Some fun...

Whenever anyone tells me how much they love the stories about my kids, I just remind them that all kids are comical...I'm just very intentional about documenting it! These pictures and stories will be great to share with them someday!

Nate got some Bendaroos as a Christmas gift and they are by far, the 'quiet' activity of choice when Adri is napping. This weekend, we made some decorations for the window.

I said, "Nate, what's coming out of that beehive?"

"It's not a beehive. It's an ice cream cone," he answered.

"How come the cone is so big and the ice cream and cherry are so small?"

"Mooooommmmmm," he said very frustrated. "I made this one for Gabe and he likes ice cream better than the cone."

I was still confused. "So why didn't you make the ice cream bigger?"

"Because I don't like him, remember?"

Yes, it's true...Gabe watched the entire movie this way!

My life as the mom of a daughter is still so new for me. I'm surprised by her love for 'bling' because I'm so far from 'blingy!' I will admit to how fun it is, though...watching her style emerge!

A tutu, mardi gras beads, her PJ's and snow boots!

Okay...off with the shirt (I have no idea where she gets this) and on with my boots!

Happy Tuesday!

Fishing in the dark

A strange thing happened tonight. I was driving home from the store and a song came on the radio that took me back to an afternoon, about 8 years ago!

I was running a little late for an appointment with a client in Bloomington. I was late, mainly, because I had already made a pit stop about 4 times! My sweet little baby had apparently decided that his (although I didn't know at this point that he was a he) favorite spot to sit was on my bladder! And by the way, he camped there for the next 5 months! Of course, it could also have been the 3 cups of decaf I'd had that morning.

My pregnancy still didn't seem very real to me. I was still wearing my regular clothes, and strangely, the only thing that had changed about my body was my appetite and bra size! I never got that lucky again! Being pregnant is still really confusing to me...and I've done it three times!

I was listening to Jim, Deb and Kevin on WFMS (because that's the only station I listened to at that time), and just as their morning show ended, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band began playing Fishing in the Dark. I turned the radio up louder and began to sing...yes, I do that! Just as I blurted out, "Spring is almost over and the summer's come and the days are gettin' long," the little thing inside my tummy decided to start dancing! I got flush and contemplated pulling over. I started talking to myself, although I don't remember what I said. At first, I thought maybe my small intestine didn't like the eggs I had eaten for breakfast, but once again, my sweet potato sized baby, made his appearance known! It was amazing. As I type this, I'm getting that excited feeling my stomach again! I'm so glad that my appointment was with a client that I'd been working with for about 4 years. She knew me pretty well and could quickly tell that something exciting had happened on my drive. She also shared my news with her employees before introducing me at the meeting.

Isn't it funny how a song can take you back like that? Sometimes a smell will do that to me, too. Whenever I smell garlic, I remember how my great grandma would let me sprinkle the garlic powder on the bread that she'd bake for Sunday dinner. I think I was about 5 or 6. She'd say, "Not too much. I don't want to smell your breath from across the room!" The smell of Wrigley gum reminds me of my grandpa's leather jacket that he'd wear to Highland Basketball games when I was in elementary school...it still smells like that...heck, it may be the same jacket!

Happy weekend!

TUTU GIRL

Nate and Gabe currently share a room just on the other side of the kitchen. I'm sure they hear, very well, the noises of the house after they go to bed. That's usually our time to get ready for the next day by packing lunches, setting out coffee mugs (yes, I realize this proves my obsessive compulsive tendencies), doing the dishes that were used during the day (have I mentioned that we don't have a dishwasher?), and lately, making decisions regarding the house. It's not uncommon for Gabe to come out of his room 16 times, asking for a drink of water, wondering what's for breakfast or on the agenda the next day, or requesting just one last hug and kiss. I'm used to it...it's been going on since he was 18 months old and learned to crawl out of his crib! There are times, I'll admit, that I bribe them with a 'prize' the next morning if they stay in bed. Of course, Nate always gets the reward, but Gabe...not always...rarely, in fact!

