Happy Birthday GREG!!

Well today is a big day! Greg turns the big 3-0!! Finally he is as old as me! I spend countless hours blogging about my precious children so I thought today I would change things up a bit and get sappy about my Greg. It did all begin with him didn't it?

We've been together for a decade this year. A decade!!! WOW! I look back and wonder how it has been that long. I was just a baby when I first met Greg. We've grown up a lot together in our twenties. We got engaged in the early days, had a beautiful wedding...mmmmm... ..one of the greatest days of my life. We found the PERFECT place in the world to live, our barn. I feel like we grew up a little there. It was sad to leave. Then we grew up a little more and bought our first house. We were starting to feel like real grown ups then. Then we stepped into a new land of becoming parents. That is a journey I think we expected to come out differently. He stood beside me in the darkest moments I have ever experienced. He held my hand and told me it would be ok. He stood strong beside me and faced the fact that we might never be able to have our own children after mourning the loss of the baby we would have had. I watched him grow up a little more the day Kennedy was born. He instantly became a wonderful daddy, even worrying so much about her being in that awful incubator! He stepped away from a job that was comfortable to him to step out and support his family even more. He traveled more than he wanted to in those early days, but he did it for us. I watched him grow up even more when we had our son. He's a man of constants, my Greg. He likes things the way they are. He wants it to always be a happy same old thing place. I think as we've walked together through those wonderful twenties, he has seen that life is not always that. But as you walk, if you have your best friend at your side it might just be ok to step outside of that familiar path and seek out things you never expected.

He's the patient one. I'm the one tapping my toes. He's the pillow and I am the rock. He sees the sunshine when sometimes I am seeing clouds. He's the calm and I am the storm. I think that is why we work so well together. I am so thankful to have married my best friend. He might snore really loud and the way he sneezes makes me cringe just thinking about it, but I am truly happy. He loves our children more than I could ever ask for. He loves me unconditionally no matter what. He is patient and kind and is truly my love. I look forward to the next 30 years as we grow up even more together! Maybe we will be resting by then because our kids will be in their 30's! Happy Birthday my Greg! I love you!

A few extra prayers

I wrote about this couple a few months ago when their daughter was born. She was born with a heart condition and went through surgery shortly after she was born. She has been heavy on my heart since the day I first heard about her. I don't know if it is the mom in me that aches for Bethany going through this with her precious daugher or whatever it is, but they are a family I pray for all the time. Her name is Emma Kate and she just went through another surgery. I feel like she could use all the extra prayers she can get so if you can take a minute to pray for her. I don't know why people have to go through things like this but I do believe in God's healing power. He can heal all things. Here is the link to her Daddy's page, Brooks, if you want to read a little about her. I am sure her parents will appreciate your prayers.
http://bkeis4.blogspot.com/

What are my kids up to lately?

Well, we made it out of the week of being sick! Yay!! I thought I might give a quick update on what the old kiddos are up to lately. They are growing up so fast!

Whit has entered the world of solid foods. I am not a fan of feeding babies. I would much rather just nurse them forever (strange I know!) So I wait until that day they turn exactly 6 months old to put anything other than precious breastmilk in their mouths. Whit enjoyed his cereal, we moved on to a little sweet potatoes and he really liked those. Last night I tried bananas and he shuddered when I put them in his mouth! Then he made a horrible face and gagged. I thought really? Are they that bad? So I try again...same response! Actually there was even more gagging the second time! Tonight we tried peas and he made a face at first but then really warmed up to them. He ate half a baby food container! What a big boy!! I have all these visions of making my own baby food this time. I might want to get started on that now that we are actually eating things now! He seems to really enjoy eating. He is such a big boy in his big high chair. He eats while we eat dinner (his favorite time of day) so I think he feels like he is participating now. He is growing up so fast! STOP IT!!

And Kennedy.....I don't know how to put that child into words that describe her correctly. The things she says make us laugh so hard. She is really into playing pretend. Her thing this week has been washing my hair and tucking Greg into pretend bed. She says she is going to come back and check on him because I do that for her every night. So sweet! She has finally gotten over our bedtime craziness and settles down again fairly well. Unless Chad and Jen's dogs bark and wake her up! Here are a few recent Kennedy conversations.

Whit eats his bananas and spits them out. "He no like those. Whit, you no like bananas? I want some. Let me have some!" We give her the baby food because he clearly is not going to eat them. She takes a bite, "I no like it, I no like baby food! Gross!"

We are cleaning up the bath toys and she says (to the toys) "Clean up, gotta go put on my jammies, gotta watch George, and go night night. Gotta close my eyes!"

My favorite: She looks at Whit and says, "Hey Whitty, Whitty!"

She hurt her finger and says to him, "I hurt my finger Whit. See it?" I really love when she talks to him.


My life is a whirlwind but I think it is supposed to be that way. My kids are growing up way too fast, but each moment is so precious. Each in its own way...that is except this morning when Kennedy wakes up at 5:00 and I never really go back to sleep and have to get up at 6:00...I could do without those moments. :) I'll take the good and the bad. It is worth it!

6 Months and he'll melt your heart!!

Well, my Whit is now officially half a year old!! What?!!! Time does fly. I wonder sometimes what it will be like to have no babies around anymore. I love having a baby in the house! When Kennedy just started growing out of the baby stage, Whit arrived! I will say that his personality is about100 % sweet. He looks at you and with those sweet eyes he says, "thank you for having me." He just appreciates being here. :) Hang around him for a few minutes and you'll see. He will warm your heart in a second this sweet boy! I took LOTS of good pictures so enjoy!

