Just an update

I know it's been a while, but things have just been crazy!! This is strictly an update. I'll make certain to do a more thoughtful and reflective blog after the holidays...at least I'll try;).

Joshua is completely into the holiday season this year. This is a picture of him standing with his Christmas tree after mommy helped him decorate it. He was soooo excited. I put the hooks on the ornaments, and he hung everything...including the silver beads. We ahve a huge tree in our living room, but this is his own personal tree. He wants it plugged up all day long when possible. Today, for example, we went into his room just before nap, plugged in the tree, and read books lying on the floor. I just love this time of year...it's special little things like reading beside of a beautiful Christmas tree that you don't get to experience year round.

In other news...Lee has started his new job and is loving it. He has to wear suits every day, which I love of course;). He comes home each night looking oh so scrumptuous, and his mood is just so much better since he started this job. It hasn't changed him in my eyes at all...he's still the wonderful man that I feel in love with and married 5 years ago...but it has changed how he looks at himself. He just beams with a much brighter light and happier soul than he ever has before. I am so thankful for this change within himself...it's allowing him to be completely happy, and that's something I've wanted for him for some time now.

Enough for now. I'm ready to snuggle up to my happy hubby before JLee decides to take center stage:)! More after the holidays, promise.

~M

Poo Wars...

Yep, you heard right. We're having poo wars at my house. Joshua loves to poo...he must, because he announces his poo with a huge smile and eyes full of pride each time he goes. The problem isn't his prideful pooping. Not at all. The problem is his inability to put that poo in the potty. He'll gladly poo in his diaper. He'll poo on the floor (I have pictures!!!). Heck, I'm sure he'd be more than happy to poo in my hands if given the opportunity. But, much to my dismay, he has a complete and total aversion to poo in the potty. It's as if he experiences sphincter dysfunction when his little bottom hits the toilet! Allow me to elaborate with an example...

This afternoon we were at home. He grabbed his little bottom and said, "Poopy mommy!@!! Take poopy to potty!@!@!@!@!" And he ran to the bathroom, holding his bottom ll the way. (A hillarious sight, let me assure you:).) I frantically pull his pants and diaper off, wanting to make certain that my ineptness did not prevent this poop from entering the porcelain throne. I get his pants down, I put him on the pot (backwards, of course!), and he lets out a tumultous flatous (i.e., fart). He beems with pride as he informs me, "Done mommy. Sticker?" He gets a sticker every time he makes a deposit in the potty. And, no, his odious puff of gas did was not sticker worthy. I asked hiim if he was certain. He said yes. I put a diaper on him, and we had "the talk". The one where I tell him pee-pee and poopy go in the potty, not in our diaper. He smiled and agreed.

Imagine my suprise about ten minutes later when he got "the look" on his face. You know the one...a little bit suprise, a little bit anticipation, a whole lot red...yeah, that look. I asked him if he had pooped. He said, with absolute sincerity (which I have learned means nothing with a 2 year old), "No poopy mommy". I opened the top of his diaper, and there it was, a warm, almost steaming, rather large lump of fresh poo. AGAIN!!! I suppose a fart in the pot is progress, on some level any way. I just look forward to the day that poo goes in the pot...not the diaper, the floor, or any other non-traditional space:).

How to shop with a 2 year-old:)

I think of so many things to blog about as I'm driving in my car or sitting at work. So many things that I have an opinion about, since I have so very many opinions, a thought about, or whatever. However, when I finally get in front of a computer all my thoughts escape me. Bottom lin, I'm burned out by the time I sit down to write. So, here goes my strands of randomness for tonight.



Today was Lee's first day at his new job. We all (Lee, Joshua, and myself) were actually in the kitchen around the counter for breakfast this morning. It was so awesome!!! Joshua and I ate our bagels as Lee fixed his cheese toast and coffee. We got to talk as a family for a short period before I rushed out the door to work and the day began. It was wonderful, though. Having those minutes to share as a family. It really was as though the rest of the world ceased to exist. It was terrific.



