And then there were three!

So obviously having three kids has made me extremely busy and unable to blog.  As I write this I have a load of wet clothes in the washing machine that have been there since nap time, a clothes basket full of clean clothes to fold, many stacks of dirty laundry around the house, a messy kitchen, a family room with toys literally all over the place, and I'm bouncy my baby girl in her bouncy seat with my foot so she will go to bed.  But I am forcing myself to sit down and type this before I forget everything about her sweet birth!  I am already forgetting details! Aaaah! Crazy mom!

So Ella is a pretty cool girl, she decided to start her arrival on a MONDAY! Making this technically a Mushy Monday post, just about almost 4 months over due!  So Monday, September 9th, 2013, was a very pregnant day like the many others before it.  My mom was off of work and came over at lunch to watch the boys so Kyle and I could go on one last date, out to eat, to my favorite restaurant - O'Charley's.  The food was amazing - I got a Caesar Salad and half a BLT with french fries, and a cherry coke, with lots of refills (more than I probably should of since I was pregnant).  It was seriously a gloriously delicious lunch! I love food and it made me extremely happy to have that time with my hubby, to have good service and good food, it made my heart happy!  So we had fun at our date and came back to hang out with my mom for a bit.  Then I put the boys down for the nap, etc. etc. nothing new.  Mom went home only to return later that night.  It was about 8:40 PM to be exact that I noticed my first contraction.  I was putting Silas to bed, and on my way back popped my head in Kyle's office where he was playing a computer game with his friends, and just said, "Hey you may want to hold off on telling them you can work tomorrow, I'm having some weird cramps.  They may be contractions, but they may go away."  He shrugged me off and said I had told him I'd had contractions a hundred times and it was nothing, but I told him they were different this time.  I went back out to the couch where Tom was playing on the IPad.  We snuggled while he played and I soon realized they were contractions b/c there was a definite rhythm, but I didn't time them b/c they had just started.  I just rested on the couch with Tom until it was past his bed time b/c I didn't feel like getting up, I wasn't in a lot of pain just tired.  So at about 9:30ish I texted Kyle and let him know they were real contractions.  I put Tommy to bed around 9:40 and started timing my contractions.  They were about 4 minutes apart.  Thinking that was weird b/c I hadn't been having them that long I just kept timing them, and they just kept getting closer together.  I decided to get our stuff together and popped my head back in Kyle's office to let him know that should be his last game for the night b/c the contractions were pretty close together.  He got off the computer and said, so how close are they, and I said well about 3 minutes apart, sometimes 2.  He was a little shocked and told me to call our parents and let them know and to have my parents come stay with the boys.  We started changing the sheet on our bed since his parents would be staying at our house and Kyle was timing my contractions, they were now 1-2 minutes apart.  Kyle insisted I go lay on the couch and stop moving to try and slow my labor down.  I explained I could still talk through them it wasn't anything to be worried about but he was most concerned if I kept doing stuff we wouldn't make it to the hospital in time.

My parents arrived, my dad stayed with the sleeping boys, and my mom went to the hospital with us, and Kyle's mom was on her way from Bowling Green.  We got checked in a little before midnight, I was still having regular contractions every 2-3 minutes and I could breath through them fine.  You could tell they didn't think I was in labor at the hospital but were shocked to find me at 5 cm when I arrived.  We got all set up in the room, and shortly after they offered me an epidural - I felt torn b/c I didn't really want one yet but it was my one sure fire opportunity to get one and Kyle encouraged it, so I got it.  In hindsight I wish I would have waited, it was more uncomfortable getting an epidural when I wasn't in constant pain (like I was when I got them with the boys from the Pitocin), and I loved laboring naturally it was a breeze compared to Pitocin induced labor.  I really enjoyed getting to feel real contractions, may sound weird, but the contractions with the boys were induced and insufferable.  The epidural slowed my labor so then they gave me Pitocin.  They tried to break my water but couldn't b/c Ella's head was in the way.  I progressed quickly.  At 5:18 AM on September 10th, sweet Ella entered this world with one push!  She was 8lbs 4.7oz and 20 inches long.  Precious girl was beautiful, had the longest fingers I've ever seen on a baby, and was a champion nurser from day one.  Having a baby after staying up all night was somewhat disorienting and I had a pretty decent headache from the lack of sleep.  My mom and Kyle's mom left shortly after only to arrive at our house as the boys were waking up!  They, as well as Pap Pap, took the best care of our kiddos!

