My Little Baby

Is not a baby anymore!

He is so grown up!

Every day there are so many things he does that absolutely blows me away..I thought I better record it for future reference. Excuse the list. I am not feeling super creative today.

He says his ABC's...I mean, he gets a little blurry after D, but the rhythm of the song is there. It's just a matter of time!

He yells through the house "daddy, 'ere (where) are you"? In the mornings, we hear him on his monitor say "George, ere (where)are you"?

He sleeps with Curious George every night and he calls him George. I have caught him a few times when I go in to get him in the morning trying to put a passy in George's mouth!
He loves to hear the story 5 little monkeys. I read it to him sometimes at night before bed. Every time you say "one fell off and bumped his head", he hits his little head with his hand.

Today, I handed him a banana and said, "here you go my little monkey" and he hit his head with his hand. He really knows how to put things together. It amazes me!

He is swimming under water at swim class. Not really unassisted for more than a second as he is being passed from instructor to Dan, but still...a second!

He calls out all vehicle names when riding in the car. "BUS". "CAR". "TRUCK". "JEEP". ( little guy already knows a jeep when he sees it- boy am I in trouble)

He says "WHOOOOAH" when we turn or go over a hill or bump in the car.

He stomps his feet when he gets mad.

He says OUCH just about anytime you touch him lately?? I think he is going for the pity points.

He wants to go down the stairs front way holding the rail. It scares me, but I know I have to let him learn.

I am sure that I have left out so much, because there are so many little details, but the main part is all that really matters. Dan and I love that little guy more than we can say. We tell each other every day that we are so amazed and what a great kid he is and how lucky we are. I can hardly stand it when I go cover him up before I go to bed...I just want to crawl in the crib with him he is such a little sweetie! I wonder if the awe will ever wear off?

I have been told that it usually only lasts through about the first 13 years and then returns again shortly after 18:)

Birth Day

Meet Sophie Kay Bartlett
Born April 25th 8:41 am
4lbs 15oz, 18 inches long



Meet Aleah Lucille Bartlett
Born April 25th 8:38 am
5lbs 1oz 18 inches long


Welcome to the world my precious little nieces

We have been patiently waiting to get our arms around you!

Your Papa is so proud

Nanny and KK love you ( almost as much as MeMe)

Hey..this is my blog, I can say it if I want to!

I would say it was love at first sight....

We certainly did not get to stay and love on you enough

Two precious little faces

Sophie on the left and Aleah on the right.

It was so surreal being there with two new little babies. I never thought I would even be able to tell you two apart, but you have already stolen my heart and I know each one of your sweet little faces.

Mommy did such a great job getting you ready. She held on until you were juuuust right, and then, just like that you were here! (I am pretty sure Jarah would describe it a bit differently than "just like that", but in the interest of keeping a long story short....)
I do not have a ton of pictures of mom from birth day, because by the time we FINALLY got to the hospital... she was in desperate need of some serious ZZZZZZZZ's.

The Champ!

A love story...from a different point of view

Hi Marsh Peepers! Rayna Here. Melanie asked me if I would like to do our Buffett blog and I of course said yes!

As most of you know, we love Jimmy Buffett and every year break out the lawn chairs, tents, grills, coolers and all the accouterments and head to Lakewood! Although we were a little miffed at Jimmy for coming to town on a Tuesday - yes, a TUESDAY - we were still there, braving the treat of rain, gail force winds and cooolllddd temperatures!

Thanks for holding the tent down Dave!

Jimmy ~ if you are reading this and I am SURE that you are, you have got to work on your timing buddy!! Last week, warm. Next week, warm. This week, not so much!

Michele & Brian Barry & Dave Rayna & Randy

The Buffett Gang! We had some newcomers this year and it was a blast!

Randy (aka Uncle Bre) and the delicious kabobs

And of course, the Famous Marsh's

Jimmy is our kick-start to summer...sunshine, weekends with family and friends, boat drinks, flip-flops and pop-tops. This year, the flip-flops were worn from a different point of view!

Happy Summer Y'all!!!

