Long overdue update!

There has been so many things going on with us that I just can't seem to catch up.  Here are a few updates:

1- I have had another baby! Yes #5 Gabby is one of the reasons I have not been writing things down like I had planned. She is now 17 months old and a climber, boy does she climb. It seems that every time I turn around she is in the middle of the kitchen table. 

2- Tori is now working toward her opening night of Dr. Suessical with the high school kids and she is playing Cindy Lou Who. I'm so proud of her for her hard work and dedication to the play. She has found her passion.  She liked dancing but wanted to take time off to try other things, in my opinion she doesn't miss dance at all.  Oh and she wants to learn to play the banjo which luckily Papaw Delbert gave us his for her to learn on.  I just love family heirlooms.

3- Zeke is playing basketball and loves it but he is really looking forward to baseball. That boy loves sports and being out doors.  He keeps talking about going fishing and how he wants to buy a big house on the river so he can go fishing everyday if he wants.

4- Jenna is so adventurous and really a strong spirited child.  She wants to do everything for herself.  She has been taking swim lessons and doing an amazing job at being an independent swimmer.  She has all of a sudden really taken on an attitude of being an excellent helper.  This is encouraging. 

5- Evie, princess Evie is the best way to describe her right now.  She is always dressed royally in her dresses and the more pink and sparkle the better. She loves to cuddle and is such a Mama's girl that I just can't imagine what my day will be like when she is in school.  Oh and I love to tease her about blankie being a person. She continues to insist that it's not a person :) it's quite cute

6- Life!  I have found that there are days I just have to tell myself to pick the big things that need done and then leave the rest for tomorrow. At the end of the day if we have had a no yelling day, kids are feed and feeling loved, I have done my job. There are times when I will have to clean up several times the same mess but I'm okay with that. I would rather my kids feel they can play and use their imagination at all times, but I also get the opportunity to teach them the life lesson that you won't have mom there at all times to pickup after you.  Life lessons are hard but ones that will be with them forever.

Jenna is growing up!

This week we are in VBS and the older 3 kids are able to enjoy going.  Even though Jenna would like to be with me she wants to stay so bad.  She is starting to really enjoy getting to do things on her own and I cant believe that she will be 5 in the next few weeks.  It seems like the time has just flown bye and I forgot to blink.  I forgot to write it down!  I am trying very hard to keep memories like this blog but struggle because I am afraid someone may judge me for my thoughts. I also feel vulnerable at times with putting thoughts to paper.  But time is short and fleeting and we may not all be together tomorrow. So I am going to try and try to get this down for my kids.  Jenna you are a beautiful curly hair spit fire.  You challenge me everyday but that makes me a better parent because I know I can not fit you into a set mold.  I am working on finding your bent, working on figuring out how to best reach you on the days your having a harder day.  I pray everyday that God will give me the patience to be able to help guide you in to the strong woman God has created you to be.  I love when you sing to me and laugh when I get to "Boing" your curls.  You have achieved so much this year just like riding your bike all by yourself just 2 days after taking off your training wheels.  You are such an amazing girl and I have really taken not that anytime you set your mind on doing or learning something there is nothing that will stop you from doing it.  This really makes me proud. Although you are old enough to go to school this year I am going to wait until your 6 just so I can have another year with you.  I know some would say this is selfish, but I am looking forward to it. 

