Zipping through April (except Gary, he's slow)

Hi, Hello, we're still here!

Ah, life these days is busy as can be and with my recent procrastination post about all of the things I wanted to do post-baby-birthday we've been, well...busy!

We've reclaimed bedtime and I'm still working on that darn housekeeping schedule. The reality is that I probably need to schedule the housekeeping around 3-4 days per week instead of 5-7. I need to build in some flexibility. That is probably true of just about every single aspect of life these days-- we do best with a balance of structure and flexibility.

Just to catch us all up--we have a new pet! Meet Gary! Our pet snail. Yep, as in garden snail.

 Daddio found him in the driveway while we were hunting bugs. Thanks to the Bug Catcher we picked up at Target in the Dollar spot in February.

Sunday after church Papa and Weston came over with a new tank (our "snailarium"), house, water bowl and other goodies for Gary. So, it became official that we were keeping him. (Note to self: never again name a creature that you intend to let go. It then becomes a pet and cannot simply disappear in the middle of the night.)

Then on Monday, Weston came back to visit Gary and darned if he didn't find another snail in the driveway as he left. So, now we have Gary and "Backup Gary" (his name has changed every day, I'll be sure to update you when we have one that sticks.)

So, among all of the other happenings at our house lately we've become researchers and builders of the perfect snail habitat. Snail nerds are us. Don't be jealous, it isn't as glamorous as it sounds.

Among other random news--Jay learned to do this--

Awesome.

Lizzy and Gus have learned to do this--

As I am scrolling through phone pics, it would appear that Jay has a new affinity for "hats"

he also prefers balanced meals...

Oh, and whatever you do, don't get this kid an ice cream cone unless you have an hour or so to kill. he eats it one teeny-tiny lick at a time-

Lizzy was less than amused, half an hour later...

April's almost over already! Boy it's been a busy one around here!!

Lizzy {12 Months}

Weight: 23 pounds, 10 ounces
Height: 30.5 inches

Shes "greater than 97th percentile" in head and height and 80th percentile in weight. Dr. Malone says she could stand to have a little more belly.

Luckily, I consider fattening people up as one of my highest callings! Buckle up, Lizzy we're about to get a belly!

Foods: We've introduced peanut butter (our first line of attack in the Battle for the Bulge). She is a fan so far.
Scrambled eggs, biscuits, donuts, bagels and oatmeal are all in the breakfast rotation. Lunch is usually a grilled cheese, pb sammich, or macaroni and cheese and dinner is soup, grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese, bean and cheese quesadilla or tostada, sometimes pasta or chicken/ she is not a fan or meat or most fruits and veggies. We're working on it.

Words: She mimics a lot of sounds and names, but rarely speaks on her own other than Dada, Jay, Gus, Whassat, Whassis, Mom-Mom. She will E-i-e-i-o appropriately during Old McDonald. She says night-night and uh-oh.

She says "Cheeeee" when she sees a phone camera and "shoes" when we talk about going bye-bye.

She also counts to 10 when you go up or down steps while holding her. (UUNN, DOOO, SHREEE, (silence for 4 and 5) SISSS, SEBEM, (silence for 8) NIIIINNNNEE, TEN) Nine is her favorite by far.

Not yet walking, but will walk holding your hands which is a "Step" since last month.

Nicknames: Liz, Goo, Baby Boom-Boom, Jay sometimes calls her "Sweet-sweet" which means, I guess we do too!

She is a joy, joy, joy. The worst thing that happens to Lizzy on any given day is when I take her toothbrush away after she's brushed with it/chewed on it for almost 10 minutes. Other than that she is a happy, easy going gal. I tell people that I think she's just a happy hippie because she is so laid back most of the time.

That being said--she's making progress with the church nursery and made it through 2 straight weeks with just a moment of crying when I drop her off. And all the people said "AMEN"!

Happiest at Home

As much as we like to be on the go and soaking up all of the activities geared for preschoolers and toddlers at the bookstores, libraries, zoos, jumpy fun zones and parks I've stumbled upon a secret and I want to share it with you...

My kids are happiest at home. 

Or at least they seem to be at this phase of life.

Here's another secret--we're all happier this way.

Let me be clear I (the 33 year-old housewife) am a big fan of all of the programs geared toward entertaining and stimulating our little ones. I love the idea of enriching their lives with days of zoo exploration, introducing science, music, prose and on and on.

