I like making resolutions. I always think of the new year as a time to reevaluate what I can do better, and how I can improve myself. A few years ago I made four resolutions and kept every single one. That was a powerful thing for me, and I hope to do the same this year, since I have several again. Although they're a very personal thing (for me, at least) sharing them helps me with accountability, so here they are:
1. Eat better. Fresher, healthier, home cooked, try new things, etc. If I do it, the whole family will. Part of my goal is to ensure the boys eat well, so I need to take responsibility and lead us to "greener" pastures. (I'm so funny, right?)
2. Exercise regularly. Sigh. This is a constant battle for me. After Drew was born, I got to a point where I LOVED exercising. If I skipped going to the gym, I actually missed it. I liked the way it made me feel physically, and the way it made me feel mentally. It's hard to remember that feeling, because the thought of working out sounds dreadful right now, but I know if I stick with it, I'll get back to that. (hopefully!) I want to exercise so that I can keep up with my boys now, and in the future. I want to strengthen my joints and muscles and bone density. I want to be the healthiest version of myself I can possibly be. God only gave me one body, and I need to take care of it the way He wants me to.
3. No. More. Sodas. This is such a hard one for me. I've given up cokes many times (almost every Lent season since High School) and then I ALWAYS start drinking them again. Why do I do that? I know I am truly and actually addicted to them. These last seven days I have felt grumpy and irritable, had headaches, and have been craving one so badly. I haven't given in, and it's been a week, so surely I can keep it up. I'm hoping to abandon sodas FOREVER this time though. (which silly as it sounds, makes me sad. I love cokes!)
4. I want to spend money more responsibly. I've been so bad at thinking of something I want and ordering it on my Amazon app all within the same minute. I want to pay off debts (student loans, cars, etc) and can't get ahead if I'm constantly spending the money we have. I hope to have a larger savings account by the end of the year, and I want to be proud of the way I handle our money.
Thursday, January 7, 2016
Monday, January 4, 2016
2016
Wow. It's really Twenty-sixteen!?! Time keeps flying faster and faster, doesn't it? One of my resolutions was to start blogging again. My goal is twice a week. I thought I'd post this just to break the ice and get reacquainted with blogger. It's late, so I'll save the good stuff for another post. But can I just mention real quickly that Zac and I are two episodes away from finishing the Parenthood series, and I'm SO SAD ABOUT THIS. I want to start at the beginning and watch the whole thing over again. What an amazing show! Do any of you watch it? On one hand I can't wait to find out how it ends, but on the other, I don't want to keep watching because I don't want it to be over. Waaaah! :( What are your favorite shows?
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Drew is TWO!
Where has the time gone, and why haven't I been blogging?!? Fortunately I don"t have much mommy guilt, but one thing I really beat myself up on is my lack of blogging. I think about it all the time and want the memories recorded, but honestly, the longer it's been since I sat and blogged, the harder it is to get back into it. BUT, in five days Drew will become a big brother and I know I'll feel even busier, so I wanted to take some time to write about Drew right now. :)
CHOO CHOO...Drew is TWO! We had a small "train" party at our new house (we've moved since the last time I wrote!!!) and it was lots of fun. Well, we rented a little train to come give the kids rides and everyone loved it EXCEPT the birthday boy. He cried and cried and was so terrified of it that he couldn't even be in the front yard with it! But the other kids really enjoyed it, and Drew enjoyed jumping on his new trampoline and driving his new Jeep. :) Grandparents give the best gifts!
Drew is so much fun right now. He is talking all the time, and loves to sing too. Forgive the list and the stream of consciousness (I just want to get it all down) but here are some of my favorite things about Drew these days:
-we have a CD of children's music that he demands to listen to whenever we are in the car. He yells "SONG! SONG!" until you turn it on and turn it up. :) He sings along to Ive Been Working on the Railroad, Take Me Out to the Ballgame, Old McDonald, and lots more.
-He sings Twinkle Twinkle and the birthday song ALL the time, like they're stuck in his head :)
-He gives hugs and occasionally kisses...especially to Zac when he gets home from work each day
-He LOVES to count and is constantly counting, all day long. He can count up to 15 correctly, and then he says 15 a few more times and then proudly yells TWENTY!
