Holiday highlights

Oh my poor blog, you have been so neglected lately.  But between the kids and the husband and school and church and the house and the holidays, blogging just hasn't been the priority.  But lots has been going on, and the boys are growing like crazy, so here goes.

Hubby T and I are the type of people who refuse to acknowledge the Christmas season until Thanksgiving day.  This year we were fortunate enough to kick off the holiday season by spending the Thanksgiving weekend with my grandparents, who got to meet Baby P for the first time.  

Isn't my gramma beautiful?

I know it's a big effort for them to travel, but it was very special for me to be in my parent's home surrounded by my childhood and adulthood family.  Thanks for visiting Gigi and Poppa!

Our almost 3 years old Little B is experiencing the holidays in different ways this year.  The only holiday song he is interested in singing is the song from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse's "Mickey Saves Santa," which he insists on watching every single day.  Needless to say, it's not quite so endearing as last year, when I taught him to sing the "fa la la la la" part of "Deck the Halls."  He's enjoyed playing I Spy Christmas Tree where we sit down together and I call out something I see on the tree and he has to find it.  He hasn't played much with his "activity scene" (translation: nativity scene) but loves the Christmas decorations that have appeared around the house.  He consistently wants to help take down the stockings whenever we build a fire and he insists on helping me plug and unplug the Christmas lights.  (Note: This is all about him being in control.  Yikes, this age can be tough.)  Predictably, he also loves to read our collection of Christmas books.  Clifford and "Berenstein B. Bears" continue to be favorites.  We went shopping last week so Little B could buy a present for his brother.  We picked out a nice board book, but things got a little traumatic when Little B was told he couldn't play with the book yet.  Apparently we still need to teach the concept that we don't play with presents until we give them!  We went to visit Santa Claus yesterday, his first visit ever, but he wasn't that excited.  He was shy about sitting on Santa's lap but went along with it, maybe there will be more understanding of who Santa is and excitement about visiting him next year.  For now, I am excited to see how Christmas Day will go over with him this year.  I am sure there will be much shouting and dancing and wrapping paper tearing, and probably not just off his presents!

Baby P is almost 6 months old and completely adorable.  We started him on solid food after his 4 month appointment and he started feeling heavier about a week later.  He loves eating, I mean he really, really loves it, and screams at us while making indignant, grouchy faces on a daily basis when we don't feed him quickly enough.  This little boy is a monstrously large baby!  He still is not sleeping through the night, I'm normally up once or twice, and I don't think letting him "cry it out" is going to work as well for him as it did for Little B.  (*Insert weary mama sigh*)  We'll see what the doctor says at his next appointment.  Baby P puts everything he can get his hands on immediately into his mouth, including any part of our bodies he comes into contact with.  I tell Little B that is brother is pretending to eat him, which causes Little B to laugh and then launch himself on top of Baby P so that he can be "eaten" some more.  Maybe it's a good thing after all that Baby P is so hefty!  He is also rolling himself across the room, which means I have to be extra careful what toys Little B and Little D leave lying around.

Even though I know he won't remember it, I am joyously anticipating Baby P's first Christmas and our first Christmas as a family of four.  Our life felt extra complete when Mom-Mom visited last weekend and hung his stocking on our mantle.  O come, O come emmanuel...we are ready!      

Giving thanks

For the last week or so my daily devotional has been doing a series on giving thanks.  Every day has a different theme: giving thanks in waiting, in sorrow, in security, in wandering, etc.  The two that stuck out the most to me were giving thanks in plenty and giving thanks in want.  In my life right now I relate to giving thanks in plenty.  So I especially appreciate the message of this devotion, to always remember that no matter how plentiful our lives feel, we should never forget that we are in a constant state of need of God's grace, and to rejoice that that need is constantly fulfilled.  If you are celebrating from a place of want today, I hope you can find comfort in the message of 1 Thessalonians 5:18 which doesn't ask us to give thanks for all circumstances but in all circumstances.

Thanksgiving blessings for one and all, from my blessed family to yours:) 

It won't be like this for long...

