My Other Babes

How lucky am I to be the Mommy of the most wonderful little boy in the entire world AND the Auntie of 3 of the most gorgeous kiddos ever? Pretty dang lucky, indeed!

Fa La La La La La La La La

After another small stretch of being sick with another sinus infection, we have managed to finally get our Christmas tree up. Well, it's up and mostly decorated. It still needs some sprucing up. I had attempted a few Sundays ago to get our tree up and had to stop before we finished because of another severe headache. Thankfully, David & Sebastian finished putting it together then Sebastian and I decorated it when I got to feeling better. I love Christmastime. We have been playing lots of Christmas music, putting out lots of decorations and eating lots of great food. We love snuggling on the couch in our flannel & fleece jammies, watching Christmas movies and scarfing down tons of chocolate chip cookies & milk. I love hot chocolate, too -- with lots & lots of marshmallow creme. That has been pretty much what we have been up to lately.

I have really been neglecting my blog...but for good reasons. That sinus infection that just won't leave me alone and lots of time with my family & friends. My sisters and I went to see New Moon, which I loved. We've been doing lots of Christmas shopping and I can truthfully say that except for one thing, Sebastian is completely bought for. His last gift just needs to be conveyed to Santa ~~

Sebastian has grown leaps & bounds lately. He still amazes me everyday with his charm & wit. He has quite the personality and is very vocal about his feelings. He has a crazy vocabulary for a 3-year-old and I'm often asked how old he is. He is just wonderful, as usual.

Well, that's about all the catching up for now. I've gotta get that crazy kiddo in bed so he can hopefully be a little less cranky in the morning when we leave for daycare. I'll leave you with a few miscellaneous pics from the past few weeks...Enjoy!!

Happy Holidays!!

I Am Thankful...

This year, more than any other, I've realized how thankful I am that we are both working. Although sometimes it seems that we live paycheck-to-paycheck, we do have those paychecks and however big or small they seem, I am so thankful that we have them. I am thankful for Sebastian and how healthy and smart he is. I am thankful that we were chosen to be his parents and that we are able to love him, provide for him, keep him warm & keep him safe to the best of our abilities. I am thankful that he has a wonderful daycare that fills his days with fun & laughter and that allows him to learn and grow when he cannot be home with us. I am thankful for my husband, that he is the father to Sebastian. I am thankful that I can depend on him when I'm sick or feeling down. We have come to some realizations this year in our marriage that I have truly been thankful for. I am thankful for my MOM. She has been an unwavering support for me in whatever I choose to be or do. I am thankful for all of our family & friends who love us and who we can all depend on. We truly have a lot to be thankful for this year. ♥♥♥

What More Can I Say?

Crazier!

I've never gone with the wind
Just let it flow

Let it take me where it wants to go
Til' you opened the door
And there's so much more
I'd never seen it before
I was tryin' to fly but I couldn't find wings
But you came along and you changed everything

You lift my feet off the ground
You spin me around
You make me crazier crazier
Feels like I'm falling and I
I'm lost in your eyes

You make me Crazier Crazier Crazier

I watched from a distance as you
Made life your own

Every sky was your own kind of blue
And I wanted to know how that would feel
And you made it so real
You showed me something that I couldn't see
You opened my eyes and you made me believe

You lift my my feet off the ground
You spin me around
You make me crazier crazier
Feels like I'm falling and I
I'm lost in your eyes
You make me crazier crazier crazier

Baby you showed me what livin' is for
I don't wanna hide anymore

You lift my feet off the ground
You take me away
You make me crazier crazier
Feels like I'm falling and I
I'm lost in your eyes

You make me crazier crazier crazier
Crazier Crazier

- Taylor Swift

Why Little Boys are the Greatest Gifts...

When I first became pregnant with Sebastian my immediate thoughts were of a sparkling little princess - pink - bows - frill. If you haven't read my blog before, I have 5 nephews and 2 nieces. Boys rule the roost around here. Although my first thoughts were that I really wanted a little girl, I had wanted a baby for awhile and just wanted him or her to be perfect & healthy. I can't take the suspense, so of course, I wanted to know the sex right away. A BOY! I may have had thoughts of a girl initially, but never a second was I disappointed that we were having a little boy. I was more excited than I could ever imagined.

God knows what he is doing. I can't envision our lives any other way. Sebastian is the greatest joy that I could ever have. There is just a bond with him that completely enthralls me. It's just astonishing.

