First Tooth...

After some serious wiggling, tugging, and slooshing?? with water, Maddie has finally lost her first tooth!!! She is thrilled and cannot stop talking about how absolutely wonderful the Tooth Fairy is.....two days later tooth number two came out!!!.....I have to admit I am a little more emotional about it than expected......maybe because I can remember when those two teeth first appeared....regardless, the time has gone by too fast and it is hard to believe she is six going on sixteen, toothless, but still our little princess....

(Six months old...first two teeth...sigh)

Fun, exciting...and weird all together.....

Three is a HANDFUL!!!

For all those who have had....you know those days, where it feels like it will never end...the fighting, kicking, yelling, "I had it first,  it wasn't me" and my favorite "you are so MEAN!"....time-out about 20 or so times, rolling of the eyes, dirty diapers, spit-up and or food all over your just-changed-clean-clothes, tripping over toys that pierce the bottom of your feet, finger prints, and constant complaining/whining about everything....well I was remembering the good old days when it was just hubby and I, and  it was so quiet you could hear yourself breathing.....and then there was just 'one'...and the only words were sweet little sounds that make you "ooh" and "ahh" and well life just couldn't be better right??... how very different life is when you add two and then three...and you NO longer have time to breath, they start to have opinions of their own, telling you exactly how they feel about you, informing you of every bodily function....and well pretty much just letting their  individual 'little' personalities shine right though! Realization sets in that your children are smarter than you and you know nothing at all! Gone are those good old days......and here are better days. Life is for sure, not exactly how we planned...it really 'crazy' as it is, is so much better! These three kids are definitely a handful, and we are without doubt a 'little' outnumbered and always tired.... but they teach us far more than we could ever teach them, and "most" times we LOVE it, and wouldn't trade it for anything...just look at all that we would miss out on!!! 

  

MOTHERS

Real Mothers don't eat quiche;

they don't have time to make it.

Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils

are probably in the sandbox.

Real Mothers often have sticky floors,

filthy ovens and happy kids.

Real Mothers know that dried play dough

doesn't come out of carpets or off the bottom of shoes.

Real Mothers don't want to know what

the vacuum just sucked up.

Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?'

and get their answer when a little

voice says, 'Because I love you best.'

Real Mothers know that a child's growth

is not measured by height or years or grade...

It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother

As mothers it is probably best if we don't "should" on ourselves and just enjoy the journey, recognize we're all human and do the best we can!

Thank you Marilla, for the great poem, it helps us to remember what we treasure the most...Happy Mothers Day to all of you great moms!!!!

Easter and Visiting with grandma

We had a great Easter, and it was even better because my mom and Em were out visiting.  The kids really missed them, and were so excited to have them here. We did the whole Easter bunny, and egg hunting-dying on Saturday this year for the first time, so the kids would really think about the true meaning of Easter. It only took explaining and teaching all day long Saturday..... and into Sunday...but we think they may have got it. Our little guy is unbelievably 9 months old,  and developing quite the personality...it is so interesting how three kids can be so completely different from one another. They are great kids......

First time sitting on grass....honestly...he didn't love it

NYC trip with mom and lil sis

Dave (in all his greatness) watched the kids, so just us gals could go to the big city. It was a great trip and a nice break. We were able to see a lot more than when we went before and I didn't have to chase three little munchkins...  

China town

Me and "little" sister :)