Tickled Pink and Little Boy Blues

So, here are all the gifts little Miss Cole has already received... One of the benefits that my third is a different gender because otherwise, a third would have no where near this many gifts while still in the womb...

We are thrilled to be having a little girl.  It is really hard to imagine since we have had boys for 5 years and have pretty much got the little boy thing down.  You know, rough house, loud dance music, smelly bathrooms no matter how often you clean, trucks, dirt, balls, bruises, scrapes and cars.

Landon has said, "I am going to love my baby sister, but I am not sure Connor will..."
Connor wants to kiss my tummy all the time and often lifts his shirt to tell me that his baby sister is in his tummy.

We are getting ready to put the boys in the same room in a bunk bed.  Because Connor Douglas is an early bird, I am kinda putting this off...He likes to get up at say, 6:00- if we are lucky.  Though I must say, he did sleep until 7:15 one morning this week which was nothing short of a miracle.

We are certainly starting to gear up for this little lady, as I am over half way through this pregnancy.  I can hardly believe it.  I am loving this time and cannot believe how quickly it is passing.

Here are Stan and I about a month ago at a fundraiser for Staff of Hope.  This is one of my first belly pictures. :) I was about 16 weeks.

We have been having a blast with our boys lately.  We got our annual mulch pile delivered by dump truck into our driveway.  The mulch sat a little longer than usual this year as we waiting through some rainy weekends as well as some lost weekends to work...

Clearly Connorbug loved every minute of it and was often seen with his gardening tool in hand...Getting him to keep the mulch from the driveway was nearly impossibly.

 Landon, an old pro, had his digger in hand as well as his confidence built as he conquered the pile, standing on top like the king of the mountain.

I have also really been enjoying my Tuesdays with the boys.  I have tried to keep Tuesdays sacred, for me and the boys in the morning and we will often have some sort of playdate in the afternoon.  I treasure this time - even though they fight- esp. as I reflect on Landon heading to Kindergarten in the fall.  In the picture above, Landon was teaching Connor to climb this structure and was so encouraging. Nice for a change, since he is often yelling at his brother.

Speaking of them fighting and those battles...WOW.  Things have been rough in that area, causing some "little boys blues" for mommy.  It takes one of them simply walking into the other's presence and - it is on.  I have tried everything...the latest is separating them, no matter who starts it one of them goes to their room and we switch off.  I have also instituted a "nice talk quarter jar" for Landon.  Every time I hear him say something nice to his brother, he gets a quarter and every time I can run upstairs and do something like put a load of laundry in the wash without hearing screaming, Landon gets a quarter.  This has really helped...which helps me to see who the instigator is the majority of the time...
  

Not this face, you say...  Oh yes, this sweet little face.  I love this little boy madly.  And there are no BUTS about it.  I will say, he is very spirited and is certainly challenging me.  I often have to pray about my parenting when it comes to Landon, but I truly believe that God placed him in my care for a special reason and I am up for the task.  Parenting books, advice from those with greater experience than me and a whole lot of prayer and love and we are doing our very best.  I do believe that his tenacity will take him very far in life, I mean, again, look at that face!  I am so thankful to have Stan to share in the journey of parenthood.  Lord knows we need each other when this sweet little face "gets a going".

Brothers, enjoying the morning with mommy...we love making animal noises while swinging on the swings.

Now this is "Lewis" the squirrel.  My dad tells the boys stories about a squirrel named Lewis.  Whenever we go to the park, we always see "Lewis" and sometimes his friends, "Bob" and "Fred".  This particular day at the park, "Lewis" was enjoying one of our peanut butter sandwiches.  I cannot believe it.  The boys were laughing so hard at this squirrel, just chowing down on their sandwich...of course they wanted to throw all of their food to him but I convinced them that they had bigger tummies and thus needed the food more. :)  This day is known as the day "Lewis" had a picnic with us.

Landon has enjoyed some special time with friends.  I love how social and outgoing he is.  He can really make any child comfortable and just brings them in on his play.
 

Thankfully, he is a good sport when they give him back what he gives first!!!

This was taken on another Tuesday.  We went to Marbles Museum and the boys had a blast racing race cars that we made.  We must have played at this one exhibit for at least an hour.

Landon was very serious about having a car that was faster than his brothers...

The boys also loved the bank teller type ball propellers and competed against one another, of course.

Another Tuesday, we spent time with our dear friends, Janise, Sophia and Emelia.  We made a spring food craft- little birds nest cookies. The boys (and girls) had a blast!

Putting them together.

Landon smiling for the camera but not wanting to take his eyes off his birdies...

