the old switch-er-roo

Last night we put the kiddos to bed and then went out to the living room to watch The Hunger Games. An hour later while delivering some clean laundry, I noticed Tripp's orange L-shaped pillow was strangely placed on our bed and I didn't think it had been there before. I walked into his room to find him with MY body pillow- which happens to be atleast twice as long as he is- snuggled all up on it and sound asleep!

I went to check with the hubs to see if he had for some reason given Tripp the body pillow. He said no... and we both couldn't stop laughing at the thought of him bringing his pillow to my bed as a trade for the body pillow. Jase: "He must have thought you wouldn't notice". The things Tripp says and does are absolutely hilarious! He is such a sweet boy, although [sometimes unfortunately] he never runs out of things to say. Waiting for his turn to talk is terrible torture for him.

I felt guilty about switching the pillows back after he was asleep, but at 31 weeks pregnant I cannot possibly go 1 night without my body pillow! We are going to have to keep our eyes on this one...

two sillies

Loving these two sillies at the splash party

getting old

Tripp got his tonsils out a week ago. We have survived. We're not completely out of the woods, but mostly. This was his third day back at playschool (as he has started calling it). On the way, I looked in my rear view mirror to see his head leaned over to the side with heavy eyelids.
me: What are you doing buddy?
him: ooooooooooh Mama. (mumbling)
me: What? I can't hear you? Say it loud
him: (moaning) ooooh Mama. I'm ooooold
[I could not stop laughing at this point]

I finally got it out of him that he heard it from his teacher. I said I was sorry, but he had a long long way to go before he was "old".

Here he is re-cooperating in "Mama and Daddy's bed":

Here is Frannie, showing her support by demanding a popsicle anytime anyone else got one:

where my beaches at?

Tripp and I tagged along with Aunt Jordy, Grace, and Bill to the beach. It was a hot day (No, not "Louisiana hot"), but the water at the beach was cool. Beach = Lake Michigan.

Oh, Mr. Sandman...

Step 1: Roll in the sand and get as much as possible all over you.

This step was repeated many times. Every time we would get back out in the water, Tripp would say: Mama, I just want to get in that sand. I don't get it. I wanted to stay in the cool water. But we tromped back and forth and back and forth.

Ready to test the waters

I love this picture because you can see the clouds reflected in the water, and because Tripp looks like he is on a mission. I loved how shallow the water was- absolutely perfect for wading. There is Aunt Jordy and Grace! Bill was way too fast for me to get him in any pictures.

Yeah! This place is awesome! Let's live here forever!

(If I had to guess what was going through his mind)

break time

Here were are in Natchitoches. We spent 24 hours away from the kiddos and went to stay at a Bed and Breakfast. Such a treat and just around the time of our 5 year wedding anniversary. These are the only 2 pictures we took and I can't decide which one I like best.. I would love to make this an annual tradition. It was so much fun wandering down Front Street in and out of all the little shops. We had so much good food to eat! Fried green tomatoes, corn and crab bisque, filet, and much more. Dinner on the lake at The Mariner during sunset was just awesome. What a salad bar! I got the rasberry bread pudding, but next time I'm going with the key lime pie- my favorite. The only thing we missed, and the main reason we must go back, were the meat pies! Lasyone's is not opened on Sundays- and some one told me it was sacrilegious to eat them from any where else :)

Our bed and breakfast has the BEST breakfast! I usually don't eat very much right after I wake up, so I couldn't finish it. Yogurt with strawberries and bananas. French toast piled with whipped cream and more fresh fruit, and sausage, and coffee. Our inn keeper also made this delicious juice concoction- orange and pineapple? I'll have to check with my partner... Anyway- It was a perfect little break, and I can't wait to go back and visit.

twas a good weekend

Sound proud of my little sister, Adrienne. When she walked across the stage, I yelled "ADRIENNE"- you know, Rocky style. She said she heard me :)

I love this picture (even though it's a bit blurry) because our faces are aglow from all the candles. And Frannie doesn't know what to think. She just kept staring wide eyed, and slowly reaching toward them. It made me think of "Finding Nemo" when they see the light deep in the ocean and they're like "What is that? I don't know but I can't look away and I have to touch it" I guess bugs are like that too. 

