Life with THREE--Update!

The past couple weeks with Joe back to work have been very smooth and very wild all at the same time! Let me explain... while we're home, life it totally manageable. I know that our house is child-proofed and there are baby locks and outlet plugs and door handle devices. But when we venture out... Oh my! Now that's a different story! I don't have the confidence or stamina to keep up with these boys anywhere other than home most of the time. Once the van doors are open and their seat belts unfastened, Wyatt and Isaac always dart in different directions and Micah is normally hungry at exactly the same time. I definitely need a third hand or an assistant at all times! I am not much of a homebody so this has totally thrown me for a loop! : ) And I can't be stuck inside all day long, so somehow we manage little outings here and there. Needless to say, when my head hits the pillow at night, I'm out cold!

Here's a quick run-down of a few mishaps in our home:

• I set off the smoke alarm with some VERY burnt bread and had both Micah and Isaac screaming at the top of their little lungs! Fireman Wyatt thought it was a great opportunity to put his skills to work!
• We had to call poison control once, as Wyatt decided to taste-test the mold medium for our basement mold test
• Isaac found my retainer and gave it to Gabbi while I was feeding Micah... Needless to say, 2 appointments and over $300 later I have a new one. I didn't even have a single piece left of the old one to show the dentist so he could match the material.
• Wyatt colored all over the floorboard of the new van with a marker
• Isaac ate a hand full of mud straight from the ground and a hand full of brownies out of the trash can, all with a great big grin on his face!

So my theme verse has been Colossians 1:17

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

If God can hold the universe together, then he can surely hold together the details of my days as well! His grace is sufficient and his power is made perfect in my weakness! And all of the little 'mishaps' seem to be the very sanctifying pieces he intends to use for my good... if only I would see them that way in the midst of the trial!

6 Weeks with Micah!

Here's our happy little man celebrating 6 weeks of life!

Micah has been such a good SLEEPER. He has only been waking ONCE at night! He seems to be settling into slumber at 10pm and waking at about 4:30am for a quick feeding then back to sleep again until Wyatt wakes him up in the morning!

He is still sleeping most of the day too.But when he's awake, he's very alert and so content just hanging out and watching what's going on around him. He's mesmerized with lights and his brothers voices!

Isaac is really learning to be GENTLE (he's probably so tired of hearing that word each day!) to his baby bro. It's so fun to see Isaac love on Micah!

Wyatt includes Micah in everything he is doing! He tells him stories all day and wants him in whatever room we are playing. Wy and I went on a mommy date for donuts last Saturday morning and he even wanted Micah to come along too! : )

Wyatt is SO GOOD to Micah!

He wants Micah to see all of his creations, this one being a shoot gun! Oh my!

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Fun Facts about our 6-week-old

MICAH...

• is a great sleeper, only waking ONCE each night at about 4:30 am for a quick feeding! woo hoo!
• is starting to lose his hair on the top of his head. I can't quite tell what color it is coming back in, but it's certainly not as dark as it was previously
• is such a snuggler... he buries his face into your neck and gives the sweetest 'kisses'
• is very content just hanging out in the swing or bouncy seat and just watching what's going on around him
• is completely out of his newborn clothes and into size 2 diapers already
• is just the best baby in the whole wide world. I'm so GRATEFUL for his sweet, content little spirit! I just can't get enough of this little man!

Micah is LOVED by his big bros!

Isaac is 16-Months

Oh, I just love this little face. Isaac can ALWAYS make me SMILE! He truly fills my heart with laughter... he couldn't have a more fitting name!

This little man is quite a character! I'm convinced that he is the reason that safety locks, and warning labels and poison control numbers were created. Oh, he is exhausting but I just love him to pieces. I wouldn't trade him for the world! : ) He is so feisty but so hard to discipline because of the stinkin' cute faces he makes and reactions he has. He's learning to mimic everything... So when you say No, No! with your finger out, he says it right back to you with a great big grin... and every time I have to turn around because he makes me laugh!

He's my little outdoors-man! He often goes and gets my shoes and demands that I put them on so I will take him outside. He is too smart! He also has a keen sense for hearing any outside door open... and if he's not invited to go out, you will see one major tantrum!

Isaac love to blow (and eat!) bubbles!

and he always steals my cell phone!

loves his car and ball!

This is how Ike wears his shoes! If you put his feet back in the right way, withing minutes his little piggies will be out again!

This is what Isaac looks like when he comes in from being outside! Here he's cooling off with a piece of pineapple--his fav!

He's still as messy as ever and it doesn't phase him a bit!

He plays HARD and sleeps HARD! Once he's got a full belly, he's out in no time!

Isaac loves his big bro and is really learning to defend himself these days!

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Fun Facts About our 16-Month-Old: ISAAC...

• is not expanding his vocab very quickly but now says dada, mama, ball, uh-oh, no no, and more (for more FOOD, of course!). Ike doesn't have many words but he can sure communicate!
• got lots of teeth this month. He got his other 2 front, lower teeth and at least 2 or 3 molars!
• is finally getting some HAIR! And he has the cutest little blond curls in back-- I refuse to let Daddy give him a haircut just yet... he's worked too hard for these golden locks... I'm not about to cut them off anytime soon (even if he does have a mullet!)
• is still such a sleeper. He's out by 7pm and hasn't been waking until 9am lots of mornings. He doesn't take too long of naps but sleeps at least 1.5hours after lunch.
• found his SHADOW! It is a bit distracting while we're trying to take a walk but it is so cute. Sometimes he does funny little dances to see if the shadow will follow and sometimes he just gets flat out frustrated and wants it to leave his side. So fun to watch him discover the world!
• has no problem with independent, self-entertainment... He could keep himself busy for hours! But it's what he's doing to keep himself busy that always makes me worried!
• just has the sweetest, happiest heart! I'm totally smitten with his smile!