In the past my recoveries from having my babies has been extremely smooth and quick, such a blessing!  I never took any heavy pain medicine after having the boys, only Ibuprofen, I was up and walking around a couple of hours after they were born.  This was not the same with Ella.  It seemed to take longer for my epidural to wear off, I was clearly exhausted from lack of sleep, but then later that evening on the 10th my lower stomach started to really hurt.  I got up to use the restroom and I could barely walk.  I was doubled over holding onto the furniture and had tears in my eyes and I told Kyle this isn't normal.  We called the nurses b/c it just kept getting worse.  They were a little perplexed b/c clearly they don't know my pain tolerance, I obviously just had a baby so cramping is normal, etc.  I asked if they could give me something for nausea if I wanted to take the heavy pain meds, so they gave me shot of Phenegran and then some pain medicine.  It dulled the pain but I was still having pain and it was very tender.  I kept telling them, this is my third baby, I know what nursing cramps feel like, that's not what this is, it's not normal.  Kyle and I agreed if the pain meds didn't help enough then we would just give Ella formula for a feeding, to try and keep it from getting worse b/c of nursing cramps.  I remember telling him I didn't even feel like I could lay her on my stomach it hurt so bad.  Well then I started getting a fever off and on.  I had chills and would start shivering, teeth chattering which they said was a side effect from the epidural.  I would get extremely cold and could not get warm, my body would get achey.  Just a bunch of weird things kept happening and it would happen in waves.  I'd feel fine, not great, for a while and then it would hit me - chills, cold, fever, stomach pain.  They decided to give me a very strong antibiotic via IV just to be safe b/c my symptoms were somewhat unusual.  Once I was fever free for 24 hours from the antibiotic and feeling better they released us to go home but told me to keep an eye out for a temperature over 100.4.

We went home and after being home for a day or so the waves of symptoms started again, I could feel it coming, I'd check my temp and it was always borderline.  I'd rest and then it would be better.  My parents and mother in law took the boys to my parents house for a couple nights to try and help me recover b/c they knew I was having a difficult time recovering.  The boys came back Sunday afternoon and by Sunday evening I was back in the hospital with 103.something fever.  When we left the house to go to the hospital my temp was 100.4.  It rose quickly and I was sweating my fever was so hot.  They ran lots of tests in the ER, did some kind of scan where they pumped dye in my veins, did an ultrasound, took my labs, and some other exams.  I had to pump in the hospital and Ella got formula at home.  Once we were admitted, since there was clearly something wrong, Kyle went home and brought Ella and her formula to our room.  I had to pump and dump from the antibiotics and dye in my veins.  We ended up being in the hospital for four days and I was sent home with a PICC line in my arm so I could continue heavy antibiotics.  They ended up thinking I had Endometritis, which is an infection from labor.  They were just very confused by my case b/c I had a quick labor and delivery and everything looked healthy.  To have this bad of an infection, it is usually only seen in a C-section, or extremely long labor.  So it's a mystery.  We are just very grateful that we knew to look out for a fever otherwise things could have gotten bad very quickly.  Thankfully I never felt worse then I did that first night in the hospital, apart from one exam in the ER where the doctor pushed on my left side, that was the most pain I was in.  The Lord was so kind to us and preserved us and protected us.  It was definitely trying emotionally to be separated from my boys, to have to pump dump and bottle feed in the hospital, and it was hard on Kyle being stretched thin between the hospital, home, and caring for me and our family.

The PICC line was very scary to me to do at home so after my 10 days of that was up, I felt like a new woman!  My mom, my mother in law, my dad, and Kyle were incredibly helpful during this whole time!  We/I could not have survived it without them!  My mom's work was very gracious to allow her to continue to care for the boys longer than anticipated and longer than she had taken off, this gave me a HUGE sense of relief.  And my mother in law ended up staying almost a month with us! I love her, she's a wonderful mother in law, not like the ones you see in the movies!  My dad took extra time off of work and came to visit me in the hospital to check on me.  So thankful for my family!

