Growing Up

July 2009

I can't believe my bald baby boys were big enough to get their first haircuts, but alas, the time had come.

When I realized yesterday morning that I could pull Ethan's hair back in to a ponytail I decided that something better be done!

Chris and I have been dragging our feet over that decision for quite a long time to come now. We hated to see the boys beautiful curls come off, and take the big leap in to big boyhood!

Last night after dinner though we armed ourselves. Me with a bowl of vanilla ice cream and Chris with a pair of cutting shears. Grayson was our first victim. We figured he was easier to start with since he had less hair!

Before:


This is Grayson before his haircut. He was saying "pweeease" for some ice cream as this picture was taken. When he says it his entire face scrunches up and makes the sign for "more" along with it.

After:

Here is ticklish Grayson after his first hair cut!

Before:

Now Ethan had a lot more hair. His curls stuck straight out the sides of his precious little head. Sometimes after naps or in the morning Chris and I would just laugh as he popped up out of his crib looking like our own little Bozo the Clown! My precious little boy. You have curly hair just like your Daddy, that is for sure!

After:

I can not get over how different my handsome little Ethan looks!

Grayson

Grayson after showing me his jumping off the side of the couch on to his car moves. :)


Ethan (he quit drooling for an entire two days before his top molars started popping through!)

My precious little Eatie!

Torture

Fingernails on a chalkboard.

The driver in front of you going 20 in a 55.

Spoiled milk in your favorite cereal.

Discovering at 7 a.m. that your coffee pot is broken.

There are just certain things that aren't pleasant.
Certain things that just rub you the wrong way.
Annoy you.

Well - for me - one of those times happened this morning.

I was working around the house. Cleaning this, folding that, sorting this. It was a beautiful morning...birds singing to me and landing on my finger, little cute, smiling, non-scary, mice running along behind me picking up my dropped laundry...you get the picture....

and then it happened...

a song by her came on the radio...

"Baby, Baby"

I extremely dislike this song. Extremely. I don't know if there ever was a time in my life where I liked it, but if there was, that time has long since passed.

I ran to the radio and frantically changed the dial. And do you know what the next station was playing?

This one...



Oh my. Seriously. I think these are the two worst songs of all time. All time.

They are so annoying.
So peppy.

So repetitive.

I don't know what it is about them. I can't put my finger on it.

They just rub me the wrong way! :)

Are there any songs that make you cringe whenever you hear them come on the radio? Please share!

There is

nothing so sweet

as the smell

of your babies skin

kissed by the sun

Shadows

The other night before bed Ethan discovered his shadow on the dining room wall. He was scared of it at first. His Daddy showed him how he could wave and hold up his little farm animals and watch them dance across the wall. He thought that was pretty neat. Then Daddy held his big hand up. Ethan ran out of the room with huge eyes towards me. We showed Ethan that it was just Daddy and nothing to be scared of. Ethan returned to the wall grinning.

Tonight I heard giggles coming from the dining room. When I looked around the corner this is what I saw. They were both having so much fun waving and giggling at the curly headed shadows looking back at them.

A Whole Lotta Busy

I tell ya.

2 18 month olds are a lot of work fun.

From the moment they wake up shrieking and giggling in their cribs at 7:30 till the moment they crash back in them for naps at 1 and then shriek and giggle again at 4 until crashing back in bed for the night at 7 they are ON THE GO.

Constantly moving.

Exploring.

Touching.

Climbing.

Grabbing.

Poking.

Talking.

Giggling.

Yelling.

Stomping.

Twirling.

Running.

Eating.

Fussing.

Crawling.

Throwing.

Bouncing.

Dropping.

Crying.

Drinking.

I don't know how the energy that these two little boys produce could be harnessed, but it could be a major money maker if we could figure it out!

They are a blast.

They completely keep me on my toes all day long, but by the time bedtime arrives the last thing I want to do is walk on them any longer!

I continue to pray and cover this little girl with protection that she will remain safe and secure in her little home even with all the bending, cooking, peacekeeping, bouncing, sitting, standing, comforting, crouching, chasing, lifting, changing, sighing, singing, and reading that this Mama carrying her does in a typical day.

It is a home full of activity. Full of signs of children.

Chris and I often just smile and laugh as we look around at our changed home. Finding toys in the most random of places, a kitchen rug that can NEVER stay clean, and fingerprints covering every inch of wall space 3 feet and under.

It is a wonderful time. A time that is completely exhausting and at times completely overwhelming...but so full of love, hugs, kisses, cuddles, cheesy grins, and all that good stuff.

Here are a few pictures taken at the NICU reunion we went to a few weeks ago. It was so much fun to see some of the boys nurses and doctors again after 17 months. The boys had a great time running wild and free. They rode a teeter totter for the first time and also went on their very first train ride! Chris and I both got emotional after we buckled them in and watched them ride away with all the big kids on the cow train!

