just a quick post to shout

I'm not usually a huge video game fan, but the Wii is so fun! It's a great way to bond and spend family time. Jay is a master mii creator. His mii's are so spot on it always makes everyone laugh. It had been a while since we updated them so the other day Big and I watched the master at work. He updated Little and Big (he needed a wii haircut) and added Tiny.
We had to take a family portrait...drum roll please........

TA DA!!!!


oh yes wii laugh, wii play, and wii bond. Life is good.

Sometimes I think it takes a random weird moment to appreciate the fullness of people. Moments that make you giggle, cry, or feel anything BIG.

I have taken to crocheting. I really enjoy it. Lately I've been making hats. I keep trying to make one for Big but they are either too big or too small. I think he must be right in between ALL pattern sizes...LOL. He's been so patient. He's also very excited about his hat. Well on Saturday I set out to make him a hat again. He requested a brown one with this camoish yarn too. As I am working stitches in the car (my new favorite place to crochet) he asks:

"Mom, can you add a camo heart to my hat?"

...well I'm sure you can picture the shock on both Jay and my faces. I wondered hmmm where is he going with this. I tried to hold back laughter and told him no. I know, it's just a heart but all I need is him being bullied and labeled as something he's not. I'd like him to end his last year in public school on a high note. Not really phased, and full of confidence in my crochet prowess he then asks:

"Well then, can you make it say I LOVE MOM?"

....I almost die. Barely able to hold a conversation I say I might be able to stitch it on the inside for him. He says he wants it on the outside and mimes his hat showing me that he wants it right in front in a nice BIG font. I gasp....this would be social suicide. I tell him I'm not sure how to do that yet because I'm still learning. Hew nods in acceptance and asks me to practice.

Now besides wanting to LOL and wondering where he comes up up with this stuff I was struck with a realization. He loves me so purely. He would proudly declare from his hat that he loves his mom. He didn't care that it was social suicide- I don't think what other would think of him even crossed his mind.

Note to self: You shouldn't need a hat proclaiming how tender he is to be mindful of it. Speak softer, show more empathy.His heart is so tender. In these training year don't loose sight of that. Because where our treasure is there our HEART is also. He is my treasure, my gift- my blessing. I need to help him guard his heart and learn to fill it with good things of God, not slowly break him.

Yesterday I shared about Tiny trying to wean herself... it's so sad really, and so much more work for me (Thanks Gemma for the GREAT link!) I hope it passes. If it doesn't though I plan to keep pumping through her first birthday.
That got me thinking. Could it be true? Is my sweet, happy, squishy baby closer to toddlerdom then infancy now? When did this happen?
Over the past few months so much has changed. I posted about her break through Indiana Jones style weekend awhile back. Well the adventures and milestone just keep coming. She longs to play with Big and Little- and the closer she gets to her goal a mix of sadness and pride fill me. I can't help but be confused by mommy emotions at times. They are often so conflicting. You feel one way for them, and another about them. I want so much for her to stay my little baby, but I also love watching the joy spread like a wild fire across her face as she accomplishes yet another new feat.
So without further adieu and mommy sulkiness let me share my sweet Sunshine's newest discoveries with you.

*She is a full fledged sitter now! No more pulling to a stand and flopping down with a crash because she can't sit up. Now when she looses her strength she just rest on her bottom a bit.

*She will now tolerate her glasses more, but her patches less....it 's a work in progress.
*She sleeps through the night! YIPPEE!

*She is so good at using her thumb and finger to grasp things.Cheerios, fruit, tiny pieces of her beloved paper, and her sisters hair. I think it's so funny that my only baby with vision problems has the best fine motor skill...God is good.
* she's become so vocal! She doesn't say anything like mama or dada. Just happy little yelps.
* she cruises, and will transition from the couch to a toy if it is close enough.

*Although she's been getting around just fine for awhile now, her style of crawling is interesting to say the least. Just recently though she's learned that she can crawl on all fours with that nice soft belly OFF the floor.
* she is ticklish, and loves finger songs like "Tony Chestnut"
*she LOVES the sight of her family. Little is her hero.Big makes her squeal. Her daddy is her knight in shining armor, and me well I am her sense of security in this ever widening world.

