The Seviers

4 Months

2012-02-08T07:40:00.001-08:00

Sweet Cheeks is 4 months old! He has been such a happy camper and enjoying life! Not many changes this month, but one that must be documented….He is sleeping through the night:) He gets a bottle around 10:30/11 pm and eats again around 6:15/6:30 am. He does sometimes wake up during the night a time or 2, but pretty much goes back to sleep after crying a couple of minutes. If he doesn’t settle after a few minutes, we will put his paci in, and then it’s back to sweet dreams! The hardest time for him is between 4-6 am….I think maybe he still gets a few tummy aches at that time, like he has since he was itty bitty. Any way I look at it, it is HUGE progress from where we were just a few short weeks ago! He eats 5 times a day, 6 oz each time. He has been taking 2 long naps and 1 cat nap each day, and gets a bottle and goes to bed around 6:30/6:45 each night….That time is nice to have in the evenings:) He is wearing 6/9 mth in pjs and play clothes, and a size 2 diaper…We are very close to needing a 3! Other things about M..… His little eyes follow us when we walk in or leave the room, he has started holding on to rattles and toys, started moving around a little in the Jumparoo, is very ticklish around his neck, has started talking and it can get quite loud, sucks his hands when he can’t find his paci, and the best is him SMILING when I just talk to him!

We go for his 4 mth check-up tomorrow, so we will see how big he is!

Here is Miller Man and his giraffe!

He found the fan!

I see so much of Mary Scott in this picture!

Dixon got dedicated this past Sunday at church. We tried to get a picture of them together, but their play time just didn’t coordinate! Justin snapped these few after M woke up! I loved seeing him in “church clothes!”

Miller Man…3 1/2 Months

2012-01-23T07:53:00.001-08:00

Here are just a few pics I got of our little guy when we were hanging outside yesterday! The warm weather these past few days really makes me look forward to spring:)

He’s getting to be a chunkey monkey! Forgot to update stats after 3 mth check-up, but he weighed 16 lbs! Can’t remember off the top of my head what his height was, but they were both in the 75 percentile...And his head is still in the 95%.! We figure he will eventually grow into his noggin, just like his sister:)

He is enjoying life a lot more these days, and has got a smile that will melt your heart:)

Sweet baby!

Winnie the Pooh

2012-01-23T07:43:00.001-08:00

The kiddos got to see their second play, Winnie the Pooh, put on by Shreveport Little Theater! There were no scary parts, which MS and Henry much appreciated:) It was cute, and I think Mary Scott’s favorite was definitely Tigger! We snapped some pics afterwards with some of the characters!

Won a doorprize…..a stuffed Eeyore! MS was a little skeptical about the real thing!

Snow White!

2012-01-08T18:30:00.001-08:00

Mary Scott went to her first Peter Pan players production of Snow White…..A special treat from Dee! Mary Scott was super excited, and I think Henry was happy to go too! They both were entertained with SW, the forest animals and the cute dwarfs! And like most kids, neither liked the witch and the “scary parts.” It lasted about an hour, which was perfect to keep their attention:) After the show, we met and took pictures with the dwarfs and Snow White herself. We even got some autographs! We definitely want to go back and see other plays in the future!

On our way!

Gammy gave MS my old Snow White doll:) She loved her!

Cutie Pie!

Giving her a kiss!

‘

Bashful, Happy and Dopey!

Showing SW her doll:)

I love how she is admiring her!

Not quite sure about this expression!

Miller Man is 3 Months!

2012-01-08T12:46:00.001-08:00

Our little guy has hit the 3 month mark! I think our whole family deserves a reward:) We were told by many friends that the “12th week” was magical for colic….I didn’t notice any big difference last week, but he has definitely improved in the past month!!! Wahoo!!! He still cat naps throughout the day, and the older he has gotten the more content he has become with that amount of sleep, compared to when he was 6 or 7 weeks old. The majority of the time, he wakes up from his cat naps with gas or poop….So that tells me what is waking him up. He gets a bath and then a bottle around 6 pm, and then he is upstairs sleeping for the rest of the evening. He eats again around 10 or 11, and the night is usually pretty good. Some nights he wakes up, before I know he is hungry, due to gas. I know he is big enough to sleep through the night, so that really makes me not to want to feed him during the night. He usually eats between 3:30-4:30 am when gas drops/paci/soothing won’t work. I debated whether to start letting him cry and being more rigid where and how long he naps, but it’s just not going to happen at this point. We aren’t at home all day everyday, so he is going to nap when he is tired, and I’m not worrying about it! With 2 kids, it’s a whole different ballgame, and it’s pretty impossible to always be home for him to get long naps. We do want to continue to have some sort of life:)

Miller Man smiles and has started making some noises., and has started “talking” usually when he is kicking away in his bouncy seat. He is ticklish around his neck, so I know how to get a smile from him:) He prefers his bouncy seat over the play mat. He eats between 5-6 oz 6 times a day. Loves his paci and his tiger lovies…one for each hand to hold on to! And, he will kick and splash around in the bathtub as long as I will let him sit there:) Once thing that hasn’t changed since he has entered this world….He DOES NOT like the car!!! I literally dread red lights when he is with me, because the crying begins. Hopefully he will like the car one day soon!

We go see Dr. Ritch next week for his 3 mth check-up, but I wanted to post this before the week rolls around!

Pics from our play date with Dixon and Derby Everson. Miller was born on October 6th, and Dixon and Derby were born on October 7th!

Smiling for Michelle!

Derby Everson

Derby and Dixon (M was cat napping in the swing.)

Derby is a tall guy!

Can’t believe they were all 3 born within hours of each other!

Apparently, Dixon was happier being swaddled!

He’s catching up with his giraffe!

Happy 3rd Birthday Mary Scott!

