Overall the past few days have been good ones, they've just had their moments of craziness. Yesterday was a stay at home all day day (much to the confusion of the kids, who get up every single day asking, "Where are we going today?"). Stay at home days equal silliness the likes of which must be experienced to be believed. Apparently silliness dulls the ability to hear and/or obey. That always makes me grumpy. The main problem lately has been "bathroom words," "bathroom noises," burping, and the loud announcement of any bodily function in case it wasn't heard properly the first time. Mostly these things take place at the dinner table. It's setting a terrific example for Avery who otherwise wouldn't yet have known those things were supposed to be humorous. Punishments have ranged from sending them to the bathroom for bathroom talk (since they're going to do it anyway, may as well let them but ONLY in the corresponding room of the house), to being excused from the table regardless of the amount they've eaten so far, to the evil mommy voice/eye, or worse. But that's only if it's James that's doing it. (Just kidding, it really is little people against big people on this one.)
Here's where it stinks to be a parent. Amelia asked me the other day after I'd gotten on to her about burping and laughing hysterically, "Well mom, did you USED to think it was funny?" Great question! Of course I did! Frankly, (sorry Mom), I still do! In my past life I was queen of swallowed-air-belching-on-purpose, winning countless burping contests. I even taught my brother how to burp on command, a skill which he honed to an art form. I worked at a boys' summer camp, for crying out loud. But as a parent if I let it slip that I think burping is funny- or if I ever did it on purpose around here- it would all be over. Any clout I carry as the teacher of manners would be gone. So, I think I answered her question by saying something about it not being appropriate, bad manners, the same blah blah blah she hears 452 times a day. But on the inside I'm saying, "Good one!"
Anyway, I did get quite frustrated yesterday when I wasn't being heard and obeyed, and more than once I used my outside voice inside. I hate my outside voice, especially when it's directed at my kids. We did end the day on a snuggly note though, having rented Alvin and the Chipmunks and cuddling with all the kids on the couch. (Dumb movie, by the way...but what else should I have expected?) I love it when days end like that, even though it was a little sad when I started thinking about how short of a time ago it was that both Amelia and Shannon could sit on my lap at the same time and I could still see over their heads. Being in a retrospective mood, I thought it would be fun to look at some pictures from a few years ago, when they could both fit on my lap.
February 2005- Amelia was always such a happy drunk at 19 months.
This was always one of my favorites of Shannon (4 months). Preach it, brother!
Here's Amelia at her 2nd birthday party.
Here's Shannon that same day (9 months).
Okay, that was fun. Random, I know, but it's what was on my mind.
Today is opening day of deer season. James left before light and spent the day in the woods, but is returning home deer-less. He's now playing cards with some friends. Tomorrow is church, then a horsey day for me with a lesson in the afternoon and then plans to take the older kids to the barn for a ride since they've been asking for days. All that to say, we've been Jamesless today, so we made some of our own fun. We went to Alison's (aka Elliott and A.J.'s house) for playtime and lunch. Today is Alison's birthday so we celebrated with brownies and 3 candles, the best I could do. (She said there were a few missing- at least we had 3 to represent the number of decades!) It was good to get out of the house, particularly since the day started with the usual sillies as described above PLUS a good dose of bickering amongst themselves just to make me happy.
After leaving Alison's at naptime I decided to do something which could have backfired severely and left me in a state of regret. Yes, I went to Wal-Mart with the kids DURING nap time! Actually the older two are usually fine, Amelia doesn't take a nap anymore anyway, but Avery can turn on an incredible whine when he's tired. I needed to make a Wal-Mart run and was halfway there already, so I chanced it. I was also hoping to stop by the Raffrays for a peek at baby Sophie on my way home, but they weren't back yet (more on that in a minute). Avery took a 20 minute nap in the car and everyone was very good in the store. Elizabeth even got a nap while being carried around strapped to me. Only one person commented on me having my hands full, and one very nice lady told me it was so great to see a mom with a big family. It's always older folks who stop to talk to the kids and tell me how pretty they are. I love that. One day I'll be sure to stop and talk to buggies full of kids at the store when I'm an old lady.
