Road trippin'

We hit the road the first weekend in October to Charlotte, NC to visit one of my god-daughters, Frances Grace, and fabulous family that we love dearly!  Aunt Holly joined us for the trip thank goodness!  This was the first time I'd traveled further than the beach (4-5 hours) with the girls and I sure needed another adult! Aunt Holla (as the girls call her!) was a brave, brave soul and we are SO thankful she joined us!

We took off bright and early Friday morning and made great time - stopped for lunch and were well on our way.  The girls even both napped at the same time for almost two hours in the car!!  Then we hit Greenville and 85 was backed up till kingdom come.  We got off and traveled back roads the rest of the way to Charlotte.  It took 9 long hours, but the girls were amazing and we were thrilled to arrive in one piece!

A rousing game of Peek-A-Boo in the car

After Aunt Holla slayed the bee that was bothering CE at lunch

All smiles 9 hours later!

Frances Grace had her second birthday party the next morning and after some car drama (I'm gonna spare you this story, except that if you drive an SUV, don't park on an incline, overnight, with less than half a tank of gas) the girls headed to the party and had a blast!  The party was at My Gym, so there was lots of bouncing and running and climbing to be done!  Such a fun time for Frances Grace and the girls.

We also got some quality time with one of Caroline's godmamas - Caroline (Frances Grace's mother).  They read lots of books, played with dolls and had a great time loving on each other.  I got some Frances Grace snuggles as well!  She was such a sweet little friend and shared her toys and house SO well for a two year old!  Sweet little thing!

Bathtub fun - poor Frances Grace!  The Cain ladies are WILD!

Sweet godsisters

After bath story time - aka nekked story time!

It was great to have some quality time with Holly and Caroline - we spent Saturday night reliving Camp McDowell memories and laughed more than I had laughed in a while.  So good for the soul.

We headed back home Sunday and made much better time!  We can't wait to visit the great state of NC again soon and see sweet Noah in Asheville and Frances Grace again in Charlotte!  Thank you for hosting us wild Cain ladies for the weekend, Florys!

 Sweet wee friends leaving the park!

The House that Built Me

The latest big life change in our lives has been our move from our home of a decade a couple of weeks ago. Many of you know that selling our house has been quite the process.  We got it ready to sell when I was pregnant with Caroline, but the market took a nosedive and we couldn't get what we wanted to for the house, so after staging it and cleaning out, painting or aka "killing ourselves" we didn't list and instead had a wonderful wee one that spring!

We put the house on the market for the first time in the spring of 2012.  We had our first contract in November, but that ended up falling through.  We took a break and got ready to list it again in the spring of 2013 - fixing all the things the inspection report turned up - and the market wasn't quite where we needed it to be again, so we decided to sit it out a bit longer and list in the fall.  

The house was shown several times between December and May - but nothing came of the showings. Finally in July a friend of a friend - thank you Christian! - was looking for a house and not finding what they wanted, so our friend mentioned it to us and we said why not!  We showed our house to the Lees for the first time in July and by August it was under contract, passed the inspection and we were officially selling our house. 

It happened pretty quickly - we went from hoping and praying we could sell our house in the spring (CE needs a good school district next fall) to suddenly selling it out of the blue!  We looked at well over 100 houses and none of them were what we were looking for.  So into a rental we've gone.  It's a cute little house, just a wee bit smaller than our old house and in the same area.  We're so thankful it worked out because it means we got to stay in our area of town and keep the puppy dogs that we love so much!

The week we moved was a rough one - I waited until the last minute to pack, David was in crunch time on his project at work and couldn't be off and of course the girls both ended up with the stomach virus three days before we were due to move:)  But, we survived.  The house got packed up, the movers moved our things carefully and quickly, we closed on the house and lived to tell about it.  There were times I thought it might not ever happen!

So, it really hit us that last night after the closing when we went back to clean out the fridge and gather the last few items.  Turning the lights out for the last time was bittersweet.  I cried big ole crocodile tears (David did too) - that house built me and certainly built us.  5609 saw me as a single 24 year old, then married me off to the love of my life, welcomed two wonderful puppy dogs into it's fold, next up was our first-born and then our second born.  It held almost a decade of sweet, cherished life-changing memories.  Oh how I will miss her. She was the house that built me.

Now a few weeks later I can talk about it without crying - and we're looking forward to finding the perfect house for us in the coming months!  We're thankful we have a roof over our heads and a landlord that has done everything in her power to make this season in our life smooth.  Gods plans are always the right plan:)

Caroline Cain - 2.4 years

Caroline Elizabeth Cain - how are you two years and five months?!  You are so full of life - you know how the story goes - you had colic, you screamed for months and we worried about you being a whiny, needy child - well boy did you show us!  You've not been that child at all!

