Family Time at the Grocery Store

**DISCLAIMER: I am not a fun hater. I usually welcome any chance to giggle or add some fun to a situation. However, on this particular day, I was not up for much fun. Thank goodness for my hubby!**

A friend of mine said it best when she posted a picture of her son with a little red shopping cart on Facebook and said they are "the best and the worst thing ever". I COMPLETELY agree. On Saturday, Hubby, myself and alllllll of our kids headed to Fareway to get our groceries for the upcoming week and supplies for Christmas candy making. As I cringed when I saw the little red grocery carts and quickly tried to hustle everyone past them, my amazing, fun, awesome-dad of a husband stopped and pointed them out. And offered one to each kid. It doesn't take ridiculous strength or a super power to be a hero to your kids, and I am pretty sure that morning, Dad was their hero. Rescuing them from a boring Saturday morning at the grocery store.
We started out, Hubs had a list, and I had a list. The first thing the girls asked for, I said yes. They were genuinely surprised, and I was too. I told them that they had a limit to things they could ask for, so choose wisely. I wouldn't always say yes, but they didn't need to ask for everything they saw, either. We continue on our way, getting everything on our list. And Drake throwing things in his cart too...I guess he had a list of his own! We are having fun. The kids only need a few reminders that this is not a go-cart track, but we are doing fairly well. There is one lady in particular who would disagree whole-heartedly. She was not very amused by our family outing. She would look at us and just shake her head. Then there were other people that would giggle and say "what good helpers you have!" There are two kinds of people.
We ended the trip, all pulling into the same check out line, coming in under budget for groceries, and loading into the van. All smiles--Thanks to my hubby and his nonchalant way of going about things, and not caring what other people in the store thought. I am grateful that he saw the potential for happiness that day. I was clearly not even looking for it. 

Lili Logic

This one is sweet....

There has been a little boy at school that is just not very loving (I have a strong sense that he doesn't get very much love at home and that's why he acts out at school). Lili sits at a table with him. Now, she has dealt with bullies before. Why does it seem that bullies are attracted to her? Or that she is always put next to the bully? Here's why... Because Liliana has thee biggest heart. She truly cares and understands compassion. This girl is going to do huge things. She is going to change the world. It gives me goosebumps.
We were talking about this little boy the other night, and I mentioned that he is angry because maybe anger is all he knows. Lili knows love because she is loved and is surrounded by love. Maybe this boy knows anger because he is surrounded by it. {Grab your tissues now} Lili looked at me with big, blue, sad little eyes and said, "Mommy, I want to make E a picture. And I will make him one every day so he can feel loved and then he will be nice to me. I will tell everyone at our table to do it too."
Oh, my little Liliana. How I love your heart. God is going to do great things with you. This is only the beginning...and even the beginning is changing me and making me better. 

Soccer Monster

Nervously hugging her Teddy on the
way to her first game.

"I am a soccer monster, I love a soccer ball.
I'd rather play soccer than do anything at all.
You can be the kicker, I will be the blocker
Doesn't really matter, as long as we play SOCCER!"

This is a beloved Backyardigans song. Aunt Sares instilled the love of the Backyardigans in Cadee nearly 8 years ago. Cadence LOVED to watch them and sing along (And she and Lili still have Backyardigan marathons once in awhile). She would go through phases of what her favorite episodes were, and this particular episode fits her life so perfectly right now.
We have our FIRST kid in their FIRST sport! Cadee has chosen to be a soccer monster! She has been practicing at home and has had team practices for about a few weeks now. Last Saturday (Sept. 7) was her VERY first game! She was timid, she had a nervous tummy, she wasn't sure what to eat before the game, she was projecting her nervousness onto me by being snappy and cranky...but the entire time she was with her team and on the field, she had a big ol' grin on her face (Except when I caught her attention yelling, "Cadee! Go get the ball, girl!" She didn't appreciate that very much..)!

