Octopus Lunch

I've been so excited about starting preschool with Lauren this fall. Our year officially starts in just a few weeks and I've had our first theme on my mind so I decided to make a little lunch in anticipation of it.

Can you guess our first theme?

(turkey octopus sandwich with royal icing eyes and cheese mouth, sliced cucumber (seaweed), Scrabble Cheeze-its, and apples cut to look like coral)

Rainbows

Lauren and I love to create with chalk outside. It has been so steamy this summer that we really haven't had a lot of opportunities because the sidewalk has been too hot. Last Thursday night was a bit cooler though so we seized the chance to get creative!

We had just watched a Sid the Science Kid episode on rainbows so we decided to sing the song they sang and make our own.

"Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet too!"

As we sang the song, Lauren would hand me the color of chalk we needed. I drew this rainbow...

...then she drew her own!

She even made sure there were white clouds on either end of it! 

She was really proud of her rainbow and I was so excited to see her complete it all by herself! What a big girl I have!!!

This activity was so fun because not only did she get a review in colors and a chance to work on her fine motor skills (holding the chalk and drawing half circles) but we got to talk about the great story behind the rainbow. I love hearing her tell me about things she's learned from the Bible. I love knowing that her little heart and mind know that God made the rainbow.

Life Ramblings

Life has been changing at rapid speed the past few weeks into months around here. I'm desperately trying to soak up all the moments and memories, but they are gone before I know it.

My children are growing. Too fast. It is one of the weirdest oxymorons to me that everything in me fights their growth and yet everything in me wants them to grow up healthy and happy kids. I'm scared to death of missing these days with them. Yes, I stay home and yes we are often together 24 hours a day, but I know that it is completely possible to be next to someone and to not be really there with them. I want to be present in their lives. Too often I choose cleaning over playing, worry and stress (or even embarrassingly the internet) over quality time. I'm feeling such unrest about this. 

We've begun attending a new church. Shawn and I both felt so led to do this. But there have been questions asked of us. People doubting us. That is hard. It is hard when neither one of us have the answer they are looking for. If you know me at all, you know that I do not like conflict. I do not like feeling uncomfortable. There is absolutely no way I would have chosen this path if I didn't feel God telling me to. We've attended for several weeks and while I love the service and the teaching I am getting there, I still feel alone. I feel like an outsider. How hard it is to give up comfort and security of a place you know and a place that knows you. 

I've got a big decision on my mind right now about a very special project I've been asked to be a part of and I am feeling Satan attack me from every single end. I keep hearing that I have nothing to offer. That I am too much of a mess to be able to help anyone. I hear that I am incapable. Am I? I'm so scared to make the wrong decision because one of my dearest friends is vested in it. What if I really am incapable? What if I really don't have anything to offer? What if my being a part of the project makes it less than what it could be? That it should be?

I've been a sorry excuse for a friend. I've been too busy and too wrapped up in my own struggles to take time for my friends. I feel like a liability instead of a blessing. How do I fix it? What do I say? I know that having two kids has given my friendships a hit. It is harder to get out. But, I miss our play dates. I miss our mommy talks. 

I feel as though I am doing a million things right now but not a single one right. Easton is still not sleeping through the night. Lauren has hit the terrible threes. I'm more stressed out when Shawn gets home than happy. My to do list booms ever present in my ear and there is dust all over my house.

I feel all this pressure in my chest and I've been fighting it daily but it's keeping me quiet here on the blog and it's keeping me quiet in my life. I figured if I just let it all out then maybe I could breathe regularly again.

Hey Babies

Lauren and Easton had their well check ups last Friday and I wanted to record their stats here so that I don't forget, because let's face it...they both have sorry excuses for baby books and the best chance of them ever knowing how big they were at 3 years and at 4 months, is this blog...their only hope.

(longest run-on sentence anyone?)

Lauren at 3 years:

Weight: 31 1/2 pounds (60th percentile)

Height: 37 1/2 inches (50th percentile)

Easton at 4 months:

Weight: 16.3 pounds (70th percentile)

Height 27 inches (95th percentile!!!)

