Project 365 {2013} - Day 303

 I started out the day getting Devy ready for her costume parade at Preschool!

 

It was fun getting to take the day off of work to go spend time with her at her Harvest Party and see her and her school buddies on parade!

 We finished the day getting all the girls dolled up for Trunk or Treat! Brynna loves the go-to witch costume. I should go back and do a count of how many years she has chosen to pull this one out of the Halloween bucket! However, this year she wanted to be a creepy witch instead of a nice one and so she painted her face green! Maryn was a girl pirate, but insisted on a moustache. I told her that didn't make any sense, to which she replied "I know Mom, that's what makes it funny!" I love her quirky sense of humor! Lauryn and Devyn were the ladybug twins! They were so darn cute and loved their costumes!

Project 365 {2013} - Day 301

 Today on the way home from school Lauryn wanted to get out of the van and run home again. I love her eagerness, so I consented. This time though, Devy, not content to stay in the confines of her carseat, begged to run too. So the side door flew open and we turned them loose at the front of the neighborhood and off they went! Maryn hung out the van window, taking pictures of Devy as she raced behind Lauryn, chugging her little legs all the way home! It's these little moments when I just feel I could not love the little lives I have been given to mother any more than I already do!

Project 365 {2013} - Day 233

Good gravy this little woman is irresistible! Today was Devyn's first day of Preschool and she was so dang excited! She walked right into her classroom, hung up her bag and was ready to play and make new friends. While some other kids were whimpering and hanging on their mom's leg, Devy looked at me as if to say "Mom, I love you. Now scram." I gave her a hug and a kiss and off I went. It was weird for a second leaving my last baby there, a big kid doing the school thing, but then I decided to embrace it and be as thrilled for her as she was for herself. She had a great first day and feels like such a big girl with her own places to go and people to see!

Project 365 {2013} - Day 228

Devyn had a very fun, one-on-one Daddy-Daughter day with Justin that tuckered her out! We couldn't even get her unbuckled from her carseat without her trying to curl back up and fall asleep! Cute little turkey!

Project 365 {2013} - Day 221

 

I love the cool stare down these two were giving me! ;)

They were pooped after a day of fun at Miss Jaime's house and chilling in the carseats, waiting to be loaded into the car, while Jaime and I chatted on the front lawn. I love so much that when Devy isn't with me, she is able to be with her best friend, Laci! I hope these two stay close forever!

Project 365 {2013} - Day 206

Devyn's real birthday is tomorrow, but Laura's son, Lincoln's birthday is today. So we decided it would be fun to do a little joint, family party with the two of them at the same time. We loaded up the kids and headed to Pizza 3.14 and let the kids run with wild abandon and fists full of tokens. They declared it "The best party ever!!"

I could hardly believe, amidst the chaos of trying to capture the moment, that my sweet Devyn Ryan is three years old. She was such an unexpected surprise when she came to our family and has been a blessing to all of us ever since. I simply can not imagine our world without her sense of humor, her infectious grin and sweet sense of innocence. I love her so very much and am beyond grateful to have her in my life!

Project 365 {2013} - Day 199

I could have lost her today.

"Where's Devyn?" a voice, that sounded just like my own, silently whispered in my ear.

Just minutes before Brynna had sweetly taken her to the bathroom for me. But now Brynna was next to me and Devyn's floaties laid unoccupied at my feet. Brynna's friend had walked in just as her and Devy were walking out of the bathroom and in the midst of happy hellos, she and I lost our concentration for a moment.

As the voice whispered, adrenaline surged as I scanned the pool. There, on the opposite end, I made out a little shape, struggling to kick under the water.

Instinct took over, not even feeling the pavement beneath my feet as I flew to my baby. Running then leaping into the pool and scooping her out from beneath it's surface. She inhaled deeply and in a shaky voice said "Mommy, I held my brweaf. Mommy, dat was scawy."

I held her close and quietly hugged her. Wanting to keep calm so she wouldn't feel scared by my reaction, but meanwhile the voice in my head telling me "Sarah, it could have all been over. You could have lost her." I have never before been confronted with that in-your-face fear. That in-your-face perspective.

Later tonight after the bustle of the day ended and kids were tucked in, I crawled into her little toddler bed with her and brushed blonde curls from her eyes and stroked her freckled, baby-soft cheek. I breathed her in. Her presence, the steady rise and fall of her chest, her eyelashes laid peacefully across her cheeks. I don't know how I would ever live if something happened to any of my babies. Especially as a result of a shortcoming of my own.

I vowed in my heart to stop just being around my kids when I am with them. But to see them, appreciate them and soak them in. Because you never know when the day you wake up, could be the day that changes your life forever.

Project 365 {2013} - Day 194

Maryn was helping Devy out with her yoga poses! I love it when my girls are sweet to each other!

Project 365 {2013} - Day 189

Devyn is giving me what we call "Gorilla Eyes" in our family. Slightly suspicious or perturbed and 100% adorable!!

Project 365 {2013} - Day 177

Within minutes of me picking up Devyn and Lauryn from my friend Kathleen's house today Devy was OUT!! I think this is the sign of one very fun and successful day!

Project 365 {2013} - Day 165

Today was so crazy at work. Seven straight hours of back to back surgeries, with no downtime in between to break even for a minute to catch our breath. I was so tired that when I got home, as soon as I stopped moving, I crashed. It made my heart smile when I opened my eyes again after grabbing a power nap that Devyn had come to crash with me.

Devy & Lu

I love what good little buddies Devyn and Lauryn are becoming. Lulu just got in trouble for lying to me about eating her lunch and was sent to the corner for time out. Devy, who hadn't done anything wrong, hung her head and followed her sister to the corner. I told her to shoo, that Luey needed to do her time alone. But every time I turned around they were sitting there giggling together. Finally I said "Both of you need to go take a nap." To which they happily complied and scooted up the stairs together. I am not kidding myself. I am quite sure when I go check on them they will not be sleeping. But the fact they were eager to go take a nap, if it meant being together, pulled on my heartstrings.

Bath Buddies

 Lauryn and Devyn being bath buddies!

Monday, Mondays....I started working one or two days a week back at Dr. Taylor's office about a month ago. I started with Dr. Taylor, who is a pediatric dentist who also does orthodontics, when Justin and I first moved to Georgia back in 2000. When Maryn was born in 2003, as much as I loved everyone there, I quit to stay at home with her. Now nine years and three more babies later I am back! It's been a nice, little outlet for me and keeps my brain cells firing. But waking up at 5:00 a.m. and not getting home until about 6:45 p.m. on Mondays makes for a long day.

So I was grateful to be able to come home and give my Littles their bath before bed tonight and watch them play. It's so strange, it doesn't seem like that long ago that it was Maryn and Brynna singing and playing in the tub. Now they can run their long-legged selves to the shower and do their own thing. But my Littles, they still love a good hair-washing from Momma and relished giggling as they saw how ticked off they could get me with their splashing. I am ready to freeze these two. Because if the passage of time with their sisters has taught me anything, it's that these little, squeezable years fly by way too quickly.