My Little Soccer Monster

It was the highlight of my week watching her play, and I hope it will be for many many Saturdays to come. I had a vivid view of the future, a premonition if you will, the moment before we left for the game. I saw a high school girl sitting in front of me, hair all done up, soccer gear on, grabbing her ball and heading out the door to practice. It was a quick glimpse at what may come.
My Little Soccer Monster, you make me so proud! I am excited to cheer you on in whatever the future may hold for you. 

Sharing My Story

Baby Liliana

I am sharing my post-baby stories at Des Moines Moms Blog today and my experience with postpartum depression. A very personal blog post for me to share with our DMMB readers, but I feel it's pretty necessary. Moms need to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it's so hard to see that when you are in a dark place. 

Summer!

Things have been CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY busy around here! Yes, I had to type it 3 times. We have had so much fun this summer. Between the trips to see grandparents, to the splash park, to visit friends, sleepovers, play dates and SO much more, we have been filling our summer up with as much fun as possible. I am just a teeny tiny bit excited for school to start- just to have our routine back. But I will miss my girlies. They motivate me and keep me smiling. Drake is going to have a huge void to fill!

Top Ten Favorite Summer Memories:

~ Drake learned to walk this summer. We have all loved watching him toddle and master that skill!

~ I braved a day at a local beach with all three kids on my own! And it was probably one of the best days of our summer. We had such a great, relaxing (yes, relaxing! That can happen with 3 kids!), sunny day at the beach! Lots of giggles and thankful hearts that day.

~ All of my Thirty One parties have been so much fun! I have been able to catch up with friends, laugh, build confidence (and my inventory!), and just spend some good, quality girl time. 

~ Because of my sister's upcoming move to Arizona, we have been spending alot of time with her. And it has been nothing but sweet. We will miss her dearly, constantly, but I am beyond excited {and sometimes jealous} about her new adventure!

~ Des Moines Moms Blog has been thriving! And it has been sweet to meet some of the moms in our community! The contributor team is the most amazing group of women that God could have ever brought together, and I am flabbergasted that I was a part of that vision! I thank God for this group of encouraging, Christ loving, God fearing, beautiful, intelligent, trustworthy, prayerful, powerful, enlightening, amazing women each and every day.

~ We were a part of our friend's 30th birthday celebration! I love celebrating friends! And this particular friend has a lot to celebrate. 

~ My dad got us a small little pool early this summer. The girls used it everyday. Until it was too gross to use. Then it rained alot, so we dumped it out and [with all of the traveling my girls did this summer] we neglected to fill it up again. But it was definitely worth it and we hope to fill it up again!  

~ The girls had their very first "Homemade Lemonade" stand this summer! They LOVED it! It was fun to see their business and advertising skills developing. We will definitely do it again. It helps that we live across the street from some very sweet, elderly couples. They love our kids and go out of their way to visit with us and make us feel welcome. 

~ I *started* the summer reading the Bible (supposedly in a year, haven't been as faithful as I intended), and got my dad to read it with me. I love when he calls me and just starts telling me all about what he read and what he got out of it. God is good, all the time. There is truth in that great Book. Relevant truth.

~ The girls were excited when Lili lost her second tooth last week! Lili was excited because she's Lili and her genuine excitement when something new happens to her is contagious. Cadee was excited because Lili let her pull it out! In exchange for one item in her room. Haha love it!

There you have it. My top ten most memorable moments of the Summer of 2013. Or at least the ones I could remember. There were so many fun and memorable things that happened this summer! If something we did together didn't make the list, don't worry- you were number 11. 
Just a couple weeks of summer left before school starts back up! I hope to soak up all the fun and sun with my kiddos by my side in the next couple of weeks! 

Random Rachel

There is something magical to me about staying at a hotel. The smell of chlorine. The excitement. Cranking the a/c at night. Unlimited pillows. Eating out. Swimming to your heart's content. I just love it.

