Christmas 2012

I have it all. Let me elaborate.

Christmas was today. We had been anticipating this day in the house for at least a month. I was excitedly telling Libby all about Jesus' birthday story from her children's Bible, and practicing the Happy Birthday, Jesus song. I don't know, it felt different from last year's. Libby is more aware of stuff for one thing, so I honestly wanted it to be perfect. It was.

I guess, in my sick mind, I want my children to have all I didn't have. I don't think that's sick actually; it's healthy. The next generation has to be better than the previous one. For instance, my mom tells me that when she was growing up her mom was so poor that my mother only had two pairs of socks to go to school. She washed one and wear the other. But on winter, the socks sometimes didn't dry, so she had to wear them wet. I believe that's true; I don't think my mother would make up that story. And I guess that's why I had more than 30 pairs of socks to go to school or be around the house while growing up.

I want my children to get up on Christmas - and not only Christmas, but everyday- knowing how blessed they are to have all they have. I don't want them to take anything for granted. Case in point: when Libby is older, and able to reach the counter, I'll teach her to make bread kneading by hand. That's how I began. It takes you way longer than with the electric mixer, but I want her to appreciate that mixer, you know? I want her to know that we could go without every little thing we owe, and still we would be fine. 

Showing off her teeth

Because the truth is Emerson and I didn't have any of this. Not the mixer, not a car, not a double stroller, not a Keurig, no Netflix, not an iPhone... and we survived. Not only that, but I want them to realize that God is the Giver of all gifts, that we could never out give Him, and that Christmas is that perfect day when our Savior was born. He was, is and will be the best gift of all.

With that in mind, I was really excited with all the gifts and the fact that I got to spend some money on cake decoration supplies. I wanted to bake a cake for Christmas morning so that we could have a party for Jesus. I also wanted to surprise Emerson with his gifts, but I wasn't able to do that. The first surprise I tried to give him were some beers that I bought for him, but he knew that I was going to the store to buy them, so it wasn't really a surprise. I mean, I don't have a car, and if I use the debit card he knows!

After that, I bought something online for him, but due to a misunderstanding I thought he had found out, and so I ended up telling him about it. I also wanted to throw them a surprise party for their upcoming birthdays, but he said he wants to go camping. So you see, it seems it's not easy to surprise him. Anyway, I hope one day I'll get to surprise him. 

Enzo has been sleeping 9+ hours at night. He had a couple of rough days, but pretty much he has slept five days in a row like that. He is such an easy going baby. He is talking more and more everyday. He smiles and he loves his big sister. I can't stop wondering how he will be like when he is older. He seems calmer than Libby was. He is really sweet. He likes for us to talk to him, and cuddle with him, but if I tell him that I need to get stuff done, he just hangs out in the swing or rests on his pillow, no crying, no nothing. 

Enzo talking

On Christmas Eve we went to Merritt's house to spend the evening with her family, but before that we took some family pictures. Enzo looked really cute in his Santa outfit, the same Libby wore a year ago. Libby and Mommy were dressed almost the same. I honestly think she is prettier than I am :)

After four shots, Daddy said the photos were as good as they were going to get. So I guess a ten-minute photo shooting wasn't bad. I didn't sweat it this Christmas, I know perfection is an impossible target when it comes to a photo with two children and a dog. 

"Smile, Brother!"

My Libby

"So Santa is a fake?"

"Ok, Daddy. I think I'll live."

"Hmmm... Then why am I dressed like this?!"

We had a "good" time at Merritt's. It was kind of crazy because there were a lot of people, and I was chasing Libby around. Elizabeth is fearless, she wants to do things the way adults do. She is not as cautious with stairs as she should be, so she almost fell. She also shared her cheese with Enzo while I went to the kitchen to have a sip of water. I cannot lose sight of her, because if I do, that's what happens. Enzo was crying and that's how I saw the cheese pieces in his mouth. 

I felt terrible I couldn't have a normal conversation with anybody, because Libby is on go time all the time. When I let her go freely, she was just grabbing stuff she shouldn't grab, and although I know she is only a child, I also think this is the moment when boundaries and respect for other people's stuff has to be taught. So I normally don't let her grab whatever she pleases if we are in a house that is not ours. Sue me. 

