koby's tooth

first tooth

I can remember the excitement Kevin and I felt when Koby teeth worked their way through his swollen gums as a baby. It seemed like a new white spot was always poking through and it was hard to imagine our gummy grinned little boy with a mouth full of teeth. Here we are, six, years later, saying goodbye to his first baby tooth. He sat in the bathroom tonight with great determination, rocking that little tooth back and forth, back and forth, trying to get it to come out. After 20 minutes or so of trying, that little tooth that debuted on September 21, 2003, finally fell out on January 24, 2009. As I held that little tooth in my hand, I could feel the tears fill my eyes. Another huge milestone has come in our little guys life, which reminds me that our "little man" is just not so little anymore.

(slideshow coming...)

i've never had a party like this...

one million plus people showing up in DC yesterday to celebrate my 32nd birthday! Hard to believe, but that is what people are saying...

I have to admit, it is really kind of cool to have been born on Inauguration Day. I will always remember my mom telling me that when I was born, Jimmy Carter was being sworn into office and it was snowing in Atlanta,Georgia (my birthplace for those of you whom may never have been privy to that information). While Jimmy Carter may not have proven to be the best and snow anywhere south of Kentucky is not so great, sharing a birthday with such an important day for our country, the beginning of a new presidency, whomever that person is, is pretty cool (even if the party really is not for me)

I did have a fabulous day. Kev stayed home from work in the morning so that I could use the gift certificate to Design One Spa he had given me last year on my birthday (better late than never...right?) So I had a massage, facial and pedicure accompanied by 3 hours of peace and quiet. Thanks honey!

When I got home, Kev and the boys had balloons, roses and a special "Cabbage Patch Kid" birthday cake that they had made me. Birthday cakes tend to be a big deal around here. The boys will plan for months and months as to what cake they are going to have on their birthday. So when Koby asked me a while back, "Mom, what kind of cake do you want for your birthday?" I could think of nothing other than Cabbage Patch. In a house dominated by action figures, trucks and testosterone...it seemed like a perfect choice. They also bought me a very special Cabbage Patch Doll online to add to my collection.

Seems funny, 32 and still playing with dolls. I guess some things never change.

happenings

Potty training 101 is going very well and I think it is pretty safe to say that Ky has almost mastered it at this point. He has gone a couple of days without any accidents and we could not be more proud. He has graduated from sitting on the potty every hour, to just letting us know when he needs to go. Way to go Ky!


Koby also has some exciting news....he has his first loose tooth! It is the bottom right tooth and while originally we thought the tooth happened to become loose when his brother head-butted him, his permanent tooth has emerged behind his baby tooth, proving that Ky was not the culprit this time.


Here are a couple of pics from yesterday. The boys, dressed in the b-ball jerseys and armed with weapons, decided to take on the "bad guys". Later in the evening, Koby constructed a weapon of his own from our recyclables. The picture really does not do it justice. It really is quite impressive. He had all of us laughing as he shuffled around making gun noises and shooting down the enemy. Sometimes this kid is just too much!



And finally, I couldn't resist posting this pic. Prayer time is always interesting. The prayers of a 2 year old are sweet and innocent and not to mention very lengthy. Kev and I always giggle as Ky prays for us all to get a good night sleep about 3 times in a row and says "Jesus name AMEN!" with such conviction.

Beautiful Lord

When the storm is raging all around me
you are the peace that calms my trouble sea
when the cares of this world darken my day
you are the light that shines and shows me the way

Oh the beauty of your majesty
on the cross you showed your love for me

Beautiful Lord
awesome and mighty
I'm captured by this love I see
Beautiful Lord
tender and holy
your mercy brings me to my knees
it's your mercy that has made me free
Beautiful Lord

When the sin is all that I can see
your grace remains the shelter that I seek
when the weakness is all I can give
your gentle spirit gives me strength again

Oh the beauty of your majesty
on the cross you showed your love for me

Beautiful Lord
awesome and mighty
I'm captured by this love I see
Beautiful Lord
tender and holy
your mercy brings me to my knees
It's your mercy that has made me free
Beautiful Lord

I am lifted by your love to save
It's your mercy that has made me free

You're beautiful...you're beautiful....

(lyrics by Leeland - Sound of Melodies)

days 4 & 5

Day 4: no accidents...none what-so-ever

Day 5: peed his pants twice.

