Monday, February 22, 2010

Through my childs eyes...

Lately as I observe Brayden and listen to him play when he thinks I am not...not only is he exploring this new world everyday, but he is slowly teaching me how to see life through his perspective. 

For example...the roof on his little Wonder Pets schoolhouse is just that...a roof.  Yet Brayden calls it "upstairs" and pretend walks all of his little characters {that he so loves to pieces} up the roof and lets them slide down the center hole all the while saying "weeee-fun!"

He actually believes that when I blow bubbles with my hand and soap while he is in the tubby that Mommy makes "bubble magic".

He thinks the houses on our street and others are "castles".

He pretend plays "scary monster" and pretend whines and begs for us to help him from said monster ;-)
 {he really loves this game-seriously}

He uses his potty as a stage and my hair brush as his microphone.  He stands on it in the center of the livingroom and proudly says "hello everybody-how doin'" and sings and talks up a storm as we clap and pretend to be his audience.

He plays under the covers and says we are camping in the tent.

He tells us his belly is talking {another game we play}, and pulls up his shirt while looking at his belly and says "what belly?"  "what?"...and giggles at himself.

He finds joy in brushing his teeth because we sing a fun song while we brush.  He pretend spits into the sink like Mommy and Daddy.

In the tubby he pretends he is white water river rafting {another game we taught him} and yells "whoa, whoa...oh no...hold on Mommy" as he paddles and splashes all over the place ;-)

He thinks Wubzy and Ni Hao live at Walmart.  He loves to go there and asks us we as we pull in there a few times a week "cited Mommy? cited Daddy?"  {are we excited?}  We give him a few toys to play with in the cart as we shop and he asks them "ready guys?" as he situates each little stuffed animal next to him in the cart.  When we get close to leaving we tell him it's time to put the toys back so they will be here next time we come and he nicely hands each one back to us to put on the "shelf" he says!  He then also knows that means he gets "yellow-browns" which are M & M's.  I hate to always get him snacks, but it beats buying $20 toys everytime we go shopping I suppose.

He loves to play tea party at the diningroom table with measuring cups and my tea pot.  We pretend drink and he says its "elicious" and "yummy good mmmm".  We pretend eat cookies too!  He loves to order things and will point his finger to his cheek and he says "ummm I'll have"....

He's convinced when Daddy says he wants ribs that he is sooo getting tickled. 

He knows it's a good buzzerboo when it makes an awfully loud noise ;-)

He eats his apples with a fork in them, {although he has never seen a candy apple}.

He perfectly inspects his lucky charms and picks out each and every "mellow"...leaving the puffs alone for us to eat.

His little motorcycle he rides on is most definately his "cycle bike".   {sickle bike as he says}

He pretend talks on the phone to everyone in our family.  He holds conversations that go something like this...
{as he's holding the phone up to his ear}
Hello?
How doin'?
nuh-uh...wow really?
Oh.my.gosh...no way
really?
Are you kidding me?
yes...yes...I guess.
Okay, bye!
Ron says he is imitating my phone conversations ;-)  ha ha!

The lamp is a playground with his little people and lets them slide down the legs of the lamp.  He tells them the laptop is a shelf...and periodically makes them play peak a boo from behind the screen as we are on the computer.

His imagination is soaring.  He interprets things in a beautiful and imaginative way.  He has his little friends hug eachother and asks them if they are okay?  He is genuine, he is inquisitive, and he is funny. 

He can tell by just looking at us if something is wrong...even in our best efforts not to show it.  He has really good intuition.  He feels out his surroundings.  He is curious and compassionate. 

He is teaching me to look at everything with a new set of eyes.  We can control how we percieve situations in our lives by changing our previously learned views of things.  Yes..it's much harder as an adult to change the way you think or feel about certain things, but seeing life through the eyes of a child can offer an immense amount of knowledge if you let it. 

Everything can be a playground if we choose to see it that way sometimes.

We can loudly shout weeeee whenever we choose too and do it just to enjoy the ride of life we are on sometimes as mundane and hectic as it can be.

We can eat with our fingers and put forks in our apples if that is what makes it easier for us. ;-)

We can look at a roof as though it's not just the top of something, but stairs to something better.

Our ride of life can be full of paddling and big splashes...irregardless of the mess it might make.

We can pull up our shirts and ask our belly's "what?" and try to listen to that inner voice so many of us ignore. ;-)

The world can be our stage if we weren't afraid of the reaction we might get from the audience.

We could all giggle at ourselves and play more.

We can dig out the good stuff and leave the rest in the bowl if we want to.

We could believe in magic.  We could accept things that are different rather than question every previously known ideal.

We could trust our surroundings more, and learn to love what we have, not long for what we don't.

