google.com, pub-8087192757053655, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 Director Jewels: May 2013

Friday, May 31, 2013

I'll Be Back

Mama says she's a little bit busy, folks!

It kind of seems that the more post ideas I have drafted, the less I actually manage to write. As much as I want to spend Addie's morning nap blogging, I need to do laundry and wash dishes and get Lincoln dressed for the day. One of my cousins is getting married tonight, so I have to actually do my hair and wrap a gift and spend time with some family members I haven't seen in years. I'm excited! 

I had two freelance articles due today, so my writing time (when I wasn't up all night with the baby) has been a little bit preoccupied. Next week, I have summer drama classes starting and will probably need a day or two to get back into teacher mode. I think it's time to break out my Peanut Shell carrier and see how Addie likes it.

Hopefully I'll fit in a post or two next week, but if not - don't fear. I'll finish those post ideas...eventually!

Lincoln's Reading Corner May 2013

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my link, I will earn a small amount. Thanks for supporting my blog!


I realized a couple weeks ago that I never posted the April reading corner!  I wish I could say it was because I just forgot - but sadly, it was more due to the fact that books have not been quite as popular around here lately.  After our reading frenzy in March, I thought we were on a roll...but I guess I was wrong.

We've been running more errands and having more playdates and generally just leaving the house more often, so I think that may have a little bit to do with the lack of reading. We signed up for the summer reading program at the library, so hopefully that will inspire more reading for us in the next few months!

I don't have a lot of favorite books to mention today, but wanted to share a trend I have noticed when Lincoln looks at books. He's noticing family dynamics! Every time he finds a book with multiple family members pictured, he will point out each one - "dada," "mama," "baby." I think it's really sweet.




My favorite is when he finds a mother figure in a book. The way he looks at me and says "Mama?!" as if to confirm that he has indeed found another mommy in one of his books...it tugs on my heartstrings. I love this boy!

Here are a few of his favorite books featuring "mamas."

Dopey's Bedtime. Snow White may not be a mama, but she looks like one!

Peter Rabbit, a lift-the-flap board book.

Really Woolly Little Book of Bible Verses.

We'll be reading a lot in June for the summer reading program - yay!  If you're looking for more reading ideas, you can check out all our recent favorites here!

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

'Fessing Up: I'm Not Proud of Today

When people tell you that moms don't sleep much, they're really not kidding.  I didn't really sleep at all last night.  There were a few snatches throughout the night, but it was overall a very very long night, and as a result - today was just...hard. 

Please don't read this and think that I'm searching for a "solution" to fix my kids.  I can't emotionally handle letting them cry it out.  I have wonderful friends who have had fabulous success with CIO, but it's just not my thing.  I prefer to comfort and help them back to sleep as much as I can.  So, maybe it's partly my own fault that I find myself in this place.  But - it is what it is.  I chose to have these little ones, and I like to think I embrace the responsibilities that come with having kids who are 21 months apart, with neither actually sleeping through the night.  Maybe I've created little monsters because I let them nurse whenever they desire - yes, both of them. 

Lincoln, Mommy, Addie. Curled up in our corner couch spot.

I choose to believe that someday all of these exhausting moments are going to pay off.  I know that I have been given an incredible gift from God in these two precious little lives.  And I strive so very hard to appreciate every moment.

But I did not appreciate very much about today.

Why?  Here's my timeline from last night:

6:15- Pysch up because we're doing bedtime a little early tonight since naps were poor and everyone is really tired.
6:30- 20-minute family walk in the neighborhood to calm everyone down and (hopefully) make them sleepy.
7:00- Both kids in the bath. Lincoln dumps water all over the bathroom floor, Addie decides that having water in her neck rolls is the worst thing ever.
7:10- PJs, lotion, "me" (binky), stories with Daddy.
7:20- Lincoln nurses while Addie screams bloody murder.
7:30- Daddy stays with Lincoln in his room. I takes Addie, wrap her in a swaddle, and start nursing in my room.
8:00- Lincoln is asleep. Addie is asleep on my lap, but I'm afraid to move her.
8:30- Try to put her down. Fail. She's wide awake and fussing.
8:35- More nursing.
9:00- Addie is wide awake after another try at putting her in bed. She rolls around on the living room floor and plays with Lincoln's trucks.
9:20- Start nursing again.
10:15- Finally, after many many attempts, Addie is successfully asleep and in bed.
10:20- I sit in a zombie-like state in the living room, afraid to  move or do dishes or laundry in fear of waking her.
10:35- Andrew is done showering after his workout and we decide to go veg in front of an episode of TV while I catch up on email.
10:36- Addie wakes up, screaming.
10:40- Nursing recommences.
11:15- Addie back to sleep and in her bed.
11:20- Brush my teeth, wash my face.
11:22- Addie awake, screaming. Won't calm for Andrew.
11:30- Nursing in my bed again.

