A Little Before and After...

Every night before bed, the boy gets a sippy of milk.  We have noticed there seems to be a little bit of bloating after the milk.

Here he is signing that he wants to eat...

So we give him some milk to drink. He's drinking... and drinking... 

The after.  Notice the belly that has formed.  Oh and this is his "strong man" pose.  He's flexing the muscles he gets from the scrumptious milk.

Then...Matilda & Madox came to play

Caden mostly just did his own thing, stopping occasionally to see what the big kids were doing.

Matilda drew her mom and dad (dad on right). Looks like mom has some curves!

This is Madox just being cute. Don't zoom in too close, we were having a snot issue.

We had a fun day!

What Happened....

I am tired of people complaining that they are sick of seeing Halloween pics, so I thought I had better update the old blog. We have been busy, as usually happens with the onset of the holiday season... though I couldn't really tell you what all we have been doing. So I'll just show you the pictures.
First we went to Grandma and Pawcaw's house. This is him helping me pack...This is him cleaning Grandma's windows...

Please note that there is an outline of the underside of a Lego on his forehead.  He fell off the couch and skillfully landed right on it, leaving a cute little imprint all day long.

More to come...

Happy Halloween

Today he said...

Pawcaw!

For those who don't know, that is my dad's name (grandpa). Somewhere down the line a grandkid couldn't say grandpa so it came out Pawcaw (it was also coleslaw at one time). Can't remember if that was D or G or maybe H. Anyhoo, he knows his Pawcaw!

Be an advocate...

When I was in college I remember watching an episode of Oprah about child advocacy. It was such a powerful story that I decided right then and there I wanted to be a child advocate. I knew in my heart that I could be that person to someone out there, the person to stand up for the innocent, abused, unloved, etc. The reality of that job has not been easy to achieve. It involves a lot of volunteer hours, and I had to get a paying job. I know that someday I will do more in this field, but I have decided that I will start small...

I love my boy. I never - in a million years - would have imagined this intense love I have for my baby. I love him so much that I worry about his future. Everything from an upset tummy to being bullied in school. If I could I think I would wrap him in bubble wrap for the rest of his life, not just his little body, but his little heart as well. I don't want him to experience pain or grief, just happiness and joy.

I know the reality of things, though. If I was this protective of him he would never be able to thrive as an individual. It would do more harm to him than good. And he would never grow to be compassionate and loving if he never experienced pain. But I can be one thing to him, I can be his champion. I can stand up for him and protect him when needed. I can cheer him on through victory and defeat... be a shoulder to cry on... and love him forever... I am his mother.

I find myself in a world of "social justice". All my peers seem to go on and on about the children in Africa, the children in India, the children in Ethiopia. Save the children, drill wells for their water, feed them...etc. Let me make myself clear, I care about all of these children. I think that God gave us the ability to support them in many ways and as a Christian... a mother... and a person, I want to do that for them.

But let me also make clear that there are children right here in America that may very well have fewer rights than any of those children in other countries... they need our help too.

There are children right here in America that have no rights at all. Not the right to live, not the right to medical care when they do survive, not the right to have a voice, not the right to be held or loved or nurtured, not the right to grow up and make a difference in this world, not the right to experience any victories or defeats. Why? Because their mothers have the right to end their lives.

In this political season we have a choice to make. The most important choice we have had to make in a long time. And I am afraid of the outcome. I am afraid for all of those little voices out there that will never be heard because of the possible outcome of this election. I am not a political person... but I have to be an advocate this year.

Did you know that Sen. Obama supports abortion? Not only does he support abortion, but he supports partial birth abortion. And not only does he support partial birth abortion, but he has voted 4 times to deny the right to medical care to those babies who survive abortion... yes, that is right, some babies actually survive abortion.

Did you know that only 1% of women abort an unborn child because of rape or incest?* Did you know that only 6% of women abort a baby because of health reasons?* So that means that 93% of women abort an unborn child because of "social issues".

Did you know that Sen. Obama would face the possibility of electing up to 3 Supreme Court Justices during his term if he were elected to office? Do you realize that each SCJ he would pick will most likely support abortion rights for women? Who supports the rights of those babies?

My brother recently commented on this article by Randy Alcorn. I want to share this quote from the article.

"The blood of weak and needy unborn children is precious in God’s sight. Please don't tell me abortion isn't the only issue. Of course it isn't. Treatment of the Jews wasn’t the only issue in 1940 Germany. Buying, selling and owning black people wasn’t the only issue in the United States of 1850. Nonetheless, both were the dominant moral issues of their day. Make no mistake about it. In our own day if we support a candidate who defends abortion, who is dedicated to that cause, we are supporting the killing of children. Yes, even if he’s the coolest candidate to come along in decades."

