double the haircuts, double the fun

It happened, our little baby boys looked less like babies & more like little boys today when they got their first official haircut. When I say "first official" I mean by someone that actually knows what they are doing. If the boys could put all these words together they would have said "Mommy, we are desperate for you to quit trying to make us look as handsome as you picture in your head....it never works & you have no skills in the hair cutting department." Since the two year old birthday is fast approaching, I thought they deserved to look less like scraggly little guys & more like clean cut cowboys. 

Much happened leading up to the actual haircut that I cannot leave out due to the humor factor. I took a recommendation from a friend to see a stylist at Preston Center which is in a large building above multiple stores & a gym. She takes cash or check only & I packed my checkbook in my purse but repacked my wallet into the diaper bag so halfway there I had to rush through the bank to obtain the necessary cashola. I was already running a little behind so that added a few minutes. 

Once we arrived to this massive building I followed the directions to the parking garage to find that it was only 6 foot 2 inch clearance & I need closer to 8 feet for the Expedition with the rack on top. I went around the building a couple times looking for an outside spot until I approached a car leaving.  I was glad to see a spot but horrified to attempt parallel parking my badonkadonk vehicle after a 5 month hiatus from driving that ceased only 6 days ago. To make matters worse, the car in front was a BMW & the car behind was a Lexus. My heart was racing with attempt number one that was laughable. I then reoriented my self & slipped right in there like I was working for a valet service that specializes in parallel parking! It was then I thought "I still got it!" I loaded the boys in the double stroller & was on the move. 

Next order of business...finding the suite.  The specific directions said to go up to level two or three in the garage I could not fit in & enter the building on that level.  I had no idea where else to go & she didn't answer the phone so there I was, a crazy lady with a double stroller hightailing it around & up, around & up the parking garage avoiding cars left & right. I am thankful we did not get run over & also that I did not pass out. I made it to the entrance, squeezed the stroller through a narrow doorway & came to an abrupt stop as I hit a dead end at the bottom of a half flight of stairs. I was breathing heavily & staring at them thinking through my options. They were as follows...

1. unload 2 almost 2 year olds, let them run free while I drag the stroller to the top of the stairs 
2. go up another level of the parking garage & pray that there is a handicapped entrance
3. throw out my back or accidentally catapult the boys out of the stroller while attempting to pull the stroller up the stairs

I was still contemplating when I heard a voice behind me saying " What do you think? Can you make it?" I laughed out loud as I turned around. It was the kindest woman who was maybe about 10 years ahead of me in parenting that said, "I have been there, I think we can take it!" Oh Lord, thank you for Leslie, her strong arms & impressive balance as we carried the stroller up a narrow flight of stairs, the boys flat on their back while Anson declared over & over "Fun! Fun! Fun!"

We finally made it to where we needed to be. I breathed a sigh of relief & looked at two scraggly boys to decide who got to go first. Owen was the first out of the womb & often the one to go first. I saw this situation no different & hoisted him up onto the chair. I say "hoist" but that is probably a more appropriate word for how I feel when lifting Anson ; ) Anyway, Owen was alright for about a half a second until the tears started flowing. He was sooo sad but never moved a muscle. BIG tears were rolling down his cheeks & he was adorable. 

After a few minutes, he decided it wasn't worth it. He was still as serious as can be & quite handsome with his new cut.

My child who usually gives a big grin when you say "Owee, say cheese!" Stone cold he was.

Stone cold that is until he swapped seats with his bub & got a lollipop. 

We decided to go ahead & give Anson a lollipop when he got in the chair. It worked wonders for the mood. This picture is SO Anson who doesn't get riled up about much. 

 

He was sticky & happy for the remainder of his cut.

Final result was equally as handsome as his bub...

By the end, Owen was ready to get the heck outta there before that woman tried to put clippers up to his head again while Anson was laid back digesting his yummy treat.

but of course, there had to be some "nuggles"...

