Scary thing happened today...

Today has been a really peaceful day for me. I have gotten the things I wanted done, finished and it was just really relaxed. So when it was time to go get Cadence I was annoyed to find myself in a hurry. For no reason. I kept looking at the clock while I was getting Rory and Beckah ready for the walk and saying to myself, "There is plenty of time! Why am I feeling like I need to hurry?" It was irritating.

This persisted all the way to the school and while we waited for Cady to get out. One of my mom friends even commented that I seemed agitated and asked if I was okay. So Cady comes running out, talking a mile a minute and I can barely listen to her because an urgent wave of hurry hit me again. I could hear it in my head! You need to hurry home! So I get Cadence walking the right direction and we start walking home at a good clip. Exactly a block from the school the hurry feeling just evaporated. It was crazy and I literally came to a stop and looked up. And right there, in the middle of the street (during the busiest time of day) was a little girl, about Rory's age. Just standing there in the middle of the street looking very confused. There are cars coming so I do what I hope anyone would do, I put the brake on the stroller and dash out to the street and snatch her up and carry her back to the side walk.

Once I had her safe off the street I got down and asked her if she was lost. She told me that she couldn't find her mom. She pointed to the van parked cross the street and told me that was her car, but her mom wasn't in it and she didn't know where she was. I asked her if she wanted to stay with us while we waited for her mom to come. She said yes and Cadence took her hand and we crossed the street to the play ground right next to her mom's van. We can see the school from here and I kept expecting to see a mom running our way calling this girls name. But I didn't.

The little girl told us her name and what her mom looked like and then I had them play at the little park while I called 911. The Dispatcher was very nice and asked me a bunch of questions, some of which I didn't have answers to. Then she asked me, "Can you wait there with her or do you have somewhere you need to be?" I was floored by this question. What kind of person wouldn't wait?

I replied, "Of course I can wait. There isn't anything I can think of that would be more important than making sure this girl finds her family."

The dispatcher stayed on the phone with me while we waited for the police officers to arrive. The little girl was playing very nicely with my girls and it was braking my heart thinking her mom was probably losing her mind with worry right now. Then I see a woman matching the girls description of her mom running with two other kids down the block towards us. They were coming from the school. I told the dispatcher that I was pretty sure we found the mom.

As the woman got close the little girl called out to her and broke into a run. Her momma snatched her up so quick and then practically sagged to the ground. Her other two kids weren't far behind. I about started crying. The mom was crying. I quietly came over and told the mom who I was and how we had found her little girl. The dispatcher told us to wait for the police to get there. Mom had just enough time to get herself back together before the police arrived. The two officers were very kind and were glad that everything had worked out and that they weren't needed after all. The older of the two pulled out some stickers for the older kids and then they went on their way.

The mom sat down on the bench and let the kids play and I sat down with her. She thanked me so many times. I told her that I only did what I would hope someone else would have done had it been one of my kids. Turns out it really was her van that the little girl was trying to get into. :o) She told me that her kids were on the swings at the school when she turned away for a few seconds to say bye to a friend. When she turned back the little girl wasn't there. She looked all around but didn't see her. The panic didn't set in right away. In the end they had most of the school staff looking for this little girl and were just getting ready to call the police when the mom thought to check the car and see if she had made her way back there. That's when she saw me at the park and she said hope just flooded her heart. Suddenly she was sure that her daughter was with me. I hugged her then and told her I was so glad that I had been in the right place at the right time. We sat watching the kids for a bit. Then I asked her name.

We sat there and talked about nothing topics for almost 45 minutes, letting the kids play.

Before we left she gave me a huge hug. Our older girls exchanged numbers to have a play date. It seemed odd to be saying goodbye in such a normal way, considering how the whole thing started.

I know, in my heart, that the Lord was hurrying me. I can't tell you how glad I am that I hurried.

Cadence and her lost teeth

Last week Cadence lost one of her top teeth.  She was eating a hotdog at school when it fell out and she is pretty sure she swallowed it.  They helped her look for it, but couldn't find anything.  So the Tooth Fairy got a note explaining the situation and she was kind enough to leave Cadence a really neat gold dollar coin!  

The last night I hear Cadence crying in their room after we had put them to bed.  Turns out her other front tooth came out when she was drinking out of her water bottle in bed.  There was some blood (I don't think it was quite ready to come out on it's own) but she said it didn't hurt.  

The Tooth Fairy made it (despite the short notice) and Cadence was super excited the next morning. 

No really.  She was very excited.

It still seems crazy to me that I have a kid old enough for losing teeth. 

In other news, Beckah and Bonnie are close friends.  Bonnie guards Beckah from sneak attacks by Rockstar (the kitty) and in return Beckah...er...mauls Bonnie.  I have no idea why Bonnie lets her do this, but she does and never makes a peep about it.  

Rory has been sick.  Poor girl.  Beckah has been too, but Rory seems to always get sick the worst.

