ike: 6 months and rockyp: 29 months

post by casey.

you guys, we had just about the best weekend! And it's a Monday morning and I'm still reeling from those Good Sunday Vibes:). It helps a bit that getting Homer up and ready for school was painless and 2 out of 3 kiddos are still sleeping - Theo JUST got up at 850AM! But it was such a wonderful weekend and there were so many moments that brought those happy tears to my eyes. It seems that a growing trend in my most favorite memories, involve me sitting somewhere with a baby on the boob and Jacob in the distance...plus 3 more kiddos this time:).

okay, lets get to it. 

SO many milestones these last few weeks and in the upcoming weeks. Ike is 6.MONTHS.OLD and Homer will be turning 6.YEARS.OLD in a week. From day to day, I hardly have enough time to dwell on any of this but you bet I make time to REALLY let the reality of TIME and AGE and my BABIES and LIFE wash over me in the darkest of nights...lotssssss of quiet sobbing happening between the hours of 1147PM and 123AM;).

ike is 6 months old. He is in that little bubble of PERFECTION. Rocky on the other hand *side eye* - we'll get to him;).

ike is almost 19lbs and I think he'd actually be closer to 20lbs had we not lost some ground when he was in the hospital - if you missed that, there's a post HERE. He's still exclusively breastfed and doing well with that. I haven't added solids and I'm probably gonna keep being super lazy taking that approach until he's closer to 9 months:).

he's not sleeping through the night and I really have no clue how much he sleeps because I just don't keep track. He sleeps when he sleeps and it is what it is. He does take 2 pretty solid naps during the day though!:)

ike still has a cough. Still...or again!? It's all pretty much the same at this point. I think we're just gonna be working through respiratory issues until he's a bit older, unfortunately. But he's taking it all in stride and luckily, nothing more serious has come of it.

we still have a thumb sucker andddddd it's prettyyyyyyy adorable. I'll worry about whether he'll be sucking his fingers in his 1st Grade Photos when the time comes;).

he's scooting all over the place. Rolls nonstop. If I had to guess...I THINKKKKK we may have a walker at or BEFORE a year. Anything before 14 months would be a record for our babies;):).

ike is just the best. Smiles nonstop. Talking up a storm. Loves being outside. Loves being cuddled. He's wonderful and we love him so so SO much!

and thennnnnn there's Rocky.Freaking.P. I'm seriously laughing to myself just thinking about this goof ball! Oh man. Just when you think they'll have no personality at all;).

rockyP is a riot. He's also a terrible listener. Which is pretty typical of his age but we're working on it:). As you can see here, he was taking a new smile out for a spin for these photos - the squinty eye variety;). 

he prefers to actually do some walking on our walks, as opposed to riding in the stroller. Sometimes he has a choice, most of the time he doesn't...due to the above mentioned listening issue and oncoming traffic;/. 

he is a good sleeper. Still in his big boy bed on the floor but I think we're ready to get him up off the floor and into an actual bed!

Sometimes in the morning, he gets up and just looks out the window for a while. Watches the buses going to and from school and just keeps to himself for a while:).

rocky is talking up a storm and we're gaining some ground there too...we can understand about 72% of what he says now;). 

rocky keeps us on our toes and I wouldn't change a darn thing about him!:) He's so feisty and hardly ever eats. Until he does...and then he eats anything that ain't tied down;). He sings, he dances...he's a one-man-variety-show!!! 

don't be fooled, though...as much as he makes me laugh...he's got me losing my shit;).

BUT guess what...the windows are open now with this weather and so that means I've got to try and keep my 'temper' under control for all those ears out walking by;).

love my boys and as much crazy as they bring...they bring so much more fun than I could have ever imagined!:)

all of a sudden, I'm fulfilled.

post by casey.

so a lot of days I feel like I should be doing more. I'd like to do more...as far as being more productive with my time, being more present with the kids, wanting less, spending more time outside, really taking advantage of our days while I get to sort of do as I please with our time, etc. BUT I've also struggled a lot with feeling like I should WANT to go back to work. I should WANT a career. I should want something more for my days than staying home with the kids. 

i had a 'break-through' of sorts after talking to my best girl, Gerdie:) and listening to Dax Shepard's Podcast - The Armchair Expert, Seth Green Episode. Love his Podcast!!!

from those two conversations it kinda hit me that I am fulfilled.

