Wow! Hard to believe it's been since December that I've last blogged. I would LOVE to have an opportunity to sit down and write about our daily memories but FORTUNATELY, we are too busy making memories. :-) Where to even begin?!
Let's start with Bear. Lucas will be SEVEN months old on the 24th of this month. It's hard to believe time has went by so quickly. It seems with each kiddo time speeds up. Our youngest is simply happy. Never cries (unless he is hungry or has poopied) and doesn't matter where we go or what we do, that kid has a smile on his face. Honestly I think God knew that after Haleigh I needed a more laid back child. :-P I love that little girl to pieces but, oh my goodness gracious...she is just like her Mama, lol. Lucas has TWO teeth and has been rolling around like a little wild child since he was two months old. Last week he figured out how to crawl, bumped his little face and has oh so stubbornly refused to try again. So, we are working with him and coaxing him and he seems to be getting his nerve back.
We are still cloth diapering and although I love it...all the cuteness on my babies' bums, it IS hard work. We didn't exactly have several hundred dollars to buy our stash all at once so we've been progressively (and slowly) adding to it when life allows. What does that mean for this mama? Laundry...LOTS AND LOTS of laundry. My Mom thinks I'm crazy...after all, I do at least two loads a day, then fold and put away. So it goes with a family of five, but hey, busy for me means happy. And to know that I have laundry to fold means that the Lord has blessed me beyond measure; not always easy to keep that perspective when the baby has just spit up all over the freshly washed clothing or your other two are keeping WWE alive, but hey...you just keep going. :-)
Although we aren't totally green we are doing our best to convert to that lifestyle. I am the Mom who buys organic when I can, cloth diapers, hangs clothes outside versus using the dryer, and have even started trying to stick with the basics rather than have fifty of everything. I don't always do the best at this but I'm trying to teach my little ones that simplicity in life is sometimes better than having to have everything. I teach them about poverty and encourage them to donate toys and clothes etc. to those in need. I want them to grow up knowing that we are in the top 1% of richest people in the world and to humble themselves regardless of that fact. I want them to learn that just because we go to Wal*Mart does NOT mean they get a toy every time. Yes..I want to spoil my children tremendously, but with LOVE!!! After all, scripture teaches us that love is the most important thing this world has to offer...that WE have to offer. God gave up his Son so that we could have the gift of eternal life...what defines love more than that?
And speaking of sons, my precious Noah's personality grows by the day. He is sweet beyond measure but has reached the age of three which is FAR WORSE than the "terrible" twos ever were for us. I try to be understanding because I can actually see him struggling with the choice to be good. He scrunches up that cute little face, balls up his fists and breathes deeply like I taught him. Most of the time he lets go of the anger but occasionally he does push his sister down, yell at his Mommy, stomps his feet and says "But I TOLLLLLDDDDD you!" And then proceeds to act like his Father and I are the dumbest people on the planet for not understanding the reason behind his tantrum, lol. We stay stone faced until we can escape to our room and giggle about how adorable he is...even when he is angry. He loves Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, going to church and learning about Jesus, making his little brother laugh, snuggles, bugs, Lexi (our puppy), classical music, action figures and so much more.
Haleigh Bop is our beautiful little girl. Her smile lights up the room and she is the sweetest big sister this world has to offer. She is moody and will put her hand on her cute little hip and tell you how it is...regardless of whether you like it or not. She never misses a chance to say I love you and her manners are out of this world. I have never met a child so willing to say please and thank you in the adorable way that she does. We butt heads daily over what seems like everything but somehow I think that's just the way it is between Moms and their daughters. Although I sometimes dread the teenage years with her, I can't wait to watch her grow into a young lady. I've come to accept the fact that she is a Daddy's girl and probably always will be. But, oh my goodness, how my heart skips a beat when I look at her and that precious little grin she has. She loves all things girly but her favorites are having her nails painted, shoes shoes shoes and MORE shoes, hairbows, lip gloss, sparkles, and princesses. God knew what He was doing when He blessed us with this one.
Caleb and I have been doing well. We are looking forward to celebrating our FIFTH anniversary in July which is so hard to wrap my head around. July 30th will make 11 years that we've officially been a couple...high school sweethearts, all the way.
"I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition."
~~Martha Washington
