Christmas gift-giving thoughts.

I can't remember exactly where I heard this, but this little phrase has been popping in my head over and over this Christmas season. With regards to buying gifts for children, one woman sticks with ditty to help guide her Christmas shopping:

Something they want
Something they need
Something to wear
Something to read.

Isn't that fantastic? Using this phrase when Christmas shopping for your little ones (and big ones, for that matter!) would prevent overspending, over giving, and shopping burn out. I'm not alone when I say that shopping, particularly during the holidays stresses me out. And let's face it...kids (especially when they're young) don't really need a whole lot. Give my boys a new thing-on-wheels and I could call that Christmas. More importantly, sticking with these "rules" may free up some more time to focus on the real reason behind Christmas - Jesus and the miracle of His birth.

So, while it may be too late for you to put this phrase into practice this year, it may serve helpful to you in the years to come.

Easy Beef Stroganoff

I've never posted recipes on here before, but I love reading about what recipes others have found to be tasty. This is quickly becoming one of my "go to" recipes, particularly now that it's cold out. Bonus points for me that both of the boys will eat it.

So...I give you Easy Beef Stroganoff. Some of you may be turned off by the ground beef ingredient in the recipe, but if it's 5 o'clock and you need to get dinner on the table amidst the chaos that is two boys running rampant in your house, then cooking up some ground beef doesn't seem so bad.

I'd love to hear some of your favorite recipes as well!


Easy Beef Stroganoff

* 6 Servings
* Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients

* 4-1/2 cups uncooked yolk-free noodles
* 1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
* 1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
* 1 large onion, halved and sliced
* 1 tablespoon reduced-fat butter
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium beef broth
* 2 tablespoons tomato paste
* 1 cup (8 ounces) fat-free sour cream
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

* Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook the beef, mushrooms and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Remove and keep warm.
* In the same pan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add broth and tomato paste. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
* Carefully return beef mixture to the pan. Add the sour cream, salt and pepper; cook and stir until heated through (do not boil). Drain noodles; serve with beef mixture. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 2/3 cup beef mixture with 3/4 cup noodles equals 326 calories, 7 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 48 mg cholesterol, 342 mg sodium, 39 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 24 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 lean meat, 1 vegetable.


http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Easy-Beef-Stroganoff

What a miracle!

This year, Adam and I have been attending Bible Study Fellowship (www.bsfinternational.org). He attends the fantastic children's program while I attend the lecture/discussion part for adult women.

This year we're studying the book of John, and two weeks ago we were discussing the miracle in which Jesus fed the 5,000. On the way home from BSF that day, I was asking Adam questions in hopes that he would tell me what he learned in his class. Several questions later, he told me that Jesus fed a lot of people bread and fish. I continued with my questioning:

Me: Where do you think he got the bread and fish to feed that many people?
Adam: Well, he just went up to the gas station to get some.

The gas station. Naturally.

Already?

My son can't be the only 4 year old who rolls his eyes, right? Where does he get this?

This morning, Adam was finishing his Time Out and I was debriefing him on what got him there in the first place (in this case, he hit Miles). After he rolled his eyes at me, the conversation went something like this:

Me: Why do you roll your eyes like that?
Adam: I don't know, Mom (eye roll again - of course).
Me: You shouldn't do that...what if your eyeballs get stuck in the up position in your head?
Adam: Oh, they won't. I'm always careful.

My mother in law, listening to this conversation from the next room busted out laughing at this one. Careful. Suuuure.

Language Explosion!

It's been a little over a month that we've been living with the Gray's, and in that time, Miles' language has really grown! The newest words in his vocabulary:

Hi
Dog
Chair ("tair, tair")
Mama
Dada
Truck
Tractor ("ta ta")
Choo Choo
Baby

And believe me, if he can't say the word, he has no trouble communicating what he wants. He'll even go so far as to grab your face and turn it towards him if he feels you're not devoting ALL of your attention to him at any particular moment.

We've been having fun watching him explore the world around him, reciting names of things he points at (and when you're 19 months, there's A LOT of things to point at and wonder about!).

I wonder what new word he'll speak next. "Adam," perhaps? That would be fun!

2535 Riveredge Drive SE

Welcome home! This house officially became ours on October 16, 2009. Since then, renovations have begun. I'll use this post to provide you with "before" pictures. Right now we're waiting on new flooring, and are painting the rooms as time allows (and I will tell you that the first two rooms, even with the mint-green carpeting, look FANTASTIC!).

