am today. I was SO angry at God and rebelled for a long time. That time of my life all the way until my Senior year of College were the hardest years for me but finding my way back to Him grew my faith. I know Neil and I are stronger people for all of it and we often wonder what she'd think about us two ending up together. Neil and I speak of her often and speak of death probably more than anyone I know. It's real and we've both been through it not just this once with our friends but a number of times since.

I pray that you take the time to give those you love a big hug and tell them exactly how you feel. You never know when it'll be the last one you get.

Here are some pics from high school. Not the best quality because they are old pics scanned and we weren't doing digital way back then!

Our freshman year at Mikey's house before the choir banquet. I went with her cousin Sean and she went with Clinton Haby!

Junior year prom - we both went with Seniors so got to hang out! She went with BJ and I went with Andy Wilson.

Senior year at the Madrigal Festival sipping coconuts

Mikey and I at the choir banquet our Senior year. She was VP and I was Pres. that year so we spent a lot of time organizing things - this was our last hoopla of the year with choir!