Happy Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day!

Mad Skills

Having an older sister, I catch on to things pretty quickly. Or at least I like to think that. It may just be that Mommy is avoiding trivial bickering by letting me do things Hannah does. Let's take drinking out of a big boy (or girl) cup for example. I'm not quite sure when Hannah officially began drinking out of one but I know it hasn't been for too long. Now, check me out. I've got it down. And I'm only two (and a new two at that). Also, I overheard Mommy tell a friend they I've learned all my colors a lot faster than Hannah did. And, I even surprised Mommy by helping her count to ten the other day while playing hide and seek. Amazing huh? I guess this next little squirt will be a genius based on the combined knowledge Hanny and I will unknowingly pass down to him/her. We'll just have to see. Or it could just be that I'm a stinkin' genius.

An Adjustment

So, Hannah and I are roomies. Here's how that has affected me. Long nights = unexpected naps at unexpected times in unexpected places.

Big Boy Bed

It's been a month since the big switch. I'm talking about my big boy bed. It was a bitter sweet time for me. Sweet because I got a roommate...my favorite sister. Bitter because I missed the comfort of my crib. Mommy would say, "Let's go to bed," and I'd point to my old room and start walking toward it. I was a little disappointed when Mommy told me that was no longer my bed. These pictures capture my first night in my big boy bed. I was uneasy. Daddy tried to console me but I was skeptical. I cried a bit. Mommy came in to check on me. I was stiff as a board in the same position she left me in thirty minutes before. But, since then, I've gotten braver. I like my bed now. I refuse to sleep under the covers. It's just weird. I've been converted to being a pillow user. They're awesome. And, a little disclaimer: I did not pick the pink pillowcase. Somehow we (by that I mean Mommy) have misplaced the green pillowcase I was supposed to use. And, one month later, I'm STILL sleeping with a pink pillowcase. Oh well. Let's just say it's been an adventure moving into a room with Hannah. From watching her eat pennies to jumping off the bed and taking every diaper out of the drawers, to late night conversations, there's never a dull moment. And, you can't beat hearing "Grant, I love you," from my favorite sister as I doze off to sleep.

Mommy's Moment: A Farewell to LOST

Well, I've never spoken of LOST before on here. And, I never will again after this. But after watching the finale I thought I'd write my opinion down and get my thoughts out of my head. Those of you who know me well know that I L-O-V-ED LOST. I started watching it from season one six years ago. John and I were newly married. I was hooked. I liked that it was a show that inspired deep thinking, making connections, and developing complex characters that in some form or fashion you can relate to. It was great storytelling. I'll admit, I over thought most everything on the show so much so that after each episode I would dream about it. Sad, I know. But I loved the puzzles, the mysteries, the odd connections. So, when I watched the finale last night I was a bit disappointed that most of those mysteries and puzzles never got solved. I realize that it wasn't the writers' intent to answer all those puzzles. Instead their focus was on character development and resolution. But even in that sense I was disappointed, mostly in the "flashsideways." Perhaps it's because I can't "rejoice" in their depiction of the afterlife. And I know these aren't Christian writers and I knew it wouldn't end with a Christian perspective. That would be naive of me to think that (although many viewers think it did end with a Christian perspective). But, their "reunion" seemed unpowerful and honestly, a bit silly to me. And I really don't know what I was expecting as far as how they would reconnect...but it wasn't that.
There are things I can appreciate about last night's finale. I can appreciate Jack's character's redemption (in the REAL timeline). I love how they have taken his character over the past six years and followed his ups and downs. I was so glad to see him find purpose and peace. I thought it was awesome how they ended the show with his eye closing. PERFECT. IMPACTFUL.
I am glad Kate and Jack finally expressed their love for each other. I think that was necessary...moreso for Jack's character. I'm not a big Kate fan but I feel like that needed to be expressed between the two of them for some closure.
I'm glad Claire is going back to be with Aaron but the way in which it happened was weak. One moment she was insistent on not going back and then with a few quick words from Kate, she upped and went. For a two and a half hour season finale maybe more time could have been given to develop this change of heart.
As for what needed to be answered...the list could go on and on. Walt, why Aaron was born in a purgatory state, what's up with Jack's fake son, why is Ben left out of the circle of friends on their way to heaven, what was up with the Egyptian mythology and the statue, what was the island, why did it move...so on and so on. I feel like a lot of their puzzles were more of a tease now to keep us watching. And they did. And I'm not regretful of that, just disappointed. But perhaps they're coming at it with a real life perspective in the sense that we won't ever have all the answers to the great mysteries of life and we have to be okay with that. Even as a believer this holds true from a Biblical viewpoint. As Christians, though we are certain of our "ending (not an ending that is dependent on our good works as mentioned by Jimmy Kimmel but dependent on the work of Christ on behalf of us)" there are many mysteries in life and life after this earth that we won't be able to understand. But we live by faith. Not faith in an unknown though, thankfully faith in the One who knows all things and who we know to "work all things together for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose." On this I can rest assured.

