for you, lee

here's some pics of baby cora, baby 3, cora cora, sweetheart.

she is six months old now and i'm pretty sure she's just started the awful part of teething - night screaming - every 30-45 minutes for a few hours.  i could live without that.  but, i couldn't live without her! smiley face.  lights up when she sees a person - any person.

 just smilin'

 always on my tummy

 with the fam

 with my sibs

 they want to be like me

i want to be like them

 i wanna take a bite out of you!

 hey, look.  it's lee and baby lee.

 with my sis.  she drinks a lot.  no worries, it's just juice.  well, it's mostly water, but don't tell her that.

where did all my hair go?  

whatever, i'm still a beauty.

today's top 5

1.  will came home with his frog - which means he had a good day at school.

2.  everyone slept through the night, including me

3.  we had special company for dinner!

4.  will started on his homework right when he walked in the door from school and finished all 5 worksheets - his homework for the week!  his idea.  wow - we've come a long way in a few weeks.

5.  i made it to the grocery store with the girls and it was pleasant

a prayer for my family of little ones:

God, give us the sleep that we need and the grace that we need each day to live with each other in peace.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith..." Hebrews 12:2

Apart from you, i can do nothing.  John 15:5

Through you, i can do all things.   Philippians 4:13

if you want to learn patience, use a VCR

if you want to learn patience, use a VCR.

if you want to feel clean, go a couple of days in the summer without a shower, then take one.

if you want to simplify your life and finally get organized, have 3 kids under the age of 5 and a husband who travels for work.  it may take a few months - like, close to a year - but you'll get there.  i'm getting there.

oh, and if you need to feel some serious happiness, find a fat baby with a gummy grin.  oh, it'll work every time.

"if your mind isn't clouded by unnecessary things, this is the best season of your life"
WU-MEN
a quote from the book Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider

my middle child

dear ms. phoebe,

you are now a middle child.
you are Loving.
you are Smart.
you are potty trained.
you sleep in a big girl bed.
that's one of your favorite things to tell people - "i sleep in my big girl bed at night!"
"i two my olds!" means "i'm two years old!" 
daddy and i think that is so cute and we are not about to correct you!
i've recently figured out that you like soft vegetables.  you like canned beets!

you draw attention wherever you go.  and you are quiet.  that's power, little girl!
you are 2 going on 20.
you love to swing.
mosquitoes love you, unfortunately.
you are a mess.

i don't know what i would do without you.

mommy

my little Jackson Pollock

dear will,

it's hard to believe just a year ago, you would not even color.

turns out, you just don't prefer crayons.

you don't like to "color".  you like to draw.  with marker, pencil, and sidewalk chalk.

a few weeks ago you wanted to chalk the driveway.  it was raining so i let you chalk in the garage.  guess what you are drawing?  trains.  you draw mostly trains, very long trains - filling up the whole length of our driveway.  you've started drawing trucks, cars, delivery trucks and occasionally you will draw something different like a dinosaur or the latest Bible story you learned at sunday school.

i love your art and seeing you chalk on the ground reminds me so much of one of my favorite artists, Jackson Pollack as he "paints".

"there is no accident ... there is no beginning and no end."

"because a painting has a life of it's own - i kind of let it live."

thank you for helping me remember that i love art.

today

thoughts running through my head.  the Artist's Way refers to this practice as morning pages.  i guess this will be an afternoon page for me.

feet up.  almost quiet house.  almost clean house.  painting to be done in will's new room.  painting to be started in new baby's room.  laundry basket on the coffee table with clothes to fold.  i miss art.  i want a big huge canvas and a few free hours.  andes mints smores in the oven because there's no more chocolate in the house.   getting huge.  vericose veins.  traveling husband.  bit off my fingernails last night.  encourage children.  play.  potty training - i wish her bladder would grow.  i wish my bladder would grow!  going to the potty every hour.  more vegetables.  more vegetables.  less sugar.  keep the coffee.  aldi coffee - thee will do.  thee will do nicely.  rainy week.  almost decluttered whole house.  took two months.  now redecorating.  new house feel, no money spent.  new discovery.  don't shop. just declutter and you'll find what you need most of the time.  potential savings on diapers.  save save save.  $90 per week food/household budget.  menu planning is key.  it's working for now.  baa baa black sheep.  where's my music?  get some headphones for your ipod quick before she asks for baa baa black sheep again.  mommy mommy mommy mommy.  play with me.  cook with me.  can i watch a video?  cookie?  potty! nap.

