First Borns, Middles and Sisters

Usually when I don't blog it is because I have SO MUCH to blog about, that I don't know where to start. Taking inspiration from a friend or two, I am committing to at least three posts a week: Middle Child Monday, First Born Friday and Sister Saturday. These posts will be dedicated to Brit, Tate & Ellie respectively. Trying to keep it simple as to not overwhelm myself. Also, since it is a rare occasion these days that I pick up a pen to write in the journals that I've kept for each of my children since their births, this will be another attempt to document their lives. and mine.

So we begin with Middle Child Monday and I will sum up Britton David in one word: Silly.  See ABOVE..wouldn't you agree?

Don't feel left out, B...all the other ones are getting one word this week as well.  More about all of my babies next week.

Eleven at 11

I realized as soon as I posted the Top 10 at 10, there were a few things I forgot to mention, so we'll just add them here. Again, in no particular order, here are 11 things about my girl at 11 months of age:
1. You traded in your paci for your arm. Looks like you have permanent burns/hickeys right next to your wrists.
2. You DANCE! I love to watch you move.
3. You can stand on your own, but quickly sit as soon as you catch yourself doing it.
4. You LOVE your bath. I knew you took after me.
5. So thankful that you will let just about anyone hold you. I know you love me but it gives me comfort to know that without me, you are still ok.
6. You save your deepest belly laughs for your brothers. Oh, how they make you smile.
7. We call you Ewa, baby Squirrel, Squirrely Girl, Smells, Rusco, and Bells to name a few.
8. You pitched your first fit on October 20th, 2010. Hope it's not a taste of things to come.
9. You started waking up between 2 & 3 am...EVERY NIGHT for the past week. I try to ignore you and usually can for about 30 minutes, but you don't give up until you get a visit from mom and dad. (I see that smile, April!)
10. Guess how many times I've been truly frustrated with you in the past 11 months? ONCE! Same for your dad...just once...he SOOOO obviously adores you.
11. I'm still your favorite!

I don't ever want to forget this day

Dear Ellison,

I wish that I could tell you that today's discovery would be something that you will rarely experience in your life- but I can't lie to you.  What you did today, with such curiosity and gusto, will not always feel like such a Disneyland adventure.  It won't be fun, you won't ever get a medal for it, no one will die if you DON'T do it, and chances are it will never be something you look forward to.  Ellison, today you discovered LAUNDRY.

I can't promise that you may not one day find yourself angry at the very person who's boxer briefs you are holding in your hand, or that you won't be irritated by the 15th grass/ketchup/sharpie stain you find on your schoolager's Sunday best, or dumbfounded at the sheer volume of burp cloths and onesies have accumulated in a day.  I can't promise it will ever be easy or exciting or fun. 

But I promise you this:
One day you will pray over that pair of undies and thank God for the man who wears them.  You will gasp when you think how much that schoolager has grown and how it has become increasingly difficult to decipher "who's is who's" because they are all just getting so big.  One day you will fold a onesie or a burp cloth or a fuzzy little sock for the very last time.  And then it will hit you.  You've spent the last (however many) years taking care of your family- from the food on the table to the clothes folded neatly and placed in a drawer.  You've loved them, prayed for them, held them and have simply been there for them.  Then you will know that no task- great or small- is a burden or a chore as long as it is done in love.

Delight in the little things, my love.  Cherish the path that the Lord has given you.  Rejoice and seek God's  face in all you do.

Oh, and bleach for your whites, cold for your colors, and don't let anyone ever tell you that liquid fabric softener is a splurge.

I love you,
Mama

Top Ten at 10

Ellie is almost 11 months, but I've had this post in my head since her 10 month birthday.  Here are the Top Ten (in no particular order) things that came to mind on September 21st:
1. Her first pearly white pops through her bottom gum
2. Says mama to me and dada to the dog...and Derek
3. Holds the phone up to her ear as if to say "hello"
4. Waves "Bye Bye"
5. Stands on her own
6. Belly laughs at her silly brothers
7. Goes to bed at 6pm....wakes up at 7 or 8 am
8. Eats a blueberry waffle every morning for breakfast
9. I FINALLY let her eat Cheerios and WHOLE Puffs
10. She reaches for me, hugs me, kisses me and LOVES ME

I love, love, love this little girl!

