A few things.....

Here are just a few reasons why I love this time of year so much.

Happy Late Late Birthdays Babies!

And the worst mom award goes to me- it's been almost two weeks and I still haven't posted about BOTH of my ONLY TWO CHILDRENS' BIRTHDAYS. Jeez. I suck. Anyways.... HAPPY SUPER LATE BIRTHDAYS VALENTINE AND MOSES! I don't know what my problem is I just have not been able to force myself to get this done- I will say I've been quite busy this last week, but the week before that I was not, so...... maybe I don't want to face the fact that I now have a ONE YEAR OLD and a THREE YEAR OLD. Holy cow. Apparently there are a lot of strong feelings in this post, I'm using all caps a lot..... enough about me. Yes, wow. Valentine turned 3 on October 10 and Moses turned 1 on October 11. We of course did a combined birthday celebration - sorry kids, but that's probably going to last for quite a while- if anyone has some great boy/girl birthday party ideas, PLEASE let me know! Anyways, as usual we kept it low key-ish. My parents and siblings accompanied Drew, Valentine, Moses and I to the Burke Nursery Pumpkin Patch- along with Luisa, Merry and Grandma Jill. It was fun- it was Columbus Day and a sunny 80-something degrees, so a little crowded and hot, but fun- they all went down slides big and small, V and Luisa rode ponies and got animal balloons, Moses stared very intently at the farm animals for a good 15 minutes and got to spin on a carousel, and we all got snow cones. It was fun. Then the WHOLE family came over to my mom's for cake- not cake and ice cream cause I was SUPER SUPER unprepared and forgot ice cream. Yikes bikes. I also forgot paper plates, forks, cups, drinks, and napkins. I pretty much just made cakes. I think I lost my brain in my attempts to make fun and elaborate cakes/cupcakes for the occasion. Actually, I'm positive I lost my brain. And time. Not enough time to do all the things I wanted/needed. It was great though, family and presents and cake and lots of fun. Valentine got a new big girl bed as her main gift from us (that I made- THAT'S RIGHT! MADE! with a lot of help from Ikea and Michelle of course...) while Moses gets to graduate to her old crib (it was in "bed mode" for her) from our bed- sooooo ready to sleep with JUST Drew again- many many mornings we wake up and all four of us are squished in our usually very comfortable queen size bed. And Moses was adorned with many "monster" theme gifts from us. Because he's kind of a monster sometimes. In a funny way- sometimes in a not funny way too.... He's got his monster costume for Halloween and tons of Monster shirts, toys, hats, stuffed animals and books. Love my little Princess and my little Monster.

Ten Things That I Love About Valentine:

1. She is one of the most social little things you've ever seen. Her teachers tell me that she plays with the older kids on the playground and that she has a little "group." Good grief, what kind of teenager is she going to be?????

2. She is always always singing. I love it. She sings along to "You and I" and "Party in the USA" in the car. She does my warm ups with me when I'm practicing. She plays my mom's piano and sings. She sings along with any movie. She makes up songs ALL THE TIME. This morning we had the pleasure of hearing her sing a song about pooping in the diaper. (yeah she still won't go #2 in the potty- NOT on this list). She sings happy birthday allll the time; she sings songs about monkey bread, getting dressed, her daddy, everything. Hilarious. Love.

3. She has so much energy. It's exhausting and it definitely keeps me on my toes, but it is never dull with her. She doesn't stop until she HAS to and people are always very drawn to her and her... zest for life and everything around her.

4. She looooooves her family. She loves and dotes on her little brother (most of the time). She LOOOOOOVES her daddy. Loves. She loves her grandparents (aaaalll of them!) and her aunts and uncles and cousins. And of course her momma.

5. Valentine is just one of the most darling things I've ever seen. Her cute curly hair and big dark eyes and cute little nose and pretty petite face. I just love looking at her. I could do it all day, every day.

6. She's really a GOOD kid. I mean, yeah, she's a toddler and has her moments, but she's so sweet and happy and kind and fun and funny and helpful and just really really great.

7. Valentine is veeery clever and smart. She loves books and tries to read by herself, and is always counting everything. It's not just that though, she's just a clever girl, I can't think of another word for it, she's observant and picks up on things and is just an intelligent little thing.

8. She's very girly. She likes anything princess, or pony or glittery, or pink. She's always dressing up, or playing with her dolls, or dancing, or wearing ONLY dresses or skirts. She reminds me a lot of me as little girl :)

9. Valentine is creative. In lots of ways too. I can tell she has quite the vast and deep imagination- she has at least 2 art projects to bring home every time she's at school. She's good at playing by herself and making up things. She puts together AWESOME outfits by herself. She's independent and can create things, it's fascinating to watch.

10. She can always make me smile. Even if I'm in a horrible mood, or if I'm mad at her, or if I'm feeling terrible. She still snuggles with me and showers me with kisses. She gives me encouragement and praise. She at random points throughout the day will say to me "I love you too Momma." She calls Moses "babe" and it makes me laugh every time- "You're okay Babe." "Babe, do you want to play in my room??" She runs into school without so much as a backward glance, yet sprints for me when I pick her up and jumps in my arms and whispers in my ear. She asks to watch the BB&C Pride and Prejudice. She makes me happy. A lot. All the time.

I LOVE VALENTINE.

Ten Things I Love About Moses:

1. Moses is a BRUISER. He is so funny, he's just this broad, big guy, with his big bald head and big grin and big guns, and I just love love love it.

