Thankful for the Little and Not so Little Things

Nov 12:  Long morning phone conversations with my Mom over coffee

Nov 11:  My health, my strength, and a good group of workout buddies to honor Veteran's

Nov 10:   A sweet smiling 4 year old performing at church

Nov 9:  Family day fishing and having supper with Miss Betty

Nov 8:  Friday night movie after the kids go to bed

Day 7

I'm thankful for a blue sky day with lots of sunshine.  And a little girl that had a blast fishing.  And a Gigi that watched a toddler while I could spend some QT with the 4 year old.

A month of thanks

I'm behind, but I want to do this.  They are in NO order of importance but are things that struck me on those particular days.


Nov 6:  Thankful for God's timing.  Today was my first day of BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) and it couldn't have been more perfectly timed.  

Nov 5:  Thankful for my fellow mom friends on this journey of Motherhood.

Nov 4:  Thankful for sweat-pant-sit-on-the-couch-rainy-days

Nov 3:  Thankful for laughter and comfort that comes with being with Kimmie and Whitney

Nov 2:  Thankful from the bottom of my heart for the friends I have made through the Dallas VA.  They are family to me.  

Nov 1:  Thankful for a husband that doesn't miss a beat when caring for our kiddos.  He is so generous.  I'm so thankful we share a core belief of giving one another time away AND I'm so thankful for how he loves our family.

That girl in the picture whizzing by?  That's my 4.2 year old.  Cue tears.  Where in the world have 4 years gone?  This morning I was staring at a picture of her in my bathroom.  I had to really think about how old she was in the picture because it seemed like I snapped it yesterday.  She was 2...going on 3 and has a look of wisdom that could scare the pants off of you.  The first picture of her in her Daddy's lap when she was 10 minutes old?  Same look of wisdom.  Sweet Butterbean is wise beyond her years and always has been.  When she was 6 weeks old I remember thinking her looks seemed to say "Mom, I got this".  I still get those looks.    Except these days she's not a baby and I constantly search for the delicate balance of giving her the independence she so fiercely craves and setting boundaries which she so fiercely needs.    Yesterday, I had to pull her off the mountain bike ramp in the picture.  I knew it was a very fun thing to play on but bikers were coming out of the woods at a fast pace and it wasn't safe. 

 The ramp removal moment required an in depth discussion (as most things do):   What the ramps purpose is.  Why it is there.  Who built it.  What is a mountain bike.  Who rides mountain bikes.  Why they go fast.  Why her bike can't go on the ramp.  Why we didn't bring her bike to the trail.  And at the end of the very lengthy discussion she crumpled into a pool of tears because she "Wants to be big."    It's a recurring theme lately.  At night when we tuck in and talk about the day and say our prayers, most nights it is "Mom, I want to be big so bad."  Oh boy.  Big sigh.  I wanted to be big too.  I guess all kiddos do.    

A lot of our daily moments are spent in the aforementioned "in depth discussions".  LC is analytical.  This comes from her dad.  Those 2 can talk something in the ground like no other.  Geeze oh pete my brain gets so tired from so many explanations.  Thank goodness for end of the day outlets like wine or crossfit that keep me sane.  

LC is also imaginative and her favorite play is making her princesses or ponies talk...you should hear the predicaments Ariel and Fluttershy land in.  

LC is a problem solver.  Her favorite books and tv shows solve a problem.  She loves to help us fix things.  She loves to come up with alternative solutions.  And for 4 years old she is pretty darn good at it.  

LC loves hiking.   She loves flowers.  She loves butterflies.  She loves nature.  She loves to talk about the 4 seasons and the weather.  She loves to scout out hiking spots.  She loves the beach.  Today she told me "Mom, I've still never been fishing."  I am thankful we are so close to so many outdoor activities.   We bought a kayak after our trip to Kauai.  We want to add a paddleboard to the mix as well.  She loves being on the water.    I love that we can share this.  

Before I had children I used to say I love 4 year olds.  I didn't really know why but I loved them.  Now I know.  They are right in between being babies and big school kids.  They think they can ride mountain bikes yet still need an extra back rub and a squeezable pink blanket to fall asleep.  (The corners to her blanket are worn out from all the squeezing!)   They are really tuned in to the ways of the world but still need help with so many things.  It's a great age.   

The 17 month old and the 4 year old

I wish I was better with words.  I wish I could describe how I feel when I stop and think about how totally different my life is now compared to three years ago.  That's a blog post I have wanted to write for a while but seriously lack the time, the priority, and the brain power.   Soon maybe.    For now though, we must talk about these kiddos.   I'll start with Mr. B.    

There is a reason there are so few pictures of him unless you count the ones where he is strapped in a car seat, stroller, or high chair.  He never sits still for more than a second...typical of his age.   When he is not being held down by his sister as pictured above he is usually wearing a smile.   He is a talker just like his sister before him.  Today I was counting to 10 during hide and seek with LC and after seven he said "Eight!" and after nine he yelled at the top of his lungs "Ten!"    We love some hide and seek in this house.   His favorite words:  
-Up! Up! Up!
-No, uh-uh (says it 100 times a day)
-Ok
-Outside
-Cricket, Lila, Momma, Day-Eee, Nanny, Gigi, Beh-Eee
-Go
-Cracker, Snack, Hung-eee
-All Done.  Down! Down! Down!
-Uh-Oh, Ball, Truck, Tractor, Train, Elmo

He can name body parts and make all of his animal sounds.  The lion and the cat are his favorite.  Tonight when it was bath time he sat down and said "Sock off."  I'm just starting to notice that he is putting 2 words together.    Ok, enough about the speech therapy stuff.  Well 1 more thing:  when he turned 1,  I specifically remembering thinking he has about 10-15 words which is right on target...no better, no worse.  And I'm amazed daily at how fast his speech and language are taking off.  It's a fun age for sure.  

