The Four Seasons

Some of you may already know what this post title means. 

While others will think I am referring to a five star restaurant in New York, or a resort in Missouri...

I can assure you that they are not a reservation for either of the aforementioned. Although they both sound like a good time!

Rather, the title is a declaration, an announcement, a proclamation... that we are indeed expecting our fourth and final!

That's right people... this momma is headed to a delivery room once more this July.

And, we couldn't be more excited!

In fact...

We planned it.

And we are looking very forward to adding to our family one last time.

Our fingers are crossed for a little boy, of course, to even the score and give Nolan a brother as he so eloquently prays for at night. 

Which by the way, if the Chinese gender predictors and our timing is right... we have a really good chance!!

I already mentioned that it might be fun to wait and keep this last one's gender a secret until Dday this time, to which the Hub replied "you can wait, but I am finding out!"

Which means I will inevitably be finding out anyhow because he is NOT good at keeping secrets, besides I would rather find out at the time of the ultrasound instead of by a picture later if he can't wait with me.

Ultrasound or delivery room, it is still a surprise... but,

There is just something about witnessing the baby for the first time with your own eyes. 

And then that big glowing smile between two loves.

And then getting to tell everyone else who waited so long with you...
that I think I missed on something by not waiting with the last three.

And, I have clothes for both genders in the summery season, so I wouldn't have to go get anything or feel like I had to know for that purpose of preparing alone. 

This ain't my first rodeo. But, sadly... I think it is our last.

So I am going to relish in this pregnancy. Take it for all it's worth. And do things like give in to cravings i.e eat the sweeties that I find myself already dabbling in this pregnancy. And go to bed at 9pm on a Friday just simply because I am exhausted!

Official due date July 6th, 2013.
{It's already etched on the new photo calendar I made for Christmas this year, in fact!}

Which will bless us with four children. One in each season.

{Hence, the reason behind the title.}

Anyone else see this as total perfection?

Yeah, I know some of you are thinking we have officially gone off to crazy town...
 but, you know, to each their own.

And that is exactly it.

Our own.

Family.

Of six.

 

 

Until the new year,

 

 

Which by the way, I do hope to update better in 2013 of our everyday adventures.
 

  

    

Industrial Chic

So.

We celebrated our little girl on Saturday.

In the only suitable fashion that a now three year old sassy pants princess would allow.

{not going to lie, Nev could have had ANY kind of party, and she wouldn't have cared... I on the other hand, couldn't help going all girly. It just reminds me of her.}

I am calling it Industrial Chic.

A tea party style brigade on the unfinished side of our basement.

Complete with a tea party dessert table with mini pumpkin pies, fruit skewers, apple bites with a peanut butter topping, and of course birthday cupcakes.

Tea. Lemonade. And real china plates.

Tea lights in glass jars. Thrifted fake flowers for bottles as the tablescape.

Magical setting. As much as it could be.

With lots of cousins 13 years and younger, I thought it would be easiest to assemble something close to the play area on the finished side of the basement. And it worked perfectly.

Everyone enjoyed themselves, and I only broke two tea cups.

I think her smile says it all.

This girl.

Just reeks of sweet.

Can't you just smell her through your screen?

I can still remember where I was when we first found out we were expecting her. 

We were living at our old house. 

I had thought I was "late".  {although, I hadn't really been keeping track of my cycle at the time, I knew I should be starting or should have already started possibly} So we bought a digital test when we were at the grocery store that evening, and I peed on the stick when we got home.

We were getting Nolan ready for bed, and went back to check on the stick in our bathroom after getting him in his pajamas. A total of maybe two minutes.

It read, "PREGNANT"... immediately.

I didn't like that test. I was used to the line tests I had used so many times before when we were trying to get pregnant. And then when we actually did get pregnant with Nolan, where I took a total of five different tests just to be sure.

There was just something about seeing the word that took the surprise and excitement out of deciding if the second line was there or not.

Or maybe it was the fact that we had an eight month old... and were going to be having another baby.

Already.

There.

I said it. Out loud.

Were we ready?

What were other people going to say?

Would Nolan feel cheated?