If she was not grabbing stuff, she was chasing the cat under the Christmas tree, going over the train tracks - thank God that train didn't work anyway- and taking ornaments from the tree. Then she fell face forward against the chimney where some pointy metal things were, and I'm glad she didn't poke her eye. Why is she not like this when we are home? I guess everything is new for her when we are somewhere else... And the moments she wasn't getting herself in trouble and wanted to play with Kori, she was just being pushed and taken toys away from. That evening after Kori pushed her from the third time without anybody intervening - not even me- Libby just walked away, and didn't approach her anymore. Lots of wisdom going on there, even if it's learned the hard way. Oh, toddlers... 

Christmas checkerboard cake

My cake was pretty, and it was delicious. I'm proud of my learning skills over YouTube. Libby freaked out when we were cutting the cake. She is going through this thing where she doesn't want to be left alone with anybody other than Emerson or me. I guess it's more with me. At church, she freaks out every time we leave her in the nursery. And it's just not a little cry here and there. No. It's I'm going to scream my lungs out. Before having children I used to think those kind of children were nuts, and the parents even more, for not wanting to leave them there. Now a days, I don't think the child is nuts, I think this is normal, specially if your child stays home with you. I do think however, that we should keep trying. We let her cry until they come and get us, which usually happens pretty soon :)

So, I gave Libby to Merritt just to cut the cake... it was awful. But nothing a hug from Mommy and a piece of cake couldn't change.    

  

We came home around 8:30 pm, and we read the Christmas Story from Libby's Bible. We practiced the song, and we prayed. The next morning we woke up, we sang, cut the cake, and opened presents.

That Jesus ate the whole cake

Enzo and Libby gave Daddy some Tostitos and Spinach dip, and I gave him a paddle to taste beer. Libby gave Enzo some formula, and we gave him a set of boats for the tub. Libby got some Goldfish from Enzo, and a soccer ball from us. I got chocolate Kisses from Libby, and a french press from Daddy. 

Happy with her ball

Practicing for the team photo

After that we just hung out together. Libby took her nap, I drank a beer, we watched TV. I honestly don't understand what's the purpose of repeating the same movie over and over and over. We watched A Christmas Story all day long, and I didn't even like it. I guess the little boy is funny, but my sense of humor is not the same as Emerson's. Are TV channels like TNT or AMC really struggling or what? 

On the weekends all they have running is The Shawshank Redemption. If not that, it's Good Fellas or A Bronx Tale. It's okay to watch them once in a while, but Emerson gets into his Italian personality and starts talking to me like one of those guys. That's why I can't stand The Godfather. He's like, "You broke my heart, Fredo. You broke my heart". And if I tell him he needs to help me do something, he says, "What's the matter with you, huh?" or "Come on, huh?" or "Take it easy, huh?" or even "OOHHH!!", like Pauli in The Sopranos.  

I don't know... I guess it's just a matter of likes and dislikes because I could be watching Legally Blonde, Miss Congeniality or Shrek 2 over and over again, and it would be fine. Even Remember the Titans, I really like that one.

Making my first batch of beer 

At the end of the day, we tried my new french press that he bought me for when we go camping. Well, it's not only for those trips, but it's compact, light weight, and made especially for that. The last time we went camping, I had to go buy cofee to the park store. The coffee was awful. Emerson said giving me that was going to be like opening a Pandora box. I guess it could be, but I guess one of the main differences between Emerson and I is that I don't strive for perfection as much as he does. 

Here's the thing... He took this personality thing at work and he scored highst in the C DiSC Dimension. Some of his "defects" are:

*He is precise, focused, and accurate. I'm more like all over the place.

*He makes decisions in an analytic way. Really? I hadn't noticed that when I tell him how I'm feeling and he tells me what I should do to stop feeling that way. 

*He craves a reserved atmosphere. That means he doesn't talk.

*He likes to adhere to strict rules, and so tends to be over critical with people. Really? I hadn't noticed that either when he tells me to close the cabinets' doors every time I open them, or tells me to move the bathtub curtain in a specific way, or reorganizes Libby's books -that I organized minutes ago- because they are not perfectly organized by size in her bookshelf. 

