NC 4

Special requests fulfilled this week.  Wrapping up our summer trip to NC this week...

I'm only about 6 months behind with my blogging....

No big deal.

Here are the highlights from our beach trip this summer...

Libby and Hayes are fearless-ish of the ocean.

It was fun.

Spencer has not a care in the world except bolting STRAIGHT to the ocean.

Also, a problem...

Copious amounts of sunscreen needed for the day.

Packing up our lives to go an hour to the beach is NOT a huge feat!

Disney Junior!

Waiting for the BUZZ ride at Hollywood Studios with my main squeeze!

We rode this ride first thing in the morning and had a fast pass for later in the day as well.  No matter how hard I try, I still cannot beat Daryk's score.  Its my ultimate Disney goal.  I guess as long as I am losing, I'll make sure we get to go back often so I can try to beat him...

I got to 'wear' Spencer while we rode this ride and the Disney employees were very concerned about her safety.  Y'all--she's strapped in and not moving.  Swear.

Hayes was mesmerized by the Jedi training that day.  One more year and we will sign him up to participate.  I know his daddy will be pumped, jealous, and thrilled for that picture opportunity.  

And after that, Disney Junior live on stage.  

I'm pretty sure this is the heaven my children dream of.  But I'm just guessing....

Even Spencer liked the dancing and singing we got to watch.

Every child in that theater jumped up and down the entire time.  I love this show!

This was one of my favorite moments this trip.  Libby made a friend on the bus while she was watching Disney Jr on her personal ipod.  This little girl didn't speak a word of English and neither did her family.  It was fascinating to watch them sing and laugh at each other while they watched Mickey.  I loved watching my girl make a new friend.  Before the bus ride was over, they had plopped down on the nasty bus floor and they were literally rolling around and laughing.  It was fabulous and they needed sanitation immediately.  

Disney. Day 1.

Forgive me.  I'm behind.  I've been busy living.

We traveled to my favorite place at the beginning of September.  Actually, a month ago today we were packed up and heading to Orlando.  I love being able to spend this time with my kids and I love experiencing their joy when we get to see the things they LOVE so much.  And I'd be lying if I said I didn't LOVE it just as much as they did, because I do.  I freaking l Disney World and I don't mind giving lots of money to them every other year to enjoy a few days with my kids.  Already saving for February 2015....

This beauty enjoying some time with Dumbo in the early morning light.  It doesn't matter what we do or what we see, this remains one of their favorite rides.  

I love him and his weird faces.  He used to smile like a mostly normal child.  

Cruising the skies in a fashionable elephant.

Somewhere near Dumbo is this giant squirt station full of water.  Daryk took Hayes and Libby over there while I went with Spencer to grab the stroller after we rode Dumbo.  The scene that follows went like this...

Libby ran straight into the nearest water source.  

Hayes cautiously asks, 'Did you bring my bathing suit?'

Daryk:  No son.

Hayes:  I'm not getting wet unless I have my bathing suit.

Typical.  

Oh, and she slept in between when she ate.

We saw Anna and Elsa.

We rode Dumbo.

We rode Buzz.

We rode Ariel.

We had lunch in Beast's castle.

We rode The Barnstormer roller coaster.

We had a fabulous time.

Adventures

She needs assistance with her nails.  

Pretty sure she demands that Kitty helps...

No pants?  No problem.  

Libby watches TV with no pants on a regular basis...

Oh, hello mini BeBe.

I didn't even know you could learn how to do that at age 2...

Or this?  

WHO TAUGHT HER THIS!?

She sees.

Sometimes you don't even have to tell them what to do.  

I thought I'd celebrate the week of breast feeding by showing you that my toddler learns about it first hand.  My preschooler sees and knows that this is how babies eat.  She makes me proud to nurse my baby and love that she wants to help!  :)  

Daddy Time

This man.

This man who is the father of my children is an amazing human.  He comes home from wrestling practice and gives my children a bath every night.  He sits with us at family dinner and then cleans it up too.  He plays with them each night and manages to say prayers with them every night before bed too.  He lets this little girl squish his face and hit him on the head with a hairbrush brush his hair every time she asks.  He will even sit with them in the chair and let them squirm all over the place while they ask him 90 questions.  

He talks about super heroes, dinosaurs, and Disney movies with Hayes.  He makes faces and teaches him important things about being a big boy, like how to pee in the toilet and not on my bathroom floors...  He spends time coloring 'art' with him and uses every opportunity to teach him something.  He sings silly songs and will dance around the living room if Hayes asks him to.  He helps Hayes choose his clothes every single day and he even makes sure he matches.  

I understand that not everyone gets the whole 'married to a coach' lifestyle.  I knew he was a coach when I married him.  I didn't anticipate that this 'wrestling family' would become mine by default, but I love them too.  I'm grateful for the friendships and the love that community provides to my family as well.  I'm thankful that my husband, the coach, comes home to love on my children after working all day with everyone else's.  He shows my children so much through coaching.  

