Apr 14, 2010 | The Parenthood, Top Ten Lists
Dear Bear Bear,
We had a really special week last week. I decided to record it here on my blog so that perhaps ten years from now you can come back and read it and laugh with me. I like doing Top Ten Lists, which probably makes no sense to you right now, but at least the other readers can enjoy it in the meantime.*
These were the Top Ten Special Moments we had with special little you, just last week.
10. You decided to stop going in your dishwasher box play house to use your pretend cell phone. Instead you walked around the house holding it to your ear and saying Hey-low? Hay-yo? Hay-low? It was a new week’s worth of evidence to your Mom and Dad that you’re pretty much a genius.
"Have you run the numbers yet? Well then I'm gonna have to get back to you on that."
9. I was feeling sick on Thursday and stayed in bed most of the day. When your Dad got you up from your nap, you walked right into my bedroom, waved your tiny hand at me, and said “Hey!” It was the highlight of my day.
8. You yawned in my face one night and it was the first time I’d ever smelled you have bad breath. It was very endearing and sweet, fortunately. I feel like a Mom for remembering and appreciating that.
7. You decided to give a glass full of very red drink a good shake, and it managed to creatively decorate one little sleeve of your white long sleeve top. It also managed to creatively decorate my prayer journal.
6. And the floor and my grocery receipts.
5. Oh yeah, and my laptop.
4. You learned to sign “sorry” last week, and although developing this knowledge was unrelated to the previously mentioned incidents, it has been really precious to see you say you’re sorry when you do something you shouldn’t. If there’s anything folks need to learn how to say, it’s I’m sorry, so I think you’re off to a good start. What’s really delightful is that you often sign it with both hands at the same time, so I think you’re indicating that you’re really sorry. Good Bear!
3. I have no idea why, but you had copious amounts of gas last week. Your Dad and I found it hilarious, and once you realised that, I think you decided to keep tooting as much as you could just for the laughs. At least the gas didn’t make you unpleasant. It sure was funny.
It Wasn't Me
2. You gave me a fat lip last week. WWF style. I mean you really tackled me with a head butt and I had to get up and walk away to overcome the urge to cry at my throbbing lip. Man, you’re growing up fast!
1. You woke up from two naps super grumpy, which is unusual for you, but you decided the best way to overcome those grump-grumps was to let me hold you and rub your back. You never sit still with me for that long unless we’re reading or watching Veggie Tales! I was teary-eyed enjoying those special moments with your little head resting on my chest. I’m glad you’re not a grumpy bear, but I sure don’t mind getting to cuddle you for a while!
All in all, Bear Bear, it was a pretty special week. And even though you almost killed my MacBook, I’ve never loved you more. Thanks for bringing our lives so much sparkle!
Lots of Love,
Mom
*The other readers might also be happy to know my MacBook is up and running again! Hooray!
Mar 3, 2010 | Baby Photos, Stories
At first I spelled that “Sneek Peak” and then stared at it and wondered why spell check didn’t agree with me. Anyway! When it rains it pours. And yesterday, the gift heard ’round the world arrived. And. We received not one, not two, but THREE packages from the States on the same day. Crazy, I know.
I have to make much ado about it and put together a big long post because #1 There’s a great testimony behind it. #2 Do you know how much it costs to send anything from the States to South Africa? #3 My Mom is awesome and you could probably create a whole other blog just about her. #4 My friend Amiee sent a surprise gift (three weeks earlier) which miraculously arrived on the same day and was also DELIGHTFUL. #5 Who doesn’t want to see pictures of a second Christmas, in March?
Now a post like that is gonna take some time to put together. I mean I have pictures of the Fed Ex delivery guys for you and everything. And you are probably aware that I’m not good at making a long story short. But in the meantime, I thought I’d give you a Sneak Peek (or a Sneek Peak if you rather) because this picture was just too darlin’ not to throw up on the internet asap. Â So here’s your Sneek Peak!
Now you can get back to whatever it was you were up to before this came across your screen, and I’ll have some more Christmas-in-March-delights to share with you soon.
xCC
Mar 2, 2010 | Travel..ling Tuesdays
There’s some great stuff happening in our neck of the woods! The gift heard ’round the world should finally arrive this afternoon, and I’m looking forward to posting pictures and sharing the backstory of how the Lord came through when it finally gets here! In the meantime this Travelling Tuesday I thought I’d share a few shots from our visit with our dear friends, the Youngs, who are in town from Scotland right now.
Rob is originally from South Africa, Brenda is originally from Scotland, and they ministered here in South Africa for many moons before the Lord called them to Scotland, to plant a church (the church that Mark and I were a part of!) They’re a great couple! They did a bit of our premarital counseling and were kind of like surrogate grandparents for the Bear when we lived in Edinburgh. 🙂 We miss them very much!
We went out to visit them in Pringle Bay on Friday and a few lovely shots were of course captured along the way! Pringle Bay is not too far down the road, and it boasts a beautiful and interesting rock feature that I am sorry to say I didn’t get pictures of, called Hangklip, which translated from Afrikaans I think basically means “Hanging Rock.” It’s a big rock face that basically looks like it’s going to fall in the sea. Alas! I wasn’t thinking of you, was I?
However, Hangklip kind of looks like the mountain in the background in this picture but bigger. (Forgive me?)
It was kind of windy, the sand was blowing a little, and the water was WAY chilly, so we decided against the bear going for a swim. We only let him get in up to his knees, and just briefly. It was not enough! Hero Hubs tried to console him…
But for a while he was kind of inconsolable. He likes to swim.
You can just tell Rob & Brenda are great from this shot. Don’t you want to be their friend, too?
Eventually the Bear cheered up. (Yay!)
And I saved my favourite shot for last. As always. I think this could be in a magazine!
HH’s shirt is wet because the Bear managed from that brief stint in the water to splash…and his shorts got wet. 🙂
The days are obviously still warm and sunny in our neck of the woods. Albeit wi-n-n-ndy. It was great to see Rob & Brenda. And another slice of South Africa! Hope you enjoyed it, and that you’re enjoying your adventure this Tuesday!
xCC
Mar 2, 2010 | Baby Photos
I have a confession to make. I know I said I was going to cut the Bear’s hair. Well, I did cut the Bear’s hair. And that’s the honest truth. But what’s also the truth is… I didn’t really want to cut his curls yet. So I just cut the hair that was hanging in his eyes.
And at first I thought it looked pretty good. I didn’t cut much more than this:
I kind of made a big deal out of it. I put a few locks in his special baby book:
But after a couple of days, his hair has started to do this:
That’s not really so cute, hey? He keeps trying to brush it away, which makes me think it’s getting on his nerves.
The real confession? I’m a wimp and my son is starting to really look like a girl.
Jan 29, 2010 | Baby Photos
Start by simply stuffing toys in the washing machine.
If necessary, get up and push to fit the whole load in.
Take a look around to make sure no one is saying “Nooooooo.”
Carefully read the instructions to make sure you’re selecting the right cycle. Teddy is most certainly a delicate.
Push buttons and push buttons and push buttons while your Mom thanks the Lord you haven’t thought of closing the door.
Look for approval for a job well done. It’s good to be pleased with your work.
The cycle must take a few minutes at least. Settle down to read a book while you wait for your laundry to be done.
My thoughts: If he’s entertained, and he hasn’t figured out how to close the door properly so that the machine actually starts, I’m happy. At least I know where to find just about everything that’s gone missing around the flat.
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