The Literal Child

Tonight, this happened:

But not after a full-on freak out session earlier in the week.  

She absolutely lost it - tears, snot, and screaming - at the thought of losing a tooth.  Freaked out and lost all control.  I could not figure it out for the life of me.  She had to have two teeth pulled by the dentist earlier this year - no big deal.  She's seen her friends and big sister lose teeth - no sweat.  But when it came to her own mouth, she freaked out.

Come to find out, she was scared of the tooth fairy.  Scared that some tiny creature was going to sneak into her room in the middle of the night.  Oh.  Given the fact that we had a similar incident over Santa a few years ago, I should have seen it coming.  

Once my extremely literal child was reassured that the tooth fairy was, in fact, Mom, all was well in the world.  She was perfectly happy to lose her tooth, even asked us to pull it out tonight.  And now my sweet, seven, gap-mouthed kid is sleeping peacefully.  Waiting for her "tooth fairy" to come.  

A Longer Than Intended Absence

I officially apologize to all of blogdom for my absence.  Apparently, G*ogle became so despondent over my absence that it shut down Blogger for a few days.  I had no idea that my lack of blogging could bring down an international powerhouse.  I am both humbled and honored.  And I promise to never unintenionally cause such trauma to my friends again. 



Ok, seriously.  My last day of full-time, paid employment was on Friday, April 29th.  Since then, I have spent my days lounging on the couch, reading trashy romance novels and eating bon bons.  Because isnt that what all SAHMs do? 



Ha.  Dont I know better.



I have, in no particular order:

• deep cleaned the bathrooms
• deep cleaned the bedrooms
• deep cleaned the kitchen, living room, hallways, entryway, and laundry room
• purged our house of unneccessary stuff (a truck AND an SUV full, to be exact)
• discovered that my husband has 62 dress shirts (yes, I counted)
• discovered that my husband had the same number of coats as ALL of our children combined
• successfully convinced said husband to donate coats to the local shelter
• kept up on the laundry for more than 2 days for the first time in my married life
• taken the girls to the park
• taken the girls to Walmart
• taken the girls to the mall
• taken the girls to the park
• taken the girls to get coffee
• taken the girls to the grocery store
• taken the girls to the park
• taken the girls to playdates with friends
• taken the girls to visit Grandpa & Grandma at the office
• taken the girls to the park
• taken the girls on a walk
• played with my new mixer
• made brownies from scratch (first time ever)
• promised no less than 4 sewing projects for the girls
• answered the what are we doing today question no less than 3 times per day
• tried to coordinate a 7 and 8 year olds baseball team snack schedule
• tried to keep said 7 and 8 year olds from having a sword fight with metal bats in the dugout
• watched the 30 and 40 year olds consider having a sword fight with metal bats in the big boys dugout
• tried to plant my garden umpteen times, only to be thwarted by snow.  In May.
• reveled in the marvelous wonder that is nap time.

In short, I have been insanely busy, but also having insane amounts of fun.  The girls make me laugh daily, I get kisses and snuggles consistently, and my heart is full. 



I am grateful to all of you for sticking around, but I needed time to just be a mama again.  Remember what that is like.  Laugh at Violet as she realizes, again, that Mommy is staying home to play with her all day, and proceeds to do the happy dance.  Revel in the fact that we can go to the park in the middle of the day.  Watch Madi cover herself and the entire kitchen in flour as she helps me cook.  Snuggle Kat when her tummy hurts.  Cook a dinner that takes longer than 15 minutes to prepare. 



Seriously, I could spend all day, every day cleaning my house and NEVER be done.  That is just a fact of life with children.  But I have missed the contact, encouragement, and comraderie of my friends.  I am trying to find a balance.  Thanks for being patient during the process.

Big Girl Stuff

Guess who

figured out

how to swing

all by herself?

And now we cannot get her to come inside!

Man, I love that girl!

Just a typical Saturday...

... in the Bleger house. We woke up around 8 AM, thoroughly enjoying the extra sleep time the girls gave us. We got ready, had breakfast, and headed out. We had a list to accomplish.


We drove to Farmington with minimal drama, always a plus. Went to the mall to price mattresses at the furniture store there. Realized that the mattresses were still cheaper at Sam's. Drove to Sam's, met my mom there, bought a twin size mattress (more on that later).


Next stop was target, where we purchased our presents for Operation Christmas Child. Every year we take the girls to pick out presents for this organization. Operation Christmas Child takes our presents...






... and deliver them to children in orphanages around the world. For most of these children, it is the only present they will receive. And, for our girls, it is a time to teach them what Christmas is really about, how blessed they really are, what it means to give. It is really neat to watch them look forward to this, to eagerly choose presents for little girls they will probably never meet.


After Target, we headed to the pet store. Why, you may ask? Because on Friday, Jerome brought home a fish. Apparently, one of his coworker's roommates moved out, leaving the fish. And somehow he convinced Jerome that it was a really good idea for the fish to live at our house.


He seemed to forget - I killed three beta fish in college. Fish are not my friends. Fish are food. We thought we had a brilliant thought - give the fish to Celine, Jerome's sister. But, when the fish came home, the girls promptly named the fish Sammy and began fighting over him. So, he's ours...