Swimming

Jack has been to three swimming lessons. He is doing great! I walked out to the pool at his last one and he saw me and pretty much cried the rest of the time. I guess I learned my lesson. Anyway, I took some video from afar- I zoomed in. It turned out pretty good, but can anyone tell me how to make it right side up?

swimming from Melanie Marsh on Vimeo.

He is talking SO much now. He says "I want down", "I want jeep", "I'm Hung-y"... We figured out last night that he calls milk "honk". He calls Jelly Beans "chews" and it is just about is favorite treat. He is almost moved to tears he gets so happy when I give him bread....

He loves to run through the house opening and closing the doors. He peeks around the door and says "I see you". When we stop or turn in the car he says..."whoah". His answer to everything is NO. Not to be bad, but because he just thinks that is the answer...when I know he means yes, I say, do you mean yes, and he says "Yeee-ees". He was such a good boy at Tucker's third birthday party. He played with all of the older kids and was not scared of anything! He is still saying "happy day day".

Such a precious time!

TODAY

Today is perfect.
Weather is perfect.
Jack is perfect. He loves playing bubbles in the back yard. Giant bubbles that mommy blows, or bubbles from his mower. Doesn't matter...he is happy just to walk the perimeter of the house. Over and Over. Suits me.
Dinner is ready and waiting in the fridge. Annuals are out front waiting to be planted. Jack just went down for his nap, and here I am at home with him on a Monday, with nothing pending... I am only doing what I want. THIS is the way life is supposed to be.
Pictures? There are no pictures. I am too busy enjoying simplicity. No time to complicate this perfect day!
You never know, we might even get to spend a perfectly plain afternoon outside with daddy!

Construction Zone

I really wanted to get Jack's little words on video. He looks right into your eyes lately and talks a blue streak but I cannot understand a SINGLE word. It is so cute. It just makes me feel kind of bad that I cannot understand him. Whatever it is that he is saying seems so important by the look on his face!
Of course as soon as I got out the camera he quite doing it, but I got a little!

Untitled from Melanie Marsh on Vimeo.

The Boil for the Babies

With a little elbow grease....


Dreams really can come true! Silly I know, but of all of the things that I had going for this party, the lemonade was my biggest fear. It tasted good and looked just as pretty as I wanted it to in my new beverage dispenser!


Dan's worst nightmare was realized as his son paraded around the yard in a giant pink Barbie jeep in front of all of his friends and family! Jack had fun..that's all that matters!




We were so glad to meet Kay, Jarah's mom, Jeremiah. Jarah's brother, and Tiffany, Jeremiah's wife. No one was happier to meet Tiffany than Jack..he stuck to her like glue. I have never seen him take to someone so quickly!

The Family shot!

The momma and the papa- am I gonna have some good looking nieces or what?

So pretty!

Jarah is looking and doing SO good despite that belly that is already holding over 9 lbs of babies!

Thanks Kelly for getting a shot of me and Jack.

Thanks John for keeping Jack while Dan and I threw a little par-tay!

Thank you to Joanne too! I think she only ate about 3 shrimp because she was so busy chasing Jack around at the party! It was so nice to have them there!

The grandmothers!

We were standing so close to these guys to get a picture that they jokingly said, "why don't you just sit in our lap". I do not think they thought in a million years that we would really do it!
Brandon is on the left and he has been Josh's good buddy for as long as I can remember! That is John on the right. He and Josh were roomies at Auburn(do boys call it roomies?)

Cute shot of Jarah and brutha Jeremiah!

The party went on into the night...

Me and brutha! I STILL have a hard time believing our baby is about to have TWO babies!

He jokes about how soon, he will have me a Kelly beat!

The beautiful Vanna White shows off the baby gas relief!

Josh and Jarah....you have no excuse to have ashy babies. You have enough lotion to get them both through college!

Baby boat gear.

I think a fun time was had by all!

This weekend..I am going to Auburn to help out with nursery preparations. I have been getting some things together.

Full length black out lined curtains in pink and white diamonds? Check!

Little Miss Muffett foot stool to accompany the very adorable rocking chair that Josh refinished for his girls? Check!

Matching pillows? Check!
Stay tuned...I hope to have some before and after pics real soon!