Blessed Christmas

As a child, I knew I wanted to get married and have children.  I wanted a man who would love and care for me.  I wanted a fairytale complete with happily ever afters, joy, laughter, musical interludes!  My home-life was rough, but I knew something better was out there.  My faith in God's goodness was simple and resolute; I believed in something I had never seen, but truly believed possible.

Then I met you.  Carefree, joyful, exuberant… seriously exuberant!  You were so much more than anything I expected or hoped my future may hold.  You laugh with abandon, love without shame, give without hesitation.  You scared me with your bold demeanor, yet captivated me.  I fell for you, gradually at first as my guard was high in my desire for "Mr. Right."

Slowly I began to see you as a part of my future… then suddenly you were my future and I desired to dedicate my life to you.  My beloved husband, you are the sweetest gift of my life!

Marriage is happiness!  I will follow you anywhere, trust your leadership, delight in your guidance, seek out your insight, admire your fathering.  Byron, you are an incredible husband and father.  We are well protected and shielded from harm under your diligent leadership.

Together we are embarking on a great adventure.  One where we seek out Immanuel (God with us) that we may grow spiritually strong, faithful, humble, obedient.  You lead gently to a place that can potentially be quite intimidating, but with such fervent desire to serve Christ in all things, that I can't help but become more and more resolved in a desire to be like Christ.  To believe it is possible that the broken pot I am could be beautiful in His eyes, full of grace and delight for our children…

We desire a Gospel life where Christ is magnified, and I am so very proud of the many sacrifices you make and continue to make in order that He is made great in our family.  THANK YOU!  I adore and love and desire so greatly to support you in all, and you make it so easy for me to cherish you!

Sweet husband, as we spend this Christmas packing for our move and enjoying a simple, undecorated and perhaps more purposeful celebration, please know I delight in you.  The children admire and revere you.  I love and esteem you greatly.  I will follow you anywhere and support you in any decision.  I praise God for you and am happy in your company. Thank you for the joy you bring to me. I love you.
Merry Christmas, Handsome!

Eliana at 18 Months

Ellie continues on her mission of utter cuteness.  Take this morning (other than the habitual 6:30 or earlier wakeup), for example.  She calls for attention with a "Mommy! Daddy!" and gives a bounce and a grin upon my arrival.  After an eager and most enthusiastic hug, I lay her down for a diaper change. She clearly instructs me on the order of operations, directing me to "Wipe!" This is proceeded by our little game of keepaway where I must hunt (and obligingly miss) in my attempts to wrangle her feet into her clothes as she taunts me with a coy "no, no, no..."  After a victorious kiss on each foot as instructed by her enthusiastic smacking of lips, we quietly exit the room and leave sleeping Gigi nestled comfortably in her bed despite Ellie's not so quiet shushing of me.

Thankful

I have a great deal to be grateful for on this auspicious day.

Of course the thing that comes first to mind is sleep, since I have experienced a great lack of it for so many months.  Massimo decided to bless me with a full night's rest, not waking me till 6 in the morning.  I am a new person today, near giddy with energy and delighting in the sunshine, my hubby, my girls, this life in general!

Gilana exclaimed delightedly to me this morning that her tooth had "hatched" and she could "feel the whiteness coming out!"  So cute, and sweet, and genuinely innocent in her wonder at this new and long-awaited event.

My Four Month Toddler

We brought little Mojo to the Pediatrician today and discovered he was a whooping 18.5 pounds and quite tall (off the charts) for his age. This is a big dude!  Ironically, his head is only a tad above average.  As it is with every baby, we are continually amazed by how big he has gotten so quickly.

Massimo sleeps only on his belly and refuses to hear of anything else.  He chortles with laughter in his evening tickle-fests with Mommy and Daddy, and is quick to offer a smile--especially to the ladies!  Mojo is a generally happy little man and a delight to snuggle, caress, and just generally breath in.  I love me this sweet baby-man.

I love the quote that "Hours go by slowly, but the years pass quickly!"

It is so true!  In the midst of the trial and joy of childrearing and motherhood, everything can be so overwhelming, but looking back upon the days, months, years…. it all slips away so swiftly!

Camelia, wash your hands

I asked Camelia to wash her hands while I ran upstairs to get the laundry. 

I came back to Camelia stripped down and bathing herself in the sink with the help of Eliana. 

Wow.

Fairy Princesses

In the five minutes the girls have been flitting about the room as fairy princesses, all three have been injured, I have been accidentally punched, slapped, and kicked, and Sushi the dog has been assaulted with a wand. This dress-up stuff is not for the faint of heart!

The Girls

Life has been a blur lately!  So much has happened, and so little remembered.  This will be a fragmented review of the goings on...

