Tuesday, December 30, 2014

2014...deckerville recap!!

2014....WAS THEE FASTEST YEAR OF MY LIFE!!! and you know why....TIME FLIES WHEN YOU'RE  HAVING FUN!! That is the truest statement!! Here is a little recap of our year! 

JANUARY-
We were anxiously awaiting the arrival of our third son. I was dilated a 3-4 most of the month so we didn't go far! I also turned 30(yikes!!) and Lane was 3 and Luke was 1 and it was a fun indoor snowy month preparing for our little ones arrival! And our new dance studio opened so that was fun teaching in a new building!! Here are a few pics from that month! 

NEW YEARS EVE 2013 (Went to Pizza Hut and stayed home!)

My 30th Birthday! 

36 weeks pregnant!!! 
Heading out to dinner for my 30th Birthday date! 

Indoor fun! 

Outdoor fun


Oh and Lanes first dentist appointment 
No cavities and such a good boy! 


FEBRUARY-
What a great month!! 
Luke turned 2 Feb 14, 2014 and we celebrated a week early since the baby was due so close to his birthday! 
And we welcomed Lyric Matthew into the world on Feb 18, 2014! (I was 41 weeks pregnant, over due and had to be induced!) so many great pics from that month but here is just a few! 

Luke's second Birthday!! (He looks a little grumpy here but he really wasn't! Lol! This is just the only one of all 4 of us! We had a great Thomas the train party for him!)
Man he sure has grown up and knows so much more at almost three!! 

He got chonies for his birthday and here he is tryin them on!! (He didn't get potty trained until he was 2 1/2 and now at almost three is such a good potty boy with the exception of liking his privacy while going number 2 and currently still prefers to do that is his pull up during naps or bed most days! It will inevitably work itself out though!!:)


We then got the devestating news that my cousins daughter has leukemia. So the boys and I made these to send them to her in the hospital along with some other valentines day crafts! Lleylie is doing good!! She is so beautiful and is actually in Disney world right now on a make a wish trip with her mom and sister! God is good and is faithful! He is Immanuel and HE IS WITH THEM! Lleylie's mom Teresa is one tough momma and often posts about God's provision through it all on Facebook and I know she is reaching so many turning Lleylie's trial into a testimony! I often think of my battle with Luke when I heard later that "the blessing is IN the battle because you recognize God and all His marvelous way, more than any good time ever could have shown you!!!" Praying for Lleylie all the time!! 


On Valentines Day (Luke's actual birthday) we celebrated by having our traditional heart shaped pancakes for breakfast and then going to the discovery center (only 10 mins from the hospital just incase) and out for pizza! It was a great day! 

AND THEN FINNAALLYYY....at 41 weeks pregnant and dilated and thinned out for weeks...I ended up being induced on Tuesday Febuary 18th! 
Here is our last family of 4 picture the night before!! 

Heading out the door after lunch time and laying our other two boys down for naps! (The timing was very nice and convient I must say!! However I would still rather go into labor on my own;)


Before...as parents of two little boys ages 3 & 2


AFTER! Parents of THREE little boys!!! (It was a good delivery and went very fast at the end!) 

Lyric Matthew Decker was born on Tuesday Febuary 18, 2014 
7lbs 15oz 20 1/2 
HE WAS PRECIOUS!! Three kids in less than four years and not one second was any less amazing than becoming parents the first time! We were both filled with tears of joy! He was beautiful, breath taking, and so full of life! For those first few seconds I literally feel like my heart is laying on the outside of my chest beating so loud and hard racing with excitement!! I kept asking Matt how is head looked of course due to our past experience (even. Though. It. Was. Well. In. My. Soul. I just needed my super strong husband to keep saying to me he is perfect and nodding his gorgeous daddy grin at me from across the room as he watched him get cleaned up!!) 
Unfortunately...Lyric swallowed some of my amniotic fluid and got wet lung. He had to have chest X-rays that night and be on an IV antibiotic until Friday to make sure he stayed clear from metabolizing pneumonia or something in his lungs while that fluid was getting out of there. He grunted when he breathed and was on a NICU bed for over 12 hours! After Lots of prayers and his first breast feeding session he never grunted again! GOD IS GOOD!! HE IS ALWAYS there for us! If we ever have another baby I think we will go into the room and say ok devil  whatever you may be thinking about throwing our way...we WILL be overcomers by Gods grace and we will STILL come through it all perfectly! The way HE intended!! 


