Snowy Day

Even though it was almost completely unimaginable, we had one of the most beautiful snowy days I have ever seen in my 27 years of life. Yeah, yeah I know I live in Texas and my snowy days have been pretty few and far between, but the pictures from today could've been taken in Colorado (minus the mountains). I couldn't help but think of one of my favorite children's books The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (whom is also one of my favorite children's authors).

I would've loved to have witnessed today through the eyes of a child just like Peter did in The Snowy Day. It is still easy to get in touch with my inner child on days like this. Speaking of children, the day started off with letting my kiddos let loose and have some fun playing in the snow! My little cousin who lives in California send me his Flat Stanley in the mail this week and we're supposed to take pictures with Flat Stanley of things in Texas and mail Stanley on back to California. What a perfect day to take pictures with Flat Stanley! Here are my kiddos with Stanley. I love the look on their faces. So excited!

Here we are outside on the playground! Can you get a load of that? Crazy! Everything is just covered in a blanket of snow!

All afternoon activites were cancelled in Wylie, so our principal let us leave as soon as the kiddos were all gone for the afternoon. I couldn't wait to get AB and take her outside and see how she reacted to all of it. She saw a little bit of snow Christmas Eve, but nothing like this! Austin called and said his work was getting out early and he was on his way home. As soon as Daddy got home, the picture taking fun began. We took AB out front to see the snow. No, she didn't really know what she was looking at, but she knew something was different. I think she enjoyed it at first, then it started getting a little cold. These pictures perfectly captured the moment and I love looking at them!

And of course, she's all decked out in her snow boots! What little girl wouldn't be complete without snowboots???

AB and her number one guy! This is a match made in Heaven, folks. These two are crazy about eachother!

Daddy, Mommy and Baby's footprints in the snow!

Our house hasn't ever seen this much snow! Not since we've been in it, anyway!

Welcome Emerson Lynn Poole!

Monday, about two 'o' clock in the morning my cell phone rang. Not recognizing the number, I just wrote it off as a wrong number. About 15 seconds later, Austin's phone rang - both of our phones ringing in the middle of the night one right after another? No mistake. Austin pops up and tells me that it's Kevin (whom for some reason, his number wasn't in my phone). My first thought, "Amy's in labor!" So, I scramble to dial his number back, and he tells me that Amy was woken up by her water breaking. I didn't waste any time getting over to their house (they live about 4 minutes away) to go stay with sweet Anna. When I arrived at their house, Amy wasn't experiencing any contractions or pain, just leaking fluid. So, off they went to the hospital. I fell back asleep around 3:30 or so. I woke Anna at about 5:30 to get ready for school. I wish I could've captured her face when I told her that her parents left to go to the hospital and baby Poole could be on the way (they didn't find out the gender, so almost ALL of us were predicting a boy!). Amy called about 6:00 and said she was dilated to a 2 and they were monitoring her. They were most likely going to take the baby in the next couple of days due to infection setting in from leaking fluid. We all began praying because at this point, Amy was only 30 weeks along. About 2 in the afternoon, I called and Amy was receiving an epidural for pretty intense contractions and she was dilated to a 4. Around 4:30 that afternoon, Austin, Annabelle, Anna and I went up to the hospital so Anna could see her mom and spend a little time with her. At this point, she was still at a 4. I was watching her contractions on the monitor and they were coming very close together and were nearly off the charts. We left the hospital around 6:30. On our way home my phone rings and it's Amy. When I answer she asks to talk to Anna. I wake Anna up (whose asleep in the backseat) and I hear her squeal, "It's already been born??? It's a girl??" We were FLOORED! If we had just waited about 20-30 more minutes, we would've been at the hospital we would've been there for the birth! Crazy! Not only that, but the fact that it was a girl, shocked us even more. We were even more convinced that it was a boy when the little stinker started giving Amy all of these problems! Emerson Lynn Poole was born at 3lbs 6oz and 16 in. long. She sounds teeny tiny, but for her gestational age she is exactly the weight she should be! She was whisked off to the NICU and will probably be there for a couple of months. PRAISE THE LORD this little angel made it into the world safely and soundly. She is now off the respirator and just has oxygen tubes in her nose. She's doing great AND she's beautiful. What a little blessing, and we're so excited that Annabelle and Emerson are going to be good buddies! God is good.

