This is one of my favorite pictures. It's a very young Mike pretending to kiss a very young, oblivious me (with horrible hair). This was taken my sophomore year, and there's just so much story behind it. I'd had a huge crush on Mike all year, but I knew he wasn't interested in me (other than flirting with me to annoy my brother). My brother was directing "Freaky Friday" for his dramatic productions class, and to my delight, he'd asked Mike to be one of the cops in the scene with the crazy phone conversation (you know which one I'm talking about). Mike has an amazing sense of comedic timing, and from the first rehearsal, nobody could keep from laughing during that scene. The whole play was just awesome and hilarious. Unfortunately, Mike missed a rehearsal (or two), and my brother was already annoyed at him so he found someone else to do the part.
I brought a disposable camera to one of the first rehearsals and took pictures with everyone there. My friend Ryan snapped this picture, and neither he nor Mike let on that Mike was doing anything other than sitting beside me, smiling at the camera (a feat that I now know he is incapable of accomplishing). Except afterwards Mike said (in what I now know as normal Mike-paranoia), "Hey, don't show that picture to anyone. I could get socialed for it." I was surprised and delighted when I got my film developed.
We drifted apart after this and barely spoke for a couple years. But then we started hanging out again, and eventually started dating. Now, more than ten years later, we're getting ready to celebrate our seventh wedding anniversary. Looking at this picture, I still remember the flutters I would get in my stomach every time I saw him. And now I get even bigger flutters when I think about the fact that he is all mine forever and always. How in the world did I get lucky enough to end up with the coolest, funniest guy I've ever met?
Disclaimer: I never thought I'd be a breastfeeding activist, but I have come to feel passionately about it. I know there are mothers who are unable to breastfeed for one reason or another, and that most certainly does not make you a bad mother! I just think people should not discount breastfeeding because it's weird or gross. I don't think it should even be considered "crunchy"--it should be the norm! And here's why:
1. Breast is best. This isn't a "slogan" to advance some agenda. It's not an opinion. It's not a bunch of women advocating their right to let their boobs hang out. It's a fact. Breastmilk is absolutely and utterly amazing--we don't even know all the amazing aspects of it. God Himself gave mommies the ability to feed their babies exactly what the babies need. Breastmilk prevents cancer. Breastmilk prevents sickness. Breastmilk can help heal sick babies. Breastmilk changes as a baby grows to adjust to the baby's digestive needs. There is no real substitute for breastmilk. Breast is best.
2. The bond you achieve by nursing your baby is like no other. I don't think anyone who hasn't breastfed a baby will understand this bond. That feeling you get when your baby is born and you see him for the first time? I get that feeling all over again every time I nurse.
3. I am horrible at packing a diaper bag. I *always* forget something (just ask my husband). Half the time I forget to bring the kids something to drink. I always forget snacks. Imagine what kind of pickle we'd be in if we were out for the day and I'd forgotten milk for the baby. Thankfully I don't have to worry about that so I can concentrate on making sure there are actually wipes *in* the diaper bag and not on the table beside it.
4. I have no clue how much my baby eats. 5 oz? 6 oz? 8 oz? I would not know how much to put in a bottle for her. But my body knows exactly how much she needs. We both know when it's time for her to eat, and if she decides she needs to eat a little early, that's fine too. She gets what she needs without eating too much or too little.
5. Breastmilk makes babies smarter. It's a fact. And why wouldn't you want to give your kids that extra advantage?
6. I believe babies need that special snuggle time with Mommy. It makes me sad to see babies holding their own bottles--that's not how God intended for babies to eat! They're supposed to be snuggled up to their mommies getting security and comfort as well as nourishment. There is no more content sound in the world than the sound a nursing baby makes--kind of a half-sigh, half-hum. It relaxes you just to hear it.
7. The memories of nursing your baby will stay with you for the rest of your life. Every time I see a picture of a baby nursing, his little fist holding onto his mommy's shirt, I think of nursing my own sweet babies, their chubby little dimpled hands tugging on my shirt or my hair. I know other nursing mommies have the same experience. I think that's why we like to share pictures so much. :)
8. It's free.
9. When it's time for my baby to eat, she is all mine. No matter what is going on or who is holding her, I'm the only one who can feed her. I have an excuse to be selfish.
