Another Little Gym birthday party

We had the fun of another birthday party at The Little Gym a couple of weeks ago. The boy ventured out even more and enjoyed a lot more of the activities. His favorite part continues to be the bubbles - and this time he tried to eat them or pop them one by one. The guy blowing the bubbles got such a kick out of his pure delight! He also enjoyed the balance beam, the rolling ball, and even the trampoline.

Giving kisses

Can you believe it? The boy is showing his sister some love! This is the first time he's really given her a kiss. We were just too excited! There are many more pictures from our fun weekend, but they'll have to come at another time...this one just had to be shared now. The girl is quite fond of her brother. She has been quite intrigued with him as he dances, sings, and runs around, but she giggled at him for the first time last night. I'm sure he'll soon learn that he has a captive audience and she'll learn just how silly he can be.




I thought I should put this picture on the blog as well - another sight people may not believe without proof: my daughter in a bonnet! Knowing I'm not a froo-froo person, we didn't get too many prissy outfits (much to Mimi's dismay). I will admit she looked down-right adorable in this though. She's almost too big for it, but I had to make sure we wore it at least once. She didn't seem too bothered, and the bonnet stayed on the entire time we were at church!

Bloggin' kind of day

I've been a bloggin' nut today. I finally took time to blog about a few things, but as I looked through pictures and took more today there were just so many to share! Beware...there are A LOT of new posts today so keep scrolling...(amazingly I also took the kids to the park, unloaded/reloaded the dishwasher, did two loads of laundry, gathered the trash & recycling, and did the bills today as well - it's been one positively productive day!)

A night caught on film

Tonight was a picture night at home, and I wanted to share them with you. Here are more pictures of the girl enjoying sitting up. She's makes the best faces!








Here is the boy's favorite funny face and showing off his "lovie" - bunny!








Then there was bath time. It's been moved to our nightly ritual since the boy is playing so hard these days. We bathe him, and then he plays while the girls gets clean. He spends most of his time moving letters around and telling you what they are. Can't you hear him squeal with delight as water pours over his head? And this is an "n"!

Creating a monster?

I fear I am creating a monster...a mini-version of myself. I found the boy lining up his magnetic letters a few weeks ago...followed by lining up his books on the ottoman. He worked meticulously to make sure they were all even.

Heaven help us if he is as much of a perfectionist as I am - I'm not sure we can handle two in the same house!!!

Lovin' sittin' up

This is definitely her preferred position...guess it's time to invest in a Bumbo seat since manipulating the Boppy isn't the most stable thing and she isn't strong enough to keep from toppling over!

Outside fun

Thanks to our neighbors, we have two great outdoor toys. The boy LOVES to be outside. He tries to follow the dog out there, and often cries when it is time to come inside. We had a great time playing Monday morning while the girl slept. It hasn't gotten too hot yet so outdoor play is still enjoyable. I caught some great pictures of the fun. He spent the first minutes walking around the deck singing and then ventured out into the backyard. It is such a joy to watch him enjoying God's creation - like any good boy, he found a stick to play with! I also find myself doing double-takes as he continue to be less and less of a baby. He is gaining confidence to venture out on his own, and his imagination is expanding too. Again, this is the best job.

Funny faces

I pulled out the camera over a week ago to catch some fun faces. Trying to get some pictures of Clay and his girl, the boy kept jumping in front of the camera! We finally caught one of the three of them together... and all these other fun funny faces!

Baby dedication

Sunday was special not only because we celebrated Mother's Day, but our girl was dedicated. I love our church's baby dedication. It is really more a parent dedication. They have a nice dinner on Friday night (this time it was steak and potatoes!) where they spend time talking about what our responsibilities as parents are. They remind us that we can't leave it up to the church to disciple our children - it is our job. What an awesome responsibility. They print out the commitment we are making for us to sign making it more than just words. This dedication was also special because 4 of the other 5 babies (and that wasn't everyone - we are quite a fertile church!) are daughters of gals in my accountability group. It was a special treat to worship with my parents and sister, dedicate ourselves to raising this little girl to know and love God, and to celebrate mothers (being one and having them).

Such a sweet sound

The boy melted my heart today (as he so often does, but I think this takes the cake so far)...he said MOMMMY!!! Well, at least his version which sounds a bit more like money, but whatever is fine - HE CALLED ME SOMETHING!!!! We were simply playing the "name this" game and for the first time he repeated "mommy". Fortunately my mom was here to witness the event so it really is real! She worked with him on it Friday night and he said "money" a couple of times, but failed to show it off. I tell you I didn't think I could love the little man any more than I already did, but somehow I do.

And before he said my name, he said the closest thing to Elizabeth he has said to this point. Usually it comes out "o-beth", but today it sure sounded like "Lizbeth".

And the girl continues to amaze me as she rolls over and tries to sit up. I could just eat her up! Such sweet moments, smiles and coos after some very trying weeks.

Have I told you how much I LOVE being a mom? I can't imagine a better job.

News

There are many things I need to blog about, but the time keeps slipping by these days. It has been a busy May so far, but for good reason - lots of things to celebrate! I'll get pictures of the kids up soon and share about the girl's baby dedication.

I thought I would take a moment and make sure I had told you that the girl has rolled over multiple times! It only happens when she is really upset while on her tummy, but it has happened at least a handful of times. I have yet to catch it on camera, but when you know she was on her tummy and you then find her on her back there is no other explanation!

The boy learned a new song yesterday. I just love the praise of children, and watching him move along as he sings just melts my heart. Praise Him, praise Him, all ye little children. God is love. God is love. Praise Him, praise Him, all ye little children. God is love. God is love. I love that our boy is learning these things early.

He gave me a wonderful Mother's Day present - he said "wuv you"!!! I just stopped in my tracks. More to come...

A night away

This is where I spent last night...well, actually in a little cottage on the side of the property. Clay surprised me with a night away to celebrate my birthday and our 8th anniversary (this Tuesday). Mom and Dad came and kept the kids so we could slip away for a night of rest, relaxation, reconnection, and rejuvenation.
Lockheart Gables created the perfect atmosphere for just such a celebration. Nestled along the interstate, it is a perfect getaway across town. Close enough to the little ones, but secluded enough to feel like we were a hundred miles away. Amazing hospitality, personalized ginger cookies, and amazing fresh lemonade welcomed us to our cozy "Beloved Cottage." Adorned with Victorian decor, the romantic feeling of the three-room cottage enveloped us from the moment we stepped through the door. A king-size bed, covered porch with swing, remote-controlled fireplace, and heart-shaped tub made the evening and morning full of movie moments as I like to call them. I couldn't have asked for more. I will spare you all the details, but what a blessed time to recall where God has brought us, to look ahead to where He is taking us, and to recommit to the promise we made 8 years ago. My best friend and partner in life hit this one out of the park!