7/25/16

Today is my sentimental day I guess.  I am very emotional.  But just letting myself feel it all.  Not blocking it out.  My baby woke up and had his early morning Mommy snuggles- as most of our days go.  Today he put his hand on my belly while we snuggled.  He will still by my baby forever too...

Once everyone was up we tried to walk this baby out.  To make it fun for the boys too we took them to casey's for treats.  Happy campers!  

I'm trying hard to relax and savor every moment.  I have lunch cooking in the oven and smelling great. Milo helped me make it.  Look at that boy washing potatoes!  When he was done he said his back hurt.  Haha! (mine too!) 

 The boys are playing legos ever so sweetly.  (daddy even joined in for a while, which they love!) These moments I love.  Chase gets very quiet and really concentrates on what he is doing.  It really is so precious!  Milo's imagination and Chases are completely different and I love their uniqueness.  I sit here watching them and can't help but cry.  Our life will never be the same again.  No matter how exciting change is - it is still scary too.  I'm nervous about all the changes happening at once.  Baby, Chase starting Kindergarten and Milo starting preschool for the first time - all at once.  It'll be fun, exhausting and emotional.  I plan to just take it all as it comes and do my best.  Somehow even though I have been here at home with these sweeties every single day - I still don't feel like it's been enough.  They really are growing way too fast!  I can only hope and pray that they know and feel the love that I have for them...and always will.  I pray they can love me through my imperfections as their Mom.  I will ALWAYS be here for them no matter what.  

This afternoon will be more resting and enjoying my little loves.  I am guilty of being afraid of having too many sad emotions that the fear clouds over the good happening right in front of my eyes.  I can only pray that I can control myself enough to not let that happen.  One day at a time..one emotion at a time...that is how I have to live right now.  Or always, really...

Fast forward to the end of the day.... I'm miserable physically from our long walk earlier. Baby got hiccups which typically I don't like. BUT I Made it fun by having the boys come feel. Their eyes sparkled when they felt it. They giggled too! : ) So sweet and so special! 

Starry Night

We put a blanket up to "black out" the bunk bed.  Chase thought to turn the stars on inside.  Pretty cool!  There is SOME of me inside these BOYS!  I would have loved this and thought of this myself as a kid I'm pretty sure.  : )

Hendrix Is In Town

Angie got ahold of me and said Hendrix was coming to Illinois with Papa Jeff and wanted to see his cousins really bad.  For sure!!  We picked him up in Adrian on Sunday morning and he came to our house to play for the day. They were shy for a couple minutes at first - but it didn't take them long to get reacquainted.

First thing the boys had to do was show him their room.  He thought the bunk beds were pretty cool!  ; )

 Trampoline time!  Josh rigged the hose up for them, of course!

Lunch time.  Can we eat outside?  Yep!  : )  Hendrix came HUNGRY!  He kept saying he just couldn't wait any longer.  Haha.  Homemade pizza was a hit!

We had water balloons that we hadn't gotten around to playing with yet all summer - so what a better occasion to get them out than this day?!  Chase had asked us a ton of times before on different days and we had told him no a lot so when we said YES when he asked this time he was one happy boy!  By the way...these little water balloon things are genius!  A little pricey - but totally worth it!

Love Milo's big old smile!

Back inside to relax and play a while...

Popsicles, legos and Zootopia playing in the background!  They played SO good.

Round 2 of outside time.  Taking turns driving the truck around the yard.

Chase practicing some more on his bike. Him seeing Hendrix ride without training wheels always motivates him.

Back inside to cool off.  Haha.  I think the heat index was well over 100.  It was SOOO hot out!

We ended his visit with a little trip to the park.  Somehow these boys still had energy!  Haha.  

Dropping Hendrix off was sad..because we never know when we'll see him again.  He wanted to stay all night but I was too afraid I'd go into labor in the night to have him stay.  Next time!  ; )  He was a good little visitor...what a great kiddo!  : )


It was fun to spend the day not doing anything but normal fun "at home" play and seeing the boys enjoy being KIDS.  No electronics..just good fun play time.  I loved it!  Memories in the making!

One Last Date

 At the very end of my pregnancy it was SUPER hot outside and I was SUPER miserable.  When Josh left town I dreaded it because I just wasn't sure what I would do to make the day fun for the boys.  I don't like days passing by and not feeling fulfilled in my mind.  If we just stayed home and didn't make a plan I knew I would have no energy and just absolutely be lazy all day.  Which in turn makes for whiny boys and a mentally drained Mommy.  I am hard on myself when I'm not actively involved in their day.  I don't like to feel like I'm just going through the motions.  So, to my boys when you are big - MOMMY CARED AND TRIED!!  I'm sorry if I wasn't always perfect...but my heart was always there..

