Nap Time...

Apparently it was not only nap time for Brayley but also for Gaga!!

Top 10 Baby Must Haves

Homemademom.com listed a post to find out your

Top 10 Baby Must Haves

when having a baby.  So, here are mine:

1.  Mylicon - I should have owned stock in it!

2.  A & D Ointment - Great!  Especially for girls!

3.  Newborn gowns - I know, you say "A boy in a gown?"  But for those midnight and 2am feedings, they are fantastic for quick diaper changes!

4.  A baby swing - Addyson slept in ONLY this until she was about 6 months old!

5.  An Infant Papasan - Brayley LOVED this thing!  It went everywhere with us!

6.  Baby Einstein DVD's - Both of my babies loved these videos.

7.  Suction Bowls and Snack Cups

8.  Dr. Brown's Bottles - Great for gassy, fussy babies!

9.  The Newborn Manual - 'What to Expect the First Year' by  Arlene Eisenberg

10.  GRANDPARENTS!!  I'm sure it can be done without them, but I don't think I would like to try!

"Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers."  (Proverbs 17:6)

Dialogue Mondays

Brayley:   "Mommy, I wish I was a for real magician."
Mommy:  "Me too, Brayley!"
Brayley:  "If I was a for real magician I would make school and work disappear so we could stay home all the time.  I would make everywhere disappear so we could play at home."
Mommy: "Awe..." (tear)

Top 10 Things I Learned AFTER Having Children

Top 10 Things I learned AFTER having children:

1.  That the love you have for your child(ren) is stronger than anything you have ever felt.

2.  That your body can function on less sleep than you ever thought possible.

3.  That baby products are complicated.  From bottle warmers to Diaper Genies, it is a whole new world.

4.  That I would learn how to distinguish a "I'm hungry" cry from a "I'm sleepy" cry... and then there's the "I'm hungry and sleepy with a side of ear infection" cry!

5.  That  I would rely on a "What to expect..." book as a manual to my newborn AND toddler.

6.  That it is EXTREMELY hard to raise children alone and I thank God for my husband every day.  (Even though his patience is limited!)

7.  That an afternoon nap is not rest time for mommy.  It is laundry, vacuum, dust, mop, cook, scrub, fold, and wash time that the ordinary OCD mommy looks forward to!

8.  That when you are sick, life keeps on going and you have to keep up.  You're just glad it's you and not the babies!

9.  That they grow SOOO fast that you catch yourself wanting another one.  While dreaming of your angelic baby, your youngest pinches your oldest causing the oldest to hit the youngest in the head.  And it is then, while they are both screaming at the top of their lungs, that you come back from your 3rd child dream and realize...  God only made YOU for TWO!

10.  That I would look back and wonder what I did with my pre-mommy time.  I thank God for my exhaustion!!  ;-)



"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart..."  (Jeremiah 1:5)

Addyson

Our 8lb 2oz baby girl!

Dialogue Mondays

Mommy:  "Brayley, you are getting so smart!  

Brayley:  "Yeah, but God is the smartest!  Nobody's smart as Him!

A-Day Game

Brandon and "the boys" took Brayley to his first "big football game" Saturday.  Auburn held their annual A-day game on the plains.  Brayley had fun and needless to say Brandon and "the boys' survived! ;-)

Top 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Became A Mother

Women of Faith Blog is asking Bloggers to share their List of
10 things they wish we knew before we became mothers 
- so here's my list! (I copied some of them b/c they fit perfectly!!  And I added one more!)

1. That newborns are SO exhaustingly difficult!  Or mine were at least!  One was gassy and one was just independently fussy!

2. That the child throwing a tantrum in the middle of the grocery store would one day be MY child! I SOOO thought I would never allow my child to do such a thing or anything like that. And well - I didn't allow them to - but they did it anyway!!! AND I was ALWAYS the first to say "My child will NEVER act like that!"  Hahahahaha-h-a!

3. That you can't make a kid sleep OR eat. SOMETIMES you can make them stay in their bed but you can't make them sleep AND you can make them sit in their chair until the sun sets but you can't make them eat.

4. That newborn and toddler clothes can fit one day and not the next!  I'm not sure who phrased it a "growth spurt" but they weren't kidding.  Thank goodness for at least some hand-me-downs!!

5. That you can't make a kid go "potty". They will sit on it, wipe it and flush it - but not 'release' it!

6. That there would be SOOO many 'phases'! Who came up with these 'phases' and why can't they just be phased OUT!

7. That I would WANT to be a stay-at-home mom! I thought I would want a career but all I really want is to have THIS time with them.  (Well, and so they wouldn't come home saying things like "Doodie Head "and "Poopoo Butt"!

8. That I would feel so guilty when my children are "bad". When they aren't acting perfect, I blame myself.  The blame maybe for working, not punishing correctly, not being consistent or whatever I can come up with to excuse their God given nature.

9. That it would take more patience than I had. Good parenting takes A LOT of patience and gentleness! Something I am still working on!

10. That I would get angry with my children and yell. Surprise! I didn't know I had a temper this extreme! The first time I felt my face get hot and I raised my voice, I was shocked at myself!  That's not the kind of mother I want to be so I am working on that, too!  I'm just glad a neighbor hasn't called DHR yet!!

11.That children would take such a toll on a marriage.  Even the strongest marriage will be tested when it comes to children.  Between arguments about discipline and pure exhaustion, your marriage must prevail.


"Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6)

“Place these words on your hearts. Get them deep inside you. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder. Teach them to your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning until you fall into bed at night. Inscribe them on the doorposts and gates of your cities so that you'll live a long time, and your children with you, on the soil that God promised to give your ancestors for as long as there is a sky over the Earth.” (Deut 11:18-21)

Brayley

Our 7lb 14oz baby boy!  It seems like yesterday...

Dialogue Mondays

Brayley:  "Mommy, can I have some gum?"

Addyson:  "Ya. I won't gum, Mommy!"

Mommy:  "Ok, here you go."

Brayley:  "Thank you, Mommy"

Addyson: "Ya, thank you, Mommy"

Mommy:  "You're welcome."

Addyson:  "You welcome...You such a sweet gurl!"

Dialogue Mondays

Mommy:  "Addy, you're such a sweet girl."

Addyson:  "No, Mommy.  I not a girl."

Mommy:  "You're not a girl?"

Addyson:  "No, I a Pren-sis" (princess)

Easter

I tried to do the annual Easter photoshoot but Brayley was more interested in playing...

Addyson, on the other hand, LOVES getting her picture taken...

 

And more!

We had a Savior-risen, cute-clothes, church-blessed, belly-stuffed, family-visited, egg-hunted, fun-filled day!

Easter Bunny

The Easter Bunny came to visit!!  He brought Brayley and Addyson rain boots, a sand bucket, bubbles and a bubble blower, a sticker book, Wii accesories (for B), princess socks (for A), and candy!!  They both were sooo excited!

Easter Eggs

This was Brayley's first year to dye Easter eggs!!  That is sad, but true!  Addyson was going to help him but she was too tired after a day of playing outside in the beautiful weather.  B did a good job, except for: spilling the orange dye, dropping the eggs, cracking the eggs, not putting faces on ALL of the eggs, etc.

My favorite thing of this whole experience...

"Why on earth would I want to color an egg?!" - Brayley

T-Ball

T-Ball Practice

B's First T-Ball Game