Today, Gabe told me that he didn't want to move to our new house because he didn't like where his bed was going to be. I thought he meant that he wouldn't like having his own room and may be scared to sleep alone...he hasn't since he was 1! After further questioning, I discovered that he's worried about how far his room will be from the kitchen in the new house. He told me that he likes listening to Matt and I talk and giggle (yes, he used that word) after he goes to bed and he won't be able to hear that in the new house because his room is too far away!

"Why do you like listening to Daddy and I talk when you're trying to go to sleep? I asked. "Doesn't that keep you up?"

"No, it helps me go to sleep. It's sweet!"

You know, I've always sang to my kids before bedtime. It may sound scary to you, but that's all they know...and so far, they haven't judged! The songs of choice are usually Amazing Grace or The Wheels on the Bus (sounds relaxing, I know). I hadn't realized that listening to Matt and I talk at the end of the day is part of Gabe's bedtime routine, too. I also hadn't realized how therapeutic that could be for a kid. What a gift, to give your children the privilege of parents who ENJOY CONVERSATION WITH ONE ANOTHER and CAN STILL LAUGH WITH EACH OTHER after 11 years of marriage!

I remember how different our evenings were before we had kids. There were nights that we may not have even had dinner until 9 pm. In fact, that was probably the norm. The day seemed to start after we got off work and headed home. I'll be honest, by 6 o'clock, most days, I'm counting down for the day to end! Now, instead of a leisurely evening of dinner out and unlimited adult conversation, we get to talk about our day over dishes crusted with Chef Boy R D while packing peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches in Spiderman and Scooby Doo lunch boxes. If we're lucky, the conversation doesn't stop after preparations have been made for the following day. They may continue for a few minutes after my back end hits the couch...but not usually!

I know I've said this before, but I learn so much from my kids. They remind me, often, things that I forget in the day to day grind. This was a good one, Gabe. Thanks for reminding me how much I still value spending time with Daddy and for also reminding me how important it is to keep it up. You're one smart kid!

Just for a laugh, I attached this photo. My friend Amy responded, after I sent this to her in a text, "You don't see a girl pushing a cart in a tutu everyday...unless you're at Wal Mart!" Yes, we're mean!

Nap time for Mommy, too!

January 4, 2011

My eyes were watering and my nose was running. I scared Adrianna every time I sneezed. She must have thought the house was falling down! Gabe told me that I was sneezing like the guy onthe The Cat in the Hat movie that gets covered in green slime at the end of the movie! I broke down and took a couple of Benadryl.

The request for lunch was ravioli, corn, and banana bread. The kids would eat Chef Boy R D for every meal if I’d let them. I prepared their lunch and began mine. For me…a salad. After only about 5 minutes, Gabe had informed me that he only likes Mamaw’s corn and was only going to eat his ravioli. If I request that he eats corn, he “was never going to eat again!” Just as I was about to convince him that Mamaw’s corn is fresh and we can’t get it in the winter, Adrianna started shouting, “DUN DUN DUN DUN!” “Eat your ravioli’s,” I coaxed. She inhaled the corn, but refused everything else. For once, this kid was refusing pasta in orange tomato sauce...that's weird! So, in summary, neither kid was happy about their lunch and they picked it!!! “You’re not just having corn for lunch, Adri,” I said. I looked away…big mistake. As I turned back around, she was dumping her ravioli all over the floor! I immediately called for Keely. Having a dog is good for lots of reasons. She’s helpful when the kids spill food on the floor. “Oh, darn, she’s outside!” I walked to the door, cracked it, and yelled for her. She was nowhere to be seen! By this time, Adri is screaming “DUN DUN DUN,” again and Gabe is on my heels calling for the dog, “KEY KEY KEY KEY!” I convinced Adri that she wasn’t done, by refilling her bowl with corn. Just then, I noticed out of the kitchen window that a car was stopped in the middle of the road. That dumb dog…she has about 3 acres to play in and she chooses to go across the street! Luckily, she was fine. I realize this makes me a terrible pet owner, but what can I say, “There’s a lot going on this afternoon and I forgot to close the gate!” I opened the front door and waved to the person in the car. She smiled and waved back. As Keely was running up the driveway, I noticed that she was muddy from her feet to her belly! Guess what? The ravioli stayed on the floor until she got a quick towel dry job. It was now safe to let Adri down. Keely had her afternoon snack! The plan was to mop and give Keely a real bath after the kids were down for a nap. They finished eating, the floor stayed sticky, Keely stayed muddy, and I didn’t eat lunch. You know why? Because the Benadryl kicked in and I took a nap with them!

