Catching up

Holy WOW!!

Being home alone with a newborn and a two year old gives one ZERO time to do anything and once the day is over you are so completely emotionally and mentally drained you can't get anything done then either.

So I am way behind on updates for Madison and Deacon.

Ok.  Madison is capable of full conversations with us now.  It's so cool.  Even her thought processes make so much sense.  It's pretty impressive.  Her terrible twos are still here but getting better for the most part.  Can't wait til we are over these.

Some funny things lately:
Copying mommy and daddy by doing everything we do with Deacon to her babies.  New diapers, bouncing, patting, burping, singing, shhhhing.  It's so cute.

When you say "Madison you are so smart and so pretty."  She in turn says "and sooooo funny."  I love it!

She had us all speechless from laughter the day she told us "hold on I'm pumping" while holding up a stacking cup to her chest.  HILARIOUS!!!

Playing in her car one day she kept repeatedly getting out saying to her baby "Hold on, I forgot it." Yeah mommy does this at least once if not 3-4 times trying to get out the door once everyone is loaded in the car.

She said to me "Mommy be patient and you'll get it."  I thought I was gonna pee my pants from laughing so hard.

We have been doing gymnastics, dance and fun outings.  Her first dance recital is dec 15.  Excited!!!

Deacon is super chill and super go with the flow.  I guess we haven't given him much choice though.

I describe Madison as hungry as a baby and toddler.  She is hungry for learning, for knowing, she asks lots of questions and wants to know everything about everything.  Deacon is my "life is good" baby.  He is just relaxed and happy.  This kid smiles with his whole head and has the cutest "aw shucks" giggle and shyness about him.

Im just super blessed to have two of the best kids around.  Madison has the best laugh, she's so smart, so sweet and funny and full of life. I love learning through her.  Deacon is simply adorable, cuddly and heartwarming.

Madison is 27 months now and about 32lbs
Deacon is 3.5 months and about 17ish lbs.

Love my babies.

Calendar for caring and a pocket full of change

I have committed myself to doing some random acts of kindness as well as some direct giving next year.  I have started already, very small but it's what I can do.  I do not have extra money, I am not caught up on bills or debts, I am not flowing in funds but I do have an overflowing heart.  One that wants to give more than I could ever do on my own.

My random acts of kindness are simple, small, smile bringers.  And I am trying to share this with as many people as I can.  This is not my mission but one of a community of friends that are pushing each other to be givers randomly all year.

Giving:
time
money
love
Or all the above.

Here are a few small random acts to share:
Buying the car behind you's order at any given place (mine seems to be Starbucks)
One day I bought cookies and asked the guy at the window to hand them out to each car with their order until he ran out
Buying a newspaper from a homeless person for $20
Giving gift cards or $$ to school crossing guards that keep your kids safe
Extra tips to waiters
If you can do more then some people pay off layaways or use $100's vs $10's or $20's
We also, with our church life group, adopted a teenager in need.

I hope my small random acts make other people do the same or maybe even more.  I started now vs next year because caring has no calendar, being in need has no date, hunger doesn't have a clock.  I do not wonder when I will eat even though my budget states I'm broke, I do not question where I will sleep or how I will get from point A to B.  I do have change laying around in my car, in a drawer, in my pocket.  So I'll take my pocket of change and make other people smile while I can