88!

 

Tonight on the eve of what would have been my grandma's 88th birthday I sit reflecting on time gone by.    In the last decade I've lots many loved ones.  It seems like she's been gone so long but when I do the math it's only been 4.5 years.  My grandpa has been gone for eight.  My dad, nearly eight years as well.  Time is so tricky like that.  I miss them.  But today I miss my Grum a lot.    I wish all of my lost loved ones could be here to know their (great) grandkids.    Enjoy the technology that gives us the option to seem so much closer even though we're miles apart.   To share more time.

I reflect tonight on many things, mostly happy. To dwell on sadness of the absence would be to drowned the memories of happiness and so I press on to reflect on those happy times - and there were many.    My mom reminded me the other day of  Grandma's game with my brother and I of 'Hide the Slipper'  Grum would sit in her chair and then we would go hide one (or both!) of her house slippers (think 80-riffic slip on plastic sole, terry cloth slippers, which she'd wear through and buy several more pairs throughout my entire life)  upon us returning to her chair in the living room she would begin to guess where we hid it.  :)  Eventually she'd get it right and we'd go hide it again!  All the while she didn't have to move at all.   Genius! 

 

Grandma, rocking "selfie" pics before they were cool!

Swinging and singing were two of my favorite things to do at Grum's.  Also eating those Gerber 'hot dogs' that were baby food ones - I know I ate those way beyond being a baby.   I also usually had gum and apple juice whenever I was there.   Grum always had the same bread - it was brown (at least that was all my take away was when I was a kid.) At my house we always ate the white bread, but I would eat the brown bread at Grum's, because that's what she had.  She'd make Swedish Pancakes every time I stayed over - and I used to crawl out of the room, sneaking to surprise them, to no one's surprise - ever.  ;)

 

 

Grum knew how to laugh at herself and her laugh was infectious.   I can still hear it.  Somehow we got this bow tradition to be a regular thing for the last several Christmases of her life.  Silly, but fun.  :)   Why not? ;)

 

Grum loved to cook - she cooked nearly every meal.  She knew her dishes and she knew how to make many things.   She made a mean German Chocolate Cake, yummy!     She also was a good sport when the list was past around for the church pot luck and by the time it had gotten to her someone - every time - would have signed her up for Grandma Jello!

 

I think the one thing I am most sad to have lost is time to talk to her more about Jesus.   She became a Christian 'late in the game' when she was 30 and she latched on to study His word with great fervor and zeal.   She wore through several Bibles in the 53 years of her walk with Christ on this earth.    We buried her with 'the' Bible that she had worn out the most.   We couldn't decide who should have it - so to dust it went.  :)   We all kept a few pages from it though where she had written and underlined and reunderlined some important passages to her.    I would have loved to now that I am older to have time to sit down and talk to her. 

 

 

Grum was so happy when she learned that she was going to be a great grandma.  It was the last Christmas I spent with her was when we announced we were pregnant with Ace.    I still recall when we found out he was a boy the first thing out of her mouth was "That's ok, the next one will be a girl."    She was right!  Mae has her spunk for sure, mixed with my facial expressions and BOTH of our stubbornness... oh boy watch out.   Perhaps you do share more than Grum's middle name sweet girl!

 

So much happiness and life that we shared.   I was at her house several days a week, swinging, laughing, playing, doing puzzles, playing games,  singing to Jesus, and occasionally making cookies or learning how to cook something as I grew older.   Grum's was my first sleepover, the first place I had gum, the first place I had coffee, many lessons were instilled to me there, many memories were made, laughs were had.    While I wish she were here to celebrate being 88!  I know that her time didn't run out here, she had just finally waited long enough to go home.   Happy Birthday, Grum!  I miss you.

 

 

Halloween 2013

I'm a little late to posting, but the kids had another great Halloween!    This year we had another Superhero and this time Captain America was chosen! Mae early on chose to be a Purple Princess and as mommy hunted for a perfect little dress for her - I came up with nothing, so I made her outfit.   Piece of elastic and 4 rolls of tulle in various purples and some black and a ribbon to hold it onto her shoulders and the dress was born.   Toss on some of her regular purple clothes for layers, a little feather hair accessory and a crown and the Purple Princess was ready to go!   The kids had no issues this year in the understanding of how this whole Trick or Treat thing works and had a great time going with their friends again this year.  They even scored full sized candy bars at two different houses.   Mommy that night ate one and my little girl the next day found the evidence and was MAD.  Man did I ever get a sneer out of her!  She's so silly and sweet... and easily offended!  It was another great year of fun and silliness! 

 

Checking out their haul

Yum!

Guess I should have hidden the evidence!

Pumpkins of 2013

 

365

I have always wanted to participate in a '365 Day Photo Challenge' and as of the first of November, I am happy to say I have finally decided to do it!   If you're unfamiliar with what that means -  the general idea is to take one photo every day for a year.    In reality I probably *do* take a picture every day either via my phone or my 'big' camera anyway - it's just a matter of posting them and being mindful to do it every day.     Since this year has been a very very light year in the blogging I've decided that this would be a good challenge for me to better my skills with my camera, enhance my photography, push myself to be better in composition, and generally have a good historical look back at the 365 days of living and by extension reenergize my desire to blog. 

I went back and forth on whether to do that 365 adventure directly on this blog or to start a separate blog for it and in the end I landed on a separate space found here.   You can find a link for it up at the button bar - it's conveniently labeled "365" and you can locate all the pictures there.   

If you'd like to join the journey with me and do the 365 day challenge then start today, tomorrow, whenever!  There are no rules!  To find others embarking on this adventure - you can find several via Click it Up a Notch!

And just because they are so cute, here's a shot of my littles!

Fall is here!

It's my favorite time of year!   I love the colors, I love the fallen leaves, I love the chill in the air!    It's also my favorite time of year for photography!     Enjoy!

The Final Frontier of Potty Training!

Yes, the time has come once again in this household for potty training!   Although it began without my desire to do so just yet.  I know I know - it will be way easier in the end when she is potty trained, but I just was enjoying a few more months of not dealing with the hassle.  But in my attempt to play the Diaper Roulette game of running out of diapers and the wait time for the next delivery - I lost.   Last diaper used (except for the hold backs that I had for bedtime)   and so I broke out the Pull-Ups... and well she told me she needed to use the potty and she went!     Then a little while later she said she needed to go again... and she did!   She clearly was ready!

And so it began a week before she turned 33 months old, Mae began potty training.   I had previously stocked up on some padded underwear, broke out the blankets to be sat out,  babylegs to keep her warm, and began the every 10 minute nag reminders to try going potty.    Since she had already had the early success of going in the potty, she kinda had an idea of the feeling.    The first day we had wet training pants as she would not hold it long enough to go all in the potty, so we slowly went from a 50/50 to 30/70 into the potty by the end of Day One.    Pretty darn good.    

With Ace I was adamant to not use Pull Ups once we began the potty training except for at naptime and bedtime.   We also 1.  avoided going anywhere for several days, 2. He was a boy and if we were outdoors he just went outside, 3.  He was older (we went full force right after he turned 3) and followed instructions a bit better than sister.       So for Mae my sanity we have engaged Pull Ups into the equation of potty training this time a bit more frequently.   

Like most kids Mae does not want to go poop in the potty.  This means that in the morning or around naptime she'll usually go in her Pull Up.   This is trending similarly to Ace had when he began to potty train.    Mae has had success a few time to use the potty for poop (oh yes, on the potty training post of course we talk about that.)  In fact on the first night of full blown potty training she said her tummy hurt and she sat down and went right away!  Hooray! 

