The Jones Girls

Christmas celebration number 1

2010-02-09T17:14:00.000-08:00

December 24, 2009

Mimi, Alpa, Nana, and Uncle Jeffy came over for Christmas dinner and gift exchange tonight. Santa Claus comes in the morning, and the girls are so excited! Well, Charlee Ann knows Santa has a beard and is coming, but she's not sure what that's all about. Mary Caroline is fine with it all as long as it doesn't mess up her eating or sleeping schedule. After dinner, we all gathered in the living room for Mimi and her little helper, Charlee Ann, to pass out presents. The girls had more fun playing with the wrapping paper, but did enjoy the presents. Each got stuffed animals, clothes, and toys, toys, toys. Some of the toys were a water doodle, a leap frog alphabet game, and some little people cleaning supplies. Charlee Ann got busy with her broom, mop, and dustpan right away. Mary Caroline enjoyed watching all the festivities and even tried to eat some wrapping paper, but when it was time to sleep, she let us all know. Charlee Ann grew tired after a while, but didn't want to leave the company. The promise of Santa Claus coming after she woke up helped. Though at first, she thought she had to wait for him. How sweet!

Mmmmm chocolate!

2010-02-09T14:32:00.000-08:00

December 22, 2009

Mary Caroline had her first bites of chocolate tonight on a chocolate flavored rice cake. She loved it! Well, the chocolate part, that is. She licked it right off the cracker without bothering to bite. She gummed it a little bit, but mostly wanted to flavoring. It was a yummy treat, and getting messy was fun too!

Uncle Jeffy's here!!!

2010-02-09T14:04:00.000-08:00

December 21, 2009

Uncle Jeffy came to town for Christmas early to see Mommy graduate with her PhD from Clemson. The girls were so excited to see him! Mary Caroline had not met Uncle Jeffy yet; she had only cooed at him over the computer. Both girls had a fun time with their Uncle. Charlee Ann even tried to show him a few tricks on the computer that she's learned. Yay! Jeffy's here!

Watching my big sister

2010-02-08T18:36:00.000-08:00

December 19, 2009

Mary Caroline loves to lie in the floor, kick, coo, and watch her big sister. Here she is in her jammies as she looks away from Charlee Ann to find Mommy there with the camera, yet again.

She's got mad stackin' skills

2010-02-08T18:31:00.000-08:00

December 18, 2009

Charlee Ann just loves to stack her tower of blocks. Just like her Daddy, she likes to challenge herself to see just how tall she can stack the blocks before her tower falls. It's cute to watch her; she lays each new block carefully above the others holding it with only two fingers- her ring finger and her thumb. Concentrating hard, she is so very serious!

Merry Christmas Sandra!

2010-02-08T18:22:00.007-08:00

December 17, 2009

Today is the last day that the girls get to play with Sandra until after the Christmas holidays. It is Friday, and it's Mommy's and Daddy's last day at work for 2 weeks. Yay!!!!

When Sandra arrived to play, she had presents for both. Here are some photos of the girls with their Bibles and dolls. They just love them!

Sandra got a fleece coat and some smelly lotion from the girls. She seemed to like her gifts too. Charlee Ann was happy to give gifts- she wanted to open them for Sandra! :)

We know the girls will miss their playmate, but Mommy and Daddy are so excited about being home with their favorite people for a while.

Bathtime routines

2010-02-08T18:11:00.001-08:00

December 15, 2009

Now that Mary Caroline and Charlee Ann are bathing at the same time (MC in her little tub, and ChA in the big tub), our bathtime routines had adjusted. Each night, Daddy gets the tub(s) ready while Mommy gets the girls ready to get in. Mary Caroline gets in first while Charlee Ann goes potty (or rather, sits on the potty). Then, Mommy helps Charlee Ann crawl in the tub. They play, play, play in the water loving every minute. When MC has had enough (she'll let you know!), Mommy gets the towel, and Daddy gets her out and hands her to Mommy. MC is taken off to Mommy and Daddy's bed to get dried, desitin'ed, diapered, lotioned, and PJ'ed. When she's ready to go, Mommy places her strategically toward the middle of the bed while she goes back to the bathroom for Charlee Ann. Towel ready, Mommy gets ChA and brings her back to lie down by MC. The girls look at each other and giggle while Charlee Ann gets the same series of preparations as her sister. Charlee Ann also gets her hair combed once her jammies are on. At this point Charlee Ann is let down to run get her milk from Daddy in the kitchen, and Mommy takes MC to the bathroom for a tooth (gum) brushing. A toothbrush is prepared for Charlee Ann and we all head to the girls' room for more milk, stories, prayers, and bedtime.

Mary Caroline is still sleeping in her travel bed by Mommy and Daddy. We hope she will be able to sleep the night away soon so she can join her sister in the girls' room and sleep in her comfy crib. Though it is nice to have her so close, we know Charlee Ann would like to have some company.

Climb, climb, climb

2010-02-08T18:07:00.003-08:00

Mary Caroline gets some yummy supper while her sister tries to climb on the high chair. Charlee Ann likes to be right there while MC is getting her eats. Tonight, she was caught climbing by Mommy with the camera.

I love crayons!

2010-02-08T18:03:00.001-08:00

December 4, 2009

Charlee Ann just loves to color, color, color. Here are some photos of the artist at work! Notice how careful she is to keep the crayon marks on the paper and not the table. Yay!

That's my U! Chewin' on my U

2010-02-08T17:59:00.001-08:00

December 3, 2009

Mary Caroline loves to play with foam letters while she is in the tub; in fact, she loves to chew on them just about anytime! Here she is after falling asleep chewing on her U. So sweet!

No more tears

2010-02-08T17:54:00.000-08:00

December 3, 2009

Charlee Ann does not like to hear Mary Caroline cry. Any time MC is upset, Charlee Ann comes running to get Mommy or Daddy. She is such a good big sister. Here are some photos of her trying to tell us to get MC out of the car seat. We had just gotten home from a trip to Granny's and MC woke up once we were inside. Notice the table is full of blinds for the windows. Mommy plans to put them all on the window as soon as Papa can bring up his drill.

