To be the third baby...

The other day I was in the kitchen putting dishes away and working on dinner and I glanced over at Lydia and saw this.....

...yep, her brother and sister had found a bowl and put it on her head! Seeing this reminded of an article I had read about how things are different when you have your third baby compared to your first. It's quite different!

General Rules: Difference between first and third born children!!!?

Being a parent changes everything. But being a parent also changes with each baby. Here are some of the ways having a second and third child is different from having your first.

Your Clothes

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.

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Preparing for the Birth

1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don't bother practicing because you remember that last time, breathing didn't do a thing.
3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your 8th month.

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The Layette

1st baby: You pre-wash your newborns clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.
2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?

Worries

1st baby: At the first sign of distress - a whimper, a frown-you pick up the baby.
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your 3-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.

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Pacifier

1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.
2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby's bottle.
3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.

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Diapering

1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.
2nd baby: You change their diaper every 2 to 3 hours, if needed.
3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.

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Activities

1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and Baby Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.

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Going Out

1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home 5 times.
2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.

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At Home

1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.

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Stop and smell the roses

For the past few months we have seen a definite pattern in how Bryn responds when Jeremy gets home from work. When she hears him walk in the door, she drops whatever she is doing and runs to him and demands to be picked up. This usually lasts for about 10-15 minutes of laying her head on his shoulder. She is soaking it up and loving this snuggle time with her daddy. It's pretty sweet if I may say so myself. I remember (at least the stories) when I was little and my dad would get home from work I would demand him to sit down so I could sit on his lap. My mom would often tell him, "you need to stop and smell the roses."

Reese Chasteen (for a few nights)

While Jason & Cayce were out of town celebrating her birthday we had the privilege of watching Reese! We loved having her as a part of our family for a few nights. When Cayce told Reese that she would be staying at our house she said, "So....will I be Reese Boyd Finley Chasteen?" And she was! We enjoyed our special time with her this week. We love you Reese!

I think her highlight was having tea parties:)

Bundled up to go get the mail

Racing!

Reese holding Lydia

Sweet girls

Happy Birthday Cayce

Today is one of my best friend's 30th birthday! I have known Cayce for over 10 years now and I treasure our friendship more and more as each year passes. What a gift she is to me from the Lord! I cannot imagine life without her friendship. God's Word says that "A friend loves at all times" (Proverbs 17:17) and Cayce as proven to be a biblical friend to me as we have experienced many highs and many lows together since our college friendship started. My hope is that we would continue to experience life together as we "spur one another on towards love and good deeds." I love you friend and welcome to the 30's:) I am thankful for you!

The Struggle Part 2

This past December I shared a little about the struggle of being a stay at home mom. Not surprisingly, I am still learning how to be content, patient and faithful to my God in this season of pouring my life into my precious family. It is indeed sanctifying! God continually uses my role as a mom to show me my sin and need for Him and I know it is His grace in doing that. I am so needy! There is no other place I'd rather be than at home with my precious family and yet still there is a struggle in doing this in a way that honors God. One of the biggest struggles I continually face is patience with my children and having self-control in the way I respond to them. I continually stumble in those areas. In fact, my verses for this year are James 1:19-21 which says, "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." I hope this is more true of me by the end of this year than it is right now. I want to be slower to anger and quicker to hear. I want to put away filthiness and wickedness and put on humility/meekness and receive His word and grow in Christ-likeness. This is my prayer.

After sharing about this struggle last time my Dad sent me an email with a poem that he had written. I couldn't believe it! I never knew my dad had poetry skills! His poem ministers to me in so many ways especially because it comes from my own dad and helps give great perspective on those days when the struggle is more intense! Here is the poem:

‘The Struggle’

The stay at home Mom, a decision for thee,

or to chase a career, how selfish of me.

Investing in home time, will ever it pay,

a return on investment, seems so far away.

But God keeps whispering, to me amidst sounds,

that the little ones he gave, were to be loved with abound.

So I looked to the Light, for guidance and to pray,

and counted each blessing, as they awoke every day.

In just a few years, the house will be silent,

And I’ll yearn for the time when I struggled within it.

What are you doing, the ‘world’ wants to know,

just continuing the Struggle, God’s plan for me now.

But strength and patience, where do I get it,

when things go awry and He seems so far distant.

It’s then that God says, “have I got your attention”,

For you relied upon self, not divine intervention.

The stay at home Mom, by design will have trouble,

But adjoined with God, it’s a bearable Struggle.

There comes a day, when the Struggle pays off,

that the investment at home, was not wasted or lost.

And when life is at end, “well done Mom”, God will say,

“you raised my children in Christ, and taught them to pray.

And just as with you, I’ll keep their Struggles within bare,

for they know My voice, and do My Will down there.”

When He shows me a seat, next to His Throne,

A star on my crown, will be for Stay at home Mom!

L/dad

In honor of you dad:) This picture was taken when I was overdue with Lydia and struggling;)

Day one of basketball

Today Carson started his first day of basketball with a little community league at the local recreation center. It was so fun to watch him in this environment. He did a great job listening to directions and practicing dribbling and shooting the ball. It will be fun to watch him develop those skills over the next 6 weeks.

