Aunt Yvonne Comes to Visit!!!

My great friend Yvonne came to visit on Monday and we had a blast!  She was in the hospital when I delivered Cash and he has always called her Aunt Vonni and she almost came up for the birth of little Ivy Jane but she wouldn't have made it in time so she didn't - but it was great to get to see her again one last time before we move to the West Coast!  She is so much fun and it is great because we can go times without keeping in touch and then when we do talk or see each other it is as if nothing has ever changed.  We were talking about how that is with great friends and she really is a great friend!  She brought Bradley with her, who is 8, and already Cash has told me he is really sad that they left and Bradley isn't here.  He was great for my little boys to play with and hang out with.  Thanks so much for making the trip up to see us and hang out this week Yvonne!!! Love you tons!!!

Yvonne and Ivy Jane!

She is going to call her Aunt Vonni too someday!

My kiddos LOVE their Aunt Vonni and hanging out with her!

G man outside on the porch before we said goodbye!

Cash and Bradley!  Can't believe Brad was Cash's age when I first met him!

3 little rascals!

All the kiddos - it was hysterical that one time after Ivy had been crying for a little bit Bradley said: "i am so glad I am the youngest and don't have younger siblings!"  He also said later when she was crying: "can't you put a binky in her mouth and just put her to bed?"  Man if it were only that easy......guess he isn't used to little babies around being the baby himself!!! 

After we said goodbye we got in our swimmies and went over to playgroup to play on the slip'n slide.  Cash thought it was pretty fun!  Check out those ribs!

Griffi had fun too splashing in the water!

And little Ivy Jane hit 4 weeks on Monday and I took this picture that day.  She is such a pretty baby and so precious!  We all love her and I am so grateful for all the visits we have had this last month to help me out, especially when Chip is travelling, and to come love on this little sweet girl!!!  I realize this is the first nap time when Griffin is down and I don't have someone over either staying or visiting since she has been born!!  I LOVE the visits and all the great friends we have!  

Kid Photoshoot for Father's Day Present

Chip has asked before to have pictures of the kids printed off so that he can have some to hang in his office.  I was trying to decide what to give him for Father's Day and decided the perfect thing would be that very thing, framed and put in.  So I picked up my camera with my tips I have taken from my friend out here and decided to give it a go myself and take some.  It is VERY STRESSFUL trying to pose 3 kids 3 and under, have them all look at the camera, and have any turn out great, but surprisingly our short 10 minute session turned out some great ones......and despite that Ivy Jane was hungry and crying the whole time we even got one with all 3 looking and it is my favorite.  I am no professional, and I was sweating profusely by the end of it, which didn't last long anyways as I said before it was like a 10 minute shoot before Ivy needed to eat, Griffin was doing somersaults and turning the room into chaos, and Cash had changed his clothes back to other ones.......but here they are!

First shot - LOVE Griff's face, wish Cash was looking up!

one of my VERY FAVORITES!!!

fun ones with their personalities!

Peek!

Boo!

First shot with Ivy Jane - hmm....she is falling over!

At this point she needed calming down cuz already screaming!

My VERY FAVORITE OF GRIFFIN!!!

Tried to just crop it and have him! Love that smile!

 Another awesome one!

Love this of Cash and wish I could put it with the top one of Griffin - I NEED photoshop!

Favorite of all 3 where Ivy is NOT crying!

Loving sister!

She is NOT happy again!

Cash is stressed, Griff is fine smiling and saying Cheese still!

Cash wants someone to help her!!!

3 beautiful kids!

Griff wanted to hold her!

Love my Griffi beans!!!

so happy and smiley!!!

Cash has probably the sweetest heart of anyone I know - he always tries to do what I ask - I wish he would have shown some teeth in his smile here, but he was trying very hard to pose as I ask - LOVE this boy!!!

And that's a wrap!  I love how the frame with 3 pictures looks - and can't wait for Chip to get home tonight and open it up!!!  

Life with 3 Kids!!!

We have only been solo without help for 2 days now, but so far we are doing ok!!!  We even have gone out and done things each day! (gasp)  With one it took me forever to adjust, with 2 it didn't seem so big a change, and with 3 it has seemed overwhelming, and yet when I go do things I realize I can, in fact, do ok on my own.  I don't think I will brave the  grocery store for awhile, or even think about the mall alone or something like that where I really need 2 strollers or carts to survive, but we can get along each day alone, and even do some fun things.  So far we have went to the park, went to the wading pool, went to a friends, went through the drive-thru and then had a fun picnic, and hung out a lot reading books, playing games, singing songs, and taking turns holding Ivy Jane.    Yes, I realize that people can actually not just manage but have a lot of fun with 3 little kiddos, and we are trying to pack in all we can and take advantage of VA before we have to leave it for good!!!

Our first outing to the park by our house.  The boys showed me all the fun things they can do that they learned when Grammy was here and went with them daily!!!

