Phoebe Jean Daniel

We found out we were pregnant with Phoebe a little after our anniversary last year. We were building a house (that we ended up not buying), still living with my parents, and a baby was the last thing we were planning on! She has ended up being the best surprise of our lives! Just watching the way the kids are with her, and having her sweet spirit in our home, I know she was definitely in The Lord's plan for us.

Phoebe was born on October 30, 2013 around 2am in the morning. Her brother was born around the same time, and he's a handful (and heartful), and since they are 18 months apart I'm a little worried that I'm going to have an even crazier life when she's mobile! I went into labor the day before, and did the walking thing to speed it up, by 9pm that night I was finally progressing, and after begging for pitocin, and an epi, and having a party in the delivery room with my siblings, mom and Grant, she arrived in all her glory! It was probably the most fun I've ever had while in labor. We laughed so hard, at times I thought I would pop her out without the doctor there! My nurse was supposed to be with another delivering mother, but convinced the other nurses that she needed to be with us. She wanted to join in on all the fun! Anyway, I digress, it was instant love, and I've fallen even more in love with her since! She's a very smiley baby, like her brother, and she talks all. day. long. The noises that come from that child's mouth are some of the cutest and funniest I've ever heard. She has really plumped up nicely, and I love my squishy Phoebe Jean cuddles!

All of the kids quite simply love her. It took a little time for Teddy to warm up to her, but it's all good now. Maggie has been the most thrilled to have a little sister. I'm convinced The Lord sent Phoebe just for her. I've never seen a child so elated to hold a baby. Even four months later she says she's adorable about 15 times a day. Sienna has taken on the role of protector of her little siblings, and she loves and cares for them so much. She's begun to mature into a little lady, and I love seeing her tenderness that she has for little children. I hope she never looses that.

Having four kids hasn't been much harder than having three, and yes I think we will have one more. I know it's crazy, but I don't feel like I've hit my limit. In the midst of sleep deprivation I might say different things, but our family doesn't feel complete yet. Phoebe has made us feel whole for at least a couple of years though! Here's hoping 2014 is the year of not being pregnant for me!!!

MIA

We have been MIA for a while. Between a newborn and no sleep, and then living in the country with no high speed internet, blogging was non existent. Well my parents just found a better internet provider, and Finn is sleeping better, so I'll catch you up on our lives since May.

Life has changed. A lot. New baby, graduated, new job, and we moved to TEXAS. A year ago I couldn't imagine life outside of college, and now we are in the real world, sort of. We have moved in with my parents while we look for a place to live so we are enjoying free housing, and free babysitting. Grant and I have gone out more here in two months than we did in three years in Rexburg! I'm loving every minute of it. My dad has Tuesdays and Wednesdays off, and my mom has the weekends, so I have TONS of help. It is quite glorious, so glorious I'm in no hurry to find a place, and I love that since we were gone for so long, my parents are in no hurry for us to leave.

Aside from seeing them at my Grandpa's funeral, we hadn't been home in two years! Basically Maggie's whole life, so they have a lot of catching up to do. She's already discovered why Papa is the favorite among the grandchildren and is very attached to all of her grandparents. She went from seeing random elderly women in the grocery store and calling them Grandma, to knowing who her Mimi, Pa, Abuela, Grandma, Papa, Papa Tim, G.G. and Papa Dale are and knowing how to work them.;) I don't think any of the kids have heard the word no in two months. Finn hasn't been put down, and I have to fight to get to hold him. I don't think Sienna has had a single day without a special treat. So basically they've turned into holy terrors, but I'm loving seeing them make up for lost time.

The heat is horrible here, and everyone is old, so I'm missing Rexburg a lot. There was a safety net there, and everyone was poor so a lot of competition and dumb stuff doesn't exist there. The real world is good though, Grant loves his job, it's more money, and WAY less stress than Melaleuca. It's funny how one person can make a job unbearable, but when that person is your boss, he really can. There has been such a nice change in Grant since he quit, and I'm so glad that he did. We got to spend the first couple of months with Finn just getting to know him, and he had a very relaxed last semester. It only took two weeks after he graduated for job offers to come in, and they are still coming in! I'm so blessed to have such an amazing husband, and we have been so blessed for him to find work in this economy!

He chose an offer from a company called Jafra Cosmetics. He is over distribution, and works a lot with finance. It's a laid back work environment, and he's loving it. He uses his Spanish every day, and thinks it's so cool. Grant loves when people compliment him on how well he's mastered the language, and every day people in Mexico can't believe that he's a gringo from Texas, so that has made him feel good. I love that he's in an environment where he is constantly being built up, it was so what he needed! He just got another job offer from Lockeed Monday, and it's in Huntsville, Alabama. It's a pretty solid offer, and he's still in the 90 day probation period with Jafra so we haven't decided what to do yet. It breaks my heart to think of pulling the kids away from all the family again, but it's a great opportunity for Grant's career. Lots of praying will be going on the rest of this week, I can promise you that! I know the Lord will guide us to the right decision.