Mmmm toast and butter!

2010-02-08T17:47:00.000-08:00

December 2, 2009

One of Charlee Ann's most favorite foods is toast and butter. She loves to eat a hold in the inside of the bread, getting butter all over her face as she eats outward to the crust. Here she is after eating her dinner trying to get some of Mommy's toast and jelly. Breakfast suppers are a favorite for many in the Jones' household, it seems.

growing, growing, growing, up, up, up

2010-02-08T17:38:00.000-08:00

November 2, 2009

Mary Caroline is growing up so very fast! She is starting to be able to roll over from her tummy to her back when laying down, and she is trying really hard to sit up on her own. Watching Charlee Ann run around and around is motivating our MC to grow up faster than Mommy and Daddy would like.

Putting up the Christmas tree

2010-02-08T17:21:00.000-08:00

Charlee Ann was curious at all the boxes that began pouring into the living room. Not presents, but storage boxes. Big ones, small ones, long flat ones, big heavy ones. What could all the fuss be about!? Well, it's our annual day after Thanksgiving putting up of the Christmas tree! Each year, on the day after Thanksgiving, we put up the tree and decorate the house for the holidays. Mary Caroline sat in her bouncy seat and watched as Daddy and Mommy walked around and around this tall green thing hanging ball, bells, and bows. Charlee Ann tried to help too. She had such a fun time!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-02-04T19:02:00.000-08:00

November 23, 2009

Thanksgiving was a happy time for Charlee Ann and Mary Caroline. They are dressed in their pretty smocked dresses, and they enjoyed having Mimi, Alpa, and Nana over for dinner (no spills on our pretty outfits- yay!!!). We celebrated a bit early because Mimi and Alpa leave tomorrow to fly to San Francisco to see Jeffy.

Mommy tried to get a picture of the girls sitting together in the rocking chair, but they are not quite loving to each other enough to sit that close. Mary Caroline flops a bit still, and Charlee Ann doesn't like to be touched by her sister. Maybe such a little person scares her? Uncle Jeffy called from San Francisco to say hello to everyone, and Charlee Ann tried to get the phone. She's not yet talking back in the receiver, but her eyes get big when she hears a voice inside. So cute! Mary Caroline tried to stay up and celebrate the holiday with everyone, but she didn't make it very long. All the festivities had the little one tuckered out!

doctor's visit

2010-01-27T18:49:00.000-08:00

November 17, 2009

Nobody likes to get shots, and no parent likes to have to see their babies get them. Mary Caroline is such a happy baby; today, she was not at all happy with the way our doctor visit turned out. Charlee Ann was very attentive to her, and wanted to make sure her little sister was alright.

Todays vital statistics:

Mary Caroline: 4 months 3 days old, 24.5 inches long (47th percentile), head circumference 16.02 inches (32nd percentile), 13.41 pounds (34th percentile)

Charlee Ann: 18 months old, 24.3 pounds (51st percentile), 31.75 inches tall (54th percentile), head circumference- 19.245 inches

First bites of baby food

2010-01-23T17:47:00.000-08:00

November 15, 2009

Tonight was Mary Caroline's first taste of baby food. She had some rice cereal with her bottle, and seemed to enjoy it! As expected, we made quite a mess of the occasion, but she enjoyed it just the same. Maybe not the cleaning up part- she hates to have her face wiped- but she did very well handling the texture of food in her mouth. She's growing up so fast!

Rocks

2010-01-23T17:43:00.000-08:00

November 13, 2009

Rocks, rocks, rocks. We just love to pick up rocks! No matter if we are taking a stroll around the yard or we are on a quick trip to the car, there is no hurry when rocks are involved. Charlee Ann tries to pick up as many rocks as she can when in the driveway. She used to pop them in her mouth, but has realized she doesn't especially care for the taste of them. Notice that her faithful friend, Bunny, is with her. We never leave home without Bunny. Grin.

Up, down, up, down, up

2010-01-23T17:30:00.001-08:00

November 10, 2009

Today is Nana's birthday! In celebration, Mary Caroline decided to practice her yoga skills strengthening her neck muscles. These photos were taken just before lunchtime today. We keep getting better and better!

Finger painting!

2010-01-23T17:20:00.000-08:00

November 10, 2009

Charlee Ann loves to paint pictures. Mommy bought some frames to create a kid friendly art gallery for the hallway with all frames hanging at the girls' eye level. Charlee Ann has had a lot of fun filling the frames with her original art. Yay!

Posing for pictures

2010-01-23T05:51:00.001-08:00

November 9, 2009

Mary Caroline is all smiles as she poses for pictures during the day today. Sandra loves helping Mommy take pictures of the girls!

Telling Mimi we love her

2010-01-23T04:23:00.000-08:00

November 2, 2009

Mimi's birthday was just the other day, and the girls are getting her card ready for when she comes to pick up her present. Both got a chance to sign Mimi's birthday card just how they wanted!

Never asleep at the same time...

2010-01-22T18:40:00.000-08:00

November 2, 2009

It was such a pretty day outside today, that we played and played and played! Poor Charlee Ann was so worn out that she fell asleep in the high chair at supper time. But, Mary Caroline was bright eyed and bushy tailed! Mommy and Daddy never have a minute's rest, but they love love love their baby girls.

2010-01-22T18:38:00.000-08:00

October 30, 2009

We just love the holidays! Especially when we get to give and get presents. Here is Charlee Ann enjoying some gifts from Sandra. The adorable little baggies held snacks and toys for the girls- how fun!

Hold that head high!

2010-01-22T18:27:00.002-08:00

October 30, 2009

Mary Caroline is trying harder and harder these days to hold her head up. Tummy time is still not a favorite for her, but she is getting a lot better at it!

