Steeplechase Fun

We try to go to the Steeplechase when we can. I always have fun making the girls hats and they have a great day spent in the spring weather (which felt more like summer this year) watching all the people and events on this fun day. They love having free cokes, sprites, waters and an endless table full of goodies and sweets. They also love spending time with their grandparents while we are there.

This year proved to be just as fun and memorable. We had 2 beautiful girls in cute hats:

We watched as sky divers plummeted to Earth and landed safely.


We enjoyed many cokes (and perhaps a few other beverages by the adults).

We posed for a few pictures and forced a smile, even though we were hot and worn out:


Oh, and we did see some horses and some horse races!




Next year maybe little J will be able to attend the horse races, but for this year, I left him safely behind with a babysitter knowing that if I hadn't HE would have somehow climbed the fence and ended up on the race track just as the horses were making the turn!

Where Did My Baby Go?

J is 18 months old, actually he will be 19 months old next Tuesday so I am behind in posting this, but I would like to document him at this age. And what's better than a list when you have writer's block?!

J, this is what you are up to at 18 Months Old:

-You can open up anything...doors, cups, bottles. You use your teeth to get caps and tops off of things. You are very determined.

-You now have forced your mom to call poison control a total of 4 times already, TWICE (2 days in a row!) this past weekend. You drank Windex (vinegar formula thank goodness) and the next day you drank my astringent for my face. Yes, I have child proof locks on cabinets, but things get left out and you find it immediately.

-You still aren't talking very much, but you do have these words, even if you choose not to use them often: Momma, Dada, bottle, dog, cracker, cookie, juice, Casey (our dog), bye-bye, see, baby, light, ball, car (the last two being your favorite!) I'm sure I am leaving out some as well. I am hoping for a word explosion soon from you.

-You can tell us what a "dog says", a "cow says", a "rooster says", a "pig says", and what a "fish says" (with this one you don't make a sound but you purse your lips and move your mouth up and down...just like a little fishy making bubbles!)

-You can "choo-choo" like a train and go "vroom vroom" like a car.

-You love toy cars. You also like balls. Those are about the only toys you will play with although I have 3 baskets full of toys for you in our den.

- You LOVE it outside.(See pictures below!) Everything is an adventure outside for you and everything is a treasure. You try to put rocks and sticks and other things in your pockets when outside. If you don't have pockets, I usually find some of these things in your diaper when I go to change you.

-You love to eat, but you don't like eggs or peanut butter.

-Your favorite food is probably bananas, but you like pizza a lot too.

-You love to make people laugh at you. I think you enjoy the attention.

-You still have that little "purr" and when you laugh I can hear that little vibration in the back of your throat that sounds just like a "purr". You've been doing that since birth. I love the "purr".

-Your favorite thing to do in a normal day is get dressed and go down to the office with Mommy. I think I could drop you off in the parking lot and you would find your way to the right office which is up an elevator to the 3rd floor, two doors to open and 3 office doors to pass until your there. The main reason you know exactly where to go is that there is a lady in your Grandfather's office (Mrs. "B") that gives you candy. You love candy.

-You then like to visit your Grandfather in his office and look at his Georgia Bulldog, his toy car, and his ball that he keeps in his cabinet there. Then you are ready to head home and wait until your sister's come home.

-You get a lot of attention from your sisters. You love to scream at them and they scream back. (Mommy doesn't like it so much when you 3 do this in the car though)

-Your sister's don't like it when you try to take their Barbie they are playing with away from them. You don't want to take it to play with, you mainly want to just grab it, throw it down, and make them yell at you (again, I think you like attention).

-You love to lay your head on your Daddy's shoulder and give him a hug.

-You give hugs and kisses, but only when YOU want to.

-You can't stand to have on socks and shoes. Every time we go somewhere in the car that is the first thing you do is take them off (You get this from your mommy...I can't stand socks!)

-You love to take baths and you don't mind water being in your face. As a matter of fact, you will dump cup fulls over your head and laugh.

-You sleep with your "buddy" every night ,which is a little stuffed blue mouse. You like to bite his nose. I have to give "buddy" a bath in the washing machine often.

-I like to call you "Buddy" and I have since you were born. Daddy and your sisters have also picked this up. I only want this to be a pet name for you...PLEASE don't decide you want to go by this name when you grow up.

-You love to read books and turn the pages yourself.

-You like to do everything yourself, as a matter of fact. You are definitely in that, "I'll do it" stage. It makes me a little sad that you are becoming so independent, but proud at the same time.

-You weigh 24 lbs and you wear a size 24 months. You are growing so big and way too quickly for Mommy!

-You are a handful, but an absolute JOY!

-You are so loved.

You playing outside yesterday:

My Head and Heart..All Over the Place

I'm not quite sure what my problem is, but I find myself wanting to write here on this blog often, however I can't seem to get a coherent thought much less an entire post out of me lately.

