Sharing Moments of Motherhood

 Posted by at 8:47 am  Family, Uncategorized  9 Responses »
Jan 312013
 

I’m linking up with Andrea from Good Girl Gone Redneck to Share Moments of Motherhood (MOM).

Here’s my list of You Know You’re a Mom When….

1. Running out of milk, cereal, coffee, wine or beer IS a legitimate emergency.

2. Dinner conversation about poop no longer grosses you out. In fact, you come to expect it.

3. You’ve ever said “Get off the dog, she is not a horse!”, “I know the dog licked you, but don’t lick the dog!”, “Get your butt off the kitchen table!”, or “Why aren’t you wearing any underwear?”

4. You give the food cool, exciting names to entice kids to eat it.  To this day, it’s not farfalle with mushroom alfredo sauce, it’s just “Batman noodles”.

5. You tell a complete stranger or stranger’s kid to “be careful” or hold out your hands just in case they fall.

6. You do a little dance or party like it’ s 1999 every time your kids eat the healthy food you served them for dinner.

7.  Symphony of Flatulence is not only our Rock Band name but the music of our life.

8.  The  number of cups of coffee needed is directly (or perhaps, exponentially) proportional to the number of kids you have.

9.  You claim you need to have some alone time or a date with your amazing husband, but as soon as you are away from the kids, you think about them, miss them and talk about them.

10. Despite the messy, sticky, smelly boys, you look at their shining, smiling faces and know you couldn’t possibly love them any more.

This is a fun link-up and I look forward to hearing what your moments of motherhood are.  Click on the button below to be taken to the blog to link-up.
How would you complete the phrase “You Know You’re A Mom When…”? Link up with Andrea at Good Girl Gone Redneck or add your thoughts in the comments below!  

 

Message to my Middle Child

 Posted by at 8:31 pm  Family, Photography, Uncategorized  1 Response »
May 092012
 

Originally posted, February 2011

I continue my messages to those I cherish for the month of February, today is dedicated to my middle child, codename: Superstar.

I always thought we’d have more than one child. I grew up an only child and always longed for a sibling.  Once we finally brought our first beautiful baby home, I never suspected it’d be so difficult to get pregnant again.  When my oldest was 2 years old, we started trying for baby #2 and after 2 and a half years of no success despite fertility drugs, I’d given up.  I switched jobs and resumed strong medicine I needed to treat my Rheumatoid Arthritis. I suppose I was not as stressed out, bam!…the next month I got pregnant with miracle baby #2.  

What a miracle baby he is…I work at a hospital and was feeling uncomfortable during my 38th week of pregnancy. At the end of my workday, I called my doctor since I didn’t feel comfortable driving myself 45 minutes home.  Since I was only a few days before my due date and going to deliver at the hospital where I work, they told me to go get checked out.  The doctor informed me I was having contractions (not feeling them though) and that I came into work and would be going home with my baby! How thoughtful of my baby to wait till the end of the workday and not have me race to the hospital while having contractions! My bag was in the car, my husband met me in the hospital, the doc broke my water and a few hours later my darling Superstar entered the world.  

Our oldest son is such an amazing and handsome little man, we didn’t think we’d get so lucky that lightning would strike twice…but alas, it did!  My middle child is such a darling, he inherited my curly hair and everyone loves his hair.  It defines him, his wild, untamed, adorable locks goes with his personality.  I used to twirl his hair when feeding him a bottle or getting him to sleep.  As a result, all these years later, whenever he drinks milk, especially when he’s tired, he’ll drink with one hand, and twirl his hair with the other.  He was a very happy and sweet baby, I never saw someone who would smile like that first thing in the morning…within 30 seconds of picking him up from his crib, he was grinning ear to ear at me…what a beautiful sight to wake up to!  He has the most beautiful brown eyes and has since learned how to manipulate us, just by giving us that lovable face…very hard to resist and discipline!

He is a very passionate child and puts that passion in everything he does.  He loves, hugs, kisses, tickles, plays and fights hard.  He’s rambunctious and sweet, tough and loving…with him, there is no middle ground, you know exactly what he feels when he feels it.  He is such a loving child and tells me at no prompting, “i love you sweetheart” or “you are beautiful mommy, like a princess!” He seems to know just when mommy could use some loving words.

