Tomorrow our dear friends ,the Brogdons, fly to Dallas for Landon's surgery. Please say prayers for them that all goes well on Tuesday and that he recovers quickly and easily. http://www.prayersforlandon.blogspot.com/
We have set up a paypal fund and the Landon Brogdon fund at Wachovia if anyone wants to donate to help them with their insurance battle and medical and travel expenses. You can find direct links to donate online on this facebook page or contact any Wachovia.
You got to make the morning last....Just kicking down the cobblestone....What happened to teeny tiny Mallory?.....
Mallory Ann has changed leaps and bounds the last few weeks. In the last two weeks she began crawling like a champ, pulls herself up to standing, and now says "Mama!". She is still only seven months old! She also appears to have much more hair on her head. She isn't my little tiny infant anymore and is a real live baby! Of course I want her to develop and grow up to be the amazing little person she will surely be- I just already miss those new little baby days. New Mallory has much more of an opinion about things, loves to get her hands all over Peyton's toys, and crawls after me like a little puppy dog- never wanting me to leave the room. I have a feeling she'll be walking pretty soon too- she doesn't really like to crawl on her knees and pulls up into a pike position trying to walk. The other morning I went in to get her for her early morning nursing, and she sat up in the crib when she saw me and said "Mama , Mama". Peyton's first word was "Da Da" so this was extra special. Hearing those sweet little sounds makes everything so worth it.
Here are some pictures taken by Aunt Nicki of our big Baby Girl. Peyton isn't so thrilled with this new Mallory because she now plays with his toys, wants to grab whatever he is playing with, and cries when she doesn't get her way or when he is rough with her (resulting in lots of "Thinking Chair" time for Peyton lately). Last week Peyton told me "I don't want Mallory to live here anymore" and today he told me "I don't like having a baby sister." He also likes to say "That's MY Mommy or MY Daddy" to Mallory. Hmmmm. I know this will pass soon and they will be the best playmates. It can be hard having a new brother or sister. :)
I do not know you personally but I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a bottle. After 7 months of life, my sweet Mallory has FINALLY decided to take a bottle. And you are the only man for her. It was a chance meeting. My friend Heather cast you away in my suburban while they were visiting a month ago and I found you a few days later. Hot, Stinky, and rolling around under the seat. I washed you (very, very well) and put you aside to reunite you at a later date. Last week, in a moment of weakness, I glanced at you, our eyes met, and I noticed that your nipple is very similar to the one that Mallory usually prefers, ie: mine. I decided to give it a go- to take a chance, and wow= sparks flew! You and Mallory are a match made in heaven and I am a new woman! I don't expect she will drink from you often, but I am going to try to give you to her at least once a day or every other day to keep her practicing. Now I can be separated from her for more than 3 hours and someone else can feed her every once in awhile. Freedom.
So thank you Dr.Brown. I will love you forever. I have since bought 3 more of your lovely self so that we will never be apart.
I captured this picture of Mallory the other day and had such a wave of deja vu. I feel like Peyton took a similar picture when he was 7 months old. I couldn't find the exact image I was looking for but did find this picture in his 7 month album. Here they are at the exact same age, I think they are really starting to resemble each other. The crevice above their upper lip, nose, fat face, something.... I wonder if Mallory will get a head of mysterious blonde hair too!
Mallory at 7 Months, June 2010
Peyton at 7 Months, January 2008
I rarely post photographs of Mallory without a humongous smile on her face so thought these pictures were special. This is her in her natural state, after a calm bath, right before she went to bed. She is tired and winding down. What a doll baby.
We are in the thick of Potty Training here at the Yates' House and we are all Pooped. We have completed a full week of life without diapers. Peyton only wears a pull up for nap and bedtime which means that all other potty must be done on the potty. I wish I could say that it only took a week but we still have a ways to go. There is no way I am turning back now though! Diapers are done. He is doing great with his tee tee but has yet to poop in the potty. This means he is pooping in some interesting places. (including a huge water slide at a friend's birthday party last weekend- thank goodness my friend caught it on the climb up the ladder before he slid down or Marshall said we would have had a "Caddyshack" on our hands ) Last night he pooped on the wood floor and my dear husband asked if I needed some Pledge to clean it up. PLEDGE to clean up poop! We aren't shining the poop- hoping to disinfect it! Bless his heart for trying to be helpful though :)
I put this sign on Peyton during bible study last week so that our baby sitters would know to put him on the potty. We ended up keeping it on him all day. He had no idea it was on him.
