After 3 consecutive arguments in a row, all about random and pointless things, this was the conversation that followed:

Me: Gage, why do you always insist on arguing with me about everything?
Gage: I don't argue
Me: Yes, Gage, you do. Every time you ask me a question and I give you an answer, you say, "uh-uh, no...." and then you disagree with me.
Gage: No, I don't.

The kid is seriously driving me over the edge. My mom used to tell me how she used to ask me to "Please, just be quiet for a few minutes", because I used to talk too much. (Who, me??) I guess paybacks are a b*tch. I ask him that all the time...

And it doesn't work.

I don't think it did for my mom, either.

Sigh.

1 Year. We Made It! Happy Birthday to Bronson and Landon!

Wow. What a year! I have so much to say, and so much to express about this past year, but quite honestly don't have the time to put it into words at this time. I will save it for a post later this week.

But for now I'd like to share with you a few pictures of my "little men" from the past year.
We had a fabulous day celebrating yesterday and I have so many fun pictures to share. Again, I'll save those for a later post.

Happy Birthday to two little men that have (unintentionally) challenged me to be the best mother I never thought I could be!

First week home. Landon, Bronson
(I love how the nuks cover half of their face!)

Bronson Gary, then.

Bronson Gary, now.

Landon Timothy, then.

Landon Timothy, now.

4 Months old. Bronson, Landon.

Landon, Bronson

Brothers and Best Friends for Life~
Bronson, Landon.

4Years Old

Ah! I cannot believe I am even typing this out! Gage is turning FOUR years old on Monday. Four! It just doesn't seem possible to me that he is four years old already. Yet again there are many days that I wonder what I even did in my "before Gage" life. I mean...
did I really shower without hearing "Mom, are those your boobies?"
Did I really eat an ice cream cone alone, sitting outside of the Dairy Queen, and actually enjoy it?
Did I ever sit outside by myself on a warm summer evening and enjoy a Mr. Freeze pop?
Did I ever listen to what I wanted to in the car, instead of nursery rhymes or the "B-I-B-L-E" song by "Go Fish"?

I don't know if I ever enjoyed my life as much as I have these past 4 years of being a mom. They have been the most wonderful, challenging years of my life, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I remember standing in an empty, quiet nursery about 4 years ago to this date, staring at an empty crib trying to picture what it would look like to have a baby lying in it, sleeping peacefully. I then remember just a few days after bringing Gage home, standing in the same spot with tears in my eyes still having a hard time believing that there WAS a baby lying in there, and that he was all mine. I remember the first time I heard, "Mommy, I love you" come from Gage's mouth. He said it at bedtime and I stood outside his door and cried.

I wouldn't trade these years for any amount of money, time, fame, or fortune.
I wouldn't trade the whining, the temper tantrums, the vomit, the scuffed walls from dump trucks (that belong outdoors,) or the scraped knees and elbows from wrestling matches with the driveway (which always wins).

I wouldn't trade one second of the past four years of my life for anything except the guarantee that my little boy, my first born, will always remain little in my heart.

Happy Birthday, Gage Thomas Fox. You are an amazing little man. You are goofy, funny, silly, sociable, and you love your little brothers so much. You have since the moment they came home from the hospital. You love to play with your friends, you love to dance, you love to rhyme and sing outloud. When you get mad you like to beg, and whine until you finally realize you are not going to get your way, but you try.

You are fun. You are lovable and loving, and independent and cuddly.

We love you! Happy Birthday!

1 Year old, July 2007

2nd Birthday, July 2008

3rd Birthday, July 2009

Loving Bronson

Loving Landon

Being goofy, eating a S'more, June 2010

Birthdays fast approaching...

Wow. Not only is July going to be a busy month for the rest of our lives, but expensive! Party planning has been in the works as we are having a small family birthday party for the boys at our home on the 10th, and then Gage is getting his first "Friend" party with a few of his preschool classmates and the neighbor kids he plays with often.
I have ordered a total of 3 birthday cakes, started making lists for present ideas for all 3 boys as well as party supplies (Tim and I get a "date" night tomorrow night to do this fun stuff together), and we just got pictures taken last weekend that I am working on ordering now.
WHEW.

I am excited for it all, of course, and will hopefully get some fun pictures of the parties up on the web sooner than a month after the party is over...

but as you've noticed, the blog has been falling further and further down the ladder of my priorities these days, although it does weigh heavily on my mind.

These are the pictures that I put on the invitations for the party:

Landon

Bronson

The (Painful) Memories...

This whole month has been bringing back so many memories of last summer when I spent the entire month of June just trying to survive the last weeks of my twin pregnancy.

While I was uploading pictures of my last post (T-Ball) I caught myself clicking onto photos from one year ago today. I found this beauty. It was taken on June 14th 2009, just a little over one year ago...

OUCH!

T-Ball

We signed Gage up for T-Ball this year. He is by far the youngest on the team, as the ages are 4-6, and he won't be 4 for another couple of weeks. He is doing really well, though, and we are very proud of him.
His first game was last Saturday, which felt more like an October morning than a mid-June one, but he had his very own cheering section and even got to be the catcher for an "inning". They do not keep score, or count any outs or strikes. Every member of each team gets to bat and run the bases. 3 innings took over an hour...
so I guess it's a good thing they don't count outs or runs.

Early Summer Photos

I have nothing more to say other than "busy" and "I'm sorry" for not making this blog more of a priority. The sun has been out, the babes are on the move, and this mama is making up for an entire lost summer...
therefore we are rarely indoors, and when the house is finally quiet at 8pm or later, the last place I will sit is on the computer (other than tonight, of course!)

Here are a few photos of my family, so you can see how much the boys have grown since my last photo update nearly 2 months ago. (Oh, and I cut my hair off and will most likely be going shorter....thanks to some encouragement from my Beezatch ladies on our last night out!)

Hope your June is going well!


Me and my men

Park playdate before bed (in their jammies). Bronson, Landon

At a friends' cabin. Gage, Landon, Bronson

Gage wanted green eggs and ham but settled for just green eggs. He loved them, and seemed to love me for making them!

My first kayak experience. I LOVED it! I wish I had one. And I wish I had a lake to paddle on.

Chilling on a blanket, under the tent umbrella at my dad's last weekend. B, L

Gage and Bumpa Tom

Katie, Bronson, Gage

Katie, Bronson, Landon, Nana

Katie and I before heading out to the "All 1990's Reunion" in Nville