Blooming

A quote I read on Liz's blog a while ago...

In "Tender Mercy for a Mother's Soul" Angela Thomas says..."In motherhood, I have come to know the weakest parts of myself. I see where other moms are more and I am less. I feel the weight of wanting to be all and struggling to be in part. There are more hardships and difficulties than I could have ever anticipated. To love my family, care for a home, and pursue my passions is to be confronted with the truth of my weakness. I am not enough. I cannot possibly do it all. But then Jesus speaks and says, 'There-right there in the weakness of motherhood-there is where My power is perfected. My grace in you will be more than enough .' [paraphrase from 2 cor 12:9] And I can rest. I can breath a deep sigh of relief and rest. The power of Christ covers my weak places and supernaturally makes me strong."

I've always liked that "Bloom where you are planted" quote...but I'd like to change it to "Bloom using the seed you've been given" :)

Like a lot of women, I often dwell on what I am not, how I fail to measure up, how I don't fit the mold, and how I'm just not good enough. I have a huge list of things that I'm not gifted in...allow me to share just a few:

*I'm not a great organizer*I forget things*I'm not a linear thinker*not a great multi-tasker*I don't stick to a strict schedule with my children*I'm not super crafty*I don't like to bake*my house isn't always perfectly clean*I don't always follow through*I lose my temper sometimes*I have anxiety*I'm easily overwhelmed*sometimes I don't say the right things at the right time*I don't have a super-neat life of order*I can be lazy*I'm not, I'm not, I'm not....

BUT....I've been thinking a lot about how I've been uniquely created and I've been given a special set of gifts for my role in life. These gifts are more important than the numerous ways that I fail to meet the standard. Now, this isn't intended to be a boastful list, just a way for me to reflect on the gifts God has given me, instead of the areas in which I struggle...

*I'm sensitive to my family's needs*I'm a good communicator*I'm resourceful*I have vision and can see the big picture*I'm a thinker*I try to think before I speak*I listen*I am a fun mom--we dance, we sing, we play, we read...lots!*I like to cook*I find humor in tough situations*I can make a house a home*I'm a relaxed mama*I let the kids get dirty*my kids and my husband know I love them because I tell them/show them*I know how to relax*I am a nurturer*I am a passionate person*I love deeply*I love God*I recognize this is a gift....because He loved me first.

Instead of focusing on that first list...I've been thinking, praying about the gifts I do have and have become more thankful for how I have been created. This way, I can be of much more use to everybody...if I can bloom using the seed I've been given!

So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't. From Romans 12

I'm sure I'll be coming back to this list once in a while to remind myself of my good intentions:)

Fixation

Griffin has entered the "fixation" stage of development. I have no idea if it is a stage of development, but I decided to make up a name for my son's obsessive behavior. We could also just call it plain old weird. There are a couple of things that come to mind that have become quite powerful over Griffin:

Spitting: I do believe that little boys are born knowing how to spit--big time. So here is the drill:

Mom puts pureed peas (or whatever) into Griffin's mouth.
Griffin smiles mischievously and lets peas squish out of sides of mouth.
Mom warns Griffin..."Don't even think about it, Mister."
Griffin's eyes light up.
Mom looks for a wash cloth
Griffin leans over the side of the highchair, spits peas out onto floor while smiling, looks at mom and starts to belly laugh.
Repeat.

His stuffed bear:

Griffin has a little stuffed bear that has become his favorite. I didn't realize he was so attached until a couple of days ago. He can no longer have it in bed with him because he will never sleep. He wrestles the little bear and tries to eat him. This went on for an hour and a half this morning...starting at 5 am.

The Huggies Wipes Dispenser: This one is the most mysterious and the most powerful of all.

If Griffin happens to have the wipes dispenser in view, he cannot rest until he touches it. No, until he licks it. When we change his diaper, we must keep it out of sight. If we don't and he sees it, we have a full-on tantrum. Yes, seven months old and he pulls out a temper-tantrum. I have said he has a strong will! You should see Griffin's face when he actually gets to touch (lick!) the darn container. Pure bliss:)

rest

Sometimes the most urgent and vital thing you can possibly do is take a complete rest.

~Ashleigh Brilliant

I was talking with a family member the other day about how we agree whole-heartedly with this quote. I think this Ashleigh Brilliant person is, indeed, brilliant. I'm still sick, and unless I stay fairly loaded up with ibuprofen or Tylenol, I feel constant muscle aches. So I'm just exhausted and achey.

I was so tired after lunch today that I desperately tried to get both boys to bed early so I could rest. I never nap during the day because, as you know, there is just too much to get done. But it was one of those times when I could barely get the words out straight as I was tucking Parker in...I was that tired. I left the disaster in the house for later--food smeared over the floor and all- and hit the sack. For Two Hours!!! I was so giddy when I woke up, I didn't even care much that my body ached. I had just take a two hour nap during the day....and best of all, the boys were still sleeping! It was glorious. I highly recommend the adult nap in the middle of the day--we all need a little rest and refreshing once in a while. However, it is now 7 pm and I'm ready for bed again...

Fun In September Sun

I am battling a bit of a cold or something and feel just slightly under the weather...but I don't mind at all. Being a tad sick physically is so much better than feeling anxiety ridden. Oh, so much better. Thank you for all of the words of encouragement and for your prayer. I promise you...I've felt it. While on Friday I felt as though I couldn't see beyond my little world inside my head...I now feel as though I have my vision back.

