Loving School!

Today Allie came home from school and says to me, "Mom I don't want to go to school tomorrow all they did today was activities and crafts for Thanksgiving! So first they skipped fundations and then they skipped math and that is my favorite! I am not going to school tomorrow!" This girl of mine loves learning :-) I am one blessed mama!!

Allie

Last night Allie kept interrupting while Brooklyn was reading to all the kids so after 4 chances she was finally sent to bed without listening to the rest of the story. She sobbed all the way upstairs and when I put her in her bed I asked her why she wouldn't listen to the story. She replied, "Mom the only thing that I like to do in this whole wide world is TALK! I don't like to listen or read or anything else! I just like to talk talk talk! I responded, "Well you definitely know who you are! But listening is a good thing so let's work on it :-)" I love this girl!!

A New Preschool

Tyler started his first day of his new preschool yesterday!! He got into the program so they can help with his speech! I will miss the querky words he says. He loves it and the teachers love him!! We picked him up yesterday from school and Allie was expecting a miracle when she said "Hey Tyler say cupcake." Tyler than did as she requested and said "tuptate!" Allie then looked at me completely annoyed and said, "Mom it isn't even working!" 

I seriously have been laughing for about 24 hours now but Jon, Don, and my Mom got the biggest kick out of it! My kids are so fun!!

Private boat and the wild things

We were reading "where the wild thing are" the other night and Max was getting into his private boat just then Allie says to me, "is that where he gets naked?" I asker her why she would ask that and she told me if that was his private boat then that was where he could be naked and no one could see his privates! The way that girls mind works makes me laugh!!!

A Horrible Mom!

Allie said to me tonight, "Mom why did you not take care of us today?" For a second I felt bad and wondered what she meant. She then said, " Yeah, all you have done today is do your church lesson, cooked, and cleaned the house." Finally for once I can say if that is all my kids have against me I am not doing to bad :-)

I love this girl!!!

My Als the monkey!

I am more and more proud of my Als each day. Today at the dentist it was time for them to take her to the back while I had to wait with the boys. She walked back there without a tear. This is huge for her! I am so so proud!!!

I wasn't ready!

(Allie playing Mary in the Nativity)

The other day Brooklyn and I were in the strangest mood. She was talking about spanking bottoms and I told her about the day she was born and the Dr. turned her upside down and smacked her on her bottom. I continued to do a theatrical performance about what it was like in the hospital room when she was born. Then I gave her a big hug and told her I was glad to be her mommy.

Allie walked in half way through my performance and at the end she looked up at me and said, "What about me!"

I started to sob. I new these questions would come but I thought I had 5 years to pray and think about what to say. Sometimes the Lord likes to see impromptu performances I guess.

I held her and cried for a few minutes thinking I was unable to truly express what a miracle she is to me. Only like Allie can she looked at me with empathy and said, "you cryin mama!" and gave me a hug. She let me cry for a minute.

After the initial sadness of not having the exact story of the night she was born I remembered the day that Della brought her to our home for the 1st time and this is what I told her. "The Lord sent you to us in a very special way. He sent you to Aunt Della so she could bring you to us. She loved you so much and thought it was so important that you have brothers and sisters that she prayed to find a family for you and Aunt Della chose us." I continued to tell her the story and I was again amazed by it. I have never seen the Lords hand so clearly in my life as at that time.

Many miracles happened to bring her to us. The sight of her sitting in my dads arms the 1st time she was in our home is a memory that will stick with me forever.

I pray that I am ready for questions like these when they come. I hope I can express the love I feel for my little girl and little man when they want to know their story, when they have questions about Jennifer, and when they feel frustrated that Jennifer has kids out there they don't know. I hope that our family is enough. I hope I can bring comfort and peace to them. I hope I do this mom thing right with all my kids. It would suck to put your heart and soul into something only to be crappy at it

I wasn't ready for the questions to start already. It has been a few weeks since she asked me to tell her about when she was born and I know she has forgotten all about it but it has been on my mind a lot. I pray that the Lord is with me when my kids need me. I pray that I know what to say at the right time. I pray that I am a good mom.

Monkey Bars!

A Day a School for Allie

Emily is amazing. I get a treat almost everyday Allie comes home from Preschool.
Here she is today making us some amazing cookies.

Again!

