Jack is sitting up!

Oops, this post is long over due! Jack has been sitting up for a few weeks now, but I just haven't blogged about it! Sorry Jack!

There is something so convenient about having a baby at Jack's age! I can put him on the floor and he stays there! I love that! I am in NO hurry for him to crawl or walk!!!

Now that he is sitting up, he's happier than he was when he was always laying down. He'll sit on the floor and grab at anything near him. It's a challenge teaching the girls to keep their little toys away from him!

 I might be partial, but I think he's the most handsome little dude I've ever met! :0) 

It's a whole new world playing with toys when sitting up! He's more content and loves watching his sisters run around! He'll happily sit on the living room floor for quite a while just taking in all the craziness around him! And I can guarantee you that it is crazy!

Girls and gourds!

A few days ago Bailee and Mia were irritating me and were wandering around the house making trouble. There was a problem... they were bored. We have TONS of toys, but sometimes they just need a little direction and/or something new to play with. This was one of those days. I suggested all sorts of things for them to do and none of them seemed exciting enough. Therefore they kept wandering around, fighting with each other and getting into trouble. 

Finally Mia asked to play with my little pumpkin. I knew what she was talking about, but I didn't know why that would interest her. (It was a mini pumpkin that I had grown in our garden this year. It sits in a bowl on our counter top with other gourds for decoration.) She asked several times before I let her hold it. She ended up carrying it around the house for about 10 minutes with out putting it down. She was patting it, rubbing it and holding it close to her. She clearly was enjoying loving this little pumpkin. 

Then I got an idea. Why not let them play with all of my gourds? I didn't care if they broke and it might just spark some creative play. Anything was better than them being bored and bugging me! So, I put them on their little play table and their imaginations took over!

I love this picture of Bailee. She is dressed in her usual princess outfit and was exploring the gourds surfaces. She kept touching them and saying things like, "bumpy, smooth, hard, yucky, and pointy." 

They asked lots of questions about them and wanted to know what the stem was called. 

Here is Mia patting one of the little ones. 

 "Wow Mom, a yellow one!" She was so excited!

 I thought it was so neat that Bailee was also sorting them. She kept categorizing them by color, shape, size and levels of bumpiness! 

 They had a blast and I got a break for a few minutes! Maybe I'll let them play with more of my decorations another day!

Say "Ahhhhh!"

Today was the girl's first trip to the dentist! We have been preparing them for this day for a few weeks and they were so excited to go! (I even bought a dentist Barbie for them to play with!) 

I wasn't sure how they would react because they are not so easily convinced that new situations will be fun. I told them that it would feel funny, the toothpaste would taste good and that it would tickle their teeth. They were giggling this morning when I told them it was time to go (you would have thought we were going to an amusement park!) I think I might have made them too excited because it wasn't as fun as they thought! :0)

Bailee did alright, but was nervous and fussy when we first got there. Mia, on the other hand, jumped into the chair with a smile and said, "Ahhhh!" before the dentist could even get ready! It was funny to see their different reactions to the new situation! 

Here are a few photos from the trip... keep in mind that pictures are NOT flattering when you have someone's hand in your mouth! 

Their favorite part of the whole thing was having their "own napkin." Yes, the stupid bib/cloth they give you was their favorite thing! I had to laugh because they were so excited! Oh, and NO cavities! 

Shaving cream + toddlers = fun times!

Last night was bath night, but before the kids jumped into the tub I let them do a messy activity at the table. Right before bath time is the best time to do things like play-doh, finger painting, eating pudding, etc! Last night I let them play with shaving cream! I had bought a can of cheap men's shaving cream for about a dollar at the store a week ago and thought it would be fun for the bath tub, but playing with it on the table was even more exciting for them! It was clean, it smelled good, and there was little clean up because they went right from the table to the tub! They had a blast!

 It didn't take long for them to realize that they could paint their arms and bellies too! :)

Why don't you try it!

Can't keep up...

Phew! This has been a busy few days for me! I haven't posted a blog in a while and you can probably tell from my "lack" of blogging that my life has been a little crazy! I spent the weekend with family, went to my sister-in-laws baby shower, kept up with the kids and house work, took a young ladies senior pictures and have been trying to start up a new business.

That last part about starting up a business has taken up a lot of my time and energy. I am launching "NicoleLee Photography" soon and have been spending all of my extra time on a website, business cards, making appointments for photo shoots, and contacting clients. It has been tons of fun, but lots of work too! I'll post more details about all that later!

In the mean time, here are a few photos of the baby shower!

Tasha's baby shower!
Tasha and her mom giving a small devotion...

 The beautiful diaper cake!

 Aunt Pauline with Jack!

 The beautiful mom-to-be!

 Her cute niece playing peek-a-boo!

 Look at all of the wonderful gifts!

 Isn't she so sweet!

Have a great Monday everyone! :0)

Wordless Wednesday

I had the opportunity to take pictures of the sweetest little 3 week old baby last week. She was so cooperative and wide awake! I was hoping to get some photos of her sleeping, but she didn't want to miss a thing! =0) Here are a few of my favorites!

