Bowling

Thanks to the brainy-acks who invented the Wii game system Sierra has discovered bowling.  She regularly gives Trevor and me a run for our money when playing it. In fact, she gets rather ticked when she doesn't at least achieve a spare. While Trevor's parents were visiting we decided to give 'real' bowling a try.  We chose 5-pin because the balls are small. 

Sierra had a blast.  She heaved that ball into the air with great vigor.  The loft was so impressive that I cringed every time the ball loudly hit the floor and worried one of the employees was going to come over!  The ball never rolled with great speed but it rolled.  Sierra was so excited to throw the ball that she barely watched to see which pins she knocked down.  Unlike with Wii bowling, toppling the pins was irrelevant to her.  It was all about throwing the ball.

Trevor's dad revealed a hidden talent in the sport of bowling and showed us how it was done.  As for my pin-crashing skill - all I can say is it's a good thing we had Sierra along to have an excuse for the gutter-blockers to be up! 

When I was a kid I remember being so disappointed that they didn't make little bowling shoes and I had to go around in my socks.  That is not the case anymore and they are so cute!

Gimme an S! Gimme an A! Gimme an...

 My baby Sawyer turned one year old yesterday!  

I'm not in the right frame of mind for writing a long flowery tribute right now.  

We love him dearly and and he's a joy to have around!

Smiley - right from the day he figured out how! 
Adorable - what can I say I'm his mom! 

Winsome - just a lovable little guy

Yammer - what he does not do (I couldn't find any other 'Y' words)

Engaging - he grins and flirts with anyone who'll talk to him.

Rascally - He is into everything and does not acknowledge the word "No".

"Oh boy, ice-cream cake!"  (he has no idea, but it looks cool!)

 

Sierra, being the ever-helpful big sister.

"I want to try this myself!"

"Now how does this work?"

"Ach - forget the spoon, this is easier"

Sierra was way more into the present thing than Sawyer.

As all parents say - has it really been a year already?

Happy Birthday Sawyer - here's to many wonderful years!!!

Ups and Downs

 The Up:  I am finally feeling better physically, my ears are clear and I've only got a tiny residual cough.

 The Down: My little Sawyer has an ear infection and is feeling a tad miserable.

The Up:  My in-laws are visiting from the coast and I was allowed to sleep until 8:30 this morning and I had a 2 hour nap this afternoon.

The Down:  I was up with a sad Sawyer for over 3 hours last night and an hour and a half the night before.

The Up:  It warmed up beautifully and melted all the snow earlier this week, the kids even went to the park on Monday with their babysitter.

The Down:  Old Man Winter woke up again on Wednesday and accosted us with  another bout of snow and cold.

The Up:  I went to the dentist this morning for the first time in five years and they oo'd and aaa'd over how nice my teeth are.

The Down:  I left minus a wisdom tooth.  The one below it had been removed years ago and with nothing to stop the top one it actually "erupted" over time.  It had done so to such a degree that it had chipped another bottom tooth.  It also had a cavity.  Adios tooth. 

Chaos then Perspective

The tornado of chaos has a solid presence in my house these days, flinging toys EVERYWHERE, ensuring that there is constantly water spots and toothpaste all over the bathroom, littering cardboard and packing products on the floor in front of my fireplace from a recent bar-stool purchase, and keeping the floor well peppered with crumbs and sticky with spills!!  (Do not look at my floor and if you dare walk around in stocking feet your socks will never be the same)

I just start to feel like I'm getting a handle on things when the tornado revs up for another round.

I have pretty much always felt that I had control of most aspects of my life but lately I've failed miserably.  Being sick does not help matters but my stage life is the major culprit.  I feel that I've already relaxed my standards with having two small children and with working part-time yet it still drives me crazy.

I've been kind of complainy lately haven't I?

There's a lot going on.

I've got a new round of drugs from my doctor so hopefully that helps and I can get on with life - calming the tornado, resuming exercise and healthy eating and upping my mood!

A week later.....

So I wrote this near the beginning to of last week and looked it over and thought,
"I can't post this!"
and I didn't.
Later in the week I read two separate posts about perspective with kids, life and priorities. Then I came back to this post with reoriented thinking.  I knew all that stuff but to read it from another person's brain and experience resonated with me. In a few short years my kids will be in school and I'll wish for them to be home.  A few more years after that we, their parents, will become aliens from another planet and they won't want to be seen with us.  I should cherish and enjoy this time now.  One thing I told myself when Sierra was born was that I was going to make the most of every stage and moment of her life.  I didn't want to wish for it to pass any faster or long for the past to return but to live in the moment.  Overall I've been mostly successful with that desire but lately not so much and I've been  at a loss on how to make that a reality.

Sierra absolutely loves doing things and doing them with someone.  She hates to be alone.  I read post after post of Kindra's and her innovative activities she does with her young girls and I concluded that I needed to try the same.  I need to push aside my need for perfect order and control with my surroundings and invest my energy in my little girl and little boy.
The internet is a vast resource of ideas and after ten minutes of surfing I became filled with excitement over all the cool things I could do with Sierra. God flicked a switch in my mind and I found myself wanting to be with her simply because I enjoyed her.
We began with making Valentines.  I purchased glitter and construction paper and away we went.  Yes, I'll be seeing glitter on my floor for years to come but it was worth it to share in her excitement and fun of creating these cards for her friends.

We also copied an idea from Kindra and made a heart streamer to decorate with.  Sierra is so proud of her creations and tells everyone we see!

Then on Sunday we made Valentine's cookies and decorated them with Granny and Papa.
My idea list is full and so will my days be.  I know there will be times when the house will simply have to receive a little TLC but I refuse to base my satisfaction out of life or worry about what my friends/family think on the cleanliness of my house.  I will be imprinting my kids with what I pray is a positively memorable childhood and forming a relationship that will carry us through the "alien years".

A Girl and A Boy

Having a boy is so different from a girl.
Or maybe it's just that my kids have opposite personalities?
Sawyer is into the plant dirt constantly; heck, he is into EVERYTHING constantly.   (I finally got tired of sweeping up dirt and moved the plant) With Sierra the only mess-creating activity she liked to do was empty the CD rack.
Sawyer has no qualms about going off into another room by himself and seeing what kind of mischief he can get into.   Sierra nearly always needs another human in the room with her or she is sure she will self destruct.
If it makes noise Sawyer is totally into it.  Although Sierra can certainly make her share of racket she is definitely less into items that offend the ear.

I'm cherishing my baby son a little more these days as he is turning one in two short weeks.  He is such an added joy to our family and - if Trevor has his way - completes it perfectly!

He loves to play ball and has grasped the concept of throwing it back and forth already.  His athletically inclined sister has influenced that.

On one of rarely mild and not-windy days we ventured outside.

Sawyer watched from his stroller for awhile.

Sierra burned some energy on the neglected trampoline.

I achieved a nice self-portrait of me and my boy!

Such is Life

Beautiful.

I think God gives me these so that I quickly forget myself amid the sleepy, grumpy fog I'm in every morning for being awake well before I want to be.
I realize that my life with kids is not any different and definitely not any harder than any other mom but it's been a struggle lately.

It's especially challenging this morning because I've been sick for over a week with no real opportunity to allow my body to heal.  Trevor has also been going through some medical issues lately which has been adding physical and mental stress.
We need sleep.

I know I'm whining.  I'm sorry.
My life really is very good.
I just have moments.

At least they're cute and I wouldn't trade them for the world!

My Week

 

 Where I wish I could be.

It has not been a good week.