French Underwear

Psy has been a quasi-member of our family ever since "Gangnam Style" came out.  We weren't huge fans of the song with its reference to "hey sexy lady" and deterred Gannon from it.  Since then, there have been several attempts by Gannon to understand the word "Sexy".  With the acquisition of his new tablet for Christmas, his world of exploration has broadened.  Today, while sitting on the floor of our hotel, wearing goggles and a night shirt, he found the answer.
"Sexy", Gannon began our education, "means you wear French Underwear."
Thank You Google.

You can call me Green Bean

We do a lot of non-traditional "churchy" church songs at Revolution Church.  Recently, PZ did a series called "Royal".  You can guess which song we used as our lead in....That's it!  Royals by Lorde.  We rocked it in many styles.  I digress.
Gannon had the opportunity to listen to it many many many times, and over time, he learned the lyrics.  You may think you know them, but I assure you, you don't know the Gannon version.  Here Goes:

I've never seen a diamond in a fish

I cut my teeth on wedding rings, in the movies.

And I'm not proud of my address

in a torn up town

concerendie

all all my friend go like

gold teeth tigers, tripping in the bathroom

trashing hotel rooms

I don't care, we are driving Cadillacs in our dreams

Driving helicopters begging for money

Taking away hobo clothes, pretending like we are him.

And we'll never be royal! Royal!

It's not in our blood, that kind of love just aint for us, 

We crave a different kind of blood

Let me be your ruler, RULER!

You can call me Green Bean.

Let me live like fantasy.

That is the whole song, according to Gannon.  Thanks, Lorde and Rev for that.Watch it Here

Still

Last week, Gannon was up early on Sunday.  6:00 A.M.  VERY early.  By 6:30, I was ready for him to have some trampoline time.  I sent him outside with the understanding that he was required to spend 30 minutes on the trampoline (while his ADD meds kicked in).  6:45 on the dot, in runs Gannon.  He was out of breath, and VERY excited.

G: MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM...I made a new friend!  He's under neath the swing, he is a worm, and I names him Still...cuz he's just always still... o_O  Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, and I need a cup to put him in cuz I need him to live inside, but I can't touch him cuz he's just poisonous, but don't worry, I'm just going to slide him in and I won't pet him yet.

He grabbed a cup and headed outside.  Not three minutes later, he showed up with

Still

Gannon LOVED his fuzzy worm Still.  He told him "Good Morning" every morning, and "Good Night, Sweet Dreams" every night.  He made him a special bed in a Tostito's salsa jar.  He asked to snuggle Still every night.  

He introduced him to company ("Still, meet Russell, Russell, this is Still)...kind of a big deal for an Aspie!

Still remained still for the entirety of his visit with us.  Very....very......very.........very still.

Tonight, Still went to "live" outside.  There was a tearful goodbye as Gannon parted with his best friend and pet, Still the Fuzzy Worm.

He will remain an integral part of our front garden.  As you walk in our front door, please be mindful of our very still, very fuzzy worm, Still.

There is Power in the Struggle

My family comes under scrutiny at times.  We aren't super conventional.  We go about things a different way.  My mother has told me "we live in our own little world", and I have to agree with her accuracy.  We live in a different world.  We live in a world of accountability.  We live in a world of responsibility.  We live in a world of failure, and failure being ok.  We do this because there is power in the struggle.

My kids don't have everything they want.  They share rooms.  This is unfair and unjust, I hear.  They "need" their space.  They are "entitled" to privacy.  I STRONGLY disagree.  I can't think of a time in their lives when they won't have to share space.  They will have room mates in college, or a lot of room mates if they choose to join the military.  Then they will have house mates while they figure life out.  Ultimately, they will probably have a spouse and kids.  There is no privacy.  there is no space.  There is coping and shifting.  There is struggle with relationship and communication.  There is power in the struggle.

Gannon doesn't have a phone.  At seven years old, he doesn't have a phone.  This is unfair and unjust, I hear.  He "needs" to be able to communicate.  "Times are changing" I hear.  Times aren't changing so much that my seven year old needs a phone.  Where in the world is he going to be, at seven years old, that an adult with a phone won't be within arms distance?  Why do I wan't to text my seven year old son at school?  I'm supposed to be at work, and he's supposed to be learning, NOT on his phone.  No phone means talking, board games, art projects, trampolines, and being different.  Different is a struggle, but there is POWER in the struggle.