Can I even take care of two babies under two?

Well, clearly, that anxiety subsided. 

We let everyone know. And didn't care about reactions.

It was our life.

And God had a plan.

Fast forward to the big ultrasound.

We just couldn't wait to find out if we were going to be the proud parents of a boy or girl.

I remember sitting in the waiting room afterwards and calling my mom to prepare for PINK.

Pure elation. We were going to be having a girl!!

Crap!

A girl.

I have to buy clothes! And shoes. And new blankets. And hair bows. And dolls. Barbies. You know all the things girls like and need.

And then, very quickly the time elapsed, and I found myself in the hospital for a scheduled induction.

They broke my water at noon. I had her by 5:00pm on the nose.

She was beautiful. The most beautiful girl I had ever laid eyes on. With jet black hair and a button nose.

She was perfect. And more than I ever could have asked for.

She was our little glo worm. Had to be brought a home bili light because she had jaundice so bad. We took her for blood draws for nearly a week after she was born. My mom drove us up to the hospital everyday.

Fast forward three years, and I will tell you how much light she brings to our little family. 

Her giggle. 

Her sparkly big brown eyes.

 Her requests for food constantly. Like string cheese. Or yogurt. Or an orange.

How she puts the shoes on the wrong foot. Every. Time.

How she is afraid of the dark. And will thump down the stairs in the middle of the night to snuggle deep in our bed.

Tutus. Hair bows.

She loves to color. And doodle little smiley faces now on paper.

She has a huge addiction to stickers.

Loves clementines.

And to ride in Nolan's stachio.

Will laugh if you tickle her. And cry if you walk out of the room at bedtime before giving her a "pillow hug".

She would take a bath for hours if you let her.

And hates getting her hair brushed.

Unless you promise to give her a treat for combing it, to which she will let you, but will whine all the way through it.

She is amazing. And funny. And likes to tease her brother.

Loves her daddy to the moon... and back.

And will sit on you instead of beside you if you are watching a movie, because she has to be that close.

She must have a companion when going to the bathroom, unless she has to poop. Then, you must wait outside until she is done. 

She has stinky, sweaty piggies.
Likes to do things "by herself".

And eats spicy chicken wings and steak if given the opportunity.

Otherwise, she would dine on candy. And only candy if allowed. 

And loves to do the "Movie Theater" as the attendee, not the attendant.

Just ask her brother.

She loves to swim. And take a ride on her boat in the summer.

Can count to eight. Knows all her colors, shapes.

Sings the ABC's to the tune of E.I.E.I.O.

And loves "girl songs" in the car.

She has evolved into such a little lady. And I can't wait to see what the next year has in store for her.

Happy Birthday!

I love you, my darling.

XO

Momma

Unfinished business.

Where have I been?

What have I been up to?

Everything. Seriously. Everything.

From renovating the front den and redoing the front entry with new tile to getting a new roof and carpet in the entire house to spontaneously deciding to move eight (figure of speech, as I didn't really count) states away only to decide that maybe our hasty decision should be put on hold.

I know that was a run on sentence, but it didn't feel right to cut it off since that is exactly how things seem at the moment. A run on. A blur.

I create my own messes, and I am the first to admit that.

Stupidly creating projects, just to have a project sometimes. Always.

Such as, the fact that I have a ton of frames I have been thrifting from auctions and the Goodwill that I need to prime, paint and then print photos for and then hang up in the house (especially since I know we are staying).

And then I salvaged this HUGE frame that didn't have glass or backing that instantly clicked as a hairbow frame for the girls room, that I need to also prime, paint and staple ribbon to in order to finally have a usable holder for all the girls fancy hair clips, bows and bands.

 Or the single coat of paint on the board and batton in the den that is requiring a second, and the built ins that still need crown moulding and two coats of paint.

Or the nearly completed girls room that is a shade of pink/coral on the bottom 3/4 of the wall with some aqua and white stripes on the top 1/4 of the wall, all the way around. It just needs touch up paint around the bottom. 

Or the vintage Halloween birthday party I am planning for Nev. That needs decorations made and hung still. Costumes sewn. Favors assembled. Games created.