-He knows all of his colors and most of his shapes and loves pointing them out as much as possible
-He likes Sesame Street (Elmo, Cookie, Oscar, Big Bird are his faves), Chuggington (he loves trains!), Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood
-For his birthday we gave him a talking Daniel Tiger and he knows all four phrases and says them along with the doll, mimicking it exactly. Pretty funny. He also has Dumbo on DVD and asks to watch it often. When it's on, he narrates for you and says stuff like "uh oh! rain!" or "sad elephant. mommy sad!"
-We got a membership to the Dallas Zoo and have been a few times this fall. Now whenever we drive by and he sees the big giraffe, he starts saying/signing "more giraffes please! more giraffes!"
-Two weeks after he turned two he crawled out of his crib. Hoping it was a fluke we put him back in and watched on the monitor and he did it again. The next day we converted his crib into a toddler bed. It made me pretty sad, but he's adjusted well.
-He loves making messes and climbing on everything! I can't tell you how many peieces of furniture I've caught him standing/sitting on in the last week alone! It's insane! He is quite the thrill seeker! Last week he used his PBKids anywhere chair to climb onto the entertainment stand by pulling it up, turning it on its side, and using it like a ladder. Mind boggling. At least he's resourceful!? :)
-Drew is a typical two year old. He intentionally does things we ask him not to, and then gives us a look like "what are you gonna do about it!?" He's really been testing limits lately and constantly yells "NO SIR!!!!!" at us when we ask something simple of him. He runs away when we try to change his diaper, and even hits/scratches us on occasion. LUCKILY, his Mother's Day Out teachers, and MOPS and Avenue Mom caretakers have never seen him act like that. I guess I'd rather him save all his difficult behaviors for us, but it sure can be discouraging. :) I just keep reminding myself he's two and that there is a lot changing in his world right now that he can't process. He can be sweet as can be when we wants, and is usually polite, so I know this is all just a phase. :)
-Speaking of polite, Drew says "Thank You, You Welcome" in the cutest voice whenever you hand him something or do something for him. It's so sweet. On Halloween we got lots of compliments on his manners :)
-His favorite foods are grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese, Laughing Cow swiss cheese spread on a tortilla, french fries, fruit snacks, and fresh fruit (apples, grapes, oranges, strawberries, bananas, nectarines, etc...) He still eats most of his meals at home in his high chair, but has starting eating at the table in a booster seat with us some too. I'm in no rush to make him grow up! :)
-We've really tried to make the last month of being a family of three special. We've gone to the aquarium, the zoo 2-3 times, the State Fair, the Arboretum, and more. Drew loves going and seeing and doing, and I know it'll slow down a bit when Ben arrives.
We love Drew so much it hurts. He makes us laugh, and makes our hearts swell with pride. I can't tell you how often Zac says "he's such a cool kid" or "he's so funny!" He knows how to melt our hearts, that's for sure. Sometimes I get a little sad that his days of being an only child and having ALL of our attention are numbered (five to be exact), but I know he will have fun with his brother, and I pray they are best friends forever.
CHOO CHOO...Drew is TWO! We had a small "train" party at our new house (we've moved since the last time I wrote!!!) and it was lots of fun. Well, we rented a little train to come give the kids rides and everyone loved it EXCEPT the birthday boy. He cried and cried and was so terrified of it that he couldn't even be in the front yard with it! But the other kids really enjoyed it, and Drew enjoyed jumping on his new trampoline and driving his new Jeep. :) Grandparents give the best gifts!
Drew is so much fun right now. He is talking all the time, and loves to sing too. Forgive the list and the stream of consciousness (I just want to get it all down) but here are some of my favorite things about Drew these days:
-we have a CD of children's music that he demands to listen to whenever we are in the car. He yells "SONG! SONG!" until you turn it on and turn it up. :) He sings along to Ive Been Working on the Railroad, Take Me Out to the Ballgame, Old McDonald, and lots more.
