Cute Bed Head

Actually, the pictures don't do this mane justice. Her bed head was impressive. I wish I looked so stinking cute when my hair is a mess. Love, love, love this girl. I plan on soaking up every bit of the next year and a half until she goes to kindergarten!

The Cutest Hat...

is only made cuter by the sweetest almost-three-year old and her precious dimple! (I'm totally biased and I don't care!) Love this girl!

Watch Out for the Hot Llama!

Over the Christmas Break, my children invented all sorts of new games to keep themselves entertained. I should note that very few of these games actually involved their new toys. (Sidenote to Mrs. Claus next year: Don't get carried away with the presents!) Anyways, one of these is a game that involves lava.

My three children have been pretending that the family room floor is hot lava. In order to keep from touching the lava, they attempt to jump from the coffee table to the couch and chairs. Needless to say, this game isn't always mommy-approved. However, I should also admit that I totally get how this would seem to be the coolest game ever to the under seven crowd, so I've been known to allow a jump or two.

Perhaps the most entertaining and sweetest part of this whole idea of a game is that my sweet two-year-old keeps warning me of "hot llama!"

I'll be walking through the family room and she'll call out, "Mom, it's hot llama!" Too cute! I don't even try to correct her because it's too stinking precious. All too soon, she'll say "lava" and be much too big to even entertain the idea of such a game. For now, I'll just continue to watch out for all those hot llamas in my family room!

Wow, I Love Being a Mom!

My friends who know me well, know that the past year hasn't been my easiest at being a mama to my sweet little ones. Overwhelmed would be a good way to describe it. I still wouldn't trade my job, but I won't lie and say it's been very easy this past year.

Such a positive way to start a post, right?

Well, the past few months have been much better and though we still have rough days, they are certainly much smoother than they were last year. I'd like to give our awesome parenting credit, but I'm pretty sure it's only God and the fact that He's allowed our kiddos to get older and mature! (Well, maybe a little bit is due to our parenting, ha, ha.)

Anyways, these past couple of nights, I've found myself thinking more than once that I feel incredibly blessed with this life of mine. How could I not when my night ended like this...

Little Jane was taking sweet forever to get to bed. I'd been patient, but as it was quickly approaching nine o'clock, I was also getting frustrated.

As I took her potty again, she said, "Mommy loves me, Daddy loves me..." She continued by naming her brother and sister. I asked her who loved her most of all and she replied, "Jesus and God loves me." Then, completely unsolicited, she said, "God makes me so happy!"

I'm pretty sure there aren't many better ways to end a long day then hearing your sweet toddler exclaim those words.

Me too, Baby Girl, me too.

Spoiled?

I often wonder if our youngest will be spoiled from being the "baby." Her requests are granted a lot.

Still, when she looks at me with her sweet face and says, "I'm Sleeping Beauty. Do you want to dance?" What can I do? I dance.

I dance even if we happen to be in the Walmart bathroom waiting on her sister and brother. Yes, I dance and I don't care who is watching. My little princess won't be a little princess forever.

Will I Remember?

As I sit here, I can't help but wonder if I'll remember...

Will I remember that right now Ann likes wearing shirts with butterflies (not live ones) on them? That she prefers cotton shorts to jeans shorts, skirts or dresses?

Will I remember that Chris prefers to wear his Toy Story and Super Man t-shirts and would really like a Bat Man t-shirt? That he likes to wear mesh shorts like his daddy has?

Will I remember that Jane insists on wearing dresses and and sparkly jelly sandals? That she likes to be called "Princess Jane."

Will I remember the details of our short visit to Chuck E. Cheese yesterday morning?

The children each got to pick out a prize and Ann was all about quantity. She chose two rings, a plastic fish and a plastic lady bug.

Chris wanted the inflatable hammer.

Jane was thrilled with a two-sided crayon. One side was purple, her favorite color.

Will I remember that Ann's favorite color is still pink?

That Chris's favorite color is simply not pink and not purple. All others are okay.

That Jane's favorite color is purple which she pronounces, "purkle."

No, I likely won't remember all these details and so I write them. I want to be able to share these little details with my children.. These little things that seem so trivial, but are the small things that are slowly revealing more and more of themselves to me and to the world.

Though I've noted that a big part of me is mourning my first child going off to school (so soon!?). The bigger part of me is excited to see what they will become.

I love those little ones right down to their seemingly silly preferences.

Princess Belly Button

Our sweet Jane (2), has become quite fond of princesses. The same Disney princess that I was determined not to let my oldest daughter become obsessed with. (That's another story.) Lately, Jane has been pretending to be a princess and also pretending that I'm a princess.

"You're Sleeping Beauty," she'll say. "I'm Belle,"she'll explain. Then, she'll spend the rest of the day calling me Sleeping Beauty. If I call her by her name, she says, "I'm Belle."

