right now

Right now my 2 1/2 week old baby is napping ( more like sleeping the entire day away so that she can party all night) and my 4 yr. old (+ 2 days) has decided that being 4 is license to be loud and mouthy and that even though he wants to wear underwear, that it's still acceptable to pee and poop whenever and wherever you feel like.

Right now I feel like my head is going to go spinning off of my body and orbit the earth! Right now I could stand to do about 5 more loads of laundry (see above about the peeing, pooping 4 yr. old). Right now I'd love to take off on a walk by myself and blow off some steam. Right now I am more frustrated than I've ever been in my whole life!

And right now I'm going to go sit quietly and count my blessings in spite of it all!

middle man

Being a middle child myself, and knowing how sometimes you feel a bit overlooked, I have to give Ty some much needed attention. He is so proud to be a Big Brother. I don't think I've ever seen a child ooze such pride as Ty did the moment he laid eyes on his little sister. And, it came without all the fanfare, as it so often does, for the middle child.

When we were expecting Ty, Colin was of course prepped for his new role as big brother. We talked about it at great lengths. Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, friends...all made a big deal of the fact that he would soon be the Big Brother! When Ty finally arrived Colin was a big part of all the attention...showered with gifts, people went out of their way to keep Colin in the spotlight.

Now, I'm not saying that we didn't prep Ty for his new role...we did. Only the spotlight never shown on Ty alone, Colin was always there too to absorb some of the attention. I'm sure he hasn't noticed...but I have. I'm so proud of the sweet little guy that he is. He is such a good kid, and he sure loves that little sister of his. My heart melts when I look at the picture of his little face beaming with joy as he holds Eden for the first time...my little middle man.

little piece of heaven

Eden Arabela

8 lbs. 2 oz. 20 inches

February 5, 2010 7:33a.m.

in memeory

Yesterday a butterfly
Came floating gently through the sky.
She soared up through the atmosphere
Then drifted close enough to hear.

I said,"I'd love to fly with you
And sail around the way you do.
It looks like it would be such fun
To fly up toward the summer sun.

But I have not your graceful charm.
I haven't wings, just these two arms.
I've been designed to walk around.
My human feet must touch the ground."

Then magically she spoke to me
and told me what her wish would be.

She said, "What I'd love most to do
Is walk upon God's Earth with you,
To squish it's mud between my toes
Or touch my finger to my nose.

I'd love just once to walk around
With human feet to touch the ground.
But I have not two legs that swing,
I haven't arms, just these two wings."

And so we went our separate ways
In wonder and surprise.
For we'd both seen God's precious gifts
Through someone else's eyes.

-Author Unknown

Clementine Grace
January 21, 2009

Forever in our hearts...

a blessing

I have to say that if I could play a chorus of angels singing and shine a heavenly light onto this post I would! Anyone who has had sinus issues and has not tried The Neti Pot...well, you're just plain unfortunate. I have been dealing with sinus pressure for the last two weeks. A couple of times I even think I may have wished for death...especially when the barometric pressure changed! It has been excruciatingly painful at times. But thanks to the good, old neti pot I've gotten some awesome relief.

If I could show you the "stuff" I've gotten out of my sinuses with this thing...well, you'd probably barf but, I can assure you, you would be in awe. I know I am every time...I am truly amazed at how much mucus my sinuses can hold. OK! Enough snot talk...just wanting to help the sinus sufferers out there...if you haven't tried the neti pot don't say I didn't do my best to convince you!

for Jenny

Pregnancy update! I haven't done much talking about it because I honestly haven't felt like it was really gonna happen until a few months ago. It's been a long journey. I've been pregnant forever minus three short months in the middle. I'm ready to have my body back and at the same time, not.

I am 35 weeks as of yesterday! Hooray! And, my c-section is scheduled for February 5th. That is the good thing about c-sections...you can always plan them and you have a definite end in sight!

I am looking forward to meeting "gumdrop" (Ty gave her that nickname)...a dream of a third finally coming true. Scary and exciting all at the same time! And, here before we know it...

looking forward

Happy New Year! I'm totally in the mood to clean out and organize just like Better Homes and Gardens and Target and every other magazine and retailer want me to be. I'm a good little consumer! Just one slight problem...my expanding belly and dwindling energy...I guess that's technically two problems. Being "advanced maternal age" ain't no joke. What is a joke is that every part of my being wants to clean, organize, and simplify...one, because (as I mentioned before) it's in my face 24/7, and two, because I'm in my last 4 weeks of pregnancy and I'm a nesting fool right now. So, the joke is that I have zero energy! Three words..."advanced maternal age", and two other very important factors, Colin and Ty (whom I adore, of course).

