{ Boy Oh Boy }

Eighteen months has always seemed like such a milestone. Oliver reached it almost a month ago, and the truth is I'm a little sad to admit this age is going away soon and turning into 19 months.  I think that is why I haven't posted this until now.

He is turning into a boy, and such a little man.

He's getting so tall, so chunky, with quite the healthy appetite (though limited to what he'll try, sigh)

He is practicing talking and wants to know the name of everything

Books and songs are his favorite activities, especially "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" and "The Itsy Bitsy Spider".  Love watching him do the hand motions!

Trucks are amazing toys, which just wouldn't be the same without the sound effects

Kittens are his favorite animal

Nursery is FUN, (yeah for Mama and Daddy getting to sit together through church!!!!)

"Da-Da" is Daddy

"Mom" is Mama

"Sis" is sister

He knows where his ears, nose, neck and belly button are, and where ours are, too!

He is mastering a spoon and big boy cup

He loves to help with chores 

He loves the park and eating dirt there

He is taking a predictable, nice long nap every day and going down at bedtime pretty well

He loves rough and tumble.  You know you have a boy when he brings you a pillow and all but asks you to throw it at him.  Pillow fights and tickle wars daily around here!

{ Enjoying cake for his 18 month celebration }

{ Our little monkey boy }

{ Just like Daddy.  Steals my heart when he tries on his daddy's things: watches, shoes, hats }

{ He LOVES to be outside, especially when he can help }

{ We went to a local nursery recently to buy flowers.  He was enthralled with the red wagon... and SO sad to leave it behind. My eyes are closed, but it still captures the moment! }

I just love having a son.  It is a whole new world!

{ Second Mother's Day }

Second Mothers Day.

Heading toward three years of marriage.

Two children. 

Whew!

When I stop to consider how many blessings have rained down into my life in a little over two years of marriage, I am amazed that these years can even contain them!

Life right now is

crazy

busy

blessed.

The celebration of being Mom to these two precious children was wonderfully sweet!

At the end of the weekend I remarked that if felt like I had done no work.

I'm sure I did, but the fact that it felt like I didn't was

amazing and wonderful!

  Celebrating this day meant quite a lot more this year simply because I have a much keener appreciation for how difficult a job being a mom is!

I wish I could say my days always look as blissful as the pictures that make it on here

and that I don't melt down

or get upset

or cry rivers of tears in frustration

or feel completely overwhelmed,

but it wouldn't be the whole story if I left that out.

I am humbled by the three people I am wife and mother to.

Because of them God is teaching me a lot about myself and not allowing me 

to get away with the not so pretty aspects of my character.  

More than anything, as I head into another year of motherhood,

I desire to display the fruits of the Spirit to my family

Love.

Joy.

Peace.

Patience.

Self-control.

And I want to be thankful.

These years are passing too quickly!

So to my beautiful son and daughter,

Oliver and Kathryn.

I love you.

Thanks for being mine.

l

{ Relaxing in the yard before our hike.  What a beautiful day it was for being outside!}

 

{ Grill Master!  We finished our day with grilled burgers and milk shakes.  

Wow!  They tasted so good after that hike! } 

{ Monday we decided rather spur of the moment to head out of town for the day to buy a furnace off of Craigslist.  It was a fun family day.  An unexpected day together! We stopped at a park and enjoyed the shade for a while}  

{ Dinner at Chili's.  Oliver was nothing but charming..... and messy... pizza and apples everywhere!  Thankfully I packed at extra outfit.   So fun sitting across the table from these funny boys! }

{The party just kept going!  Tuesday evening we had very special company for dinner.  So excited for them to meet our daughter and to rejoice with them as they look forward to the arrival of their little boy in August!}

 

{ Miss Katy Grace :: 5 Months }

I've blinked and my baby girl has grown so much in just a couple of months! I am loving having a daughter SO much. I am going positively crazy over all of the adorable spring dresses for sale out there... and shoes! Oh my!  Miss Katy Grace is loving toys these days, including those fascinating little feet of hers that are simply kissable.  I can't get enough of her smile or those soft, soft, soft cheeks.  She is sharing her sweetest ever giggle with us and talking about everything.  This little girl is a talker, not to mention a daddy's girl!  She has daddy radar.  If he's around she knows it and she wants him.  It's pretty precious.

It has been just a little over a year now since we found out she would be joining our little family.  She is also the age Oliver was when we found out about her.  Having these two precious children so close together has been incredibly rich and fulfilling, but also very challenging.  We sure wouldn't trade them for anything, and I'm hoping I can say the same for the growth that is happening in my own heart because of them.  I've been pushed to my limit emotionally and physically, but through this I'm seeing myself for who I really am and I'm being grown up and matured up in many areas that have needed it for a long time. 

Happy 5 Months Old, Dear Daughter!

{ A Day of My Life :: May }

For the second month in a row now I've decided to take pictures of my day on the tenth of the month. Several bloggers I follow do 10 on 10 posts and this is roughly the same idea, only tailored a bit. Last month I had so much fun with it and I was very excited to do it again yesterday. When I woke up, though, it was one of those days that I just knew was going to be challenging from start to finish. My house was a mess, I was tired and cranky and I wasn't sure I really wanted to pick up my camera. I'm glad I did, though, because it is important to remember the great days when everything is going along smoothly, as well as the days that are less than perfect! I enjoyed having a different perspective for the day and appreciating little things.

1. Walking with my little ones into our church and the final session of the Women's Bible study I've been a part of for about 12 weeks.  I'm sad to see it end!  
2. Lunch time for a very hungry boy.  Not sure how he was so hungry since he had a good breakfast and snack at nursery, but he was m.e.l.t.i.n.g down until I fed him a whole cheese sandwich.  Can we say growth spurt!
3. Nap time and my 15 minute "cry it out" timer
4. Washing diapers
5. Refocusing
6. Finishing up a sewing project from the day before and listening to a favorite classical station
7. Soaking up some precious giggles
8. Haircut!  Before and After.  That little man is growing up so fast!
9. Making dinner and delivering it to a friend and their precious new baby girl

{ Mother's Day }

It is still a few days until Mother's Day, but we had a very sweet little photo session on Sunday morning and I'm just bursting to post them. Being a mother to my two beautiful children is something that humbles me so much and makes me so grateful to the One who gave them to me. 

Oliver and Kathyrn, I love you so much!