Griffin made a new friend.....or rather she tried to take care of him, and IVY too - I kept telling her to just look and NOT touch my baby....and I thought Griffin was bad ;)

Ready to race down!

I didn't get pictures at the wading pool because a little too busy trying to make sure the two boys were ok and not drowning and Ivy was happy in her stroller and not sweating so bad.  However, I did take a bunch of the kids at home!!!

All 3 of my lovies!

Kisses for baby girl!

He was so happy to be holding her, and wants to ALL the time!

My favorite one!

While I was feeding Ivy Griffin decided to sit on my lap too, and put the blanket over his head and read a book under there - this kid is way too funny and always keeps me laughing!

This sweet little girl might just be the chunkiest of all my babies.  She is only 3 weeks but has grown so fast and is already starting to fill out those cheeks and thighs.  She is such a good little baby and we love her tons!

She doesn't love her swing as much as I wish but she does sometimes get in for a little bit so we took a picture - and sadly her bow was off in all these but normally she has one on her head.  

As great as it is we can survive on our own,  I LOVE the help from others I have received and we are SO EXCITED that daddy is coming home soon to spend time with us!!!  His cross country commutes have been rough on all!!!  And this little girl pretty much would like to be held by her daddy!!!

Have a great weekend!!!

My Heart Aches!!!

To have my BEAUTIFUL MOM back again here.  She only left 2 hours ago, and yet I feel and have felt ever since she left like a piece of my heart got yanked out.  I am not sure why this time was so much harder than any others.  I always get sad when she leaves or I have been visiting Utah and then we leave, but never before have I really had a breakdown over it.  And this time was different - since last week I have been dreading this Tuesday EVERY time I thought of it coming.  It just made me sad. I bawled like a little baby when I gave her a hug goodbye, and then when I got in the car I couldn't stop crying for about 45 minutes afterward either.  I was just so sad she was gone.  I felt suddenly so lonely, so helpless, so vulnerable.  Cash informed me that I didn't need to be too sad because he would be here every day to help me with anything I need.  Thank goodness because maybe that is part of why I was so sad - I am overwhelmed with how I can function and take care of my 3 little kiddos!  I need 2 strollers to go anywhere outside, 2 shopping carts at the grocery store, 2 adults to help so 1 can hold baby and 1 can get the boys things they need, stop arguments, play hide and seek, get drinks and snacks, etc etc.  Pretty much I need my helper back.  But it wasn't just that she was the most AMAZING helper that makes me miss her so bad this time.  It is mostly the Best Friend I miss the most!  I miss being able to just talk to her and the night times after the kids are in bed when it is just us.  The one on one face time I get with her that I didn't always treasure as a kid.  I miss the back rubs that she gave me every night to try to help my horrible pains from my vertebrae that are out of alignment, I miss making popcorn and sitting on the couch looking at Ivy and just laughing and talking about whatever comes up.  I miss hearing her play with my kids and see them just adore her and want her to do things with them instead of me like go to the park and on walks and play games and sing songs and tuck them into bed.  My kids adore her probably ALMOST as much as me and that was hard to let go of today!!!  I am SOOOOO grateful for the time I did get to have her out here - for the things I learned as a mother and as a person from her, for the great example she is to me in ALL areas of life, and for ALL the help and service and fun she provided while she was here.  I can hardly wait another few weeks til we get to see her again!  I love you mom!  Thanks for a wonderful 2.5 weeks!

Hard to believe she held me like this 31 years ago.  She still has the magical touch!  Ivy Jane is one lucky little girl to have such an AMAZING Grammy!

What lucky grandkids to have such a fun and hands-on Grammy!

These two are REALLY going to miss her too!  They adore her SO SO SO Much!

Cash kept asking Grammy to take his picture - and then after she would he would say - maybe just one more, maybe just one more!!!

She was a great example to me of working out, being in shape, and just getting stuff done too! I love this about her!  I love that she is so active and can do so much!

 She taught Cash how to do this ladder thing at the park - and he really can't wait to show his daddy how he can do it now!

This little guy LOVES grammy so much and when she just left yesterday to pick up my car he cried for about 10 minutes after wanting her to come back.  My feelings exactly Griffi!

Having fun at the park with Grammy!

 Cash and Griffin went to the park almost daily with her!

So much fun!  And Grammy was great to take all the pictures!

 Ivy Jane turned 3 weeks yesterday and we all think she has already grown so much!

 Ivy with her beautiful grammy rosen!

She realized she didn't have many pictures with her last night so we took a few!

I love both these girls SOOOOOO much!

 Sleeping on Grammy last night!  

Grammy took these last 2!  And looking at them once again I feel overwhelmed!

Overwhelmed with LOVE for my 3 amazing kiddos, and also overwhelmed with how I am going to manage on my own without the daily help from my own mom!  She is the best and I just wish we lived closer to her!

WE LOVE YOU GRAMMY ROSEN!!!! THANKS FOR COMING!!!!