Fall Festival

2009-10-26T17:55:00.000-07:00

Sunday evening was the Fall Festival at Morningside Baptist. Charlee Ann and Mary Caroline were dressed in their adorable Halloween costumes. Mommy and Daddy wore the closest thing they had to pumpkin orange. At first, Charlee Ann didn't want to wear the costume, but after a little coaxing (and some Vanilla Wafers) she was convinced that she looked adorable. Mary Caroline was a little too big for the chili pepper outfit, but when dressed in red pants, you couldn't tell this hot pepper had an extra piece. Mommy and Charlee Ann walked around the rides, and Charlee Ann was even convinced to ride the spin-y cars with Mommy. Daddy held Mary Caroline, who was snug as a bug in her pepper outfit; she napped almost the whole time! Mommy tried to get Charlee Ann to ride the ferris wheel (an itty bitty one) with her friend Layla, but Charlee Ann wasn't going to go for that. Not this time anyway. We tried to make it to the Trunk or Treat part of the evening, but the girls got sleepy, so we headed home. It was a fun, fun, fun day for all!

T-I-G-E-Rrrrrrr-S!

2009-10-26T17:30:00.000-07:00

Charlee Ann is such a little Tiger fan! She wore her cheerleading outfit all day Saturday- to the grocery store, around the house, outside in the yard... Here are a few snapshots of her just before bathtime. I wonder if the outfit brings out the acrobat in her as well? She just loves to climb! Chairs, tables, mini-strollers... there is no limit!

Groceries, groceries, groceries

2009-10-26T17:16:00.000-07:00

Daddy goes once a week to pick up Granny's groceries at the Ingles right up the road. Sometimes, he waits for Mommy to get home from work and we all get to go together! Here we are on last week's shopping trip. Charlee Ann loves the produce section; she likes to find the banana and point. Mary Caroline loves the bright lights, but eventually loses the fight and succumbs to sleep before we are done.

Sometimes we all just need a little afternoon nap

2009-10-26T17:09:00.000-07:00

Zzzzzzz

2009-10-26T17:06:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a girl just can't make it without a little afternoon shut eye. Charlee Ann has long since transitioned to one nap each day. She falls asleep usually between 11am and 12:30pm, and it is typical for her to sleep around 2 hours. There are some days though in which she plays so much that she is just tuckered out again by 4 or 4:30. Here is the sight that welcomed Mommy when she got home from work a mid-October afternoon. Awwwww.

Hands! Hands!

2009-10-26T17:03:00.000-07:00

In the past couple of days, Mary Caroline has found her hands. She will bring them to her face and look- surprised at them! She is not yet consistent with this discovery, but her findings are becoming more and more frequent. Just wait until she realizes there are feet down there too!

2009-10-25T19:15:00.000-07:00

Charlee Ann loves to play outside. She doesn't wander far though. Sitting on the front stoop and pulling apart pine needles can keep her attention for a long time. Today, she ran out of pine needles and went along the walkway to find some more. She tolerates the camera just long enough for Mommy to get some photos of her in her Halloween smocked dress. She even got to ride with Daddy on the lawnmower. So cute!

Skyping

2009-10-25T19:12:00.000-07:00

This past week, Mommy learned how to talk to Uncle Jeffy with video over the internet. This is a wonderful new thing that makes San Francisco not seem so far away. This way, Jeffy can see his 2 beautiful nieces and talk to them. Charlee Ann was fascinated by how Jeffy got into the computer. She kept crawling up on the desk to kiss the monitor. Mary Caroline just stared at the screen not sure of what to make of it. Here is a still shot that Jeffy took with his monitor. We can't wait to see him at Christmas!

My Mommy and my passy... ahhh

2009-10-25T19:07:00.000-07:00

First chewy caramel

2009-10-25T19:02:00.000-07:00

Mommy got stung by a lot of fire ants while she played a science game with her students outside today. So, she ran up the street to CVS to get some fire and medicine. While she was there, she picked up three caramels. One for her, one for Daddy, and one for Charlee Ann. Charlee Ann wasn't sure what to make of the candy at first, and went in stages from loving it to hating it. We guess this depended on how stuck to her teeth the candy was. Here are a few snapshots of all the emotions one piece of candy can cause. Te he he.

Yes, I can still fit!

2009-10-25T19:01:00.000-07:00

Such a good little helper!

2009-10-25T18:52:00.000-07:00

First ice cream cone

2009-10-25T18:47:00.001-07:00

Charlee Ann often accompanies Mommy to WalMart on Saturdays for our weekly shopping trip. Today, she was so sweet that Mommy decided to buy her an ice cream cone to eat. (Note to self: next time bring more wipes!) As you can see, she thoroughly enjoyed it!

Hey, I remember that!

2009-10-25T18:43:00.000-07:00

As Mary Caroline gets older and can begin to play with some toys, we've brought up toys that Charlee Ann used to use. How funny! Charlee Ann recognized it and wanted to play play play. Here she is in the kick 'n play. When she was told she was too big for it, she just had to prove us wrong. Who does she get that from? [grin]

Trip to Lincolnton

2009-10-24T20:20:00.002-07:00

September 28, 2009

This Saturday, we loaded up the car and headed down south to Lincolnton, GA to see our Smalley family. Charlee Ann and Mary Caroline were met with lots of hugs and kisses. We went to a local good eats kind of place for lunch where Mary Caroline was passed around for holding and pictures while Charlee Ann ate black eyed peas, cornbread, potato salad, macaroni and cheese, and green beans. She tried to get a taste of Mommy's and Mimi's sweet tea, but was unsuccessful. While at the eatin' place, Charlee Ann decorated her cousin Jack with things from the diaper bag. Jack was such a good sport about it! After lunch, we headed over to Jack and Joy's house for cake and coffee. Mary Caroline ate and took a nap, and Charlee Ann played and played. Charlee Ann usually takes a nap around 12 or 1 in the afternoon, but today was an exception. We didn't get in the car to head home until 4pm. She was so excited visiting everyone that she was full speed ahead. She enjoyed touring Jack and Joy's house (even the bathrooms!) and loved crawling up on their fireplace (Mommy didn't like that part so much). It's no surprise that Charlee Ann was zonked once we were all loaded up to head home and slept the whole way back. Mary Caroline cat napped and entertained herself by looking out the window when she was awake. Mommy was so worried about getting back in time for Mary Caroline's next bottle and baths for all, that she left her camera in Lincolnton. Thanks to Jack and Joy for mailing it home. We had such a nice visit. We'll have to go back again really soon; next time we'll try not to leave anything :)

