Amidst the chaos

My life, our Kelley household is definitely CrAzY, loud and at most times on the verge of insanity. It's not like it just became crazy with the addition of Gracelyn, just a bit crazier and more insane than it was prior to October 16, 2009. During the times when I want to pull my hair out or cry, or both, because the boys are being whiny or they are fighting and screaming, I force myself to look at the things the boys do that make me crack up laughing or melt my heart. At those time I stop to thank God right then and there for my boys, all three of them, made so different by God and yet all so very special and loved so very much.
Brandon is my smart, thoughtful, creative one. I just never know what he will say. The other day when I picked him up from school he informed me that his school had the BEST (major emphasis on "best") tasting water in the whole world. It was totally random but that is Brandon. He is a bookworm which is why he is reading at almost a SEVENTH grade reading level and only in the second grade! He absolutely loves to read and always has a book in his hand or close by. For trips to OKC he will get in the car with at least 2 books. He draws and builds with his Legos when he actually isn't reading and takes great pride in his work. He is an excellent helper to me with his younger brothers and sister and is eager to help, which I am always so thankful for! Who can ignore that he is a mirror image to his father, even tall as skinny just like Ryan! Blaine... my usual happy-go-lucky, passive boy and always a smile on his face!He turned 3 in July so he is battling for independence which I am fine with since I have two younger kiddos but he seems to think that what he wants needs to be taken into account in ALL matters. If I tell him it's naptime, he informs me that he doesn't want to take a nap, the same with bedtime and the other day when I sat him in a shopping cart he screamed and made a HUGE scene that he "needed to walk." In those trying times I think back to the few minutes before when I was cracking up because he called Brandon's Star Wars lightsaber, a lifesaver (and of course when Brandon tries to correct him, Blaine will argue that he is right so Brandon has finally just given up!) or was using the plastic golf club as a guitar, even though we have 3 actual guitars in the toy box. I love seeing his face light up when I tell him that he is going to church because he LOVES church so much and then hearing after church how he learned about God and talking to God. He asks often when we can go camping. He loves to camp and Ryan loves that and wishes he could take us more often then he can. He also loves country music and that most definitely is an understatement. Big Green Tractor, anyone?? He will ask you to turn it up to the point where it is too loud so we have to say that it's plenty loud and he will just sing away all while pretending to play the guitar of course.
Britton is my "Terminator" but he sure is a cute one. His huge bright eyes and smile with his chubby cheeks and dimples and little mispronounced words easily melt my heart. I woke up this morning at 4:37am to the living room lights on and a noise like a television on. I walked into the living room to find Britton having a little party. He had a few toys and a few books out and had opened my laptop, opened iTunes (which was NOT already open) and started some music. Britton is very curious. I never know when he sneaks off where I will find him. There is no telling. When I tell him to do something he usually simply replies with an "otay" and toddles off. He LOVES to give high-fives and will delay bedtime by sticking up his hand and excitedly saying "high five!" over and over and over! It's so hard to walk away and I find myself standing there after 5 minutes of continuously giving him "5." I couldn't get him to just tell me "I love you" so I recently began pointing to my eye, then heart and then to him. Well he loved that idea so now he jams his finger in his eye as he yells "I wove you Mama!" with a HUGE cheesy grin spread across his face. It totally and completely melts me and I cannot help but kiss his fat little cheeks as he pushes me away. He is a daddy's boy (I think he can tell time, or maybe he is just tired of me by late afternoon, because about 5 minutes til 5 he will take a car over to the door and not move until Ryan walks in from work.) so I will take any loving from him that I can get because Ryan usually gets all the cuddles and snuggles! This last picture of Blaine I saved for the bottom because it needs a caption. Last Saturday Ryan and Brandon took Blaine along as they went to sort out Boy Scout popcorn. At the Scout Hut the Scouts were hosting a garage sale. Now keep in mind we have taken a total of at least 4 Tahoe loads of junk from our house to the local mission house, Blaine comes home with a treasure. He calls it a cowboy hat but it in fact a mini sombrero. Ryan said he walked over to it sitting on the table and turned to Ryan and said "dad, I neeeeeeed this cowboy hat to play my guitar." Ryan being the softie that he is handed the woman a quarter and Blaine ran off happy as a lark and hasn't let it out of his sight!

So here is Blaine and his sombrero/cowboy hat/Red Sox combo and who can ignore the ode to Minnie Pearl with the pricetag still attached.

I am a very blessed Mama! I love my sons and my princess and thank God daily, many times during the day for all that He has given me.

My baby girl! She is such a wonderful baby and despite the craziness,
she is handling it well, and sleeping amazingly!!