Well, if you can't tell by my silence on this blog, life has been kicking my butt lately.  I kind of feel like I'm walking around in a daze, kind of like this -

 It hasn't helped that me and both my little boys have been sick all week.  Or that Baby P has pink eye.  Or that he's waking up ridiculously often at night.  Each morning I am waking up not refreshed but still having to go into battle with a needy baby and an independent toddler.  (Yes, at least for tonight, I would characterize it as going into battle.)  And oh yes, and the holidays are coming up.  Yikes!

I keep thinking about the Darius Rucker song, "it won't be like this for long..." and hope that my run-down state of being will pass sooner rather than later.  In the midst of it all, I am finding time for my new just-for-me activity - graduate school!  I started working toward my Masters of Art in Christian Education this fall and I love it.  My first class this semester is New Testament 2 and every day it's a struggle for me to set it aside and focus on everything else in my life because I just want to keep studying!  My first paper is due this weekend and the bigger major paper is due in about 3 weeks...hopefully it won't be added to the list of things that are kicking my butt!

But enough complaining from me.  I know my problems are nothing compared to many others.  So send up some prayers for those people tonight and enjoy these pictures of our outdoor adventures this week.  I love cold fall days!!

Ready for a walk with Grampa!

Looking at each other through a hole in the tree

It's tough wrangling these boys still for a picture but Gramma got them!

Classic Little D expression:)

What is going on here?  Why am I wearing a hat that's too big and Gramma's gloves?

Mommy and Little B enjoying God's beautiful creation

Little boy and water

Sweet - Mom let me out of the stroller!

"I'm sliding down the hill!"  I tried to teach him rolling and it turned into sliding, oh well:)

 

Halloween 2013

A couple months ago I decided that we needed to get more use out of Little B's ring bearer tuxedo than just the one wedding day.  Hence the idea for "The Great Little B-bini" was born!

Huge kudos to Auntie A for finding the hat and cape!

His magician name was inspired by one of the magician library books we checked out a couple weeks ago to help introduce Little B to the magician concept (in case you're wondering, the book was Zaba Zaba and the Great Zambini, cute story:)  Despite our crash course in magic, my little guy didn't really act like a magician.  He didn't wave his wand around or say abracadabra, but he enjoyed his costume and he enjoyed trick or treating and he enjoyed laying out all his candy when he got home (just like Brother and Sister Bear in his new Berenstain Bears book!)

And of course, what would a magician be without a bunny?

Huge kudos to Gramma for sewing together his bunny hoodie!

What a silly little bunny.  He hung in there through the whisker drawing and picture taking and walking around the neighborhood with his big brother.  No candy for him though so he ended the evening like this -

This was great until he woke up and I gave him a bath instead of feeding him.  He was none too pleased to have me scrubbing his face instead of filling his tummy, yikes!  Good things come to those who wait my son.  Like sleep for you and a glass of wine and last night's Nashville episode for this Halloween-ed out mommy:)

Mommy, why am I standing in a hat?

Happy Halloween!

Lesson learned

Dear Little B,

I thought it was pretty exciting when Mom-Mom sent you a Halloween card with a five dollar bill just for you!  You thought it was exciting too.

I thought it was cute when you insisted on storing your money in the Lego fort in your bedroom.

I thought it would be really fun to go to Barnes & Noble and pick out a new Halloween book to buy with your five dollars.  You thought it would be fun to go to "Barnes to Noble" too.

You thought the Berenstain Bears book we picked out (with bonus stickers!) was great.

You thought it was fun to hand the check-out lady your book and your money.

You didn't think it was fun to not get the money back.

You sobbed genuine tears of sadness and anguish all the way home.  "I want to put the book back!  I want my money back!"  If either of your grandmothers had been with us, they would have emptied their wallets in your lap to try and make you feel better.

I didn't realize I needed to explain the concept of purchasing to you ahead of time.  I thought you would focus on what you gained.  Instead you focused on what you lost.  My mistake.

I'll do better next time buddy.  Also, you better get used to it.  All of us "want our money back" when we buy things and it almost never happens.

Love, Mommy

P.S.  You not napping their week isn't good for either of us.  Let's do better next week, ok?

