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!

Mushy Monday for Christina ;)

So obviously I'm really good at taking time to write blog posts each week.  My cool tatted bff Christina reminded me it had been a while so this is a post written for her.

Speaking of Christina she made sweet Ella a precious tutu! I am seriously soooo excited about having a girl!  Christina made me hair bows, a hair bow board, and now a tutu! I'm thrilled!

Okay so a couple of precious things I want to make sure I document - Silas took his first steps on June 1, 2013 and now as of June 24, 2013 I would say he is officially walking!  He walks more than he crawls.  It has been so fun to see him learn how to walk so quickly, it's a total new experience for us.  With Tommy he took his first steps February 14, 2012 but wasn't really walking until about a week after Silas was born which would have been the end of May 2012.  That's quite a lengthy journey.  And Kyle also got to see Silas' first steps so that was even more fun.  Since Silas is our 2nd kid we also knew some ways to encourage him to walk more, but tried to let him go at his own pace too.  June 1st he took several steps because I tricked him by slipping my fingers out of his hands and then I guess he felt a little betrayed and scared and wouldn't take any more steps for a couple of days.  Silas is a walking champ though!  He can turn completely around standing up, carry heavy toys across the room, and drink from his sippy cup and walk at the same time!  He's got skills!  Silas recently (about a month or so ago) went through a very, very fussy stage - like a 2 week pretty much inconsolable phase.  I was exhausted and sad.  But since then he has returned to himself (it was after his MMRV vaccine and he was teething sheeewweee it was tough) and I am LOVING it/him!  I always, always love him, but I seriously LOVE to enjoy and like being with him!  He has become my little shadow, which most of the time is sweet, and he has turned into quite the snuggler!  Silas is a mama (and nana is also approved) boy, he has specific times when he only wants me, Kyle will not suffice.  Silas makes me laugh, gives precious peck kisses (where he literally is like a bird and will just peck really fast with his mouth closed but lips are not puckered), he walks with his arms out groaning/talking and looks like Frankenstein, he's starting to dance, he just flat melts my heart!  To any moms reading this and not feeling this way about your kid and feeling guilty, please don't think I always feel this way - during those two weeks I was not loving him being a mama's boy, while I knew it wasn't his fault he was acting that way I could not console him in anyway and a person can only listen to so much crying/whining before it starts to wear them down.  But praise God for phases and that these times do not last!  That's what I kept thinking and praying and hoping for - the end of the phase!  I knew it wouldn't be like that forever but in those days it felt like it.  And I sincerely love enjoying my kids!  That and enjoying your husband - nothing better!

On to Tommy boy! My boy is growing up!  Quite literally - he is growing like a weed!  Clothes are getting shorter and shorter on him.  Tom is also my snuggler!  He is starting to make more noises with his mouth and trying to mimic us more and we love to hear him try to talk.  Tommy has become increasingly more interested in playing with Silas but especially now that Silas is walking - Tom totally notices a difference in him.  Silas is apparently much cooler now, who knew?!  One of Tommy's new favorite things to do is to take Kyle's house slippers and put them on his own feet and walk around.  It is adorable (not to mention really good exercise for him b/c his feet are tiny and Kyle's shoes are huge, they're hard for me to walk in).  Anyway it just makes me think of the analogy of how Tommy will want to grow into a man like his daddy, and want to fill his shoes some day.  What a precious site to see two of the skinniest little legs and feet coming from some big old brown house slippers scooting around the kitchen floor.  And to be like his daddy he does have some big shoes to grow into.  Tommy also likes to repeat EVERYTHING Kyle does - if Kyle coughs, Tommy pretends to cough, if Kyle spits out his toothpaste, Tommy pretends to spit out toothpaste,  it Kyle burps, Tommy pretends to burp, if Kyle stretches, Tommy stretches.  It's so stinking funny!  I love it!  We have noticed recently that Tommy is reverting back to some younger behaviors b/c he sees Silas doing it - he's whining more, has taught himself how to fake cry like with tears, and refuses to feed himself when he sees me feeding Silas.  Oy vey!  Oh well we know it's only temporary and while it has/does frustrate me at times it's not worth it, Kyle said once Silas is feeding himself and Tom sees us praising him, he'll start too just b/c he wants our attention.  On a funny note I have noticed there is already a competitive nature in the boys, when it comes to toys but especially our attention.  I want to encourage them not to feel competitive towards each other but I also at times try to use it to my advantage.  Tommy has just recently started hating get his fingernails clipped, he used to be a rock start at it, anyhow I was trying to cut his nails and Silas came up whining at my lap wanting me to hold him.  And I said, "Oh no Silas it's Tommy's turn to get his nails clipped, you can be next."  Tommy completely relaxed and let me cut his nails! Haha!  Oh goodness - these boys are too smart for their own good!  Tommy is such a sweet helper too - he likes to "help" me get up off the floor or couch by pulling me up, he throws things away for me when I ask, and he helps me clean up the toys.  He is a great example for his younger brother and soon to be sister!