Bedtime Routine

I am such a lucky mom to have the chance to raise 4 kids.  One of my favorite parts of the day is our bedtime routine.  We put PJ's on and almost without hitting a beat #2 request to sleep in underwear, sure go a head.  Someone else throws a fit insisting they are not tired when the fact is that if they were not tired they would not be having a fit. We brush teeth and have an argument of who has to go first and if they HAVE to get their teeth flossed.  (Thank you honey for dealing with this part of the night)  We then read a book and say prayers as a family.  Now granted #3 is most likely rolling all over the floor or running in and out of the room, at 2 years old she will still say her prayers when it is her turn.  #1 always prayers for the good guys to stay good and the bad guys to be helped by God to become good.  #2 always prays for his Aunt H and Uncle A.  #3 thanks God for healing her neck several several months ago and each member of our family listing our names and kissing each one of us as she says them.  #4 just sits and takes it all in.  We then go from their to tucking kids into bed.  I always have to tuck #1 in I must fix the blankets better than Dad that's the only thing I can figure, we also must have the loved mingo, her pink flamingo.  #2 has his silky blanket and cow pillow pet, he has to have them just right. #2 has to have which ever white bear is her pick for the night to snuggle with, she only has 6 of them on her bed.  #4 is already wanting the lights be so so and loves to have her blanket to cuddle with.  I think the most endearing part of the whole night is when each kid says they want a hug and kiss from both mom and dad and they want to give us one too.  It melts my heart when my son says he wants to kiss me on the cheek.  I hope and pray that our kids as they grow up know how much spending time with them like this means to us.  Even though about 5 mins after we turn out the lights #1 is yelling about #3 doing something because she is out of bed, #2 is needing a drink or the bathroom light wasn't left on.  Its something that I am really trying to not get frustrated over because there will be one day that they won't want us to tuck them into bed.  We may say prayers as a family and get kisses goodnight, but they will be taking themselves to bed and tucking themselves in, not us doing it for them.  I want to hold each one of them close as much as possible and be thankful for each night we get to be part of this routine. 

Toddler Antics

Why is it that every time I turn my back #3 has to do something mischievous.  Just recently she has found that its really fun to watch baby powder fly thru the air.  She sneaks off and does it in another room when no one is looking.  I am really glad she cant plot anything yet because she comes back out and is covered from head to to in the powder.  Dead give away!  Although I do get upset and make her help clean it up, in hindsight with some reflection on the play at hand, I would probably have loved doing the same thing myself when I was a kid.  I know that I still love it when I have a random soap bubble float thru the air after starting the dish water, or simply watching different items float in the wind.  So what would be exciting about baby powder, you get to do it yourself and not once but again, and again, and again. 

Waiting on the New Addition

We are excitedly waiting on baby #4 to get here.  Being as our due date is tomorrow, I am very nervous about how this whole thing is to go down.  Will the baby come on time for once?  or Will it be another when I am ready baby like the other 3 were and make me wait even longer?  Well all I know is that the time will be perfect on the day and time that is just right for this baby.  Although I have joked with everyone that I am completely fine with going over due for at least 7 days so that our busy schedule can calm down and get #1 kindergarten assessment out of the way before I have to go to the hospital.  So I am probably one of the only pregnant women that you will meet saying hey I am cool with going over due and actually I prefer it. 

I can't wait to know if its a boy or a girl.  We have names and outfits picked out for both genders.  #2 says he wants a brother that has red hair just like him.  I wish it was that easy to order up what you want.  I keep telling him that we will be happy with a brother or a sister, whichever God has decided to give us.  He still insist that its a brother, we will see in just a little while. 

I think the craziest thing about the whole ordeal is that although I have been through labor 3 times I am still nervous about doing it again.  Will I make it to the hospital on time?  Will it be as easy as the other ones? Now don't get me wrong, labor is hard work, but we have been very fortunate to know what the natural process looks like and be able to allow my body to do what it was made to do without any interventions from the medical team.  I just pray and trust that God will deliver us both safely so that we continue to have a healthy family.  

Making Memories and Reliving Them

There are so many times we talk about making memories and then we don't think about them until later in life.  I am really missing my Grammy today and miss having the convenience of calling the high school and hearing her say "Vinton County High School."  But there are so many wonderful memories that I have of her and want to hold on to that keep flooding back to me right now.  I am ever grateful to my dear husband for my last trip to Myrtle Beach with my Gram.  Even though it was not the most action packed trip of shopping or building sandcastles, its still a vacation that will forever mean the world to me.  Getting to have a week with my Gram just sitting beside her, talking with her, and helping out in anyway she needed was very conforting to me.  The last several years have been very hard because life has taken over and lessend the time to spend with extended family.  But just sitting there on the balcony watching the ocean brought back so many times of the two of us sitting at the mall or on a curb people watching.  Yes I miss my Gram dearly but am also rejoicing in the fact that she is no longet in pain from the cancer that overtook her body.  She is know resting in the arms of our Lord and Savior pain free and happy.  I know that I will one day get to see her again and this is the one thing that keeps me from crying everytime I think of her.