-He sings Twinkle Twinkle and the birthday song ALL the time, like they're stuck in his head :)
-He gives hugs and occasionally kisses...especially to Zac when he gets home from work each day
-He LOVES to count and is constantly counting, all day long. He can count up to 15 correctly, and then he says 15 a few more times and then proudly yells TWENTY!
-He knows all of his colors and most of his shapes and loves pointing them out as much as possible
-He likes Sesame Street (Elmo, Cookie, Oscar, Big Bird are his faves), Chuggington (he loves trains!), Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood
-For his birthday we gave him a talking Daniel Tiger and he knows all four phrases and says them along with the doll, mimicking it exactly. Pretty funny. He also has Dumbo on DVD and asks to watch it often. When it's on, he narrates for you and says stuff like "uh oh! rain!" or "sad elephant. mommy sad!"
-We got a membership to the Dallas Zoo and have been a few times this fall. Now whenever we drive by and he sees the big giraffe, he starts saying/signing "more giraffes please! more giraffes!"
-Two weeks after he turned two he crawled out of his crib. Hoping it was a fluke we put him back in and watched on the monitor and he did it again. The next day we converted his crib into a toddler bed. It made me pretty sad, but he's adjusted well.
-He loves making messes and climbing on everything! I can't tell you how many peieces of furniture I've caught him standing/sitting on in the last week alone! It's insane! He is quite the thrill seeker! Last week he used his PBKids anywhere chair to climb onto the entertainment stand by pulling it up, turning it on its side, and using it like a ladder. Mind boggling. At least he's resourceful!? :)
-Drew is a typical two year old. He intentionally does things we ask him not to, and then gives us a look like "what are you gonna do about it!?" He's really been testing limits lately and constantly yells "NO SIR!!!!!" at us when we ask something simple of him. He runs away when we try to change his diaper, and even hits/scratches us on occasion. LUCKILY, his Mother's Day Out teachers, and MOPS and Avenue Mom caretakers have never seen him act like that. I guess I'd rather him save all his difficult behaviors for us, but it sure can be discouraging. :) I just keep reminding myself he's two and that there is a lot changing in his world right now that he can't process. He can be sweet as can be when we wants, and is usually polite, so I know this is all just a phase. :)
-Speaking of polite, Drew says "Thank You, You Welcome" in the cutest voice whenever you hand him something or do something for him. It's so sweet. On Halloween we got lots of compliments on his manners :)
-His favorite foods are grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese, Laughing Cow swiss cheese spread on a tortilla, french fries, fruit snacks, and fresh fruit (apples, grapes, oranges, strawberries, bananas, nectarines, etc...) He still eats most of his meals at home in his high chair, but has starting eating at the table in a booster seat with us some too. I'm in no rush to make him grow up! :)
-We've really tried to make the last month of being a family of three special. We've gone to the aquarium, the zoo 2-3 times, the State Fair, the Arboretum, and more. Drew loves going and seeing and doing, and I know it'll slow down a bit when Ben arrives.
We love Drew so much it hurts. He makes us laugh, and makes our hearts swell with pride. I can't tell you how often Zac says "he's such a cool kid" or "he's so funny!" He knows how to melt our hearts, that's for sure. Sometimes I get a little sad that his days of being an only child and having ALL of our attention are numbered (five to be exact), but I know he will have fun with his brother, and I pray they are best friends forever.
14 months
I always this "this" is the perfect stage. It couldn't possibly get better, I couldn't possibly love him more, and we couldn't possibly have more fun. And then some time passes and I suddenly realize we're in a new stage, and IT'S EVEN BETTER THAN BEFORE! This has happened to me over and over and over since I've become Drew's mother. So as much as I want to start this post saying 14 months is my favorite stage ever, I know there's more excitement and fun just ahead.
But y'all, 14 MONTHS IS THE BEST STAGE EVER! Seriously! I am so in awe of this tiny little human that lives with us, and how EVERY SINGLE DAY he reveals new things to us. He is such a joy. He's social, he's smart, he knows how and when to be cute and funny. He's just my favorite person in the whole wide world.
Drew these days...
