Monkeys In My Minivan

5/3/12

Pictures

SweetPea ... so much can change in a year! I am eternally grateful for our miracle baby.

She's such a miracle ... a mischievous miracle!

We've been spending a lot of time in the mountains. We're so spoiled, living just a few minutes away from places like this:

My kids are getting so big. I rarely get any pictures of SuperBoy anymore. I guess when you turn 10, your mom's camera and your sister's hugs are just sooooo annoying ;)

Can you see our Koda's puppy belly? They should be here in the next week or two <3

I adore my girls. They are BFFs, accomplices, trouble makers, and so darn cute!

4/27/12

Lots going on in our house! SweetPea turned ONE!!!! There's just a month left until summer vacation. Our Bernese Mountain dog, Dakota, is due with puppies in 2 weeks (and has her very own blog now, lol!) Plus, my youngest sister has been living with us, and I'm trying to spring clean. Busy!

4/20/12

A year of SweetPea

I can't believe my lil SweetPea is going to be ONE tomorrow. Its so bittersweet - I know that the next stage is so very fun, but I'm not done enjoying this stage. It's just blissful, I so adore her. I've enjoyed all my babies, but the other three were so close together (3 in 3 1/2 years!) that I was just in a sleep-deprived state of exhaustion the whole time. With SweetPea, the older 3 are in school all day, and I am able to just sit and rock SweetPea and snuggle my day away.

One year ago, my head hurt like crazy, an endless headache that I couldn't get rid of. I remember laying on the recliner, trying not to cry from the headache, because I knew crying would make my head hurt even worse. I do miss the kicks and punches in my belly, that special time when I had SweetPea all to myself for months. Feeling her move, her hiccups, and wondering what she would look like. But pregnancy was really rough. Bedrest for 11 weeks was very hard on me, but especially my family. My kids would worry about me, and fuss over me, instead of me being able to fuss over them. It wasn't easy. But we all agree that SweetPea was worth it.

I could have never imagined how perfect she would be, and how she fit into our family like she'd always been here. My other children all adore her to bits - it makes my heart swell when I see them feeding her or getting concerned over whether or not a toy is "baby-safe". And SweetPea adores them too - they can get her laughing uncontrollably, she wants to be just like them, be in the same room as them, playing with the same toys as them. It's darling.

Then there's the fact that SweetPea is a MAJOR mama's girl. Poor hubby! He tries so hard, and she does love him, and babbles all the time about her "da-da", but she's stingy with the kisses and snugs when it comes to anyone but mama. Luckily he doesn't mind too terribly, and I love that my baby seems to enjoy being my baby, snuggling with me, burying her head in my neck. ***swoon*** Those are the moments that I wish I could capture, and relive a few years ... or months ... down the road when I desperately miss it!

All the rambling ... to say, tomorrow my baby turns one. I am so sad that this year has flown by so quickly, but so happy and overwhelmed with gratitude that she came to us and God let her stay with us.

I love you dearly little SweetPea!

3/12/12

Sunday Road Trip

Yesterday, we dropped Koda off to a breeder's house (hopefully we'll have some puppies come May!) We loved being back up in the higher elevations, nestled up in a mountain valley. I am such a country girl at heart!

I think Koda loved it too!

The kids loved meeting Koda's "Husband", named "Bishop"

I think their puppies are going to be so gorgeous!

It's ridiculous how much we are missing our Koda. She's become such a basic part of our lives. So many things we do, so many of our routines, include her. Last night, I was getting ready to head up to bed, and started towards the front door to let Koda out for her nightly restroom break ... I was pitifully sad to remember that Koda wasn't here. This morning, I thought "Should I kennel Koda, or bring her with me to drop off the kids? Hmm, I'll bring ..." Then I realized Koda wan't home today!

Our big question right now is if we are going to keep a puppy from this litter ... I guess we'll see!

2/14/12

Little menace baby!

SweetPea is starting to leave the baby stage behind. She's 9 1/2 months, and oh my goodness, she is into everything! I'm glad we've done a bit of "baby-proofing", but with this little one, we are going to need to do some more!

2/10/12

Self portrait

I took some "self portraits" today, and one of them is way too pretty to be reality, but I still like it. It's what I want to look like always, who I want to see when I look into a mirror. The me who is pretty and smiling and looks great. The other is a self-portrait of who i really am ... A portrait of motherhood ... Tired, no makeup, snuggling a teething baby, wearing the extra pounds from pregnancy and stress. It's almost like the two pictures can't both be me.

The picture of me holding SweetPea really just represents me, I adore my job as a mother. It's hard and frustrating and exhausting, but it's also beautiful, sweet, and incredible in so many ways.

Sometimes I feel like I'm "just a mom", didn't finish college, don't have a career, my whole life revolves around my family. But honestly, I love being "just a mom". I am so blessed to be able to stay home and raise my babies. I get to be there when they get out of school. They might adore me, they might think I'm so uncool, but they will remember that I was always there for them.

And THAT is who I am ... Their mother.

2/9/12

Little baby, big playroom

One benefit of being the youngest is that your older sisters already have cool toys!

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2/8/12

bunnies & babies

Princess, reading to her bunny "Tootsie Roll"

Tootsie is a Holland Lop ...

... my kids don't share my obsession for Lionheads,

but I have to admit Holland Lops are darn cute!

Little Miss SweetPea

9 months old, and regularly squeezed by everyone!

She's such a sweet baby, and adores her big brother and sisters.

See what I mean about being squeezed?!

How can you resist those cheeks?

1/30/12

Don't you want to squeeze her?!

1/25/12

My Boy

I don't get many pictures of my boy. He's so grown up, age 10 and so serious. He rarely lets me take his picture. I snapped this one this evening while he was deep in thought over his MindCraft game. So grown up, but still my little boy.

1/18/12

snugs

Baby and bunny

1/17/12

Baby wrists

Chubby little wrist, sleepy little baby, LOVE!

1/16/12

Crafty Day

Today the kids were out of school for Martin Luther King Jr day. First on the agenda was a painting project. I also made a fabric bin out of an old diaper box. This afternoon we made peanut butter Nuttela cookies - so delicious!