Life in the FAST lane!

Now that my sweet baby girls are officially ONE YEAR OLDS- we have moved up to our big girl carseats! YAY! Mattie and Hailey love facing front now too! We are not big fans of being strapped in- that is a new fight, but once we are in- they are good to go! Mattie- look at those cute birthday shoes!!! :)

Hailey- with her cute hairbow! (Thanks Grammy)

Ok- since I am having a much better day today- I feel I should rat myself out... I am laughing now, but in the midst of my lemon filled Monday- this is my first day taking the girls to and from school without a carrier. Since we are not walking yet- I have to carry them both. I (trying to be the best mom I can while making the most of my time) tried loading them at the same time. AGH! I loaded Hailey first. In and effort to keep her entertained and happy while I loaded Mattie- I let her hold my keys... rookie mistake I know! (I always swore I would never let them play with my keys or cell phone... still haven't broken the cell phone rule-ha!) Anyway, Hailey happened to find the button that makes my car honk- she was smiling having a big time. I thought nothing of this- until I shut Mattie's door and realized I was LOCKED OUT and they were LOCKED IN! Yep- I did it- thankfully I still had my bag on my shoulder with my phone!!! I got on the phone- Ken answered and came with keys to save the day within 5 minutes! He is our HERO! Thankfully the girls were very content with me playing peekaboo through the window. We made it... today I carried my keys in my pocket.

Lemons to Lemonade...

Today has definitely been "one of those days"- you know the day that starts just like every other day, but then all of the sudden the bottom drops out... and the LEMONS started rolling! Earlier today if I had blogged you would have had a bulleted list of all my LEMONS from today, but after much reflection, talking with my hubby and my mom, and a little quiet time in my Bible I have decided to talk about my LEMONADE! I am so blessed- EVERYDAY! Sometimes I do feel that challenges with situations and people are put on your path to "grow you". If everyday was peachy-(that would be great- don't get me wrong) but how are you changing, growing, becoming better??? I am choosing to be better from the day I had today- I know that the Lord is teaching me through these experiences and it is my prayer that I am open minded enough to see what that is.

Focus on the Lemonade!
*My sovereign God

*My amazing husband

*My 2 precious angel babies

*Both sets of our parents and siblings

*Genuine friends- the kind that you can just call and cry on Lemon days

*Forgiveness

*A warm home

*The power of prayer

*This day (however challenging it may be)

*the air in my lungs

*Seeing the beach

*Hugging my babies

*Hugging a friend

*JL- changing the community one volunteer even at a time

*Seeing the smile on my 2 year old kid-o's at school

*Knowing that I will always have a safe place... in the Lord.

I am blessed so much more than any list I could ever make...
It is my prayer that I remember:

"It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, that defiles the man." Matt. 15:11

xoxo,

Happy Birthday x3!!!

Happy Birthday G-Daddy!!! THe girls and I wanted to make sure you know how special you are to us! We love you and hope you have a GREAT day! :) :) :) Also- sharing this special day (sorry Dad) "Memphis Belle" turns 2!

Another 22nd Birthday- Snickers- turning 5! Whoa! How time flies!

Isn't is crazy that of the 2 dogs we have they have the same birthday and it is the same as my dad! WILD!!!
Happy Birthday Daddy, Belle, and Snickers!!!

xoxo,

"Perfect Kicks!"

Aren't these the MOST precious shoes! Aunt Rachel made the girls each a pair! I love the pink converse mixed with zebra sparkles on the toe and zebra ribbon for that extra Haynes girl touch! I thought they were too cute not to share!

Thanks Aunt Rachel we love our birthday shoes!

A little conversation & a little dancing!

Happy Saturday!!! I do LOVE a day that we aren't rushing out the door! :)
Here are a few videos I have been meaning to share! This one is of Mattie saying "Belle"- one of her very favorite words! Both girls love her and will sit at our back door saying "Belle, Belle, Belle" and hitting the glass. However, once our dog realizes it is them- she quickly looses interest and lays down.

