Can't keep a Little Boy Down

This is one of my favorite pictures of Liam. He is non stop from the time his little boy feet hit the ground in the mornings. He's always climbing, bouncing, playing and he rarely walks anywhere, he runs. He has always been our busy guy. But last week was the first time I had ever seen him slow down. He picked up a little cough the weekend before and by Monday you could tell he wasn't himself. He wasn't playing or running through the house. In fact he spent a lot of time on the couch watching his brothers play and looking somber. He even let me cuddle him for as long as I wanted to. Which for anyone with busy toddlers knows that's a rare thing indeed! We had never seen him so under the weather before.

Definitely not the norm...

.

So I took him in to see the doctor and found out he had a little upper respiratory
infection and it was affecting his ears. This was the first sick visit we have ever had since the twins were born and I have to say we have been so blessed when it comes to having healthy kids. God gets all the praise for that! So after getting a very disgruntled Liam to let the doctor listen to his heart and look at his ears, she prescribed some medicine to help with his ears. He wasn't keen on being a patient or taking his medicine, but he did it with moderate resistance. It took about a day and half for him to be back to his former self, but by the end of the week he was smiling and bouncing around the house like normal. There's nothing I enjoy more than hearing our boys play and run around through the house and I am so thankful Liam recouped quickly. God is so good!

A Beautiful Vue: Growing Boy

Wow! Look at this kid...where did our baby go? I took this picture after his last night of soccer camp. He had a blast and he's played hard, can you tell? I looked at this picture later on and thought to myself when did he get so tall and that I can see a glimpse of the boy face giving way to a man face. It's crazy to think how fast time has passed since he was born. I could go on and on but I wont! Tru you are one awesome kid who never ceases to amaze us and we are so grateful God blessed us with you. Man I love this growing boy!

Baby Gate Down!

Six months ago we had sweet little 12 month old twin boys. They were fairly mobile in that they crawled to get where they wanted to go. They were content to clamor up and down the hall way and once Liam got the hang of it he even speed crawled. I could put them in their play room with the baby gate up and they would play happily with out any sign of protesting. Now lets fast forward 6 months...we still have the sweetest little twin boys, but they are 18 months old now and not only are they mobile, they are very seldom still.

Levi and Liam are doing all the normal things 18 month old toddlers do. I think the only difference is they utilize each other. If one learns something new the other usually picks up on it. And ooh this has been the week for learning new skills. I was picking up toys in the family room when Levi reached up, gripped the door knob, and walla open door! And of course this was an invitation for Liam to try too. I walked up on him later fiddling with the same door. Earlier that day, I was putting the little boys down for a nap when we had our first crib escape. I put Liam down first and went after Levi, because as soon as he saw Liam go into his crib he bolted down the hallway to hide. I found him behind the couch, scooped him up, and started back down the hallway when I heard a thump and a cry. I ran back into their room and there was Liam on his bottom in the floor red faced with tears streaming down his cheeks. He had crawled out of his crib! Yes, OUT OF HIS CRIB! Picking him up I checked him for any signs that he might be hurt. Thankfully, he was fine just a little startled from the fall. I kept him up a little while longer just to be sure. We do have two cribs so I have since switched Liam into the other crib thinking it's taller and doesn't have a built in changing table to hoist himself up with. Levi hasn't shown any interest in climbing out and wasn't there to witness Liam actually escaping. So maybe we're in the clear for a while.

Not only do the little boys have each other to practice and learn from they also have Tru. Especially Levi, he will follow Tru around the house like a second shadow. It's so funny to me that they will just sit and watch him do something and I can see them thinking and their wheels turning. Almost like they're filing it away for when they get older. They have watched Tru hop over the baby gate in the past and just recently have been getting passed the gate. With a little teamwork a loose baby gate comes down easily. I've watched them squeeze out and I've seen them just plow it down all together.

