Cousins

This is Jeana!  Her mom, Melanie, is my first cousin.  So this makes Jeana my second cousin and she makes a third cousin for Laurel and Savannah!  That's right. Right? 

  She came to visit for a week this summer.  The last time Laurel and Savannah had been around Jeana was about 3 years ago.  I was wondering how they would get along.  Jeana walked in with her dad and they all three very shyly hugged one another.  They ran to Laurel and Savannah's room and instantly began talking and giggling.  They became instant friends.  I loved having her here.  She is a mini version of her mom.  Melanie was one of my best friends growing up.

She lived in Mobile and would come and spend her summer with my family, in the country!  We played outside from morning until night.  Jeana and her family have lived in Mobile Jeana's whole life.  Jeana is 9, the same age as Laurel.  Melanie has 5 children.  Her youngest, Jeana is the same age as our oldest, Laurel!

They had so much fun that week with Jeana!  They played outside more than ever.  I realized that Laurel and Savannah are a little conditioned to the air conditioner.  Jeana forced them to go outside.  She said, "it's not hot up here!  Now, it's hot in Mobile!"  I overheard her telling them that there were a couple of rules they needed to know before going into the woods.

#1 never go into the woods with an empty stomach!

#2 always carry a large stick!

 

{Funny faces}

{Saying goodbye}

 

That night I went to check on the girls before I went to bed.  I found this picture on their chalkboard.   We all fell in love with Jeana!

 

{There is some very exciting things happening with Jeana's family!  And because of that, some exciting things are going to be happening for our family!  I don't want to post about it until it all comes to pass.  Stay tuned!}

Flippin' Pancakes

One of Landon's most favorite things to do is help me cook!  Any time he sees me in the kitchen with a big bowl, he comes running.

He slides a chair over and says, "let me help, mommy!"  I wish that I had been more laid back when the girls were his age.  I was way too intense.  You know, didn't want any messes.

 

I like to think I have relaxed a little.  I now have the attitude of, "welcome to the chaos!"  You want to help mommy?  Come on!

Landon said the funniest things this particular morning.  Everything is, "but why, mommy?"  He kept saying, "flip them high mommy!" 

Oh my, I love this buddy of mine!

Flowers for Mother: A daughter's wishes

I wish you sunshine on your cloudy days
A burst of yellow to pierce the gray
I wish you spring's flowers on winter days
A burst of color in the midst of pale
I wish you rain when your fields are dry
A blossoming of life where flowers die
I wish you joy every single day
And smiles to wash your pain away
I wish you wings so that you can fly
with the angels in heaven's skies
I wish you the fulfillment
of dreams unfulfilled
and the contentment
that fulfillment brings
My dearest mother you see
I wish you all
that you have wished for me
on this and every single day
I wish you flowers
to brighten up your days
{Injete Chesoni}

To: Sawyer From: Mom

Dear Sawyer,

Do you know that I am so in love with you?  You are the sweetest, cuddly baby and I don't want to forget anything about this stage that you are in.

You are 9 months old now.

Time is going way too fast.

You are our chunky monkey!  I could gobble you up!  You are our first baby with brownish, hazel eyes~just like your daddy's.

You are a very expressive baby.  You do so many funny things with your face.  You do this snorty, breathy thing with your nose.  And you giggle after you do it.

You are crawling and pulling up on everything.  You follow your brother and sisters all over the house.  Your sisters are the best babysitters.

I let them take you into their room and they play mommies with you.  They are so gentle with you.

Another thing you do.

You will grab our fingers and take your fingernail and pick under our thumb nail.  I know, crazy!

You just go with the flow in this chaotic family.  We are so busy and sometimes you don't get a full nap.  You wake up cooing, very loudly in a deep boy voice.  You are one early riser! 

You have had a tough time this month.  You are cutting your two front teeth and the two on either side.  Four teeth!  No baby, or mama, should have to go through this.  You and I have had some sleepless nights.

We are both ready for them to shoot through so you can start chomping on some real food.

You don't like being held much anymore.  You want to be down on the floor, exploring. 

My favorite time with you is bedtime.

It's just me and you and this is when you are so snuggly.  You nestle your head into my neck and I could just live there.  You like to hold a blankie or stuffed animal under your arm when you go to sleep.

You wave bye, bye.  You give the best hugs and pat us on our backs while your hugging. 

You spit all the time.  Especially when you have finished eating!  You talk and scream and laugh all the time.  You are so easy going but when you have had enough, you have had it!  And you don't give much warning.

I know that you have to grow up.  That's just the way it is.  But goodness, I just want to remember every little thing you do. 

You are such a blessing to our family and we all love you so much!

Love,

Mom

Luke

The only other time I picked up my camera over the 4th of July holiday was for this cute boy!  This is my nephew, Luke.  He has the most adorable dimples and big blue eyes and is always so happy.

He and I got on the floor and played cars.

He's growing up fast! 

A Happy Day

Seth took the rest of the week off after the 4th.  It's always great having him home.  We spent about three hours at the pool on Friday.

This was a day that made me smile.  I was so happy watching him with our four healthy children.  I just felt very grateful and blessed this day.  I need days like this.  To slow down and remember what is important. 

It makes me happy to know that He and I are on the same page with our marriage and how we want to raise our children. I was happy watching them as they played choo, choo train all around the pool.  Dad was the conductor and Sawyer was the caboose, with my help.  I was happy knowing that our children were so happy just because mom and dad were both in the pool playing with them. 

Maybe I felt a little happy because I wasn't pregnant this summer!  It feels good to know that our family is complete.  I was happy watching Laurel do a perfect front and back flip in the water.  It made me so happy to see Savannah dive to her daddy, when last summer she wouldn't leave the steps or go under water. 

Maybe it was just the holiday we were celebrating, Independence Day.  This day makes you grateful for our freedoms.  It just seemed like all was right with the world, on this day and that made me happy.  I made a mental note that we need more days like this.

Fireworks/Cookout

We cooked out with some good friends the Saturday before the 4th.  Seth took the boys home after the cookout and I took the girls to see the fireworks.
During the cookout something exciting happened....

Savannah came running up to me and said, "I fell and hit my face in the dirt and my tooth fell out!"  Poor girl had been tugging on this tooth for days.  We could not find the tooth anywhere.  So she wrote a note to the tooth fairy the next day.

translation:  "Dear tooth fairy, can you bring my tooth back?  It is in miss annie yard.  I want to see my tooth. I will give it back. write back"  funny girl!  Poor tooth fairy keeps forgetting about the note and has not been able to locate that tooth!

Sawyer sucked on his first piece of watermelon, and like the rest of us Claytons, loves it!

Watching the fireworks!