Head Size: 43 1/4 (75th percentile)

Tummy Time Love

Shawn's mom found the neatest little tummy time mat for Easton. He has never been a fan of being on his belly so we were thrilled when he really liked the mat and would stay for longer than a few seconds! The mat is so neat because you fill it with water and when they push around on it the little fish inside move all around. He absolutely loves it and it is on my new go-to list for baby gifts! I do like to keep an eye on him while he is on the mat because I don't want him to face plant into it and not be able to breathe, but he has done a great job so far!!!

The Next Great Cake Decorator

For Lauren's birthday she received a cake decorating kit from her Aunt JuJu and Uncle Darell. We'd been super busy and hadn't had a chance to get it all out and decorate anything until last week. We finally bit the bullet and went for it.

It was a little advanced for Lauren but she and I worked together to make it work. She helped me roll the fondant out and put it on the tiny little cakes but her favorite part by far was decorating with the icing and sprinkles.

The cake tasted about as good as it looked...which was awesome, right? Ha!

To My Three Year Old...

Dear Lauren,

I seriously cannot believe that you are three years old. I keep asking myself how that even happens. In so many ways it really does seem like just yesterday I was holding you in my arms for the very first time. When I think back on all we have gone through, all the firsts we have seen together, it feels like a dream. Did you really never sleep through the night? Were we really ever dealing with a teething baby? Did you really learn how to crawl, then walk, and better yet say my name? I look at you now, all grown up, all girl, and I am overwhelmed. Overwhelmed that God chose me to be your mother. Overwhelmed that you love me. Overwhelmed that I get to pour my life into yours.

You are such a funny little girl. You keep your daddy and me on our toes. You love to make us laugh and you do the silliest things to accomplish that. You've started singing us songs as we go about our days. One of my favorites lately is simple titled, Dishes. This song is sung loudly and as you dance around the kitchen while I put the dishes away. Cracks me up!

"My wike hewp do disses, but my no wike hewp do disses!!! My wike hewp do disses, but my no wike hewp do disses!!!"

You have the most tender heart. You hurt for others when they hurt and you look out for everyone around you. If a friend of yours wanted one more chicken nugget, you wouldn't hesitate to give them yours. You stop everything you are doing to get Easton a binkie or talk to him if he is upset. You give out hugs and kisses and make everyone around you feel so loved.

You are very shy around people you don't know. You like to have your own space and aren't a fan of people or kids who get into yours. You've been known to leave a playground set because there are too many kids playing on it. Once you warm up a little bit you usually do just fine, but it can be a painful start for you.

You wan to eat all of the time. If it were up to you you would have a sippy cup and a snack with you every waking moment. I have to give you some credit in that you will usually pick a healthy snack to ask for but ice cream can also be heard as one of your most asked for snacks. You love peppers! The bell variety as well as those little sweet peppers that are red, orange, and yellow. You also love fruit. For lunch you prefer turkey or chicken nuggets to peanut butter.

You are so much fun to be around. You are starting to really get into pretend play. I love to hear you talk to yourself as you play with your kitchen or with your dolls. You are just too precious for words! You are also really starting to get into Disney movies. Your favorite right now is Tangled. You could watch it over and over and over and over. You even sing along to some of the songs in the movie. I think it is adorable! 

I can't imagine our lives without you in it darling child. I feel like the absolute luckiest person in the world to be able to spend my days with you. I wish I could freeze time and keep you this small forever but I know you need to grow up. I pray for you daily, my daughter. I am so excited to see what God has planned for you but I intend to soak up every single moment with you in the process.

Here is a little interview I did with you on your third birthday (your words are in pink):

Do you like to sleep? No. Cause I no like to. 

What is your favorite thing to eat/drink? Water, tea. I like nanas (bananas)
What are your favorite shows? I like Mickey Mouse, Dora and Boots. I like...ummm what's that girl name? Oh yeah, Tangled. 
What are your favorite songs? Um, Dora and Boot. No, I like sing “Happy de de de de dee” “Mary had a wittle wam, wittle wam”
What makes you sad/frustrated? I don’t know.
What makes you happy?
(Smiles) Mommy
What makes you laugh? Easton!
What is love? You (pointing to me)
What do you know about Jesus? Mommy.
What is your favorite Bible story? Esther and the King   
Who do you love to be with? Mommy (sweet smile) Daddy and Easton
Where do you love to go? Ice cream place to get ice cream. The one with white and orange chairs.
Is being three better than being two?
Uh uh. Cause I want to be two. 

I love you to the moon and back fourteen million times, 

Love, Mommy