tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89410529295608206262024-03-05T06:34:45.141-06:00lyrics of life.lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.comBlogger467125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-34492944966893754912015-04-03T10:17:00.001-05:002015-04-03T10:18:57.576-05:00hello again.I wanted to write a facebook status about my chats with Roman about heaven. But then i just kept typing and typing. So i decided i should probably just blog again. I miss it like crazy.<br />
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We've entered the Heaven chats over here. Roman is asking ALL THE THINGS about heaven. And I've never loved being a momma more. "Momma? Will heaven be one giant cloud?"..."Momma? Will I get to play with tractors in heaven?"... What an amazing God we serve, that in the midst of the mundane, the exhaustion, the frustrations, the tantrums, and the mess, He gives us hope. And it is my privilege to pass on this HOPE to my babies. <br />
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This past year has been brutal on our family. I cannot imagine experiencing this without the hope of glory, without the assurance of a Savior, without the knowledge of HIS love for us. People will let us down, but HE remains faithful. I KNOW that in the broken and the mess, HE is unfolding an even more beautiful story. He will use our hurt and our pain to grow, to stretch and to mold us to be more like Him and to bless others. There is purpose in the pain. And it's beautiful. I used to think being a Christian meant going to church and learning the catechism (hello, fellow hope reformed church friends! ha!) and just knowing a whole bunch of doctrine and religion stuff. I had no clue.<br />
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BUT... I understand now it's a relationship with Christ. And ironically, most of the time you don't really grasp what that means until you find yourself smack dab in the middle of a trial. It's what makes this verse in James completely make sense, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Consider trails joy? YES. They bring us to our knees, in front of our Heavenly Father, reaching for Him. and that is the most vulnerable and beautiful place you could be. It's leaning on Him, when everything else seems to be swirling. I am thankful for our broken family, as it continues to be a tool in which He draws us near to him. <br />
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Friends, in the darkest times, and the loneliest of nights, and even in the purest moments of Joy... what or where or who does your hope come from? <br />
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"I have made you, I will carry you, I will sustain you, I will rescue you." - Isaiah 46:4<br />
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I now understand what this song by Hillsong really means. Total surrender.<br />
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"You call me out upon the waters<br />
The great unknown where feet may fail<br />
And there I find You in the mystery<br />
In oceans deep<br />
My faith will stand<br />
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And I will call upon Your name<br />
And keep my eyes above the waves<br />
When oceans rise<br />
My soul will rest in Your embrace<br />
For I am Yours and You are mine<br />
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Your grace abounds in deepest waters<br />
Your sovereign hand<br />
Will be my guide<br />
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me<br />
You've never failed and You won't start now<br />
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So I will call upon Your name<br />
And keep my eyes above the waves<br />
When oceans rise<br />
My soul will rest in Your embrace<br />
For I am Yours and You are mine<br />
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Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders<br />
Let me walk upon the waters<br />
Wherever You would call me<br />
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander<br />
And my faith will be made stronger<br />
In the presence of my Savior."<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=23&v=1m_sWJQm2fs">Listen Here!</a>lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-85019420745297747142014-02-19T22:06:00.000-06:002014-02-19T22:22:24.043-06:00my sweet roman.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
oh roman, my heart swells with love for you.</div>
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i know your strengths, your weaknesses, your loves, your passions, your fears...</div>
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i know what makes you laugh, what makes you smile...</div>
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and, i know what makes you sad, and scared, anxious and afraid.</div>
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i know what sets you off, i'm usually three seconds ahead of you trying to assess the environment to make sure you'll be ok.</div>
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it's easy for me to jump ahead to the present.</div>
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i want to talk all about where you are as a vibrant 3.5 year old.</div>
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but, i don't want to skip the tail end of your 2's. </div>
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your august was delightful.</div>
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i found out we got into a great preschool, located in a church.</div>
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we got to be outside as much as possible, and you thrive in the fresh air.</div>
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your love for "your neighbor grils" only continued to grow as you became more comfortable with them, knowing their names, and which ones lived in which house on our street.</div>
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but it wasn't all unicorns and rainbows.</div>
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i wasn't very sure how to best parent you.</div>
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nothing seemed to be working, and i was certain preschool would be the trick.</div>
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you loved being at home. with me.</div>
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you loved that archer could watch you play and he wasn't mobile, so he didn't come into your space! </div>
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it was a win win for you both :)</div>
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i continued to try play dates, trips to the library, the park, and other adventures when i mustered up the courage to venture out with you and your brother...</div>
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but most of the time your brother would scream in his car seat, which made you scream, which made me want to scream. and run away.</div>
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many times we didn't even make it to our destination.</div>
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and one time, we even stopped in a random parking lot so i could cry, and feed the baby, and try to calm you down.</div>
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some people might look at this part of our story and wonder, why share such a difficult season?</div>
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well, little roman, it's our story. </div>
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and so, we'll share it.</div>
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we'll share it in hopes to shed light on the glorious thing that is the Father's love.</div>
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a love that is so secure, so precious, that it picks us up in the darkest moments, and propels us forward with grace.</div>
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my dear sweet boy, a mother's love knows NO limits.</div>
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in the most difficult days, is when i loved you the most.</div>
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i was exhausted, and weary. confused and sad.</div>
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my expectations of motherhood were being shattered.</div>
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but your eyes still shined.</div>
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you still lit up with the most giant smile.</div>
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we thrive together.</div>
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you love to be near me, and your joy fuels my existence.</div>
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roman, we had a lovely august. </div>
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we're a beautiful team.</div>
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<br />lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-57491990994812206882014-02-19T21:45:00.000-06:002014-02-19T22:17:38.149-06:00oh sweet archer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
oh my dear archer.</div>
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not only do i wish i could freeze time, i wish i could rewind.</div>
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most of your first year i feel like i've just been trying to survive and get through the day.</div>
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i wanted to be more for you.</div>
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and then, as quick as i speak so harshly to myself, critiquing myself in the worst way, i'm reminded...</div>
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God chose ME to be your momma.</div>
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He has orchestrated every tiny detail that has unfolded and still is yet to unfold in our story, a story we share.</div>
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and my dear archer, you're a beautiful gift, a ray of sunshine, in my life.</div>
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i avoided blogging most of your milestones, because in a way i thought if i didn't blog about them, time would slow down...i always thought i would catch up...and then the next month came.</div>
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you're almost 11 months now, but here in these photos, you're a sweet little 5 month old.</div>
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you were full of giggles and squeals. i have some pretty good videos of your laughter. </div>
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and it's the sweetest sound i have ever heard.</div>
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you ate around the clock, in fact, you ate more during the night than the day.</div>
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that's part of why this year has been so hard.</div>
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until you were 10.5 months old, you were still eating at least 3 times a night. </div>
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i felt like most of those months i was walking around in a tired baby haze.</div>
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however, i know that God sent your shiny eyes, your big beautiful smile, and your vibrant personality to pick me up and help me to find laughter and joy in a dark season for me. </div>
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you're beautiful, my son.</div>
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inside, and out. </div>
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even at 5 months...i am so confident God has began a good work in you, and i'm beyond overwhelmed with excitement to watch, to mold, and to cheer you on as He will be faithful to complete it.</div>
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most of your days were spent watching your brother play, you nursed anytime i would let you, and you were attacked by my tickles all day errrrr day, because i couldn't get enough of your laughter. </div>
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it was august when you were 5 months, and we spent most of our days watching your brother bask in the great outdoors. you love your brother so SO much, and i know a flame was lit inside of you, even as a baby, that drives you to adore him unconditionally. your connection with him is deeper than words can describe, and i am so grateful to be given the gift of motherhood, so i can watch in awe as your relationship with my sweet roman begins to bloom.</div>
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thank you, archer, for your joy.</div>
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<br />lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-64564590527262810952014-02-19T21:06:00.001-06:002014-02-19T21:45:26.781-06:00 ready to write.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
oh hi!</div>
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it's been so long. too too long.</div>
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too long since i've let my fingers loose on this keyboard. and i've missed it.</div>
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there's been a gaping hole in my routine, the way i process life, and i attribute it to my absence here.</div>
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writing, for me, is my therapy.</div>
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not only do i find freedom in releasing my thoughts, my dreams, my joys and my sorrows, i also find that it fulfills my desire for a connection on a deeper level with people.</div>
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people fuel me.</div>
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being vulnerable and honest, is like fresh air to my lungs.</div>
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in this small space online, i feel free to be me.</div>
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now hold up.</div>
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before you all go, "whoa. who is this insane person and what did she do with sane lindsey?"</div>
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let me explain.</div>
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i've battled with the desire to write and write and write over this past year, but my desire has been met with the most forceful insecurity on what to share.</div>
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i'm an all or nothing kinda girl.</div>
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should i just put it all out there?</div>
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or should i just keep it in my private circle?</div>
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">But he said to me, <span class="woj"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29015A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup>“My grace is sufficient for you, for <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29015B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup>my power is made perfect in weakness.”</span> Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29015C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup>the power of Christ may rest upon me.</span></i></div>
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how do i boast in my weakness without being real? </div>
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how can His power be made perfect, if i can't accept, embrace, and celebrate my areas of weakness? </div>
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so then, i found myself with a craving to share.</div>
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but i couldn't just share my story without making it about my children, and husband, as well.</div>
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and there's a part of me that is willing to be REAL about myself, but hold back out of "respect" for my boys and my love. i mean, who am i to reveal their messy stuff?</div>
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well, i've prayed, and stewed, and prayed, and am confident in what has been revealed to me.</div>
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I know the Lord will be glorified in my mess, if I use it to point back to Him...His perfectness...His Son who came to rescue....and His grace that so incredibly meets not only me BUT my boys, and husband, right there in our mess.</div>
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and. well. i guess i feel like i'm blowing out my flame if i don't share it.</div>
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it's our story. so i'm ready to share.</div>
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lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-52534577242379108402013-12-09T00:06:00.000-06:002013-12-09T00:06:30.954-06:00christmas 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-26778641039951734122013-08-15T23:19:00.000-05:002013-08-15T23:28:27.449-05:00a good day.today was good.<br />
it started with the sun pouring in.<br />
actually, since archer wakes up every 1-2 hours, there's hardly an end or beginning to these days of mine.<br />
but when the sun comes up, i declare it the next day :)<br />
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we had a slow morning.<br />
archer took a nap longer than 20 minutes (miracle!).<br />
so i took a shower.<br />
and then he wasn't crying by the time i got out (miracle!)<br />
so i had time to blow dry my hair. totally have no clue the last time this happened.<br />
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little arch has been sick for a while, bad cold and ear infection, but today he was on fire!<br />
like a good fire!<br />
squealing machine.<br />
so happy.<br />
oh i love him.<br />
and i guess i love antibiotics? cuz dang they worked quick!<br />
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finally, about noon, we were all ready and dressed and groomed.</div>
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so we decided to go visit daddy.</div>
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i dread car rides with these too. archer HATES the carseat.</div>
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my anxiety about took over somewhere between K-7 and K-10, when both kids were screaming.</div>
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but i pushed through and we made it without any major momma breakdowns.</div>
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upon arrival, romes had a potty accident right on the lobby of the office, but a quick clean up and pants change plus some nice subway sandwiches made for a mighty fine visit to daddy :) oh, and roman gets gobs of candy from the secretary, so that always helps too.</div>
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roman didn't nap when we got home, but neighbor girl ashley doesnt start school until monday, so she came and played "workin on the house" with him (his dream, to work on the house with the neighbor girls, totally combines both of his loves)<br />
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but the nap thing..... instead he passed out on the couch at about 5:15, so when mr leif got home a bit after 6 we woke him up to go see the machines (behind our house....ahhh road construction)<br />
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we never did have dinner tonight... i think romes had some yogurt while meandering through the house for dinner, i had gobs of chocolate covered almonds and a bowl of coffee ice cream, and mr leif warmed up some left over lasagna. archer of course had milk.<br />
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mr leif had lots of work to do, so he was off in the dining room on the computer after he gave our little snickers chunky a bath (that's archer). <br />
i got archer to bed around 8:30. (note....archer has since woken up multiple times, ugh, and i've feed him once)<br />
and then, it was just a romes show, he loved it.<br />
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he watched john deere for a bit, he could watch that movie forever. the dvd has begun to wear down. i know more about those dang machines then i could have ever imagined, purely from second hand listening.<br />
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and not long after it began, he got his machines out, and soon the living room rug was covered with back hoes, tractors, dump trucks, trash trucks, and a big red toy van. <br />
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he was driving people to get pizza, instructing that they all "sit down if you want pizza!"<br />
and he was crashing his dump truck into archer's baby mat over and over, giggling hysterically.<br />
he was naked, too, of course, because we're potty training over here.<br />
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but anyways.<br />
it ended with romes finally going up to bed at 10:20.<br />
he was happy. goofy. and a wild mess.<br />
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it was a good night.<br />
and i just want to remember these years, these days, these moments. <br />
i love being a momma. i love being a wife.<br />
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these days are challenging. the nights are so long. but they are so so good.<br />
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<br />lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-47209406622637204632013-08-15T15:40:00.002-05:002013-08-15T15:47:23.657-05:00a date with my roman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
this summer has been so graciously sprinkled with lots of family time :)</div>
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a long visit home to nebraska in june, and multiple visitors (mostly including our grandmas!) and even a his second solo trip back to nebraska by romes!</div>
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he could tell you all about sutton. </div>
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he could tell you all about the farm, and probably label almost every piece of farm machinery that gpa kurt owns.</div>
