Sticky hugs and snotty kisses

Being a stay at home mommy is hard. 
Being a working mommy is hard.
Being a single mommy is hard. 
Let's just face it - being a mommy is just.... plain.... hard.
It's the hardest, most tiring job you will ever do.
But today, I want to just talk about the unique challenges of the SAHM, because that's what I am and it's what I know.




Tucker the growing boy

It is a daily "dying to one's self" to spend all of your energy, creativity, and resources to rear children. Excuse me - "raise"children.  (I forgot I was southern there for a minute).  There are many different types of SAHMs out there.  Here are just a few that I have observed:
The going-back-to-school SAHM
The home-business SAHM
The I-wanna-be-a-Duggar SAHM
The country-club-socialite SAHM
The volunteer SAHM
The homeschool SAHM

Well, I could go on but you get the picture.  We all, as women, seem to look for something to "define ourselves as" other that just a Stay-At-Home-Mom.  We sometimes seem afraid to just simply be about the business of our home and family.  We seem afraid to let that be enough. 

Lila Grace and her bow

 I am simply a Stay at Home Mom.  I choose to be a Stay at Home Mom.  I love it, mostly.  I spend my days wiping various bodily fluids off children, teaching counting and behavior, fixing meals, doing laundry, and cleaning up messes.  And that's ok - I don't need to be defined as something else.  I'm not ashamed that this is "all" I do.  I don't feel as if my college education is being wasted (can education ever really be wasted) or that my talents could be used better by some organization that needs my help. 




Lyra Kate and that red hair


I am spending the best years of my childrens' childhood with them - day in and day out.  That's not to say that I don't dabble in a few things -
I am learning new things everyday so I am continuing my education.
I am reselling things we don't need anymore so I am making a bit of money.
I am in the unsure-if-God-will-bless-us-with-more-children stage so who knows how big our family will get.
I am not of the country club set but that's not something I will ever miss.  Scott is terrible at golf anyway!
I am a volunteer at our church and in this stage of life that's all I can manage.
I am a homeschool mom but we haven't officially started yet.

At the end of the day though, I am just a mommy.  And that's all I need to be.  I have chosen to sacrifice material things (and some sanity) to be the one who invests in my children all day, every day. I am privileged to get to do this.  I know.  I am blessed.

I'm just raising children and becoming an expert at accepting sticky hugs and snotty kisses without flinching.

Lyra Kate's Fourth Birthday Party

Lyra Kate and her cupcake

This past Saturday we celebrated Lyra Kate with a Princess & Pirate Costume Party!  I told you we did BIG Birthdays around here!  We invited all her friends and family and celebrated!

Daddy even dressed for the party!

Lyra Kate chose to be Ariel.  We bought her an Ariel princess dress when we went to the Disney store while on vacation.  I was not a fan of the "mermaid" style dress but it was her favorite!  And what do you know - she was the only Ariel at the party!  Smart girl.  We had Belles, Cinderellas, and Rapunzels too. A few pirates were also in attendance.

Belle (Layla) in deep conversation with Cinderella (Madi Paige)

Because Lila Grace has a giant stubborn streak, that she gets honest, she refused to dress as a princess.  So, we let her dress as a pirate!  She was the prettiest pirate there!

Is she not fierce or what?

We had a great time!  My parents were able to drive up for the weekend and attend along with my sister, Kendall, and her hubby, Uncle Tim.  After the party, Nanney, Emily, and Allie arrived for a visit. 



Princess Table

 We had a princess table and a pirate table.  Cupcakes, sandwiches, mints, cheese puffs, gold coins,
 pink mints, and pink lemonade!



Pirate Table

 Our birthday girl is quite the party planner.  She couldn't wait to blow out her candles and make a wish.  She wouldn't say for what she wished. 



Four candles on a tiny cupcake



All of Lyra Kate's presents were princess themed!  She received princess dolls, books, dress-up, and games.  Boy, do her friends and family know what she likes! 



Her new favorite storybook from Gammaw



We had a great time celebrating our big girl.  She talked of nothing else for a few days.  She loved her party and loved having her friends over.  And of course, she loved dressing up and getting presents and eating cupcakes.  Yep, I guess if I was 4, that would be my perfect day too.



Lyra Kate wearing Mollie Jo's Rapunzel hair



And then she was 3...

Our Lila Grace on the day of her 3rd birthday party

Where did the time go?  Just seems like last month we were celebrating her arrival.  Our second little miracle baby - so different from our first.  Fat and puffy with big blue eyes and the roundest bald head I had ever seen!  She was such a sweet baby.  So easy to care for, so laid back compared to her redhead older sister.

Daddy grilling at the Luau

We had a Backyard Birthday Luau.  It was a fun theme.  The weather was just right.  My mom and sister, Kendall, came early to help prepare - which I was so thankful for.  Scott grilled a fine burger and I made baked beans.  Nana & Pop even wore their matching Hawaiian shirts that they brought home from Hawaii. 

Colorful cupcakes - chocolate of course!

Miss Elizabeth brought Maylen and our cupcakes and cookies.  They were yummy!  Of course, Maylen refused to eat one.  I guess it's true what they say - baker's children don't eat cake. 

The gift opening mayhem

Gracie loved all her gifts.  She got a "puppy" from Nana & Pop, a pirate hat and pirate books from Gammaw and Pawpaw, a watch from Aunt Kendall, and a Tball set from Mommy & Daddy.

Gracie Girl the Pirate

We also got gifts from friends - cupcake dolls, lalaloopsie dolls, a Bethany & Co. frame, and few others I can't quite remember at right now at midnight!  The kids jumped and swung and played t-ball.  The men attempted horseshoes, but since Daddy set the posts up to regulation, everyone gave up - it was too difficult.

Lila's Birthday outfit - complete with matching pappy

All in all it was a great celebration of our Lila Grace - aka monkey, gracie, sweets, shirley temple, lucy...Well, she has more nicknames than I have time to list. 





Gracie girl at 3 months

When did my 3 month old bald baby become my 3 year old curly girl?  Ahhh, when I wasn't looking.