My babies!

Well...I guess they aren't really babies anymore :(  Lincoln will be 4 in March and Lauren will be 3 in April.  They are so much fun right now.  I love listening to them have conversations and watching their interactive play.  Don't get me wrong...with them being to close in age they definitely fight like brother and sister but they also love like brother and sister.  What has really made me proud is the things they are learning at school about Jesus and prayer.  We have been really bad about praying with them before bed but I have made it an important part of their bedtime routine.  We say the prayer that my parents always said with me when I was little as well as our blessings.  Some of you may not know but Lincoln is obsessed and I mean OBSESSED with orange garbage trucks.  Not sure why but he is.  I had to share our nightly conversation when going to bed:

Lincoln and I say our prayer and then thank God for family and friends and our blessings.  Lincoln then says "and orange garbage trucks".  I try to tell him that was a gift from Santa and we thank God for more important things, ie. food, warm homes, etc.  He then says "and orange garbage trucks".  I chuckle a little about it.  It's something that is important to him I guess.  I struggle with is this right but I can't take the innocence of my sweet boy being thankful for something that makes him so happy!  So I say "and orange garbage trucks"!  I am waiting for Lauren to say she is thankful for her princess dresses or dolls!  Oh to be a child again and not have the weight and worries of the world!  

These babies, and yes they will always be my babies, are so resilient to what happens around them.  I want to protect them from so many things but let them experience life and make their own choices, appropriate ones for their age that is.  I know I have to allow them to fail because that is how they learn.  A very dear friend of mine recommended a book to me, "Parenting with Love and Logic".  I haven't read much of it yet but what I have read has been very insightful and is showing me a different approach than what I was taught or grew up with.  Not that the way I was raised was a bad way.  I learned a lot from my parents and was shown love and taught very well.  Just different times call for different ways!

My favorite time of day is in the evenings when we are done eating and after they are ready for bed we turn on music in the living room and have a dance party!  It's awesome!  And I like to think my children get their rhythm from me.  Lord knows their daddy can't dance!!  hehe!  It's a blast!  I highly recommend having a dance party with your kids!  It's a crack up!  And a good work out!  

My other favorite time is after prayer and I kiss them goodnight we have a special thing we do.  Butterfly, eskimo, real!  Butterfly kisses, eskimo kisses and kisses on the lips!  They love it and laugh which is priceless!  I hope I am making memories that they will remember and carry on to their children someday.

I am so proud of my to kiddos and all that they have become.  Both being premature and exceeding my expectations in their development and character!  I like to think that I am doing a pretty good job of raising 2 well rounded kids who will grow to be exceptional teenagers and adults!  Fingers crossed the teenage years don't kill me!  LOL!!!

I hope you all are enjoying you "hump" day!  I did something for me today...a wonderful facial by a wonderful woman!  Dana Rowe with Relax and Wax!  She has her own business and does it out of her home.  Highly recommend!  Enjoyed my hour long facial and much needed waxing.  Let me know if you want her info!