January 5, 2010

Adrianna LOVES her Wheels on the Bus movie and even if she's not watching it, we have to have the sound on so that she can dance and listen while she's playing. I just realized that all 3 of my kids have loved this movie. I can't find a video of Nate singing it when he was younger, but I know he did. I remember having to sing it to him all the way from my mom's house on Sunday, after dinner, so that he wouldn't scream because he was ready for bed.

Happy day, everyone! As Nate would say (and Mrs. Gernand), "Make it a great day!"

How would you describe yourself?

I recently read an article online about a woman who complained about losing her identity after 11 years of being a stay at home mom. I can’t find it now (darn). She interviewed for her first ‘real’ job after her 4^th child started kindergarten and was asked by the interviewer, “How would you describe yourself?” Her response was, “I don’t know. Let me think about it.” After what seemed like several minutes, she realized that she couldn’t answer that question. The article went on to explain how important it is to take care of yourself, as a mom, in the midst of raising your kids. If you don’t, , you’ll forget who you are!

So, I’m imagining that someone just asked me, “How would you describe yourself?” Here it goes….

“I’m a wife to 1, a mom to 3, a daughter to 2, a sister to 1 (a sister in law to 11), an aunt to 26 (almost 27), and a friend to many. I love to drink coffee, especially Starbucks, and enjoy journaling about my family. I can’t walk past a baby without imagining when mine were tiny and all children make me smile. I’d have 10 more kids if I thought there was enough of me to go around. Hearing about children who are abused or hungry makes me angry and I get nauseas when I smell cinnamon or walk into a hospital to visit someone sick. I’d pass up a date with the President or even Tom Cruise for an evening at home with my family and a bowl of popcorn. I love Mexican food, margaritas, getting pedicures and dates with my husband. I dream of the day when I go back to work…not because of the extra money or time among other adults using my expensive college education, but because I’ll have a good reason to have a cleaning lady!

12 Days of Christmas and 7 Days of New Years

This has been a journal entry in progress since Monday, December 13th! You'll see why as you read.

I love Mondays! Seems odd, right? Most people dread them. I love the weekends because Matt’s home and we can spend time together as a family, but come Monday morning, I’m ready for the week! I heart Mondays mainly for 2 reasons…

1. My kids and I enjoy the day much more when we have a routine (okay…me more than the kids).

2. I also love Mondays because I get to spend the afternoon at Nate’s school, thanks to the most awesome babysitter. We love you, Elise!

What could make a Monday any better, you ask? Well, a 2 hour delay to start! So, instead of starting our week at 6:30, we didn’t have to get up until 8:30. And believe it or not, my kids stayed in bed until then! Wow!

After a morning at home, getting back into our regular routine, Elise showed up, releasing me for an afternoon of making copies, hanging up vocabulary words, using the laminator, and smiling at kids in the East Elementary hallways (and high fiving a few that think I’m really cool)! I walked into Mrs. Ryan’s class and she presented me with a Christmas gift. It was a sweet basket with ‘Martin’ embroidered on the side. She said something to the effect of how thankful she is that I donate my time to help her and it was all I could do to keep from crying. Seriously? She’s thanking me? I need to be thanking her for letting me be a part of her classroom. There isn’t anything I’d rather be doing when I’m there! I enjoy getting to know the teachers and students at Nate’s school. I did manage to hold back the tears while in the classroom, but shed just a few on the short walk to the workroom. At this point, I was floating and didn’t imagine that my day could get better!

After school was out, Nate had play practice and I had some elf costumes to drop off on the stage. While there, one of the elves said, “Thank you for doing this. You’re awesome!” I was wrong…the day did get better!