So shortly after I started feeling better Kyle got super sick, he had a really bad case of strep and was the sickest he had been since we've known each other for over 7 or 8 years.  Insane, so I had about a week of caring for all three kids on my own b/c he wasn't allowed to touch them.  Praise the Lord, none of us got strep!  God was so kind in that!  Then as Kyle was recovering I broke a pipe in our kitchen sink, and we had to have a plumber come out, we couldn't use the sink for a couple of days.  I cried on the kitchen floor and told Kyle I could never be Job, from the plumbing problems before Ella until that moment I felt like we couldn't catch a break (even though clearly there were many things the Lord protected us from like having three kids with strep along with daddy).  And then shortly after my mom got SUPER sick and was in the hospital for a week and stayed in the exact same room I was in in the hospital.  I couldn't go see her for several days b/c we didn't know if what she had was contagious.  Sheeweee it was a rough couple of months.

Sorry if you're getting bored at this point, this is mainly for my memory and that's why I'm being so detailed.  Now let me talk about Ella.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE this girl!  I felt an instant bond with her, something I didn't experience with the boys.  We think it's probably b/c we knew her gender, we called her by name, we felt closer to her.  I do definitely prefer knowing the gender as opposed to being surprised at birth.  I felt so protective of Ella, my heart ached the hours I was in the ER away from her.  Oh she is precious!  She is a sweet sweet girl!  She is now almost 4 months old, she is so interactive, she smiles and coos, she thinks she's like 9 months old - putting all her weight on her legs, playing in the exercauser, sitting in the bumbo, and she can roll belly to back.  Ella is just the sweetest little girl in all the world.  She LOVES her daddy, he just looks at her and she lights up, and then if he talks to her she just grins ear to ear and talks right back.  Out of all three she has been the quickest to interact and the most responsive, especially to Kyle.  She is a daddy's girl.  Ella is a big girl, they did sugar checks on her for the first 12 hours of her life b/c of her size.  At her 2 month check up she was 13 lbs something oz and 24 inches long - the 95th percentile!  Kyle hopes she stays big to scare off potential suitors in the future.  She is our quickest to sleep through the night - I think she started sleeping about 10 hours right before her 2 months.  But she does revert back every now and then for an extra feeding really early in the morning but goes right back to sleep.  Her "schedule" I use that word loosely b/c it really changes daily but there's a goal - she's up at 8 eats, goes back down about 1 - 1 1/2 hours later and eats at 11, goes down about 1 1/2-2 hours later, eats at 2 same with the nap, eats at 5 same with nap, eats at 8 no nap, and then again at 9:30 before bed at 10 pm.  We aren't quite sure where her permanent place to sleep is, she sleeps in her bouncy seat in the family room at night but is quickly out growing it.  She loves to be swaddled, praise the Lord for Miracle blankets! My sister Julie is letting us borrow hers and it rocks!  Ella started out sleeping in the bouncy seat b/c she was very refluxy and spit up a lot in the beginning, now she's over that and praise God she was not a fussy reflux baby.  The Lord blessed us with a sweet mannered and well tempered baby girl - He knew what was ahead of us and if she had been a handful it would have made it much more trying.  Okay I think that's plenty for now.  If you read all of this HIGH FIVE!

Kind of proud of my husband...

Actually to say kind of proud is a complete understatement.  He just started back to school, more hours at work, and out of the blue we just had some major plumbing issues that he completely dominated, all while expecting a third child any day now!  Here are the details.

So ever since we've lived in this house our tub drain will begin to drain slower and slower.  We've used Drano in the past and it's helped, temporarily.  Well before we had company b/c of baby Ella's (still) anticipated arrival, I wanted it to drain faster.  So I purchased some Drano and asked Kyle to put it down the tub drain since I'm pregnant.  It actually made the problem worse.  Instead of a slow drain, there was no drain, standing water.  So we go downstairs after the boys are in bed and start trying to figure our what to do.  Kyle takes off one pipe, and it breaks b/c it's so old and tries to snake the drain.  He got out a pretty good clog but we could see there was a whole lot more nastiness that has accumulated over the years.  So he proceeds to take of another pipe and it also breaks b/c it's so old.  I was starting to get very worried b/c I didn't want to have to worry about the expense of a plumber for us or my parents (b/c they own the house).  But Kyle was very confident he could replace the pipes.  It was a lot of work.  He had to take two days off of work and worked for many hours, took several shopping trips, and did lots of research to fix the problem.  And he did it!  Praise the Lord for such a hard working husband!  But honestly more than the work he did, while it was extremely impressive, I was most and am still most amazed at his attitude through out the whole process.  He never once got upset with me for pushing him to use the Drano, b/c he really didn't want to.  Kyle was so positive, calm, self controlled, and patient through the whole process.  He never raised his voice when things went wrong, he never even got frustrated.  I mean really, this is not how I would have functioned b/c he ran into a couple of different issues that ended up being troublesome and time consuming.  And I can say this b/c I know my family would agree, but my family would not have been able to handle a big and potentially expensive project with this much grace - we don't always react the prettiest under great stress and pressure.  It was seriously a time of watching my husband where I could appreciate the gifts and fruits of the Spirit that are evident in his life.  He's handy, he's patient, he's self controlled, he was encouraging to me when I was able to help in some small way.  He was an excellent example to me of how to handle pressure and adversity and I'm so glad the boys (and soon to be Ella) have that example to see as well.  Even though they aren't old enough to notice it right now (especially since they were sleeping during most of the work) they have an extraordinary example of a father that the Lord has blessed them and me with. 

