Mommy and Me Dance Day - a great start to Mother's Day

I had a wonderful Mother's Day - I did not get my blog updated but I am determined to go back now and record a few important things.  After all, I enjoy a birthday WEEK so why not a Mommy MONTH???

My Mother's Day started with Bring Mommy to Dance Day with Maggie.  I sort of knew what to expect as daddy got to go to dance a few months ago but mommy's got to wear tutu's and we were given gifts so I definitely felt special.

We started with stretching, Maggie had taught me her stretches the week before so I was well prepared for the routine.  It truly amazes me that Ms. Laura can get a classroom full of 3 and 4 year old girls to sit and stretch and that their "making the pizza" stretches work!  We then were given our tutu's and started to dance.

Maggie is doing well in dance and learning a lot, after all she was 2 when she started and definitely is the youngest in her class.  She is the tiniest in size too but she just LOVES it and she really has come a long way in her learning's of dance. 

They are working on their routine for their recital which is just a few short weeks away.  Tiny Cinderellas will take the stage for the "babies" as they are called at the studio because they are the youngest but the sweetest
They all try hard and I can't wait to see if she actually makes it out on the stage to perform.  I have low expectations but deep down I really hope she at least makes it on stage for a little bit.

This date with Maggie came at a much needed time to remind me what is truly important in our lives.  Spending just a few hours with her doing what she loves reminded me that it isn't about the hustle and bustle of life, it is about spending quality time with those that we love and creating wonderful memories.  I cherish my one on one time with my children and know how important our special dates are as they are all growing and changing before my eyes.

It was just a great night.

Yes I wore a tutu, I learned a few ballet moves, I received a beautiful gift that my Maggie made, and I was rejuvenated for my family after my dance class. 

Thank you Maggie for being my tiny dancer and showing me once again the joy in life.



Making Pizza with mac and cheese!



Working on our routine

 

Showing off my newly learned moves

 

Maggie and her Dance Friends Singing to the Mommy's



And a special thank you to Donna, Savannah's grandma for the photos! 

It is great to live in a small world so that these could be shared!

I am missing my writing and remembering time

As I ate lunch at my desk today I starting thinking about everything that is flying by in life and what is missing or clouding my head.  I realized I missed my almost daily writings of my blog.  Not for all to read but for me to clear my head, capture the most important moments (okay sometimes they aren't important just funny) in our lives, and have a place to return and remember what it was my children and we as a family were doing at that time. 

I have been too "busy" with other things to get all of my thoughts out but after writing today, a post I started a month ago, I remember why I started this journey and why it is important for me to make time to write my stories of our lives.

So I am making a promise to myself, to take a lunch at least twice a week to get my thoughts and memories out of my head and into something we can keep.  I may have to do some catching up so bear with me if you want to read but they will all be here.  That is my May goal!  I have lots and lots of photos to get off my camera and into our hearts.

I miss my writing but need it and will be back with more....

Now it is time to return to work and get it done so I can go home at some point and get some photos edited!

Happy Tuesday Everyone! 

Bring back the sun and warmth a rainy afternoon in Mid May at 50 degrees is not what I call fun!

My first born is quickly becoming a little man!



Caden just a few weeks ago 3 1/2 years old

  So over the last couple of days I have really noticed how much Caden is growing up.  He is ready to head out for new adventures and is offering to help "clean up the messes" that his brother and sisters are creating - well he helps create the messes too but he doesn't think so!  He wants to regularly plan his own outing to either Memaw's house, Papaw Casey's house, to a Reds game or a race.  He comments on everything like he is a grown up and knows just the right look to give you when you are about ready to punish him for something he has done wrong. 

I don't know when my NICU baby grew up but I am torn between my feelings of being proud of him and missing my little man who I used to rock and just hold because I could. 

He plays baseball like a champ - always hitting home runs!  He knows every Reds player there is - even the ones who only play a few times a month.  He knows every NASCAR driver.  He has his own opinions about what Uncle Scott's race car should look like.  He KNOWS what he wants to wear, from choosing his shirt first, pants second, socks third, underwear fourth and finally shoes - we never know what he will come out in but he is even learning to "do it myself".  He even wore his slippers to the Reds game this past Saturday because that is what he picked to wear that day, he is an 80 year old in a 3 year old's body sometimes!  He cares about his brother and sisters, he fights with his sister.  He cleans the babies faces after they eat.  He reads stories to Maggie.  He loves so large that it just melts your heart.  He wants to be next to you and cannot stay anywhere "by myself".  He can buckle himself into his car seat and wants to always push the buttons to go into daycare. 

He is my little man, my amazing baby who needed so much help in the beginning but now wants to learn it all on his own.  He LOVES life and is living it LARGE!

There are physical changes too.  Even just today I noticed that all of his pants are suddenly high waters on him and he looks funny!  I automatically think  - GREAT another growth spurt and rotating day of the closet again but I smiled and thought back to my 4lb. 10z baby boy who was rushed away from the delivery room because he needed help breathing and just count my blessing.  My blessing who is getting way to big, but thinks he is too big to do something and yet to small to do others.  He was my brave buddy who had his second set of tubes and adenoids removed last week but really just wanted his momma or daddy and McDonald's to eat when it was over.  I cherished the moments of holding him even though I knew he was in pain, I knew that pain was temporary that the improvements would be worth it .  His hearing is improved once again and it is AMAZING to see him come alive with what he has rediscovered.

