Christmas Pics!

Christmas has been so much fun this year! I am once again somewhat sad it is already over! I do plan to post about all of the many ways we celebrated before the actual day, but I need to get some pictures off my sister's camera. So for now, enjoy these moments from our very fun and exciting Christmas morning (and one from Christmas Eve with the cousins)!

What Lincoln Got for Christmas...

(**Note the new, much needed haircut on my handsome boy!)

So what do you a buy a 6 month old for Christmas when you already buy him whatever he needs or whatever is too cute to live without? Nothing. That has always been our philosophy. But I suppose Lincoln decided that he was going to give himself a gift- freedom! That's right- Lincoln is crawling. This has opened up a great big new world for him, and has forced me to be re-introduced to the vacuum cleaner!

I do think, however, if Lincoln were able to talk, he would say that all he wanted for Christmas were his two front teeth! His mouth is definitely working on something, his bottom 2 broke through a couple of weeks ago, but it is apparent more are coming!

Oh, in the world of infants, life changes so quickly!

Sometimes he takes a break from crawling and attempts a somersault. Kevin and I keep reminding him that he will be a ballplayer, not a gymnast, but for now, he is just too cute!

Oh, look at that drool!

How a Medicine Dropper Saved my Sanity

So today is the first day that I am beginning to see that we may be nearing the end of this "recovery" time for Rylin. She is acting a little more like herself, a little more active, a little less clingy and a little less whiny!
On Saturday I refilled her prescription and asked for a medicine dropper, and my life has been so much easier. Now when it comes to medicine, I'm in charge. (Something you will see, I'm not in much of lately!) We now get medicine down in one drink, but this has not always been the case. Read on if you would like to see what my first week of medicine time was like... A little humorous the farther I get from it, but in the middle of the night, believe me- it's not funny!
1. She wakes up screaming. Nothing soothes her, nothing calms her down, just constant screaming. She refuses to use words to explain anything, just screams. I get frustrated-I'm half asleep and fearing the screams will wake up the rest of our house.
2. I bring her out to the kitchen to give her medicine. I put her on the counter to put the medicine in the spoon. She throws a fit, she wants to sit on the floor this time. Wherever I put her, it is the wrong place. If I start off holding her, she wants the counter, if we start on the counter, she wants the floor, if we start on the floor, she wants me to hold her..... This goes on, and on, not with words, but her pointing her finger and me trying to read her mind. My frustration builds.
3. I bring the medicine to her mouth. She either covers her mouth with her hands, turns the other way, or just down right refuses to open her mouth. I once again discuss that although the medicine tastes gross, it will help her to fill better. One big gulp and she can be done. Still I am met with refusal, at which point, I typically begin to crack.
4. She won't start without a drink. I grab her juice that is still on the counter. Wrong choice, she wants milk. But if I start with milk, she wants water, and the cycle continues. I can never be one step in front of her.
5. She finally takes a "tiny sip", which is immediately followed by a drink. And her need to be in control remains. She has very strong opinions as to where the drink sits in between sips, her right side, her left, if I hold the cup when she drinks, we do it together, or she does it by herself. And as far as the spoon- she is adamant about using the tablespoon. So I have to measure the medicine in the teaspoon and then pour it into the tablespoon. And she refuses to drink from anywhere but the upper left corner. Why these things matter to her I do not understand, but she will not budge. Her stubborn side appears to be even greater when she is sick (or is that just me being desperate?). I decided to count how many sips it takes to get this one teaspoon of medicine down- the average was 13! Each sip (1/13th of a teapsonn) is followed by a drink, in which she takes her sweet time swallowing.
6. 10 minutes later, the medicine is down. She typically wants a bite of something to eat. I give in because I'm tired and want to go back to bed, and anything to prevent another fit is desirable. I willingly scoop a small amount of ice scream into the bowl that she has picked even though I know she will only take the one bite, so I don't need the bowl, but she insists. And then finally, I pick her up and carry her back to bed. And as I start down the hallway, I feel horrible that through this process, I have allowed my frustration to get the best of me, often times more than once. Why can't I be more patient? Why can't I be more compassionate? And then, my heart softens, and as I am alone with my thoughts in the middle of the night- I am grateful. Grateful that at least for now, the process is over, grateful that my 3 year old weighs less than 30 pounds and I can carry her, and grateful that in another week or so this will be past us, and that my children are in all things considered, very healthy. How fortunate and blessed I am that this trial is so temporary, and I pray that God will keep my kids healthy, but if illness comes, may He grant me the strength and kindness to handle it- even at 3 o'clock in the morning!
7. I place her in her bed, and put the blanket on top of her. She kicks it off and wants the other one, even though, she'll kick that one off and when I re-tuck her in ten minutes later, she'll want the first. I give her one of the 3 stuffed animals that are on the floor, and she of course wants a different one. I sing her a song, or if she's lucky 2, we switch animals again, and I attempt to go back to bed.
So now, I am so thankful for the medicine dropper that I should have had all along, but then I guess I wouldn't be so grateful for it if I had not known life without it! And now I am stuck wondering if my little girl is thinking that she is always going to win every battle now, that we will allow her to have such strong opinions about stupid stuff. (Why she cares so strongly still baffles me!) Because believe me- the fits are not typically tolerated in this house, and when good health returns, so will the previous consequences!

