My Sweet Nephew

Well, I finally got to see him. Last Friday I beheld his precious face in person and held him in my arms! It was a quick trip, but I am so glad I went. He is an adorable baby. You can see here. Just look at that face. I've got a face mask on here to protect him from any germs. After his surgery, hopefully he'll be less susceptible to illness, but right now we need to really be careful with that little guy. He's doing pretty well lately. Do continue to pray for him, though, and his parents too. Thanks!

Fun with No Sun!

Believe it or not, we played in the rain for the FIRST time the other day! Yes, our firstborn is 3 1/2, and we have never really fully partaken of a good, steady rain. But because friends recently passed along to us a 4T sized raincoat, we geared Sugar (our first) up, and out we went! Spice (child two) needed no gear. He is all boldness, and he bolted into the skydrops jollily. (Is that a word?) :) Sugar, on the other hand, even with raincoat, was quite hesistant. It's truly amazing how different children's personalities are really, isn't it? Everybody always talks about that, and it is so true! Anyway, enjoy the pics from our time! By the way, I think I've decided that I will sometimes refer to them as Sugar and Spice on this blog. It just seems fitting, and I keep getting so many comments about "wunk" that I kinda want to change! Cheerio!

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Another Word

Our little redhead said another word today. Finally!!!  :)  To this point, just about everything has been referred to as "buh." He said the word "ball" ages ago, and almost everything sounds like that now. He just points at whatever and says it. Anyway, today we were at Target to get new shoes for him, (his feet are growing so fast!!) and out came another word! He said, "shoes!" Clear as day. Okay, maybe not to those who are not his mommy. But I certainly knew that's what he said. And he said it more than once. So cute. Now, that's a pretty hard word to say! I can hardly believe that's his second word. But he has always loved shoes, so I guess it fits!

If you are wondering, the little guy does now also say Dada actually for his daddy, but it sound more like "Da Dah." It's adorable. That's about it for words. He, for some reason, does not choose to really refer to me by name yet, but that's okay!! I'll enjoy the peace while I have it...   :)

Big Eatin' Baby Boy

Take a look at this picture. Look closely. What do you think The Redhead is eating here? It's not an apple, as you might guess. It's a tomato! Some sweet friends from church had brought us over some tomatoes and cucumbers from their garden this evening. So, after our baby boy had finished dinner (a huge dinner, I might add) he walked over to the countertop where our group of tomatoes was resting, and grabbed one for himself. Without us knowing this, he proceeded to eat it like an apple, taking enormous bites out of it! That kiddo is crazy! He cracks us up all the time with his voracious appetite! :)

Wonderful Weekends

We are starting to incorporate new and fun traditions into our family recently. Not long ago I instituted Friday night ice cream cones. All we do is have cones at home, but it's fun and a real treat for Wunk One who rarely gets desserts. And then on Saturday morning, we are beginning a Family Walk time, where everyone, including hubby, goes on a brisk exercise walk, and then we have waffles (whole wheat, of course!) from my new waffle maker mid-morning! Yum! You gotta love memory-making traditions. :)

Not the Terrible Two's

When the Wake Wake was two, it was a breeze. My thoughts were something like, "What's so hard about age two?" That child has always been essentially angelic and easy as pie to raise. I have heard a few times, though, people say, "I found that the two's were easy compared to the three's and even the four's." I tucked that piece of information away in the back of my brain, for if I might need it later. Well, I think the day has come!

That sweet, angelic boy has had some strange moments lately. I already wrote about his hatred of the beach in Florida and how he screamed his head off whenever we were there. This past week at church, he cried his eyes out and refused to go to catechism with the other children because there was a different teacher besides Daddy. He only wanted to be with his mommy. Then, tonight, and really last night too, he insisted upon ME giving him his bath, which I sometimes do, and sometimes Hubby does. As always, I protested, and told him that Daddy would do just fine, and Daddy is so fun, etc. etc. Well, he broke down in desperation and complete tears, begging me to be the one to go upstairs with him. I finally agreed to go up for a few minutes, though hubby gave the bath. Then later after I came back downstairs, I heard him screaming and bawling, "I want Mommy. I want to be with Mommy." He has NEVER been a mama's boy. And he has NEVER had a problem with being out of my presence. He has always been a child I could leave anywhere because he is not clingy in the least. Anyway....even when his uncle tonight would try to pick him up and and play rough with him, he would cry and kick and want to get down. He's also in some phase where he does not want to be friendly whatsoever to people he does not know well, not even so much as to wave to them or eek out a soft, "hello." He also tends to have total meltdowns over the smallest of things. Tonight before bedtime he could not immediately locate a silly piece of paper he wanted, and he was the equivalent of a puddle on the floor of screaming tears. It's bewildering to me! I try to take it in stride and tell myself that the phase will probably pass soon. I hope it does! Yikes!!!!! Til then, I'll just keep lovin' the little cutie pie and laughing at him and trying to be patient! Tips, anyone?  :)

A Not-So-Gentle Reminder for Mommies (and Daddies)

I heard today of a little two-year old boy (my friend's good friend's little boy) who is brain dead because of choking on a grape. Unbelievable. They are supposed to take him off life support tonight. I just shudder when I think of the grief. One moment, everything is fine. Another moment, your baby eats a grape and dies from it. Life is so fragile. Al Mohler has said, and I quote, "Strength is an illusion."

