Today I am thankful for the opportunity to stay at home and watch my babies grow up. I know that operating on one income isn't always easy for us. It's a blessing to me though to be able to spend all of this time with our little treasures from the Lord. Kayleigh is thankful for (the man who makes all of that possible):
Kayleigh and Kristi's Thanksgiving Countdown
My daughter loves to count. She counts in English, in Spanish and she counts all of the time. She counts forward, backwards and tries to teach her brother. So, I know she will LOVE her advent calendar from her Great Aunt Marlene. Nothing beats German chocolates for 24 straight days, right?? Anyway, we have a while to wait before that countdown begins so we started out Thanksgiving countdown. We talked about why we have it, what it's about and we are starting our very own countdowns. Mine will be in text and Kayleigh will present hers in video form ;). Here's our countdown beginning yesterday.
November 1: I am so thankful for the spirit God has given to my daughter. She is growing into a helpful, kindhearted little lady. She loves her family and friends and works very hard to show that love to them in her own special ways.
Here's Kayleigh's thanks for November 1
Highlights from our October
Several times throughout the end of September and October I thought about blogging. We had a few priceless moments that I said, "This HAS to get blogged" BUT, by the time I got a chance to blog it, the moment had past. So, rather than doing a monthly update on Benjamin (he hasn't changed THAT much), I thought I'd give highlights of what happened this last month. (This may also give you a clue as to why I've been unable to blog ...) :) The weekend of September 23rd the kids went to the GR Children's Museum with my parents. Steve and I were able to use my Uncle Ron's tickets to head to the U of M game. We had AWESOME seats on the 45 yard line just about 10 rows up. It was an amazing game .. and the kids had a great time with Grandpa and Grandma.
We had a great weekend on the last week of September, just hanging out at home. On Saturday morning, we went over to the nature preserve. Steve brought the camera and we snapped a few of the kiddos, just having a great time.
The following weekend we had Auntie Sarah over for dinner/hanging out. We ended up going out to ice cream after a bike ride and time at the park.
While Daddy was at CEA, Mommy and the kids went into Grand Rapids to hang out with Auntie Alaina and Ryan who were here for Ryan's upcoming birthday! It was SO GREAT to see them after a month of being gone. On Friday, we drove in for Ryan's party at Crazy Bounce in Holland. It was a spectacularly fun evening ... so fun, that, well, Mommy had a little problem with her pants!!
That same Saturday, Steve left to go to the ColorBurst ride in the Lowell area and I went back to Kalamazoo to coach the first of my two scheduled Volleyball tournaments. The kids stayed with Grandpa and Grandma Creswell and went to Post Family Farm with Auntie, Uncle Dan and Ryan for the annual pumpkin selection (and homemade donut consumption) afternoon.
This past week was JAM packed. I took the kids to Grand Rapids to had a little catch up chat with my childhood friend, Suzanne; we had Alexa over for a couple of hours that day too. We had dinner with the staff at KCHS. On Tuesday, I had a game in Delton in the afternoon. Wednesday we had a crazy fun SPIRIT practice at KCMS. The girls were incredible; they were so competitive and yet so encouraging to each other. It might have been my BEST spirit practice yet.
Thursday of last week we had our last volleyball game, right AFTER Kayleigh had her first FIELD TRIP! K went to an apple orchard and cider mill with her class. It was 40 degrees and rainy but that did not dampen Kayleigh's enthusiasm for picking apples. She was so ready to pick apples, learn about cider making, and ride the hayride.
On Friday, we packed up our stuff and headed North to Mackinaw City. It was time for the race on Mackinac Island. We had a few snags over the weekend (including a blown tire on the way there). All in all, though, it was a beautiful day spent with lots of family. Steve and I ran a great race (for us), and we were SO SO thankful for Auntie Sarah who sat this one out so that we could run it.
We still have some exciting events on the October calendar: Alexa's Birthday Party, Trick or treating, and soon after October wraps up, Kayleigh will be turning 3!!! (Not to mention Daddy's 31st birthday party, Thanksgiving, and the beginning of the "holiday" season!!!) AHH ... Life just never slows down, does it? :)
Our 16 month old son ...
It's been a while since we've had a post dedicated to our Benjamin. Each day he seems to surprise me more and more by what he is able to know and do. He is growing so quickly that it just makes me want to pick him up and squeeze him - as if by holding him tighter he'll freeze right here ... I know that's nonsense, but I don't think I've wanted to savor any time more than this stage, with him, right now. Physically - Ben runs. Ben climbs. Ben spins in circles to music. He slides down slides independently, feet first but on his tummy (he's quite cautious) He slides down stairs on his bum without being reminded (I'm still not ready to leave the stairs unprotected but he is pretty good) He throws balls and chases them Ben empties out his sister's piggy bank and neatly plunks each coin back in. Ben colors (he LOVES coloring) and draws with chalk (we haven't tried paint, though I'm sure he'd love it). Ben pours water from cup to cup (and then over his and Kayleigh's heads) He completes puzzles (with help) He stacks blocks And He SCREAMS (at TOP SPEED) around the house pushing anything with wheels: walkers, his mail cart, and his most beloved STEEL Tonka truck (when that hits the shins at full speed, it leaves a mark!)
Socially - I continue to be impressed with Ben's speech. I know to expect boys to be a little slower at language PRODUCTION (not necessarily comprehension, but repeating sounds). So far, Ben is impressing me in every way ... He says:
** HI (it's so cute, you HAVE to hear it) ... He even fooled our honorary "3rd child" over the phone. She thought she was talking to Kayleigh and it was Ben saying "Hi." ** Waves Bye (to just about anyone) ** Combines two words when he really wants something (this has NEVER occurred outside of the realm of food ..) "Mo' Nanana" Translation: More Banana or "Eat Ninn" Translation: Eat Dinner or "Mo' Dat" Translation: More of that (accompanied by an exuberant pointing finger). ** Cries for the appropriate parent MOST of the time. (though he still calls me Dadda more often than I'd like) ** Repeats nearly everything you ask as best as he can ** He knows every single Mickey Mouse Clubhouse character as "Ninnie" which makes for some awesome conversations with his sister. (i.e. "Ben, do you want Mickey or Pluto to play with" response: "Ninnie." Sister: "Oh, Minnie???" (graciously offers Minnie to a frustrated Ben who responds: "Nah ... NINNIE!!!") It makes me laugh anyway. ** Ben's comprehension is thoroughly amazing to me. I've seen him follow multi-step directions, with plenty of space between the instruction given and his ability to follow it through ... For example: Ben, get your shoes so we can leave. (said tossed over my shoulder while I'm helping K finish a potty break) By the time I've cleaned her up, he's got his shoes, his socks and is sitting on the floor holding them out to me. Another time I told him that we were going to get a snack and go outside. He raced me to the pantry, pointed to the veggie straws, stood panting "eat, eat, eat..." the whole time I was putting them in his cup and then immediately, upon receiving his cup, made a B-line for the back door. ** He understands schedules - and routines - ... As soon as we get home from our afternoon errands/playtime he runs straight for his high chair screaming "Ninn .... Ninn." Because he knows it's nearly dinner time. We only have to mention the idea of water or bubbles or soap and he practically rips his own clothes off his body as he shouts "Dath ... Dath ..." and tries to climb in the tub himself.
Emotionally - ** This boy is a parent's dream. He's a LOVER!!! We were at the nature preserve the other day - plenty of space for him to run and play. He'd get excited and run ahead, but as soon as he realized I wasn't right by his side, he'd come screaming back, ask to be picked "Up, Up," and plant a kiss on my face before repeating the same pattern. ** He ADORES running clear across the back yard to land straight in someone's arms - he even does this to Kayleigh (she's not always a willing participant, but he is). ** We've recently made our evening wind down time a family snuggle time in Mommy and Daddy's bed (we moved a TV back up to our room). The kids sandwich together in the middle and Mommy and Daddy are the bookends. Ben CRAVES this time and asks for it frequently ... He isn't satisfied, though, unless everyone is there. Sometimes Daddy starts early while I'm finishing dishes and Ben comes down from the bed, wanders to the kitchen, asks for "Hand, Hand ..." and leads me to the family ... ** Benner adores snuggle time any chance he gets, even just at the store, he'll give my hand a nuzzle, or plant a kiss on my face. I ADORE it ... I know it won't last forever.
