Hugs for Bugs

Long ago, this little one somehow earned
the nickname Henny Buggy

And it stuck.  She has been called…
The Hen, Henny, The Bug, Buggy

Recently she climbed up in my lap,
and declared “Hugs for Bugs!”

And hugs she got!
I responded with “Kisses for misses, Tickles for pickles”

I love the little games you can play with children.  Little cuddle time games that turn into traditions, that turn into memories.   Then one day they grow up and turn 4 and your no longer do those funny little games any more…   I think you should always write these things down, because even though you think you will never forget them, you just do.   I recently realized I hadn’t sung “I love you when you’re happy”  to Carson in a LONG time.   We sang it last night and he had the biggest bed time smile. 

And now… I am off to Hug a Bug.

A Joy and Delight

Children are a Joy and Delight.  A Heritage. 
                Precious blessings. Fruit of my womb. 

Someone didn’t get the memo today.
~~~~~

As this little one woke screaming for Daddy (because I was the last person she wanted) she surely was not full of Joy, and didn’t seem like much of a delight if I am honest.  Yet seeing isn't always believing is it?   I was sharing with my husband the other night that it’s hard sometimes to read those verses about what blessings children are.  That they are a rich reward, and bring joy and delight… when honestly, the days can be really really hard. 

I don’t put my head on the pillow many nights and proclaim “What a delightful day it’s been”.  Rather I cry out to God to give me the strength to be able to do this, and to mother these 3 little children in a way that would honor Him.

But I know and believe that what God says about these sweet children is true.   They are blessings.  Miracles.  And they do bring me SO much Joy.   And I am comforted by the never changing character of God that loves me even when I am not much of a joy or delight.   His love is steadfast, and never-failing.  He is always present, knows all, is sovereign over all things.  He sees me when I selfishly choose the poor choices.  He sees my heart that cries for someone else instead of Him.  He sees my grumpiness, discontentment, jealousy over others. 

If I am honest with myself and you… there are many days that I am not a Joy and a Delight.  Yet God still says he rejoices over me with gladness. I am challenged by my God… who loves is unwavering.


So when these “precious blessings” act far from joyful, I will choose to believe that indeed they are a rich reward from God.  A sweet gift from Him.  Perhaps even a gift to show me how vast His Love is for even one like me. 

Oh, that I would bestow upon my children the same kind of patient and steadfast love that our Father has lavished on me. 

Yes Indeed.

Children ARE a Joy and Delight.  A Heritage. 
                Precious blessings. Fruit of my womb. 

A Hot Mess

It’s a hot day out there today--- temps reaching 103 I think. 
I have been walking around saying “It’s a Hot Mess Out there”

This little sweet thing is a hot mess too!

If you have never heard this sweet southern expression, it is another way of saying that this girl is a handful… a ball full of energy… a wild child…

A hot mess for sure … a piece of work, a character.

Thankful on this Hot day for this Hot Mess of a child of mine.
Isn’t she cute staying cool in her mama’s old dress? 

I hired a maid

Oh, how I wish that were true!

But I do say it’s never too early to have little people pitch in

   

Especially when a certain little person’s favorite things to do include putting clothes in the washer, emptying the dishwasher,
and wiping down a table.

This little lady loves to help her mommy. 
And I am thankful for her help. 


What chores can you begin including your little ones in?

I admit I do way too much for my kids. 
But some of the things I have them do are the following:

~ Emptying the dishwasher –start with all the silverware
                           (after you remove the knives of course)

~Sorting the socks and undies from the clean laundry

~Taking plates and cups to the sink (it’s never too early to start)

~Wiping down anything with a clorox wipe. 

~Putting their dirty clothes in the hamper

~Having places for things so they know where it goes then doing a 5 minute clean sweep and have them go to town putting things away.

~Have routines—ours is “Shoes in the Basket, Jackets on the hook” and even Helen does this out of habit now.

Never underestimate what your little people can do.

I will never forget eating dinner at a friend’s house (I think when Charlotte was just a baby) and watching her 2 oldest children (then just 3 and 4) take their plates to the sink.   I think they left a trail of crumbs behind them, splashes of milk dropping on the floor, maybe even a fork being thrown away in the trash…