This is where it gets really hazy.  But here's what I know - we repeated this process until well after 2:30am.  I had an emotional breakdown at about 1:30.  Lincoln woke up around 1:45 or 2 and crawled in bed with us.  I don't think I was able to sleep at all until 3am.  And, that's where my memories stop.  But I'm pretty sure we were all 4 in our not-that-huge queen size bed from about 3:45-6:30am.

So, you see...it was rough.

It's not something I like to admit, but I am seriously ugly when I am in a state of exhaustion.  This current state had been building - we had the night described above after about a week of being up every few hours, every night.  And I can make all the excuses I want, but that's really no reason for me to go psychotic on my poor (also sleep-deprived) husband at 2am.  Nor to get frustrated at my sweet babies, who are just tired and need their mamaBut, I did.

I woke up this morning in a grumpy state, and stayed pretty grumpy most of the day.  I didn't bother putting in my contacts because my eyes hurt too much.  I actually almost passed out when I got out of bed this morning (a symptom I know very well from sleep-deprived-and-morning-sick pregnancy - not pregnant, though).  Lincoln watched more TV than I care to admit, and broke the toy bin, and threw bananas all over the floor.  Addie fussed because she wanted to nurse all day, and then spit up half of what she ate all over me.  So we both reeked of baby puke.

We all managed to be asleep at the same for about an hour this afternoon.  I didn't wake up refreshed, but it was a little better.  I still wasn't the happiest mama.

Excuse the arm.

What I should have done is, get up, put in the contacts, and get to work cleaning up the vast disaster area that is known as my kitchen.  After that, I could have worked on Mt. Laundry and baked the cookie dough that is in my fridge from yesterday. 

But I didn't.  We watched more TV.  We ate half a box of animal crackers.  My dad stopped by to help entertain Lincoln for awhile.  Andrew came home and made dinner for us, we bathed the kids and started the whole bedtime routine over again. And, this is what my living room looks like right now:

Remember how Lincoln broke the toy bin? Sigh.

So far tonight (at 11pm), Addie has only awakened once since 9:20.  This is progress, I think.  So, here's hoping I can learn to make some progress on my attitude. 


Sleep deprived or not, my favorite people in the whole wide world deserve a little bit more than a grumpy, irritable wife and mama.  Sorry guys.  Here's to a better tomorrow.

Wordless Wednesday: Innocent Until Proven Guilty.


Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Summer Bucket List {2013}

For several weeks, I've noticed the "Summer Bucket List" idea floating around the blogging world.  Originally, I didn't plan to participate.  We don't have anything like the end of the school year to signify the beginning of summer.  We have an infant and a toddler in our home, so a lot of the typical bucket list ideas just don't work for us right now.

We can't take a cross-country road-trip, make elaborate craft projects, or go to outdoor movies in the park.  We could do things like go hiking, camping, or go to a baseball game - but those really aren't our cup of tea in the first place, so doing them with our munchkins in tow is unlikely to be an adventure we will enjoy.

Andrew and I brainstormed this weekend, though, and came to the conclusion that our family can still enjoy a fun-filled summer, even if we can't do everything families with older kids can.

So, here's our Summer Bucket List of things to do with a baby and a toddler! Some of them are Kansas City specific, since that's where we are located. I'll be updating the list with links about our adventures as we complete them!


-Eat at T-Rex Cafe. Done!

-Blow bubbles! Done!

-Watch (maybe catch?) lightning bugs.

-Ride the carousel and train at the KC Zoo. Done!

-Picnic at the park.

-Spray paint a clock in the backyard. Use pool noodles for hands. Lincoln is crazy obsessed with clocks right now!

-Visit the City Market. Done!

-Pick peaches.

-Train ride at Day Out With Thomas. Done!

-Go to Downtown Days (local summer festival). Done!

-Visit Wonderscope.

-Draw with sidewalk chalk. Done!

-Walk to Sonic for ice cream. Done!

-Go swimming! Done!

-Eat at Fritz's KC. Done!

-Visit every park in our town (there are 27!).

