A letter to my youngest

Dear Eli,

I really don't know that I have the words to describe what a gift you are to my life, but I'll do my best. You are the sweetest little thing that I have ever seen. You have a heart of gold and could teach most adults a thing or two about how loving is supposed to be done. You are smart, funny, and a total crowd-pleaser. You truly are your own "sun" with the way that you light up a room. You just have a way of making others smile. That's why it goes without saying that this is your song.

When you snuggle your little face into my neck, it never fails to melt my heart. You make me smile because of your "Mama's Boy" ways, but you've finally warmed up to the rest of your family as well!

You are about the cutest little thing with all of your silly faces and that radiant personality, but you are usually a total mess, and an exact opposite to your brother's neat and put-together ways. But it just fits you to a tee :)

As sweet as you are, you also know how to stand up for yourself. Whether it's with your brother who's taken something from you, or with me or Daddy who haven't given you what you want- you do what you have to do to rectify the situation. You certainly have a little 'tude when you want to!

I also just love to watch you sleep. You always sleep curled up with your bottom in the air and your feet crossed. It is the cutest thing, and I sneak in every night just to get a peek of this.

Right now, you're 18 months old. You aren't talking (in English) much, but you do a great job with signing. You have mastered, "Please", "More", and "Eat". Not surprising for a boy who can eat more that me in a meal! :) We're just so proud of you and each new skill that you master!

We are oh-so thankful that you're a part of this family and we're so excited to watch you grow and learn new things. Thank-you for being the blessing that you are. We love you Eli!

Mommy

New Owen & Eli Anecdotes

So this post is just a random collection of some of the funnier moment of the poast week. These boys sure keep me laughing!!

Last week, Owen and I were trying to fly a kite in the backyard. Our yard is really not a yard for kite flying because of the power lines, but I was giving it my best shot. The other problem was that the wind was sporadic and changing directions. Owen was watching my failures quietly until he finally said, "Maybe you just call Grandma Carol. She really knows what she's doing." I couldn't help but laugh because he said it with such a helpful spirit. And I did indeed call Grandma Carol to let her know that she was the master of kite flying in Owen's eyes.

Later in the week, I had the privelage of spending one of Todd and Sara's spring break days with them. We went to lunch, then to pick out baby carrier fabric, and then to Target. I had two tired boys by this point, but Eli was tired enough that he was demanding that Sara hold him throughout the entire shopping trip. When her arms finally wore out from carrying the chunky monkey, she tried to sit him in the cart and he burst into tears. He threw his little head back and sobbed. Owen looked at Sara and said, "YOU broke THAT baby's heart. That baby's heart is broken because of YOU!" We're pretty sure that this was a verbatim quote of something that one of us has said to the other in regards to the injustices done to Eli-- So we realized once again how imperative it is to watch what we say in front of the parrot.

Yesterday we had Easter for everyone here at the house. I let the "rules" lapse a little and the boys had a hayday eating candy and sweets found in Easter baskets and eggs. By last night, both boys were on the verge of a sugar crash- so we bathed them, and pulled out their couch to watch a movie and made them some popcorn to share. I don't know what we were thinking assuming that two boys sitting right beside each other could share one bowl of popcorn- but it didn't work out. Owen was so concerned with Eli "eating it all" that he spent more time trying to keep the popcorn away from Eli than he did eating it. At one point he stands up and shows us his still relatively full bowl and cries, "There's only some left!" OH NO!! Not some, that's a tragedy! The evening ended with the movie being turned off, popcorn all over the floor, and two boys hitting, kicking, and screaming over said popcorn. They were immediately sent to bed where Eli was soon asleep, but Owen spent the next two hours singing, making various noises, and chanting, "Ahhhhh Sugar, I love sugar, I'm on sugar, Suuuuuuuggggaaaaarrrrr!" You people who think that it's okay to give this child sugar are WRONG! :)

Finally, today I took both boys to the park. Owen took his tricycle along to ride on the trails. Reggie was walking Eli, and it was just a lovely time. A funny thing that Eli does, especially when his grandparents are around, is to grab their fingers and pull them to where he wants to go. He literally has people wrapped around his finger! So today, as we were walking back towards the Jeep from the trails, an older couple stopped to make over Reggie and the boys. The man patted Eli's head, and right away Eli reached his pudgy little hand out for the man's finger. The man let him take his hand, and Eli started pulling him down the path. Then he grabbed the woman's finger with his other hand and started walking both of them down the path in the opposite direction than they were headed. Both of them got a total kick out his sweet little self and had to pry their fingers loose from Eli's kung-fu grip. That little boy has a way of brightening everyone's day.