I can't get it out of my mind... I had to say something. Please consider your decision to vote very carefully this year. Please don't just vote for the "cool guy," look carefully at where these candidates stand. Look at the things they might really make a difference in. If you want a candidate who supports social justice, I think that is great. Pick the one who supports justice for the children in America. Stand up for children's rights... be an advocate... be their champion.

Check out these stories:
Boy survives abortion
Gianna Jessen - abortion survivor
The Audacity of Death - About Gianna Jessen

For more information about Gianna Jessen, check out www.bornalivetruth.org.
*The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform

Did I mention...

You know you're the mom of a boy when...

Your entire day revolves around the trash man. Let me explain...

The day starts with helping dad take out the trash...

(is that not the cutest trash-taking-out outfit you have ever seen?!?!)

We never know when the trash man will arrive, but the boy can hear him coming from a mile away. That loud engine and squealing brakes can't hide from him... no sir! So, I had gotten the signal from the boy that he was coming and we sat eagerly in front of the playroom windows waiting... and waiting... and waiting. After 10 minutes of waiting we both lost interest. I assumed I had somehow missed the truck earlier in the morning. So we went to have lunch.

Then it happened... I heard the squealing brakes... I knew he was close, but where? I ran to the back door and flung it open to listen... he was coming. So I yanked the boy out of his highchair and sprinted into the playroom. Then we waited... and waited... and waited. ARGH!!!

Here we sat watching nothing while lunch was getting cold. But being the clever mom that I am, I had an idea. Lunch... in the playroom! Perfect!

Here he comes...

Front row seat to the action!

Bye Mr. Trash Man!
See you Friday!

(Yes, that's right. We get to do this again on Friday!)

Happy Fall!

I was shooting some new pics of the boy the other day with my new lens. Once I really looked at them I realized that they looked very fallish... thus the title.

The baby squat

(made especially captivating by the addition of the thumb)

Not sure what this look is about...

This look... well this little head bob to the side is for when you have said something he doesn't want to hear... like... "come back this way, stay away from the street."

Meet Rusty...

Rusty came to the Adventure's home several years ago, I think we won him at Dave & Buster's. Anyway, he was put into the toy basket and various kids that came to our house found him rather amusing.

We have since gotten rid of the old toy basket... we replaced it with a toy room... anyway, so Rusty ended up amongst the boy's many toys. One day, the boy discovered Rusty... and they have been buddies since.

WHAT THE HECK?????

I would just like to say that I do not find myself to be a very political person, but this got my blood pressure up this morning. A correspondent on a national broadcast insinuating that some people are less than intelligent because they may not be voting for Obama... excuse me?? There should be an apology for this. Regardless of which way you vote, it is your right to choose... and hopefully every voter makes an informed decision. An informed decision - either way - would negate your "stupidity"... usually.

Monkey Love

A broom of his own...

I'm no dummy... I am taking advantage of the enjoyment he gets from sweeping!! Five less crumbs I have to sweep up.



I would have taken more pictures but he was seriously on the move.

First Major Battle Scar

Today we experienced our first "boo boo" that drew blood. It was bound to happen, but not much fun for mom. And of course it had to be on his head.... not like his knee, or something less threatening.

He fell out of the wagon... sort of.


After he started to recover from his crying his father informed him that if there had been a grandmother around... he would have gotten a cookie.

Grocery Store Wisdom

I was at the grocery store today (I am there a lot lately). Again I was with the boy and it was after my Bible study and way past lunch time and rapidly approaching the boy's nap time. So I was like a marathon runner... dashing for one item after another as fast as possible (come to think of it I guess that would be more like a sprinter). Anyhoo, I was in a hurry.

I made really good time in getting the few items I needed and headed for the checkout lane in a mad dash. I was waiting for the boy to have a melt down, or whither away from starvation... but we were doing fine. Until I got in line.

Why can't I ever pick the right line... I mean seriously, what it up with that? I got in the lane with only one other woman in front of me. All of her stuff had been scanned and it was being bagged by the time I got there. I thought "SWEET, no wait!!" Pssh... whatever. Little did I know that the checker was also the bagger at lane 14 and she had a "special system for bagging" because she "only likes her groceries bagged a certain way, and {she} passes that courtesy on to her customers." Oh crap. So, I stood there and waited. By this time there was a couple in line behind me that had emptied their cart onto the conveyor belt, so I was stuck... for the long haul.

I watched with envy as lane 13 quickly cleared out customer after customer... and still I waited. And waited. I could have been on my way home to make lunch by now. Ugh! Then... finally she was finished bagging (hallelujah)... but wait, there was nobody to carry out the groceries.

"I NEED A CARRY OUT ON LANE 14." the checker called over and over again. Nothing happened. Really... crappity crap. Then the little old lady in front of me looked my way and said "What a patient little boy you have there. He hasn't made one fuss this whole time." At this point I snapped back to reality and said "You're right. He has been very good."

