Thankful Thursday

This week, in lieu of my normal Thankful Thursday post, I'd like to take this opportunity to say:

Happy 11th Anniversary, Shawnie!

There are so many things about Shawn for which I am thankful.  Here are a few:

I'm thankful that Shawn was there to help me study during pharmacy school.

I'm thankful that he always encourages me to go ahead and get dessert, even when I'm saying, "Well....I really shouldn't."

I'm thankful that he lets me put my cold feet on him in the bed.
I'm thankful that he was there to catch me when we found out we'd lost our first baby.

I'm thankful that he was so overjoyed with the news of Sam that he couldn't keep it a secret...not even for a day.

I'm thankful that he always takes care of the garbage on garbage night.  Without him, it would just pile up from week to week because I never remember to put it out.

I'm thankful that he mows the lawn, cleans the litter boxes and does all of the other "man chores" even though we really don't have any "woman chores" in our house. 

I'm thankful that he sat with me in the hospital during my mom's last days and that he let me lean against him at her funeral.

I'm thankful that he stayed by my side during those dark days after Sam was born when I was temporarily insane.  He just loved me through it.

I'm thankful that we are so comfortable and familiar with each other that we can almost exist without any conversation whatsoever.

I'm thankful that we still talk anyway.

I'm thankful that I fall in love with him all over again every time I see him gently hold Sam.

I'm thankful that on this day, eleven years ago, two naive kids stood in front of a church and promised "forever" and meant it.  We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into, and it hasn't always been easy, but I'd do it all over again. 

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful for:

1) Panera.  Seriously, I think I might have an unhealthy addiction to this place.  I honestly think I would eat there every day if given the opportunity.  I love everything about it.  The bagels.  The pastries.  The breakfast sandwiches.  The soups.  The salads.  The breads.  (It doesn't hurt anything that Sam loves it too.  It's always easier to indulge in your pleasures when they are kid-friendly.) 

2) Evening walks with my guys.  We have resumed our (almost) nightly walks, and I just love how it gives Shawn and me a chance to reconnect for a few minutes.  It's nice to get outside without the distraction of the television or the phone or 300 toys that sing and flash lights. 

3) A husband who cooks.  Seriously, Shawn does more than his fair share of the cooking (and grocery shopping), and too often I forget to just say thanks.  He is usually the first one home, and it's nice that he almost always has supper started, if not ready, when I walk in the door.

Linking up to Black Tag Diaries.  What are you thankful for this week?

Date Night...Plus One

A few weeks ago, Shawn and I made a decision.  A big one.  Like....REALLY big. 

We decided...


...that it was time for us to...



...get a babysitter and go out on a date.  (Ha!  What were YOU thinking?!)



As it would turn out, summer break is not the time to find a babysitter.  So, we planned a date night and invited THIS little guy.

Every Friday night during the summer, local bands perform at a nearby shopping center in front of the fountain.  I looooooooove fountains!  So we packed up the stroller and cruised down to hear the Bent Penny Band.

What could be better?  Music and a fountain with my two favorite guys?  (How many girls can have two dates at the same time and not get in trouble with her husband?)

Unfortunately, our little musical adventure got cut short because of this:

But we'll be back.  Oh yes...we will be back.  This week is progressive bluegrass week.  Can't wait!

Walk Like A Man...Or Don't

Some things you just have to see to understand.  I have already described Sam's reluctance to walk, but really, the child will go to great lengths to avoid it.  I think he knows that once he is able to carry himself around on his own two legs, the Mommy Train is short-lived.  (Because seriously, that kid is HEAVY!!!)

Shawn's mom got Sam this really nice walking toy for his birthday.  One night last week, I got home from work and sat him in the floor in front of it so he could practice walking while I changed clothes.  This is what happened. 

Dear Sam,

I really hadn't planned on continuing these letters after your first birthday, but you're just doing so many funny things these days!  I can't stand the thought of not remembering these moments, and I know what few brain cells I have left are already at full capacity. 

You still refuse to walk.  You have successfully scaled the couch from the floor all the way to the top (true story), but you refuse to stand up and put one foot in front of the other.  For the first 6 or 9 months of your life, I really worried about your milestones.  I mean...we want the kid who sets the curve, right????  But you have continually reminded me that you will do things on your own timetable, and I think I have finally accepted that.  Now I realize that you are just that kid.  You are the kid who, when you are 17 years old, I will be saying, "Sam, you have a 12 page research paper due tomorrow morning.  Don't you think you should at least be starting it?" and as you roll your eyes you will be like, "Mom, that's 12 hours from now.  That's, like, an hour per page.  Chill."  Perhaps if I prepare myself for it now I will require fewer Rolaids when we actually have that conversation. 

