I Pledge Allegiance............................

Since John Brady started Pre-K, he's been singing all the cute songs he learned at school. I can tell he really enjoys Pre-K. Each morning Ms. Sellers, the principal says The Pledge over the intercom and each class stands to say it with her. The other day John Brady said The Pledge of Allegiance at home by himself and it was so cute. I overheard him saying it today, but had sort of tuned him out til the end. At the end John Brady said, "with liberty and justice for all. Now you may be seated." I busted out laughing!

The tears were flowing

When Brady and I found out Emma was going to need braces, we weren't surprised. Needing to get them now was the part that caught us a little bit off guard. Emma has very little room in her mouth for the eroding permanent teeth. Within the past eighteen months five baby teeth have been extracted. At Emma's last check up her dentist strongly encouraged us to get the needed ortho records done and to meet him about two weeks afterwards to discuss the results and his recommendations.

I took Emma for the ortho records appt which involved some special x-rays and molds of her teeth. When they put the mold material in Emma's mouth for the top teeth she got pretty upset. If you've ever had this done, you know why. It goes so far back it makes you gag and makes you feel like you are choking. I was scared she wasn't going to let them do the second round (bottom teeth), but Emma was brave. I exhaled and breathed a sigh of relief.

Brady and I met with Emma's dentist to discuss our options. Dr. S explained his findings, throwing out phrases such as inadequate eruption space for permanent cuspids, retrusive upper and lower incisors, single tooth crossbite, mildly retrusive profile, and so on. After his spill we knew without a doubt we needed to do this and do this soon. Emma's permanent right lateral incisor has almost turned completely sideways because her cuspids are trying to push through into one millimeter of space where seven millimeters are needed! (see the next pic) If we wait, I can't imagine what her teeth will end up looking like when her permanent teeth push through and crowd the others. I want my Em-Em to have a big beautiful, confident smile. So the next step was to start phase one of ortho treatment by scheduling an appointment for spacers to be placed between Em's teeth.

This past Thursday I took Emma to her spacer appt. At Emma's dentist's office there are no individual patient rooms. It's just one big room with several dentist chairs with a bench that extends the length of the room for parents and siblings. The dental assistant started pushing the spacers (see the blue spacers)between Emma's teeth and I could immediately see Emma's body tighten. Her feet were flexed, her hands were gripping the sides of the chair. Then I saw the tears. It was hurting. Emma was crying out. I got up to check on her and to reassure her. Next spacer. Again she was crying. I looked over to my left at John Brady when I saw these HUGE crocodile tears in his eyes and then I looked to my right at Abby. BIG tears, too. Ok, I was feeling pretty bad by this time. Seeing your first born trying to be so strong and then her siblings crying for her. Too much, I tell you. Too much for a mama's heart.

I mentioned Emma's overly dramatic response to the spacers. The assistant said it really does hurt so give her some ibuprofen as soon as you can. Poor thing. So we went immediately to the grocery store! There was a torrential downpour about the time we pulled into the parking lot. Three kids, pouring rain, lightning, wind. What did I do? I called Brady. Luckily he was at his office. He drove to the grocery store, bought the meds, and brought them to us in the parking lot. Bless his soul! He was soaking wet! He's a great daddy!

Emma will get braces this Wednesday. I'm hoping for no tears. I want to see her big precious smile like in the pic below. The only difference will be the little brackets and wires. Emma will wear the braces 12-14 months. Remember me calling this phase one? There is a possiblity Emma will have a phase two in her future. Maybe not, but it's possible.

Don't you just love The Family Circus and Aflac?? We do!!

Brady brought this home several months back and it's been on our frig ever since. Thought you might get a kick out of reading it. Brady thoroughly enjoys working for Aflac and couldn't imagine working for anyone else.




This reminds me of when the girls were little and we would ask them, "What does the elephant say?" Emma and Abby would answer, "ROLL TIDE!!"

Abby's party at The Barnyard

Abby's 7th birthday party was at The Barnyard (http://www.tuscaloosabarnyard.com/).

It's a great place for a birthday party, field trip, or just a visit. The owners, Mrs. Kami and Mr. Daniel are such nice people and really love kids. Thanks so much to everyone for coming to Abby's party!!

Abby with a baby goat

Emma bottle fed a little pig

Ashlyn, Abby's classmate and friend



Maggie and Gracie, Abby's cousins



John Brady, Maggie, and Gracie




Emma Katharine (Abby's friend), Ashlyn and Faith (Abby's classmates and friend), Abby, and Emma on a boat ride with Mr. Daniel


Lawson (Abby's cousin) was thinking.........
hmmm, should I feed myself or the fish?

Joshua (family friend)

Allie (family friend), Clara Paige and Maggie/Gracie? (Abby's cousins), and John Brady

Emma

Emma Katharine

John Brady

Shawne and Mei-Anna

Clara Paige and Maggie/Gracie??

