Treyton's First Day of Preschool

This is a child who is NOT happy. I couldn't understand it. He was looking forward to preschool ever since we went to the orientation. In fact, he was so excited that I used it as a ploy to wear big boy underwear. He did not want to wear undies even though he was going in the potty most of the time. I guess he wasn't up to the challenge until I coerced him into in. Bribed him. Manipulated him.

Oh, the scandal.

At Treyton's preschool they don't have to be potty trained, but he didn't know that. I told him he couldn't go back unless he was wearing his big boy underwear. I know it was wrong and all, but you know what....it worked! Any other moms out there can relate, I am sure.

So why the tears? A blubbering tantrum? I think I figured it out.

He was trying something new. This is how Treyton reacts to new things.

Can't say I don't blame him. I can relate. Isn't it true that those nervous feelings can inhibit all adventure in one's being? It's done that for me. Instead of throwing a tantrum, we adults deal with it in different ways. Unhealthy ways. Why not just throw the tantrum and get on with it? I think that's what I'll try next time. Sorry Bryce, you're in for a whopper.

The good news is that this was what he looked like once we arrived. His charming smile returned.

It was now that I felt like crying! My baby...my first born....being slowly pushed out of the nest. I once read that a goal of parenting is to give them roots and wings. He's not going to be with me forever. He needs to go and do what God's created him to do. I'm just thankful that I get to have a role in His plan for this boy's life.

Look at his little classroom. And his sloppy smile saying "cheese". Butterflies in each of our stomachs.

"Mom. you can leave now."

Okay. Here I go....sending him off to school. No cries for either of us. A sweet sorrow, I guess.

Now this one...she's going to be running off to school. Pushing me out the door. I couldn't even get her to leave Treyton's classroom. The second tantrum of the morning for me to deal with, and the clock hadn't quite struck 9am yet.

I decided to go home and make Rice Crispy Treats. That's something my mom did for us kids every first day of school. There's something about that sweet, simple tradition that I will always hold dear to my heart. It made the day complete.

I think I see little wings on that boy beginning to sprout....can you see um?

Grown-up Galina

Galina has a few new interests lately. First, she is loving her bling.

Here she is with her necklace wrapped around her neck. I tried to fix it so it went over her head, but she would have no part of it. Sometime she gets it on right but other times prefers the wrap look. It must be the new fall style. Her bracelet is within her grab as she fixes her hair. Fixes her hair... hint, hint Galina.

Or not. She likes the windblown look.

"Well, maybe I'll wear a hat, Mom."

Yeah, that's much better, fashion queenie.

Next, she's decided to pick up a few chores to pull her weight around here. 'Bout time, young lady!

"Daisy! Time to go on a walk!"

This is Daisy. She was my 30th birthday present. Our firstborn. Gone down a few notches on the food chain a bit since the kids were born. Still love her though! Now she is off to go run some errands. Gotta get those crackers, ya know. Without crackers she's like a 16 year old with PMS.

Oh so busy! The life of a 1 year old..........

Post Olympic Games

Our boy was very interested in watching the Olympics this summer. Especially the diving part. He began his own show yesterday afternoon.

Here he is preparing for his big dive. He already lifted his arms up to his shoulders and took a deep breath, exhaling as his arms went back to his side.

Notice the "tightie whitie" training undies. He refused to wear underwear until after visiting preschool last week. I told him he couldn't go until the undies went on. He paused. "You can run faster with them on too," I added, smiling at my stroke of genius. With eyes getting big and a smile unfolding, he said, "Okay, Mom." (Mom, not Mommy?!?! He's getting so old!)

But back to the Olympics.....

Legs turned out, bead necklace on, and off he goes~

Ahhh, no splash. I'd say he's made a strong running for the gold. Or the gold, blue, green, purple, white bead necklace.

He won the gold! Okay, not really...except in my heart. But he did get a medal. In soccer. That's Treyton's friend, Jeremy. He must have done a pretty good dive from his mom's file too. I like how the T-shirt that he got from the class is long-sleeved and goes down to his little white socks.

Yeah, I'm pretty proud of our little sport star and his daddy is too!

Galina's kisses

Galina's love language is physical touch.

Here she is....warming up her lips.

There she goes....delivering one of her luscious kisses.

I know, I know....she hasn't quite mastered the whole pucker lip thing, but don't ruin the moment.

