Trying to Find Time

Literally, trying to find time to sit and blog. Same 'ole story. Being wife, mommy, and worker is all my day can handle. Life is going great. Kids are doing great. My job is a real dream. What else can I say? Okay I know, you've waited more than a week for more details than that.

So Ava is sitting like a champ now. Yep, we've even captured some on film but I can only give you a little at a time...so its pics or a blog...not both...sorry. I've really started to notice a change in her looks. You know how babies change every month or so until they reach around a year. You can't really tell how they are going to turn out until they get a little older. She is really beautiful though and loves her brother. She really likes any little kids, they can crack her up so easily...much less effort than it takes for mommy. She is also quite the daddy's girl. Whenever she sees him or hears him, she just lights up with the biggest grin. It warms my heart and turns daddy all to mush...I'm still putting my foot down though...she will not be a diva or a spoiled booger. She can get all the love she wants from daddy, but I will not let her manipulate him and get away with things that Van doesn't get to no matter how cute. Don't mean to sound negative, I just want her to be a good girl and not drive other people crazy. You know little girls just have a way with their daddy's, I guess like boys do with their mommies, but I have high hopes for both of our little ones.

Onto Van. He will be starting preschool here in a couple of weeks and that is very exciting. He's done a lot in the last couple of weeks...okay I know, more pictures to come. Last weekend he went riding on a pony for the first time and loved it until he almost got bucked off. There were some other horses riding about 10 ft away and once they picked up their pace to a full run at his direction, his horse, Echo, got spooked and jumped the railing with Van still tied into his seat. It was quite the ordeal considering I was holding the horse's leash and had Ava in the snuggli on my chest. The horse jumped his rail, swung around, hit Ava in the face, and tried to run off. I was pretty much frantic, needing 5 more hands, trying to calm a screaming infant on my chest and calm down a completely freaked out 2 year old at the mercy of a pony still strapped into a saddle. Luckily the other parents came to my rescue to help me get Van off the horse and settle both of my little ones down. After watching the horses for a while, eating some Cheezits, and realizing Echo "was just scared", Van came to the conclusion that he could ride again. He understood his horse didn't want to hurt him but was just scared of the other horses coming his way. All was well.

Then last Saturday, we officially lost the title of last family in the OC to take our kids to the beach. For the first time we took Van to the beach, I know its only 20 minutes away but we've never done it. Well there will be pictures on of these days, like I said, beggars can't be choosers. To sum it up for you....sand - good, water - bad. Both Ava and Van hated the water. Ava's probably to young to appreciate it and we may have waited too long to get Van into it before the fear or dislike could set in. He loved playing in the sand though. As Mike put it, the beach is just a license to get as dirty as you want, no rules apply. So Van had a great time playing in the sand and enjoying the water at a distance. I think it was just too cold for him to really enjoy...if only the ocean was heated.

Then this weekend Van got the privilege of going to see Walking With The Dinosaurs at the Honda Center. We have some friends from church who gave us tickets to their suite and Van loved it. He's already a little obsessed with dinosaurs, has a whole drawer full, and loves to read about them. But, to see them live and full size, he was just in awe. Plus he got to share his day with some good friends, Kyler, Carson, and Hunter, all of who enjoyed it as well. I have to say I was quite shocked that none of the kids freaked out at all, they loved it. So for the last 2 days Van has been talking nonstop about the dinosaurs. We are very blessed to have been given the chance to see this awesome show, and free at that. I know the Griffiths probably won't read this, but thanks to them anyways.

Lets see what else has been going on. Oh yeah, I went to the specialist this week for my kidneys. He said he's "pretty sure" I don't have cancer or anything, I know really reassuring. But he does think I have some sort of abnormality or even stones. He wants to get the cyst in my left kidney checked out as well. The only problem is that in order for him to do a CT or whatever else he was talking about, he needs me to not be nursing because of the medication and procedure. So since I plan on nursing until Ava is a year, lord willing, I will have to just maintain status quo with my kidneys until then. He said to keep treating my "problem" with mild Advil doses unless it becomes a medical emergency and has to be dealt with now. So since I haven't had an "episode" in over 2 weeks I'm hopeful that I can do this.

Well I think that is long enough for now. I know I owe you a ton of pictures...beach, dinosaurs, and just updates but I'm trying to do the best I can. As always, keep us all in your prayers as we drudge through this crazy thing called life.

Thanks for reading.
B