We're ready for a break, Finally September is here!!

My children

Madelynne. A sweet, kind-hearted little girl that cares about the world. So soft spoken that she is often the target for bullies and when someone is doing something she doesn't like, intead of defending herself she simply whispers, "Mommy, help, mommy please!" with tears in her eyes. She is opinionated and not afraid to give me directions on how to do something. "You wait right here, i will be right back do don't move. OK?!" uhhhh.. yes mam? She's becoming a little smarty pants too, "Mady it's time to go!", "Okaayyyyy, Just two seconds!!!!" Since when is my 3yo, 13? She says grace at the table and reminds us if we forget. She thanks Jesus for all things including the sun, school, friends, spoons, cereal, Scooby-Doo.. Mady is always eager to learn something new and so very proud when she wants to show you something. She's a giver. She picks a flower for me every.single.day. to make me happy, she will even pick a flower for the neighbor if they are outside. She sleeps perfect on her own and let's us know whe she's ready to wake up.

Annabelle. High-maintenance and loud from birth. She is a daddy's girl through and through, I can't come close to being as important to her as her daddy can. She wakes up every morning about 6a starving to.death. She LOVES food, she loves to pick up things and put them in her mouth.. she wants to taste anything, even if that means she seems something on the floor so she lays flat on the surface and licks it with her toungue. She wants to taste electrical sockets. If you tell her not to do one thing, she looks at you with the sweetest funny smile, shakes her head "no" at you and does it deliberately anyway. She stands up in the bathtub despite knowing wrong from right. She scales and climbs over her sister or anyone that may potentially be in her way. Her favorite activities are emptying dresser drawers, cabinets, eating DVD cases & unwinding things, making messes. However, she doesn't like doing anything alone. She loves adult interaction, especially her daddy. When you carry Annabelle, altough she doesn't know a stranger, she will still lay her head on your shoulder and smirk when she meets someone new. Annabelle loves cuddles and being touched, she loves her special time being fed and rocked when she holds her bottle and kicks her leg all around in the air bc she can't lay still. She is loud and will yell at you if you dare let her highchair tray turn empty. She is a wild child but so sweet and cuddly at the same time, it's a beautiful combination but couldn't be more opposite of Madelynne.

We are ready for a vacation. July and August have been a pain in the rear for all of us, a rush to the finish to get to where we are today on August 31st. Grammy and I have spent some time this summer together doing some much needed canning, and staying busy making the girls dresses for Disney World.

The girls have both been taking turns being sick. First Annabelle with an odd virus, then Mady with a cold in combination with Annabelle cutting her 6th tooth. Finally Mady with Annabelle's virus that landed us a fever for 6 days straight and vomiting. Poor babies have had enough and we are all ready for a break!

Today means September is tomorrow.. and September means, FLORIDA!!! I have been packing for weeks now, I have all the girls things strategically labeled, our week's itinerary specified down to the hour and all necessary documents printed and ready to go! We truly can't wait. The most excited part of this trip is seeing our friends and being able to spend our time with them. AK and I have never taken a family vacation before, our girls have never been on a vacation or to the beach with us, I can't wait to take our first vacation but most importantly I can't wait to share this time with our dearest friends. We're so fortunate to be surrounded by such amazing people in our lives and I can't thank them enough for opening their home to us and spending their family time with ours. It will truly be a treat this next week. I can't wait to get back and share all the pictures we take, it's going to be MAGICAL!

Mady starts school the Monday after we return home from Florida. We visited her classroom last night and met her new friends and Mrs. Davis. There are lots of beautiful little girls in Mrs. Davis's class this year, although Landis will be in Mrs. Matthew's :( It's ok, the girls will still see one another. I really do think Mady will have a great time.. and I will be overly excited to start a new year, maybe more than that I am excited for her back to school outfit ;) It's too freaking adorable.

Annabelle's birthday is September 20th and her party will be the 22nd, it's a big big day in the making, as the girls parties usually are. The day of her party, Andi and I are also doing the 4mile walk/run for the Children's Hospital. I will be exhausted to say the very least! Im very excited for the big things coming up in the next couple weeks. It's going to be a busy ride and require lots of SD Card storage!!

I think the most amazing part that I am looking forward to are the adventures we are about to take our children on and the smiles on their faces. Seeing their happiness will be worth every single struggle, penny, lack of sleep I endure for them. We have been building up our vacation for months now and just to make our girls happy will rock my world. This must be it, THIS must be that feeling of parenthood that people say is undescribable. It's amazing, the drive to be a wonderful mother and the things we will do to make our babies as happy as they can ever be, loved, cared for and fufilled. Gosh it's all so exciting!

Grayson got his wings too soon

Monday morning. 

Im rushing to have the kids to the sitter on time. My house is upside down from the kitchen cabinet overhaul. I forgot my wallet in the other car so I realize I won't have lunch money. Lipstick gets put on during a red light and I scramble into work with just enough time to spare to drop my bags, grab my coffee cup from my desk and meet co-workers at the coffee station. 3 half & half, 4 creamers, 3 packets of sugar, 2 stirrers - mix - and add coffee. Mingle with others chatting about the weekend to the conference room for the companies Monday morning meeting. 

It's a typical day. I check my bank account and sigh. Open MS PowerPoint and remember how much work I still have left on my projects, it's going to be a long week.. I may have to travel out of town and am not looking forward to it. We're hosting a BBQ this weekend for my birthday and my house is a disaster.. 

Phone rings.. it's my friends at RCS! 

"Hey Ashley, I'm guessing you haven't heard. Calvin's son Grayson died on Saturday."

Just like that, my heart sank and my entire world literally spun in my mind. Immediate pictures start scrolling: Madelynne. Annabelle. Calvin dancing down the hallway. Melinda's big smile. Pictures in the left corner of Melinda's office of their family vacation with all the boys wearing pink polo's. Calvin answering the question to "Does Melinda ever get mad at anything?!" and him chuckle "Nah, not really." Sterling's beautiful manners and sweet smile. Herb glowing as he talks about Calvin's boys. Calvin telling me about the baseball teams/coaching/running around. Carlos talk about Collin and Sterling playing together. Melinda share her stories of the boys when they were my girls ages. 

Suddenly, the mommy heart I have made me sick to my stomach. Two people I admire and enjoy have just lost their child. There simply are no words.. my heart pours for them.

I walked around and worked in a daze for the rest of the day. 

The news reports were heart breaking to listen and read, the obituary was heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. 