-Eat dinner on the deck.

Whew! I'm a little bit exhausted just thinking about all this fun.  Will we accomplish everything on the list?  Maybe not.  But the memories we make will be well worth the effort!

I'm linking up with a couple of inspiring summer bucket list bloggers - The Happy Family Movement and Little Wonders' Days! Pop over and check out all the fun ideas if you're looking to fill up your own bucket list!

What's your favorite summertime activity for an infant and/or toddler family?  I would love to hear!

Friday, May 24, 2013

Dear Kitchen Sink,

I think I hate you.

I get it.  It's not nice of me to be so blatantly against you.  It's really not your fault that we have the relationship we do right now.

It's just that it doesn't seem to matter what I do - how many times I run the dishwasher, how many pans my mom washes for me while she is here, or how many times I eat on a napkin to avoid adding a plate to the mess.  The piles just keep getting higher.


Lincoln's dried-up, rejected cottage cheese is grossing me out.

The wet and sometimes smelly dish towels that have mopped up milk, cheerio dust, and baby spit are disgusting.

Mold-filled dinosaur bath toys - I know I put you behind the faucet, but I don't have time to fix you right now. 

Empty paper towel holder - seriously, you're empty again?

Sigh. 

I guess it's actually okay.  Because if I ever found the sink and counter, I would definitely need to clean them.  And that's something I can live without doing for awhile longer!

Monday, May 20, 2013

You Can Call Me Josephine.

Josephine March, that is.  I'll also answer to Anne (the "of Green Gables" variety).

If you're a literary buff, you might already know what these two amazing characters aspire to do: write.  You can literally feel their joy when you read (or watch or perform) how they have overcome cruel editors - or best friends who add in bits about baking powder - and achieved their wildest dreams.

Ever since I was a very little girl, I have dreamed of writing.  My first story, Valentown, was written in second grade.  I'm pretty sure I still have the first draft somewhere (along with some delightful illustrations crafted by my friend Holly).  That one may not have made its grand debut to the world, but I have still had fun over the years composing short stories, fan fiction (Anastasia, Phantom of the Opera, and a few others I'm far too embarrassed to admit), and script adaptations. 

In 2011, I was given the opportunity to write on a daily basis for a local KC coupon blog.  It was a fabulous learning experience, but ultimately I realized that it wasn't my cup of tea.  It didn't require a lot of actual writing; just a lot of deal-seeking and fast fingers.  I have the utmost respect for frugal bloggers after having been in their shoes!  Once that endeavor reached its end for me, I decided that this little old blog needed a pick me up.  And while I was working on that project - another opportunity landed in my lap.

I was contacted by KC Parent magazine and asked if I would be interested in writing as a contributor for their quarterly editions of KC Baby.

Um, what?!  My name in print?  YES, please!

April-June 2013 KC Baby

KC Baby is a free publication which is distributed in over 327 locations in the Kansas City metro area.  It's the only resource in KC targeted to the pregnancy through preschool (ages 0-3) market.  So, in my book?  That's kind of a big deal.

My name in print. Excited doesn't even describe it!

My recurring article is a product review column, featuring the latest and greatest pregnancy and baby products I have encountered.  In my first issue, there's a nursing tank top by Glamourmom, a Britax car seat, and more.  If you live in the metro, make sure you grab a copy next time you are out! 

Now if you'll excuse me... I think I'll start my epic novel project next.  It worked out for Jo, after all!

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Adelaide: 6 Months Old

It's been half of a year since our baby girl arrivedHalf.of.a.year.

Unbelievable.


Milestones: Rolling, rolling, rolling!  Literally, in the last three days, you are suddenly going places with your rolling.  I turn my head for two minutes and you are halfway across the room.  Yikes - our house needs some pretty serious baby-proofing if you're about to become mobile!  I don't know how we're going to keep all of Lincoln's tiny little cars away from you! 

You're obsessively interested in the food that Mommy, Daddy, and big brother eat - and now that you are six months old, we may look at starting solids.  But yay us, we easily made it to six months of exclusive breastfeeding!  I made baby food for your brother, but think we may try a more baby-led weaning approach for you.  We'll see.  I'm not quite ready to go there yet.

Sleep has been off and on this month - but mostly off.  You are still swaddled when you sleep (I can't get you to stay sleeping otherwise), but I think you're uncomfortable and would do better if you had some room to stretch.  I've started sort of trying to break the swaddle habit, but I'm not entirely sure how to go about it.  I'm hoping you just magically decide you don't need it. :)

You gained not one, but two teeth this month!  You had a few fussy days, but overall maintained your happy baby attitude throughout this first bout of teething.  Here's hoping you feel that way about all the rest of the teeth!

