Learning and growing

A few of our favorite "kid things" as of late!

O: "Mawny...yee haw?....Mawny..yee haw pease?"

Translation..."Mommy, I want to ride my horse yee haw that Nana gave me and sis for our birthdays, will you help me get up and down?"

O: "Thhhisss....Thhissy" = Sis...Sissy

O: "Uh oh, Thissy cry"

O: "NO WAY" (Loud and clear!)

***Owen is the funniest dude ever, most people only ever see his VERY serious, VERY shy, VERY angry and aggressive side...HOWEVER amidst his tantrums and angry spells that you just have to ignore (there's no talking him down or out of his anger) he's the sweetest little boy that is trying SOOOO hard to be a good brother and nice friend...he loves to dance, he loves to sing, he loves to be silly and dress up with his sister, he loves to read books, and to play rough with cars and trains...my ABSOLUTE most FAVORITE thing about this kid is how he often speaks in what we classify as dinosaur...quite often he'll only respond in a deep gravelly, growly voice that sits between big beast and slightly demonic sounding...his laugh usually follows suit with an evil deep cackle that came from I DON'T KNOW where...but I LOVE IT, it cracks me up every time!!! He's beginning to learn to "Do his part" and "Be responsible" phrases heard often around our house, he loves to help put dishes away or load the dishwasher, and if in a decent mood is a GREAT picker upper of toys, a great duster and window clean and floor scrubber!!! Maybe the sweetest and most endearing thing about this boy are his facial expressions, from silly to serious, angry to sweet this boy can melt his momma's heart with an impish grin thrown over his shoulder, or a sad little pup pout with those BIG brown eyes, but best of all are those sweet little "I love you" eyes that look up at me when in a rare moment of peace and quiet we snuggle together until he falls asleep!

Now for Miss Carter Grace, my silly sassy nutkin....where to begin?!!!

C: "Mom come see where I hanged the Jesus picture in my room"

Me: "Ok...oh nice, I love how you put it right above your bed, but where's the cupcake picture that was there?"

C: "I put it in my closet for safe keeping"

Me: "Who taught you how to say safe keeping?" (I've never said it)

C: "Um, Jesus told me"

C: "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are blue"

C: "You raise me up...so I can be with you..." (Sung in her loudest, operatic voice to match Josh Groban)

C: (While lounging in the bath) "Mom, I'm just so laxed right now"

C: "Mom, chipmunks don't have bones"

***There are so many other cute and wonderful things she's said lately, but my brain just can't find them right now...I'm loving each new stage we roll into with her, it gets me excited for Owen's development over the years!!! Some days I SWEAR I can see the wheels turning in her little head, it's curiously fun to follow her thought process, I'm no longer able to always stay one step ahead of her because her brain clicks and moves SO fast, but I love the opportunities we find to sit and talk! Now that she's in preschool and learning SO many fundamentals that I should have could have been teaching her at home, I tend to focus more on spiritual discussions with her, today we discussed Jesus, and how he died on the cross...her lesson in primary was about  Easter, and she told me how it made her sad that the mean men put Jesus on the cross, and how after he died the angel moved the big rock and Mary went to see him but he wasn't there any more...not too long ago my sister and brother in law treated us to ice cream and we were able to discuss how kind and generous it was that they used their money to buy our treat, and that we should be kind too..."Just like Jesus" she reminded me! We've done so good at establishing family prayer, before we went to visit Nana Carter prayed every night for sunny weather so she could play on Nana's big yellow slide...and wouldn't you know it...we got to have a little talk about how God hears and answers our prayers; the ENTIRE week we were at Nana's we got to play outside on the big yellow slide!!!

She's such a spunky gal, she loves going to school and seeing her friends, she loves her rock collection and helping mom cook, but these days isn't as enchanted with cleaning! She reminds us every day how big and grown up she is, and when in trouble her automated response is "Owen did it"...she loves to sing VERY loudly (causing the church congregation to chuckle!) and can shake her booty like a pop star, she has an imagination that knows no bounds and will still spend hours playing with random objects that mystically become the "mom' and "dad" of whatever game she fancies. She's a very sensitive little girl, who wears her heart on her sleeve, there's a sweet innocence in her soft and glowing features that's absolutely endearing, she has big dark eyes that I swear can see into the depths of my soul and that are certainly knowing beyond her years....when she's peacefully asleep her features turn rosy soft, and I'm shocked at how in an instant I can get SO upset thinking about how time will rob her of that sweet innocence, and how I can't bear the thought of her never being 3 yrs old ever again, or how someday she'll want to leave me, and how one day I'll have to share her with boys-and eventually a spouse....and yet it's ok, because she'll always be mine, for ever and ever and ever and ever!!!

