Thanksgiving

We did celebrate Thanksgiving at my house.  I promise we did.  Not that I have any real pictures to prove it.  We did, however, have a really nice visit with some family we don't get to see nearly often enough.  And my sister brought a fun Thanksgiving craft for us to work on. 

 

 

We almost missed out on the photo op for this, too, because Aunt Joe was not on her A game.  Then after I snapped a few pictures, I apparently laid my camera down somewhere and couldn't find it for a while.  (I'm always doing that.)  I finally located it only after asking my nephew where it was.  He knew, not because he had stolen it, but because he apparently is the designated Lost Thing Finder in their house.  Whenever anyone loses something they just ask Drew and he usually knows where it is.  He just waits for you to consult him. 

We decided after doing all of the big kids' hands that it just WOULD. NOT. work to do the babies that way.  We didn't figure we'd ever get them to keep their fingers spread apart long enough to paint them different colors.  So what did we do?  Why, we consulted Pinterest, of course!  We found an idea that we thought would be simpler---so instead of painting their hands we ended up painting their hands AND their feet.  Yes...definitely much easier. 

After it was all said and done, we ended up getting hand (and/or feet) prints for 8 kids...which included 2 infants.  And I even think we managed to do it without getting paint on any clothes or in any mouths.  (Although the same cannot be said for Sydney's hair.)  And I'm pretty sure we did it with minimal crying.  Are we talented, or what???

I still have to go back and put eyes and a mouth on mine, add the kids' names and write "Mom's Turkeys" to the bottom, but next year I will have a VERY CUTE apron to wear when I'm getting the turkey ready. 

Dear Sydney,

You turned 5 months old a few days ago.  Why am I just now getting this letter typed?  Well, Baby Girl, it's like this:  Your mom TOTALLY does not have it all together.  And lately, I'm finding that I have even less of it together than ever before.  The Christmas season always makes me feel a little scattered and hectic, but this year I feel especially forgetful.  Someone told me not long ago that it's a scientifically proven fact that a woman loses brain function with every pregnancy.  I'm not sure if it's true or not---I'm not sure I really even want to know.  But based on personal experience I could totally buy it.

Every day I am amazed at your sweet personality.  I know I've said this before, but you really smile with your entire face.  I love watching your chubby cheeks get all squishy and the way your eyes crinkle together.  You also snort a little when your smiling.  It's not really a full-out laugh...more of a laugh preview.  You smile to greet people and give your little snort-chuckle, then bury your head into the neck of whomever is holding you.  I love it. 

You have developed a little bit of stranger anxiety this month.  And by "stranger anxiety" I mean "anyone-who-is-not-Mom anxiety."  It's the weirdest thing.  You can be all happy and smiley one second, then it's like you suddenly realize that the person holding you is not Mom.  Your bottom lip pooches out, the crocodile tears start flowing, and you give the most pitiful wail.  Then as soon as you're in Mom's arms again, all is well.  (It's actually pretty impressive to see how quickly the red can drain out of your face.)  You have this really funny way of looking back over my shoulder at the person who was previously holding you and giving this little grin.  "Ha!  I got EXACTLY what I wanted."

You are getting much better at grabbing things.  When we hold your toys in front of you, you reach out with both hands to grab them.  I love watching you concentrate as you try to maneuver your fingers around the object then direct it straight to your mouth.  You still drop things pretty frequently, but that's okay...you've taught your brother how to fetch.  He loves getting "Nene's toys" and giving them back to you.  You're also starting to reach for people when you want to be picked up.  It absolutely warms my heart every time you smile at me and lift your arms so I can hold you.

I thought I would tell you about your name.  I fretted and fretted over your name.  But when I look at you now, there's no way I could call you anything but Sydney.  It just suits you.  Your middle name, Carol, has special meaning.  I had an aunt who, I'm pretty convinced, was one of God's angels on Earth.  You share her middle name.  She passed away when I was in high school, and someone read Proverbs 31 at her funeral.  That was the first time I had paid particular attention to that passage, but it resonated with me.   When I picture a Proverbs 31 woman, I picture her.  It's what I aspire to be.  It's my hope for you--that you would find a husband who values you more than jewels; that you would be bold and confident in whatever you do; that you would be wise and well respected; that you would help those less fortunate than you; that your children, should you have them, will be a blessing to you. 