This was a big project, and here are some pictures of all Kyle's hard work.

 The old drain pipes, where the breaks began.

This is what it looked like before (look at the long green/brown pipes).

The pipes are now gone, he had to cut them all out since they were breaking off.

New drain pipes (this is replacement of the first picture shown).

After three days or hard work he is about to put in the last piece!

 Look at that!  Much prettier, cleaner, and now gunk free pipes!

And here's the guy who did all that and stayed happy completing the job!  I'm so proud of him and so thankful!

*Disclaimer - my husband is not available to help others with plumbing issues, apart from letting you know Drano doesn't always work ;)

 

Mushy Monday - We're about to have another baby!

So Ella is almost here.  Any day now.  Thursday night we celebrated with the boys, enjoying our time as a family of four.  We got KFC, the boys had some caffeine free root beer for the first time, we had DQ Blizzards, and we watched the first Curious George movie.  Every since then Tommy has been signing asking for Curious George the movie (even though he prefers the 2nd movie), and asking for various treats - ice cream, cake, etc.  So funny!  I keep telling him that was a special celebration but he apparently wants to keep celebrating.

Ella's last ultrasound went well, she is now looking like an average size baby, not a giant!  Once again we have no good ultrasound pictures b/c she was literally facing away.  Thanks baby girl.  I am 38 weeks and a couple of days.  The past couple of days I have had significantly more energy, which has been awesome, and I'm trying to put it to good use.  Lots of cleaning and getting things ready for baby girl.  One of the things I love about being pregnant is how a perfect stranger can feel like a genuinely excited friend!  I love the sweet congratulations and joy people have when they ask me questions and find out I'm due soon.  What other time does that happen in life?!  I do think that I will have her some time this week, just b/c that's what I think, but who knows (besides the Lord of course!).

Tom has been trying to talk a lot more.  It's super sweet.  Sometimes we have to quieten him down b/c he gets a little loud.  This is sometimes a challenge for me b/c he doesn't talk like most kids.  He makes a lot of noises and strange sounds but he's trying to talk.  The part that is a challenge for me is when it calls extra attention to him, I'm afraid people will think he isn't "smart" b/c of the sounds he makes.  That sounds weird/stupid that I feel that way but that's just the easiest way to explain it.  Obviously I know he's extremely smart and I can pretty much interpret what he's trying to communicate a good 99% of the time, but others don't know.  And that's the part that's challenging, not to worry what others think, if people know him and are around him they know how smart he is.  I could be over thinking the whole thing.  As he talks more in public it is getting easier and I pray that the Lord would help me to handle any uncomfortable situation with grace and in a way that glorifies him.  I am excited Tom is talking more and wanting to use his voice.  It's funny b/c sometimes he sounds really mad when he's not mad at all - like when you ask him to say please, if he really wants it he basically yells LEASE!! (he leaves out the "p" sound).  He's hilarious, I'm trying to teach him to say things nicely and quietly and he's catching on really quick.  Tommy is still my sweet boy who loves to be snuggled, he is obsessed with TV and would watch it all day long if we let him.  I am excited to see how he responds to baby Ella.