My kids don't get paid for chores.  This is unfair and unjust, I hear.  I don't get paid for my chores.  No one hands me a five dollar bill and tells me what a good job I've done when the electricity stays on every month.  I don't get a pat on the back when there is breakfast food available.  When my kids don't get their chores done, they are yelled at.  What do you think happens if the electricity is disconnected, or there isn't food?  No one would say, "It's ok.  I know how busy you are.  We'll get it back on in the next few days...."  Chores are a struggle, and discipline is a struggle.  Working together to make the house run smoothly as a family is a STRUGGLE, but there is POWER in the struggle!

My parents taught me that I don't need the best of the best of the best, SIR.  My parents taught me to work for what I have, to trust God and do the right thing.  They also taught me that even then, there is struggle.  Life isn't fair.  It isn't right sometimes (and there is a difference between fair and right).  My parents taught me that money isn't everything, and that failure is inevitable and OK.  My parents taught me that it isn't the NUMBER of friends, but the QUALITY of friends that counts.  My kids don't have playdates every day.  Their biggest struggle is in our family relationship, but there is SO much POWER in that STRUGGLE!

If a butterfly doesn't struggle out of its cocoon, it will be a wet slop of an insect that can't fly on it's own.  That butterfly is the 24 year old kid that can't pay their own cell phone bill because their parents have always done that for them.  That butterfly will never be appreciated for the beauty of its color, because that butterflies wings are underdeveloped.  They probably believe that they are ENTITLED to fly, that it is their RIGHT.

I    SAY    NO!

Struggle through the hard times, and when you need to fly, you will and it will be breath taking and beautiful.  Struggle through and you will have success.  Not in everything, but you will have success.  You will have independence.  You will have an identity outside of me.

Alia, Gannon, Siri and Annika, I love you enough to let you struggle...because you need to be able to fly on your own.  My beautiful beautiful children, there is POWER in your struggle!

Trick or Treat

Halloween is always a fun day for our family.  It is a family tradition to do a family costume.  We have been anything from X-Men to the Dispicable Me family (see photo).  Generally we eat dinner, get dressed, and roam the neighborhood asking strangers for candy...This yeas we did it a little differently.  I decided to serve dinner AFTER trick-or-treating, one because I didn't have anyones costumes together till 6:30pm and two, I thought it was a good idea to eat dinner so that the whole of the stockpile wouldn't be consumed at once right before I school night bed time.

We sat down to eat after a long trek around the block, and I served everyone (Gordon, Alia, Gannon, Siri, Annika, Christian, Jenifer, Russell, Kage, and Nick) their lasagna.

I asked Kage (7) what he wanted to drink.  

This conversation followed:

Me:Kage, what would you like to drink?

Kage: What do you have?

Me: Well, I have milk, water, tea, wine, whisky (joking with him)

Kage: Oh, no, no alcohol for me.

Me: OK

Kage: Yah, it makes me too sleepy.

Siri:  I'd like some alcohol

Gannon: No, Siri, the law is no alcohol until you are 7!

Kage: Yah!

Gordon, Russell, Me, Jenifer and the Teens: ROFL!

A Rainbow Turns One

Second post today.  Gnarly!

Well, today we celebrated Annika's first birthday party!  She turned ONE on October 1st.  She's the "different" one in our family for sure.  Everyone of my kids were born on the 25th of various months, but her.  Everyone is O+, but her.  Everyone is defiant, but her...so far.  You have to understand what a HUGE celebration this was for us.  Read my previous blog post and you'll have a much better understanding.  What a celebration!  Our last and only Rainbow Baby is a YEAR OLD!!!!!!!

For her party, I did a theme with "Our little Pumpkin is Turning One".  I used Heritage Makers to create her invites.

Therefor, Pinterest became my new best friend.  I had to have Pumpkin EVERYTHING!  Well, at least fall everything.  

