Chelsey Graduates

We went to Chelsey's graduation party yesterday. She was beautiful. I forgot to take pictures of the cake, but the decorations were gorgeous. Kim did a really good job. We did get some shots out at the pool. The girls discovered Kim and Chris's theater. They could not quit telling me how cool it was that there was a theater in Aunt Kim's house. It was nice hanging out with everybody for the day.

Amelia is 3 months old

My baby is three months old. I can't believe how much she has grown. She smiles and laughs all the time. We noticed this week that she is TEETHING!!! Scary stuff. We are buying orajel again. Poor little thing. If I stick out my tongue at her, she will laugh really loud and then stick hers back out at me. She can't get it all the way out, but she really tries. We took her to Chelsey's graduation party yesterday. She screamed when I first put her in the pool, but eventually, she started to enjoy it. I don't think she wanted to get out. The pool is heated so it's really comfortable for her. We put up a four foot pool in our backyard this weekend. The girls are thrilled with it. I wish my mom and dad had bought a pool like this when I was a kid. It's so cool. The girls played all day today in the water. They are going to be swimming like pros by the end of the summer. We're really looking forward to our trip to Lake Lanier later this month. We're going to have my mom keep Amelia for two or three nights and we'll keep her the other days we're there. Then we can enjoy the boat with the big kids, but still have family time with our newest little angel. It's a win/win.

Destiny Takes the CRCT and goes to New York City

This should be a headline in the local newspaper for all the pubilicity it's gotten around our house the past few months. Destiny was consistently failing her CRCT practice tests. In fact, she wasn't even trying to take them. She was guessing. I did several practice tests with her and discovered that if she had to read more than a sentence to answer the question, she would guess. We talked about it...we yelled about it. I was pretty close to throwing things. I couldn't get her to realize that this test was a requirement to pass the third grade. Peyton and I were so frustrated because we knew she could do the work. The answers were all there, but she just didn't want to take the time to read the questions. Her focus was on watching other people in her classroom take the test. We took away her television for two weeks and I asked her to think about what it would be like to spend next year in a classroom full of the little second graders that were coming up to third grade next year. At some point, she realized we were all serious and made the decision to really take the test without guessing. The day the results came back to the school, the teacher called me at work. She said, "I just had to call you. I think this is going to make your day, your month, and maybe even your year. She passed. She didn't just pass. She did really well. She's the most academically improved child in the entire third grade." Needless to say, we were really happy with this news. Friday was the last day of school and the final results came home. You can score three levels: Does not Meet, Meets, Exceeds. Destiny was two points away from exceeding in Math. She was over the line and scored an Exceeds in all other competencies: Science, Social Studies, English, Reading...etc. We were shocked. I am thrilled, but a tiny part of me is still ticked that she put us through the every other day phone calls from the school for the past couple of months. I don't know what she was thinking, but Destiny is a very smart child. She has the ability to keep up with her peers on all levels. It's amazing what happens when she puts her mind to it. She will be successful at anything she wants to be successful at. She will fail at anything her heart is not in 100%. She has no middle ground. It is black and white. Gray doesn't exist in her world.

We are so proud of her test results. Peyton kept her out of school the next day and took her to Cape Cod on a trip for work. They went to the beach and she got to go to Time's Square. I hope she will realize that treats like the Cape and New York City are there for her when she chooses to do a good job. She spent four days on the road with her daddy and had his undivided attention. I think they both really enjoyed the time together. She's growing up into a beautiful young lady.

