Tiny Dancers

I remember being so excited when I found out my first born would be a little girl. The idea of tutus, ballet shoes and tightly set buns made me smile! I had hoped that my sweet Peyton would want to be a dancer! She started at age 3 and has continued on for two and a half years! She is amazing, poised and has a love for it BUT I am afraid her love is dying out a tad, she is a MAJOR sports girl at heart! She wants to play softball, soccer, gymnastics, swimming and begs to play football.;) Definitely a daddy's girl right there. So, for Miss Peyton, dance may dwindle out over the next few years, however, I love watching that sweet angelic girl shine on the stage! Here are some shots of her during the Annual Christmas Performance!

Now, on to daughter number 2!! Oh my little Regs- From the time Reagan was one and Peyton started dancing, she would come along and stare through the glass watching Peyton, begging to dance too! I still think back to the days that it was so tough for me to get Peyton to dance each week because I had a 3 year old, 12 month old and newborn to lug around lol! I was quite the sight each week as we sat there, Jordyn drinking a bottle, Peyton dancing and Reagan's face pressed against the glass wishing she was in there! Right before Reagan turned 3, I called and asked if they would "stretch" the 3 year old rule and let Reagan start although she was a month shy of 3. They did and boy am I glad. That girl LOVES LOVES LOVES to dance! I know as a mom I shouldn't say this, but her dancing skills I think will pass Peyton in no time. (Horrible of me I know, but I truly think it's her gift) She can bend, stretch, focus and remember names of moves I have never even heard of! The Christmas performance was her first time ever on stage. I warned my in laws and friends that came to watch that Reagan would just stand there and not do much. Man was I wrong. That little tiny 3 year old rocked the stage! She hit almost every step and was not intimidated by the crowd once! I was so, so very proud of her!
Please ignore the pink skirt sneaking under the black one.:( Long story, but I wasn't backstage and they just left it under the black. Look at her in her glory though!;)

So there you have it. My tiny dancers! Sometimes when I watch them dance, I can't help but get lost in thought wondering who they will be, what they will do, but my main thought for them is that I hope they always remember to dance! Dance when they are happy, dance in the rain, dance to make it all better!

We LOVE our Miss Tesh! Tesh was Peyton's assistant teacher last year and now she has stepped up and has several of her own classes and she is an AMAZING teacher! We love Ms. Janelle too of course, but Tesh, she's just got a way with the girls!:)) Thanks for all the hard work Tesh! Now, by fall we will have 3 tiny dancers. (Seriously, I may start my own ballet team);) Jordyn has been BEGGING to get in a class! I just do not have the time in the mornings for the toddler class since it's a "mommy and me" so we have to wait till she is close to 3.:( She is not happy about it, but, her time will come!:))

In a nutshell

Oh boy 2011, what a year you were for the Warren Family! We had highs, lows, stressful moments, beautiful moments and it's safe to say that 2011 was our BEST year ever!!

We started our 2011 having this sweet boy on February 20th and FINALLY bringing a boy into this girl house!

                                In September, this sweet little lady started Kindergarten

This blue eyed beauty started Preschool!

This little one became fully potty trained in ONE day!!

There of course were a ton of other great moments in 2011 and also some sad ones. We had friends whom passed away and really made it hit home how precious life is. We had a lot of changes come our way too. Jasper started a brand new job in August and I was so used to having him home that it was quite an adjustment to be on my own from 4am till dinner time. His job is a great one and we are so, so thankful for the financial security it has brought to our family! For a couple of years we had our ups and downs financially as the construction industry tanked and now to know that Jasper is in a job that provides for our family, it makes me so happy and relieved! Of course, it leaves me quite BUSY also!! I have to be honest, from September to the very end of December as I completely had to catch my bearings, there were times I was overwhelmed to the max! BUT, I am excited to start the new year on track and refreshed!!!! In October I expanded my daycare from small care to large care and now each day instead of 6-8 kids, my house looks like this....

It's BUSY around here but man is it fun! As a matter of fact, I have been closed for almost TWO weeks now for winter vacation and I have missed all of my kiddos like CRAZY!! I open back up tomorrow and I am so excited to see each of them and here their stories about Christmas, New Years and such!! I can't ever say it enough, my job is beyond stressful and requires 100% of me 100% of the time BUT it is the best job EVER!!! I am blessed and my business was so blessed in 2011 and I am so thankful for each of the families that have entered my care!! I can't wait for all of the fun and even a few more new faces in 2012!!!

It seems like this year really was a turning point for myself, my husband and even each of our children! A year of so many first also! Peyton lost her first tooth, learned to swim, learned to ride a bike without training wheels and is learning to read! Reagan has learned to identify her name, some letters and can count to 30! She also just had her FIRST ballet Christmas recital in December! Jordyn learned the alphabet, how to count to 10, her colors and completely potty trained in one day. Then sweet Caiden! So many first for him! First coo, first smile, First word, first tooth, crawling, pulling to standing and so close to walking! He's also our biggest baby ever! At 10 months he is pushing 22 pounds!! I also have changed so much this year! I feel I became more confident as a wife, mother and in my career. I trust my instincts and give myself a lot more credit. I used to think I had to be perfect all of the time. Now I know that it's OK to show myself a little grace!;)
In 2011 we also FINALLY after 5 years of long, long talks, prayer over the matter, more long talks as a couple, staring at our life insurance policies and thinking hmmmm, there is the money but WHERE do the kids go, and more talks;) we named our great friends (more like family) as our children's legal God parents. (Of course no paperwork has taken place but will be in the near future) This decision brought me in to 2012 with a renewed sense of peace. For SO long Jasper and I have spent hours deciding where our children would thrive best should anything God forbid, happen to us. We knew we needed a couple with the same values, parenting capabilities, financially responsible, love, compassion and preferably near our age so that they could handle the physically demanding aspect of taking FOUR children on. (it would seem a little easier if there were one or two kids) Now the fact that we chose "friends" over family may seem strange to some. BUT, as I said, there were so, so  many variables that went into our decision and we are so blessed that The Heggstrom family has agreed to honor our wishes should something happen, and we know that our children would be in safe, loving arms, with people that love them like they are their own children, can physically keep up with the demands of (holy moly 6 young children if you add their two) mirror mine and Jasper's parenting style so much and have little girls that have become like my kids best friends! Of course my children are blessed with great family on both sides that will always be large in their lives, but 4 children, it's a lot for most heck ANY couple, and we had to decide who could handle it and keep life as normal as possible if need be!

So, as I said, 2011 was a huge year for our family and I am so thankful and overwhelmed by the MANY BLESSINGS it brought us! I pray for an even more miraculous year in which my family and friends continue to be blessed with sweet gifts from the Lord!
SO FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS, HAPPY NEW YEAR AND GOD BLESS!!!!

Thank you to Samantha Prather Photography for this great picture of my sweet family!

See more of Samantha's work here