Typically, Jane decides which princess she is by the color of clothing she is wearing. If it's pink she is Sleeping Beauty. If she is wearing a blue shirt, she is Cinderella and so on. Sometimes she is wearing princess pajamas and it makes it quite easy for her to decide who she is at the moment.

A few nights ago, as Jane was getting dressed for bed, I asked her which princess she was that night. She looked down at her bare belly and said, "Belly Button." Too cute. I love conversing with two year olds, especially my sweet two year old girl!

Too Many Favorite Pictures!

This picture is definitely one of my newest favorites.

Part of what I like best is that my girls were sitting together when I took the picture. (Obviously.) The point is that normally I have to ask them to sit together to get a picture like this. In this case, they were already snuggling while watching a movie.

Love it! (And them.)

Praying Before Dinner

Disclaimer: The above picture has nothing to do with the following story. However, I thought the picture of her in her Easter dress and hunting for eggs was too cute not to share!

Tonight, before we all dug into our spaghetti, I asked who would like to pray. Jane said, "I do!"

Before she even started to speak, Ann leaned over and said, "Say thank you for Ann." She did as Ann asked.

Not to be outdone, Chris leaned over and said, "Say thank you for Chris." Once more Jane complied.

Then, since no one was giving her any more ideas, she said, "Thank you for Jane's water. Thank you for Ann's water." On and on it went until she was encouraged by us to also say thank you for her food.

So sweet! I need to get a video of her in all her cuteness!

Happy, Happy Birthday Sweet, Sweet Jane!

My Sweet Jane,

I can't believe you are two! I want to write a more meaningful birthday letter to you, but this laptop is newish and if I write it today, on your birthday, I just might start crying and tears on the keyboard, well...

Just know that your Daddy and I love you to pieces. You make our Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and well you get the picture.

We're so grateful that God knew our family wasn't complete without you!

Happy Birthday sweet girl. May the years ahead find your growing and fulfilling His purpose for your life!

(The above picture is of Jane eating her birthday breakfast of ice cream. It's what we do around here and my kids love it!)

Be sure to stop by Cheryl's at Twinfatuation for more fun Monday pictures!

Sister Smooch

I just got motivated to actually download pictures from my camera onto my computer. Now, if they would only jump off my computer into scrapbooks, I'd be all set. (Did I mention my youngest turns two next week and I don't even own a scrapbook in which to put her cute little pictures?)

Anyways, I was excited to see so many pictures that I love! I may break my no scrapbooking run soon by beginning one of this year.

This one will certainly make the cut. Two sweet sisters hugging! (Notice the Target dollar spot matching hair bands! Oh, and the wings on my youngest. She is starting of have a thing for accessories!) One of the things that is making my baby turn two bearable is to see her begin to really interact playing with her sister and brother. I love it!

This picture makes my Monday! For more fun pictures, stop by Cheryl's at Twinfatuation!

Happy Monday!

Sweet Sisters

So I figured if I'm not going to get my act together enough to write a post right now, I might as well at least post a picture!

I love this picture of a recent morning at our house. Ann is doing Jane's hair while Chris stands in the background trying to join in the fun. Jane looks a bit concerned, but she really wasn't. She enjoyed every minute of her big sister's attention.

As I look at this picture, it is so easy to imagine them ten years from now doing the same thing! Oh how I pray that they would be good friends!

It Isn't Easy Taking Pictures of Three

If you have more than one child, you know how difficult it is to get a decent photo of all of them looking even remotely at the camera. Unless you've got some serious Photoshop skills, you're probably like me and the only time you get a good shot of your kiddos is when one is half-dressed, has a binky in her mouth, or is obviously in need of a bath.

The only point of the above paragraph is to relieve a bit of my guilt that my favorite picture of the summer contains only one of my children. She just happened to have the right amount of ice cream on her face and she smiled and shrugged her shoulder at precisely the right moment. Plus, that dimple on her upper left cheek is one of the cutest things I've ever seen.

So, let it be known that I deeply love all three of my children.* Jane just happened to be captured in this summer's favorite picture. Though, technically, I do suppose there are still a handful of weeks left in summer.

*That sentence was written for the benefit of my children for when they learn to read. (Only half joking.)

Okay, without further explanations...Summer at Its Best!

No Wonder They're Always Hungry

I would be too if I only ate the insides of the bread and wore more peanut butter than I ate!

Also, I do believe that it is worth noting that when little Jane made this mess, she somehow managed to avoid her hair. Her hair is usually what she uses for a napkin, so I was surprised to see it so clean after a meal.

Happy Monday! Hope your belly is full and your face is clean. (Or something like that!)

