Dance Recital

 This weekend Ivy and Tula had their Spring Tap Recitals and loved getting all dressed up in their outfits, putting on makeup, and curling their hair.  I know I am partial but they look beautiful!!

This was the first tap class for both Tula and Hattie Jayne!  They did a great job and grew so much from the first time we got to see their dance at practice.  The mommies were definitely proud.  Layni and Ivy did a great job and smiled so pretty!! Dancing with friends is always fun!

 It is always so special that Nana and Pops were there to watch and as usual brought a beautiful bouquet of flowers for both of their little dancers.  The girls loved the flowers but I think the fruit snacks that Nana had stashed in her purse were a bigger hit with Tula! :) 

Dance Recital Videos on You Tube

Ivy's Dance Spring 2014

Tula's Dance Spring 2014

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We are certain that next Fall we will be taking a little break from dance.  We have loved our time at Mindy's and will miss learning dances but both girls are going to try some new activities.  Ivy wants to take gymnastics.  She was determined to teach herself to cartwheel and by golly she did!  She improved drastically but not without practice.... I would say she did approximately 5,783 cartwheels a day and now she has cut down to maybe 491!! She cartwheels all over the place and I always laugh to myself when that is a new rule as we enter a public place, "Ivy, no cartwheeling at Kroger!", or may favorite, "Ivy, my bathroom is entirely too small for cartwheels!!" 

 Tula is playing soccer this spring!! She is just being introduced to the sport and loves it! It is quite comical to see a bunch of very distracted 3 year olds run around with soccer balls but the energy it burns is right up Tula's alley.  She looks like a cross country runner because she often leaves her ball in the dust and just motors across the field!! In the fall, she will actually get to play in her first game!!! I bet you can guess which one of our family members is most excited about this!!

Easter Time

 Easter is one of my favorite times of the year.  It is filled with so much hope and that is an awesome thing.  It is a time that I can sit back and really think about how much God loves us that He sent his son to die.... for me, for everyone.  Since becoming a mother I really grasp just how much love that our heavenly Father has for mankind.  The grace and promise of heaven that we can hold so close to our hearts is everywhere I look at Easter time.  

 The Saturday of Easter weekend our church hosted it's egg hunt at Happy Hill Farm, a precious Jessamine County farm owned by our friends Jon and Mandy and their 4 girls!  It was so wonderful to egg hunt at this new location and have wide open space to run and play.  The girls loved being with their friends and getting to love on the farm animals, clearly the chicks were a fave! The girls racked up with lots of candy while Joss took a little snooze in Mommy's arms.  A win win for everyone!

 On Easter morning we woke up and the girls participated in their first annual scavenger hunt all over the house looking for their Easter baskets.  It was so fun to hear Ivy read the clue and for Tula to be certain that they were never going to find their baskets!  Once they opened the laundry room door to find their loot Tula couldn't wait to start eating her candy,  Joss was ready to play with some new toys, and Ivy..... was not herself and I could tell in her eyes she was sick but I didn't want to believe it!!

My 3 little ladies all dressed up in their Easter outfits!

 We took Ivy's temperature and sure enough she had a fever.  Immediately I wanted to cry since I knew this cancelled all of our plans- going to church as a family (Tula, Joss, and I still made it!!) and going to Cincinnati to spend the day with the rest of our family.  Everyone was sad our biggest girl was sick, but thankful for special hours at our pediatrician's office.  Even though she was sick Ivy couldn't wait to put on her outfit and high heels as long as someone got to see her all dressed up.  

 

 Sure enough Ivy had strep throat but thankfully Motrin and her antibiotic were kicking in a bit by the afternoon and we were able to enjoy some time playing in the backyard!

All in all, we had a wonderful Easter but are hoping for a healthy one next year!

Sisters to Friends

Over the last few weeks I have really seen a shift in these two girls.  They have went from being simply sisters to being the greatest friends and it makes my heart sing.  To know that they have been given a great gift in each other.... a best friend, a play mate, a teacher, a confidante, a maid of honor, and so much more.... makes me look forward to the days and years ahead.

And then I remember that it won't be long and they will have another sister to add to the mix. What a blessing we have been given.... 3 girls, 3 sisters, 3 friends.... forever!

mini-trip

 We made a mini trip to the state of Ohio over our spring break and definitely couldn't enter that state without seeing our favorite people.  Our first stops (and probably one of the best hours of my trip) was spent in Cincinnati with this boy!  It was a blast and oh how he is so lovable.  He calls me Auntie and insisted his Auntie cuddle him the whole time we were there.  Not much arm twisting on my part because I was soaking up my time with him.  Jossie and him are 11 months apart and in the next few years they are going to be best buds!  I can't wait to see them at the beach this summer!

