June 2014

What do we love to do?

Emerson:

• Watch my sister.  That's my favorite thing. She makes me giggle and outright laugh.  I love her.
• Climb up the stairs.  I freak my mamma out when I do this.  I love to twist my body around every now and then and reach back to touch her face, just to make sure she's still there.  Then I giggle and get back to my climbing.  I'm getting pretty good at it.
• Blow raspberries.  I can do this for 15 minutes straight.  My parents wonder how my lips don't get tired. I love how it feels, and I like how they answer me back with their own raspberries.
• Bang things together.  My mamma gave me the metal measuring cups the other day and I sat on the kitchen floor and bang-bang-banged them -- it was so fun I just had to squeal.
• Play drums on anything/everything.  I smack-smack-smack my hands on the table, the computer, the box, whatever is handy, and squeal out my song.  I love it when my family joins in.
• Splish splash in the water.  My mamma puts a bucket of water out for me on the back patio so I can splish my hands around in it.  I end up tipping it over and getting all soggy bottom.  But I love it.  When somebody is holding me and they try to drink their water, I like to try it too -- I'll take a little sip (yum!) and then splish my fingers into their cup.  I love the bath tub too, until I get water up my nose and then I hate it.
• Stroller rides.  Actually, I'm not sure I love this at first, but then I get into it and I get so relaxed that I fall asleep.  The stroller takes me all kinds of fun places, and there's usually lots of kids. I love to watch kids.
• Play with my mamma's hair.  Play with my poppa's nose and lips.  Grab my mamma's earrings. Get a fistful of Evey's hair.  Grab the puppy's fur.  I basically love to grab stuff.  And paper.  I love paper.  I like to shove it in my mouth because it feels interesting.  But my poppa gets upset because I choke on it.  And then I want more paper again.

Evelyn:

• Getting my nails painted.
• Doing my hair in pony tails and pig tails and putting on clips and flowers and hairbands.  I can do my own hair pretty good.
• Swimming.  I love diving under the water and swimming through my parent's legs.  I'm pretty good at that.
• Riding my bike.  When I'm not grumpy.  When I'm grumpy it's NOT FUN.  But when I feel good, I'm so super fast on my bike. I'm learning how to use the brake.  And when I tip over it's okay cuz I just get right back on again (those training wheels don't always work).
• Going to Oma & Opa's for a sleep over.  I get treated like a princess when I'm there and I am the center of the universe and everything is so fun and there's so many projects to do.  And I have a Doc McStuffins sleeping bag.  I wish I could have a sleep over at Oma & Opa's every single day.
• Reading books.  I'm starting to sound out the words myself.  I love books.
• Going to the playground.  I always make a new friend or two or three when I go to a playground.  I love the swings and I'm learning to pump my legs so I can keep the swing going when my mamma gets tired of pushing me.
• Holding my brother.  He likes me.  But sometimes I'm a little bonkers and I pull on him too hard.  Or I feel like he's boring so I try to make him cry cuz that's more interesting.  I can't wait till he's bigger and he can play with me.

Piercings Already ?!?

Yup.  She talked us into it.

When she and I had discussed it in the past, I was clear with her about how it hurts, how it takes a lot of care, and how it essentially puts holes in your body.  She would say, "Yeah, maybe when I'm five.  Or six.  Or seven" and that would be the end of the story.  Well, not today.

I took her through the same routine -- "You know it hurts, right?"  And she did not back down.  "Please please please please PLEEEESE mamma !"  Got it in her head that she wanted earrings. So we went with Poppa and Emerson to the mall and she did it.  Brave little nut.  She sat in my lap and they did both ears at the same time. She was tense as a wood plank, but she didn't flinch.  A little watery afterward, but no more than I was (I fell apart - tears and all - hard to watch your baby get holes punched in her).

She loves them.  Taking good care of them.  She's so proud of her sparkly ears.

Can't believe my baby has earrings.  It's like a right of passage or something.  Not a baby anymore....

Caledonia's You Don't Know Jack (2001 - 2014)

My sweet Jack. I have so many gems of memory with you.  Now that you are no longer with us, my mind keeps sweeping for those gems, to help fill the gap you have left in our home.  We certainly have fuller hearts because of you.  There was no sweeter puppy than you.

