Gifts

Today's gifts... - Waking up after a full night's sleep. As in I laid my head down at 10:30 p.m and didn't move it until 6:45 a.m. I haven't had a night's sleep like that in a long, long time! - Hearing Karis try to talk with her newly found baby babbles - Seeing Raegan's excitement when I told her she could go outside and play with her friends - Watching Raegan talk to my parents on the computer and seeing the joy that they bring her and she brings to them

So Blessed

On friday at my MOPS meeting our group leader Melynie shared a very touching video and personal message about thankfulness. The video was about that book that recently came out "A Thousand Gifts". The video and message was both very touching as well as very convicting. She basically shared about how in this world we get so caught up in negativity, complaining, discontentment. Our job as moms is hard. There is no other way to put it. But it is the most wonderful gift in the world despite how hard it is at times. I have to say the toddler years are a lot tougher than I thought they would be. I now appreciate my parents even more than ever because for as tough as Raegan is sometimes, the stories I hear about me as a toddler and even the things i remember doing don't even come close to how Raegan acts. Praise God that I had wonderful parents who were patient with me and worked hard at channeling my negative behaviors into positive traits (i.e. I know longer kick the walls when I get mad but I am very determined). But no matter how hard of a day I have with Raegan throwing fits or with Karis not sleeping well, or whatever it may be for the day, it only takes one smile or laugh or cuddle to fix it. I love being a mom. There was a time that I thought that might not ever happen. And now I am blessed to have 2 beautiful girls. So all of that to say that I want to be more positive in everything I do especially in being a mom. I think sometimes as a stay at home mom I drown in my "problems". I get tired and worn out and I lose my patience and I lose my perspective and discontentment sets in. But I want to strive to be better. A better mom, a better wife, a better sister, a better daughter, a better friend. And if I am drowning in my " troubles" I can't do that. So I think I am going to use this blog as a way to journal my thankfulness. I probably won't do it every day because that is probably not realistic but it will be my goal. I want to get on here at the end of each day and share a few of the many blessings or gifts from the day. I have been wanting to document more from my girls lives and I think this will be a great way to start that! So here are a few of todays gifts: - Getting to hear Karis laugh hysterically at Raegan while she was roaring at her like a dinosaur. It was probably the most I have heard Karis ever laugh at one time! - Watching Raegan's tears turn into excitedness when her daddy asked her if she wanted to go ride her bike outside ( Raegan was crying because she wanted to watch a show after her nap and I told her no but then daddy saved the day!) - Having Karis lay her head down on me and put her arms around my neck when she got tired and was ready to go up for her nap. She is such a cuddle bug lately! Love it! There is so much more to share but I will keep it at that for tonight.

Sleeping Like A Baby

Karis may finally be getting the hang of this sleep thing! She has been going down easier for the past couple of weeks and even taking good afternoon naps ( at the same time as Raegan too!). And last night for the very first time she slept all night long! Not a peep from her from 7 p.m to 7 a.m! I am hoping this is her new trend! She is getting her two bottom teeth in too so I am kind of surprised that she didn't wake up at all. Although I have to say last night I kept waking up kind of worried about her but also kind of hoping she would wake up because I missed her. I guess I'm never happy! My goal now is to start waking up before both kids so I can get some mommy quiet time before they wake up. I am so proud of my soundly sleeping baby girl!

St Patricks Day

Playing peekaboo on St Patty's Day ( she has a green cloth diaper on so she is wearing green!)

Laughing at a good joke, or something

Just being cute

Raegan enjoying her green popsicle

Today for St Patricks Day Raegan had a party at school. She was asked to wear green so when I was at a consignment sale last weekend one thing on my list was something green. And I found a zip up green sweatshirt ( the zipper pull was even a a turtle which is raegan's favorite animal!) - perfect! Raegan was super excited to wear her turtle shirt to school. And Karis and I headed to our friend Avah's second birthday party ( along with 5 other little girls birthday's too!). We enjoyed time with friends and then headed to pick Raegan up from school. Raegan was very excited to show me her St Patty's Day hat and told me that a Leprachan came into the room and climbed onto a desk and handed out gold coins ( chocolate ones)! I can see why Raegan loves school, they are always doing something fun and exciting for the kids. Both kids took naps while I prepared our green dinner- broccoli quiche. For dessert I made Raegan green pudding pops which she thoroughly enjoyed! We had a fun St Patricks Day!

Playground Fun!

Karis' first time on a swing!

"This is fun!"

"Push me higher!"

Fast slide!

Today the girls both took good naps but they went down for naps early so they both were up by 3. We were supposed to go to dinner at a friend's house at 5 but since they were up early ( and in good moods) we decided to take them to the playground since the weather was so nice today. Raegan was super excited when we told her where we were going. When we got there is was very crowded ( I guess everyone else had the same idea that we did). But there were some swings open and we decided to see how Karis liked swinging. And she loved it. I just pushed her real gently at first and she smiled but when I pushed her a little bit more she got really excited and started laughing and putting her arms up in the air. I guess she is a little daredevil like her big sister, not afraid of anything. After a few minutes of swinging Raegan wanted to move onto the sliding boards. She had a fun time showing Daddy around the playground since he is usually at work when we go. Karis enjoyed swinging so I let her do that most of the time we were there. I managed to get a few cute pictures of the girls despite it being so crowded at the park. I am definitely looking forward to it being warmer weather more consistently so we can go to the playground more. The challenge will be taking both girls by myself but we'll figure it out! Today we enjoyed the church, nice weather, time together as a family and then finished a great day off with dinner with friends!

7 Months!

Karis turned 7 months today! Seriously, where has the time gone? I guess time does fly when you are having fun and it has been so much fun having Karis around. She is such a happy baby. Nothing beats hearing a baby laugh! She still laughs the most at her baby sister but I know where her tickle spots are so I can still get her laughing pretty good too! She has recently taken an interest in playing peek a boo and she thinks it's rather hilarious when I hide under her highchair and then pop up ( Raegan loved that game too). Karis is sitting up by herself really well and is going to sleep on her own almost 100% of the time. We recently started putting Karis in the nursery at church and while she doesn't like being left ( i.e. she screams when she realizes I am putting her in someone else's arms) she calms down within a couple of minutes and is a happy baby when I come back to get her. She is starting to find her voice and I love to here her little baby screams and babbles as she learns how to talk. Raegan thinks Karis is pretty hilarious when she tries to talk too. She is still growing up fast ( she already wears 12 month clothes and is pushing 18 months sizes in some items). Happy 7 months sweet Karis!

Bath Time x 2

Karis trying to give herself a shower

Big girl in her new bath seat!

Munching on some nice clean toes after her bath

First bath together!

Raegan has been asking to be able to take a bath with Karis for quite a while now. And this week we decided it was time for Karis to move up to a bathseat in the tub from her baby bath tub. We let her try her first bath like that solo but since she did fine and seemed to enjoy her new bathing arrangement we told Raegan that she could take a bath with Karis the next night. So last night Raegan and Karis took their first bath together. It definitely made the job easier on mommy and daddy since we only had to give one bath at the same time. And both girls seemed to enjoy it too. Karis loves watching anything her big sister does and Raegan seemed to enjoy having Karis' attention in the tub. We look forward to them being able to do more and more with each other as Karis gets bigger ( but at the same time I can't believe Karis is already old enough to be out of her baby bath tub!).