Muddy Buddies

I was all set to write a post about how I had the best of intentions of today being a great day, but somewhere between the dog eating Maggie's lunch off the counter and surveying the battle ground that is my living room, I lost it.  I don't want to remember that today was cloudy and grey  (although, just out of interest last year was much warmer based on this history of this blog), I want to remember  that today we started the letter Q.  I told the girls that if they were very QUIET, they might spot a QUAIL, in the backyard.

Between you and me, we live in a residential area and the chances of a quail passing our way is very slim.  Moments later my Little ran to me with excitement in her eyes and said "Mommy, you must come and see, there is a quail at the bird feeder."  "Really," says I, "what color quail is it?"  "It's pink."  Of course I was very interested in a pink quail at our bird feeder. Upon further investigation I discovered a young cardinal had rested on our feeder   Being the good Mama-teacher that I am, I didn't have the heart to tell her the truth about her bird spot.

 I want to remember that despite my lack of pictures, Libby chose her outfits for two birthday parties we attended this weekend.  For the first party we were encourage to dress like pirates.  She spent the majority of Friday afternoon convincing me that her Neapolitan colored, taffeta church dress was "piratey".  Her word, not mine.  After trying to talk her into wearing an eye patch and a bandanna I decided to let her go with the dress because when I really listen to her, I can hear myself, and when I was four years old, I would have chosen the frilly dress too.  For the second party she chose a red velvet hand-me-down Christmas dress that one of my nieces wore several years ago.   I forgot about it this Christmas, so the Little thought it was perfect for Juney's first birthday.  In her own words, "Mommy, June-bug will love my dress for her party."

I don't want to forget that one day last week the temperature was 63 degrees and I let my daughters play in the mud.  I really just took them outside to enjoy the afternoon sun.  They found the water and mud all on their own.  We have had a shortage of nice days so I just let them take full advantage of this one.  By the time  we came inside even Maggie's diaper was muddy.  It was a beautiful mess.

  Yes, the mixed the water in their boots.  It took a whole day for them to dry out.

 Laura asked me if Maggie's hair is growing down, or just out?  I'm pretty sure that it is just growing out.  It does fabulous things with just a little bit of moisture in the air.

Note to self, remember the good things.  Do the good things.  Write the good things.  Cherish the good things...
Little girls who love a pretty party dress, but also love a good romp through the mud.  That is a good thing.
Grace and peace

One more thing.  Speaking of Laura, she told me the other day that she scrolled through this blog all the way back to when Libby was a baby and that Libby was all grown up now with no trace of that baby left.  I told her that I agreed, but there is one picture that makes remember that first baby of mine because to this day she looks up at me the very the same way...This picture right here...

I still know this girl, same big eyes that look up at me every morning.  Love that girl, all four and half years of her and more.
That is all.
xoxo

About Last Week, And About Yesterday

I told my midwife that I had my big "mama" trip (no pregnant jokes please) planned.  She said these words to me "remember Carly, part of you is still the woman you were before you had them, it is important that you don't forget her."

Truthfully, sometimes I would like to forget her.  She made poor choices and was extremely selfish.  There are other parts of that girl/woman, that I have forgotten that I wish I hadn't.  The girl that could have a conversation that didn't end up with some kind of poopy diaper talk, or the girl that could stroll with her bff around our favorite store never buying one thing but touching everything for hours.

 There was a dreamer and a lover in that girl, and though the every dayness of  life may have sent her into dormancy, I want her to come back.  I want my girls to know her and I don't want my Love to forget her.  She was real, as real as I am right now. I know that the  person I have become is important, faithful wife/loving Mama, but that girl, spontaneous and free spirited....that girl is important too.  Taking my little trip help me realize that.

When I stepped off the plane and the warm Florida breeze hit my face, I was nervous b/c I was sure that I wouldn't want to leave and surely someone's heart would be broken.  As it turns out, on my last day there, when I called Kev from the terminal to let him know I arrived safely, I heard a precious voice in the background say "Hi Mommy," and just like that my heart was ready to come home to them.  In fact, I burst into tears in the middle of terminal D and I couldn't wait to kiss their faces, and hold them, and love all three and be home...Because my home is  right where they are. 

Yesterday, seeing that I needed a bit of that spontaneity in my life, I packed the girls up for a little drive.  Our adventure "just for girls" as Libby put it, resulted in a long day in the car with about an hour break at the beach for fun.  It is not exactly what I planned but I love to watch them run at the beach.   I would have let them play longer but the baby was telling to find a bathroom asap.

 I have a pocket-full of broken sea shells now...diligent little hunters.

 We stopped for a Starbucks break before heading back to the car to sit in traffic for 30 extra minutes.

 Thirty minutes that Maggie cried because she took her shoe off and wanted it back on.  Thirty minutes of Libby yelling at Maggie to calm her down (I tried to explain that this doesn't work that well.)  Thirty minutes of me sneezing uncontrollably because of the worst allergy attack of my life...

 We made it home in one piece, hours later than we should have.  I'm still not sure why I decided that was how we should spend a sunny Saturday.  I am hoping the girls will remember it as the day Mommy drove for three hours so we could play for 20 minutes in the cold sand.

 All smiles for church this morning...For the record, I knew buying white leggings for a 4 year old was a big mistake.  Before the day was over the left leg of those leggings was covered in mud from top to bottom.  Another lesson learned, no white leggings, and park you car close to public restrooms when you're pregnant.

Wow...the knowledge I've gained this weekend.
One more thing, before I wrap this up.  Day light savings completely messed me up tonight.  I put the girls down an hour late for naps, took them to the park at 6:00, fed them dinner at 8:00 and only just got them down for bedtime at 9:30!
I'll get my act together in the morning.
Maybe.
Grace and Peace
xoxo

All My Bags Are Packed

My suitcase is filled with clothes that are bright and colorful and scream that I am leaving this cold, grey town for sunny skies and time with my most kindred of kindred spirits.
While the spirits that I leave behind twirl on tip toes and baby legs and ask me to stay, I tell them I'll be home soon.  Then I whisper in their ears how much I love them, and that they are my favorite Libby and Maggie in the whole world.  Then I kiss them an excessive amount because once I start it is nearly impossible to stop.

I never knew how motherhood would change me.
 It would seem motherhood is all set to change me again.  A strange 12 weeks of something I didn't expect kept me from telling our little secret. Every time I've told a new person that "yes, it is true," slight anxiety and fear has rolled over me, hurling questions through my head that maybe perhaps it is not true and I  dreamed the whole thing up.

 Yesterday, I had a glimpse of him (I say him bc for now all signs point towards a him, though we don't officially know that it is "him" just yet)  and all the anxiety and fear melted away while I watched our new baby turn and roll and move inside of me in a way that was overwhelming.

I always have a bit of anxiety until I have them safe in my arms, but the initial 12 weeks of holding my breath is passed.  He is healthy right now and so amazing.

 This is news came as quite a shock to both of us.  Baby number three is not something we planned on, but there he is, picture after picture of a small person that is meant to be a part us.

Part of changing these two to a three.

Part of changing me again into the person I was always meant to be.
Part of teaching us to love just a little bit more.

That part we are ready for...We can't wait to love the Tiniest Jones.
Surprise!
I can almost picture his face, and it is beautiful.
Grace and Peace

(ps for the record, if this sweet surprise turns out to be another girl we will be equally excited bc we do baby girl very well, and think of the money we will save on baby clothes;)