8 months

My sweet girl is growing up so fast.  I can hardly believe 8 months have come and gone since I first held her in my arms.  Now this little monkey is acting like such a big girl.  This past month she has been eating a lot of new foods, talking up a storm and becoming a little more mobile.  I am hearing sweet words coming from her crib, carseat and stroller.  It's mostly, "dadadadadaaaa", but more and more I'm hearing, "mamamaaaa".  She has the cutest little voice.  She also has a funny little laugh and giggle.  She has started planking up a bit more to get into the 'crawl' position.  She doesn't make it much past that.  Big news this past week.  Hattie has TWO teeth!  One night Dallas was talking to her and she bit his nose.  It hurt, so he checked it out and sure enough...a tooth!  A few days later a second tooth made the pair.  They are just above the gum line, but pretty stinking cute.  I've already been bit nursing, so we'll see how that goes!

Rhett - 3 yrs 7 months, Jude- 6 yrs 3 months, Hattie- 8 months

There are no words for how much I love this photo.

Hattie's first Mother's Day

Brother loves to hold her.

Sat in the big girl highchair this month.

Hattie is just a doll.  She is so funny and already has such a fun personality.  I'm so excited to see where the next month takes her.  I suspect crawling is inevitable.  

Less yelling, more loving

So, I yell.  I come by it honestly. I'm from a family of "yellers", but it's not who I want to be.  I don't want my kids to think of me in this way, to be scared of me, or to know it's just about time for mom to lose it.  It doesn't happen often, but it happens often enough.  I'm challenging myself to no more yelling.  To remove the distractions in my life that get me to the point of stress and forgetting what's truly important.  Today I happened upon this blog.  It really encouraged me to make some changes in my life.  I can relate to her stories, and it gave me hope for myself and for my kids.  Hope for change.

Say a prayer for me.  It's never too late to change.

Random update

Busy seems to be the buzz word around here.  We are wrapping up the school year and prepping for summer!  I can't wait!  It's going to be so fun to hit up the pool and do fun activities with the boys all summer long.  We have several camps scheduled, a few family trips and lots of pool time in the works!  Wahoo!  

Here's what been going on..

1. Rhett has been saying "NEVER".  "Rhett, put your shoes on please."  "NEVER!!"  It's not amusing.  

2.  I went to a sweet little mommy and me tea at R's school a few weeks ago.  It was super special.  He sang some songs and had snacks for me.  Since I love him and I love snacks, it was perfect.  

3.  Mother's Day.  My first as a momma to 3!  Dallas made it a special day and I really enjoyed just hanging out with my family.  They got me a juicer.  The kids love it!  

1st Mother's Day together.

Blessed to be their momma.

4. B-ballin.  Baseball is in full swing and we spend lots of nights at the ballpark.  Jude is having a great season and is really learning the sport.  He is smitten with the game.  When we are lucky Hattie crashes out and sleeps through the games.  When we are not lucky she throws toys all around and likes to be walked all over creation.

6 RBI's in one game last week! 

 5. Three Piggy Opera.  The Kindergardener's put on this adorable performance for the entire school   and Jude was totally into it.  He loves to sing.

6. We had our house painted and I am in love.  The painter did a wonderful job and captured the look I was hoping for with the shutters.  It's so fun to see what you envision in your mind come to be.  We are working on a few other fun projects around the house in the next week.  

7. This little turkey is giving me a run for my money;).  Love him to pieces, but taking care of him is not for sissies.  Look how cute he is.. 

8. We have lived in our house for almost three years now!  I just can't believe it!  Rhett was Hattie's age when we moved in. We have contemplated moving millions of times, but each time God has stopped us one way or another.  There is so much peace in knowing that there is purpose where He has you.  I want to be content where I am always, and know that I am here for a reason.  

9. Look at this big girl, I mean seriously.  The time is going so fast!  Can't wait to get her in the pool for the first time! 

10. We gave away a record amount of food in the Food pantry at our church a few weeks ago.  It's so awesome to have the opportunity to teach our kids about giving and true need.  They are wonderful little helpers.  

11.  I know this is the world's tiniest picture, but I have a set of these chairs on their way to my house and I'm so excited!  Can't wait for a little reading room update!  It's been a long time coming.  

12. Enough said. 

13. Jude had an award ceremony at school and received the kindness award.  I am so proud of him.  He was dressed up for a workout alphabet character today for school;).  

14.  Tornado season.

This is how we prepare when tornado watches and warnings are in our area.  Ever since the Piedmont, OK tornados two years ago we have been wearing life jackets when it storms.  A little boy was thrown into a nearby pond and drowned:(.  We have ponds around here, so this gives me a little sense of peace. Plus they add a little bit of padding protection in case something were to hit or fall on them.  

Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the the families and community in Moore Oklahoma today.  The sadness after last night's tornado is overwhelming.  So many little ones.  

