So...there are some critics out there that feel that the Woods should not have their Christmas tree up yet. And for those of you that didn't know that we had our tree up until you read that first sentence, don't judge. Just breathe. In. Out. In. Out.
Let me explain. Here is my list of 10 reasons why it's October 31st, and our Christmas tree is twinkling away in the corner of the living room.
1. I like having the twinkling lights on instead of a lamp. Simple as that.
2. We live with a 2 year old. He likes to touch. EVERYTHING. This way, we can have plenty of practice learning about looking with our eyes, and not touching with our hands. You'll thank me later if there were any plans to invite us over this Holiday Season.
3. We like to give the neighbors something to talk about.
4. My step kids were here this weekend, which means they help carry things up from the basement, where it is stored.
5. Putting up the Christmas tree brings back some of my favorite memories from when I was a child. Waiting for dad to climb to the attic, put together the tree, string the lights and then we got to decorate.
6. I have now have a good excuse to sing Christmas Carols. LOUDLY.
7. When I want to snack at night, I feel bad for eating in front of the angel on the top of the tree.
8. It's dark at 6:00 pm anyway, we might as well pretend it's the dead of winter and we're enjoying ourselves.
9. This gives Dave extra time to be thinking of my Christmas gifts. It's not like he can forget when he is greeted by the twinkling lights each day.
10. Because I asked, Dave said yes and I wanted to!
There you have it. That's why we already put up our Christmas tree.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Years, Not Months
I knew this day was coming. It doesn't mean I was anymore prepared for it. I knew it would be here before a blink of an eye. And sure enough, here it is.
My precious bundle of joy, coming into the world at just 7lbs, 15 oz, measuring only 21 inches long turned two today. AND I'M NOT SURE I WAS READY FOR IT. I mean, I am so very grateful that God has blessed me with this amazing boy in my life, that we get to celebrate the little things everday. But turning two. Really? Did he have to?
I think I am most hung up on the fact that I now have to start replying, "2 years old" when people ask how old he is. I've heard from a number of people that it may be a bit weird to say 29 months, or 34 months. Ugh...I have to say years. It hurts my heart a little bit. This means my baby is no longer my "baby" (although, future girlfriends of the world, BEWARE, he'll always be my little baby boy!)
I know that October 27th is his birthday, but it's pretty much the day that I recieved the greatest gift God could have given me.
Reilly,
You are the joy of my life and the sparkle in my eye. I am the luckiest mommy in the world because I get to hear you say, "Mom, Mom, MOM" over and over and over again. You have been so much fun to watch as you learn, grow and discover. I treasure your "Squeeze Tight Hugs," your "Super Sloppy Kisses" and when your little hand reaches for mine. I love when we get to snuggle at night, and when I get you up in the morning and make me rub your back for an extra minute or two. You are my everything, and I love you more than I ever thought possible.
Happy 2nd Birthday, Baby Boy!
Mommy
My precious bundle of joy, coming into the world at just 7lbs, 15 oz, measuring only 21 inches long turned two today. AND I'M NOT SURE I WAS READY FOR IT. I mean, I am so very grateful that God has blessed me with this amazing boy in my life, that we get to celebrate the little things everday. But turning two. Really? Did he have to?
I think I am most hung up on the fact that I now have to start replying, "2 years old" when people ask how old he is. I've heard from a number of people that it may be a bit weird to say 29 months, or 34 months. Ugh...I have to say years. It hurts my heart a little bit. This means my baby is no longer my "baby" (although, future girlfriends of the world, BEWARE, he'll always be my little baby boy!)
I know that October 27th is his birthday, but it's pretty much the day that I recieved the greatest gift God could have given me.
Reilly,
You are the joy of my life and the sparkle in my eye. I am the luckiest mommy in the world because I get to hear you say, "Mom, Mom, MOM" over and over and over again. You have been so much fun to watch as you learn, grow and discover. I treasure your "Squeeze Tight Hugs," your "Super Sloppy Kisses" and when your little hand reaches for mine. I love when we get to snuggle at night, and when I get you up in the morning and make me rub your back for an extra minute or two. You are my everything, and I love you more than I ever thought possible.
Happy 2nd Birthday, Baby Boy!
Mommy
Monday, October 3, 2011
The Battle Of The Broccoli
I always leave school with an anxious heart at the end of the day. Praying that my almost-two-year-old has made good choices. I just never know what the report is going to be.
Today, just like normal, I pull up and Ms. Betsy is already laughing. Good Grief! What could this mean???
She can barely contain her giggles to tell me that she doesn't remember the last time a little guy has made her laugh so hard. Super. Can't wait to hear this one.