You are not sitting up yet, but in the last few days, I've noticed you gaining more balance - it could be soon!


Loves:  You are so happy when you can bounce in the exersaucer - although Lincoln keeps sitting on it and breaking it.  You love your Nuby Bug-a-Loop teether, your Sophie, and any of Lincoln's toys you can get your hands on.  Lincoln has been trying to play with you a lot this month, and your best and biggest laughs are reserved just for him.  My heart melts when I hear you two laughing with each other (and I'm doing my best to keep him from smooshing you with love).

You are kind of a mama's girl, which is fine by me.  This month, you started giving big sloppy kisses and they are my favorite thing.  Just this morning, you reached for me for the first time!  I love it!

This look of adoration? It's for Daddy.

Hates:  Sleep is still not fun, although it's marginally better than last month.  You've started going down for naps better again, and every few days I get a 1.5 - 2 hour nap from you.  Compared to the 20 minute naps you've been taking for two months, this is incredible!  You've been going to sleep anywhere from 8:30-10pm lately, with lots of nursing required to get you to sleep.  It seems like you're falling asleep a little faster this week, so I'm hoping we're starting to reach an easier routine.

You're not very happy if Mommy is not in your sight.  You cry if you see me go downstairs to do laundry, and you're not pleased if just about anyone else tries to hold you.  I don't mind, but I think it's frustrating for others to want to hold a baby who only wants to cry. :\


Weight/Height:  You are still growing fast, but I think the super fast weight gaining may have plateaued.  You're in 6-9 month clothes comfortably; a few 9-12 month outfits fit but some are still too big.  Diapers are still size 3 (though Mommy is considering trying cloth diapers for the first time ever...maybe I'm crazy?).  Your hair is starting to come in a little bit more, yay!

At your 6-month check up, you weighed 18 pounds 11 ounces and were 26 inches long!


I really can't believe that you have been with us for half a year.  Your pretty smile lights up our home and our family could never be complete without you.  Happy half-birthday, Adelaide!

Friday, May 17, 2013

How To Prepare for a Kid's Consignment Sale (or, 11 Things No One Tells You About Consigning)


So you're planning to sell all of your kid's outgrown clothes, toys, and gear in a consignment sale?  That's great news!  Consigning is a fantastic way to get a lot more profit for your items than you would reap if you held a garage sale or tried to auction off your items to your friends!  I should know - I've tried both. 

This week, my stuff is for sale at a Kansas City consignment event.  This is the sixth time I have placed items in a sale, so I feel like I have a decent grasp of the consigning process.  I absolutely feel that consigning is the best way to make money from your pre-loved kid's items. 

But I also know from experience that the week of the consignment sale can be absolute insanity. Here are a few reasons why.

1. You Will Procrastinate. 

Last-minute tagging. May 2013.

When you sign up for a sale, it may be months away.  You'll probably think oh, I have soooo much time to get ready!  It will be no problem at all!  Then you'll get an email reminder that the sale is next week, your drop-off time is tomorrow, and suddenly you'll become a crazed woman digging through closets and drawers and tote boxes of too-small clothes, trying to establish what you will sell and how much the current retail value is, and oh-no-you-don't-have-any-hangers-and-all-the-dry-cleaners-are-totally-out-since-it's-consignment-season!!! 

If you didn't know - most dry cleaners will give you a bunch of wire hangers for free.  Just call and ask! 

2. Your Home Will Be Overtaken With Clothing Hanging From Every Random Place You Can Find.

Boy's Clothes, organization in progress. May 2013.

If you're consigning while your first child is still immobile, this one might not apply to you yet.  But as your innocent baby turns into a lively toddler, he will probably discover that dragging clothing which has been safety pinned to a hanger is one of the most fun things to do in the world.  During consignment season, we have to duck to get into most of the rooms in our house because the door frames are all overloaded with clothes.

3. You'll Get Really Familiar With Duck Tape (or some other personalized tagging system).

May 2013.

This one kind of depends on how many items you have decided to sell, and what the policy is at your particular sale.  Some places sort your unsold items for you at the end of the sale, but a lot do not.  If you have a handful of clothing items - like twenty - it might not be a big deal to you to go searching for your unsold inventory at the end of the sale.  But if you're like me and routinely bring 300+ items to consign, let's just say you're going to need a system.  My current marking trend is a piece of black duck tape on top of a piece of purple duck tape.  My husband can probably tag hangers in this fashion in his sleep.

