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My sweet baby, that is.

Typical Night

For the longest time we really struggled with bedtime. The boys would never stay in their beds, there'd be screaming, crying (and not always just from the kids) and it would seriously take us a couple hours of fighting with them before they'd finally go to sleep. It's drastically different now. Promise them a couple books before bed and everything goes as smoothly as possible, even the three nights when Nick has night school and I'm home alone with the kids. After a shower they'll get themselves dressed, we have them finish picking up any toys, brush teeth, say prayer, read books, and they jump right in bed! Usually the only real fight is who gets to sleep on the bottom bed, odd how neither of them ever wants to sleep on top. So here's a few shots of a now typical night in our house.

Even dad is smiling!

Don't mind the spots of spit up. Leyla hasn't been feeling good for a couple days and is continually spitting up. Poor girl.

Remember I said the boys dress themselves at night? We are almost in desperate need of jammies. We're down to odds and ends and stuff too small. I've been waiting for it to get colder because all the jammies at the stores are winter ones and would be way too hot right now. Soon though.

Owen is always asking to hold Leyla, then almost immediately starts complaining how heavy and big she is for him.

He also loves to read to her. Owen is much more attached to Leyla than Jack is. I think most times Jack asks to help with Leyla just because Owen does and he feels neglected from Owen. See, they don't care much that mommy can't spend as much time with them, they care when their brother isn't paying as much attention!

Practically a Professional

Every year my work sponsors us to participate in the Pocatello Marathon, aka Run the Gap. We can choose from the 5K, 10K, half, and full marathon. I, not being a true runner, participate in the 5K. Last year I was pretty proud of myself by not walking at all, and this year I was proud of myself just for finishing! I think I about doubled my time, haha. I had origonally planned and really training for it and running it. I was about 10 weeks post pardum and thought I could be pretty prepared for it in a months time but I just didn't have the time to get out much. I borrwed a jogging stroller from a lady at work and brought Leyla along with me. It was a great morning, kinda cloudy and breezy but not too cold. It really was pretty enjoyable.

My Helpers

The boys are such great helpers with Leyla. They want to feed her, they want to hold her, they want to pick out her clothes every day, and they even like to fold her laundry! What more could a mom ask for?! The other day they were helping me fold her laundry and they were fighting over who got to fold specific items. Obviously Owen didn't get to fold this particular pair of pants and he was quite upset about it. Jack's sporting a goofy little victory smile. It's always the same "say cheese" fake smile.

Owen's view of the BBQ

Unlike Jack and Owen's cousins the boys don't have much experience with a camera! We have always been so cautious about ever letting them touch it, you all know the stories that would make us that way. Lately they have both been asking to take pictures more and more (especially Owen) so at the party I finally let him take a turn...being outside on the gras had a lot to do with my decision :)

Volleyball at the company BBQ

You'll notice that I am not in any of the volleyball pictures because I'm basically a wimp when it comes to volleyball. I have bad memories of playing in P.E. in high school! I was never able to make the ball go in the right direction, and that's even if I was able to make contact with the ball when it came my way. The worst part, though, is that it always hurt my wrists! Wimp, I know.

WPA Summer BBQ

Every summer my work has a big BBQ out at the boss' house. It always promises great food and fun times. With pulled pork sandwiches, great quacamole dip, and yummy dulce de leche bites (made by me!) this year was no exception!