Although I must admit the child is quite an actor. If he doesn’t want to do something, he’ll act like he’s crying..so much so that he will actually force a tear out.  But, if we start laughing, since we know he’s just acting, he’ll burst out into laughter too…then stop, trying to cry again, we laugh, he laughs…and on and on for a while.  He has the most contagious best laugh! I can’t help laugh when he laughs and those big, brown eyes just sparkle when he laughs. 

He’s had a tough couple of years…when he was about 1 I had foot surgery and the next year i got pregnant.  Mommy wasn’t able to dote on him and do as much for him so he bonded more with his daddy.  He had some rough moments and I was worried about how he would react to his baby brother.  From the minute we brought the baby home, our middle child was such a loving, big brother to him.  Superstar ;still stands next to the rocking chair and sings the baby “Rock a Bye Baby” when I feed the baby his night bottle and tells the baby “you’re such a cute baby.” 

He enjoys reading, watching cartoons and playing football. I love when he grabs the football, tucks it under his little arm and starts to run away from his older brother, laughing the whole time.  We may have a future football guy on our hands.  He’s got the belly and stockiness on his side to be able to push his way through the defensive line.  Too bad they don’t have football in our area for 3 year olds…although i’d be a basket case if he actually does pursue football.

I look forward to seeing this little man further develop his unique personality and interests. He is a sweetheart of a little boy and I think he’ll be able to accomplish anything he sets his determined, passionate mind to.

I love you sweet punkin.

Ode to My Oldest Child

 Posted by at 8:18 pm  Family, Photography  3 Responses »
May 092012
 

Originally posted February, 2011…

Ok so i’m no poet, i have trouble writing ideas simply..but since February is the month of love, I’m appreciating my loved ones and first, my oldest son.

I endured surgery and bedrest to carry my oldest son to term and I cherished every day of my pregnancy with him and the 70 pounds I gained!  The weight didn’t matter, I came home a new mom with the cutest little bundle of joy and we were in heaven from day one.  He was such an easy baby, in retrospect, he ate well, slept well, he loved to read and play and he loved his momma.  We were attached at the hip and he’d lovingly go to other friends and family who reached out their hands to him…but he’d always come back to me if I asked.  I remember when he was 6 months old, my Superhubby asked, “When will he come to ME?” I was so proud, little did I know when I stopped nursing a month later, the tables would turn and he’d become his dad’s little buddy.

To this day, they are two of a kind, they both have the same hobbies and my son thinks his daddy is the coolest…and who am I to argue with that?  I love the bond they share, no I’m not at all jealous, ok maybe just a little.  Yet through these past few years, my oldest has always been one of the sweetest and smartest kids I have had the pleasure of knowing, no not just because I am his mom.  He’s brought us and others to tears with his thoughtfulness, his caring for his friends and family and just his gentle nature.  I don’t know how he got to be so sweet, after all, my Superhubby reminds me I would chase, tickle and kiss that child mercilessly as The Kissing Monster and he would scream in pure terror. I guess he may have gotten taller, but he still screams when he runs.   He’s still as sweet as can be and has assured me that even when he’s 40 years old, he’ll still let me give him big hugs and kisses and even gave me permission to come to his work and sing him “Happy Birthday!”…don’t tempt me, I’ll hold you to it, little man!

He is smart as a whip too…ever since he was 6 months old he loved to read books. I distinctly remember the first book he read to me…it is called Brave Bear and it has the most beautifully simple painted pictures of simple conversation with this bear trying to climb a tree to help a baby bird.  I would read it to him everyday and he’d watch and listen closely, apparently absorbing every action I did and inflection in my voice as I read.  He was probably 20 months old and we took him to the beach…in the hotel room, he took out the book and read every page to me, word for word, action by action in the same baby talk version of the voice I used.  I couldn’t believe my eyes or ears, he had no idea what the words on the page said but he had memorized every page from us reading it to him.  He amazed me! He continues to amaze me with his love for reading and learning.  When he really wants to do something, he can do anything! He’s read more books in his childhood, then I can ever remember reading for pleasure and I hope his thirst for knowledge continues.