First of all, I am busy, literally covered up with work. There are so many files to process every day, along with the simple daily routines like breakfasts, , lunches, carpools, ballet practices, etc. Notice I didn't say, mop the floors, dust the furniture...that is just temporarily on hold for the moment. I NEED a Maid!

Second, and more to the root of why I am unable to process my thoughts, is that I keep hearing of bad news. The most recent of which is M's best friend's mom who was diagnosed on Easter Sunday with pancreatic cancer and apparently the prognosis is not good. She also happens to be M's assistant principal at her school. This news is devastating not only as a friend, but as a mom. I just can't imagine. My heart is breaking for the mom herself...for the husband...for the nine year old little girl who loves her mom so dearly. I have offered my assistance in helping in any way I can, but this just doesn't seem like enough.

I am trying to process all of this information, figure out a way I can help, and trying to get my words together to just explain it all to my daughter. To be honest, I am having a hard time digesting it myself, especially with this big lump in my throat and my heart aching, let alone explain it to a (almost) nine year old.

Maybe We Have Watched The Wizard Of Oz One Too Many Times!

Last Friday we had bad weather in our area along with some tornadoes. Since we live in a typical brick ranch house with no basement, our "tornado place" is in my daughter's closet that happens to be in the center of our house. Luckily, that Friday my husband had come home early from work because he was sick. I was thankful, and so were the kids, that he was there. It just made us feel safer somehow.

As the storm got worse the kids and I got into my daughter's room/closet and listened to the radio. J, oblivious to the situation, couldn't care less. As a matter of fact he thought it was fun being all together in a tiny space like that. M was a drama queen that just kept saying, " I KNOW we are going to have a tornado! I just KNOW it!," then she would add, "I'm totally freakin' out, Mom...totally freakin' out here." K was very quiet for the most part but you could just tell that her wheels were spinning in her head. After a while, K asked me in a soft, quiet voice (and quite calmly), "Mom, will other people land where I land?"

"What K?" I asked back, confused.

"You know mom, when the tornado picks me up and drops me, will I land where anyone else lands." she explained carefully.

I explained to her that although technically a tornado has done that and is capable of doing that, that hopefully that would not be our situation and that we were safe inside our house and people could rescue us here if in fact a tornado hit our house.

I just couldn't get over the differences in my girls thought processes. My oldest "freakin' out" and my youngest worried if she would "land where anyone else landed." She is such a deep thinker, but what's more amazing than that is that she has such a calm spirit. And if anyone is wondering which personality type I am...Well, that would be daughter #1. I was "FREAKIN' OUT" myself.. I have just learned to stay quiet in front of my kids so I don't make matters worse. It's hard though, REAL hard!

Different

As often as I remind myself that my kids are growing up entirely too fast, and that one day all these things I will miss dearly, I still find myself having a bad attitude about the littlest things, like reading a book for the 1,000th time, giving baths at night, "one more drink of waters" at bedtime, or toys not put away. It is very hard to remain focused on the pure joy of those moments when you are in the middle of them. However, this past week I have thought differently.

Last week when I read about baby Stellan in the hospital and seeing his sweet, baby boy face it just put things in perspective for me. I couldn't imagine what "MckMama" is going through. Yet, just a month ago I found myself in a situation with my daughter, praying over her in the Emergency Room, having MRI's, CT Scans, EEG's, and in an instant you begin to see things differently. In my case, M appears to be a healthy 8 year old little girl who happens to have a form of adolescent epilepsy. Stellan, however, is still struggling in the hospital with heart problems at only 5 months old.

When you think of how short life is, how very precious life is, how very fragile life is....it makes you see things different no matter what they are.

I choose to see things different this week...the good and the bad. I choose to see them as gifts instead of frustrations. I choose the joy in them. I'm reminding myself how dearly I would miss any of these things.

Smudges on the cabinets...I see different.

Snotty noses...I see different.

Wet beds, dirty laundry....I see different.

Bath time splashes that get the whole bathroom wet...I see different.

Reading the same book over and over...I see different.

Bedtime rituals...I see different.

Carpool rushes...I see different.

Homework challenges...I see different.

Five plates, five forks, five cups to clean every night after supper....I see different.

Smiles...I appreciate more

Giggles...I listen harder.

Giant hugs and wet kisses...I savour them.

Snuggles...I treasure them.

Tiny Toes...I gaze longer.

The smell of my baby boys neck....I sniff deeper.

The precious "morning hug" from K...I squeeze tighter.

The flash of a beautiful smile, now adorned with silver from M...I make a mental picture and smile back.

MckMuffin Needs Our Prayers

Get on your knees and pray for baby Stellan, his mommy and his family. Oh, I can't even imagine... My heart is breaking for this sweet family and this sweet boy.

Go here for Mckmama's blog:




Pray! Pray! Pray!

