7 years ago
Friday, March 4, 2011
My Husband Makes Me Tea
Just as the title states my husband DOES make me tea. This simple gesture is so reassuring and loving to me that I can't help but write about it. These days we usually enjoy a cup of tea after dinner is finished, the kitchen is cleaned, and the kids are both in bed. True that most often these three daily tasks are my responsibility, but the fact that I can look forward to a nice hot cup of tea when the day is through is sometime nice. In our daily lives it is nice to have a moment of peace and just enjoy the company of each other. I have never asked for Rob to make me tea, or requested that it be done at a certain time, it just is. Somehow this little task so willing completed and ready for me when my day is through completes things. It is a constant reminder of how much my husband loves me, no matter how hard the day or month has been, or what we are struggling with. It require no words and little effort, but to me it means the world!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Whoever Coined the Pharse "Terrible Twos" Apparently Did Not Yet Have a Three Year Old
Clayton turned 3 years old at the end of December. At that point we had been pretty lucky and somehow escaped this so called "terrible twos". I am not sure what is so terrible about a 2-year old, because for the most part Clay was easy. I mean he had his moments, but nothing that couldn't be handled simply. January flew by until somewhere near the end of the month my once "easy" little boy turned into something closely akin to tamed lion, easy and gentle one minute and aggressive and angry the next. What in the world happened???
Now our days are definitely a mix of good and bad moments. If I can get through an hour without a complete melt down from Clay, then I applaud myself and do a little happy dance! He is currently testing his limits to the fullest. Anything and everything is far game, even issues that I thought were long ago solved.
Case in point: Mommy's shower. I like to shower alone, but at one time it was easier to just bring Clay into the shower with me. By doing this I know exactly where he is and that he is not getting into trouble. An added bonus is that he's now had his bath and it is one less thing on my to-do list. But long story short, a little boy cannot shower with his mother forever and at some point it has to end. So just before Wesley was born I was done. After a few days of tantrums while Mommy was in the shower and a couple of incidents of Clay climbing into my shower fully clothed it was over. Now I could shower alone (with the exception of the hot wheels, empty plastic bottles, and various other toys) or so I thought.
The last two mornings I have spent my shower trying to wash my hair while holding the shower curtain closed as a 3-year old attempts to keep it open. Additionally, I have been serenaded with the angry sounds of my tame lion making sure that I know and understand how displeased he really is. The best part is there is no reasoning with him. Who argues with a 3-year old anyway?? Not me (right).
Everything is dramatic and over the top when Clay feels he has been wronged or doesn't get his way. When this occurs a tantrum, screaming, and lots of crying insues. He even yells at me. To add to all that he is as stubborn as they come and even puts me to the test.
Monday I took both boys and went to Savers (basically Goodwill) for their 50% off President's Day sale. Yes, not only do I shop consignment and second hand stores, I shop them on sale! I love getting a great deal and seeing how big my "you saved" amount at the bottom of my reciept can get, but that's another story. I was looking for some larger cool weather clothes for Wes, size 4T stuff for Clay, and some jeans for myself (right now I have little that fits). One great thing about shopping for kids clothes is there is no trying on necessary, but that is not the case with me. So many brands, types of cuts and rise, streach and non-streach, plus the shrinkage factor of used clothes makes trying on a necessity for me. Added in is the fact that I am dealing with a post-baby body and well I think one's body comes out different after each pregnacy.
So we enter the fitting rooms with 3 pairs of jeans that I wanted to try on. This is when the problems started. Clay was not at all interested in staying in the fitting room with me while I took a few minitues to try on jeans. Nope, he wanted to wait outside. I don't mind comprimising with him on most days but because of the sale the store was really busy and leaving him to his own devices outside of the fitting room was not an option. The first time he crawled under the fitting room door he paused long enough to look at me and state "Mommy, you stay in there". I opened the door, retrived that tame lion, and placed him on the fitting room bench. I explained that I had 3 pairs of jeans to try on and then we could go look at the toys. I tried to engage his help by asking him to hold the jeans for me and count them as I tried them on, yeah no go. About the time I had my pants around my ankles he made a break for it again. I caught him, pulled him back into the fitting room, and placed him on the bench. No sooner had his little bottom touched the bench, he was off. For the third time I pulled him back and placed him on the bench. I now was fully aware of the fact that if I planned to try on any of these pants, that I would have to do so on the fly. The next few minitues proceed like this: one leg in pair of pants one, block child from door, place child on bench, second leg in pair of pants one, block child and place on bench, pull up pair of pants one, stop child from climbing off bench, take pair of pants one off, pull child back from under the fitting room door, etc.etc. I leave pair of pants 2 and 3 to your imagination. Somewhere in the mist of trying on my second and third pair of pants my stubborn, angry lion hit his breaking point. I had just placed him on the bench once again when he pauses and looks at me. His face is bright red with tears streaming down it and his little body is shaking with anger. His raises his finger, points at me and yells " Mommy, stop it! Just stop it!" and breaks into sobs. He picks up his shoe, which he has lost during our battle, throws it in the shopping cart, climbs in after it, and proceeds to cry. Needless, to say I was able to put my own pants back on in relative peace.
The hardest part of it all was keeping my pateince. If I keep my voice soft and calm, I find that I get a lot further with him. That being said staying in a calm, happy place, while struggling with an angry 3-year old is not an easy feat. I have not perfected it for sure, but I am getting better at it. The other difficulty is walking out of the fitting rooms and recieving stares and looks from most everyone standing within earshot. Obviously, they have never had children or have long since forgotten what it is like to have one. Kudos to the few who give you that empathetic smile or say something like "I've been there". It is those few that I'd like to hug.
So I guess that for now I will be living life with my tamed lion. Yes, he is unpredictable and although you never know when he is going to have the temper tanrum of the century, you can be certain that it will be in the most embrassing public place possible. I will take this as a learning expereince as a labor of love and work on improving my patience in the process. I will probably be needing it even more in the future. Good thing they start out small!!!
Now our days are definitely a mix of good and bad moments. If I can get through an hour without a complete melt down from Clay, then I applaud myself and do a little happy dance! He is currently testing his limits to the fullest. Anything and everything is far game, even issues that I thought were long ago solved.
Case in point: Mommy's shower. I like to shower alone, but at one time it was easier to just bring Clay into the shower with me. By doing this I know exactly where he is and that he is not getting into trouble. An added bonus is that he's now had his bath and it is one less thing on my to-do list. But long story short, a little boy cannot shower with his mother forever and at some point it has to end. So just before Wesley was born I was done. After a few days of tantrums while Mommy was in the shower and a couple of incidents of Clay climbing into my shower fully clothed it was over. Now I could shower alone (with the exception of the hot wheels, empty plastic bottles, and various other toys) or so I thought.
The last two mornings I have spent my shower trying to wash my hair while holding the shower curtain closed as a 3-year old attempts to keep it open. Additionally, I have been serenaded with the angry sounds of my tame lion making sure that I know and understand how displeased he really is. The best part is there is no reasoning with him. Who argues with a 3-year old anyway?? Not me (right).
Everything is dramatic and over the top when Clay feels he has been wronged or doesn't get his way. When this occurs a tantrum, screaming, and lots of crying insues. He even yells at me. To add to all that he is as stubborn as they come and even puts me to the test.
Monday I took both boys and went to Savers (basically Goodwill) for their 50% off President's Day sale. Yes, not only do I shop consignment and second hand stores, I shop them on sale! I love getting a great deal and seeing how big my "you saved" amount at the bottom of my reciept can get, but that's another story. I was looking for some larger cool weather clothes for Wes, size 4T stuff for Clay, and some jeans for myself (right now I have little that fits). One great thing about shopping for kids clothes is there is no trying on necessary, but that is not the case with me. So many brands, types of cuts and rise, streach and non-streach, plus the shrinkage factor of used clothes makes trying on a necessity for me. Added in is the fact that I am dealing with a post-baby body and well I think one's body comes out different after each pregnacy.
