One month already!

Wow, time flies.  Life with three is pretty interesting... I've got to say it's just a wee bit more of a challenge.  Maybe it wouldn't be as crazy if my two-yr-old was a little older.  If potty training, dealing with her tempers and little mean streaks to her friends and sisters were all over already I would say parenting three is a breeze.  But I still wouldn't trade it all for anything else.  These girls are precious gifts from God and I'm glad I get to be their mom... it's my privilege.

My family was almost all together when my parents came out to visit us for Maeve's birth.. only Amber was missing! Christmas we will all be together again!  Thanks for blessing us mom and dad! We can't wait to see you again in the fall!

Maeve is a good baby.  She has started to really smile at all of us and that little smile is so cute!  Poor baby can have some real pain with her gas at different random times, most of it is burps coming up that cause her pain.  The girls love love love their little baby sister!  Keziah will go up to strangers and tell them her sister's name is Aleah Maeve.  If Maeve loses her soother and starts crying, Keziah is the first one to come up to her and put the soother back in, stroke Maeve's hair so gently and say "You're ok!"  Makenna is such a good helper!  I can hand the baby to her when I have to deal with Keziah and she holds Maeve so well!  She loves to help me.. she even made my bed the other day!

Mmmmm... chocolate pudding mustache!

The mischievousness has begun!  Now that I am preoccupied with nursing a newborn, Makenna and Keziah have been having a ball playing together away from parents supervision.  Keziah is the instigator.. and Makenna follows (she was such a good toddler she never thought of doing the things Keziah does, but now it looks like fun!) Here are some things that have been happening:

• There are a lot of marker and pencil scribbles on the walls, on the couch, on toys. 
• Yesterday Keziah came up to me with oil all over her hands, hair, and face.  I asked her what happened and found out she had chewed and exploded a bath bead all over herself and the bathroom.  That was a nice smelling mess!
• Troy and I were sitting down for Bible study last Tuesday and had left the girls in our room to watch a movie on their DVD player.  Bible study had ended and I was talking to someone in the kitchen when Keziah came streaking around the corner heading naked into the back room where everyone is still talking together.  I caught her and headed back to my room where I assumed her pj's were. On the way to my room I see Makenna naked too, in the bathtub behind the glass door, washing it with a cloth.  So I told her to come too.. it was already way past  bed time!  I open my door to my room and immediately notice four huge wet spots on my sheet on my bed.  The other blankets were on the floor (thankfully).  I asked, "What is THAT?"  Makenna pipes up in a really excited voice, "Mommy, we peed on your bed!" She really didn't think that I would be upset that they peed on my bed!  Well they found out pretty fast that peeing, especially on mom and dad's bed, was a big NO NO!  AHHH... just when you want your kids to go to bed really easily and instead it takes longer and is a huge mess! Supposedly it was Keziah's idea to pee on the bed, but four-yr-olds should know better!  So far our bed hasn't smelled like pee, but it might be time for a new mattress one day!
• The next day I came back from an evening out with my sister to find the floor mat in my bathroom soaked.   Something dark in the tub caught my eye so I looked closer and confirmed that yes, my nicely cleaned and dried laundry was heaped up soaking wet in the tub.  Amanda told me that in the other bathroom her tube of toothpaste was squeezed all over the tub and bath mat.  Makenna told me it was all Keziah's idea!
• Between baby Maeve, Keziah potty training and mischievous actions, I do at least one to two loads of laundry per day!

Today is Troy's birthday.. he's 32! The grey hairs are coming in a little more now and I think it looks great! We've been listening to the Love and Respect series at our Bible study and it has really given us a healthier perspective for our marriage.  I really do respect that guy!  His fathering ways with his daughters are unique and amazing.  He is sooo patient with them and has fun with them too.  They both yell "Daddy" at the top of their lungs whenever he comes through the front door, so excited to see their dad even if he's only been out the door ten minutes!  He taught Makenna how to ski without the harness this year.  I took her out the other day and was blown away with her technique already.. all because he's a good teacher!  He is also a better listener to me after almost 7 years of marriage.. and even if he doesn't say it to me all the time, I know from his actions and the look in his eye that he loves me!  He is the best surprise gift-giver I know.   This computer I'm typing on was my Christmas present! My amazing camera was a random surprise that I never expected!  He's an amazing provider and his work ethic is way above average!  He is the best deal finder I've ever known!  But most of all I respect that Troy is becoming more sensitive to God's hand on his life.  God is doing a work in his heart and it blows me away the way Troy is responding to Him.  Troy, you are the blessed man in Psalm one!  I love you!