Happy Birthday Little Bit

We are ALL about some birthdays over here! Warrior turned two on the 25th. And I say this reverently, Thank You, Lord! Read all about his first birthday here. I can say that I do sort of love him. He continues to be one of the primary means of sanctification in my life...my bedroom smells like a dog. Ick. He ate my roll last night. 'Nough said.

And we've also celebrated the birthday of our darling Little Bit! Happy, happy birthday sweet TWO year old! I cannot believe our baby girl is TWO YEARS old! (As of Monday, the 26th.) You are such a sweet delight. Such a good and perfect gift from God!



I remember the day we learned you were being knit together. It was a day of excitement and tears of joy! Not to mention shock. You have been celebrated from the moment we learned of you. Literally, after the fourth pregnancy test, when we were quite certain that this was "for real" we called ALL the family, shouting the good news! That first Wednesday night we knew, I remember being at church and a friend asking, "How are you?" And I blurted out, with a big grin, "Pregnant!" You have been celebrated from day one. We love you dearly.



The day you arrived there was a crowd gathered to meet you. JJ and Grandpa J and Bobo and lots of friends! Grandma and Grandpa made the drive and arrived shortly after you'd made your grand debut. Aunt A and her fam made the drive, too. Your Aunt K and Uncle M wanted a play by play over the phone...You have been SO celebrated! SO loved!



Your big sis and big bro were thrilled to meet you. In fact, I think Sister would have held you exclusively if we'd let her. She wanted a baby sister SO BAD!



You were a healthy 7lb 12oz and were 21" long! And you had a head FULL of dark hair!



I remember seeing these pictures and thinking that can't be me. I don't really have three children. We have enjoyed you so much! Your birth was so much fun! Those first days in the hospital...days of getting to know you. Of staring at this wonderful gift God had so lavishly given...those were sweet days.



We were delighted with you! Thankful to God for you! Rejoicing over you! You are a good and perfect gift from God. Perfectly formed. Perfectly designed. You have been created with great purpose and intention and the Lord has a wonderful plan for your life. He is sovereign and good and we pray that you will walk with Him all the days of your life.



I have been amazed at the way you have multiplied love in our family. You have brought such joy. Such smiles. Such laughter. Such life! I am so thankful for you. You are amazing. God is so good and we are so thankful.



Little Bit, you are wonderful! We are so in love with you! You are independent and strong and strong willed and you have quite the temper. And you love well. You scream well, too! You are an adventure and I am so very thankful the Lord has blessed us with wonderful, precious, amazing you.

Happy second birthday precious girl! We love you with all our hearts and we thank God for you!!! Happy, happy birthday darling!

Seven Years Ago...

Happy Seventh Birthday sweet baby girl! Oh how precious you are to me! I will NEVER forget sitting in the laundry mat on campus (on a folding table), writing in my prayer journal, begging - pleading with God to give us a baby...and telling Him that in my heart, though I'd speak it to no one, I really wanted a baby girl. 

And I'll never forget going in for what would be my last check up. Miss Ann dropped me off so that when your daddy met me there, we could return home in one car. Shortly after I arrived your Daddy walked in and announced Miss Ann's husband had dropped him off, so we could ride home together in one car. Ha! We were stranded. And so we went on back for my appointment. Low and behold...my suspicions were confirmed! You were on your way! We were the last couple to leave the doctors office that afternoon and I was teary and so excited...and Miss Ann and her sweet husband were waiting. When we told them our exciting news, they rushed home to grab our bags and car...and they even cleaned our house! What precious friends! They were so happy you were on the way!

We stopped off at a pay phone in the hospital lobby to call the fam and tell them to head our way! You were about to make your grand appearance! Now, when we made that phone call, Bobo and Bebo were just about to eat dinner. Bobo was giddy she was so excited. I've been told she had never and has never since, eaten a meal SO FAST. And it was all so she could get here in time to meet you. In fact, I believe EVERYONE hurried to make it in time! 

You made your big debut at 3:54 am and weighed 6lb 14oz and were 20 1/2" long. You were perfect in every way. I will NEVER forget the doctor saying, "It's a GIRL!!!!!" Oh my sweet little one. A GIRL! God had given me the desire of my heart...a baby girl. I was so. Excited. We were ALL so excited! There were tears over your arrival. Laughter. Joy! Smiles! You had a HUGE crowd waiting to meet you. You were and you are God's good and perfect gift to us. You and your brother and your sister, y'all have all been God's good and perfect gifts to us.

I had never seen such beauty. And I had no idea I could love anyone so much. Your Daddy and I were thrilled with you. God had blessed us, so graciously, with a beautiful, healthy baby girl. Our hearts exploded with love for you. 

