Thoughtful Thursday

"Of all created things, the loveliest and most divine are children."

                                                                     - William Canton

Trying Hopscotch!

Parenting is a Heartbreak

Our Exhausted Boy.

There are so many reasons I feared becoming a parent.  I put it off for years, ultimately, because I just didn't think I wanted to face the heartbreak that parenting can be . . . that feeling of always wearing your heart outside of your body because you have so much love for this being you call your child.  It's part of the package and I knew that from the get-go.

Taking the plunge has been life-changing in the best of ways, but there is no lack of those heartbreaking moments I so feared.  Yesterday Beansprout had a peanut challenge at the Allergy Clinic at Children's Hospital.  Neither Matt nor I have serious allergies, so I wasn't at all worried a few years back when we first introduced Beansprout to peanut butter.  To my great surprise however, he had an immediate reaction.  I have to pause for a minute and admit right now that I was one of those people who could never really understand this whole peanut allergy phenomenon.  It did not seem nearly so prevalent when I was a child and I half thought it was due to over-functioning, paranoid, helicopter parents.  I guess the joke's on me.  When we gave peanut butter to him for the first time, Beansprout's lips swelled within the first minute and he vomited twice before we got out of the driveway with our Care Card in hand.  His belly was covered in hives by the time we got to the hospital, which was within 5 minutes  (We live quite close to a hospital!) of his eating the tiniest sliver of it!   Lucky for us, a shot of Benadryl was all that was necessary, but I now completely understand the hyper-vigilance of families with food allergies.  

Fast forward to November of this last year when the dreaded prick test and blood work done at our initial visit with the Allergy Clinic showed only a mild reaction to the food.  Some kids outgrow their nut allergies, so based on the low numbers with the blood work we scheduled an in-office peanut challenge.  I guess science isn't always exact.  Yesterday, Beansprout spent three hours trying a little more Reese's Peanut Buttercup every fifteen minutes, but in the last five minutes of the challenge he vomited all over the Clinic hallway.  Heart. Break.

It's one of thousands, I know.  We have countless heartbreaking moments ahead of us, but that doesn't make it easier.

Thoughtful Thursday

Morning Playtime.

"Every cliche about kids is true; they grow up so quickly, you blink and they're gone, and you have to spend the time with them now. But that's a joy."

                                                                   --Liam Neeson

Home ownership love!?!

Our home.

I have spent the past few months trying to love my house despite its flaws.  I'm sure many of you can relate to the fact that this is often times no easy task.  It never fails that when I sit down at the end of the day and survey the place or, more specifically, when I'm struggling to open or close the kitchen drawer for the zillionth time, I grumble.  I grumble about the kitchen, the bathrooms, the driveway, and the deck - the list could go on and on.  I'm always thinking of ideas on how we could change things, and there are so many things that need to be done.  Admittedly, we totally knew this going in; we knew the house hadn't been updated for 20+years, yet felt we had to have it.  It's unique, it fits.  Hence my resolution a few months back to try to love the house and speak kindly of it.  I figure we're going to be together a long time, so I'm hoping that a loving approach will make things easier on everyone.  

How do you look at your house?  Do you see all that you love or all that needs to be done?  

Thoughtful Thursday

"Nothing I've ever done has given me more joys and rewards 

than being a father to my children."

                                                                                           --Bill Cosby

Shoulder Bi-plane!

Summer Routine!

Summer Sillies!

I know family and friends back home have been sweating for months now, but Summer only arrived here last week.  Needless to say, we have been enjoying every minute of it!  I love swinging into the summer routine - laid-back mornings, picnics in the park, and early evening bike rides.  This pretty much describes my days with a three-year-old. . . 

7:00: wake up
7:30: breakfast
8:00-10:00: read books, clean up, pack for outing
10:00-1:00: meet up with friends for picnic at playground, spray park, or someone's home
1:00-3:00: nap (YES!  He's still napping, shhhhhh.)
3:00-5:00: read lots of books, play in sandbox or with Aquaplay
5:00-7:00: prepare dinner, eat, evening walk or bike ride
7:00: Three-year-old's bathtime!
8:00:  Three-year-old's bedtime!
9:00: ahhhhhhhh . . .  three-year-old is asleep!
9:00-11:00: time for ME!


Things differ here and there and I have to count the sometimes morning and oft afternoon episodes of Cat in the Hat or Max & Ruby or Franklin and Friends.  In any case, I count myself lucky.




Do you have different routines in the summer?  What is your favorite part about the switch-over?

Month in Photos - June 2012

June Favorites

In and Out of the Sandbox.

Helping with the plumbing.

Reading with Momma.

Line 'em up with E. and C.

"I need a tis-u!"

Storytime with Tracey.

Daddy time!

"Cheeeeeese!"

It's amazing to see how different Beansprout is just since January.  He is always talking and not afraid to chat with anyone who will listen.  He often mentions his "friends" and loves to have play dates!  Though not as independent as some, he is expanding on his independence every day.  On the other hand, he still enjoys mimicking things we do and I love that he is just as cuddly as ever.  (I will hold on to that for as long as I can!)  I lamented last summer that it was his last year of babyhood, but I'm just as thrilled with this stage.  He is all BOY, but he still loves being reminded of when he was a baby and he doesn't have any reservations holding on to some "baby" ways.