it's all fun and games

miss silly pants

if you come to my house when ellie is awake (by the way she is slept trained! i LOVE it!)

this is how you will find me

i hold her 99% of the time

she loves it

i think the look on her face is saying "why are you interrupting me?"

now that she's getting great sleep she is happy from the min i get her to when i put her to bed

laughing

she finds me amusing

hahahaha

oooooooooooooo

hee hee

love her! such a peaceful, gentle baby. exactly what we prayed for 1 comments

Posted by mel at 4:39 PM

it's working!!!

the playroom is clean! the organization is working!

i snapped these pics last night and didn't change a thing

nate asked to keep the blocks out because he is building a palace for the king

but when hes done playing he puts his stuff away!

the house doesn't look like toys r are up threw up everywhere!

reading couch

ellie sat in on a class

his desk! it's cleaned!
and the reward system with the balls is working, esp bec nate gets to pick his prizes out. the cost was 5.00 for almost 3 wks and i noticed that his school work as improved

i am just happy that all the time that i spent was worth it! 0 comments

Posted by mel at 12:58 PM

the dress!

my kids this morning

ellie is wearing the dress!

see!

ok. this is a huge deal to me. why? bec after we lost ben, my sister (whom i am ubber close to) was also pregnant, a few wks behind (3 i think?) anyways. i was with her while she did a lot of baby clothes shopping for charlie. i picked out some of the dresses (ok a lot) ok's all of the purchases (yes i am bossy with what charlie can wear) and now, 3 yrs later MY miracle daughter is wearing some of them. full circle!

i can't wait for ellie to wear the coat that I picked out from the rain forest, the leopard one. haha. seriously, i remember that day. it was a rough one. i cried when dad took the coat to the register. then i hugged nate. ha

ok, on a funny note. i now have ONE pair on nonmat pants that fit. and they were given to me (thanks v!) i was trying to get into a pair of my old jeans the other day when chris came in the room, he asked what i was going, the jeans were at my thighs and i said trying to put on a pair of pants but i can't get them past the thigh. chris then reaches over, picked me up by the jean belt loop, wedgie style and dropped me into them

i got them on!!!!
but i couldn't move
but they were on!
haha

it was funny 1 comments

Posted by mel at 3:09 PM

bro&sis

before school this am i left the room and came back to this

nate was taking care of her

i am waiting for the ellie novelty to wear off but i don't think it's going to happen

nate really cares for her

how i spend as much time as i can

if i could freeze this moment forever

there is nothing like a snuggle bug who just wants to stay with her mom

but doesn't cry when i out her down :)

oh daddy. i love you
hee hee 0 comments

Posted by mel at 9:03 PM

play/school room!

i gutted the play room a few wks ago

got rid of they unused toys

then reorganised it all

each box has a pic showing what goes in there

easy to follow AND nate does it!

blocks are with blocks!

trucks with trucks!

if they are NOT put away, i take em forever (insert evil laugh)

toys are on the left side

school is on the right!

the top 2 shelves are off limits mostly school manuals or books that i read to him that i want taken care of

middle shelf is school related 'toys' or small toys like lego, marbles etc that could cause choking. this shelf is OFF limits unless i give it to nate and when he's done it goes back

we do most of our reading on the couch

a school couch

the bottom 2 shelves are nate's books

and NO it is not 'exessive" to have that many books

when you read 10+ books a DAY I get bored real fast. ha

it also encourages reading and the love of books

speaking of...

sigh

nates room in all it's glory

books everywhere, in his bed floor, chair, table

i did clean it today so it looks better. ha

he loves to read

well look at the pictures

"you guys are so funny"
haha

more books and mess and more
its all cleaned up now~! 0 comments

Posted by mel at 2:41 PM

ellie smiley girl and stretch machine!

silly daddy

her 1/2 smirk that i so love

ok. ellie is a stretch machine. i decided to capture it

sleeping baby oh so cosy

remove the blanket

starting to stir

remove the snugglie (oh how i wished they were around with nate!)

free at last!

thank god!

she's free at last!

and back to sleep she goes

just kidding

her typical smile
i thought nate was a smiley thing, she is way more smiley than him! 1 comments

Posted by mel at 2:26 PM

thankful!

my son

my pictures have the power to instantly bring me back to where i was in the photo. good and bad

maybe that's why i love photo's so much?

the above pic was taken of nate on the 5th hospital day. it was snapped after a round of guests left

i looked over at chris and said "i love him"

it was the first time i felt this content and happy thing that i heard so much about

this pic was snapped when nate was about 14 wks old

i believe it was thanksgiving long wkend

he was fussy and having a hard time sleeping

so i went and picked him up out of his bed

put him on my chest where he slept

i felt, for the first time, after getting through the first 14 wks (which i felt were so hard)

i felt that everything was going to be ok

somehow i would figure out this scary world of motherhood, that i felt so unprepared for

we were going to be ok

my ellie

a whole new chapter

she has made me a morning person (sorta haha). there is nothing like waking up to a cooing baby (who is SOAKING! wet and cold! and hungry!) who greets you with a gummy , sloppy baby smile (those are the best!)

i love these days

i enjoy them so much

everything will be ok

my birthday

3 yrs ago

i remember having my morning breaky of cake and coffee

getting my gifts (that i was not expecting)

discovering that chris took the day off work so we can hang out

i smiled and thought 'this is the best birthday ever'

i was pregnant with ben

i remember thinking with a secret smile

"my first pic with my boys"

i was about 4 wks pregnant here and i just knew i was having another boy

(for privacy reasons, i blurred out benjamin's body to those who do not with to see

ben's body)

you will always have a part of my heart, my life, my family. i carried you, i felt you move and i saw you kick. i don't question why or how. it doesn't matter. you have taught me so much. i am so thankful to god for you!

a few weeks ago, i broke down. i found myself in my closet, bringing down your little box. i haven't opened it in 3 years

i went through your stuff. your sleeper, your blanket, the cards, notes, emails, appointment cards, hospital bracelets, ultrasound's etc...i saved everything!

as i packed the box back up something fell

your birth card from the hospital

i turned it over

for the first time i saw your tiny foot and hand prints

for 3 yrs they have been in the box and i didn't know it

they are with me now

ben, words can not express how much i am looking forward to seeing you again!

i love you. i am thankful for you!

chris. chris. chris

as much as you annoy the beeps out of me!

drive me nuts with you being you! haha

i am SO thankful that you put up with me and let me be me

i am so so so thankful for you being you. your strength, your support, your love and your red truck

muwahhhh

thankful for you!!!!

hee hee

thankful that we all get along. ha

sisters? how can ppl live with out them?

family! so thankful!
it is impossible to have a pic of all my family together so this is gonna have to do!!!

so much to be thankful for

i give thanks for what you have done! 2 comments

Posted by mel at 11:10 AM