When I got home and was opening the front door for Elise as she was leaving, I noticed a package on the front porch. It read, “Miss Amanda. Do not open until Tuesday December 14^th!” As I type this, I’ve managed to refrain from curiosity and not open the gift. Not sure if I’ll make it, or not!

I eagerly woke up this morning anxious to see what unwrapping the package would reveal. The note explained that the large package held several smaller packages…one for me to open each day leading up to Christmas and then 7 more to open leading up to New Year’s Day. There were three rules. 1. Do no discuss with anyone outside of my immediate family (I hope my mom counts because she knows about the secret delivery and won’t let it go unless I share my findings with her). 2. I can guess who the giver is, but can’t say anything until I know for sure. 3. I can only open one gift per day. This is gonna be fun!

December 14, 2010 (day 1) 6:39 am: Are you kidding me? It’s one thing to ask me only to open one gift a day, but not talk about it? You must know how difficult this will be for me! I think it could be Elise because of the obvious…she was the one here when the package was delivered. And I checked the snow for footprints…I didn’t notice any up the walk, so could it have been someone that came in through the garage? And because the money still hasn’t been spent from our November BUNCO pot, I’m thinking it could be a BUNCO babe! Which leads me to wonder…how did that money get spent? So far, I’m still following the rules! I’ll admit, the ‘Miss Amanda’ thing is throwing me off a bit. No one refers to me as Miss Amanda except for the kids in the nursery and preschool classes at church. Since gift #12 was the big bag including all gifts, I’m very curious for tomorrow…will there be clues to help me guess the giver in each small package? It sounds silly, but this is the most excitement we’ve had in our family in a LONG time! Is it tomorrow yet?

December 15, 2010 (day 2) 6:23 am: Today’s package was a Glade Plug in. Very nice…definitely a scent I would have picked myself. I must say, I’m a bit disappointed. I really thought there would be some clue giving me a hint as to who this secret giver is. I still think it’s my BUNCO babes. It has been really easy to get out of bed the last few days. I could get used to this!

December 16, 2010 (day 3) 7:01 am.: The gift for today was a hand towel…very cute… has Christmas stockings on it. I still can’t get my thoughts off the fact that Elise was here when the package was delivered. She MUST have something to do with it…at least I think she does. In all seriousness, I have no idea who this giver could be!

December 17, 2010 (day 4) 6:14 am: Christmas socks! One can NEVER have too many Christmas socks! I think I’ll wear them in celebration of the holiday with the shirt I found, which says, “Tis the season to be moody.” My grandma oughtta like it!

December 18, 2010 (day 5) 12:34 am: It was a busy morning. We had to be out of the house by 7:45. For a weekday, this is late…for a Saturday…it was torture! Things settled down after lunch and the present for today was discovered to be icicle ornaments. The kids loved them! The curiosity leaves me wondering again…who could this Secret Santa be? And what did I do to deserve this thoughtfulness? Whoever you are, I am certainly enjoying a prize, just for getting up everyday!

December 19, 2010 (day 6) 9:10 am: Holiday socks

December 20, 2010 (day 7) 8:11 am: I must confess…this is quite fun…another Christmas tree ornament!

December 21, 2010 (day 8) 8:07 am: This giver must know how much my kids love to display their projects on the refrigerator because the gift for today was refrigerator magnets.

December 22, 2010 (day 9) 7:14 am: Apparently, there is a lot that my children and I have in common. I think the most visible thing that Gabe and I have in common is our love for socks! I have a thing for them and LOVE to buy them for no reason for the kids and for myself. Gabe is usually the only one that gets excited when I come home from an outing with socks for him in tow! This special person who’s been giving me gifts must know about this love for foot coverings…hmmmm…still thinking it has something to do with my BUNCO babes or Elise…I know…I’m not broadening my spectrum much, am I?

December 23, 2010 (day 10) 3:07 pm: Holiday Socks…I’m lovin’ this!

December 24, 2010 (day 11) 8:34 am: a heart trivet…I’ll use this tonight!

