Sunday Art {Water Color Resist}

We had a big day yesterday - Mike ran the 10 mile Tough Mudder and I took the kids to the Beeler family reunion.  There was a bounce slide at the reunion and my kids jumped from 10:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. with only brief pauses for food and water.  Xavier had a head ache at the end of night and today everyone was worn out with coughs from sweat, cool air, allergies, and too much going going going.  Everyone but me - because I've got no time for that.  

Anyways, all that plus my swollen feet resulted in us staying home from worship.  That's hard for us.  We aren't church skippers.  Worship is how we reset our week and get our minds ready for the 6 days ahead.  Since we had two disappointed crying big kids on our hands, (they really hate missing church) we did some big art while Ameliya napped.  I set out all the supplies for an underwater water color resist and Mike and I did them with the kids.  It helped the morning go fast instead of dragging on and gave us some good quality time at the table with our big kids. 

We used our sea animals Draw Write Now book and our Usborne I Can Draw Animals book for inspiration on drawing our sea life. 

We sketched in pencil and then colored in with oil pastels.  It was a little hard because our pastels are blunt so we found it difficult to be precise with our coloring.  

After we put in our color we laid down our water and then liquid water color to make a "water color wash" over our paintings.  We chose to go away from "just" blue water and add a little fun to it.

This was very fun - gave us lots of time to chat with our kids and for them to have our attention and us to have theirs.  The results are cute but the process was the best part.

 by Xavier, age 5

 by Mommy, age 29

 by Daddy, age 34

by Natalee, age 6

What's in Baby's Hospital Bag?

Sweet new cocoon and hat made by my sister friend, Corin.  Seriously.  Do you see the owls?  The top pic is the truest picture of it's beautiful deep green.

 Those owls...so stinking cute.

 Swaddle blankets...  I love love the animals on the brown trimmed one. 

 Great big muslin receiving blanket...love these colors, too!

 Burp cloths.  Anyone else take all their own stuff to the hospital?  I love having my own things.

Baby book - if you take it in with you the nurse will do baby's footprints when she does them for the birth certificate!

 Organic wash...

 and lotion, just in case...

With this one and Mia we've taken our own organic diapers and wipes...just personal preference...same with the wash and lotion!

 Sweet little nightgowns and hats...

 Tiny socks and mittens...

 Onesies for under the nightgowns, or to wear with swaddles and the cocoon.

Bonus outfit, just in case I feel compelled.  It's a newborn size so, if baby follows the patterns of our last 3 kids, he'll have about a week to wear it!  There's also a pacifier tucked in the pocket of baby's bag.

 Studly coming home outfit!  Is it the sweetest?

I also have on my list to grab our Tummy Tub when we go.

 

I've only mentally packed my own bag - maybe this weekend or next week!  Anything else you'd put in baby's bag?  What about your own?...any favorites?

We Mourn the Loss...

We mourn the loss of our blender.  It tangled with an 18 month old and it lost.  She's so fast.  I was in the same room.  Did I mention she's fast?

I actually am sorry.  This blender was a $5 yard sale bargain and it's been a good one for the last many years.  I'm certain that all blenders should be glass, not plastic.  There was nothing this baby wouldn't pulverize and it never leaked like some do.  The Osterizer, it was called.

Xavier is truly mourning the loss of smoothies in this moment.  LOL.  I assured him it'd be okay until we get something else.  Poor kid.  

But alas, broken blender aside, I'm certainly glad our little lady is okay.  She was standing on the white tile near the trash can, picked it up off the shelf, dropped it, and did step back in shards of glass before I could swoop her up.  I called Mike straight away to check his ETA and luckily he was only a couple minutes from home.  God's grace.

He came home and started right to work on her little feet and had her walking again in no time - such a good daddy.

Later, after she was all fixed up she went in and got a {very large} flower clip and insisted she get to wear it.  I get it - sometimes after a tragedy I need to get dudded up, too.