4. Boxes of Toys May End Up In Random Places, i.e. Your Kid's Bed.

May 2013.

As you get closer to the sale, you'll find you are running out of places to store the prepared items.  I typically have totes on top of my kitchen table, piles on top of the piano, stacks of clothes in door frames and on the back of the couch, and one time I completely filled my scrapbook room with stuff.  If you have that aforementioned lively toddler, he's probably going to try to reclaim everything in the boxes, so be prepared!

5. It Doesn't Matter How Hard You Try, At Some Point You Will Get Confused.

May 2013.

There is nothing like getting all the way through your consignment pile and then realizing that you have no idea if you got all the items entered.  Or if you tagged one incorrectly.  Or if you accidentally put a $50 tag on a $5 item.  You get the idea.

5. Loading And Dropping Off Your Items May Take FOREVER.

It won't be so bad if you only have a small stack of clothes, like this one.

May 2013.

But sometimes, you will be convinced you need to invest in a moving truck just to get it all to the sale location.

August 2012.

Drop-off is typically done best when you don't have to worry about bringing kids with you - but sometimes that is inevitable.  Just make sure the tagged items are out of reach so that your little one doesn't gleefully rip tags off all of the clothing you painstakingly worked on for five days!

October 2012.

My favorite tip for keeping clothing organized while in transit: put a rubber band around the hangers in each size section.  Take a pair of scissors with you and just clip the bands once everything is in order on a rack.  Super easy and everything stays in the correct order!

6. You'll Build Some Awesome Muscles Dragging a Clothing Rack Around.

May 2013.

These things are heavy.  Hopefully you'll be lucky enough that there is one available for your use, because let me tell you...it is even more work to unload everything without one!

May 2013.

7. When You Are {finally} Done With Drop Off (or shopping, or pickup), You May Feel Disgusting. 

I get seriously sweaty when hauling this stuff around. And it is gross.  It's especially bad when you are pregnant.

August 2012. 6 months pregnant with Adelaide.

8. If You Volunteer To Work The Sale...Bring Food.

If you don't, and you feel like you might starve to death - don't blame me, okay?  This, again, is an important one to remember if you are pregnant.  Volunteering at the sale while pregnant is in and of itself a feat of amazement. 

Pzone in October 2012. 32 weeks pregnant.

9. Whether You Think You Care Or Not, You Will Obsessively Watch Your Sale Totals Roll In Each Night.

I'm actually doing this as I am drafting this post.  I'm refreshing the page over and over, waiting to see if I have made any money.  It's a crazy consignment mama rush to watch those numbers pour (or creep) in!  It's always worthy of a whoop of joy, whether you sell a $70 stroller or a $1 set of binkies that your child wouldn't touch.

August 2012.

10. If You Take Your Kids Shopping, You'll Probably Have To Bring Home A New Toy.  

This is how we ended up with a large plush Sally car yesterday afternoon.  The boy has 23810473820 cars and trucks, and even a couple of plush cars and choo-choos, but with a $2 price tag and the biggest smile you can imagine...how is a mama supposed to pass up this deal?  It was quite distressing for him to have to hand her over for the four seconds it took to scan her tag, though.

May 2013.

11. If You're Not Very, Very Careful, You Will Spend More Than You Make.

I always go to these sales with the best intentions.  Especially when I'm consigning - because isn't the point to make some extra cash, not spend it all away?

But I almost always find a thing or two or twenty-six that I just can't imagine living without.  Pink ruffle romper?  Addie NEEDS it!  Random American Girl book that I don't already have? Get that in my stroller.  Batman t-shirt that won't fit Lincoln for four years?  Um, duh!

So, yeah.  It's really easy to buy more than you need when everything is so very accessible and conveniently placed all in one place.  I'm happy to say that I only spent $13 at the sale this week and I'm not really planning to shop anymore.  We'll see how that goes.  But, I certainly have not always done this well!  You can also always take into consideration how much you would be paying if you bought everything at retail price...and then, obviously, you are saving a TON - especially if you're "reinvesting" the profits from your sold items!

My best suggestion is this: take a list with you.  Make a physical list of the specific things you actually need, and only buy those things.  Feel free to laugh at my idea; I rarely adhere to it myself!

April 2011.

