The Best of... Spring 2015 edition

I am so behind with this blog... Tiegan maybe has MORE pictures of her than the others since I am constantly taking pics of her with my phone, but I never get my big camera out and I have yet to blog about her monthly updates or milestones (I'm sorry T, Mommy loves you sooo much though!).  So here is the most random assortment of pictures from our lovely spring...!

Many Monday evenings whichever of us who got to take Lainey to dance, would grab a quick dinner with her afterwards and before bible study.  This particular night was IHOP (kids eat free on Mondays!).  This girl inherited her mother's love of going out to eat.  She'll typically say and repeat something like, "This is so fun!" the whole time you're out to eat.  The one on one time is so sweet too.

Tiegan has and continues to love the water and her bath time.  She requires more frequent baths with all of that hair too!

Easter was so fun this year.  We hit a few different egg hunts, decorated eggs and did Resurrection eggs with the kids too.

Easter Sunday

With the nicer weather, we are loving getting outside and enjoying many parks.  There is a baseball complex near our house that is jam packed on many week nights and weekends but during the weekdays it's totally dead so we take advantage of the playground in the middle of all of the fields.

I love this baby and I wish I could hold her and snuggle her all day long.  She is not a high maintinence baby who NEEDS held very often but I sure do love to steal my snuggles whenever I can.

My dark eyed girls!  They are still absolutely smitten with each other.  Their love is so mutual and so lovely to watch grow.

One night as I was feeding Tiegan before bed, Lainey waltzed in with her sound machine (we rely heavily on those things around here) and said that she didn't need hers anymore and Tiegan could have it.  It was the most precious thing - she was so genuine and sweet about it.  She is such a fabulous big sister.

We registered Lainey for a spring soccer league through the city of Des Moines Parks and Rec largely because it was held right down the street from our house and Jed said he would coach.

I don't think soccer is in her future but she sure looked cute and I think she still had fun.  I couldn't believe even at this age, the difference in athletic abilities and intensity between boys and girls!

The cutest greeters at church!

We hit one of our favorite spring spots at the peak of lilac blooming season and it was so glorious!  The kids frolicked around the most giant lilac bushes and T and I followed and sniffed the blooms!

I love my little crew!

Lainey invited her friend Mia to "bring a friend week" at ballet.  It's funny to watch 3 year olds be friends.  These girls are 4 weeks apart and have been friends since birth!

We enjoyed a homeschool field trip with many other church friends a few weeks ago to a farm!  The weather was awesome and the kids loved it!

Tiegan...not so impressed.

Wyatt loved it most of all I'd say.

Sometimes I have just my littles at home and I love watching Wyatt really own his big brother role during those times.  Lainey, as the oldest, typically just runs the show when she's around but Wy is such a different kid when she's gone.  He LOVES his baby Tiegan and really truly is gentle and sweet to her.

I love baking (and much prefer it to cooking) and while it's typically easier, faster and less messy to just do it myself, I want to include the kids and let that be something they remember about their mom.  They are great at dumping in ingredients, getting started stirring things and helping me set the timer.  Oh and especially at licking the beater/spoons and watching things bake in the oven!

Spring was so wonderful and we are excited as summer is just getting started!

Terrific typical Tuesday

I have a running list in my head of things I want to remember about these days when our kids were little.  Things like birthday parties, holidays, etc. are easy to remember because they're annual and there are usually pictures to accompany them.  I want to remember trips to the grocery store, kids in my lap reading stacks of books, the smell of baby lotion after a bath... the every day things.  Today has been a totally normal stay-at-home morning.  Our play date fell through and it's just too cold to go out any way.

Lainey's imagination has been on a roll this morning.  An empty laundry basket has been a rocket ship, a huge bath tub for all kinds of plastic and stuffed animals and a bed of hay for baby Jesus (played by a Minnie Mouse doll).  The dialogue to go along with each scenario is a riot.  None of this was encouraged or suggested by me, it's all her.  My living room is a mess of toys and books and the sink is full of dishes, which normally drives me a little bonkers, but I'm trying to be more present, less distracted and enjoy these moments more.

