Grown

Occasionally I lament the fact that my children are no longer little. Their pants suddenly meet halfway up their calves and their faces seemed to have changed shape overnight. Shoes are busting at the seams and short t-shirts have to be pulled back down lest we see their tummies poking out. They're growing up...quickly...maybe too quickly...

Chipmunk has a loose tooth. It's his first, and he's been telling everyone and their mothers about it. "Look! I have a loose tooth! It's my first one!"



I can't believe my baby boy has a loose tooth. I've been denying the loose tooth...mostly because it seems like it crept up on me out of nowhere. Granted, he got his first teeth rather early and quickly, so having his first loose tooth before starting kindergarten doesn't surprise me, but it's almost painful admitting that my babies are no longer babies.

What will your kids be doing in ten years?

This question was on one of our discussion questions at MOPs this past year.

Answering the question made a few moms tear up just thinking about their kids in a decade from now. I thought something was wrong with me because I wasn't sad or nostalgic or feeling emotional. After Chipmunk's preschool graduation, I noticed a few more moms tearing up at the occasion. I began to wonder if I was emotionally dead inside as my tear ducts were bone dry and I didn't feel sad in the least.

So it begs the question, why is it that a loose tooth is tugging at my previously hardened heartstrings? What is it about my son's now absent dentition that makes me feel so...sad?

Goodbye, Preschool

My baby boy graduated from preschool this past week. His name was called, he walked up on that stage with a construction paper mortar board cap upon his head, gave a presidential wave to all of us watching, then happily received his diploma and hug.



I was there. I watched him. I took my requisite pictures. I cheered for him. I gave him the biggest congratulatory hug and I was bubbling with pride for my little "bubba" for finishing preschool.

It feels like just a few days ago, he was this pouty little one:



Now he's this one:



And soon he'll be headed off to kindergarten.

As we were driving away from the school afterwards, Chipmunk spoke up from the backseat, "I'm going to miss preschool...I wish it was longer."

Me too, son. Me, too.

Cartoonish

I was telling Matt today that Chipmunk reminds me of a cartoon character...There's just something about his silly grin and his facial expressions where his "mugshots" are rather...er...cartoonish.



2 months old



3 months old



5 months old



12 months old



22 months old

I swear it's like watching a cartoon grow up. Of course, it's also fun when he throws his head back, laughs really loud, "AHAHAHA!" and then smiles real big and says, "Funny!"

Can't argue with that...he is funny.

Where Did my Baby Go?

Where did my baby go?



When did he get replaced by a little boy?



I can't believe he'll be two years old in less than a month.

Sigh.

First Day of Preschool

Today was Bear's first day of preschool (sniff!).



No tears for this little social butterfly. She sauntered into her classroom and only told me one thing, "Don't forget to pick me up, okay?"

When we did pick her up, she was beaming with smiles and bursting with all kinds of stories from her day.

She mentioned painting, a story about a frog, learning a new song and playing with her new friends...which she mentioned were all boys...Really?

I guess preschool is a hit for Bear.

Empty Tank

Chipmunk got his official 6 month weigh in today.

19 pounds, 9 ounces heavy (75%)
28 and a half inches tall (95%)
Working on tooth number 7, 8 and 9

Just as Bear did, Chipmunk has been getting some nice nicknames, too.

"Tank" "Little Linebacker" "Man-child" "Bubba"

He's been night-waking the past couple nights...a lot. The doctor concluded that he just wasn't getting enough to eat. I was just feeding him the proper amount according to the books. She said I needed to double it! So poor kid has been starving and going to sleep on an empty tank.

So when we got home I doubled his meal portion and he gobbled it right up! Now he is happily napping on a full tank.

Food, Glorious Food

Here's Chipmunk getting his first few bites of rice cereal.



He's been waiting for this day for a long time.



Ah, finally. Real food at last.

White

After my shower this morning, I mentioned to Matt that I'm losing all my hair. All that hair that the pregnancy hormones helped me retain are now falling out. It's a verifiable mess since my hair has reached super lengths

In the car Matt pointed out that I had two white hairs and said. "too bad the white ones didn't fall out."

White hairs. Ever since I turned thirty, I've been finding white hairs. I think they're stress related. Or I should say that I hope they're stress related.

Of course I know one day that may not be the case...So this time I'm going to ignore that old adage about plucking out white hairs and hope beyond hope that they don't come back.

