Don't need 'em...

Daycare sent home Lucas' diapers because he doesn't need them anymore.  Yay!  He stays dry at nap time and only wears a diaper to bed at night {he even wakes up dry sometimes from overnight}.  I'm afraid to say it, fearing I will jinx it, but he is doing so great!  We are still working on poop, but he is doing really well. 

*I said in our header that sometimes things get yucky; poop is yucky.

Happy Mother's Day

Before I was a Mom -
I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed. I wore clean clothes everyday.  {I went to the bathroom by myself.}

Before I was a Mom -
My house was usually clean. I never tripped over toys or sang lullabies. I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never been puked on,
pooped on,
spit on,
chewed on, or
peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts. I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom -
I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests...or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin or a case of the giggles. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom -
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much.

Before I was a Mom -
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child. I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every ten minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known
the warmth,
the joy,
the love,
the heartache,
the wonderment or
the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.

I am thankful {EVERYDAY} that God chose me to be a Mom.


*I have seen lots of versions of this, but have no idea the proper author to credit.

Flashback Friday

Our First Garden

May 2005

Brent is the gardener; I'm just along for the ride. I don't mind weeding and picking, but I really have no idea what to plant, how to plant it, when to plant it, how to cook it once we pick it... you get the idea.  So in the spring of 2005 when he wanted to not just plant, but BUILD a garden in our back yard, I was a little weary.  He and, our next door neighbor, Dean, came up with a plan that I had no vote in.  I thought it seemed like way too much work, but it became a beautiful masterpiece and was yummy, too. 

We lived in Ottumwa at the time and there wasn't a "perfect" spot in our backyard, so the boys created a perfect spot.   

The finished product - complete with deer and rabbit protection. Look at that grin on his face!!

It was the perfect garden.  Brent spent a lot of time taking care of it and we all enjoyed lots of good food.  We had our first {and successful} experience making salsa and canning.  He planted it again in 2006 and had great plans for 2007, but that was the spring we moved.  We sold the house, but our lovely neighbors continue to tend our garden.  The new owners are perfectly okay with that. 

It has been four years and Brent has been dreaming about a garden since then.  The perfect spot, the perfect size, the perfect seeds... we planted it a few weeks ago and he couldn't be happier to tend to it.  How come in his dreams, everything gets bigger?  The old garden looks itty-bitty compared to the new one.  

I'm glad Brent enjoys this hobby and I'm glad that Lucas gets to learn, too.  It is fun for all of us. 

Random pics

Photos from my cell phone.

Jonah and Lucas, best buddies

Playing farm with Uncle Brian and Papa Steve.

Haircut time - Lucas loves Jennie!

Planting corn - can you see his red hat and yellow shirt?  He is so attentive sitting in the tractor!

Lucas pushed his high chair from the kitchen into the living room and wanted to watch tv in it. 

Garden

The garden is planted!  All 1,200 square feet of it. 

Lucas kept Daddy in a straight line. 

(Notice the sneakers?  We've had lots of shorts-and-boots days, but that night I convinced him otherwise.)

Then he helped set the planter.

He supervised.

He instructed.

Soon, we will all get to eat it!

Black birds & tools

Did you also know that toy drills can be used to ward off unwelcome guests?

We had a few blackbirds that {I presume} were eating worms after a rain. Lucas was headed to his play set to "work." Lately, he doesn't go to his play set without his tools. I have no idea why. But he is always hammering, screwing, twisting, etc. He spotted the blackbirds and stopped in his tracks. He turned around and looked at me, worried. Being the consoling mommy I am, I turned and ran to get my camera; I could see something good about to happen.

When I returned a few seconds later, Lucas was holding up his play drill and pushing the button so it was making noise. It never phased the birds. {You can also see that he had his hammer and philips screw driver in the other hand.}  He held the button on the drill for a good minute. I was cracking up. The birds didn't care, so I decided to walk towards them, knowing they would fly away. Lucas stayed in this exact spot until they were gone.

A toolbox full of daddy's tool is like Christmas morning for this little boy.