The Floor Player & The Performer

I know I have discussed before how different Maya & Norah are, but they really are!

In the past few months I have called Norah my "on the floor girl."  She is always all over the floor, when she plays, when she is watching TV,  always rolling everywhere.   She is constantly hanging off the couch or on a chair upside down, she is never still in one place, ever!  She really just can't still, she is always fidgeting. Sometimes it drives me crazy, I just want her to sit up, or sit still, but it is really engraved in her little mind and body to be on the move, and I really have to remember she is only 3.

One day I just sat on the playroom floor and watched the girls, music was playing, toys were strewn about and there Norah was playing on the floor and there Maya was performing her little heart away with a dance (Oh and Sarah was organizing a wallet).  In that moment I could really see how God created them so uniquely, so special, and so one of a kind.

The floor Player

The Performer

A little glimpse of their playroom

In so many ways it is easier for me to relate, mold, and understand Maya because she is similar to me, so I just get her.  I know what is going on in that little mind of hers. With Norah I don't always understand her behavior, so it is so much harder to relate to her and mold her the way God wants me to.   I just want to know what is going on in her little brain, what makes her tick?  I am sure I have told Brett on numerous occasions, "I just don't understand, I just don't get why she does that?"

I am constantly praying that God would allow me to understand Norah, to see who she really is, and love even the things that bother me, so I can better shape, discipline and mother her. 

I asked my mom if Carrisa was like "roll all over the floor girl" when she was 3, and my mom said probably, but it was really hard to tell  because 3 was the age Carrisa was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease and was in the hospital a lot and on lots of meds, so who knows what her real little 3 year old self was like, probably exactly like Norah.

I would love to hear from  you readers, do you seem to relate easier to one of your kids personalities better than the others?  And if so what are some ways you try to understand and relate with the child who you don't connect with as well?

the bathroom

Yes, I am going to do my first house post about the bathroom, haha, so fun, right?  Well, let me tell you the girls bathroom is probably the biggest annoyance of our new house for me.  Don't get me wrong, we love our house and are so blessed, but it is hard when you are moving up in the house world, but little things are downgraded like the girls bathroom. (They had a huge bathroom before with 2 sinks, and linen closet and a separate area for the toilet and shower, a little spoiled, yes)

Let me show you their new bathroom.

blanket empty wall

Yes, there is a long counter with only 1 sink.  Why would the builder do that? to be cheap and save money.... annoyed.  And there is only one tiny cupboard for storage.  I have 3 girls, that aren't even teenagers and they need more storage than that. And that awkward empty space, under the counter, double annoyance

So that is why the bathroom is one of the first things I worked on, so I didn't feel so annoyed.

And now the makeover

  I

I wanted to keep the space bright and fun, but make it ok for a baby of either gender.   If it is a girl, an orange or turquoise towel is fine, if it's a boy an orange or turquoise towel is still fine!  I know the whole bathroom definitely leans more towards girly, but I am a girl and have all girls, if we were to have a boy he will just have to get used to it, Brett does, ha!

free printable and 75 cent frame for salvation army

I got the idea for the picture frames and hooks from this blog

I already had the hooded towels, they were gifts, you can get them at Kohls

the frames were only $2 each at ikea and the prints at Costco were 17 cents, cheap.

Nory bug

 that ackward space under the counter, nothing a cheap ikea cart can't fix

 

I basically got everything at ikea, towels, rug, frames, shelf.  shower curtain.  It cost around $50 for everything, including, the shelf and cart, towels, etc.

Trust me the rest of the house and space we have outweighs the annoyance of the bathroom and now 

at least I feel a little better about it :O)

Easter was a good break

sorry for the lack for the lack of posts lately.  As you can probably imagine Brett and I have spent every last waking minute the girls are sleeping trying to get stuff done around the house.  It is coming along slowly and surely and we are completely exhausted.  I can't even imagine buying a fixer-upper.  Our house is new and it is still tons of work!  The girls are loving the excitement of a new house and have even gotten to play in our dirt backyard.  Yep, its just dirt, no landscaping yet and I am a completely awesome mom and just let them sit there and play in the dirt.  It is like luxury compared to our previous no yard.

We do have a deck, which is a lifesavor, but the girls could only resit the calling of the dirt for so long.

Easter was a good day to take a break from house stuff,  and stop and remember the cross.  Well I at least took a break  from house stuff and I think Brett still hung a few photos, the OCD in him just couldn't resist. 

Here are just a couple Easter photos from the day.  Happy Easter! 

Yami got Baptized today, such a special moment as a family

love her reaction!

 

 

We did a mini egg hunt at home

Maya got the most eggs, anyone surprised?

Sarah looked so cute in Norah's old dress, I had actually never seen Norah wear it, so it was special

look at me mom!

no Norah doesn't have cavities, or fillings, that is just chocolate in her teeth

why yes, Sarah's does have a beat up face, she ate the cement on a walk

with Papa & yami

the best we could get!

the move

Moving: hardest most physically and emotionally thing I have gone through besides death.

Mom: Amazing rock star who made moving sane and possible.  Very sad she left today.

Pregnancy: Yes, still throwing up at 15 weeks,  the morning of moving day

Weather:  72 degree one week before moving. 

 Moving day, 15 degrees and blizzarding, not fun.

People: 12, who said they would help.  5 people who actually came, lame blizzard.

Babysitter: lifesaver on moving day bringing 3 of her teenage friends to help

Guests:  Yes, already had our first overnights guests, couldn't have asked for a better family to come!

Future Guests:  We would love to have more, please come!

 Sleep: Extremely needed in this house

Double Oven: Simply Amazing

 

Milk: Does a body good

Stress, Exhaustion, Hard work, Disappoint: All worth the move

18 months

18 months.  That is how old Norah was when her mommy died.  That is how old Sarah is now.  It is such a strange feeling, realizing how little Norah was, yet how much she knew and was capable of and what it would be like for Sarah right now if something were to happen to me.  Really, Norah was just a baby!

  

I look at Sarah and how much she has developed, how she is so attached to me, her world is "mama"  She always wants me, wants me to hold her, to play with her, to watch her.  She is so excited when I come home, she knows I have been gone, and I know in my heart that if I were to never return she would know something was wrong.  "Why did mama never come home, did I do something wrong?"  It leaves me with a knot in my stomach.  Just life being stripped away from the one person you are most attached to, and to never have to again, that is what happened to Norah.

This also make me realize how remarkable Norah's attachment and bonding to our family has been.  She was young enough to not understand what happened to her mom, but old enough to know something was wrong and  that we were not her parents, that we were not a regular part of her life.   I just think back to when we got her, how it was just in a matter of days  before she was calling me mommy, it is truly amazing and a gift from God.  I actually think one of the biggest helps was Maya, if we had not had Maya I think the transition would have been harder.  Norah got to be in a room with Maya, play with Maya, copy what Maya was calling us, "mommy & daddy".  Maya really has been the key and the bond and relationship between these two sisters is soooo very special.

Sarah turning this age leaves me with a sad feeling and realization of just what an impact loosing a mommy at this age really means.