So, without further adeu...our humble home!

Front of house (or at least part of it...trying not to get the dumpster in the picture):

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/YxLO8TeiS2zs-iolfJQscw?authkey=Gv1sRgCLGynYT0uNadGA&feat=directlink

Front entryway (will be a great place for wallpaper in the future!):
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-O0UtdoV1iY217pu7I-i0A?authkey=Gv1sRgCLGynYT0uNadGA&feat=directlink

Living Room (lace curtains were the first thing to go. Won't a Christmas tree look fantastic in the bay window?):
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5U1iOsI_QNQf1viiHZVmAw?authkey=Gv1sRgCLGynYT0uNadGA&feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/KateVLGray/2535Riveredge?authkey=Gv1sRgCLGynYT0uNadGA#5396973427096943138

Dining Room:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/z8anVGD7bz1yjWK3_QN0Lw?authkey=Gv1sRgCLGynYT0uNadGA&feat=directlink

Kitchen:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/4clkbcLZDY0ghNPstELedQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCLGynYT0uNadGA&feat=directlink

Eating Area off of Kitchen:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/moWk4RhCWsE1hns7AhrvgA?authkey=Gv1sRgCLGynYT0uNadGA&feat=directlink

Family Room (sliding doors lead to screened-in porch!):
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BftkSsexF92QBeJE_11pRQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCLGynYT0uNadGA&feat=directlink

Master Bedroom:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/RE3m6HOTJ0we5kKHtrqleA?authkey=Gv1sRgCLGynYT0uNadGA&feat=directlink

So...prepare to be amazed at the transformation that is taking place! New carpet, flooring, and of course, paint. Oh, to be rid of white walls and mint green carpet! I know I can't wait...can you?

Boys will be boys...

A few months ago Jeff was flipping channels and stopped on some shoot-em-up movie. No sooner than I requested Jeff change it because little ears were in the room did Adam start mimicking "guns." Innocence lost, but it was only a matter of time I guess.

Fast forward to last night. Adam was taking a bath in Grandma's tub which was filled with toys. Toys that included squirt guns.

This morning, Miles found the squirt guns minutes after he woke up. He promptly lifted the squirt guns in the air and made a "assssshew, assssshew!" noise. Jeff and I were cracking up! (Disclaimer: I realize that guns and violence are definitely not funny, but my 18 month old pretending to "shoot" with a squirt gun is.) And, true to his performing nature, the more we tried to control our chuckles, the louder and more vigorous his "asshew! asssshew!" noises got. That kid loves an audience, that much is true.

It just goes to remind me that my boys are sponges: constantly soaking up what people around them say or do.

assshew! assshew!

James 1:22

We're living with our inlaws for a few weeks while we're between houses (long story for another day, but i'm beginning to hate realtors). On Sunday, I took Adam to Peace Church after Kris told me that the morning service this week was geared towards children Adam's age. I'll admit it: I went reluctantly, wishing I was the one who got to stay behind with Miles (who really, really hates nursery, and with flu season upon us, it's just better he stays home).

I'll also admit it was cute sitting in church (front row, of course!) watching Adam cuddle up to Grandpa Gray during the service. Seeing that brought many memories of sitting next to MY grandparents in church. I remembered my Grandma Springstead rubbing my hand and my Grandpa Springstead slipping me Velamints every now and then. Velamints. No longer made (that I know of), but I swear I can still taste their odd mintiness.

Fast forward to Tuesday night. We asked him if he remembered the verse that was repeated numerous times in the service. Sure enough, the little bugger who I thought was at times barely paying attention, remembered the verse and recited it word for word.

"James 1:22. Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves, do what it says. James 1:22."

Amazing. Isn't God awesome? As I listened to my 4 year old recite the verse word for word, I was so impressed. Only God could plant those words in his heart, two days after the service.

Clearly he is ready for Awana...right, Kristin? :)

Goodbye, 7146 Thorncrest.

Last night I met the new owner at the house and officially turned over the keys. The boys said their goodbyes by running around like banchees in the empty, shell of a house. Last night was just a formality to me, as I shed tears as I packed up boxes and moved out of the house this past weekend. I got particularly emotional with the boys' rooms...packing up the nursery and seeing the informal growth chart on the wall was expecially nostalgic and emotional, for obvious reasons.

We moved into Thorncrest with one on the way, and we moved out as a family of four. It's unbelieveable when I think of how much our life changed while living there.

