Time

Time is playing
tricks on me.
Time can move
so slowly
some days.



Time can also fly
right by
in the blink of
an eye.
 

This past week
seemed to crawl
at a snail's pace.
Is it lunch time
Is it nap time
Is Daddy home



But now I just
can't seem to believe
that a week
has gone by.

At times
I can't even believe
this past year
has gone by.

2011
has been filled
with so many
times...

Sometimes
Most of the time
All of the time
Contact time
Patch time
Time off
Time out
It's time



I've waited
and waited
for this time

and now 

it came
and
it went.


Something about
the holidays

having kids
and Time.
Yes, it's a busy time.

But also

a reflective time.

Play

My girl

has come 

so far.

She has grown 

so much 

so fast

considering at one point

her physical 

growth 

and

movement 

was developmentally

behind.

With Early Intervention
after 6 months
of Physical Therapy
ankle stretches
hip stretches
taping her back
taping her knees
tummy time
shoulder stretches

supported sitting
reaching play
the list goes on...


She sits!
She stands!
She walks!

She no longer needs
Physical Therapy
but was recommended
to continue
engaging in
gross motor movemet
through
Play!

It was suggested
we attend this
Play
group facility.

Of course
bigger brother
who has dominated
in physical
growth
and
movement
since he was concieved
didn't mind
tagging along!

We weren't there
5 minuets
and he had already
crawled off
the edge of a mat
only to face plant
and bloody his lip.

I think it was
part him being a
brave boy,
he certainly is that!
And part fact that
he is seeing
out of one Eye
and that effects
his spacial perception.

I also think
someone else
besides
the little girl
is going to get
some benefits
out of this
Play
stuff.

While we were waiting

for class to begin

we played in this 

giant foam pit

where the foam pieces

were as big  as them!

Azalea was the first
to sit and get ready
for circle time.

Easton soon joined in

before everyone else
sat down.

I was surprised
at how well
both of them
participated.

At one point
Azalea got off my lap
and walked right into
the middle of the circle.
She was just
that comfortable
the teacher directed her
to come sit with her

and she did!
Which gave me
the chance to snap
a quick pic.  ;)

I am still amazed
at how far
she has come!

After a few
movement inspired songs
we were invited
to go
explore
more.



We
crawled through
climbed over
jumped on
reached for
ran across
anything
and
everything.

And all along the way
Azalea pointed to
everything
just like she does
everyday
all day
and
then we name it
for her
and she attempts
to say
something
anything
noise
breath
tounge movement
lip movement
she attempts!
And sometimes
she really does
sound
really close!

Honestly
they both
just amaze me.
They truly do.

Him
with his
bloody lip
patch over
one eye
and
determination
in the other
Eye.



And Her
with her
head up
arm reaching
body moving
balanced
focused.

But not just today,
they amaze me
everyday
that they
Play.

Smiles

November

leaves us 

with more 

of what I like best

Smiles!

Seems she has

taken a break

from concentrating

on the serious stuff

and has made 

more time for

laughing 

pointing

and

smiling!

On the other hand
he is still just
his silly self
climbing
on everything
and currently
hanging
on Daddy.

Trying to get
one, one year old
to sit and smile
is a task
add another
and a dog...
this is what we got.
Thanksgiving 2011

Flashback
Thanksgiving 2010

Believe it or not
this was actually
our first
family photo!
We certainly
had come a long way
to get to
that point...
and we certainly
have come a long way
to get to
today.
Yay for Thanksgiving!

I found more
Smiles
when the tunnel
accidentally didn't
open all the way
which created
a U-shaped tunnel.
They loved it!

How can you
not zoom in
on that sweet
smiling
lil face?!

This one
makes me laugh
cuz it looks
like Pac-Man
is about to
eat her up.

The only thing missing
from these pics
are the
shreeks
shrills
screams
and
giggles
that fill our home
with laughter
and love.
To hear them
play like this
is like
Christmas morning
every time.