They look older but are still our little babies : ) 

Valentines with the Valentines

We really do enjoy Valentines Day around our home & this year was no exception.  Not only was it a lovely holiday but a day to celebrate because MAMA got behind the wheel again! The day began around 7 when Robby threw me the keys & deemed me the driver to the donut shop around the corner. He figured it was an easy driving test to boost my confidence ; ) I was placing our order & the lady kept trying to give me a total until I rolled down the back window & she counted all the kids...then she laughed & continued allowing me to order an absurd amount of sweet treats! We have been eating rather healthy (for the most part) since the beginning of the year & splurged that morning on some delicious donuts & kolaches. The girls were excited about the Valentine themed sprinkles & the boys were excited about any bite of any thing that was purchased there. 

We have a love-hate relationship with "donut day." It sure is fun & all are excited but man oh man, the boys are insane screaming "MORE, MORE" with a full mouth of food & plenty on their plates. It's like they have never been fed in their life. Following the sugar high is the sugar crash that makes us say "we are never getting donuts again!" All that to say, it is rarely worth it but on "our" special day it was. 

Instead of buying cards for the kids, I asked Robby what he thought about drawing the girls pictures since he is pretty talented when it comes to paper & pencil. He quickly agreed & the eve of Valentines Day, we got to work. The final product makes me smile & made the girls smile too. 

For Charlotte, Robby decided to draw all of us including Bella Blue driving around town with him singing The Lumineers Ho Hey "I belong with you, you belong with me you're my sweetheart" which is a family favorite for belting out while on repeat. The boys even request it saying "Hey Hey Ho." 

For Eloise he drew himself with the girls riding/hanging off the cart at Central Market. We have been going there on Saturdays as a family & it is always fun & almost always a little painful. I love that Eloise has on her cowboy boots which she wears about 90% of the time. She has acclimated to the lone star state well! The song he chose for her is also by The Lumineers & is called Elouise. He sings it to her often & she actually knows the chorus by heart. We have to laugh that the first part of the chorus is "Eloise, why'd you leave?" since she takes off in Lolo world & requires us to chase her down for safety's sake.  Very appropraite words....

Robby definitely shows me up when it comes to drawing but I made my best attempt to brighten the girls' day with my rendition of a happy moment.  Robby said they both look like mini'me's & we had a good laugh about the banana boat in the drawing for Charlotte.

I made a quick stop at CVS on Friday evening to pick over the left overs. There were a couple adorable tween-age boys doing some shopping on the stuffed animal aisle. I left with some new Clifford toothbrushes, a couple of Reeses Hearts (my ultimate fave) & some stickers to fill the goody bags.

I think this house is my favorite for holiday decorations. My burlap banner ended up needing to be cut down to accommodate a doorway & the kitchen window.

In closing, here are our little Valentines, some calm, some silly & all sweet...

Oh, if you were wondering why Anson was making that face....it's because he was notified we ran out of donut holes which are called "roly balls" by the kids. That boy likes to eat ; )

Happy Valentine's Day

a year in review  

The Valentine Nest

MARCH- In February we remembered how much we loved driving 22 hours with our bunch & decided to take our second trip to Texas five weeks after returning home from our last trek. Dallas was full of excitement including receiving the news that our newest niece Olivia had arrived. While we were in Houston we witnessed my Maid of Honor saying “I do,” took our first family trip to the Houston Rodeo & celebrated TWO buckaroos turning ONE! We had a cowboy party (of course) & Owen beat Anson for the only time ever in a chocolate cake eating contest. We recounted much of the past year of watching two babies in the NICU grow to healthy toddlers & were beyond thankful for the Lord answering the prayers of many. During that challenging time we began to discuss the possibility of moving back to Dallas & in January received the news that Robby’s company may be winding down. After much consideration we made the decision to head back to Texas. We were thankful God had allowed us to be part of laying the foundation of a church plant that went from small to thriving right before our eyes.

