Mini Vacation!

Richard's parents have a time share and were able to get a weekend at the Silverleaf Resort Water Park Village in Tyler TX for this past weekend.  They had been trying to get this particular weekend and it finally fell into place early last week, so we decided to jump at the chance.  Tyler TX is about two hours east of Fort Worth where my mom lives so we decided to visit her on our way in and out of Tyler.  It was a spur of the moment trip but we ended have such a wonderful time.  Richard had really been missing his parents.  In fact our last trip into Midland for Beckett's birthday party Richard had mentioned how we haven't been able to spend quality time with them and this lil vacation was just perfect! 

We drove into Fort Worth Thursday night.  We hung out with my mom until lunch.  We started our day off early and went to the BEST donut shop called Shipley's.  I totally splurged and got a cinnamon glazed twist donut, yummy!!  After donuts we went to the Farmers market and bought a ton of fresh fruit and of course a whole stock of celery per Cooper's request.  After our two stops my mom took us by this awesome park/splash pad!  What a neat little place.  The park was so cool and the splash pad was excellent to cool off after playing in the heat!  They even had a really beautiful walking trail, we will definitely be going back to this park.  My mom didn't realize that there was a splash pad at the park and Cooper was just so excited he ran right for the water and didn't care about getting wet. Only moments later I realized I had left the swim bag in the car and then changed Alli and B into swimsuits.  After we left my moms we stopped at steak and shake for lunch and then headed to the resort!!

Full summer days

We are defintly enjoying our long summer days and late nights!  With many oprtunities of activities to fill our time.  One daily activity is study time, I literally have a daily alert on my phone to remind me!  Cooper is mainly my student this summer, Allison works on worksheets and reads by herself.  I was so worried about teaching Cooper to read mainly because of Allison dyslexic issues.  I found an excellent book "Teach your child to read in a 100 easy lesson's".  Cooper and I have been working on this book (plus other things) for a few weeks.  The lesson are so mapped out it's very similar to school lesson plans, which keep you right on track and lead up to more complex lessons.  I worry with Cooper turning 5 so late in the summer that he will not be mature enough for kinder, but he catches on so quickly that I think he will do fine.  Mothers are just wired to worry!  We are so lucky to live so close to so many of Allison's friends from school.  We literally spend our entire day outside!  I have to drag Allison and Cooper in to eat meals and cool off!  Beckett thinks he is such a big boy and wants to run off with his siblings expect the lazy boy wont WALK!  We have so many things planned for the next several weeks, time is flying by.  I cant believe we are more than half through the summer.  What will I do with two kids at school all day, I am sure I can think of a few billion things lol!

One year old pictures!!

 

 

 

 

I know the past few post have been about Beckett but I couldn't help adding this last one, first birthday's are a big thing in my opinion! I am not the type of the person who can justify spending outrageous prices for professional pictures.  I only do family pictures every few years.  I do how ever take a ton of pictures of my kiddos at every event or activity!  On my birthday list I do want a new super duper camera.  I am no means a professional but I capture moments when I can and I will pay someone to do family pictures when the occasion arises.  I borrowed a friends wagon (before Beckett got his new one) and got Beckett dressed and took him to the park and took pictures for less then 20 minutes.  I was lucky to get a few good pictures, my lil guy doesn't sit still for long these days!  No stress, after the pictures all the kids played at the playground.  I thought I would add a few of the other pictures of Beckett being his silly self, love my B boy!!

Party and BBQ

 

Richard worked yesterday but I was determined to fill Beckett's day with fun activities until he came home for our BBQ party!  Beckett had fallen asleep without his normal bottle before bed and woke up at 2am to eat.  I grabbed him out of his crib and as he held his bottle I sang him happy birthday.  A tradition I do with all my kids, they get a solo of happy birthday while sitting in my lap!  B woke up around 8:15am and I made his favorite breakfast eggs and bananas.  For lunch I took all the kids to big cheese a pizza joint similar to chucky cheese.  Beckett loves breadsticks and pasta!  The big kids had fun they won 200 tickets from a game they both spun the wheel on!  Beckett enjoyed ride in the little car, train, and carousel.  finally daddy came home and our friends and there son came over for hamburgers and hot dogs cooked on the grill!  We ate food, cake, and opened presents.  Beckett and his best friend Samuel enjoyed playing with toys, tissue, and the birthday bag!  It was a wonderful low key night celebrating our baby B and chatting with our friends.

 

 

 

Beckett's ONE!!

Today at 11:34 am Beckett Paul Sanchez turns one years old.