My Cadee Grace is growing up entirely too fast. I cannot believe she will be 9 years old this year. She is half way to being half my age. Yeah, do the math.

My new business of being a Thirty-One consultant has been such a fun adventure! I am loving it. And continue to love all of the free and discounted products I get in on. Top that all off with all of the sweet women I get to meet, and I am one blessed lady. The paychecks aren't bad either. (If you want to know how you can be a Thirty-One consultant, just ask me!) 

We got new bedding! Yahooooo!! But it's so hot in our room, that we are currently only using the sheets. 

I am not a fan of extreme, humid heat. Therefore, not a big fan of July.

The kids and I went to a beach last week. We had a blast! Just the 4 of us. Making memories. 

The girls are at grandmas' this week. Which means, this is the one week out of the year that I WILL catch up on dishes and laundry! 

Our Fourth of July was spent at a small town celebration in our area with just me, hubby and our babies. It was such a great evening. Filled with plenty of giggles, ooo's and ahhh's while the fireworks lit up the sky, and snoring in the van on the way home. 

Garage sales.... I'm not convinced they are worth the time and effort to have one. But, my girls had a "Homemade Lemonade" stand, and absolutely loved it. So, in the future, I will put more of my time and effort into their stand. 

I love my husband. And all of the ways he continuously reminds me just how much I mean to him. He is my rock. My main squeeze. My home. 

Ode to My Children's Father

The diapers are not always his duty,
The fits are not his to calm,
Oh how sweetly their tiny hands
Find their way to his palm.

His words are not sugar coated,
He is full of one-liners, of wit,
But he speaks truth and wisdom
When we definitely need to hear it.

He works hard and long,
For most of the day, they are apart.
But he loves these babies fiercely,
With all of his heart.

Some days are harder than others,
The training does not end.
When our children cry out "Daddy!",
My spirit begins to mend.

This man was made to be their daddy,
Made to wipe away their tears.
To make them feel loved and wanted
For many, many years.

Picture taken by Katie Evans Photography

Let Go and Let God.

I am a very passionate person. I don't just dip my toe in the pool and slowly step down the steps to get in. Stopping for awhile at each step to let myself get used to the temperature of the water. No, I am the person that walks to the deep end and DIVES IN. A little crazy? Maybe. Dangerous, even? Perhaps. I dive into things, whole heartedly. With everything I am. Marriage. Parenting. Blogging. Relationships. Church. Building my business. Being a homemaker. Baking. I am passionate about all of these things.
My downfall is that when I commit to something, I intend to accomplish it. I don't just test it... I dive in. It isn't until I'm in the very thick of it that I start to question if maybe I shouldn't have done it. This can be good and bad. Bad for obvious reasons... I start to doubt myself. I start to fail. I go absolutely crazy trying to do the impossible. Good because... When I get to that point of no return and I am wondering what the heck I was thinking, there is only one person that can fix it. And He never fails. This is what the Bible is talking about when it says... "But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me." (2 Corinthians 12:9) Where we fail, where we fall short, God is there to pull us through. To perfect us. He never intended for us to do it all on our own. We are human. We are not perfect. We WILL fail. But with Christ living in us, He will do the impossible.
My family mantra will always be- "Make a memory". But I think I will adopt "Let go and let God" as my personal mantra. I struggle with guilt and feeling immense amounts of guilt about the smallest things (ask my husband!) and being crippled by guilt about the big things. I think it will be best for everyone if I can just let that stuff go and let God take that burden of guilt.
Or when it comes to parenting. I can only do so much... God never wanted me to be supermom and to do it all. He gave me the children He gave me because He knew that we could grow and learn from one another. And that I would absolutely need to lean on Him on my toughest days.
Or, more recently, with my business. I could stress every day about how small my list of clients is or if I will meet my monthly goals, but that won't help anything! I need to do my best and realize that at the end of the day, my business will only be successful if I give it to God. 