Thanksgiving

So once again I have managed to not take a single photo on Thanksgiving. I don't know why this day always seems to get "camera neglected". Maybe we don't want documented proof of how much we truly eat this day. But despite the lack of pics we had a great, over all relaxing, stress free day with our family and best friends. We are grateful that Kaitlin & Ian drove down to spend their first holiday with us, and so thankful for another year of God's great goodness and provision! What a truly generous and faithful Lord we serve!

My Patient

So my little Rylin had her tonsils and adnoids out on Friday. She has been quite miserable ever since. I must admit that by today (day 4) my patience are wearing thin with all of the whining and clinginess, but that's probably due more to sleep deprivation than anything else. She has been a pretty good trooper overall. She hates the medicine and that is a struggle every 4 hours, but considering how bad it smells, I can't say I blame her. She is very hungry (I can hear and feel her tummy growl), but she takes one bite of something and never wants a second. Kacia is so compassionate and kind when someone is sick (I'd be surprised if she didn't end up being a nurse or something like that), but I think she was glad to go back to school today. Lincoln did really well on Friday and Saturday, needing me only for food, then he decided to cut his 1st teeth, so yesterday and today (and last night!) have been difficult. But the overall goal is more and better sleep, amongst other stuff, like the ability to swallow food comfortably. So for now, one day at a time, and hopefyully in another week or two, she'll be feeling better than she has in a very long time!

My 3 Year Old!

So Rylin is now 3! We were able to celebrate her birthday on her birthday this year (the 22nd), since it managed to be quite a few days before Thanksgiving this time. She was quite funny about her day and trying to understand what the day meant. When she woke up and Kevin told her "Happy Birthdday", she said "no not yet, not my party yet". Kevin told her that her birthday lasted the entire day, not just her party, but she kinda understood. We did a no-prep, no clean-up party at Chuck E. Cheese's, so as we are pulling into the parking lot at 5 o'clock, she starts clapping and exclaims, "Yeah, Chuck E. Cheese, its my birthday!!!" She was also funny after she blew out her candles, she cups her mouth and whispers to me "Mom, me 3 now?" "Yes, honey, you're 3." "But right now, now me 3?!" "Yes!" "Okay."

