Family Night Week 11: Ummm... Candyland!

Life is getting CRAZY.  We are starting to do a lot of our "lasts" here in Washington.  We are trying to pack out an apartment.  We have been dealing with a property manager who thinks there is nothing wrong with parading strangers through our (messy due to in the middle of moving across country) apartment (and wanting to do so when children are napping) in order to "rent it as soon as possible" (but hey, that's another soapbox I don't have time to step on...).  So life has been a little less than normal around here.

Plus, Jeremy has been on swing shift, so we have to do family night during the day.  And let's just say we had to settle for a riveting game of Candyland last Monday.  But we set aside the time, and we did it.  Even with a little Mr. Grabby-hands hanging around the board game.  It may not have been the best family "night" we've ever had; but desperate times call for desperate measures!

But here are just a few pictures (and I do mean a few, because it takes forever to load) from the last couple weeks.

 This was on Corbin's 9 month day...  They both got in a box (which are currently quite plentiful around here!).  Well, I put Corbin in it, of course.  On Lynnaea's request ;).

 Mr. Dapper.  We did some family pictures.  On a very cold.  Very windy.  Very wet day.  We didn't do a long session.  I may post some later.  But this is one I took of my little Roo afterwards, because he was just too darn cute.

 Had Brad's kiddos over to see them for a bit before we leave.  They played the Wii part of the time and Lynnaea alternately watched and played.

 Look who loves the tupperware drawer (like his sister did...).  Also, look who can stand without holding on now...  Oh boy...  Walking is coming!

But is he not the cutest little stinker?

Family Night Week 10: Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy

Well, it only takes me about a week to write about what we did on Monday!  Aaahhh!  The packing and moving process is intense in and of itself.  Add to that mix 2 littles and it just gets crazier!  So things get pushed back.  But here we are, reporting on our Family Night for this week!

So there has been a lot of emphasis lately from church leaders on keeping the Sabbath Day holy.  Clearly this is an important issue, and our family has chosen to strive to do better.  So we had a Family Night lesson about the Sabbath Day.  Not sure that we will be able to stretch this topic for the whole month of March, but at least two weeks will be about Sabbath Day observance and how we can keep this commandment better in our family.

Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy

Song:  "Welcome, Welcome Sabbath Morning"

Scripture:  Ezekiel 20:20 -- "And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God."

Lesson:  We showed a picture of a birthday cake and talked about how we have birthday cakes to celebrate a person's special day.  Then we talked about the Sabbath (which we recognize as Sunday in our faith) and how that is Heavenly Father's special day -- that He has commanded us to keep it holy.  So we talked about things we can do to keep the day more holy in our home.  One thing we are going to do better is having scripture videos in our home for Lynnaea to watch on Sundays for when she goes poopie on the potty.  That has been the incentive that has worked for her (2 tv shows for a big poopie), so we don't want to just dismiss that on Sundays.  Until now, we've allowed her to watch whatever videos we have checked out from the library (like Bubble Guppies, etc), even though we don't otherwise watch any TV on Sundays.  So we are now going to purchase some scripture videos so that she still has a video option, but it will be something that will, in our opinion, honor the Sabbath Day more.

Activity:  Wrote down Sabbath-appropriate activities (we were supposed to continue this, but the kids took early naps and by the time they woke up, we were rushing through Family time to get Jeremy off to work...  So we are going to continue this next week and actually decorate our "Sunday 'cans'" can and then write these activities on Popsicle sticks to put in the can.

Treat:  Since we talked about birthday cake, we had lemon-zucchini cupcakes with lemon-buttercream frosting.  (This recipe is bomb, and I might even get around to sharing it on my foodie blog in this lifetime ;).)

Corbin: 9 Months

Dear Corbin,

I can't believe another month has flown by!  You are 9 months old!  Which means you've been out for about as long as you were in ;).  We had your 9 month check-up today and learned that you are experiencing a growth "pause" (that's what your Pediatrician called it...).  You didn't grow much in the last 3 months.  But she says that's not really concerning, as kids usually do it at 9 months or 1 year.  I guess you chose 9 months ;). 

Even so, you have done so much developing in other ways this past month!  You are eating more and more "real" food -- and loving it!  You get really excited about it -- and somewhat demanding, quite frankly.  You love string cheese (in small amounts... I don't give you a lot of it at this point).  You also like beans (but I only give you a few, since you got gas from them one night), corn, chicken, peas, green beans, cornbread, THRIVE yogurt bites, THRIVE fruit crisps, bananas, French bread...  well, you love a lot of stuff.  I can't even list it all. 

I think you're working on getting more teeth (you still just have the bottom 2 in front), because you've been a lot more restless at night lately.  Of course, that could also be because you are back to sharing a room with me and Daddy now that Daddy is on swing shift again.  But one day -- soon -- you're going to have a room of your very own.  I think we are all looking forward to that day!

You are walking with things.  A lot.  Whether it's a box, the laundry basket, your little walker piano, or your sister's stool, you are all about the walking.  Sometimes you go cackling across the room walking.  It is hilarious.  You are getting braver about letting go and trying to stand on your own.  And goodness gracious, my boy, today you actually had some decent balance about it!  I think you'll be standing on your own fairly soon and then you'll move to walking.  YIKES!  Can this really be!?! 

You get more comments about your hair than any baby I know!  It's the color.  Everyone loves the color.  Almost any day we go somewhere, someone is bound to comment on your hair.  It's that reddish tint in the brown that they love.  You get it from your dad.  And let's just say the little fireball streak reputed to come with red heads is also present...  You're a little stinker! 

You have found your tongue and like to stick it out and make noises with it.  You are also starting to vocalize actual syllabic sounds like "de-de-de" and "da-da-da."  It's fun to hear you as you are beginning to develop your language. 

Much like your sister at about this age, you love my plastic container drawer.  So I've taken to storing several of my plastic containers in a new location (not reachable by little baby hands) and I leave the rest for you to pull out, chew on, and dump all over the floor.  It keeps you happy in the kitchen, so I'm all for it.  And, honestly, it makes me nostalgic.  I remember when Lynnaea loved doing the same thing (I have pictures of it!).  And I suddenly realized as I saw you start doing it that somewhere along the way... she stopped.  I don't even remember when.  Funny how that goes.  Likewise, there will be a day when you stop being interested in it too.  You will move on to bigger things. 

Sometimes, when I have you on the changing table and I'm tickling your little feet and saying "stinky feet!" and you are laughing, I have a moment of absolute knowledge that I need to cherish that small moment.  I realize, in that moment, that I really will miss all these things.  And they will be gone one day, even if that doesn't seem possible.  I try not to think too much about it, though...  It makes me feel a little weepy. 

And so, Mr. Roo...  I love you.  A lot.  I'm glad you're my little snuggler.  I'm glad you crawl over to me and want me to pick you up a lot.  I'm glad I can hold you and cuddle you.  I'm thankful to be your mommy.  I love to hear you laugh when we play peek-a-boo.  I love to see your little dimples.  I love you, my big boy.  Always.

Love,

Mommy

 Standing with his walking toy.  Such a big boy!

He loves his sister!  And when I do the monthly pictures of Corbin, Lynnaea feels left out if I don't take some of her too ;).  Awww...  Looking at this picture makes me think of her 9 month pictures.  She sure has grown up...