God is my Help.

What's for Lunch?

leftover canned green beans heated up in the microwave with shredded sharp cheddar.  pb on celery sticks.  a few Ritz crackers.  the pic shows phoebe's leftovers.

Dear Son, Dear Daughter

Dear Will,

you are my beautiful boy.  you brought big change.  you taught me how to take care of a baby.  i'm sorry i didn't know more than i did before you came along.  you have forgiven me so many times, and i will never forget that. 
you helped me make friends.  you taught me to eat more fruits and veggies.  you got me outside more and more.  because of you, i know a lot about trains and trucks.
you encourage me to sing. 
you can be a talker.
you are hilarious and don't even know it.
you make people fall in love with you and you don't even try.

Dear Phoebe,

you are my special girl.  you are a doll.  you are affectionate and quiet, but very social.  you are only 1, but you smile like you know exactly what's going on.
you have been carted around since you were just a few weeks old.  you are patient, but only to a point and i can't blame you for that!
you are my dancer, my gymnast, my climber, my little mommy.  i love to watch you take care of your lamby and piggy and baby dolls.
you showed me that i give up too easily and to not do that.
sometimes you just need to be held.
you love books and you love to color.  i didn't know anyone could love to color as much as you do.
you are sweet and spunky.

crazy kids

crazy about reading (don't you love the mr. potato head glasses?)

crazy about coloring!

 crazy about building.  this was his first time playing with Lincoln Logs.

crazy about dressing up.  pre trick or treating at nana's.

today

today...

husband is back in town so that makes things easier!  and finally got an uninterrupted night of sleep for the first time since sunday night.

massive headache today.  took two rounds of tylenol to knock it out.  i miss my excedrin.  bad thing about pregnancy, no motrin and no excedrin.

will got hit at preschool today.

phoebe got one leg over the side of the crib today.  oh, give me a few more months!

my kids are so beautiful.

phoebe wants to color everyday.  she thinks it's funny to pass gas.  i did so good holding back any laughter whenever will would pass gas as a baby and toddler.  he would never react to it.  but, phoebe has always thought it was funny and i just can't hold back laughing about it now.  never thought my daughter would be more crude than my son.  it's kind of bad because sometimes the boy will let one slip, she laughs and then makes herself pass gas.

phoebe language at 19 months:

peeee mama peee - please, mama
i oh no - i don't know
wah wah - will will
ehmo - elmo, oatmeal
hee mama- here mama
hee go mama - here ya go mama
ah poo poo - i poo pooed
colo - color
mammy - lamby
bye bye
no
various animal sounds (dog, cow, cat, horse, pig, sheep)

and, oh, she can give a stern look when she says no.

she associates bed with Jesus Loves Me because that's her night night song.

songs she sings:
ABCs - almost everytime she sees letters anywhere
Jesus Loves Me
Elmo's World - la la ehmo wee

for where your treasure is...

today the boy's fever broke.  5 days of fighting a fever.

finally did a kroger run.

kroger value toilet paper - not a value.  it may be a couple dollars cheaper, but do yourself a favor and buy charmin on sale.

chewing on this today - something my friend for life posted on fb - my nearly organized. really pretty, bargain bought hoard

for where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

i have two kids  - live in America.  we live on one income and we have toys and clothes galore.  well, the kids do.  (3/4 of my clothes don't fit anymore or at least they won't for another year).  lots of hand me downs.  lots of blessings.  lots of chances to bless others.

there are children starving right now.  i know we've heard this before.

but, there are children starving right now.

i've been reminded of this a lot this year and it's not sitting well.

so, that's what elmo's been thinking about today.  da da da dahhh.  that song is so catchy!  my kids love it and i think elmo is fine, but that song is driving me bonkers.