We spent Sunday afternoon helping my dad celebrate his birthday. Last year we went up north to pick blackberries and we did it again this year. I hope that it is now set in stone to be tradition. The grandkids were "helping" my parents pick berries and push the wagon so I was able to spend some time alone hunting down the good ones. I could hear my loved ones chattering away as I filled my box. It was therapeutic and nice. After picking all of my berries, I realized I didn't know what I was going to do with them. I guess I got carried away. Remember, I don't bake. I made jam last year but I'm not sure if I want to do that again. I'm tempted to try something simple....but even "simple" can turn into a disaster. So....I let Parker eat blackberries for lunch today. He had other food but he only at the berries. I hope his system likes them:)

Griffin loves his baths with Parker. I am beginning to think that pictures in the mirror are going to be our thing...since they started while he was in utero:)

In other news, Griffin turned seven months on Friday. I need to record it here because I'm better at keeping this blog up than I am at keeping up the baby book. SEVEN MONTHS! He's practically a preschooler now:) I was just telling Joel yesterday that I believe that Griffin is such an answer to prayer. Along with praying for his character and such while I was pregnant, I begged God to allow me to have a baby that didn't spit up. You see, Parker didn't spit up...he tossed up his meals 20-30 times a day. It was really fun. Really, I was terrified of that happening again because it made Parker's first year quite challenging. Anyway, Griffin barely spits up and he's is such a happy baby. He soooo social, but he also doesn't mind playing on his own. He is very sensitive, but he also has a strong will...which is pretty cute right now. He really is a delight and the perfect fit for our family. He sits up and is working on crawling. He plays with toys, plays in his walker and squeals when he's happy...or frustrated. He loooooves to eat....everything. Oh, and he still sleeps like a dream child. Griffin continues to be so easy to love. I love you Baby Griffin!

edited for the record: 17 lbs, 13 oz....27 inches. Began crawling on 9.20. Well, scooting...but he gets from A to B like none other:)

anxiety

So I wasn't lying when I said in my last post that I had a good, busy week. It is true...but in that last post, I was trying to reflect and be thankful for the very lovely parts of my week instead of all of the anxiety going on in my head. I think I've always struggled with anxiety and some periods of time are better than others. In the last couple of weeks, I have been overwhelmed by anxiety. So overwhelmed. The strange thing is that I don't even know what I'm worrying about. Life is actually so good right now and it makes me mad that I'm anxious over nothing. But it feels like everything. I've even felt anxious about writing this post for fear of making this sound better or worse than it actually is. I'm feeling well today, but yesterday was very bad and I felt like a big, fat failure. I don't have a pretty picture to present to you and I can't tell you a happy ending to this story...yet. But this is what I know: God is working on this heart of mine...and I have been promised that He will restore my soul.

I'm finally writing this post because I was encouraged by a couple of women today. They happen to be sisters, but one lives in another part of the country and another lives here. I really look up to both of them. They are both smart and funny, very cool, amazing mothers and best of all, they don't even pretend to have it all together. I ran into the older sister in the Target parking lot. We literally talked for a couple of minutes, but in that time we shared some of our similar feelings about our place in life at the moment. And just by my friend sharing her struggles, I was so encouraged because I was reminded that I'm not the only one here. I climbed into my car feeling like my heart was so much lighter. And then, I just sat down here at my computer to find an email from the younger sister that made my heart jump again. Basically, she related to some of my blog posts, wrote some really sweet things... her encouraging words were the exact words I needed to hear. Whenever I am around these two women, I go away feeling refreshed because they are so darn honest and humble and make me want keep trudging forward. Thank you both so much.

I feel good today. Hmmm...maybe it was that Target run? Or maybe the home fragrance I just bought at Bath & Body Works? Pumpkin Spice...so great! Maybe a little...but today I needed to relate to women and I did. I still feel some anxiety about posting things about my anxiety:) I wish that I had it all together, but I don't and I don't want to pretend. I want to encourage people in my life and I'm learning that the only way I can do that is by being honest. So, there you have it! Someday, I might be able to write a happy ending!

a much needed thursday 13

I once had this naive, totally ridiculous, uninformed thought that my life would slow down once I became a stay at home mom. Seriously, I didn't tell people that, but I actually believed it a little bit. Oh, dear... can you believe that? I am 10 times busier now and not just as far as activities go...my brain doesn't stop. This week has been busier than normal. A very good busy, but I really feel like I need to sit down and reflect just a bit. So, thirteen lovely things about this week...

-Some good talks with my husband.
-Our small group starting up again for the year. I love this group...they are our church family and I feel like we're home again.
-The real Parker (the one who is nice to me, sweet, and talks instead of screams:) is back.
-Much needed talks with my parents.
-This passage in scripture...He let me catch my breath.
-Griffin delighting me with his non-stop jabber. I think that once he really starts talking--he won't stop. He's a yapper!
-Learning things about myself. Okay, so this one is good only after the lesson is learned!
-Spending more time with my brother, sister-in-law and their kiddos...Parker and Audrey in the bathtub. So funny!
-Spending time with my friend, Gina and her son, Winston.
-Girls night out! I go out once a month with some really fun girls. None of the others have kids yet and we're all in different stages of life...it is so refreshing to chat and hang out with them. -Can't wait till next month!
-I saw the first signs of fall coming...a yellow leaf in the park. I'm so excited!
-It is Jenn's birthday today and she is altogether lovely:) Jenn, Happy Birthday! You are loved!


For more lists, visit Thursday Thirteen.

our holiday weekend...

We actually didn't have a Labor Day weekend because Joel worked yesterday...however, it was "our holiday", as we celebrated our 6th anniversary! Here are some pictures from the weekend...

