One Tough Chic

Don't mess with Elise....she'll knock you out. She's ready to defend her bro's here!

Heaven

I love Ethan's age. He is so inquisitive...

A couple months ago Ethan met Ryan's grandparents, so naturally he asked where my grandparents were. He caught me off-guard, and my response probably was not the most appropriate for a 3 year old. "Honey, mommy's grandparents aren't alive anymore, they are dead".

"Oh, why did they die?" he asked.

"Because they became very, very sick and never got better" I said. "Oh...." and that was the end of it. Or so I thought....

A couple days ago we were in the car and out of the blue Ethan says "Are your grandparents still dead mommy?". Clearly I did not explain well before...

"Yes Ethan, they are still dead. Once someone dies they stay that way". Then I realized that sounded very morbid, so I decided to put it in a different light. "They are up in heaven with Jesus now. They are very happy. Heaven is a wonderful place".

He thought about it for a minute. "Is heaven up in the sky?". "Yes Ethan, heaven is way up high in the sky. Jesus and mommy's grandparents are way up there. Did you know they can still look down and see us?".

"Oh. Are there windows up in heaven for them to look through?". My heart melts as he says this. "Yes Ethan" (how else do you explain things?!?).

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Fast forward to last night.

Every night I have the boys go to their rooms and pick out a book for me to read before bedtime. After tucking Drew Drew into bed, I went into Ethan's room to get him down for the night. He was laying in bed smiling, and proudly proclaimed "I have a Jesus book for you to read". I looked at the book, and it was a children's bible book he had picked out.

We read through several of the stories, until I realized we were going to be there all night reading if I went through every page (probably why he picked it out!). I skipped towards the back of the book, where it talked about Jesus dying, coming back to life, then going up to heaven. The last statement I read said that Jesus would one day come back for us and take us to heaven with him.

"Mommy, are we going to fly in the sky with Jesus when he takes us to heaven?" Hmmmm, trying to find words and an explanation he would understand......"I don't know for sure honey" ....easy out I know.

"But mommy, am I going to die when he takes me to heaven"....my heart stops for a minute when I hear him utter the words about him dying. Can't even think about that......"no Ethan, if He comes before you die then you get to go right up to heaven. If He doesn't come before you die, you'll go to heaven then. You just have to love Jesus with all your heart and be really good friends with him(something he understand now)." I'm starting to sweat bullets.....wasn't prepared for this conversation.

Well that must have curbed his curiousity about the death-issue, because then he started talking about how we could use lots of balloons to go up to heaven, and Jesus would catch us when we let go of the balloons (I have a feeling he got that from the Curious George movie).

Oh, if we could all think like 3 year olds once in a while!

2 Month Check-Up

Sissy had her check-up on Monday. She had the nurses laughing at all the faces she makes....from serious to confused to happy...she does it all!

Here is the look Ryan says she gets from me:

Ha! Guess he sees me after watching all three kids all day...maybe I should try to lighten up?!?

Everything went well at the doctor's....little lady (perhaps we should change her nickname) is 95% for height and weight. She weighs 13 lbs 6 oz, and is 24 1/2 inches long. Guess we don't have to worry about whether she eats enough or not!

Poor thing had to get four shots and one vaccine orally....so we've been giving her tylenol round the clock since she has been burning up.

Boys are doing great and keeping me active. I think we're getting used to the three-kid thing, at least for the moment. Check back with me later on that one!

Here is an updated picture of our doll......isn't she just the most precious thing ever? I know I am a little bias....

BTW, don't know if you can see it well, but the quilt that sissy is laying on just arrived today from my Aunt Denise...LOVE IT!! Nothing like a homemade gift....extra love poured into it.

Baby Dawson

My good friend Cary had a baby three weeks ago that is tiny....he weighed 4 lbs 4 ounces when he was born, and when he left the hospital he was only 4 lbs. I went to visit her last week and when I saw him I was in complete shock at how little he was (considering Elise was over double his weight when she was born!). Today she brought him over for the first time, and we were able to compare the two babies next to each other. I was scared that Elise was going to break him in half just laying next to him:-) Just look at his skinny legs! Anyways, he is adorable and healthy, now he just needs to put on the pounds!

Updated Pics

Here are some more current pictures of our little lady (per request!):

Am I cute or what?!?
Hangin with my older brothers

I'm starting to coo!

Our Baby's Hidden Talent

Tagged

My sister "tagged" me a while ago, and I just never got around to responding. I am supposed to share seven random things about me. Here goes:

(1) I have always had a dream to be a hair stylist. I love trying out different colors on my hair (although I've learned my lesson with that), and yes I've even tried to cut my own hair before (big mistake!). I think one day when the kids are older and I have more time (yeah right!) I might go to beautician school. We'll see...

(2) Whenever I sign my full name, I add an E onto the end of my middle name (Lynne). It's legally spelled Lynn, but I always felt it was rather plain so I have taken the liberty to add an E, though it's not correct!

(3) During one of my many break-ups from Ryan in college, a girlfriend and I formed the "Single Girls Club". We were sick of being broken-hearted so we officially became the founders and presidents of the club....we actually made applications for other girls in our sorority (as a joke)! Here's a shout out to Jennie Curry, and the crazy days of the Single Girls Club.

(4) This isn't really a fact about me, but I think it's cool. My parents still live in the same house I grew up in....I think they've been there for 34 years now. In this day and age that is quite unheard of....people are constantly moving into the newest and bigger house. Ryan and I hope to be in our current house for years and years so our kids can experience the feeling of a "home" like I had.

(5) This is a strange one...I actually LOVE giving birth. I never enjoy being pregnant (especially since I get sooooo sick), and I hate hospitals/needles/IV's, etc....however the whole process of labor is simply amazing. It's truly a miracle whenever a baby enters this world, and to be there for their very first breath is such a gift from God.

(6) When I was first learning to drive, my family had a huge station wagon (with the wood panels on the side!) and an even bigger conversion van. Back then it was horrible since neither was easy to learn on, however now it's wonderful because I can drive anything! After driving those vehicles an SUV or a minivan is a piece of cake!

(7) I am a sucker for reality TV shows. American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, MTV Real World, Bachelor, America's Next Top Model, you name it I love to watch it. I must say though that having kids has cut way back on my TV watching since I'm exhausted by evening... which is probably a good thing!