Naming The Baby

We've started talking a little about possible baby names.  I have to say, there aren't any names that I just LOVE the way I loved Aidan and Ella.  I'm kind of stuck.  The kids, on the other hand, have lots of ideas.

Here are some of the best:

Ella:  Bubba Jr., Ella 2, Kudro, and my favorite-Chimpanzee.

Aidan:  His favorite name so far is Joe.  His next favorite is Jack, or as he said last night, "The Jackster."  He really wants the baby to have his middle name. I tried to explain that kids in the same family don't usually have the same name.  (Unless you're in George Foreman or Michael Jackson's family.)  While I'm not crazy about the names Aidan has picked, he has made quite a bit of progress since I was pregnant with Ella.  His top choices for Ella were Lightning Boy and Gerald.

Last night we were talking about middle names, and I said to Mark, "we could always use Edward as his middle name."  Aidan said, "Edward?!?  If you went to school and told the kids your middle name was Edward, you would be laughed at.  You would be the nerd of the whole school."  Then I told him that Edward was his daddy's middle name.  His reaction was pretty funny.  He covered his face and laughed for a long time.  Then at bedtime, he told Mark, "sorry about the whole Edward thing."  I have to say, it was pretty funny.  It's a good thing Mark is such a good sport!

I told Mark we should name the baby something that means fire, or something fire related.  Aidan means "little fire," and Ella means "torch."  I thought we could keep that theme going.  Mark suggested we name the baby something that means, "extinguisher."  He might be on to something.

My mom always has lots of suggestions...like Remington, or Seeton.  I think she's hoping the baby is on a soap opera some day.  It's not that I don't like those names, they just don't seem to fit with our family.

So, does anyone have any good baby name suggestions for me??

(*Please note, this post is not meant to offend anyone named Edward, Remington, Seeton, The Jackster, or Chimpanzee.)

A Popsicle and A Hug

There is a little girl that lives in my neighborhood.  I don't know her name.  I don't know how old she is.  She is not very big...much smaller than Aidan.  But, she has a way about her that makes you think she's older.  I'm not even sure where she lives.  I just know that she walks down my street every afternoon after school.  I've been watching her and wondering about her for two years.  She always wears pants that are much too short.  Not just a little too short, but WAY too short.  Her shoes are always worn out and never the right size...usually a couple of sizes too big, so they flop around when she walks.  She always wears a jacket or a sweater, no matter how hot it is outside, like she's trying to cover up a secret hurt.  I don't know her story.  I know nothing about her home life.  But, my heart aches for her just the same.  She never says much.  Once, she told me that she really liked all of my pretty flowers.  Sometimes she smiles, but she always watches me carefully as she walks by my house.  I make sure to always smile at her.  Just in case no one else does.

I stand out in front of my house every afternoon so I can watch Aidan walk home.  I greet him each day with a hug.  Or I'll tousle his hair and ask him how his day was.  I'm glad I get to be here to greet him when he comes home.  It seems like a trivial thing.  But, sometimes the trivial things mean the most.  This little girl made me realize what a gift I've been given to be here with my kids during the day.  One day she was walking just a little in front of Aidan.  I smiled at her, as usual.  Then I hugged Aidan and said, "hey buddy.  How was your day?"  Before Aidan could answer, this quiet little girl said, "there's nothing better in the world than to have someone waiting for you at home to give you a hug and a popsicle."  I looked at her.  She just said it as she walked.  She didn't stop or slow down.  "Do you have anyone at home to give you a hug?" I asked.  "No, there's no one at home," she said, at almost a whisper as she kept walking.

My heart hurt for her.  Maybe her family is neglectful.  Or maybe they are just doing what they have to in order to get by.  I don't know.  I wish that I could invite her into my home.  Give her a hug...and a popsicle.  Ask her how her day was.  Look at the papers in her backpack and make a big deal over the good grades...and help her fix the bad ones.  I want to let her know that I see her, and that I care about her...and that God sees her, and He cares about her too.  I know it's not appropriate to do those things for a girl I don't even know.  But, I'll keep praying for her, and maybe God will open some doors for me to talk to her more.

