Thanksgiving #1

Now that Mia is feeling better, we were able to have Thanksgiving dinner with our family!  My mom and dad came over a little bit earlier than the others to get a little time in :)

My mom managed to get both of my girls to take a nap!!

There is nothing fake/posed about these pictures.  My girls were OUT!  They love their Meme!



Aaaannddd, that is all the pictures I got :(  We were so busy visiting and eating and talking I didn’t take any other pictures.  Good and a bad thing.

This year, like every year, I am thankful for the loving God we serve, my husband, the family that He has blessed me with, my two happy and healthy children, our home, etc.  I realize that we live in abundance and are infinitely more blessed than we deserve.

So, so fortunate.

A case of the sickies

Mia started running a fever this past Monday.  We thought it was just a fluke thing that would be over in about 24 hours.  WRONG.  She ran a constant, persistent high fever for about 4 days.  I sent a text to her doctor on Tuesday night to give him an update and then called him on Wednesday.  He said to go ahead and bring her in since they would be closed on thanksgiving.  When we got there, her temperature was 104.7 axillary (and she had had Tylenol 2 hours previously) and I immediately started crying!!  I HATE when my babies are sick and miserable.  They started stripping her down and all she was saying was “Mommy I’m cold.  I wanna hold you.”  My heart was absolutely breaking.

They ran a strep test which was negative.  Stated it was a virus, with an ear infection on top of it.  As much as I don’t want her to have an infection of any sort, I just hate it always being “viral” because I want to fix her and give her something to get better.

So we had to postpone our thanksgiving until the Saturday after.  We laid around the house and stayed on a constant cycle of Motrin and Tylenol.

And had ice cream for breakfast.  Because in this house, when you run a high fever and feel like absolute crap, you get what you want for breakfast…



And we took LOTS of naps…

You know this kid is SICK when she takes TWO naps, voluntarily, in a day.

So thankful this sickness is out of here!!

Baby/doggy cuddles

I just can’t help it.  I adore these kind of pictures.  Sam is SO so sweet with my human babies!

High School girls night!!

I worked this afternoon until 3, and then Mia went to spend the night with Meme and Poppy, because I was hosting a girls night/sleep over for our high school Juniors at church!!  We ordered pizza, ate Oreos, played games and laughed!  The girls really enjoyed looking through our photo albums and laughing (at my expense!) at how silly and different Dave and I looked way back then!  It’s cool because they were looking at pictures of us, at their current age!  Boy, did I feel old!!  We had such a great time!

Sam, on the other hand, didn’t know what to think about all of these girls in her house.  She was super angry at first, but she slowly warmed up.  However, she was being very protective of me.  a couple of the girls managed to get a picture of her possessiveness of me…


I just love my personal protector :)

We stayed up until about 2am (this mama felt like she got hit by a truck the next day! HA!) and then Dave brought us all home donuts!
We had such a great night!  LOVE all those special girls and love watching them become godly women!  So glad I get to be a part of their lives.

Lets swing!

Today was an excellent weather day, especially for November.  We decided to go to our trusty close-to-home dog park to let the two older girls burn off some energy.  Sam has so much energy, but with the weather getting cooler, Mia doesn’t want to go outside.  And Sam?  LOVES the cold!

Little Finley LOVES the swing.  She giggles the whole time :)



Slide with daddy!  Mia and Sam were off running like crazy!


We had a very chill night after daddy went to work.  You know, the typical pick up the house, feed the children, let the dog out, bathe the children, do some laundry, put the kids to bed dance that mom’s do nightly.

This girl is NOT picky!!  Eating cooked carrots, strawberries and cheese…

Check on the teefers

Today was Mia’s 6 month dental cleaning/exam.  While I was trying to get ready, Finley was supposed to be napping and big sister was supposed to be watching her show.  When I come out to check on them, this is what I find…


Oh these sisterly shenanigans.  Love them. 

Just me and my big girl went to her appt., and she did great, for the most part.  She is terrified of certain, silly things, like lying back in the chair!  HA


I mean, could she look any more like a teenager???

After her cleaning.  Checking them out with the little mirror!!


Sweet Dr. Hansford showing her all of the instruments and explaining what she is doing with each of them.

