I pulled my tooth!!

Alyssa was so excited lost night! She,with the help of daddy, pulled her first tooth! Easton had to explain the whole tooth fairy thing to her. It was beyond sweet, but she still wasn't sure about all of it until she got up this morning and found money under her pillow. Now she loves the tooth fairy! I wasn't to sure how I felt about the whole ordeal. I mean after all she is my baby, and I think she is growing up too fast! Today we went and saw a couple of ships that are replicas of the Nina and the Pinta in which Christopher Columbus sailed on in 1942. The kids enjoyed it, and so did I! I love making them places and helping them to have experiences that they will hopefully remember a long time. I think experiencing life is just as important as it is to learn about it from a book. Research shows that children learn quicker and better if they can see and touch something. I think Easton will always know the names of those ships just because we went and actually saw them, toured them, and experienced them! Alyssa is behind in her cognitive development. She has a lot of trouble remembering her alphabet and her numbers. Spelling her name is not as easy for her as it is for others. Her focus is about ten seconds long. She learns so much better if we actually make a game out of it. As long as it is fun she is up for it! This is one reason I love being around children! They know how to have fun and be happy! Sometimes as adults we get so stressed out about our day to day life that we tend to forget how to have fun! God wants us to be happy! He wants us to be joyful! I'm mostly this way when I am with my babies! They are my heart!

Let them be little

From the words straight out of a country song, Let them be little,  should be our motto as parents. Alyssa has her first loose tooth! There will never be another first loose tooth for her. She is growing up way to fast. Easton is out growing his clothes so fast he looks like he is wearing capris, and for a boy that is not cool! Or so I've been told! Have you ever stopped to think how fast time flies? I mean didn't I just take my Christmas tree down!! Wasn't my baby girl small enough to fit in my lap? Life is short hasn't ever really meant much to me, until recently when I lost my grandmother. All the years I spent with her, loving her, hugging her, talking to her, just being with her, are over. When did I have that last hug? That last I love you? Or see the last smile on her face? Then more recently Brad having his wreck, totaling our vehicle, has once again allowed me to realize he could have been gone. From the injuries to his spine and neck, one wrong move before the helicopter arrived could have killed him.

Too many parents these days seem to rush their children to grow up. Telling them ,"Don't be so childish! Grow up! Quit acting like a baby! Seriously, why rush them? I know we want to raise independent, educated, offspring, but will you remember that first loose tooth and wish you could go back for just a second and see it in your child's little mouth full of baby teeth. Will you remember the last time you brushed those little baby teeth and wish you could again? Or the last time they came and crawled into bed with you just because. They have all their life to be grown up, but childhood is such a short trip. Help them with their hair, and their clothes, and their baths as long as you can. Cherish those moments, because all to soon they are gone. Lots of parents will say they wish! But years from now ask them again. I bet their response will be different. Alyssa has an imaginary daughter. Not friend, daughter. Her name is Fifi. She likes pink and purple, and wants to be a doctor when she grows up. All donations to her college fund are welcome!! Easton loves to play basketball, has  enough energy to run a solar panel, and still loves pizza! These are just a very few things I always want to remember. They fight like cats and dogs, but would take on an army to save each other.

Alyssa is teaching me patience. Patience to take the time and smell the roses. Patience to enjoy reading her a bedtime story every night. Patience to help her walk to the van in order to help her build the strength she needs to hopefully walk independately one day. Because of this new learned skill, I have come to realize I can wait for my babies to grow up. I can wait for them to be able to blow dry their hair without my help, or brush their teeth alone. The toys that lay scattered throughout our entire home aren't forever. One day their rooms will not be occupied with Barbie dolls and stuff animals. I've heard the saying empty nest syndrome, and I want to make sure that I can feel completely at peace with knowing that I cherished each moment with them. That I did not rush them out of my life, because right now they ARE my life!

Time does not stand still

Time does not stand still


I know it has been a REALLY long time since I posted. Reading back over my past posts made me realize I should post more often because it helps me to remember the small things I have forgotten. Alyssa is amazing! Easton is great! He is into basketball. She is into anything brother likes. She is 5 and has not had to have a shunt revision since Sept. 2011! Praise Jesus! Lots of things have changed in the last couple years. It's funny how we don't know the future, but suddenly realize it has crept upon us like dust on a hardwood floor. My little dog, Rowdy, who was like a third child, passed away on May 8th 2014. He was 16 years old. Easton took it so hard. Rowdy has always been in his life. Then just a few short weeks later the woman that meant everything to me died. My grandmother passed away on June 4th, 2014 after struggling for two weeks from a massive stroke. I was here at home and about 12:30 am I had a sudden urge to call her, but opted not to in fear I might wake her. She had been so tired and worn out from driving granddaddy to and from Tupelo twice a week for wound care on his legs. I had told them before they started this that I feared it wasn't a good idea. I knew it would be too much on them. Well, now I think about it every day. If I had just called her would things be different? Would she still be here? I can't answer these questions and may never know them, but I do know God is in control and have to leave it at that. It was extremely hard for Easton. I think more so than for me. A child loves so deeply the ones that care for them. He don't let it show, but as a mom I can tell.
Alyssa is doing really well with her school work. I decided to homeschool her. She is very smart and capable of learning, but requires a good bit of one on one. It also has to be fun. She learns better through song and experience. We watch a lot of abc songs, number songs, and her favorite chu chu tv shows. We also do lots of fun crafts with our letters. We go to the library every two weeks to get new books. We cook and follow recipes for learning math. She can sing the entire abc song now. She recognizes the Aa,Bb,Cc, Dd, Ee, J, Ll, Oo, Ss, and the Yy. She can write the ABCDELabcdel and Oo. She knows the sound of the ABCDEabcde and Ll. She knows the sight words go, can, is, the, and  is learning see this week. She displays signs of intelligence all the time in the things that she says.

Thank you, God, for the blessings in my lofe.