Looking for something fun to do??

Who would have thought that playing scavenger hunt would be SOOOO much fun??!!! I loved it and the girls did too! I hid six items while they stayed away. I am not sure they ahve ever really played this before. It was funny to watch Mayah-she mostly followed Chiara around. Mayah found the first item in the laundry room and thought everything might be in there! We played two times-each time with different items. Then we played two rounds of "hot" and "cold"....this was harder for Mayah, but Chiara seemed to catch on. So, if you are looking to play a game that gets them up and moving....try this out!!!
Mayah getting some hints and looking....
She found the key!
Chiara found something too!!!

They're Just Socks

Today I let the girls open the Valentines package Nanny and Grampy sent (my parents). There were cute cards, a tin with a chocolate chip cookie (I even let then eat it), a Hershey kiss with kisses in it, some loose tootsie rolls, and heart socks. ALL THREE insisted on putting them on right away! They are just socks, but when sent from Nanny and Grampy it is like they are "magic" socks! LOL!!!! The girls had them on and they were twirling around and giggling all the while. Even Miss Leah who is the crank of all cranks wanted hers on and seemed happy to have them there...as she sat on my lap with snot running down her nose-part of the reason I could not get a good picture of her.
Good job Nanny and Grampy.....

Cough! Cough! Now...blow......

Raising three young girls can have it's challenges, but for the most part I enjoy being Mommy and find joy in the craziness. However, raising three sick young girls can make any sane person go nuts! I was doing fine when Chiara was sick, then Mayah came down with the same cold and that was ok except for her getting up from 9:30pm to 11pm for a few nights in a row. Two days ago Miss Leah caught whatever it is the older two have (inevitable in a house where we are kissy and huggy all the time)....breaking point of sanity.
We are blessed with very healthy kids. Chiara did not get sick until she was 15 months old....oh yeah, and she was not breast fed so people can throw away all theories about that! Sorry.....rant-obviously, I was greatly affected by people's words after having Chiara and not being able to breastfeed her. Mayah, who was solely breastfed, was a stuffy nose kid from out of the womb. Strange. Leah, has been very healthy. This is her first real 'cold'. Yuck. Strangely enough it started on the day she turned 15 months old. On a side note-I told David last night about this little fact Chiara and Leah had in common and he asked if I looked it up.....no, just remembered it. As a "perfect" mom I am supposed to know all facts! HA! Anyway, she is miserable. Cranky. Tired. Snot. Clingy. Now, I love to hold my babies....even Chiara curled up on my lap is just wonderful, but this is different. Leah is not happy-even being held. She just feels like c.r.a.p.
I am not the kind of person who goes to the doctor for every sniffle or minor symptom. I know a lot of people do, which is not wrong, it's just not me. I think it is one of things about me that may drive David nuts.....it's not that I do not like doctors, but I see no need to go unless there is blood, brains, or bones showing. I love that I have a pediatrician who gets me.....he is a blessing, but he knows I am not going to spend time and money when I do not have to.
So, I will try chicken soup, honey, extra sleep/rest, over the counter medicine, home remedies first. And of course I pray over my children, but a cold is a cold. In this case I have tried all and just know it is time to make sure-at least Chiara-is not fighting off some type of infection. She has it the worst. Mayah woke this morning and seems even better-praise God! Not sure about the other two as they are sleeping.....as they should be, considering I am typing this at 6:30AM. Mayah has never needed much sleep. I wonder if as a teenager she will be the same way?
So, off to see the doctor this morning. A 40 minute drive, but we will make a trip of it and stop at Sprouts and Dunkin Donuts. I was going to have Chiara get her school work done in the car, but I think I will pass and just get it done later today. Maybe a Boz video or VeggieTales in the car is in order today.

Proud Mama Moment

A few weeks ago Chiara was asked to participate in Pastor's School at our church. I was told she would be singing a song and answering a few questions for the visiting pastors. Chiara is so outgoing that I knew she would go for it. She was so excited, but like with anything else she was nervous when it actually got here today. We practiced talking clearly and slowly. She is so much like her mother in wanting to present her best....I better watch out for that.
Anyway, I brought all three girls up to Phoenix First today and watched Chiara sing the beginning praise song. It's not so much that she knew all the words and motions (which makes for one proud Mama), but even more than that is that she BELIEVES what she is singing. She knows that God made her from her head to her toes. He made her fingers and nose. She knows that. She does not have to question it, doubt it, or debate it. Now, that makes for a proud Mama.
It is not that I did not know the Lord as a kid-though I would have never used those words!-but I do not remember believing like I see Chiara believe. It moves me.
On top of all that, they said she answered all the questions wonderfully. And I can guess that she did it all with a smile on her face because that is my Chiara. She loves the Lord and it just shines right through her. It reminds me of this girl I went to high school with, Jill. She knew the Lord and loved Him that it shone through her. I had an opportunity to tell her this a while back and I am so glad I did. People are always saying things like, "just wait until they are teenagers." TRUST ME when I say I know ALL about what things a teenage girl can do, but I can tell you for certain that not ALL teenage girls believe the lie. Jill did not. Melinda did not. Sherry did not. So, you can say "just wait..." all you want....it falls on deaf ears, on a body with knees down and head up.