First this morning as he and Koby chased our bunny around the room. I knew, the minute he stopped running to stand next to the end table in a quiet stance that he is not accustomed too, that this wasn't going to be pretty.

Second time this evening as he prepared to play go fish. He looked up at me with a bizarre look on his face.

"Ky, are you peeing your pants?"
"No".....(some hesitation followed by yet another bizarre look) "I need to go potty."

"Run! Run, run, run, run!" I say following him as he waddles to the bathroom trying so hard not to touch his legs together because indeed he had JUST PEED HIS PANTS!!!!
As I strip him down in the bathroom and put him on the potty, I look at him in desperation and ask, "Ky, why did you pee in your pants?"

(sigh)..."Because it is so fun to pee in my pants."


Houston, I think we have a problem.......

what goes up,

must come down. In this case, it just happens to be pee coming down Ky's leg. Day 3, needless to say, was not as successful as the past two. 8 for 12 today, but dry all night and at nap. Day 4, here we come.....

day 2

quick update on day 2:

Ky is 7 for 8 today! He stayed dry all night and even woke up at 3 a.m. calling for his daddy because "Me have to pee on the potty!" Can you believe it? Not only did the kid stay dry but how impressive that my little man knew to let mommy get her beauty sleep and call for daddy instead. Is that kid trained or what? (what...okay, truth be told, the little man calls for daddy because he knows mommy is too tired to even hear his cries...that will probably come up in therapy for him later in life!) His only miss came this evening while we were outside sledding at the neighbors house. Despite peeing twice before we suited up, cold weather can do that do the best of men!

Nap was also taken today and he managed to stay dry and pee when he woke up. We are so proud of him.

Day 2....success....bring on day 3.

it's potty time!

which is not to be confused with party time, although there were some celebrations. Today was the official start of Ky's potty training experience. While he has used the big potty several times now, today it was out with the Luvs and in with the Thomas undies. As I write this, Ky is in the tub getting clean from his few minor mishaps today. All in all, I would consider today a success. Ky went 5 for 7 overall. The one thing we were unsuccessful with today was a nap. I think he was preoccupied with the fact that I told him to not get his Elmo "bedtime undies" wet (bedtime undies is just a mom's way of trying to convince her 2 1/2 year old that,no, she is not putting pull-up diapers on, (since earlier in the day she said we were done with diapers...how confusing!)but rather special undies designed for sleeping) Anyhow, back to the preoccupation....he would just play and then holler from his bed every half hour or so..."MOM!!!!!!! Me have to go pee on the potty!!!!!! (and let me say that each time we sat, there was no pee to be had). Day one down....let's hope he's a quick learner!

disney pics

memories

While the new year is upon us and we are filled with hope and excitement about all the possibilities '09 possesses, today my heart is filled with sadness. A year ago today my cousin Meredith passed away unexpectedly. She is survived by my aunt and uncle and her two brothers, Chris and Mike. I pray today that they will be able to find peace and that will be consumed with God's love, that their sadness will be replaced with joy and the memories of their loving daughter and that they can find strength in His promises.

As I laid awake these past few nights, I had time to think about all the memories I had of Meredith. She was four years older than me and I adored her. Although my list of memories falls short in many ways I'm sure, these are just some of the things that stand out in my mind:

Doritos, penguins, Duran-Duran, coke slurpees made with snow, walking to 7-11 to buy sweat tarts, playing Box Car children, Xila (the name we gave to the huge snow pile outside our grandparents house), eating my very first "veggie" sub from Subway with Mer (who was a vegetarian) and choosing from that moment on to adopt a "no red meat" diet myself, sparkling water, teaching me how to apply eyeliner, playing my Ouija board in our grandparents room at Christmas, playing Bloody Mary and Light as a Feather Stiff as a Board, looking forward to her hand-me-downs, Kowloon Chinese Restaurant, the letters she would write me and her beautiful handwriting, incense burning in her room, earrings made from chandeliers, singing and playing the piano, orange tic-tacs and gummy bears, and black olives strategically placed on each of our fingers.

As I recalled these things I found my eyes filled with tears, yet I was laughing at the same time. I miss Mer but am so thankful to have these memories.

Happy New Year....

Here's hoping that your new year is off to a better start than ours:






why is it that the "naughty one" is smiling in this mug shot?


disclaimer: none of the parties shown above was actually arrested or served any time in the local pen for any crime or misconduct.