Here is my future "Dancing Queen"- anytime Hailey here's music she will SHAKE IT! It is so cute. Ken and I both tell her to "Shake it" and she will! Mattie has a cute dance of her own to- more like "Raising the roof"! I really can't wait to start these girls in dance class! I know they will love it!
Hope you have a great weekend!

xoxo,

Birthday Week: Day 6

It is ONLY appropriate that during BIRTHDAY WEEK we go "Under the Sea"! Today was extra special- Daddy got home early enought to go with us to Moody Gardens Aquarium! This was our first experience with anything like this- I had my fingers crossed- and the girls did great! Some of the many fishes we saw!

Daddy showing the girls the fish.

There are TONS of huge tanks here-floor to ceiling. I guess that is kind of the point- but in my defense the "Memphis zoo" has alot, but they are much smaller.

Mattie (thumb in tow) and Hailey watching the fish swim by. They both would get so excited and just kick, kick, kick and giggle. By the end of the tour they were squealing and chatting it up- almost as if they were discussing their favorite part of the aquarium.

Hailey getting a REAL kick out of the penguins!

Mattie loved them too!

SO did Mommy! I always loved teaching the "Penguin" Unit in Kindergarten. The best was putting Crisco in ziplock bags then another bag to put your hand in (so you don't get Crisco on your skin) and then dipping it in ice water- simulating their thick skin and how penguins can swim in such cold/icy water. Sorry- a little bit of teacher came out!
Daddy with his little sea urchins! Does this scene remind anyone else of the movie Jaws? Ken said he never saw that one. I did and wish I hadn't!

I thought that Ken just thought I looked cute when he told me to smile- only did I realize what was really happening when I uploaded these pictures- too close for comfort!

Towards the end we let the girls out of the stroller and crawl around- there weren't many people at the aquarium today. The girls loved it!

They kept reaching for the fish! Isn't that a sweet picture? I feel like they are asking the fish to hold their hands.

All in all- VERY SPECIAL day! I am so thankful that we made these memories with Daddy!

*Day 7- not tomorrow, but one day this weekend!

xoxo,

Happy Birthday: Day 5

Oh- my sweet little LOVEBUGS are officially 1 year olds! I know that I have said it, but I really can't believe that they have been here for a year. I remember that just yesterday- I was talking with Katy K- about working out while pregnant, thinking of a baby name, finding out we were having 2, thinking of 2 baby names, planning the nursery, hurricane, finding out one was a boy, moving back to TX, moving to TN, finding out both were girls, thinking of girl names, new nursery, growing BIG as a house, keeping Max and planning for what was to come... I knew that I have always wanted to be a Mommy, but I could have never expected the way that I felt the first time I saw my 2 little girls and heard them "quack"- I am telling you they sounded like very little, LOUD ducks! The 2 MOST BEAUTIFUL babies I have ever laid my eyes on!! (Other mommy's- I know you know where I am coming from). In these past 365 days- I have watched my girls transition from the NICU to "almost" walkers. We are becoming so independent- this is bitter sweet for me. Of course I want my girls to GROW like they should, but I also want to hold those sweet babies as long as I can in my arms! Today as we celebrate day 5 in our week: I decided to share our "next" big transition with you- SIPPY CUP TIME! After a semi-unplanned Dr. visit- the girls and I headed to ClearLake for some shopping. We went to the mall first where the girls spent their Valentine money from Honey and G-daddy at Gymboree and strolled through the shoe department at Dillards. :) :) :) I mean we did drive all the way up there- no harm in window shopping! After the mall, we headed over to Babies R' Us and picked out our 1st SIPPY CUP. (I am sorry I am a good one that left my camera at home- but I did get some pictures of our 1st experience with our new cups)... Mattie- looking interested...

" It works!"

"This cup is a little different, but MILK is Oh SO Yummy!"

Success!!! Mattie did great!

Hailey enjoying her goldfish...

Reaching for her new cup...

