Ragamuffin Cousins

Micah and Charlee Ray

Trampoline Jumping!

Doing what Micah says...

Micah the Bee Attacker

Silly Girl!

All hot and sweaty...

but still cute as pie:)

Looking up to her best friend Bay.

Bay the babysitter.

Girls!!

After lunch with Mick and the Wallace's we headed home to hide eggs so that Bay and Charlee Ray could stop by and play. Even though they are cousins they don't get to play together near enough. Nana had to take them away way too soon. We want them to come stay with us sometime soon Aunt Wendy, Please oh please! It was so funny watching girls play...I forgot how girly girls are...Bay was scared to death of the carpenter bees outside and could hardly play for worrying about them. Micah in turn started beating them with his bat to protect her. Too funny. Bay was much more in her element taking care of Say J. They love each other and it is so fun to watch. Charlee Ray and Micah are too cute too and gave each other a run for their money. They look a bit rough in their pictures but only because it was so great outside. Thank you Lord for the sunshine. Micah said "Mommy it is a beautiful day!"

Another Eggstravaganza!

Today things actually worked in my favor (for once) and Sadie Jane took an early nap and we were able to go to storytime at the library for the first time in a long time. It was their easter egg hunt day too. It was sooo crowded and we got sneezed on about fifteen times so we got out of the storytime early but had a good time hunting eggs. Micah now realizes there is candy in the eggs...so he wasn't as eager to find eggs as much as open them and eat the candy before I caught him. Sadie Jane rode in the sling on my hip...she is SO big and just had fun being outside. We tried to get another picture with Jaxson and Micah but I still didn't succeed. We have one more egg hunt at school tomorrow unless we can find another one on Saturday:)

There's No I in Team

This year has been a difficult year for Mick on the baseball field. When it started off we suspected it would be really fun. Great boys, great parents, alot of talent, etc. Why wouldn't it be great? And I thought that it BETTER be great if he is going to miss out on time with his own family to devote to it. But this team has been a challenge. Like I said, they are great kids so I am not trying to say they aren't. It just has made me way more aware of what we need to teach Micah, if we can. Mick has had multiple discussions on being a TEAM. He has had at least two separate incidents where good kids just made decisions totally based on their own egos and pride. It seems that most, not all, of the players play from a me myself and I mentality. They don't focus at all on the team and what is best for it. Even the parents seem to forget that at times. Which I totally get because that is our nature...to be looking out for ourselves first. Remember not long ago no one taught our precious Micah to say mine, he just inherently did it. Which is a whole theological session in itself. But my purpose of the blog is to just remind us to put others first. Mick is trying to find ways to get into these boys heads and teach them this...but I keep thinking...they are good kids, they have good parents...why don't they get it? So I come back to Micah and I think how in the world can we prevent him from having this same mentality. And how as parents when he gets on a team do we not constantly look out for just him. I mean that is kind of inherent as parents as well, ya know? But I know that God wants us to work together as brothers and sisters in Christ. We are to focus on the fact that we are the body of Christ, each part important, but needing the other parts. I know when Micah gets on a team we wont agree with everything his coach does, even if his coach is Mick:) But to be a team player and an example for Christ we will commit to submitting to that authority trusting he or she is doing what is best for the team. Remind me to come read this in a few years. For those of you with kiddos I am learning more and more the importance of team sports and the character qualities they bring out. Don't tell Mick though. I am definitely Mick's biggest fan and also his biggest critic (ok, his Dad might tie me on that one:)). Which is why I feel that I can say he works his booty off for those boys day in and day out and it makes me a little (ok, alot) frustrated when people don't see it. I mean I've got a kiddo at home begging his Daddy not to go to work so when someone doesn't appreciate what Mick is doing that is really tough for me to swallow. I digress, but I have often compared a Coach's wife to being a pastor's wife so I'll cover them both here and just say if you have a kid on a sport's team take it easy on the coach if he genuinely looks like he cares cut the man some slack. That is all for my soap box today. I better go find some pictures before I really step on some toes.

Halfway to a year...

Striking the Model Pose.

Always with the flowers:)

I can not believe that my sweetest Sadie Jane is 6 months old today. It really does go by faster with the second. Sadie Jane is loving rice cereal nowadays, moving everywhere...and if you put a wipes box in the other room she can find a way to get to it. She is all smiles all the time. Except with her little ears. She still isn't sleeping through the night due to her constant ear pain. We are on our second antibiotic but I feel like we are on our way back to the doctor this week if things don't improve. She is so happy until you lay her down. She just refuses to sleep. Poor thing. I feel so helpless to make her feel better. Other than her ears she is doing great and loving life. She and Micah are best friends and Micah is constantly picking up things off the floor that she shouldn't have. I guess we should start baby food this week I am just not sure when we'll fit it in our day. I love this baby girl more and more everyday and her joy and sweetness make my life better.