Here are some of the greatest things about having a little boy...

scraped knees
dirty chins
trucks crashed in every room
stained shirts
mud puddles
ripped jeans
grimy nails
climbing everything
rocks in his pocket
dandelion bouquets
smash-up cars
horsey
wrestling in the floor
jumping off anything
cars lined up across the room
dinosaur jammies
superhero sheets
crayon on the bedroom wall
footballs
soccer balls
basketballs
hitting golf balls with daddy
tractor rides
diving in leaves
opening doors
"I love you, Mama!"
growls & grunts
chasing bugs
playing monster
jumping on the bed
muddy shoes
camo hats like papa
play guns & sword fights
water all over the bathroom floor
messy hands
dimpled cheeks
peeing behind a tree {haha yes he does this}
guitars & motorcycles
kicking rocks
afternoon walks
blowing out candles
juicy kisses
tousled hair after lots of play
perfect glowing hair
bright blue eyed angel
longs fingers wrapped around Mommy's
ginormous hugs
smelly feet

He'll love no one else in the world like his loves his Mommy!

Fall in the Park

Wednesday was absolutely gorgeous, as has been the entire week for a change. Sebastian & I woke up & played outside until lunch - his cousin came over & they jumped on the trampoline, we blew up the giant slide from his birthday party that we haven't taken home yet {sorry Kristal ;)}, they swung & drove the "John Deere" all over the backyard. After Therron went home, we decided that it was too beautiful to go back in, so we drove through McDonald's for some lunch and headed to the park. I laid a blanket out in the grass, we ate our lunch and he played for hours. I, of course, took a gazillion pics. The day was absolutely gorgeous. The temperature was perfect. Sebastian was in a good mood, which put me in a good mood. I love Fall so much. The farmers were out picking cotton alongside the park. Sebastian couldn't quit talking about combines, picking cotton, driving tractors.

This is off subject, but it's cute how much terminology he picks up from David. Sebastian told me yesterday on the drive home from work that "they were spraying Valley". My mom thought he was saying that they were spraying the valley, but actually he overheard David & I talking about spraying Valor. {I don't know if that is spelled right, but it's some kind of herbicide.} It's funny what they pick up when you don't think they are paying attention. Oh, and he won't eat candy corn because of this little song on NickJr they played all through October - "Oh I don't like candy corn. No I don't like candy corn." Crazy kid!

Anyway, pictures from the park...

Sweet Sundays

Could there be anything else more precious in the world? As I was sitting in his bedroom floor watching him sleep so peacefully this beautiful Sunday afternoon, I thought how adored he would be by my Grandma M. She had a thing for redheads! Although he's not the red-haired, freckle-faced grandbaby that she had always hoped she would someday have, she would have loved him more than he could have ever imagined. She would have told him so many stories of when she was a child and always reminded him of how much he was adored & loved.

He would have loved the smell of fresh baked cakes & cookies all through her house that I loved when I was a child. He would have treasured all the talks & stories and the games she played. He would have held on to all the hugs and all the love that she had to give. The times that we got to spend together were limited to a few times each year, but I will always cherish how loved I felt by her. I never felt judged or held to any standards. I just felt completely adored & missed like crazy. I know that she would have made Sebastian feel the same way - loved, adored, cherished & missed like crazy when he had to go home. She would be proud of him no matter what & she would tell him every chance she had. I know that she watches out for him & sees how handsome & smart & wonderful he is and what an absolute blessing he is in our lives. And even though he may never meet her here on Earth, he will someday know why I think she is so amazing.

The Fire Starter

Only this handsome, brilliant, funny, 3 1/2-foot-tall, three-year-old fireman could set my life ablaze the way he has.



I am so COMPLETELY thankful to have a this wonderful, healthy little boy in my life. My heart is full and I pray that we are always blessed with his health & laughter.

Praying for Stellan! My heart goes out to all those amazing parents who endure the fight with their sick babies. My thoughts & prayers are with you ~ you are an inspiration.