Let Go and Let God.

ONE

Our precious little prince took his very first breath one year ago today. He captured our hearts. He fascinated his sisters. He made our love grow. Just twelve months ago, we heard his first little cry, watched him open his eyes for the first time and held him in our arms for the first of many nights. We fell in love with our little man just one year ago today. (You can read all about it here.)

After each baby, I am amazed at the family transformation that occurs. How completely in love with one little person we all are. How every smile, every cry, every giggle, even every fart has our attention. We fell in love with our Drake one year ago today, and every day since then, the love has grown. 

Image by Katie Evans Photography

I love seeing a big ol' toothy grin in the morning! With arms stretched up to me, anxious for my warm embrace.
I love when he hugs someone. He tucks his little hands beneath his belly and wiggles his butt back and forth trying to get as close as possible to you.
I love how he points to get you to move while you are holding him. One sweet little finger, directing you. Compelling you to move.
I love his belly laughs! They fill the room whenever his sisters tickle and play with him.
I love how he grunts for things. He has done this his entire life and it is still adorable.
I love the complete trust that he has in people. Trust to catch him if he misses a step, trust to follow him up the stairs, trust to keep him from harm. And I love that we all do those things.
I love that he adores his daddy. The bond they have is priceless.
I love his curiosity about everything he isn't supposed to have. Watching him explore his world is a gift straight from God.
I love the noise he makes when I am getting ready to nurse him. Like he can't get it fast enough. Sounds like a little puppy whimpering.

I love watching him watch things, people, animals. The world through his eyes is such a bright and wonderful place. Full of adventure and things to put in his mouth.
I love how he crawls. Cautious. Yet quick. He has been crawling for a few months now, but it still looks new to him. 
I love feeling his body give in to sleep. That moment when he melts into your arms.
I love it when he signs "more". Even if there is a lot of food in his mouth, he instantly signs for "more". 
I love watching him walk around the furniture. And how he will push around anything that moves just so he can walk. And how he can always convince someone to take his hand and walk with him. 
I love how completely different he is from his sisters. Yes, he has some of the same looks and traits as his sisters, but as a whole, he is entirely

Drake. 
I love that he wants me when he is hurt, tired, hungry, scared. 
I love when he brings me a book to read, but really just wants to flip through the pages as fast as he is allowed. 
I love his obsession with Cheerios. He would eat the entire box if I left it within his reach.

I love how silly he gets when someone new talks to him. He snuggles in to me and gives a shy little grin.
I love his (what seem like) endless dimples!
I love my baby boy. But above all of that, I love that I get to be his mama. I love that I am a part of his memories. I love that I get to wake up each day and do things with and for him. Because that's what it's all about. Loving and being loved.

Happy birthday, Drakey. You are such a light in our lives. Constantly glowing and making us shine brighter. We are so blessed to be your parents and to be a part of your joy. 

Lili Lost a Tooth!

Liliana came home last week so excited! She had a loose tooth! Every day I would get an update on how wiggly it was. She would show me her tongue skills and wiggle that little bugger back and forth, side to side. She loved that she had a loose tooth! I didn't try to convince her to pull it. I knew that the thought of forcing it out scared her and it would have to be her idea. She has treasured that loose tooth since the day she figured out it was loose! 

Can you tell which one it is??

We have talked about putting it under her pillow for the tooth fairy, but she has requested that she keep her first two teeth. She is sentimental like that, so I'm not surprised! 

Check out that gap! Too cute.

"Here, Mom, does this help??"

Random Rachel

It's been far too long since I've graced you with some randomness. Get ready...

* Drakers has cut 3 teeth as of right now. And another one is so very close! It's cute and all, but I am so over this whole "growing up" thing. 

* I started a business! SAY WHAAAT?! Well, I joined a business, rather. I am now proud to be a Thirty One consultant. Contact me for more info. 

