[day 31] stinkers!

Well, I was doing so well with my 31 days... trucking right along... until our "let's go camping as a family" extended weekend hit and I just did not get it together enough to post ahead of time!
I'm sorry, yall. I guess that means I "failed," although really just experimental in nature, this "31 Days" showed me that I appreciate blogging when I feel like I have something to say versus forcing something. (I'd like to think the quality of my posts is better with that method as well). So while I am so very glad I picked up new readers, and I certainly invite you back even though the series is over, I am not going to commit myself to daily blogging just because a series dictates such. :) I know that I found some other great blogs this month because of the series (and they all completed the challenge - hooray for them!) and look forward to their regular content resuming.


Let me leave you with a photo from our camping weekend, although it will be a post in itself later this week.

[day 25] fudge, why wait

I went to Aldi to do most of my grocery shopping today (yes, I managed to put it off one more day) and found the ingredients for our Christmas fudge in the store already. An easy lil recipe that I try and resist making all year, so that it's special for the holiday season. Since they were labeled as "seasonal" I went ahead and picked up enough for two batches, although, with passing it out as gifts to friends, I can easily make 6 or 7 batches a season. Now the question is, will I be able to talk myself into waiting or listen to the excuses about how easy it is to make and why don't I just use those ingredients right now to whip some up...

Let me go ahead and at least look up the recipe to share with yall... not that I need it right now myself or anything...  ;)

Fantasy Fudge (as found on Kraft's Jet Puffed Marshmallow Creme jar)

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup margarine
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 12-oz. (340 g) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 7-oz. (198 g) jar Kraft Marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Traditional method:
Combine sugar, margarine and milk in heavy 2-1/2 quart saucepan; bring to full rolling bail, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring. Remove from heat, stir in chocolate till melted. Add marshmallow creme, nuts & vanilla beat till blended. Pour into greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Let cool and cut into 1-inch squares.

[day 24] grocery shopping methods

I am not sure which I dislike the most: creating a grocery list or doing the actual shopping. Neither are appealing to me. I think even if I had an limitless budget for the tasks, I'd still rather avoid them!

I am out of excuses. Out of some of the essentials like bread (for lunch sandwiches) and bagels, cereal, & poptarts (for breakfast), I can't put this chore off any longer. Uck.

At this point in our family's lives, I basically shop at Aldi and then go to Walmart (or Harris Teeter if I care to assemble coupon match-ups on a super double or triples week) to fill in what I can't get or don't like to get at Aldi. I have found that this is the best way to pay the least amount of money for the food we need, without all-out couponing.

It seems like there are a few different thoughts to shopping/cooking. There's what I'll call the "stockpile" mentality, which tends to work best for couponers. Stock the pantry when you can get the best deal on an item. Those type people tend to meal plan/cook from what is in their pantry.  I admire these people greatly and have dabbled with being one of these types, however I just can't make it all work for us consistently. I am not diligent enough to stay on top of the sales (even with great sites like this one out there, who does it all for you!) and don't have the money up front, honestly, to be able to begin stockpiling my pantry while also feeding my family for the first few months.

What I'm doing now is writing out a meal plan for two weeks and then shopping only for those things. I don't necessarily write out which day I am going to serve what, but just create a big list of these meals that I am purchasing to create. Each day I then pick whatever sounds appealing for that day, knowing my ingredients are already purchased. I do tend to look at what I already have in my pantry and start my planning from there, but don't solely rely on pantry items to create the list.

I guess the third type would be those that wander the aisle and buy what looks/sounds good, essentially creating a menu as you go. Never really good at sticking to a budget using this type mentality, it's not been what's best for our family. Although some times when I was too lazy to meal plan, it's inevitably what happened during my trip to the store. Those were not good budget months when that happened.  

What have you found to work best for your family? How often to you grocery shop?

[days 22&23] rest

Still not feeling very well. Please excuse me as I take more time to rest this weekend. I'll be back Monday!

[day 21] remembering pregnancy

I have a friend going through a subsequent pregnancy, after losing a son very very similar to how we did. Excusing how easy it would be to forget the past days of Zane's pregnancy, I am going to spend some time praying for those that are going through a pregnancy after a loss today. I do remember when fear threatened to creep in and take over and then when I was almost breathless in anticipation for my new little one.

Here's an old blog post, from a few weeks before Zane was due, dated Oct. 2009.

Quiet, reflective, contemplative...
I've been all of these and more these days as I have been physically feeling the need to slow down. Nearing the end of a God-guided pregnancy and boy does it feel tremendous. Tremendous, as in, God is tremendous... this baby feels tremendously huge... and some days the pregnancy has felt tremendously long. :) I think back to April and that long, drawn out saga of finding out we were pregnant. Time moving forward... commemorating the one year mark of Nathan's loss in May... then going through a busy summer full of travel and youth trips. Now here we are at the brink of November, the month I am due. In a few days, I'll hit the 36 week mark, the week we lost Nathan. I can't even imagine going this far again and losing this one. To think I went this long in pregnancy and lost Nathan, in the whisper of a moment, with no knowledge of the exact moment his life left me. What's "scary" is that I have done so much more preparing this time around for this little one. Finding out that baby is a boy has been a huge difference in this pregnancy alone. We didn't find out with either of the others, so I don't think that the temptation was there to complete the nursery early on. But, aside from setting up the bassinet (which is at my sister's house), the room is ready for little man. I was given several boxes of boy clothes, which are now washed and folded in his drawer, ready for him. Stroller, car seat, clothes, diapers (well, I don't have those yet either), his family - all ready for him to make his live appearance. What a difference that one little word makes. Live. As in alive. Breathing, moving, crying, eating, opening his eyes. I didn't even get to see Nathan's eyes. I'm sure they were the customary infant blue, but what a difference it will be to get to look into this one's eyes. Oh, my heart tremors in anticipation... in hope... in trust.
So, as these last couple of weeks tick by, I'll remind myself to treasure the movements of life within me and praise God for holding my hand through this journey, trusting him through to the end.

Are you going through a pregnancy after loss right now? Or struggling with other pregnancy issues? Trying to conceive? Feel free to share in the comments. My heart goes out to you and my prayers go up to heaven for you.

[day 20] feverish

Why does take us moms being knocked down sick to reevaluate our bodies and our lifestyle? I have been feeling ill the past few days... a little bit of nausea, a lot of head pain, tired eyes, just kind of "yuck." I'm not late (yet) so I haven't really been thinking pregnancy (ok, ok, I did have a freak-out moment), however this morning I woke up with a fever. 101.1. Just enough to remind me, "Helloooo. You, yes, YOU. Sit down." Maybe I shouldn't have ignored those warning signs and pushed through to complete all my errands and chores this week. Maybe I should've taken the time to rest.

So rather than make excuses about how I need to finish a blog post, I am going to go lay down since Zane is taking a nap...

[day 19] family fun

Earlier this month, after confessing my "over thinking" addiction, my conclusion was to wait. Well, I'm still waiting, but I'm also taking baby steps in all the directions I have open at the moment. One of those is another blog site. I've begun a wordpress blog entitled "Moments Under the Sun."

As per my welcome page,

The intent of this new blog is to post ideas of ways for families to spend time together… generally outside… best enjoyed under the sunshine. Some ideas might be simple, requiring nothing more than a few extras, and others might be more complex. Inspired by sites like Pinterest and Etsy, I have found some of the neatest props and supplies to make these family events even more fun. I aim to bring in these ideas as a part of each post.

Another influence behind this blog’s formation is my enjoyment of photography. I have taken posed, group photos for families in the past, but get the most delight out of candid shots, photojournalistic in nature. Upon searching for sites offering ideas for family activities to set the stage for a great candid photo session, I came up short. Moments Under the Sun will also seek to fill that niche. This site will offer a photographer a host of ideas to present to their clients for an alternative to portraiture photography.

It's given me some fun ideas to follow through with for my own family and even one that I'm doing with a photography client. I guess it's a trial-run or if nothing else, just something that will motivate me to get creative with my kiddos, knocking out any excuses about not having ideas.

I'd be honored if you'd click on over then come back and let me know what you think. Should it be something you think would appeal to your readers, please feel free to link-up using the codes below. Just copy/paste the code into an "html" box or widget on your site. Thanks!



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[day 18] Ministry Appreciation

Anyone given any thought to Ministry Appreciation Month?

Since attending our new church this summer, and more specifically after attending a women's ministry brunch, God has laid it on my heart to be in prayer and support of our pastors' wives. At this church, there are five of them, including a brand new youth pastor's wife, whose husband just started last week.

