popsicle season

TEC.10 emerging

i made the comment about a month or so ago that tucker doesn't seem to be "into things" (i.e. cabinets etc.) quite as much as grey was. apparently all i needed to do was say those words and everything changed. 


in his tenth month of life he has emerged. he goes 100 mph at all wakeful times of the day. there is quite a personality that continues to show itself each and every day. 


the more this personality emerges from tucker the more i am able to pinpoint things about grey's personality. it's been fun and helps me understand the two much better. they are so very different. grey is very very much like matthew and i'm afraid as tucker shows his true colors, he is very much like myself.


this one loves loves loves and did i say LOVES to eat rocks, dirt, and sand. can you see the sand on his face? he just got done shoveling it in.

just today we went to a get together at the lake and within minutes tucker had an ENTIRE mouthful of some obscure green mossy stuff burrowed into his cheeks. he would much rather chew on a rock than any sensible teether i place in his hand. 


he found the stairs and they excite him almost as much as the outdoors. 

he is way too quick for me and very proud of himself upon making it to the top.

this sweet face could charm me into anything at just about any moment. i hate and love it (the being charmed part) all at the same time.

he's always around to help with the dishes. i frequently find him on top of things or trying to climb anything and everything in sight. 

we have been having some work done on our yard this week which has called for some big machinery. while grey was afraid he was going to be scooped up by the bobcat, tucker watched in amazement and squealed with excitement. 

he settles for one a little more his size.

I gave him his first trim which remained painless for the both of us.

he spends a lot of his time banging on the back door in a protest as to why i have not let him go outside. 

but really enjoys watching oscar in all his charades out on the deck. 

he dances when he hears music and claps a whole lot. i enjoy these things way too much. i've been teaching him some of my best moves. 

Tuck loves his big brother. his big brother doesn't always love him but is learning to tolerate him when he sees fit. tucker plays with grey's toys and loves to climb on him. why wouldn't you like that? although there are quite a few times i catch them giggling uncontrollably and i can't help but stop and savor those moments. grey also asks daily when he and tucker can live in the same room. it may be sooner than later. i'm so glad they have each other. and they will be too...one day.


His top two teeth have FINALLY made their appearance along with an ear infection and a crazy diaper rash. this keeps him chewing. he's up to almost 20 lbs as he was weighed last friday. not quite the chunker grey was but a chunk none the less.

it's been a fun month and has kept me on my toes to say the least! i'm holding out hope that i don't hear that pitter patter of his little feet for a while. we'll see.


i've said it a hundred times and i'll say it again, i'm so incredibly thankful for tucker and the joy he brings each of us! 

hey mom

"Mommy, I just needed you to know...

...I love this washcloth...

...it feels so good...

...on my aching gums...

...and makes me happier than you know!"

nyc.day two

back to the nyc. day two started a little slow for steph and I as we barely slept the first night there. we both woke up at the same times in middle of the night  and would just start giggling, like little girls. it was great and i wouldn't trade it for sleep now that i'm looking back on it.

We started our day out at the Kitchenette. It was more than charming. Everything about it. the doors they used for tables, old windows on the walls, distressed everything. right up my alley! oh yeah, the food was delicious too.

Homemade turkey sausage with apples and sage. wow.

we rode the subway a lot. i loved it. and i'm thinking they did too.

We ventured down to this really neat coffee and tea store in Greenwich Village. 

It smelled so incredibly good inside and had LOTS of tea and coffee. They roast their beans in New Jersey because they are not allowed to roast in that little bitty shop. The men that own it were delightful and i bought what they suggested for matthew. it was so smooth and nutty tasting. just the way we like it around here. they even had this scale which i loved. 

I just like this one.

we walked a lot. i think i mentioned that in my day one post. i really enjoy walking and looking and experiencing things out of the ordinary for me. i really enjoyed walking past fresh flowers.

we got to have lunch at Lombardi's in SOHO. It is the very first pizza place in the United States. They make delicious pizza and Italian Cream Soda. 

we walked through bryant park which was just a delight in the middle of the city. trees, birds, tables, a view of the empire state building.

. 

We all needed a nap after shopping pretty much all day. So we went back to the hotel for a little while and visited the top of the rock at sunset. Couldn't have been better timing. 

we spent lots of time on top of the rock and i took way too many pictures there. I couldn't help it. it was breathtaking. 

we headed to serendipity to eat dinner and went to dylans candy store while we were waiting. even the stairs were made of candy. so much sugar.

oh serendipity had wonderful atmosphere. it was so eclectic. again, i loved it. look at the lamps. the stained glass. you can't see it but there were windows on the ceiling. 

oh yeah, and the food was delicious too!

the famous frozen hot chocolate. 

then rode the subway back into the super cool grand central station.

whew. what a great day in the nyc. that's only bits and pieces of the day and you would have guessed i would have pictures for most of it. if you get a chance read steph's post on taking a trip. she's a pro and i don't know what we would have done without her. probably laughed a lot less and walked around overwhelmed with so much to do! 

for this season

'tis the season for spring cleaning. At least i have a very willing helper this year. 

I really wish I could hire someone to come organize my house for me. I can keep it clean and organized once it's done but the initial organization is where I struggle. I've got nothing. Just ask my mom. And my husband. 


I tend to make a rather large mess taking everything apart and having NO idea where to put it but knowing I didn't like where it was in the first place. I have a problem. I constantly want to rearrange our furniture, put fresh holes in the walls, and basically undo everything that's already been done. 


I've come to accept we will never, at least not for this season of our lives, have new furniture that we buy to fit our home. I am ok with that. I will just rearrange and rearrange and rearrange every 6 months or so. Matthew says he loves this about me and maybe he does. BUT I do know every time he comes home and I have been up to something, he sighs very heavily. 


This brings me to a subject that is constantly on my mind. I AM SO INCREDIBLY THANKFUL FOR THIS SEASON OF LIFE. 


I am grateful for this season of small children. For this season of having just enough to pay our bills, for food and necessities and not enough for things that don't actually matter. For this season of learning discipline. For this season of friends. For this season of ministry. For this season of a thriving marriage. For this season of depending on the Lord. For this season of hope. For this season of learning that it's not about me in ALL things, it's not about me. 


I know this season will pass and we will learn and grow and the next season of life will be just as sweet or hard or filled with joy and sadness. I don't know, but the God that carries us through every season does know and He chooses each and every good and not so good thing that happens, for His glory alone. Praise Him in His sovereignty and grace to allow me to experience  every season. 


For now, I will continue to "spring clean" with my little helper in our home that has been graciously provided for us. and i will enjoy every minute of it. 

a day maker

planting anything (even rocks) never fails to make grey's day. when matthew goes out of town, the days get kind of long so we try and fill up our time with a few special things. we went to wal-mart for a few things and decided to pick 2 small flowers to plant in pots and watch them grow inside until the threat of freezing temps at night subside.  

Grey did almost all the work himself. I was looking back at what we were up to last march and found this post that was pretty much identical. He must have remembered all he learned last year. He had a blast and even asked me if we could take them out and do it again!