Some love and attention

2009-10-24T08:46:00.001-07:00

The girls enjoy getting attention, just not sharing the attention. Most of the time they do well, but every now and then they want the spotlight. Charlee Ann is so sweet to her little sister. Mary Caroline is cautious- never knowing what her big sister is up to. Today it was just a few smoochies. Tomorrow, well... who knows?

Tee Tee in the Potty!

2009-09-11T20:09:00.001-07:00

Charlee Ann went tee tee in the Potty yesterday (9/10/09)!!! We've been slowing working on this for a few weeks now, and she finally did it! Today, she went tee tee twice. Yay!!!

First joint doctor appointment

2009-09-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

On Friday afternoon, Charlee Ann and Mary Caroline had their first doctor appointment together. It was Charlee Ann's 15 month checkup and Mary Caroline's 2 month checkup. Both girls got excellent reports from Dr. Surka, and both got shots. We decided to do Charlee Ann's first because there would have been no way she would hang around once she saw Mary Caroline get hers. Thank goodness Charlee Ann only got one shot. Mommy had to hold her down while Daddy took care of Mary Caroline. Mommy has always been the comforter, not the one who has to restrain her babies. Charlee Ann recovered quickly though, and was there for Mary Caroline after she got hers. All in all, everyone did well, and Mommy and Daddy were relived that all the shots were over for a while.

Dr. Surka had not met Mary Caroline until today because he was all booked up when she came in for her 1 week appointment. He was excited to meet her and we got some really cute pictures of them together. We'll get them printed for him to put on the board in the hallway.

Here are the official stats on the girls as of this appointment:

Charlee Ann:

16 months old

weight: 22.69 lbs 40th percentile

height: 31.75 inches 78th percentile

head circumference: 19.02 inches 95th percentile

Mary Caroline:

2 months old

weight: 9.88 lbs 26th percentile

height: 22.5 inches 58th percentile

head circumference: 15 inches 34th percentile

Rock, rock, rock, pacifier

2009-09-08T19:29:00.000-07:00

helping Mommy with her dissertation

2009-09-08T19:24:00.001-07:00

Charlee Ann has been so sweet and patient as Mommy has finished up her dissertation these past few weeks. Here she is getting some attention while helping Mommy work.

First smiles

2009-09-08T19:13:00.000-07:00

Mary Caroline has started smiling, cooing, and communicating with us! Charlee Ann is enjoying it so much- here she is hanging out with her little sister, even posing for pictures.

Padgett Fest!

2009-09-08T18:48:00.000-07:00

Mid- August, we all piled in the Murano and headed down I-85 to Uncle Larry's house. He had organized the first Padgett Fest- a nice attempt at getting us all together. It was so nice to see cousins that I had not seen in YEARS! Facebook has been a wonderful tool at reuniting us; I hadn't seen Mary Beth and Sarah since we were in elementary school!

Charlee Ann and Mary Caroline had such a nice time with their family. Mary Caroline was held and oooo'ed and ahhhh'ed over by just about everyone. Charlee Ann was shy and reserved at first, but then warmed up and enjoyed playing with the other littles. Uncle Larry and Aunt Charlotte have a big fluffy dog who snuck up and licked Charlee Ann a few times.

After a few hours of play, burgers outside, happy conversation, and lots of kisses and hugs, many were sleeping on the way home.

can you find that mouse?

2009-09-08T18:47:00.000-07:00

Getting better at self-feeding

2009-09-08T18:43:00.004-07:00

Charlee Ann is becoming more and more independent every day. Sometimes, she'll flat out refuse to eat unless she is holding the utensil herself. (She did this the other day with Mimi.) Here are some photos of suppertime with her new plate and big girl spoon. The plate has special scoop sides so she can get food on her spoon or fork more easily. Now, if we could just work on the picky, picky, picky eating...

Not in the mood for pictures

2009-09-08T18:39:00.001-07:00

Charlee Ann, in her adorable plaid top, was not in good humor this afternoon. She wanted to hold the camera- Mommy made it look like so much fun! In the midst of a minor fussy-bit, Mommy happened to catch her pleading on film. Here are some of the "please Mommy" snapshots.

MC swingin'

2009-09-08T18:26:00.000-07:00

Mary Caroline loves to be in her swing. She oooos and ahhhs and looks around. Mostly, we think she likes to be around her family. There are some pictures of Charlee Ann in this swing too. When placed side by side, these girls could be twins!

Helping Mommy with laundry

2009-08-03T18:16:00.000-07:00

Charlee Ann was a big help today folding the towels. She pulled them all out of the basket onto the floor. Then, she babbled as she sat on different piles. She tried laying on them to get comfy, but then realized that the empty basket would be lots more fun. In, out, in, out. Sadly, this adventure ended in a fall and a little bruise on her cheek. She had fun while it lasted though.

Reading? Or eating? Hmmm, both!

2009-08-03T11:30:00.000-07:00

Charlee Ann loves to read books while she waits for Mommy to fix her lunch. She giggles and points, and giggles and points! Today, she tried to share her lunch with the bunny rabbit in her book. Too cute!

