I can’t believe in just 4 weeks we will be singing Happy a Birthday to Gracie. Ugh it breaks my heart. She’s turning into a little lady right before our eyes.

She plays peekaboo with her towel every night after bath. She walks back and forth to mommy and daddy but not quite running around the house yet. Sleeps in her crib but still nurses once around midnight. One night she slept through the night but all it did was make me a nervous wreck checking her every few hours. She really knows her bedtime routine because she starts crying as soon as we do prayers.

She loves wagon rides and riding in Timmy’s pickup truck. Absolutely LOOOVES to sing. She took her first music class and went to her first splash park this month. She carries toys in her mouth like a doggie. She loves to share food and her kisses are very wet {as in mouth wide open, tongue out} but we still love them.

She’s still tiny weighing 18 pounds 13 ounces and 28 inches long. At her age Timmy was 23 pounds! So to us she is just a little munchkin. Even baby cousin Max is catching up to her.

Here’s our month in pictures:

Now I need to get started on this tu-tu birthday bash for my sweet little baby GIRL!

Today was such a great day! Craig and the girls came over to celebrate P-pa’s {Tim’s dad} 74th birthday. My kids adore their cousins.

While the men barbecued the kids played in the pool.

Then Timmy got a mini baseball lesson from Hannah & Uncle Craig. Too cute!

Of course Timmy dragged P-pa into the play room for some very serious castle building.

It was just one of those really happy, family closeness kinda days. It makes me so happy to see the kids playing together and laughing. I only took like a million photos. ☺️

Hope P-pa enjoyed his day!

This morning my little angels slept in and Tim and my Dad had an early business meeting. Hallelujah! It was so nice to wake up and not have to immediately start breakfast like a short order cook. I don’t mind cooking for everyone but I do mind the huge mess that bacon and eggs make.

Anyway I spent my alone time tending the garden. It’s so strange how something that takes so much work also brings you so much peace. Granted my garden is small but whenever I’m out there picking tomatoes or even weeds I feel so calm. This morning I picked 22 tomatoes!! It still amazes me that right in my back yard I can grow and eat my own food.

I’ve tried every library Storytime around this town and hands down Ms. Mallory ROCKS! She’s so into it with her “magic” story aprons and matching sparkly headbands. She really takes her job seriously and I hope she know that her hard work and effort does not go unnoticed. The woman has an abundance of patience and she remembers every single kids name.

I moved Timmy up to the 3-5 year old Storytime to see how he would do and I was so surprised. Turns out this boy can follow directions. He was singing the words to all the songs and doing all the dance moves. He is really into freeze dance and it was so much fun to watch.

She read 3 stories about colors and even used a felt board and let each kid take turns with the pieces. One of the books was “Pete the Cat” what a cute book, I have to get it for our classroom. I really love how excited Timmy gets to listen to a story.

Then there was some more dancing, parachute, bubbles and a rainbow craft.

I still remember going to Storytime as a kid. I can still see those sweet ladies faces in my heads. Hopefully my kids will too.

Oh how we miss our little Sydney. Our only friend here and she moved an hour away last month. Timmy asks for her by name regularly so luckily they stopped by today as they were packing up the last of their boxes.

These two always with the kisses.

We had so much fun soaking in the sun and playing in our new pool. I think I found a keeper. This pool is big enough for me, Daddy and the kids to play in.

And more kisses..

Everyday Daddy goes to work and lately so does Timmy. It’s adorable.

He has to do it all the same as Tim. Shower, shave, dress shirt, dress shoes and a watch. And let’s not forget the best part hugs and kisses. The newest part of his routine is telling me to make him eggs!

“Timmy what time is it?”
“Umm it’s 18.”

He really watches Tim’s every move. He was about to walk out the door and he was like wait mommy hugs and kisses! Too sweet.

If this is not Tim’s exact face..

On casual Friday lol he even tries to tie Daddy’s sneakers.

Hmmm classic Daddy.. JUST KIDDING!

This Father’s Day was very simple. We let Daddy sleep in while I made breakfast. The menu was all Daddy’s favorites: bread from scratch, homemade pancakes, bacon and G-da’s favorite: hash browns.

Then we went for a bike ride. Timmy is a pro on this tricycle and Grace loves the wagon now that she’s big enough.

We sent Daddy off to the spa for a massage then we went for pizza. We haven’t been out to a restaurant since December. We realized Timmy is too big for a high chair now and oh the anxiety of trying to keep him in his chair. He was pretty good and Grace slept the whole time.

We made this family hand tracing project and I’m in love with it!

I love to hear Timmy run over to Grace and say “Hi sweetie pie!”

If Grace sleeps later than Timmy it won’t be for long. First thing he has to do in the morning is find her even if it means jumping in her crib.

Look mommy I peepee like the doggies!

Classic boy memories. Awesome.

Our water bill is through the roof. I’m guessing it’s due to Timmy’s new mud puddle obsession. Shh don’t tell Daddy we let the water run 🙊

It’s always nice when I can have Cade over this way Timmy can have some real rough boy play. They had so much fun today outside. Even more fun was Mommy and Aunt Dawn got to somewhat relax and have adult conversations. You know you talk to toddlers all day when you say “beep beep” rather than “excuse me.” A glass of wine {or two!} and girl talk is like a mini vacation for me. I love it.

Grace was a little angel today. She napped while the boys played in the pool and then she just chilled with the girls.

I used to pride myself on my multi-tasking skills now I’m starting to think it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. It used to feel so great to get so much done at once but now I’m just left feeling like I missed out on important things by the distraction of getting more done, faster. I’m guilty of mixing my kids into my multi-tasking and it makes me so sad.

I can play trains, drink coffee, text my friends and keep an eye on Gracie all at once but am I doing any of those things well?
Not at all.

Most importantly I want my kids to feel they have my complete attention. I really want to savor those sips of coffee not chug it. I crave some real quality time with friends IN PERSON not just through texting or facebook. And if you know me safety is top priority but really how safe is Grace if I’m watching her and doing all these other things at the same time.

I want to watch TV with my husband without playing a game on my phone or better yet just sit with him and talk, no TV. Yesterday the cable box was out and we just sat at the kitchen table talking, it was so refreshing.

I want to nurse my baby girl and just stare at her instead of checking in with the Facebook world because these nursing days will be ending soon.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been sitting on my sisters couch and I look around and we are all staring at our iPhone screens and no joke at the same time we are talking about how we want to spend less time on our phones.

It’s unbelievable how hard it is for me to disconnect from my electronics even though at the end of the day I really feel like it causes me the most frustration and takes so much of me away from my kids. Like do I really need to know what my high school friends kids did at school today?

So I want to try doing one thing at a time and giving it 100%. And I really want to smash this phone to pieces so I can stop and look people in the eye and really enjoy my time with the people in front of me instead of the texts and status updates of the people in this phone.