My Sydney, I cannot tell you what a blessing you are to me.  When you greet me with your sweet babbling every morning, it just makes me smile.  I love your voluminous thighs.  I love watching you laugh at your brother.  I love how you bonk yourself in the mouth with a toy then look at me accusingly.  I love how your little head seems to fit perfectly right under my right ear.  You, my sweet Sydney, are more precious than rubies.

Mommy

Squirreling Away

Sam hides food.  We have known about it for a while, but it has reached epic levels.  His car seat has little pockets on the inside where I frequently find bits of graham cracker, pieces of granola bars and enough Goldfish to start my own pond.  Our sectional couch has a neat little hide-away to store remote controls where he likes to put his sippy cup from time to time.  And Shawn taught him how to put stuff in his pockets a couple of weeks ago.  Have mercy...the stuff that I will likely pull out of them someday. 

 

One day while I was still on maternity leave, we were out and about.  I had stopped to get gas, and as I was pumping I glanced in the back window and saw Sam munching on a granola bar.  I hadn't given him a granola bar.  I have no idea how long it had been baking in my car.  But he seemed pretty content, so I just let him finish it.

 

A couple of weeks ago I was in the kitchen getting dinner together.  Sam came running in and asked for a banana.  I peeled one and gave him half like I usually do.  Approximately 3.4 seconds later he came flying back through the kitchen, sans banana.  I thought it was unlikely that he had eaten it already.  I also thought that Molly probably hadn't eaten it, as I hadn't heard him screaming, "No Momo!" the way he usually does when she takes his food.  So I did a quick survey of the living room.  No banana.  I quickly scanned through all of his (known) hiding places.  No banana.  I finally decided that he had laid it down and Molly had scarfed it when he wasn't looking.   He didn't seem to miss it, so I didn't bring it up.  Mystery solved.

 

 

Fast forward a couple of days.  I'm sitting on the couch feeding Sydney when Sam comes meandering up and hands me this: 

 

 

A nasty, brown, dog-hair covered banana.  Where had it been?  Still no clue.  Had he taken a bite of it just before he gave it to me?  Let's hope not...

Fall Is In The Air

Disclaimer:  these pictures were taken last week BEFORE the 70 degree days we had this weekend.

 

What does a little boy do when he wants to play outside and it's getting REALLY cold in the evenings?  Why, he grabs a pair of mittens and steals Daddy's UK hat and heads on outside!

 

 

 

Sam was fascinated with his mittens.  He kept staring at his hands.  He kinda reminded me of that scene in Talladega Nights where Ricky Bobby didn't know what to do with his hands during his interview.

 

 

It had been a few days since we had been outside, so he was SUUUUUUUUUPER excited.  I couldn't even get him to stand still long enough to snap a shot of him in his winter wear.  I have a vague memory of adults asking me to hold still for pictures when I was a child and thinking that it was ridiculous that they snapped so many stinkin' pictures....

 

 

Man, he's gonna love the snow this year.

Dear Sam,

A couple of nights ago you were lying on Daddy's and my bed watching cartoons.  That's a relatively new thing for you.  You like to go get on the big bed all by yourself and watch Fireman Sam {Na-nam} or Thomas the Train {Nonus}.  On this particular night, I glanced in there and saw you--stretched out on your belly, feet bent back over your bottom and crossed at the ankles, chin propped in your hands--and I caught my breath.  I was looking at a little boy.  When did that happen?  When did you develop opinions and habits?  When did my baby disappear?  You will often ask to watch cartoons on Daddy's bed, and as you're running to the other room, you'll shout, "C'mon, Momo!  Thomas!" in  your wonderful Sam language.  I know this is only the beginning---soon you and your friends will be running away and having secrets and doing mysterious boy things of which I know nothing---but I can't help but be proud and weepy about it all at the same time. 

I'm so very impressed with the little person you are becoming.  You have such a sweet, gentle nature.  I especially see it in the way you watch out for your sister.  Not too long ago, Sydney was in her crib taking a nap.  I was switching out loads of laundry as she started to wake up.  I decided to go ahead and gather up another load to put in, and by the time I got it all rounded up, she had worked herself into a very impressive fit.  You jumped off of the couch where you were sitting and shouted, "C'mon, Momo!  Baby!" and you took off to investigate.  You stood guard at her bedroom door knocking and pointing until I came to let you in, then you ran to her crib and climbed up on the side, "Baby...wrong?"  It was such an incredibly sweet thing for you to do; in that moment I caught a glimpse of how I hope you'll watch out for her in the future. 