Birthday parties for our friends

2009-08-03T11:12:00.001-07:00

Mommy took Charlee Ann and Mary Caroline to a joint birthday party for our friends, John and Will. John is turning 5, and Will is one. The girls had such a fun time! Charlee Ann enjoyed playing with the other little children, and Mary Caroline enjoyed getting lots of lovin' from all.

Reading books is fun!

2009-08-03T11:06:00.001-07:00

Mary Caroline seems to love books as much as her sister and Mommy do. Can that be genetic? As her eyes continue to develop, she enjoys books that display high contrast pictures. This one has puppies, hands, flowers, and all sorts of other images that Mary Caroline had fun looking at. Doesn't her onesie tell all? :)

First photo shoot

2009-08-03T11:05:00.000-07:00

Here are some favorites from Mary Caroline's first photo shoot.

Go Tigers!

2009-08-03T11:01:00.000-07:00

Here's Charlee Ann sporting her new dress that Mimi bought. The thought was that the 2T size would be perfect for whenever Mommy finally finishes at Clemson. It would be a cute graduation outfit. Turns out that Clemson attire runs small, so we hope she'll be able to wear it for a while. In the meantime, she feels a little spunky in it.

Fingers, mmm tasty!

2009-08-03T10:56:00.000-07:00

At about 3 weeks old, Mary Caroline was caught with her fingers in her mouth. Is this her way of saying she's hungry? Well, yes.

Dance, Dance, Dance

2009-07-21T18:49:00.003-07:00

Charlee Ann has learned how to stand and even walk on her tippy toes. She tried to dance and do this at the same time this morning. It has tickled her to no end and she has giggled and giggled since. Enjoy!

Floor time with Mary Caroline

2009-07-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

Daddy is so good at knowing how to provide learning activities for Mary Caroline. This afternoon, he worked with Mary Caroline on tracking objects with her eyes (her vision continues to develop in the first few weeks), tummy time (strengthens neck muscles), and moving from side to tummy. Mary Caroline is doing well with all of these skills so far. She is even pushing back on Daddy's hands as she is on her tummy. Is that a sign of an early crawler? We'll see.

Charlee Ann also likes to get in on all the play. She enjoys getting toys for Daddy to use with her little sister.

Hollywild Zoo

2009-07-21T17:59:00.001-07:00

This afternoon, we all piled in the Murano and headed up to Inman to visit the zoo. Charlee Ann was fresh from her nap, and Mary Caroline had a full tummy and was snoozing away. The weather had been cool all morning, and was only up to about 80 degrees in the shade. It was a perfect day for a trip to the zoo.

Charlee Ann stayed in the stroller for the first little bit, but after being scared by the camel's big head, she found her way into Daddy's arms. He toted her around the whole park! The monkeys and baboons were our favorite exhibit; you can see Charlee Ann pointing to them in the pictures. Mary Caroline was such a good sport about it all- she slept the entire time! (Notice the snoozing picture)

There is a bus that takes you out to see the larger animals, but we decided to forgo the safari on this trip because the zoo lady told us that they will come right up to the bus and eat from your hand. If camels are off limits, then it's a good idea to skip the safari trip until the girls are older. Charlee Ann didn't seem to mind it one bit that we stayed in the smaller animal section. She loved seeing the ducks walking around everywhere, and she even fed some of them!

Mary Caroline's first tub bath

2009-07-21T17:45:00.000-07:00

Mary Caroline's belly button is making its appearance slowly. The cord actually broke off and a tiny little piece is left covering the belly button. Tub baths are supposed to take place only after the cord is gone, but Mommy and Daddy figured that a tub bath was not only needed (much more soothing than a washcloth rub down), but it might also help the belly button makes its appearance. We were braced for screams and had the camera ready, but surprisingly, she loved it! The warm sudsy water must've been just what she needed because she was an angel the whole time. The only time she cried was when she was out of the bath and back in the bedroom getting on her diaper and jammies.

Daddy's hat

2009-07-19T18:45:00.000-07:00

Sunday visiting

2009-07-19T18:34:00.000-07:00

A bit after lunch today, we all loaded up the car to go see Granny. Charlee Ann loves to run around Granny's yard pointing at the cats and dogs. It makes Mommy wish we had a house in the country... After a little visit with Granny, Charlee Ann and Mary Caroline got in the double stroller and Daddy drove them down the road to see Great Aunt Betty and then to Uncle Carroll's house.

Betty was thrilled to see the girls, and had sweet things to say about both of them. Granny had sent some vegetables with us, so we dropped those off while we visited.

Across the road at Uncle Carroll's house, we saw Uncle Mike's motorcycle. He and Aunt Ailleen had stopped in for a visit! Charlee Ann was tickled to get to see so much family in one spot. She was loved on by all, and enjoyed playing with all the toys that Aunt Judy keeps on the back porch. Uncle Carroll had a wonderful time holding Mary Caroline. She snuggled up to him and napped so peacefully. He barely shared her around at all! But, after all, he's entitled to give all the lovin' he wants to his namesake, right? Right!

We drove back up to Granny's house in the stroller and gave Mary Caroline her afternoon snack while Charlee Ann played in the floor. She was very sleepy, so she started to misbehave a tad bit. She ended up getting her first spank spank from Granny. We all wondered if Granny was going to boo-hoo when she saw Charlee Ann's reaction. ChA was so shocked, she turned on the pitiful tears. Granny had told her not to throw her sippy cup in the floor, but when she deliberately threw it down again after Granny picked it up for her... well, she didn't do it again after getting scolded.

Once we were all back in the car, both girls fell asleep before we got to the top of the hill. Mommy and Daddy enjoy riding around and having time to chat while the girls nap. We decided to get Subway for dinner and eat in the car. It was a very full, very busy afternoon!

Family stops in to visit

2009-07-19T18:31:00.000-07:00

Uncle Mike and Aunt Ailleen brought our cousin Casey over to play with Charlee Ann and see Mary Caroline. The girls had a wonderful time with all of the toys, and Uncle Mike enjoyed holding Mary Caroline. That is, the little that Aunt Ailleen would let him [grin]. Mary Caroline got hungry during their stay so Aunt Ailleen was more than happy to give her some of her bottle.

