2012 366: Day 60

Dr. Daddy to the rescue.

2012 366: Day 59

We’re blessed with a dear and devoted man who works tremendously hard for our family — at work and at home. Over the last two weeks, he’s spent hours upon hours building raised gardens for me, moving, staining and assembling a play set for the kids and tonight, he built a sandbox.  We’re planning to do most of our living in the backyard during nice weather days, and he’s worked tirelessly to make it perfect for each of us.  I’m grateful for his love.

2012 366: Day 58

We went to the pet store to buy dog food, and she came home with her first fish.  She named him Doggy after Elmo’s fish, who is actually named Dorothy.

2012 366: Day 57

He’s a momma’s boy, and he’s at that stage when he whines, then cries, then screams when anybody but me is holding him. Unfortunately, that usually includes his daddy. It’s a short season of his life, and we’ve accepted it. I don’t like for him to rage, so I try to shower and run my solo errands while he’s napping.  Sometimes that just doesn’t work, and I have to let him fuss while I get things done… and that was what happened this afternoon.  And it warmed my heart to peep through the back window before I ran out to a quick photo session to find him passed out on his daddy’s shoulder.  I didn’t dare risk waking him by stepping outside, so I snapped a couple of pictures through the glass.

 

She’s a helper and especially enjoys helping her daddy with whatever project he’s working on.  Today, she helped him assemble a swing set that we bought from a family whose kids had outgrown it.  And it was the sweetest scene watching the two of them work together… and witnessing him glowing with pride for his daughter.

2012 366: Day 56

She was so proud of the box that she and her daddy assembled from her Subway kids meal.  She took it everywhere we went and showed it to everybody, including the man we bought our swing set from and the folks at the gardening store.

I love watching them do this… it gives me permagrin and a fluttery heart.

2012 366: Day 55

We dyed play silks today at Clove Hill.  She chose for her two silks to be  yellow and pink, and she’s worn them most of the day… as head scarves, skirts or capes.  They’re the perfect imaginative play accessory.  I really appreciate the creativity and imagination that the silks conjure and foresee an at-home dying party to augment her collection in our very near future.

2012 366: Day 54

2012 366: Day 53

It was beautiful outside, so we played in the yard during our weekly “Mommy and Me Tea” at Clove Hill .  The mommies sewed felt food, the kids made bird feeders and he crawled around in the soft grass and gnawed on sticks and seed pods.  It’s our favorite activity of the week and as soon as the day’s events end, we start looking forward to our next time to see Ms. Lisa and the welcoming environment she’s so carefully created.  Clove Hill is a magical place that’s incredibly dear to our hearts.  If you’re ever interested in meeting Ms. Lisa or learning more about her charming Waldorf school, let me know — I’d love to help make the connection.

2012 366: Day 52

It’s official. He’s a dirt eater. If he’s around dirt, he shovels it into his mouth as fast as he can and grins the biggest, muddiest grin. This feast was organic potting soil, which I’m sure is full of great nutrients that his little body needs… and possibly some that it doesn’t.

We put the Gras into the Mardi at our favorite little local ice cream spot — Sweet Firefly — and even earned beads. I swear by the peppermint – it’s the best ice cream, ever.  Her favorites are the birthday cake and cookie dough.  If you ever want to go on an ice cream date, just let us know and we’ll take you. It’s one of our favorite spots in town!

2012 366: Day 51

I believe with my whole heart that babies and children have magical healing powers.  Their innocence, inability to judge, beautiful smooth skin, big eyes and bigger smiles fill holes in people’s souls and hearts.  When she was little and people — friends or strangers — wanted to touch or hold her, I’d always let them (within reason, of course.)  The same goes for my son.  I love watching people light up when they look at my children’s faces. Watching their joy heals me, too.

When she was just a couple of months old, I started the process of registering the two of us to volunteer with the Senior Source by adopting a nursing home resident to visit on a weekly basis. We had to postpone our application before we got any visits in, because I just didn’t feel that her volatile and fiery spirit would bode well in an environment where people need more peace and quiet and might not handle her fiery fits well.  Ever since, I’ve prayed for the day when she would be in an emotional place to visit a home.  And that day has come.  And I am brimming with pride at my little girl’s control of her emotions, and true desire to bring joy to those who so desire it.  She’s growing up in so many ways.

My MOPS group is branching out and organizing more service opportunities that our children can be involved in… opportunities to help them develop their servant heart.  Today, we visited local nursing home.  The kids sang a few songs and handed out handmade valentines to the residents, and I choked back tears as I watched my sweet, strong daughter put her valentines in their hands and chat with them about her creations.  It was beautiful, and I hope we will now start visiting a home on a fairly regular basis.

She’s mastered the art of moving chairs around the house and unlocking child safety locks to get into practically anything she desires.  Except for the refrigerator.  Try as she might, she just isn’t strong enough to open it.  And, it frustrates her to no end.

For the last couple of weeks, she’s been asking to see cows make milk. We found a Sesame Street video that showed the milk process from pasture to grocery, but that didn’t satisfy her curiosity, so I organized a tour with 20 of our friends to Lavon Farms in Plano – a local dairy that supplies Lucky Layla with milk for their yogurts and cheeses.  It was a good tour.  We saw cows way off in the grassy meadow and then peered through a window to watch a worker hook the milking machine to their udders.  She asked questions, and I did my best to answer.  But, she still isn’t satisfied.  She wants to touch a cow and see a hand-milking demonstration… and she wants to try to do it, herself.  If you know of a place, please let me know!