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he's smitten with our little small town nebraska ways.</div>
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walking to get donuts with gma linda, visiting great grandma leona on their way home...</div>
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hours and hours at the farm with the cows and "workin' on stuff"...</div>
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tinkering around out in the country at gma abbi's...</div>
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and meandering through gma linda's backyard.</div>
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he's in love with it all.</div>
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the downside of this, however, is leaving nebraska, or having to say goodbye to our visitors.</div>
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poor little roman just cries and cries... he wants to go with his grandmas when they leave, and after spending 4 days in nebraska without momma - all by himself - he told gma linda that he didn't want to go back to kansas city. ok, REALLY? what kid doesnt need their momma? wahhhhh. </div>
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(probably the kid who is spoiled just a TAD when he's back in nebraska)</div>
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one morning (see the photo below) roman was particularly sad...full of tears...needing his gma's</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6LWYlkJS1_F1LJDqth2_INXaHjGkw0Y-cUKkcYIFy3Zs8Z_LuaHXtcqt2HSXmaKsKujlP3EgKKFT6bat5uRCELaM-9OZPLjfUGznI4IU2hbgaB26JvbbVsGoWrOXOTHAvG0EVUMjC5FZ/s1600/IMG_2787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6LWYlkJS1_F1LJDqth2_INXaHjGkw0Y-cUKkcYIFy3Zs8Z_LuaHXtcqt2HSXmaKsKujlP3EgKKFT6bat5uRCELaM-9OZPLjfUGznI4IU2hbgaB26JvbbVsGoWrOXOTHAvG0EVUMjC5FZ/s640/IMG_2787.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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since i've been feeling <a href="http://lindseyandcasey.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-slump.html"><span style="color: #0b5394;">so out of it lately</span></a>, mr leif and i decided i needed to get out of the house and it was time to take romes to a movie! he's never been to the movie theater before :)</div>
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daddy got roman dressed, and did his hair </div>
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(while i almost had a mini break down in my closet trying to fit into my clothes...ha)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdvgrGRRaHYp5tzRRAxmV1FoLAdoVQh0wiZjqBFVPoJ4wZga7vdt8E2QXxusEdBPH5m6b2iylm8dUyp4I8OXG_5FBYbl_l34Macl9s9paMikX5cgBW56nwRZlpbKPwiuTaW3293hqo4SQa/s1600/IMG_2847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdvgrGRRaHYp5tzRRAxmV1FoLAdoVQh0wiZjqBFVPoJ4wZga7vdt8E2QXxusEdBPH5m6b2iylm8dUyp4I8OXG_5FBYbl_l34Macl9s9paMikX5cgBW56nwRZlpbKPwiuTaW3293hqo4SQa/s640/IMG_2847.JPG" width="640" /></a> </div>
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when you get to experience life through your child's eyes, it's so much more beautiful. <br />
they see things with such a raw sense of awe and wonder. i love his enthusiasm.</div>
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i think he would have been satisfied to stay right here, in the "lobby" of the theater.</div>
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he kept saying "wow momma, it's like an airport!!"</div>
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of course, we got the snack pack, and he is still talking about his pop, popcorn, and skitties (skittles)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmLGRQ8WNHFWoUJe3FQZL2rgljlUOg643AFoAgty1Gq7QNUtFPH6tc02C7yfOknciWJRxYKKcnYyRHTLe1dzfkFVHCIDnA9tj1jS2hAw6Sk7lEosVOkjfSP5U4lo_1nPLpof50tPBWm8U/s1600/IMG_2855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmLGRQ8WNHFWoUJe3FQZL2rgljlUOg643AFoAgty1Gq7QNUtFPH6tc02C7yfOknciWJRxYKKcnYyRHTLe1dzfkFVHCIDnA9tj1jS2hAw6Sk7lEosVOkjfSP5U4lo_1nPLpof50tPBWm8U/s640/IMG_2855.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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we went to despicable me 2. </div>
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we haven't seen despicable me 1, but neither of us knew the difference :)</div>
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i just couldn't stop staring at him, so little, sitting in such a big theater seat!</div>
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his little body couldn't keep the weight of the seat down, so it kept sandwiching closed on him. </div>
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i had to hold it down for the majority of the time.</div>
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but i didn't mind, seeing my little boy next to me in the theater made me all nostalgic for the good old days with my mr leif - - - our high school dating days were full of trips to the movies.</div>
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i felt so blessed to be able to sit in the theater with my little guy.</div>
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towards the end of our time there, i just grabbed him and plopped him on my lap, he snuggled right in!</div>
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about 45 minutes in, roman looked up at me and said "i'm ready to go now momma!"</div>
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"ok romes!" i said...</div>
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i used to be more picky with "getting our money's worth" with things...</div>
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i always thought i should finish my drink at a restaurant, or stay til the end if we paid to see some sort of event, but mr leif has since cured me of this guilty feeling. he's always been more of the "we already paid, it doesn't matter how long we stay or if we finish what we ordered" type of guy. </div>
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having that attitude is actually really freeing :)</div>
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so i had no problem with getting up and leaving when he (so politely!) said he was ready to go!</div>
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we walked out into the lobby, and he was again obsessed with looking around, and imagining all sorts of crazy things that would take place in such a tall space. he talked about a crane taking him way up on top of the "biiiiig buildin'!" so cute. oh, i love him and his bursting vocabulary!</div>
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he held tight to his "pop" until we got home :)</div>
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oh my roman joe, you are a light in my life.</div>
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many days you stretch my patience thin, but you sure fill my love tank up fuller than full, little buddy.</div>
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i love you my romedoggydog.</div>
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and, i can't wait to go on another date with you my little love.</div>
lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-79603194265157105332013-08-14T11:22:00.000-05:002013-08-14T11:22:00.769-05:00our neighbor grils<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
when we lived in the green house (sniff sniff, still miss that neighborhood) we didn't really interact with neighbors.</div>
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it was always my desire to get to know them more, but all of the women worked during the day, so i didn't get to see them out on walks or at the park. and the evenings and weekends--they all seemed to disappear into their back yards or maybe they just stayed inside? regardless, even though we were there for 5 years, we rarely did more than a wave or occasional small conversation with our neighbors.</div>
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SO, naturally, my extroverted self was really hoping for a neighborhood with great neighbors when we moved!</div>
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i love to think about how God works, about how He goes before us and orchestrates things in order to meet our needs. because, dang gina, God totally saw my heart, my desire, my need and he more than fulfilled this longing.</div>
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i dreamt of having older kids to help me with my children, i dreamt of a kid friendly street, i dreamt of sipping wine with the other parents, i dreamt of people hanging out on their front steps, and in the front yards, and my dreams have come true.</div>
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roman has 6 "neighbor grils" as he likes to call them, swarming him daily.</div>
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they think he's cute, they adore him, and the best part for him? strangely they love to watch him play.</div>
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and for romes? that's the key to his heart. he loves having the big kids watch him work. HA!</div>
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there's also a few elementary age boys that he's got his eye on too!</div>
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the nice thing about these lovely girls is that they are ranging in age from 11-16, so i have had a lovely summer <i>actually</i> having someone to talk to other than my little toddler. </div>
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i'm a BIT of a people person, so sometimes i can get lonely being home all day with roman and archer...</div>
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having these cute middle and high school girls around me is so fun!</div>
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i can't wait to watch them as they learn to drive! and get boyfriends! and go to prom! eeeeek! </div>
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with a house full of boys, i can sort of get my girly fix through these cute little neighbor girls :)</div>
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i snapped some photos of roman and riley this week.</div>
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riley is such a blessing.</div>
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she's often times bored at home, only having an older brother, so i get lots of texts that sound like..."is roman up yet? can i come play?" or "does roman want to play with me?"</div>
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um YEAHHHH. yes he DOES! </div>
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she's been around us enough this summer, that she knows the ropes and now i find her putting his shoes on, filling up his drink cup, wiping his nose, and even reminding him he shouldn't say poopy and butt. </div>
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:)</div>
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i'm so thankful for this neighborhood.</div>
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we've only been here for 4 months, and the relationships we've made have been so beautiful already.</div>
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<br />lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-48313019637167280342013-08-13T10:56:00.000-05:002013-08-13T11:00:12.527-05:00the zoo.if you're within a 5 hour radius of omaha, you've probably been to the ahhhhhmazing omaha henry doorly zoo. if you haven't? you should go. even if you're not a huge animal fan (me) you should still go, it's just really cool. and if you are freaked out by butterflies everywhere (me), sometimes landing on you, then just don't go into the butterfly exhibit thing. and, if you live in kansas city (me) then just skip the KC zoo and head north to omaha. because this zoo can not even compare.<br />
sorry kc zoo fans. but really, get your booty to omaha. you'll thank me later.<br />
<br />
but anyways, we went to the kansas city zoo a couple weeks ago. <br />
it was so hot and sticky and muggy that day.<br />
but we actually had a really great time.<br />
and i didn't pack us any lunches or drinks, so we got to eat yummy zoo food! (nasty hot dog and pretzel with way too much salt!)<br />
but romes earned himself a yummy cherry zoo slushie, so all was good in toddler land.<br />
<br />
me, being the momma bear of the family is always trying to get us to do these "fun family things!" other mommas probably understand this kind of thing, we like to formulate radiant ideas in our mind, and think they'll be just perfect! trips! picnics! family outings! mostly, they're more work than we ever imagined, and mostly, one could say it's just easier to stay home, but us momma's...we like to try and make a memory or two :)<br />
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SO, it was off to the zoo!<br />
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lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-73394530980835660142013-08-12T15:30:00.000-05:002013-08-12T15:48:19.242-05:00a slump.i've been in a slump.<br />
<br />
i looked up slump in the dictionary, well, dictionary.com, and it says it means <i>to fall or sink suddenly.</i><br />
<br />
that's what's happened. i've been falling and sinking, and though there are so SO many good things going on, and so MANY good moments happening, the sinking is still happening too.<br />
<br />
one could call it post partum stuff, or maybe it has to do with my low iron + a baby who is waking up every 2-3 hours for almost 5 months now, or my ever worrying mind about my decreasing milk supply, or maybe it's my toddler that stretches me so thin i feel like i'll break. maybe it's all those things. regardless of what you want to call it, anxiety, depression, exhaustion, or a slump?.... it's consuming and some days, it takes everything i have just to make it through the day.<br />
<br />
i can sit here and list what i'm grateful for. and the list would pour onto the floor. <br />
it would overflow with abundance of gifts and blessings and love and support. <br />
it would make me feel good, and it does.<br />
<br />
but then something happens when the baby cries and i can't get him to fall asleep and the toddler spills all the crackers on the floor, steps on them, and then screams at me because he's hungry. something happens when i look around in this house, and though we've lived here for almost 5 months, it still doesn't quite feel like home. something happens when i watch the clock and it ticks so slowly until my mr leif gets home at 6pm. something happens when i try to leave the house and the baby screams in the car, which makes the toddler scream in the car, which makes me want to cry and just turn around and stay home. something happens when i open up my tub of clothes and try on those jeans again, the ones i wore before sweet archer came, and they still don't fit, actually, nor do any of the shirts. and the scale? something happens when i step on it and it just sits at that number, never lowering, and though i can be told, "but you just had a baby 5 months ago!" it doesn't comfort me, and my unhealthy view of body image. and something happens when think of all those things, and i get angry at myself for not handling this better, for feeling so pathetic, for letting these things consume me and swallow me. why can't i overcome this? i'm a believer...are christians supposed to feel this way? and where's my joy? that joy that's unspeakable?<br />
and when all of those things keep happening - it makes those blessings get foggy.<br />
it covers up my gratitude and overwhelms me with a feeling of, i can't do this.<br />
<br />
i want to write more in this space. i desire to write every day. <br />
i want to pour my heart out, unleash my mind, and let my fingers flow with what's inside.<br />
but it's not always cute. or funny. or worthy of publishing. <br />
and i feel frozen when i can't be real.<br />
if i continue to try and ignore what's going on in my heart, and just write about all the good stuff? then for me, it's not worth writing at all.<br />
i want my children to read about my hard days too.<br />
i want them to see that life is weary.<br />
and i want to show that i am so so broken.<br />
<br />
and then i want to do one thing, and one thing only, i want to point up.<br />
<b>to christ.</b><br />
<br />
i want to share that i am struggling, and my only way out is to breathe in gulps of His living water.<br />
i want to share that it's ok to be weak, and that it draws us closer to our Father, and when we are weak, it stirs up His compassion.<br />
i want to share that though i am delicate, i am grounded in truth, and when your foundation is on solid ground, you will flourish. <br />
<br />
motherhood is so refining.<br />
marriage is work.<br />
life is hard.<br />
<br />
but, oh my. oh my, oh my. it's beautiful.<br />
it's good.<br />
it's lovely.<br />
it's so SO sweet.<br />
<br />
i look at my husband and am in awe by how much love i can have for this man.<br />
i look at my children and overwhelmed with how my heart beats for them.<br />
and, i look at my life and even though i see so much good, i also see the bad, and together, they paint the most beautiful picture of a sinner, running and clinging to the only hope we have in our Savior.<br />
i see his grace, and i see it pour out from the moment i hear the baby cry, to the countless times my toddler wears me thin. he sees me weak, and weary, and he pours his grace down upon my broken attempts to mother. and he meets me in my mess, and together, we love these children. and together we serve my husband. <br />
<br />
these trials that happen to us believers, they are so good. so SO good. <br />
it's through them that we hear the Father whispering, Come to me, come to me, come...<br />
His vast ocean of love is so big, i can not comprehend.<br />
and when we are weary, and weak, then he is so very strong.<br />
<br />
i'm meditating on proverbs 18:10 today,<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">the name of the lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe.</span><br />
amen?<br />
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>>> scenes from the leif house <<<</div>
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and, loving this</div>
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lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-78745527967213280752013-07-28T05:00:00.000-05:002013-07-28T05:00:03.268-05:00my little archer man, 4 months old<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
you're 4 months old.</div>
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i don't know how this is happening.</div>
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you're getting way too big, way too fast.</div>
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you're not a very good sleeper... like, at all.</div>
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but i promised you a couple days ago, that if you would stay this size forever, then i would accept sleepless nights forever. yes, it would be worth it.</div>
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i want you on my hip foreva eva.</div>
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you'z the cutest accessory in all the land my little archer man.</div>
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the way you arch your eyebrows, heh, who know our archer, would have such bright eyes from arched brows. seems about perfect.</div>
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YOU are perfect.</div>
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i kiss your cheeks, your belly, your hands, your legs and your piggies on an hourly basis.</div>
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your big brother is an identical twin to daddy,</div>
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but you? you have a look of your own.</div>
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we could say you have some of my features, but truly, you're just a cute little button all on your own.</div>
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oh archer, i'm madly in love with you.</div>
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maybe it's this whole second time around thing or something, but dang gina, you make us want thousands of babies (actually just one or maybe two more). but really, you are a treasure to our family.</div>
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some stats for momma's memory</div>
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:::</div>
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you're a chunker, weighing 17 pounds (5 days short of 4 months!)</div>
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you've taken me through the ringer with feeding you... but now, you are an exclusive breast feeder (hi high school archer! hope this doesn't embarrass you!) but really, you couldn't make up your mind for a while, and now i can't get you to take a bottle (which hinders my social life, #momproblems)</div>
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you are rollin over!! you don't mind your tummy either, just usin' those strong arms to hold your cute little head up!!! but just slow down. i don't want you to crawl anytime soon. ok? ok!</div>
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you're a gnawing machine. your fist, your little sophie giraffe, blankies, and any time i lean in to nibble your cheeks you try to eat me too. the drool is pooling out these days, so you must be teething! i'm thinking about getting you an amber necklace. sometimes i try to be all hippie like, and then i go and eat a giant bowl of ice cream with hot fudge, and about 3 packs of fruit snacks and all hippie status goes out the window.</div>
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you squeal. like screeching squeals. and you do it in delight. and i am SO excited for you to start talking because i think you will be so cute and funny! i love your squeals. you have a great range, perhaps you have a career in singing my love? we shall see... we shall see (your dad would be happy if you would just be on the line with your big bro. settttt HIKE!)</div>