Or the loft that looks like a bomb of clothes went off (which only happened because of the new carpet and having to move stuff around to get the new carpet installed). 

Everyone that knows me. And I mean, really knows me... will know how much I hate laundry. Whether it's mine, or not. Clean or dirty. Seasonal. Outgrown.

I hate it.

I can wash it. Fine. But don't you dare give me hell about folding it. And putting it away? That is almost as funny as saying "ironing" in our house. It just doesn't happen.If it's wrinkly, throw it in the dryer.

I had gotten caught up on the laundry about a week ago. But then it just started piling up again. And I revert back to my old ways when it comes to the damned laundry. Picking through a pile on the floor will be in my obituary. It is just me. I can't fold and put away the stuff. And, I don't know why. I just can't.

All I can say is that I hate laundry. Loathe it.

But I love clean clothes. And sheets. And towels.

Is there a disorder out there for this? If so, sign me up. Because I have it. Laundritis.

Anyhow, I have a bunch of stuff I still need to do up there. The girls room is nekked. No bed. No dressers. Just outgrown clothes in piles (there's that word again), ready to be stowed away in totes that I still haven't bought.

Do you see the pattern yet?

Lots of unfinished projects. Everywhere.

I go to bed way too late. Get up twice in the night with littlest N. And then I get up way to early to function, or be motivated to do anything except that which is required. Like make dinner. Change a diaper (or five). Give baths. Give love. Make a movie theater. Wrestle. Load the dishwasher. Or a load of laundry.

Nolan started school the end of August. Which officially puts us in the school ages. He goes three days a week for two and a half hours a day. It is a nice little break for me to just get in some girl time with just Nev and Nadie. We often get a donut at Dunkin together, or wander Kohls in search of nothing we need, or when the Hub takes Nolan in the morning on his way into work... we sleep in for an extra half hour (if Nadie lets me) and then talk over cartoons on the couch. It's nice.

We are liking it, just as much as he likes going off to school. His daddy especially likes picking him from school some days so he can take him to a "boys only" lunch. When I do pick him up he tells me about his day, then he tells me he has new friends (same names as the day before) and then just to make sure I'm listening, he will ask me who they are again. Thank goodness for little boys with big minds and even bigger hearts. He just melts mine.

So I have unfinished business yes. I think everyone does. 

I just read this quote. Not sure of the author.

Stating that you have a set number of  minutes given to you each day. And each day they reset. The old ones, used or unused, are deleted. Erased. And that when the new day starts you are replenished with a full set of minutes. How you use those minutes, is up to you.

Profound.

I needed to see that.

 

I want to spend my time more wisely.

Be more organized.

Have a better agenda for my day than just "by the seat of my pants".

 

First on the list, is to make dinner for the kids. Since they have been asking me for the last thirty minutes if they can eat now, please.

 

Den.

I have a laundry list of things I want/need to accomplish before school starts this year.

Namely.

The den.

I will post before and after pictures.

But just be advised.

It's gonna be big.

Daddy O!

Note: Belated Fathers Day post Ahead

Yup.
It's that time of year again.

The time when we reflect on your job well done.

The job that isn't actually a job at all.
It's actually the greatest blessing.
Ever.


The one that gives you the most precious title.
And has the shortest days, and  l  o  n  g  e  s  t  nights.
The one that puts all those gray {white} hairs on your head.
And makes your bank account shrink.
Your heart bigger.
And pays you in hugs and kisses.

Dad.

It's those bedtime stories, and sleepovers in the same twin sized bed several nights a week.

  And sweet nicknames. Even in front of your coworkers and guy friends. {honeybear daddy}

It's when you play or wrestle, even when you are sicker than a dog, and are likely to throw up at any given moment while doing so... but you do it anyway. With a smile on your face.

It's when you play golf... as a four year old's caddy. Early. With just a "guys breakfast" beforehand.

It's about falling asleep on the couch together. Even in the most uncomfortable positions. Just because it's Friday night.

It's how you block out your schedule at work, just so you don't miss his first Tball season.

It's how the kids run and hide when you get home, just so you will come find them. And tickle their armpits.