Floor time and Daddy time

2009-07-19T18:28:00.000-07:00

Mary Caroline needed some floor time to kick around a bit, and Charlee Ann needed some lovin' from Daddy at the same time. Here is the duo sharing the attention.

Sleeping with Daddy

2009-07-19T18:23:00.001-07:00

Wendy comes to visit!

2009-07-19T18:20:00.000-07:00

We were thrilled to have a visit from our friend Wendy once we got home from our trip to the park. She was so excited to see Mary Caroline and got in some good lovin' before Charlee Ann got up from her nap. Then, it was play, play, play for everyone!

Wendy and Wade are such sweet people. They brought a dinner complete with salad and cookies for Mommy and Daddy so we didn't have to fret over cooking tonight. It was so very yummy! They also brought gifts for both girls and a special sir-see for Mommy and Daddy.

We so enjoyed Wendy's visit. It was like old times; just sitting around and chatting about nothing in particular. That's the best!

Going to the park

2009-07-19T18:05:00.000-07:00

Mommy, Daddy, Charlee Ann, and Mary Caroline went to the park today. It was such nice weather outside that it would've been a shame to spend the day indoors. We decided to go on such a whim that we rode through Chic-fil-A for lunch and settled at a picnic table before playtime. Charlee Ann ate most of her chicken nuggets and ketchup (Mommy tried to pick the fried parts off), and entertained herself by pointing and watching the neighborhood cat that decided our scraps would be his lunch. Mommy and Charlee Ann went off to swing and play with the other children while Daddy finished his lunch and watched Mary Caroline. Then Mommy and Daddy switched spots. Mary Caroline is still so very little- just over a week old. She enjoyed the shade and slept in her car seat atop the picnic table. Mommy enjoyed watching Charlee Ann and Daddy play. We all decided that the next time we come we will pack a healthy picnic lunch.

Coloring

2009-07-19T17:59:00.003-07:00

Charlee Ann enjoys playing with her crayons. She's getting better at understanding what to do with them, though she still puts them in her mouth. This continues to be an activity that requires supervision... without it, she may eat her favorite colors!

Corn on the cob

2009-07-19T17:37:00.000-07:00

Charlee Ann saw Mommy and Daddy eating corn the other night at dinner and wanted to try it for herself. We've tried giving her some that's been cut off the cob, but she was delighted at the novelty of biting it off the cob herself!

Going out for a walk...

2009-07-14T18:43:00.000-07:00

It's mid July, but the weather is in the low 80's and a storm is in the air. MC is all snug for her first walk in the neighborhood.

Somebody hates to have her diaper changed!

2009-07-14T18:42:00.001-07:00

Body parts

2009-07-14T18:34:00.001-07:00

While hanging out with the family, Charlee Ann was watching her Baby Einstein video on all the body parts. She loves to find her belly button; trouble is, she also likes to find other people's belly buttons. I guess we're going to have to work on manners a bit more. It's just not nice to go around pulling up other people's shirts!

One week photos

2009-07-14T18:17:00.003-07:00

It's been one week since Mary Caroline was born. Here are some photos of her enjoying Daddy's lap. He is so wrapped!

First doctor appointment

2009-07-14T18:09:00.000-07:00

July 10, 2009

Mary Caroline had her first appointment at the pediatrician's office today. Because the appointment had to be today, we could not schedule it with our usual doctor, Dr. Surka. But, that's OK because we were able to meet Dr. Beavers. He was very kind and had sweet things to say about how beautiful Mary Caroline is. (Of course, we knew that already!) MC has lost a bit of weight since her arrival in this world. She is now 7 pounds 10.5 ounces. Dr. Beavers says to make a bigger bottle and let her eat until she's full. We thought 2 ounces was a lot, but maybe MC wants more. She is still 20 inches long/ tall, and her head circumference is 14 cm. She has a little birthmark (tiny!) on the right side of her tummy, but that's the only other physical aspect he could find to comment on. We told Dr. Beavers that we would be returning to the hospital on the 21st for a repeat hearing screening, and he calmed our concerns with the words that Dr. Hardin also used. They both agree that most all C-section babies have fluid in their ears that causes them to fail the hearing test the first time. Mary Caroline's right ear will need to be retested. They don't seem concerned at all, so we do feel better. It was a nicely uneventful visit, as you'd want all first doctor visits to go. Mommy is going to call next week to schedule both girls' next well-baby appointments. Hopefully Dr. Surka (we just love him) can see them at the same time. How convenient would that be!?

Swingin'

2009-07-14T18:05:00.003-07:00

Mary Caroline loves to swing. In fact, we believe she'd take every nap there if she could. In these photos, Mommy and Daddy believe she and Charlee Ann look a lot alike.

Happy Birthday Mary Caroline!

2009-07-14T14:06:00.001-07:00

On July 4th, 2009, Mary Caroline Jones entered the world. Mimi and Alpa stayed at home with Charlee Ann, and Papa, Nomee, Cody, and our friend Lori were there with Mommy and Daddy to greet her. To everyone's surprise, she weighed 8 pounds 2 ounces and was 20 inches long. Dr. Hardin performed another flawless surgery on Mommy. We're so glad she was working today! Mary Caroline, being born on the fourth of July will always have fireworks on her birthday. How wonderful!

Fun in the water

2009-07-03T12:50:00.000-07:00

Today is the last day that Charlee Ann has all her family to herself. Mary Caroline is set to arrive in the morning at 9am. Mimi came over to help Mommy out while Daddy did some work at Granny's house. Mimi found Charlee Ann's bathing suit while Mommy searched for the sunblock. Alpa brought some chicken over for lunch, and when Daddy got home we all went outside to play. Our friend, Jeni, gave Charlee Ann a water table for her birthday. This is the first afternoon that the weather has been right for outside play. It has been in the upper 90s the past few weeks, but today was mid 80s. A perfect day for water play in the shade. Charlee Ann had a blast! She played, and played, and played. Usually, she will go to sleep at 3 hours after waking up from her morning nap. Today, she went almost 4 1/2. She was having so much fun!