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you also scream really high pitched when you are sad, errrr MAD. you can get really mad. and you refuse to eat and sleep and you just scream. whoooooof! it's a doozy 'round here when you let our your shrilling screaming cries. but we still love you. you're a rather cute screamer.</div>
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you've started grunting when you want your momma. you see me, and you want me, so you grunt til you get me. and i don't mind one bit. i love to be grunted at :) HA! but really, it's pretty unexplainable, the love i feel for you my sweet dear archer man. you've stolen my heart.</div>
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i'll love you forever</div>
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your momma :)</div>
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lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-39580925217803655532013-07-26T05:00:00.000-05:002013-07-26T05:00:08.644-05:00our kansas city june.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
we spent about one week of june in kansas city.</div>
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we came home from the wedding, hung out for a week, and then took off for nebraska!</div>
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but it was a full week.</div>
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and thus, it shall be documented :)</div>
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. . .</div>
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archer spent the week getting cuter,</div>
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and roman spent the week becoming more funny.</div>
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archer perfected the brother punch,</div>
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<img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mLX7wqN1JmQ/Ue9AdQji26I/AAAAAAAAKGQ/WSEWZynAlLY/s320/IMG_0703.jpg" width="320" /><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eaKR7QAZCTg/Ue9AdwPEXYI/AAAAAAAAKGU/WWbT71nVD4A/s320/IMG_0704.jpg" width="320" /></div>
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and romes went to the dentist for the first time!</div>
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gpa don came to visit and went to daddy's softball game with us,</div>
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romes spent the whole game adventuring with his buddy jairus.</div>
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gpa don read bed time stories to romes,</div>
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and daddy came home from work and mommy thought, dang, he's cute.</div>
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mommy took millions of pictures of archer man.</div>
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<img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iHCC8bLiDsI/Ue9A_-XInMI/AAAAAAAAKNk/yp0d20rALL8/s200/IMG_1085.jpg" width="150" /><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZXR5Ej0JQEQ/Ue9A_UXAlEI/AAAAAAAAKNY/rIdS4ojdJBM/s200/IMG_1074.jpg" width="150" /><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D6I6jeTqcQ8/Ue9A-Rp3a3I/AAAAAAAAKNM/CMnCCAAjC2U/s200/IMG_1069.jpg" width="150" /><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LtsSGaoHDsA/Ue9A-DwIwTI/AAAAAAAAKNA/7b_cvwkSmTQ/s200/IMG_1066.jpg" width="150" /></div>
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no really, </div>
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i have uncontrollable snap syndrome</div>
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i can't help it!</div>
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he's just so yummy.</div>
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and he also looks kind of like a baby bird.</div>
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chirp chirp little archer.</div>
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naked baby!</div>
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<img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ESv0LJ3JkpU/Ue9BKPfqgFI/AAAAAAAAKQ0/8vJIIFY1iU0/s200/IMG_1152.jpg" width="150" /><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DBSccfk0_MU/Ue9BKuADshI/AAAAAAAAKQ4/QK3Utm3kdIA/s200/IMG_1153.jpg" width="150" /><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B0zGIlt-KRw/Ue9BLFQ4RFI/AAAAAAAAKRA/EQ1R9l8zMiY/s200/IMG_1154.jpg" width="150" /><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n-U8n_eKZuc/Ue9BLqDJ2uI/AAAAAAAAKRE/Li7r-zSF1pw/s200/IMG_1155.jpg" width="150" /></div>
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and eeeeeeeeek!!!! </div>
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he started scooting off his little play mat!</div>
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we spent the week snuggling and catching up on sleep from the wedding week</div>
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and romes stepped out in style to make his daddy's father's day gift</div>
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my little picasso strikes again.</div>
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our traditional daddy day canvas, by romy joe.</div>
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<img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ylzH9rZiPbs/Ue9BORTda_I/AAAAAAAAKSA/8uLixSBf3tg/s320/IMG_1227.JPG" width="320" /><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MdgjwJ3b214/Ue9BQOOR8uI/AAAAAAAAKSQ/BXEUGLcR9LM/s320/IMG_1228.JPG" width="320" /><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0HSgm6bALV4/Ue9BQOerOmI/AAAAAAAAKSE/pMtPt2h6QIc/s320/IMG_1229.JPG" width="320" /><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-44c2YcL7O8U/Ue9BRqNjY9I/AAAAAAAAKSg/gNG92SJv3TI/s320/IMG_1231.JPG" width="320" /></div>
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it was a crazy busy week full of laundry and re organization of the house and trying to get back on schedule with our lives . . . and then packing and preparing to spend 3 weeks in nebraska.</div>
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whew.</div>
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<br /></div>
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kansas city june, you were a crazy one!</div>
lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-30388849270208709872013-07-25T05:00:00.000-05:002013-07-25T05:00:03.561-05:00uncle kyle got married<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
the first week of june had us hoppin' on a plane... and a shuttle bus, and a rental car, </div>
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and arriving in Minnesota for uncle kyle's wedding.</div>
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in typical lindsey fashion, i was trying to pack the night before and it was a mad house up in here.</div>
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this whole pack for a family vaca thing is crazy.</div>
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if i was rich i'd say i'll just buy anything we need once we get there. </div>
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but i'm not.</div>
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and when you have little kids, there's all these things you have to pack for "just in case".</div>
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oiy. </div>
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but we did it! all packed up and headed to the airport!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DflQYwHwhFo/Ue8_q4F1zmI/AAAAAAAAJ8Y/0HdFSEBH7m8/s1600/IMG_0796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DflQYwHwhFo/Ue8_q4F1zmI/AAAAAAAAJ8Y/0HdFSEBH7m8/s640/IMG_0796.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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we arrived at the airport in the nick of time.</div>
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literally.</div>
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other than archer's huge blow out on the shuttle bus from car to air port, which required a dipe change right in the middle of the airport (hello, i'mthatmom) we were there and checked in, smooth sailing.</div>
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i mean, other than the fact that we used his extra set of clothes before the trip even began. </div>
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#crap. </div>
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(pun intended)</div>
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{baby sitting awkwardly in the ergo. he was screaming unless i held him like that. oh joy.}</div>
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romes was in heaven.</div>
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literally labeling everything in sight.</div>
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dude has a page in one of his books that labels everything you might see at an airport.</div>
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and that page <span style="font-size: x-small;">(along with all the others... no joke... we're talking like forest pages with log feller bunchers)</span> is memorized. so i got to here all about luggage carts and conveyer belts. yay.</div>
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<img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9oJqFoMnP3E/Ue8_yGXLo_I/AAAAAAAAJ-c/MAmlf6jLx54/s200/IMG_0889.JPG" width="200" /><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qi1Sc07KbBU/Ue8_y5GHKAI/AAAAAAAAJ-8/Mrk2gFcnuwU/s200/IMG_0891.JPG" width="200" /><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eRH3QUAYDaM/Ue8_zz8pKyI/AAAAAAAAJ_Q/uerwgyXmvrg/s200/IMG_0894.JPG" width="200" /></div>
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{romes wanted more chips. we fed him all sorts of junk food this day. </div>
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i mean, you do what you gotta do}</div>
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{oh hi! we're all on a plane! here we go!!!!! help help help help}</div>
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no actually, they flew great!</div>
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and then we got to minneapolis.</div>
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and we drove around the city for 45 min trying to find a noodles and company because daddy told roman he could have mac and cheese and the first noodles and company we found was in the mall of america and we weren't gonna do that.</div>
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so we drove around. forever.</div>
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and then archer was screaming.</div>
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and then i was so stressed i couldn't feed the baby.</div>
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and then i freaked out because oh no, i couldn't feed the baby.</div>
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and then we found a noodles and company.</div>
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and all was good.</div>
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it's amazing what a little mac n cheese can do for a boy.</div>
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(and a momma!)</div>
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whew.</div>
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other than that little hiccup, we made it smooth sailing.</div>
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and look at this place!</div>
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i learned quickly that arch was not havin the ergo.</div>
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so i busted out the solly baby wrap.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0Q4nuWG5_X4/Ue9GmvOtmdI/AAAAAAAAKlE/odpnuaG43Xc/s1600/IMG_0877.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0Q4nuWG5_X4/Ue9GmvOtmdI/AAAAAAAAKlE/odpnuaG43Xc/s640/IMG_0877.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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and suddenly my little 2 month old looked HUGE in that wrap.</div>
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oh, but it worked wonders.</div>
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nothin like being hands free.</div>
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and having a large growth on your belly.</div>
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but what a cute little growth he was :)</div>
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romes ran wild and free the whole time we were there.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-slcNuRk5DZo/Ue8_5GVOvZI/AAAAAAAAKAc/DokMI_sbDIU/s1600/IMG_0920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-slcNuRk5DZo/Ue8_5GVOvZI/AAAAAAAAKAc/DokMI_sbDIU/s640/IMG_0920.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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actually, i'm not kidding.</div>
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this blur below is basically us, chasing our kid, so he wouldn't fall into the lake.</div>
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but he loved it.</div>
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and a happy boy makes for some happy parents.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GVqVqN5jRMk/Ue8_3qo4-VI/AAAAAAAAKAE/Le7PvmskytQ/s1600/IMG_0915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GVqVqN5jRMk/Ue8_3qo4-VI/AAAAAAAAKAE/Le7PvmskytQ/s640/IMG_0915.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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oh, and he kept piling up the fire wood.</div>
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always working, that romes.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y3Sy-oA0Rsc/Ue8_7JDCb9I/AAAAAAAAKA8/bFjTSLn8Wok/s1600/IMG_0936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y3Sy-oA0Rsc/Ue8_7JDCb9I/AAAAAAAAKA8/bFjTSLn8Wok/s640/IMG_0936.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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he loved being at </div>
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"the camp" and "the lake"</div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kSc8aeT8m1U/Ue8_-SWX-YI/AAAAAAAAKB0/5z-IHKcWbtM/s1600/IMG_0986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kSc8aeT8m1U/Ue8_-SWX-YI/AAAAAAAAKB0/5z-IHKcWbtM/s640/IMG_0986.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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and every morning he would wake up and ask if we could go to the camp and the lake again.</div>
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he loved every single moment of being there.</div>
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not to mention he was with his uncles and gma and gpa!!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M35xK3HUnR8/Ue8_85n403I/AAAAAAAAKBA/oCYt3MJoM28/s320/IMG_0984.JPG" width="320" /><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f2Gt1by0BKc/Ue8_9d2j41I/AAAAAAAAKBY/OieCg1clT2g/s320/IMG_0985.JPG" width="320" /></div>
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and then the day arrived.</div>
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and archer was a show stoppa.</div>
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#swag</div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9t9n91JKFWo/Ue9AGp4zNoI/AAAAAAAAKEI/Nb3GvLAaMRw/s1600/IMG_1041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9t9n91JKFWo/Ue9AGp4zNoI/AAAAAAAAKEI/Nb3GvLAaMRw/s640/IMG_1041.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<br /></div>
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and hey hey hey, who's this little stud?</div>
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romes with da bow tie. </div>
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eeeeek i die.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PRiKb8T30ng/Ue9AExXNc2I/AAAAAAAAKDs/mbs48PAxmmk/s1600/IMG_1029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PRiKb8T30ng/Ue9AExXNc2I/AAAAAAAAKDs/mbs48PAxmmk/s640/IMG_1029.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_J4c6lsN5HTAMvkx3ivvLdrUeax2yJWHwuKVZ25xAEl_WGW710NZHGpNIMULolUFMGnNETBE7tI2hdqImPIdKQXGZzMIui-uOmVWcWkBsTimH3bLcg_LTcjdB-oj6U-WQOdcHLVnJzxE6/s1600/IMG_1028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_J4c6lsN5HTAMvkx3ivvLdrUeax2yJWHwuKVZ25xAEl_WGW710NZHGpNIMULolUFMGnNETBE7tI2hdqImPIdKQXGZzMIui-uOmVWcWkBsTimH3bLcg_LTcjdB-oj6U-WQOdcHLVnJzxE6/s640/IMG_1028.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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momma and baby archer</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GXeTnAw3nLU/Ue9AE3JxcjI/AAAAAAAAKDg/Pe8-waNO7N4/s1600/IMG_1030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GXeTnAw3nLU/Ue9AE3JxcjI/AAAAAAAAKDg/Pe8-waNO7N4/s640/IMG_1030.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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uncle cam, daddy, uncle kyle, uncle colton</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ccv0679tKDU/Ue9AFJiAn-I/AAAAAAAAKDU/sEl8L97K_50/s1600/IMG_1031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ccv0679tKDU/Ue9AFJiAn-I/AAAAAAAAKDU/sEl8L97K_50/s640/IMG_1031.JPG" width="638" /></a></div>
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our new aunt bayley, the beautiful bride!!!!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vJhN4kk6BL8/Ue9AFntR57I/AAAAAAAAKD0/BbyoAh8cUqg/s1600/IMG_1032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vJhN4kk6BL8/Ue9AFntR57I/AAAAAAAAKD0/BbyoAh8cUqg/s640/IMG_1032.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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really, she was STUNNING.</div>
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the whole wedding week was perfect!</div>
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<br /></div>
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and even though archer screamed the entire 2.5 ride back to the airport, the whole way through the airport, and onto the plane... we eventually settled in on our flight home :)</div>
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romes passed out. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VPdfU5Rb_ec/Ue9AF99TKHI/AAAAAAAAKD8/X86GZ8LfsNo/s1600/IMG_1038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VPdfU5Rb_ec/Ue9AF99TKHI/AAAAAAAAKD8/X86GZ8LfsNo/s640/IMG_1038.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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arch man was happy.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ibCUmvvBSUE/Ue9AGmVMMxI/AAAAAAAAKEM/crdK1qi1oiY/s1600/IMG_1039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ibCUmvvBSUE/Ue9AGmVMMxI/AAAAAAAAKEM/crdK1qi1oiY/s640/IMG_1039.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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and momma was swamped with laundry.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZlCOXmpdjzQ/Ue9AHa97LaI/AAAAAAAAKEU/lNhdxH1QHxg/s1600/IMG_1053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZlCOXmpdjzQ/Ue9AHa97LaI/AAAAAAAAKEU/lNhdxH1QHxg/s640/IMG_1053.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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like dude, i had to pre spot his whole shirt.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xl1Y-Zhl42c/Ue9AHfa36lI/AAAAAAAAKEQ/gr1Z91mv-gc/s1600/IMG_1043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xl1Y-Zhl42c/Ue9AHfa36lI/AAAAAAAAKEQ/gr1Z91mv-gc/s640/IMG_1043.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<br />lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-55166926187303379662013-07-24T05:00:00.000-05:002013-07-24T08:06:59.816-05:00archer man is {was} 2 months old!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
wayyyyy back in may, may 28th to be exact, baby archer turned 2 months old :)</div>
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<br /></div>
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well, hello there little 2 month old arch!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i6Qbz4SDp0o/Ubo_nvv5vAI/AAAAAAAAJ10/N2Su71ovlTo/s1600/IMG_0489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i6Qbz4SDp0o/Ubo_nvv5vAI/AAAAAAAAJ10/N2Su71ovlTo/s640/IMG_0489.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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we had your 2 month check up </div>
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and you weighed in like my prized little piggy at the fair, as a 13 pounder.</div>
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you were not so hot with the whole shots thing. your big brother didn't mind them as much as you seem to... so naturally i'm already breaking out in hives when i think about your 4 month appointment coming up (not really hives, but i'm like really nervous. don't hurt my baby, ya hear?!)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TFhkjw7vjyQ/Ubo_pGb0oPI/AAAAAAAAJ2M/qPzyJYPI-Tg/s1600/IMG_0566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TFhkjw7vjyQ/Ubo_pGb0oPI/AAAAAAAAJ2M/qPzyJYPI-Tg/s640/IMG_0566.JPG" width="640" /></a> </div>
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<br /></div>
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and here is you, in photos, in your 2nd month of life my little archer man.</div>
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<br /></div>
