Georgia's Baby Blessing

The happiest baby in the loveliest dress.

Gammy made this dress for Georgia and I love every stitch on it.

Christian gave a beautiful blessing and his tears began from the very start.  He blessed Georgia to find joy in her life, to be a companion to her mother (loved that), and to find strength from the words penned by her namesake.  It was a great day.

The master seamstress with her first granddaughter.

All tuckered out.

Step Aside Dr. Suzuki

Jack has been playing violin for almost two years now and finished the entire Suzuki Book 1, so he gave a solo recital and played every piece in the book.  Sounds crazy, I know, but that is what I did as a child and so I knew he could do it, too.  I was bursting with pride.  He did a beautiful job.

Pre-show nerves?  Not this kid - he was all focus.

Me saying something really inspiring like, "be sure to bow nice and slow," or the phrase I said to myself over and over and over before performances, "Just have fun!"

So serious and concentrated!

Victory!  I played the Minuets with him and it was so much fun for me.

I told Jack he could have any food his heart desired, so he chose "a Costco cake and ice cream".  The only one we could find that he loved had these bright balloons on it and said "Happy Birthday."  We scraped off the birthday, so it just read Happy!  He loved it.

And the prize for all of his hard work?  Mario Kart for the Wii.  He was as pleased as a kid could be and I was as proud as a mom could be.

Summer you can taste!

If you have never tasted Wisconsin frozen custard, you are missing a very decadent experience.  We took Gammy and Paddy to Leon's, the original custard joint which is said to have inspired Happy Days. 

Is there anything better than ice cream cones on a gorgeous summer night?

This is the cleanest Charles looked all night.  It was downhill from here.

"Look at my mustache, Mom!"

Paddy's boys

Someone else is pretty excited about summertime.  Georgia has turned into a little smiler.

Judge's Funeral

My humble, kind, gentle grandfather George Messenger Foote (Judge as we called him because he was a Louisiana Judge) passed away and we all met in Alexandria to honor him.  The whole family came, including all the in-laws and most of my cousins.  It was a really special gathering.

Gram holding her great-granddaughter

My sisters in-law: Daniel's wife Marian, David's wife Abby, Adam's wife Laura

and Cannon's wife Emily who is expecting their 6th child.  Isn't the bayou behind her lovely?

Georgia was crying then Madelynn started crying and we found it so funny, I had to take a picture.  Dad was a good sport.

Gram gave Georgia a string of pearls that she had been saving for my sister Georgia.  It was such a sweet reminder of her and we took lots of pictures - none of which I have except this one.  My uncle took some great ones, though.

This amazing live oak tree was planted when my mom was a little girl.  We all gathered at her childhood home and she told us a few stories (again) of when she was a child.  So many memories, even for me at that house!  I am proud to have some southern heritage and to be a Texas girl myself.

Ode to Adam, Laura, Jane, Audrey, and Madelynn

Oh how we miss our family!  It has been a month to the day since "The Marriotts" left on their circuitous route to Indiana and I still hear from Charles, "Where Jane and Audey?"  My thoughts exactly.  Every time we go swimming or sailing without them, I sigh.  Every time we drive past their house I sigh and tear up, every time I need a last-minute babysitter I sigh and complain - it's just not the same.  Every time I look at the never-blooming peony plant outside my back door I think about Adam (who transplanted it two years ago) and wish he would come bounding in the door with Kopps custard or flowers from their yard.  Don't even get me started on holidays - 4th of July was tough.  And every time I hit the speed dial on my cell phone to call Laura, life feels a little more normal for a few minutes.  What a treat it was to have them here!  I better get on with this post before I start crying.  

The love-hate relationship: Audrey and Charles

The gorgeous rolls of Madelynn

The non-girly things my boys sadly taught their cousins

And this unlikely couple?  Adam claims Audrey loves Christian more than she loves him.  Christian may not tear up, but I think he secretly misses the adoring little girl.  We all do.  We love you Adam and Laura!

Oh How They Grow!

First day of Kindergarten

Last day of Kindergarten

The Hospital, Round Two

Home sweet home!  Mom put out pink balloons (I've always wanted them) and flowers to announce Georgia's arrival.  We all look a bit disheveled and we were - all week.

Trying out the Bjorn - Christian's favorite way to transport a baby, not Georgia's.

This is not the maternity ward, but the cardiac floor.  It's kind of a long story.  I did not feel well all week and finally went to the ER because of chest pain, heartburn, a bad headache and swelling in my legs.  After my blood pressure spiked (I can't remember the numbers because they checked it every 5 minutes) and my heart rate dropped to 40 they did EKG's, ultrasounds on my legs, a CT scan, and even wheeled in the paddles to re-start my heart, just in case.  After two morphine doses, a magnesium shot in my IV, and what seemed like a slew of other meds, they finally sent me up to the cardiac floor for the next few days to be watched, poked, and "figured out" since nobody could decide what was wrong with me.  Since Christian was on the train back from a meeting in Chicago (he still feels guilty about that, even though he shouldn't), Laura was with the boys, and my mom was on an airplane back to Utah, I was alone with baby Georgia through this horrible experience.  It was scary, just so darn scary.  I never want to re-live that.  I'll leave out the rest of the details and just say that Christian was my absolute hero through this from the moment he burst into the ER room.  When he was nearby, my body seemed to stabilize itself better and once we both stopped sobbing, we were actually able to laugh about a few things.  We had so much help through this - the seen and the unseen.  I know my sister, Georgia was with me, I just do.  I know the prayers that were said for me worked.  I know they did.  I felt it over and over again.  One of the most touching parts of this story is how Laura, my sister in-law took Georgia home during the nights I was in the hospital and nursed her along with her own baby.  She was only one week old, and it put me at ease knowing Laura was giving her the nutrition I couldn't give her while I pumped all of those meds out of my system.  Now there is true sisterhood.  Our ward brought meals and set up playdates for the kids.  Thank you to everyone, a million times thank you!  And here are some pictures of our angel family who came to take over as the parents for our shaken family:

Paddy and Genevieve were the perfect medicine for Jack, Winfield, and Charles.  I think I only saw them a few times in three days since I slept around the clock, but they kept everyone happy, fed, and clean.  Who could ask for more?

Aunt Genny and Georgia

My mom flew back to our house just days after she got home to Utah and stepped in as my personal aide, answering the door and phone for me, making sure I was well fed, rested, and emotional stable.

Caroline took over once my mom left and had probably the most uneventful Memorial weekend of her life.  The two helped me decorate the nursery (okay, I sat and nursed while the did all of the work).  They took me out to lunch for my (and Georgia's) first outing.  We went to a quiet and relaxing tea house and had crumpets, no kidding.  

Our little sweetheart.  She is worth all of the pain.  I'd do it all again for her...just maybe not right away!