You're spunky as they come, delightful in most every way, a nutty little girl that loves to get a good laugh and your sister's biggest fan!  You have more personality than one could ever wish for!  The Cain house is overflowin' with personality, y'all!  Just come see for yourselves!

October 15, 2013 - 2 years and 5 months

So what is your cute little self up to these days:

• your biggest accomplishment since our last update is that you are PAPPIE FREE!  You read that right folks.  This little girl has been pappie free since the beginning of August - two months now!  You dropped it pretty easily - you were sad for a few days, and of course woke up really early (4:30-5:00 a.m.) for a few weeks, but those were the only hiccups.  You still ask for it every once in a while, but you know wee babies use them and you're a big girl now (tear from Mama!).  We're SO proud of you!

• you have all your teeth - the two years molars have finally cut all the way through and you love to use those chompers to eat and unfortunately bite.  You were our biter.  Your sister was the bittee - so naturally you'd be the biter.  At the height you were biting your friends at school 3-4 times a day - you earned yourself a "shadow" and finally within a few weeks you were over the biting stage.  This mama sure did earn a few gray hairs worrying how many friends we were going to lose at school if you kept it up!  But as usual, it was just a phase.  Every now and again you use it only as a last resort to get results.  Bless us all.

• you have a great appetite - you LOVE food.  You'll eat just about anything or at least try anything once.  We can feed you a smorgasbord of stuff and you're happy.  
• you're talking up a storm finally - complete sentences and we can understand about 80% of what you say.  The other 20% your sister translates for us - it's unreal how well Catherine Ellis can understand Caroline language!
• you're awfully sweet.  You love to give kisses and hugs and you are a very polite two year old most days.  Thank you is a favorite word these days.  You even tell Mommy thank you at the grocery store when I put things in the buggy - it makes me feel so appreciated:)  

• you love to help Mommy cook.  Sometimes it's even too early for you to cook - which is saying A LOT!

• you've got a bit more hair than you did at two, but it's slow growing.  You've still not had your "first haircut" and I'm sure you'll not need one until well into 2014.  One of the main reasons you don't need a haircut is because you are curly-headed!  Finally - one of our babies has that gorgeous curly hair!
• your ears have finally given you a break! You've not had an ear infection since June when we had to go back to the ENT and have your ears suctioned.  You were NOT a fan of that.  Hopefully we'll never have to do it again.

• you're a mime - everything your big sister does, you have to do.  You copy her every move.  You want to be just like her.
• you love your friends, god-siblings and people in general - you're a people lover!  The apple didn't fall far from the tree with two parents who are HUGE extraverts.

• you still love your blankets - you sleep with two.  The one we brought you home from the hospital in and the one Ms. Hackney gave you.
• you adore baby dolls and playing house.  You are such a good little mama.  They call you "little mama" at school because - shocker here people - you're in charge, hands on and make sure that the classroom runs correctly and all of your friends and baby dolls are minding!

• you lost the only teacher you've known at Rushton - Ms. Karen - last week.  She got a great job that is in line with her degree and while we're super proud of her, we're sad.  You're missing her so!
• Bath time and anything water related are still super fun for you!

• You have a great sense of humor - love to play games of all kinds: hide-n-seek is a favorite these days!

• you too love a park and Chick-Fil-A dates with the Nations

• your favorite songs are: Twinkle, Twinkle and You Are My Sunshine.  You're pretty good at Twinkle, Twinkle:

Sweet Caroline, we're crazy about you!  You've brought even more joy to our family than we thought was possible!  Thank you for your love of life, thrill of living life on the wild side and your constant spunkyness! We love you as deep as the ocean and as wide as the sky, sweet girl!

Lord, you are my portion and my cup of blessing.  You hold my future.

Psalm 16: 5

Catherine Ellis - 4.5 years

Catherine Ellis is four and a half today!  Time really does fly when you're having fun - and this girl knows how to have a good time!  She's always been so full of life and good for the soul are her smiles and laughter! My sweet tiny baby is almost out of the toddler stage and into full grown little girl stage - it's happened overnight in many ways and in many ways it's been a ride:)

October 9, 2013 - 4.5 years old

Here are some really fun things about Catherine Ellis at 4.5 years of age:

• she quick on her feet!  She's got a real knack for card games, board games and really any type of game.  Her favorites these days are crazy eights, Memory (she schools just about every person she plays with!) and her newest game love is chess!

