Ooh, La, La, Beauty Day

On Saturday, my middle child, turned 3 years old.  She is my only girl and I have enjoyed doing some girly things with her.  On the eve of her birthday, I was reminiscing about her birth. The labor was easier than the boys, and she was my easiest delivery.  Three pushes in 15 minutes and she was out.  So far, in a lot of ways, she's still my easiest child. If she falls, she gets right up. She'll often say she is "tough." But she'll be tough while running around the house in a tutu, carrying a purse, and wearing a string of (fake) pearls.  Gotta love it.

I decided to have a girl pampering day with my sweet Bug.  As one of her presents I bought her a Fancy Nancy book and we read about how Fancy Nancy pampered her mother with an Ooh, la, la, beauty day.  But before our pampering began, we went to church for the monthly church cleaning and cleaned God's house. The other volunteers were awfully sweet with wishing her a happy birthday, setting up a candle in a ring of donuts, and praying over her. She loved the extra attention, but was a little shy.

After church cleaning, we went to get her a haircut. She often complains when her hair falls in her eyes that she needs a haircut. I took her and had 3 inches cut from her long tresses, and yet, it's still long. My beautiful Rapunzelian beauty still has long hair, but still short enough that it won't fall her into her food as easily.  Daddy and Boogie met us at the barber and everyone else got a haircut except for Mr. Bananas and myself. We stood on the sidelines checking everyone else out.

After haircuts, we took the kids to a quick lunch across the street and spent a little time together. Especially important since we were going in different most of the day and boys wouldn't get to see us as we were continuing with our "Ooh, la, la, beauty day." After lunch,  Bug and I took off to get our nails done. She chose a dark purple and asked for white polka dots.  Everyone in the nail salon commented on the little girl getting her nails done.  Every now and again, Bug would say, "oooh, la, la."  It brought a smile to my face.  We even turned on her chair so that she could get a massage while waiting for her nails to dry. So much fun. After getting our nails done (mine are a matching purple with white polka dots), we headed home. My little girl had so much fun that she fell asleep in her car seat on the way home.

The evening ended with dinner at the kids' favorite restaurant, pinkalicious cupcakes & ice cream at home, and the opening of gifts.  You can tell my Bug is a girly girl when she gave a high pitched squeal of delight when she opened one of her gifts and found Princess Tina glove, purse, and a pearl necklace for her play dress up clothes.  We rounded out the play clothes with a few books and a new piggy banks.  My mom gave her a very cute purple polka dot dress, complete with fancy purple boots. She actually flung the clothe out of the bag to get to the purple boots with another squeal of delight. What can I say? She's LOVES shoes, just like her mama.

It was a delightful day and I had so much fun spending time with my best girl.  Ooh, la, la!

Buggy's Birth Day

Buggy's 1st Birthday!

2nd birthday

Buggy's 3rd Pinkalicious birthday

Rainy Days

It seems like it has been raining every Wednesday or more often than I would like.  The little kids and I walk Boogie to school every morning. The walks to school are usually a little stressful because I'm trying to get Boogie to school on time, but the walk back to the house is usually a lot more mellow.  I like that we can walk to school and I simply cannot justify driving Boogs to school since we are a 10-15 minute walk from the school.  So even if it's raining, we'll walk to school. I zip the baby inside my jacket with his head sticking out, and have the big kids put on waterproof/resistant jackets.

However, my jacket is okayish. If I insist on walking in the rain, I really need to invest in a good rain jacket.

Here are a few cute rainy day pictures taken by Hubby:

Boogie with his umbrella

Ladybug with all of her raingear

This ladybug LOVES the rain. 

A "Blue"tiful Girl

Ever have one of those "Oh, Crap!" moments?  I totally did on Saturday.

My dear friend A. asked if I would watch her daughter last Saturday so that she could finish finish painting her new home so that they could move in by the end of the month. I readily agreed. C. is Bug's age and they get along well.  They like to play with each other. C. also LOVES Mr. Bananas and wants to spend time with him.