I made Candy Corn Chex Mix

 http://www.plainchicken.com/2012/10/halloween-chex-mix.html

Pumpkin Spice Apple Dip

(http://fitmommydiaries.blogspot.com/2013/09/all-things-pumpkin.html?m=1)

Even a Jack-O-Lantern Veggie Tray!

The kids got to paint pumpkins for favors, and the LOVED it!

But most of all, the Birthday Girl LOVED her cake!

There will be more pictures on Instagram with #Annikais1 if you'd like to search for the cake smash, presents, etc.  They should be up later.

I hope you enjoy the post. 

Also, for folks with Rainbow Babies, we gave her the book "Someone Came Before You", which we LOVE.

Honestly

The honesty of children never ceases to amaze me.  This morning as we are preparing for Annika's first birthday party, Gannon and Siri were talking at the breakfast table.
Gannon: Siri, you look funny.
Siri: What?!  You don't have any right to say I look funny!  I don't look funny, I look cute!  This outfit is Cute!
Gannon: No, no, you look funny because you have snot coming out of your nose.
Siri: HRUMPH!

You NEED this

I know most of these blog posts are about the kids. Cute, Funny, Short.
Today I am going to post a recipe.  I got it off Pinterest, I'm not going to lie.  But really it is the most AMAZING thing you have ever eaten in your life.  It isn't hard to make, and it goes QUICK!
It tastes JUST like a Snickers bar!
Here Goes:
Servings: 24 Ready in: 1 hour, plus 1 hour chilling time
Ingredients:
FIRST LAYER
1 cup milk chocolate chips
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
SECOND LAYER
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
¼ cup evaporated milk
1 ½ cups marshmallow crème
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup salted peanuts
THIRD LAYER
14-oz. bag caramels, unwrapped
¼ cup evaporated milk
FOURTH LAYER

1 cup milk chocolate chips

¼ cup creamy peanut butter

Directions:
1. Coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. FIRST LAYER: In a small bowl, combine chocolate chips and peanut butter. Heat in the
microwave in two 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval. Stir until creamy and pour
in an even layer into the bottom of the prepared pan. Place pan in freezer.
3. SECOND LAYER: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the
sugar and evaporated milk and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and immediately stir in marshmallow crème, peanut butter and vanilla.
Add peanuts and stir until incorporated. Pour mixture over the chocolate layer from the
freezer and spread evenly. Place back in freezer.
4. THIRD LAYER: Add the caramels and evaporated milk to a small saucepan. Cook over
medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until caramel is melted and smooth. Remove pan from
freezer and pour caramel over the second layer. Place back in freezer.
5. FOURTH LAYER: In a small bowl, combine chocolate chips and peanut. Heat in the
microwave in two 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval. Stir until creamy and pour
in an even layer onto the top.
6. Refrigerate for an hour or so.  Then eat the crap out of it.  Yup.

Keys

I play keyboard in my church band at Revolution Church.  Playing keyboard with a "mouse" keyboard and a computer is VERY different than playing my grandmothers Wurlitzer.  I've struggled with learning the technology part of things, and have even been dubbed "technotarded".

Over the past three days, I have had every problem known to man with the keyboard.  Things aren't syncing, they aren't saving right, two slides are going up when I assign one, and then, today, it just stopped.  Everything was programed correctly, and there was just no sound.  NOTHING.

I was about in tears.  Gordon came home and fixed it.  I don't know how, I don't really care, but it was fixed.  Gannons radar picked up that a technological device was open for destruction and honed in on the Axium49.  I fought like a well trained ninja.  The keyboard was safe.  Gordon was enlisted to have a "respect other peoples things" conversation with the boy.  I'm not 100% sure what was said, but I know about 15 minutes later, Gannon looked at me and said,

"Mom, when will you pass this demon-possessed keyboard down to me?  When you get a different keyboard?  'Cuz these are REALLY good Keys!  REALLY really good!"

Fired

As heard from upstairs:

Gannon: SIRI, If you don't get in here right now, I'm going to fire you from helping me clean my room!

Siri: mumble mumble mumble, UGH!