Then came the guilt. Here I was in such a hurry to get on with my life that I hadn't even noticed how peaceful the moment really was. My good little boy was patiently waiting in the basket not complaining one bit about the fact that he was starving, or that he was dying for a nap since he had skipped the morning one. So, what was the big deal?

How often do I do that? How many times do I get overly aggravated that things aren't going the way I wish they would and miss the good stuff happening right before my eyes? I am sorry to say I do it all the time. Thank goodness God is patient... 'cause I know I am not.

So take some time today and look for the good stuff, it's everywhere!

It all started...

with this:


The overwhelming, insane, powerful force drawing his hands to the pile of dirt I had just swept up. He's pointing to it saying "Uhhh?" which means "May I please put my hand in the middle of it and scatter this pile of junk to the four winds?? Oh please mommy!! Please, oh, please!!"


I say "NO, don't touch!" So he watches me... studies my every move with the broom... then the dust pan. It is a scene that plays out day after day.


On this particular day I laid the broom down for a moment and he decided to do this...


...sweep... oh and hit everything in sight with the broom handle.

That's right, he's a ladies man all right! He will make some lady very proud some day with his sweeping skills taught to him by his mama. But let's not talk about that lady that he will make so proud, it just isn't a bridge I am ready to cross yet.

See how Chia manages to expertly move her head out of the way just in time to avoid a knock on the chin?

These aren't the best photos, but keep in mind that I was ducking a dodging the whole time... I did the best I could.

Boys... they're just dirty.

The Pack Rat

A few weeks ago I purchased some storage totes from Wal-Mart that happened to be on sale. It was all part of the back-to-school, tax free weekend stuff. Always being in need of storage containers I felt that I should stock up. They sat in the kitchen/dining area for a couple of days because... well, because I didn't know where their permanent home would be.


Well, the boy... he thought they were there just for him (as he does with everything in this house). He would push them around and bump in to just about everything in a 5 mile radius. This made me question why on earth we had dedicated an entire room to his toys when all we had to do was buy him a few $4 storage totes... I'll keep that in mind for any future children. My interaction with the totes during those days just consisted of pushing them back out of the way so that I could get by... and trying to figure out where I was going to put them.


Anyway, one morning while once again shoving them out of the way I noticed that one of them had an awful lot of stuff in it. Stuff I had not put in there. Stuff like this...

Let's see, we have 4 hangers, an old cell phone, a book, 4 or so Cheerios, a toy and some junk mail. If we were a family of pack rats I would be such a proud mama!

Deep thoughts...

Life

Isn't it funny how life just seems to fly by? One moment you are 900 months pregnant and miserable, the next moment you have a ONE year old. One minute you're biggest concern is what you are going to wear to work the next day, then the next you find yourself worried about whether you will raise healthy and successful kids.

Many of my friends have been having "kid" drama lately. The first year of school, the last year of school, potty training, life training. Some of them just want a break, some can't wait for them to grow up and move out, others fear the empty nest.

The other day I was at the grocery store with the boy (a much dreaded task... for both of us). As I was examining cartons of eggs I noticed a little old lady flirting with my boy. I did the usual of making eye contact and smiling... then telling the boy to say hi (which he doesn't really do, I guess it just makes me feel better to say it). Then I casually went back to my egg picking task, but the little old lady didn't walk away... she lingered. So again I made eye contact and again I smiled... and started to pay more attention to the situation. The little old lady stated that my boy was beautiful but that he must not like her because he was not smiling. Not wanting to take the time to explain that he seems to just be more of a people watcher and not a smiler and that he was just studying her and that if she hung around for about 10 minutes he would be hamming it up like a pro... I simply said "oh no, he likes you... he is just very serious." She just smiled.

By this time I had made my egg selection and was starting to move on when she stopped me again. She said, "Maybe he doesn't like my hat." I just smiled and shrugged and continued to head to my next task. Then she continued with "I never had any children. It is times like these that I really regret not doing so. I think I would have really enjoyed them."

I just stopped and smiled at her, not sure what to say. She smiled weakly then continued on with her shopping. And as I thought about our little encounter I started to realize that this must have really been something weighing on this poor woman's heart. Here she was in the middle of the dairy aisle sharing this heartbreaking information with a total stranger. I have wondered since if it was because she was lonely in this late season of her life. I wonder if she has been thinking about what kind of life she has led and what she would do differently.

But I also realized that there are days when I think "Oh Lord, what was I thinking wanting to be a parent?" There are going to be times when I want to throttle this little boy of mine, times when he will defy me, hate me, lie to me... break my heart. But in the end won't it be worth it? I hope so, but I think deep down I know it will. It was a good reminder to enjoy this time... this stage of his life, this moment, this age. It won't be easy to raise him... it is an incredible responsibility... an enormous task... but I think I am up to the challenge... I think.