2012-01-02T11:18:00.001-08:00

We celebrated our sweet girl’s third birthday on December 26th! When we told her it was her birthday, she said, “Again?” Let’s see, she celebrated at school, at her party and now a third time! Lots of fun:) We had family over for lunch and cupcakes! After we ate, MS opened her birthday presents! The child has plenty of new entertainment between her birthday and Christmas!

I can’t believe my daughter is already 3! Time has flown by, and I have so enjoyed being at home with her to make such sweet memories! Here are some “tidbits” about MS…..

Drawing/coloring/painting…anything art is one of her favorite things to do! She will sit for half an hour and draw or paint….LOVES it!
All about her babies right now:) Pushes them all around the house “going on errands” or to the “library.” She put them in Miller’s swings and seats. She likes to imitate me, I guess. I have seen her many times holding her baby and swaying/bouncing and shushing them!
Playing more pretend games and loves hide-n-seek!
Loves to us secrets…The secret is always the same… “You’re my best friend!” She says all kinds of things, and keeps us laughing!
Has become much more independent since Miller joined our fam. For example, she now knows where the q-tips are in the bathroom, and I often times find them all over the bedroom, arranged in some design! Last night, she made a “tower” with Daddy. When she first discovered them, she called them “q sticks” and now they are called “cube sticks!” For some reason, this must be difficult to say!
She sings all kinds of songs, and apparently enjoys dancing and putting on a show as well!
“Helps” me give Miller a bath some nights…This includes pouring water on his toes with a cup!
Of course she likes to play outside, especially with Henry. They are pretty good buds most of the time:)
At her 3 yr check-up last week, she weighed 33 1/2 lbs (75%) and measured 39 inches tall (90%). Dr. Ritch said that puts her between 5’7”-5’8” as an adult. He also tested her vision, and is was perfect:)

We are so thankful for our healthy, growing girl! We love you so much, Mary Scott!!!

Pics from her birthday lunch!

We had touches of Hello Kitty….You know who picked that out!

Not two anymore!

There’s the third finger!

Her cool new lounger from Pops, River and Dee!

A new diaper bag from Aunt Cindy and Uncle Gale

A new Cabbage Patch doll from Aunt Linda and Uncle Randy

We got her the Marianne doll from PBK. We also got her the doll sleeping bag, a doll chef outfit and MS a nightgown. The other Sevier crew gave her a nightgown for Marianne. Cute stuff!

Watching the action in the living room!

A Leap Frog Leap Pad and Kai Lan game from Gammy and Pawpaw, and Line’s crew!

Christmas 2011

2011-12-29T18:47:00.001-08:00

On Christmas Eve, Justin, MS and I went to church that afternoon and ate at Daniel and Amanda’s afterwards. After we came home and got MS bathed and M asleep, we got ready for Santa! We got the cookies and milk ready for Santa, but the cookies kept disappearing….I think she had 5 Oreos in a matter of 10 minutes! On Christmas morning, MS had so much fun seeing what Santa had left her! He brought her the cutest dollhouse, a Barbie, some baby gear, Tag Jr books, bath toys and some new lip glosses! The dollhouse could easily entertain an adult for some time! Santa left Miller a neat jungle toy, clothes, Praise Baby and Baby Einstein DVDs, and Sophie the Giraffe. We got her a Belle doll and matching dress and new pajamas. We got Miller a few outfits and jammies too, since he is now wearing 6 months in pjs.We played with the new toys most of the morning:) River and Dee stopped by to see what the kiddos got and delivered breakfast. We spent the afternoon/evening with Pops and Daniel and Amanda. We had a ham, corn casserole and garlic cheese grits….And some beverages! Later that night we opened Pops’ presents. MS got a Baby Alive that pees and poops, and Miller got an activity table and gift card to Ladies in Waiting. While MS was getting her bath, Pops parked it on the couch and fell asleep….Guess who was right in his face waking him up shortly after?!? Christmas Vacation was on, and Mary Scott decided she liked “this movie” and relaxed with Pops for a bit:) Luckily we didn’t catch any rough parts of the movie! I am so glad we have chosen to be at home on Christmas…It really makes it so much more enjoyable! MS did know it was Jesus’ birthday because hers is the very next day. We read several books about Jesus throughout the month to help explain the meaning of the day. Hopefully she will have a good balance between all of the Santa overload and what the day is actually all about!

Here we go with pics!

We decorated the gingerbread house a few days before with friends!

The only side that got decorated!

Santa’s Goodies for MS and M!

Calling Henry!

Miller Man was happy as can be!

Was super excited about Belle!

And here is our Eddie! And he did walk outside!

Christmas at River and Dee’s

2011-12-29T17:44:00.001-08:00

We celebrated round 2 with River and Dee the Wednesday before Christmas! The kids got an awesome surprise…. a swing set for their backyard!!! Henry and MS immediately got to playing on it:) They are going to spend countless hours playing on it, and so will Miller and Dixon before we know it! The kids opened plenty of goodies from River and Dee, and aunts and uncles. I think Mary Scott’s favorite gift was a new baby doll carrier! It remained at her side the rest of the night! A funny of the night…..MS went in the playroom after she had played with the carrier a few minutes, and “called” Aunt Cindy on the phone to tell her how much she loved it!!! That child keeps us laughing! Miller got some new fun toys too, and MS says she will “show him how to do them.” At some point, not sure before or after supper, the adults opened gifts. We drew names again. I got an insulated casserole carrier and Loft and Starbucks gifts cards. Santa also left me one to Spa Concepts:) Justin got some work shoes, a gift card and an LSU crossbar. I’m sure I have forgotten something, but that’s just my brain these days. We had a yummy supper, and Miller and MS let Justin and I actually eat at the same time! We had a great night!

Pics from River and Dee’s Christmas

MS and H gave them a prayer picture from school….So Sweet!

Saying their blessing…. “God our Father”

Baby cousins in their matching outfits!

