As I sit in my yoga pants (which stopped being flattering about 40 pounds ago) in my usual spot on the sofa (you'll know it by the large butt imprint permanently worn into the leather), I can't help but ponder the year that will soon draw to a close.
Things have changed. Things have stayed the same. Things that initially seemed different are now comfortable.
We've grown as a family, both physically with the addition of Little One, and emotionally. I've been blessed to watch an indescribable bond between my children from the moment Little One joined us. I've been amazed at how naturally big brotherhood has come to Big One. I've relished more kisses and love than I could possibly imagine and felt butterflies at the sight of my children.
I've concluded that life cannot accurately and completely be captured and interpreted in words, yet I won't stop trying.
In recent weeks, months even, I've felt a bit unsettled. Anxious, worried, caught up in my own thoughts and fears. Today, I feel peace. I've shown more patience than I have in some time. I like this feeling. Harnessing this peace, patience, and optimism is my hope for 2009. I want to spend less time worrying about life and more time living it. I hope to come closer to the elusive balance of home, family, work, and personal interests. I want to love and be loved.
Here's wishing all of you the realization of your goals in 2009!
Prayers for Baby Stellan
Have you visited MckMama's blog? Her son is a true miracle. After being told he surely wouldn't survive due to a heart condition, he was born healthy and happy. But now he is battling RSV. And it's bad. He needs prayers. Visit The Mommy Diaries or MckMama's blog for more information. But please keep this sweet baby in your prayers! He has overcome so much. I can't imagine what his family must be going through right now.
Weekly Recap and Top Posts
So I admit I wasn't going to do my weekly recap/lessons learned post today. But then I visited Esther at The Mommy Diaries and she had a link to my blog so I decided I should do it. The truth is I'm still trying to recover from the craziness of the last week. Starting tomorrow I'm going through a self-mandated sugar detox. Man oh man have I been ingesting the sugary goodies this week (and packing on the pounds). It's a little late but here it is: this week's lessons and top posts.
Well, I tried! And now a few of my favorite posts from the week.
- Placing a stick of butter on the cooktop while the oven is going is a great way to soften the butter. Or, if you leave it unattended too long, melt the butter. Fortunately, the pools of butter weren't too big by the time I remembered it.
- I'm too old to make gobs of Christmas candy. I don't have the patience anymore. At the ripe old age of 30, I'm hanging up my candy making gloves and leaning towards cookies next year.
- Furthermore, I love chocolate dipped pretzels (and I have the rear to prove it) yet I hate the melting/dipping process.
- Threatening to call Santa to cancel Christmas isn't the best behavior modification plan. Because what are you going to do when your 3 year old continues to misbehave? Ok, so you make a fake call to Santa. Then the aforementioned 3 year old insists he doesn't want presents. What's your next move, Mom? Three. is. fun.
- Threatening to tell hot Dr. C about Big One's bad behavior? Another bad move. Because now, Big One is scared to even speak to Dr. C. He tells me he still likes Dr. C. He just wants to be shy around him.
Threatsbehavior modification techniques really need to be well thought out.- One of the great things about Christmas is watching your kids relish the magic of the holiday.
- Watching chubby baby hands pluck away at a toy piano hand selected by her big brother is one of the most beautiful sights.
- It's right up there with sleeping children.
- No matter how much they drive me crazy (it's been a LONG weekend), I know I am so blessed to have my family!
Well, I tried! And now a few of my favorite posts from the week.
- I Suppose I Could Have Stayed Home and Baked Cookies @ The Gift: Every mom struggles with the work vs staying home issue. This is a great post by Anastasia about how her opinion changed.
- Men Are All Alike @ Martini Mom: I know I've included a lot of this blog in my favorite posts but she is hilarious! She's one of those writers who can turn any situation into something funny. Being a teacher, she has plenty of funny stories from her kids and this is another one that I think you will enjoy. She also has a story about falling on the ice which I can totally relate to. Last winter while I was pregnant with Little One, I slipped on a patch of ice and went down like a sack of potatoes. I'm not the most graceful of folks. Add ice to the mix and you have a recipe for disaster. Let's be honest. I fall on the ice at least once a winter. At least this year I don't have to leave the house when it's icy!
- New Year's Eve Noise Makers @ Lucky Me: If you need a craft activity to keep the kids
out of your hairentertained, this is a good one. I'm planning to do this with Big One. - Emma's New Purse @ The Mommy Diaries: Esther's daughter received an adorable new purse and cell phone. You must see these pictures. She is a fashionista in the making! I suppose I like it so much because I can picture Little One being the same way in a few months. My personal favorite is the last picture of Emma.
- last week @ matt, liz, and madeline: I've mentioned Matt's blog before. I'll warn you again: go armed with Kleenex. This particular post made me both laugh and cry. The tears for the heartbreak of this family. The laughter for Matt's ingenuity in his last minute tree decoration.
Discoveries This Week & Top Posts
It's that time again! Here are just a few this weeks discovers/rediscoveries/life lessons.
And now for the top posts of the week.
- There is never a bad time to show kindness to a friend, neighbor, family member, coworker, or total stranger. You never know when it will be too late!
