Grandchild No;. 6

Yummie; that's good stuff!!

"Just a swingin'" at Grammy and Poppa's

Future "super model"???

Kindergarten, 2010

Poppa loved his grandchildren!

Grandchild No. 6 - Elizabeth Grace Theriot

Daddy w/brothers in hospital

Poppa holding newborn Lizzie

     After our first grandchild, Anna Kate, was born, we then had 4 grandsons in a row (Landon, Ryan, Luke, and Kieran). Now we love all our boys, but imagine how excited we were when we found out that my son's third child was a girl! Not that I was hoping to "even" things up mind you, but it was time for another girl. Elizabeth Grace Theriot was born on April 21, 2004.

Poppa wiith Daddy and brothers in hospital

From the beginning, she was Daddy's (and Granddaddy's) little girl. She had both of them wrapped around her finger from Day 1. First of all, she is a girl, and we've had nothing but boys for the last 6 or so years. But she also looked exactly like her Daddy. Everybody would say that when they saw her; and, of course, Craig just LOVED this!

Luke's toes

Lizzie's toes

     One really "odd" thing about Elizabeth (we sometimes called her "Lizzie," which I don't think she likes much) is that her second and third toes were formed exactly like Luke's. You can see in this picture of hers and Luke's toes that they are exactly the same. None of the other grandkids have toes like this. Of course, they get kidded all the time about their "heart-shaped" toes. It is really odd that the third child in both families has this "condition." The doctors have assured us that it is no big deal and that, as they grow, eventually they will look normal. But we do tend to kid them both about this.

She was so young when we went to Biloxi

See--not much hair!

     Like all of the rest of our grandchildren, Elizabeth was not born with very much hair. My children were the same way. Elizabeth didn't really have much hair at all until she was a year or so old. We had to be sure to dress her in pink or at least something girly so she wouldn't be mistaken for a boy!

Just couldn't "hang" with older kids

      She is fair and blonde, just as her Dad always was when he was young. Her older brother Ryan also has the same coloring as Craig, even though Ryan resembles the siblings in his mother's family. Kieran has dark skin and dark hair (hmmm! the jury is still out on him!). Not really; he favors his Mom's family also. Elizabeth favors her Dad's family and, in fact, I can see my son in several of these pictures of her..

Girls' night out!

Mom plus 3

     Since she only had brothers at her home, periodically Lizzie would spend the night at Grammy's; and we would have "girls' night out." We would do each other's make-up or nails, maybe bake cookies or a cake, and we would usually watch an "age appropriate 'chick-flick,'" usually a Disney animated film. She just needed that (and still does, in fact) periodically. Otherwise, she might think she is a boy also!

      I had forgotten how "chubby" Lizzie was when she was a baby until I started finding pictures for this blog. This is Lizzie with her mom on her first Thanksgiving. I think we were at my sister's house in Little Rock.
     Like her brothers and her cousins, Lizzie likes to clown around from time to time.

Clowning around 2/cousins & brothers

        

Clowning around with Grammy!

Quality of pic is bad I know!

     Here she is with all the family at her first Christmas (2004); Poppa had been diagnosed over a year ago. I'm not sure he was even still speaking by then; but he still knew who his babies were and he loved them so much!

Ya just wanna keep them this way!

     Here she is a little older one spring in her back yard. So sweet and innocent--yeah, sure!

Lizzie, Kieran, Luke, Ryan, Anna on sofa, Landon in chair--my little "preschool"

     I babysat all the grandchildren when school was out for two summers. I think this picture is during the first summer. After the second summer, I decided I was too "old" to do this so babysitters were hired. The kids weren't bad, just busy!! But they were always so sweet--all of them.

LOVE this picture.

     As the grandkids  got older, I would just keep them all during spring break. And we would always try to do something special. Of course, by this time we had put in the swimming pool so they always had that to do. But one year I took Elizabeth and 3 of the boys to the Vicksburg National Military Park. Of course, they had to stop at EVERY monument and either climb the stairs or the hill to get to the top. I don't think they were actually supposed to sit on the cannons, but who could resist this shot! Later, we picnicked at the picnic area in the park. It was a really fun day, and I think the kids may have learned something, too!

     And, of course, every Christmas we bake and decorate Christmas cookies at Grammy's house. It's messy, but I really think the kids enjoy it. And I let them be as creative as they can, so we get some rather interesting decorations!

Mother's Day 2004

     Here are some of my favorite pictures of Elizabeth with various family members at different times of the year. The last picture below is the one Russell and I used on our 2007 Christmas card. By that time, Russell's condition had really taken a turn for the worse. Russell never became angry or belligerent or paranoid (as can sometimes happen with dementia patients). He just seemed to retreat more into himself, and it was harder and harder to get him to smile. I am so glad we took this picture, however; it would be the last "complete" family picture we would have before we lost him. He passed away before our seventh grandchild was born (next post).

Christmas 2005

     Christmases:

Christmas 2006

 This video is from Christmas 2010 

   
   Halloween was always special, too: 

Halloween 2005

Halloween 2004

This was our 2007 Christmas card picture:

     Elizabeth is 7 years old now--hard to believe; and she seems like she is 7 going on 15. She is all girl (very feminine). Her mom and she, my daughter Sheri, and I went to Little Rock last November to see "Wicked," and Elizabeth LOVED it. That's her feminine side. However, believe this: she can put any and all of the boys in their places when she wants to.
    One final story:  If you look at the first picture at the top of this blog, you should be able to see a small freckle below her lips right in the middle of her chin. To this day, I still try to "wipe" that freckle off--I think she has just gotten some food or something on her chin, and I start to rub! Poor baby, she must think I am crazy sometimes!

     Elizabeth is a great little sister, but she is an even better BIG sister (next blog)!