First Week of February

Way back when, on February 5th, I wrote a blog entry with the intention of publishing it within a day or two.  Well that day or two turned into an entire month and now it seems a little silly and outdated.  Everything has changed yet nothing has changed.  Since February 5th I have weathered the stomach flu and a cold.  Harps has had a cold, we have gone on vacation, Marc started a new job (which means a new schedule for us - booyah!).  The days are long yet not long enough, and the time zips by.  I hate to say I am "so busy" because I know everyone is busy in their own right, but I am so consumed by my children that I struggle to get things done like blog posts and well, laundry is a struggle too ;)

Here is the post I had intended on posting.  )And for the record, I still feel like it is somewhat of a honeymoon phase...I think it will be a game changer once Decker is on the move.):

I sort of feel like I am living in a honeymoon phase. The girls are fairly easy ages (toddler melt downs now and then but generally well behaved) and Decker is still small enough that he can't move and wiggle around too much but not quite so tiny and fragile. I  know that this phase will not last forever, but I am trying to make the most of it while I can. Oddly, I find that I am less scared to go shopping with 3 kids than I was with 2. We can tackle just about any store and conquer any errand. There are times when it sounds exhausting to drag all of the kids in and out of the car (transitioning from one place to another is definitely the worst part) but we are capable, and we can do it, and I am thankful for our three perfect babies. It's so hard for me to comprehend that one day our home won't be filled with little people - it almost makes my stomach hurt just thinking about it. There are times when everyone is whining and the noise is almost unbearable but we are so glad we have the opportunity to raise, parent and love our littles. What is life if it's not filled to the brim with people that you love and that love you back?!

Things are good living in the honeymoon phase. When we do lunch outings and park trips I can relax a bit - the girls are old enough to behave correctly and Decker is young enough that he is not an issue,  it's pretty wonderful.

I love that we have our kids on a fairly regulated evening schedule with dinner around 5:30, everyone in bed by 6:30, and then I read the girls a book before tucking them in. I didn't expect to like it so much but I think having Sawyer & Harper share a room is awesome - it almost makes me sad that once we kick Decker out of our room (which I am not in a rush to do) he will be in a bedroom all by himself, seems so lonely. If I could choose I would probably want another boy next, but I know that if we did end up having another girl that would be perfectly perfect too.

People always ask how many kids we want. I think we can honestly say we really don't know. When I was pregnant with Decker I really started to think that he might be our last one - I hated being huge in the summer and my body constantly felt like it was breaking - as soon as they put Decler in my arms I knew that all of the aching and crying was totally worth it and that more babies would someday be coming our way. Have I ever talked about the magical moment when I held Decker for the first time? I can't explain it, but it was magic and I will cherish that memory and feeling forever. Somehow having our little guy completed me in some way - it's like the piece to the puzzle that I didn't even realize was missing was found.

I am so thankful for my family and especially thankful for my husband.  Pretty sure sharing it all with Marc makes it a bazillion times better and just that much more fun.

I go to sleep at night feeling blessed - not much more you can ask for.

On this particular day I got to call 911 because Harper locked her and her brother in the car and both sets of keys were in there with them.  Me an Decker were crying and Harper was smiling telling me she couldn't unlock it.  Luckily she figured it out before the fire department showed up to save us.

I wasn't feeling well this day so these girls had to fend for themselves.  Sawyer made the girls their lunch which was an appetizing plate of crumbled up Hawaiian bread and some cheese.  

I love it when they are loving each other...so much better than when they are deliberately driving one another crazy.

Quite possibly my favorite iPhone picture...ever.

Decker's room is pretty much all done...just need a shelf that is on backorder and a rug.  He occasionally naps in his room, but he still is a primary resident in the master bedroom.

The girls got a new night light and the switch happens to be between the nightstand and Harper's bed...Harper loves to turn the light on...and off...on...off...on...off....

I love it when we curl her hair.  It takes all of 5 seconds and it looks so cute.  

Harper has spent some time working on her breastfeeding skills.

I can't believe it has taken me so long.  The girls' room is almost all done.  Just today I put some pictures in the frames and we are waiting on some things for their walls.

I am so scared...I think these two are going to cause a lot of trouble together.

Ummmm, obsessed.  

I never realized how much I needed this guy in my life until he showed up.

Warm sunny days are our favorites.  Hands down.  I don't understand people that like the gloom.

Sawyer & Cinderella.  

I love peeking in and seeing all the kids together.  

We had a park play date with cousin Mazie.  I feel like Mazie and Sawyer used to play together more, but now it is Harps and Mazie.  It is fun watching them grow together.  

And again, this guy.

Sawyer is possibly the sweetest big sister.  The other day Decker was kind of upset and I told Sawyer to talk to him to make him happy.  Sawyer told Decker that his eyes were as beautiful as a prince and that we are going to keep him forever and ever.  I think she nailed it.  

The way he chews on his fingers I thought for sure he would have gotten a tooth by now...get it tiger.

The girls did some artwork for Marc.  Sawyer's painting are usually tidy and concise and Harper smears paint all over the place (including her body).  I think their masterpieces say a lot about their personalities :)

The evening before Marc's interview we decorated and the girls put together some bouquets (by bouquets I mean they drowned some hibiscus flowers in water and displayed them in in dessert dishes) and they each picked out a pair of Stance socks for Marc for good luck.  

We went out to dinner with some friends to the Pizza Port and Harper scored some sweet temporary tattoos.  She did not want the tattoo removed from her hand so we got to look at the cherry filth for a week...