Who is this kid in my house?

Even though I have already had 2 children I am still taken aback as to how old Leah is. This Sunday she is 15 months old.....approaching 1.5 years old...yikes! I just sit and watch her sometimes. Today she clearly communicated the word drink and is getting better at distinguishing between yes and no. On top of that she and Mayah went outside to play together and when Mayah came in (she did not want to watch Leah for me while I taught Chiara-she is not as motherly as Chiara) Leah stayed outside playing in the sandbox, wandering around the yard, and sitting on her 'car'. She was as happy as she could be. Of course I kept checking on her while making lunch and finishing up math with Chiara, but she was fine. I am very thankful she does not seem to have an appetite for sand like Mayah did and she knows how to go down stairs on her belly already.....amazing!
This is the age of the face changing. She starts stretching up instead of out and fat starts to fade away. From one to two years old is so hard for me because I know she will not look the same. I just want to soak in every single moment.
She is also entering the stage of vocalizing her dislike of my parenting decisions! HA! I took playdough away from her yesterday and by her reaction you would have thought I insulted her and spanked her....seriously....LOTS of tears and yelling/crying combo. I could not help but laugh (in my head). I knew this was coming, but you really do forget how silly it all is. My girlfriend could hear her doing this when I was on the phone and it is just so out of character for Miss Leah that she was even taken aback by it. It's not Leah to be upset, but it is the age. Maybe after we finish reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as a family we should read Managing Your Emotions by Joyce Meyer!!! HAHAHA!!!!! I know all three of my girls could benefit from that.....and their mother too.
Well, here she is...just about 15 months old and changing all the time.....slow down Miss Leah...slow down....

Before I gain I want to lose

It really is no secret that David and I are going to try for one more precious blessing to be added to our family-well, and if it were a secret than writing it on my blog certainly makes it not! I never thought I would want to have four children....I always thought I would be quite content with just two children. Even when we had Chiara I didn't really think that we would have more than 2 and I can tell you I do not really enjoy being pregnant (especially since the last 2 pregnancies have gone through the AZ summers). It's just so hard to verbalize the desire that burns in my heart for each of the children we have had. I cannot say "God spoke to me and said to have 4 children"-I am not saying that He does not speak that to some women in that regard just not me. I am still surprised some days that I would even want to try to have another one.
With all that being said I have made a goal to get back to...or as close as possible...to what I weighed before having Chiara. I would like to say that is the same weight I was when I was in high school or even college (I never really gained the freshman 15!), but it is not. Having babies seems to redistribute my weight.....to places that are hard to conceal. I don't really need people telling me I already look great and that I do not look like I need to lose weight....thanks, but that does not help. I know what I weigh and I know what I should weigh.
I will not beat myself up if I do not get back to that post baby weight (and for all of you who have after each kid...thank your mother for good genes!). I am going to try though. I would love to say that I enjoy working out, but I do not. Never really have-well, except freshman year of college. Loved it. the most exercise I get these days is cleaning, carrying around a kid, or playing Wii Sports. I enjoy the elliptical we have, but time is something that I am having a tough time giving up to get on it. I already get up at 5:30AM and will not get up earlier to work out. Nope. However, I know that I can 'give up' my quiet time/Mommy time a few days a week to get on there. I love that time though which is why I have yet to sacrifice it to work out. I have changed all my eating habits since the beginning of January and I have lost almost ten pounds-without working out! I feel better and I can even fit in some pants that I have missed terribly!
I am giving myself 4 more months to lose 15 more pounds. I am chuckling to myself as I type that out, but like I said before, I am not going to beat myself up if I do not.

Two Peas in A Pod

The reality of a home schooling family is that your kids are around each other A LOT! Sure, they each have some separate play dates and Chiara has two activities in the evening that Mayah is not involved in (this year), but for the most part the two big girls are always together. So, one would think that when they have an opportunity to be apart they would JUMP at it.....no so.

Yesterday, Mayah was headed over her friend Madeline's house and Chiara asked if she could go. Of course my friend said yes and then it happened....Mayah jumped up and down excited that Chiara was going to be there. Awesome.

Of course I pray about the relationships between all of my daughters, but I am still taken back at the love they have for one another. It really is unconditional at this age, because they have no idea about holding expectations over someone. It really is beautiful.

Though I do believe it is important for each of them to have time apart-there is value in missing one another and having something that is all your own-I call myself blessed to have had my children so close in age that they desire to be with one another.