Quirky Little Bennerisms: 1. Benner has a bit of a pot-belly. So, when he has hid big ol' cloth diaper on and his big ol' pot belly, he has the greatest little swagger ... It's HILARIOUS ... and when he runs, I still just giggle at watching him go 2. We joke that B is an "old man" sometimes (the pot belly above doesn't help his case) but when he's tired, he will grab his Cars sippy cup, climb up into Daddy's IKEA chair ... scoot himself all the way to back and "veg." He gets this look on his face that says, "Yeah, don't bother me..." If we let him sit there too long without paying attention he'll weakly call out "TT ... TT..." and point at the remote ... as if to say, "Please, give it to me ...I can't bear another minute without it." 3. The bears are still a VERY CRITICAL part of his sleep routine. He asks for them whenever he's tired, he holds them while we change him, he carries them around the house for the first 30 minutes after each sleep, he kisses them, hugs them and cries with a FURY when they aren't around. "Dares ...." in "Boo" and "ink..." are his standbys. They cure anything. I have a feeling they will disintegrate before I have the heart to rip them from his little clutches. 4. DADDA ... Daddy is this little man's favorite being in the world. NO ONE gets a welcome quite like Daddy. He screams and shrieks, shakes and full on sprints to find his Dad as soon as he hears the car. It makes for some heart-wrenching moments when Daddy leaves for work, has a late night meeting, or goes out with friends. The little man just wants his role model ... I love it. 5. This little guy is still just the light of our lives (with his sister, but this isn't her post). Ben brings us joy and life and personality like nothing we ever expected ... He's a true gift ... I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for our little blonde baby boy.
How could you NOT love a face like that?
"I need my best friend to help me ..."
My kids get on my nerves sometimes. I don't want to make this blog a place where all I remember are the good things ... (More on that in a future post) BUT today was one of those days that I need to remember, one I need to treasure. Because, lets face it, there are plenty of days that kick your butt. Today began as most days do ... we were late. I got up late, the kids got up late, breakfast took extra long ... but there was one big difference. Kayleigh had her first day alone at Pre-K today. So, we had a deadline. We couldn't do our usual leisurely morning.
At about 8:40 (a little TOO close for comfort) we left the house. Perhaps because Kayleigh can tell when I'm stressed, or perhaps just because it was her day ... she was feeling a little anxious about school. Here's the ensuing dialogue ...
"Mommy, I need a friend to help me at school." "Kayleigh, Maestra Poortenga and Maestra Gonzales are right there to help you, all of the time. you just have to ask." "But Mommy, I need YOU to help me." "Kayleigh, part of going to school is learning to do things without Mommy. You get to learn to make new friends."
Pause to digest this information ... "Mommy, I think Benny wants to come to school with me. Benner? You want to come don't you?" "YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH" (Shrieks Ben) "See, Mommy, Benner will come help me at school today." "Kayleigh, I'm sure Ben would love nothing more than to come with you, but he's too little yet. He doesn't know how to use the potty, and he doesn't know how to do the big kid things you can do." "Oh ..."
More time to digest ...
"I will teach him now." Then through an approximately 10 minute monologue, all the way to school, Kayleigh taught Benjamin about the "basics" of class. I heard highlights about "coloring carefully inside the lines," and "using the SAFETY scissors to cut paper quickly" and about how when you hear the music you "Must go sit down by the teachers and not cry and cry about it." She told him "you have to sit very still and very quiet" and listen to the "great music like 'stentadito como pretzel...'"
This was all punctuated every so often with questions like, "Do you like that Roo? Wouldn't you want to do that? Doesn't that sound so fun Roo Boo?"
After all that teaching, we pulled into the parking lot and she said, "Mommy, I think Benny is ready now. I teached him all I could about school. He needs to come with me because I need my best friend to help me at my Spanish school."
INSTANT TEARS!!! "I need my best friend to help me..." Yes, yes they are best friends and how precious that not just the baby misses his big sis, the big sis misses her brother.
On the way out of school Ben kept looking over his shoulder for Kayleigh. When I didn't put her in the carseat, he pointed and screamed ... "DITTER!! DITTER!!! EEEASEEE!!!"
MORE INSTANT TEARS!!
He did better without her today (mostly because I kept him busy at the grocery store), but when I said it's time to get Kayleigh he ran as fast as he could to grab his shoes and fairly tumbled out the back door. When we got to school I let him walk and he took off FULL SPEED towards her classroom. I had to pick him up or he would have been in the room and over to her as fast as lightning. After we greeted her, he started calling "hand ... hand..." which usually means he wants help walking. I stuck out a hand while listening to Kayleigh chatter about "all the crazy things I did today." Ben smacked it away and walked to Kayleigh ... "hand ... hand ..."
... and with that the day at Pre-K was forgotten, the day at the store was forgotten and my two "best friends" walked down the hall hand in hand. ... (for about 2 minutes until she took off running ...)
Sigh ... Thanks Jesus for today :) ... and "the best friends."
Our first day as parents at KCES ...
We have been awaiting this day since the middle of February, when Steve and I decided to enroll Kayleigh. She has worked so hard to be ready to go to school, that I was pretty sure she was NEVER going to sleep last night. She FINALLY drifted off somewhere around 11:30 p.m.!!! She woke up several times in the middle of the night, for various reasons, and was up and out of her room by 7:35 a.m. She opened the door, peaked her cute blonde head out the door and said, "Is it time to go to the bagel restaurant yet??" I had fully intended to make my big pre-schooler a fun "first day of school" breakfast. I bought all of the ingredients for oven french toast and was ready to go when Steve said, "Kristi, she's not going to eat that ..." And sadly, he's probably right. My little girl's idea of a special breakfast is "chocolate toast" (or Nutella). A cinnamon sugar bagel is about as close to a "special" meal as she will eat, let alone on a day as exciting as this ... So, I sniffled a bit and decided that Daddy was right ... Big Apple it would be.
We got Kayleigh all dressed in her new "first day" outfit, put her backpack on her and took a BUNCH of pictures before leaving.
The whole ensemble ...
With her Mommy, who let Daddy go to school ... (It killed me to stay at home, but let's be real, I'll be able to visit/drop her off much more often than he will, so, it was his day ...)
After breakfast, Kayleigh and Daddy took off while Mommy and Benjamin went home. I found it difficult to occupy my time because I kept watching the clock, wondering what they'd be doing at each moment. I tried to focus on playing with Benjamin, who wanted NOTHING to do with me. Instead, he searched every nook and cranny of the house looking for "Yayeigh" when he couldn't find her, he resigned himself to sulking in a chair with his bears. I finally found him so pathetic, that I turned on a Mickey for him and let him sulk in peace while I reorganized a closet :). While we were at home having that adventure, here's a few "winners" that Daddy took at school.
Yup, pretty much have tears flowing while looking at that big girl ...
I imagine she was saying something like, "Daddy, just one more picture. I have to color one more thing."
Clearly Mommy has failed in teaching her how to use safety scissors, oops ...
Making her handprint with Maestra Gonzales.
Her locker (or, more accurately, her locker "neighbor" ... ). I'm sure she'll figure it out soon enough.
According to Daddy, she had 2 1/2 meltdowns throughout the 1 hour she was there. One Daddy claimed as his own fault. The other, well, let's just say we're going to practice going quietly to circle time when Maestra says so and not crying because we can't play with toys anymore.
All in all, we're excited for our year and so so thankful that Kalamazoo Christian Elementary has adopted the Spanish Immersion program through add.a.lingua. We're thrilled about the possibilities for Kayleigh, and are excited to watch her emerge from elementary school, bilingual. Here's to an exciting year.
