The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face...

My heart stops beating for an instant

the first time I hold you in my arms.

How is it that I ever lived without you?

Moments ago… Days ago… Years ago…?

As I gaze at your face there is a dawning within me

and I can hardly breathe as I realize

you’ve always been a part of me.

I discover for the first time another part of my soul.

The part that has always, and forever will,

belong only to you.

Camden. Jude. Gwyneth.

My sweet babies.
I love you more than life itself.

My Little Princess

Yes...she demands the royal treatment.

I must confess that I LOVE having a girl. Love the dresses and fixing her hair, love her chattering, love this bossy, sassy little thing! Gwyneth is a perfect blend of sweet and sour.

What I love so much about Gwyneth right now:

*When she needs to go potty she says, "Mama, I need to go peep."
The one word to describe any business she needs to take care of.

*She loves anything to do with art, and begs to "doo-aw" all the time. That's my girl!

*She loves piggies and tigers

*Orange is her favorite color. I think this is why she likes tigers so much.

*How she fights me tooth-&-nail every morning and every night to wear anything her Aunt Heidi has gotten for her.

*How she holds up the hem of her dress and says, "pretty."

*Her scrappiness.

*Her sassiness.

*Her spunkiness.

*How she clings to me and sobs when a stranger approaches her. I often feel like doing the same thing.

*She loves castles. All of her favorite books have castles in them & she looks for the castle on every page.

*When asked a question she replies, "O-kai....ya!"

*She loves pat-a-cake, always has. Especially the "mark it with a B". (it's drawing ya know.)

*How she dotes on Roaster. She thinks he's her baby and mothers him endlessly. (But woe to me should I decide to pick him up or give him lovins!)

*Her eyes. The perfect shade of blueberries, dusty, violet-blue...and round too!

My very serious girl...


I think this is my favorite, possibly because it's so positively Gwyn.

My Little Prince

Prince charming, that is. Jude is a charmer, for sure.



This one tugs at my heart strings, I love it when he makes this face because it means he's very happy or sees something he really likes. (and he's usually cooing, he's done this from the time he was a tiny baby)

What I love about Jude right now:

*how he skips or runs everywhere he goes.

*the look on his face when he says his prayers. I could never explain it well enough to do it justice. Imagine the orneriest kid trying his best to look innocent, with a big smile and his nose & eyes all squinched up, but not quite all the way closed.

*his determination to be the best he can be, in everything he does.

*his love for his guitar and drum.

*his big, uh, HUGE and amazing smile.

*his love of all things "typically Beck"

popcorn.purple.vanilla ice-cream.hamburgers.

He is 100% Beck, for sure!

*he's a peace maker, and will gladly give up what makes him happy for the happiness of others.

*his snuggles. He's my only baby who really likes to snuggle.

*the fact that he's a social butterfly, he loves everyone, and everyone loves him.

*how much he loves to wrestle. Believe me when I say it is his favorite thing to do, and he can wrestle with the best of 'em, though he may be a bit too soft-hearted.

*that he makes me laugh almost every time I'm with him.

*his amazing passion and zeal for life.

There's that infectious smile...

My Angel Boy

**WARNING** Photo overload!

Camden is a born model. He loves getting his photo taken and will beg, "Mama, please take my picture, I wanna look at the camera!" Then he'll flash me 20 or so expressions in a matter of seconds.

Case in point:

This is a total Jude expression:



I love this one, but he's lookin a little too old for Mama's comfort.

And a black-n-white just 'cause.

I always see his Uncle Chad in his photos, but not in real life.

What I love about Camden right now:

*how he says, "Squish my stuffin Mama!" Translation: He needs a bear hug!

*Every time he goes to bed he says, 3 times, "Night, night, my love you, sweet dreams!" (imagine the most syrupy voice you've ever heard) and I must say it back in the exact same way, 3 times, while waving.

*fig newtons are "big" newtons

*How he loves to take pictures even more than having them taken. If I ever have to bribe him for a photo shoot this works better than anything.

*how particular he is. Daddy calls him anal, Aunt Heidi says he's OCD...Mama knows he gets it from her, so she doesn't say anything... I just totally get it.

*pancakes are "pink" cakes

*how he waves to everyone at church while saying "bye-bye, my love you, see ya later!"

*How he knows all the words to every song he's ever heard, and sings along with them.

*His love of stages. He's enamored with them.

*How he associates (almost) every letter of the alphabet with a person: C for Camden! K for Kira! R for Rowan! etc.

*His sweet spirit that never ceases to amaze me

Surgery

She's doing just great! Thank you so much, everyone, for all your prayers!

We were up and outta here by 5:30 this morning, along with Grandma. Gwyneth had no food and no drink. She was terrified when they tried to take her vitals. They finally just gave up and decided to wait until she had a few drugs in her. (Does that even make sense to anyone?) They were very orderly and prompt. Everything was on time or faster than they told us. Mommy didn't like one of the nurses, but that's okay. Mommies have that right. The anesthesiologist was a bit loopy, but seemed to know what he was talking about. Gwyneth was drugged up a little when they took her, but they had to give her a little something extra before putting her under 'cause she was still too upset. The surgery went just as expected. We love, and have always loved, Gwyn's Dr... and so does Gwyneth, which is really saying a lot! Although, the realization that you're putting your child's life in the hands of a complete stranger is a little un-nerving.

Her eye was pretty bloody at first, but 20 minutes of screaming and crying flushed it right out! She wanted her juice...yesterday! She downed three glasses by the time we left...and never puked! Ya! She slept the whole way home, napped all afternoon, then went outside and played, after she got her legs back! Her eyes are still pretty blood-shot and swollen.

Now we just wait and see what the results are, which may take a few weeks. Her brain has to learn how to use her eyes together.

Mama is so glad to cross this day off the list! I'm also so proud of my girlie! She was so brave and tough today...whick makes it so much easier for Mommy to be brave and tough.

*Excuse the yucky pic*

Gold Rush

As the ever-so-popular Pioneer Woman always says,
I'm just keepin it real!
Gross, I know. My days are filled with much yuckier things than this, I must admit.

Keep Gwyn in your prayers tomorrow. She is finally getting that eye fixed. Mommy is just a little uneasy about it, but so glad to finally get in taken care of. It'll be a long day for all of us.

This boy...

shines.

There's just something so indescribably beautiful about him.
I've felt it since the first time I held him

and he looked into my eyes.
He captured my heart that first moment

and will forever captivate me.

Camden,

you are a joy.

He's been practicing this pose for quite some time now....

trying to get it just right.
I love how his little hand can hardly hold all that cheek!

Camden's Dinner-Time prayer:

Thank.You.For.This.Dinner!

Thank.You.For.This.Food!

Thank.You.For.This.Blessing!

Jesus' Name, Amen!

His bed-time prayer actually varies quite a bit, but always includes a thank you for;

Mommy, Daddy, Jude, Gwyn, Jesus, church, Grandpas, Grandmas, Adam, Rowan, Aunt Heidi, Uncle Jay, Aunt Tessa, our new house, blankets, cups, covers, and quite the list of extended family members which is different every night.

Some of my favorite things he's come up with are: walls, ceilings, uncle Ryan's nose, Boz, Daddy not to fall into water in airplane, (this was a bit frightening, as Lyle was on a business trip at the time!) spaghetti, and I'll never forget "Uncle Matt's back and the big snow bump!" When he's had an especially great day he always says, "Thank you... so much fun!"