Millie is ONE and CAMPING

Hey Everyone,

A lot has happened since I've written last. Our sweet Millie Kennedy Harvey turned ONE! I can't believe it. I can't believe it in the way that we survived! She is alive, my other children are alive, we are all alive! It wasn't always pretty, but with Gods grace...OH Gods grace we made it through a whole year! It was such a big year. It started with a hard labor, a spinal leak from my epidural, and a  blood patch procedure. Next up Millie let us experience colic for the first and last time. Again, Gods grace, people. I mean, I remember walking back and forth from one side of the house to the next rocking and shhhhing, often crying myself in utter despair trying to get my baby to fall asleep or even just not scream. She would not take a bottle for the longest time and when she did, it had to be from her mama. BUT. But it all changed around five or six months. She started to be happy. She started to sleep better. She started being a little more "predictable." And now...now I can't imagine our lives without her. We are all better humans because of Millie. She lights up a room with her smile. She LOVES her sisters fiercely. She is incredibly attached to her Mommy and Daddy. In fact, she still has some pretty big separation anxiety unfortunately. We are working on it. She does pretty well with my mom, but we equate that to my mom being crazy enough to come on a cross country adventure with us spending many hours with Millie. It was worth it though. Right Mom?!?
Millie is walking all over. She has the best bear crawl in the history of ever. She has started going up the stairs. If you're not paying attention, she will be half ways up. We need to figure out a gate situation for the bottom of our stairs. She LOVES being outside just like her sisters. Ah, who am I kidding. Our whole family loves being outside. A couple of nights before Millie's birthday we took away her bottle cold turkey. She has been just fine without it thankfully! She has one tooth and another coming in nicely. She will be eating steak in no time. We love our Millie Pie and are excited to see what the next year brings!

Our happy one year old.

                                 I think she was full, but she barely touched her birthday cupcake.



This last weekend our family went camping for the first time this summer. I will say that it was absolutely amazing. The weather was perfect! We so desperately needed this weekend as a family. Ben has had the busiest summer yet. As you may remember, Ben is transitioning out of being a teacher to being in full time ministry with Timberbay. He has been busy raising support for that. He has really loved calling people and reconnecting with people and sharing his passion for what he is going to be doing in the future. Ben has also been busy with teaching drivers ed and FFA. It sounds a little crazy, but I think his schedule will slow down a little bit now with school starting. Anyway, our calendar for the last three months has been almost completely full. This weekend couldn't have come at a better time. We went camping at Baylor Park. The anticipation was thick as we loaded up our truck with all of our camping supplies. Ben and I decided to stay off of our phones all weekend, which felt SO good. It's always a good idea to unplug. Even if it is just for a little bit. The weekend was filled with catching bugs, finding agates, roasting marshmallows and hotdogs, playing at the park, going on hikes, making fires, and a lot of dirt. One part of the weekend that I didn't anticipate was how much I missed my Dad. He LOVED camping. Almost at every moment during the weekend I was thinking about him and how proud he would be of us camping. Oh I wish he could be here to see the joy on my girls' face as they do all the things that he loved to do. It was a bittersweet time for sure. He will always be apart of our camping adventures that is for sure. It was a truly a great weekend.

Well, there we have it. Millie is one, we went camping, and Ben goes back to school tomorrow.

Hiking

Stella may be the pokiest person I know. She is often content doing her own thing and at her own (very slow) pace. 

Making a fairy house. 

The shell of a cicada. 

So much fun this weekend! 

Little tiny agates! 

Sweet honey pie. 

New Jobs and Family Updates

Hey Everyone,

Well, the last time I blogged was when Millie was 4 months I think. I've mentioned before, but we had a really hard first 6 months I would say with Millie. She was colicky, never really slept that great, and only would want to be held by mostly me, and sometimes Ben. Ruby started pre-school during all of this and Stella was stuck in the middle going with the flow like she does. However, we are now in a great place! So many things in our lives are changing and I'm pretty excited and slightly terrified. God is good though and I know without a doubt He will provide in all the ways that we need! Here is a little update on how everyone is doing.

