Saturday, February 19, 2011

Four Tiny Steps for Man, Four Giant Leaps for My Heart!

I know I just "up-dated" earlier today, but LINCOLN TOOK FOUR STEPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! His legs WORK! We were out on the patio at Lake Bryan this evening, and James let go, and I urged him to come to me, and smiling, he took these four slow, Frankenstein-like steps. Then he quit. Argh. I hope he tries again soon!
Tonight was fun. The two-man guitar/singers up on stage were given beers by the waitress, and they appreciated her, so Wendy dashed up there before I could stop her with two packets of mustard for each of them! They said, "Guess we're really earning our mustard tonight!" Then, we had moved the kids to a table in the back because James was concerned the speakers were too loud, and Linc fussed to get down. He and Wendy crawled to the front and sat centered in front of the stage, both on their knees, side by side, smiling big and CLAPPING! Two funny extroverts I'm afraid!
I SO wish I'd taken along my camera! Earlier in the evening, Wendy gave us a performance on a different stage out under the stars, by the water, and the blue sky and white clouds seen through the fake door cut-out behind her silhouette made the perfect surrealistic image! Next time.

Long Catch-Up Post Complete at LAST!

This is a rather lengthy update, so bear with me! I include everything simply because this blog is my journal for my kids to someday enjoy! I want to find out who, if anyone, prints and binds these things! Okay, so from most recent, down, first is a couple of pics of Wendy on our door step last night when we made it back after Gnomeo and Juliet! I took her as a special treat 1) because Daddy has Lincoln in La Vernia, and 2) because she did well at her assessment for kindergarten earlier in the day! Because it was a "special occasion," she took Pooh Bear with her!

