Chores

It's nice to have an extra pair of hands around the house. Someone to help gather the trash...or play with the trash after it's been gathered.  

Someone who is never more than 2 inches away when I am baking cookies. 

 

Someone to help with the dishes...

And put the groceries away...or take them out. 

 

And keep an eye on the laundry. 

And someone to make funny faces when I clean peas off the floor for the fifth time in 3 minutes. Apparently the dog isn't a fan of peas either. 

With this extra pair of hands, I'll be able to get so much more done, right? Well...maybe not. But at least I'll have more fun. 

Angel Baby

Today I broke the cardinal rule of motherhood...I held this angel baby for an entire nap.

I know!! Shame shame!! Now she is going to grow up and live at home until she is 39 and never learn to drive and have 33 cats. I am THE WORST. 

I didn't hold her because she was crying or because she had a runny nose or because she woke up way too much last night and just needed a solid nap (even though all of those things are true). I held her for a much more selfish reason. Eight months ago, I held a tiny helpless baby and I cried because she wouldn't sleep and wasn't gaining weight and had to wear a weird brace. But now I cry because I hold a baby who isn't so tiny or helpless anymore. She is becoming a human and the days of me holding her and watching her sleep are skating by faster than I ever imagined. So even though my hand is numb because her noggin is resting on a apparently very important vein and even though my arm is sweaty because this kid is like a tiny heater and even though I really should take a shower and do the dishes and fold some laundry and call the trash company, I don't care. I'm going to hold this angel baby. 

Girls In Blue

The girls in blue cheering on the boys in blue.

How 'bout them Royals? Not to be presumptuous but the last time the Royals won the World Series was the year I was born. And now...the year of Lily... Coincidence? You're right. It probably is. 

The only thing this outfit needs is a cute bow the size of her face and a World Series baseball in her hand. GO ROYALS!!

On A Cold Day In October

Six years ago on this day it was about 45 degrees and cloudy and windy...and the best day ever.

If you don't know the story, we met on a blind date. A couple from my church said they, "knew a nice boy," and I have never been one to turn down a free meal. It wasn't exactly love at first sight like it is in the movies. I didn't see my future when I looked in his eyes or any of that mushy crap. And I'm pretty sure I wasn't walking in slow motion glowing like an angel when he first saw me. But through a series of events that only God could orchestrate, we found ourselves standing at a hay bale altar listening as a friend strummed his guitar and sang a hymn into the breeze. 

People always say the first year of marriage is hard and they are right. Merging two lives into one is tricky at best. You would think over the years it would get easier and in some ways it does. We don't argue every time I leave a dresser drawer opened...he just closes them behind me. And I don't throw a fit every time he puts his socks in the basket all balled up...I hold my nose and shake them out (sometimes). 

But it also gets harder. It's harder to not be selfish and grab the last cookie instead of splitting it. It's harder to take the time to do thoughtful things like rinse out a milk glass instead of just leaving it in the sink. It's harder to not mentally keep track of who took out the trash last week and why do I always have to do everything around here. All those little things can become mountains of annoyingness if you aren't careful. 

So then if it gets harder, why do it? Because lots of hard things are awesome...learning to whistle, climbing tall stuff, playing the banjo (I assume...it looks really hard), and marriage. But even though sometimes it can be hard, the payoff is pretty fantastic. 

8 Months!!

Guess what little kooky bird is 8 months old?? This one!!

That's 2/3 of a year!!!

Happy 8 months crazy cakes!!! We think you are awesome!!

A September to Remember

Guys...seriously...

First this happened...
 

 

At the beginning of September this little bear figured out how to sit up on her own. 

And then this happened...
 

 

Lily started army crawling her little self all over the place. 

And then this happened...
 

 

This little chica figured out how to pull herself up! This is no longer a crib...it is now a baby jail. 

And finally, a couple days ago she strung together a series of mumbles that warmed my heart...mama. I'll pretend it was totally intentional because she was looking at me when she said it and I'll ignore all the times she has looked at me and said gagadadawawa. 

All in one month! Really? The other day I thought about learning how to do a cartwheel but it seemed too hard and just the thought made me tired so I decided to clean the toilet instead. Yes...I cleaned the toilet. Unfortunately that was only after Little Bear decided to lick the bottom of it. I either need to clean more or we need to buy 700 baby gates. Looks like we will be making a Wal-Mart run later. 

With every new skill learned, I am excited and thrilled but I'm also a tiny bit nostalgic for the days when she would fit in one arm and stay in one place. Luckily I don't have too much time to be nostalgic...after all, I have toilets to clean.