And let me tell you something, that Libby is going crazy, too. This morning she asked me to close the cabinet's door. I could swear that's what she meant. I left it open, she pointed at it, and said, "Ah!" She continued with breakfast after I closed it. 

I share some of Emerson's craziness, I guess, or maybe, he has molded me to his way.  But anyway, this perfectionism sometimes shows up at times when it shouldn't, like last night when we were ready to use my french press. I love my husband, but sometimes he could be such a nerd. Okay, so they say coffee tastes much, much better with the press than with the regular coffee brewer, and even greater than instant coffee. He was actually measuring the water temperature with the thermometer he uses for  his beer; I guess that was my idea. So I'm also kind of a nerd, too, but only sometimes.

So then we decided to compare the temperature of the water when it's boiling to the water that comes out of the Keurig, but the Keurig was dirty, and so I cleaned it. But Emerson could still see some dried mold, and he had to unscrew a tiny part, and clean it almost to perfection. And then we tasted the coffee with both waters. And if that wasn't enough, he wanted me to brew now with the regular coffee maker, and I did. We were having this coffee tasting exercise like we do with beer.

Okay, so by the time we did all this, my coffee was warmy, good enough for him to drink it, but I like it hotter. I tried it by itself and it was great, but I like milk and sugar. I know it's like drinking a glass of Jack Daniel's with Sprite, or having a michelada with Chimay Blue, but that's how I like my coffee. So what?

When I have my coffee in the morning, I like everything to be quiet. It's like I disappear. I don't know where I go, but I disappear. I only want a sip of quietness if that makes sense. I don't get that EVER. By the time I'm making coffee Libby is up, and she usually helps me make it. We celebrate when the drops of coffee start pouring down. I usually have to drink it in a hurry because she's pulling on my pants saying "Prrrr" and offering me a crayon, which means she wants me to draw her a P.

So last night when everybody was asleep and I had that first sip of quietness, my husband was talking, talking, talking, which he NEVER does!!! Didn't he crave a reserved atmosphere??!!

Why do you have to be talking right now, Emerson?? I just want to drink my coffee. I know, I know. No. The coffee surface doesn't look as oily with the coffee brewer. Yes, it is because of the filter. Yes, it looks oilier with the french press. No, I didn't know you could mix several coffee beans to get a more complex flavor like you do with beer. I would like to try that later. I guess the water temperature from the Keurig is not hot enough. It's a workout to crush those beans. He needs to be quiet. How do I tell him to shut up? No, you don't tell your husband to shut up. But I want him to shut up so that I can drink my coffee. What is he saying? I just hear blah, blah, blah. I want to drink my coffee. It's getting cold.  All I want is to taste my coffee. All I want is silence... EMERSON, SHUT UP. JUST SHUT UP!! LET ME DRINK MY COFFEE! 

It's amazing how fast a mind works. I actually just said what's in bold, but I actually thought all that, and probably more in less than, what, one minute? Poor Emerson... he sat down on the floor, and he let me have my quiet sip. I just needed one sip. After that, we talked about all the nerdy things about the coffee, and the beer. And we watched The Office, and ate Tostitos, and Kisses.

After the day was over, I had this sense of contentment. The day was awsome. The gifts were awesome. But even without the gifts, we still have each other. I wouldn't trade that for anything in the world. There's not a gift in the world that could make me happier. I don't think the way I used to think. There was always something to look forward to, and I wasn't joyful if I didn't have it.  Five years ago I used to think When I have this, then I'll be happy. But that's not longer me. All this stuff is just stuff, and it's nice to have a french press, and a paddle for tasting beer, and a Keurig, and Netflix -I wouldn't make it without Netflix sometimes when it comes to Libby.

But my husband, my children, and our lives together are the most valuable gifts I have from God.

See? I have it all.

Carpet Photo Shooting 

Visiting the ER

Saturday, Dec. 15th

 I do not like Merlot, at least not the cheap one we had tonight. It was too sweet. I did like, tough, what a bottle of wine, some cheese cubes, and a homemade focaccia can bring into your marriage: something like rekindling the passion, if you know what I mean :)

Emerson and I have been exercising lately. We've logged more than 60 miles in the last 30 days. Just today we walked 11 miles, with children and all. We took a 30-minute break after 8 miles, so that Enzo could eat, and all of us could have a snack. Libby was just having fun in a playground while Daddy gave Enzo his bottle. She had 4 crackers and 7 cheese cubes. It rained, but the children didn't get wet thanks to the cover we bought for the stroller. 