3-D, Baby! She had Pooh Bear nestled between her body and the arm rest, and her box of popcorn, peanut butter cup and cherry Icee! She was even cozier when we ran into friends from church, and their two adorable boys sat next to us!
At the school...Okay, so I'd been talking to her about this important appointment in advance, telling her that it would be so much fun for her to meet one of the teachers and to see what her kindergarten classroom will look like! I told her that this woman or man would ask her questions to get to know her and to determine if she is ready for kindergarten! If you know Wendy, you know many questions ensued...Well, once there, she introduced herself, saying "I'm Wendy! W-E-N-D-Y! And I'm 4 years old, but I act like I'm 5!" My mom just about died laughing. Then she said, "And my whole name is Wendy L*** T****berger. There's a BURGER in my name!" and laughed. So hilarious. My mom, Linc and I waited in the classroom next door. I was nervous! Really! Afterwards, this lovely teacher said Wendy is ready! She told me that based on her birthday, she had doubted she would be, but she is! And I think that's because Wendy has had older friends with whom she just wants to be a "bigger kid." The thing Wendy has to work on is cutting out circles. The teacher said Wendy tried, making straight cuts around the circle, and then held it up to her and declared, "Look! An octagon!" She gave her points for that! So, following the meeting, my mom ran into Target and got her blunt scissors and paper and we practiced right away! Below, Wendy in one of the classrooms (which turned out to be preschool, so her class is actually a lot larger and more mature-looking. Gulp!)
The night before, we met up with one of Wendy's classmates from her school, Angel, and Angel's family at Chuck E Cheese's! What a fun time we all had!
Linc hung out near the ball-related games, chucking balls towards the goals and slurping Sprite, which I assure you is a RARELY permitted indulgence!
Wendy loved it when Chuck emerged from his "nap chamber" to say hello to everyone! Angel, however, had an aversion and hid beneath the tables until the coast was clear!
The kids received belated Christmas cards with some cash from some family, so I took them to Toys R US by myself (NOT again! Linc fussed the whole time, wanting down and throwing his drink and crackers to the floor, Wendy whined if we weren't on a GIRL TOY aisle, and after riding the choo-choo together, Linc threw the biggest fit when I removed him and he tried to bite me! I had to hold his forehead back with one hand so he wouldn't bang his teeth into the handle, trying to bite me, and one hand on the cart, steering it towards the van with fear and trepidation. Linc, like I did at his age (so I'm told), bites when he's mad and if he can't get me, he bites his hand--just like Mama used to do. So, I got Wendy this pony with a fairy doll. She was happy to have it out of its box.
Feeling tired from the toy shopping excursion....Oh, it's SO TIRING to choose among ALL THOSE TOYS!!!!!!!
Wiped out...
On their perch...
This pic shows how similar their faces~~
James' mom found this cowboy hat and Linc is attached to it. He says, "HA-aaA!" when it falls off and he gets upset when it has to be taken off for the car seat. He beams when we first put it on.
I like his eyes in this lighting---eating a soothing treat on a hot day...Cold things seem to help his teething as well.
Following a run, James held Linc, and I was amazed at how HUGE Linc appears to be even up against his ole man! He's just destined to be a whole lot more substantial than the two human beings who, with God's help of course, made him! Somewhere in the ole gene pool floated genes for a giant. Look at him! He's 1 year old! Just a month over!
Later that evening, getting ready for bed, they grabbed a breath of fresh air, and I grabbed my camera.
I asked Linc to give Daddy a kiss, and he did! "MmmA!" he says!
We try to make Wendy feel like she truly is the older sibling and old enough for a few certain privileges that brother doesn't yet have. One of those things is to stay up for some of American Idol. Following an audition, she'll ask me earnestly, "Mommy, was that a pretty voice?" Sometimes it's hard to know....
In New Braunfels, we visited James' old college buddy, Scott, and his wife and their new baby girl, Judith. They are an Army family and will soon move to California for French studies and from there, will move to Africa! They are strong Christians with beautiful hearts, and I knew their daughter would be a beauty....So dainty and perfect...
Our other friends, Melanie, Jason, and their boys were there as well, and Melanie took this pic of me holding Judith. I wanted to take more pics of everyone, however, Wendy having been spooked by a bug outside, was just sort of crazy. We couldn't stay long past dinner because Wendy's voice carries and I knew they'd have trouble getting Judith down. 4-year-olds are somewhat easier to manage than 2/3-year-olds, but not quite easy-peasy yet. A tired 4-year-old reverts to her 2-year-old ways, and aside from putting her to bed, there is no cure!
In other, very exciting news, James' sister, Tiffany, and her husband, Chris, are expecting!!!!!!! After giving us some frozen meat from their slaughtered calf, they shared their happy news with us, and of course, I cried! I'm so thrilled beyond belief! I look forward to the months ahead, showering her, holding this new addition to my father in law's legacy!
In the van, following the party that was thrown in honor of James' Aunt Mildred's 90th birthday! The theme was Valentines Day and the colors, red and white.
Wendy allowed Linc to hold her older Pillow Pet, and I loved this pic, so I tweaked it.
I made some of the decorations, including this banner. The last three hearts said, "Mildred R*****...Established in 1921....Loved for 90 Years and Counting!"
At the party~ Melanie and I have baby boys the same age, and each time we tried to snap a pic of them side by side, one would fuss, so the only way to capture them together was to stuff their mouths with strawberries! Mercy!
The kids enjoying some time outside the hall...
Melanie and Andrew...
Aunt Tiff With her Bro and Nevie!
Linc is following in Lil' James' footsteps...
Wendy and Morgan---it was so cute cuz he brought his bear, too!
Grandma, Grandpa and the Grandkids---Next year, they'll have another! (Not mine, Tiff's!)
The pic I took of Aunt Mildred didn't turn out, but here is her sister, James' Grandmother, Alma, enjoying Linc!
At Grandma and Grandpa's before the party...