*edit* I added in the photo I used to make the anniversary card. It is the only one I have scanned in. We look like kids....we were!

Our anniversary gift to ourselves. It is hanging in our living room.

My attempt to take a picture of us at lunch. Next time I’ll ask the waiter...:)

Griffin is always laughing! I have no idea why the sky was so funny:)


Daddy and his big boy...the most tenderhearted little boy I’ve ever met.

The chicken marsala at DRG. Simply amazing.


Aren‘t they so precious?.

Six years...

My anniversary card for my husband. Thought I would share some highlights with you all. If you click on the picture, you can read the text.

We get to go on a date today...really looking forward to some time as just the two of us!

pictures from the week...

Parker helping us give Griff a bath & a picture I took of Audrey (my niece) and myself.















Do you all have any idea how hard it is to get a good picture of a six month old...unless they are sleeping, of course! Everytime I try to take a picture of Griffin, he tries to attack the camera and suck on it. I decided not to post those pictures:) I think he was thoroughly irritated with me by this last one...

playing with our food...

Let's see if I can manage three posts about food in one week....:)

Parker is a special eater and, until recently, I've been so frustrated at what I thought was picky eating. It has been a year and a half of struggle. Something happened when he was around 10 months old and he went from eating everything he was offered to not tolerating the texture of most foods. It isn't just that he won't eat most foods, he won't touch them. He has never touched his birthday cake.

He basically lives on cereal, fruit, nuts, yogurt, waffles and rice cakes. He will eat a corn muffin on a good day. There are a few other things he will eat, but they are not part of his daily diet. Griffin is 6 1/2 months old and eats more variety. I hear moms talking all of the time about how their kids will only eat pizza, pasta, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, macaroni and cheese...kid stuff. I long to have a child that will eat these things. I would love to go out to a restaurant and not have to bring special food. I would love for Parker to have fun with food...to enjoy the many tastes and textures that he is missing out on. Right now I'm just hoping that he'll touch them soon.

I've spent the past year trying to figure out what I did wrong and how to fix my picky eater. I've asked advice from more experienced parents and I've tried it all. Nothing has worked and, in fact, I now believe that we may have made it worse. I'm tired of beating myself up about this and it is clear to me that what I've been trying to do to fix the problem...is not working. I must change my direction.

Lately, I've been trying to take a step back and observe Parker at mealtimes. He seems like he has true anxiety about food. He won't even look at the food that we put on his plate for him to try. When he accidentally touches one of the foods, he has a physical reaction and sometimes gags. We'll be talking to his pediatrician about this soon but in the meantime, I've started what I like to call "food therapy". Of course I don't say this out loud to Parker...we call it an art project:) Basically we play with food with different textures a couple of days a week. The first day we tried this, Parker and I spent time making a face out of cheese, veggies, peanut butter, honey and cooked potato. I never asked him to taste the food, I just wanted him to experience fun with food. So yes, I asked him to play with his food! I think Parker knew he was supposed to be having fun, but he laughed nervously throughout the experience and displayed some really strange physical reactions. He refused to touch the honey and did not even acknowledge the peanut butter on the table.

I realize that this is probably not very interesting to a reader...but sometimes my posts are more for myself than anything. My purpose in writing this is that I might be able to look back on my blog in a year and see progress. I hope that Parker will have a better relationship with food and be more comfortable trying new foods. I hope that we can move from just touching new foods to tasting new foods. I don't know how Parker got this way and it just doesn't matter anymore. I am learning that I just need to deal with the situation at hand and move forward. Should be fun...and messy:)

A cupcake for Betty Crocker

This is just one of those stories that must be told...because nothing like this seems very funny until it is shared!

My very good friend, Tara, turned 28 today. She doesn't read blogs so she won't know I'm saying this, but I am really so thankful for her friendship. I love her and her family so much. It feels like she is a family member...she's that type of friend. After Griffin was born, I swear she brought at least eight meals over for us. A casserole for every occasion And desserts. Oh, the desserts....we call her the REAL Betty Crocker. She's amazing!

Her husband called me the other night at asked me to make a dessert for Tara's birthday lunch at the park. Of course I told him that I would...but in my head I was thinking about the huge task of baking for Betty Crocker. You see, I can cook...but I do not bake. My idea of baking is pulling out some refrigerated cookie dough from the grocery store. I'm no Betty Crocker.

I needed to do something good because Tara loves sweets and she's always making something decadent. I decided to do brownie ice cream cupcakes. This was my first mistake--I should have picked something tried and true. So I bought all of the ingredients and started to put it all together last night. I was up until 11:30 trying to make them look perfect. I was a little worried when the ice cream started spreading all over the place and wouldn't set. However, I decided to just put it all in the freezer and reassess in the morning. After all....it had been a hard day and all. Maybe I just needed a good night's rest.

Wrong. The situation looked worse at 5:30 this morning when I went down to the basement freezer to find ice cream all over. Oh, my! I raced out to the grocery store to buy some cake mix for round two. This time I decided on chocolate Heath Bar cupcakes. Sounds easy enough, yes? When I pulled the new cupcakes out of the oven, I realized I had overfilled the cups and they had spilled over. I started with 20 cupcakes and managed to salvage 12. I frosted the rest and was quite proud of myself for pulling it all together.

As I was rushing out the door to get to the park with the cupcakes, I tripped over Parker and sent 4 of the cupcakes flying. See above picture. Frosting on my shirt and pants, and even in my hair. Nice. I used baby wipes to clean myself up. I still had eight of the darn desserts so I just left them on the sidewalk because I was late. As I was trying to get into my car, I dumped the plate over and a couple went face-down on the seat. I just shoved them back on the plate because I had no option....they were waiting at the park! And here is the topper--as I was pulling the plate out of the car, a couple more toppled over. Back on the plate they went.