And my friend just smiled and said “they have to start some day”

So let’s start today!
Maybe we can’t all hire maids…
But let’s include these little people in the work we have to do.

The Baby

When Charlotte was 2, I had an 8 month old. 

When Carson was 2 I had a newborn.

 

And now my Baby of the bunch, Helen, has just turned 2…


And she is the baby.   There is no baby after her (for now at least)* 
This having a 2 year old without a baby is new territory for me. 



I find that I baby her way more than the others.

At 16 months old Charlotte was walking into church, the store, etc holding our hand--- because we had a baby carrier in the other arm.  I moved both Charlotte and Carson to Big kid Beds at 20 months.  Helen is still holding it down in her crib. 

 
People say the “baby” of a family will do things faster, talk more, etc.  While I sometimes find that to be true, I have to say I am not sure I agree.    Maybe if your children are spaced more that is true.    Yes--I find Helen wants to do things the big kids do—eat in a real chair, use a big cup, watch shows with them, play with big kid toys.  In that aspect… yes, she seems bigger. 

But we baby her.   Because she’s our baby.

I carry her so much more than I carried either of them at 2.  I don’t require her to “speak” as much.   Though I realized I was doing it and am trying to make her “use her words” more.    But I baby her.  I needed the others to be big kids, because there was a baby after them.  But Helen, She is the baby.   And I kind of love it.

So, Happy Birthday to the Baby!
May you always be as sweet and precious,
Never grow up, little one!  Always be my baby!

*No, this isn’t a hint at anything. Promise.

popeye

My little Baby is going to turn 2 on Sunday--- how did that happen?

I never got around to posting about Helen’s sweet little smile…
And before I knew it, she stopped doing it.  You know those things, your kids do you just think are hilarious?  You swear you’ll never forget this about them… but then they are 5, and your memory is a little foggy?

Do you see a resemblance?

Is this not hilarious?
This is a face I did not want to forget.

 

We loved that little Popeye smile and will miss it!
I mean… who would forget this face?

  

So here is a little memory to remind myself of
the most adorable popeye I have ever seen.

Can’t wait celebrate this little llama turning a terrific 2!

High Security

Let’s just say…

    

We feel pretty safe in our house.

 

 

Where we are able the best we can to keep the bad things out…

And only let the good things in

Yes, that’s right…. The good things stay in.

 

Or at least we try to keep them in. 

Knowing the signs of Anger

I recently put a dress on Helen that used to be mine.  She looked SO adorable, but since it was already small, I figured she probably wouldn’t wear it again. 

So I decided I would take a little photo shoot.  Nice try mom. 
There was NO way I was prying her “JSHHH” from her hand

She was looking and acting SO cute, So I thought I would just swipe it from her and take a few more pics. 
Sorry, I just don’t want a pink cup in a picture I might frame.

Let me just warn you new parents who think that is a good idea. 

It’s not. 

Don’t EVER take anything from the baby if you want a decent picture….paci, lovey, cup, blankee. 
just leave it in the picture

Let me introduce you to the 5 stages of baby anger.

   


        First she was shocked.
How dare I pry that precious cup from her hands?

 

 

 

 

 

    Then she got
downright mad.
Nobody puts baby's cup in the corner.

 

 

 

 

 

  

   Then that anger turned to rage.
                            Baby rage. 
Note—she has now dropped to the floor.  This adds to the drama of the baby rage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then she just turned to despair.
I can’t believe you took my cup mama.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And before you email me saying what a horrible mother I am,
let me assure you-- she did not cry for long.  These pictures were taken in about 3 seconds. 

 
So I did what any good mama would do—
I resorted to enlisting the big kids to help entertain her.

They hammed it up, and tried to make her laugh.

But nothing got the job done.
So I gave in and returned her precious sippy cup.

And here is where we witness the 5th stage of Baby Anger…

I like to call it “Gotcha”—
where the baby sneakily walks away knowing “I fooled you”
Where their crying miraculously ceases the minute
they get what they want.

The above pictures were taken seconds after the screaming fit.
She got her cup, but she was not going to give me another smile
~~

Thankfully (even though I am SO not Photoshop savvy),
I can crop and edit,  and tweak and perfect…

To get at least one framable picture that captures that little angel in her mama’s dress.  With no sippy cup in sight. 

Is she not the cutest Little Henny Buggy Ever?