Then, a couple of nights later you asked to hold her, and you insisted on flopping her out of your lap by clotheslining her across her neck.  I'm sure I'll see you do that a time or two in the future, too.

For the most part, though,  you're very concerned about your sister and you show her lots of love.  Every night before you go to bed, you giver her a kiss and tell her goodnight.  You remind me that she is hungry when we get her up from her naps.  You will talk to her when she is fussing in her swing and it honestly makes her belly-laugh.  She loves watching you.  Just the simple act of you making eye contact with her can send her into fits of giggles. 

There are so many things that you do right now that I don't want to forget.  Like the way you kinda grunt before you speak.  Almost like you're announcing that you're getting ready talk so we'll listen up.  "Mmmm...Mom...juice" or "Mmmm...Dada...hold."  Or the way that you ask me to help you sneak up on Daddy every. single. Saturday morning by saying, "Dada...shhh shhh shhh."  Or the way that you go down your slide then jump up and throw your hands in the air and shout, "Ta-da!" and laugh like it's the funniest thing in the world.  Or how you blow the dandelion seeds by picking one and giving a big, "Fffffffffffffff!" and then just plucking them off with your fingers.  Or how you fill your arms full of stuffed animals and toys and books every night at bedtime and you take them and deposit them in your crib.  You literally continue picking things up until you can't hold anything else, and only then are you ready for bed. 

You still have your own little language.  I'm honestly going to be sad when you start properly pronouncing things.  I'll miss you asking me to ho-hold things for you.  My heart will ache when you no longer want to drink chah-malk.  And whether she likes it or not, your sister will forever be called Nene. 

Every day you surprise and amaze me.  I see glimpses of your independence as you insist on running ahead of me or doing a certain task all by yourself.  But just when I think you want nothing to do with me you'll curl up in my lap with a book and ask me to read it for a third time or just come up beside me and lean against my leg.  It cracks me up that you want to help me do certain household chores like switching laundry from the washer to the dryer.  You take great pride in the jobs that you can do alone and you will close the dishwasher door with gusto or proudly pour Molly's dog food all over the bathroom floor then diligently pick it up one piece at a time and put it in her bowl. 

Oh, Sam, I could write an entire novel full of hilarious little Sam stories.  Even on the days that you are very much a two year old, complete with touch-and-go independence and my-way-or-the-highway opinions, you make me just want to wrap my arms around you and hold you forever.  I love seeing the way your eyebrows furrow together when you're trying to figure something out.  I love hearing you shout, "Noooo!" when Daddy tickles your belly, all while you're holding your shirt up so he can get to the really ticklish spot.  I love hearing your feet pound through the house because one thing is for sure--if you're not running, you're just wasting time. 

You, my little boy, have made me question everything I do because I know your eyes are always watching.  Thank you for helping me to be a better person. 

How To Pack A Shoebox

It's shoebox time again!!!  I absolutely love this ministry.  I've mentioned it before here and here.  Basically, they pass out shoeboxes full of little gifts to children all over the world.  For some of these children, it is the first time they have ever received a gift.  This is simply unfathomable for me.  Shawn and I frequently pick up little books or suckers for Sam "just because."  And it makes his day.  Can you imagine the joy on a child's face who has never received one. single. gift?  This is a great way to get you in the Christmas spirit.  And to be honest...I needed a little kick in the pants this year.  I've just had a hard time thinking about Christmas.  Time just seems to be flying by!!!

 

I decided to do two boxes this year:  one for a little boy and one for a little girl.  In the future, I'd like for this to be something that the kids really get involved in.  I think next year Sam will be old enough to, at the very least, help pick out toys that he would enjoy.  And over time I hope this can be a way to teach them the joy in giving to others.

This is collection week for Operation Christmas Child.  THERE IS STILL TIME FOR YOU TO DO A BOX!!!  You don't have to do anything fancy.  You can EVEN do it without stepping foot into Dante's 7th Level of Hell Walmart.  I got everything for mine at Dollar General.

Side note:  I have never really shopped at Dollar General.  I always preferred to do one-stop shopping.  Even if it meant going to Walmart.  But  there is a Dollar General right down the street from my clinic, and it's pretty easy to pop in on my lunch break and grab those one or two things that I need.  And now...well...Dollar General and I are INVOLVED.

