on and off.

my battle continues with PPD. it will end eventually, or at least it has before.

until then here is a funny.

Evonne on and off medication...

Off medication "Why am I such a fat blob. Get yourself together Evonne...you are better that this!" On medication "I look cute, I am having a good hair day, and I swear I lost 5 pounds over night!"

Off medication "Why can't you just leave me alone already!" On medication "Sure I would love for you to come and craft with me, eat half of my dessert, and sit on my lap!"

Off medication "Please stop teasing me, hurting my feelings, and annoying me." On medication "Bwahaha, that was a good one...!!"

Off medication "Oh my goodness, our house is a disaster. Whyyyy!" On medication "Step over that laundry pile, we are going to go and have some fun!"

Off medication "Seriously stop talking about same sex marriage, equality, rights, and politics! I can't handle it." On medication "Seriously stop talking about same sex marriage, equality, rights, and politics! I can't handle it" Okay so some things don't change. wink, wink.

Happy Easter Weekend. Hoping the Easter Bunny doesn't flop like he did last year.

eggs.

Coloring Easter eggs is not my favorite, and then after you color them...what do you do with all the hard boiled eggs? I can only eat so many egg salad sandwiches, and deviled eggs.

Last year it was long after Easter was over, and the kids were still begging me to color the eggs. Blast. So, this year I decided to get it done nice and early to avoid the never ending nagging I would surely get.

The kids had fun. I tried to not freak out every time Devin would splash the dye all over everything. We only had 2 casualties in the hands of Devin, and lots of beautiful eggs.

{this is what Bina did while we colored eggs! I like people to know she is there, even though she doesn't get to participate!}

 

I made the kids eat egg salad sandwiches for dinner that night, only 1 kid really liked them...Savannah.

The next morning, after leaving the dirty dishes in the sink over night, Savannah asked me why our kitchen smelled like fart. I don't think she will eating egg salad sandwiches again for awhile.

i love.

I have a slight addiction to Instagram. Who doesn't? Sometimes I forget to use my actual camera, and just carry my phone. I am just shy of having 3,000 photos on my new phone. Maybe I shouldn't admit to that, it looks ridiculous when I type it out.

Who is loving the giveaways on Instagram? Once I figured out how to make a screenshot on my phone, I was golden. So easy to enter, and get notified. I love it.

I have entered a few, and hadn't won. I have been eyeing all the giveaways that you can win your Instagram feed printed by Persnickety Prints. With over 900 photos on my feed, it was enticing.

My luck finally came around when The Gap at University Mall hooked up with Persnickety Prints...and I totally won.

{1st entry...gumball machine shirt, part of Gap's Valentine's Day line}

 

Everyone already knows my love for pictures, and the little 3x3 prints with all my most treasured snapshots...make me swoon.

{entry #2...Devin sportin' the Gap fleece jacket. A throwback picture for his birthday week.}

Persnickety Prints were wonderful to work with, and I was most impressed with how quickly the prints were on my doorstep. Heaven knows, I am not patient.

{Bina was having a really bad day when they announced I won, this is my thank-you-gram!}

I have already started to scrap these, and think they are such a cute size on the pages. I decided I take a ton of pictures while I am rocking Bina, sleeping babies in the car, and my food.

{my tower of prints that I love!}

Thank you Gap and Persnickety Prints. You guys made me ridiculously happy.

{first page in Bina's book done...I may also take a lot of selfies!}

Disclosure: They have no idea that I am writing this. No disclosure required. I know I will be printing more of these goodies through Persnickety Prints.

this boy is 3.

Still in shock that Devin was born 3 years ago. These years have been fast and furious, just like the movie he was named after. I don't think that there has been a dull moment since the moment he came to our family.

 

A little about Devin at 3...

 

He clearly has the best eyes, and the looks he gives us get him out of a lot of trouble. I am sure he will use those eyes to break a few girls hearts along the way.

 

Devin is a quirky little guy. He loves his nails painted, playing dress up, and has been begging for me to buy him a baby stroller.

His favorite animal is a chicken. Last night while watching his favorite show Umizoomi, he locked himself under a laundry basket and was pretending to be one. If you went up to the "cage" he would cluck at you, and try to peck at your fingers.

