12-09-15 A Few More Steps

Tim had an unexpected evening home, so we got to spend some time with the boys while C was at church this evening. Big E enjoyed putting decorations on the tree and Baby E worked on his walking. He can go about 5-8 steps before falling over.

12-08-15 Go Big Or Go Home

When Tim and I went on our date last weekend we stopped at Target in hopes of picking up a Christmas tree. Apparently the first weekend in December is already too late for such an endeavor, as they were out of pretty much everything. Sigh...

But to my delight, my mother in law offered to bring over a tree she wasn't using this year. So yesterday she dropped it off. I started assembling it but had to give up due to my short stature ;) and Tim finished it when he got home.

It's pretty large. Nine feet tall to be exact! Good thing we have ten foot ceilings in the kitchen. I still have to clean out the tree corner and then scooch that puppy over there, but for now it is just dominating my kitchen. Ha!

The kids think it is pretty awesome, so that's good. I need to track down my ornaments and bulbs and probably pick up a few more!!

Hopefully it will be all decorated by the end of the weekend! *fingers crossed*

12-07-15 Tears

I was tucking the kids into bed this evening when Big E notice my earrings. I don't wear earrings often and I guess this was the first time he really ever noticed them. He played with them for a moment and then asked how they were on my ears. I explained that they went through my ears. His eyes got big as he asked if there were holes in my ears and did it hurt. I told him that there were and that it did hurt when they first put them in, but they don't anymore. 

Suddenly E got this very sad look in his eyes and said, "Poor Mommy," and started stroking my ear. A moment later he turned his head away from me and started to cry. 

My sweet little boy was crying for me!!

I am often overwhelmed by the depth of his heart. I constantly have to remind myself that he doesn't see the world like his big sister and my parenting needs to reflect that. He is gentle. He is sweet. He is compassionate. 

I know he will face his share of difficulties in life, but I pray that nothing crushes his generous spirit and empathetic heart, but that he will carry those traits with him throughout his life.

12-07-15 This Date

December 7, 2009 is a date that is etched into my mind for it is the date in which I first learned I would become a mother.

I remember the excitement, and the panic that soon followed at the thought of having a child. How could we possibly be ready for this. Tim and I had been married for two years and our friends had started having kids. We had just had two nieces born and we were at that point in our marriage where people started asking if we were next.

I was still just a contract employee at my job and I wondered how having a baby would affect my situation. I wondered if I was cut out for motherhood. I didn't know much about being a mom, but what I did know is that your life was no longer your own. There would be another human being absolutely and completely dependent on you for their very survival. And that thought seemed immense!

As I settled into my pregnancy, I wondered if the nervousness would wear off. Morning sickness was a horrible beast. Soon my belly was growing and I was feeling kicks and movements. Ultrasounds were magical moments I wished I could do daily. I would laugh as my belly bounced with baby hiccups and I would tear up at the strong kicks into my ribs.

I remember standing in the baby aisle at the store trying to register for my baby shower and being completely overwhelmed at all my options, having no idea what I might need, and furiously texting and calling my sister in law to double check my choices.

As the warm months dragged on and I got more uncomfortable, the feelings of anxiety began to make way for feelings of anticipation and excitement. My due date came and went, and so did my fear. I just wanted it to be done.

And when she arrived, everything changed.  Those first few weeks were a blur of mind numbing exhaustion, colic, and recovery. And by the time December 7th rolled around again, I went by a new name... Mommy. 

Six years later, that name still sounds sweeter than I ever could have imagined. 

12-06-15 The First Christmas Night

This evening was the kids production at church. The kids have been working on this for weeks and were very excited that the day had finally arrived. C was a star and Big as was a donkey. 

The kids practice with the Cherub Choir every Sunday morning. I've been helping my mother in law with that for some time now and it really is a lot of fun. The 2s and 3s basically just stare at you the whole time, but the 4s and 5s really get into the signing. This evening their song was Go Tell It On The Mountain. We had multiple conversations with Big E that he was not allowed to bounce through the entire song. He must have been listening cause he stayed pretty still. Also it was the first year that one of my kids wasn't picking their nose the entire time! 

C got to sing the verses with her cousin Adie. She was practicing all afternoon.

