It was nice while it lasted......

You know, the days where you sit your perfectly content baby down and he can't go anywhere? You lay him down for a nap and he falls right asleep because he can't get up on his own? And the wonderful days of sipping coffee while making a grocery list while your baby sits in the exersaucer, happy as a clam. 

Well folks....those were the good old days now. 

Within the past week, right when he turned 8 months, Zane started crawling, pulling up and doing a little bit of cruising. It culminated today, this morning, into a series of firsts.

• First time I could not sit and drink coffee while making my to do list. I got up no less than 15 times to pull him away from things on the shelves or to prevent him from pulling something over on himself as he pulled up.

• The first official "no" from me. Yep, he was going for the pile of board games that are on the bottom shelf and I gave my best stern Mommy "no" and since he has not heard the word directed at himself, Zane promptly continued to pull at the games without hesitation. Oh boy.

• When I put him down for a nap, I did my typical routine of laying him on his tummy, covering with a blanket. Well, I walked out, went in the bedroom, turned on the monitor and saw this.

 

I knew it was coming, but it is hard to swallow all the same. Now added to my daily sport of multitasking will be watching and listening for Zane as he crawls around exploring. 

That said, there is something incredibly sweet about him crawling over to me, scaling up my leg as he smears snot on my pants and stands up so he can cast he sweet toothy grin showing that he wants me to pick him up.

Speaking of toothy grin, Zane is a baracuda, as evidenced here.

Yes, that is four top teeth fully in and he also has three on the bottom. 

Not to be outshined. Our sweet spunky Alaina lost her first tooth!

Her biceps are going to be sore from walking around pointing to the gap in her teeth. : )To say she is excited is an understatement and Monday happens to be her show and tell day, so as she said "Today is going to be the best day EVER."

Truly, a moment...

House is going on the market next Friday, i.e., it is a complete wreck. Zane is crying, Keith is gone and my heel is on fire (old injury not heeling) and I need to get all three kids dinner in the next 20 minutes, have nothing planned.....and did I mention, the kitchen is a wreck?

Anywho, had to to share.....we (Conner, Alaina and I) are gathered around the computer watching the Carolina/State Game. No, we don't have cable, so we watch it live stream on ESPN. Conner is the state fan and Alaina, after switching from red to blue several times, has settled on blue, and me rooting for UNC. There is about 90 seconds left in the game and clearly Carolina is going to win. Conner is SO upset.

Conner: "I am leaving! I am NOT watching this!" he says as he starts to storm off.
Me: "Come on, you're not going to watch the rest?"
Conner: "No, I'm not, I know Carolina is going to win."
Alaina: as Conner walks out flippantly says "Why don't you just switch to blue?"

HA! Yes, why not just go with the team that wins, not the one you truly have allegiance to. Made me laugh out loud! But, since Zane is *still* crying and I am bordering on cruelty doing a blog post as he wails, I will go rescue my poor boy who is going on day 15 of a nasty cold.

Where is the "pause" button?

If only they existed. For now I will dream. If I could put life on pause today, right now, I would....

• empty the dishwasher and then load it with the dirty dishes in the sink
• vacuum the living room floor
• clean out Zane's highchair (ew, smooshed food everywhere)
• fold the laundry in the dryer, finish the load in the wash and then empty everyone's laundry basket and get that done too.
• sign Alaina up for swim lessons
• plan an incredible Valentines meal for my family
• call the pediatrician and ask them why my bill is higher than I expeted
• send get well cards to a preschool teacher from our church. Yep, kids made them two weeks ago but I need stamps!
• make a meal plan for the week
• go to Target for baby food, valentines stuff and other staples
• exercise! Wait, whats that?
• Make my bed
• Take a shower
• Go to Micheals to pick up felt for a school project
• Go to the rug place to pick out replacement carpet for the stairs
• Empty the diaper genie
• Change the sheets on the beds (won't even get close to admitting how long it has been)

All that in addition to that small detail of the house going on the market in 17 days, oh and that little 18 pound chunk of love that has had a cold for over a week and is so full of snot that it is hard to eat so he is super super fussy, and don't forget the five year old who needs daily work on sight words and reading because it is challenging, and yes, the nine year old that needs daily guidance in organization and responsibility. And yes, the forty year old man that works all day at a job he doesn't like and then comes home to my chaos, jumping right into help and has to listen to my barking and whining many days. And the most important thing in the entire world....more important than me, Keith, Conner, Alaina, Zane. More important than a clean house and healthy lunches.

GOD

"Forgive me Lord as I have sinned" is all that comes to mind right now. *sigh*

The good news (literally and figuratively) is that he has mercy greater than we can imagine or fathom. He can bend time in our favor, calm a racing mind, change a grumpy attitude, improve a tone, I just have to not let --all of the above-- distract me to the point it has lately where God is the after thought, not the first thought. I read an encouraging blog post from a friend the other day and she taped the following prayer up in her shower (yes, laminated it and posted it right there in the shower) so every morning, even if there is "not time", she has a moment to be quiet before God. 

O Lord,
grant that I may meet the coming day in peace.
Help me in all things
to rely upon Thy Holy Will.
In every hour of the day,
reveal Thy will to me.
Bless my dealings with all who surround me.
Teach me to treat all that comes to me
throughout the day with peace of soul,
and with the firm conviction that Thy will governs all.
In all my deeds and words,
guide my thoughts and feelings.
In unforeseen events, let me not forget
that all are sent by Thee.
Teach me to act firmly and wisely,
without embittering and embarrassing others.
Give me the strength to bear the fatigue
of the coming day with all that it shall bring.
Direct my will.
Teach me to pray.
Pray Thou Thyself in me.

What a great idea! Seeing that 99% of the time, the only alone, quiet moments that Mom's have are in the bathroom, why not have the most important messages posted there? 

Now I just need to find the time to take a shower. : ) 

 

Graduation (of sorts)

It was long overdue, but last night we had our last baby bath in this home. The. Last. One. : (

That blue tub has seen three children come through and it is time for retirement. It gave us many a good times. All the first baths were taken in this tub. Goodbye blue tub........

.........and hello community bathing!

 I bought the little blue bath seat at a consignment sale today and Conner and Alaina were stripped down naked waiting in the bathroom the minute we got home. : ) They love them some Zane!

I love the above picture as it reflects each of their personalities so well. Conner, alway raring to go. Zane, happy to sit and chew on something. And Alaina, my always modest, fun girl. 

There was a discussion recently on a Mom board I frequent about how old is too old for children of the opposite sex to bathe together. Many of the Mom's said 4 or 5 years old (obviously these parents do NOT have children of that age or older), but I am here to prove that 9 and 5 are not too old. It may look incredibley a little strange to see such big kids in the tub together, but so far so good. No one is staring, commenting or groping on the other's privates, nor is either seeking privacy so I guess community bathing it is until something like that happens. Lucky Zane!

In other news, Conner and Alaina have been busy spending all there time together this week (more on that later), which has culminated to  Conner posting this sign on his door.

Only to be followed by Alaina posting this sign on her door. With immense satisfaction I may add.

 Can you feel the love?