Some great memories of that house:

• The time I was mowing the lawn, hugely pregnant with Adam, and a nice lawn service crew told me to stop, and they finished the mowing for me. I was greatful and embarrased at the same time, for I must've looked so pathetic for them to stop and offer to help.
• Bringing both boys home from the hospital
• Finding out I was pregnant with Miles
• All of the "firsts" that occured here with regards to both boys
• Painting every square inch of the interior, bit by bit (yes, I like painting)
• The massive efforts involved in the fall-clean up, thanks to 3 oak trees
• My crazy fun (and a wee bit strange) neighbor Lois

But of course, there are things I won't miss, including the drafty windows, fast-moving traffic on our street, the wet floor of the garage in the winter or after a big rain, and the refrigerator that managed to freeze my produce on a regular basis. Stupid refrigerator.

So...onward and upward, ready to create new memories in a new house. Ready to find the perfect wall to start tracking height growth - for both boys this time, not just Adam. Ready to pick out a new slew of paint colors, and get to work on updating the interior as time allows. Ready to create a new home for our family, comfy and cozy as can be.

Fantastic at Four...

Ahhh, how is it that my little boy is FOUR today? It hardly seems possible! Gone is even the smallest hint of "baby" in him, as he's 100% all boy.

To commemorate this day, I present:

10 things about Adam at 4:

1. He loves Cars cars. He has an insane collection that keeps growing, thanks to a mom who likes to acquire new ones almost as much as he does.

2. He may be 4, but he still likes to come into our bed in the morning for snuggles.

3. He is sweet and sensitive. A caring soul.

4. Steak is one of his favorite dinner foods. He can eat more than I can, that I know for sure.

5. His guitar was his favorite birthday present. The kid has insane moves, and can rock the guitar like the pros.

6. He has an amazing memory. Read a library book to him a few times and he'll have it committed to memory. He likes to "read" it back to you.

7. He's a fantastic big brother. For the most part (and he has his moments, don't get me wrong!), he's loving and protective of Miles.

8. He's tall. Woooboy is he tall. And he's got the huge feet to match.

9. He has a fun sense of humor. Lord knows I like to tease, and he is a good sport about it. For example, the other day Jeff told Adam to "go chase your face around the block," because that's what HIS Dad used to tell him. Adam said "I can't, it's stuck on myself!"

10. He loves music. Loves to listen to it, loves to watch it (either live on on TV), loves to play it. Recently he's shown that he's commited quite the repertoire of song lyrics to his memory. He can sing so many songs, and it's adorable. His current favorite kids CD is Laurie Berkner's "Victor Vito." It's catchy, I admit.



Happy Birthday sweet boy!

When I grow up...

This morning as Jeff was getting ready for work, Adam came in and said "I wish I could be like you." Jeff said that he wished he could be like Adam, because he had his whole life ahead of him. Taking the opportunity to talk about good grades at an early age (ha ha), he told Adam that if he got good grades, he could be whatever he wanted. Adam said: "oh, you mean like a firefighter, or a policeman, or Jesus?"

Jesus! Don't you love how young minds work?

Babies don't keep.

Kristin sent me this charming poem and I thought it so timely, and so true. Enjoy!

Babies Don’t Keep
By Ruth Hulbert Hamilton

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
Sew on a button and butter the bread.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due,
Lullabye, rockaby, lullabye loo.
The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo,
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo,
Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs;
Dust go to sleep!
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.

Shoes

When we're getting ready to leave the house, one of us usually asks: "Can you go put your shoes on, Adam?" We open the gate and let Adam down by the back door to pick out a pair of shoes and get ready. This week, Miles has started to get upset when Adam goes down by the back door. Maybe he feels like he's going to be left behind or something. Who knows.

So tonight, Jeff and Adam were getting ready to go pick up a pizza for dinner. Miles saw Adam getting his shoes, so he took it upon himself to go into his room and take his shoes from his bookshelf. He marched out of his room trying his hardest to say the word "shoe" and bending down to try to put them on his feet, only to have Jeff and Adam walk out the back door.

Poor Miles! He was so upset. It was as if he was saying: "Hey! Hold on a sec, I'll be right there. Here's my shoes, guys...I got them...now if I could just put them on. Wait. What? You left? How could you?"

I am so impressed he went and got his shoes like that...just proves he understands so much that we say around here, I guess!