7 months

Ms. Hattie is 7 months old.  Actually she's nearly 8 months, but we'll just all pretend this is happening on time.  In her seventh month Hattie really started to understand eating solids.  She has loved it all!  She has had avocado, winter squash, carrots, corn, blueberries, plums and sweet potatoes.  She likes to wait until I have the food in her mouth, and then blows a giant raspberry all over the joint.  She's gotten a little neater in the last few weeks and opens her mouth wide for bites.

She has really shown no interest in crawling during this month and is content to just sit up and play with her toys. Toys..she love to play with anything that is not an actual toy.  Keys, necklaces, sunglasses, cell phones.  She loves them all.

She is on a much better napping routine and HAS BEEN SLEEPING IN HER BED ALL NIGHT LONG!!!  We let her cry it out one night and it took about 30 minutes.  Some days she cries and some days she just goes right to sleep now.  It's like a new life we are living around here.  The pack and play is officially out of our room and stored away.  She takes all naps in her room now.  She takes a good 2 hour nap in the morning if I play my cards right.

Here are some pictures from this months adventures with our sweet girl!

First food experience. Avocado!  

Reading her new book from Dr. H

Planking

Loved the bouncer this month!

Twins! 

Ohhh..grass!  She loved it! 

She is still wearing a size three diaper, and is in mostly 6 month clothes now.  She never wears shoes anymore.  She has started talking more and is grabbing everything in sight.  She loves to watch her brothers play.  They are sweet to try to console her when she is upset.  She is just getting more and more fun by the day!  

Photo Shoot

Our sweet and amazingly talented friend took some beautiful photos of Hattie.  These were supposed to be 6 month shots, but ended up being 6-1/2 month shots;).  We're just happy to have them period.  Each picture captures Hattie's different expressions, and I'm so thankful to have each and every one of them.  Hattie was not herself during the shoot and I was having to nurse her every 15 minutes or so to keep her from crying. I was so shocked to see so many good ones! Thank you Addie Scott Photography!  

I am in love!  

6 month baby girl!

This month has been so fun, Hattie!  You are constantly laughing and smiling and trying out new tricks.  This month we tried oatmeal cereal for the first time (first solid), and you were okay with it..nothing thrilling. You have been working on getting on your knees, playing with your toes, squealing, rolling over in bed, turning yourself around on the floor, more squealing and even sitting up a little bit.  You love the bouncing chair, and mom's already getting rid of your tiny baby equipment! We ventured out to brother's baseball tournament and you were such a good sport!  Contented to hang in the bjorn all day, you smiled and talked to strangers.

At your 6 month check-up you were 15lbs, and in the 25th % for weight and 80th for height.  You are wearing a size 3 dipe, and still in 3-6 month clothes.  Your pants are quickly turning into shorties though;).

 It took her a while to start playing with her toes.  I think they are hard to reach because her legs are so long. Ha!  

Sitting up!  

You are such a joy, little miss.  We love you so much, and I don't even remember how we lived without you!  Happy 1/2 Birthday!  Dad reassures me this is not a real thing, but I think otherwise! 

Love you to the moon and back!  

It's Friday, but Sunday is coming!!!

I read this on Friday and man did it strike me.  Literally and figuratively, it really smacked me in the face. When I read it I read that there's a struggle (Friday), it may be hard, ugly, unbearable or unimaginable, but guess what?? Sunday is coming. Freedom, redemption, grace, peace, joy, victory and every other lovely thing our Lord and Savior brings to the table.  If you can make it through the storm, the rainbow is just ahead. Also, just the literal meaning that Jesus died for me.  That he had me and my sin and my redemption on His mind when He went to the cross...seriously.  AND the miracle of Him being raised from the dead. Wow. This was more of an emotional Easter for me than most.  I guess as I draw nearer to Christ my mind and heart are ever changing.  Duh.

I sat down with Jude on Friday and I wrote on the palm of his little hand.  Just one simple name.  JUDE.  I told him that each time he saw that name on his hand to think about how our names are written on the palms of the hands of Jesus.  How when He died on the cross and was pierced through His palms, He was thinking of Jude.  He was preparing a way to forgive Jude of his sins and how great His love is for him, that He would do what He did.  When we finished our bedtime prayers I looked down at my sweet, sensitive boy and his eyes were filled with tears.  I asked him what was wrong and he said, "Nothing, I'm just thinking about how Jesus died on the cross for me, and how He's thinking of me."  I love that God has a hold of my boy's heart already. On Sunday Jude opened a card from Grandpa with $10 in it.  He was so excited to see a $10 dollar bill, and he said, "Hey mom, can I give this in the offering today?"  I mean, my heart is mush.

So thankful that my Jesus is Risen and that we are on the palms of His hands!  That He loves me, thinks about me, forgives me, guides me, grieves with me and prepares a way for me.  What a blessing. Happy Easter!

Me and Mine Easter 2013

1st Easter for this gal!