Kindness

kind: of a sympathetic or helpful nature (adj.)

While talking to a my soul sist-ah (that's what our husbands call us, apparently) on the phone the other night, she so eloquently expressed, "I just don't want my kids to be losers."

And neither do I. I replied, "I just want me kids to be KIND." Is that so much to ask? Sometimes I feel like it is.

Not because they don't want to be or know how to be. Not because I don't want to be or don't know how to be. I'd like to be all the time. At home I don't always succeed, but at least I know it's my own fault when I stray.

When I leave my home, however, I find that sometimes kindness doesn't necessarily begin with me. Even when I'm kind others are not.

The word seems so juvenile. I even remember some cheesy quote about it: "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle." It seems so simple. So 1920's. So pre-school-ish.

But it's not. Kindness is a trait that should be admired in all ages. I wish it were something that more people cared about or tried to behave with and treat others with. I admire those who manage to treat others with kindness even when not being treated with it in the first place. i'd like to be more thoughtful in my kind approaches when my kindness is not being reciprocated.

i hope for my children that they will always be kind to others - at any age. i hope they will try often to treat one another with kindness (they will most certainly need to band together at some point against their crazy parents). i hope i can be an example of kindness - now and in all my ages to come.

Kindness doesn't hurt - ever. And it matters - always.

Miss M's Birthday "Party"

Miss M's birthday party menu:

• Homemade Mac n' Cheese (her dad's specialty)
• Applesauce
• Peas and Carrots
• Blueberries

Attendees at Miss M's party:

• Mom
• Dad
• Mr. A

Miss M's Birthday Cake (I made one for her and one for the rest of us - and a good thing I did):

• A giant cupcake cake (ordered this mold)
• Cake Flavor: Devil's Food
• Homemade Frosting Flavor: Buttercream
• Decorations: Easter M&Ms (which I pulled off as soon as she started trying to pick them off)

Miss M's Bath after consuming her cake: Chocolatey

WARNING: A plethora of pictures follows...we were a bit excited by just how much she got into it (Mr. A - not so much).

Auntie Lexy sent some jammies to be consistent with her "theme" of the day

She'll forever have her big brother looking out for her - they are so cute together

1:23 PM 05.30.08

After participating in the Suicide Death March that is Costco on a Saturday (with two kids in tow), I hopped into the driver's seat and breathed a sigh of relief. Phew. Made it.

A quick look at the clock: 1:23 PM. On the dot. And back I went...it was really just one year ago today at the exact same time:

"Whitney, her shoulders are out, do you want to reach down and pull her on to your stomach?"

Without too much thinking (who's in any condition to think after birthing a baby?) I reached forward and lifted the screaming (good sign), pink, gooey little baby with that perfectly round head right up on to my chest. And before savoring the moment I double checked - yes, it really was a girl (DH did the same thing, might I add).

And then I cried. Those sweet tears of sheer joy, awesome relief, and partial insanity. Our sweet Miss M had arrived without so much as a hiccup. After a false start the night before, we arrived at the hospital at 7:45 AM (after walking the neighborhood with all sorts of contractions from 5:45-7 am).

"Great. You're at a 6," our cute and so awesome nurse, Julieanne, explained matter-of-factly. "I'll double check with the dr, but I'm pretty sure we'll keep you."

Epidural at 11. Sweet manna from heaven, I call that.

Start pushing at 1:15. Just one push into it.

"Don't push anymore. I've got to go get the dr."

A doctor and 2 pushes later, the marvelous Miss M joined our family.

(DH even offered up to the dr 3 minutes later that he thought he could talk me into #3. Timing is everything, my dear.)

And so, today (and for a few more days), we get to celebrate. Celebrate birth. Celebrate life. Celebrate relief. Celebrate family. Celebrate nestling-in cuddles and wide open mouth kisses. Celebrate crawling and eating and babbling and standing all by yourself. Celebrate humming yourself to sleep and reaching and grunting for what you so decisively know you want. Celebrate bat wings in your hair and blue sparkles in your eyes. Celebrate squinting your nose and throwing your food. Celebrate graduation to whole milk and a front-facing car seat. Today, Miss M, we ceremoniously celebrate YOU.

And, thank you, for choosing US. Happy First Birthday, Sis.