Who Painted the Beautiful Sky?
Even though I'm nearly 30, I've graduated with high honors from my undergrad AND my MA programs, I'm still the same old Kristi. I over commit; I overstress and then I unbury myself and do it all over again. This fall is proving to be no exception... The biggest difference? I know it's coming; I'm in control of the spiral, and I'm prepared. Today I felt the panic start to rise, so, I went for a run. I had to skip this morning's run because Steve left for work at 5:30 am. I wasn't running before THAT. So, since he still works until 5:59 pm, running in just in time to eat, I had to run with the kids. I started my 2.5 mile loop pondering my commitments: Kayleigh's preschool (and the effort/time I WANT to put into helping with that), fitting in a women's Bible study, helping Kayleigh do Weds nights at church, being around for Benjamin, conducting off season fall hitting sessions for the tennis team, and now, most recently, coaching 8th grade volleyball again. I need to keep the house in order still, and we have to make some headway on some home improvement projects. All of this balance is weighing on my heart when I hear this tiny voice say, "Mommy, who painted this BEAUTIFUL sky?"
Her question caught me dead in my tracks. I said to heck with my per mile pace, and we talked. We talked about who painted the beautiful sky, the trees, the Lake we love so much, even who painted her pretty eyes and hair.
After all, if I get too busy to impart God's Truth to my kids, I've really lost some of the reason I'm staying home in the first place. I praise God for the sweet little heart that snapped me out of my "funk" and reminded me that God painted this beauty for me to enjoy. And all of the busy-ness we do should help center our lives toward Him or draw us closer to His purposes. What a great mid-day refocus! ;)
The Bananaphone Dance ...
Curious??? ... Don't worry, we re-enacted it for you and got it all on video.
Now, doesn't that warrant a place in a parent's top 10 moments? Who doesn't love hearing the extreme joy/delight of children simply having fun. Go ahead, watch it again and giggle at my little man's moves, believe me, we have :).
Thanks God for loaning us these 2 BEAUTIFUL children who give us so much excitement and joy. And thanks for the fun that was "The Bananaphone Dance."
Benjamin Steven, 15 months
Well, folks, he's 15 months ... 1/4 of the way into his second year of life (YIKES) ... how he feels about it? LOVE ... My boy still loves life. He LOVES summer; he loves moving. Benjamin loves being outside, playing at the park, EATING (especially all of the fresh fruits/veggies that are in season), and drinking. Each time he wakes up, comes in from outside, he asks for his "DINK ... DINK" and proceeds to polish off the entire cup. (Sippy, straw or otherwise, he takes all cups). This past week might have been Benjamin's FAVORITE week of summer. In the past 6 days, he's seen just about every Van Dyk family member he has, plus all of the immediate Creswell family in there too. He adores his family ... and as many of you can attest, at this point in his life, greets almost all members of the family with equal (or greater) enthusiasm than his Mommy. I think he feels like he sees "too much" of me. I'm okay with that, a boy has to get independent at some point. (Plus, he still comes back to me each time he stubs his toes, bumps his head, skins his knees or, falls down. Since he's still very much experimenting with this whole walking/running business, he falls down a lot. I'm not feeling too put out just yet).
I don't have much time to blog because the kids are both up (I'm just enforcing mandatory in room time for my own sanity ... today has been quite the "catch up" day). BUT, I really adore this picture of Ben, and I wanted it to go in the blog for the sake of remembering how munchkin cute this kid is ... :) <3 my little boy ...
[caption id="attachment_1216" align="alignleft" width="214" caption="Benjamin Steven, 15 months: August 2011"]
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Our Little PreSchooler ...
This precious child is growing up all too soon. This picture is evidence that the "toddler" portion of her face is gone. You can't look at her without seeing just how she's turning into a little girl. When she talks, you can't forget that life is marching on. At times she makes me so angry with her disobedience and her stubbornness. I feel like she's NEVER going to learn that Mommy and Daddy are in charge, not her. And other times, I overhear what happens with her little brother and I realize, she IS learning, quickly.
Here's a sampling of the things heard around my house lately ...
(Benjamin is in the crib for morning nap, which mostly is just quiet time for him; he almost never sleeps then anymore. He's starting to get restless)... K: Mommy, can I go get Benny Roo? M: Sure, just go in slowly (otherwise she busts open the door and scares the poor boy). K: Good morning, Benny boy! Oh Benny Roo, you can't just throw your stuff out of the crib B: (Various excited noises, screeching, hollering and yelling any combination of "Ditter, Ditter or Yayeigh, Yayeigh)... K: I brought you your snack (she usually snags her bowl and his off of the table before entering). Be careful that you don't spill it, buddy. One at a time .... That's right. B: (jabbering back in his most animated way). K: Oh, sure, I'll take your paci, boo. Here, give it to sister. (Ben drops it in her hand). There, I'll put it away (drawer slides open and closed). B: (Immediately starts whining for it back) K: (And this is literally VERBATIM from me) Oh Benjamin, you can eat AND have a paci. You'll just have to wait until your next sleep. Enjoy your food, bud!
OR
We've just finished lunch and everyone (even Rafael) knows it's about time for naps. The kids find their chairs (or share Daddy's chair if Rafael has already snagged their little one) and snuggle in for pre-nap Little Einsteins. The two are snuggled cozily into Daddy's chair, shoulder to shoulder, K puts her arm around Ben.
K: Benny Roo, we're going to watch Little Einstein's B: (Shrieks and points at the tv) EEEEEEEE K: Yes, Little Einsteins ... can you say that buddy? Li ... ttle ... Ein....SSSSSSStein. B: EEEEEEE K: Okay, maybe later. (Kisses the top of his head).
OR (my favorite) They are playing dominoes together on the carpet while I do dishes. K: Benjamin Steven I'm going to Spanish School. Did you know that? B: (He ALWAYS responds when she asks him questions, even if its gibberish) K: Yes, I am. Do you want to come with me so that I will have all of my friends there? Mommy and Daddy are coming to help me at first so I'm not scared. But you could come and be my friend! Would you like that Benny Roo? B: (excited babbling again) K: Oh good ... and don't worry. I will help you and be your friend too!!
<3 There's nothing better than watching them learn to be friends.
August: Such a "LOVE"ly month
Wow. It's August. I can't even begin to describe how FAST this summer flew. I feel like I've been moving CONSTANTLY from the second week of March (when tennis season began) until now (and I'm afraid it's not going to get better). We've discovered, now that it's the first week of August, that we're booked up through the entire month ... as well as completely booked in the month of October! At present, I'm taking it one day at a time and telling myself that at this rate, I'll be into September before I know it. BUT with September comes ... the first day of pre-school, fall Bible Study at church (YEAH!!!), Wednesday night classes for the kids (Kayleigh is over the moon for that), and everything else that having a "school aged" child means. Sigh ... So, I'm trying to reflect on the things that make this busy-ness so beautiful. Here are my top 10 Looking Forward To's during this crazy month: #10 Watching Benjamin walk independently. He is great while holding my hand (and insists on holding it whenever I'm available to help him get from point A to B), but this afternoon he pushed himself up (totally unassisted) and simply stood for about a minute ... right in the middle of the room. He HAS to be getting close.
