Angels Among Us

Most of my favorite childhood memories are entwined with hers. 

Throughout high school, we were inseparable, despite attending rival high schools (and being captains of our rival varsity cheerleading squads). My weekends were her weekends. We did many things we weren't supposed to do, experienced life in a way that only we could, all the while knowing we were doing it together. She was my best friend and I was hers.

But there is one memory, one night, that always comes to mind first when I think of my beautiful friend. 

It was late. It was dark. We were sitting on the bow of a grounded sailboat on the lake. 

There were others nearby, but we had wandered off and found ourselves there, on the boat, deep in conversation.

We were new friends, but of the closest kind, and we talked for hours. 

Eventually, our conversation lead to a discussion of death. 

I spoke of my father's unexpected passing several years prior and the impact it had on my mother, siblings, and self. She spoke of the passing of her grandmother, with whom she had been close and missed terribly, and how it had affected her life. In the end, we agreed: there are Angels among us. And this brought both of us comfort.

My beautiful friend is, without question, a warrior. She is surrounded by love. She is surrounded by prayer. She is surrounded by Angels among us--I have absolutely no doubt about that.

But. 

I still ask, plead, and beg, with all that I am, for you to please take a moment to say a prayer for my beautiful friend, Amy. 

Yes, she is a warrior. She is a fighter. She is a woman of strength and love and grace and light. She is a beautiful soul. And one day, she will be the best kind of Angel among us. She already is. But for now, I simply ask for your prayers for her comfort and strength. 

Banksisms, Part 3

Pretty much every day of the week, my hub and I look at each other and just laugh and laugh at the latest comedic phrases that come out of our Banks' mouth. Our little guy is definitely bursting in personality and attitude these days. Thus, I present the latest round of Banksisms (Parts 1 and 2):

Daddy: "Who wants a ba-ath?

Banks: "Nobody!"
(I feel ya, buddy. Baths are over-rated.)

Momma: "Banks, we're not going to have this conversation."
Banks: "We are going to have this converstation because it's fun to have a converstation."
(A male who likes to talk? Wow!)
 

Momma: "You are super, super, super fast, buddy. How'd you get to be so fast?
Banks: "From North America." 
('Cause we all know that's where all the speedy athletes originate from.)

Banks (After seeing Momma cutting up fruit for a Thanksgiving tray): "Mommy, you're the best cooker in the whole world!"
(I'm not sure Daddy, or the rest of the world, would agree...)

 

Momma: "Banks, how'd you get to be so strong?"
Banks: "I had to learn SO hard."
(Teach me, buddy. Teach me.)

Banks (while using his hands to form different shapes): "Mommy, what shape is this? I"ll give you a clue. It's a triangle."
(Best.Clue.Ever.)

Momma: "Banks, please don't put your bare hiney on the floor." 
Banks: "What's a bare hiney?"
Momma: "That means don't put your naked hiney on the floor."
Banks: "Only bears don't wear underwear?" 
(Oh, the literal mind of a pre-schooler...)

Daddy: "Buddy, do you want your football helmet?"
Banks: "Nah. I'm good."
(Well, excu-use me)

Momma: "Banks, don't hit your sister."
Banks: "I'm not hitting her. I'm just giving her love pats."
(Oh boy. And so it begins.)

Banks: "Are we having dinner yet?"
Momma: "Not yet."
Banks: "At 4-5-250?"
(What? Your family doesn't eat at 4-5-250?)

Can't wait to hear what comes out of that sweet, little mouth next...

 

Friday Family Fill-In: My Favorite Things (Toy Edition)

One of the benefits of having more than one child is the ability to pull old toys out of storage instead of having to buy new ones. Of course, since our second baby is a little lady, we are planning to get her some feminine toys for Christmas since her toy repertoire to date has consisted of any and all sports equipment, trains, tools, cars and trucks, etc. 

However.

There are a few toys that have stood the test of time with both of kiddos that I thought were worth a mention. 