-he says PaPa and Pappy! Over thanksgiving break he started calling them by name, and daily he walks up to framed pictures in our house and points and talks to them. It's precious!
-he LOVES horses. He neighs, whinnies, and even clicks his tongue to make a galloping sound. (He's mimicking daddy!) He also LOVES dogs and barks all day long. Except it doesn't really sound like a bark, and he always shakes his head forward when he does it, just for extra emphasis. It's hilarious. He spots dogs and horses everywhere we go, sometimes in a tiny picture across the room, or on a restaurant menu, then makes the sound in response.
-He has lots of words: pop, ball, uh-oh (sounds like 'ah ah!'), daddy, dog, he has said mama a FEW times, etc
-he loves the christmas tree and will take the plastic animals from his nativity scene and push them into the tree until they stay. Then he looks around for an audience and his face lights up and he claps for himself! He loves being clever!
-He is really starting to play independently a lot. We still read a lot, but not near as much as we were a few weeks ago, mostly because he loves playing by himself and will go through the toybox and sit down and play for awhile. It makes my heart happy and proud to see his imagination and resourcefulness.
But y'all, 14 MONTHS IS THE BEST STAGE EVER! Seriously! I am so in awe of this tiny little human that lives with us, and how EVERY SINGLE DAY he reveals new things to us. He is such a joy. He's social, he's smart, he knows how and when to be cute and funny. He's just my favorite person in the whole wide world.
Drew these days...
-he says PaPa and Pappy! Over thanksgiving break he started calling them by name, and daily he walks up to framed pictures in our house and points and talks to them. It's precious!
-he LOVES horses. He neighs, whinnies, and even clicks his tongue to make a galloping sound. (He's mimicking daddy!) He also LOVES dogs and barks all day long. Except it doesn't really sound like a bark, and he always shakes his head forward when he does it, just for extra emphasis. It's hilarious. He spots dogs and horses everywhere we go, sometimes in a tiny picture across the room, or on a restaurant menu, then makes the sound in response.
-He has lots of words: pop, ball, uh-oh (sounds like 'ah ah!'), daddy, dog, he has said mama a FEW times, etc
-he loves the christmas tree and will take the plastic animals from his nativity scene and push them into the tree until they stay. Then he looks around for an audience and his face lights up and he claps for himself! He loves being clever!
-He is really starting to play independently a lot. We still read a lot, but not near as much as we were a few weeks ago, mostly because he loves playing by himself and will go through the toybox and sit down and play for awhile. It makes my heart happy and proud to see his imagination and resourcefulness.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Drew's FIRST birthday
Drew's first birthday was so special! His big day fell on a Tuesday, a day he usually goes to Mother's Day Out. I know he has so much fun at school, and I had a few errands to run, so I let him sleep until he woke up and then took him in. I stayed to watch him play in the playroom and it was so fulfilling to see first hand what the teachers had been describing to me. He LOVES the play room and would go from the car table to the mirrors to the climbing mats to the rocking horse like he couldn't miss a single thing. His teachers had bought him a balloon and clipped it onto his shirt, and he loved pulling the string to bring the balloon down to his level and then letting it fly back up, repeat repeat repeat. :) After about an hour I left his school and they ate lunch and he had his first cupcake ever! They said he absolutely loved it. Zac took a half-day, so we met at the church and picked him up early together and then went home for him to nap.
