4 months

We had family pictures done at the beginning of July and they were so good. Little stinker Owen barely smiled until Lauren put her camera away! We got a good representation of our family though. That's all I wanted. I'm not a pose and click kinda gal... I like candids, even if they involved tongues sticking out of a certain 4 year old and a sober baby. ( Sober being serious... not involving alcohol)

Owen.....
Oh my... this month was so great. I feel that I say this every month. But I love to see you grow and change.. even though that means your growing :(
You are pure JOY rolled into a tiny chubby cheeked package.

You are so curious about your world now and everything goes into your mouth.
You love to roll around from side to side and play with your toes. Cutest thing!!!

Still cackling at your brother and are as ticklish as I have ever seen!!

You LOVE music... which is expected in this family, you have been hearing it as an embryo!
Your favorite songs for Mama to sing are twinkle twinkle and Jesus loves me .

You are napping MUCH better than you have been for a few weeks. I truly think that you were not feeling good that week you didn't want to be laid down, you needed some extra snuggles. 

Saying gooogooooo and talking up a storm. Just like your brother, I have a feeling that you will be talking very early on. (Your brother said 11 words at 9 months old!) Heaven help our dinner table!

You weigh 15 pounds and are 25 1/2 inches long. On the 75th percentile for both
In the next few weeks we will start you on some cereal... ( I think that I jumped the gun on Asher and could have turned him off to certain textures because of it. As with savoring this baby-ness I'm not rushing into it this time!) Though you sure study me when I am eating and Aunt Amy gave you a little suck of her apple and left you wanting more.

My favorite thing about you is your sweet brown eyes... Oh how they melt me!
When you smile your whole face lights up, you shrug your shoulders and you offer it so generously (unless there is a camera involved! :)
I love when you are nursing and stop to smile at me. I like to see that little tongue still hanging on, but all those gums are shining up.

Thank you for being you. You put up with a lot some days!
So glad that the Lord saw fit for us to raise you!
You are so loved!!!

Mindful Mothering

Mindful Mothering Mondays


One of my favorite blogs is Lydia's. She is 29, has 5 children and blesses me EVERY time I read her blog.
What devotion to the Lord this one has!! You know that her love for the Father is great when it bleeds from her words.
She has started a online community about Mindful Mothering Mondays. A day to link up and talk about your joys and struggles as a mother.
I doubt that I will link up each and every week, since this blog is more for me than I think for people to read... but in case you have happened by, read them. It will refresh you and let you know you're not alone!

My Monday played out like this....
Owen fought sleep for EVERY nap.
It was rainy, therefore made us all sleepy and, a hair, crabby.
Asher had to each lunch by himself... :(  Again, because little one didn't want to settle in.
Watched way too much tv



I remember at times when Owen was fussing and not settling down, my temper was getting riled. In that moment, I couldn't help but think about negative things from the day.. how I wish this or that would have happened instead of this plate I was dealt. 
I caught myself and prayed. Prayed for help, for reassurance, for patience. For joy.
Appreciation overwhelmed me
Appreciation for healthy baby boys.
For a home to protect me from the rain
A husband who works hard for me to rock this babe everyday and make brother lunch with octopus hot dogs.
THIS moment I will never get back.
He may be crying and he may be watching too much tv, but they are safe, they are loved.
They won't remember, but I will.
The sweet little kicks out of frustration, the way O wants to find his thumb so badly...
The way A makes castles out of the pillows on the couch and "fast-backwards" a show to watch again and again.
And those things I never want to forget.

I am choosing joy.
And sometimes that takes everything I have but is all that it takes.

4 years

It's incredible how I can look at your hands and how much they have grown and they have no dimples anymore. Every piece of baby-ness is creeping away.
I stumbled upon videos of you when you had silky long hair and how you said "Wadeh" for water. Those days seem like yesterday and a lifetime ago all at the same time.
You are so precious, my firstborn baby.

You are all about Superheros. And Turtleman :)
We pretend all day everyday.
We build "thorts" and caves to play in
I know that you are excited for Owen to be big enough to sleep in your room and be a playmate
You are very proud of being his big brother, and for the most part, you care for him very sweetly.
You are certainly proud that you are the one Owen laughs at the most!

You have a scientific mind like your mama and love to know the names of things and love to look at books on animals... especially snakes! Yuck!
You have really liked that Daddy is learning the guitar and you help him out with the whammy board! :)
You are becoming a Daddy's boy. You watch the door for him to come home and can't wait to wrestle him to the ground
I'm glad... because their is no other earthly man that I would rather you model yourself after than him.

You are going to be starting preschool in the fall and so you are very excited!
I know that you are going to make friends and have a ball, but it just reiterates how much your growing, and so it's bittersweet for this mama.

There are so many qualities that I see in you that make me so very proud. You have compassion for others and creatures, you love your family with all your heart, and simply the best.... is that you have a want for Godly things. You want to "share your heart", as you say, with the world.
You grow me and teach me new things everyday....
You keep me praying to our Lord for the little things as well as the big things.

Those blue eyes slay me still, and I do love you the last number!!!