Wordless Wednesday (Big Blue Eyes)

The Fun of Finding

A Look Back... and the Memories

2004
5 months old

- a feeding tube

- sneaky little fingers that always seemed to find that one little space between the tape on the cheek and the nose where tape wouldn't stick to keep the feeding tube in place... and the handful of trips to the ER to have it put back in until we learned how to re-insert it ourselves (and really not liking the re-insertion part)

- adorable bunny slippers



2004
5 months old


- not knowing much about a camera but having such a passion for photography
(in looking back, it's amazing to see how far I've come, and makes me look forward to learning and growing and continuing to improve)



2005
1 year 5 months

- big, beautiful almond eyes and peeking tongues



2005
1 year 5 months


- "ooooh!" faces and gobs of plastic Easter eggs (most of which I still have, yet continue to buy more on sale after the holiday each year because they're so ridiculously cheap I just can't pass them up)



2006
Rylee - 2 years 5 months
Jordyn - 11 years old


- spending Easter at my sister's house and having Rylee wear her hair in cute little pig tails (for about 4 minutes) and having Rylee cover Grandpa Lee's shirt with Easter stickers and having an egg hunt in their basement


(visualize an adorable picture of Rylee and Jordyn here from 2007)


- having little recollection of Easter because I was 9 months pregnant and my biggest concern was getting Carter OUT of me because I am not a beautiful, glowing pregnant woman but instead a very chubby, nauseated, exhausted woman who's body just doesn't "do pregnant" very well



2008
Rylee - 4 years 5 months
Carter - 1 year old


- two little bottom front teeth and spots of drool on shirts

- having an Easter egg hunt and then going into our camper on our front lawn to eat our treats because our kitchen was being remodeled and the house was a mess and the camper was basically where we lived during the days because one has no idea the importance of a kitchen until one is not available to you



2009
Rylee - 5 years 5 months
Carter - 2 years old


- having such a fun time taking pictures of the kids and having Jeremy stand behind me doing God knows what to get genuine smiles and giving Carter a Blues Clues book just so he would stay sitting down and finishing the photo shoot with the kids throwing plastic Easter eggs at me

- being thankful for an older daughter who is such a great sport and joins in the egg-hunting fun with her little brother and sister (though I do believe she secretly enjoys it, especially when her eggs are filled with dollar bills)



2010
Rylee - 6 years 5 months
Carter - 3 years old


- having a hunt in our backyard and watching Carter stand on his tip-toes to reach eggs on the top ledge of our new fence and listening to the kids' squeals when a candy-filled egg was discovered

- fake, half-hearted smiles just to appease mom so plastic eggs can be pulled apart and chocolate treats can be inhaled eaten.

* * * * *

Better go... I need to help the Easter Bunny set out "baskets full of Easter joy."

(And, though I love, love, LOVE this time of year... I have to say I'm not heartbroken that we will soon be putting away the stuffed pink Easter bunny with the spinning tail that sings "Here Comes Peter Cottontail" loudly or the yellow chicken that hops around singing "The Chicken Dance" or the Fisher Price Little People Easter Sing-Along CD that is nearly worn out from being played so much. I guess all good things must come to an end.)

Happy Spring everyone!

Amazed

I'm not sure who's more amazed at watching our caterpillars spin silk to create a chrysalis...




the kids or me!



Want to be amazed, too? Start your own Live Butterfly Garden here!

Four

"So Carter, how old are you now?"




"Before the party begins, let's get a picture of you with your sisters!"





"Carter, just a few more pictures, okay? Can I get one with you? You know, so someday you'll know I existed... and of course one with Dad, too!"





"Alright, you've been waiting VERY patiently to open presents... so GO FOR IT!"

"Um... hon? Slow down a little. Did you even see what that present was before you started opening the next one?"

"Carter... Carter?... CARTER! I don't think Grandma and Grandpa heard you say thank you, especially since your head was buried in wrapping paper when you said it."