At 6 months
*You have 2 teeth!! Check out the first picture and you'll see them if look really closely.
*You've now had your first meal...rice cereal and some sweet potatoes. Yum!
*You are on the move...at least in a circle. You will spin and spin to get somewhere. You also like to roll but haven't figured out that you can get places doing that.
*You are a professional bouncer!!! You love to stand in my lap and bounce and you really love your jumperoo. You will bounce forever!
*You are starting to care when I come and go. This morning you looked at me like, "pick me up" and I had to run to get something and you started screaming!
*You smile, laugh and enjoy everyday. You are so appreciative of life in general. I know I keep saying that but I am trying my best to describe your sweet personality. You just LOVE life! I love that about you my sweet boy!
*You are nowhere near sitting up. It goes like this...sitting position...I let go....you fall! Poor thing! You are much more interested in crawling!

Your babyhood is flying by before my eyes. I can no longer hold you like an infant and snuggle you close. You want to stand, bounce, and look around! You laugh at your sister on a daily basis. She says, "Hey, Whitty Whitty!" I look at you and wonder where the days have gone. I do so love the stage you are in now. You are becoming a little person who loves his family. You love to be around us. You love everything we do. You really make our home more complete. I am so thankful, my Whit, to have been given the chance to be your mom. I hope you can look back on these words and see how much we love you. I hope you can someday see that I would move mountains for you. I look forward to all that life brings for you my son. A son....what a great gift! I love you!

I know this one is gross, but Whit has really discovered Riley lately. He will just rub her back and she just sits there and lets him. He has a tendency to grab and pull which he has done to poor Riley and she is so patient with him. I think the look on his face is priceless in this picture. The dog that hated babies has really changed her feelings hasn't she?

Bath time is a fun time for Whit! He LOVES a bath!

His first meal...a little rice cereal and breastmilk! Yum!! Kennedy had to help out in the feeding process. She has been waiting on this day for a long time!

All done! He loved it!!

A morning to sleep in!

Whit stayed home again to recover a little more today. Kennedy had a doctor's appointment to check her ears again (she had an ear infection a few weeks ago) so the babies got to stay in the warm house this morning with their DaDa! And I for the first time that I can remember drove right by Miss Michelle's and went straight to work! Did I get there early you might ask....of course not! I was running in like I always do! Weird how that happens! They were so cute all cuddled in the bed this morning I had to snap a few pics. Kennedy and that hair....whatever will I do?

And as I am taking pics, Riley pops out! She does love a warm bed too! Oh and Greg does get a few bonus points for being Mr. Mom today. He didn't complain too much and I think he kind of liked it.....Whit is really sweet you know!

Bless his baby heart!

Well, Monday brought an ear infection to the Olliff house. Yes, my dear sweet Whitfield got his first sickness! Poor thing! He woke up with a 100 degree fever and I knew instantly. He had been tugging at his ear for a while with no fever and no fussiness. Then the cold set in and then came the fussy baby. He has made it almost 6 full months without even a stuffy nose! That is a big accomplishment if you ask me! You can tell in the first picture how stuffy he is. Those little eyes are droopy and swollen. It is so sad when a baby is sick! I am so thankful for having family close. My sweet baby has been loved on a lot and is on his way back to good health. Maybe we can make it through the rest of the week healthy! We'll see!

A bit overwhelmed but I think I see sunshine ahead!!

Ok, so it has been said that I have a perfectly happy life. I blog about my happiness on a weekly basis. I love my children. They are precious. They do such wonderful things I feel the need to share it with all my family and friends. I haven't gotten out my camera all week, hence the no picture blogs. What in the world? This has been a tough week and I feel the need to reflect on it to prove that life doesn't always turn so peachy wonderful but it still is pretty darn good.

Kennedy has been taking FOREVER to go to bed at night. We put her down, she screams. She gets up 30 times. She screams some more. I am so exhausted when I finally get her down I can't even move. Then I look at the clock and realize it is time for me to go to bed! Last night we went to a movie and came home late. She was up until at least 1:00 last night. Same deal, screaming! Poor Whit, bless his baby heart, has been so sweet and goes to bed early so we can deal with his crazy sister. Did I mention Greg was out of town so I am doing this by myself? I did get her down tonight in about 30 minutes which is a record for this week. I am following the advice of a friend and going back every few minutes to check on her. Her knowing I am doing that seems to calm her a bit. She actually didn't cry at all tonight. Becoming a mom was wonderful. What came after was ever more so. I know I have so much ahead of me with these precious children. We will have ups and downs. As frustrated as I have been all I have to do is look at these sweet children and remember. I can remember how I prayed for them. I can be thankful for the problems because if I didn't have them I wouldn't have my babies. I have a friend at work with a very sick child. He is in and out of the hospital all the time. The doctors say his illness is terminal. His answer is that he doesn't know what God has planned for his son. He says he believes He will heal him, but if He doesn't it doesn't reflect His power to do so. That comment will stay with me forever I think. So whatever you are walking through, be it joy or sorrow or anywhere in between, there is a reason. We take what we get and I am looking forward to the sunshine tomorrow. Even if it rains. :)