Box 'Em Up

Dear Henry, 
You've never been a boy about much fuss.  Mommy has been saving your diaper boxes so you can play in them.  Which by the way the Parent's Choice diapers broke your miniature butt out in a large size rash in one day, so I'm glad you are at least getting some use out of the box.  You love boxes no matter the size.  I stick you in the box and you usually perch your little arms on either side so you resemble something close to a gentleman out in his convertible on a leisurely afternoon.  Then I stuff a bunch of your toys in with you and you begin to sort and throw out the ones you don't want.  I look forward to getting you a big appliance box sometime and cutting holes in it for your sparky face to poke through.  I'll fashion a flap for the door so you can crawl out and in like a puppy dog.  I'll make you a skylight so I can look in on you.  I think you'll love it.

It looks like you're saying, "Hey Good Buddy, breaker 2-niner."

 Love, Mommy

I'll Take that One!

Dear Henry, 
While Grandpa Tim and Ellen were visiting we went to Musgrave's Orchard about 6 miles from our house.  The trip was a bit of a bust because they aren't wheelchair accessible.  Mommy did get a bag of caramel corn Ellen bought some cider and I was able to get this photo of you.  Not just another punkin' on the shelf.

Love, Mommy

Can a Kiss Be TOO BIG?

Dear Henry, 

If you remember late this past summer we helped Grandma P and Crappaw take down their 33 year old wallpaper in the hallway???  The ceremony of tearing sparked happiness in Grandma P and she tore town the 20 year old wallpaper in the kitchen and now they have decided to paint.  (I know Grandma P, you loved that paper.)  Mommy went to help them paint and you and Grandma P played.  As we were leaving Crappaw was teasin' you and trying to give you a big kiss.  Apparently that kiss goodbye was a little too big for you because you were pulling your little head back as best as you can to get away from those big lips.  We've all been there Henry.  Crappaw just wants to show ya some love.  It was really funny to see ya try to get away from it.  Look at your little shoulders all hunched up.

 

Love, Mommy

Thank God I'm a Country Boy

Dear Henry, 

Daddy and Mommy took you through your rounds in Columbus recently as Grandpa Tim and Ellen were visiting from Florida.  They were impressed by your recent updates since the last visit, such as crawling, standing, insatiable curiosity and having to put EVERYTHING in your mouth.  

First, we stopped by the family farm where Grandpa Tim was really excited to walk you around and sit in the grass with you.  He tried to show you how to whistle with a blade of grass but couldn't find one broad enough to get the real effect.  

 

 

This was okay with you as it gave you the nod to stuff a big stick, some bark as well as some weeds into your mouth.  

Ellen and Grandpa Tim were in the middle of installing a window into the pole barn when we arrived.  You seemed to love the novelty of poking your head into the barn from the outside.  Since this visit they've finished up the window and drywall as well as installed a stove and refrigerator and light fixtures.  

  On the porch of the barn willy worms (Grandma P would have me call them wooly worms) started inching their way all around us.  You spotted one and promptly put it in your mouth.  

Grandpa Tim had to pry it out of your hands a couple of times trying to keep poor willy worm alive.  Your lips showed your dirty deed as bunches of willy worm hairs were left there.  Poor willy worm never stood a chance with your death grip and six teeth.  

As the early evening approached it grew colder so after a few animal crackers we packed up and drove the short distance to Crappaw's and Grandma P's house.  

Grandma P's and Crappaw's played with you on the floor encouraging you to show off your newly acquired skills.  Of course Crappaw let you play with his watch and got out your measuring stick.  When Mommy commented on what a nice elaborate measuring stick Lily's Grandma and Grandpa made her they stared at me blankly as if to say, "Yeah so, what's wrong with this scrap piece? Eh?"  Well, Peep, nothing is wrong with it at all.  

Such a stick did just fine for Mommy over the years.  Mommy's measuring stick is still in the furnace room on the wall growing bored because Mommy hasn't added any measurement marks since 1991.  Mommy was only 16 in 1991...if truth be told, Mommy has not increased in height since 1989.  ANYHOOO!  You had grown one inch in the last three weeks.  OUCH!  Where does all that bone, muscle and skin come from?  

We made your mark and went to our last destination, Grandma LaJean and Great Grandma Hazel's.