In 2001 we had Austin with us, and I got this idea that he needed a playmate.  His buddy Bo a couple houses down moved away. And all the other dogs at the dog park just barked and barked at him because he was so big - nobody wanted to play with him.  So I decided to “borrow” a mastiff for the weekend.  The breeder thought I was crazy, but said “Sure - you can have Jack.”  And there you were, at the fence, 8 months old, big clumsy body and small goofy looking head, bouncing and happy and silly and so so so eager for attention. I put you in my truck and brought you home and you guys hit it off.  I “borrowed” you another time, and then asked if I could keep you over the whole Christmas break.  Their response was, “Yeah, we can’t figure out why you keep bringing him back!”  You weren’t going to be show quality, so they were just going to keep you as a kennel dog I guess.  So I took you home to be part of our family.

Once you figured out that you were going to stay, and that we were “yours” you became such a shy baby.  I think you were concerned that someone would take you back to the kennel yard (?) and so you stuck close to us like we were Velcroed. So loving, so eager for cuddles.  Austin sort of bullied you, you were such a softy.  Sorry about that.  We’d take you to the vet and you’d break out in hives (we’d have to give you benadryl).  I screwed up one July 4th and took you too close to a bottle rocket; you were terrified of fire works and thunderstorms for years and years afterward (we’d have to give you beer every July 4th to help keep you calm).

Such a goof you were.  I’ll never forget that one Christmas, as I was prepping and cooking all day for Tag’s office party, and the (raw!) pork tenderloin “went missing.”

Always so loving.  I could lay on you and snuggle with you and you’d let me (Austin never would).  You let our babies crawl on you and tug on your face.  You’d shove your big clumsy head between our knees to greet us and “hug” us (“Hide your face!”).

You loved the park and going for walks.  You’d get so excited in the back yard when we were getting ready to walk that you’d spin huge wild rhino circles (always thought you’d end up taking out my knee…).  Even to the end, you’d walk as far as you could through the field…

Thank you for loving us so fully and innocently.  Thank you for forgiving our human errors.  For greeting us every time we walked in the door, whether we appreciated it at the time or not.  Thank you for your kisses.  Your warm soft ears.  The unabashed love in your deep brown eyes.  As Tag held your head in his lap, he remarked on how you were “sweet up to the very last second.”

We love you Jack.

A Plea

As a parent, I am entirely unqualified.  I believe we all are.  Friends will give each other advice in a "believe me, I know best" sort of way, but really none of us do.  My children humble me.  There are so many gaps in my abilities that I can only pray that God will step in every 5 minutes and help smooth things out ever so much; to help me honor these amazing children that He's entrusted to my clumsy care.

As I fumble around and struggle with the challenges that my children lob at me, and as I stand there fuming in frustration with not a single clue how to proceed, may God help me default to LOVE.  With each moment of "What the heck do I do NOW??" may I fall back into a loving pause.  A reboot.  A tossing off of the anger that does no good.  A firm embrace of the best path forward -- just love them.  That way, even though it may not gain the approval of the Alpha Mommies, my babies will know the endless warm hugs, kisses and affections of their mamma.

7 months with a 4 year old

There's no slowing this kiddo down -- he's 7 months old and in a big ol' hurry to catch up to his big sister.

Army crawling across the floor, belly prickled with dog hair - so tickled with himself when he pulls up to a stand - fingers always busy assessing textures...  Turned my back for maybe 10 seconds the other day and when I turned the corner there he was ON THE SECOND STEP of the wooden staircase.  Didn't even know he could get to the first step let alone the second.  This guy is really going to keep us on our toes.

Evelyn continues to teach us how to practice patience and calm reasoning.  Or, at least, she reminds us that we need practice.  Whew, she's a handful.  Had an end of year teacher meeting with Ms. Beaty.  We actually never signed up for the parent-teacher conference, but we got a request to come in "when convenient." Ruh-roh.

Ev is doing great with her learning of course -- smart as the dickens.  Its the social stuff she still struggles with.  She's earning a reputation in the early childhood room as a "meanie." So......the coaching continues.

Took a walk in the muddy rain, both of us in our galoshes.  Ev in a polka dot raincoat and her princess panties.  Followed her through the swampy grass, stomping soggy mole tunnels, having a ball.  She's my charming, gorgeous, effervescent daughter and I love her fiercely.