Sunday School Rebel

random picture alert: new baby memories

So here's this fun thing that people having been doing all over the Internet. I am having a hard time coming up with anything interesting to post, I'm way behind on my child's 18 month letter, and there are a hundred tiny little things I need to in my life that I don't want to do. Procrastination Station, that's where I reside, in a cardboard box hut. 

Okay, here's what you do, if you want to do it: 

1. Go to your Picture Folder on your computer or wherever you store your pictures.
2. Go to the 6th Folder and then pick the 6th Picture.
3. Post it on your blog and tell the story that goes with the picture.
And then you can tag someone, if you feel like it. 

I don't feel like tagging anyone, but feel free to do this on your own accord. 

Here's what I have as the 6th picture in my 6th folder: 

So charming! The back of my newborn son's head! Being held by my grandpa. It's so funny, I swear everytime I took pictures of Thomas with his great-grandfather, my Grandpa would be wearing this orange shirt. This is the first time my grandparents got to hold Thomas, he's seven days old here. 

That's better. This is the 7th picture, and I couldn't leave you with just the back of my kid's head, right? It's crazy, even though Thomas is no longer a squishy newborn, he still looks very much the same when he's sleeping. I would know that sleepy face anywhere. 

I can't stop! With the cute newborn photos! Was he ever really that small? 

I love this picture of my Mama with her darling pizza-faced grandson. Isn't she beautiful? Thank goodness he doesn't look a thing like this anymore. It's just me with the constant pizza face. 

Looking back at these photos bring back so many memories. We were so lucky and blessed to have my mama to help us through the first week at home after all the NICU craziness, keeping everything clean and us fed. She never stopped moving, and would try her very hardest to have supper on the table as Beaux walked through the door from work. I wish everyone could have such loving help, seriously. Beaux and I still talk about those first days, where we held our sweet sleepy elf boy and tried to figure it all out. Reading Christina's thoughts about these days with her darling new Sprout bring it all back for me, the loopy exhaustion, that unmistakable new baby smell. 

We do not plan for a new baby anytime soon, even as we are surrounded by friends expecting their second. I look at Thomas and am greedy, greedy for more time with him as my only, my first adored boy. I'm still at the point where the thought of a hypothetical new baby seems like a betrayal to my still-baby. But it's good to remember those days where everything was shiningly new, as I stumbled around my world with a new set of lenses, the world now upside down and yet, so right and true and entirely where I had dreamed myself being for so very long. 

king pablo

Moments after writing my last post, I looked up and found that my child with a crown on his head, blamelessly entertaining himself in royal fashion. Immediately, things seemed so much better, and his little attitude kept improving. Of course, it helped immensely when Beaux came home and snuggled with him on the couch with some Backyardigans. 

We had an easy weekend, with plenty of playing outside, a walk around the neighborhood with me lagging ten steps behind the boys, a girls night out with a sweet new friend, and a last minute visit from my parents! And we even went to a Methodist church on Sunday morning! Full update soon. I somehow agreed to an earlyish morning meeting, but I am longing to stay in my pajamas and drink my body weight in coffee. Somehow, I think that could be dangerous for everyone in my general vicinity. 

a cute picture to remind me not to sell him on the black market

I'm having one of those days where all you really want to do with your child? Is maybe stick them in a closet. Not a dark closet, a nice, well-lit, spacious closet with a few toys and snacks, because they're just so damn cranky and just off that you can't do anything to make it better. Don't call CPS, of course I wouldn't do it, but the thought has occurred to me. Instead, I've done very kind things for my child, namely: whip up a yummy mango pineapple smoothie (that ended up leaking everywhere because the bottom part of the blender wasn't screwed on tight enough), let him watch an extra Backyardigans, take him to play with a friend at an indoor playplace (though my ultimate goal for this was to make him eat something, and he will always eat chicken nuggets and french fries, hello, Healthy Mama of the Year!) and last but not least, after he woke up from his nap, and threw a fit in front his stroller, I took him on a walk. It's cold and windy here, but a walk we took, until I got tired of listening to him whine when the wind blew all around us, and since he refused to wear a hat, back inside we went. 

Sometimes, it's hard not to take this stuff personally. I'm starting to realize that yes, maybe we've come to the stage where parenting is truly a thankless business. 

I don't know if this is latent 18 month attitude business, if it has something to do with not seeing his Daddy very much for the past couple of days, if it's just plain cussedness, pure and simple. I feel sure that it's tied to being hungry, because he's not eating much (hence the trip for periodic nuggets). All I can on that front is keep trying to feed him, even when he pushes things away and says "no" in his little voice. I'm sure my low levels of patience (which is so weird, because I usually don't feel like I struggle with patience with him) have something to do with Beaux working really long hours, but thankfully tomorrow he'll be off and I just might be, too, perhaps to Timbuktu? Timbuktu sounds good. I don't even know where it is, but hopefully I can row a boat across the ocean, in perfect peace. 

xoxo

It really should be against the laws (of love, anyway) for your husband to work on Valentine's Day, especially on a Saturday. And especially a 12 hour day. That's just no fun for anyone (though thank Jesus for the work, of course). Thomas and I spent the day making a card for Beaux from Thomas and running to Target for goodies (and diapers). 

