One year!

Tonight has been one year since my 5th baby was born at home. December 9th will forever be etched in my brain. There are just some moments you never forget. All my kids' births are like that, but with the other four, I remember bits & pieces. This last one was so life-changing I remember every moment.

I remember walking at Target for hours with my kiddos while I helped my mom do their Christmas shopping. Haha! I remember the 40 trips to the bathroom.

I remember the moment when I knew that it was the night.

I remember the moment when my midwife checked my cervix & confirmed that it was the night.

I remember making the bed & expecting to give birth there.

I remember trying to get my 3 year old to eat his dinner between contractions.

I remember my daughter asking me to wash her hair between more contractions.

What I loved most about this experience was how normal it felt. I was at home, doing what I always did. It wasn't a medical emergency. It was life.

Then I clearly remember the moment when I gave up my plans & realized that YES, I was about to have a baby in the bathroom. It was just a mental moment for me. I had to give in to my body & surrender to that pain so I could do what I was made to do. It was one of the greatest moments of my life- on every level!

So today I celebrate not only my baby's birthday, but the anniversary of that beautiful day. It was the day I became more than what I had been before. I will never be the same mother again. His sweet birth changed me forever!

Happy Anniversary to me! & Happy Birthday to my baby, who brightens my life each day with his smiles & laughter. He is the funniest, cutest, happiest baby I've ever seen. Truly, he is full of joy!

He is a piece of our family puzzle that no one else could ever fill. I needed him. Don't you love how God knows just what we need?

It's all coming back to me...

It's Monday... again! So, I started watching my nephew last week. I have him a half day each day while his momma works. He is 2, like my ladybug (4 months apart) & reminding me of what my life was like just 2 years ago when kiddo #3 was this age.
I am exhausted! Haha!

The funny thing to me though, is that he's learned something this week... his Aunt knows all the tricks! :)

This is not my first 2 yr old boy RODEO! It's like that scanner for carry-ons at the airport. He walks past me, & I can see right through him. Haha! AND his tricks don't work on ME... I have 5 kids, not much does.

I've also learned something this week. 2 year old boys are all the same! Different personalities- YES! My boys are like night & day! But the way they go about things is the same.

• They like trucks, cars, & all things that go fast.

• They like lions, tigers, dinosaurs & things that ROAAAAAR!!!

•They like to be outside. A lot!

• They ALWAYS say "no" if you ask "are you poopy?"

• They like to play fight & wrestle, even if it's just their toys doing it.

• They CAN BE very sweet.

• They don't ever stop moving.

• If they get quiet- you better find them... FAST!

I'm back in the swing of things this week & it's cracking me up. It took me a full week to remember.

So, this week... I'm ready for him.

TOP TEN... Mommy Moment

My Top Ten "Mommy Moments"

10. The birth of my first baby. I didn't really like babies, but the moment I held that sweet boy in my arms, I became a mommy. I've never been the same again!

9. The first time #3 screamed at me. There are lots of reasons behind his behavior, but I think a small part was God's little way of saying "see, you don't have it all figured out"! :)

8. When I was able to lead my 2nd & 3rd children in the prayer of salvation. I had never led anyone to Christ before this. SUCH a significant moment as a Christian AND a mother!

7. The day we had our home birth. If you haven't read my posts on this, check out "My Journey to Ezrah" & "Ezrah's Homebirth". Life-changing!!

6. The first time I got 3 kids down for a nap @ the same time. I felt like I had conquered the world!

5. When I first went to the store alone with 4 children. I remember being SO scared! The baby (now 2 1/2) was 6 weeks old & this was before we used cloth diapers, so I HAD to go get diapers. By the time I left... she was crying, the kids were so close to a meltdown- I could feel it, & I was sweating in the checkout! Haha! Now look at me! :)

4. Birthday parties! All of them. Even the ones I felt were not "my best work", I still know a part of me was put into that event. My kids know that their parties aren't JUST a party. It's my love language! It's how I show them I care so deeply for them... & they LOVE IT!

