Then There Were 3

Having three kids has truly been better then I could have imagined.... better then I did imagine actually. I spent most of the third pregnancy worried about what it would be like. And now I can hardly imagine having it any other way. I know, without a doubt, that we were destined to have more then 2. I triple heart LOVE having three kiddos. I am constantly amazed at how relatively easy going from 2 to 3 has been minus my physical/mental adjustment which had nothing to do with the difficulty of 3!





I always tell everyone for me, it was like I was juggling two balls and someone tossed me a third one, I caught it, and kept juggling. I have found that once you are adjusted to two, adding the third isn't all that different. Sometimes it feels like an assembly line, like when making meals or bathing/brushing teeth but not a big deal at all. And, often times, they all poop at the same time, but other then that, it's been amazing! :)

Valentine's Day 2012

Valentine's Day has come and gone and we had a very nice day! Growing up, my Mom always had v-day gifts for us and it was always a special day. I've held onto that tradition. Yes, it's a Hallmark holiday but I can totally justify a day dedicated to LOVE! Plus, the kids love it! I think the pictures tell most of the story.

They opened their gifts, had heart shaped french toast with RED-ORANGE juice. We packed their festive lunches with all things red and complete with a love note from Mommy. We got them all dressed and took their annual picture.

Kris made Hayden a paper rose to give to his RiRi. He tells us Dilyn is his girlfriend and we ask 'what about Riley?' and he says 'oh yes, she's my girlfriend, too, 'I can have as many girlfriends as I want!' Kris explains the girls might not like this and we love Riley so we focus more on that girlfriend. She loved her rose and was excited to show it off but she kept saying 'look what Hayden's Daddy made me!' LOL. Smart girl! H and Riley have been buds since birth and have gone to preschool together for the last 3 years! Love it!

When the kids got home from school they opened little mailboxes that had hearts in there with bible verses on each one. I read them and explained they were love notes from God. Hayden loved that. Then they got to decorate their mailboxes.

Kris and I normally go out for dinner on v-day but opted to cook together this year and have a candle light dinner at home. We waited till the kids were in bed to cook. He made dinner and I the dessert. We ate and chatted, sat outside for a bit and it was quite nice. I bought us canvases to paint together but it was SO late by the time we were done with dinner so we are going to save that for another time.


{pictures are in reverse order}























Happy Valentine's Day!

Father/Daughter Dance 2012

I LOVE this tradition for my little girl and her Daddy! This year Emerson was less scared. Last year she was very intimidated by everything and spent most of the time eating snacks. Totally Ems if you know her at all!

This year they got the full experience.... dancing, snacking, riding the horse and carriage and getting their annual picture! After the dance Daddy and Ems always eat dinner together and then come home.

She has been talking about her dance with Daddy all weekend! And of course, Kris ate up every second! Here are some pictures.

Kris felt TOO dressed up last year even though he wasn't so he dressed down this year.









I need to upload the official pictures from the dances, too.

The boys and I went to Chick-fil-a for dinner and then to Target to pick up a few things we needed and then I let H rent a red box movie of his choice for us to watch. When we got home we got the littlest boy to bed and watched a movie together while we waited for Daddy and Ems. It was a nice evening to spend alone time with our opposite gender brood! LOVE IS IN THE AIR. Can't wait for our V-day fesitivities.

Cute Story (H&Ems)

So many things I don't want to forget these days...

Today we had ballet for Ems. As Kris and Hayden were getting ready to head out for school, Hayden gets upset. He is crying and telling me he really wants to go to ballet with Emerson. I explain to him that there are some things that Emerson will have to do by herself and to have just for herself, just like he has things just for himself. I reminded him about his upcoming soccer season. He seemed to feel better. A few moments later, Hayden tells me "Mommy, don't forget to take a lot of pictures of Emerson while she is at ballet so I can see them when I get home from school." As Hayden is getting into Dad's truck, Emerson yells to me "wait, I want to give Hayden a hug," she runs over to him, hugs him and says "I give you a kiss, too," so they give each other a kiss and Hayden replies "Do a good job at your ballet lesson Emerson!"

Ya'll, I can't even explain what this Mama felt witnessing these moments transpire this morning. True joy!! And even typing it, I'm a bit teary!