Emerson Lynn Poole

"The Words I Would Say"

I heard this song on the radio on our way home from church on Sunday. I don't want to forget it and I want this to be an anthem for AB's life. I can't think of any better words I would say to my child about life and how to live her life. I heard it, and immediately felt compelled to remember it and dedicate to her. It's by Sidewalk Prophets I don't know much about them, as this is the first song I've heard by them...but I'm thinking I may have to get their CD. I've also put it on my player at the bottom of my blog. Take a look and have a listen.

The Words I Would Say

Three in the morning and I'm still awake

So I picked up a pen and a page

And I started writing just what I'd say

If we were face to face.

I'd tell you just what you mean to me

Tell you these simple truths

CHORUS

Be strong in the Lord

And never give up hope

You're gonna do great things

I already know

God's got His hand on you

So don't live in fear

Forgive and forget

But don't forget why you're here

Take your time and pray

These are the words I would say

Last time we spoke you said you were hurting

And I felt your pain in my heart

I want to tell you that I keep on praying

That love will find you where you are

I know because I've already been there

So please here these simple truths

CHORUS

Say... from one simple life to another

I will say... come find peace in the Father

Be strong in the Lord

And never give up hope

You're gonna do great things

I already know

God's got His hand on you

So don't live in fear

Forgive and forget

But don't forget why you're here

Take your time and pray

And thank God for each day

His love will find a way

These are the words I would say

I couldn't have said it better myself. This is my prayer for you, sweet AB.

God is So Good

This is such a sweet and FUNNY memory, that I had to write about it so I don't forget. It is one of those, "had to be there" sort-of things, but it's still a funny story. Austin and I put AB to bed every night together. He gives her kisses and loves on her, then it's my turn. I usually always sing her "God is So Good" to get her relaxed and ready to sleep. I love this sweet little song. I used to sing it growing up. Austin usually leaves before I sing, so he's never heard it. Well, I lost my voice yesterday and so singing is not in the cards for me right now. So I told Austin he had to do it. Well, since he isn't in the room when I sing, he didn't know the tune, nor the words; and since I can't sing him the tune, he just had to create one. We were both cracking up because he was SO monotone and I was trying to squeak out a note for him, but it didn't work. In the meantime, AB is lying down looking at us with her eyes shifting from Austin to me wondering what the heck is going on. It was a sweet attempt by my sweet husband to sing my favorite childhood song to our daughter.

5 Months Old

Hey Sweet Love,
Happy five month!!! Five months? FIVE months?? Really?!?!? But just yesterday you were four months, it seems! Everyone told me this, but it's true. The time flies...it just cruises. I'm really missing your "newborn" days, but oh my, are you developing the sweetest and cutest personality. And, as you can tell from the picture, you are one HAPPY girl!

I think that is probably one of the best ways to describe you - happy. Grammy tells me all the time that she thinks you are the happiest baby she has ever seen. I agree. When we picked you up from Sunday School on Sunday morning, Ms. Charlotte - the preschool minister at FBCG - stopped me and said, "Annabelle just immediately lights up the room. Once she was in the nursery, it's like she just stole the show". That made mommy smile. You do, AB. You have a way of lighting up a room.

Your smile is contagious. I've never seen anyone catch a "case of the smiles" more often than your Daddy. All you have to do is give the slightest smile at him and his face lights up like I've never seen. It's then that he can't resist those smiling cheeks and usually runs right up to you and covers those sweet cheeks in kisses. It was just today he told you, "Daddy is going to kiss you as much as I can for as long as I can!" I think that's because we both know the day will eventually come when you are too cool for Mommy and Daddy kisses, but right now we're taking advantage of it!