 I love those puckered up perfect lips! 

Do you know someone that wants their child's pictures taken? Please give them my name! I would be happy to capture those precious moments!

How can I "be in the moment?"

Kids live in the here and now. They want immediate gratification and everything revolves around the present. If they are hungry, they want to eat NOW. If they want something, they want it NOW. That is the mind set of any small child.

As adult we live in the future. Planning out what might come next. Worrying about finances, our kid's education, and what our plans are for tomorrow. It might be even as simple as thinking about what's for dinner tonight. It's always about the next best thing.

Because of that, my kids and myself are always in two different mind frames. It's hard for me to sit down and just "be" with my kids. It's a challenge for me to actually sit still and focus on what's happening at this very minute instead of what might happen in an hour, tomorrow or even next year. My focus needs to change!

I need to find more time in my day to just "be" with my kids. I find myself always looking ahead instead of looking down into my children's faces. They won't be standing at my feet forever wanting to read that special book so I need to remember to slow down and take it all in.

Everyone tells me that these years will fly by and that I will miss the "baby stage" of parenting, so I need to make a more conscious effort to be in the "now moments" instead of always thinking about the next best thing.

When was the last time you were "in the moment" with your children? 

“I'd rather have a moment of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special.” -Author Unknown

Do you have "only Facebook friends?"

I LOVE Facebook. I find it so convenient to type in anyone's name and send them a quick message, reply to a question, or just check on their "status." Okay, I guess it's really all about just being nosey, but I find it fun to peek into someone's life and snoop around without them knowing.

Oh, come on, you feel the same way too. I'm just the only one saying it out loud!

I also find Facebook extremely helpful for me, as a stay-at-home mom, to feel connected with the world. I can set up play dates for my kids, I can chat with other moms that need support, and I can use my "adult words" and form complete thoughts while sending someone a quick message. 

There is only one thing that I find awkward about having friends on Facebook. Some of those "friends" are "only Facebook friends." Do you know what I mean? 

The term "friend" that Facebook.com uses is pretty broad to me. Not everyone on my "friends" list is an actual real life friend. Some are relatives, some are previous co-workers, some are classmates, and some are simply acquaintances. 

So, what's awkward to me is when you meet one of those "only Facebook friends" on the street or in the store. What do you say? What do you do? Should you look away or approach them? We've all been there, right? Or am I the only one?

It's kind of tricky because you know about their whole life (because they've posted a status for every event they've ever participated in) but you don't really know them personally. You comment on all of their statuses and photos, but you haven't spoken face-to-face in years. So? Again, what do you do?

This actually happened to me last week. (I'm not going to say where I was, or who I saw because that person might actually be reading this!) I saw an only Facebook friend in the distance and we made eye contact, but that person turned away. Neither of us said anything and I wasn't sure what to do. Should I turn around and be my usual friendly self, or does that person not want to chat. I chose to just keep walking and pretend that it never happened. But that bothered me. I'm a naturally outgoing person, so to ignore someone that I'm supposed to be "friends" with seemed cruel and rude. 

So... I'm curious if this has ever happened to you and what you've done about it? Please share with me your thoughts and if you're one of my only Facebook friends that wants to be ignored please tell me so I don't feel so badly next time it happens! =0)

Lobster Monsters

On Friday night we had a lobster dinner at my parent's house. If I say nothing else, I should say thank you to Mom and Dad. It was soooo yummy and I couldn't remember the last time I had lobster and clams for supper! :0) Thank you!!!

Not only was it so yummy, but it was also very entertaining! My girls had never seen a lobster cooked and eaten before, so the comments they made were hilarious!

When we first got there the lobsters were still alive and we asked my Dad to pull one out so the girls could see it... their eyes lit up when they saw them come out of the bag. The lobsters were wiggling around and Mia grabbed onto my mom with all her might. "No thank you, " she replied! Bailee thought it was cool since she had seen them in the grocery store swimming around many times, but she was still very cautious!!

My Dad then plopped the lobsters into the hot pot of boiling water and they both looked like they were going to cry. I don't think they understood what we were doing. I said, "we're going to cook them and eat them!" Then the look of horror came across Bailee's face.

Once we sat down to eat, Bailee started to cry, "Mama, I don't want to eat the lobsters!" I told her she didn't have to but when I started breaking the shell apart and taking bites she looked soooooo concerned! "No Mama, don't eat him!" We all laughed because she had already grown attached to that living creature.

At one point Bailee also said, "Pee-u! It stinks," while she waved her hands in the air! She couldn't stand the smell and kept on commenting about it all night.

When I got up from the table to get something she had a little panic attack because she didn't want to be left alone with the lobster staring at her. She cried, "Don't leave me here with that lobster!" And she actually leaned over away from the table so she wouldn't have to be so close to it! :0)

Here are a few fun pictures from the night...
Here's Tom trying to break the shell open...

 Auntie Dawn Dawn and Alana enjoying family time!

 Tom showing the lobster to Mia! To me, this picture describes the whole night! She looks unsure and scared! She actually leaned away from him!

 Alana wasn't afraid of it at all (she's seen lobster many times before). She was actually petting it! (No, she didn't eat it, that was her mom's plate!)

