Babies got back

Well it's been a while since I wrote anything... probably because when the kids are asleep I have started cleaning instead of just staring blankly at the TV or computer. Yay clean house!

It's amazing to me how much kids can change from one week until the next. In just the past week Madeleine's language has exploded yet again, and even more fun songs have been downloaded into that pretty little head of hers (which we sing over and over and OVER every day) and she has shot up from a 3T to a 4T seemingly overnight. Remember the days when getting too big for our pants was a good thing?

And Juliette is on her way to a boob free existence. I have her completely weaned during the day (although she is still not pleased) and I am already feeling healthier and more awake.

Nothing at all important happened this past Sunday and I refuse to admit that entire day even happened. Certainly nothing in the world of sports...

And politics are irritating...

Today I left the playroom to grab myself a coffee and could hear the girls giggling together in their Princess Tent. It made me smile.

It made me smile until I went back into the room and looked in the tent to find Madeleine coloring her sister's back with pen, not that Juliette objected in the least. She loves attention from the big sister.

I had to first leave the room to laugh hysterically and get it out of my system before I went back in to take Madeleine to time out. Oh the sentences I never thought I would utter before becoming a mom.

"No we do not color on our sister."
"No Saint Joseph does not want to wear any makeup."
"No we will not be riding our sister like a horse."
"No we do not tell guests about our poop."

And so on and so forth...

I'll be getting a short break from the baby Behr's tomorrow when Kyle and I head into Boston for our friend Kenny's birthday. The idea of being around adults, having conversations that do not revolve around animal noises, and not having to cut anyone's food into choke-free bites makes me a little bit giddy.

I've been learned recently that I cannot give myself wholly to my family if I do not have myself. This means that I cannot feel guilty about enjoying the crud out of bed time, making sure I get to the gym, or even just going out alone for groceries. It's been freeing and allows me to enjoy my girls even more.

Of course, the best parts of my day involve snuggles and dancing and "eating" whatever Madeleine prepares me in her little kitchen.

I've also found a wonderful rythym in my prayer life that I haven't gotten to experience yet as a mother. I often found myself doing too much alone or too much with the kids. Now I've learned how to balance my prayer life with my babies, with my husband, and the time that is just for me and God alone. My children seem to benefit and grow when my prayer life is in order. I can tell that Madeleine enjoys praying more and is more earnest to communicate with Jesus when I am making Him a priority. It may seem obvious but sometimes the most obvious things are the ones you miss. I had often focused so much on her relationship with God that I forgot about my own.

God is good! I'll hopefully be taking some fun pictures of the girls soon that I can share. I don't think anyone enjoys looking at them quite as much as their daddy and I do, but they are ridiculously cute and as their mommy, I just have to show them off.