So, here are a few of my favorite things (toy edition):

1. The That's Not My... book series. 

When I was pregnant with my first babe, one of my sisters started giving me these books and continued after he was born. They are adorable and great for sensory play (i.e., lots to touch and feel; bright, shiny pictures:). My little girl is a HUGE fan of these books and I read at least four of them to her a day. I just love seeing her stick that sweet little finger out to touch each page and feel the different textures. I highly recommend them!

2. A medical kit. 

Every other day, and sometimes every day, my little guy and I pull out the ol' medical kit and take turns doing health examinations on the other. It is so fun to see his imagination run wild while watching him attempt to come up with the diagnosis. And my little lady loves this kit as well...although more because she enjoys chewing on each piece of equipment. 

3. Standard building blocks.

We have used these a lot lately, mainly to build the brick home of the "Three Little Pigs," which we play all the time. It is also fun to stack these blocks up and let both my big and little one knock down the tower. 

4. Dress up clothes.

I bought my little buddy a couple of costumes post-Halloween (at 75% off!) that he will be receiving for Christmas. However, he also recently received a couple of costumes from his buddy, Jackson, that he loves dressing up in. Again, imagination overload. I love it. And have no fear. I have full intentions of letting his little sis dress up in her own little girly costumes as soon as she's ready.

5. Crayola Color Wonder.

The absolute beauty of these markers is that they only color on special paper. This means fun with markers while avoiding having my home and walls covered in kiddie signatures and pictures. Even my little lady loves pulling the tops of the markers off and on, off and on, off and on, over and over again; yet, I don't have to worry about her coloring on her sweet baby skin.

6.  Any and all balls.

I have written many times before about how much my little buddy loves sports, sports, and more sports. But you know what? His little sister loves holding, throwing, and chasing all kids of different sports balls. Fun for all ages...and especially fun to hear my little girl say "ball" over and over while holding them.

  

7. Crafts of all shapes and sizes

One of the things I love to do with my kids is various art projects and am actively trying to pass down my love of all things crafty to them. Not only do I think arts and crafts are great for fine motor skills and creativity, but the end result is something the kids can be proud of. In fact, my most favorite wall in our whole house is the one that displays my little ones' art projects.

So, there you have it. A few of my favorite things, toy edition.

Letting Go

She can do it, you know. 

One day, she just decided she could do it. 

And she let go. 

Unsteady. Uncertain. But determined.

My baby girl, my little lady, set her mind to it. 

And. 

After weeks of a few steps here, a few steps there, she let go. And walked across the room.

They were uncertain steps. Wobbly steps. But they were steps all the same. Steps she took after letting go. 

My baby. She let go. 

She does it still. Every day.

A few steps here. A few steps there. 

Some days many. Some days few. 

Always, she looks to me to see if I am watching.

Always, she is most confident when holding on. But her self-confidence is growing. And soon, she won't need my hand at all. 

Once and for all, she'll let go.

And that's okay. Because I'll still always be there. Always watching. Always waiting. Always cheering. Always ready to offer my hand. 

Because even when she is ready to let go, I know I'll always hold on, even if just a little. 'Cause she's got my heart. And there's no letting go of that. 

Friday Family Fill-In: It's Nice to Do Nice Things (Part 3)

Well, we had a wonderful November and started a new family tradition: Making the family motto for the month of Thanksgiving "It's nice to do nice things for people." As you can see here and here, we've had a lot of fun giving back to others this month.

I thought I'd list just a few of the final things we did that were nice for others:

We donated money to the Salvation Army.

We left money in the dollar section of a local store for a lucky child to find

We picked up trash around the neighborhood (via wagon ride)

We left diapers and wipes in a public restroom for a mother who may have forgotten her supply

We adopted two children for Christmas via "Helping Hands" so that their wish lists will be filled and they'll have the happiest of holidays

We, hopefully, encouraged YOU, my kind readers, to dig extra deep and be extra nice to those around you--strangers, acquainatances, family, and friends alike.

