Moving On...

This past Friday Grant participated in his first school program. The kindergarten classes presented "Gettin' Down with Mama Goose," a nursery rhyme re-mix. Grant was all business about it, of course, and wouldn't give us any specifics on his part in the program before the big debut. With Mommy, Daddy, Gramma, and all three brothers in the audience, our serious little performer waved to us from the stage. Wearing his "Old King Cole" crown and working hard on the choreography, Grant sang about Humpty-Dumpty, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and Little Miss Muffet. He had fun performing and we all enjoyed watching our big kindergartner.

Friday was a momentous day for our family as later that evening we sold our house! After only 14 days on the market, we signed a contract and are scheduled to close April 23. Wow! It really has been amazing to see the Lord line up so many things as this process of moving unfolds. We praise him for bringing along a buyer so quickly. More to come as we pack up and move along to our "summer house" next month (a rental home in a nearby community--Brian is excited as it backs up to a golf course).

A funny highlight of the weekend was a comment Grant made on Saturday. Brian took the older two boys out to practice golf Saturday morning and while they were putting an elderly man joined them. So, it was just Brian, Grant, Bryce and this elderly gentleman around the putting green. Apparently this man was well up there in years and was sort of hobbling around. Grant looked at Brian and said (we're hoping this man was also hard at hearing), "Dad, that man has been playing golf for a really long time!"

Tree climbing

I learned the other day that boys need height restrictions on tree climbing.

The TOP of the tree (about twenty-something feet up) is way TOO HIGH (especially for a four-year-old)!

He said he was going to be like the squirrels and monkeys and swing from tree to tree.

This is why I pray for the Lord's protection over my testosterone-driven brood.

Catching Up

Whew! I do have a lot of catching up to do! It’s been a while since my last post, and it’s been quite busy at the Little household. Here are a few highlights from the past few weeks:

In mid-February I took Grant and Bryce on a “Mommy date” to the circus. I hadn't been since I was a little girl and I think I was looking forward to the show just as much as the boys were. The week prior I was ordering our tickets online when after selecting our seats I was trying to locate my purse (so that I could pay for the tickets) when Bryce said, “Wait a minute, mom!” I thought perhaps he knew where my purse was, but instead he came down with his bank from his dresser and dumped out all of the money (totaling $4) and cheerfully said that he wanted to help pay for the tickets. He was so proud to be able to help out. And this was all his idea! What a sweet boy (sometimes, at least). It was the boys’ first time going to the circus and they were overwhelmingly excited about the event. I did, however, have to explain that it was not going to be in a tent but rather in the coliseum. It seems that all of the children’s books and movies talk about a circus tent. We had a grand time. Bryce was amazed at the man jumping through the ring of fire and the highlight for Grant was the people getting shot out of a cannon.

Bryce called this act the "candy cane girls."

I'm sure Dumbo's in the line-up somewhere.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, Grant is really into Star Wars lately. It seems to be popular among boys his age. Recently when Brian was watching golf on TV Grant dramatically pointed at the screen and proclaimed, “Dad, its Anakin!” Brian laughed and acknowledged that yes, he did look a lot like Anakin, but his name was Camillo Villegas and he is a golfer. A few moments later Grant was sitting on the couch and said out loud to himself (holding his Star Wars figurines), “Maybe Star Wars is real.”

Another monthly occurrence at our household is “Mama’s Hair Salon,” when I give all the boys hair cuts. I usually try to do this on a day when I am feeling particularly well-rested and patient. While I am cutting each boy’s hair I try to use the time to have some one on one conversation, a rare treat most days. During Carter’s haircut this is a challenge because at two he is word-limited. So, we were playing the “What do you like best?” game. It went like this:

Mommy: What do you like best, cars or trucks?

Carter: trucks

Mommy: What do you like best, cake or ice-cream?

Carter: ice-cream

Mommy: What do you like best, apples or bananas?

Carter: No, snacks

Mommy: What do you like best, apples or bananas?

Carter: No, SNAAACKS!

Oh well, I tried.

Bryce was second in line for the hair cut. And by the way, I did learn that drawing straws is a good way to determine who goes next for the much-dreaded haircut. Yes, with real straws. We all know that cutting hair is just another method that mommies use to torture little boys, right? This does at least seem to cut down on the complaining for getting the next boy into the chair. After Bryce had been sitting in the chair for several minutes and I was telling him for the umpteenth time to please be still he looked at me and quite seriously asked, “Mom, what does still mean?” You’ve got to be kidding me, I thought. But, I realized that he was asking for real, no joke. After explaining the meaning of still he said, “Oh, you mean like freeze. Like freeze tag.” Who knew that I needed to explain what I meant by, "BE STILL!!!?"

We also had an unusual welcome into March—a tremendous snowstorm. The most snow our boys had ever seen. We bundled them up and tromped through the snow. Our attempts at a snowman were pretty sad, however, as the snow did not want to stick. But we did have a fun snowball fight. It seems I was the target! The snow brought about three and a half snow days, Grant's first snow days ever. I do believe he was the only kid in Chesterfield County wanting to go back to school. When we told him the night of the big snow that he probably wasn’t going to school the next day he insisted that the snow would melt so that he could go. He was greatly disappointed to miss a day of school. What a blessing that kindergarten has been such a great experience for him! I’m sure I’ll probably have to remind him of this in a few years.