#9 Continuing to listen to the kids "talk": Ben adds to his vocabulary exponentially each day. This morning I was struck by how effectively his gibberish gets him what he wants. "Tuck" (I pull the truck out from where it is lodged behind some toys). "Dink .. .Dink ... Dink." (I grab his juice from the fridge and hand it over to be demolished). "Up Up Bear." (I take the bear out of his crib so he can snuggle it). "Ditter ... Ditter!! DITTER" I open Kayleigh's room so he can crawl in there and disrupt whatever it is she's trying to do alone. BUT beyond all that is hearing them communicate with EACH OTHER. They have whole conversations sometimes, and sometimes, Kayleigh acts as interpreter. (i.e. Today at lunch "GO GUR...GO GURR ... GO GURR!!!!!!" says Ben. "I don't know what you're saying buddy. What do you want?" I ask to no one in particular. "Mom, get him some yogurt! He really needs his yogurt." Kayleigh chimes in ... I grab a cup from the fridge and hold it in front of his face. He slams his spoon on the table and screams, "YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Score: "ditter" -1, Mommy - 0)
#8: Seeing all of the "compound" friends in mid-August at Millennium Park. Words can not express how much I LOVE these girls and their babies. I'm so so so EXCITED to see them ...
#7: Meeting up with a friend from high school and watching our kids play together ... It'd be higher up the list, but we're still working on the details. :)
#6: CELEBRATING my 7th Anniversary with an incredible husband on August 7th. I can't believe where God has taken us in just 7 years. Each time I truly LOOK at the babies that fill my life with busy-ness, I am astonished that these two precious creatures were known about, thought about, meticulously crafted and LOVED by God before I even agreed to go on a single DATE with their father. The exact details of their complexions, their blonde hair, their deep sea-blue eyes, their intricate personalities ... all of that is a testament to the CREATOR who first created a spark between two crazy Hope College juniors (okay, maybe sophomores, if I'm being honest).
#5: Seeing off (from a distance, I'm not a creeper) some VERY SPECIAL high school girls as they begin their collegiate experiences. I'm praying for them as they embark upon the challenges, freedoms, and joys that await them. God has BIG plans for them ...
#4: Enjoying (and this sort of chokes me up a bit, despite the fact I KNOW I CHOSE THIS) the very last month Kayleigh will be home all day, every day. When August is over, I have to take her in, drop her off, and pick her up from the much anticipated "SPANISH SCHOOL!!!" She's so excited and so ready (and if SHE'S being honest, she's a little scared too ... as best she could she said, "What happens if I have none of my friends there? I might be sad and cry and cry.") ... And so she might ... But for August, there's none of that on the horizon.
These might be considered one, but they are separate things that will likely happen and I'm excited for each of them: #3: Spending some time (however short) letting my kids meet the "German cousins." Kayleigh has really only heard about Kaatje, Jillian and Naomi. She met them when she was approximately 9 months old, at Grandma Van Dyk's home going ceremony. BUT I KNOW she's going to love playing with them, and I can't wait to let her experience that.
#2: Watching my beautiful, mature, precious little blonde child (I can't call her a baby anymore, anyone who has seen her recently will attest to that) walk down the aisle, all by herself (LORD WILLING), as the flower girl at Maria's wedding. Her dress is adorable, her hair will be amazing, she can't WAIT to paint her fingers/toes again in preparation ... And I'm confident (well, semi-confident) that we can bribe her to do the job well. I know it'll make me cry huge buckets ... but if that doesn't, #1 will.
#1: Watching my beautiful, mature, AMAZING, sister Maria (who I've had the pleasure of meeting/getting to know/watching grow up since she was a senior in high school) walk down the aisle with her dad to the man she's chosen to spend the rest of her life with. I'm so excited for her (and for Dan ... I'm ecstatic to not be the only "in-law" now! It's been a long 7 years ...j/k) and all that lies ahead for them. We'll be praying for them, their future, and asking (very selfishly) for some "broken shower ribbons" soon :).
Kathy Mosier Photography
I HAVE to give a shout out on my blog to Kathy Mosier Photography. I truly think our meeting was a "God thing." Let me give a little background ... Benjamin is 14 months. We haven't had a professional shoot with him since his 5 month photo with Kristen at Tsakani Images. We LOVE his picture but it's a little dated. (He's propped up in a small basket grinning from ear to ear ... and I remember what a challenge it was to keep him sitting up for as long as we needed his pictures taken.) So, I was looking at that (along with the other family photo taken by Kristen just about 6 weeks after I gave birth to Ben) and decided that it was probably important for us to get some new photos sometime soon. I was thinking that it'd be fun to do them again at Maranatha when the whole family was there. BUT, with Dan and Alaina's trip cut short for Boston, and Maria's wedding (also a great photo op for my kids/Steve and I) coming up in just 3 weeks, it seemed like booking another photo shoot wouldn't be the best idea. So, I just let it go ...
As I was sitting at the pool, I began talking to Kathy. It registered with me that she was a professional photographer when started talking about what we "did" for a living, but it didn't really sink in until later ... I suppose I could have asked her if she'd do an impromptu shoot with my kids ... BUT the moment passed, and I didn't think I'd see her again. Well, I did see her again, the next day at the pool. This time, SHE approached me. She explained that she's moving from more studio work to outdoor settings. She said she couldn't think of a prettier place to take pictures and that she was going to try and update her gallery while on vacation. She was shooting a senior picture that very evening. She wondered if she could shoot my kids. She wanted some "cute ones" for her website. She offered us the sitting fee free and $100 of credits.
I was totally sold on it ... Free sitting fee, at the beach ... sure!!! $100 of print credits, yup!!! I obviously didn't know what she could do behind a camera, but all I was out was the time (usually spent just hanging out anyway) to get the kids ready and the time the shoot took. I had the khakis already, and clean white shirts were just $5 each. So, for $10 out of pocket, count me in.
I didn't know what to expect (except that my kids are are notoriously AWFUL when it comes to posing for a camera). When we arrived, Kathy was prepared. She had bubbles, balls, and was prepared to let them be "them." She told me she was committed to short sessions 20-30 minutes because that's all that the kids have in 'em.
The session was relatively painless, no forcing kids into anything, no awkward positions and as much "in action" as possible. After the session I left wondering how in the world she was going to get great photos out of what we just did ... but well, the results speak for themselves.
Go ahead; take a look: http://kathysphotos1.zenfolio.com/p532482509
There are very few photos I can pass over ... and certainly more that I want printed than I can afford to buy. So, digital CD with rights and permissions, here we come!!!
Kathy also put together (for our sit down viewing pleasure) a BEAUTIFUL DVD with transitions between photos of these pictures. She set it to music (Billy Dean's Let Them Be Little). I have since been completely enamored with this song ... It's perfect for a mommy, and I was a bawling mess as I listened to this music with my beautiful babies on the screen. My mom is buying the DVD so we can watch it over and over and remember just how adorable these kids are (okay, okay, we're biased).
Anyway, if you're ever in the W Virginia area, or want a summer photo shoot at Maranatha in Muskegon when she's on vacation, she's willing :) :) I'm pretty sure I'll just plan to meet up with her again next year too!
Thanks a million, Kathy! Your artistry will be decorating our house beautifully for a while!
Top 10 Moments of our Summer "Vacation"
This vacation was difficult at times. We slept in a pop up (yes, all four us for 4 nights), but we spent all of our days at Maranatha. So, each morning we'd wake up, eat something for breakfast (minimal preparation) while we took turns grabbing a shower. Some mornings we did all of this in the rain ... After breakfast and shower for Mommy and Daddy we'd pack up everything we needed (less the stuff my parents have for us at the trailer) and keep busy. The kids went to playgroup (Ben less than half of the time because he was so tired and needed the nap); Mommy and Daddy went to hear Bill Crowder speak. By noon the kids napped (and Daddy went for a bike ride) and around 3:30 we were headed to the beach. We swam/played until around 5:30 when we'd swallow dinner, send K to playgroup, bathe Ben in the camp showers and try to get him down before going back to get K. Then we'd work her through bath in the campground showers and try and get her down. There were nights when Ben didn't get to sleep until well after 10 and there were nights when they were both asleep well before 9. Despite the thunderstorms, there was only 1 night when we (Steve) got up with the kids due to middle of the night crying. AND (and I'm truly proud of this), we were usually NOT the first people up at the campground!! (Woo Hoo!!)