So, spill!  Are you a consignment mama?  What's your best trick of the trade?

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Nuby Bug-a-Loop Teether {Review}

Disclosure: Nuby sent us the Bug-a-Loop teether to review.  All opinions expressed below are my own.


Little Miss Addie has popped not one, but two tiny little teeth in the past three weeks.  Needless to say, there has been a bit more fussiness, a lot more snuggling, and a lot of chewing and drooling from our baby princess.

This fun Bug-a-Loop Teether from Nuby caught my eye and I thought it might be something to entertain her amidst the annoyance of growing new teeth.  After a couple weeks of playing with this toy - I am so glad it's in our collection!



This teether is designed to assist with the teething process by gently massaging baby's gums with its raised and offset surfaces.  It is adorable to look at and Addie will not let it go.  For a five-month-old, she is pretty attached to this toy!  It definitely ranks as one of her very favorites.


The circle shape makes it easy for her to hold with one or both hands, and it is lightweight enough that when she swings it around in the air, it doesn't whack her in the face too hard!  The little bugs are beyond cute and each bead has a different texture.  The beads are contained on two strands of very thick cord - I'm not worried at all about them breaking free, even when Lincoln manages to get it away from his sister.


The Bug-a-Loop teether has become a go-to toy for us, whether playing at home, outside, in the stroller, in the car, or anywhere!  I may have to get an extra one in case we lose it - she loves it that much.  I'm glad to not have to worry about what she is chewing on - since Nuby products are always BPA free!  I think we're going to get a lot of continued use from this teether!

You can find the Nuby Bug-a-Loop teether at many online and local retailers, including Buy Baby Direct, Kohl's, Diapers.com, Amazon, Target, CVS, BuyBuy Baby, and Sears.  Make sure you follow along with Nuby on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram to keep up with all the latest products and promotions!


 I am writing this post as part of the NUBY Mommy Blogger Program.  I did not receive compensation for this post, although as part of the program I may receive items to sample or review.  All opinions are my own and are 100% honest.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Mother's Day 2013 Recap

I went to bed Saturday night kind of hoping for a Mother's Day miracle - you know, one that involved my kids sleeping longer than three hour stretches.  Not only did that not happen - it was actually probably the worst night of sleep we have had since Addie was born in November.  Or maybe ever. 

My incredible husband was up half the night with me and the kids, but let me stay in bed for several extra hours in the morning.  Even though I spent most of that time nursing/cuddling with one child or the other, it was glorious to not get up at 6:30am.  We were all dragging so much that we did not make it to church that morning at all.

Due to our sluggishness in general, we were late to lunch at my parent's house, but they saved food for us and we were able to spend time with my mom and dad and grandparents.

Addie & Lincoln with my parents.

My grandparents, me, and Addie.

Lincoln thought he was pretty clever when
he climbed up to snatch this cookie.
Why does he look like he's 7?

We took the kids outside for some sunshine-y photos, and naturally all Lincoln wanted to do was run around the yard.
Three generations of girls!

What it looks like when you try to take a photo with two babies.

Being chased by mama.

My sweet little man.

The princess riding in the swing.  She actually did enjoy it.

After this, we packed everybody in the van and headed to Andrew's parents house.  Neither of the kids had had a nap and Addie was just about beside herself.  She ended up nursing to sleep and snoozing in my arm for a little while, as Andrew, Lincoln, his parents, and grandma played out in the backyard.

Lincoln never, ever runs out of energy.

Grandpa pushing Lincoln on the swing.

Andrew's parent's dog, Candy, is used to this sort of treatment from Lincoln.

Addie and Lincoln with Andrew's parents. 
You can tell how cooperative the kids were acting.

We got home in time to feed Lincoln dinner and start bathtime.  He went to sleep right away.  My parents ended up coming by because our dishwasher decided to start leaking - and we had dishes piled high on every kitchen surface.

My mom rocked Addie and my dad fixed the dishwasher while Andrew and I went on a walk by ourselves for a few blocks around our neighborhood.  It was calming and really, just what I needed at the end of the busy day.

Holidays tend to stress me out, since we tend to be running around town all day long.  I don't know why this is, since I want to go see all the family and the kids usually have a great time.  Probably stems from my constant pessimism.

So, it was a busy day - but good overall.  Aside from the lack of sleep!

So thankful to be called "mama" by these precious little people!

I'm linking up with Growing Up Geeky today for Toddle Along Tuesday!  Hop over to check out more Mother's Day recaps!

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