So finally after some quiet time alone and resting time that Lyric needed...our little boys (and then after...everyone else too) got to meet our precious boy! 


We were not surprised by big brother Lanes reaction! We knew he would be IN LOVE!!! 

We were also not surprised by big brother Luke's reaction! He kissed him without being told which was so sweet and said awe and then after LOTS of mommy hugs...was running that joint!! Lol

Our "Party of Five" and let me tell you...every day has been a party ever since! And we LOVE it that way! Sure parties are loud, a lot to prepare for, a lot to clean up after, and sometimes exhausting, but when the sun has set and the party for the day is over...we always think...that was FUN!! Let's do it again and again and again!! Parties are fun and larger crowds are not for everyone and that is ohhkkayy!!! I appriciate the calm before and after the storm now more than ever! But I must say...Matt and I talk about it often and we KNOW THAT WE KNOW THAT WE KNOW we were meant for this life and this loving, fun, and ridiculously loud family with these amazing, very close in age, rough, tough, rambunctious, little boys!! 

I could not be more grateful for My hubby! He is BEYOND amazing!!!! He loves his boys and me like nobody could ever describe! While I was in the hospital he handled everything so well!! (And at 3 and just 2...they defiantly needed assistance in everything at that point and it takes a lot to multitask all of that!) He never ceases to amaze me!! He is a breath of fresh air everytime I'm around him! And bringing yet another little boy into the world...he was outstanding during the whole pregnancy, during labor and delivery and after!! I just love him so very much!! 
Proud daddy!!! 

We have SO MANY pictures but here is a few of my favorite from the beginning!! 
The boys were AMAZING at Lyrics arrival! Both sooo happy and never once showed jealousy or acted upset! Nothing but love for Lyric! (If anything...a little extra love at first!!;) 
Our perfect boy! Slept in our room (until 9 months old!! Now the big two share a room and Lyric has his own room!!) 
Having my ritual "read and feed" with Luke and Lyric! 

He was so good at holding his new baby brother and such a willing helper!! Lyric loved his snuggles from Lane while I got breakfast and stuff ready each morning!

His first bath! A few tears and then loved every second after!! 

2 weeks old...first time in God's house! He was (and still is) a great sleeping boy during church! 

MARCH-
Was a good month...adjusting was easier than I expected but being prepared was more crucial than ever! (And my husband always says I'm over prepared welllll this was a whole new level!) not only was I exclusively breastfeeding, I was also trying to pump when I could for bottles if and when need be and so that adds extra needed moments, but I knew if the dishwasher wasn't unloaded before bed, the boys sippy cups weren't already poured and ready, fruit wasn't cut up and put into cups in the fridge etc...etc...that we may not survive! Well ok we would survive but it was way easier through out the day if things were ready!! The big two LOVE to go outside so that was starting as the snow melted and of course just like Luke did...Lyric LOVED the baby back bjorn so walks were great! 

My favorite picture of that month!! 
 I love them all so much!! 
Lyrics first St. Patricks Day! 

We also took all three of the to build a bear that month for the first time! Luke made a puppy 
And Lane made a rabbit





APRIL-
 Well the boys had a great time hunting Easter eggs, playing outiside, and Lane turned FOUR YEARS OLD!! We are constantly (and always have been) blown away by how smart this child is!! He is so driven, advanced, and QUICK to learn a new task!! His daddy has always said Lane is going to be a light in the darkness in this world...and well as much as I am fighting the thought of him being out and about in the "world" (because I want my precious glowing son to not be tampered with) Matt is SOOO right! He is going to do great things for God's glory!! 