Silas is still quite the handful.  Remember how I said it was getting easier.  Well it all depends on the day.  He's a little spit fire.  He's talking a lot more too, making some hilarious noises and faces when does so.  When he makes the "O" sounds it cracks me up.  This boy knows what he wants and when he wants it and how he wants it and if he doesn't get it he'll make sure you know he's not happy about it.  Shew, he's giving us a run for our money.  Silas is a champion eater though - he pretty much loves a little bit of everything.  He doesn't want just one thing to eat at a meal - he likes a variety.  I do think his love for fruit has helped Tommy eat more fruit which is wonderful.  Silas is very interested in feeding himself which is super nice for me, however he is also very interested in feeding Maggie our dog.  They are a sneaky little team and they spur each other on to disobedience.  Sometimes I have to literally put Maggie in the other room while they eat so she doesn't come and tempt him by standing right next to him and he doesn't lower his hand and tempt her to come over when she's obeying and laying on the other side of the room.  Mischievous.  I know this sweet little boy is going to be quite jealous of Miss Ella, he is always wanting me to hold him when I hold other babies.  However he does hug and kiss the baby dolls he's seen very sweetly, so hopefully that's a good sign!

Kyle started his last semester of school! Hip Hip Hooray!  It doesn't seem real, and hasn't sunk in, but we're both thrilled at the idea of him being finished with school in December!  Wooohooo!

That's all for now, I'm tired and very pregnant ;)

Mushy Monday - 6 years of wedded bliss

Six years ago I married Kyle Marlette. Apart from being saved it is the biggest and best thing The Lord has done in my life!  Kyle pretty much irritates me on a daily basis, usually on purpose.  He makes me smile and laugh, sometimes even as he is irritating me, he has it down to an art.  He cares for me, provides for me and our children, he toughens me up but is kind and patient with me when I need him to be, he listens to me about serious stuff (I can't say the same for the daily menial things haha! But hey I am not always good at listening to those things either.), he sharpens me, he answers all my biblical/spiritual questions without ever making me feel stupid, he flirts with me, he is affectionate, and he is intentional to spend time with me.  I could keep listing things about him that I am so grateful for.  The Lord has blessed me immeasurably through Kyle.  I love being able to completely be myself and know that I am being loved!  There are times when I know I am getting on Kyle's nerves, for example when I'm extremely hyper and around my best friends or sisters; and there are times I can just feel the grossness and weight of my sin when I have lost my temper with Kyle; and then there are times when I'm having an extremely emotional day and I'm over sensitive and getting on my own nerves; but at the end of all those things I know that Kyle is still there to love and forgive me and that is because of the grace that Christ has extended to us.  It is hard to believe it's already been six years, but at the same time it's hard to believe it hasn't been longer.  I am thankful for the companionship and love of my husband.  And while we are waaaaaay less mushy then we used to be with each other before we were married, there is a deeper sincerity, maturity, and appreciation to our love that has grown with time and I look forward to watching it grow as long as The Lord will allow it (which I hope is a very long time b/c I like Kyle a lot.)

Tortilla & iced coffee recipe

Two great recipes that I never want to forget.

First homemade tortillas.  The recipe and making them are extremely easy, but rolling out each tortilla is a little time consuming, but I have some tips!  Here's the link to the recipe I found and use http://www.cooks.com/recipe/b93hx9nf/easy-homemade-flour-tortillas.html.
Four ingredients! I love it!  Here are my tips from research and experience - when mixing the dough, start with the flour and salt and mix them together with your hands, then add the oil and mix with your hands until it's a crumbly consistency, add a little less than one cup if just warm water not hot and mix/knead with your hands.  You do not want the dough to be really sticky and tacky otherwise it makes the rolling out process ten times more frustrating.  I use my cutting board, put a little flour on it, pull off about a small fist full of dough and roll it into a ball and then use my fingers to pinch it out into an even consistency in the shape of a circle.  Pat it down on the cutting board and put a tiny bit of flour on top so as you roll it out it doesn't stick to your rolling pin.  Roll it out very thin.  In a preheated nonstick skillet (I have found right around the 7 setting is good but by the end I have to turn it down between 6 & 7) put your dough in and wait until you see air bubbles coming up, flatten them a little and flip and shortly it's done!  This recipe usually makes about 8-10 tortillas and they're good size.  They are really good for home made pizzas and garlic cheese sticks too! (For those I make a pizza with whatever sauce and toppings we want preheat oven to 425 degrees, bake 6 minutes and then put under low broil for 2-3 minutes).  While that may have sounded difficult, it's not, the tips I added have taken me several times of making these to learn and will help cut time significantly!

