3 Months with Little Brother

We love this boy!  The day starts something like this,  "Good morning Collie!"  "Want to eat cheeseburger, French fries, oranges, applesauce, bananas, gro-grurt, and bre-fast?"
Charlie Kate wants him to do all of the things she does.  He is getting there!  He is rolling to his side from his back, holding his head up... high!  He laughs out loud when you tickle his belly and chin. He makes us all smile big when he smiles.   Collins likes his bath now, Woo hoo!  He does NOT like to get out of the bath...mad boy! 
Life has been so busy this time around.  I think I remember being at home with Charlie Kate  for a long time, but now we are on the go alot!  Big sister goes to pre - school two days a week, which she loves now!  So, I get sweet alone time with Collins on those days. I'm so glad to get her from school each time, it's strange without her with us.

Charlie Kate is all about laying right next to Collins or cuddling on the couch.  She loves to play outside with the dogs, and yells "don't dig, Marge!" And, "Kingsley poop stinky!". She can open the refrigerator now... so she puts everything in it, everything.   I found her paci in there, a plate with two cheese-it crackers, a wooden hammer, and an open pack of gummies.  She loves Greek yogurt. She calls it "frozen gro-grurt".  I put fruity cheerios on top and it's like a trip to yogurt mountain up in here!   Score 1 for mom! But... we are battling the terrible two's!!! She loves the word NO!  Ugh!  I have tons of strategies and have implemented all of my educated techniques that I have learned in college for classroom management.  But this girl is persistant! Now we are having a contest to see who has the strongest will, mother or daughter.  I think I have a few cards left to play, but I hear the three's are worse. So I'm saving some strength for that. 
All joking aside, being a parent has given me new perspective of God, our Father.  I see that it is so hard to stand firm as a parent, not to give in to the demands that are being screamed.  It's so hard to stand firm in what you know is the HEALTHY decision for your child.   Charlie Kate fights me with all her heart and I'm sure she will loudly question my love for her at some point.  But like the Father, we see a broader picture for our children. I see that eating gummies right before bed could result in her wanting to eat them every night. (There is no,"just this once") Which will result in cavities. You won't enjoy them because you will have to scarf them down. So I say no to gummies in bed... horrible mommy, right?
In our eyes, we question God's answers to us. We question His timing, and His reason for waiting.  He loves us so much that He decides to let us question, yell, scream, and even work ourselves into a fit.  He puts up with it so that we can have the HEALTHY outcome. He says, have your gummies, but have them at the perfect time. Have them when you can share them with someone, or when you have worked for them, and will appreciate them, savor them.  He doesn't give in to our foolish requests.  He is a perfect God who loves us past our yelling and ignorance.  He puts us in "timeout" when we are throwing our fits. We can't hear Him when we are yelling at Him!   If we would just calm down, and listen, we would get results alot faster.   I definitely have a much greater respect for His perfect patience.
I just have to remeber that my children's world is so small in their eyes, and that even gummies are huge in my two year old girl's eyes.  I need to stand firm in order to show her that I love her more than I love a fit free day.

Kiddos,
Collins, you melt our hearts! Charlie Kate, you are hilarious and we adore you.  We are so greatful for all that you help us to see. You are beautiful.   We hope you both get to experience this kind of love.
Love, your imperfect mommy and daddy

Charlie Kate has found her favorite toy, and we call him Collins

               Charlie Kate has found her favorite toy, and we call him Collins

We have a new arrival… well almost 7 weeks new!  Collins Ashton Burgess has come into our world!  His sister is in love with him.  She wakes every morning, and from every nap, asking to see him.  She gives “nose kisses”, and regular slobber kisses at least 15 times a day.  She wants him to have EVERYTHING!  She brings him toys to play with, especially when he is unhappy. 

See the pile she has brought for him?