It's calling each other acorns and walnuts.
Every night. From the bottom of the stairs.

It's the special bond you have with each of them. Individually.
That makes my heart as your wife, just melt.

I look forward to the memories ahead.
And thank you for every single one that has already become a part of who they are.

So.
Dad.
Let's have a toast.
A cheers.
For you.
And these past four years!

Love you.

Life. In fast FOURward.

Belated post:
I am still trying to wrap my head around the fact that our sweet boy is  

four.

I feel as though we are living life in fast forward.

I talk to him all the time about all the things he used to do when he was little [r].

He gets this goofy little smile and just listens to my stories of his younger days, and then will tell me later, "remember when I used to do this..."

He is amazing.
So smart.
So full of imagination.
And he has a great heart.

He loves his sisters.
And his momma.
And he wants to be just like his daddy.

He can be referred to as Batman.
Spiderman.
Or the Joker, on any given day.
As he climbs the walls, and the stairs.
Builds toy guns with his Knex.
And jumps around saying he is getting the bad guys.

I adore the way he wakes up. Thumping, bumping down the stairs.
And how he falls asleep. With requests for a book to be read, and to end with prayers, and a tickle fest. Every time.
I love the way he smiles. Especially when I have made him mad and he tries to hide the fact that I can still make him laugh.
And how he loves to wrestle. Even if I end up with a fat lip and a crushed rib. {which by the way has never happened, but it has sure felt like it the couple of times he has pile driven me with his head while wrestling on the floor}

I love that his daily menu is very plain. And often the same. Even if I have to force feed him things such as chicken off the grill, or brats, spaghetti. You know normal childrens food. {If it were up to him he would only eat Ramen noodles. Turkey sandwiches. Cereal. Pizza. Strawberries and Raspberries. Candy. Popsicles. And Taco Bell.}

I love that he has no fear. But it scares me... that he has no fear.
He is all boy.

Dirty.
Rugged.
And has stinky feet!
{already}
I love that he is my little fish. He loves to swim. And will just jump right in to any pool or lake. And then keep jumping in, no matter if his lips are turning blue, or the sun has gone down twenty minutes ago.
He loves to go fishing, even if he doesn't catch a thing except weeds.
He loves to golf, and play his Johnny Tincaps baseball.

He likes to help me bake. His favorite is cookies. Just so he can sneak a huge bite of dough when I am preparing the cookie sheet with parchment paper.

He is really good at counting. And can identify almost any number. Often calling them out as we drive.
He has written his name since he was three.

I am so very proud of who he is. And who I know he will be as he continues to get older.
Because this boy loves Jesus. And isn't afraid to let the whole world know it.
He recites his dinner prayer with minimal reminding, and will repeat after me with night time prayers.

He is my angel.
My superhero.
My boy.

I cannot lie when I say, that I am going miss the three hours a day Monday, Wednesday, and Friday this year when he goes to school. I already feel a little empty knowing he won't be around. Just making noise.
Starting petty fights with sis. And asking me for some breakfast and lunch. Or a snack.

But I am bracing for a year of new adventures for him. New friends. New experiences. New memories.
And that is something, I truly look forward to.

Happy Birthday, Nolan!

Your momma loves you.

May Day!

That title engulfs every meaning of the phrase.

After many weeks of unrelenting cries throughout the day and night, I was willing to do just about anything to get some relief for our third child. She has been suffering from eczema since about two weeks after she was born.

It started out as baby acne.

Then turned into very dry, flaky skin on her cheeks and arms.

I didn't think much of it at first, and would apply Jergen's Ultra Healing lotion after her baths.

But it got worse. So after talking with a phone nurse at around two months old, I was told to make sure I was washing all her things in Dreft or the like, and to get Eucerin lotion because it was hypoallergenic.

Fine.

Done.

I found a great hypoallergenic cream, Exederm, at the grocery and applied it the minute we got home!

And what do you know. It vanished!

For a week.
Then, it came back in a fury.

She was the worst she had ever been by Nolan's birthday.

Red red skin. And would just cry. For what seemed like hours.

I made an appointment with her doctor for the second time in a month.