2. His face is one of the cutest, sweetest things EVER. He has the cutest mouth and smile and like his sister he has those beautiful big, dark eyes. Plus he has that round, fat face and big cheeks. I just want to kiss his face or head all the time, all the time.

3. He has as much energy as his sister! What and active little thing, I still can't believe he beat Valentine with walking- 9 months! He hasn't stopped since. He's a little slower than her right now but not by much and I have no doubt that he'll catch up veeery soon.

4. He is a snuggler. Valentine would snuggle with me and Drew, but not anyone else- never. Moses looooves to though. The best is Micah. Moses has this weird thing, where whenever his Uncle Micah holds him he just lays his head on Micah's chest. It's sooo weird, it's instantaneous every time. I don't know if Micah has a super comfy/awesome chest, or smells good to baby boys, or if he's just Moses' favorite, I don't know, but it is FUNNY.

5. Moses looooooves his nursing. Well... any food really. Moses is always eating whether it's nursing, or real food he eats A LOT. When we eat a meal, I'm always shocked/border-line grossed out at how much he stuff into his body. It's awesome.

6. He just loves books. He is always bringing books to me and goes "Uh uh uh!!!!" pointing to it so I'll read to him and just sits on my lap and enjoys his books with me.

7. He's always been a gooood sleeper. Praise the Lord cause V still isn't. He naps well, only wakes up once maybe twice, sometimes not at all at night.... it's helped to keep me a happy and sane momma.

8. Moses sure loves his family. He follows every thing his sister does and always wants to be with/play with her. He gets sooooo happy and excited when Drew gets home, you should see the way that little guy RUNS to the door. He's great with all of his extended family. And he really really loves his momma.

9. He is very curious. He has to check out and examine everything and touch everything and get into everything, and though it gets a bit wearing, I love his enthusiasm and desire to explore and discover.

10. Moses is so HAPPY. The whole time he's been with us it's been so funny to me how cheeryhe is. He's very good-natured and sweet. And his LAUGH. Oh man. I had to KILL myself to get Valentine to laugh as a baby (as a toddler no) but Moses has always been a huge laugher and has an AWESOME laugh. Nothing gives me more joy than to tickle or play with my happy guy and hear his chuckle.

I LOVE MOSES.

Valentine's princess cake.
Moses' monster cupcakes.

Happy late late Birthdays Babies.

It's Official

It's official: Drew is IN his thirties! My sweet man turned 31 on Sunday. He's very not happy with aging and is constantly lamenting "how old" he is- I keep reminding him that it's really not THAT old and that people still think he looks like a teenager, so he at least doesn't look 31. My encouragement always falls on deaf ears though. Sigh. Anyways, here are 10 things that I LOVE about DREW.

1. Drew is super responsible, and I am super not. He takes care of everything and everyone around here and really makes me want to be better and more like him.

2. I know I say this all the time, but he's just so funny. Always making me laugh, smile, happy, fall in love with him all over again and again.

3. Suuuuch a cute cute cute dad- you should see the way his beautiful little babies light up whenever he comes home and how much Valentine asks for him while he's at work. They all love love each other and it warms my mommy/wife heart to see it.

4. So handsome- even with a mohawk he looks good.

5. He is such a hard worker- he puts himself completely into everything he does- husband, father, work, church, everything.

6. Drew is very full of life. He's an energetic, fun person and it's very catching and makes life with him very interesting and great!

7. He very much so has a sense for right and wrong- he knows what's right and that's what he does and believes in- he's extremely honest and good.

8. He makes me feel beautiful- which is a big deal cause as of late I feel like I've been looking like a monster.

9. Drew has such a gooood heart. He's always doing things for others and thinking of others and is just very very kind.

10. I love that he is who he is and that he is my husband and loves me and our lovely little ones.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DREW DEAR!!!!!!

Bad

Look at these faces- could they BE any happier???

This is how bad it got the other night. My kids had peanut butter for dinner. No bread, no crackers, just peanut butter and spoons. I was so frazzled from a baaad day and they were being such monsters (thus the baaad day) and peanut butter was the ONLY thing they'd eat so I let them. They sat there with their spoons and I sat there with the big fat jar and they just kept taking big fat globs and licking and chomping on it. I hope you don't think I'm a terrible mother- they did a little later also have some cheese and apple- once everybody had calmed down- thanks to the peanut butter.

LE SIGH.

Big Girl

Where did this big girl come from??!!?! Miss Valentine has started pre-school. She turns 3 in a month. She really really isn't a baby anymore. She is a full-fledged KID. She's been twice now and both times I've been informed that she did GREAT. No crying, no trouble, she just has fun. That's my girl. It makes me sad and excited and tons of other emotions all at the same time. The first time I dropped her off, I kept thinking, "Do I just go??? Shouldn't I talk to the teacher or something or stay with her for a minute?" But Valentine made a straight bee-line for the bucket of ponies and after me giving her and the teacher several questioning, uncertain looks I left. I felt sad, proud, free, exhilarated, and wistful all at the same time. Mainly free. A lot free. But then I realized I have another child to go take care, so not totally free. Plus it's only 2 days a week for 2 1/2 hours- really only 2 counting the time to drop her off and pick her up. Nevertheless, this is a fun new chapter for the little Hafer clan and our little... I mean big girl.

P.S. The BEST part of this whole experience is every time I pick her up she runs to me yelling "Moooooommmmmy!!!!" and hugs me and whispers in my ear "I love you so much Momma." Then she says "Thank you Miss Sue" to her teacher and we get in the car and go back home together.