Dear Quinn

Dear Quinn,
This morning, when you woke, I went and got you and brought you back into my bed to enjoy a few minutes of the rainy early morning with Sawyer and me.  You snuggled with me and hugged around my neck and said "Mommy, I'm sorry I was sneaking the sugar lastmorning (meaning yesterday or some day in the past).  I won't do it again, I sorry."  So very sweet that this was still on your heart.  On Monday while I was putting Sawyer down for his nap, I left your downstairs in the =kitchen with some almond to eat.  I thought to myself "oh, I will be proactive and help Quinn stay out of trouble by putting up the step stool and locking the bathroom door, plus she has a snack, surely she will stay out of trouble for a few minutes".  So after putting Sawyer to sleep I came down to find you hiding in the closet with the sugar bee bowl licking the spoon.  You had somehow pushed the full container of dog food around to the front of the counter and used it to climb up and reach the sugar.  When we talked about what happened and how you were being sneaky, you said you were sorry and that it was an accident, so then we had to review again what an "accident" is and what "on purpose" means.  :)  Then I added that if you were truly sorry that you would not to do it again.

Speaking of your "being sneaky" problem, two weeks ago I called Poison Control for the second time in my life.  Again while I was putting Sawyer down for a nap, you got into the downstairs bathroom sink cabinet (usually locked but wasn't- parent fail) and you got out the toilet bowl cleaner.  You squirted it ALL OVER the bathroom, all over everything.  When I came down I grabbed you and said "did you eat it!?" and you said you licked it.  I didn't see or smell any in your mouth but called Poison Control, who are super nice btw, and they said to give you milk and you'd be fine (along with some other info).  Sooooo, I think I will have to start gating you in your room while I'm putting Sawyer to sleep.

I really enjoyed Lent with you this year.  You loved learning about Jesus and Easter.  You ask all the time to play with the Jesus story cards that tell the story of him coming in on the donkey all the way up until his resurrection.  First you really loved acting out communion (The Last Supper) because you LOVE going to communion with us at church.  (Side note, I really love that now at JW we go up to communion as a family every week.  Its such an amazing practice of community and reminder of our faith.  A chance for you to see us and other kids and adults you know in a quiet, reverent act of respect, gratitude, and worship.)  When we got closer to Easter you really loved the resurrection card because you have memorized that story in your rhyme bible that said: "In the garden Mary cried. She was sad that Jesus died. 'Do not cry,' an angel said. He's alive, He isn't dead!"  You retold it to Aunt Chrissy and me on Easter morning.  So amazing what your little mind can remember and understand.

You also know several books by heart.  You especially love to recite Jamberry, in it's entirety!, and sometimes just randomly when we aren't even looking at the book.  Also the Dr. Seuss ABC book.

We took Aunt Chrissy and Daddy to the zoo Saturday.  We got to see the "cheetah run".  When you went inside the Snake House (which you love) you said excitedly "the snakes gonna stick his tongue out and try to lick me!"

Sometimes when you wake up in the morning, and want to lay in my bed, you take off your shirt and say "I want to sleep in the bed with no shirt like Pepa!"  This is because last month when we stayed and Grandma and Grandpa's house you climbed into bed with them in the morning and then said "Grandpa is naked!" bc he didn't have a shirt on and so you didn't want to lay by him.  :)

One day I caught you pushing down hard on Sawyer's stomach while he was laying down and I was so worried you were trying to hurt him, but when I asked why you told me that you were trying to make him smaller so that you could hold him. :)  So I helped you hold him.
 
One day, on our way to the zoo, you randomly made up an amazing song and started singing (to the tune of Frère Jacques):  "M for Mommy, Q for Quinny.  M for Mom, Q for Quinn. S for Baby Sawyer, S for Baby Sawyer.  S for Sawyer, S for Sawyer."

One day at the zoo, you stopped in the middle of the path by the carousel and started interpretive dancing.  You were so serious and into it with your eyes closed and everything.  It. Was. Hysterical. 

