While Daddy Is Away, The Little Boys Will Play

Yesterday evening, Rem headed off to St. Louis for the Dare2Share conference. That means that I was home alone with the boys all day today. It makes for a pretty long day when I'm here by myself from the time we wake up until I put the boys to bed and to make matters worse, the weather wasn't warm at all so we were stuck inside all day. We did have some visitors this morning, so I technically wasn't home alone ALL day long! Rem's parents stopped by to see the boys on their way home to Iowa from Kentucky. They brought Gavin's birthday present (which you will see later in pictures) and his gift from Aunt Whit. He got a new Disney Cars lunch box, a HUGE set of Cars stickers and an "Armor of God" set (super cute, looks like a knight dress up set!) and he loved it! Aunt Whit got him some fun arts and crafts things, which we also played with but I forgot to take pictures. The boys are still fighting runny noses/coughs so Owen was a little more fussy than usual but I can't say that I blame him, I would be grumpy too if someone came at my face with a kleenex every five minutes. Here are some pictures of the boys just playing around the house today.

 O has to taste test the toys before he plays with them

 Here's G's "Armor of God" dress up set. It also has the "breastplate of righteousness" and the "shield of faith" that aren't pictured

 Precious baby boy

 I think they had every toy we own drug out today

 G giving me the "Mom, I'm sick of you taking my picture" look

 Knight Gav

 O loves crawling UP the slide

 Bus driver G

 I just love his expression in this one! Like "Children, please, you are driving this bus driver crazy today!"

 O digging for treasure

 G always has to be doing something silly

 Not gonna lie, I love those little boy feet!

 Uncle Ky gave this monster truck to G for his birthday and he LOVES it!

 O having himself some chicken and peas (and left over cheerios from snack time, yum!)

 Scout and G watching a movie together

 G tucked scout in all by himself! What a good friend!

 I can't get enough of this sweet boy!

 This one either!

 Crawling in the blankets

 Mr. Serious

Sweet boy finally crashed out!

Rem should be home any time now and I will be very thankful for his help tomorrow. Not that I don't love taking care of my boys, but I do love having someone help care for them with me! Single mom's and military wives, you rock! I can't imagine doing this alone every single day! It seems like days that I'm here by myself, I almost wish the day away. Looking forward to that moment where both kids are finally asleep and I can sit down and relax. Looking back on the pictures of the day makes me realize what precious memories we are making, even just by being in the house, doing ordinary everyday things. It's so hard to really let those precious moments sink in through out the day when I'm just trying to keep both boys happy and meet their needs. I think some times I focus more on the bad parts of the day while it's all happening. Fights over toys, fits being thrown over not getting something RIGHT NOW (G told me today that "he doesn't like me" because I couldn't get his juice right when he asked. I'm SUPER sorry that I'm in the middle of nursing your brother and I can't get up this instant and get your juice! LOL I do feel bad when I can't meet both of their needs at the same time though), fussy baby fighting me wiping his nose for the 100th time, a constant mess staring me in the face. Being able to look back on pictures of the day makes me realize that there WERE good moments also! Some days I wish my boys would never grow up.....ok, every day I wish they would never grow up! G will be three on Monday......how did that happen? O will be one in a month and three days....how did that happen? My sweet babies are growing up before my eyes and I would be lying if I said that it didn't make me a little sad. Yes, it is SO fun to watch them grow and do new things but I also know that the bigger they get, the more independence they want, and the less they need me. I absolutely LOVE being their momma, I truly think I have the most amazing kids in the world (come on now, I can't be the only crazy momma who thinks this, right?), and I feel SO incredibly blessed to watch them grow and change each and every day. Yeah, it's hard when I'm parenting alone for the day(s), but I get to be here with them and love on them and hopefully they know how much I really do love them. We'll wake up again tomorrow and do it all over again. There will be tears shed over not getting something RIGHT NOW, getting beat up by the big brother, or just because they are tired but I hope I can look past those hard moments and see the beauty in the memories we are making, even if they are just simple, ordinary, everyday moments!