In honor of Mother's Day...
I found this from a friend on Facebook and thought it would be fun to do with Anna-Kate.
1. What is something mom always says to you?
"I love you"
2. What makes mom happy?
"When I give you stuff"
3. What makes mom sad?
"When I disobey"
4. How does your mom make you laugh?
"By doing silly stuff "
5. What was your mom like as a child?
"Almost like me!" (then said, "because, you know, you look like me")
6. How old is your mom?
"60 hundred"
7. How tall is your mom?
"I'll need to measure you. Stand up. You are not very tall. Umm, how about sixteen hundred, four, one." (what???)
8. What is her favorite thing to do?
"Play dress-up"
9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
"Go to the store"
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
"for playing dress up"
11. What is your mom really good at?
"Playing outside"
12. What is your mom not very good at?
"ballet"
13. What does your mom do for her job?
"plays with us"
14. What is your mom's favorite food?
"macaroni and cheese"
15. What makes Mommy proud of you?
"doing stuff she asks me to"
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
"a princess"
17. What do you and your mom do together?
"play games"
18. How are you and your mom the same?
"we have long yellow princess hair"
19. How are you and your mom different?
"we wear different clothes"
20. How do you know your mom loves you?
"she does"
21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
"Johhny's" (pizza)
Monday, May 10, 2010
A visit with Mimi!
Chris' mom, Mimi, came to visit and meet Jack. It was so fun having her out! We went out to dinner, played and drank coffee and relaxed. Perfect. :)
On Saturday, Jack and I went out of town for a baby shower for one of my best friends. I have no pictures of the event because I left my camera for Chris to get some pictures of the kids with his mom. (You know where this is going right?). Ya, he didn't take any. Not one. Sorry Mimi, I guess you'll just have to come back soon!
While I was gone they went to Costco, picked up Chick-fil-A (my MIL's first visit!), played at the park, took naps, went for a walk and ate dinner out back. During that, Jack and I visited with friends, went to the baby shower (so good to see you Jenn and Al!!) and I got to have dinner with one of my college roommates. It was a fun day...but Jack and I were both quite tired after all of the festivities and coming and going in one day. (He showed me his dislike by screaming a majority of the way home.Thank you Jack.)
Hope he gets over his intense hatred of the carseat before we drive to Florida this summer!
On Saturday, Jack and I went out of town for a baby shower for one of my best friends. I have no pictures of the event because I left my camera for Chris to get some pictures of the kids with his mom. (You know where this is going right?). Ya, he didn't take any. Not one. Sorry Mimi, I guess you'll just have to come back soon!
While I was gone they went to Costco, picked up Chick-fil-A (my MIL's first visit!), played at the park, took naps, went for a walk and ate dinner out back. During that, Jack and I visited with friends, went to the baby shower (so good to see you Jenn and Al!!) and I got to have dinner with one of my college roommates. It was a fun day...but Jack and I were both quite tired after all of the festivities and coming and going in one day. (He showed me his dislike by screaming a majority of the way home.Thank you Jack.)
Hope he gets over his intense hatred of the carseat before we drive to Florida this summer!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Mothers Day, part 4
My first mother's day was when I was extremely pregnant with Anna-Kate and irritated with my girl for not being in arms for my first moms day.
Since then, we've added to our family and I love the annual day to relax and see the sweet things my kids bring home from Sunday school and school (and, thankfully, the token of their appreciation has gotten steadily better than the king sized reeces cup Chris bought me my first "official" mothers day).
This morning the kids came running upstairs (after Chris got them up and fed) to bring me their homemade Mother's Day cards. Is there anything sweeter than that accompanied by "happy mommy day, mommy!" over and over!? We went to church and then to Uncle Julios for lunch. YUM. Quite thankful to have discovered (I believe) the only Mexican restaurant in the area with freshly made tortillas (and that's a deal breaker for this Tex-Mex snob). We came home, the kids napped and Chris, Mimi and I sat around chatting and enjoying the time to relax. The kids picked out a new hot pink knockout rose for the backyard (I have a feeling I know who made the color selection :) ) and Chris bought me a bottle of wine. Very nice.
Anna-Kate brought home a gift she made in school as well. (Though she was too excited to wait until today to give it to me and handed it to me in the parking lot of school on Thursday). It was a flower pot she had painted with a fork stuck in some green moss holding a (pink paper) flower. I think I'm gonna put a picture of her in the flower. So sweet. My favorite part of the gift was her letter. See?