I know that although I am trying so hard to shape this little guy of mine in just the right way, that he too is doing his own shaping of us.  He is adapting to life as we adapt to his.  He forces us to be people we would never have been prior to having him in our world.  It's amazing what I see when I look at him.  I see who I once was as a child.  I see who Ron once was as a child.  I see him acting like us, using the same voice inflection, or the same facial expressions that we use.  I see the things that we have taught him coming out in his personality.  It's him...it's us...it's everything we have been and it's everything he will be and more. 

It's him, happily forcing us to see life through his eyes, his world, through a more simple, optimistic and beautiful new perspective. 

It's him.
Thank you Brayden...I love you.
-Mommy

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Color me Happy!


I had a really ugly old picture my Mom gave me years ago.  I knew I could do something fun with it.  Today as Brayden and I sat coloring at the table, I thought...hmmm....I know what I could make. 

Here...BEFORE:

and here is the AFTER:

I think it's just the cutest thing ever!  Now I just need to find a place to hang it ;-)

Friday, February 19, 2010

One step forward...

I will admit, I have been in a blog funk lately.  I have so many things to blog about, and no time to do it...when it would seem that since I am at home with Brayden these days that I would have all the time in the world to write, blog and share pictures.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in life's day to day events, triumph's and struggles that other things can seem to go by the wayside. 

Let me share with you our lives as of late.

First...we had a wonderful Valentines day.  Brayden painted a beautiful canvas for Daddy all by himself.  He insisted on using paint brushes because he knows that what I always use, and he is not a huge fan of getting his hands all dirty.  Needless to say though...stripped down to a diaper on a towel in the bathroom...he painted his heart out.  He requested the colors he wished to use on Daddy's surpirse present.  He turned the paint brush and drew in the paint once it was all finished, which made a neat design.  He was so excited.  After we were all done...I plopped him into the tubby and had to give him two baths to get him all clean as he had paint on him everywhere...belly button included!  When Daddy got home from work he quickly and excitedly announced to him that "I paint Daddy, present...a castle....then tubby".  He can't keep a secret evidently ;-)  Oh well.

Daddy LOVED his picture so much he has been walking around the house holding it up in various places on the wall to see exactly where he wants to hang it.  I said to Ron, "Why don't we put it in our room on the wall, the colors kind of match in there"  and Ron replied "yeah, but nobody will get to see it in there, and I want everyone to know Brayden painted this for me".  {sniff sniff}...how sweet is that?  Ron is not an overly emotional person to others...and it was just such a statement of emotion as to how much this messy little canvas meant to him...and the fact the Brayden worked so hard on it for Daddy. 

These are the moments in life that when they happen I quietly reflect and then THANK GOD for my life ;-)

Daddy bought Brayden a big green heart filled with his favorite candy...M & M's.  They were all green inside.   Bray LOVED them, stinker!



We also took a trip to the Ice Castle last weekend as well.  Brayden thinks everything is a castle lately, and was truly taken back by the real thing, all lit up with a bon fire and all.  It's a yearly thing here where we live, and its on the lake.  There was music, good food, lights, tons of people bundled to the hilt, fireworks and snowmobiles driving on the lake {scary I know!}...but we had lots of fun.  It was SO cold though that we did not stay for long.  Brayden however would have stayed all night if he could have.  It was so fun to share this with him though...and he truly had a wonderful time. 



Other than all of that...we have just been trying to stay home, stay warm, and get the house done...you know...the normal everyday stuff.  Brayden has been trying to be a big helper in the kitchen with me lately...since I have been making more meals at home these days.  It's nice to finally be in a place in our lives where that simple normalcy now seems like a blessing to us, rather than a burden.  I like that bad things make you appreciate the small things all the more. 

We are slowly recovering from 2009....it's still going to take us some time...but I have learned that one step in the right direction everyday will eventually get us there.  One step, one day at a time. 

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Dining Chair Re-do Part I

Two years ago I purchased these chairs from a garage sale...4 of them for 6$, and later found two captains chairs to match this set at another sale for $2.  They are not in the best condition, and need to be completely refinished, but I don't want to put that much energy into them just yet.  So...I figured first I would play around with upholstry and see if I even liked the outcome before deciding to do anything more with them. 
 Last week I found a Waverly curtain panel at Big Lots for like $6.  I bought one, knowing by its size I would have plenty of fabric to do my chairs.  I decided to cover the backs of the chairs because I just dont like them...simple as that.  For the backs, I used cardboard and batting, fit them in the slight indentation on each side of the chair, and hot glue hot glue hot glue.  I secured the outer sections with rope and more hot glue to secure them even more, and they are not going anywhere! 
 Some fabric buttons finish the look, and a few serious burns later...here it is.  I still need to do something with the wood on the chairs, shine it up-paint them...don't know yet...but so far one chair is complete, and I really do love it!  Can't beat it for less than 3$ a chair huh?  Happy Decorating!
BEFORE

AFTER


Friday, February 12, 2010

This week...