Christmas with Gammy

2011-12-27T17:48:00.001-08:00

We celebrated with Gammy the weekend before Christmas. Line, Mary Michael and BB came from Baton Rouge, and Ge came in from Lake Providence. The little girl cousins had a great time playing, and opening all of their new goodies! Mary Scott loved her princess sleeping bag, tent and double doll stroller…they were a hit! We drew names again this year, so it made shopping much easier and everyone got a nice gift/gift card. Gammy cooked a big lunch, and I tried to eat while I was rocking Miller! We had a good time hanging out together at Gammy’s!

Pics from the day!

Gammy, Ge and Miller Man

JJ and Cutie Patootie, Mary Michael

MM loved her Snow White doll!

Yes, she plowed past all the gifts to get that stroller through!

Miller’s new goodies:)

We haven’t figured out what is exactly wrong with him!

Sweet girl!

St. Paul’s Christmas Program

2011-12-27T14:17:00.001-08:00

Mary Scott had her Christmas program at St. Paul’s on December 15th. Let me just say that watching this little performance made my week!!! Apparently our child is a bit theatrical even in front of an audience. We know what she does at home, but we didn’t know how she would do in front of strangers. She did great, and we were so proud of her! She sang the songs, did the motions and added some dance moves in as well! She would spot one of us, and tell us hello out loud and wave as big as she could! She also would turn around and tell Henry where his mama was, and occasionally told him to sing! We recorded the program, and she LOVES watching it! Once again, we think she looks like me and acts like her daddy:) I am so, so glad we got to be there to watch her!

Tons of pics!!!

Mrs. Blanchard and Mrs. Poleman’s classes (Henry is on the back row)

Mary Scott’s Birthday Celebration at School!

2011-12-27T12:24:00.001-08:00

Mary Scott got to celebrate her birthday at school on December 13th with Mrs. Poleman and all of her “puppy friends!” She was the line leader for the day and led the way to chapel holding the flag. After chapel, we came back to her classroom and had snowman donuts and juice! It was their class Christmas party day, so all of the puppy friends had on their Christmas sweatshirts:) Mrs. Poleman’s class had a busy schedule that week, so we are so glad she made time to celebrate our sweet little girl!

Pics from School……..She had been sneezing and snotty the day before, and didn’t feel her best that day.

Saying their morning blessing:)

We love our Mrs. Poleman!

Puppy Friends: Braylin, Janie and Wyatt

Miles, Ford, Luke and Elodie

Mary Scott’s 3rd Birthday Party!

2011-12-20T15:57:00.001-08:00

We had Mary Scott’s birthday party at In the Zone on Saturday, the 10th! We chose the “jumpee place" because the child LOVES it and I don’t think I could provide better entertainment if I tried! We were also trying to keep it a bit easier this year with a new baby in the house! We invited out families and all of her friends, and the party was a success!!! So many little friends could join us, and I know Mary Scott was so glad to play with them! They jumped for the first part of the party and then we had pizza, cake and ice cream afterwards in the party room! The cake was delicious and there wasn’t one piece left…Seriously! Dee made the cute “cupcake” cookies for party favors, and they were a hit too:) A big THANK YOU to Gammy, Dee, and BB for helping with party preparations and during the party with Miller Man!

Here are LOTS of pics from party day!

Content at the moment!

J and “Baby Jack” as MS calls him!

Pops and BB

Miller and Dixon

Jack, Amelia and Carolanne

Lots of friends:)

Daddy with the birthday girl!

BB takes a turn strolling M!

Alexis and Ben

Wahoo!

Time for pizza!

And, here comes the cake!

Singing Happy Birthday:) Ryleigh, MS, Braylin and Holt

She didn’t really blow the candles….More of spitting air!

MS, Carolanne and Makenzie sitting in the birthday chair!

MS and Braylin… Her best bud from school!

Mama loves the birthday girl:)

Pops hops in for pic!

River and Dee say cheese!

We had a great time celebrating our sweet girl’s third birthday!

Miller–2 Months

2011-12-19T18:17:00.001-08:00

He is actually almost 11 weeks as I am typing this, but I did manage to get pictures when he was 2 months and 2 days old….Yes, I didn’t have my act together on the actual 2 mth date! We are still dealing with colic around here, and I can’t imagine how I will celebrate the day that we see big improvement with his little tummy! That will be a day that I don’t forget:)

Here are his stats on his 2 mth check-up:

Weight: 13 lbs 4 oz (85%); Height: 23 inches (50%); Head measured in the 97%…Not surprised at any of the above!

He also starting smiling at us right around 2 mths! And shortly after, he started making some sounds when he is happy and playing! Guess he’s got something on his mind:)

And the bigger he gets, the more we see how much he resembles his big sister!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-12-19T18:03:00.001-08:00

I know it’s pitiful that I am just now posting this….a month later! Just not a lot a free time right now! We celebrated Thanksgiving this year at River and Dee’s house, and Pam and Andy joined us. Justin and I ate in shifts, so once I finally ate lunch, I scarfed everything in sight! I do remember that I cleaned my plate:) We headed to Baton Rouge that afternoon to spend the weekend at Line and Austen’s new house! Mary Scott and Mary Michael had the best time playing with each other and running all around the new house…And MM has the coolest playhouse! Justin and Austen went to the game, and once they got home, Caroline, Beth and I went to eat and drink!!! (No drinks for Line until baby boy gets here!) I did thoroughly enjoy mine! We had a great weekend hanging out!

This year I am so thankful for Miller joining our family! I am thankful that we are all healthy, and that I am a mother to 2 kiddos!

Thanksgiving Feast

2011-11-17T16:16:00.001-08:00

Mary Scott had her Thanksgiving Feast at school today! So, so cute! Mrs. Poleman made their Indian vests and headpieces! Mary Scott , aka “Prancing Pony,” was excited to see us at her feast! The Indians (Mrs. Poleman’s class) and Pilgrims (Mrs. Blanchard’s class) ate together in the parish hall. Each child had a place card and placemat, and a plate full of food! I think she liked the popcorn and cookie the best:) And of course she had to have a refill of apple juice! Another sweet morning at St. Paul’s..…loved being there with her!

