This Is What Love Is

Love is snuggling you in the wee hours of the morning, when the rest of the world is asleep.

Love is picking you up when you cry and feeling you melt into my neck and sigh, knowing that Mommy has you.

Love is hearing you discover your little voice.
Love is watching your face light up at the sight of me coming towards you.

Love is saying over and over, "She is seven and a half months old and yes, I know she's tiny. I wouldn't want her any other way."

Love is accepting and loving the fact that you aren't sitting up yet or doing all the things that people say you "should" be.

Love is staring into your eyes and knowing with my entire being, that there is nothing that I wouldn't do for you.

4th of July

I absolutely adore the 4th of July. It is my favorite holiday and I love living in a small town and experiencing all that a small town has to offer.
My day started out with the 5K that I did with Nannette. (Pictures to come as soon as she emails them to me...hint...hint...).
Following that, was the town parade, where the kids got about their weight in candy. After a dutch oven dinner at my house with friends and family, we sat on the high school lawn and watched an amazing fireworks show.
I love the close community feeling that this day brings. Running into old friends, showing off how big my children have gotten and the smiles on every one's faces just can't be beat.

~my beautiful family~

~fighting aside, they really do love one another~

~they are all getting so big~
~all american kids~

~loving on peanut~
~she loved the day's festivities too~

This year we were so lucky to have a friend of mine from my "Mommy Blog" come to stay with us for the weekend. Lindsay, Kasper and their son, William, just moved to the States from Sweden. Lindsay is from here, but Kasper is from Denmark and William was born in Sweden six months ago. They moved here so that Kasper could continue his education at Duke University. Luckily, they decided to do some traveling before setting down for the school year, and we were able to meet. The babies have had so much fun together and I feel like I've known Lindsay forever. Their little family fits in easily with ours and we are really going to miss them when they leave.

~william and presley~
~decked out for their first 4th of july~

~watching the fireworks: me, pres, lindsay & william~

I hope you all had a fabulous holiday weekend and took some time to remember our troops. We are the land of the FREE...because of the BRAVE.

Someone Misses Grandma

I found this picture that Bailey drew.

I don't know how hard it is to see...but it's a picture of "Angel Grandma" above her headstone and she is saying, "I will miss you guys."

Wow...if that doesn't break your heart...

The Eyes Are The Window To The Soul

Looking through my pictures, I realized how many I have of my children's eyes. I love looking into their eyes. They all have big, expressive, bright, beautiful eyes.
I love these little people. From the tops of their heads, to the bottoms of their feet.

Oh, Avery...

Avery: "Mom, how does a baby get in a belly?"
Me: (On geez...here we go...let's try this first...) "Heavenly Father puts the baby in the mommy's belly."
Avery: "Oh."
Me: *thinking* "Whew...dodged that..."
Avery: "But how?"
Me: (Or not...) "Umm, when a mommy and daddy are married, they make a baby."
Avery: "But how does the baby get in the belly?"
Me: "Well, the daddy touches the mommy and the baby goes in the mommy's belly." *thinking* "PLEASE don't ask me anymore!"
Avery: "Does Heavenly Father make toys and put them in Santa's sack, too?"
Me: "Well no...that's the elves..."

Seven Months

We took advantage of my friend, Crystal's beautiful backyard, to take some cute pictures of Pres. I cannot believe that seven months has already passed. What a beautiful little girl she is. Her sweet personality makes me fall in love with her over and over again.

Packing Away My Past

I hate doing laundry as much as the next person, but today...laundry made me cry.
I went through all of the kids clothes today, taking out any that were too small. When I got to Presley's I took out all of her preemie, newborn and 0-3 month clothes. I sat there holding those tiny little clothes, remembering how even some of the preemie clothes were too big on her, a short seven months ago.
Miniature onesies and teeny pajamas...some even too small to fit a doll. When Presley was in the NICU, I asked about the clothes that the babies wear, during their stay. The nurse said that some were donated and some were bought by them. I knew then, that when she outgrew her preemie and newborn clothes, we would donate them, for other little babies to wear as they waited to go home. Presley and I will go bring those next week (I hope!) and see some of her nurses. Wait until they see how "big" she has gotten!
As if the tiny clothes weren't enough to tear me up, there were all of the 0-3 month clothes. Some of those started with Bailey and made their way down. Tiny dresses that they looked so cute in. Pajamas they all wore, that I would snuggle them to sleep in. Cute little outfits, with the hat to match.
I packed those away for the last time. I wasn't packing them away "until next time"...because there won't be one. I'll never again snuggle my new baby in those soft pajamas. I'll never show off my baby girl in one of those dresses.
It's a strange feeling when you realize that another phase of your life is over. Childhood...gone. Teen years...gone. Years of being surprised by pregnancies or hoping for pregnancies...gone. Months of being pregnant and anxiously awaiting my new baby...gone. My twenties...rapidly going...
I've learned all too well the last couple years, that life is too short. Days pass in a blur and become months. Months melt into years and become decades. I need to appreciate the now...not dwell on the past and not stress about the future. But, like many things...that is easier said, than done.
All of this reflection on life...because of some teeny, tiny clothes.