10. Breastfeeding empowers you as a mother. You are confident that you are doing what is best for your baby. You don't worry as much about your baby getting sick because you know that your antibodies will fight for her. Making milk truly is a God-given superpower.
June 3, 2011
- My day just got a hundred times better when Gehrig said, "Thank you for the wishus dinner, Mommy. You're the best cooker ever." ~ Liz
June 5, 2011
- Liz: "Did Logan rip your book?" Gehrig: "Yeah. He's being a bad zample."
June 17, 2011
- "Logan, Mommy and me are here with you, don't be afraid. We are here." ~ the song Gehrig made up in the car on the way home from the mall.
June 27, 2011
- Gehrig: "Can you read this to me?" Liz: "Not right now. You can read it to yourself." Gehrig: "I don't know how. I'm just a little boy who doesn't know how."
July 10, 2011
- Liz: "Are you stealing my french fries?" Gehrig: "No, you're sharing with me."
July 12, 2011
- Gehrig: "Why do I always like to watch Fireman Sam?" Liz: "I don't know. Why do you always like to watch Fireman Sam?" Gehrig: "Because I don't hate it."
July 20, 2011
- Gehrig just came and said, "Mommy, someone sent me a message!" I said, "What did it say?" He answered, "It said, 'Go and tell people about Jesus.'" Hm...I wonder who sent him that message!
August 11, 2011
Gehrig recorded himself saying, "I wuv you, Wogan" on Logan's toy phone, and I told Logan, "You sure have a sweet bubba." Gehrig said, "I AM a sweet bubba. You're right."
September 5, 2011
Logan just grabbed the toy Gehrig was playing with and took off running. I told him to give it back, and he looked at me and jabbered something before turning and running again. Gehrig said, "Did you just tell Mommy no?"
September 9, 2011
In the car this evening Gehrig informed me that he doesn't ask questions to drive me crazy, he's just asking them so he can learn. And then he told me to turn off my turn signal because it was 'noying him.
September 23, 2011
Gehrig: Mommy, I'm Gehrig the power ranger.
Me: Okay.
Gehrig: Mo-mmy! I'm Gehrig the power ranger.
Me: Okay.
Gehrig: MOMMY! I said I'm Gehrig the power ranger.
Me: Okay, I heard you. You don't need to tell me five times.
Gehrig: You mean three times.
September 28, 2011
Gehrig: Does firemans pick their noses?
Me: Ew, no.
Gehrig: So, Mommy, here's the question. Do I want to be a fireman or do I want to be a picker?
October 8, 2011
I was listening to "Lead Me" (I think that's the name of that song), and Gehrig said, "Why is he hungry for lunch? Is this a lunch song?"
October 11, 2011
Gehrig is playing Cubbies and told me to take a whistle out of the treasure box. He then told me, "Don't blow the whistle here; you can blow it in the car or at home." Hm. :-\
October 14, 2011
Gehrig's verse for Cubbies this week is "He made everything beautiful." We've been working on it for a couple days, and I thought he had it memorized. This evening I asked him what his verse was, and he said, "God made pretty stuff."
October 15, 2011
Gehrig and Logan were playing in their room, and I heard a thump and muffled crying from Logan. I yelled, "What are you doing, Gehrig?" And he took off running down the hall, yelling, "I did nuffin'!" Uh-huh.
October 19, 2011
Gehrig and Logan rolled around in the grass yesterday so their allergies are going crazy today (praying Logan doesn't have trouble breathing tonight!). When we got to church tonight, Gehrig said, "Maybe my teacher will like Mr. Snotty Nose."
November 6, 2011
I'm waiting in the car with the boys while Mike is in 7-11. Gehrig just said, "I wonder what he's getting. Cupcakes? Pumpkins? A nose picking machine?"
November 7, 2011
We were at Dollar Tree this evening, and the door to the loading dock was open. Gehrig saw it and said, "Hey, look! An old-fashioned garage!" I seriously have no idea where he gets this stuff.
November 8, 2011
Gehrig: "Why are we going to Wal-Mart?"
Me: "Because we need some flour."
Gehrig: "Can we get roses?"
November 9, 2011
Our conversation while making pizza this evening:
Me: You need to spread the sauce around a little more.