Gannon: MOM!  SIRI JUST FIRED ME FROM PLAYING WITH HER, AND NOW SHE FIRED ME FROM LOVING HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Siri: *Sweetly sings song in background.

Hump Day

I was hoping for a nice kids in bed early night.  We had mac-n-cheese for dinner, everyone had a bath, teeth brushed, and into bed.  SCORE.  I settled down in the living room, looking at memes with our dear friends Jenifer and Christian when we heard a noise...

"EXCUSE ME!!!!!!!!  EXCUSE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

We sat puzzled for a moment, wondering where the noise was coming from.
It continued.  We ventured out the front door.
We looked around, perplexed.

"EXCUSE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!  HAVE YOU SEEN MY DAD!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"

Gannon.  Screaming out his window.  To no one.

"HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!  DO YOU KNOW WHAT DAY IT IS?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?  HUMP DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Mystery Solved.

One nation under God

You know those moments you have with you kids where you just feel so incredibly blessed that you are the one God trusted with that tiny person?  The conversations where you share and explain something deep and important to them are amazing to me.  I cherish those opportunities.  

One of those came about yesterday.  Siri was getting ready for her day, and put her right hand over her heart.  She slowly and carefully recited the Pledge of Allegiance.  I watched her with a lump in my throat.  What a beautiful site.

"Sweetheart, that was amazing!  I'm so glad you learned that!"  I starting things off on a positive not.  "Thanks mommy", no biggie to her.  "Honey, do you know what that means? I mean, when you say it, do you know what you're saying?"

Her hand went to her hip, her head tilted and her eyes rolled.  "It means..." in a very matter of fact tone, "that God is invisible.   Duh, Mom."

My bad.

The saga of the shopping carts

Today, I am writing about a friend and her kids.  Aimee is a friend from school pre-reqs.  I was nursing, she was dental hygiene.  We hit it off.  We laughed, we shared, we studied (some), She felt Gannon move before Gordon did.  She has an amazing (and SUPER fast) husband and two beautiful kids, Luke and Caroline.  They are super smart just like their mommy and daddy, and this post is about their shopping cart saga over the past few days.  Keep in mind, I don't know the stories behind these pictures, but you will laugh till you cry.  You MUST read the captions.  Hilarious!  Aimee, I miss you and I wish we lived closer so our kids could play.  They would cause some MASSIVE trouble together.

PLEASE comment and subscribe for more fun :)

Speak English!

Tonight is our friend and amazing hair artist DeAnnas

sons 15th birthday.  

QUINCE!!!!!!!!  

We were explaining it to Gannon in the car, and what a special birthday this was going to be for David.

"When I turn 15, can I have a quince?" he inquired.  "No, sweetie, its a Hispanic tradition, and we aren't Hispanic," Gordon and I explained.  "What is Hispanic?" he continued with his inquisition.  "Kind of like Spanish, but Mexican."  I felt totally ill prepared for this conversation.  Ask me about sex, drugs, and rock and roll, but please don't ask me to explain a cultural origin.

"Oh, well if it is Spanish, then I'm ok.  I can totally speak Spanish."

"You CAN?"  We knew he was big into Diego when he was two, but didn't think he'd retained any of the language.  He proved us wrong:

"Yes!  Listen Mom.  'Hola,' 'Si,' 'Bonjour'...."

I'm Leaving on an Airplane

What would happen if a capuchin monkey were to board an aircraft and fly halfway across the United States without a handler?
Southwest Airlines got a close taste when Gannon, in his glorious 7 years of wisdom and knowledge, boarded a few Tuesdays ago for a week long visit with his California Grandparents.

I was ENORMOUSLY scared for my little guy.  Yes, yes, I know that kids fly all the time and that RARELY things go wrong.  I knew I was going to be a train wreck regardless, so I took my fabulous friend Sharee with me to help calm my nerves, re-assure me, you know, be a friend.  

The drive to the airport was .......loooooooonnnnnnnggggggg.  We always joke about "are we there yet", but I had never actually encountered it.

G: "How much longer do we have to drive?"

M: "Well, we left about 15 minutes ago, so 45 more minutes."

G:  "How 'bout now?  Now how much longer?"