Abby

Papa, John Brady, and Allie

just shooting the breeze

Abby

Precious!!

Ride 'em cowgirl!!

Mei-Anna

One happy mama!! Just look at that smile!!

She was watching her precious Mei-Anna ride a horse.

Whirly pop, anyone?

The barn cupcake cake was yummy!

The wind kept blowing out the candles so.........

Uncle Dave improvised!!

Abby: What are you doing Uncle Dave??

The candles stayed lit long enough for Abby to blow them out! Yay!!

And that my friends, was one happy little girl!!

Awwww, how sweet is this picture??

Brady took this one. I'm not sure what this baby goat was doing, but I thought it was an interesting picture.

Ok, first, sorry for the hiney picture. Second, sorry I posted it. Third, I think this washing station should be named The Long Family Washing Station!

Abby got her first American Girl Doll!! She absolutely loves this doll!! This is one of the Just Like Me American Girl Dolls so she came without a name. Abby named her Sophia. She chose this name because of the movie Mama Mia. My children are addicted to this movie!! They watch it EVERYDAY and can sing all of the songs word for word!! Emma and Abby know the dance moves, too!!

So let me now introduce Miss Sophia Claire Lawson and Abby Lawson in their matching pjs! How fitting to give a "Just Like Me Doll" the middle name of your own name! That's our Abby!

Well, another birthday has come and gone. Brady and I were talking on our way home from The Barnyard about how many birthday parties we've hosted so far. Abby's marked our 19th birthday party!! WOW!! Now that's a lot of cake!! Over the years we've learned a lot and had loads of fun with each and every one!! There's nothing that compares to the smiles on the faces of our children!! :)

The Big 7

The night before Abby's birthday she couldn't go to sleep because "she was too excited". Since Abby and I were the only ones awake, I let her stay up and help me make treat bags for her classmates. We had lots of fun and shared an iced shortbread cookie when we were finished. There was one extra cookie and we sure didn't want it to go to waste! Afterwards Abby and I watched a little Hannah Montana until we both fell asleep on the couch. What a terrific birthday eve for a little girl and a mommy, too!

The next morning I made scrambled eggs and sausage (it was turkey sausage.....that's another story). I put a candle in Abby's sausage and we all sang happy birthday to our birthday girl. Abby had a wonderful day at school. She said it's so fun to celebrate your birthday on a school day because your name gets announced on the intercom and everyone wishes you a happy birthday. After we got home from school, Nanny called to wish Abby a happy birthday and to ask about her big day. Then a little later Abby got another call and it was from Uncle Josh so she had to tell him all about her day. So sweet! Abby enjoyed the spotlight and was grinning from ear to ear when she talked to Nanny and Uncle Josh. Thank you so much for calling!! After dinner I made brownie sundaes for everyone and gave Abby a birthday gift. It was an Alabama shirt with matching scarf and a gray skirt from Justice! It was so cute!

Thanks for all the blog birthday wishes!!



I will post pics from her birthday party at The Barnyard soon.

Happy Birthday Little Sister!!

Today is my precious Abby Claire's 7th birthday!! Oh, how I remember the night she was born and how the nurse gave Abby her first bath using the faucet in my room. Knowing how much I didn't want Abby to go the nursery (even though it was already midnight), this very kind nurse bathed her there right next to me so my beautiful baby girl could be placed right back into my arms! Abby and I cuddled together............until she awoke about an hour later ready for a feeding!

Abby, we've come a long way from those every two hour feedings, but you will always be my baby girl!

I love you Claire Bear!! Hope you have a great day!

WHOSE SHIRT?? Can you guess which one is Emma's and which one is Abby's??

Ring around the collar, ring around the toilet bowl, BUT ring around the toilet seat??

First, I SO wish my camera could have picked this up better (you can click on the pics to see them better). It really does look worse in person. It actually caused Emma to scream out to me once she raised the lid. Of course, it was her I'm-tattling-on-John-Brady-voice. John Brady decorated the toilet seat with a blue colored pencil. I'm just glad it wasn't with his usual choice of writing utensil.........the Sharpie!!!

Now, are there any suggestions for removing colored pencil marks from a toilet seat?? Magic eraser??

Makes My Heart Happy

Last week we had a fun time at the Porter/Lawson playdate!! We met at the new Verner Elementary Field of Dreams Playground. I've taken the kids there a few times and they have deemed it their favorite playground around!! You better believe the Lawson children know something about playgrounds!

Since John Brady and Mei-Anna are in the same Pre-K class, they get to ride together from Northport Elementary to Huntington Place Elementary so Mei-Anna can meet Kim and we can pick up Emma. The pic below is one I took with my cell. I think it is John Brady's goal to make Mei-Anna laugh. It is so funny and cute!!

John Brady calls her "My-Anna" and I just love it!!

GO BAMA!!

ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!