Lincoln's 6 Months!

My son is half of a year old!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, I cannot believe it! At 6 months, our little Linc is so wonderfully Linc, I can't remember our family without him! Ahem, allow me to summarize what he's been "up to" these recent weeks.
His laugh is incredible. It's a squeal. He has "smiling eyes," you know, the crescent-shape some folks' eyes make when they are happy? And his blue peepers sparkle. His smile is boyish. Not delicate one bit. Just sort of rugged. He's got dimple-like indentations at the corners of his smile. Most of all, I love that squeal.
Yesterday, we had to change his diaper on the side of the road, on our way to the coast. James held him up while I stripped him from the waist down. The breeze must've been delightful because you should've heard him giggle! He kicked his legs, as if bouncing in the cool air, with such joy! It was adorable!
He's cuddly. Oh my. And he's easy. Put him here. Give him a wooden spoon. He's good. He loves to people-watch. He loves ---and this may sound bad but just hold on---he loves napkins. Okay, so we hold him at a table, and his pie-grabbers go for everything in sight, especially paper napkins! And immediately, he seizes a corner with his rugged man smirk and then with both fists goes to town shredding the thing like mad!!!!!!! We watch to make sure he doesn't swallow any shredded bits, but in no time flat, the boy's shredded the thing like a shark. He bounces on your lap whilst he does this. It's so stinkin' cute and hilarious!!!!!!!!! James and I laugh so hard we tear up. He's quite...enthusiastic doing that trick!
His legs are short, chubby and bowed, and is big toes are still remarkably disproportionately long, which is just his signature detail. It's precious.
He pulls his knees up under himself and bounces, but otherwise, he rolls around instead of crawl.
His babbling sounds like talking, especially a lot of "Mamamamamama," when he's displeased with something.
His head is blond, fuzzy and when James brings him to me to nurse, we call him our baby mole. He is soooooooo sweet and precious.
Wendy is growing so quickly, too. We took them to our friend, Angela's, ballet, and afterward, when she got to give the bouquet to Angela, she asked, "Why does Angela have whiskers on her eyes?" We got a good laugh at that! Wendy has a cute way of asking questions or making comments like, "Oh, Mommy! I love this mall! I haven't been here in a long time OR a short time, have I?" If I encourage her to eat something new, and she's grossed out by it, she'll refuse it and then after I throw it out, she'll remark, "But MOMMY! I became liking it now!"
I am amazed by how similar their personalities appear to be at this point. Linc seems animated and extroverted so far. We'll see.

Carnival! Parade! Carnival! Oh, my!

Our summer here has been mostly rained out, except for the occasion day or few-day stretch of sunshine. We take advantage of everything outdoor and cheap. This first set of pics is from the Fishers Landing Elementary carnival! Wendy and Anna enjoyed this together last year. It is a blast. Lots of parents involved, lots of money goes into this event, and it's magnificent! Colleen, Anna's mom, touches things, and they turn into gold. So, she put her tickets on prize items---and went home with a bag full of $10 toys! I tried for a Zhu Zhu pet, but alas, I am not as lucky! Still, Wendy had as much fun as a "stree-year-old" can have. Lincoln may have been a little tired....

Balloon Lady made Wendy a Pink Panther arm band!

Yeah, Brother was tired....

By the way, I hope Linc has my brother, Walker's legs. That would be awesome. Below, a fun game. Wendy gave up rather immediately and simply grabbed her donut and went to town.

The girls before we walked over to the carnival.

The next fun thingymabobber was the Youth Rose Parade---I doubt that was what it was called. Anyhoo, school bands and dancers made their way through Portland residential streets for crowds in lawn chairs. I got Wendy and Elizabeth Mabel large inflated My Little Ponies from a vendor. That was a hit, y'all.

Luz loving on Lincoln.....

Wendy loving on her Elizabeth. Elizabeth is just as beautiful a child as I KNEW she would be. To see her as a toddler is just precious to me, and soon she too will be a big sister!