(Sidenote, I always love my daughter...not just when she makes her bed.). :)
Blessing #1:
Blessing # 2:
Blessing #3:
I am one blessed Mama!
And finally, thanks to my mom for everything you've done for me over the years. You have taught me so much and been a wonderful example of Godly mothering. I love you!
Since then, we've added to our family and I love the annual day to relax and see the sweet things my kids bring home from Sunday school and school (and, thankfully, the token of their appreciation has gotten steadily better than the king sized reeces cup Chris bought me my first "official" mothers day).
This morning the kids came running upstairs (after Chris got them up and fed) to bring me their homemade Mother's Day cards. Is there anything sweeter than that accompanied by "happy mommy day, mommy!" over and over!? We went to church and then to Uncle Julios for lunch. YUM. Quite thankful to have discovered (I believe) the only Mexican restaurant in the area with freshly made tortillas (and that's a deal breaker for this Tex-Mex snob). We came home, the kids napped and Chris, Mimi and I sat around chatting and enjoying the time to relax. The kids picked out a new hot pink knockout rose for the backyard (I have a feeling I know who made the color selection :) ) and Chris bought me a bottle of wine. Very nice.
Anna-Kate brought home a gift she made in school as well. (Though she was too excited to wait until today to give it to me and handed it to me in the parking lot of school on Thursday). It was a flower pot she had painted with a fork stuck in some green moss holding a (pink paper) flower. I think I'm gonna put a picture of her in the flower. So sweet. My favorite part of the gift was her letter. See?
(Sidenote, I always love my daughter...not just when she makes her bed.). :)
Blessing #1:
Blessing # 2:
Blessing #3:
I am one blessed Mama!
And finally, thanks to my mom for everything you've done for me over the years. You have taught me so much and been a wonderful example of Godly mothering. I love you!
Friday, May 7, 2010
Daily-ness
A friend sent me this e-devotion this morning and it so is where I find myself these days. Such a sweet reminder and encouragement. I post this so I can look back and remember these words.
Thank you, Jesus, for the opportunity You have given to me to experience the daily-ness of child-rearing. Help my to appreciate every minute and give me the energy to raise and instruct the children You have blessed me with for a time, in Your ways.
Taken from crosspoint.com and written by Ariel Allison Lawhon.
***
Life wouldn't be so hard if it wasn't so daily. As I sit here surrounded by laundry and dishes piled high in the sink, I see more than ever how life wears us down one day at a time.
Crumbs litter the floor and dirty smudges cover the windows. And I have yet to discover where that smell is coming from. For this mother of four, a simple trip to the grocery store requires an act of God and Congress - attempted only when we are down to powdered milk and Ramen noodles. Not thirty minutes ago a little one-year-old boy clung to my legs, belting out that scream - you know the one, bats can hear it. And I felt my coping skills slipping away. Not because he was crying but because he cries every day.
The daily-ness.
The job of motherhood feels so vast, and frightening, and unending. I am called to raise these children in the fear and admonition of the Lord and yet there are days that I can't seem to get out of my pajamas much less lead them in a time of prayer. I think anyone could endure the temper tantrums of a small child or the rebellion of a teenager or the constant needs of another if they lasted just one day. But the truth is that these things are the stuff of daily life. And when I am honest with myself, they grind down the rough edges of this woman. Because parenting can not be all about me when diapers must be changed, noses wiped and beds made.
In those moments I force myself to take a deep breath and thank God for this season of life. These children. The privilege of wiping noses and bottoms and countertops. A privilege many women would love to have, but don't. I remind myself that the days are long but the years are short. And one day I will look in the rear-view mirror and see empty seats. The cup that is overflowing right now will slowly drain. The stretch marks will fade. And I will find that a new set of daily struggles has overtaken me. When that day comes I will find the strength to face them as well because God gives the grace, daily.
The daily-ness.
As C.S. Lewis once said, "The thing is to rely on God... Meanwhile, the trouble is that relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing has yet been done."
Your daily-ness is probably different than mine, but it is nonetheless God-ordained. It is exactly what we need to live dependent on His grace instead of our own strength. The One who knows us best, who knit us together in our mother's womb, has allotted these days that are equal parts trial and triumph. And He knows that we will see Him most clearly from a place of dependence.
