A whole year...

7/8/09
Baby Boy,
I remember this moment a year ago, when they laid you on my chest and I saw your sweet little face for the first time. My heart was so full of love for you! I remember going to the hospital thinking it would be cake this time around, since I was only having one baby. I couldn't have been more wrong! You just didn't want to come out, and I have to say I loved having you in there too, feeling your kicks and movements. After 16 hours of labor, three hours of pushing, I held you in my arms, and you were even more beautiful than I imagined. Your name means "praise," and we have been praising God for the joy you have brought into our lives from the second we found out about your existence.

I can't believe my baby is one. You are sweet and happy, but have a strong will and quite a temper when you don't get your way. You are the darling of your brother and sister, and can do no wrong in their eyes. They love to mother you, play with you, and share their most precious belongings with their "baby brother." You are crawling everywhere and you have recently mastered the stairs(which you are quite happy about).

Your favorite time of the day is bath time, and you always yell at me for getting you out. You wake us up in the morning by standing in your crib, talking loudly and banging as hard as you can for someone to pay attention to you. You are pure sunshine, and you have brought so much joy into our lives. Happy first birthday, sweet boy.
Love, Mama

Rain Rain Rain

Its raining, again. Now, I love me a good rain, thunderstorms are my favorite. I love sitting inside with a good book and a steaming cup of coffee, listening to it pour outside. I love the clean smell of it when you step outside, I love the bright green of the grass and the crazy growth of the plants in the garden. I love rain, probably more than most people, but, after three weeks of it (yes, you heard me correctly, three. weeks.) I am sick of it.

Not just the being-cooped-up-in-the-house-I-am-losing-my-mind aspect of it, but the fact that I am basically a prisoner with these three (and sometimes six) tiny people, that are losing. it. Their little bodies are aching for sunshine, exercise, and space. They want to be digging in the sandbox, riding their bikes, playing outside. I must seem like the warden to them, instead of a fellow suffering prisoner. The whining, tattling, and just plain misery are echos of my own feelings, but, being the mama, I have to put on my brave face and find some creative things to do to keep little minds occupied. After three weeks of this, I am running out of ideas. There is just so much play dough, crafts, painting, candy land, movies, reading and fort building you can do. Please PLEASE sun, come visit us soon. The natives are getting restless....

This boy of mine!

I had to write a quick post just so I wouldn't forget all of the crazy things Gavin has done/said today! I was mopping the floor and emptied my mop bucket in the bathroom. When I come back in to get it, it is full of pee! I asked Gavin why he did it, and he said "there was already yellow stuff in there (pine-sol), so I just peed." Nice.

After nap, he had a poop accident in his pull-up. I told him, "If you poop in the potty next time, mommy will give you a special treat." He looks like he is thinking about it for a sec and then says, "How bout lots of money?"

I took them to the grocery store to get some things for supper. As we were getting out of the car, I turned around from grabbing groceries, and see Gavin with his pants down peeing on the lawn. Evalyn was watching in horror! I of course dropped everything I was holding to grab my phone and take a picture. We had to have a little talk about only peeing outside in an emergency, and that every other time it needs to be in the toilet. I had a hard time keeping a straight face:) I love having boys! They definitely keep life interesting!

Father's Day

Father's Day is a hard day for me. It really begins a month early in May, when they start putting out the Father's Day cards in the stores. I find myself drawn to them, reading this one and that one, trying to find the perfect card that I know I won't buy for the person that I know is no longer here to receive it. It is another day that reminds me of how much I miss him, how huge this void is, and how my life is forever changed.


I am so grateful that my kids have such an amazing daddy. I know many women think they have great husbands, but mine really is amazing. He is so wonderful with the kids, so patient, so helpful. I get comments all the time about how good he is with the kids, but people don't see the half of it. He just knows how to soothe hurts, both physically and emotionally. I am constantly amazed at how much grace he has for me, for our kids, and for others. I find myself wishing I could be more like him. I strive to be more like him.



Today, he read a Scripture at church from Proverbs 14:26. It says "He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children, it will be a refuge." I am blessed that Isaac is the kind of father that teaches his children about who God is, how to love Him, and shows them by example how to serve both God and others. Even though Father's day can be a sad day for me, it is also the day that I celebrate my husband for the dad that he is, and the day that I thank God for blessing me with such amazing men in my life.