She was developmentally on cue, but her skin was just terrible.

She was prescribed Hydrocortisone 0.5%

Something, I do not prefer using because it is a steroid... but it seemed to help almost immediately.

But after a while, it just seemed to adapt to whatever it was that i was using. I only bathed her once a week, and slathered her with the hydrocortisone often.

I was tiring of the process for her.
She hated it.
So I started to google natural remedies in the spare moments when she would nap during the day.
I came across an article in a Pediatric Journal that talked about simulating a chlorinated pool by adding 1-2tsp of bleach to her bath. Comments at the end of the article contested the safety of the eyes and getting rid of ALL bacteria {since the body has good bacteris too}.
But I was ready to try something.
Anything.

Later that night I started her bath, and added 2 tsp of bleach to the water.
I swirled the water with my hand and rubbed my fingers together.
It was slippery.
And it certainly smelled like I was sanitizing her little tub, not getting ready to actually wash her.

After a minute I just decided I would dip her in and see what she did. I had the water running in case I needed to rinse her off quickly. But instead, she proceeded to kick as usual. No side effects.
She was enjoying the water, and I was relieved.
I let her soak for about fifteen minutes before patting her dry.
Her skin was red. But it was always red after a bath.
I applied her hydrocortisone as usual and she dozed off to sleep.

The very next day, I saw amazing improvement. It was crazy how clear her skin was within just twelve hours.
I didn't have to apply her hydrocortisone for four days after that either! And that in itself was HUGE.

So needless to say, the bleach baths have become regular in our house. She gets one about every week to week and a half.
And we haven't looked back.
Nadie is actually sleeping four to five hours at night, and is mostly content throughout the day.

It has done wonders for the bags under my eyes!
And more importantly she is a complete joy to be around now.
Honestly.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter 2012!



Hey there little sprout!

Sprouts.

The wonderfully healthy wormlike little seedlings that you can add to salads, sandwiches, or just eat plain.

And I grew them myself.

In a Mason jar.

On my kitchen counter.

In four days.

Flat.

Want to know how easy it is?

Just follow this step by step guide.

Or if you choose to see a video, just google Mason jar alfalfa sprouts or something like that to be inundated with websites and youtube videos showing you how.

First things first.

The seeds.

I bought mine at the Natural Grocery store in the bulk section.

I got roughly 1/4 pound for a little over $2.

Next you need to find or buy a quart sized Mason jar. It needs to have an open top canning lid so you can replace the canning top with a screened one. Or you can use old pantyhose and a rubberband around the top too.

{I actually didn't have a screen and I didn't use pantyhose. And you don't have to, it just makes it a little easier to drain... but I'll explain that in a minute.}

Now that you have all the components, you are ready to start growing sprouts.

Begin by measuring 1 Tablespoon of the seedlings.

Next pour the little things into said Mason jar.

Then fill the Mason jar about 1-2 inches above the seeds and soak for 8-10 hours.

This is best done overnight. You put the water in before bed and then when you get up the next morning you just drain the water out.

This is where that screen comes in handy.

If you have one just tip the jar upside down and let the water pour out.

If you don't have one...

you can just use a paper towel and hold it tight to the lip of the Mason jar while the water streams out.

The seeds that end up on the paper towel just need to be "tapped" back into the jar. There might be a couple casualties each time. No big deal.

Next step is to simply rinse the seeds at two different times during the day.

{Best if you do it in the morning when you get up and then before you go to bed because it is easy to remember.} 

The first day they won't look much different. Maybe a little swollen.

By day two you will begin to see sprouting. Or as my kids called it "worms" beginning to show.

Day three the jar is starting to fill up.

And by day four or five you can visibly see that it is time to harvest and start the process again.

I laid mine out on a paper towel before storing them in a sandwich baggie in the fridge.

Excited to top my lunchtime sandwiches with these little guys.

Momma's Movie Theater

I told the kids Wednesday, that on Friday night I was going to do a "movie theater" at our house.

Just for them.

I would supply the tickets, the movie, the refreshments and the drinks.

They just had to do a couple simple jobs in order to get some "money" to come to my Movie Theater.

So.