Post-meltdown

Birthday Peace

Some years birthdays are a big deal.  Other years not so much.  This was one of those years and it's exactly what I wanted - a break from our hectic schedule, time with those who give me life and, of course, a delicious cake.  Many thanks to all who sent me birthday wishes and presents and love.  My life overflows with joy from having all of you in it:)

Baby P's first visit to the pumpkin patch

Not really sure why Mommy made me stick my head in this hole...

Gramma love!

Making a leaf pile with Grampa - Grampa love!

Not quite ready to help Mommy blow out the candles;)

Sacraments

Merriam-Webster defines sacrament as a Christian rite that is believed to have been ordained by Christ and that is held to be a means of divine grace or to be a sign or symbol of a spiritual reality.  We have experienced two joyous sacraments in our family over the past couple weeks.  In the midst of everyday life, they have made the beginning of this fall a pretty special time.

We had four great-grandparents, four grandparents, and two aunts join us for Baby P's baptism a couple weeks ago.  I already knew in my heart that this baby belongs to God, but I still appreciate the ritual of dedicating him.  And all the friends who also came to our very early church service to witness it. 

Someday they'll be able to hug without my assistance!

Baby P and his nouna

And this past weekend we celebrated the wedding of Hubby T's brother, Uncle B, and his beautiful new bride.  This was the first family wedding since Hubby T and I got married six years ago and I've got to say, our family really knows how to throw great weddings!  I'm not going to lie - it was an extremely stressful weekend - but absolutely one hundred percent worth it to witness the beginning of a new chapter in our family's journey.  Plus Hubby T and I got two mini date nights out of the weekend, as my parents came along to babysit the boys in the evenings at the hotel.  It's amazing what wonders can happen to a tired mom who is liberated of a diaper bag and given a glass of wine instead!  But enough about me...Little B did a perfect job as ring bearer and Hubby T did a great job as best man.  

 And Baby P did a great job being quiet...

I try hard to see the Lord working in the ordinary, everyday patterns of our lives, but it's really special when you get to witness and participate in those extraordinary moments of life as well.  I'm so excited that my boys have a new aunt and that Hubby T and I have a new sister.  Congratulations again Mr. and Mrs. P!

Moment of time

I've been experiencing that feeling that comes across me every once in awhile, that feeling that this moment of time, the way my boys are right now, is not going to last long.  So here's my attempt to capture this moment and to share it with all of you who aren't living it with us.

I tried really hard to get a good picture of them in these adorable matching outfits my aunt gave them...between a wiggly 2 year old and a baby who can't hold his head up, this was the best I could get!

Baby P is now 3 months old (can you believe I've lost track of how many weeks old he is already?!)  He is well out of the newborn stage and into loveable baby stage.  I can put him down now for periods of time and he's content to just sit and watch, rather than needing to be held all the time (phew!)  He loves to grab his feet and there are a couple toys that he's starting to "play" with when we put them within reach. 

He also enjoys grabbing my arm and holding onto it surprisingly tight when I am changing his diaper.  This frequently brings out my favorite feature of this age - his smile.  He's developed a smile that lights up his whole face and says "You are the absolute best thing in the world to me."  Melts my mommy heart every time:)  Unfortunately he rarely holds this smile for the camera.  I'd say this picture portrays about 50% of the power of his full force smile.

Grampa love

He got to the point of only waking up once a night surprisingly quickly, but in the last week or two he's regressed and he's now up twice a night.  I can definitely notice a difference in how I feel each day (dragging) so I'm hoping he'll straighten himself out again soon. 

I love when he falls asleep by himself - even if it's on the floor!

He's wearing six month size clothes already.  His next check-up is in 3 weeks, I can't wait to see how big he is now and how much he's grown, and be given the go-ahead to start him on solid food!

Trying to sit up in his car seat - gravity can't hold me down!

