Thomas "Reading" to Mae

Mae's Silhouette

I thought I would try to make a silhouette of Mae and see if it worked. I tried to use my Adobe Photoshop Elements, but I couldn't figure out how in the time frame I was working with. So, instead I printed the picture, cut it out and then cut out the silhouette in black paper and scanned it. I was really pleased with how it turned out. I don't think there's anything more classic! Now, I have to figure out if I can get Thomas to sit still enough to do his!

Trees No More!

We got two more trees cut down in our backyard last Saturday. It always blows me away to watch the arborist in the tree! And of course it's amazing to see what a difference taking down a tree or two can make to our yard!

Before

 

After

 

Firewood!

 

The Shiner

I never thought the first one of our kids to have a black eye would be MAE! She was given a black eye by her brother last week who "accidentally" threw a big hard plastic piece at her face. He was aiming for her tummy and missed. :) She cried at first (AND when I tried to put ice on it-per Dr. Acosta's orders!), but it hasn't bothered her since! I'm hoping the bruise is gone by her Baptism next week.

 

Nashville

Last week the kids and I went to Nashville to visit my friend Jenn and her great kids Isabel and Will! Our kids are all around the same age so it was really fun and very noisy for the majority of the time. There were about 45 minutes during which all four children were down for a nap/quiet time and Jenn and I got to have adult conversation. It wasn't much, but we take what we can get! :) I love that in the picture of Will throwing the ball he looks like he's a cricket bowler!

 

 

 

 

18 Months

Mae is 18 months old today. Although it's crazy that time is going so fast, I CAN believe that she's 18 months. She's so tall, and with her hair getting longer she looks so old! She has started putting words together in the last few weeks. She says, "thank you mommy" and "ok daddy." She's picking up lots of new words! I was starting to get worried that she would never want to sit and read a book. In the last few days she has become obsessed!! She wants to read Twinkle Toes OVER AND OVER AND OVER, and I love it! She wants to walk up and down the stairs, rather than crawl, and she's fearless at the park! She loves Mr. Potato Head, and pointing out everyone's nose, mouth, eyes, ears and belly button. And she's cheerful about 90% of the time! She sleeps from 7-7 (or sometimes 5:30 or 6), and takes a 2-2.5 hour afternoon nap most days. She has seven teeth in the front, and two of her top molars are coming in. She's becoming such a little girl, and I can't even imagine how much she'll be doing in six more months!

 

 

Here is Thomas at 18 months.

Because Thomas wanted a picture...

...and it turned out cute!

 

Operation Take Back Our Backyard

When we bought our house we were super excited about the enormous backyard. We knew that it needed work, but we envisioned our kids (well, just Thomas at the time) being able to have lots of room to run and play back there. Soon after we moved in we realized just how big of a project it was going to be. We have spent the last 2 1/2 years feeling overwhelmed about the size and condition of it! Our backyard has three main issues that make it hard to use!

LOTS OF TREES, which make it hard to grow grass and create a sea of leaves.
LOTS OF MOSQUITOS which makes going out there a bug spray required area!
LOTS OF WETNESS(which doesn't help w/ the mosquitos): we have several areas that don't drain well and therefore stay mushy and muddy.

Last year we got a few trees cut down, and the cut up trees have basically been sitting in our yard. Well, we have decided that is is finally time to TAKE BACK OUR BACKYARD!! Mae is walking now, so we can all go out there together. Brax and I can work and the kids can play. (And actually lots of days I've gone out there and worked with the kids while Brax was at work.). We've been putting lots and lots of leaves into our compost piles. We've started pulling out the ivy which we've learned is a nesting place for mosquitos. We're going to cut down a couple more trees to hopefully make fewer leaves and less shade. And Brax and his dad have some ideas for making the backyard drain better. It's still a huge project, but we see progress! And as I pull out each strand of ivy (by hand!) or rake another pile of leaves I think to myself "this is the epitome of sweat equity!" We're hoping if we put in a lot of work this spring, summer and fall it will be really usable by next spring!

I don't know if you'll really be able to tell a difference from the the pictures, but here are some before and after pictures.

Before is on the bottom.

 

Before is on the bottom.

 

Before is on the left.

 

Sitting on the four wheeler (which is a huge help!), and digging for worms.