The handprint was a little Hand of Saruman-esque, I thought, but it was a good experiment, craft wise. Thomas was not crazy about paint on his hand, and thank goodness I've had experience painting kid handprints. He helped stick hearts on the inside of the card, and I even let him use the glue stick (sparingly). Of course, Beaux loved it. 

A man who gets off work at 7:30 p.m. and still manages to bring home flowers? Is a very good man. I really was trying to prepare myself that Beaux wouldn't bring anything home - and I would have been disappointed, but understanding. I think. He isn't the most romantic gesturing kind of guy, but he does try, and he's gotten better through the years. But then there he was, dirty work face shining, with a big bunch of flowers, and it made me go all gooey on the inside. 

Here's a photo of my new Orla Kiely mugs that I am gooey about, too, though NOT in quite the same way. 

I saw these on Saturday when I was shopping for Valentine's stuff, and then I couldn't.stop.thinking.about.them.  It didn't help that I googled them and saw people drooling and hyperventelating all over the Internet about them, which made feel sure that I couldn't wait, not another day, or else some smart people would have snapped them all up in order to sell them on eBay. So I went back yesterday and agonized over which two to buy. I also may or may not have flirted with some kitchen towels. Everything is terribly cute and so I'm going to just eke out my love for these pieces over the coming weeks. Or plan stealth trips to other Targets to see what I can find. It's a sickness already, really it is. 

How was your Valentine's Day? 

what we've been up to around here

We've had the most beautiful weather here the past couple of days, truly spring-like but without the awful heat and humidity that usually accompanies sunny Southern days. We've been outside every single day, whether at a park or the zoo or for an evening stroller ride, greedily lapping up the loveliness. 

Thomas hijacked some kid's shovel and pail. I had to empty out his hood on his shirt, full of dirt.  And yes, that is dirt on his face, he quite often ends up with a mouth full of dirt. Who is a typical boy? 

He was really into the "DUCKS!" (mostly geese, actually) and wanted to climb down on the rocks to see them better. There was one goose with a peculiar crooked beak that looked downright bloodthirsty - geese have a reputation for meanness, but Thomas didn't care, he was enraptured. I was on guard, and at one point, ended up with Thomas and another little friend tucked under my arm, because the geese were a little too close for my comfort. 

A total climbing monkey. He's *this* far away from climbing our bookshelves, I tell you. 

Here's a funny story from our playdate. There's always this (very kind) mama who brings something to share - ultra healthy muffins, kimchee, and this time, eggnog. She got it on sale (which is fine) but it was such an odd beverage for a warm, spring-ish day. I couldn't get out of accepting a cup - she gets very weird about you not tasting what she brings - and did take a few sips, even though I do not like eggnog. It turned out to be yummy, actually, but still - eggnog in February, on a sunny day - not the best combination. 

Our dear friends Josh and Angie came for a visit last weekend, and we took advantage of the lovely weather with a trip to the zoo. This is only the second time we've been to the zoo here in our new home, and it's great because it's not huge. It's very doable with a toddler. We saw many animals in various stages of pooping, and Thomas had a great time hollering in the aquarium section, where there is a glorious echo. I'm sure people thought we had dunked him in the otter habitat for all his hollering, but no, it was just a little sound experiment. 

 

Conquerors of the Great Croc! 

And yes, my child is wearing shorts in February. I had to dig them out of the box I'd stored them in, thinking he'd never wear them again. 

We had a wonderful time together - it's so good to be with people who share your jokes and have old stories to tell about each other. I did very little cooking - except for Swistle's baked oatmeal on Sunday morning - and we played games, including this one that I have a nerdy crush on, and cannot wait to have for our family. It would be a great game for families with older kids, a total opportunity to work on those geography skills. It was such fun and I didn't want to stop playing it, mostly because I was *this* close to winning but never quite did. 

There's no good way to end this post, except for "and they all lived happily ever - the end."

today

A morning in pajamas, with coffee, and several breakfasts. A little boy who prefers to get where he's going by a dead-on run, instead of sensible, steady steps. The sunlight was warm and the coffee delicious. We sat on the couch together and shared some cottage cheese, one slurpy bite after another, silver spoon back and forth, his little feet pressing against mine. I felt like a cat, basking in the winter sun, content in my one, sweet, precious life. 

Thomas Tuesdays: new haircut edition

Here's the new haircut. I really like it, even though it's very short. 

This is Thomas finding his bliss, i.e., watching Sesame Street. 

Typical TV pose. He always has some, if not all, his fingers in his mouth. Poor kid, his mama won't give him a snack, I guess. 

A rare shot of the boy with a smile on his face. As Beaux says, "A smirky smile." 

It's sure been quiet out there, in comment land. What are you up to? Are you ready for winter to be over, or what?