Placemat and place card

Prancing Pony’s vest and headpiece!

Six Weeks Old

2011-11-17T16:04:00.001-08:00

Well, the past couple of weeks have been tough to say the least.…Miller has colic:( We took him to Dr. Ritch last week to make sure nothing else was wrong with him, and it’s nothing but colic. Our days have been like this…. He doesn’t nap for long periods of time, usually only 30 minutes, because his stomach pain wakes him up. He gets very little sleep from 5/6 am until 6/7 pm….Maybe an hour and a half total. He doesn’t scream all day, but is fussy most of the time because he is so tired. He calls it quits early evening and sleeps until 10-11 pm when he gets a late night bottle. He does better at night and sleeps for a few hrs at a time…..I guess God thinks I will go insane if I don’t get some sort of a break each day! Some days are better than others and he might take one really good nap….Those days are seldom right now, but I keep reminding myself this tough time has an end in sight! Dr. Ritch says he thinks we will see improvements in the next 4-6 weeks….I sure hope so! He is still taking Prevacid for reflux and prescription strength gas drops to help numb the sharp pains. What is the most difficult is when both of my kids need me at the same moment, and I can only help one:( I look forward to the day when my little guy isn’t hurting and is happy and content!

Pics at 5 1/2 Weeks

Pics at 6 Weeks (I think he looks more and more like MS the fuller his face gets!)

One Month Old!

2011-11-08T05:44:00.001-08:00

Wow! I can’t believe it’s been a month since Miller joined this world! He is growing, and more alert each day. We have had our share of tummy troubles this month. He is now on Similac Alimentum (nutramagin), and was put on reflux medicine yesterday. He has been on the formula a little over a week, and we do think it has agreed with his sensitive stomach much better than the others we tried. He has still been waking up, when he is sounds asleep, screaming in pain and started spitting up over the weekend. So, Dr. Ritch decided to put him on Prevacid for reflux. We sure hope it makes him feel better:) We do know that he likes begin held, and walking seems to sooth him and put him to sleep. We swaddle him for sleeping, and he still takes his paci! He has enjoyed his swing and play mat this past week, and is still liking his baths! Even with his tummy aches and troubles, he is still such a sweet little boy:) Happy 1 Month Miller!

4 Weeks (last Thursday)

One month and one day pics!

Think we will try to pose by Mr. Giraffe each month!

A hint of a smile!

Not so happy anymore!

And this is what happened while I was taking his pics!

Halloween 2011

2011-11-07T08:45:00.001-08:00

This year for Halloween we decided to stay in our neighborhood and trick-or-treat! We went to several places last year, but with a new baby, we kept it simple this year. “Snow White” was really into the whole trick-or-treating…..She knew exactly what to say, and what candy she wanted! At one house, she decided to say, “Where’s the candy?” She also loved ringing the doorbells! We didn’t dress Miller up…He just had on his Halloween outfit and hat…And looked so sweet! The kids had a fun night, and we still have plenty of candy!

We did make a trip to Gammy’s house the night before!

Of course we need to trick-or-treat at our own house!

The Spell’s House

We tried to get her to say thank you as we left!

The Lewis’ went all out!

Neighborhood Kids…MS, Ali, Henry and Grayton

(I wasn’t in the best spot to snap a pic!)

Visiting the Funguys

Cutie Pie, Addison!

Mary Marshall, dressed as Curious Gorge, joined us for the rest of trick-or-treating!

Sharing some candy with Miller!

Provenance’s Fall Fest

2011-11-07T08:17:00.001-08:00

Provenance hosted our annual Fall Fest a few weekends ago. They had a clown, carnival games, an airbrush station, hayrides, several jumpees, pumpkin decorating and plenty of good food! Mary Scott had several of her buddies there, and had a blast playing and enjoying the jumpees most of all! Miller hung out in the stroller and met several of our neighbors! We had a fun afternoon:)

Getting her smiley face airbrushed on her arm!

“Hey Mom!”

Jumpee hair!

Cy and MS

So much fun!

What a cute couple:)

3 Weeks Old

2011-10-27T13:34:00.001-07:00

Miller is a growing boy!!! I can’t believe he is almost a month old….Seriously? He is still waking up twice a night to eat and sleeping most of the time. We have had some tummy issues this past week. When he was first born, we started on Similac Early Shield. We switched last week to the sensitive, and I thought that was helping, but not so much! He is now on Similac Soy for the second day, and has seemed more content and has had fewer tummy aches so far. We knew he was hurting when he would be in the deepest sleep, and start screaming and turn so red….Nine times out of ten, he had gas when we picked him up:( I don’t think it’s reflux because he doesn’t really spit up. ( MS had reflux and took medicine for over a year.) I hate seeing him in pain, but it usually helps when one of us picks him up when he is hurting. Other than figuring out a new formula and taking his first bath, nothing else has really changed this week! He’s just getting bigger by the day!

I think the camera flash got his attention here!

Mary Scott’s School Carnival

2011-10-27T13:18:00.001-07:00

Let me just start by saying how much we LOVE St. Paul’s!!! There are the sweetest teachers and helpers there! On to the carnival… Mary Scott’s class started their Halloween activities in the music room. She decorated a placemat and a picture frame. They had a set-up for the kids to take a fall picture to put in their frames! After we finished those activities, we headed outside. They bobbed for donuts, which was hilarious to watch, threw the bean bags through the jack-o-lantern, and then made trail mix to eat in a big tent while they listened to the “Big Pumpkin.” After the story, we headed back to the music room for some great entertainment provided by the youngsters! They sang cute Halloween songs, and MS got after it with her dance moves! So fun to watch:) After music time we went to Mrs. Poleman’s classroom to decorate pumpkins. Instead of this being a messy activity, which it usually is, Mrs. P had a great idea to poke holes in the pumpkins, and the kids put fun, glittery pipe cleaners in them! Cute activity! I am so glad I could go and share this fun time with Mary Scott!