I have a video of Peyton telling me about his dislike for pooping in the potty that I will upload soon. Basically, he told me that "Poop Is Dirt." I've been dirt when I've told him no to something- it started by saying that "Mommy is Yucky", then "Dirt is Yucky", so naturally- "Mommy is Dirt." I'm so glad to know that pooping in the potty is also dirt. We just can't get the timing right but are working on it
I must say that this week has been one of the most trying of my motherhood. Within the same week we had no school activities-so long days together, Peyton decided not to nap, Mallory started crawling, Mallory started eating 2 meals a day, Marshall was out of town three days, and we decided to potty train. It has been interesting to say the least!
Thank Goodness for my IPOD touch. I love it for many reasons (I think I'll have to do a post about it) but I never thought it would be so helpful during potty training. We watch poop inspirational videos while Peyton is sitting on the potty. You'd be amazed what you can find on You Tube. Here are his two favorites, maybe it will help some of you other potty trainers. The first one is Elmo (well a man dressed like Elmo) pooping on the potty. Some parents hired him to entertain for their daughter's second birthday and somehow convinced him to also poop on the potty for their 2 year old (to entice her to do the same, I'm sure) He was Such a good sport and it is pretty funny. Peyton loves it!
The second is a Mom of my own heart that made up quite the catchy pooping song. We now sing it all over our house. Enjoy! You just sit down and PUSH and PUSH! Seriously- you will find yourself singing this later- let me know if you do!
So for now we keep pooping I mean, pushing, through. I figure the end is near and he is going to get it soon. He has a brand new Wiggles CD just waiting for him on the fireplace mantle= all he has to do is Poop on the potty. Come on Peyton, you can do it!
Mallory turned 7-months-old on the 7th. She is getting to be such a big girl and is developing the sweetest personality.
This month has been a big developmental month for her! She is now crawling (not in perfect form but definitely crawling) and can pretty much get where she needs to go. She sits up perfectly which helps her to play with her big brother. He loves to play tea party with her (pretend dumping a tea cup in her mouth), pile her up with his kitchen food while he makes her "dinner", and loves to drive his cars around her. She is very entertained by all of this and uses these opportunities to put all of his toys in her mouth. Thank goodness we were already baby proofed!
She is almost sleeping through the night consistently. Still waking up around 5 AM and the only reason I feed her then is so that she won't wake Peyton up with her crying. She finally kind of took a bottle for the first time and is eating baby food every day. She loves fruits- applesauce and pears and loves carrots too. Yesterday she had Puffs for the first time and had a blast picking them up and putting them in her own mouth. Her favorite toy is her Busy zoo activity center (pictured), and the dollar bill from her Laugh and Learn purse. :) She mainly enjoys watching Peyton and getting into his business :)
Sweet, sweet Mallory. You are still Mommy's delight. You have a head full of hair that I love to clip back with a bow, you have chunky little legs, and the most perfect, big smile. You still love to blow raspberries and have started to say some B's, and P's. You are moving and grooving all around the room and sometimes dance when you are in your exersaucer. Peyton has really started to enjoy playing with you and you smile so big when you see him in the morning. You also love dogs and laugh and reach for them when you see them. You have stolen the hearts of your Papa and your Dandy and they both would do absolutely anything for you. Grandy taught you how to do "So Big" and that is just the most precious thing. You are just such a sweetheart.
The last 7 months have been wonderful and we love you!
This weekend was the weekend of Peyton! Here are pictures from his special 3rd Birthday!
Peyton woke up June 4th to his birthday balloons and birthday donuts.
Then we headed to the sprayground for his Yo Gabba Gabba themed spray park birthday party. We joined lots of other children (it was the first day that school was out) and splashed, sprayed, and played in the playground. 11 of Peyton's friends and both of his grandmothers were able to join him at his party. We ate pizza and melted cupcakes and Peyton had a fabulous time. Even Ms. Darsi- his preschool teacher, joined the fun. Special thanks to Grandy (GiGi) and Bebe for watching all of the little brothers and sisters in the shade!
Marshall had to go out of town last minute during his party so we had a family party at Bebe and Papa's that evening. Reese and James were able to join us again for more cake! At our house we opened Peyton's presents from his morning party, and we surprised him with this wooden parking garage for his little cars. He loved it so much that he insisted we bring it to Bebe's. The kids swam at Bebe's and we had a yummy dinner. Then it was more present time. The funniest present award goes to Kristen and Ian for the action figure Jesus. We all know that Peyton likes to talk about Jesus, well now he can act out Jesus stories as well!:) Peyton was over the moon about the guitar that Grandy and Dandy gave him. He has been asking for a red guitar like Murray's from The Wiggles for months. He finally got one and has been serenading us ever since. I've got to get this boy some music lessons! All of his presents and cards were wonderful and we enjoyed just celebrating Peyton. He is going to be so entertained for the rest of the summer playing with everything. Thank you to everyone for helping us celebrate our big boy! Looking back we had cake/birthday candles THREE times that day- 3 really is the magic number!