I'm not really sure what I need to be doing for them, except praying at this point. As I run into them at our MOMS ministry or at church, I'll stop and chat, but I have a desire to get to know them, the real them. I'm hesitant though because I don't want it to be about me. I don't want to be a friend with an ulterior motive or because I think I know how to navigate the world of pastor's wife better then them. But those are just excuses.

I want to be there because I know it can be a lonely place. Most relationships are superficial. You don't always gel with the other pastors' wives, although those are the most ideal places to look for a closer friend. The schedule can totally stink. Your hubby is consumed with the lives of church members/students and he can't always (or shouldn't always) talk about these things with you. With some churches it's even tougher... there might be pressure and expectations to be something you're not or to fill a preconceived role or standard.

I think, in celebration of Pastor Appreciate month, but really just "because" we are going to invite the senior pastor's family over for dinner (although I'm not sure how many children they have, lol). I have been able to chat with his wife several times at our MOMS ministry. I've enjoyed getting to know her. For the associate pastors, at this point, we are going to give them a card (I like the ones that include the pastor and his wife). A dinner would be the next step, but maybe not until after the holidays.

In the past, my husband has appreciated the cards (when someone personalized it with specific things they appreciated about him/his ministry) the most. He's also received a clock (kind of like this one) and gift cards (which have been great for the whole family!)

Have you ever taken the time (either in October specifically or otherwise) to outwardly appreciate your pastor and his family? I encourage you to seek him out in the next few weeks!

Disclosure: Affiliate links are contained in this post. For more details, see here.

[day 17] status check

So, we are over the halfway mark of this 31 day journey. I have to confess. I am kind of in a slump. I have several more posts in mind, but the desire to post is just not there. I feel that by typing this, I am discounting the importance of my readers, and that is the furthest thing from my mind. This blog began as an experiment of sorts in 2007, joining this blogging world that I was involved in as a reader. Then when we lost Nathan in 2008, I really wanted to begin getting more frequent with my posting, as I found so much comfort from those who had also lost children. I guess since that time, I've just stayed with it, enjoying the people I've met through it, and finding so many great blogs through them.  As another positive, although I don't write exclusively about my family, this blog has helped me record some funny and sweet stories of them. So here I am now writing my 724th post! For someone that isn't too good at sharing feelings and thoughts, I'd say that's pretty good, lol. 

Being that I'm working at kicking out excuses this month, I guess there shouldn't be an excuse that keeps me from continuing since I do enjoy blogging. So bear with me, I'll get over the slump (maybe I just need another cup of coffee ;)

Do you blog? Do you ever find times that you want to quit?

[day 16] day of remembrance

Saturday was Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. A day set aside to remember our babies that are no longer with us. A day to set aside all societal excuses, and simply light a candle to signify the loss of a little one in your own life, or another's. If infant loss has not affected your family, it is a good, yearly reminder to pray for those families that are affected.
So while October 15th has passed, take a moment today to remember those that have lost a little one.

From a momma that has two babies in heaven, I say thank you.

[day 15] daddy dates

I'm going to use today to brag on my hubby. Talk about kicking off excuses and stepping up... he has put an emphasis on taking time to date our daughter. He knows that she is developing a standard to which her future boyfriends (one of whom will become her spouse, one day) will have to meet. If my husband treats her like a lady now, continues to value her opinions, and seeks a friendship with her (all the while maintaining his role of head of the household and co-disciplinarian), we hope that she will trust him and seek him/us in times of trouble (and joy).

Last night they just did something simple and went out for dinner and dessert. Splitting a Red Robin burger, then finishing up with unique yogurt creations at Feeney's, provided time to talk and joke around. Mr. H began the evening by bringing home flowers (for both his ladies ;) and, with Lynn freshly showered and hair-styled, they took off leaving me and Zane home. 

This parenting thing isn't easy and while it excites me to see Lynn growing up and forming her own opinions, it also scares me. Our goal is to try and foster an environment of love and safety at home as she tests boundaries and becomes more independent.

Need further convincing? Here's an article from Focus on the Family regarding daddy dates.

[day 14] grace

I'm not sure why I've made excuses for not writing this post until it's almost the end of my "free time" but I have. Here I sit, after just watching Emily Freeman's interview on 100 Huntley thinking about my life and about the concept behind her book. Her description of herself and her life (minus the parental details) sounds like me. Striving to be "the good girl" but not on purpose necessarily, just out of what felt normal. Feeling bad when things didn't go as they should. Making it a point to work on being better at showing love, joy, peace, patience (fruit of the spirit), feeling out of sorts when I didn't have control over a situation, and just going for "good" instead of "grace." 

Although this wasn't started as an advertisement for her book, I guess it is, as Grace for the Good Girl is on my to-buy/to-read list now. I continue to try and change myself. But I guess that's just it. It needs to be less about the trying and more about the waiting, relying, trusting, and just giving. Letting grace teach me that it's less about what I can accomplish and more about what He can accomplish through me. Connecting this to my self confessed lack of patience the other day, I guess it's just one more occasion of God whispering to me to slow down.


Disclosure: Affiliate links are contained in this post. For more details, see here.

[day 13] 15 mins a day

While fall cleaning is one thing, routine "maintenance" cleaning is another. I hopped over to a few more of the 31 Day Challenge participants the other night and found a few dealing with cleaning. Clean Mama's 31 Days to a Cleaning Routine and Organizing Made Fun's 31 Days to Cheaply Organizing your Home are just two that I clicked on for a little motivation.

My current "plan" of action is to wash laundry on Mondays (& then an extra load either Thursday or Friday). That is pretty much the only chore set in stone. Kitchen vacuuming has to happen multiple times a week (due to my toddler's less than neat eating habits), but carpet vacuuming is spontaneous, as is mopping the kitchen floor. Bathrooms don't happen on a set day, but instead get done every 1-1.5 weeks, with a wipe-down or two between full cleanings.

I think what I'd like to try, though, is an approach where I do a little every day. That way, I could have a set time and then also have some set chores for my daughter as well. My house isn't very large... 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, hallway, eat-in kitchen, & living room. With the chores all divided out, it'll be no more than 15 minutes a day. That will leave time for me to tackle a fall cleaning chore too. Ugh, but that's another list to compile.

Ok, no more excuses... time to write out a schedule. I just cleaned, vacuumed, mopped yesterday, so I can at least begin the routine with a clean house!

I am going to use Becky's (from Organizing Made Fun) for a jumping off point. The link to the above schedule is here. Honestly, I don't need to change it much. I am going to try it as is. I like vacuum day being Monday - good to clean up after everyone being home all weekend, going inside and outside with dirty feet. That's also an easy chore while shuffling laundry from washer to dryer.

I think I will make cleaning time just after snack time, after school, before homework time. Lynn and I will joint tackle these. It'll also give us some time to talk. Usually snack time is her time with her brother, giggling back and forth at each other.

During the day I will work to de-clutter (something I feel like I do constantly anyways) and fall clean.
Daily, already, about 15 minutes before Mr. H is due home we have a "clean sweep" time where we basically put all the childrens' stuff from the living room and kitchen back into their rooms, tidying up the main living areas from when they had their stuff out playing.

Ah, a plan is step one. Now onto putting it into action!

What does your cleaning routine look like? A little every day or do you have certain days of the week that you focus on cleaning?

edited: I'm adding in a link to another great resource available for personal-use download. Tidy Mom has posted a resource, breaking cleaning into: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Yearly. Her daily/weekly is more like what I've done in the past. No set days divided out, but it's a great checklist to consult. Her yearly is what caught my attention. Instead of making everything a "spring" or "fall" cleaning task, she has divided it out. By the way, I am using the 15 minutes a day schedule and it's going great!

[day 12] "sew" it's time to craft

It's a rainy day. Again. So, instead of thinking too deeply, I'm aiming to tackle a few things today... routine cleaning chores (bathrooms...) as well as maybe something creative. I always make excuses about pulling out the sewing machine. I don't have room to keep it set up, so it's a pain to pull out and put away... Everything gets disrupted when I'm sewing/crafting and we don't need more of a mess around here. No excuses!

My real-life friend Sarah was motivated to start sewing her own reusable snack bags (and selling them on etsy) after noticing how quickly her family of six was going through ziploc bags. "Hmm," I thought, "what a clever idea!"

After chatting about the idea to another friend, who dug up some PUL fabric that she was no longer going to use for homemade cloth diapers, I decided I was going to try and make some snack bags for my own family (and hers since she gave me the fabric, lol). I'm not sure how it'll work, but in concept it sounds like a perfect type of cloth for a reusable bag.

