A photo a day ...

I am joining up with FatMumSlim this month and am going to give her " A photo a day" challenge a go!!  I am a little late joining in but am going to try and stick with it for the rest of the year.  I think it will be great fun to look back and remember.  So here goes ....

February, Day 1:

Your View:

My view today was my little office and it's many little piles of things "to do".  Although it isn't my favorite view, that would be the faces of my sweet babes, I do feel blessed to have these things "to do"!  I really have the best of both worlds in that when I am at work if my kids need me I am free to be there for them and am able to take care of what I need to at work in a "part-time" schedule.  I have enjoyed being back in this little office and honestly really enjoyed my view today!

Wash your mouth out with soap!!

As I have mentioned in a previous post, my Georgi is into everything!!  I can't take my eye off of her for a second!!  She is little, she is quiet and she is SNEAKY!! ;o)  The other night, I was getting ready for bath time and things got quiet and I knew that meant trouble.  I looked to find that the babies had gotten into the cabinet below the kitchen sink and were playing with the dishwashing soap,  sponges and the little dishwashing detergent capsules. I have some trusty ponytail holders holding all of my cabinets closed (hush it, Brianna and Lori, haha) but my little babes are getting a little smarter and obviously they aren't working much anymore.  Anyway,  I cleaned up their mess, gave baths and was fixing night time milk when George came over  hacking, crying and "sudsing" at the mouth!!  I had all but forgotten about the previous shenanagins of the 2 man wrecking crew so I FREAKED!!!  Georgia then handed me the remains of the nibbled on dishwashing detergent capsule ... she must have found one that I missed when cleaning up and chewed through the plastic and eaten almost half of the soap.  I immediately put her under the faucet which only resulted in more tears, yells and SUDS!!  I took her to the bath tub and then began the vomiting!!!  It was pitiful and SCARY!!  However, after she got all of it up and out ... she calmed down in which time I called Poison Control just to be on the safe side.  According to the operator, she would be fine and it would just give her an upset tummy and I was so relieved!  I have a feeling this is just the beginning in the adventures of parenting Georgia (and the other 2 ;o),  I can't wait to see what happens next!! LOL

Stinker!!

Jacob (Jake) Nathan

AKA:  Jakey Boy, Biggy, Biggy Boy, Big, Dump (short for Lap Dumpling), My Boy

Jake, my baby boy!  My last born, born on July 8, 2010 (6 minutes after your sister).  You to, were almost 10 weeks early and completely content on staying in my tummy for a little longer but your sister had other plans.  You had a little more trouble, initially, than your sister had and to be intubated at birth but only for a couple of hours and you got the hang of it on your on.  You were a big boy to be so early, 4 lbs 8 ozs, and you continue to be almost off the growth charts!

While you were at UAB those 7 weeks after you were born you were the sweetest little thing.  You hardly ever cried and were content to just lay in your isolet.  I could never leave the hospital while you were still awake because the thought of your sweet, big eyes would keep me up all night. 

Although, you were laid back and content as a newborn things definitely have changed as you have gotten older.  Not that you aren't a joy to be around but you are not happy unless you are being held or have some sort of human contact and you prefer your Momma!!!

Speaking of wanting your momma ... you are a "Momma's Boy" in every sense of the word!  You want to be in my lap at all times and if you aren't, nobody else better be either!  You love playing rough with your daddy and tussling with him but with your momma is where you want to be.  You have started to favor Summer lately, also, if I am busy and can't pick you up that minute you will go to her and asked to be picked up.  She loves it, to say the least!

I am your favorite :), but truth be told you really just like the ladies.  You love MeMe and her name was one of your first words.  You think JuJu and NeaNea are your other grandmothers and they don't mind that at all.  Whenever we are around a new lady you always reach for them, like I said ... Ladies Man!

You walked later than Georgia, you started at 12 months but have always found a way to keep up with her anyway.   You like to let her get into something or make a mess and then you just join in.  You are very vocal and are constantly "talking".  You say Momma, DaDa, MeMe, PaPa, JuJu NeaNea, Georgia, Lu,  No No, Night Night, Juice, Cookie, Ball, Thank You, Cheese, Hello & BaBa.

You LOVE a phone!!  The IPhone is what you prefer, haha, but you will take any one you can get.  Out of sight, out of mind BUT if you get one in your sights you will cry and point to it and say "Hello, Hello".  I always give in so we have to hide the phones everywhere we go!

You are an animal lover!  Between all of us, me, MeMe, JuJu & NeaNea, we have 8 dogs and you love them all.  You have never been scared of them and will go straight up to them and love on them.  Your daddy and I both love animals too, so you get it honest.

