We are so impressed!

Pictures from last weekend. Update below.





Is this not the cutest munchkin you've ever seen? Don't tell us if she's not because we are totally convinced she is precious! This pics are a week old but I have tons of pictures from this weekend...just not on the computer yet. It was very busy for the Healds. Matney and I went to WR on Friday and came back on Saturday (thankful to have made it home after more than 4 hours because of road construction). It was a jam packed trip for us and I promise pictures and details tomorrow. While we were gone Jared introduced his parents to the "Heald Sweatshop" that my mom is all too familiar with. They worked all day in the backyard getting the play area ready for kiddos. It looks awesome and pictures are coming on that one too.
Today we went to church, came home, went back out and met the photographer for family/Matney/pregnant pictures (It was LONG...be glad you weren't there!), I've been to Target twice and right now Jared is taking apart our old bed and putting together the new one...at almost 9pm. The things you do when there is another baby coming soon!
Anyway, before it gets too far away from the events I have to brag on Miss M. Thursday she was standing holding onto my knees and I moved. And she stood by herself through the entire Elmo song not realizing I wasn't supporting her (Note to self- remember this when it is time to ride a bike). I was so excited and kept practicing with her...and by Thursday afternoon she'd taken her first real steps! 5 in a row!!! There have been many times she been holding onto something and taken a step as she fell to the ground but we haven't counted that as "a first" since she they were more automatic as she fell forward and not because she was actively trying to walk. I was SO SAD that Jared wasn't here to see her but she showed him a couple steps when he got home. She has continued to stand on her own and walk through the weekend. WHOOO HOOO!!! "Matney, go bring Mommy a diaper" is next on the list of things to learn!!!

And if that wasn't enough Miss M can count to 3. No kidding. Jared and I don't know what age that is really a milestone for so she could be right on target but we are impressed. If we say "one...Matney, what's next?" She says "two....three". And oh how cute it sounds! We clap and cheer and most of the time she'll do it again. So sweet. She is learning more and more "what sound does a ________ make?". Her favorite is "motorcycle" (yes, Jared taught her that one). When we ask her that she puts a fist up like she's gripping handle bars and goes "ooom, ooom" (vroom, vroom). So cute! Right now it seems like several times a day I'm amazed by something else she's doing that she wasn't doing the day before.

Halle Kate is continuing to grow (I know this because my belly is getting bigger every minute). She is more active now than she has ever been and looks right on track for her due date. My dr. asked if I was interested in inducing the week before her due date at my last appt. I don't think he was being serious but either way...Um, NO! With Matney we wanted to meet her so badly that I would have said yes in a second. This time, as much as we want to meet this baby girl, we need all the time we can get to have things ready here and let Miss M be another day older!

Life at our house continues to be more fun every day but if you saw my to do list you would be glad to not live here! We have lots to accomplish in the next month but we go to bed counting our blessings every night. More to come tomorrow. Just wait until you see Matney's barnyard fun from the weekend! And be looking for a change to the blog. Can you believe it, I HATE the glitter?!?!?

Easter Bunny Visit

The Easter Bunny came to see Matney last night. Thankfully she was sleeping when he was here so we didn't have a repeat when they met yesterday morning (see post below). He must be one smart bunny because he left her basket on her Elmo bed! When Miss M came downstairs today her Elmo basket was full of goodies along with a big sheep and an Elmo CD and book about food. She saw the sheep and immediately started saying "ba, ba, ba" hugging him. She liked Elmo too but her favorite was the eggs in her basket. They had her favorite treats and it wasn't long before she figured out if she threw them hard they'd pop open and she could eat what was inside. Now she'll probably want to throw all her food.

Matney's Easter suprise


Coming downstairs with Daddy

Yummy!




I LOVE this picture Jared snapped. Look at those chubby hands and the dimples on her knuckles. So sweet!
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Easter Morning

Before we left for church this morning we ran outside for just a minute to try and snap a couple photos. These are certainly not the best pictures we've ever taken but the auto timer on the camera sitting on the swing set did a decent job.

This one got sent to me earlier and was taken by someone at church. Matney screams when we leave her in the nursery but they (the workers) know just what to do with her...put her in the stroller. She doesn't even have to be "strolling", sitting in it is often enough. They give her her cup and her snack and she's a happy camper watching the other babies. She spends Wednesday mornings, evenings and Sunday mornings in that stroller. I wonder if I could borrow it and she'd like it as much at home???

Easter Bunny

I was pretty sure that Matney was not going to be a fan of the Easter Bunny (remember Santa Claus?) so I'd decided not to take her for pictures. Then we found out the Bunny was going to be just around the corner on Saturday and I couldn't help myself. Mean Mama. We got M up from her nap and drove over to the Avenue where the Bunny was taking pictures outside. I was right, she HATED him...and me by the time it was over. The following pictures are the closet we have of M and the Easter Bunny. She wrapped herself so tightly around me I could let go of her, holding my hands out to the sides, and she remained just like you see her. She is screaming in most of the pictures if you can't tell. Sorry, Easter Bunny, maybe next year.

Strawberries!

We took these this morning while Matney ate breakfast. She LOVES her strawberries and would rather eat them than anything else right now. Even cheese. She likes them plain, just cut up on her tray most of the time. When we offer her banana cereal on a spoon she likes to add a piece of strawberry to the top of the bite before she eats it. Look at her crazy hair. This is what it looks like when she wakes up...I just add the bow to keep it out of her face. She's a mess!!!

72 Hours

If you have read this blog for a while you know that my mom and I can accomplish great things under pressure. Remember Matney's room last summer or the Thanksgiving curtains? We work well with a short timeline.

