Perspective

We're in Illinois looking for a place to live. 

Lucy and Cole are staying with Oma and Opa while we're gone.

 I miss them. like. crazy.

I've made lots of comments about not wanting more kids. I've felt so overwhelmed with three, how could I possibly have anymore?

I read an article today while looking for classifieds. It was all about he and his wife 'forgetting' to have kids because they were doing all these 'fun' things. The last sentence of his article was 'forget to have kids'. 

That was his solution to the difficulties of parenting.

As I read his list of 'fun' things they sounded so empty, so lacking of real JOY. They were things I would've loved to do while I was in high school, probably even the first couple of years of college. Yes they might be fun, but what real value do they hold? To they bring you joy for the rest of your life? Do they fill your heart and make you truly happy? 

I'd venture to say they do not. And there is no way they could. Very few things, I should say NOTHING can bring joy into your life like having children does. Yes, children can be difficult. Yes, parenting is hard, especially if you care about how your kids turn out. Yes, you have to be selfless and make sacrifices. 

BUT.

The good far, far, far outweighs what could seem like 'bad'. It is not bad.

 It is stretching. 

Learning. Growing. 

Family is what this life is all about. Life is so empty without. It makes me so sad to see what this world is coming to. How selfish we have become with our time and with ourselves that we are giving up children. That we are giving up the opportunity to grow. And to feel love in ways we could never have felt otherwise. 

I am so grateful for finding that article. For making it realize that these children of mine. While difficult at times. Have brought me more happiness than I ever could have thought possible. 

I love them.

I am so happy to have them in my life.

And I cannot WAIT to see them again Sunday night.

Sadie's Laugh

Sadie laughed for the first time on her three month birthday. Ah, it is the cutest thing ever!

 Enjoy!

The Things They Do

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Lucy loves to take pictures whenever I've got the camera out.

 Cole sits in Sadie's bouncer all the time...this picture is from the first time he got in it. He got stuck. I heard him calling me from the bathroom and I found him like this :) Made me laugh...he didn't think it was so funny.

 After I got the picture of Cole Lucy wanted me to take a picture of her sleeping in her 'boat' (a.k.a. Sadie's tub)

 The kids pretending to be horses. I had to tie their riders to them because they kept falling off.

 Sammy the turtle. Eating snacks just like the rest of us....

 THe kids were sick a little while ago (sadly we are sick again). While they were sick they couldn't give the babies kisses. So these pictures are from the first time they could hold her and give her kisses again :) I think Lucy held Sadie for ten whole minutes and Cole kissed her the entire time!

Silly kids

Anytime I lay Sadie down after she has been held for a while she will stretch like this :) I love it!
Sadie is also rolling over. She rolls over almost every time I put her on her tummy. She scoots herself while she's on her tummy by pulling her in knees and pushing out...At this rate I think she'll be crawling in a month!! I you hold her hands she can stand pretty much by herself. She can also sit up, with assistance and loves to be sitting. I think she feels big when she's sitting up.
Last night I had a dream she was already walking around! hahah, I haven't had a baby be this active or 'mobile' so early. 

General Conference Weekend

This weekend was wonderful. I always enjoy listening to General Conference. 

The messages are so uplifting, and help me to be better and to try harder to do what is right. 

Even if you are not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints you can still be inspired and uplifted by listening to the messages that were shared this weekend. They are messages of hope, and faith, that give insightful and helpful principles which will lead you to find true joy and happiness in your life. They teach how to have better marriages, happier families and homes. Encourage good, healthy relationships within your family and with your children. 

I am so grateful for inspired leaders who are lead by the spirit to bring us these messages every six months. I believe these men are called of God to lead and guide us. I know what they speak is true and right. 

Below I have left direct links to my favorite talks that were shared, ones that really touched my heart and spoke to me at this time. I know as I go through and read and watch them again I will gain further insight, but for now these are my favorites. I hope you will read and be filled as I have been.

Elder L. Tom Perry

Elder Jeffery R. Holland

Sister Elaine S. Dalton

Elder David A. Bednar 

Cole turned TWO!

This is what he looked like a year ago....

SUCH a CUTIE! 

And now...

What a difference a year makes! This kid is adorable, I love him to pieces. I used to think having a baby would help me not baby him anymore. Nope, not true. He gives me his sad face and my heart melts. It is so hard to discipline, or put this kid in time out.

This was his cake! A lion, in case you couldn't tell. The frosting is whipped cream and his mane melted a little. One of Cole's first words was lie-lie. Interpretation: Lion. For a few months everything was the first sound of the word repeated twice. 

So.....

 Lou-lou = lucy

mama = easy, me!

dada = devin

rye-rye = his uncle Ryan (we often wonder if he thought ryan's name was lie-lie because he would use them interchangeably)

We've been telling Cole his birthday was coming soon. He didn't get it. We went to buy his presents and he was oblivious to the fact that they were for him. Two days before his birthday he found his presents behind my rocking chair (unwrapped, my fault!) and wanted to play with/read them. I told him he had to wait until his birthday. His response, "NO! No birthday" with his frowny pouting face. I just laughed.

While we were making his cake I kept telling him it was his birthday cake. He still didn't get it.

In the picture above we are lighting the candle, I don't think he gets it even still! It finally clicked when we started singing to HIM! Haha, then he realized it was all for him :)

He lost his shirt because he got so much frosting on it, it was soaked.

Along with his love of Lions Cole is also facinated (okay, obsessed) with dinosaurs. Particularly 'Sharp tooth!" 

(for those of you who do not know Land Before Time, sharp tooth is a T-REX).

Opa (Devin's dad) pointed out a while ago that Cole can't say very many words clearly but he can say 'sharp tooth' no problem :) Just to give you an idea of how much he likes that movie and it's characters.

So we got him the book '1000 facts on Dinosaurs' We have the Mammals one and he LOVEs it! Reads it all the time. I've learned quite a bit about mammals over the last couple of years. 

We also got him a Lego set (technically MegaBlocks, same thing in my book). He loves building with our blocks but gets frustrated that they fall over all the time. So I figured it was time to get him started on legos. What kid doesn't like legos?

We've been exploring and playing with them, teaching him how they stick together and all that fun stuff. He likes it and I think he will continue to like them as we play with them more.

  He is my Cole buddy forever :)

Now on to hone my dinosaur facts!