Spring Break

This past weekend we took a little family "Spring Break" to St. Louis.  It was so much fun.  Above is a picture of Lexi at the Magic House, Children's Museum.  She is IN LOVE with water and anything that involves water, so the water table exhibit was perfect for her.           

Lexi measured 3 feet tall, she is getting so big!

 Daddy & Max in the construction exhibit.

Daddy, Max & Lexi in the construction exhibit.

This is our family portrait in the construction exhibit.  Lexi was trying to get out by herself, you can see right up my nose, but boy are Kevin and Max sure having a good time.

Lexi was sooo excited to have her own "big" bed.  At home she sleeps in a toddler bed, but this was  queen sized bed with all the trimmings!

Swimming is all Lexi talks about.  It was the highlight of her vacation, and she keeps asking when we can go again.  She picked out this cute little bikini all by herself.  Yellow is her favorite color of the moment.  She doesn't quite know how to express that she loves yellow, but EVERYthing she picks out is yellow!

Here are my two little cuties checking themselves out in the mirror.  A couple of real bathing beauties:

And here is our handsome little fella' all ready to "fwim," as Lex would say.

And after 1/2 an hour of preparation the "fwimmin'" began!

We also visited the Science Center.  It was pretty cool.  We didn't do any of the extras there, such as the OmniMax theater or special exhibits.  But the basic stuff was pretty cool!  They had a dinosaur display that was unbelievable.  Lexi loved it from afar, but up close was not so keen on the giant moving creatures.  Max just wanted to take a nap, he didn't care where we were.

After the Science Center, we visited the Museum of Transportation.  I think it would have been really fun if it were a little later in the season.  They weren't fully open so we had to do a self tour!  Either way the trains were really cool, and you could even blow some of their train whistles!  Lexi is really in to trains right now, and again, Max just wanted to take a nap.  Poor Max, it is going to look like he hardly did anything fun on this trip!!

I am so thankful for my little family.  My husband is such an amazing husband and father.  How lucky were we to get such a fun vacation?

Oh, my Goodness!!

Those are the words I hear quite often out of my little Lexi's mouth.  She says EVERYTHING I say, with the same inflection and the same face...sometimes it infuriates me, sometimes it makes me roll on the floor with laughter. 
I heard her telling Max, "Don't you DARE!  NO NO!"  I walked in to the room to see what he was doing...it was nothing major, just something she didn't want him to do. 
"OH, my GOODNESS"  That is a big one, I must say it 100 times a day with a look of sheer shock and surprise, because that is what I see in her face when she says 100 times a day.  It could be for any reason, she put her sock on the wrong way or she got some yummy candy.  I just love it!  Here is the kicker, though.  Last night at dinner I told her, "I said NO."  Her reply, with her lips pursed and brows lowered, and in a low voice "I tell you YES"  I had to turn my head and let Kevin do the reprimanding on that one...I was almost choking on my laughter.  I am laughing to myself as I write this. 

God, help me.  I am going to need it!

Frog Prince

When Lexi was born a friend of mine with 2 older sons gave me a little bag of toys that they no longer played with.  One of these toys was a frog.  This frog has been in Lexi's toy box since then.  A month or so ago, she was digging through her toy box and just about lost it!  She would NOT touch that frog, started to cry, and begged Kevin and me to get it out!!!  After much teasing, and watching Max chew on if for the last month she has been getting braver and braver regarding this frog.

Today, because she wanted to have her picture taken, she decided she would touch it.
The pictures are as follows:

 

  

  

I couldn't really get her to kiss the frog...but she would pretend!  

I have to say, I HATE frogs, so Lexi must get this frog fear from me...poor thing.  Love her!

And here is a picture of our little prince:

 

Isn't he just the funniest little boy!  Love him!

Living a very blessed life.

Lately I have been trying to be very intentional about counting my blessings.  Everyday I hear of someone dealing with an unthinkable situation, event, or health issue.  While I pray for these people, I give thanks for all the joy and blessings that are everywhere around me.

Especially here:

 

Isn't he just so handsome?  He has just started to really react when seeing the camera.  Max is definitely my little charmer.  He loves other babies...and he loves the ladies, just ask any of my friends!

 

Oh, yes, she is very excited about that Dum Dum in her hand.  She got that as a reward for being fully potty trained.  It is as if she just woke up one morning and decided that she no longer needed diapers (or pull-ups).  She has been wearing only underwear for over a week now!  (And that is even to bed for naps and all night!!)

Lexi being potty trained is truly a blessing.  She is very proud of herself, and we are very proud of her as well.

Hope this day shows its many blessings to you!

Baptism

Yesterday (Sunday Jan. 24, 2010) I was baptized.  I didn't grow up in a church that taught adult baptism, or willing baptism.  It took me some time to understand what exactly it had to do with me.  I had felt, though, for at least 2 years now, that I should be baptized.  You see, I don't so much believe that you have to be baptized to be a Christian, or to go to heaven when you pass.  However, I do believe that we are called to reach our full potential as Christians while we are here on Earth, and to do that baptism is key.

I want to do all that Christ has called me to do: be a great wife, a wonderful mother, sister, daughter, friend.  But above all I want to be a good example.  Someone that when others look at me can see the light and joy of the Lord and want to be near him as well.

Thank you to my husband, friends and family that encouraged me.  And thanks be to God!

Sooo Big!

I cannot believe how fast the time goes by, and how big my little ones are getting.  Max has been dragging (or should I say pulling) himself a long for weeks now.  In the past 2 weeks, though, he has started to pull himself up to kneeling and standing.  He has also mastered the step up to our kitchen...and I can't believe how quickly he can pull himself up there now!  Here  he is pulling himself up to his mirror...

He gets himself up to standing eventually, and he is always very proud of himself.

Max is just such a joy.  He is so easy going and calm, and just wants to be as big as his sister!

Lexi is getting so big, too.  We are potty training and for the most part she does really well.  We have our little glitch (daily) but she does wear "big girl underder".  For doing so well, and keeping her fingers out of her mouth she got to have her nails painted.

Are those the cutest little hands ever??  She LOVES her nails painted.  She couldn't stop looking at them.

I am trying my hardest to appreciate each milestone (but, oh, these terrible twos!).  Life just flies by!

A promise to my children, but even more to myself.

Lexi and Max,

I love you both so much.  Words and actions could never really do my feelings justice.  There is NOTHING in this world you could do to break that love.  With that being said, here are some promises I would like to make:

1.  I will never ever stop loving you, no matter what you do.
2.  You can ALWAYS tell me anything, if you can't confide in your parents, who can you confide in?
3.  I will always tell you how proud I am to be your parent.
4.  I will work hard to teach you the Word of the Bible and how to apply it to your life.
5.  I will work hard to be an example to you, not just a preacher.

The Lord has blessed me with you two little gifts, and while I have you I am going to appreciate, encourage, protect, and adore you.

The Lord never stops loving us, no matter what we do, how we mess up, or who we may hurt.  So, the least I can do is follow His example!  (I got that from my mom - your yia yia!)


Love,
Mommy