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Sebastian's 3rd Birthday Party

Yesterday, my sweet little boy turned three-years-old. We had a candy carnival themed birthday party in our backyard with our closest friends & family. It was an awesome gathering of fun & laughter with some of the most wonderful people in Sebastian's life. Only a few couldn't make it due to sickness or because they live in another state ;), so we forgive you guys lol!! Seriously, we had a wonderful time and wish that everyone could have come, but we have special treat bags here for you. {We hope you are feeling better Ben!!}

Sebastian's party was filled with candy - gummies, suckers, powdered, waxed, sweet & tart. We also had popcorn, cotton candy & hot dogs. We put up a screen tent that we used as our concession stand, filled with hot dogs, chips, drinks & cotton candy. There was a giant water slide, minus the water, which kept the kiddies busy for hours. Also, we filled up Sebastian's trampoline with balloons & balls and the older boys were only seen emerging but just a few times. Sebastian's Aunt Stephanie {my sister}, along with her niece, Hannah, helped with tattoos & face painting. A few people were attacked with the pink & blue hair spray, but I had no part in that ;)!! My mom was gently persuaded to dress like a clown, which was hugely hilarious. Sebastian received a turf tractor from us for his birthday and he used to haul kids around the yard all afternoon. He was just slightly territorial with his tractor and only had a meltdown when someone touched it, like, every single time. He was fairly upfront with the fact that he wasn't going to share when he said, "I'm not sharing my birsday present with anyone!"

His birthday cake was amazing! It was so gorgeous & so delicious!! Rowland Stollen bakery rocks. The kiddos loved the cupcakes, or I suppose actually, just the icing, as I'm pretty sure only the icing was tasted. Sebastian adored everyone singing Happy Birthday to him and I loved seeing him blow out his candles.

We had lots of kids running around with painted faces, pink & blue hair, red, yellow & blue mouths and bare, cold, some muddy feet. That was all that I needed to see to know that Sebastian had a wonderful birthday party that everyone enjoyed. I was so glad that we got to share it with so many people that we love.

Below is a slideshow of the all the birthday party pics. Thanks to everyone who helped take pics for me, as you know, I will treasure them always.

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Dearest Birthday Boy!

At this very minute, you are turning three-years-old. THREE! I just cannot believe that we are already celebrating three amazing, wonderful, perfect years of your life.

It seems as though only yesterday that we were checking into the hospital with so many emotions - anxious, excited, beyond thrilled. You decided to come into this world with just a tad bit of excitement. Your umbilical cord was wrapped around your neck, which caused your heart rate to drop below an acceptable range. An emergency Cesarean section was needed to get you out of distress. I thought my heart would explode as we waited to see you for the first time.

You were perfect. Beautiful! Healthy! PERFECT! At the very moment that my eyes met yours for the first time, a feeling of complete harmony & peacefulness swept over me - all things were as they should be. All the apprehension, all the weariness from the day entirely faded away. You were my only focus. I found the one thing in this world that I knew that I was made to do.

You have quickly grown into such a little man. You are are growing up more quickly than I ever imagined. I am not quite sure if I am prepared to be the Mommy to a THREE-YEAR-OLD. I wanted your baby days to last longer. I have savored every single moment that God has given me with you. Every single kiss, every single breath, every single cuddle.

As bad as I wish I could hold onto those days, the truth is that you are growing up. Your long slender fingers that still wrap around mine are no longer tiny, tight grasps. Your perfect cheekbones are no more hidden behind those chubby baby cheeks and there are no signs of pudgy knees that used to scoot across the living room floor. The baby fine blond peach fuzz atop your gorgeous round face has transformed into a coarser golden reddish blond with amazing texture.

You are no longer that little baby that I rocked & snuggled with so many nights. No more evenings, pacing the floors with a colicky infant. You have outgrown biter biscuits & baths in the sink. But, you have grown into a handsome, facetious, brilliant little boy. You have so much personality. You have so much curiosity about the world. You have a great memory & your learning capacity still astounds & excites me. You have a huge imagination full of excitement & adventure.

You have great compassion for others. You have so much love & so much happiness to spread. You have the biggest, brightest smiles and the warmest hugs. Your "I love you's" make my days the best days. You are tenderhearted. You are sweet & sincere. You are playful & funny. You love to sing & dance. You have your Mommy & Daddy wrapped tightly around that three-year-old finger.

Everyday brings new adventures and more possibilities. Everyday you make me smile. Everyday you amaze me with your words, your thoughts, your questions, your actions. Everyday you make me proud. Everyday I thank God that he picked me to be your MOM. Everyday when I wake up, your face is the first thing that fills my head and the last thing that I see before I fall asleep. Every night after you have drifted off to sleep, I sit beside you and whisper in your ear how much I love you & how proud I am to be your Mommy. I cannot sleep until I have kissed you goodnight.

