Spray Park...

This week, I was able to take Kylie and her friend Makenzie to the spray park in Allen, while Stephanie stayed home and played with Beck and Ashlyn. I was so excited to have a big girl trip, I might have been more pumped than the kiddos. Listening to two four year olds conversations are HILARIOUS! I loved all the entertainment and watching both girls run around the playground and spray area. Makenzie was glad to pose for any shots, whereas my lil' one was running away any time I tried to pull out the camera. When I did happen to get a shot, Kylie of course tended to give me her cheesiest smile.

It has been amazing to watch them grow up together. I remember when they started hanging out (or rather Stephanie and I started hanging out) and they would be in the same room, but not even aknowledge one another, choosing different toys to play with, etc. They both have VERY different personalities. Makenzie is much more coordinated, active, daring, curious. Kylie is passionate, patient, calm, observant. But....over the years I think they have both given the other one a little bit of themselves, and they have become quite the playmates! I love these two girlies to death!!!!

Rambling thoughts...

When Beck was born, I started this blog as a way to express, to sometimes vent and sometimes brag. But somewhere in there it has become more of a day-to-day track of our busy life. Maybe that is because we are doing SO much, maybe because I'm almost positive I was a professional writer in a previous life, but every time I sit down to post, all I hear is duuuuhhhhh.....

So today, I'm going to write, and try to refrain (it isn't easy) from posting any pictures...ok, maybe I'll just post a couple...let's be realistic here.

Today, another school year comes to a close. Usually, I would be celebrating the freedom from some of the students that caused me hell all year, and lamenting in the fact that I'll miss my favorites when next years batch rolls through. Instead, Its 2 in the afternoon, and I just spent the last half hour rocking Beck to sleep, not because he needed it, or even because I did. I did it simply because I can.

There is something to be said for being centered. When everything in your life is lining up perfectly and you are deliriously happy, not for any particular reason, but just because. Just because you have a wonderful husband, two beautiful children, family and friends whom you adore, and simply, just because you love your life. That is where I am currently. Who knows the cause (I would put much of it towards the fact that I believe my hormones are finally getting back to normal after weening the lil' man) but I am very thankful for all I have, and I am wanting for nothing (well, maybe nothing more than holding on to this feeling forever).

Kylie went to school only two days this week. I'm not going to lie, I was worried about having them both home. Worried about her getting bored, me trying to handle both of them, etc. It was such an exhausting, yet WONDERFUL week! I got to watch both my babies do nothing but laugh (sometimes, at me, sometimes at each other) for two days straight. I am so thankful I made the decision to stay home. It truly has been one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Currently, there is laundry to be folded, and a house to be cleaned, but hey, I got it. know why? because in about an hour, when Beck wakes from his nap, I get to go in there and be the first person he sees. I get to steal the first post-nap smile. I get to cuddle with him for almost a full five minutes until he gets acclimated and realizes I am stealing precious playtime from him.

I am never going to get these moments back, and I am so glad that I realize that enough to soak up each and every one of them while I can.

Jason turned 29 yesterday. 29! And I'm right behind him! At our age, you can't even pretend you are young anymore. People are starting to ask about our 10 yr. reunion, and I just want someone to tell me where the time has gone! We sometimes look back at pictures from the day we took Ky home from the hospital. How we looked like kids, so green, so innocent. And now, well, the word veteran comes to mind. Now, its assumed we're old enough to have multiple kids. Now...I no longer wear bikinis to the pool....

I've been on a big quote kick lately, and this one (an old favorite that is making its way back into my life) has been very relevant. "Nothing is worth more than this day." Well said Goethe, well said.

Memorial Day Weekend...

Memaw and Papap made their way into town this weekend to see the kiddos! And although the weather was pretty roastin', I think they still had a great time hanging out with Beck and Ky. We went to the farmers' market in downtown McKinney, spent lots of time in the pool, and took Ky to get new earrings and a new BIG girl bike. She's been riding her 12", which she's really too big for, so we decided to graduate her to the 16" this weekend. She had so much fun riding it with mom, and she really enjoyed her new light up helmet and bike ringer. Monday we met up with Aaron and Stephanie and their girls at the pool, and then followed it up with a wonderful dinner where the girls got to play play dough, dress up, and even spent some time in tap shoes.

Beck had his eye procedure done last week and it really didn't go nearly as well as anyone hoped. The doctor said Beck's anatomy makes it hard to open up his tear duct by probing. And he will most likely need to have actual surgery (which may include drilling a tiny hole in one of the bones on the side of his nose). He will go back in later this week to check and see if the procedure worked (slim chance), but if not, Jason will handle this next surgery part on his own (the simple probing was enough to make me cry all the way home). Truly, I don't know how parents of seriously sick/injured children do it! Anyways, he's in the middle of cutting his fourth tooth (this one seems to be a tough one, giving him all sorts of problems) and is starting to attempt to actually crawl. I don't think it will be long till he is mobile. Kylie's out of school for the summer, and will only be going to whistle stop two days a week! I think the summer will be full of fun times!

Beck trying to master self-feeding

alright....who took my last yogurt bite???

7 month check up...

