Favorite Foto Friday #3 (late again!)

Favorite Foto Friday #3 ... yet late again!

This time, it was not on purpose. Yesterday was busy around the house, & I didn't get a chance to get upstairs to upload pictures & get them posted. This morning Berkley & I ran into Denton to do some shopping while Zane & Patrick took the boat out for some fishing. Here are some pictures of the week, not necessarily are they all favorites, I just found them sweet or an expression of our week.

I am rarely in pictures with the kids, rather I am the one with the camera in tow. Patrick took this picture after our reunion last weekend, & it has become my favorite of me & the kids. We had all woken up from a nap & were just "hanging" around the house. So us!

Berkley & her "lovey".

Zane carries a puppy & blanket. Berkley looks as if she is going to be attached to this "lovey". Thank you to the Anderson family. Very precious!

Zane wanted to take Berkley for a 4-Wheeler ride.
Zane is going to be creative. I caught him in his make-shift boat trying to catch fish!
Berkley this morning prior to going shopping.

Our happy little Princess! Zane was beat after fishing with daddy!

Being a stay-at-home mom hit hard this week. God is really testing me, & I need your prayers. The baby sitter was in Austin at her aunt's house so I didn't help at the shop my two days. Not getting out of the house was visible this week, especially by Thursday. Zane was really pushing my buttons. (Cause he is JUST like me! Yes, I admit it! He can't sit still, always has to be doing something. Always has to have the last word! - ME! UGHHHH!) I was about to pull his little head right off! I finally called Patrick with the whole, "This staying at home stuff just isn't going to work!" He immediately laughed! Not sure the humor on his end of the line, but he found something all too funny! Bottom line is, yes, I know staying at home is a blessing, no doubt, & yes I had rather be with my kids than working. All in all, I enjoy being at home with my kids, but I need your prayers on days like Thursday of last week. Talking with other stay-at-home moms, I am understanding that this is perfectly normal. Hope so! I know things will get better when Zane begins Mother's Day Out in September. I miss him dearly when we are not together. I guess because we work each other's nerves all day. I just can't help but love him too death!

Mom completed chemo on Wednesday. She is currently feeling great! She will begin radiation in approximately 3-4 weeks. She will have 7 weeks of radiation before having all of this cancer stuff behind her. I called her yesterday to see how she was feeling, get this, she said, "Oh, I feel okay. I went down & washed the car this morning!" Yeah, you read right. She washed her car by hand! Stubborn! I think she is so glad to know she doesn't have to go back to that chemo room & have that poison pumped through her body for hours on in. I've said it, & said it, My momma is one STRONG woman!!!

We head out on Friday to Patrick's parents in Houston. His sister & her family will be moving to Alabama shortly, & this will be the last time we see them before their move. Not sure how long it will be once they get to Alabama before we all get together again. They have three children. Skyler is their youngest, & she is just a couple of months older than Berkley so when you are talking babies, months of progress is a LONG time. Only time will tell, hopefully it won't be too long between visits.

The many faces of Berkley Marie

Berkley Marie

..... is quite the little Princess! She has stole our heart! I must say, she is too funny! We have greatly enjoyed watching her personality grow. Today we went to the mall with my sister & nieces. After returning home & while Zane was down for a nap (a VERY short, but MUCH needed one I will add), I did a little photo shoot with her. Her little expressions were cracking me up!

I remember finding out, so surprisingly, that I was pregnant for the 2nd time. I was beyond shocked! After a few complications & the pregnancy being so very different from Zane's, I knew this little one was going to be a girl! I really didn't care the sex of the baby, health was a bigger concern, but I had never imagined being the mommy to a baby girl. Yes, I have several nieces & nephews, but I have never been into bows or pretty dresses or any of the "froo-froo" stuff. Well, until having Berkley. Now, I love pink & am addicted to dressing her girly with that big, present size bow on her head! But, she is a beauty! Patrick never imagined being the daddy to a baby girl either, but Princess Berkley has him wrapped around her petite little fingers & he eats it up!

The many faces of Princess Berkley .......

The "great, the cameras out" look

The "you want me to smile, but I'm not going to" look The "trying to talk" look The "I can blow raspberries" look
The "can't hide my double chin at this angle" look
The "okay, it's time to put the darn camera away" look

One Proud Mommy

~Patsi~

An evening in the pool

An evening in the pool it was for the Cassidy Family.

The kids & Patrick swam while I took pictures of Berkley's first time in the pool. She LOVED it! She didn't get to stay long, as we are having trouble with our heater, but she loved what little time she spent in the water. (I'm not sure if she liked the water or daddy talking to her more. She literally lights up when Patrick talks to her!)