So we enter the fitting rooms with 3 pairs of jeans that I wanted to try on. This is when the problems started. Clay was not at all interested in staying in the fitting room with me while I took a few minitues to try on jeans. Nope, he wanted to wait outside. I don't mind comprimising with him on most days but because of the sale the store was really busy and leaving him to his own devices outside of the fitting room was not an option. The first time he crawled under the fitting room door he paused long enough to look at me and state "Mommy, you stay in there". I opened the door, retrived that tame lion, and placed him on the fitting room bench. I explained that I had 3 pairs of jeans to try on and then we could go look at the toys. I tried to engage his help by asking him to hold the jeans for me and count them as I tried them on, yeah no go. About the time I had my pants around my ankles he made a break for it again. I caught him, pulled him back into the fitting room, and placed him on the bench. No sooner had his little bottom touched the bench, he was off. For the third time I pulled him back and placed him on the bench. I now was fully aware of the fact that if I planned to try on any of these pants, that I would have to do so on the fly. The next few minitues proceed like this: one leg in pair of pants one, block child from door, place child on bench, second leg in pair of pants one, block child and place on bench, pull up pair of pants one, stop child from climbing off bench, take pair of pants one off, pull child back from under the fitting room door, etc.etc. I leave pair of pants 2 and 3 to your imagination. Somewhere in the mist of trying on my second and third pair of pants my stubborn, angry lion hit his breaking point. I had just placed him on the bench once again when he pauses and looks at me. His face is bright red with tears streaming down it and his little body is shaking with anger. His raises his finger, points at me and yells " Mommy, stop it! Just stop it!" and breaks into sobs. He picks up his shoe, which he has lost during our battle, throws it in the shopping cart, climbs in after it, and proceeds to cry. Needless, to say I was able to put my own pants back on in relative peace.
The hardest part of it all was keeping my pateince. If I keep my voice soft and calm, I find that I get a lot further with him. That being said staying in a calm, happy place, while struggling with an angry 3-year old is not an easy feat. I have not perfected it for sure, but I am getting better at it. The other difficulty is walking out of the fitting rooms and recieving stares and looks from most everyone standing within earshot. Obviously, they have never had children or have long since forgotten what it is like to have one. Kudos to the few who give you that empathetic smile or say something like "I've been there". It is those few that I'd like to hug.
So I guess that for now I will be living life with my tamed lion. Yes, he is unpredictable and although you never know when he is going to have the temper tanrum of the century, you can be certain that it will be in the most embrassing public place possible. I will take this as a learning expereince as a labor of love and work on improving my patience in the process. I will probably be needing it even more in the future. Good thing they start out small!!!
I Love You Clay!!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Each One Really Is Different
This should be a theme in my life! It really does pertain to almost everything that I do. From my two boys, to people that I meet, to simply each day of my life! I think that everything and everyone has to be viewed as unique and approached with an open technique. Be prepared but not set in your ways because life has a way of surprising us!
This morning I took the time to look at the snowflakes that are currently falling from the sky. Unlike the last few storms we have had, this snow is gentle, graceful and really quite pretty. We are not predicted to get a lot of snow today, but I am glad that it is snowing. Rob mentioned to me that the snow really looks like crystals today. Snow is always made of tiny individual crystals, but today the snowflakes are the perfect size to really see individually. As I started looking at each little flake I noticed three things: 1) Snowflakes really do look like the ones in picture books, 2) Each snowflake really is different. In fact no matter how hard I looked I could not find two snowflakes that looked the same. Each was unique and orginal in some way, and 3) All of these individual snowflakes have added up to many huge, significant piles of snow!! I ran inside to get my camera and I spent the next 20 min trying to capture this beautiful creation of snow on film.
