Two Years and Four Kids Later

No that is not a typo. Two years and four kids later, here we are. We are one of those blended families, but if you didn't know us, you couldn't tell. No, it hasn't always been easy, we've had our ups and downs, but it sure has been fun. Everyone says that having kids changes your relationship...well, we've always had kids, so we really don't know what it is like any other way. We skipped being newlyweds and went straight to being parents, which is why I know we will be great newlyweds one day. It might seem kind of backwards or out of the norm, but we have way too much to be thankful for to worry about that. My family inspires me to be a better person everyday and there is never a dull moment. We've only been married two years, and we are still getting to know each other every chance we get. Having children, as much as I love them, makes me cherish every dinner I get to have with just my husband. We make a great team and have so much to look forward to. Happy Anniversary!


Here are some memories from our perfect wedding day, October 20, 2007.

New Stuff

We have started a few new activities this school year: Annabel and Wesley started pre-school and Annabel is taking dance class. I love pre-school because the kids get time away from me and I get time away from them. Not that I don't love spending time with them, but they need to be with other kids. Annabel's first day was great, she was ready to go. By her second day, she raced to her classroom on her own while I struggled to keep Wesley focused on walking down the hallway. I barely even got to tell her goodbye. Wesley, on the other hand, wasn't too sure about his first day. He was quite clingy and he suddenly became velcroed to my leg. As you can see he still had his paci, which was something I did not want him to take along, but his teacher was so understanding and didn't want me to pressure him to take it out. She told me that after I left he put it away with no problem. I think it is going to take Wesley a little longer to get the hang of going to pre-school, but I know he has fun and he will do fine. I'm so proud of my little pre-schoolers!

Annabel started her first dance class this school year as well. Actually it is a creative movement class, which gives 4-5 year olds the opportunity to decide if they really like dance. This way I don't have to buy all the shoes and outfits that go along with actual ballet class, just in case Annabel decides she wants to do something different next year (which is very possible). So far she really likes the class and has since learned a particular booty shake, which she actually blames on her mi mi, but who knows (I think it is cute and she giggles excessively when she does it). Annabel has always loved to dance, and hopefully this class will teach her some more graceful moves.

Lilly's first taste of something different

Our little Lilly is already 4 months old, which means it is time to try rice cereal. We fed her some for the first time a couple of weeks ago and she wasn't too sure what to think. She still isn't taking a bottle and we mixed the rice cereal with formula, so this is a very different taste for her. Most of that first feeding actually ended up on her bib, but you gotta start somewhere. She has actually has it several times now and the other night she ate the whole bowl. So, maybe she is getting used to the texture. Before you know it, she will be ready for baby food. But I kind of have a feeling that she is not going to like that jared stuff. If Dustin or I am holding her while we eat, she will actually try to grab the food right off our fork! I guess I better start cooking lots of mushable foods!

Here are some pictures from Lilly's first experience with rice cereal.


This one cracks me up, she looks so betrayed!

The mind of a child

Annabel is constantly amazing me with her creativity. not only does she love to paint and draw, but she always wants to cut paste and create. One day she took a flower that she picked from the yard, glued it to a piece of paper and painted over it. surprisingly, it turned out pretty neat. another thing she likes to do is take flower pots and fill them with dirt and then arrange rocks, sticks, flowers and leaves to make a work of art. The other day I caught her cutting a straw into several small pieces, then she put the pieces on the cat's back and said that the cat was a dinosaur. How great is that!! The more my kids grow, the more vivid their imagination becomes. Annabel can have conversations with her barbies for hours while Wesley lines his plastic dinosaurs up for battle. I love to ease drop on my kids and watch them before they notice I'm looking.

Just a mess

As a parent, there are times when your child does something that makes you so mad, but instead of getting angry you end up laughing at them instead. I had one of those times today. Annabel and Wesley were eating ice cream sandwiches and, as usual, wesley decided to get more on the floor and table than in his mouth. I walked away only for a few minutes to come back to his ice cream splattered across the floor and him spitting his juice all over the table. not to mention he had ice cream sandwich all over his face, hands, and body. my first thought was to scold him for making a mess, but when I went to pick him up he stuck his tongue out and started laughing hysterically. okay, if anyone out there could resist laughing back at a chocolate covered two-year-old with a huge smile, then you have way more self control than I do. so, we all had a good laugh and then he went straight to the tub. I should have gotten a picture to post but I wanted to get him to the bath tub before he went running around the house covered in ice cream sandwich, which I know was next on his mind. so, we are still working on controlling wesley's food throwing and spitting, but sometimes I have to say to myself, "he's a boy and it's just a mess".

August Updates

I am so proud of Lillian! She is falling asleep for naps on her own. She will almost never fall alseep when I walk with her or rock her, so I just lay her down and she goes to sleep sucking her thumb. It's awesome and so very cute. I still lay down with her at bed time, but overall she is sleeping so good, much earlier than Annabel and Wesley. At first, I thought she was going to be the "hardest" of the three, but she is turning out to be the easiest. Annabel and Wesley start pre-school in September. I waited until the last minute to get them enrolled, but luckily I got the last 2 year old spot. I am soooo glad they get to go to pre-school and I got them in somewhere we can afford!! I am anticipating getting everyone into a good routine once school starts. This summer has flown by for us. Nicholas starts the first grade in the next couple of weeks, it doesn't seem like summer vacation lasts as long as it used to.



Summer days


Kids love to climb this tree. I think
we have only lost one limb!

Cute Pictures

This is one of my favorite pictures...

my little monkey!

Gotta love that smile!

No bottles, please.

Okay, we are trying to get Lilly to take a bottle and it's just not working. I guess we waited too long cause she gets really, really mad every time we try to stick the bottle in her mouth. You would think I would know better because I had the same problem with Annabel, but she has been doing so well that we just never tried until just recently. And now, believe it or not, I want to be able to leave her with someone for more than two hours. I love breastfeeding and I would never trade it for straight bottle feeding (right now anyway), but I need to find a happy medium. Wesley is a perfect example...one bottle a day. I think Lilly may be a little hard-headed because she is not giving in, not even a little bit. But, we will keep trying because I am in need of a date night and a girls night!!

My First Blog...The Introductions

So, I decided to start a blog to keep up with all the wonderful things going on in our lives right now. Dustin and I have been married almost two years and we are already a family of 6...hey, it is the year 2009. Annabel just had her fourth birthday party yesterday and she is quite the little girly girl. Her gifts included barbies, barbies, barbies, jewelry, lipgloss and various other girly things. Oh yeah, and her first bicycle which is pink and barbie. Wesley just turned two years old about a month ago and he fits the definition of a two-year-old BOY. I used to worry about every little fall, bump or bruise, that is until Wesley came along. Add the "terrible twos" to an already overly rambunctious boy and you have a handful...that is Wesley, but he is just so darn cute, you can't help but love him to pieces. Lillian is not quite 3 months old and is smiling, cooing, trying to grab toys and her feet...I think she is a genious. She won't take the pacifier, but I think she may be a thumb sucker. Nicholas is the oldest of the kiddos and we don't get to see him as often, but I couldn't ask for a more loving and gentle big brother for all my babies. People say kids say the funniest things. I never will forget when Nicholas called the lily pads lillian pads...that is one of my favorites. Well, that is my short introduction to our family. More to come soon!