More of Xander's Birthday Celebration

Okay, this is going to be a long post with lots of pictures, so be patient. We went to Chick-Fil-A for Xander's birthday dinner, simply because he won't eat much more than hot dogs and chicken nuggets. Gramma ate with us and brought an Elmo Happy Birthday balloon with her. She also got him a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse DVD (which he had just gotten into) and Disney Pixar Short Films DVD (which is perfect because they can watch 15 minutes of it here and there and be satisfied). The boys got to play for a little while, then we went home. (more about the party below)

Gramma also got Zack a new Transformer!

That's our big boy!!

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On Saturday, we had a birthday pool party for Xander at Gramma's house! We got to play in the pool (and have LOTS of fun fighting with splash balls and a water gun) for about an hour, then it started raining and thundering. Mark and Steve cooked hot dogs on the grill, and I had made wonderful (if I do say so myself) and colorful fruit salad, too. It had watermelon, kiwi, strawberries, canteloupe and blueberries, and I made a dip with cream cheese, whipped cream and marshmallow fluff that equally yummy! We stayed inside to eat and open presents while it poured down rain outside, then enjoyed cake and ice cream! When I asked Xander if he had a fun party, he said "yes!" Thanks to everybody that joined us and for Xander's wonderful presents!!

Alannah and Xander in the pool (She doesn't really like her picture being taken, but I think I got a good shot)

Opening presents...An Elmo Look and Find book from Aunt Caroline and Uncle Keith

Yup, that's Xander! And that's why I got him that shirt!!

Xander loved his elephant safari shirt from Aunt Mo, and it fit with the theme of the party!

Here's the wiggle, stretchy lion thing that came from Jessianne. I missed the exact moment it came out of the bag, but I noticed him back away quickly. He hates those things! He warmed up to it a little bit by morning, but then it got broken so we had to throw it away.

Jessianne also got him a tropical shirt and another Elmo book.

Opening the gift from Aunt Eileen, Alannah, Alyssa, Damien and Christopher--a couple of books, some monkey plates and Diego sand molds.

Here's the cake! And no, I did not make it myself (first time since Zack's first birthday that I haven't made the cake at home). I give credit for the idea to Aunt Mo, who also found the animal stickers and blew them up for me, but I can take credit for drawing the background for the animals. I give credit to Lowes Foods for the cake itself, which was quite yummy.

Everybody singing to Xander and Xander wondering what in the world is going on????

Blow out the candles, Xander! (with a little help from Daddy, of course)

Christina and Lanaysia got this dragon for him, and he was scared of it at first, this is him slowly warming up to it. "Nice al-gee."

Once he had control over its motions, he was fine with it. He likes to hold it up by the wings while the feet are moving and say "Al-gee walkin'!"

Hangin' with Gramma!

More pool time...here's Alyssa

Mark with Damien

And lastly, I couldn't leave out a little video I took. You could call it splish-splash, or you could call it sisterly love. You decide...

Thanks to Gramma, Aunt Mo, Stacy, Aunt Caroline, Uncle D, Jessianne, Aunt Eileen, Alannah, Alyssa, Damien, Christopher, Andrea, Steve (and kids C, D, K and P), Vanessa, Christina, and Lanaysia for joining us! We all had a blast!!

My Favorite Memories

This "blog carnival" was started by Kate over at Sugar and Spice. You can check out her favorite memories and post your own (I'd love to read them).

First and foremost, I love remembering anything I can about Mom. Crawling into her bed in the morning when I was young. Her feely nightgowns. The way she said she was going to the moon, when really she was just going to the store. The way she cut out every coupon from the paper, even though she didn't use half of them. Her eggnog. Calling her every day when I first went to college. The way she cried when she saw me on my wedding day, after I had my friend Ben go downstairs and make her come up to see me. The Advent Tree, and later, Gifts of the Magi; and her many years helping people through Urban Ministries. The fact that she and Dad surprised me on my birthday, when I was having a repeat ultrasound (with Zack), and she was able to see my baby before he was born. The way she was playing with his toes a week before she left us. And the fact that Xander knows who Special Grandma is by her picture.

Giving birth. Although things are blurry with Zack's birth because of Stadol and complications afterwards, I remember Xander's birth clearly. Feeling frustrated that it was going to take hours when they started the pitosin, then thrilled that the contractions came on so quickly after my water was broken. Having my sister and my best friend there for me, and Mark feeding me bites of Powerbar and gatorade. Being ready to give up then being told to push. The feeling of accomplishment I felt, holding my baby boy, knowing that I had reached my goal of having no pain medication.