This next one
makes my heart
melt.
Its the moments
that they share
together
when they are playing
but then get so close
to one another
that they can't help
but to really
notice
each other.
sometimes they just smile and stare
sometimes they reach for each others face
sometimes they bonk heads
and someone cries
sometimes they head butt
on purpose, their version of a hug
and
sometimes they kiss
So sweet.

And lastly
what is
Thanksgiving
or the end of
November
without
the beginning of
Christmas!
So along with
a very toned down
toddler friendly
version of our
annual Christmas decorations

Yes, I decorated
the bottom of our tree
with any and all
hanging type
kid's toy!

We officially have
our first
family
holiday themed
artwork.
Craft time lasted
all of five minuets
fast
furious
and
festive!

Its hanging in our
kitchen area.
Today I added
a present
(aka patch)
under the tree.
Dare I continue
adding "presents"
under the tree
till Christmas,
we might fill
the entire paper!

But I love it!
Easton colored with blue.
Dark, big, quick
and on to eating
the crayon that is.
Azalea colored with red.
Right where Mommy
colored red
she colored very
very lightly
lots and lots
of lines
So delicate
So deliberate

They are

night and day

in every way

but 

they are MY

night and day

I wouldn't have it

any other way!

They compliment

They complete

They are all

Smiles.

Feeling Full

Ok, I have to 

confess.

I was having 

a tough time

thinking of how 

to post about 

Thanksgiving,

the holiday of

graditude.

Lately, the Eye

has been rough

and that is

putting it mildly.

Contact time 

in the morning

has left 

my husband and I

dragging our feet

to get out of bed

knowing the battle

that lies ahead of us.

I can only imagine

what my lil big man

thinks about 

contact time 

if this is 

how we feel.

And that is 

what truly 

breaks my heart.

But then

we have days

like today

when I literally

was praying 

out loud...

oh baby boy

you are so brave

I am doing this

for you

you deserve this

I know it's hard

but 

you will see

you will see

in the end

how much 

I truly love you

and do this 

for you

be strong

be still

and 

you will see.

And Azalea 

my sweet baby girl

is watching

and listening

to the entire 

process.

Most days she is

such a trooper

so patient 

so supportive

so empathetic

I speak to her too...

it's ok baby girl

you are such a 

good lil sister

big smiles 

be happy.

Don't blink 

because

before I finished

my last prayer

DONE

contact on!

No rubbing

No poking

No fixing

No do overs

No crying

No resisting

No kicking

No screaming

No calming

No re-swaddling

DONE

1 2 3

DONE

And then I 

exhale

and the graditude

floods in

and then it hits me

I know this is hard

I know tomorrow 

will be different

But today

this moment

right now

I feel it

I am sooooo

incredibly

GRATEFUL

Not just for all

the things 

that we know

we should 

be grateful for

But for all 

the things 

that are 

hard

that make us

better

that show us

what really

matters.

I am grateful
for the hard days
because
they make
the good days
feel soooooo
incredibly
GOOD.
May God Bless
all my blog readers
whoever you are
be grateful.
I pray that you
literally get to
feel
graditude.
It rivals
love
literally.
It will make
you feel
way more full
than that
turkey dinner
ever will.
Trust me.

Happy Thanksgiving!

a patch is a patch

Maybe its because
I ordered new kinds
of patches
and they are in.

Old kind, Nexcare on top... Ortopad then Krafty Patches, shows the size difference.

Options, I like options.

But I've noticed
unsettled feelings
over the patch
have crept back in.

