The Mighty Quinn

"Come all without, Come all within

You'll not see nothing like the Mighty Quinn"

Quinn Ashlyn has become quite the center of attention lately at our house. She is not going to let her big sister show her up much longer. She is talking (cooing) so much that she is rarely quiet anymore. Claire is always worried something is wrong but I remind her that Quinn is not upset but that she now has something to say. Quinn loves to smile and she especially likes to smile at Claire. I swear they have some sort of silent language between them, they smile at each other quite often. Quinn also has learned to roll over from her back to her tummy. She always gets upset once she gets to her tummy but as soon as we roll her to her back she rolls to her tummy again. She is grasping things and loves to put things in her mouth. I have been told that people think she is teething, we will see...all though she has started to drool a lot and I have had to put bibs on her to keep her clothes dry. She is officially in her crib in her own room. It was a struggle for me to finally get her out of our room but now that I have I am happy and so is she. She is sleeping better and loves the mobile that is over her crib. She has been sleeping through the night for a few weeks and for that I am thankful. She is growing right before my eyes and I can not believe that she is about to be 16 weeks old. She is a beautiful baby and we all love her very much and are so excited to watch her personality develop.
I have included a couple of videos of Quinn. One is where I just caught the end of her rolling over and then the other is of her talking.

Father's Day

This Father's day I was thinking about Jared. The first thing I thought was how blessed I am to be married to such a wonderful man. I am so glad that God has brought us together and that he is a good christian man that our girls can look up to. I love that he loves us but more importantly I am so grateful that he loves the Lord. I thank God daily that we have a man in our lives that will lead us and will show us and help us become more like Christ.

He is such a good daddy!! Though he is outnumbered in our household I don't think he minds one bit. It is the greatest thing to watch Claire squeal with excitement and run to him every time he walks in the front door. She looks forward to him coming home everyday and usually whatever she is playing with she offers to him or definitely wants him to see it. She gives him the biggest hugs! Jared spends every evening with Quinn on his lap, after Claire goes to bed because there is no way she would allow it otherwise, making her smile and laugh and comforting her when she is fussy or crying. He loves his girls and we all love him. (Side note: Claire did not want to take a picture on Father's Day so that is why Quinn is the only one pictured with Jared.)

VBS

This year Jared and I helped out with VBS at Southern Hills. This was the first VBS for both girls. Claire was able to be in a class that rotated to different activities just like the big kids. (She also had Uncle Preston as her leader) She was in the opening and closing with everyone where she danced when the music was played. She also was able to do crafts, bible, and games. She had a great time and she was worn out by the time we got home and went right to bed. Quinn was in the baby class and though she didn't rotate classes she was rotated between people that wanted to hold her. She is quite the sweetheart and everyone wants to love on her. By the end of the week she wanted me to hold her alot, I think she got used to the idea. Needless to say I have been happy to oblige. I am very thankful that our church has VBS and that there are volunteers willing to teach my children about the love of Jesus. Here are a few pictures from the week of the girls.



Quinn and Sarah

Claire with the pillowcase she drew on "God's Word Is Comforting"

Doing the motions to the VBS songs in the car on the way

Dancing and doing the motions in closing

Sucking on her fingers since we took away the paci while at church

Tiny Dancer

Here is Claire dancing to our VBS music and yes that is a potatoe she is holding. :)

Take 2

New song and yes those are still potatoes and yes they are for supper. :)

Since becoming a mommy of 2

Since becoming a mommy of 2...

-I have realized you can love two children the same

-They rarely take naps at the same time and when they do take advantage! Nap or shower!!!!

-My body will for sure never be the same

-The showers that were few and far between are even fewer now

-When one cries inevitably the other will cry as well

-That getting rid of Claire's paci will be difficult since Quinn has one

-Boogers, spit up/throw up are still gross and times two now

-I stress out a little faster and am still impatient and am still working on that

-I have to be organized...things have to be laid out the night before

-We are always late no matter how hard I try or plan

-To go anywhere I feel like we are moving- so many baby things

-If we didn't buy a bigger vehicle I couldn't go anywhere

-Diapers have taken over my life...I am either buying them or changing them

-Glad that things can be passed down from Claire to Quinn-saves money

-Sad that things are passed down from Claire to Quinn- I want her to have her own things.

-Thankful for Jared, he gets one and I get the other when we are getting them ready

-Parenting has now gone from tag team to man to man (Jared's terms) :)

-I have realized I am officially a mom. I dress like one, look like one, and act like one.

-I have to keep my hair long enough to put it in a ponytail, it's all I have time for to do with my hair.

-Laundry is ridiculous. How can something so small add so much to the laundry?!

-I love Stuart Little and the swing. Claire watches SL and Quinn will swing for long periods of time and be happy. Them doing that at the same time is priceless...dishes and cleaning here I come.