3. Those "shining homeschool moments" as I like to call them... the ones where we enjoy an activity as a family, that supplements something we're learning, & everyone has fun LEARNING together!

2. Putting my babies to bed. It didn't used to be easy. It used to be me... all alone while daddy worked... sitting in the floor crying & nursing, while the other kids cried in their beds. Thank GOD we figured out that we could do bedtime HOWEVER we want! Ha! It's like we thought there was a right & a wrong way! Or that we should do what everyone said bc it worked for them... well, guess what? My kids are different. Not better. Not worse. DIFFERENT! When I figured that out, my whole life changed!

1. When I decided to enjoy every stage my children were in, rather than constantly wishing for the next one! I know the moment it happened. I became many years wiser that day!

So... what moments make up your Top Ten as a mommy? I'd love to hear. Start the convo in the comments below!

Top Ten... BEDTIME

Top Ten things my children tell me @ bedtime

10. "Noooooooooo!!!!!"

9. "Are you gonna pray?"
Yes son, just like I do every night.

8. "Are you gonna sing my song?"
Yes son, just like I do every night.

7. "I'm so hungry"
Something about a bed apparently burns all your calories in about 10 seconds. ;)

6. "Will you lay with me?"
Yes, I'm in your bed aren't I? :)

5. "I'm thirsty"
Although they might be, they're each only allowed a sip... unless I wanna change 4 sheets in the night! Haha! I don't. :)

4. "I have to go potty!"
Usually this is an attempt to get one more sip of water. Smart!

3. "I just tooted next to you."
Never fails! Just as the masses have settled down & I'm about to leave the room, some one gets gassy. Giggles then erupt from everyone who hears.

2. "I had a good day today, mommy!"
I love laying next to them as they calm down, listening to their favorite parts of the day.

1. "I love you, mommy!"
This is the best one of all! :)

Top Ten... You know you're a mommy when

Top Ten Ways
You Know You're a Mommy...

10. You go to get change out of your wallet and find 2 goldfish & 1 animal cracker- & that won't buy a coffee!

9. You get to the end of the day, thinking you've done everything on your to-do list, then realize you should have added "brush my teeth" to the list...

8. You leave the house proud that you are on time & don't look like a mommy when... don't look down there's snot on your shoulder!

7. Conversations about poop don't even make you blink- that's normal, right?!

6. Forgetting your coupons could bring tears in middle of the checkout lane

5. You look for your decorative throw everywhere only to find it has been baking in the pretend oven all night long.

4. The phrase "git er dun" is used in reference to taking vitamins or medicines, and cleaning rooms.

3. You lick your finger and clean your child's face... despite your mocking it a few years prior(something about a cat, I think)

2. You can hardly carry on an adult conversation- everything is about your children or would require a construction paper craft for you to prove your point.

1. You hear a baby cry in the store and feel a strange feeling that you must feed it, or nurse it if necessary

Top Ten... I don't want to do school!!!

Top Ten Reasons my 7year old doesn't want to do school
{Don't tell him, but he doesn't have an option}

10. "I don't waaaaaaaant tooooo!"
(if you hold it out really long the want alone becomes its own excuse)

9. "My work is harder than the little kids work." Well, yes. That's kinda how it works. Sorry!

8. "I am hungry"

7. "I am tired"

6. "My knee hurts" He uses this one a lot. Lol. It cracks me up!

5. "I don't know how to do this!" We of course have done it several times, AND I'm willing to help more, if it will become a question rather than a whine.

4. "I'm thirsty!"

3. "It's not fun!" I don't recall math ever being fun. But we sure do try!

2. "I dropped my pencil!" really? Haha! What does he think my answer to that will be? 'Oh, you dropped it? Let's cancel school then.' Yeah right.

1. "I have to go to the bathroom!" Always. Never fails. Halfway through math worksheets he gets the urge. :)

So, homeschool moms... spill the beans...
How do you get your kids excited to do school each day? Or just do it without constant whining... I'd take that.

Spontaneity!