Oh, I can't tell you how great it is to have a cuddly, loving kid. Thank you for this spirited young lady, Father God!

And that she loves kisses and dolls...a girl after my own heart. :)

Georgetown

The beauty of the mountains called us to visit last week. We went to Georgetown with a family from Bryce's work. Georgetown is a little over an hour from our house.

Treyton has a friend, George, and he was wondering where George was while we were in his town.

The excitement mounted as the train arrived. It's a historical railroad loop. I didn't really listen to the details. There we all are in the open-air cart, enjoying being a family. What a perfect day for this fun activity. Except this. We had to go over this. I am a bit scared of heights so I didn't appreciate this part.

So I did this with Galina instead.

Notice the cell phone in her hand? We have our work cut out for us I think!

Ahhh Galina, you give the BEST hugs!

Rain, rain come and stay!

You would have thought I took the kid to Disneyland. Instead I took him to Super Target. In the rain. The heavy, pouring rain. Buckets and sheets. Not my idea of fun, but boy did it strike a chord with Treyton. I put on our rainjackets, loaded him in the car since he begged to go with instead of staying home with Daddy, and drove off. His excitement about getting to be out in the store was palpable. We got out of the van and his giggling began. His little hoppy-run in his blue raincoat was so cute. My sluggish mood that match the weather was suddenly transformed. I absolutely love kids! They help you see the world in a whole new way. Something as simple as running through the rain that would normally bring about frustration for me magically became an adventure. He is my smile personified. Thank you, Lord, for entrusting me with this little boy who has such a big place in my heart.

A flower from my boy

While we were coming in yesterday Treyton stopped, stooped down, and picked this.

Why is this so significant? Because of what he said next.

"Mommy here is a flower for you."

As a mommy of a boy, I've waited for this day. Not that I like flowers all that much or anything. In fact, I've told Bryce not to get me flowers. (I'd rather have a mylar balloon, candy, or new pens.) But, the idea that my boy wanted to give me something beautiful, a flower, was heartwarming. A sweet boy thing to do. For his beloved mommy.

So I took him inside to take pictures of this memorable moment.

So adorable that kid is with the tiny "flower" for mommy. Notice that he didn't include the icky stem....just the pretty part.

After the pictures I said, "Okay, let's go get some water to put my flower in."

"No, you can't have it."

"But Treyton, you picked that for mommy. Isn't it for me?"

"No, I don't think so. I want the flower."

"But Treyton...."

"NO MOMMY. IT'S MY FLOWER!"

"Are you sure? Don't you want me to have it?"

"Nope."

Oh good heavens, so much for my special moment.

Being a grandparent

This is what I got to witness this morning.

Oh for the love of pickles, is there anything sweeter? My heart MELTED when I caught her doing this. If this is what it's like to be a grandparent, I am slowly starting to understand.

Look at how sneaky she's gotten at getting her hand out of her sling. I didn't even notice due to the cuteness factor.

I'm so thankful that I can be a stay-at-home mom!

Oh, she noticed the camera.

All flies by the wayside when she gets to be center stage. Sorry baby.

I'm still in bliss over here at how sweet that was though. Galina, you take after my heart.

I went back in and am so glad I did!

Often Treyton has a spell after he is put in bed. Sometimes it's that his truck has fallen from his bed. Or that he needs a drink of water. A few times he was scared of the shadows that the front yard tree makes on his wall. He always cries when my book club leaves. Any parent rolls their eyes when they hear their kid crying after they've done the whole bedtime routine thing and are supposed to be having a break after a long day of kid necessities. Like most parents, I let him cry for a while, hoping he'd stop. After a respectable amount of time, I blew out my sigh and went upstairs. "What is it Treyton?" "Mommy, I'm sad about Galina." "Why are you sad about Galina?" Oh dear, what did he do now? "Galina doesn't have Jesus in her heart." "Oh Treyton, she doesn't, does she? She's too little to understand what that means. I'm just glad that you have Jesus in your heart." "Well, well, well mommy, I think we should pray for Galina to have Jesus in her heart." Wow. Wow, wow, wow. The great joy and pride I felt when my kid said this was greater than anything he'd done in his life so far. Does he really have a heart for others to know God? Already? He wants his sister to have Jesus in her heart! It almost brought me to tears to hear him say this! My prayer for his life is to know Christ. Is this the beginning of an answer to my lifelong prayer for him? We prayed for Galina and I gave him giant hugs and kisses one more time before saying goodnight. I'm so glad I went back in that night.

