Little bits of life update

Well, the time keeps creeping by whether you like or not. Some days it can not go by fast enough for me, I am done with my big belly and I have 2 more months to go, and then other days I want time to slow down so I can cherish my other girls and all the joy they bring.

Audrey has officially given up her pacifier 1.5 wks now and it went surprisingly well. We had all the girls gather in the living room in the evening and had Audrey put all of the pacifiers we had into a bag and say good-bye as her older sisters cheered her on saying what a big girl she was. Then she went to bed without it and really did not fuss much. She has asked for it here and there but no fits over it being gone. What a blessing that has been. She is such a talker so with out the pacifier around I don't know if her vocabulary has increased or we just get to hear a lot more of it. She loves to sing and if you give her a stage of any sort she will gladly perform for you. Her favorites are "Baby Beluga", "Happy Birthday", "Jesus loves me", "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes". She picks up songs so quickly. A very precious memory she gave us this week was Wednesday morning she started to say ballet and so we put some music on for her to dance to but it was Jack Johnson and she quickly told us "No Ballet" and so we had to find some classical music to dance ballet to. Once the music was right she began to dance on her tippy toes and copy our arm movements for ballet and tilt her head from side to side. It was too cute.

Sage is still into her bags and all the little things she can find to put in them. On a recent trip to Scottsdale to visit her Old Nana and Tata she picked out a bag from her Aunt Gloria's gift wrapping bag stash. She wanted the pink one which just so happened to be the Victoria Secret bag. So now we have a very special bag full of trinkets from Old Nana to keep track of and carry everywhere. Key Phrases from Sage of late are: "You are my Hero Daddy" (after he untangle one small hair from her bib that was caught), "You are my best Mama, Papa, Audrey" (whoever might be her love of the moment), one from a while ago that I don't want to forget was when I was putting her in the car and she place both hands on my cheeks and said "precious". Lately we have had just not stop talking from Sage whether she thinks you are listening or not and so it is hard not to tune her out when she says a thousand times excuse me when she really does have something she wants to say to you. I need to work on her interrupting conversations and waiting patiently. I am amazed how much she has to say.

Sabrina is growing into quite the little helper. She recently has learned how to rinse dishes even sharp knife carefully. She is eager to help set and clear the table for dinner and then want to know if there is anything else. We need to harness this energy for as long as it will last. Cleaning up toys and mess after crafts is another story, she calls it boring and too hard but we are working on her attitude with that as well. She is really a wonderful help around here and it makes me excited to have her help with the newest baby. She loves to feel the new baby in my belly and states quite often how she can't wait for her to come. She is really progressing with school these days and is beginning learn many of her letter sounds well and draw them in her bowl of salt. She also is getting better with knowing the numbers past 5 which she has struggled with for a while. She has a natural love of learning new things which makes teaching her fairly easy. It is finding the time to focus in on her.

Brian's has now taken the girls out to breakfast on his own twice and they have done well. He can take them to the Country Host restaurant and get this large special meal for $3.99 and feed everyone. He gets a cup of coffee and breakfast is about $6. What fun. He loves his girls. What a special role he plays in their lives these days. He is the fun energetic one these days making up for my lack of energy and ability to get down on the ground and play.

I am in full on nesting mode. This week my parents blessed me by cleaning up and bringing over to my house a dresser from my grandma's cabin that used to be my sisters. Then they helped me move the clothes around so that Audrey's clothes are now upstairs in the girls room. Then my sister came over to help put the new babies clothes away in the dresser in our room. It feels great. I know I have 10 wks left before the baby should come but I need to feel ready. I only get bigger and more uncomfortable so the more I can get done the more settle and at peace I feel. Spring cleaning and nesting go well together but my back and belly don't agree most of the time.

I am ready for spring!!! I think the taste of good weather this week has really made that apparent. I has been so nice to go on walks with the girls this weekend and be in the backyard. A few bulbs we planted are peaking through the ground. I know there will winter storms to come but for now I am savoring this taste of spring.