December 25, 2010 (day 12) 9:51 am: The gift for today was a Christmas photo album. I can hardly stand it anymore! Only one more week! I’m wondering about how this secret gift giver will make himself or herself apparent. There haven’t been any clues in any of the packages and since I’m not allowed to talk with anyone about it, I can’t ask around to get my clues. Maybe it will ALWAYS be a secret??? No…that’s just plain mean!

December 26, 2010 (day 13) 8:12 am: I now have 7 more days of gifts and have to wait another whole week before finding out who the secret giver is…the annoying part….there are NO CLUES in any of the gifts! I still think it’s BUNCO related or Elise knows something…hmmm…she must. If it’s not either of them, I’ll be REALLY SURPRISED! The gift for today is MORE SOCKS!

December 27, 2010 (day 14) 9:58 am: More socks!

December 28, 2010 (day 15) 12:22 pm: This gift is pretty cool…an emergency contact info sheet that you stick to the refrigerator. Ok…I’m sure the giver has kids!

December 29, 2010 (day 16): 9:22 am: I’m starting to get curious and even more frustrated that there are NO clues in any of this stuff. The gift for today is a candle…the house smells sweetly of vanilla sugar, toasted coconut and hazelnut toffee.

December 30, 2010 (day 17) 12:40pm: If my secret giver is Elise, the worlds best babysitter, this gift would be quite appropriate for me…although, I think I’m pretty clear when I leave the kids with her…at least I think I am! The gift for today is a Babysitter info sheet to leave on the refrigerator.

December 31, 2010 (day 18) 8:09am: A bird feeder…does the giver know my kids…we love to watch birds!

January 1, 2010 (day 19) 11:44 am: The last gift of the 12 days of Christmas and 7 days of New Years was a friendship plaque…the secret giver is Nancy! Thank you so much Nancy for the thoughtfulness and caring gesture! You are awesome…no wonder your kids are awesome, too! We are so thankful for your family and giving nature.

In honor of the wonderful Miss Nancy, I want to share something that happened a few weeks back. Mrs. Ryan, Nate’s teacher, asked if I would come in and help the class with a Christmas project the week before Christmas break. She gave me AMPLE notice and I asked Matt if he could take the morning off. Sharing in this with Nate was important to me. I LOVE helping at the school and his classroom. The day before, Matt informed that he had an important meeting that he couldn’t miss and was unable to stay home that morning with Adrianna. I called Elise (the worlds best babysitter and most incredible young lady) to see if she was available and unfortunately, she wasn’t. Shortly after, I got a text from Elise saying that her mom was available and the tears started to fall! Like I said above, this is an AMAZING family! For the past few years, Elise, and sometimes her brother, Steven, have watched the kids while we’ve gone to church on Wednesday nights and often helped on Mondays when I go to school with Nate. The boys love them…and when Adrianna isn’t asleep or hot tempered because Mommy isn’t nearby, she loves them, too! They are patient with the kiddos, kind, and great examples of what it means to be responsible young adults…these are just the kind of people you want your kids to look up to. We consider ourselves HONORED to have them spending time with our children. Something funny that I’ve never shared with Elise is that she always says, “Thanks,” when she leaves…seriously? I say thank you, too, but I’m the one that should be thankful!

After returning home on that Wednesday afternoon, I told Nancy how appreciative I was of her willingness to help out. She responded with something like, “Consider this my Christmas present to you because you do so much for our kids.” Again…seriously? They’re ALWAYS doing things for us!

A few years back, Nancy lead a Mom’s Bible Study that I participated in, while going through A LOT of emotional stuff in my life. We were having infertility issues (I know that’s hard to believe now with 3 kids) and I was really struggling with the isolation I felt as a stay at home mom. Nancy was always there, with kind and encouraging words, reminding me that no matter what I was going through or how I felt, I wasn’t alone! That group got me through a really difficult time and I don’t know that I ever thanked her for initiating that study!

When I talked to Nancy this morning, she said to me, “I am so BLESSED by YOU and your family!” Did I tell you how awesome this family is?

We had an AMAZING Christmas! We have been blessed with family, friendship, and each other!!! Thank you to my friend, Nancy, for giving me yet, another reminder, of what the season is really about…giving to one another, counting your blessings, and LOVE!