Mom teaches school and is on Spring Break this week so she came up to help work on Halle's room. We started Sunday afternoon with a white room full of baby stuff thrown in a pile in the middle of the floor. By Sunday night we'd made a trip to the fabric store to find material and fringe and the curtains were done (we thought). Monday AM we held them up and decided they really had to have room darkening material on the back (ie, take them apart and get ready to resew them) so off we went. We found that material and went hunting for an outfit for Halle to come home in and a crib...we found neither. Next we headed to get paint for the room...that we found. We came home and put M down for a nap at 2 something. Mom said she was running to the grocery store but snuck away to Victoria's Children's Boutique to look at dresses. By the time she got back I'd found a crib online and ordered it. By Monday night the curtains had been redone and we headed to WalMart when M and J went to bed.

Tuesday morning Mom woke up and painted the room...the whole room. Talk about saving us some money. THANKS MOM!!! We were lucky enough to have Abby for the day since it was her Spring Break too. Abby wore Matney out they played so much! Mom was done and dressed by 3pm and we set off again. This time we found letters to spell HK's name and a dress to come home in. We were home by 5pm and had to say goodbye to Abby. After Jared and Matney were asleep we made the valance for the curtain, made a pillow to fit a pillowcase that came with her bedding and painted the letters.





The room when we started.

painted!

Matney wanted to show you a close up of the color...and her strawberry covered face after breakfast!

Her Elmo fabric. She sits on Elmo and points at him saying his name over and over.

Wednesday morning I ran to Babies R Us to grab a mattress and JoAnn's for scrapbook paper for the letters. I had in my mind what I wanted to do with them and just hadn't been able to find what I needed to make it happen. Matney woke up from her nap to a new blanket (see above). Mom, or "the sweat shop worker" according to Jared, and Matney found Elmo material the day before and I guess she thought she could take a break while I was gone and make M's blanket. Those are not the rules in this sweat shop! I got home, we hemmed and hung the curtains. Thanks to my Dad and his Amazon Prime account for just $3.99 shipping the crib I ordered on Monday was sitting in the driveway at 2pm. We put M down for a nap, cut open the box and carried the pieces upstairs. By 4:30 when Jared got home the crib had been put together and the bedding was on. Jared hung the valance for us, we grilled hot dogs and put M to bed. While J watched baseball we went to Target and got most of the remaining things I needed. We came home and made a lampshade and pillow out of the leftover fabric and I finished my letters.


The crib is in the room!

Almost done!

Jared came home just in time to hang the valance.

The Heald's in Halle's new room. We can't wait to meet her.

The lamp and pillow Mom made to match the curtains.

Just like Ty on Home Makeover the letters were my "special project". I'd found letters I really liked online and they were $17 each. EACH. Halle Kate is 9 letters...um, no. These I got at Hobby Lobby for 1/2 off so they were $1.50 each. The paper on the top was 50cents a sheet and I used 8 sheets. We already had the blue paint from her walls. I did have to buy Modge Podge because I was out and that was $6. Cute custom ordered letters - $153 + shipping. Mommy made letters - $23.50.

At 11:47pm last night I took this picture and declared us, as Matney would say, "DONE!". We took our worn out selves upstairs and went to bed! This morning we rewarded ourselves with Waffle House before Mom headed back home. YUMMY!

There is still plenty to do once we get the rest of her furniture in the room but I feel MUCH BETTER and like we're not way behind. I realize looking at this post that the one thing I don't have is a picture of the bedding in the crib or the room itself now that it is more complete. I will run up and take some soon. I am exhausted and hope to be in bed EARLY tonight! I wonder what Mom and I can tackle next?!?!

Kisses

Matney LOVES to give kisses...to anyone or anything (which isn't always the best!). Strawberries have replaced cheese as her favorite food and I sent Jared a picture a couple mornings ago of her leaning over her high chair tray kissing her strawberries. She blows kisses to everyone she sees...even the workers in the fabric store yesterday. We'll have to work on when it is and when it isn't appropriate to kiss later but for now she is so sweet!

Our friend Erin's daughter Maggie turned 2 about a week after Matney turned one and Erin snapped this picture at Mag's party. Look at my sweet baby girl giving Mommy a kiss.

Taking Dog for a stroll

Matney LOVES, LOVES, LOVES walking with her lion she got for Christmas. Obsessed might be a better word and it wears us out! She gets going and then hits a wall and we hear "uh oh" over and over until someone comes to rescue her (turn the lion around)...and Dog. Friday afternoon she was pushing her lion around the house and Dog had to ride. If he fell off she's work (or scream for us) until she got him back on and head off again. Jared thought it was so funny he grabbed the camera. She was pretty cute. My mom brought her a small stuffed Elmo and he has been riding the lion since last night. She is so particular. Can't imagine who she gets that from!?!?! Probably the same person who just decided that this house is about to have 3 girls and needs a pink glitter blog background!

In case you've wondered...

It may just be my "mama-ness" talking but I think Miss M does a pretty good job of looking cute most days and her clothes are normally figure flattering. In case you've wondered why we've been buying her 24 month clothes when she is just hitting 13 months I thought I'd share these pictures. She is the CUTEST naked baby ever! I love this pudgy girl!!!


"Belly? What belly"

This makes me so happy!

Doesn't this just make you happy? I got our first set of matching dresses this week! A sweet friend (thanks Hayley!) went to the outlets with M and me (I think Matney provided a great day of birth control) on Friday. I had some things to return and taking Matney in the car for more than 10 minutes alone is just not fun so she volunteered to come with us. We found these dresses at Osh Kosh. Aren't they so cute? As soon as Halle is big enough to fit into the 3 month dress we are headed to get their pictures taken together. Makes my day!