Blessed

Bros II

Today Merritt really started to assert his personality.

The boys played a hugging game today with each other while I was on the phone. They both thought it was hysterical! At least I am getting some laughs in before the fighting starts between the two of them (Merritt is already trying to take Evy's food). Sibling rivalry BEGIN!

Chick-fil-a and Me

Have you ever watched kids playing on a play structure and said to yourself,"I hope I never have to go up there and rescue anyone." I have, about a bajillion times, and, yeah, you know where this is going.

Chick-fil-a and I have a somewhat tenuous relationship. I don't appreciate all the misspelled words in the establishment, something about environmental print and whatnot. I am a bit sick of their limited use of chicken. But, they have the best of the "fast food" out there, healthwise; Everett loves to play on the play structures; Erik, especially, loves the lemonade.

This evening was a bit harder for Everett with Erik not being around to play. I decided to let Evy pick what was for dinner . . . and we ended at Chick-fil-a. Our local chicken providing establishment has one of the most intricate and highest play structures I have ever seen. [Erik always calls me OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) because up until the past few years most playscapes looked like death traps, and I would be the first to critique them.] Our structure is very clean, very OSHA friendly, and Erik said that Everett made it to the top last time and slid down the slide.

So, off he went to play while I sat on the bench to entertain Merritt.

Tonight, Everett did make it to the top (the top has to be around 15-18 feet up). I thought his goal was to slide down. There were lots of kids playing around, climbing up the slide, and screaming. So, I knew it would take some time. Well, it took too long. The time to feed Merritt came and went, and it was time to get Everett out of there and go home.

I called his name.

I cajoled.

I cheered.

I counted.

I waited.

I tried to problem solve.

I said I was leaving and left the room (to this he said cheekily,"Bye, Mom").

I called his name repeatedly.

I counted again.

I asked the older kids to help.

I waited and called, in vain, for him to come down.

I exchanged looks and comments with other moms and wondered at what point I needed to go up.

Other moms came to investigate: Is it the four year old blonde boy at the top?

Me: Yeah, but he is two, he is just big for his age.

(BTW, with how this structure is designed, you can't see the kids at all times. There are lots of places where they are hidden from your view. I have now added this problematic element to my OSHA criteria.)

Supportively, the other moms started to say to their kids: Stay down here until he comes down, Stop screaming, Get back here, Don't climb up the slide, I said not to scream, No--you need to wait until we get him down.

20 minutes after I started, in vain, to get him to come down, I decided I had to go up.

I am SIX feet tall. I've got a little extra post-pregnancy love around my middle. In all, I am not a small woman. (if you are over 54 inches, you aren't supposed to play on the structure the sign says). You know that the openings to climb through get smaller the higher up the structure you go. ye-ah.

I climbed that play structure, trying not to expose my entire belly to EVERYONE in Chick-fil-a who was now watching some grown woman climb the stupid thing with 8 kids running and climbing around her. Found Everett. Asked what the problem was and he said,"Wanna slide but poopoo."

The boy wanted to go down the slide; he was right by the opening, poised to go, but he didn't want to slide because he had POOPOO in his pants.

I gave him the choice to slide with poopoo or climb down. He tried to slide. I cheered him on, but he just couldn't do it.

So, with a John Wayne swagger (remember the poopoo), he started to climb down the structure. Midway down he decided he wanted to go back up, and I let him know that in no uncertain or certain terms was he going to do that. So, he started crying and calling for dada and screaming about how he missed his dada.

And, yes, Merritt is bawling his eyes out the entire time.

And you know what bothers me the most, it isn't the crying. I hate heights and never want to have to climb through those multilevel structures again. I had to slither my body through the levels because I am so long.

And, we had a thorough debriefing when we got home about what happened. Don't underestimate the 2 year old. They know a lot more than one would expect.

Chills and Thrills

We had a pretty cool week. Cooking night with Debbie also included a friend from Italy who is living in the States for a couple of years. It was fun to compare notes with her on cooking and learning about what it is like to live here for her.

We ended the week by going to the farmer's market that opened this weekend in downtown McKinney. It was really cute. Evy and Erik took a stagecoach ride through town. We also walked to the library (checked out the "potty" book kit) and strolled through the downtown square before heading home.

Erik's total Thrill was being able to attend an NBA playoff game--San Antonio Spurs vs the Dallas Mavericks, the Mavs won. Erik's Chill came in the form of a pulled back. Getting old just is a pain.

Sheila's week started with her Chill. She reinjured her neck again. And she is totally putting off seeing the back doctor. MRIs, epidural shots, and multiple doctor visits are in her future, but she is in denial.

Evy met a new friend this past week and he *loves* his friends. He is now 2 and a half and we are amazed by him everyday. Everett also talks about "Max" the dog. He even bought a bone for him and requested a visit. Grandpa and Grandma were happy to have us over so that the two of them (Max and Everett) could play together.

Merritt is now 5 months old. I can't believe that we have been in Texas three months already.










We've got some amazing stuff happening this week. Or, it is planned to happen this week. Look for an update after Friday on what we've been doing.

At Play . . . On Safari

We've been going on adventures in one of our play tents. Amazingly, you can get a lot of people in this thing. Our favorite thing to do is "spot" animals from the enclosed tent. The bigger the animal the better. Everett has been enjoying it so much that he is sleeping in it full-time now.

At the Ball Park

Last night we were able to go see the Frisco RoughRiders play the Arkansas Travelers. We had a great time watching these farm teams play. It was much easier navigating this smaller ball park than a larger one (you were able to bring your stroller and the crowd was very manageable for having your toddler walk around). Dinner was amazing (Erik scored the tickets through work). The seats were great for a two year old who LOVES "BallBat" or "TBall" as he sometimes refers to it.

Everett is about baseball, all about it.

Uncle Apple and Aunt Debbie came out for the game and we had a great time eating, watching the game, dancing, and just hanging out.

Hello, Wrestling Alligators

You know those days when the sun sets and you feel like dropping into a fave chair hoping to not get up until you are darn ready? Those days where everything seemed to be constantly thrown at you, or challenges were overwhelming, circumstances seemed to be falling apart, and even the small things seemed to be snowballing into chaos?

It was because you were wrestling with alligators. Yep, alligators. And, hello, alligators are 10-19 feet long and around 1,000 pounds. So, of course, you'll be tired physically and mentally beaten and maybe even emotionally spent from all that effort. You know, the effort to avoid being eaten.

Alligators can be found in singles if they are large or groups if they are smaller in size. Not surprising, right? Life events that challenge you come along in clusters and one at a time. I prefer the one at a time kind, but then it always is a ginormous alligator, even if it is alone.

Alligators can move rapidly in short bursts on land. In the water, they are very strong and silent swimmers. So, no matter where you are, you aren't immune to the possible threat of an alligator, on land or by sea. Challenges of everyday life are real for everyone whether the challenge comes at work, at home, or simply at the grocery store. Everyone has alligators. (Yes, everyone. Even the lady with the perfect children and the perfect manicure and the perfect job and the perfect spouse. Yes, even her.)

Depending on the time of year, alligators can spend several hours underwater. Or they will lay quietly without moving, with only their eyes and nostrils above water. While they are staying still, they can look like logs. Hello, ever feel like the alligator is lying in wait? It is because often times you don't see the alligator coming. You don't see the next turn that life has for you. If you are like me, you have a PLAN of what will happen next. But, alligators don't care about Sheila's plan. Challenges come along willy nilly sometimes as a natural consequence to an action or sometimes as a "growth opportunity" provided by our Heavenly Father.

They are considered "ambush predators". They stay underwater, near the banks until they can reach their prey. Then they quickly lunge, grab their target and drag the prey underwater to drown it. Like, hello, again. You can't predict when an alligator is going to strike. You can do the best you can to send scouts ahead, to stay inside the house, to avoid looking like a tasty morsel, and it doesn't matter. You will experience the unexpected challenge. The question is, do you have skills to wrestle that alligator?

Skills? Skillz? Of course, you have skills. (I mean, you do have skills, right? Because I won't always be there to beat off the alligator with a rolled up newspaper or be able to have that handy hunk of an exterminator dude with the rad mullet over to catch the alligator for you.)

Here is a short list of the skills that can save your life when wrestling with alligators:

• Asking someone else for help and helping others. Hello, I'd rather take on my alligators with at least a couple of people with me. And, I know that you feel the same, too.
• Having a sense of humor. Okay, so the alligator got your hand. Hooks are up and coming and many a movie has been made with one.
• Praying and meditating.
• Eating and sleeping well. You are faster when in shape and fully rested.
• Keeping things in perspective. In the last 100 years of recordkeeping there have been only 30 confirmed deaths. Since 1948, there have only been 16 deaths. So, seriously, you most likely will not die from your alligator(s). Given that tidbit, things are looking up! But, hello, I am not the best with perspective looking. I have to force myself to determine the WORST case scenario and then talk it through with someone to determine that what I am going through is not the worst.