 

They have the cutest things in their bargain section.  I picked up these scissors to put in my Christmas wrapping stash.  Who wouldn't get excited about wrapping presents when you're using these?!

 

I also picked up these window clings to go on our pharmacy window.  Cute, right?

 

 

Okay, so you've decided to do a box.  Great!  Here is my quick run-down on how to put it all together.  First, head over to the Operation Christmas Child website and check out their suggestions on what to include.  While you're there, print out a label for your box.  Then go shopping! 

 

You can use a regular shoebox, but I always buy one of the plastic shoebox containers.  They're cheap, I figure they'll hold up better during shipping, and I would think the child's family could maybe use it for something later.

 

 

 

In years past, I have tried to wrap the shoebox.  But you can't wrap over the entire thing because the contents have to be inspected.  So you have to wrap the box and the lid separately.  And I'm just not good at that.  This year I decided at the last minute to just put some red tissue paper in my box so it would look pretty from the outside.  Fail.  If someone has a suggestion for making the box pretty, I am ALL EARS.  Because clearly, I'm not very good at this part.

 

After you have your box ready, it will help if you lay all of your stuff out on a table and kind of group it together.  This is what I bought this year:

 

 

First up, the practical items:  soap, personal Kleenexes, hand sanitizer.

 

 

Toothpaste (make sure to get a yummy kid-flavored one!), toothbrushes, comb, brush, a flashlight with some extra batteries. 

 

 

Make sure you bag up anything that could leak or give off an odor.  Nobody wants to eat candy that smells mountain fresh. 

 

 

 

Next up:  fun stuff:  hair doo-hickies for a little girl.

 

Some cool glow-in-the-dark jewelry.

 

A little pop-up book that tells the Christmas story.

 

Some fun little note pads.

 

 

And ink pens.  UK, of course.

 

 

I also picked up some stickers.  Because in my house, stickers RULE!

 

 

 

And these little guys.  They walk!

 

 

And finally, some coloring books and crayons.

 

 

Then it's time for my favorite part---CANDY!!!  I will be forever grateful to my dorm roommate, Amy, for introducing me to Peachies.  (The chicken gizzards that she insisted on eating...not so much.)

Make sure you double bag all candy. 

 

 

After that, you're ready to start throwing it all together.  Books and flat items go on the bottom.

 

Then just sorta squish everything else in around it. 

 

 

 

Last, I wrote a quick letter telling our child a little bit about our family.  I explained why I sent them UK pens and told them we'd be praying for them this Christmas season.  I'd like to think that someday we'll meet them in Heaven and they can tell us what their favorite part of the box was.

 

I promise you this will make you feel good.  If you're having a bad day, stop by Dollar General (or Dollar Tree....or, if you must, Walmart) on your way home and throw some things in a box.  I think I put mine together for around $30, INCLUDING the $7 donation to help offset the shipping costs.  Seriously?!  I definitely came out on the better end of that deal.  You can find a drop off location for your box here.

You Know Why It's Cool To Be An American?

Because in America, we get to vote to choose our elected officials.

And when you vote you get a sticker.

And stickers are AWESOME.

 

Go out and get your sticker today!

Fall Fun

We have had an AMAZING fall.  Seriously, the weather has been so wonderful, which is nice because I know a certain little boy who thinks that if you're breathing, you should be outside.  We have spent a good chunk of my days off and our weekends outside playing in our backyard.

 

Before heading outside, you should always make sure you have the appropriate equipment.

Sunglasses:  check.

Trusty Pooh Bear:  check.

Mom's hair accessory that you are constantly stealing:  check.

Pooh enjoys the slide almost as much as Sam does.

For about 1/2 second, he thought about going headfirst...

...but then he thought better of it.  On his belly is about as adventurous as he'll get---for now.  I'm sure it's only a matter of time before he's hanging upside down by his knees from the little pergola thing.  Have mercy.

 

Instant Cool Mom status???  Snacks outside.

 

 

This is what happens to little boys who play HARD right up until nap time.  You lie down to slide on your belly and you just sorta get stuck in that position. 

The same thing often happens to me when I need a nap.  I lie down on the couch to fold some laundry....  Wait...

Dear Sydney,

Today you are four months old.  This has been a busy month for you!  There is so much to do and there are so many milestones to meet...you're knocking them out one by one. 