Rain didn't make a dent

When Emerson gets here at 4:30 pm, we are ready to go: Enzo just nursed, Libby had a smoothie, and all of us are just waiting for him to change his clothes, and go walk. The other day we walked 6 miles in 1.5 hours. It might not be great, but for me it is awesome. I get to talk to my husband, and we take care of ourselves. I never regret exercising. We could have wasted that hour and a half just watching TV, but we are choosing to go out to be healthy for our children. We want them to grow up seeing that there's more to this life than just sitting in front of the TV, that we have been blessed with one more day of life, and that we have to make it count. 

Sometimes, I'm guilty of just going through the motions, but today I felt alive. I really enjoyed walking. After we came back and I took a shower, I was ready to take a nap, but Enzo woke up. Then Libby woke up, and you know how it goes. But at 7:30 pm, everyone was in bed. Emerson and I went outside to the patio, lit some candles, and drank wine and eat cheese. We talked about life, his job, my job in the house, stuff... He's been asleep for at least half and hour, so our time together wasn't looong (it's 9:30 pm), but it was perfect.

  

Enzo and his new friend, Harry

Emerson took Libby on a date on Friday, Dec 14th. They went to teach his class, and then headed to the airport. They didn't take a lot of photos of both of them, but they had some cool videos that I'm attaching to the end of this post.

It is a lie when your husband tells you to enjoy your free time and then takes your toddler with him, but still you are IN the house. I mean, Emerson didn't mean to wrong me, but it's just that there is so much stuff to do around the house. That particular Friday I had to fold laundry, iron his work shirts, buy groceries, cook for the next week, and take care of Enzo on top of that. All those things are things I have to do anyway with Libby around the house, and they take me twice or more the time when she is here. Of course I'd rather do them without her in the house. I can do it way faster. I was so busy I forgot to eat lunch. I called Merritt and I borrowed her car to go grocery shopping. I did all that so that I can relax and enjoy being with my family the whole weekend. Sunday felt so peaceful, because I had nothing to do.

Asleep before the ride

  

Monday, Dec. 17th

We had to go to the emergency room a while ago. Libby fell down while running around the house. She couldn't walk more than two steps after that. She cried and I told her she was fine, but still she was limping. I was observing her, and she definitely slowed down from how active she usually is. She actually wanted me to carry her because it hurt. When we got there, I had to fill the paper work, and then I went in to be with her and Emerson. She was crying a lot, I guess she was scared I wasn't in there. She doesn't want to leave my side at all lately. She cries forever at church, and I know she will do that too when we go back to BSF, but I like it. I don't want her to suffer, but I'm glad she doesn't feel comfortable with strangers. There will be a day when she won't want to be with me all the time, but that day is not today yet, so I'm loving it when she cries for me, no matter how annoying it could be, or how many times I would have to miss a sermon or a class. She needs me and that's all that matters :)

Her doctor wanted an x-ray of her ankle, but when we got there she was so much better -except for the crying- and nothing indicated she really needed the x-ray. She was taking more steps, but definitely putting more weight on the right foot than on the left one, so they said that we should continue to monitor her. She ate crackers and cheese cubes while waiting for the nurse to discharge her on top of the smoothie she had  had one hour ago. She ate pizza for dinner on top of those snacks when we got home. I think she is fine. Tomorrow we are going to kick it with Harry all day long, and we'll skip her morning walk. If you ask me, this trip to the ER was way overdue. We are so thankful she hasn't broken an arm with all the fearless things she does.

My babies

Libby is sounding more letters now. She knows the sound of F, G, H, K, M, N, P, S. Sometimes she does D and T, but not consistenly. She signs yogurt for everything, and today after she woke up, she signed that she wanted a smoothie, please. Just like that. She knows she gets one before we go running with Daddy, so she just asked for it, since I wasn't offering it just yet.

She knows how to pose for the photos now, and even learned to smile for them. Took her a little bit of  "smiles", but she got it. 

Learning to smile - 1

Learning to smile - 2

Got it!!

