Get Well Soon Grandma Barb

Carys and I arrived home late Wednesday night from our trip up to Ubly. We enjoyed our visit with the Anthony family. It was very, very cold and windy during our stay. Carys has chapped little cheeks to show for it.
We unpacked and relaxed on Thursday. We took a two hour nap together in the morning and a one hour nap together in the afternoon. While on our mini-vacation, she decided not to sleep after our first night there. I must say I was very pleased with the naps on Thursday. We enjoyed dinner and catching up on Tim's trip to Pennsylvania on Thursday evening too. We sure missed him.
Friday I left bright and early as my mom had surgery. We have spent a lot of time at the hospital this weekend. Daddy and Carys had a lot of one-on-one time together so I could be with my mom. Her surgery went well and recovery is taking its toll. Hopefully she be able to be discharged Monday. She will be staying with us for a few days so that she doesn't have to be home alone during the day. Poor Tim, at home with three women!!
Just a reminder to visit our March of Dimes link. We would love your support in our walk on April 29. Please pass the link onto others in your email address book.

Nap-on-the-Go

The four of us girls went to Sandusky today. We had lunch at Dairy Queen and then went to WalMart for groceries. Carys fell in love with a babydoll in the store, Zipity Do Dolly. While riding in the cart she was hugging her and talking to her. She will encourage Carys to button, snap, zip, stick, tie and buckle. You can see her new dolly in this picture. You can already tell she is loved because Carys put some cookie on her. On the ride home the girls needed a snack. My little princess was so tired, I think she got more on her face and car seat than in her belly. We made one other exciting purchase. Carys got some hair pretties. She now has just enough hair that small barrettes with stay in her hair (somewhat).

Just a reminder to visit our March of Dimes WalkAmerica site. We have less than 60 days to raise money for research to help prevent premature births. There is also a picture of Carys there taken on the day she was born.

Breakfast with Taylor

We made it up north to visit our friends. The girls are having fun playing with one another. I have said before how much fun it is to watch them with one another. Today we braved the cold and went to Saginaw shopping. Taylor even shared her little car with Carys. It gave Carys a much needed break from the stroller.

This isn't the best picture of Carys, but as you can see, she is signing eat. Her hand is really supposed to be at her mouth. She is slowing making her way there. Daddy and I know what she means when she does this.

Up I Go

This is what happens when I turn my back for a minute. Climbing up the stairs is new for Carys. Today she also signed sleep for the first time.

New Shoes

Daddy, I think Mommy has issues...she bought me another pair of shoes today. Good news...these were on sale. I really like them a lot and think they are pretty. We miss you Daddy!!!!

Hey everyone...check out the March of Dimes link on the right. My family is trying to raise money for the March of Dimes WalkAmerica walk that we are participating in on April 29. The money will go for premature birth research. Please donate to our team and feel free to join us in the walk. You can donate right online. If you need help, click on the word comment below this post and leave a note to my Mommy. This is really important to us so I hope you will help us raise money to reach our goal.

Thank you!!

Love~ Carys Eva-Marie Davis

My Pink Pony

Carys received this pink pony chair for Christmas from her Aunt Tami and cousins Teige, Rourke and Macyn. Today is the first day we brought it out of her room to sit in while watching one of her movies. She would bounce in it and the bounced herself right out of it. I guess this pony has a new home.

Today Tim left for 7 nights in Pennsylvania. We will try to do daily postings so that daddy doesn't get home sick. We miss you honey!!

Just Tuesday

My new tool bench like daddy's when he was little.

Carys and I have had a very relaxing day today. We have been playing and eating, playing and eating, and playing and eating. It's only 2:00 in the afternoon. In between our playing and eating I have been doing laundry. Tim is leaving for Pennsylvania for 7 days and he needs some clean clothes to take. Carys loves to help me fold laundry. She pulls out what I need to fold. I hope she remains helpful!! While daddy is working hard in Pennsylvania, Carys and I are planning on visiting our friends in Ubly. We haven't seen them since the very beginning of January. I'm excited to see how much Taylor has grown and I love to watch the girls play together. Christine and I have talked about taking the girls to get their photos taken. Last time we did that the photos were...well lets just say...less than flattering.