Early that morning - after you'd been born, I was so excited, so happy, that after only a few hours sleep, I woke and wondered if I'd dreamed it. Had we really had a baby girl? And so I sat up in that hospital bed and leaned forward to read..."Baby Girl." And I sighed with contentment and thanked the Lord for precious and sweet YOU! For His kindness and goodness and generosity. For the ways He proclaims His loving tenderness! For His goodness. Always. In all things.

Your grandparents were there...rejoicing over you!

Even Grandma and Grandpa were there to meet their first great-grandchild! 

You have been so loved and celebrated since the day we learned God was knitting you together!

You've been adored and prayed over.

Your Aunt K drove ALL NIGHT long to be there to meet you. Sweet. Precious. You! And Aunt A brought her boy-friend along. (He said you looked like an alien...he was just a high school boy. Pay no attention.)

And I love this picture because it looks just like Bobo holding me on the day I was born. I'll show you that picture sometime. 

And here you are in your car seat. You were soooo tiny. So precious and perfect. We put a big pink bow (off the hospital door) on the side of your car seat. And we took you home. And when they wheeled me out of the hospital, I was struck with the terrifying thought that they were letting me leave with you! And God is good and gracious and merciful. 

As soon as we got home I rushed you next door and across the street. There were some little old ladies who wanted to see sweet little you!

Baby girl, YOU ARE SO LOVED. I love you with all my heart. I love you "this much in a football field." I am so thankful God gave us you. You are His good and perfect gift. We pray that you will walk with Him all the days of your life and we thank Him that He numbers those days in His sovereignty and goodness. How great is the Father's love! Happy Birthday precious baby girl! Seek Him with all your heart! I love you!

Greek-Dates-Demon WP-& A Shy Little Guy

'Round here...we LOVE some Greek yogurt. As in...L.O.V.E. Everyone, except The Engineer. He's not such a fan. 

Little Bit, however, is rather enthusiastic...right down to the last little bit. 

She's also a very kind and selfless mother. She generously shares with her baby, Penelope. Thank goodness Penelope cleans up so well with a washcloth. 

Last Wednesday night, Sister made a request. It went something like this, "You know, Mom, you and I haven't had much, ya know, girl time. I was thinking that maybe we could, well, ya know, go on a date, just you and me."

I mentioned it to The Engineer. Without hesitation, he replied, "GO! Have fun!" And so we went.

She cracks me up. I offered (because I had freebies/gift cards) dessert at Outback, Italian Ice at Brewsters, or coffee at Starbucks. "Coffee at Starbucks!" was her immediate answer. Only, when she learned it was the Starbucks inside Target, she changed her tune. "Mom, I was thinking we could go to the Starbucks in the bookstore." And like a sucker, I took her.  And. We. Had. A. Blast. Two decaf coffees with a shot of caramel and one chocolate biscotti for the little lady. That one on one time is precious. Special. I highly recommend it!

I'm pretty sure I've shared about Demon WP before. This stuff ROCKS. We live in an area where roaches are rampant. They are a part of life. Gross. I know. I HATE roaches. When we moved into our home seven and a half years ago, it was in bad shape. We stuck with one pest control company for almost a year. Things got a lot better, but still not up to par. So we switched companies. Things got better, but still, not great. About that time we heard about Demon WP. Y'all, this stuff is awesome. AWESOME. $16.95 + tax easily gets us a year and a half to two years of pest control. I spray about twice a year and roaches are NOT the issue they once were. Even with a portion of our upstairs torn out with framing, attic space, etc. exposed, they just aren't anywhere near the issue they were before. 

So...here's the scoop: Get yourself a gallon size sprayer. I think we paid about $20 for ours. A one time investment.

Ace and several online stores carry Demon WP. We get 4 packets in one envelope for $16.95. (Each packet mixes in one gallon of water - so that's four gallons worth! I can spray our entire upstairs and downstairs and I still have at least half left.)

Drop one packet in the sprayer.

Fill it to the fill line with water.

Give the Demon WP a minute or two to dissolve. Then shake it up a little, and start spraying. I hit the baseboards, thresholds, and occasionally around a window. You have my word, this stuff has outperformed the local pest control guys. I'll never go back. Not to mention, we're saving a lot of $$$.

I also spray the outside of our house, but for that, we use High Yield 38. (We chose to use a separate sprayer for the outside, simply because the chemicals are so much stronger.) We bought a bottle of the High Yield about three years ago and still have waaaay over half of it left. I HIGHLY recommend!