This month, you rolled over for the first time.  I put you down in the floor on your belly one night and you immediately rolled up on your side.  I excitedly yelled for Daddy to come and watch because I was JUST SURE that you were about to roll over for the first time.  You laid there and grunted and kicked your leg and teetered on your side.  But....nothing.  We stood there and watched you for several minutes, both of us periodically saying, "Looklooklooklooklook!  She's gonna do it!"  Then Molly started pacing around the living room and I decided I'd better take her out for a quick potty break.  When I came back in you were on your back.  You had done it.  I was so upset that I had missed it!  I flipped you back over on your belly and you really did not appreciate that one bit.  You flopped right back over to your back and grinned at me.  Ha!  Take that!  I suppose it's only fitting that you rolled over when I wasn't looking since that's how your brother did it, too. 

You haven't done it one single time since that night.  You just roll up on your side and hang out there for a while until you decide you're tired of being independent and someone should pick you up.  Then your face turns that really pretty shade that you save for those times when your REALLY ticked off  pretty much any time you're unhappy. 

You also discovered your fist this month.  Apparently your fist is the most delicious thing in the world, because it has taken up permanent residence in your mouth.  I can't believe that it could possibly be an early sign of teething.  Weren't you just born yesterday?  So I'm telling myself that you just think it tastes yummy to keep myself from thinking about it. 

You have started laughing at us this month too.  I.  Love it.  When.  You.  Laugh.  You usually start out with a timid little, "Huh,"  just to test the waters.  Then if the silliness keeps up, you'll offer another little, "Huh-huh."  Finally, if someone is REALLY working hard to entertain you, you'll give a full out laugh followed by a squeal.  You like it when we sing songs with hand motions.  You're brother and I have chased that itsy bitsy spider up the water spout so many times, he probably thinks he's training for the Olympics.  You also like it when we sing about your ears hanging low and wobbling to and fro.  Daddy can usually get you to laugh just by talking to you.  He leans back in the recliner and sits you on his belly and shrieks "Ooooh!!!" and you giggle and squeal back at him. 

My sweet Sydney--you have added a whole new dimension to our family.  I was a little bit afraid that seeing you do all of these new things wouldn't be as fun for us the second time around.  I was worried that the newness would be lost and while we'd always be proud of you, some of the joy that we had over your brother doing those things would be missing.  I couldn't have been more wrong. 

I love the way your gaze follows your brother around the room---almost like you are studying him so you'll know exactly what to do once you're up and running around.  I love the way you grunt when you're eating---you sound like a litter of puppies.  I love how you'll nestle down in the crook of Daddy's arm when you're sitting with him---one minute you're squirming and rubbing your eyes and the next you're out.  It's like you were just waiting for him to pick you up so you could take a little nap.  I love the way you squinch up your eyes and pooch your bottom lip out when you're sleeping. 

I love how sometimes you drift off while I'm holding you and you'll startle a little then reach out and grab my shirt without really waking up--you hold it right above my heart.  You clench it tightly in your chubby little fist, and while the rest of your body relaxes, you keep holding my shirt with that ironclad grasp.  Like you just want that assurance. 

I'm still here, baby.  And I always will be. 
Mommy

She would have been 59 today.  It still sneaks up on me every now and then.  The sadness.  Sometimes, it's just a gentle ache, but I can quickly recall a happy memory and it chases it away.  But other times, it catches me off guard.  Unprepared.  Those times are the hardest. 

It's seeing Sun Drop on the grocery shelves, and before I can catch myself, I think, "I'll have to call Mom and tell her you can FINALLY buy it in Lexington."  Then I'm standing there in the beverage aisle of the grocery store blinking back tears. 

It's my son doing something silly or adorable and being secretly jealous because my husband picks up the phone to call his mom and tell her all about it. 

It's those times when I want to pull my hair out with the kids, and I'd give anything if I could just ask her what to do. 

It's hearing from an old friend that she thought highly of and thinking, "She would have been happy to know she's doing so well." 

It's the Google reminder that I set up to remind me of her upcoming birthday so I would get the card in the mail on time and even though it's been nearly three years I still just can't bring myself to cancel it. 

And for whatever reason when one of those seemingly little things happens, the rest of the day is just shot.  Everything screams her name.  I see the fall mums and think about how she always made the prettiest flower arrangements.  Someone mentions scrapbooking and I think about how much she loved it.  I see a new book being released think it would have been nice to get her that for her birthday. 

I'm glad the good memories are there.