He LOVES to learn bible verses! Here is our little spin on 
James 1:19 "Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry" 
Lane and Luke and Lyrics lesson...
"Be a good listener, wait to talk, don't be grumpy and throw fits" 



We celebrated with a great family party at our house with tacos, cookie cake, icecream and lots of out door playing!! 



Family Easter egg hunting!! (Lyric was behind the blanket!) 


Sweet boys!! 

Swinging with daddy (kind of!;) 
 
MAY-
Matt turned 30!!! Lyric got dedicated at church, we celebrated Mother's Day, Lukie fell and got stitches(as he was buckled into his booster seat he pushed his feet off the table and his chair fell back and he hit his ear on the island behind him and split it in half...it was tramatic to say the least and even though I can't be with them all every single second I was actually right next to him and the other two were sleeping, my sister answered her phone right away, Matt made it to the ER right before he had to have the stitches etc...so all of that worked out in our favor and as AWFUL as it was during the process...Luke was quite a trooper before and after the stitches!) Here are a few pictures from the month! 


Matt's cake from baked by liz said "happy 29th and 12 months birthday!:)"
The boys and I bought him an acoustic guitar and that night I took him out to eat and he got a new tattoo!!! 
It was our first time away from Lyric and we were home early! (I think by 9:00 but it was totally a great time and was so nice to get to dote on my sweet hubby!!) 


Lyric's baby dedication at church with his God parents Aunt Katie and Uncle Rick!

So sweet in hims little outfit!! 

His beautiful cake! We celebrated by going out to eat with all of our family at candlelight after church! 


The boys at the annual firemans breakfast!! 

OUCH!!! Our poor sweet Lukie boy!!! 


They make Mother's Day so special!! 
Post nap snuggles! A daily special time! 

JUNE-
We went to the annual Union Pacific train days and had a blast!! It is so much fun and mainly because our boys are literally in heaven the entire time!! We also made a HUGE change in our lives and decided to leave our church and start attending a church in Morrison. It was a hard decision to make because we knew we would grately miss the people in that church and attending with our family....but it has been a great move for us and the boys and we know attending locally and at Crossroads church is exactly where God wants us to be!! The first month of summer was so fun and we spent almost every meal and all day every day outside and of course we celebrated Father's Day with the best daddy three little boys could ask for!! And lastly Luke had his 2 year post surgery check up with his plastic surgeons and once again God has blessed is with a PERFECT report!! We are sooooo grateful and give HIM ALL THE GLORY!! 
Riding the train at the Union Pacific train days! 
Matts last Sunday playing at Oneighty church. 


Sweet summer boys!! 

Father's Day 2014!! This daddy has one main goal(above all the other fun sports and father/son activities that I know he is looking forward too)  and that is to turn these three into God fearing, world changing, strong Christian men and I am blessed to be on this journey with him!! 



At University of Chicago Medicine after Luke's annual plastic surgeon appointment! Perfect, beautiful, smart, healthy, whole, and strong boy!! He is such a character and so much fun! He is independent and strong willed to do it his way (and sometimes the hard way like his momma did) but he is also sooo laid back like his daddy! And he loves like no other! Hugs, kisses, snuggles, touch, words of affirmation, you name it...he loves it and loves to give it! 

JULY- 
We of course celebrated the 4th (no fire works yet though...still too little to stay up that late!) They enjoyed swimming though of course and Lyric LOVED his first time in the pool and Lane AND Luke were swimming with their life jackets but no help from others! Summer 2015 should be a good one!! (As long as I find the perfect baby toy that our almost 18 month old at the time won't flip out of!) 
Lane also went to bible school for his first time! My mom and dad were his teachers actually because their church did preschool so that helped leaving him there! HE LOVED IT SOOOO much and still can't wait to go back! 






We LOVE summer!!! Especially Zinnens pool!! 


Dropping Lane off bible school!! (Yes I cried my eyes out leaving him that first night! His face was so excited and a little unsure and It was the first time I had ever left him anywhere like that!!) 


Singing at the program the last night!! (He loves singing, doing motions, and even praising God without being told too!! My little Christian soldier!)


Baby's first 4th of July!!! 

