Gabe Loses a Tooth

My middle little lost his very first tooth on Saturday.  I'm a bit conflicted by the whole thing, really. I mean, wasn't he just born??

First glasses and now this?! It's just too much.

Little sister was very curious.  Isaac was telling him to be brave, that it wouldn't hurt. 

Daddy wiggled and pulled and out it came. Poor little guy, I think it hurt more than he was expecting it to. 

After exclamations of "You lost your first tooth" and "You're such a big boy", his proud smile broke through. 

Isn't it great the way we get to watch all these moments unfold? I feel so blessed to be a mama. I don't want to forget any of it. 

Happy Valentine's Day out there!

XOXO,

Angie 

A Few Favorites

Watching her play the mornings away in her tee pee. I don't know everything that goes on in there but boy oh boy I can her her little imagination going to town. Cutest thing ever.

Gabe has a classroom website where he can log on and practice his reading and math. I love the way he looks with a big 'ol computer in front of that little boy frame.

 Daddy turned thirty-nine last week. Selah and I made lasagna and a chocolate peanut butter cake that was scrumptious! So glad the cake leftovers are finally gone...I have zero self control around baked goods...

The kids picked out chocolate peanut butter Oreo's, and a Phillie's T-shirt. We love our Daddy!

And that's just a few things we've been up to around here.

XOXO,
Angie

Donuts and Fish

It was Martin Luther King Day so naturally we took the kids out for donuts. They go hand in hand, right?  It was my first time at Bill's donuts...I think I'm the only person in Dayton that can say that. My chocolate eclair was delicious! Of course the kids chose sprinkles and daddy had a peanut butter bear claw.  So, so good.  Bill's hasn't seen the last of us!

 Chocolate makes me all cuddly.

 After donuts we went to the pet store to buy some fish. That's all Isaac wanted for his birthday. I should say this was our third trip to the store. His first two birthday fish lasted two and three days. He was heartbroken. Tears and everything. Daddy decided to go ahead and get a bigger tank. So far so good. The two little guys we brought home this day have lasted three and a half weeks. Looks like Rocky and Goldie might just stick around for awhile!

XOXO,

Angie

Hello Friday

A few afternoon photos

I like boys in striped socks and matching shirts. I like little sisters who play with fire engines. I like gray days that call for indoor activities. I like today. It's not without it's time outs and talks about happy attitudes, saying sorry and making up but it's a good day nonetheless.

Happy Friday!

XOXO,
Angie

Merry Christmas

We are doing a lot of this...

and some of this...

I've been enjoying my people, I hope you've been doing the same.

XOXO,
Angie

Loving Now

A list of things I'm loving right now...

The way Selah's hair looks in pigtails. Sometimes I stare at them and remember all those years ago when I was just a girl pretending to be a mommy and think, "Wow, she's mine. She's really, really mine." It's just like I always hoped it would be only better.

This week Isaac and I shared a rare moment of just us. Selah and Gabe fell asleep in the car on the way home from school so we sat side by side on the couch snuggling under blankets playing Sequence. I loved that time together. I hope it's something he will remember.

It's sort of disheartening the way time is racing by. My seven year old who used to sit on my lap in his yellow and blue nursery and listen intently as I read Goodnight Moon every night is now reading Anne Of Green Gables to me, big words and all. How did that happen so quickly?

Oh, this one I looooove. I volunteered as one of the mamas to go along and chaperone a field trip for  Gabe's class. We talked about it for a good two weeks beforehand. We were both really excited, couldn't wait. The day of the trip Joe dropped the boys off at school while I got ready, fed Selah and dropped her off with a friend. I pulled up behind the school bus and followed it to Aullwood Farm. I parked the car when we arrived and made my way over to the school bus waiting for little people and teachers to make their way out. When Gabe saw me he seemed a bit underwhelmed. As the day went on I held his hand as we walked along trails and listened to guides tell us about the great horned owl, wolf spiders and snapping turtles. At the end of the field trip, as kids began climbing those big steps up the bus, Gabe gave me a big hug and huge grin. As the bus pulled away he had the biggest smile on his face and kept blowing me kisses. So sweet. Later that night he told me he didn't think I was going to show up and that he cried on the bus ride there. He thought I was going to ride with him on the school bus and when that didn't happen he thought I wasn't going to be there! Talk about ripping my heart out. So glad I was there. I wouldn't want to miss those smiles and kisses for anything. I hope he knows just how much I adore him.

Those are just a few things I wanted to share, a few things I don't want to forget. What are you loving right now?

XOXO,
Angie

Catch Up

I'm sitting here listening to Sarah McLachlan's Christmas CD as I type. The kids are watching a little TV and  Daddy is at the office. Seemed like an appropriate time to get a quick blog post in. Waaaay too much has happened since May 30, the last time I came here, but there is so much I don't want to forget. Let's get to it.

My baby girl turned three. She had a wonderful pumpkin party at the pumpkin patch, same as last year. I purposely made it much simpler this year. The food was easy; peanut butter and jelly, bananas, grapes, and pumpkin donuts along with a cupcake cake in the shape of a pumpkin. I didn't freak out over what Selah would wear, her little pinstriped overalls were perfect even if they weren't new. I usually get so anxious hoping things go perfectly. I decided to let go of perfect and instead pay attention to her smile. Listening to exactly how she wanted to decorate her pumpkin allowing her chubby fingers to lead the way. I slowed down and watched her big three year old self race across the grassy field in a pillow case sack race. The night before, long after she'd fallen asleep, I scooped her up and rocked her and drank in every last bit of her two-ness. And last night she slept all night in big girl undies. She's just gettin' way too big.

*****

The boys and I have a new little routine. On Saturday nights, after Daddy has tucked them into bed and after I've put little sister down, Isaac, Gabe and I snuggle together in one of their beds and tell stories. A "Gurb" story. He's a little boy we've made up who has all kinds of adventures. We lay there and talk after the story is over and I get to hear all the things they want to share under the security of a dark room and the comfort of a mama's hand rubbing their back. It's my new favorite thing.

*****

So, my amazing husband decided to surprise me with a trip for our ten year anniversary. His sister drove in from New York to stay with our kids. This was the first time we've ever left them overnight! I woke up October 19th in chilly Ohio and fell asleep that night in warm Santa Monica, California. Crazy! I really thought we were driving to Chicago. Like really, really thought we were going to Chicago. It was a great trip, we spent one day in Santa Monica, one day in Beverly Hills and another day in Malibu. So much fun. I didn't see any celebrities so I pretended to be one ;) I think we need to make this an annual thing!

*****

Ok, enough catch up for now. I have a three year old who just had an accident. That's okay, it just means she's not as big as she thinks. I'm cool with that.

XOXO,
Angie