You have filled my life with more joy, happiness and love that I could have ever imagined. Before you were born, I loved & wanted you so much; but until I held you in my arms, I didn't know how much. Before you, I didn't know that it was possible to love another person so much.

My sweet baby boy, these have been the three greatest years of my life. If it is at all possible, though, for you to slow down on growing up, I would love that. I don't know what life holds in store for you, but I hope and pray everyday that your life is filled with as much happiness as you have brought into mine. I long for all your dreams to be as big as you imagine and that your life fulfills you in every way you desire. I will always love you, Sebastian.

Wordless Wednesday

Past Fall Favorites

Some of my favorite pics of Sebastian during my FAVORITE time of the year. I love looking back at my most treasured times with him. I miss him being so little, but also very excited about all the things that we have yet to share. {Miss the hair, too;)}

Temper! Temper!

Sebastian & I spent a long day shopping with my friend, Chastity, today. He was in great need of some Fall & Winter clothes and I also needed to pick up a few birthday gifts. Normally, he is a great companion on shopping trips. He can withstand the long drives in the car & being dragged from store to store, but ohhh ohhh ohhh, not today. He showed his little tail today - not listening, sassy mouth, "I want to go home! I want to go home!", the whole works. It was a very long day.

Once we got home we was completely good again. Maybe he thought he'd show out for Chastity, maybe because he was tired or he wasn't feeling well, or maybe it was just his time to be "one of those" kids. Whatever the reason, I almost banned him from future shopping trips for all eternity. It was a close call!?!?

After dinner & bath and some time of front of the tube, I said "bedtime!".

"I don't want to go to bed!" he wailed. I said "Too bad, it's late, it's bedtime."

So, I go and tuck him in, kiss him & say goodnight. He is all curled up in a ball, pouting, not talking to me. I kissed him on the forhead, he wiped it off. I turned on the humidifier and turned out the light. He finally asked if he could watch his Wubzy movie - I said "no, Wubzy is too long. You can only watch Yo Gabba Gabba". He kicked out his legs and moaned "I don't want Yo Gabba Gabba" and I walked out of the room. The next thing I know I hear a loud "thud" in his bedroom. I go back in his room and he already knows his bottom is in a sling.

I asked, "What did you just do?" in my very mean mama voice. He is already on the verge of tears and says, "I frowed my globaby, my froggie & my puppy over dare."

"Why did you throw your toys? That is very mean." I walked across the room and picked them up and laid them on the table beside his bed.

He was already puckered up, his little lip trembling, ready to burst into tears at any second. "I so sorry I'm was mean to yous, Mama!"

"You make Mommy sad when you throw things. It's not nice to try to break your toys."

"I'm sorry I frowed my toys. I'm sorry I was mean to my animals. I hurt them." By now he is crying and I am on the verge.

I asked if he would like his toys back, if he could behave himself and go to sleep. He musters out a yes, so I asked if he wanted all of them or just one.

"I want my froggie baby." I hand him the frog. "I'm so sorry I hurt you froggie." "I want my puppy, too." I hand over the puppy. He hugs him. "I'm so sorry I'm am mean to you puppy." "I want my globaby, too." So, I finally give him his little gloworm baby.

He is just sobbing. I am fighting off tears with everything I have. He sobs, "I hurt my animals. They are hurt."

"No, Sebastian, they are not hurt. They are fine. We just cannot throw our toys anymore. Okay?"

"Okay, Mama! I'm sorry I'm was mean to you Mama. I'm sorry animals. I want to give you a hug (Mama)."

I hugged & kissed him and squeezed him so tight. After he calmed down and started to tuck him in again, he asked if he could watch Yo Gabba Gabba. I said, "no sir you may not." He said "oooookay" in his I'm-sorry-I-shouldn't-have-asked tone. I asked him if he knew why he couldn't watch Yo Gabba Gabba and he replied, "Because I frowed my animals and I hurt them and I'm so sad." I said, "Yes! We don't get mad & throw our things."

I tucked him in after that and he snuggled up with his babies and his blankets. I walked into the living room and fell to pieces.

How amazing to see those emotions in my very soon-to-be three-year-old. He is so emotional & so compassionate and it's extraordinary to me to see him have such feelings of remorse. He knew that what he did was wrong as soon as he had done it. He is no different than any other child and most definitely has his bad moments & temper tantrums, but seeing him when he thought he truly had hurt someone, I knew that we were doing something right.

