Getting back to Sundays

This morning was the first Sunday we have been to church with Sara Gray.  I have taken Campbell to Mission Friends & Preschool Choir, Matt has played basketball and I have had some church  meetings but as a family, this was our first time back our church in over 2 months!!

As much as I tried, I couldn’t get it all together to make SS but we did manage to get to the morning service. We kept Sara Gray with us, in her carrier, and sat on the last pew high in the balcony.  While it felt strange to not sit in our usual spot and of course to have a baby between us, Matt and I both realized how much we had missed a good Sunday morning in church.  We even had communion this morning which made it all the more special.

 

Sara Gray slept for most of the service.  She wore one of my old baby gowns but she was  wrapped so snuggly, no one could see it!  

 

After church, we came home and ate lunch. The girls napped while I did a few odd things around the house (and blogged!) and Matt watched football.  Matt even took SG out to the man cave to watch some NFL action.

 

 Matt &  David Nelson (Sara Gray is really watching the TV!)

 

As usual, we went to my parents house for Sunday night dinner which is really becoming more and more of a weekly family reunion.  Jamie & Newton were back from their honeymoon at the beach and we celebrated Newton & Troy’s birthdays.  Campbell gave them cupcakes we made from our baking day yesterday. Happy Birthday Boys!!

  Christopher likes Campbell’s chocolate cupcakes the best

Troy (29 yrs old now!) with Jordan

Sara Gray with her Honey 

Newton (28 yrs old now!) and Jamie 

Papa’s dessert. He’s saving the red velvet for last. Campbell loved that everyone was bragging (and eating) on her cupcakes.

I know it seems like a hectic Sunday but for us, this is was we are used to.  Its nice to get back into our routine and getting back to the way our Sundays are supposed to be. I hope your Sundays are a day or rest, renewal and time with family!

Cupcakes

Earlier in the week, I woke Campbell up one morning and she popped open her eyes and said “Mama, will you make cupcakes with me?” Well, what is a mother to say??  Yes, I assured her, if she got up and got ready for school then we would make cupcakes in the coming weekend.

So today we made cupcakes.  Yesterday was my cousin Troy’s birthday and Monday will be my brother Newton’s so luckily this will be our excuse to bake and then give them away!

We made chocolate for Newton (and Campbell!) and Red Velvet for Troy.  4 DOZEN cupcakes!!! It was a fun time just us two in the kitchen and up to our ears in icing. I don’t know how good they really tasted but M&Ms and sprinkles sure made them look good.

Our Little Rock Star

When we got home from work/school today, Campbell has a surprise package.  We opened it up and it was a TAMPOURINE!!

Linda, the lead singer with the band from Newton & Jamie’s wedding, had personally signed and mailed the tambourine to Campbell as a memento from their fun night together at the reception, singing, playing & dancing with the band.

Here’s highlights from Campbell’s show at the reception:

 

So, maybe she gets the whole “gotta be onstage with the band, center of attention, shaking it” thing from me….but at least I was in college!!  My 3 yr old is already playing the tambourine with the band-should I be worried??!!

THANKS LINDA & “OFFICIAL NOTICE” FOR BEING SO KID FRIENDLY AND MAKING CAMPBELL FEEL LIKE A TRUE ROCK STAR!! YOU GUYS ARE SO GREAT!

When I See You Smile…

Sara Gray has started smiling every day…real smiles (not just the probably-its-gas ones!) and it totally makes my heart swoon.  We do the silliest things just get her to curl those lips for us. Wow, I love this little girl!

 

 

The Wedding Part 2: The Morning After

So, Jamie left her wedding dress in my parents bathroom.  She had told Campbell that she could try on her dress when Campbell had gotten so upset at the wedding but of course I said absolutely not!  But the next day when we found the dress Campbell did not forget and I was a little less on edge.  So we let her have some fun…

 

 

We had lots of cleaning up to do but really just wanted to be lazy. Aunt Patsy and her family came over and brought brunch which was so delicious!

 

 Ellen (my cousin) finally got her hands on Sara Gray!

 

Campbell was excited to get to spend more time with Chance.

And after the brunch crowd left, Dad “watched” Sara Gray for me so I could help mom. Thankfully it was naptime for both of them!!!