And I love this next one because Tripp is grinning so proudly at all the candles he blew out for me. This also made me really curious about why the heck we stick candles in our food and blow them out in front of a singing group of people anyway. Wikipedia isn't always the best source, but they usually have the basics. Here's what they said:

The tradition of putting candles on birthday cakes is attributed to early Greeks, who used to place lit candles on cakes to make them glow like the moon... Some say the candles were placed on the cakes because people believed that the smoke of the candle carried their prayers to gods. Others believe the tradition originated in Germany where people used to place a large candle in the center of the cake to symbolize the 'light of life'. 

Other important things I now know:

1. Make a silent wish before blowing out the candles (totally forgot this year)

2. If you blow all your candles out in one breath, your wish will come true and you will have good luck for the next year

3. Smear out the name of the person before slicing the cake to bring good luck. 

I also love learning new random facts. 

Happy Memorial Day.

I am especially thankful for the men and women who serve our country. For those who have given their lives, and to their families they have left behind. For the past couple years, every time I see a soldier in uniform I try to say "Thank you for your service". It is so noble of them. 

why i'm always laughing

Daddy: "Tripp, do you have poop in your pants?"
Tripp: "No."
Daddy: "You know I can smell that, right?"

lessons from daddy

This morning I was in the bathroom drying my hair. Tripp walks in, looks at me, and says "You need to stand up and go tee-tee like a big girl."

Then we had to have another talk about the different equipment boys and girls have. But hey, atleast some of Daddy's training is sinking in.

When you start off as a parent, you think about all the things you have to teach your children. You don't realize how many things they will teach you. (And I still have a long way to go) Man, do I love this kid:

the mama called dada

"Frannie, can you say baby?

"bay-bay"

"Can you say more?"

"mor"

"Can you say flower?"

"ow-her"

"What does a duck say?"

"ack ack ack ack"

"Can you say hot dog?"

"dot dog"

"Can you say Mama?"

"Dada!"

Another word Frannie has mastered: NO!

She even said it in her sleep last night when I tried to give her a pacifier

I have a feeling this is the beginning of a long road to come...

reminder

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord.
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Isaiah 55:8-9

that one time she took a break

Man, do I love these little kiddos. It's somewhat hard to explain. The word "love" isn't enough. I would do absolutely anything for them. Tripp is now less than a month away from his 3rd birthday. Poor guy is stuck with me as a party planner. Frannie is 15 months- running around, into everything, and talking up a storm.  

We have never left Frannie overnight before. Tripp was with Nana when we were at the hospital meeting Frannie, and he's stayed with her twice for fun. But this weekend, me and the husband are taking off for a full TWENTY FOUR HOURS! I don't think I will know what to do with myself. We're headed to a little southern bed and breakfast, and I. Can't. Wait.


And then we'll hurry home to these sweet faces. 

dear jase

Dear Jase,
I think it is incredibly amusing that I've know you since 1998
and dated you since 2004
and been engaged to you since 2006
and been married to you since 2007...

but I still didn't know until today that you knew every single comic-book-super-hero-justice-league-person that there was. Not till today when I asked Tripp if he wanted blue superhero or yellow superhero underwear, and you looked over and said, "that is Captain America and that is Wolverine".  And continued to name everyone else on down the line.

There are so many times I am glad I'm not doing this by myself. But especially days like today. And also when I hear you in the bathroom telling our son "Ok, you don't have to stand up to pee, but you have to start soon". Because I wouldn't know how important that was.

I'm glad that even after all this time, you still have some surprises up your sleeve.

shiny happy little people

this smile is contagious:

Following her big brother everywhere, Frannie has gotten quite adventurous. Watching her grow and learn is amazing. She's finally getting her 3rd and 4th teeth, and is running around everywhere. Oh, and she's one now. (When was the last time I blogged??)

Here's Tripp with his new umbrella from Nana. I splashed down the street with him, and we rescued earth worms from puddles and put them back in the dirt. I thought I would never get him back in the house.

We stay busy, hence the lack of blogs. Their Daddy has a new job and started last week. We have so many reasons to be proud of him. On to bigger and better things! Considering moving somewhere with a big glorious back yard, if we could find one...