Chatterboxes

I tell you what. Some days I put Adam to bed and am just thankful for silence. Bless his heart, he literally wakes up in the morning talking a mile a minute and does not quit until he goes to bed. A zillion questions are asked, and a zillion answers are given (although some answers are more questionable than others, if you know what I mean). It's amazing how his little brain works - he's got questions about everything these days. Why, why, why.

And, not to be outshone by his older brother, Miles has his first official word: Ball. "Ba! Ba!" So cute the way he purses his lips together to make the "Ba" sound. Love it.

Note that I say first "official" word. For several weeks now he's been making a "motor" sound for anything on wheels. Any time a car travels down our street, he's quick to point and "bbbbb bbbbb," sounding like a (baby) motor. I'll give you one guess who he learned this sound from...ha.

Usually, Miles does a good job communicating by pointing and grunting/whining/shrieking. It's amazing how much I understand what he's after!

For now, I'm off to enjoy the silence of the evening. Tomorrow will be here before I know it, and the three of us will be off and running, ready for new adventures. First up: Adam get's his cast off!

And we're done...

...nursing, that is.

It's always difficult for me to stop nursing, and frankly, I admit it is harder on me than on Miles at this point. This morning, I was adding up the months and realized that I've been "growing" him in some way for 2 years. TWO YEARS!

So...this is night 2 of not nursing him before bed. Last night I wasn't home, and tonight I asked Jeff to put him to bed because I just couldn't do it (read: I was a crying mess when I thought about not putting him to bed after nursing him). He cried a little, but settled down after a few minutes.

Three cheers for all the nursing Mama's out there in blog-land. I'll have a drink for all of us tonight, mmmmK?

A girl and two boys walk into a dressing room...

This past week we were at Target and I saw a dress I wanted to try on. While it's not ideal to wheel a cart and two boys into the dressing room, it's even less ideal to bring it home, find out it doesn't fit, then have to go back to the store to return it. So, in we went.

When I had the dress on, Adam says:

"Mommy, you look like a real girl!"

Ha! Where did he get the notion that girls wear dresses? Hilarious. I laughed, and so did the employee manning the dressing room area (Note to self: work on the concept of "inside voice").

As it turns out, I didn't end up with the dress. Figures. All that for laughs, I guess.

Walking and Winking...

In the last few weeks, Miles has been trying to perfect the art of walking. In the last few days, walking has replaced crawling as his preferred method of transportation. It's awesome to see him toddling around here and there, and he seems really proud of himself too. Yay for upward mobility!

Note: This is a relief for me, as crawling around outside isn't the best option - either for his poor bare knees OR for my laundry pile.

And I have to share that Jeff taught Miles how to "wink." Ask him to wink, and he'll close both eyes very slowly and dramatically. You just can't help but laugh when he does this, and of course, he loves the accolades. He'll blink, errr, wink over and over until he feels the crowd has had enough.

Such a ham, he is.

Oopsie Daisy...

Crash. "My Armmmm!!! Owwww!"

This is what I heard on Monday (6/22) when I had slipped away from the living room to go to the bathroom. I ran into the living room and found Adam in a lot of pain. Usually he's quick to "get over" things like this, so when he didn't stop crying after a half hour, I knew something wasn't right.

I called my Pediatrician's office, and they asked me to bring him in, because they could fix what they called "Nursemaid's Elbow" in the office. Ooook then. Off we went. The doctor examined his left arm and noted swelling in the elbow area, but that was it. By that time, he had calmed down, and so the doctor wrote an order up for an x-ray "just in case" his discomfort didn't lessen in the next day.

No sooner had we left the office that he started complaining/crying about his elbow. Unreal! It hurt to extend it as well as put pressure on the back of his arm, right above the elbow. We quickly ate dinner and Jeff stayed home with Miles while I took him to get an x-ray.

The next day we got the results (Don't get me started on this. Note to self: next time, head straight to the Pediatric ER!), and the x-ray showed a "severe" fracture of the bone just above the elbow. Of course. Poor Adam! We headed back to the Ped's office to get it splinted properly.

That was yesterday. Today (yes, two days after it happened) we went and saw the Pediatric Orthopedist and got it casted. Adam was quick to pick the color purple, because it was "just like Ramone." He was also quick to cry and scream when they lay him down on the table to get it casted. For all the crying he did, he did listen well and didn't move or wiggle a bit. The doctor and nurses did all they could to distract him, but he wasn't having it ("do you like candy? NO!"). He was just scared.