- No one else in the house understands the concept of silence while Little One is falling asleep at nap time. No one. I need nap time, people!
- Christmas is coming whether I'm prepared or not. I need to let go of all the things that I intended to do for the holiday season and just enjoy this time with my family!
- My brain is too scattered right now to do any more reflection on my week. So I'm off to bake Christmas cookies with Big One!
And now for the top posts of the week.
- How Sweet Gingerbread Home by Jessi @ Table for 4: Jessi and her son, Josiah, made an adorable gingerbread house. From scratch! I bow down to her awesome gingerbread making skills. I never would have had the patience! There are some great pictures of the finished product with her adorable son, Joshiah. Jessi, you've once again inspired me to attempt a gingerbread house from scratch next year. But most likely I'll chicken out and do a kit instead!
- Christmas Decorations by Christy @ Fiona Foo: Christy posted some beautiful pictures of her Christmas decorations. Her house looks so festive! It's the kind of house you would want to go visit and sip cocoa by the fireplace (which I'm so jealous of!). I'm new to Christy's blog but check out the adorable pictures of her daughter while you're there. Her daughter has the most adorable little pink hat! So cute!
- They're WHAT? by Martini Mom: You must read this hilarious story about what happened when her daughter's roommates came for dinner. Very funny stuff.
- Rice Christmas Tree by Just for Fun: If you're looking for some last minute holiday activities with the kiddos, check out Just for Fun. She has so many fun activities on her blog. I'm still determined to do with rice Christmas tree with Big One even though Christmas is almost here!
- Michael Signs "Milk" by Jolene @ The Little Things in Life: Check out this video of her son signing the word "milk". He's not even 1 yet! This really inspires me to start teaching both kids sign language. Big One is showing a lot of interest in learning sign language/other languages. He knows several Spanish words (thanks, Dora!) and a few signs. I'm going to make it my mission to teach them more!
Diaper or Underwear?
Yes, this is my third post today. Apparently, I have a lot to say.
For those who have been reading for a while, you may think this is yet another post about my potty training woes or a new strategy to get Big One to poop in the potty. But it's not. Not really, anyway.
This summer, in the midst of our hardcore potty training with Big One, he was so very proud of himself for wearing underwear. One day, Hubs was working on some sort of home improvement project in the driveway when our neighbor, Tom, stopped by to chat. Big One is always up for a visit from a neighbor. His two favorites are Tom and Jerry. Yes, those are their real names. They aren't a couple, in case you're wondering.
When Big One saw Tom outside talking to Daddy, he ran out the front door to greet him. He proudly announced that he was wearing underwear. Without missing a beat he yells, "Hey, Tom! Are you wearing a diaper or underwear?"
It was so funny, although Hubs was embarrassed. Tom didn't mind though. He laughed it off and started joking back with Big One.
That was the last time I really saw Tom. Sure, I saw him in his driveway or mowing the lawn. But that was the last real interaction we had.
We found out tonight that Tom passed away. Two weeks ago. Stomach cancer. We didn't even know he was sick. And now he's gone. And we're very sad, even though we didn't know him beyond exchanging small talk in the driveway.
His son lived with him. Now his son is alone. Old enough to take care of himself. But alone.
I'm sad for his son. I'm sad that we didn't know of Tom's sickness. I would have done more. Baked him cookies. Made casseroles to stock the freezer. Showed him that we cared. I'm sad that we found out two weeks after the fact. We would have gone to the funeral.
I'll miss seeing him outside in the summer. I'll miss Big One yelling, "Hey! There's Tom! Can we go say hi?" I wish I would have let Big One go say hi to him more often. I usually brushed it off, telling him Tom was probably busy. And now, Big One can't go say hi. I wonder if Big One will notice. Will he ask about Tom? Will he even notice that he's not around? Should we tell him?
We have invited Tom's son to our house for Christmas Eve. I hope he joins us. I've never had a conversation with him. But no one should be alone on Christmas Eve. Especially after such a loss.
For those who have been reading for a while, you may think this is yet another post about my potty training woes or a new strategy to get Big One to poop in the potty. But it's not. Not really, anyway.
This summer, in the midst of our hardcore potty training with Big One, he was so very proud of himself for wearing underwear. One day, Hubs was working on some sort of home improvement project in the driveway when our neighbor, Tom, stopped by to chat. Big One is always up for a visit from a neighbor. His two favorites are Tom and Jerry. Yes, those are their real names. They aren't a couple, in case you're wondering.
When Big One saw Tom outside talking to Daddy, he ran out the front door to greet him. He proudly announced that he was wearing underwear. Without missing a beat he yells, "Hey, Tom! Are you wearing a diaper or underwear?"
It was so funny, although Hubs was embarrassed. Tom didn't mind though. He laughed it off and started joking back with Big One.
That was the last time I really saw Tom. Sure, I saw him in his driveway or mowing the lawn. But that was the last real interaction we had.
We found out tonight that Tom passed away. Two weeks ago. Stomach cancer. We didn't even know he was sick. And now he's gone. And we're very sad, even though we didn't know him beyond exchanging small talk in the driveway.