Decorating her placemat

Bean Bag Toss….She didn’t understand the point of standing back and tossing it in!

Bobbing for Donuts….Loved watching this!

She and her friend, Ford

And…. “It’s time to use my hands!”

Enjoying her hard-earned donut!

MS and her best buddy, Braylin!

Janie joins in!

Time for Halloween songs!

Doing the “Hokey Pokey”….Putting her arm in!

“Put your foot in”

Love this expression:)

At the end of each verse in one song, it ended with “Boo!” She had that part down!

Decorating pumpkins in their classroom!

Wyatt and MS

Concentrating hard!

The finished pumpkin!

First Bath!

2011-10-27T12:50:00.001-07:00

Our little guy had his first “real” bath last night! I was ready for some screaming, but he actually enjoyed it….maybe it was because he was warm enough with the heater on in the bathroom…Yes, I was a bit toasty! Mary Scott came in the bathroom after I had already taken him out of his tub, and she proceeds to take her clothes off and begs to bathe with him! Obviously, she is a bit too big for an infant tub, but it did get her to take her bath in our bathtub!

Sunday School Pumpkin Social

2011-10-27T12:46:00.001-07:00

Last Friday night we went to the Crawford’s house for our Sunday School Class’ Social. River and Dee kept Miller, so J and I could both go with Mary Scott. We ate plenty of good food and enjoyed seeing adults:) There were fun activities for the kids, and J carved a pumpkin while we were there! Thanks for having us, Crawfords!

Working hard on her pumpkin….I think she like the glue!

J, Shannon and John

Charlene showing her carving skills!

Bob Green and Rob Green:)

Silly Molly!

Two Weeks Old!

2011-10-20T19:37:00.001-07:00

Our little guy is 2 weeks old today:) We went for his 2 week check-up this morning. Considering babies should be back to around their birth weight at 2 weeks, I thought he would be around 8 lbs or so….weighed 7 lbs 13 oz at birth. Well, he apparently is eating like a champ and weighs a whopping 8 lbs 10 oz! He is on formula, and I guess he really likes it! His coloring looked good, heart sounded perfect, and his boy parts are all healed! We are just waiting for his umbilical cord to fall off…..Can’t wait to see what he thinks about his first bath:) Miller is waking up twice a night to eat, get a diaper change and then back to snoozing! He is still so sweet and seems content with his surroundings. We are so thankful for our healthy little boy!

Family Visit

2011-10-17T06:42:00.001-07:00

BB, Ge and Pa Reynold all got to meet Miller this past weekend! Ge had a dr.’s appt in Shreveport, so it worked out well for her to visit. We had lunch at Gammy’s….. Gammy provided the food and MS provided the entertainment! Miller was actually awake the majority of the time we were there. Ge got some good cuddle time with her great-grandson:)

Henry’s Party Day!

2011-10-16T20:17:00.001-07:00

Mary Scott was SO excited to go to Henry’s birthday party at the “jumpy place!” I think all the kids had a blast, and enjoyed every minute of jumping, followed by pizza, cake and ice cream! I am glad MS had fun because we are having her party there also:) Gammy and BB sat with Miller so I could go with J and MS….So glad I did!

We had fun celebrating with you, Henry!

One Week Old!

2011-10-14T07:33:00.001-07:00

Miller was a week old yesterday:) He is truly a sweet baby and very content….I hope it continues! He gets upset when he is hungry or needs his diaper changed. He has gotten use to all of his big sister’s noises, and we have tried to not let him get use to “quiet”…other than at night time. He eats great and has woken up twice a night to eat during this first week. The first night at home he ate right before 11 and only woke up once to eat, but stayed awake that night for a while. He eats and goes back to sleep! We have been sitting outside on the porch for him each day to get some sunlight, and he seems to like that too. He is awake just a few hours each day…I forgot how much they sleep!

Big Sister has been sweet to him…She gives him kisses on the top of his head and ask where he is if she’s been playing a while. She has just continued her normal playing and activities, and remembers he is here every now and then! A few days ago, when I still hadn’t been able to do all of the normal things with her, she let me know she was a bit mad at me. We were gone for 4 days at the hospital, and she just knows that I haven’t been doing the usual things with her. Yesterday she did a 360, and was as sweet as can be and all about mama again….Made me feel so much better! As soon as I can pick her up and drive, she will really feel she has me back!

All in all, it has been an easy transition! I am so thankful for that, and that I feel completely back to myself !

Here are some pics of out sweet one week old!

A little glimpse of a smile!

More Hospital Pics/Coming Home!

2011-10-13T19:10:00.001-07:00

We arrived at the hospital on Thursday, not sure if we were staying to have a baby or not that day. After a quick labor, but not so easy delivery, Miller was born that night. Because I ended up having to have a c-section, we were at Highland until Sunday afternoon. We had plenty of time for big sister visits, and grandparents got some cuddle time too! We headed home around 3 pm on Sunday, and Mary Scott was so excited to see us when she woke up from her nap! We were so glad to be home!!!

Here are more pics from the hospital, and of us coming home!

More hospital entertainment……..My lip gloss!

Getting a few rays! Thankfully, we didn’t have to get a light to use at home.

We’re home!!!

Our first night at home….We both fed and burped our babies!

John Miller Sevier has arrived!

2011-10-09T10:10:00.001-07:00

Miller was born on Thursday, October 6, 2011 @ 9:03 p.m. He weighed 7 lbs 13 oz , and was 21 inches long. We are so excited he is here, and he is such a sweet addition to our family!

(More pics to come!)

Visit from Aunt Linda, Sydna and Alden

2011-09-14T15:50:00.001-07:00

Some of the Oakley crew made a trip to Shreveport earlier this week! We had not met sweet Alden, and we were especially excited for the little cousins to meet! They also got some shopping done during the day with Dee at Reruns Are Fun.

