A Journey to Love

Benjamin and Brayden celebrated Easter not once, not twice, but four times this year. First, the boys discovered Easter baskets waiting for them at the breakfast table. After tearing through his treasures, it was time for the much-anticipated hunt. Out we went into the front yard, where Ben searched for the hidden eggs that were filled with candy, stickers, and even money for his piggy bank. He insisted on opening each egg to see what it held before depositing it into his basket. This slowed the process down considerably, but I loved seeing the expression on his face as he discovered each new treasure. Benjamin's basket contained a train book, a railroad crossing for his track, and a small ladder truck that zooms around the house. Brayden's basket held only one item: Sophie the Giraffe. The teething toy is apparently the item to have for babies, so this Easter Bunny made sure Brayden had one for his chewing pleasure. Just don't ask me how much it cost, cuz' I'l...

This past weekend was spent up in Felton, CA, camping in the coastal redwoods. It was our first time camping in the area and since we were only there for a short three days, we look forward to going back soon. Benjamin truly embraced the art of camping. All he did was ride bikes, climb trees, play in the water, and eat junk food. And Brayden? Well, being only three months old, he laid around a lot. So I guess one could say that he figured out the whole vacation thing too.  Brayden loved being outdoors So kissable Look at me, Mom! Father & Son Never too old for a little luvin' Swimming in his skivvies Roasting Peeps, in honor of Easter Our friend Angela painted all the kids faces with "rock paint." Benjamin loved his new look :) The favorite activity by far was bike riding. There were a few good hills in the campground and by the end of the trip Benjamin had mastered all of them. He was flying around the loop without slowing down once. Nathan thought it was ...

I experienced a pretty great parenting moment tonight but to get there, I had to wade through a cup of spilt milk. When Benjamin gets angry, he tends to either lash out at me or any object nearby. (Yeah, I know...we're working on it.) So tonight, the closest object happened to be his cup of milk at the dinner table. Even before he lifted his arm to strike, I knew what he was going to do. Before I could stop him,however, the cup went flying across the counter and milk went everywhere. I was right in the middle of nursing Brayden, but that didn't keep me from whisking Benjamin to his bedroom, spanking his behind, and ordering him to his bed. I did this all very calmly, although inwardly I was seething . As Ben cried in his room, I finished feeding poor Brayden (an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire) and repeated over and over in my head, he's two-he's two-he's two to the same beat that the milk was dripping off the counter, drip drip-drip drip-drip drip. I...

So often Benjamin says or does something that just stops me cold. They are so sweet or funny or ridiculous that I find myself thinking at these moments, "I should write this stuff down." So here are a couple of such moments: Moment #1 Last week, Benjamin fell down while running on the driveway. I know, I know, not a good idea to let him wear rainboots and shorts while playing soccer on an asphalt driveway. But the kid adores those boots and he looked so darn cute...but I digress. So I picked him up and dried his tears before cleaning the skinned knee and applying a band-aid, which instantly distracted him. Two days later, while in the car, Benjamin was reliving the event and noted that he cried when he fell. I said to him, "But then Mommy came over to pick you up and give you a hug, right?" "Why?" he asked. "Because I love you and I wanted to make you feel better," I replied, looking at him through the rear-view mirror. After a b...

"Holy mother's milk!" This is what our beloved Dr. Patterson said as he walked into the exam room at Brayden's 2 month check-up today. Brayden weighed in at a whopping 14 pounds exactly, putting him at the 83rd percentile for weight. That's up from the 73rd percentile just two weeks ago, when he tipped the scales at 13lbs 2oz. For those that are terrible at math, that's an ounce a day our little guy gained! Yep, I'm doing my job well it seems. As for his length, he is 25.3 inches long, which places him in the 96th percentile. He grew an inch and a half in just five weeks. Benjamin recently asked me if Brayden would ever be bigger than him. I told him that since he (Ben) is the big brother, that meant Brayden would always be smaller. I might need to rethink that answer... In other news, Brayden spends much of his day smiling and cooing, which enchants us all to no end. There is nothing that can stop a room like a smiling baby. All activity ceases when...

The majority of grandmother's are called "Grandma" but the really special ones get the title of "Nana." I am one of the lucky ones to have a Nana. My Nana is everything a child wants in a grandmother. When I conjure her up in my mind, I see her standing in the same kitchen she has stood in longer than I've been alive, baking something sweet while I sit at the dining table, waiting in anticipation for her to let me sample her creation. Usually it was something sweet, like her famous Texas sheet cake or maybe some cut-out cookies. If it was the latter, it meant that the fun was just starting because once the cookies cooled, it was time to start decorating. And decorate we did! That table would be covered with small bowls of colored frosting and jars of tantalizing sprinkles, a little girl's version of Heaven. If I got to vigorous with my frosting application (read: two inches thick) or accidentally spread it on the wrong side, Nana would gently remind me...

This past Sunday was a special day for our family. It was the day that Nathan and I pledged in front of our church congregation to raise Brayden up in a Christian home, teaching him the word of God and demonstrating God's love for all of us here on Earth. Then our church family all stood and promised to pray for Brayden should the need arise, and to come along side him on his walk with the Lord, if and when they get the opportunity. It was a sweet moment as Pastor Jay prayed for our precious little boy to become a Godly man and for us as his parents to help get him there. Thankfully we are part of a wonderful church who promised to help us along the way.  We are so inclredibly blessed.