Saturday, July 24, 2010

Happy Half Birthday!

Has it already been 182.5 days....6 months... half a year?! Could it be? Where has the time gone? Yes, today precious son, you are halfway to your first birthday. It seems like you have always been here, that there was never life without you. I watch you grow everyday and get excited to see what each new day brings. I love everything about you. From the tip of your cupie doll hair, to the ends of your curled up little pudgy toes.




I love how you...
  • smile and giggle... those big ol' toothless grins (why your daddy calls you "gummy bear")
  • still have that baby smell... the new smell  and oh so soft skin
  • get so still and stare into my eyes while nursing... how your little eyes will squint into a smile... how you start dosing off and your little eyes flutter open and closed fighting sleep because you're afraid you might miss something. I love how you look when you're sleeping, so peaceful, and the weight of your little body just kind of settles down into my lap so snug... how your little feathery eyelashes touch your round soft cheeks when closed tight dreaming.
  • talk to your toys, and look so serious as if you're having a deep conversation
  • sit up with a little wobble and everyday you are getting stronger and a little less wobbly
  • are starting to give open mouth slobbery kisses - soooo sweet
  • wake up in the morning with a smile and wait for me to crack open an eye and look at you... and how you will touch my face and talk to me to get me to wake up when I pretend I am still asleep
  • watch your family and when you lock eyes with us, you are electric and light up
  • watch your sister play (and sisters friends) and when you get her attention you are all smiles and have this absolute look of love on your little face... you're just so happy to be hanging with the "big kids"...such a big boy.
  • look so proud of yourself when you accomplish something (making a toy work, sitting up, rolling over)
  • I could write a billion things I love about you... I want to cherish and remember every tiny detail of your little self.
We are so blessed to call you ours little one.

Happy Half Birthday... I love you a whole bunch.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Worldly Wednesday


In any man who dies there dies with him
his first snow and kiss and fight....
Not people die but worlds die in them.
~Yevgeny Yevtushenko, "People"


Is that a deep statement or what? So true. Ran across this one and it made me stop and think about the words I was reading. People are way more precious/priceless than we give credit for. You never know what kind of "world" is contained in one living being. Take time to enjoy all things, big and small.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Stormy Sunday Swim

Weekends are sacred. It's the time I get to be with family... real quality time. The kind of time where you get to decide what you are going to do. Not the work week time where you know there are just things you have to do, following others instruction, then coming home to find you have a small window of time before going to sleep to start the process all over again. No, weekends are prized little windows of time. Special time. Yes, I could spend my weekend cleaning, doing laundry, re-organizing, etc... because we all know when you work full time, the weekends are usually the only time you really have to do some of these things...and when you have little ones in the house there are always "chores" to be done. Well, sometimes its okay to just say to heck with it and decide to just relax, lay around in your jammies with your hair in knots, or make a bigger mess than whats already there, or just... be.

Sunday was going to be a day to make and enjoy smiles, and not those regular everyday smiles... no, the big old ear to ear grins and warm fuzzies you have when something is spectacular. What can be more spectacular than making a two year old squeal and jump around with joy and a wee one grin so big you swear he might swallow his own face!?! So that's just what we did.

I asked Abbie what she wanted to do. Her response "Shopping". I asked her what she needed/wanted, and she quickly replied "I need stickers." (This kid is all about the stickers, they are everywhere. ) So she got dolled up to go on a mini shopping trip. She wore her favorite color ("kink" - pink) dress and shoes, did her hair, and then smeared as much gloss as she could possibly smear on her little lips. (I love how she says "gloss" with this southern draw...) Because, you see, it is important to look nice while shopping for stickers.

We packed a snack, a cup of juice, and were off to see what we could scavange at Target (love this place - if anything, for their seasonal items - every holiday, you can find me cruising the aisles).

After carefully scouring aisles and scoping out the goods, we came back with two bags of randomness. More bubbles, sidewalk chalk, middle little a fabulous colorful flowery new bathing suit, a fun ball to play with, little-est little a pair of tiny sneakers, and a few other "needed" items. Oh, I did find a beautiful beaded vintage looking headband (I have some kind of fascination with them lately). Abbie is so fun to watch in stores... the statement "happier than a kid in a candy store" is an understatement. I always have to check the buggy before getting in line, because there is no telling what she may have thrown in the buggy (sometimes its comical and I cannot figure out how the heck she snuck something past me - she is quick this one)! I think, if anything, she just likes to go shopping to watch other people and tell everyone "hello, whatcha' doing?" ( In her long drawn out squeeky little tone.)

Oh, and did we come back with stickers? No. Completely forgot about the stickers. That's what happens when you get sidetracked by all the shiny baubles like a raccoon.

Once home we decided we were going to get the tiny blow up pool out, throw on Abbie's new swim suit, add on some more lip gloss (well , just because), plug in the new bubble machine (Daddy picked up) and just enjoy. Wouldnt you know, after getting the pool blown up and ready to go, rain started to POUR from the sky! We were not going to let a little ol' thunderstorm wash away our fun! Little-est little waited patiently in his colorful shark print big boy swim trunks for sister to get her stuff together to go outside. He is a gentleman... 
She is getting so big, so fast.





Busted trying to swim in the water table...


Love when he smiles. His little eyes get all almond shaped and tell just how happy he is. I love how his little toes still curl like a newborns too.

























 

Of course sipping on an ice cold soda in the summer heat is a given, but even better when you treat yourself to gourmet sodas. Either way, everything tastes better outside.




