The day went pretty smoothly until naptime. I completely forgot that Hubby our craft rolling drawers in the guest room filled with stamp pads, markers, paints, glue, etc.  It had been in the garage for years. Hubby moved it into the foyer where it sat for a couple of weeks until he finally put it in the guest room.  The whole time that it sat in the foyer, my kids never touched it. If they knew what was in it, they probably would have.  But it became a fixture in the front hall for so long that my kids were never interested.

At nap time, C. and Bug went to their respective rooms fairly easily. I thought, this is great, "Easy, peasy."  Having had little sleep the night before, Hubby encouraged me to grab a quick nap while the girls and Mr. Bananas were napping.  He stayed up with Boogs.  I woke up hearing C. say, "Hello? I'm ready to come out. Can someone let me out?"  I went to the guest room and was greeted with this "blue"tiful face:

Auditioning to be a smurf

HOLY CRAP!  was my first thought. My second thought was, "Your mommy is never, ever going to let you come over again." My third thought was, "What did you do?????"  

Her hair is very smurfy.

Poor C. found a blue stamp pad and put it on like makeup all over her face and hair. There is a full length mirror on the door so she definitely knew what she looked like.  When she saw my face I think she realized that this was not a good idea.  She started to whimper a little when I said, "Oh, C! What did you do?" I definitely did not raise my voice, it was just this hushed awed whisper and I think she thought that was a little worse.

We put her in the bath and the water turned oh so, so, soooo blue.  We were able to get most of it out of her hair and face. She ended up looking like she was wearing blue eye shadow by the time I was done washing her face.  There is still a blue ring around the tub. I have to say, she was a pretty good sport considering she had to have an impromptu bath.  Most of the blue came out of her clothes, rug, walls, comforter, tv, file cabinets, desk, and chair.  whew :)

Her mommy still likes me and says that "yes, C. can come over again. " But I was mortified that while in my care, this little darling became a Smurf.  I'm grateful for forgiving friends who have a sense of humor.  

I love you, Smurfette!

Mr. Bananas' 7th and 8th months

Mr. Bananas at 7 months

Our sweet baby turned 7 months old last month and our life has been so crazy that I never got a chance to update his life.  So here is the lowdown on his 7th month:

--said "Mama" for the first time at 7 months.
--still below weight and is at the 4th percentile
--doctor still wants me to feed him as much as possible (as if I'm not already)
--is sleeping through the night. Marc Weissbluth's book on sleep habits was the best $9.99 I spent on Amazon.
--not only is he sleeping better, but in my opinion he is eating better.  I still have to avoid dairy, but it appears if I avoid straight dairy, he's definitely fine. If I consume products that have dairy in them (crackers, breads, etc), he's okayish. Not great, but not horrible.
--He refuses to nap while we are out, but will readily go down when he's supposed to if we are at home.
--I swear his favorite time of day is when we walk Boogie to school. Especially if he's in the stroller. I never hear a peep from him. It also makes him tired and he's ready for a nap when we get back from our walk.
--His brother and sister still adore him and are willing to give him a toy when he's sitting near them on the floor.
--If he's fussing at a meal time, he will stop long enough so that we can say grace.
--He loves when we sing.

8 months

Our sweet baby turned 8 months old yesterday.  He is such a happy baby. It helps that he is sleeping through the night now, and he is taking regular naps. Sometimes we cannot get in our required 2 naps a day, but if he gets in at least one, he still does pretty well. But the biggest difference is his ability to sleep through the night.  The day after he turned 7 months old, he grew in his two bottom teeth.  He also started shaking his head "no." He smiles when he does it. I think he just likes the new perspective of shaking his head around.  He is desperately trying to crawl, but he can't.  He lies with his belly on the floor and move all of his limbs. When he realizes he is not going anywhere, he starts to yell.  Recently I have found him in a pike position or maybe it's downward dog...He will also get up on all fours and start to rock. He's close, but not quite at the point to start moving anywhere.  He's eating table food now.  Soft fruits and veggies. Hubby is still putting olive oil in all of his baby food as prescribed by the doctor to help Baby add weight.  I think it's gross, but I think it's working. He feels heavier.  Life is a lot more pleasant. I think it helps that I'm getting a full night's sleep most nights. The nights I don't are attributed to my soon-to-be 3 year old getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. She's close to nighttime dryness...but I think I would rather have the sleep. HA!