Collins has been amazing!  I am still adjusting to two tiny humans to keep alive, but I can’t imagine anything else.  It’s so crazy how I worried to myself that I wouldn’t love another like I love Charlie Kate.  My heart grew!  I just love him so much that it seems dumb that I ever worried over it.  I cried for a week thinking that things were going to change between Charlie Kate and me.   Things did change, but it wasn’t as dramatic as I thought it would be.  It wasn’t a bad change. The early months are so demanding, and I just knew that Charlie kate was going to resent me and the baby for the time we spent together.  Thank God for hearing my prayer because she is right there with us,  loving him with all of the love she has in her sweet heart!

 

We have Kids!

 The other day I said to Jon, “The kids” are asleep.” That word being plural in our life blew our minds!  We stopped the conversation we were having and talked about how that word sounded so crazy for us to be saying.

We are still getting used to two, but could never get used to only one kid after this new love.

Collins sleeps most of the time, but eats like a champ when he is awake.

Charlie Kate is super busy being in love with all things princess. We are only able to dress her by saying that the articles of clothing remind us of “Cinderella’s shoes”, or “Rapunzel’s dress”.  We use this when eating too since she apparently hates to swallow food!  “Elsa eats all of her orange slices!”  Charlie Kate is a chipmunk at heart.  She has had chewed up turkey in her mouth for 45 minutes before.  Eww!  We have to check her mouth before she gets down.

Once she gets down from the table she is dancing, singing “twinkle star”, cooking pretend cupcakes in her kitchen, or dressing herself up with: high heels, bracelets on her ears, ankles, and wrists.  Charlie Kate would live outside if we would let her.  Of course she would be one solid red bump from bug bites...cherry red.  Not red from the sun as much as her father-like tendency to blush.  She talks about everything.  Everything is either “so good”, "so sweet”, or “so fun”!  We love her voice!

She is riding a zebra!  So brave!

 

its blurry but she is nursing her doll... learning from mommy

practice for brother's arrival

Practice came in handy!

Calling everyone she knows to tell them about our new baby!

In the morning her voice is our alarm clock.  “Mommy, Daddy, you can come in here!  Come in! Mommy Daddy come in here!” all of which is usually followed by singing.

She kisses us with her paci still in her mouth.  We look for her to volunteer to give up her paci any moment now.  Joke!  We are already preparing her to give them to Santa for other babies that need them. In return Santa will leave presents.  I’m sure someone out there has a theory about how this is wrong, but this is the best idea given to us so far… since she doesn’t seem to mind if they have holes I them.

We are potty training now too, because I didn't think we had enough new stuff happening! We are using “Charlie Kate’s toilet treats” -jelly beans in a jar.  So now every time she potties she says “Jelly Bean?”.  Also, every time she sees a jelly bean she asks to potty!  I’m sure this is one of the mistakes that might come back and bite later, like when we go to the dentist.

In the midst of all of this, Collins is still eating, sleeping, and pooping…every single time he finishes nursing!  I forgot how often this happens.  As I type this, we have two diapers left in the house for him… he goes through sooo many!  Jon is out getting them now, don’t worry.  He has some amazing smiles!  I’m thinking he is laughing at how often he makes me change his diaper, and pees on me!  He is a fountain, literally, of humor.  Gah, I love him!!!  

Dear Kids,

     So here is the news… you are the guinea pigs!  There are no practice children that we had before you to prepare. So you get the mistakes and the weird along with the amazing moments that only happen because God works through our weakness.  Did you know that anyone could have been your parents?  ANYONE!  God chose us though, and I am so glad He did!  That is the reason that I know we are the best fit for you… He chose us.  We asked for you, but He wanted you for us long before we asked,  Our lives are written already.  Our story is known to Him and he still chose to allow us to have you.  I am in awe of that!!!  We are going to make the mistakes that are written, but we will love you like crazy too.  I am just so glad that we get to live this story with you!  This life that was given to us has been made so much sweeter because of you two!  We love you two, and welcome you to our story.

