Kid-isms

One of the many reasons I started this blog was to capture not just the unbelievable, crazy, incredible moments in our lives, but the simple ordinary days that seem to blend all together. You know the kind of days I mean - homeschooling, running errands, cleaning up messes, cooking dinner, doing the laundry, reading stories, kissing boo boos, etc. etc. etc. Those are the days that all run together in a wonderful mundane mush until something crazy comes along to mess it up and make you say "oh yeah, it's been a while since anything has happened". I love when we get days upon days of those kinds of days. Kind of how you don't really notice how great you're feeling each day until a cold comes along and knocks you on your butt. Then when you suffer through days of misery and come out of the fog to feel healthy again, you realize how much you like being able to breathe. It seems to be on these wonderfully ordinary days that the one or more of the kids come up with some zinger or cute something that I know others aren't really interested in, but I feel compelled to post them on here so I can look back with my failing brain and remember them. Just last night when the "big switch" happened on here and I was locked out and could only read my blog, I did just that. I scolled through post after post reading about the events in our lives for the past few years. My grandson's mom was over for dinner and her telling me that she has been reading through it and gaining more insight into our family also reminded me why I post as I do. So many of our family live far enough away that they don't get to share in the chaos I call my life - this is a little resting spot where they can keep tabs on what we are up to. So, enough rambling for today -----
This morning when the toddlers were watching Disney, Special Agent Oso was on and #5 asked me in all her 3 year old wisdom "mommy, why does he have a hoopa-loop?" LOL He was working a hula-hoop. I thought it was very cute until I hear Oso call it a hoopa-loop! Huh? I guess there must be some copyright infringement or something???

Then tonight at dinner, upon placing a bowl of Alfredo Pasta with Chicken & Broccoli in front of him, #4 said he likes the pasta but not the chicken. I asked him why he didn't like the chicken and he replied "because it's dead chicken". O-k-a-y. I didn't realize that not having to chase his dinner around the kitchen first was upsetting him. He didn't clarify any more and didn't seem to disturb by it when I came back a few minutes later and he was chowing down on it.  And there you have it, the "Kid-isms" for today. Ta-Da!

Happy 1st Birthday Little Man!

I can't believe that one year ago I was packing my bag and getting everything in order to give birth the next morning. I know there are a lot of women and doctors who believe in letting a baby come when the baby is ready, but when you have 5 other children and no family within 3 hours, planning is crucial! I have been blessed with a wonderful doctor who understands these logistics and has induced me the last 2 babies to fit with our schedules as long as it's within a week of my due date. Having everything organized, DH letting the courts know he will be off, older children who can take time off from work to watch the younger ones, going in on a Friday morning, having a baby by Friday dinnertime and then coming home on Sunday so everything can return to almost normal on Monday morning does wonders for my sense of control. There, I said it. I have control issues. LOL If you know me and are reading this, right now you're saying "Gee, ya think?" That's just part of what makes me loveable.


Mr. Cracker Face - I couldn't help laughing with those cheeks stuffed full of crackers!

As they say, what a difference a year can make.  So as I snuggle my little guy tonight when I rock him to sleep it will be with extra love & attention for the last night I rock my "baby". When we wake up tomorrow he won't look any different, but he will be one year old and a toddler. Forever leaving behind the babyness I cling so tightly to, reluctant to let it go. He is my last baby (or the last one we plan, we don't truly know God's plan for our family) and such a wonderful surprise baby he was. I think that although every mother has a hard time letting go of her baby, it seems to be more evident to me as I watch my 20 year old and 19 year old stepping out bit by bit into their new adult lives. We blink and it's gone. Time marches on whether we want it to or not. Whether we're done smelling sweet baby powder smells, wiping noses and playing patty cake - we blink, and it's gone. So tonight I am ever so thankful for each and every day the Lord blesses me by letting me have each and every one of my children in my life. Not the spectacular days of vacations or birthdays or special events, but the mundane, ordinary, nothing special days that we so often overlook. Each normal day is a blessing to my life. Thank you Father for another ordinary day - thank you for my wonderful life.

Motherhood

It is the most under-paid, over-worked, over-stresed, under-thanked, gratifying, soul soothing, important job on the planet. Thank you Father for allowing me to experience this incredible job six times over - no matter how unprepared or unqualified I feel, You never fail to remind me that I am EXACTLY the mother each and every one of MY children needs. No one else, just me with all my shortcomings and imperfections. No one, except You, can possible love them more than I can!



There is absolutely nothing better in life than a hug from one of my children - especially my little guy who is learning to stand on his own. Or hugs from my grandson who has decided his Gigi is a pretty good thing. My only purpose in life is to do my job and do it to the best of my ability - some days I'm wonderful, others not so much, but through it all I love my children and they love me. What more could a mother ask for?