Anywho - I decided to take the boys on a movie date one last time.  Chase actually didn't want to at first because he had his mind set on going to a park.  Which made me feel bad because with a heat index on 100+ and me being as pregnant as I was - it just could not happen.  Normally I would be all about it!  After some tears (from me because I thought he would be excited and I just wanted to make them both happy) he must have realized he would still be having fun and decided to put a smile on his face (and I put one on mine too).  We just went to Keokuk.  My thought was that it was cheaper and it was closer.  Well it was a learning experience for me, we'll call it.  The drink cups included in the movie cost don't fit the cup holders.  Ugh - so that alone was quite annoying.  Next time I will upgrade to the next size cups for them just so they will fit the cup holders.  Oh, and Chase's seat was super squeaky and...he liked to squeak it!  Haha!

On the PLUS though - the boys were totally not phased by the inconvenience of the place and really liked the movie!  They leaned on me, held my hand, giggled and behaved really well.  Totally enjoyable and heart fulfilling.  : )  This hormonal Momma was feeling sentimental about not getting these moments just me and my biggy boys anymore.  Even though I know I still will - just in a different way.  These last days with them are special to me!

It Came

Every day Milo would ask me if his new jacket had came yet.  Well, it finally came!  And oh my was he excited! I love that he got to have a moment of feeling special.  : )

Right away they had to both put theirs on and play Batman Vs. Superman, of course!  : )  Now those are some super cute and super cool Mitchell boys!!

Pushin' Pedi's

One of the last things on my "to do" list before baby came was to go get pedicures with Mom.  It has become tradition that I get pretty toes for pushing.  : )  Mom referred to them as "pushin' pedi's".  We got them done plenty early - but I was convinced I was going to have a July baby!  Haha.  Josh got off work just in time for us to go.  We actually met him in Fort Madison with the boys.  Mom had to grab a couple things at DG so he met us there.  When we were getting in her van to leave I looked across the road and saw 2 cute little Mitchell boys playing at the park.  I didn't even suggest it or anything...good job Daddy!!!

We ate lunch at The Apron, went to ShopKo, and then got our pedicures.  Mom and I even (unintentionally) matched that day.  Haha.

Seriously my most favorite pedi ever.  Not only did it feel AMAZING because my feet have been so bad this pregnancy...but I absolutely LOVE the design she did this time too!!  Yay!  I texted Josh during it and thanked him.  He had stashed away some money (he's good at that) and handed me some one day and told me it was for a pedicure.  : )

No one else I'd rather spend this time of relaxing and anticipation with.  Love you Momma!!

37 weeks and I am ready now!  Whew!  I can honestly say when I look at this picture I don't HATE my appearance.  Normally by the end of pregnancy I feel like I look yucko and bloated.  But, then again I normally don't notice it at the time but a while later when I look back at the pictures.  Wonder if that will happen again this time??  Anyway - the count down is on!...

Just Precious

If this isn't just precious then I don't know what is.  The top one is Chasey and the bottom one is Milo.  These last few weeks of pregnancy they both have just rested their hands on my tummy all on their own a lot while we snuggle.  Gives me butterflies...I love my babies (all 3 of them)!

                            

Freeze!

Look at me gettin' ready n stuff!  ; )  For quite a while I just simply could NOT get myself to focus or even care about freezer meals.  One day I woke up actually able to focus on it and got organized for groceries.  I shopped, I cooked, I froze.  Yay!  Pretty proud of my little pans of deliciousness.  Just sized for our family and everything.  I didn't want to go overkill and do a ton of stuff...but I think just these couple things on hand will be just right.  They shall come in handy dandy I'm sure!

One pan of the enchiladas I had Josh take to his Dad.  He used to love my enchiladas and had me make them for him all the time.  I shed a tear thinking about it.  Sure do miss the real HIM.  We all do...

Summer Summer

July is slow going for us around here.  I'm hugely pregnant...it's HOT out...and we are just kind of slowing things down now after our super busy June.  I think we are still making the best of it and just enjoying some at home summertime fun.

Does this not scream that he's having fun?!?  Love it!

"Mom, will you come watch me ride my bike on the road?"  I get asked this multiple times a day.  I haven't given them reins of riding their bikes in the road unless if Josh or I are outside to watch for cars.  So, this is our normal evening routine.  I water flowers and they start riding their bikes and then I sit on the porch swing for a while and watch them some more.  My favorite part of the day right now!  A time of day I can actually stand to be outside and not die of heat!

They got Daddy in there this time!

Takin' care of business!  ; )

Ok - so, remember the bow that Grandma made for Milo?  Well - later at home Chase found a stick that we turned into a bow too.  After much play - Milo's got busted.  It broke just like this with a little piece still stuck to the string.  Next thing I knew Chase was purposely breaking his too.  Why??  Their little imaginative selves turned them into fishing poles!  Freaking awesome!!

Here Chase is "casting his pole" and Milo is "cutting his fish off the hook".  : )  Haha.  THIS is innocent childhood imagination at it's finest.  I love experiencing this as their Momma!