So kids what I want to tell you from this experiecnce that I have been working through over the last several months is don't wait until its to late to pick up the phone and say "Hey I am thinking of you and want you to know I love you."  Dont just think that you will forever have the people who have been there all your life.  Cherish each day, think about the things you have done together and why they are such loved memories.  Share with those people some of your favorite times together so they know how much those times mean to you.  Don't wait until they are no longet her to walk down memory lane with, but take a stoll together now.

Changes...

So many things have been happening in our lives that I just can't keep up with it all.  Now that I am 16 weeks along with #4 I have been feeling like my old self and actually able to eat some stuff without forcing it down.  I have been wanting to write down many times the things that have been taking place since my last post. SO if your reading this its just strictly for memories to the kids so I won't forget when they are adults themselves.

#2 told me the other day that he thinks "there is a boy baby in your belly" and #1 responds "well I agree its either a boy or a girl, isn't that right mom?"  All I could do was smile and say "yup that's right its one or the other"

#1 is always dancing and putting on a show.  She wants to do Irish dance and I really hope we can get her signed up soon.  She even said she would dance instead of play ball.  I love that she knows what she wants to do.  We have also made an appointment for the meet and great with the Kindergarten for next month.  She is really wanting to go to school instead of homeschooling and I have really prayed about it and feel that God is leading us in that direction to protect our mother/daughter relationship.  I am not very patient at times with her and do not want to make learning a chore for her.  I want her to love learning just as much as I did in school and also have an excellent relationship with me.  So we will check it out and see.  I'm excited about the fact that the kindergartners only go half a day and so we will start slow and see how it goes. 

#2 is all boy! He is a football nut and is all the time wanting to play ball and tackle you.  I have told him a number of times that he cannot put #3 in a headlock to get his toy back.  OH! BOY!  I love having a boy and seeing how different it is from my 4 nieces and my 2 daughters.  I feel that he is going to be a very big sports player and loves anything that has a ball involved.  Its great that even thought he is a sports fanatic he still loves to cuddle with Mom or Meme and is always there to respond with sympathy when someone is upset or hurt.  I know that he is going to grow up to be a wonderful man.

#3 well she is a whole different story.   She is always the first one to start singing and dancing when a song comes on its so cute!  She is my climber and loves to run around without anything on.  Just this weekend she learned to climb out of the pack-n-play and when we got home from Meme's the first thing she does is climb out of her crib.  She isn't going to be 2 until June I thought surely we could wait until then to learn this skill, but nope all of my kids have done things early and #3 will not have it any other way then doing things for herself.  She is very strong willed and loves to get her way.  Her favorite thing to say is no but it comes out ugh-ugh.  LOL!  Man does she have this down.  But as we are consistently not allowing her to get away with having tantrums she is really doing well and learning that she needs to follow the rules.


As for myself I am still learning how to manage and allowing God to teach me daily what I can do to lead my children to Him.  I know that I am not perfect but do hope that I can build a trusting relationship with my kids that will allow them to feel security in our home and know that whatever happens we are always hear for them.  I wish I could be super mom and do it all, but I will cherish everything that I can do and pray that God places people in our lives that fill the gaps that are there.  With each passing moment I want to take in the memories of our children and remember that they are just that children! I want to take the time to sit and read books with them, let them help me clean even if it will take an extra 30 minutes to do it, or even bake food with the possibility that it wouldn't look as tasty if I had done it on my own.  These are all things that will build memories and I want to allow them to be a part of my life in every way.