In the "no"

Yesterday we pulled on the "no pants" and "no boots" and headed out to play in the "no". By we I mean Daddy and the kids. I came in and out to see how cute they were and put gloves back on 80 million times but am not a big fan of the whole cold, snow, wind thing so let Daddy have all the fun while Sawyer and I stayed warm. Big sister Ashlyn is spending time pretending she is an only child again at Nana and Papa's but could probably still hear the sounds of protest coming from our house when the kids had to come in from the "no." Why is it that when you have toddlers it is inevitable the most fun activities are going to end very ugly? Snow is now the latest word that we have to spell unless we are planning to gear up and head back out again right that moment.

Ready to go

Loving the cold

The Holiday

Christmas this year was amazing. Watching all of the kids experience Christmas in their own way was so much fun. Although I am still not good at looking in so many directions at once when the wrapping paper starts flying.

Parker had a great time opening "man stuff." I'm not sure who enjoyed his gifts more, Parker or Daddy.

McKenna, my girly girl, loved getting dolls and kitchen toys and shoes... she loved, loved, loved getting shoes. I can't wait for all of the shopping ahead of us!

Ashlyn is old enough to have figured it all out and be a great helper but still young enou

gh to not mind waking up at the crack of dawn to open gifts.

Sawyer, well he is just here and loving life... drooling and cooing his way through his first Christmas.

And of course there is always Hadley, who traveled in my heart through each and every Christmas memory.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from Christmas morning and our family Christmas party:

Christmas jammies! This is the calmest picture we could get of all the little ones (for some reason I couldn't talk Ashlyn into wearing a pair).

Love the look on her face!

Parker and his favorite new toy, he didn't touch another gift once he opened this.

Ashlyn with her favorite present, a tool box full of art supplies.

Sawyer ready for the Christmas party

Parker, in nonstop movement at the Christmas party

McKenna looking pretty

Merry Christmas

I don't have enough energy left to post our holiday pictures so here is a quick "Merry Christmas" from the kids...

Finally #77

Two years ago today marked the last day we had to visit one of our children in the NICU. On his 77th day in intensive care my little Parker came home. Parker started life at 1 lb. 14 oz. and left the hospital barely over 4 lbs. To say he beat the odds is an understatement. Today he is an amazing little boy with endless energy and the sweetest, sweetest heart.

We love you so much Parker and will always remember what a fighter you were!

Daddy bringing Parker home, finally no more wires!

First time holding my babies at home

Parker today

Day 72

Two years ago today was day #72 in the NICU for Parker and McKenna. It was also the day that McKenna was finally able to come home. I keep looking at her today and thinking about how truly amazing it is that she was once a 2lb. 10oz. fragile preemie on a ventilator, struggling to survive.

I know just how lucky I am that she is here.

McKenna's first days home

McKenna today

Little of Everything

We had lots going on over the weekend and I'm way behind on posts so here it goes...

...we had a great visit with Uncle Rob, Aunt Sandy and our biggest blog fan, Cousin Caitlin.

Aunt Sandy, Parker showing off his signing to Uncle Rob and Caitlin with Sawyer

McKenna was there too but she is Ms. Shy so played in the hall with Parker, pretending we didn't have company.

...Ashlyn and I got to bring McKenna along to her first Christmas Candy-making with the girls at Aunt Marianne's house.

my girls

McKenna and her assistant

All of the candy-makers and our table of sugar

...and lastly, the tree is up. We debated on putting it up this year because the kids are crazy

into everything but we gave it a shot. We are going to try it without a baby gate since our kids have so much self control so the pictures below may be the only ones that show our tree with lights and ornaments.

Eyeing the tree..

and in for the kill.

Mmmm, the smell of an artificial tree.

My sweet little guy who can't get into a thing :)

My Rainbow Baby

I have been looking for the explanation of the term "rainbow baby" since Sawyer's birth. I was tossing ideas around in my head for his six month old post and stopped by a loss mom's blog and there it was...

In some circles, babies born to families after the loss of a child are referred to as "Rainbow Babies." The idea is that the baby is like a rainbow after a storm. "Rainbow Babies" is the understanding that the beauty of a rainbow does not negate the ravages of the storm. When a rainbow appears, it doesn't mean the storm never happened or that the family is not still dealing with its aftermath. What it means is that something beautiful and full of light has appeared in the midst of the darkness and clouds. Storm clouds may still hover but the rainbow provides a counterbalance of color, energy and hope.Today my little rainbow baby is 6 months old. He has filled our lives with all kinds of beautiful colors, amazing light and lots and lots of hope.Love you little man!

No time to blog

It is 7 am and I am blogging now and blogging fast because this is the only time I have. No one is napping at the same time anymore and every minute of the kids' waking hours is spent taking our house apart. I honestly can not believe how much trouble my kids can get into. Nothing is safe. Is it because there is more than one 2 year-old mind working at all times? We have child-proofed everything and are now contemplating living in an empty house until this phase passes.
They pry off the door knob protectors.
Pull the plug covers out of the wall.
They can open the freezer and the fridge.
They can reach the lights, the countertops and playing in the bathroom is more fun than any water activity I could ever create.
Yesterday they discovered the switch that turns on the fireplace, very exciting.
AND we still haven't even put up the tree yet, I can only imagine what fun that will bring to our days.
BUT I did get to watch them witness the first snowfall yesterday and we all cheered Sawyer on while he tried to roll over and in between diaper changes and food flinging I get all the kisses, "wuv you" mommies and hugs I can handle.
Some day I will have all kinds of time to use the thousands of hours of comp time I have banked but for now there is no other job that provides such great benefits.
Sawyer is up, the mommy marathon begins...

Featured Blog

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