Is Spring Coming?!

Thank goodness we have finally been able to enjoy the outdoors without snow on the ground. I am so looking forward to those 80+ degree summer days watching the kids play in the sprinkler! My parents were getting some pipes fixed in the back yard so the kids enjoyed sitting in the back of my mom's van watching the backhoe!
I still forget sometimes that these 3 are ours. I know that may sound weird but until you see your family in pictures it doesn't really hit that we have 3 kids....all under 27 months:-) What's even crazier is that I have always said that I would love to have 2 boys then a little girl and God blessed Ryan and me with just that!

Reed loves his Nana. I do have to record that part of this is due to that fact that Nana babies Reed, rocks Reed, gives him his paci when he shouldn't have it, sings him song after song, rocks him to sleep and the list could go on and on. I guess that's what grandparents do though. She would do the same to Braden but he will not sit still long enough for her to rock him or hold him longer than 5 minutes. These tractors look so small compared to how they looked just a little over a year ago at Christmas. The boys decided to get these back out and ride them. They definitely look like little country boys riding their tractors in the Carhart overalls!
Braden loves any book or thing that has to deal with tractors. He is one big ball of energy that goes non-stop all day with a 2 hour nap break and then on he goes until bedtime. He is such a big helper and loves to bring Kylie her bottle, Reed his paci and daddy his phone but this sometimes ends in a game of chase! Braden also loves to test the waters and see what he can get away with. He is so much fun to watch how he enjoys life to its' fullest! I think Braden could just about outrun me if he got a little bit of a head start. He is very independent and likes to "do it self!" His best friends still are his chocolate rabbits that his Aunt Tina gave him last Easter. He now has about 8 of those rabbits that are interchanged so they won't stink. So much of Braden reminds me a lot of how his Uncle Craig is now but he also makes these facial expressions that are just like his daddy:-)
Reed's eye surgery was successful and his eyes do not cross any more. Yea! Reed is just about opposite of Braden. He is much quieter and doesn't test things as much as his big brother. People usually describe Reed as a very sweet kid (dont take it that Braden is not sweet too!) and I think that pretty much summarizes him and his personality. However, he can be a little pistol when he wants to. It is still usually the trend that what Braden does, Reed will usually do a month or 2 later. We are so proud of how far that he has come and he is a smart little guy. The thing that we are working on now is trying to fatten the little guy up. He usually eats really well but when he doesn't feel well, he doesn't eat well. I was always really skinny growing up and I think he might take after his mommy in that aspect. We are now giving him whole milk mixed with 1/2 and 1/2 to drink. Any other ideas???
The thing that some people do not realize is how much lying in a bed affects your muscle tone. Those first 3 months of his life he just laid in a bed without a lot of movement. He is still trying to catch up in that department but he is doing great. We praise God every day for allowing Miracle Reed to be here with us along with Braden and Kylie! "Ky-Ky" Reese is all over the place! She is now 10 months old and such a joyful addition to our family. I will say that she is a determined little thing and very persistant. She might not look like her mommy but she does have a little bit of my feistyness! She babbles a lot and manages to say dadda and nana but no momma. She has some big ol' teeth totalling about 7. I have a feeling that she will be walking soon because she is cruising from furniture to furniture. She also will stand and drink one of the boys' sippy cups without falling. Let the fun begin!!!
This was the picture of Reed today. The poor little guy goes from eye surgery to having a double ear infection and a ton of congestion. The first antibiotic they put him on last week did not work so they put him on another one and it is working better. He is one whinny little kid when he doesn't feel good and just wants to be held. I try to remind myself at times like these that there will be a time that the kids won't want their mommy to hold them! The picture above definitely reminded me of this day about 2 years ago when both boys were not happy campers. Reed still can master the pouty lip and Braden doesn't cry as often but he can have his share of meltdowns usually when he is really tired. This picture seems like yesterday and now we have 2 toddlers that have come oh so far. Thank you God!