25 years, 6 weeks, and 27 months

So this week is my 25th birthday. I am not sure how to feel about it. I love that I am not a naive 'thinks I know it all' 16 year old any more, but I also miss the innocence of being like 4. I have not had the easiest life nor have I always made the right decisions. I have done my best to learn form my past and hope to teach my children how to not repeat my mistakes.

Also this week my little girl is 6 weeks old! I am more confused about how to feel on this one. I love her more and more each day. Her toothless smiles she gives so freely and her wonderful stretches of sleep that happen now and then are a mothers dream. I am loving all 11 lbs of her. Yep I have a chunky monkey.

Jamie is 27 months this week as well. He is being the best big brother I could hope for. He is having his moments as any 2 year old does; not wanting to eat veggies, or refusing to eat dinner, only wanting Icy-pops or juice. Many of our disagreements are over not getting junk food and not eating what mom says he has to.

So over all I guess this week is a big one for my family. We are all still learning how to be a family of 4.

Here are a few cute pictures of my growing babies. 

yes I gave her fake pigtails. lol

yummy art

My 2 year old was needing some mommy time this week. So while little sister took one of her naps Jamie and I made some edible finger pants. He really loved it, but next time we will do it shirtless to avoid 2 pieces of art at the end. lol.

Here is what you do...

take plain or vanilla yogurt, food coloring, 

mix desired amount with colors of your choice

 AND PAINT!!

You can wipe it off or eat it once you are done  
(I suggest eating because then it can also double as snack ;)

Not sure were I first saw this, but we did it last summer at my grandma's daycare. She had kids form age 1 to 10 and I think the older girls enjoyed it more then the little ones.  

Next year I think I may let Rebecca and Jamie paint each other and then eat or wash it off in the pool. what a site that will be :)

BLESSED

A little back ground to this one...My grandma has been doing daycare for 20 years now. She started her in home daycare when she got custody of me and my older sister. She felt that we had  been through enough and should not have to make yet another change by attending a new daycare, yet she still needed to bring in an income to help cover the court costs and now the cost of raising 2 little girls (yes my parents were charged with child support but it did not cover everything). SO, she opened her home, arms, and heart to other families that needed child care. She wanted her daycare to not just be a place for parents to drop their kids off at while they work, but to be more like a grandma's house. To give parents reassurance that their most precious gift was loved and cared for even when they had to be away form them. Over the last 20 years she has had over 50 families in her home. Some for only a little time, and other have come back when they had their 2end or 3rd child. Some moved very far away, and some still live right down the street. All hold a special place in her heart and my sister's and I's. We grew up with these kids, cared for them, changed diapers, played games, sang songs, and did art projects. It was hard to say good bye when the kids grew up and were ready for school.

I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. Even though we may not like what happened or understand it at the time, there is something to be learned and grow from in every situation. I believe that my love for children only flourished because of my grandma's home daycare. I remember many times referring to daycare kids as "my babies." It is because of all the children in my life growing up that help mold me into the mom I am. I feel truly blessed to have grown up the way I did. No it is not ideal to be raised by grandparents, but God had a plan and in that plan was an open heart and never ending love of family. Related or not every family that came through the daycare became family to us. I even had a lot of the moms that live in town come to my baby shower when I had my son.

Anyway, (sorry about the rant) my sister Jessica and I through a surprise reunion for my grandma this weekend. We did our best to contact every family that ever came, and many responded.  Words don't express the feeling of love that was there. So many wonderful people have been in our lives and it is just wonderful to see a large group of people get together and instantly become family.

Here are some of the pictures we got of everyone. (minus a few that had to leave early)

OH, and YES my she was SURPRISED!!

Just a few of the lives she has touched.

I look back at my youth and feel very blessed that my grandma opened her daycare 20 years ago. If she had not I would not have had the blessings and priceless gifts that so many of these families have given me. I hope she felt blessed because she has blessed so many others in her life.

Special thanks to Melissa for her wonderful cake. You can check out her cakes here or on facebook here

One month old

Now that we have recovered from our very long and busy 4th of July weekend we are back to enjoying our lazy days. Unless we have someplace to go Jamie does not even get dressed, and with it being hot (80's and 90's) some days it is nothing but diapers from sun up to sun down around here.  It is always cute to see my  little ones in nothing but their cute fluff.

Rebecca has been a perfect little girl. We are just now experiencing fussy, unsettled tummy issues. Not sure if its something I ate (she is exclusively breastfeed) or acid reflux. So we are working on figuring it all out. She is such a good happy little thing that it is hard to see her uncomfortable and fussy at all.

already a month old and Jamie loves her more and more each day :)

I just can't get enough of my little ones. I am truly blessed :)

4th and Family

Happy 4th of July!

It is one of my favorite holidays (next to Christmas). The fireworks are just beautiful, hanging out with great friend, staying up late but the sun is still out is just fun, and I like to make s’mores now that we have a fire pit table in the back yard (and have kids to enjoy it with me). Jamie was to little last year to really get into it, but this year he was a hoot!

Jamie LOVED roasting the marshmallows (with close supervision) but would not eat them at all.

He loved the chocolate on his s'more the most (can you tell? lol)

The cookies and iced tea that he helped himself to all night long was also very much enjoyed...he had like 5 cookies, can we say SUGAR HIGH! That's may be why he made it till 10 before going to bed. The fireworks were too loud in Jamie's opinion. He loved the lights but the sound was in his words "scary" lol. Next year maybe he will watch them and not cling to my shoulder the whole time.

After the 4th comes my grandpa Conrad’s birthday.

He is 77 this year and my Aunt Debi (his only daughter) came into town to celebrate with all of us (and to see her new little grand-niece;).

I love my Aunt Debi. She is one of those family members you never get to much of. She could only stay the weekend, but we made the most of it and can't wait till we get together again! We had so much fun I forgot to get any pictures of her and the kids. Oh well, the memories will live on in our hearts and minds.

Rebecca was a little overstimulated and wanted her space at Grandpa's party, but Jamie wanted to play with his sister. He really is a great big brother.