Evidently they had cheese quesadillas and broccoli for lunch. Reilly can eat his weight in cheese quesadillas, apparently. I probably should have already known this, but I didn't. He blew through his main course and was pushing around his one "tree" of broccoli Ms. Betsy had put on his plate. The older kiddos were already done eating, so she had gotten out the package of Chips Ahoy Cookies.
My little man is a COOKIE MONSTER. So he got very excited to see the chocolate chip goodies come out of the pantry. Ms. Betsy explained to him that he had to finish his broccoli before a cookie could be had.
Insert attitude.
(Remember, she is laughing hysterically as she is telling me this!)
She said he picked up his "tree" of broccoli, put it in his mouth, plopped his chin in his hand and started chewing. All while staring at her, as if to say, "I'll eat it, but I'm not gonna like it." She said she and Mr. Brian busted out laughing and he didn't crack. Chewing with his chin in his hand. The whole time.
So she gave him another piece. Same thing. Chin in hand...attitude and staring. She tried to run and get her camera, but couldn't snap the picture in time.
Ohh...I can't wait. He's not even 2 yet...I'm sure the best is yet to come.
At least he got 2 cookies.
Today, just like normal, I pull up and Ms. Betsy is already laughing. Good Grief! What could this mean???
She can barely contain her giggles to tell me that she doesn't remember the last time a little guy has made her laugh so hard. Super. Can't wait to hear this one.
Evidently they had cheese quesadillas and broccoli for lunch. Reilly can eat his weight in cheese quesadillas, apparently. I probably should have already known this, but I didn't. He blew through his main course and was pushing around his one "tree" of broccoli Ms. Betsy had put on his plate. The older kiddos were already done eating, so she had gotten out the package of Chips Ahoy Cookies.
My little man is a COOKIE MONSTER. So he got very excited to see the chocolate chip goodies come out of the pantry. Ms. Betsy explained to him that he had to finish his broccoli before a cookie could be had.
Insert attitude.
(Remember, she is laughing hysterically as she is telling me this!)
She said he picked up his "tree" of broccoli, put it in his mouth, plopped his chin in his hand and started chewing. All while staring at her, as if to say, "I'll eat it, but I'm not gonna like it." She said she and Mr. Brian busted out laughing and he didn't crack. Chewing with his chin in his hand. The whole time.
So she gave him another piece. Same thing. Chin in hand...attitude and staring. She tried to run and get her camera, but couldn't snap the picture in time.
Ohh...I can't wait. He's not even 2 yet...I'm sure the best is yet to come.
At least he got 2 cookies.
When You're Belly Button Goes Missing...
As usual, after waking Reilly up this morning, we started going through our day. It was no different than any other day. No different at all. Until it came to his belly button. Then it became a day like no other.
While I am getting him dressed each morning, we usually talk about our day and then do something "educational." Sometimes we count, sometimes we sing nursery rhymes, sometimes we sing the ABC's, sometimes we go through body parts. Today was a body part day. Until it came to his belly button.
We went through hair, eyes, nose, mouth, neck, arms and then we got to the belly. For a long time, we had to say, "Do you have a button?" and that would be the only way he would show us his belly. We've moved past that and now we can say "Where is your belly?" and he pats it. Not today. Nope.
We were 90% dressed this morning, only missing socks and shoes when we got to the belly question. Just a reminder that it was 38 degrees this morning, so we weren't wearing short sleeves and shorts. This is thermal onesie and sweatpants weather. So, that's what we wore. Until the belly question. After asking Reilly, "Where is your belly?" he got a very sad look on his face and started to whimper. I thought maybe he had bumped his head or something, so I gave him the once over, saw that he was good to go and repeated the question. "Reilly, show Mommy your belly."
OPEN FLOODGATE!
My poor boy was DISTRAUGHT over the fact that he couldn't find his button. He kept saying "Utton, where at?" and crying. It was a sad sight. He kept trying to push his pants down so he could pull up his shirt. Remember...it's thermal onesie weather. There was no pulling up the shirt. I tried to distract him with socks and shoes (his favorite part of getting dressed) and he wasn't having it. He just kept repeating, "Utton, where at?" Oh. My. Word.
I tried to get him out of his bedroom by telling him to turn off the TV so we could go (that's his chore) but he wasn't having it. All I kept hearing in between sad little sobs was, "Utton, where at?" It was getting hard to bear.
The whole way to Ms. Betsy's, same thing..."Utton, where at?" I figured he'd get distracted and forget about it.
I picked Reilly up and he was wearing sweatpants and a long sleeved shirt. No thermal onesie.
Lesson learned. When you ask the poor child where his belly is, let him find it for Pete's sake,.
While I am getting him dressed each morning, we usually talk about our day and then do something "educational." Sometimes we count, sometimes we sing nursery rhymes, sometimes we sing the ABC's, sometimes we go through body parts. Today was a body part day. Until it came to his belly button.