Notice her one leg half way off the table?  Gotta have one foot out of the door in case she needs to escape, quickly!  HAHA

We then stopped and grabbed lunch and then I had to run by work for a required vaccine.  Love spending one-on-one time with each of my babes.


Later that night, I was busy doing something and I told Mia to take my phone and go take a picture of Finley, to show me what she was doing (she was in her bed).  She brought back this picture…


:)
Mia is such a HUGE helper and loves her baby sister.  I am SO thankful for their age difference.  At first, I wanted all of my kids at least two years apart, but then God had a different plan, and I am so thankful He did!!

Oh my little ladies

These sweet sister girls of mine?  Have my heart. 

 

 

I love how their personalities are so different.  Opposite, actually.  I get the best of both worlds!

 

The sassy diva:

 

A little parrot.  Nothing is more humbling than hearing your words come out of her mouth.  Reality check.  Check.  The other day, daddy was doing something silly, Mia placed her hands over her forehead, looked at me with side eyes and said “Dad is SO annoying” in her most like 13 year old voice and tone.  WOW.

Girlfriend can also cut straight to the core.  I was making her have nap/quiet time and she looked at me and said “Mom, I don’t love you anymore.”  BURN. Although I don’t know where she heard that, because those words don’t come out of our mouths, it kind of hurt.  But I know she is 4, so I told her that was ok and I still love her anyway. She came around real quick :)

Honestly, I could go on and on about the repeats and things that come out of her mouth, but quite frankly, I am embarrassed, because they came straight from her mama.  She also has her VERY sweet moments and sayings as well.  She is so compassionate and loving, especially if you are hurt.  I think she may end up being a caregiver or nurse like her mama.

 

 

This little sweet cheeks, although not old enough to talk and rat me out, is as sweet as they come.  She loves to just watch and be with her big sister.  She laughs at Mia and wants to hang out in her room and play toys with her.  I know there will come a time when they fight and disagree, but I hope that deep down they are always close and BFF’s!

Finley just started to clap today and it is the cutest thing.  She is also blowing raspberries, on demand.  I die.

 

 

I am mildly obsessed with these two human beings.  I am beyond grateful for God giving them to me.

 

 

When I think about “what did I ever do to be blessed with such amazing kids”, I realize that I didn’t do anything.  There is nothing I could/can do to deserve anything, much less, them.  It is all because of HIM.  His endless amount of grace and mercy and love.  I actually become overwhelmed when I think of His love.  For me, for them.  And although I feel as if they are all mine, I know, they are His.  And I am so, so blessed and thankful that He trusted and loved little ole me enough, to raise them, to know Him.  I know I fall short, every single day, but I will continue to do my best, to lead them to the One, the ultimate lover of their souls.

 

My heart is so full and my cup runneth over.

Maybe it’s just hormones??

Or maybe I’m just emotional.  Or having a moment.

NO I’M NOT PREGNANT.  Lets just clear that up right now.

Ever hear a song and you immediately think of a certain person?  Like, the person or the relationship you have with them? No?  I do. 

For instance, every time I hear “Mine would be you” by Blake Shelton, I think of my husband.  I love this song.  It’s my ring tone for when he calls.

 

What’s your all time high, you good as it gets?  You hands down best ever make-up sex?  What’s your guilty pleasure, your old go to? 

Well if you asked me, MINE WOULD BE YOU.

What’s you worst hangover, your best night yet?  Your 90 proof, your Marlboro Red?  The BEST damn thing you lucked into?

That’s easy (boy), MINE WOULD BE YOU.

Mine would be you, sun keeps shining, back road flying, singing like crazy fools, making up our own words, laughing till it hurts!  Baby if I had to choose my BEST DAY EVER, my finest hour, my wildest dream come true,

MINE WOULD BE YOU!!!

 

 

…Can you tell me, the one thing you’d rather die than lose?  MINE WOULD BE YOU.

And the Paramore song “Still into you”

 

Can’t count the years on one hand that we’ve been together.  I need the other one to hold you, make you feel better.  It’s not a walk in the park to love each other, but when our finger interlock, can’t deny YOU’RE WORTH IT!

Cause after all this time

I’M STILL INTO YOU!!!!

I should be over all the butterflies but I’m into you!  And baby ever on our worst night, I’m into you.  Let ‘em wonder how we got this far, cause I don’t really need to wonder at all.  Yeah, after all this time,

I’M STILL INTO YOU!!!