November was pretty top notch in my book.

Now, onto the Christmas season...

Putting Myself Out There

It's funny how, as a teenager and woman in my 20s, I was so concerned with what others thought of me. 

Not let's be honest. I still do. But not quite as much as I used to. 

We've been in our new home now for almost three months (Wait...what?!? There's still so much to be done!) and, thanks to now living in a neighborhood with its own activities director and social committee, there are pretty much weekly events, activities, and gatherings for both kids and grown-ups alike. This has been a great way to meet people, set aside my own insecurities, and jump in with both feet.

So, in the spirit of putting myself out there and trying to meet new neighbors friends, I attend as many of these events as possible. So far, this has included "Craft Corner for Kids," "Kids in the Kitchen," a Halloween party, a pre-trick-or-treating event, a neighborhood hayride, and most, recently, Bunco (no kids, or men, allowed). Tonight, I am attending my first of many "Crafting and Cocktails" (alcoholic bevs and crafting...two of my favorite things!) and will also be headed to a Ladies Only Holiday party next week followed by a big neighborhood Holiday party in three weeks.

I have also joined a local playdate group with whom we get together weekly, and recently, I had a (blind) playdate with a new friend who will be moving to the area next week. 

With each of these events, there has been one commonality: I have known no one upon entering (well, with the exception of the one girlfriend who invited me to join her playdate group). It can be pretty intimidating to enter a new situation and not know a soul. In fact, it's something I'm not sure I would have done even 5 years ago. 

But.

Now, I put myself out there.   

Maybe it's wanting my kiddos to have new friends in our new town. Maybe it's wanting to model for my children what it means to enter a new situation unsure but confident and come out better on the other side. Maybe it's being almost-32 and feeling more at ease in my own skin. Maybe it's a reinvigorated recognition that, to me, life is about family and friends.

Whatever the reason may be, while I still have some degree of insecurity about what others think of me, about what kind of first impression I make, more than ever, I just want to put myself out there. I want to make new friends. And I want to make memories for myself and my little family.

So, here's to putting myself out there and hoping for new friendship, new experiences, and new memories in return. 

 

Keeping Track

It is amazing to me how quickly we Mommas can forget what our children were able to do at different ages. At least for me, it's hard to think back and remember exactly what my now 3-year-old son was doing when he was a baby. 

That being said, I thought I'd record a few of the thing my littles are able to do right now, at the ripe ol' ages of 3 years and 10 months, as a way to help me remember them at these ages, later down the road:

Banks, age 3

He continues to be long and lean: He weighed 36.6 pounds (89th percentile) and was 40.25 inches tall (96th percentile) at his 3-year well check. He wears 4T clothing and Size 11-Wide shoes. Strangers have asked on multiple occasions if he will be starting kindergarten next year. Nope.

He generally eats a HUGE breakfast, adequate lunch, and little for dinner. He is NOT a fan of vegetables. He is a fan of any form of meat, fruits, and sweets, and not necessarily in that order.

He has been fully potty-trained for day for about 7 or 8 months but still wears a pull-up diaper for night. Side note: Ever wiped a hiney in a public restroom while simultaneously wrangling a wiggling baby? Talk about multi-tasking. And sweating.

He still takes one nap per day, which usually lasts about two hours. He is starting to drop his nap one to two days per week but stays in his room, in his bed, during these times. He goes to bed at 8:30 pm and wakes up between 6:30 and 7:00 am.

He had his first ever dental appointment a few weeks ago. He had no cavities. His teeth and gums looked very healthy, and the spacing of his teeth is promising for not needing future braces. Yahoo!

He seems to be a lefty, although he will also use his right hand at times. He is definitely right-footed. 

He still loves playing sports more than anything else in the world. And I have to brag say, I think he's a pretty good little athlete. I cannot wait for the Spring, when we'll sign him up for teeball and golf lessons, followed by soccer in the Fall. Can.Not.Wait.