100th post

I'm celebrating my 100th post with a fun idea that I've seen on other blogs.

100 facts about me.

1. I'm 27 years old

2. I have a total love affair with books and reading

3. I'm a pretty fantastic water skiier

4. I aspire to be a fantastic snow skiier

5. I've been married almost 5 years.

6. I'm named after Stefanie Powers from the 80's tv show- "Heart to Heart"

7. My middle name is Ann, which is the same as my mom's.

8. I drive a Jeep Commander which I LOVE!

9. I'm a pretty crafty person. I love making, sewing, crocheting, crafting-- I usually have quite a few projects going at once.

10. We live in a state of continual renovation. Even between projects, we're thinking/planning for the next.

11. I'm addicted to couponing and saving money.

12. I have had more kinds of pets than I could possibly remember or list

13. I really love shoes- but not super expensive ones. I could never justify spending a fortune on a pair of shoes.

14. I adore travelling. There are so many places that I would love to go someday!

15. All three of my boys have birthdays on the 15th!

16. I'm terrified of balls. I refuse to play sports where balls might fly at my face!

17. I have the sweetest dog ever, Reggie.

18. I am just about to be confirmed in the Catholic Church

19. I'm extremely sarcastic

20. I'm pretty good at scrabble, but aspire to be even better.

21. I love visiting the zoo with my boys.

22. My favorite animals at the zoo are the baboons.

23. I love to dance, especially with Matthew. We're not especially good, but we have a great time!

24. I was 24 when I had Owen.

25. I used to be a teacher, but can't see myself ever teaching in a public school again.

26. I'm not entirely sure what I want to be when I grow up.

27. I hate being bossed.

28. I have a short temper, but a long attention span--- if I'm interested in what I'm doing... Otherwise, my attention span is shorter than my temper :)

29. I have the best friends anyone could ask for.

30. I really like McDonald's chicken nuggets

31. 31 is my favorite number

32. A fountain pepsi can make my day.

33. I have, hands down, the best. husband. EVER.

34. I really, really love my in-laws. I'm so lucky to have married into such a great family!

35. I dislike being asked about my favorite book/song/movie-- They change day to day.

36. I love going barefoot in the summer

37. I let my kids go barefoot and don't worry about it

38. I have an extremely overactive imagination

39. I believe that my house is haunted

40. I'm the youngest of two children

41. I admire my Dad's resilience

42. Seeing a movie in a theater without popcorn is a tragedy

43. My brain is my own worst enemy, especially at night.

44. I have degrees in Elementary Education and aquatics

45. I want to go back to school to study Spanish

46. I also want to become a lactation consultant (refer to #26)

47. Matthew and I love talking about what we're going to do when we retire.

48. I really dislike math.

49. I get bored easily

50. I have to make daily to-do lists to keep myself focused

51. I'm not easily embarassed

52. My eldest son can usually find ways to accomplish this

53. I have the best mom ever. I talk to her almost every day!

54. I love funny people

55. I think I'm pretty funny

56. Elephant jokes are hilarious... I didn't preface this statement with an "I think" because this is clearly a fact.

57. People who don't appreciate elephant jokes are not as funny as those who do.

58. I dislike people who are intentionally raising bratty kids

59. I'm a total tomboy, but I love getting dressed up every now and then.

60. I have an amazing marriage.

61. I don't like spending time with people who constantly put down or complain about their spouses.

62. I love photography and I want a dslr more than anything!

63. I'm a total night person. I despise getting up in the morning. My mom and dad are both the exact same way

64. I have been out of high school for 10 (!) years

65. High school was a low point in my life.

66. College was a total high point in my life.

67. I met my best friend and husband in college.

68. I prefer salty snacks to sweet.

69. I hate milk.

70. Seafood is my absolute favorite kind of food.

71. "That's what she said." never gets old.