In the meantime, I will remember what a blessing it is that I get to be here when my own child comes home.  Sometimes my job is so monotonous that I forget what a blessing and honor it is.  May I never take for granted the gift...no, the many gifts...I've been given:  my husband, who values my being at home with our kids, and supports me in that role, my beautiful healthy children, my comfortable home, financial provision that allows me to be here, and my sweet relationship with my Savior, everything good about me as a woman and a mother comes from Him.  I have to agree with that precious little girl.  There is NOTHING better than having someone waiting for you at home.  We all need a safe place to land at the end of the day.  I am so grateful that I can be that for my family.

I Just Want to Tell You...

...that I love these 2 little munchkins:

And, I love that they love each other.

That's all.

I'm Still Alive

Two weeks!  Today it has been 2 weeks since my last post.  I really like to try to write something every day.  I've been lacking in inspiration.  And, when you never leave the house, because you feel sickly all the time, there's not much to write about.  No one appreciates stories about someone lying on the couch eating saltines all day.  But, lest this blog shrivel up and die, I thought I better update it today...inspiration or no inspiration.

So, here's a list:

1.  I am pregnant...11 weeks pregnant to be exact.  29 weeks to go.  sigh.

2.  The morning sickness is finally starting to subside, instead of endless days of queasiness, it is now limited to just a few hours out of each day.

3. For mother's day, Mark gave me his cold.  I thought that was pretty rude.

4.  The best thing I got for Mother's Day was a card from Aidan that said, "If God let me choose my mother, I would still choose you."

5.  I cry through every episode of Army Wives.  I really am a mess.

6.  Laundry is my nemesis.

7.  I really want to take a trip.  Somewhere fun...and relaxing.  I've had the travel bug pretty bad lately.

8.  Ella refuses to sleep in a pull up.  She takes them off sometime during the night.  I am tired of washing sheets and mattress covers.  See number 6.

9.  I love Ritz Crackerfuls.  They're expensive though...over $3 for 6 crackers.  I am way too cheap to buy those very often!  If someone from Nabisco is reading this...that's robbery, plain and simple.  It's a cracker with fake cheese.  Thank you.

10.  I think it's crazy that a 3 year old has to pay full price for a season pass to NRH2O.  Seriously?  I don't think Ella will be going down the Green Extreme or the Purple-Palooza this year, so can't she get a discount?

11. 17 school days until summer break.  Can I get a hallelujah?

12.  I am really sick of creditors calling my house looking for someone that does not live here.  At least 6 phone calls a day.  If I am going to be harassed like this, I should at least get to be delinquent on my bills.

13. The dog is getting neutered this week.  Aidan asked what "neutered" means.  We told him.  He fell on the floor and said, "why did you tell me that?!?!?"

14.  Aidan has been behaving especially well since we told him what "neutered" means.  Maybe he's worried that if he doesn't behave we'll have him neutered too??  Whatever works.  =D

15.  Aidan is going to cub scout day camp.  At first, he didn't want to go because he was nervous and worried he wouldn't know anyone.  I told him they were going to shoot bb guns and do archery...still nervous.  Then, I told him he got a free t-shirt and hat...he was all in.  Nerves or no nerves, the kid loves free hats and t-shirts.

I think that's enough for one day...I am so sorry to prattle on like this...but, like I said...no inspiration.  The baby is killing my brain cells.

