Hurray for Family!

I was SO excited when Brian joined us for the weekend.  Boy, was he was a sight for sore eyes!  Not sure if it was his absence making my heart grow fonder, or if I just missed having him around to entertain Isabelle, or if my back needed a break from carrying her up the (very steep) hill every day after swimming, or if I needed someone to help tame Crockett down at the dock (she lives up to her name Barksdale). Mostly I think it was that I missed having my buddy, my partner, my sidekick.  Having him around is always more fun, especially in Glenora, because he truly loves this place as much as I do and I am happier being here with him.   

Pretty nice looking family if I do say so myself!

As soon as he arrived (having driven my car up the whole way by himself) the youngsters decided to make our annual trip to Two Goats Brewing, the best spot on the lake for some tasty beers at sunset.  I decided it was a perfect time in my life to do a beer tasting...hahaha, just kidding, those beers in front of me were not mine.  {But I did have half a beer and it was mighty tasty!}

This was the gang last year at Two Goats...it was Laurie's first time up here and I'm happy to say it didn't scare her off.  She will officially be part of the family in April so we look forward to many summer vacations with her here!

This year we were joined by our cousin Hilary (and my growing belly)...the more the merrier!

We got one awesome lake day while Brian was here.  And it was music to my ears hearing Isabelle say "mommy-daddy" like a joint name rather than "mommy! mommy!" over and over.  She was so happy to have Daddy around!

Luckily Brian was able to come on a weekend when more family was here (the Gridley clan - my mother's brother's family) as well as some extended Gridley family members.  The boys are all grown up and now men, but they still act like kids at the dock, playing "king of the float".

Will jumping off the "tower of terror"

There's always room on the float for one more...

My family on the float...Crockett didn't want to be left out.

The Barksdales

The community dock is the place where Glenora family and friends come together every summer.

Cousin Will showed her how to make rock paint.  Very cool.  I remember loving playing with Will when he was Izzy's age...hard to believe he was once her size!

Then she taught Daddy her new tricks.

LOTS of laughter down at the dock.  Lately she's been a tongue sticker outer laugher.  Our little ham.

Which reminded me of her funny faces from last year...

We had an awesome family gathering one night and enjoyed Lexington barbecue among other tasty dishes with the extended Gridley side (and some "practically family" friends).

  Delicious gourmet dinners at our outdoor dining room are a nightly ritual.

And smores at the new firepit are the perfect way to end a perfect day with family!

Introducing Collier!

Welcome to the world, Collier Gridley Barksdale! 

 

Collier arrived on December 15th, 2012 at 3:21 pm.  He is absolutely beautiful and healthy, and we are so in love with this precious new addition to our family. 

Labor and delivery went as well as can be.  We went in for the induction at 7 am Saturday morning, started the pitocin, broke my water, and got the party started!  I was so grateful that my friend and doctor, Liz Moran, delivered Collier.  I couldn't have asked for a better experience. 

My mom was with us during the delivery, just as she was when Isabelle was born.  It was truly special to share one of the great miracles in life with both my beloved husband and my best friend.  Few moms get to actually witness the birth of a child that is not their own.  To be able to witness both the birth of your child and the birth of your child's child must be awesome, and I was honored to grant her that opportunity. 

 

Collier's first breath!  We were so happy that Liz was the first to hold him!

He didn't have quite the head of hair that we were told he might.  He was beautiful.  LOVE at first sight.

He was placed on my chest where I got to hold him for a long time before they took him away.  Amazing moments!

Weighing in at 7 lb 2 oz, 19.5 inches long

The Barksdale name will live on!  Very happy grandparents.

It all starts to hit me.  We have a healthy daughter, and now a healthy son.  We are SO BLESSED!

Grandparents and parents are over the moon.

That evening, my brother and his fiance, Laurie, came to meet Collier.

I was eagerly waiting to introduce Isabelle to Collier.  It is amazing how the minute you meet your second-born your mind is immediately on both children.  Somehow my heart found room for more love and my brain found space to think about each of them 24/7!  Isabelle had a bad cold all week (which of course I got while in the hospital), and I was a little concerned about her health, but SO ready to see her.  Since she seemed to be on the mend, we brought her in for the much anticipated "birthday party" for her new baby brother.  It was the most precious sight to see how much she adored Collier. 

"Look!  He has eyes!  Look!  His ears!  Look!  He has cheeks.  And a mouth!"  Even to this day she is endlessly fascinated by his tiny body parts. 

 

Our happy family of four.  

Brian's sister came in town with her 3 children and we had a great visit with them.

"Mother Hen" Lauren is the best cousin to all of her little cousins. 

Collier's last day at the hospital.  We were so excited to bring him home!

Merry, merry Christmas!



SO Fun

Last Saturday was my 33rd Birthday! Oddly enough I spent a majority of the day cleaning. Luckily my sweet husband was by my side, which actually made it fun...first at Charlotte Family Housing as part of a service project with some other couples from our church, and later in the bakement doing the usual end of the week scrub down. Later we had a really fun night-- drinks and Izzie entertainment at my parents' and out to dinner and bar-hopping with Brian and my brother and his girlfriend. Nothing better than being with family...it's with those people that I feel most happy and my true self. I never want to take it for granted that they are all just a few miles down the road...I thank my lucky stars everyday!

Isabelle is now 19 months and I am so happy to say that this age is SO much fun. A month or so ago I was worried that the "terrible twos" had begun since I had heard from others that it doesn't necessarily start when your child turns 2....sometimes earlier and sometimes later (I'm hoping never!). But as I look back at those weeks before Christmas I realize that Isabelle was clearly not herself and those daily tantrums and days of fussiness must have been the result of teething or maybe even due to the hectic nature of the season.

Today she is so sweet and happy. We have conversations even though I can't understand anything she says...but she is starting to mimic some things that I say (hurray!). She loves her afternoon nap and is always happy to walk with me to the bedroom at about 1:00 everyday (not sure if it's the nap or the pacifier that she craves most, but she frequently snoozes for 3 hours which makes me very happy). Isabelle is obsessed with coloring and I just love it when I find her sitting at her little table busily drawing with crayons all by herself (which doesn't last very long since she usually demands that I join her!). For some reason Isabelle is always the most fun during the so called "witching hour" for other babies and children. Between her dinner and bedtime she is an absolute delight, usually running laps around the house, making silly noises, dancing and entertaining us.

Running around is her favorite pastime and we both enjoyed a beautiful Spring-like afternoon last week.Mmm, I'm ready for that blue-sky to come back!She pretends to walk on a balance beam (something she learned at Little Gym)!

Take a break for a Crockett hug.My precious mullet-head. Are those bangs ever going to grow?

Ashes, ashes, We all FALL DOWN! Isabelle helped her daddy assemble her little table and chairs from Ikea. The kitchen has been ignored since we got this $20 set. All she wants to do is sit and color. Oh well...thanks anyway, Santa!

A few weeks ago Isabelle spent a Sunday evening with cousins, so a joint bathtime was in order. Isabelle definitely idolizes her older cousin, Betsy Grace, and watched (and copied) her every move. Betsy Grace has been a hugger since the day she understood the word. Hugs in the bath, hugs hello, hugs goodbye, hugs everywhere. Isabelle is finally starting to hug when I ask for one (sometimes), but she is certainly not giving them as freely as little lovebug BG does. Hoping she will rub off on Izzie!They are quite a little pair.This was one of my recent wedding cakes. Now I've got a break from wedding cakes till mid-April. Don't you worry...I'll manage to find ways to fill my time in the bakement! But I am looking forward to having some low-key (maybe even lazy?) Saturdays soon!