Okay iced coffee, my friend Gwen from church brought this to my house and it was amazing! Now I used a different coffee the her and mine did not turn out as tasty and I don't think added enough vanilla.  I plan to get the same coffee for next time! In a large container with a tight lid, like a big Preggo jar, that's what Gwen used and left with me so now I have a container just for iced coffee!  Put 6 heaping tablespoons of finely ground coffee (she used Walmart brand decaf).  Next add 3 heaping tablespoons of light brown sugar.  Add a dash of vanilla and a tiny shake of cinnamon.  Then add 3 1/4 cups cold water.  Seal it up tight, shake it up, and refrigerate over night.  In the morning shake it again strain it out (she uses a small sieve lined with a paper towel to keep the coffee grounds out).  And the creamer she gave me was so good with it, which is caramel macchiato! I've only made this once so far and it did not turn out as delicious as hers but like I said I used a different coffee and I thinks it was stronger but it was still very good.  Thanks Gwen for opening my eyes to delicious iced coffee and creamer!  It was so good I had to share the recipe!

Mushy Monday - Brothers and Sisters

Lots of crazy things happening around here lately.  We had an ultrasound last Thursday when I was right around 32 weeks pregnant and found out Ella is doing great.  She is looking on the bigger side at this point, in the 97th percentile at approximately 5lbs 6oz! Sheesh! I knew she felt large and strong! My doctor isn't concerned b/c she thinks Ella will even out to about the 70th percentile as time goes on, we'll check again when I'm 37 weeks pregnant. Again Ella did not cooperate for any cute pictures, she's camera shy.  The boys never looked that large in ultrasounds but we're thankful she's big and healthy!  Sleeping is getting more difficult, probably b/c she is so big.  She likes to squish my lungs way more than the boys ever did.  We're looking forward to meeting her but we're also thankful for a little more time to prepare for her arrival.  We plan to do something small and fun with the boys before our next ultrasound on August 22nd, just in case she's still ginormous and I have to be induced sooner than anticipated.

A couple of sweet memories I want to capture on here are of Tommy and Silas' growing friendship. Don't get me wrong here, they aren't always best friends or happy to play together, but there are times they really enjoy each other.  The other day Kyle and I saw Tommy chasing Silas through the house, and Tom was chasing Silas the way we chase him (Tommy).  He was going slower intentionally to give Silas a chance to get away and has his arms out wiggling his fingers like he was going to tickle him and going "aaaaaaaah" all the way down the hallway!  Silas was eating it up, giggling and running while to look back to see if his brother was gonna get him! One of the most precious things I have ever seen!  And then just a couple days ago Tom was sitting on the floor and Silas got his sippy cup and backed up and sat down in Tommy's lap.  I asked Tom if he was holding Silas and Tommy wrapped his arms around Silas and held on tight! So stinking cute! Then Silas wanted up right away b/c Tommy was holding too tight. Those brief moments of innocent brotherly love melt my heart! I don't want to make it sound like they don't usually get along, for the most part they really play well together but it's not always those cute "aaawwww" moments, make sense? Hopefully it does.

I've been trying to be intentional to stop and actually look at my boys and just appreciate their little faces.  I'm just amazed at how much Tommy has changed and how handsome he is, I LOVE when he flashes me a cheesy grin!  And Silas is growing up so fast, his baby look is fading into that of a little cute boy! He is learning the same cheesy grin of his brothers and it makes me want to eat him up!  Speaking of Silas I wanted to document that at this age, 14 months, he is getting really good at playing independently, starting to feed himself, and overall is feeling easier to handle (as far as not always needing my attention to be happy).  I don't know if this is the typical age for that or not, but I wanted to remember with Ella that it will get easier!

One last thing, the other night the women from our church got together to celebrate and say goodbye to one of the pastor's wives b/c they are moving away and while it was sad to say goodbye it was such a fun, sweet time with friends.  It had been far too long since I was able to participate in something like that and it made me feel so rejuvenated.  That may sound weird but I actually got to hang out with girl friends, with no kids, when I wasn't exhausted (b/c let's face it, Sunday mornings are exhausting and also consumed by your children so it's no where near the same).  I seriously don't know the last time I enjoyed myself so much.  I went home feeling like I was back in college, haha!  It was wonderful and it reminded me I need to be intentional to do more things like that, I think as a mom sometimes it can feel like you lose some of your personality b/c as smart as my kids are their sense of humor is me making a silly face and chasing them around the house like a monster.  That's fun and I wouldn't change it for the world, but I enjoy being able to laugh with adult friends and have real conversations. It was so fun!  I am very thankful for such sweet sisters in Christ!