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check out that archer's pose. my little hunter in the making.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iiXztu2Gwe8/Ubo_oB9SGPI/AAAAAAAAJ2U/oMsNFbLfwJg/s1600/IMG_0505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iiXztu2Gwe8/Ubo_oB9SGPI/AAAAAAAAJ2U/oMsNFbLfwJg/s640/IMG_0505.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N0kHLJauM6Y/Ubo_oa3Vl7I/AAAAAAAAJ2Q/sys4KEAudh8/s1600/IMG_0510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N0kHLJauM6Y/Ubo_oa3Vl7I/AAAAAAAAJ2Q/sys4KEAudh8/s640/IMG_0510.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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back away ladies, he's all mine.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z1cAdr4DpNI/Ubo_nMQK5uI/AAAAAAAAJ18/RxT3IWRPjGk/s1600/IMG_0445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z1cAdr4DpNI/Ubo_nMQK5uI/AAAAAAAAJ18/RxT3IWRPjGk/s640/IMG_0445.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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no really, he's mine. back away.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d1tEirye-jo/Ubo_mCYdXJI/AAAAAAAAJ0k/y9faqlKRPl0/s1600/IMG_0441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d1tEirye-jo/Ubo_mCYdXJI/AAAAAAAAJ0k/y9faqlKRPl0/s640/IMG_0441.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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he's daddy's too.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2wS_x5Xg0tw/Ubo_obUw3cI/AAAAAAAAJ2I/UMmQyJ6z1oo/s1600/IMG_0511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="626" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2wS_x5Xg0tw/Ubo_obUw3cI/AAAAAAAAJ2I/UMmQyJ6z1oo/s640/IMG_0511.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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our little snuggle bunny.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-laR5JmE28Ak/Ubo_o8NFcyI/AAAAAAAAJ2g/-V43gptAWvY/s1600/IMG_0513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-laR5JmE28Ak/Ubo_o8NFcyI/AAAAAAAAJ2g/-V43gptAWvY/s640/IMG_0513.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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peeeeeeek! see those little fingers? ahhhh. i die.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-26XPQX08dK4/Ubo_i1NwmgI/AAAAAAAAJz0/LdYfkPRnXi4/s1600/IMG_0277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-26XPQX08dK4/Ubo_i1NwmgI/AAAAAAAAJz0/LdYfkPRnXi4/s640/IMG_0277.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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face decoration, c/o romes, the big bro.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YkRTsQ9dCrM/Ubo_h_rpTZI/AAAAAAAAJzA/Pt4n0OnXsPI/s1600/IMG_0254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YkRTsQ9dCrM/Ubo_h_rpTZI/AAAAAAAAJzA/Pt4n0OnXsPI/s640/IMG_0254.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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the double fist sleepy pose.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VADnpY4HmiI/Ubo_flFXx7I/AAAAAAAAJyU/Tdef1Na2QJE/s1600/IMG_0075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VADnpY4HmiI/Ubo_flFXx7I/AAAAAAAAJyU/Tdef1Na2QJE/s640/IMG_0075.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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oh sweet archer, you're scrumptious.</div>
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you kick all day long!</div>
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and you squeal!</div>
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and you breathe in and out really fast when you get all excited!</div>
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and you have this twinkle in your eye, it's beautiful.</div>
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you're beautiful.</div>
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we love you like crazy.</div>
<br />lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-73684132108869011492013-07-23T21:30:00.000-05:002013-07-23T21:31:57.682-05:00the rest of may.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
may was my "getting back to normal" month.</div>
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i started feeling better. more capable as a momma to two littles.</div>
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i was spending less time pondering feelings of "i can't do this...i can't do this..." and more time feeling empowered, and strengthened by the idea that when i am weak, my God is strong, and He is enough. </div>
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mr leif, by the grace of God, didn't seem to skip a beat.</div>
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he even took up painting, with a baby.</div>
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haters gonna hate, but we made sure no paint drips fell on arch.</div>
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and the room was well ventilated. BOOM!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p4zL_D8JN7I/Ubo_DEMaKpI/AAAAAAAAJwE/_iyIfzprKG0/s1600/IMG_9591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p4zL_D8JN7I/Ubo_DEMaKpI/AAAAAAAAJwE/_iyIfzprKG0/s640/IMG_9591.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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and with every home renevation, comes lots of accidents.</div>
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like this one here:</div>
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mr leif broke the leg to my favorite mustard chair, while standing on it, and also dropped the gallon of paint onto our brand new wood floors. thus destroying a chair, a coffee table, and part of the floor.</div>
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but i still love him.</div>
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i do, i do. i love him like crazy.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yeq_oLL-pyY/Ubo_FwX_rnI/AAAAAAAAJww/QWr_Yn0DkOI/s1600/IMG_9681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yeq_oLL-pyY/Ubo_FwX_rnI/AAAAAAAAJww/QWr_Yn0DkOI/s640/IMG_9681.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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we spent the next morning with a razor blade trying to save the floors.</div>
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and other than a few white cracks...we did a pretty good job.</div>
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so naturally, this one goes down in the memory books.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fGxIIxelFQo/Ubo_FkmyEuI/AAAAAAAAJwg/SWyN1-6lpB0/s1600/IMG_9680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fGxIIxelFQo/Ubo_FkmyEuI/AAAAAAAAJwg/SWyN1-6lpB0/s640/IMG_9680.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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and can i get a fist pump for watching a daddy with his son? presh, i tell ya. just presh.</div>
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ooops! did i say fist pump? heh. just through an elbow up if you're cool like these two:</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G6H7nGtae_4/Ubo_g4QQ3VI/AAAAAAAAJzg/v1B9o_xDkxU/s1600/IMG_0114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G6H7nGtae_4/Ubo_g4QQ3VI/AAAAAAAAJzg/v1B9o_xDkxU/s640/IMG_0114.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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may also continued my love affair with this little babe.</div>
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i'm infatuated with him. from head...</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3KUcaeH1zOQ/Ubo_GfnwwxI/AAAAAAAAJxE/2lfeIRYslrw/s1600/IMG_9717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3KUcaeH1zOQ/Ubo_GfnwwxI/AAAAAAAAJxE/2lfeIRYslrw/s640/IMG_9717.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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to toes. </div>
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all ten of 'em.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q403Ja3QMlE/Ubo_GOXrTOI/AAAAAAAAJwo/Bzd7YWtt0Sg/s1600/IMG_9716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q403Ja3QMlE/Ubo_GOXrTOI/AAAAAAAAJwo/Bzd7YWtt0Sg/s640/IMG_9716.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IUAosseH-VE/Ubo_JGbZpfI/AAAAAAAAJx4/p4gGfN1aaV4/s1600/IMG_9816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IUAosseH-VE/Ubo_JGbZpfI/AAAAAAAAJx4/p4gGfN1aaV4/s200/IMG_9816.JPG" width="200" /></a><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wvWz83x5L6A/Ubo_IjS4i1I/AAAAAAAAJxw/9DgeVYG0HUE/s200/IMG_9817.JPG" width="200" /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
may was also a month for adjusting.</div>
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adjusting to life with a toddler and a wee little babe.</div>
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i tried to take them on a walk one day, with plans to have a picnic in the park</div>
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(ha! who knew a walk would be such a scary thing for a mom)</div>
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<br /></div>
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so romes got his little baby and stroller, you know, to be just like momma.</div>
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and we were off to the park.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sOckbVi_W6Q/Ubo_JzBEiwI/AAAAAAAAJx8/59j7Cfiqfzg/s1600/IMG_9856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sOckbVi_W6Q/Ubo_JzBEiwI/AAAAAAAAJx8/59j7Cfiqfzg/s400/IMG_9856.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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but after multiple meltdowns and a deep down fear we literally wouldn't make it back home and i would be stranded at the park or something irrational like that, i made the decision to stop right there in our tracks and eat lunch on the walking path. before we even made it to the park.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KfD8UB-orec/Ubo_JQIKrEI/AAAAAAAAJxs/GeTc0BlTuww/s1600/IMG_9855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KfD8UB-orec/Ubo_JQIKrEI/AAAAAAAAJxs/GeTc0BlTuww/s640/IMG_9855.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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and then roman asked the whole way home where the park was.</div>
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and i lied and said there was no park.</div>
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and i held back tears as i just hustled them into the house and felt like a failure.</div>
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but as mr leif came home from work i pleaded him to take romes to the park, as i had promised earlier, and they were off. </div>
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oh, such funny stuff, this post partum hormonal stuff. it's weird on a girl, i tell ya!</div>
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<br /></div>
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very quickly, though, i learned that eating pie right out of the pan would always balm those weary feelings of insecurities in motherhood. i don't even like cherry pie. but dude, it helped.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KoQzIWOJm0g/Ubo_JI4H9fI/AAAAAAAAJx0/_NKvySHNAcg/s1600/IMG_9818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KoQzIWOJm0g/Ubo_JI4H9fI/AAAAAAAAJx0/_NKvySHNAcg/s400/IMG_9818.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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we did, however, make it to the park.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3z_mRzQSd9o/Ubo_gzk3R4I/AAAAAAAAJzM/Poq0nereNY0/s1600/IMG_0098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3z_mRzQSd9o/Ubo_gzk3R4I/AAAAAAAAJzM/Poq0nereNY0/s400/IMG_0098.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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and thankfully we made it a few times before this nasty heat wave set in.</div>
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dang girl. it's a sweaty mess out there at the moment.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-brdQy_7eGYg/Ubo_gdxTNsI/AAAAAAAAJy4/brS1cW4Yjpg/s1600/IMG_0097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-brdQy_7eGYg/Ubo_gdxTNsI/AAAAAAAAJy4/brS1cW4Yjpg/s400/IMG_0097.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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bananas are mandatory park snacks.</div>
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there's no trash. no cooler needed. and heck, they're healthy.</div>
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plus one for the momma team!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gF-eej1B1zw/Ubo_fXlMZwI/AAAAAAAAJyk/BbefEgfNTkU/s1600/IMG_0072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gF-eej1B1zw/Ubo_fXlMZwI/AAAAAAAAJyk/BbefEgfNTkU/s640/IMG_0072.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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oh. and then there was this one day in may, romes boycotted his nap.</div>
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and it was one of those days that i really really needed a little break.</div>
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this was not good.</div>
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he thought it was funny, momma did not.</div>
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momma needed so much chocolate that day. or hot tamales. or milk duds.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p5z_bKfXMI4/Ubo_hGbIxxI/AAAAAAAAJyo/ZdpcnMraLms/s1600/IMG_0170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p5z_bKfXMI4/Ubo_hGbIxxI/AAAAAAAAJyo/ZdpcnMraLms/s640/IMG_0170.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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but romes and I?</div>
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we're doin A-ok.</div>
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this whole transition on him is going pretty well.</div>
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and to make sure he felt special, we even played hooky from church one sunday and daddy took the baby, so we could walk around old navy and eat candy.</div>
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it was all sorts of fun.</div>
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and good for the momma heart.</div>
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and good for the toddler heart.</div>
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i hope to never forget how important these one on one dates are.</div>
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i used to tell many mommas and daddy's to do this back when i was a counselor, and now, i'm seeing first hand the benefits of this sweet time with my child, alone.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jt6OqHkadtM/Ubo_h0Ys-JI/AAAAAAAAJzY/4vF-m-qR2jc/s1600/IMG_0200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="626" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jt6OqHkadtM/Ubo_h0Ys-JI/AAAAAAAAJzY/4vF-m-qR2jc/s640/IMG_0200.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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oh may, you were good to us.</div>
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<br /></div>
lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-23073890860799251722013-06-17T06:00:00.000-05:002013-06-17T06:00:13.137-05:00i have two boys. TWO!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
i have to chuckle.</div>
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never did i ever imagine having two sons.</div>
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when i drempt of children, i think i always trailed down the path of having daughters.</div>
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sons too, but most definitely daughters.</div>
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i always imagined how i would dress them.</div>
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i imagined going through life with them, experiencing the things i once experienced.</div>
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you know, girly sleep overs, dances, prom, etc.</div>
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and now i kind of wonder if i will ever get a daughter?</div>
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we shall see!</div>
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<br /></div>
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for now though, i don't quite mind only having boys :)</div>
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seriously.</div>
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i love that i get to raise these little men.</div>
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these little leaders.</div>
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besides, mr leif gets to teach these mini men how to grow up and be just like him!</div>
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<br /></div>
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sometimes i just sit back and think how funny it is... our plan vs God's plan.</div>
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we have these visions, these ideas, and sometimes they just won't ever play out.</div>
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and it might be hard to accept, but truly, God's plan is bigger and better.</div>
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<br /></div>
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these little boys are just beginning their relationship that will last a lifetime.</div>
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and, WHOA. i get to help mold it.</div>
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how awesome is that!</div>
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and how scary is that!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ysjxcCF__fs/Ubo_DuvUDdI/AAAAAAAAJvo/d8lnL0FrInU/s1600/IMG_9643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ysjxcCF__fs/Ubo_DuvUDdI/AAAAAAAAJvo/d8lnL0FrInU/s640/IMG_9643.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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it's pretty neat to see such a tender place in roman's heart open up, and let archer in.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HtNCf9-sMoo/Ubo_EOBKW5I/AAAAAAAAJwU/QOrf2CyzHNM/s1600/IMG_9644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HtNCf9-sMoo/Ubo_EOBKW5I/AAAAAAAAJwU/QOrf2CyzHNM/s640/IMG_9644.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
he hasn't been too rough with him yet,</div>
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and if he does bump him (once a book to the forehead, and the other time a knee to the cheek. oops) roman is so quick to say, "oh, sorry archa" and "you're ok archa".</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cgmGC-P_5oU/Ubo_EKghK3I/AAAAAAAAJv4/NKelg09Vlz8/s1600/IMG_9645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cgmGC-P_5oU/Ubo_EKghK3I/AAAAAAAAJv4/NKelg09Vlz8/s640/IMG_9645.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
often times i'll lay archer down and ask roman to play by him so that archer can watch him.</div>
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little romes doesn't skip a beat.</div>
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he loves telling archer all about his machines :)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pW9e3nX1B7I/Ubo_G9fg7NI/AAAAAAAAJxM/trxppl5LUsE/s1600/IMG_9781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pW9e3nX1B7I/Ubo_G9fg7NI/AAAAAAAAJxM/trxppl5LUsE/s640/IMG_9781.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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and i'm quite certain archer man loves to listen.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oIwuPilv6Cc/Ubo_Hg12FWI/AAAAAAAAJxY/jPmZ-H72Hh8/s1600/IMG_9782.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oIwuPilv6Cc/Ubo_Hg12FWI/AAAAAAAAJxY/jPmZ-H72Hh8/s640/IMG_9782.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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we've now reached the status where i can trust roman to be in the same room as archer and not worry that he will throw a ball at his face, or something to that extent.</div>
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when we first brought archer home, there were all those little worries.</div>
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but now, i really have a trusting peace that roman has his brother's best interest in mind :)</div>
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<br /></div>
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ask me in a year, when A is swiping his toys away.</div>
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ha.</div>
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it's gonna be CRAY up in here.</div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNhzai4Ycyk/Ubo_i5AvuSI/AAAAAAAAJ0I/uEIEoEIvy4A/s1600/IMG_0289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNhzai4Ycyk/Ubo_i5AvuSI/AAAAAAAAJ0I/uEIEoEIvy4A/s640/IMG_0289.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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but really,</div>
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their relationship is in full bloom.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OMvYhb_KDg4/Ubo_mPg1CLI/AAAAAAAAJ1Y/rFUtPM5eesI/s1600/IMG_0405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OMvYhb_KDg4/Ubo_mPg1CLI/AAAAAAAAJ1Y/rFUtPM5eesI/s640/IMG_0405.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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and i'm SO grateful that i get to be home with them each day to watch it bloom.</div>
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God is so good to me, even though i can be so impatient and selfish with my parenting, He continues to be faithful and sustain me through the crazy moments, forgive me for my mistakes, and give me mercies each morning to try again with these two little boys.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ClByQlwKYw/Ubo_mJ1Am-I/AAAAAAAAJ1M/QwPgnxfd-vE/s1600/IMG_0406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ClByQlwKYw/Ubo_mJ1Am-I/AAAAAAAAJ1M/QwPgnxfd-vE/s640/IMG_0406.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
oh, my heart is full.</div>
lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-65391699225119192992013-06-15T13:59:00.000-05:002013-06-15T13:59:00.392-05:00little roman joe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
well hey there romy.</div>
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(you like to say, "well hey there kitty cat!" and then giggle really hard)</div>
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<br /></div>
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i wanted to write a post full of random things about you.</div>
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YOU!</div>
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YOU!</div>
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YOU!</div>
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because, well, you light up our world :)</div>
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<br /></div>