I wanted nothing more than to get home to my babies and squeeze and hold them both tight. Days where I am stressed, frustrated, irritated with life or them I suddenly feel guilt for. How can I ever be mad over a spilled cup of milk, when another mother will never see her son again?! I tried all day to find peace and comfort that sweet Grayson was in heaven and in a better place but my heart kept tearing me down at how wrong it is to tragically loose a child! 

When I arrived to the sitter to pick-up the girls, I couldn't get them in my arms fast enough. Mady was as sweet and tender as ever, her hair smelled of sunscreen and in her eyes, her pink-painted toes were chipping away and her smile was genuine that she was happy to see me. I could have held her for hours until she wiggled out of my arms. Kelly tried talking and carrying various conversations with me and I was simply dazed. She finally got Annabelle from upstairs where she was napping and handed her to me. She felt hot! I asked how long she had been running a fever and Kelly seemed unaware. I packed the girls and headed to Patient First. On a typical day, I likely would have grumbled at the thought of attempting Patient First alone with both kids, but today I could care less, I didn't want my girls out of my sight, I wanted to hold them close to me everywhere. The trip was pointless and we headed home at 8p. I gave Annabelle medicine and rocked her in her nursery to sleep. 

As I laid there and rocked her with tears in my eyes, I studied every part of her tiny perfect body. I remember the same feeling when she was in the NICU. I remember thinking "She's so far away from me, I want to hold her and feel her. I want to see all her toes, all her fingers, I want to rub her hair, look at every inch of her body so I would never forget any part of it." I remember distinctly how happy and fortunate I felt the first time they laid Annabelle in my arms without tubes/wires and I was alone with her to undress and see her for myself, she was 8 days old and I felt like she was MINE and she wouldn't go anywhere. Several months have passed since that night I first held Annabelle and now I look at her in the same way again. There are parents who will never be able to see their son's fingers, toes, run their fingers thru his hair, see his smile, smell his skin, feel his warmth or hear his voice. I have all of that in my arms and I feel selfish. I feel disappointed that I didn't go to bed last night knowing just HOW lucky and blessed I am to have my children with me tonight. Accidents can happen anytime, no one is promised tomorrow so how can I live my life thinking "Just go to bed, don't make another peep.. we will color your picture tomorrow, I don't have time". Im not saying I will let my kids gets away with anything now, but that 'time' that I keep using as an excuse or assuming is there in the future just may not be! 

I gave Annabelle about 35 kisses and told her I love her about 600 times before laying her in the crib. Breathing monitors on extra sensitive, I walked downstairs. 

My kitchen still looks like a disaster area and I stood at the mess I would have to clean to get dinner on the table. I grabbed a quilt and asked for Mady's help, we spread out the blanket on the floor and sat together indian style and had a picnic for dinner. TV off, lights dim, we said grace and Madelynne asked God to be with Grayson's family and to take care of him (prompted of course), we ate dinner and I watched Mady smile the entire time as she kept reminding me "Mommy, this is so silly. We're eating in the living room! That's just silly!" I didn't want to get up, I wanted to watch her smile forever. She start spinning like a ballerina so I asked her to twirl for me again. She said "hold on mommy, I'll be right back, don't move, okay?" She came back downstairs with a short sapphire blue ballerina dress and matching shoes with a shy grin on her face. With a little encouraging she put her hands above her head, touched her fingers, closed her eyes and started to twirl. About 4 circles and the dizzy chuckles began. Her belly laughs are the best, most beautiful things to hear. I watched my princess happy, smiling, laughing and spinning for almost an hour. She went to bed well past her bedtime and I didn't care. My kids were here, with me, healthy and alive and that's something that I am truly grateful and thankful for.

You hear about accidents happening or children dying on the news or in conversation. It's always saddening but it never happens to anyone you know. This death hit too close to home, I know Grayson's parents, just last Friday life was perfect for them and Saturday their entire world changed. There are no words for Calvin, Melinda and Sterling that can do their pain justice. I know Grayson is in a better place, I just pray for strength and courage for his family as they learn how to enjoy life without him here with us.

It's June. The winter was so beautiful because it stayed so mild, hardly snowed once and I never even broke out my winter jacket. The spring was beautiful and for about three weeks I was able to keep the windows open in the house (Hello beautiful $85 electric bill!) But now that summer is here, We. Are. Paying. For. It. Yesterday was 102, and at 7:45a as I type this, the temperature is 84 degrees.

The warm weather though is still thrilling. The feeling of sun stinging my skin tells me summer time is here and it's time to get outside and explore! We miss our Lloyd friends, we had to visit RiverRock a couple weeks ago alone. It was a great day though, Mady loved watching the water dogs, and sitting by the water.

Annabelle didn't sleep well that morning so we brought the backpack and lasso'd AK in, to both our surprise she LOVED IT. I felt like we were backpacking a mountain by the looks of the thing, but Annabelle was so content. She screamed the entire carride, cried when I got her out, and then was immediately silent when we put her in the backpack, not kidding - she was silent the ENTIRE TIME. Im seriously considering wearing it around the house during tooth-cutting-days. 








We brought the wagon for Mady to ride in, that lasted about 1/4 of the day. She enjoys pulling it more than riding, no surprise there.

But she's so darn cute!







Annabelle is now crawling and I think it's her favorite past time. She started crawling at 8mo once she figured out how to untangle her back legs, she took off. About 3 days later she learned to stand herself up on her knees at furniture. She was 9mo yesterday and she's still doing that. If I stand her up to something, she can balance herself by holding on but she can't quite get into the standing position on her own yet. 

She is eating like a champ! She's really picking up foods very well. I'm no longer picking her up to find 75% of what she ate, attached to her butt. I've been making a lot of baby foods and she's eating them great. The only thing so far that I have noticed an allergy to is strawberries. Which I'm not really surprised. Because she's eating more table foods, fortunately she is starting to slow down on the bottles, wahoo! That's a huge relief because our insurance no longer covers her $3,192 x month formula supply. When we make a bottle, I usually make either a 6oz or 8oz depending on how long it's been since she's eaten a meal. Regardless what type of food it it, she still likes to eat every 3hours. All this is bizarre to me, Mady never ate over 5oz and only 3x a day. It's amazing how children can be so different.

June 7th, Madelynne graduated Preschool!

