Recent Adventures

Yes, I am still catching up from Christmas. All the decorations have finally come down and are in the respective boxes and the boxes are still in the dining room. Halfway there, right? Well, to finally put the holidays to a close, I am posting the last of our Christmas-holiday-fun pictures.

On December 23 we made our finally, all day trip to Disneyland and we have never seen Baby Girl so excited! Captivating speaks truth - there really is a princess in all of us and it'll bloom and mature as long as someone doesn't come along and smash that princess to bits. Baby Girl was in love with the princesses and she doesn't even really know who they are, but something inside of her just sings whenever she saw one of them. We decided to wait in the line for the princess meet & greet Disney has now and it was probably her favorite part of the day. Minnie Mouse may have come a close second, but it was during normal naptime hours so there was a tantrum before and after the picture. Baby Dos and I waited an hour for Mickey Mouse! Insane. We wanted to end our last trip with the fireworks, but they canceled last minute due to wind...boo. Other than that, it really was a fun day, good weather, lots o' people (so many the park closed), and I think Baby Girl had the most fun she's ever had there.

Next, we went to my college roommate's wedding out in Temecula. The couple lives out in New York (so lucky! with the exception of all the snow happening right now). It was so pretty, the whole wedding, and very thoughtful. Thoughtful to their guests, to each other, and to God. He wasn't lost in all the details. I love weddings that make Him the lead role because He is the one that gave us marriage. We should thank Him, loudly. This couple has done it right from the very beginning of their relationship and I'm thankful to know them. Oh, and the cake...the best wedding cake. Ever.

Finally, the last adventure of 2013 - Mexico. I'll admit, I am not a fan of Mexico. I never went much as a kid and I don't even know where in Mexico my family is from...we don't even speak the language! Probably one of the reasons why it's not on my top ten list of places to go. Thank goodness, Pastor Husband knows it like its his first language. Anyway, we went down to San Felipe because one of our friends was going and there's a family down there Pastor Husband is very close to from all his missionary work. It was a good trip and actually very restful. The babies slept through the night and took a nap each day, which means the adults got to take a nap every day too! We took one of our youth-turned-college-unofficially-adopted-daughter with us and I don't think she's had that kind of sleep since she started college. We ate and slept - my perfect kind of vacation. We also did many things that ended with, "Only in Mexico".

A Change in Pace

When I started this blog it was to share the imperfect moments of mommy-hood. The "rocky" points and, at times, jagged points that snagged me along the way. I don't feel like I've shared any one moment like that with you. Basically, it's become a virtual baby book for my babies. Not necessarily a bad thing, but not the point. It's time to take this blog in the direction it originated. Yes, it'll still be a place to say, "Look at my cute babes!" and to brag about how amazing they are, but it will also be the place where I share my actual life. Especially the life of being a pastor's wife.

I'm not saying that I have the hardest role to play, I imagine the First Lady takes the cake on that one, but I am definitely playing a unique role in the line of wives. Though, each wife, has their own special role to play whether you're married to a pastor, president, fire fighter, cop, etc.; however, I want to share more about my thoughts, observations, experiences of being a pastor's wife.

I hope to also blog more. I decided to blog now, at 12:35 am, because I can't sleep. Too many things on my mind. I will do my best to sit down at least once a week to share.

We'll see where this goes...hopefully, it goes to where others can relate, share, and encourage each other.

Feliz Navidad

A little late...

cousins

Baby Girl's first bike

Gma and her children (minus one, he's in Ohio)

Gma and the grandkids (minus a bunch; some in Ohio, Oregon, and Florida)

Gma and the GREAT grandkids take one

Gma and the GREAT grandkids take two (minus two that are in Oregon, two in Ohio, and one on the way in Florida!)

Five Months!

At first it felt as if the months went by so slow with Baby Dos. With Baby Girl, the days rolled by without me even realizing. Now, the days are flying by! I'm sure it's because of the holidays and there are certain times throughout the year that the church gets really busy. Pastor Husband has just been going, going, going. Yet, he is so kind and gives me breaks - like this morning - and he really deserves a day off. I'll have to start planning that out for him.

Anyway...