You love the song "Hey Jude" and ask me to sing it all the time.  You especially love when I yell "Judey Judey Judey Judey..." and the "nah nah nah..." part.  I fully intend to start listening the more Beatles CDs in the car so you can fully appreciate the most amazing rock band in history.

Yesterday you were especially emotional and crying after waking up from your nap.  I was in the middle of nursing Sawyer when you woke up, so I sat down in your green rocking chair and continued nursing Sawyer in one arm while I held and comforted you with the other.  I sat there and rocked you both in that tiny chair and thought about how blessed am I to have two precious children who need me and whom I can provide nourishment and comfort for.  Thank you Jesus.
 
From FB: 
Daddy wrote: 
"Long day at work, had to work late. Came home to a nice bowl of goolosh with a side of quinoa, then Quinn comes up and sits next to me with her cup of pistachios: "Dad, what you eating? Ohh, quinoa! I love quinoa! It's good for my body. Running is good for my body. So is walking. Will you pass the nutcracker for my pistachios?" Thank you Maria."

"Quinn: 'Daddy, come in here!'
Me: 'Yes'
Quinn: 'stand there and shut the door.' Whispers. 'I want you to listen to my poo poo hitting the potty.' Pauses, still whispering... 'Did you hear that?' "

After a long, fun morning at the City Market.

"But I'm not tired and I don't want to nap!  And I'm still sitting outside."

...oh Angel

Sleep?

10 reasons I'm still getting no sleep even though Sawyer is now sleeping 8-10 hrs straight (yay!)

1) S goes to bed at 7:30p, if I were wise I'd go to bed at 9p, 10p at the very latest. But I'm still rolling into bed at 11:30 bc I have no self discipline to end my precious "alone" time by turning off the tv, iPhone, shower, conversation with husband, never ending kitchen clean up, etc.

2) Q wakes me up yelling for Daddy. I roll over and kick him awake bc he sleeps like a log.

3) All night- I wake up sweating, push off the down comforter and then wake up cold and pull it back on again. Hormones?

4) All night- Jeff snoring. I roll over and kick him, again.

5) The pesky need to pee even though I'm no longer pregnant.

6) Waking up bc I'm becoming uncomfortably full and ready to feed sweet, newly-longer-sleeping baby.

7) Waking up bc I think I hear one of the children crying when they aren't.

8) By this time (about 4-5 hours into my sporadic sleep) S wakes up to nurse.

9) What seems like only moments after getting myself back to sleep after feeding S, Jeff's alarm starts going off at a volume that could wake the neighbors. Once again, I roll over and kick him awake bc he could sleep through an earthquake.

10) Q wakes me up yelling for Mommy this time and my morning begins.

**Then there's always the occasional dog vomiting, neighborhood disturbance, remembering something to add to the grocery list, etc.

:)

March 2014

Pics from March

watercolor painting

ice cream after Ash Wednesday service

One day I caught Quinn pushing down hard on Sawyer's stomach while he was laying down. I was afraid that she was trying to hurt him but when I asked why she did that she told me that she was trying to make him smaller so she could hold him :) So I helped her hold him.

My little chef cracked 8 eggs for Quiche Lorraine all by herself with NO eggs shells!

"heart breaker"

Lent decluttering- Q helped me get rid of my old spices

delicious grilled fajitas and sopapillas with gma

sawyer and i went to the zoo in kc while Q went to the zoo with aunt paige in springfield

  

Quinn heard baby Sawyer crying in his crib and in a matter of seconds she had gone upstairs and climbed into his crib with him to comfort him. 

We didn't realize she was in there until we heard/saw her on the monitor. 

Sweet big sister :)

Lent story cards. Quinn loved acting out communion (the Last Supper).  

She also loves getting communion together as a family at Jacob's Well.

 "Hosanna! Hosanna! to Jesus the King."

watercolor painting to make some cards for friends and family

Quinn wanted to make sure the sun was not in baby Sawyer's eyes before she pushed him in the stroller.

 Chunky Monkey!

Yum! Beets make the most beautiful smoothies!

and this one is by Quinn: