Great Grandpa H

Since I wrote about your Great Grandma H a few weeks ago, I only thought it would be natural to tell you a little bit about your Great Grandpa H.

 

This is what GG H did - he humored his grandchildren.  That little girl sitting on the horse in a not-so-lady-like-manner?  That's your mama back when leggings and multi-layered socks were in style, the first time.

And this is your GG H holding me when I was just weeks old.  This is my favorite picture with him.

Your Great Grandpa H was the type of grandpa that other grandpa's should aspire to be.  He was gentle, kind, humble, and hard working.  He asked all of the right questions and wanted to hear the answers.  Even in his retirement he never slowed down or stopped working.  Your GG H never got to meet you here on earth, but there are a few things I want you to know about him because some day you will see him again.  

1.  He was a carpenter.  He could build anything.  He helped your grandpa build the house I grew up in.

2.  He was a gardener.  Your Cece and Great Aunt Marsha have/had mad gardening skills too - and I'm sure that is where they got them from.

3.  He was a collector of great antiques.  And he even gave me a few.  Some of my greatest memories are moments when I would stop to visit them as an adult and he would give me a piece or two, just to see the look on my face.

4.  At one point he was drafted for one of the World Wars.  Rather than fight, he became a Conscientious Objector and was assigned to work out West in Forestry.  Which is when he started wooing your GG H through letter correspondence....he must have been pretty smooth with the ol' ink and paper.

5.  He was an artist.  I never knew this when he was alive, but I wish I would have.  I wish I would have seen him work.  He was a pastel guy...not my medium of choice, but a medium I can admire. I'd like to think that I somehow have that little piece of him in me.  I like to think that this is what my grandfather gave me, even if I never knew it while he was alive.

6.  He was handsome and shy....I'm not sure how well they served him in his life here on earth, but it certainly worked on my grandma, and that's the important thing.

7.  He always had a clean car.  I don't actually remember this, but one time your Cece mentioned it and I think it's noteworthy.  Everyone should have a clean car.

My most recent memory of my grandpa was a video I unearthed over Christmas break where he and my Grandma made an unexpected star appearance.  His smile - it was different.  It wasn't huge, it wasn't goofy....it was....perfect.

And his voice.  For some reason that is the characteristic of my grandfather I remember most.  I can hear his voice in my head.  It was recognizable and noteworthy.  I'm not sure why that sticks out to me, but when I think of your GG H, I think of his voice.  

I can picture him seeing you and meeting you...and I know that he would love you.

Poetry Slamizzle

In honor of my new-found voice I've written some Haikus. 

Can you believe I just wrote these babies in 10 minutes? Bam! Just like that.

I know, I think they should ask me to write a book too.

(Don't worry, I don't know who "they" are either.)

Liam

You like to eat dirt

At night you sleep with a spoon

I think that's weird too

Miles

Jump jump down the stairs

You are a jumping machine

That boy is too fast

Double Trouble

I smile all day long

I think of my quirky boys

You make your mom laugh

speechless.

Lately I haven't been blogging because ...well... I don't really have much to say.  (shocking!)  My life has been absolutely perfect.  My head has been completely free of ideas and thoughts.  AND the boys have done absolutely nothing note-worthy. 
Okay, so I'm lying. 
It's just slipped my mind.....Why, you ask? 
I have absolutely no idea, but I'm trying to narrow down my excuses to just a few...
Daydreaming?
Guilty.
Writer's block?
Maybe.
Spring weather?
That's a joke.
Everything has been too perfect?
Too much of a Facebook-status-update-cliche. (Gag me with a Barbie doll leg.)

Maybe it's a little bit of all of the above and the result is me having nothing to talk about.

Speaking of note-worthy and too perfect....
Tonight as I was getting Miles ready for bed I actually heard myself exasperately say, "Miles, did you just eat poop?"

That's right, I'm back people.

One Word Wednesday - Our Day

Sharing

Dwaddling.

Mischief.

Donuts.

Racing

Outside

Charming.

Puppets

Artist

Who the heck is Jamie?!

Apparently Liam....
That's right.  Our little blondie is no long "Deehl" as issued by his brother early on in his life.  This weekend Miles started barking orders at "Jamie", insisting that "Jamie" come along, and playing with "Jamie".  I really wish I could see what's going on in that kid's head.  At least we've moved on to an actual name.

