Package for Grandma

Need a break.  Shipping the kids to grandma's. 



{ mama, you did pay extra to send us via overnight delivery, right? }



{ mama, are you sure this is the right address? }

{ surprise, grandma! }

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Life Lessons

Today's post is on life lessons, which I inevitably and generally without fail, have to learn the hard way.

{ cj showed an interest in computers since infancy }

This was the invite for CJ's one-year birthday party (the details have been modified).  Sure, the photo of him playing on the computer and following in the footsteps of his father (a web developer) seems harmless and adorable enough.  However, the reality is it's really NOT a smart idea to let your child slam away on the keyboard of your laptop.  Hubby downloaded a program called BabySmash for CJ - it lets your child press the keys and fun shapes, letters, and noises pop up on the screen.  As you can imagine, CJ absolutely loved it.

Well, the end result of all that babysmashing looks something like this:

{ take note of essential keys missing on this laptop and then make mental note never to let a child near yours }

So LIFE LESSON #28:  Do not let your child play with expensive technological devices unless you really don't mind typing without the shift, control, and other necessary keys and having to pay ridiculous repair fees.

Speaking of repair fees, this leads me to another important lesson.

LIFE LESSON #56:  Never ever ever leave liquids near the laptop!

{  the new laptop getting sent back for repair }

This is a painful and expensive lesson I've had to learn within the last 48 hours.  It was time for a new laptop (as you can obviously see), so I ordered the Lenovo Ideapad Y460 less than 3 weeks ago.  The machine is awesome!  I wasn't quite crazy about the design (thought it looked a bit masculine), but as far as horse power, storage, functionality, graphics, media (I particularly love the JBL speakers!), it really was a good buy.  And what made it better was that I had gotten it on sale, and it cost me $350 less than the going retail price. 

Well, so much for saving money.  On Monday, I was sitting at the dining room table updating the blog while drinking a nice glass of ice cold water.  The next thing I know, I'm knocking the entire glass of water all over the keyboard of my spankin' brand new laptop.

And then the lights go out.  The screen turns black.  The machine is gone.

Try as I might to get all the water out, dry the computer and revive it somehow, it was a lost cause.  I left it to dry for over 24 hours and nada.  So now it's going to some depot in Texas to get repaired, and because it was an accident, it's not covered under the one-year warranty.  More money down the drain.  Whatever dollars I saved will now be incurred by the cost of a new motherboard and who knows what else to get the thing working again.

But after all this is said and done, here's the punchline:  there's a life lesson I've learned that precedes, supercedes, rectifies, and provides solace to the previous ones stated here.

LIFE LESSON #2: Material things will wither away to dust and won't mean anything in the end. There are treasures far more important and far more eternal.

So no point in crying over spilled milk (or water in this case). There are truly many, many more important things in life. 

{ grandma & grandpa with baby ava }

(Grandmother, I love you dearly and am so grateful for the godly example you've been in my life.  Thank you for showing me there is no greater treasure in this world than Jesus himself.  As you prepare to see Him face-to-face, help us to celebrate in knowing you will be with Him at the banqueting table and feast on His goodness and grace all the days of eternity.)

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First Steps

Someone took his first steps today!

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The Breakout

{ nate:  come on, people.  it's my birthday.  let me out of this joint. }

{ ava:  don't worry, cuz.  i got your back.  i have some mad negotiation skills and am able to get whatever i want. you just let me do all the talking. }

{ hey, you!  yeah, you with the fancy camera and crazy lookin' hair.  i demand that you get over here and release us at this very minute or else!   i know my constitutional rights and according to the fourth amendment, you can't keep us here without probable cause!  so drop the camera, bend over, put your arms out, and pick us up RIGHT THIS INSTANT!! }

{ hey, did you hear a word i said?  i said get us out of here RIGHT NOW! }

{ oh man, we're never breakin' out of this place. }



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In My Footsteps

Being home with the boys has quickly reminded me how sinful and selfish my heart is.  The past month has been a truly humbling experience.  I catch myself raising my voice and getting frustrated because CJ insists on getting his way, but I insist on getting mine.  And just like CJ, I pout and fume inside when I don't get it.  He is a reflection of my very self.

And I've also noticed how quick he is to imitate me.  Even simple things like when Jazz (our sharpei shepherd mix) is hanging around and sometimes in the way, I'll say "Go away, Jazz!"  And then I immediately hear those same exact words echoed in a similar unkind tone from the small, squeaky voice of my two-year-old son.  Ugh.

