My little girl

 

Sometimes...there just are no words. 

Like Father...Like Son

Liam is so much like Nathan.  

He loves being outside, getting dirty, playing with bugs, being in water, trucks, motorcycles, boots, baseball...

He is definitely Nathan's son. 

Liam loves it when Nathan is off work.  He loves being able to be outside with Daddy!  He wants to help with whatever Daddy is doing.

I took a few pictures of them this week, that I just love.

Alanna.Five.Months

Five Months
April 14, 2014
13 Pounds 3.2 Ounces 25.5 Inches

You found your feet this past month.  They keep you pretty occupied.  You love to play with them while you are in your car seat, when I am trying to give you a bath, while I'm changing your diaper, or while you are laying on the floor.  You have only put your toes in your mouth one time though.  You haven't really realized that you have toes to suck on, as well as fingers.  Once you do, I'm sure that will keep you pretty occupied as well!  

You can roll from your back to your belly now.  I can't ever leave you alone on the bed.  You move around so quickly.  I'm sure it will only be a short time from now, and you will be trying to crawl.  You are so much smaller than your brothers were at your age, so I'm sure that is why you are moving so much more than they did.  

It's really hard to take pictures of you now.  You never want to hold still.  You squirm and roll around so much.  

You reached up and touched my face for the first time while you were nursing.  It was so sweet.  I love feeling your tiny little hands on my face.  You also started reaching for Daddy and me just this past weekend.  It made both of us so happy!

You got your first two teeth.  The bottom front right tooth came in on April 5, and the bottom front left tooth came in on April 7.  We didn't even know you were teething.  You have been sleeping anywhere from 6-12 hours straight at night, and you haven't been fussy at all.  I'm pretty sure, you are the best baby ever!  You look so cute with your two new teeth.  I love them.  

You make such a cute, silly face now that you have teeth.  Your bottom lip goes out to the side because you are trying to feel them.  

We try to give you teething toys to chew on, but you prefer either mine or Daddy's fingers,  your Bunny, or your blanket. 

You have started putting yourself to sleep a lot of the time.  For nap-time or night-time, I turn on your fan, turn off the light, and rock you while I nurse you.  Sometimes you fall asleep while you are nursing, but sometimes you are still awake when I lay you down.  I just put your blanket in your hands, and you lay in your crib happily, sucking your thumb.  And in about five minutes you are sound asleep.  You still take three naps a day...two 2-3 hour naps in your crib, and a small 30-45 minute nap in the evening, usually in the Ergo. 

Daddy and I still haven't given you any food...just a few tastes of some things.  We let you try a little bit of lemonade from CFA the other day.  You didn't seem to like it.  And you sucked on a cracker at Uncle Mike's wedding.  I was a little worried about the cracker though, so Daddy stopped letting you suck on it.  

You are so happy all the time.  You love to smile and laugh with us.  You get so excited when your brothers talk to you.  You love to hold Ruy's hand while we are driving in the van.  You don't like to be held over my shoulder.  You push your body around so that you are facing out.  You want to be able to see everything that is happening.  

With every moment that passes, Daddy and I love you more and more.  You have such a special place in our hearts.  We are so thankful God answered our prayers, and gave us a little girl!  

Happy Five Months Sweet Pea! 

How I Missed The Entire Wedding Ceremony.

This past Saturday, my brother in-law got married.  If you've been a Bridesmaid in a wedding, you know how crazy weddings can be.  If your kids have been in a wedding before, you know how really crazy they can be.  Well our entire family was in the wedding.  My husband was the Best Man, I was a Bridesmaid, Ruy and Liam were ring bearers, and Alanna was the flower girl. 

The night before the wedding,  Nathan spent the night at the hotel with his brother.  He had a lot of things to help Mike with in the morning, so it was easier for him to be close to the wedding site.  My Mom came over the morning of the wedding to help me get ready.  She ironed all the kids clothes for me, and did my hair.  She was a huge help.  I might not have made it to the wedding on time without her.  I had to turn around twice to get several things I had forgotten.  

We got to the wedding site about 15 minutes before I had told Andrea (Mike's fiance) we would be there.  I had to nurse Alanna before going into the park, and get Liam dressed.  I decided to leave him out of his Tux as long as possible.  Alanna won't take a bottle so my only option was nursing, which meant I had to pretty much take my dress completely off in order to feed her.  I was really grateful to have my Mom with me because I couldn't get my dress unzipped without help.  Like I said, my Mom was a HUGE help to me the entire day.  I finished nursing Alanna, while my Mom dressed Liam.  We loaded up the stroller, and the wagon (Alanna was supposed to be pulled down the isle in the wagon) and headed into the park. 

We spent the next hour, rushing around, taking Liam potty, showing Ruy what to do, finding a place for the wagon, getting Alanna dressed, putting on my jewelry, etc.  11AM  arrived, and we lined up.  Alanna was with my Mom.  My Mom was planning on putting her in the wagon once the boys and I reached her.  It was a long walk down the isle, with several steps, so it was best to leave the wagon close to the front.  I was the last bridesmaid to start down the isle, and the boys came in directly after me.  Ruy was really nervous.  Liam was happy because he was carrying his rose.  He kept telling me the whole way down the isle "Mommy, my thlower smells like chocolate!"  Both the boys looked so adorable!

