Memorial Day and Jillian's First Attempt to Slip and Slide

We had a really fun memorial day this past Monday. We all went to our neighborhood pool for some fun with the neighborhood friends. Then that afternoon, we had the Dales and Aunt K over for a cookout. My parents are on a cruise...so they missed all the fun! They also just recently sold their house (and more importantly, the pool that was behind it) and so we didn't have our usual summertime party in the real pool! We had to resort to our above-ground kiddie pool! The Dales brought over their slip and slide, so our backyard turned major ghetto/white trash...however you want to look at it! But, hey...the kids had a great time, and that is all that matters!

Seth is becoming the master of the grill by practicing every weekend...and so he grilled out some fabulous pork tenderloins. He also made some jalapeno poppers...and they were a huge hit too! I could get really spoiled if Seth decided to start picking up the cooking on the weekends!!!

Here are a few pictures of our fun day. I realize that I don't have one picture of Jules on Memorial day...what a crappy momma I am! She was inside sleeping soundly the whole time, and so she slept through our party! She is obviously the second kid, huh?

Here is an outline of Jillian and the slip and slide:


Not sure about this thing...but it sure looks fun!


Here she is after Daddy tossed her onto it...


Look at her go...she can slide!


Look at that strut...isn't she proud of herself?


Here are the three oldest cousins playing together...running around like crazy. We know Jules is sleeping, but where is crazy Emerson?????


Here she is, we found her...drinking and driving in Jillian's tot rod! Looks like Summer and Layton are going to have to have the drinking and driving talk with Em pretty soon! If you click on this picture, you can see Em's tummy...she has the best tummy of all the kids!


Here is Jilly in her new swimsuit...I love the cherries!


What a cute butt!


Drinking her juice box


This girl is getting tired...all this pooling in one day takes it out of a girl.


The four big girls...playing in the pool.




I love this picture...don't they look like they are having fun? Just a little pow wow in the pool! I can only imagine what they were talking about!


And here is Emerson off doing her own thing again. WE think that she just enjoys quiet time when she can get it...it is RARELY ever quiet at the Dale House!


Cute Aunt K


Jillian is obsessed with Macy. She says her name all the time and anytime I mention anyone in the Dale fam, Jillian just repeats Macy over and over again! (It sounds like Pisces when it comes out of her mouth though) Here are the two eating their dinner together..


Jillian skipped her hotdog and ate only Watermelon all night!


A face only a mother could love!



By the way, I know our fence is two-toned. We got a new gate put in and have been waiting forever for the guy to finish the job and stain!

Jules Smiles!!!

Guess who smiled for the first time last night? I will post a smiling picture as soon as I can get one!

Bad Hair Day...tonight is bath night!

Big Sister and Baby Sister

Jillian and Jules decided to wear their Big Sister/Baby Sister outfits out to dinner Friday night. They looked really cute, so we had to take some pictures!! Something really funny I wanted to write on here is that Jillian calls Jules, "My Baby". She also calls Seth, "My Dada". I am just plain ole Mama, but those two must have a special place in Jillian's heart...she wants everyone to know that they belong to her!


Jillian kissing on "my baby".



Jillian ADORES baby sister!


Sweet Sisters


I love this picture because Jules looks a little worried and Jillian looks like she is up to something! Look at those mischievous eyes!!!


My big girl!


My little girl!!


This picture shows off Jules' big blue eyes. They are a really deep blue color and so pretty.

Jules is One Month Old

Wow...time is flying by SOOOOOOOOOOO fast! I cannot believe it has already been a whole month since Jules has come into our lives. I always hear people say this, but I find it true now more than ever...I really do not remember life without her. She just seems to be such a big part of our family and I am not quite sure what we did with our time before we had two babies to love on and take care of each day!

There is really not too much to report about Jules' first month...she is still just a teeny newborn! She is definitely awake more now than at first and she is really focusing her eyes and watching things...like her big sister...who is always in her face! She is a Momma's girl already...which I love!!! It seems that both of my babies prefer me at first. Jillian made the switch to being obsessed with her Daddy at about 9 months...so I am sure it is only a matter of time before Jules starts preferring the way more fun parent! But, I will enjoy it while it lasts. She is also holding her head up for longer periods and can turn her head when she wants. Both of my girls were holding their heads up in the hospital...I guess they are nosey like me! We also think that Jules is on the verge of smiling. She keeps half smiling and I keep thinking it is about to happen. Today, we were at Aunt Summer's house and Summer thought the same thing...so I am sure that is just around the corner! Jules is a big eater...she wakes up every three hours on the dot and seems ravenous to eat! She wants that food and she wants it right then!!! That is about the only time that she really cries at all...so that is great! She is very happy and content most all the time and we feel so blessed to have her as part of our family!!!

Here is a comparison of Jillian at one month to Jules at one month. I am sure people forgot how dark Jillian's hair really was at first!

Jules at one month

Jillian at one month




Probably my favorite part of Jules is her double chin! She was born with that thing!!! I mean, she is a skinny baby, but that double chin has stuck with her...and I am so glad! It is so soft, too...and I love to kiss it! This may make me sound like a weirdo, but it is true!