Ruby: Ruby finished her first year of Pre-School. I can't even describe to you how wonderful this school year was for Ruby. I debated even sending Ruby to school and I'm so thankful that I did. Her teachers Ms. Emily, Ms. Jodi, and Ms. Kristine were so wonderful at loving her for who she is. These teachers love Jesus and it shows in the way they teach. It made me feel so good sending Ruby to preschool. One of Ruby's teachers was diagnosed with breast cancer this year and missed a good portion of the year. We were all devastated, however through it, it taught our family a lot actually. We set an alarm for 12:00 every day and it was our reminder to pray. Hearing the prayers flow out of your  three and four year old day after day is just a great reminder of how great God is. We finished out the year and are now looking forward to summer. Ruby has learned how to ride her bike without training wheels and rode all the way to Dairy Queen and back. It reminded me of my childhood. Ruby also has her first week of VBS at church. She didn't want to go until she heard there were games, crafts, and snacks. She has also been working on an elaborate plan to build a house for rabbits. Ben might be able to hook her up with a rabbit from one of his FFA kids and she couldn't be more excited. She continues to be a wonderful big sister and I'm just so thankful for the girl who made me a mom.

Stella: Stella is now three and she is a hoot. She is our easy going middle child. She goes with the flow, and after this year I'm so so thankful for her easy going attitude. She is SO excited to go to preschool next year. She will tell everyone she meets that she gets to go to preschool in the fall. She loves playing in the sandbox. She could sit there all day long. She has selective hearing...She failed her hearing test at her 3 year checkup. I think mostly because she didn't understand what she was supposed to be doing. We got referred to an audiologist who played some pretty fun games with her and determined that she can indeed hear us. She gets pretty focused on something and we can be yelling STELLLLLAAAAA at her and she doesn't respond. My mom said I was the same way. I still can be. ha! It was really fun being at home with just Stella (and Millie) when Ruby was at preschool. Stella also has two cavities. It's pretty crazy to me. We brush her teeth for her every. single. day. Thankfully, my easy going child has no problem going to the dentist. In fact, we are going there tomorrow! We love Stella. She makes us laugh on a daily basis. She has great facial expressions, and we are just so thankful for our Stella Bell!

Millie: Millie is SO happy now. She is 9.5 months. She gave us a good run for the first few months of her life. I'm still not quite sure how we all survived that. By the grace of God we are all here and happy. Millie has become a great sleeper now, thankfully. She sleeps in until almost 8:15 every morning, which is so so nice. She is crawling everywhere whether she is on all fours or on her knees, she gets to where she wants to go. She is starting to pull herself up onto things, but will happily wait for one of her sisters to help her out. She eats just about anything. In fact, I can't think of anything that she hasn't really liked. Even olives....yuck! She loves playing pat-a-cake with my mom and loves playing peek-a-boo with Stella. She lets Ruby carry her around anywhere, which makes Ruby super happy. She does have a bit of stranger danger and separation anxiety. We haven't gotten her to stay in the nursery at church yet. Ruby was the same exact way. If we are at someones house and I set her down and walk away she will typically lose her mind. I think she is getting a little better though. She has two bottom teeth that are on the verge on poking through. Millie continues to impress us with her new tricks. It has been a wild ride so far, but we are so thankful for our Millie Pie!

Ben: Ben is finishing up his 10th year of teaching. He continues to be an INCREDIBLE husband and dad. When he is home he is HOME and so present with me and the girls. I'm so thankful for him. He finishes this school year on Friday and then leaves early Saturday morning for his annual mission trip to Pine Ridge. I think he said that this is the 21st year that his group from the church he grew up going to has gone. That is something pretty special. I hope and pray that one day he will be able to bring the girls along. Ben has some exciting career changes on the horizon however. He will be teaching one more year at Phoenix Learning Center. He loves those kids, but he believes they need more than what the public education system can offer them. Ben is officially signed on with Timber Bay, but won't start working until the summer/fall of 2020. Timber Bay is a ministry that supports and mentors youth in the Buffalo area (as well as several other areas around the state.) He sees this as a way of helping the same types of kids he works with every day at Phoenix Learning Center. However, through Timber Bay he will be able to have a more lasting impact, build stronger relationships, and share the eternal love and true joy that can only come from a relationship with Jesus Christ. Ben has volunteered at Timber Bay in the past, and we are trusting that God will use Ben to reach those in need within our community. This next year will be busy raising support for this ministry, so if you would like to support Ben and I on this journey, he would love to chat with you, or he may just be calling you this summer!

