Cuddle Time with My Snuggle Bug

I love cuddle time with my little munchkins!  Neva has grown to be a cuddler and Kaylee has always loved to curl up and rest in my arms.  This afternoon was no different.  Daddy had cuddle time with Neva and I with Kaylee.  She was not content in her crib, but settled right down with Mommy's arms around her.  I do cherish these moments.  They pass away too quickly!

My Experiment

Well, I have grown brave in my old age.  Okay, I'm not that old, but it seems I have broken the barrier of having to have an exact recipe to follow as I continue this journey called life.  I was craving chocolate and smoothie and needed to fill that desire.  So I look online at a friend's blog where she posted what looked like a yummy cinnamon smoothie and then I combined that recipe with another ice cream recipe I found online.  Then I just guessed how much cocoa powder to add.  I know.  Brave, huh!  For me, that is super brave.  My honey, is always telling me to experiment and try things.  Well, now that I am learning more about kitchen-y stuff I am getting better...and braver...at it.  Yay!  This is very yummy so beware.  Haha!  :)


Chocolate Cinnamon Smoothie

2 frozen bananas

1 avocado

1/2-1 c nondairy milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp pure maple syrup

1 tsp (heaping) cocoa powder

Blend all ingredients in blender.

Neva and I enjoyed this delicious treat this afternoon.

Monkey kisses

Cuddling with my toddler today made me think about how much I love getting monkey kisses.  These are no ordinary kisses.  Oh, no.  They are given with love and are soft and fuzzy.  They are followed by an even better kiss...from my little girl who giggles as she looks adoringly into my eyes.  I will most definitely miss these precious moments when she no longer finds enjoyment in having her monkey give her mommy kisses.

The Frazzled Mom

Lately, I have felt like a frazzled mom.  You know the kind that have rings under their eyes, hair is a mess, clothes don't match, house is filled with clothes and toys everywhere, and you have a crying baby in one arm, and a toddler hanging onto your legs begging for something.  Okay, it's not been that bad, but my hormones apparently are still trying to level out.  It's frustrating when you know all is well, but you still feel like bursting into tears over...nothing really. So ridiculous!

I do love being a mom!  Even if that means the dishes don't always get washed right away, I'm not able to get a full night's sleep because one of my little ones needs me, I have spit up on my shirt, or I can't cook a 5 course meal.  I am a perfectionist and like things organized and orderly.  It drives me nuts when things seem chaotic.  You know what I've discovered.  Life needs to be flexible.  Kaylee sometimes wants to eat at the most inopportune moment  or Neva decides to have a boundary-pushing session when I am tired and ready for a nap.  That's life and God did not mean for me to worry about things I can't control or to get frustrated over the little things.  I need to trust Him for my strength, not myself.  I definitely can't do it alone!  A good reminder verse to me is Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."  So glad I don't have to live life on my own.  I am also thankful for a supporting and loving husband who just keeps on loving me.  :)

I read this little story earlier this morning and it's quite fitting:  "When a frazzled mother sent her little boy to bed, she heard him grumbling to himself, 'Every time she gets tired, it's me that has to take a nap.'" :D

My baby carrier (BabyHawk Mei Tai) is wonderful! Makes carrying a baby around sooo much easier, and grocery shopping and such a little less frazzling.  :)

The "Middle Wife"

This story was passed on to me and I couldn't keep it to myself.  Made me laugh out loud for sure!  Wonder what stories Neva will share when she gets a little older.  :)

The 'Middle Wife' by an Anonymous 2nd grade teacher
I've been teaching now for about fifteen years. I have two kids myself, but
the best birth story I know is the one I saw in my own second grade
classroom a few years back.

When I was a kid, I loved show-and-tell. So I always have a few sessions
with my students. It helps them get over shyness and usually, show-and-tell
is pretty tame. Kids bring in pet turtles, model airplanes, pictures of fish
they catch, stuff like that. And I never, ever place any boundaries or
limitations on them. If they want to lug it in to school and talk about it,
they're welcome.

Well, one day this little girl, Erica, a very bright, very outgoing kid
takes her turn and waddles up to the front of the class with a pillow
stuffed under her sweater.

She holds up a snapshot of an infant. 'This is Luke, my baby brother, and I
m going to tell you about his birthday.'

'First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love, and then Dad put a
seed in my Mom's stomach, and Luke grew in there. He ate for nine months
through an umbrella cord.'

She's standing there with her hands on the pillow, and I'm trying not to
laugh and wishing I had my camcorder with me. The kids are watching her in
amazement.

'Then, about two Saturdays ago, my Mom starts going, 'Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh!' Erica
puts a hand behind her back and groans. 'She walked around the house for,
like an hour, 'Oh, oh, oh!' (Now this kid is doing a hysterical duck walk
and groaning.)

'My Dad called the middle wife. She delivers babies, but she doesn't have a
sign on the car like the Domino's man. They got my Mom to lie down in bed
like this.' (Then Erica lies down with her back against the wall.)

'And then, pop! My Mom had this bag of water she kept in there in case he
got thirsty, and it just blew up and spilled all over the bed, like
psshhheew!' (This kid has her legs spread with her little hands miming water
flowing away. It was too much!)

'Then the middle wife starts saying 'push, push,' and 'breathe, breathe.
They started counting, but never even got past ten. Then, all of a sudden,
out comes my brother. He was covered in yucky stuff that they all said it
was from Mom's play-center, so there must be a lot of toys inside there.
When he got out, the middle wife spanked him for crawling up in there in the
first place.'

Then Erica stood up, took a big theatrical bow and returned to her seat.

I'm sure I applauded the loudest. Ever since then, when it's Show-and-tell
day, I bring my camcorder, just in case another 'Middle Wife' comes along.

The Duck Park

We had a fun little family outing to a park.  I had forgotten to grab some bread before we left the house, but thankfully had some other snacks to feed the ducks.  Neva did a great job throwing the food out for the ducks to gobble up.  There were even two ducklings that were swimming around in the pond asking for food.

After we finished feeding the ducks we walked around a bit and Daddy and Neva had a great time running up and down the hill.  We allowed her to run a little bit by herself, then she would stop and ask Daddy to "Come. Come."  It was so cute to hear her little voice to say come and then reach out to grab Daddy's hand.  Every time she asks one of us to "come" she looks up so adoringly and invites us to have fun with her.  :)  I love seeing my little girl playing with her daddy!

Daddy and Neva taken at the duck park about 2 months ago.