The Arthur Family

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

One day...

Things I need to remind myself on days that I feel like pulling my hair out.

One day I will walk down stairs and there will be no toys to clean up, no reason to make a big pot of coffee because I had a sleepless night of comforting my toddler who isn't feeling good, had a nightmare or just wants mommy. Soon I won't be getting up to feed my sweet baby in the middle of the night and watch him smile at me when it is just me and him in the darkness.

One day the laundry won't be tiny little shirts, shorts and onsies that smell of sweet gently dreft.

One day my shirts won't smell of baby spit up and have stains all down the back of me.

One day my arms won't be holding my tiny babies that want me to carry them to the car, their beds, up the stairs or just want me to hold them tight.

Why do we want to rush this time? Why can't we just sit back and enjoy the beautiful ride of raising our children?

Today, my house may be clean, or it may be dirty if someone stops by. I don't care I am going to play, snuggle and squeeze my little ones cause they won't be little forever!

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Wow life has flown by!

My sweet Bobby has grown from such a fun, loving little stinker to a wonderfully sweet three year old. He is also a big brother times two! Hadley Jane went from three months to Two years in a flash and our new baby James Blaine that we call Jimmy is almost three months old!

Over the last three years I have had the best and toughest moments of my life. Learning how to keep my patience with not only one toddler but two had been a little more difficult than I thought and I have learned so much with each time I have lost it. I try to remind myself when the kiddos start to challenge me that this is how they are learning so many things and teaching me so many things at the same time.

Since sweet Jimmy was born it is almost as if I am a whole new mom. My anxiety I had with Bobby about being the perfect mom that can still do everything is gone. I now know if I don't get dinner made or the house cleaned up then we will just order out or make grilled cheeses and the house can wait until after kids go to bed. I know my husband would like homemade dinners but he now understands I don't just sit on the couch and do nothing all day. I have yet to find more than 30 minutes in any day where I am just sitting on the cough relaxing before kids are sound asleep for the night. If the kids are playing well together I am doing laundry, trying to figure what I might be making for dinner, cleaning up, feeding a baby or sometimes taking deep breaths to try and help me see past the mess of the house and just dive in and play with the kids.

I absolutely love my life with all the ups and downs that keep it more interesting.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Bobby is 10 months old!

Our little baby boy is 10 months old!!! Oh it has been so much fun to watch him grow into the fun, sweet little boy he is. Over the past few days he has learned how to finally get around on his own. No, he is not crawling yet on his hands and knees but he is army crawling all over the house. From the second he wakes up until he closes his eyes he is wanting to be on the move. Whether it be holding your hands while he walks around to the dog bowl to splash water all over the floor, the bathroom to unroll all the toilet paper or just to see how long he can go before his legs get tired. He is just so much fun. We have also seen that he may have what my family calls "Germanize". This means he has a little bit of a temper and everything needs to go by his watch or he may start to breathe heavy and give you "the look". I don't know where he got that :).

Today was a big day for Bobby... he has figured out how to sit up on his own from laying down. He has also figured out how to stand up in his crib. Thank goodness my mother-in-law Kathy lowered the crib last night!

Another first was riding in the swing with his lovely girlfriend Nora Jewel Clarkson. You may think why is that so fun? Well just take a look...

Happy 10 months Bobby Angel! We love you so much!

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Our First Family Vacation

Sanibel, FL July 25-31, 2011

Last week we went on our first family trip. Weeks before the trip I was terrified as to how Bobby would do on the plane as a 9 month old. Is he going to cry, scream, laugh, sleep or just relax? Everyone told me to chill out about it which as everyone knows, that is not really something I am good at it.

On the the flights to Florida Bobby was awake for the first half of both and fell asleep for the second half. He was a perfect angel! As we were walking towards baggage claim in Fort Meyers we spotted Nana and PopPop. I think they were wondering if Bobby would remember them, then when Bobby spotted them he was grinning ear to ear wanting to get out of his stroller and into Nana's arms. I love how he is now purposely reaching to be held by people now. Something about those sweet little arms stretching as far as they can towards you just melts your heart. Not to mention the sweet little face that is giving you puppy eyes as well.

We got to the condo and by the time I could get Bobby's diaper changed Robby walks out of the room in his swim trunks ready for the beach. The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, our little Bobby is a little swimmer not a little sunbather. When we would step foot on the beach Bobby would just look out at the Gulf as if all he wanted to do was get in there. I would lay his towel out and sit him down while I got everything else out and ready mean while Bobby would be sitting there screaming crying reaching those arms up at me with those puppy eyes filled with tears. Daddy would then swoop him up and off they went to the water.

Almost instantly when Bobby felt the water on his toes he would start bending over trying to get his face under the water. He only lasted 20 minutes or so in with the salt water and then off we would go to the pool where he would kick, scream, laugh and play for another 30 minutes or so.

We had so much fun taking naps in the big bed together along with some nights. Having a pack and play next to a bed with a crying baby in the middle of the night does not fly with mommy. Bobby would always end up in bed between us snuggled close to mommy. Even though he woke up many times in the night it was probably my favorite way to sleep. Every time he would wake up, he would nuzzle close to me as I rocked my hips back and forth to put him back to sleep. I just loved feeling his breath on my chest and his little fingers touching my arms.

Bobby had many firsts while at the beach... his first flight, time on the beach, in the Gulf, walking while holding onto mommy or daddy's hands and his first boat ride. We took a ride on the Thriller, this took us all around Sanibel and Captiva Island. On they way back we had some friends that were having fun in the wake behind the boat.... yes they were dolphins. So Bobby got to see is first dolphin.