Family Pictures!

These are for you, Mom! Family pictures taken at our recent Christmas celebration. The siblings, oldest to youngest: Eric, myself, Kevin and Brenda. Kevin & Jolynn will be adding another boy to their family in February and Mike & Brenda another little one in June.

And here is attempt #137 at getting a picture of g&g with all the grandkids.

I don't know how other family's do this but we've always got kids all over the place :)

Campout and Christmas Bounty!

Last Thursday was the date of our 1st annual Campout Under the Christmas Tree. Fun times! First we snuggled into the blankets to watch a 1973 version of 'The Bear Who Slept Thru Christmas' playing in-tandem with the 'Mommy Who Slept Thru the Video' :)
Alexander insisted on sleeping RIGHT next to the tree so whenever he moved, the needles on the tree would poke him (usually in the face), he would sleepily whimper before rolling over & repeating the same thing 5-minutes later. Here he is waking up in the morning ready, at last, for CHRISTMAS!A friend gave us the book 'Room for a Little One' which sweetly tells (a version) of the Christmas story. Here is our own little one enthralled with story.
Here is the X-man with his Christmas stash. Some really cool (if I say so myself) Bruder toy trucks/bulldozer, Thomas train engine/cars, a PEZ dispenser and some chocolate crayons.
An early Designs by Blake ordering error (oh, yes, we learned from THAT mistake) made us the proud owners of over 200-pounds of black glass marbles. It is amazing how versitale these glass balls are -- they can be corn, soybeans, dirt, wood, etc. It's all about imagination! Hours of fun.

2 Years In & The Honeymoon is OVER!

So. I try to be an optimistic person. Really, I do.
You know. Upbeat. Smile-y. Cheerful. Seeing the good in others.
But here's a confession for your Monday afternoon.
I have just about HAD it with this parenting gig.

The screaming.
The kicking.
The running in the opposite direction.
The whining.
The 'you are not the boss of me' finger-pointing defiance.
The reptitious shouts of NO following each & every instruction.

I love (ummm...today I can only muster LIKE) being a mom. I love my little boy; he has completed our family in a way that is so much better than I could have imaginged (and believe me, I spent years imagining!) But this stage we are in...PLEASE, let this be a stage!...is frustrating. And discouraging. And draining.

I guess I did not realize how clueless (and sometimes, helpless) I would feel as a parent. I mean, how can one little person have the capacity to send me over the edge. Daily. Hourly. Sometimes a ka-jillion times in LESS than an hour?

• The little guy is one-tenth of my age.
• I have a college degree; he's not even enrolled in preschool.
• I have at least 100lbs on him. (Okay, WAY more than that but I'm already feeling crummy so humor me!) Ask anyone; I was NOT winning the wrestling match that occurred during morning church services :)
• He cannot even count to ten nor identify the difference between blue & red.

How does such a little person turn a capable individual into a I-have-no-idea-how-to-defuse-this-situation-but-am-willing-to-try-ANYthing parent?

For example, removing Harold the Helicopter to an unattainable shelf for 24-hours was a very effective punishment for disobedience. A few days later, when I repeatedly was unable to convince the X-man to come in from playing in the snow, I reasoned the same punishment would be effective in convincing him to race into the house. Wrong! He stared me down and announced to the entire neighborhood, whom I was certain was observing my lack of parenting skills, "Go ahead, momma. Take Harold away. Just do it!" Wait! Why didn't that work? Who changed the rules? I did NOT get the memo!

So, I did not write this post (only) to reap expressions of sympathy from you, my readers. The intent of this post is to be humorous. And honest. And, possibly, to act as a warning.

If, by chance, our paths cross in the coming weeks and my son is acting in a manner that could be qualified as shocking/unruly/disobedient/defiant/loud, etc. please do one of two things (a) ignore the situation as if the unfavorable actions are invisible to all except for an embarrassed/weary momma OR (b) give me a big friend-to-friend hug & whisper in my ear...this too shall pass.

Decorating for Christmas -- What Fun!

No emoticon required here; we'll just use a real-life image!

Can you sense the excitment? We decorated for Christmas this past week and it was the first year that Alexander really participated; last year he just kinda observed in awe of the sparkling tree & such. WoW! I am quite certain that the number of times I said the phrase, "Please. Don't touch! No! Look with your eyes!" could not be counted on one hand...or two...or even adding in my toes!

hanging his ornamanet from g&g --

so excited that it has his name on it

helping daddy with the lights OR...(more likely)

testing the stability of the tree from down below

Here are a couple of shots of Xander and Blake playing around as Alexander giggled and, of course, drooled. Seriously, the amount of liquid discharge this kid can generate between giggling, sneezing and crying has got to be applicable for the record books! :)

Fashion-Forward Footwear

I got a new pair of slippers.

Alexander thinks they are the coolest cowboy boots EVER!