The final birthday of 2012 {well, for the kids anyway}. We obviously had poor family planning! Three birthdays starting Feb. 5th and ending March 7th....every year. My first born bringing up the rear....every year. How unfair is that?
He was quick to point out to me that I was "on top of it" for Eden and Ty's birthdays, but seem to have lost interest in his. Ouch. True, I'm a bit worn out come March 7th but I have not lost interest! Not in this sweet boy!
Being the oldest, his baby, baby pics were taken on a film camera. So, I have zero little baby pics to share. {except his 9 mos. picture because I have the disc from that shoot} Even his 1st birthday was shot on film. Oh well, he is the only one with an actual album, so he should feel special about that!
9 mos.
I honestly don't know where the time has gone. A total cliche statement, but really he was this little dragon yesterday....
2
2
2
I couldn't wait to meet Colin. We knew he was a "he" before he came. He had a name. He just wouldn't come, and so I made him come...we induced...and boy does this child have a birth story!
My first lesson in the life of a Mom...you cannot control everything! And, my second lesson...your heart just grows and grows and expands... to sizes that you never dreamed possible!
big moments! {2...but 3 in a few weeks!}
3
4
the force is strong with this one!
5
kindergarten t-ball
6
another BIG moment!
7
a BIG mess after LHF daycamp
L.O.V.E this kid!
8
And now... with a heart three times bigger than I ever knew was possible {and still stretching}.
9! a whole new year!
For each year these kids tack on, I can still see this one's brand new, little eyes searching my face. I cannot believe 9 years has passed. How he's grown...how I've grown. And I know that very first night I met him won't be the last time he keeps me up into the wee hours of the morning {like tonight, for instance}. He's still teaching me how to be a Mom...the good, the bad, and the ugly...and I'm so grateful.
Happy Birthday, Colin! I love you!
{just a little side note...he was actually born on the 7th, but so late it was almost the 8th so this post is still technically on time :) }
Parenting is hard. Sometimes I want to pack my bags and run away to Australia. {it's warm there most of the time, right?} Sometimes I think, "I'm not mature enough to handle this crap". Silly, since I'm close to a year away from the big 4-0...but still, that's how I feel. I feel that way mostly when my kids are hurting from something someone said or did...when I fight with my own hurt feelings over it. When I have to restrain myself from accosting some child {or teacher, or coach} at school.
I'm sounding crazy, I know. I'm really not.
Bottom line: I want to protect my children from hurt. I want the world to see how truly amazing and wonderful they are. I want everyone to see them as I do, imperfect but perfect. But, that's not real life. In real life everyone doesn't like everyone else. People hurt other people's feelings. People are unfair to each other. It happens. All. the. time.
We had an incident like that the other day. I thought Colin was treated unfairly. I wanted to whip out an e-mail and let it rip {anyone up for a game of Bey Blades?}. Thankfully I have a husband and a best friend to talk me down. It's life. Sometimes you just have to grin and bear it. Turn the other cheek. Be the bigger person. {add another cliche here}
But, I digress. The whole point of this post was to share one of my new favorite songs. It's appropriate for occasions like those mentioned above...and many others. It's kinda been my anthem lately...although the video itself isn't my favorite, I'm loving the song...
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
It's my 3 year blogging anniversary! Back then Ty looked like this....
and Colin looked like this....
It's true...those are two of the first pictures that I posted on this blog!
Initially, I started my blog as a kind of therapy after losing Clementine...it became a way for me to focus on things other than her loss. {Thank you, Sarah, for encouraging me to start one!} It gave me a way to be able to write about things that I considered important, funny, and interesting...about my blessings and the things that are going well in my life. It was, and still is, therapeutic for me. Sometimes I've posted something that should have remained in draft form forever. I'm human. Those entries are a real part of my life, and although it may have been better to have left it publicly unsaid, they remain there as proof of my imperfection.
The goal remains to make this a place where I record our family history. To focus on the good and the fun things, but not to be too "Pollyanna"-ish. This is, after all, real life. :)
Thanks for reading my blog. Thanks for commenting {for those of you who comment} because I do L.O.V.E. comments! :) Until next time...
A: Going to Build-A-Bear. {which is where we are headed tomorrow morning with 1 school friend {Claire}, cousins Jaxson and Cally, and Colin and Eden for his Birthday party!}
This child has brought me so much joy. He has made me very, very frustrated. I love him. I am proud of him. He wears me out, but I love him anyway! I pray for the strength and patience it will take to raise him. I am blessed to be his Mom...
So we've been back for 5 days, and may I just say that reality sucks?
Not really, but I would much rather live in a world where I was on permanent vacation. Fun things planned everyday. I could leave the house with my bed unmade and towels on the floor and come home to a tidy room. I wouldn't have to meal plan or even cook and yet I could go months without having to eat the same thing twice.
Wake up!
So reality is that we've been back to work and school. We've had to cook and clean and do laundry. And, probably the worst part, there is snow on the ground and the temps have been bitterly cold. Our noses have been bleeding, our skin itchy and dry, our lips chapped and sore.
Let's look at some vacation pictures, shall we? I'm starting to get depressed.
"the only way out is down!"...5 stories! SO MUCH FUN!
best brothers
my "sugar- hound"
Epcot Illuminations...beautiful!
my loves {in front of Rockin' Rollercoaster}
Ty's very favorite moment! We had to pry him away from Lightning!
Elvis!
Colin...my boy...this picture makes my heart hurt {in a good way!}
Eden's 2nd Birthday...the whole place sang to her
joy
8 scoops of ice cream+every topping in the place+1 whole can of whipped cream =the "kitchen sink"
A whole lot of YUM and a little bit of tummy ache...
look at the crowd! And this is the "off season"...
magic!
I am already planning a return visit. Seriously. It cannot come soon enough! We had such a great time with just a few minor mishaps involving poo and stitches. Not at the same time, mind you. Colin has a permanent reminder of our trip to Disney on his face. I'll never forget his excitement this trip...Ty's either. They couldn't wait to get anywhere...constant motion! And, I'll always feel a bit embarrassed to show my face in Canada after what Eden did there. And may I just offer a bit of advice? Never leave home without PLENTY of wipes {if you have a diaper wearing child}. You never know when and where you're going to really, really need some. And also, be very careful when putting a diaper on...don't leave any cheeks hagin' out! Just sayin...
We'll continue to adjust to our real lives and hopefully I can get around to blogging more regularly and maybe even change my header to one that doesn't look so generic! Till next time...
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
We're back! We had a great time. We're exhausted. We really, really miss the BEAUTIFUL weather we had. We really, really wish we didn't come home to snow.
sigh.....
I promise to share some pictures and stories, but right now this beautiful picture will have to do...
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