Anne: Well, it has been a hard year for me. Probably the hardest one yet. Three babies is no joke people. I feel like I lost myself along the way, but I'm happy to report that I'm finding myself again. God is good and never loses sight of our needs, desires, and ALWAYS provides. He provides in ways that we may not even see at the moment, but once we weather a storm, we can look back and marvel in his grace. My sister, sister in law, and I are running a 5k in about a month. Holy moly. So, I've been training for that. I've also been exercising daily and trying to eat healthy again. It makes me feel SO much better when I eat healthy and exercise. On another note, Ben and I bought a camper. I'm pretty pumped to use that. My dad LOVED camping. I feel like this is one of the ways to keep his legacy alive. By doing what he loved to do most. Gosh, I miss him. He has been gone for almost four years. There are often times where the girls do something and I just think, oh man, if my Dad could have seen that. Or I wish I could see my dads face when he saw or heard... Loss is hard, but I know I will get to see him again. I'm looking forward to being outside this summer and not being 500 months pregnant. A lot of changes are happening, but I'm so thankful for them and the way they stretch us and our trust in God! Have a great summer everyone!

First and last day of preschool

Yummy Thighs 

Did I mention that my mom and I road tripped down to Texas? Don't think we would do it again, but it was a fun adventure! 

Four Month Millie

Hey Everyone,

Inside of my head when we were having a very difficult time with Millie I kept telling myself that once we hit four months things will look a little clearer. As I was walking her and rocking her from one side of the house to the other almost all the time it seemed like four months would NEVER come. But here we are. We have made it to four months and sure enough, Millie is so happy! I can put her on her play mat and she will smile and play to her hearts content. Millie's first three months were rough. They were rough on us all. God is good though and I think we are all stronger and closer because of it!

Millie:
   Millie has some of the best cheeks and thighs around. Gosh she is cute! She has brown eyes like her sisters and her daddy. She loves when Ruby plays with her. She is still a little leery about Stella. Stella is often times too rough for her own good and doesn't realize it. Millie wakes up once or twice a night, which isn't bad. She is taking about four naps a day. We have gotten to the point where I can usually lay her down as soon as she starts rubbing her eyes and she will fall asleep on her own. She will typically scream for less than 10 minutes and she is out. She only takes 30-45 minute naps though. I have started to take Millie to the gym with me and we go walking on the track. Sometimes I will park her next to my elliptical or bike as well. The older ladies love taking a peek at Millie. Millie also got to play baby Jesus at our church's living nativity. She fell asleep for the first bit of it and was pretty sweet for the rest. Ben and I had fun playing Mary and Joseph. We can't wait to find out what the next month brings! :)

Stella:
    Stella I think has entered her terrible two's even though she will be 3 in April. Holy smokes. She can be the sweetest girl. She goes with the flow. Gives some good hugs and kisses. However, if Ruby has a toy that she wants or Ruby does something she doesn't like, Stella will go after it. She has been known to pull Ruby's hair, hit, or draw on Ruby with marker. Ugh. We are definitely working on using our words, telling mommy and daddy right away, etc. Stella really wants to be in Pre-School just like Ruby. She loves going and dropping Ruby off, but can't wait for the day to go herself. I'm not sure if she will go next year or wait until the following year. We are going to potty train Stella right after Christmas. She is beyond ready. She sometimes will tell us when she is peeing and she always tells us when she is pooping. It's mostly been us being lazy. She is getting some new undies in her stockings this year though, so hopefully she will be excited! :)

Ruby:
   Ruby is growing so much this year. She continues to LOVE Pre-School. I feel so blessed that Ruby gets to go to a Faith based Pre-School. I love when the things we are trying to teach her at home are also being taught at school. She loves her teachers Ms. Emily and Ms. Jodi. She has started being more interested in coloring, writing, and artsy type things. She is entering one of my favorite ages! Ruby is very excited for Christmas and all that comes along with it. She loves doing our advent calendar at home. She loves going to Awana on Wednesday nights as well. I'm amazed at how much scripture she has memorized this year. It is also helping Ben and I memorize more as well! Ruby is such a sweet girl and has been such a big help with Millie this last month. If we could just work on her and Stella getting along a little better than that would be great! One minute they are playing SO well and the next minute one of them is crying. #sisters

I guess all my babies have those sweet kissable cheeks. Ruby top left. Stella bottom left. Millie on the right. 