i promised pics - here are a few.

 she loves to be outside.  "side side!"

she loves her sidewalk chalk.  gets it all over her body.  she wants to color me too.  it's not enough for her to color alone.  mommy must color (kah) with her.  sometimes i have had enough of coloring and i say no.  this doesn't go over well.  she loves her crayons and chalk.  will was nothing like that!  

cooling off in front of the a/c vent.  we had been at the park and it had been very warm that day.  she does like to sit in front of the vents though anyway.

had to get away to the mountains last weekend.  this was right before will got so sick.  or i think he had already started to get sick but was enjoying himself anyway.  who has time for a virus when you're in the mountains and there's water and paddleboats and mountain music!

he's so handsome!

glad i packed the bathing suits.  the water wasn't even very cold at all.

today

today

today will is still suffering with a double ear infection.  it acts like it is getting better and then he crashes again.  he is having problems hearing.  it is so easy to worry.  going back to the doc tomorrow morning if he is not better.

baby girl had a happy day today.  lots of smiles.  maybe we are turning a corner.  even had a sweet moment with her as she squeezed my face and said "yoh momma" and then patted her chest and said "ah bebee".

got to talk to my two best girlfriends today.  that is rare and even more rare now because they both have new babies.  both in the fourth trimester with their second child.  an exhausting time.  both sounded so calm.

september feels beautiful in georgia. 

hoping for a snowy winter to kill all these mosquitoes. 

i am 13 weeks and 5 days along.  i weigh the same as i did with baby girl at 18 weeks.  30 and pregnant.  thankful i got past the first trimester just in time to take care of a sick boy.  energy has returned but still tired.

clutter, dirty dishes, ironing.

pictures to come later.

it's late and i have to sleep now...

The Children's Museum of the Upstate

i recently went to the children's museum of the upstate with my 4 year old son and 17 month old daughter.  the kids love it.  we stayed there 3 hours (and would have stayed longer if baby hadn't needed a nap).  i was very impressed and plan to go back sometime.

we spent most of our time at the grocery store, teddy bear clinic, farm, construction site, and water area.

birthday interview with will

the last question was - what do you want to be when you grow up?  will said - an airplane driver.  he will be four in one week!

why i wear ear plugs at night

proof!  yes, lee, you do snore - big time.  but, i still love you. 
i also love how baby girl tries to imitate the sound.

lil sport soccer dynamo

this will be our fourth week at soccer camp.  will gets more and more used to it each time and seems to really enjoy it.   it doesn't hurt that his best friend is there too.
coach bill is awesome.  he is incredibly patient and does a lot of age appropriate drills and games like "hit the ground" and "bad pirate/good pirate".
 as you can see, little princess has been enjoying herself too.

inright outright upright downright happy all the time

Look to the LORD and his strength

Look to the LORD and his strength
seek his face always.
psalm 105:4

i need to paint this on my bedroom wall.

sometimes i do feel like just going around the house and painting scriptures that God has put in front of me so they'll always be in front of me.  so i won't forget!  but, then again i think hubby might not approve.

the other day i was at target with the kids and my three year old is hanging on the back of the buggy yelling, "you are the light of the world!"  awesome.

he's at the age where he has no fear of rejection and he likes to talk loud and often.  i need to teach him some more scripture - make an evangelist out of him and he wouldn't even know what was going on, but random people in target would be encouraged or convicted.  haha.

today i fed my kids mcdonalds hamburgers and frozen pizzas (with fruit on the side).  this is very out of the norm for me.  i don't think i gave will a mcdonalds hamburger until he was two.  but, anyway, i don't feel guilty because i had fun with my kids today and that's more important than stressing over all natural and no red dye 40 or high fructose corn syrup.  and hopefully we'll fit in a few more veggies and whole grains in tomorrow.

a year without cable tv

this month i celebrate 6 years of marriage with the hubs!

