Teachable Moments

My sweet mother-in-law, Mrs. Jennifer, gave me a picture frame for my birthday that says “While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.”  I think this is so true because I think, as parents, we are constantly trying to find the perfect opportunity to teach our kids important life lessons, and, while I am not denying the fact that it is important to be intentional with our children, I think that so often it’s our kids who already get it better than we do.  Guess that may be part of what Jesus meant when he said it unless we become like little children…  I have really been reminded of this and humbled lately by some things that Cole has said or done. 

The other day he was playing with his toys in the back seat.  Most of the time, I wasn’t really paying attention to what he was making his toys say, but one thing caught my attention.  One toy was telling another toy, “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good.”  The other toy was saying “OK. Thank you God. Thank you God.”  Are scriptures what come to our mind so easily?  Are gratitude and other biblical qualities what we practice and teach?

We were at ChickFilA, and Cole saw these boxes sitting on the ledge behind the condiments and silverware.  He asked me what they were, and I explained that people were going to put toys in those boxes to send to kids who don’t have any toys.  He looked at me and quickly said “I have toys.”  I said “Yeah you do have toys buddy.”  At this point I just thought he meant that he wouldn’t be getting one of those boxes.  Then he said “So I need to have a box to send my toys to those kids too.”  I mean- sweetest heart ever- right?  If we all were so eager to give to those in need and so quick to forget about ourselves and act unselfishly.

At lunch time recently, I asked who wanted to pray.  Cole said he did and, when someone else voiced that they didn’t want to this time, Cole said (with a face of astonishment) “Why? God would love it if you would talk to Him.”  So many lessons from this one.  What a wonderful reminder of what a loving, gracious Father we have who has set up such a unique thing like prayer just so we can be in a relationship with Him.  Also a reminder that we should be talking to Him on all occasions and with joy and thankfulness for the opportunity to pray. 

Finally, I was cooking supper and heard one of children books that plays church songs playing in the living room.  I peak in, and Cole has gotten the book, sat down by Jordan, and is singing her the songs on each page.  He might not know all the words to all the songs, but he knew the point of them and his singing was full of love and sweetness.  Oh to praise God with such love and adoration.  Here is a quick video I managed before getting caught.

SO thankful for the blessing of lessons learned from children.  Praying for my heart to become more innocent and pure each day.  Also praying fervently that God continues to grow this love for Him in the hearts of both my children.

Play Dates for Everyone!

I asked Cole last week if he would like to have a friend over to play this week.  He of course said YES! and when I asked him which friend, he replied “Um… I think Taryn.”  Taryn is a sweet little girl that he is in class with at Day School and who is also in his bible class at church.  It worked out for her to come over this morning, and they had so much fun!  Here is picture proof that the box really is more fun than the toys!

 

We did head outside for some fun too.  They had fun playing house, jumping off and flying like birds, and swinging.  So cute to hear all their little conversations and listen to them pretending together.

When Taryn got ready to leave, we had them give hugs.  As she walked toward the door, Cole cried out “Wait I forgot to give you a kiss!” So he ran over and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  When I was relaying this story to Murray over the phone, Cole overheard me and said “But she didn’t want me to.”  I reassured him saying “Yeah she did buddy.  She let you kiss her on the cheek- remember?”  He got this embarrassed, sad expression on his face and said “But I wanted it to be on the mouth.”  Hahahahaha.  I mean- we are in for some trouble ahead!!!

I also helped out a friend and watched her little boy this afternoon.  Charlie is 16 months so just a little younger than Jordan.  I realized that at this age, I was having play dates for Cole.  I just didn’t really think about Jordan being old enough to have little buddies for some reason until I saw her and Charlie playing together.  I guess I just continue to think of her as my baby, but she is really getting big.  They had so much fun just babbling to each other and then laughing.  It was so stinking cute to watch!  Doesn’t hurt that they are both adorable!

Pretty sure Jordan did a little bossing!

But all in all it was a good time!

Really enjoyed having sweet friends over to play and seeing how excited both my kiddos were to spend time with their buddies. 

18 months!

So unbelievable saying that my baby is 1 and a 1/2!  I seriously cannot believe how fast the time has gone.  Jordan is such a joy, has such a personality, and can light up a room!  I love this little girl beyond what words can describe and am so thankful for the blessing of being her momma! 

First off I’ll start with her doctor’s appointment this morning.  Isn’t she just the cutest little naked thing you have ever seen?!?!  Funny thing was she wouldn’t let me take her bow out.  She was fine to be naked… just let the girl keep her bow!  She weighed a whopping 20 lbs 2 oz (3%), is 30 1/2 in long (10%), and her head circumference is 25%.  All those sweet brains!

She has added a few new words to her vocabulary this month.  The first one that comes to mind is CANDY!  Next would probably be Yum, Yum!  Halloween did a number on us!  She also says chip and mine.  Not totally crazy about this list so far now that I think about it.  Haha.  She says home, phone, play, and I have noticed lately when she watches Dora that she says Dora, Boots, map, and backpack.  She says asleep and ssshhh!  Another one she has said forever, but I don’t know if I have thought to post is uh-huh.  She says this instead of yes.  And she says it all the time.  I know that there are so many more that she has added this month, but that is at least some of them.  Seriously she really is just a little parrot.  She tries to say everything that we say.

