The Sick Dess Family...

What a rough week. We have all been sick, and of course it is all staggered so we get to enjoy it that much longer. Here is a picture of sweet sweet little Gabe at the very beginning. Red puffy eyes with yellow eye boogies. Yuck. We have been to the pediatrician twice this week and at the end he did something Emory has yet to do, have an ear infection. I got sick after Gabe, requiring Grant to stay home Wednesday, Grant got it after that and now precious Emory. Needless to say we are isolating ourselves and sanitizing everything.

 Here are some pictures from last weekend, when we were all healthy. Oh, the good old days.....

Gabe missed his mouth, slightly.

 We are always so happy to see uncle Ryan, aunt Jenny and cousin Ella. Aren't these three too cute together! There will be many more years of these moments. Ryan and Jenny are the only uncle and aunt that Emory and Gabe have, and that means their children are their only cousins, which means they are extra special to us!

 Early this week, again before the sickness of 2010, Emory and I went outside during Gabe's nap time. It was a beautiful day and perfect for sidewalk chalk and bubbles.

Such a cute little girl!

Happy birthday to Great Grandma Shirley!!! We love you so much and can't wait to see you again.

Gabe's First Day of School!!!

Gabe goes to the same Mother's Day Out school as Emory. I adore the school. The teachers are so patient and kind. Gabe only goes one day a week and Emory goes two. It's nice to have one day with just Gabe and I am going to be working the day they both go (once the house stuff settles down). He had to miss his first day of school ever because of a runny nose, last week all was well and he went.

 Such a big boy!

 Big sister joins in....

 Hugging or wrestling, you decide.

Off to school we go!

8 Months Old!!!

Sweet Gabriel. How we love you. You are such a mellow little man. Our 8 months getting to know you have been a blast. (minus life being completely turned upside down of course!)

Gabe starts his day with a yummy bottle around 6:45. No more nursing, he has no interest in not being able to see everything. He use to take a nap again at 7:45, but as of this week dropped that nap. He then gets his breakfast of cereal and fruit around 8:30. Which works out well to eat with big sister. After some intense play time, he will get another bottle at 10:45 and take his ONLY nap. Ouch, I was not ready to give that up. He will get up about 1:30, play, have another bottle and anxiously await his sister waking up. At 5, he is ready for his dinner of cereal, fruit and veggie. We try to entertain him while the rest of us eat dinner and then at 7 he gets another bottle and off to bed he goes.

He loves green beans, squash, sweet potatoes, bananas, pears, apples. He doesn't like peaches or carrots.

Gabe can sit by himself now. He is not motivated to start crawling, why bother when mommy will get everything for you! Gabe is up to two teeth now. The two in the middle on the bottom, super cute.

Love my little 8 month old. Truly a joy.

Gotta Love her Brother...

The day finally came..... a picture of Emory and Gabe hugging AND smiling at the camera. I was so happy to get this picture!! I knew it was a moment when Emory was hugging Gabe and was still there when I came back with the camera.

That's some up close sister love, get use to it Gabe!

My little sweetie...

Isn't he just the best little boy?!? Yes, that is his first corvette t-shirt. Keep them coming grandpa and grandma.

Emory's First Day, again....

Tuesday morning was Emory's second first day of school. She went back to her school that she was in Mother's Day Out last year, but now her class is called preschool!! Such a big girl. So I attempted to take the first day pictures, and as you can see my nearly 3 year old wasn't thinking the same thing.

Closer....

"Didn't you want a first day of school picture with me on my bike?"

Mean mom took away the bike to get my beloved picture. Not going well.

There she is. My angel.

And off we go again...

Emory did great at school. Ate her lunch, took a nap, and came home in her big girl underwear! No accidents!! I asked her what she wanted to wear that morning, a pull up or big girl underwear and she choose the underwear. We talked all the way to school about what that meant and remembering to tell her teachers when she had to go potty. Such a good girl!

 Sadly, Gabe will not be going to school tomorrow because he got his sister's runny nose, but we will take his first day of school picture next week!

Well Hello...

Hello Mr Tooth. Welcome to Gabe's mouth. You made him slightly more fussy, but overall we barely knew you were here. Tell you friends they are welcome anytime because we know our little boy will look super cute with a toothy grin.

Oh, The Sweet Words Of My Child...

Emory has been into praying lately. She goes through phases where it is a must to say her prays before her nap and bedtime, which obviously we don't mind. We have a process:

Emory: "Mommy, let's pray"
Me: "Ok Em, you start"
Emory:  eyes closed, hands together "Dear God"
Me: "Dear God we thank you for Emory being a big girl and on......"
Emory waits for me to finish my prayer and then adds whatever else she wants to pray for. Most common prayers are for uncle Ryan, aunt Jenny, Ella Grace, Jonas and Tricia, Owen, Brady, baby Rhett, Carson, Caden and whatever toy she was playing with before going to bed.

But today was the sweetest prayer....

Emory: "Thank you God for our broken house"

Wow, that gave me a lump in my throat. Yes God, thank you for our broken house. I forget to be thankful for the house with all the added decisions and time that take up my day. I find it easier to gripe than to praise. But I need to remember that God gave us the house, God protected us to get out of the fire safely, God provided family and friends to help us, and God is allowing us to do things we never imagined we would be able to do.

Zechariah 13:9,
And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, "They are my people"; and they will say "The Lord is my God."