Something new

Well, I am trying something new. I usually do huge posts with lots of pictures every once in a while. I'm going to try to do smaller posts, more frequently. The kids are all napping, and I am just sitting here, left to think...about life. Today is my oldest sister's birthday. Megan would have been thirty today. I don't normally use this blog as a sounding board. But, I miss her. She was a very good wife and mother and sister. While living in Alabama for school, I would drive to Chattanooga almost every weekend to be with her. Being so far away from my mom was hard, and Megan had always been my second mother. I miss that. Now that I'm a mother with three kids (two girls and a boy, just like she had), it's hard not to want to call her for advice and recipe exchanges. It's hard for life to seem like it has moved on, especially on days like today. Since her passing, I've gotten married, become a mother, and moved away from my immediate family. There are days when I feel alone and tired as a mom and want to call her and ask how she did it (how do you get them to eat? how do you discipline? will they ever stop saying NO?). Being a mom is hard, but it's easier when you have a kind husband who encourages you on the days you feel inadequate and reminds you that you're still learning and so are they. I am grateful for Paul and for his listening ear, smiling face, and positive attitude. I am grateful for my sister Arianne, my sister-in-law Mary, my mother-in-law Stacey, and my mom for helping me be a mother and being good examples. I am also grateful for a wonderful father-in-law Jeff and a wonderful Daddy. Much of this probably does not make sense to anyone but me, but that's okay. This is something new. Thank you for letting me share my thoughts.
Now, on to the pictures! Shall we...!

Ewan is sitting...well, sorta. New trick!

I can't wait for him to be able to eat what the girls eat so I don't have to rescue him from the fallen piece of cereal!

These are new pajamas! I think they're probably the cutest pajamas ever (Target). It's getting warmer (104 today!) and the girls needed shorts with their pajamas. They've also discovered YOGURT! YUMMO

He's just happy. Not really a new thing, but it's a nice thing!

Ewan tries to pull himself up from this position. He's got some killer abs under all that...

A different shot of the pajamas, and Paul. Isn't he handsome!?!