Three Months of Mommy

 When Mommy wants pictures of her and baby, she just has to do it herself! (and yes, this is out of order but deal with it).  My "sabbatical" with Katelynn lasted twelve weeks, the longest work legally had to allow me to take maternity leave.  I was taking it.  I needed the break from work if nothing else.  But if three months of one-on-one is all I can give my baby - I'll take those three months!  Thankfully, we were blessed to be able to afford it so here we are... twelve weeks later... with the bliss coming to an end.  It definitely helps when you have a super-supportive husband who encourages you to continue to send the kids to school so I can have time with her.

 In the past, while I have loved having time for maternity leave, I always felt useless I guess you could say.  Like I needed to be working to prove my worth... that staying home wasn't being as productive as I wanted to be.  Too much time sitting on the couch memorizing Food Channel and HGTV.   Not so this time.  Granted, much time staring at the TV - but I've tried to not let that define my time off.  This isn't wasted time but baby time.  Time for us.

 Granted, between all this time and nursing, Mommy is your best friend, and you don't really want anyone else.  You are a spoiled little girl - but that's okay.  Daddy gets his time, and, honestly, I like that I can calm you in a way that no one else can.  It's nice to be reminded that you know my voice and my smell.  Know that everything is okay when you're with me.

And even better now that you smile back! I do love to talk to you and make you smile.  And you want to be talked to now... all the time.  And love talking back.

 It's not quantity but quality, right? I love you baby number three! It's been great staying home with you, but all good things must come to an end, right?  Hopefully, Mommy will be able to work it out with the clinic to reduce her load at least somewhat.  We have all been spoiled having more time in the evenings to spend together before Meg and Coop head to bed at eight.  I hate to lose that extra time.  Working Mommy doesn't mean work is Mommy's priority - we just need to figure out how to do this

Ice Fream!

 If there is anything better (funnier) than your little boy seeking out his sister's princess dress so he can dress up with her... it's the delight of Nanny, Tracy, and Lance when they watch the two of them dance on iChat... or the ice cream truck (which Coop calls ice fream) singing it's song...  Wish you could see the cargo pants and black tennis shoes underneath - all boy!

 And their parents allowing them, for the first time, to go run after the ice cream truck with their daddy.  Dressed up as a ballerina with her clackies - probably not the safest - and the little boy who thinks nothing strange about all of the neighborhood seeing him dressed as Snow White.

 And that same Daddy having to save said Snow White from the drips that were melting all down our clothes.  A Dora ice cream picked out by the ballerina - having melted so quickly that it never made it in the house and dropped right off the stick on the sidewalk.  And Sponge Bob - as exposed at school - which was rescued from the grass by wanna-be-princess, placed in a bowl, and eaten.

 Stained little pink fingers with drips running down the palm.  "What's that?" his mommy asked.  Not "ice cream" or "messy" but very matter of factly - "Sponge Bob".  Of course, Sponge Bob did it.

OOOOOO-klahoma

 So here's to my blog's biggest fans - you other nine are important yes... but these guys check it way too often! The kids and I went to WF with Memma after getting home from Florida.  A day trip to OKC was in order as we were so much closer than when home - seemed silly not to go the extra two hours.  Grandma Nelson came over and ate lunch with Great Nanny, Great Pa, (Great) Aunt Peggy, and cousin (first cousin once removed?  :)  ) Melinda.

 Miss Katie is not to happy about the picture with Grandma Nelson! Thanks for the new dresses and clothes!
 Melinda came to visit - and play puzzles

 Memma made the trip with us... played iPad - the biggest hit of the trip I think.

 Great Pa loves his kids - four kids, fifteen grandkids, and up to 7 1/4 (you Sam! :) ) great grandkids.

 And Coop and Meg love the tea set.  Cooper went around offering everyone  coffee or water.  Sometimes being told what you were getting instead of a choice.  I wish we had a picture of all the grandkids through the years playing with that tea pot.

 Almost 83 years old and throwing that kid around like nothing while Great Nanny prefers the calmer loving approach...

Follow the progression of hide and seek around the chair.  The biggest kid of all is sitting in the chair!

 As seems to happen with all overly hyper playtimes, boo-boos tend to happen. Sidenote: I do wish I always had a sky light for this lighting!

 I guess we could say Pa is stubborn? I don't know how many babies I've watched him try and try to

calm down when upset.  Most get frustrated and hand back to Mommy, but not Pa. He wants to do it himself!

Thanks for letting us come visit. Tag you're it - come see us next.  We are so blessed to have great grandparents in our lives.