From sippy cups to coffee cups.

Last night, at the store, I purchased my (almost) 6 month old baby girl, her first sippy cup. Two things came to my mind as I paid for it at the checkout. First: I cannot believe that ONE sippy cup is almost $4.00! Seriously! Second: This sippy cup stage will go by so quickly. This second thought was immediately followed with visions of what Axylle might look like at age 5 when sippy cups are (usually) no longer necessary. I had to use my imagination, of course, but she WILL be the most beautiful 5 year old EVER! :)

I thought about the sippy cup this morning as Saeler climbed into my bed and immediately started telling me the most elaborate story about a dog, a pig and a birdie...all with names and occupations, of course. I thought about how quickly it seemed Saeler has grown up. I remember her baby stage so clearly. I remember her falling asleep in my arms. I remember her managing to sit up all by herself for the first time. I remember her first steps. I remember when she first learned how to clap. I remember standing near the stove while holding her and telling her "hot" and hearing her repeat (much to my surprise), "hot"! Heck, I remember carrying her inside me...feeling her kick and move. Now I have to sort of grunt when I pick her up. She falls asleep all on her own. She skips and dances all over the house. She sings songs and says things that literally crack me up and amaze me! She's gotten so big, so fast. And I know that all of this will happen with Axylle too...actually, it's already started! And before I know it, both of my girls will be grown.

It kind of makes me sad. It kind of makes me want to never let them out of my sight. It kind of makes me want to squeeze them and kiss them every second of the day! They are so precious to me! And my love for them is beyond what words can even express!

I am fully aware of what a gift and also serious responsibility it is to be a parent. I know that the time that they are in my physical care will be here and gone. I'm doing my best to take both mental pictures and ones that I can hang on my wall. I'm keeping track of their milestones and fun little memories. I'm trying to savor every second...every millisecond!

I am, however, also looking forward to the day when I can sit down with my daughters over a cup of coffee and talk about the Lord, about life, about love. I can only imagine what a joy it will be to look at my grown daughters and see how the Lord will have answered the prayers that I've prayed over them. I can say that because I know that the Lord answers prayers...especially those that we pray in agreement with His word. And I have prayed very specifically over my girls since the minute I knew they were growing inside me. I know that they are destined to do great things in the kingdom of God! I know that they will be world shakers. I know that they will be strong and do exploits for their God. They will be mighty women who run after His heart!

So from sippy cups to coffee cups...I'll be the doting mother. I'll be the praying mother. I'll be the one treasuring every moment...because that's what mother's do. :)

The Happ's...

So it's already been a couple of months since my last blog (oops!)...so much for keeping up with this thing! But I do have an excuse. Actually two excuses: my daughters. I knew I would be busy having two children now, but I'm finding that I seem to have the hardest time getting things done like I used to, being on time to places that I should be, and honestly...even managing to shower every day! At the end of each day, I find that I am almost completely exhausted, and were it not for me wanting to spend a little alone time with Aaron, I would be in bed immediately after I put the girls to sleep! However, I have to say that I am loving my life right now! My two girls are such a joy to my heart...I find myself laughing and smiling all day, even feeling giddy about the fact that my offspring are just the cutest creatures on the planet (yes, I am very biased!)!

Saeler just celebrated her 4th birthday (agghh!) and already seems so much older to me! She's also gotten a tad sassier in the last couple of months...which means more discipline. I'm really having to work at being faithful to discipline recently. It's much easier to deal with an issue when there's only one issue at a time. But when Saeler "acts out", it's usually at the most inconvenient time...Axylle needs a diaper change or has just spit up EVERYWHERE, dinner is on the stove, I'm in the middle of an important conversation with someone, etc. It's in those moments that I have to discern if whatever has just happened with Saeler is spanking worthy or if just a very stern talking to will do. I haven't quite gotten it down pat yet, but it's all I can do right now. Thankfully, these times don't come up as frequently as they used to. Saeler, for the most part, is very well behaved. She'd much rather receive praise for something well done than have to have the consequences of disobedience...wouldn't we all? :) She's a great helper, and LOVES her baby sister so much that sometimes I wonder if she's about to explode from excitement!

The sweetest four year old in the universe!

Axylle, now almost 6 months old, is quite the busy-body! She's rolling and scooting (mostly backwards) everywhere! She loves to jump in her jumper and is making more noise than I've ever heard come from an infant her age! She's the loudest babble-er I've ever heard...but it's SO sweet!!! She now has two bottom teeth and is enjoying trying different baby foods, with one exception: bananas. Axylle is not a fan of bananas. But Saeler wasn't either, so I'm not too surprised. Axylle is also the most joyful baby I've ever known! Saeler smiled a lot as an infant, but she's got nothin' on her sister who's middle name is appropriately Jubilee!

The happiest baby on the planet!

Aaron and I have been having a lot of great times too! We always have fun together, but lately, it's seems to be more quality! He works about 12 hours a day, so we have to really guard our time together and spend it being happy with each other and not bickering over something petty. We don't do a lot of bickering as it is, so that's good...but I honestly, in this moment, I can't even think of the last time we had an argument! Pretty good, eh?

Well, that's about all I've got for now...just a little update of the "happ's" of my life. Maybe if we're lucky, I'll write another blog next week. But let's not hold our breath. :)