Unfailing Love: Who doesn't love bragging about their kids!?

Vincent Gerard

This is my hubby. Also known as Vinny, Dowey, Dowebally, and (as of last night) Pickle Juice. (You may learn that I have an affinity for nicknames, comes from my daddy!) Unbelievably, the hubs and I have been married for 9 years! I can't believe it! Seems like just yesterday I was a freshman in college and my friend introduced me to this hunky senior with a hot red car! Vince is working hard to support our family and traveling here and there. Vince is a WONDERFUL father and his girls (all of us) are the most important things to him!

Barclay Kathryn

What to say? I'm Barclay, usually known as Barclay (not much you can do with Barclay). I was an elementary teacher for fours years until I had Bella. Now I am doing the job I have wanted to do ALL of my life, being a mom. I love these two girls more than I can possibly express and it is my joy and privilege to be able to spend each day with them. I recently entered the blog frontier, and although my blog followers will probably be able to be counted on one hand, I thought it would be exciting to be a part of something so neat. I love that there are many other moms out there facing the same joys, hardships, questions, surprises, and challenges that I am. I also hope to be a sort of medium to spread awareness for others that need prayers, help, or just someone to walk through life with!

Isabella Kathryn

Usually referred to as Bella. As well as Bells, Bellie, Belly Boo, Bellsie Bubs, Bubs, Bubba, Bells and Whistles.... Bella is our first born daughter. She is 6. Bella enjoys school, reading, riding her training-wheel free bike, she could color and write for hours, she loves singing to the Momma Mia soundtrack, anything princess or pink, having bows in her hair, playing dress up, and her little sisters! God blessed us with Bella a month early but she was perfectly healthy. In six years she has become such a bright, outgoing, sensitive, and fearless little girl. Bella really is the sweetest girl you will ever meet. She is eager to please. If she hurts or disappoints someone it literally crushes her to tears. This last year she asked Jesus to be her Lord and Savior and we could not be more proud!! Love this sweet, blonde, blue eyed beauty!

Bryanna Karina

Usually known as Brynn. As well as Brynnie, Miley, Miley Moo, Geegs, Geegers, Brynnie Boo, and many more. Ten days before Bella turned 2 years old we were blessed with another beautiful, healthy girl by planned c-section. This time I was able to see my baby right after birth, watch her get weighed, bathed, etc. I couldn't wait for Bella to meet her. Brynn is now 4 and keeps me laughing all day long. Brynn, since she was about 2 months old has been the smiliest baby I have ever met. All you need to do is look at her and she will flash you a world class smile. Brynn is smiley, more shy and reserved about things than her big sis, can be quite the clown when she feels safe or gets in a silly mood, amazingly brilliant, she's been speaking full sentences since she was 19 months and continues to amaze us with what comes out of her mouth. She loves doing whatever her big sister is doing, dressing up, looking at books, her blankie, being held, twirling in her dresses, singing, and dancing whenever she hears music! Brynn is my compassionate baby, she hates to see people hurting. We just love this sweet, shy, snuggly, smiling little girl!

Brooklyn Blythe

Also known as Brookie, Brookie Cookie, Cookie Lu, Lulu B just to name a few. Sweet, sweet Brooklyn is our family's latest addition! We welcomed Brookie into our family on August 23rd 2010 at 12:23pm by planned c-section. I was nervous she would be a bit high maintenance since she came out screaming bloody murder and continued to wail anytime anyone touched her- get her footprints, take her temperature, etc. Amazingly, she would instantly stop the moment the Hubs touched her or began talking to her. And since her birthday, we have barely heard a peep out of her..... And fast forward 18 months, she definitely makes plenty of peeps now! :) We are full blown in the the terrible twos (which IMO last from 18-36 months) I believe. To make matters worse she's also cutting her 4 molars. She definitely knows what she wants but can't quite articulate it, so gets frustrated. Eating is also a hit or miss these days which is very foreign to me. Mixed with the crabby days though is the funniest personality ever. She is a riot! She LOVES chasing after her big sisters or having them chase and imitate her. She also has this adorable chubby face and will peek out of the corner of her eyes and just melt your heart! She is definitely shy at first but if you can get through to her she will keep you in stitches with her antics. We love you little BB and couldn't ask for a sweeter addition to our family!