Gehrig: Duh.
Me: Aren't you a little young to be saying "duh"?
Gehrig: Yes. Yes, I am.
November 10, 2011
I almost forgot about the sweetest part of my day--as I was getting ready to leave for work this morning and was telling everyone bye, Logan came running over to me and said, "Want some!" I leaned down and said, "What do you want some of?" And he gave me a kiss. ♥
November 16, 2011
"I want to be a real Chinese when I grow up, okay Mommy?" ~Gehrig
November 18, 2011
I heard a big thump in the boys' bedroom, and I yelled, "Logan, what are you doing?" Logan yelled back, "Nussin'!" *sigh*
November 29, 2011
Okay, seriously, I don't think normal three-year-olds are this good at being annoying. It must be genetic. The conversation I just had with Gehrig:
Gehrig: I'm hungry!
Me: What do you want? A cookie?
Gehrig: NO! I don't want a cookie!! I want a cookie!
December 15, 2011
Gehrig and I were playing Batman and bad guy, and Gehrig made Batman fly away from the bad guy (a snake).
Me (bad guy): You got away this time, but I'll get you next time, Batman!
Gehrig (Batman): Will you be nice next time?
Me: No! I'm going to get you!
Gehrig: But I don't like to be dead!
December 16, 2011
Gehrig is watching an old Christmas cartoon and church bells were ringing on it. Gehrig said, "Are the bells saying 'Glory to God'?"
December 25, 2011
I ♥ the stage Logan is at right now--he's learning so fast and repeating everything we say. And he remembers everything! Today at lunch, Mike stole a piece of Logan's ham, and Logan said, "Mike!"
January 6, 2012
This morning when I gave the boys their cereal, Logan looked at his and sadly said, "pancakes." Gehrig said, "aw, Logan, it's okay. You can pretend it's pancakes."
January 6, 2012
Me: don't push the bucket, Gehrig.
Gehrig: don't push the bucket is my middle name, momma.
January 17, 2012
Played outside with the boys and took a walk in the sunshine. Now we're finishing up dinner, and I'm listening to Logan tell his tater tot "3, 5, 6, stop it!"
January 24, 2012
I think Logan's psychic. He just out of the blue said "Bwess you." to Mike. Mike said, "Thank you." They did it a couple more times. Two seconds later, Mike sneezed. And Logan said, "Bwess you."
January 25, 2012
Gehrig is watching Go Diego Go and they were talking about an animal being in trouble. Logan said, "Trouble. Obey!" :)
February 3, 2012
Logan is sticking pretzels in a firetruck and driving it around the living room. His running commentary is, "Pitzels. Peace-you! Bye! Luh-you! Peace-you! Luh-you! Pitzels. Ohhh nooo! Pitzels crash! Mumin'!" Translated into English that's: "Pretzels! Me too! Bye! Love you! Me too! Love you! Pretzels. Ohhh nooo! Pretzels crash! Comin'!" He's the most awesome baby ever.
February 7, 2012
I just heard Logan walking down the hall saying, "Do this. I say so."
February 8, 2012
We're having turkey and cheese wraps for dinner, and Logan is busily taking his apart and arranging it on the table, saying, "Oh! Picture! Oh! Picture!" I said, "What are you doing, Logie?" And he said, "Make. Picture." He's at such a cute age! Prepare yourself for constant Logan status updates. :)
February 9, 2012
Gehrig: Can I have a chocolate cookie?
Me: Hm.
Gehrig: Would that be a yes or a no?
I love how my kids talk! :)
February 11, 2012
"mommy, I don't know how a lollipop could catch fire in the frigerator. I was thinking about that." -Gehrig
February 16, 2012
"Mommy, will the jello catch on fire if I turn the light off?" ~ Gehrig
February 22, 2012
Gehrig is sleeping on the couch, and Logan was sitting on the trunk saying, "I luh you, Bubba. I luh you. I luh you, Bubba."
February 24, 2012
Logan woke up in a contrary mood this morning. He's disagreeing with Super Why about which letters are which. They say, "It's an S!" and he says, "No. M."