The reality is that with a rambunctious 2.5 year old and a one year old, these activities really only exercise my ability to control an uncontrollable situation, my son's creativity in rule-pushing and my daughter's frustration and lack of understanding of the task at hand. Oh, and there's the fact that a day out at some of these free activities often somehow costs about fifty smackers or so by the time we park, snack, get a "prize" for being somewhat well-behaved, someone runs out of juice so we have to snack again....you get the point.

So, I'm taking the pressure off and letting the "Family Events and Things-to-Do" calendars go.

With summer just ahead I feel like everywhere I turn I feel pressured to drag my kids to some 3-5 hour enrichment program "designed just for our little explorers". I'm sure I'm not the only one. This week the kids and I spent an entire day at home. I was very productive around the house, nap times and meal times were on schedule and without issue. We played, ran, giggled and read a dozen or so books. No one shed a tear, no one fussed, no timeouts were needed and no voices were raised.

Lately basically the opposite has been happening when we visit our local bookstores, zoos, kids museums, parks, etc.

I'm not trying to turn us into hermits or homebodies, I'm just stepping away from the expectation (is it mine? is it others?) that I need to spend 2 days a week running errands and filling the other days with complicated things-to-do.

What's important right now is that I foster kindness and character in my kids. This doesn't mean I have to force them to listen to a stranger read them a story and sit still and be quiet and be a good listener in a room full of people they'll likely never see again. It's overwhelming to them and frustrating to me.

So if you're feeling this way too, I give you permission as well to skip the story times, toddler treasure trails, and preschool buddies sing-a-longs. We'll all be okay.

Instead we'll crank up the tunes at home, check out wildlife everywhere we find it, read our stories when we choose and make up new games to foster creativity. We'll enrich our lives through friendships and family-and yes, take a trip to the zoo and the bookstore-but without the pressure of making it in time for special programs, making new "buddies", and without expectation.

This buck's for you...really?

I left town for 48ish hours.

This is what I came home to.

On the wall in the master bedroom.

Just for perspective-this is exactly how it looks from where I sleep.

Yes, to answer your question, it is staring directly at me.

So, I may or may not EVER travel without my husband again. This "monster buck" may or may not find its way to the basement in the very near future.

The husband swears it looks good. I may need to remind him that I spent 12 years as a vegetarian and while I have come a long, long, looonng way....I'm just not here yet....and likely never will be.

Easter Egg Hunt 2013

We traveled to Nashville for the annual Easter Egg Hunt at Pennington United Methodist Church today. It was great fun, nevermind what you may think if after seeing our bunny FAIL pic--

Classic.

A photographer friend of mine likes to remind me that its always about capturing life as it is at this phase. Well, I would say this pic sums it up. Lizzy screaming when anyone else is holding her and Jay lying in the floor in protest. IN FRONT OF 50 PEOPLE. 

It was really hilarious and Lizzy only cried for a second. Thanks for being a good sport EB, can't wait for next year!

On to the hunt!!

The helpers or "bunny wranglers" wear these awesome hats, so Jay had to have one as well. Because he, too, is awesome. 

We listened to the Easter story....

Visited with some awesome animals at the petting zoo... 

Loving Kelsey's face here!!

 Had a blast hunting eggs....

 

then napped for 150 miles or so on the way home!

Thanks to Ms. Keven and everyone at PUMC for a GREAT GREAT DAY!

More than you want to know about a trip to the grocery....

***Warning-this post is heavy on booze and Jesus.***

Here we go...

Checking out at the grocery store one morning this week, the kids were wrangled, groceries were bagged and as I turned from my cart to pay I glanced at the lady in line behind me and noticed she had only two items in her cart. 2-4 packs of small bottles of wine. At 9:30 a.m. On a Tuesday.

I froze.

My heart pounded and I wanted to cry for her, for myself for everyone living with alcoholism--whether its their own or someone else's.

My head was spinning, I looked her in the eye, inside I was shouting "IT ISN'T WORTH IT!!" Because I knew, I knew that this woman wasn't picking up party favors, or planning for a trip to the beach. She wasn't planning to celebrate a big win for her favorite team or celebrate a neighbor's retirement.

She was filling a void. Feeding a demon. Dulling herself. 

Instead of offering her any of the words swirling in my head, I finished my transaction, told the cashier "thank you" and could only muster a "Be Careful." to the woman behind me.

