Sweet Peep

Peep, Trev's grandfather, passed away yesterday.   I didn't get to know him very long but he did bless me none the less.   Most of the time I knew him his mind was not clear but he always made me laugh and had such a sweet spirit.

Here he is meeting Bailey back in 2009.  She was chillin hanging out with him in Colorado.

Trev tells me fun stories of camping with him and granny and staying in the RV when he was a kid.  I have only witnessed these times through pictures put seems like a blast to me.  Here he is meeting Mckenzie back in November.  He always seemed to have a great love of children.

One of my favorite memories of him was when we were visiting in Colorado.  It was before Trev and I had kids but Cade, our nephew, was there. He had thrown a tantrum at the table so Chad, trev's brother, had taken Cade outside to give him a time out and of course he was out there crying away.  Peep just couldn't take it so he had to go out there and comfort him.  Rest in peace sweet Peep.  Even though I am not sure I ever met the Peep that many people talk about I was still bleseed to have known you.  You will be missed by many but I think everyone is resting in the peace that you are now in a place where you mind and body have been renewed.

The Park in January

If you live in Texas and its January you don't have to worry about snow too much! Instead you get to worry about which park you ride your bike to and enjoy the beautiful weather.

Once you are there you crawl around on bridges,

play in the dirt,

look cute,

hide from mommy,

laugh at mommy,

throw mulch,

stand guard,

 

and just be as happy as you can be.

Nope, no snow to worry about...only thing to worry about is crazy hair from all the static on the slide!



Sister feeding herself

I had several people tell me that with your second child it seems they want to be a bigger kid sooner.  So, far this seems to be true with sister bear.  She wants to be down running (crawling) around with the big kids.  Lately she does not want me to feed her anything off of a spoon.  I remember Bailey going through this phase too.  I have given both of them just an extra spoon and that made Bailey happy and sister happy until today.  I remember thinking Bailey would never learn to use a spoon well and I think she was almost 18 months old before she could.  Sister, however, took matters into her own hands.  She is a mess and you will see quite proud of herself!



Swinging in January

The weather this weekend was really nice.  The wind had a bit of chill today but we did manage to get out and enjoy it.  Bailey has started riding her bike again and is much better at it than she was a couple of months ago.  We rode all the way to the park tonight and when we got home she told me, "Momma, I am very, very tired!" HA! 

I didn't get any pictures of the bike riding. :(  Mckenzie is cutting a tooth and was sort of grumpy today with a slight fever.  Although you would know from these pictures.  It is funny how a change of scenery does everyone some good!

She laughs so hard and LOVES to swing!

Of course this girl loves to swing too.  We have to move the porch furniture though so she won't hit it with her feet!  Remember when her little feet just barely stuck out.

She is my "helper" though and also pushed sister for me while I sit and enjoy the sunshine.

Always nice for a bright sunny day after rainy days.  I am not a big fan of snow but I do hope we get some for Sugie's sake.  She asks me everyday, "Momma we build a snowman if it snows?"



11 months old!

I can't believe that you are 11 months old my sister bear! Time is going way to fast.  Somedays you still seem like my little baby and then other days I think you are getting so big.  HEre is what you are up to these days.

1) I am guessing you weigh about 18 pounds and wear mostly 12 month clothes and a size 3 diaper.

2) You nurse 4 or 5 times a day and eat 3 "meals."  You have really started to eat like a big girl though and will try just about anything.  You really don't like to be spoon fed anymore except for pears, yogurt, and ice cream! HA! 

3)  You can say momma, dada, ball, and will repeat just about sounds that we make.  You really like to growl and mimic us. :)

4) You pull up on everything now and have even seen you taking a few side steps while holding onto the sofa.  I think we are a little away from walking though. :)

5) You love to be outside and we have been having some beautiful weather lately.  Bailey loves to push you around in the little red car and you like it a lot too.

6)  You take 2 naps now.  A short one in the morning around 9:30 or so and a longer one in the afternoon around 1:30 or 2.  You go to be around 7 and get up around 7.  You still wake in the night for a snack or two or three.

7)  You are usually pretty happy although this last month you had a few weeks where you were really unhappy.  Not really sure what was going on with that but you seem better and much happier now!

8) Sometimes you play out in the backyard with your sister.  You 2 are already getting into things.  I found you out there playing in the dirt today. :)

9)  You love to "help" me with the laundry.

10)  We love you so much you sweet sister bear.  I can't believe it has been almost a year since we met you.  Seems like you have always been apart of our lives.  Can't wait to see what you learn this next month!





My Perfect Life...well with a little perspective.

 I am very blessed but I am far from perfect.  I had an acquaitance at the store the other day tell me, "Everytime I see you out with your kids you always seem to have it together."  Obviously, she hasn't seen me at the store enough because we have had our fair share of less than desirable behavior while out and about.  The thing is that everything in life is about perspective. 

My life is for sure not perfect.  I eat too much, I am not always kind, I talk about people behind their backs, I have spanked my child in anger, I have yelled at my children, I have plopped my children in front of the TV because I didn't feel like being mom, I have said very unkind things to my husband, I don't get enough sleep,  and I could go on and on and on.  THe thing is that when I look at these things in perspective then they all seem so trivial. 

Now, don't get me wrong I have my fair share of pity partys for myself.  Just ask my husband. However, as soon as a pity party starts there is always some clarity to snap me back into perspective.  For example, the days leading up to Christmas and even Christmas day, Mckenzie was a mess.  She would not sleep for more than 30 mintues day or night and cried pretty much every minute that she was awake.  I was exhausted and desperate for sleep and starting to get at my whits end.  I felt angry and annoyed at her even though I knew being angry and annoyed at a baby who obviously didn't feel well was silly but that is how I felt.  Then a lady I know through La Leche lost her baby who had been born prematurely.  She went to the hospital on Christmas Eve to say good by to him because his little body could not fight anymore.  I cried my eyes out rocking Mckenzie to sleep that night.  Here I had been so annoyed that she wouldn't sleep and I know that this mother would give anything in the world to be rocking her baby to sleep for hours if that is what it took.  Again, it is all about perspective.

I often wonder if people think my life is all rainbows and gumdrops when they read my blog because I really only write about the happy times.  I don't really omit the "bad" times it is just I have a hard time writing when I am down because I always don't feel quite right about feeling down when really I have it so easy.  I mean I have a roof over my head, healthy kids, a loving husband who provides for me so to write about how I am having to clean poopy panties just seems arbitrary when somewhere in the world some mom is washing her entire families clothes in a dirty river.

Have you ever visited a third world country?  I think everyone should at some point.  It really gives you perspective about how we live in this country and how blessed we really are.  I mean I think it is ok to be grumpy sometimes and not feel all that great but really what do we have to be so grumpy about?  Anyway, I just think we should all try and have some perspective.  I know that it helps me.

I know this was sort of a rambly post and I hope it makes sense I have just been thinking a lot about it lately as many around me have been handed a less than fair share of cards.