A Season of Sweetness

Your first child is born and you are so busy making sure you buy the perfect...EVERYTHING.  You read all the books, you try to get your child on a good schedule, and when they deviate from that said schedule you refer back to the books for advice.  You talk to other moms about what you are doing, deep down comparing yourself to them while keeping your nose in the air as if everything is going "Great."  You honestly probably drive yourself a little nuts!  Or at least I did.  From the perfect 3 hour eat, wake, sleep cycle to the homemade, whole grain baby cereal/food, to the cloth diapers, to even the talks of future homeschooling......something had to give!!!!  In the words of Alicia Silverstone...."As if!!!"

Then you have your second.  And you get real!  Books are great for "tips."  A perfect schedule makes room for flexibility!  You make some baby food more so because it saves money rather than looking into the health reasons (but yet feeling good about yourself because it is actually healthier).  You laugh with other moms about your daily "bad mommy moments."  You learn to loosen the reins a little and pray a lot more often!  And the second child has to go with the flow because let's face it....with the way you treated that first child, he/she clearly has their wants/needs/schedule in check and is expecting things to stay that way!

And then their is your third child.  I'll admit....I'm still new to this category.  I always hear that it is harder to go from one to two than it is when you start adding more.  So far, I can completely agree with this statement.  Life was already full, already crazy, already a little stressful at times before Elise came into this family.  She did not add to any of this....unfortunately for her sake...she ENTERED into this.  But what she has brought with her has been nothing but pure joy. Her laugh and smile lights up a room.  She brings the calm and tender moments into my day.  She makes the boys fall on the floor laughing.  And she melts daddy's heart when she grabs at his face.  I truly look at her and can't imagine what our lives would have been like if we had never been given this beautiful gift! I feel like the third child has brought us into a season of "sweetness"....just enjoying the moments.  Hugging a little tighter.  Rocking a little longer.  So what if she falls asleep with me in bed or sleeps a few nights in the swing, right?  The house stays a little messier, the laundry a little higher, and I'm probably getting less sleep than ever.....but the love in this home and family has never been stronger.  
PURE "Sweetness!"

Giggles

A sweet moment with Elise at bedtime. She had just spit up EVERYWHERE and every time I said "Who did that?" She cracked up!

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Merry Christmas from the Watsons

Bethlehem Marketplace

....the boys signing the register to pay their taxes!!!

One Sunday before church

Caleb's school party

Bible Study Christmas Party....7 years running...

Stewart Family Party

Cousins!!

Milk and Cookies with Santa

Christmas Eve and Day

Our Little Indian

Baker has a fabulous teacher this year for Kindergarten Readiness.  He is learning and growing so much!  Their class put on their own special play for the parents in the gym followed by a big breakfast in the cafeteria!  Here is our little Indian!!!!  He was so sweet!  Videos soon to be posted here!

Happy Thanksgiving 2013

Elise Rebecca and her great grandmother, Rebecca!

We celebrated a great Thanksgiving weekend with family, having bonfires, seeing the new baby goats, and eating yummy food!  My oh my is our sweet girl growing!!!

Chattanooga Weekend

We took a quick weekend trip to Chattanooga to visit with my brother and host a baby shower for my best friend Jessica!  I definitely love getting to go back every chance we get!

Uncle Burt and "Aunt" Breck loving on our girl!

Can't wait for baby Gabe to arrive!  Celebrating with old friends!!!!

We've really enjoyed having Aquarium passes this year!  We get to pop in quickly and only see our favorite animals!

Look Who Else is Reading

3 1/2 folks!!!! And this was the first time he picked up the book. We are really working with Baker at home and sweet Caleb is dying to join the fun. In fact...he's probably reading better than Baker...bc he wants to and Baker doesn't! Either way...mommy's pretty proud of both her boys!