M: "Honey, it's only been 3 minutes, so 42 minutes left."

G: "Now?!?!?!"

M: "41 minutes."

This went on for the e.n.t.i.r.e. trip.

When we got to the airport we got his boarding passes (he stood on the luggage scale, then zeroed it for them.  What a helper), went through security (he wondered out loud why a grown man was kicking his bag through the line.  That was poor stewardship), and found his gate.

I was kissing and hugging him, and telling him to pray for the flight, the ground crew, and for his mommy.  I was loving on him, already anticipatorily missing him

"I'm sorry I choosed to go, Mommy.  I'll miss you very much." he said, reassuring me.  He felt he needed to keep going.  "And I shouldn't say the word BOMB, right?!?!?!"

I gave up after that.

I prayed, I cried, I had some wine.

At 1045pm, I got the call.  HE LANDED and was OK!  Thankfully the flight attendant did not let him order a Bud Light per his request, and as it turns out, "Strangers aren't scary!  They are REALLY nice!"

Ice Sculpture

Gannon froze a chunk of ice in a plastic cup in the freezer.

He wanted to make an ice sculpture with it.

He wanted to use a butter knife.
He said "Just with a butter knife"

I said No.

"WHAT?!?!?!  WHY NOT?"

No knives, I replied.

"But I'm allowed to use butter knives!"

"For food, not carving."

"Then I will use a spoon.  Spoons aren't sharp.  And I will make my ice sculpture.  So there."

Happy 4TH!

Me:  Gannon, stop picking your nose!

Gannon:  Mom, why did God make our fingers fit in our nose and ears just right if we aren't supposed to pick them?

Honestly, I got nothing....

Comments Appreciated! 

Subway

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Everyone enjoys a Subway sandwich every once in a while...some more than others (Jarod?).  Yesterday, our good friend Jordan celebrated his last day in SATX with us at, you guessed it, Subway.

I've never in my life had an exciting trip to Subway.  It's always been fairly benign.  Maybe once an unexpected pepper found its way into my meal, but thats the extent of the excitement for me.

Until Yesterday...

Somehow the Koenig Kids have an adventure everywhere they go.

It all started with a power chair.

Siri had to use the restroom.  Unfortunately, she was horribly distracted by a red power chair and its occupant.  They (chair and occupant) were in line for food.  Have you ever noticed that when children say something embarrassing, they are louder than normal?  AND, the volume tends to raise a few decibels when in a VERY public place.  And they sometimes point.  No, they almost always point.

"MOMMY, THERE IS A CAR IN HERE!  WHY DID SOMEONE DRIVE THEIR CAR IN HERE!  CARS DON'T GO IN RESTAURANTS!"

Jordan, his lovely girlfriend Cassie, Gordon and I turned red.  We giggled to hide our embarrassment.  We re-directed Siri and moved on with life.

Until the man with the power chair parked.  Right next to us.

Que Gannon.

"DOES THAT MAN HAVE ONLY ONE LEG?  WHY DOES HE HAVE ONLY ONE LEG?  WHY DOES HE NEED A CHAIR?  DOES IT HAVE A HORN?"

There was a moment of horrible embarrassment, then a good two minutes trying to hush Gannon, and explain different reasons a person might need a chair.

"HE SHOULD GET A METAL LEG!  THEN HE WOULDN'T NEED THE CHAIR ANYMORE!  THAT'S A GOOD IDEA!!!!"

What a little problem solver.

Fortunately among the embarrassment, laughter, tears, and explanation, the man was gracious enough to show the kids his chair, explain why he only had one leg, and even let the kids honk the horn.

On Broadway

Today, my dear friend Cristy, our friend Danna, and I, along with a 3, 4 and 5 year old, went to see Beauty and the Beast Jr.  What a fabulous show!  The kids all did a great job, and of course the girls loved sitting so close to a real live princess.  After the play was over, they begged to meet Bell in person.  It was our great luck that she was in the hall, greeting loyal subjects!  HOORAY!
Thinking it would be fun for a Broadway like experience, I pulled out the playbill and three pens, then explained to the girls what an "autograph" was.  Everyone was jazzed!

