Where Daddy go?

The mornings VW sleeps in and Daddy has to leave for work before VW can give him a hug are devastating.

I hear VWs bedroom door open.

“Where Daddy go?”

(How he knows that Daddy has left is beyond me, usually he opens his door and yells, “I sleep good!”)

“He left for work. You slept in.”

Then the crying begins, "I want to give Daddy a hug!"

This goes on for a while. Sometimes we call Daddy and sometimes he just turns himself around with lots of cuddles from Mommy, either way the morning is just not right without a hug from your Daddy!

Play Hard, Sleep Hard

As I look through pictures of the boys, I realize that we have lots of fun, but boy, when we sleep, we sleep hard…and in strange places and positions!

DG sleeping in his usual position
at Grandma and Papa's

Last summer VW snoozing
in the car

DG sleeping this summer

VW sleeping on the way to
Nana and Papa's for Christmas

DG out in his crib (so peaceful)

VW asleep in the doorway of his room, on his Clifford,
with his blankie and ma
(this is how we found him,
when we came upstairs to go to bed)

 DG too exhausted to jump
 

May you always have peace and security in God to play hard and sleep well (no matter where it is).

“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone,
O LORD, will keep me safe.” (Psalm 4:8 NLT)

Smiles

DG has been smiling since he was born. Don't get me wrong, he has his moments like we all do. However, he lives life with a smile. Even when he is not literally smiling, his eyes are! We love you "Smiles" and are enjoying watching you learn, grow, and explore!

Today DGs note from his teachers said, "DG smiled all day and everywhere he went he danced to the musical toy!"

Thumb?

October 2011
We made VW throw away his favorite "ma" aka pacifier, because it was so nasty. Now he is left with one that is okay, but not quite doing it for him.

As he threw away his favorite ma, he told me: "I will suck my thumb like my cousin, NR."

Update: No thumb...but he did tell Daddy he was done with his ma a couple mornings ago. When bedtime came (the only time he can have it), he asked for his ma. Daddy told him he couldn't have piggies and head rub if he wanted his ma...he opted for piggies and head rubs. He did "need" it over the holiday travels (something I acutally remembered...I forgot to pack a lot of random things this time), but maybe in the new year, we will be done with mas AND thumbs as DG uses neither!!

Seasons of Change

As we approach the celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, I think about the season of change that has occurred in our house over the past year. Experiencing life through the eyes of a 3-year old is exhilarating and exhausting all at the same time (oh, to have VWs energy with his innocence).

The year started with anticipation of a new arrival to our home. VW was very intrigued by my growing tummy and told me often, “No jumping on Mommy, just Daddy and Aunt K. The baby may cry.”  When DG arrived, we quickly learned that we have a very proud and amazing big brother and helper in our home. “This is my brother, he is a cute baby.”

Then it was VWs third birthday, he talked about this for months…mainly about the Lightening McQueen racecar track cake he was going to have on his birthday. He still talks about his birthday and racecar track cake. He thinks he gets another one for his fourth birthday. I hope I have to time to change his mind to a new theme or another track cake here we come?

Not sure where the summer and fall went, but I do know it has been fun watching DG and VW grow up and start to interact more with each other. Even if DG is starting to get into VWs toys! However, I do know we’ve heard some great stories and sayings along the way:

“Yummy, yummy in my tummy!”

“That’s what I’m talkin’ about!”

“A bonk on the head is very, very, very, very, very owie!”

“Where Daddy lotion go? My hands are cracking!”

“That would be, sound great!”

“Yesterday Aunt K sled with me at Papa and Grandma's. Aunt K live there, now she lives in Michigan.
I can see her at Christmas.”

Then Thanksgiving…hmm…how to teach a 3-year old thankfulness AND keep his attention. Well, you make a turkey to put on your fridge and you add a feather every night listing what you are thankful for, of course! This worked out wonderfully and VW was excited to add a feather to his turkey after dinner each night. It was too precious as the days went on, “I’m thankful for Papa.”  “You said Papa on day two, what else are you thankful for?” ;-)

Now Christmas is here already and although our stockings are hung by the chimney with care..

VW is most excited about Jesus’ birthday!

To count the days, we have been doing an advent calendar every evening, making the manger scene and talking about their role in the Christmas story.

What your manger scene

doesn’t look like this

(in VWs world everything is in lines)…

What an amazing year of change, growth, and blessings. I thank God for the changes of seasons in our lives. Daddy and I often look at each other with the feeling of awe, gratitude, abundance, and humbleness because of God’s grace and mercy!

One more sleep until Jesus’ birthday! Ahh, Christmas through the eyes of child!

Tickle Time

The laughter from a child, especially yours, is the most amazing, precious sound in the world! At our house, laughter and fun is a top priority!

Every night after dinner, VW waits patiently, while he tries, until Mommy and Daddy are done talking about the day’s events and schedule.

“Is it tickle time?”

“Daddy, come tickle me!”

Soon Daddy jumps up and chases VW to the living room for tickle and wrestling time! DG often tries to join in!

“Mommy, help! Come help!”

I always come to help, but my “help” is always to join in on the tickling and not rescue VW from Daddy! HeeHee

Frosty - I'll be back again someday!

It does not matter the time of the year; VW will pick a book to read at bedtime that has winter activities-sledding, building snowmen, snow ball fights. Even one of his favorite Curious George episodes is of George playing in the snow. VW has been anxious to build a snowman since we can't remember when. “When it snows, we will build a snowman. Won’t that be great!”

Well, you wouldn’t know it today (I actually saw someone mowing the lawn), but we did get our first snow fall a couple weeks ago. The first thing VW asked was to build a snowman. The snow wasn’t snowman making material, but he bundled up to go out and explore anyway.

Every day the following week as he came down the stairs in the morning, he would look outside the kitchen window and exclaim, “The snow didn’t melt!”

Finally the day came a couple days later to build his first snowman and who best to build it with then his cousins.

NR, VW, and IM making each snowman section.

And we can't forget DG,

he watched from the window.

Someday soon buddy...

And the proud VW with his first snowman!!

Winter has just begun, I am sure this is the beginning of some great snowmen. Guess I better make sure we have some carrots for noses (NR was rather annoyed I didn't have my fridge stocked). And I can hear VW, "I'll be back again someday!"

He's got...Personality

So, right in front of us DG has moved from a "hang out" baby to a mover and a shaker. He started climbing stairs around Thanksgiving and hasn't looked back (except to make sure we are watching).

His new "trick" is to sneak towards the stairs, pause to make sure we are watching, and then crawl as fast as he can up the stairs giggling the whole way!

 

'Cause you've got - personality
Walk - personality

Talk - personality
Smile - personality

Charm - personality

Love - personality...

Santa Hats

VW had his Christmas party last week at buddies.
My attempt to mix fun with healthy...

Ho Ho Ho

Let It Shine

“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine.” As a child, this song was just a fun song I sang while visiting my Grandparents in a small, country church in Middleburg, Iowa. (I know I sang it other times, but it just one of those memories...) Today, I find myself singing this song to, and with, my sons often, but with a different dream. A dream, or more of a prayer actually, that our boys will SHINE; not for themselves, but for their wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ, that others will want to know what they know.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14-16

Although a children’s song, I try to live this song in my life, a life that shines for God. As a parent, I have the same prayer for our sons, that we may raise them in His ways and let them go to shine for their Savior. With this prayer in mind, the goal of this blog is to document our “shining” moments and are “not so shining” moments to remind myself of the amazing blessing and grace God has given us. “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine…”