Janise, Sophia and Emelia enjoying food craft day!

Landon and his little birdies, so proud!

Connor did more eating than creating, but hey, what is being a kid all about?  :)

Our best group pose...

We also enjoyed a picnic outside and I am not quite sure why Connor didn't want to take his helmet off...

Landon really enjoyed his bird nest cookies!

Well, there is an update.  I feel bad as I am about at a once a month pace right now.  I have been really trying to adapt to my new job which does have me working at home more than I have in the past which cuts out a lot of my downtime- since I really don't have that much.  It is going really well, though and I really love working with a supportive group.  Our van is in the shop and we are patiently waiting the final verdict on whether or not it is totaled.  It has been one "monkey mess" getting things sorted out and trying to keep daily life moving in the process.  We have had some great weekends with Mommom and Pop and I will make sure to post on our latest cabin trip soon.  We still have Friday morning playgroup and about tri-weekly outdoor play with our wonderful neighbors.  We are surrounded by an amazing network of friends and family and I always say it, but what a blessing that bares repeating.

Hope you enjoyed!

Easter 2012

It's been a while since I posted...Things have been nuts! I have been trying to get adjusted to a new schedule at work, we have been putting out mulch and trying to keep up with our yard, Landon has had his Kindergarten Observation, we found out we are having a GIRL!, I was rear-ended in our mini-van and we are waiting to hear whether our van was totaled or not, the boys have been especially good at antagonizing one another and Stan had an on-call weekend where he literally worked ALL weekend. Whew....now I don't feel so bad about not posting.

Because of the significance of Easter, I decided to make a post happen today. It also helps me to unwind and reflect on the blessings in my life. Our boys are growing up so fast, it is harder to believe by the day. Our Lord, Jesus Christ rose from the dead on Easter Day and what a reminder of the gift we have in and through HIM as I count my blessings...

The boys and I enjoyed an annual tradition with our dear neighbors. We made bunny cakes with JD and Anna. Obviously, the boys had a blast!

I am blessed with these two precious little fellas.

I am blessed to have such spectacular neighbors who journey through this life with Stan and I as fellow parents trying to instill Christian values in our precious little ones.

YUMMY!

Speaking of spectacular neighbors...we also had our annual Resurrection Easter Egg hung which Sarah led. This Easter egg hunt teaches the kids all about Christ's resurrection through symbols and passages from the Scripture. What a blessing to be able to share in our kids' faith journeys and spiritual development.

Connorbug was a little grumpy after nap time, so he got some good snuggle time in with his daddy-o (another huge blessing in my life!).

After the Resurrection Easter egg hunt, we had a candy filled hunt. Connor and Lily we are two as two can be- which totally brought Connor around!! He loves playing with Lily and Anna.

Landon getting ready to grab an egg!

Connor and Lily stopping to devour ALL of their candy. :) Good thing two year olds don't have a long attention span and therefore do not even get many eggs before their curiosity of the contents takes over.

Happy Hunter!

Easter Morning! Connor's big gift was a batcave for batman! I opted out of more candy and chocolate this year and got this entertaining toy- which unfortunately brought Landon to tears when he first saw it, saying..."That is my favorite..." as he pushed his marble set aside...

Connor loved opening his eggs and enjoying candy corns...yes, I still had some from Halloween. I figured, it's just sugar, won't matter it's 5 months old!! The boys thought it was so cool!

Landon was super pleased about his sports eggs.

Landon's marble set finally made the grade. Landon decided it was cool, after all...

Landon also left his cross necklace that he got at church out for the Easter Bunny this year. He said he wanted the Easter Bunny to know the real meaning of Easter. I tell you...that boy may just grow up to be a minister or something. That is a true blessing right there, having your five year old be so mature for his age in his faith. I catch him evangelizing to his little friends all the time. I love it, he has no shame about his belief in Jesus and wants to share him with everyone. The childlike faith is truly something to behold and challenge me as an adult.

Our annual family picture by the cross at our church, another huge blessing in our lives. We are so very grateful for the love and support of our wonderful church family. It is hard to put into words how very blessed we are, especially when we didn't even mention the wonderful family and friends who also surround and support us!!

Happy Easter and take a minute to reflect on your blessings. It brightens my mood every single time, hopefully it will yours too.

No Regrets

I read my devotional for today which is from a book called, Jesus Calling. It is written as if Jesus were talking directly to you. "Though I pour out my blessings upon you always, some of my richest blessings have to be actively sought." This phrase really struck me. It is so true. Jesus blesses me daily in such BIG ways but how I chose to enjoy and treat those blessings really is up to me.

