Forever Young

I heard this song the other day and it gave words to my heart's prayer for my boys.  Andrew is entering toddlerhood and Christian will enter elementary school next year; this momma is not ready for my babies to grow up.  As the days, months, and years pass, laughter is heard, tears are wiped, kisses and hugs are given and received, and prayers are lifted up, including this one...

May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth and see the light surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay..
Forever young

Forever young
Forever young
May you stay Forever..

May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation when the winds of changes shift
May you heart always be joyful, may your song always be sung
And may you stay forever young

Forever young
Forever young
May you stay Forever Young

And may you stay
May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you stay
Forever young

 

 

 

 

One Hundred Years...

One hundred years ago in 1913...

A postage stamp cost $0.02,

A loaf of bread cost $0.05,

The first prize was inserted into a Cracker Jack box,

Charlie Chaplin began his film career at Keystone for $150 a week,

Woodrow Wilson was inaugurated as the 28th president,

Richard Nixon was born,

Henry Ford instituted the first moving assembly line,

The Model T had been in production for 5 years,

The Great Depression would not begin for another 16 years,

World War I would begin the next year,

The Woolworth Building was opened in New York City,

and
My grandmother was born.

What an amazing blessing it was to be able to celebrate this momentous occasion with my family.  Although traveling with two young boys for such a distance made us extremely apprehensive, Daniel and I knew that staying home was not an option.  We had no doubt that Christian would travel like a champ with the portable DVD player and a collection of movies.  Andrew, on the other hand, made us nervous.  Armed with our pediatrician's suggestions, we headed out of town after work one Wednesday.  By the grace of God, we arrived in my hometown around 1:30 in the morning.  Exhausted, Daniel and I climbed out of the truck, transferred both sleeping boys from their car seats to their beds, talked a bit with my dad, and then fell into bed ourselves.

 

It was such a precious moment for me to have my grandmother hold my youngest in her arms and have my oldest by her side.  That moment will be forever etched in my mind.  The excitement on her face, the love in her eyes, the gentleness of her touch...priceless!

For those of you that know my grandmother, her parting words would not surprise you.  This "spunky" lady thanked everyone for coming and asked everyone to return for her next birthday!

Happy Birthday Grandma D! 

 

A Picture of Contentment

Pictures of Sugary Goodness

  

(Yes, even Andrew enjoyed some cake.)

 Pictures of the Past

 A Picture of Pure Joy

 A Picture of Delight





Odds and Ends

Can it really have been two months since I last updated the blog?  Wow! Time sure has gotten away from me. It is not because I have not had topics to write about, stories to share, or pictures to post;  it is because as the day comes to an end, exhaustion sets in as this tired momma finally gets to rest.  Like most moms, there are days I am extremely productive in terms of getting tasks done and errands run.  There are also days where my "productivity" is measured by the number of boo-boos I have kissed, the tears I have wiped away, the stories I have read, and the love that I have tried to give to my boys.

Things here are constantly changing.  Just when I think I have a grasp on the situation, a child goes through a growth spurt, conquers some developmental milestone, or just "mixes things up" a bit.  But it is fun to say the least!


Christian Humor

Summer has gone and autumn is somewhere in the near (or distant) future.  For those of you who don't know about this area, we get excited when the days are only in the low 90's.  After the long, HOT days of summer, any relief is welcome relief.  We spent much of the summer at the pool, whether it be at swim lessons or at our local pool.  Unfortunately, as summer came to an end so did the lessons and our afternoon dips. I was so delighted about the progress Christian made with regards to his swimming.  Even more so, however, I am one proud momma that he tried with all his might to do whatever his coaches asked him to do. 

 

 

 

With daily swims coming to an end, we saw the beginning of school.  Christian began preschool this year.  I remember like it was yesterday when he began "school" at six-months-old.  Now he is carrying his own backpack (and sometimes an attitude), singing songs in Spanish, telling me what his teacher said, talking about his friends, and writing up a storm.  He has gotten too big. Andrew also began "school," or more accurately, a mother's day out (MDO) program.  I would have loved to stay home with him but our NICU bills prevented this.  The adjustment to the new school schedule has been challenging.  Christian began a three-day program which required me to switch workdays.  He is tired at the end of the week. And Andrew?  He is exhausted when I pick him up; the little stinker does not sleep much at MDO.

Soccer has also begun.  Daniel played soccer growing up and Christian thought he would give it a try this year.  We joined a local Upwards league and have been thoroughly pleased.  It helps that we have a great coach (aka Coach Daniel/Daddy)! It brings me such joy to see the two of them play together. After practice, Coach Daniel transitions to Daddy and the true fun begins.

 

 

Finally, Andrew celebrated six months!!!  Unfortunately, he sported four huge Band-Aids on his thighs most of the day due to his wellness check.  However, we stole some extra snuggle time so it made it all worth while.  We also got the green light to proceed with solids at the visit.  Previously, the doctor had said to hold off a couple more months to encourage weight gain. Andrew tipped the scale at 11 pounds, 4 ounces and measured 24 inches long; the doctor was pleased.  We had actually tried foods the week before his visit (bad momma for not listening to the doctor).  Andrew was hungry and mommy was tired and desperate.  Therefore we brought out the rice cereal...it was a no go.  His tongue thrust reflex was still present. The hunger continued so two nights later I tried again.  Wailing and gnashing of gums ensued;  the red in Andrew's  hair flared as he protested the foreign matter in his mouth.   Desperate, I sliced up an avocado and gave him a few smashed up bits...one happy guy!  We have tried cereal again and he detests the stuff. He will gobble up peas and butternut squash, though.  He must have received too many vegetables while in the womb:)

 

There is so much more to write about.  However, I will let the pictures do the talking!  Until next time....

 

 

The Little Things

All too often we celebrate the "big things," while overlooking the numerous "little things" that add such joy to our days.  I was reminded of this the other day when Christian eyed the birthday cakes and cupcakes at our local grocery store for the umpteenth time.  I am frugal by nature; the prices of these cakes literally make my skin crawl.  However, Daniel urged me to get one for him "just because."  You should have seen his eyes when he got to pick out a treat from the bakery.  Granted, we wound up with only a specialty cupcake, but my son was delighted.  Therefore, this week we celebrated our first "un-birthday," a day that is not our birthday but is a special day because God created it. 

The "Un-Birthday" Celebration

 

Therefore, the remainder of this post will highlight the simple, everyday moments that add so much depth to my days. 

 

Playing in the Rain

  

The Drooling Smiles

 

Taking Rest Breaks

 

The Goofy Moments

 

Sweet Friends

 

Watching My Boys "Play"

 

 Sharing Childhood Delights

 

The Energetic and Expressive Wiggles 

 

Although being a mother is one of the toughest jobs around, I would not swap positions with anyone!