Belly sleeping

Knock on wood... But Lola has pretty much slept through the night the last 3 nights!! I've only had to get up once to put her paci in. The reason I think... She's sleeping on her belly. Seems to be working. 

Big girl shopping

Lola felt like such a big girl as she got to ride next to Greta in the big shopping carts at Costco. Where has the time gone!

What would you ask God?

This morning on the today show. Matt Lauer talked with TIME Magazine's most influential people. One of the questions that he asked them was "if you could ask God one question, what would it be?" He got lots of answers from them as to why can't we all just get along. 

 

So that got me thinking, what would I ask?

I would also probably ask why we can't all get along?

How do I raise my daughters to be God loving good people with all the bad things in this world?

Why do good things happen to bad people?

What makes people do bad things?

What is heaven like?

Do dogs go to heaven?

And also many other questions I would love to ask dad.

I would probably end by telling God to give all my family up there a great big hug and to tell them that we miss them all.

So what would you ask God if you had the chance?

The first time flu

A first in the Delaney house... The flu bug. Started with Lola. Got passes Greta and finished with Ryan. I'm saying finished because I refuse to get it. 

We had a weekend full of puking and cleaning up and puking and cleaning up. Despite all efforts to keep the puke in a bowl or on a towel - Greta seemed to miss. I lost count of how many loads of laundry I did.

But the great part, today the girls were back to normal. Greta ate 3 waffles for breakfast so I know she was on the up and up. Probably could have sent them to day care but decided to be a good mom and just in case keep them home. 

Here's to hoping we don't get that again for a long time! 

Ps- yes I know I look rough.

Terrible twos got nothing on the terrible threes

Okay so they warn you about the terrible twos. But are they really so terrible? Well if you compare them to the terrible threes... Then heck no they aren't so terrible. They are challenging but I would trade my new found terrible three year old for my "I only thought she was terrible" two year old. 

It all happened the day she turned 3. The talking back. The attitude. The sassing. The not listening. Now I know all kids have their moments but I feel like I must be doing something wrong to have this many moments where she looks me in the face and says "no I don't." Or "Yes I can." Or "you're not the boss." Like what I said totally doesn't matter.  And I'm just talking to myself. 

Then when I put my foot down and she gets s consequence, screaming, and kicking, and yelling, and hitting occur. This has been known to go on for a long, long time or until I can't handle it. And then try to fix it. 

I'm struggling. Maybe this is normal? Maybe all 3 year old's are like this? Maybe I have no idea what I'm doing?

The joys of parenting a strong willed child. One you created. I pray every night that God helps make me a better mommy.

They ruined it

On the way home from school today, I asked Greta if she played outside. She said no. 

Then after thinking, she said well we played on the porch but my friends ruined it. 

I laughed to myself. Then asked what happened?

She again said they ruined it. 

Me: who?

Greta: Wesley. 

Me:  Oh. How did he ruin it? 

Greta: He fell. And ruined it! (In her very Greta voice)

Me: did he get hurt?

Greta: yes! 

Me: did you help me?

Greta: no. 

Me: did he cry? 

Greta: yes and ruined it. 

Oh my! The words she knows and correctly!

Sunday school

When Greta turned 3 she got a nice card in the mail from church inviting her to Sunday school. After some explaining, I think she got it. And has been asking to go since. So today after church, Greta got to go to Sunday school. We all sang song first (2 that she knew... Noah snd Jesus loves me) and then Ms Emily - her teacher - took Greta because she wasn't so sure I should leave. But in the end she loved it. Lola and I hung out in the nursery with a few other kids and the nursery workers. 

Getting so grown up 

Spring time fun

Finally spring has sprung! Beautiful weather all weekend meant lots of fresh air and playing outside. I even got a little pink on my arms even with sun screen on. 

A couple firsts... Lola's first time in the sand box... She loved it!! And didn't try to eat it. And only once dumped a bucket of sand on herself. 

And Greta's first driving her new 4-wheeler! She loves it! 

Also lots of tag and swinging and bubbles and having fun! 

All while daddy slaved away at fixing up the landscaping by the pool. He did an awesome job. And grass seed is planted.