-The house is not nearly as clean as it used to be or as I would like it to be.

-There is something of the girls' in every room...even rooms we never go in. Not sure how that happens.

-I laugh daily because of something Claire or Quinn does. It feels so good to smile!

-It hurts when one of my children hurts

-It's still weird to say that I have kids or children

-I realized that jealousy only seems to happen when I am feeding Quinn.

-I am so happy to think of the relationship the girls will have.

-I am looking forward to hearing the girls laugh, play and even fight together.

-My heart melts every time I see Claire loving on Quinn

-I love being a mommy and wouldn't change it for anything

-God has blessed me beyond my expectations with a beautiful family. I love my girls and my guy more than they will ever know.

-My heart is still out of my body and is being shared by two little princesses! :)

Since becoming a mommy

Since I have become a mommy I have learned...
-I love being called mama no matter how many times it is said in a row.
-I have never loved like this and there is nothing better.
-My body will never be the same without some sort of surgery. :)
-It is totally worth not having that 20 year old body.
-My husband and I are closer than ever and that we love each other more.
-That Jared is a wonderful daddy and I am about to tear up just thinking about it.
-That Claire makes me laugh everyday, we all need to laugh more.
-Boogers, poo poo, and spit/throw up are not as bad when it's your own kids'. Still pretty gross though.
-I can not go somewhere without a booger, food or spit up on my clothes. What is bad is that I don't realize it till I get where I am going. I am a magnet for grossness.
-Showers come few and far between and when they do Claire is crying and pulling on the shower curtain.
-I can not go to the bathroom alone anymore. If she can't get in she is talking or crying at me through the door.
-I would not trade being a stay at home mom for any job.
-Being a mom is the hardest job I have ever had.
-I have become a morning person, I had no choice in the matter.
-That she watches everything I do and listens to what I say... I HAVE to be a good example and it kinda scares me.
-I am her example of a christian woman and that I need God's help everyday to be that.
-There is nothing better than watching your child grow and understand new things.
-Once you get around other people you still just talk about your kid. Even to those who don't have kids and probably don't care that your child is constipated. :)
-It's fun to talk to other mothers because now I have things in common with them.
-A child ages you, People thought I was 25 before and now that I am holding a kid I automatically aged 5 years. (Still better than my real age I guess)
-No matter how bad I feel Claire can cheer me up.
-I call Jared daddy and myself mommy...all the time...even when I am not talking to Claire and even when she is not in the room.
-That naming a child is a big responsibility, they have to live with that name forever!
-Jared and I are responsible for a child for the next 18 years! (or more)
-When Jared gets home I am just as excited to see him as Claire is.
-Babies have a lot of stuff!!! If you go anywhere it is like moving.
-A Ford Focus is not going to hold all 4 of us and all our stuff! My dream of owning a Mustang is officially dead...at least for a long time.
-Diapers are way to expensive, I think it is a conspiracy.
-I have to cook healthy meals now.
-I am a germaphobic. Swine flu stay away from us!!!!!
-I am not a patient person. I kinda knew that before but now I really know. It is something I struggle with everyday and I think slowly getting better at.
-That something so small can teach you so much about yourself, life, love...
-There is such thing as unconditional love.
-Your heart can be outside of your body being held by a little person.


Written 12/17/09

Update on Quinn

Quinn is growing up too fast. She is 13 weeks old and before I know it she will be Claire's age. Now that we have Claire in her room it is time for me to decide if I am ready to move Quinn into her own room and into the crib. So far, I have been putting it off. For one I love her in our room and two I am lazy and don't want to walk down the hall if she wakes up. ;) She has been sleeping through the night since she was 11 weeks old and it has been heavenly. I forgot how wonderful it was to sleep! She is the smiliest child, she is always smiling and it melts my heart. She is cooing a lot more and is focusing a lot better. She will follow me around the room now, smiling while she does. She even rolled over today for the first time!! She is such a mellow baby and not much upsets her, except for gas and then she cries as if she is dying. (I don't blame her...that stuff hurts!) We had her ultrasound on her kidneys and the cyst on her spleen this week. (It should have been 2 weeks ago but I would rather not get into it...it was a misunderstanding between me and the doctors so it got rescheduled) Good news her kidneys are working properly and are perfectly fine!! The cyst is still there but it has not changed in size and looks the same as it did when she was born. So we have nothing to worry about for now. They will check the cyst again at 1 year and then we will go from there depending on what it looks like. Praise the Lord everything turned out okay and she is healthy! The Lord has taken care of my children (Claire with her thyroid cyst) and I know he will continue to do so. I smile everyday because Quinn is in my life and it is hard to imagine life without her. Stay tuned for more developmental things from her...I can't wait!