i'm also celebrating 1 year of no cable tv and not network tv (is that what you call it?)  our antennae picks up static and a spanish channel and that's it.  so i use vhs and dvds for the 3 year old's tv time.  the one year old has just started having a small interest in the tv.  the hubs and i use hulu on occasion and redbox.  and there's always youtube.

i do admit, i missed my cable tv after not having it for a few months.  when you're a stay at home mom, the tv can be your "friend", your adult conversation.  i missed my today show, oprah, bravo, and tlc shows.  and my three year old misses curious george and super why.  but honestly, my three year old was getting to the point where he could understand some of what they were talking about (on my shows) and that was not always good.  and the commercials were getting in sane.  if you can afford dvr, cable tv is a nice thing to have.  if you cannot afford dvr, you're going to watch 20 minutes of a show and 10 minutes of commercials.  no thank you.

time is precious when living with a 3 year old and a baby.  so this works for us.  i'm thankful my husband is okay with it.  he misses his college football in the fall, but i think that's about it.  he keeps up with the news through the internet.

i used to be a tv addict growing up and when i was in college.  one day, when i was in college, i heard someone say they didn't have a tv and they didn't know how they would even have time to watch it if they had one.  i remember thinking, what???

now, i can relate.  if i had a tv, i don't know how i would get anything else done.  and i would miss out on time with my kids too.  i already feel like i don't get to spend enough time with them, and i'm a stay at home mom.  crazy!

an update

will is in a very funny stage:

it's my favorite thing to do in the world. will
what is? me
pick my nose. will

i go to the bathroom and will follows me (of course)
do you need some privacy? will
yes. me
well, i'm just pretending to give you some privacy while i sit here with you.  will
i didn't get any privacy, but i did get a big laugh!

mommy, why did you kill that off of me? as i swat a bug off of his leg.

phoebe is a mess as well.  she loves to have fun - to dance and spin to music until she falls down. 
we have had such a time with her eating and sleeping the past two months but during the past few days we have reached some normalcy - i'm praying it continues.

victories for last week -
she ate a green bean!  and didn't spit out the skin.  and then she ate another one.
she ate a piece of watermelon
we've discovered she is not allergic to pb. thank you, Lord!
we still have a ways to go with fruit and veggies but we are a lot better than 2 months ago when she would only eat baby food, food that was pureed, and graham crackers (at 14 months old).

words she can say - sort of:

ball, eye, belly button, mouth, airplane, car, bubba, dada, mama, all done, thank you, cracker, bird, dog

what a month!

my hubby has been getting on to me about not blogging lately. but, it has been quite a month. hubby has been traveling. baby has been cutting molars. the kids have had two viruses. one that they shared with me - a stomach virus - the day before we had a flight to florida for a vacay with working hubby. wow, that plane ride with 15 month old infant in arms was rough. the 3 year old loved it! but of course, he had his own seat.

thank you, Lord for several friends and family members who have provided support to me during this past month - especially the last little bit. from watching my kids, to praying for me, and also for just talks on the phone (sometimes with loud children in the background). it kept me sane. of course, you know.

one thing i am trying to learn - 1)you can say no. 2)treat yourself a little. find your happy place - you're kids will thank you for it!

happy place includes:

long walks outside - alone or with stroller and baby - that works too - gotta get those endorphins back
screen porch time
coffee
de cluttering the house
blue hydrangeas on the kitchen table (from my front yard!)
candles
painting
music

we're getting there. the kids are trying to get over this last virus. we've been watching more tv than normal, building with Legos a lot while baby naps, serving a lot of childrens motrin, and trying to clean a very dirty house. hoping things calm down soon - looking forward to a fun summer.

before i forget, i have to write a few willisms:

menu - food looker
cashier - pay pointer
pharmacists - medicine asker
he still can't say some of his sounds, esp. when you put two consonants together. so brown brush is "frown frush".
and my favorite is when he says, "when i grow up" sounds more like "when i throw up" and he talks about growing up a lot. it really confuses some people.

Asleep on the couch in the middle of the day = sick

St. Pete's Beach, FL

The kids prefer the pool to the beach

"I'm going to be an airplane friver when I frow up!" Thank you Delta for giving him hours in the 757.