Growing, Growing!!

I think the pictures speak for themselves! Claire is about to turn 2...can't believe that! Micah is 3 months, but he looks more like a 5 month old according to many people! They are both so healthy, sweet and good looking if you ask me! I can't believe how quickly time goes by. The other night I was looking through old pictures and videos of when Claire was a baby. It almost made me cry to hear her sweet little giggle when we would tickle her belly. Now it's a full blown laugh! She is growing so much into a girl, not just a baby anymore. It reminds me to cherish every moment I have with both of them because I know time isn't going to slow down! Man, I love these two!

3 Months

Micah,
You are already 3 months old! It is amazing how quickly these 3 months have flown by. I am so proud and thankful to be your Mom! When you smile and giggle, I honestly melt inside and can't help but smile back. You are incredibly handsome (like Daddy) and I probably tell you a little too much! You are growing so much too. I weighed you at Grandma's house and you were right around 15 pounds. I know you get plenty to eat, and I am so thankful for your good health. You have been sleeping about 10 hours most nights. Sometimes you have a harder time going to sleep, but most of the time you go to sleep on your own. You are nursing 5-6 times a day. Sometimes I wonder if that's enough, but then I see you and know you are totally fine and healthy.
You are extremely happy! You are just a ball of smiles, giggles and the cutest little noises. Your big sister LOVES you and loves to help take care of you. She says, "What's up, brother" and "Bless you" if you cough or sneeze. She is a big fan of yours. Mommy and Daddy are too! We love you so much and thank God for you every day. You are a treasure!

Summer Escape

Well, in an effort to abide by my devotional today to be grateful and put grumbling to the wayside, I will not complain about this heat. I will say, however, that I was able to spend an amazing week and a half in South Dakota, basking in the outdoor beauty of blissful 80ish degree highs and lows in the 60s. I spent many mornings drinking coffee outside and wasn't sweating! We went to lots of parks, picnics, more parks and more picnics. We also visited my grandparents and my aunt and uncle's farm. Claire LOVED being able to be outside so much and had a blast on the farm. She got to see the sheep, sit on a couple tractors and a motorcycle, and even "help" feed the sheep. I enjoyed seeing her have so much fun! I also got to see a few of my long time best friends and cherished it! My favorite thing was being home with Mom and my sister, who Claire lovingly called "Uncle Lishy" instead of Aunt. Oh well..she got the name right anyway! I honestly cannot say how much I loved being home and the weather was just amazing! I am also glad to say these two kiddos did a great job in the car. It is a long journey and they were incredible. Here are a few snapshots of the fun we had!

Favorite Things...

I love to ask Claire what her favorites are. It is fun for me, because I like to see 1) If she understands what I am asking
2) If she just says the same thing every time
3) If she adds something new
4) If she even knows what "favorite" means. (Many times I rephrase the question with "What do you like" instead.
Here are some of her favorites lately:
Food: Toast (She went through a phase of always wanting toast for breakfast. I would have answered for her with macaroni)
Color: Pink (Everything is pink in her world! If I say "Not pink" she then answers with purple, followed by blue. She knows the name of the color, but not the actual color I guess!)
Book: Goldie (A book about a big sister and little brother. We have read in a gazillion times!)
Toy: Can't get an answer! She loves her baby dolls though!
Show: Monkey Show (Curious George) Again, not sure she really loves the show, just that she knows it is called the Monkey Show

Love my sweet girl! She is a load of fun, giggles, smiles and laughs...

Wow!

Well, I took Micah in for his 2 month check up yesterday. He is a HEALTHY boy! I am amazed how different his stats look from Claire's. (My Aunt gave me a journal to write in each month, and I am so glad I kept it up, because it is sooo fun to look back and also reminds me of things I would have otherwise forgotten) He is so much bigger than she was at this age! He is 13lbs 15oz and 25 1/2 inches long! I am so thankful to be able to nurse him and know he's getting enough. More than enough probably! :)
He is all around a healthy and happy boy. I LOVE when he will just look at me and smile, coo or "say" something to me. He is super sweet! He is getting more and more night sleep, which means I am too! YAY! Knowing he is getting plenty to eat lets me rest easy, not worried whether he still needs a late night feeding. He is past needing that! He loves to suck his thumb, so if he wakes up, he can most always get himself back to sleep. Now, we just need to get the rooms converted so Claire has her new room, and Micah can move into the nursery. That will be exciting!

2 months already!

Our Micah is already 2 months old today! I can't believe how quickly the time has gone. He is doing so well, growing like crazy and already giving me some extra sleep at night. (Thanks for that!) He is such a happy boy and is pretty easy going. Most of the time, you can predict within a few minutes when he is ready to eat or nap. He loves to be on his belly and as soon as he finds his thumb, he is usually out! We don't let him sleep on his tummy at night, so he tends to have a harder time falling asleep that way. He loves to talk and coo, smile at you and watch ceiling fans!
As much as big sister tends to be a little rough with him, he doesn't seem to mind. I just figure, he'll get payback when he is a little bigger! :)
Here he is at 1 month and 2 months. Thanks to Aunt Jennifer for the blanket we can keep using to see his growth!

I love my life...

As I sit here this morning, sipping my coffee, with two sleeping kids, and the clock reminding me our day is soon to begin, I can't help but smile at how much I love my life. I know there are days, situations and circumstances that aren't perfect, but I couldn't be more blessed. I have so much more than I need, I am incredibly grateful to be home with my kids, and I have an amazing husband. There are so many moments in a day when I think about being a mom and wife. It is amazing to me how God created life in such a way that in order to find complete fulfillment, we must rely on him. When I look at my sleeping babies, I see how much they rely on me for so many things. One can share her wants, but I still have to fulfill them. The other can't even tell me what he wants or needs, yet he always has everything. God does the same for me.
I remember how badly I wanted to be a stay at home mom. I can honestly say before I had kids, I just figured I would teach forever. As much as I LOVE teaching, being home is so much better for me right now. I want to be the one to love and nurture my kids, all day long, every single day, knowing they are surrounded by love. God feels the same way about me! He wants to love and nurture me, all day long, every single day, surrounding me with His love. So many things have come "full circle" since I have had children. I see God's love in a whole new light. I am ready to live today, being loved by Him, loving others and loving this life I have...

Newborn Pictures

We were so fortunate to be able to have newborn pictures taken of Micah. He is such a handsome boy, I have to say! He did great during the photos and they turned out so well! It's amazing how quickly they grow and start to change. We have compared hospital pictures of Claire and Micah and they have a lot of similarities. It will be interesting to see what Micah looks like as he starts to change too. Either way, we have a beautiful girl and a handsome boy!