I'm never making cupcakes again.

Thankfully, we had enough to go around...even after all of the accidents. Tara doesn't know the story behind the cupcakes, but if I ever do tell her, I want her to know that I would do it all over again. She's worth it:) I'm off to clean the frosting off my Explorer's seats...

bad day

It has been a very bad day on the Parker front. Very bad. But I don't want to write about it because I feel like I've been a big old complainer on here lately. So without going into it, I'll say that it was nothing catastrophic; just discouraging. Just bad. So bad that Joel is currently out having a beer with a friend. So bad that my dear friend brought over a pint of Ben & Jerry's for me tonight. Have you seen the nutrition information on that stuff? I don't care...I'm eating it straight from the carton!

Even though it has been a bad day (have I made that clear?), I am writing this as I chuckle a bit to myself. Ice cream does wonders! And someday, we will laugh at all of this and be able to tell Parker what a stinker he was...:)

have mercy

I think if we had ten children, I might become excellent at this gig--motherhood! But since we are not going to have ten, I might as well get used to the fact that I'm just going to have to learn as I go--and I'm going to fail a lot! This isn't brain surgery...I'm just raising little people. But that's just it...they're little people, not robots and they are way more complicated than one might think! I'm always learning, always changing my strategy. What works one day won't always work the next and what worked with Parker doesn't always work with Griffin. Just as I start to feel like I have things under control, something changes...and so I have to. Being flexible and admitting mistakes is so crucial, don't you think?

So like I said a couple of days ago, Parker has been a bear. And that wouldn't be such a big deal if that was normal, but it isn't--he's normally quite agreeable and even lovely to be around. I've been laying awake at night trying to figure out why he's been constantly crying, weepy, throwing fits, peeing on the floor, waking up at night. I know something is up. Last night, I felt like a total failure. I was at my end, I had nothing else left to try. I was totally out of ideas and I felt like I'd let things get out of control. I was tired of not liking my son very much. I wasn't being a good mom. I was stressed and when I get stressed, I go to bed! So I took a nap and my husband put the boys to bed. As I drifted off to sleep last night, I prayed for help with my son. I didn't want to go down this bad road I was heading...

I woke up this morning with some new perspective and fresh ideas. I noticed that Parker was not working well in our morning routine anymore. A couple of days ago, I thought changing was totally unnecessary and I didn't feel like putting in the effort. It was clear to me this morning that what used to work for Parker no longer was....so I decided to try to do things different. I need to learn to flex sooner! I won't say that everything went smooth, but it was a much better morning and it seemed like Parker noticed I was trying to change things up. He still had a couple of bad moments, but I felt like we've taken a turn. I'm still trying to figure things out. And the best part...I liked Parker this morning:) Most likely, it is combination of things. I'm working with him and trying to help him communicate what is going on. Until then, I'm thankful for fresh perspective ... and mercies that are new every morning.

comic relief

He might look angelic but in this picture, Parker was a second away from spitting water out of his mouth onto yours truly! Look at those eyes:)

We've had a few tense days around our house. I may write about it later, but for now I will say that all things are looking up and I'm so happy about that! Also, I've been offline for a couple of days and so I'm still in the midst of catching up on all things internet. So if I owe you an email...it is coming!

I suppose Parker was just reacting to the stress in the house, but for some reason, he has been a bear of a two year old these past couple of days. Oh, such a bear! But this morning, he provided me with some much needed comic relief. So here is how it went...

He prances up to me with my baby sling over his head like Mary and Joseph:)

Parker: Mama, I'm a princess!
Me: What? A princess? No, no, no...you mean precious? You are precious?
Parker: No! (stomping his foot and grinning) Parker is a princess!!!
Me: You mean you are King Parker? Precious Parker?
Parker: (tilting his head like a beautiful princess and chuckling with that twinkle in his eye)
No, Mama...I'm a princess!

Oh, my! First of all, I have no idea where he has even heard of a princess. All he knows are trucks and trains, baseball and soccer! I'm trying to think...does The Jungle Book have a princess in it? He watched that last night. I don't know. And second, why does HE want to be one?!

Anyway, good timing my little Parker. I needed your humor this morning!

There are many things I could write about our weekend away...how great it was to see people and how we love and miss them...the hospitality and generosity of others...how the weather on the other side of the state made me glad we still have summer over here:)...so many things! However, I really want to just say how blessed my children are to have such wonderful cousins!

Mattison and Sean are older than our boys by quite a bit, but I know that they will always be the ones that Parker and Griffin look up to and admire. Parker woke up this morning so sad because Mattison and Sean weren't here to play with. Parker is so obsessed with Sean that he has dreams about him. They are just so darn cool! They treat my children like they are little treasures and I love them for that. They are truly treasures to us.

Audrey and Elliot are very close in age to my boys and will soon live very close. This weekend, we had a bit of a glimpse of what is to come! Parker is all boy, Audrey all girl...but somehow they both just crack one another up. Parker also talked this morning about how he wanted to play with Audrey! I think they will have a very special relationship in the future. As far as the youngest boys (2 months and 6 months)...Griffin tried to roll over onto little Elliot this weekend! I'm sure they will be great buds:) I'm so excited to have them live close so I can love on those little ones...