Not only are alligators Florida's native apex predators, but they are a keystone species as well. A keystone species is a species that has a certain behavior that benefits other species and environments in their natural habitats. Without this keystone behavior, the environment and the all the species in the area will be in peril. Sometimes I hate to admit it, but challenges--our life's alligators--are key to our development and growth. I'm the first to complain all the way through it, but, you could say that they are a keystone to development. So, have you hugged your alligator today?

Thank you for indulging me.

Facts in Italics Taken From Suncoast Herpetological Society

The Reveal

The Before

After the deliberation, an extensive consult with the hair stylist, and a haircut that almost took 1 and a half hours, I didn't go quite as long as I wanted to for this cut. Evidently, the curl that I have, that I didn't have before having Everett several years ago, would be too much for a short cut. And, indeed, when I don't go totally straight when I style it, my hair is a good 2 inches shorter because of the curl. And, yes, I was charged more than I was initially quoted because I have thick hair.

The After

And this is Everett; he wanted to pose, too.

At Play . . . with Aunt Debbie (or Bena)

With Bated Breath

The results of the hair poll are in . . . and after tabulating the email responses, the voting poll, and the messages on our guestbook, I have the top two and am ready them take it to the salon.

Stay tuned and have a great Friday!

"Yes, I'm Still In My 30s" Birthday Bash

Friday, the day before Erik's birthday, we started off the festivities with some par-taying.

This is Chef Evy as he has just finished whipping up some cupcakes. Chef Evy and Chef Mommy spent a couple of days making cupcakes, a white chocolate glazed cheesecake, and crepes and more crepes.

YUM!


This is what the birthday boy was doing a couple of minutes before his party. And, yes, that spot on the outside of window had been bothering him for WEEKS! No, he didn't fall into the bushes, but we were all watching.


Everyone was ready for the birthday cake!


Mom, I'm BUSY!

I think that we had around 12 kids and 12 adults in our witty-bitty apartment. The kids took some time to roll down the hills and bounce around the indoor basketball court.

Everyone had a great time!


For his birthday dinner, we went to a Moroccan place in Dallas. It was unexpectedly the roughest meal ever. The most redeeming part of the meal: the appetizers and desserts. Debbie and Arthur watched the kids so that we could have an almost child-free meal. In all, Erik had a great time; so, that is what counts.

Happy Birthday, Erik!

Merritt at 5 Months

STATS

height--27 inches long

weight-19 and a half pounds (by our very inaccurate scale)

clothing size--6 to 12 months

Mr. Merritt loves to MOVE, MOVE, MOVE! He'll still do some rolling back and forth (mainly to get a view of the action, particularly the tellie). Right now he wants to stand and bounce on his feet. He is a fan of the neglectasaucer or exersaucer, and he wants to be doing his own thing now, not content to just follow along with the gang.


He laughs and laughs, particularly when we tickle him. He enjoys telling a good story with squeaks, squeels, and jabber. His latest move is to throw himself with a terribly strong arching movement to see the ceiling or in protest of the nap.


He loves attention, evidence of this is that he wants attention in the middle of the night. If you are holding something, he wants to have it, too and put it in his mouth to check it out.

The start of solids (and "smelly poop" as Erik said). It took a couple of weeks to get used to it, but he is enjoying the food.

One of my favorite parts of the day is when I go fetch him from his bed. Usually, he has this great big smile on his face. He loves to smile at people and will smile until he catches your eye almost like he wants to make sure you see how happy he is to be with you.

Easter Weekend

The Boys on Easter Morning.

And, yes, I looked great but for some reason we didn't get a picture.

And, yes, they are wearing matching ties.

The following shots were taken at our church's Easter egg hunt.

Everett loved running out in the open to get the eggs.

He found 5 eggs (we were supposed to bring 12 from each family).

Stuff isn't important to Everett. (I was the one counting.)

So, when he came across a boy crying because he couldn't find anymore eggs, Everett gladly handed over one. (At which time we saw that the kid must have had like 25 eggs in his basket.)

Everett shares; well, he usually does.

This picture was from an egg hunt we had at home. He and his cousins were going to hunt together, but Everett was sick that morning. Thanks, Debbie and Mandy for the Easter egg goods to hunt!