Gifted

Driving home from dinner we got on the conversation of left and right.  To my surprise, Ann Charlotte showed me which hand was her left and which hand was her right (this was probably a good guess-it is a 50/50 question).  Then it went like this...

Mommy:  Ann Charlotte, that is absolutely right (proud mommy)!  Who taught you that?  Did you learn that at school?

Trey:  You know Ann Charlotte, JuJu says that she thinks you are gifted (proud daddy with a big smile).

Ann Charlotte:  But daddy, I am not inside a present!

One Month From Today....

February 17, 2012 is when William Hooper Jones IV  "Hooper" is expected to make his debut!   We are all so excited and anxious for his arrival!   We are getting things in order...

Baby Hooper, we cannot wait to hold you in our arms.  Ann Charlotte talks to you and sings to you every night.  She is so excited to have a baby brother.  You are already loved by so many people!    

It's a Keeper

For the past few nights putting Ann Charlotte to bed has not been an easy task.  We have been up way too late with Christmas festivities and she has had more energy than she knows what to do with.   But how can you put on your "mean" voice when you hear this.

Ann Charlotte:  Mommy, come here.  I want to tell you something.

Mommy comes in after several calls.

Mommy:  What Ann Charlotte, it is time for bed.

Ann Charlotte reaches out her hands for a hug and says "come here Mommy."  While we are hugging she says:

Ann Charlotte: Mommy, I want to keep you.

Mommy:  Ann Charlotte, I want to keep you too!

Ann Charlotte:  But Mommy, I want to keep you FOREVER!

Loving my new bike!

Christmas Through the Eyes of a Child

Playing with cousins

ICE! at Opryland

Opryland with my aunt and uncle

Christmas Eve excitement

Making Santa's cookies

Putting out the reindeer food

After the big man came

A bike!  I didn't even ask for that

Santa made a mess

My fairy house

I love opening more presents

The Greatest Gift

The greatest Christmas gift of all
Was never placed beneath a tree,
But lay within a manger
Beneath a star, for all to see.

Merry Christmas!

My Tummy

Ann Charlotte was spending the night with my parents and it went like this:
In bed, WAY past bedtime, sleeping with Acey and Cat
Ann Charlotte:  Acey, my tummy says it needs some milk.
Acey:  Ann Charlotte, we just had ice cream and it is really late.
Ann Charlotte:  Please Acey.
Acey goes to get Ann Charlotte her milk.  She comes back with the milk and a minute later...
Ann Charlotte:  Acey, my tummy says it needs the TV turned on.

We were driving back from Nashville, and we were almost home.  Being almost 32 weeks pregnant I was exhausted and telling her that I didn't feel very well.  Here was her response:
Ann Charlotte:  Mommy, I don't feel very good either.  My tummy doesn't feel very good.  I think my tummy has a fever.

We were out Christmas shopping this week, and we were in a very crowded store.   All of a sudden I hear:
Ann Charlotte:  Everybody watch out, big tummy coming through!

Oh from the mouths of babes!

Daddy's Eyes

We were out to dinner, and we were talking about what we thought baby brother was going to look like.
Mommy:   Do you think he will have dark hair like yours?

Ann Charlotte:  Yes, probably so.

Daddy:  I bet he will look like you when you were a baby.

Mommy:  I hope he gets Daddy's eyes.

Ann Charlotte:  Mommy, are you joking?  Daddy needs to keep his eyes!

Priceless

Ann Charlotte has been mesmerized with the Pink Palace since she spotted it driving down Central Ave. in October.  We have been every year at Christmas but she didn't remember it.  So, being that it is a "palace" and it is "pink" she has been begging to go!  I have been telling her that we have to wait until Santa arrives.  So, yesterday we went to the "Palace" with friends.  We had a great time.

Loving the train

Giving Santa one last hug

But our visit ended in a PRICELESS photo:

She's Back...

Rosie is back at our house.  This year she is Rosie Posie!  She is tricking us every morning with her sneaky appearance!

I am Thankful

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving in Savannah with my family.  We had family members there that I had not seen in years.  It was a wonderful, relaxing weekend!  I am so thankful!

The girls with my dear Grandmother and Aunt Mary Lyle. 
Two of my most very favorite people!

Ann Charlotte and Gracie.  She wanted to do everything she did.  Can you tell?

Ann Charlotte collecting money for the Neighborhood Christian Center.
She is a great little fundraiser! 

Daddy's Girl

It's official, Ann Charlotte has become infatuated with her "prince charming" as she calls him.  Of course she has him wrapped around her little fingers too!  Today at lunch she said, "Mommy, you sit over there, I am sitting next to daddy because I LOVE him!" 

She Can't Get Enough

Books and puzzles!  Ann Charlotte "reads" books 20 hours a day (it seems) and wants to work her puzzles the other 4 hours!   She walks into school, checks in and goes directly to the reading center.  She comes home and picks out her books and then wants to work puzzles.  She is actually getting really good at the puzzles-some of them have over 40 pieces and take Trey and I several minutes to work.  It is so fun watching her little personality grow!
Here are some shots of her in action:

Reading in the Car

Reading Center at School

Proud Puzzler

Puzzle Wiz

This weekend with friends: Note Ann Charlotte, sitting on a stool in the background reading.  The chaos didn't phase her.  She kept on reading her book!

Ann Charlotte's Words of Wisdom...

On our way to meet my parents half way in Walnut, MS:Ann Charlotte:  Mommy, are we almost to peanut?

Mommy:  What honey?  Peanuts?  I don't have any peanuts we can get some when we stop.  Are you hungry?

Ann Charlotte:  No Mommy, are we almost to meet Acey in "peanuts" (aka "Walnut")?  

At least she knows her nuts!

Playing Candyland:
Ann Charlotte:  Daddy, you need to go faster!  You are going too slow! 

As she is winning the game!
On our way to school:
Mommy:  Ann Charlotte, Thanksgiving is next week.  Thanksgiving is when we talk about what we are thankful for.  What are some things you are thankful for?

Ann Charlotte:  Hmmmm,   Jesus, Santa Claus and God.

There you have it!  They are all pretty important to a 3 year old!

Halloween Happenings

Our friends, the Grantham’s, have an annual pumpkin carving party. It was a lot of fun! I think we selected the most difficult design. It is supposed to be a witch-use your imagination!

Cedar Hill Farms with Ann Charlotte's best buddy-William!  Pig races, hay rides, corn maze, pony rides...you name it-they have it. So much fun!

Acey bought us a re-useable gingerbread house!  How fun to decorate for every holiday!  Here is our first attempt at our fall cottage :) 

She was so excited for school this morning that while I was making her lunch she came in to the kitchen in full costume.  So, yes, she can take off her PJ's by herself and yes, she can dress herself.  Who knew?  Now I do!!  We had a full day with a Halloween party at school.  Her class is so adorable!

The whole class dressed up--some costumes were just too big to leave on all day :) 

Sleeping Beauty insisted that she needed a prince. When I asked her who her prince was, "Daddy is my Prince, Mommy." So we made sure that Sleeping Beauty had her Prince! I decided to go as the Queen as an afterthought. It was a lot of fun dressing up!

Such a fun season.  Such a fun night!  

Praise Him from whom all blessings flow!