When you are so upset and nothing else will work we can step one foot outside of the house and it is like a switch,  you quit crying instantly. You love the outside.  You love to swing, walk up and down the driveway and riding in your wagon.  Another obsession of yours is anything that goes Vroooom.  Cars,Trucks, bicycles, lawnmowers but your favorite is a tractor.  You are such a boy!  I can't wait to see you and your daddy doing all kinds of big boy things together outside, it's his favorite place too!

You love your sisters and boy do they love you.  You will not ever have to worry about being well taken care of because you have at 3 women in your life that will ALWAYS be sure of that.  You and Georgi and buddies and have the sweetest relationship.  I hope that you will always

be close! 



Summer adores you, she calls you HER baby boy and can't wait to get her hands on you first thing when she wakes up in the mornings. She is your little mommy all she wants to do is take care of you!  You are one lucky little fella!

Jakey Boy, 
my life is so much snugglier because you are in it!!  I am never low on hugs, kisses and lovin when you are near by, you melt my heart.  You are my boy and I totally "get" it now what I have always heard about a momma and her boy!  I love that you are a big, rough and rugged boy but want nothing more than to be in your momma's arms ... I hope that never changes.  I  pray for big things for you biggy boy and can't wait to see the man that you become.  You perfectly complete this house full of girls and daddy is so glad that he has you in his corner.  We are so glad that God made us your mommy and daddy!! We love you, Big!!

Mommy and Daddy

Georgia Susanne

AKA:  George, Georgi, Gorgi, Itty Bitty Baby Girl, Tiddy Bit, Tit

Hey there Georgi Girl! My sweet 2nd born (you were born 6 minutes before your twin brother) born July 8, 2010 at 2:18pm.  Even though you were almost 10 weeks early you were so beautiful with a  head full of curly, reddish/brown hair and the prettiest little lips I had ever seen.

We should have known from your dramatic entrance into this world that you were going to be a HAND FULL!!  You are in to everything .... You broke your sac inside of my tummy at 31 weeks gestation,  you walked at 10 months, climbed out of your crib at 12 months and love to be at the highest point of whatever you can find!!  You have fallen off of your changing table, climbed and fallen off of the kitchen table 2 times so far and fallen off of the couch more times than I can count! ;o) Your favorite place to play is in the cabinets and I mean IN the cabinets!!  You will get up on the top shelf inside the cabinet and Jake will shut the door, it's so funny! We call you spider monkey and mountain goat all the time!! 

You're personality is so much like your daddy.  You are serious and reserved in a crowd but when you are on your turf and comfortable you are such a clown.  When you smile your eyes disappear and you have the cutest little dimple on your right cheek.

You are 18 months and you are a tiny little person, or at least  in comparison to your brother and your big sister at your age.  You weigh 24 lbs., wear 18 mo. clothing and size 5 diaper.

You love music and love to dance.  At the first sound of music you stop immediately and break it down! Your brother and sister love to dance with you but don't have quiet the skills you have.  I've never seen a little body move like you can move yours.  It is so cute and we could sit and watch it all day.

You are talking more and more everyday and mostly just jibber jabber with your brother but you do say a view legible words.  The words that you are saying are Momma, DaDa, Bubba, MeMe, Lu, No No, Pretty, Ball, Cookie (Tootie), Juice, Baby, Bottle (BaBa), Night, Night, Thank You, JuJu, NeaNea and BoBo.


You love your brother and even though you two fuss like brothers and sisters often do, your bond is obvious.  You guys will sometimes sit indian style across from each other and talk and laugh .... it is the sweetest thing.  You are concerned when he cries and love to give him kisses.  You have just started grabbing him by the hand and leading him around.  You guys like to team up on me and get into all kinds of mischief,  you are partners in crime.  I pray that you two always stay the best of friends.

You are pretty smitten with your big sister, as well.  You follow her and mimic her and try so hard to do exactly whatever she is doing.  I am so glad you have a "sister" and hope that your relationship will be as special as mine is with my sisters.  She thinks you are the cutest thing ever and you guys love to hold hands and you love sitting in her lap!

You are very independent and don't need a whole lot of cuddles but when you do give them out you give the best kisses and hugs!. However, when your daddy walks in the room, you melt and I swear you bat your eyes and pucker up to give him sugars!

George, 

you are my Itty Bitty Baby girl and I love you so much.  Your daddy and I can't get enough of you.  You keep us laughing and on our toes and we would not have it any other way.  When I put you and your brother to sleep at night, you always cry out for me about 10 minutes after and I go in and pick you up, you put your head on my shoulder and squeeze tight and then you are ready to go back down.  It is secretly one of my most favorite times of the day and I will be so sad when you grow out of that.  I so look forward to our life with you in and can't wait to see wonderful things you "stir" up!  We love you, Tiddy Bit!