I thought about this in light of being a mom. I have been given two healthy, active, precious little boys to take care of and one growing inside me. These gifts are precious in and of themselves, but how I chose to treat and enjoy them really is up to me...

I have often fought the mommy battle of work/life balance, time with children, time with husband, time with self (what?). It is when I DO actually actively seek ways to enjoy my boys where my richest times as a mom have been found. It is not in the "voices of the world that are a cacophony of chaos, pulling me this way and that". I am choosing to have no regrets, to enjoy my boys and to laugh at the times when I find a snot trail on my black sweater while giving a presentation, a mess in the floor from a 2 year old trying his best to change his own diaper, a less than perfect house, the liberal application of the 5 second rule which can turn into a 10 second rule, less sleep, less time for me and feeling a little frayed from time to time. Let my role as a mother be ACTIVE.

Connor enjoying molasses, butter and biscuits!

Connor having his treatment with Garfield.

Tub fun with paint!

Looking very serious about this tub art!

If you can't see it, Connor has an S on his belly, he is pretending to be Superman!

Brothers...

My boys getting ready for pajama play day!

A precious moment, caught.

A forever memorable trip to Franklin Street to visit mommy's Alma mater. So special to me. I absolutely adore this picture.

The boys posing on Franklin Street.

Yummy, they now have Sweet FROG Yogurt!!

Me and my little Tarheels!

Taking time out to take Connor to the park for some mommy and me time. Look at that face!

What a climber, and has been since day 1!

I adore this picture. That smile says it all. Active involvement in these precious children are the richest blessings of all. Thanks be to God for the insight today and the gift of Landon, Connor and baby Cole and of course, Daddy Stan.

Bringing up my boys

I have recently started reading James Dobson's Bringing Up Boys again. What a wonderful read for a boy mom. I am not sure why, but the "boyness" of my boys has recently been taken to a new level. As you can see in the picture below, the apple "don't fall too far from the tree".

I often find my three boys shirts off dancing, doing push ups, running, playing, laughing. Stan is such a wonderful daddy and Landon and Connor just eat their time with him up. They love to mimic him...

And they have to equally do so...

Boys are great, they are fun, wild, entertaining, hilarious, loving, tenderhearted and always ready to GO. They also can have trouble relating to their moms...

The book suggests that the way boys identify with their own gender is to push their mom away. I do feel that at times, especially from Landon. It is not necessarily rude or mean, just a preference for his dad and it has lately seemed that he has more fun with Stan. (sad face)

I am learning how to be a boy mom, more and more daily. I tell you what, it will work on your patience as well as your "nervousness". I have had to let go of not letting them play with swords as Landon's one wish from the circus that we took him to for his birthday was a play sword... Stan eyed me and said, "Honey, he is a boy and there are worse things..." yes, Stan, thanks for the balance, but he is still my little "innocent" baby.

I have had to let go of worrying about dings in the floor, scratches on the walls, pen marks on my table, leaves pulled off my plants, broken little angel figurines, what the person at the store thinks of my little wild ones.

I have learned to listen carefully when Landon describes his drawings which often include some type of bomb (WHAT?) or dead person or something else disturbing...and make it a teachable moment.

I have learned that we will be talking about male body parts - and must do so with discretion and proper education and in appropriate settings...

I have learned that when any boy goes to the bathroom, it splatters.

I have learned how to find the best worms and pick them up (with gloves).

I have learned that boys don't like to write nearly as much as their girl peers!

I have learned that boys are really loud and need to be outside as much as possible.

I have learned that testosterone is very powerful. Wow. It works to my advantage when having a race to see who can clean up the most toys...

I have learned how very special a little boy's look at his mommy can be, how valuable a good relationship with my boys is- for their present and future way of relating to women.

What a big job, raising boys!! And, I might have another one! :) Bring it on, I am delighted to have the privilege of bringing up boys, I only pray that I might do so in a way that honors God and teaches them to do the same.

Now, on to reign in my boy who has been "going to the potty" for the last 20 minutes!!!

Our Valentine's Day

This year Stan and I celebrated our Valentine's Day on Friday February 10th. We went to Il Palio at the Sienna Hotel in Chapel Hill. We had a really nice time and actually got to talk for 2 solid hours...something unheard of in the house of two little boys...

I decided on Valentine's night, I would make a meal of my family's favorites. I made ravioli, roasted broccoli and bread and got yummy cupcakes with tons of icing for dessert. Stan got me the beautiful roses and I added the touch of the heart shaped straws and Valentine's plates.