So...first lesson of 2010. Let go. Give up the illusion of control. Cry. Get over it. Nap. :)

the dreaded teacher's gift

It's the one thing I usually have the hardest time with, but this year I'm on the ball. I knew from the get-go just exactly I was going to do. So on top of it, I even remembered to plant the amaryllis bulb 6 weeks before Christmas so that it would be blooming or close to blooming by the time we gave it to Mrs. Schnell. It's growing right along and it will be beautiful with a bit of moss shoved on top when it's finally ready to give.

The bulb is planted in a tin can which has been decoratively covered in paper. I used scrap book paper, but I've used wrapping paper in the past too. I attached a handmade envelope with a card that slides out which holds a gift card ($10 to Target...who wouldn't love that?). Ta-Da...teacher gift!

This year Colin also has a teacher's helper. She checks the mad-minute math tests and tests the kids on their sight words and spelling. She also helps in the reading group for the advanced readers in his class (Proud Mama moment--Colin's in her group :) Sorry for bragging...). Anyway, I felt that I should acknowledge her in some way...she's a really sweet lady and possibly volunteers her time (?) I'm not sure. I decided a handmade ornament might be nice...

This was a kit I bought a couple of years ago by Basic Grey. I'm glad to finally use it and it turned out super cute! I'm debating if I should also do a gift certificate for her too? Maybe some cookies? Suggestions anyone?

Merry Christmas to our feathered friends

Here's our birdie treat ornaments that we made. It was simple...easy for Ty (my three year old) to do, but messy!

Use a cookie cutter to cut a shape out of a slice of bread. Poke a hole in the top with a pencil. Brush an egg white onto the bread and press the birdseed on top. Let it dry. Then thread a piece of ribbon or yarn ( I used twine...it's the best, right Sarah?) through the hole and tie it to a tree branch as a treat for the birds.

Two proud boys...(one incredibly cold mama taking the picture). We didn't get to stay out long...8 degrees? Are you kidding me? I hate winter!

It's beginning to look...a little bit like Christmas?

This year...I must admit...I'm a little less eager to decorate for Christmas. Maybe it's because of this...
Or, because of these...

or perhaps a bit of both :)! But, I'm sure, due to my "advanced maternal age" all I want to do is sit my fat fanny on the couch and put my swollen ankles up! Still we've managed to get some stuff done...

Our sweet little gingerbread house...Chris is quite the gingerbread house artist, I must say!

Our version of "elf on the shelf". This elf watched over me back in the day...if my parents had only had enough vision to write a book... :).

The reason for the season...

Our tree...a bit sparse...but decorated with love by the boys. We just left the ornaments where they put them for the most part...

"Joy to the world"... simple, but I like simple...

Our unconventional advent candles...

Christmas mischief...they're changing the oil :)!

It's amazing to me with my somewhat "bah humbug" Christmas mood how my kids are somewhat immune to it (thank God). Their JOY at Christmas does lift my spirits and takes me back to a time when Christmas was nothing but JOY and MAGIC! It makes me appreciate my parents more...I never saw "behind the curtain" to witness the stress of the holidays...it makes me want to be a better parent. And so I'm off to make bird food ornaments for our feathered friends...because it's fun for them...

better direction

Do you ever have those days where your head feels as if it will go spinning off your body and out into orbit? Well, today was one of those days for me. If I were a bit more not "emotionally crazy" I may have handled it better but...well, I am who I am. Fortunately I do possess the ability to pull from some small reserve of inner strength and give myself a good talking to. I am, after all, quite blessed indeed. And, although I believe everyone needs to host their own personal "pity party" every now and then for their own mental health, it is equally important to know when to holler ,"last call" and then move on. For me that means stopping right where I am and thinking immediately of five reasons for which I am thankful... today it looked like this...
1. my boys...all of them
2. the roof over my head (even though it's under construction right now and causing a lot of my emotional distress! :))
3. that I had nutella in the house
4. the day was beautiful
5. the knowledge that this too will pass
Then...move on. Still not completely not emotionally crazy but headed in a better direction! :)