The other day at dinner, when I was watching them sitting next to each other and playing and laughing together at this restaurant, I realized that it was true.... I have given them the gift of each other. Of course, there have been many of those moments these past 2.5 years but it was a pleasant reminder. These 3 kiddos will have each other all of their days and that makes me smile.

Big Announcement

The tooth fairy will come to our house for the VERY FIRST time! That's right. My big boy has his first loose teeth. You read that right...teeth, not tooth. Not just 1 but 2! The top two middle are making way for his adult teeth. SNIFF. This seems like such a BIG milestone to me! I can hardly believe it. I wasn't expecting this for another year or two! Welcome to big boy hood my sweet oldest child and first son! Mommy is so proud of all that you have become and I'm so excited for you. You are stoked about your loose teeth and I can tell it really makes you feel like you are that much older!! I had to get some last pics of my boy with his full set of baby teeth. Don't mind the pirate costume... that's just Hayden being Hayden and I LOVE HIM! We will be back with AFTER pictures!

Emerson....

When did you become so much taller then friends your age?
When did your pants and shirts start to become way too short?
When did your hair get so long?
When did your legs start to look longer then they ever have before? Did I mention, this makes Daddy nervous? Tall and beautiful? He's hopeful it's just a growth spurt. I think you might have inherited some height!
Emerson...
When did you start calling yourself a ballerina and ask to go to 'my ballerina' classes?
When did you start twirling all the time and being graceful with your moves just like a ballerina?
When did you start getting invitations to birthday parties for friends from school?
When did your eyes get so green and pretty?
When did your voice get so sweet?
When did you start saying "I love you so much. I miss you Mama"?
When did you start calling me 'Mama'?
Emerson....
When did you start wearing big girl underwear?
When did you get so interested in your upcoming 'birthday in summer'?
When did you start saying The Help line 'I am kind, I am smart, I am important' unprompted and often?
When did you start loving all of your friends so much and asking about them all the time?
When did you start telling me where to go when we are in the car?
When did you become so jealous of your brothers, crying for me and fighting your way into my arms the second either of them need me?
When did you become Hayden's mini girl, repeating just about everything he says and doing everything he does?
When did your feet become like little flintstone feet?
When did you get so shy around people upon first seeing them?
When did you start calling all littler kids, even Sawyer, your sister?
When did your lips become so pink and rosy, your eyes so deep set and your lashes so long?
When did you become obsessed with carbs and disinterested in everything else?
When did you start sneaking out of your room and standing in our doorway waiting for an okay from us to come snuggle for just a few minutes while the others are sleeping?
When did you start insisting on doing everything yourself?
When did you become the big sister and not the baby, hugging and loving on your baby brother?
Emerson....
You have blessed us in a huge way. You are our princess, our little girl. And our only one at that. You have dredged up feelings in your Daddy and I that melt us to the core. Seeing you in ballet was one of the most precious things I have seen in my whole life!

Our prayer for you is to know God, to let your Daddy and your faith build your confidence, to love yourself, to know that beauty is from within, to know you can do anything your little heart desires and to know that your Daddy and I will be here for you, loving you till the end of time, with you always, being your biggest fans. I pray that you have a long and healthy life every day, too. We love you so much Emerson June! Keep keeping on my sweet baby girl!

There is this boy.....

He has my heart! And, he calls me "Mom!"

Ya'll, I cannot express how much we CANNOT get enough of this sweet, sweet little man. He's not been feeling well and he's been giving SO many puckered lip kisses to Kris and I.









Is my baby boy not the cutest little thing you ever did see? Okay, I might be a little biased!!

And, of course, I have a fun photo session lined up for the other boy who has my heart! And then, a Valentine's day session with all 3! I love dressing them up for holidays and getting pictures of all of them together. Okay, I just love taking pictures in general so any chance I get to take pictures, I do!

On a random note, it was so SURREAL not to fill out preschool paperwork for Hayden when registration packets for the next school year went out. My BIG boy is going to Kindergarten after the summer!

Of course, SO MUCH in our plans have changed since my brain dump post several weeks ago. I need to learn not to post about things until I'm certain they won't be changing, which they often do. God is funny like that. But, I think he has us in all the places he wants us right now.


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