When he woke up from his nap, we drove to our favorite park in Waxahachie. Stacy met us there to take some pictures of him. I am so glad we invited her, because those pictures and that space in time are both one of my favorites of the whole entire year. Drew devoured his smash cake. I've never seen a baby love cake more than our little Drewski did! He even licked the plate clean...he could not get enough sugar! :) :) :)
After cake and pictures at the park we went to Chili's and ordered Drew his first kids meal. :) He had macaroni and cheese and mandarin oranges and loved it all. We came home and put him to bed together. Zac and I hugged beside his crib, and I may have cried a little. What a magical and memorable first year. You don't know LOVE until you become a parent. It is unlike any love I had ever experienced, and I must say, it's my favorite love. <3 br="">
When he woke up from his nap, we drove to our favorite park in Waxahachie. Stacy met us there to take some pictures of him. I am so glad we invited her, because those pictures and that space in time are both one of my favorites of the whole entire year. Drew devoured his smash cake. I've never seen a baby love cake more than our little Drewski did! He even licked the plate clean...he could not get enough sugar! :) :) :)
After cake and pictures at the park we went to Chili's and ordered Drew his first kids meal. :) He had macaroni and cheese and mandarin oranges and loved it all. We came home and put him to bed together. Zac and I hugged beside his crib, and I may have cried a little. What a magical and memorable first year. You don't know LOVE until you become a parent. It is unlike any love I had ever experienced, and I must say, it's my favorite love. <3 br="">
Mr. Personality
I just love the big personality that God designed for Drew. He is so social and personable. People stop me everywhere we go and tell me how happy and friendly he is. Of course I love when people tell me he's cute, but my favorite is when they say "he made my day!' or "his smile made me feel so special"...or happy...or warm. His happiness is truly contagious and he makes so many people smile. It makes my mama heart so proud.
Last week, one of his teachers told me "He is so fun! He is so personable, I actually have to remind myself to pay attention to the other kids sometimes! I could just play with him all day! He's so engaging and smart and funny!" Obviously that made me feel pretty good. :)
We took lunch to Zac at school last Friday. As the principals finished lunch (they all sit together in the cafeteria and eat everyday before all of the lunches start), the first group of students were filling in the cafeteria. I saw a lot of my former students, so I went to say hi to them. One of the kids asked about "bay-bay Doo" so I pointed to where Zac was standing and holding Drew so that my student could see Drew. Except when I looked up, I saw that Drew was BEAMING and waving non-stop to all of the high school students walking by. Zac looked proud and was trying to hide his big daddy smile. My heart filled up and bubbled up into my throat in the form of a lump. Gosh I love that little boy! Most of the girls and even a lot of the boys were waving back and smiling so big at my little baby. One of my friends said he could be a successful politician because he always wins everyone over, no matter where we go. :)
We're pretty blessed that he's so easy going and happy and personable. I hope those qualities stick with him...he will be able to do BIG things with those traits! :)
Last week, one of his teachers told me "He is so fun! He is so personable, I actually have to remind myself to pay attention to the other kids sometimes! I could just play with him all day! He's so engaging and smart and funny!" Obviously that made me feel pretty good. :)
We took lunch to Zac at school last Friday. As the principals finished lunch (they all sit together in the cafeteria and eat everyday before all of the lunches start), the first group of students were filling in the cafeteria. I saw a lot of my former students, so I went to say hi to them. One of the kids asked about "bay-bay Doo" so I pointed to where Zac was standing and holding Drew so that my student could see Drew. Except when I looked up, I saw that Drew was BEAMING and waving non-stop to all of the high school students walking by. Zac looked proud and was trying to hide his big daddy smile. My heart filled up and bubbled up into my throat in the form of a lump. Gosh I love that little boy! Most of the girls and even a lot of the boys were waving back and smiling so big at my little baby. One of my friends said he could be a successful politician because he always wins everyone over, no matter where we go. :)
We're pretty blessed that he's so easy going and happy and personable. I hope those qualities stick with him...he will be able to do BIG things with those traits! :)
13 months!
There are so many things I wished I'd have blogged throughout Drew's first year. I'm so behind that it's hard to even sit down and write out what's going on now, because SO MUCH has already taken place that I failed to document. BUT, I need to break the ice and just start writing. Even if it's short. That's my November resolution. :) (who says resolutions have to wait until the new year?)
Drew is SO. MUCH. FUN. right now! I mean, he always has been, but this stage right now is MAGIC, I tell you! Every day, several times a day actually, he does something that surprises and delights me, and in true typical-mom fashion, I think he's that smartest kid in the world. :) I want to remember what he was doing at this age, so I wanted to jot down some of his "skills" real quickly.
Here are some things he is doing these days that make us smile...
-he's obsessed with cows and constantly moos when he sees one. Occasionally he'll see a horse and moo at it. He has a cow flash card that he carries around, and a Baby Einstein video that sings Old MacDonald that always makes him giddy.