I've been reading Don't Make Me Count to Three! by Ginger Plowman, and in Chapter 6, she talks about the parent's responsibility.  This excerpt humbled me:

"Someone is following in your footsteps.  Your child learns the most not by what he hears but by what he sees you do.  He will follow many of the examples that you set before him.  In following your example, will he be a doer of the Word of God or only a hearer?  Will he be faithful or hypocritical?  Perhaps one of the most sobering verses as far as our responsibility in training our children is found in Luke 6:40:  'A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.'"

I immediately saw the sin of my own heart and how my desire for control and order have led to less than godly examples for my children.  After reading this, I resolved to be a better example for CJ and Nathan.  Instead of reacting quickly and tersely out of frustration, I am trying very hard to be patient, gracious, soft-spoken but firm, and to act as I would want them to act.

After waking from his afternoon nap yesterday, CJ was in a foul mood.  I prepared dinner and then put Nathan in his high chair and asked very kindly for CJ to join us (he was hanging out in the playroom).  He then fell to the floor and started to throw a tantrum.  I asked him what was wrong but he just continued to cry.  I again said in a soft-spoken manner, "Please, come join us at the table for dinner."

He continued to cry, and then I just quietly responded by saying, "Whenever you're ready, you can join us."  I proceeded to feed Nathan, and CJ continued to throw his tantrum for another minute or so.  And then all of the sudden, he stopped, got up off the floor, climbed into his chair at the dinner table, and started eating his food.

On any other day, my response to his behavior would have been to pick CJ up immediately, place him in the chair, and firmly say to him, "Now stop crying.  You have to eat your dinner."  And he would have pouted and continued to be upset for a while. 

That evening, I saw the difference my reaction made.   In the same, calm manner I responded to him, he responded likewise.

One can always talk the talk, but your walk will always speak louder.

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Library Totes & Fire Trucks

I love taking the boys out to our town's library which is within walking distance from our house.  Primarily because no one else goes there, so we have the whole place to ourselves and I don't have to keep a hawk's eye on the children.  CJ is a bit "assertive" (euphemism for "bully-ish") and is often found snatching someone else's toy or books.  We're working on sharing, but it's been a very slow process.



{ monkey totes from target | $2.50 each }

Speaking of sharing, I started buying two of everything even before Nathan was born or conceived (I guess I had already assumed sharing would be difficult for my children).  Among those purchases are these adorable monkey totes for $2.50 each at Target.  Now the boys use it as their library book bags (Nathan's still too young to make use of his but it'll only be a matter of time). 

CJ has always loved doing puzzles and playing with the toys at the library.  But recently, he's showing more appreciation for the books.  His current obsession is trucks. 

Can you tell? 

{ cj's current reading selection }

If your toddler is just as fascinated with all things trucks and firefighters, these reading selections are good ones:

- Mark Teague's, Firehouse!

- Kersten Hamilton's, Red Truck

- Patricia Hubbell's, Firefighters!

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Poster Child

{ nathan modeling his DOC band }

Nathan didn't get a lot of tummy time in his early months (ramifications of being a second child; sorry babe!).  We noticed his head was starting to get flat.   Around five months at the pediatrician's suggestion, we took him in for a consultation at Cranial Technologies in Paramus.

After taking some images and measurements, they determined he had somewhere between a moderate to severe form of Brachycephaly (sounds so serious).  They recommended a DOC band for our little guy.  We were already familiar with the band because several of our friends had to get it for their children.  We decided to go ahead with it, and there was no excuse since the entire thing was covered by our insurance company.

I have to say Nathan looked super adorable in his helmet.  He quickly adapted to it.  The only issue we encountered was the stench from the sweat.  So we had to clean it daily with rubbing alcohol.  Otherwise, we found the whole process very seamless and the folks at Cranial Tech very helpful.

{ here is a pic of nathan getting digital images of his head to create his DOC band.  the stocking over the head is a little creepy but kind of cute, too.  and who can resist those rolls? }

  

{ looking dapper in his new helmet }

    

{ our little guy sporting his newly decorated helment.  hubby printed out "Nathan's" hot dog logo and glued it on with mod podge.  impressive }

  

{ and here is our absolute proudest moment as a parent: 
having your son featured topless in a calendar!
click here to see the 2011 calendar. 
cranial technologies publishes one each year.}

    

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