 Dad was in seafood heaven!

 Uncle Mike giving the lobster a little loving! kissy kissy! :0)

It was a fun night to be together as a family! I just hope we didn't traumatize our girls too badly! I don't think they had ever seen something start alive, be cooked, and then eaten all in the same day! :-) Tom's comment was, "They must think we're so barbaric!" I laughed because that's probably exactly what they were thinking!

My advice to any new parent...

I am in the season of life right now where it seems like I attend a bridal or baby shower every other weekend. I am not complaining, I actually enjoy it! It gives me a day out of the house and I love the social. Plus, I would much rather be at this stage of my life, rather than attending funerals all the time like my grandparents.

I love the fresh start that these new brides-to-be or moms-to-be receive when they are pampered and encouraged by their friends and family. You play the same corny games, you eat the same finger foods, and you watch the special gal open tons of gifts. But there is something special about the excitement in the air.

There will soon be a husband or a baby entering their world and it's such an exciting time. In-laws and grandparents are born and life changes, A LOT! I loved that "honeymoon" phase of marriage but the magic quickly wears off. I also loved that first few weeks of being a mom when nothing could possibly go wrong because all you do is hold your newborn baby for hours, but that quickly changes too!

Life gets busy and you have to purposely make time to nurture those important relationships in your life. That's why I always give a bride-to-be or mom-to-be the same advice. (There are often advice cards passed around at showers where you can share your "wisdom" with the guest of honor, and I always share the same thing!)

Go on dates & keep holding hands!!!

That's it! It's that simple. I have to remind myself of those things often too, but I guarantee if you keep "dating" your spouse and hold his hand often your relationship will blossom.

Now don't just sit at the same table in a restaurant and go through the motions of going on a date, but actually "date" each other. Just like when you were dating in high school, college, or after!

Think about it. If you have kids you know how hard it is to even have a simple conversation without getting interrupted, so imagine having a few hours alone to talk. Not just chat about your day, but really share your intimate thoughts and dreams together. Communication alone will liven up any marriage! And a strong marriage will make you a better parent!

Every woman desires to be pursued. Not just while dating, but in marriage too. We want to be wanted and needed by someone. Often times our kids need us 24-7, but it's our husbands that make us feel special and loved. So, if you haven't gone on a date lately, do it! It can't hurt and don't forget to hold hands. It's so easy to take our spouses for granted, so squeeze his hand a little tighter next time and give him a wink! ;-) And watch out, he might just wink back!

The princess room!

This is a photo documentary of Bailee and Mia's bedroom. When we first moved in this is what we had...

 The walls had an ugly star wallpaper on them with an angel border. It wasn't too bad except that it didn't look like a little girl's room and the wallpaper was falling down. The curtain was a mess, the closet doors were not hung up, and there were old glow in the dark stars on the ceiling.  Notice the carpet... that was the worst part! It was a nice new carpet, but it was red with stars on it! We called it our movie theater carpet. Even if we wanted to paint the walls, we couldn't match the carpet with something cute for the girls! It just had to go!

When we first moved in we kept the room just like it had been for a while. We had other projects that were more important. So, toys, books, dolls and Bailee's bed was moved in. Mia was still sleeping in the crib in Jack's room. He hadn't even been born yet! :-)

Then the fun began... about 6 weeks ago we started working on the girl's room. I say "we" but really Tom did all the work. I just did the shopping for new paint, bedding and carpet!

The first that had to happen was removing all the wallpaper, mudding the walls, taping the walls for painting and tearing up the old carpet. Then he was able to start the fun stuff, painting!

 These few pictures really show the guts of the room. There was no carpet, not even much paint on the walls... just floor, sheet rock, and a ceiling... boring! 

The final result was beautiful. The girls love it and it is truly a room fit for a princess (or two)!

Here it is with just their beds and the painting done. I chose two different shades of pink (lighter on top and darker on bottom) with a white molding strip about 2/3 of the way up. Notice the neutral carpet too! Your attention doesn't go to the bright busy carpet anymore!

Here is their room from the door way. Bailee's "big girl bed" is to the left and Mia's new toddler bed is to the right. 

This is the view of their closet. I chose to keep the doors off because it gives us more space that is easily accessible. It will also force me to keep the closet neat and organized! I then hung these fun paper lanterns from the ceiling for fun! The girls love them and Bailee keeps saying, "It's just like a party now!" Over their closet I hung a sign that says, "thank heaven for little girls!"

Their kitchen set and baby doll stuff makes the room look so much like little girl heaven!

 This is the view of the closet... diapers stacked high and dresses hung neatly. To the left is their vanity with all their dress up clothes and accessories! 

 This is the new fan I picked out for them. It adds so much to the room!

My favorite changes about the room are 1- No more wallpaper! 2- Ugly carpet gone! 3- Removal of closet doors, it opened up the storage space nicely! 4- Ceiling fan installed to provide air circulation! 5- They now share a room, which allowed Jack to have his own room and crib for the first time! 

Now if we can just convince Mia to stay in her bed... we'll be all set! :0)