* It was unseasonably hot today. Not warm, HOT. After it snowed merely 11 days ago. Craziness.

* I had one of Chick-Fil-A's new salads, and it was amazing. I also tried their new avocado lime ranch dressing. I was skeptical, but it was surprisingly very good!

* Drake is going to be 1 year old in 9 days. I can't handle it. 

* Liliana has her first loose tooth EVER! She was pretty stoked about it when she got home. And also terrified that someone would pull it. 

* Went to the dentist today. My gums hurt. Not-so-fun fact: Do NOT try to make a canker sore go away by swishing with Listerine or putting an open aspirin on it! That FRIES the open sore in your mouth and causes damage to the tissue there. Instead, get a prescription for this awesome stuff my dentist told me about. I'd tell you the name of it...but then I'd have to kill you. Just kidding. I really don't know the name though.

* Did I mention I'm just sick over the idea of my sweet baby boy growing up? Because it happens. Every day he gets a little bit older, a little bit more independent and a WHOLE lot more opinionated. 

* Enjoyed a family fun weekend at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo recently. It was oodles of fun!! And the weather was just gorgeous! (More to come on this later!)

* I really need to be making business cards for my business because I'm all business-y now, but I have no idea what I'm doing. And my brain is tired. Hence the randomness that is spewing out all over here...

* No matter how many times someone new comes to see my house, I get giddy and love to show it off. I love our home. It may not always be spotless and shiny, but that's what gives it its charm, right?? That you can see how lived in and loved it is?? That's my theory anyways!

* Inception is a crazy good movie. Every time I watch it, it hurts my brain, but I can't stop watching it.

* Drakey Paul turns 1 year next week. I think I'll go cry myself to sleep now... 

Road Trip and Circus Fun!!

Napping Lili

A couple weekends ago, the kids and I took off for Nana and Bapa's! You may think I am absolutely crazy for road tripping by myself with 3 children, but actually, it isn't all that bad. Cadence is a huge help in the van. She likes playing "mama" since I am busy driving. She helps Lili reach things, she soothes and entertains Drake, or she sits up front with me and keeps me company. I am always so impressed by the way she acts on a long car ride. Love that girl! I was also impressed with her ability to tell time, subtract time and figure out exactly what time it would be when we would arrive. If I told her, yes, we will stop for a potty break in a few minutes. She took that literally and would say- "So at 2:33, since a few is 2 or 3 minutes, we will stop?"
I noticed a pattern as we drove. The girls and Drake did great. They hung out in the back. Didn't fuss for a snack or drink. Watched the DVD player (must have, in my opinion). Giggled. Lili even napped (see picture)! But, it felt like Speed. There was a magic speed minimum in their heads and if I ever dropped below that, it triggered their enthusiasm..... "Are we there???! Where's Nana's?" Needless to say, they were excited to finally GET THERE! And get out of the car to tackle them with lovies. 

Cadee reading about salamanders

Every year, my sister gets us circus tickets through her work. It's a special thing for her to take the girls and I (and maybe Drakey next year) to the circus each spring. The girls look forward to it almost as much as Sares and I. Aunt Sares really spoils us at the circus. Treats, soda, a toy or two, and the girls each get to pick one thing to do at intermission (ride an elephant, a horse or a camel, jump in a bouncy house, hold a snake or have your face painted). This year, Cadee had her heart set on cotton candy annnnd.... Riding an elephant! We tried to get her to last year, but it was still scary then. She was brave and marched right up there and got on. Nevermind the fact that she held on for dear life the first couple laps! :) After that, she started to loosen up and actually lift her hand to wave at me. She thought it was pretty neat riding such a huge animal!

Liliana thought the clowns were fantastic. Of course she would, they have every color of the rainbow- and that's just on their head! As we walked around getting our treats, she wanted to stop and take a picture with each one. She chose to have her face painted. It was the least scary thing available. 

