8 months!

At 8 months you:

*After letting you cry it out a few nights, you are a good sleeper & usually only up once, at 4am.
*You apparently gave up your aversion to a bottle for Lent, because you will now miraculously take one!
*You clap your hands & are so thrilled with yourself when you do.
*Love eating 'big girl food' including Puffs.
*You are getting more hair. We have to tuck it behind your ears constantly or you look like you have massive sideburns.
*You lay on your back & scoot to get places (see previous post).
*You are a mommy's girl & won't let anyone else hold you if I am in the room (except daddy, sometimes).
*Are a tough girl...you took your first fall push off of the couch & cried for a shorter amount of time than your brother who 'helped' you (and got in trouble).

Oh what a blessing you are, baby girl!

Zoe's Method of Movement...

How much longer?

This little lady is ready for warmer temperatures!

5 Years ago!

5 years ago today, we were anticipating an upcoming appointment with our fertility specialist, yet again, to discuss & make plans for IVF, but I was also several days late... On a whim, I bought a pregnancy test & was expecting another negative, since that was what we had been so familiar with for the previous 3 & 1/2 years. I took it while Aaron was at work & although there was a VERY faint 2nd line, I said nothing to him. I wasn't hopeful that the test was accurate. I purchased another one & tested again the next morning while he was at a basketball tournament and it registered the same results!

It's so easy to forget all that we went through - the appointments, the surgeries, the failed attempt at IUI & the monthly heartbreaks. Sadly, it's also easy to forget the amazing answer to prayer we received, not just once...but three times. I wouldn't trade the struggles we went through! We grew individually, as a couple & in our faith!

I think the doctors that told us we wouldn't conceive naturally, would be shocked to know that we had 3 children within 3 1/2 years :) When I met with the nurse for my first appointment when we found out we were expecting Zoe, she said...your chart says you were diagnosed with infertility...and laughed knowing our successes!

Count your blessings & reflect upon the struggles!!

Spring Cleaning...

I know it's not spring, but I'm hoping by doing some early spring cleaning, it will arrive earlier :)

I came across a blog Clean Mama & it got me motivated to do some organizing & purging of unneeded stuff.

She basically picks a spot & sets a timer for 15 minutes - takes everything out of the spot, cleans it, sorts things into 3 piles (trash, keep, give away) and puts things back. I have a LOT of areas that will take longer than 15 minutes, but it's a start :) I've just been doing one area per day & I'm loving the results! I cleaned out our bathroom cabinets while the boys were taking a bath, reorganized the craft closet while they were working on an art project & last night cleaned out the freezer while they were playing a game in the kitchen. The amazing thing with the freezer is that I didn't throw anything out...cooked a couple things for supper & just stacked it better. Looking at the first picture, that's hard to believe :)

Freezer Before:

Freezer After:

Plllthhth...

Zoe thinks when we wipe her nose, she has to make 'the noise' with her mouth.