push

Yesterday afternoon I was sitting on the front porch watching the kids play. In the garden to my left, I noticed a piece of moss sitting at an odd angle. I got down on my knees right there in the dirt so I could give it a closer inspection. Underneath the moss were three little tulips pushing the moss aside on their way towards the light.

Isn’t life a lot like that? Sometimes, before we can grow to our full height, we need to push large obstacles out of our way. Just like those tulips, we can’t do it on our own. We need to stand with our community and do it together. And when that big piece of moss finally falls to the side, the sunshine feels so good, doesn’t it?

Happy weekend! Go find some sun.

author

For the last few months after we kiss Tuck good night, he pulls out a flashlight kept “hidden” in his sheets (he thinks we don’t know about it) and reads until he falls asleep. When we check on him, more often than not, there is a book resting lightly between his fingers… Nate the Great, Flat Stanley, My Weird School and recently, Narnia. It is so exciting to watch his love for reading develop and to see him devour some of the same books we loved as kids. One night he exclaimed, “Mom, I just LOVE reading. Maybe as much as FISHING!”. That’s some big praise from my guy!

Last night when I went in to check on him, I found something new tucked between the sheets. Poking out from under the covers was the hard plastic lid from his Bionicles box, a pencil and a homemade book entitled, “Families”. He has decided to write a series of books for his school library that other kids can check out (he even hand drew the bar codes). I guess he needs to add “author” to the long list of things he wants to be when he grows up. That kid is SO AWESOME!

rambling

Random thoughts for a Monday morning:

1. I started Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred today. Yowza! I am FEELING it ALL OVER my body! I’m PUMPED about it though. The exercises are simple, easy to follow and totally do able plus I don’t find her annoying which is a major bonus! I’m hoping this will help me get back into shape and feel good on my sister’s wedding day.

2. Allergies + buffet at sister’s engagement party + sneaky child = MAJOR behaviour issues for the next few days. NOT fun!

3. Sometimes I would like to rewind the clock a little bit to the day before the BOMB dropped. I miss Mr. T’s smile, the sound of his guitar and hanging out with him in the evening.

4. Beauty and I have a date every Monday morning to do all of our gluten free baking for the week. I’ve been experimenting with different flour mixes and think I might have one I’m happy with. Once we get our recipes perfected, I’ll post them here in hopes they help someone else on their journey through the world of allergies.

5. Lately I have been feeling like I’m not giving back enough to our community. I want to change that! I’ve made it my goal to do one nice thing a week for someone outside of my immediate family. I’ll be starting tomorrow by bringing my very pregnant friend and her husband dinner. They moved into a new house on the weekend and she is exhausted!

6. There is something about spring that makes me want to get rid of stuff! I’ve been holding on to all of my kids clothes since they were born. I lend them out but they always find their way back to my basement. Since we are not able to make babies any more, there is really no need to store 10 rubbermaid bins of clothes! This morning I brought them all up to the living room to sort. I’m keeping Tuck’s clothes for Mr. Baby, a few items that have sentimental attachments (eventually I plan to make a quilt/blanket/keepsake of some sort out of those clothes) and then I’m giving the rest away! I feel 10 pounds lighter already!

stolen

There’s something about stolen treats that make them taste so much sweeter!

perspective

February 2009

March 2009

It’s amazing the difference a month can make.

signs

Signs of a good day:

I’ve got a bit of a problem. I have this utterly adorable 19 month old who’s got me absolutely WRAPPED around his little finger. It’s true. He’s totally got my number. For the most part, I don’t really care. That’s one of the good things that comes with him being my third child. I know that I’m not going to have to carry him into his college dorm on my hip and ask his RA to pry him away from me so he can get an education and I can finally get a decent nights sleep!

It’s a season. But sometimes, like winter, it gets to be a bit much. I like winter. I love wearing cozy clothes, my down vest, sitting in front of the fire, tobogganing, cooking warm, comforting food. As much as I like winter, every year towards the end of February, I start to get tired of it. I long for relief from the constant cold and a hint of green in the never ending sea of brown, grey and white.

It’s the same with Mr. Baby. I love him. I like that he is sensitive, that he needs his Mama and that I bring him comfort. I love his snuggly little body and the feel of his downy soft curls pressed into my neck. I like his giggle, funny little quirks, the new words he is learning and the fact that I can walk into a room and make everything in his world ok. As much much as I love my guy and the closeness we share, after long weeks of his intensity, I start to feel smothered by it. Since he came down with the flu he has been attached to me with a new fierceness. I can’t check my e-mail, use the bathroom or make dinner without him on my hip. Thank goodness Mr. T works from home or I would never get Mr. Baby down for a nap (ok, I would get him down but there would be a whole lot of drama involved) because it has suddenly become offensive to him that I require him to sleep somewhere other than on my chest (funny enough, if Daddy puts him to bed he says, “nigh-nigh” and drifts off peacefully). More and more each day I find myself longing for a little relief from the ever present 26.4 pounds on my left hip or the inevitable screaming when he’s not. If I could just sleep through ONE FREAKING NIGHT ALREADY I think I’d feel a whole lot better.

Mr. Baby, when I am old and feeble, I’m going to call you up and see if you can carry me around on your back for a couple of years. You’d do that for your Mama, wouldn’t you?

soon

Today’s breeze brought the hope of spring on it’s breath. Open windows. Shrieking laughter as children fly by on their bikes. Rubber boots. The hum of compressors as winter worn balls and tires are refilled. Ladders creaking open so the last of Christmas lights can be taken down. That familiar smell of burgers on the grill. Jackets and sweaters left in messy piles on the driveway.

Today we moved with the sun. We played in it’s warmth and drank in big gulps of clean air.

Soon. Very soon.

nerdlets

This one is for Grandma.

seven

My boy turned seven yesterday. I can hardly believe it.

He is kind-hearted, funny, loving, energetic, smart, chatty, curious, responsible, loyal, thoughtful, crafty and interesting. I’m so proud of my boy and so glad that he’s still willing to sit on my lap for a snuggle (just don’t tell his friends!).