Moments like this.  Wyatt, such a sleepy head.  I always have to wake him up if he takes a morning nap at home otherwise he'd sleep the day away.

And moments like this.  She took control of this all on her own too.  They both loved it.  They are becoming so much more independent each day.

And this.  She beat me, fair and square, twice at Candy Land.  Then proudly declared she was done.  I like to quit while I'm ahead too!

Thankful for these kids and that I get to be a part of their every day moments.

Phone Photo Dump

Life with 2 kids is really sweet.  There are a lot, I mean A LOT, of moments worthy of a picture.  Sometimes I don't have my camera handy and I know if I walk away to get it, I'll distract said sweetness and miss the moment.  I usually have my phone near or in my pocket so some moments get captured that way.  

There is just so much joy and cute-ness I get to experience throughout our days... I am so blessed.  

(Plus, Daddy and the grandparents sure appreciate the pictures too! :)

 This kid sleeps so much.  He is so great.

 We are slowly but surely figuring out our new normal for the 3 of us during the days.  This picture is nothing short of a miracle in itself!

 Everyone needs a little tummy time!

 My little bargain shopper and I on a Mommy-Daughter date to Target the other night.  I loved our one on one time!

 Monkey see, monkey do... (She is wearing my nursing cover and (was) holding her baby... like Mom does :)

 He is SO adorable and is starting to have more awake times!

Diaper changin' time for all of the babies! :)

Love these simple and sweet every day moments!

Lainey, the big sister

[I will post about Wyatt's birth day and share lots more pictures soon but I wanted to get some thoughts down about and for our sweet Lainey right now while it was fresh in my sleep deprived, mother of a newborn mind...  Warning: this might get sappy.  I blame the hormones.]

Lainey,

YOU are a big sister now!  Without knowing it or understanding it at all, your entire world has just been beautifully rocked.  Your brother was just born a week shy of your 15 month birthday.  My heart was honestly heavy in many ways in the days leading up to November 6th, feeling all kinds of emotions about how our family was about to change.

The day before your brother was born I made sure to fill our day with lots of your favorite things.  We had waffles for breakfast.  We went to Book Babies at the library.  You actually had your "best" story time experience so far.  The class was smaller than normal and you were loving the extra space to roam but you actually sat down in my lap a few different times to watch the teacher.  After that, we met your Dad at the mall for lunch and you took a rock star nap in the afternoon.  I was actually kind of sad you slept so long and so well because I was already starting to mourn the "just you and me" moments we had left.  We had an extra sweet bedtime too with lots of snuggles.  It was a really great day.

We dropped you off the next morning at a friend's house on our way to the hospital and I didn't get to see you for about 12 hours.  That was the longest I think I had ever been away from you!  You were in good hands and had a great time with your best friend all day.  Your brother was born early evening and your dad really, really wanted you to meet him as soon as possible.  You visited us in the hospital that night but you were pushing bedtime and had had a jam packed big day so you weren't super interested in what was going on and you weren't really sure what to think about your mom sitting in a hospital bed.  

The next day when you returned, you really owned your new role as "Best Big Sis."  I wish I would have counted how many times we heard you say "bay" (baby) as you pointed at your new brother.  We got you a big sister present to open in the hospital and the first think you did was share it with Wyatt.  Precious.  You spent a few hours with us over the course of two visits during the day and your attitude towards your brother only got sweeter.

Our first night at home and our first full day together as a family of 4 could not have gone any better.  You love to point out his toes and his nose.  You love to pet his head.  You love to share your toys with him and you've already learned to place them near his hands (rather than his face :).  You love to throw away his diapers and bring him his pacifier.  And at the same time, you are still as busy and independent as ever.  Even more so maybe than you were before he came.

I'm not naive.  I know we have a lot of challenges and sibling type struggles that will come our way but I so badly wish I could just bottle up the pure sweetness and joy of the past few hours and days with you being a new big sister.  I can tell you are really going to love your little brother.

I'm really thankful that God has given us you and now Wyatt and that the two of you get to grow up together.  We are so, so, so blessed.

Love, 
Mom