Today take a moment from your busy schedule to notice something small! Be it something wonderful in nature or a task that seems insignificant. Think about the role that it plays or what it may mean to someone or something. Most of all enjoy what you have discovered.
I think this is my favorite!
Little crystals all piled on top of each other.
Lacey snowflakes
In all shapes and sizes
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Fall, Changes, and the "Pumpkin Patch"
Fall and Changes
With the fall season comes changes. The falling leaves, the crispness to the air, and the wind. Fall is one of my favorite times of the year! It is the beginning to some of my favorite weather and holidays. Hopefully this fall will be one to be remembered for years to come!
Our little family has been busy! We have been trying to get all of the outside work done at the house in preparation for winter and snow! Rob built a woodshed over the summer and it is now fully stocked with cut and split wood! Over the weekend we spread two truck loads of compost in our yard and flower beds. We got it free from the City of Worcester. It's pretty progressive of them I think. They take all the yard waste from people's yards and all the leaves that they collect in the fall and turn it into compost! Compost is free to Worcester residents. Rob built me a beautiful raised bed, which has now been filled with compost, to grow veggies in next year! Rob has also been working on the car, our little $360 car, a Subaru Legacy. He wants to get the maintenance (ie new brakes, rotors, etc.) finished before it gets too cold to work outside comfortably. We pray the little car lasts at least another couple of years.
In September, we got a swing set for Clay and he would spends hours being pushed on the swings if there was someone who would do it for him. He usually can get a good half-hour out of me and then when Daddy gets home, more swing time with him. Granny and Grandpa Wannamaker are coming to visit in November, so Clay is hoping that they will want to spend lots of time outdoors pushing him on the swing. That's what grandparents are for, right? Also, coming to visit in November are Aunt Cassie, Uncle Kevin, and Jack! We haven't seen Jack since April, so we are excited to see how much he has grown! Plus it will be fun to see how the "cousins" get along with each other. We've got big plans for some sightseeing and tourist activities while they are here!
The "Pumpkin Patch"
After church last Sunday, we spent the afternoon at Tougas Family Farm! It was a beautiful fall day with just the right amount of crispness to the air. Our original plan was to get pumpkins for carving, but the selection was pretty slim. Not to mention the fact that the pumpkins were all prepicked and brought in. They were then laid on the ground in the "pumpkin patch" for people to "pick", kinda lame if you ask me. We ended up with a couple of little pumpkins to take home for the front porch, but too small to really carve. Clay's pumpkin patch experience this year was so much different. Last year he was in a backpack on my back and this year he is walking and picking out his own pumpkins. He would have taken home every squash there if allowed. He also enjoyed sitting on the pumpkins which was pretty cute. He would run over to a new one and sit on it! He is a silly kid. It wasn't until we were leaving the pumpkin patch that we read the sign that said "Please Don't Sit on the Pumpkins", oops!! Even so we had a great time feeding the goats and watching the chickens. We also enjoyed some hot, fresh apple cider donuts and apple cider itself, not to mention the hot dog that Rob just had to have. This coming Saturday we are planning a bigger trip to Marshall Farms in Fitchburg, MA, to pick pumpkins out of the field.
Well I will post some pictures soon!
With the fall season comes changes. The falling leaves, the crispness to the air, and the wind. Fall is one of my favorite times of the year! It is the beginning to some of my favorite weather and holidays. Hopefully this fall will be one to be remembered for years to come!
Our little family has been busy! We have been trying to get all of the outside work done at the house in preparation for winter and snow! Rob built a woodshed over the summer and it is now fully stocked with cut and split wood! Over the weekend we spread two truck loads of compost in our yard and flower beds. We got it free from the City of Worcester. It's pretty progressive of them I think. They take all the yard waste from people's yards and all the leaves that they collect in the fall and turn it into compost! Compost is free to Worcester residents. Rob built me a beautiful raised bed, which has now been filled with compost, to grow veggies in next year! Rob has also been working on the car, our little $360 car, a Subaru Legacy. He wants to get the maintenance (ie new brakes, rotors, etc.) finished before it gets too cold to work outside comfortably. We pray the little car lasts at least another couple of years.