We had a great night with Aunt Sares! Some of our favorites were: Bo, the elephant. Always amazed at that. The girls that twirl on the ropes and scarf things, and later they twirl by their hair! We love the skit that the clown does where he winds up what appears to be a little stuffed elephant. It walks along and follows him and then falls over. In the end, the clown pulls a little dog out of the elephant costume. We laugh every time! And Lili was uber excited to see the man shoot out of the cannon! Thank you, Sares, for another memorable night. Looking forward to next year and seeing Drake's reaction to the sights, smells and sounds of the circus! 

Liliana Faith

My Liliana

My Liliana is sweet and kind.

She will rub your shoulders, 

She doesn't mind.

My Liliana has sass and flare.
She loves to dress up
And style hair.

My Liliana is beautiful and proud.
She sparkles and shines

In any crowd.

My Liliana loves to sing and dance.
Justin Bieber doesn't

Stand a chance.

My Liliana is funny and smart.

Her brain is as full

As her heart.

My Liliana, how I love her so.
It is amazing to
Watch her grow.

You have rocked my world since the moment you entered it. I cannot imagine life without your sweet smile and fierce lovies! 

Happy 6th birthday, sweet baby girl. I love you.

Nap Time

Ninety percent of the time, getting my little man to sleep is a cinch! Snuggling or nursing him in his room for 20 minutes or so and he slips into a nice little coma. However...the other ten percent of the time, LOOK OUT!! I'm not strict on schedules and routines, but I know when he needs some more sleep, especially when he's fighting some sort of virus or the night before was sleepless. These are the times when I say a prayer for supernatural peace, turn on my sweet voice, take a few deep breaths, and hunker down for some major sleep fighting.
I start out trying to nurse him. Usually I can tell within the first few moments if this is going to work or not. His eyes get droopy, his legs stop moving and he holds my hand ever so sweetly. Otherwise, he is a wiggly mess! He flails his legs and arms and does not nurse for long.
Next, we try the binky. He usually takes it, but once in awhile he tosses it! So, we start the tummy rubbing and humming. If he is being a real bear, he scratches at my hand with his razor sharp fingernails, and continuously tries to sit up and get down.
We hum. We rock. We bounce. We sing. We try nursing again. We massage. We wrap the blanket a little tighter... and an hour later- WALLAH! We have a snoring little man. Yes, it took an hour today. But it is those times when I have to remember that this too shall pass, and that some day, I will bitterly miss this. I will miss him reaching up at my face (not to caress, but to claw). I will miss him humming (not sweetly, but frustrated). I will miss every single little noise distracting him (and needing his immediate attention, in his mind). I will miss trying to protect my face and hands while still making sure he doesn't slip from my lap with all of the wiggling (while he fusses and completely trusts that I won't drop him!). 
Sleep training can wait. I need to get my fill of this while I can! 

Family Feud

Have you ever seen the game show "Family Feud"? The host asks a team a question and says "The top 5 answers are on the board!" I thought it would be fun to do some Family Feud styled surveys about our family.

Top 5 Reasons Liliana Gets Out of Bed After Being Tucked In:
She's thirsty.
She forgot to go potty.
Her undies are bugging her.
She can't fall asleep.
Her eye hurts. (Yes, the eye with her finger poking it.)

6 Popular Breakfast Items on a Weekday:
Cheerios
Pop tarts
Eggo waffles
Oatmeal
Fruit Loops
French Toast sticks

Top 7 Places You Can Find Drake Throughout the Day:
At the living room window.
Pulling all of the movies off of the DVD tower.
Crawling up on the fireplace.
In his highchair, with his apple juice.
Standing between the sliding door and the curtain.
Crawling towards the stairs.
Screeching at the open washer.