El Guaperrimo is growing. He is pooping more and more, and his neck is stronger everyday. He coos and talks all the time. He is such a content baby, such a book one. He really only cries either because he is hungry, tired, has gas or a wet diaper. Libby keeps me very busy so I don't get to spend much alone time with Enzo during the day, but I do at night. He is really sweet and is very aware of Libby. I think he will love her dearly. He will follow her for everything. 

Hugging brother

She loves him very much, too. Today she shared her toys with him. She actually came and gave him the things she was playing with. They say toddlers have no idea on the sharing concept, so probably she was not really interested in playing with the things she gave to him, but anyway it was really cute to see her do that. Although, she always does that with Kori also. If Kori is having a hard time, Libby goes, grabs a toy and gives it to her, trying to make her feel better. I'm telling you, my daughter has a really noble heart, I'm so proud of her, and thankful God allowed me to be her Mommy.

El Guapperimo

She went down at 7:30 pm. She took her Tylenol because I asked her to. She did it for Mommy. We'll see how she feels tomorrow :)

My coffees for the Keurig are here, but I'm not touching them until I finish the other one that's in the pantry. I'm excited about the cakes I'll be decorating for Christmas Eve. I'll be working with fondant for the very first time. I wanted to take the Wilton course, but I remember last time it was a fraud. I learned more on Youtube than in the class, so I'm watching videos and reading stuff on the internet. Something good will come out of it. I'll post photos of the finished cakes. 

Practice makes perfect and I need lots before May, 2013 :))

Daddy and Libby meet the A380

Camping in Toddlerville

I just took a relaxing bath with a handsome guy - Enzo. We were making up with cuddles and kisses for the difficult day he and I had today. He simply just cried the whole darn day. As I was telling him, I'm not only his mommy, I'm also sister's mommy. I cannot pick him up every time he cries, and I asked him if he was ready to start getting a bath every night since his sister started getting one every night around 2 months of age. We'll see what happens, I don't think I'll have the energy to bathe two children every night, on my own. 

Emerson left to Walmart and there is a little bit of silence right now, being almost 9 pm. I cried a while ago because I tried to kiss Libby night nights and pray for her, but she refused to pray or even hug me. I think she is going through a thing called the terrible twos. Sometimes I don't know what to do... Today was the first time I spanked her. I tried to do it like the book suggested  I told her the spanking was coming and why. I took the diaper off, and BAM! Three very controlled pats in the butt, no anger on my part. She cried. I held her, and said I was sorry I had to do that, but that she was behaving in a completely unacceptable manner with Mommy. I asked her to say she was sorry for disobeying so willfully, and being so rebellious. She signed I'M SORRY. We hugged, and we kissed each other, and after that she was so sweet... that I felt like a monster. 

Loving her brother

The thing is she continued with that rebellious behavior most of the evening, I feel like I have to be saying NO to almost everything she does: climbing the bench, jumping on the couch, poking Enzo's eyes, grabbing Dori's food- she is in charge of feeding Dori now, worst mistake of my life teaching her that, because now she wants to feed Dori every five minutes. The thing is she knows what I want her to do or not to do, and completely refuses to do it. That's what willful disobedience is, right? Then I would be spanking her every five minutes? I don't think so... I don't want to threaten her because that doesn't work, but I want her to obey me. 

I keep telling her it is because I love her that I have to teach her to obey, that obedience doesn't come easy, that I want her to trust me that I know better. That I understand how she feels when she gets angry and throws herself to the floor just pouting, but that being self-controlled is a learned beahvior. That this, that that... Just today she threw a tantrum outside the patio door because she didn't want to stop walking, and as much as I love that she likes to exercise, she needed to have lunch, Enzo needed to nurse, and I needed to take a shower because I had to talk to Jeff - not to mention I hadn't had a bath like in 3 days!! 

The ground was all muddy, her shoes were a mess, her pants got dirty, and there she was, just crying and rolling herself on the grass refusing to get in. I told her I was going to count to three, that I was giving her the opportunity to choose right. She chose wrong. And with Enzo in the sling and all, I got her in. And today I remembered this, I knew I was doing right in saving it for days like today. I was very pregnant with her when I read it for the first time:

May 4, 2011

Lessons from the Bamboo Farmer

Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary (Galatians 6:9 NASB).

