grandpa wes

bye-bye

formula & bottles.

it's official. gavin is 100% weaned from his baa-baa and is on all whole milk at 13 months old.

the coversation yesterday went something like this

tina - i need to do this now while i'm feeling strong and not like i'm going to cry boxing up the ten dr brown bottles we've never been without for the past almost thirteen months

brady - seriously? just remember how much of a pain they were to hand wash and then be thankful

tina - good point. good bye pain-in-the-butt-to-wash-bottles. i wish i could say i won't miss you but i'd be lying.

now we are on to big boy sippy's and real milk. does this mean the little is no longer technically a baby? excuse me while i go hunt (harder than i ever have) for that elusive pause button. it has to be around here somewhere...

crafternoonday

i spent saturday the way saturday's should be spent, crafting handmade cards with two of my favorite people, my mom and sister. the day was (happily) not filled with cleaning, cooking, or laundry. it was a spur of the moment invitation to "come on over to my house and bring all your card making stuff" we spent a solid 7 hrs crafting. once we got our assembly line going, we were unstoppable. we designed, cut, punched, stamped, tied, and completed around 30 cards.

did i mention the above was done while taking care of two one year olds? we also fit a park-dinner play-date in the mix as well. can i just say that we as all women are incredible when it comes to multitasking?

workstation headquarters

{have you ever seen a bigger mess?}

can i add that it was a big, fat, beautiful, organized, welcome mess.

the fruits of our labor

(or just the favorites)

we're planning on making this an every month occurence because you have to cherish the heck out of the people you love which means making time for them because they are important, beautiful, and worth loving. and because we share a common interest to craft cards :)

sidewalk chalk

you know how before you become a mamma you have a vision in your mind of what it will be like?

well friends, today i got to live out one of those days.

it was a glorious day i will not soon forget. the little took two 2 hour naps; one in the morning, one in the afternoon. my house is clean. i am refreshed. we took an hour walk and had a park play date, just mommy and baby big boy. it was exactly the refreshment i prayed for from the 'terrible two's' we've been dealing with lately.

this day leaves me feeling one way.

it leaves me feeling like this is exactly what i was called to do,

to be his mamma.

dear terrible two's

you are a whole year early and i don't appreciate you just showing up uninvited. hasn't your mother taught you anything? as stephanie tanner would say "how rude"

it wasn't a pretty look when you showed up in my 12 month old in the checkout lane at walmart the other day either. as my child had a death grip on his new ball and threw a tan-TRUM, head flinging back, blood curtling screaming so loud it drew attention to us from 4 aisles down. and over what you might ask? over this mamma trying to put his new ball down to pay for it. brother did no approve. and he was gonna let everyone know, even if you were back in the lawn and garden section he.was.gonna.let.you.know. the checker must have experienced something similar to this before as she quickly fumbled and got out her price gun somewhere after the first scream in that awkward holding his breath turning red then blue then quick breath in and cue second scream part of the fit. have you ever had the priveledge of witnessing such bliss between mother and child? wait, what?



so the next part is embarrasing to admit and i will preface it by saying this is my first rodeo and i do not like extra attention on me, EVER. the above was definately giving us some undesired extra looks. so, i caved, gave in and handed gavin that ball quicker than i took my own next breath because holy crap i just wanted him to stop the tantrum. now i know all you seasoned mamma's out there are probably thinking "hah, what am amateur, that mom needs to know she cannot let her 12 month old rule the roost" and you know what? you are completely right, but i was honestly caught so off guard that my child would pull that caliber of a tatrum in public. i mean a 12 month old should have some manners right? {grin}

it's funny how before you have kids the right answers of parenting skills flow like the niagra falls. but in that check out lane at walmart, my parenting skills were flowing like a stream in a desert. survival mode kicked in and that meant give the kid what he wants to shut him up, stat!

i realize this isn't such a big deal in the scheme of things, or is it? i had no idea that setting boundaries and limits would start so early. i refuse, REFUSE to raise a disrespectful child. although the mr had a good point the other day. gavin was throwing yet another tantrum over (i don't remember take your pick , either a. his food was gone, b. he was getting his diaper changed, c. he was getting dressed, d. i said "no" or most likely e. all of the above) and here was the conversation

Tina: (in a frustrated demanding voice) Gavin, you NEED to have patience NOW!

Brady: quite ironic how you're demanding patience and using that tone. maybe you need to model some patience for him.
ugh, looks like i won't be nominated for mother of the year, but like i said this is my first rodeo. and i'm yearning to be the kind of mom God created me to be. i'm learning that parenting can be both the most rewarding and exhausting process all at the same time. and i keep reminding myself "little kids, little problems, big kids, big problems" i'm sure in 10 years i will look back on this post and giggle because i will wish i could go back to these 'issues' rather that dealing with whatever i will be dealing with in 10 years, i would list specifics but remember i have no idea what's coming :)

if anyone has any great advice, feel free to leave it in my comments. it's so important for us as fellow mamma's to join forces.

to thine own self be true

it's hard for me to admit that lately i haven't felt much like writing.

{call it the normal wax and wane of everyday life.}

i can't exactly pin point what "it" is

maybe it's partially remembering this time of my life last year and how i was literally fighting like hell everyday to feel anything. while life itself was very much in full bloom last year at this time my insides felt as empty as the tomb on easter sunday. i really try to not give ppd any more time that it already stole from me. while it taught me many important life lessons and God used it to better me as a person, i am so over living in fear that it will return. fear is only a feeling and i refuse to let it define who i am. the amazing lesson i learned is that my God is limitless. He is bigger than any problem or issue i will ever face and He is capable to do anything.

lately i sense a spiritual 'spring cleaning' going on in my heart. God is leading me in new directions and i am finally learning what it feels like to live a life of trusting Him completely. it's scary because this mamma likes control but the important thing is i'm learning to let go and let God. whether with relationships, possible future career changes, family planning, circumstances, hopes or dreams it feels so good to just let go and storm heaven's gates pursuing God's direction for my life.

therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. for the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. consider him who endured such oppositions from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

hebrews 12:1-3

busted

why are you so cute especially when you're being naughty?

look at that facial expression.

brother now has a 4 word vocabulary, the latest of which is "more" pronounced like 'moahr'

so smart already