A year ago I remember siting in the empty parking lot scared.  I worried that I was changing my families balance so severely that it wouldn't recover.  I fear the unknown and change, I always have.  Before Beckett our family dynamics was simple but I felt something missing.  After our surprise pregnancy then miscarriage in September 2011 I knew no I needed something to fill my heart with joy again.  The morning of Beckett's birth was a whirlwind.  Once things got going around 8 the next three hours are almost a blur to me.  I am thankful to my heavenly father for that brief peaceful still moment after Beckett was born.  I had a few minutes where the nausea subsided and I got to look into the eyes of this new person that Richard and I made.  It was in that exact moment I knew I knew that my life was going to be okay, that my children would adapt to there knew sibling, and that I would be able to handle my knew calling as a mother of three.  I am a worrier at heart my brain it literally never turns off, but I was given such peace.  Beckett has given me that peace.  My poor baby might have had a hard first year of life with his severe reflux issues, hernia in his belly button caused by the constant vomiting, acid diarrhea, breathing difficulties, hospital stay, constant breathing treatments.  BUT I never enjoyed him any less because of those issues.  I took everything in stride which is not like me.  I truly believe this little gift from God has centered me as a person.  There is no better calling or more important thing that I will do on this earth then being the mother to me three children.  I am sad that today my baby turns one but I am happy about the fact that I have him with me on this earth to raise.

So here is a few things my little B is doing lately:


This past week Beckett got another tooth in, totaling to 8!

Beckett loves to get in and out of the bath tub.  As soon as I turn the water off he climbs out!

He also loves to get in and out of the wagon, he will open the door and close it over and over.

B steals the food his siblings leave laying around.  I don't know how many pictures I have of him eating stolen food!

Beckett loves to dance!  He dances ALL the time, any time he hears any kind of music the kid jams out.  I have so many videos on my phone of him dancing!

In the last month Beckett has started throwing small tantrums when overly sleepy, or when he wants something, or is doing something he is not suppose to!

Beckett has learned to escape from the "playpen gate".  I use the playpen as a gate sometimes to cover the door leading to the garage.  Lets just say Beckett hates that and is always trying to get into the garage!

B takes 2 two hour naps during the day, one in the morning and one mid afternoon. He also sleeps a solid 12 hours at night. 

After months of fighting with Beckett to eat food the kids has finally become an eater!  His favorite food is blackberries! Beckett still takes a bottle before bed every night.

Happy birthday B!

A year of pictures..

    
                                 Brand new


               
                                            One month



                           Two Months



                           Three Months



                           Four Months



                            Five Months



                                   6 months


 

                              Seven Months



                      Eight Months



                                    9 Months


     
                              Ten Months



                              Eleven Months





I made Beckett a scrap book of pictures documenting his first year of life.  These are some of the pictures I put in his book.  It was a fun project to assemble and to remember how very fast the first year goes.  I always laugh thinking back remembering how long pregnancy feels and then looking at the present at how quickly the first year flies by.  The innocence of new life is astounding, the making of human life is miraculous.  I fell overwhelmed with gratitude to be this little boys mother, there is not a single second I am not thankful.  I know that statement can seem generic but I am absolutely aware of how sacred life is and how thin the veil between life and death is.  I am probably the most optimistic person you will know, which can some times make me seem gullible or naive.  Some times its so hard to put into words just how thankful I am for the life that I have and for this sweet lil "big" guy who completes me.  Enjoy the pictures!!  

4th of July 2013

This picture is from 4th of July 2012.  I remember this day very clearly, because it went by so slow and I WAS MISERABLE!  I honestly thought Beckett was going to be born in June, I was so sure that I bought a newborn 4th outfit.  Last year I didn't leave the house the whole day.  Richard worked the entire day because we were saving his days off for when Beckett was scheduled to be born two days later.  Richard got off work late and we headed to watch fireworks, that's the only celebrating we did.

I am so glad to be where I am an entire year later, happy to have my body back (ugh hate pregnancy), and most of all happy to have Beckett with us to join in on the festivities!  What a bummer that Richard had to work again this year, some big project at work everyone had to work in the office!  But I was determined to make the day fun and memorable!  Our church has a yearly 4th of July celebration bright and early at 7:30 am!  I loaded up the car and dragged all three kids out of bed, I AM NOT KIDDING they all were asleep!  The agenda for the morning was first a mile run/walk contest which I didn't make it in time for, darn kiddos lagging on getting dressed lol.  But we didn't make it just in time for breakfast which was sooooooo delicious.  I might be skinny but I love food, nothing passes this mouth unless I love it!  After breakfast the kiddos participated in a running contest by age group and both kids came in first in there age groups.  Then Allison came in second with her friend E in the three legged race, only second Allison says because her flip flop fell off!  Next the kiddos enjoyed a canoe ride around the lake. 

After the full morning of activities we came home an hung out at the house.  Allison and I made a strawberry cake topped with sliced strawberries.  At 3:30 Richard came home and we took the kids to see the new Despicable Me 2!  It was such a good movie, funny and cute!!  We came home and made fajitas and ate cake.  When it got dark we went to the park around 9 and watched the fireworks, I was exhausted by this point!  I have to say after our lame 4th last year we really celebrated.  Such an important day in America's history happy 4th everyone!!!