I don't know where times is going but I am savoring every moment I can because I know he will not stop growing up. 

]I love every stage and love watching him change and adapt. 

I miss my little man but I couldn't be more proud of my toddler - my 3 and 1/2 year old toddler - who is becoming a little man!

Caden just a few hours old

Caden at his 1st Birthday



Christmas 2006 Just learning to walk



Caden at his 1st hair cut with the wonderful Miss Cherie!

  

Caden 1 year ago at the Reds Game









Why being a mom is the BEST thing ever!

I had a time in my life when I wasn't sure that I would have the privilege to become a mom, I wanted to be a mom, I knew Matt and I could be good parents, but it just wasn't happening for us.  So at one point in my life I had thought we would be okay without having children but deep down inside I knew that we really wanted children and that the joy they would bring would be priceless. 

Who would have known - 4 kids in 2.5 years???!!! WOW what a blessing we have been given.  Thank you Dr. Scheiber and Staff at IRH!

I love being a mom and I am always so excited to celebrate mother's day!  I received this email from a friend this week and I bawled when I read it because it is captures every reason why being a mom is one of the greatest joys of my life. 

Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not
my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind
and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child
so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night
watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because
I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small
could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling of
having my heart outside my body..
I didn't know how special it could feel
to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond
between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth,
the joy,
the love,
the heartache,
the wonderment
or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,
before I was a Mom

To my babies - I love you - you are the greatest gift I could have been given.

You all have such unique personalities and quirks that bring joy and laughter to our lives. To all of the mommy's out there I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day! 

I love you even though 3 out of the 4 of you look like your daddy!

I never in a million years imagined my love for these amazing little people could be so big!

Caden, Maggie, Mallory, and Cale, thank you for being you and thank you to Matthew for being here with me every step of the way and for being along on this amazing ride of parenthood.

To those still waiting for that special baby - keep your head up - you are always in my thoughts and prayers and here if you need me!

The teachers who inspired me

As this week is teacher appreciation week and I was trying to think of something to do for all of the wonderful ladies at Youthland Academy for care for my babies everyday, I started thinking about all  of the wonderful teachers I had and who had an impact on my life.

I can honestly say that I don't think I ever had a "bad" teacher and that every single one of them holds a special memory for me.  I can tell you who all of my elementary teachers were and why I remember them.  There are the middle school teachers who, god love their soul are brave people for teaching that age.  There are the high school teachers who drove me to work harder and helped guide me through some really hard lessons in life.  There are the college professors who changed my life and are the reason I have the career I do. 

Every single one of them brought out something in my life that made me realize I can do more than I think, I can learn more than I thought I could and that I may fail at something but as long as you try again and learn a lesson from your failure it is okay.

These are the people who guided me along the way and who helped shape me into the person I am today.  From Mrs. Lyness in second grade to Mrs. Scheiring in middle school - they helped me learn and grow a ton!  I remember those that have passed, Mrs. Walsman - she was brave leading our crazy group through Europe - and sadly missed each day! I remember those I spent A LOT of time with, Mr. Tackett with drivers ed and softball, as well as Mr. Roth. Mrs. Woolery with Senior English class, for letting us go outside to enjoy a wonderful snowfall one day during class and my first college course that passed me through Freshman English at IU.  Mr. Crabill for showing me I can learn a subject I didn't think I could handle and LOVE it!  Dr. Williams, while she was never my professor in a class her guidance with SRA and providing the direction that I needed to begin my career is something I can never thank her enough for.

Teachers are amazing people and it takes a special person to do what they do every day.  I have had the  privilege to see my sister with her class and they love her!  She is wonderful with her students and she cares so much for them!    I have friends and family who are wonderful teachers and do so much for all of their students.  You are a special mold of people and never given enough credit.

So to all of those teachers out there, you don't hear it enough, but THANK YOU for all that you do for your students and parents! 

I hope you know that somewhere along the way you are making a difference in some one's life! 

To all of my past teachers I thank you all! 

I cannot list you all as it would take book, but you each have touched my life more than  you will ever know!

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

And We are Fully Mobile!

And they are off....Mallory and Cale are officially and fully mobile.  Mallory started crawling on Good Friday April 22nd.  She was getting around on her own pretty well for a few weeks but on Friday she finally figured it out, one hand in front of the other and the knees follow!  She was patting along with her head down and stopping every so often to look around and see where she had arrived.  She has gotten progressively better as time as gone on and faster too!  She is getting braver about exploring but for the most part if staying in a small area while playing. 



Mallory ready to take off!



Stopping to take a look and see how far she made it

Standing on her legs and hands as she has been doing for a few weeks



Cale too has been able to scoot around and get to where he pleased but he took his first official crawl this week as well on Wednesday morning the 27th of April.  He doesn't have it quite down as a smooth crawl and he drags his right leg as he goes along but definitely is getting to the full crawl.  He has also learned to pull himself completely up to a standing position as of Saturday.  That is what greeted daddy when he went to get him up from his nap on Saturday morning.  Cale tends to be top heavy though and right now has an ever present bump and bruise on his forehead as he starts to go forward he tends to fall too far forward! 



Cale getting around dragging his leg



Pulling himself up on anything he can get his hands on



So our life of sitting still is just about fully over. 

More so I cannot believe the babies turned 10 months on Easter. 

Who said that time could fly this fast? 

They are just amazing little people who are learning more and more each day and reminding us of the blessing they truly are in our lives.