I see a trend here in each of these monthly posts. From now on, I think I'll repeat the phrase, "I've seen more growth in you this month, than I have in the others." There really have been a lot of "firsts" this month. For starters, we put you on rice cereal in your bottle for your last feeding at night. You really seemed to enjoy it, until it started giving you some digestive issues, then we switched you to oatmeal cereal and that is working out great! As if you weren't before, but you are sleeping through the night almost 12 hours at a time. You are taking as much as 8 oz in one sitting. You love your bottle and are very serious about feeding time. When that bib goes on, you mean business. Speaking of bottle, almost immediately after you turned four months, you started taking the bottle, only. This was actually your decision. Nursing just wasn't enough to suffice and you wanted more. So, after much thought and tears, we transitioned you to formula only. This was a sad time for me, but am very thankful it wasn't a sad time for you. You actually wanting to quit nursing probably made it a ton easier on me than if it was my decision to stop. You can pretty much feed yourself and hold your bottle the whole time. You still have a hard time finding your mouth if it falls out, so Mommy and Daddy aren't far from you when you're eating.

As I mentioned before, you are now going to Sunday school and staying in the nursery while Daddy and I go to church. It actually wasn't hard for me to leave you because the first day we dropped you off you immediately took to Mr. Jacob. It's neat for me because I remember when he was little, himself. and running around the church. Now he's all grown up and taking care of you in the nursery. The second time we dropped you off at Sunday School, he opened the door and the second you saw him, you gave him the biggest smile and held out your arms! Wow! You hardly even do that for Mommy and Daddy. It was very sweet. I think it made Daddy a tad bit jealous, but he has nothing to worry about. You are CRAZY about your Daddy. It never fails, you save up the BIGGEST smiles for him.

You also have quite the vocals for such a tiny thing. You have never been a "screaming" baby, but you are a talker. Oh, you can just sit in the back in your carseat and we'll be driving along, and all of a sudden we hear you talking up a storm. We don't know what you're saying, but you do! You will also giggle or laugh out loud at something you think is humorous. This is my favorite! I could listen you laugh for hours on end and never want you to stop. It's music to my ears.

With all this growth, I've noticed your need for constant stimulation. I try and always have atleast two or three toys with you at all times. You have started this thing where you will pick up a toy with your left hand and shake it back and forth over and over. It's very cute. Recently, Daddy and I set up your little bouncy chair. I thought you may be just a little too small, but it didn't hurt to try. You love it...but as you can tell from the pictures below, it took you a few minutes to warm up. But I think you have the hang of it now. You were such a good sport, though.

I'm so excited because I can already tell you are a shopper. On my birthday, Grammy took you and I to one of my favorite restaurants, Maggiano's. Afterwards we spent the entire and I mean ENTIRE day at the mall. We walked all over the place looking for Mommy some shoes and Grammy some shoes. Grammy also bought some make-up and when we handed the lip gloss to you, you already knew what to do with it. I tell you, AB, you're a girl after my own heart!

Your naps have become a little more consistent, too. One of my MOST favorite things in the whole world is when I lay you down beside me on the bed and you take a nap with me. You are awesome, AB, because you will always nap with me on the bed. I love it! It's one of my most favorite times with you because we get to snuggle. You are pretty much on a two a day nap schedule. You may squeeze in a little afternoon power nap here and there, but for the most part you have a morning and late afternoon nap. This month was quite an adjustment for me as far as your sleeping goes. We transitioned you to your room and your crib. Although this is a good thing, I have a very hard time with it. I just stare at the video monitor making sure you are still in your own bed. I am finding any excuse to have you in my room. You are actually asleep right next to me in your pack and play now. Reason for this: because I want to! We've also cut out using the wedge and swaddling you. The no swaddling was really hard at first. I felt you needed that, but we cut out swaddling when you napped. You eventually just got to where you did't need it for nap or night time. You eat by 7:30 or 8:00 and you're out for the night....and when I say, "out" I mean, OUT!