So, the trip to the pet store became a trip to get a tank that the cats couldn't get into (buffet=bad), and two friends for Sammy. Because apparently Sammy was lonely. So, now, I give you the Rat Pack. Sammy, Dean, and Frank. Although Sammy did die this morning while we were at church. So the remaining Rat Pack have been renamed Phineas and Ferb.

After the pet store, we met my mom for lunch at Fuddruckers (hallelujah), then headed back to Sam's to get our grocery/large quantities of sandwich baggies/diapers out the wazzoo.

So, why did we get a mattress?

Because Violet is two. And, as much as I hated to admit it, she was ready for a big girl bed. So the new mattress went on Katrina's bed (the top bunk), and Katrina's old mattress was paired with the matching box spring and set up in Violet's room. We dismantled the crib (sniff, sniff) and put it in storage. Hopefully, to be used again someday.

Violet was happily playing with her sisters while we did this. But, once her room was set up, she was all about it. "My big girl bed!"

She went to bed just fine, slept great. She even stayed in bed until we came in to get her! She's getting too big for me.

Once the girls were asleep, we had one more task to accomplish...

My man now has no hair! Don't ask me why he decided to shave his head in November, but
I think he looks cute. And, bonus for me - sometimes he gets his head stuck in his sweatshirt!


Yup, just a typical Saturday...

To my baby

Was it really two years ago that my baby was born? Because it seems like yesterday. As I was in the shower this morning (at 6:45), I was vividly remembering that morning, at 6:45. Changing into the lovely hospital gown, anxiously awaiting our first glimpse at our blessed surprise. She was born at precisely 7:58 AM (gotta love c-sections with former Navy docs), and our lives changed forever.








She captured our hearts immediately. How could she not? I remember taking this picture on my phone as she slept that afternoon, then being so happy on the pain meds that I tried to text it to friends and family. I sent an empty text three times before I just gave up and enjoyed my little girl. She was a dream baby, falling asleep so easily, smiling at anything, so mild-mannered and pleasant.


Her first birthday, we had all kinds of friends over to celebrate. Looking back, those eyes still make me cry. So expressive, so sweet.

Today, my dear sweet girl, you are two. And, as much as I try, I cannot keep you from growing up. I cannot keep you this age forever. Your little personality is so funny, so sweet, so strong. You are so many things in one tiny package. Your kisses and hugs melt my heart. You are loved by so many - you have yet to realize all the lives you have already touched.

I look forward to seeing what God has in store for you. How He is going to reveal Himself to you. What gifts and talents He is going to give you. I am so honored that He chose me to be your mother. While you were my surprise blessing, God knew exactly when to bring you into this world. You have a purpose and a plan that is completely unique. No one else, past, present, or future, can accomplish what God has set forth for you. And I promise to guide you down that path. To teach you about His love, His goodness, His holiness.

But, ultimately, you must walk that path alone. As much as I would love to, I cannot walk that path for you. It is a path designed only for you and your Heavenly Daddy. My prayer is that you stay on that path. It may not always be clear, it may not always make sense, but it will always, always be the best path.

Only two short years ago tonight we snuggled in the hospital nursery. Your pediatrician stayed up the entire night to make sure you were ok. He fell in love with you at first sight. He still adores you, calls to check on you, makes sure you see only him. I think that is part of your gift - you have a personality that makes people instantly love you.

Tonight you are two. You are not grown up yet, although you may try as hard as you can! And, a little later, I will tiptoe into your room to watch you sleep. Like I do every night. I will kiss your head, laugh at your tiny behind in the air, touch your hair, and fall in love all over again. You are my precious baby. And you always will be. I love you little lady.

Violet's First Big Girl Haircut

My little princess is growing up far too fast for my taste. I'm not ready for her to be 2 on Monday. Her daddy keeps asking when we are going to put her in a big girl bed. I keep saying, "I don't think she's ready yet." Really, it's me who's not ready. I wish I could freeze her.





Violet has gone to Miss Ronda's since she was an itty bitty, but just recently had her first haircut in the big girl chair. And loved it! I think we have the makings of a pampered princess here people!

Either that, or she just really wants to be like the big girls.

Frankenbaby

All of our girls have been late walkers. Katrina took her first steps at 18 months, Madi took hers at a week shy of 20 months. So, I knew that Violet was going to take her sweet time. But a mother can always hope, can't she?

Violet turned 20 months on July 2. Violet actually took her first solo steps at the end of June, but then decided that crawling was still faster. Her big sisters loved walking immediately, and took off like little rockets. Violet - not so much. We just could not get her to walk, with or without us.

A few weeks ago, I helped out in our church's nursery one service. I was cuddling another baby while Violet was in the room playing. Suddenly, she stood up in the middle of the room and took six or seven steps! I was shocked! I was honestly convinced that she had decided walking was not for her. I was going to be the only mother of an 18-year-old that still had to carry her child.

After church, we usually herd the children into the sanctuary so that we can visit with our friends while the kids play for a while. Violet climbed onto the stage and promptly stood up and walked across towards some of our staff teens. When she got a reaction from them, she did it again. Hallelujah! Our child can walk.