I really want my kids to love Mattison, Sean, Audrey, and Elliot more like they are siblings than cousins. I think that it is really up to the parents to create the environment for this kind of relationship to bloom. I've been watching others that seem to be really good at this. Joel's Auntie Maggie, in particular, is a master at this! She loves each one of the cousins like they are her own children. Without the competition for attention and love, the relationships between cousins are allowed to flourish. The cousins have wonderful relationships, I believe, even though they aren't all close in age. What a gift! I want that for my children! Not only do I want that for my children, but I want that for my nieces and nephews. But I'm realizing that this type of thing doesn't just happen...it must be intentional.

I am not sure if she reads this, but thank you Auntie Maggie for showing us all how to do it! You are amazing and so special to us!

this is fun...

I'm really starting to realize the benefit of having two children in under two years. They are really getting into playing together and like many of the same toys. Griffin was in a bit of a grumpy mood yesterday (which is rare), but Parker was able to get this reaction out of him the entire day. They had some fun destroying the bedroom, of course:) Brothers...what a blessing!

authenticity...nothing to prove?

I came across this great post at Reluctant Entertainers a while back and I keep thinking about it. The whole site is really interesting and challenges me to think about the gift of hospitality in a new way. I've been thinking a lot about this in relation to my desire to share life with other people in an authentic way....whatever that looks like. What really struck me was the comment about her guests, who were so refreshing because they had nothing to prove. Nothing to prove! Don't we all love to be friends with people who have nothing to prove? It is hard to be part of an authentic relationship when one or both are trying to prove their worth through accomplishments, possessions and such. I'd much rather hear this..."This is me...I don't know everything...I'm not perfect...and I have nothing to prove." Not only do I want to be around these type of people, but I want to be that person. How can I truly love others when I am preoccupied with myself? Anyway, it was a bit of a thought provoking post and I thought I'd share...check it out!

lazy days of summer?

Whatever happened to the lazy days of summer? I think we left them in the years before we had kids! We have been so busy and I am tired, people! I am ready for Fall to come...not because I'm tired of the beautiful weather, but because I'm ready to stay home more and take it easy. I have had one full weekend home since the beginning of July and we are going to be away again this coming weekend. Now, I want to be clear--we've had an amazing summer and I wouldn't do anything different. We've enjoyed all of the time we've spent with family and friends, but I'm ready to spend some time at home with our little family of four. I'm getting a bit weary of packing and unpacking, never having a clean house, tired kiddos...and parents!

I think I wrote a post about this feeling last August. I really love summer, but my very favorite time of the year is Fall around here. It is so beautiful and still warm during the day, but really cools down at night--so cozy! I love watching the kids around the neighborhood come back to the school near us. We enjoy taking family trips up north to pick berries, apples, and pumpkins. I love how life settles down into a predictable rhythm after the exciting days of summer. The colors, the scents the food, the feelings of it all...so great!

But, I need to be patient. We still have a lot of good summer left here. So I'm going to try to keep my head in August...full of hot weather, beach days, picnics, trips, sunscreen...the works! It really is so fun and our next season will come soon enough.

We spent another weekend at the lake and had so much fun...again! We loved spending more time with our family! The above picture was another attempt at a family photo. Griffin is always staring in the wrong direction...he he:)

parker moments

Like I said yesterday, Parker is so much fun now. We carry on normal conversations with real sentences. I love talking with him! However, along with great growth, we have some typical two year old issues to deal with...

Potty Mouth

I've been lucky and have been fairly successful keeping Parker away from playing in the toilet. But we're in the midst of potty training and he has more access now. In addition to the amount of times I must now clean the toilet, I can't tell you how many times a day I say the following type of things...

"Parker, get your head out of the toilet!"
"Push it down, Parker! No, not that way...the other way!"
"Parker, why is the crayon all wet?"
(His answer, of course, was that he was washing it in the potty...no brainer, Mom!)
"No Parker, you may not "flash" (his word for flush) the toilet three times."
"Oh...please wash your hands!"

I'm learning that potty-training is dirty work. If I had to do all of this while pregnant, I'm pretty sure I would have lost my lunch:) Thankfully, he is picking it up pretty fast. Oh, and have I mentioned that my husband pretty much had him trained in one day when I went to the Idol concert? What a man:)

BUG!!

Parker is typically what I would call "all boy"...but lately his fears have been taking over! He has bad dreams about all of his fears and wakes up yelling about animals biting him and bugs crawling on him, loud fireworks, hot fire, etc. Indeed, scary stuff. Last night, he could not sleep because he thought there was a bug in his room and to him, it was a monster. I'm serious, the boy was sweating bullets and wailing! I've been working on not trivializing his fears, because I think that is pretty easy to do...but I had to hide my giggles. So I decided to crawl into bed with him again until he fell asleep. I'm pretty sure that I'll be the one the bust that bed someday! Some might say that I was trying to be a sensitive mama...but my husband might say that I was actually trying to get out of our lovely conversation about our finances. I was just trying to be a bug-buster...really:)

*Believe it or not, I Like Bugs is one of Parker's favorite books right now. I wonder if there is a connection...*

Mother of the Year

Oh, and I forgot to add this one...it was definitely my "Mother of the Year" moment. I was in the kitchen and the boys were out in the living room playing. I overheard chatter and then something sounded not right. This is what I heard...

"Yummmm, Griffin...I like it, you like it? Ummmmm....yummy...yeah, eat it!"

I go out to inspect and find Parker feeding peanuts to Griffin! My six month old had a whole peanut in his mouth and was happy as a clam. And Parker was quite proud of himself, of course! Yes, Griffin has already had a peanut (serious allergen, choking hazzard, NOT baby food!)...not swallowed, thank goodness!

