Just for fun Friday

Each Friday, I'm going to post a picture I took that week that makes me smile - or laugh - or say 'Hmmmmm.' These won't be the most amazing pictures, just a warning!

Here's a funny picture that tells so much more than you would see at first glance.



First, you can't tell by the picture, but I had a momentary lapse of judgment at the grocery store and bought a package of those Huggies Jeans diapers. You might have seen the commercial on TV - here it is. He's got one of the diapers on and I unleashed him outside to get pictures of it.

Second, he's not playing with his privates here. I forget that they are literal at this age. Had I yelled at Stone to 'show me his diaper,' he would have shaken his booty at me or waddled like a duck. This is what I got from Cade with that command. It's reminiscent of what I get when I ask him to show me his belly or nose or knees. The look of concentration and the two handed Vanna White presentation of said object.

Third, we went to the doctor this week for our two-year check up and these were his numbers:
your child at the 36th percentile for weight.

your child at the 13th percentile for height.

your child is at greater than the 97th percentile for head circumference.

That's right; GREATER than the 97th percentile for head circumference with a less than average height and weight. Meaning my child is a human representation of a helium balloon. Now look at the picture again. You have my permission to laugh. He'll grow into that head.

Just for fun Friday

Here's a new fun thing I'm going to try. Each Friday, I'm going to post a picture I took that week that makes me smile - or laugh - or say 'Hmmmmm.' These won't be the most amazing pictures, just a warning! Here's the first one.



What makes me laugh at this picture is how it encapsulate so many things. There's the Starbucks cup in the background. You wouldn't know it to look at it, but it represents friendship. My friend brought me that delicious, frosty beverage for our playdate. It's one of those details that doesn't mean anything to the viewer of the picture, but always means something to the taker. You know?

Then there's my position in the picture. Do you ever look at a picture and really give thought to where the photographer is? Most of the time I don't. This picture makes me laugh at myself. I climbed all the way up onto a jungle gym not to play with my kids, but to snap pictures of them. How wrong is that?

Which leads me to my 'Hmmmmmmmm' moment. Stone doesn't even know I'm there. He's not posing, smiling, or even aware of mom with the camera. Begs the question of whether I need to put down the camera. Maybe mom needs to stop viewing her children through a lens and get involved. So that the view from my eyes (read: NOT my camera) is one where my kids are smiling and laughing at me.

Really, do we ever LOOK at a picture that hard? Maybe I should call this Freudian Friday...

A Good Day

Today was a good day. Today was the kind of day where I had solid moments of clarity. Sometimes, the noise of my life causes a static between me and how good things are. Sometimes there's a curtain of chaos covering the masterpiece of my life. But today I was lucky enough to see my children without the static.

Moment One:
We were walking to a pool and I was carrying Cade (who had no shoes). It was like, 487 degrees outside and we were already tired just from being awake in August in Texas. Halfway to the pool, I realized I'd left the swim diapers in the truck. So, I handed Cade to Pearce and ran back. Once I had the swim diaper, I turned around to see Cole and Stone walking together and talking about something. And Pearce was carrying Cade, who was completely content to be in his biggest brother's arms. If I had an iota of artistic ability, I'd try to capture it on canvas! Pearce looking down at Cade. Cade with his head on Pearce's shoulder. Cole and Stone so far apart in age yet playfully running together in anticipation of pool time. It almost stopped me in my tracks. Of course, then Pearce put Cade down WAY too close to the pool and the moment was lost to my all-out sprint to the pool while yelling, "Pearce! Grab Cade!"

Moment Two:
Tonight, we ate dinner at a local Mexican food restaurant. Our favorite local band was playing on the patio. Pearce was sitting with friends (MY friends) and Cole was listening to the band off on his own. Stone was sitting in Chad's lap and I was holding Cade in a rare moment of cuddliness. Again, I was hit with this overwhelming feeling of relief. Of peace. These are my boys. And they are wonderful. And different. And they are mine - not speaking possessively, but with reverence to God, who decided that these particular four should go with me.

Anyway, I know this is a sappy departure from my norm, but I felt like sharing that things aren't always poop on the ceiling fan and stepping on sharp toys in the middle of the night. Sometimes, I'm rewarded with a moment, and in this case two, that reminds me of how lucky I am.

Family Creed

Chad and I went on a marriage retreat over a year ago (it was nice - here's the info). One of the things that stuck with me was the value of creating a Family Creed. The couple presenting that session had an example of their family's creed. They tied it to the bible and I remember thinking how much I wanted one. A set of principles or beliefs that we can go back to in times of 'confusion' (meaning anytime ownership of a toy is called into question or an insult launches a thousand ships).

Interestingly, wanting a family creed is quite a different thing than having one. Or even starting one. I thought about it when we got home, and after realizing that I didn't have a clue where to begin, I let it fall to the back of my mind which is the equivalent of solitary confinement for ideas - never to see the light of day.

Here's the great part - sometimes God really does just drop a gift into your lap. Nicely packaged with a bow. I was listening to a message by Steve Langford on Ephesians 4:21 - 5:2 and there it was embedded in the scripture. My family's creed. It's a beautiful text and it is perfect in its completeness. All I had to do was translate it into kid-friendly language. Thank you, God.

Goodbye to the Baby Daze

Today, Cade turns two. And a thought occurred to me; the baby days are over.

Officially.

I've been kind of waiting around to see what kind of mom I'd be at the big events. I have friends whose children are going away to college. Some are stoic, some are tearful. I've been kind of worried that I'm going to fall into the former knowing that the latter is where the 'good moms' fall. But, I've found that with this particular milestone, I've stayed true to what my parents always said of me by defying category. Because I'm not stoic or tearful. I'm flippin' ELATED! Tomorrow marks a turning point toward things like:
1. My own meals. I mean, like every bite belonging solely to me.
2. My very own private time to use the bathroom.
3. My own showers - no more shaving my legs in precarious positions because I'm worried the baby will get whiskers in his eyes, or worse, look up and be completely scarred for life.
4. My own bed. Ok, this one's still way in the future since my 4-year-old is the worst offender.
5. My very own husband. Because neither Chad nor I belong to one another right now, but to the dictatorial little squatters.
6. Freedom from other people's poop (and additionally about $100 a month in the pocket when we say goodbye to diapers).


Sounds heartless, but you know me. I mask the sentimental in sarcasm. So, in order to redeem myself in your eyes, I admit that I'll miss things like:
1. Fat rolls on wrists, knees, and ankles that are meant to be kissed.
2. Feet that are shiny and new. Seriously, babies have beautiful, shiny feet.
3. An addendum to #3, but deserving it's own number - baby toes. Yummy.
4. Hair that smells like sunshine (big boys smell like tennis ball cans).
5. Contagious giggles - this doesn't go away at 2, but it's getting there.
6. Eyes filled with wonder and awe at God's creation, without even knowing the word God.
7. Cuddles that come from boo-boos.


Oh, there are more things that I'll look forward to and things that I'll miss. But I'm feeling it all at once tonight and my mind is too weary (mostly from attempting to make a crocodile cake) to get them all down.

I know it was harsh when I called my kids squatters, but they kind of are. They find a nice place in your heart and then claim it by sheer virtue of being there. See? Just because I don't use fluffy words doesn't mean I don't love my kids! So, Happy Birthday, Cade. The last of my babies. And goodbye to your baby days, but hello to discovering who you are as a boy.