We ate dinner at River and Dee’s, and had lots of goodies to open! Aunt Linda and Uncle Randy gave MS a big sister book and t-shirt, that are both so cute! She also made a “Sweet Pea” sack for Miller! Marianna also sent some gifts for the kiddos….MS got a monogrammed towel and some Halloween treats. Miller got a monogrammed blanket, burp cloths and a bottle insulator…. It felt like Christmas!!!

And, MS stepped in an ant bed and her foot was covered in bites….It hurt to even look at it! So, that will explain the pouty face and pacifier!

Alden checking Henry out!

Those are some sweet cheeks!!!

Aunt Linda, Alden and Sydna

Miller and Dixon’s assortment of goodies!

Tickle, tickle, tickle!

Alden checking out the paci.….Yes, he is the one who should have it!

Get ready for babies again, Dee!

I think Alden’s favorite person of the night was Justin!

Sprinkle for Miller and Dixon

2011-09-14T15:26:00.001-07:00

Our sweet friends hosted a joint “sprinkle” for Miller and Dixon this past weekend! Everything looked so nice, and all of the food was delicious! Amanda and I got so many new, cute things for our little boys! It was a special day, and I am thankful to have such wonderful friends to help us celebrate!

Let’s just say, I had on heels and Amanda had on flats!

Ashley, Lauren, me, Mia and Leslie

Mia, Amanda and Lauren

The “Big Sister” and “Big Brother” decided to join us and help with the presents….I think they helped all of about 2 minutes!

Amanda’s mom, “Shushu” made blankets for MS and H….She loved it immediately!

Cute alligator onesie from BB!

And a blanket for Miller, too!

The sweet frame River and Dee!

Kathryn and Laura

Mandy, Margaret, Alexis and Katherine

Shushu, H and Ella

Kathryn, Margaret, Amanda and Meredith

Alexis, Ashley, me, Kristen, and Amanda

A and Gennan

First Day of School at St. Paul’s!

2011-09-01T12:10:00.001-07:00

We have started our preschool experience this week at St. Paul’s! Mary Scott is in the young 3’s class..….In this age group, kids have to turn 3 by next March. We are so, so excited that MS’s teacher is Mrs. Poleman! They are the “Puppy Friends.” We had an orientation meeting on Tuesday, and the kids were left to play with their new friends and teacher while we went to a meeting. Yes, she cried when we left, and I think on and off for a little while, but then “watched for me” to come back. A sweet lady was holding her in her lap when we came back to the room. This morning was her first “full day” (9-12) at school. They have carpool, which we will utilize for drop-off/pick-up as soon as I think she can handle it, but I walked her in this morning. We walked in with Henry and a few friends from Gymboree. She was getting nervous and more hesitant the closer we got to the building, but didn’t cry. We gave Mrs. Poleman her “happy” and I stayed a few minutes while she checked out the room and toys. She would say to me “ You stay for a few minutes.” After she got distracted, I snuck out. I think it’s better than telling her I’m leaving at this point. I went through carpool for pick-up, and she walked to the car with the helper, toting her bag…...It’s as big as she is! She was happy to see me and we talked about what she did at school….Not sure how much was accurate:) At least, she was settled and happy when I came back! It will take some time, but I know she will LOVE her new school!!!

On a different note….She looked at me yesterday when we were playing and said, “You’re my best friend!” Melts my heart!

Pics from “First Day”

MS with Mrs. Poleman:)

MS and her new friend, Braylin

Visit from the Goodwins

2011-08-30T13:12:00.001-07:00

This past weekend, Aunt Cindy and Uncle Gale came to Shreveport for a visit. We got to visit and have dinner at River and Dee’s house. The kiddos warmed up to everyone quickly, and enjoyed their goodies that Aunt Cindy and Aunt Pam brought them!

Andy, Gale, River, H, Daniel, Justin and MS

Cindy, Pam, Dee, me and Amanda

Dee with her two sisters

I think someone forced this picture to be taken! I really don’t love pregnant pictures!

The long-awaited cupcakes….Uncle Gale got her going, and all the sillies came out! (And, yes she got just got her haircut!)

His Name

2011-08-13T16:43:00.001-07:00

We have just recently chosen a full name for our little boy….We are naming him John Miller, and we will call him Miller.

John is after Justin’s grandfather, Dee’s dad. Miller is after my great-grandfather, Pops’ grandfather. We are excited to choose a name for our son that has a special meaning, and comes from both of our families.

Mary Scott has “adopted” one of Dee’s boy baby dolls, and has named him Miller. He goes in the car with us, we feed him, and he even takes a “restie rest” (nap) on occasion! I know her world will be different when he gets here, but I think she is going to be a good helper and love on him plenty!

We are so looking forward to October, and becoming a family of 4!

30 Weeks Down…10 To Go!

2011-08-13T16:29:00.001-07:00

Wahoo! We have hit 30 weeks, and we are on the count down! I can’t believe our little boy will be in here in 10 weeks or less!

First, and probably one of the few, maternity pics! (Excuse the shadows)

Happy Birthday Dee!

2011-07-23T19:24:00.001-07:00

We celebrated Dee turning 60 last Tuesday!!! We didn’t rub her “new age” in too much….Decided to stay nice with the decorations:) Amanda and Daniel hosted the party, and we had some of Dee’s favorites for our meal! The food was great, and it was topped off with an ice cream cake for dessert! Dee got some new goodies for her bday, and MS and H helped her open a few! We enjoyed celebrating Dee, and wish her many happy years ahead!

(Amanda was the photographer, so I took these from her.)

River got us some pics to use…MS would look at River in the pics, and say, “River’s so silly!” It must have been the lovely mustache!

