You know you've nursed 4 babies when your boy stands up on your bed and says, " HEY, look at my boobies! I think I just saw milk squirting out of them!". Hahaha!! 

Happy Harrell

Today I became a Baseball Momma! Although Superdad and I feel like it is a little too young to start, the whole fam has been looking forward to this day! Graham has asked for days...no weeks...no MONTHS when it was going to be time for him to play baseball. Growing up in a family who loves athletics and being married to an all star college baseball player, I will admit that I am excited that Big G is excited to play ball! SuperDad and I both agreed that no matter what, we just want him to have a good time. WELL.....that was not a problem! Smiley boy got nicknamed Happy Harrell by his coach. All through practice and during the game he did not stop smiling. During the first practice, (which Pop Pop got to attend) I was able to hang out for a while, but then I needed to nurse GT. As I sat in the car and watched the practice from afar, my eyes swelled with tears and they streamed down my face. It was the cutest thing I had ever seen! I couldn't hear what was going on, but watching my boy toss ball with his dad was priceless. Due to spring break, we were not able to have a practice for a few weeks. G was devastated. He asked every day when his baseball game was. First practice, March 15th The night before his game, he blessed us with this sweet and funny prayer: After thanking God for "this wonderful day and wonderful night and having so much fun with my friends" Big G said, "and I pray for my baseball game tomorrow and that we win and that we have lots of fun and that nothing bad happens and that If we win we get a special treat, like a medal or a toy....or like a uh crown, like a KINGS crown. But if we loose then that is ok because we can get the special treat the next time. But I REALLY hope we win so I can get the special prize!" ( let's hope he is satisfied with just a snack!) FINALLY the day arrived! When my boy put on those baseball pants and his new uniform, my heart started beating a little fast! Oh how I love a boy in uniform. The day could not have been more perfect. The weather was amazing, and my boy had so much fun! The fact that he did pretty well too also helped! :) Because the game was smackdab in the middle of naptime, G went on with dad to the game then I arrived with the littles right before. Just a few quick snaps before the game: Mamaw and Papaw drove all the way here so that they could be here for the excitement of the first game and so they could see a game before Papaw started his fishing tournaments. G batted 4th! The boy was seriously so excited that he could barely concentrate on what he was doing. He even hit the tee a couple times before hitting the ball because he was just so worked up! You will see through all the pictures that I am not lying when I say he smiled the WHOLE time! Graham is a pretty quick runner, and he thinks his cleats make him even faster! Again, he is smiling rounding those bases. Big G mainly cracked me up when he took the field. He played 3rd first and then pitcher and then first base. I was very proud of how he hustled after the ball. He ran after it everytime, which even resulted in him ending up in the outfield a few times and scuffling with his own teammates over the ball! :) Hey Momma! I love this moment between him and his daddy: High Fives: Baseball READY Bitty Braves! And my favorite!Be still my heart! Good Game! G was so excited his friends came to watch I am very proud of how well he listened and paid attention and did what he was suppose to! I am looking forward to many days and nights spent of the ball field. Go Bitty Braves! (Oh, and one final note, as he ran to first base for the first time, I got a huge lump in my throat and my eyes swelled with tears....HAPPY HAPPY FULL OF JOY AND PRIDE BASEBALL tears!)

But I REALLY....

We are at my parents house visiting. This always poses a problem when it comes to sleeping. My kids go to bed late and wake at the crack of dawn. After 5 years, sister has finally figured it out and will sleep.....IF her brothers don't wake her up. So, trying to keep them quiet is always a challenge in the mornings. I can't even speak the ungodly hour that little g woke up. He was using every excuse to get out of the bed. His primary choice was, "I'm really hungry! I really want to get up!" Then he said something that reminded me of something he would say at least 20 times a day when he very first started talking and didn't know how else to express himself. He still bust it out every now and then when he is begging or REALLY wants something. "BUT I REALLY!!" I.E. Me: We are not going to do that right now. We will do it in a few minutes. g: BUT I REALLY!! This means: But I REALLY want it. I REALLY want to. I REALLY REALLY WANT WHAT I WANT! and you know what....sometimes I feel the exact same way. BUT I REALLLLLLY!

As baby G is sitting in my lap, g decides to climb all over us. He comes very close to kicking baby G in the head. I tell him not to do that because he almost kicked his brother in the face. His response: it'll be ok! I'll give him a kiss. And he preceded to kiss him on the head. I love this stage where they think that a simple kiss from mommy makes it all better! ( Yes, I know that he needs to be aware of his surroundings and that there are real consequences and that sometimes kisses can't fix everything) BUT in the meantime if my baby needs me to kiss a scratched knee( which he had plenty of) by golly I'm gonna smooch away!