Sleepover at the Weldens

To St. Louis I went for work. I had ask Mar if the she wanted to watch Greta and Lola while I was gone. The kids were on spring break so she asked K&K- who were super excited and Karle replied I have Lola and Kahle said I have Greta. 

And oh the fun they had. But this text from Mar made my day. 

"Mothering infants and toddlers is harder than I remember....  God bless Abbey and God help me the two days! (Also- God bless mom & Julie who helped in January for a week!)"

 

I think their 2 night sleepover is best told in pictures. 

Thank you so much Mar! Traveling is so much easier when you know your kids are being loved beyond words. I'd be lost without the support of wonderful family.

For the record - I brought back about 90 ounces of milk. 

Lola vs Squash

Lola took on squash tonight... I'm sad to say I think the squash won. But she doesn't seem to upset about it.

Donkey Rodeo

Both girls having a blast 

http://youtu.be/dPgCtevJ_MI

Sunday Funday

What's a mama to do when it's cold and snowy in April and daddy's hom? Go to Costco and buy food. And then make meals! Lots of meals to freeze. Pretty proud at all I got done in a couple hours. 

- 10 mini beef meatloaf

- 13 big turkey and spinach meatballs

- 3 pounds of hamburger fried and froze

- 2 pounds of ground turkey fried and froze

- 5 paprika and garlic chicken legs cooked and frozen 

- big pot of chicken noodle soup

- veggies cut for the week 

- strawberries cleaned 

Finishing the laundry and still need to clean the kitchen floor. 

Feeling productive :-) 

 

Travel

Saw this on Facebook and decided to see what mine looked like. 

Thanks to parents who loved to travel and jobs that I was required to travel... I'm not to far off. My goal was all 50 by the time I was 30 but that didn't happen. Now I'm going to say 49 (excluding Hawaii) by the time I'm 40. So I've got 4 years to make it happen. 

http://m.maploco.com/visited-states/mine.php?states=AK-AZ-CA-CO-CT-DC-FL-GA-IA-IL-IN-KS-KY-LA-MA-ME-MI-MN-MO-MT-NC-ND-NE-NJ-NV-NY-OH-OK-PA-SC-SD-TN-TX-UT-VA-WI-WV-WY

Lola 8 months

I'm still struggling with the fact that she's 8 months already. It's no wonder her 6 month clothes are too small.

1. Can say mama and dada. 

2. Starting to like food - apples, pears, squash, carrots, peas, banana, avocado, and cereal. Loves puffs!

3. Can go from sitting to her belly very gracefully

4. Gets places but isn't crawling- pretty close to though. Rolling is her primary method of movement

5. Loves the bath and gas discover splashing. 

6. Only wakes up once a night - around 3 or 4. Then joins me and sleeps unit 6ish. She's definitely a mama's girl 

7. Loves watching Greta do anything 

8. Has the best and biggest smile and is always doing it

9. Had her first cousin sleep over with Karle and Kahle

10. Started her first antibiotic to clear up this nasty cough (had her first chest X-ray as a result too)

Loving every minute with this sweet girl. 

Greta's bedtime ritual

Greta has never been an easy one to get to bed. When she was a baby, id nurse her and she'd fall asleep. Then when I stopped nursing her, I'd rock her to sleep, every night. Now that she's in s big girl bed, she liked lots of stories and then someone to lay with her until she falls asleep. And who knows how long this could take.

So I've started laying with her and then leaving while she's still awake. Ryan usually lays with her until she falls asleep or he does. So now Greta has been requesting Ryan take her to bed. 

Well last night. He did. And then I went in after she snuck out. I left before she was sleeping and came to do some work in the couch. 

This is what I found when I went to bed around ... Sweet baby! 

Sound asleep in her door way!

Birthday adventure

I switched my work days this week so I could have off Greta's birthday. With somewhat nice weather we headed to Domino farms petting farm to crack out some animals - which Greta loves. Her favorite.. The bunnies. I think she could have sat there the entire time just holding a bunny. She was in love. 

Then we went for pancakes... Her choice. And the waitress brought her chocolate pancakes with chocolate chips... Not really what I ordered but Greta was so happy I didn't bother sending them back. 

Then home for a rest it I hoped... But don't happen. 

Then off to swimming with the whole family. And finally home to open presents and have cake and ice cream.

Greta said it was a great birthday!