The Little Things

I have been remiss in detailing some of our day-to-day events.  Even though there are things I wouldn't mind forgetting about our current crazy life, there is plenty I want to always remember. 

 

 

Zoo trips with the girls.

Zoo trips as a family.  I promise Marshall was having a good time.

Story time.

Shopping trips in pajamas...in the middle of the afternoon.

Way too many doctor appointments.

Sunday naps.

Marshall voluntarily offered to feed Rachel dinner one night.  Most relaxing family dinner I've had in months.

Friday night dates at Murfs with my six year old.

Spontaneous family reading time.  They had been fighting for 20 minutes leading up to this, so it was a very pleasant surprise.

Precarious sleeping positions.

Silly faces and squishy lips.

 



Baby and Baby

When Bridget turned one my mom bought her a little doll at Target.  Bridget played with it occasionally, kept it on her bed, but showed no real interest in it.  Fast forward two years and Rachel discovered the doll and promptly fell in love with it, which then caused Bridget to become very possessive of it.  Of course.  After weeks of fighting Richard found the same doll and bought it.  Rachel now has her own and is still so attached to that little doll.  Bridget is now back to not caring, but the doll still has a place on her bed. 

 

Rachel sleeps with this doll, brings it out of her crib every morning and after every nap.  She carries it around during the day, pushes it in the little shopping cart, lays it on a blanket and lays down next to it, takes it to museums...you know, all that stuff.  It is all so endearing to watch. 

 



He Lost A Tooth

This little guy is growing up before my eyes.  He lost his first tooth last Saturday.  It was two whole months in the making! 

 

 



I told Richard this is the beginning of the awkward phase.  Missing teeth, big teeth, small teeth, crooked teeth, gangly bodies, etc.  Here's to the next 12 years.  :)

 

I have to write down this story.  Going back all the way to almost a year ago, Marshall's good friend, Benson McAllister, was at our house Thanksgiving weekend when he lost his first tooth.  Marshall thought this was the coolest thing and asked me at least once a week from then on when he would get a loose tooth. 

 

Well, the day finally came.  We discovered a very new loose tooth the middle of August.  He was beside himself with excitement...until he realized it was going to fall out and hurt and bleed.  He promptly fell apart.  We assured him it wouldn't really hurt, and it would bleed just a tiny bit, he wasn't buying it.

 

Two weeks ago when I picked Marshall and his friend Jack up from school Jack came running to us exclaiming that he had lost his first tooth.  He told us how it came out and Marshall started gagging.  No joke.  Gagging and quite possibly dry heaving.  He asked Jack to stop talking about it and Jack obliged.

 

A few days later Marshall started asking me about Jack's tooth and how he got it to come out.  All I said was, "I think he just wiggled it back and forth."  Marshall immediately began gagging again!  I was laughing and he was screaming.  :)  By this time Marshall's tooth was quite loose and he was terrified to brush it and he was very careful with his eating. 

 

Then, last Saturday morning, Marshall took a drink of his juice, gave me a funny look, and spit his tooth out.  No fuss, no concern for the blood, it was over and done in two seconds and no gagging was involved.  Thank goodness.

 

To make this even better, Marshall has been keeping his tooth in a little container in the van!  He currently has no interest in a visit from the tooth fairy.  What a kid.

On Turning 31

 

I turned the big 3-1 the beginning of October.  It was a weekend of great celebration with my family and dear friends.  I'm a lucky girl. 

 

Turning 31 was a lot better than turning 30, thank goodness!  As my birthday was approaching this year I kept thinking back to my life at this time last year.  I was still adjusting to life with three kids, Rachel wasn't yet two months old, and my mornings were chaos getting Marshall to school every day by 8:15.  In the moment I felt overwhelmed, but in control and doing well.  Looking back a year later, I realized how hard it was, and I feel like I was barely holding it together.  Thankfully, one year later, I feel like I am in a much better place physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.  And honestly, it makes me nervous to think about having a fourth baby! But I digress... 

 

Last year I made a 30 for 30 list.  I got this idea from a dear friend.  I wrote down 30 things I wanted to accomplish in my 30s.  I pulled out this list a few times in the last year just to keep it fresh in my mind.  Some are serious, some are fun, some will be easy, and some will be challenging.  As I pulled out the list again tonight I was pleased at what I've accomplished in one short year. 

 

I'm teaching dance again (still want to take a dance class though), I still run, I wore lots of skirts this summer, I am no longer scared to buy/use an avocado, I've managed to shed 17 pounds, I call my mom more, and I am still working on being more patient with myself and my kids (that is a lifelong lesson!).  Its been a good year.

 

Besides ticking things off my list, my 30s have brought me a sense of self-satisfaction I don't recall ever feeling before.  I'm comfortable with who I am and I'm really liking that feeling. 

 

The other day a friend asked me if I would change my profession if I had a complete re-do on my life.  I only had to think about it for a moment to conclude that I am exactly where I want to be doing what I have always wanted.  That is a sure blessing, and honestly, one I think about almost daily.  I've always wanted to be a wife and a mother, and here I am. 

 

A few mornings ago I was folding laundry.  Marshall and Bridget were both at school and Rachel was napping.  As I carried the basket up the stairs I noted that both the washing machine and dishwasher were running.  I felt so accomplished that here it was 10:00 in the morning and I had accomplished so much.  The thought that immediately followed was that I couldn't believe I was excited about my washing machine and dishwasher running at the same time.  In that moment, I realized that I am no longer a "young/new" mom.  I am certainly not a seasoned mom, but here I was, my oldest two at school, a quiet house with a napping baby, and I was thrilled about clean clothes and clean dishes.  It was a surreal moment.  I was no longer "playing" house.  I am living the life I vividly remember my mom living. 

 

The last few weeks I have also been thinking about what I want my daughters to learn from me.  One thing I want them to learn is that they should always take time to improve themselves and continue to develop as individuals while they are balancing all that is required of them:  wife, mother, employee, etc., whatever path their lives take them.  I want them to set goals, figure out how to reach those goals, and achieve them.  I don't want them to get lost and have life pass them by because they are so absorbed in everything around them that they forget about themselves.  I want them to have hobbies that they love, I want them to have things that the excel in, I want them to improve themselves individually year after year.  I am going to keep ticking away at my 30 for 30 list.  When that's done, I'll make one for my 40s and every decade after that.  My life is rich, my life is full, and I am beyond thankful for all that is in it.