Okay, so the pool is the size of a postage stamp. Little pools for little people. The Littles had a blast splashing around! So amazing to watch them play without a care in the world.




































So curious... (his first dip in a pool).





I love watching them learn new things. The proudness in their facial expression when they figure out how somethings done.























I love how when her hair gets the slightest bit damp, it curls. Not just waves, but sweet perfect little spiraly curls. The kind women would pay big bucks for.




































Bubbles are one of those classic toy items, that have entertained and put smiles on the faces of so many. Abbie loves her bubbles and has to have the bubble machine turned on just about every time she is in the back yard. Neighbors proably wonder what the deal is with all the bubbles escaping our back yard.

























A stormy Sunday swim is a good thing. It brings ear to ear grins, giggles, and little ones with raisin toes.
Everything is good. Everything is right as rain.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Death by pot pie...

Just a big blurb of randomness... had a busy last few days. It's a busy life when you have a full time job, two little ones to tend to, a wonderful hubby you want to spend time with, pictures to be taken, multiple projects around the house and a bit of time thrown in to take care of yourself.

I've been trying to be good at work lately and remember to bring my lunch everyday. Way more inexpensive and lots better for you (unless you're like me and throw together random items such as a ziplock baggie full of white chocolate chips :-). I actually took my lunch to work all week... a first. I will say one thing though... if you're into watching calories (which obviously after my chocolate chip comment above... I am not), do not buy those Marie Calendar frozen pot pies! Sweet Jebus, those things have over 1,000 calories in one pot pie! One of these tasty, flaky, golden brown crust stuffed full of delectable goodness pies... yes, over 1,000 calories! I just bought several because I figured it would be a quick lunch at work if I didnt feel like actually packing something... I didnt realize I was going to be possibly packing pounds on my ass. I wont even go into how much sodium one of these things contains (trust me, it's enough to kill a whole nation of slugs). I did get a healthy dose of Riboflavin though... that's something right?!

Oh, side note: I've been trying out simple "Bento Box" lunches for Abbie while Im at work... fun stuff. I have seen some that are quite elaborate. Ours, well, not so much, but they are a fun way to pack a lunch. And hopefully a fun surprise for Abbie to open the boxes to see what's inside. Hey, if a box of snacks with some teddy grahams swimming around in a sea of chocolate chips and cashews makes her smile, then I'm all over it! So sweet to come home from work and hear her say "Tank you for my Bento mommy." LOL.

Speaking of work... this just irritates me... get up in the morning, take the time to get dressed and do something with my hair, and no one says a thing. Casual Friday comes around and I do good to throw on jeans and run a brush through my hair, and wouldn't you know... I get all kinds of compliments?! (Dont' get me wrong, I appreciate the compliments... just found it strange on the days I really do nothing, is when someone will say something...lol.) Think I'm going to dye my hair, or cut it or something... I dunno... shave it off and wear wigs! Yeah, a different "do" every day. :-)~  Really though, I do miss my bangs and natural blonde hair. (This color is the result of a costume contest two Halloweens ago! I dyed it REALLY dark to be Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz and its just now faded to this mess.)


Heh, on to other things...

Daddy's garden is full of color and shapes. This year he also grew sunflowers. He grew some different varieties and even had one that bloomed larger than a dinner plate! It was freaking HUGE! These were my favorite though...kind of a sunburst looking orange-y thing. He cut one for me to put on my desk at work that was so gorgeous it looked fake like a silk flower. And, yes, I think all sunflowers should have smiley faces on them They should be "born" that way. They are lovely things... I swear if you get really close to them to, you can hear them speak.
Outside the house is wonderful, tidy and bursting with foliage... inside the house is a different story. Within minutes... seriously...minutes... the livng room looks like a toy bomb went off, or the toy box threw up. This is a familiar scene several times a day, we do get a work out though.


The two tiny terrorists that have declared gihad on our living room...




Heh, it's okay though. I would wade through a mountain of blocks the size of Mt. Everest just to see their smiling little faces.

Josh is growing like a weed and getting really vocal. Grabs everything in sight and is strong as a baby ox! He is one of the smiley-est little people I have ever seen in my life (his sisters were not this smiley). Bless his little bones, he has been a super grump lately due to teething. Poor little guy... just a drooly, cranky, chew on everything mess. But look... finally! We have little bunny teeth peeking right under the skin ready to erupt into two tiny pearly whites! Kind of makes me sad... I know before long, I will never get to see those precious little gummy grins. :-(  My babies grow up too fast. My goal is to make him smile every moment I can before those two little teeth show up!


Abbie is growing into a beautiful inside and out little girl. She is SO intelligent. At two years old she blows me away with what she knows. She makes me smile everyday. The other day her and Daddy were on the couch and it was getting close to bedtime... so Daddy asks... "What do you want to talk about?" (We do this before bed sometimes to wind her down.) The conversation goes:

Daddy: "What do you want to talk about?"
Abbie: "Sissy"
Daddy: "You want to talk about big sissy? "What's sissy's name?"
Abbie: "Sissy"
Daddy: "No, whats's her name?"
Abbie: "Her name Cassie!" (said with much enthusiasm)
Daddy: 'You love your big sister?"
Abbie: "I lub her" - "I like to see sissy" - "Shes pretty girl!"

All on her own, she thought this... sighhhhh. It was one of those make your heart swell up moments. (Biggest Little, who will soon be 19 years old... is extremely intelligent, and she has grown into a beautiful woman inside and out. No wonder Middle Little lubs her so...)  

Just how much love can one heart swell up and hold? I may need a heart transplant... an even bigger one, for all this love.  ;-)