For the Sake of a Mommy's Memory

Just making a pop-in appearance because I have a few minutes to myself while my super thoughtful, wonderful, hard-working husband is grocery shopping (!!!) with my wild toddler (!!!!!!!!!!).

*Sigh*

He's the best.

Anyway, I've had so many thoughts recently of things Josiah says or does that I want to write down so I can remember.

Lately, Josiah's response any time Matt or I ask him, "Why?" is "Why." Often with a big, goofy grin on his face.

For example...

Josiah: "Omon (come on), Mommy, get up."
Mommy: "Okay, why?"
Josiah: "Why."

Or...

Daddy: "Josiah, WHY did you do that?"
Josiah: "Why."

So frustrating. For all of us. But so darn cute...and kinda funny. 

Something else that I'm having a hard time not reinforcing is how he says, "In there." It sounds more like, "In nare."

And when someone is leaving he says, "See you laduh, A-doo-gaduh."  I keep trying to get a video of him saying it so I can document his lips. So cute. But he always turns away. Little Booger. 

It's just so much fun to watch him grow and learn and figure out how to articulate what he wants or what he means. We often can't understand what he's saying, but he's REALLY good (too good) at repeating himself over and over and over until one of us figures it out. Usually Mommy.

The funniest thing is that he repeats just about everything Mommy says. Now, I don't have a dirty mouth and I don't really say things that shouldn't be repeated, but ever so often I get frustrated with something enough where I'll say a loud, firm, "Dang it!" And of course...Josiah quickly (and just as loudly) echos. Sometimes several times. In a store. Daddy doesn't think it's very funny.

The sweetest thing lately is that for the last two Sundays, Matt and I will still be napping in our bed (Sunday afternoon naps are essential in our household...whenever possible) and Josiah will wake up and come find us. He'll crawl into bed with us and ask to look at pictures on Mommy's phone of his Tia (my sister, Allison). She is his favorite person in the world and he misses her pretty bad these days since she's at camp for the summer. Because I currently don't have any on my phone of her, we just look through her Instagram and he sees her, himself and a few of her friends that he knows. It's just really sweet, because he cuddles with me with his head on my shoulder for at least half an hour while we look at pictures.

He's really into swimming right now.

Is learning possessive. "Josiah's bed." "Josiah's chair." "Mommy's water." "Daddy's phone." "Mommy and Daddy's bed."

Is learning to fall asleep by himself in his own bed. (Yes, I know he's 2. It's complicated.)

He's becoming VERY independent. Wants to do everything "by self." Or "Josiah do it."

He's gotten really, really bossy. With us and with everyone. BUT...he's also already learned great manners and mostly uses them unprompted. Please, thank you, yes ma'am, yes sir, etc.

Still very interested in learning people's names and practicing. We go through every picture of people in our home.

He actually gets it that our friend, Nicole, ("Cole") has "Baby Evie" in her belly and pulled his shirt up to look for a baby in his belly. And when I ask him if he wants Mommy to have a baby in her belly, he promptly and very emphatically says, "No, thanks."We get the same response when we ask him if he wants a brother or a sister. Sometimes, the answer is, "No way!" Ha!
(For the record...I do not have a baby in belly. But we do hope to someday in the future shatter his dreams of being an only child.)

Of course...there's SO MUCH MORE!! Two is such a fun, learning age. There's something new everyday. And there really is nothing like getting a front-row seat to watch someone grow and learn the way a toddler does. He astounds me.

And of course...what kind of post would this be without painfully adorable pictures of the subject.

Favorite Pics of the Year!

It would be such a HUGE task to try to sum up our past year in words. So much happened and we experienced so much joy as we lived out our first full year with our little boy. Watching him grow has been so fun! 

So, instead of writing a novel, I'll just do a quick review of some of my favorite photos for each month.

January

Beautiful family day in the park with Daddy.

February

"Mom, please."

March

Starting to take a few steps!

First pic in the bluebonnets on St. Patrick's Day.

Loves his Daddy.

April

Easter

Lovin' those blackberries.

May

June

First Freebirds with Daddy while Mommy's out of town.

This actually happens ALL the time. Like father, like son.

Hoogendoorn Family trip to Port O'Connor...wearing Daddy's fishin' hat. 

This is just up through June. I'll try to get the rest of the year up soon.