After loading the car and getting the kids settled I was about to drive away and noticed the woman walking to her car. It was a beautiful spring morning, she was smiling and looked fairly put together. She opened her trunk, put the wine in, put her purse down beside it and slipped a bottle into her purse, then picked up a plain plastic cup from the trunk and put it in the driver's side of her car, with her purse. She returned her cart, got in her car and proceeded to pour herself a drink.

I knew each step she would take before she did it. I have known steps like these most of my life. 

At 9:30 a.m. on a Tuesday, I felt like I was watching my mother as I watched this stranger. I was praying, praying, praying for her, for her safety and wanted to jump out of my car and talk to her, but I couldn't. I felt like a 12 year old girl, afraid because I knew the truth and afraid to let anyone know I knew the truth.

This woman has been on my mind nonstop. I shared this story with my husband AND MY MOTHER. I can't stop thinking about this woman and the countless others like her. I can't stop thinking of her family and whomever she is "hiding" her addiction from. (By the way, most who struggle to hide addiction are nowhere near as slick as they think they are. The ones who love you know what you're hiding. They just love you too much to confront the issue. They are afraid it will hurt you more than you're hurting yourself already.)

I've prayed for this woman, her family and her pain. I've prayed for my family and any other families and their pain. I've prayed that somehow, she will know--they will know what I couldn't bring myself to say.

  You are loved immeasurably more than I can ever tell you. Whatever pain you have, whatever secrets you're keeping, whatever you're numbing, whatever deep-dark-ugly place in your heart hurts--GOD IS THERE. 

God can take your hurt, your secrets and the darkest of deep places and shine a light upon it that will heal you. A light that is your gift from him--that casts away all darkness and will carry you to a place of eternal joy and peace. Its a joy that cannot be robbed, a peace that cannot be shaken.

You don't have to be perfect, you just have to be who God made you to be. He did not create the miracle that you are so that you could live your life in pain, sadness, spinning your wheels, feeling worthless. He created you, in His image, to be a light in the darkness. He loves you despite your "flaws", despite your mistakes, despite yourself. His desire is for you to know this and share in His love and His light for all of eternity. 

I wanted this woman to know she wasn't alone. Ever. I wanted her to know that whatever it was worth to her to drink this morning and hide it from someone was NOTHING in comparison to the turmoil and heartache addiction causes everyone it touches.

I wanted this woman to know that others have walked in her shoes, others have been where she is, and I know one woman in particular would tell her that she is killing her self and it just isn't worth it. At least that's what my mom told me today when I told her about the woman from the grocery store that I couldn't get off of my mind.

I know God is showing me things like this for a reason, I don't know yet what the reason is. I do know that as I have gone about my day today I knew I had to write this and share it somehow, even though I tried to talk myself out if it a million times. I even mopped the floors as a way of procrastinating until the end of nap time to avoid blogging today, and wouldn't you know the kids are STILL asleep.

So, that's more than you ever wanted to know about a trip to the grocery store, but thanks for sharing in this with me.

After Lizzy's Birthday I will....

There have been lots of things I've been putting off until after Lizzy's birthday. Not really because Lizzy's birthday would interfere, its just that I sometimes find its easier to pick a time to switch gears and her birthday seemed like a decent point of procrastination  milestone for getting things together. Do you do things  like this or is it just me??

Either way, its here "after Lizzy's birthday". I am plotting and planning in my head and it gives me an ounce of accountability to blog about it. It seems more sane to call it "blogging about it" when this is really a glorified way of talking to myself. But I appreciate you "listening".

So "after Lizzy's birthday"..

-  i'm getting back on a house cleaning schedule. I had one for our old house while it was on the market and it really helped me. I wrote out a version for this week and am testing it out for this house. Hopefully, it will work!

- getting bedtimes back. This really just went nuts with the time change and longer daylight, but there have been several days that Jay has seen 10 pm. No bueno. So, as of tonight we're getting our routine back . We ALL need it.

- helping Jay become fully potty-trained. Started this one anew today. So far, so good.

- finish settling into/organizing/furnishing New House. I am prepared that this may take 5-7 more years, but a complete standstill is never a good thing.

-getting Lizzy to eat/try more foods.

- we need music. I hope to freshen up the iPod with some things for the kids and I to jam to during the day and for Joseph and I to enjoy together. This seems like a small thing, but I think the constant Maw and Ruby tunes and Dora theme song as our soundtrack is taking its toll on us all.

Happy "after Lizzy's Birthday" Monday y'all! I hope you're knocking out those to-do's too!!