Ellie is a firecracker!  She has decided (since we gave away her crib two weeks ago) sleep is no longer mandatory.  She has determined to wake up as often as possible and make as many excuses to be awake as she can muster!  This girl is seriously workin' it!  Any of the following lines will be repeated as long as she can muster:

• Can you come scratch my back, Daddy?
• Daddy, I have to tell you a secret! (What is it Ellie? Big girls play in the back yard....)
• I need to go potty!
• I need you.... I NEED you...
• Mommy!  Daddy!  Mommy! Daddy! 
• To which we reply: Yes, Ellie?
• and she comes back with something like: Sweet Dreams; or I love you so much; or Good Night

Camelia is growing out of her terrible tantrums, but still can be an emotional wreck at the mere mention of an unwanted word.  Words such as "No" and "Come" and "Please help me clean up" can leave her in a state of noxious behavior. She suddenly has attained a great grasp of sketching, and no longer scribbles, but crafts excellent figures with detailed hands and grins upon their curly-headed faces.  It amazes me how abruptly she transitioned from a toddler scribble to the accomplished scrawl of a preschooler.

Gigi is enjoying school and making new friends.  She is rather exhausted at the end of every school day, but still tries to be a helpful, nurturing and loving big sister.  Unless they get ahold of her crayons.  Or her markers. Or are suspected of having had fun at home without her.  Then she is jealous.   But it usually doesn't last for too long before it is time for them to don their fairy princess outfits and frolic about. 

3 Month Mojo

As of today Massimo has such an improved interaction with surroundings, grabbing at toys, my necklace, etc. He also just experienced his first crush. Auntie Lu (Luana) suddenly came into focus and my little boy jolted alert and started some serious flirting. We are in trouble. This boy's smile can light up a room with that dimple-cheeked cuteness!

Giggle

Massimo just gave me a real, genuine, sweet-as-can-be giggle! I am in Momma Heaven!

Trials Can Be Humorous

Life with small children is filled with precious, sweet moments that leave a mother breathless in awe of the beautiful lives which God has bestowed upon her to shepherd and care for. This is not one of those moments. Gilana is wailing in sleep-deprived hysteria whilst Camelia growls derisively "I will never be your sister again!" In the background I hear a startling medley arranged by boisterous little Eliana singing at the top of her lungs, "Happy Birthday to Ellie!!!!" as Massimo screams a harmony in overwrought angst. Given this situation, who do you recommend I join in with?!

Gigi Sings

Apparently Mopsie taught the class some new songs today, here is the result.  Sorry for the poor videography, I'll get better!

Styled

Elli just came out of the bathroom and went straight for Massimo who was cradled in my arms.  She exclaimed "Oh! Cute baby Massimo!" and proceeded to style his hair with wet hands. Wet hands?!  She never ran the water in the bathroom!

Sorry little dude, you need a shampoo!

Potty Training

Over the past 3 weeks, Camelia has taken it upon herself to potty train her 22 month old baby sister.  Eliana is now in underwear at under 2 years old, and I had nearly nothing to do with it!  Camelia is quite the teacher, leading little Ellie to the Froggy Potty, removing her diaper (now underwear), and victoriously celebrating every achievement.  At first I made the error of rewarding both girls for Ellie/s successes, until I noticed Camelia dragging an uninterested Ellie to the bathroom repeatedly in hopes of treats.  When this proved fruitless, Camelia began using the potty herself and attributing the contents to Eliana.  Treats stopped being distributed, and Camelia ceased her deceptive attempts!

Eliana now can leave the house in just underwear as long as we keep an eye on her, and I haven't had to change a stinky diaper since this endeavor started!

This morning the toilet overflowed and startled Camelia greatly.  The water was cleaned from the bathroom floor and toilet plunged.  I later overheard Ellie joyously leaving the bathroom to which Camelia happily gushed with great exclamation, "Good job Ellie!  I thought you were going to die!"  Apparently the bathroom is a dangerous place.

At this point I have no desire to potty train Eliana at night, after all, I still have a newborn to attend to!

Sleep

Why did it take me till now to discover he will nap when put on his belly?! I have been a slave of continual bouncing and rocking the little dude all to discover over the last two days that he simply will be laid down and thence contented. Fourth child, but still so much to learn on the art and exacting science of childrearing!

One Month

My son is now one month old! To celebrate this great day, he permitted me an entire two hours of sleep for the entire duration of the night.  I groggily oozed my way downstairs this morning with him and was rewarded for my nocturnal efforts with a darling smile from his sweet face!  Massimo is truly a sweet boy and at 15 pounds, quite a lovable chub! He is a continual delight to his sisters who like to try and mommy him and give him sweet affection.  They are having so much fun with him!!

What better gift could a Mommy have for her birthday, than four precious children to admire and a husband who upholds me in my weakness?  I am truly blessed and entirely overwhelmed by the goodness of it all!!