If I haven't already professed it here Mommy has to tell you and all the readers of the internets that Great Grandma Hazel is the bestest cook.  Not only is she a great cook but she makes all kinds of specialties depending on what type of food you really dig.  She is an old school cook.  You get a couple of side dishes with your meats and some type of sweet dessert always follow the main course.  Mommy is more of a casserole/ soup kind of cook... meaning I throw it all together and hope it tastes really awesome.  Great Grandma Hazel's cooking is full of love and warm fuzzies and I hope to learn to infuse that into dishes as you grow older.  

On this visit there was cube steak, mashed potatoes and buttered carrots with a side of apple sauce from scratch followed by sweet apple crisp a la mode.  WOWSER!  You were loving the spread and grunted for more and more.  Grandma LaJean fed you apple sauce like you were in an eating contest.  

Hazel says the secret is the lodi apples but I am just sure it is her experienced hands.  A soft touch, Great Grandma could not hold back the apple crisp a la mode when you stood and begged at her knee.  Grandma LaJean bought you a special Halloween book and shared it with you as you sat closely on her lap like a famished puppy.  

You are really great with books these days and your attention span lasts until the book is finished. 

After your book she gave you Auntie Kristin's old trick or treat bag to borrow for Saturday, then it was time to get back home.

Wow Peep!
It all only lasted a few hours but you had so many experiences and so many smiling faces making for great photo ops.


To see more photos click on my flickr link here...



Love, 
Mommy

Silly Photos

Dear Henry, 

I don't have to tell you that Mommy takes a crap ton of photos of you.  There really have only been a handful of days where I haven't taken at least one photo of you.  Well, two weeks ago I decided to take you to the Walmarts to get their 8 dollar package with you in front of one of the silly Halloween backgrounds.  Mommy thought it would be a nice thing to send to Grandma LaJean, Great Grandma Hazel, Grandpa Tim and Ellen and Crappaw and Grandma P, J and Jmom and Auntie Kristin and Auntie Carrie, and Uncle Gary and Auntie Michelle.  The photos are cute, mostly because you are cute.  They required you to take a bunch of other poses trying to entice Mommy into spending more money.  The rest were...well, just kind of weird.  In one they had you crawling across a fake white bed, another sitting with a mess of cheap toys, messin' around in leaves with a "pretty" weed background and another in front of a tire swing.  You were a perfect gentleman and smiled on command, of course.  Then it took 20 minutes to go through each shot and do ugly photo effects on them even though Mommy said that there was no way she wanted a green vinette around any of the photos or text say, "Fall 2009".  Mommy stuck to her guns though and left with only the $8 package photo.  Here it is...

BUT! I was able to easily save the images off of the website and so here they are.

 

 

 

 

Love, Mommy

The Babies are Coming, The Babies are Coming!

Dear Henry!

Such great news this evening.  Our friend Heather called just now.  Remember they have matched with a wonderful woman who has chosen her and Phillipe to parent the twins?  Well, the babies are being brought into this world as Mommy types this post.  A boy and a girl!



Mommy has been emotional all night... it brought up many of our moments in the hospital with J when you were born.  How much love we all have for you!  The whole experience of Daddy and I standing in the hall listening to your first cries and J inviting us in and placing you in my arms saying, "go see your mama."  The first time I was a real mama.


A couple of weeks ago we went to Heather and Phillipe's to help them get the babies' room painted.  You were a great boy and sat and bumbo and your car seat takin' a deep long nap.

And for fun here is a photo of Heather back in August showing off the ultra sounds and playing Molkky with you in her arms.  She's gonna be one cool mama!  

It will be a hard couple of days for the three of them, or I should say for the five of them, but also some of the most rich, loving, and deep moments humans could share with each other.  


Your entrance into the world I've kept off of this blog.  While I write the blog for you, others peep in and it is something Mommy only wants you to hear personally.  Baby boy, my gratitude for J choosing us as your family is enormous.  I always hope that J and her family will always know that there is not a second in our lives that the miracle of you goes unnoticed. 
Love, 
Mama


P.S. Here is the first photo of your new buddies we received at 12:01AM via Heather's cell phone. YEAH!

Hello Mommy!

Dear Henry, 


During your daytime naps Mommy lays you down in your crib when you are drowsy so you can develop good sleep habits.  When you are done sleeping (an hour, half hour, two hours) whatever it is you sleep for that nap I hear you from the other room calling me.  Mommy comes down the hall and jumps into your doorway and yells boo, always good for a giggle and a smile.  Here is the precious lil' face I get to look at every time you wake up from a nap.