It was a warm evening. I picked Annabelle up from the sitter and AK got Mady from school, we ate a fast dinner and made it to the school just in time. They had a luau that day and partied for hours, so she was already exhausted but still excited. She wanted to pick out her own dress and choose a white with pink and green polka dots to wear. The procession every time they perform something is what immediately gets me. Sweet Mady started walking in and was looking everywhere for me, I was so happy I found a seat on the end, near the aisle and yelled her name, she saw me and her little world lit up :) She kept peaking back to smile as she walked down the center aisle and could see me from the stage. I looked over half way thru their performance, and I think AK was crying. It was so cute.. he said "I just couldn't believe that our shy little girl was actually singing out loud and doing the hand signals!" He was right, she's so shy that it was such a beautiful relief and happy moment to see her singing along. Finally they announced her name, and she was graduated from K2. She was SO proud of herself!
 
Both the girls love bath time, but especially Annabelle I think. As soon as we turn the water on, or even walk into the bathroom, her legs start jumping and getting her undressed happens in record timing! She kicks and splashes in the tub and loves every minute of it, she probably also enjoys it so much because it's time she gets to spend close to her sister.

They love each other so much. Annabelle idolizes her sister, she looks up to her all the time, and is always looking for an opportunity to smile and laugh with her. It's adorable. Belle watches her sister the whole time in the car, watches her play, sing and dance around. I know it's only a matter of time before she learns how to walk and will be right on Mady's heels, annoying her every step of the way.

Mady is as sweet as can be, as always, but becoming more and more vocal. With that, she is really starting to pick up sas. Watching her adorable self talk like a teenager at times cracks us up, although we do correct it, we walk away and laugh hysterically.

She's so irrational with her sassyness though.
AK: Mady let's get your jammies on.
Mady: ugh, but dad!
AK: Im not going to say it again, let's get dressed.
Mady: I don't care, dad! .. I don't care :neck roll: I. Don't. Care. :big eyes: and walks away.
Ak and I look at each other in horror at what just happened in front of us, give a small crooked smile and move into action.
AK: Madelynne Marie! You do NOT talk like that, you understand?
Mady: I understand daddy, I love you, Happy Grandfather's Day. :adorable smile with batting eyes:

We leave the room after bedtime, walk downstairs and laugh hysterically while reenacting the whole scene repeatedly and high five at our hilarious kid. The lesson here: My 3yo is surely picking up sas somewhere, I don't know where.. either TV, school, watching us, her friends but somewhere. She's getting it from a trusted source and therefore is testing it at home with AK and I. While it can be funny, that type of thing is NOT tolerated in our house, and I would be damned if she barks an "I don't care!" with a Z snap at me in the mall and turns to walk away. I would really hate to go to jail for public child abuse, to be honest, bail just isn't in our budget this month so it's best to nip these things in the bud the moment they arise.

Beyond those little fun times, Mady is doing awesome. She is singing alllll the time now. While it used to be cute at first, she's so good at singing that she now makes up her own songs with any beat you can think of. If she can't think of words (that don't even make sense together) she will just loudly hum or chime to a sound repeatedly.




Last night during one of Mady's "I can't stop talking, wiggling, squirming and asking 651468413516 questions" moments, and before I snapped, I said loudly to her "I LOVE YOU!" She looked at me in almost disbelief and it took me by surprise. She said "You do mommy?" as if she really did doubt that I loved her. I know the look on my face was of complete shock and horror and I almost melted. I tell both the girls a million times a day that I love them, how beautiful they are, smart, sweet etc. But for some reason, she acted like this was the first she had heard those three words, or maybe it was because I said it loud enough and she really really heard me and believed it. 
I held her hand and said "I do sweety, I love you for a million reasons". And she stared hard into my eyes silently. It was almost uncomfortable to maintain eye contact but I knew for some reason she needed to hear more.

I love you because you are smart.
I love you because you love all things, big and small.
I love you because you listen to mommy when I ask you to do something.
I love you because you give me extra kisses by surprise.
I love your giggle because it makes my heart warm inside.
I love your smile because your eyes light up when you do.
I love you because you like to learn new things.
I love you because you love your sister and set a great example for her.
I love you because you made me love your daddy more from the moment you were born.
I love your feet because they are perfect.
I love your nose so I can 'shoop' it.
I love that you listen to all other adults and your teachers.
I love your voice so I can hear all the things you learn and can tell me and sing.
I love your big heart because you love and complete your grandparents world.
I love you because you made nama smile everyday in her last tough years
I love you because you have an opinion
I love how strong you are.
I love you most because you are my daughter and my best friend in the whole wide world.

The amazing part was that Mady looked dead at me the entire time and never spoke but listened to every word. Then she got down from her chair and gave me a giant tight hug and kissed my cheek and said "I love you mommy, let's go take a bath". It was almost surreal, but maybe amoung life's changes lately, and out of the routine bedtimes/drop off at the sitter times of me telling her that I love her, maybe she needed to REALLY hear how I felt and be reminded. I need not to overlook those things and be lazy in reassuring them. Mady, Belle and AK.

AK and I are really raising some amazing children, I don't know what or how we are doing it but I hope we can continue and not screw these tiny people up somehow.

Time is FLYING! And we're settling in..

Time is flying and I can’t believe it. People say it all the time, heck, I tell new moms everyday that the time will fly and it just becomes a stale, repetitive statement we hear. But really – My babies are 3 years old and 7mo! Since when do I have kids?! AK and I are only dating, what do you mean that our next anniversary will be FIVE years?! That’s amazing. A blessing.

The last couple weeks and moreso the last couple days, when people ask the ages of the girls I say, “Well, Madelynne here just turned three and Annabelle is now 6mo”. Then I looked at the calendar, Mady turned three over a month ago, and Annabelle is SEVEN months old. Whoops! They’re doing so much. Life has been so hectic on them the past couple weeks, things have been so upside down, but I think we’re all adjusting well.

Letting go of Aidyn was hard. It hurt, a lot. The day we dropped him off I had to give myself a pep-talk about a hundred times; until I saw AK crying and then I lost it. We both love him unconditionally. I don’t what was so hard, seeing how far he had come during his time with us.. knowing he won’t be going into a home that would continue to guide him on the best path.. the hurt of missing someone in our family.. I think most my pain comes from his little heart, I don’t want him to ever hurt, be scared, sad, confused or anything. I hope this transition was good for him and he is happy. No matter what makes his happiness, I hope he is happy and smiling, that is all.