September Mourn

OK, so I am sure that wasn't exactly the way Neil Diamond intended it when he penned the lyrics to his 1986 hit, but as I was packing away all of my summer fashions- white pants, white shoes, sun dresses, swimsuits, summer purses and accessories, I found it surprisingly difficult to pack away these:

My beloved white sunglasses.  I think I bought them at TJ Maxx or maybe Marshall's for like, 9 bucks...but oh, they are worth so much more than that to me.  Whenever I put them on a feel young, fashionable and...well almost frisky!  I can't explain why they have this effect on me but they do.  As I pack them away, I feel like I am packing a part of me that has been buried beneath breastfeeding, booty-wiping, sippy cup filling, boo boo kissing and all the other makings of motherhood for the past 6 and 1/2 years.  I really can be fun, spontaneous and full of laughter...I promise.  So, as I pack these away I am going to make an effort to never lose myself again...to be the "me" that I truly am and not just the "me" that I think I am supposed to be.  Oh, and I have an appointment with one of my besties to go shopping tomorrow...TJ Maxx and Marshall's is definitely on the "hit list".  Here's hoping I'll come home with a little (new) piece of me!

"Look at what you've done

Why, you've become a grown-up girl"
 
-September Morn, Neil Diamond

Ellie at 9 months

Boochie, Roni, Bitzer & Ewie

If you know our family well, you know that we come up with all kinds of crazy nicknames for each other.  For starters, Derek and I have called each other "Boochie" since...well, I cannot even remember when or why or who started it.  When Tate was born he was Tater, Tate Mouse, Mitter and apparently "Boochie" seemed appropriate for him as well as the two children that would come after him.  Now we call him Tony or Roni or Tate-opolis.  Then there is Brit who was Bit, Bitzy, Bitzer, Bitzerpotomus, Bellus.  So here is Ellie and we call her bellie, smellie, Ewie, Petunia, Belles.  Even our dog, Rose has nicknames: Rosetta Stone, Rosa Barks and Rouge (like, what your grandma calls the pink stuff she powders on her cheeks)...usually said at an ear-splitting volume ROUGE!!!!!!

But we don't limit ourselves to the monikers (thank you, Laura) listed above.  Just yesterday Derek called me corn chip and fuzzy Popsicle.  Its kinda fun to just call someone whatever comes to mind at the moment.  It keeps life interesting and definitely keeps us laughing.  Oh, and don't worry, chances are we have a name for YOU as well...you just don't know what it is...and we'll never tell!

Finally his first

After several seasons of sitting on the sidelines watching his brother play sports, Britton is finally old enough to join a team of his own. He had his very first soccer practice tonight and he loved it. I expected him to do well, and he did. I hope it gives him more of his own identity since Tate decided not to play this year (regrettably so, as you can see in the picture). I am excited to be able to see Brit run and play and hopefully do well during his first team sports experience.

While practice was going on, I couldn't help but take a few snapshots of Kristin's baby...what a love!

From Collages

up to and into

Ellie was 9 months old on August 21st, and I must say that she "grew up" more in one month than she had in the last 8.  She went from happily sitting and observing to actively exploring her world.  She's UP TO 16 1/2 pounds and INTO just about everything!

Busted!

Her favorite indulgence right now is her brother's marker collection.  As soon as she sees the pantry doors open, she scurries over to discover what markers look like, feel like and taste like. 

She also loves my cookbooks.  She can occupy herself for a good 15-20 minutes pulling them all off the shelves in the kitchen making this funny little new laugh that I MUST capture on video soon.

Ellie has also discovered that it's OK if she does not like a particular food, because Rose will eat just about anything.  I've caught her tossing pieces of veget ables and bread to our four-legged friend.  Rose LOVES when its time for Ellie to eat.

"I didn't do it."

She has discovered brooms, drawers, the dishwasher, shoes, toilet paper, the bathroom scale, the bathtub drain plug, the fancy balls that mommy keeps in a basket/tower thingy on the fireplace, daddy's computer keys, the vacuum cleaner cord, the drawer that sits just beneath the surface from which I am right now typing (has found change, stamps, earrings, flash drives, iPod ear buds...all kinds of neat things in there!).  So her curiosity and propensity to explore means more than ever that I CANNOT TAKE MY EYES OFF OF HER.  And I don't.

More work for me...less undivided time on Facebook...more time shucking my "to do list" to spend time sitting right with her and chasing her all over the house.  I love it though.  I love to see those wheels turning, the zest for more, more, more, as she takes in her little big world.  UP TO 20th percentile in height and weight INTO 100 percent more than that!

We interrupt this marriage...

It's here, folks!  And just in time for kickoff, a cool breeze meanders in from my back porch and through the open french doors into our living room.  Welcome, welcome Football & Fall. 

