The power of smell

A Weird post title I know. Especially since I've been MIA from the blogging world for so long. Different smells/scents tend to recall various memories for me. Often times I don't even realize it until I smell something familiar and I am instantly transported back to a certain time/event. Even insignifant things such as a world problem can be triggered into memory by something I didn't even realize I was smelling at the time I was trying to solve it. 

For Christmas last year I was given several scentsy warmers and a collection of different scents. All scents I ordinarily love, but being 9 months pregnant all but one of them didn't make me want to puke. Silver Bells, a fitting Christmasy scent. Eric tried out lots of scents the week before Luke was born (one thing we have in common is we like our house to smell good lol) but I kept telling him Silver Bells was the only one "the baby " liked. Again it's one of those times I didn't realize how powerful ones sense of smell could be until several weeks after Luke was born Eric must have switched the scents out. I was instantly transported back to the days leading up to Luke's birth and the early morning hours of being in labor. Such a peaceful yet exciting time. Soaking up the last few days of Claire being an only child.

Claire the morning Luke was born

 Going in Luke's room every few hours

to "rearrange" something as a way to keep busy in those last few days, dreaming about the sweet boy that would soon inhabit that room.

Christmas Day last year. 6 days before little man was born. (I was gigantic)!

 The most powerful memory I get though is the early morning hours when I woke up and realized I was in labor. The sweet and peaceful hours when I was the only one in the world who knew a sweet boy was going to be born that day. I remember sitting in the dining room of the old house on my exercise ball, phone in hand, timing contractions and mid contraction I focused on the light of the scentsy warmer that was on. Everytime I smell that smell I can't help, but smile. So now of course what is burning in my Scentsy? Silver Bells. I put on to burn this morning. I figured it fitting since we are celebrating my little man's first birthday in a few short days. Part of me can't believe he will be a year, but the other part of me feels like I've known him a lifetime. 

An hour old

The first day at home

I've always thought first birthdays were a big deal. Until I became a parent I didn't realize how big of a deal they actually were. I remember joking when I was planning Claire's first birthday that part of the celebration was for Eric and I surviving our first year as parents. That we actually kept a human being alive for an entire year! I think with each child we celebrate for various reason. For Luke it's keeping TWO humans alive simultaneously, coming out still sane after surviving months of screaming, and celebrating my littlest and last baby's first birthday. We had planned earlier in the year taking a big ski trip with our entire family to celebrate Luke's first and Eric's 30th. Late summer about the time we had narrowed down some places to go, both our vehicles needed repair work done and several thousand dollars later our trip fund was gone. Of course we were super bummed about not being able to take our big trip, but I was also thankful God provided enough for us to get the cars repaired. As the months have passed I've seen more and more why we weren't able to take our trip. Financial reasons, family members health issues etc. Now I'm even more excited to celebrate with all our friends and family at our home. The kind of birthdays I grew up with. Homemade, at home, lots of laughter, lots of people, and lots of fun. Luke deserves that kind of party too. 

I must admit I feel quite unorganized with this party. Planning a party 6 days after Christmas will do that to you. Speaking of Christmas we had an amazing Christmas. The kids are spoiled rotten. Our house looks like a toy store exploded. Every single thing they have gotten they have played with. The hardest thing for them is deciding which thing to play with. Most of the time they just combine toys in random ways. 

Claire loaded up her doll, horse, and beauty salon kit in the back of the truck. Then she did the dolls makeup while the she rode the horse in the driveway. Multitasking at its finest. 

The truck was a huge hit with both of them. Poor little brother is too short to reach the pedals so sister has to do the driving. Let's just say she needs a lot of practice. It has a real FM radio in it and I'm pretty sure between taking out the neighbors flower beds while jamming to the radio on full blast we need to keep her contained in our driveway for awhile. Good thing little brother thinks crashing is awesome fun, he also thinks switching the car in reverse or drive (opposite of whatever the car is in) is really hilarious. 

Their faces should say it all