Caterpillar Of The Week!

We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.  

Maya Angelou

My little man is 'Caterpillar Of The Week' in his Mother's Day Out class.  This mommy could not be more proud!  Even at 18 months the little man of the house has good manners, helps Mommy, and is so thoughtful - all while being all boy all the time!

My mister is so excited to hang an "About Me" butterfly poster on the chalk board telling about all of his favorite things and his family. 

 Here is our attempt to make a butterfly as manly as possible:

He also gets to share his favorite book:

And treat his schoolmates to his favorite treat:

M.I.A.

Here is the Son of God, who in less than three years achieved far more than kings and generals had ever achieved in a thousand years, taking time out. Why? Well, He knew His needs and limitations – even He couldn’t work twenty-four hours a day seven days a week – and neither can we. But also He could have the confidence to do this because of His quiet, serene knowledge that His time was in His Father’s hands, that He wasn’t going to change the world by one endless round of activity, but by doing things in God’s time in God’s way. 

 Melvin Tinker

It has been almost 6 weeks since I have posted on my blog, which really saddens me.  In the few short posts I've made I really began to get the point of a blog.  I enjoyed being able to look back on our day and reflect on God's goodness and provision in our little life.

God definitely had other plans this past month and a half, but I would not change one minute of it.  I have been able to spend more time than usual just breathing in His absolute grace and blessing after blessing He has bestow upon us.  It has definitely been a bittersweet season, but I have truly learned we have to tastes life's bitterness to make Christ seem all the more sweeter.  I am thankful.

I'm A Big Boy Now...And Bar B Que Sauce

A baby boy comes

in most every size,

With mischievous face

and questioning eyes.

With a misshapen halo,

And a wonderful grin,

With ten busy fingers,

And one sticky chin.

He’s cunningly stubborn

and amazingly fast,

So you’ll never find him

where you put him last.

He’ll keep you so busy,

and yet all the while,

Nothing will soften your work

like his smile.

Happy 17 Months Baby Boy!  Here is what our day looked like:

Blueberry pancakes to start off our special day :)

At the Fort Worth Children's Planetarium to Sesame Street. You loved it! Especially, Elmo!!

Mama did her best to wrangle you before the show.  But once it started, you were mesmerized!

We learned about how everyone can see the same stars on Earth no matter where they are.  Isn't God Amazing?!?

Peek-A-Boo!

It normally takes a bit of effort to get you to eat a lot at one time.  But you ate so many ribs! You looked just like a little man...Especially because you couldn't keep your eyes off the game on the TV above our table.

Mmm Mmmm Mmmm!!! You kept saying 'Pah!' aka 'Please!' as soon as I moved the rib away from your mouth.

Watching Dora with Mama after ice cream.

Tonight is our first night in our Pull-Ups!

This has been the best 17 months of my life! Mommy loves you little man!

They Call Me The Fireman, Making My Rounds All Over Town

Don't forget the fun. As the parent of a toddler you have a free pass to slip down a slide, run in the park or snuggle up with your little one and read a picture book. And if anyone rolls their eyes when you tell them your child is two, don't forget to remind them that you hold a very important job. After all, who else gets to mold and encourage a future leader — not to mention potty train them?

~Lynn Thompson

So thankful for our Heavenly Father today.  This may sound depressing, but today was one of those day's that I was made painfully aware that I am a single mom who has to somehow be mommy and daddy.  The little man of the house went #2 today in the potty! (Yes I just said that and I am pumped about it!)....and in the middle of our victory dance I realized that there was no one to share that exciting moment with.  Then the AC guy came to change my filters...definitely something I miss having a husband do.  It cost a pretty penny and reminded me again of my single mommy-ness.  For some reason, I rarely even think about it and I would not trade our life for anything. 

God has always been so good to the little mister and I!  In fact, that doesn't even begin to give justice to all the amazing ways he has been our everything!  Needless to say, I was looking forward to our play date with Miss C and her little man B!  We had an amazing time!  B is just the best little man and I hope that my mister takes after him at the ripe age of 3!  Here are some pictures from our day at Chuckee Cheese and the Fire Station:

Mrs. Calais made our day so special!

Telling his new buds to sit on their 'bombombs' aka bottoms.

"I finally figured this here game out..."

Cheating...Mommy saw that little man!

Sitting in manly chairs at the Fire Department doing manly things...

Chow time!  Too bad we were stuffed from that yummy (sarcasm) Chunky Cheese Pizza!

He loved this! I hope I never forget his sweet face seeing the trucks for the first time.

Going up!

Bye-Bye!

From The Mouths Of Babes

People tend to forget that play is serious.

~David Hockney

The little man of the house and I had such a great day today!  I love waking up and knowing that my job is to live life with someone who is such a joy, and a ham nonetheless!  Today was full of giggles and snuggles!!!

We went to our first playgroup this morning.  The mister is really big for his age and was as big or bigger than the 3 year olds.  It was hilarious!  So he fit right in, and the other moms were adorable!