He is allowed to watch two to three cartoons a day, and his current favorites include Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, and Cat in the Hat. My current favorite is Doc McStuffins.

He loves to sing when we are out and about, driving around running errands. Because I have played the same two cd's in the car basically since his birth, he pretty much knows all of the 40+ songs by heart. There is nothing sweeter than hearing that precious little voice just belting out tunes with all the passion of an opera singer.

He loves school and has adjusted with no problem to his new classroom environment, which he attends from 9:00-12:00 two days a week.

He can spell "Stop," "Go," "Banks," and "Clemson." He also loves doing his "pluses." He can add 2+2 and 1+1 from memory and will add other numbers together when shown how to do so using his fingers. 

His imagination runs wild! His favorite things to pretend right now are that he is Daddy and is off to work to see his clients and that he is a "bad guy" who is also a hero. Swoon.

He is the sweetest, most caring big brother and is constantly trying to make his little sister laugh and hug and kiss her. 

He makes us laugh every single day. Oh, the things that come out of that boy's mouth...We are definitely rockin' the "why" phase, and I love it! I tell him all the time that I love that he is so inquisitive because that is how we learn. Based on the number of questions I hear per day, I'd say he could write an entire Encyclopedia (Side note: Remember when we actually had to look up information in a hard copy of an encyclopedia? Craziness).

Although he is certainly in the midst of that oh-so-fun stage of testing limits, he rarely requires time outs anymore and is usually a good listener. 

He is my little buddy, and there are no words for how much I love this child.

Raleigh, age 10 months

She also continues to be long and lean: She weighed 18.5 pounds (42nd percentile) and was 29.75 inches (98th percentile) at her 9-month well check. She wears 12-month clothing, Size 3.5 shoes, and Size 3 diapers. People often comment about how tall she is (Side note: A very nice gentleman looked at Raleigh and commented that "he" was such a good-natured baby when my family and I were out doing our annual Black Friday shopping trip, at which point his wife pointed out the gigantic pink bow on her head. No, sir, I do not cross-dress my baby.). 

She is still breastfed and nurses four times per day. She is also a good eater and eats only table food now, taking in three hefty meals a day along with a snack.

She takes two naps per day, which can range anywhere from 30-40 minutes each (which is most typical) or a couple of hours (very, very, very rare). She goes to bed at 8:00 pm and usually wakes up between 6:00 and 6:30 am, although she will hang out in her crib for a good 30 minutes or so before I come in at 6:45 am to nurse her.

She still just has two bottom teeth, with no signs of any others to speak of just yet. She no longer takes a paci, actually she hasn't for about 7 months now, and does not suck her thumb or fingers.

She is starting to walk! She has taken 5 steps without assistance but averages 2 to 3 on most attempts; however, she will rock that walk like nobody's business when holding on to just one of my fingers. Once she builds up her confidence, she'll be up and running!

She is able to say a handful of words, including Momma, Dada, ball, bubble, and bye-bye (while waving). I guess she's a fan of /b/ words so far.

She will point to "eyes" on command but no other body parts just yet. She will also give kisses when asked that will just melt your heart.

She LOVES to make people laugh. If she does something and someone laughs at her, she will do it over and over, looking at them each time she does it and waiting for the laughter in response.

She also enjoys dancing, bobbing her sweet little round head and bouncing up and down whenever she hears a good beat.

She is in the midst of having horrible separation anxiety. As in, will not let another person (besides her Daddy) hold her when her Momma is in the room. People have asked if I think she is struggling with this because she is around me all day, every day. Nope. This is a completely normal stage of development, one that her big brother really struggled with at her age, for many, many months, despite being in childcare full-time. Regardless, I'll be happy when it's over. I know other people besides her Daddy and me want to snuggle her.

She just loves her big brother so much. Her face lights up when she sees him, and she gives the best laughs to him. She loves chasing him around and having him pull her in her mini wagon. 

She is my sweet, dainty little lady, and she is just heaven on Earth.