Nolan swept.

Nevaly picked up.

They both helped carry their clothes up to their room to be put away.

They both wiped down the tables in the living room.

And dusted the TV dresser.

Then, last night we went to Walgreens and picked out some of their favorite treats.

Circus peanuts. Gummy worms and bears. Mike and Ike's. Suckers. And Sour Patch kids.

Then I Redboxed the movie Puss in Boots and Mr. Popper's Penguins.

We ate at Pizza Hut before heading home.

When we got home I had to feed Nadie, and then began to "set up" my ticket booth and concession stand.

Nevaly had of course fallen asleep on the short car ride home {because they both failed at taking a nap earlier in the day}, but I told Nolan to go and hide so he didn't see my Movie Theater yet.

He was so excited.

I made tickets out of some thin cardboard I had laying around.

I had ice cold water in the bottle.

I displayed the candy we had bought in perfectly portioned snack sized baggies so he could pick what he wanted, and could see everything easily.

I had three different mixing bowls for the sizes of popcorn I was "selling", from small to large.

I got him a little coin purse with real coins and a dollar inside, then told him to come in through the garage and up to the booth to buy his tickets.

He had the most adorable smile on his face when he saw what I had out.

I had used our seated bench in the hallway with cubbies underneath to put my display of goodies on.

It was the perfect size for him to stand in front of and choose what he wanted.

My brother called just as I was getting ready to ask Nolan what he wanted, so instead of answering it I put the phone ringer on silent and pretended that someone was calling about the movies and times for that evening.

Nevaly woke up just in time to get in line with her brother and play along.

They both bought a ticket to Puss in Boots that was starting at 8pm.

Then they both bought a bottle of water and their choice of candies.

I directed them to the couch and told them I would be bringing out their stove popped popcorn shortly, and that I would come around to collect their tickets.

They loved it.

They simply ate it up.

They were both so happy and Nolan kept saying "I like your movie theater, mom!"

{insert big beating heart melting into a puddle on the floor}

We let the previews play so we could pop the popcorn, and then came around to collect their tickets.

Then as the movie started, I told the Hub to crank up the volume so it really felt like we were at the movies. We turned down the lights and their evening at Momma's Movie Theater was underway.

Nolan periodically would turn around and tell me "thanks!" and that he "liked my movie theater" again.

I know they both really liked it, because this morning when they woke up the first thing they asked for was to do the movie theater again!

Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures.

But since I know we will be doing this again {soon} I will try and snap a few next time.

Until then...

She smells like breakfast...

Things at home have been pretty run of the mill this week.

{thank goodness}

Nev has pretty much got the potty thing down. Almost...

I guess I should mention that yesterday she pooped in her pants and got it out to show me. {I may or may not have had a fit as I raced her and her two handfuls of solid logs to the bathroom... yeah, I know. Cringe.}

We had a nice warm full body bath after that.

If it were okay to use bleach as body soap I might have. But instead used antibacterial body wash. Three times on those little mittens of hers. 

Had a long conversation about poop after that. And how we don't ever ever touch it.

Weird because I remember having that same conversation with Nolan {same age possibly} after he smeared his on the wall in my bedroom. That time I did use bleach. On the wall people, just the wall.

Anyhow, onto more uh... pleasant smelling updates?

Nadelyn had been suffering from some pretty bad excema, and I researched natural methods to ease the dryness it was causing.



Came up with an oatmeal bath.

2 cups that are run through a food processor {or blender in my case} to make a fine powder.

Add the fine powder to warm water.

Then add some raisins, and brown sugar, and a little milk...

Just kidding!

Just let the baby soak.

Apply the soup-y oat mixture to areas of badly dried skin.

Which happened to be those babe's poor cheeks.

Cracked me up when she accidentally rubbed her cheeks with her hand and then got that hand in her mouth.

She was making so much noise sucking!

And after the first day {I applied Jergen's Ultimate Healing lotion also} her cheeks looked 50% better.

And three days later {today} she has some dry skin still but I would say the treatment healed her skin by 90%.

