Motherhood

There are no words adequate to describe being a mother. You can go from pure joy, to amusement, to embarrassment, and even anger in milliseconds. My children bring me such joy and such trials all at the same time, and often they are all mixed up in each other.

There is the snuggliness (I know it's not a word) of picking up a warm baby after a nap. There is the excitement of each new first, tinged with the realization your baby is quickly growing up. While you are happy that all is well with your little one, you sometimes want to hold them there, just for a little while longer. There’s the anger when they blatantly ignore you. The embarrassment when they declare to the world, what is altogether obvious, but social moirés demand we ignore. There is the total panic when, even if just for a second, you think they are lost or hurt. Then there’s the contentment in holding them safely in your arms.

I am grateful for my little blessings.

Heaven Help Me, I Laughed

We frequently talk to Kate about God and we pray before meals and at bed time. She asks lots of interesting questions, like “Does Jesus have a house? What is God’s name? And what does the “Holly” ghost look like?”

Last night really got Justin though. They were getting ready to say her prayers when she declared she wanted to pray to Koko—the signing gorilla we have a book about. He tried to distract her, but it didn’t work. She started praying, “Our Koko who art in heaven, hallowed be Koko’s name, Koko’s kingdom come…” At that point he couldn’t get her to stop and left. I think it’s pretty impressive that she can recite the Lord’s Prayer, but that she could make the appropriate substitution amused me. She’s only two and doesn’t have a clue that what she did was sacrilegious. It does show that we still have our work cut out for us, as we teach her to be a woman of God.

And don’t worry she was back talking to God today. She even made her Veggie Tales toys say grace before they “ate.” I wonder what they eat—other than chocolate bunnies of course (see Rack, Shack and Benny).

What Kate's Been Saying Lately

I’ve been amused at some of the more grown-up comments that are coming from our little girl’s mouth. They are perfectly common phrases, but they are either stumbled upon by accident or things she’s picked up that are really funny coming out of such a tiny girl.

I’m thinking…(fill in the blank).

You frustrate me.

Actually…

I can’t calculate yet. (It fit perfectly into the context too.)

I’m a people person. (This came during a discussion that she was actually just a person, not ‘a people’—so funny and so true.)

My goodness gracious! (I’m guilty of teaching her that one.)

To Induce Vomiting...

WARNING: a tad gross

Did you know that eating straight salt and pepper induces vomiting? Of course you don’t. Who would ever even think about such an odd thing?

This morning I was playing with my really neat new camera that my mom sent me. Gabby was down for a nap and Kate was playing quietly at her play table. I looked over to check on her and she looked really ill. At first I thought she was choking. Her color was off, but she wasn’t turning blue. She came to me and then puked into my hands. I carried all the barf that I could hold and walked her to the bathroom.

So after getting her cleaned up a bit and the vomiting subsided I asked her the obvious question, “What did you do?”

“Salt,” she answers.

“No, Kate did you eat something.”

She looked confused and said, “Salt,” again.

I shook my head and went on, she obviously didn’t know what caused this. Then I walked to the living room and found that she had indeed taken the salt and pepper shakers from the kitchen table and poured more than a healthy dose onto some of her play food. She had actually eaten straight salt.

Only a two year old, only my two year old.

Property Rights

"It's mine, that's mine, every thing's mine!" -Kate

Happy Anniversary

Justin and I have been married nine years today. It doesn’t seem like it’s been nine years since the dress, the candles, the music, and the cake. Sunrise, Sunset, The Wedding Song, Cannon in D, One Hand, One Heart, the Bridal March. All the careful planning, it was a short but beautiful wedding with a small reception at the church. My mom made all the food, which I somehow forgot to eat while we were busy visiting.

Last night we were talking about how we spent the night before our wedding. He was hanging out with the guys at our apartment. They watched Veggie Tales and Life of Brian—they didn’t even finish the six-pack some one brought. Wild night! My night was so much more exciting. I dipped strawberries in chocolate with my friend Heather and my mom. Then we sat and visited with my sister, a couple of cousins, and another friend. I guess we’ve never been the wild party, staying out all night type.

Our celebration this year looks to be similar to that night in several ways, quiet and unpretentious. We’ll have grilled pork steaks and go to our small group meeting with people from church. No crazy night out or grand gestures. It’s just enough to know that we’re with each other.

Growing Up

Good gracious Gabriella. This has been a week of firsts. You really took off crawling on Sunday afternoon. You still sometimes do some scooting, but you can really get around. Sunday night we, you and I, slept through the night for the first time. I think it’s been a year since I stayed in bed for a whole night. Must have been the crawling wearing you out, huh? Then you pushed yourself up to sitting on Tuesday. I went in to get you up from you nap. I thought maybe it was a bit of a fluke, since you were in the crib, maybe you pulled yourself to sitting, but you did it again that afternoon. I’m proud of your growing, just promise you won’t walk on Friday, okay?