72. I'm a total procrastinator

73. I wish that I stuck with exercising on a regular basis.

74. I have strong opinions about the food that we eat.

75. I don't enjoy being pregnant, but I love my babies

76. One thing that I do like about being pregnant is the way that I look

77. Matthew and I always tip well at restaurants. We have both been servers and know what a tough job it is.

78. I have a red kitchen and I love it

79. I love having our families come to our house. It's crowded and we don't have a dish washer, but I love it!

80. I don't have any tattoos- but I used to have my belly button pierced

81. My belly button piercing is how I got over my fear of needles

82. I'm a total clutz

83. I always get weird illnesses

84. I like to drive fast

85. I have the worst handwriting ever!

86. I love naps. I wish that I could take a nap every day.

87. I wish that I had more energy.

88. I like camping, but rarely get to do it

89. Matthew and I found out last summer that we LOVE deep sea fishing!

90. I'm fairly conservative politically

91. But I'm not opposed to gay marriage.

92. I adore horseback riding. I would ride horses everywhere if I could.

93. I was a good swimmer in high school. I could have been better, but didn't apply myself most of the time- kind of like most things that I did in high school. :)

94. I hate going to Wal-Mart

95. I love going to Target

96. Meijer and Menards are both on my perma-crap list

97. I'm dyslexic

98. I never had braces on my teeth, and have one crooked tooth to show for it.

99. I love being a mom more than anything.

100. I can't believe that I came up with 100 things to say.

A story about Easter

This is indeed a story about Easter, but more importantly, it's a story about the time that my three-year-old schooled me in Theology.

Last week, Owen came home from school his last day before spring break (and Easter) wearing a cross that he had made at school. He told me that he made the cross because of Jesus. I asked him if they had talked about the Jesus and the cross during school and he told me that they had. He proceeded to tell me, in detail, about the Passion as it was explained to him.

He said:

"The people told Jesus that he would have to die. They made him carry a heavy cross up a ramp." (Owen is OBSESSED with ramps- so I think that he may have added that part) "Then they nailed his hands and feet to his cross and made him hang there until he died. Then they stuck a stick in his side to make sure that he was dead. Then the people said, 'Hmm, let's go play a game."

The whole time that he was telling me this, I was nodding along with him and was secretly a little bit shocked with how many details he was recounting... Until he got to the part about the game... I stopped him and I said, "Owen! The people didn't play games, they were sad. Jesus' death was a very sad thing.

He was adament that, "the people played a game!" and that that was what Mrs. Hughes had said. I finally stopped arguing with him about it, and I was a little embarassed that he had all of these details right and then he had added that in there.

That night, we were with Sara and Todd and I was telling them about Owen's take on the Passion and they got a kick out of it. We kept trying to think of how he came up with that detail.

The next day, Todd went to work and was telling the story to another pharmacist that he works with- who also had a laugh. She enjoyed the story so much that she told a psychiatrist that she rounds with the story. He listened to the story and responded by telling her that Owen was correct.

What??

He explained that "the people" did indeed "play games" after Jesus was crucified... They gambled with dice, or "cast lots" to see who got Jesus' clothes.

After being reminded of this fact, we all remembered hearing about this "casting lots" business- but none of us were thinking of that detail when we heard Owen tell the story.

So yeah, that's the story of how my three-year-old schooled five educated, Christian adults in Theology.

It never ceases to amaze me how much I can learn from my children.

Happy Birthday Todd!!

Yeah, so I'm almost a week late with this- but we celebrated appropriately on the day, so I'm guessing that I'm forgiven. :) We celebrated an amazing person with a fabulous meal at Santorini's Greek Kitchen. I absolutely LOVE Santorini's. soooooo good! We also absolutely love Todd & Sara, so it was a good evening. :)
We also celebrated Baby Bean's 13th week! This week was shrimp week for Sara- so we made sure to order meals with shrimp :)

Sara with her Shrimp baby!

What we've learned about our friendship with the SarTodd over the past 5ish years is that 9 times out of 10- Todd and I will want to eat/do the same things and Sara and Matthew will want to eat/do the same things. It's actually pretty funny. Todd and I even shared a meal the night of his b-day! It's become a joke between us. Todd and I used to say that it was because Matthew and Sara were Catholic- but I sold Todd out on that one... (Sorry Todd)

After dinner we went back to SarTodd's to enjoy the cakewreck that Sara had made to celebrate Todd's day. It was a wrecktastic display of cakewreckery! :) The guy who "decorated" this "masterpiece" was so disappointed with his handiwork that he actually gave it to Sara for half price. It was a great story.


Happy Birthday Todd!! We love you!

Baby Shower

Happy 30 weeks Kelly!!

Last weekend we made the trek down south to celebrate Kelly's baby shower. It was a beautiful day and it was wonderful to spend the weekend with Matthew's family. Kelly had a great shower and received lots of stellar presents.