PBJ

2009-07-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Using the little sandwich maker (cut-and-seal) from my Pampered Chef selling days, I decided to make Charlee Ann a mini PBJ for lunch. She thoroughly enjoyed it! Here are some pictures of both a clean and messy girl.

Trying so hard!

2009-06-30T17:31:00.000-07:00

Shoes are a very difficult thing if you're attempting them for the first time. Charlee Ann is so very independent that she continually tries to put her shoes on by herself, even when we're not going anywhere. She likes to sit in front of her shoe basket (which also holds her hats and jackets) and try, try, try. Here she is in her PJs the other morning as she pulls her pink sandals on the best way she knows how. Pretty good for 14 months!!

Quarters and pennies

2009-06-30T17:27:00.000-07:00

We took a quick trip over to Irwin Ace Hardware to get some screws for our new license plate, and Charlee Ann made a friend. A nice older man named Hugh gave Charlee Ann a quarter and a few pennies for her piggy bank. He was so kind, and she did eventually give him a thank you smile (after scoping him out for a bit). When we got home, we went straight to our pig and penny jar to add to our collection!

Play dates!

2009-06-27T04:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Wendy and little Wade came up to have lunch with Charlee Ann and Mommy. We met at Chic fil a on the east side of Spartanburg. The kids thoroughly enjoyed an early afternoon of ketchup faces, greasy fingers, and the indoor playground. Wade was so sweet to show Charlee Ann how the steering wheel worked on the toy airplane. He also checked on her each time she stumbled with, "Are you alright, Charlee Ann?" He is a very good friend! After eating, the kiddies began to get tired (and the Mommies too!) and it was nearing time to go. The deciding factor was when Charlee Ann decided to take the bow out of a little girl's hair. The girl was twice her size! She's definitely got her daddy's genes.

Bathtime

2009-06-23T16:58:00.000-07:00

Charlee Ann has been taking her baths in the big tub for a couple of months now. She transitioned to the big tub from the toddler tub when she kept standing up and crawling out of the little one. She loves is when there are lots of bubbles and she can splash splash splash! Her favorite bath toys include:

- a cup to pour water in and out of

- her ducky

- the bathtub book that Papa and Nomee gave her for Christmas (she can find all the animals and most other nouns inside it!)

- things that make noise or bubbles when held underwater

- speaking of bubbles, she loves it when Mommy blows bubbles on her when she's in the tub

- her Tomy penguin that swims and gurgles underwater

- all the shampoo bottles (hers and not hers)

The other night, she even took her rag and washed Daddy's face and arms. He was soaked, but he didn't mind. Mommy misses being able to bathe Charlee Ann at night, and as soon as she recovers from Mary Caroline's delivery she'll be back into the practice and play of bath time. In the meantime, Daddy is enjoying all the play!

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T17:25:00.002-07:00

Happy second Father's Day to Daddy! Charlee Ann gave Daddy lots of love and attention today. She worked hard at drawing him her first picture using crayons and rubber stamps. She did a good job until she bit the tip off the green crayons and chewed through the orange one's side. It was close to lunch time, so maybe she was a tad bit hungry. Anyhow, when Daddy returned home from vaccuming out the car (the Subaru he just got yesterday), he was nicely surprised by Charlee Ann's creation. She also got him some nice shirts to wear to work, but I think the picture is what he liked the best.

After everyone took a little nap, Charlee Ann and Daddy shared a snack of fruity Cheerios in the kitchen floor. She is such a sweetie about remembering to share what she's eating. She made sure that Daddy had enough O's to keep him happy.

It was a very good day for everyone!

Bracelets!

2009-06-21T17:23:00.000-07:00

New car seat

2009-06-21T17:17:00.000-07:00

Charlee Ann was still in her jammies this morning as Daddy began to prepare the new car seat to put in the Subaru. He wants to make sure everything is ready (both cars, just in case) for Mary Caroline's arrival. Here are some photos of Charlee Ann helping Daddy figure out where all the straps go and also sitting in the sit to ensure a proper fit.

Day with Mimi and Mommy

2009-06-21T17:09:00.000-07:00

Because Mommy is getting close to the time when Mary Caroline will arrive, no one is leaving her at home alone with Charlee Ann. Just in case anything happened, it would be too much for Mommy to handle on her own. So, as Daddy went to do all sorts of last minute things (buying our Subaru in Charlotte, cutting Granny's grass, cutting our grass- not to mention that it was 100 degrees Saturday), Charlee Ann spent the day with Mimi and Mommy. We also ran (Mommy waddled) around picking up some items that we'll need come next week. One of the items was a new car seat for the new car. We found a nice pink one at Target. We also had to take some clothes back to Gap Outlet in Gaffney that didn't fit. Charlee Ann had so much fun! Daddy was still cutting grass come bath time, so Mimi gave her a bath and put on her jammies. Here are some adorable photos of her playing after bath time in her Stanford shirt and Tutu. She is such a little princess! She tried to wait up until Daddy got finished with his work outside, but she was just too tired. Mommy made her milk bottle, and put her in bed. Zzzzzz.

Visiting Becky

2009-06-18T16:31:00.001-07:00

Charlee Ann and Mommy went to see our friend Becky this afternoon after Charlee Ann's lunch of peas and sliced cheese. Becky kept Charlee Ann every day while Mommy and Daddy were at work since she was 4 months old. Recently, Becky hurt her shoulder and was not able to come play anymore. We missed her so much that we just had to go and visit. Charlee Ann saw lots of people whom she had played with in her trips to Becky's apartment previously. They were all so excited to see her and commented on how much she had grown and how pretty she is in her blue dress. Charlee Ann smiled and waved at all her friends.

