Reed Turns 3 Years Old!

 So Reed turned 3 this past weekend! I can't even believe that my baby boy is already 3.  Sometimes it feels like eternity ago that he was born, other times it seems like yesterday.  He is becoming such a little boy and I'm loving (almost) every moment with him.  He had developed into a very sensitive and loving little boy, probably more than other little boys.  He loves to hug and kiss, loves to get reactions when he does or says something sweet. Don't get me wrong, he also throws footballs at my face and stomps his feet with a stern "no" and look on his face too.  His vocabulary is vast and can form very complete sentences.  He has complex thoughts and will use his imagination all the time now.  He is generally a great joy to us and we just love him!

I can't help but think of his birth and the feelings that I had 3 years ago.  I couldn't even imagine back then what today would be like.  With a child's birthday, you can't help but think back to the event of their birth and rehash it yet again.  What a couple of days of emotions and almost incomprehensible events.  We love watching him grow and learn and continue to wonder what he will be like as a 4 year old, a 5 year old, a 10 year old.  What personality traits will he keep forever?  What will he look like?  This is what people talk about when they talk about the joy of children.

On Friday at school, his awesome teacher made him this crown.  He wore it exactly long enough for me to take this picture and never again after. Wouldn't even let me take a better version of this picture.

So these pictures uploaded into this post chronologically backward and I'm not going to fix it!  Here are pictures from his party on Sunday night.  We had his party at the park across from our house, rented a bouncy house and just grilled up hot dogs.  Lots of fun was had in the bouncy house!

 Sarah and Ethan

 The kids linked hands and did "Ring around the Rosie" a few times with some serious "we all fall down" bouncing.  Then they decided to sing happy birthday to Reed, all fall down at the end and clap for him.  He loved every single second.

 

 Above picture he is saying "No pictures mommy!"

 Nana gave him a bean bag game and a new Jazz blanket.

 Got a new turtle night light from the Duran's, he LOVES it.

 Here he is saying "Happy Birthday to Me!"

  

 Here are pictures of party goers.

 

 

 Singing Happy Birthday!

So going back a day, Saturday was his actually birthday.  The day was chalk full of activities not birthday related. There were so many community activities going on, hence why we did the party on Sunday.  The Ogden marathon, the SLC century bike ride, graduation parties, housewarming parties, etc.  So we did a yard sale in the morning, I went to a grad party in the afternoon, Fogg did some yard work and built some stairs on the deck.  We just hung low at home and after dinner we let Reed open gifts from family.  Here are those pictures.

After the graduation party on Saturday, I had to take these adorable pictures of Nora.  I'm trying to take pictures of her in my favorite outfits that she will soon grow out of.  I love how adorable she is and how she loves the camera, a little photogenic girl!

 Reed also wanted his picture taken but didn't really want to smile, so here you go!

 

 He has been coming into our room during the night and in the early morning hours lately.  For no particular reason really.  In fact, Monday morning he came in holding one of his balloons from his party at 3am.  We could hear the balloon bouncing off the ceiling.  Anyway, this is sometime last week, I woke up next to a shrunken version of my husband!

And little girl is learning to hold her own bottle!

Sorry for the craziness of this post, if you know me, you know I like to post thing chronologically but I just don't have the energy to cut and paste all these in the correct order.  All you care about is pics of my kids anyway!

So Happy Happy Happy 3rd Birthday to my little man, we love you so much and hope you felt loved by all the people in your life over your special day!

Just pics

 Honestly, nothing special is happening these days so I don't have any stories for you. Sunday was mom's day but I didn't take any pictures - doh!  I wish I had, I just didn't get around to it!  Today is our 8th anniversary but because we are busy, we are celebrating later this week and not today.  So, here are some pictures of the kids - well mostly Nora.  Sleeping like a baby (love the fists up to the side, it's so classic baby).

Here she is being a fit model again for some backcountry.com product we will have this fall.  We were making sure that the sizing is correct for the age and that everything is the correct proportions.  She seems to like it, don't you think?

I got this adorable little pink lace onesie this week and she HAD to wear it.  Isn't she the cutest?

 Reed napping in the car after refusing at home.

 Put Nora in the ball pit to play, she seemed to like it.  I tell ya, she smiles any time that the camera comes out!

That's all for now, cheers~

Books, Chair and Gettin' Around

 Reed was supposed to be taking a nap last week. Instead, he used his nap time to do this:

 He is in only a pull-up because he is still potty training and had an accident in his underwear.  He was wet and would only put his pullup back on.

I got Reed a new camp chair.  He wanted Nora to try it out then asked me to take a picture of them together.

 Nora is getting up on her hands and knees pretty often now.  She will rock back and forth.  Might not be too long before she is crawling!  She was pretty happy to show off her skills.

That's it for our week and weekend. 

Monsters

Meet my friend “Guilt Monster”.  Well, I wouldn’t call it a friend so much as an acquaintance.  Guilt Monster is not quite as fun as the Cookie Monster.

 

Not quite as fun as Sully and Mikey from Monster’s Inc. either.

 

Guilt Monster (which will now be called GM) came along when I was quite young.  He was learned when I was a child, a good thing actually.  My parents loved GM cause he would always make me tell the truth, be a terrible liar and generally be very responsible and self-motivated.  GM has grown throughout the years and in 2009, he had a son and about 6 months ago had a daughter.  Let’s assume that GM looks like this:

 

Looks innocent enough right?  A fluffy monster, maybe a likeable one like Sully.  But really, he’s always lurking there for me.  Waiting for any opportune moment to strike, let me know what I should be guilty about, mostly about son and daughter. 

You see GM lives with me daily.  Well, actually, every single moment.  When I’m at work, I feel guilty that I should be with my kids, then I feel guilty cause I’m thinking about my kids and not about work.  Then I drive home, see my kids, feel guilty that I didn’t do more at work and guilty that I’m tired and worn out and kinda just want to put my kids to bed.  Then I feel guilty that I didn’t get up early to work out because daughter was up several times during the night, in which I feel guilty that I was mad at my husband for not getting up to help me when I thought he should.  I feel guilty when I eat crappy food and like it – a lot.  I feel guilty when I buy something, but then guilty if I didn’t and should have.  Well, anyway, you get the point. 

GM will rear its ugly head sometimes in moments of vulnerability.  Like when your awesome mom friends all have their kids potty trained yet Reed is older than all of them and refuses to try.  And that they can play music and know complicated words.  And when you get a note like this sent home from daycare:

 

Inevitably, Nora will learn to crawl during the day when I’m working, to the proud daycare worker (who I love) and I’ll miss that moment.  That hasn’t even happened and GM is in my heart ripping it out already about it.

I wish that I knew how to deal with GM, make him be a little less prevalent in my life.  Should I be happy that GM is around?  Does GM make me a better mom cause that means I care?  Or a better worker cause I know I could do more? Or should I let go of him and realize that life is just what it is and I’m ok with it – mostly. 

Well, anyway, that’s how I’m feeling today.