All is well and I look forward to what the future holds.  Mr. Bananas continues to be a big flirt and will happily smile, giggle, shake his head "no," or bat his eyelashes at you. However, I think my absolute favorite thing right now is when someone speaks to him and if I'm holding him, he'll smile at them and then snuggle his head into my neck. LOVE!

His "Lorelai Gilmore"

J. and Z. during the naming ceremony

Last month I attended the baby naming ceremony for my best friend's third baby/first son.  I love the baby naming ceremony because I hear the background and reasons why they chose the name that they did for their child.  I love the history behind each one. With each baby naming, J. & J. never reveal the spiritual mentor/godparent for their child until the naming ceremony.

This time around, I was chosen and I was beyond touched by the sentiment, love, and trust that they had for me to be Z.'s Godmother. I had tears in my eyes when I heard my name. I already knew that I loved this little guy before he was even born, but now there will be a stronger bond between us.  He was already designated to be Mr. Bananas' best friend.

As J. said after the ceremony, I am now forever tied to their family. That's a pretty good place to be.

The baby naming ceremonies always reminds of the episode of Gilmore Girls where Lane asks her best friend Rory to be the "Lorelai Gilmore" for her sons. Lane asks Rory to be there for her sons, to be there for them just like Rory's mom (Lorelai Gilmore) was there for her during her growing up years.  To be the other mom to guide the kids when the kids don't want to hear what their mom has to say.  So while my official title is Spiritual Mentor/Godmother...I'd like to think of myself as Z.'s "Lorelai Gilmore."

J., thank you for including me in the beautiful ceremony and for entrusting me with your first son. As I told you during your pregnancy, before he was born I already loved him.

Baby Z., you will forever be a part of our family because of our bond. I will be there for you and love you. I am honored to be your Lorelai Gilmore. xoxo

Whirlwind Life

I haven't had two minutes to sit down, much less two minutes to write. I'm feeling like I'm missing a limb, when I don't write. I have so much swirling in my head and I'm constantly "writing" posts in my head, but have not had the time to write anything down.

So much has gone on that I can't cover it all in one post.  Since my last post, Mr. Bananas has turned 7 months old. (It's been so long since I've written that he'll be 8 months this week!), I've been running around with the Asian Invasion applying for jobs and going to interviews, I've been blessed to be have been designated the Godmother for my BFF's first son, celebrated at a friend's wedding, and finally joined the rest of the world in getting a Smartphone (coming on FRIDAY!).  I know there is so much more and I'll have to go through pictures to remember what's been going on with my life.

I have so much to share and I will, soon. I promise. I have pictures to post and celebrations to share.  Life is very much a whirlwind. There are days where I am so tired that I've been falling asleep in my dinner, but at the same time, feeling that I'm finally accomplishing some things that have been on my to-do list.

Take care and hope to catch up soon!

Godfather & Godson

I love this picture of Mr. Bananas with his Godfather.  It was taken on Labor day when we celebrated family birthdays.

I love that my brother-in-law takes a special interest in his Godson and spends time with him whenever we get together. Our family is so large that I think it can be easy to get lost in the shuffle during family gatherings, but I don't think that will ever happen to Mr. Bananas. His Godfather always makes the time to scoop him up and spend time with him

I know that my BIL will continue to be there for Mr. B. throughout his life.  When Hubby and I choose the Godparents for our children, we want to know that they are willing and able to pray and be there for our children.  If this picture is any indication, then we know that J. was the perfect choice for Mr. B. He will be there to celebrate and rejoice with Mr. Bananas as he celebrates each spiritual milestone.  I'm also confident that he will be there to answer the inevitable questions that will come up as Mr. Bananas tries to figure out where he stands in his spirituality.  There will be times that our parental answers will not be enough, and our children will want to seek them out on their own. My hope and prayer is that the Godparents we chose for our children will be able to advise our children when they need or want someone other than Mom and Dad.

As a side note, another reason this picture is special?  A year before this picture was taken, I was told that I might be losing this baby. My brother in law and sister in law (Mr. B's Godparents) stopped what they were doing when I texted them and they took the time to pray for their future (though not known then) Godson. For that he is one very lucky baby.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

A Visit from the Tooth Fairy

Boogie's first lost teeth!