Growing Up

Ok, I want to know what happened to my baby girl. The one that cried a whole bunch, keeping her momma up all hours of the night. The little girl that's hair didn't really come in until she was 3 years old. The one that loved to sit and watch Baby Einstein videos over and over, and the one that I just sent off to kindergarten yesterday! ( Well, it seems that way to me.) I can't seem to find her... I think she has been replaced, all too quickly, with a big girl.

BEFORE:



AFTER:

BRACES!!!

Oh, my, how time does fly by!

Gotta Wear Shades

We seriously need to think about investing in J some new sunglasses. He loves to try on mine and his sister's and it's quite funny how he will purse his little lips to help keep my big ones on his face. Gotta love it! He cracks me up!

His teacher look:

His Bono look:


His mommy look (I guess??):




Oh, he is just so much fun when he isn't eating something poisonious or anything glass! :) The future is bright, isn't it?

A Friday Funny

Tim Hawkins is hilarious. I think it was my brother and his family that introduced me to him. There are a bunch of videos on you tube of his "spoof" songs or stand up routine. All are funny. These two were new to me today, so I decided to post here anyone that might need a laugh today. (The first one is longer than the second.)

(DON'T FORGET TO PAUSE MY MUSIC PLAYER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE)



And this one is for Wendymom. It would have been much more appropriate on your blog:



Have a great weekend.

Proud Momma

In the kid interview that I did with my girls, I couldn't help but get stuck on the questions that asked, "How are you and your mom alike?" and "How are you and your mom different?" It made me think of what my answer would be to how they are or are not like me really examining it in my own mind. So here are my answers to my girls as to how we are alike and different:

My beautiful M, We are both alike and different , both of which make me very happy and proud of you. We are similar in that we are both passionate, outspoken, argumentative, yet kind, loving and caring. Physically we both have brown hair, freckles and a warm smile. We both like to laugh, and to make people laugh. We are also different in some ways, and in the ways that make you uniquely YOU. You enjoy being the center of attention, you stand out in a crowd, you will initiate conversations with anyone. I on the other hand, like to blend in to the crowd, and although I love to talk, I don't necessarily have the confidence that you do to initiate it with someone I don't even know. You are the first born, and I am the baby in my family. We look different too in some ways. You have this curly, curly, ringlet hair and mine is neither curly or straight..just slightly wavy (enough to get on my nerves, actually). You have beautiful eyes that are twice the size of mine and they are set off with long black eyelashes. I on the other hand do everything I can to make my eyes look bigger and my eyelashes longer. I am so proud of how you are like me, but I am equally as proud of our differences because they make you who you are. I am proud of you and who you are becoming.

My sweet baby K, we too, have our similarities and differences as mother and daughter. Even at only 6 years old I can already see some of these things. I can see a lot of physical likeness with you. You have my shape face, green eyes, and smile however, your black hair and olive complexion make you more like Daddy. Your personality is extremely special. You are so content with everything, very even keel, never one to get restless or agitated. You always seem calm and reserved, careful in your actions and words. This my dear child, is a very valuable quality to have, and one I wish I possessed myself. I tend to get easily irritated in situations, restless and often wish I could take back something I said, not really ever being STILL enough to be calmed, soothed, at peace the way you do. I have a lot to learn from you in this way. You are like me in that you too do not love to be the center of attention, but you always polite and secure with your surroundings, always willing to talk to someone if spoken to. I hope you continue to grow with these wonderful qualities and characteristics which make you very unique. I am so proud of you.

Of course I am biased about my girls, but I have the right to be, don't I? A few months ago it was really nice to get an email from a new friend that recently met my daughters as they were the flower girls in her son's wedding (who was marrying our cousin) and after only being with them a few times over the weekend I think she did a really good job of summing up their personalities. I have printed and saved the email that she sent because I think it would be nice for the girls to read as they get older. Here is what she said about my girls:

"M-such confidence -such presence-a darling "Diva" who quickly adapts to "center stage" with such grace. Beautiful manners, in no way bold or cheeky but with that indescribable, incredible, confidence of a wee person who just "does" because she "can" and has been called to "do"! Long may that stay with her, the upcoming teen years can be cruel and confidence is a marvelous shield...

K--you and T are lucky that you got to taker her home!! I'd have scooped her up in a heartbeat! I swear if you look up "sweet" in the dictionary, K's picture would be beside the word. Certainly quieter than her big sister but very "centered" with a serenity beyond her years-NO shrinking violet-very willing to engage in conversation and by the end of the weekend was quite willing to initiate the conversation... "

Now, that is a big compliment and one I treasure. (Thanks PW if you're reading!)

Interesting to see your children grow up and develop these unique personalities. I perhaps should come back and read this blog entry several times during their teenage years when I'm sure to not feel quite as warm and fuzzy about their personalities or their looks.