36 months/3 years

There is no way I just typed those numbers .... 36 months/3 years.  It seems like yesterday that we brought our tiny little bundle of joy home from the hospital on Easter Sunday.  I still remember exactly how I felt - I was scared to death.  Weak in the knees, literally.  The thought that she belonged to us, little ole us, was scary - we were now in charge of a human.  We took care of our first-borns, Cain and Emma, so well and we just knew we were ready for our first-born human.  Then we got home and it was scary, exciting, joyful and mind-boggling all at the same time.

That sweet little baby girl born at 10:24 p.m. on Thursday, April 9, 2009 is now every single bit of a three-year-old. Man how time flies. I know I say it often, everyone does, but honestly, nothing has moved faster in my life than time once we added Catherine Ellis to our family. The days are too fast, even the not so joyful ones. David and I feel like the Allstate Insurance commercial will be us all too soon - the one where the Dad is leaning in the passenger car window and talking to his thee-year-old daughter who is sitting behind the steering wheel. He's telling her to be careful, keep her eyes on the road and to let him know when she gets safely to her destination, but not while she's driving. Then he looks back at her again and she's 16 years-old backing out of the driveway. That will be us before we know it and we try to keep perspective and remind ourselves that every single moment is precious. Even those times like tonight when she pitched a horrendous fit in Home Depot with her Daddy and made him look like he had kidnapped her (if you were there, yes that was our child and we're sorry). I didn't witness this, but knew immediately when I heard the door unlock and David say "go on, let's go to your room" and no running, loud hellos from Catherine Ellis that the trip didn't go well. However, we'll take it. Even her stubborn, independent and strong-willed little self when she pitches those fits, we'll take her all day every day. We love her so much!

36 months - 3 years

So, what is our fiercely independent and strong-willed three-year-old up to these days:

• You are 100% potty trained! Have been for several months now, but I feel good about announcing it to the world now.  We're so proud!
• STRONG-WILLED!  There is not a font big enough to show how strong-willed you are about everything.  From shoes, to baths to what you might eat for a meal.  I am certainly paying for my raising.  I feel the need to apologize to my sweet mother every time your strong-will comes shining through. 
• You have curly hair!  I think Mommy is more delighted than anyone about this - it's super duper cute.
• You're long and lean - no more chubby baby cheeks and no more round, plump belly.  You're wearing 2T and some 3T now (they are still a bit big).
• You like your new school -  you've been there two months now and seem to have tranistioned well.  There are still some mornings you don't want Mommy to leave, but that's normal.
• you sleep well at night - 8:00 p.m. until 7:15 a.m. and you nap when you are home.  School is a different story for your naps.
• You always order "chicken and fries" no matter where we might be eating out.  That and a to-go cup of water.  You insist on ordering for yourself.
• You are strong - you can pick Caroline up, however, it's not what she prefers.
• You love to sing and clap - our morning and afternoon rides to and from school are fun (most of the time!).  Caroline loves to clap with you - she thinks you're the funniest person she knows!
• You are polite and kind - you hug people, kiss them and make them feel special!  It's a wonderful trait to have and will get you far in life.
• You are curious about everything - you ask Mommy and Daddy "Why?" at least 20 times a day .... you're absorbing everything around you.
• You are a monkey!  We went to the park last night and you amazed me with how well you manuvered the jungle gym.  You were jumping, swinging and flying high in the sky.  You are fearless.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13

Pancakes & Pajamas

Catherine Ellis celebrated her third birthday with a pancakes and pajamas birthday party this past weekend - it was great fun for all!  We have been talking for weeks about her birthday party and how much fun it was going to be.  I'm sure like most 3-year-olds, Catherine Ellis loves to stay in her pajamas - that's the best thing about Saturday mornings- wearing pj's for a long time.  So, the day finally arrived for her long-awaited birthday party (her birthday was the 9th, but with Easter we had to postpone the party a few weeks) she was up much earlier than normal for her (6:30 a.m).  And once her feet hit the floor she never looked back!

I didn't do a great job of capturing all the food, activities and fun, but I assure you all - she had a blast and so did every other child that came. We had a bouncy house, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, a sand box and coloring activities - there was something for everyone!

I'll let the pictures tell you the story - thank yo to all of our friends and family that traveled near and far to celebrate Catherine Ellis's third year of life!

 Little sister making a break for it ... she was tired of eating crayons!

The birthday girl .... so excited about bubbles!

The very popular bouncy

 Bubble station ...

Love this picture - everyone is blowing a bubble (or trying to)

Jack coloring away ...