Being a wife to Jacob has given me the most self confidence I've ever known. Being a mom and staying home has made me feel more fulfilled than anything I've ever done or hoped to do. 

maybe not wanting 'more' than what you have right now feels like a weird place to be and that's not to say that my feelings on that won't evolve and I won't find myself back to work in a more traditional sense, someday. BUT it seems like a weight lifted to finally not feel like I'm not doing enough. Like I need to keep looking. 

is this what being content means, really!?

con·tent

[kənˈtent]

ADJECTIVE

1. in a state of peaceful happiness.

how I look hardly ever.

how i look mostly always.

now, this is where I'm at. This is most likely not where you're at. And that's good! That's okay! What I hope for you, whether you're a stay-at-home-mom or a work-from-home-mom or a full-time-working-mom or an i-don't-know-what-the-fuck-I'm-doing-mom;) or if you don't have kids at all...this is more of a LIFE feeling...my hope is that you're fulfilled. That what you're doing, whatever that is, brings you joy and contentment. Is there anything worse than wishing you were doing something other than what you are at the moment? 

can I also admit that I woke up after a long night of NOT sleeping with a coughing baby. I was vomited on and cried on and my 4yr old joined me at 1AM. And I, luckily, insisted that Jacob sleep on the couch so that he could get sleep (I know they say not to keep score but you bet your ASS I'll be getting pay back for the last few nights;)...not surprisingly, I woke up in a foul mood. My husband sensed this...or maybe me saying: "hey, thanks for leaving the house a complete fucking disaster for me babe. Have a GREAT day!!!!" made it obvious that I wasn't feeling JOY this morning;). 

every day isn't going to be the picture of joy and rainbows and house-trained puppies;). Even at 35yrs old and finally knowing and accepting that I'm RIGHT where I should be....some days...I can't do the dishes one.more.god.damn.time. I don't WANT to get the kids milk. I don't WANT to change another diaper. Some days I think it might kill me if I have to. I would like to think that with any job, ideal or not...you're going to have some not so great days.

but this morning, I quietly cleaned and made my way to the dishes and washed my face and poured a cup of coffee and the sun shined for a bit and did the things that I need to do...it's not always easy. And there is no big plan today. No exciting adventure. But as I sit here, I'm overwhelmed with happiness - I'm also hearing the kids tear apart the DVDs and slide them across the floor...WHYYYY!?!?!?!?!?!;). 

i hope you're happy today:).

theo daisy turns FOUR.

post by casey.

i should have written this post a few weeks ago, when Theo actually turned 4. Not this morning...when she so clearly woke up on the wrong side of the bed. There's never been such a wrong side. 

She's been kicking toys around. I've threatened to take her back to bed several times. She put a piece of toast in the toaster and then when I offered to butter it she freaked out cause "I don't WANT TOAST!!". Obviously, I read those signals wrong;).

The rest of the kids are still sleeping and so she's trying to be loud enough to wake them up...

she's trying to drag me down with her. I refuse. BUT I may have thrown my hands up and said: "SURE! FINE! BE THAT WAY! Kill bunnies and teach your friends how to spell the FWORD! GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR LIFE!!!!".

suddenly, she's all smiles and comes to tell me that she just "tooted in the kitchen" and would also like to cuddle. Can she be trusted?!?!;)

Theo Daisy is 4:)

i remember when contractions began - check-out her birth story HERE and HERE. I remember knowing that she was a little chunk, compared to her older brother, the minute she arrived (she was 8lbs12oz and Homer was 7lbs4oz:). I remember that we went in with 2 names and Theo was the underdog. Neither of us really thought we'd end up using it. BUT once she was in my arms and they asked us what her name was...I looked at Jacob and said...Theo! He even asked me if I was sure because we had been so set on the other name! - I'm withholding that other name because it's still in our top 2 baby girl names and you just never know;).

theo is named after her Great Grandfather. My mom's dad. Alden Theodore Bieze. 

i remember Jacob, Homer and I had just moved into our current home and we were pregnant with Theo. While we were painting the bathroom, late one night, I muttered on for 30min about a potential middle name to go with Theo and Jacob finally had to tell me to just spit it out! I was almost embarrassed to suggest Daisy because I thought Jacob would think I was nuts. 