I love this guy something awful!  I am so thankful God brought us together 15 years ago :)

***********************

We were riding down the road today, just Mia and I when the Katy Perry song “Roar” came on.  I immediately applied this to HER and (here’s “the moment” part) instantly got a little teary. Stupid.  But just looking over her little 4 years of life and her personality, I just see her ROARING!!

 

…You hear my voice, you hear that sound, like thunder gonna shake the ground.  You held me down, but I got up!  Get ready cause I’ve had enough!  I see it all, I see it now

I GOT THE EYE OF THE TIGER, A FIGHTER, DANCING THROUGH THE FIRE, cause I am a CHAMPION and you’re gonna hear me ROAR!  Louder, louder than a lion, cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me ROAR! 

 

Now I’m floating like a butterfly, stinging like a bee, I earned my stripes.  I went from zero, to my own hero.  You held me down, but I got up, already brushing off the dust, you hear my voice, you hear that sound.  Like thunder gonna shake the ground.

I GOT THE EYE OF THE TIGER, A FIGHTER, DANCING THROUGH THE FIRE, cause I am a champion, and you’re gonna hear me ROAR!!!

 

This firstborn baby girl of mine is certainly a fighter and we already hear her ROAR!!  I can’t wait to see what that feisty little personality brings in the future.  Maybe.  Just a little scared.

Sorry for the somewhat-emotional-completely-corny post. It was on my brain and it had to come out :)

A wonderful weekend

This past weekend (or past few days) was probably one of my favorites I’ve had in a while.  Besides the left side of my face about to throb off and the little 8 hour work gig on the side, it was fantastic!!!
Thursday, we got up early, I took Mia to school, we let daddy get caught up on sleep and Finley and I went to have breakfast with Meme and Poppy.  After breakfast, I had to run to the dentist, again, to have this socket packed, and then we went to pick up Mia.  After picking her up, we headed to Kohl's to go shopping!  After a little shopping, we had lunch at McAlister's, came back and picked up Ben from school and visited the sweet little puppies for a bit.

Playing in the cart at Kohl's!


Sweet puppies!!

My personal favorite puppy, MJ!!  He just loves to cuddle!!

Meme and her girls at McAlister's!


We then headed out to do a bit more shopping/browsing, this time with Uncle Ben!

Pops and Mia…


Visiting the Disney store, Mia’s FAVE!


And of course, you should always eat before you get hungry (LOL, inside joke on Meme!), so we had dinner at Chuy’s!



Friday, Meme had to work and I needed to get Mia’s last Christmas gifts, so Finley and I picked Poppy up and we 3 went back to the mall!  You can never go to the mall TOO much :)  Poppy even bought the girls their Christmas gifts!  Thank you for being so generous Poppy!
After shopping, Daddy picked Mia up and met us at a local restaurant called the “Mussel and Burger Bar.”  It was AH-MAZING!!  We came home, had naps and then Meme, Poppy and Ben came over to keep up company!!
Saturday morning I had to work until 3, then we went out to dinner to celebrate the finalization of Jackson’s adoption!!!  He is such a loved little guy!  Welcome to the family baby Jack!!
Sunday, we ALL (my family, along with mom, dad, and Ben) went to church!  I was so happy to have us all there together :)  After church, Poppy took us to lunch at a delicious place called Mitchell’s Fish Market.  Even Finley like the salmon!!  We then all came home and had a lazy Sunday, lounging in comfy’s on the couch.
It was the perfect ending to a GREAT past few days.



I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE spending time with my family and loved ones, you are never promised another day and I do NOT take them for granted.  I am so thankful for all of my loved ones.  I love you all more than you will ever know!

Finley is 10 months old!

Little lady,
Today is the 10 month anniversary of our lives completely changing, for the better.  Way better.  Before you were born, I thought our lives were just fine, which, they were, and I didn’t think I could ever love another child as much as I did Mia.  You can read all about these moments in other posts.  I questioned my selfishness in having another baby, all the way up until the day you were born.  But on this day, 10 months ago, I was proven wrong.  So, SO wrong. 



You came in this world and instantly stole our hearts.  I immediately was just as in love with you as I was/is your sister.  I knew the moment you came out I would lay my life down for you.  My love for you is so crazy strong, it literally takes my breath away thinking about it.