8 things meme...

Tagged by Amanda for this little meme. Thanks, Amanda! Eight random facts about Amy...Oh My!

#1 The word "meme" makes me smile because my sister's nickname for me is "Memes" and I really like it. Her other nickname for me is "Sassy Pants"... and I have no idea why she calls me that:)

#2 I have become thoroughly addicted to caffeine since Griffin was born. Maybe it was out of necessity, I don't know. It has gotten so bad that I'm almost drinking as much coffee as I did in college--and I lived on it then. At this very moment, I am drinking a Diet Coke with Cherry. It is so yummy.

#3 My favorite outdoor activity is hiking

#4 Since having Griffin and realizing I'm the only female in the house, I've decided I want to be more girly. It is very strange.

#5 I want a tattoo on my foot but I just can't decide what I want. I don't want anything trendy or something that will look stupid in a while. Any ideas?

#6 The very first thing I do in the morning is brush my teeth.

#7 I think my favorite number is 7. I have many reasons for this, but Parker's birthday is on April 17th and Griffin's due date was on February 17th, but was born on the 7th.

#8 I am the middle child of three and I fit the stereotype fairly well...mediator, avoids conflict, goes with the flow. I've never felt like I received less attention, which I think is great of my parents!

p.s. I love writing these little lists because I get to be super random without feeling like a spaz:)
p.s. again...I put up a picture of Parker because I realized I've been posting mostly about Griffin lately. Parker is alive and well! He's actually so awesome right now. We're having the best time with him and he's making us laugh more than ever...

The 1/2 B-day

I have a feeling that Griffin's half birthday will be a celebrated occasion in years to come. His birthday is in February, quite close to Christmas in my opinion....he just might need some new toys half-way through the year because he might feel deprived! Just kidding...this kid has everything he needs, but it is ME who can't resist buying my boys fun things. I was going to bake some cupcakes for today, but I decided that was pretty pointless since Griffin can't eat them and I would likely eat all of them!

So...Griffin is 6 months old today. I don't even want to talk about it...time is just flying and I don't like it! We enjoy new things about Griffin every single day. He is the happiest baby ever and the easiest I know. He still is only awake for 7 or so hours a day...and when he is awake he is super smiley and lovable. He loves to be held and still loves to eat a bunch. Griffin is sure getting into his toys lately and really likes to "turn pages" in books. Very gifted:) He spends a lot of time rolling all over the place and taking his pacifier out of his mouth and trying to put it back in. Then the tantrums start if he can't do it! He's scooting a little bit but doesn't seem super interested in crawling. I'm sooo happy about that! I hope he holds off for a while. He sits by himself until the weight of his HUGE noggin tips him over. And, as you probably know, he spits all of the time and is very talkative. Ba ba, mamba, etc. I swear he called out for "Dada" today:) He sleeps all through the night in his big boy room with Parker and only gets his brother into trouble once in a while. I can see already that we'll have some co-conspirators on our hands!

Okay, so about that huge noggin....90th% baby! He had his 6 month well child check today and the doctor got quite a kick out of poking a little fun at our Griffin! The funny part is that his head is sooo big compared to his body. He's average weight and length and then at the top of the charts of head circumference! I tell him it is okay because it just means we have more noggin to kiss and large size indicates good brain growth!

The official stats:

16 lbs 9 oz --35-40th%
26.25 inches --50th%
46 1/2 cm --90th %


I love you baby boy...so much, lots and lots, forever and ever....AMEN!

wake up call on the water...

I'm typically a total water sports wimp, but we brought my sister and her boyfriend out to the lake this past Saturday and decided I'd better try something. Kelsey and I thought tubing sounded pretty safe. And it turned out to be really fun, even though I was yelling at Joel the entire time to stop the boat! Kelsey and I were sharing the tube and it was so hard to hold on. Like I said, I'm a total wimp when it comes to this stuff.

Now, there is something about having babies that has made me more comfortable with my body. I figure if my body can carry a child, it deserves some grace here and there! The baby weight comes off pretty easy for me, so after two children I was feeling okay about myself. Until Sunday rolled around. I could barely get out of bed the morning after that 10 minute stint on the tube. I'm serious....I felt SO OLD! Pathetic. If I can't hold my own weight on an inner tube for 10 minutes without feeling like I've been run over by a truck...this is a serious problem for me! I exercise, but I do nothing in the area of toning and strength training. This was my own personal wake up call to GET INTO SHAPE! I don't need to be Superwoman, but I need to be stronger...and quick! Now...how should I go about that? ;)

In other news, we were able to spend time with Kelsey's boyfriend on Saturday. I'm not sure how comfortable she feels about me talking about their relationship at this point, but I will say that I like him...and I like to think I'm a good judge of character! He treats her well and it is clear he cares for her a whole bunch. But most of all, I like him because he brings out good things in Kelsey and she is herself around him. This is so important. Maybe someday I will post pictures of the two of them. We shall see:)

didn't you know? spitting is a sport...

Griffin thinks this is so funny. It is when I'm not wearing clean clothes. I think this is just the beginning of what is yet to come:)

things to say...

I have things to say today... good things that seem important to me right now, but I have groceries all over the kitchen and an infant that doesn't seem to like that this is nap time. Also, I tried to write, but the words just aren't coming fast or clear enough today. Maybe I'm just not ready to articulate yet. But let me just say this really quick, I'm still feeling really excited about relationships right now. I like the things that are happening in my heart and in my life with other people. I feel energized, focused, and clear about some things that I feel really matter to God. I found this in my journal this morning--some words I copied down from The Message a while ago. I just kept reading and reading and I really feel like these words were written for me today...