His love for wrestling and those wrestling kids is phenomenal.  Hayes and Elizabeth both know all those guys as 'daddy's boys' from wrestling.  As far as they are concerned, all those boys are their friends too.  I'm so proud of my husband, the coach.  Sure, there are nights I resent wrestling.  Most of the time I'm tired and the kids are trying my patience and I'm ill about the fact that I'm doing the 'parenting' all alone.  I know I'm not the only mom doing things by myself... and I know that I'll have my parenting partner home soon enough.  

And you know what, he's a darn good partner.

And parent.

And husband.

And I love him for all of those things.

Oh, how she grows.

Merry Christmas from the Cochran babies and their mommy.

We are all so blessed to have you in our lives.

So thankful for each and every person who loves our babies....

the ones here and the ones to come!

Spencer Brynne Cochran

22 weeks

Holidays in full swing

December makes me thankful for my returning students....

The ones who are more like family and friends than the norm.

They show up when you need help and entertain the preschool crew after hours.

See above photo.

Jordan is our favorite person, ever.

We call her the other sister often.

I am beyond thankful for her help and the love she shows my babies.

Plus, she taught them to make these awesome faces.

How can I NOT love that?

I wash my hands!

I wash my hands!

I do it by myself.

Those are two sentences I hear often....

Usually followed by, 'Elizabeth, where are your pants!?'

See?

Chefs in training

Thanksgiving Brunch Prep consisted of a few helpers.

I made them strip down nekkid (well mostly nekkid) to help.

Flour, sugar, and some homemade chex mix helped us make some lovely treats.

We had a blast!

Thankfully Leigh Anne and Hope were there to help me wrangle the chefs.

Leigh Anne took this photo and I'm SO thankful she did!

I'm only sad that I didn't get a picture with them.

They had so much fun and it wasn't a huge mess....

Maybe we shall bake more often!

20 weeks and waiting

For the life of me, I will never understand why we bother to make doctor's appointments.

I feel like it would be more effective for us to say,

'Show up and it is a first come, first serve basis.'

We made a doctor's appointment and ultrasound appointment for last Monday.

We waited for 1700 hours to see them both.

Thankfully Apple has created a small technical device that keeps my children busy.

They even shared.

It was madness.

Madness for 2 hours of waiting on the doctor.

And they were perfectly behaved....

Seriously.

Our ultrasound was perfect!

Baby girl in my belly is still a baby girl.

Thank goodness....

I'd had a few dreams or two that she wasn't a girl anymore...

I was a little bit scared!

She is measuring about a week ahead on every measurement!

I will update about her in a few days.

She deserves her OWN update.

The babies

Last weekend my baby sister came to visit for the day.

My baby girl climbed all over her....

I see a trend of 'no personal space' for visitors....

Libby loved the attention and spent a lot of close and personal time with Leigh Anne.

They are two of my favorite babies.

So much love there.

I'm so blessed with my sisters.

They love my littles and take such good care of them.

Newest addition, Buddy.

Mid November this good looking guy proposed to my baby sister at the airport.

I actually kept it a secret!  

BAM!

We are so thrilled that he wants to join our family.

I cannot wait for their wedding next spring.  

Clearly, my children share the same love for Buddy as the rest of us.

I hope Buddy doesn't anticipate any personal space while he's visiting.

Debut of Cochran Baby #3

Coming April 2014.

We are thrilled about God's blessings on our family.

I cannot wait to add another little person to our herd of people.

I love littles and I'd keep having them if my husband would let me...

It was supposed to be a secret until mid September.

We were going to tell our families only.

We had the kids shirts made and just let them wear them at Libby's party.

Our babysitter Jordan had the best reaction ever!

I'm certain she screamed for at LEAST 60 seconds straight.

Leigh Anne came around the corner and said, "Is that for real!?"

And Kathryn thought she was crazy...

But it is indeed for real.

The tests don't lie people.

And the doctor confirmed it this week.

Libby's Party

Party day is hectic.
Thankfully our family is more than willing to contribute to the party and help!
Do you know that in my immediate family we have almost 40 people?
Insane.
We are so blessed with all those folks!

Birthdays always start like this.

Heck, who am I kidding?

Every day with this kiddo starts like this.

Fight to death over the paci...

You can see she lost and isn't happy about it!

She quickly recovered though.

We resumed the usual activity of watching Tangled 900 times in a row.

We are on 876 this week.

Kitty & Daniel got us this amazing Minnie doll.

She's bigger than Libby and we love her.

See?

Love.

She cuddled with her all day long!

She even slept with her a few days that week.

They had class together.

But Libby didn't share the cake with Minnie.

However, she did pee on Minnie the next day.

Papa Jack let her wear swim diaper.

Oops.

Happy Birthday Libby James.

We love you to the moon and back a couple of times.

You keep us on our toes and always guessing.

I love your spunk and the sass you give us all.

I know that one day the sass and confidence you have will be helpful!

Lake Living

What can I say?

Lake life is great.

The kids are all smiles.

Husband clearly enjoys it as well.

And I'm busily taking pictures between tours on the float that the kids ride on.

Someone explain to me why Hayes will ride that float and get tossed all around....

But he REFUSES to jump off the boat, dock, or go down the slide?!

Elizabeth does all willingly....

and sometimes she falls asleep while riding the float behind the boat!?