APRIL- This month was filled to the brim with saying goodbye. We spent many moments with those placed in our lives.  Over six years, friends had become family & our lives were intertwined making it all the more difficult to share that last hug. Our dear friends, the Lents, hosted a farewell dinner with our close friends & it was a wonderful time reflecting on all the Lord had done in the years we served alongside Celebration Community Church. Toward the end of the month I went to Dallas for a job interview & three hours after my plane landed Robby called to let me know he was taking Charlotte to the ER after a scooter/truck collision. Thankfully the truck was parked, sadly the tailgate was down & sweet scootering Charlotte met that tailgate with her cheek! A little glue fixed her right up & Daddy, Grammy & Papa took excellent care of her while I was away.  Once I retuned, my mom arrived & we got moving packing a house full of memories

MAY- Just a few days into the month my mom & I flew to Dallas with the kids & I flew back to Orlando hours later. The kids got to relax & be doted on by a Grandma & Great Grandma while we, along with my Dad, loaded a big banana colored truck & left the sunshine for a lone star. Our last 24 hours of time in our house was nothing sort of exciting including me touching up paint in the playroom with the wrong shade of green. The best part was when we were ready to leave & the car keys had disappeared. After a long (tense) search they were located in the trash can in the garage. I was such a good helper…not really ; ) The two day expedition was long but easier with one puppy than with our children. The Valentines along with many boxes graciously welcomed our chaos into their home. I started a full time position as a Labor & Delivery RN. Over the course of three weeks we celebrated an anniversary, Mother’s Day & three birthdays between all of us Valentines. The favorite celebration was Eloise’s 3rd birthday. The theme was “Wild about Elo” but could have also been titled “Elo is wild.” We took a trip to the Dallas Zoo which she loved almost as much as she loved her pancakes for dinner.

JUNE- In all honesty, this month was insane! Trying to work full time & being away from the kids that much was hard on us plus we were packing up to move…again.  The Valentines blessed us with their all weeklong care of our four which made it more than bearable. Owen & Anson took off on two feet or four to be more accurate. This accomplishment really increased their happiness & the overall danger level in the home!  While it was crazy on the weekdays, the afternoons & weekends were full of relaxing in the great outdoors. The girls helped Papa plant a garden & watched it grow. They played in the sandbox & enjoyed the swing he put up for them... well all except Anson who was the lucky one that was swinging when the rope snapped. He was dangling upside down until rescued. Father’s Day was full of smokin’ meat, swimming & cold drinks on the back patio. Over the course of the month, we caught up with friends & prepared to move into a new home.

JULY- When we think back to how we ended up in our house we just smile as we consider God’s perfect timing. A friend happened to know a family who would be moving at the end of June making their home available for rent when we needed it. It was right in our price range, in a beautiful neighborhood & more space than we needed. The owners live next door & have been so kind to us. We moved into the house just before the 1^st. Robby lifted one too many boxes & his appendix ruptured resulting in emergency surgery followed by a four night hospital stay. One week later we celebrated Charlotte turning 5 years old. It was a big bash with lots of friends & family. She ran her own lemonade stand & made some good money ; ) For the rest of the month we helped Robby recover & tried our best to settle into the new place we would make our “home.” In the meantime, I switched to working night shift 2-3 nights a week which was a big transition for The Valentine Six! By the end of the month I began having episodes where I would have a déjà vu feeling & blurry vision followed by nausea. We weren’t really concerned at this point thinking it was something insignificant.

AUGUST- Robby was feeling much better & able to lift children again, Hallelujah! We began exploring the walking trails around the neighborhood even though it was still brutally humid. There were lots of turtles to see & a bridge away from the street that was perfect for scooter riders. Best part- no tailgates. Indoors, this month was spent preparing for our first official year of homeschooling a kindergartener. We found a Classical Conversations community near the house. We loved the experience last year & were excited to continue. The one day a week offers structured learning in many subjects while we work on math & reading at home. Schooling at home has been a challenge with little bitty ones but we have truly enjoyed learning together as a family. Our day in & day out time really offers the opportunity to work through issues in light of who God is & how he works.  The wisdom & encouragement offered by homeschooling moms in Orlando has been vital to pressing on & getting used to a daily routine that brings about more opportunity for learning & teaching our children about Jesus.

