yankees

This year Mother's Day was spent at the baseball park watching our beloved Yankees play the Royals and what an awesome day it was! It was such a nice day out and our seats were in the shade which was perfect for the kiddos.

We took off early Sunday morning with a carpool consisting of our family, my brother's family, my sister Jacinda's family, and my parents and made the 3 hour trek to take in a game. All the kiddos traveled well, which is something I often take for granted but need to realize more often how much of a blessing this truly is. We literally didn't stop once on the way down except for at a rest stop just outside KC for an adult potty break and kids diaper change - since it'd be easier to do it there than the baseball game.

We arrived at the game a bit early to catch some of the batting practice which was lots of fun as we were able to get really close to the field - Lily loved it. Whenever baseball is on TV she gives us the play by play - "they hit the ball" "they catch the ball" etc etc so I think it was fun for her to see it in real life. Who knows maybe she will follow in her mama's footsteps and love the game too!

During the game the kids were great. We went ahead and bought Lily a seat so we'd have a little extra room and I'm so glad we did - it was really nice having the extra room for her, Devin, and Eden to roam around a bit. Preston slept through most the game, noise and all! And Paisley was a bit more bothered by the noise and wouldn't fall asleep but still did great!

The Yankees ended up winning the game 4-2 which is the first time I think we've actually seen them win, they always lose when we go! And we also got to see Riveria pitch the last inning which was awesome since he's retiring this year, we are huge fans of his, and we've never seen him pitch!

After the game Jimmy hopped in with my sister Jacinda and her family to head back to Des Moines while the rest of us stayed the night in KC. We made reservations a while back to stay at the Great Wolf Lodge - which is basically an indoor waterpark hotel and the kids loved it! The slides and most of the playground stuff was a bit too big for Lily but we still had a great time splashing around in the little one's area and spent some time in the "kids" hot tub. Preston absolutely loves the water too! It was a long night for me as Preston didn't sleep too well in the pack n' play and Lily and I slept together in a bed that she took over, in addition to fell out of.....However, it was so worth it to get away for a night and enjoy a new place. Sometimes it's such a hassle to get everything ready for everyone to go somewhere but it's always so much fun and I'm always glad we went!

Motherhood has brought so many new challenges to my life. It has tested my non-exsistent patience more than I ever thought possible. However, it's brought SO much joy, love, and laughter to my life. I truly don't think there is anything better! These two little people fill my heart in a way nothing else can and I just pray that I always always radiate that love, even in the hard times, and Lord knows sometimes it's hard! I often pray that my kids will always remember me for being a mom that enjoyed being with them - that stopped what she was doing to blow bubbles, play ring around the rosy, read them a book, or tickle them until we both laugh, opposed to the mom that didn't have time to play or was too busy cleaning my house, or doing my make up to be the thing that I am called to do - be their mom. My family truly is my most cherished Earthly blessing and I feel blessed beyond measure to be a mom and wife.

Riveria pitching

the whole clan

attempting to get a picture with my 2 kiddos

the best we got

grandma and grandpa

dad & preston

my little yankees

cousins at the great wolf lodge after a day of swimming

8 months old

On Tuesday Preston turned 8 months old and what a busy month of development it was for him. He is doing so many new things it seems and is so much fun to have around!

He doesn't see the doctor until 9 months so I don't have a height and weight this month. But he's wearing mostly 9M clothes, a few 12M things and doesn't seem to be getting a whole lot bigger to me. Although now that he's on the move it may be going the other way. That's right, we have an official army crawler on our hands and boy is he fast!!

New this month for him is; army crawling absolutely everywhere - baby gates are on the agenda for the very near future!, his first word - which was dada! - he also says baba but not neccessarily in reference to his bottle, he loves to "talk" back and forth with you, clicking his tongue, sticking his tongue out - which is exciting for us as we thought he was tongue tied! but is showing great improvement on how far he can get that thing out :), waves and claps his hands, and loves to throw balls (and other toys).

He really is just getting more and more fun every day. I remember thinking that so often with Lily that "this is my favorite age" but that each one is exciting for different reasons.

He is still sleeping great. He sleeps through the night in his own crib - hallelujah! and takes two good naps during the day - one in the morning between 9:30 and 10am and one in the afternoon between 2 and 2:30pm.

He LOVES playing with Lily and when she gives him attention. He is such a people person too, just like Lily. He literally lights up whenever someone comes into the room and definitely enjoys being around people! He's still a big time mama's boy and definitely prefers me over anyone else. 

Other than that not much else happening with our little man. He truly is a delight and brings endless joy to our hearts and our family. So hard to believe that his first birthday isn't too far away!

on the move!

a cupcake party

On Saturday we had Lily's 2nd birthday party - a cupcake theme - at our house. We had lots of fun decorating in pink and purple and planning fun little activities for the kiddos. I LOVE party planning and would definitely do it for a living if I could. Until then, I'll enjoy planning my kids parties and helping friends when asked :)

We had hoped to be outside but it was a really windy day so we moved things indoors and in the garage. That didn't stop the kiddos from having plenty of fun though. They enjoyed bubbles and chalk, a game of pin the cupcake on the sprinkle, breaking a cupcake pinata, and topping their own cupcakes at our cupcake station.