 

Devin doesn't give hugs and kisses freely. If you get one, cherish it.

He sleeps with his Spiderman blanket every night, and prefers to not wear clothes. Some nights Devin will sneak in to our bed. I secretly love when he snuggles up to me, it is such a rare moment. I love to soak it in. It is still my favorite to watch him curl up in his bed, and start sucking his thumb.

 

Devin is constantly teaching us patience, and has a completely care free attitude. His smile is contagious, and he loves to make people laugh along with him.

He adopted the purple raccoon "Sissy" from Savannah, and has since added "Fart-E" the frog to his favorite toys.

 

When I asked Paul what reminds him of Devin, he said "Nothing reminds me of him, he is so unique." How true this is. This kid is one of kind, and will never stop making us wonder where the heck he came from.

 

Happy Birthday Devi.

You sure know how to make life eventful.

Love you.

st. patty's day.

Usually on St. Patrick's Day, I stick my kids in green. The End. This holiday isn't one that my parents ever made a big deal.

After seeing a couple of cute traps people were making on Instagram, I decided my kids would totally eat this stuff up. 30 minutes before bed I was busy trying to figure out how to make this awesome with zero planning ahead. Oh, and did I mention I was clueless as to what actually attracts the leprechaun, what he looks for, what he leaves...

Savannah made the cutest little trap in her bedroom, and excitedly went to bed.

Paul laughed at me when he saw all the last minute things I pulled out of my bag of tricks.

The milk was turned green. Some how when I cracked open the eggs, they turned green when they hit the bowl. That Larry the leprechaun was sneaky. He opened up our brand new box of Lucky Charms, and spread them all over the floor. I found this cute idea here, and that was a total hit.

The kids were so excited when they woke up. It was fun to add something fun to this holiday. Next year I will be better prepared!

Sometimes it feels good to step up your game, and be a fun Mom.

bunnies.

I wasn't planning on getting pictures taken of the kids in their Easter clothes, but when I saw the bunnies at Camera Shy...I begged Paul. Like the good husband he is, he humored me.

Devin started barfing Sunday night, and I was afraid we were going to have to cancel our appointment. Monday rolled around, and he was back to himself. I thought it must have been some 24 hour bug or something. Tuesday he woke up, and seemed fine too. Pictures were totally a go. Devin has been really against having his picture taken lately...must take after his Daddy. I knew if I bribed him at the end with these bunnies we would get some smiles out of him.

Or so I thought.

He clearly was feeling off, and not just being stubborn.

He managed to smirk a few times, but other than that he just looked really sad {which actually made for some really cute pictures}.

We made it to the end, and he was so excited to see those bunnies. We got one picture right before the bunny jumped, and freaked him out...and then he cried huge crocodile tears. Who knew he wouldn't like them!?

Of course Savannah was so totally in love, and those poor bunnies got abused by Sabrina. At one point Sabrina picked one of the bunnies up by an ear, and the photographer had to rescue it.

Although we didn't get the exact bunny pictures I was hoping for, I think we got some really adorable pictures of these kids of ours.

{I totally printed this one out big, and realized Sabrina was giving everyone the big ol' bird. Makes me love the picture even more!}

wordless wednesday.

We love our Devi, really we do.

Devin is really sick {again!!}, and I am spending the day snuggling him. I want to write a few posts, and share more of these awesome pictures we got taken at Camera Shy...hopefully I will get a few minutes tomorrow.

glasses.

At the beginning of the school year they tested Savannah's vision. I didn't hear back that day, so I thought everything checked out. I knew that she had asked her teacher if she would move her to the front of the classroom, because she was having a hard time seeing. A few weeks later I got a letter in the mail telling me that she didn't pass the vision test. Bummer.

This was just another thing to add to our ever growing list of things to pay for, and I will admit I kind of put it off. Savannah has bugged me, and I finally made her an eye appointment. I kind of thought that she just wanted glasses, not because she needed them. 

When the eye doctor asked Savannah to read the biggest letters on the chart, and she couldn't...I felt that awesome Mom guilt. She is really blind. You better believe that is the one gene she got from me...blindness!

