Jonah speaks!

Yesterday Jonah said, "mommy, are you coming?" and then today he started saying, "all done vacuum" and "are you OK big boy?" (which he asked Selah as she was lying down on the floor). He's my talkative little boy who isn't afraid to try new words. He is also singing everything these days. This is such a treat for me to communicate so well with my (almost) 20 month old! He does, however, call Jason "mommy" and will say "no" when he means yes but shake his head when he truly means no. :)

Here's a photo of my big silly talkative boy sitting in Selah's car seat! :)

first Christmas!

Dear Selah,

You are precious and I loved having you celebrate Christmas with us this year! There were a few gifts under the tree for you that Havana helped you open! Thanks for being my amazing third miracle!!!!

Christmas!

Christmas is magical through the eyes of a child! And we don't do Santa! Our children have given, served, and celebrated this month! We've decorated cookies with friends, baked for neighbors, played with cousins, and gave to those less fortunate. And tonight, there was truly some excitement with bedtime! Not because of gifts - the kids don't even know there will be presents- but because when we wake up we will be celebrating Jesus' birthday!

Since our kids are still young we are still carving out our traditions. We know we like the AM just for our immediate family and like I said no Santa. The past two years we have fed the kids (sweet rolls) and then opened presents after that. This year, we plan to do breakfast first again, but then after breakfast we will do our normal quiet time (for the past two months I've had my kiddos read their bibles quietly before we do anything else). After quiet time, Jason wants to lead our family through a telling of the Christmas story - one involving the nativity set. From there he will talk about why mom and dad are giving them gifts and that's when we will open them! Hoping to start a new tradition! I love teaching my kiddos about Christ! So thankful to celebrate his birthday!

The boy with no shoes!

(cue cheesy song about Christmas shoes for a dying mother..) No, this isn't a Christmas post so don't worry, no horrible songs playing here! :)

The other day we went out to a park to enjoy the 60 degree day in December! We were excited and the kids were ready to romp around. We pulled up to the park and I realize that I had left Jonah's shoes at home! Seriously! Poor boy!

This was a strange déjà vu experience of the first time I took all three kids to the zoo without Jason. I arrived and realized Havana's shoes were at home. Thankfully, I was meeting a friend who had an extra set of shoes in her car. Sadly, this day, there was no supermom friend I was meeting, but just me, the unprepared mom! Ha.

Well, we decided to roll with it and he Played at the park with only his socks on! He white socks were wet and black by the end of it, but it didn't limit him too much! What an amazing and flexible little man!

Date tonight!!!!

Date tonight, date tonight, date tonight!!!! I'm sitting here super giddy over a date with my husband tonight! Our seven year anniversary was this past Monday, but he was working so we postponed our date until today. I'm pretty sure there are even some butterflies in my stomach! Hehe! :) the plan is to do a little Christmas shopping and then dinner at Jack Frys!


As his gift, I gave Jason 12 envelopes with each month written on them! Enclosed in each envelope is a letter explaining a date! Yes, I planned 12 date nights (one for each month for the next year). For those of you who know me you will know this is huge as I have trouble planning things! Each month is something we have never done before and for most all of them they are prepaid! Woo hoo! Jason opted not to open the envelopes, but instead save them for each month! So, you can be sure I'll blog about them each month- perhaps even make a scrapbook! :)

For my gifts, Jason got me some cheap (but trendy!) earrings with a matching necklace that he gave to me a few days early, a steam cleaner for the floors, and a nice necklace with a matching ring which i love!!!! He's amazing!

Okay, time to get ready! Sooooo excited! :)

Rice Cereal!

Dear Selah,

Yesterday (12/14) we attempted to give you a little rice cereal. I was trying to wait until 6 months, but you're almost 5 months now and recently developed severe "food envy" so I figured why not give it a try. We sat you in your bumbo and you were eager to get started... however... you didn't know what to do with it in your mouth and so out it came! :)

Waiting with anticipation!

First Bite!

And... back out! :)

We then moved you to your swing (so you could sit in a more reclining position) and you did it okay for a spoonful or two, but then you were over it and we didn't push it. Even tonight we didn't try at all. I think we'll give it a few more weeks before we start up again. :)

2nd spoonful - now in her swing.

It's funny!

And... back out. :)

Big Boy Haircut!

Before!

After!

Dear Jonah,

This past Tuesday (12/13) - we took you to Super Cuts 4 Kids where you had your first "big boy" haircut. Daddy cut your hair once before, but we wanted someone with a little more experience to do it this time. You were such a brave boy... you sat in the hummer seat and played with bubbles and a coloring book the whole time. You didn't even seem to notice your hair being cut until the stylist moved around to the front. Even then, you took it in stride. You're such a big boy and you're sooooo handsome! Mommy is just a little sad I can't run my fingers through your hair when snuggling you, but I'll get over it I guess. :)

the hair cut begins! 