"what about Theo Daisy?"....

Jacob: "........I like it!".

i've got a long history with daisies and they're my favorite flower and so here we are:).

although, I will admit that after she was born we somehow misplaced her little stamped feet and so we took her back in a few days later to get that redone. When they were filling it out they asked us what her middle name was and both Jacob and I looked at each other, both kinda embarrassed to admit that we'd given our baby girl the middle name Daisy!;). That being said...we said it out loud that day and we've never felt anything but pride since!

theo has been such a blast! She's so full of personality!! She's much less sassy than her older brother but that doesn't mean she doesn't have her days;). 

she's such a good helper. We 'clean-up' every day after Rocky goes down for his nap. She loves to help with Ike and soothe him if he's upset. She likes to wake Rocky up after nap time or in the mornings. 

she's so good at playing by herself! She loves figurines right now! Anything "Horsey or Unicorn"! She's obsessed! She lines them up. She plays house with them. As I'm typing this up, she's playing alone and telling stories and playing pretend...although, it seems that one horsey has died and one is in jail and the other horsey's sisters are helping him get out of jail...?!?!?!

we took Theo and WillB out to dinner for their birthdays:).

Theo was born on 3/30/14 and Will on 4/2/14.

as much as I'd love to have another baby girl...I really can't imagine Theo ever having to share her space in this family with another girl. I guess we shall see:)

Happy Birthday Theo Daisy!!!!

You are absolutely one of a kind!:)

a complete softball team

post by Courtney

surprise!!!

just kidding ;)

photo courtesy of Dave

sharing this news isn't much of a surprise to anyone (except the dentist and his hygienist who I saw early this pregnancy. he asked me if this was my first: nope. then asked how many this was: our tenth... he was speechless. literally. and I am well aware how TEN sounds ;)

well before Coy celebrated his first birthday, we were being asked when the next one would be coming along. repeatedly.

so for everyone who has been so patient, baby Smith #10 is expected mid-October!

photo courtesy of Lia

my mood is better than when I wrote this post (you're welcome!) while pregnant with Will, but most of the questions you may have can be answered there. a couple extras/modifications I thought of: 

Q: Haven't you run out of names? 

A: Yes. Yes we have. Throw some letters at me. 

It may be a one syllable, two letter name this go around.

Q: Is this it for you guys then?

A: I am more receptive to more babies than Dave, but my body (and maybe mind) are receptive to no more babies. that doesn't really answer the question well... this is my second pregnancy holding the title of advanced maternal age {insert eye roll}  and I can't be sure when I earned the titles of multigravida and grand multiparity. I just like to think those titles make me extra special ;)

and what does one do after they find out they're pregnant. indeeeeed. online shop ;)

1 + 2
I've got a slight obsession with boat neck tops. yet I have not a single one in my wardrobe. why not get some maternity tops that I'll wear only a hot second. doh.

3
am I ready to wear a form-fittingish dress with my tenth pregnancy? we shall see. but this wouuuuulllllddd look adorable with my red Toms!

4
if you see me in this very outfit from August until the end of October... I'm not sorry ;)

5
I may or may not have eyed this up for each one of my October babies and never pulled the trigger. it's currently on sale and calling my name yet again! 
although, a friend's beautiful daughter had this one on and it's pretty dang adorable. 
wish I wasn't obsessed with hoods!

6 + 7
baby sandals are always adorable.

8
we're leaning toward girl over here. which means, in Casey's experience, it's a boy. 
but good golly, how cute is this romper!

***

let the online shopping continue! 
and the mint bonbon
:)