Thanks LOST for six intriguing years. It was worth it.

What are some of YOUR thoughts??

Race Day

The fam afterwards (did I mention we got glow necklaces too?)
Mommy FINALLY finishing the race

Waiting and Waiting with Balloons in Hand

The Start: Can you Spot Mommy? (And Mrs. Kim and Mrs. Tutti and Mr. Torey?)

Upon Arrival at the Race

I want to run. Mommy has been running semi-frequently and it's got me thinking. I'm thinking...I'd like to run. Every time Mommy goes out for a jog I ask to go with. But it seems that I'm too little. However, imagine my excitement when I heard Mommy was going to be in a race. A race! It sounded exciting. She said I could watch. WOW. So, on race day, Daddy took me and Grant to watch Mommy run. It wasn't quite what I expected. To start with, when we arrived I couldn't find Mommy. There was quite a large crowd of people that showed up that day to race as well. I even shed a few tears as I scanned the crowd. Daddy found me and Grant a spot on the wall and finally pointed out Mommy in the sea of runners. I waved ecstaticly. And then, they were off. And then, they were gone. Out of sight. This wasn't what I was hoping it would be. Where was Mommy? Daddy walked me and Grant to the finish line. And we waited. And waited. And it began to rain. And I began to get cold. Wearing my designer dress (not really) with matching shrug wasn't my best choice for the event and weather. I regretted that decision. The highlight of the wait? Balloons. Grant and I are big balloon fans. It kept us entertained. And then finally, FINALLY, we saw Mommy cross the line. And that was it. That was it? Watching the race was a bit disappointing. I wanted to see Mommy run a lot. I wanted to run with her. But, nonetheless, I was excited. I waved ecstaticly again as she crossed the line. I like to think of myself as her biggest fan. I want her to feel like an Olympian as she crosses the line. I think she did. And yes, that's a ten year old boy behind her. We'll just say, she's not in the shape she used to be in. We'll keep that between you and me. The BEST highlight of the race? A Chick-fil-a dinner afterwards. Hands down. Next time, I'm lacing up my Nike's and hitting the road with Mommy. I've been practicing and I think that it will make for a much more fun racing experience. . .for me and for Mommy.

Mommy's Moment: Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

It's hard to believe that today Grant turns 2 years old! Before having kids I always heard how fast time flies when you have kids. Now I really believe it. Sometimes I just want to grab the clock and hold it there so I can soak in a few more minutes of this season of life (and sometimes I want to do the opposite!). In this past year Little Buddy has changed so much. Here's a few developments from the past year:

*He walks...and runs...the most precious run you've ever seen.

*He says "Mommy (Daddy) ah-lu" (love you) at least ten times a day (I'm not kidding).

*He throws fits...big fits...fits that will test your patience and your whole philosophy on disciplining. I could camp out here for awhile. Let's just say Little Buddy can stand his ground for over two hours on a simple issue as putting magnets back on the fridge.

*Thankfully his strong passion also crosses over to positive characteristics like giving hugs, patting (he loves to do this), and loving people. He gets along well with most everybody.

*He doesn't like to disappoint. After disciplining he often comes and hugs me and tells me yet again, he loves me.

*He knows most of all his colors (this surprises me because I don't think Hannah did at this point).

*He's an AWFUL eater. At one point he'd eat chalk but refuse any vegetable. Now he eats broccoli and thankfully has given up the chalk. I've given up in the "forcing him to eat" department. Maybe an unwise move. We'll find out.

*He loves Mickey Mouse.

*He loves his sister and will do just about anything she does (not always a good thing). He calls her "Hanny."

*He says "hold shu" and enjoys to be held and carried (sorry to disappoint the little man in a few months).

*He L-O-V-E-S to sing. His most requested song "I Love You Lord" which he tries so hard to sing along to, most of the time just ringing in on the last syllables of each word.

*He's a bit of a scaredy cat. He doesn't enjoy being tossed into the air or being pushed to high on the swing. I'm hoping this is a phase.

