Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Adventures in Parenting: It's the little things

Before I became a parent, I never knew:

  • I'd spend so much time chopping/dicing/mashing/tearing food bits.
  • That the moment my husband's key would unlock our door around 5:20 pm, I would have immediate relief wash over me.
  • how important changing tables are when you're out in public.
  • I would end up consuming just as many Cheerios as my child does.
  • how glorious naps were; for both of us.
  • that God could use a little child to teach me the hardest lessons.
  • how wonderful and sanity-saving, grandparents could be.
  • the slight differences between Pampers, Huggies, and Luvs. Not to mention, the beauty of pop-up wipes.
  • what a challenging calling that motherhood truly is.
  • that "snack traps" don't really trap all of the snack!
  • that cloth bibs work best for bottles and liquidy stuff, but slick pelican bibs are better for table food.
  • how pitiful your child looks when he's sick.
  • the beauty and fun of consignment sales.
  • that some days, your child will get on your last nerve.
  • that other days, you can't get enough of him.
  • how much I would desperately need God's forgivness and grace in raising a child.

I have learned so much in this small little space of time that my son has been around. And I can't imagine my life without him now. He grew in me a little over a year ago, and now he's grown on me. God give me the grace that despite all of my failings and quirks, he will ultimately see You.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

"La-LA-La-LA....Bubster's World"

....sung to the tune of, none other than "Elmo's World!"

It's been awhile since I've posted some about Bub's current world. And man, do I love his little piece of the world.


Frenemies

Ever since he took his first steps almost two months ago, he is amazing us with his speed all of a sudden. I usedtacould open a door and quickly grab something, and shut the door all without him noticing or being able to intervene. Nowadays, that no longer happens, and he is quick as a whip, right there at your feet, ready and all too willing to get involved with whatever I am doing. Right now, his most favorite activities are opening and shutting doors, dancing, reading, chasing Cubbie, and getting into the fridge or dishwasher. The latter have become problems of their own...basically when I shut either door, he throws a fit. Screaming at the top of his lungs, all because I shut the fridge door. Bless his heart.

The dancing bit is so cute to watch. He'll do it to about anything, whether it's a song on his favorite show, Raggs, or a song in one of his musical books. He bobs up and down with the most serious of looks on his little face. It really looks as if he's thinking, "Up...now down...Up...now down." :) We've gotten it on video quite a few times, so hopefully (fingers crossed), I'll remember to post one.

Bub's vocab is growing as well. He can now say: Mama, Dada, ball, Bobo (his fave monkey), bye bye, uh-oh, and light. I know "light" is a strange first word, but he is obsessed with lights. It all started when I began pointing to any and every light in a room. Soon, his arm and finger began imitating mine, and he would smile and say "_igh_."

Another cute thing he does (and there are too many to count!) is raise his arms above his head. We taught him to raise them when we say, "Praise God!" He did it at our church one day, much to everyone's delight. And just the other day, as we were riding down in an elevator, it made a weird clunking noise with a small bounce. Bub said, "Uh-Oh!" :-D I have no idea how or why he knew to say that in context! But I told him, "Please don't say 'uh-oh' in an elevator!" Ironically, as we were waiting for the same elevator awhile later, a maintenace man told us it was acting up. ::blushing:: My son is already getting smarter than his old mom!

He is still very much in love with his precious blankie, and now enjoys dragging it around the house with him. He strews everything around the house nowadays. I find the most random things in the most random of places. I do love finding a wooden block or puzzle piece intermingled with his dirty clothes. Truly his presence makes itself known.

He is such a gift. I am so thankful to God for such an energetic and wild little boy. (These words may come to bite me in the future, but for now, they're all true).




Friday, September 3, 2010

Happy 4th Anniversary!

To my sweet husband,

I love you more than the day you asked me to marry you....



I love you more than the day we said, "I do."



I love you more than the day we found out we were pregnant.



I love you more than the day we met our firstborn son.




I love you more than you will ever know...





Monday, August 23, 2010

Daydreaming of Fall

Stowe, Vermont (Fall 2008)
On Wednesday, September 22, 2010, I'll be doing a little happy dance. You see, that's the first day of Fall. The debut of my favorite season bursting onto the scene. I'm so thankful that I live in a place where I can experience the full range of seasons; some milder than previous years. But Fall is just always beautiful, and never disappoints, regardless of how the rest of the seasons have played out.
The crisp air, "jacket weather," the smell of smoke billowing from chimneys and bonfires, bumpy hayrides, gooey s'mores, turtlenecks, warm scarves, appley-anything, crunchy leaves, dazzling colors, coziness. What's not to love?
In anticipation of Autumn, I excitedly announced to B, "I just painted my toenails 'Brown-a-licious!'" To which he wryly responded, "You do know that it's about a month away, right?"
Yes, but who's counting?
....30 days....
What are some of your favorite things about Fall?

Saturday, August 14, 2010

GQ bay-bay



Caleb is modeling Huggies Jeans and Snug & Dry diapers. Cup by Tommee Tippee. Robot pj top by BabyGap.
Posted by Picasa

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Who does he favor?

Brent (left) & Bubster (right)



Me (left) & Bubster (right)

We get asked often by friends (and family) who we think Bub looks more like. What do you think?



Posted by Picasa

Friday, August 6, 2010

Adventures in Parenting: Buying a minivan?!

I can't even believe I just typed the word minivan. It connotes soccer mom, unhip, scattered and broken Cheerios, and the sound of a slamming sliding door (in my mind). Growing up, just my sister and I, we never rode in a minivan unless it was a friend's. We rode around in a grey Chevrolet Cavalier station wagon for most of our younger years, then upgraded to a brand spankin' new '91 Toyota Camry; with moonroof. Eat. your. heart. out.

The Cavalier is looong gone, but the Camry, affectionately known as Ol' Girl, is still being driven around town by the husband. A couple of years ago, I was able to pick out a new-to-me '03 Honda Accord which is nicknamed Annie. (Backstory on the name: we found out during the buying process that the car had been repossessed; thus she was a bit of an orphan).

Amazingly, it seems like Annie has shrunken ever since Bubster entered our life. The mega-sized gear, bulging diaper bag, and variety of car toys has usurped the former backseat section. A minivan just makes sense to us. I'm as practical as they come, and even I can't deny the beauty of stow-n-go seating, dual sliding doors, and a butt load more of storage space. Did I mention our stroller takes up the entire trunk of the Accord? Lord willing, we would like to expand our family in the future, and it's difficult for me to imagine adding more to Annie's current load.

So, as I swallow my pride, since I previously vowed I would never, ever, ever, in a million bajillion years drive or own a minivan, we are poring over used Honda Odyssey ads specifically. And boy am I grateful for the internet at this time. What did people do without it before?! Oh yeah, read newspaper classifieds and pick up a copy of AutoTrader outside of the grocery store.

We found a perfect match for what we were looking for off of Craigslist, but discovered it had been sold and the ad was left behind. But just as in big things or little things, we are trusting God that He will bring it about in His will and time. Lord, give me patience!

In the meantime, my sister (also avowed anti-minivanist, who drives a big honkin' SUV) and I recently discussed our wanting to buy a minivan. She had a mischievous grin and chuckled knowingly. I don't know, it's like all your cool points go completely out the window when you drive a minivan. Like an official mom mobile. But what I am realizing, is that it is totally okay to be stereotyped as a mom :) It's a beautiful thing, really. See below.



And here are a few other mini-van funnies....


Another mom's take on saying, "I'll never drive a van."