The GOOD thing is, casts come with a waterproof option. Since it's summer, I thought it was a no-brainer, and agreed to pay extra for the waterproof cast. And everyone knows sweaty summertime boys need baths nightly, so it'll be a lot easier if he can get it wet in the bathtub.

So, for the next three weeks, this is what my boy has to sport on his (entire) arm:


Oh, and the "crash" was him falling off of the back of the living room chair. The same one we've told him a zillion times not to climb on. Let's hope this is a (hard) lesson learned.

Missing Adam...

This week, Adam is on vacation with his Grandma and Grandpa Gray. It was an impromptu invite - they were going on a State Farm trip that turned out to be geared towards families with younger kids, and thought it would be fun if Adam could join them. So...off he went for 3 nights and 4 days, down to French Lick, Indiana (I can hardly type that name out without laughing...ha!). They arrived down there safely, but he couldn't be bothered to talk on the phone because he was preoccupied, telling me: "We were just walking out the door...love you!" I'm glad he's having fun, and not homesick!

It is so strange to not have him here. No chitter-chatter throughout the day. No early morning cuddles in bed. No second set of straps to buckle in the car. Only one bath in the evening. You get the picture.

On the other hand, it's refreshing to be able to focus solely on Miles. Perhaps coincidentally, his clinginess has subsided since Adam has been gone. Even though he's not speaking any "words" yet, he sure has a lot to say. Lots of pointing and grunting, and surprisingly, it's pretty easy to understand. The other day I was putting away groceries and he kept bringing me the bag of Goldfish crackers. Ok, ok...I got your number. Have a cracker or two. Or ten.

Another thing I've noticed, even more so in the days that Adam has been gone, is that he has a great sense of humor. He loves to hold my attention with his goofy faces. He encourages me to chase him, which is pretty funny, considering he can only crawl "so" fast. But he howls with laughter when I finally "catch" him.


So...Adam will be back on Friday, hopefully full of stories of his time away, yet happy to be back at home. I hope he misses us a little bit...:)

Hello, Summertime.

Woooboy. I'm really glad May is over with. My usually healthy boys passed a virus back and forth and to Jeff and I for weeks. Ear infections for both of them (not at the same time, of course). Roseola. Bronchitis. Sinus infection. Coughs/runny nose/congestion for all. Oh, and I woke up with pink eye one day. Fantastic. Thankfully, I can say we're all feeling well now!

Last week we went camping at Lake Mitchell in Cadillac, thanks to my Mom and her fantastic idea. Even though it started off wet, the boys had fun riding their bikes in the nearly empty campground. I never knew a puddle of water could entertain two toddlers for hours. And I mean hours. Unfortunately for Adam, the last day we were able to spend up there was the best weather of the entire trip...but the afternoon was spent in the ER, waiting to be diagnosed with an ear infection. Poor baby.

That trip wasn't so relaxing for us adults, of course. Camping isn't that much fun with a crawler - there isn't a whole lot he can do at this stage. So, you can imagine I was thrilled to get away for a night to go camping in South Haven with my Mommy and my Aunt. It was just the ticket - kid-free for over 24 hours. And with two people who are fun-loving and require game-playing! It was awesome and I wish I could re-charge like that every week!

And today, it's a beautiful day so we got out of the house early and headed to the FM Gardens. It was good to get out in the fresh air and have fun. Adam enjoyed the little hand puppet area more than I thought he would, which was cute. He liked the butterfly the best. Miles had fun splashing around in the "Great Lakes" area. I remembered a change of clothes for him, but forgot my camera. I never seem to have it when I want to take pictures...grrrrr.

I officially welcome summer. Here's to warm weather, sunscreen, sand, sunscreen, skinned knees, sunscreen, popsicles, sunscreen, and good times.

Did I mention sunscreen? ;)

Poor sick bubba.

I should be thankful that between my two kids, we've only made TWO sick-child visits to the pediatrician's office. Today was Miles' turn. After a really rough night last night of him only wanting to sleep sitting upright in my lap, I figured his cold (which he will have had for 2 weeks tomorrow) had progressed into something more. He was so brave at the doctor's office...all smiles until his ears were examined. And sure enough - a diagnosis of a double ear infection and a sinus infection to boot.