Please pray that her ears heal and she doesn't have to have tubes. We had them with Micah and I would rather not go that route again, but will gladly do it if that is what we have to resort to...but I am praying we don't. And while you're praying if you could pray for me this week I would so appreciate it. There is just ALOT of stuff going on this week that is hard and emotional for me...so your prayers would be so appreciated. I know God is good and on His throne no matter what my circumstance.

Easter Egg Hunt Mooching...

The loot...the basket runneth over.

The cutest bunny you've ever seen. Don't question me.

Mick said we looked like Mafia wives with our big sunglasses.

Watch out people.

There's that sweet rabbit again.

Micah going full out at the game.

Last year we were actually sick the week of Easter so we didn't to do any easter egg hunting. This year I was determined we take part. One of my best friends, Taron's neighborhood was having a huge hunt and she invited our family to come along with theirs. Double the fun for Micah, egg hunting and playing with his best friend. Unfortunately Micah like what he had on at Hayden's game so much that he didn't want to change into a cute Easter outfit. So while he looked like a ragamuffin he had a GREAT time. Mick and I had fun too hanging out with adults and not babies or teenagers. And Sadie Jane's pictures speak for her...she just looked cute and hung out and acted happy...hurt ear and all.
I will have to say that Micah showed his first signs of being exactly like his daddy. When they started the hunt I wasn't sure he'd know what to do. But there was no reason to worry...when they said go Micah went nuts. I mean he picked up every egg in sight and pushed down little girls to get the last egg sitting. (he didn't really push but I am pretty sure he would have...) He hunted until his basket runneth over. I had to have him give some away. Just like his Daddy. I would have preferred since we were guests of guests that we not go full out during the egg hunt...but Mick would have insisted no less and that is what Micah did. Made Mick proud and me worried. Thanks to the Wallace's for including our family in such a fun day! I think this is my last post for today...

Making up for lost time...

Look at that smile...

Concentrating so hard...or napping. It was early.

Hitting it!

Notice the number...so proud.

With his BIGGEST fan!

So today I am blogging alot since I have someone here to help me with the kids and since we just have done alot since getting well! Today was Hayden's first tball game and to say that he was pumped would be a gross understatement. I had to stay home with Sadie Jane because of her ear and it was cold cold outside. So Mick and Micah had some Daddy son time and went to the game. Micah thought he was going to play...but Jenny said he cheered for Hayden so hard. He really is Hayden's biggest fan and we are as always so proud of our first little man! Thanks to Mick for taking these cute pictures so I could still have a part in such a special day and be able to share the pictures with the family!

Togetherness

Due to our homeboundness we have experienced much togetherness in the last few weeks. While Micah's school time is only a few hours a week he stayed home one whole week that also happened to be part of the two weeks that Mick had 9 games in 10 days. So it has just been me and the babies. Last night I did have a moment of pride when I succeeded in getting both of them bathed and to bed by myself. It was a small victory but one that you Momma's can relate to I am sure. One thing I am so thankful for still is these two's love for each other. I know the time will come when they'll fuss and fight but you can already see that God has given them each other for a purpose and as siblings they balance each other out. Sadie Jane is now officially mobile. I did nothing to encourage this mobility but girl can MOVE. She'll either role, army crawl, wiggle or slide her way to whatever she wants. I can not believe she is already moving like this. I want another one. They grow up too fast. These pictures were taken after Micah asked to hold SayJ...he said, "gimme her momma, I haven't held her in a while" Then when I handed her over, he said "go get your chamera, we are cute" but they were sitting in the rocker upstairs and while he loves her I was pretty sure she would be a loud thud in moments if I left them there to get the "chamera" And of course once I got it, Micah didn't want to hold her anymore.

Sidenote: My children hate to wear pants. Weird, I know.

Micah's Photoshoot!

Me in diaper changing mode...where I spend a good bit of my day...especially on antibiotics.

Who I was changing...surprise...Sadie Jane...I was quickly trying to cover her up!

Still life by Micah...boppy, bebe pod and nursing pads. Nice.

Another. Favorite sippy cup. (Leaking on the couch.)

Blankets.

Micah got the camera yesterday and started taking pictures. He was so proud of himself. He is pretty good, especially since most people that take pictures for me end up blurry but somehow Micah ends up with clear ones! Nana said she wanted pictures, she didn't specify which kind.