Austen tidbit
Sunday, Jan 24, 2010
I haven't updated recently....I have a hard time figuring out how much to share. But more on that later. Tonight, I had a small flash back as many of my college friends got together for a wedding. Austen had the privilege of being her dad's date, and they flocked upon her with comments of, essentially, "OMG NO WAY SHE'S HUGE WE'RE OLD."
Combine that with planning my baby's second birthday party, and I was reminded of one of the cute things Austen did when she was a tiny tot. Starting at two, Austen measured how big she was by how high she could jump. She did this for years, until around 5-6. On her second birthday, she kept saying "Look how high!!", then jumping a good 2-3 inches off the ground. For the next 3-4 years, on her birthday and any time someone would say "you're getting so big," she would verify this fact by showing them just how high she could jump right then and there.
I don't think there was any jumping at the wedding, but I can assure you, she jumps way higher than she did when she was my roly poly, chubby-cheeked, tow-headed toddler.
Fibs
Saturday, Jan 02, 2010
At 22 months old, Catherine told her first lie. Granted, she only has about 50 words in her vocabulary, but that doesn't seem to be stopping her.
I made Catherine a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch yesterday. Our normally not-picky child has recently decided that she won't eat crust if no one mentions to her she has to. She noticed a thing of play doh sitting on the floor and started asking for it before her sandwich was gone, so I told her "you gotta finish your sandwich before you can have the play doh."
She walked over and sat next to her sandwich. She took each piece of her crust and stuck it behind her foot, away from me. Then she picked up her plate and shows it to me; "All gone!!"
Little snot.
This Decade
Thursday, Dec 31, 2009
2000-2009 represented a full-tilt change from kid to adult for me. It was the decade of Huge Things. In some ways, it's bittersweet - all those firsts behind us, and only "status quo" to look forward to in this next decade. On the other hand, "normal" and "boring" are things I strive for after the last three roller coaster years.
This decade, I (in a crazy, yet somewhat sensible, order):
• graduated from college
• started my first career
• started my second and third jobs
• bought my first car
• quit my job
• met a boy
• fell in love
• married the boy and he became my wonderful husband
• moved out of familiar cities
• moved out-of-state
• had babies
• watched said babies crawl, walk, talk, turn into amazing little people.
• watched my oldest start kindergarten, lose teeth, learn to read, turn into a beautiful young lady, and zip through to third grade.
• watched my only son transform the mother that I was through a combination of boyish traits and antics, extreme stubbornness, and that indescribable mother-son bond.
• finally learned to savor each stage with our last child, our tiny, sweet nymph. This decade has proven just how fast time will fly, and I don't rush her in any area.
We also:
• rented a tiny townhouse
• lived in a nearly dilapidated old house
• bought our first home
• bought our first family car together
• had "house problems"
• watched appliances break
• had our first car accident
• had many, many more car problems
• lost jobs
• lost loved ones
• spent many months of quality time together
• spent as much time as we could with loved ones near and far
• gained jobs
• experienced sickness
• appreciated health
• strained to survive long-distances
• suffered from "not enough money"
• made convictions
• made tough decisions to lead us into the next decade.
In 2010, we have big changes ahead, things that will hopefully lead to more normalcy, money, and time together. This decade will leave us scarred, strong, and a tightly-knit family, but we hope that by leaving the "Georgia" in Georgia Benders behind us, we'll fall into a happy, boring, Cleaver-esque family routine that will last us the next decade, and maybe more.
We look forward to sharing our experiences and next decade with you, and hearing about your changing lives as well.
Guess where....
Tuesday, Dec 22, 2009
her grandma let her sleep?
Here's a hint...
Short Update
Friday, Dec 04, 2009
My husband poked me and said, "you haven't updated your blog in over a month!"
Whoops!
Add that to two phone calls because certain relatives didn't have online updates, and I might be feeling a little guilty. My big excuse is work. Lots to do, not a lot of time. My much smaller excuse is my card reader has been misplaced and I haven't been able to download pics in a month!
