Last Weekend

We had a really busy weekend, and a busy week... and another crazy weekend.....
That is why on Sunday night I'm writing (or rather editing) a post I wrote on Wednesday
about LAST weekend....
Got all that?

So to save my brain a bit of effort I'm going to show more pictures and type less.

Here we go...

We had a birthday.... this is my attempt at a number three pancake...

 It was before eight am and I was getting three kids ready for church.... gimme a break.

Also ignore the weird face he is making.... who knows?

After church we took a quick nap... and by we I mean they... then we headed to Nana's for his Big Birthday Bash.

Decorations by Aunt Julie.

Thank God for Nana's house, but I can't wait till ours is big enough to host these things.

And what else could we do besides a Buzz theme? The boy has an unhealthy obsession... but its cute.

Here is Daddy praying for Tommy's year ahead.

I always love this part.

And here is Daddy yelling at Mommy for letting them put red icing on the cake....

 "It will stain everything! Quit laughing and get me a napkin!!!"

I'm of the school of thought that it is one day... let them go nuts, who cares?

Apparently their father does.

Father knows best?

And the grand finale? He is now a card carrying member of the NRA.

 Uh-oh

Are you eyes watering yet... there is more...

We also got our Christmas tree on Saturday morning, we looked at the calendar and realized it was our last chance for awhile so we took it.

 I know I'm their mother... but this is adorable
.Many layers later we made it to the tree farm.

He looks scared of me doesn't he?

And it seemed we were always going uphill though I know its not possible...

I said to Tom at the outset "We have three small kids, I'm 29 weeks pregnant, lets not go far."

I even said "Not over there at least..." and pointed way across a valley near a pond.

To no avail... the trees in that direction were the best and he knew it.

...she is not outdoorsy either...

 everyone got a turn "helping" Dad with the saw.

Pictures with the tree...
 and timber!!!

 Then me back to the nice warm car... here is me and number 4 getting toasty again.

And last but not least.... first Christmas outfits of the season!

.... whew... maybe I'll get to write about this weekend sometime before Christmas....
I can dream!
 To all a good night!


P.S. If you like the new header and pictures I'll be writing all about that very soon!
My awesome sister in law did them for us... It really deserves its own post!

Ok... for real... good night :)

Dear Tommy,

Dear Tommy,

It's snowing a lot today, just like it did three years ago when you were born. I love it...

I can't explain the joy you have given us the last three years.

You were the sweetest, most content baby, you ate, slept and smiled all the time.

I don't say that lightly anymore... 

your brother is loved beyond measure but I would never call him "easy going".

Its a compliment for sure, 

but even when you are a screaming, crying mess I would still not trade you for the world...

maybe for a few hours... but I could never stay away for long.

 You are a joy to your Daddy too.

I remember trying to shop with him for things for Bella, and wondering why he didn't seem to be having fun.

Now when we go out to get Christmas gifts I have to remind him about our budget
as he dreams about race tracks and nerf guns he can buy for you... or himself?

You brought out something in him I hadn't seen before, its him when he was a little boy.

totally precious.

And to see you be little brother and now big brother to these two melts my heart.

 You are in a tough spot little man, you sort of have a balancing act to perform.

Never the first to do anything, 

but never the baby either.

I don't envy you, and it won't be easy. But then nothing worthwhile ever is.
God gave you this spot in our family because he knew it was a job made just for you.

You have to be patient with someone smaller who you can boss.... sometimes,
and someone bigger... who is going to boss you... sometimes.

I know that part of that sweet nature God gave you was just for this role.

 Don't misunderstand, you do have your moments and meltdowns....  just like anyone.

But the phrase "a rose between two thorns" keeps popping into my head.

 So happy happy happy birthday to you my sweet baby.
Hold on tight to that joy and sweetness that is so much a part of you.
Its God given.... so keep it always.

When your Daddy prayed for you today he said may we have a hundred years more together,
and may the days go slowly....  I'm sure a hundred years won't be enough.
But I'll say Amen.

Love, Mommy

Just Yesterday....

I cried myself to sleep last night because it was Tommy's last night in his crib.

These milestones are getting harder with each child.

Since he is going to be three this weekend we thought now would be a good time to take the binky.

