I hope...

^^^Smiling at her brother^^^

I love having two children. 

Two, so close in age.

A brother and a sister.

They are the perfect pair. Bonded forever. 

They love each other so much. I see it every day. 

Braden and Maeva,
I hope you always love each other so much, so well.
I hope you always light up with the biggest smile when you see the other.
I hope you're always able to play and giggle.

^^^ Giving her a kiss^^^

I hope you're always the ones who makes the other laugh the most. 

I hope you're always wanting to be by each other's side. 

I hope you're always there -- friends, always with a shoulder when needed. 

I hope you always hug. 

I hope you can have fun and grow together.

I hope you always stand up and defend one another.

I hope you trust and care, always. 

I really do hope you'll be best friends. 

Braden's Sticker Chart

I adore my son to pieces.
He's lovable and so funny!
He's full of joy and so many wonderful things.
But he's also stubborn and doesn't listen well to me, at all.
He's two, so this is normal, but frustrating at the same time.
This age, so far, has been the toughest for me.
Please, don't tell me, "just wait until he's 3" or whatever age because ALL stages can be hard.
In order to get him to listen to me I tried many different things and nothing worked.
Then, I decided to try a sticker chart.

The one on the left is for diaper changing, which I've pretty much given up on.
He's just going to fuss and try to run away from me when I want to change him!
I'll keep on working on it, but stickers for that seem pointless.
The sticker chart that he loves is the one with the cars, of course!
As of right now, this chart is for being nice to his sister!
We we're having some issues in that area...
And after talking to my Bible study ladies, decided that a sticker chart would be a great idea!
When he's nice to his sister, he gets a sticker.
When he gets 5, he gets to watch tv.
This is good for both of us.
Motivation for me be more consistent with him and not have the tv on all the time!
Motivation for him to be have gentle hands with his sister and earn tv time!

He's been super great with his sister this week!
I think it's time to work on something else, possibly on a bigger scale!
Something like, every time he listens to mom, he gets a sticker!
That might take a while, but it would make me so happy! =)

And just a few pictures of the kiddos together this week because they really do love one another!

Like Brother, Like Sister

Both my babies at 6 months old. 

I can't believe how much they look alike! 

I had someone tell me they weren't sure who Maeva looked like, that she didn't look like any of us.

I'd say she definitely looks a lot like her brother!

Bright blue eyes and chunky cheeks! 

As Maeva grows I've found it fun to look back at pictures and videos of Braden.

It's fun to laugh and remember.

It's fun to see the things Braden did and realize that Maeva does some of the same things!

Braden used to make this crazy excited face that everyone thought was hilarious.

Maeva does the same. 

I love things like that. 

I love that you can see that they are brother and sister by the way they look and the things they do.

I also love seeing them love each other.

It's the best part of siblings and I hope it's always this way.

I hope they are the best of friends! 

Wordless Wednesday

4 months old

Hello,

I'm 4 months old today. 

Every month its the same old thing...

Mommy starts yammering on and on about how I'm growing too fast. 

I mean, I just don't get it. I'm having fun, isn't she?

Within the past month I've rolled over, which I mean is really no big deal.

Its so easy to do and I really prefer to be on my belly. 

Actually. what I really prefer lately is being held. 

I just get so upset when Mommy puts me down for even a second.

It's just something about mom that gives me comfort. 

I keep on hearing her and daddy talking about something called teething.

I'm really not sure what that means, but I can tell you it hurts and involves lots of drool.

It makes me want to eat a lot too. Food always makes me feel better.

I also like to smile a lot and laugh.

Mommy loves it when I laugh. She gets way too excited.

Then she tries to show daddy, but I don't laugh...

Because well, come on, mommy, you've already done that! I need something new! 

Sometimes I jabber on and on. 

Sometimes I blow bubbles. 

Mommy and daddy like this too.

And brother... oh, I love him and I think he loves me too.

But sometimes he sits on me or gets super close and I'm just not sure. 

Mommy says its because he loves me so much and just gets to excited. 

I guess I understand that.

I mean, sometimes he does try to make me laugh. 

That's all I have to say for now... it's nap-time! 

Love,

Mae. 

A challenge for myself

 

I've noticed ever since downloading instagram on my phone that I use it a lot.

Way more than my digital camera, which is sad because really, I do love my digital camera.

And I believe I take better pictures with it as well. 

So, I'm challenging myself to use my canon more and my phone less. 