March 7, 2012
The boys have this toy microwave and one of the things it says is, "Bacon's ready!" A little while ago, our smoke detector beeped three times (still don't know why) and Logan came running out of his room yelling, "Bacon's ready! Bacon's ready!"
March 20, 2012
Logan was sitting on the floor, pulling videos out of their cases.
Me: Logan...
Logan (very innocently): Nuffing. Nuffing.
March 26, 2012
I have no clue what Logan is talking about: "Uh...cups...uh...chicken....uh...bananas. Oink. Oink." All this while looking out the window. Strange kid.
March 26, 2012
Whenever Gehrig tells me "no" or throws a fit about something, I tell him to go to bed. Logan was trying to steal Gehrig's breakfast and Gehrig kept telling him, "No!" and Logan kept saying, "Go bed! Go bed!"
March 28, 2012
My sweet baby is sitting at the table, eating a poptart, and singing, "Moo moo moo, quack quack, e-i-e-o. Moo moo moo, quack quack, e-i-e-o, farm." He seems to be all better. Yay!
April 6, 2012
Logan was crawling around the floor saying, "Woof, woof." Then he looked up at me and said, "I a horsey."
April 9, 2012
I've got a stopped-up head and a runny nose today, and every time I blow my nose, Logan says all impressed, "Dood dob, mama!"
April 11, 2012
Gehrig was biting his lightsaber, and Logan kept grabbing it and yelling, "Out of your mouth!" (something he obviously hears a lot) I thought he was trying to be helpful until he managed to get the lightsaber away from Gehrig and said, "Let me try!" and stuck it in his mouth. :-\
April 16, 2012
Gehrig is flipping through Netflix, trying to find Power Rangers, and poor Logan is saying, "How 'bout Cow? How 'bout show? How 'bout car? How 'bout Barney? How 'bout Fire Sam?"
April 18, 2012
Logan is just constantly talking about random things. I brought him to bed with me this morning, and he just lay there talking. "That too many toys, Mommy. Go Target morrow. Wake up, Daddy! Daddy sweepin'. Shhh. Go Target."
April 25, 2012
While changing Logan's diaper:
Me: Oh Logan, you're stinky again.
Logan: 'Course I'm stinky.
I think it may be time to invest in a diaper sprayer.
April 30, 2012
Logan (very pitifully): Mommy, hurt.
Me: What hurts, buddy?
Logan: Turtle bite you.
Well, that was random. Now to figure out what "turtle" means and if it really did bite him.
May 1, 2012
*sigh* I think we may have another tough one to potty train on our hands.
Logan: Go stinky, Daddy.
Mike: You need to go stinky?
Logan: No, went stinky. WENT stinky, Daddy.
Mike: You wanna go stinky in the potty?
Logan: No, go stinky in my PANTS, Daddy. In my PANTS.
May 9, 2012
When I told the boys we wouldn't be picking up Mike from work tonight (we usually pick him up, he drives us home and then back to work), Logan started screaming and Gehrig said, "But how will he get home?" I said, "Someone else will drive him." He said, "But we're his family; we should drive him."
May 13, 2012
I thought I heard Logan say, "Fingers in my nose." And I looked to see that yes, that is indeed what he said. :\
May 15, 2012
Our neighbor's back yard is so flooded, there are ducks in it. Logan was standing at the kitchen door yelling, "Quack-quacks, that's yucky!"
May 16, 2012
"Sometimes I talk loud to my pancakes, but sometimes I talk soft like this....and I'm just thinkin', but Jesus can hear me when I'm thinkin'. And so can my pancakes." --Gehrig
May 19, 2012
Me: are you a piggy, Logan?
Logan: no! I the penguin!
Gehrig: are you a piggy, Logan?
Logan: no! I the horsey!
May 20, 2012
"Tra-formers, Mommy. Robots i' the skies, Mommy." --Logan
June 1, 2012
Me: Hey, big boy, you're two!
Logan: Nooo. I number one, Mommy.
June 6, 2012
Logan: Pa-si-cal?
Me: What?
Logan: Pa-si-cal?
Me: Popsicle?
Logan: Okay, Mommy.
June 6, 2012
Me: who was messing with these no-nos?
Gehrig: I think it was Logan...or me. I didn't see who did it.
