18 Months

HAPPY HALF-BIRTHDAY, BLAINE! My little huggie huggie is my everything and I just wish I could keep him this size forever! His energy and enthusiasm is just so amazing and I don't want it to ever change. My absolute favorite time of the day is after his evening bath when he runs down the hall naked, shrieking with delight. How long does that childhood innocence last?

He is: 20 lbs 12 oz [3 %]
32 inches [40 %]
18.75 inch head [55 %]

The Other Mom at the Sandbox

It was a cool but unseasonably warm January day. I bundled up Blaine and headed to the park. Not suprising, we had the place all to ourselves. We ran, played, dug, built, and had a ball. Then in walked a 3 year old dressed in a spiderman suit and a jacket. "HI!!!" he yelled enthusiastically while waving at us. He ran, he played, he smiled, having a great time. He eventually made his way to the oversized sandbox that Blaine had been playing in for the last hour. I was sitting on one edge, his mom sat down on the other. My heart stopped. It was her.

What do you say to a mom you haven't seen in 12 years?

What do you say to a mom you've been praying for daily over the last several months?

What do you way to a mom who buried her 8 month old son only 2 weeks ago?

My chest was tight, my heart was sobbing, but my heart was smiling all at the same time, watching her with her son, living life and trying to imagine the pain in her soul.

I said something; not enough. There could never be enough or the right words to say. I wanted to give her the biggest hug in the world. I refrained. Then we proceeded to talk the normal other-mom-at-the-sandbox talk. Kids, husbands, grandparents, sleep habits, foxes, coyotes.

She mentioned them selling their house to move closer to her husband's work. Too many tough memories in this house anyways. What she didn't know, is everytime I'm at that sandbox, I will be filled with many thoughts of her, her son, and her son who has left this earth.

When I went home that day, I thanked God for the chance encounter, which I believe wasn't chance at all.

Farmchick's Farm Photo Friday

HAPPY FRIIIDAY! 53 degrees and sunny. UN-FREAKIN-BELIEVE-ABLE! I love love love winter and ice and all that but I'm really loving being outside all day everyday.

I took this pic earlier in the week: Blaine thought it was hilarious to feed the snow to the goats next door. They didn't find it as amusing! :)

How to Potty Train [Your Duck]

Perhaps my most proud mommy moment to date was the other day when Blaine [unprompted], decided his ducks needed to go potty too.

STEP 1: Put ducks on potty.


STEP 2: Read your ducks their favorite tractor books. STEP 3: Thoroughly wipe off all duck butts.

STEP 4: Go dump the duck pee in the bathroom. [He actually ran it in there and "dumped" it too!]

I love that kid!!

Farmchick's Farm Photo Blog Hop

Wearing his tractor pull shirt to church. Doesn't get more country than that (LOL): One of several new Christmas gak gaks:

This week's farm theme is, "BLAINE LOVES PLAYING OUTSIDE IN THE COLD BUT HATES WEARING GLOVES!!!"

He is fine until he realizes he wants to pick something up and can't. Then he gets mad and rips off the gloves.

I neeeeed advice on how to keep gloves on him. He has even figured out how to get off the ones that double snap to his coat.

Duck tape?

Merry Christmas: Santa Fail

I'm one of those people who gets stressed out about Christmas presents. Like I hate them. Really hate them. Really really hate them. I hate bringing them home and having to find a place for them. So in turn, I basically don't buy people Christmas presents, and if they insist on getting me something, I request toilet paper, toothpaste, soap, batteries, etc. Things I can use. I kid you not, I get them too. It is great! Some people don't listen and some of their gifts end up at Goodwill. I kid you not.

Now that I have a child, I had a Christmas dilemma. Last year we didn't get him anything. This year I bought him 4 used books on Amazon.com for $0.01 each [ok yes you have to pay shipping], but caved and let him read them the minute they came in the mail. {Santa Fail #1}. I also was planning on giving him a bag of hand-me-down toys [thanks George / Peg / Heather] from "Santa". Well, last minute, Santa decided to not come again this year, so Blaine can get the toys in February when the toys from his grandparents have worn out their welcome and we are reallly having cabin fever! {Santa Fail #2}

Let's face it though, Christmas is all about having fun and playing with your cousins!! Blaine had a great time doing just that! After four Christmas gatherings, the dust is settling, dadda is back to work, and we are getting back into a routine [NOT]. Babies staying up until 11 pm is a recipe for long-term messed up schedules! ;)

Farmchick's Farm Photo Friday

Here in Ohio we've had a WARM WARM WARM WARM December! No snow yet this season and great temps to be outdoors. Blaine has been loving it!

I follow a local farm on facebook and on their wall it said, "Stop on by our Holiday Open House Sunday from 1-3". I was totally excited, thinking Blaine would love to see the horses, animals, and tractors. Well, long story short, we get there and it is a party for the people who board their horses there. LOL!! Opps! Totally their fault though (IMO), and they know us so had no problem letting us take Blaine around the farm. HE HAD A BALL!

Apparently, the Belgian horse above is not far off the world record height of 20.1 hands. I learn something everyday!