Carter wasn't so keen on the snow.

We came inside to discover that he had found the treasure box
while the rest of us were out playing in the snow.

Another big happening this month was that as of this past Friday our house is officially for sale. This was a big undertaking and in only a couple of weeks we went from looking, to picking out a new home, to getting ours ready to sell. We are hoping to get more space for our growing family. Of course, all of this is in the Lord’s hands and if this is his plan for our family we pray that the right buyer will come along. Now that the house is de-cluttered, carpets cleaned, and paint touched up, I am doing my best to keep the house presentable all with three little tornadoes running around behind me…not counting baby tornado number four.

While Brian and I were cleaning and painting we heard cries of "Help!" from downstairs.

Bryce was stuck in the trash can.

Of course I had to grab the camera before helping him out.

Carter is in that silly two-year-old stage when they talk a lot, you can understand about 70% of what they say, and they say some really funny things. Today driving around in the car with him he excitedly pointed out all the things we drove past that were meaningful to him, “Nudder wun (another one) Mer-kan (American flag). Nudder wun mo-ky-kel (motorcycle). Nudder wun twuuuck (truck).” These observations were pointed out at every flag, motorcycle and truck.

Grant had the most hilarious observation the other day while riding with Brian in his car. Brian, Grant and Bryce were all in the car and the boys were thrilled to see another car riding in front of them that looked just like their car (who knew they made more than one green Ford Escape?). So, Brian pulled up alongside the other car and Grant looked at the other vehicle and noticed that there was an African-American man driving. He then exclaimed, “Dad, it looks like Black Obama!” I guess we need to work on explaining exactly what our president's name is...

Oh yeah, and we learned this week that Bryce knows how to dial 911.

Giving Him All the Praise

He is worthy of all our praise.

Since I last posted I have witnessed firsthand the power of God's healing hand. The weekend of February 7, 2009 was one of the most challenging times of my life. In the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital, holding my mom's frail hand and caressing her wavy red hair, He was right by my side. When I felt sick to my stomach with worry, I knew that He loves her even more than I do. When I felt like screaming, "Somebody figure out what is wrong with her!" I knew that He already had the answer. And the solution. Returning to the hospital with a heavy heart, He provided strength that I needed. Not knowing what the future held, there was peace that He had a perfect plan.

My mom is at home now and doing well. I give Him all the praise.

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Psalm 91:1&2

"Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him." Psalm 91:14&15

The things they say

Children say the funniest things! While I wish I had time to document all the hilarious things that come out of the mouths of my boys, there were a few from yesterday that struck me as funny.

While wiping the peanut butter off Bryce's face after lunch I commented on what a cute face he has to which he replied, "Don't say cute, mom. Cute is a bad word." Apparently he is too mature for such doting from mommy.

Later, while playing together with his 101 Dalmation toys, I picked up one of the plastic dogs and said in a little puppy voice to the toy that Bryce was holding, "What's your name?" Bryce looked at me (trying not to roll his eyes) and said, "Dogs don't talk mom, they say 'woof'."

That afternoon on our way to run an errand I told the boys that we needed to stop to get gas because we were almost on empty. The boys, I've gathered, must think that I put off filling up the tank until the last possible minute because Grant said, "But mom, we're going pretty fast still" as if we ordinarily rolled into the gas station on nothing but fumes.

My baby boy

My baby boy is six months old now which means that he has officially entered my favorite baby stage (6-9 months). While I love babies at all ages and stages, I've narrowed down these three months as my "favorites." At this age babies are very interactive, smiling, laughing, starting to babble, small but not extremely delicate, chubby and cuddly, but (perhaps most importantly) not yet mobile. So, in my opinion, it makes for a very fun three months.

Davis has always been characterized as a happy baby. When I tell people this I follow it up with, "I mean he's an especially happy baby." I realize that my opinion may be affected by the fact that he is my fourth baby and perhaps I am more laid back than I was with my first or even second child. But, really, he is such a happy baby. This past week I took him in to the doctor after several nights of waking up during the night (he has slept through the night since he was six weeks old--8-10 hours without waking--see what I mean!). Low and behold he had two ear infections, poor little guy. The doctor must have commented at least three times during the appointment how surprised she was at his content and happy demeanor with his ears looking the way they did. Yes, I am am very grateful for such a happy baby boy (and experienced enough to appreciate it).

This past Sunday Brian and I participated in a baby dedication service at our church. During the service parents stand at the front of the church with their child and promise to God and before the church to raise their child in His nurture and admonition, acknowledging that children are a blessing from the Lord. As parents, we commit to do all that we can to teach, train and encourage Davis in the Lord but know that it is ultimately his decision as to whether he will accept Christ's forgiveness and make Him Lord of his life. It was a special day of reflecting on the huge blessing and responsibility of parenthood. Our pastor read the meaning of Davis' name, "Beloved Son," and the scripture that we chose for him. Psalms 86:11&12 "Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart, I will glorify your name forever."

In the words of a little boy...

As the mother of boys, I am enjoying experiencing life from the vantage point of a little boy. The video clip below, if you haven't already seen it, is a touching story from a little country boy. While boys can be rough and tough, they can also be sweet and sensitive and this radio segment shows just how the Holy Spirit (I believe) spoke to one little boy.

Note: You will want to turn off the music on the playlist.com icon at the bottom of the page before viewing.