"milk or goldfish... hmmmm???" I didn't catch the first sip, but....

I did catch the reaction. Hailey is not going to be as easy to win over to her new cups! :( Any of you Mommy's out there have any suggestions for me on brands, cups that worked for you, cups that didn't- help a sister out!
xoxo,

Happy Birthday: Day 4

Happy Tuesday! Since The Haynes Family had a CRAZY BUSY weekend- I decided that one birthday day should be spent at home. :) I didn't do the typical laundry, cleaning, and baby loving- I focused only on the girls! Sorry Ken, no homecooked dinner tonight. We played, sang songs, read books and watched a little Sesame Street. We ended our fun by cleaning up- taking our first bath together. It was so cute. Both Mattie and Hailey love bathtime and they especially loved having another friend to play with in the tub! Mattie looks so big in this picture! :) What an adorable little girl!

Hailey gets the biggest kick out of gathering up all the bath tub toys! Isn't that just about the sweetest smile????

Sitting together :)

Playing together! I don't know who really ended up getting the bath- the girls or me? But we had a great time! :)


xoxo,

Happy Birthday: Day 3

Since today is a VERY special day- we decided that we should go to a VERY special place... You guessed it- The Galleria! The mall of all malls! I love this place and just knew the girls would too!!! (and they did)

First thing this morning we took our first picture as 1 year olds!!!! I think they are ready for their birthday hug! Aren't our shirts CUTE! My best friend Jana gave them to my girls for their birthday! So sweet!
About nap time we headed to the mall- since it is a decent drive, I figured they could nap in the car. :)
Luckily, our friend Lindsey B. was in Houston and wanted to meet up with us! She loves some babies and will be a great mommy (sooner or later)!

We ate at The Cheesecake Factory... and then shopped some more. We found the perfect pair of silver slippers at Baby GAP as a birthday treat. I mean- what girl doesn't want a new pair of shoes on her birthday! We had a BALL. The girls were real troopers. I think they really liked watching people and of course so many thought they were too cute. They have both become so friendly with the general public- their little smiles and waves are infectious.
I am so blessed to be their mommy. Everyday- I am challenged and rewarded beyond anything I could have ever dreamed. I often think back to the day in the hospital that our world changed FOREVER- and SMILE! God gave Ken and I the most amazing gifts that day- to love these babies and raise them to be Godly women.
GOD is SO SO GOOD! I can't wait to see the perfect plan that He has for our girls. I am so proud of them.

Mommy and Mattie at the Cheesecake factory! How different this day was one year later!

Mommy and Hailey- we both love sweet treats!

Hailey- all tuckered out from her BIG day shopping! I love having little girls that I can do this stuff with! Thanks Boone for going with us! You are such a treasure of a friend! :) :) :) Let's do it again soon!
Once home- Daddy was whipping up some fried chicken and shrimp- YUMMY! The girls love being in the kitchen with us. Such good little helpers.

Daddy and Mattie- check out their birthday PJ's!

Daddy with Hailey too! The day ended perfectly- our friends The Vance's came over for dinner and The Bachelor! LOVE IT! We are a very blessed family!

xoxo,

Birthday Week: Day 2: The Children's Parade

As Birthday week continues... We headed out to the Children's parade! It was so cute seeing the little ones throwing beads! Of course, my "Dancing Queen" float was there JAMMING out! LOVE it! Mattie really got a kick out of it too. She kept kicing her feet and clapping her hands as we held her.

Mattie and Daddy waiting for the parade to start!

Mommy and Hailey

The Perez Family! What a cute family!

The Rice Family! Too sweet!

It was fun spending time with friends- we decided next year that we are going to create a float for our kid-os to ride on....

Back home- our girls have had the best time playing in the beads. Everytime you put a necklace on them- they SMILE and GIGGLE! Super cute. I knew they were destined to be 'girly'! They love treasures!

Even Belle joined in on the Mardi Gras fun! Daddy has his hands full with Hailey and Belle! More to come!

xoxo,