Coe Baby is 3

 

March 2014

April 2014

   May 2014

June 2014

 July 2014

 August 2014

September 2014 

October 2014

November 2014 

December 2014 

January 2015

February 2015

March 2015 

Coe Baby, 

You are three, my love. Three whole years old. Looking through your pictures, each day feels like yesterday. 

This year has been huge for you. You potty trained yourself, you stopped nursing, you gave up your binky, you became a big brother, and you sleep by yourself! You are such a strong, self sufficient kid, and I am so humbled by that because most of your "big milestone steps" you have taken on your own gumption! 

Coe, you are strong. You rarely get hurt to the point of tears. Most falls or stumbles that would have a kid running for comfort, have you trying again with a determined, pursed look on your perfect face. You do not back down to a challenge, that is for sure. You run fast, scale rock walls, go down the tallest slides, and swing with your eyes wide open. You are fearless and brave.

You are also the sweetest soul in perhaps the entire world.  In the mornings, you'll bring me a glass of water, my phone, my glasses and the biggest kiss. If someone gives you a piece of candy or a toy, your first question (before even taking it in your hand) is, "Hey-Hee, too?" You help me with the dishes, find Maggie a toy, give Wrigley kisses. You give of yourself so naturally, and it shocks me sometimes to the point of tears. 

Coe, your sense of order is righteous. The other day in the grocery store, you saw a package of bread on the floor of the aisle, and you made me push the cart over just so you could put it back. I'm trying to keep more order at home, and that has helped you with some terrible two tantrums. You like having things happen around the same times every day. You like things being in their place. The world is a pretty messy place. I'll keep helping you make sense of the mess in a healthy and balanced way. I think you'll be helping me find more order in my life, too. Amazing how that works.

You can command and fill a room, kid. Your smile is infectious. Your laugh is all of the good things in the world, and your hair has made strangers reach out and do the unthinkable-- THEY TOUCH IT. You're effortlessly beautiful.

I could not be more proud to be your mom. There is a lot to navigate in the year of two. Each day, you've been becoming more and more this amazing little man, who knows himself so assuredly that it scares me sometimes. You need less and less of me every day. This year is going to bring so much good for you. I cannot wait to know more of your questions, and thoughts and dreams and likes and dislikes. Coaster, you are my whole heart bursting and breaking into a million pieces. I am so lucky to be your mom. I am so lucky to wake up to your sweet voice in the mornings. I am so lucky to have your hugs and your love. I want a million years of you, my sweet, darling, perfect boy. 

xoxoxo, 

Your "Maaaaaahm"

TWO and ONE and BIRTH

I'm giving up Facebook for Lent, because I have to. Because when I prayed about it, I felt that part of myself rise up with a stubborn, "NOOOOOOOO! ANYTHING BUT THAT!!!!" And when you feel yourself hold that strongly onto something, it's time for you to be stronger than that.

Today is Ash Wednesday, and I have gone to my computer screen 10 times already just to wake it up. Usually, I wake it up because I am checking my Facebook. For what? I have no idea. So, each time I've done that this morning, I've given it to God. I have said a prayer for someone I know is hurting. I've turned myself around and picked up one of my kids and covered them in a million kisses and let myself well up with grateful recognition of my many blessings.

To some people, this may seem trite and pointless. To me, it is something that is good and right and needed. xo

Psalm 34:14 Turn your back on sin; do something good. Embrace peace - don't let it get away!

I had an old friend message me tonight and compliment my writing tonight. It took me by surprise, and made me feel all the feelings, because I've been pushing myself to find more time to read things other than BuzzFeed and write things other than photo captions this year.

So, my brain was trying to write an official blog post, but nah. Here's a list of random stuff instead!

-I'm reading Gretchen Rubin's "The Happiness Project" . Loving it.
-I put away almost all of the Christmas decorations, and somehow my house feels 100% more clean.
- I got fitted for a new nursing bra today, and I am a 32 K? WHAT ON EARTH. It's a real size, too. I'm not making this up.
- I ate a double burger from P. Terry's today, and it was all of the good things happening. Also, a chocolate shake. Don't judge me.
- You might like this as much as I did.
-If you didn't like that, you'll love this.
-Feeling bad about yourself? Roscoe watched AT LEAST 4 hours of other people playing with "Thomas the Tank Engine" videos today. I know. I'm the worst mom. He ate lunch today, though. So, I mean, it's about balance, y'all.




xoxo

Tonight, I held each of my kids as they fell asleep. It's one of the things in my life I most savor and detest. I'm super bi-polar about it. I know one day they will go to sleep on their own, but they don't yet. None of them do. It gets especially tough on days like today, when I could actually hear the glass of wine downstairs calling my name.