Kyle is doing great, we are enjoying him not having any classes since it's summer time.  He only has one class left in the fall and then he is finished - he is getting his Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling.  It has been so nice this pregnancy to feel his support and to not have to explain everything to him all the time.  He's a pro now.  Compared to my pregnancy with Tommy when I would tell him I felt sick or smells bothered me, blah blah blah he'd always question if it was just in my head or if it was really the pregnancy.  Understandably so - I also wondered the same thing a lot of times.  But now he gets it and is so patient.  There are days when I feel way too hormonal and emotional and I hate it.  I cry at the drop of a hat and I just feel unhappy for like a whole day.  And all I have to do is tell him - I feel like my hormones are really out of whack today and I hate it, I know I'm being emotional, I'm sorry, I'm getting on my own nerves.  And he just listens and understands and is patient with me.  I think it helps him too, to know that I don't feel like myself and especially that I don't like the way I'm feeling and sometimes as a result acting.  He's a good man.  He's been building lots of forts with the boys and they love it.  It's funny b/c sometimes I'll come out into the family room and think, "Aw man I just folded that blanket and placed it nicely on the back of the couch." But then I just smile and am so thankful my boys have such a thoughtful and fun dad!  I am happy to fold that blanket ten times a day for them to have that time together. (I don't do that but I would).  I'm looking forward to adding Ella up into this mix!  I need my girl, I am so looking forward to seeing her sweet face and getting to know her individual personality - I love knowing her gender, it has made this pregnancy so different and made me feel so much closer to her.  I love to call her by name and hear the boys say her name.  She'll be here before we know it!  By the way girlfriend has some muscles and stretching skills!  My belly is constantly moving from her kicks and punches and various karate moves. 

For my own memory record - 7 months pregnant is when I really start showing my belly off to the world, when my hips start to get uncomfortable, and when I feel TONS of movement.  The end.

My calling into a life of entertainment

I never expected to be an entertainer for a living, you know singing and dancing to make others happy.  But then God blessed with me with two beautiful boys who demanded it from me! The other day I was singing to Silas to get him to eat his baby food and I realized I might do more singing through out my day than an act in Vegas! Haha! Vegas has got nothing on me ;)

We have our daily dance parties and sing alongside, Silas is even starting to try and imitate the motions which is beyond adorable! These boys keep my days entertaining and silly to say the least. Thank The Lord for curtains so no one else witnesses my insane mommy behavior.  Overall I love it! I love the singing and dancing.  Sometimes it gets old and sometimes I get tired, or Ella gets tired, or both, especially with dance parties. I have two handsome dance partners who love to take turns being held while dancing cheek to cheek or spinning and running around the room.  Oh please tell me there won't be a day when my sons don't want to dance crazy with their mama! That's unheard of.

Some other sweet things from this week, Silas now folds his hands when we pray! Doll baby!  He is also going to cause me to start having gray hair.  He is all boy! Climbing and falling off of things, and I have to let him fall sometimes so he can learn to stop doing what he's doing.  That is so against my nature and gives me a put in my stomach when I watch, he's always fine and that's part of the problem.  He LOVES to climb in and out of Tom's car bed, he can climb in great because he lands on a mattress.  The climbing out is a different story, he basically teeter totters over the edge with his body planked straight like a board and falls on his face.  He doesn't cry, he doesn't care, but mommy hates it! I have tried teaching him better ways but really he just isn't tall enough yet, so I supervise his falls/face plants.  Silas is also starting to respond to discipline, discipline to our family can be anything from talking sternly to a spanking.  And let me tell you this boy it testing the waters! He can now climb up into Tommy and his chair, the adorable ones from Pottery Barn.  Well he likes to stand in it, at first we just let him stand in it but then it was apparent he's not quite old enough to be aware of his surroundings, and that falling backwards over the arm rest isn't gonna work out well.  So he works real hard, climbs up in it, and E.V.E.R.Y. Single time he will turn to look at you to see if you're watching to see if he can stand up.  He has such a mischievous look I his eye too. I think he's going to give us a run for our money!

