**WARNING**  Graphic content to follow, and then a beautiful picture post on a baby shower and a birthday :)!

One summer when I was working at camp as a counselor I was walking out of the dining hall with a camper and a co-counselor and the camper got all poltergeist and throws up mid stride, and mid stride I turn around and walk away.  I know I was being a terrible counselor, but all things throw up make me want to die.  I just can't handle it, I can't handle hearing about it, seeing it, smelling it, you get the idea.  In college my friend Steve would make motions like he was about to lose his cookies and I would dry heave and about start crying.  I am sure you are wondering why I would mention this on such a beautiful post that is about to follow but, I share this with because ever since  I knew I was going to have a baby I was always scared of the day that this may happen to BellaRose.  I would have no idea how I would be able to handle this......sickness.  I am a terrible wife to Worth when he is "sick".  I just ask from a very far distance if he is okay.  Satan took over Worth's stomach this week.  It has been bad, but we have been questioning whether it was the bug or something he ate.  I believe I found out this afternoon with BellaRose that it was a bug.  As I had BellaRose in the tub changing an explosive diaper with the contents strewn about me and BellaRose I realized that as a mother I am capable of much more when the child is mine.  I am not sure that I could handle it if the explosion came from her mouth, but a diaper I can handle.  I am praying that the sweet baby Jesus beats out this Satan bug on our Sweet Girl.  

***Graphic contents over***

Our nephew Noah celebrated his 9th birthday this past week.  We had the chance to surround him with love on Thursday.  Noah is such a sweet boy.  He is so caring of his younger siblings and BellaRose just adores him.  The sweetest thing about Noah is that he lets BellaRose sit in his lap and climb all over him.  I can't believe he is already 9!  Jennifer was about to have him when Worth and I started dating!  I know I say this so often, but time really does fly.  Before we know BellaRose will be 9.  Oh goodness, I can't even think about that.

We also had the great honor to throw Niki and sweet baby Julia a baby shower.  Julia is now officially equipped to enter the world.  Niki is such a beautiful pregnant lady too!  Thank you Niki for letting us do this for you!  You are so gracious.  Check out Annie's beautiful pottery centerpiece that they flowers are in.  This too can be yours for the low low rate of.........

Projects

Last week was OG's (my mom) birthday.  I went to Greenville to help celebrate.  My mom the night before had just gotten back from being in Cabo!  She was tanned, and giddy when I saw her.  The fun part about this birthday is that we got presents from Mexico!  She brought BellaRose back the sweetest dresses and I got a dress of my own.  I can't wait for the summertime now!  Thank you mom and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  It was a wonderful, panini filled party.  

You guys remember this bed?  Hopefully this is BellaRose's future big girl bed.  We have had a few complications and setbacks with the sandblasting.  Who knew that the sand had to be dry in order for this to work.  Hopefully once we get this bump out of the way it will be smooth sailing from here, although it looks like the bedrails might give us a little bit of trouble too.  I have a vision for how I want this to turn out and will be SO disappointed if this does not work out.  Annie is working so hard on "Operation Big Girl Bed".  She is really doing all the work, I just watch the babies and make fun of her in her hazmat suit!  Thanks for the help Annie!

Inevitable

I know sickness is inevitable.  With a baby that stays in the nursery at church, and goes to KidZone at the gym, and hangs out with all her buddies often, it is inevitable that she is going to get sick.  I don't want to have a baby that is in a bubble all the time, with that risk she is going to get sick, so......BellaRose has gotten her first double ear infection.  She is doing amazing through it all, but the doctor told us it is pretty painful when they have them.  When we took BR to the doctor she had 103.7 fever and was the saddest little baby in the whole world.  Her skin was on fire.  Holding her I thought I would get burned, she was all red and blotchy and actually fell asleep on my chest, if you know BellaRose you know that NEVER happens.  I was a little floored actually to hear that it was an ear infection.  You see she is getting her final molars, all 4!!  I was thinking that is why she was writhing and in so much pain, but it is the molars on top of the ear infection.  Oh poor sweet little girl.  The night before we took her to the doctor she hardly slept.  It was literally like having a newborn again.  That might have set our baby #2 plans back a little, at least for me, poor Worth:)!

I would like to take this moment to brag on Annie, because I know she won't do it herself!  Annie and I ran the Black Mountain Sweetheart 5k on Saturday.   She was really encouraging to me and cheered me on to even start the race.  I am in no way, shape, or form a runner.  I have no desire to run a marathon or even a 10k for that matter!  The last time I ran 3 miles was the last time I ran this race 6 years ago!  Annie and I had discussed pre-race that she did not have to stay with me, and that she should run at her pace.  In my head I was thinking that we would cross the START line together at least, oh no!  This girl took off.  It was almost cartoonish with how fast she took off I could see the trail of dust behind her as she ran!  I know she likes to down play her running and say she is not real fast, but I would like to tell you that she WON her age group!  How awesome is that.  The few times I saw Annie on the course is the few times that the trails lapped each other.  She was on the home stretch and I was not even to mile marker 2 yet.  So heres to you Annie, being the best little runner we know!  I hope you have a nice cold beer in your new beer glass, her prize for winning (isn't that funny)!

Oh Baby!

What do you do on a snow day?  Well we build forts!  It was so cold the day it snowed here that we could only be outside for a few minutes, so being housebound we built a little fort for BellaRose.  She was having so much fun crawling through it, she was almost having as much fun as Worth!