We're overjoyed about having some new twin Lynch cousins. Tripp doesn't quite get the "twin" thing, saying "I'm a twin" and then "Mama and Daddy are twins", but he knows Aunt Jordy has 2 babies in her tummy :)

Last night we were praying for dinner, and Tripp launched into thanking Jesus for things. It went on for awhile, but here are some excerpts: "Thank you Jesus for Frannie, and Tripper, and Mamas, and Daddies, and faces, and biscuits, and trees, and candy, and eyebrows, and biscuits, and shoes, and rolly bugs, and bugs, and cars, and Aunt Alli (she was eating with us), and forks, and biscuits, and..."

What a sweet little reminder to be thankful for all the little things we take for granted. Like eyebrows.

Favorite new quote this week "FAITH makes things possible {*** not easy}"

little black bag and looking back

I came to work today without my little black bag. Medela-pump-in-style-on-the-go-tote. I haven't been anywhere without you in a year. Today feels so strange, but I'm not sure how to describe it. Most of me is terribly relieved to be freed from this demanding schedule. Every thought I've had in the last year was followed by a secondary thought of when I could get back to my office to pump. Can it really be over?

When I stopped my first year of pumping, I was pregnant. So thankful for a break from the cycle I was about to re-start. This time? Different. Seeing those yellow capped bottles in my mini fridge was constant reassurance that even though I was away from her, I was still with her.

I can hardly believe one year ago I was big and pregnant and dying to meet our new little one. I was so shocked she was a girl. I wanted a girl so bad, and I think I tried to convince myself it was a boy so I wouldn't be disappointed (that's not really the right word, but I can't think of a better one).  Labor was the most physically challenging thing I have ever done in my life. It was the first time I had ever been away from Tripp overnight.

The epidural was much more painful that I would've imagined. The first attempt was unsuccessful. It hurt so bad I couldn't talk and was signaling to the nurse and Jase where the pain was. He took it out and started over. I was expecting instant relief, but never got it. I eventually got about a 30 minute break, but the pain came right back. They don't tell you that epidurals don't work 10% of the time. Who cares what the statistics are when it happens to you??

When Jase walked out of the room to hang with Tripp in the hall, the nurse tried to roll me from my left to my right side to help with my blood pressure. Frannie's heart rate dropped in half immediately. They quickly rolled me back, hooked me up to oxygen, got a heart monitor in there with her, and paged the doctor. They said she had about 30 seconds to get her heart rate back up before they wheeled me into the OR for a C-section. It went back up. Jase was gone for less than 5 minutes, and walked back into a different room. His face didn't show how scared he was. I knew when he started talking.

When it was time to push, Dr. Crawford was not there yet. They made us wait for a doctor since her HR had been dicey and it was a VBAC. I thought not pushing was intense. But then he showed up and we got to the pushing. Jase was a fantastic coach and counter, and he kept shushing the nurses and everyone else during my contractions because they were driving my crazy. I never told him, but he knew anyway.

I think I had to "push" through 10 or 12 contractions. Jase probably remembers better. I will always be grateful I got to go through it all with Jase by my side. In the end, all that mattered was that she was here. "Baby amnesia" is a real thing. They make you forget the pain (mostly). I once heard a quote that went something like this: The only way you can get a woman to go through this, and practically tear her body in half, is to promise her a baby at the end. (totally true)

I am so grateful EVERY single day for my babies. I still can't believe Frannie will be one year old on Friday. 

“There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing.”

~Brian Tracy

So long little black bag. We had a good run.

how do I love thee

I cannot believe how fast my kiddos are growing. Tripp tries my patience often, but knows how to make my heart totally melt. Last night I was sitting on his bedroom floor and he put his little hands on my cheeks, looked in my eyes, put his face really close to mine, and said quietly "Mama, I love you to your heart"

I just sat there and teared up. I was glad Jase was there to witness. I don't know where he heard something like that. The other day we were riding to school and the bright sun was shining right in his face. He covered his eyes and said "Sun! Leave me alone!"

He also has a stuffed dinosaur he's been sleeping with and taking care of lately. We asked what his name was, and without hesitating, "Roni". He comes up with the most unique names for stuffed animals, birds, etc. Here he is reading Roni a book. It's one of his favorites, but instead of Curious George. Tripp calls it "Serious George".

Frannie is getting better at walking everyday, and we're just days away from her first birthday party.

They continue to amaze me each day.

in other news

Frannie started walking last night! 12 steps in a row. It's official.

