Boys, boys, boys!

Cooper got more mail than we did today. Like 3x.

How excited are we to be celebrating so many little people over the next few weeks! I totally thought about scanning these adorable invites into the computer to show you, because they are just that cute! Baby Sawyer is turning one (how in the WORLD is that possible, now tell me that!), Big Boy Lason is turning four (what? what?), and Baby Rylan sent his welcome to the world cutie patootie birth announcement. I just sat staring at each sweet invitation, thanking God for placing such amazing people in our lives.

Today is Wednesday. Yep. A glorious day! I saw my little speech doodle at the private school this morning and then Coop and I caravanned up with Lori, Courtney, Gabby, Brady, and Jonah for our inaugural trip to Catch Air.

I did a forward roll coming down a blow up bouncy slide and Coop busted a move on the disco dance floor. Jonah was a hoot. He posed for me to take his picture every couple minutes and kept me giggling. Such a little pumpkin!

We ran, we jumped, we slid, we crawled, we climbed, we bounced.

Brady Boo is Coop's lifelong buddy. They go way back.

My boy, without a doubt.

We came home and both passed out for 3 hours. Ahh. Sweet, sweet Wednesday.We woke up (at 5pm) and ended the day with a superfun playdate with Jennifer and Ryan. Look at this cutie pie:

I mean, seriously! The boys played with cars and choo choos and slides and tractors and then we headed out for some cheese dip. I've got several tests at Northside tomorrow morning, so I came home and lifted a few weights and did some cardio. Riight. Got to do it up big on the treadmill during the stress test. Ha. Praying they don't video tape me for blackmail.

Quiet

It's super quiet around our house. Like eerily quiet. Cacaw. Cacaw.

Mimi and Poppy came up for supper after church yesterday. After we ate Coop packed his rolling suitcase (circa 1999-a gift passed down from the Lee girls...so very special) and hit the road for a few days down on the farm.

Oh he was just beside himself. Blue Bell straight from the carton, feeding the horses, playing with Poppy's choo choo train, riding on the tractor, and driving the farm truck. He won't even know what to do with himself.

It was so quiet last night that we went to the movies. The MOVIES. Yes, us. We have gone twice since little bit was born. I gave Chris the "bigger half  of the bagel" and we saw "Safe House". I might have sat through the entire movie [two hours] without a CLUE as to what was going on. It was a total boy movie. Bang. Bang. Bam. Blow this up. Blow that up. Blood. Sweat. Bang. But I had my bucket of popcorn, a Cherry Coke and was with the one I love, so I didn't care one bit.

Tonight we're going out for sushi date night. Cause it's just too quiet to stay home. Schucks.

Tand up Dere!

For the past two weeks every time I've done laundry, Coop pulls on my pants leg and hollers that he wants to "tand up dere" (on top of the dryer). Every time I've done laundry for the past two weeks, I've told him how silly he is and how we DO NOT STAND ON TOP OF THE DRYER. Ever.

I came in last night to find little love helping big love do the wash. I walked up the stairs and this is what I saw.

Apparently little boys do "tand up dere" when they help their daddy with the wash.

Did I fail to mention last Tuesday night? The night he woke up at 2:45am and cried his eyes out until 6 in the mornin? I rocked and patted and swayed and walked the hall. I sang and cuddled and asked him whatever was the matter. Around 4 he calmed down enough to tell me. He wanted to go "downaires" and play with his choo choo.

Seriously?

He asked me for it 204 times. He might have watched all of Toy Story 3 at 5am. It was grand.

Hello terrific twos??

L-O-V-E

This Valentine's Day was pretty steamy. Coop got a quacking yellow duck bill, a bag of gummy bears, and a big teddy bear/heart shaped mylar balloon. I fell head over heels and got to get half nekkid and Chris isn't even in town.

Quack. Quack.

Apparently I blacked out at work today. Ran into a door, hit my noggin, and fell flat on my booty. It was that awesome. I came to and promptly started to cry (that really improved the situation) because I was so dern embarrassed. So strange. I have fainted in the past but this was different. No woozy feelings, no tunnel vision, no sweaty, clammy palms. Just BOOM, lights out. Anyway, I'm sure everything is just fine. Still I have been feeling out of sorts for the past 3-4 weeks so this was the push that got me into the doc. I was sure it was the blasted Clomid, but Big Al says no. I most loved it when the doc asked me a) If I exercise regularly (HA) and b) If I soiled myself when I was out cold (HA). They sent me for an EKG and some blood work and I'll humor them and go for an ECHO and stress test next week. Still, I feel silly. I'm sure it's nothing.