This afternoon I picked Joshua up from school, while Lee was at work until 5:00. Joshua tested every boundary we've ever set and then some. I'd say pink, he'd say green. I'd say go, he'd say stop. It was like we were opposites all afternoon. Our only break through was during a wuick shopping excursion at a clothing store.



When we first arived Joshua refused to hold my hand. "NO mommy! I walk wit chew!" The problem was that he didn't walk with me. Instead, he kept running in and out of the clothing racks, all the while laughing and smiling. Now, I must admit the mommy in me loved hearing that pure and giddy laugh. It's the mom in me that stinks at discipline and has but one desire...for her child to be eternally happy. The rest of me, however, wanted to jerk him up and have him walking a chalk line...after all I was raised with the belief (however faulty it may be) that children were to mind their manners at all times, to be in complete subjection, to be seen and not heard. That part of me felt embarassed and frustrated.



I decided to ask Joshua to hold my hand. Surely if I was reasonable in my requests, then this precious little two year-old would be overcome by that logic. Surely he would see the value in holding his mommy's hand. Imagine my suprise when he yelled "NO" (his most popular vocabulary term) at the top of his lungs, while his hands gripped his hips firmly and his lip puckered in a pouty yet stern position that let anyone within visibility know that he meant business. He had done it...with those small actions he had initiated the battle and I choose to engage.



As I sat there contemplating my first act of war, a radio broadcast I heard a couple of months back ran through my mind. The mother mentioned hol her son's ear when he refused to hold her hand. With an air of confidence and certainty, I grabbed that little ear before he knew what was oming. Understan, I did not twist his ear, like the little old grannies do. Rather, I simply held it. I held it firmly, but I did not pinch it. He screamed and wailed like I had beaten him with a baseball bat. I calmly maintained my grasp and said in a low calm voice, "Mommy has to hold your ear because you won't hold her hand. Mommy has to keep you close to make sure you are safe. I love you soooooo much." It was almost scary how calm I sounded. Of course he continued to wail, and I continued to firmly hold that beautiful little ear between my pointer and thumb. After a couple of minutes I told him I would let go of his ear if he held my hand. He said "des mam" (translation: yes mam!). I let go of his ear, and it was as if the battle had ended, the trumpet sounded, the fat lady sang!!!! No more tesing the boundaries. No more pushing mommy's buttons. He was the epitome of cooperation...until we left the store at least. It was pure bliss for the rest of our shoppig experience...I think next time I'll just start with the ear:)!

Should I stay or should I go...

If I go there will be trouble, and if I stay it will be double... So come on and let me know. Should I stay or should I go?

Okay, so my husband's awesome. We all know that, right? Let me tell you just how great he is. December 13 is our 5 year wedding anniversary. The first two years that we were married we took a weekend get away on our anniversary...just the two of us...no family, no friends, no cell phones. Well, when our beautiful blessing (JLee ofcourse!!!) came along we decided (well, more like I insisted) that Joshua might be too young for us to leave him. To be honest, I haven't wanted to leave my precious baby for one night, much less an ENTIRE WEEKEND!!! Let me be clear...it's not that I don't love my husband, and it's not that I don't love spending time with him. It's just that I feel like our son needs me. The first year my excuse was breast feeding...I couldn't very well go away when my boobs served JLee's sole nourishment:)! The second year it was Joshua's sickness. He was a sick little boy up until this past July when his tonsils were removed, so I justified us not going any where by saying that Joshua would really need us if he were to get sick. Now Lee has been away from Joshua for up to four days before. I go out of town for weekend trips kind of frequently with my mom, with Lee's mom, with friends of mine...the catch is that Joshua always comes along for the ride. I refuse to go without him!!! Heck, I get upset if I have to work late at private practice and I don't get home in time to see him eat supper, take a bath, irritate his daddy with sleepy stupor behavior, and then go to bed.

Anyway, this year Lee took the initiative and booked a cabin for us at the Shenandoah Crossing resort. It's a really romantic place...carriage rides, jaccuzi hot tub, walking trials, fire place...you totally get the picture, right? Perfect setting for a couple trying to conceive their second child...get my drift??? He planned for us to leave Thursday at lunch and come home late Sunday evening. I was completely excited when he first told me...COMPLETELY, I promise. Just the fact that he took the time to plan the trip and arrange for my parents to keep Joshua...that was enough to make me fall in love all over again! Sounds great, right? Well, just wait, here it comes...here comes the "but"......