After we got the photo op of the year, the girls pulled out their programs and pens.  They waited to patiently for their Princess to sign...but somehow, Siri missed the point of the exercise...

As our friends had their bill autographed, Siri stood to the side.  When I inquired as to what she was doing, and instructed her to give her program to the princess, she hesitated.  Like any good princess would, Bell offered her assistance.

"Here, give me the paper and I'll write my name in it!"  She knew how to woo a fan.  Siri was fast to respond "No, no, its ok.  I already know how to write my name."

And so, Siri autographed her own playbill.

Bell never had a chance against Princess Siri.

Circus

In the bathtub-
Me -  "Gannon, stop splashing!"
Gannon - "I'm not splashing...I'm juggling water!"
DOH!

Man of Steel...

I missed Wordless Wednesday, so here it is....

Ephesians 4:29

Every parent has one of those moments.   The one where that not so "wholesome thing" comes out of your mouth?  Had one?  I did.  I've paid for it every day since.  I was a sailor, so I come by it naturally, but Ephesians 4:29 has weighed heavy on me to be more considerate of what I am saying.  This was ONE EPIC FAIL.  I said the "S" word.  Loudly.  I can't remember the reference, but it was said.  In front of Gannon.  Well, you can imagine how that went.  I tried to repent to him.  He didn't understand but thought the word was basically hilarious.  Then he though it meant hurricane, so every time it rained, it was "$#!#"ing.  GRRRRRRR.  We talked.  We prayed.  We discussed Ephesians 4:29.

Things were under control.  Until last night.

We had the pleasure of Jacob and Jenna Walkers company for dinner.  They were explaining their band "Davy & Amelia" and I asked what kind of "shiN dig" it was going to be.  LAWD MERCY.  He thought I said the forbidden word, and he called me on it.

"YOU SAID THAT WORD $#!# , MOM!!!!!  YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO SAY THAT WORD $#!#!!!! DON'T YOU KNOW THAT $#!# WORD IS A BAD WORD??!?!?! $#!# IS NOT A WORD YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SAY!!!!

Unfortunately, we were all laughing too hard to do anything about it.......

Ephesians 4:29

New International Version (NIV)

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

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Gannon crashes

I've had quiet a few requests for this little gem.   Gannon was about 2 when it was taken and I had NOTHING TO DO WITH IT! !!!!!

Mobile followers,  I've included a link to YouTube for you since your device won't support flash....

Here ya go!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sqBdRjtUY6s

Gannon Koenig, MD

This. week, I found myself in a precarious situation. I was a patient on my own unit in the hospital. Gannon has always had a strong desire to take care of me. In the process of him taking care of me this week, I believe we may have found his future Calling in the medical field.
1) after taking my temperature with the ear thermometer he looked up and said "108 Fahrenheit. See, mommy, you're not even sick!" (it was not 108*F, btw)
2)  upon seen my ekg on the box monitor in the room "Oh No, your heart beat is going up and down!   You're probably going to die" (I did not.  It was a normal EKG)
3)  I called home to talk to the kids.  Alia answers and says "Gannon,  it's mommy! "  Gannon "IS SHE DEAD!?!"(Well, since I was calling...and am now blogging this, I'll let you make that leap.)

Maternity Ward

Pregnancy is a time of joy for a woman.  There is anticipation of new life, excitement, tiny outfits, and blankets.  When I was pregnant with Gannon, my first, I was thrilled.  My husband touched my belly to feel his son move, we got the nursery ready, and we had joy.
My pregnancy with Siri was similar.  We had total joy without reservation, trusting that everything would be OK, and they were.  She was perfect.
After Siri, we suffered a loss early in pregnancy.  I was shaken more than Gordon was, but it was early, and we knew that 50% of pregnancies end in early loss, but we trusted God and tried again.
Our early loss was in July of 2010.  Things went down hill horrifically from there.  We had a second trimester loss of a little boy which was devastating from start to finish, but I won't bore you with those details.  This is about the things Gannon has said and done.
After that loss, we became pregnant again, February 2011.  We were seeing a terrific group of midwives, a dynamite perinatologist, but had fear.  Pregnancy isn't supposed to revolve around fear.  For our peace of mind, we rented a Doppler heart rate monitor so that we could check for life on a daily basis.  This is not how you are supposed to experience pregnancy.
March 31, we went and saw our specialist.  20 weeks, and it was a boy and he was doing beautifully!  We named him Seth after Genesis 4:25.
Gannon was thrilled to be a brother!  He was planning how to decorate his bedroom.  June 2nd, the planning stopped.  There was no heart beat.  We looked everywhere over my swollen belly for the sound of that sweet cadence, but there was nothing.  We called the midwives, checked into the hospital at at 7:35 on June 3rd, I delivered our beautiful, sweet baby, born sleeping.