AUGUST-
Was a month of hot fun! We enjoyed soaking up every moment with Lane before he started his first year at the Christian preschool, we enjoyed the county fair, and lots of walks!! 

Hot summer babies!! 


Luke got potty trained!! And like most boys he loved being outside in the dirt with just his chonnies on and so did big bro! 



Family fun-day at Rockwood park! 


One of the many indoor breastfeeding sessions I had to take for Lyric...worth every second! It's not for everyone...and I started supplementing formula at 6 months for Lane and Luke had formula at 5 months and you would think with two busy toddlers I would have given Lyric formula by now but for some reason it just seems even easier...he is almost 11 months old currently and has never had anything but breastmilk and we just started introducing a little whole milk!  It's a personal "proud" that I feel! I'm not in need of a pat on the back from anyone but I have to say...I'm proud with as busy as I am most days that I was able to do it this long! I've loved it!! 


Love their summer kissed skin! 


Seeing the rabbits at the county fair! 

Taking a break on one of our MANY walks!! 

SEPTEMBER- "The life changing month!" 
This I knew would instantly bring tears (good and sad) to my eyes just blogging about it!! Lane started preschool! And even though we KNEW he would love it and he was SO excited...we knew we would be starting a new chapter as a family that would forever be life changing...and that's being parents of kids in school!! We have loved every second of raising Lane (and the other two) these 4 years! Even trying moments were a blessing! It is just amazing not having to answer to someone else and care solely for him in the way we prefer every single second of the day! We had our great routine, our craft days, music time, snack time, etc etc etc...and having to be on a school schedule (nothing bad about it) was going to change everything! Just a new way of doing our life and even though there is something exciting about it...it was almost like saying goodbye to those little years with Lane.... And needless to say we were sobbing messes! Not sure which parent cried harder...but don't worry...we are ok and are so happy for him and SO SO SO proud of him!! 

The day before school started Lane and I had a mommy/son date eating ice cream, throwing rocks in the lake at the park, and just talking about school!! 

Then...we decided to cut his hair...BEFORE 

AFTER!!! (This is when the tears began...he looked sooo grown up! And the tears didn't quit for a couple days! Lol)

Ready to go!! September 2, 2014

My husband and his "mini me" GORGEOUS GUYS! 

My little mister 


Our family...Luke asked often that 2 hours where he was! Bible school was the first time Luke was home without Lane!



This is us letting Lane ride his bike after school that day! (The kid loves to ride his bike....sure is scary for mommy to watch when he was first doing it alone!!) 


Here is Lyric obsessed with his fingers!!! A constant hand in mouth baby! (He got his first two teeth on Septemeber 29 so I can see why all the nawing was necessary) 

Lots of fun picnics after school! 


Mommy and Daddy got a MUCH needed date night that month too! We went to candlelight in Clinton and sat out by the river...can you tell we were excited!!:))


Taking Lane to school


The weather started to turn and we got to break out the footie pjs that month a few times and the boys were so cute and cozy in them! 


Here we are at paint the town!! A fun yearly tradition that we love doing!! Morrison is a great city to close down the main streets and let all the people paint the streets and windows on the businesses!!! Lane tried to paint a little masterpiece...and Luke...well he painted his feet as soon as we opened the paint! He thinks the world is his canvas and will paint anything but usually it's always himself first! Lol!

Sweet bedtime snuggles in mommy and daddy's bed are the best!! 