Gosh I love him! 

Sweet Stella looking at the tree. 

I snuggle this one as much as I can! 

Ruby's Christmas program at Pre-School was SO cute! 

Millie chilling next to me as I ride the bike at the gym. 

2nd Annual Gingerbread at Grandmas. My mom rocks! 

I mean COME ON. So so sweet. 

Ruby and Stella LOVE playing grocery store! 

Three Months and Turning A Corner!

Hey Everyone,

First of all...Happy Thanksgiving! I'm writing this with three beautiful babies asleep upstairs and my hubby and I are watching a Hallmark movie! I hope y'all had a great Thanksgiving! We spent the day at Ben's parents house! It was a lot of fun. Kids running around like crazy, yummy food, and great company! So much to be thankful for this year!

Stella is also three months old today. It hasn't been easy getting here, but dare I say that we are turning a corner? I have officially been off of dairy and eggs for 2 ish months. I'm talking nothing! No chocolate, no butter, no ice cream, no nothing good in life basically.  After Millie's two month checkup, Millie's doctor told me to try introducing cheese into my diet to see if it would bother Millie. I was SO excited. I sooo miss cheese. Sure enough though, it made her little tummy so upset. Such a bummer, but it is what it is.

 Millie has been so so happy lately and it is so wonderful. She has also been sleeping very well. She wakes up once, maybe twice a night. Sometimes, she will sleep all the way through. It is insane. She doesn't take bottles very well. Unless you KNOW she is hungry, she would rather cry and scream to go to sleep. At least that is what she has done for Ben the couple of times I have left her with him. She gives the best smiles and will talk your ear off. I wish I knew what was going on in her mind. She rolls over from her stomach to her back. I have gotten her to giggle a couple of times and it is the best. She LOVES laying on her play mat. Often times she will fall asleep there as long as the girls aren't too loud. When being held, she prefers to face outward just like Ruby did when she was a baby. She is the happiest right away in the morning. She loves Ruby, which is great because Ruby is a little obsessed with Millie...in a good way.

Ruby continues to love pre-school. You know what is really cool? When you feel like you have been drilling things in your kids heads and it never seems to click, and then one day it does? It's just really neat sometimes knowing that you taught them "that." The other day the girls were playing in the toy room and Ruby was having Stella say, "I have been fearfully and wonderfully made by God." It's little moments like that where I think maybe I'm not screwing them up completely. ha! I have also seen a much more kind side to Ruby. She has also been listening a little bit better. I think there was just a lot going on at the beginning of the year that jolted her and she didn't know how to deal. Either way, it is so fun to watch her learn and grow. She is kind of like a 32 year old trapped in a 3 year old's body. Speaking of, I can't believe she will be turning 4 in a couple of months! Wow!

Stella is such a sweet girl. She continues to be our easy going, go with the flow kind of gal. God knows we all need a Stella in our life. She is quirky, loves to do whatever Ruby is doing, and loves going to choo choo school. AKA ECFE. She will typically eat whatever is on her plate and LOVES yogurt. She is a total daddy's girl. The other day however she came up and cuddled with me while Ben was in the room and I just couldn't get enough! I have loved getting to spend some more one on one time with Stella while Ruby is at Pre-School. It's interesting to see what Stella does and play with when her bigger sister isn't around. She is just so much fun and I'm so thankful for Stella!

It's been a pretty quiet month, so I will just post some pictures of our most recent shenanigans.

He came home with the best beer and a homemade birthday card from his students on my birthday. 

Our little hippie girl! 

A glimpse into our daily life! ha! 

She is just so so sweet! 

Getting some meat on her bones. :) 

I've been getting back to the gym, which has been so so nice! 

Went on a little  date with Ruby. 

                                                               Also went on a date with Stella.

He is so incredible. Braiding Ruby's hair.