Oh, AB! I don't think you will ever know how much I love you. I can't even begin to put it into words. You are getting to be at such a fun age. You make me laugh all the time, and you don't even try. Everyone tells me to savor every single moment of this stage in your life. I know that I'm super guilty of thinking you'll stay this age forever. It's hard to not live in the now and think about how things are going to change, when I don't even know what they'd be like. I am, though. I am taking in every single second of your life. I absolutely love it! I love being a mommy and I love being your mommy. I know that you are so much more aware of that now. The other night we went over to Ms. Amy's and Anna's house to have a fun girl's night. We did have a lot of fun! However, when we first got there, Ms. Amy was holding you and out of nowhere, you burst into tears and only wanted me. The second that I took you back in my arms you stopped fussing and were just fine. I felt like this was a huge step. It's almost like the final initiation to being a mommy. It was your first case of separation anxiety. As much as it flattered Mommy to have you want to be back in my arms and lay your sweet head down on my shoulder to let everyone know that, "Hey! This is my Mommy!", I was a little sad because I want people to go on loving on you and enjoying you. I realize it's a phase, but I wonder how long it will last. I hate to see you sad, but it made me feel good to be wanted. I love every single second I spend with you. I'm just amazed how much you're growing and what all you are starting to do. You are such a blessing, Annabelle. Mommy and Daddy think you are the greatest thing ever. I couldn't ask for anything more. Thank you for making Mommy and Daddy so happy! I love you, baby girl!

The Bane of my Existence

This, supposedly, wonderful invention to keep mothers from worrying about their kids being in their rooms by themselves and knowing what they are doing and how they are doing at all times, is causing me quite a bit of grief. We've recently moved AB into her own room in the last couple of weeks. I HATE it! I hate it because of this wonderful piece of technology that I should be grateful for; and don't get me wrong - I am grateful that my wonderful Grandmother purchased it for me, but I'm obsessed with it!! I find myself waking up continuously through the night just to stare at it to make sure AB is still in her bed. This monitor has an awesome microphone attached to the camera, and literally, if Annabelle lets out a sigh or a slight whimper, I can hear it. I can also hear EVERY move she makes. When her little arms and legs move across her sheets, it makes a noise. This thing rocks...but I hate it. All of those irrational "mommy" fears come into play and I find myself waking up several times a night to make sure she's still in her bed, and that the sounds I'm hearing isn't someone coming to take her out of her bed. I miss her sleeping next to me in her pack-n-play. I've found several excuses the last couple of nights to keep her in our room. I have to stop this. It's just hard. Now Austin and I sleep with our bedroom door wide open and her bedroom door wide open, so I can rush in there in a split second if I have to. Oh, maybe I'll get over it one of these days. I just hope she's not a teenager before I do.

Confessions of a Working Mom - Part IV: Just when I thought it was getting easier...

I had to go and have a wonderful two full weeks off and get totally accustomed to spending every waking moment with my baby. Then when school started again, it was back to the old grind and I started missing AB terribly. It did get super, duper easier there for a while. I was back in my teacher groove and how I do love, love teaching. It wasn't hard at all during the day. I would just pack up and head out as soon as 3:15 came around and AB and I had the rest of the afternoon to ourselves. This week has been a different story. It was so hard to drag myself away from my sweet girl on Monday. Luckily, I have amazing bosses and after the morning part of our professional development, it was just hanging out in our classrooms, so they let me bring Miss AB with me. That was fun having her there. It's such a conflicting, bittersweet thing for me. The first part of our staff development on Monday was at Wylie East and everyone in the district was there to see and hear the VERY entertaining and inspiring, the one and only Ron Clark. Man, did he start a fire in me to be the best teacher I can be. Believe it or not, even though I miss my baby girl every second of the day, I still feel like my passion for teaching is very strong and I still love it! It's just hard because when I'm at work, I'm guilty about leaving my sweet Annabelle and then when I think about leaving teaching and being with Annabelle, I feel guilty about that. Ugh. It's conflicting, but my heart is torn in two directions, but I'm pretty sure I know which one will win. Anyway, being a working mom did get easier. It's just that this break was a little bit of a set back, but like I always do...I'll get through it and go about my days. God is good and wants to bless me, I know this. I just wonder what He has in store for me next year.