This day also marked a big moment for Kevin and I. We have officially survived 3 years of very poor sleep. I think that there have maybe been 2 months (spread out) of Rylin's life where she actually slept through the night. Some of you may think I'm exaggerating, but sadly this is true. We have tried just about everything from numerous books, and still she has remained a very restless sleeper, who awakens numerous times a night. But somehow, during the day, when she is being her silly self, singing songs, dancing along with Dora, or cackling her funny laugh, we manage to forget the frustrations of the night, because she is truly one fun kid! She has a way of making people laugh and smile, she is quite passionate, active and adorable! She is an incredible blessing in my life, our home would definitely be lacking if it were not for the personality she brings to it. My beautiful, blue eyed baby may not be growing physically very quickly, but I am constantly reminded of how fast she is growing up.

Post-Party Recap

So the party was a success (aside from the fact that the pacifiers weighed too much for the balloons, so Dad had to sneak in with a little snip of the scissors before she released the balloons, but hey, it was dark and she didn't have a clue!) Rylin loved all of the attention and praise that her cousins showered her with for being such a big girl. Last night went much better than I had anticipated. When we had taken Kacia'a pacifier away, it took over an 1 1/2 hours of sobbing for her to go to sleep the first night. Rylin did shed some tears, but managed to go to sleep after about an hour without too much drama and heartache. She did wake up twice (which I expected, since in the last 6 months, she has slept through the night only once), but after walking her back to her bed and a quick hug, she quietly went back to sleep both times! And to top that, Lincoln slept through the night for the first time in 3 weeks! So last night was the best sleep I have gotten all week! So thanks to those who prayed for us! I know we are not totally out of the woods, but we got over the biggest hurtle!

Now if we can only get through the first nap- she is currently still awake after being tucked in for nap over 45 minutes ago. But hey, her pacifier has been her sleeping tool for nearly 3 years now, so I know it will take some time.

Bye Bye Passy

So tonight is the night. We are saying goodbye to Rylin's pacifier. It may surprise some of you that she still has one, but she has it only to sleep with it, but now, as we are approaching the number 3, it is time to say goodbye. So tonight we are having the Goldens over and daddy is bringing home some balloons and we will all say goodbye to "passy" as it flies high with the balloons.

Wish us luck. Rylin is excited now, but when she wakes up at 2 in the morning and wants it, I'm anticpating I won't be able to reason with her much. Plus, I'm going to miss her muffled little voice when she wakes up and gives me cuddles with her big, sleepy blue eyes and still looks like my little baby girl!

It could be interesting, so if you find yourself awake in the middle of the night, you can pray for Kevin and I, our sanity and patience.

A Boy and His Toys!

Well, it's official, Lincoln is outgrowing his bouncer and swing, so we have brought out the big boy toys! He seems to enjoy these new items quite a bit. He cruises all over in his walker, and the big hit of the week is the jumper. It took him all of about 2 seconds to realize that jumping and spinning are great fun! He can really get moving too!

So he will be 5 months in a couple of days which is really just too hard to believe! I just realized that he is old enough to start introducing foods, so he has had cereal the last two nights. He is a little unsure, but anyone who has tasted it can understand why. He is so sweet and makes such great expressions with his big eyes and huge grin! I thank God daily for his easy going demeanor and the gift of being his mommy (who he is really starting to recognize and thus prefer over others, but hey, I'm his food source, so you really can't blame him. Plus, when you are the mom, a mama's boy is really good thing!)

(*Disclaimer- Most of the time when we go out in public, I do remember to fix his hair, but when we're at home, Bed-Head rules!)

The Infamous Red Cup

So on Wednesday, after helping out in Kacia's class, I was able to run a few errands by myself, which wouldn't be complete without a trip to Starbucks. And I was so happy to see the festive, holiday cups out! I really don't know why they make me so happy, and my caramel macchiato tastes the exact same, but there is just something about those red cups! Every January I am sad to see them go. I suppose they invoke certain memories for me, ones that I won't bore you with, but it's nice to know that such a small, simple thing can really make my day.

Better Late Than Never!