For food we munched on sub sandwiches, buffalo chicken dip, fruit arrangements from Edible Arrangements - so cute!, meat cheese and crackers, and pasta salad. And for dessert I made chocolate, strawberry and vanilla cupcakes, we had sugar cookies from Main Street Sweets in Cedar Falls - yummy!, and various pink and purple candies. I think we saw Lily sneak at least 20 fruitie tootsie rolls from the dessert table! :)

We kept the party small this year only inviting family and a few close friends in the area. Kiddos and families that were there for her party were; Grandma and Grandpa Davis, Nick, Kristle, Devin, and Eden Davis, Clint, Jacinda, and Paisley Schipper, Grandma and Grandpa Grover, Jalissa Grover, Jena Grover, Lauren Page, the DeMaris Family - Ty, Katie, and Harper, and the Poutre Family - Ben, Tamara, Tristan, Cayden, and Camren.

It was a fun fun party that I really enjoyed planning and enjoyed seeing the kiddos enjoy even more. Lily talked about her party for days before and still is talking about the pinata breaking, her friends coming, and eating cupcakes!

the dessert table

food table

our family before the party

us with the birthday girl :)

the girls talking while eating cupcakes

lily sneaking candy

a few of the boys topping their cupcakes

lily digging in

happy birthday lily

On Friday our little girl turns 2!! I literally remember this day two years ago as if it were yesterday. I remember visiting with our family that was there once I had gotten my epidural, watching dancing with the stars as we waited and waited, I remember watching them jealously as they ate their dinner while I nibbled away on ice chips - ha!. I remember praying for progress and praying for the strength I would need once I heard that magical number 10 - if only I knew that what I was praying for would also be the most difficult and physically painful thing I've ever done. What I also remember is the look on Jimmy's face as he saw our precious daughter for the first time. And oh the relief once she was in my arms - I will never forget that first look she gave me. Such special memories!

And now she is 2. She runs instead of walks, she talks and talks and talks some more, she eats everything we eat, she loves dolls, shoes and purses. She wears 2T clothes and wears size 7 shoes. Where does the time go?!

Other things I want to remember she does at age 2 are; counts to 10, knows her ABC's, loves to sing and can sing several songs, watches herself play and sing in the fireplace, "reads" books - and often times prefers she reads them to us than we read to her, she plays alone really well, she loves to watch movies - some of her current favorites are Rio, Lorax, Tangled, Curious George, and a Turtles movie at Grandma Grovers, she loves to run in circles, she loves to be outside playing with a ball, doing sidewalk chalk, watering the flowers, and playing with bubbles. 

She is still near the top of the charts on height and weight. She weighs 28 lbs and is 35 inches tall.

Other great news that came with her turning 2 is that the 4-5mm hole in her heart, known as an ASD, has now closed! She had an echocardiogram and after meeting with the cardiologist we are thrilled to say we will no longer have to see him as it closed at some point during this year. This is truly a praise God that we prayed so hard for and are incredibly thankful for the news!

We spent Lily's birthday doing a few fun things just with our family. She awoke to balloons on the floor of her bedroom then enjoyed a special birthday breakfast of sprinkled chocolate donut holes - she loved them and was pretty excited because she's never had a donut :) We then met Jimmy for lunch at a local BBQ place and after lunch we were off to the bouncy house jumpy place (her words) and her choice! After the jumpy place she napped for a bit and that afternoon/evening she opened her presents form Jimmy and I. This year we gave her the Little People Princess Castle, a little pretend cash register, and a cupcake necklace for her cupcake themed birthday party! My parents came into town that night and we enjoyed dinner at home, complete with cake and ice cream of course! 

What a special day with a very special little girl. We celebrated another blessed year full of laughter, love, and so much joy as each year truly is a blessing - you never know how many you will get and I try to remind myself daily to cherish each and every moment with these sweet babies! 

A post on her birthday party details to come :)

thumbs up for her donut

playing with her balloons

fun at the bouncy house

big slide

loves her new princess castle

cheese with her cake

sneaking a taste :)

man to man

Since having 2 little ones running around new routines have been established. And as any one with kids knows, it seems as soon as you have something down, it changes. A new sleep pattern occurs, one stops napping, one is teething, etc etc. Regardless of this continuous change, I am really enjoying our current routine. The way the kiddos currently wake up, nap, and go down, allow for some quality one on one time that I am really enjoying.

Preston usually wakes up between 6:30 and 7am. I wake up between 4:30 and 5am to get in my morning workout and devotion time and that love hearing those little coos on the monitor as he awakes.  Lily usually doesn't wake up until 8 or 8:30am so this gives Preston and I a few hours of time alone in the mornings. I have begun to love the mornings. It always seems to be a bit more quiet, we play on the floor with toys, I read him books - while he attempts to eat them, I change his diaper and feed him, and genuinely enjoy that extra snuggle time of talking and playing with just him. 

Then comes nap time and my time alone with Lily. Preston lays down for a morning nap between 9:30 and 10am and is usually down for a few hours, which gives Lily and I some time to play. We've been using this time to do fun things like paint, sing silly songs and dance around, paint finger nails, play with her kitchen and/or dolls, play "groceries" and do things that are just a bit harder to do when Preston is awake. Now of course some days I use this time to catch up on things around the house but I really try to make an effort to just be present with her during this time, because I feel like Preston tends to get a little more attention than she does (due to age) when he's awake.

In the afternoon when they both nap - or have quiet time - as Lily has been napping less and less lately is when I have some time to myself. Whether that means dinner prep, washing dishes, doing laundry, catching up on email/blog, or reading a book and relaxing - yeah right! I enjoy this time of the day too!

As night time rolls around and Daddy joins us at home we are able to have a little more alone time with Lily too as Preston goes to bed a bit earlier than she does. She is our little night owl and usually stays up, or rolls around in bed, until we go to bed - just like her Daddy!

Just wanted to remember by documenting these quiet, playful, special moments that I am so much enjoying these days with each of my kiddos - enjoy your day!

me and little man

playing with snow inside

painting finger nails - she LOVES it!

my buddy

good morning