In September, we got a swing set for Clay and he would spends hours being pushed on the swings if there was someone who would do it for him. He usually can get a good half-hour out of me and then when Daddy gets home, more swing time with him. Granny and Grandpa Wannamaker are coming to visit in November, so Clay is hoping that they will want to spend lots of time outdoors pushing him on the swing. That's what grandparents are for, right? Also, coming to visit in November are Aunt Cassie, Uncle Kevin, and Jack! We haven't seen Jack since April, so we are excited to see how much he has grown! Plus it will be fun to see how the "cousins" get along with each other. We've got big plans for some sightseeing and tourist activities while they are here!
The "Pumpkin Patch"
After church last Sunday, we spent the afternoon at Tougas Family Farm! It was a beautiful fall day with just the right amount of crispness to the air. Our original plan was to get pumpkins for carving, but the selection was pretty slim. Not to mention the fact that the pumpkins were all prepicked and brought in. They were then laid on the ground in the "pumpkin patch" for people to "pick", kinda lame if you ask me. We ended up with a couple of little pumpkins to take home for the front porch, but too small to really carve. Clay's pumpkin patch experience this year was so much different. Last year he was in a backpack on my back and this year he is walking and picking out his own pumpkins. He would have taken home every squash there if allowed. He also enjoyed sitting on the pumpkins which was pretty cute. He would run over to a new one and sit on it! He is a silly kid. It wasn't until we were leaving the pumpkin patch that we read the sign that said "Please Don't Sit on the Pumpkins", oops!! Even so we had a great time feeding the goats and watching the chickens. We also enjoyed some hot, fresh apple cider donuts and apple cider itself, not to mention the hot dog that Rob just had to have. This coming Saturday we are planning a bigger trip to Marshall Farms in Fitchburg, MA, to pick pumpkins out of the field.
Well I will post some pictures soon!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Ashland State Park, Asland, MA
There are a lot of reservoirs in Massachusetts and Ashland Reservoir (located in Ashland State Park) is one of them. Last week we took an evening and went to Ashland State Park. It was nice to get out of our hotel room in the evening once Rob was home from work and dinner was done!!
Clay loved the water (he got his shoes all wet)! He has no fear of water and was ready to walk right! It took a tight hold on his hand to keep him out of the water.
Clay also loved the sand on the beach! He could have spent hours playing in the sand if we had the time!
Rob and Clay checked out the lifeguard's stand. It's not in use this year because the park isn't open due to budget cuts. They probably just don't have enough money to pay somebody to collect money for park usage.
Clay is always into meeting new people, especially animals. I think he misses his dogs. Every time he sees a dog his entire face lights up! Although this is not his dog, Clay sure had a good time following her around on the beach. I think that the dog was hoping that Clay had some food!Friday, June 5, 2009
Bunker Hill Monument and Morning Walks
Bunker Hill Monument
The warning sign at the bottom of the column.
Clay was ready to climb all 294 steps by himself.......
But he ended up getting a ride from Dad!
Of course we had to check out the view!
At last we are back at the bottom!Morning Walks
Since Rob goes to work every day (for those who don't know he got a job with the Department of Veteran's Affairs as an industrial hygienist) and Clay and I spend a lot of our time hanging around the hotel. For awhile we didn't even have a second car! To pass the time and because it's good exercise, Clay and I go for a jog/walk every morning. At this time Clay is really interested in the world around him! He is really involved with everything he sees. He is very hands on, but he also takes the time to sit back and really evaluate what he is seeing. He is alays dicovering something new on our walks and sometimes I take the camera.......
I can't get enough of him!
Days are hot, walks are long, so you've got to take along your water!
Checking out the flowers.
Good to touch!
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