Happy New Year to you! May this be the best year yet!

Why I Actually Love Christmas Music

I know, I know.

Christmas Music.

You're probably already over it. Shoot, I am too. Way over it. Over it before it was even December. See, because when the radio stations start playing it NON-STOP (really? why?) it gets really old, really fast. Totally fun for the first day or so, but after that...come on already!

Side Note: I have a few simply brilliant (in my humble, modest opinion) solutions to this dilemma of the over-whelming amount of Christmas music. But no one listens to me. I guess, maybe I should suggest it to someone other than my darling husband.

Moving on.

So, besides the fun "Frosty the Snowman" (how do I still not know all the words to this one?!?!) and the sentimental "I'll be Home for Christmas" and the slightly comical, yet oh, so true "They Don't Have White Christmases in Houston" most everything else holds a moment of nostalgia wrapped up in the obnoxiousness of repetition.

But there are a few that just never seem to get old. Only a few that cause me to pause and close my eyes (unless I'm behind the wheel, of course) and move my heart and my spirit into a whirlwind of worship. There are a few Christmas songs that just seem to really articulate what it's all about.

Have you ever really stopped and listened to the words of "O Holy Night"?

O Holy night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
'Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn (!!!!!!!!)
Fall on your knees

O hear the angel voices
O night divine!
O night when Christ was born
O night divine!
O night, O night divine!


Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains He shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in His name, all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy name
Christ is the Lord!





And what about "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen?"

God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

This is some powerful stuff, y'all. And I don't know about you, but I desperately need the truth of these carols to permeate the very depths of my spirit and my attitude. (Especially when I'm in the car. Driving around in the ever-enjoyable Houston traffic. Who doesn't need an attitude adjustment after that?) 

There are several other songs that belong only in the Christmas season that just do something to me. (Have you ever been pregnant and full of wild hormones during the Christmas season and listened to "Breath of Heaven'? Not enough tissues in the house, okay?)

So, listen. I'm with you. If I hear "It's the Holiday Season" or "The Christmas Shoes" one more time, I may or may not lose it. But it's the classics, the hymns, full and bursting with truth like these that at lease attempt to give articulation to what we're really celebrating here. 

The fact that Jesus, the very and only Son of God, came to this miserable earth as a squirmy, wrinkly, utterly tiny babe. That He grew up sinless. That He revolutionized the Law. That He gave His life for us, as undeserving as we are. And that He rose again. He came first as a babe, but He's coming back as a Conquering King.

This is what we celebrate.

And this is why we sing.

Merry Christmas. God bless us, Every One.

A Little Saturday Honesty

Today, we're packing.

More out of a need for continued hope and faith than anything else.

I keep thinking of those 10 days after my due date with Josiah. Shouldn't he have already been here by now? Is today the day? What am I supposed to do with my life if it isn't today? Can I actually make any plans for tomorrow? What if he decides to come tomorrow? What if he doesn't ? Am I really even ready yet for him to come?

And the daily questions from sweet, thoughtful, well-meaning people remind me also of those terribly uncertain days before birth. Nobody likes to say, "I don't know." Everybody likes to have all the answers to all the questions.

Well, I don't have all the answers. And that's perfectly okay. Right?

And what answers I do have are so much more complicated and lengthy than what most people truly care to hear.

I've really had to let The Lord temper my attitude lately. I've really had to surrender my "right" to whine and complain and feel sorry for myself. And sadly, I do still whine and complain and feel oh, so sorry for myself way too often. Lord, help me.

If I remember correctly, those long, terribly uncertain 10 days before birth ended in some of the most joyous beauty I've ever experienced in my entire life. I won't lie. It was tough. It was even sometimes painful...kinda like now. But boy, did we celebrate.

And we will celebrate again. We'll celebrate the goodness and the faithfulness and the trustworthiness of God in our lives. And we'll thank Him for teaching us more about peace and patience and rest in Him. And we'll thank Him for, yet again, loving us enough to refine our character.

Just a little honesty from my heart today.

Fall Fun 2012

I LOVE, love, love the Fall!!! With the cooler weather, yummy treats, sweaters and scarves and the numerous opportunities for cute photo ops!

And Josiah is at such a fun age that he's really enjoying the season as well.

