Easterathon

 We do Easter big.  Easter pictures, Easter clothes, and a whole weekend of getting together and doing fun stuff.

 We kicked it off on Saturday with the Manning cousins.  As you can tell they loved it.

 We went to the pool for the Easter egg dive.  Taya has been talking about the Easter bunny for weeks.  She'll point at Milo's old pictures, but when push came to shove, she was scared to death of him. I didn't mind her clinging to me though.

 Taya was as happy as could be once she started swimming.  She kind of swam around the eggs. . . totally missed the point of the exercise, but had a really great time!

 Milo got a grundle of eggs and candy this year.  He even found the "golden egg", which is kind of a big deal.  He also loved just being in the water. It made me so excited for summer.

Not photographed was dying Easter eggs and the kids Easter egg hunt with mom and dad, which took place Sunday morning.  We were too busy enjoying to snap pictures, but it was SO fun.  Both kids really got into it and made it a blast. 

 Our cuties all dolled up for church, thanks to Grandma Hotts and Grandma Vicky for the outfits.

 Then, who doesn't enjoy a little 4 wheeling on Easter?  We really are rednecks:)  These are papas new toys, which my kids are thrilled about.  They've already rode them for hours out in the field.

 Happy Easter face!

 And I'm telling you, Easter is just as big as Christmas. . . Grandma and Grandpa Bird bought all of the kids bikes.  Milo is just figuring his out, but he looks like such a stud!

 This may be the best picture of ALL of Easter.  Check out nice aunty Chera. . . with a mustache.  Bryan drew it on her as part of our Easter egg relay.  So funny!

These two are going to be best friends. . . they just don't know it yet!

 Obviously her mother's daughter.  LOVED her some Easter candy!

By Sunday night, I was exhausted--and so happy.  It was so fun to spend time with everyone, and the kids made it even more fun!  It's days like these that I'm so grateful to live close to family.

Pee Wee Soccer

Soccer mom ready!  I might as well buy a mini van:)  I have been so excited for Milo to start playing soccer.  He's only three so we had a little bit of a hard time finding somewhere for him to play.  We finally found a league that is 3-on-3, no goalie.  Which is awesome.

 He got really excited about his soccer gear.  He insists that his socks are pulled up to his upper thigh and his shin guards took some convincing.  When I tried to strap them on him in Walmart, he wasn't too excited, but when I explained that they are "safety gear"  like construction workers wear, he was all smiles.  He even wore them to lunch after. 

Before the game he ran and ran.  He was so excited to meet all of his team and was so happy to have his friend Austin on our team.

Chris is being super dad and is coaching.  It's an ambitious job when you think about trying to direct seven 3 year olds not to steal the ball from each other and to score in not only the closest goal to you, but a specific goal.  I think it hit him that this might be a little tricky when they started stretching and he said, "reach up to the sky" -no problem. . . . and "touch your toes".  Some kids lifted their foot up and grabbed it.  Others sat on the ground and touched their toes. . . needless to say no one really stretched. . .

Milo loved practice. The city has it set up so the kids practice for 30 minutes and then their game directly follows.

Milo looked like such a stud.  I was so proud.

He kicked off. . . dribbled all the way down the field. . . scored a goal! . . . and then threw himself on the grass and started crying, "I'm too tired for soccer".   It was a proud moment.  He sat out the rest of the game and ate skittles on the sideline.  All in all a BIG success.

Here is also the awesome side story to his first big game.   These two little princesses were the mean girls of the night.  They refused to play and if Chris or their parents tried to get them to participate they would either start screaming, or they would whisper to each other behind their hands and glare at the coaches.  I never knew that two three year olds could be so hilarious to watch.  They had full on sass and more attitude than high school girls.

Congradulations You're Having A . . . .

Preparations for baby #3 are well on their way. . . well, kind of.
- Do we have a name picked?. . . uh, not quite.  We've been making this list and crossing names off for the last couple of weeks.  It's actually quite disastrous.  Girl names are slightly easier than boy names, but we haven't agreed on a single boy name yet.  I've been having to combat Chris adding names like Rodu, Rico, Reuben, and Audi (yes, like the car).  I've also crossed out names that I put on there a week ago and hate already.  The latest additions are Bennett, Kingston, and Dominic.  We'll see if any of those make it through the weekend.
-Is the nursery together?. . . Sorry little one, not even in progress.  It was so much fun to decorate Taya's room.  It is adorable.  She hasn't slept in there in over a year and when she did, it was a disaster.  All her crib is used for is hide-and-go-seek and jumping.  She is still sleeping in the closet.  She just loves it in there.  The plan is to kick her into her room (at age 2, yikes! how did that happen?)  and put the new baby in the closet.  The system just works too well, we've got to keep that space as a nursery.  However, all of the shoes and clothes do make decorating a challenge.  So is your closet ready? . . . Not quite because your sister is taking up that space, but soon it will be all yours.
-How about clothes and gear.  Well, I hate to tell you but you are cut out for a long life of hand me downs.  It's the only reason that we could wait to find out if you are a boy or a girl.  We have bags full of "lightly" used baby clothes that Taya and Milo used.  I promise you new p.j.'s to wear home from the hospital, but that big purchase is still on "the list" as well.

We went to the doctor on Monday and saw you squirming around in there.  Milo gave up a chance for time with grandma to come to the appointment with us.  He's really excited to be a big brother again.  He's very insistent that you are a boy named Dallas, and if anyone mentions the possibility that you may be a girl, he quickly corrects them.  As my stomach gets bigger and bigger, it is becoming more and more real that you are going to be a part of our family.  We are getting so excited, but August seems like forever away.  I can't wait to snuggle you and show you so many things.  Your dad and brother and sister are the best thing ever, and you are going to love it here. . . in our closet:) 

Pictures for Steve

 Our fun, crazy, beautiful little girl!

Brother and Sister

When I was pregnant, everyone told me, "your kids are going to be best friends because they are so close in age".  Well maybe this will come to fruition in time, but right now, they don't play like best friends they play like brother and sister.  .  .
Milo steals Taya's baby, Taya screams, Milo runs around the house laughing, "you'll never ever ever see her again".
Mom interjects makes Milo return baby. Has the talk about being on the "good boy team" and peace is restored. . .
For 5 seconds.
Taya wants Milo's drink.  Even though it's water (just like hers), and it's in an identical cup, she is thrashing and clawing for it.  I tell her, "no", and she pretends not to understand me.  Even though when I ask what color popsicle she wants she can tell me, "blue, now please".  The idea that she can't have everything brother has cannot make sense to her.  Milo yells and climbs up on the couch, tips his drink upside down and makes it "rain" on Taya.
Mom interjects, thinks of something to say about being kind......
Then mom really wants a nap.
Nap time isn't for four more hours.
I have actually heard of moms who make cookies while their children are awake, or work on a little craft, or even work out! 
I am always so confused why I am the only mom shimmying my way up the oh so tiny tubes at McDonalds to fish my screaming child out.  Why are they always at the very top?
I always thought that I would be one of those Pinterest moms, but honestly I don't know how people have time for that. I can't even find time to re-pin the good ideas on how to raise children. 
You'd think I would be terrified to add number three to this mix, but honestly I'm so used to it, that if I were able to just sit and eat my Big Mac in peace, I would be fat and bored.  My kids are chaos.  but they are also really fun.  I hope I'm doing things right, and sometimes I'm sure I'm not.
As a mother, the only emotion that caps exhaustion is happiness. 
There are always small moments in every day that make all efforts worth it.  Like when I catch them cuddling while they watch "Tangled"  or they dress each other up and run around holding hands.  Or when Milo saves some of his cookie for Taya "because he loves her so much".  The challenging thing is, that these moments are blended among mac and cheese mess and wiping runny noses.  I often miss how adorable they are being because I'm too busy cleaning up life.  This stage may be slightly difficult, but I'm positive that it will also be one of my favorites.  I love these sweet kids even if they remind me of jungle monkeys some days.

Things I've already learned about baby #3

Things I've already learned about baby #3
-He (I think it's a boy)  is pretty angry right now and is making me sick as a dog.
-He must be funny.  I usually prefer drama to comedy, but lately I think every joke is extra hilarious (Even my dad's jokes). Watching "Revenge" makes me physically sick. . . Watching "The Office" re-runs sounds like a great idea even at 3 in the morning when I get up to pee for the 100th time.
-He must also find it funny to hear me say stupid things all of the time, because wow the things that keep spilling out of my mouth.  I keep blaming it on exhaustion, but really I think he's just messing with me.  Seriously the things I said at my Dr.'s appointment the other day. . . wow.  I kept prefacing with, "I promise I'm not one of those crazy pregnant ladies, but. . . "  Pretty sure my Dr. booked a trip on my due date after I left the office.
-He must be a salt addict like his mama.  I keep making yummy sweets and then not touching them, but you stick a hot pocket in the microwave and I salivate.   If I get put on a low sodium diet again, I am screwed.
-This little guy is going to get the best of me.  I have so many emotions about this baby.  I am anxious, nervous, excited all of time.  It feels more and more real every day (as my stomach starts popping out ALREADY).  I hope he's getting out all of his angrys right now and is going to be a sweet baby.  Already counting down the days until we get to meet him. 

P.S. little baby if you end up being a girl, I am super sorry I called you a he for nine months.

Hillbilly Delux

 Until I married Chris, I never recognized that we live in the stix.  Guess we do--and I love it.

 Papa and the little tractor man, discovered a way to make the best of the Massey during the winter. 

 Milo was so excited to drive the tractor with papa.  I kept telling him that he could ride in the sled too, but he just wanted to be a tractor man like papa. 

 See those mountains in the background, that's were normal people go to sled, but not us, we got creative. 

 Grandpa is trying to convince Grandma that we need a four wheeler for next years sledding, but look at all those happy faces.  The tractor worked just fine.

 My sister's cute family.  Her girls are fearless. 

 Unlike Taya, who really just wanted to eat snow pancakes and have grandma hold her.

Milo finally jumped in the sled near the end.  He loved it too.  He is the luckiest little boy.  He kind of has grandma and grandpa wrapped around his little finger.  They put on this whole production because they knew that he would love it.  And at the end of the day he is just so darn happy and cute you'd do anything to repeat it.  .   .   .