Move forward a month. Things feel “right”. Not to say that having Aidyn in our home ever felt wrong, we just felt outnumbered, which we were! Having three kids that close in age was never mine or AK’s intention. We chose to have kids with age between them so they will be at different stages at different times. Eventually they will get to common ground, but not until we can spend time, learn, love and grow with each of them individually first. That probably doesn’t make sense.. but over a couple drinks and long discussions over how we want our family to look, that is the plan we came up with. We now have our family structure the way we planned. I love it, I was so worried that it would feel lonely, quiet or sad without Aidyn, but I believe this is what my family is supposed to look and feel like. (..and that makes me feel guilty. L  )

Madelynne is so happy now. Her little spell of testing every.single.boundary. is almost over. I think we are now left with normal three-year old behavior that I need to iron out. She wants to test a lot of routine things such as eating dinner: she doesn’t want to try her veggies, which she has always loved. Bedtime: she plays the best game of procrastination I’ve ever seen instead of just lying down. (Please refer to book: Go The F*^K To Sleep). But nothing beyond what I would expect a three-year old to face me with. This weekend was spent doing a lot of yard work, house work and relaxing at home with our little family. I cannot put into words how important this time was for us, and how perfect timing it came.

 

Friday night was movie night. We changed into jammies, picked out a movie (The Muppets), and made our movie snack concoction of popcorn, gummy bears, m&m’s, raisins & craisins.  Mommy made a happy drink, and Mady got more milk. We gathered a blanket and found our places on the couches. Within two minutes of the movie starting, Mady came over to me with her bowl and asked, “Mommy, may I eat popcorn and snuggle with you tonight?”. This was the first time in quite a while that she’s wanted to be lovey with me. She curled up and rested her head in my arm and looked up: “You my best fwiend, in the hoe wide wowld!” She melted me. I squeezed her so tight and we watched our movie together.

I love spending this one on one time with her. All weekend she reminded me how pretty I was and I returned the compliment. She asked me to be her friend forever, and I promised. She wanted me to sit beside her at the restaurant and I was delighted to. We were little BFF’s and I had my daughter back. Mady is such a resilient little girl. I don’t know that I will ever be able to express to her how proud I am of her braveness over this past year. She wouldn’t understand if I tried. What is important is that she’s allowing me to show her again how important she is to ME. In my tight hugs, extra kisses and telling her how happy she makes me, she is starting to see that she is a much loved, special little girl. I love her with all my heart and have a lot of work to do to make up to her these last 9mo of having Aidyn. She really went thru a mini-hell with the transitions in our home, but I am proud to see how well she maintained her sweet disposition and sincerity.

 Mady saying Grace at the dinner table

Annabelle is 7mo. I can’t believe it! She’s wearing 9mo-12mo clothes because eating is her favorite past time and she is becoming such a happy little baby. 

Belle is definitely, without a doubt Daddy’s Girl. I don’t know if that is because he is the one that gets up with her in the middle of the night every night, or if she just chooses him over me – just like Mady chooses mommy over daddy. We each get one kid and that feels perfect :) 





After only a week at the new sitter’s, I brought Annabelle home that Friday afternoon and laid her in the floor and walked to the kitchen – when I came back in, she was on her hands and knees rocking back and forth! What?! Really my child, the first week I let you go somewhere else and I find a day job, you start doing big things?! This month has been a HUGE month for Annabelle. She sleeps thru the night (Thank. God.) She goes to bed around 7-730p and if she wakes it’s around 530a only to eat and then back down until 730a. She holds her own bottle for every feeding. Now that she is closer to 8mon, she has learned to sit herself from a crawling position, onto her butt to sit! There isn’t a place in the room that she cannot get to by rolling / army crawling / scooting and pulling her legs together behind her etc. She wants so badly to be mobile and crawl. She jumps so high and hard, I swear she is going to break the jumparoo but she loves it!

Annabelle is also doing awesome at eating. I made a bunch of baby food and she eats off a spoon like a champ. She picks up puffs from the tray and eats about ¼ of them, the other ¾ end up stuck to her butt or in her lap, but the effort is there! She talks to everyone in her baby language and finds an opportunity always to smile J She is such a happy baby if you give her attention. Car rides are not her favorite. She wants adult interaction and hates to be stuck in something.. The moment she decides she is unhappy, Annabelle goes from talking to screaming bloody murder for attention in a moment flat. The instant you pick her up = She laughs. Such a rotten child. I don’t know how that happened!! ;)

 



My girls are getting so big and I love it. Mady is starting to play with her baby sister much more. She loves her unconditionally and wants to help her with anything she needs, getting her a bottle, toy, blanket etc. It’s so sweet seeing her as a little mommy. Annabelle ADORES her big sister, she watches her and smiles, pulls and reaches for her anything she is within reach and talks and jabbers to her. Their interaction and watching them build their relationship is everything I live for. They’re my world.

Most ridiculous month, ever.

Life is about to change BIG TIME in the Bishop home.. hold onto your seats, kids!


I have been busting my butt for a particular position at Dominion Power, this has been a work in progress since November with many long hours dedicated to providing examples of work among other things. A couple weeks ago, I finally got the call that they were ready to hire and we got the hiring process started! I am so happy and proud of myself! My family needs this so bad, we deserve this and I have worked very for it. Most times I think that good things don't happen to good people like us, but then I always have to remember that we don't get a vote when they happen. Apparently this is the time in our life that we were meant to be ready for this big change, and I am glad it's waited until now.


I am heartbroken to leave my job. I am spoiled where I work, I get fed delicious food every night, they grill out constantly, I get homemade fried breakfasts, enjoy hours of Facebook / YouTube if the night isn't too busy, and most importantly, I work with some of the most hilarious and kind hearted people I have ever met. I have never worked somewhere that felt so close to a family as I do here. I don't expect to ever get this feeling anywhere else during my career, and it will be greatly missed.


Madelynne will be starting school full-time, moving from three half days to 5 full days at school. We talk often about how fun it will be to take naps with her friends at school and play with her teachers everyday. She seems quite excited about it, but we will see how long that lasts. She's never been away from me or our family all day. She's never been to a sitter / school for an entire day before and my heart breaks for her to be gone so long! She's a big girl though, and eventually this day would come. People send their kids to daycare everyday and they seem to turn out just fine, I think it's just part of my own nervousness FOR her.