I have one happy fella perched on the couch, tuckered out from today's noon-thirty game with a sunburn he wears as if it were a badge of honor. 

We took Tate to the Raider Game last night and tailgated with a few friends.  This was the first year since I've been up here that I didn't have a family member either on the field in uniform or shaking pom poms from the sidelines. Kind of sad to think that almost all of the cousins are grown.

I love how football brings everyone together; the young and the old, the Gator and the Dawg...the passion and frenzy that surrounds this season is exciting and special and treasured in our home.

2010 August

Click here to view these pictures larger

And so it is

I spent 30 years of my life believing that the New Year begins on the first day of January.  As all parents of schoolagers know, that is not the case.  The year begins anew for us every August when the first bell of the new school year sounds.  Bittersweet goodbyes to a summer that we will remember fondly...

Mama was home with the boys and her new little girl.  They collected bugs, planted a garden, watched fireworks, rode bicycles, ate Popsicles, spit watermelon seeds, dipped cucumbers in ranch dressing, ate tomato pie, swam in a lake, in a pool and in an ocean.  Spent time with relatives, welcomed home some old college friends.  Celebrated births, loved on friends.  Built sandcastles and went fishing with dad.  There were bee stings and skinned knees and a broken wrist.  Big brother learned to ride his bike without training wheels AND how to swim without floaties.  Mama and Daddy finally "got" the middle child- learned to appreciate that for him, life is light and fun.  The baby learned to sit up and crawl and has fallen into the family rhythm of the rest.

The summer went quickly but was well documented with photos and entries into the journals that I keep for each child.  Goodbye summer days with hours laid out before us with nothing to do but what we want.  See you again next year.

Six!

How can my baby be six?


When I look at you, I can still feel my breath get taken away. I still marvel at your perfect face, your ten fingers and ten toes....the same ones we counted all those years ago. You make me smile with your humor and the way you can put everyone in a room in stitches. You live life loudly and fully with a heart bigger than the moon.

Bless your heart- you were my "starter baby". I've made a lifetime's worth of mistakes with you, yet you love me still. Giving birth to you was my first experience of what it feels like to have my heart beating out of my chest. I've kept you close to me, but lately have been learning to let you go...just a little. Let you be you and discover why God made you and what purpose you have here on earth. I hope we will be close forever and that you will always come to me, no matter what.

We both love music, love to dance, we're stubborn and dramatic, both have messy handwriting and we both like to laugh. But you are stronger than I. Funnier, more confident, more sensitive, more...well, just more. And I am thankful. I wouldn't change one thing about you son, you are an angel to me and every day I thank God that I get to be your mama.

Movie Night MONDAY

This is the last week of school for my Kindergartner, so we are celebrating each day.  Monday was "MOVIE NIGHT Monday".  I ordered The Princess and the Frog off of PPV and let the boys eat popcorn in my bed.

Today was "TASTY Tuesday" and I let the boys choose their treat of choice.

Tomorrow?  "WATER Wednesday".  The boys will be splashing in the baby pool and sliding on the slip-n-slide in the back yard.  I CANNOT WAIT for school to get out!!  Happy summer everyone!

How do you thank your mother?

Is there anything that a child could ever do or say to thank their mother for the love, the care, the always "being there"? Only when I became a mother did I realize just how much a mother gives, does and loves. Today I want to thank my mother for one thing in particular: She took me to church.

Mom, I know it wasn't always (if ever) easy being a single mom. I know that there are things you would have done differently and I know there are probably times, if not years, you wish you could erase. But let me tell you today that because of you and your influence, I gave my heart to Jesus when I was 6 and have had a relationship with him ever since. You helped plant the spiritual seeds in me that will continue to grow in my heart and soul all the days of my life.

Thank you.

I love you.

Happy Mother's Day!

Cinco de Fun-O!

My Gal

This is Ellie's first bathing suit that she wore to Blythe & Bree's 4th birthday pool party. Did she swim? No! But I took advantage of the opportunity to let her sport her cute suit before she outgrows it. I LOVE dressing my girl. Derek is always making fun of me saying "She's like your little baby doll, isn't she?" Well...YES SHE IS!!

Shower the people you love with love...

...and presents! This weekend I co-hosted a baby shower for my dear friend, Missy. She is expecting her 4th boy this summer and we wanted to share in her excitement and help her get ready for baby. Missy has quite a story, but it is hers to tell. I will just say that she is a very special and Godly person and I am blessed to call her a friend.