Also available on Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWLTTmyqGMw
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
First pedicure
I took Addie out of school early on Friday, so she could participate in her first pedicure before Aunt Kim and Uncle Tom's wedding. Let's just say, it was a HUGE success.
Addie had two pillows scooting her forward enough to reach into the foot bath.
Benjamin quite enjoyed the massage chair.
The whole party was there...Aunt Wendy, Muddy, Aunt Amanda and Aunt Kim (all the way in the background) and Truitt, Aunt Kim's bff was there too.
Good uncles Tom and Jeremy were the peanut gallery who watched and waited for us (ok, Jeremy was a prisoner since I was his ride, and Tom was Truitt and Kim's ride, so he was captive too!)
All glammed up. She loved it so much, she's asked to go regularly. We talked about how she can use some of her money that she's saved in her piggy bank to pay for trips out like this. Fun.
Oh and Ben also requested next time that he get a pedicure too.
The best reaction ever
So I guess we've done a really stellar job of convincing the kids that there was no way we'd ever get a cat... we ended up getting just one cat. His name is Oliver and he's 2 years old. He was the only one who seemed to connect with Addie and Ben and who seemed like he'd be able to handle lots of people in and out of the house, while holding his own.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Six years ago....
One of the loves of my life was born. What a gift she is.
Addie came into this world with a full head of hair.
By her first birthday, she was full of spunk and energy.
At three years old, she got her first set of wheels...and soon decided she much prefers being driven around instead of being in the driver's seat (at least in the jeep)
And now, the night before her sixth birthday, she's a comedian, a brain, a performer, a reader, a speller, a prankster, a dancer, a songwriter, a singer, a helper, a giver, a hero, a friend to all who meet her, and a joy to be the mother of. I couldn't have asked for a better daughter to help raise, guide and learn from. Happy birthday to my baby girl, who isn't so much of a baby anymore. I love you Adelaide, more than you'll probably ever be able to comprehend, until you have your very own little girl (after you start dating when you're 30....and after you've married by 38 and ....)
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Watching my kids grow up
This week I've had several experiences where I stopped and just looked at my two beautiful, bright, wonderful children and thought "I'm so lucky." They are turning out to be fantastic little people, who have empathy and sympathy, a hint of sass, humor, laughter, love, compassion, wit, generosity and all the other good things you can think of.
We went to Cathy's viewing and funeral on Tuesday. How sad to attend the funeral of a woman who was only 44 and who had her life ahead of her. Addie and Ben have never been to a funeral before, and have never seen an open casket. I thought it was important for them to be there to show love and support for Matthew and his dad, but also so they had an idea of what a ceremony like that is. Benjamin was hesitant to look at Cathy's body, but I held him and he did with no problem. As we were giving Cathy's parents our condolences, Ben interrupts by saying "we were in a car crash. Mommy passed out." and all I wanted to do was crawl into a hole because here is the woman who just lost her daughter and Ben is going on about our accident. Her mom was wonderful though, and concerned about us too.
As the ceremony went on, Addie took it all in. She read every single word of the Remembrance poem in the booklet about Cathy. She thought about every sentence and what it meant. She read every song she could find in the hymn book. She sang every word she could keep up with in the book. She knelt when everyone else did. She answered every response on cue with the rest of the church. She took in every aspect of what a funeral is and honored a tradition that she knew nothing about. At one point I looked over and she is belting out "Alleluia, Alleluia" like she has known the song forever. After the service, I had to get back to work for a patient, but Addie really wanted to go to the burial, so she went with Muddy and Guppy. Later that night she told me all about how everyone else had thrown their rose onto the center of Cathy's casket and how she purposely put hers on the edge, so that way she knew which one was hers. When I got home from work the first thing I said to her was, "how was the burial?" Her response was, "It was great. They picked a really good spot out for her, right by the forest. Since she liked the creek so much, it was the perfect place for her, because it's kind of like the creek." Really. That was my daughter's response. I love her so much.
Yesterday Benjamin spent the day with Aunt Wendy. Wendy told me that at one point Ben came into her clearly terrified and upset. As she was doing an overall assessment to make sure he wasn't bleeding or hurt, she asked him what was wrong. He said, "I was eating my cookie and a piece fell and she was too close and...she ate it" and he was visibly shaken by this. She, in this story, is Aunt Wendy's dog Lucy. The cookie had chocolate on it and we've all talked about how chocolate is dangerous for a dog. Wendy assured him it was ok, that Lucy would be ok, that he hadn't done anything wrong. That story just melted my heart. His concern for another being was so great in that moment, it surely gives him some passes at the times he hit someone or talks back, right?
There's a website I love called "1000awesomethings.com" The premise is that there are awesome things all around us, all of the time, and it's easy to get lost in what we're doing and not recognize them. Reading Neil's descriptions of things that are wonderfully-ordinary and mundane makes me smile every single day. Last night while reviewing some of his older posts, I came across one about "when your child reads you a bedtime story" and it just made me smile. Addie and Ben have been going to bed together very well recently and now I don't even have to read the stories. They each pick out a book and lay in bed as Addie reads them out loud. It's incredible to see and to hear. They love each other so much--it's awesome.
Brian's mom on Mother's Day remarked at breakfast that "Addie could probably order for herself." I assured her that both of them frequently order for themselves and that they don't really need us for much. Brian's dad said, "just to get them from place to place" and I jokingly said, 'and I can't always do that right." While they don't necessarily need us for everything anymore, it's an incredible gift to watch them find their ways in the world, to take in and process all that the world has to offer, and to know that them being here makes the world a better place. I am so lucky. (and now I'm crying... as I'm sure some of you are!)