Beck went in for his 7 month check up last Friday. He lost another pound, which I think is crazy. The doctor isn't worried at all, seeing as he's eating the right amount. He thinks Beck is just super active, which I totally agree with. The wiggle worm won't sit still and is always moving, always trying to find something to tug at or pull on. So, at 17.5 lbs. he has dropped from what was once the 95% to the 25%. Kylie never lost weight, but then again, she was a chunk until she turned two. Beck seems to have so much more of me in him, and seeing as my mom says I was always a skinny baby, I'm thinking this is just my genes doings. Anyways, its nice because I haven't had to buy him any new clothes, not so nice b/c even though he's two months older, all his pics are him in the same clothes he had before. (His scrap book looks like he only owns 5 shirts). Oh well, now that we're buying formula again (not cheap) I think I'll ride this train as long as I can...His height was 28.5 inches (75-90%) and of course his head was over the 95%, It's true, he does has Jason's big noggin. He's getting so fidgety these days, not wanting anything to do with his jumper or exersaucer. I keep telling him that he needs to figure out this crawling thing because I'm getting a little tired of lugging his butt around everywhere, but every time he gets his knees under him, he can't seem to figure out the arms part, and he just falls over. He's doing great eating from a bottle, but is totally over eating the baby food that I make him (I guess he realizes the neat combos Gerber makes are much more yummy than mine). His hair can't decide if it wants to be curly or not. I tried to take a pic, but I'm not sure you can see, if you look closely, his hair is super straight except for this weird curl on top, which forms a sort of Mohawk. If I flatten it down right after the bath, it usually stays down, if not, its pretty funny looking.

Kylie moved up to PreK B at school yesterday. She was very excited about it! Most of her class moved up, so she got new teachers, a new classroom, and most exciting, gets to play on the BIG playground at school now! (how fun!) She was so excited to go on Monday that she was up and in my room before 6 am, and the first thing out of her mouth was 'PreK B Today'! I was like, honey, GO TO BED!!!!! I can't be mad, I'm just glad she's excited. She's grown so much. The old Kylie would have been scared out of her mind at the thought of having to do something new. She has her last soccer class next week, and told me that she doesn't want me to sign her up for it again (Jason and I already knew she probably won't be the athlete in the family), but she has shown an interest in maybe trying gymnastics, so we'll see.

We took our first trip to the pool this past weekend, and the water was FREEZING still. Ky jumped right in, became an ice cube, and wanted to go home only 20 minutes in. Beck actually did surprisingly well, splashing in the water and hanging with dad. (This gives me hope for the summer).

Only a couple more weeks and then she's out of school for summer and will only be going twice a week. I'm really nervous about how this will go...me home with both of them. I really hope she doesn't get bored, or start watching t.v. again (something she hasn't been interested in at all the last three months or so). Jason's friend Gary is coming in town to see the kids this weekend, and then his parents are here the next weekend. Going to be busy! But I know a fun time is guaranteed! Here are a couple pics of the fam over the last week or so.

Whistle Stop Station Open House...

Tonight Kylie's school had their annual open house/graduation, complete with ponies, balloon clowns, bounce houses, and more. The whole fam made it out to help ky celebrate moving from pre-k A to pre-k B, a move that will happen next week. She spent most of the time bouncing and hanging out with her friend Paris. She couldn't care less about the petting zoo or the pony rides (she said they stink, I laughed, she's so my kid). I can't begin to explain how much I LOVE Kylie's school. Who knows where she would be if it wasn't for all the hard work all the teachers put in there! Her year book was a magazine theme (too cute) and there's a pic of ky proudly showing all the things she learned this year in her class. Here are a couple shots of the two kiddos from the event.

Mother's Day Weekend...

Where to begin! What an amazing weekend our family had! Jason made french toast from scratch saturday morning, I got to go shopping and I found two new, more 'age appropriate' swimsuits (yes, i believe the bikinis have finally been retired for this girl!), and we spent Saturday evening eating steaks and playing at Hayley and Michael's house. Here are a couple of pics of the kiddos hanging out in the backyard. Kylie and Gabe had a blast running around together. Sunday morning we went to church and then my family came over to the house for lunch to celebrate mother's day. Jason took care of peyton and kylie outside while my parents and sister and I just hung out, caught up, and took a trip down memory lane (telling them some of the things we got away with as children that they never knew about at the time) which as you can imagine, was pretty funny!

This week I'm celebrating (albeit in pain) Beck last nursed Thursday evening, and I have been slowly reducing my milk supply since then. Yesterday afternoon was the last time I pumped, so currently I am in that OUCH stage and trying to do anything not to think about it. So (fingers crossed) All weening will be officially over in the next 2-3 days and although I'm excited to return the pump back to my friend Stephanie (Who graciously let me borrow it), I remember how much I hate cleaning bottles. But hey, guess you can't get it all. Beck was a stubborn little boy, taking almost 5 full days of crying and barely eating before surrendering and being alright with the idea that mom was done. I nursed him at night for a couple nights and then just realized that after the initial shock, it didn't seem to be too traumatic for him , and I didn't want him getting use to nursing at night, so I cut that one out as well before he could really know what happened. and other than being in major pain currently, I'm satisfied where I'm at. I'm glad I tried the nursing thing, even more glad that it worked out. And although I'm an emotional wreck right now (darn hormones) I believe now was the right time to ween him.

He turns 7 months at the end of this week, I truly can't believe how fast he is growing up. We took apart and stored away the bassinet that Papap made him and he slept him up until 4 months in our bedroom. It was nice to get a little space back, but as I was wrapping up all the parts, I couldn't help but think...it will be a long time before this gets used again (freaking hormones...)

I have started working out again, nothing too serious, but it is nice to find an outlet to let off a little steam now and then. Jason and I are going to do P90X, and after doing just one video, I can say I'm scared...it was tough!!! Makes me realize that I'm not the athlete I use to be, which shouldn't be surprising given the fact that our 10 yr. high school reunion is just around the corner...