Boogie's first week of kindergarten ended with a bang. Boogie loved kindergarten and I loved all that he was learning. He came home with so much enthusiasm.  At the end of the first week, Boogie came home with two missing teeth and a letter to the tooth fairy from his teacher.

Boogie's front two bottom teeth had been very loose. They were ready to fall out and we bided our time.  The first one fell out sometime on Friday while he was in school. He gave it to a friend on the playground so that he could swing.  She promptly lost it. He proceeded to pluck the second one out of his mouth.  He was very upset that he lost the first one and didn't have it for the tooth fairy. He told his teacher who then wrote a note to the tooth fairy verifying that Boogs lost his tooth and then lost it on the playground.  He asked the tooth fairy to give him double the rate even though he only one to put under his pillow.

I did a quick Facebook survey trying to gauge how much the tooth fairy gave for missing teeth. It appears that the going rate was around five dollar. FIVE dollars!  There was no way that the tooth fairy was going to give up $10 for a couple of missing teeth. She was generous enough to leave a $2 bill for the first tooth and two $1 coins for the second tooth.

Boogs wanted us to take a picture of the tooth fairy and asked that Daddy and I dress up in animal snuggy-type blankets to keep watch.  We did catch a quick pic of the elusive fairy ;)

The Tooth Fairy!

Mommy dressed "incognito" with a lion blanket hoping to catch a picture of the tooth fairy.

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Kind. Smart. Important.

Two weeks ago a friend of mine and I went to see The Help.  If you haven't had a chance to see it yet, do so. It was a great movie.  The Help is the story of an aspiring author who decides to write a book from the African American Maid's point of view in the 1960's.  The characters were inspiring.  I appreciated their stories, their frustrations, their challenges, and their successes.

One of the things that struck me from the get go was what one of the maids (Aibileen) says to her little charge.  She started her morning routine with telling the little girl: "You are kind. You are smart. You are important."

Of all the messages shared by the movie, this is one that hit home.  (Again, it goes back to my love language of affirmation.)  But isn't Aibileen's message to Mae Mobley also a reflection of how "The Help" is viewed by their employers?  That They aren't smart or important? Isn't it interesting that Aibileen tells the little girl that she is kind first?  To be kind is the most important trait?

How often are we told something positive about us? How often do we share something positive about another person?  As a mother I want my children to know that I love and appreciate them. I want them to know that I'll always be there for them and that they are never a burden to me. Granted, there are days that I become frustrated and there are days that I wish I had a little "me" time. I think that's normal. There's never a day that I wish I was working.  But I know that if I was working outside the home, I would be wishing that I could be home with my kids every single day.

I decided to follow Aibileen's cue and tell my kids that they are "kind, smart, and important." I've also decided to add, "God loves you and so does Mommy and Daddy."  How's that for affirmation?

So Wanted

A year ago I was celebrating Labor Day with my side of the family when my husband and I made an unexpected trip to Urgent Care.  I was 3 1/2 months pregnant.  After being seen, I was told that I may very well lose the baby that I was carrying.  I was given the signs to look for in case of a miscarriage, placed on immediate bed rest,  and told to call my OB in the morning.  I was terrified. So was my husband. As we waited to be seen I had texted my prayer warriors. I knew that these ladies would do nothing but pray, send loving thoughts, and check in on me. Exactly what I needed.  They sent back lots of loving words while we waited.

I remember coming home and talking with my husband about how I was praying for grace to give in to God's calling.  If I was meant to have this baby, He would make it happen. If not, I prayed for the grace to let this baby go.  It was a difficult choice. I had wanted this baby so much before conception.  Having Bug made me realize that I could handle more children and I desperately wanted another one to round out our lives.

So as each day passed in my pregnancy, my husband and I rejoiced in another day closer to full-term.  It came to be that we were blessed with Mr. Bananas. I was also blessed with the love and support of family and friends who stuck by me 100% of the way. A year after I thought I was going to lose my precious baby I was taking him with me to celebrate the birthdays of our beloved extended family.  Praise God!

James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above...