Early Mornings

Lately Tate has decided morning is the best time of day. And when I say morning, I mean early morning. Like 5am morning. Somehow I have been blessed to have a husband who will get up with him and feed him before getting me up. Then I get up and we play. Tate is very into climbing and reading books. So, he climbs onto chairs, tables, beds. Then we read. Generally around 7:30 he wants to be held and is hard to please, so we read for a bit and then he goes down for a nap around 7:45.

Then Rowan gets up. And we play and read and eat. And both kids get quite a bit of one-on-one Mommy time which they love. And, I'll admit, I'd always rather sleep in, but it's kind of nice having a little time with each of them. Tate has been able to choose his own books instead of just listening to the ones Rowan chooses. Rowan has been able to do activities that are too hard to do when Tate is up (like make a fort, do projects with scissors, try to ride her bike).

Hopefully (one day very very soon), Tate will take a hint from his big sister and start sleeping peacefully until 8:00, but until then I'll do my best (with lots of help from Lance) to enjoy these fleeting moments with my wonderful kids.

Happy Father's Day

Baked french toast, chocolate lasagna, dinner with friends. And a few silly pictures as part of Lance's Father's Day present.

Splish, Splash

Quick recap of the past week--celebrating Lance's birthday, planting 3 memorial trees (2 apple and a cherry) in the backyard, lots of playing outside in between the raindrops and some playing outside in the raindrops. Rowan and Tate are best friends and love playing together, making my job as a mom that much nicer.

Tate at 15 months

I still can't believe how fast time flies. My little guy is already 15 months old (and I am on the planning committee for my 10-year collge reunion)! I'm at a point in my life where the days seem long but the years seem short. And my little baby is growing up so fast. At his appointment he weighed in at 23 pounds, 12 ounces--quite normal for a 15-month old boy. Only 4 pounds lighter than his 3-year-old sister. He says a few words--mine and no are the current favorites, along with mama, dada, baba (bottle), drink, cracker, ball, dog, book, bubbles and a few more I'm sure I'm forgetting. He's also into animal sounds, his favorite is "ah ah" for monkey.

Tate is also very into books lately, which is somewhat impressive considering I read to him all of maybe 10 times in his first year of life. He hated sitting still for books, I didn't push the issue. But now he loves them and has very strong opinions about which ones I should read to him.

Another big hit at our house is the new trampoline. So. Much. Fun. The kids love it (mostly Rowan as Tate kind of just runs around and falls down) and the parents love it, too. We even snuck out and jumped on it tonight after we put the kids to bed. Silly, I know, but we had fun. I can't get enough of this warmer weather and want to spend every moment outside!

Politics, According to Rowan

Rowan has become somewhat obsessed with the presidents of the United States. It all started when she heard a song about the presidents and one was named Madison. Since she knows three girls named Madison, she was very excited that there was a song about them. When I told her that this Madison was actually a boy and that Madison was his last name and his first name was James, she found this to be hysterical. So much so that she asks to hear the song repeatedly. By now, she knows most of the presidents in order and thinks our next vacation should be to go visit Obama in the White House.

Tonight's "Tell me a story" time went something like this.

Me: "Rowan, who are the characters in your story tonight?"
Rowan: "Harrison, Madison, Tyler and the nice Adams."
Me: "What is the setting?"
Rowan: "The real White House--not just the pretend one."
Me: "What is the plot?"
Rowan: "The plot is that we are all going to visit Obama in the White House."

Remembering Grandma Mary

Mary, we'll miss you so much--picking strawberries with you in the spring and picking apples with you in the fall, eating your yummy sugar cookies and gingerbread men at Christmas, grilling out in your "screen house" in the summer.

In addition to some of my favorite pictures of my mother-in-law, I'm also posting Lance's final post on Mary's Care Page.

Missing my mom.
Posted May 19, 2009 12:57am
As many of you may already know, Mary passed away during the early hours of May 17th. Her daughter, her son and her brother were with her when she died. She was not in pain nor was she suffering. It was peaceful and dignified.

Mary's journey in her fight against cancer was one of ups and downs. She was devastated by her diagnosis during December of last year but never gave in to the disease. Although Mary's body was compromised, her mind and soul remained strong. As she weakened it seemed that her love and compassion strengthened. She took every opportunity to tell those around her how much she loved them and how much they meant to her. Little did she know how influential and inspiring she was to so many.

As a mother, daughter, sister, wife, friend and co-worker Mary didn't hold back. Mary wasn't afraid to tell it to you straight - whether you wanted to hear it or not, if she thought it would help, she said it. She was a strong Catholic woman with a love for God. And it was her faith that helped her climb out of the lowest valleys and celebrate on the highest peaks. She fought for those who couldn't fight for themselves - the weak, the ill, the less fortunate which often times included her family and friends. The fight that lived in Mary was never touched by the cancer that invaded the rest of her body. And that fight now lives on in her kids, her siblings and her friends.

So you might be wondering where was God during Mary's fight? Where was the miracle that we asked for? And I'll tell you that God held Mary's hand this entire journey. And he did perform miracles almost on a daily basis throughout Mary's life. Miracles that included minutes of pure joy and clarity with her four grandchildren only hours before her death. Miracles that included two brain surgeries that allowed a husband and wife to hold hands and go for walks. Miracles that brought a son and daughter from NC and TX back to MI and IL within months of Mary's diagnosis. Miracles that brought Mary to a facility to be cared for by nurses that she helped teach. Miracles that allowed Mary to die with the peace and dignity that she deserved. Miracles that give Mary a chance to spend eternity with the one who died so that we could be forgiven.

I miss my mom and always will. I'll miss the way she kisses me. I'll miss the way she holds her grandkids. I'll miss the way she cares so thoughtfully for my father. But I will celebrate her life and will never question her love for me. I will remember her every time I kiss my children and every time I say the words I Love You. I love you Ma.

I hope you'll join Mary's family and friends at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Canton, MI on Friday, May 22 to celebrate her life. Visitation will be from 10am - 11am followed by a service and celebration luncheon. Per Mary's request, food will be provided by Palermo's and dessert will include plenty of brownies! Please join us for any/all of the day's events - and please celebrate Mary's wonderful life!

Thank you for your wonderful messages for Mary via this site. They helped Mary realize it was OK to let go and it has helped her family thrive during this most difficult time. Mary was a good listener and she loved to listen to your thoughts, stories and prayers.

This Evening's Funny Quotes

Lance and I were discussing Dancing with the Stars, a show we don't really watch, and were talking about who we want to win. Rowan pipes in and says "Who do you want to win, Mommy? Dora, Boots, Backpack or Diego?"

Lance: "Rowan, do you love your brother?"
Rowan: "No" (pause) "Well, I guess I love him a little because God made him."

Rowan, on a walk tonight: "Daddy, let's just stop and look at this bird poop."

Rowan, telling a story in the style of You are Special, Little One:
"Daddy, with your Dora eyes and your sweet smelling fur, you are so special and I will love you forever and ever and always. Mommy, with your beautiful boots and your sweet smelling dinner, you are so special and I will love you forever and ever and always. Sebby, with your tail and your sweet smelling doggy food, you are so special and I will love you forever and ever and always. Harley, with your doggy fur and your sweet smelling basement, you are so special and I will love you forever and ever and always."

Rowan, tonight after her bedtime prayer: "So if God and Jesus both live in Heaven, do they share a room? Like they're havin' a sleepover?"

All that between dinner and bedtime.