Friend to Friend

For years I told people that I was in labor for 23 hours. However, the truth is more like 21 years. Being a mother has been the most fulfilling, frustrating, exciting, exhausting, mind-boggling, hair-raising thrilling tiring, stimulating, soul-stirring, delightful, difficult, consuming, laborious, uplifting, inspiring, challenging, captivating, and rewarding job I've ever had. Did I mention difficult? I should have gotten a clue when I was told that having a child begins with a word called "labor."

I've had times when I felt like throwing up my hands in frustrations and saying, "I quit!" Is what I'm doing making any difference to anyone? I want results! Show me results!  Then I think about the bamboo tree.

When the Chinese plant bamboo, first they plant the seeds, then water, and fertilize them. The first year, nothing happens. The second year they continue to water and fertilize the seeds, and still nothing happens.

The farmer continues this process for a third and fourth year with no visual results. Then sometime during the fifth year, in a period of approximately six weeks, the Chinese bamboo grows ninety feet.

The question is, did it grow ninety feet in six weeks or did it grow ninety feet in five years? The obvious answer is that it grew ninety feet in five years. If the grower hadn't applied water and fertilizer every year, there would be no bamboo.

It is the same way with raising children. We pour into their lives. We plant seeds of character, pull weeds with discipline, water with prayer, and fertilize with encouraging words. Then one day, if we are persistent and consistent, we will see beautiful results. 

If you are in the midst of raising your children, or even a parent of grown children waiting to see the results, I want to encourage you to press on.  Don't give up!  Keep praying!  Keep encouraging!  Keep loving! And one day, when you least expect it, your child will "rise up and call you blessed."

   

I hope my love, prayers, and all that I do for them will pay off one day. It has to because I'm doing it with all my heart, following what God said I should do. It's not like I'm blackmailing Him, but there are promises involved when it comes to His ways in raising children. His promises, not mine :))

Anyway, today after my Toddzilla and my Puppy (you did know it was because of a dog we named him Enzo, right?) gave me together the very first difficult day of many, I'm ready to calm down... and write some awesome things about how wonderful they are, because my children are truly wonderful. 

Libby, for instance, had her first shopping trip to HEB to buy her own milk. Of course there was a tantrum involved going there because I asked her to bring her cart to the car, and I guess she thought we were going on a walk -sometimes she takes it- and I put the cart in the trunk. She cried I don't know how long, and I got really mad, not at her personally, but at the fact that she had no idea what was coming. I told her I had a surprise for her, it was a surprise!! But she got caught in the "I don't have what I want now" mood. When we got to HEB and I took her out with her cart, she couldn't believe her eyes. She was looking at me -I also had a cart- in wonder. She was just looking around, everybody had carts. It was like she was in wonderland. She was happy, she even came home happy. Emerson noticed it :)

Libby buying milk

I wonder if God feels like that with us sometimes or most of the time. We pout and complain because we don't have what we want now. And when He buckles us like I did with Libby in her car seat, He exhales like I did, feeling sorry for us. I was almost yelling at her, "I have a surprise for you, it's a surprise, you don't know...", but she didn't listen. I wonder if God wants to scream at us, "I have something better for you, you have no idea, just wait for me", but we are so upset that we don't listen.

On another note, we haven't been to church like in at least 4 months, and I don't feel guilty AT ALL. The last two months I was under house arrest because of Enzo, but the months before, we just didn't go for one reason or another, specifically Elizabeth. She cries the whole time she is in the nursery, and although I'm all in for letting my daughter cry for a while, I think it's really unfair to let the child  scream like she does for more than twenty minutes. I got her twice with awful eyes because she cried the whole time she was there. Now, that's not the reason we stopped going, but it kind of is. We were listening to some Andy Stanley's sermons online, so it's not like we were disconnected from God. And I actually was surprised that I don't feel guilt for the very first time.

I guess when you have children, you get to understand better or grasp better the concept of what grace is. I know God loves me. I know his love does not depend on my church attendance, I know He is there for me. Do I want to go to church? Yes, I do. Will I go back? Yes, I will. But for a long time I was stuck in the do this, do that, tsk-tsk-you didn't go to church today. I have not withdrawn for a second from God. I thank Him everyday for my life. I haven't had intense Bible reading for a while, but I teach my daughter His principles everyday. We will go back soon.  