 It's so big it looked like a spider on her head. :) 

Glad you're okay, little sugar.  Busy busy little sugar.

I Guess I'll Grow Up

No, I'm not growing up (the author of said blog), but our latest baby...our #3...our sugar and spice.  This week, Ameliya has decided since the baby is coming anyways she just had just as well grow up a little.

This week she's said

• ca (car)
• cheese!
• bup (cup)
• NO!
• nine (mine)
• shu (sure)
• Papa
• kak (quack)
• kike (bike)
• tig (pig) 
• tuck (truck)

I think she's speaking a lot more than we really knew but we didn't realize it because her pronunciation is very jumbled (something I'm keeping my ear and eye on).  I'm noticing, when all 3 kids are playing, that she's joining in and trying to match the play schemes the big kids have laid out, instead of just being the nuisance baby sister.  

When the big kids choose to engage her or do a game or activity just for her, her little eyes shine and glow.  She has the bees knees when it comes to big brother and sister.  

 

She's working on being less "all about me" and seems to realize there are other people in the room and the world.  I said she's working on it - not all there yet!

Last night, Mike taught her to sign green, and I was reminded that her upstairs is pretty sharp and I should be doing more signing and verbal labeling for her.

She answers with a shake no or nod yes when asked questions like,

• "Do you want milk?"  
• "Are you ready to go ni night?"  
• "Do you need a diaper?"  (potty training was a no go - not quite ready!)
• "Do you want this?" (food, book, toy, etc.)

I have noticed that every day this week, when the big kids get out their school boxes and books, she routinely goes to the cabinet, gets out her box, then goes to the shelf and gets her coloring book and climbs up in Daddy's chair at the table with them.  Never to be left out...

Yep, she's growing up, preparing for her role as big sister.  Ameliya, never doubt that we love you and are proud of you!

My Girl

I love this girl.  She's growing up and becoming quite a young lady.  She's anxious to help, to serve, to be the perfect big sister.  

 

She also wanted to be an Indian for Halloween and because she has the coolest older cousin ever she gets to wear this smashing outfit.  She's SO excited. 

She's been branching out, getting braver, trying new things. 

We're proud of you, Natalee.  Love you!

Preparing for Baby #4

I'm still here.  I'm still round.  This is the best I could do because I haven't remembered to have Mike take a picture for me and I'm too lazy to go upstairs and take one in the mirror {ha - truth}.

 Baby is good and active.  We checked out fine at yesterday's OB appointment. 

The bassinet is ready for downstairs sleeping so I don't have to walk upstairs for every nap in the first few weeks/months.  It's parked in the dining room, right in the hub of life.

 

I got out the car seat to check it this weekend.  Mia tried it out - I'm sure it was a safety check!

I'm still working on packing bags but finally did complete our birth plan and turn it in to our doc yesterday.  One step at a time, right?

Family Game Night

My kids have been begging to play Monopoly Jr. again since we introduced it to them a few weeks ago.  It is fun to sit down and play a game with them that lasts more than 10 minutes, though we set a time limit so we can stop at some point and go to bed!

This weekend we popped big bowls of popcorn, made smoothies and settled down.  Only 1 popcorn spill and one water spill so overall, a successful night.  Usually we camp out on the floor to play but it's too hard for me lately so we played at a TV stand and mom got to sit on the couch.

Xavier NEVER got around to passing "go."  He stopped on the potty stop every.single.time he went around.  He's giving a thumbs up for the potty!

 Mia stayed busy rearranging houses, eating popcorn, and running amuck.

Bonus Saturday picture...they love Daddy!

Back 2 Church BASH

Our church had a big bash this last weekend.  The weather was a little 'eh-ish' but those who were able to attend had a great time, including my kids.

 hay ride

 face painting

 

 

 

 bounce houses

 

Hats off to all the volunteers - it was a fun time!