A busted lip x 2

I am at work tonight, as I often am when I blog. When it's quiet in the unit I have the time it takes to sit down and generate thoughts with clarity enough to write. We have been enjoying the spring time weather, playing outside, and today took the kids to the local Children's Museum. I highly recommend this to anyone locally who has not taken their kids. Eli liked it but Sadie absolutely LOVED it. It was basically real life condensed down to little people level where pretend play was at a maximum...perfect for an almost 3 year old. We walked in to the "medical" section and saw 2 little girls, 4 or younger, very solemnly rocking their babies. Sadie quickly joined them and Steven had a little moment when he realized that it truly is built into us, the mothering nature. Meanwhile, Eli is climbing onto the rocker to see how fast he can make it go, with no regard for the babies. Which is why he currently has a busted lip. He received the first injury last night while playing outside and trying to climb the steps. Tonight Steven said he came in the bathroom to find Sadie playing with water (her favorite act of disbodience) and Eli crying, with a busted lip on the other side of his mouth. Apparently it quickly became bedtime.

Eli is truly all boy, he shrieks if he hears the door chiming open, even if it's 10:00 at night and pitch black outside. He can't stand the thought of someone going out without taking him outside to play. And if anyone goes near the shed with the 4-wheeler in it he really goes crazy. He could ride that thing for hours, without making a peep. It is quickly becoming a family tradition to take a 4 wheeler ride around the neighborhood and through the field.

Steven was putting Sadie to bed the other night after a meltdown over her pink paci (it was MIA, and the blue one was just not cutting it that night). After she calmed down he asked her to tell him a story, maybe one about Noah. She replies "There was a man named Noah, he had a beard like Byron (my brother, who almost always has facial hair), and he threw his pink paci over the boat." We tell her the right stories, I promise, she just has an active imagination. This is getting long enough and even thought Sadie makes me laugh every day I can't seem to think of anything else funny. Goodnight!

My favorite man

The other night I was getting ready to put Sadie to bed and she was telling her Daddy goodnight. Their conversation went something like this....
Steven- "Goodnight baby, I love you. You know you're my favorite little girl, right?"
Sadie- "Yes, Daddy. And you're my favorite man."
It was a sweet moment to witness and it made me reflect on their relationship and how it has progressed over the past 3 years. Steven wasn't really sure what to think of Sadie as a newborn, and to be honest the bond probably wasn't instant. But right after we brought her home from the hospital they laid on the floor and had a serious heart to heart.


That first year of her life she was all about Mommy. Steven thought she was cute but wasn't sure if she really cared if he was around or not. But she was watching him, realizing that this man that came home every night was pretty special. Here they are when she was just 1 and she's starting to get the idea that Daddy is fun!

It only took another year and me being pregnant with #2 for their bond to grow even stronger. He started putting her to bed and telling her Bible stories, having tickling/wrestling matches, and playing "something's on my back" (she rides on his back, he pretends to be a deer and says "something's on my back!".

One of my favorite things to see is my sweetheart with our babies. They both get so excited when he comes home. Sadie now gives Steven "a hug, a kiss, and a backscratch" (which consists of a very brief scratch and 2 pats). He takes her to the bank and post office in the truck. And of course the 4 wheeler rides take his popularity up a hugh notch. She is definitely on her way, or quite possibly already there, to being a big time Daddy's girl.

I am thankful for my husband, now turned Daddy, and our sweet little life here. Soon coming will be some pics and tales from Eli's first birthday party last weekend.

Goodnight!

Girl's Weekend

I can finally post about this now because it's over (sadly), but I just had a wonderful weekend in Lafayette, Louisiana, with 3 of my favorite girlfriends. How did we end up there, you ask? Well, it all started with a little romance. My friend, Rachel Thorpe, decided to move out to Louisiana for A BOY several months ago, and apparently it was the right decision because she is now happily engaged to be married in May. We four have been friends since we were kids/teenagers and not had a get together with all of us in almost 7 years. So....Rachel Price suggested to Julie Hylton and I that we make a surprise trip out to see Rachel T. for a girls weekend in Louisiana. Amazingly we worked out all the details, leaving 3 husbands and 7 children behind (Jonathan, Julie's youngest, got to tag along since he's only 8 weeks old - he was a great traveling buddy!). Rachel T. was surprised to tears and we spent the next 60 hours talking, laughing, shopping, and getting to know Reagan, Rachel's soon to be husband.
We've come along way from MTYC Senior Teen week and Skyland Bible Conference, but we still know how to have late night chats.


Rachel Price and Rachel Thorpe


Julie Hylton and me...


Eating at Prejeans...yes, we ate alligator!


Reagan!!! So cute together. We approve, Rach. :)

I can't leave out Jonathan, our handsome little traveling companion. He did great!

The bond of true friendship is strong, and I am so thankful for these girls! May we have many more fun weekends. Love you girls!!