As we were packing to leave for home we had some camper malfunctioning, some overtired kids, and a whole LOT of humidity!! It made us come home early with less than cheerful attitudes. So, it's tempting to say, "It was too difficult." or "Not a good call to try and camp." But, when I sit here, after 36 hours of space from the disasters of leaving, I'm coming up with LOTS of wonderful moments during the week. So, I thought I'd make a top 10 list, so that I'm sure to remember the things that made this trip amazing.
Moment #10: Learning some valuable lessons from Bill Crowder. I truly enjoyed listening to him speak. He's an amazing story teller - and truly blessed with a gift from God for discerning truth from the Scriptures. I was particularly fond of his character sketch about just how closely Moses reflected Christ Jesus's willingness to sacrifice for his people. Moses could have chosen to deal with the problems of his people (namely their enslavement to Pharaoh) through a bureaucratic method. He could have used his position as a son of Pharaoh to "make things better." BUT, having lived the life of privilege (and the life of slavery in his formative years), he chose to give up his position of comfort and power to become like the people he wished to lead. His heart was so moved by the suffering of the people, that he left his "father's" home, gave up his life and took on the life of a slave in order to fulfill his calling from God. WOW ... I never looked at it in such a way; what a selfless act! Learning from Bill Crowder was amazing this week ... what a blessing!
Moment #9: NURSERY STAFF!!! (Okay, so that's not a moment ... I have a "moment" for each child, but wow these kids are so GOOD!) B's moment: I picked up my baby boy on Sunday from the nursery and he was sitting in the arms of a familiar blonde girl. I remembered that she had talked with my dad on the beach last year, after having 6 week old, very fussy Benjamin in nursery. She said she loved holding him and hoped that he would come back. Well, he didn't go back then, but he came back this summer. Hannah remembered Ben, and me ... and made a point to talk to Ben at brunch after class. What a blessing to have these kids who pay attention to my babies and not just "watch them" but really care for them when we're gone. K's moment: Kayleigh cried a lot at being left, but never for more than a minute. Her toddler nursery was FULL of "boys and toys" to play with. One day we brought her in especially tired. We were met at the window by a friend boy (I later learned his name was Jon). He said, "Oh Kayleigh, you came at just the perfect time! It's SNACK TIME." From that moment on, she was smitten. "Her snack friend, the boy ..." as she called him, was someone she looked for right away! What a blessing to have a safe, friendly place to leave the kids in order to go to session (or even skip session and grab a coffee, which we did a couple of times).
Moment #8: Hearing Benjamin learn the language of our trip. He said, more than once the beginnings of "Grandpa" and "Grandma" and would point to the appropriate person while doing so. (Needless to say it got their attention REALLY fast). He learned quickly what "outside," "Pool," "beach," and "walk" meant. If you weren't ready to take him RIGHT AWAY, you might want to avoid saying the word. He'd crawl as fast as his four limbs could carry him to the door, stand up and reach for the door handle, ready and EXCITED to get moving on the fun!
Moment #7: The second to last evening that we had both kids (more on that later), Steve and I managed to get the kids SOUNDLY sleeping before 9:00 p.m. We hauled out the S'Mores and "contraband" (for Hoffmaster that is ...) :) and had a wonderful two hours of quiet talk time (without phones, computers, or even our books!) GLORIOUS!!! What a blessing!
Moment #6: Waking up one morning and turning right to our phones (to see what time it was) and realizing that both kids had slept past 8:00!!!! Just as we were about to roll over and go back to sleep we hear them stir ... (Here's the dialogue) B: Momma ... Dadda... Yayeigh??? Yayeigh??? (That's Kayleigh, for you "novice interpreters) K: Oh Benny roo (through groggy morning eyes and speech), it's so good to see you this morning! B: YAYEIGH! YAYEIGH!!! (pointing and clambering up the bench to touch her) K: Oh Benny roo! Be careful! Would you like to come in my bed? You can come in my bed if you want Benny roo! You can read my books with me ... Mommy and Daddy's hearts melted across the camper ... WHAT A BLESSING!
Moment #5: FULL SERVICE VACATION ... (again, not really a moment, but something my dad said repeatedly). Because we spent so much time (and so many meals) at my parents trailer, I did VERY LITTLE cooking and only one load of laundry ... YET, when I arrived home, I had no more laundry than if we had gone away for a day or two. Why? Because my dad and mom offered a "full service vacation." I'd bring bags of laundry over from the previous day and by the next morning, my dad would have it sorted and folded, ready to be re-packed. He also served us some great dinners and took care of all of the clean up. It was so nice not doing any of that prep work (that totally WOULD come with any normal camping trip)
Moment #4: I spent a little time meeting a woman named Kathy at the pool. We talked about ourselves, our families and our education. She was nice and I didn't think much of the meeting (which ending quickly when Ben had one of his "epic" disasters). Later that week she approached me to ask if she could take the kids pictures for her photography website. I said sure ... well, the photos she took turned out to be a HUGE highlight of the week for me ... I'll let you preview them in a blog to come. WHAT a BLESSING she was!
Moment #3: Benjamin's Night Alone. We asked my parents, towards the end of the week, if they would stagger watch each child (and then both) so we could do some special "dates." Benjamin had his night out with Mommy and Daddy first. We were very intentional about these dates, hoping to give each child something they'd truly enjoy doing! The best we could think of (without TOTALLY tiring Benner out) was that Ben would LOVE going to the Hoffmaster Beach. So, we got him in his suit, let him ride atop Daddy's shoulders and gather leaves (he knows the word and grasped at them frequently) on the long walk down. While in the water he screamed, splashed and belly laughed. The kids was BORN to be in the water. His smiles, his laughter and his genuine love of life (that were noticed by MANY people on the walks to and from the beach) were pleasure enough for his parents. After his shower, he fell fast asleep (presumably VERY tired from his night swim) and we reminisced by the fire about the things that make Benner amazing.
Moment #2: Kayleigh's Big Date. We thought Kayleigh would like nothing more than seeing the Musical Fountain in Grand Haven. For the first time with her we picked a TRUE winner ... it was a perfect night. After her beach pictures, we went to Starbucks (Kayleigh truly adores this place) for hot chocolate. She filled our coffee house time with chatter, laughter, and lots of starry eyed looks speculating what this musical fountain would be like. Not knowing what traffic would bring, we arrive 45 minutes early, parked and walked the boardwalk. Kayleigh sipped her hot chocolate in the stroller until Daddy and Mommy decided more spoiling was in order. Her empty hot chocolate was replaced with a bag of flavored popcorn (caramel and peanut because this girl is obsessed with peanuts!!). Then we found a spot on a grassy hill to watch the fountain. For the first song, she was entranced and snuggled nicely. BUT, true to Kayleigh she wasn't going to do that for long. When Dancing Queen came on as the second song, she said, "Mommy, we just have to dance!" We moved to the back and she danced and danced and danced for the entire musical fountain performance. I have a little "picture memory" in my head of this lyric about fireflies and saying goodbye and she's slowly twirling about with a soft summer breeze blowing in her hair. It could have been straight out of a movie ... Steve and I were just talking about some of our favorite moments as parents and when he saw the same picture, he whispered to me, "I'm amending my top 10 moments ... this has to be in the top 3." Tears flooded my eyes because I knew just how right he was.
Moment #1: Date night with Steve. The kids went to my parents and Steve and I were able to finally see Harry Potter 7.2! We are HUGE HP fans and might have, in our pre-children days, joined the throngs at the midnight showings. BUT, as 30 approaches for me, it became impossible to do that. So, we went to Harry Potter and LOVED IT and chased that down with appetizers, dessert and a drink at Applebee's. We laughed at ourselves because we tried downtown Grand Haven, but we just found that we were "too old" for those restaurants at that time of night. We settled on the familiar, chain-like restaurant and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. WHAT A BLESSING to have lived with my best friend for nearly 7 years now and I'm still able to enjoy just hanging out :) I'm sure it'll just get better with time :)
Ahhh ... what a wonderful collection of memories from this summer's vacation adventure!
