Love

The other day I needed to get out of the home with the kids.  They have been out of school for a week now and I allowed us a few days to just do nothing.  My personal timer went off and I knew it was time to get out.  So we ventured out to the big spacious warehouse store to pick up some essentials.  While we were perusing the isles we came upon a sample that was being offered.  Yummy mashed potatoes.  I thought for sure the girls would love it.  They all diod except for Lucy.  She had one bite and curled up her nose and said "I do not like these.  They taste nothing like yours and I love yours!"


Today is Eliza's  2nd birthday !  


I can't believe she is only 2.  No really.  She seems so much older to me and it seems so long ago that I had her.  We had a great day today.  

I was awoken this morning to the sound of Lucy singing happy birthday to Eliza. Eliza interjected her version of the song along with Lucy.  It melted my heart.  After we were done with getting ready for the day we left for a bike ride to the girls school and played on the play ground.  

Kady had fallen three times off of  her bike.  All I have to say is that I am very grateful for whoever invented the helmet.  Because without a helmet, Kady would most likely be brain damaged.  She even did a graceful tuck and roll over her handlebars onto the pavement.  I knew it was coming.  We were heading down a very small hill and she was doing great until the very end where her bike wheels got very wobbly, she raised her feet slightly and then brought her feet down just the wrong way to where they caught on the pavement such that it sent her flying.  I thought for sure she was going to have teeth missing or have some sort of broken bone. Miraculously she did not.  I was so thankful and immediately said a prayer of gratitude, knowing that the outcome could have been tragic if she had fallen a different way.  But like my father-in-law says, kids are pretty pliable.  

After the park we came back home where the older girls made birthday signs while I got lunch together.  After this, my memory is a bit fuzzy.  I just remember a lot of Eliza doing her high pitch scream, which translates into "Get out of my space. NOW!"  She mostly directs this to a certain sibling, who, for one reason or another get's in her space a lot.  I used the squirt bottle a lot today.  In fact I said something to the effect of "Look, I know it is your birthday, but you are still expected to use your words politely, please stop screaming!"  

We had family over for a BBQ and cupcakes.  It was a great time.  I over ate.  Why do I do that?  I mean, it is completely unnecessary.  I need to do better at this when it comes to BBQ's.  There is just something about the combinations of hamburgers, hotdogs, potato salad, and baked beans.  I need to exert  some will power.  Blasted BBQ's

Tonight at bed time we looked at pictures of Eliza from the day she was born. This particular one caught my eye.  For a couple of reasons.  This was taken moments after she came out.  It reminded me of this moment.  Literally my first thought was "Huh she looks a bit like Yoda.  I wonder if her ear will perk up so that she won't look like Yoda."
The other reason is, why do I keep photos of people looking clearly at my business while they are smiling.

Telling Eliza's birth story peeked interest for the older girls.  I got to the point in her birth story of when my doctor broke my water.  When I got up afterward to go to the restroom, I started pooping without any control.  I told Jared "I am pooping!  I am pooping and I can't make it stop!" 

They started asking questions at this point.  One asked, if I thought they would poop while they gave birth to their baby.  Another asked how big their birth canal was and how a baby can fit through there.  And then that spawned the question from another of how many holes we have.  So then another said "So we have three holes?  A pee hole, a birth canal hole and a poop hole?  Wow that's a lot of holes!" 

I must say it was a very interesting evening discussion.  I did tell them that there is nothing in this world that compares to holding that baby in your arms after you have worked so hard to get them here.  Pure joy!

This video was take a couple weeks ago.  Jared got into blowing raspberries on our sliding door with the girls.  He laughed so hard.  This one is of Eliza.

Eliza is such a fun person.  She is full of grit and determination.  She is very sturdily built.  She loves to do things that involve thrill.  She loves to leap onto the couch from the back.  She will pile drive you without any warning.  She LOVES her baby brother Daniel and slathers him with hugs and kisses.  She is very good and saying thank you to me.  It fills me with happiness when I hear her say "tank you momma!"  after I have done something for her.  

Her laugh is so contagious.  It is full of life and yumminess!  She loves water.  She loves to slides.  If she doesn't get her way she does this high pitched scream.  I don't like this so much and am working fearlessly to help her to use her words so we can get through this phase quickly.  She loves to stand at the table when she eats.  She will give anyone a good stare down.  She has learned not to smile at these times which makes the stare down that much funnier.  Simply put.  She is a joy!

I am so grateful to be her Mother!