When he first got his hat!!!!!!!! Love at first sight. He's a hat-man.
Look at these strong cowboys!Prior to our visit, at home, Wendy's face is elongating, and she's looking so much more mature to me as her baby cheeks strech out!
We're growing her hair out, including her bangs, and it's fine but thick, like mine, but WAVY!
I decorated a present for her school friend, Angel, and Wendy was pleased with the finished product, which she carried under her arm to school.
Here's a leotard James' mom found once upon a time, and Wendy now wears it sometimes for gymnastics!
Linc, 13 mos, wearing 24-month or 2T pjs---which are almost too tight around his thighs for zipping! I think he's gonna have my brother's legs, which would be awesome for soccer!
Wendy's treat the day of her school Valentine party!
And she took pride in stuffing her classmates' treat bags...

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

A Little This, A Little That ~

Well, I had planned on taking the kids to church this morning for Mom's Bible Study, however, James called from work and asked us to stay put as the streets are icing over. Drat. So, as Wendy applies her stickers to her treat bags for her Valentine's party at school tomorrow (assuming we can go!), and Linc sleeps in (I got up with him at 5 to give him Tylenol, a diaper change and a "baba"), I thought I'd blog some pics. This one below is one day that my mom came to visit, and you can see that Linc is huge! My mom is in her 60's, I'm in my 30's, Linc is only one little year old, and yet he's gaining size and weight at such a rapid pace, he'll be dwarfing us in no time. He's gotten even more humongous since then. Last night, at church, a friend held him for a second and was astonished! She said, "He's dense!" True. He's a compact and solid brick a' luv....
The other night....The Shining came to my brother, Walker's, mind!
Wendy likes to pretend to be sleeping, or sick. We're trying to discourage this fantasy as she is obsessed with having her temperature taken with my temple-reader gadget and might be prone to hypochondria if she is anything like her mama, as a youth, or uncle. And I don't want her to be sent home from school for a fake illness or because she's carrying on so. Still, I thought she looked rather sweet in these pics...
"Oh dear. I do believe I am faint of heart. And my throat hurts and is scratchy. I think some icecream in a bowl with whipped cream and sprinkles would make we well-er." That is not made up.

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

My Most Embarrassing Mommy Moment!

Somebody please help! I am dying here! Last night I experienced my MOST awkward mommy moment, one that was 100 % my own doing, oh horror of horrors. I'm soooo embarrassed. However, it helps me to just laugh at myself. That's how I stare these things down and get over 'em. So, one and all, feel free to laugh at me, er, with me, right? Awkwardly smiling...sort of. Okay, here goes. Gulp!
James was at a gathering of men from the church. The kids and I were bored. I know my Wendy. I know her humor. So, as I put laundry away, I glanced up at Linc, crawling towards me, and I had a goofy goofy, silly silly idea!
I walked back into our living room, with Linc on my hip, and asked Wendy (as I often do ask her where she's placed certain items), "Wendy, WHERE are your purple panties and WHERE are your pink socks?!" Wendy said, "I don't know, Mommy. I don't remember." Then she looked up at us and laughed like crazy.
I'd put her panties on Linc's head, and her socks on his hands. Linc laughed hysterically. I did, too. "Panty boy, PANTY boy!" We had a good laugh, I tried to remove the panties, but Linc fussed. He liked his new hat! I set him down then, and resumed making their dinners.
Then....a man at the door. Without thinking, I looked out the peephole---ah, yes. The man is here to install the new water heater. I let him in. Wendy waved hi from her spot on the couch, with her tray of dinner in her lap, and the man glances down to see Linc...in his purple and pink splendor!
I swallowed hard, and then tried to explain his appearance to this older gentleman, this good ole' boy, who stood there, mouth slack, staring at my son, who was working at his hammer station with his blue eyes peering out of two ruffly purple leg-holes. Oh. My. Goodness. I told the man that we were having a silly time, and that I was trying to lift my daughter's spirits with some silly kid humor, and the more I said, the worse it got. I knew this man was thinking, "This just aint right." AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
Well, it turned out alright, because he's actually a very nice man and was very warm towards the kids, and I guess he decided I'm not insane afterall. Have mercy! And now...the pics ~




Moms, if you feel so inclined, blog your most embarrassing mommy moment, and let me know you did it by telling me to check it out on my comments section here! You know I won't judge!