Benjamin's Thoughts on the Heat Wave
Summer - Lately
As it turns out, I'm horrible at blogging in the summer. I thought perhaps it was tennis season that kept me from posting. BUT, as it turns out, I'm just not very good at disciplining myself to take the time. :) It's not that I have TONS of time either, we've kept these children HOPPING all summer long. Last Saturday was the first Saturday we've been home (and really only I was home with the kids and Steve was racing with Kevin at the Urban Adventure Challenge) since the Regional Finals in May! Nevertheless, I haven't updated our blog or posted many pictures of our events. I find myself just struggling to keep up with them. So, for fun, here's a little update on the kids - lately.
Kayleigh has, for the past 6 weeks been experiencing the "terrible 2 1/2s." She tests ABSOLUTELY everything we say. Her default answer is always "No," and she has proven herself to be JUST as stubborn and willful as both of her parents combined. In case you think I'm joking, I let her "scream out" a temper tantrum (over not wanting to come inside) for close to 45 minutes. After 45 minutes of shrieking, (I'm sure our neighbors were ready to call child protective services) she finally took a breath long enough for me to feel justified in going in there to have a "conversation." In addition to being willful, and testing her parents constantly, Kayleigh loves fighting with her brother. She steals his toys, pushes him over, makes funny faces at him (so he cries), basically, takes great satisfaction in making him angry. It's so infuriating that we got to the point where, when Ben FINALLY retaliated, we simply laughed at her. He ran smack into her with this giant dump truck and she was SO MAD (not really hurt). We just said, "stop picking on him and maybe it won't happen again."
So, I play a lot of referee with Kayleigh, and I do a TON of discipline/punishment/consequence dealing. AND I pray ... I pray that she'll grow out of it, and that some of the lessons we're teaching her will sink in. So far, this week, it appears we're making progress. (No spankings or time outs ALL week ... and that's not because I'm easing up ... she just MAYBE is figuring this thing out, finally).
Benjamin is working on walking and talking ... his two BIGGEST focuses as of late. He's making HUGE strides in each one. His "momma" sounds so much like Kayleigh's that I sometimes turn to her when he calls me. He tries DESPERATELY to say words that people understand (most of which is still entirely incoherent). But when he does hit a winner, you've never seen such a smile. His favorite things to say are "DONE" and "Eat." You can call Benjamin from any corner of the house by saying, "Benjamin, time for ______ (fill in name of meal)." He knows that each meal means one thing ... EAT. And he'll come crawling as fast as his chubby body can handle screaming "EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT" the whole way to his chair. It's adorable. He will shovel as much of his food into his face as he can and when he'd like to get down, he will look at Mommy and say, very clearly. "DONNNNNNNE." And then beam at you. If I don't get up IMMEDIATELY to begin washing his face and hands he will repeat himself, louder and with a longer "NNN" sound until SOMEONE gets him down. It's really quite hysterical.
The walking is progressing. He's very content to creep around using everything for balance. And when he can't balance, he drops to his knees and crawls RAPIDLY before returning to a standing position. He's gone from requiring two hands to help him walk, to allowing you just to hold one hand ... so I know he's making progress. I don't think it'll be too much longer before he's entirely on his own (and oh will he be so happy about that!)
Today the two of them were playing together, while I was packing up for the camping trip. Kayleigh took her pink walker and pulled right up next to Benny's white one. She matched him step for step, encouraging him and talking to him the whole way. I was so impressed with her gentleness, her sweet spirit, and her clear love for watching him learn. (Maybe there is hope for her yet!!) :). I asked her to do it again so I could take her picture, and she turned his walker around for him, propped him back up, got herself set and then told him, "Now Benny, look at Momma's camera and say your big CHEESY so she can take a picture of how cute we are."
How cute you are is right ... Here's the result of her efforts:
I finally see a sibling resemblance. (Steve and I still think we reversed and she has more of his features, and Benjamin has more of mine) ... but I'm not ready to say I see "twins." (which is the comment I hear most often). At any rate, they're the loves of my life and I'm so blessed to hear them both call me Mom (frequently). :)
PS Yes, I know, it's time for a haircut for my boy ... at the next available opportunity, we're going in!!!
A Day in the Life ...
When Benjamin was a newborn (just about this time last year), I was certain that life with two children was as difficult as it could be ... I had one VERY needy baby and an 18 month old. As Benny grew things seemed to get a little easier and a little easier ... until movement happened. Now, I maintain that life with two children who are both mobile is probably the toughest balancing act I've ever learned to juggle. I slide into bed at night and wonder how in the world I got so tired out .... I have nothing to "show" for my day. In stubborn refusal to believe I do "nothing" I decided to journal the events of my day. It is 2:40 on the day of my journaling and I feel like I could write a novel describing all that was "noteworthy" about today ... I'm going to actually blog it, so I can feel the sense of accomplishment that comes from looking back over all of the things I managed to juggle :) ... So, enjoy my narrative (or skip it if doesn't sound amusing) ...
6:00 a.m. hit the snooze button twice 6:20 a.m. manage to lace my running shoes for a now shortened (because of hitting the snooze button) but very hilly 2.2 mile run 7:15 a.m. finish recovering in the garage/stretching in the breezeway and get ready for KIDS to be up ... and here's where the fun begins ...
During breakfast my daughter (who is wearing pink sponge rollers and her Mickey jammies because she didn't want to "get dressed right away") says to me: "Mommy, when is Daddy coming home (he literally walked out to the door not 5 minutes before this)." "Later, K, why?" "Because I want to listen to Rock n Roll. My iPod only has worship music, and Daddy needs to fix that. He has to give me my rock n roll music." (Daddy claims to know nothing about why her previously adored worship music is now insufficient).
I continue feeding Ben, who is quite a bit less focused on his food than usual. It takes me a little while to figure out why ... then I notice a pattern. Take a bite of oatmeal, stare at sister's crazy head, point ... laugh like a hyena. Chuckle a little more ... laugh again like a hyena ... regain composure and take a bite. Repeat ... I was so flabbergasted at his lack of eating that I didn't notice he was actually mocking his sister; my baby boy had learned to "make fun" of someone else ... Funny now, not so funny later ... :)
After breakfast I'm cleaning up the dishes and Kayleigh's forgotten worship music is still playing ... She's downstairs in her kitchen "making Mommy some snacks" and Benjamin is sitting in his favorite chair. He crawls up in the toddler chair any chance he gets (which is basically whenever Kayleigh's little bottom isn't in it). He gets up, calls Mommy over and says, "Jake..." (while pointing at the tv .. "No, Ben, it's not time for Jake yet. Listen to the music and dance." At first he appears angry with me and then resigns himself to music instead of tv. He relaxes a bit and NO LYING, he starts bobbing his head to the beat. No wiggle his hips, no clap his hands, no imitation of his sisters crazy waving ... he starts gently bobbing his head to the beat, like a grown man, too cool to bust a move. I just about died laughing ...
As I was still wiping the tears away, Kayleigh comes up with my snack. She serves me a "pretend cupcake" in a bowl from her stove. When I say, "Kayleigh, this is DELICIOUS (her favorite new word), where did you learn to make this." She looks at me with a very demeaning expression and says, "Oh Mommy, you know I learned that at Spanish school. It's my favorite place ever and they teached it (what she said!) to me. You know this."
And again with the tears ... no wonder I'm so unproductive. I spend most of my morning laughing at my hysterical children ...
During "Jake and Mickey time" I manage to get the Tuesday chores finished (I know it's Wednesday, U2 set me back a bit), but no sooner did I have Ben down then I'm back to laughing at my children again ... I told Kayleigh she could play downstairs in her kitchen and with her downstairs puzzles while I took a quick shower (still hadn't after a 6:00 a.m. run ... I know, I'm gross). She amuses herself quietly for most of the time until I hear, "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!!!" I peek out of the shower and almost trip over her princess bike. She's right under my nose. "I think my bike works now! It's not broken anymore. I rided (yup, we struggle with past tense irregulars) it in to the bathroom to show you! It's fixed! YEAH!!!"