You are so fun to talk to these days.  You are really trying to mimic the sounds we make, and if we throw you a curve ball, you scrunch your eyes together and slowly move your tongue and lips trying to figure out how to make that sound.  Lately, your favorite sound is the "la" sound.  You make it all day.  With much exaggeration and flair, you stick your tongue out as far as you can (Gene Simmons style) and yell, "La la la la la!!"  Then, just to make sure everything is working properly, you grab your tongue and hold on to it for a while.  We have been practicing saying, "La la love you!" at night, and you will give us night-night kisses then sing, "La la la!"  Then you will usually applaud your vocal expertise. 

We've also been practicing your animal sounds.  So far, you will moo like a cow, bark like a dog, meow like a cat (or scream...either one works), "Pbbbb" like a horse and "Sssss" like a snake.  I'm pretty sure a visit to a petting zoo is in order soon (sans the snakes, that is).

You love to help me in the kitchen.  When I'm cooking, you usually occupy yourself by emptying the pantry shelves of their contents and scattering them across the kitchen floor.  Kool Aid packets, spice bottles, boxes of Jell-O...nothing is safe from your scrutiny.  After you're finished with those, you move on to the Tupperware drawer.  Apparently, my organization system of nesting the smaller bowls inside the larger ones doesn't really work for you.  You take out every bowl and lid then put about half of them back in the drawer upside down and sideways while the others remain strewn across the floor. 

Your dad has taught you how to flop, and now that's one of your favorite things.  We put you on the bed with us, and you raise up on your knees then FLOP down face-first and laugh hysterically.  Flopping by yourself is fun, but the REAL fun begins when Daddy picks you up and flops you.  I really think if we could put you in a big, padded room, you would starve to death because you would never ever stop flopping to come out and eat. 

Speaking of eating, I think if we would let you, you would eat nothing but fruit.  You LOVE fruit!  Mandarin oranges, strawberries, cantaloupe, bananas, grapes, watermelon, cooked apples and pears, pineapple...it really doesn't matter to you.  During meal times, we have to keep any fruit concealed and out of sight until you have eaten a sufficient amount of other-food-group foods or it's game over. 

You're very interested in my teeth.  When I'm holding you, you will poke and prod with your fingers trying to get them in my mouth and hooked on my bottom front teeth.  Then you laugh your delightful baby laugh because noodling Mommy is funny!  But for some reason, it's Daddy's ears that fascinate you.  Seriously, you will literally grab his cheeks and turn his head so you can get your fingers in his ears.  I'm pretty sure you're just trying to help him clean them out so he can be cured of his selective hearing loss.  You know...the one that seems to kick in the most during a ballgame.

Sam, you bring so much joy and laughter into our lives.  I love watching you as you figure things out.  Your sweet, loving nature and your big, open-mouthed smile absolutely make my day.  I am loving watching you grow up...I just wish you would do it a little slower.

Please just think about being my little boy forever,
Mommy

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful for:

1)  Zucchini.

More specifically, THIS zucchini.  That I grew.  In my garden.  I'm so proud of this little zucchini!  I just can't wait to cut him up and grill him.  Or shred him up and put him in some zucchini bread.  Or maybe I'll just slice him and fry him.  (I hope he has friends soon.)

2)  Online bill payment. 

I know...weird, but stay with me on this.  I love that I can pay my bills with the click of a mouse instead of having to write a check, fill out an envelope, use a stamp, blah, blah, blah.  AND I can pick what day the money comes out of my account!  I guess it gives me the illusion of control.  And if I HAVE to pay bills (why do these people expect money EVERY. SINGLE. MONTH?) quick and easy is the way to go. 

3) The sunshine today.

Okay, so maybe not my most profound Thankful Thursday list, but seriously, sunshine just makes me happy.  Yesterday was so dark and dreary all day, so it's nice to look out our windows at work today and see blue sky.  I think I'll take a little stroll outside on my lunch break and get my vitamin D fill for the day.

What are you thankful for today?  Head over to Black Tag Diaries and leave your list.

Who Knows...

Someday these pictures might be worth a lot of money. 

They might be the first glimpse into the budding passion of a musical prodigy. 

But for now...they're already priceless to me.

Spaghetti Night

Ya' wanna know one of the funnest things about having a toddler???

Spaghetti Night!!!

