"This is Halloween!"

Halloween has come and gone and I let Baby Girl collect her own candy at a trunk o' treat...not a good idea. She would only take one piece and it was never chocolate! Oh well, Pastor Husband and I don't need to eat anymore sweets, I suppose.

I found the idea for Baby Dos and Baby Girl's costume as I poked around Google Images for easy Halloween costumes. I came across this:

Then I wanted a quick way to paint styrofoam and found this - the best kept secret ever!:

Last, but not least, I'm in love with Jim and always thought I would make a great Pam, so now we have this:

I realized that I really love Halloween!

<>

<>

Baby Dos is Tres Meses!

He laughs, giggles, and coos. He's fascinated with his fist and is able to lift his giant head up during tummy time (he doesn't enjoy that time so very much). His smiles make me smile and it's a smile I so need, especially in the mornings. Baby Dos' witching hour is any time after 6pm. It's a rough time, but we get through it! He's a BIG baby too. Only ten pounds less than Baby Girl!

Happy birthday Baby Dos!

Dos Months por Baby Dos!

A few days late...

He coos, and ooos, and aahs, and just smiles away every day. He also cries for an hour straight when he feels the need. He moves around, is so alert, and weighs what Baby Girl weighed at six months! He likes to nap in his swing, which is unfortunate because he is in a world of disappointment once we switch him to the crib and he figures out that it doesn't swing. Oh well, that's baby life!

Queen Forever!

I was going to rant and rave, kick and scream, moan and complain that I had to get up earlier than Pastor Husband on a Sunday morning, but then...I actually didn't have to rush my shower time, I put on make-up (ok, so only a bit of concealer and some eyeliner. It still counts.), and made coffee. Now, as we speak/read/type I am enjoying this cup of coffee in my Queen Forever mug (thank you Karyn!) in complete silence. If everything stays as usual, no child should need me for at least another hour!

Two Years and Counting!

Actually, I'm not counting because I can't believe Baby Girl is two years old! Plus a day to be exact. The first year did go by fairly quickly, but since it was just the two of us - for the most part - on a daily basis so I got to live out every one of her minutes with her. There were no distractions. Her second year of life, I was pregnant a month after she turned one and then Baby Dos came during the last couple of months. Plenty of distraction there! The second year definitely plays back to me in a blur.

Baby Girl is taking it all in stride. She really is. Whatever the day has coming, she takes it and throws it right back. Sometimes a toy gets thrown along with it with a couple of tantrums, time-outs, and getting sent-to-the-rooms. She is smart. Just a smart little girl (oh my gosh! I just called Baby Girl a little girl!). It's amazing to watch and hear her mind absorb and spit back out the information. Unless you're a teacher, you really don't get to be part of someone else's learning process. It's quite amazing and, again, just gives more credence to God's existence.

I have known for love to exist. "We love because he first loved us" (1 John 4.19 New International Version). I know it for marriage, family, and friends. With Baby Girl, I have become witness to a love that is from someone else for someone else. Does that make sense? I get to see others love Baby Girl. She really is wholly loved from so many and I can see why that is needed. Why it says in the bible that one of the greatest commandments is to love your neighbor. You do need God and others. We would not be able to fully be who we were created to be without the relationships that God gives to us. Baby Girl is going to be someone incredible with all the love she has surrounding her. For those God has brought to her, I thank you so much from the bottom of my heart (sing it, Stevie Wonder!).

Happy birthday, Baby Girl! You are a true joy and wonder. We love you!

23 Months

When Baby Girl isn't screaming, crying, whining, or pouting she really is a delight. I know that sounds bad, but it really is, at least once a day, a huge meltdown. It doesn't matter where we are or who we're with either. Does every child go through this? This is definitely a trying time for us all. We've had made great use out of the time-out spot!

Baby Girl is growing and learning so much. It's incredible to watch her try something new out every day. She likes to count, "1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10", is her rendition. She recognizes many letters. Reading is still a passion and she'll read all morning long. Her newest thing is giving doggy kisses, which is when she licks the side of your face! We've got three new teeth in, two of them are molars. Her list of animal noises keeps growing and when we went to the zoo in Big Bear she was going crazy with growling, howling, and hooting like an owl. Yesterday marked a milestone - she stepped on a dead bee and got the stinger right in her foot! Pastor Husband came to the rescue and pulled it out with tweezers. Baby Girl has survived to one day tell the tale.

We love our fiercely independent Baby Girl. She is definitely a whole lot of me in personality (poor thing) and looks just like Pastor Husband. Happy Almost-2nd-Birthday, Miss!

Always Wear Clean Underwear...

...and keep your living room clean because you never know who may show up or why they may (or in my case, have to) show up.

Baby Dos arrived on July 24 at 2:49 a.m. - in our living room.

I remember when we first went to the birthing center and we requested a home birth. I also remember when I saw the amazing and beautiful bathtub at the birthing center and completely changed my mind. I'm sure if I had listened closely I would have heard God chuckling to Himself.

The whole thing just went by so dang fast even though I was having contractions for almost two weeks prior, but man! When they were consistent and working contractions it was nothing like I had with Baby Girl. My labor with Baby Girl was a marathon while Baby Dos had me sprinting to the finish line. We skipped the whole 5-1-1 warning and went straight to maybe three minutes apart, at the most. I made it to the front door and waited while Pastor Husband loaded up the car and while that was in progress Baby Dos gave me the clear message that we were now in the pushing stage.

I told Pastor Husband that we were not going to get in the car. Phone calls were made, things were brought back into the house, and midwife, nurse, and doula came to us. For the time that I pushed, I made sounds like Serena Williams on the tennis court. Somehow, by the grace of God, Baby Girl slept through it all! I probably would have lost it if I heard her wake up.

Baby Dos had his - we had a boy! - first doctor's appointment today and came out with a clean bill of health! He has already gained a pound in the two weeks that he has been part of our family. Nursing is 100 times better than it was with Baby Girl, which makes me sad because it was months before I was able to hold Baby Girl close to me without pain; however, I am so thankful that it is going well the second time around.

He is so alert and stays awake during the day and it's not always crying-awake. He also sleeps pretty well throughout the night. We've had a few four hour stretches during the night! I hope this keeps up and just gets better as the nights go by. Baby Girl is adjusting and will pay him some attention and then does her own thing. Baby Girl has had two molars come in last month! She is just growing before our eyes and will be two next month. Unbelievable!

We are now a family of four. I find this fact incredible every time I think about it. We have survived two weeks without losing any limbs along the way. I would say we're doing pretty well. Here's to tomorrow!

My Life.