Multi-tasking Is My Middle Name

I'm currently sitting in Chemistry class.
I'm listening to lecture and taking notes.
I'm also catching up on my work.
In addition, I'm catching up on blogs., in between my work website going up and down.
All at the same time.
Anyone want some cookies?
Perhaps I can find a way to make some of those, too.

Presley's Third Letter To Grandma

Dear Grandma,
It's now been more than a month since you left us. You've missed an entire month of my life! That makes me sad, but it makes me even sadder when I realize that you are going to miss so much more.
It's not fair, Grandma. My sisters and brother got so much time with you. I'll never get to bake cookies with you or go on my birthday lunch with you. I'll never get to hold your hand as you walk me around the yard to look at flowers. You'll never get to cheer me on at my first soccer game, like you did on so many Saturday mornings for Bay and Ry. I'll never get to have my first sleep over with you.
I hate that you are missing out on so much...and that I am missing out on so much, too. A big part of my sisters and brother's memories have you in them...I will never get to say, "Remember when Grandma....".
Mommy has been looking at old pictures and she has realized how many of them, have you in them. Front and center, or off to the side, in the background...you are there. So many days that she took for granted that you would always be there. So many forgotten memories.
But, you will never be forgotten, Grandma. Mommy sees you in so many things. She sees you in Bay's gentle ways and in Ry's shy smile. She sees you in Avery's sense of humor and hears you in Luke's giggle. She even sees you in me, Grandma. Mommy looks into my eyes and sees Heaven and perfection.
Mommy just wishes that she could really see and hear you.
I love you, Grandma. Please keep coming to visit me. Mommy loves to watch me break into a great big smile, while staring at "nothing".
Love,
Presley

Velcro Baby Disease

I've developed a tumor.
It's about 12.5 lbs.
It's usually on my right hip, but it has been known to migrate.
Whenever I try to detach said tumor, it screams.
I think the tumor is developing teeth.
Good thing the tumor is cute...or I'd be getting some funny looks.

When Life Gets Crazy...

...I'm often reminded of why I've chosen the life I live.

It's moments like this...stolen in the night...when I see the bigger picture. When I realize that the day to day chaos is nothing more than that...one day.

Ultimately I am here for my children. Not to mold them into who I think they should be...but to be their guide on their own discovery.

Too often I left the world determine who I am and what is expected of me, when I really need to focus on what I expect of myself. I expect myself to face every day with the goal of achieving one thing...be the best mother that I can be.

I love these little people, more than anything else in this world. Crazy as they make me...they also make me smile. They make me laugh. They make me cry. They make me mad.

They make me...me.

In Case You Thought I Was Kidding

Yesterday was not just a "once in a while" thing. Messy Boy Wonder is at it again. It's a good thing he was born with those big, brown eyes. They are the only thing saving him from a lifetime of solitary confinement.

Reason 326,734 Why I'm Insane

This is what I woke up to this morning...

Playing Catch Up

I've had some pictures on my camera I've been meaning to download for the last couple weeks.
Spring soccer season is over. All three girls had a lot of fun playing and Luke can't wait to start playing in the fall.
Ryleigh wanted a cake with worms in it for her birthday, so we found the recipe for "Dirt Cake" that Mom used to make when her kids were little. It was SOOO yummy and a big hit with all the kids.

Presley's big eyes...just cause she's cute!

One of my friends Michelle, from my "mom blog", sent this cute outfit for Presley. She looked so cute in it! Thanks again!

We had sunshine for all of 15 minutes the other day, so I brought the kids to the park to run off some energy and play with their cousin. Sadly, it started raining again shortly after we got there, but they had some fun anyway!

Alright, I've wasted enough time blogging...back to homework!

Irony

Websters dictionary defines irony as "incongruity between the actual result of a sequence of events and the normal or expected result".
I define irony as living with high winds, torrential rainfall and flooding...yet losing my power today...the first sunny day of the last two and a half weeks.
Things that make you go, hmmm....