I'm OK

This past week has been full of challenges, including a stomach bug, Stan being on call leaving me with both boys until after bedtime, a little bit of a "low" week for me and some other odds and ends. I decided that I would write today about why I am OK and why "I like me just the way I am."

I'm OK

• With Landon watching TV


• With Landon eating donuts


• With Landon wearing Buzz Light Year shirts everyday


• With Landon not being fully potty trained


• With a less than clean house and dust bunnies in plain view while I BLOG


• With letting my baby sleep in my arms


• With the fact that I am too busy to read about what to do when I miss the certain pill that I am on


• With having a glass of wine here and there


• With less than a "sleep routine" with my Connor


• With my style of parenting


• With me as a mom


• With not making my own baby food


• With working part time


• With admitting that I need help with this parenting thing


• With less than perfection


• With my faults


• With my car


• With my postpartum body


• With staying up late to exercise


• With taking time to smell the roses, letting Connor sleep in my arms, Landon sit on my lap and tell stories and talk with Stan on a regular basis while leaving some other things that I used to do undone


• With my boys not napping at the same time


• With driving an hour to work
• With being late most places I go now
• With me

And you know why? See the video below...

Landon, Mommy and Nanny Therapy

What sweet precious boys I have. What a dear sweet mother-in-law I have. I was able to capture these photos- and give a lot of credit to Kay and I for actually getting everyone to look- smiling is next! :) We four have so much fun together and today was no exception.

Today Kay rescued us from a rainy day cooped up inside! We surprised Landon and took the boys to Chuck E. Cheese. I could tell this morning was one of those mornings where we really needed to get out. Landon was basically bouncing off the walls! Off to Chuck E. Cheese we went!

Landon and Kay playing the fish game. Landon was of course thrilled that it looks like Nemo and kept challenging Kay, " I got another one! And another one!"

As a prize from the owner for eating a great lunch (which we are all, in fact, thrilled about), Landon got to taste his first cotton candy. Needless to say, it was a huge hit!

Ski ball as always- such a treat. I think Nanny had the most fun on this one and actually made it into the 10,000 slot at least once! We ended up with 200 tickets! (give or take a few since I think the owner fudged a little again- because Landon was stealing the show with his charm).

Connor loved to watch. I am sure he will be thrilled when it is his turn! He is just SO easy going. He is absolutely the perfect 2nd child. We can basically take him anywhere...as long as mommy is there! :) He is attached to me and my hip and I don't mind a bit!

We also had a blast over the weekend playing in our pool. Landon's friend Porter was over and the boys just laughed and splashed and jumped around...we parents had a great time watching them and trying to dodge the freezing cold water. Stan actually added several gallons of hot water to the pool in an effort to warm up the water. The boys didn't mind...but mommy and Connor stayed out under the shade. :)

Connor was happy to sit under the umbrella and talk to me while I tried to start a little tan on my legs...whoooh. Long way to go on that one!

In other events of the week...Connor found his reflection quite entertaining. :) I love watching babies look at themselves and just laugh and laugh.

Connor got his first bath without a sit up tub and loved it. He was in there with this guy who had mixed feelings...I had to include this face because it is his classic whiny face. He will kill me for this one day!

See- mixed feelings. He was obviously happy to have his brother in the bath tub here. I just love this picture. Brothers. It is only the beginning of what I pray will be a beautiful relationship. What genuine smiles. A pure joy to watch.

Happy Mother's Day

We had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend, complete with a Cole celebration on Friday night and a Frey celebration on Sunday afternoon. We were busy taking care of kiddos and trying to get dinner on Friday night, so no pictures were taken...boo. But I decided to include this recent picture of Nanny and Landon in honor of Mother's Day. Kay is just the best Mother-in-law in the world and loves our kids immensely. Landon's favorite playmate is Nanny and when she is around, everyone plays second fiddle!