Baby Dos is FIVE MONTHS OLD as of Christmas Eve. And he is just a joy! He really is just joyful to be around - though there are those times where there is no consoling him and then it's not so joyful. Most times though, he is smiling, laughing, and gazing at you because he loves you so much. He loves people especially when they're paying attention to him. He's a good boy. I have a feeling that he'll be crazy once he starts moving around. Baby Girl never really got into much (until now), but I think Baby Dos will be into everything and destructive.

He's kind of sitting up on his own, he likes sitting up in the bumbo. Sometimes he just likes the freedom of lying on the ground. The last couple of times, after a nap, he's been sideways in the crib. Baby Dos got a bunch of chewy toys for Christmas, which makes him very happy because everything goes in the mouth. He really loves to chew on blankets. 

Love you, Baby Dos! Besos!

 

The Christmas Wall

For two years now I've been wanting to make Baby Girl a felt Christmas tree (thanks to Pinterest for that idea) and for two years it hasn't happened. There is a slight chance it may happen this year, but if there is no tree there is a wall. Baby Girl and I decorated tonight after Baby Dos went to bed...please stay asleep, please!

Baby Girl is such a toddler, which is both entertaining and exasperating. She likes to watch Mickey Mouse and try to put one foot on the ottoman and one on the couch. BAM! She falls to the floor every time. There's the spontaneous burst of dance, usually her version of ballet, which is when she kicks a leg out and then spins. We catch her crawling on the ground pretending to be a dog, or a cat, or a frog. Yesterday, she grabbed a carrot and started hopping like a rabbit. Coloring and reading are still a favorite way to past the time. Oh! Baby Girl can spell her name! Just out of the blue we were playing with the letters in the bathtub and I started spelling her name and she finished spelling it on her own. Now, I have her spell her name at least once a day because I still can't believe it. She knows her letters, colors, and numbers. The girl may be in diapers until she's ten, but she can spell her name.

The girl can make me crazy beyond crazy, but she's also a lot of fun and it's so sweet and fulfilling when I hear her call my name - hoping it follows with a kiss and a hug. She likes to also just go around saying, "Mom, Mom, Mom" for no particular reason. When I'm in the kitchen for more than a few minutes that's her cue to run in and grab an apron so she can help.

Baby Girl actually wanted her picture taken! She's covered in spaghetti and yogurt.

Homemade vanilla wafers just for Baby Girl.

The Christmas Wall

What she did when I asked her to smile. 

Yeah, I don't know...her new pose?

Making sure every thing is on just right.

I'm Four Months!

Actually, I was four months old a week ago, but we've been keeping Mom busy. I decided to take a nap while my big sister was napping to give her some time to catch up. Aren't I the sweetest baby ever to do that for her? I am!

I like to talk...a lot! Especially at 3 am. I make almost as much noise as my big sister. I can pick my head up for a really long time during tummy time (I still don't like this time very much). I also rolled from my tummy to my back for the first time while I was in Ohio, right in front of my great aunts and cousins! They now love me even more now because I did something special just for them. I took my first plane ride...four plane rides to be exact. Ohio was fun and really cold. I met a bunch of new family and friends. I also met my future wife, but Mom's phone went cuckoo and all the pictures from Thanksgiving week are gone! She was not very happy about this. Take my word for it - I met lots of people and heard at least three different languages all going at the same time.

I love watching my big sister as she reads to me and I really just adore her. I'm not sure what she thinks about me. This one time, she tried to push me off the blanket, off Dad's leg, and off my little floor mat. Despite that, I think she really loves me!
 

Creeping Christmas!

I made an Advent calendar for us! Each tube (yes, those are collected toilet paper & paper towel tubes, which is why some are smaller than others) has a post-it note in it with a verse. I decided not to write out the whole verse because A) I'm lazy and B) I want Baby Girl to get use to getting out the Bible and looking up the verse. Every Thursday there is an extra post-it note with some kind of activity. It'll either be a family activity or a service activity. I decided not to put something in extra for each day because I already know it won't be possible. Christmas is crazy for church stuff and all of a sudden Christmas is here! We're starting off small and who knows...we may end up doing more than originally planned.

I can't wait to use it with Baby Girl. She called it a house so I must have done something right already. I also haven't done actual Bible work with her before other than reading through her children's Bible and parable book. It'll be nice to have study time with her.

PS - I'm not sure how she learned this, but Baby Girl knows how to spell her name! I ask her every day now to do it just so that I know she actually knows it and I'm dreaming it all up.