Monday Stuff

We had a great weekend.  Aidan was home for the whole weekend for the first time in over a month.  His social calendar is so full...parties to go to, campouts, spending time with his grandparents...it was nice to have him home for the whole weekend.  He's getting so big.  I hope he knows how crazy I am about him.  We went to my parents' on Friday night and decorated Easter eggs and had a yummy dinner.  My mom even made a banana pudding, which I had been craving.  I think I ate more than my fair share.  The only food that sounds any good to me lately is food that other people cook...in their own house.  If I cook it, or have to smell it while Mark cooks it, I can't eat it.  So, the dinner was great.  What was even better, was watching my kids and my brother's kids play together.  I'm glad they're all close.  Cousins are the best.  My sister in law is pregnant too...and we're due at the same time!  So, these next 2 babies in our family will only be a few days apart.  Ella and Hayes (my brother's youngest) had a great time together.  They loved wrestling with their pawpaw and jumping all over the house together.  Ella is always saying that Cooper and Hayes are her best friends.  I really hope we get some more girls in this family, or she is going to be a hopeless tomboy!

On Saturday, we got up and took the kids to Cracker Barrel for a family breakfast.  Then the kids used their Easter money to buy some new toys in the store.  Next, it was on to the zoo.  The Fort Worth Zoo has a Dinosaurs Alive exhibit right now that is really cool.  The dinosaurs are scattered throughout the zoo and they are very realistic.  They move and growl.  Ella thought they were real.  But, she wasn't scared.  She wanted to feed them--even the t-rex.

Saturday night, we had more fun family time.  Aidan decided to not watch tv or play video games for a challenge at school.  At first he didn't want to, but when he saw everyone getting prizes, he wanted in on the fun.  So, he spent the weekend trying to come up with other ways to entertain himself.  Saturday night, he turned every room in the house into a carnival.  He made a map for Ella and me and gave us each a bunch of tickets.  He had games like Basketball-Golf (that Ella STILL wants to play), painting, horse lassoing, etc.  He's so creative, and Ella LOVED it.

Next, we made our resurrection cookies.  It seemed to take on a lot more meaning for Aidan this year.  I could see him really processing everything.

Aidan's tooth finally came out at 5:30 on Easter morning.  I know this because Aidan came flying into our bedroom shouting, "Mommy!  Mommy!  My tooth came out on Easter!  I can't believe it!  My tooth came out on Easter."  I about died of a heart attack, but at least the tooth is out!

Speaking of the tooth...he put it under his pillow last night, very excited about what the tooth fairy would bring.  He said she would probably bring a lot more this time since it was an Easter tooth.  I was awoken again at 6:30 this morning.  SOMEONE had forgotten to leave money under Aidan's pillow.  So, I awoke to a little boy bursting into my room again.  He held up his tooth and said, "I know you're the tooth fairy, because I didn't get ANYthing."  He was not happy.  And, I was not awake enough to think of anything to say.  I patted him on the back and told him to try again tonight.  I'm a little offended that he KNOWS the tooth fairy is me, because she forgot to bring him something.  Am I really that forgetful?  I don't remember.

So, if you were me, which excuse would you use:
"I bet the tooth fairy was off last night because it was Easter."

Or:  "I bet the tooth fairy couldn't get here last night because the storms were so bad.  It would not be safe to fly with all that lightning and win."

Please leave your vote in a comment on this post.  I'll let you know how it goes.

That's enough rambling for one post.  I'll close with some pictures.  Hope you all had a great Easter weekend.

Look at this green mamba...yuck!

The t-rex is chasing Aidan!

Happy Easter!

Hayes and Ella

Cooper and Aidan

Bubbles!

Losing the Battle but Winning the War

I will start this post by telling you that I am not the perfect parent.  I know, I'll give you a minute to recover from the shock.




Better?  I make mistakes all the time...lose my temper, toss around a sarcastic remark here or there, let things slide that I shouldn't...parenting is definitely a journey.

But, something I try to keep in the forefront of my mind is to think ahead.  Don't lose the whole war over one battle.  It's hard to explain what I mean by this, so I'll share some recent examples.