It's been a while, my friends. I've been busy of course, but I have certainly missed this!

I "love" when plans change. Obviously by "love" I really mean the opposite. Changes to plans are something I have learned to deal with growing up as a Pastor's daughter, and now as a mommy of five... but I don't like it one bit!

Funny how I seem to have to deal with it lots, though.

Today was my husband's day off. We enjoyed the morning, doing school lessons, devotions, laundry... then he got "the call". There was a surprise inspection at his restaurant. Like, at that very moment.

So, he quickly changed & left. I was cool because those things usually take only a couple hours. Well, 3 hours later I sent him a text...

"how's it goin?"

He replies with a simple "not good", then proceeds to inform me that it wasn't their best score, and then he also got a call that their accountant just called. He was coming to do a surprise audit.

Well, with a day full of surprises, this momma knows what to do...
LEAVE!

Haha! With our day's plans of schoolwork (which was done), laundry (which was going), and projects (we needed daddy) already interrupted, I decided to be spontaneous.

"Everyone get on your shoes. Let's get in the van," I yelled!

We went to get mommy a sweet tea. Then I headed for the park!

Cheers erupted from the back seat when we approached the playground...
Except for one, not so loud moan/whine from the far back...

"aww man! You shouldn't have surprised us mommy!"

Yep. You guessed it. The 7 year old. Mr. Predictable was mad because he thought we were just driving through somewhere, so he wore his Crocs without backs, and those are
"not appropriate to play in". He uses those kind of words. Like a disgruntled old man.

Well, despite the gray cloud residing above his head, we played.
We swung on EVERY swing.
We climbed EVERY wall.
We chased EVERY squirrel.
We slid down EVERY slide.

Somewhere amidst the sliding. That was when I realized.
We are coming to the park after it rained all night...

As I was about to yell out "watch out for water at the bottom!!!", my 6 year old went down a short, deep toddler slide.
You know, the ones made for a 2 year old, so they don't fly off at the bottom or dive over the edges. You can only imagine the puddle she ran into. It was more like a water slide at Six Flags! Her backside was SOAKED!

Well, you don't have to tell Mr. 4 year old twice. He made it his goal to find EVERY puddle on that playground. And he did. He was now soaked as well, and they began to splash each other.

At this point there was both screaming AND running taking place. So I pulled that plug, and we went for a walk. That would settle things down for sure.

Ha! NOPE!

They raced to every tree. (Funny how the 7 year old can now run in his "inappropriate" footwear when his brother is going to beat him)

Somewhere near the top of a rather large hill, something came over my 4 year old. He got a look in his eye.

I've learned 2 things about this look:
1. You can't stop him when it happens
2. It usually is pretty funny, even though it makes me nervous.

So, I didn't hold him back. I don't think I could've. He first started running full speed down this huge hill. Then he ran back up & I saw the look again.

Not only did he proceed to go back down this muddy, sopping wet hill. He was now ROLLING down. As his little body thumped & spiraled down, I heard nothing but giggles. Then as he approaches the bottom, I'm of course laughing as I have {Princess Bride} flashbacks. He runs to me & yells "Mommy! I just LOVE hills!"

This was the moment. It made the whole afternoon worth while to watch him roll down that hill... as my girls are giggling at him, the baby is clapping his hands, and the 7year old is fretting about safety precautions that aren't even on his free-spirited brother's radar! Now THAT is spontaneity.

We headed back to the car, and I let him slide "one last time" while I buckled everyone else in. As I called him over, I looked up just in time to see my child, DRINKING THE WATER from the bottom of a slide. Uh-huh! That's what I said. He DRANK IT... like an animal.

This is the story of my life. Plans changing, kids running, gray clouds, then a burst of sunshine, followed by an event that makes me question my parenting skills. Haha! There are worse things, I guess. I love it all!

As I buckled him in, I asked why he did that. "I was so thirsty after rolling down the hill!... "

Makes sense!

Have a great rest of the week, mommas! May your children be both predictable & spontaneous... making you love every moment of it!