I reached the last row of chairs where the wagon was, but my Mom was still holding Alanna.  She whispered to me that Alanna wouldn't stop fussing, and wouldn't sit in the wagon.  I decided just to carry her down the isle, since I didn't have time to try to deal with her crying in the wagon.  Liam ran the rest of the way down the isle...straight to his Grammy (Nathan's Mom).  I thought he would scream the whole way down, so I was perfectly fine with him going to Grammy, and sitting on her lap happily the whole time.  I took my place, holding Alanna.  The pastor had just started speaking when I felt a warm splat on my feet. 

I looked down...green, runny, poop was all down the side of my dress, my right leg, in my right shoe, and all over my toes.  I could not  believe this was happening!!!

I looked at my Mom like "what do I do?"  I knew the only thing to do though was to leave the ceremony.  I handed Alanna to my Mom, and we walked all the way up the hill to the reception hall.  I cried the whole way.  I had been so excited to see my brother in-law Mike, and his fiance Andrea get married.  I love Mike as if he were my real brother, so this wedding was really important to me.

Two of the ladies that were catering the wedding, helped my Mom and I get all the poop off of me.  They wiped my dress down, while I washed off my leg and foot.  Mom changed Alanna and washed my shoe.  Alanna didn't have one drop of poop on her dress!!!  It just ran right out of her diaper, and onto me!  My Mom tried to make me feel better by telling me that in 20 years, I would look back at this and laugh.  But at that moment, it didn't really help.  

We walked back down the hill to the ceremony to hear the pastor say "Therefore what God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."

I missed the entire wedding!

No one in the wedding party saw what had happened.  I'm glad Andrea didn't know.  A bride doesn't need to be worried about anything on her wedding day...especially not in the middle of the ceremony.

 I was able to take pictures with the wedding party.  We just hid the dirty part of my dress.  Alanna threw up on the front right side of my dress before pictures, so I just pulled my hair to the side to cover it up. I didn't end up getting an entire family picture because Liam was so over pictures, and his tux by the time I thought of it.  And Alanna threw up all over her dress.

I was really upset about what happened for about an hour, but then remembered...I'm a mother, and this is what happens when you're a mother.

What really mattered was that it was a gorgeous day!  My husband looked so handsome, my boys looked adorable, my baby girl looked absolutely beautiful, and Mike and Andrea were happily married!

Congratulations to Mike & Andrea!!!
I love you both so much.

Happy 7th Birthday To My Little Man

Seven Years...

I can't even believe it has already been seven years since I held you in my arms for the very first time.  You weighed all of 7 pounds 14 ounces, and you were 20.5 inches long.  You had such dark black hair, dark eyes, and olive skin.  You were perfect.  I loved you so much before you were even born...but then I heard your cry, saw you, and held you for the first time.  Then...then I knew what love really was.

Over the past seven years, you have filled my life with so much joy.  God knew how much I needed you, and I am so thankful that I get to be your Mother.  Life would be so empty without you.

I am so very proud of you, and the person you are.  But you are growing up too fast.  I want to stop time and keep you little forever.

You are my world. 

I love you more than you will ever know.

Happy 7th Birthday Ruy

9 days before Ruy was born

1st time I held Ruy

 

1 Month Old

Five Months Old.  Elephant is still your favorite stuffed animal.  You sleep with him every night.

Duke has always been your buddy

Your 1st Birthday

 

1st Birthday April 10, 2008

You and your cousin/best friend Noah

Add caption

You and Duke...still buddies

Playing at our favorite park

Happy 2nd Birthday April 2009  (You loved your crocs. You wore them everywhere)

Your 1st ice cream cone

Out of diapers...so you moved up into a big boy backpack!

Your two best friends & cousins...Nathaniel & Noah

You were so precious at Mommy's wedding.

Happy 3rd Birthday April 2010

One of my favorite pictures of you ever! 

Showing off your muscles

Baseball game

Apple picking with Nathaniel

You loved Spiderman so much when you were 3!

You loved trying on Daddy's firefighter clothes

You have always been so silly

1st time ice-skating

So excited about being a big brother

Duke liked to wake you up

Happy 4th Birthday April 2011

Duke wishes you a Happy Birthday too!

FOUR!

Mother's Day... Baby Liam would be here soon!

 Photo Credit: Simply Serendipity Photography

1st time holding your little brother Liam

Photo Credit: Simple Serendipity Photography

1st Day in Pre-K

1st lego set you build by yourself (took you 2 hours)

You were just a little bit excited about taking pictures with baby chicks

Your 1st buzz!  I almost cried.

Your 1st tball game!

1st time at-bat

You stood so cute like this the entire season

Happy 5th Birthday April 2012

Ruy wanted a shark birthday party.  It was so cute and lots of fun.

You got your 1st game ball

You are in love with sharks so you thought it was awesome when we found a dead shark at the beach.

Dress up like a cow day at CFA

Pappy's work boots

Legos are your favorite toy ever

You wanted to do a photo session with Elephant.

Apple picking

First season of soccer

This was one of your favorite places to play when we went on our daily walk

First time you tied your shoes by yourself

Happy 6th Birthday April 10 2013

 

 

You wanted me to take a picture of you with all your favorite animals, so that I would never forget you or them.

Apple picking...it's always one of your favorite days of the year.

1st grade pictures.  This was your idea.   You are my sweet boy.

...And my silly boy!

Excited to have a new little sister soon.

Pumpkin Patch...another one of your favorite days!

You LOVE your new baby sister Alanna!  You are such a good big brother to her.

You lost your 1st tooth

You learned how to ride your bike without training wheels.

Photo Credit:  Heartlovephotography

Happy 7th Birthday - April 10 2014.