Newton & Jamie’s Wedding

 

My brother, Newton, got married September 19 at Lake Martin to Jamie Golden.  They are a beautiful couple who love each other so much and we are all very excited about having Jamie apart of our family.  We all were honored to play apart in the wedding—Matt was a groomsman, I read scripture, Campbell was a flower girl and Sara Gray quietly watched us all from the back of the church in the arms of Mrs Frances.

Jamie has lots of older brothers who all came to Troy before the wedding and it was fun getting to know everyone. The wedding and reception was beautiful (in spite of the flooding rains!)

Campbell was napping in the car before the ceremony and did not get a chance to see Jamie prior to the service.  She walked down the aisle with Maddox (Jamie’s nephew who Campbell called her “prince”!) just like she was supposed to but when Jamie came down the aisle, Campbell just put her head down in my lap crying because SHE wanted to wear that big pretty dress, SHE wanted to be the bride!  Just as I thought she was calmed down, it was time to kiss the bride and that sent her off again.  As the processional is going, Campbell is boo-hoo’ing and refused to walk back down the aisle.  OH MY!!   I learned my lesson that we had talked way too much about being a bride.  AND we have another wedding/flower girl gig in 2 weeks that I have to prepare her for.  Pray for me!

Campbell was pretty upset after the wedding and all the way home but when we got to the reception she walked in the house, took one look at the cupcake display and got super excited. She took one lap and ran back to me with a huge smile saying “mom, its a party!”.  For the rest of the evening she was running and I was chasing. She loved being on the dance floor and loved chasing Maddox and her cousin Chance.  Eventually, she got to play with the band which was the highlight of her day.  Needless to say, she slept very long and hard that night!!

I took over 300 pictures throughout the weekend but here’s just a few:

 

The wedding party-I think Jamie is trying to get Campbell to smile.

Prior to the service, Campbell decided to swap what she was carrying with Maddox. She wanted his pillow and gave him her flowers.  Yes, they swapped back just in time for Campbell to throw petals down the aisle.

The family

Campbell quickly changed out of that heirloom dress and into her princess dress, the closest thing she had to a real wedding dress.

Yes, she cut in on the First Dance!

And the mother & son dance, too.  It was pretty sweet!

My Aunt Betty holding Sara Gray for the first time, the namesake for her mother (Sara).

Campbell with her prince, Maddox…

…and with Pats

Christopher with our cousin Gail

Look at Nana’s face!! She is so funny—dancing with Mr. Benny

Sara Gray stayed in the nursery for most of the time but received lots of visitors.

Campbell with her boys—Maddox & Chance.  She still is talking about them!

Campbell playing the bongos and her pretend mic with the band

Things got a little crazy as the night got later!!  The shaker is left over from Jamie’s bridesmaids’ sendoff.  They played the LSU fight song and danced with their shakers around Jamie.  (Jamie is a big LSU fan!)

Dad and his old band mate John Forrester

A fun (and late and humid) night together!

 

Check-ups with Dr. Seuss

 The girls both had doctors appointments yesterday.  For Sara Gray it was her 2-month old check-up and I went ahead and scheduled Campbell for her 3-yr at the same time just to make it easy (ha!). Luckily, Matt met us at Dr. Wood’s office so I had an extra set of hands to handle them both.  I am so thankful the girls are very healthy and behaved wonderful, in spite of both having shots.

Campbell calls Dr Wood “Dr Seuss” and says it so seriously.  So when Campbell got a real Dr Seuss gown to wear…well, she thought that was just hilarious!

 

CAMPBELL:

height: 38 1/2” (75%)
weight: 34.12 (75%)

Campbell had her first “big kid” check-up. The nurse asked lots of questions to test Campbell’s verbal and intellect skills. They tested her blood pressure and physical abilities. She even had to change into a paper gown & give a urine sample in a cup!!  She thought all of that was waay cool and soo big girl!!  I opted to give her the flu shot, which was unexpected.  I asked her if she could show Sara Gray how to get shots so she did very bravely, even watching the nurse!

 

SARA GRAY:

height: 23” (75%)
weight: 10.14 (50%)
head: 39cm

SG was very calm and gave Dr Wood no troubles when it was her time to be examined.  She was diagnosed as being “just perfect and such a sweet baby!!”