MS wasn’t in the best party mood:(

Dee looks almost exactly the same…Seriously! I think the white earrings might date the pic just a little:)

Princess Breakfast

2011-07-10T17:05:00.001-07:00

Southern Trace hosted a breakfast with Cinderella and her Fairy Godmother this past Saturday. MS went dressed as Snow White! The breakfast was so cute, and there were little “princesses” everywhere! After we had breakfast, the Fairy Godmother performed some magic, with the help of the little princesses, and Belle appeared! Then Cinderella made her entrance….MS was in awe to see both of them! She wanted to follow them around….. kind of like her obsession with the Easter bunny last spring! Belle and Cinderella came around to the tables to visit, and for us to snap some pics with them:) The breakfast ended with a story led by the Fairy Godmother! I really think MS enjoyed herself, and I look forward to taking her to more princess events in the future!

Snow White eating her breakfast:)

Sweet friends, both as Snow White! (Makenzie and MS)

Hugging Cinderella!

She loved Belle too!

I don’t know if we got a normal smile all morning!

She loved the mirror in the bathroom:)

Another photogenic moment!

Needed to get a pic of the whole costume!

Fun with a balloon:)

And Snow White has left the building!

The 4th Weekend

2011-07-09T19:46:00.001-07:00

The Greens hosted our Sunday School class’ social at their house on Friday night. After we ate and it got dark, we headed down the road the Ellerbe Baptist’s fireworks show….We will definitely go back next year….Very impressed with their production! MS was unsure when the first set of fireworks went off, but then figured out they didn’t bother her! On Sunday,we went to the Roberts’ camp on Lake Bistineau. The large group of kids had a bounce house, slip-n-slide and pool for entertainment. MS, Justin, Mary Marshall and David went on a boat ride while we were there, too! I didn’t tote my camera, so no pics:( On Monday, the 4th, our neighborhood had a big water slide and jumpee set up in the park. Two of Mary Scott’s cousins, Ella Grace and Carleigh, came to play. They played so sweet together and had so much fun! River and Dee, and Daniel, Amanda and H came over for dinner. Justin cooked ribs and brisket. I made corn casserole and Dee brought a fruit salad and cobbler for dessert…..It was all good and I think we were impressed with Justin’s cooking skills!

Baker and MS waiting for the fireworks show:)

Eating a bite of her snow cone!

First set of fireworks

This is a nail-biter!

And now we are okay!

Playing with Ella Grace and Carleigh

The slide was pretty fast, and EG had no fear!

Little rascals ran so fast when I got the camera and said the word, “picture!”

Trip to Lake D’Arbonne

2011-07-09T19:19:00.001-07:00

A few weekends ago, we went to Amanda’s family’s lake house. We went with the other Sevier crew, the Bernards and the Friersons. There were plenty of kiddos, good food and nice weather! We have come to the conclusion that MS will probably not be a lake rat…...Not sure if it has something to do with recent swim lessons or just a fear of the water in general. She still enjoyed herself and had fun playing with her friends:) Thanks for having us Smiths and Seviers!

The Friersons (minus Tricia)

The whole crew of kids! (MS, Ivy, Claire, Henry and Baker)

Mary Scott’s Big Girl Bed!

2011-06-30T18:03:00.001-07:00

Week before last, we took down Mary Scott’s crib and replaced it with a big girl bed! She seemed really excited while we were assembling it and getting all of the bedding on. She has done fine with sleeping, and hasn’t gotten out of the bed. At bedtime, Justin or I (usually Justin) will read her books and lay with her while she falls asleep. (The first night it took a while….I think she was just excited and because it was all new!) We leave her door open and the hall light on, so she can find her blankie and paci during the night. She usually wakes up once during the middle of the night, and one of us goes to her room and she is back asleep in no time. The first night we let her cry a 10 or 15 minutes and then the crying turned int0, “Daddy, come back…come back, Daddy” or “Mama, hold me.” We are both pushovers when we hear that innocent little voice on the monitor, and all she wants is to be comforted. With that all being said, she happily talks about her big girl bed and has adjusted fine!

Here are some pics of her new bed and the first night she slept in it!

Father’s Day 2011

2011-06-21T15:41:00.001-07:00

Pops (my dad) came in last Tuesday and we celebrated Father’s Day early because he wouldn’t be in town on the actual day. We went to eat at Monjuni’s and we gave him his goodies then! On Sunday, we celebrated River, Justin and Daniel at our house. The dads took care of the steaks, and we had twice baked potatoes, salad, bread and Strawn’s peach pie for dessert:) Henry and Mary Scott each gave their dad a photo book filled with pics of them with their dad! MS also gave JJ a gift card to Academy to get some new sunglasses since he lost his. River got a gift card to Lowe’s from all of us. We ate plenty of good food and had a great time celebrating these guys!

Can you tell what was going on here? Henry ducked when I got the camera, but there were 3 of them peeking over the couch when we turned around!

Circus!

2011-06-21T15:31:00.001-07:00

Justin and I decided last minute to take MS to the circus last weekend….So glad we did! She loved it! There was plenty of excitement and it kept her attention the whole time!

Here she is enjoying her “costly” snowcone! At least we got a clown mug out of the deal!

May Artwork

2011-06-21T15:25:00.001-07:00

Forgot to post her artwork from school for the month of May…So here it is!

This was a puppet, but the eyes quickly fell off:(

Memorial Day Weekend 2011

2011-06-08T13:34:00.001-07:00

We spent the weekend in Lake Providence with family! We stayed the first night at Ge and Pa Reynold’s with Line, Austen and MM. The kiddos entertained the Ge and her cats! We headed to Pops’ camp the next morning, and spent the day eating, fishing and playing at the camp. Pops cooked chicken, ribs, brisket, assorted sides and rice krispy treats! Pops is a great cook, and we enjoyed every bite! MS got to drive on the levy and see the horses! There were biting gnats in LP that were terrible anytime you stepped outside. So we were limited on what we could do outside:( When Pops and Pa Reynold say that the bugs are bad, you know that they are! We spent that night at Nana and Gran Gran’s. MS didn’t have a nap at the camp that day, and fell asleep about 5 minutes from being back in town. I was just going to put her in her jammies and let her go to bed since it was close to 8pm….She had other plans! She woke right up when we got to Nana’s and was Miss Happy until 10 pm! I don’t know how she was in a good mood, considering her lack of sleep and the UTI she had….Who knows! Nana and Gran Gran had the best time with her, and MS was even having full conversations with Gran Gran after she warmed up to him. We had a big breakfast the next morning and then went back to Ge’s for lunch….Yes, more food! We had hamburgers that hit the spot:) We headed home after lunch!