Top (AKA: Only) 5 Dinners Cadence Will Happily Eat:
Macaroni and cheese
Hot dogs
Chicken nuggets
Pizza
Spaghetti

Messy Thoughts

Fold the laundry....check.
Load the dishwasher....check.
Pick up the living room...check.
Clean girls' bathroom...check.
Get Cadee's snack for school...oh crud..is that tomorrow? No, I think that's next week. Where is that schedule? I think it's in this drawer. *dig, dig, dig* No, Drakey, you can't have that pencil. Ooo a coupon for laundry detergent. We are almost out. What else was I supposed to add to that list? Toothpaste? No. Dish soap? No. Let's go look upstairs and see if I can remember. (Standing in my room, thinking real hard about what I might need) Hm, I should make my bed. It always looks nicer in here when the bed is made. That reminds me, Drake peed through his jammies last night. I need to strip his bed! (After loading the washer with his bedding..) Drakey? Drake! Oh, hey buddy. What are you doing in my bathroom? Oh yuck. I need to sweep this floor. C'mon. Let's go get the broom, mister. (Open the pantry to get the broom) Ooo! Hot chocolate mix. That sounds good. (Looking for milk in the fridge) Shoot. Not enough left for dinner tonight. Where's my list? I need to get groceries. Oh yeah, Cadee's snack. C'mon, Little Man, let's go get you dressed. 

Dear February

You have brought some heartache, death and sickness to my life. But I choose not to dwell on the bad. I am forcing myself choosing to be joyful and reflect on all of the good that our family got out of this month. 
You have brought us abundant family time. With both of my families. I was able to endure and enjoy a car ride with my kids to Nana and Bapa's- 3 hours away. We spent time with friends, family and the great outdoors. Hubby and I were able to make the trek to visit his family for his brother's birthday as well. 
You developed my son in leaps and bounds! I was almost kinda concerned that he wasn't crawling much, waving or pulling himself up yet. Now he does all that and more! Including sitting up in the tub, transitioning from standing to sitting, crawling to sitting, entertaining himself in his room, and so much more. What a blessing to be here and see all of these changes.
You have given me a million reminders as to why being a stay at home mom is exactly where I'm needed right now. With all of the sickness, I have been here. Snuggling my kids, wiping their noses and fetching them water. 
You have dropped alot of snow on us! It has been so fun watching the girls play outside together. Giggling and wrestling in the snow. In fact, the most recent snow storm brought the perfect snowman snow! Plus, a half a day off from school! 
You have prompted a most perfect date day with my oldest daughter. That day will be forever in my memory. And hopefully in hers as well.
You held a meeting with some very special women in my life. I was honored to sit in a circle with all of them brainstorming about the future of Des Moines Moms Blog. And sip a latte. 
You were the first date night Hubby and I have had without a baby present since before Drakey was born. I spent the entire day prepping for it- doing my hair, nails, make up and picking out my clothes. I love getting a little fancy for my hubby. 
You hosted my dad's and nephew's birthday celebration! While we did miss my sister for this, we enjoyed pizza and yellow cake with peanut butter frosting (Dad's fave!). Lots of kids in our home, and we didn't see them very much! It's awesome to have several levels for entertaining. 
Ok, February, you weren't so bad. But, I will gladly welcome March tomorrow with the hope of spring and sunshine. Thank you for the sweetness that you filled my life with. You can keep your hardships. Please don't infect March with them...give Her a chance to be beautiful and blessed. 

Date Day with my Peanut

Today, I did something that I hadn't done in a long loooong time. I took my daughter on a date! She didn't go to school this morning due to an orthodontist appointment (yes, ORTHODONTIST! Aaa!!). We were able to extend our time together this morning and have a date. It was so nice to hear her giggle, see her silliness first-hand and listen to her go on and on about how great her day was this evening. My little peanut is growing up so fast. I cannot believe she is 8 years old. I loved being able to sit and chat with her over lunch and talk about school. About her friends. About what she likes to do and eat. About her having her own room again. About everything Cadee. 
See, no one tells you about the bittersweetness of motherhood. And even if someone had tried, you have to experience it yourself to truly understand. About how I'd give anything to freeze time right now, but also, I love seeing the little woman she is becoming, and I am anxious to see the grown woman she will become. It is so important to me to live each moment IN the moment. Because, yes, I would love to go back to the tiny cuddly 2 year old days, but I absolutely adore taking my big girl to lunch and chatting about life. 

