An Epic Fail...

 The recent big snow here was great! The kind we only get every 5 or so years. We got over a foot and got to be "snowed in" for a day as a family. We had to do the hard stuff like shoveling our way out...but got to do lots of fun stuff too, like make treats with sprinkles on them, make snow angels, build a snowman, make snow "ice" cream for the first time, etc. It was great to have the hubs home and great to just try and create memories with the boys...

But then there was the time that I found and idea on pinterest, and it was an epic fail. A little bit because there are 3 boys ages 2-5 in my house, but mostly because of me. Because I like things to go smoothly and according to plan. Because I like things to happen the way I expect them to. Because maybe I like to be in control. A little too much.

I can't find the exact site again right now, but this was the idea of what I wanted to do with the boys. They love to paint and I thought it would be a great new take on painting they could enjoy. The part that went great was me just opening the back door and scooping a huge bowl of soft snow off our back porch. After that it kind of went downhill. Complaints about who would pick colors first. Pushing. Whining. More complaining. Me trying to reassure them (and myself) how much fun we were about to have. Boys that I'm trying to get to help that still need help with many things themselves. More whining. Spills. Food coloring stains. More whining about who gets what paintbrush.

And then I finally get all the pieces together and we are ready to paint. Not sure at this point why I didn't just bag the whole thing and call it quits. Hope for what it could be, I guess. But it wasn't as glamorous as I thought. They didn't like the paper I picked. They didn't like the paintbrushes they picked. They didn't like how it looked. More spills. More whining (from me too...).

It wasn't working and I could feel the tension rising inside of me. Spills were happening. Stains were appearing. Holes in the paper. Leaks through the paper. Food coloring staining everything. And I came a bit "unglued." I'm reading the book Unglued, and even though I hate to admit it, I have more of these moments than I want. Sometimes at the littlest things. That seem huge in the moment. And this did me in for the day. I was done. I hated pinterest. I wanted the boys to quickly go away so I could try to salvage my pride a bit and clean up the mess without too much damage happening...to the table and floor, and also to my boys.

And in those few moments, I realized (I learned in a new way about myself) just how much control I like to have. Just how neat I like things to be. Just how pretty I want the package to look on the outside. Just how easy the littlest thing could take a day that was going great and turn it upside down for me.

But just like I'm trying to teach Micah these days (probably because he is a lot like me, whether I want to admit it or not), each day is a new day. We get to start over. A clean slate. And I am SO grateful for that! And so grateful for forgiving boys who don't hold these moments over my head. Just like my Heavenly Father!

Snow Times

I have often talked about the boys and their differing personalities. This has once again shone through, this time while playing in the snow.
This was Micah's first time ever out in the snow, at 11 weeks, in Feb of 2009.

He was young and had no idea what was going on, except that maybe it was bright out there.
The following winter we had a few good snow storms for our area.

This is the first one, just after Micah turned 1. And this shows about how much he liked being out in it.

This is about a month and a half later and Micah is actually smiling about going outside. And he got a little more comfortable in the snow too.

Comfortable to eat it.
And to lay in it.

So, it took Micah a while, but he did eventually get comfortable in the snow...and that is just like his personality: a little slow to warm up to new things/people/environments.
And then there is Judah. This was his first time in the snow.

All in. First time.

Camera Found, Lots of Updates!

So, our camera was lost for a while. Coulda been anywhere...it was behind a couch...good to move furniture once in a while...now lots to update about...
Some things that don't involved the camera:
Micah has a mouthful of teeth right now. I think he has 10 fully through (including 2 molars) and 2 eye teeth partially through, with about 3-4 more swollen and on the verge of emerging...but no complaining!
Micah has begun to try and repeat more of the words we say (except Daddy, since he insists on calling him Matt, which I'm sure is my fault!) and has started trying to sing songs along with us.
He is walking great, getting some good speed at times, almost making it look like he wants to run.
Micah loves throwing away his own diapers in the trash, he listens when we tell him not to go upstairs, he makes lots of silly faces, he has a hilarious fake laugh and an even better belly laugh!
And for the pictures that were missing...
Micah loves, loves, loves bananas. He has eaten them since the beginning. Not too long ago I started cutting them up and letting him feed himself. This works great, unless he is in a playful experimental mood and chooses to find out what all he can do with them. Mainly squeezing...Now he will actually just take the whole banana and walk around with it feeding himself out of the peel just like I would eat one. What a grown-up!

 

Then we started trying out other foods that he could feed himself/occupy himself with. He has enjoyed carrots, especially holding one piece in each hand and walking around with them while gradually gnawing on them. And even better is if we leave some dip out and he can work his way back to the dip whenever he is ready.

 

 

And then with all the snow we have had this year (SO unusual here!) it has allowed Micah time and separate opportunities to gradually get used to it. From not wanting to be out in it, to being skeptical about touching it, to eventually eating it and laying in it!

 

Not really ok with this stuff at all! Get me back inside!

More ok with being outside in the snow this time, but still not so sure about actually touching it.

 

And after the third big snow, he is all about it! Eating it, laying in it, playing in it!

 

SO glad we found the camera! What a cutie! And I can only imagine what a great big brother he is going to be!

Micah's First Snow

I know Micah will have many firsts...some he will remember and some he won't...
I know he won't remember this one...his first snow!! I think i was in my first year of college the last time it really snowed...right after spring break my freshman year...so....10 years ago!!! Holy Cow!! a Decade for real?!
So, I had to get a picture since Micah won't remember it and it may not happen again until he is 10! HAHA