Catch Up On Ford

I've got it bad for our little guy right now.

He knows how to stop me in my tracks with a hug, a kiss….a look.

Or by whining for hours on end.

Either way, I'm smitten with this three year old.

"O Lord, you are my rock…"

Spidey climbs.

He takes horses galloping, galloping through the mud.

And makes mud pies.

He spins. And spins.

He puts up with Sissy's frozen (homemade) garb...

He finally has pals of his own...

And loves goggles.

And apparently shopping.

And pretending he's in London.

Or a doctor.

He's a crazy snuggler. A fierce scooter rider. A lover. A fighter. A sweet, tender, compassionate and easy going tough-guy. I love this guy's jam. Please remind me of this at 5pm tomorrow when I need to be reminded how to make the whining stop. We love you, Fordy!

1204. no wake up nights

1205. faces in the water during swimming

1206. coordinating schedels

1207. getting to the root of it

Catch-Up Part One

Oh, how many times have I admitted to neglecting you all, my blog people? 

Too many.

Too many to count.

So we shall recap once again….

and then forgive.

And move forward.

Again.

Bless your hearts.

There's so much to cover, so I'll just get started. 

Ah-hem….

This spring was glorious around these parts. 

And I mean, insanely glorious.

You can hardly tell, but look at this flowering plum tree.

These were everywhere.

With pink petals floating through the air like snow.

Mmmmmm.

And then there was this girl.

Still wearing those cowboy boots, nightgowns and ballet sweaters to the park.

I've quite fighting it.

She's also a crazy driver, as shown from Sloan's face.

Eeeeek!

And we went through a phase in the spring where these pumpkins (thanks, Grandmama!) went with us everywhere.  I still am not sure why…. but it was Halloween in March around here for awhile!

As the weather got warmer, we had a few lovely lunch time playdates with our next door neighbors. 

The fairies left a Frozen present - the movie! 

Just when singing Let It Go in the car wasn't enough.

This guy got potty trained.

Even at night.

3 days and it was done.

Bam.

Like a boss.

And mama is so very thankful.

There were a few trips to the lake with the cousins before the snakes came out to play...

The littles played in the water….

The boys made a mud house...

Maybe it was the nice weather.

Maybe it was the longer days.

But there were many, many afternoons of plain ole Tom Foolery with these four.

More to come….

1199. no a/c needed even with hot weather

1200. getting muddy and not caring

1201. remembering that I'm not doing it right

1202. mercy to start over

1203. church family

Ford Turns 3!

I remember reading, before I had kids, that some lunatic had let their 3 year old do something ridiculous. Like let them jump off a desk onto a beanbag, let them hang from a way-up-too-high-bar at the playground or let them fly around the driveway on a scooter at way too fast a speed.

And this week, I remembered that article.

At the time, I thought, "Three! Who would let a three year old hang out alone while they take a shower! The trouble they could cause! To others! Themselves!"

And now I realize that you've spent 3 years with this small person

who really couldn't do much on their own.

And now they can.

So you let them.

You let them jump off your desk onto a beanbag. 

You let them hang from a way-up-too-high-bar at the playground

You let them run fly around the driveway on a scooter at way too fast a speed.

Because now they can.

Now he can.

Ford is three.

And he's crazy and wild and snuggly and just hardly starting to have a 3 year old attitude.

And he loves Spiderman.

And pretending he's asleep

and silly

and giggly...

So at his first-ever-party, which was Spiderman themed 

(even sissy dressed up unsolicited)...

webs were spun...

(sometimes it takes two hands to get the web hand just right…)

Friends in glasses came (two friends! of his own!)...

Grandparents stopped by….

female siblings were included...

the most amazing cupcakes got eaten…

And we spent the rest of the time at Ford's favorite place :

the park.

Wildflowers were picked...

the gang even posed...

Superwoman mastered the "hang"….

and lots and lots of minutes were logged on the tire swing,

his favorite.

I'm so blessed to be this boy's mama.

I've heard people say that before and it seems so…. obvious.

But it's really true.

We love this kid to pieces.

All three years of him.

1195. a cupcake courrier

1196. a job that lets him be the pizza courier

1197. windy but cool weather for the party

1198. and therefore, all alone at the park

That Scar and The Dentist

In light of our last post, with Abby's surgery scar getting some attention again

(thanks to sweet Bailey's surgery) 

for the first time in her life tonight she asked me about her scar  - what did i think of it.

I showed her the scar I have on my face and we compared notes.

And for the first time, I looked at her through the eyes of a bigger girl.

A girl who won't like that scar (and especially the larger scar where her drainage tube was)

as she gets older. In the locker room in junior high. Or when she changes into her bathing suit.

We touched it and talked about how awesome it was.

How blessed she is to have that scar as a symbol of God's faithfulness.

I know that's beyond her at the moment but I want to start speaking those words in to her life.

At the end she said, "Sometimes it bothers me, but it's okay, mom. I'm okay."

I just about came undone right there.

May it always be so.

………..

We're on a regular 3 week rotation at the library. 

We come home with such a haul that we hardly finish reading what we've got in that time.

I think it's time to start limiting their books to 8 each. 

They literally look at the cover, throw it in the bag

and are moving on to the next one before I can holler uncle.

And since our new dentist is right next door to the library, we've had lots of time to talk and talk and talk about what a trip to the new dentist will be like.

They especially liked the part about watching shows on the ceiling.

So, Abby went first.

Those darn boots.

She's almost outgrown them (i pray….)

And Fordy was awesome.

He had headphones on, was watching a show and opening wider than wide.

I was so proud that I took them to ice cream.

Ah, the dichotomy. 

The dentist with a sugar chaser.

1190. wisteria blooming we didn't know we had
1191. a reason to clean this place up
1192. open windows with warm air
1193. pedicures in the dark with the power out
1194. that scar

The Ballet Brave Heart Party

Abby got invited to her pal, Bailey's birthday party this year….

and it was a ballet party! 

There was wand making...

practicing your ballet positions...

getting your hair done...

and face painting...

Best of all, we got to see Bailey, Abby's fellow "brave heart" surgery survivor!

We were so honored to pray for her and walk through that process with them. 

And now that they are on the other side, they will be able to discuss the woes (and joys!) of having a noticeable scar on your chest.

We love you, Bailey!

1185. having the ballet clothes handy

1186. mentioning sleeping in her upstairs room

1187. excited for visitors

1188. fordy's giving heart

1189. a new little pal at the park