Can you say...

I asked my sweet 15 month old, "Can you say 'I love you'?"
Baby lifts his lips to kiss me.
I think that counts but no...


16 year old: Did he actually SAY IT?
me: no
16 yo: Andrew! Can you say "I"?
Andrew: I
16 yo: LOVE
Andrew: LOVE
16 yo: YOU
Andrew: ME

Dear daughter and I burst out laughing!

Firsts and seconds...

Baby boy slept 8 hours in a row again last night!

He woke up hungry at 7:30 this morning and I dragged myself to his crib to retrieve him. Surprise! He'd rolled himself over! One would think that this simple act would be "no biggie" with #10...but I assure you it is very exciting to me, to all of us!
(I will not say which way he rolled because it may implicate me as a bad mommy.)


Yesterday, I gave him his first bowl of rice cereal. So what you say? Well, I usually pretty skip the whole baby food scene and wean to regular food. That has led to long-time nursers. I am determined to be done with that by age one this time. This sweet little honey seems to like eating, as other family members have treated him to all sorts of tasty treats, so I figured he might as well eat real food. He liked it well enough.

There you have it. Exciting times!

Testing

It is that time of year. Friday, I ordered our CAT Tests for our end of year standardized testing required by the state of North Carolina.

Last month, dd#2 took the ACT and today she took the SAT. She is extremely happy to be done with this aspect of schooling.

I even remember taking the SAT! I remember that my allergies were horrible, I had forgotten to bring tissues and I zipped through that test so quickly I was one of the first ones done. (no writing portion in those days.) I even remember that I had scored just 20 points shy of my goal score, and was therefore not taking it over :) My dh scored just 20 points more than my goal score, so he qualified as marriage material. (I had decided early on I had to marry someone smarter than me. LOL)

Oh and one more item of note: Sixteen years from now I will still be taking a student to take that exam..when I am 61 years old!

Video - the darlings singing

I don't know if I will upload it or not...it sure was NOT a video of perfect little Christian children. Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. Ever since the oldest one was wee, I've been singing "I am Jesus Little Lamb" to the kids at bedtime. Today, we would sing that hymn in church, just like we do every Good Shepherd Sunday. I was thinking that I would upload a video of my precious darlings singing it and put it on YouTube and then link to it from the hymn list on the Sermons blog I have set up for dear husband. Yeah.

Somehow, I don't think punches and crying fit in too well to help a shut-in worship....although I am glad Jesus allows all of us sinners to be His lambs worth saving..we sure need it!

Oh I just tried to look at the video. It is VERY choppy. I think I will have to have a teenager help me next time.

Am I really that old?

I could have called this post "Another milestone," but decided to change it up a little. LOL

Dear daughter #3 started Driver's Ed at a local high school this week. I was worried for her...she was (a long time ago) my shyest peanut....how would she do as a teen in a public school environment? I needn't have worried! She even made conversations and enjoyed the social atmosphere!

Breathe mommy..breathe! Now, can I muster up the courage to let her behind the wheel??

One Last Pregnancy Milestone

31 weeks today.

This milestone is when my sister-in-law's second child was born. We were there for this birth. She was on bedrest, my dh was waiting for a Call after graduating Sem and we'd been helping care for their almost 2 year old and celebrating our firstborn's 2nd birthday with them up in Iowa.

The ambulance came to the house to take her to the hospital. I'll never forget standing there with the two little people, watching through the huge picture window as the ambulance zoomed her away...praying that God would protect her and her little one.

Two days later, her second son was born. He was so small! But like his brother before him and sister after him, is a fine teenager today. There were some big medical scares along the way, but God in His great mercy resolved them.


(This picture of our two second-borns is 4 years old)

These memories comfort me each pregnancy. They are a constant reminder of His mercy.

Milestones

This week, I passed another milestone. 29 weeks pregnant. Who cares you say? Six weeks ago, I posted about the 23rd week...My sister-in-law's youngest was born then. Well, her first born came after three miscarriages at 29 weeks, about 6 weeks after our first was born. Her boy is now a strapping 18 year old young man! A treasure.

From 2005, when those babies were both just 14....