• She's a sponge - soaking up everything she possibly can.  Ever curious she has a passion for learning all she can about a particular "thing" - whether that's a restaurant, book, animal, family, friend, etc.  She's mighty passionate about learning at this age!
• She's compassionate.  We hear from her friends (classmates) parents that she's the sweetest little friend.  When a friend is upset or needs a hug - she's always there to give one.  She had a new friend join the class in the spring and his parents said she made all the difference in his day.  We're super proud she's got such a big heart.
• Her big ole heart means she's sensitive too.  She's had a bit of season of "crying" when things don't go her way, something is said that she doesn't like - but she's starting to get better at handling her emotions - sometimes:)  She's four after-all.
• She's an ice-cream/milkshake junkie - loves it!  

• She's the best big sister that a little sister could hope for!  She's attentive, patient (most of the time), calm and loving.  She helps "mama" Caroline all the time and Caroline seems to like it at this age.  I am soaking it in while I can!

• She's a people lover - the child doesn't meet a stranger - she loves everyone.  I love this about this age!
• She can tie her own shoes - she's been able to do this since the spring.  She recently asked a first grader that couldn't tie her shoes if she could tie them for her.  I wish I had a picture of that first graders face - she said "Can she really tie shoes?"  I asked her if she could try and tie shoes Catherine Ellis did.  Watch out world:)
• She's a ham - constantly playing games to make Caroline or her Mommy/Daddy laugh.  Silly faces are a constant in our lives these days.

• She's still a runner - loves to run - wants to run anytime there is a chance to or a wide open space.
• Her favorite game is "playing teacher" these days and instructing anyone who will listen.
• She LOVES music and LOVES singing - these are traits her Daddy has cultivated from day one. Especially praise music - this was instilled by Coco - we have "Coco made this" CDS that we listen to daily.  Daddy has her listening to Widespread Panic, Led Zeppelin and all those other really "cool" bands:)
• She loves theater and attending Birmingham Children's Theater with her classmates.  Our first play of the season was City Mouse, Country Mouse. (can you tell her fear of mascots is beginning to wear off?)

• She doesn't forget a thing.  There is no such thing as pulling the wool over this child's eyes.  Her memory is sharp - she knows which route gets us to school, the store, Chic-Fil-A, different parks and restaurants.  She remembers faces from her early years such as Li Mei - who we call Mei Mei.  If you all remember, Mei Mei taught both Catherine Ellis and Caroline how to walk.  We have a very special love for Mei Mei.  

• She adores her godsiblings.  She's one blessed gal and has many at this point in her life - I hope she continues to have more - they are a part of the village that will help raise her and I hope lifetime friends no matter the miles. 

• She loves a park - she knows where all the "best" ones are in town.  There are few pictures that don't have a blur to them because she and Caroline are nonstop at the park!

• Speaking on her love of parks - thanks in part to the patient tutoring of Meme -Catherine Ellis is now a "free swinger"!  Meaning she can swing herself without anyone pushing her!  We're so proud!  Take a look!

Catherine Ellis - Mommy and Daddy could go on and on about your many wonderful traits!  We are SO proud of you.  We thank God each day (even the hard ones! And there are hard ones!) for you.  You make our family joyful, you bring much laughter and many hugs and we are forever grateful you were given to us. We love you as big as the sky and as wide as the ocean!  

All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace. 

 Isaiah 54:13

Summer of Birthdays

Seems most every child we know was born the month of August!  We had so many fun parties to attend - almost every Saturday and Sunday this summer was filled with at least one birthday party! August really was the most insane - I think we had eight parties total in August!  Craziness!

The girls have a blast and I tell you these parents get more and more creative - birthday parties are even fun for the adults!  We're so thankful the girls have such a great group of friends to grow up with!

Tree climbing at Conner's Birthday

My biggest tree climber

Caroline and Conner headed out for a wagon ride

Daelyn's birthday at the Alabama Ballet

Pin the tail on the cat

CJ's Dinosaur Party at the Birmingham Zoo

Caroline petting the baby dino

Catherine Ellis wasn't the greatest fan on the "baby dino"

Little Mama loves the merry-go-round

Catherine Ellis's sweet little Pre-K class and Caroline (party crasher!)

Little and Big with their dino masks

Face (or arm in this wee's one case) painting at 

Madeline's sixth birthday (can't believe she's 6!!)

Batman (love this! Of all the princess themes this little girl could choose from, she chose Batman)

Clark and Catherine Ellis jumping into the ball pit 

(she's the blur on the left, he's the blur on the right)

These two are best buds - we hear they run their class at school

Catherine Ellis and another big buddy, Dylan in the birthday chair at Jump280