By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that's not all:

We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us.

We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.

Click here to read more from Romans 5...

I don't know, but that just makes me want to jump up and down or something:) Happy weekend to you all. We're off to the lake again, this time with my sister and her new boyfriend...oh my!

This above picture was just for fun because no post is quite complete without a photo:)

another little list about my life...

I have too much to do today to be blogging, but I just felt like I needed to get on and write a bit to clear my head and gear up for the rest of my afternoon. Ever feel like that? However, I have nothing really important to write, but I decided to join Jenn, and try out this meme. Enjoy!

Four Jobs I Have Had:

-A clerk at Akers United Drug

Public Relations/Administrative work at these places...
-Imagio J Walter Thompson
-Thomas C. Wales Foundation
-LATCH (non-profit housing)

Four Films I Can Watch Over & Over:

-Top Gun

-The Notebook

-Sweet Home Alabama

-Nadia (childhood favorite)

Four Places I have lived:

-Florida

-California

-Idaho

-Maine

Four Favorite TV shows:

-American Idol

-Grey’s Anatomy

-House

-Hmmmm…does Thomas The Train count?

Four Favorite Foods:

-Pizza

-Maple Bars

-Chocolate Chip Cookies

-Cheddar cheese

Now I’m saying these are my favorites…not necessarily my staples:)

Four Websites I visit Daily:

-Google Reader/News

-Gmail why doesn’t everyone have gmail? Love it!

-Biblegateway.com

-Blogger…yeah!

Four Places I Would Love to Be:

-On an air mattress…in blue water…in the Bahamas…with no children to worry about. I think about this all of the time.

-Camping

-Siena (Tuscany), Italy…we would move here in a heartbeat if there was opportunity.

-With my little family… in our little home…enjoying each other. This is, after all, the best place to be:)

Idol Fun...

Tara and I felt like little eighteen year old girls at the American Idols Live concert on Friday...it was so fun! We even had our "Blaker Girl" t-shirts and might have exhibited a few signs of a mini-crush:) Actually, the older woman in back of us really did think we were eighteen--Tara was so pumped! The woman was shocked when we told her we had five boys between the two of us!

Our quick trip was a wonderful diversion from the norm of running households and caring for children. We were able to escape to a world of little responsibilities, if even for 24 hours! *My husband asked me to edit this post to make everything clear--for the record, we were gone 29 hours:)* The concert really was better than either of us expected. For me, it was so exciting to see how these kids have gone from young singers to talented performers in just a matter of months--amazing! I love music...but even more, I love seeing people grow in their gift. I think it is a beautiful thing. Gosh, these guys were good. Really good. Some of the Idols that hadn't caught my eye in a big way on the show really stood out on the tour. I definitely want to go again next year because it makes the whole season feel complete.

I got to thinking about how silly it might seem that two adult women were so excited to go to an American Idol concert. Right after Parker was born, I seriously think I did nothing if it wasn't related to babies and raising children. I was consumed! It really didn't take me long to figure out that I needed to still do things that I like to do. I had become one of those annoying moms--oh no! So now, American Idol is something I get to do for fun after the kids are asleep. I get to check out for a couple hours a week and allow myself to be entertained by some (mostly) talented people. This past season, Tara and I reverted to eighteen year old girls every Tuesday and Wednesday night. I've found that this type of fun is so important for me. We're in the thick of raising children during their formative years--very serious business most of the time. God has entrusted us to bringing up little human beings and this is the most important and challenging job we will ever have. I've found that I am a better mom if I allow myself some time doing things like this...along with other things I enjoy, including writing on this blog. Of course, I also need to be responsible with my time...so I better get offline. It is all about balance!

speaking of music...

Thanks to my husband, I'm heading off today to go the the American Idols Live concert over on the other side of the state! I'm going with a good friend and we're leaving all FIVE BOYS with our husbands. It will be an overnight trip and I will be leaving Griffin (overnight) for the first time--thank goodness for stocked up milk in the freezer! I'm so excited to spend this time with my friend, Tara...and to see the concert! It should be an interesting experience since we'll both have NO responsibilities for 24 hours :)))

I'll share some pictures or something when I get back. Happy weekend everyone. Have fun boys...and don't get into to much trouble. Promise me...no ER trips!

theme songs...

I've been thinking so much about music lately. I think it may be because Amanda is doing a music series right now and I'm loving how she connects song lyrics to everyday life. It is so much fun!

I'm wondering, does everyone have theme songs for certain times of their life? Let me explain this...so when I was falling in love with my husband, I literally felt like I was in a movie because a soundtrack seemed like it was playing in my head all of the time. When I hear some of those songs, it brings me back to that time---and what could be better than that?!! And then certain songs bring me back to the time I was really, really longing to be a mama, but the timing wasn't right. I listened to this song all of the time because I dreamed of having my very own little boy sing it to me someday...isn't that funny? :) I have songs for absolutely everything. I'm sure everyone has songs that go with specific periods of time. Isn't it amazing how powerful it can be? What a gift...

So my husband sang me a beautiful, new song the other night. Oh, man...I love that! You see, Joel has an amazing, amazing voice. I am going to be really honest and say that it is what first attracted me to him and why I ended up stalking him! But yes, then I found that there was so much more underneath that beautiful voice. I recently told him that I am going to figure out a way to record him singing a song to me and put it on here....he didn't like that idea! I will at least post the lyrics of the new song at some point.