Berkley in the pool for the 1st time.

Of course, Zane was hamming it up!
And, swimming every where!

Berkley's cough has been getting progressively worse over the course of the last couple of weeks. They are telling me this is normal with whooping cough, but that she has been treated & cannot give it to anyone else nor can she get it again. I just hated to have her in the cool water & wind too long in the event that she catch a common cold on top of all this other stuff. I guess we will have good weeks & bad weeks. She is not doing "bad", but her cough has gotten bad enough for others who are around often to say something. If others are noticing that it is getting worse than it is more than just a mommy thing. I called the doctor & questioned them in regards to her passing it on to mom or others & they assure me she has been treated & cannot pass it along. They keep telling me this can continue for up to 12 weeks, with a good week here & a bad week there. They tell me that what we are experiencing is common with pertussis. UGHHH!

Mom has her LAST chemo treatment tomorrow!!!! Praise God! I guess she got confused. When she mentioned to her chemo doctor about running all her scans to see about further chemo treatments, he told her that 6 cycles was all that her regiment allowed. He told her she will move directly to radiation. Please, please, please pray that this awful disease does not come back! She has fought so very hard! Yes, I know from my words, from looking at her, & from many of her actions (missing very little work) it looks as if this chemo was a walk in the park, I assure you, she would tell you differently. Don't get me wrong, it could have been much worse, but it has not been an easy process for her. I feel I have often times down played it through my updates, but I have not walked into that chemo room nor the days following in her shoes. I know my mother is the strongest woman I have ever known. I knew that prior to this cancer battle, but have been reassured since. She has been an inspiration to us girls through this entire process. The devil messed with the wrong woman! She won't go down without a fight & we knew that from day one! Please pray for minimal sickness and that God has healed her from this horrible disease. Mom if you are reading this, only one more of these awful treatments to go! Hang in there! We love you!

Oh, Zane saw mom's head without a wig nor cap last Friday. He really didn't make the fuss she thought he would. He did say to Patrick, "Memaw lost her hair, but her find it." She had put on her wig for us to go have lunch so he just assumed she "found" her hair! Kids are so resilient! And his Memaw is kicking cancers butt!

Favorite Foto Friday #2

I LOVE taking & sharing photos, so this Favorite Foto Friday is a hard task for me! With two kids, daily milestones & a camera that stays on the bar, we catch everything! I am trying, maybe as time goes by I will get better at this. Here are a few of my favorites from this week.

Berkley is sitting up in her Bumbo seat!

Giddy Up!

Zane wanted to take Berkley for a horseback ride.

Our Happy Little Princess is exactly 3 months old This is what my life is all about! It makes all the late night ear infections, the hospital visits, the expensive formula, the tummy problems, the getting thrown up on & all the "mommy stuff" worth it! I love these two with all my heart!
Our little man Zane is pure boy. He loves to hunt & fish! Here he has caught a "fish" (ruined a sock) while hanging out in dad's recliner. Our happy little Princess again! The halter top is so cute! (I am sure Patrick won't be digging it in about 15 years when she is able to fill it out, but they are cute now! :) )
I am so blessed to get up to these two every morning! God has been good to me!
This is my nephew Clay at our family reunion today. He rarely holds Berkley & today he gave her a bottle. How sweet is this?
This is Tonya & I. I have been so fortunate to have one of my best friends also be a family member. Tonya & I grew up all our lives together. Again, I am so very lucky to have her as a cousin & especially as a friend. She has the most precious (oh, & smart) little girl. Thank you Tonya for being there for me & for being such an amazing person! (Oh, & darn we are HOT! LOL! Patrick & Anson are some pretty lucky men!)

We attended the Redfearn Reunion today with my mother. I didn't take many pictures as I spent most of my time tending to the kids & catching up with everyone. I must say each time I go it brings back such memories of the times Charley & I had together. For those of you who are new to this blog or who are unaware of the story, Charley was my cousin & dear friend who was killed in a car accident back in June of 1997 at the young age of 21. Everyone who knew Charley, knew he was a wonderful, wonderful person. He had a heart of gold! I miss him dearly! I am constantly thinking of who Charley's lucky woman would have been, wonder about the children he would have had, where his life would have taken him, etc. I see Harvey with his little boy, who looks just like he & Charley, and it takes all I have not to burst into tears. Precious memories are all I have to hold onto. We loose many people in our lives, & this is one of the ones that really took a toll on my life. An awful day in June I will never forget nor understand! It is always nice to get together with others we don't see often & catch up on the things that are going on in their lives.