So I did
a simple search
on the word
patch...

verb. 
mend or strengthen 
(fabric or an item of clothing) 
by putting a piece of material 
over a hole 
or weak point in it.

ok, I like
the verb.
He patches.
He strengthens.

go on...

noun. 
a piece of cloth 
or other material 
used to mend or strengthen 
a torn or weak point. 

yeah, other material
you could say that
but the weak point part
huh... His patch
is over the
strong point.

a tiny piece of black silk 

or court plaster 

worn on the face or neck 

especially by women 

to hide a blemish 

or to heighten beauty 

interesting...

heighten beauty 

ummm ok
He does make a patch
look pretty darn cute!
But in what century 

were these patches worn?!
Where patches 
the primitive form of
make-up?

a piece of material 

(as adhesive plaster) 

used medically 

usually to cover a wound 

usually disk-shaped piece of material 

that is worn on the skin 

and contains a substance 

(as a drug) 

that is absorbed at a constant rate 

through the skin 

into the bloodstream  

<a nicotine patch>  

adhesive

medical 

disk-shaped

skin... got it.

drug 

absorbed 

bloodstream... no.

only unless

the drug is 

vision

or confidence

It would be great

if he would 

absorb that.

a shield worn over 

the socket of an 

injured or missing eye 

nope, the Eye

IS in there

healthy too!

not injured

not missing

a small piece 

I think I like

this one the best

small piece

yes, the patch

is only a 

small piece 

of who he is.

 
a part or area 

distinct 

from that about it 

<cabbage patch> 

well yes

the eye patch 

is a distinct part

of his face.

 
a period of time 

<was going through a rough patch>

Ha, this one makes

me laugh...

yes this is just

a period of time

and yes 

it is definitely 

rough!
How did they know?!

someone or something 

equal or comparable 

usually used in negative constructions  

<the new chairman isn't a patch on his predecessor>

He is someone

He is definitely equal

But he is 

positively

the best

just the way

he is

patch and all.

 

a piece of cloth 

sewed on a garment 

as an ornament or insignia

Well, the patch

could become

his insignia?

It depends on the day

whether it's

ornamental or not.

a temporary connection 

in a communication system 

(as a telephone hookup) 

temporary yes

communication system sure

his face

his vision

let's hope 

the connection 

is made

a minor correction 

or modification 

in a computer program

the last one
so true

minor correction

only in his brain

after all

that is really 

why 
He patches, verb.

He wears a patch, noun.
We're talkin 

brain here!

I'm 31

Mom email me 
this 
yesterday...

Great Courage

You have great courage. Use it.

Whenever you feel fear, 

you are also feeling your potential for courage. 

Go ahead, feel the fear, 

and then let that courage of yours spring to life.

The fact that you can feel the fear 

means you also have the courage to get beyond it. 

Otherwise, the fear would serve no useful purpose.

Put that fear to good use 

by allowing it to ignite your courage. 

Put that courage to good use 

by utilizing it to move toward positive, meaningful objectives.

Feel the fear and know it means you have the courage. 

Learn from that fear and then 

step forward with all that courage.

The beginning of courage feels like fear. 

Follow through on that feeling, 

let the courage come, 

and with it you will achieve great things.

— Ralph Marston

Her thoughts were with
Easton and taking care of
his Eye.

Makes sense.
I love you Mom.

I think this message
can apply to any situation
and wanted to share.

For me, its interesting
that it appeared
the day before
my 31st Birthday.
Not that my birthday
scares me,
but the concept
of getting older
kinda does.

Entering my 30's
not anymore
31 officially means
I have arrived.
Motherhood
comes to mind.
Scary!
Do I feel 31?
Do I feel
like a mother?
Sometimes.


Certainly my youth
is over.
Teenage years
gone.
Crazy 20's
are behind me.
But in my mind
my heart
my soul
I still feel
well... young.

Sometimes even
in a clueless
I have no idea
what I'm doing
kinda way.

So when I see
this message on
fear and how
it creates
great courage.

I guess that is what
this next decade
is going to be about
Embracing
getting older
Embracing
motherhood

Embracing
my fears
Finding the strength
to push through.

I like the sound of
Courageous

I can do this
I am doing this
I'm 31.