Easter 2013 Part 1

As I am typing this post, I am stealing glances of my kids running around the yard playing who knows what. Today I am thanking Jesus for this GORGEOUS sunshine! *on a side note, I must say "Thank you Jesus" often, because I have overheard both boys belt out on occasion, THANK YOUUUUU LORD JESUS, in their best southern preacher voice. Last week was cold, rainy, and dreary. I was bummed out because we didn't get to have our Easter Egg hunt with friends. Then I was perturbed because I knew their new clothes were going to get muddy for the church Egg Hunt. REALLY??? THESE are my concerns. Can you imagine what the day was like for Jesus and his friends on that "Good Friday" so many years ago. As I read from our Jesus Storybook Bible, the kids had so many questions as to why the soldiers beat and mocked Jesus. WHY would they put nails in his hands and feet? As sister and I cried, G wanted to know why they would put a crown of THORNS on his head and why he had to carry his own cross. Yes, that day was a sad sad day, and Saturday, well....can you imagine how everyone was feeling that day? Crumby ole Saturday. BUT so much JOY comes in the morning. Thanking God for sending his son JESUS to take the blame and punishment for all of my wrong doing. To die on the cross as punishment for my sins. And mostly that he is RISEN! Christ the Lord is risen indeed! Lila has been singing the Old Rugged Cross with tear filled eyes. This week she has been singing When I survey the Wondrous Cross. I'll be real honest and say I am not sure where she learned that one. She said not from school. Maybe I sing that more than I realize??? It is so precious to see the wheels turning and knowing that she understands what Jesus did for all of us. Graham has been glued to the TV series, The Bible. I did make SuperDad turn it off during the crucifixion because I was afraid it was too much for a 4 year old to be watching. He cried and cried that he did not get to finish watching. Some days I think he is going to be my bible scholar. Right now I just pray that he comes to know Jesus and loves him and shares that with others. Graham is also my one who had zero interest in making the resurrection rolls. He was too busy playing, but after we got started he quickly joined in. He was the one who was the most excited about Jesus being alive and wanted to tell everyone that the tomb was EMPTY! Well, despite the wet and muddy ground, we made it to the church egg hunt. And yes, they did get their clothes I made for them dirty, but I did not care....they had the best time! The bigs were super sweet in helping GT with his eggs. He just wanted to eat them: If I ever needed my video camera it would've been when it was g's turn to hunt. He all the sudden decided he did not want to go get his eggs. I think Pastor Bunny freaked him out a little. :) When they blew the whistle for his group to go, he just stood there! Both I and the bigs tried showing him what to do by putting eggs in his basket. He did NOT like that! He stuck out those pouty lips, furrowed his brows, reached down in his basket and THREW the eggs out and back onto the ground. I finally had a flashback to last Easter remembering that he would not move on to a new egg until he had eaten the candy in the one he had. So, I opened up an egg, showed him that candy and gave him a few pieces. It was like a lightbulb went off! A grin slowly started to spread back on his face. He tucked that candy into his pocket and took off hunting. He still wanted me with him, so I think he was a little overwhelmed by all the people and was actually being a little shy. He even found a money egg with a dime in it! He was super excited to come home and put it in his "Penny bank." It cracks me up to hear him call it that, but I totally think that Penny Bank makes much more sense than Piggy Bank anyway! Big G was so funny hunting his eggs. He had a perma-grin on his face the whole time. He would pick up an egg, shake it, and only keep it if he heard it rattle. If it didn't rattle, he just threw it back down. He also wanted nothing to do with the pink eggs! Sister was on a mission. There was a HUGE egg right in the middle of the field. She decided she wanted to try for it. At first we were all about it, however after Superdad and I scouted the competition and our starting location, we tried to coax her to go for all the eggs that were right in front of her that no one else would be getting. She said No and was determined to go for the BIG one. Secretly, I loved this, but I also didn't want to see her fail and get her feelings hurt. Here is the thing...I think she totally could've gotten it, IF momma would have put her in some real running shoes. Poor girl had on 2 sizes too big boots, so they started to come off as soon as she started running. She didn't get the egg, but she was totally fine with it and was a super speed egg picker upper. In previous years, she was like her brother in that that she was very selective as to which eggs she wanted. She would only go for the pink or purple or sparkly or flower eggs. This year, it was all about getting as many as she could! g even chased her all the way across the field to put a pink egg in that he found for her: As usual, the egg hunt was a total success! The kids loved the hunt, but they also enjoyed all the bounce houses, slides, and obstacle courses, and of course getting to see the Easter Bunny! I'm pretty sure GT is saying, "What are you talkin' about Preacher Bunny??" Even I got my picture made with that Trickster Bunny: