A Cautionary Tale

This is a cautionary tale. Listen. Up.

Monday Newbie and Miss Mowgli and I went for a walk.  It was a beautiful day, so we skipped out on nap and opted for some ice cream and a stroll around town.

(Please note the amount of hair happening here.  Because you may or may not see it again.)

When we got home, I was high on sunshine and warm temperatures.  We've been fighting some chilly weather up here, and I was thrilled to finally have some spring weather to enjoy.  We went straight from our ice cream stroll to the backyard.  

That's when I noticed that Newbie seriously needed a haircut.  The Hubs had been saying it for weeks, but it always takes me a little longer to agree because I don't gauge the need for a haircut by the same "its longer than a quarter inch" criteria.  But I was lookin' at my boy and thinking it was really time to get him in for a haircut.

That's when the Hubs would say "the monkeys took over," otherwise known as the Pregnancy Crazy.  The Pregnancy Crazy is a dangerous combination of hormones and being the size of a house that renders all common sense void.  Pregnancy brain is a real thing, people, and it makes normal people crazy nuts 99.873% of the time over the course of nine months.  

Given that I had a bad case of Pregnancy Crazy at the time, I'd like to say it was out of my control.  After all, the monkeys had clearly moved to the helm.

I looked at Newbie.  I looked at his hair.  And then I remembered that it was a sunny day.  And his daddy has a pair of hair clippers in the bathroom from all the home-jobs the Hubs does on his own noggin.  So I told Newbie to sit down at the picnic table because Momma was done gonna give him a haircut.  Who wants to pay 12 bucks for a toddler haircut when its sunny outside and you can just whack it off yourself in the backyard with your husband's clippers?  

Not the monkeys.

I couldn't find the guards for the clippers, so I reasoned if I kept a steady hand, I could keep the length of his hair longer than the bare clipper would allow if I set it right against his head.  Yes, I am an idiot.  

Newbie rested his head on his arms against the picnic table top and sat perfectly still, entrusting his sweet locks to his high-on-sunshine-and-pregnancy-hormones mother.  Even now the guilt of seeing him sit so trustingly at that table makes me sick to my stomach.  Because what happened next was I discovered I do not, in fact, have a steady hand, and you cannot, in fact, wish hair back onto a scalp after it falls onto the patio.  Two bald landing strips above his right ear.  That's as far as I got before I came to and realized I was SERIOUSLY butchering the do-it-yourself haircut.  

You could have landed two planes on the sections I carved out over his ear. 

That's when my palms got sweaty.  And I started getting heart palpitations. And I began to panic as I realized there was no turning back because YOU CAN'T PUT HAIR BACK ON after you buzz it off like a maniac.  

So I went inside.  And I looked a little harder.  And I found a couple guards for the buzzer.  (Good thing I didn't look a little harder earlier, huh?  GEEZ.)  I came back out to my patiently waiting son at the picnic table.  If it weren't for the panic, I would have cried endless tears right then and there because that sweet boy had no idea what his mother had just done to his previously rad long hair, and the trust he extended to me despite my clipper crazy was more than I could take.  But the panic brought with it a wave of adrenaline and the mother-guilt-ridden tears were held at bay for the time being.

I went at it again with a guard on the clippers, and I managed to clean up the rest of his 'do without completely shaving him, but the two landing strips I created with the bare clipper stood out like a sore thumb.  Also, his hair looked like it belonged on a rabid squirrel.  Patchy.  Uneven.  Patchy. A tuft here, a nick there. Patchy.  

I resigned myself to the reality that I was going to have to unleash the Hubs on our son and let him give Newbie the buzz cut he's been asking to don on his heir since the little guy turned two.  Because, really, I had already jumped the gun and given him a renegade buzz cut anyway.

And also, how do you tell your husband he can't give your son a buzz cut when you took it upon yourself to go monkey crazy with the clippers while he was away at work?

Nothing could be done.  We had to buzz him.  I went off to Bible study Monday night, and while I was gone, the Hubs pursued damage control.  And he did a great job. 

But I miss Newbie's hair. 

The next morning when I asked Newbie what he did with Daddy while I was at Bible study the night before, he replied: "Daddy fix my bad haircut. He give me hair like Daddy's.  ...But I want big hair like you, Momma."

And so I cried forever.  The end.

Moral of the story: Keep the monkeys away from the clippers. Also, don't wear mascara if you're going to ask your son how he likes the horrible haircut you gave him.  You're gonna come out of that conversation looking like a melting raccoon.

The good news is, Newbie's got a heart and personality that far outweigh a bad haircut.  Homeboy's rocking the buzz and had me in stitches this morning at the grocery store while he worked out a "God is so good"/"Lion King" mash up melody while he sang to the cucumbers.  Even without those sandy blond curls, he's a little more than awesome.

Another perk: hair grows back.  So at least we have that going for us.

Baseballs and a Birthday

I can't believe we have a three year old running around this house these days.  He is so. very. big.

The weekend before last we celebrated this guy with a baseball birthday party.  We had so much fun!  Several of Newbie's friends came over to play with their mamas and daddies, and some sweet family came to celebrate with us as well.

We got SNOWED OUT this year (what?! in April?!? yuck.), so we hosted most of the festivities in our not-yet-finished basement.   Not the same as running around in the backyard, but we did throw peanut shells on the floor, so there was a hint of authenticity to the experience. =)

We served hotdogs and had Lunchables for the kiddos, with Capri Suns and lemonade.  We kept it simple because who wants to sit around eating when you could be swinging a baseball bat?!  Coach Daddy-O led the kids in some batting and throwing practice, and we had them run the bases on the field my man painted on our not-yet-carpeted basement floor. Newbie had a blast, and it was fun to watch all these kids we've known since they were bitsy follow directions and stand in line to wait their turn for each game...they've all gotten so big!

(Party animals waiting for family and friends to arrive)

(Birthday boy checking out all the fun baseball stuff that popped up in the house overnight)

(Cracker Jack party favors, of course)

(Swiper!)

(We asked guests to sign Newbie's birthday game ball and will keep it as a treasure in his new baseball bedroom)

(Gigi did it again this year with an amazing birthday cake complete with cupcakes...YUM!)

(Baseball bats and balls as party favors for the rookies)

(Let the batting practice begin!)

(See?  All lined up and waiting patiently...this did not happen two years ago, folks)

(Free for all!)

(Three is for pinatas!...or "pin-ah-dah" in Newbie language.)

(Some of these littles knew what was up when it came to their pinata haul...Newbie was new at the whole thing and walked away with a bag only half full-a kazoo and a couple packs of fruit snacks. Hehe)

(We snagged a team picture before we dug into the birthday cake...it took us a bit, but we got one!)

(A little in awe that everyone was singing The Birthday Song to him! ...and hi there, Miss Mowgli)

(Chow. down.)

Post party this happened:

A Jeep just like Grandad's.  This kid has been "driving" his grandad's Jeep in the garage since he was 9 months old.  Now he's got his very own, and I have a feeling playing in the backyard will never be the same. It was a happy happy happy birthday!

*****

We celebrated with family and friends on Saturday, and then had some special time with just us and our boy on Sunday.  It was birthday pancakes before church and then a trip to the Children's Museum in the afternoon.  Newbie had such a ball at the museum; he ran from activity to activity, not stopping for more than a minute at each before moving to the next.  Homeboy kept us busy, and it was such fun to watch him enjoy his special day!

(You better believe it, dude.  Those are candles in your pancakes.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!)

(He had mastered the art of blowing out candles by birthday celebration Day Two)

Three has brought with it so much joy so far.  Three is faster and sweeter and wilder, and we're loving it!  Big brother is such a light in our lives, and we are so excited to see him interact with his little sister.  He is already so sweet with her when he talks to my belly, and he's constantly talking about what he wants to share with her and teach her.  He sings to her and laughs with her without telling us the joke- its such a blessing to see the bond these two already have! I have no doubt he's going to adjust really well to having a new friend in the house.  After all, we've been waiting a long time for a little sister to play with! =)

Thanks for stopping by and have a happy Monday, friends!

Three.

We're celebrating our sweet boy's THIRD birthday this weekend!!!

I don't know how three happened.

I can still the softness of those tiny pink toes and hear the little goat noises he made in those first weeks at home.

But three did happen...and he's talking and running and laughing, and we are living life with a fullness that is more than we could have ever hoped for.  This boy is all things love and fun and happy. He is rough and tumble and snuggles and sweetness. The perfect balance of wild and tender.

Three is awesome.

And we love our little three to bits and pieces.

He has made our world 10,000 times brighter.

Happy Birthday, Newbie!!!

This. Girl.

While the rain falls outside the window this morning, my little family is praising God for the sweet three pound whopper we saw at our ultrasound yesterday! =)

I was a ball of nerves before our appointment yesterday afternoon. We don't take healthy babies and good news for granted over here, and I think I just know way too much about how quickly one ultrasound can turn our world upside down.  I knew God would take care of us whether we received good news or hard news, but just to keep it real: I really really really wanted it to be good news. =)

(Pre-appointment...big belly.  Big nerves. ...Shout out to my MIL who graciously picked up the chaos that was all those toys in the background of this pic last night!)

I was so overwhelmed with joy and gratitude when our ultrasound tech talked us through each normal measurement and told us our girl was growing right on track.  I almost lost it when she told us Miss Mowgli is actually a big girl, weighing in at a half pound over average for where we're at right now.  We. will. take. it! Keep growing and packing on those pounds, Baby Girl! When she popped up the 3D ultrasound view and I recognized her brother in those chubby little cheeks, my heart melted into praises and I couldn't stop smiling.

(The cuteness of that nose is enough to undo me.  She's got the same nose as her big brother and big sister.  And those cheeks?! )

Its too wonderful.  I can't believe she's mine.