Annabelle too, I think is at a great age to get her started with a sitter all day. She has been able to spend her first six months at home, where it's clean, safe and has her own bed and her things. She is settling nicely into somewhat of a routine finally and I think she would do just fine when we have to leave all day. It's sweet though, sometimes if she is left with Sarah or Grammy, she cries and cries, and they swear it's purely just because she misses mommy and daddy. Mady is the polar opposite of this emotion, she was resiliant enough to do just fine without us, but Annabelle is much more of a cuddle-bug and actually enjoys that attention from us. If you leave the room, she allows you about 30sec to come back without freaking out. While it can be obnoxious, I adore it.. Hey! Someone actually misses me! Sweet :)


Let's see. 
Madelynne's big BIIGG Princess Party is this weekend. The much.anticipated.princess.party. that the dear child has been getting ready and pumped up for, for nearly a month now. Actually, since McKenzie's Princess Party, Mady has been excited for her own. It's so cute. On random days she will tell me what to wear, I will dress in the shirt she chooses, put on my earrings and she says, "Great mommy! You look beautiful, ready to go to my party now?!" --Love her. This is a constant thing. Puts on shoes = "Im ready for my party, let's go!". Oo baby, a couple more weeks! Finally the time has come, and now that I am talking about it = she's not interested. haha
I am planning this party with more details than a darn wedding. I have nightmare's about a cupcake falling or the ceiling decor not sticking. I stress over my OWN Snow White costume, it's just ridiculous. I hope everything goes to plan, but if it doesn't, the real Princess won't mind :) I love giving her special things like this, I love making her feel special. All little girls and boys should feel special and get this type of undivided attention sometimes. The smile on their little faces are priceless.


Next Wednesday is her third birthday. I expect to be making cupcakes with her on Tuesday to take to her class to share with everyone, and little goodie bags. This of course is after Annabelle's SIX MONTH check-up! (SIX MONTHS!! That's just amazing!) I have to work Wednesday night so I don't know what big things AK will be doing for her, for her birthday, we will iron out those details later. Thursday I have a doctor's appt. Friday I will be working 1st shift to say my very sad goodbye's to my co-workers :( Then we have to fly to Midlothian for Kimberly's rehearsal. Saturday Madelynne is in her wedding as a flower girl, I pray she will do well. We haven't practiced yet, so maybe I will start drilling her with that here soon! lol. Hey, she is three, if a meltdown occurs halfway down the aisle, so be it, they are kids and it will be priceless.  (let's not tell Kimberly that!) 

Monday I start my new job. Friday we have dinner with Lindsey and Jeremy and Saturday, after a cookout, Aidyn and Roman move to Oklahoma :(
My heart is going to break when Aidyn leaves, but I think his time with us has been constructive, loving and we have gotten him to the point he needs to be but now just with mommy/daddy. He understands love a little better, discipline, structure, sleeping in his own bed, being responsible for his own belongings, knows how to dress himself, preschool taught him his colors/shapes and God, and overall he was able to spend some excellent quality time with his cousins. Mady needs her house back though. She needs her own room, her own mommy and daddy, and her own things without having to compete. AK and I choose for this very reason to never have children so close in age, I think when it is just Mady and Belle, things in our house will become so much more streamline. I will be able to take control of Mady a little better and iron out a couple quirks she is picking up from school and her sassy age, I will be able to spend more quality time with Annabelle, and most importantly, with Mady and Belle together. 


We have quite an eventful two weeks coming up! I never knew the month of March could become so amazingly busy, but it has.. all things of which are exciting, nervewracking, and life changing in their own way. We can't wait to jump on this new journey that these changes are going to take us in life, I just hope we can all do it with a few meltdowns and seamless adjustment as possible! ....and a bottle of wine or two on Friday's ;)

Random Fun-Facts, about me.

This will be an ongoing post I am sure, as my A.D.D. continues to remind me different facts about myself to note. I once did a post titled, "25 Facts you may not know about me". It was probably on Facebook or something incredibly personal-fact-sharing worthy site ;) I stumbled across it not long ago and it did make me smile. I created 25 facts about myself while on bedrest with Madelynne.. many things have remained the same, but due to new dynamics of life and changes.. a lot of things I have a full new prospective on! I enjoyed reading that.. that something about myself ;) who knew! So I think I will do it again.. but casually, but let's be honest: I may have had the time to sit on my ass and dwell about myself then, but those times now only occurr in the 6m drive to work and I am alone.. the few moments of quiet in my house at 3a after Belle has laid back down, or usually.. just when it happens and I have an "Ahh-HA!" moment.


Here goes:


Every night that I pull into the driveway, 1130-12p or so. There are two bunnies that ALWAYS start running from between mine and the neighbors house towards the woods. Those bunnies make me smile, every.single.night. that I get to pull up and see them. They never let me down, always there :)


Im scared to death of suicide. I am terrified beyond belief that people close to me that are having difficult times, will feel lonely and sad enough to have such selfish and painful thoughts of suicide. I wouldn't know what to do with myself and how not to feel personally accountable. I know it's utterly morbid, but the thought haunts me.


I have an irritional fear of wasting an awesome outfit on an insignificant day.


I keep crappy friends around to randomly keep in touch with just to remind myself I am making better life decisions and am a better person than some. In the same breath, I am learning that some people, really really do suck. It's not always correct to assume you're better than someone else -- but as I get to really know other people, some people just really do suck all around!


Old people can be assholes. Just because they are old, does not mean they are sweet and you have to love them. Always show your respect for the elderly, but they can still be bitter hateful people.. just old.


I can't sleep sound unless I check on my babies every night. Mady almost always needs to be retucked into her bed, and Annabelle needs to be covered. I have a horrible fear of them stopping breathing in the middle of the night.. I HATE those thoughts, and can't shake the idea until I check on them.


Im lazy. I can absolutely list off 32 things I have accomplished during the day, and I know I was busy enough to forget to eat, but every opportunity I have I am sitting back and being a lazy mom. I wish I had more energy sometimes to really get in the floor and play with my babies. They are happy of course -- I just know I could make them laugh a little more than I actively try to do.


I am extremely grateful for:
-Not being in school, no homework - test - quiz - papers - class etc. Every single day I am thankful not to have school.
-My heated mattress pad. O.M.G. heaven, seriously, I will replace that thing faster than AK replaced our TV in 6hrs when it died, if it ever kicks the bucket.
-My metabolism. Yea, I can tone up a bit, but for having two kids and eating the crap I do on little exercise. I look damn good and I am proud thankful for it!


I am growing a stronger and stronger hate for smokers. You're disgusting. Your breath stinks beyond belief and you don't even know it. And yes, while you think smoking outside clears you from smelling like an ashtray, you are HUGELY mistaken! I am starting to find myself avoiding so many friends and LOTS of family functions purely because the smoking is getting under my skin that bad. I can't tell you to go outside at your own house, so I just won't come. Not around my kids, sorry.