Love, Mommy and Daddy

Sliding with our "flowers" and then finding out that those weren't real flowers:)

Charlie Kate loves to be in the outdoors,and has recently discovered the art of "picking" grass, weeds, and all of our flowers.  "Those aren't flowers, Charlie Kate"... "These are flowers", but she's not so sure I'm right.  I think she like the grass better than the flowers! Ha!

Happy 2014!

Happy 2014

Hello and Happy New Year to You!  2013 flew by in a flash and I’m sure 2014 will be the same.  I have some catching up to do since I haven’t blogged since Charlie Kate turned one in March.

Charlie Kate is talking about everything, tickling everyone, and is a little social bug.  I taught her Bible class this week and she and her friends just talk to each other and play so seriously…. It’s the best stage in my opinion. 

Sweetness          She hugs me and says, “Awe, mommy”, while patting my back.  At night when we pray, she says everyone’s name with the sweetest little voice.  I think God smiles a lot at her little prayers. 

Funnies              The funniest things that happen lately are:

When she calls Jon, “Don”…. I guess I say his name a lot! Ha!  She will yell it across the grocery store when she can’t see him, or when she is bringing him her baby doll to hold. 

Scary               A few weeks ago Jon was playing with Charlie Kate in the floor right before bedtime, and she fell face forward onto the floor very fast.  Jon brought her to me as she was crying hysterically… I looked in her bleeding mouth and saw that her tooth was pushed upward into her gums.  Jon quickly called and oral surgeon friend of ours and he gladly saw her before we put her to bed.  He reassured us that her tooth wouldn’t fall out in the middle of her sleep and cause her to choke or anything else.  However, at the time, he thought we might have to pull it, but wasn’t sure how bad it was.  We went to his office two days later for evaluation and he said it looked okay to leave it in for now.  If it turns dark or the gum turns dark, we may have to pull it.  These things are so trivial, but seem to shake the earth when they happen to your child.  Jon, bless him, was so torn up about it.  He felt like it was his fault.  He is just so tender with her, and couldn’t be further from blame, but that’s what parenthood does to youJ

Christmas           We had a blast at Christmas with her this year!  We put up a little Christmas tree in her bedroom.  We bought several little stuffed animal, unbreakable, ornaments at Target.  Anyone who came over would get the rundown of every ornament on her tree.  She knew every one of them.  Last year she just kind of played with wrapping paper, but this year she really enjoyed her gifts.  Jon and I got her some books, foam blocks, Raggedy Ann ornament, and a Raggedy Ann doll.  Nana and Poppa got her a stroller, baby doll bed, doll swing, and doll set which she LOVES!  Grandma and Granddad bought her a baby doll and another LL Bean bag to add to her set.  She carries both babies around by their head.   We will have to work on her technique since we are ….

Expecting a baby on June 4^th        

So Charlie Kate will be a big sister this summer!  There have been so many changes in our lives over the past two years.  We moved back to Florence, Jon got a job at Rite Aid, bought a house, bought a truck, remodeled a house, had Charlie Kate, Jon got a job at Payless Pharmacy (better hours, and is an amazing family owned pharmacy), I got a job teaching and helping coach basketball at Mars Hill Bible School, we are embarking other business adventures as we speak, and now we are having another baby!  WOO!  Changes, changes, changes! 

Pray for us as we continue this amazing journey.  God has major plans for us.  My hope is that we are good listeners, and hear what He is telling us.

Dear darling Charlie Kate and sweet baby Burgess,

          Mommy and Daddy have many dreams, hopes, and wishes for you.  We hope, most of all, that we can put aside our human interests for you, and hear the Lord’s plan for your lives.  We love you through and through, but your Father in Heaven loves you deeper and has even better things in store for you than we could ever imagine.  So, we pray to hear God for you until you can hear Him for yourself.

Happy 2014! Love, Mommy and Daddy

                                  

With Sam, Ava, and Nora 

First Horse Ride

McGee Farms 

Charlie Kate becomes a cheerleader

First Swim!

Beach Trip with Gracie

I love a bouncy house!

First  Haircut!

SO still!

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