Milestones

I really need to give an update on the kiddos. First, Grantman. He is very advanced with his smiling :) No really, he smiles most of the day. I call him my "bright bit of sunshine". He is belly crawling and nearly crawling on hands and knees, which I am so not ready for. He is also......are you ready.......saying mama!!!! Of course, everyone and everything can be mama, but who cares. He loves Gracie the dog and tries to grab a chunk of her whenever he can. He is eating 3 meals of solids a day, with his favorite being carrots and least favorite peas. He is already exhibiting his boyish play skills by banging every toy given to him onto the tray of his highchair. He is officially now sitting in the highchair, no more bumbo seat for meals. Which brings me to Ella. She is an official big girl sitting at the table on a small booster. She had been eating her suppers still in the highchair (and at her little table for breakfast and lunch) but has reluctantly passed down the highchair to Grant. She still calls it "our highchair". It helped that the booster is pink ("Oh pinkie, my favorite color!") She is taking a ballet class and continues to show me moves with names I am totally unfamiliar with, since I never took dance. She has a recital coming up in December. I am so sad that Daddy will miss this, her first performance of any kind, ever. I will have to bring some friends for moral support. Since it is fall, she loves to collect acorns, leaves and flowers (yes, we still have flowers here in south Texas). She is also becoming quite the artist and is coloring, gluing and taping various art projects and likes to make "books". The other day I drew a person and she said to me, "Huh, I usually draw the people with the legs and arms coming out of their head. You gave them a body." Once she starts drawing bodies, I'm afraid that her art skills will surpass mine. What wonderful little blessings they are!

Veteran's Day

I can't believe with my husband in Iraq, that it was nearly the middle of the day before I realized it was Veteran's Day. In the past, this was just another day off for me, not giving much thought to what it represents. It is so interesting how our human nature doesn't allow us to experience true empathy unless we go through the experience ourselves. Even today, with Mike in Iraq, I was still overcome with the busyness of life that I didn't get a chance to stop and give him a personal thank you. So I am now. Thank you honey for your sacrifice. It doesn't go unnoticed and I am sorry if I don't always express it to you. You are an amazing husband, father, best friend, and attorney too. I can't wait for you to return home, so we can feel whole again.

Ramblings of a 3 year-old

My friend Yvette came to visit me this week. What a wonderful blessing that was, even if only for a few days. Ella on the other hand is always uncomfortable with visitors when they first arrive, no matter who they are. After we brought Yvette home from the airport Ella asked, "Mommy, can we take her back to the airport?"

Ella: Mommy, Gracie (our dog) is blonde, right?
Me: Yes, she is.
Ella: I'm blonde too, we have that connection.

Our sitter Azalea came Monday night so Yvette and I to go to my Bible study class. When Azalea walked in the door Ella said, "We won't need you tonight, we got her" (pointing to Yvette).

Azalea was eating dinner with Ella and she asked Ella if she could have a piece of her Halloween candy. Ella thought about it then said, "You can get some of yours when you get home." Azalea said "I didn't get to go trick or treating." Ella says, "Well, you can always go next year."