First Day

(abi, the first day of school)

Hola, Abigail.  To remember, your first day of PreK (the 2012 year) you were OH so excited to attend Spanish House.  And the 2nd day.  3-8th days…not so much :)

 

(her first day of Mother’s Day Out back in 2009…with sweet Oslo in the back, tear)

But, here we are…into our 2nd month of school and you’re doing great.  We’re ‘Hasta Luego’ and ‘como se dice-ing’ with the best of ‘em.

(first day of Science School 2011)

You have felt fear.  But, you felt bravery more.  You have been sad; but made your heart turn to joy & laughter instead.  Big lessons for a 4 year old.  I am so very proud of you.

Te amo baby,

Momma

(because you’ve got to have first day of school treats!)

Our Wonderful Will :: 1 month

To continue in line with parents from every generation / from every country / etc. / etc. -- “how in the world is this boy a month old already?”  How can the same line ring true?  Yet it does – and here we are…one month with wonderful Will.

Donald & I both think that with our little third that time has both flown by more quickly, yet we feel like Will’s been here a lot longer than a month.

Just for fun – and because it does my heart happy to look back.

Birthday:

Week One:

Week Two:

Week Three (also known as the onset of baby chunk and poor baby acne):

One Month!

--

Oh William, you’ve had quite a month little one!  Way more exciting than your sister & brother; but this is the life that you have inherited.  It is a bit faster – yet I savor the snuggles more.  You entered into a life that was very much moving, yet your parents are a bit more wise on what actually matters with parenting (turns out you don’t need all the answers – you really just need to pray and when they cry?  It’ll be fine.)

You are the best baby.  I know that every momma must feel like this about their sweet bundles.  I’m sure I could read this exact sentence on each of your sibling’s one month post.  This is probably as it should be.  But William, between the two of us, you’re the best baby.  EVER.  You grunt.  Truly…that is what you do when you’re uncomfortable or unhappy.  OK, sometimes you do cry – but it is quickly appeased by food or a snuggle.  I am amazed by the Lord’s goodness.  Not just because a non-crier is a testament to the Lord’s goodness (a colic-y kiddo would be a testament as well!) – but I can see how the Lord is blessing me.  I think I might cry A LOT if you were a crier.  There is much grace as you are so easy-going and allow for me to be present with you and your siblings and not overwhelmed continually.  But again…as I gain wisdom…the Lord reminds me to be all there each day only.  To not look ahead too far, just to be thankful for today.  So even if I am writing your two month post with crazy hair, large circles under my eyes, and really the post is dated closer to your three month birthday…it will be all for good.  I am thankful for the lessons that you teach me, sweet child.

Some fun things for me to remember:

• Size 1 diapers
• Size 3 clothes (unless they’ve been loved before – then 3 or 6 month)
• YAY for bottles (you’re great with food whatever way it is offered – I’m guessing you eat about 3-4 oz. each time)
• Nursing every 3 hours during the day
• Sleep a 6 hour stretch at night (9/10ish to 4ish) and then are up again around 7:30.
• Awake for about an hour of every 3 hour interval

We love you, William!!!!

Because we think that we make semi-clones:

(Abi at one month)

(Nate at one month)

(William at one month)

Nate the Great – 18 months

Oh sweet boy…how are you 18 months?!  OH my goodness.  I truly think that God timed your 18 month birthday and William’s 2 week birthday to be on the same day intentionally.  Such a contrast.  I think I was a bit more reflective since one date shared two milestones in our little family.

Nate – you are crazy.  And you are such a little lover.  No one gives hugs like you do (except your daddy, but from all accounts, you are quite a bit like your daddy when he was a little boy!).  You make me want to scream and make me want to cry with joy in about 30 seconds.  I am laughing and then I am begging God for patience.  Your little life is sanctifying me so much right now.  I am being driven to my knees, and while I cry at times while going there, I am so thankful.

You have my heart in a way that only a little son can grab his momma’s heart.  I have been so delighted by you.  You have a great laugh – you LOVE your sister something fierce – you are learning about timeouts and consequences – you have the stinkin’ cutest lower lip pout I have EVER seen – your eyes mesmerize me – you love to sing – you are learning words – you are so intelligent and understand everything I say (and are often very sneaky pretending you don’t so that you don’t have to obey…we’re working on that too!) – having daddy come home is one of your most favorite things – like a true child of mine…you adore animals – you really enjoy being dirty – have I mentioned that you drive me crazy? – have I mentioned my love for you?

My darling Nathanael, we pray great and wonderful things over your life.  I pray that you continue to have a heart that loves easily and strongly, and that your will would be molded to love the things that reflect the heart of God.  You have blessed us richly these past 18 months.

2 weeks of wonderful will

Sweet William – it is hard to believe that it has been a delightful two weeks since your birth.  You have shaped our family and we enter into a new chapter that was just waiting to begin two weeks ago.  I love how your little life has changed us already.

(isn’t that just the best I want to go back to sleep / kind of interested in the song you’re singing me face…)

So, here you are my son…two weeks!

Weight – 10 lbs 7.5 oz (90%)

Height – 22 inches (90%)

We are so thankful that you are a growing boy and are oh-so healthy. 