June 11, 2012
"If the bees sting me really bad, it'll take away all my tough, and I'll never be tough again." - Gehrig
June 23, 2012
"I pee-, I pah-,....I peed-ed." ~ Logan, experimenting with past tense apparently.
July 6, 2012
Logan: *licking the front of the dishwasher*
Me: Logan, stop licking that.
Logan: Okay, mommy. *takes one step over and starts licking the cabinet*
This crazy kid.
July 17, 2012
A conversation with Logan over the Morton salt girl:
Logan: He's taking a shower, Mommy.
Me: Who's taking a shower?
Logan: I SAID HE's taking a shower.
Me: I know, but who are you talking about? That little girl?
Logan: NO! He's not a little girl.
Me: Well, I don't know who you're talking about then.
Logan: He's not takin' a shower. It's raining. He's a little girl and it's rainin', Mommy.
*sigh* He apparently gets his daddy's argumentative attitude. :\ But at least no one will ever tell him what to think!
July 18, 2012
Me: Logan, do you want some chocolate cereal for breakfast?
Logan: No! I want chocolate mashed potatoes!
July 25, 2012
Logan *grabbing one of his Geotrax trains*: I'm gonna play with nuthin'!
Me: What?
Gehrig: Oh, I didn't know what that train's name is so I named it Nuthin'.
August 26, 2012
Logan just took a drink of Mike's Dr. Pepper and then said, "What do I think I'm doing, Mommy?"
August 29, 2012
Crazy conversations in the car on the way to get Mike after church ending with Logan asking me to sing the "Days of the week" song and then singing along but instead of singing the right words, he sang, "I reeeaaally wanna ride in a rocket ship!"
September 13, 2012
"3-2-1-2! I good at counting, Mommy!" ~ Logan
September 14, 2012
The other day on Disney Junior they were showing the parade at Disney World, and Logan was yelling out the characters as they passed. I made the mistake of asking him if he wanted to go there. Since then, he's been asking to go see Doc McStuffins, Stuffy, and Chilly. Every time we leave the house, he gets all excited and says we're going to see Doc. Today he also asked to go see "Special Oso." I told him, "I don't know here Special Agent Oso lives." Gehrig yelled from the other room, "Special Agent Oso lives in North Carolina!"
October 1, 2012
Me: WHY do you have to drive me crazy?
Gehrig: Because everyone sins.
October 3, 2012
"I be a cowboy! I gonna ride a cow!" ~ Logan
November 13, 2012
Logan's decided he really likes Super Why. He's been running around the house saying, "I'm a super hero! With the power to breathe!"
November 27, 2012
I was changing Katie Rose's diaper in the boys' room this afternoon, and, as she is wont to do, she rather noisily filled her newly changed diaper. Gehrig looked up from his legos and said, "Wow. Did her toes fall off?"
November 28, 2012
On the way home from church I was reminded how much Gehrig is like me and how much Logan is like Mike. Gehrig told me in great detail what they did in Cubbies--I was amazed at the details he remembered! I asked Logan what they learned in Puggles and he said, "God made....the water. No. Not really. God made....hey! There's Burger King!"
November 29, 2012
"Do they have TVs in Heaven so I can play all my games? If they don't, I can just take my Gameboy because I can carry it." ~ Gehrig
December 16, 2012
"My pants fell down! I'm walking around like a daddy!" ~ Logan (I guess Mike should start wearing pants more often)
December 19, 2012
Logan just came into the living room wearing a brown junior ranger hat and Woody (from Toy Story) boots, humming the Indiana Jones song, and announced, "Look! I'm wearing Indiana Jones dancing shoes!....I mean, dancing BOOTS."
January 12, 2013
"Can I have the fireman with the helmet and the sword who's not a fireman?" ~ Logan
January 26, 2013
Gehrig: I've never had hot chocolate before. What does it taste like?
Logan: It tastes like snot!
January 28, 2013
Logan playing with two Lego guys:
"Hey, you pinched my nose!"
"Silly, we don't have noses."
February 1, 2013
Me: It's Friday, boys!
Logan: No, Mommy, it's Jan-u-ary.
Me: Well, actually it's February.
Logan: Yeah, Mommy, it's Fan-u-ary.
Me: No, Feb-ru-ary.
Logan: No, Mommy, Larry the cucumber.