 I don't care what you think of him still having a bink in bed at nearly three.... 

he's mine and I'll do what I want.

 Well he is mostly mine....but as you can see here I have to share him quite a bit.

Anyway we also need the crib soon for the new addition coming in about eleven weeks, give or take.

(Right now I'm thinking: OH MY GOSH SERIOUSLY!?!?... But I'll spare you that tangent...)

I didn't want him to equate the new baby with losing his bed so we decided now was the time for both.
The big boy bed would be the reward for giving up the binky.

So tonight we tucked him in with a new pillow, on Daddy's old bed, 

with the sheets and blanket he used in college back when we first met.

 It was a bit surreal.

 He was happy for the most part, he asked for his binky once, to help him be happy he said.

God help me it was all I could do not to give in.... and he didn't even cry. I'm just a sucker.

But I know a clean break will be easier in the end.

 I tell myself over and over again not to blink...

not to miss these days...

to hold on... enjoy... 

write it all down on my heart and in this space....

But I just can't seem to hold on tight enough to slow it down... they just keep growing.

And I keep thinking,  

Wasn't it just yesterday....?

December First

Let it Snow...

Let it snow....

Let it Snow....

Tom woke me up this morning and told me to look out the window :)

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Picture Perfect Holiday

I had pictured a picture perfect Thanksgiving.

Lots of lounging around, lots of baking, lots of food and family and fun.

And of course some really cute clothes on the kids and a camera in hand to capture it all.

In the end I  did lots of lounging.... Mostly on the bathroom floor....

I did no baking, Tom filled my obligation for apple dumplings.

I ate next to nothing....

And when I finally crawled out of the house to visit in the afternoon I was wearing sweatpants...

and God only knows what the kids had on because I didn't even care where my camera was.

Forget Tommy's adorable tweed three piece suit.

Never mind about Daniel's sweet little cable knit sweater.

I'm sure we can find another occasion for Bella's gold and cream party dress with the matching cardigan.

Bella got this nasty stomach bug on Monday.

By Wednesday night my sainted husband was baking sixty-four apple dumplings while waiting on me and changing Daniel and his sheets four times.... and he even did laundry...

 I don't think he went to bed until after two in the morning

I am blessed beyond measure by that man....

 

Friday Tom was back to work...

Saturday too.... then Saturday night and Sunday it was my turn to play nurse to him and Tommy.

I'm still not sure Tommy was actually sick but he was up every hours crying until I took him to sleep in my bed well after midnight.... so I'm gonna count it cause he seemed miserable.

I am sad....

I am disillusioned by it all.... I feel like I slipped into a coma and missed the holiday entirely.

I am still craving a big turkey dinner with all the trimmings.

I want to watch the parade with the kids...

I want to make the apple dumplings, and have one fresh.... not three days old.

I want to make hand print turkeys...

I want a do over!!!

And now I have to wait a whole year, and I am sad.

I will recover though, only thanks to Christmas.

I just need the right amount of cheer to get me in the mood.

This is one of those moods that you have to make a concerted effort to pull yourself out of.

 

So tonight I'm going to Micheal's... glorious wonder of Christmas crafting.  

  then I'm going to watch a Christmas movie

 Tomorrow night we have practice for the Christmas pageant at church....

and I'm in charge of the crafts.

And through it all I will be listening to the 24/7 Christmas music station.

If you could all do me a big favor and pray for the one thing that I can't orchestrate...

the one thing that would make me perk up all by itself.... snow.

It is supposed to be on its way soon.... and I'm hoping it hurries.

Nothing says Christmas like that beautiful white stuff. 

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. 

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

Isaiah 1:18

Puke on my Shirt, Joy in my Heart

Last night we trekked to the mall to meet Nana for dinner since we knew Daddy would be late.

He is always late when they are working on a roof, for some reason they are always fixing roofs under the threat of rain, and always and hour or more from home.... so I planned ahead for a late night.

I loved seeing their faces light up in awe as they rode around on the Christmas train.... I remember that feeling.

I loved the way Bella told Santa she wants a castle for Christmas...  

and later panicked because she forgot to tell him a dog and a Jesse doll also.

And Tommy said, "I no know....",

Aunt Julie then suggested anything Buzz Lightyear and he shook his head vigorously.