Brooklyn has been cracking me up lately. Today was my father-in-laws 64th birthday. Brooklyn made him a card for his present. It had stickers all over it and of course Allie has to pick the stickers off. Here is our conversation

MOM: That is not nice Allie, can you say you are sorry to Brooklyn.

ALLIE: Orwy BooBoo (Sorry Brooklyn)

BROOKLYN: Sorry is not going to cut it this time Al's

Jon and I tried not to laugh as I explained to her that when someone says sorry you accept the apology. I am sad because I know she learned this line on me. I don't say it very often at all but occasionally on a really hard day and I just need to put the kids in their rooms for a minute I do use this line. Just another lesson that I need to do better.

A Snag in Potty Training

Allie has been a dream so far to potty train. She has not had a accident since Tuesday. I thought it was going to be smooth sailing from here but we hit a snag. I never thought that my biggest problem with potty training would be no underwear her size. Seriously! Jon recommended buying underwear you put on baby dolls and then wondered if they had a small and skinny shop for her that we could find something that would work. I usually wouldn't put pictures of my kids in undies but I figured these are more modest than a pair of shorts. I guess I should me happy granny pants from day 1.





I put this one on here because pictures like this one simply make me happy!

One Proud Mama!

I gave my kids dinner tonight and went into the other room to get something and overheard Brooklyn saying a sweet prayer. I told her and Allie I was proud of them for making sure the prayer was said and Brooklyn told me that Allie reminded her. She is our prayer monitor these days. We don't put anything in our mouths without Allie folding her arms to remind us to pray. I am so thankful for my kids who are always teaching me and reminding me to pray. I thought I was supposed to be teaching them.

POTTY TRAINING BEGINS

Allie has been extremely interested in the potty lately and today she went pee pee on it for the first time. I am such a proud mama.

Size 4's

So it has finally happened. Tyler is now in size 4 diapers and Allie is still in size 3. I should stop being surprised by this but I am not.

While we were away this weekend Tyler wet the bed 3 nights in a row. I thought it would be impossible for him to be in size 4's but I was wrong. The last 2 nights I was visiting my family we tried a size 4 and the next morning the bed was dry. This little man is huge! I am so happy I have my little Tanner that is still in size 2's, I need someone not to get big to fast.

Here are Just a few pictures and videos from
this month.

Here is Allie having a water fun day in the Backyard!

3 Little cuties in a crib. I wish it were 4 but Allie was not up for it!

Is there one similarity between these 2 boys?

My sweet children. It is pictures like these that make me realize how blessed I am!


Crashed in the Bumbo Seats!


Allie's Sweet Moves!

Our Prediction Came True!

When Tyler was born Jon and I took a guess about how long it will take him to be in the same size diapers as Allie. We guessed Tyler would be between 6 and 8 months. Well yesterday was the day it happened. Tyler is 6 months and 5 days. He had leaked out of 3 size 2 diapers so we finally figured out he needed the next size up. He is so big and Allie is so little. They are just over 1 year apart and in the same size diapers. We go to the Dr. pretty soon and I am anxious to see what the difference is in weight. My next guess is that Tyler is going to weigh more at their appointments. We will see this month!

Needing to update!

I have been so busy with such awesome and not so awesome events (like looking for a turtle for 3 1/2 hours) I have not had time to blog, but I promise it is coming! Just a quick story- we were shopping yesterday and Allie charmed the necklace off of this lady. Literally! Allie snuggled her and played with her necklace and when it was time to go Allie cried and the lady started to take off her necklace to give to her. I politely rejected the offer of this sweet lady but it is nice that people thing your kids are so cute as well!

TODAY IS THE DAY!

There is no days left. Today is the day. Allies is ours! Poor kid is stuck with us. Busy morning today we have to be at the courthouse by 9:00. But I couldn't help writing how excited I am. Pictures to come!

1 day and counting!

Just a little over 24 hours until Allie's name will be Alexis Jane Smith!

Also, we got a phone call for Tanner's case worker last night. She informed us that the paternity test for the alleged father came back. The results came back negative! He is not the father. I decided this was a great thing when I called aunt Della and she was screaming with excitement on the other end of the line and then told me all the reasons this is the best scenario. As much as I would like to have a name for Tanner about who his father is I am relieved for many reasons it is not him. So here is to hoping that someday very soon Tanner will also have the legal name of Smith, just like his sisters and brother.

2 days and counting!

2 DAYS UNTIL ALLIE IS OFFICIALLY OURS!