Thankful for 30

Now that I'm thirty, here's 30 things I'm thankful for:

1) A wonderful husband who always knows when I need a hug.
2) Bear, who makes me laugh on a daily basis.
3) Waking up each morning knowing that it's another day God has blessed me with.
4) My family who knows all of my quirks and still seem to keep me around.
5) The friends near and far that have each touched my life in one form or another.
6) Baby Lee who we can't wait to meet in February (or possibly January).
7) Lots of pillows that I can wedge myself into bed every night.
8) A place that we can call "home" even if the ceiling falls in every now and again.
9) The fact that I always cry on the last scene of "M0nster's Inc."
10) My mom who taught me everything "crafty" as I was growing up...who knew they'd come in handy so often.
11) My artsy sister who if I didn't have her around growing up, I'd always walk out of the house wearing 2 different colors of black.
12) My brother who without I would not know anything about anime, Pl@ystation, or good cheesecake.
13) My 5th grade teacher, who encouraged me to be myself, and still remembers my name to this day when I run into her.
14) Binder clips...I like binder clips...they're so handy.
15) Avocados...yum.
16) Craft stores, of which I could spend hours perusing items I don't need.
17) My guitar, my piano, and for music that helps to soothe my soul.
18) Rainy days, because everything is always so clean after the downpour.
19) Bear's pediatrician, who really knows her stuff, and truly cares for Bear.
20) Quarters...of which without we wouldn't have clean laundry.
21) Noisy neighbors, who help me understand the joy of peace and quiet.
22) People who are extremely down to earth...especially when their position in life would generally cause them to have their head in the clouds.
23) My childhood memories of fun times that I think back on and hope Bear will have a chance to experience.
24) My church, all the good and the bad, and the things I learn week after week.
25) My memories of teaching, my memories of my students, and the things they taught me each week.
26) Those moments when I actually get a chance to brush my hair.
27) Books of all sorts...that I can read to learn or read to relax.
28) God's creativity, that I see everyday, in everyone and everything.
29) My fears, that keep me on my toes, but don't consume me.
30) The trials and challenges in my life, the tears and heartaches, and the joys and sorrows that made me into the person that I am. Thanks.

Of course, I'm thankful for a lot of things...but these are the first 30 that I thought of...I'll close with a picture from Bear's October 31st fun.

Thirty-Something

I had to catch myself today. I was reading a blog (a friend of a friend), and I started to snicker a little at their latest entry. My first thought was, "ha ha, only a twenty-something could do that." I stopped though when I realized that I'm still a twenty-something (at least for 3 and some months). I was laughing (not maliciously but rather nostalgically) because I could have seen myself doing the same thing only 5 years ago. Rewind.

Ah, those adventurous days after college. We had jobs, but no mortgages to pay. We were single and without kids, responsible only for ourselves. It was easy to pack up a car, drive 5 hours to visit friends, stay a day or two, and come right back. Gatherings were at bars, clubs, and fine dining restaurants and it was exciting to try new places, dress up, and just enjoy each other's company.

Although, I remember how scared I was turning 25. My good friends told me to "suck it up, it's not that bad." I think I just had this notion that I should have had my life pulled together by the time I was 25. I have since learned that I will be 80 and still telling myself that I need to pull my life together.

Fast forward 5 years later and I'm running after a toddler who thought it was funny to rub her lunch into the couch. I wear clothes that are comfortable and washable, my hair is developing this nest like formation in the back where I never seem to have time to brush, and the next thing on my to-do list is to wash a million, colorful plastic cups and dishes. Whoa. A total flip-flop from 5 years ago.

I don't regret what my life has become. It just happened, and I'm okay with that. I don't think I was a very good twenty-something anyway. I just wasn't that "live it up" type. Perhaps I'll make a better thirty-something. Looking forward to it.

And hey, later on in life I can take a page out of my mom's book. All I have to say about that is, "when the kids are away, grandma sure knows how to play." Rock on, mom. You deserve all the fun you're having.

Growing up...

Okay, it's only been 6 weeks, but as parents we keep looking at Baby Bear and realizing just how much she's grown since birth. Then we reminisce about things like, "remember when she didn't fit this outfit?" or "remember how tiny she used to be?" It's funny though, because it truly hasn't been that long, and really, she isn't humongous, she's still a tiny baby. We're already starting to feel the nostalgia though. How odd.

It's true though. Every time I go out for a walk in the neighborhood or run a quick errand to the store with Baby Bear, I always run into other moms with babies who are a few months older. The first thing they always ask is how old Baby Bear is, but the second thing they always tell me is "it goes by really fast." Their child isn't even close to graduating and going to college yet, but still I always get the same comment.

Even my mom, the first day in the hospital told me "they grow up fast," but I think she actually has merit to say such things.

Then again, catch me in a few months and ask me how many times I've told someone with a newborn that "they grow up so fast." Then remind me to read this blog entry. That'll teach me.

Baby Bear as a Tomato