Seamons Sisters Storm San Antonio

The ladies of the Seamons Family (all but 2 of them - next time, L&T!) moved into San Antonio for the weekend. After properly indulging ourselves in accessories of every sort at one Sam Moon locale in Dallas, we took in the Riverwalk, slept IN, ate a whole lot of Mexican/Tex Mex, viewed the expanse of San Antonio from the very top of the tower, ate Mexican, chit chatted, howled over the moon (no questions, please), ate Mexican, read gossip magazines, ate Mexican, slept, celebrated my MIL's birthday, watched movies, gabbed, and generally lived it up for 3 days! A big thanks to all of you for indulging my Mexican hunger pains - sadly, we have nothing like it here.

And, 3 of the sisters announced they are pregnant! Can you guess which ones they are?! (Hint - I'm not one of them and the one with 6 kids isn't one of them either!)

We are hoping to make this an annual affair. Thanks to all of you. Love and appreciate all you do for me, the examples you set, and for teaching that great brother of yours about women!

A cruise along the Riverwalk

Kelly, Mom S, and Julie getting ready for the 3D "Ride over Texas" (watch out for the spitting seats if you ever go)

Michele and Mego - "Hook 'em Horns"

Kel and me on the Riverwalk cruise

The things we do for pictures (ps - i still want to see yours, Michele)

All of us in front of the Alamo (can we say disappointing? - the alamo, that is. not what i expected at all)

Taking a rest after indulging in snow cones

A Seattle Summer

Lots to report on (great Girls' Weekend in Tay-Haas, Miss M's 2 new bucko beavers {for a grand total of 4} and the first dog days of summer). That will come soon.

For now, we are going West for the summer (July, Aug, Sept) months to spend some time in Seattle with family and new friends! We're looking forward to it and hope that if you're even remotely close that we will get to see more of you!

I Spy

Mr. A's favorite game lately is an old staple: "I SPY."

He puts the cutest spin on it, though, no matter how many times we try to tell him what to say.

His quick, little footsteps dance down the hallway in the mornings and he JUMPS into our bed (carrying "li-luhl" blankie in tow), positions himself in the middle on top of some pillows (like most good dogs do - we don't need dogs at our house to do that - we have children) and starts his day with: "Hey, Mom?! Mom?! Mom!"

I finally open my eyes.

"Mom, you wanna play 'I Spy'?"

Not waiting for an answer.

"Mom, let's play! Ok. I'll start. I spy some-sing with my li-luhl eyes, I spy some-sing BLUE!!!" (the color is said as loud as possible)

I guess a few things and get it right.

"Ok, Mom. Your turn."

"I spy with my little eyes something RED."

"Mom, what is it?"

"I don't know! You have to guess it - that's why it's a game."

"OHHH!"

"Is it _______? (He gets it right). YAAAAYYY! Ok, Mom. Tell me it's my turn."

And thus proceeds our colorful game of "I Spy." Mr. A's a fan.

Sorry

If I haven't called you back lately. I'm sorry.

If I haven't emailed you back. I'm sorry.

If I didn't wave back. I'm sorry.

If I didn't reply to your text. I'm sorry.

If I forgot something you told me 5 minutes ago. I'm sorry.

If I was a little too impatient, DH, Mr. A, and Miss M - I'm sorry.

No, I'm not pregnant. I am just going crazy. A few more weeks and it should all pass.

Some fun Seamons Family news coming soon, though. I repeat, no, not baby news. Stay tuned.

The Dishwasher Crawl

The Evolution of Conquering Mt. Dishwasher:

Look around to make sure someone is watching...

...always start with a smile...

...begin the quest...

...and make sure the conquering is done with the best posture ever.

Congrats, Miss M.

Why Mr. A Loves His Mom

"I'm lickin' off my baby bumblebee.."

The tissue flower bouquet

The handprint poem

Today I got to be a Special Visitor in Mr. A's preschool classroom. They had a "show" just for moms. We got to see them all sit perfectly on the rug and listen to Mrs. Conway and Mrs. Shaefer's instructions (did I mention how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE his teachers?) and greetings.

We saw show and tell.

And then we got to see them sing their favorite songs - "If You're Happy and You Know It" and "The Bumble Bee song" (you know, the one where you sing "I'm working on my baby bumble-bee, won't my mommy be so proud of me?"). I wished I had my video camera.

And, finally, Mr. A presented me with his "present." On the front: a paper with "My Mom is Special!" on the top and the following reasons (the parts after the ... are what Mr. A picked):

• My mom is special because....she cooks.
• I like it when my Mom....plays with me.
• My mom can do many things! I think she's best at....doing her hair.
• My mom has a pretty smile! I like to make her smile by...making funny faces.
• My mom is as pretty as a....rainbow.
• My mom is smart! She even knows...how to get her clothes on.

