How long do you have to do something before it becomes tradition? I say twice.
Well, we’ve done this every year for the past 5 years now and it’s one of my very favorite traditions. The annual Mother’s Day Photo. They bring me breakfast in bed & then I eat it & then we take a photo. This year James blessed me with a little extra time to kick back and do a crossword puzzle. ♥ He sure does know how to make a girl happy. A big breakfast burrito in bed and a crossword puzzle.
Happy Mother’s Day.
While I was pregnant with Chloe I decided not to decorate a room for her. Since she’s my 5th I had thoughts like these: “why spend money to decorate a baby room again? I’m just going to change it in a few years anyway. She can just share a room with Kennedy & it’s already pretty girly so I don’t really need to do anything else to it.”
Fast Forward to March 2010 (3 months after she’s born). I started to get the decorating bug again. It’s been gone for quite a while now. I remember when we first moved in here and Cade & Canyon were born it seemed almost an obsession of mine. I remember sketching ideas for rooms and stockpiling Pottery Barn catalogs. I guess photography and blogging have taken over. But recently I decided I was ready to change something. Kennedy has been sleeping in the boys’ room ever since we put up the bunk beds. Keagan sleeps in there now, too. So Chloe has her own bedroom. I knew the color I wanted and I knew I wanted to do something a little eclectic…. it seems like everything just fell into my lap. Here is the first sneak peek. Her bumper isn’t ready yet, but here’s what it looks like so far. Soon there will be photos and decorations on the wall- I can’t wait!!
STOP already.. I can not handle all this girl cuteness… my ovaries are aching for another. Teal and Polk A Dots… I want to decorate my room this way….
We’ve been away for a little while. Maybe you’ve noticed? The 4 of you who read my blog:) We took a little vacation to Newport Beach – one of my very favorite vacation spots. I told James I’d like to go again (just the 2 of us) for our anniversary. It’s our 10 year anniversary this year & we’ve been trying to decide where to go. Not too far since we still have a little one. Anyway- this post will be in 2 segments. It was such a nice time away, but I LOVE coming home. I love our home. It makes me happy- I miss it when we’re gone. It always smells new again when we’ve been away for a while. I like that. Please don’t think I’m in love with material possessions and the things of this world- I’m just SO THANKFUL that God has given us such a nice place to take care of. I want to do my best to take care of it and make it cozy and inviting. Do you want to come over & have coffee with me? Okay. You’re invited!
I may be a little loopy… that’s why I’m all over the place with my writing. Chloe did an awesome job sleeping!! She fell asleep each night around 9pm and slept until 7am. I’ll take it! Now let’s see how she does at home. Okay- enough jabbering & on with the photos.
This is the view from our balcony. I know it’s not the best photo & it doesn’t do it justice at all, but it’s the first photo I took as soon as we arrived.
The Gardners joined us for a few days. The kids had so much fun- they play so perfectly together! They even taught us a new card game- Thanks for hanging out with us, guys! We ♥ you.
Got to take a few photos of this little love muffin. He is C.U.T.E. He’s almost doubled in weight since the last time I posted pictures of him (in the hospital)! ♥you Chasers Wasers (I’m pulling for it, Cari!)
That’s all for part 1. Maybe tomorrow I’ll be able to look through all my photos from the trip.
Yes, Chasers Wasers should totally be on the table. I say no veto!! Also, how do have such a nice smell when you come home? Our smell is always a little bathroom-like…go figure.
We had so much fun,I mean SO much Fun! I love, love the picture of Chase! I can’t wait to see the rest!
Okay I totally understand that new smell and love going away just to come home to that smell:) Glad you all had a great time! By the way your family might be growing soon as Braiden has asked me several times if he could go live with you. He did promise that he would come visit me…I am not sure what to think of this???!!!
Well… I AM super fun!! And James makes AWESOME Amazing Race clues for us so…. maybe that’s what Braiden was thinking about:)
I am commenting to let you know more than 4 people read your blog. I love browsing your photos and smiles and fun stuff….and sometimes I even read things too! Love ya!
You might not be where I am…but I needed a reality check today. Here are some thoughts straight out of my brain to your computer. Feel free to ignore this if you have no need for it. I just wanted to have it in print so I can remember where I’ve been.
