Aria is 11 Months Old

I can't believe my baby is 11 months old. The time has flown by!! She is a jabbery little bug. She loves to giggle, climb up and down the stairs, and she does a good job of it too. She is getting good on eating solids. She claps her hands, and loves it when I sing"Insy Weensy Spider" "Popcorn Popping" "The Wheels on the Bus" or "Patty Cake" or any hand motion song. She has been sleeping FINALLY thru the night, and occasionally still wakes up once. I love you R-ya-ya or Ya-ya (as Tannen calls her). So here are some pictures of my adorable little baby.


She loves that doll and carries her around upside down, and suck on her feet when needed.


She can still pull faces and be cute - I love her little tongue.


I swear she is going to be into yoga when she is older. I am always finding her in this position. Usually her forehead on the ground too.





Of course sucking on a rock. I can not keep her out of them.

A Little bird told me....

We have had two swallows move in on our light by the garage door. I noticed it one day thinking they built that nest really fast. It is pretty fun so see them fly by a lot. Only they don't like it as much when we are around. Hopefully they will lay their eggs and we will hear little baby birds. The kids think it is pretty cool.

Thief

This is not the work of a 10 month old, 2 year old, or 6 year old. This is the deliberate work of my 8 year old. He has been stealing my books forever, and has struck again hiding my books under his bed.

Children

This is really just random thoughts that I have been carrying around with me for the last year or so.

Sometimes I wonder if I am odd or weird. So many people I have talked to really seem interested in foster care when their kids get a little older. I have know a few people who have done it and it sounds so hard. I think they are some of the most wonderful people I know and anyone who would bring children, not theirs, into their home is one of the most selfless things a person could ever do. I just don't think I could. I really have no desire, and figure I have a hard enough time keeping up with my own kids I just could never bring myself to do it. Which leaves me to wonder if I something is wrong with me.

It also seems to be at odds with the HUGE mothering instinct I have for children. Especially kids who need a mom or some extra love. I have puzzled over what I could do instead of actually bringing more children into my family. I remember after Katrina hit and there was so many displaced people that I called a number to see if there was anything I could do to help. If I could give someone a place to sleep and food to eat for a week or so. But if I remember correctly I think they wanted a longer time period, or we were just poor college students and didn't have the room in our small house. I also did have my friends husband live with us for a couple of months in the winter before the family moved over so he wouldn't be living out of his car. So there seems to be a strong desire to mother and help and take care of those that may need it.

I have come to the conclusion that I may not have the patients or the desire to have any more kids of my own let alone someone else's, but my kids seem to make friends with children that seem to need a little extra love. So my goal is to be kind and smile and complement the kids that come through my yard or door. And just hope that it is enough for now. I have found that even the kid that seem annoying or a trouble maker are sometimes the ones that really could use a smile and a kind word. Sometimes they just seemed craved for attention and love. And when you get to know them they don't seem quite as annoying, or you understand some of the trouble they cause. I have seen that when I am nice to them they seem more drawn to me and to my kids, and I am okay with that. I don't have a problem setting up boundaries, and rules. I don't mind sharing a little of my love to them either. We had a friend last year who wanted to come over and play on Christmas day. I told her it was going to be a family day, but I wondered if she was just so excited for Christmas, or if she was craving something different. Marcus also seems to fix up bikes and tires for friends too. I also don't think that every child that passes through needs some love, but it never hurts right?

In A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett - Sara a very rich little girl tells Becky a poor serving girl:

"Why," she said, "we are just the same-I am only a little girl like you. It's just an accident that I am not you, and you are not me!"

And that is how I feel about children in different situations. We are all just the same and God loves us all that same as well. So why should I pick and choose just to love the easiest of kids, and not all of them that seem to pop into our lives.

Must be Sisters

Kylie 2005 - Boise, ID

And six years later


Aria 2011 - NY, NY

Fourth of July Weekend

There was some of this - notice Landon with the BB gun


Lots of craziness


Of course Fireworks



And lots of cousins too

We had a great fourth of July Weekend this year. We started off playing in McCammon and got to go four wheeling all day long. We got to borrow my dad's four wheeling - which was totally awesome. Matthew brought his and Travis has a dirt bike. They got to go on a few runs, and the girls got to go on a couple of runs, and the kids all got rides too. It was awesome. We had great BBQ and company. We came back late Saturday night, and made it to church on Sunday. We mainly hung out. Then on the Fourth we did some yard work and relaxed. Then that evening we had a BBQ at Tiffani's house. The kids had a great time and the food was awesome of course. Tiff made strawberry milkshakes from her strawberries. They were so good! She had to study and had already studied all day. So we headed home around 9:00 and put Tannen and Aria down. Then we let Landon and Kylie stay up late and do fireworks. It was a wonderful weekend that I wasn't ready to see end. Happy Birthday America - we love you!!