T-R-O-U-B-L-E

Kids are too smart for their own good sometimes. Take yesterday for example.

I was cleaning the carpets (chocolate milk incident), and after turning off the wet vac noticed the house was quiet. Way too quiet. Silence usually means one thing. . .

Trouble.

From experience I know the first place to look is my closet. The big "no no" area for the kids. Wouldn't you know, that's where they were.

Isaac had found some princess dolls (for Ainsley) that I have hidden on my top shelf (note: I can't reach this shelf without standing on a chair on my very tiptoes). He had pulled a chair into my closet, and stacked some books on that chair, and learned that he still wasn't tall enough to reach the dolls.

The boy is clever, so something as small as being small, isn't going to stop him. Darn Tigger and Pooh, and those super sleuths. "when you have a problem think think think."

Think is just what he did, and as his mind was going his eyes fell upon daddy's golf clubs. With club in hand, back onto the books, on top of the chair he goes.

By the time I found them those two stinkers of mine, they had both princess dolls on the ground and out of their boxes, next to a golf club, next to a chair with books stacked on top.

The most current silence was that of two siblings playing happily together, hiding in mom's closet.

One Man's Trash

It didn't really become a treasure. . . but it became cute and functional for me!

before:
after (well almost done, I still have to get some knobs for the drawers):

Once a piece of trash, this dresser now belongs in the guest bedroom closet. Making a storage space for "junk", and a few extra drawers for family/friends when they come to visit.

No Stories

Nothing to tell, just some dang cute pictures of my favorite people.

Biker Dudes

The weather was finally nice enough yesterday for the kids to try out their new bikes. Isaac was a little impatient, and disappointed he couldn't just take off zooming down the sidewalk. I made him keep trying and within a few minutes he was riding like a pro. According to him he is now a "biker dude" because he can ride so fast. Works for me.

I was dying over how cute Miss Ains was on her new bike. Watching her little tiny legs pedaling. . . so funny! She needs a lot of help staying on track, and needs a lot of pushing, but I have a feeling that little miss independent will be riding her bike like a champ, in no time at all. Story of her life (or mine). My messy, trouble making, adorable baby girl, doing things a little faster than I am ready for. (crawling at five months, walking at eight, finding her on top of the piano at 12 months). She keeps me on my toes!

Four.

I look at these pictures and can't believe how grown up my baby boy is. I guess really I can't call him a baby any more, but it's okay if I call him my little boy right? At least for a little while longer. . .

Watching him grow is bittersweet. I wish I could him keep young forever, but watching him grow and learn is such an amazing journey. I am thankful everyday, that he is a part of my life.

Some of the things I love about Isaac:

* He is one of the funniest people I know
* His laugh is contagious
* His dimply smile is contagious
* He tells me I am beautiful
* He tells his sister she is a princess
* At least five times a day he runs up to me, and blows me a kiss
* He tells me daily he loves me
* He is the best big brother
* He has an amazing imagination
* He is very bright and loves to learn
* He loves music, and has some pretty nice dance moves
* He made me a mother
* He makes me a better person everyday

Happy fourth birthday big boy. Thank you for being you. I sure do love you!

Birthday Girl

Two.

Today I will be

Remembering

I remember the moment I found out I was having a little girl, like it was yesterday. I had been hoping for another little boy. Two little boys to be best friends. A girl wasn't what I was expecting, and yet a girl we were having. I found myself more excited than I thought imaginable. I knew then, just as I know now a little girl was exactly what this family needed. Today, instead of two little boys, I have a little boy and a little girl who are the BEST of friends. Life is wonderful.

Loving

I used to sometimes wonder how my heart could love another child as much as I loved my first. Then my baby girl was born. It truly was love at first sight. She was so beautiful, so perfect. My connection with her was immediate, as if she had always been a part of my life. Every day my love for my baby girl grows stronger.

She is willful, almost stubborn. It makes life hard sometimes, but I love her all the more for it.

She is my good eater. I love that even if she has the EXACT same plate of food as I do, she insists a couple bites of my food. I never have a meal to myself, and surprisingly I love that.

She is my shadow. Everywhere I turn there she is. It is like having a small dog under my feet ( I have stepped on her more than once). Some days it pesters me, and yet deep down, I love having someone who wants to be by my side so many hours of so many days.

She is my helper. My little shadow not only loves to follow me around the house, but she loves to be doing what I am doing. It is always nice to have help with "chores" around the house. Especially from someone who WANTS to be doing them. I love her helping hands.

She is independent. Everything is "my do it." Those "chores" around the house may take an extra hour sometimes with her "do it." But I wouldn't have it any other way. I love watching her become her own person, able to do things on her own.

She has the sweetest little voice. Listening to her speak or laugh melts my heart. I love her answer to any of my questions "Yes mommy."

She loves the boys in her life. Her brother is her best friend. She repeats anything he says. She does anything he does. She loves him. She is usually the first one to greet daddy when he gets home from work every day. Running full speed down the hallway and giving him the biggest hug. She loves him. I love watching her love.

Marveling

It never ceases to amaze me at how one so small has so much power, and can be so incredibly messy. My little girl has some kind of superpower. She just has to bat her eyes, use her tiny adorable voice, and she can most times get her way. She also is one of the messiest people I know. Never ending mess with her, food, dirt, paint, markers, toys, water. . . it never ends.

Hoping

Everyday I pray that I can know how best to help this little lady grow into the woman she is meant to be. I hope that we will always be as close as we are now. . . maybe not the following me around the house. . . but I hope we can always be best friends. Oh how I love my little girl.

Celebrating

Today we celebrate this beautiful child entering the world. How blessed we are to have her as a part of our family. How even more blessed we are to know that she will always and forever be a part of our family.

Happy birthday baby girl. We sure love you!