4+1 little Liam

As usual with each pregnancy, I finally eek out a belly picture at the beginning of the end...meaning, I finally rounded the bend in to the third trimester, and have officially declared it acceptable to countdown in weeks now instead of months!!! I now declare that I have 9 weeks left (that's based on the hopes that he'll come a healthy 3 weeks early like Owen!) If I say I have 12 weeks (which would fall on my due date) that could be counted as 3 months and THAT my friends sounds completely and utterly unacceptable! 

 I haven't chronicled this pregnancy as well as I did the other two so for my record keeping here's a short rundown...

Top 5 things that I've hated this pregnancy:

1: Feeling overly tired and depressed for an extended period of time, causing serious grouchiness, lazy mothering and an overwhelming sense of gloom and darkness

2: Not feeling like I wanted to be pregnant or wanted another baby anytime soon (can we say HUGE guilt and depression for the last 6 months)

3: Eh....intense and painful issues from previous birthing damage, and other issues stemming from last years gall bladder surgery, and old back injuries

4: Thinking I was going to have a girl for 5 months, only to find out that we're having a Liam instead of an Emersyn (which was my girl name)

5: Feeling hormonally out of control, a complete mean mom, and horrible nasty wife...what a horrible feeling to literally be able to feel something "off" in your body and mind that you can't control, but can only dim with supplements and medication

Top 5 things that I've loved this pregnancy:

1: To this day I have yet to throw up!!! Not even from having the flu (knock on wood) with Carter I had the stomach flu and pneumonia just before I had her...with Owen I had the stomach flu and then bronchitis right be fore I had him...So I'm feeling quite fortunate that neither myself....OR my children OR my husband have had any sicknesses during this years nasty cold and flu season!!!

2: Having fun conversations with Carter about baby Liam growing in my tummy, hearing her tales of growing a puppy in her tummy,  and debating over names with her for her new brother....watching Owen go from testosterone angry little man to a sweet puddle of smiles when he sees a tiny little baby!

3: Although I feel as huge as I look, I still feel absolutely beautiful, in thanks especially to John, who's eyes can never tell a lie, and when he embraces me, rubs my belly and tells me I'm beautiful and sexy to him, there's undeniable truth sparkling in those eyes!

4: Finally at 29 weeks feeling a complete and utterly sugary sweet oozing of excitement and joy over adding another little one to our family (wowza, those hormones are SCARY the first 2 trimesters)

5: Feeling little Liam wiggle and squirm, knowing that as the days tick by, he's active safe and sound, CAN NOT wait to see his sweet face, and nuzzle his peachy little cheeks with my nose!!! We've had too many friends and family experience tragedy and loss during pregnancy for me not to feel on edge, therefore I feel EXTREMELY blessed, and quite frankly LUCKY that things have always gone relatively smoothly and well.

Love my babies...sassy pants, angry man child tantrums and all, life wouldn't be as sweet if they weren't here and mine!

We're sure getting excited for little Liam Craig Hansen to arrive, thankfully the naming process has gotten easier with each baby...we joke that Owen Luke was named after the Wilson brother's, Owen and Luke, because we love their movies so much...so of course it was fitting that we settle on Liam Craig, because John thinks Liam Neeson is a stud, and I think Daniel Craig (Bond) is a SUPER stud!!! Actually we chose the name before we thought of the connections, same as with Owen but we get a chuckle out of it...doesn't every kid go through a "Why did you name me ________" phase? I liked the name Walker for a boy, but John couldn't stomach answering that question with "Because we're suckers for Chuck Norris jokes, and thought we should name you after his most famous character...Walker Texas Ranger" Hahaha! I still love the name Walker though...I think I picked up that one from a western romance novel :)

I love to watch my children interact (when they're not fighting!) and watch them grow together as siblings, it brings back many memories, and much joy from my own childhood. When I was pregnant with Owen I couldn't fathom how I could love another child as much as I did Carter....now I think how empty life would be without that extra love and joy he's brought into our family (along with much frustration and exhaustion!) and I know it will only increase and be more glorious and grand with Liam!!!