But the song that I love the most is the very first song he ever sang for me, Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton. I promise you though, he sounds better than Mr. Clapton. The song is over in my playlist if you are interested. When I hear that song I remember the exact spot on the floor I was sitting in when he started playing and singing...I remember how I felt...I remember what I was wearing...and how he sang it perfectly. I could tell he was a tad nervous about looking me straight in the eye when he sang certain lyrics. Magical. But now when he sings it to me it is even better because the lyrics mean more...and I assure you he can look at me straight in the eyes when he sings it to me.

So that is my theme song for when I was falling in love with my husband. I have so many more....like songs that remind me of Young Life camp...road trips with my family...Christmas...first year of marriage. Many of them are on my playlist. So now I want to know, what are your theme songs? Everybody has them and I really want to know!

Wonderful Tonight
by Eric Clapton

It's late in the evening; she's wondering what clothes to wear.
She puts on her make-up and brushes her long blonde hair.
And then she asks me, "Do I look all right?"
And I say, "Yes, you look wonderful tonight."

We go to a party and everyone turns to see
This beautiful lady that's walking around with me.
And then she asks me, "Do you feel all right?"
And I say, "Yes, I feel wonderful tonight."

I feel wonderful because I see
The love light in your eyes.
And the wonder of it all
Is that you just don't realize how much I love you.

It's time to go home now and I've got an aching head,
So I give her the car keys and she helps me to bed.
And then I tell her, as I turn out the light,
I say, "My darling, you were wonderful tonight.
Oh my darling, you were wonderful tonight."

I have to edit this to add a funny thing about this song...

So when Joel was playing this song out at the lake this year, I happened to be down at the tent getting something and could hear Joel starting. I literally started sprinting back up to the deck of the cabin. (That is MY SONG people!!!:)) The sprint, not a pretty picture in the first place, but then I pulled a muscle on my way up the stairs! Oh my! So this song has even more meaning now...

just so you know...

NEVER leave a two year old in his room for a nap with an entire tube of A&D Ointment laying near him. You may end up with ointment all over the room and the stuff slathered all over that lovely two year old. And your house might stink. Just so you know. Not like that sort of thing ever happens in this house--this mama is too smart and I have angels for children! I just wanted to give you a friendly tip.

Happy Wednesday:)

for those who love griffin...

This little picture right here is just extra for your enjoyment and actually wasn't necessary for this post. I just can't help myself. Here he is in all of his glory. I think he was asking me why he has a hat on when it is in the nineties. Hmmmm....good question.

Since one of the purposes of this blog is to keep loved ones updated, I'm posting a video of Griffin displaying his awesome giggle. But beware, you will also hear some fairly annoying baby-talk coming from yours truly. All I can say is that it was for a very good purpose...

Relationships

Some weekends are full of chores and doing things we need to take care of around the house. For me, this was NOT one of those weekends....it was wonderful! Instead, I spent a lot of time with friends and family and feel genuinely recharged by these relationships...

*The boys and I took a drive on Saturday morning to go see my Grandma Marge. She lives about an hour an a half away, so I was able to just sit and talk with my dad during the drive. We don't get to do that very often so it was really fun! Nothing better than having a conversation with my dad without having to chase little boys around--love those car seats:)

*My grandma is almost 90 and no longer full of life. It was really good to see her because she loves seeing the boys and she has this very special affection for Parker...but it is also so hard to see someone in that state. I can't help but hope for a speedy trip home. However, it was really special to see her and we did see a little glitter in her eyes, a teeny bit of feisty behavior, and definitely her joy in seeing the boys. It was crazy seeing her and Griffin together--one so new and just starting out, and one so old...

*On our way back, we stopped for about a half an hour and spent some time with my Aunt Beth, Uncle Terry, my cousin and her children. We really don't spend that much time with them, but I really wish we did. I feel like my cousin and I are so similar in a lot of ways and could really hit it off if given the time. Funny how that happens.

*We spent Saturday afternoon with a dear friend who has recently returned home after a long time away. I can honestly say she is one of my very favorite people in the whole world. She's totally normal and so easy to talk to...but her heart is amazing and she sincerely loves people. She's got something special. After spending just a few hours with her, I again felt so honored to be her friend. I'm not going to say her name because she might feel embarrassed....I don't know. But I love her and I'm so glad she's home.

*After church on Sunday, we went out to my parent's house and spent the day with them. As always, so fun! We ate, talked, and played. We even went to the nearby Air Force base to see the airplanes and play on the playground. We had a great day!

*Phone calls, emails, even text messages from special friends from close by and far away. I love technology for this reason.

*And finally, late last night, my sister and I had a great, deep, sister to sister conversation over the phone. I've missed her and I am so glad we talked. Love you, Kels!

I love writing lists like these so I can look back at them later and look at the many amazing relationships God has blessed us with. I really do feel recharged and so thankful.

*I must add that I was able to enjoy this weekend like this because my wonderful husband spent the bulk of it working in our yard, making it look beautiful. He really is so amazing and he works so hard. Thank you, Joely.*

Meet "Pinky"

I have a new phone number and wanted to make sure all of my friends know that I've switched. I've contacted some, but I wanted to make sure that all of you who have my old number switch to the new one...and I'm lucky I have this great place to post these very interesting things:) And OF COURSE, I'm not going to post the number here...think I'm crazy or something? Just email me and I'll get it to you. Thanks!

Oh, and this is my new phone, "Pinky". Like her? Want to know something sort of funny? I have never in my life text messaged! Doesn't that make me sound so 90's or something? And now I have this new phone and I'm able to...but I haven't because I haven't even got around to learning how it works! Oh my!

Happy weekend...