We are so full of gratitude.  And so looking forward to snuggling this girl soon.

An enormous thank you and a big hug to each of you who have been praying for our little lady and our family.  I can't tell you how much it means to us or how encouraging it is to know there are some of you our there still following our story and rooting for us even though I don't show up to update the blog nearly as often as I used to. =)  Thanks for sticking with my little crew- we so appreciate you and are forever grateful for the prayers!

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Playing Catch Up

Happy Easter!!!

We had a wonderful time celebrating as a family yesterday, and I've got the pictures to prove it:

(Easter is a big deal at our house.  Cue big breakfast with the siblings.)

(Someone spied the melon and decided waiting was overrated. Note the coffee cup in hand.  Brother loves him a splash (read: drop) of coffee with the grown-ups.)

(Hello, Miss Mowgli! And hello, awesome green pants.)

(I love my people.)

(He is kind of my favorite.)

(The Hubs is a big fan too.)

(So out of focus, but you can still spy that sweet boy's smile!)

(We had lunch with Newbie's Grandma and Grandpa...Grandma knows how to throw down a great Easter egg hunt and a serious lunch spread! We had a lot of fun.)

(Real. life.)

We wrapped up our Easter celebration with a sunset visit to Jubilee's spot.  Newbie picked out some flowers at the store (tulips- my favorite!) and sang over his little sister.  I'll never tire of watching his innocence and joy in this place.  We tell him his little sister is in Heaven, and Brother gets it.  He sees Jubilee's story with Jesus' eyes, and I hope he always knows the Truth of grace and love and the sweet gift of Easter. We have so much to learn from little ones.

It was a precious way to end our Easter Sunday.

*****
So much has been going on in my neck of the woods outside of this Easter weekend.

And I realize I left some of you hanging on the binky saga.

Let me fill you in: it was brutal.

BRUTAL.

However, two days, three nights, and lots of tears later (Newbie's and mine- ha!) we came out on the other side. And homeboy moved into a big boy bed.

(He's getting a bedroom overhaul for his birthday, so the walls have already changed color since this picture was taken, and there's new bed stuff in the works too.  Birthday boy is psyched...)

I just pummeled through the transition and didn't think too hard about how we were moving the crib and packing up his nursery stuff.  Sometimes you just have to head down and power through if you don't want to get swept away in an ocean of hormones and sentiments.

It helped that we got to move the crib right next door for Little Sister. =)

Potty training, binky outta here, and a move to the big boy bed.  We whacked them all off the to-do list in about two weeks, and Newbie has been a champ about it!

In other news, Miss Mowgli and I are officially into our third trimester.  WAHOO!  This is the home stretch, baby.  Homegirl gave us a scare last week with some serious contractions that didn't go away and ended up landing us in the hospital.  I was NOT on top of my mental game that day.  Being in the maternity ward way too early brought on some intense feelings of deja vu, as it was exactly where I was this time last year.  I was in and out of triage with contractions with Jubilee all the time, and there I was again, this time with Miss Mowgli.  So very thankful to report she looked great, and I was just told that I'm one of the lucky ladies who contracts throughout pregnancy and will have to come in each time I have more than six contractions in an hour because we'll just not know if its the real deal unless we get monitored.  Six times in an hour doesn't happen all the time, but it is safe to say its not entirely out of the question that we might find ourselves there again for a quick check.  We're just hoping if it happens again its as uneventful as it was last week. =) Every week I find myself giving Mowgli a little high five and thanking God that we're one step closer to full-term.  One step at a time!

Next week we have another big ultra sound to check in and make sure Mowgli's growth is still on track and that there's nothing to be concerned about.  I'm thankful for the appointment and looking forward to seeing our little lady again.  So far, so good, and we would so appreciate your prayers that we get more good news for Miss Mowgli next week. =)  Thank you!!!

As we countdown to Go Time, we are scrambling to pull everything together around the house.  By 5 months along with Newbie I had his nursery ready to rock and roll.  HA HA HA.  Right now, Mowgli's nursery looks like the town dump. We've got a ways to go. The good news is that the basement is almost finished so we'll be able to move lots of stuff up and into the basement soon.  I'm looking forward to having a little more space and a good spot to stash toys besides Miss Mowgli's crib.

The other thing we have on our radar is Newbie's THIRD birthday party in a couple weeks.  I don't know how we are already looking at three.  Three?!  When did that happen???  I can't believe he's gotten so big so fast.  He is such a treasure, and we have so much fun laughing and hanging out with our big boy.  He's got baseball on the brain, so a baseball party it is.  Birthday party planning is my happy place- I'm having a good time. =)

("Mommy, yook at my big muscles. I am berry frong!")

Someday I'm going to have to fill a post with Newbie-isms.  It gets so much better than "berry frong". Three is going to be awesome.

I think that covers where we're at these days.  Busy counting down to Newbie's big birthday and Miss Mowgli's arrival.  These kiddos keep me on my toes. =)

Wishing you all a blessed week!