What Am I...Chopped Liver?

So my kid loves his dad.  His face lights up whenever his dad walks into the room.  He brings me pictures of "dad" throughout the day.  He recognizes his voice on the phone and face lights up when he hears it, even if it's just a voicemail.  He runs to the door faster then the dog does when he comes home from work.

What am I?  I'm just the diaper-changer, toy-picker-upper, book-reader, stroller-pusher, massive-hugger...am I bitter that I get no love?  of course.

His first word was "da-da".  His second?  Momma? Uh no, it was "pa-pa". Whom he does not see every single stinkin' day like he does his momma.  He can say his brother & sister's names, choo-choo, outside, more...but Momma?  He refuses.

Let's give him one more try:

This was a few weeks ago, before Christmas.  We have tried and tried to get a 'momma" out of him.  And he finally did it.  When no one was around.  of course.

Well, it's Done.

The Baby got a haircut.  He needed it.  He woke up one Saturday in December looking like this:

Yup.  The hair was screaming, "It's time!!"  I don't know why I was so hesitant.  I think I felt that once his baby curls were gone, his babyness would be gone too.  Not just in his looks, but his mannerisms, his sweetness....he would become a boy with a snip of those scissors.  But this hair was getting out of control.

So off we went to the kid's hair salon....yup you heard me right.  This place was just for kids.

 Bubba had his own fire truck to play in. He also had a thomas train in his hand, a stuffed dog, and the Cars movie was playing in front of him.  This place was prepared to distract at all levels.  And it worked....

Here we go....the first snip.  Momma had to brace herself.

 She started in the back and snipped off all his precious locks - see the one falling carelessly to the floor.  Sniff, Sniff

 For a brief moment, we were entertained with an 80's flashback on our baby.

This cinched it - my boy needed a haircut.

And my handsome man emerges.

Now, when I see him in the morning or waking from his nap, I still do a double take- he looks so different!  All these months, people have been saying how he looks like my middle son, but I didn't think so...until now.  He is still the sweet Bubba boy, but he is a full-fledged toddler now.  All grown up - very opinionated - very smart - very determined.  Oh we love him so much - and a silly haircut won't change that a bit.

It's Christmas Time!

This sums up our Christmas.....hope everyone's was as great as our was!!

There No Such Thing as a "Perfect Picture"

Try as I might, each Christmas I attempt to get that"perfect shot".  That "Norman Rockwell-esqe" family photo under the Christmas Tree - with the children all dressed in their finest.  I have found it to be impossible. The 2 olders are used to the torture, but with the never-sitting-still 19 month old and a grumbling hubby who mumbles something about this being 'ridiculous' under his breath behind me, it turns into a nightmare.

 let's try him behind you too - maybe he won't escape.

no.

 let me get in the picture and hold him in my lap?

no.

 maybe if I hold him a little tighter?

no.

 cause then he will just slam his head into that big Christmas necklace you are wear, bruising your chest.

 well, now I am getting comfy, mom.

 not for long bubba.

 so, with all that pain & suffering (mainly by me), I did manage to capture a few sweet moments.

Next year, I just need to give it up and realize I'm never gonna capture the perfect shot.  These ones a way better!!

Merry Christmas 2010

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The Most Busy Time of Year

Every year I want Christmas to be a relaxing, joyous time.  But who am I kidding?  If I gave up the many parties, the baking, the Christmas Card addressing, the shopping, the Christmas programs, the Christmas light shows.....maybe, just maybe it would be.

It is such a busy time of year.  I try to find as many fun things to make this a special season for my kiddos.  I want them to have such wonderful memories of Christmas.  I figure, once they are grown and gone, I will miss all this hustle & bustle.

So for now, once again, I will rejoice in the busy-ness:

 the special "holiday" program that Sissy prepared 2 months for

 we sang about Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, La Posada, and ......Santa Claus?

I must have been kidding myself to think they might actually sing about the birth of Jesus.....

 never the less, it was precious.

 the fun birthday lunch my girlfriends threw for me at Chuy's

 the girl scout ornament exchange

 the gingerbread house that we started 2 weeks ago...only to finish 2 days ago.....

 the fun classroom parties

 celebrating Christmas with the cousins....

 having a "elf" visit us each morning....even if somedays he didn't move.....ooops.

One day, Brody decided that Santa might need some money and sent $2 in dimes back with George.

huh?

and the fun Christmas pj exchange that Sissy & I hosted yesterday 

Tons of business...but tons of fun.  We have also seen some amazing Christmas light shows in the neighborhoods around us - set to music with animatronic puppets too!!  Tonight I am taking the olders to the Rockette's Radio City Music Hall show too - so much fun!  And we have an amazing Church service tomorrow night.

I love this time of year - I love the business - but most of all, I am reminded to take a step back and remember why we celebrate the season....the birth of a son who came to save.  It is so difficult not to get all wrapped up in the craziness, so we all need to reflect on why we are here.  Why we celebrate.  Why we love this season.

Because of him...... and not the "busy-ness"

Santa Came to Texas!

My kids have had interesting reactions to Santa.  From staring at him wide-eyed, to smiling very prettily to screaming their heads off...my photos with Santa are always a riot!

 Brody was 2 and Sissy was 3 - she knew what to do...obviously, he did not.

So this year, with Bubba being about Brody's age in the above picture, we were thinking he might have the same reaction:

 we were cautiously optimistic at this point....

 nope

 don't like this momma....

 We had to bring in big sis & bro to show him how it was done.  

At this point, he was more interested in the basket of candy canes next to Santa....

 finally, a cute capture...

 old pros...

 and he gets his candy. despite not liking Santa...

after all, this is all he really wanted.

who cares about the man in the big red suit?