Please say a prayer for my mother. She has her last (hopefully) chemo treatment on Wednesday. Again, I am unsure of the dates of her scans to determine for sure that the chemo will be stopped & the radiation will begin. She is very nervous as the last treatment made her sick for a week. She had to stay on her antibiotics for sickness for a full week in order to proceed with daily activities. But again, she's a trooper! Please pray that she will have minimal, controllable sickness & that God has healed her from this terrible, terrible disease once again.

Have a wonderful weekend!

The day was a success

The sibling pictures were a success! Check them out below! Zane was a little toot, but we did get one picture of the two of them together. Kiddie Kandids does a wonderful job with pictures of the kids! I had rather not have the cheesing posing pictures, but right now with the age of the kids and Zane running in every which direction it seems to be what works for our family. I will tell you I LOVE the picture of Zane in the two of them together. His smile literally lights up a room & makes me forget just want a little toot he was (well almost). He looks so good in blue, it brings out his baby blue eyes! And his crooked little smile, well that is a trait he has had since birth, too cute!

Momma's Babies

Zane Bailey (3 years) & Berkley Marie (3 months)

Berkley: I cannot believe my little Princess is 3 months old already. She is so sweet & calm. I could not have asked for a better baby. For all she has been through, she should be plain rotten but she's not. (Brother is!) She is so happy & content for the biggest part of the day. She does get a little fussy each night, but not for long periods any more. I look forward to seeing her personality grow. I never imagined being the mommy to a baby girl, but I am flat LOVING it! Berkley loves daddy! She smiles every time he talks to her. I love every minute of it! She loves her big brother too! Today while having their pictures taken, she kept smiling at him. We had a hard time getting the one photo of them together due to her looking & smiling at him rather than the camera. And of course, Zane eats it & her up! Check out the Princess of the house.

Princess Berkley

Our Gift from God

FYI - Favorite Foto Friday will come on Saturday (purposely) this week due to the Redfearn Reunion being on Saturday. I want to post some pictures from the reunion, as I am sure I will have some favorites.

Tomorrow's a big day .....

Tomorrow is a big day for Zane & Berkley. They are having their first ever professional sibling pictures taken! I am sure it is a bigger day for me, but it will be exhausting for both of them. I love pictures, as if you didn't know or couldn't tell! I can't wait to see the outcome of the pictures tomorrow. Mom is going with me & the kids to Babies R Us in Lewisville to have Berkley's 3 month pictures taken & Zane will join her for a couple of sibling shots!

I have been bragging so very much on Berkley's sleeping habits, and last night she didn't do so well. She didn't go to bed until after midnight! Geez! I will one day learn to keep my mouth shut when I have a good thing going! But she has been such a good baby! And a Princess she is too! A beautiful princess! If you don't believe me, just ask her big brother!

Keep your eyes out for sibling pictures soon to come!

Favorite Foto Friday #1 (a day late)

As mentioned before, I read on a few other blogs that I follow occasionally, a "Favorite Foto Friday" post. What a wonderful idea! I love taking & sharing photos! Here are a few of my favorite photos from the week. While still adjusting to two kiddos, I am a day late, but here they are & well worth the wait. (Check out the new one of Princess Berkley posted on the right side, it is probably my very favorite of the week!)

Berkley is holding her head up so very well, so a photo shoot it was at the Cassidy home!

Check out her cute little earrings! We got her ears pierced on Wednesday! Oh, so cute! I am SOOO loving this girl stuff! She had such little ear lobes that we had to get the smallest earrings & they are so very cute!

Yes, I love the medium size bows, not too big, but not too small. I think Berkley is a gift from God, so I want her to look like a present! In this picture, I love how she has her tongue licking her own arm!

Zane & his best buddy, Connor

Mommy's silly little man. Don't you love the hat that Aunt Rae & Kenzie got for him?!

Hanging out at Memaw's with cousin Kenzie, who is adorable!

My favorite of Zane because it is a TRUE smile, none of the "cheese" stuff!

This is my life .... and I LOVE it! Me & my babies!

Not too much going on here at the Cassidy home. The kids are doing well. Praise God! Mom seems to be doing well. We had a good visit with her yesterday. She seemed very tired and couldn't take much of the heat, but seems to be doing well. Please say a prayer that she only has the one treatment left and will be able to proceed with radiation. I am not sure the dates for scans and all the tests but will keep you all posted. I just pray that God has healed her from this horrible, horrible disease. And that she once again, Kicked cancers Butt! We still need all the prayers that you have to offer. Storm heaven with them!