I just love living in the south.  We had 3 inches on snow on Wednesday and by Saturday it was 65.  Can't complain about either one!

I love this picture of BellaRose, I am not even sure why.  It shows how out of control her hair is, but we refuse to cut it.  We are just going to be patient while it grows in hopes of one day it be able to tuck behind her ears or be pulled back in a pony tail.  Until then we will continue to listen to people gently suggesting to us that we cut her hair.  I also adore this picture of Atticus because he just looks like he is in his element.  He was so excited to see the snow.  He would dash outside as fast as he could and  then would run as fast as he could through the snow.  

And yes, we still do have our Christmas tree on our back deck.  It just continues to bring me such delight that I won't get rid of the beautiful thing.  Watching the snow collect on his branches just brought great joy to my heart, sort of like watching the snow collect on Atticus.  It just seemed right.

Matt and Margaret's baby shower!

This was one of the most fun baby showers ever.  It is hilarious when the men are around to open the presents, because their commentary will send you rolling.  I guess for the most part girls know what things are when they open them, but boys, oh that is a whole other story.  I wish I had videotaped it for you guys.

This little family has been on the go again!  This is the reason I am just now posting about our fabulous trip to Raleigh with Annie and Will!  Oh my goodness did we have a blast.  It is hard to believe it is over, it really did fly by.  We stayed with Ashlee in her beautiful home.  We are so thankful that she allowed all the chaos to come to her.  She also let Annie and I rearrange her living room which is a whole other story.  Byerly came and spent everyday with us and brought along her sweet little/big Chesson.  He is the sweetest little baby!  Elisabeth drove over from Greensboro with Myles and Molly while 7 months preggars with Miller, oh my!  Then Melissa came over the for evening which rounds out our "M's"! Phew!  The next day we took the babies to Marbles in downtown Raleigh.  It is the most wonderful hands on Children's museum.  I tell you these babies needed that place.  They got to run wild and touch everything and it was a nice break from us having to say "no don't touch that, no don't climb those stairs, no don't eat the dog's food".  Thanks again girls for a wonderful trip filled with so many memories.  We have started a tradition and I am so excited!

BellaRose and I got to come home for 2 days before we packed the car again for another road trip.  This time to Concord for Margaret's baby shower and for Worth to go back to the land he loves!  It was a lovely shower and yes again, another wonderful trip.  BellaRose loves hanging with her T-Love and Big Poppa!

Finally, THE STEELERS WON THE SUPERBOWL!!!  What a game.  How about that interception and 100yd run for a touchdown!  Incredible.  Now I know I am not the biggest sports fan now a days, but it has not always been so.  I grew up with sports surrounding me and with my whole family from Pittsburgh it should be only fitting that I was excited about last nights incredible game.  I had to watch the last part on nfl.com and it was only animation since we don't have a TV and I could not find it online except for that, it was okay though b/c I got to sort of see it all.  That last 2 minutes was a bit heart wrenching, but the Steelers pulled it off with what "they" are saying is one of the best superbowls ever.  I really have no idea if that is true, but it sure was exciting and I know my family is so happy!

One Singletary Sensation

The Great Respecter of Heights, Worth Grant, is way up in the top of that tree.  Yes the man that wants to throw up when he sees anyone near an edge loves to climb trees and cut them down.  He is a tree hugger, he hugs it before he cuts it down :).  That was his joke not mine.  Actually this tree had to come down, he does not cut trees down just for the heck of it.  This was at Annie and Dan's house.  I think that Will had a lot of fun watching Worth way up in that tree, actually three trees in one.  

BellaRose and I also got to spend the morning with Will while Annie was in a meeting.  It is always so much fun to watch these two together.  They can get really mad at each other and then the next second they are laughing hysterically pushing each other in the wagon and making pizza together.  We are really going to test their limits today.  Annie and I are heading to Raleigh with the babies to go see our good friends Ashlee, Byerly, Chesson, Melissa, and Elisabeth with all her babies. I am just so excited about this trip. These girls have meant so much to us for so many years.  It is going to be such a blast to just hang out with them and not just be passing through.  Thanks for hosting us ladies.  We will be posting one million pictures, I am sure, upon our return!

Getting deep for just a moment

So I don't often use this blog to take a stand or give my opinion on what is happening in our world.  I choose to keep this (for the most part) a friendly look into out lives as a family.  I don't often talk about my faith or beliefs because I feel that if you truly know me then you truly know what I believe.  But here is what I would like you to know, that I do believe people want change, and I hope that they do get the change that they are looking for.  I do believe I need to support our current president whether I voted for him or not, whether I agree with him or not.  I must support him because he now stands for me.  I would like there to be no mistake, that I have ALWAYS been proud to be an American yesterday, the day before, today and always.  This is the land I am bound to.  It is the country that gave my Great Grandparents from Italy a chance, it is the country that gave the other half of my family from Ireland a chance.  It is the country where I am allowed to tell you right here how I feel, and to believe in the God that I believe in without judgement or to be told that I am wrong.  I am so proud of my friend who flies fighter helicopters in Iraq and I am so proud of my friend's son who died in Afghanistan fighting for and the country he believes in and adores.  I am proud of my Dad and Grandfather who served in the military.  I can't imagine how hard it is for any serviceman to think that just now people are saying they are proud.  I realize that much of this won't sit well with you my family and friends, but I have listened to you quietly and without judgement and I just ask that you do the same for me.