My sweet husband picked me flowers from outside this week! They are beautiful and smell so good! It was very thoughtful and sacrificial, he was wounded multiple times in the process because they all had thorns.  He did an awesome job arranging them too.  He's cute. I like him a lot.

My Tommy boy is just growing like a weed! He is such a big boy and I cherish all the hugs and kisses and snuggles I get from him every day! He has started to give really good hugs and completely on his own he will gently go up and wrap his arms around Silas to hug him. Melt my heart! He also wants to hold Silas now, Silas doesn't enjoy it and it's hilarious because they're so close in size Silas looks like he's squishing Tommy. Oh Ella girl you are in for a treat!

I love my boys and I can't wait to meet my girl! Correction I can wait, I'm just looking forward to it!

To be or not to be surprised?!

Well with both Tommy and Silas we did not find out their gender before they entered into the world. This time around we wanted to change things up and find out if we were having a boy or girl and see what it was like.  Well as most of you know we are blessed with a sweet baby girl, Ella Christine!  I am absolutely thrilled!  I was hoping for a girl, Kyle was hoping for a boy so he could have the trifecta! He said his first thought when he heard it was a girl was "boyfriends". Which is hilarious b/c neither of us even remotely thought that would be what would run through his mind.  Kyle will most definitely be protective of his little girl but it isn't something he has really put much thought into.  We both got a good kick out of that.

So basically the reason we decided to find out this time was b/c we had never found out before and to see if it helped us feel a closer bond to the baby before she was born.  As of right now Kyle and I both prefer finding out while pregnant!  I am somewhat shocked at this.  The actual moment of finding out was fun but also short lived.  So that part made question initially if I liked it better.  Overall I love being able to call her by name, and teaching the boys her name.  I love being able to have clothes ready.  I love knowing her a little better than I would have if we were surprised at her birth.  I do think the anticipation of finding out when you have them is fun, so I'll update at some point after she is born how I felt afterwards.

Ella girl is doing great so far.  I am currently 22 weeks along and she weighs about one pound.  She is a wiggle worm and has some beautiful big ears!  I told Kyle if they're real big when she comes out we might have to change her name from Ella - b/c it's close to the word elephant.  But I'm not worried, they look ADORABLE!  She does have or possibly has what they call an echogenic focus in her heart.  It is of no consequence to her hearts function - it's basically a bright spot in her heart that is a mineral deposit.  It used to be a sign of possible chromosomal issues in the past, but is no longer seen as a connection.  Anyhow b/c of that we did go ahead with the new and wonderful testing they have for DS - our doc called it the Harmony test.  It is non-intrusive and is very accurate.  All they did was take a little blood from my arm and within ten days we had the results, which came back great!  A lot of people ask us how we feel about testing for DS after having Tommy, whom we had no testing done with.  Our views on testing have definitely changed.  Accurate, non-intrusive testing seems like a wonderful option to us.  That is with the disclaimer you are not having the test done to decide if you want an abortion.  If it is simply to get prepared, prepare yourselves, your family, and most importantly doctors for the birth - then we think it's good.   I'm not really sure why anyone would have an amniocentesis any more - if it is a possible harm for your child - no way jose!  Anyway back to Ella and her heart bright spot - we had a special ultrasound with a high risk doctor - he said he isn't worried about it and doesn't even know if he would fully classify it as an echogenic focus.  They don't think she has any health issues from what they can see. 

What's funny is Silas had what is called choroid plexus cysts on his brain when he was in the womb - again of no consequence to the brains function or development but an old sign of DS.  It basically increased his chances of having DS from 1% to 2%.  They often go away towards the end of the pregnancy, and his did.  The new Harmony test was not available back then, as far as we know, and the doctors did not think he had DS.  Anyway the funny part is both Silas and Ella have had some sort of little red flag that might point to DS and Tommy had none!  I think that's so interesting!  The doctors have said that as technology gets more high tech they are able to see so much more, so sometimes they see things that are nothing, but they check it out just to be sure - and for that we are grateful.  And we love to see our babies as they grow in the womb!