I am back at work at the shop for Patrick. I am only working 2 days a week, Tuesdays & Thursdays. We have the same sitter coming in to keep the kids & she is wonderful! We love Carrie Beth! She had kept the kids when I tired to work for Patrick before & only lasted a week until Berkley went into the hospital for 4 days. Now I am back at it. I started back this past week & things went smoothly. I know it will be tough once all my teacher friends begin the preparations to return to schools, but I also know that this is a blessing. I am truly thankful that God has provided me with the opportunity to stay at home with the kids. In September, Zane will begin Mother's Day Out on Tuesdays & Thrusdays & Berkley will go to work with me. Patrick added a kitchen & an additional room onto his shop for "nursery" purposes. Again, I know this is a blessing! I am hearing so many things like, "I get the feeling you don't want to be home." Yes, I am independent, social, & on-the-go, but I am truly enjoying being at home. I hate having to drag the kids out & leave the house. We have really become homebodies & have been enjoying it! Again, I know how blessed I am & all thanks be to God. He has truly blessed my life beyond what I would have ever believed or expected!

4th of July Week

We had a wonderful 4th of July week. We headed to Lake Texoma on July 1st & returned on July 6th. Patrick's parents joined us for our camping trip while Starla, Norman, & the boys came out for 2 days. Here is the week in pictures:

Zane is quite the little swimmer! He LOVES the water! This is nothing new this summer, as he has always been fond of the water. Swim lessons are over & he is swimming everywhere. "Without floaties," he will add. He jumps into the deep end of our pool & swims to the side steps. He does anything that Little Norman does or encourages him to do! :) Check out his dive below!

Zane swimming to the steps after jumping off the side of the pool.
The dive he copied from Little Norman!
Fun with Little Norman & Nolan in the pool!
Tubing with Daddy on Lake Texoma!
Swimming in Lake Texoma with Mommy!

Let me just tell you, as you will see below, our little Zayner Bug is a true boy! He loves to hunt & fish! He went out EARLY every morning with Patrick & Papa to fish. They got up about 5:00am & Zane was right there with them. When he got tired on the boat, he took him a little nap, but he was surely not missing out on any fishing time! He is truly his father's son, a hunter & a fisher!

Kissing the fish for good luck! YUCK!
Looks like kissing the fish worked! Look at the fish Patrick, Zane & Papa caught!
Zane will KILL me in about 10 years, but this picture was too cute not to post! Boys will be boys! I love his tan little booty!
Little Norman had been "skipping" rocks, so guess what Zane is trying to do?! Rather than skipping, he is throwing! His hair has gotten so blonde that it looks as if he doesn't have any in this picture. But check out his baby blues!

Berkley had her 2 month, get this a WELL BABY visit! She weighed in at 10 pounds 4 ounces which put her at 35% and 23 inches long which put her at 75%. Looks like Berkley is going to to make quite the little athlete of some kind, being tall & skinny (unless things change, which could happen in the blink of an eye. Look at her mommy & daddy, not tall nor skinny). We were given a clean bill of health. This all occurred on Tuesday & low & behold on Thursday I had to take Berkley to an Acute Care Clinic for thrush mouth. Perfect timing - Thursday evening, following day was July 4th, our doctor was not going to be open, so an emergency visit it was going to be. We came home to a few calls from the health department wanting us to be the spokes family for a Channel 8 special for Pertussis (whopping cough). Whoops, missed that!!! Berkley is doing much better now. She is sleeping all night long for most nights! Whoo whooo! Zane didn't do this until after I got pregnant with Princess Berkley! She LOVED the fireworks! I know she can't see very far, but she sure seemed to be staring at the fireworks show. She was silent throughout the show, just sitting back & sucking on her two fingers. Sucking her two fingers is a new little habit of hers! Cute now, but rather hard to break later!

Zane & Berkley waiting for the fireworks show to begin.

Our little family of four sporting our Old Navy tees!

Berkley watching the fireworks & sucking her fingers! How cute is this?!

Daddy & Zane watching the fireworks show at Thousand Trails!

Mom had her next to last chemo on July 2nd. Praise God that she is almost done with this chemo stuff! I just keep praying that all her scans come back clear & she can move on to radiation. She did miss the fireworks show due to feeling sick & being tired, but she was at work yesterday. Again, I have said it a dozen times, but it rings so very true & only due to God's grace, My mom is a Champ! Keep the prayers coming, please. Pray she is able to move forward with radiation & can get this all behind her soon enough.

I hope you all had a wonderful and safe 4th of July! I have seen others post what they call "Favorite Photo Friday's". That is my goal, to at least post every Friday with a couple of Favorite Photos of the kids.

Love to all ~ Patsi