Falling in love with Mark. Seeing him in Metropolis. Finding out he watched General Hospital. Driving to New Bern and calling him from the pay phone just outside of his store. Myrtle Beach and our discussion of how our life was going to go and him telling me we were destined to be married. The proposal. Bowling on Wednesday nights. Beginning our lives together. And I know we have many more memories to make.

Youth group trips from high school. Spring Break in Alabama--rappelling for the first time, hitting a rock with my butt on the zipline, concubers, meeting Julie, hanging out in and on the lake, the best practicle joke EVER!!! Retreats--committing to a life with Jesus, singing at the top of our lungs, prayer circles, bonfires. Mystery trips--Ralph, the youth minister, would not tell us where we were going until we got there; both times I went, it poured down rain, once to Kerr Lake, where we slept in the picnic shelter, and once to a cave in the NC mountains, where we slept in a cold, dank, dark cave. Wednesday night calls to Keepers. Having a place where I was actually a role model for others.

Having a terrific circle of friends in high school. (Okay, Susan, here we go!) Beach trip. Silver eucalyptus. Christmas parties. Dinner mints. Hot tub. Random. Albatross. Cleavage. Pee like a racehorse. Our lunch tree. Beached whales in a hammock. Six people, six spoons and a carton of ice cream. College note-taking. OM. I could probably turn this one into an entire blog on it's own, so I'll stop there.

These are actually from after high school, but good friends are always friends!

Many trips to Pennsylvania as a child. Fighting with Eileen over whose side was whose and who was where. Riding through the Alleghany Tunnel (my tunnel). Huge family dinners at Gram's or Aunt Mary's house, with chicken and mashed potatoes and corn on the cob, shucked on the back steps by the youngest of us. Trips to the peninsula to see tall ships and the sunset. Playing ping-pong in Gram's basement, getting hit in the head with a paddle by Joey, chasing the balls all over the basement (because I was never very good at it). Scaring the tuna salad out of Eileen and Judy after they saw Arachnophobia.

Above is about half (actually a lot less than half) of my cousins. Below is an Erie, PA/Presque Isle sunset.

Praying for Stellan

Ever since I read Kate's Not Me Monday post, I've been hooked on MckMama. She is the mother of four, and the youngest, Stellan has a heart condition that puts him into SVT (very rapid heartbeat) ever now and then. Stellan is in the hospital right now, and has been in SVT for 2-3 days. I can only imagine what this mother is going through, seeing her child suffering and not being able to do anything about it, but she puts her hope and her child's life in God's hands. In this most recent post, she uses words that I've not heard her use before, so she and Stellan must really be in bad shape. Please pray for Stellan (and all heart babies, and all sick babies, and all babies) and kiss your own babies and thank God for every day that you have with them.

This is something that I need to remember when Xander is getting into the movies and trying to play with the phone and Zack is punching the neighbor and running up and down the hall screaming at the top of his lungs. I need to be thankful that they can see and hear and talk and walk and run.

This is something that I need remember when I take Xander to the doctor because he bit his tongue and it bled (mixed with drool) all over his sheet or when Zack falls down outside and scrapes his knee. I need to be thankful that they do not have wires attached to them and doctors constantly poking them.

This is something that I need to remember when I'm fighting with the boys to take a nap. I need to be thankful that they are able to sleep in their own beds instead of in a hospital bed, where they could be scared or alone.

This is something that I need to remember when Xander will not eat anything we put in front of him, except hot dogs, or Zack complains because I gave him juice instead of water. I need to be thankful that they don't have to be fed through a tube or worse, go to bed starving every night.

This is something that I need to remember when I'm at the end of my rope, wondering why I ever had children! I need to be thankful for these wonderful people that I have the pleasure of being with every day, craziness, messes and all!

Happy Birthday Xander!!

Our two-year-old little boy

• Says chepup for ketchup, peotle for people, other one for another or other, puber for computer.
• Would brush his teeth 10 times a day if he could.
• Still lives off hot dogs and goldfish
• Tries to get out of trouble by saying "Hi Mommy" in the cutest little voice. He's also learning how to say "yes, Ma'am" when I tell him to do something.
• Is learning to identify a few letters and associate more with animals, courtesy of fisherprice.com's ABC Zoo game.
• Like to guggle (snuggle) before going to sleep at naptime.
• Could watch movies all day long...or would let movies run all day long but watch only about 10 minutes of each then run off to play.
• Can put together the 24-piece "Pooh pubbles" and "Marmer (farmer) pubbles" (puzzle) pretty much on his own.
• LOVES his big brother! Especially since big brother got him a Geo Trax train set for his birthday.
  