So today I embrace the normal things. The daily things. Another round of laundry. The ring in my toilet. The dust on my dresser so thick a child could write his name. But even more than that I want to celebrate the important things. A child slowly learning to read. A husband that finds his comfort in my arms. A baby who learns to walk and talk. Because all these are the things of life: some mundane and some holy. And all of them must be received daily.
Dear Lord, sometimes daily life is just hard. And we're tired. And overwhelmed. But You promised to be our strength and our hope and our comfort. So today we look to You for what we need. Would You meet us in this, our daily-ness, and help us receive Your grace? In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Thank you, Jesus, for the opportunity You have given to me to experience the daily-ness of child-rearing. Help my to appreciate every minute and give me the energy to raise and instruct the children You have blessed me with for a time, in Your ways.
Taken from crosspoint.com and written by Ariel Allison Lawhon.
***
Life wouldn't be so hard if it wasn't so daily. As I sit here surrounded by laundry and dishes piled high in the sink, I see more than ever how life wears us down one day at a time.
Crumbs litter the floor and dirty smudges cover the windows. And I have yet to discover where that smell is coming from. For this mother of four, a simple trip to the grocery store requires an act of God and Congress - attempted only when we are down to powdered milk and Ramen noodles. Not thirty minutes ago a little one-year-old boy clung to my legs, belting out that scream - you know the one, bats can hear it. And I felt my coping skills slipping away. Not because he was crying but because he cries every day.
The daily-ness.
The job of motherhood feels so vast, and frightening, and unending. I am called to raise these children in the fear and admonition of the Lord and yet there are days that I can't seem to get out of my pajamas much less lead them in a time of prayer. I think anyone could endure the temper tantrums of a small child or the rebellion of a teenager or the constant needs of another if they lasted just one day. But the truth is that these things are the stuff of daily life. And when I am honest with myself, they grind down the rough edges of this woman. Because parenting can not be all about me when diapers must be changed, noses wiped and beds made.
In those moments I force myself to take a deep breath and thank God for this season of life. These children. The privilege of wiping noses and bottoms and countertops. A privilege many women would love to have, but don't. I remind myself that the days are long but the years are short. And one day I will look in the rear-view mirror and see empty seats. The cup that is overflowing right now will slowly drain. The stretch marks will fade. And I will find that a new set of daily struggles has overtaken me. When that day comes I will find the strength to face them as well because God gives the grace, daily.
The daily-ness.
As C.S. Lewis once said, "The thing is to rely on God... Meanwhile, the trouble is that relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing has yet been done."
Your daily-ness is probably different than mine, but it is nonetheless God-ordained. It is exactly what we need to live dependent on His grace instead of our own strength. The One who knows us best, who knit us together in our mother's womb, has allotted these days that are equal parts trial and triumph. And He knows that we will see Him most clearly from a place of dependence.
So today I embrace the normal things. The daily things. Another round of laundry. The ring in my toilet. The dust on my dresser so thick a child could write his name. But even more than that I want to celebrate the important things. A child slowly learning to read. A husband that finds his comfort in my arms. A baby who learns to walk and talk. Because all these are the things of life: some mundane and some holy. And all of them must be received daily.
Dear Lord, sometimes daily life is just hard. And we're tired. And overwhelmed. But You promised to be our strength and our hope and our comfort. So today we look to You for what we need. Would You meet us in this, our daily-ness, and help us receive Your grace? In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Ticking time bomb...
That would be Jack in a car seat.
I guess I can't blame him. I raise my "babywise" kids to sleep at a certain time in a certain place (their beds) all by themselves with no help. So, naturally, when I put them in the car seat, (double whammy for Jack, he sleeps on his belly. Shhh.) it is just so wrong and unnatural. He's OK if the car is moving, but red lights are a deal breaker. So is sitting in a waiting room for 30 minutes (but then, I wanted a nap in my own bed too, who am I kidding?).
Today was my 6 week post-partum appointment. To add insult to injury (you know, it was that appointment...) I had to wait 30 minutes for a doctor who I had never laid eyes on before (evidently, Kaiser specializes in putting patients in uncomfortable, revealing situations with complete strangers (you know, childbirth, that appointment...). I mean, all I have on, besides what the good Lord gave me, was the "full physical" gown and I've got an impatient anti-car seat infant one sneeze away from yelping.