Shortly before showtime, Daddy started prepping our little donkey.

All ready to go!

My little star waiting in line...

During the rest of the evening, the youngest kids were contained in the stable. 

Thanks to everyone that put so much time and energy into this evening! You did a great job!!

Baby E discovered Christmas lights!

12-05-15 Date Time

Ever since having kids, Tim and I have had very little time to go on dates. 

For the first few years after C was born, I always felt guilty. I worked five days a week an hour from home, and my time with my babies was always limited. I felt like a bad mom if I willingly chose to leave them again just so I could go out for fun. 

We've gone out for dinner, we've seen a few movies, but we have always been watching the clock... Knowing we only had a few hours before having to get home. Well today, for our anniversary, Tim's mom watched the kids for the day so that we could go out. We did some shopping, saw a movie and grabbed dinner. It was nice to spend some time with him without worrying about getting home right away.

You'd think I'd have a picture of us to commemorate this delightful occasion, but no, I have pictures of doughnuts. Oh well. 

12-04-15 The Time I Sang Karaoke...

I'm not a great singer... I sang a lot when I was younger, but I'm an alto and I'm a vocal follower. I can only really carry a tune if I have a strong singer beside me. I can sing along to songs on the radio, but take away the voice singing and I am completely lost. I married into a musical family, but it never really rubbed off on me... Sigh...

I went to a karaoke box once. I had a Japanese teacher that loved karaoke and invite me to join her and some friends. Tim, my sister and I went. A karaoke box is pretty much a small private room you can rent that has all the karaoke equipment set up for you. You bring your own food and drinks. It was quite an interesting experience, but cemented my realization that it just isn't my thing. It was fun, but I just wasn't good at it. 

Fast forward to this week. C has been talking constantly about an event at her school where they were going to have... Wait for it... FROZEN karaoke. She informed me that she and her friend Kaia had been practicing all week and they were ready. With all the excitement about it, I agreed to take her and Big E this evening. She signed up for a 6:30 slot. I assumed once we got there and she saw the people watching that she would get incredibly shy and back out.

The event was a holiday bazaar at her school. There were a lot of vendors, food, Santa, and yes... Frozen karaoke. We got there right at 6:30 so I took C to the hallway that they were doing the singing in. To her disappointment, her friend was not there, but the music teacher asked her if she wanted to sing anyways. C nodded yes, and the teacher found another girl to sing with her. They sang Do You Want To Build A Snowman?

She was nervous, but she did a great job. I was surprised she actually did it. Afterwards we walked around looking at all the vendors. When we made our way past the karaoke booth again C said she wanted to see if her friend was there yet. She wasn't. Then C turned to me with big eyes and said she really, really, really wanted to sing the Elsa song (Let It Go.) And would I please sing with her. 

That's right... Me, sing karaoke in front of a group of strangers. I wanted to say no so badly,  but I knew it meant a lot to her, and I knew it was good for her confidence if I encouraged her...

So there I was, singing a song half out of my vocal range in front of a group of total strangers. I pulled the mic away from my lips when the high parts came, and made sure I just watched C the entire time. Talk about being out of my comfort zone! Seriously, the things we do for our kids!!! But I could see on her face that I had made the right decision.

The rest of the evening was pretty nondescript. There was a pretty cool train set up for the kids to watch and we did that for awhile. C saw some friends from school and they colored and played together. Naturally it was total meltdown time when it was time to leave, but we made it home relatively unscathed! (Except maybe my pride! Ha!) 

To be honest, though, I cherish the times I get to take her to her school. As a working mom, I don't get to see her in that element very much, and I'm sad that I miss out on a lot of opportunities to be involved, so when events like this come along, I jump at them. 

I snuck in on them sleeping this morning and snapped this pic. It is extremely rare for me to get in the room before Big E wakes up, so it was nice to see them both fast asleep! 

12-03-15 The School Picture

C's official kindergarten picture showed up the other day, shoved in her backpack and full of wrinkles. Thankfully I have some mad photoshop skills, so I took it in and cleaned it up a bit.

Let me be the first to say, I love this picture. She looks so very grown up! How did that happen so quickly!

It just so happens that I found my kindergarten picture. Who doesn't love a great 80's silhouetted photo with a bowl haircut?!?