One thing I was thinking about…. I really have been able to “let things go” as Carolyn Wallis encouraged me to do. Not by choice, but by necessity. I have to be okay with the fact that not everything in my house is in a basket with a label. Nobody really cares about that stuff but me anyway. I had a lot of time to think today & I realized that a big part of wanting things to be “perfect” in my home is pride (for me, I’m not saying that’s your issue). Do I care more about having a clean and organized home so others will think I’m supermom and I have it all together? OR do I care more about having a heart that pleases the Lord? A heart that smiles when my children are running around crazy, playing and enjoying this home God has so graciously let us use for a little while? Not a mean face that reprimands them for running around and being too loud and messing up what I just cleaned!
It’s okay if the deep cleaning doesn’t get done as often as I’d like. No one comes around and inspects my house! I am able to pick up the clutter and breathe a little and move on.
James just reminded me tonight that in a matter of a few short years our kids will all be old enough to help out with the cleaning (my older 3 already do). With 5 helpers I might not even have to clean- they can do it all! 🙂 It’s hard to see the big picture when our kids are so little, but it’s important to step back every now & then and get a little reality check. It won’t always be this hard.
I’m going to print this email out and keep it in my journal. Just to remind myself of what’s really important. It’s so easy to forget in the whirlwind of motherhood:)
I have to resist the urge to do EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW. There will be time later. Right now, I just want to invest in my kids. I really like them a lot and I want them to know that.
I had this blown up to a 20×30 canvas. I love it so much!!! That’s all for tonight. Time to sleep. Please pray for Chloe. She will not sleep between 7pm and 11pm (give or take). Any suggestions??? I’ll take any idea at this point. Thanks.
Really good thoughts Emily. Thanks for the reminder. Also, gas drops make the world a better place. The twins needed LOTS of it. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t more than the recommended dose though.
Been thinking a lot of the same thoughts lately. My house is far from clean. A Roomba sure helps though :). Time to drop evening nap? At this stage I would try to stimulate as much as possible at night to really wear the kid out. If they wanted to sleep I would sling them to me so they were not falling into a deep sleep. Night time walks helped as well. I’m sure you know all this though.
Hey girl…
Ugh…I’m so struggling with this right now and it was a bit of a relief to read your words and a good reminder for me. I’ve been busy with everything and am getting so stressed about the things that I need (or want) to do at home…which just aren’t getting done. I feel like each day is a failure when I don’t get it all done and if I can’t stay on top of keeping it clean all the time. Anyhow…thanks so much for posting your thoughts. 🙂
I love sharing “life” with you…especially when it comes to caring for our families, loving our hubby’s and managing our homes. I love to pray for you…! Thanks for being a constant source of encouragement to me. You’re a blessing, Emily!
I like James reminder. I look forward to that. I struggle with this, too. And it’s usually around 7:30pm when I turn into CRAZY MOM. The fact that I’m tired, the kids are tired and I just want them to magically get into bed, (no more brushing teeth, no more water drinks, no more songs or books…) and the fact that the family room looks like a pigsty! It makes me crazy. Although, I’ve been working on it because that’s not who I want to be. I don’t want to be crazy mom. Like you’ve said – the days are long, but the years are short. I want to cherish each moment with them because all too soon they won’t need my help and they won’t ask me to sing Jesus Loves Me 1000 times. Hang in there. I think you’re supermom. 🙂 As for your non-sleeper. Maybe she’s getting to stimulated before bed?? Go to sleep Chloe. Did she hear me?
WAIT. . . . You’re not supermom???
I feel so disillusioned!!!!
Try straight Vodka. It passes through to the breastmilk. If she doesn’t sleep, you will, and everyone will be happy. 🙂 Oh, wait. . . . you meant real ideas. . .
Structure her afternoon more carefully, and her evenings/nights will follow, even if that means waking after a certain number of hours in an afternoon nap (maybe you already do this?). She is likely ready for two naps a day, not three. Also, just because she is not sleeping doesn’t mean she doesn’t need some “quiet in her bed” time. It is okay for her lay in there and talk and babble, and entertain herself for half an hour each night as part of her routine. A very busy and noisy house is really stimulating for a baby, and some separate awake time is an okay thing, too.
If none of that works, send her to my house, she is CUUUUTE! :–))
by emily
Hallie - Wow, you wake up nicely!
Cari - Ya, my good morning picture would not be near as cute as yours. I had to be completely made up before I would allow photos.
emily - Well….maybe this year our traditional photo had to be taken after church because a few of the little ones were puking and James had to stay at home with them while I went to teach our Sunday School class… maybe.
jenny - If someone came at me with a camera before I was out of bed, it would NOT be a HAPPY mother’s day!