Bates Nut Farm

I can't believe it's been almost a month since I last posted on here! Time is just flying by. We've been busy with day to day fun of going to parks, spending time with familyand friends, and starting out another season of a Moms Group at my church, The Movement. I am a leader this year and that is a lot of fun! I have a wonderful table of young moms just like me and we have a lot of fun!

The kids are incredible. Every day they amaze me. Tristan is talking all the time now and learning new words and phrases every day! He is so smart it is mind-blowing. He's so loving and compassionate and full of energy it's almost hard to keep up with him. Kira is the most cheerful little baby you will ever meet. She crawls around at the speed of light, is strong enough to stand up to her brother when he tried to pull a toy out of her hand, and her smiles always brighten up the room!

I've been a bit preoccupied with doctors visits and such, due to a flare up in my Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It's been going on about 6 weeks now and it looks like I will need to have a colonoscopy at the end of this month to determine what is wrecking my body for so long. Not the most pleasant of occurrences, but that is what has been going on. It is what it is, right?

We went to Bates Nut Farm on Saturday to spend some time in the ginormous(is that a word?) pumpkin patch and the kids absolutely loved it! We saw farm animals, tractors, hay, pumpkins - and for some reason my kids were totally amused by all of that. It was a REALLY hot day, but they didn't care. They giggled the whole way home in their car seats and then took a really good nap afterward.

We picked up the kids' Holloween Costumes this past weekend also. Tristan is Superman and Kira is a Pink Bunny with a Carrot Rattle. Soooo cute .... Drew is going to be a Monk and I am going to be a Nun. I will post some pictures as soon as I get new cord for my camera. Kira chewed it up when I wasn't looking and now I can't upload any photos from my camera to my laptop. Oh well ....

We've got a wedding coming up this weekend and then a little overnighter getaway for Drew and I to celebrate our dear friends' birthdays. It will be wierd being away from the kids for so long, but also refreshing to spend that time together. They will be in good hands. So I will have no need to worry.

That's it for now, I shall try to be more faithful in updating this blog from now on ...

Decorating for Fall

Tristan and I pulled out our "Fall Decorations" box a couple of days ago. He was so excited to put out the pumpkins and leaves, etc... It was so precious, when I pulled out our wood plaques that Grandma Meef had made for us, Tristan immediately recognized them and said, "These too at Grandma's House!" and I said, "Yes, Tristan, Grandma made these for us" and so now whenever he walks by them, he says, "Grandma made these". Soooo cute! It's amazing what these little ones remember!

Happy Days

We are just cruising along, playing all day, going to parks, continuing potty training, and getting Kira motivated to walk. It is such a blessing to be a mommy and I fall more in love with my kids every day.

We spend our week learning our ABC's and our Numbers, and Tristan talks my head off all day long ... Tristan gets time with his Yia Yia in Encinitas once a week, and occasionally we have family dinners at Boppa and Grandma's House.

Last weekend, we went and visited some good friends who moved to Ramona a few months back. It was nice to see their new home and have Tristan reunite with his little girlfriend "Maile".

Kira is teething again, so we've had some rough nights, but overall, God is good, and we're happy to be healthy and well cared for, as Drew works really hard for us. It is such a blessing, because I have the privilege of staying home with my beautiful children!

We had an ant infestation in our pantry last night ---- ahhhhhhhh! Had to throw away a lot of food. Luckily Drew is amazing and he sealed the hole in the pantry that the ants were coming in through.

Potty Training

A few weeks back, Tristan decided to start potty training himself. One day he said to me, "Mommy, go pee pee in potty" and that was it. He picked out his own potty from the store and as soon as we brought it home he went to the bathroom in it! Woohoo!

We watch videos about toilets and potty training all day long and he now reads books when he sits on the potty - so cute! He is so proud of himself when he goes and it's so fun to be apart of this stage in his development!

9/9/09

August was a crazy month ...

* We had Kira's birthday
* Busy house hunting all during the week and weekends ...
* Community Garage Sale/Tristan's best friend Maile and her family moved to Ramona
* My family flew in from Spain
* I was husband-less for 2 weeks while Drew participated in pre-wedding fun with Scott
* Scott and MA's Wedding
* Kira started crawling/Tristan started talking (not stop!)
* We put an offer down on a house in San Marcos and it was submitted to the bank for approval!

And now, we are in September, and the kids have just gotten over the flu and things seem to be settling a bit. We had a nice relaxing Labor Day Weekend, spent it with dear friends in North Park. Drew is starting worship again at The Movement (our church) this weekend after a year long break (because Kira was born).

I hear a little voice from the other room saying, "Mommy play with me" ... looks like I am being summoned.

A Year Ago, Today ...

A year ago, today, I was in labor with Kira. That was when the challenges of motherhood doubled. But so did my blessings. Two little angels entered my life and have turned it upside down. I am not the same person I was 2 years ago, and I owe that to Tristan and Kira. I feel they have grown me up, taught me patience, taught me the true meaning of sacrifice, and continually they are teaching me how to be a mom. It is amazing! Through all the sleepless nights, poopie diapers, tooth aches, earaches, separation anxiety, temper tantrums, bumps and bruises ... at the end of the day, all I choose to remember is the sound of their laughter, the hugs, the kisses, the snuggle times, the rolling on the floor times, the funny moments, embarrassing moments, the times of reading in bed together, learning new things together ... and all that combined is what makes my life so wonderful and motherhood such a blessing.

Growing Up ...

These 2 kids 0f mine have both achieved something new this week ...

Tristan has learned to put on his own shoes all by himself!

Kira has learned to go from the crawling position to the sitting position all on her own!

It is so amazing to see them grow and develop into such smart little munchkins!