I just napped a few…Not the best picture taker that weekend!

(These were taken at the camp.)

Potty Training…..Only the Strong Will Survive!

2011-06-08T13:09:00.001-07:00

Wheeww!!! Let me back track a few weeks….We first started potty training the Tuesday before Memorial Day. That Monday was her last day at MDO, and we headed to Target afterwards for MS to pick out her big-girl panties! She chose a pack of Minnie Mouse, Princesses, and Kai-Lan. She wanted the Gabba ones, but there was only one package left, and it had been opened. (I did go back and find her a pack a few days later!) We had plenty of undies for plenty of accidents! So, we started on Tuesday and tried to play outside some of the day..…less pee inside the house! That day was full of accidents and redirection to the potty. It was a LONG DAY! I talked to a friend, who suggested an e-book by Lora Jensen, called Potty Training in 3 Days. I will say that I was doing most everything WRONG on day 1, and I found many helpful tips in this book! Some of the things I didn’t apply because I honestly didn’t care that she was trained in 3 days…I just wanted her to actually get it! Wednesday and Thursday were GREAT….She only had 2-3 accidents the whole day. Sometime Thursday, she started complaining that she was hurting and I could tell she was really hurting when she pottied. Friday morning, we headed to see Dr. Ritch. It essentially took all day for me to get a urine sample to be sent off to check for a UTI. She did start taking an antibiotic on Saturday after I annoyed them again and insisted she be given something! It was a good thing I was annoying because they did not call me back with her labs until the following WEDNESDAY at 6 pm….And she did have a UTI! That was Memorial Day weekend that she had the infection, and we put her in Pull-Ups because we went to LP and I didn’t want to clean up pee at other people’s houses! Once I knew she wasn’t hurting anymore, we started potty training all over again….That was last Tuesday. She had accidents that first day and was scared to get on the potty…I guess because she associated it with pain:( At the end of the day, she peed in the potty twice, and I was celebrating like no other! I would say over the past 5-6 days, she has had 1 accident…..WE ARE SO PROUD of Mary Scott!!!! We have ventured back out into the real world with many distractions, and she hasn’t had accidents and has told me multiple times while we are out if she needs to potty! Wahoo…..She is trained!!!! She loves her sticker chart, M and M’s and special prizes!!! I am happy to provide them if that’s all if takes for success! This was one of the big things we needed to accomplish this summer before she starts school in August! Next to-do…..Big Girl Bed!

Here are her sticker charts:)

The yellow one was her first chart….Once it filled up, we made the pink one!

Beach Trip

2011-06-01T09:02:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, we took a trip to Gulf Shores with Line, Austen and MM! We stayed at the Phoenix West….It had a walk-in pool, lazy river and a big slide. It was right on the beach, so we could do whatever MS wanted…… She had an ABSOLUTE BLAST!!! She couldn’t have been happier! She made new friends on the beach and talked to so many random people:) She kept her Crocs on at the beach because she didn’t like the wet sand on her feet! One night, we ate at Cosmos, and the cousins decided they wanted to dance to the live music outside. We had packed everything up, and neither of us had our cameras, but I will say that they were applauded for their dance moves! Another highlight for MS was Adventure Island, where she played a few minutes of putt-putt, and then went for a few spins on the go-kart! We weren’t sure if she would like it because they are so rough, but she thought it was great and they took a second spin! Justin and Austen actually took her back the next night:) The trip went by WAY TOO QUICKLY….I could have stayed for several more days! We had a great time and I was so glad to see MS enjoy herself! Here are some of my faves from the trip!

Mary Scott is getting a BROTHER!!!

2011-05-05T19:50:00.001-07:00

We are SO EXCITED that Mary Scott is getting a brother! It was so fun finding out! Justin had gone against the crowd from the beginning and said it was a boy. Everyone else in both families, pretty much, thought girl for sure. I thought it was another girl for awhile, but over the last few weeks I definitely kept having boy thoughts. My prediction before the appt was still girl, but for some reason I was not going to be surprised if she said boy. The tech checked the heartbeat first and it had gone down from the high 160s and 170s to 153……At that moment, I knew we were about to find some boy parts….And it didn’t take long at all to see them!!!! I will never forget those next few moments, and I just kept thinking, “I’m going to be a mom to a son, too!” We immediately ordered the cookie cake and I had picked up the balloons, both pink and blue, before the appt. River and Dee, Gammy and Pawpaw, and Daniel, Amanda and Henry all came over after work to see what the cake revealed…….I don’t think we can ever shock them this much again!!! The pics tell all:)

We realized we didn’t get a picture of the three of us and the cake, so after we got back from the park, we “improvised” the message on the cake and snapped one!

And….Here is our little BOY!!!!

I feel extremely blessed that we are getting the best of both worlds, and MS is going to be such a sweet big sister to her “bruffer!”

April Artwork

2011-05-05T19:06:00.001-07:00

Some spring artwork!

Butterflies

2011-04-30T15:53:00.001-07:00

Dee got MS a “Live Butterfly Garden” kit! We watched the stages, starting with caterpillars, then turning into chrysalids, and finally into butterflies. Once they turned into butterflies, we began feeding them so they would get strong enough to be freed outside! Here are a few pics of when we let them go…..Thanks for the fun activity, Dee!

She was excited to see them flapping their wings!

Our last one DID NOT want to leave! She waved bye to each one as they flew away:)