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and, i have all this pictures from april and may that need to be used. right?!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6OKD-XfcTN8/Ubo7ge8RecI/AAAAAAAAJko/x2nt25bnDQw/s1600/IMG_8341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6OKD-XfcTN8/Ubo7ge8RecI/AAAAAAAAJko/x2nt25bnDQw/s640/IMG_8341.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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romes, you're still obsessed with your paci. currently you trek 4 of them around the house.</div>
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(even though i try and make you keep them in your bed, for sleeping only)</div>
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they literally are like your little friends.</div>
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as long as i'm not stickin them in your lunch box for school, i'm cool with you having them for a wee bit longer.</div>
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i keep telling myself, by THREE you'll be rid of the paci's!</div>
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and then i also say by THREE you'll be potty trained.</div>
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we'll see how those things go.</div>
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HA! haha.</div>
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but really, my goal for you this summer is to get rid of those dipes!</div>
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you, however, don't have much of an interest in being potty trained yet.</div>
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so i'm sure it will be <i>really</i> fun.</div>
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wink.</div>
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your love for the great outdoors is contagious.</div>
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although lately, you've been scared of the bugs. and then you sprint inside, declaring, </div>
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"momma! there's a bug!"</div>
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oh dear,</div>
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i've created a monster.</div>
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i'm not a huge bug fan. at all. and i think i've passed it on to my son.</div>
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my BOY who could literally roll around in the mud all day and not care....HE is scared of bugs.</div>
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whoops.</div>
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you don't seem to have an issue with the front yard though,</div>
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it's like you don't think there's bugs in the front or something.</div>
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or maybe it's the fact that you've met the neighbors.</div>
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and you've fallen in love with them.</div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wpd-FsHd9iQ/Ubo_kYjumMI/AAAAAAAAJ00/oVM-IXLGd8Y/s1600/IMG_0336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wpd-FsHd9iQ/Ubo_kYjumMI/AAAAAAAAJ00/oVM-IXLGd8Y/s640/IMG_0336.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-93gbMj1WO1Y/Ubo_k27gtvI/AAAAAAAAJ0w/IHqQDamQWsk/s1600/IMG_0338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-93gbMj1WO1Y/Ubo_k27gtvI/AAAAAAAAJ0w/IHqQDamQWsk/s640/IMG_0338.JPG" width="640" /></a>especially "riwey" (riley) our 12 year old cute little red head neighbor girl.</div>
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and she's pretty smitten with you too romes.</div>
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she even knocks on our door to see if you want to come play!</div>
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um, can momma get a high five? a fist pump? a cartwheel? YES! AMEN! </div>
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oh romy, you're addicted to apple juice.</div>
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it's my fault, i know.</div>
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and it's kinda funny....when i give you water you politely say, "no thanks to water, i want apple juice momma".</div>
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haha. ooooops.</div>
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but it's kinda funny, because i actually water it down soooo much you can barely taste the apple juice.</div>
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but that tiny little hint of flavoring gets you every time.</div>
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you down those drinks all day long.</div>
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dude.</div>
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we must potty train you. </div>
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i'm sick of changing your dipes.</div>
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K? K!</div>
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as always, you think helping dadda around the house is the best thing. EVER.</div>
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i don't complain. by the end of the day, i'm rather OK with having you hang with your dadda for a while.</div>
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sometimes momma needs a wittle break :)</div>
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here you're scraping the walls, getting them prepped for painting!</div>
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go romy go.</div>
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and my oh my.</div>
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quite the little independent fellla.</div>
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you just tote that stool around anywhere you please...</div>
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and then you reach up and grab everything you're not supposed to.</div>
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poor little guy, you don't quite understand that some things actually AREN'T for your little 2 year old self!</div>
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like momma's red vines.</div>
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back away from my stash.</div>
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of course, like every momma, i think you are simply the smartest little dude ever.</div>
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i love your little desire to learn.</div>
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your quest to ask everything about everything.</div>
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and your vocabulary that keeps blowing my mind.</div>
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your attention span is about 3.4 seconds though, which makes any crafty thing i do with you just dandy.</div>
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it's like i spend all this time and energy getting stuff out for 3.4 seconds of attentive play, and then poof. </div>
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you don't care anymore.</div>
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and it's destroy, destroy, DESTROY!</div>
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you press so hard on the markers</div>
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you break the crayons.</div>
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and aside from making pancake after pancake with your play dough, i often times find it in the tire treads of your loaders and back hoes. </div>
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my little ocd self struggles with this.</div>
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but each day i just have to shrug, sigh, and declare, YOU'RE A BOY!</div>
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and, I'M A GIRL!</div>
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and, i'll probably never understand your messy destructive ways :)</div>
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you love to snuggle with me :)</div>
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daily, i hear, "lay with me momma" and "take a nap with me momma"</div>
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i think we'd share the bed each night if you had it your way.</div>
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and my favorite thing to do is wrap you up when you are watching a show, and hold you like the little baby you once were. </div>
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but you're huge now.</div>
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so, it usually looks like me with my arms wrapped around you smoochin your cheeks while you try and peel away to catch the end of barney.</div>
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i have another post planned about you and your little brother.</div>
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but i have to say it.</div>
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you're a pro.</div>
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with one minor issue.</div>
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you don't like when he cries.</div>
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and like i mentioned in the previous post...</div>
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you love to scream, "MOM!!! ARCHA!!!!" "MOM FEED ARCHA!!!!"</div>
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"MOM GET ARCHA'S PACI!!!"</div>
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you've always struggled with loud noises, so i totally saw this one comin :)</div>
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overall little romes, you're a pretty good eater.</div>
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you've started using the excuse, "i wanna take a break" or "my tummy hurts" to get out of eating things you don't want to though. it's kinda cute.</div>
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we aren't really crazy eaters around here though, pretty predictable and kid friendly foods :)</div>
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but your go to breakfasts are oatmeal with blueberries, pancakes, cinnamon life cereal, cinnamon rolls, yogurt and apple sauce </div>
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and i think you could eat crackers and dip for lunch every day (which is just wheat thins and laughing cow cheese)</div>
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and then you would be fine and dandy if you had mac n cheese, or "noodles" each night for dinner.</div>
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i don't blame ya, kid.</div>
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have you guys had noodles and company's wisconsin mac and cheese? to die.</div>
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oh dear, and then there's daddy's phone.</div>
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you're obsessed with it.</div>
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it's no different then momma's phone except for that it's black, and mine is white.</div>
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and.....you can open up youtube and find truck videos on daddy's and i've hidden my youtube app on mine :)</div>
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yep, can't quite get enough of those loader videos.</div>
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(crazy how something can be so boring for me, and totally the best thing ever for him)</div>
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gma linda scored this fire truck for you at a garage sale.</div>
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and now you ask to go to garage sales a lot.</div>
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i tried taking you out to a few a couple weekends ago and you thought you could just take whatever you wanted from other people's garages.</div>
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not quite how it works,</div>
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but nice try.</div>
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roman, you mow the yard every day.</div>
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yes. EVERY DAY.</div>
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and any time there's a neighbor out mowing, you hear their mower instantly and run up and tell me that you need to go "help the neighbor guy mow"</div>
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you are such a little worker roman.</div>
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it's my prayer that you will stay so diligent and hard working!! </div>
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you're gonna make a wonderful provider some day :)</div>
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oh. and then there's this.</div>
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you love to read now.</div>
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and it's like the sweetest thing next to hearing archer coo.</div>
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you read in a quiet little voice and do quite an awesome job telling your own little story line.</div>
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in a couple years i'll be busting out my old teacher tubs and do a running record on you.</div>
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gotta figure out that reading level.</div>
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ha.</div>
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kidding.</div>
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i hope they get rid of running records before you get to school.</div>
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i think they're kinda silly.</div>
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at the end of may, you went home with gma abbi to nebraska for </div>
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THREE NIGHTS and FOUR DAYS.</div>
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i didn't think i could take it any longer, your daddy went to meet gma half way on a thursday night and i was like a little kid on christmas eve .... SO giddy for you to get home!</div>
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i got a text saying you guys were just a few blocks away and i sprinted over to the front window and waited SO impatiently for you to pull up to the driveway!</div>
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<br /></div>
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the first thing you said to me was, "i love you momma"</div>
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and your daddy promises he didn't tell you to say it.</div>
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so obviously, my heart swells up every time i think about that sweet little greeting from you.</div>
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oh roman joy, never leave me again!!!!!</div>
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unless, of course, it means your daddy and i are off on some wild vacation, then i think it's ok if you would stay at gma's house again :)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
but probably not for a long time.</div>
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i missed you so much!!!!!</div>
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and, by the way, you did fabulous!</div>
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yes, you now proudly declare that you are "2 and a half".</div>
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i love that you are still 2.</div>
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i don't want you to be 3.</div>
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it's too old.</div>
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stay little forever sweet romy roo?</div>
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please oh please??</div>
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<br /></div>
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:)</div>
lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-5247875069989695532013-06-14T11:30:00.000-05:002013-06-14T14:01:37.475-05:00a trip back home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
home, home on the range.</div>
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where the deer and the toddler boys play.</div>
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<br /></div>
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literally.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> [roman and my cousin katie's son hudson]</span></div>
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we love going back home to nebraska.</div>
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i know i say it all the time, but we have beautiful, huge, amazing families.</div>
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they love us and support us and when we are back home it just feels so GOOD!</div>
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we love kansas city, but there's something about having your family love on your children.</div>
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it's bliss.</div>
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my mom and her sisters all live in the same little town of 1200 people.</div>
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so when we go back, we get to see so many aunties and cousins :)</div>
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i'm so happy that roman is starting to develop relationships with them. </div>
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i have countless memories growing up with my cousins, i so badly desire that for him!</div>
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archer was the star of the show.</div>
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here he is just chillaxin on gma while we sip some wine :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjMUQ9On-as6h3K8hvLqTAZ6-vi4ws3BjAGa6JQjqBwMNWvQC6m_cw8O0AFpnwgft7Yh-W_VOvGiM7kKGl15rUCzHh9KzLiIxwtBc32XGvvecYIEAH2JJ6xkqaFv2B49hgum0dLV5sDuH/s1600/IMG_9278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjMUQ9On-as6h3K8hvLqTAZ6-vi4ws3BjAGa6JQjqBwMNWvQC6m_cw8O0AFpnwgft7Yh-W_VOvGiM7kKGl15rUCzHh9KzLiIxwtBc32XGvvecYIEAH2JJ6xkqaFv2B49hgum0dLV5sDuH/s640/IMG_9278.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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we had a bbq at my mom's house one night, and i dont think i saw the kid once.</div>
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he just got passed from one beautiful cousin to the next :)</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MSW85cEZIeA/Ubo-uO5662I/AAAAAAAAJtk/H4c6TymkB9g/s1600/IMG_9431.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MSW85cEZIeA/Ubo-uO5662I/AAAAAAAAJtk/H4c6TymkB9g/s400/IMG_9431.PNG" width="266" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8V5xck8PHA0/Ubo-uTVkYCI/AAAAAAAAJts/DaEN4LP93Wk/s1600/IMG_9432.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8V5xck8PHA0/Ubo-uTVkYCI/AAAAAAAAJts/DaEN4LP93Wk/s400/IMG_9432.PNG" width="266" /></a></div>
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roman didn't get left out either, i mean, the dude has his gma's wrapped around his finger.</div>
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every day he would wait by gma linda's window to see if his uncle cam would walk over after school!</div>
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it was the cutest little site to see.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JwotOoQfoSY/Ubo-UeIqtfI/AAAAAAAAJsI/ufieG9mTuCw/s1600/IMG_9285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JwotOoQfoSY/Ubo-UeIqtfI/AAAAAAAAJsI/ufieG9mTuCw/s640/IMG_9285.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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he even got to help gpa kurt plant some corn</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nWD5sEBQNTg/Ubo-tc4D7uI/AAAAAAAAJtc/s_81tby_9lw/s1600/IMG_9402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="466" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nWD5sEBQNTg/Ubo-tc4D7uI/AAAAAAAAJtc/s_81tby_9lw/s640/IMG_9402.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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and sweet aunty cousin Vanessa chased him around for hours</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_8VKwcQd64E/Ubo-ut91RKI/AAAAAAAAJuA/F4d86emASU4/s1600/IMG_9441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_8VKwcQd64E/Ubo-ut91RKI/AAAAAAAAJuA/F4d86emASU4/s640/IMG_9441.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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i didn't really want to leave nebraska.</div>
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i didn't want to come home to my strange new house.</div>
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i didn't want to be alone with my little boys.</div>
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i didn't think i could do it.</div>
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it was so easy to be back "home".</div>
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archer loved it......</div>
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romy loved it...</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EExFg3GXX8U/Ubo-VNAGotI/AAAAAAAAJss/4q8sTjo73F4/s1600/IMG_9311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EExFg3GXX8U/Ubo-VNAGotI/AAAAAAAAJss/4q8sTjo73F4/s400/IMG_9311.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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and i loved it.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZB3ODK8xhps/Ubo-tebnFXI/AAAAAAAAJt8/dzXMhDlkq4Y/s1600/IMG_9369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZB3ODK8xhps/Ubo-tebnFXI/AAAAAAAAJt8/dzXMhDlkq4Y/s640/IMG_9369.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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and while we were there, this little dude turned one month! </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3KXszaUsY5g/Ubo-VUr44hI/AAAAAAAAJs0/aFupVaCYgT8/s1600/IMG_9340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3KXszaUsY5g/Ubo-VUr44hI/AAAAAAAAJs0/aFupVaCYgT8/s400/IMG_9340.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dO7nClX5f1g/Ubo-V7uT0QI/AAAAAAAAJs4/YJAi7c9PhOc/s1600/IMG_9342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dO7nClX5f1g/Ubo-V7uT0QI/AAAAAAAAJs4/YJAi7c9PhOc/s400/IMG_9342.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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but, alas, home to KC we had to go.</div>