 SEPTEMBER- Robby’s company carried us along with just the right amount of income & ended the week prior to him starting a new job. The new position is in the same field of business but OUTSIDE the home for the first time in 7 years.  It has been an easy transition due to the increasing noise level at The Nest & the office being 3 feet away from the kitchen table which might be the loudest part of the house. The best part is that his office is 5 minutes away! He eats breakfast with us, sometimes surprises us for lunch & usually makes it home in time to help with the dinner time rush. It has been lovely & he has settled in nicely to a new role. On Labor Day I had an episode that left me on the floor following me rushing to the door to the backyard to get Robby’s attention. That was the straw that broke the camel’s back & I was at an internist’s office the next week. He referred me to a neurologist that we saw at the end of the month. Testing began & we were awaiting results. The order I received from the doctor was to not drive or bathe my children without supervision….nice combination ; ) On a lighter note, we loved hosting Robby’s brother, his wife, our nieces & nephew. 11 people in our house was fun & extremely loud! Lord willing they will be Poland bound this summer to serve as missionaries so any time with them is extra special.

OCTOBER- This was the year of enjoying as many Texan things as possible which had to include the State Fair! We enjoyed seeing Big Tex, riding the biggest ferris wheel in the USA & eating some fried food. My mom kidnapped me & the the kids  & took us to her house for a week which was a blast. She & I got crafty & made Halloween costumes for the kiddos. Our projects consisted of our very own cast from Peter Pan: Wendy, Peter, Mr. Smee & Captain Hook. They looked darling & the pictures still have us laughing when we see Eloise with her mustache, hook & sword. By the end of the month, following an abnormal EEG, the neurologist was able to diagnose me with a seizure disorder, started me on a medication & house arrest began. We have felt a little trapped but God has provided rest in our home & we have enjoyed the change of pace. Who really enjoys packing up & buckling in four kids five & under to take them out alone multiple times a week? I was happy to have an excuse to avoid the stress.

NOVEMBER- We enjoyed our year-round sunshine filled days in Florida but were excited to experience some seasons in Dallas. One of our favorite days this month was when our yard was COVERED in leaves. The kids had been begging me to build a hideout covered with leaves complete with a giant leaf pile to jump into. We spent lots of time playing. We spent much time doing these things one week much to the Fab Four’s delight. It was a little disappointing that I failed to scoop up something stinky & there were some gross moments in our jumping. We celebrated Thanksgiving with the Ellis family & reminisced about our holidays spent in Orlando filled with neighbors & different friends each year.

DECEMBER- We celebrated 10 years of marriage with a kid free three night trip to the Hill Country & had a lovely time. We laughed a lot this month making our own Valentine 12 Days of Christmas & Our Ten Top Ten lists for 10 years of marriage. We took a few weeks off school & did lots of playing. We celebrated Christmas with the Valentines then headed south to Kingwood for New Year’s where we were able to celebrate my mom’s birthday & play a LOT of Liverpool Rummy. As usual the kids were wired playing with their uncles for three days straight. They are pretty entertaining!

JANUARY- Eloise has joined our Classical Conversations class since she didn’t want to hang out with the “babies.” Both girls love what they are learning & teach Owen & Anson facts which they repeat randomly. They have also taught the boys the Fruit of the Spirit. We are so surprised by the ability for children to memorize things at such an early age! It is also pretty cute when each one takes a turn saying what is next. We are finally a part of a church in East Dallas called Christ City Church “that seeks to proclaim Christ in the everyday until He cannot be ignored” to quote the website. We have laughed that the abbreviation is “CCC” just like Celebration Community Church. We should have known that was where we would end up! We are beginning to meet with a couple of families who live nearby & are thankful to begin new friendships & serve together to minister to those around us.  As we teach the kids, “God is everywhere,” we are looking forward to seeing how that unfolds in Dallas. 

FEBRUARY- Bella Blue’s 10^th birthday is fast approaching & she surprisingly loves the non-stop attention from our clan. She tolerates playing “Pet Shop” & might cringe a little bit when the boys yell “RIDE!”  On Valentine’s Day (how appropriate) we will rejoice as I grab the car keys & actually drive myself somewhere! Another bit of exciting news, I am officially a stay at home mama after resigning from a job I have loved for over nine years. We are looking forward to the ways God will use that decision to care for our brood & nest we have made in the Lone Star State.

Praying for a joy-filled year for your family

-The Valentines-

Robby, Lauren, Charlotte, Eloise, Owen, Anson & Bella Blue

and since there were more than five pictures....

We are grateful for these little Valentines!

