Sep 24, 2015

11 Months.

     Two posts in one day! Only because on principle I need to get these out of the way before his birthday on Saturday . . . gosh one year, it is just now starting to sink into my conscious. These 365 days went by so fast, I can only imagine how the next ones will go. You blink and it will all be over they say, I am starting to believe them. I am sure I sound like a broken record, forgive me, it is all a little surreal.
     At 11 months you could walk. Unsteadily and with many plops and redirections, but it did not deter you. You were just starting to get into everything, but had yet to become the tornado you are now. Your main interests were cords and remotes and pens. You loved to annoy the dog and still do, but there is less poking and slapping, you mostly observe, point and laugh now. In these pictures you had managed to remove the lid from the puffs container and subsequently you spilt them all over the floor all while mommy went pee. Our morning routine most days was pretty lazy. During this month you graciously slept till 8:30 most days and upon waking we would lounge in our jammies and you would snack on cherrios/puffs while mommy slipped in bites of yogurt and banana. Not because you did not like them, but because you were too busy playing to care. This was the month that you noticeably started to take an interest in balls, much to your daddy's delight. You loved to "throw" the ball, i.e. drop it while staring at the person encouraging you to hand it to them. You babbled all the time, your favorite syllables were da-da and ha-ha. You learned uh-oh while in Ohio with Mimi and Poppi and came home and forgot it. Even now you only say the uh part. This is the month you took a special interest in mommy and that has yet to wear off (secretly I love it). You started to show us the fart part of your personality. If we took something away from you you would clench your fists and grunt in frustration. Only recently have you started to throw tantrums which consist of laying on the ground and rolling around, ya, you are that kid. You were growing more hair, but it still stood up on end and gosh I love it. Dog food was your favorite snack no matter how many times mommy told you no. Our nap routine started to get a little longer, because mommy did not want to stop rocking you, especially when you would lay your sweet head on my shoulder. And to be honest kid, you are too darn cute for your own good. You force your mother to give you unsolicited snuggles and kisses all day every day that sometimes annoy you, but maybe, just maybe might be wearing off on you. Please stay this little for just a while longer.

A morning at the park.

     Labor day weekend was the first time in a very long time that our WHOLE family (Riggs, Tobias, me and Gray) was able to make the trip home! Thinking back, it really was the perfect amount of time. We split our 4ish days between my family, my two grandma's and Gray's family! They were jam packed with lots of love, attention, and activities and little frustration so I would call that a pretty successful trip!
     We started home on Wednesday evening and drove to Lexington where Matt and Dana and their sweet boys live. We spent the night enjoying their hospitality and company. The dinner Dana prepared was out of this world (a far cry from my usuals), grilled chicken and asparagus, with the warmest bread and the tastiest wine! I love spending time with them, they remind me of the beginning. We still joke about that time when Matt told Grayson, who had just vented about how frustrating I was, that we would get married some day. They have journeyed with Gray and I from our inception and have mentored us through to marriage and beyond. They are the dearest of people and talking about life with them feels so comfortable. We pick up right where we leave off every time, and as I have gotten older I realize just how rare that is!
     If any of you have traveled with children you know just how taxing it can be, so the next morning we woke in the wee hours and traveled the 2.5 hours home as the sun rose and the baby slept. We went to Gray's house first and after some conversing, Melody and I decided to take a walk down to the park with Tobias. We enjoyed the slide and teeter totter, but mostly the swings. Watching him swing is always amusing, what with his wispy hair getting tousled every which way and his infectious giggles, I always end up laughing. His zeal for life and learning is truly a gift.

Sep 16, 2015

Ohio with Mimi and Poppi and moving.