I was devastated.  My heart literally broke.  Gordon didn't know what to do with me, or his grief since I left him to deal with the other kids.  There is nothing to do with a woman who goes to the hospital to have a baby and leaves with a box.  Somehow, Gannon knew.
I know most of the things on this are silly, humorous things he had done, but I want to show you a side of that little boy that will give you a different perspective.

Gannon snuggled me, and snuggled me and snuggled me.  "Are you sad about baby Seth?' he would ask when I laid in bed crying.  "Don't cry, mommy!  You are beautiful!"  He prayed with me.  He prayed that we would see baby Seth in heaven, and he listed to Revelation Song, and he told me that our babies were in heaven with Jesus singing "Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty!"  I understand that it is not the job of a little boy to be an emotional piller for a grown up, and I don't think he knew he was.  Gannon always knows the things to say that help me know there is still purity in the world.  That despite everything that is ugly, and hateful, and extreme, there is an innocent little boy that wants his mommy to be ok.

In reading about his quirky antics and his humerous pieces, his words are beautiful and healing as well. Thank you, Gannon, and happy 2nd heaven birthday, sweet baby Seth!


P.S. when baby Annika was born and Gannon got to meet his baby sister, the first the he said was "Is she breathing?"  What do you say to that!?!?!?!

Eyebrows

 While back,  a good friend of mine posted a suggestion to draw eyebrows on a baby.  So I did.   Results:

Safety First

Gannon wanted to make sure he was safe. So he put on his seatbelt.....

And now for something completely different....

My kids normally take gymnastics.  They normally take them on Thursday nights if you remember from the "almost" post.  J&R Gymnastics has a great program for kinder (Siri's class) and for boys only (Gannon's class).  They were doing really well with it!  They liked their coaches, they like learning the skills....

...but the I listed to a sermon Pastor Zak.  DARN BIBLICAL TRUTHS!  He said that their family enjoys family time instead of extra curricular activities....and then I started thinking.  Anyone who knows me knows that is a dangerous thing.

I started noticing some patterns between Gordon and my tendency to be work-a-holics and our kids activities.  I saw gymnastics as our only extracurricular activity, but looking deeper into things, thats not the truth.  They go to church with Gordon and I two days a week to volunteer, they have school, playdates, homework, chores at home, summer vacations and more I'm sure I'm forgetting!

MY KIDS ARE OVERBOOKED!  

So I googled "are extracurricular activities bad?"

Here's what I found:

NO, they aren't, but too many are.  Check out this page from Psychology Today and tell me what you 
think. Here are a few snippits to get you started:

"Time to Play in a Natural, Creative Way
Unstructured play allows children to pursue their interests, express their personalities and learn how to structure their time. Play is the natural mode of learning for young children, but when their lives are dominated by adult-organized activities, there may be little time left to just be kids.

Family Relationships
Children need downtime with parents -- time to relax, talk, read, play games and just hang out. Families that are constantly running from one extracurricular activity to the next have little opportunity for these experiences. 

Why do we push so hard?
The truth is, most parents have good intentions. They enroll their children in activities because they want them to have a rich, happy childhood. They sacrifice their own time to make sure their children are at practices and competitions. Of course, these parents love their children, and the last thing they would want is for them to feel stressed."



Long story short, we quit gymnastics. I would LOVE to hear what you think about this, so leave comments. I know for us, roasting marshmallows and making S'Mores in the driveway beats gymnastics!