His son lived with him. Now his son is alone. Old enough to take care of himself. But alone.
I'm sad for his son. I'm sad that we didn't know of Tom's sickness. I would have done more. Baked him cookies. Made casseroles to stock the freezer. Showed him that we cared. I'm sad that we found out two weeks after the fact. We would have gone to the funeral.
I'll miss seeing him outside in the summer. I'll miss Big One yelling, "Hey! There's Tom! Can we go say hi?" I wish I would have let Big One go say hi to him more often. I usually brushed it off, telling him Tom was probably busy. And now, Big One can't go say hi. I wonder if Big One will notice. Will he ask about Tom? Will he even notice that he's not around? Should we tell him?
We have invited Tom's son to our house for Christmas Eve. I hope he joins us. I've never had a conversation with him. But no one should be alone on Christmas Eve. Especially after such a loss.
What's That Expression?
Don't bite the breast that feeds you. No? That's not right? Well it should be. Because ouch!
Little One now has 2 teeth. They sprouted last week. And they're sharp. She's been very good to me. Until the last few days, that is. Apparently she's exploring the concept of cause and effect. I imagine her thought process goes something like this.
If I pretend I'm hungry, Mommy will feed me. I'll give her a sweet little smile, study her face carefully to see if she's on to my plan, then, without warning, bite down suddenly with my shiny, new teeth. Guess what happens? Mommy squeals and makes some hilarious facial expressions. Then she starts muttering threats of formula and bottles. But I know better. A quick flash of my extra big grin and she goes all mushy on me. That smile coupled with my big brown eyes will get me out of anything. Mommy and Daddy are so easy. And if I wait a good 5 or 6 hours, she's not so jumpy about the whole biting thing and I can sneak in another one. Being 7 months old rocks!
Little One now has 2 teeth. They sprouted last week. And they're sharp. She's been very good to me. Until the last few days, that is. Apparently she's exploring the concept of cause and effect. I imagine her thought process goes something like this.
If I pretend I'm hungry, Mommy will feed me. I'll give her a sweet little smile, study her face carefully to see if she's on to my plan, then, without warning, bite down suddenly with my shiny, new teeth. Guess what happens? Mommy squeals and makes some hilarious facial expressions. Then she starts muttering threats of formula and bottles. But I know better. A quick flash of my extra big grin and she goes all mushy on me. That smile coupled with my big brown eyes will get me out of anything. Mommy and Daddy are so easy. And if I wait a good 5 or 6 hours, she's not so jumpy about the whole biting thing and I can sneak in another one. Being 7 months old rocks!
Our Christmas House
Last year, we began our Christmas house tradition. Don't call it a gingerbread house. Big One will promptly correct you. Last year's Christmas house was constructed from a kit that was on clearance at Target. This year, I had grand intentions of baking a gingerbread house completely from scratch.
Things don't always turn out as planned. I'm not sure what happened to the first part of December, but do you realize next week is Christmas? I had to ditch my plans of a fairy talegingerbread Christmas house and again spring for the kit.
I should have picked up a different one. I just had a feeling that some of the pieces would be broken.
I was correct. I may not have baked it myself, but I know a thing or two about icing. We were able to do a quick patch job and get the house constructed in no time.
It's probably a good thing I don't have aspirations to be a structural engineer, construction worker, or anything else involving the structural integrity of buildings. Most of the walls were somewhat straight and there was only a minor gap in the roof. Nothing a big swirly line of frosting can't fix.
Big One had a lot of fun decorating his Christmas house.
Little One was a great foreman on this construction sight. She kept a close eye on all of the construction. Big One only licked the knife a few times. And he may have licked his fingers a few times and then put more candy on the Christmas house. My advice? Pass if he offers you a bite.
He took one last look at the blueprints to make sure the Christmas house was complete.
It passed the final inspection and was ready for photographs.
Hey, Big One. The camera's over here. Little One, what are you reaching for now? I can see you! You're not very sneaky.
Happy Christmas house making to any of the other mamas out there doing their own gingerbread construction!
Things don't always turn out as planned. I'm not sure what happened to the first part of December, but do you realize next week is Christmas? I had to ditch my plans of a fairy tale
I should have picked up a different one. I just had a feeling that some of the pieces would be broken.
I was correct. I may not have baked it myself, but I know a thing or two about icing. We were able to do a quick patch job and get the house constructed in no time.
It's probably a good thing I don't have aspirations to be a structural engineer, construction worker, or anything else involving the structural integrity of buildings. Most of the walls were somewhat straight and there was only a minor gap in the roof. Nothing a big swirly line of frosting can't fix.
Big One had a lot of fun decorating his Christmas house.
Little One was a great foreman on this construction sight. She kept a close eye on all of the construction. Big One only licked the knife a few times. And he may have licked his fingers a few times and then put more candy on the Christmas house. My advice? Pass if he offers you a bite.
He took one last look at the blueprints to make sure the Christmas house was complete.
It passed the final inspection and was ready for photographs.
Hey, Big One. The camera's over here. Little One, what are you reaching for now? I can see you! You're not very sneaky.
Happy Christmas house making to any of the other mamas out there doing their own gingerbread construction!
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