This is Landon, waiting for Daddy to get home to eat our Valentine's meal. What a great smile...

This is Landon again....trying to kill time here as Daddy was running late...

Now both boys are at the table, Daddy still unable to get out of work, so we decided to go ahead and eat.

So, my Valentine's Day Dream of a delicious meal with my 3 boys followed by yummy cupcakes was not so. I realized all too quickly that even in the midst of laying those "best plans", life just "don't" work like that.

Stan got stuck at work until 7:00, the boys would not touch their lovingly prepared favorite meal, no cupcakes were had as a result and Stan and I ended up not even being able to spend any time alone together after having a rough evening of defiant young boys who did not want to cooperate, get in the bath and to bed in a "loving, Valentine's Day" fashion.

Life is a lot like this. And, despite my disappointment, I realize that even in times like these, God is with me, molding me and helping me to build my own character as well as my little boys. Though Valentine's Day didn't turn out like my imagination had planned, my real every day life is certainly very blessed and filled with more love than I could have ever hoped for. This Valentine's Day, I was reminded of the goodness of God in this life of unpredictability and disappointment. He never disappoints, always has our best in mind and blows even our most elaborate dreams out of the water with his plans that are so much better than ours.

What more could I hope for when I have precious faces like this to remind me of God's love every day...not just on one played up secular holiday.

Broken Wing

Yes, this is just one example of many of what it is like to have small breakable treasures in a home with two little boys.

As I looked at this angel's broken wing, I just felt sad. Landon said, "But mommy, you can fix it, you can use the super glue..." Can you tell we have done that before? It seems that the majority of the things that I still have up in my house that are breakable are little angel statues. I love the willow creek angels and have a small collection- many of which have been glued back together on one or many occasions.

This angel is a little different. It had a place of honor on my piano between pictures of my boys and up high so it could not be touched. Alas, it became the tragedy of a thrown ball, it's wing still behind the piano which is too heavy for me to move by myself.

It made me think a little about the broken wing I have in my life. I think about all of the wonderful blessings I have and there are many. I think about the idea of "Running with Plan B", an article that I suggest you read if you haven't. Most of us do end up going down plan b, c, d, e, and so on. I feel like as far as my family is concerned, I am one of the really blessed ones...I am still on Plan A with that area of my life. I have a wonderful loving husband and two precious little joys.

Where does Plan B and my broken wing come into play? Well, it is my inability to find a good fit for a job. I love my career. I feel called to my profession. I always have. I feel like it is a ministry, I mean, I have been able to pray with patients who have been on the verge of major crisis and loss. I feel like God has used me in my career more so than many other areas of my life...except in my role as a mom.

Why do I feel this is my "broken wing"? It is almost as though I cannot fly without it. It feels as though I am not complete. It feels just wrong not to practice this role God has called me to. But, in the past 6 years, I have encountered many immoral, unjust, illegal and utterly despicable things in the workplace. I have chosen not to stay in such situations and now find myself once again in a situation that is sucking the life out of me. It leads me to wonder, is this door closing in my life for now? Can I find a way to fly with this broken wing and allow God to "carry me under the shadow of his wings" that are far more secure and steady than my own? (Psalm 17:8)

And onto that little exception...reflection on how God uses me as a mom is humbling. There are so many moments that I almost have counted as insignificant. Landon asks me one last question at night, "Mommy, You know I have Jesus in my heart, right?" At first, I was almost wondering if I heard him correctly. I did. Landon has been talking about Jesus a lot lately and is very clear about what it means to have Jesus in his heart, he talks very openly about the crucifixion and resurrection and loves to read about Jesus in the bible. He also openly talks to his friends about God. This is not to my credit...however, God has used Stan and I to speak to Landon. That is such an incredible gift to know that God used us for our first child's salvation. Talk about God using you for good...

There are other moments, like when my two year old comes running up to me with the brightest eyes in the room, saying, "Mommy, look at me, I am big boy!" after accomplishing some newly discovered skill. My presence is very significant. My encouragement and acknowledgement of his accomplishment give him confidence and security, two of the most important building blocks a child can have.

There are the fights I break up and talk about feelings and why we don't hurt others. There are moments when I pull Landon aside to help him take notice of another child's feelings. There are times of discipline, many of these, which are so hard, but instrumental in building men of strong character.

So, is my wing really broken? Or is it being bound for a time so that I can rest in the shelter of God's wings and allow him to carry me, to show me how to live out his plan in my number one role as a mother, and as a wife. I don't know. But, I do know that I want God's best for me and appreciate your prayers.