Now You're My Whole Life

I just need to have some time to think about my sweet three year old. He is growing too fast for my heart to keep up. The days are long when you're in the trenches raising children, but you look up and think where did that week, month, year go? This is where I am. How can my baby boy be nearly 3 and a half. He's wild. He wakes up each morning ready to face the day with an energy that I can't match that early. He is persistent. He is passionate about what he wants. He loves Jesus and knows that he is loved. He is silly. He makes us all laugh a good bit of the time. He loves to eat. You can't tell it, but he loves food. He loves frozen yogurt, fruit snacks, and has a sweet tooth like his parents. This boy I love has to know what's next. He loves a routine and a plan. He will fight you when you tell him it's nap time, but falls asleep and sleeps hard. He's not too crazy about mama leaving him at school. I think it's because he believes th...

Our baby is growing up! When the 9th rolled around this month I couldn't believe our little girl had been with us for 7 months. Maggie is full of smiles, she loves to babble and gets very excited telling us all about it. Her favorite toy is her little orange monkey that was passed down from brother. She LOVES that little thing. She also sticks her tongue out all of the time. I will have to go back and see when Vann did this because I remember him doing this as well! It cracks us up. She sleeps through the night 75% of the time now. When we moved into our new house she was 3 months old. She was a great sleeper and then around 3 and 1/2 months she was waking up around 1:30 am. So when Maggie began sleeping through the night about 2 weeks ago we were ecstatic! She's finally decided she wants to eat food! At Maggie's 6 month appt she was almost 14 lbs. Trust me she nurses a lot and when I pack bottles she sucks them down and is content. A couple of weeks ago ...

A sleeping toddler is a priceless thing to witness! I love when I sneak in after Vann has fallen asleep and I can watch him rest peacefully. I take that time to say a prayer and thank God for my son. With that said, to get him to sleep is at times a different story and once upon a time to keep him in his room was an issue as well. Around the time he was two and a half and Maggie was born, Vann began getting out of his bed earlier and sometimes not staying in bed for his full nap. I posted asking for some recommendations because 5:45 am was a bit crazy to be waking up when we didn't have to. A few friends told me to check out the OK to Wake! Children's Alarm Clock. I didn't have anything to lose so I ordered the clock. It was at my door 2 days later and I made a BIG deal out of it. I told Vann how this little "friend" was there to help him sleep and he would light up green when it was ok to come see Mommy and Daddy in the morning. At naptime it can also ...

Ladies, This post is for you! If you are friends with me on Facebook then you know I share a blog called "Scissortail Silk" quite frequently. The author is my friend Becky Thompson and she shares wisdom about being a wife and mom on her blog and in her book "Hope Unfolding". I came across the book and it hit my heart deep. It was like we were sitting on a couch chatting with one another while I was reading. I have shared it with so many mama friends and they have all loved reading it and finding they're not alone while listening to God's voice in the crazy midst of raising a family. So, when the news came that she was publishing a new book and I could apply to be on the launch team, I jumped at the chance! After waiting a few weeks an email that I was selected was chosen. Then her new book showed up in my mailbox! Each launch team member got a copy a few months early and started reading as a group of about 200. The tagline for the book is "Rediscove...

One reason I blog is to help me remember the day to day. I have the worst memory, so blogging really helps! Vann says funny things all of them time, but they seem to be getting even more humorous! Here are a few:  Several weeks ago I talked Ryan into buying one of the wire head scratchers. We love it! Vann had it and I told him not to bend it because it was mommy and daddy's  Vann: It's not yours, it's mine.  Me: No, it's mine but we can share.  Vann: No, it's not because it has my brain and my germs on it.  On one of our car rides we began talking about what to do if one of our friends got hurt or needed help and this led into a "stranger danger" conversation. This is a hard concept to teach. Me: Strangers are everywhere. Some are nice and some can be mean. Vann: I've seen a stranger before at the "flea waxer". Me: Really, what's the flea waxer? Vann: You know, it's the doctor's office.  After ...

Vann,  It's back to school for you! Daddy, Maggie, and I dropped you off this morning. Your teachers Miss Erin and Miss Leisa greeted you in your classroom. You went straight in and I had to grab a quick kiss because you were ready to play. You did tell me and Daddy last night that you'd miss us while you were gone. You were dancing as I tried to snap photos of you before school! You had a great first day at your new school, made new friends, and enjoyed learning! 

Oh Maggie!  You are 4 months! You are so happy and such a sweet joy to all of us!  You SMILE so big and it gets even bigger when you see your brother. You think he is so funny.  You are a little more than 12 lbs, getting longer, and eating like a champ! You are nursing, but we get to add in cereal, an orange veggie, and a green one for now!  You have found your voice and use it lots. You love to squeal and giggle. You copy us and mimic sounds to "talk" back to us.  You are strong and can pull your self up when I give you my hands. You like to bop around on your legs.  You are sleeping in your crib now. You've done a great job with the transition. You like to be swaddled, but manage to get your arms out. Last night you had rolled onto your side and slept like that for a bit.  You stayed overnight at Mimi and Papa's and did a great job.  You will finally take a bottle from us. We were afraid you weren't goi...