Road Trip, Mother's Day, and Baby Dedication!

Like Father, like son! Wow! Do they look alike here or what? I don't normally see the strong resemblance that others see between these two, but I do here, for sure!

Joe and Wyatt went on their first road trip together to Springfield, MO for Uncle Jay's big football game! They got to spend the weekend with Uncle Jay, Aunt Gigi, and Grandma and Grandpa McCulley! And the GUNS won the game. Woo Hoo!

Wyatt made a new buddy over the weekend--Little Miss Kenzie--Uncle Jay and Aunt Gigi's little niece who lives in Springfield. Isn't she a doll?

Kenzie was sweet to share some pom poms and silly bands with Wyatt so they could cheer on Uncle Jay in style!

Wyatt looks a little bit pooped here. I think they were getting ready to hit the road after the late night game to come home. But they got one last photo with Sgt. Lucas!

Then Sunday was Mother's Day and Baby Dedication! I am so sad that I never got a picture with ALL of my fellas, but this one was taken with my 2 babies who were dedicated to the Lord at church on Sunday morning. I'd say that baby dedication on Mother's Day makes for a pretty special gift in itself! It brings back memories of my first mother's day when Wyatt was dedicated back at Bethel in Indiana! I asked the Lord to give me this child, and he has given me my request.Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life.

1 Samuel 1:27-28

It is our prayer that all three of our boys would come to a saving faith in and relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. What an awesome privilege and joy it is to be a mommy! Thank you Lord for these precious gifts in my life. May we always steer them toward YOU!

We spent the rest of the afternoon taking 'shifts' at the park with Mimi and Poppy, Uncle Trent and Auntie B, and Ashtyn and Daxton! Wyatt got to do a little fishing at the park...

and playing in the sand! I stayed back with Isaac so he could get a nap, then we switched. Wyatt came home for a nap with Daddy and I took Ike to the park! I have a feeling we'll be doing lots of 'shift-work' over this next year or two! : )It was a great day and I'm so thankful for my boys!

One Month with MICAH!

Micah Jay is One-Month-Old!

Micah has become quite the little SMILER while sleeping and awake! I just can't get enough of this sweet baby boy!

He is apparently eating like a champ because he is GROWING like a weed! He now weighs 11lbs 9oz and is 23.5in long!

Micah really is the BEST baby! We prayed for him to be a CONTENT baby, and the Lord certainly heard and answered our prayers! We're so THANKFUL for this perfect little gift!

Back to work...

...and back to reality!

Today was Joe's first day back to work and my first day flying solo with the boys after a whole month of being together. Sniff sniff : ( OK, ok I'm not expecting any sympathy here. Who gets to have their hubby home for a whole month after having a baby? Not very many ladies are so fortunate. I have been spoiled and am incredibly grateful to the gov't for this little perk! But it was still a sad day for us as it was hard to see our time draw to an end. Boo! We had such a fun month together and have so many great memories to look back on with the addition of our new little man!

We got a ton of projects done this month. Well, mostly Joe got projects done... my to-do list seems to be ever increasing! Although Joe's strong sense of being task- oriented can conflict a bit with my love language of quality time : ) I am so very thankful that my man is a doer... he certainly gets things DONE around here! It makes him crazy to have a to-do list and I like to be organized so I guess we make for a pretty good team! Although, there is very little down-time in this house. Ha! I'm looking back and wondering how we could have been in the same house for a whole month and hardly have seen each other?! Maybe this is just reality of life with two, type A personalities and 3 little ones who are barely 3 and under! We are learning that we'll have to be more intentional, and we're increasingly grateful for date nights and the very best babysitters--Grandparents!

We kind of took a tag team approach with the kids this month--Joe kept Isaac with him doing projects together, I took care of Micah, and Wyatt bounced between the two of us! : ) Now I'm wondering how in the WORLD I will do it on my own?! BUT, it's time...time to figure out how to run this show on my own, time to get into a routine again, and time to start developing a new norm with 3 kids! So I'm ready to hit the ground running on this new adventure...

We took advantage of the beautiful weather with a couple of family outings before daddy headed back to work. Kite flying and picnics go hand in hand! Thanks Grandma Great and Papa Great for our very cool kites! The boys had SO much fun on one very windy day! Here, Wyatt could hardly wait to get his kite up and going...

And once it was up and going...

...he wanted a turn to fly it all by himself! ...and so did Isaac! Here's my Ike man with his feelings all hurt because he just can't quite keep up with Daddy and big bro... So Wyatt loving comes over, puts his hand in front of Isaac's mouth and says, "Don't cry brother"...

then he lets Ike help hold the kite string! It was PRECIOUS!

Everyone stopped for a little lunch break. Oops! Mommy forgot the PINK picnic blanket so we all just plopped down in the grass.

then we hit Deanna Rose for Wyatt to do a little horse back riding...

and fishing...

while Isaac got to play at the park! Here he is climbing through a RED tunnel!

All good things must come to an end!

and it was a very GOOD THING to have daddy home for a month! Time for another tissue to wipe away these tears...