Enough about bugs. Little Man is camera shy as of late. In fact, he's become rather modest in the last few weeks. At times he asks me to leave his room, like when he's changing. Or he'll just say, "Mom, don't look." For whatever reason, this sense of modesty hasn't kept him from stripping down and running through the house, screaming like a banshee. Whatever.

For now, I'm snapping a few less of the Little Man. 

Happy Monday (or Tuesday) to you!

PS Go read my Sister's post here. Try not to cry.

Boo-Ya!

Today is week two of "get my booty back in shape." I am happy to report I have ellipticated (and as of this week, bumped myself up a level in intensity), lifted weights, and done my sit-ups (despite the two large beasts who think it's time to play when I lay down on the floor) every day last week (5x) and today made the third day this week. Woo. Hoo. Wanna join me?

Most mornings I have emailed or called The Engineer to report and I usually begin with "boo-ya. I worked out today." 'Cause I don't like to work out. And this is a big deal. I feel better, but don't really see a difference...yet. But, I am committed.

Our sweet neighbor turned seven last week. Our three were included in the festivities. They came home with these sweet babies. Little Man wore them into Sunday School. Just to make his teacher laugh. With his yellow cowboy boots and yellow suit (that was The Engineer's). Then they (the glasses) went in my purse. Little Bit wore them to the pool yesterday. They're pretty popular 'round here.

This week has been full of surprises...eighteen eggs tumbling out of my trunk...a play-mobile cannon part shot down the sink drain (still there)...red lipstick painted all over Little Man's face (he was "bein a clown." Sorry, no pics.) The children's entire set of breakable ikea play dishes dropped down the steps, several pieces broken, and a favorite vase... shattered.

"Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox." Proverbs 14:4

I was preparing dinner and looked over to see this sweetness taking place. I could eat. her. up.

Little Bit is WILD about Sister. And Sister is WILD about Little Bit. Their antics keep me laughing. Usually.

They are just WILD. And I love seeing them play. I love seeing Sister help Little Bit, encourage her, read to her, even dress her. And as of this week, Little Bit will nod "yes" when asked a question. SO WONDERFUL to have her communicating more! Plus, it melts my heart when she walks over to me and reaches up and I ask, "Do you want to sit in my lap?" And she grins HUGE and nods yes. 

"Last time. I promise." That's what I told The Engineer. He smiled back and said, "Don't make a promise you can't keep."

I leave you with this. As of the start of Summer, we agreed that once Sister is tucked into her bed, she can stay up reading or coloring. (Wise? Hmmm...I'd rather her read with the light on than by flashlight or closet light like The Engineer and I did.) I'm not sure how late she's been burning the midnight oil, but I know that at nine am this morning, I still hadn't heard from her. Upon entering her room, this is what I found. 

PS Guess who turns seven in seven days???????

Lemonade & Stripes

Ahhh...sweet summer days. Sister has been going to VBS this week and our precious next door neighbor has taken her and brought her home each day. That has been a tremendous blessing! 

Little Man and Little Bit and I have rocked the mornings...which has included putting a yogurt filled spoon down the vent, which seems to be permanently stuck in place.

 It is SO STRANGE to only have two at home. 

They have played well and it's been fun, but just really weird.

Each year our VBS encourages the kids to earn money to help whatever the chosen cause is...this year, it's Tornado Relief in Alabama. 

The sign reads: "Offer Your Prise...Lemonade"

All money the children earn is being sent to a church whose Sanctuary was destroyed and who is not only seeking to rebuild their own Sanctuary, but they are also in the process of planting a church in a nearby, needy area, that also was hit hard by the tornadoes. 

All that to say, Sister and her friend next door decided to have a Lemonade Stand. Of course Little Man got in on the action.

And so we sat in the sweltering heat for a few hours yesterday. 

The children collected $48. Not bad. 

Even if they were their own best customers! 

Little Bit made a habit of conning the children into refilling her glass, and then promptly pouring it down her shirt. 

Random shot of Warrior...

and the big reveal...'cause I know you've been dying to see!

Ta-Da!

I am SUPER pleased with how this turned out.

It was a lot of hours of looking straight up and I am still feeling it in my neck and arms...

I keep asking The Engineer if he realizes I striped the ceiling. He smiles back and assures me he is well aware. 

And in other unrelated news...I currently weigh more than I have ever weighed except when pregnant. I am not pregnant. Something must be done. Today was day three of "get my booty back in shape." 2.1 miles on the elliptical, plus free weights, and sit-ups. My goal: this for 5 days/wk, for a month. Then I'll re-evaluate. I keep telling myself I can do anything for 45 minutes. I do not like to exercise. At. All. But I don't like what I see, either. Therefore, I ellipticate*.

* ellipticate: to work out on an elliptical machine