Our incentive program is the same that we did for Ace when he was potty training.  We have a doorknob hanger and stickers that she gets to put on whenever she goes - a little one for peeing and a big one for going poop.   The first few days she had a sticker every time she went (Brother enjoyed counting all her stickers.  Brother also is an awesome encourager for Mae and her progress.  The first time she went he was right in there with us telling sister she had done a great job!)    As time has gone on in the last week and a half she isn't seeking a sticker after every time she goes pee.   She does however love to show us she went.    She also has Bear go with her on his potty next to her.  

Day two of potty training happened to be a Sunday and Mae went to church in a Pull Up.   We told her teacher it was Day Two of PT and to help us out but no worries if it didn't work.    Mae informed her teacher when asked if she needed to go that she only uses the potty at home.  Hmm... there was an accident of course, but that's ok.    After church I did get her to sit on the potty but with no success and quite a bit of protest.     This past week though she did much better, still armed in a Pull Up.  She told her teacher she needed to go, but teacher said she tried but didn't go. (I think she just didn't make it, as it was wet when I checked.)  After church was over I asked again if she needed to go and she went with me and I held her on the big potty and she went!   Progress!  HOORAY!

Mommy admits the Pull Ups are part lazy, part furniture protection, part make-it work sanity protection.  Mae tends to be a tad more stubborn and outright refuses to go sometimes - resulting in the accidents.  Much easier to deal with in the Pull Up.   Much easier to go to the store with two kids if I still am not fearing an accident.    I know I know I have to break free from them soon(ish) and I will... but with my stubborn girl, we're building up to it.    Yesterday, I noticed she was becoming lazy again and had more accidents than previous days in the Pull Ups, so again this morning we're back to the padded underwear while we're home. 

Yesterday, I acquired the Nighttime Pull Ups and so as of yesterday we are 100% officially done with diapers! You heard it here first after FIVE YEARS, ONE MONTH, and TWENTY DAYS we are a diaper free household!!!!  Ahem I digress... Nighttime Pull Ups: Now if she needs to go potty before she falls asleep she doesn't need our help to put the diaper back on.   She's been averaging 2xs after we put on the diaper at night telling us she needs to go potty - which is GREAT that she's acknowledging the feeling, holding it, and going in the potty!  Hooray!  

The deal remains the same for Mae as it was for Ace - when she remains dry all day with no accidents - she gets to go to the store and pick out her very first pairs of big girl underwear.    We're not there yet, but yesterday while at the store we went and looked at them for some added incentive.  They have Doc McStuffin, people! She's serious now!  ;) Overall she's doing great.  She tells me when she needs to go if she isn't somewhere she can do it herself.   She remembers all on her own to go and makes it 80% of the time by holding it, and she has stayed dry over 50% of the time during her naps.   

"I went potty all by myself!!"

Next up is getting her more acclimated with the big potty, she's so tiny though I am more hesitant with than I was with Ace.    So baby steps for Mae and Mommy.

So while we're diaper free, we are not yet disposable product free just yet... but we should be during the daytime before Christmas and that is all that my goal is at the moment.    Super proud of our little girl and she is super proud of herself!!!  Great job, Mae Mae!  You're growing up so fast!

Ten on Ten - October

It's been a long time since I have participated in 10 on 10 and so with my cell phone camera in hand (with the exception of two shots that I was trying my macro lens filters that ultimately were the wrong size... fooey!!)   I wanted to play with angles, texture, and lighting so some of these photos aren't super awesome - but they were fun to explore exposure and focusing abilities with the cell phone camera.  :)    So for a very wacky look at my day yesterday here it is!

 

Homework before school

Experiments with milk, food dye, and dish soap for Mae while Ace was in school

A braid for my girl after her shower

Picking up brother from school

Playing with lens filters

Not much in focus, but I love the colors :)

Wacky perspective of watching a movie with the kids :)

Screenshot from the video I filmed of Ace running 100 laps around the house.
(No siblings were injured in the making of this film!)

Date night!   Seeing Gravity with Loving Husband!



Late night happy hour after the movie!

For more Ten on Ten stop by A Bit of Sunshine!