A crazy Weekend

So, we had a busy wild weekend. It all started with Caroline's first gymnastics class! She was so excited to go do "Nastics with Daddy" on Saturday morning. She did awesome! Her instructor was amazed that she is asstrong as she is! Jim was so proud of her and thinks she may be a little prodigy! Here's a shot of her in her little leotard on her first day:

As soon as they got home from Gymnastics, I put the kids in the car, and we headed to a Princess Party! The girls got dressed up, walked the red carpet through the castle doors, made tiaras & princess wands, ate pink cake, & opened a pinata! They had sooooo much fun (me, too!).

After the party, we headed down to G-Town for a baby shower. The whole Parrish clan was there, and Benjamin met the fam. We had a good time with everyone. The girls especially had a blast playing outside with Heath & Grandpop

These are seriously some of the best pictures I've seen of my kids.

I guess I should throw in some of Benjamin, too, huh? He's started smiling now and is getting to be a better sleeper, though I wouldn't say we're well rested or anything! He's a super cutie!

I think all our running around is pretty much done for a while. My parents are coming here this weekend to watch the kids while Jim & I go out for our anniversary. Jim is going out of town next week for work, so we'll be here doing our thing (YMCA, ballet, dr. appt's, preschool orientation, tap class, AWANA, MOPs stuff . . .) while he's away. We may slip away to my parents' house if there's time, but it's unlikely.

Hope everyone is doing well! Let us know how you are if you can!

Just an Update

Hello, All!
Team Miller is on the mend. After quite a rough two weeks, it seems like everyone is finally starting to get better. It all started with Mattie. She got an ear infection and a sinus infection a couple weeks ago, 3 days later Caroline got it, then Benjamin came down with it 2 days after that. Mattie's even came back a second time. Between that and the well-child visits, we may as well live at the doctor's office! Things are looking up, now, though. Even Dr. Goodlett said she hopes not to see us for a little while!
We're enjoying some free time at the end of summer. We've been on a little break from Wednesday night church services after having the baby, but we started back this past week. AWANA starts back in 2 weeks, and Mattie is so excited! I'm even teaching a 4-yr old class this year. Mattie's getting ready to start back to ballet and we're enrolling Caroline in gymnastics, as well. Plus, Mattie startes preschool in 3 weeks!! Between all that and MOPs and Bible Study, our schedules are FULL! We've been able to get in a few visits at my mom's house, though, during this down time. The girls have loved swimming in their pool, and I've enjoyed having a little break during those days.
We're getting back in shape after the baby, too. I went back to the YMCA last week and started dieting, trying to get back into those pre-baby clothes. I'm impatient, though, and want to see results after 2 days. It'll come soon, though.
Jim's been teaching our Sunday School full-time for a couple months now, so that's been keeping him pretty busy, but he loves it and he's doing a great job. Between him teaching and me in the choir and on the praise team, we're at church every Sunday all morning long. Its really difficult for us to get away on the weekends because of it! However, the girls & I will be back at my mom's the weekend of the 24th & 25th for Rachel's baby shower (Jim has a "Man Thing" that Saturday night and he has to teach Sunday morning, of course, so he's staying here), so I hope to see a lot of you then.
Until next time . . .

The World's Newest Superhero!

Little Man is already one month old today! He weighs 9 lbs., 5 oz., & is 22 & 3/4 inches long. He gained a pound & a half and grew an inch & a quarter these past TWO WEEKS! He's a good eater, that's for sure!

Special thanks to Ryan & TIffany for Benjamin's "costume" (see picture).

Must love Radioactive Yellow Poop, Temper Tanturms, & Noggin

If I were posting a classifieds ad for a Nanny, this would be my title. It never fails--I change Benjamin's diaper, and he poops again, yucky, neon-yellow stuff. I can't read Caroline's mind, so she throws herself on the floor and screams for 20 minutes. And Mattie, she just wants to watch Noggin.
But who am I kidding? I don't want a Nanny, because I don't actually mind all those things. I need a MAID. A full-time, live-in, pick-up-my-junk-as-I-drop-it-on-the-floor-because-I'm-too-tired-and-lazy-and-stressed-out-from-chasing-around-three-wild-kids-all-day maid. I wonder if Florence is still available after "moving on up?" Or Alice (did she & Sam ever get married?)? I'd even take Tony Micelli at this point. If I had a "live-in," I'd have the time & patience to change 12 diapers a day, deal with the screaming, and actually sit down with Mattie to watch Yo, Gabba Gabba without feeling guilty about the dishes in the sink, the laundry piled up on my bathroom floor, and the enormous amount of work still to be done in our back "yard" before Jim gets home. It starts to overwhelm me right about 5:00 p.m. every day.
When it all starts to get to me, when I feel like I cannot fix another cup of milk or feed the baby again after only 45 mintues, or pick up those 30 Barbies for the 4th time today, I remember Colossions 3:23 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord." I'm not here to make myself happy or to be comfortable & rested. I'm here, in this family, with these kids, to glorify God. No matter how tired I am or how stressful it gets, I am supposed to be a reflection of Him in my service to my husband & children.
I shouold confess that my in-laws provided some help with Merry Maids after Benjamin was born, which has freed me up quite a bit, but the Merry Maids don't pick up the sticks in my play yard or pull the weeds in my flowerbeds or plant new flowers or cut the grass . . . Wait a minute--I think I need a gardener!