So much is changing, yet the blessing of it all is that she's just the same. Could it be?

... What do you do when your 8.5 month old REFUSES to nurse???? All she wants to do is use me as a tether. ( I have even tried the sacrificial mom thing and allowed her to bite me, hoping she'd then latch on...TMI but, my nipples hate me) She is so hungry, but won't nurse.

I pumped and fed her this morning after 12 hours and much sadness. She wasn't very keen on the idea. I hope this doesn't last. Do you think she's weening herself? Does anyone know how many times a day a 9 month old needs milk, and how much she needs?

argh!

I must remember to post about her HIGHLIGHTS later today so I don't feel discouraged....Oh, Aubree...

... up until about 10 min ago I had no idea what I was going to write this FF about, then I saw my warm fuzzy pink slippers...Oh yes I do love how the mind of a woman works..... slippers...One of Bigs most philosophical quotes ever is about slippers.

January 2007

I was 7 months pregnant with Little. Big was enjoying his last moments of having us all to himself one night putting on what we fondly call "The BIG Show". He was running, playing and tile skating in a new pair of homemade slipper- then suddenly turned wrong and SPLAT. I wish I could say that he had a natural instinct to protect his face but he DOESN'T. It was like watching the last domino crashing down. He didn't even utilize his hands for blocking at all. He lead the grand decent with his face. Oh yes, before the delayed scream even left his mouth we knew something was terribly wrong.

I examined his mouth first- sure he had bit his tongue off...not that...but the blood had come from somewhere....then we saw it. His chin was split open on the underside BADLY. We could see the fat and some bone. Needless to say we rushed him to the ER. I was so freaked out. I thought he would be too- but he wasn't. he followed all our directions calmly: He didn't talk, he held his face just so...it was astounding. In the ER they were quick to help us and even brought in people to help hold him down when he was about to get the stitches, but we didn't need them. he laid down closed his eyes and stayed perfectly still while they stitched him up. It was so amazing. He got a total of 13 stitches. 7 internal and 6 external. He was so brave.

Yes, that is how I feel in my day to day life quite often. I have someone clinging to me here, pulling at me there, and in a very boisterous voice someone else is begging for "Mo nana peas, nana mama, nana peas or Aubby" Oh, yes I often feel like I live in a zoo.
So I guess that it's no wonder that my family loves to visit their natural habitat as often as they can....yes, I am finally posting about our fun trip to the Oakland Zoo (a few weeks back, better late then never I say).

We had such a wonderful time! This trip we were smart and parked at the lower gate, so our day started and finished in the children's zoo. We also got there right as it opened so for most of our trip it felt like we had the zoo all to ourselves. Which was especially nice because Little was free range exploring....yeah, scary I know.....

the kids, being themselveswhen we first got there

The alligators were in good form that day. One of them was hanging out right in front of the viewing area like this for most of the morning. Big thought is was so cool, Little on the other hand announced it was "Ew scary grrrrrrr". I think that was something else that made this trip so fun. It was the first time Little could talk understandably, and she did have a lot to say. She offered her commentary on EVERYTHING ( I guess she may be my daughter after all hu?)
She especially liked the HUGE tortoises. She's always drawn to turtles because of Mr. Turtle, but I think she was stunned by the size of those big guys she kept muttering "wow, tuttle wow...." with a look of pure amazement.

the kids mid trip, still happily themselves

ok, so at this point, I must tell you that as I stated in the beginning; I live with a bunch of monkeys, so really it's no wonder that I love to linger near the Gibbon. They usually will put on an awesome calling/swinging show, but much to my chagrin we missed it that day. By the time they got warm enough to show off and start whooping we were getting ready to leave BUT I did get Jay to take this picture with me, the kids, and my buddy the Gibbon (if you squint really hard you can see him perched on top of that tree over my head) before we headed of to see the Giraffes.



Tiny loved the Giraffes! I think this shot of her watching them is so freakin' cute!


We explored the rest of the zoo- Big tried to get me to hang out with the icky snakes, Little tried to bray at the elephant, Jay got to watch his meerkats, and I saw the PINK flamingos. All in all it was great. Before getting into the car we let the kids play at the old playground near the lower parking lot. They had a blast! Big is such a character, he always makes me laugh.