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Tired after a long day of shopping and terrorizing his mom!!

The Sweetest Gift of All

Today is my birthday. I have fallen upon the last year of my twenties. I thought I would be sad, emotional, not ready to face my thirties, but it's just the opposite. My twenties were great. I married the love of my life and we had the most amazing little boy that could have ever graced this Earth. Every minute with them is a precious gift. Sebastian holds my heart like no other person could. I had Sebastian just short of two weeks after my 26th birthday, which means my twenties will only encompass four years of more extraordinary happiness than I could have ever imagined. Therefore, the only logical outlook for my thirties will be an entire decade of the sweetest gift of all - our son! Every goodnight, every good morning, every I love you, every kiss, every hug makes my life worth growing old for. I love you, Sebastian. I can't wait to spend a hundred more birthdays with you.

“If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you.” - A. A. Milne

A House That's Lived In

I used to define myself by my neatness & organization, a place for everything & everything in it's place. I'm probably the only babysitter that my aunt ever had that cleaned out the refridgerator and closets. It still remains an amazing asset for me at work. I sometimes wonder if I would be able to survive at the job that I have without those skills; however, I have adapted at home. I don't freak out at clutter, I am not constantly running behind Sebastian, picking up & cleaning.

It's wierd how having a child can change your whole perspective.

I look around the house and can see what really characterizes a family. The things that I would use to describe as clutter or messy, now I just see as home. Pieces of our lives strewn here & there, happy memories, funny stories, just an amazing day.

Sebastian's bedroom is a pile of toys. His car hauler is filled with medical supplies & used as an ambulance. His favorite "Fire Engine" book is still laying in the bedroom floor from naptime. It doesn't matter how messy & destroyed his bedroom is, at the end of the day, he knows where to find his favorite books, movies & toys. His Froggie & his watch are still laying in the bed where he fell asleep with them today.

His favorite remote-controlled "tractor truck", as he calls it, was abandoned half in his bedroom doorway & half in the hallway, after a long day of working in the crops, "spraying the cotton" and "picking beans".

The oven door to his kitchen is still open and pots & pans, lids & spoons, still found throughout the living room. He cooked an amazing snack today of mashed potatoes and BBQ sandwiches, with no spicy sauce.

His soft ball & bat were discarded where he stood after a wonderful practice with Daddy. He has a great left arm and looks like we'll have a lefty batter, too!

One of his favorite blue blankies is laying on the couch, where I snuggled with him as he awoke from his afternoon nap. Also, tucked behind the couch cushions is his microphone he used to sing me Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, a cappella, which was my favorite part of the day ;)

His Fisher-Price Learning Chair {which doubles as his time-out chair}, was sitting in the middle of the floor where Sebastian decided he wanted to watch NickJr. in the kitchen. He has been singing along to the ABC Song, phenomenally.

His jacket & socks are tossed here & there from bundling up until Daddy could get the furnace lit this very chilly Fall morning.

There are cupcake wrappers from Mommy's birthday cupcakes we made today, pillows tossed from courageous adventures, trucks left from a long day of exploring, peas scattered all over the kitchen table from a huge 3 helpings of his favorite vegetable that will make strong as Daddy.

I love seeing that our house is "lived in", that our house is a home. I love seeing that Sebastian gets enjoyment out of his toys & has an awesome imagination. I love knowing that I can tell you a story with every piece of "clutter" that is found in our home. It is so gratifying to know that Sebastian is having a childhood filled with adventures and fun and so much love.

**And just for the record, we don't let Sebastian destroy the house. He doesn't eat & drink all over the house, makes spills or messes. He doesn't get to run crazy through the house & break or damage things. He goes wild with his toys and loves to play with the pillows & cushions from the couch. But, at the end of the day, he gets to pick up all the messes, the toys and the details that went undone all day, get put back where we found them so that we can start all over again tomorrow. Although we want Sebastian to have fun & play to his heart's content, we also want him to have respect for his home, his toys & have some responsibilities to those things. He is an amazing little helper around here and I am so proud of him. That is another post for another day, but I just thought I would throw that in. ;)

Beautiful Fall Afternoon Walk

We just come home from taking the most beautiful afternoon walk. It is the most amazing feeling being with the two guys that I love most in this world. I can't find the words...