We headed from Cincinnati on up to Columbus where we would spend the next few days!  This is what I learned......5 people in a hotel room is not for sissies!  Thankful for the pool and hot tub that the big girls loved so much and spent several hours at--- good for Mommy's sanity, their energy bursts, and some quiet time for baby who HATED the pool! (Good thing we have 2 months to work on that!)

I also learned that when someone is driving you bonkers focus on their high points.... so Tula Belle is the cuddliest of my children and she always will be.  She also trumps the Smorstad girls for being most flexible with her schedule, needs a nap.... takes a nap!  Those are two of my favorite Tula qualities and as for that.... it speaks for the way Tula's best qualities are not found cooped up in a hotel room!

One of our days was spent at COSI and our whole family had a so much fun exploring!  The Oceans exhibit was a family favorite.  The girls played in water, built water piping systems, and "rode" in a yellow submarine!

Then we headed up to the Children's area and Joss woke up from her nap to enjoy the fun!  We watched Rat Basketball (seriously, Rats playing basketball!), played on an indoor playground, and Ivy got to make crafts in the big kids section.  

Even California Pizza Kitchen had doll high chairs!!

The main reason we chose Columbus for our destination was the American Girl store.  It was a little girls dreamland but was a touch overwhelming at first.  Here's what worked for us- we went to the store 3 times before we shopped!  I know Ivy loves the detail of everything so I didn't want her to feel rushed.  The first time we did not even talk about what we might buy, she was just taking it all in.  Then we talked about a budget (both girls brought Christmas money that they saved and then Ivy had extra from chores that she had done and tooth fairy surprises).  The second time we went, it was just Ivy and I, and she would choose different items to think about how much money it would cost.  It was a great experience for her to learn about the value of money and that more items is not always best.  I've tried to teach her some about spending and saving money but the American Girl trip was definitely the time when she cared enough to listen! The third time we went to the store both girls got to shop and we were in and out in 15 minutes!!!

Enjoying the sunshine!

Mommies and sleeping babies!

Happy girls with their purchases, ready to go back to the hotel for some playtime!!

Our last adventure was eating at the American Girl Cafe.  It was the icing on the cake for ending our trip.  We got desserts because it was a 3:00 reservation.   The cupcake, cookie, and brownie plate that Ivy and Tula shared was adorable.  Everything was mini for their little fingers to pick right up!  The girls loved having their dolls join them and even get birthday stickers.  It was a great experience and am thankful that we got to add this to our family memories!

white flag is up... i lost

 Tula is fighting a clothes battle.... and I have surrendered.

There is said it wrote it.  I have decided to wave the white flag and let this battle go. Tula is dressing herself- 11 days in and we have all survived and gasp..... even been happier!

Tula pretty much prefers tennis shoes, panties, her purple pajamas, and a pair of black leggings (that have a hole worn in them).  In that order.  Any other clothes are over rated (and really uncomfortable according to my little lady) and she really would be just happy as a lark in tennis shoes and panties!

So really, in my heart of hearts.... I feel like we are meeting in the middle when she comes out in green polka dotted pants with a purple bunny shirt and a mardi gras necklace.  But here's what I have realized- as much as my life feels good to be matching and wearing spunky earrings, Tula feels good to be independent and somehow independent clothes picking = comfortable clothes. 

 In the end she has been happy about her choices each day but not without me drawing some lines that cause some pouting.  For example,  she couldn't wear no pants to our friend Lila's birthday party at the Explorium.  So she settled for a white tulle sparkled skirt on top of leggings. And I took a deep breath and said okay.... and we were going in public. 

 Or like the fact that I made her wait to wear Oaklee's hand me down Bubble Guppies shirt until AFTER church. She exerted independence and strong will by stomping and saying "No, I am wearing it at wake up time on Green Day, all day!" I obliged.

After giving up.... losing.... raising the white flag. I feel good.  I let it go because it doesn't matter.  I have laid down some law when it means not being appropriate {letting her know I am still Mama and in charge} because naked isn't a choice, it is from the dirty clothes basket, or it is not corresponding with the weather but otherwise Tula is proudly putting on her own clothes each day.  And she is wide eyed and bushy tailed to hop out of her bed, put on her hand picked items, and show off the day's attire.  This little adjustment of our morning is setting the tone for the rest of the day and I spend the next many hours feeling thankful that I lost the clothes battle.

Happy Tula ---> Happy Mama

Joss @ 6 months

Joss @ 6 months

 Weight: 14lbs 9oz (20%)

Height: 25 1/2 inches (38%)

 February 13th was Joss' half birthday and we woke her up singing "Happy half birthday to you!!" and she gave us that big gummy smile that we love!

 What's for dinner?

The big milestone at 6 months is that we are eating!  At a little after 5 months we started adding food into her diet.  She has had apples, bananas, pears, prunes, avocado, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and peas.  This time around I decided to take my sis-in-law up on using her Baby Bullet and I have made all of my own baby food.  I absolutely think it is the easiest thing ever- it's cheap, it's healthy, and it makes me feel a little Suzy home-maker-ish which is so fun! Joss' favorite is probably avocado and prunes (thank goodness, because girlfriend needs her prunes).  The only ones that she has made a grumpy face for at first were sweet potatoes and peas, but now she seems to like both!

 Chunky Legs and No Chompers

By the looks of these thighs this girl is growing just fine!!! I love her rolly legs and have not had that experience with my other two girls so it is so precious.  I can't get enough of it!  I have a hard time believing she is only in the 20% in weight.... she seems huge to me! 

She loves her food and everything else to go straight to her mouth but to our knowledge she is not teething.  There are no signs of Joss getting chompers anytime soon but she sure is enjoying gumming and drooling all over everything.

 What's Up?

Joss is!! And she is trying to sit so tall and proud to play with her toys!

Joss proves nature wins.

This smiley, happy girl has showed us something.... a baby is who she is!  With Ivy we parented very structured as a Babywise baby.  We found great success with this but life felt a little rigid, especially when she didn't sleep well unless she was in her bed and it was meltdown central if we weren't right on schedule.  So with Tula we jumped ship.... so we thought... and had a very laid back baby. Slept in the car seat, stroller, bouncy seat, swing, in our arms, pretty much anywhere if she was ready to nap she could nap.  Joss was bound to be that way as baby number 3..... well, it just so happens nature wins and Joss is a routine kind of girl and she pretty much set that up herself.  She naps and eats like clockwork and at 7pm she is ready for bath and 7:30pm lights out and girlfriend is snoozing.  All is grand until that set wake up time that routine babies LOVE and she is wide eyed bushy tailed and ready to go at 6:30am whether it is Tuesday or Saturday, this little lady is by nature a routine, on schedule baby!  We can't complain because it is good that she is predictable and a wonderful sleeper but we are going to keep working on tweaking that early bed time and early wake up just in time for summer! We are ready to play in the setting sun and sleep in.... just a touch!

Overall we loved celebrating a half a year of this little one's life!  We love you, Jossie Mae, and are so thankful that you are in our family!

Am I Raising Pagans?

My mom sent me this excellent article regarding raising pagan children.... without even knowing it.  It really resonated with me and has sat on my heart, lingered in my mind, and pinched the tip of my tongue since I read it.  I've had it all wrong since becoming a mother and am hell bent.... excuse my language.... on fixing it....NOW.  I have encouraged, pleaded, and made my children obey and make good choices "because the Bible says to" and "because it makes Jesus happy" and "because that's what you do if you are a Christian."  Eeeeek..... do those motivations keep me turning to Christ?  No, unfortunately they might even frighten me.  I would dare to say I am embarrassed by the Christians who beg our society to "behave" for those same reasons.

 But I'll tell you what motivates me- Christ's love and grace.  That I am never going to be "good" without Him.  I know that I wake up and need Him, crave Him- or else I will have a loss of a day.  I want my kids to know that kind of love and dependence and they learn it from yours truly.   I have to model this daily. I have to model asking for forgiveness and grace and mercy in front of my girls. {Talk about being broken.... in front of an audience}  I have to model welcoming the Spirit into my heart to guide me and equip me with those wonderful fruits to be able to be Christ-like in a pagan world.  I want my kids to grow up and be an example of Christ's love and joy to others that they meet rather than a recording of Biblical laws and rules.

So I asked myself the real question- what can I do to provide opportunities to be joyful and loving rather than having a fire and brimstone sort of life? I can be joyful when we bake together.....and half the flour is spilled all over the table and our birthday cookies turn to crisp.  I can allow them to love on each other and help each other.... even when it takes so much longer than me helping.  I can provide opportunity encourage friends, teachers, and ministers through cards and hugs.  I can show them how we clean out our gently used items for fire victims in our community.... even when this is a taxing project with miniture pack rats who throw fits to see their hardly ever used things given away.  I can let them be the light and smiles with elderly, even their great grandparents.  And I can give them the reason why..... not because the Bible says so..... but because that is how He loves us.  And the most promising part, when we miss an opportunity to be joyful and loving Christ's grace is enough to wipe that slate clean and try again. 

It's my goal, my heart's most strongest desire to never again use the Bible or my own Jesus as a scare tactic to motivate obedience from my girls.  But rather teach them that our only need is for His love and grace, because without Him we can never be "good."