Then there is Mom-mom, another Landon favorite! He learned to shuck corn with her this weekend. Mom-mom teaches Landon all kinds of fun things, especially having to do with gardening and outdoor life (feeding squirrels, birds, etc.). Mom-mom made a special trip to see Landon and Connor and got this great porch time with Connor too. :)

I had a lovely Mother's Day. We went to church and enjoyed a wonderful sermon about women. I made it just in time for the sermon b/c my little Connor has been sick. I let him finish his nap, had to give him a breathing treatment, then we met up with Stan and Landon who were already at church. We came home, ate some leftover grilled hot dogs with chili and prepared for the Freys. Mom, dad, Karen and Marc and Zaiya came over and we enjoyed grilled chicken, corn and fresh cantaloupe and rolls. It was a beautiful day that ended with us taking the boys the the park followed by bedtime then Stan and I worked out.

It was a beautiful Mother's Day and my husband was wonderful. He asked me what I wanted to do, bought a beautiful card and let me pick out beautiful flowers for our front porch. We spent some good quality time together and began talking a lot about our boys and being parents. I have started reading a book called, "Bringing Up Boys" by James Dobson. It has given me a lot of insight into the things that drive little boys and men for that matter. I see it as a huge responsibility to raise men and want to do the very best that I can.

I have recently started to develop a much more protective nature when it comes to my boys. It is not like it wasn't there before, but I think as kids get older, other moms and people in general, tend to feel more at liberty to chime in about your children. My friend, Virginia, calls it the "mommy mofia". I am so thankful to have the friends that I do who can listen and support me through the rough spots of parenting, while every moment encouraging me and also speaking positively about my boys. My boys are the most precious thing in the world to me (along with Stan and second only to Jesus).

I told Stan, I have recently felt like saying, "Get off of my kid!" I know it sounds crazy, but there are little subtleties that can really hurt my feelings and nothing more tender is the heart of a mommy. Yes, my Landon is strong-willed...but boy is he bright, boy is he tender-hearted, boy is he a laugh a minute. I wouldn't change a thing about him. Maybe he isn't yet potty trained for poop, but I am sure he won't go to Kindergarten pooping in his diaper. And while we are waiting for that glorious day when he decides to go in the potty, I don't want to shame him in the process.

Mothering is hard work. I wouldn't trade it for the world. I am so grateful for my Landon and my Connor. Both are God's unique gifts to me, the ONE person who was chosen out of everyone else in this whole world to be their mother. I am honored. I am so blessed. I pray that I will be the kind of mother who makes my boys proud.

That Little Boy of Mine

Two eyes that shine so bright,

Two lips that kiss goodnight,

Two arms that hold me tight,

That little boy of mine.

No one could ever know how much your coming has meant.

Because I love you so, you're something heaven has sent.

You're all the world to me.

you climb upon my knee.

To me you'll always be,

That little boy of mine.

-Grace Wolgemuth

Cole Boys and Cousins

This week Tahti came over for the day on Wednesday and I got some special time with baby Zaiya and Connor. It was quite amusing to see my "monster baby" beside little Zaiya. They are three months apart but WOW the difference. Poor Zaiya was NOT pleased. Connor was so interested in Zaiya and wanted to touch him. You can see Zaiya's reaction!

We had a nice week complete with a second visit with little Zaiya. Karen and Marc went to a benefit for Haiti and we were the lucky recipients of baby Zaiya for the evening. He was a trooper- especially since we had our neighbors over that night and there were 2 six month olds, 1 two year old and 2 three year olds plus all of us crazy adults! He was so happy and I even got a little lesson from him in this picture. Too darn cute!

Landon, Connor and I made our debut voyage to the airport. I used to take Landon all the time and was a little intimidated with the two kiddos...but they did GREAT! Landon loved being there again and we had a little picnic lunch. Connor was just amazed at his big brother, as always. Connor just loves to watch Landon. Connor and I were entertained by Landon's original song about throwing away band aids and counting to 10 (all the while missing 4, 5, 6), his play by play of the planes landing and taking off and of course, his sweet little way of saying, "Silly Baby Connor."

It has been great seeing Landon adapt to baby Connor more and more, saying he loves his baby brother and wanting to include him in whatever it is that we are doing- though he did ask me to leave him here while we went to the airport. I have been really trying to spend even more special time with Landon which has been really fun. We were playing monster trucks tonight and he said, "Superman crashed him and he falled down. He was really sad." I am glad to know that his monster trucks have feelings and that he is able to recognize that crashing into things makes them sad. I tell you, "boy play" is just all out. That is the only way I can describe it. I think he broke a sweat playing monster trucks...I am actually not sure I didn't!

Hope you enjoy!