February 1, 2013
Logan: Mommy, something hurts.
Me: What hurts?
Logan: My shirt is.
Me: Your shirt?
Logan: Yeah. When Gehrig stepped on me.
February 3, 2013
Logan just came into the living room wearing a Darth Vader mask. He laughed and said to me, "Hi Princess Leia, I'm not real."
February 11, 2013
Me: Logan, why are you biting your arm?
Logan: I'm biting my arm to get the snot off.
Sometimes I just wish I hadn't asked...
February 19, 2013
Gehrig and Logan were playing "pirate Veggietales" while I was folding clothes in the other room. I heard Gehrig hit Logan with his "sword" (a lightsaber) and Logan started crying.
Gehrig: Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!
Logan (now calm): Gehrig, did you hit me in the head or the face?
Gehrig: It was an accident!
Logan: Ohhh. Okay.
February 24, 2013
Mike: What do you want to tell God, Logan?
Logan: I want to tell Him for the firefighters.
Mike: You want to tell Him thank you for the firefighters?
Logan: Yeah. Thank you, God, for the firefighters!
Mike: You wanna tell God you want to be a firefighter?
Logan: No, no, no, Daddy, I don't want to be a firefighter!
Mike: Well, what do you want to be?
Logan: Nothing!
February 25, 2013
"Queen Mala-Dala, I am your father, Genebal Brievous." --Logan (apparently he's re-writing Star Wars)
March 1, 2013
More random weird quotes from my children: "Stinky is *not* a sandcastle, Mommy." - Logan (I'm very glad we made that distinction!)
"If I was a candle that couldn't get burned by another candle, I would eat that candle." ~Gehrig apparently thinks my vanilla candle smells good.
March 2, 2013
Logan's scared of the vacuum cleaner and tonight I found out why when he randomly asked me, "Can the vacuum cleaner not pop your head off?"
March 5, 2013
Oh yeah, I forgot what Gehrig said yesterday. He has to be the sweetest, smartest 4-year-old there ever was. After we did the tour of the Capitol Building and Mike pointed out some other stuff to him, later on that afternoon he said, "Mommy, all that important stuff we saw today, it's not as more important as God, is it? God's more important."
March 13, 2013
Me: Gehrig, stop arguing and just listen to me.
Gehrig: I *am* listening to you. Now what were you saying again?
March 24, 2013
Gehrig: Mommy, they spelled Logan's name wrong on his paper. They spelled it S-I-
Me: No, that says "Sing Hosanna."
Logan: Yeah, my name is Sing Hosanna.
March 26, 2013
"Let's sing the donut song! DO-NUT! DO-NUT! DO-NUT!" -Logan
This is pretty much a completely random post, but I'm thinking of it at the moment so I'm writing it. Although our oldest child is only four (five next month!), Mike and I have already talked a few times about where we would like our kids to go to college (and yes, they are going to college). We have somewhat differing views, and it won't really be our decision anyway. Plus we really don't know yet what each kid will need when they're ready to go to college. Mike tends to lean more towards less conservative colleges, while I would like the kids locked up tight with as many rules as possible.
Thinking back to my college days in a school with ridiculously strict rules, I don't regret anything about going there (although before I started my freshman year, I would have chosen a few other places if it had been left up to me--thank goodness it wasn't!). When you're one of 4,000 other people living with the rules, you don't really think about what a restricted life it is--or at least I didn't. I chose to dwell on the other aspects--having my friends right down the hall whenever I wanted to hang out, going to classes I loved (and ones I hated), meeting new people, making my own decisions for the first time, but still being able to call Mom and Dad if I felt like the decision was too big or I was out of money. That's what I remember when I think of college.
And when I do take time to think of the rules, I see the beauty in them. When Mike and I first started hanging out, we couldn't even touch, let alone kiss for the first few months. But let me tell you, when he "accidentally" (but completely on purpose) brushed his arm against mine, my heart would drop into my stomach. And when we were finally able to kiss after months of dating, wow....the thought of that first kiss still takes my breath away. I would rather have that than memories of meaningless kisses with meaningless guys, or not near as meaningful a kiss with the most meaningful guy.
You can choose to dwell on the negative side of strict rules, but I see the beauty in them. And I would not mind at all if my kids want to go to the strictest school there is.