OCTOBER- 
The weather was great for October (except on the very last day...it was freezing on Halloween!!) We spent lots of time outside! The boys LOVED the leaves! Especially Lyric! That kid laughed his head off when you would throw them up in the air!! We had another accident with good ole Lukie boy....he slipped trying to get out of the tub...and of course he didn't stand up and try to get out of  tub until daddy turned around to get the towels so he ended up hitting his face on the edge of the tub and knocked his tooth back! Luckily it didn't turn a goofy color and wasn't loose! Lots of blood but he did GREAT at the dentist the next day! Sat so good even with his sore mouth! We have been praying and believeing that his tooth would start to move forward and come into alignment with the other ones and it looks AWESOME! It was pushed back for quite a while but now you can barely even tell!! So very thankful! Matt got asked to play for a special Friday nights service  for our church band and he did awesome!! Lane and I had a little date going to watch him in Freeport! I was so proud of my hubby!  We enjoyed going to pumpkin patches and ate waaayy too many apple cider donuts! For Halloween we wanted to do something that was "3" so we chose the 3 blind mice (that is a terrible song/nursery rhyme by the way!) but the jist of it was cute! I used a grey shirt and sweat pants that they already had and bought headbands, ribbon, felt and paper to make the ears and we paints their little noses!  I'm so glad we didn't buy the actual costumes and made them because it was FREEZING! We went to three houses total and the combination of the headbands plus the sunglasses was too much pinching behind their little ears and once we added the sunglasses they were all sobbing! 

Rocking their "October shirts!"

One of my favorite pictures of Lyric this far!! Love my precious one with hims little hood up!! (Ok well I LOVE hoods in general! I ALWAYS pull my boys hoods up...it's just sweet how it surrounds their little faces! They are so use to it that recently luke was laying in his bed for nap pulling his up asking for help when the shirt didn't even have a hood! Ha!) 
Dirty, dirty, dirty boys! Loves the outdoors!! 

Heading to French creek park! They have the best bike path and play equipment! 

Lyric started crawling a little hear and there this month and playing ball! (He learn so big and peak a boo around 6 1/2 - 7 months! And started baby oatmeal at 5 1/2 months and I homemade his baby food and he started eating that at 6 months!) 

Our family at selmis pumpkin patch 2014

Bro's!!! 

Mommy and daddy on our "day date" that month! 

Playing in the leaves immediately after school was a must every. Single. Day! 

Eating lunch outside while we still can!

Daddy playing during praise and worship in Freeport! 

Luke after his tooth got knocked back! Poor buddy!! (Maybe I should have saved these pictures for the end...like bloopers?!)


I decided to cut my hair off short the day before Halloween! So glad I did! A much needed and refreshing change! 


Brrrrr!! Freezing on Halloween!! 


One of our three blind mice 
Who did not like the "blind mice" concept!

NOVEMBER- 
We enjoyed the last few times outside without snow and our first time in the snow!! Lyric was a Mobil baby going so fast crawling all around and we had fun preparing for the holidays, celebrating thanksgiving, going to the festival of trees, decorating and doing some family traditions! 

Luke and Lyric while Lane was at school! 

Mommy and Lukies special time! 

Loving the swing at the park! 

Luke LOVES the bible! He always wants his daddy's by our bed and especially loves the little bibles! One day I found him on our bathroom floor in his underwear eating a bag of Fritos from of the counter and pretending to read the bible! Such a character!! 

Lyric eating banana bread! He got his top two teeth and shortly after his two next to the top two giving him 6 teeth by Christmas!! 



I found this great idea online to make your own mugs! Just plain mugs and a sharpie and you bake them on the oven to get it to stay so the boys and I made hot cocoa mugs for the season and they got A LOT of use! They love hot chocolate!! 

Enjoying the first snowfall!! 

Matt got new glasses and looks so cute!! He also worked a weekend outage that month in Wisconsin! I am so grateful for his hard work ethic and it was a nice little extra for Christmas shopping!! 

Here we are headed out on our Christmas shopping date that month to tr quad cities! We had SOOO much fun!! 
It's always a great time with him but this was one of the best dates that year! 

Daddy and Lyric snuggling before bed! 

Here I am soaking up this precious sleeping baby!! 

Lyric in his Thanksgiving day shirt "I'm stuffed" 


The five of is on Thanksgiving day! 

The boys had their first experience with an elf the day after thanksgiving! Alvin was a good elf always doing good fun stuff! 


The boys loved decorating for Christmas!! Each year keeps getting more and more magical around the holidays!! 
Luke also started sleeping in Lane's room in his big boy bed! They sure were excited to share a room! It was honestly a mad house for hours!! We currently are putting Luke to Bed now first around 730ish and Lane to bed about an hour later to avoid the chaos that was happening every night for hours before they would fall asleep! Now it is going GREAT! And Lyric stopped sleeping in the crib in our room and now sleeps in the nursery and was sleeping through the night finally at 9 months!(most nights!!) 