So then we got home, and that's when it all fell apart. But I'll spare you the details on that. They're all in bed now, that's what's important.
Baby Sophie- I can't wait to get pictures. She is the brand new daughter of our friends Erin and Brad Raffray. They have had about four years of what they have chosen to call "character building." Their first born, Emily, had unpredictable, frequent, and scary seizures from the time she was about five months old. God took her home just a week before her third birthday, this past March was a year ago. They also have a son, Caleb, who was just over 18 months old at the time. They lost a second child, another son, 20 weeks into a pregnancy last November. They have handled all with amazing strength, which they completely attribute to God. Just 9 weeks ago they found out about a mom in Florida who was looking for adoptive parents for her baby. Unfortunately she has had a hard life full of drugs and other things, and felt Erin and Brad were the right choice. Everything came together beautifully, amazingly, and they are now the proud parents of Sophia Virginia Raffray. Caleb (now 3) is a big brother! Just hours ago they were on their way home from Florida after a 10 day mandatory waiting period. Hopefully we'll get to meet her tomorrow! God has done it again, and the way things happened so perfectly only He can get the credit.
A few more thoughts, while I'm thinking them.
Shannon has finally jumped a hurdle this week, and is off and running with praying out loud. Before this week he would shake his head, clamp his mouth shut, and say, "MMM-MMM," when asked to pray. Now he's volunteering, and I love it! It's hard not to laugh sometimes though, for both me and Amelia. I hope she doesn't watch me during prayer times. Here's a sampling of what we hear, spoken very earnestly.
"Dear God, thank you so much for all of your blessings. (Imagine a bit of a lisp on the s's.) Thank you for sending Jesus to die on the cross. (I love that part.) And God, we just ask that you thank us for sending the weather. And, I just love my bunk bed. Your blessings are so wonderful, and Avery, and Elizabeth, and my friends. Amen." I get cracked up when the sentences don't make sense but I'm over it by the time he opens his eyes. Amelia got cracked up today about the bunk bed comment. Poor Shannon looked at her and said, "What's so funny?," so she told him, and he said, "I didn't say that." "Yes you did," she says. "No I didn't. I don't think I did. Did I say that, Mom? I didn't."
I also love the way Avery talks. He speaks extremely well for a not quite two-year old. He has a few funny words though, and I was reminded of them when he used them today. One is "cement mixer," which he always points out on the road saying, "Look! A mee-ment ment ment mix truck!" The other is when he sees motorcycles, which we saw in large herds today since it's a weekend. He has forever called them "tee tycles," but that has now graduated to "wee tycle." A few other words have started evolving lately too, including "water," which has forever been "wawee," and is now "wawer." The most puzzling was the word "balloony," which he has used for any kind of berry, tomato, or grape. I spent all summer holding up a huckleberry and saying, "berrrr..," "berrrrr," he said. "Eeeeee," I would say, "eeeee," he would say. "Berry," I said. "Balloony!," he said. This could have gone on for days. Just in the past few weeks he has started saying, "berry, grape, and tato" (for tomato). As much as "balloony" drove me crazy, I kind of miss it.
We have to leave by 8:00 in the morning to get to the early service, so I guess I'll go to bed now. I'm going to attempt a homemade photo shoot sometime next week, so hopefully I'll have pictures to post then. As though you weren't tired of seeing picture of the kids! I have pictures of all of the kids as 3 month old babies though, and I want a good one of Elizabeth as well. Having bought a super duper camera over the summer, I figure I ought to be able to get at least one professional sort of looking one if I can get the lighting right. I'd really love to learn how to do some photography for real. (Perhaps anyone out there who may be looking for the right Christmas gift for me- and I know this includes SO MANY of you- a Photography for Dummies book, and a some Photoshop software?)
'Night!
1 comment:
Corie, The cake turned out awesome. I wish we could have been there. Love you guys, Pam
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