Good things don't happen to good people like me. I am learning this every single day. Eventually karma will come around, I supose, but in the meantime I just keep busting my butt for everyone and watch them get cool shit.


I love to smile. I love walking past someone that is wearing a smile -- they're apparently thinking of something that makes them happy and just that thought melts me. I love to laugh, I love to make others laugh and then I get to see that smile they wear on their face. I wonder if this comes from growing up in a home that people didn't always wear a smile, life in our house hasn't been a whole lot of smiles lately, so I wonder if I am just thriving to see others happy for myself?

Clay Walker is probably the number one musician that will immediately take my attention and often times make me tear up within a line or two. I love his music, his songs and his voice. Second two in line: Janis Joplin & Joss Stone.

I miss my Nama & never want to loose my Papa either..

Madelynne and I visited Papa yesterday.. I haven't been to his house since Christmas, and before that was when Nama died. I don't know why, but I feel so guilty uncomfortable lost/sad loss for words when I am there only spending time with Papa. I think more than missing my Nama, my heart aches for him. I don't even know that I have actually mourned her passing, I think I have been so busy lately, and so deeply worried about whether or not Papa is doing ok, to accept that she is gone. I feel like I am standing between being with my nama and watching my papa and just waiting for the next step.

December 2, 2011, Peggy Mihalcoe passed away peacefully in her sleep, holding my papa's hand. She always got upset if he threatened to leave her side when she was in the hospital or nursing home. He spent many, MANY long hours beside her over the last years as her health spiraled down. Nama was in constant pain, loosing her memory slowly, in and out of hospitals but one thing that could ALWAYS make her smile were her great-grand babies. Words cannot express how thankful I am to have given them to her. I started staying with Nama when she first got bad in 2007. During good months, she would enjoy driving and we would go places.. scaring the crap out of me at times, but she loved it. As we always would, we would go shopping! I can't count the amount of laps we can make around Kohl's without buying a single thing, but we did it. We would have a lunch date if papa left us lunch money in the 'gambling jar' and spend it all! He tried to put us on a budget, but he is a sucker for us girls :) While planning the wedding she helped me make most the stationary in the living room, creating a huge mess.. I would setup the computer and write school papers.. sometimes babysit other kids while sitting with Nama. We spent lots of time together, and re-getting to know one another.

When Madelynne was born, Nama and Papa were one of the first at the hospital to see her. I called them the night before to let them know what Madelynne were here, and I can imagine that she was dressed with shoes on within the hour and drove papa crazy the next morning to hurry to the hospital to see her. Walking with her cane in the room of the hospital she was beaming. Nama held Mady and fed her, her first bottle and was so happy. We spent LOTS of time with Nama while Mady was growing up. She took her first steps in her living room. 2 steps.. 4 steps.. then ran towards the dining room and fell and cracked her head ;) It was a wonderful day.

I love that Madelynne was able to make memories with her Nama while she was with us, I grew up in that little house making memories all thru my childhood and they are some of my fondest. Nama teaching me how to skip around that stained wood coffee table in a circle.. Nags Head vacations every summer. Breakfast at Shoney's or McDonald's and then begging Papa to come shopping with us. Sometimes he would wait in the car as we lapped Kmart. Most times we would stay in the car with him while Nama ran inside 'Hanaford' grocery store. A bunch of birds, Seagulls, would always fly around and land in the parking lot.. Papa would quickly pipe up and say "Hey you guys look!! There's that same bird! Ashley-roo, that one over there by the water to the left, that one is yours, remember?! ..Brooke, there is yours again! Right beside it! WOW!" Damn we were gullable for believing he could point out those birds every Saturday :)

I love my nama more than words can explain, I have more memories in my head and could tell stories for hours. She always had a funny way of life and christian vocabulary. It was rare she got REALLY mad, she would say "I am so T.O.'d!!" Really? Abbreviating "Ticked off" ? :) Or one year when we were finally getting onto the interstate en route to Nags Head, she leaned over to Papa, and said were ready.. HIT IT! And slammed the gas. She never used the interstate, and definitely would never speed. THAT in itself, was hilarious to us! Although most my memories could be derived from time spent one on one with Nama during the weekends, my Papa has always also stolen my heart forever. Many times, he would be in the country with his dogs. I would crawl onto his lap every weekend and ask "Papa, tell me about the Good ol' days". The days in mention were the days when he grew up.. depression.. war.. times where people sat on their porches and enjoyed just the company. I loved those stories, so much that I begged him to write me a book, and he did! I remember days where Papa took me to the country, in the old green truck and lap seat belt. It was such a long drive to get out there, but the prize was always the best. I would get pick of the litter! I got to choose my new puppy and bring him home. The puppy had to stay in the floor of the truck in his little box as I watched him the whole way home below my dangling feet. Every weekend I grew up riding one knee of his lap on the tractor, or picking grapes to smush with my feet. We had too much fun growing up.

That small while house on top of the hill holds so many of my childhood memories and I am blessed to have started my girls lives making memories in them as well.

Things will be different now. 
 
Papa says the house is quiet to himself. He doesn't mind living alone and he is getting used to eating by himself, but the lonliness is the hardest part. He says he just misses her so darn much. My heart aches. Fifty-six years of passionate love finally came to an end. Even on her worst days, he would walk into the room and turn the corner, "Peg! My goodness, I didn't recognize you! You are 5x more beautiful than you were before I left! I just don't know how you do it".. she would blush and smile, looking at me and wave her arm at him, "Aww Herb!". THAT is the love I want. What an amazing love that must be. I hope papa manages to stay busy and care for himself. I know he misses her and can't wait for the day he will see her again, but it will kill me. My papa is my number one man in this world, he has had my heart since a little girl, as has nama. They hold just as much of my childhood as my home did, I can't say goodbye to any of them yet. Until those times come, I will keep my girls over there as much as I can. I see the same light and love and joy in Madelynne's eye's when she is with her Papa as I hold everytime I think about him. He has a way with all his girly grandbabies, that is for sure! Soon Annabelle will take his heart too, he hasn't held her yet, despite Nama begging him to hold her, but he insists that she is too little and not yet. He will in time, just as he did with Mady. Now he doesn't hesitate to pick her up and carry her around, take her to show her, her puppy "Music" that papa got for her. Make her a snack of moon pie's, mt.dew (green drink) or anything else he can find unhealthy! Or just to sit and play with their favorite ball popper machine. Mady is happy to just sit back in papa's lap to have his company and attention, and it melts my heart more than words can express. When papa wasn't home, she loved to lay in Nama's lap and watch cartoons together, or our days of all crawling in the bed and taking our naps together. <3 <3 I never want to forget these memories. They are so dear special to me.