But, then I started to think. Four days and three nights alone with my wonderful husband also means four days and three nights without my precious son. No "morn mommy" before the sun has a chance to rise. No "hold you me, mommy" from that smiling little face. I have to go four days without kissing his forehead, stroking his hair, watching him sleep, and laughing at the moment to moment marvels of my baby boy. I gotta say, I'm probably even going to miss doing the pee-pee dance every time he feeds the potty (yep...we're potty training):). I know Lee and I need this time to be together, particularly when we're trying to have another child, but I don't know how I will do spending that time away from Joshua. What if he needs me? What if he cries for me? What if he doesn't want to leave Nana and Poppy's house to come home when Lee and I get back on Sunday night?

I'm going...I've made my mind up. I'm going to get in that scratched up, dented in, worn out, glad we've got it Barney purple mini-van on Thursday. I'm going to paste a smile on my face, and I am going to enjoy every minute that I have with my wonderful husband. I'm going to go four whole days without a JLee fix. I'm going to do it. I am...as long as my mom makes sure to send lots of picture and video texts, and as long as she always answers my secret phone calls when I have to "go to the bathroom" at the restaurant or in the room. As long as she does that I think I just might be able to resist the overwhelming almost carnal desire to jump into the Barney Mobile, put the pedal to the metal, and get back home just in time to wake my sleeping boy with a tickle and a kiss first thing Friday morning.

Who knew??? Who knew that motherhood meant loving someone so very very very much? Who knew?

Thanksgiving week...

What a whirlwind!!!! Thursday was lunch at La Casa de Cox. I made a sweet potatoe casserole, banana pudding (ALL homemade, of course), and a candy bar cake. Lee made the ham, and let me just say that it was ummm, ummm, good!!! Friday was an all day shopping spree that began at 2:00 am and didn't end until 6:00 that evening. It's a tradition that I share with my mom every year...what can I say??? We did take a few hours in the afternoon for a well earned nap:)! Saturday (today) was up and early for family pictures at Portrait Innovations, followed by a day of celebrations for Robbie Dobbie's birthday. He's eight years old today...I just cannnot believe it!!! Tomorrow is church first thing in the morning, followed by more cooking for the Parnell family gathering at 3:00 in the afternoon. Whew!!! If only Monday could be a day of rest for me:)!! With all that's been going on, I could certainly find lots to complain about, but I refuse. Instead, I am taking a few moments to reflect on all that I have and all that I hold dear.

God has been so good to myself and my family. I am blessed, truely blessed, with a wonderful and supportive husband. I have a beautiful and energetic son, a witty and engaging Godson, and a mother whose love is boundless. I have family members that are kind and generous with their time and resources. Why on Friday my mother-in-law baby sat Joshua to allow my mom and I to spend the day together shopping and bonding! I have friends that are always there for me, and I know that they will be there for me no matter the time of day or distance...that is, of course, if they have thier phone with them and answer it...but I'm not calling any names:). God has blessed us with a beautiful home. He has seen Lee through a difficult education and provided him with a new job in his career field. We have our health. We have our right minds. We have a merciful and graceful God that has provided a path to salvation. Both my family and myself are truely blessed. I thank God for having a family to cook for. I thank Him for giving me another year with my mother; to be able to spend time with her and create memories. I thank God for the financial blessings He has provided us to be able to go shopping. I thank Him for a family to be able to take pictures with. I thank him for the blessing of a wonderful Godson to be able to celebrate a birthday with. There is just so much to be thankful for, and I couldn't think of a better time to celebrate the many gifts in my life.

Corporate America...here Lee comes!!!