Here is me and the boys at the festival of trees! This is Lane's 5th year going! Love this tradition!! 

DECEMBER 
Probably one of the most magical and fun months of the year. The boys are just SOOO into the holidays, baby Jesus, lights, trees, cookie making, etc etc etc!! We had such a fun year this year! They woke up early every day at first because they were excited to see if their tree was still in the living room! Haha! Lane had a program at school and was so amazing! We were so proud of him! He sang great and he was one of the three boys that got to say something into the microphone! "LET'S GO TO BETHLAHEM"  the sweetest little proclamation ever coming from the sound of that mic! He was just the best! And their school also had a float in the morrisom Christmas walk parade and him and daddy road on it!! He was beaming to be in a parade!  He also had a Christmas program at church singing songs and doing lots of motions and was so good!! Big month of Lane! He had lots of songs to remember and didn't forget a word! He has a great memory! We looked at lights A LOT! We did lots of our regular traditions...Santa came and visited all the decker cousins at Rick and Katie's,  grandpa and grandma took us out for pizza and to see the lights at eagle point park, we made lots of Christmas cookies and goodies, and of course Christmas crafts!! 


The boys "sitting" with Santa! 

Lane and Daddy riding on the float in the parade!! Pure excitement!! 

Taking a bath in the middle of the day when it's too cold to play outside!! 

Lyric turned 10 months old and had a great appointment at the doctor! Right on track and is in the 75 percentile for his weight and was passed the 95 percentile for his height!! 
Getting so big, pulling himself up & standing all the time! Only walking with help though!;)

Santas little helper!! 

Indoor Saturday fort building with mommy while daddy was working overtime! 

Playing in our toy room in the basement!! SOOO thankful for that extra space during the cold months! They love it down there! 

We went to a Christmas party with all of my MOPS friends! It was a blast!!!
Lane and Luke with their nativity scene crafts we did! 
Lane at his school program! So big! Our favorite picture was the one of him praying with his head down nice and tight! So sweet little Jesus boy! 

Lane Singing on stage at Crossroads church for our Christmas program! 

The boys seeing Santa at Eagle point lodge with mommy, daddy, and grandpa and grandma wolf! 
Matching Christmas PJ's! 

Our family in Christmas Eve morning! 

Ready for church on Christmas Eve!! They look so cute in their ties and bow tye! 

Daddy playing in the band on Christmas Eve church service! 
Mommy and Lane excited on Christmas Eve!! 


Christmas morning!!! 
Happy Birthday Jesus!! 
The boys got a lot of great toys and books and games but their favorite was their dicast Lionel steam train!! 
Baby's first Christmas!! 


Our Christmas card 2014!! 

A huge thanks to all our family for being such an awesome part of our lives! It takes a lot to raise kids and we are so thankful for the help, babysitters when need be, encouragement, love, support, and friendship and comradery that comes with having a family and all it's ups and downs! We love you all soooo much! The boys all love you too!!! 

So now it's 2015! We are excited for what the year will bring! Lane will be starting kindergarden this year! Luke has given up the binky!!!(well except in his bed of course;) and is doing great in his big boy bed sharing a room with brother!(now to get number 2 down this year wil be great!!) and Lyric...well he is working on walking and turning one next month! We are looking forward to a new fun year and holding on to all the moments that seem to fly by!! My hubs is doing great at his job and his great hobby of playing the guitar! Expanding his pedal board and well his whole collection and improving is always on his to do list! And as for me...I am working on reading and filling myself up with the resources I need to be the best mommy to these little boys that I can be! I know as the wife and mother of the home I am the thermostat and my mood sets the tempature for the rest of the house! So I am working on being calm, cool, collected, not unglued, complex...not complicated, and the refreshing breath of air for all of these guys that i have been so incredibly blessed with!! So my goal for 2015 Matthew 6:33 to SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM (because I know everything else after that will work out!!)