"Cake time! Do you like your cake? Oh, and by the way, I got you some cool glow-in-the-dark stars for your bedroom only because I needed the plastic bubble on the packaging to make Buzz's helmet."





"Carter, what did you think of your party?"





Happy 4th Birthday buddy! We love you!!

5 Hours (and 4 years) Ago...

About 5 hours (and 4 years) ago, I became the mommy of a little boy.

April 13, 2007
7:13 pm
8 pounds 12 ounces
21 inches long

About 5 hours (and 4 years) ago, she became a big sister.











About 5 hours (and 4 years) ago, she became a big sister (again.)





About 5 hours (and 4 years) ago, I looked down at this extraordinary little being...





and felt proud he chose me to be his Mommy.

Happy 4th Birthday Carter... I love you to the stars and back.

On His Way!

Three-and-a-half year old Rylee always wanted to join in on my monthly "belly pictures."

(Very often, a baby doll got in on the fun, too.)

We were waiting for Carter, who we had already named, to make his arrival.




He was due to arrive on April 25.

But, 4 years ago tonight, I went into labor.

Our little boy was on his way!

Right Where You Belong

Antonio's picture.




It's still on the Reece's Rainbow website.

Which means he's still overseas, in an orphanage... waiting for a Mom and Dad.

But, his picture is on a different page on the website.

"My Family Found Me."

That's the page.

The Gibson family of OshKosh, WI is working on bringing Antonio home.

Home.

And do you want to know what's ironic about the story of this little boy?
This little boy that's been on our minds and hearts (and Christmas tree) for 2 years?

They will be renaming him Carter.

* heart smile*

(Though I think in our minds he will always been Antonio!)

So, Antonio... you will always hold a special place in our hearts.

But you're picture won't be on a 2012 Reece's Rainbow Christmas Ornament on our tree next year.

You'll be at home, with your Mom and Dad, opening presents under your Christmas tree.

Right where you belong.

We've Been...

learning how to be a good sport.

Not easy when you're 3.

You're Allowed... and I'm Allowed

Thanks to the Special Olympics Facebook announcement, I learned this week that Tim Shriver, the Chairman and CEO of the Special Olympics, would be a guest on the Colbert Report. I was interested, especially after hearing he was going to tackle the use of the "R" word.

I've never watched the show.... even would have pronounced "Colbert" wrong until I heard it said. (So, thanks to the Special Olympics "person-in-charge-of-Facebook-updates" for the announcement!) After spending 20 minutes trying to find it on my channel guide, I set my DVR to record the show. You can watch the clip here.... (and you're welcome for saving you 20 minutes of searching your TV guide.)

A day later, Jeremy and I sat down to watch it.

Though there were a few things I wasn't thrilled by (mostly on Colbert's part), I was impressed.

Tim not only talked about People-First Language (which we appreciated)...

but it was the dialogue about the "R" word that got us.

In fact, after we heard it, we rewound it and listened again.

Then we rewound it again.

We looked at each other and smiled.

Have you experienced a time when you hear something and wish it had been you that said it? A time when you feel like holding your picket sign a little higher? A time when you feel like throwing out some "that's-what-I'm-talkin'-'bout" attitude? A time when you think that, if you were standing among friends with the same beliefs, you'd hear a loud "AMEN!" from the back of the crowd?

That's what I felt.

And every other word, I paused it... then rewound a little... then paused it again...

You guessed it.

I wrote it down.

* * * * *

Colbert: "You say that you cannot use the word... even as a character you cannot use the word."

Shriver: "I didn't say you cannot..." (interrupted by Colbert)

Colbert: "Isn't that 'thought police'? That's 'thought police.'"

Shriver: "I don't want to be a cop; I want to be a teacher. You're allowed to be humiliating, degrading, and hurtful. I'm allowed to petition you to at least recognize what you say and be aware of the option you have to stop."

* * * * *

Well said.

Okay, and I've gotta say it....

That's what I'm talkin' 'bout.