PLAY DATE

Sticks, stones, grass, dirt, and steps make for a great unplanned play date!
Sneakers: NIKE   Play clothes: WalMart

BABY HALLOWEEN!

I had a routine when my brood were young.  For me, back-to-school kicked off my holiday planning and I was BIG on holidays.  Once school was rolling I started prepping for Halloween and only because I handmade most, if not all, of their costumes.  My kids had GREAT costumes.  It got me to thinking about MeeMi's baby and all the fun I hope to have playing dress-up with her.  Her ma and pa are both animal enthusiasts, their small home a regular sanctuary for something lost and found or in need of fostering.   Birds, cats, dogs, fish, lizards, even a ferret have found their way into the family.  It's quite the menagerie!  I can't imagine MeeMi's baby NOT wearing an animal costume at least once, if not every time she has reason to play dress up. 

 

I found these great Halloween costumes for baby at HALLOWEEN EXPRESS .  Talk about TOO darn cute!

MeeMI's NEW BABY!

MeeMi has a new grandbaby!  I’m so excited to welcome my beautiful grand-daughter, Micaela Susie Mello who pushed her way into the world yesterday.  She's named after a grandmother and a great-great-grandmother. My little munchkin weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces and was 19-1/2 inches long.  Sonshine reminded me not to forget that half inch!

My baby boy is one proud papa and hearing the sheer joy in his voice moved me to tears.  Sonshine is one of six children.  He’s the youngest and came as his older siblings were flying out of the nest to go make their way in this big wide world.  In some respects, because of their age difference, it was like he was an only child with multiple parents!  But his big brothers doted on him and dropping him on his head a time or two taught them when it was okay to drop their own kids.

I lost my second oldest son in 2005 to cancer.  He was an amazing young man and I remember when his precious daughter was born.  Number One Son called to give us the news and his tone was buoyant when he extolled, “She’s so beautiful!”  In that moment I knew his broad chest was pushed forward with pride and there was joy shining in his dark eyes.  His heart was filled with love for his baby girl and he would have climbed mountains for her.

I heard that joy again yesterday as Sonshine exclaimed, “Ma, she’s absolutely gorgeous!”  In that moment I knew his chest was pushed forward with pride and there was nothing but joy shining in his eyes.  MeeMi’s sweet, sweet baby already has her daddy wrapped around her tiny fingers and he will undoubtedly climb mountains, and more, for her.

Technically, MeeMi’s baby is the eleventh grandchild in this family.  But there is some serious age difference between her and her cousins.  Like her proud papa, she’ll have a host of family to dote on her.

Congratulations to my baby boy and his beautiful wife on the birth of their precious angel!  My Bonnie and Clyde done good!  MeeMi can’t wait to spoil her darling baby!

OH' BOY!

I'm feeling nostalgic.  I raised five boys and one girl.  Styling boys can be challenging, too.  Thankfully there are a lot more options now for back-to-school selections.  Way back when, my baby boy wore a lot of hand-me-downs.  Oh, boy!  Now that I think about it, so did his sister!

MOMMY TRINKETS

After nine months Mommy deserves a little baby trinket, too!

 

 

Mother's Necklace - Metamorphosis07

 

Silver Fingerprint Necklace - AliBali Jewelry

 

 

Baby Footprint & Baby Fingerprint Necklace - Lukelys

 

 

Rustic Custom Bronze Kids Footprint Tag - Designs By Sky

 

I LEARNED TO SWEAR by Pam Vap

I learned to swear
twenty minutes before my first child was born.
Since then, it’s been a handy habit
to have around, and I expect God
to turn his head. After all,
he owes me one. It’s a trick
to make babies look so good.

The truth is they leak.
And of all horrors, they grow.

They only speak whine;
they cry and complain and wipe snot
on their sleeves. They spill dinner.
They stir pasta into their milk cups
and squish spinach between their teeth.
They eat crayons and toothpaste.

They call constantly. They call
constantly. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mo-om.

They inhale money, bang down stairs,
and store dirty socks and sandwich crusts
like hidden treasures in their closets.
They lipstick walls; they swallow marbles.
They break things.

Yet, God (no doubt in his wisdom) has ordained
that these crude creatures
should sleep incognito:
gentle
quiet
warm.

I am fooled easily.

Each night as I tuck covers around them
and bend to kiss their sweet, sleepy faces,
I don’t care that they used
all the silverware in the garden.

Let’s fill the house with angels,
I whisper to my husband
as I slip between the sheets.