Just in case I've inspired you to take action, here are a few tutorials I have found (although for me, just using the one layer, it should be a pretty easy square :)

Tutorials (in no particular order)
We Wilsons (she also references what to do with one layer of fabric, in my situation)
Puking Pastilles (she has an option for one that is "gusseted" & sits open - sounds cool)
I Have to Say...

What's on your craft to-do list that you've been making excuses not to tackle?


updated: Uh oh... Just read this on another site:

"PUL is NOT food safe. It should NOT be used for the bag lining. Rip stop nylon is considered food safe and can be found at local fabric stores. Also, muslin is another safe alternative for the bag lining. I would hate for people to think they are "going green" while using potentially harmful material for their food storage."

Looks like I need to do some research on PUL!

[day 11] desiring action

I forget. I make excuses.

The same God that I trust for my salvation, is most certainly big enough to handle the lesser important things... even the things that seem so big in the moment. Yet I don't trust Him with that stuff. I get impatient. When I don't "hear" from Him, I make a decision myself.

I am so tempted to do that today, yet I feel so confused, I don't know which direction to take. It's just one of those rainy days when I spend time over-thinking things more than I usually do. I'm a little more sensitive to silly things that happen, trying to read into them as "signs" from God just because I'm too impatient for things to work their way out. I excuse my impatience due to my feelings, my self-desire for action.

The question I have is just "what next? what now?" - not for my family, but just for me personally. I guess the heart of the issue is just discontentment. I'm looking for a change, something "exciting" when I'm just ignoring what I need to be focusing on and plug along diligently. I need to spend some extra time in prayer to ask Him (once again), "What's next? What do you want me doing right now?" And if He doesn't answer, stay close to Him, and be ready.


I'd better never move to Seattle. The rain would just drive me to "think" way too much, lol.
Are you mulling over anything today?

[day 10] window treatments

Uck. Pulling out all sorts of "I don't want to" excuses for not tackling some of the items on my fall cleaning list.

Probably the easiest item on my list is to take down curtains and wash them.

I did the master bedroom and living room ones this summer, although honestly, they might as well get washed again while I'm doing the rest of them. I really need to wash Zane's curtain. His hasn't been washed since I created/sewed it when he was born (Yikes. He turns two next month folks.). 

The thing that makes this such a stinky endevour is not the washing. I don't mind that. I don't mind standing on a chair, taking the rods down, and pulling off the curtain panels. The thing that makes me dread this task... is the ironing that must take place before they get rehung. Ugh. I do not like to iron. at all.

So what is on your fall cleaning list? Do you tackle the most dreaded task first or put that one off until last?

[day 9] friendship

I am ashamed to say that I am an avoider. When conflict arises between myself and another, I flee. When I fail at something after continuing to attempt it, I give up and go on to something else. When I try and try to remain in contact with someone and they don't try back, I no longer extend myself.
I sure did paint a picture of a selfish person, and I would agree, and do agree, even when that someone is me that it is no way to live, especially for one striving to be a witness for Christ. 

I am struggling to shed off some excuses regarding the last scenario this afternoon. I have a friend that just does life differently right now. Full time job, mommy to an infant, juggling an elementary school child and working as a rep for a direct sales company (all while her hubs works a 60hr work week). Sadly for her, she really doesn't have much "me" time anymore. It concerns me honestly. So as her friend, my role is really just to drop her an email or two, text her every now and then, and mostly just keep her in prayer. We'll talk every few weeks or so. I know she's exhausted. It's not her fault that she doesn't have time to hang out, talk, etc., it's just where she is right now.

My tendency in this situation would be to slowly, after time and time of not getting any response, ignore her or "forget" about her. Sorry, I'm just being (brutally) honest. So, today, when we needed to meet up with her to discuss her participation in a mutual event, I considered suggesting dinner but excuses came to mind, "I'm sure she busy. She's always busy. Or if not, she's probably cherishing her family time or cleaning house, lol." At my husband's encouragement, I called her and we pulled together plans for a potluck dinner. I'm so glad for a guy's no-nonsense type of thought sometimes. My hubs was like, "What? Just call her. She's your friend." So thanks, Mr. H. Thanks for reminding me that friendship isn't about keeping track, but instead about continuing to reach out, giving support, and just being there for when she can be there.