We loooooooooooooooove Spaghetti Night!

It always makes us smile.

Hmmmm....what's for dessert on Spaghetti Night?



Two Lists

I talk to him when I'm lonesome like; and I'm sure he understands. When he looks at me so attentively, and gently licks my hands; then he rubs his nose on my tailored clothes, but I never say naught thereat. For the good Lord knows I can buy more clothes, but never a friend like that.
~W. Dayton Wedgefarth

Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really.
~Agnes Sligh Turnbull

Things I Will Miss About Maddie:

1)  The way she loved my pregnancy pillow.

2)  The way she snored when she slept. 

 3)  The way she gave kisses.

4)  The way you could set a watch by her asking for her bedtime bone every night.

5)  The way she loved to go for walks.

6)  The way she loved fruit...no matter what kind.

7)  The way she seemed to smile at you with her doggy smile.



 8)  The way she loved for you to throw sticks for her...just so she could go get them then rip them to shreds.

 9)  The way she really wanted you to hold her bone for her so she could chew on it.

10)  The way she loved playing in the snow.

11)  Those soulful eyes.

12)  The way she loved riding in the car...it didn't really even matter where we were going.

13)  The way she could never stay awake in the car.  She was usually asleep before we even made it out of our neighborhood.



14)  Her floppy ears.

15)  The way she always had to roll on her bone before chewing on it.

16)  The way she would lay her head on my knee when she knew I was sad.

17)  The way she would greet me at the door with her little stump of a tail wagging every time I walked through it...even if I had just stepped outside to get the mail.

18)  The click, click, click of toenails against tile that always immediately followed the sound of the refrigerator door opening or a bag of chips rustling.

Things I Will NOT Miss About Maddie

Oh, Who Am I Kidding?  MORE Things I Will Miss About Maddie

1)  The way she always managed to find a pile of clean laundry to roll in.  

2)  The way she would fart in the car, then look at us accusingly and try to pass off the blame. 

3)  The way she could somehow take up an entire king-sized bed all by herself. 



4)  The way she would wake us up at 4am because she felt like that was an appropriate time to eat breakfast.

5)  The way she would find something disgusting outside and hold it in her mouth until we got back inside where I would be forced to wrestle it away from her.

6)  The way she was always hovering in the kitchen waiting for the perfect opportunity to snatch something up should I drop it.

7)  The way her food bowl had to be on a bath mat, not too close to the wall or she would stand and bark at it.  And bark.  And bark.  And bark.

8)  The way her nose could find a random piece of old, dust-bunny-covered, stale dog food that had somehow found it's way under the couch 6 months earlier and oh-my-goodness-nobody-was-resting-until-she-got-that-food!!!

9)  The way she woke us up by breathing her doggy breath in our faces.

10)  The way she would get so offended if I dared roll over in bed and invade her space...and she would get up and flounce off of the bed with a good-natured growl. 

Bye Bye, Bottle!

I started to include this in my "Since The Last Time I Posted" post, but I decided it was noteworthy enough to write about on it's own. 

Sam has been down to only a bedtime bottle for a couple of months now, but I really thought we would struggle with dropping that one.  Our normal nightly routine has evolved into me giving Sam a bath and putting his pj's on, then Shawn gives him his bedtime bottle while I pack his bag for the next day.  Sam has really learned to look forward to that time with Daddy, and by the time I pass him off, he is anxious to get his hands on the bottle.  While Shawn was gone to Michigan, Sam didn't take his bottle that great, but I blamed it the fact that our routine was a bit out of whack.  The night that Shawn got back he sat down with Sam as usual, but this time when he offered him the bottle, Sam adamantly pushed it away. 

We made a split-second decision and decided to follow Sam's lead and say goodbye to the bottle.  He never looked back.  This picture is one I took during Shawn's trip to send him a goodnight text.  It was probably Sam's last bottle. 

So I'm once again having all of these conflicted mommy feelings.  While I'm glad that we didn't really have a struggle to lose the bottle, I'm a little heartbroken that my baby is growing up so quickly...too quickly.  I'm proud of my little boy for his accomplishment, no matter how small.  And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't amused that Sam made the transition in true Sam style.  When he made his mind up that it was time for a change, he very plainly told us his plan and WOULD NOT be convinced otherwise.  While I'm sure it will cause problems in the future, I can't help but smile when I see the same bull-headed, stubborn streak that I have had all of my life. 

Slow down, Sam.  You have the rest of your life to be a grown-up.  Be my little boy for just a little while longer.