Notice the Choo Choo? He has one in his little hands always. Toot. Toot.

He walked around saying "Be Mine", tootin' and saying "xuse me", and melting my heart all night long. True love. Counting down the days til big Love is back home so we can celebrate Valentine's Day all over again.

Happy Valentine's Day! Xoxo

INK

My car finally smells normal. This morning Coop spilled a sippy of chocolate milk in our bed while watching Bob-Builder. It soaked the bed, my pajama pants, my underpants, and his socks. I dashed around stripping the bed of all the covers ranting about how much I despise milk and then we fell into the floor giggling and wrestling. No use crying over spilled milk, remember?

On Wednesday we loaded up with Abby and Jeremiah and went for a playdate to Ink.

In small group this semester, we are going through the book of Philippians. Is there any greater book of the Bible?  I mean, there's Paul, imprisoned yet pouring out words of joy. Imprisoned. Yet joyful. This week we were supposed to read verses 1-11. Only I thought we were supposed to read chapters 1-11. I made my way about half way through chapter 4 but pooped out before turning the pages and completing the assignment. I couldn't figure out how we were to find time for ELEVEN chapters a day.  Come to find out, apparently there are only 4 chapters in Philippians. Ha.

We are memorizing verses each week as we go along. Ironically, the verse that spoke to me was Philippians 1:6 ("And He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion"). I am a chronic giver-uper. I get brilliant ideas and bound joyfully into them. Halfway through I get tired of the brilliance and give up. Terrible, right? I think it's absolutely awesome that we have a great God above who isn't a giver-uper. He sets out to do a good work in us and actually SEES it through. Incredibly, we have Him on our side, cheering us on. Prodding us along. I love. it.

Can I take a second to give a shout out to our small group? Goodness gracious. I just love these folks. Being away for the past few months felt like walking around with milk soaked pajamas. Just terrible. Being back makes my heart so happy! As we sat around the Yates living room, I looked at each and every sweet soul sitting in our circle and thanked God for them. Truly. How great it is to live life together. To celebrate joys and rally with each other in our times of weakness.

This week we discussed the verse that talks about praying over people with joy. I spent the week in joyful prayer over Abby, Mike, Jeremiah, and Precious Parker. They are absolute warriors. Baby Parker needs you to pray for him too. He also needs donuts and not cheeseburgers.

I was tickled that we got to sneak away to Ink with Abby and Jeremiah on Wednesday. We had entirely too much fun. Coop's favorite? A toss up between the trains (oh the trains!) and the buggies.

We are super fans of buggies right now.

On the way home I got a sweet tea and decided that I need to spend more time at home. With my little love bug. And my big love bug. Coopie needs me. I need time with him. Pictures need to be painted. Legos need to be built. Chris needs a balanced wife. Our floors need to be swept. Our laundry needs to be put away. Dinner needs to be made. We have memories to be made and before we know it, Coop will be climbing onto the big yellow bus racing off to big boy school. It's SO not like me to admit defeat. I love love love what I do. I also love love love my family. Balancing both, although rewarding, is a constant juggling act. I spent an hour reading workin' mama blogs via Kelly's Korner today. Reading them made me feel a gazillion times better. I am so not alone. We are praying over it right now, but I can feel it. A-change is a-coming. And I just about can't wait.

Legos and Lollies

Coop and Dada are building blocks in the bathroom. It's the sweetest sound on earth. They are giggling and discussing tunnel architecture and revving matchbox car engines.

I'm knocked out with bronchitis and a double ear infection to boot. Sick. Sick. Sick.

Today I was wrestling a cranky toddler at immediate care as he emptied pantyliners and lip gloss out of my purse onto the floor, just sure I was getting punked (parental translation: getting "punked" is like a modern day Candid Camera). Worst part, I have no voice. How is a Mama to tell her little love and her big love that she loves them with no voice? How is she to tell her little love to climb down from the middle of the kitchen table or to kindly put the plunger back in the closet? How is she to sing "Rain Rain, Go-Gah Way at bedtime? Or how is she to offer unnecessary commentary during American Idol? The answer? She's not.

Thank heavens Chris came home tonight. Just in time for a lolly in the bathtub.

Oh how I love my two sweet boys!