After two years of hard work, dedication, and countless sacrifices Lee is finishing his final semester of classes AND he has been offered a job as an accountant!!! I couldn't be more proud of him. He has worked so hard and persevered through so much to be here. He has made many, many sacrifices, and now his dreams are beginning to come to fruition. No more closing the store at nights and getting home after Joshua has gone to bed only to sit at the kitchen table and work on homework until 1, 2, or even later in the morning hours. No more burning the midnight oil and waking up at 4:30 and 5:00 in the morning to head out to school. No more working six to eight Friday, Saturday, and Sunday shifts in a row. It is so surreal to know that there will now be time for family dinners and quality time in the evenings, spending weekends together, and so much more.

The icing on the cake, the cream in the dough nut, the warm pie filling ... you get the picture;} ... the company that Lee is going to work for is sooo supportive of church, family, and all the values that we hold dear. A good portion of his first interview with the CEO and COO was spent talking about church, raising children, Christian schools, and other faith related topics. Knowing how rare that is in our society today, particularly for a successful corporation shows me how awesome God is. It was Lee's first call back for an interview, and his first job offer...WOW!!! A peace came over us when he interviewed for this position; a peace that only God could have provided.

Anyway, I just wanted to rave about my AWESOME hubby to everyone out there. I am sooo very proud of him. He has worked so hard to get to this point in his life, and his perseverance is just so amazing to me. He has remained dedicated to work, school, family, and faith throughout this entire process. We have certainly been tested at times, but the result of those trials is truly amazing!!

Just wanted to a add a cute pic of my boys getting ready for corporate America...lol...:)!!

Baby blues

Well, not really blues. There was just undeniable confirmation this morning that there is no bun in my currently self-cleaning oven :) !! We'll try to keep everyone informed during the process, but as of now we are frequently trying to conceive.

2 year-olds are amazing!!!

So I've been teaching Joshua to cover his mouth when he coughs. I don't want him to cought into his hands because of germs, so I teach him to cought into his elbow. Thanks to the Wiggles (Song "elbow to elbow..."), he knows quite well how to curl his little arm up and get his elbow close to his mouth. Well, anyway, after nap this afternoon I had him on the changing table checking his diapers. My elbow was close to his head. He gently took my arm, placed my elbow to his mouth and coughed on it!!! I thought I would pee my pants I laughed so hard!!!! He said, "I tuse (use) your elbow, Mommy. Tank-chew!!" The mind and action of 2 year olds are just so dang amazing to me:)!!

Like father, like son

Joshua loves his daddy. Did I say love? Let me clarify...he adores his daddy. He talks about his daddy all the time, pretends to call him on the cell phone whenever Lee's at work, and refuses to do things with mommy that are strictly daddy and Joshua activities...like bath time, for instance! There is nothing more beautiful to me than to see my darling son curl his little head into his daddy's chest and say "My Daddy". It just melts my heart and is a mental snapshot I hope I never forget!!!

Aunt Flow has issues

WARNING>>> what follows is way TMI for lots of people. Continue reading AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!

Okay, so Lee and I are trying to conceive (TTC) our second child. This is the first month that we have been trying. This upcoming week is when Aunt "Ruby Flow" is scheduled for her monthly visit. Early today I had GOOD REASON to believe that Aunt Flow was dropping by early and was CONVINCED that I was not pregnant. Well, 3 hours later I go to check on Aunt Flow and SHE"S GONE!!! I'm good with being pregnant. I'm good with not being pregnant. What I'm not good with is mixed signals. Hence my overwhelming issues with control:)!! So, despite a brief visit from my dear old Auntie, I don't have any idea whether or not I'm knocked up at this point. Arghhhh!!!!!

Generations

Just wanted to share this picture with everyone. Joshua, mom, grandma, and myself had these pictures made on October 31, just before Joshua's second birthday. There's one of all four of us, and then pictures of him in his costume:)!!

Spending the night at Meme's

Before I vent...isn't this a cute picture of JLee??? His Meme Debby took this back in October (2008). It was the first night that he spent at Meme and Papa's house. That's his daddy's blanky that he's wrapped up with ... that's just so precious to me!!!

Here goes...

Okay, so in an effort to keep everyone informed (even you anti-facebookers), I am trying my hand at this blogging thing. I'm already a bit overwhelmed by it, but we'll see how it goes. For those of you that don't know...Now that Joshua is 2 Lee and I are trying for baby #2. No news yet, but you'll know when we do :)!