Scenes from our trip to Utah last month.
There were lots of favorites from our visit but I had no idea how much they'd love the trip to This Is The Place monument. You would have thought we were at an amusement park, that's how much they were into the place. Making arrowhead necklaces, getting a shave, pioneer school, dipping candles, riding trains and horses. I'm thinking we'll be back this way again.
yesterday was picture day at school.
she chose her outfit.
she asked me to curl her hair.
what??? this has happened only twice since her birth. she is adamant about how she wants her hair done. day after day, she will dictate to me exactly what i am to do. usually this is what i hear, "side pony tail, mom. and NO curls!"
i never argue. sometimes i will suggest we try something different. but normally it doesn't fly.
but yesterday…yesterday she asked for curls.
and i happily obliged.
Eight is the newest number in our home today.
I could gush on and on about being the mom of this amazing little man.
But that would make his face turn a deep shade of red. (reminds me so much of me. to a T.)
And then he'd smile with his toothless grin and I know deep down he'd love it.
Happy Birthday, D!
OxoXx, mom
today i realized it's been far too long since i've photographed my baby. affectionately known as
the baby bubba
chrishy crosh
sunshine
schmooky
and occasionally, stinky cheeks.
the lighting in my bedroom always makes his hair look redder. i like it. his middle name is kenneth, after my dad…also known as "red" back in the day. it's only fitting that he has a little bit of grandpa in him.
smells are a powerful thing. for good or for bad. i think you know what i'm talking about.
a few days ago i had a pleasant encounter with a smell from the past. jeff and i were out on a date…at the mall. he loves it when i drag him with me to run an errand that i'd prefer not to bring 4 children along. anyhow, we were walking past the perfume counter and a particular bottle caught my eye. one that i hadn't seen for a decade. i stopped, looked at it, and it instantly took me back to Spain. i grabbed it, sprayed a little on my wrist, and breathed in deeply. i imagined myself on preparation day walking past Corte Ingles (a huge european department store). my companion and I would duck inside and take a look around. we'd walk by the perfume counter and i'd always find that same perfume and spray it in my general direction. it made me happy. especially after a long day of walking or not feeling very attractive in my worn out shoes and tattered hem line. it was just the right dose of pick me up that i needed.
another day this week, i was looking through some photos of a trip to the mountains. just by glancing at them, i breathed in a different smell. pine. clean. fresh. cool. air. there simply is nothing like mountain air to make me feel alive.
then there was tonight. i was standing in the kitchen when i got a whiff of something putrid. oh dear. what in the world is that and more importantly who is it coming from? ughh…i won't rat anyone out but it is very clear to me that we have 4 males in this household and they sure know how to mark their territory.
and all i could think is i should have bought me some of that perfume. because it sure would come in handy right about now. 😉
it happened.
school started.
this time with one more little person from our household venturing out into the big world.
a little apprehension. i can see it on their faces.
a little excitement. i can see it in their steps.
a little sadness. is what i feel as they get a bit farther away from needing me.
everything went fairly smoothly on the first day except for one minor detail.
note to self: having a 3-year-old that is potty training can really mess things up. (pun intended!) i got dallin off to school without too much hassle but when i was getting ready to load up the car to take ella, accident #1 happened. poop! but no problem. i cleaned him up and attempted to move everyone on out the door again. but then there was accident #2. poop again!! by this time, i'm losing steam. and time!
we were going to be late.
seriously? on the first day of kindergarten? all i can think is i'm such a loser mom!
we hustle out the door for the third time and i'm driving like a batty woman yet again. we pull up to the school, i jump out with ella hoping to salvage one of those endearing moments. i quickly tell her i love her and reach out to take her hand. but she brushes it away.
she scoots off to join the end of the line as the class is filing away.
there i stood. missing her. missing that sweet moment we were supposed to have. and missing my little girl that didn't need my hand as much as i needed hers.
the good news is she came bounding home with a skip in her step and a smile on her face.
and truly…that's all i really needed to see anyway.
we celebrated a birthday this week.
he's 3.
oh my.
he has put me on a different path as a mother…he has taught me to let go…and enjoy the ride.
a favorite thing i love about him…his yawn. he's been making the exact same face since he was a fresh bundle in my arms.
i love this sweet boy with all my heart.
p.s. if you like a good before and after. take a look at him in the first photo. then look here.
a small miracle indeed.
we attempted to take a photo of the Masks with masks this month. I would have put on the beard, but Lincoln insisted that it was his. 🙂
I will not forget June.
This month has been a roller coaster for me. We're talking a Magic Mountain-esque roller coaster. Lots of highs with a few lows thrown into the mix. I'm pretty sure i can't handle that much emotion in one month. And really, i'm glad it's over. Here's the quick wrap up.
Summer has officially made it's entrance and I've been trying to keep some sort of routine so that we don't go looney. Dallin has been doing swim team in the mornings, I've been teaching a Let's Play Music summer class, Ella has a play group, and Lincoln & Christian hang on for the ride. I'm not very good at keeping a schedule but i think this is saving my bacon somewhat. As long as everyone knows what to expect from day to day, life seems to run more smoothly. I know schedules are good…why oh why can't I stick with them!?
Jeff's birthday was the first celebration this month. We showed up at his work with some goodies. I think it's crazy that almost every time I go to his work, he has moved desks. Luckily someone directed me to his new desk so I could spread out some love. I suppose it would have been just as funny to leave it on the wrong desk. Someone would have enjoyed it!
Father's Day came next. I always feel bad that his birthday is so close to Father's Day. Usually one of the two days gets a little shafted. Case in point…I ordered his Father's Day gift online and it still hasn't arrived yet. Oops.
Lincoln had his surgery. Everything seemed to go well at the hospital. The hardest part was seeing tears of blood. I can handle a nose bleed, but the eyes are a different story. I think I almost lost it right there in the parking lot. He slept most of the day after we came home. I wanted to lay next to him and hold him close just to make sure he was breathing. He did well the rest of the week. It is amazing for us to watch his head tilt change. I'm glad I took a picture the day before so we could see the difference. It is incredible.
The week after the surgery was more difficult. For me, at least. I noticed his other eye drifting inward and immediately panicked. I knew the eyes might have trouble tracking together but I didn't expect to see this. We checked with the doctor and he explained that this is normal. It may correct itself or we may need to correct it eventually. This is all so hard for me. It is hard to watch. It is hard to make decisions not knowing a definite outcome. It is hard to be a mom and hurt for my children. I am grateful for a knowledge of God's plan that gives me hope. It is what I hang onto when I am hurting.
Then my baby buddy decided to turn one. This past year really did go by in a blink. He is pulling himself up. Not quite ready to walk yet, and I've got no problems with that. He is my baby and I'm happy to keep him a baby for as long as possible. I love how he wraps his arms around my neck and buries his face in my shoulder when I pick him up after a nap. He has me hook, line, and sinker.
And to add one last thing to the pile this month, I am now a year older too.
every one-year-old celebration must involve the cake dive.
this little guy didn't waste any time getting down to the nitty gritty!
tomorrow. how did that happen so fast?