Miles, who is normally cuddly anyways, has been even more so in the last 24 hours. While holding his feverish body last night, it made me happy to know that I was able to soothe him. Listening to the sound of his raspy breathing, I pondered at how small he seemed, thinking: "in a few short years, you'll be too big to do this." At the same time, I marveled at how big he has gotten, with his long legs dangling over the side of the rocking chair. Holding him close in the wee hours of the morning I was not missing sleep (although it would have been nice, believe me!), but lovingly reveling in the fact that in my lap, my baby was calm. Sleeping. At peace.

God has given (most) women the gift of being able to spring into action when needed. To comfort. To put together. To reach out. What a blessing! My prayer is that I continue to mature in this role as my children grow older, to be able to provide calm to them no matter what the situation.

Catching up...

It's been a few weeks since I've blogged...sorry!

The weather was beautiful here this past Friday, so I decided to take advantage of the sunshine and bring the boys to the FM Gardens for a few hours. I thought everyone was having a great time - too good of a time, as it turns out. Despite my 10-minute and 5-minute warnings, Adam had a complete meltdown when it was time to go. Screaming. Oh, that kid can scream! Luckily, as I was pushing the stroller with one hand, and dragging Adam with the other, my eyes met with those of sympathetic mothers as we were exiting the premises. Their kind glances in my direction reminded me that this is (semi) normal - and I'm not parenting some type of monster. "I am SO MAD AT YOU!!!!" could be heard loud and clear by all, and it was at that point that I was asking myself "why do I bother?" Perhaps we should have just stayed home. The boys would have stayed cleaner (they were greasy from sunscreen and sandy from the sandbox) and drier (Adam was soaked from playing with the water/boats).

But we as mothers *do* bother, don't we? God bless Mothers. No doubt we'll be back again soon, hoping that "the talk" we had afterwords sank in, and that the exit will be quieter next time. Or else. ;)

Adam has also been bombarding me with "Watch this, Mommy!" commands throughout the day. Unfortunately for me, just saying "ok, I'm watching" is not enough. I tried. I have to be watching him motoring his monster truck for a "sweet jump" over and over and over. Silly kid.

Miles! His fifth tooth just popped through and he's working on mastering the art of standing on his own. I am hoping that walking is in his future sooner rather than later, because I really can't see a summer of his little knees crawling on the ground outside. Yeouch! He loves his big brother, and the two of them are constantly cracking eachother up.

We got a kick out of him last night at dinner. I had given him pears on his tray - something he usually loves to eat. When he started chucking them on the ground, I simply removed his tray. Of course, then he started whining, I assumed he wanted more pears. Now, I've been down this road before and know not to give him his tray back (the whole "fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me" thing). So, I put a piece of pear in his mouth. You know what that little stinker did? He took that pear out of his mouth and thew it across the room, giggling the whole time. Ha! He's a smart one, that Miles.

Well, that seems to sum up the week over here. It's Sunday. Jeff is at work, the boys are napping, and I've finished 4 loads of laundry. Time to head for the couch and try to finish the book I've started...

The Real Deal

My friend Michelle was kind enough to tag me in this virtual dare. Here are the rules:
Take a picture of yourself right now.
No primping or preparing. Just snap a picture.
Load the picture onto your blog.
Tag some people to play.

Now, I could have waited for another day, one where I had makeup on, or was wearing something semi-cute. But no, I opted to play by the rules and snap a picture (Ok, I tried to have Adam snap the picture, but he wasn't holding the button down long enough). Today is a cloudy Sunday. Jeff is working and I'm home in my comfy pants and making my way through the mounds of laundry, being careful not to trip over toys while carrying the laundry basket up and down stairs.

Tomorrow, I shall do my makeup.



Ok...so, if I did it, you can do it too. Cheryl and Karen...you're tagged!

Plastic Easter Memories

It's Easter time. Looking back on my childhood, I remember my Grandma Vander Laan had a tree outside of her kitchen window that she would decorate every Easter. Tiny plastic Easter eggs would adorn it's branches. Sometimes there would be plastic-blow up eggs and bunnies to complete the scene. And of course, each Easter morning, there would be an Easter basket awaiting us each Easter morning. Jelly beans. Cadbury Eggs. Peeps. Easter grass. This Easter basket tradition continued until I was in college!

This week, I had a hankering for something Easter-y to adorn my front door. I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for in the stores, so I did a quick Google search and found an idea to make one of my own. A trip to Hobby Lobby and $10 later, I was all set to make my own Easter wreath. I love it. It reminds me of my childhood and my Grandma, and it makes me smile just looking at it.