Afterwords we headed to register for school.  I don't want to talk about it and am in denial that my baby boy is old enough for Mother's Day Out. But, I know he will do awesome because he loves other babies.  So I am happy for him and pouting for me.  I feel so blessed though that he can attend such a great program only minutes from our house.  

My plan for a quick nap, turned into a 2 1/2 hour nap for the little man.  I normally lay with him until he goes to sleep, but he was not having it this morning.  So I thought, well I will just sing him to sleep.  It's bad when a baby knows you can't sing.  He cracked me up when he looked at me and said , "Done!" :)

It was too late or I was just plain too lazy to cook lunch so we headed to Chick Fila.  Little man made new friends while playing and we even left with a balloon! You would have thought he was given a million dollars!  

The spoiling continued with a haircut, pony ride, and sucker...Have I mentioned that I love him?  One of the barbers commented on how good the mister was being. He looked straight at him with all seriousness and said, "Jesus." Hahaha :)  We all had a good belly laugh!  Here are a few pictures from our day.

Easy as 1,2,3...A,B,C!

I agree with Matthew Henry when he says, “They that pray in the family do well; they that pray and read the Scriptures do better; but they that pray, and read, and sing do best of all.”

 ~C.H. Spurgeon~

I have been posting my prayers for Ty for several weeks now on Facebook.  But I thought I would make this my routine Monday post.  Each week I pick a letter out of the alphabet to pick three words starting with that letter to pray over my little man.  It is just a fun way to pray for others and get others involved in praying for your children.  So here is what my prayers for Ty have been so far...This week is the letter 'F':

Attentive to God and others first

Athletic

Academic

Believer in Christ as his Lord and Savior

Builds others up

Boasts only in Christ

Confident

Courageous

Chivalrous

Daring

Diligent

Discerning

Eager

Empathetic

Excited about life

Friends: Godly friends and is a good friend to others

Forward Thinker: remember this Earth is not our home

Faith

I found this awesome Leap Frog refrigerator toy that says letters out loud when you place them in the slot.  

Ty loves it and it is a great reminder for me to pray for him at that moment!  Oh, and if you ever forget your ABC's, just call me! Thanks to this toy they are now engrained in my head :)

Home Sweet Home

"Where thou art - that - is Home."  

Emily Dickinson

Ty was away Friday and Saturday visiting his dad.  This house is eerily quiet without my little man's feet pitter pattering on the floor, trains choo choo-ing throughout the day, and his random outbursts of singing.  So, I had to keep myself busy!

My original plan was to make fall decorations and go "junking" for home decor.  I actually wound up putting off crafting because I had so much luck finding quirky little treasures for our nest.

This adorable little bread box wound up here...

On the folding table in our laundry room

A great bargain! A rusted antique cake box for $6.

This little fellow isn't going to be sitting out regularly, but I just couldn't resist.

Rusted Chandelier for $2 is now hanging on...

The Oak Tree in my back yard.  I can't wait to have cooler weather to sit outside, light the candles on this chandelier and read a good book before bed.  Makes me sleepy just thinking about it!

So unique it says it on the sewing machine!  Another great find for $19!

This cutie now sits on...

My cubby desk with a bunch of our other favorite things: my Papa's cowboy hat, my dad's childhood Bible, and a pig in honor of Charlotte's Web. 

I love spray paint!

Now above the TV in my room.

This little night stand has been a work in progress, and it still isn't quite right.  But I am very happy with my framed $3 wrapping paper from Aaron Brothers.

I found a brand new SMU hat for my little man for $.90!!! 

But this house didn't become a home until...

The little man of the house came home! I love him so!

To Mommy's Little Man

Listen to the mustn'ts, child,

Listen to the don'ts.

Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts.

Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me...

Anything can happen, child. 

Anything can be.

~Shel Silverstein~

Train Up A Child In The Way He Should Go

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

Yesterday the little man and I had at date at the Children's Museum in Fort Worth.  He loved it so much that his Poppa and Gigi took him back again today!  The 'tains' were his absolute favorite!  As he was playing, I was reminded of Proverbs 22:6.  

Since my divorce, my heart has really been broken over the path that the average family is on.  God is no longer the foundation of most homes, men are no longer head of the household, and little boys grow up almost 'dis-engendered'.   So, how do you train up a little boy in the way he should go?  I don't know. But my prayer is that God will be Ty's true Father, that he will value and never compromise his masculinity, and that he will grow into a confident man of God.  

As for me, I am relying on my Father to show me how to raise my little man.  Man, heavy stuff for a trip to the museum :)

What's With The Name?

"You have taken my pain, You called me by a new name..."

These past 2 years have been full of ups and downs.  I have gone from Mrs. to Miss and house-wife/career woman to Mommy.  The little man of the house is the love of my life and such a blessing from God.  I never imagined our life this way, but I love our small family and the BIG ways God is moving.  This is the story of my hits and misses as Miss Mommy.