My wonderful Little B continues to be a bundle of energy, joy, and occasionally two year old dramatic hysterics.  Although he's shy, he is still loving his music class, which gives Hubby T and I endless amounts of joy and amusement.  The toy of the week right now is a giant floor puzzle that his Yiayia and Papou brought a couple weeks ago.  He needs a little help putting it together to start with, but then he enjoys taking the pieces off one by one and then putting them back in.  But the most notable development in him lately is his imagination.  This kid's mind is so busy!!  A few days ago we put his new floor puzzle together, then he decided to build a road on top of it.  Then he decided the road needed stores, which he named.  Then we used blocks to build a playground.  I helped him pull all the pieces together but the ideas all came from him!  I think Little D wasn't sure what to make of it all when he arrived:) 

He's using another set of blocks in his room right now to make "pizza" with "pepperoni and vegetables."  I know he got this idea from a Curious George book but I love that he's transferred the idea to his blocks.  It's wonderful to listen to him talk to himself while he plays and hear how he incorporates the things we do into his imaginary play.

Most of all, I absolutely love how much he loves his brother.  He's generally very gentle with him, loves giving him hugs, and is very understanding when I have to stop something I am doing with him to take care of the baby.

  
I can't wait to see how their interactions change and become more meaningful as Baby P grows this fall.  Bring on pumpkin everything!!!

Peace

When I had to move across country between my junior and senior year of high school, a friend gave me a wall hanging with Jeremiah 29:11 printed on it: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  It was a very comforting verse at the time, when my life was being turned upside down, and during all the difficult times of my life since then

So when the verse came up in my bible study this morning, part of me sighed and thought, oh geez, not this verse again.  I get it already!  But, in an amazing moment that reminds you to never think you have God or His word figured out, the verse was presented in the King's James translation, which reads, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

Well that's different.  If you compare the parts of the verse, the meanings don't quite match up, at least not to me.  "Plans to prosper you" seems very different than "thoughts of peace."  "Plans to give you hope and a future" is different than "an expected end."  Without knowing the original Greek (Hebrew?) that it was written in, I have no way of discerning what the original language actually said or meant.  So I've been dwelling on it off and on all day.  There is a certain warmness to the idea that God has plans to prosper you, to give you hope and a future.  There is a certain mystery to the idea that God wants to give you peace and an expected end.  I'm not even entirely sure what "an expected end" means!  But peace I can understand.  Peace is a new way of looking at the promise that God makes in this verse.  It tells us that no matter what is going on in our lives, God is thinking thoughts of peace about us.  Regardless of whether we feel it or not, God is thinking thoughts of peace about what is going on in our lives and our souls.

So today I have been praying for peace.  Peace for my friend who is suffering a multiple-days long migraine and stomach flu, along with her young son who also has the flu.  Peace for my friend whose father was in a tragic accident and whose life will never be the same again.  Peace for Syria.  Peace for Kenya.  Peace among the conflicts that exist in my family.  Peace for my sons*.  But most of all I am thankful that when I pray I know peace will come, regardless of whether we realize it, because of God's power and overwhelming love.  What a beautiful promise.

* Especially the fussy one who has had a pacifier stuck in his mouth almost non-stop all day so that I can have a moment of quiet...maybe whoever named it pacifier was thinking of pacify, which kind of connects to peace doesn't it?  Maybe it's just because I'm desperate for "a moment's peace"!

Field day

Now that I have my two boy's carseats in my back seat, I don't have room for Little D's car seat.  So on the days when he is with us, we can only venture as far as we can go on foot.  Fortunately there's a huge sports complex, with many wide open fields and two playgrounds, within walking distance!  I took the boys over to the soccer field on this beautiful fall morning to run some energy out.  It's amazing how much fun you can have with a couple balls, a frisbee, and bubbles:)

Here we go!  In case you can't make it out, that's a huge grin on Little D's face

Little B hysterically crying, "No Little D!  Stop!  I want to be the engine!!" (meaning, I want to be first)

This is how little boys play with soccer nets

Didn't you know?  Soccer is played with hands when you're 2:)

Snoozer

Thank goodness for fences, otherwise we would all still be running!

Looking forward to the day when he learns to actually throw the frisbee, although he had an awful lot of fun just chasing it!

Wow the wind blows bubbles far!

Bubble joy:)

Look who woke up!

Trying to get these two to sit together for a picture is not easy

Cheese!