Jeremy working with him on dribbling

Getting started

Carson shooting the ball

Shooting with force!

Getting the hang of it!

Big Girl Bed

Last night we took the plunge (with a little fear and trembling) and put Bryn in a big girl bed! We were prepared for a long night of her getting out of her bed and having to discipline her to stay in her bed. We both tucked her into bed and told her to stay in her bed and she laid her head down wide-eyed and frozen! We walked away holding our breaths and waiting for a cry or noises or something....but it was silent! We couldn't believe it, she did it! We didn't have to go in there once! Way to go Bryn! Hopefully this will be a smooth transition. We'll see how nap time goes today. She's getting so big!

Date with Bryn

Yesterday I took Bryn to get her 2 year picture done and we made a date out of it. She was pretty apprehensive about getting her picture taken by a complete stranger. We are learning that she doesn't handle new environments or situations very well....it just takes her some time to warm up and get comfortable. I'm just pleased we ended up with some cute pictures of her to frame:) After the picture we went to a few shops and got lunch in the food court. It's always refreshing to go do things with just one kid...seems like a piece of cake to just have one kid in tow. I enjoy getting one on one time with my Bryn!

Eating lunch in the food court

I totally bribed her during the photo shoot...that if she stood there and smiled I would get her a treat! I had to pay up! She enjoyed her chocolate dipped pretzel stick.

Bath full of babies!

Jeremy was gone for a meeting the other night so I was solo for bath time (normally Daddy's job) so I put all 3 in the tub together. I'm looking forward to Carson being able to shower on his own and Bryn & Lydia bathing together. Love these babies!

Bryn's kitchen set and stats

My parents bought Bryn this cute little kitchen set for her Christmas/Birthday present and we put it together (no easy task!) and got it into her room. I think she likes it! Thank you Grampa & Grammy!

I took Bryn to her 2 year well-check appointment on Monday and am reminded to be thankful for healthy babies! Here are her 2 year stats:

Weight: 31 lbs. 90%
Height: 34 in. (50%)
Head: 19 1/2 in. (90%)

Poor Minivan:(

Sunday night I was driving home from the gym on College Avenue approaching the red light and all of a sudden a car was coming over into my lane!!!! It all happened so fast but remember I honked, went up the curb a little, and then flashed my brights at him to stop. We pulled off the road and the man driving the car was remorseful and sorry. He asked if we should just settle it or call the cops. Because I had a terrible experience in high school (not calling the cops after getting into a wreck, oops!!!) I was not going to make the same mistake. So I quickly dialed 911 and got a cop there. I was thankful it wasn't my fault and that there wasn't too much damage done. The worst part is the hassle of having to deal with it now.

This is the side he hit me on

This is the tire that hit the curb when I swerved. The hub cap came off and we couldn't find it anywhere!

Lydia is 5 months

Lydia is 5 months today! I can't believe how fast the months are flying by! She is changing before my eyes. She is so much fun at this age, I am really enjoying her. I soak up every opportunity to snuggle and kiss her. She is so sweet!

Lake Lure

We left the lake cottage on Monday and headed to Lake Lure, NC for a vacation with the Chasteens. We all chipped in and rented a house for a week. We enjoyed our time together with them. Here are some pictures from our time there.

Opening gifts from Papa & Nana

We went to Chimney Rock on day, it was beautiful!

We celebrated Bryn's birthday

Happy New Year!

I can't believe I actually stayed up until midnight....I never do that! You can tell it's about midnight in this picture....I'm beat!

The house we rented was on a golf course so we took several walks on the golf course to get out of the house and let the kids run around.

Allyson brought some dress up clothes for the kids and before we left the kids (and Amy) put on a little show for us.

Bryn is 2

On December 28th, 2006 we welcomed little Bryn into this world as a precious gift from the Lord. She has been such a joy to our lives and we are so thankful for these 2 years of her life. We look forward to watching her grow and learn and become who God has created her to be. We love you Bryn!

Bryn on her "birth" day

Bryn's first birthday

Bryn's second birthday

Happy Birthday Bryn

We celebrated Bryn's second birthday at the lake with my family. Hard to believe our little girl is already 2!

It was a pretty morning so we all went on a boat ride...didn't think we'd be doing that in December! (Bryn, Andrea & Ainsley)

Ethan, Owen & Carson on the boat ride

Me & my brother Michael

Bryn was getting so angry at her hair blowing in her face, it was pretty comical

My little birthday girl and I

She knew exactly what to do (the things you learn between age 1 and 2)

She loves sweets!

Feeding her new baby a bottle

Birthday girl

Raggie & Lydia

Christmas at the Lake

On the 26th we drove up to my parents lake cottage to spend a few nights with my family. We had a great time seeing them and being together.

Grampa having a tea party with his granddaughters!

Ethan, Carson & Owen

GG & Raggie opening their gifts

Grampa & Grammy opening their picture from my sister and I (a picture of all the grand kids)

Bryn & Ainsley laughing hard...love this picture

My brother Michael opening his gift

Grammy with Lydia & Ainsley

4 generations of hands...this one brings tears to my eyes. We saw this idea somewhere and decided to try it. It's all of the girls' hands in our family.

Lydia & Bryn