Out of the mouths of babes...

Anyone who has a child or spends any amount of time with a child has a story to share about hilarious things from "out of the mouths of babes." Sometimes it's appropriate to laugh out loud while other times you just have to keep it to yourself & laugh hard later with another adult. 

We have a front row seat to the Fab Fours' developing language skills & keep a running list of the "funnies" each day. Here are some favorites...

Charlotte

• ForEVER she has said "just cheesing" instead of "just teasing." All of us Valentines have followed suit since it is so adorable. Two other favorites that are said incorrectly are "chomp-stix" & "anglish" when she says "We speak Anglish right?" Really close Char. 
• She has two styles of jeans one of which are "skinny" jeans. These are her favorite & she has worn holes in the knees of two pairs over the past few months. When is is irritated that they are not clean (or have holes) she says begrudgingly "I guess I will just wear my fat jeans." That name takes on a whole new meaning later in life but for now it seems like an appropriate way to describe the opposite of skinnies. While on the subject of jeans, she is now calling the mattress on the floor a "jean machine." She slides her jeans onto her legs then jumps on the jean machine until she can pull them all the way up. I could use something like that in the postpartum period ; ) 
• The other day we were all on our way to a friends house. Charlotte rides in the middle row next to Anson & talks his ear off the entire time. Anytime she asks him "do you want to hear...?" he says quietly "mmm-hmm"with thumb in mouth & a straight face. The last conversation went a little something like this. C- "Anson, do you want to know what jail is like?"  A-"mmm-hmm" C- "well, it is a scary place where they lock you in a room with bars & they don't let you out. There are mean people there but the food is really great." We of course quoted The Office quietly from the front seat "Gruel sandwiches, gruel omelettes, nothing but gruel."

Eloise

• A few commonly spoken favorites..."Look! I can put my hands up-slide down" or "Schlep n Slide" for slip n slide. When she is talking about being slippery after a bath Rob encourages her to "schlep" into her jammies & slip into bed. S must be a popular letter for her because she also says "splacemat" for placemat, "smoodies" for smoothies & my personal favorite "smoot snacks" for fruit snacks.
• One of her frequent chores is feeding Bella. I overheard her as she was getting her breakfast in the cup. "Bella, how was your sleep night? You are a great dog even when you growl like a tiger." Just for the record Bella was not acting like a tiger.
• Every time she says "You are the greatest" she pauses for about 5 seconds & then follows with "but not the best like God." A few weeks ago she added on "but Uncle Kyle is pretty great because he is the longest & has long  legs, arms & a long neck."  He is pretty tall compared to that cute little thing. 
• I'm adding a 4th for her because being 3 allows for entertaining things to be said. Last week we were waiting at the doctors office & she said "I know this, mommies are really big, darlings are small & little babies like Owen are so small, like this big" as she spread her fingers apart by about half an inch. 

Owen

• When he counts he says "1, 2, 4!" It reminds me of how we count babies around here. He does count with great gusto "1, 2, 4, 4, 5, 6, NINE!"
• Every morning when we change his diaper he is putting in his breakfast order for "moatmelt." He is very disappointed when oat meal is not on the menu but also likes "eggies" & "bapplesauce." His favorite snack is graham crackers with almond butter & is requested by screaming "BUTTA BUTTA CACKAS!"
• Anytime he hears music playing he yells "dance, dance, dance" until he is free from a high chair & can show us his moves. 

Anson

• Every night the only song both boys want to hear is "Hush little baby, don't say a word" & request it by saying "Hush baby." When I get to the part where mama's gonna buy you a billy goat. He wants his jammies unzipped to see his "belly goat" & then pulls up my shirt saying "mommy's belly goat."
• He says "ouch" no matter what you do to him. Sometimes it's valid like when you are trying to squeeze his bear paws into footie pajamas but mostly it's ridiculous like when you cut a single hair on his head. You might assume he has nerve endings in each strand. 
• He is known for needing & giving lots of "nuggles" during the day. He announces "nuggles" when headed toward something or someone that apparently needs them ranging from person to Bella to baby doll. Over the weekend he attempted to climb on the back of a kitty cat saying "kee cat, nuggles."