They're hilarious!

Seriously, these kids crack me up.. where they come up with the things they say is beyond me but they keep me laughing. Some people cringe when kids open their mouths.. heck, I know many people do around Mady because she doesn't know when to hush-it (were not exactly sure where she gets that from yet ;) ) but I truly look forward to hearing what things they are gonna say!

Often times we play the game of "Got your nose!"
One kid will get bent out of shape, "Give it back! Give me my nose" so we started pretending to take their nose and quickly toss it in our mouth, "Oops! I ate it! I ate your nose!" They think it's hilarious.
The other night after bathtime, the kids were running around naked getting lotioned up and jammies on.. Mady was sitting on the floor getting ready for bed as Aidyn was running around. She reached over and grabs towards his penis with her fingers and thumb! She shows him her little hand expression for what she's done and he gasps.. immediately she throws it in her mouth and cracks up laughing at herself.. "I ate your penis Aidyn!! I ate it!" Then proceeds to parade around the room as proud as she could be of herself for "eating his penis". We tried our HARDEST to compose ourselves trying not to make a big deal of it, and PRAYING this chanting doesn't get repeated at preschool tomorrow. Now THAT will be a letter sent home with some explaining to do ;)

Last week Mady was sick, very sick with a nasty cold, fever, chills, coughing, vomiting etc. (Well, maybe it wasn't just a cold). But her explanation for her sickness when I asked her what happened was: "Mommy, I was at school and playing jumpy-jumpy like a frog and I falled down! I falled down in the grass Mommy and now I am sick and can't go to school any-more!!! :'(  "
--Wow, well damn. Apparently falling in the grass gets you pretty darn sick. We are now almost 3years old and petrified of the mean grass that makes you frow-up and get sick. Sweet!

Im pretty positive that I am partial and biased because of course she is my kid, and maybe it's also because she took FOREVER to finally start talking, but now that she has she doesn't shut up. I love it. She sounds like a little mini-adult too and it cracks me up. We don't use baby terms, and talk in a 'goo-goo-gaa-gaa' tone with the kids, it's obnoxious and degrading as human beings. Screw that. We talk to them in terms they understand in a tone that we would anyone else. And Mady talks, just like that. She will walk up to Aidyn,
M: "Would you like to sit here Aidyn?"
A: "Yes please, Mady"
M: "Well here ya go little buddy! You sure can have some juice, let me get it for you!"
Crack me up :)

Ti's the Season

Ahh, the holidays are finally over. On one hand I am sadden to see my house back to it's normal and no longer festive with Christmas lights, tree, stockings. I am already missing the Christmas cards in the mail and anticipation of presents and time with family. December is my favorite month and Christmas will always be my very favorite holiday!


On the other hand - exhale - whew! I DO have my house back! Normalcy. A clean, organized living room. No parties to run to. No more pushing the kids all day without naps to wear a smile. No. More. Damn. Present. Wrapping! And finally, I get to keep my paychecks and not wipe them out for more gifts!


Christmas in our house all began the week before, it was literally two weeks where we just held our breath until the holidays were over. Studied our calendar and spent a zillion dollars in gas trying to make everyone happy.


20th
Madelynne and Aidyn had been practicing with their classes to perform in the school play for weeks. They would come home often singing silly songs. When I asked what they plan to sing, the response was always "Ugh, its going to be a surprise!" - Right, the only surprise is that they're not going to sing, but get stage fright instead; I thought. 

 
Leaving school that day, as I carried Belle, Mady had her hands in her hoodie and began hopping like a frog. Until she slipped.... seriously kid? The first face boo-boo she's ever had that I can recollect, and she earns it only hours before the school plan. Welcome to mommyhood.



The big night came. I had to work, so when I got off I flew home and rounded everyone in the car and we headed to the school. It was a cold night, so we carried as many kiddos as our arms could hold and ran into the school! It was packed, like shoulder to shoulder, standing room only. We found a comfy spot by the wall in the sanctuary and waited for the little ones to enter with their class to perform. They sang a few songs and I literally squeeled out loud more times than I like to admit at their cuteness!




Kids Christmas Play at School  <- Check out the video :)


After the play was over, I walked into Madelynne's classroom and she ran to me beaming. She held my face with the biggest, most proud smile I've ever seen. She said: "Did you see me mommy? Did you see me singing with all my friends? I did it!" "Of course I saw you sweetheart, you did the BEST!". Now, please note from the video, the poor little girl sat with her hands in her lap and watched Aidyn the entire time and never once made a peep. But darn if she wasn't proud of herself! I'm not about to burst her bubble! Aidyn too did excellent, I was so proud that he really did know the words and hand signals, it was adorable. Of course, until he decided to hit a kid on stage, but! That's our Aidyn! Overall, it was a long, wonderful evening and I couldn't have been more proud of the kids and their performance. Even Annabelle was good! (HUGE shocker!) She slept on AKs shoulder the entire time, and I could have kissed her a million times for not making the night difficult. Success!


23rd
I woke up early and finished packing Aidyn's bags, picked Roman up from his house and took them both to the airport. They went to Oklahoma for Christmas, and as much as it REALLY upset us to see him leave for the holidays, I knew he was going to have a great time with his other family, his daddy and it would give Mady a chance for some mommy/daddy one-on-one time. We got to the airport super early, anticipating it to be busy. It was dead. Of course Aidyn is ready for his 3rd breakfast so we got him a yogart and Roman and I had a coffee as we chatted about upcoming Christmas etc. When it was time to leave, I gave Aidyn the biggest hug. I teared up as he walked away, and he sprinted without looking goodbye. Kid. lol

Later that afternoon, I got the family together and headed to moms. She was hosting Christmas for the family at her new house. We got there early to help pick-up last minute things and get everything in place. Overall I think it was a beautiful success!

Of course all I wanted to do was eat ......

god my family can cook!

Annabelle was fussy (as usual) so AK had the caring idea of putting her down to sleep, in the other room. Yes. Someone put my baby in the corner! Suited her though, she slept like a champ until the party was over! ...im thinking she may not like us.