I just thought this was funny...

Sawyer spent several days wearing a crown.  I couldn't really get a picture of it though...

Marc has been talking about wanting a Penny Board forever.  He finally caved and got the new Nickel board.  

Decker somehow grew big enough to hang out in an ExerSaucer.  Not sure how he is old enough already for such a toy but he loves it.

Hand in the mouth.  Again.

This guy loves his feet.  Loves

And I love him.

We did a little Valentine's Day crafting.

And I got a new phone...major quality difference in the photos.  

Beach Bums in January

  2013 has been filled with a lot of sunshine - I love that we always seem to get a January heat wave.  Some cold days, some rainy days, but mostly sun and warmth.  Over here, we thrive on sunshine...I don't know how to function if my kids can't get outside to play.  We took advantage of the great weather and made it to the beach 5 days in a row...not bad for a January.  We took a day trip to Santa Barbara, we spent a lot of time at the park, I spent a lot of time starring at Decker (yes, yes, I stare at and adore my other children too, but he is still the newbie over here I love waking up every day and realizing I get to keep him for good), and we weathered a yucky stomach bug.  The girls even survived their first trip to the dentist (no tears, no cavities!)  After we took Harper's bink away and moved the girls into a bedroom together we had a few long days of whining and behavioral issues and readjusting to do - luckily for the time being we seem to be over that hurdle.  We finally got the kids' bathroom and bedrooms painted and their rooms are just about done (although I am not ready to kick Decker out of our room yet), and  we have been enjoying our weekends.  Decker did sleep in his own bedroom one night for a few hours (I could hardly stand it) and he did alright.  One fab January memory is when Harper locked herself and Decker in the car and I couldn't get to them - I panicked and called Marc and he calmly told me to call 911...so I did.  Gratefully Harper figured out how to unlock the door before the fire department showed up and I had a major meltdown.  It is crazy to think that we have already entered into February but January was a good month packed with lots of sweet memories and it was the perfect way to start our year.

The girls did super great at the dentist.  Harper wanted me to hold her hand at first, but eventually she relaxed and I think she even kind of liked it.  

This was Decker's first time at the beach.  I think he liked it.  Hard to tell :)

The girls had so much fun running around in the water's edge with their friend Kate.  

Mornings typically consist of Disney, iPads, and chocolate milk.

We had a fun day in Newport with our friends Katina and Lauren.  We had breakfast at Ruby's on the pier and then played in the sand and at the park.

We love Lauren.

Orange County sledding...

Our day trip to Santa Barbara was great fun.  We made the decision to go sporadically and we had no plans - it was great.

Santa Barbara is gorgeous, but we managed to find a dirty alley way to hang out in and do a little dancing around.

We rented a Surrey bike...we were all first timers.  We laughed so hard.  Love those memories.

I could not be in a more awkward pose if I tried...

I am not sure who these kids belong to, but we cannot keep them out of the water.  It doesn't matter how dang freezing it is, they just have to play in it.

Red lipstick is very popular around our parts - the girls think they are instantly T. Swift when the put it on.  Looks like Harper needs a little practice with the application.

On Sunday we hit the beach twice.  Riviera in the morning and El Moro in the afternoon.  It was a perfect day.

This guy took his morning nap at the beach.

Cousin Mazie joined us for our afternoon beach session - the kids were so excited!

I love everything about him.

Sawyer started doing some crazy dance moves.  

Love this picture from Marc's iPhone...

This girls has hops, no?! 

Grandma and Grandpa came into town so we decided to hit the beach with them again.  Decker doesn't take a bottle or a pacifier but he occasionally sucks on his fingers or on his blanket.

Decks put his toes in the ocean for the first time - his initial reaction was to cry, and then he decided it really wasn't so bad.

Harper is really into the whole princess thing.

Harper: "Mom, I a princess.  Mom you not a princess you a mom.  Mom, you Shrek!"

Grandma came with us to one of our favorite parks.  We spend so much time at parks these days.

I usually sit on a park bench with Decker and watch the girls.  Grandma plays with the girls.  I bet the girls think Grandma is more fun ;)

Sawyer & Harper had a sleepover at the grandparents.  Sawyer woke up in the middle of the night throwing up.  My initial reaction was that I was sad I wasn't there to take care of her, but then, Marc and I decided it was kind of awesome we got out of the yucky barf clean up job.  The grandparents definitely earned a gold star for that!

The next night we had both girls sleep on our bedroom floor in sleeping bags so that we would hear them right away if anyone else got sick.  Decker got booted into his bedroom because the girls made noise and woke him up.  My little bitty baby sleeping in his big old crib for the first night...I pretty much disliked every second he wasn't in our room.  I am attached to the little guy.  As soon as Marc left for work in the morning I brought Decker into bed with me.

I don't know why I ever complain about anything...I am the luckiest mama with some of the greatest kids and these adorable smiles coming my way all day long.

Decker is four months old!

I told Sawyer that Decker had the best big sisters in town.

Sawyer's response?  "But Mommmm, we don't live in Town, we live in California!"

Oh duh, silly me :)

Only Harper...

Me and my best girls.  

We took a walk to the park.  

And Decks got to ride in his "big kid seat" for the stroller and not use his car seat.  He was feeling pretty rad so he gave me a little fist pump, a cute little smile, and then passed out for the next couple of hours.

Lucky lucky mama over here :)