We went through hair, eyes, nose, mouth, neck, arms and then we got to the belly. For a long time, we had to say, "Do you have a button?" and that would be the only way he would show us his belly. We've moved past that and now we can say "Where is your belly?" and he pats it. Not today. Nope.
We were 90% dressed this morning, only missing socks and shoes when we got to the belly question. Just a reminder that it was 38 degrees this morning, so we weren't wearing short sleeves and shorts. This is thermal onesie and sweatpants weather. So, that's what we wore. Until the belly question. After asking Reilly, "Where is your belly?" he got a very sad look on his face and started to whimper. I thought maybe he had bumped his head or something, so I gave him the once over, saw that he was good to go and repeated the question. "Reilly, show Mommy your belly."
OPEN FLOODGATE!
My poor boy was DISTRAUGHT over the fact that he couldn't find his button. He kept saying "Utton, where at?" and crying. It was a sad sight. He kept trying to push his pants down so he could pull up his shirt. Remember...it's thermal onesie weather. There was no pulling up the shirt. I tried to distract him with socks and shoes (his favorite part of getting dressed) and he wasn't having it. He just kept repeating, "Utton, where at?" Oh. My. Word.
I tried to get him out of his bedroom by telling him to turn off the TV so we could go (that's his chore) but he wasn't having it. All I kept hearing in between sad little sobs was, "Utton, where at?" It was getting hard to bear.
The whole way to Ms. Betsy's, same thing..."Utton, where at?" I figured he'd get distracted and forget about it.
I picked Reilly up and he was wearing sweatpants and a long sleeved shirt. No thermal onesie.
Lesson learned. When you ask the poor child where his belly is, let him find it for Pete's sake,.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
A Fun Fall Day
It's become sort of a tradition. My sisters and I load up the van and take the boys to the Pumpkin Patch. For the past several years, we've always gone to Kercher's in Goshen. It's a nice little patch where there are plenty of apple trees for picking and pumpkins for choosing.
We decided to break tradition a bit this year. We took Glenn with us and were off on a new adventure. I had heard about a place up in Columa, Michigan that was lots of fun. So we loaded up the van, met Dad and Diane on the bypass and we were off!
What a fun fall day we had! It was Glenn, Kim, Brady, Keely, Reilly, Dad, Diane and Me! We went to Jollay Orchard and we had lots of fun! They have everything there! Much more than Kerchers! We got to ride on a Ferris wheel, see a puppet show (we didn't actually sit and watch, but we walked by a couple of times), take hay rides, visit haunted houses, go fishing in a pond, pick apples, choose pumpkins, visit the "old town", learn about bees, feed goats, pigs and ducks and crawl through blow up thingies. It was a really nice change from our regular tradition!
Here are some pictures of our day!
We decided to break tradition a bit this year. We took Glenn with us and were off on a new adventure. I had heard about a place up in Columa, Michigan that was lots of fun. So we loaded up the van, met Dad and Diane on the bypass and we were off!
What a fun fall day we had! It was Glenn, Kim, Brady, Keely, Reilly, Dad, Diane and Me! We went to Jollay Orchard and we had lots of fun! They have everything there! Much more than Kerchers! We got to ride on a Ferris wheel, see a puppet show (we didn't actually sit and watch, but we walked by a couple of times), take hay rides, visit haunted houses, go fishing in a pond, pick apples, choose pumpkins, visit the "old town", learn about bees, feed goats, pigs and ducks and crawl through blow up thingies. It was a really nice change from our regular tradition!
Here are some pictures of our day!
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| Reilly and Grandpa--ready to go! |
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| So excited to be "driving" the tractor |
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| My little man |
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| Brady the Pumpkin |
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| Dad, Diane, and Reilly acting like animals at Jollay Orchards! |
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| These crazy things about came right out the fence to say hello |
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| They just want a little love....and food. |
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| Dad and Diane on the Ferris wheel...that was one chilly ride! |
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| Brady was seeing how high he could swing |
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| Auntie Kim, Brady, Auntie Keely and Rei-Guy on the windy hay ride |
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| The Ornats! |
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| Grandma and Grandpa, with Auntie Keely and the boys |
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| My handsome man |
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| Grandpa and Brady |
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| Reilly had too many choice as to who to sit with, so he just made his rounds while the hay ride was in progress |
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| So many pumpkins... |
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| Umm..this one might be bigger than he is! |
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| Brady found an open pumpkin, so he was "planting" the seeds in new locations |
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| The cutest 6 year old in the world |
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| Say cheese |
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| Ready to pick some apples |
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| Oh, you mean I shouldn't be eating this yet? |
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| Pooped from our fun fall day! |
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