Feet

I had one of those not-so-rare moments today.

I saw these feet.

Then I thought that I wanted to remember this image forever. These feet won't be this size for long. Which reminds me, I need to go find some size 7 tennis shoes one of these days.

Those sweet hands.

I could kiss those toes!

Okay, I admit; I haved kissed those toes.

These little moments, when I'm caught off guard over such a wonder as little feet, I stop and drink it it. I try to make the moment etched in my memory. For there will be days to come when there won't be little feet around to smile at. When those feet will be stepping up into the schoolbus. Or pressing down the driving pedal. Or walking across a graduation stage. Or down the isle. I hope they always find their way back to me.

This is the face of those feet. Notice the milk mushtache. He could be in commercials, don't you think?

What a wonder, a blessing, a miracle I have sitting in my kitchen every morning. Thank you, Lord, for sending this little soul to me and giving me the priviledge to experience the blessings that go with being a mommy.

Broken baby

This is what my baby looks like:

Yes, she has a BROKEN clavicle bone. What's worse is she had a broken clavicle bone for 3 days before I even took her to the doctor.

Or is it worse that I don't know how it happened?

You can go ahead and submit me for the Best Mother of the Year award now.

She's a good sport, isn't she? This is her, all in one piece, poor thing. I figured that I would throw that in so you could see that she's not so bad when all the kings' horses and all the kings' men put her together again.

Out of hugs

A couple of days ago Treyton decided to wake up on the wrong side of the bed. He was testing me with a whining I'm-ready-to-pick-a-fight attitude. Then he pulled HIS blanket (one of 3) out from under Galina making her faceplant into the floor. That's all I needed. I sent him to time out which he hates. After a while and the tears subsiding (both kids), Galina back to her mischief, and me under control, I went to do our after time out chat. "Treyton, what did you do wrong?" "I don't know." "Treyton," my voice having the mommy-warning tone. "I pulled my blankie away from Galina." "Yes and that was wrong because you hurt Galina. We don't grab things and hurt people. When someone is playing with something we wait until they are all done before we take it from them. " "But I wanted it." "I know but that's not what you do when you want something someone else has. We wait until they're all done playing with it or ask for help. So next time what will you do if Galina has something you want. "I don't know." "Treyton," my voice low and threatening. I'm thinking, "Duh, I just told you." "I don't know, Mommy." I sighed and rolled my eyes while he was picking his toes. "You wait until they are done or ask Mommy for help. So what will you do next time? "Wait until they are done or ask Mommy for help." "That's right!!! Now you need to tell Mommy you are sorry for being naughty and then tell Galina you are sorry for hurting her." More toe picking, rolling around, and finally "Sorry." "Okay, come give Mommy a hug." "But I can't." "Well you need to." "But I can't, Mommy." "Why can't you?" "Because I'm all out of hugs." "You're all out of hugs? You can't be." "But I am! I don't have any more hugs." Oh, dear Lord, it's going to be a long day. Time passes. We went to the park in my hopes to change the tide of the morning. We heard a bunch of sirens. "Mommy, someone is hurt." "Yes, Treyton, that could be. Maybe we should pray for them. Dear Lord Jesus..." "Dear Lord Jesus," Treyton repeats. "...please help that person to not be hurt." "But Mommy I want them hurt." "You don't want them hurt." I thought I misheard him. "No, I want them hurt." "You want them hurt? Why would you want them hurt? God wouldn't want them to hurt." "But I want them hurt." "Oh Treyton, that's not very nice." "Well that's just the way I am Mommy." Is there any sense trying to save the day?

The Cuddler

The tooth isn't through yet.

She's been working on it for weeks now, but Galina's 2nd big front tooth has failed to make its debut. Right now she is lopsided. She has her left big front tooth and the one following it. If I were a dentist I could tell you the name of it. Or if I wasn't so lazy, I could go look it up. Anyways, the smaller one on the left side is in as well. But that big front right tooth isn't.

This is her this morning. Gorgeous hair I might add.