My New Years resolution(s) is to stop yelling and to take more time for myself. Tonight, I had my cell phone in hand, the screen dimly lit, and I was scrolling through feminist blog postings, because Lindsey Gates-Markel sent me some links that I was EATING UP. And there's all this sleep research that's like, TURN THE SCREEN OFF, but also, TREAT YO' SELF, y'know? So, I read and kissed their little heads in between loving my reading life, and maybe it took them longer to fall asleep, but I wasn't stressing myself out either. So, there you go. Also, this Pinot Noir is tasting too good.

Kickin' those baby blues.

I don't know if it's the twinkly lights, or all the cold induced cuddling I've been doing, but I have been feeling inspired lately. I've been getting things done (not a lot of things, but, you know, THINGS). I've been having great conversations with my friends, keeping it cool with my kids and while my hair is a mess, I've been getting dressed most days.

Being a mama to three babies is exhausting and wonderful; mostly exhausting. But slowly, I can feel myself getting my groove back.

It's been a pretty conscious fight though. Those baby blues are tough, kids. They eat at you and they make all of you want you to sit on the couch and cry tears and eat all the Halloween chocolate. And you do. Then, you feel all bad at yourself and then you're plagued with all the mama guilt, too. So, I've been fighting a little bit harder. I've been turning off the TV getting myself UP and OFF the couch. I've been getting on the floor with my kids and having dance parties (Taylor Swift is my spirit animal, and I AM NOT ASHAMED). I've been reading things that encourage me instead of make me sad. I've been nicer to my husband, more forgiving to my kids and less hard on myself. Also, coffee.

Things are looking up. They have to, because I am.

Hendrix is FIVE.

Dearest Hendo,

You wake up in the middle of the night with the worst growing pains. Your dad and I rush to give you doses of tylenol, cuddling you till you fall asleep. The next morning, I always marvel at how much taller you are, then tell you to please stop. You're always very matter of fact, "BUT MOM! I have to grow, because I'm growing to be just as big as Daddy! Don't worry, I'll still love you and cuddle you!" I've asked for that in writing, but you're still working on that for me. ;) 

october 2013

november 2013

december 2013

Dodes, you are the smartest kid I know. You have an insatiable love for all things dino, SCIENCE and super hero. You'll educate just about anyone. The other day a girl tried to tell you she didn't believe in dinosaurs, and you fell short of making her take out a pen to take notes. You correct your dad and me all the time, and rightfully so! How else would we be able to identify an allosaurus versus a plesiosaur? 

january 2014

february 2014

march 2014

As it has been since you were small, your favorite use of your time is creative play. There is nothing more fun than creeping outside of the room you're in and listening to the world you're creating and playing in. A lot of times, costumes are needed, or I have to search the entire house to turn up whatever toy you're missing for what you've got in your brain. Usually, you surprise me by remembering exactly where you left something. Except for LEGOs. Dude. Those are everywhere. 

april 2014

may 2014

 

june 2014

You got a little sister this year, and after seeing how helpful and sweet you are with her, I think every person should space out their babies by 5 years. You adore "Mags." You and Coe aren't playing side by side yet. You're mostly just beating each other and making your mama go crazy, but you love your brother too much. As long as he's not taking something you've got in your arms, you'd do just about anything to make him laugh.  

july 2014

 august 2014

september 2014

Hendrix, you tell the best stories. You have the funniest jokes. You have the most handsome face. You're the little human who first made me a mom, and I can't believe you are a FIVE YEAR OLD. Please stop growing. You get to take tylenol for your growing pains, but my heartbreak is only tempered by how absolutely wonderful you're becoming. Love you, buddy. 

For past birthday letters: 4 Years Old,  3 Years Old, 2 Years Old, 1 Year Old. :) 

Family Update!

Tonight, Henry was running in and out of the kiddie pool in the backyard screaming, "I'M SO HAPPY! HAPPINESS!" over and over again. Our hearts are full around here. We're also more stressed out than ever, but mostly, it's the full hearts that win.

Magnolia is a whole new human, and she's made our family complete-ly wonderful. She's a lot of smiles and sweet coos when she's not screaming (she's a pretty colicky perfect human). She's a great sleeper, which is a new ball game for us (THANK YOU, MAGGIE!) The boys are obsessed with her, and at least once a day I have to save her from being smothered by one of them.

Coe baby is forever living with the life force energy of one million hyper humans. He feels all of the feelings, and he feels them with EVERY FIBER OF HIS BEING. He's into everything, doing everything, seeing everything and trying his darndest to say everything.  He's pure magic and joy. He loves "Spideners", "Hey-Hee", "Maaaaaaaaags" and "Mat-Man". We're pretty obsessed with his red curls, too.

Dodes started his last year of Pre-School this past week. He is loving being back. Kid is wicked smaht and wicked awesome. He's been falling asleep by himself at night, and has even made it through the entire night by himself a few times. He's still the worlds best cuddler, and will love you forever if you put a toy review up on the computer. He'll talk your ear off about dinosaurs, Marvel or DC characters, Big foot and his toy collection (present and hopeful future). 

These three humans are our world. We're sucking the marrow out of the precious fleeting moments, and forgiving ourselves for the times we're vegging out during them, too :).