And from the mouths of babes:
I was taking Frannie to the doctor this week, and had to bring Tripp too. Here's our conversation in the car:
Tripp: Where are we going?
Me: To see Dr. Bill.
Tripp: Mama, what's wrong with me?

Also, yesterday in the car he suddenly held up his pointer finger and said "I have an idea!" I asked him what it was. "Let's go home and watch Peter Pan."

And when you ask him to do something he doesn't want to do... he says "No, we don't want to go to the dentist" or "No, we don't want to put our shoes on" or "No, we don't want a bath"

When he was hammering Lance with questions at the dentist, Lance said "There is no denying that this is your child."

I'm such a proud Mama.

out of my hands

I will remember to call upon the Lord
the great and glorious King.
The wisdom and mercy He has shown
to the house of Israel.

When I sing this song, I can hear Debbie singing it behind me. In my head.

One day a month or 2 ago, I was complaining about all the things going on, and how stressed I was, and how I didn't know what to do or where to start. My co-worker gently said "It's out of your hands. Say a quick prayer." I keep reminding myself of this OFTEN. In theory, it seems so simple! How many things in my life I have so little control over. December was very stressful. Some how when I(we) am(are) down to the last strand to hold on to... God shows up and everything is taken care of. Every time.

The day we spend our last dollar (not literally- I'm slightly better at it than that), we get an unexpected refund check in the mail. And every time I'm amazed.

My always-optimistic husband also helps keep me from dragging down everyone and everything with my negative views: "Are we destitute? Do our kids have anything more serious than a cold? Do we have jobs?"

des·ti·tute: Adjective:

1. Without the basic necessities of life. 

2. Not having.

It has always been hard to admit when I don't have control over a situation, or something, or anything. It is even harder now as a mom. In addition to better budgeting, here's my other resolution:

step 1: acknowledge I've done everything I can do

step 2: admit to myself it is out of my hands 

step 3: say a quick prayer

step 4: stop freaking out about it (the hard part)

parenting

I came across 2 amazing blogs/articles/etc. that I totally love about parenting. The first is called:
"50 Rules for Dads of Daughters" by Michael Mitchell. You can find it here:

http://www.fromdatestodiapers.com/50-rules-for-dads-of-daughters

The second is one called:
"25 Rules for Mothers of Sons" by The Struders, found on their blog here:

http://studerteam.blogspot.com/2011/11/25-rules-for-mothers-of-sons.html?m=1

These lists pretty much describe the goals I have for me and Jase's co-parenting team, although I don't think I could put it quite like they have- so I didn't try! Here are the little ones that own my heart, drive me crazy, and make me proud to be a Mama:

oh happy day

just another typical morning

Getting Tripp dressed each morning is a nightmare challenging, and typically taken on by Daddy. You have to give him a few outfits to choose from, and really make each one sound appealing. Jase is particularly good at this part :) This morning one of the options was a camouflage shirt Tripp hadn't worn before. He quickly said no to that, but agreed after Daddy explained that this was a special shirt that dinosaur hunters get to wear.

Not long after that...

Tripp hollered "Mama, look at this!" I came down the hall to find him shining a flashlight on an antique radio we have from Bub, Jase's grandfather (and Tripp's namesake). He looked at me with wide eyes and said "Look, I found a dinosaur". I said "Oooh (and reaching out) can I pet it?" He quickly jumped in front of it holding up both hands, "NO! Don't touch the dinosaur!!" Then he would tilt his head from side to side examining it. Is there anything better than a kid with a great imagination?

Jase and I put Tripp's coat on at least 4 times this morning, and he said it kept "falling off". Even when it was zipped... Sometimes it is really hard not to laugh. Then I opened the door, and said "C'mon let's get in the car". Tripp walks out. I turn and pick up purse, pump, and coffee. Turn back, and Tripp is in the middle of our next door neighbor's yard. I holler for him to come back, trying to lure him with juice, cereal (anything). He responds with a sing-song-y "noooo" and takes off. I chase him down, "wrasle" him in the car, and we're off singing "this little light of mine" on our way to school. He especially loves the hide it under a bushel part, screaming NO and then laughing each time.

Frannie's still sick at home fighting this virus with all of her might. We are so thankful for Aunt Alli and Aunt Adri for playing and snuggling with her this week and helping us out.

I promise, we know how lucky and blessed we are at this fresh start to a new year