Normally this would cause most moms to shiver with despair. The crying, the pooping, the lack of sleeping, the constantly snotty nose, the pain (both the kid and mom!) that goes with teething is not fun to say the least. But this time around I'm not complaining. My sweet darling girl has become a cuddle queen. She snuggles so intensely and so often when she is teething that I can hardly get anything done. Up until yesterday this has bothered me. But I've decided to change my attitude. Last night when I was putting her to bed she just melted into my chest, head resting softly on my shoulder. These are the moments. These are the days. I will cherish that memory forever. My baby in the arms of her comforter. I won't always be her comforter, but for now I will embrace every chance I get. Despite the mess. Despite the unmade dinner. Despite my agenda. Just for today may we all remember to embrace the sweet moments of life that come and go so very quickly.

Pee-pee party

I wish we could have a pee-pee party. Boy, do I wish. If I could pay someone to do this potty training thing for me I would put another mortgage on the house. Just shortly after we started to potty train Treyton (which has been .178% effective, by the way), he came up with an interesting excuse for not going potty in the potty. By the way, I wonder how many times a day I say that? "potty in the potty....potty in the potty....potty in the potty" His imagination is rather impressive. He told us that the potties weren't coming out because they were watching a movie. Nice one, T-man. Call them Siskel and Eibert (sp?) as they're always tied up in the theater down under. My only redeeming thought is this: Drug addicts that don't take care of their children one bit somehow manage to get potty trained. I'd just rather throw the whole thing out of the window. Maybe that stupid potty could become a nice bird bath.

A stroller and a rope

Most moms would probably poo poo the idea of their son having a play stroller. I did too at first. I actually bought it for Galina. Sort of embarrassed me that my son took to it like spit up on a nursing mom's shirt. He loved pushing it around. We often take it as we walk down the block to the mail box. Galina being pushed by me; Treyton pushing his play stroller. Yes, I would get the looks from the neighbors or drive-bys. Was I intentionally trying to raise a pansy-boy? And then I started to think about it a little more. It's not so much the stroller he was pushing, but what was IN the stroller. If the neighbors would look carefully they would see a dump truck, a blankie, or some other toy. Yesterday he took his beloved rope on our walk to the mailbox. A rope. Could come in handy, don't ya know.......Like tieing up a mean ol' passer-by. hehehe

For the birds

Only Bryce. The other morning a bird flew into our window with a giant "whap!" Daisy was on the move..faster than I've seen her in a long time. I looked out and sure enough, she was poking around a bird with her nose. After struggling to get her to "leave it" and "come", Bryce woke up. Once the door latch on our bedroom door clicked, I immediately began saying, "Oh Bryce, a dead bird is out there in our lawn. It flew into the window, Daisy went to get it, yada yada yada....." His usual fluid movement sauntered down the steps and over to the door. Eventually. It took way too long for me. Then he did an absurd thing! He TOLD Daisy to go out after it! "What?!!?? Don't have HER go and get it! I just corralled her not to. It's so gross. I don't want..." But before I could finish there was Daisy, at the door, with her "prize" in her mouth, tail wagging a mile a minute. Oh the humanity! Or should I say, oh the canine-ity! "Good girl, Daisy." Talk about mixed messages from her parents. Bryce took it over to the kitchen sink, "Oh! It's a dove!" Who cares, just get that thing out of my kitchen! Then it came. The question I was unprepared for. The question I never imagined would come out of his mouth. "How recently did this happen?" As my eyes widened, I silently gasped (it is possible to silently gasp, by the way). I knew what was coming next. Could I ward this off? "I don't know," I lied, "Just get it out of here... NOW! PLEASE!" He knew. I am not sure if it was the tone of my voice that told him I knew what he was thinking. Or maybe it was the married-person-communication-lack-of-words-necessary thing, but he knew it was fresh. In fact, it was the very thing that probably woke him up. It was then that I realized that all men are savage beasts at heart. My rocket scientist husband decided to practice his pioneer man skills and head to his garage.

About 5 minutes later he returned. With the bird. Well, part of the bird. The breast. He intented to eat it.

Now, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that saving a dead bird's breast in a refrigerator in a fold and close baggie is not the best idea. THAT IS WHY ZIPLOCS WERE CREATED! For heaven's sake. My rocket scientist did not transfer this info as his pioneer man's instincts must have overpowered the computer geek ones. Oh the humanity!

After a week of being in my fridge, haunting me each time I opened the door, I had to throw the stupid thing out anyways. Rocket scientists, pioneer men, and my husband don't cook.