I'm trying to feel good about knowing how to put my clothes on. I think it was truly meant to build me up!

And on the back of Mr. A's present was his sweet handprint and this cute poem:

Sometimes you get discouraged

Because I am so small

And always leave my fingerprints

on furniture and walls.

But everyday I'm growing

I'll be grown up someday

And all those tiny handprints

Will surely fade away.

So here's a tiny handprint

Just so you can recall

Exactly how my fingers looked

When I was very small.

I'm so glad to be your mom, Mr. A. And I'm even happy to scrub those tiny, sweet handprints off my wall. At least every once in a while.

Weekend Wanderings

I only WISH we'd been wandering here...

I'm thinking of starting a regular posting with this title. We'll see how long it lasts.





This weekend was rainy with a few spots of sunshine (not many or enough), crazy, and tiring.





I was hoping it would be sunny (with no drops of the wet stuff), mellow, and restful.





I should have known it wouldn't go as hoped for when I turned off the light at 1 AM Friday night with grand ideas of slumbering children who were so exhausted they wouldn't wake until at least 8 AM.





(DH was camping with those Boy Scouts. In the rain. Tent on a slope. Flash thunderstorm at 3 AM. NOO, thank you.)





6:15 AM - My sweet Miss M. If she could speak, she would have said, "My top 2 teeth are dying to break through my gums and I'm dying waiting for them." She doesn't, so she didn't, but she was done sleeping, and thus, so was I.





And then Saturday wandered about like this:

• 10 am- Playgroup at Carter's (very fun for Mr. A - Miss M couldn't forget about those teeth)


• 11:15 - I think maybe Miss M' s ears have not healed. I call the dr - "last appt at 12 noon today, ma'am. can you be here by then? yes, absolutely. are you sure???"


• 11:35 - Piling kids in the car, Mr. A's nose starts bleeding for the 2nd time - quick, here's a towel - tilt your head back, you'll be fine (think to myself - maybe i should have him looked at too)


• 12:00 - Swing on in to the Ped's office - phew. Proceed to WAIT.


• 12:30 - The dr. will see you now (now that the Cheerios are littering the carpet, the toys are scattered about, and your son has fallen off of another chair.). We're coming.


• 12:45 - Bye, bye dr. Thanks for looking at Miss M's very clear ears and telling me that her teeth are ready to poke through any minute. Thanks for telling me Mr. A has scabs on his nose and to swab the nostrils with Vaseline. So glad I spent $30, and, more importantly, over an hour of my time.


• 1:00 - Arrive home. Miss M is soaking wet. What the?? Diaper is off to the side of her bum. Little Miss Wiggle Worm's incompetent mother clearly didn't get her diaper back on correctly after dr's office temp check. Outfit and seat cover off and in the washing machine. Wipe down with Wet Wipes - too tired for bath and Mr. A begging for grilled cheese (did you forget? we run a diner around here and employ several short order cooks).


• 1:15 - Goodnight Miss M.


• 2:00 - Goodnight, Mr. A


• 2:05 - Hello, jump rope. Thanks for keeping me sane.


• 3:15 - Hello, Miss M - I didn't really want to pay our bills anyway.


• 3:45 - Hello, Mr. A - let's go play lacrosse.


• 4:00 - 5:00 - Best part of the day playing outside


• 6:15 - Kids both bathed, fed, and Miss M going to bed with some Tylenol and Teething Tablets.


• 6:30 - Babysitter arrives. Mr. A is entertained. I jump in shower.


• 6:45 - Miss M still screaming. Unconsolable.


• 6:55 - Sorry, babysitter. I HAVE to go. Let Miss M scream for a few minutes more and then try rocking her again. Maybe she'll relax for you.


• 7:10 - Cruise on in to Five Guys w/DH (who is waiting after getting back from a baseball game - rough weekend for him) and down a delish burger and fries dipped in malt vinegar. Yumm-ay.


• 7:35 - On our way to a 7:40 movie (State of Play - it was pretty good).


• 10:30 - Back home and chat with the babysitter for another hour.


• 12:00 - Lights out. I'm crazy.

Sunday AM - 6:42 - If Miss M could speak, "Hey Mom & Dad. Teeth still bugging me. My darkening shades don't work as well as they should and I'm ready for another great day."

I'll stop there. Today was a little better (more rainy, not as nutso), but both kids were in bed and ASLEEP this time by 6:45. I think I need to do the same.

So, we didn't "wander" very far this weekend, but I certainly wandered a lot more than I had intended to!