Today we also had an appointment with our hearing impaird teacher consultant, Carlene, to learn more ASL. Carys is signing more, eat, all done/finished and bye. I'm so glad that we are all learning sign. As many of you know her hearing is in the normal range, but there is no guarantee that it will remain there. Therefore, it's very, very important we learn another method of communication as a safety net. I'm really enjoying learning sign, not to mention being amazed at a 13 month old using sign. Next time Carlene comes we are going to learn "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" or "You are My Sunshine". I'm so excited!

I also like to chew on this toy.

Animal Show

Saturday we attended Reese's 3rd birthday party. At the party a man came with some animals for the kids to learn about and to touch. Some of the animals that he brought were a tree frog, lizard, gecko, guinea pig, chinchilla, white rat snake, mouse and pigeons. The man told intersting facts about each animal and then he took the animal to each child so that they could feel it. Carys sat in the half circle with all of her cousins and other little kids watching the animal show. The final animal that was presented was the white rat snake. As you can see, Tim held the snake and it wrapped itself around Carys and him. Carys didn't mind one bit. She touched most of the animals and was a good observer of the show.

Uncle Geri with the tree frog

Carys touching a pigeon


Reese holding the white rat snake

My 2nd Valentine's Day

This is a picture from Carys' 1st Valentines Day! She was still in the hospital and would be for almost one more month. A hospital volunteer made this dress, which was easy to put on despite all the wires and tubes, the hat and the booties...

...and her she is for her 2nd Valentines Day. Carys got to spend dinner with her Grandma Barb and Grandpa Greg. I planned a romantic evening for Tim and I (I think it was romantic) since last year our dinner was Wendy's in the hospital cafeteria. The best part of last Valentine's Day was being with our baby girl!!

Happy Birthday Daddy!!

Today was Tim's 29th birthday. When he came home he opened the long awaited birthday gift. The night before I was asking him what he thought we got him for his birthday. He said what he thought it shouldn't be. Well, lets just say his gift was what he thought it shouldn't be. When he opened his gift he started laughing and was apologizing. My husband is the hardest person in the world to buy for. We got him an IPod so that he could listen to music and watch movies no matter where he was. He claims that he really doesn't know much about IPod's. After dinner and cake he did some researching on the internet to learn more about IPod's. He isn't sure if he's going to keep it or not. This is how gift giving goes with my husband.
On Saturday we are getting together with my husbands siblings to celebrate his birthday and his brother-in-law, Geri's birthday. One of his other brother-in-laws has the same IPod that Tim got for his birthday and Tim hopes to play around with that one to help his decide to keep or return it. If any IPod owner's read this post, feel free to make any comments about IPod's.
Earlier in the week Tim was in a car accident. He was driving his second car, the good ole' reliable Taurus. During his lunch break he went to get gas at Meijer. He was stopped at the stop sign there, waiting to return to work, when BAM! A truck lost control and slammed into the driver's side of his car. Luckily, Tim wasn't hurt, but the Taurus is now in need of two new doors. It turns out that the other car's breaks went out. Tim has been in so many accidents in this car and he hasn't been hurt in any of them. God is watching over him that's for sure!!

Mom, why?

Because I can Carys!!

Finally...SNOW

We have been waiting and waiting for snow. Last weekend we got a very small amount. Today when we woke up we were very surprised to see all the snow. After having a birthday celebration earlier in the day, we came home to give Carys her very first ride in a sled. She loved it. First her daddy pulled her and then it was mommy's turn. She was quite the trooper. We were probably outside for a whole 15 minutes, but it was 15 minutes full of FUN!!

Red Violet

Look at me...I'm trying to color!!

Are you admiring my lipstick?

It's Red Violet by Rose Art and it tastes

TERRIFIC!!

My mommy said she is so glad it's washable!!

Havin' a Ball

"Hi everyone !! Look at me!! I'm having so much fun playing."

Mmmmmmmm...chocolate

Today we started Carys back on her multi-vitamin per her doctor. For months now she has refused to take a bottle or anything that remotely resembles one , which made it difficult to get her to take her vitamins. I have tasted these and they are dreadful!! I was trying to figure out what I could do to cover up the taste...juice hasn't worked, applesauce hasn't worked the past..so tonight I decided to try chocolate pudding. So far so good. She made it a challenge to feed it to her, but I won, I think!! Her face tells a different outcome!!!!
This week she had her one-year well baby check. She weighs 20 pounds 1 ounce and is 28 inches long. When I told her doctor how often she was still nursing she said that I needed to cut out a feeding and give her more table food. I didn't know how this was going to work, but it is getting Carys to eat more table food. I never thought that I would make it nursing this long, but I have and I'm so glad. I love the closeness that comes along with nursing and feel so fortunate that we were successful at it. I spent the entire time Carys was hospitalized connected to a breast pump...and continued pumping until July when she was able to fully transition to nursing. Now I have to cut out one of our cuddle times and that makes me sad. Our baby is getting bigger which is exciting...but I'm going to miss some of the little baby things.
If anyone reading this has some suggestions of yummy, easy food to feed little ones, feel free to comment. I really would like more ideas for breakfast.

