Lots of help

One thing for sure...having a new little one...well you need some help! I am so grateful for the help I have on a daily basis...

She would love to babysit her...if only 4 year olds could do that!

Hadley was so excited the first time she held Brynlee by herself...even though she is only 18 months..she really is sweet and pretty gentleBaby holding a baby

Seriously, we have had some help...Grandma Shirla came down over the weekend to meet Brynlee and to help out with all of the girls. It was really nice to have someone to play with Reese and Hadley and to help me out and give me a little break

These girls had a great time with GrandmaThen we got spoiled a little more when Ashley came for a few days. I think that Reese and Hadley thought she was here as their permanent playmate. Hadley wore Ashley out getting her to push her on the bike.

Oh...we love this little thing!

7 days old...pure cuteness

She is still very tiny....

Brynlee dropped down to 5 lbs. 8 oz. in the hospital but I think she is on her way up!

Officially 4

I had such good intentions of posting this on Reese's actual birthday...February 13th...but things were a little crazy that day. (we came home from the hospital with Brynlee)

All of that to say...my baby girl is 4 years old and all of 4 she is! She is truly grown up and so independent! She amazes me each day at how grown up she is and how much she can do by herself! She dresses herself (so great), makes her bed (granted it is not how I would do it...but that is part of being a parent...letting your kids do things the way they would), cleans up after herself when she eats, and she is a huge help with her sisters! She is 100% FEISTY...and she comes by that honestly...from me! But, I know first hand that if she can reign that in...she can do whatever she puts her mind to!

She makes me laugh because she has turned into quite the negotiator...when we are telling it is time to go to bed...or to stop playing, ect...she will say something like, "ok, mommy here is the deal...or mommy, I have an idea....or here is a better plan".

She loves coloring now and writing her name. She makes up stories about anything and everything and they are quite entertaining! She loves her sisters and on Monday she came in the door from school and said, "Mommy how is my Bryn Bryn?" I love her so much and I am truly grateful that God chose me to be her mother!

Reese's favorite gift by far...having her new sister at home! Reese got to celebrate her birthday at school and Bebe and Jason took cupcakes to celebrate!
So happy for birthday celebrations!
Excited!
She loved that her daddy got to come to school...mommy was still in the hospital with Brynlee.

When we came home from the hospital we had a little birthday celebration with Bebe and Ashley and then Aunt B and Uncle Steve came over

Playing a little "go fish" with Aunt B and Steve

Eating her cookie ice cream cup to celebrate...they were good!

MAKING HER DEBUT

Well, she made it~

Brynlee Noel Beckner

Born at 1:35 pm February 10th

6 lbs (.07 basically 1 oz)

19.5 inches long

Head full of hairI was dying to see this little thing...my first moment with her

Best Dr. Daddy ever loving on little BrynleeShe was wide eyed looking around at everyone

Can you see the excitement...she could not get enough of her little sister

Kisses from the sisters (big sisters that is....that is what the shirts say!) Hadley was intrigued with her...she kept holding out her arms saying"hold baby"

Reese wanted to know every little thing they were doing to her baby sis

Bebe with Brynlee...Bebe and Ashley came to take care of the girls for us...and seriously the girls were way more excited about Bebe and Ashley coming than anything else!

Her "itsy bitsy sister" onesie sums it up for sure...I again was shocked that she was so tiny. She has the smallest little feet and legs. She is so darn cute...and really sweet! We are in love with our little Brynlee!

18 months

This is the month (week) of milestones in the Beckner house...an almost 4 year old, 18 month old and one to soon enter this family!

Hadley turned 18 months old today! She truly is a joy for us and she makes me smile every day! (I do mean that...even though she makes me cry too). She continues to be a wild talker...she has been my little parrot for months but over the past 2 months she has begun to really communicate in sentence form. Some of her favorites are: "what making mommy?"...whenever I am in the kitchen/ "bump your head...sorry" telling me that she has hurt herself in some form and going ahead and saying "sorry" for me / "mommy take away" when she puts a toy or something in her mouth that she knows should not be in there/ and my favorite "whacha doing?" she says this all day long...it cracks me up!

Just like Reese she loves books...and will bring them to me and say "read this....peease" A little miss independent for sure...she has mastered the slides for the past 2 months
she loves to go down backwards...taught all by herself

laughing the whole wayEating is still a favorite time to be silly...and messy
A new trick I guess you could say..."singing" at the dinner table...as loud as she can!Right after this picture came the famous "whacha doing mommy?"

Hadley loves to carry her baby doll around all day...I am hoping that her love for her baby doll will translate to Brynlee very soon! Sad...my little baby girl is soon to be a big sister!

4th Birthday Party

I am realizing that I am going to be a broken record for the rest of my life saying this about my children...but seriously how do I almost have a 4 year old? We celebrated Reese's 4th birthday today...a little early as her actual birthday is the 13th...but we wanted to do it before Brynlee arrived (and I know I was pushing it a little close...but my children never come early...I think I would be pregnant for 50 weeks if it were up to my babies)

Back on track...we celebrated today at Serendipity Sweets (an ice cream/candy shoppe-shocking I know....from the anti candy mom...but that is what turning 4 is about!) right down the road from our house. It was a great party...no mess for us to clean up and the children were all entertained!

The cake...Reese's prize possession

Ice Cream Galore

Balloons are a must and very entertaining for little Hadley
My homemade ice cream cone game..."pin" the cherry on top!The shop did a little sand art activity with the girls...and of course it was sand art candy!
Then the girls each got a scoop of ice cream and were able to decorate them with a few fun toppings! (which I found Reese eating directly out of the toppings bowl)
Next...blowing out the candle...trying really hard!

Finally it is out!

Sugar and all smiles!

They each got a little treat bag and to pick out a little toy from the store!Daddy here was the lone boy...just getting used to life the next 20 years...he helped to keep Hadley entertained
Two sugared up and pooped out girls!

We had a great time but I still can't believe that Reese is almost 4!

Love and Marriage, Love and Marriage.

...

They go together like a horse and carriage...that song...so catchy!

But, my reason for writing about it...well it is all my little Reese! Here are two conversations from this week...

Conversation #1

Reese: I want to have Walt over to play

Me: ok...we can talk to his mom about it

Reese: Yeah, that is what I told him...and I told him that when he comes over I am going to wear my best princess dress and he is going to wear his best boy dress...or what do they wear?

Me: oh...he can wear whatever he wants...lots of boys wear suits or prince outfits or something when they dress up.

Reese: and I told him that when he comes over we are going to do something (laughing)...but mommy I can't tell you.

Me: (a little curious) oh you can tell me...let me guess

Reese: (grinning ear to ear)...ok guess guess

Me: (only because she talks about it all of the time) are you going to GET Married??!!

Reese: (screaming excitedly) Yes...you guessed it we are going to get married...but it is a secret. Me: ok...but we better talk to your daddy first

Conversation #2

Reese: mommy, I want to marry someone...like Hollis or Fowler or Walt

Me: well I am sure that when you are older you will marry someone wonderful

Reese: but I want to get married now

Me: why do you want to get married now...that would make me so sad...if you get married then you would not live with Daddy and me anymore...why don't you wait until you are a little older...at least 5!

Reese: Mommy (saying it with a look like, duh!), we are just going to get married in the gym at school and I won't like the person I get married to, so it is ok!

Me: oh well you want to like the person you get married to...I love your daddy and I am married to him

Reese: I know but we are just getting married in the gym and I don't want to like any of them

And yes...I am aware that the pictures have nothing to do with this...except for the sister love fest in our house!