I failed to get very many pictures from our Fall Festival, but here is the best one. Kacia was Jessie from Toy Story (thank you Grandma!) and Rylin was a bride (gee, that dress looks a little familiar, what a cheapo mom I am, or is it resourceful?) Once again, our fall festival was a blast!

Tag- I'm It!

So the other day I was reading Megan's blog, enjoying reading her 6 fascinating things, and then I hit the end of the post and realized my name was included with a few other of our friends (who have not yet responded by the way), and thus I have been tagged. Coming up with 6 facts about myself is not as easy as it may sound, so I warn you that the facts to follow are by no means all that intriguing or fascinationg, but they are me!

1. Someday I would like to write a book- God has placed a lot of "challenges" in my life, and at some point I desire to be able to write a book that will glorify Him and allow others comfort and encouragement in the midst of trials and heartache.

2. I hate mustard- I don't even know if it is the taste really, or just the look and the smell, but I detest mustard! A knife that has not been rinsed, but rather just placed in the sink with the mustard still on it is enough to totally gross me out. Weird, I know.

3. My current goal is to be less lazy- I know I have plenty of excuses right now to not have a perfectly clean house or to spend adequate time in my bible study, but that is really what they are- excuses. Yes life is busy and even a little hectic at times, but I can afford to spend less time on the computer and in front of the TV and more time to be more productive around the house and more time to play with my kids. We have a neighbor in her 50's (Kacia calls her our "busy,busy bee neighbor") who works full time, but every weekend she is tackling a new project- yard work, re-roofing her shed, painting her trim, etc. That's what I want, a need for less "downtime" so that I can serve my family and others. I don't want idle hands, but it's so easy to always say "maybe tomorrow"!

4. I love December- The holidays are my absolute favorite time of the year! I love the music, the baking, the shopping! I love how all of the stores are decorated, and the pretty, red festive Starbucks cups. I love the Christmas lights, the parties, the wrapping! There is just something different about December, and even as an adult, I find it all just a little bit magical! And it's almost here- but don't blink because you'll miss it!

5. I could live on ice cream alone. I could eat ice cream everyday for all 3 meals and never tire of it. I might be 3x the size I am now, but I'm quite certain I would love it just as much as I do now. Oh, and perhaps saying ice cream alone is a little misleading since I would also need a small amount of milk poured on top.

6. Of all of my responsibilities around our house, I hate grocery shopping the most! I don't like trying to come up with a list, looking for a parking spot, always picking the cart that only wants to turn left, loading up my cart, standing in the ridiculously long lines so that I can unload my cart only to reload it all back in to bags that undoubtedly will rip, then unloading all of the bags into my car, listening to them tip over and spill out as I drive, unloading my car, and then cleaning out the fridge to make room for the final unloading. It all seems a bit redundant to me, but I suppose it is necessary, and it makes my family happy, but I still wait until we are out of everything before I do it all again.
There you have it, now it's my turn, so I tag Suzy, Robyn and my newest blogger, Kaitlin!

Four Months!

Time is flying by and Lincoln is now 4 months old! He weighs in the mid 13lbs. and is a true joy to our family! His hair continues to get lighter and crazier. I guess we're so used to it just being part of him, we don't even notice it, until we go anywhere. Then I hear, "Oh look at that baby's hair!" "Did you see that baby, he had so much hair!" "I love the hair!" "Look at the hair on that kid!" And even, "When are going to cut that hair?!" When I look at him, I'm just looking at his face, making eye contact as I interact with him, not even noticing the enormous crazy poofball on top of his cute little head, but the poofball is there and growing. Kevin is still against cutting the top for whatever reason, I'm not sure. Crazy hair and all, he is truly a very good baby. Yes, there are those moments when he's crying and I don't know why or what to do to make him stop. But unlike one of his sisters, these are just moments, and do not dominate our days. For the most part he is a very content, happy boy who gives the biggest smiles! He is a good sleeper, still loves his bouncy seat, loves his sisters, has discovered his toes and thumb, rolls over all the time, drools constantly, and likes the sound of his own voice. How truly blessed we are!

Our Version of an Adult Birthday Party

The 5 of Us

On top of the Hay Pyrimad

Getting the girls to sit still, smile and both look at the camera- nearly impossible!


My girls with their very favorite teenage girl

A canoe ride at the Pumpkin Patch, why not?

Jumpin' with Dad

Big kids like jumping too!

All of us, but Kev, the photographer

The Golden Fam

One of my favorites- Daddy and his girls!

So last Thursday was Breanna's birthday and so we decided to do one of our favorite fall things, go to the Pumpkin Patch. Not your typical birthday thing, but it allowed us to visit more than sitting around a crowded table at a restaurant, and the kids loved it. The girls don't quite get that adults don't always have "parties" like they do, so this was a good way for them to celebrate. Although Rylin got very upset in the car on the way home when she realized we didn't sing Breanna "Happy Birthday" and we didn't eat cake! But we had a really fun evening together and the weather was beautiful! We hope Breanna enjoyed her special day!

Retreat- A True Treat!

This last weekend I got to go on our annual Women's Retreat up in Ashland, Oregon. I was a little concerned as to how much of a "retreat" it would be since my mom duties were following me in the form of a truly cute 3 month old. Well, I was so impressed with how great Lincoln did! He is such a content an easy-going baby, he didn't really change the experience for me all that much. (Hopefully, my gracious roommates feel the same way!) Yes, I sat in the back of the conference room for most of the sessions, taking notes were out of the question, and as far as feeding in public settings go, I had to get over that, but all in all, I was still able to listen, worship, be with friends, and of course- shop! Our speaker did a wonderful job of using more Scripture than her own thoughts, and the focus was on God's Faithfulness, despite our faithlessness. I came home encouraged and ready to serve my family (until Monday hit, then I was ready to go back for just a little longer! Man, 5 year old attitudes are really something sometimes!)
And you want to know a real treat? When I came home, Kevin had cleaned the house! Based on past experiences this was quite the opposite of what I expected. And not only did he pick up, he got additional things done, light bulbs that had been out for awhile, a wobbly toilet seat that needed to be changed, cleaning out the fridge, separating the girls' bunkbeds... He was busy, he survived, and the girls had a lot of fun! All in all, a great weekend! (We missed you Meg!)

Our Surprise Visitor!

So last week I got a call from my little sis. "What are you doing this weekend?" she asked. "Nothing. Kevin is going camping, so it's just me and the kids." To which I heard the response, "Then do you mind if I come see you?" So it happened that Ian, who is in the Marine Reserves, had drill all weekend and one of Kaitlin's friends was driving down to California. So Kaitlin hitched a ride and got to come home! With her crazy school schedule last year, the only time we got to see her was at Christmas, so this was a real treat! I knew she was going to arrive in the wee hours of the night, so I didn't tell the girls until they woke me up Thursday morning. Then I told them I had a surprise waiting for them on the couch. They were a little in shock! We had a great time hanging out, we cooked together, she played/helped with the kids, we had a girl night with Allie, and of course, we all got free haircuts! I'm thinking this should be a normal thing everytime Ian has drill, but then I'm not the one who would have to spend all that time in the car! But at least we have Thanksgiving to look forward to, and then we will get the complete set!

Mini Mommy

Here are a few pictures of Rylin playing mommy. She is adjusting well to Kacia's school days. We are having a lot of fun playing Hi Ho Cherry-O and Candyland just the two of us. We are also reading a lot of books, which is great since this a very recent thing that Rylin will sit down for more than 2 minutes! But I'm also discovering that she is far more capable of playing by herself than Kacia ever was! She does well playing dolls and loves playdough (gotta love dried playdough crumbs all over the floor!). I feel like lately so much of the blog has been about Kacia with school, soccer, her birthday and so on, but know that Rylin is keeping me busy and growing up just as quickly as she is approaching the big number 3!