It seems like I'm constantly seeing blog posts, Facebook shares, and articles about how moms are ignoring their children and missing out on their childhood. In the majority of these posts, the iPhone is to blame. Or Facebook. So I read these posts about how my little boys will only be little for like a second and I'm a horrible mom for being on the computer/iPhone at all during that second, and I tear up and feel like the most horrible mom in the world.
Then I started thinking....this isn't such a new thing. When I was a kid, there was a Patch the Pirate song, "Cherish the Moment." We weren't allowed to sing it because it made my mom sad (so of course my brother sang it whenever he wanted her to agree to something). And I'm sure before that, moms were made to feel guilty for watching their "stories" on that new-fangled television instead of giving all of their attention to their children. And before that it may have been the radio, or novels, or, ya' know, churning butter. Whatever, there's always been something to steal a mother's undivided attention from her children. And I'm sure every (good) mother has felt guilty about it.
I'm a stay at home mom, and you wouldn't believe how much time I spend with my children. I talk to them, I play with them, I help them, and I teach them. But I also need breaks from them--breaks when I can get on the computer and Facebook and have my only adult interaction of the day. And even when I am on Facebook, I'm usually "Queen Amidala" working on the computer while Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi protect me from Darth Vader.
And another thing, just look at my Facebook page and you will see that my children are my life. Every status update, every picture, every link has something to do with them. I'm amazingly proud of them and want to share everything they do with my friends. What's the point of having the wittiest kids in the world if I can't tell anyone the awesome stuff they say?
So sure I'm on Facebook a lot, and sometimes I have to ask my kids to repeat something they said 'cause I wasn't paying attention the first time, but that doesn't make me a bad mom. That makes me a human mom. And I have enough mom guilt without others adding to it so consider your mom-guilt-inducing posts ignored by me from now on.
I've started compiling all the cute quotes I've posted on Facebook over the years. This is the first installment--I want to keep compiling but I need to get to bed. Hopefully I'll have time for more tomorrow.
September 21, 2009
- Gehrig is taking handfuls of green beans off his daddy's plate and throwing them in the trash. Daddy is not protesting.
December 24, 2009
- Gehrig's counting goes something like "1-2-4-4-5!" or "2-5-4!" (it always ends in an exclamation point because he's usually counting down to jumping off something)
January 9, 2010
- Liz just took pictures of Gehrig's disaster, and when she showed them to him, he exclaimed, "hey! I cute!"
January 24, 2010
- The SWEETEST thing: Gehrig said, "Baby cover up?" Liz didn't know what baby he was talking about so she just said, "Is the baby cold?" He came over, pulled her shirt up, felt her belly, and said, "Belly cold?" Such a good big brother!
January 29, 2010
- Gehrig just came into the kitchen wearing Liz's shoes, and said, "My goodness, I'm cute!"
February 21, 2010
- Liz tried to explain to Gehrig that God put the moon and stars in the sky, but he is convinced that Daddy did it.
February 24, 2010
- Liz told Gehrig he's getting his hair trimmed tomorrow, and he said no, he wants his hair to "pop." She's not quite sure what that means.
April 27, 2010
- Liz and Gehrig were looking at books at the Christian bookstore, and Gehrig kept taking books off the shelf, looking at them, and putting them back. Finally he exclaimed, "I can't find Jesus!"
August 18, 2010
- Gehrig's quotables of the day: "I not going to church! I quit!" (he was just being obstinate--he loves church) and "How we get God down from there, Daddy?" (when Mike explained that God is way up in the sky)
August 20, 2010
- Gehrig's version of Old Macdonald: "Macdonald had a sheep, E-I-E-I-O. Sheep everywhere, E-I-E-I-O. Moo-moo somewhere, moo-moo somewhere, E-I-E-I-O."
August 27, 2010
- *sigh* Now Gehrig suddenly and inexplicably has a fever of 101.7. Liz figured out he didn't feel well when the poor baby came into the kitchen and said, "Can you show me what's wrong with me?"
September 10, 2010
- When we drove past a car lot that had a bunch of balloons, Gehrig yelled, "I can have those balloons! I can hub 'em! And Queeze 'em!"