Finley Claire, you continue to be an absolute joy to everyone you come in contact with.  I know I say this in every post, but I just keep waiting for the walls to come crashing down and you turn into this demanding, cranky baby.  It’s just not happening.  You smile and wave frantically at anyone who will talk to you.  Heck, you even wave at people just passing by, who aren't’ talking to you.  Everyone, and I do mean everyone, who comes into contact with you, tells us how sweet and cute you are.  They adore your smile and your sweet little personality.  You are infectious and your smile is contagious.



This month we have started supplementing with Similac Organic or Similac Sensitive; I have completely quit pumping and we nurse before bed, in the middle of the night (if you wake up) and first thing in the morning.  We may have a sporadic day time nursing session here and there, but it is totally random when/if we do.  You are eating so much more big people food.  You even turn your nose up at baby food now.  I am sad about our nursing relationship coming to an end, but you are weaning yourself.  Please don’t grow up too fast baby girl, your mama needs a little more time!



You sleep in your bed at night.  Typically we go in and rock/nurse, then I put you in your bed (awake), and walk out between 730-830.  You usually sleep straight through until around 330-530.  We nurse at that time.  Back to bed until around 7.  We nurse and get up for the morning.  You are usually ready for your morning nap around 9-10. We then have breakfast/bottle and play for a few hours.  You take two more naps through the day, but you are very go-with-the-flow and will take small car naps, but it never affects your mood.  You are happy as a clam, no matter what the nap situation!!  It’s a good thing, because I feel like we are always on the go!



You are crawling around like crazy.  Your favorite place to jet off to is Mia’s closet!!  That big sis has ALL the fun stuff :)  You have started pulling up while playing, but just here recently, you have started pulling up in your bed! Guess it’s time to lower the mattress!!  You love to feed yourself, take baths with big sis, play with the dog and be talked to.  You are so silly that you think it’s funny when I bulb suction your nose! HAHA



You say mama, dada and dahdah (dog dog).  You have said “bahbah” (bye-bye) once!  You are learning so much everyday.
You are absolutely a mama’s girl!!  When I walk in a room, you just light up and smile SO big.  If I walk out without acknowledging you, you cry!  You also love your blankie and paci!
You aren’t quite as tough as your big sister (she had to be, from the beginning), you get your feelings hurt WAY easier than Mia!  You are my little sensitive Susie, and I love it and your sweetheart!!



Finley, we love you OH SO MUCH!  You bring us even more happiness than we thought was possible.  You are an absolute delight to have and I am so blessed to be your mama!  You rock my world, sweet sweet girl!



We love you, forever and ever.

What’s been going on??

This post is going to be an update, of sorts, with mostly pictures telling the story.  Since the last post we…

Have visited the new pups (multiple times)!  Mia can’t get enough, neither can I, of them, especially the little female that looks like the momma.  We call her “Lil Lay” (Layla is the mama!)

Here she is actually holding MJ (Mash Jr.), because Lil Lay had to eat.  She settled for this guy :)


We had story/craft time Pajama party at Mia’s school…



Cuddled (lots and lots) with these squishy cheeks…


Mia somehow managed to get poison ivy…



And this girl.  Just Sam, being Sam, acting like a lap dog…



We looked through magazines and very carefully circled our “wishes” for Christmas…



This little just likes to hang out with sis…


Mama was right there the whole time.  No baby was left alone or harmed during the taking of this picture :)

DADDY AND MOMMY GOT A DATE NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It was to a friends wedding, but we got to dress up {{GASP}} and hang out with friends and drink wine and have adult conversation and dance and and and!!!  My husband dated me that night!  He opened my door, held my hand, etc. 
IT.WAS.FABULOUS.



Who are these people???

I just love my man!

More puppy cuddles…
Mama holding Bandit and Big Hoss; Mia with Lil Lay!


And there were some daddy cuddles in there too :)


And Sammy cuddles!  HAHA


We bought Finley a new convertible car seat, so the girls got a new play house!


Big girl in her new seat…

Why do these babies have to grow up sooo fast??

And my man, because he’s so stinking HOT!!


While big sis is away, the girls will play…


And lastly {{cue: cutest picture ever}}

I walked outside for just a minute to see what the husband was up to, left the door open, turned around and this is what I saw.  How stinking sweet is that??

So, that’s what we’ve been up to.  In a nutshell.