6 months

I love a baby photo shoot.

I especially love to photograph my babies.

Here is cutie #2. They grow so quickly.

This little piggy

having a girl...
Up til now, aside from the pink, there hasn't been much of a difference between having a girl baby and a boy baby. I have fallen in love with both of my children. We play, they cry, they eat, they sleep. I have to teach them everything from nothing. We play, and we laugh. They grow up and up and up. I suppose that the toys will be different. At some point there will be dolls instead of trucks, but for right now it is still chew toys... Yes I said chew toys not teething rings. Next it will be blocks, and learning games.




But what hit me was pig tails. How silly is that? It's so unfair. Boys get the lustrous eyelashes, and cute curls... Look back at photos of my son at 6 months, and you will see it full fold. Girls get 'em short. Don't get me wrong, she is a beautiful girl. But, she has my hair, no doubt about it. Thank you Cherokee heritage. Who knows what mix my son inherited. Anyway, the point is: PIGTAILS! I have a little girl! I won't be tempted to cut her hair by 9 months. I won't groan that she's cooed over and called beautiful. My son is a beautiful child, but so is this little gem. Her hair can finally make pig tails. What a cute little piggy.

Gratitude

I have a hard time asking for help.

I am a capable person, I can do things without help.

The trouble is that I can't do everything at once.

A man in our ward volunteered his services, and stole a young man from his parents to clean up my yard for selling.

He also helped me to understand that I need to ask for help from other people in the church.

I made a list of everything I need to get done, and he and my friend Tamara have been huge helps.

I am grateful for motivated people who reach out when they see a need.

I am grateful for people who do what they can.

I am humbled by the advice to not be so proud, and to divvy up responsibilities.

I'm Thankful for the swimming.

One of the things we still do is swimming. There is so much I have had to give up, like my sanity, since Tim left for Austin.

The YMCA was not one of them. I need my exercise for so many different reasons, but I also need the water. It is my meditation.

Mac has become quite the swimmer, and Aubrey is now used to the pool. She seems like she will be crawling soon, so she should start getting to be fun in the water.

We are working on swimming with and without the buoy. Jumping in and swimming. Turning toward the wall for help. Taking a breath. Diving for toys. Floating on their backs.

All in all, my kids will totally be ready for swim team the day they turn 5. I don't have the energy to work on futbol right now, but they will get that one too, very soon.

Horsey

Corre Caballo! Corre!

Why can't I do that?

Seriously.

I feel like I could.

A day around the house

There are chores to do, and playing to get done.


I am just honestly unable to do everything that needs to get done.


The house needs to be in better shape, but I have to watch my kids.


The kids need to be played with and taught, but I have to do chores around the house.


I need to pack, but I also have to keep the house in pristine and immaculate condition.




I have to do yardwork, but I also need to get the laundry done. I think I have started confusing my task list, and have started taking out the kids to wash them.



Next thing you know, I will be painting the lawn.

Lucky Number 5

One of the cousins turned 5 years old, so we met for a birthday dinner.






The best part was the parting gifts: two very nifty balloons. They weren't ironman, but we weren't the birthday boy either.

Love one another

It's been over two weeks with daddy gone.

Have they gotten any bigger?



There's still a lotta love.

Whether we want it, or not.

Halloween Take 2

Prince Malcolm and Princess Aubrey were carted all around Ghent with our fabulous friends Tamara and Paton Haines. Paton is the zombie, and his buddy Dry Bones tagged along with us too.

I was impressed that Mac lasted about 45 minutes, but after the scary Frankenstein at the door, he was done. My poor sensitive boy.

All of the costumes were hoppin'. And Ghent always knows how to party.

Between the two nights, he got a full pumpkin. The trick is going to be convincing him that there won't be trick or treating until next year. Or is that the treat?

a good neighbor

This has nothing to do with statefarm, I promise.

Our poor neighbor was having car trouble, and so I tried to hook her up with our mechanic.

In return, she felt the need to help with some yardwork. I felt a little pang for my husband not being here for my son to imitate, but he still enjoyed getting some work time in.