(I don’t know what to think about Nate’s face…)

Your life is still mainly consistent of eating and sleeping.  Occasionally we see those steely-blue eyes open for 20-30 minutes.  The nurse at your dr’s appointment asked how much you slept in a 24 hour period…I truthfully responded…about 20 hours.  What calming bliss.  You are wearing size 1 diapers (haven’t started cloth again yet…it seems like all I do is laundry anyway!  I can’t imagine adding the diapers into the mix right now!!) / You fit best into new 3 month clothes – or brother/cousin’s 3-6 months / and we started the bottle yesterday!  YAY!  We are big believers into the introduction of the bottle for a beautiful (and thanks to family and kind friends!) and quick return to date nights!  Darling Will…thanks for taking the bottle so easily. 

Can’t wait for the next two weeks, my boy.  You are oh-so loved in this family. 

Welcome, little William!

This would be a poor excuse for a kiddo blog if sweet William never got a proper introduction!

Adding a third member to the Wallace kiddo clan…a third member of the delightful crazy…a third source of joy…a third reason to be humbled and oh-so thankful.

William Edward Nash Wallace

9 lbs. 6 ounces

21 1/4 inches long

Oh, my son.  You are nothing but sweet.  I have never, NEVER, met a baby so calm and peaceful (hmmm, biased much??).  But truly, he is such a sleeper and a cuddler.  We questioned his ability to even cry for the first week or so of his life.  Except that he came into this world screaming.  Making his amazing presence known.  We have been waking this child up since the hospital to eat.  He just loves to sleep.  Such a content little soul.  His peace and calmness have already challenged me…I anticipate much sanctification in this.  How delightful that with the third child comes a reminder of peace in the midst of a “storm.”  Oh, God you are so so good.

 

Hello, sweet little one-week self!  According to the amazingly accurate Wii (HAH!), Will has gained his birth weight back and his sitting at just over 10 lbs.  We’ll wee what that translates to on Thursday when we journey to the land of the pediatrician and get his official stats.

 

Oh my goodness, I can’t even tell you how happy these pictures make my heart!

 

Darling Will – we wait with great anticipation to see what the Lord has planned for your life.  You have already amazed and blessed us.  But for now, we delight in the simplicity of caring for your basic needs and ability to just snuggle and offer much love.  We treasure where you are now.

Traveling in her mind…

Truly, the imagination of little ones is so fascinating.  Some days, it brings about snickers & smiles (well, most days) and other days it may bring out an eye roll…but almost always I am a bit envious of it.  There is such a magic to their minds.  They’re not limited by the realities of the world, they see the world as limitless.  I’ll have another glass of that, please.

My abi-girl hasn’t had an imaginary friend (yet!) but she does take amazing travels.  She has been to almost every place that Donald & I have been (and many places we’ve talked about going!)…she mostly visits these places “when you’re out on a date; I went there with my Mimi & Grandpa Zo” or “oh yes, Nanny & Grandpa have taken me there when you were running an errand.”  It is awesome.  Some of the details she gives are hilarious – others I’m somewhat taken aback because of how closely she was listening when I didn’t think she was!  Oh goodness.

The places my girl has gone:

She’s visited the alps (told this while watching The Sound of Music during family movie night)

(from D’s amazing Europe adventure with dear friends during 2004)

She’s been to China (discovered when we were talking about abi’s special pearls that D brought her back from 2010)

(visiting the Potter fam in 2008 – I mean technically, she has been there…pregnant with Abi)

She took a trip to the Great Lakes – we talk about these quite a bit, so I’m not exactly sure what prompted her personal story…

 

Oh my abi – may your imagination continue to thrive…and may your sweet self get to see the beauty that the world holds for you.

Happy 4th Birthday, Abi-girl!!

(pictures from yesterday as we celebrated our Abi)

Goodness, 4 years ago this little beauty came into the world:

And she has made every day since then more rich.  We love her for her kindness, for her inner (and we think exceptional outer!) beauty, for her beautiful faith, for her love of laughter, for her intelligence, for her love of learning, for her delight to be with and care for people. 

We have learned much about our gracious God through parenting her and through watching the world through the eyes of Abi.  Parenting this precious girl is a life-joy of both Donald & I.  She is just a fantastic little lady.

Of course there is the not-so-lovely.  She is 4, afterall.  But in those moments we see grace, emotion, and perseverance come through as she journeys and tries to figure out this wide, wonderful world. 

Sweet Abi-girl; we love you for the ways that you are uniquely YOU.  We pray much joy and growth in wisdom as you navigate being 4.  We are thankful that you love your creator and we marvel at the work that He is doing in you!!

It’s been a beautiful year…

Butterfly Release

So, it’s no surprise to anyone who knows me that I am moved and awed by nature.  Just part of my crazy.  I am really happy to say that it seems as though both of my kiddos are the same way.  VICTORY!

This little friend came home with abi from school one day:

(oops – thought I had a picture of the chrysalis…imagine a chrysalis image here!)

Anyhow – a chrysalis came home from school – then traveled to Fort Worth (which was funny b/c that was a HOT day, but I wasn’t going to travel home first to drop off our little friend – so they had to brave it in the car with cracked windows – fingers crossed!).  With the Fort Worth experience, I didn’t know what to expect…I didn't want to build the whole thing up in case the heat was too much for our little butterfly.

BUT…one morning we woke up – and this is what we saw!

SO COOL!  We were all pumped!!  (Probably more than what is normal…but as stated earlier…we don’t really fall into the normal in this category!)

After school, we swung by the nursery and grabbed some butterfly-lovin’ plants - because we wanted our yard to be a haven for “abi the butterfly” (guess who named her?!) – and we were set for her release…

And she just needed a bit of coaxing  /we weren’t going to let Abi not touch (on her legs) her special butterfly!