Mushy Monday - Sweet seconds

So I've come to the realization that I have lived and currently live most of my life looking forward to the future.  As a little girl I couldn't wait to get married and have kids.  Once I was married I loved it because I love him, and then I couldn't wait to have kids.  Now that I have kids I keep looking forward to the things they'll do when they're a little bit older (i.e. sleep in, do chores, a better amount of two way communication, etc.)  Well I've come to realize thinking that way and looking forward to what are great things, means I'm not always appreciating what's happening right now.  So I've been praying for an attitude of gratefulness and contentment in enjoying what's currently happening.  I don't expect every second of every day to feel like this, I am definitely looking forward to when Silas has all his teeth, nothing wrong with that.  But I am trying to recognize the small things that happen now that will not happen in the future that I absolutely cherish.

Which gets us to some of the sweetest seconds of my day.  During most meals, where I pretty much feed the boys b/c Tommy no longer wants to feed himself since Silas is still being fed by mom, I mean how is that fair? What is he three years old or something ;) ?  Anyway meal times usually go one of two ways - extremely smooth with two fantastic eaters, or pretty rough where I can't wait for them to be done and mommy then needs a little space.  Sometimes a lot of encouragement, high fives, cheering, dancing, singing helps.  Well along the way Tommy and I have started a tradition.  He'll give me a couple of fives and then he lets me hold his hand for a few seconds.  Those are some of the sweetest seconds of my day.  I know he wants to be holding my hand b/c he has no problem taking it away when he's finished.  I love to hold his sweet tiny hand in mine.  It seriously feels like the world is standing still for just a second while my baby boy lets me love on him. 

The other thing about Tommy is his increasing enjoyment of me making silly faces.  This has been growing for a long time now but I LOVE IT! I love to make him laugh and to be able to do that by just making a stupid/goofy/frozen face - it's pretty fantastic.  And I love that it's something we can see the connection in his mind - he knows I'm being silly and he loves it.  A goofy face with tickling = a great belly laugh from Tom!

Silas baby is just growing into a little boy!  He started dancing this past week - just like his big brother dances! By spinning in circles!  It is so cute!  We always figured that he would follow in Tommy's dancing footsteps but we didn't know it would happen so soon.  Silas has some mad walking skills.  However this week has been pretty funny b/c he's been walking around like somebody slipped him some alcohol.  We're thinking he might have some fluid in his ears, Benadryl seems to be helping with his tipsy walk, hopefully it doesn't lead to an ear infection.  Silas has also grown extremely fond of Maggie and Maggie loves him the most of all us now, b/c he pays her the most attention.  He walks up to her all the time and pats her and says "dog".  He loves when she wags her tail and he's standing behind her and it's hitting him in the face. Haha! She is part Husky so her tail is fluffy and fans and tickles his face.  We've also been noticing that Silas' personality is very much like his daddy - I am his favorite person ;) (humble I know but I'm really just stating a fact) and he is definitely a homebody.  When he is in a crowd the boy clams up and looks very serious.  Kyle doesn't do that but he loves to be home and he is always exhausted after a social event.  I remember one of the things I loved about Kyle when we were dating was that he was quiet a lot around other people but he always talked a lot to me, and to this day it makes me feel very special to know he is so comfortable around me, I kind of like being his favorite person b/c he's mine too.

In other Kyle news we were finally able to go on a date! And I realized why we don't go on more.  Planning the logistics of a date is stressful to me.  Any other mamas feel that way?  Kyle thinks it's cake and doesn't understand why it stresses me out but that's probably b/c I have to think through the logistics more than him.  We saw a movie, had dinner, did a quick shopping trip, and got milkshakes.  It was really nice to have some uninterrupted time with him and is worth stressful planning.  It's crazy to think back to a time before Tommy and Silas and how easy it was to go on a date - that was a wonderful time too but I am always thankful to come back to my sweet baby boys, they make my life feel so much more meaningful!  So whatever stage of life you are in, single, married, without kids, with kids - there are perks to all of them - don't take them for granted and enjoy some sweet seconds in your day!