January

Greta Jane 5 1/2 months. 2 bottom teeth and a smiley little girl!

Emrie Ann playing in the rice. I swept rice up for days after letting the kids play with it. It was entertaining for the kids on cold days when we were stuck inside.

Henry playing with the ramp daddy made. We all went to a fascar race at church and felt inspired to race all day long.

A visit from our friends Micah and Grace.

Praise God for a warm house and many fun things to do together inside when we can't be outside.

Happy New Year

I love this one because of the messy boy bed head!

Greta says I think these presents are for me!

Emrie trying on a few Christmas presents!

2 really excited kids and 1 who is taking all the excitement in!

Happy New Year!

Boy it has been a busy several weeks! I will re-cap:

Christmas preparations were lots of fun with the help of Emrie and Henry, Greta wasn't to into helping but I sure by next year she will be right in the middle of things! Emrie would say she "decorationed the tree" Our small kitchen Christmas tree got it's ornaments rearranged on nearly a daily basis. Henry enjoyed looking at our ceramic Santa whose bag had drums in it and watching the countdown- to- Christmas clock that Papa Mike bought for the kids.

Emrie was in her first church Christmas program. She was nervous and too shy to get on stage for the first song but by the second she was singing right along with all the other children and by the end she found a mic and was fully prepared to take center stage all by herself! Another funny/typical Emrie moment was that each child in the program was to wear a angel, Shepard or animal costume....not Emrie she had on a new dress and was not about to cover it up with ANY costume. (Another display of her strong will and the unlikely possibility that peer pressure will her!).

Henry was not quite old enough for the program but had practiced and heard the songs many times so during the performance from the back row I am told he sang right along to Happy Birthday Jesus. Also Aunt Beth kept him quiet during the show by pulling out the magical bribe of sweet snacks-oh how Henry loves his "snackies!"

Greta was not yet old enough either but took that time to take a nice snooze in Mama Janes arms. She had had her first big nasty cold along with Emrie and Henry that week. Emries developed into an ear infection(her second one in about a month)

Daddy had a nice long break from school, it was sad to see it end. Now we are looking forward to spring break!

Praise God for a special baby born long ago, and the time spent with family to celebrate!

Christmas Sweets

Sugar Cookies at the Harden's

Gingerbread houses with Aunt Beth and Jeremiah

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is the Thanksgiving Tree Emrie created, each leaf had a thing or person she was thankful for.

Henry with berry on his face, enjoying his Thanksgiving pie.

Greta in a Christmas box at Mama and Papas house.

Emrie and Mommy getting ready for the Christmas Parade.

I am going to blog while Greta is in her big girl crib crying....this isn't easy on mommy. I don't know if the 4 month shots messed up our nearly perfect sleeper or if it is those awful painful teeth but we have had a rough few nights and Greg says in a manly voice "She is ready for her bed in her room now." Mommy is not so sure of this. Crying for 10 minutes is heart wrenching when she has never cried 10 minutes worth her whole 4 months!

Fast forward a week and 1/2.

Greta is in her crib once again....part of me is saying it is time she needs to know she can go to sleep on her own and be happy in doing so and then the other part of me is screaming go get her she is 4/12 months old she needs snuggled so what if you end up in the recliner for most of the night, she won't stay this way long.

Potty training is in full swing here. Don't be surprised to see a naked little guy running through our house. Yesterday was more successful than today and I am teetering on his readiness about this, we will give it another day and see where that leads us.

Emrie is excited to be in her first Christmas parade tomorrow twirling with the Dynamic Stars. This should be interesting and exciting if she does decide to go through with it! I just finished reading You Can't Make Me, But I Can Be Persuaded by Cynthia Tobias all about the Strong Willed Child and Oh My! does it fit her to a T! I am looking forward to trying her suggestions and feel relieved and more informed about my sweet SWC Emrie Ann-an answer to prayer!

Well folks it is peaceful here now! A success! So I will now go to bed!

Praise God for night time and rest!

Greta Baby Mine

Part of our nightly routine! I love the squeak it means "keep going mommy!"

Take a deep breathe, smile, laugh and this to shall pass!!

Who is super silly? Henry!

Who is super sweet? Henry!

Who is back to super silly? Henry!

Who painted her face today at AHA? Emrie! Who is good at making slobber bubbles? Greta!

Who has super chubby sweet kissable cheeks? Greta!

This past Saturday morning I took the kids to Wal-mart to to pick up a few things returned home and Henry had developed bright red skin on his face and legs with big white bug bite looking welts all over. So off to urgent care Henry and I went, we waited to see the doctor for about 1 1/2 hours and when he finally made it to us the red and welts were gone. I explained what brought us in and he decided to examine him anyway and behold he had a bright red ear infection in his right ear and a mild one in his left. Discussing the possible reason for the rash red skin we determined that he could have a peanut allergy since I had fed him whole peanuts the day before for the first time. Dr advised us to wait 2 weeks and try peanuts again with benadryl handy. He is now on Amoxicillin and seems to be feeling/acting better.

Saturday evening Greg and I went to a Halloween party & we dressed up as Maverick and Charlie from Top Gun. It was a fun evening, Emrie had her first sleepover at Ea and Aarons house(which was lots & lots of fun for her!). Henry and Greta stayed home with Aunt Beth watching them. Mommy came home early to feed Greta and went to bed shortly after...no late night parties for us these days! (I don't know that there ever were!) I have yet to give or attempt to feed a bottle to Greta, so I am always within a short distance to her beck and call...don't want her to go hungry and if you look at those cheeks pictured above @ 16 weeks she is undoubtably getting enough to eat! I love those crazy sweet smoochable cheeks!

Terrible 2's have been trying this week. I just remind myself to take a deep breathe, smile, laugh and this to shall pass! Oh but Lord I do need your help! Emrie has grumpy defiant days and Henry has his perpetual motion and constant whiny, fit throwing tantrum days and I do believe they plan them to coincide to make one plain awful day...silver lining is that not everyday is disastrous. We do make it through and each night I think I can do this or accomplish that when they are all tucked quietly into bed but I find myself hitting the hay momentarily after the peace of 3 sleeping children sets in. I consider myself lucky though I am blessed to be staying at home with them. I know in retrospect I will one day miss this.

Praise God for today!

Happy Halloween!

Greta watching the pumpkin carving!

Butterfly Princess Emrie and Mail Man Henry.

Proud Papa looking at Mail Man Henry!

Greta sleeping during the Halloween fun.

Emrie watching for the trick or treating to begin and Billy the exterminator!

Praise God for a fun day for the kids and all those yummy treats!