Happy Birthday!!

Dear Stinkerbell,

I cant believe that you are 8 years old today!! Seems like just yesterday I was sitting in the hospital in Midland looking down at your sweet baby face and wondering about all the adventures we would have together.

We have had many!!! I think back to all the mischief you caused and the laughter that I couldnt hold in during most of that mischief making. We had traveled and laughed, sang songs and read books. You became the little woman and friend I always hoped you would become.

I miss you terribly while you are gone and I hate not spending your birthday with you. Its so nice to hear your voice and know that you are having a good time and happy. Doesnt change the fact that we miss you, but it does help to know you are happy.

I look forward to when you come back and we can sit and talk again like we have done many times. Your not my baby girl anymore, but you will always be my little girl. You will always be the ONLY girl, and I am sure with 2 younger brothers, that will be a good thing for you to fall back on! We will need our girl time, just us and I cannot wait for the mischief we will cause when those days happen.

I love you very much, and I have enjoyed being your mom every step of the way. You have already because such a beautiful young lady and while I would love to stop time and keep you my little girl at the sametime I look forward to watching you continue to grow in the young woman I know you will be.

Happy Birthday my Stinkerbell,
Love always and forever,
Momma

Cheerio Coma

Many moms spend hours and days looking for something to help their kiddos fall asleep. I didnt have to.....he found it all by himself. Cheerios act as a sedative for Little Man :-)

There 2 pictures are from Day 2 and Day 3 of lunchtime "Cheerio Coma". Day 1 my camera batteries were dead and I didnt take a picture of it today because while its super cute to see him sleeping in what would be extrememly uncomfortable positions to people without the flexibility of babies, I dont want to be considered obsessive in the photo op department.

My Little Man keeps me entertained, even when sleeping!

Guard Dogs.....or not.

Vicious looking aren't they? Husker and Junior are 2 of the BEST dogs I have ever owned. And I grew up with collies and a wonderful german shepherd. These two take the cake. Both are amazing with my kiddos, good in the house and for the most part, dont leave the yard. Except at night, when Husker makes his nightly "rounds" to check on all the cows and whatever else he feels he needs to supervise. Oh yea, and they are best buds also, obviously by looking at the picture of them.

Husker is our cow dog and while he is still learning, its in his blood and something that is natural for him. He has quickly become one of hubby's best helpers. He will head down to the meadow across the street and if the calves are out, or close to out, he will go put them back without being told. Thats a good cow dog!!

Junior is DH hunting buddy and while he hasnt hunted with him in awhile, he is still good at what he is trained to do. He can track and point out a pheasant without any problems, even with 1 eye.

Great friends, companions and workers. However they are apparently lacking in the guard dog department.

This became very evident to us yesterday when we took this picture out the boys bedroom window:

This little buck walked through out backyard, not 10 feet from the house and maybe 30 feet from sleeping beauty #1 and #2. Yes, sleeping. Very soundly. Sound enough that this little guy hung out back there, eating some leaves and grass and rubbing his neck on the branch before casually wandering back into the hills behind the house.

Yep...my guard dogs missed him.

They can find a skunk 1/2 mile away and go make friends with him (which is why they are spending extra time outside these days) but they miss the deer in the backyard, 30 feet from their heads.

Good thing they are cute!

7 Month Mile Stone

What a BIG BOY!! One day before his 7 month birthday Little Man started standing on his own! He has been pulling himself up for a week or so now, on Daddy's legs and on the couch, but today was the first time he did it all by himself!

I am so proud of my little man. He had a rough start at life in the NICU and being so tiny. He is a little small for his actual age but his gestational age of 5.5 months, he is right in the middle. He is doing his version of crawling, which looks more like "the worm" but it gets him where he wants to go. He is such a happy little boy, he makes me very proud to be his mommy.