24th

The morning came toooo early. We got home late the night before from mom's with a car to unload and a sleepy Mady and Belle. We tucked them in bed, showered and crawled in bed ourselves at 1a. 7am we were all up, packed, dressed and out the door on the way to Grammy's. Mom, Luke, his dad, Jay, AK and I were all headed to the Minnesota Vikings vs. Washington Redskins game at FedEx Field that day and the kids would be spending the day with grammy. Which meant they needed to be packed for a fun day, and then their Xmas fancy attire for when I would pick them up that evening on our way to Pop's Christmas Party.

7:30am.

We opened a couple gifts from Grammy when I dropped the kids off.. amoung many other things, Mady got her very own drumsticks from her favorite "Bunky!", how awesome! 

Kids dropped off -- GAME TIME BABY!!!

<-Our best strategy at keeping warm for the game ;)

We truly had a little too much fun at the game. Big question.. I know you're asking. Who won? WE DID OF COURSE! Minnesota Vikings take the win on Christmas Eve :) Wahoo!!! Woot, Woot! The experience was amazing. I have to admit, I expected the stadium to look like 1,000yrds, but really, 100 is 100. Of course it was awesome being in the stands, but just like TV always portrays, it looks way bigger on TV than in person. Regardless, we had a helluva time!

At the beginning of the 4th Quarter, we decided it was best to head home to avoid traffic, etc. Not once, did we touch traffic, I couldn't believe it. I picked up our kiddo's from Grammy's and we all headed to Pop's for their party. Briefly ate, opened gifts and hurried out the door to head to Prince George. Cranky kids in tow, we visited more family, opened more gifts and finally called it a night. By the time AK and I were home, settled in the door, got both kids bathed, dressed and in bed it was 11p. Yes, ELEVEN PM!!!!!! Rediculous. I still had Christmas wrapping to do. A house that had not been tended to for 4days because of all our running around. And we had to play Santa. We seriously spent 2-3hrs cleaning, vacuuming, wrapping presents.. then strategically setting them up just perfect. Because like my mother always says, "Presentation is everything." Irritiates the hell out of AK, but those presents looked just beautiful :)

After the gifts were setup. We had to assemble a "Princess Castle". Fortunately for us, it was very easy to put together and took maybe 20m tops. Once last glance over our house. A bite out of the cookie and finished Santa's glass of milk. 3:45am. We laid down facing the ceiling, closed our eyes for a split moment and before we knew it.. Kids were up.

Christmas Morning!

Mady woke at 6:15a, we told her it was still nighttime to go back to sleep, lol. I just wasn't ready! I called mom right after and she was already up and said she would head over. Finally again at 7am, Mady yelled that she was awake, mom was walking in the door, I was dressed and wearing make-up and we were allowed to begin the day!

When she came down the stairs, I don't believe she remembered that Santa was indeed coming that night. That or, this is the first year she is really into Santa, and she may not have fully understood what it meant for him to visit.

The first thing to catch her eye of course was her huge princess castle. She absolutely loved it and wanted to play immediately. Seeing those smiles and hearing her laughter made my morning, I sat back with my feet up, sipped my coffee and just watched my family, my world in front of me. I listened to her squeal with excitment and remembered everything I have and everything in my life I am thankful for. How fufilling, how spoiled am I to have such a beautiful life? Damn, im lucky.

The beloved Princess Cinderella doll.

After most gifts were opened, AKs family came by to see everything that Santa and brug Madelynne. By that time Annabelle was finally awake (she slept completely thru Christmas!) We showed Grandma her new toys and then Mady helped AK and papa put the stickers on her new toy Princess Castle (yes, another, different castle. I think Santa over did himself!)

The rest of our Christmas day was spent running around like crazy people. I am, I swear, I promise, I will NOT be doing this running around every year. I say it every holiday, but honestly, I have to put an end to it somehow.. starting next year.

After we left our house we went to visit Papa, he didn't look well :( He hasn't been out doing much since Nama passed away and could just tell that he was down, as can be expected. He had called me a couple days before:

Papa: Hey Ashley-roo, How's sputnik doing? and Annabelle and that little boy, Leroy-Come-Runnin'? (I love his analogies, he cracks me up.)

Me: We're great papa, very busy, but how are you?

Papa: Alright, hanging in there. Ashley, I need to ask ya something, and I want you to be honest. I went out to the store the other day and bought me a new shirt. Now, can I wear brown slacks, and yellow shirt and a brown neck tie? I don't want to be out of fashion, and your nama always made sure I looked alright. Do you think that goes together?

Me: Yes papa, absolutely it does. But why aren't you wearing your same old, too short, Christmas tie?

We both chuckled, talked for a moment and hung up. He sounded busy which was nice to hear and of course cracked me up worried about being fashionably correct. He also said he would be giving only "Monetary gifts with cards this year, as he wasn't a big shopper and just wasn't going to fight the crowds." :) Love him

After Papa's, we came home to let the girls nap. Looked around the house:

..and decided we too, were going to take a nap. That is SO very not like us, especially knowing we have other places to be, but we were exhausted. The entire house was silent for a couple hours, then we got up, headed to Prince George for another Christmas Party before coming home with a slammed full of too much crap to unload and call it a day.

We spent the next day with the Midkiff's, running around a bit. Cleaning some then getting ready for the week. AK was off, but I had to work. I went back to work on Tuesday and after coming home, cleaning the house perfectly, I got to head to the airport to FINALLY pick up Aidyn and Roman :)

I got there right on time for their 10:10p flight. At 10:08, I stopped at the board to check the status of their flight: Flight 1316 from Dallas Ft. Worth. Delayed until 10:50.

After what felt like an eternity, around the corner I spotted a red-cheeked, running and yelling Aidyn and an utterly exhausted Roman peer around the corner. Aidyn was wild. Im sorry, wild! We got their bags, loaded the car and headed home. I dropped Roman off and when we got home, I let Aidyn open a ver special gift. Santa had forgotten that he was going on vacation, and left Aidyn's present at our house. He opened the present and inside, was ... A Yellow - Transformer - Car - Robot - Bumblee!!! WahoO!! He was a VERY excited and happy little boy. With entirely too much energy, I guided him upstairs where he woke Mady to say Merry Christmas and announce that he was home. He finally fell asleep with his new toy tucked under the blanket with him and slept.... and slept.... seriously until like noon the next day :)

Overall we had a beautiful Christmas. I can't finish our holiday without mentionion only again how amazingly blessed and lucky we are. We have a beautiful happy, healthy family. A gorgeous home and roof over our heads. Warm food and a tree FULL of presents :) Next year? It will be 3/4 less chaotic, that I vow to myself. But it's always worth every memory for the kids and us. Until next year!