{These are the pair!}

We had fun trying on all of the cute frames, and Savannah was dead set on blue frames. We decided that Devin even looks adorable in frames, and is definitely a mini Paul.

She is really excited for them, and I think she can totally pull of any look...because she is just a beautiful little girl.

this is why.

{photo credit: Kim Orlandini Photography}

Sometimes I struggle with writing raw and real, and just writing our family highlights. I get that it can be annoying for some reading how wonderful life is, never seeing the other side of things.

The terrible 3's are in full swing over here, and can get pretty hairy. I still struggle with PPD, and even though life is pretty wonderful...it is hard to see it sometimes.

Over the weekend in between tantrums, and the flu, and crying...I did some thinking about this. I realized why I need to share the highlights more than the raw and real.

When I am in those dark moments, the moments that I feel I just may break. I need the highlights to pull me through. I need to be able to sit and write about happy thoughts, and remind myself that life is pretty amazing.

When I feel like I am failing, and I am making all the wrong decisions...I need to be able to remember I made that 3 year old happy at least one time in the day. I need to remember I took the time to rock our sweet baby, just because. I need to remember the small things that hopefully will add up to something.

So maybe it is annoying to read what appears to be the perfect life, but know...there is always more going on that is left unwritten.

don't judge.

Awhile back we were chatting with one of our neighbors. One topic lead to the next, and pretty soon they were telling us they were eating cereal for dinner.

I was like, whaaa. Nooo. Cereal is not dinner.

Paul and I talked about it after they left, how the heck does someone eat cereal as dinner!? Mind boggling.

Last night I poured myself a bowl of cereal for dinner. I asked the kids what they wanted for dinner, and they said they would have what I was having. Lucky charms for all, and for all a good night.

That will teach me to judge someone for eating cereal for dinner.

Never know when you just might be doing the same.

***

No post is complete without a picture, even if it has nothing to do with the post. You're welcome.

relationship.

As I was updating the blogs we have for our kids, I noticed something in all the pictures I have taken. Bina and Devin have built such a cute little relationship these months since she was born. We had very few hiccups with Devin becoming the big Brother instead of being the baby.

He begged to hold Bina, and still does...even though they are almost the same size.

He loves when I can rock both of them in the rocking chair. He is always the first in her room when she wakes up, and if I am not quick enough he sneaks in her crib to pick her up.

He thought it was funny when I did the diaper changing and pajama rituals together when she was tiny.

Bina thinks Devin is funny, but don't we all. 

Devin shares the best with her, and has taken it upon himself to share his food at all meals. I love that he gives her the tiniest bites ever, and if he isn't sitting close to her...he makes Paul pass the bite to her. Paul will say "this next bite is courtesy of Devin!".

He is extremely protective, and most times cautious. The other day Sabrina had gotten in to Devin's bowl of cereal, and when Devin tried to fish it out of her mouth...she took a bite of his finger. He was so worried about her eating something she wasn't suppose to.

Those first few months of getting a routine were hard, but just like with most things in my life...I can look back and smile. 

I wouldn't recommend having babies close in age, but I can see the advantage that these two have in their relationship because they are babies together. 

They are definitely lucky to have each other.

joy.

This weekend was pretty darn good.

I love when Savannah has a 3 day weekend.

After a week full of delivering Girl Scout cookies...I was really ready to play. We headed West to drop off more cookies, and have a play date. I know I have mentioned it before, but I really do have some of the best people in my life. 

I sat on Callee's couch, nursed Sabrina, and enjoyed a large Coke from Mickey D's...while our kids played. That Callee is the best company, I love that our conversation flows effortlessly.

The weather was beautiful, and I didn't want to waste it. I realized after this weekend why I long for Spring and Summer...my kids love playing outside. They went to bed without a fight, and got so much of their built up energy out. 

We had snow ball fights with the remaining pile of snow, Savannah wore flip flops, and we didn't wear jackets. It was lovely. I laughed as Paul tried to show me up in hop scotch, and Sabrina wiggled to get down to explore.

 

These are the times you wish you could just bottle up, and keep forever.