Mantra

In an attempt to heighten my spiritual awareness, I'm reading a book right now about changing how I live my life. The chapter I read yesterday mentioned something to the effect that one does not need to pray long, drawn-out prayers throughout the day to be in a state of worship....that prayers can be short little phrases that are uttered throughout the day.  This constant dialogue is meant to sort of move God from just your "in case of emergency" contacts, and into #1 of your speed dial.  (That right there my friends is my clever analogy, in case you wanted to borrow it for any of your God-related analogy needs - you don't even have to ask permission.)  The book gave a list of all sorts of example phrases you could use.
But I've found my own go-to phrase. 
All day I've found myself saying it over and over again.  It's pretty simple really.... "Thank you."
Today when Dustin landed in Chicago safely and was on his way home.
Thank you.
When I woke up to a slumbering little boy that had tiptoed into my bed in the middle of the night.
Thank you.
That time when Miles and Liam were mimicking each other and laughing hysterically at dinner.
Thank you.
As Miles stood in front of the church today with other 2 yr olds, dancing like nobody was watching. (Which it should be noted here that he was not actually supposed to be dancing.)
Thank you.
When Liam shot me the most amazing smile when I walked into the nursery.
Thank you.
When I got to work outside in my yard.
Thank you.
When Dustin walked into our house after being out of state for days.
Thank you.
As I sat down to start Miles' Lifebook and reread all about his birthday.
Thank you.
Giving bedtime baths, jumping on bedtime beds, reading bedtime stories, and singing bedtime songs.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Enjoying my bedtime bowl of ice cream with M&Ms in a sleepy, silent house...
Thank you.

Chalk One Up for the Good Guys

This week I accomplished something that in my world is pretty amazing.  Liam got some sort of weird cold in his eye that I had never seen before.  By "weird" I mean gross, puffy, red, and crusty.  Dustin and I talked a little bit about taking him to the doctor, but it really didn't seem like much.  He wasn't complaining about it anyway - just when I'd jab a washcloth at it trying to make it look less gross.
Do you know what I did?  I can tell you what I didn't do...the thing I would typically do.  I didn't call my mom and ask her what I should do.  I didn't even call my sister-in-law nurse practitioner, as is my usual practice in pseudo emergencies.  I didn't describe it to my good friend Dawn who has ample experience in childhood illnesses and a similar casual parenting style to myself.  AND I didn't call the doctor.
So what did I do?  I thought back to my childhood and when I used to get nasty eye infections.  It started out with a stick being thrown from a great distance and landing in my eye by a certain younger brother that is to remain nameless, but was really mad at me at the time - probably for being more awesome than him...but I digress.  I remembered my mom putting vaseline on my eye.  Isn't that weird?  But that's what I did.  I didn't consult the internet or call a nurse-on-call.  I just did it.  On a whim.  Like that.  And it WORKED people.
Who's the "Good Guy" in the title?  Me.
Why is this significant?  Because I did something that came naturally to me as a mom.  I didn't ask for advice.  I just did it.
What does this mean?  That I obviously know everything there is to know about parenting.  I am obviously an expert.  And I obviously don't need advice.
Now I'm going to reward myself with a nice big bowl of ice cream for being so awesome.... right after I call my mom to ask her what she thinks about switching Liam from two naps to one, and checking the internet to see what the experts think of feeding hotdogs to my son.

What do you do on Friday night?

We had an exciting night of car ramp-making.  I actually can't even take credit for this awesome idea - I totally stole it from my friend Kimbo, who should be writing a blog about all of the awesome things she does with her son.  I would follow that.

Eventually there will be no reason for me to even get up in the morning with them...

 

One of them will be an artist so help me...

April 3rd, Miles' Family Day

It started out with these perfect cupcakes from one of my very talented students.

Next there was a carousel ride with some fancy horses and big smiles.

Presents from mom and dad.

Then a picky eater loving some Chap-Chae and tofu.

The perfect day for a silly boy...my handsome, wild, hyper, fast, and giggling silly boy.

Movie Monday: Channeling Justin Bieber

 

With lead vocals by the very talented yet very infamous Mom and Dad.

Two years ago...

from this moment....
I was in a hotel room with a new baby...
...trying to figure out why he might be crying...
...because I had only met him one other time...
...and I didn't know anything about him...
...or anything about 10 month olds...
...especially those that weren't familiar with my language...
...and I wasn't familiar with theirs...
...who had been raised by another mother...
...and was now my child...
...and I was already in love...
...even though I was nervous and scared...
...at this idea of an "instant family"...
...but the truth was that you had been in my heart far longer than just that moment...
...and you will be in my heart for as long as I have breath...
...and life...and even beyond that.