Dec 1st, 2012. Huntsville

We went camping last weekend. Emerson announced it as a surprise on Friday to leave Saturday morning. Only He does that. He said he needed help planning some things. We had made plans with Brad and Merritt to go to the zoo that Saturday, and we went for a couple of hours, and then we headed to Huntsville. We made it with pretty much junk food, but it was okay, a holiday from Libby's good diet. She really eats a healthy diet: oatmeal with yogurt or wheat chex for breakfast; strawberries with cottage cheese or grapes with cheese cubes, for snack; vegetables like broccoli or squash with olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. She is my personal hero. So I guess she loved it when she could have goldfish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She did have some fruit, milk, and spam. 

We look at her...

...with the same love :)

I couldn't sleep very well that night, Libby slept in the middle of us because she was crying a lot in the pack 'n play. Ahhh... sweet, sweet beer - right now I'm drinking a black IPA my husband brewed. That night we waited for them to go to sleep, and we had a bottle of wine. Enzo was wrapped like a tamale in like 5 blankets, and Libby was actually sweating because of her pajamas and the sleeping bags. But she slept very well, after pulling my hair for a couple of hours while she was trying to go back to sleep after we moved her with us. That Saturday she walked almost 2 miles. It' amazing how much energy she has. I'm thankful that we are exercising too, because we have to keep up with them when they grow older. 

2 am - Before nursing Enzo

There was some misbehavior those two days on Libby's part, like the tantrum for I don't even remember what, but I guess it was compensated with lots of patience on her part, too. There was this time when Enzo was crying like a maniac, Emerson was putting up the tent, and Libby was just playing around. I needed to take care of Enzo, but couldn't take care of Libby at the same time. A lady out of the blue comes and tells me the baby is crying, to what I responded, "Yes, I know, thank you". 

That's my face every day, "Here we go, again."

She asks with a smile on her face, almost excited about the baby, "Can I carry him?" I hesitated for a second, "No, I'm gonna feed him in a little bit, thank you". She had five children with her. I don't think she had lots of time to spend with my baby. I felt bad I acted that way at the very beginning, but then I thought, "Why in the world would I let you carry my baby? I don't know you." And I know she was probably trying to be nice with me, but I didn't take it that way. I probably broke the etiquette of being nice to every camper around you, if such thing exists, but I don't care. 

Anyway... I signed to Libby that I needed her help. I said that Enzo needed to drink his milk, and that I couldn't be behind her for a while. I buckled her in her car seat, and she sat there, patiently, no crying, no whining, until I finished changing his poopy diaper, and wiped his poopy feet. Then she stayed inside the pack n' play while I nursed him, really content, playing with her flash cards. How can I think God is not working in her? It's just days like today that tempt me to think I'm doing everything wrong.   

Libby has some serious issues with tidiness. She cleans everything, and picks up everything she sees in the carpet, the smallest little piece of paper. She gives me every blanket she sees on the floor, or that I forget to pick up. She picks up her own coloring table when she is done with it, and doesn't like her hands to be dirty after eating. We took a walk with La Nena the other day, and Libby started jumping in a puddle. La Nena, of course, also jumped in, and absorbed all the water. Needless to say, La Nena got a bath in the washer that day.

Enzo is cooing lots now a days, but he is still a baby. I cannot really talk much about all he does, because he pretty much eats, sleeps, and poops all day long, that's about it. He is really strong, tough. Libby didn't like tummy time at all, but Enzo loves it. He is handsome, and as of today, he still has blue eyes. I'm going to need a gun. 

MY Enzo

I love my morning walks with Libby. Lately, I'm charging more tax on the planes. It's not a plane, a kiss anymore. Depending on the size of the plane, it's the kisses I charge. Sometimes I get home with fifty kisses :)

She is so funny... Sometimes when I scream PLANE!!, she goes face down to the floor...

I'm ready for more tantrums tomorrow. I just remembered why God gave us these wonderful children: to care for them, nurture them, discipline them, teach them to love Him, and have fun while doing all that. I love my life :)

Pretty Hat