In other news - I have a three year old?! Say what?! Yep and he's as cute as ever! He is getting so big - he just moved up to some 2T clothes! Woo woo - I know other mom's are like, huh - my kid wore those when he was one year old.  Well a perk to a kid with DS - they wear the same size clothes and shoes for a loooong time and it saves us money honey!  Silas is literally starting to wear some of the PJ's that Tommy just outgrew.  He isn't a giant but apparently he's growing faster than Tom did.  Silas boy is almost one year old! Give him 11 days and he's there.  Oh my.  My love for this sweet child just grows immensely as I get to know him better and see his personality more.  Silas is a goofball and just wants to mimic his brother all the time.  He is so smart from watching Tommy and watching us with Tommy.  He's teaching himself sign language. 

Okay I'm off to enjoy the rest of the boys' nap time.

Mushy Monday - Circles of Life

I'm not quite sure where to begin this post. Trying to think where to start has already made me cry. Oh pregnancy hormones. I'll start with what sparked me wanting to write this. The boys and I were dancing in the family room, yet again. And the song, "I want to hold your hand" came on. So we're dancing. I had Silas in my arms and Tommy dancing close by my feet - spinning in circles. And I remembered singing a line of that to my Papaw Daimon many many times. I honestly don't remember when I started singing it to him but I know I sang it a lot after he was in the nursing home. I would like to sit by him and hold his hand and I would sing, "I want to hold your haaaand, I want to hold your hand." And he would usually sing it/say it back to me. That is a precious and dear memory to my heart. So I told the boys as we danced - mommy used to sing this with your Papaw Daimon. These baby boys are already spoiled rotten, I can only imagine how crazy Papaw would have been about them. Granny Jane will say stuff like that a lot - I wish Papaw could see them, he would be so proud, and then she always says but I know he can from heaven. I thought it was pretty great to think about how the song had come full circle and we were making some new sweet memories dancing to it and I liked that it gave me an opportunity to tell them about Papaw Daimon - even if they won't remember it right now.

I love how things like that can take us back to memories and cherished time with our family.

I also want to remember a few things from this past week or so. March 19th, Silas pulled up to standing! He isn't doing it a lot, but he wants to so bad. He's trying to pull up on everything but doesn't quite have the balance. He also has started shaking his head no - he doesn't do it to really say no but it's really funny. He knows the sign "more" and we think he knows "eat" and "all done" - which is kind of crazy b/c we haven't really been trying to teach him. March 21st was World Down Syndrome day and was a sweet and fun day just to be thankful and celebrate people who have a third copy of the 21st chromosome - hence the date 3/21. Silas also turned 10 months old on 3/21, and I FELT THE BABY MOVE! HIP HIP HOORAY! I love it! It was bittersweet thinking this might be the last time I feel my baby's first movement. I am feeling, thinking, and praying about us making this baby the last we have by birth, hopefully to adopt some time in the future. Clearly the Lord may have other plans so I guess we'll go with His! Haha! It's just harder being pregnant with more kids, I want time of not being pregnant or always having a new, sweet baby while they're little, I feel like three and some day four is the amount of attention my mind could focus on and that seem to be the max. I don't want to be spread so thin I can't enjoy and invest in them the way the Lord commands us to and the way I want to.

Tommy and Silas have been playing so much together. They are so sweet. It is however a constant battle trying to teach Tommy not to take E V E R Y toy from Silas. It's driving me a little bonkers, not gonna lie. It's one of those things that it's impossible to police all the time - I can't wash dishes or go down the hall way without hearing Silas cry and coming back to find Tommy standing over him with the toy that was in Silas' hands when I left the room. Sheesh la weesh. Hopefully with time it will get better. If not Tommy's moving out. Haha! NEVER! My boys will always want to live with their mom. Wait, no I don't want creepy mom loving adult men. I want responsible, Godly, wanting to live in the same neighborhood, who cherish and appreciate and love their mom men. :)

By the way may I encourage you to write your spouse a love note this week?! Thank you b/c I'm going to anyway. Make it short, make it long, write it however you want. Just take the time to give them something tangible to see that you appreciate and love them. Encourage them with your words and be sincere don't just try to be romantic. Something that I would write to Kyle may not seem romantic to others but could have deep significance in our relationship - like Kyle bringing me home a bite size candy bar or snack size bag of skittles. That's romance to me baby - one of my favorite forms! I just think love notes are nice, for me it's easier to write out mushy things then to say them and I know I have Kyle's focused attention, as opposed to when I'm talking and there's other things going on or he's not in a serious mood and starts joking around (which I've totally done too.) It also makes you, the writer, slow down and really think about the things that person does that you love, admire, and appreciate. It's nice. It's encouraging. Pray for them too before you write it.