As a Mom, I wonder what traditions my kids will remember as adults. 30 years from now, what will they be thinking of when Easter rolls around? Christmas? Birthdays? I hope that even in the littlest of things I can make happy memories for them so that when they're older something will trigger their own "plastic Easter egg" memory and they'll smile, too.

12 Month Stats

Miles had his 12-month check-up today. He weighed in at 20.2lbs (20%) and measured 31.25 inches long (90%). Interestingly enough, he didn't even shed a tear when he got his polio shot. What a trooper!!! And of course, everything checked out a-OK...he's perfect in every way!

It's funny, because most people think he's bigger than Adam in weight, but compared to Adam's stats at that time, he's taller, but weighs the same as Adam did at 12 months. Interesting...it'll be fun to see who ends up being the "bigger" brother!

And, I'd just like to say that since having a cupcake at his birthday party, Mr. Miles thinks he's entitled to taste whatever I'm eating. He's figured out that he can point and screech, particularly when I'm eating something that he thinks he should be a part of. So, now I have to be extra sneaky when snacking on things that shouldn't be shared with little boys.

But boy, did he love his cake...

Happy Birthday, Miles!

How is it possible that an entire year has gone by? It truly seems like just yesterday we were welcoming you into the world.

When you were born, everyone thought you looked just like your brother - including me. Throughout the year, you've made it clear that while you may look a bit like Adam, your personality sets you two apart. You're feisty and determined - you go after what you want. You're a love bug - cuddly and sweet. Adam never wanted anything to do with sitting still, but you will sit on my lap and just be. I love being able to sit with you, smelling your hair and soaking up all of your baby goodness. You're very relaxed - not much sets you off, and you're a true joy to be around.

A year ago, as your due date got closer, I remember being worried and anxious. How would you fit into the family? Would Adam resent not getting all of the attention? Would I be able to love two children equally? On your birth day, all my fears were put to rest. How silly I was! The minute I saw your face, I was in love - a love that only a mother knows. You may be my second born, but you are never second in my heart.

Speaking of love, I love your deep blue eyes. I love that when you nurse, one hand holds mine, while the other covers your eyes. I love it that when you're tired, you suck on your two fingers and rub your ear. I love tickling your feet and hearing you giggle. I love how your eyes light up when you see your brother come into the room. I love how you have made our family brighter, better, more blessed. You are amazing.

So Miles, aka "smiley Miley," "Mr. Miles," and "little brother," I love you. We love you.

Happy Birthday, precious boy.

I guess since I live with 3 boys, it's not all that surprising that an entry about farts follows one about penises...

I was out getting my hair cut/colored tonight, so Jeff was home with the boys. He told me the following story, and we laughed so hard about it, I just had to write it down.

Apparently (and I know you will find this is hard to believe), Jeff farted.
Adam: "Did you toot?"
Jeff: "Noooo...I think there is a duck in the room. Didn't you hear that duck quack?"
Adam: "No, there's no duck in here!" (thinking he's onto the joke, but half-looking around for said duck)
Jeff: "Do you see a duck?"
Adam: "No. Maybe there is duck in your butt!!"

Jeff obviously laughed out loud at this one, and then Adam thought it was funny to say "duck butt" over and over, and well, that's where the story ends...

Boys!

Happy Birthday, Miles!

How is it possible that an entire year has gone by? It truly seems like just yesterday we were welcoming you into the world.

When you were born, everyone thought you looked just like your brother - including me. Throughout the year, you've made it clear that while you may look a bit like Adam, your personality sets you two apart. You're feisty and determined - you go after what you want. You're a love bug - cuddly and sweet. Adam never wanted anything to do with sitting still, but you will sit on my lap and just be. I love being able to sit with you, smelling your hair and soaking up all of your baby goodness. You're very relaxed - not much sets you off, and you're a true joy to be around.

A year ago, as your due date got closer, I remember being worried and anxious. How would you fit into the family? Would Adam resent not getting all of the attention? Would I be able to love two children equally? On your birth day, all my fears were put to rest. How silly I was! The minute I saw your face, I was in love - a love that only a mother knows. You may be my second born, but you are never second in my heart.

Speaking of love, I love your deep blue eyes. I love that when you nurse, one hand holds mine, while the other covers your eyes. I love it that when you're tired, you suck on your two fingers and rub your ear. I love tickling your feet and hearing you giggle. I love how your eyes light up when you see your brother come into the room. I love how you have made our family brighter, better, more blessed. You are amazing.