I often speak to other women about their pregnancy and birthing experiences. It is one of my favorite subjects after all! ALL of my stories are "boring" in comparison. I may complain about pregnancy sometimes, but I truly humbled that God has graciously allowed all of our children to be born not only in due time, but healthy and strong.

Engineering - I know this counts as school!

Snap Circuits...for building electric stuff...

If you flipped a switch to close the circuit, it made the "fan" spin.


Brio train tracks and Duplos! He made some tracks later that were MUCH more complicated. It truly amazed me!

Fun times with TP or Does this count as school?

Payback

Kids exasperate their parents and grandparents smile.

Did I exasperate my parents so much God gave me 9 (soon to be 10) kids as payback????

Some days I do wonder!




Today, the three year old peed down the heat/ac register...right next to me. He had no idea this was not a good plan and was completely surprised that he got punished for it.

Another milestone

23 weeks pregnant.

Why is that a milestone you ask? My sister-in-law had three preemies. Her youngest was born at 23 weeks. While most babies born that prematurely either die or are encumbered with innumerable disabilities, our dear niece is perfect. A perfect miracle...and dear daughter #3's best friend cousin.

This is an old picture, but the love remains:


Thank you God.

Worry

In Matthew 6, Jesus tell us not to worry. (Consider the lilies of the field....) He tells about how the flowers are clothed and the birds are fed by God alone and how much more precious to Him we are than they. He will and does take care of all of our needs.




This passage has been on my mind lately: 34 So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Driving home from the Dr's visit yesterday, I was telling my dh how I just cannot think about how on earth we are going to raise yet another child. I look 20 years down the road and see us both at retirement age and I get tired just thinking about it! I get scared to death, actually, that I am so not up to the task! I cannot look at the big picture of raising our family at all. It makes me want to cry in despair because the job is too big. Looking back at these past 20 years I cannot believe all that we've been through and that I am very glad I didn't know in advance. I marvel that the older ones don't seem to messed up from our mistakes and now pray for their constant safety.

My point is, I can barely manage today. BUT if I think about only today and do what I am supposed to do today, it isn't nearly as overwhelming. I know I am going to not do my best, because I rarely do, and there will be some failure, but I also know my kids kow I love them and forgive them...that God loves them and forgives them and that someday, we'll all be in heaven where there is no failure, no sadness, no hurt feelings, no anger (5 year old dear son couldn't believe that one.."REALLY?" he asked) no sickness, no pain. I can't wait for that time!!!

I have heard more than once from strangers that they could never do what we are doing. What I wish I could just say is that I have those same feelings! You know what? I can't do it either! It is by the grace of God..truly..any of us HAVE kids let alone raise them to be productive adults who don't hate us :) or despise God. (or vice versa!) God gives what is best for us...so I am assuming that He is feeding my craving to never be alone! LOL or that quiet must be bad....LOL

Mary Cariola School

I have a niece, same age as my littlest girlie (7), who was born with a rare genetic deletion. She is a very bright, social girlie who has been at this school for about a year and a half. When she started there, she could not walk and now she can with the help of her very pretty green and pink walker. She has even begun to speak for the first time, learning to say "hi!" to her friends and family! These are just a few of the milestones she has reached because of the dedicated, loving and caring staff at this amazing school.

As I spend too many minutes worrying whether or not our new baby will have chromosomal challenges, I remind myself of all of the help there is available to parents of kids with special needs and that God knows those needs already and will find a way to help us meet those needs just as He has with our other kids.

It is our joy to support Ella's school in honor of her grandpa Jerry, a retired, special ed (BOCES) teacher in the NY State schools. I wish we could physically do more to help Ella and her family, but proximity being an issue, NC and upstate NY not being exactly close, monetary gifts to her school will have to do.

A Few More Firsts

Well, dd#3 is officially on her way to Texas!

It is her first time away from home without family members. It is her first time flying and her first time visiting the (supposedly) most awesome state in the Union.


This is the daughter who would not leave my side until she was about 5. This is the daughter who would give folks dirty looks if they spoke to her when she didn't want them to. She has really grown up. She was very nervous to make this trip, but insisted I make her go so she could face her fear and have no regrets.

I am proud of her and KNOW she will have a BLAST!!!

The Sky

The weather earlier in the week was just gorgeous; a clear blue sky, cool and breezy and pollen-free. Having such a perfect day, all of the children took advantage of it and ran to their hearts content.