She has adjusted to Cadence being at school very well. She often makes me "play" cards with her.  This usually consists of us dividing the cards up and then Rory makes up whatever rules she feels like.   It can be very fun.  

She is still my goofball, even when she is sick.  I have to admit that I don't mind all the extra cuddle time.  She has also getting really creative with her pretend play and it is super fun to listen to what she comes up with.  I say listen because if she catches me watching her she will get mad and tell me to leave her alone.

I love this age.  Except the mega tantrums. I could do without those. 

My Beckah-bean.  

She is just the sweetest thing in the world.  I am constantly kissing her cheeks and hands and feet. 

She is starting to get around.  If I put her down next to me in the living room it isn't long before she is on her belly pushing herself around in a circle, then rolling until she gets to where she wants.  I have watched her go from one end of the room to the other like this.  It's really rather impressive. 

She also broke a top tooth today!  It's a sharp little thing. 

She was grinning at Rory in the photo below.  This girl LOVES her sisters.  

She also loves her daddy.  She gets excited when he comes home and loves to sit and rub his fuzzy head.  It melts my heart.

Other than the sick girls things here have been pretty mellow.  Just keep on going on, you know?  To spice things up Uncle Kyle (Brady's younger brother) will be coming to visit!  We pick him up Saturday and he will be with us for a week!  We are super excited to see him and hang out.  

The difference between boys and girls...

I'm telling you, the differences are fundamental and are obvious even in infancy.

Girls are moody...and it totally freaks the boys out. Poor Gage here has the deer in head-lights look that so many men get when faced with an emotional female. 

Oh good, she has calmed down now...play time!!

Gage's tentative smile when Beckah reaches out to him.  We are okay now right?

Look, even their posture screams "boy" and "girl."  Beckah sitting neatly with her legs folded in, back straight, hands in lap while she attempts to make polite conversation.  Meanwhile, Gage is sprawled out, taking up as much space as is humanly possible.  I'm pretty sure he hasn't heard a word she said. 

His turn to reach out.  Of course Beckah, in classic girl style is trying to get her hand back.  Probably thinking, "He totally just had that hand in his mouth! Ugg, boys."

In the end they are just babies. And babies can't resist feet.  Theirs or anyone elses!

Happy monday!

Sweet is Liam

He really is the sweetest little boy I have ever met.  Mellow, cuddly and very quiet.  He is always giving out these wonderfully shy smiles.

I really just love him.

Liam is Aidric's little brother.  They are so cute together. 

Doesn't he just melt your heart?

Funny thing happened on my side of the family.  All the first born children have blue eyes.  Cadence, Avery, Aidric and Tyson all have big beautiful blues.  All the second born children have some variation of brown.  Rory, Liam and Gage all have these richly colored dark eyes.  It's pretty fun!

Liam loved the camera.  He was all over me to get his hands on it.  Sweet boy that he is, he did let me get some pictures of him too. 

I know this boy was sent specifically for his momma.  He just has a soothing effect on you when he is around and I know every mom needs a child like that.  He brings a little peace and goodness where ever he goes.

I miss you Liam.  My girls miss your kisses and your quiet mumbling. Hope we can see you again sometime soon!

Gage is his name...

...and he is cute as all get out.  

Gage is exactly one month older than Beckah.  It's happened a couple times now.  Avery is about 7 months older than Tyson. Tyson is three months older than Rory and Rory is 4 weeks older than Aidric.  Yes that means the right now we have four 3 year olds on my side of the family.  Thankfully Avery will be turning 4 very soon. 

But back to Gage...

Gage is Avery's baby.  No really, she has told me just that.  I think it's sweet that she loves him so much.   But how could you not love this boy?  

It's impossible. Not to love him, I mean.  

Gage has one awesome set of lungs.  He likes to squawk and squeal.  LOUDLY and often. 

Very vocal he is.   He is also really really happy.  He smiles at pretty much anyone.

He does play favorites though.  He loves his momma.  He even likes Grandma most of the time.  And surprisingly he LOVES me.  Since I don't see him that often (just in quickly texted pictures and videos) it was pretty sweet that he came right to me.

He is a complete ham.  I always have a ton of pictures of him because he just loves the camera.  It's awesome. 

Here are the two babies together.  Sigh.  So much cuteness in one place.

Don't worry Gage.  We can here you still. 

I miss you little buddy.  Next time I get to see you, you will probably be walking!

The fabulous Tyson

Sigh.  I really love his hair. 

This is my nephew Tyson.  He is totally awesome.  I honestly feel that his hair a pretty good representation of his personality.  You know, crazy but you just can't help love every second of his crazy. 

I miss his curly head so much.  We used to hang out all the time in Vegas.  

He also doesn't like posing for me, but I manage to get some smiles anyway.  

Here he is with his mommy, my youngest sister Cecily.  I know.  They are seriously good looking.  Hard not to be jealous. 

My sister is a single mom.  I think she does an awesome job and I am super proud of her.  I know I don't say that near enough, Cecily.  I think you are amazing and Tyson is super lucky.  

I love you sweet curly head!