Lots of Girls!

Frances and I had the most wonderful 4 days at the beach with all of our best friends.  The 5 of us met in graduate school and have been best friends ever since.  They were all bridesmaids in our wedding and I couldn't imagine a better group of gals to spend my time with.  What a change it was this year to have babies with us for the annual girls beach trip!

Small correction.....it technically wasn't an all girls trip because Magen is pregnant with twins - one girl and one boy!  She and Sage are due within a few weeks of each other which has been so much fun- 5 babies coming soon. 

All the mamas and babies!

We were at Cape San Blas, which is between Panama City and Apalachicola, and it is an awesome place to vacation.  Jenny's parents own a house down there and graciously give us time there each summer.  If you have never been to this part of Florida, you need to go!  Its a very relaxed and quiet place, with no high rise condos in sight.   

We did LOTS of playing and lounging on the sand.  Thank goodness we had tent set up on the beach so we could just camp out with all of our gear.  For the first time, Frances really got down and dirty in the sand, and sat with me in the edge of the water.  She really seemed to enjoy it!  Here are just a few of the 300+ pictures we took:

Eleanor loves the water

Had to practice some crawling on the beach

Ashley, me, Frances, Jenny (and Dora), Leslie, and Eleanor

Exploring the seaweed

Getting down and dirty in the sand...There is a baby under that hat!

Leslie had a great idea to make Frances a bumbo seat in the sand- it was perfect!

Best friends, and a little seaweed on the head.

Salt water tastes good!

We had a grand idea of bathing both girls at once....not such a great idea, there was water everywhere.

Eleanor is reading at a very young age

Pajama time and ready to play some card games.

Just Having Fun

Frances has been busy this last week playing with friends, and she even had some sleepovers with her cousins.  Kat and Lyndy LOVE Frances and are so sweet with her.  Lyndy is extra helpful and really likes to help make bottles and change diapers...and she really wants to know when she can start carrying Frances around.  Not yet:)  Kat enjoys reading books to Frances, and it is so much fun to watch Frances as she is captivated with all of their entertainment.

We had a swimming day last week.  Frances likes watching all the action and just hangs in her float.  Our friends Lydia, Amy, and Charlie came over to play too.  Charlie was so sweet sharing all the pool toys with Frances.

Lyndy gracefully leaping from the diving board

Charlie really wanted the ball....

He would have dove right out of his float to get it!

Charlie and Frances chillin in the pool

Sweet Charlie sharing his toys

Today we went to visit Grump and the lovely ladies at his office.  She was quite a hit (and for once I didn't have a camera on me!).

Frances and Grump swimming

Unfortunately Meme has to go back to work next week, but Frances has had such a fun summer with Meme while I have been working.  We are so thankful to have had the help!

Meme's first time holding Frances....she was so tiny!

Frances continues to grow and we are still working on fattening her up over the next two weeks- lots of eating and sleeping when we aren't playing.  Frances and I get to head out on a "girls only" beach trip at the end of the week- we are excited!

There's just nothing sweeter than this!

Fun in Mississippi

We had such a great weekend in Oxford with Sage and Jack!  Frances and Sage spent lots of time doing this:

We did get a lot of work done with baby stuff too....looking at paint colors and fabrics, sorting through clothes, and doing the registry.


Lots of clothes so far- can't believe Frances has finally grown out of all this!

 Frances learned a new trick over the weekend too and it is so funny to watch her keep trying to do it!

By the way, the "girls" have official names now....Head on over here to find out what they are!

5 Months Old

We just can't believe that Frances is 5 months old today!  She is such a happy happy baby and is full of laughs and smiles these days.  Her new skill is pushing up on her elbows when she is on her tummy.  Will calls it the "periscope."  Frances spends a lot of time sleeping, which is ok with me because it means she is resting and growing.

Hello world!

And now for the biggest news of all.....Frances tipped the scales at 10.00 lbs this week!  This is the goal we have been working towards for 5 months and she finally made it.   Who knew it could be so hard to put a few pounds on???  Way to go Frances!!!! 

On the go!

This week was filled with our last round of doctor visits before her surgery.  The surgery is scheduled for August 3rd- less than a month and we will be over this big hurdle!  Time to pack up the car and head over to Mississippi for a visit with Sage, Jack, and the triplets.

A Happy 4th of July Weekend

  We had such a fun and relaxing weekend....we have been traveling so much lately, it was really nice to not be packing and unpacking!  Most of the weekend was spent at Meme and Grump's doing a lot of this:

Frances loves her frog lovie- thanks JoJo!

  Frances spent the night with Meme and Grump Sunday night so Will and I could go out to Oak Mountain and do the annual Peavine Falls run....This was our first night away from her since the NICU and it was strange waking up without her in the house.  Of course, she was in great hands and we are so thankful to have Meme and Grump so close!....Back to Peavine, it's 4 miles straight up the mountain and 4 miles back down, with a little trail run at the end.  Each year I find myself wondering why I do it- its hard!  Any guesses on which McCalley crossed the finish line first (hint: I probably wouldn't be asking if it wasn't me)???

Several years ago, our family started calling July 4th "Meat-Fest" because of the obnoxious amounts of meat we would cook.  This year, it was only Meme, Grump, Will, and I but we still had enough food for a large crowd.  We missed everyone that couldn't be there.....of course Sage has a good excuse; no more traveling for her.  Don't forget to check out her updates here.

The rest of the day we cooked, napped, and played.  The thunder and rain kept us from the pool, so Frances resorted to a swim in the kitchen sink.  Poor Bella is terrified of her own shadow, and her worst nightmare came true with thunder and fireworks all in one day.  She was pretty heavily medicated and relaxed by the end of the night! 

So Daddy, who finished that run first this morning??? 

Frances can't wait to eat some bbq next year!

Frances tried to explain to Bella that there was nothing to be scared of. 

Grump manning the grill.

I am just the happiest baby ever!

We had a few less people at Meat-fest this year but we had a ton of great food!

 This week is full of doctor appointments for Frances- probably our last round before her surgery on August 3.  She has gotten SO big recently and I can't wait to see how much she weighs this week.  I'm pretty certain we have crossed the 10 lb marker!  Frances has officially outgrown all of her newborn size clothes, so they are boxed up and ready for those triplets.  We are traveling to MS to visit Sage and Jack this coming weekend, and I can't wait to help Sage do baby "stuff!"