This last weekend, we began our Halloween celebrations (no, we do NOT celebrate evil, but we do celebrate cuteness and fun and costumes and memories) with our annual Chili Cook-Off and Costume Party with our Chi Alpha group on Friday night. This is always one of my very favorite events of the entire year and a super fun way for our friends to invite their friends to something fun and casual and not intimidating. Plus, who doesn't love to have an excuse to dress up in a creative costume and eat some yummy chili?

Here is our family costume:

2012

I always try to have a theme, if I can help it. Last year's costume kinda stunk because Josiah was sick and I had JUST started work that day. For comparison's sake, last year's "costume":

2011

But the year before that (2010) was, by far, the best costume year!

On Saturday, we just kind-of lazed around the house most of the day (because we all really, really needed to do just that.) But the weather was gorgeous and I knew the season of pumpkins was almost over, so we decided sorta last-minute to take Josiah out to Dewberry Farm. We (my parents, sister and I...Matt was gone somewhere) took Josiah last year and we all had fun, but it was significantly more fun for him this year. Still a little overwhelming with all the people and all the different things to do. But he had a blast! And I was even able to get a few really decent pictures out of it.

 

 

 

And again, pictures from last year at Dewberry Farm for comparison's sake: 

 I hope to be able to take him back there every year. I know he'll have more and more fun as the years go by.

Happy Fall to Y'all!

A Cute, Cop-Out Post

I need to write a new post. If for no other reason but to move that hideous lovely little image below to a less prominent spot. I realize I had just given birth and all, but I just can't agree that that's my best look.

I truly have a million different posts in my head that I could write, but very little energy to do the necessary work to accomplish that (good posts need appropriate pictures, right?). So instead, you're just gonna get a few flashback photos of my little boy when he was still...well...little.

Clean little ducky after his very first bath at home. (Darn thing won't rotate.)

Look at my big muscles!

"Yay! I'm even cuter now that I've learned to smile."

Happy little nakie boy.

Learning how to sit up all by myself.

Food is good.

I do have a few good posts in the works. Topics about what's been going on around here lately (A LOT of change), what I'm enjoying this summer, what Josiah's been enjoying this summer, things I found in my car. You know, hard-hitting, riveting material. You won't wanna miss it.

Mother's Day: Then and Now

Here is a picture of what my Mother's Day looked like last year:

I got my very first breakfast-in-bed on Mother's Day complete with some beautiful flowers (from the hospital and my in-laws).

So grateful for how time changes things and grows us. I was so naive and clueless in that first picture. I still kinda am, but OH! how much I've learned since then!

Last year on Mother's Day, we got to bring our little guy home from the hospital. I was so thrilled and anxious to be home with him and to start playing "house."  He, on the other hand, enjoyed my womb the hospital a little more than home at that point. Just getting everything together and organized to leave the hospital had been quite the production and by the time we actually got home, he was a screaming tyrant in the backseat. And pretty much stayed that way the whole day and wouldn't eat...at all. I had been so naive and so determined to breastfeed that I had not even registered for bottles. They send home tons of free formula from the hospital, but even if I had wanted to give it to him, (I absolutely did NOT want to give it to him) I had no vehicle for it. I remember my mom and my sister running to the nearest store to buy the cheapest bottle they could find.

And then after a few hours of helping us get settled and somewhat adjusted, they left. And it was just the 3 of us. At home. Alone. Our little family. I think Matt and I were both elated and terrified. And already horribly exhausted.

What a memorable first Mother's Day!

And here we are about a year later:

He's healthy and alive. And so am I. Thank the Lord! Ha!

I had such a sweet day with my boys! We went to church that morning and came home for a brief time because we were planning to meet with Matt's family a little later. (We had already celebrated Mother's Day with my family the day before, after celebrating Allison's graduation.) Josiah fell asleep in the car and Matt and I both accidentally fell assleep at home, but woke up to join his parents and Josh and Kimberly for lunch. Such a great time with them! I'm so grateful for such a wonderful family of in-laws.

We really had no plans for that evening which is quite odd for us for a Sunday evening, so we took a spontaneous trip to get some frozen yogurt. And of course, Josiah enjoyed some as well. I think we've created a little frozen yogurt monster.

I absolutely love being a Mommy and every day truly is Mother's Day with these guys, but it sure is nice to be honored a little extra.


Hope you all enjoyed a very sweet and memorable Mother's Day as well.