All in a Row

March is the birthday month around here.

We had a birthday every weekend for 3 weeks.

We got so of fond of having cake after church that we considered keeping it going through Easter.

Yes, that's right, 3 of our children have birthdays in March.

Care to guess what 9 months before March is?

Yup, it's our anniversary.

But I swear it's all a huge coincidence.

I think...

*wink*

I will say this though, I got really goot at making colorful frosting without food coloring.
I used cocoa powder for brown (mmm, chocolate!), turmeric (just a pinch) for yellow, fresh beet juice for pink and liquid chlorophyll for green. I mixed the pink and yellow to make orange.
The frosting was really runny though, especially the pink, but it tasted good. 


 

Dubs had his 7th birthday and is getting too big. He is getting really good at reading and loves is baby bean so much. He is so kind hearted and will do anything for his brothers and sisters. I am so glad he is my boy. When he was M&M's size he was so cuddly. Now, he still loves mommy hugs, but is off like a flash to play squirt guns or chase the chickens. I love watching him play in the pasture form the kitchen window as I prepare dinner, it does my heart good.



























Doodle turned 10! We are in double digits. How is it that I have been a mother for a whole decade? This girl is just that, all GIRL! Everything from liking clothes to her love affair with horses. Good thing she has an amazing aunt who loves to take her on rides! She loves the chickens as well and even wanted new baby chicks for her birthday. So now, along with the 9 hens who are laying, we have 6 baby chicks (who don't look like babies anymore) who will start laying later this Summer. Eggs anyone?


I just love being their mother. All of them. I love birthdays because we all come downstairs to my computer and gather around as we look at their baby pictures and the photos of birthdays past.
It's so fun to see how they have grown and changed from year to year.
I am so proud of my kids and the smart, funny, caring people they are becoming.
Happy birthday, you two!
I'm so glad I got you!

Selfish Persons Need Not Apply

Motherhood.

It's probably the toughest job on the planet.

But the rewards?

Out of this world, amazing.

Most of the time.

I think that's what is so amazing about being the mom.

It is 100% demanding.

It requires 100% of your waking time, talents and energy... and even some of your sleeping time.

If you're doing it right it teaches you so much about true love and devotion and selflessness.

It teaches you about the kind of person you really are.

The person I am now is so different than I ever thought I was or could be.

I am strong.

I love wildly.

I sacrifice for those little people and I love to do it.

I spank (but not very often).

My heart breaks daily.

I am an amazing baker.

I found this laugh that originates somewhere in the middle of my belly and seems to be contagious.

I get so frustrated that I want to give up and just stop trying.

But I never do, ever.

I teach children to read and do long division.

I protect them from every single thing that I possibly can until I can't anymore.

I bandage owies.

I edit book reports.

I read bedtime stories out loud.

I pray with my whole heart, and I get answers on their behalf.

I see the absolute beauty in every one of their eyes.

I worry.

I run and play and jump.

I say no.

I breastfeed.

I enforce time outs.

I can tomatoes and pickles.

I do laundry and dishes and a million other things every day of my life.

I am a mother and it's the best, worst, funnest, hardest thing I've ever done.

I hope I get to keep doing it forever and ever and ever.

 So this weekend we celebrate mothers.

We celebrate mothers who worry and spank and say no.

We celebrate the love and laughter and sacrifice.

We celebrate the memory of our favorite birthday meal and how it feels to put your head on mom's shoulder and just cry.

Because in the end all a child ever wants is their mother, their happy mother with a smile in her eyes and a little laughter on her lips.

Baby Birthday

If you haven't noticed, it's been a while since I blogged.

 So long, in fact, that blogger has changed the layout of the post builder site thingy (Ya, we all know I'm real techy minded). Let's see if I can figure this out again. 

There was so much fun stuff going on there for a while that I got behind and I just didn't know where to start up again. 

So, I thought I'd do what any slacking blogger would do and start with a party!

My baby girl turned 1 mid March.

I didn't know if I should have a party or go into mourning.

But the kids wanted cake so I opted for the party.

I will not go on and on about how she is probably my last baby and now I don't have any babies left and how much that absolutely kills my mother heart.

I will say this however.

I think those people who never stop having babies until their oldest children start having babies may be on to something. 

That way, you practically never run out of babies!

Genius!

And why am I so addicted to babies?

I was never one of those teenagers that just oodled and fell all over myself at the sight of an infant.

I really was very indifferent to them.

But now...

See, this is the other reason I never blog, I think I have ADD, I simply cannot stay on topic.

Ahem, on to  little M&M's happy day!

This little one is so much like her mother, it's frightening.

She absolutely DEVOURED her very first chocolate cake.

It was sweetened with date puree just for my sweet baby girl.

I know, it sounds really weird, but...

OK, it is weird, but we all loved it.

When you're not eating sugar, even date cake hits the spot!

M&M thought the post cake bath in the kitchen sink was just as fun as the cake. As we learned in Florida, she is a water baby, through and through.

 

Snuggles after a nice warm bath are a must. And this little one happens to give the best snuggles on the planet.

Then it was onto the presents. All the kids (even the 10 year old) had fun playing on the floor with the baby toys for the longest time.

Doodle sewed M&M a rice sack because M&M steals hers at bed time every night.

What sweet sisters they are already.

We have all just fallen so in love with this sweet baby. One year olds are the best things on earth.

She started walking shortly after her birthday and we just can't get enough of her wobbly legs and zombie arms.

She loves her brothers and sister so much, she is never happier than when she's right in the middle of them playing and laughing and snuggling them.

Her laughter is absolutley intoxicating.

Dubs can get her laughing like no one else.

And whenever he does, I can not help but watch and smile and laugh right along with her.

Here's to many, many more birthdays to my baby girl who will always be my baby!