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and let me tell ya. it was quite the drive.</div>
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archer screamed a lot, </div>
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so then roman screamed, "get me outta here!!!" and "mom!! otcha's cryin!!!"</div>
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yikes.</div>
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it was a doozy.</div>
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but soon enough we were back home.</div>
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ready to take on a new month, welcome MAY!</div>
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and welcome foot massages.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RyGkGPwNvmU/Ubo-vPFdQyI/AAAAAAAAJuI/EZGcvyzTC8Q/s1600/IMG_9457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RyGkGPwNvmU/Ubo-vPFdQyI/AAAAAAAAJuI/EZGcvyzTC8Q/s640/IMG_9457.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-20756673398762479772013-06-13T23:25:00.000-05:002013-06-13T23:29:49.401-05:00april showers. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
april was a hard month for me.</div>
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my sister was here for over for a few days in the beginning, </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_SvYHzwJbN4/Ubo7hQ4t2JI/AAAAAAAAJlE/OlQyXFMLSGk/s1600/IMG_8406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_SvYHzwJbN4/Ubo7hQ4t2JI/AAAAAAAAJlE/OlQyXFMLSGk/s320/IMG_8406.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">[hi little niece, hazel!!!]</span></div>
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and my mom stayed for another week,</div>
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but then i was mostly solo. with the boys. in a home that was all torn apart.</div>
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though my mom and sister had done some unpacking for me, most of our things were (and still are!) in boxes.</div>
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walls were attempting to get painted, floors were being finished up, little projects here and there were popping up around the house, leaving me to live in a construction zone while mr leif went off to work.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IgAL42lJLUc/Ubo715wBkMI/AAAAAAAAJl8/5rKh9AHyWOk/s1600/IMG_8508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IgAL42lJLUc/Ubo715wBkMI/AAAAAAAAJl8/5rKh9AHyWOk/s320/IMG_8508.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wkxpSJi4Kts/Ubo7jCI8S2I/AAAAAAAAJlg/Xg-tmGqFQSg/s1600/IMG_8502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wkxpSJi4Kts/Ubo7jCI8S2I/AAAAAAAAJlg/Xg-tmGqFQSg/s320/IMG_8502.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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i so badly (and still do!) want to set up our home. </div>
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i want to paint, decorate, unpack my "decor" boxes, go thrifting to find new treasures for this home, and arrange our furniture to flow better.... </div>
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but it seems like all i could do was feed and change the boys, remember to eat and brush my teeth, and occasionally attempt to leave the house for a trip to the park.</div>
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from these photos, it looks like all we did was sleep the month of april away...</div>
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and, well, there were times i wish i could have :)</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fg8SP2UJ9j4/UbpAnVR5pCI/AAAAAAAAJ3k/6__orq4RviQ/s1600/Online+Edits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fg8SP2UJ9j4/UbpAnVR5pCI/AAAAAAAAJ3k/6__orq4RviQ/s640/Online+Edits.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_osTPVO_e9eXiqJu7QJwLHIYdlwAaYKdpk_H30cJrGBXg0Ky2bC9-OTnAvviR4oB1EoYVfR_9bpd78dzQok7wvgTCBAivD6cm5I9YZLyLExr-BA_8hrUhAqgrD7a5Zl03iT9ZSVD0JXQ/s1600/Collages20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_osTPVO_e9eXiqJu7QJwLHIYdlwAaYKdpk_H30cJrGBXg0Ky2bC9-OTnAvviR4oB1EoYVfR_9bpd78dzQok7wvgTCBAivD6cm5I9YZLyLExr-BA_8hrUhAqgrD7a5Zl03iT9ZSVD0JXQ/s640/Collages20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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sweet little archer had an interesting first month.</div>
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his first couple weeks were great. although i quickly dealt with his straining pain after every feeding.</div>
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it seemed like his gassiness and stomach pains came far too often and made our feedings miserable.</div>
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i tried gas drops, gripe water, and even cut out dairy for a week, and nothing seemed to work.</div>
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so i switched to exclusively pumping, thinking he would get less air with a bottle? </div>
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he drank like a champ.</div>
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however, by the end of the month, i learned that pumping, and then feeding with a bottle, while having a toddler run wild was not going to work!</div>
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by the time june came, we worked ourselves back to nursing again.</div>
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whew. what a roller coaster these little issues can be.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M7yfRH9NKCg/UbpBZLm-MyI/AAAAAAAAJ4A/t47Ld_CCC2g/s1600/Collages21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M7yfRH9NKCg/UbpBZLm-MyI/AAAAAAAAJ4A/t47Ld_CCC2g/s640/Collages21.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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the boys began to bond.</div>
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which actually looks like roman running up to archer screaming, "hey otcha!"</div>
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followed by him lightly poking his cheeks yelling, "tink!"</div>
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brotherly love?</div>
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:)</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1GcuPsLWgLk/Ubo7gugyCgI/AAAAAAAAJkk/R6dh6WIZ6l0/s1600/IMG_8350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1GcuPsLWgLk/Ubo7gugyCgI/AAAAAAAAJkk/R6dh6WIZ6l0/s640/IMG_8350.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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there were moments when i felt regret.</div>
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why did we move?</div>
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we could have just made it work in our old house, the boys could have just shared a room, </div>
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at least we wouldn't be in this strange place. and at least i wouldn't so alone, right?</div>
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there were evenings with these :)</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YUfnuJqTl0I/Ubo73lCXwfI/AAAAAAAAJm8/3Cv3yAWQ7ms/s1600/IMG_8563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YUfnuJqTl0I/Ubo73lCXwfI/AAAAAAAAJm8/3Cv3yAWQ7ms/s320/IMG_8563.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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and handfuls and handfuls of these :)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--wLoDEhzvBs/Ubo8Ted7G7I/AAAAAAAAJo8/SYJzyk_0YRc/s1600/IMG_8911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--wLoDEhzvBs/Ubo8Ted7G7I/AAAAAAAAJo8/SYJzyk_0YRc/s320/IMG_8911.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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and i desperately clung to my jesus calling devotional.</div>
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i'd read days and days of devotionals at a time. just for a glimpse of hope. </div>
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and this verse, i clung to it:</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4xetKgAw2Hc/Ubo75dAggMI/AAAAAAAAJnY/bPvWihIInBs/s1600/IMG_8694.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="596" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4xetKgAw2Hc/Ubo75dAggMI/AAAAAAAAJnY/bPvWihIInBs/s640/IMG_8694.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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if you've ever felt like your world was too much to handle, you'll appreciate this verse.</div>
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it might seem silly to some, too feel so overwhelmed in my situation.</div>
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but hormones are cray.</div>
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and sleep deprivations is cray cray.</div>
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and wild toddlers are really cray.</div>
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and then,</div>
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one day some happy mail came :)</div>
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[my new solly baby wrap, and a package from my sis!]</div>
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and some sweet cuddling with my boys :)</div>
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and before i knew it things were starting to seem manageable.</div>
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archer is truly a delightful baby.</div>
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just look at him :)</div>
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i remember my first couple months with roman were difficult.</div>
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this time around i feel like the yucky phase lasted about a month and a half, about mid may things started getting better.</div>
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i'm so grateful for my friends, the prayers, little texts and visits and countless cookie deliveries, (thanks jess!) were like little lifelines to get me through.</div>
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i love that i can be honest with them and tell them when i'm struggling, and they're right there ready to pick up the slack. </div>
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and i think my sister called every day for a while to make sure i was ok :)</div>
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God has been so good to me, in giving me this support system here in KC, away from family.</div>
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these girls <i>are</i> family!<br />
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motherhood is so good. so hard. so scary. and so SO beautiful.<br />
it's refinement at its best, and i'm so thankful that the Lord is using these little boys to refine me.<br />
i'm a lucky momma :)</div>
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lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-39019273689051000712013-05-31T22:48:00.001-05:002013-05-31T23:00:46.999-05:00archery henry leif :: a birth story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">my birth story with archer was not the most pleasant experience.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">it ended beautifully, and there were no life threatening situations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">just weird complications. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">you might think i'm silly for writing about it, but i want to remember it, for some crazy reason :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">i guess crazy birth stories just make the gift of life, of a new itty bitty baby, that much more miraculous. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">and, this is my blog, so i get to write about what i want, right? :) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">and if you are like "ahhh stop now! don't tell us the hard parts! then i'm sorry. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">maybe just skip to the bottom? hehe :) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">also,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">someday when i have more time, i'll upload more pictures and the video from this day!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">~ ~</span></div>
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march 28th, 2013.</div>
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today we would meet our baby.</div>
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it was hard to say goodbye to roman that morning, i felt like we were leaving him and my mom in a disaster zone, to go have a baby, and continue to disrupt his little life even more.</div>
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we got going late. </div>
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who is late for their baby's birth? we were.</div>
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but you know, it's not like they could start without us or anything :)</div>
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my range of emotions went from anxious, to nervous, to excited, to scared, freaking out, and HUNGRY all on the 15 minute drive to the hospital.</div>
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and then i realized i didn't have breakfast.</div>
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yay, a sonic cheeseburger the night before, and no breakfast...let's have this baby, ey?! ha.</div>
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we checked in, and they broke my water, and then we started walking the halls.</div>
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i didn't get to do that with roman, i was in active labor when i went to the hospital with him!</div>
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but this time was different. my contractions were very few and spread out.</div>
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so, mr leif and i had a little date right there in the halls of the labor and delivery floor.</div>
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hand in hand we strolled around, it was actually a really sweet time :)</div>
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blessings, ey?!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lZSvpF6Lsow/UYwUCYCr1ZI/AAAAAAAAJWA/Xl80AQAdu4w/s1600/IMG_8153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lZSvpF6Lsow/UYwUCYCr1ZI/AAAAAAAAJWA/Xl80AQAdu4w/s640/IMG_8153.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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after walking around for an hour and a half, we returned to the room and found this little bed.</div>
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swoonage.</div>
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i think i could have a million babies, just to see this little bed all ready and eagerly awaiting new life :)</div>
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oh my. heart flutters...</div>
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they decided to give me a hint of pitocin, to get things going.</div>
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my doctor said i was already to a 5, so just sniffing the stuff would send contractions more regularly.</div>
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so i sniffed some and bam! there was archer.</div>
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kidding.</div>
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(bad joke?)</div>
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but really, they put a tiny bit in, and whoa, contractions came roaring in like a freight train. </div>
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at the same time i got the pitocin, i asked for the epidural, i knew i needed one to have the other.</div>
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and. . . i waited . . . and the epidural didn't come. . .</div>
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and my contractions were getting worse. </div>
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and it still didn't come . . . </div>
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so we called for the nurse, and reminded her we were still waiting!</div>
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finally he walked in, the anesthesiologist. [the man i would come to dislike. a lot.]</div>
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he gave me the details of the procedure, and reminded me to how to sit on the bed, hunched over, etc...</div>
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and so we began, i hunched over and tried not to move.</div>
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he put catheter needle in, and turned to the nurse to get the anesthetics.</div>
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she didn't have them. they were in the closet.</div>
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whaaaa????</div>
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i continued to have contractions, sitting there with the needle in, and tears just started pouring out.</div>
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it was horrible!</div>
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finally, the anesthetics were in, whew.</div>
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what probably was just a few moments, seemed like for.ev.er.</div>
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and then the anesthesiologists proceeds to tell me that there was a leak, or "wet tap" and i would probably end up with spinal headaches from a "brain sag".</div>
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whatttt????? why are you using these weird terms?? not now.</div>
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why are you telling me these things while i'm still sitting up right WAITING for the numbing to kick in and feeling every single contraction.</div>
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cant it wait?</div>
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so i responded with, "cool". </div>
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because that's the only word that i could mutter out to get him to stop talking and leave so i could lay down and get through these contractions until the meds kicked in.</div>
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and i guess he didn't like my response, because he looked at me and said, "no ma'am, it's not cool".</div>
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haha.</div>
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oh dear.</div>
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whatever dude. </div>
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i just need you to move out of my sight now so i can get on with this baby having stuff. ok? ok!</div>
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. . . </div>
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the epidural brought the itchies.... like, everything itched. </div>
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(this didn't happen with roman, what the what?)</div>
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and though my sister warned me about her itchy stint, and getting Benadryl and feeling SO groggy....</div>
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i still got the Benadryl.</div>
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i couldn't stand the itching!</div>
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not too long after it was time to push.</div>
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however, the Benadryl knocked.me.OUT.</div>
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i couldn't even complete a set of three pushes without my heart rate slowing down and feeling like i would pass out.</div>
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so, while dilated to a 10, and after several pushes, my doctor said we needed to stop.</div>
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the Benadryl needed to wear off, and she thought we could rest for about 30 minutes.</div>
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so, i rested.</div>
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literally.</div>
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i fell asleep for 30 minutes, while they hooked me up to a sugary IV substance to try and give me some energy, and 30 minutes later i woke up, downed two popsicles, and we resumed pushing.</div>
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as soon as i began pushing, my nurse needed to leave because she got a phone call from her kid's school, it was urgent. so a new nurse came to take her place.</div>
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it was like God knew i needed to be done with that nurse.</div>
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and the new one He sent me?</div>
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she. was a GIFT. from God. </div>
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for reals.</div>
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she coached me right through, and just a few pushes later, little archer was in my arms :)</div>
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and look at him!</div>
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my little sweet archer man.</div>
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oh man.</div>
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i'd do it all over again.</div>
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i would i would!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0E6b2wdal0U/UYwUIr9gnDI/AAAAAAAAJWY/YWH9duig63E/s1600/IMG_8238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0E6b2wdal0U/UYwUIr9gnDI/AAAAAAAAJWY/YWH9duig63E/s640/IMG_8238.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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what a wild ride.</div>