It Just Makes Me Smile

Chris (3), Ann (4 1/2), and Jane (15 months)

She Used to Be the Calm One

I do believe this picture is proof that she is no longer Little Miss Mellow. Doesn't she just look like she is thinking of trouble?!

I suppose that is why I'm finding less and less time to write on the old blog. I actually compose a fair amount of posts in my head as I chase this munchkin around the house attempting to keep her from hurting herself.

And while I sometimes (okay more than sometimes) long for a quiet moment, I still wouldn't have it any other way.

Until that next quiet moment, whenever that may be...

Needs a Clever Caption

My sweet Jane (13 months) has no choice but to be tough when Chris (almost 3) is nearby.

Beginning With a Birthday

Not long ago, Tony carried Jane into our room and told me I "had to see this."

I imagined that Jane had just learned a new skill. Maybe she had even said a new word.

It was neither.

She had the hiccups. Tony thought is was cute.

It was very cute.

Neither of us could recall ever seeing her have the hiccups.

It was a day before her first birthday.

That scenario about sums up our sweet Jane's first year.

You'd think that since we had our three children so close together, it would take more than hiccups to impress us.

Not so.

We spent Jane's first year thoroughly enjoying her.

That brings me to her belated birthday letter.

Dear Jane,

It was a year ago that we first held you in our arms. From the moment you were born, you were quiet. You rarely cried even when hungry, wet or tired. You were content to simply snuggle into our arms and watch the action around you.

Within a few days, it was hard to imagine you hadn't always been a part of our family. Your sister and brother accepted you with open arms. They both wanted to hold you as much as I would let them.

A year later, they still think you are wonderful. Your big brother wants you to be awake as soon as he is. Your big sister is always watching out for you.

Each day brings you closer to walking and talking. One day soon, you will no longer be identified as a baby. Except of course, by me.

I have to be honest, I started this letter on your birthday. Nearly two months have passed since then. I simply couldn't bring myself to finish a letter about my baby so soon becoming a toddler.

Yesterday, for the first time, you let go with both hands as you tried to make your way over to me. I was so proud of you. It was then I realized that our adventure together has really just begun. Your birthday may have been the ending of a wonderful year together, but God-willing it is only the beginning of another amazing adventure.

We love you sweet one! Happy "Beginning Birthday!"

Dada, Mama and "The Big Kids"

Uncle G, this one's for you!

One of the best things about being a parent has to be seeing others love on my children. I especially cherish seeing my younger brother love on my kids.

I have no doubt how much he loves them. This proved to be a good thing when he recently told me my youngest, Baby Jane, looks like an elf. He, of course, meant that she fondly reminds him of an elf.

I was a bit offended.

I got over it. Then, I bought an elf hat and took a picture.

I guess he had a point. Have you ever seen a more adorable elf?

Uncle G, we love you!

Better Late Than Never

Happy New Year!

We've just returned from a nearly week-long trip to see family in Iowa. As always, it is was so good to see them. However, it is also a bit strange since Tony's mom doesn't have Internet access at her house. It felt like we were living in a little isolated bubble.

After arriving home last night, I was checking email and found an invitation to a New Year's Eve party. We decided to be spontaneous and go.

So now, I sit surrounded by a house that looks like the entire contents of our minivan threw up on it. But, first things first.

Baby Jane is 11 months old today and I've yet to write her 10-month letter. Then, there are the Christmas pictures that I hope to post soon. So, I do believe this may only be the first the
"Better Late Than Never" series here at Yes, and So Is My Heart.

So....

Happy Ten Months Sweet Jane!

Jane,

I've put off writing this letter for a month. Sure, we've been busy with Christmas festivities, but the truth is that I can hardly believe you are almost one. Of course, I can't stop time, so I might as well continue to celebrate your milestones with you.

This month, like all the others, has been so much fun. You learned to pull up and even climb a few stairs. You were so proud of yourself when you realized what you could do.

You also enthusiastically wave bye-bye. Your other trick is to move your lips with your finger so that you make a silly sound. It always gets someone laughing.

We celebrated your first Thanksgiving with family in Colorado. Traveling with you was a joy. You sat contentedly in your car seat for the long trek across Kansas. It was such fun introducing you to family and friends in out west.

More than ever, you want to keep up with your brother and sister. You are happiest playing in the midst of them. They enjoy pretending that you are a baby shark that they are "swimming" away from in their pretend ocean. You all have such a good time together. (Most of the time.)

Finally, and perhaps my favorite milestone is that you had your first bow! I left you with a friend while Ann and I went to the dentist. I came back to see your hair pulled up with a little bow. It hadn't even occurred to me to start doing your hair. Now, you are rarely without a bow. I know it is silly to get so excited about a little hair bow, but there isn't much sweeter than a little girl with a pony tail sticking up from the top of her head!

We love you sweet Jane!

Mama