Summer

AKA:  Sister, Sum, Summy, Pookie Dook, My Girl, Senorita, SugarBaby, Tootie Bell

Our first born, born October 19, 2006.  Summer came here full of spunk, attitude and lots of personality and has been the Queen of the house since day one!  I can not believe my girl is 5 years old ... seems impossible!!



Summers 5th birthday



Summer takes Gymnastics once a week at SEAGA a local gym and loves every minute.  She received the lessons from MeMe and Papa for her 5th birthday.  She is very good at it and although is one of the youngest ones in her class can do a couple of things that no one in the class can do.  She is great at cartwheels and does a pretty good backbend and does a handstand with a little help!

Summer is really into baby dolls right now and her favorite is her American Girl Doll that she got for Christmas this year.  She goes back and forth between Elizabeth and Mary Clara for names for her doll but mostly just calls her American Doll. :o)

She knows and can write all of her Letters, upper and lower, she can write her name, mommys name and daddys name.  She can write Love, Stop, No, Mommy, Daddy.  She knows her phone number and MeMe's phone number and we are working on our address.  I stand in awe of how smart she is and although she does have a lot of "book smarts"  where she blows me away is with her common sense!  She is very "knowing" and loves to know things and asks SOOOO many questions.  I love that about her even though it can get a little tiresome at times!

Summer is such a wonderful big sister and I don't know what I would have done this year without he.  Her brother and sister adore her and she is so good with them.  They are getting to the age where she can really play with them and it is probably my favorite thing at this point in our lives.  It makes me so proud to see them love eachother.

If there is one thing I know it is that I will never have to worry about anyone ever taking advantage of Sum. Although she is very sweet and cares so much for others and their feelings ..... she don't take no junk!! ;o)  It is one of those things that you know will serve them well when they are older but aren't quite sure how to teach them to control while they are young.  She is fearless and would go toe to toe with a  giant (aka: her daddy)!!  It does cause quite a few time outs in her 5 year old world but will surely give me some peace when it is time for her to go out into this great big world on her own!

Summer's cousins are her most favorite people in the whole wide world.  They are all a few years older than her but close enough that they all play together wonderfully.  They are best friends and I hope that it stays that way forever. 

Sam, Sarah, John & Summer (at Sarahs 6th grade graduation 2011)

Ever since Summer was born she has LOVED sleeping in her own bed.  However, since the babies were born she would much rather be snuggled in between mommy and daddy in our bed.  I think that this probably happened while we were in Birmingham with the babies.  When Summer would come up to visit us on the weekends she would sleep with me and it brought me so much comfort and peace.  We love snuggling and she ends up in our bed about 3 nights out of the week.  Bad habit but we all kind of enjoy it!!

BLING, BLING!!  Summer loves anything that sparkles!!  She is just natrually drawn to all things girly and glitz!  I kid and say that for her, the tackier the better!! I am hoping that her obsession calms down a little and that she'll go more for "class" and not so much for BLING!!   I am a little more conservative in style but her JuJu (my sister) on the other hand is just a grown up version of Sum and just happens to be where she got her nickname "Senorita".  We kid and say she should have been her daughter!

Summer showing off her earrings the day she got her ears pierced (April 2011)!! She could not wait to get those out and put in some "dangle ones"!!

Summer,

   You are such a joy and so much fun!!  You have such a sweet spirit wrapped up in that sassy little personality and we can not wait to see what God has in store for your life.  We know that whatever it is, you will be the best!!  Summer you have been such a comfort for your mommy and have helped me so much since our babies were born.  One of my favorite times of the day is that hour and a half that we have with just you after the babies go to sleep.   We love you so much, Sister and can't even remember what our lives could have possibly been before you!!  Momma (& Daddy)

2012

I love a fresh start and that is exactly what a new year brings.  This new year is also bringing on a few new changes for my little family.  I have started back to work after 18 months off with my babies and although it is a bit sad, it is also a bit exciting for this momma!  Meme is keeping the little ones and Summer, of course, is going to PreK at Funshine.  My schedule is only 3 mornings a week for now and we will ease into 4 full days by the fall at which point Jake and Georgia will begin at Funshine and Summer will start Kindergarten!! WHAT, when did that happen!?!?!  She is so excited about going to "big" school, me .... not so much! So, that is pretty much what has been happening around here so far in 2012. I  hope to do a better job at keeping up with our lives and am excited about what this year has in store for The Spann Family Five!

Jake, 18mos; Summer, 5 yrs old; Georgia, 18 mos
Christmas 2011

Rub-a-Dub-Dub, Two Babies in a Tub ...

These babies of mine think their big sister is the best thing EVER.  She can sing and dance and they can hardly handle it!  Nothing makes this mommy more proud than that my babies love each other so.  I caught some of this admiration on camera the other night at bath time.  They were losing their breath they were laughing so hard at their silly sister!!