Snow Fun

 

I love when I capture a great picture of my kids. It just makes my heart smile a bit. These four little beings bring my life so much joy and laughter. I am honestly blessed to be their mom.

I Love Halloween!

I love Halloween!

 

I love watching my kids choose costumes and plan their outfits.

 

I love the carnival games at the fall festivities.

 

I love the food.

 

I love the simplicity of the holiday, not much expectation.

 

I love the fall colors as the leaves change and fall.

 

I love the crunch of leaves under my feet.

 

I love watching my children take in the season again with new wonder and new comprehension of what is happening. Everything is new each season.

 

To watch something through a child's eyes just brings extra details out for me.

 

And I enjoy it so very much.

 

I love watching my older kids teach their younger siblings and younger cousin new details of the season and holiday.

 

I love getting to run into other neighbors and see the happy smiles as candy is handed out.

 

I even love the candy sugar high that the kids get when I let them eat whatever.

 

I love seeing all the decorations and watching my toddler take it all in. Seeing the look in his eyes as he focuses on all this new stuff and tries to understand is just amazing.

 

I love watching everyone show off their creativity.

 

I just love Halloween.

 

I am especially excited because my husband actually gets to Trick or Treat with us next year for the first time in forever and we can celebrate as a family!

 

I think I need ideas for a family of 6 costume set! 

A Tiny Sliver of My Life: Mom of a Toddler

It was nap time.

What mama doesn't love sweet nap time?

I would love it if Dax could nurse, fall asleep, and then I could get stuff done; but, that is not the case with us. He pretty much needs me beside him to sleep and I actually need a nap to get through the day.

I am 31 and need a nap to get through my day and work my evening shift. I feel old.

Dax doesn't sleep well at night either so I snap the zzzzzz when I can.

We fell asleep well and were enjoying a peaceful slumber. I got up to pee in the middle of the nap. He woke to tell me he did not approve of me leaving his side.

I rushed into the bathroom to try and hurry. Then I smelled the most horrible poopy smell.

My mind went through the events of the morning. No one else was here. It didn't smell this bad when I had my shower and got dressed. No one had been there in between.

Then I remembered something horrible. Something I am almost positive all toddlers go through.

My son was running around the house naked, again.

I thought I was keeping a close eye on him but he must have escaped me.

My eyes darted around the room to find the culprit while Dax fussed for me and I was aching for my warm bed again.

My eyes focused on the tub. There is was, a steamy pile of pooped baking in the sun that shines in from our huge window. The sun did a nice job of intensifying the smell for me! :)

Rushed to clean it up and get back to bed to snuggle Dax back to sleep.

There you go, a little slice of my life as a mom of a toddler.

Daring Dax ~ Take 2!

 

I can barely remember Dax being so tiny, so calm, so sweetly wrapped in a blanket and nestled perfectly in the crook of my arm. He lived in his Moby Wrap, snuggled right up to my chest.

 

He went and grew up a bit on me, learned to walk, got loud, and climbed onto everything.  He still spent much of his time nestled close to me. He makes everyone smile.

 

 

Daring Dax turned 2 this weeked. He is so tall! He signs a few words and communicates the rest by grand, animated gestures. Cracks me up! He thoroughly enjoyed a gluten-free, soy-free, vegan cupcake from a local vegan bakery. He was loved on for his birthday by his family and could not understand why we were singing to him and not letting him touch his cupcake! He still spends much of his time nestled on my lap, nursing, and mostly just hanging with me. He has this amazing evil laugh that he pulls out at random times making me fall over in a fit of laughter. He can mock just about anything you do and his look of pride on his face makes me smile.

 

Happy happy 2nd birthday my Daring Dax!

 

Seven Sweet Years of Ainzley

My sweet Ainz. That is what I call her around here. She is full of pure sweetness. She turned 7 and grew up a bit on me. Watching her grow and learn has been such a blessing.

 

 

Ainzley surprised us just 16 months after her big sister joined us. She brought us such joy from the start. She fit right in to the family and snuggled into my baby sling where she pretty much lived. She decided I was the best and the only person who could comfort her from the beginning. We developed quite the bond.

 

Ainzley was never big on people in her space. She preferred tucking her face into her mama and saving her cuteness for close loved ones. She tolerated a small party for her 1st birthday where we made her own cake. Sweet girl took forever to grow that hair!

 

For her second birthday, she requested a "Jump" party! I kid you not. I had no idea what I was doing but she knew what she wanted! We made a cute cake to look like a trampoline and put a Barbie on it. She played with Barbies all the time that year. She had a party at home with lovely neighbor friends and loved ones. She had to step out of her comfort zone a bit but loved it.

 

My lovely cousin was trying her hand at neat cake design and offered to make Ainz a cake for her 3rd birthday party. This was the castle Ainzley requested and loved. She was so shy at her party but how she loved playing with friends.

 

Ainzley loves her big sis, Brijet. Seriously, they have this magical bond that is just grand. Brijet's bday is in May and Ainzley's bday is in September. They requested to have a joint party that year so I planned a huge park party in the middle of their birthdays - July in the Midwest. Can you see the sweat pouring from everyone's faces? Haha. My talented cousin once again asked the girls what they wanted and presented them with this lovely rainbow butterfly cake that they just adored.

 

Ainzley turned 5 and was so happy to be so big! Haha. This was a little shy of a month before we welcomed her baby brother to the home. She had been the baby of the family up until then. She made her own little cake and loved being sung to this year. She used to tell me that she was never, ever going to school because she needed to be home with me all day.

 

When Ainzley turned 6, we were in our new house. She had made some new friends and we did a tiny playdate at a kid play place and then did cake at home with family. She asks constantly for a couple months before her birthday for a countdown to the day. She gets so excited!

 

 

This year, my sweet girl turned 7. She chose a few friends to come celebrate with her and 2 of them got to sleep over. The giggles and whispers were so fun to hear.

 

Happy birthday to my sweet Ainz. I truly love watching you grow and being able to celebrate with you. You bring such joy to life!

Shadow of a Swaying Mama

Swaying in the dark, holding my wiggly toddler, silent, I focused on the shadow of me swaying across his bedroom wall and held him tight.

It was such a lovely image. I could see the shadow of his tiny feet poking under my arm. I could see my arms wrapped around his little body. I imagined this shadow of love painted on the wall, a permanent reminder of this time that will fade.

I imagined other mamas doing this exact act of love and kindness.  I smiled as I remembered the bedtime cuddles with my older three kids. I watched his body move in the moonlight with each breath and felt thankful that this tiny being calls me mama.

It was a perfect picture I dare not snap

There he was, naked, sprawled across my steps right by the front door, light spilling in through the big windows, smile upon his face.

True perfection. 

My baby boy:  21 months, nonverbal, testing limits, learning to undress and use the potty, chatting with me using a mix of nods, sounds, and sign language.

Oh, the beauty was just pouring out of him.  His skin is so very perfect.  He laid there so sweetly, so innocent, so full of curiosity.

He was not ashamed of his body. He was not trying to hide.

He was just there. Just proud that he had gotten his clothes and diaper off alone. Just happy to be free of confining clothing.

It honestly was a picture perfect moment, the lighting, his smile, his joy, his perfect soft baby skin.

But, we all know that can't happen in today's world. And I am saddened.

I can't take a perfect picture of my sweet toddler laying naked on my steps because someone somewhere could see them and use them as child porn. And that just plain sucks.