Sienna has started the first grade here and she's loving school! Today is Grandparent Day, which I think it's so cute they have a grandparent day, and my dad has off so he's going to eat lunch with her. They have such a special bond, I'm so blessed to have such a good dad. She loves seeing all of her cousins, especially her girl cousins Madison and Gracie. She likes playing with the boys, but playing princess dress up is much more her style. She hates PE, and loves music and reading. She is definitely my child. She has a slight obsession with Hello Kitty and Barbie, and loves playing chase with her little sister. She knows how to tie her shoes, and her reading is getting better everyday! I was afraid that she would be behind the kids here because they have all day Kindergarten here, and Texas schools are some of the best in the nation, but she has jumped right in, and is doing awesome! She has made new friends, and loves going to such a big campus. I'm really proud of the way she has adjusted.

Maggie is just so cute. I think two is my favorite age. She isn't the talker Sienna was, not meaning that she doesn't talk as well, she just doesn't talk as much. Her nursery leader thought that she couldn't talk until one Sunday she volunteered to say the prayer and said it just fine. She has an odd quality to her that I just can't put into words. Her looks and expressions keep us rolling in laughter. The other day my grandma, who the kids call G.G., got onto her and she came up to me just hysterically crying. I asked her what was wrong, and she said in the most pitiful voice, "My G.G. no talk to me that way!" hahaha, She just is so funny, even when she's sad or in trouble. She calls Sienna sweetheart all the time, and it's just funny to hear her scream, "I don't like you Sweetheart! You so mean!" We all call Finn Finn, or Teddy, but for some reason Mags always calls him Phineas. The way she says it is just to adorable.  She loves Micky Mouse and Barney, and tries to do everything that sister does, sometimes so much that it drives sister crazy. She hates everything but junk food, and I'm working on her, but it's hard with grandparents sneaking cookies. Right now she is eating Cheetos that she somehow got all by herself. They were on the top shelf, so I'm afraid to go into the kitchen and see the ghetto rigged contraption she risked her life to climb on to get them. It's never a chair or a step stool, it's always a box balanced on the top of a broom stick that she jumped on from the table, or something just as dangerous. Oh two is a fun age.

Finn will be five months old next week! Man time is flying! He is just now starting to sleep through the night, and I just started him on solid foods. What a coincidence!;) He has been starving since day one! He's rolling everywhere and is starting the motions of army crawling, so I think he will be mobile soon, and I'm terrified. He's the most handsome baby I have ever seen! His hair is growing in nice and thick, he has my lips, Grant's eyes, and the best smile in the world. He is never quiet. The boy loves the sound of his own voice. He is turning into a cuddly baby, which I'm very happy about, and he is the spit up king. My mom has a black area rug in the living room and after the day is done it looks like a black and white cow hide. I don't think she's ever held him without getting covered. When she gets home from teaching school each day she goes and puts on sweats so she can hold him without fear. He really had a special relationship with my Grandma before she moved. She would hold him all day long if we let her. You could see how much he adored her, and he would kick and smile every time she walked by. I have loved him being around his grandparents, it's been so neat to see him bond with them, especially since we missed out on that when Maggie was a baby.

I'm doing good. I'm finally getting more sleep, and every bit of help that I've been getting with kids is wonderful to me. After being on bed rest with two kids, and limited help, this has been heaven for me! My days are filled with children and family, so I really have the best life ever. I'm enjoying the house hunt, and I think I've found the neighborhood that I would like us to live in if we stay. I love this little life we are building! Grant just bought me a new to me car, and I miss my old one, but I love it! Now that it looks like I'll be back in the land of the living as far as sleep goes, I'm going to start concentrating on losing the baby weight from Finn, but I'm okay with the way I look now, because I have such a beautiful son to show for it! I seriously couldn't have a better life!

Newborns

Forgive me if your uterus just skipped a beat.

Thank you Katie Floyd!!!

All Hail the Graduate

Sienna Graduated from Kindergarten so hear are her six year pics to celebrate! Eat your heart out elementary school boys!

My Maggie Age 2!

Oh how I love my Maggie. She is just so pretty and funny. I love how she never walks. It's always a gallop, or trot, or booty shaking run. I love how she's such a stinker. She terrorizes her sweet older sister, and even Sienna lets her get away with it because she's so darn cute! I love her silly smiles, laughs, and her high pitched sing song,"You're welcome" any time she hears thank you. I love that she is the paci police. All babies need a paci in her head. I love how she calls her brother Phieas, never Finn or Phineas. I love that she yells "SISTER!" when she's trying to get Sienna's attention. I love the way she says Daddy, or more screams it with enthusiasm any time she wants him. Most of all I love the way she says my name, Mommy, because it means that she's mine! Happy Birthday to my wonderful little 2 year old! 

Birth Story Pics

My wonderful friend, Katie, came at 2am to take these pics for us. I will forever cherish and love them! Thank you so much Katie!!! We love you!!!