Side view of the long mess! :) 

Not so happy about the front being cut. ha. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a pintrest problem!

My sister got my hooked - this week alone I made:

A wreath
Funfetti dip
Red velvet cookies
Terribly terrific toffee
Holiday Pretzel treats

I love it...

That every time Jonah talks to Selah she breaks out in a wide smile. Praying my children stay the best of friends.

My husband takes my breath away...

Just a quick post to say that I am madly, deeply, and passionately in love with Jason Dugger. He is so amazing and I don't know how I ended up so lucky as to be his wife. :)

Too funny x2!!!

So tonight when I put H to bed she again began talking to God and Jesus! She kept calling for them. On the other side of the door I prayed that she would sense His presence and His desire for a friendship with her. It also reminded me of a conversation we had the other day where she told me she wanted to swing with Jesus! Anyway, I. Carry on about my night and then I hear her calling for me. I listen as she says, "mama, I talked to them! Mama! I talked to God and Jesus!" - I never went in her room, but my heart was so happy that she is grasping faith! Praying these moments are nurtured into a mature relationship with her Creator some day! :)

Too funny!

I put Havana down for her nap and then went to deal with Selah. After leaving Selah's room I hear Havana talking very loudly- she was saying, "God! Jesus! God! Jesus! I'm still awake! Can you tell mommy and daddy I'm still awake?" -- what a funny and sweet conversation to overhear! :)

Feeling a little like superwoman! :)

Sometimes I think the Lord gives me opportunities to do something new with all three kids in order to build my confidence as a mother. Today was one of those moments! Yesterday I found out that a lady in the neighborhood was put on bedrest while pregnant with her third child. I do not know this lady, but thought I could certainly bring them a meal. I called yesterday expecting to run a meal over next week, but she asked if I could bring one today!

I agreed, but then realized I would have to go to the store. This AM Jason and I took the kids to the store and then i came home and made the dinner. When it was ready, Jason was not home, so loaded Jonah and Selah into the stroller, put tucker on his leash, and Havana an I pushed the double stroller down the street to drop off the meal! I talked to Havana about how we were making dinner for a family in need and she said her favorite part of the adventure was when the lady said, "oh thank you!" :) -- I thanked the Lord for allowing me to take all 4 kids (including tucker) on a walk by myself! Little moments like that certainly boost my confidence in this while motherhood journey! Thank you, Lord!

My cup runneth over...

Getting so Big...

Dear Children,

It seems like every day I want to write about all the new things you are doing and discovering.

Havana, this week you all of a sudden decided you did not want to sit in your booster seat. I don't know where this came from - but you asked me if you could sit in the open chair next to your booster for lunch. I rolled with it and said sure. From that meal on you have not sat in your booster seat and in fact we have removed it from the table. What a big girl. Then, last night, as we were getting ready to brush your teeth you said, "I do it?" -- you wanted to brush your teeth all by yourself. I handed you the toothbrush and you went at it... I was so proud of you, but I must admit it was weird seeing you so independent. Standing on your stool, brushing your teeth, spitting in the sink. I thought to myself, "who is this big girl?"

We are having so much fun these days: truly laughing at things together (okay, my laugh is more because your laugh is so beautiful), playing hide-n-go-seek, and snuggling in bed together. We have a new early morning routine. You have been waking up earlier these days... around 8am and your siblings don't usually get up until 9am and so I bring you into bed with me and you get to play with my phone and I get to close my eyes again. Daddy and I have always said we don't want children in our bed -- it is for us -- and that is certainly true at night, but in the AM when it is just us... I think it is fun and you view it as a treat. :) It's fun to snuggle you. You first started asking for it by describing it. I would walk in your room in the AM and you would say, "I sit on Mama and Daddy's night-night bed. I snuggle you. You say, "oh, havana, you are so special." -- how could I say no to something like that? Then you started saying, "mama, I snuggle you and you say, 'I close my eyes.'" Guess I can't hide the fact I'm resting from you! :)

Along with your new three year old self... you have developed a horrible fear of the dark. It seemed to happen one night out of the blue. Daddy was at work and I put you to bed just like I do every other night. I put Jonah to bed and then I was putting Selah to bed when I heard you talking. You normally talk, but this was much louder and much more anxious than your normally sound so I open your door to tell you to go to sleep and I realize your light is on. I turn your light off and you immedatly run out of your room crying hysterically saying, "no light off. I'm scared." It took me a minute to process what happened and as I tried to get you to come back into your room you became hysterical. I finally calmed you down and sat with you in your room (lights on). I brought in a little lamp from our room, but you still wanted your main light on and your door open. I tried taking you into our room, but again, nothing seemed to help. I finally laid down with you in your bed. I have never, ever wanted to lay down with my children to go to sleep - bed time is bed time. Anyway, I laid down with you and ended up falling asleep. You woke me up once to tell me Selah was crying. Finally, you fell asleep shortly after 1am! I kept the lamp on and closed your door around 3am and you woke up a few minutes later freaking out. It was a long night... followed by many other long nights.

We went to the store the next day and bought you a "special lamp" - one that goes in your room and helps you sleep. Turning it on has become a special part of your night time routine. For a few days that helped us keep the main light off, but you still very much wanted the door open. You've never slept with your door open, but we let you do so for about a week. It was during that time we started battling you all over again. Not because you were afraid of the dark, but because you realized that mommy and daddy don't go to bed right when you do. At first it was heartbreaking. Instead of singing yourself to sleep like you normally do, you would call for us, ask us if we were coming, yell at Jonah and Selah in their rooms, and finally after a while of no one answering you would say, "Mommy, it's me Havana."

Then it went from being heartbreaking to funny. Daddy would sneeze two rooms away and you would yell, "Bless you, Dada." I made a noise that for some reason you thought was popcorn popping and you yelled, "Hey. I want popcorn too. I said... I want popcorn too." When I would be picking up toys downstairs you would yell, "Hey, are you playing?" and then, "Hey, whose making that noise?" -- these comments that you would yell from your bed made me laugh, but made me realize we needed to shut your door again. So we did. It took one night of you being upset about it, but after that you're back to going to bed like a champ. We shut the door and you sing and pray yourself to sleep. Makes my heart happy. Love you, dear one. :) 

Jonah, you're so big too! You certainly are my "do it myself" little boy! When Havana started sitting without her booster - you wanted to as well. I even handed you a spoon and a yogurt and you sat in the chair (no booster) and ate it. What a big boy you are! You're obeying commands and saying 2-3 word phrases. Your newest words are color, tunnel, Christmas Tree, Christmas tree lights, and balloon. We are still having trouble with you learning to "gain self control." -- you always want to do it yourself and when you aren't able to you throw yourself up on the couch and throw a fit... leading us to say, "Jonah, you need to gain self control." -- you can obey other commands, but that one not so much! Daddy says I have a bleeding heart for you... which I do... but I'm going to try to get better about teaching you the beauty of self control. :)

You are becoming quite the actor (I think being dramatic runs in the genes). Havana barely touches you and you fake a fall and fake a cry. I'll go into get you in the mornings - I know you're awake because I hear you, but once I walk in you'll fall down and act asleep requiring me to "wake" you up. You're so funny. You do require quite a bit of "wake up" time - no matter how long you've been up - once we get you out of your bed you want to snuggle for 30-40 minutes. When we can, we happily give this to you. :)

You also have a soft spot for Tucker. There is a saying that goes, "every dog should have a little boy" and I certainly agree. You get sad when Daddy scolds him or when I locks him outside. You will try to open the door for him (something you love to do) and you'll notice it is locked so you'll come crying to me and point to the door and say, "Tucker."  You want to be wherever he is and I can't wait to see the special bond you two will have.

You did give us a scare the other day. You got away from us at the mall! I was feeding baby Selah and Daddy was playing with you and H in the play area. Havana got hurt and while we were both looking at her you ventured out of the play area. Daddy looked at me and said, "Can you see Jonah?" -- I could not. He could not. It took us about three seconds to spot you - you were three stores down hanging out in front of the GNC with a group of people standing around you wondering who you belonged to. It was only a few seconds of not knowing where you are, but certainly enough to scare us to death. You are our little escape artist! You're my active little boy and I love you, buddy!

Selah, oh my dear child. This past week you had two days were everything was perfect. You were content, you ate every three hours, and your sleeping habits went right back to being beautiful. Two wonderful days. Then, you resurfaced. You screamed all  day, your sleep went back to being little, and your wanted to eat all day. So, I realized I have not done a very good job sleep training you. I was a sleep training guru with your siblings, but funny how that hasn't been much on my radar since you've been home. Well, times are changing, I'm starting to make you put yourself to sleep - and in fact, last night was the first night you went to bed unswaddled. I'm allowing you to cry it out. And during the day I'm pushing you to go 2.5 hours between each feed. It's a struggle. You don't like it, but I'm giving you the gift of sleep and in the long run we'll both be thankful. I just want you to know that I love you so very much and that even on the days when you test me... I still think it is wonderful to be your mommy!