This week has been a productive one for us. 
 At least I feel like it has.

  1. I managed to re-upholster one diningroom chair, and burn my hands with the hot glue gun when applying the very last fabric button that I JUST HAD to add to the chair!  I ran to the kitchen screaming explitives so loudly that Brayden ran in behind me yelling "Mommy-matter?"  I told him I had boo boo's on my hands and he said "wow-really?" and walked out of the room.  Thankfully he did not decide to repeat the F-bomb I dropped several times in my mad dash to the kitchen ;-)
  2. Today we loaded up with paint, and a canvas in the bathroom with Brayden only in a diaper for his first "painting" experience.  We were making Daddy's {surprise} Valentines gift...I told Brayden several times it was a present for Daddy and not to tell him.  {yes, I know...I should have known better}.  As soon as Ron got home from work Brayden ran up to give him hugs and kisses and said "Daddy-painting yellow...a castle....in tubby"....he didn't totally give it away but close enough.  Needless to say...he was COVERED head to toe with all sorts of different colors of paint, and so was my bathroom floor.  It was beautiful to watch him create something like this though.  He was SO proud of himself and just loved painting and exploring all of these colors.  We are not quite done with the present though...will have to keep you posted on the final project.
  3. Brayden and I went to a friends house for a playdate this week.  I was nervous...I will admit it.  He was TWICE their size {two little girls half his age}, and with Bray-he can either be a total angel, or a little stinkbutt....and I was not sure how he would react.  HE was a total GENTLEMAN....so sweet, polite, nice, everything.  I was PROUD.  I felt good about the job I have done thus far as a parent and THAT felt good.  Needless to say, I had fun too...spending time with an old co-worker and her daughter Rosalie, and a childhood best friend Ylsa and her daughter Rya.  It was really a great day and I enjoyed myself immensely.  I was though EXHUASTED by the time we got home and settled.
  4. My cousin Nikki and her daughter Amanda came over to visit us today and brought me coffee and donuts.  She is so sweet.  I am so glad we have such a great friendship, and I really love LOVE love her company.  She has been a huge help to me over the last few years in my life here in NY, and I am so blessed for that.
  5. I did manage to decorate the bathroom too this week, and give it a great scrub down.  I am still putting the finishing touches on it, but so far I am pretty darn happy with it.
I have not done the laundry I promised myself I would do this week, but I did get other things done.  Mostly it was taking time to really enjoy Brayden and our time together during the day.  He is so fun.  He is so sweet. 
 I told Ron tonight...."even though during the day it gets exhausting sometimes to constantly entertain Brayden...when he goes to bed...I just want to wake him up because I miss him already".

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Perserverance...{Driving Miss Daisy Part II}

We got the BEST news two days ago.  The Senators office called me to tell me that the letter of intent I provided with all of the proof of our insurance, and a work order for my brakes {seriously}...they decided to FINALLY dissolve everything.  We went today and got NY state insurance, cancelled our other policy, and got new plates and registrations...we are again mobile. 
 Perserverance is not overrated. 
 I am proud that I kept plugging away until somebody budged. I must have heard 100
 "we can't do anything for you"
 in my five weeks of phone calls and letters. I cried more times than I can count.  I slammed my phone down a few more hundred times.  I called and cried to family members and friends.  I panicked, I did not sleep, I prayed, cried and prayed some more. We depended solely on family and friends for rides here there and everywhere.
 {Thank you all so much, we love you and are forever grateful}.
Needless to say.... IT WAS NOT FUN!!!
I experienced every natural emotion.  I was shocked, then sad, helpless, frustrated, MAD, angry, then accepting.  I tried to see the good in this.  I spent time with Brayden without having to run anywhere in the car.  THAT was nice.  We had a ton of fun playing and unpacking and decorating this new house we had prayed so many times for in the last 6 months.  I spent time being grateful, and knowing I would accept any outcome with grace, and still continued to perservere.
 I cannot take all of the credit for these wonderful changes of events though.  Senator Cathy Youngs office was a HUGE support to us.  It never hurts to involve the higher ups when you really need it.  We are giddy with excitement.  It has been five weeks that we have been unable to drive our poor cars.  It really sucked...let's just put it that way.  Brayden and I both gained 5 pounds just being stuck in the house
 {Ron got to leave to go to work}.
 Brat.
I will admit...putting the plates on the cars today...I felt like I was 16 again getting behind the wheel for the first time.  I was like this little nervous driver. 
 Too funny.
A woman at the DMV said to me yesterday
 "Wow, I bet you guys have had a rough couple of days with all of this mess"...
I chuckled and said
 "yeah...a rough couple of days it was" {roll my eyes}...
 when what I REALLY wanted to say was...
 "Days??? Try FIVE friggin weeks lady!!!"
But I refrained. 
 I want good Karma. ;-)