I'm happy to report that, uncharacteristically for me, the doctor finally came, there were no fire alarms, no hysterical babies, in fact, nothing too out of the ordinary. (Am I becoming normal finally?) All is good and I'm "as healed as I could hope to be for 6 weeks postpartum C-section". Can't tell you how thrilled I am about the green light to work out. (In case you don't know me well, feel free to re-read that sentence dripping with sarcasm.).
Good news: 4 lbs to lose to be pre-Jack weight.
Bad news: 14 lbs to lose to be pre-baby weight.
Worse news: I guess I have to work out and give up my daily ice cream now. Boo.
I guess I can't blame him. I raise my "babywise" kids to sleep at a certain time in a certain place (their beds) all by themselves with no help. So, naturally, when I put them in the car seat, (double whammy for Jack, he sleeps on his belly. Shhh.) it is just so wrong and unnatural. He's OK if the car is moving, but red lights are a deal breaker. So is sitting in a waiting room for 30 minutes (but then, I wanted a nap in my own bed too, who am I kidding?).
Today was my 6 week post-partum appointment. To add insult to injury (you know, it was that appointment...) I had to wait 30 minutes for a doctor who I had never laid eyes on before (evidently, Kaiser specializes in putting patients in uncomfortable, revealing situations with complete strangers (you know, childbirth, that appointment...). I mean, all I have on, besides what the good Lord gave me, was the "full physical" gown and I've got an impatient anti-car seat infant one sneeze away from yelping.
I'm happy to report that, uncharacteristically for me, the doctor finally came, there were no fire alarms, no hysterical babies, in fact, nothing too out of the ordinary. (Am I becoming normal finally?) All is good and I'm "as healed as I could hope to be for 6 weeks postpartum C-section". Can't tell you how thrilled I am about the green light to work out. (In case you don't know me well, feel free to re-read that sentence dripping with sarcasm.).
Good news: 4 lbs to lose to be pre-Jack weight.
Bad news: 14 lbs to lose to be pre-baby weight.
Worse news: I guess I have to work out and give up my daily ice cream now. Boo.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
SUCCESS!!
Finally, I've captured my smiling boy! He's been smiling a couple of weeks now, but I have not been able to get it. In these pictures he looks a lot bigger (chubbier--though it makes me happy to see him bulk up because of my milk!)than he really is...but I also caught a smile on camera, so it's all good. :)
Thinking about it...
Getting there....
SUCH a happy boy!
Couldn't you just squeeze him?? Love this boy!
Thinking about it...
Getting there....
SUCH a happy boy!
Couldn't you just squeeze him?? Love this boy!
Whole lotta running.
So between getting ready for a garage sale, getting back into sewing and monogramming, planning a birthday party, baking cookies for teacher appreciation week and getting stuff done before the end of school...and having 3 kids, there hasn't been time for bloggin'. (Oh, and picking up stuff, running carpool, laundry, cleaning...you know, the glamorous life :) ).
Last week we went to the zoo (along with everyone else in the state, evidently). It was a mad house, literally, a zoo. (har, har, I'm a funny one). There were so many people that after we spent 25 minutes finding a parking place (I'm not exaggerating, I was watching the clock closely because I needed to nurse...and I'm now 3 for 3 on kids who don't like the carseat...sigh.) we skipped about 90% of the animals opting for a picnic lunch, carousel ride and the playground instead. We went with some friends and the kids all had a good time.
Not amused that I made them take a picture after being in the car forever as we drove to the zoo (30 minutes), parked (25 minutes) and I nursed the baby (15 minutes).
Anna-Kate and her good friend, Annie:
How Jack enjoyed his first zoo trip:
Checking out the elephants:
Last week we went to the zoo (along with everyone else in the state, evidently). It was a mad house, literally, a zoo. (har, har, I'm a funny one). There were so many people that after we spent 25 minutes finding a parking place (I'm not exaggerating, I was watching the clock closely because I needed to nurse...and I'm now 3 for 3 on kids who don't like the carseat...sigh.) we skipped about 90% of the animals opting for a picnic lunch, carousel ride and the playground instead. We went with some friends and the kids all had a good time.
Not amused that I made them take a picture after being in the car forever as we drove to the zoo (30 minutes), parked (25 minutes) and I nursed the baby (15 minutes).
Anna-Kate and her good friend, Annie:
How Jack enjoyed his first zoo trip:
Checking out the elephants:
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