And since I have made a post about each of the other two kids, I should probably talk about how Spiderman {aka Nolan} has been scaling every piece of furniture in our house from my bed, to his bunk beds, to the leather chairs in the living room, the Step 2 playhouse roof in the basement, and of course the staircase... and the doorway.

He really takes his role very seriously.
And if it's not Spiderman he is acting like, his Batman shirts are in full cycle in the washer, so that he can wear one if his Spiderman costume or shirts are dirty.

I love his imagination.
I love that he is 100% boy.
And I love that summer is coming, and we have a closet full of polo shirts, vintage tees, and shorts, that do not include a superhero on it. Yet.

Anyways, that is the most up to date.

Looking forward to a great relaxing weekend.

Until next time...

Time for a Potty Break!

I decided to get the ball rolling on the diaper drop as of yesterday.

Nevaly is just shy of being two and a half, and I figured since everything else is kind of wacky right now...

why not?

She has welcomed the change with open arms and a bare butt.

{a bare butt technique has worked best because she knows she is naked from the waist down and must use the potty. Otherwise she gets tricked by cotton undies or a pair of pants which make her forget she isn't wearing a diaper anymore...}

 Her potty chart to display the times she has made it in the pot!

After ten times in the potty we are going to go pick a special prize.

 Big girl unders!

She already looks bigger!

Ten accidents.

Five stickers for making it to the potty.

And a hundred good jobs, nice tries, and high fives.

Next week sometime, I will update about our weekend potty adventures.

Photoshoot

Took some impromptu pictures of the babe today... this one was my fave. 

All you need is LOVE!

Happy Love Day!

Just a day in the life of...

This is an honesty post.

{just so you are prepared}

The house as it stands right now, is terrorized.

My floors seem to have a constant amount of debris strewn on them.

No matter how many times I pick things up.

Food on the floor in the kitchen. With a sink full of dishes from a spontaneous Saturday night dinner with family. {yeah, I know it's Monday} But, I have run the dishwasher twice already...

Toys, puzzle pieces, pillows, blankets, and the occasional shoe on the floor in the living room.

Laundry on the floor in our room.

And, diapers on the floor in the bathroom.

{confession: I actually chuck the dirty ones in the middle of the night into the bathroom, just so I dont have to get up... I know, it's lazy, but in that moment when I am sitting up with my eyes closed nursing the baby in a warm bed, I am not going to get up and throw away a diaper when I can just throw it in the vicinity of the trash, to be picked up in the morning... it's kind of my system.}

And the basement... oh, the stories it could share.

Currently it resembles the space of a daycare after twenty five kids have played in it for the day.

Everything is out.

And I do mean ev.er.y.thing.

Not looking forward to cleaning it up before Nadie's baptism party this weekend... but I will.

Reluctantly.

And that schedule I thought I had before the baby arrived, well, that has been shattered.

My body is deteriorating people.

I wake up with one eye still closed most mornings!

Dragging my feet as I switch on the television for the kids, while I pour bowls of cereal and send the Hub off with merely a kiss goodbye.

Then it takes me nearly two hours to muster up the motivation to get my day started.

I veg in front of the computer looking over Pinterest and checking email, while the babe takes her first nap.

Next up! Lunch!

By 11:00am the kids are constantly coming into the kitchen and asking for food.

So I whip up an incredible batch of turkey sandwiches and usually Ramen noodles for Nolan... don't ask me why we EVER got started on those! Can't wait until the super pack we bought is finally gone.

After lunch, I decide I should probably do something.

So I will throw in a load of laundry and feel accomplished enough to sit down and feed the baby.

I tell the kids the television time is over and to go find something to do before nap time.

Ha! Nap?

That saying only actually becomes a reality about once a week. With bribes of a fruit snack afterwards...

should I even be spilling all these secrets? Geez!

By 3pm things have gone something like this:

Feed baby.

Pick up the living room of puzzles, and odds and ends toys.

Sweep the carpet.

 Clear the table from lunch.

Load the dishwasher.

Put that load of laundry I had in the washer, into the dryer, while I toss the dryer clothes from the day before onto my bed. Don't have time to fold it yet, I got to feed the baby. Again.

 Afterwards put baby in her swing.

