things he knows but you should too...

In my mind I've had a post about Seth ever since Amelia was born...3 months ago. It goes without saying that time is flying. But I'll say it anyways. Time is a flyin'!

Life with 3 kiddos is fun. Is challenging. Is stressful. Is comical. Is emotional. Is lots of things. But life with 3 kids is just plain A JOY when you have a husband like Seth. As we've been married for almost 4 years now, Seth has been consistent in his reminder to me that we are a team. The same team. It's honestly taken me awhile to really see that as truth. But it's true, and it's liberating. And he's an AMAZING TEAMMATE for all kinds of reasons. As God has blessed us with 3 babies to birth and raise, we've been learning and re-learning some of the same things for the past few years now. And God has been honing Seth's hubby/daddy skills quite well! From day one of finding out we were pregnant with Amelia, Seth has been excited and eagerly awaited her arrival. From day one of having her and bringing her home, he's been Mr. Spectacular. Not that he wasn't spectacular before that day, but I'm realizing it and seeing it play out more and more each day. I kid you not, the first week we were home I didn't change a single diaper for Lilly Jo or Jack.  Now that may seem silly and not-a-big-deal to you. But when you have 3 kids in diapers, you let me know if it's not a HUGE help to have to change only 10-12 diapers each day for a week, instead of 20-24 diapers each day for a week. He did everything around the house for the first week. And our house is still on the market, mind you. In all seriousness, all I did for the first 5-7days of life home with Amelia, was feed her, sleep when I could, eat when I could, and sit on the couch watching everyone play. Also, if I remember correctly, LJ and JL both had high fevers the first week Amelia was home. So Seth played Dr. Daddy in addition to his other roles. He did meals for the kiddos, playtime with the kiddos, put kids down for naps, went on walks, did bathtime by himself, the whole bedtime routine by himself...really, just about everything. And I know he did it because he loves me and loves our family. Since he's been back at work, he walks in the door after a long day ready to lay on the floor and rough-house with the older 2 while I'm either tending to Amelia or getting some kind of easy dinner together. (And I should add that for the first 6 wks of Amelia's life I cooked probably 3x. All other meals were provided for by our immediate family, our church and our friends - or we got Chinese:) Then he proceeds to clean the kitchen after dinner, help clean up the toys and wind down the night with the nightly bedtime routine.

Seth has his hands full, as does everyone else, but he's the one I get to brag on. He's the one I see day-in and day-out loving our family as Christ has called him to. Giving of himself as Christ did for us. And doing it WITH JOY! 
John 15:10-12 "¹⁰ If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. ¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." 

Potty training LJ

So this weekend we finally got around to potty-training LJ. To be short and frank, I was still dreading it and thinking it would be just fine if she stayed in diapers a few more years. (Who really thinks that?!?) Anyways, thankfully Seth was not dreading it and was the ones to really take the reigns and help get the morning going. She woke up at 730am with a huge diaper so we put her in a fresh pull up and began the process of having her drink tons of fluids and constantly asking her if she needed to go peepee or poopoo. About 20oz and 4 hours later I was getting a little fed up (did I mention I wasn't super excited about this?) and said she could have 2 chocolate chips if she went pee, instead of just one. Woohoo! Her reply, "I want 4!" Didn't think this was supposed to be a barganing situation but I was desperate for her to go so I quickly said, "sure! 4! Go pee!!" And sure enough she did...quite a lot I might add:)
Overall the first day she had about 5 sucessful peepees in the potty, 2 accidents outside (bc she was too busy playing) and 1 accident during naptime (which I know is normal and will probably happen for awhile) and she only fell in the potty once:) (my bad, LJ. sorry:/)
Yesterday at church she went pee 2 or 3x, then went once at the restaurant after church, 1 or 2x at Kanki last night, then went poop for the first time at Nana's house! I should definitely add that all those times were with Seth. He was a huge blessing this weekend. Not just bc I was at sometimes preoccupied with Amelia, but because he took her whether I was free or not. He was lightnening my load and at the same time helping me to not dread this whole experience. What a husband:)
Here is LJ with her two new friends she received last night when she went poop for the first time after 48 hours!! Now we're back to chocoloate chips since we know she's not scared of it anymore:)
What a big girl LJ is becoming!!!

boondock photos

just a few pics that i love...

back from bolivia

and boy do we miss it! vacation was a blast and i've got about 1000 pictures to sort through...maybe i'll get around to posting some before vacation next year. maybe:)

rainbow sherbert and chocolate covered oreos with sprinkles.
with cute kids to top it off.
who could resist?

oh toddler naptimes

While doing various things around the house, I'm hearing LJ on the monitor chatting it up with all her friends in the crib. Nap-protests are the norm these days. All of a sudden I hear her saying loudly, "I NEED SOME WIPES! I GO POOPIES!!" All of a sudden I'm having flashbacks of the time she pooped in her diaper during naptime, went digging and got it on her hands. So let me be clear that I'm all ears when the "P" word pops up during naptime. I take a glance on our spiffy new video monitor and see her sitting down in the crib, with her hands on her diaper, as if she's peering in to see what's in there. I bolt from the desk and go in her room asking if she went poopies. Nonchalantly she replies, "No. Minnie went poopies. I need some wipes and diapers."

sneaky sneaky.  

Lilly Jo says

As I'm clearly struggling to get the crib sheet on her mattress, "Mom, that's amazing!"

And a minute later as I'm putting Jack's sheet on his mattresses, "You're doing a great job!"

What a little encourager she is:)

Lilly Jo says

During naptime while in her crib I hear her repeatedly saying: "mommy, come here. 1. 2. 3. Come here."



Man she cracks me up these days:)

Lilly Jo says

LJ: "Amelia stop. Whining is for babies."

Never thought I'd say that...twice.

"Lilly Jo! Don't blow your nose on Amelia's arm."


What in the world???