Princess Carys invites you...

The Princess had her big party on Saturday, December 30. Little boys were to come dressed as handsome as a prince and little girls a pretty as a princess...and they did. We started off with Carys singing Happy Birthday to Carys and presenting her with her very own princess crown cake. She didn't dig into the cake like she did the night before. I think there were just too many eyes on her. We are starting the tradition that our children get to have dessert first on their birthday and then their meal. I think this is fun.

We then proceeded to watched a video of Carys growing over her first year titled "Watch Me Grow". If I can figure out how to do a link to view it online, I'll post it. After the video we ate and socialized followed by Carys, with help from her cousins, opened gifts. I think her first birthday party was a success...even the cake...which I made. I didn't realize what I got myself into. It was stressful, but lots of fun. Thanks for your help Christine. Each year I'm going to attempt to make the birthday cakes. What can I say...I'm a sucker for frosting.

I'M ONE!!

Carys turned ONE on December 29. Here daddy and I were remembering where we were last year at this time and how far our family has come. Carys came into this world with so many uncertainties. She only weighed 2 lbs 12 ounces and was severely bruised. She is now 20 pounds. She spent 70 days in the NICU hooked up to so many machines that monitored the functioning of her body, assisted her in breathing and fed her. Now she is free to move all over the place, feeds herself and babbles up a storm!! We are blessed with such a wonderful daughter and thank God for her daily. Her grandparents, along with Christine and Taylor were all here to celebrate the day and to share memories. Taylor helped Carys eat some of her cake. They loved it and had fun making a mess! After eating the cake like they did...it was bath time and time for bed.

Merry Christmas

Carys loved opening all of her gifts and she got plenty of them!! We started Christmas day out at home. Santa brought her all sorts of goodies...Mommy and Daddy did too. One of her big gifts wasn't wraped and she just kept looking at it with a look like...when do I get to have that one. After opening gifts at home, we went over to her Grandpa and Grandma Davis's house for brunch. Carys enjoyed watching all of her cousins opening their presents which made her take time opening hers. After spending a few hours at the in-laws, we came home. I made Christmas dinner for us along with her Grandma Barb and Grandpa Greg. Once again, Carys was blessed with more gifts for her grandparents. This was a long day making it full of tons of memories!! We had a wonderful first Christmas with our little princess!! I think we need to buy stock in batteries and wrapping paper.

LETS CELEBrate

Our family just returned home from the thumb area as we were celebrating with the Anthony's. Taylor turned ONE on the 16th and the girls exchanged Christmas gifts during our visit. The girls took their sweet time opening their Christmas gifts. They would rip some paper, eat some paper, rip some paper...then we finally decided to help.
After Taylor went to bed Carys decided she need to help Christine with preparing for the party. I was so surprised that she would wear the birthday hat. She wore it for so long she had marks on her cheeks and the top of her head. Taylor's party was a lot of fun. She really got into eating her cake. What a mess!! I hope Carys' first birthday party goes off as smoothly as Taylor's.
Before we left on Sunday the girls played with Taylor's new toys. They played so hard, Taylor's hair stood on end.

Family Tree/Princess Tree

Greetings...We are so excited to celebrate Christmas with our little princess. The house is decorated with our tree, greens, lights and candles. Carys even has a tree in her room that is fit for a princess. We like to lay on the floor at night and look at the lights. She touches her tree and the family tree with such care.

Our Christmas shopping is pretty much finished. I'm sure we will have some last minute items to purchase as usual. We still need to hang our stockings to get them ready for Santa to fill. We have a Santa pillow that Carys loves to lay on. She also likes to rub Santa's beard.

There is another special day in our family to celebrate this month. Carys turns ONE on December 29. We have been planning her party since mid-November. She is very excited about it I must say. Taylor is celebrating her 1st birthday on December 16 and we are heading to Ubly to celebrate with her.