It's amazing to think about how much has changed in six months and how different they'll be in another six. I can say one thing that we will be doing some baby proofing around the house and getting some stronger baby gates. It seems like only yesterday we brought them home. They were so tiny and slept very little those first 3 months. I guess we've traded sleepless nights for busy busy boys and I wouldn't have it any other way. ~I would love to hear any of your stories about your multiples or singletons and the changes that keep you amazed and/or on your toes.~

A Beautiful Vue--A day in the lives of Liam & Levi

After I laid the little boys down for bed tonight I walked down our hallway and into the living room only to be met by a mess of toys, a couple mismatched baby shoes, random kitchen items(they love to play with our kitchen stuff), and a few more odd and ends from the day. There was a trail of these things from the family room to the kitchen. I started to pick up thinking to myself I know I picked these things up earlier. Now our little boys didn't do all the mess, but they did do most of it and just like any little boys their age they are curious and full of energy. I told Jo while I was tossing toys in the toy box that other than their nap after lunch Liam and Levi hadn't stopped all day. So what do two 17 month old toddlers do all day. Well let me show you just a little bit...

they "help" put away groceries...

they drive buggy carts...

they try their very best to open anything they might be able to reach after rummaging through the kitchen cupboards(see the open cupboard on the right)

and most of the time they are in too much of a hurry to stop and take a picture(see very blurry photo). Now that's just a tiny bit of their busy day. I don't think five little pictures could really sum it all up. When I look at that last picture of Liam it reminds me that our time with our boys, while they're young, passes in a flash and how I should cherish every minute of it. Even on our craziest days when my energy is spent and I just push the toys and clutter aside, I can still find joy just in the simple fact that I got to spend my day with our kids. Our boys make life so much more interesting and fun. What an awesome privilege we have to get a front row seat in watching it all.

Enjoying my Boys!

So I'm up late tonight and fully enjoying the quiet house. Silence doesn't always get the credit it deserves...it's nice. Also, I enjoy my rowdy boys more after some quiet time. I was perusing on Pinterst this evening and came across this great article on why boys need their mothers. Here's the link, http://kelleyward.hubpages.com/hub/Parenting-Boys-What-Boys-Need-From-Moms so you can check it out. The title of the article is Parenting Boys: What Boys Need From Moms, by Kelly Ward.

So in her article she talks about 17 specific things that boys need from their moms. All of the points were good and very true, but the one that summed it all up for me was the last one about just enjoying your son's boyness. It made me stop and think I don't know if I always take time to enjoy their boyness.

When I think about boyness I think of the moment their feet hit the floor they are moving ninety to nothing. Liam will literally run up and down the hall as fast as his little legs will carry him. And of course the constant "If I can put my hands on it, I should climb it!" is a popular philosophy in our home. We are starting to see Liam and Levi, who are 16 months old now, develop their own individual style of play and personalities and it's ALL boy. One of my favorite parts of the day is just to sit in the playroom floor and watch all three of them play. I mean really in their own world. Sometimes alone or interacting with each other it's always good. They are balls of energy most days.

But enjoying their boyness is more than just rough housing and bustling energy. They have their "quiet" discovery time, too. As a mom I get the front row seat to watch when something has sparked their interest and they have to figure it out. Whether that requires them to stoop down low to follow a trail of ants or pull something apart just to see how it works. These moments of intrigue usually bring up lots of questions and generally come up while we are running errands. I find myself being asked questions like how fast a tornado goes and what do lady bugs eat and how come I can't hear what Tru is thinking(my new favorite). A lot of our school discussions are brought on by Tru's questions. One of the many pros of homeschooling, but that's another post.

Oh and the snuggling! I don't think this would be considered enjoying their boyness, but it is mentioned in the article. It is something I enjoy most and Tru is always willing to do if it will keep him from going to bed. I hug my boys. They need it just as much as girls. I love to get down on their level and just wrap my arms around them! Sometimes it's solicited and sometimes I have to catch them, but whether they want it or not, I have to cuddle them. I know someday they will be full grown men, with a life and families of their own and I want them to look back at their boyness with fond memories that will warm their big manly hearts.

