14 Years!

The kids were SO excited (Jack was at my sister's for a sleepover),
the driver took them around the cul-de-sac but then they got the boot!

David and I celebrated our 14th anniversary of wedded bliss last night. He surprised me with a beautiful stretch limo! He is so sweet and I don't brag about him nearly enough. He said, "I thought it was time for you to have some old school romance!"

Oh, on our wedding the limo didn't show up, so my brother-in-law drove us to the hotel! So, this is the first time we've taken a limo anywhere together.

It was very fun, felt like we were going to prom.

Then, we went to my all time favorite Atlanta restaurant, Aria. David took me there a few years ago, after I had finished the dossier.
We sat in the wine cellar, most unique and romantic dinner EVER. Well, the food was just as delicious last night and Aria remains the yummiest place to eat in the ATL!

I am so lucky to be married to this man. He makes me laugh like no one else can, he is my best friend, he is giving and kindhearted, he is the best father to four crazy kids, and would do anything for his family. I'm so glad we found each other!

Finding her voice

Miss Junie is coming along wonderfully in her speech. We are so proud of her. Two weeks ago, she had a check-up with her doctor at Children's Healthcare. He said she sounded perfect and shouldn't have any problems with her speech! She loves loves loves her Babies Can't Wait speech teacher and I think the feeling is mutual.

She is saying more and more and copies everything she hears. Which is sometimes great and sometimes, in a house full of boys, not so great.

Some of the funniest things she says now:

"Gop, Mommy!" = Stop, Mommy (or anyone else she wants to direct this to)

"nem-mind"= nevermind

"Her-ro, Mommy" = hello, mommy (which has replaced the "hi, mommy")

"oh my goss" = oh my gosh

"ice!" (usually spoken emphatically) = ice cream (she SO takes after me!)

"geep" = sleep

"wake" = awake

"ah moing" = good morning

"bup geeks" = butt cheeks (why would someone with such a limited number of words be saying this? you may ask. 3 brothers, that's why!)

And the best and most hilarious one yet: "Mo-mosh" = JUNIE!

We didn't know what she was saying the first MANY times she said Mo-mosh but as she was watching Baby Mozart in the car the other day, she was saying it over and over. When I looked back at her, she was pointing to herself. I looked at the screen and it was showing a toy that she has. And when I said, "oh, is that Junie's?", she quickly responded, "yesh, Mo-Mosh". Just to confirm, I had her point to and name the brothers and then herself in a photo and sure enough, she is "Mo-mosh". I will be trying to get this on video. Too cute and funny!

She is still WAY behind in her speech, not at a 2.5 year level yet. And at times she will come to me and just babble away- a really long story or sentence and I feel bad that I have NO idea what she is saying. But, I am happy to be experiencing this stage with her.

Her speech is improving on what seems like a daily basis. She is stringing 2 and 3 words together more often. Two weeks ago she would say, "tank you", but now she will say, "tank you, mommy" (or whoever handed her the ice cream! :))

She doesn't really get frustrated because when she really wants something, we can always tell what it is. :)

She is a funny girl and cracks us up all day long. She is loving having the boys home for summer and is really going to miss them when they go back to school. And, even though I am always sad when they go back to school, I am looking forward to being able to have some quiet moments with Mo-mosh all to myself again.

better late than never

these are the best beach pictures out of about 200! we got up early, but not early enough as the sun was shining too bright in everyone's eyes. my sweet stepsister met us at this quiet part of the beach and patiently took many many pictures. but somehow, the children who can play all day on the beach without sunglasses cannot stop squinting for a photographer!

i got several cute ones of them playing on the beach but was hoping for a really good family one...

Funniest comment since bringing Junie home

At the pool the other day, a neighborhood kid (7 years old and clearly quite astute) says to me, "hey, your daughter looks Chinese"!!!!!!!!!!!! LOLOL!

Photo Shoot

I recently took Junie to a road that I love to walk for a photo shoot. Even though it's right across from our neighborhood, it feels like we're in the country. Junie was donned in her "Thanksgiving dress" that I adore. The lighting wasn't perfect, and I wish I were a better photographer, but these are my fave pictures from that day. It's so hard to capture Junie and her funny little personality. She is a moving target, just like my boys. I love her age now. I wish I could just freeze her for a little while at 2 1/2. Oh, how time flies.

Wack and Guy

Junie has been in speech therapy through Babies Can't Wait for a few months now. Our therapist comes to our house for one hour once a week. Junie loves it and I have definitely noticed that she is "talking" more and more.

She had already been calling Michael "Bubba" which is what Jack and Ty called him until they mastered "Michael". It is easy for them to say and I think Michael is happy to have someone call him "Bubba" once again. It is a tad southern sounding for me, but we are in Georgia so "when in Rome..."!

During our spring break beach trip (pictures to come!) Junie started calling Jack "Wack" and Ty "Guy". We think it is too funny and tend to call them those names on occasion as well.

Junie cannot get enough of her "Guy" either and says, "Hi Guuuuuuuuuuy" about 100 times a day. She found a dollar bill the other day and was examining it and then said (and waved), "Hi Guy" to George Washington!

In the car recently she had a piece of paper and was tearing little pieces off of it and handing them back, one at a time, to Ty. Ty, however, was engrossed in his gameboy so every time she had to yell, "GUY! GUY! GUY!" over and over until he looked up, took it and said "thank you, Junie". And then she would do it again... and again. After many many times, Ty said, "well, let's just admit it, I'm her favorite!". And for the boy who was very reluctant to give up his "baby" status, it has been great.

She loves to identify things in the house as Bubba's, Wack's or Ty's. And she is never wrong!

Junie adores ALL her brothers and they are NEVER anything but sweet, loving and kind to her! It has been amazing to watch their relationships grow.

And we mustn't forget "GA GA" (aka: Daddy). She had been calling him "Ra Ra" which was especially funny when he would come home from work sometimes grumpy from the commute and it sounded like she was cheering for him. But now, it's "Ga Ga" (as in "Lady Ga Ga"!) which also cracks me up. When I said to her the other day, "can you say Dadda?", David whispered, "don't teach her that yet", so I think he's enjoying his nickname too. ;)

On a side note, just within this past week, I have been seeing more improvements in Junie's speech. Last week she said "bu" for book, but this week she says "book"! She is putting ending sounds on many more words and emphasizing them. Like "WaCK".

Junie loves to say "hi" to everything or anyone she can name. In a high, happy voice. EVERY school bus that ever passes us, "Hi buuuu" (still working on the "s" sound). "hi baby", "hi moon", "hi Wack/Bubba/Ty/Momma/GaGa" (even if we've been around a while!).

We are amazed at her progress on all levels. It's like watching a flower bloom right before our eyes.

Status Update

If I were on Facebook, which I am not as I vehemently oppose the idea of keeping up with my friends via computer (oh wait, how is that different from blogging?)my status update would say, "Ashley just spent the last 30 minutes scrubbing toothpaste into her hardwood floors in an attempt to remove a whole 'lotta Sharpie".

Wide tip.

UGH!

Even with 3 boys, this is a first for me.