Baby girl and Momma hanging out. This is what we do every night...sit together on the couch and stare at eachother!

Remembering Granny and Jules' First Road Trip

On Friday morning, May 9, Seth's Granny lost her battle with cancer. Seth has always been extremely close with his Granny and so this news was very hard for him to take. Seth's goal was to get Baby Jules up there before Granny died so that she could see her. I mentioned before how Granny ADORED Jillian. She always got Jillian gifts and spent her days just looking at her pictures. We had planned to travel to Arkansas for Memorial Day but we just didn't make it in time for Granny to meet Jules.

Seth and I did make plans to go up for the funeral and decided to take Jules and leave Jillian...since we were only going for about 30 hours and Jillian SUCKS in the car! So, we left Jillian with Mimi and Papaw and headed up for the funeral with Jules not even being three weeks old yet! Of course, Seth and I expected the worst in the car since Jillian has never been good, but Jules surprised us! She slept the ENTIRE way up to Arkansas...about 6 hours. I woke her up to feed her and then she went right back down in her car seat. She also slept almost all night (of course she got to sleep with Seth and Me while away from home, so that probably helped). And she slept through the whole visitation and funeral! She was such a good baby and so now Seth and I have major high hopes that she will stay this way and be our ANGEL in the car! Uncle Caleb rode up to Arkansas with us...and poor thing was such a good sport as I sat in the back seat and pumped (breastmilk) every two hours on the way up! I am sure he won't be traveling with us again anytime soon!!!

The funeral was very nice and a great celebration of Seth's Granny! She was a wonderful woman and very well respected by so many people. We will all miss her sweet spirit and our trips to Arkansas just won't be the same without getting to see our Granny!




Granny and Jillian at 5 months


Granny and Jillian at 8 months


Here is Jillian trying to get out the front door. She was so excited to spend the night at Mimi and Papaw's house...and she couldn't wait for Mimi to get there! She was carrying her suitcase around all morning long!!


Precious Jules on her first road trip. (For some reason these pictures are way too light...Jules is not an albino or anything!)


Sweet baby girl


B-Pa with Baby Jules the morning of the funeral


The original Patterson's...Caleb, CC, Seth, and B-Pa


CC and her boys


Seth, Me and Jules

My Mother's Day Weekend...better late than never

We had a very fun Mother's Day weekend despite getting some bad news. We found out on Friday right before that Seth's granny had died. We were very sad about this news and planning our trip to Arkansas, but we managed to try and hang out as a family and have some fun. On Saturday, we went over to Mimi and Papaw's pool. They are moving soon and so this was our last visit at our private pool for the summer until their new house is ready...boo hoo!

Now, my funny Mother's Day story. Seth had planned on going Friday to get my Mother's Day gift. Well, after we got the news about Granny, Seth didn't go to work...and therefore didn't get my gift since I was with him the whole day. Well, on Saturday, he tells me that he needs to stop by Best Buy for a minute and go in by himself. Well, the whole time I am out in the car, I am thinking about what I could possibly want from a Best Buy! I already have a camera, Ipod, and video camera that I love...so what else is there? I totally figured he was getting me like a power strip or something and I was so bummed...I really set it up in my head that I was going to be major disappointed on Mother's Day morning. Well, we get up Mother's Day morning and he and Jillian go and get me breakfast...and more importantly, they leave me alone to shower and start getting ready for church without a small child following me around everywhere. Then, right before we head out for Church, he asks if I want my gift. I am so nervous about this, but go for it anyway. Well, I open it up and it is a docking station for my Ipod...and it is battery operated, so I can take it outside, in my bathroom, anywhere! I am always complaining about never hearing music anymore unless you consider the Barney theme song music! So, Seth did a great job and I love my gift! He sure set it up to look no good and then totally came through! So, we had a great Mother's Day together...and then later went and had dinner and gifts with my family. It was a really fun day and my first as a mother of two girls!

Pictures from our weekend. I really got NO good ones of the girls on Mother's Day...which was also Jules' first day at church, and I could just kick myself for it!


Jillian getting ready to go to the pool. She is so cool in her Hello Kitty sunglasses






This is now what the back of my Expedition looks like. The reason this is funny, is because I also drove an Expedition in college...and the back seat looked A LOT different then. (Am I right, Mindy???) Seth and I were in the front and we always had a ton of friends in the back...and well, we were just cooler then. Now...it is like a daycare in the back of my car! But I have to admit I would much rather look back and see Jillian and Jules' little faces than Parrish's!!!! I'm kidding, P...Miss you!!!



Jillian modeling her biking...or kini as she likes to call it.


Jules' is all wore out from a day at the pool...even though she still hasn't gotten in yet.


Jillian all dressed up for church on Mother's Day


Jules just sitting back and reflecting on Mother's Day and what it means to her


Jules' precious feet on her first day at church


Mommy opening up her card and present from the girls


Mommy and her girls on Mother's Day


Mommy and Jules


Jules' present to Mimi was to snooze in her arms!


Jillian giving Mimi her present...and a kiss to top it off


Mimi opening up her flip flops that we gave her! These flip flips have my mom written all over them!


Jules getting some lovin from Aunt Summer...she sure has a way with the babies