-he loves animal sounds and says baa for sheep and when you ask him what a fish says he pops his lips and when you ask what an elephant says, he blows a raspberry. It's precious. I might or might not have him do this all day long, just because I love to watch it. And he loves doing it!
-He gives kisses now! They are open mouth and sometimes a little wet, but nothing makes my heart pitter-patter more than those excited kisses. He applauds himself or giggles after each and every kiss.
-Ha absolutely loves reading. We probably read 20 different books a day, and NO, I am not exaggerating! AND, sometimes we read the same book like ten times. We are reading fools in this house. I have many of the books memorized. My favorite part of his reading obsession is the way he brings you a book and backs up to sit in your lap. Never gets old.
-He signs "more" "all done" "eat" and he occasionally says "tain too" for thank you when we hand him something, like a toy or food
-he is super cooperative when getting dressed or buckling him in the carseat. If he's holding a book or toy (usually he is), he'll automatically switch it to the other hand when you need that arm to go in the shirt or under the seat belt. He holds out one hand at a time and helps put his own legs in the pants. I don't take this for granted. I have babysat so many kids that fight or struggle when you try to get them dressed or buckled (which is totally normal and appropriate!), so I appreciate that he makes it so easy on me. I never taught him or told him, he just knows what's coming next and adjusts to make it happen smoothly. It's awesome.
-He loves to eat! I call him my Very Hungry Caterpillar, because it's not unusual for him to eat an entire plum, entire peach, entire banana, 4-5 strawberries and an orange in one sitting. It's unreal. The boy LOVES fruit! He likes veggies too, and tortillas and bread and waffles. We just started feeding him nitrate-free lunch meat and cubes of cheese and he likes that a lot! There really isn't much he won't eat. Phew!
Drew is SO. MUCH. FUN. right now! I mean, he always has been, but this stage right now is MAGIC, I tell you! Every day, several times a day actually, he does something that surprises and delights me, and in true typical-mom fashion, I think he's that smartest kid in the world. :) I want to remember what he was doing at this age, so I wanted to jot down some of his "skills" real quickly.
Here are some things he is doing these days that make us smile...
-he's obsessed with cows and constantly moos when he sees one. Occasionally he'll see a horse and moo at it. He has a cow flash card that he carries around, and a Baby Einstein video that sings Old MacDonald that always makes him giddy.
-he loves animal sounds and says baa for sheep and when you ask him what a fish says he pops his lips and when you ask what an elephant says, he blows a raspberry. It's precious. I might or might not have him do this all day long, just because I love to watch it. And he loves doing it!
-He gives kisses now! They are open mouth and sometimes a little wet, but nothing makes my heart pitter-patter more than those excited kisses. He applauds himself or giggles after each and every kiss.
-Ha absolutely loves reading. We probably read 20 different books a day, and NO, I am not exaggerating! AND, sometimes we read the same book like ten times. We are reading fools in this house. I have many of the books memorized. My favorite part of his reading obsession is the way he brings you a book and backs up to sit in your lap. Never gets old.
-He signs "more" "all done" "eat" and he occasionally says "tain too" for thank you when we hand him something, like a toy or food
-he is super cooperative when getting dressed or buckling him in the carseat. If he's holding a book or toy (usually he is), he'll automatically switch it to the other hand when you need that arm to go in the shirt or under the seat belt. He holds out one hand at a time and helps put his own legs in the pants. I don't take this for granted. I have babysat so many kids that fight or struggle when you try to get them dressed or buckled (which is totally normal and appropriate!), so I appreciate that he makes it so easy on me. I never taught him or told him, he just knows what's coming next and adjusts to make it happen smoothly. It's awesome.
-He loves to eat! I call him my Very Hungry Caterpillar, because it's not unusual for him to eat an entire plum, entire peach, entire banana, 4-5 strawberries and an orange in one sitting. It's unreal. The boy LOVES fruit! He likes veggies too, and tortillas and bread and waffles. We just started feeding him nitrate-free lunch meat and cubes of cheese and he likes that a lot! There really isn't much he won't eat. Phew!
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