Sigh ... there's another milestone we've checked off the list ... She can ride her bike. Before I know it she'll be riding off with her friends to someone's house for a play group ... I manage to finish getting dressed with a bike in the bathroom and then tell Kayleigh I'm heading upstairs and she can join me when she's ready. "In a minute, Mom. I'm working down here ..." (It's usually not long before she comes along; she simply hates being alone).
Nearly 10 minutes passes and I'm just thinking to myself that we've reached "independent play stage," when I see her, trotting into my bedroom. "Mommy, I need help putting on my shorts." Instead of being annoyed I'm thrilled ... she's had a little trouble with learning to "put things back together" after bathroom time. (It's the only obstacle left to feeling CONFIDENT in her early pre-school experience.) If her shorts (that have a zipper and a snap on them) are the only obstacle here, she may just have used those 10 independent minutes for something good ... "Did you go potty?" (Kayleigh was never one to mince words) "Oh yeah Mom. I did both. It was really really big one! But I already took care of it (cupping my face in her hands); I'm a good girl like that." After I get down chuckling, I race downstairs to see what I'm gonna have to clean up now ... sure enough she did take care of it ... all but flushing the big toilet. Whew ... crises averted (AND ANOTHER MILESTONE REACHED ...)
Just as I'm getting nostalgic I hear Benjamin laughing in his room (yeah, he pretty much STILL wakes up happy all the time). It's now 11:00 (anyone tired yet? I am, ) BUT that's my errand running window ... It's gotta happen now.
So, we race back upstairs pack up the kids (and all that that means) and head to our first stop ... the bank ... I no sooner pull into the parking lot than I hear from the backseat. "Benny, you have to ask NICELY if you can have a sucker. You can't just grab them from the lady. You have to say, 'May I please have a sucker, please?' And then wait your turn, ALRIGHT?" I laugh smugly as this was our last lesson from the bank. We walk in to no line (HALLELUJAH) and my precocious toddler races to the first teller. "I'm not shy anymore. I can ask you like a big girl. May I please have a sucker, please?" The teller laughs hysterically and gives me the questioning look (I'm still positioning the stroller through the door and trying to catch the toddler). I nod and Kayleigh now has her pick of candy is happy (for the moment). I shrug and continue with my business - before long, it's off to the next errand.
I had to go to KCHS to handle some tennis details. So, I thought I'd use my BOGO coupon to get Steve a McD's frappe on the way. (Thoughtful for him, not well thought out considering my van load of children ...) I anticipated a fuss from K who can usually spot a golden arches nearly half a mile away. BUT, seeing as she had a sucker to occupy her mouth, she gave her little brother a chance to be the smart aleck. He sees the McDonalds from at least 3 blocks away and as I start towards it he screams, "EAT EAT EAT EAT EAT!!!" (Seriously??? He's got this association down already ... I have to be the world's worst mother!). As I pull into the drive-thru he begins his screaming/shake/excitement move that accompanies just about anything he finds too great to wait for. He continues this through the drive thru line, as a I fold the contents of small bag of fries into his cup. The shaking only ceases after he's stuffed about 4 fries into his face ... Ahh ... now, they're both happy ...
It's this tiny moment of blissful silence that reminds me ... I still have a LOT to do yet. So, we pull into the school, unload, carry Daddy his treats and I'm about to head out to do my errands around the school when the sucker/fries are no longer sufficient. "I'll hold your coffee, Mommy. You can sip it when I let you." (Sigh .. oh right, the mother of the year also introduced her toddler to iced coffees last Spring. She didn't forget). But this time, she has a hungry/curious brother. Steve and I share (very small) sips of the coffee with our kids. While I'm running about, he lets them have a dance party with him in the lab.
Ben wastes no time turing everything into a toy. He used the rolling chairs as a walker, the carts as a personal jungle gym, and Mommy and Daddy as instruments critical for moving from one to the next. He wasn't naughty, just very busy ...
Within 25 minutes, we have to be off ... I want to prune the badly over grown, spindly petunias in the front yard before we must do lunch and naps. So, we pack it all up and head on home. I pull out the tennis racquets and a can of balls and set the kids up to play a little in the grass/on the driveway. They are amused for all of the time it takes me to pull out the pruning sheers. Then it's on to both of them "helping Mommy." At this point, I don't much care how dirty they get (gonna have to change 'em both and get them ready for naps anyway), so I just plug away. In the time it takes me to prune my tiny bed of petunias/daisies two injuries, 5 "fights," and 3 acts of disobedience occur. I am convinced that if it weren't for these, I could have been done pruning in about 10 minutes. I'm sure it was closer to 40. We were now behind schedule, the kids were cranky, Kayleigh is bleeding from a scrape on her knee and Benjamin, well, Benjamin looks like this:
He's soaked his pants from dumping out the watering can; he's covered in grass from clippings left in the lawn. He's got double strands of snot from his being upset at being told "no," or the fights from his sister, and most of all, he's HUNGRY! I muster up the strength to deal with this mess because, well, because there's a light at the end of the tunnel. It's nearly nap time. They strip in the garage, get clean diapers/underoos, which they'll eat in (no sense in having PB and J in the clean stuff ... yes, they still wear bibs, but my boy is a full contact eater).
As I make lunch I watch my hungry, tired and sad baby boy reach yet another milestone. He gives up on the toddler chair, it was fine this morning, but now it's too easy (probably all the practice he got at Daddy's work). He scrambles his butt up into the BIG ikea chair and pulls a magazine on to his lap. He sits quietly flipping through it while I fix his sandwich. Princess Grace won't be outdone either. She's insistent that the job I did fixing her "really big owie" wasn't sufficient. So she says, "I'm going to clean this off myself." And she heads off to the cupboard, grabs a Microfiber cloth, soaks it in water and spends the next 5 minutes dabbing at her scrape ... (I'm already not good enough and she's just 2 1/2) :) ...
The pre-nap Mickey plays while they INHALE their lunch and as soon as they finish dancing to the Hot Dog song, they are whisked away to bed ... 2:00, on the nose ... and Mommy crashes ... to write a blog, catch up on chores, print out the time sensitive coupons, handle emails, oh yeah ... and eat so I'm ready by 3:40 to leave the house and go teach 2 hours of tennis with some of the best girls on the planet.
.... Why is it again that I fall asleep by 9:00?? Oh yeah, I'm a mommy ... and you know what? I wouldn't change a thing ...
I hope you caught the undercurrents of sheer joy amidst all of the "venting" I did today. I truly love my life, exhausting as it is right now, and I thank God for the privilege of being able to be here to see it all ... He is SO good to me.
A Happy Boy
I've been into couponing lately ... well, actually, Steve's cousin, Heidi (and my friend, Chelsea) helped me find some great coupon bloggers. I suscribed to the blogs, and I check my Google Reader repeatedly throughout the day. I find lots of coupons that I don't use, but so far I've had some great deals that I will use! One of those finds was a small brag book from Walgreens for free (just pay $2.99 for shipping). I can do a photo book for $2.99. So, I had to figure out what I needed to make in it ... We have lots of brag books of the kids together, and a few of Kayleigh alone. So, this one should really be for Benner. As I thought about what I wanted to capture about my son, I couldn't help but think about just how many photos I have of him grinning from ear to ear ... He's such a happy boy! Once I'd thought of that, the theme being "Happy Baby Ben," I started going through all of Benjamin's 13 months worth of photos. I have them carefully archived, so it wasn't TOO overwhelming a task. But what I found made me laugh out loud
Ages 1-3 months: 10 photos of him smiling Ages 3-6 months: 30 photos of him smiling Ages 6-9 months: over 50 photos of him smiling Ages 9-12 months: at least 100 photos just of his brilliant smile ...