Schedule wise he is in bed sometime between 7:00 and 8:00 (second child).  And his naps are 2-3 hours and start anywhere from 11:30-2:30 (second child).  He wakes at 6:30am and still wakes in the night from time to time and will NOT go back to sleep till he is rocked a bit (second child).    Breakfast is his biggest meal of the day where he usually eats more than I do.  Heck, he eats more than LC and I combined.    At dinner on Friday night he ate an entire bowl of salsa and an entire plate of rice and beans.  The boy LOVES to eat.  Always has and I'm guessing always will.   Oh if you saw our grocery bill...  

His favorite book is "Wheels on the Bus" but his favorite thing in the whole wide world is Blooper the stuffed puppy.  Lordy it goes everywhere, is stinky, and stays dirty.  We are on our second one yet it already looks gross just like the first.     We started him in Mother's Day Out on M/W mornings for 3 hours.  It was getting impossible to do anything around here with him present.   Let's just say that dropping him off with those sweet ladies and fellow toddlers has rocked his world.  When it comes to matters of the heart Mr. B is perfectly happy at home with the people that he loves.  He has no desire yet to observe those around him.  He is a sweet and snuggly boy but not super sensitive.  He holds his own.  He doesn't have all the words but he has the right gibberish to let it be known when things aren't the way he likes.  Oh and patience is not his virtue.   He screams at the top of his lungs if I put him in his high chair and the food is yet to be placed on the tray.  He has done this since he was 6 months old.  I've yet to deprive him a meal...I guess trust is not high on his virtue list either.

He loves his sister.  He loves her big.  This morning she was asleep in our bed.  I put him in bed with us when he woke and the first thing he did was lay his head on her chest and smile.  She smiled in her sleep.   Later in the day she screamed "Stop Brooks" at least 100 times and he pulled her hair hard at the slightest frustration but at the end of the day they love each other.  She is a mother hen.   He is a monkey-see monkey- do.  He has no idea that she is 4 and is years ahead.  To him, he can do anything she can do.

I broke down and got his ringlets cut off yesterday.  It was bittersweet.  He is so big and so smart and so sweet that I was ready to embrace that side of him but yes, it's hard to see those baby locks fall.  He did great for the stylist.  He batted those eyes and seemed to love all the attention to his hair.  

I can't wait to see all the milestones he reaches in the coming months.  It's fun being his Momma.

I've used all my brain power on him and will have to do LC's 4 year post tomorrow.   Let me just say that I need a log of the daily 4 year old questions:   Just today:   "Mom, why are crumbs tiny?"   "Mom, why do books end?"   "Mom, why do seat belts buckle?" "Mom, why do stars twinkle?"  and when she is finished barraging me with questions she will say "Mom, do you have any good questions?"   I'm tired.    Goodnight.

The Earl Turner memorial vegetable garden

Mr. Turner was my favorite Laryngectomee and Veteran.  He was an avid gardener full of energy well into his eighties and kept me in a supply of tomatoes, okra, cucumbers and figs every year and Jared a supply of peppers.   Mr. Turner had 5 or 6 recurrences of cancer throughout his body which he beat until it got in his bone.    What a fighter!    I loved how hard he teased me about being from Arkansas.  I loved that he came to my office to chat even when he didn’t need anything.    His wife wasn’t well to travel the hour drive to the VA but I got to know her over the phone throughout the years and she was equally as much fun and the two of them were hilarious together.   His favorite thing to say on the phone with her in the background was “Next time, I’m definitely marrying a younger woman.”   I missed him like crazy when we moved but kept in touch with occasional phone calls and letters. 

He passed away this Spring before I could send him a picture of my garden (which I planted for him.)  He always wanted me to grow my own stuff.    I’ve killed every plant I’ve ever had, some of which he gave me…from his greenhouse.   

This morning I counted 70 tomatoes on my 5 plants.  That’s after the 40 that the squirrels ate earlier in the summer.   The squirrels are mysteriously not touching this batch.    Jared picks peppers every night to go with dinner.   And Lila picks cucumbers every day.    I can’t help but believe that Mr. Turner is tending this garden and can’t help but believe it’s his way for two friends to say hello and goodbye.  

All Mine

Lately when Bo wakes up he toddles over to the rocker and expects his morning to start by snuggling up and flipping through his favorite books.  This morning he looked back at me like "Mom, are you coming?"   While LC slept, we enjoyed our quiet time rocking and reading.  When the sleepyhead finally arose she crawled up in the chair with us and everyone started their morning with a smile (not always the case).   It's quiet around here this morning.  Everyone is still in their pajamas.  As I scrolled through the instagram posts of all the big kids going back to school: some starting Kindergarten, some starting high school, some starting college, and even one starting law school I was relieved that my sweet babies are still home in my arms.   I teared up knowing that these days are numbered and felt grateful that I have them all to myself today.  Any firsts that happen are mine all mine.  LC asked "What am I going to do today?"  I told her "You get to pick.  We can do whatever sounds fun to you."

Yep, today I'm soaking them up.