3 Years

Dear Hendrix,

October 2011

November 2011

You're three. Or, "free," which is equally as awesome. I still catch myself every time you tell someone how old you are. It cannot be possible that you are three entire years old, but it is. I hate it.

December 2011

January 2012

You are so full of life; it geeks you out. I'll watch you calmly playing with a toy, and then all of a sudden, you start dancing, or throwing stuff around. You are electric with energy. Don't ever let anyone (including myself) make you shut that off. I promise I'll stop negating it, and try to help you source it into awesome stuff like shuffle ball changes or yoga stretches.

February 2012

March 2012

You are so funny, Hen. You come up with these stories while playing that put your dad and I into hysterics. You have a way of saying things that is so completely you. You are just plain weird and quirky. Hands down, you are best story teller I know. I promise that I will encourage that humor in you, and I will help you to use it when life gets hard or kids get mean.

April 2012

May 2012

In the past year, you became a big brother. Every day, I am seeing these tiny glimpses of how awesome you are going to be in that role. You LOVE your little brother; you protect him, and you are the apple of his eye. I promise to encourage the two of you to love one another; to respect each other. I pray that you two will be the best of friends, because you both deserve a brother that is your other half.

June 2012

July 2012

I'm amazed that I can write this, but you are potty trained, and done with your pacifier. We conquered both of those Mount Everest together, with a lot of love and a ton of accidents. So many people gave me such a hard time about forcing you into both of those transitions. And you know what? The more I'm your mom, the more I realize you move at your own pace, and that other people's time frames and expectations are for them. We are our own little family, and it's okay to take the time to move at our pace. No rush on any other type of transition in the history of ever. Take your time, kid.

 August 2012

September 2012

Watching you become YOUR OWN PERSON instead of a blinking ball of baby is so insanely awesome. You are a growing, breathing miracle, every inch of you. I get frustrated, and so far, three has tested every reserve of patience I thought I had an unending flow of. But, we get better, and we dig deeper. I so badly want to be the mom you deserve, a perfect one. I can see all these hints of this adult that is growing inside of you, and I'm so proud. You are my moon and my stars, Hendrix. Three is going to be one great year, little buddy. To say I'm excited doesn't even cover it.

Hendrix's First Year

Hendrix's Second Year

Halloween Throwbacks

 Hendo as a Pumpkin in 2009

Elmo in 2010 

 Sheriff Woody in 2011

Hendrix as Captain America and Roscoe as Buzz Lightyear in 2012 

Must Haves for Moms of Two

I had a friend of mine ask me about becoming a mom of two. She asked specifically for suggestions on what to buy and have around the house. I thought I'd share with y'all! 

Little presents (or candy) on the reserve for the older sibling. As incentives or rewards, having little toys at the ready can be a life saver. In the first few weeks of Roscoe's life, Hendrix had a LOT to get used to. Being able to tangibly reward expected behavior helped a lot. I had a ton of toys (that my mother and mother-in-law had won in a Goodwill auction) hidden in a closet, and when Henry did something nice I would get one out. In the months leading up to baby, you could build quite a stash for not a lot of money.  Not to mention, a new toy in the hands of brother equals a little hands free time, or time with baby.

I am such a huge fan of bins. BINS. BINS. BINS. Having a place for everything just makes life easier. If you know where to go for all things baby, there's less frustration for everyone. 

This rocker is AWESOME. It transitions from infant to toddler, and it holds up to 40 pounds! My mother and father in law bought this for Roscoe, and it is BY FAR the baby device that gets the most use around here. Also, it's nice to have something for baby that Hendrix can climb in as well. 

Arts, crafts, coloring supplies. During feedings, it's nice to have SOMETHING for big bro (or sis) to do. So, I try to have all that type of stuff on hand near my feeding station. You can find great big coloring books for cheap at the dollar store. Also, then you get some awesome artwork you can hang up to give big bro a little boost of self esteem. :)

ERGO. ERGO. ERGO! There is no better or more comfortable carrier out there. And trust me, you need a good carrier.

In the interest of planning ahead, keep a ton of fresh produce around. The more fresh fruit and veggies you have around, the more likely you are to keep big bro and you eating things that are healthy, instead of all those chips you have calling your name. :)

Say it with me: DOUBLE STROLLER!!!!!! I did a ton of research, and put off buying this until I got a close out color for 100 dollars off the normal price. Ultimately, this stroller goes everywhere with me. It's a lifesaver.

Well mamas? Anything else to add? What are your must haves?!

my boys

5 months!

It seriously looks like I took the same picture with different camera settings. My boys. Twins, born 2 and a half years apart.

Roscoe's Rollin'

Roscoe started rollin' over. We're well on our way to crawling. This "screaming" is him on a daily basis dealing with anything that is even remotely challenging. Such a funny lil' dude.

Rain Dancin'

 "Tears of joy are like the summer rain drops pierced by sunbeams." -Hosea Ballou

It doesn't rain much in Texas, but when it does, you better believe we're outside dancing in it. Hendrix reminds me to get out and be a part of what is going on. Sometimes, it's tough for me to put aside what I am doing and go along with what he has planned, but I'm always glad I did. Yes, that means my house is a mess, and I am usually pretty tired. But, when Henry lays down at the end of the day, he sighs the most perfect sigh. He still curls up into my chest and breathes, "I love you" in half sleep perfection.  I live for those moments, and my days are filled with them. A clean house has never made me feel so fulfilled. 

Tears of joy for miles.