So Miles, aka "smiley Miley," "Mr. Miles," and "little brother," I love you. We love you.

Happy Birthday, precious boy.

Penises are for boys.

Adam continues to be perplexed that girls do not have penises. We had this conversation again the other day, so I figured I needed to write it down for the ages.

Adam: Are you going pee pee Mommy?
Me: Yep.
Adam: Oh. Did your penis break off?

(Note: this is a change from the "did it hurt when your penis broke off?" question - which, was hard to answer with a straight face!).

Me: Nope. Remember, only boys have penises. Girls do not.
Adam: Do you go pee pee out of your butt?
Me: Sort of. God didn't give girls penises, only boys.
Adam: Don't worry, Mommy. We'll get you one sometime.

Bwahahaha! Get a load of that! I about died of laughter...the way his little mind works is so fantastic! And hilarious. And sometimes, too curious...ha.

Overheard...

The other night at dinner, I was pouring Adam some milk and I said: "Did you know that milk comes from cows?" To which he replied matter-of-factly: "No, milk comes from mommy's boobies."

The dentist really isn't so bad...or is it?

In effort to get Adam prepared for his first trip to the dentist, I'd been telling him about what to expect, and spending even more time on teeth brushing in general, so he would get comfy with someone examining his mouth.

All of this preparation went out the window today, however, when we walked into the office and heard a child's screams coming from back in the exam area. Shortly after we checked in, the office staff was kind enough to close off the doors in effort to muffle the sound of this poor child clearly being tortured in the dentist chair. I did my best to keep Adam focused on the toys in the waiting room, and did a pretty good job.

Our appointment time was delayed a bit, due to the aforementioned patient being held hostage in his exam chair (who I later learned was just 5 years old and already in need of 3 tooth extractions). The staff was hoping that he would be finished sooner (obviously), but when it became apparent that that wasn't the case, they no doubt said a few silent prayers and called Adam back.

Now, it isn't unusual for him to be anxious in situations like these. He gets worked up going to the pediatrician's office, and when I took him to my OB appointments when pregnant with Miles, he would cry each and every time. I wasn't surprised when the waterworks started as soon as he started walking down the hall, as if being led to the inquisition. I "helped" him with the X-rays, and then had to hold his hands in his lap while the dentist (who, to her credit, was extremely kind and patient with him) "counted" his teeth.

It was over very quickly, but I can't blame Adam for being apprehensive throughout the procedures, especially given the unusually-tense circumstances. I have a feeling that the visit would have been less traumatic had this other patient not been a part of the picture. The staff apologized over and over, and really, it was just dumb luck that he was there when we were.

Thankfully, his teeth are healthy and no cavities - that's the best part! She did say that he had experienced some "trauma" in his top two front teeth (probably from a fall as a baby or something), resulting in the root not forming properly. If anything, these teeth will fall out sooner rather than later, and not with the help of adult teeth pushing them out. Not a big deal, unless you consider he may have a toothless grin for upwards of a year. Can you imagine?

Clapping and Crawling...

Look out - my baby is on the move!

Woooboy. Things are going to get a log crazier around here, as he started crawling this week (10 months!). Of course, his motivation is to crawl towards the very things that he shouldn't have. The DVD player. An interesting toy of Adam's. Paper. Nonetheless, his determination sure does get him around the room - even if his crawl is a bit unconventional at this point (he tends to crawl for a bit, then "hop" forward with both knees, before finally lunging at his target). It's so awesome to see him fixated on something and moving his little body toward it.

And he can clap! So cute. He'll clap if you ask him to, or if you just simply say "yayyyyyy!" Of course, he knows he's Mr. Big Stuff when he does this, so he's usually smiling or scrunching up his nose and making his silly face.

Time for bed. My little crawler will no doubt be up at the crack of 6am, ready for new adventures. What will he get into tomorrow?

Overheard...

"Mommy, you're the best and you're pretty."

Seriously? Melt my heart, yo.

Lately I've been a bit down because I haven't left the house in days due to what seems to be a perpetual cycle of eating/cleaning up/naps. I've been wishing that this house was bigger (or at least had a secret area where I could go to and get some peace and quiet - other than the bathroom, that is!), and more often than not, I'm still in my pajama pants at dinnertime. Not to mention it's the dead of winter and colder than cold outside.

But then Adam pulls out this gem. Not sure where he got it from, but I'll take it. Cutie patootie.