Mother's Day

This was my first Mother's Day as the mom of five kids. This time last year, we were planning our big summer vacation and I wasn't even pregnant with Amelia yet. This year, I have not four, but five little people I'm responsible for nurturing. It's so funny to me that I have a family this large. I just never imagined in a million years I would have this many children. The day was a real roller coaster ride this year. Peyton and the girls made me breakfast. We had pancakes, eggs, sausage, and cheese toast. Peyton and I spent a couple of hours watching a movie, which we rarely find the time to do. In the afternoon, I opened my presents from Peyt and the kids. They got me a Kodak digital video camera which is incredible. It shoots hi def images. I have never even researched these things, so I was really surprised to get one. It's really amazing and small. It fits inside my purse and is smaller than my digital camera...though it shoots ten times faster images. The girls each picked out a glass figurine for me. Sabrina picked out the Octopus, Destiny picked the Pink Flamingo, and Samantha picked the Parrot. Michael checked his own cash out of the bank and bought me an ITunes gift card, which I love. I was down to a couple of bucks in my account from last Mother's Day when they bought my last card. Destiny also made me a cake, some paper flowers, and a clay figure at school. I finished out the afternoon grocery shopping so the house would be stocked when we went back to work again on Monday morning. When I got home, I found out I was in for a much different night. Samantha was sick. She was still broken out, she had been for two days, but it was much worse...it was working it's way around her cheeks and ears and she was running a fever. I couldn't wait until Monday morning to get her to a doctor so we went to Fayette Piedmont Hospital. It was a madhouse when we got there. You couldn't even sit down. I held Samantha until she fell alseep in my lap. She was burning up with a fever. After hours of being there, Mema Lorelei and Daddy came to sit with us. We have no idea what broke her out, but we know that it took the usual meds and a big dose of steriods to get her hives to go down. This afternoon, they are back, so I'm heading off to get her perscription filled as soon as Michael gets home from school. I hated not working today. I've only been back for one week since maternity leave, but there wasn't another option. I couldn't leave her today. I've been too worried about her. It was a big day around the Tingle house. On a brighter note, I can't wait to plant my new azalea in our yard.

Amelia is 2 months old

I took Amelia in for her two month checkup about a week ago. She had to get five shots and I was not happy to be in the room with her. It breaks my heart when she looks up at me, crying and not knowing how to tell them to stop. There's just something so wrong about it. She's doing really well and has gained a ton of weight. She's my little "chunky monkey" and daddy's little "jelly belly." The doctor is amazed at how strong her neck is. She's been holding her head up on her own for long periods of time since she was born. Literally since the first time I held her to my chest.....

April 30, 2010

11 lbs 8ozs 61st percentile
21.5 inches 51st percentile

She's cooing and laughing out loud now. Her smile is infectious. Samantha picks out her clothes almost every day. Destiny loves to rock her and to feed her. Sabrina will read to her, rock her, and always brings me her diapers and bibs. The girls do not like for her to eat without a bib. They are constantly reminding Daddy that he didn't put one on her.

It's really strange, but she looks like both of us. She really is beginning to look just like my baby pictures. As much as she looks like the girls when they were babies, she's got such different expressions. I still find myself calling her "Frankie" almost every day. She reminds me sooooo much of my grandfather "Louie Frank Campbell". He died when I was ten years old and I feel like he's with me all the time since she was born. It's bizarre and I don't know how else to explain it.

I went back to work last week and spent the first five nights in Fort Lauderdale. It was tough being away from all of the kids, but it was so nice to get some real sleep again. I am so blessed to be married to Peyton. He is really good with the kids and it's just not a big deal for him to keep four kids and a newborn baby for a week. He's a pro!!!

I had a ton of fun hanging out with Shelby Lee and really had some good conversations with Alasdair about the direction of DGF in the coming years. He's heading up a program at work that is realigning our managment structure. I'm really excited about some of the changes. It's been much more difficult in the office this week because she still needs to eat at least twice a night and I've never been good at going back to sleep once I'm awake. I love this little girl and I can't wait until she sleeps all night.

Easter 2010

I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to host the Annual Tingle Easter Egg Hunt this year. Amelia was only a few weeks old, but I really love sharing Easter with both of sides of our family. The crowd was a little different than past celebrations. No friends, only family. I just didn't get around to inviting all of the people that I typlically invite. Jessica and Paul welcomed their new son, Aiden Pax Vaughan, on Easter morning, so Tim, Jenny and Bethany were not here. Mema Shirley came and left before the party started because she wasn't feeling well and Papa Don was still in North Carolina. We had some new visitors though. Warren, Cindy, Tori and her husband, Cindy's dad, and Great Grandmother Tingle all made it to the party. My dad got to see Amelia for the first time. The weather was gorgeous...78 degrees and sunny. I'm already looking forward to next year's party when Amelia will be toddling around. I bought all of the girls Easter dresses and I wore the dress that I wore on the last Easter before we had kids. I am wearing this outfit on Easter 2004 in the last picture I ever took with my grandmother. I miss her so much sometimes. Her laugh was infectious. I'll never forget playing penny poker with her at Betty's kitchen table. She really loved me in a way that no one else ever has. Since my dad, her son, died when he was very young, she didn't get to see him live his life as an adult. He was 21 years old with a one year old baby when he passed away in 1975. She always wanted to hear about my life...the good and the bad. She was never judgmental of anything I ever did. She just loved me for me. I hope I can zip my lips a little more often when I start to be over critical of my kids and remember that they are going to make some bad choices, but without making those choices on their own, they won't grow.