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Who doesn't love bragging about their kids!?

So this week's Mom to Mom Carnival topic at It's Almost Naptime this week is...bragging about your kids! I am happy to brag about my sweet girlies. Be sure to do some bragging of your own over at Its Almost Naptime! Here goes:

Isabella Kathryn...aka. Bella....Three words:

Beautiful. Brilliant. Angel.

Perhaps the Lord should not have spoiled me buy sending one of the most perfect angels, I have ever met, as my first child. Bella has beautiful white blonde hair and the fiercest blue eyes. She has always been petite (always in the 5th to 10th percentile). The girl knows how to accessorize. And if the camera or camcorder is out then thats when she's in her element. Bella amazes us with her intellect and her amazing puzzles abilities (doing 25 piece puzzles like they're nothing before she was even 3). Unfortunately Bella's sweet lips have not been able to keep up with her brilliant mind for she has a bit of a speech delay. Since we got her some assistance a year ago she has gone from saying maybe 20 words to hundreds and speaking in good 3 to 4 word sentences. She just needed someone to help her mouth catch up! Bella loves her friends. Bella loves her sister. Bella loves anything pink and anything princess. Bella since 4 months has slept 12 hours at night and takes a great nap and rarely fights us about going to sleep. One time we were over at a friends house during nap time and I had to put her down on a couch, in the middle of their toy room, and she went right to sleep without a peep (she has her daddy's ability to fall asleep instantly)! Bella is also an excellent listener. We rarely have to raise our voices to her. Bella only has to hear a no or even the inflection in your voice and she acts like you've broken her heart. Or just the threat of a punishment is enough of a punishment. Another thing I love about Bella is her fearlessness (from her daddy, not me!). Bella will try and do anything once. Last summer when she was barely just 2 we sent her down a grown up water slide, without us, and she LOVED it! The hubs has even let her enjoy a jump or two from off the refridgerator (don't ask)! I love that she is fearless because I am definitely not, I will continue to encourage her fearless attitude the best I can! Bella has this sweet, sensitive spirit. Her laugh and smile is infectious. She is just beautiful in every sense of the word. Here are just some of the pictures I love or incapsulates her, sorry there are so may but you have no idea how much it pains a photoholic to narrow 3 years of pics down to 7!

Bryanna Karina...aka. Brynn...One word:

Smiley....but an angel too, Oh I can't do it in just one word!

The reason one of Brynn's nicknames is Miley is because she's SO smiley. (don't laugh but I heard an interview with Miley Cyrus and Miley isn't her real name but she was so smiley so her parents started calling her Miley and I thought it was perfect for my baby too!) Ever since about 3 months all you had to do was look at this precious baby and she would flash you a world class smile. It would warm your heart no matter what kind of day you're having. Brynn is also a total momma's girl, which thrills me to no end (Bella was and is the type that doesn't really need us around-although she loves to too). She is more of a timid soul but has the sweet sensitive spirit her sister has. All you have to say is no and she sticks her lower lip out so far your heart breaks immediately (she has definitely perfected this move too since she was about 3 months old). Brynn is also very careful. She took her time walking to make sure she really could let go with both hands and not land on her head. As each day passes she seems to be more and more like me, which to be honest boosts my ego and scares me. : ) Brynn loves her sister her blankie, babies, and dancing. She is the sweetest little toddler you'll ever meet and she'll bring a smile to your face on the cloudiest day! And some pics of my Miley, again impossible to limit, it just pained me to only post 5 : ).

I love my girls so deeply my heart aches and wonders how I could possibly love them more, but each day I seem to. I pray they grow to love the Lord and love each other in the same way!