Precious time with my little girl

A girl after my own heart! She chose
Chick-Fil-A for our lunch date.

Confessions

Some confessions about my life right now...

~Giving up sweets is proving to be quite difficult.

~I still rock my 8 month old baby boy to sleep each night and I am not ashamed. (Yes, tomorrow is his 9 month birthday, but today, he is still 8 months old!)

~Turns out, an 8 year old with an iPod is *okay*. It gives me something major to take away when she is grounded. 

~That moment when all of my kids are snoring in their beds is pure bliss for me. I love my kids. I also love them when they sleep. 

~I feel like I've won the lottery when I wake up in my house each day. I love it here.
~My son finally likes bath time! He gets to sit up, splash and play! 

~I am concerned Lili will be more wild than we can imagine as she grows up... Praying NOW.

~I love to cook and bake for a crowd! I'd love it even more if the dishes magically cleaned themselves. 

~Lili's Bieber fever is rubbing off on all of us... Especially JB's Beauty and a Beat. It gets the whole fam dancing.

8 Months Old

This handsome little boy is 8 months old today. On the eve of his 8 month birthday, he decided he was going to not only crawl across the room, but also, pull himself up on his Little People house. I about freaked out. Then I realized, this was a glimpse into what our future holds. That he is not only going to accomplish the norm, but go even one step further. A show off? Perhaps. An overachiever? Most definitely. He also tried some green beans last night and actually let me put them in his mouth! I am feeling rather rested because our little man slept from 7:45pm-4:45am STRAIGHT THROUGH. That rarely happens! Then he ate and fell back asleep until 6:30.
Our Drakey.... Loves to watch the washing machine. (We have a front loader that fascinates him!) Squeals when he sees the bus, knowing his sisters' hugs and kisses are not far behind. ADORES his daddy. Each day that Daddy comes home is his favorite time of the day. He squeals and reaches for Daddy and won't let go for a very long time. He thinks he's all big and loves to sit, crawl, roll, scoot around the living room, finding new things to get into. He doesn't care for baby food, but we are trying everyday! He sits up in the bathtub now! He loves to play with the toys and fling his arms around to splash Mommy. Peek-a-boo still makes him giggle. He has a really ticklish back! He squeals and giggles when I tickle it with my chin.
We are unbelievably blessed by this little guy and the way his smile makes all of our grumpiness go away.
We love you, Drakey! 

Little Mister

Our little man is growing up so stinkin fast! It is unreal to think about how tiny and dependent he was just 7 months ago. I can hardly believe it's the same little baby. He is amazing. He scoots, almost crawls, babbles, plays with toys, sits up, wiggles into small spaces and gets stuck, eats baby food (kinda), and says Dada and Mama ("Mama" is mostly said when he's tired, hungry or sad. But I'm ok with that!) Lately, he has been grinning and then squinting his eyes and scrunching his nose. It is adorable, to say the least. He cheers all of us up with his squeals and giggles. Even his sisters. If they are having a rough time, all it takes is a hug or a giggle from their brother and they are smiling too. We are so blessed by our little mister.

1. Already driving! ;) 2. Rolling around 3. Smiley boy 4. Sitting up like a big boy! 5. Eating some sweet potatoes 6. How he tells me he is ready to be picked up. He looks like a skydiver. 

On his hands and knees! I tried to tell him crawling isn't allowed in this family. But he is determined!

He really wants to crawl! And everyone encourages him to do so! I tried to explain to the girls that they will be sorry when he starts getting into their toys because he can.

We love our smiley guy. He melts our hearts.