(I LOVE this one :)

The boys stayed home with Daddy and Uncle Stephen while the girls, (Grandma C., Great Grandma I., Jodi and me) all went to the baby shower. Steve-O and Matthew did a great job grilling ribs for all of us for dinner while we were gone!

On Sunday, Owen and Grandpa spent some time trying out Grandpa's new backhoe. Owen LOVED driving around in that machine and has been talking about it ever since. It was so nice to spend a laid back weekend with the Gessners!

Dear blog

Dear Blog,

I know that I've been neglecting you this week, and I'm sorry. It's not that I don't have lots of fun, witty things to say- or cute photos to post. It's that I have a to-do list that's thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis long and I probably need to mark off some of those things before I spend any quality time with you. I hope that we're still friends. I'm going to go be "task oriented" now, but hopefully I'll be back later tonight with lots of things to talk about!

Preview:

A baby shower

A birthday

An interesting take on Easter

A letter to a little boy

'Til then. Wish me luck!

???

I'm sitting here at a total loss for how anyone could have mothered before the days of google... I mean I have googled more things relating to my children than you could ever imagine. I have googled "rash images" (ummm gross), "red dye allergies", and "Why does my three-year act like this?" among many other things-- some of which I will NEVER tell you. Ever.

Today it was, "My baby ate a charcoal briquette."

Yep. For real. That happened.

One minute, two boys were happily playing on the back porch, the next minute the little one is drooling black and chewing up a piece of charcoal like it was candy.

I googled first, called the dr. next and both assured me that charcoal was a perfectly safe thing to eat and that they give people charcoal in the office after they've eaten poison. Nice to know.

Now I wish that I would have snapped a photo before I franticly finger swept all of the black debris away and flushed his mouth repeatedly! :)

Aaannnd- just for reference, this is not the first time that I've had to google "My baby ate____" Nope, I've definitely filled in that blank with, "silica gel", "his own poop", and " a christmas lightbulb". Those were all Owen though- that kid stuck EVERYTHING in his stinking mouth.

Good grief. This parenting thing is rough.

:)

ANNOUNCEMENT!

Remember these guys??

Well, I can finally tell you about them! The night that these guys appeared on my blog was the night that I found out that my best friend in the whole world is PREGNANT!!!! WAAAAHHOOOOO! Sara is now in her second trimester, so I feel that I can spill my beans! Obviously my excitement was evident the night that I found out, and let me tell you, it hasn't dwindled one bit! Sara is so kind to let me live vicariously through her pregnancy, she puts up with my antics like a champ, and she allows me to gush about her baby to be like there's no tomorrow.

Of course, in case you were not aware, Sara and I are totally "blood" sisters. We definitely mingled blood the day of our car accident, and we decided the other night (Like we didn't already know, duh!) that we're totally "bound" for life after an experience like that!

Each week since we've found out that the Walroths were expecting, I've been preparing them a meal with the "baby food" of the week... Let me explain; each week Babycenter sends out an email that gives you the approximate size of your baby in food terms. So, we've taken this information and turned it into a reason to hang out and eat dinner together once a week! I love it! We also jam some Financial Peace University into our evening :) It's been a lot of fun to celebrate each moment of this pregnancy with our very best friends. We couldn't be happier for them and they are going to be AMAZING parents!

Week 6-Week 7

Todd loves to wear his green scrubs to dinner

It appears that SOMEONE was missing this week?!

See what I mean about how she puts up with my antics?

Todd *really* loves wearing his green scrubs to dinner!

Look how cute she is with her lime baby!

Eli loves limes :)

OH- and the giraffe thing. Oddly enough the day that S&T found out that they were "with child" they decided to go get a little baby present from Target and then come over to our house. Well Sara had texted me with a picture of the proof, so I ran out and got Baby W. a little present as well. After they arrived, we discovered that we both had picked out giraffes for the baby! So now, baby W. has a whole slew of giraffe things, because it's clearly his/her favorite animal! :) It just goes to show that great minds think alike!

I'm just loving this year folks! My first nephew is due in May(sooooo excited!!), then Michelle's baby in July, and then Baby Walroth in September!! My little aunt heart just grew 3x bigger this year! But there's totally room for more-- in case any other sisters-in-law decide to reproduce :)

I CAN'T WAIT TO BE AN AUNT!!!!

Meet Dot

The newest member of our family. She is a Rhode Island Red, and she (HOPEFULLY) is a SHE! She's currently living in the green bathroom, but she's be moving out to the shed with Betty and Rachel when she's a little bigger/it's a little warmer!