September 15, 2010
- Liz was in the attic looking for the jumperoo (which she still can't find--where is that thing?), when Gehrig yelled up to her, "Mommy, are you in the sky seeing God?"
December 10, 2010
- So in the past week Logan has rolled off the couch, rolled into the fireplace, pulled Gehrig's trash can over on top of himself, rolled over to the TV and chewed on the cables, rolled under the Christmas tree and tried to eat the branches, and pulled Gehrig's chair down on top of himself. Guess it's time to baby-proof the house a little better. Or buy a cage (like on Please Don't Eat the Daisies).
December 16, 2010
- Liz was showing Gehrig her and Mike's wedding pictures, and he said, "Look, there's Mommy when you were princess!"
December 21, 2010
- A commercial for a Sponge Bob toy just came on, and Gehrig said, "I can't get that for Christmas. It's yucky. I can get clean toys for Christmas." :) That's my boy! --Liz
- Gehrig saw Liz's glass pitcher sitting on the counter and said, "Hey! I put wa-wer in that. Then I put flowers in it. That's how I do it."
January 1, 2011
- Gehrig just very gently pulled Logan away from the computer cord and nicely told him, "No, no, Wogan, you know better than that."
January 16, 2011
-- Apparently Logan thinks that since he slept for ten minutes in the car, he doesn't need a nap. :-\ On a funnier note, Liz was reading Gehrig's Sunday School paper, and she asked Gehrig, "Do you remember what John said to Jesus?" And he said, "Uh-huh. 'Be quiet.'" :)
January 19, 2011
- Gehrig and Mike are watching Star Trek, and Liz just heard Gehrig ask, "Daddy, is that Q?"
February 11, 2011
- Gehrig: "This juice isn't helping." Liz: "Isn't helping what?" Gehrig: "My nose." Liz: "Well, I don't think juice really helps noses." Gehrig: "Kind of."
- Gehrig's bedtime prayer tonight: "Hey, God, help Daddy at work and to make TV and the satellite.Thank you for Buzz and Woody. I love you, God!"
February 20, 2011
- Logan's new word is "na-na" which he says while trying to reach electrical outlets.
February 25, 2011
- Gehrig was a horror at the grocery store this evening, and when I told him he was in big trouble when we got home, he promised to be a good boy. He said, "See, I'm being a good boy! Look at this smile!" (He did not keep that promise, by the way, and is now going to bed without his binky for the first time)
March 12, 2011
- Gehrig and I were talking about his learning to drive when he's older, and he said, "I'll take you wherever you want to go. Take you home, take you to the store, take you to the fire station."
March 17, 2011
- Gehrig put his underwear on all by himself and came into the living room announcing, "I put my legs in the right order!"
March 19, 2011
- When Gehrig grows up he wants to be a fireman and "help people from fire," drive an "andulance" and help people when they're hurt, and be a policeman and help people when they're lost. Is anyone else noticing a trend? He's the sweetest kid ever.
March 23, 2011
- Mike: "You're just a little tornado." Gehrig: "You're a little tomato!"
March 24, 2011
- "I'm starvenous!" ~ Gehrig
March 27, 2011
- Gehrig was "being-tend" to go to Toy Story on Ice again, and he asked me for some "tickets." I gave him a couple of expired coupons, and he carried them around all evening. He took them to bed with him, and as I was getting ready to turn out the light, he was studying them and announced, "I'm freakin' out about these tickets." ~ Liz
April 3, 2011
- Gehrig found the bathroom scale in our bedroom and said, "Hey! Grandma Bonnie bought that! You put your footses on it, and it tells you what time it is." :)
April 8, 2011
- "I love you, Mommy, but I have to fight Captain Hook." --Gehrig
April 9, 2011
- After a long series of "why" questions, I exasperatedly exclaimed, "Why, why, why!" Gehrig calmly answered, "No, just why." And then when I was getting him some animal crackers, he said, "I want too many!"
April 24, 2011
- I was giving Gehrig and Logan a bath this evening, and I poured some water over Logan's head. Gehrig said, "Don't do that! Would you like it if I poured water over your head?"
April 25, 2011
- "I do every good thing I ever wanna do. Throw the garbage away, give Logan his binky, fight him with swords." ~ Gehrig