She has been progressively getting steadier and steadier, and walking further by herself. She now walks confidently around the house with no help. Outside, she still prefers to crawl. I think that's because she can get dirtier when she crawls.

But, I knew I had to get proof. Definitive proof that our youngest could, in fact, walk. On her own. By her own choosing. With no video editing or body doubles.

So, the other night while she was feeling rather adventurous and brave, I whipped out the video feature on our camera and attempted to get proof. Now, you have to realize that Violet LOVES the camera. More specifically, she loves to see pictures of herself on the camera. So, what follows is a mad dash by Violet to walk across the room to get ahold of the camera, followed by close encounters with her eyeball and hair as she tries to "see" herself. But, she is clearly walking, and no, the video is not edited.

I consider it a major feat to upload a video. Don't even talk to me about editing. No clue!

Climbing Violet

It's official - we have a climber! Violet STILL refuses to walk on her own (19 months and counting), but she will climb on anything that sits still long enough, animate or not. I realized the other night just how many things she tries to climb, and had to document it for posterity. Mind you, she climbed ALL these things in about a 15 minute time frame.

Rocking chairs are more fun backwards, apparently. Either that or she has begun the "don't take a picture of me Mom" stage.

This is the footstool for our glider rocker. She thinks it is fabulous to "rock & roll".

Her favorite form of sibling torture is to steal the step stool and sit on it, thereby preventing Madison from getting on it.

"I know I'm not supposed to be on the coffee table Mom. But aren't I so cute?"

And, for the grand finale, climbing onto our fireplace ledge.

Stretching...

Almost there...

There! Why are you taking a picture of me Mom?

She also climbs up and down stairs like a champ. We did not realize this until, after dinner one night, we were missing the youngest child. She had decided to go downstairs and play. By herself. I can tell we're going to have fun with this no-fear wonder as she gets older.

Thankful Thursday...Choices

I love Passover Week. I will admit, I am a history/archeology nerd. I love reading the footnotes in my bible, watching the shows on the History Channel, studying the rituals. I'm a bit of an apologetic, and I love to prove the truth and accuracy of God's Word, historically. I even chose for our ladies book club the new Josh McDowell book, The Case for the Real Jesus. They are, I suspect, just trying to be nice to me. But I'm loving it! I've read it twice so far.



Somehow, every year, during the week before Easter, my thoughts wander. You see, Easter is not just the celebration of Christ's Resurrection for me. On Easter, 1998, I rose from the dead, was freed from myself, and began a relationship with the Holy Creator of the Universe. Easter is my birthday! And this is one birthday I don't mind celebrating!

But I cannot help but wonder at all the choices that went into my salvation. First, God chose to place me in the family and time that He did. My parents tried for 2 1/2 years to conceive me. Then, He chose to have me go to DHS. Then He chose to place me in a French class with a cute white kid with a fro. Jerome & I chose to start dating. Jerome chose to love me, even though I thought his beliefs were ridiculous. Jerome chose to continue praying for me. My now mom-in-law, Rebecca, chose to allow him to continue the relationship, because she saw something higher. Mark chose to challenge Jerome in where the relationship was going, and to pray for me. Jerome chose to stick with me, to answer all my questions, to ease my fears. Jerome chose to invite me to church. The members of the church chose to welcome me, to love me regardless. And finally, I chose to trust. I chose to trust that words I read were true, the love I felt was real. And I chose Jesus.

We may think our choices don't matter, that we really do not affect eternity. But they do. Every choice, great or small, will affect the destiny of someone. And that someone could be someone like me.

This week, I am so thankful for those choices. Because those choices led me to the greatest relationship I could ever have. And, on Sunday, I get to celebrate 11 years of friendship with Jesus, who chose me.

She's Walking! Well, not really, but kind of...

So, no, Violet is NOT walking on her own. But, true to Bleger girl fashion, she has figured out her own locomotion. Her first choice is, of course, to be carried. But, in the event that her personal slaves are not availiable or are ignoring her (God forbid!), she has a variety of other methods:

1. Traditional Crawling
2. Crawling using her hands and feet (also known as the monkey walk)
3. Crawling while dragging her forehead on the ground
4. "Walking" along couches, tables, fireplaces, cupboards, etc.
5. And, finally, my personal favorite: the push toy!

I consider this a major point of success for our family. Katrina didn't take her first solo steps until 18 months, and Madison didn't until 20 months. So, the fact that we are this close is encouraging...maybe?

The Toothless Wonder

Katrina has has her first loose tooth for what seems like forever. She would wiggle it for a while, then forget about it for a few days. Wiggle, then forget. Well, yesterday, she came home with a little tooth necklace around her neck that contained her first lost tooth. Apparently it fell out while she was eating lunch. And, here is our baby, all grown up with her first missing tooth!

This first loose tooth has also sparked a grand debate in our house. How much are you supposed to get per tooth? I got a quarter per tooth, maybe 50 cents if I was lucky. Jerome got anywhere between 10 and 20 dollars! Katrina got a dollar, and I'm still not so sure about that. What are your thoughts?