And Daniel just looked offended and confused which is pretty standard for him....

 

Childhood is magical.

Motherhood is another chance at childhood.

You watch them and remember how amazing and new and infinite it all felt.

 

Fast forward about twelve hours and I'm awakened suddenly by Bella screaming "help me" and whimpering.

I ran... waddled.... stumbled... somehow make it downstairs

to see her sitting on her bed crying in a major mess of puke....

So we had a bath and some laundry at 2 am and then I made her a bed on the floor in my room.

I didn't want to even think about getting down those stairs again that fast.

Its a science just getting out of bed at nearly 28 weeks pregnant.... ok?

We repeated this scene about every 2 hours for the rest of the night.

Childhood is messy and confusing, when your little and sick you think its forever.

Motherhood is aching to make it all better... for her sake and your own.

So in spite of the midnight madness I still had to get up and take the boys with me to an appointment this morning, I had already canceled once and couldn't again. 

So Bella headed to Nana's with Daddy and the boys and I rushed around like crazy to get out of the house by 8:15... we aren't even ever up by that time normally.

We get there and Daniel is a screaming, crying, shocking mess.

I am mortified, he is exhausted, and loud 

and probably going to be the next one to throw up on me is what I'm thinking at this point.

Tommy is tugging on my pants as I try to fill out some forms while juggling Daniel on my knees.

He is trying to rip the paper, 

grab the pen, 

hit me, 

and if I put him down he runs.

Tommy is saying "mama.... mama.... mama!!!!"

 

It is like psychological torture.

Like they got together and said,

 

"Ok... you eat to much and keep her up all night, 

then I'll be really bad at the thing we have to do tomorrow... 

then you ask her a million questions in your hard to understand two year old talk.... 

If we do this right maybe she'll leave us with Nana for the afternoon and we can skip naps and eat candy and watch all the cartoons we want!"

Notice that in my scenario Daniel is the evil mastermind.... that would just be so him....

Anyway back to Tommy and his pants tugging urgency, 

Finally I say "WHAT?!?" in that tone that says I cannot believe this is my life today...

I'm either going to laugh or cry....

or most likely start out laughing and end up crying.

 And he then he looks at me and says, "I wuv you mama."

Awwww.

Normally this would be sweet of course but it wouldn't get to me much... maybe calm me a little.

 But it was what happened next.

The gruff looking receptionist at the desk across from me actually teared up...

and said how sweet he was,

and how much it touched her heart to hear that,

and that you don't hear that everyday.

But I do hear it everyday... I am so blessed to hear that over and over everyday.

To hear "I wuv you."

to hear "mama... I spilled it..."

to hear "He hit me again!"

to hear "mama I need to go potty."

to hear "mama come see what I made for you."

Childhood is fleeting. 

It seems now that it will never end but someday I won't hear these things everyday.

 

Motherhood is trying to hold on to the joy and memories... no matter what.

When its magical, messy, or anything in between.

Random Ramblings

We are still here... just very very very busy lately. 

Finishing up the bathroom remodel....

I'll give you the full effect when its all done next week... I'm jealous :)

Helped Nana decorate her Christmas tree... and packed up our box for Operation Christmas Child.

It's a wonderful project for kids to learn about giving rather than getting... still not to late to do it this year!

Then we did our house... not the tree yet, we will get a live one the first week in December, 

I'll show you that soon too... here is one more of my moms... I love her house, especially that door.

I'm starting to feel the warm fuzziness of the holidays... I love it!

And it causes me to have an urge to bake... this week it was snickerdoodles!!!

I must learn to control myself, I am so weak... but they are soooo yummy...

See Jack stalking the cookie?

Daniel often gives him bites when we aren't looking.

We did find a little time to hang out at home too....

this is what happened when I asked Tommy to give Daniel a book after his nap while I finished peeling some potatoes for this awesome soup...

That's just about the whole bookshelf there... Thanks Tommy.... very helpful....

This is what I found later that day after about ten minutes of unsettling quiet... Bella put him down for a nap...

 Looks super comfy doesn't it?

 

If you are the praying sort... please pray for the pace of life here to let up just a little bit so that hopefully sometime soon I can organize some more eloquent thoughts for you all.... 

and so I don't lose my mind entirely....