Thanksgiving

We got away for a few days for Thanksgiving at my sister's house with my side of the family.  It was a nice break from life.  When we got home the tree in our front yard had lost a lot of its leaves.  It was the perfect treat for our kids after 2 long car rides.  They played in it for a long time.  I love natural entertainment like that!

This week

 Life with a 1 and 2 year old is challenging (isn't that the right way to say hard).  I am constantly on the go or on the ground playing with them to make them both happy.  I am trying to figure out what my boy needs because he is so different from his sister.  When SJ was Drew's age we noticed she did better in the day if we ran a little errand almost every day but with Drew he needs to be outside in the grass or mud with sticks in his mouth to help him get through the day.  It's amazing how different God made boys and girls.  I am thankful for the differences but this boy stuff is new to me so I have a lot to learn.  Most days it looks like this.  All of our shoes piled together after a walk or me taking them to the park for SJ to get out and run and for Drew to walk around and find every piece of trash in the park.  It wears me out and there is constantly something to do, someone to comfort (since one of them seems to be crying at all times) but at the end of the day, most days, I see that it is all worth it and just pray for strength to take on the next day. 

 Then there are times like this that are pure joy that remind me again this time is special and to not take it for granted.  I think Drew was happy in this picture.  SJ has a happy with a slightly evil smile on her face.  She thought it was funny to keep dumping water on Drew's head.  Sometime he thought it was fun other times he was not that into it.

Here's another thing that helps you get through a long day with 2 little ones-chocolate.  Any form of it helps you get that extra push you need. I highly recommend it:)

Birthday Weekend

My mom, sister and I had our annual birthday weekend and it was so refreshing!  We did not have any of the kids with us this time so we just ate, slept and shopped.  It was beautiful:)  We also got pedicures which was another treat to do all together.  I am already looking forward to next year!

Joy in Obedience

Yesterday Drew and I battled it out.  He was set on not signing "more" or "please" for his food and I was determined to make him do it and to stop whining.  He has known how to sign "more" for a while now but has given into pointing and grunting and we have let it go for a while.  Well yesterday was the day it needed to end.  So we sat at the breakfast table for about 30 minutes encouraging him to sign "more" and he would not do it.  I got him out of his chair and let him play hoping he would do it if he got even hungrier so about an hour and a half later he was back in the chair.  Finally after another 30 minutes or so of working with him he did it and now he has been doing it at every meal!  This was a trying lesson to teach him but we knew we had to break this pattern for him to learn how to ask and not demand and also to break his stubborn heart.  The amazing thing about this is I saw a picture of what true joy in obedience looks like.  When Drew was choosing to disobey there was so much sadness and crying.  I really thought he might fall asleep in his chair because he looked so exhausted from all his crying for his food.  When he decided to obey and sign "more" there was much rejoicing and happiness.  He couldn't stop smiling every time he signed it.  This reminded me that there is great joy in obeying God and some times I forget that.  Like Psalm 119:1 says, "How blessed (happy/joyful) are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord."

Nana & Pawpaw Visit

 Nana and Pawpaw came for a visit.  We got to go to the pumpkin patch and the Fall Festival at our church with them.  The pumpkin patch was fun but there was no decent pumpkin to be found.  I guess I should have known going the day before Halloween.  I am just glad our kids are at an age that they could care less about getting a pumpkin.

Our Boy is 1!!!!

Well, it happened.  Our little boy turned 1!  I can believe it and can't believe it all at the same time.  I feel like I have wanted him to be 1 since he was born.  Don't get me wrong.  I have enjoyed the good parts of the newborn/baby stages but it just seems like things get a bit easier when they turn 1.  Now that it is here I am not sure how I feel about it!  I just realized he does not have that newborn smell anymore and that he is going to continue to grow more and more independent.  Oh birthdays!  They are happy/sad occasions for us parents.  We love our Drew Drew.  He is either super happy or super cranky.  There's no guessing with him.  You know exactly how he is feeling.  For the most part he is happy so we are thankful.  He loves his daddy.  He bounces up and down when Andrew comes home and grunts until he comes and picks him up.  When Andrew has to hand him over to me he holds on to Andrew with the death grip.  He loves his sissy.  He is constantly laughing at her and has no problem wrestling with her.  He does not even complain when she tackles him and sits on top of him.  He's a tough little guy.  He loves his mommy.  Come on I had to include that!  He is a cuddly guy and still will lay his head down on my shoulder.  I love that.  
I love to think of what a blessing his little life is.  When I first got pregnant with him we thought that I had miscarried.  A few days later we found out I was still pregnant.  I had a feeling right then that this baby was a boy.  I just pictured a little fighter in there.  My doctor told me I was likely going to miscarry and by God's grace I didn't.  After my 1st trimester everything looked good and there was no reason to think the baby would be in any harm.  It's easy to forget how precious life is but thinking back on all of this reminds me.  I remember praying for Drew and that if God would allow him to live that He would save Drew and use him in a mighty way for His kingdom.  That is still my prayer for our boy.  I don't know what that will look like but I wait and hope and I am excited to see what the Lord does in Drew's life in the years to come.  

Grammy & Papa Jim Visit

 We were blessed to have Grammy and Papa Jim come visit us.  We finally took them to the sundial bridge and got to celebrate Drew's birthday with them.  We always are sad when they have to leave!