She had lots of fun in Becky's apartment. One of her friends, Rachel, came by and brought her 3 teddy bears: one for Valentines, one for Halloween, and one for the 4th of July. Charlee Ann enjoyed playing with them while we visited. She also tried to get into some things she shouldn't, for example Becky's TV and remote controls. She was very good about stopping when Mommy and Becky told her no. We played and played (even had our snack!) until it was time for her to go home and nap. It was a very fun afternoon!

Sliced cheese!

2009-06-18T16:21:00.000-07:00

In attempts to get Charlee Ann accustomed to table food, we've been slowly introducing new things. Today, we tried sliced cheese. She has been enjoying microwavable single servings of carrots, green beans, and peas. Today she chose peas as her lunch of choice, and Mommy gave her some sliced cheese rolled into little pieces that she could pick up. She loved it! They may have even made the peas taste a little yummier! So far, here are her likes and dislikes:

Likes:

- toast with jelly

- anything with ketchup

- pickles off Daddy's salad from the clock

- waffles

- goldfish crackers

- blueberry fruit bars

- granola bars with the yogurt on them

- any flavor of Yoplait yogurt with the red label

- grapes

- blueberries

- CousCous

- green beans cooked in butter

- eggs and grits mixed together and chopped up really small

- cooked carrots

- peas (she gets tired of them quickly, so we don't have them too often)

- Vanilla wafer cookies

Dislikes:

- raspberries

- pineapples

- meat (we try to hide it in ketchup, but she just licks it off)

- potatoes (mashed or not)

- french fries (she used to like them, but turns her nose up at them now...)

- pot pies

The dancing queen!

2009-06-18T08:09:00.001-07:00

The recycling bin

2009-06-18T07:13:00.001-07:00

Charlee Ann continues to consider the recycling bin as another basket of toys for her to play with. This morning she selected two empty cartons of milk to use as musical instruments as she played in the kitchen.

Breakfast with Daddy

2009-06-18T07:10:00.001-07:00

Charlee Ann has expanded her morning breakfast menu from baby oatmeal to waffles with butter and sugar free syrup. Each morning after her waffle and milk, she tells Mommy in sign language that she is finished (she's not talking just yet except for Ma ma, Da da, and sometimes duck), and likes to play around the kitchen while Daddy makes his breakfast. Mommy is still a little sickly in the morning from being pregnant, so she skips an early breakfast. When Daddy's food is ready and he sits down to eat, Charlee Ann enjoys being in his lap and sampling from his plate. Daddy is pretty smart though- he makes an extra piece of toast and jelly for her!

Self- feeding

2009-06-18T07:03:00.001-07:00

Charlee Ann has become more inclined to eat her supper (and really any other meal of the day) if allowed to feed herself. Here are some photos of her eating supper the other night. Of all the food on her plate we believe she liked the ketchup the best!

New double stroller

2009-06-14T17:00:00.001-07:00

Mimi and Alpa stopped by Toys R Us in Greenville yesterday to pick up a pretty red double stroller for Charlee Ann and Mary Caroline. Mimi was sweet to bring it by the house tonight, and she played with Charlee Ann while Mommy read the directions and Daddy put it together. Of course, we had to take it out for a test drive. Daddy was impressed with the shocks on the wheels (axels?) and made sure to try it in rugged 4 wheel drive conditions (e.g. on the porch and off!). Charlee Ann enjoys her front seat spot where she has a view of everything! Mommy is excited that her sippy cup will actually fit in the holder for this one. And, and, and!... she has a little tray for her snacks. What more could we ask? Oh yeah, for the back seat to be full. That will happen in about 2 more weeks. We go visit Dr. Hardin tomorrow; maybe we'll be able to set a date for Mary Caroline's arrival!

The diva at Granny's house

2009-06-07T17:21:00.001-07:00

Brushing teeth

2009-06-07T17:13:00.000-07:00

Dr. Watts sent a baby toothbrush home with Daddy to use with Charlee Ann. She LOVES it! Here she is sitting on the counter brushing like a big girl. She also likes to brush Bunny's teeth. Awww...

A visit to Pet Smart

2009-06-07T17:10:00.000-07:00

As Mary Caroline's arrival gets closer and closer, Mommy can't get in the floor and play as she would like. This past week, Mommy decided that Charlee Ann needed to get out of the house for a while. It's June, so we decided outside activities were not what we wanted. So, we drove up the street to the pet store to see what animals we could find. Charlee Ann saw all kinds of fish, birds, mice, and even ferrets. She enjoyed pointing at them, and I'm sure was wondering why we didn't take any home. Maybe when she's bigger...

Presents and a visit from Jeni

2009-06-07T16:56:00.000-07:00

Our friend Jeni came up last weekend to spend some time with the girls, and she brought Charlee Ann presents! Jeni was sick and couldn't come to Charlee Ann's birthday party, so it was like party 2.0 in the kitchen today. Charlee Ann loved her new stroller (loved the baby on the box about as well!), and we know she'll love the water table Jeni brought for playing outside. We played and played today and had so much fun. Jeni stayed for bathtime and got a kick out of Charlee Ann's reaction to her new bathtub crayons. She held them perfectly! But... she ate them. Oh well, maybe they're nutritious. We'll put these up for a few more months.

Wade's 2nd birthday party

2009-05-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

Happy 2nd birthday little Wade! We all piled into the car today and headed down to Pendleton to play at the park with our friends in celebration of Wade's birthday. Charlee Ann had a delightful time running around the playground. She didn't care too much for getting on the playground equipment, but she did like to crawl under it. She enjoyed the "help yourself" bowls of goldfish and Chex snack mix. The best time was towards the end when she found the open coolers full of as much ice as one little girl could cram in her mouth. She was soaking wet all down her shirt before parental intervention was applied. As you can see, she had the best time! So much so that she slept the entire way home and was ready for her bath and crib when we did arrive back at 103.