Youngest child threw himself on the grass to rest from all of the fun. As he lay there, he looked up at the sky.

"Look up there! I see the sky! It is beautiful and blue! Just like my eyes!"

Another special day...

Tomorrow, my baby turns three. I can't believe it. He is such a dear. He has such a happy disposition. I hope he is always as sweet and comforting as he is now.


Anyway, today I make the Teletubbie ice cream cake, the Teletubbie costume, a Super Why tee shirt...what else? Wrap a few presents. What does a kid who has 8 older siblings need??? Nothing except candy of course!

A Special Day

Yesterday, my oldest dear daughter came home from college for the weekend. We were all very excited to have her home. Son #2 who is 11 said, "Mommy, today is the Best day." I asked him why and he replied, "Because my sister is coming home!'

He and his 12 year old brother cleaned their room to perfection yesterday in anticipation of the event. They share oldest daughter's old room, and wanted her to have it back while she stayed.

But there was a problem! Little sister #3, age 7, had cleaned HER room to perfection as well..hoping her big sister would sleep there! This sister also had big plans..to read to her biggest sister the Dick and Jane book she had gotten out of the library on Thursday. She had read it about 7 times so far and wanted her big sister to be proud of her. Isn't that sweet?

Dear daughter #1 asked me if I'd pulled out our copy of The Dick and Jane Treasury for her little sister to enjoy. I got to tell her that this little sister had ALREADY read the whole thing! (which is why we have chocolate cake in the house...to celebrate this accomplishment!)



And how did the day round out? Well, with a poker game of course! Dear son #1, age 12, opened his new poker set he'd just bought and he and the 6 older ones laughed and argued together just like always.




A special day indeed!

Milestones

As I was getting food ready to take to the pot-luck after second service, I heard my 14 year old discussing numbers with her 7 year sister. I got to hear the little one figure out what comes after 29...and then 39..and 49 and so on! I was very excited because this is the little dear who, last year, had to count on her fingers to figure out how old she was on her latest birthday..months after it passed.

This same dearie got up and dressed down to her sandals and had even done her hair and packed her purse just 5 minutes after I woke her! This is what happens when you grow up with three teenage sisters .

Next. Holding onto the almost three year old dear "baby" boy during church, I hear him saying "g" "o".."g" "o".."go" I turn around, and sure enough, on a banner behind us there is a banner that says "GOD" in capital block letters. (Meaning the "D" looks like an "O") I was proud. This evening,we were in the same situation, I was holding him and he was looking behind and saying "JOEY" "JOEY" after a minute of this I looked around to see what in the world he was talking about. Lo and behold, on the chalk board was "JOE" JOEY..of course! This is what happens when a little guy intently watches a 5 year old and a 7 year old have reading lessons everyday (and watches Super Why! everyday on PBS!)



Then there was the pot-luck.
Short version, 5 year old son accidentally bumps his 1/3 full cup of Sprite all over himself. Poor honey..the amazing thing was..he didn't YELL..he didn't cry or otherwise make any sound at all..he sat there let me wipe him off a little..and if that weren't wonderful enough, he didn't freak out when I whispered to him that I didn't have an extra change of clothes for him. I offered to take his pants off, put the 2 year old's shorts on him (they'd fit fine) and let the 2 year old run around in undies, but he said "No thank you." This is what happens when God is gracious..because if you knew this dear son, this whole CALM scene was nothing short of miraculous. I was thankful for how far he has come.

I got him another Sprite and told him to be careful not to spill this on on himself too..so he accidentally bumped it and spilled it all over me. You'll be happy to know I did not scream either..and was thankful I'd worn a black polyester dress..and the wetness didn't show at all. The women at the table next to us were very amused.

How did you do that?

I impressed my 12 year old son the other evening! His mouth dropped open and he exclaimed, "Mom! How did you DO that???"

It made my day. It was not an impressive act..to a mom. It is just one of the many things we do!

What was it you ask? As I was watching tv with my husband and my son, my two year old slept on the couch on the other side of the room. As he began to roll off the couch, I dashed over and caught him in my arms. He remained asleep as I put him into his bed.



Picture from one of the kids' favorite books: "More More More," said the Baby! by Vera B. Williams