Random Pics and Updates!

I haven't been around much lately. Life is just super busy around here. I have had lots of work to do with my business which has been such a blessing and very exciting. With all the sewing, bow making, reading, snot wiping, diaper changing, feeding, sometimes sleeping, and playing going on over here, there has not been as much time for blogging! Thanks to Bryan, I have some pictures to share of the kids from the past few days. Can y'all believe I haven't taken any pics in at least a week? Yay for Bryan stepping in! :o)

Color Time!

She has really enjoyed cheesing for the camera lately!

This was about 30 seconds before MK got smacked in the head with a bat and got a good little goose egg. Ahhh, life is never dull, eh?

Things with the kids are great right now. Kade is really enjoying reading, singing, playing the piano, and playing with his trains. We have made many trips to the library this summer and Kade is loving "reading" all of his library books. The funny thing is that he will "read" them to me, and he can almost quote, word for word, every page to me. I am very impressed with this. He has a great little memory! As far as singing and playing the piano goes, I am also impressed with his skills in music. I love to hear his little voice, and he actually has good pitch and tone. He has a song for everything and makes it up as he goes. He loves to sing Happy Birthday, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and songs about Thomas the Train. Speaking of trains, this is still Kade's favorite thing to talk about and play with. He spends hours changing his tracks around, building bridges, and hauling cargo around. We just got tickets to go for a Day Out With Thomas where we will all get to ride on a train pulled by Thomas. Kade is very excited and so are we!

Kade is still our big helper, and he has very good manners. He rarely has to be reminded to say please or thank you and has even been trying to teach MK these things. He is also very good about making conversation with you, and often times will mimic what he hears around him. The other day when Bryan came home for his lunch break Kade asked him, "How was work today, Daddy?" He will also say, "Thank you for making dinner Momma. It's good." without any prompting from anyone. He is such a sweet boy!

There are two words that I use to describe Mary-Kate as of late. "Wild Woman!" It describes her perfectly. She is into everything, and all over the place. I wouldn't have it any other way though. She brings such joy to our lives every day and you just can't help but laugh at her when she turns on her dimpled grin and wrinkled nose. Oooooh, I worry about this girl when she becomes a teenager. She loves to have her way even now, and is not liking the idea of "NO" or the discipline that comes with disobeying. MK is a rough and tumble girl, that not only keeps up with her brother, but is often times the initiator in a good wrestling match. She has been known to completely take him down out of nowhere and then jump on him, all while giggling. I have no worries that she can take care of herself, and we often have to remind her to be nice to her brother! She has really learned the art of giving a good hug lately, and my heart just about melts when I pull her out of her crib in the mornings and she latches on to my neck like her life depends on it! I have also been blown away by her speech lately. It's like out of nowhere she started talking and she can actually communicate with us!! The other day she was fussing at me, and I said, "Now, Mary-Kate, I don't like it when you whine like that. Use your words. What do you want?" She stopped fussing, looked me straight in the eye and said her word for, "drink" then she did her sign language for the word "please." After I got her her drink she even said, "tank you." I couldn't believe I had just had an actual conversation with my baby girl. I told her, "Now next time just use your words instead of whining and you will get what you want faster!" Ha! She is learning many words and likes to repeat after us. She is also able to point to a lot of her body parts when we call them out, like eyes, ears, nose, etc. She thinks it's exceptionally funny to try and poke you in the eye!

My babies bring me so much joy every day, and I am thankful I get to stay home with them and spend so much time with them. We will be trying to go to the pool as many times as we can for the remainder of the summer, and then they will both have Mother's Day Out twice a week in the Fall. I am already excited about the work I can get done for Dimples & Dots, and excited about the adventures they will experience while at school. Our Fall calendar is filling up fast and I am ecstatic that this time of year is coming quickly! (Fall is my favorite!) I have some more things to talk about where the Lord is leading us for the Fall, but it's not quite time to share! Hope all of you are doing well! Thanks for sharing in our lives!