Keeping My Kiddo(s) Busy!

When it gets dark at 4pm (so thankful the days will be getting longer from here on out!) and it's cold and rainy (although today was actually beautiful and therefore we spent 2+ hours at the park!  Yay!), conversations with other moms of toddlers often revolve around the same question:  how do you keep your kids busy in meaningful ways?  I've picked up a few great tips along the way.  Most of them revolve around keeping toys put away and then pulling them back out so they're new.  Almost all of the kids toys are in bins in their closet or in the basement and every morning I pull one out (legos or dolls/doll clothes or puzzles, etc) and they're happy to play with them for a good long while because they haven't seen them recently.  This tactic might also keep their slightly OCD (who me?) mother from  tripping over toys constantly :)  They're old enough now to get interested in art projects so we'll often spend a chunk of time in the afternoons painting, playing with play doh, etc.  I get a lot of good ideas from my creative sister (it helps that she was a kindergarden teacher too!)  She has just started a blog with great montessori ideas -- you can check it out here.   (She's also started an Etsy shop where a lot of the ideas from the blog are for sale -- it can be found here).  Really great ideas for ways to keep toddlers entertained in educational and meaningful ways!

Christmas!

My heart tonight is full ...

Lukey and Eden Rose!

Birthday cake for Jesus

This sweater?!  Too much cuteness!

New books!  Already read about 50 times today :)

Can't believe my baby girl is almost THREE!

His love language

Yay!

So thankful that we got to play with the Honeycutt kids last week :)  What joy to watch them all together!

Dancing!

Poor Luke had just been in tears, otherwise I love this picture!

Who doesn't love graham cracker gingerbread houses?!

Helps to have an 8 year old around who can do story time!

Presence

I had a beautiful moment with Amelia yesterday.  Actually it was a lot of beautiful moments which added up to a beautiful hour (during Luke's nap) spent on the couch snuggling and reading books.  Both of the kids have become fascinated with letters and words and the sounds that they make and I love watching their minds fit the pieces together.  Amelia had been "reading" to me (telling me the letters she sees) and then I read them back to her.  She reached out and lovingly stroked my hair and my face and said, "Mama -- I'm just so proud of you.  That is beautiful reading.  I love you."  Followed by a kiss.  If you know my active, ever-moving, dancing Amelia Jane ... you understand how special these moments are.  And I hoped that what she was saying to me are the words she's heard us say again and again.  You are doing a good job.  We are proud of you.  You are loved.  The world can be painful and I know I can not shelter her from all that will come in her life.  But I hope that her almost-three-year old mind feels at peace when she is snuggled up next to her mama on the couch.  Knowing that she is safe and forever loved.  I've made it a goal to try to have beautiful moments with both of the kids every day.  Three years of motherhood has taught me that it's not realistic to wish for whole days that are amazing -- kids (and people) are unpredictable and often sick and grumpy because they were up in the night and throwing tantrums just because.   But beautiful moments?  We can do that.  In the midst of the chaos, to-do lists, preschool planning, dinner making ... we can make sure there are plenty of moments that make us pause and be thankful.  The more I talk to other mamas the more I realize that we all struggle with this:  the doing and the being.  There are just so.many.things.to.do when you're a parent and 24/7 caregiver.  Balancing careers and family and household and friendships and church ... But I never ever want to get so caught up in my busyness that I forget to just be.  Just be present with the little people I love.  One friend recommended setting a timer for 20 minutes and just playing with your kids -- not answering the phone or doing any of the million "mom" things that are spinning in your head ... just being.  Maybe I'm feeling nostalgic tonight because my babies are getting ready to turn THREE.  Or maybe 3 years of parenting has taught me a bit about what matters and what can wait.  Or maybe God is constantly growing and stretching and teaching us through the relationships in our lives ... and parenting is one relationship that will lead to a hell of a lot of refining.  My soul has grown in the hard and painful places over these last three years -- because it hurts to love someone as deeply as we love our children -- but as our hearts stretch -- their ability to appreciate joy also increases.  And I've never known deeper joy than these last three years.  It is such a privilege to be called mama by two wild, hilarious, amazing little people.

A few pictures

It was a bit of a crazy week with Caroline breaking her thumb (in two places!) -- maybe taking three toddlers bowling wasn't our best idea?!  Poor girl.  Amelia then took down most of the family with a bad stomach bug.  Ugh.  Those kids have definitely given our immune systems a run for their money!  Here are a few recent pictures ...

Playing with Aven and Henri -- how many kids can fit on a stroller?!

Holiday Express!!!

Just lounging ... with cocoa :)

They loved the leaves this year!!

Post-bath snuggles and books.  Love those two little ones.

Amelia Jane -- She will only wear her "red jacket" and "tap shoes" (black dress
shoes) out of the house.  Love it!

Had to share ...

This video has been circulating around the internet and I had to share it because it's so beautifully done!  As a nurse and a mama of NICU babies (although ours were much older than this little guy) - this is just so touching.