Two Months

Seriously? Seriously? My baby is TWO Months old today!! He is doing really well. He is still a great at sleeping. Basically wakes once to eat in the middle of the night. He also just goes down to bed very easily. Swaddle him up, lay him down, and he is good. Half the time, we don't even need to give him a pacifier. He is starting to be a bit more "active" - meaning he smiles and coos more. He goes back to the doctor this Saturday, so we will see how he is growing. He does have a little bit of congestion right now (which we all have - uck!) and that is making it a bit harder for him to nurse, but he is still good. Just love my little man!!!

A Visit from the Gerwing Clan

This past weekend we had a great visit from Jeff's brother Tim, his wife Amy and 5 of their 7 kids (Olivia, Nolan, Jonah, Julianna, and Leah) The other two, Madison and Charlotte, stayed back in PA with Grandma and Grandpa.

We had a great time visiting with them. The kids played so well together and Hayley and Alyssa just enjoyed their time with them so much. With 5 extra kids in the house, I barely saw mine, b/c they were constantly playing and being entertained by the others.

We were even able to go out for a nice dinner with Tim and Amy and left Olivia in charge of the little ones. I was able to go to P. F. Changs for the first time - and loved it!

Just a great visit overall, and we can't wait for them to visit again!!!

Disney On Ice at the Palace

On Sunday we took all three kids to see "Let's Celebrate" a Disney on Ice Tour. The girls absolutely loved it! (Cole didn't really care) It was such a fun family day, and all the kids were very well behaved. It had Mickey and all the gang from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and it also had all the Disney Princesses in it. The best of both worlds! When I went to get the tickets, I just googled looking for a promotion code and found a code that worked, and was able to save 40% on my tickets, plus I got really good tickets. We were in Row C on the lower level with just a couple of floor seats in front of us. Couldn't beat it. Afterwards we went to Great Lakes Crossing and went to the Disney Store there, and the girls each got a cup and a t-shirt, for less than what one t-shirt would have been at the show. That stuff is crazy expensive, it baffles me that people actually buy it. Anyway, here are a few photos...

Happy Birthday Daddy

Yesterday was Jeff's Birthday... whooping 35! Or was that 34? So I made Jeff a Blueberry Crumb Pie Cake (yes, it had to have the word "cake" in it for Hayley's sake)for his birthday and for some reason, I purposely put three candles on it, and then 4 candles next to it to resemble 34. I don't know if it was denial or what, but I thought he was 34! Crazy! Happy Birthday Daddy... and this is as good as it gets when you try to have three kids all look at the same time... how did anyone ever get a good shot with 35 mm???

I Want You... I Need You...

So recently the girls have added the above two phrases to their vocabulary. Several times a day, I will hear from one or both of them... "I Want You" and/or "I Need You". I am not quite sure where they got them from, or how they know that they would pull on my heart strings. Seriously, where does a 3 1/2 year old and a 2 year old come up with these?

The other morning the girls woke a bit early and came knocking on my bedroom door. (Just and FYI, Mommy is not on-duty until 8am - with the exception of nursing)So, when they came knocking, I was actually nursing Cole and told them to go back into their room and I would come get them in a minute. Hayley said, ok and went back into her room. Alyssa, however, chose to throw and all out fit and began sobbing and screaming and saying the infamous, "I NEED YOU". Calmly, I try and tell her I am nursing and to go back into her room and I would get her shortly. I tried this approach several times. Finally, I broke and yelling louder than her (and startling Cole in the process) told her to go back into her room. Than instantly, almost as the words were coming out of my mouth, the image of me coming before Christ sobbing and saying "I Need You" came into my head. OUCH! Talk about a frightening visual. I just thought to myself - what if Jesus told me to go away if I came to him sobbing and in need? Thankfully, that has never been and never will be the case - in my situation... or yours. Jesus hears us and is always there. I read something this morning in my devotional, that really struck me... "A plan of profound importance exists that sometimes overrides the miracle we desperately desire." ~Beth Moore How awesome is that, there is a plan! So, even though I may be praying for a miracle (my girls to not whine!) there is a purpose and a plan that is being lived out in those moments. What perspective!

So for now, I will endure these moments, and do my best to stay calm and teach appropriate behavior, and in the process remember there is a greater plan.

I am Mom... I will do anything... even go out in the snow

Well, I did the unthinkable (to me at least)... I went out in the snow. I must say, that I do not dislike snow... I just despise the cold so much, that not wanting to go out in the snow is just a by product. BUT (and that's a HUGE but) I love my children and will do anything for them... even go out in the snow and build a snowman! Hayley wanted a "big, big, big snowman... however, we went out the day after it snowed and it just didn't seem to want to stick. Either it wasn't good packing snow, or I need a lesson on how to build a snowman.


Here is one of the girls in the neighbor's fort (aka castle as Hayley called it!)

First Smiles

Cole started smiling this past week. It is hard to catch the really good ones - but here are a couple of the best ones I have got. He does a little side smile smirck more than a full mouth smile. Adorable!