There are days that as a mom, I need to refocus and chill. But just taking the time to think about all the wonderful blessings these sweet boys have brought into our lives renews my momma mind. I want to see them fulfilling their God given purpose as mighty men of God. I know that is our goal, for J & I, as their parents. And how awesome is it that God blessed us with 3 great little boys! Wow and to think all this started with a quiet house!

Our boys on the move. Levi...

Liam...

& Tru with Levi who has learned how to climb onto the kitchen chairs...this new talent has brought on some new challenges! Good times!

Memory Lane Monday

So last night we were enjoying a homecooked dinner, J cooked out and it was great, when Tru jumped up out of his chair. "My tooth is loose, my tooth is loose!" He was so excited. J looked at his little bottom front tooth and sure enough is was loose. Tru let me wiggle it,too. The little tooth was loose, but still hanging in there. J offered to help pull it out and Tru was on board 'till he saw the string attached to the pantry door and decided to try my way first..."So I just wiggle it for a day or two and should come out?" He asked over and over, that same question all last night and a couple times this morning.

Needless to say the little tooth is still there today. Tru's first loose tooth is a little bitter sweet to me though. The little boys, who are 8 months old now, just cut their first teeth a month ago. It seems like just last week it was Tru who was cutting his first tooth. I remember when I first discovered his first tooth. I worked fulltime at a bank those days and so I relished every moment I could with our sweet little Tru-baby. When we would get home from from work/daycare I loved just holding him. It was the middle of winter. Jody hadn't made it home yet so it was just me and Tru. We were sitting on the floor of our den in a house we were renting from a sweet older couple living next door. Truitt was only 4 months old...so tiny. I had him in my lap on the floor scooting some toys in front of him while dinner finished in the oven. He was knawing on my thumb when I felt something sharp. I put my finger in his mouth gently rubbing where a little tooth had pushed it's way through his gums. Things like that, for me, just stick with you. Wouldn't it be funny if that was the tooth he was loosing now.

When you become a parent it seems like everyone says "time is going to fly by" and "they grow up so fast". And the truth is everyone is RIGHT! Time does fly and they do grow up too fast...course it doesn't feel that way when you are dealing with sleepless nights and banchy screams(Liam), but none the less it's true. I know that little tooth is going to come out soon and I might shed a tear or two because I was there when is came out the first time. I am so grateful for my beautiful children and the memories I get to keep. Thank you Lord for all the times past and present and all the times to come!

Our Tru-baby...

Amber Vues

Amber Vues is pretty simple...me,Jo,the boys, and everything in between. Let's start with the boys. My five year old is quickly approaching six at the end of the summer. It's always been in my mind that he's still little being 5 and all, but with his sixth birthday coming up on us so quickly he doesn't feel so little anymore. We are homeschooling him for a number of reasons and I am really seeing some progress with it. It's not always easy, the homeschooling thing, but it's definitely worth it as well as rewarding! The twins will be 7 months old next week and they are amazing. I frequently look at them and think it must be a dream...two babies at once! Really? Two babies? Being a parent to twins is like parenting on steroids. It requires double the work, but the rewards are greater and doubled too!
My Jo is a great guy and my best friend. We don't claim to have a perfect marriage, but we are committed to always sticking with our marriage. When it comes to Jo he is hard working at home and at work. He is very easy going, laid back, and a people person. Jo loves being a daddy and he's good at it. I think we compliment each other and I couldn't ask for a better partner in life!
As for me, all of the above makes up my life these days. And on top of that I have a lot of interests that I'm always trying to find time for. I think that's the challenge in my life is balancing out the daily grind and still finding time for the things I enjoy. I think most women can relate to that. I think keeping it simple and staying optimistic will always keep my vue of things successful!