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and yes, as cliche as it sounds, my heart expanded to a size i didn't know was possible.</div>
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more kids, more love :)</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-udtbBzfNs68/UYwUIa1sjAI/AAAAAAAAJWc/gNmVagPPkB8/s1600/IMG_8195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-udtbBzfNs68/UYwUIa1sjAI/AAAAAAAAJWc/gNmVagPPkB8/s640/IMG_8195.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
i ended up getting those darn headaches, and so i had a blood patch done before leaving the hospital.<br />
after about a week of bed rest at home, i was starting to feel better.<br />
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i always knew there were epidural risks,<br />
but i didn't really ever think to worry about them.<br />
i know next time i'll be a bit anxious, but the chances of it happening again are so slim.<br />
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i will still get an epidural, if i'm blessed with more babies.<br />
but i think next time i'll try and advocate for myself a little better along the way.<br />
i'll ask for the epidural sooner, and i'll probably ask way too many questions throughout the laboring process. but hey. you do what you gotta do.<br />
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looking back on archer's birth story, i have such a grateful heart.<br />
was it a bit chaotic? yes.<br />
but when i got to wheel out of that hospital with a new little baby?<br />
gratitude poured over.<br />
God is so good, and i know he gives us these "bumps" to teach us to lean on Him.<br />
<br />
i find a reoccurring pattern in my life, whether it's this crazy move, or a wild birth story, or just the struggles of parenting on a day to day basis....<br />
i'm brought to a place of desperation, and i'm left with one choice, to cry out for help. <br />
i'm learning i can't do life on my own.<br />
my Savior wants to walk with me, every step of every day.<br />
it's hard to surrender control sometimes.<br />
we women like to think we run the show :)<br />
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but He does.<br />
and it's a beautiful show.</div>
lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-79010603758583405312013-05-30T17:23:00.001-05:002013-05-31T18:16:56.418-05:00going "home". <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
oh, this day.</div>
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this day was hard for me.</div>
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it was wednesday, march 27th, and my doctor and i decided that i would be induced the next morning (thursday!) because she was going to be out of town for a week starting on friday, </div>
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and i really wanted her to deliver me. </div>
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plus, i was already dilated to a 4. </div>
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and plus plus, i needed to just know when this baby was coming at this point. </div>
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the house stuff had me wanting to run to the nearest pool of xanax and do a swan dive right in.</div>
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let's start at the beginning.</div>
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casey had a meeting at work he had to be at, so my dad and brother went to go pick up the wood floors, or maybe it was the washer and dryer? i don't even remember at this point. regardless, we were all up and going at the crack of dawn.</div>
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my mom, roman and i packed up the room and headed down to load up the cars.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MB0YO2Dfn1o/UYwZjgFHdaI/AAAAAAAAJeM/NjYOeCFUKKM/s1600/IMG_8122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MB0YO2Dfn1o/UYwZjgFHdaI/AAAAAAAAJeM/NjYOeCFUKKM/s640/IMG_8122.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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i'm sure anyone who saw us on the elevators that day thought we were cray.</div>
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and, well, we were.</div>
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matter of fact, we got in the elevator and just stood there for a good couple minutes talking before we even realized no one pushed the button. </div>
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and at that point you just start laughing, because if you don't, you'll cry :)</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o04KLK5k82Y/UYwZk0m75nI/AAAAAAAAJeg/sQehdDnBuFs/s1600/IMG_8130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o04KLK5k82Y/UYwZk0m75nI/AAAAAAAAJeg/sQehdDnBuFs/s640/IMG_8130.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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our first stop was target, because duh, why not.</div>
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we needed stuff. probably cleaning supplies. again, i can't remember.</div>
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but we ended up strolling through the isles and eating pizza.</div>
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and then we had to change someone's diaper, so he assumed this position:</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1tKFr6kkBjE/UYwZlFAgc2I/AAAAAAAAJek/tLGgOcqJUf4/s1600/IMG_8131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1tKFr6kkBjE/UYwZlFAgc2I/AAAAAAAAJek/tLGgOcqJUf4/s640/IMG_8131.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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for a second (or maybe it was a minute) we thought about just leaving him back there so he could nap.</div>
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but then we realized a fender bender could really not be good in this situation.</div>
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:)</div>
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<br /></div>
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and then we were off to the house,</div>
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i was a bit scared to go in, because i knew it was all tore up...</div>
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but romes had no fear.</div>
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in fact, he thought he would just jump right in and start vacuuming.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sTcqrXBHCzE/UYwZnSiR_PI/AAAAAAAAJe4/MEeh-U6t3EU/s1600/IMG_8136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sTcqrXBHCzE/UYwZnSiR_PI/AAAAAAAAJe4/MEeh-U6t3EU/s640/IMG_8136.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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while everyone worked, i began to freak out.</div>
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the carpet layers weren't even half done.</div>
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we already checked out of the hotel.</div>
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where were our beds even at? the storage unit? i couldn't remember where they were.</div>
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i was supposed to go in the next morning bright and early to have the baby, but i wasn't sure how we would even get to tomorrow morning...</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sQNASl004m0/UYwZocPB1pI/AAAAAAAAJfI/v2G4uISSQvY/s1600/IMG_8134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sQNASl004m0/UYwZocPB1pI/AAAAAAAAJfI/v2G4uISSQvY/s640/IMG_8134.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
so, i did the most logical thing i could think of, i called my friend krista :)</div>
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she let us come over and take a nap in her guest room. that girl knows how to love well, i tell ya!</div>
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so we took a ginormous nap. momma, romes, and thumper.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lCDaOaTNmug/UYwZl5vAdkI/AAAAAAAAJes/zIOzcXzp91Q/s1600/IMG_8132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lCDaOaTNmug/UYwZl5vAdkI/AAAAAAAAJes/zIOzcXzp91Q/s640/IMG_8132.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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i felt refreshed and ready to head back "home" to see what needed to be done next. </div>
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as if i could really do anything, i was literally waddling like a duck.</div>
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when i got home, the carpet layers were arguing with each other in spanish, mom was vacuming and cleaning everything in sight, and i don't even know what mr leif was doing. something, probably laying the wood floors? </div>
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regardless, i freaked out.</div>
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it was getting late, and we still had no beds. heck, no where to sit.</div>
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i sat down on the plywood for a bit, and started to have really strong contractions.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S72Lr1RjSNU/UYwZnkNygII/AAAAAAAAJe8/oo2jYEI9nwQ/s1600/IMG_8137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S72Lr1RjSNU/UYwZnkNygII/AAAAAAAAJe8/oo2jYEI9nwQ/s640/IMG_8137.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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and then i left.</div>
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<br /></div>
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i drove to sonic, balling the whole way there.</div>
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i was having contractions regularly and didn't want to be.</div>
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i couldn't have the baby.</div>
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my mom wouldn't have anything or anywhere to go, and she was supposed to watch roman, and the house wasn't ready, and... and... and...</div>
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so, </div>
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i called my sister and told her something, i don't know what, and she said she would fly to KC asap.</div>
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<br /></div>
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and for some reason that made things seem a bit more manageable. </div>
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<br /></div>
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on the way home i called mr leif and said we needed to focus on tomorrow, and what we needed to do before the morning came...</div>
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first up, unload the car with our suitcases. </div>
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</div>
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so we did that.</div>
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and then i told mr leif i needed those mattresses hauled in. we needed beds, and it was already dark out.</div>
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check!</div>
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<br /></div>
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so we set up the mattresses in our room and in one other bedroom for gma and roman.</div>
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and then we ate sonic.</div>
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and i spilled on the brand new carpet.</div>
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yay.</div>
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<br /></div>
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and then we filled the tub for our little love, found some bath toys in a box, and threw romes in for a scrub a dub.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F_2eTkszhEo/UYwZoZSr2bI/AAAAAAAAJfM/_A774exJv78/s1600/IMG_8145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F_2eTkszhEo/UYwZoZSr2bI/AAAAAAAAJfM/_A774exJv78/s640/IMG_8145.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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and then?????</div>
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we relaxed.</div>
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and breathed.</div>
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and our exhausted bodies all went to sleep, we had a big day ahead of us!</div>
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<br /></div>
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well, i didn't sleep.</div>
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but that's ok. </div>
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who sleeps the night before they have a baby anyways?</div>
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<br /></div>
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:)</div>
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<br /></div>
lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-54419261177036073662013-05-30T16:20:00.001-05:002013-05-30T17:06:26.758-05:00hotel errrrrbody.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
last stop!</div>
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embassy suites!</div>
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<br /></div>
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now now now... before you go and think we're all high rollers and all that.... put yourself in my shoes,</div>
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39 weeks pregnant.</div>
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wild, almost out of control toddler.</div>
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lots of bags and toys and stuff.</div>
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we needed room to breathe, room to play, room to try and be normal while cooped up in a hotel for 5 nights... and when you go to a regular hotel, you get two beds in one big room. i think i would have driven myself crazy, my child crazy, my momma crazy, and my husband crazy (when he returned "home" from work)</div>
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<br /></div>
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so, we opted for a place that had a "living quarters" and a bedroom.</div>
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and it was magnificent.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTQFWs5N3E50CbLcyqiDmPvgQyWf8joRx7cWMdc-rZ7hLroYlkF7DDU55-HesF6UiSAgG7hJ2H5jkUAbbnd04qvh8KnQyD_pHuXN_gkVnbNTyk8XFFdOwKK4y4kshNyHOdpoz5E2OmLH7/s1600/IMG_8014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTQFWs5N3E50CbLcyqiDmPvgQyWf8joRx7cWMdc-rZ7hLroYlkF7DDU55-HesF6UiSAgG7hJ2H5jkUAbbnd04qvh8KnQyD_pHuXN_gkVnbNTyk8XFFdOwKK4y4kshNyHOdpoz5E2OmLH7/s640/IMG_8014.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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[here's gma and romes, running around at the yummy free breakfast, that we pigged out on every morning....yes, omelets and pancakes and oatmeal, oh my!]</div>
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<br /></div>
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and then, we kept thinking we were getting into our house, and then it kept getting pushed back.</div>
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gma abbi and uncle cam even came to help paint, thinking we would have the keys...but it was a no go.</div>
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so they hung out at the hotel too.</div>
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let me tell you..... it was a party.</div>
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ha.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SuGzPlwoeMo/UYwZdpKWsII/AAAAAAAAJc4/vLovKvPR8VI/s1600/IMG_8015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SuGzPlwoeMo/UYwZdpKWsII/AAAAAAAAJc4/vLovKvPR8VI/s640/IMG_8015.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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[uncle cam helping with bedtime!]</div>
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<br /></div>
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but hey. they have free happy hour, where most of my group got to partake in a few brewskies each night, while i chugged free fountain dr peppers, and roman ran around like a wild man.</div>
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the hotel folks got to know us pretty well.</div>
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<br /></div>
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and yes, i got the looks and the questions of when i was due, and why i was at a hotel.</div>
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but those questions don't bother me like they do some preggo girls, i mean, heck....i too would be curious to know why such a waddling preggo woman would be living in a hotel. do tell! they begged.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
i asked the hotel manager if i got some sort of prize (errrr....room discount) if i was to be the first one to bring a newborn home to the hotel.... and he didn't really promise me anything. dude, did he know how badly i wanted to be promised something! anything! a badge! happy hour all day! a free night stay! but nope.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6xp5AWrrVzg/UYwZdrD9pxI/AAAAAAAAJc8/y-txT1t73Gw/s1600/IMG_8019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6xp5AWrrVzg/UYwZdrD9pxI/AAAAAAAAJc8/y-txT1t73Gw/s640/IMG_8019.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
[daddy, romes, and momma all shared that king bed for 5 nights, oh, and baby too</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
.... baby was clearly in that bed too...]</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ihnSDpNZ0ms/UYwZgtByS9I/AAAAAAAAJdg/lb0GMkoHBzM/s1600/IMG_8060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ihnSDpNZ0ms/UYwZgtByS9I/AAAAAAAAJdg/lb0GMkoHBzM/s640/IMG_8060.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
it was still snowing. even though it was march 20-something....it was blizzard mania.</div>
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which was great for romes, gma linda has super powers and halls tubs of snow up to our room so he can drive his trucks in it. thankgoodness for grandmas.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jt6KoEDaULg/UYwZeoa4P4I/AAAAAAAAJdI/CLVrGbgIz14/s1600/IMG_8039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jt6KoEDaULg/UYwZeoa4P4I/AAAAAAAAJdI/CLVrGbgIz14/s640/IMG_8039.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
we could see our room from the breakfast spot.</div>
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it was sort of fun to get dressed in the mornings, head out to the elevator and ride down to a hot breakfast. i think i could be a NYC momma. just get me a bugaboo and we'd be off on our adventures. what kid doesn't like starting his day by riding an elevator!?!!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W1kd02TxQcc/UYwZe06pPKI/AAAAAAAAJdQ/7BBYE29B_vw/s1600/IMG_8041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W1kd02TxQcc/UYwZe06pPKI/AAAAAAAAJdQ/7BBYE29B_vw/s640/IMG_8041.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
every time we drive by the hotel, roman recognizes it and asks to go there...</div>
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he remembers throwing money into the fountain, playing with gma and gpa, and riding the elevator, and watching the snow plows... it's sort of bitter sweet when we drive by, i remember all those things too... and those final days wondering, "am i going to have this baby today?" or "am i going to lose my mind today?" </div>
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<br /></div>
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:)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-toFYcwKN98I/UYwZgsFEIjI/AAAAAAAAJdk/dZkgr58RbgY/s1600/IMG_8053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-toFYcwKN98I/UYwZgsFEIjI/AAAAAAAAJdk/dZkgr58RbgY/s640/IMG_8053.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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occasionally we would leave the hotel, for things like frozen yogurt, but mostly, we hung out there.</div>
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it was like a mini vacation.</div>
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a great way to end our crazy trek.</div>
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i mean, don't ask us what we had to pay to stay there that many nights....</div>
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but there comes a time when you just do what you gotta do.</div>
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you only live once, and we're pretty glad we lived this one up.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2xZcNknXGdU/UYwZfN_uujI/AAAAAAAAJdM/YCZwTf3Vrn8/s1600/IMG_8046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2xZcNknXGdU/UYwZfN_uujI/AAAAAAAAJdM/YCZwTf3Vrn8/s640/IMG_8046.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
there's our little kitchen back behind mr leif, the foot masseuse. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lX0PS8PC9-Q/UYwZg8tLz9I/AAAAAAAAJdo/GuQ1fSmOEXA/s1600/IMG_8057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lX0PS8PC9-Q/UYwZg8tLz9I/AAAAAAAAJdo/GuQ1fSmOEXA/s640/IMG_8057.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
we got pretty creative with our meals.</div>
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below, i give you:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
blueberries, steamed green beans in the hotel microwave, and microwave mac and cheese.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
BAM!</div>
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a little fresh, and a little processed.</div>
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take that!</div>
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a mighty fine lunch for little romanator.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c3ALmoq5Xv8/UYwZic3uFnI/AAAAAAAAJd4/Tk2NID6LVYs/s1600/IMG_8117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c3ALmoq5Xv8/UYwZic3uFnI/AAAAAAAAJd4/Tk2NID6LVYs/s640/IMG_8117.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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and then it happened.</div>