Stephen enjoying the balloons

 Lots of bouncy fun

William in the bouncy

Time of her little life

The Dora cake that Catherine Ellis picked out weeks ago

 Blowing out her candles

 Loving her Dora car

 Her infamous lick

Madeline, Caroline and Catherine Ellis enjoying (licking)

the cake!  These sweet girls are my college friends little ones!

 Catherine Ellis and Miss Karen - one of her sweet teachers

 Miss Jill, another sweet teacher

 Sweet Wyatt - working away :)

 Pitiful Cain ... he did get a lot of sympathy throws Saturday afternoon

 Admiring her pancake cookie

Another infamous lick

"I praise you
because I am fearfully
and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well."
Psalm 139: 14

Easter Fun!

We had a great week leading up to Easter - lots of fun firsts in the Cain house! Catherine Ellis and I spent a little Mommy Daughter time together the Saturday before Easter week with our friends William and Stephanie at the Dawson Methodist spring festival. It was a blast - very hot, but fun! Catherine Ellis bounced in four different bouncy houses and went on her first Easter egg hunt. She's a natural at hunting - imagine that! She was in the age group 0-2 and she did have a bit of an advantage since she was a week shy of three - but the girl got her some eggs:) It was cute!

William and Catherine Ellis waiting to hunt eggs

This wasn't posed, even though it appears that it might be;
Catherine Ellis was already deep in thought about how to find the most eggs!

My girl dashing to get her eggs

She hit the jackpot

Oh so very proud of her eggs!

Yay for our first easter egg hunt!

Easter Weekend was great fun too - the girls had a big Easter and it was so nice to spend Easter at our church as family. Don't get me wrong, it's wonderful to spend Easter with our families too, but the traveling with two little ones is hard and often takes days to recuperate from. This was the first Easter service we've attended at St. Mary's and it was wonderful. We were the oblation bearers for the 8:45 am service. Catherine Ellis was in church with us because Sunday School classes were closed and she did great - she's such a big girl.

The Easter bunny made a stop at our house and the girls had a blast going through their baskets after church and lunch with David's family. We have so much to be thankful for this Easter season - he has risen indeed and sacrificed for us. The mercy and grace that he has blessed us with is a reminder of his undying love for us. Hope you and your families had a great Easter too!

The girls Easter baskets

Catherine Ellis's basket up close - books, place mat, puffs, bracelets, coloring rolls, and lots of other goodies from the $1 bins at Wal-mart

Sweet C's first Easter - she got a sippy cup, bowls, puff, peeps
and some sweet little Easter animals

Our little family - hard to get everyone looking these days!

Sweet sisters

Pop and his girls

Silly girl

Puffs -the Easter bunny sure knows the way to this little one's heart!

Opening all the goodies

Caroline, Catherine Ellis and Cousin Carrigon
(Aunt Stacey's little one)

Gran and her girls

Happy Easter!

From our little bunnies!

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.
John 11:25-26

Saying Goodbye

I really want to break out into a Boyz to Men song here "It's so hard to say goodbye, to yesterday-ayyyy!" It sure is ... however, that's what life is - full of "hellos and goodbyes" and we're certainly thankful for our fair share of both.

As you all have heard me mention a time or two - the Liles family has officially moved to Virginia - while I know Alabama will live forever in their hearts, it was still hard to say good-bye!

We had a cook-out lunch gathering here at the house - bouncy house, sand-box, bubbles, swinging and eating - couldn't ask for a better afternoon. Our children have a blast together - it's been so much fun watching them form a friendship. Pailet and Caroline didn't have as long together as Hill and Catherine Ellis did, but it was still great fun to gather almost monthly to play!

Getting ready to rumble!

And we all fall down ...

But not for long!

Sister got in on the action too

She wasn't sure what to do!

Sweet P swingin'

Sandbox playin'

Hanging out in the sunshine

One tired, sweet baby

The Liles have a fabulous place in Virginia and we look forward to visiting one day soon - until then FaceTime is a new activity in our house! Hill and Catherine Ellis video chatted Friday night and it was great fun - what a really awesome way to see one another and stay in touch! We love you Hill, Pailet, Eric and Allison!

Don't leave me Hill

Mamas and babies

It wouldn't be a proper goodbye without a Camp McDowell favorite:

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

May God be with you and bless you;
May you see your children's children.
May you be poor in misfortune,
Rich in blessings,
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.

May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home
And may the hand of a friend always be near.

May green be the grass you walk on,
May blue be the skies above you,
May pure be the joys that surround you,
May true be the hearts that love you