Before things got started, we walked down to the same neighborhood cafe I had eaten at the day before with my friend, Lisa, who lives in the same neighborhood!

Next on the calendar was the Cam Town Youth Carnival. Oh, and no, that there below is NOT a look of joy. Wendy was TERRIFIED and I had to jump up there and rescue her!!!!!!

After, um, about four or five tries, meaning LONG waits in line only to fail completion of the "experience" and have to get back in line, Wendy FINALLY went down the slide----with Anna. Yay, Anna!

"Mommy, I DID IT and I'm not afraid ANYMORE!"

I swear, Anna gives her wings, and we are SO going to miss Anna!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wendy likes puffed up, hollow, vacuous sugar poof-das...a lot.

So, there you have it. Some of what we, IE, the kids and me, have been up to. Other than that, it's been a lot of moving prep work and sickness. Ugh, yucky sickness. I hate colds.

BIG NEWS!

We're moving back to Texas, y'all!!! After months of negotiations, consideration and lots of prayer, we have decided to return. I would be more specific, but this is the internet, so I'd better not. Y'all know though! It's happening quickly--we'll be gone by the 23rd of this month! Please pray for us---that 1) This is God's will (it's got to be after all our prayers!), 2) For traveling mercies, 3) That our house sells quickly (A BIGGIE!) and 4) That we will successfully serve God and others in our new home. Alrighty then!

Self-Improving

I am trying, in earnest, to take better care of myself and of my appearance.
I have slashed the following from my diet---chocolate. fast food. alcohol. fatty lattes. chips. Groan, groan, groan. I have added---grumpiness. Ha ha!
No, seriously, I have added the following as my "splurges"---organic milk because it's just creamier (2%), organic honey oat cluster cereal (together, this is my special treat at night when I'm craving a swiss cake roll or chocolate-covered donut.) I eat locally made flaxseed and sesame chips for salt cravings. I substitute extremely spicey dressings for globby fatty ones. I'm buying organic, pure, fresh things, perishable bottled condiments and I'm trying to satisfy myself with bagel sandwiches, avacados, pure cheeses, fresh meats and things that are wholesome for me, and for Linc as I'm breastfeeding.
I'll be honest wit'cha. I aint satisfied. I would be lying if I said I don't miss donuts, wine, fries and other beloved fat bullets. But I am not satisfied with my shape, and as my body is a temple, and we are to care for our temples, well then, it's about time I started.
I walked 3 miles today with my neighbor and our little girls just chatted each other a tale in their side-by-side strollers. Mine's wider and more cumbersome, of course, because it houses two cheerens. I'm trying. I really, really am.
My goal is to be 125 lbs. Funny thing, when I was in high school, the goal was 100. Then I looked emaciated at 100, so after college, it became like 110. Then as I approached late 20's, 115 was ideal for me. Right now, my body is comfortable staying way higher than it should be, but I'm going to go for 125.
I will write a big ole celebratory post when I get there. I say "when" because I hope to succeed. Might take a LONG time, but I want to do it right. Please pray for me, okay? A celebrity (can't remember who) said, and I quote, "It feels better to know that I'm healthy and look as fabulous as I can, than to eat fill-in-the-blank in that moment of temptation." In the moment, in front of the piping hot donut station, that's when the test is real. Ugh. Prayer.

Funny Story

Funny true story. At Cafe Sip N' Play my CREDIT CARD WAS REJECTED! It had expired. So, I sheepishly exited, with a screaming Wendy in tow, and as soon as we all were back in the swagger wagon, I called the number on the back of the card to find out why I hadn't yet gotten the new one. On the way to Whole Foods, where I hoped and prayed they accepted American Express, Wendy had an epiphany. "Mommy, I want to go back to Cafe Sip N' Play, so I will replace your credit card, okay?" Me-"Okay, Wendy, how are you going to do that?" Wendy-"I don't know. I have to figure it out. I need to get instructions. Then I will make the card and it will be ready in five days. Okay, Mommy? And then you can take me back to Cafe Sip N' Play." I love her. Lately I call her Tangerina based on the below post.