Check out his Hippo face.....LOL

and last but not least Little had to take a moment to stop and smell the flowers before getting in the car.

Zoo days, ok any family time actually rocks my world and makes me feel blessed.

I LOVE when kids make it easy for you!

This year when asked what he wanted to do for his birthday Big said he wanted his 2 best friends to come over for a sleep over...my quick response was "DONE!"

So we greeted Super 7 (did I mention that's only 3 years away from 10?!) by having a sleepover with Gavin, and Weston....so easy, and so fun!

The boys played, made their own pizza creations for dinner, and ate cake on Friday night. I love watching how kids interact and really enjoy each others company and the simple things.

Big got his first big boy bike this year. So after our pancake breakfast we took all the kids to the park and they rode around and played in the lovely sunshine for about 1.5 hours before they went home.

They all had a blast, and like I said it was so easy for me...score!

Big had a jammed packed weekend though because after his friends went home his Lola took him out for the afternoon. They went to Chuck E Cheese (bless her heart, better her then I) then to dinner and finally to pick out his present ( gatta love being the ONLY grandson hu?). She got him this Bionicle.


He built it with his daddies help this morning and was so proud he had to show me. Before he left his room he told Jay "I'm going to show mama, I'll bet she'll want to take a picture" LOL he so knows me =)

He also got to go ice skating with his Te-Tey. She said he did really good! He came home all smiles (until I told him it was bedtime) so I guess they had a blast.

He needed this weekend. It was HIS focused time, and it was awesome. So thank you for all your birthday wishes, texts, and phone calls. He felt so special and loved.

....yes I said clue, not zoo. I will have to post about that tomorrow I guess.

So anyone who has ever known a 2yr old will be able to appreciate this Little moment we had today.

I was washing the dishes and musing how as a mommy I should come to appreciate my chores as part of my personal time when Miss. Little comes barreling down the hallway at top speed full of enthusiasm. She is talking (or yelling) about something in toddlernese that I can't quite make out. Well this kind of excitement require further investigation, so I turn around and see her clinging to a build-a-bear bat like it is manna from heaven, and gabbing excitedly. Still lost she hands it to me and I see this.



Now, I get it " A Clue?" I say. Her bounce of joy and smile says it all. I got it right. Little found herself a Blues Clue. In the life of a almost two year old there isn't much sweeter then your very own clue. She clung to it all day, every now and then inspecting it to make sure the paw print was still there- then mubbling "Little's luslu(blues) clue" and smiling.

Hello Dear Ones!!!!

I'm so sorry I've been missing for weeks now. As I stated before December was jammed packed with so much wonderfulness that I have yet to blog it with justice....but time rolls on non the less so the best I can do is offer a short bloggy land HELLO. I just realized this very moment that the thought of summing up the last few weeks is so thoroughly overwhelming to me right now that I will save December's highlights for future "Flashback Fridays". Oh, yes I do like that idea.

So starting a fresh with 2009.

We always spend NYE with Jay's cousins. I am so utterly blessed to have built AMAZING relationships with all of them. Those five women are my rocks, and sounding boards. It's just really good fun for everyone. This year Thrieza got all the girls matching jammies, and of course we had to try and snap a picture. As always we ALL had a great time hanging out. It was fun, fun fun!

2009 holds so much promise. I love the feel of a New Year. It's like warm high-thread count new sheets...just perfect and cozy. I have a feeling that 2009 will be an amazing year for our family. I will post about all that on my personal faith blog sometime this week though.


To welcome 2009 and wavy goodbye to Christmas break we went to the zoo as a family on Sunday. But I will post about that when the hubby brings home the pictures tomorrow.

Big's body decided it wasn't done taking a break though because he came home from school on Monday with pink eye (ouch). So we are laying low this week. If you could would you lift our family's health up in prayers. We got sick a lot in 2008 and I'm hoping that 2009 will be better in that respect too.

So now here we are as up to date as we are going to be I suppose. Hopefully next week everyone will be well and we'll be back on track, and enjoying the daily routine.