Cookies and Jumper

There were a couple firsts for us this past weekend.  Cohan tried cookies and milk and Ireland tried the Johnny Jumpup.  Both were a hit...

The "music mat" she steps on makes different noises depending on where she steps. 

She loved it!

 

My New Motto

A friend shared this article with me a couple of weeks ago.  It has been on my mind and my motto lately.  The article is all about how she is a mom and needs to stay in the pictures with her kids. 

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I often am behind the camera and not in front of it.  And most of the time it is by my choosing.  After reading this article, I have changed my way of thinking. 

I know that I don't have the same time to blow dry and straighten or curl my hair everyday, to spend the extra couple minutes to appropriately put on make-up, time to add the right jewelry or accessories as I used to, but, I also don't have those as my main priorities anymore.  I would rather my kids look adorable.  My mom and I just had this conversation last weekend.  I do it for my kids, and she still does it for us.  Often times, we go with less so our kids can have more. 

The woman in the article talked about how we're not as young as we used to be, but we really need to make an effort to get in the picture. "Our sons need to see how young and beautiful and human their mamas were. Our daughters need to see us vulnerable and open and just being ourselves -- women, mamas, people living lives. Avoiding the camera because we don't like to see our own pictures? How can that be okay?"

This got me thinking.  I talked to Scott and he totally agreed.  He always asks to take my picture with the kids, but often I decline.  Since reading this article, I have not!  Even though I might not be totally "put together" each day, I have come to see that's not what matters. 

Here are some of my favorite parts that changed the way I think about me in pictures...

"Someday, I want them to see me, documented, sitting right there beside them: me, the woman who gave birth to them, whom they can thank for their ample thighs and their pretty hair; me, the woman who nursed them...me, who breathed in the smell of their post-bath hair when I read them bedtime stories"...ME!

"I'm everywhere in their young lives, and yet I have very few pictures of me with them. Someday I won't be here -- and I don't know if that someday is tomorrow or thirty or forty or fifty years from now -- but I want them to have pictures of me. I want them to see the way I looked at them, see how much I loved them. I am not perfect to look at and I am not perfect to love, but I am perfectly their mother.

When I look at pictures of my own mother, I don't look at cellulite or hair debacles. I just see her -- her kind eyes, her open-mouthed, joyful smile, her familiar clothes. That's the mother I remember. My mother's body is the vessel that carries all the memories of my childhood. ...I didn't care that she didn't look like a model. She was my mama.

So when all is said and done, if I can't do it for myself, I want to do it for my kids. I want to be in the picture, to give them that visual memory of me. I want them to see how much I am here, how my body looks wrapped around them in a hug, how loved they are."

Pumpkin Patch

Last year, we started the tradition of going to Peach Tree Farms.  This year, we continued and it was so much more fun with Cohan being older and able to enjoy more of the animals, hay rides and pumpkins.  Our weekends are pretty packed, so we have had this planned for awhile.  The night before, our friends called asking us to go, so it worked out perfectly.  We were able to meet the Wrights and Wes and Danielle. 

There are so many cute places to take pictures.  Unfortunately, Cohan was more than uninterested in doing so...

Do not feed bunnies... as he eats Cheez-Its

Please note: great place for pictures... Cohan running away to the right.

Cohan picked out his pumpkin and then offered to carry Ireland's to the car.  After about 20 feet, he decided it was too heavy. 

This was a beautiful fall day and I love making this memories and traditions with our little family. 

Quick Trip to Illinois

Last weekend, we left after work Friday and headed to Springfield.  On the agenda was time with GramMo, wiener roast at my Dad's farm and family pictures.  Friday, after a long drive, GramMo was very excited to see her babies!!! 

The next morning, we were headed out to run errands.  My kids needed fall clothes and GramMo knew all the good places to go! Unfortunately, there were bad storms, so the trip to the farm for the wiener roast was canceled.  We ran errands and then my brother, sister-in-law and nephew came over for homemade pizzas.

"Naps" at GramMo's house...

The toys that Cohan plays with are the same that my brother and sister and I played with. 

Little people have come a long ways...

Cousin love.

Aunt Sarah loves holding Ireland

Eating popcorn

Sunday, we met one of my best friends, Colleen, and her sister, Tara, at the park for our family pictures.  This was a gift from Tara to us after Ireland was born.  We are so excited to see them!  She is one talented photographer! 

Cohan was not in the best mood, and it took Bucko and Grandma Chris surprising us at the park for him to warm up. 

We were sad it was such a short, quick trip.  Next time, hopefully we get to see everyone!!!