We went to Cathy's viewing and funeral on Tuesday. How sad to attend the funeral of a woman who was only 44 and who had her life ahead of her. Addie and Ben have never been to a funeral before, and have never seen an open casket. I thought it was important for them to be there to show love and support for Matthew and his dad, but also so they had an idea of what a ceremony like that is. Benjamin was hesitant to look at Cathy's body, but I held him and he did with no problem. As we were giving Cathy's parents our condolences, Ben interrupts by saying "we were in a car crash. Mommy passed out." and all I wanted to do was crawl into a hole because here is the woman who just lost her daughter and Ben is going on about our accident. Her mom was wonderful though, and concerned about us too.
As the ceremony went on, Addie took it all in. She read every single word of the Remembrance poem in the booklet about Cathy. She thought about every sentence and what it meant. She read every song she could find in the hymn book. She sang every word she could keep up with in the book. She knelt when everyone else did. She answered every response on cue with the rest of the church. She took in every aspect of what a funeral is and honored a tradition that she knew nothing about. At one point I looked over and she is belting out "Alleluia, Alleluia" like she has known the song forever. After the service, I had to get back to work for a patient, but Addie really wanted to go to the burial, so she went with Muddy and Guppy. Later that night she told me all about how everyone else had thrown their rose onto the center of Cathy's casket and how she purposely put hers on the edge, so that way she knew which one was hers. When I got home from work the first thing I said to her was, "how was the burial?" Her response was, "It was great. They picked a really good spot out for her, right by the forest. Since she liked the creek so much, it was the perfect place for her, because it's kind of like the creek." Really. That was my daughter's response. I love her so much.
Yesterday Benjamin spent the day with Aunt Wendy. Wendy told me that at one point Ben came into her clearly terrified and upset. As she was doing an overall assessment to make sure he wasn't bleeding or hurt, she asked him what was wrong. He said, "I was eating my cookie and a piece fell and she was too close and...she ate it" and he was visibly shaken by this. She, in this story, is Aunt Wendy's dog Lucy. The cookie had chocolate on it and we've all talked about how chocolate is dangerous for a dog. Wendy assured him it was ok, that Lucy would be ok, that he hadn't done anything wrong. That story just melted my heart. His concern for another being was so great in that moment, it surely gives him some passes at the times he hit someone or talks back, right?
There's a website I love called "1000awesomethings.com" The premise is that there are awesome things all around us, all of the time, and it's easy to get lost in what we're doing and not recognize them. Reading Neil's descriptions of things that are wonderfully-ordinary and mundane makes me smile every single day. Last night while reviewing some of his older posts, I came across one about "when your child reads you a bedtime story" and it just made me smile. Addie and Ben have been going to bed together very well recently and now I don't even have to read the stories. They each pick out a book and lay in bed as Addie reads them out loud. It's incredible to see and to hear. They love each other so much--it's awesome.
Brian's mom on Mother's Day remarked at breakfast that "Addie could probably order for herself." I assured her that both of them frequently order for themselves and that they don't really need us for much. Brian's dad said, "just to get them from place to place" and I jokingly said, 'and I can't always do that right." While they don't necessarily need us for everything anymore, it's an incredible gift to watch them find their ways in the world, to take in and process all that the world has to offer, and to know that them being here makes the world a better place. I am so lucky. (and now I'm crying... as I'm sure some of you are!)
Monday, May 9, 2011
Mother's Day 2011
Mother's Day began with breakfast out with MomMom and PopPop. Then we came home to swing out front for a while.
We headed out to Chanticleer, the garden we've gone to each year I've been a mom. Hard to believe Addie is almost six!
My little cutie and me.
In the spring house, where this year they are both standing on their own inside there! In previous years adults are crouched down in there holding Addie and Ben up! Not necessary anymore!
I told Ben to "turn and look over your shoulder" and he couldn't quite get what I meant by that. This is the best I could get....which is just plain funny.
Muddy found "Bleeding hearts" for Addie and Ben to see. This is Ben looking stunned by his petals. He calls them "Beating hearts"
Rounding out our trip, Muddy and Guppy got to share some cuddle time with their favorite people.
Friday, May 6, 2011
May 2011
How is it possible that May is already here? What a fast year, yet again.
Everyday for the past three weeks I've heard "is it almost my birthday yet?" from Addie. It's finally getting close. Man, what a fun 6 years we've had together. She brings more joy and laughter into my life on a daily basis than I ever could have imagined. Her spunk is invigorating. Her maturity and empathy is beyond compare. Her intelligence is unparalleled. The things that come out of her mouth are sometimes so hysterical and other times so profound. She's an incredible girl. (Didn't mean to go off on a Addie love rant there, but it happened and I'm not ashamed.)
We've had a helluva end of April and beginning of May. I'll post a more detailed explanation, for posterity purposes, at a later date. I think just about everyone knows what happened to us on April 25.
What people may not know is that on this Monday, May 2nd, my sister-in-law Cathy (mother of Matthew, 7) apparently suffered a major heart attack and died at the age of 44. Matthew found her on the bathroom floor, unresponsive. I can't imagine how that little boy is going to grow up without his mom. She was his everything, and vice versa. When things like this happen, it just makes me stop and take a deep breath to thank God for my blessings.
Similarly two of my longtime friends from online have suffered major heart ache this week too, with one losing her almost step-son at 16 years of age, and the other losing her mom and the grandmother of her children. Thinking about you both right now and wishing I could take away some of your pain.
So loyal blog readers, make sure you take a moment each day to let the people you love know you love them and how much they mean to you. Life is too precious and can be over much too soon and much too unexpectedly.
This weekend is chock full of events, which I promise to chronicle via pictures!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)