Encourage a parent today

The girls and I go to a music class at a church down the street once a week and really enjoy it.  Although I am not musical, I love and appreciate music and want to give the girls the opportunity to pursue whatever level of music they might be interested in.

Their sweet music teacher told us that she was going to be in a concert at the church and invited the children to come.  Since Brad is the musician in the family, I asked if he wanted to take Anna and he was so excited to do it.  

 As they were getting ready for their date, daddy pulled out his trumpet and played it for Anna.  I think this really peaked her interest in going to the concert.

 

 

This little one is always so curious and not shy about it!

Of course, she wanted a turn.

She was so determined to make a noise. :)

Anna loved it and came home telling me that when she is bigger, she is going to march with daddy in a band.  Her teacher also let her come up on the stage and see her cello, which was definitely a highlight.

Brad came home from the concert just beaming and kept telling Anna what a great time he had with her.  He told me how much he enjoyed getting to experience something that used to be such a big part of his life with his child.  It must have showed at the concert because Brad said that two elderly ladies were sitting behind him and at intermission told him that they enjoyed watching him with his daughter more than the concert itself!  This was so encouraging to him.

The day before, my sister called to tell me a story about her latest shopping trip to Kroger.  She is 8 months pregnant and an elderly man asked her when the baby was due.  After she answered, he told her "thank you for being a mama".  She was so touched by his unexpected words.  

 These two comments made by strangers, remind me of the power of words, especially encouraging ones.  It is also a challenge to me to step outside my comfort zone and say something to another mama, or anyone for that matter, that will brighten their day.

But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.  Hebrews 3:13

Tubes

Haven has had several ear infections and we felt like she was having some hearing and speech issues, so we took her to an ENT. 
He and the audiologist confirmed that she needed ear tubes.

We knew it would be a simple and quick procedure, but it requires anesthesia, so we were a little concerned.

We are thankful that everything went well and now she seems to hear better and be talking more!

She was having so much fun playing in the waiting area at 6 in the morning.  I felt kinda bad that she had no clue what was about to happen.

 

I thought she looked to cute in the little hospital gown.

 

She was sweet to cuddle with while we waited for her to go to the operating room.  They gave her some gas a few minutes before they took her back and she was randomly saying bye-bye and waving which had us cracking up.

 

She was pretty mad as she was coming out of anesthesia and inconsolable for about an hour.  

This Popsicle helped a little.  

At one point a nurse was trying to put an oxygen sensor on Haven's toe and she was not having it.  The nurse finally said "oh forget it, obviously she is getting enough oxygen".  

After she was able to get home to eat and nap, she was back to her normal self.

Baby Sprinkles

 Some girls who are very special to me are having their third babies, so I've had fun helping to host a couple of sprinkles recently.

 

Lauren was the first "mom friend" I met in Fort Worth and was an answer to prayer.  

Her heart is to be present with her little ones which has been an encouragement to me as I seek to do the same.  

The theme for her sprinkle was "Baby, it's cold outside" and thankfully it wasn't 80 degrees that day!

The cute mama.

We had a hot cocoa bar with different mixins and stirrers.  

As if that isn't enough, there were lots of other sweet treats. 

 

 

 

 

Ashley made this amazing hot chocolate on a stick for the favors.

The hostess (who just had her 3rd boy!) with William's future BFF, Collin.

All the hostesses with the mama of honor.

Our little book club thought it would be fun to have a surprise book-themed sprinkle for our two pregnant mamas, Lauren and my sis Karri.

Our book club foodie, Lori, created the food.

Lori makes the best cupcakes and she revealed to us her secret that is worth sharing!  Use buttermilk instead of water and add vanilla to a box mix.

Each mama took home a basket filled with books.

I made this bunting with felt and pictures cut out of Little Golden books.

We played a little game where you had to figure out the title of popular children's books from alternative titles.

We'll get to meet baby William in just a couple weeks and Karri's baby boy or girl next month!

Vanessa's Visit!

 

Vanessa is one of those friends that never forgets a birthday, makes an effort to talk on the phone and is intentional with our friendship.  I've learned that friends like these are rare and am so thankful for her!  She recently drove up from Houston to visit me and another friend of hers in the Dallas area.  It was so nice to get extended time with her and her boys!  Anna was so excited to have friends spend the night at her house and the kids played well together overall.  

Anna with Parker who is Mr. Photogenic.

 

 

Haven pushing around Truitt who is 10 pounds lighter and 3 months older. :)

 We mostly just had fun hanging around the house, but also made a trip to the Fort Worth Children's Museum.  As a bonus, the Stock Show and Rodeo started that day, so we toured some of the grounds.

 

We have known each other since 4 grade, went to UT, been bridesmaids in each other's weddings, and now we've had the privilege of going through motherhood together.  Thankful!

3 and a Half

 Since Anna is almost closer to 4 than 3 and a half, I wanted to get a post up about this little phase of her life.

-Overall, I think the first half of three was the most challenging for me and the second half seems to be getting easier.   Anna is more independent and doesn't have as many meltdowns over little things anymore.  She is still very much a creature of habit and doesn't like if her normal routine is unexpectedly interrupted. 

-Still a mommy's girl, but never demands that only I do things anymore.  She used to always want me to be the one to put her in her carseat, brush her teeth, read her a bedtime story, etc.  Daddy and I are both relieved!

-She is so much fun to run errands with!  On the weekends, if I have to run somewhere, I always ask if she wants to come. 

On one of our errand runs she wanted to rest in the cart. I love this pic because it shows how eventhough she doesn't suck her thumb anymore, she still touches her belly button for comfort. She is still little.

-Fights going potty almost every.single.time.  The girl just doesn't like to have to stop what she is doing to pee.  This can really wear me out, but she assures me when she turns 4, she will stop this.
-Hasn't napped in months, but does a good quiet time.  She really likes to get books on tape from the library and always memorizes them during her quiet time.  Then she is so proud to read them to me.  Her quiet time is rarely quiet, sometimes she talks the entire time!
-Has a pretty active imagination and loves to pretend play with toy animals.  She also always requests for us to tell her stories and sometimes makes up her own.  She pushes my limits of creativity which is a good thing!

Being silly at the wind exhibit of the children's museum.

-Loves to do starfall on the computer and has memorized all the little songs.  Throughout the day, she is often singing songs from school, church and starfall.
-Especially loves to pretend to be a cat.  At first I thought it was a phase, but it has gone on for months.  She will even get other kids to go along with it and they will bring her cat food, walk her on a leash, etc.  I was talking with a mom of three older children about it, telling her that sometimes it is a little awkward when she is acting like a cat in certain situations, and she said "Oh, don't worry about it! One day you won't even remember that she ever did it.".  That was so good for me to hear!

-Is in to practicing her letters on the magnadoodle and with chalk.  Has started the first stages of reading by sounding out letters.  One day, three different people told me about BOB books, so I purchased some off Amazon.  She was interested in them and has read the first two.  Most days, she would rather pretend play with me than read so we don't pick them up very often.

-She is really starting to think about what she is learning about God and things from the Bible.  One morning right when she woke up, she said "Mommy, if we don't praise God, the rocks will. Can you imagine that?!".  That day, we spent a lot of time listening to worship music, praising God. Later she was telling people that the rocks won't have to praise God because we did.

 

I loved writing this post and reflecting on my sweet 3 year old!