St. Louis

We took our family vacation to St. Louis. We like to go the weekend after labor day so the weather is still nice, but school is back in session, so hopefully attractions are less busy. We had a great time going to the zoo, The Magic House, and the Arch. We really like St. Louis because it's family and budget friendly. This is the best family photo we could get. I think it's great and totally us!

Alaina is our brave girl. She loved the animals and was not a bit afraid.

The new stingray attraction was fun. The first hour of the zoo, the stingrays, carousel, and children's zoo were all free. We made it to everything and just made it on the last free ride of the carousel.

Mommy and Paige at The Magic House, the children's museum.

Of course, we thought it would be funny for Daddy and Alaina to show us how their hair sticks up, too.

A rare photo of Mom and the girls at the Arch.

We ended the trip renting a quadricycle. It was a lot of fun and the girls did great. It was a good workout for the quads. Wouldn't it be fun to have one at home?

Naptime!

Naptime is sometimes interesting. This particular day I thought Paige was in her bed sleeping. I thought I heard her, so I went to the bottom of the stairs and sure enough, she was sitting at the top. I told her to get back in bed and she said something about the leaves. Curious, I went upstairs to find that she had plucked a bunch of leaves off our fake plant. As I was scolding her she said, "But Mom, I was feeding the cow!" How do you argue with that?

My thoughts for the day!

I was reminded today (thanks for your post Deb!) of how fast my baby is turning into a little girl, and not just a little girl, but a girl with her own thoughts, feelings, and ideas. I sometimes get stressed about her still sucking her thumb, if she will ever be able to distinguish between blue and yellow, if she will ever eat without making a huge mess, first time obedience - what's that?, will she ever let me do her hair without complaining, is she ever going to eat her vegetables without a reward, am I spending enough time reading to her, am I being a good example to her, and the list goes on and on.

In reality, she's my baby (do you ever stop thinking of them that way?). I don't have many years left of true innocence, of being the most important person in her life, of snuggles in the morning, or just one more hug and kiss at night, of endless giggles for no apparent reason. She's growing up and I don't want to miss this precious time because I'm so worried about her hitting milestones that really don't mean much. God gave us this beautiful, precious gift we named Paige because we were the perfect match for her. I am the perfect mommy for Paige and Alaina. God didn't make a mistake, even though, most days I think someone else surely could do this better than I do.

I am trying my best to raise my girls right. Am I making mistakes? Ummm . . .YES! Probably everyday, but I am trying to learn from them. Thankfully, I am surrounded by wonderful mommy's who teach me a lot about grace and patience. Right now, I want to forget about that checklist of things Paige can't or doesn't do, and focus on Paige and her unique spirit.

Apple Orchard

Why is it. . .

that we long for peace and quiet, and when we get it, we realize that loud and obnoxious would be better. This morning the girls were playing well, so I took the opportunity to catch up on some stuff on the computer. At one point I thought, "Wow, it sure is quiet out there, good job girls." When, in fact, I should have investigated. I found Paige applying A&D ointment to Alaina. Not her bottom, but her head. Alaina was one slicked down chick. She doesn't have much hair, so in reality, there was probably more ointment on her head, than hair. The best part is, because it's A&D, it repels water. I've washed her head with baby shampoo, my shampoo, Dawn, and we are still slicked down. God bless them!

Happy Birthday Gina!

Happy GOLDEN Birthday G! Even though the years and the miles have separated us, you are still my most cherished friend. You came into my life when truly needed a friend and have been the best friend that I ever could have wanted. I have the best memories of fun times that we've shared. I know that I can always count on you to be there, no matter what, or how long it's been since the last phone call. I have loved seeing you become a wife and a mommy, and you are wonderful at both. You will always have a special place in my heart. I love you!

A penny for your thoughts?

The other night we had some friends over. Paige was going to the bathroom before getting her pajamas on and when she was finished, she came out with only her shirt on. She walked over to Mark and said, "I have a penny in my butt!" What?! She was waddling around like a penguin, with no pants on stating, "I have a penny in my butt!" When Mark picked her up to take her upstairs to get pj's on, sure enough, a quarter fell out of her bottom. I remembered that at the grocery store she found a quarter on the floor and put it in her pocket to put in her bank. It must have fallen out while she was going to the bathroom. Apparently the only place to put it was between her cheeks. I seriously have to watch this girl.