[day 8] walk to remember

This morning my family is participating in the annual Walk to Remember, coordinated by Heartstrings, a local infant and pregnancy loss support group. I am allowing myself the time to think back and remember Nathan, to acknowledge his existence, and to share his story with others. While the excuses are plentiful - he's been gone for over three years now, I have two children here to love on and attend to, he never even took a breath on earth with us, blah, blah - I am denying Satan the triumph of erasing Nathan's memory and belittling God's faithfulness to us during that time by walking.

I'm not sure what to expect. Honestly, I think that the sheer number of people in attendance, all having lost a child, will be enough to break my heart and drive me to tears. I will want to reach out and hug every woman there, having experienced the same type of pain. Through Nathan's loss, God has opened my eyes to the volume of families experiencing such a loss. Whether a still birth (like ours), an early loss (like ours), or a loss after birth, the act of losing a child is an unnatural experience. No parent ever considers the idea of burying a child. It's unthinkable. Gratefully, God is an expert in comfort during the unnatural, a rock in the instability of "unthinkableness." Not everyone in attendance will know the Father and seek Him for comfort. Some hearts are still breaking as if the loss was fresh. My heart breaks for those. I'm praying for all in attendance today, and have been this week, that their grief would hurt a little less and their sorrow turn into hope.

[day 7] testing

My quiet time today finished out Acts 21. In this chapter, Paul has finished several missionary journeys and headed back to Jerusalem, where, what else but more persecution, awaits. The synopsis in the book I am using as a guide says, "Faith is not faith until it is tested." Paul's faith seemed to get stronger and stronger through every imprisonment and beating.

I introspectively turned to consider my life... it wasn't outside persecution, but my faith was tested when we lost Nathan. The very title I held, mother, was compromised. I still had Lynn, yes, but by losing my son, it was also a hit on the "job" I held, part of my identity.
My husband, close to two years ago (20 mos after losing Nathan), very similarly has his faith tested when he lost his job. He had to recheck his identity and his purpose when his title was taken from him.
This morning it hit me, as we have described these two losses as something very different in our lives. But honestly I think the trials were more similar than we've thought.

These trials as they were, have demanded actions of faith from us. Well, let me rephrase that. They have given us opportunity to display our faith. Would we continue to declare the truth - with our actions and words? We could have used these loses as excuses. Excuses to turn to find fulfillment elsewhere, excuses to turn our backs on God. Don't get me wrong, I am far far from perfect. At times we did turn elsewhere. We looked to find comfort in earthly things... past times like shopping, work, or internet surfing... emotions like deep sadness or anger (not that these emotions themselves are wrong, but by lingering in them or actions were un-Christlike in consequence)... relying solely on other people like friends, spouses, or characters in a book.

Kay Arthur writes this end-of-the-week synopsis in my study book:

Are we going to turn back, to not declare truth if it costs us our freedom? [or for us, our "perceived identity," as our persecutions were not physically restricting.] How dare we! How will we never face our Lord without shame? How will we look Paul [main 'character' in Acts, amazing enemy-turned-follower of Christ] in the face in our eternity, when he was our example of what it meant to be a follower of our Lord?

Shame. Yikes. That's the last thing I want to feel when I face my Lord at the moment of my death. I long for His embrace as a faithful servant. In the hard times and the easy.

Kind of a deep subject today. 
I don't know if you are facing trials today or not, but may I encourage you to fight the good fight of the faith. Don't let what might be a very real excuse, keep you from the Savior.

[day 6] snuggles, cuddles... time

I beat down all my excuses today (I need to vacuum my floors)... sat down, cuddled my son, and read books together. Kicked out some more excuses (my kitchen is a mess)... and took him outside to play. Didn't think twice... and watched some of his favorite tv show, Curious George, with him on my lap.

I sure do love this little guy. He is growing before my eyes. His second birthday will be here in just a few weeks. He is getting so big and so active... he doesn't stop too often for cuddles anymore, but when he does he is so sweet. He will wrap his arms around my neck, give me a hug, and pat me on my back. Too cute. It's this weird feeling... he is so large in my arms, that the "babyness" feel of him has morphed into the reality of holding/hugging a child vs a baby. I really do enjoy him at this age and wouldn't rewind him to infancy, but it's this bittersweet feeling of knowing that time is passing.

Yeah, he's worth kicking out some excuses for.