Mommies, please cut up those grapes. And keep the coins away from little ones. Keep doing what you already know to do, so there are no more heartbreaking reports to be made.

A Helpful Tip

I recently had the opportunity and blessing of facilitating a ladies' Bible study on the book of First Thessalonians. Though it's very hard work and very time-consuming, it's so rewarding and joy-infusing to study and prepare. For a while, I've noted that when I prepare to teach, then I get SO much out of reading God's Word. When I am not prepping to teach, then I tend to read much more lackadaisically and lazily, and I don't get half as much from it.

So, I post this to encourage anyone who might read this to think of your Bible reading as though you are going to teach the book you are looking at. It will make you think hard, underline, take notes, see connections, define words, read commentaries, and understand a whole lot more than doing otherwise. I think you will find it so fulfilling! And then, of course, another bonus is that you will have material for any future Bible study you might have the chance to lead!

Blessings on your time in the precious very words of our Creator Himself!!!!

The Secret of Summer?

I am so rejoicing! Today has been superb. It's just been one of those days where I've been "on," if you know what I mean. And I think I know why. Or at least partially why. I may have discovered what I am going to call the "Secret of Summer."

I typically get up in the morning and get ready for the day first thing, from makeup on the face to decent clothes on the body to my socks and tennis shoes on the feet. (I always choose to do this so that I will feel better about myself as a SAH mommy, and I'll be ready to go anywhere when I need to). But I think I've figured out that summer will not work that way. If I am going to be a good mommy, I'm gonna have to change for these months here of June to about October.

So today I tried it. I got up, had my time in the Bible, then I got dressed in my grubby tee shirt and workout shorts and put no makeup on. After breakfast, I loaded up the boys in the double jogger, and we went for a short run. The reason it's significant is because I have noticed that when I get up and get dressed to look halfway decent, then I find myself not wanting to really play hard and get too involved with the boys so as to start sweating. Well, if you so much as step outside into Houston in the summer, then immediately the sweat glands begin producing. So, if I purpose to look cruddy, and work out early, then I won't care about looking nice, and I'll feel more freedom to be 100% for the little munchkins.

So today after our jog, we went to the grocery store, and then to the playground. Then after Jed's nap we went to the pool. It was a fantastic, very active and productive morning. I think this should work nicely for the summer, and I am so excited about it! Now I don't feel like I have to hibernate all summer, cooped up in the air conditioned house. Instead, we can partake of the lovely, mosquito-infested, highly humid, suffocating days of the great outdoors in the Houston summertime. And we can rejoice in it! :)

Baby Penn

I haven't given any more info in a while about Baby Penn. He is doing pretty well. We had prayed that he would not have to have his heart surgery until he is a bit older. It looks like he will not have to have surgery until August. So that's wonderful news. He does still have some rough times with eating erratically, and that is a prayer request. He needs to eat well to develop as well as possible. I should get to go finally see him this weekend. I am so ready! Here's a darling pic of him after bathtime! Please keep praying....

Our Fam in Florida!

Hubby was recently requested to do the oh-so-burdensome task of being a speaker on a beach retreat for a big church here in Houston. The trip was to Panama City Beach, Florida, and the whole family got to go! We had such a great time. Well....most of the time. :) The kiddos (and Mommy) survived the long, long car trip (praise God for minivans and extra room!). We enjoyed time in the pool, time at the beach, and time in the dining hall eating yummy, down-home cooking for every meal.

Hubby spoke to the high-schoolers on biblical manhood and womanhood and caused quite a stir with some. Girls just don't like that word that starts with "s" and ends with "mission." :) But most of them "got it," and we heard encouraging words of crying teens ready to end ungodly relationships because of his talk. Glory to God!

Probably the most memorable part was how Wunk 1 LOATHED the beach. He despises it--sand, saltwater, waves, everything about it. Cleanliness is entirely too important to this child! When we would go, he would cry the entire time!! And I mean SCREAM and cry, saying over and over, "I want to go back! I want to go back to the hotel!" Ya gotta love three-year-olds! :) We just pretty well ignored him and told him we were in Florida to enjoy outside time, not toy time in the room. But other than that, we had a ball. All four of us loved the trip. Even Wunk 1, really. This morning, our first morning home, he said, "I want to go back to Florida!" We are so blessed to have had time there!!! Enjoy the visuals....

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