     It is all becoming very real. Tomorrow at 3pm we will close on our very first house!!! It was such a huge decision made all the more crazy by the fact that we made an offer before I even laid eyes on it. But alas, it was a great decision and after a month of fixing and tweaking and collecting and stressing the seller is finally ready to sign the papers and we are finally prepared to hand over the money!
     In all honesty, before this point, I had not let myself think about it. About actually owning our first house that is . . . I am usually good at "forgetting" about things until they demand brain space which might explain why I just started packing, um two days ago. I think it is how I am able to stay cool, calm, and collected in the midst of big decisions and changes. But the day has arrived and the budget truck has been purchased and the troops mustered and all of the sudden it is all taking shape, and rather quickly I might add. 
     Up until this point we have moved every year and then some since getting married. It strikes me as monumental that we will purchase our first house on our fourth anniversary and finally say goodbye to renting! To say I am excited is an understatement. Now for a trip down memory lane.
     Our first apartment will always be special, living over a coffee shop on Main Street in Cedarville was fun, especially since it only cost $450 a month (our cheapest by far). Then there was Spain, our only place with a roommate in her 70's, we occupied a tiny room on the top floor with only two twin beds that we were not allowed to push together. Next was Greenville apartment numero uno, 151 Century Drive, a step of faith and the place we added Riggs to our number. After that was 4 Mission Street (our most expensive by far), a huge house downtown Greenville that was well loved and cherished. That house will forever stand out because in that house I grew my first baby and brought that precious little one home! In February of this year we moved to our current abode and after only eight months we will make one final move, at least we hope, until God makes it clear he has something else in mind.
     I count six moves, sheesh! After this weekend I will be happy to never see another moving box or write another Facebook post asking for moving help. All I can say is, our poor Greenville friends, they have been complete gems and deserve millions of kudos! 
     And with that I will end this little ramble by saying, tomorrow starts a new chapter, a crazy and perfect one that presently only makes me sixty shades of excited! I am sure that it will bring its own difficulties and challenges, but for now, I cannot wait to tackle them! . . . says the crazy lady currently in the delusional new house-moon phase :). 
P.S. Grayson might tackle me if I present him with even one more paint chip.

*My only way of tying these pictures in is to tell you that Gray saw the house and we decided to put our offer in while I was with my parents in Ohio enjoying ... 
pool living,
yard gazing,
and splash time (my parents dog loves it when the water splashes so she "digs" to get the water going, so funny to watch especially since Ty thought it was hilarious).

Sep 14, 2015

Honesty.

     I am not a good story teller. I wish the words that I write would flow off the page and create vivid images for my readers, but I know it is not the case. I have not put in the time. I do not read good writing. I do not spend my free moments tweaking my voice. I am not vulnerable enough and so my tales are very two-dimensional and stale. In essence, I was not born with a special ability to captivate people with my first draft. No, I need my draft edited multiple times and then ten times again, each time pulling back a layer of "fake," exposing more of my soul. Only then will it become a work of writing mostly presentable.
     I want to be a great storyteller. I want people, even if it is only one or two, to see and feel my soul through my writing. I want people to connect with my genuine tone and perceive my honestly in such a way that when they read my stories they find themselves saying "me too," "we are so similar," "that is my struggle also." I want people to come to this blog and find a friend. Someone whose struggles encourages them to face their own demons and spurs them towards growth and change.
     Yes I write for me. Yes the photos are of my happy family and our awesome experiences, but my life is so much more than that. I long to resonate with people. I long to encourage people. I long to share my story so that others can see that life is not so "amazing" all the time. And so far I have failed at that.
     So this is the start of a new adventure. I am going to push myself to write more of what is in my soul, to write about my true thoughts and feelings, about reality. My word for this next phase of blogging is "honesty." If you have been reading for a while, thank you for sticking with me! If you are new, I hope you linger for a moment and give me the chance to woo you!
     Here is to a new chapter. To new mistakes and lessons learned. To new friends and old. To honestly! And to think, there is so much excitement and trepidation wrapped up in that one word.

Puddles and boots.

     He is all deep thoughts and fascination, concentration and curiosity, both oblivious and carefree. Watching him explore the world awakens my own interest and excitement in God's creation. I am the Clark to his Lewis and fostering and growing his inquisitive spirit is something I really enjoy. Hence muddy puddles and boots that don't quite fit.
     I think there was more water in those dog chewed blue boots at the end of our fun than out, but he did not seem to mind. He was focused on the cool water and tasty swords (aka. sticks). I was focused on keeping those boots on, a futile task. I was cooing and making a fool of myself, tirelessly working to get this young boy to look at me for a quick shot, something he was totally not digging. All while trying not to drop my camera and keep Ty from ingesting handfuls of mud and said swords. Oh the show! I bet you would have paid top dollar for front row seats. We are a carnival act, didn't you know? I will post to social media the next time we come to a town near you! Be on the lookout!