I'll try to get some updates done tonight!
Halloween 2009
Sunday, Nov 01, 2009
We went to B's church festival, where she had a stand set up!
Bumblebee the Transformer
Ginny Weasley
Pumpkin.
She loved her first Halloween experience!
Happy 4th birthday!
Sunday, Nov 01, 2009
My darling boy,
Happy fourth birthday....a month late. I've been adding to this for about six weeks now, but work and life have constantly gotten in the way, so late it is.
I have loved you at three. There were some battles, of course, but for the most part three was fun. It was rowdy and loud, and full of new experiences. I'm hoping that we can only go up from here, and that four is that much better than three.
You're so happy. You've always been a happy guy but right now you're in this ethereal, sublime state. It's like seeing childhood perfected watching you. You have three categories of like: good, pretty good and awesome. Everything falls into one of these three categories. School, sisters, toys, books, trees, cars...everything. It all makes you smiley and sing-songy. Not a care in the world, except whether or not you really have to take a nap.
You're funny, and you know it. You come up with the best ideas and even when you're mad, your sly sense of humor comes through and diffuses the situation.
You go to school five mornings a week, where you work on your letters and fine motor skills, but most importantly, your social skills. You sit with six of your best friends who have taught you more socially than I could ever try to. And you, you pick it right up. You're so socially adept that it's mind-boggling. I drop you off in the morning and all these adorable tow-headed girls come running over, yelling your name. You've got a girl fan club, both with the little girls AND the big ones.
Maybe that's why there were 8 girls at your birthday party, and no boys??
I watch you step out of the car and wave to your friends and wonder what happened to that two-year-old child who wouldn't say anything to anyone? He's been replaced with the gregarious boy I've always known, and hoped everyone else would get to meet.
You've started reading and you're good at it. We need to work on sight words, but if it is something to be sounded out, you can usually do it. You also started t-ball. This is....interesting. For everyone involved. You get bored waiting where you're supposed to be, so instead you run the entire field. You tackle your teammates, hog the ball, and worse yet, you ROAR at other children. They have no idea what to make of you. Sadly your games are before Daddy gets home, so I'm stuck in the stands with your sisters, watching your coach tame the tornado.
We've taken a few games off to give him a break.
Other than school and friends, you have developed a love for super heroes. Spiderman and Transformers are top of the list, and it's all new territory for me. Thank goodness you have a dad who knows all about these things.
You still love dinosaurs, elephants, and animals of any kind, as well as holidays. This is the first year you get holidays, and you want to know all about them. Other things you enjoy are cars, races (of any kind), playing on the computer, music, your sisters, snuggling, reading books and doing puzzles.
As happy and fun as you are, you are also hard. You take being stubborn to new heights and it was a relief to hear your teacher (with 13 years experience) comment on how much energy you have. This mama is worn out most days. Tantrums are rare and the stubbornness comes in a quiet, mutinous form...you decide you're not going to listen and rather than argue with us, you walk away, and do what you want anyhow. It's exhausting.
Last week, I called your dad and told him we needed to lower the crib because Catherine had crawled out. I wasn't happy with this, but hey, I don't get to pick the timing. I'd hear her squeal then running around upstairs during nap time. Then two days later, I started up the stairs in an attempt to catch her climbing out. I watched you creep back into your room and quietly close the door. And it dawned on me: Catherine had an accomplice. I went in and asked you if you were getting C out of her crib. "Yep!" you told me, with a smile. Sigh.
We have two months to decide what to do with you next fall - private school kindergarten or another year of preschool. I know you're ready for kindergarten, but at the same time, these years are flying by and I don't think anyone could fault me with wanting to keep you to myself for just one more year? Or, maybe, three or four more years??
You're good, pretty good, and awesome, bud, and I love you.
Love,
Mommy