Yeah, I think I have enough to work with here ... Then I did some more interesting math. If I have nearly 200 photos of my happy boy where he's smiling from ear to ear, that has to be close to one every other day ... Benjamin is 402 days old today ... If I have (I really haven't finished all of the sorting yet) nearly 200 photos of him smiling, that really is 1 photo taken almost every other day ...
Conclusion A: He's not crabby very much Conclusion B: I take A LOT of pictures :)
Benjamin and Kayleigh -
I feel like this photo says a lot about my kids as of late -
Conclusion #1a: Benjamin is all of a sudden a toddler ... never mind that he doesn't walk completely independently yet (he's great with one hand hold from Mommy and he whips around the house using furniture or his walker like you wouldn't believe), he climbs. I don't mean just a few things, I mean everything he can possibly get his chubby little knees on. Today he climbed me (yes, I'm like a tree to him), he climbed the water table, he climbed halfway up the slide before I could get to him. He had almost climbed into the bathtub and he, obviously, climbed his way into the toddler chair and plunked his tired booty down in it. Conclusion #1b: Kayleigh is no longer categorized as a toddler. Her face, in the last few weeks has done some serious changing. This picture doesn't do her justice, but she is a full-blown PRE-SCHOOLER if I ever saw one. Even our sweet mail-carrier talked with me on Monday and commented on just how fast my little girl went from toddler to young child. I'm not ready for this ...
Conclusion #2: If He has it, she wants and if she has it, he wants it ... OH my my my my have we started some wars over here. Everything she touches he MUST have (and screams mercilessly until given). Everything he's contentedly playing with, she will rip away from him, or push him down, or hit him on the head to take away. If you tell her to share, she takes one step back, pouts, and watches until he loses interest and then divebombs the item claiming, "He was all done!!"
Conclusion #3: Summer is EXHAUSTING ... the tired eyes, the sweaty faces, the inability to even look away from Mickey for split second, I couldn't buy a smile no matter what I tried. It makes for long days sometimes, but so far, the put-downs at night have been A-MAZING!!!
Conclusion #4: I might be biased, but my kids are kinda cute :)
Father's Day 2011
I can't believe how much has changed in our house since last Father's Day. Our kids are in such a different place in life; Steve and I are in a different place ... Last Father's Day, Benjamin was still a "newborn," and Kayleigh was just 4 months passed learning to walk. She had a constant pacifier and still wore diapers. This Father's Day was unique for us. We weren't able to coordinate our schedule with my brother, Alaina and Ryan to do something with my Dad (it's next weekend). And Steve's dad is in Costa Rica (like he is every Father's Day). So, we had entire day to focus only on Steve. And you know what? We had a blast. Here's how we decided to "spoil" him: * Benner and Kay slept until 8:15 (That's a new record for both of them!!) so we all got plenty of rest * K, B, and I did Daddy's "drive thru" breakfast (He's not a big breakfast guy but there are a few things he likes) and got him a donut from Sweetwater's and a coffee at Starbucks while he stayed in bed a LITTLE extra * While B napped we set up the swimmin' pool, water table, and dried off of the swingset for a little backyard oasis. (Picture highlights below) *After fun in the sun, we came in for lunch and a WHOLE FAMILY NAP (from 1:00 - 4:00 ish). * While Daddy cleaned up for dinner, the kids finished up their Father's Day cards (Ben's coloring was pretty priceless; it was his first real art project) * We headed to Kohl's to let him pick out (seriously, he prefers this as I usually pick the wrong stuff) his new Father's Day dress shirts and then it was off to Texas Roadhouse for dinner
Highlights of the Day: Benjamin's squeals and screams as he played outside with all of his favorite outside toys Kayleigh singing (all the way to Kohl's and Texas Roadhouse) her special rendition of "Happy Father's Day to you ..." (to the tune of Happy Birthday) The kids being as GOOD AS GOLD at the restaurant, forcing our waitress to call us "her favorite table." (Mostly because Benjamin was just too charming for words.
We are so blessed to have Steve as the head of our household. He's a caring, giving man who loves his wife and his children more than anything else in this world. Thanks for being such a great Daddy, Steve!! They're amazing kids ...
[caption id="attachment_1163" align="aligncenter" width="717" caption="Daddy's favorite boy"]
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[caption id="attachment_1164" align="aligncenter" width="717" caption="Daddy's precious girl"]
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[caption id="attachment_1165" align="aligncenter" width="717" caption="Daddy and his blondies"]
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Blessed to be a Coach ...
Tennis season is difficult at this house. It means:* Hiring sitters for the kids * Feeling constantly "behind" in all of my home responsibilities * Skipping things I love (like running/reading/blogging) * Losing time with the babies (pretty sure I came back from state to two different children) * Wondering, constantly, if I'm doing the right thing/saying the right thing/making ANY difference at all ...
But this weekend, God gave me an incredible gift. The pleasure of being an assistant tennis coach to a the most amazing team of God-fearing young women I could have imagined. There are highlights beyond measure, but let me share some of my favorite moments with you.
* Driving up with 3 freshies, 2, sophomores, and 1 junior who literally made me laugh until tears were streaming down my cheeks. * Eating BD's Mongolian BBQ (again while laughing until I cried) at "Smashing Out Hard Time," "He wants a piece of THAT!," and learning all about Revelation 16:19, or was it 19:16 ... * Listening to my girls pray :) (even for meals) and be open about their faith (even when talking about body art) ;). * Playing photographer at Target while they exhibited all manner of "modeling" trends (pictures ARE/will be on Facebook) * Coloring the van with our fav inspirational "quotes" and the obligatory "honk if you love us." just because "other teams did and we had to keep up." * Watching at least an hour of female cop television and helping Frenchie acknowledge her inner desire to BE a law enforcement official! (As soon as she exceeds 100 lbs, she might start working on that!) * Skipping bed checks because our girls are responsible enough (or at least made us think you were responsible enough) to take care of themselves * Watching girls play their best tennis (WITH CLASS!!!!!) and do amazing things ... like Megan going from unseeded to challenging the 2 seed and Lo lo up-ending the #4 seed without dropping many games, and Frenchie taking a set off the 4 seed! * Cheering and screaming for the 2D when they played AMAZING against Schoolcraft to make it to the semis * Encouraging/chatting/partnering with South Christian girls and parents/NPC girls and parents to root for all of the other Christian Schools making THEIR way in the tennis tournament. * Crying tears of joy as our girls took the lead and helped us all voice our "snaps" for each other at dinner. (highlights: listening to how much the girls had grown to love each other, hearing things they appreciated about us as coaches, and having a chance to watch their faces while we shared the truly amazing things we remember/cherish about them) * Singing Happy Birthday to Jenny Ruth at the top of our lungs in the middle of Luca's Chop House * Watching as the girls turned the restaurant into a dance party after dinner * Taking pics in the middle of the parking lot because everyone was "just gorgeous." * Competing in the semis/final matches ... watching our 2D split after losing the first set and playing so gutsy! Cheering our 1D as they split after losing their first set and managing to bounce back even after getting a "late arrival" game penalty!!! (They won 6-2, even though the ump gave the first game to ASH!!!) * Screaming "SMASH OUT HARD TIME" at the top of my lungs like an idiot because Jessi beat an incredible senior athlete from NPC in order to win the 3 Singles Final ... and "get revenge for Sylvi." * Praying with my girls as they were down 5-6 in the State Final .. not for a win, but that God would give us the strength to play our best and honor Him (and He did ... despite the circumstance my girls were amazingly gracious) * Finishing 4th in the State (our 5th consecutive year in the top 5) when Coach Ipema and I truthfully were just "hoping to qualify" this year. * Screaming like idiots for Meika when she won the 1S state title because her team wasn't there to do it. * Praising God at Wendy's because "He had a better plan" for this season ... even when we all thought it was caving in around us.
So, that, my blogger friends, is what I'm so so blessed to be a Coach ... After all, look at these faces ... who WOULDN'T best blessed to work with them!!!