I'll still use it of course because it is fun and easier, 

but I don't want that to be an excuse to not use my canon.  

I love my instagram photos, but the photos taken with my camera seem much more meaningful. 

Plus I've missed the feel of it in my hands. 

Do you have this problem? 

How its going as BIG BROTHER.

I don't usually blog during the weekends, but with a newborn + a toddler blogging is definitely different and happening a lot less. I hope that changes soon because I really do enjoy it, but other things are clearly more important right now! 

Right now, what's on my heart, or who is on my heart, I should say, is my son. 

I'm unsure if I will actually write about Maeva's birth story because it was a scheduled c-section and what is there really to say about that? Of course it will be a day I always remember because it was the day she was born, but it was so different from when Braden was born. I actually labored and we actually got pictures of it all. Sadly, we didn't get many pictures this time... for some reason and I'm actually pretty darn upset about it. We got a few, but not as many as I would have liked. 

Anyway, none of that is the point.... the reason I'm writing this is because since having Maeva, her brother just seems so different. 

Really, the changes started as soon as we had her. The picture above is the first time Braden held his little sister and it looks likes he is about to cry. I know though, that he wasn't really understanding what was going on and it was probably a bit overwhelming to him. 

There was a moment in the hospital after having her that really got to me. 

I was in the hospital bed really unable to move a whole lot and Braden wasn't able to sit with me. 

I would have loved for him to, but he likes to crawl all over me and doesn't really sit, so with the c-section it wasn't really possible. I wanted to hug him and kiss him. 

I tried, but he didn't want me... he kept on turning away from me when I tried and it broke my heart. 

All of my family was in my room - parents, in-laws, grandparents, aunts, uncles - and I just started bawling. 

Braden always wanted me. He's a mama's boy, but then, he just didn't seem to want to have anything to do with me and my heart just ached. I know really that it was probably more of him concerned about being in the hospital bed and really unsure about everything going on, but in that moment, I couldn't help but think, "I can't do this. I can't be a mom of two." Lots of thoughts ran through my head and I was really terrified of what things would look like at home. 

When we came home things were much better and continue to get better.

Braden had stayed with my mom while James and I were at the hospital and when he saw us walking into the door, he was happy to see us. Smiles, giggles and hugs for us. 

A lot of people told us that Braden would be a wreck when it came to having a little sister. 

"The world won't revolve around him," they would say. 

It drove us nuts and actually made me a little mad because its not encouraging what so ever. 

Braden has surprised me though. He seems so much bigger now. 

He feels like he weighs a ton of bricks. 

He's been talking so much more, which we really love.

He plays better by himself.

He also seems to be adjusting well to his little sister. 

Sometimes he'll just stop and stare at her. He'll smile at her. 

He'll touch her feet or her head.
Overall its going pretty well, him being a big brother and we are really happy about that. 

Dear Braden

Do you know how much I love you? How much joy you bring to my life? 

Your hugs and kisses are the best. Your smile, your laugh, can brighten up the darkest of days.

All of those things, they really are the best.

Do you know how much you remind me of your daddy? 

Sometimes you look exactly like him and I just love that. 

You're a lot like him too. 

Determined to do what you want, when you want, regardless of what others say. 

It drives us crazy at times, but we know that when your older, it will be a good thing. Most of the time.

I hope your passionate like your daddy. Goal driven like your daddy.

Do you know that you make me think of myself when I was little? 

You like to look through books.

And have me read to you (even though you can't sit still for an entire book). 

Reading was always something I loved and still love to do. 

You like to color and paint.

Grandma would always give me a pencil and piece of paper when I was little and it made me happy!

You make the same faces as me too.
I love that we share that. 

Do you know that you're a child of God? 

He loves you more than you could ever know. More than we could ever know.

He's known about you since before you we're born. 

He knows about your whole life and He will always be with you.

Do you know how excited I am for you to meet your little sister? 

I may be scared about it all... but I know you'll love each other.

I know you'll be the best of friends. 

I just can't wait to watch you together. 

Do you know how loved you are? 

Loved with all my heart. All your daddy's heart. And so many more people love you. 

We'd do anything for you and we'll always be here for you. 

Always. Don't forget that baby.

Kissing baby sister

Braden has been pulling my shirt up and randomly decided to blow raspberries on my stomach.

I say, it is kissing baby sister.

Not sure where he learned how to do it, but its so cute and funny!

=)