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we got THE call.</div>
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the one that says, you can have the keys!</div>
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<br /></div>
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so tuesday was spent tearing our carpet (thanks dad and donavan!) and other random demo work...</div>
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mr leif rounded up whoever he could get to help that tuesday,</div>
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and again, the body of christ is amazing. </div>
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friends came and helped and served and we were so grateful.</div>
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<br /></div>
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. . .</div>
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so, it would finally happen, the next day, on wednesday, march 27th, we would move "home".</div>
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<br /></div>
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i think i had 4 mini cups of dr pepper that night at happy hour.</div>
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<br /></div>
lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-32188568930905371882013-05-27T12:34:00.001-05:002013-05-27T16:45:33.145-05:00third stop!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
don't let this picture fool you:</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dY85sl6FwAE/UYwZbZoravI/AAAAAAAAJcU/4EiVyTKLq4A/s1600/IMG_7955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dY85sl6FwAE/UYwZbZoravI/AAAAAAAAJcU/4EiVyTKLq4A/s640/IMG_7955.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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roman continued to be a rockstar on what was now our 3rd "stop" between moves.</div>
that's just roman in his barney trance. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
[he really loves barney, and riff, and bj, and babybop]</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
. . . </div>
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<br /></div>
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our sweet, dear, lovely friends (hi, porters!) went on vacation and let us stay in their home for the week!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
normally, being 39 weeks pregnant, not having a home, and living out of suitcases would have made staying in someone else's house a bit cray for me...but amanda is so dear to my heart, and i truly felt at home.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
roman got to sleep in his friend's bed, and play with toys that he already has played with multiple times before. the porters blessed us so much with letting us stay in their home. and, well, i'm just continually being reminded how the body of Christ comes together to love and support each other when it's needed. God is so good to us, friends are truly the balm to so many sticky life situations. we love our friends.</div>
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<br /></div>
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that week at the porters i started having lots of contractions. </div>
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one particular night, i ended up having mr leif call my momma and ask her to come down from nebraska, i was quite positive i would end up havin that baby soon. so, my mom decided to come the next afternoon. um.... HOORAY!!!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the relief i felt knowing she would be here to help with roman, especially if i went into labor, was awesome. <br />
you see, my main concern through this whole shebang was <b>roman</b>. <br />
how would he adjust to moving around from place to place? <br />
how would he sleep? <br />
would he just beg to go home?<br />
how would he handle momma going to the hospital? <br />
who was going to watch him when we needed to go have this baby? </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and having my mom here fixed all of those worries, she would help him adjust, be there for him, and spoil him way too much..... and that would be just perfect :)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
. . . </div>
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<br /></div>
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then it hit me.</div>
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tomorrow would be my last day with just roman.</div>
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me and him, him and me.</div>
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yes, i'm going there, sappy mc sapperson.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the end of such a sweet 2.5 years as just the two of us.</div>
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i was all emotional (still am! ha!) and thought i needed to make some sweet little memories with my baby.</div>
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<br /></div>
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so we found a random bakery and stuffed our faces with giant cinnamon rolls.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">[and then roman pooped in the bakery and stunk it up]</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P3wqWyb5OvI/UYwZazxuKMI/AAAAAAAAJcE/u4qp9cor8l4/s1600/IMG_7960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P3wqWyb5OvI/UYwZazxuKMI/AAAAAAAAJcE/u4qp9cor8l4/s640/IMG_7960.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
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and then we went to trader joes.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and didn't buy anything.</div>
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but, boy did he fill that little cart with things we pretended we would buy.</div>
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and he bumped into people (on accident!) and into the isles of food,</div>
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and i had a big dirty spot right on my chest from dropping the cinnamon roll on myself,</div>
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but we had fun.</div>
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and i love my little boy.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i0lPWkZlA14/UYwZbZTyQkI/AAAAAAAAJcQ/0F55U1_41wE/s1600/IMG_7979.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i0lPWkZlA14/UYwZbZTyQkI/AAAAAAAAJcQ/0F55U1_41wE/s640/IMG_7979.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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and then we ended our little jaunt with a target trip.</div>
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because, obvi. target is the ultimate mom and kid outing.</div>
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(and actually, i went for a bag of easter candy, because i figured at this point, i needed little chocolate eggs to bribe my toddler into compliance... i'm just a really awesome mom sometimes, duh.)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
there's always a ton of other moms at target with their screaming kids too, </div>
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so when your kid starts running around through the isles and chucking underwear over the the top of clothes racks, you sort of don't have to feel as bad. </div>
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you kinda get nods of "yep, i've been there" from the other moms.</div>
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and when you get the looks of "what the heck are you doing here with your crazy child and a baby that is about to fall out?" you just tell yourself maybe they are having a rough day want to give you nasty looks to make themselves feel better, and you are doing the best you can!!!!!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8wwFggqh8W4/UYwZcLnEW0I/AAAAAAAAJco/kaGtjesdToU/s1600/IMG_8005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8wwFggqh8W4/UYwZcLnEW0I/AAAAAAAAJco/kaGtjesdToU/s640/IMG_8005.JPG" width="532" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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oh we had a good time that last day.</div>
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but boy were we ready for gma linda to come rescue us. both.</div>
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<br /></div>
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because, next stop?</div>
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the FINAL stop?</div>
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<br /></div>
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a hizzy hizzy hotel.</div>
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<br /></div>
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stay tuned for my babycation, right here in KC.....</div>
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a 5 night stay at embassy suites.</div>
lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-62792749791106842102013-05-23T11:29:00.002-05:002013-05-23T11:29:07.086-05:00still homeless...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
the week we moved out of our house, we had a family tragedy back home in nebraska.</div>
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my uncle passed away, and i wasn't going to miss being there for my aunt and sweet cousins. </div>
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our family is uniquely large and super close....so when things like this happen, we all flock together.</div>
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<br /></div>
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i was 38 weeks pregnant, so i called my doctor to get permission, and she granted it.</div>
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she gave me tips on stopping every hour or so for the drive home so i didn't swell, and also making sure i had a hospital located back in nebraska in case i went into labor while i was home.</div>
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and since our bags were already packed for the next couple weeks, heading to nebraska wasn't hard to prep for. </div>
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basically we just rode the elevator down to the lobby with out stuff, haha.</div>
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i got in my car, my mother in law got in hers, she followed me to a friend's house where i parked my car, then i got in with her and roman, and we embarked the 4.5 hour trip north.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_0-e51t0qfQ/UYwZZNLrG4I/AAAAAAAAJbs/cdx5YypSbSc/s1600/IMG_7939.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_0-e51t0qfQ/UYwZZNLrG4I/AAAAAAAAJbs/cdx5YypSbSc/s640/IMG_7939.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
[[romes and sweet hazey]]</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7ILazm88sVI/UYwZZRzKBnI/AAAAAAAAJbw/aaxS6MNq6rs/s1600/IMG_7950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7ILazm88sVI/UYwZZRzKBnI/AAAAAAAAJbw/aaxS6MNq6rs/s640/IMG_7950.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
when our family gathers, there's usually lots of talking, laughing, opinion giving, food, games, food, wine, food, and more food, and usually some more wine.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
my sweet cousin megan also threw in a foot massage and pedicure, FOR THE WIN.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
she has a servant heart. and she's good at what she does :)</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GUm0-sq2nBk/UYwZafgxs6I/AAAAAAAAJb8/fgaXHYeYpgE/s1600/IMG_7951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GUm0-sq2nBk/UYwZafgxs6I/AAAAAAAAJb8/fgaXHYeYpgE/s640/IMG_7951.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
roman also got to go out to gma abbi's and play with uncle cam.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
this is not only a nice break for me, but my little dude is truly in his element out in the country.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
wide open spaces.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
farm stuff.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
toys.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and family who loves him to pieces.</div>
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we love being back home.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
this trip, which turned into about 5 days, was the perfect rescue to my hopeless state i was feeling when we were in kansas city. God knew i needed a break, before i literally was about to break.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
i love my family, i love going home. nebraska will always be home.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
that weekend mr leif drove up to pick us up and we all sandwiched in his truck and headed back to the city. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
we still didn't have a house, so it would have been easier to just stay at my parent's house....after all they totally took care of roman, i just lounged around :)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
but, i was about to have a baby, and things would be easier in the long run if i just went back "home"....</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
some of our close friends went on vaca for the week and they were letting us stay at their place,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
so upon arriving in the KC, we headed to our 3rd destination of the trek.</div>
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little romes was a trooper.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
onward... </div>
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still no baby, still no house!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[. . . to be continued]</span></div>
lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941052929560820626.post-79643920872664390642013-05-22T11:02:00.000-05:002013-05-23T11:29:39.260-05:00that one time we were homeless.<div style="text-align: center;">
alrighty, let's try this again. regular blogging.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
well, truth be told, i can't seem to stay on top of life, so blogging has taken the back burner.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
but these last few months need to be remembered. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the chaos, the hard stuff, the good stuff, the new baby stuff....i must write about it!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
so, buckle your seatbelts, i just turned on PBS for romes, and archer is milk drunk and passed out on my bed.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
it's go time.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
so, way back on march 13th we walked out of the green house for the last time.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LFwyg9OVKFo/UYwZWwLg2pI/AAAAAAAAJbQ/S2M9SRhyq44/s1600/IMG_7916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LFwyg9OVKFo/UYwZWwLg2pI/AAAAAAAAJbQ/S2M9SRhyq44/s640/IMG_7916.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
though, i couldn't really be too emotional...... i was exhausted, trying to pack us up for the next three weeks of limbo, my head was spinning like the roccoplane carnival ride from my hometown's summer festival, and i felt like any crazy stress induced freak out sesh would land me in the hospital with early labor. so, i "kept calm and carried on". and made lists. and more lists. somewhere in the next three weeks, we would potentially have a new baby born, so that was all sorts of awesome to try and prepare for as well :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPH8-gwowopCBoJ2Y1OXTNf70XuecDW0P6kcbMdJh7edjMAxkz6MEXFnmq20qdn-RlwuB67LHo9ujzacd8FfMdRajEjBwNiUFOBm433DKS9HULLbJZinUflIyC8d5h1iKJiLT2svWoXB1p/s1600/IMG_7648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPH8-gwowopCBoJ2Y1OXTNf70XuecDW0P6kcbMdJh7edjMAxkz6MEXFnmq20qdn-RlwuB67LHo9ujzacd8FfMdRajEjBwNiUFOBm433DKS9HULLbJZinUflIyC8d5h1iKJiLT2svWoXB1p/s640/IMG_7648.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RH05As3JyxM/UYwZV4FYMkI/AAAAAAAAJbA/U3uM6nNgadY/s1600/IMG_7913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RH05As3JyxM/UYwZV4FYMkI/AAAAAAAAJbA/U3uM6nNgadY/s640/IMG_7913.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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here's our gear for our season living as nomads:</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ovNxtrpJ7qo/UYwZXhPt8eI/AAAAAAAAJbc/qKgIX5xYtGY/s1600/IMG_7917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ovNxtrpJ7qo/UYwZXhPt8eI/AAAAAAAAJbc/qKgIX5xYtGY/s640/IMG_7917.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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meds had to make the packing list, because romes got a horrific virus and rash days before we moved out. my sanity continued to be tested. </div>
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{the starbucks was for me}</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EAgZe8KUn3Q/UYwZU-lO1FI/AAAAAAAAJaw/FKF8jjmsAvo/s1600/IMG_7833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EAgZe8KUn3Q/UYwZU-lO1FI/AAAAAAAAJaw/FKF8jjmsAvo/s400/IMG_7833.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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bags packed, boxes loaded, and on our way.</div>
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<br /></div>
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all along, we have been trying to get into our new house. </div>
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but things can get complicated with real estate these days.</div>
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and so, we were on a roller coaster of constant ..... "you can get in on this day!" YAY! </div>
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and then ...... "oh wait, nevermind, we need to process this and that and do this paperwork"</div>
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and then "ok! you can get in on this day!" YAY!</div>
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and then..... "ooops, we were wrong, still not ready"</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
again, a super dooooper test of our patients, and truly, remembering how to find perspective amongst chaos.</div>
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and the take-all, gratitude. always searching for gratitude.</div>
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<br /></div>
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. . .</div>
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<br /></div>
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so our first night away, we headed down to the burbs, to a hotel with a pool.</div>
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my mother in law came down to help me with roman, as mr leif had to go to work, and hauling bags and tubs out of cars and up into hotel rooms was hard to do when i was about to pop.</div>
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also, i have a toddler who runs around like a mad man and i don't always know how to control him.</div>
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judge me if you want.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d4TAP1MQ5R4/UYwZYdOZ76I/AAAAAAAAJbk/3sidBb8ar2E/s1600/IMG_7932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d4TAP1MQ5R4/UYwZYdOZ76I/AAAAAAAAJbk/3sidBb8ar2E/s640/IMG_7932.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
roman lasted about 10 minutes in the pool and then he asked to go home.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and his demands to go home continued to filter in throughout the night.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-08su87p7qmE/UYwZZiG32iI/AAAAAAAAJb4/nTZOFyt9i8A/s1600/IMG_7921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-08su87p7qmE/UYwZZiG32iI/AAAAAAAAJb4/nTZOFyt9i8A/s640/IMG_7921.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
mr leif didnt get in to the hotel until about 1am because he was finishing up a few things at the old house.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
roman wouldn't fall asleep because he was too big for his pack n play, and he was begging to go home.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
so i cried myself to sleep, wondering how i would ever get through these next few weeks.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
there was no way, i didn't think it was possible.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
i felt defeated.</div>
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i knew i needed to be grateful.</div>
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we had a hotel to stay in for now, family who loves us, friends offering to help, and a God who's plan would reveal itself regardless of how many dang lists i made....</div>
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but still, i couldn't' seem to see how this was all going to work. </div>
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obvi, my preggo hormones were raging.</div>
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i wanted to just go back to how things were, in our old house.</div>
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i wanted to be in my bed, setting up a space for the baby in that house, giving roman his comfort and his routine, i wanted to go back home! but darn, we just sold it!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uzs-FNvegDI/UYwZVgAaMuI/AAAAAAAAJa4/Z_myRuOK7yk/s1600/IMG_7872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uzs-FNvegDI/UYwZVgAaMuI/AAAAAAAAJa4/Z_myRuOK7yk/s640/IMG_7872.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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to be continued...</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">[i've secretly always wanted to write that at the bottom of a post]</span></div>
lindsey leifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246928313845679141noreply@blogger.com0