She is getting more and more independent.  She wants to feed herself (and wants her food to look like Cole’s- i.e., not cut up).  She wants to go down the stairs standing up here lately.  Very scary!  She helps you when you are getting her dressed now and will stick her arms in and stuff.  It’s the little things that make you realize how big they are getting.  She loves to carry her drink and Cole’s drink into the living room in the mornings.  She always wants to help throw anything away.  She also has a newfound fascination with flushing the potty for you. 

This is still our picture face so as you can imagine, I try really hard to catch her natural smile instead of her cheese.

Like I said, this girl has personality.  She is getting sillier and sillier.  Probably because she imitates her big brother so much, but she really comes up with some pretty funny stuff on her own.

Some of the latest funny things that I can think of are how she wants so badly to go potty.  She will pull her shirt up, walk right up to the potty, all the while saying “potty, potty,” and then do a standing hip thrust at the toilet.  Obviously she has not been watching Mommy potty…  She also LOVES to hide.  She runs as fast as she can behind a door or chair whispering “hide, hide.”  She also loves to spin around in a circle.  She thinks it is so funny.  (Em- I know, I know… that could be a sensory thing.  Haha.)  And if she gets you laughing, it is even funnier. 

This next picture is not quite the expression I want to capture, but close.  The picture has a little too much of a smile and her eyes aren’t quite wide enough to be right.  She has started doing a surprised face where she makes her eyes REALLY big and opens her mouth wide open.  It is ADORABLE.  I mean so cute.  Unfortunately I really think that it came about because of the look I give her when I am getting on to her.  She will scream out in the car, and when I look back at her, she does that face.  She will throw her food down, and when I look at her, she does that face.  I realized she is mimicking me raising my eyebrows at her.  Still cute.  Haha.

She loves to be outside and really loves to swing.  Oh- here’s a new word for her too… HIGH!  She says it over and over when you are swinging her.  And she means it too!  Her biggest smiles are when she is going high!

She has no fear.  I mean this girl may not have followed the traditional “have to keep up with the big siblings” when it came to walking early, but she definitely has when it comes to playing.  She LOVES to climb up any playground and will crawl all around in the top of them.  She is not scared at all to come down the slides by herself either.  Her only problem is that she is still a tad bit too short for some of the steps.  Luckily she has a super sweet big brother.  (Side note- Cole is so funny at the end of this video… I think he has been watching a little too much Dora, and I’m pretty sure he is confused on his Spanish.  Makes for a great laugh though.)

She has mastered our little playset at home though for sure!

Our pediatrician gave us a handout today that basically said that just like there are teenage years, there are also teenage months.  I believe it!  She can throw quite the fit and act pretty ugly when she wants to.  We are working on being sweet and minding quite diligently these days!  If these months are any forewarning, I worry the teenage years will be a lot of pushing the limits and a very messy room!  However, for all her little fits, I will say that when she is sweet, she is the sweetest thing!  I wish I could record how she says “momma.”  She will randomly just say it over and over in the sweetest little voice and give me kisses.  Oh- melt my heart!  Also I love rocking her.  She is so cuddly.  She has also just recently started wanting her blanket over her while we rock.  I don’t know if she will end up a blankie girl or not, but it makes for some really sweet snuggles right now anyway. 

So thankful for another month with our sweet girl and praying for many, many more.

Ole’ Aunt March

Neesha played the grouchy old aunt in “Little Women” at Harding last weekend.  The whole cast did a fabulous job, but of course the star in our eyes was our Aunt March Neesha!  I actually took the kids with me to the matinee showing, and they were pretty into it.  Cole lasted longer than Sissy, but I was proud of them both.  Cole was so cute.  He held his program the whole time and kept asking when Neesha was going to come back on stage.  He followed more of the story line than I expected too and made comments about what was going on.  Pretty fun.

Neesha had a good bit of lines, and she really handled the sarcasm in her part very well.  She may have had a little practice prior to the play at this though.  What teenage girl hasn’t?!?!  Haha. 

Taking a bow with the rest of the cast…

And stopping for pictures with her biggest fans after the play!

Way to go Neesha!  You were awesome, and we are looking forward to future performances starring you!  Love you lots.

Sweet Baby Annie

We celebrated the upcoming arrival of Kelsey and Smith’s baby Annie this weekend.  I hosted a shower for her, and I had such a good time thinking about fun, girly decorations. 

And next came the presents!  People were so generous, and Baby Annie is one blessed baby girl!

One of the best parts of the shower for me was getting to see some of my sweet high school friends who were surrogate big sisters to Kelsey.  Reena lives in Birmingham now and this was my first opportunity to meet her new baby boy!

Adrienne is expecting her 2nd little girl soon too!

Jordan found these shoes in one of the gift bags.  We told her that they were the baby shoes.  Since Gavin was the only baby in the room, she insisted that he wear them.  Haha.

And then of course, Nonny (aka the Baby Whisperer) worked her magic…

Jordan really enjoyed the party.  She was right up in the middle of all the present opening and even tried out a few presents herself…

We love you Smith, Kelsey, and Annie!  We are beyond excited about this new little life, and we know that she is going to be cute as a button!