Get the rowdy kids a snack.

Readjust Nadie in her swing since she has been screaming for the last three minutes, and now has real tears.

Ask the kids to pick up the magnets they have thrown all over the kitchen floor.

Start to think about what to make for dinner...

Finally, get the baby to sleep in her swing.

Get the kids in the shower, and out of their pajamas for the day.

Turn the television back on while I prepare a one course meal of pork loin and saurkraut over potatoes with a side of peas.

Baby gets up. And she pooped up the back of her onesie...

By now, the Hub is home.

I wash the baby and we eat dinner.

Time is escaping me.

What the heck have I done all day?

I had dreams of creating a Valentine's Day card for my lovelies...

Or some newborn hairbows for Nadie's fuzz.

I wanted to make cookies after dinner.

I wanted to play a fourth game of Hi Ho Cherry O, but it is almost 9pm and now the kids who are very cranky from refusing that nap earlier, need to get their teeth brushed.

Up the stairs we go, to read a book, say our prayers, and sing a very loud tune of Twinkle Twinkle before Nev starts pleading with me to sleep in my bed. I coax her to sleep by saying I'll stay up there until she falls asleep.

Meanwhile Nadie is downstairs giving her daddy hell. Crying out for her momma's milk.

I trickle down the stairs eight minutes later. Nurse Nadie on the couch next to the Hub.

Oh, hi. How was work dear?

Watch the eleven o'clock news before deciding I have to go to bed.

Toss that load of clean clothes to the floor and slide quietly under the covers.

I'll fold it tomorrow...

Smooch the Hub and drift quickly off to lalaland. For two hours.

Before it starts all over again.



One, Two, Three Strikes... You're Out!

Numbered, that is.

Yep.

That's how I feel since giving birth last Tuesday.

Simply... outnumbered.

But I am not overwhelmed by it. {Yet}

I should state that the Hub is a huge help, but that he also went back to work this past Tuesday.

 I finally got to discover what it really meant to be a mother of three.

Insert that song that sings...

All By Myself... Don't Want To Be... All By Myself...

{Just kidding.}

So.

Tuesday was also my birthday.

Yes, it's true. I am now officially, a 30 year old.

The start of a new decade...

{which reminds me of how terrible I was at completing those 30 tasks I so valiantly boasted about doing last March... whoopsie?}

Anyhow, plans for the day included...

Making the 10:30am one week checkup for Nadelyn.

{yes, I gave myself a 3 hour window to get ready to leave the house by 10am... and missed my target by a mere fifteen minutes. Yeah, I totally rocked it.}

Eating a lunch for my birthday with the Hub.

{which happened to be Taco Bell of all places, just to keep the peace between the younger babes. They don't dig much on authentic Mexican food... they are more into the cheap, processed kid friendly kind. Whatev.}

Then later dining out for dinner to celebrate with my family, to include my brother Isaiah {who turned 16 the same day as me}.

 

Insert feelings of being outnumbered here.

Nev had fallen asleep on the way to dinner. And I had to get her out, hold her along with the baby "bucket" as we refer to the car seat, the diaper bag, and my purse while corraling my dear boy into the restaurant.

{I may or may not have called the Hub a jackass upon entrance.}

In any case we made it. And dinner was delicious.

Including the bday cake they give you... which was the real reason I decided to eat there.

We took a few nursing breaks in the car, and managed to skathe through the parking lots unharmed.

So I would consider my first day... a success.

So much so that I feel like in a couple months I will have the confidence to make those trips to the zoo, and the grocery sans the Hub, when the opportunity presents itself. 

And in case anyone was wondering...

The littles love their new sissy.

With frequent requests to hold her, and watch her while she nurses or gets a spongebath. 

They have embraced her presence with gusto.

And have melted this heart of mine into a mush beyond the putty it already was.

Not to mention the Hub.

Our love is strengthened and grows deeper because of our children.

I know it is super cliche to proclaim this, but I am going to do it anyway.

Because we are. Completely blessed by God.

In the coming months you can expect posts about mishaps, funny findings, and maybe a tale or two of some memories I just had to share. Looking forward to a good year.