  

Xander's Big Boy Haircut

After a lot of whining, Xander finally sat in my lap to get his hair cut. He said "Ow" before anything touched him, he didn't want to wear a cape and he still didn't like the clippers or the blow dryer she used to get the cut hair off his neck. In the end, he got his big boy hair cut and a lollipop (which had to be thrown away pretty quickly since he doesn't really know how to eat a lollipop yet.

Can I have some Ketchup with that please??

Well, just a little catch up. This pic is from a couple weeks ago (same day as Walking Tree Trail) when we went to Bahama Breeze for dinner. The boys just got some chicken fingers, but I got ribs with guava barbecue sauce (very yummy) and Mark got Jerk chicken pasta (good bu kind of spicy). While Daddy and Gramma were waiting for the check, I took the boys out to the waiting area and caught their dancing on camera.

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Hanging with Alannah at Mickey D's

Here's Christopher!

Damien is usually scared to climb into the play sets, but he crawled in the airplane that didn't require winding, closed in spaces.

Christopher, Alannah, Zack, Damien, Ronald McDonald, Xander and Alyssa

Why are all three of them on here? Let me see you try to get six children under the age of 10 to 1) sit still, 2) look at the camera and 3) smile!

Christopher, Alyssa, Zack and Damien in the airplane

Not My Child

So this is another one of MckMama's blog carnivals. Go over to her sight to check it out.
http://www.mycharmingkids.net/

It was not my child who was splashing and playing the puddle formed at the bottom of Eileen's driveway last week. He did not jump up and down in it, sit in it, push his hands through the mud and make wet, muddy handprints all over Uncle D's car. He was not completely soaked from head to toe, so much that he had to be stripped completely before even coming inside. Not my child!

It is not my child who is sometimes so focused on reading that he will hold the book in front of his face while he is walking down the steps. I'm just waiting for the day that he falls or walks into something.

It was not my child who bit his older brother while staying at a friend's house, but not mostly because he was tired. He did not get served a delicious meal (tortelini, pepperoni and broccoli) at said friend's house only to push his plate away without touching the food. He did not nearly knock me over while trying to climb on my lap because I was holding said friend's sweet baby girl (and my God-daughter :) ). He is certainly not a Mama's boy!! (and I didn't get him a shirt that says so for his birthday)

It was not my child who declared that his baby brother was being too loud in the car. He did not demand that his brother be quiet because he was tired. He did not try to get away without taking a nap at first, by closing the door and reading books in bed. He did not then sleep for at least 2 hours, while his 2-year-old brother only slept an hour and a half.

I was not wondering what I was going to write for this post, only to get on a roll, and I didn't stay up for an additional 30 minutes after getting home from a crazy night at work to write it. My contacts are not now drying out so much that I have to squint to see what I am typing. I am not going to be grumpy when my child (who will be 2 in 2 days) wakes me up at the crack of dawn because his internal clock tells him it's time to get up. I will not try to think of more things to post next week because I having fun with this post right now. Okay, I'm not done.

My Favorite Things

Some all-time favorite movies of mine...

Where the Heart Is -- This was the movie that Mark and I went to see on our first date, his choice. It's sad at times, but overall a feel good movie.

Wall-E -- I guess this is my kids' favorite, but I really like the idea behind it. It makes you think about the impact that you leave on the Earth. Plus Wall-E is just so darn cute!

Titanic -- Yes, I know, the ship sinks, but it's still a great story that is told and portrayed very well.

Star Wars -- Any of them, but mostly the original trilogy. This was a big thing with my high school youth group, seeing the parallel between the movie and our journey with Christ.

Sleeping Beauty -- I guess I'm really a romantic at heart! I love it when the fairies are changing her dress color back and forth while they are dancing at the end of the movie.

The Princess Bride -- This is the one that I could absolutely watch over and over and recite just about every single word! Except I fast-forward through the R.O.U.S. fight--it creeps me out.

Pretty Woman -- Another movie that I could probably recite word for word. I remember watching this movie for the first time with Lisa and wondering what in the world was going on, but reciting the lines along with her. "Oh-yo, Oh-yo, catch this!"

Fool's Gold -- Mark and I actually saw this movie on it's opening night, so it's a new favorite. It has a little bit for everyone -- action, comedy, mystery, romance. And, well, Matthew McConaughey--that's enough to make me love it!!

Thanks, Kate, this was fun. Keep 'em coming!