*He's an avid thumb sucker.

And I could go on and on. Mostly, this post is for me to remember this little guy at this age. I always thought I'd remember certain things about Hannah at this age but I'm so sad to say I quickly forgot alot of them. All the more reason to write it down. I am so thankful that the Lord chose me and John to be Grant's parents. I know it's cliche but he is such a blessing. My biggest prayer is that the Lord would draw him to Himself at a young age and that Grant would grow into a godly man who loves the Lord and glorifies Him through his life. In my heart of hearts (though I don't always feel this way when days are bad and long) I am honored to be a part of this little guy's life and I pray the Lord would give me and John wisdom in how to be good stewards of his life while he is with us. Happy 2nd Birthday Grant. We love you!

"Bankey Boy"

If you don't have one of these, man, you've gotta get one. His name: "Bankey Boy" aka Blankey Boy. It was the name Mommy apparently gave to her blankey long ago. So, I stole it and now use it for my blankey. He's my life support. When times are troubled, it gives me comfort and relief. There's no replacement for it. In fact, Mommy tried to do an ole switcharoo on me while she washed the real deal and for a minute she pulled one over on me...for a minute. It wasn't long before I realized this was an imposter. I through it out of my crib (when I was still in my other room) and screamed until Mommy finally returned the only true "Bankey Boy." It happened once, it won't happen again. There's no substitute for this guy.

Something to Laugh About

We hope your day brings you lots of laughter

Love,

Hannah

Welcoming Warm Weather

Grant and I are welcoming warm weather....swimsuits and all. And what's a little outdoor fun without buckets on your head?

A Little Practice

I've gotten a little practice with this big brother thing. Mommy watched baby Asher for a friend a few weeks ago. What I've got to say after the experience: I think I'm gonna like being a big brother. Yep. I couldn't keep my eyes off Asher. I even bounced him a bit in his bouncy seat and gave him some gentle pats to the head (I'm known for my awesome patting abilities). Hannah, of course, adored him. But, she's already had practice being the bigger sibling. So it comes naturally to her. Oh and check out my Mickey pjs. Did I tell you I L-O-V-E LOVE Mickey Mouse? I do. And I'm hoping there just might be a Mickey waiting for me for my birthday. That'd be awesome. Then I can stop carrying around my Mickey Mouse diapers everywhere. Yes, yes, I take them in the car with me just so I can stare at my awesomely cool mouse pal. But, I admit, it's a bit uncool to be walking around carrying a diaper. It's cramping my style. So, hopefully, hopefully, Mickey will be waiting for me for my birthday (don't tell Mommy but I overheard her talking to Grandma about where to find a Mickey Mouse...let's hope Grandma followed through).

I Make This Look GOOD

I know, I know, you're wondering why hasn't anyone contacted me to do some modeling? Well, give them some time. It takes awhile to find raw talent like mine.

The Start of Something Beautiful (or something like that)

Our new bedspreads came in a few weeks ago. And from there, our new room transformation began. Last week, Mommy and Daddy put our new room together. The pink dots are gone. The green paint stayed. And fun times have begun to be had by me and Grant. Since we've begun to sleep in the same room the following has occured: late nights (now slowly simmering down), sleeping in my dress up clothes, eating pennies, wetting the bed again (I'm ashamed to say that's me), coloring on the walls and dresser (yep, that's me again too), reading bedtimes stories to Grant (proud to say that's me), getting out of bed, spankings, and giggles, giggles, galore. Mommy will post the final pictures soon. She just hasn't taken them yet. She has a few decorating touches to add. As for Grant's first few nights, well, I'll leave him to share his thoughts on those pivotal moments in his life. As for me, I'm loving having my brother with me in "our" room. It's such a blast!

Our Easter Get-Up

Yes, we are aware Easter was over a month ago. However, Mommy couldn't resist putting a picture of my Easter dress on here. And then there's Grant, looking ever so dashing in his handsome yellow shirt. He has been nicknamed "Peep" by Mrs. Katie at church because of his peepish look...yellow shirt, light blue crocks(the only shoes he will wear, by the way). Too bad he doesn't taste like a peep. This is my bubble dress, perhaps because it bubbles at the bottom. Sort of. Who knows. But I love it. Don't worry, these are our last Easter pictures. Mommy hasn't taken as many pictures as usual lately and so we hopefully can catch up here quickly. But there are new posts on the horizon including Grant's and my new room, my new haircut, Grant's new haircut, and just the usual silliness of our everyday lives. We know you're on the edge of seat!