Grayson and Gertie

Grayson is the 3rd one back and Ethan is the caboose. They were the tiniest little guys on there! The mother in front of Grayson kept a close eye on them for me. She is a mother of curly headed twin boys born just 2 weeks before ours!

Ethan on the slide

...And There On Your Left You'll See Week 26

Things are just moving right along in the baby growing department!

We have passed the 26 week mark. I can't believe it's going so fast!

I am going to dedicate some time this week to sorting through clothes and start getting some outfits washed, hung, and put away!

Chris and I think we have decided on a name for our little girl. As we did with the boys, we are deciding to keep the name a secret until her big arrival. There is just no other name that I love as much, and whenever I say it to her, or say it to the boys, it just does something to my soul. I just feel like it's meant for her!

I am getting really excited about her arrival.

I don't know if it's fully sunk in that we are going to have a third child in this house. It is going to be wild to see Ethan and Grayson as big brothers.

We have been talking a lot about the baby and the baby sister. They know that the baby is in my tummy, and they give her many gentle hugs and kisses. My friend Irene told me that our local library has a huge bin full of books that can be checked out all on the topic of bringing home a baby sister. I want to get this for them and start reading some books to make the topic even more comfortable and familiar!

Things are continuing to go smoothly during this pregnancy. I have been going in every two weeks for visits, and they are closely monitoring me to make sure there are no signs of preterm labor. So far, so good! The cow shots are continuing for another 10 weeks or so.

Here are a few pictures taken at 26 weeks:

Teacher

I love to teach.

I have known since I was a little girl that I wanted to be an elementary teacher.

My aunt Emilie was a teacher and she would give me old grade books, workbooks, and worksheets that I could use to play school. My cousin Ann and I would play school for hours whenever she came to visit (Ann is now a teacher too!).

I had an entire classroom set up in my bedroom. I had roll call every morning.

I had two very bad students named Tom and Michelle that were always being sent to the principals office. (I have taught a few "Toms" and "Michelles" over the years!)

I have always loved it.

When I was hired as a fourth grade teacher six years ago I was so excited. I couldn't believe that my dream of having my OWN classroom was going to become a reality.

I was scared.

I was nervous.

I feared the ability to control my students and wondered if I could actually assist them in learning!

I had some struggles the first year, as I'm sure all new teachers do, but I also fell in love with it instantly.

I felt at home.

That was in September of 2004.

For the next five years I fell in to a job and a school that I loved. I taught so many amazing students, worked with so many passionate teachers, and was administered by some pretty awesome principals. It really was a great fit for me.

And then I got pregnant. :)

And there were two of them.

And Chris and I talked about what the future of our family looked like.

What would we do?

Would we do daycare? If so, who?

Would I stay home? If so, how?

We made lists of the pros and cons. We debated and discussed and pondered....

and we came to the conclusion that for our family me becoming a teacher to our sons here at home was more beneficial than me being a teacher to my classroom of nine year olds.

It wasn't an easy decision to make. I had many tears as I said goodbye to my classroom, as I said goodbye to my students, as I said goodbye to my friends...

Yesterday I was able to step back in to the school in the role of substitute teacher. I taught all day long in the classroom right next to the one I taught in for five years. At one point in the day yesterday I had to go in to my old classroom and ask the current teacher a question.

I took a minute to just look around.

It still felt like my room.

I could picture my desk.

My things.

My flair and touches around the room...

yet there was another name on the door.

Someone else's handwriting was up on the chalkboard.

It wasn't my room any longer.

I find myself becoming so melancholy at times.

I know that I can go back to teaching here in a few years after I have raised my children.

I plan on that and I'm excited for it.

I am also so thankful that I am home with Ethan and Grayson. I truly wouldn't trade it for the world.

I honestly too don't know how I would manage working full time and still take care of my pregnant little self and my two nearly 18 month old boys. I have many super mom friends who do it, and they amaze me...but I just don't think I'm quite as talented...or put together. :)

I do not regret my decision about staying home, but I do find myself missing it at times.

Maybe part of it is realizing that being in that classroom, in that team, in my twenties, having my pre-baby body is now a part of my history. A part of my legacy. :)

It will no longer be exactly as it was.

I have beautiful, beautiful memories of that time.

The songs I sung with my students.

The crab hats I would wear with my team.

The feeling of excitement when one of my struggling students would pass a test.

The friendships that I made and still maintain.

It was truly a wonderful time in my life and I am so thankful that I had that experience.

It was one of those major milestones that has impacted me and the person that I am today.

Irene, T, Anne Marie, and myself on a field trip '07

Colonial Day '07

Colonial Day with 4th Grade Team

The only one that was REALLY pregnant at the time was Cheryl on the far right. :)

Twin day with my precious student Emily

80's Day! Work it!

Knox

Cleaning our desks on the last day of school '06

My gang '06

To those friends and co-workers who didn't make my blog in pictures (you know who you are!)...it isn't because I don't love you...it's just cuz I didn't have any pictures saved on my computer of you! If you have some, send them to me, and I will put you up on here in flashing lights! :)