 

Fishing

One of the privileges of living near MiMi and PaPa is fishing. They live on a lake and love to fish! Thomas caught his first fish by himself the other day! He loves going out there with whomever is going! PaPa got all these pictures on his cell phone.






This is Thomas's First Fish!

Wiggle Worm

One of Thomas's birthday presents was a Wiggly Worm sprinkler from Aunt Katey. He loves the idea of it, and even likes being in it after the water has been on for about 15 minutes. (We're very green). Mae won't go near it, but please enjoy the video of her "jumping."

What's your Name?

Hot Date!

On Saturday morning Thomas and I had a date to Chick-Fil-A. The store closest to us had a fun deal. For $10 Thomas and I each got a breakfast combo. When we got there the tables were covered with pink tablecloths and there was a rose by our place card. They served us the breakfast that we had ordered ahead of time and there were even door prizes and goody bags! It was a tiny bit cheesy and my date was decidedly more excited that he got to play in the play area and got chocolate milk, but still sweet memories!! :)

Mae's Pictures

My friend Erica is just getting started as a photographer. Mae needed some 1-year-pictures taken, and so we got together last week! Erica did a great job, despite working with a 17 month old, who doesn't like strangers, and says "NO!" a lot! These are my five favorites!

Happy Mother's Day (to ME!)

Mainly because right before bedtime on Mother's Day I got a picture with my two sweeties where we're all looking and smiling.

 

Being a Mom is Hard!

It's just a fact. I don't care who you are, or how many kids you have; being a mom is hard!!

Thomas was a hard three-year-old. If you live close to me, or are friends with me you probably heard me say this. A lot. He was disobedient (a lot), whiney and very frustrating! Everyone kept telling me that four would be better, and so far it has been! And I thought "Whew!, I'm out of the woods. Finally a breather." Turns out not! Mae has decided to pretend like she's two. She's been showing her independence for awhile, but the last week and a half have been hard! She screams and writhes anytime I try to change her diaper, get her dressed or fix her hair. She arches her back and says, "NO!" if I try to put her in her carseat, booster seat, or crib. It's hard!

I was thinking about it this morning and feeling slightly 'woe is me' when I was reminded of this. It could be a lot worse. My kids are healthy! Brax and I are healthy. We have a job, and a house and food! AND God doesn't promise us that life will be easy-he promises that he'll be with us. And raising kids ISN'T easy! I have friends that have older kids than mine, and they say it's hard too. Of course there are wonderful moments too. And funny moments! And some stages are harder than others! But, as I was thinking about how "hard" my life is I was reminded of these song lyrics.

Sometimes he calms the storm, and other times he calms his child.

I needed to be reminded of that this morning. And if you need a good laugh you can read this blog from my good friend Jenn, who's in the same stage of life as me! Or you can read Thomas's funnies below! :)

Funnies

Thomas wouldn't stop moving around while I combed his hair. I got very frustrated (probably more than I should have) and said: Fine! You can just go like that.
Thomas: But Mom! I want to be handsome.
Kim: You are handsome.
Thomas (sobbing): I want to be HANDSOMERRRRRR!

Brax: Thomas, you need to eat some supper.
Thomas: Dad, I had a big lunch! I'm still full from that.
Brax: Thomas, you can either eat your macaroni or go to bed.
Thomas (after about 5 bites): Dad, the macaroni hole in my stomach is full. Can I please have something else?

Thomas: Mom!! I won the Grand Surprise!!

Thomas, finishing a Nutri Grain bar: Mom, can I please have some Nilla Wafers?
Kim: No. It took you too long to eat your Nutri Grain bar (40 minutes). It's too late to have Nilla Wafers now. (It really was! It was way too close to lunch time!)
Thomas (now crying): MOOOOOM! I really want some. Pleeaassee!
Kim: Thomas, please swallow what's in your mouth. I don't want you to choke.
Thomas: But, I don't know how to swallow. I can't REMEMBER!

Thomas was chasing Mae around trying to get something from her that I had said she couldn't have.
Kim: Thomas, please just let me get it. I'm the mom. I've got it under control.
Thomas: If you say so...
(The extra funny thing about this one is that as I said, "I've got it under control." I thought to myself, "I actually might not."