He’s become a big brother since then, of 2 adorably mischievous little people.  I hope they learn his kind nature from him…they beat up on him and he can be so patient with them, when he wants to.  Granted, they have their moments when it is not pure bliss but I could not ask for a better big brother. He reads to them, plays with them and loves to take care of them.  In fact, he used to read to me when I was pregnant with his first baby brother. He was only 5 at the time but he longed for the day he could hold the baby.  I’d pick him up from school, lie my exhausted body on the couch, and he’d read to me and the baby.  My oldest wanted to hold the baby as soon as he met him.  He sat on the chair, we put a pillow on his lap and the baby in his arms. He spoke tenderly and sweetly to the baby and the baby, who cried in anyone’s but mommy arms, immediately started cooing at the sound of his big brother’s voice…priceless.

So to the oldest of my pride and joys, I love you with all my heart my little man and I look forward to seeing the kind of great person I know you will be. I am so proud of you.

Some of his favorite books over the years (these are not affiliate links):

Brave Bear by Kathy Mallat
Are You Grumpy Santa?
Harry Potter series
I guess there are too many to link to….that’s why we go to the library!

Our Sweet Superstar

 Posted by at 8:09 pm  Family, Photography  2 Responses »
May 092012
 

Originally posted April, 2012….
Out of the gazillion pictures I take of our boys, once in a while I get a gem like this and just had to share in Click It Up a Notch’s March Photography Contest. 

We were playing one afternoon inside and Superstar loves to lie on the couch near the window.  Remembering the tips I learned on window lighting, I positioned myself in front of the window at an angle to Superstar and clicked away.

This is our sweet Superstar.  He melts our hearts with his gentle, loving eyes and as you can see…he knows it, and he’s working it.  He did this pose on his own, I just asked him to look at me.  Boy is Mommy in trouble! 

Click the button to get to Click it up a Notch’s website and great info on improving your photography.  

Click It Up A Notch

The Joy and Light in Their Eyes

 Posted by at 9:21 pm  Family, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Uncategorized  6 Responses »
Apr 252012
 

Originally posted March 14, 2012…I had my remicade infusion yesterday for my Rheumatoid Arthritis. The treatment wears me out but normally after some good rest, I am back in full swing the next day. However, today was very difficult for me, I could hardly walk at work, I wrote slowly, I even drove slowly! All my joints were stiff and painful, they would just not move. It gave me flashbacks to my low point before my diagnosis when I cried from the pain walking down the halls at work and an elderly coworker asked me if I was ok as she passed me.

I am usually attuned to what causes my RA to flare, but today I couldn’t pinpoint the reason. I came home from work and lied in bed for almost an hour until it was time to pick up the kids. I was feeling quite depressed and having a grand ‘ole pity party for one.

That is, until I drove up, parked in my handicapped spot outside Superstar’s classroom and saw this….

It may be a dark picture but you can see his bright white smile as he sees my car which is reflected in the window. Superstar’s genuine excitement to see me after a long, hard, painful day erased my sadness instantly.

As if that wasn’t heartwarming enough, we walked to Daredevil’s classroom. Since he was 1, I have diligently been trying to teach him animal sounds. As the kids’ bathroom is a jungle theme, after their bath we (well, really just I) make monkey noises and Daredevil laughs at me, not making a sound himself. Low and behold, Daredevil walks up to me in his class today, stuffed monkey in hand, and does the best monkey impression! It was music to my ears. Really, I do just cherish these small precious moments that make me happy and proud to be a mom, RA and all. We call these kids our mood boosters, when they are happy, it is simply contagious.

I was inspired today by a post at Click it up a Notch today that talked about lighting and capturing the catchlights in the subjects eyes. I love taking pictures of my kids and since I wanted to capture the memory of Daredevil’s first monkey sounds, I wanted to take a picture for this post. Of course, the child who normally says “cheese” when a camera is pointed in his direction, suddenly got feisty and didn’t want me to take his picture. He also would not do the adorable “ooo ooo” face that accompanied the monkey sounds.  With the car door open and phone ready, him looking into the light behind me, I captured the naughty little devil with catchlights in his eyes. I love that! I did it!


Small victories all over the place for me this evening, just from focusing on the joy and light in my little guys’ eyes! Let’s hope tomorrow is a brighter day!

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