 

On Wednesday after your nap I put you on your floor so you could play while I put your clothes away.  I had pulled out one of your $1 garage sale stools.  I turned around from the closet and you were pushing that stool across the room using it like a walker.  WHAT?!
Amazing!  7 months, 1 week ( added sock monkey after the fact just because it was cute).

Love, Mommy

You and Whistle Pig, One and the Same?

Dear Henry, 

For about a year we've had visitors living under our deck.  Hell, our yard is practically a wildlife sanctuary.  The moles have moved but we have chipmunks, a colony of squirrels, raccoons, ospreys, all kinds of other birds, skunk, deer, whistle pigs (ground hogs) and possum.  Part of it is our neighborhood's mature trees and the other part is our massive amount of acorns from the three large pin oaks in the side yard.  So our deck has supported two whistle pigs, and when they moved out temporarily three raccoons moved in, now the last 4 months the whistle pigs are back.  I think there are two.
One is getting pretty bold and comfortable and tools around our yard.  Today Mommy found some similarities between the two of you, you both go where you don't belong and you both get a guilty look on your faces when you're caught.

Love, Mommy

Stay Gold Pony Boy

Dear Henry,

One of Mommy's favorite movies has always been The Outsiders.  The movie is based on the book The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton.  Hinton was 15 when she wrote the book and 16 when it was published.  The book's plot centers around conflict and ultimately forgiveness between two social groups within the same community.   Mommy's favorite themes in the book are of growing up and the loss of innocence that naturally happens as a person compiles piles of experiences that shape their life and give them perspective.  Sometimes our experiences can be very arduous but end in valuable lessons and unforeseen blessings of insight and gratitude.  It is certain that many mommies and daddies have had long journeys before realizing parenthood.  Your Mommy and Daddy, in fact, started out in one direction and wound around until your birth mother J found and chose us for you, long before we even knew we were in her heart and you in her tummy.  Even though some of the years were painful and testing waiting for you because it ended in you, Mommy has perspective and gratitude for the pain.  I love the Robert Frost poem used in the film.   Mommy knows it by heart and often rolls it around her head at appropriate occasions.  
                      "Nothing Gold Can Stay"
                      Natures first green is gold,
                      Her hardest hue to hold.
                      Her early leaf's a flower;
                      But only so an hour.
                      Then leaf subsides to leaf.
                      So Eden sank to grief,

                      So dawn goes down to day
                      Nothing gold can stay.


Wednesday was a great day.  We played, rolled around, laughed, cuddled and ate.  It was so pretty and warm that we took a walk so I could take some fall photos of you under the beautiful yellow tree around the corner.  I put you in your newest garage sale treasure, your robot sweater.  As I took photos you enjoyed the crunchy leaves and looking up at the branches.  The lighting was a bit surreal... then there was this one sweet moment where the breeze started blowing and your breath was taken away and you sighed. 

It was a deep happy sigh and you starting picking up leaves to eat.  You loved the crunch, crunch, crinkle in your hands so much and wanted to eat them so badly that I almost couldn't take any more photos because I had to continuously stop and fish them from your mouth.  

 

They were so great you finally broke down with screaming and tears because I wouldn't let you eat them like the very hungry caterpillar.  I'm certain I saved you a very bad tummy ache.
You smiled at the wind and looked around with such wonderment in your eyes, you are golden.  I've had moments with you like this before but the environment lent an extra melancholy feel to the scene.  Peep, you will have lots of experiences in your life, hell you have already, that can take you down and out or create a scaffolding for you to raise yourself up.  Mommy can be a bit of idealist. In my idealist optimism I believe that even if these golden moments only stay in our hearts we can recapture over and over those feeling of being green and new in the world.  It is Mommy's wish for you that you always keep an air of green optimism and keep that gold despite the ways life can sometimes try to melt it away.  It won't be easy but I hope that a cool fall breeze that swirls leaves around your ears always takes your breath away. Mommy also hopes that someday when you're a teen and not acting so cool I'll have a golden green Henry folder in my head to draw from to remember that you are still learning in this world, so ease up.  

 

Here are some of the other photos, click here...  http://www.flickr.com/photos/leetha_t/

Love, Mama