Growing Girl!

Growing up we had a growth chart that my parents started when I was two. It consisted of lines drawn on the inside of the doorway to my mom's closet. You stood still and tall and Dad drew the line and wrote who you were and the date. So I decided the other day we needed to start one for Chesley. Forgive my lounging wear-I was not prepared for a photo op. We picked the laundry room and took pictures to document the occasion. Oh and when you move--you take the doorjamb with you :) My parents have ours in their house now.

Odds and Ends

She found the paper towel stash.

I told her to go sit in her chair and I would bring her some juice, this is what I found.

Hanging with Daddy while he does yard inspection, (or claims that's what he's doing-I think he just wants to go outside and play.)

Wa-wa and Dada

Swimming with Daddy

Too bad they don't look alike.

Somebody's gonna sink.

Purse Snatching

Such a boy and such a girl right? He's got the ball and she's got her purse, but then...

Pruet thought the purse looked fun,

Chesley thought she needed the purse back,

but Pruet prevailed and told her you just can't separate a man and his handbag.

If You Lay Down with Dogs...

You're gonna get your picture taken. She does this at my moms house with her dogs too-we don't really know why.

Happy Birthday, Pops!

Chesley and I drove out to tell Pops happy birthday and deliver his card. Hope it was a good one-Happy Birthday, Pops!

Playgroup at Tatum's

We had a playgroup at Tatum's house and she pulled out her kiddo sprikler thingy and a baby pool. The kids had a blast and cooled off a bit, more importantly they tired themselves out enough to take great naps that afternoon!


Cash and Chesley

Pruet, Chesley and Herrin-grabbing his toes.

Herrin, Cash, and Pruet

They so look up to something, don't they?

Apparently Chesley wants in on it, here she comes!

I can't remember why Michelle looks like that but I'm hoping someone else will and will leave a comment telling me why, although playgroup can be overwhelming these days...

Six Inch Horses

Poor baby, nobody loves her enough to take her riding. She has had to resort to six inch tall stuffed 'orses...so sad.

Wa-waaaaaa!

As much as my child ADORES horses aka ORSES! she has found a new love as well, swimming. When we went to Lake Bruin it was the first time she's been swimming since she was 7 months old. So I was just hoping she didn't have issues with her face getting splashed and that she was fairly comfortable in the water with me. It would appear my worry was for naught. The child thinks she is a fish. Splash like crazy? No problem. Direct splash hit to the face? No problem. Complete submersion? No problem. The problem is she has no fear. She thinks she can swim, thinks she can go across the pool to play with Pruet without my help, thinks she can fling herself off the side of the pool without consequence. She thinks she can walk on water. So while I am thrilled she loves it, I have had to do a little fear training. That sounds ominous I know and it kind of is. At Lake Bruin we sat in the hot tub, (with the temp turned down), and she had no concept of the end of the ledge we were sitting on or that she would sink if she just struck out across the middle to say hello to William on the other side. My training involved this- I would tell the other mamas I was about to let her sink for a second before I did exactly that and tried to make her get it that she needed to stay on the ledge or hold onto mama and that she COULD NOT SWIM. The problem was that I physically couldn't stop myself from grabbing her so fast she didn't ever get scared or even water up her nose. I finally managed to 'let her drown' long enough to make her look before she lept but she still has very little fear. At the pool we go to at home she though she could just go from playing in the splash area pictured below to jumping off the side into the big pool alone. This too has gotten a little better with the learning of how to use the steps and the rail-but still she wants to swim and hates me holding her in the water. My little fish wears me out during a morning at the pool but she wears herself out too so we keep going back. If she even sees the beach bag, towel, or her crocs she starts saying, "Wa-waaa!" Loves it.


Drinking the water no doubt.

Not a great picture bc she is moving-which she never stops doing at the pool, but such a striking pose in her swimsuit I had to post it.

Wonder how much pool water she will consume before the summer's over?

Happy First Birthday, Bailey!

We went to Bailey's first birthday party in May. Chesley of course had a blast bouncing in the massive jumpolene thingy that made a come back appearance after being such a hit at playgroup. I of course didn't take many pictures but I managed to get one of the birthday boy and one of Chesley and Breck Jr. being wheeled around by Bailey's Uncle Breck Sr. I took a picture of the three of them bc I was afraid my mom and her best friend Jett (Breck Sr.'s mama) would kill me if I didn't. Then Lyn, (Breck Jr.'s mama) took one with me in it as well. Breck Sr. and I grew up on the same street with insane mother's who are best friends so to take a picture together with our own children is a bit surreal for our moms to look at I would imagine. Anyway, thanks for inviting us Bailey-Chesley had a blast and wore herself out so that makes it a success to Mama!! Happy Birthday!

Relaxing at the Lake

In early May Hillary/Pruet, Lindsey/William, Tatum/Herrin and Chesley and I went to Hillary's family's lake house at Lake Bruin for a couple of nights. We had a great time, especially during naptime when the mama's could actually sit still by the pool, and the kiddos LOVED the hot tub and just chasing each other around screaming for the most part. It was a blast-thanks again Hill for taking us!


From left-William, Pruet, Chesley, and Herrin all enjoying their post dinner milk cocktails and being calm and still for about 3 minutes before chaos resumed.

Is it 5 o'clock in Big Sky?

This post is mostly for my Big Sky girls who lived out there with me, but Chesley came waltzing into the kitchen swinging this beer glass around that she had found under the sink in the bar. This was taken shortly before child locks were placed on those cabinets-can't be breaking mama's Big Sky glasses!

Lion 'Ride'

This is one of those push toys that you raise up the seat and they stand behind it and push it while learning to walk, then you lower the seat and they can sit on it and ride it around. Well, the lion's seat had been raised for some unknown reason but that wasn't going to stop Chesley from taking him for a spin.

She looks a little confused as to why her feet aren't touching the ground and why she can't make him go...

Less than Angelic...

For all you people who ask if my child is ever mussed or fussy...

Twice the Fun

Back in April, I had the chance to go up to Jackson, Tennessee to meet up with Katie Pugh and her twins at Katie's six week check up. Oh my are these babies adorable. I was thrilled at the excuse to get to watch them for Katie, and by watch I mean literally just look at them bc they didn't move or make a peep-so sweet, during her appointment. I also got to help feed before they loaded back up in the car for the trip back to Halls. Not really sure how she does it but it would seem she is making it bc at last report these adorable babies are sleeping through the night just in time for mama to go back to work-nice. They have come to visit me and meet Chesley since these pictures were taken but rest assured they have only gotten fatter and cuter. Thanks Katie for letting me meet them!


I just thought my newborn stroller was a boat! And while I know I am rocking the double stroller in this picture-I still like my babies one at a time please dear Lord.

Worth on the left and Caroline on the right-- little mini me's of mama and daddy.