Yesterday, Aidan walked home with tears in his eyes.  He was upset because he had made a 50 on his spelling test.  Now, Aidan is a good student.  He makes good grades.  He has a spelling test hanging on the refrigerator with a 106 on it.  So, this is not a habit.  He just blew it on this test.  So when he walked up to me in the driveway with tears in his eyes and blurted out, "I made a 50 on my spelling test."  I had a choice how to respond.  I could have gotten angry.  I could have demanded to know what happened.  But, here stood this little boy, that hates to fail, obviously broken up about this test.  Why did he need me to make it worse?  So, I hugged him.  And, I thanked him for telling me.  He didn't have to.  The teacher didn't send the test home.  I told him he'd do better next week, and I would help him study more if he needed me to.  See, I could have fought a battle over this one test, or I could win the war for his heart.  I want him to trust me.  I want him to WANT to tell me when something goes wrong...when he messes up.  I want him to know he can come to me and we can work together to fix it.  Because, some day, it will be more than a spelling test.  And, when those big mistakes come, I want him to know that he can come to his dad and me, because we are on his side.

This next example is a little harder for me.  Aidan has a loose tooth.  I hate it when Aidan has a loose tooth.  He has some odd pathological fear about pulling his teeth.  I know how he feels, because I had the same fear when I was little.  This tooth is barely hanging on.  If he would let me, I could pull it in a second.  It takes all my will to not grab him, hold him down and yank that tooth out so the whole thing will be over.  Or, I could try the old, "I just want to look at it" trick and pull it as soon as he opens his mouth.  But, he probably wouldn't fall for that anyway.  He wants to pull it himself, when he's ready.  It sounds silly, but I have to really calm myself down with this one.  I have to remind myself that in the big scheme of things, this is nothing.  The battle is the tooth.  I could win it, if I really wanted to...make him pull it on my time, not his.  But, I want to win the war for his heart.  It's more important that he learn to face this fear on his own, that he feels the pride of pulling it himself, even if that takes a day or two longer.  It's more important that he knows if I say I'm not going to pull his tooth unless he asks me to...that I'm really not going to do it.  Because some day he will have to face bigger fears on his own, and I won't be able to help him.  He needs to know the feeling of gathering up all your courage and doing the thing that needs to be done.  And, I know he'll do it...unless the tooth falls out first!

Vicky Courtney says we should raise our kids to be godly, not good.  There's a difference.  Raising our children to be "good" is self-serving.  We can brag about them...their grades, their behavior, etc.  It makes us feel good when our kids are good.  The thing about good kids, is they are usually being good to please someone, and their definition of "good" will change based on who that someone is.  Godly men and women make mistakes, but then they repent and allow God to use their mistakes.  Godly men and women live for an audience of one.  They live to please God.

So, what are the battles you fight with your kids?  Are you winning the battles, but losing the war?  Try to change your perspective.  Think long term.  Think about what you're teaching them about your relationship...and about their relationship with God.  Give consequences when necessary, be honest with them, teach them the right way to do things instead of criticizing them when they do it wrong, remember they are little and still learning.  Hold them to high, Godly standards, but always remember the grace and mercy that God shows to each of us.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this too...we're all in this together!  Raising a generation of Godly men and women is an enormous task!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter weekend.

Where Did We Go Wrong?

I am really embarrassed to tell you this story.  I'm sure it reveals some flaw in my parenting.  Maybe it is a flaw in Mark's parenting.

I will preface this story by saying that we teach our kids about the real meaning of Easter.  We do activities, we read books, we take them to church.  Aidan and I have discussed the fall of man and God's plan for redemption many, many times.

So, when I asked Aidan today, "why do we celebrate Easter?"  I really wasn't expecting the answer that I got.

At first, he said, "Jesus' birthday!"  That's not too bad...I can see how you could get Christmas and Easter confused.  "No, that's Christmas I told him.  What did Jesus do for us?"

And that is when the whole thing went wrong, terribly wrong.  I know he knows this, so I was totally unprepared for what followed.

Aidan thought for a minute and then answered, "He killed Adam and Eve?"

Where did we go wrong?  Seriously?

I will say, after a little while, he answered, "He died for us."  But, that first answer just about killed me.

Wow.  Please don't tell my mother.  I will never hear the end of it.