While watching me juggle a purse, car seat, mail, lunch boxes, and my marbles, Emerson proclaimed, "You're out of breath, Mama. I guess you've gotta buy some more from the store."
If only it were that easy! If that's the case I'll also take some patience and frustration pills with a side of extra time.
Here's a little hint as we start these next few minutes together. Any ideas?
None at all?
BEHIND. I am completely and totally behind on this blog. Work, still trying to get settled after the move, and a million other things have taken priority.
No butts about it.
But with the sweltering afternoon heat and humidity, I bet I could talk you into a trip to a place with cooler weather (minus the pollen).
So pack up and travel back...
to a recap of Spring 2018.
Easter was a non-stop celebration this year. First up was dyeing Easter eggs. Emerson did a beautiful job!
Confession time. I grabbed six eggs straight out of the refrigerator and handed them to her to dye.
Ryan: "Aren't you forgetting something?"
I looked around and saw eggs, dye, and an apron on the counter...even a dipping spoon.
"Nope! All the supplies are here."
:::Ryan and my Mom in face-palm unison:::
"YOU HAVE TO BOIL THE EGGS FIRST!"
I guess I've always dyed eggs at other people's houses, and they were boiled before I got there. I was never aware of such an imperative step.
"Ohhhh, I get it! It would be a horrible mess if they were to crack, right?!"
Well, alrighty then.
"Come on, kids! Time to hunt eggs!"
Yokes aside, baby Landon's first Easter did not disappoint. This little man was just here for the chicks!
We decided to check out the Egg Drop in Darlington this year, and it was AWESOME!!! If you haven't been, definitely put it on your list.
They had bounce houses, (of course) the Easter bunny, a photo area with baby chicks, games, you name it!
And the icing on the - uh, egg? - was seeing a real live helicopter drop THOUSANDS of eggs all over the place.
Of course they separated the kids by age groups to hunt the eggs, but once they said "go" it took about five seconds before every egg was gone. And this got me thinking....
It was a great idea to give prizes to so many people at the same time. What if they decided to branch out to a larger audience?
Like dropping dentures over nursing homes...
Can you imagine the celebration?!
#BethDayEver
#SayThatOutLoud
We also had a super fun Easter party with Kate, Megan, and their kiddos. How do we have so many kids and cousins between us?!
And of course our first Easter Sunday as a family of four was SUPER special!
This marks our fifth annual Easter egg hunt at the Coleman's. Granddaddy Robert had just gotten home from the hospital and spent one last Easter with everyone before he passed away a few weeks later. I still can't believe he's gone. He was so proud of his farm and his beloved family and spent a lifetime giving to others. What a legacy he left!
After our annual bunny photo the kids dyed boiled eggs...
Not all is fun and games! Landon was less than thrilled during his Easter shoot. This is me trying to read through insurance benefits. I find that phrase highly ironic, by the way.
If you had asked me in even middle school what I wanted out of life I would have told you "at least one girl and one boy." These memories are a reminder of how unbelievably grateful I must be for each and every day...even in the most challenging moments.
Emerson LOVES choir and mission friends and was thrilled to participate in the Spring "Thankful Me" musical. She had a wicked stomach virus just three days prior but perked right back up just in time. Thank the Lord!!!
We left for Dillon that weekend less than 10 days before we closed on our house, because her participation was that important to us. We had boxes, furniture, and a trillion odds and ends waiting on us, but that morning none of that mattered!
On April 7th we took part in the Charleston Bridge Run. 10K!!! And I'm not talking dollars.
I still can't believe we did that. Registering online and buying those tickets was kind of like seeing an informercial at 4:00 AM and picking up the phone to place an order; it seemed like a good idea at the time.
So you mean you wouldn't give the "Potty Putter" a five star review?!
I'll admit that we took some walking breaks and didn't run the entire time, but Ryan was stunned that I didn't complain. Not once! Granted, my feet were sore for about a month afterwards, but WE DID IT and got the medals to prove it!
In mid-April we celebrated Christian and Cora's Birthdays on the same day. From skating to unicorns and two cakes, we both had our fair share of sugar that day. And it was MUCH fun! All except for the traffic we endured to and fro.
It was so sweet to see so many friends that afternoon!
Next up: two weddings! Growing up, I always considered Taylor to be one of the sisters I never had. I vividly remember going to her house one day and saying to her sister, Meagan, "She can TALK to me now! In full sentences!!" And now she's a nurse, a new wife, and she just announced that they're expecting a little one next year. So exciting!
To continue the wedding craze we also celebrated Stephen and Lauren. Emerson was yet again completely enthralled with her dress. Why travel to Disney World when you can see Princess Lauren at no charge?
Emerson continually proves to be one of the bravest people on the planet. High jumps...animal riding...I'm confident that she would do almost anything.
Then came the month of MAY. You can't spell mayhem without May.
What requirements are there to deem one an 'AWESOME' Grandmother? I'd say taking the family to the Great Wolf Lodge on her Birthday is at the top of the list. We had a blast here, and thankfully there was no 2:00 am fire alarm this time.
Hmm...what shall we do for Nana's future Birthdays?
70th
80th
90th
Here are a few other sweet moments from this past Spring.
My first Mother's Day as a Mom of two was completely for the books. This year it was spent dedicating our little boy's life to Jesus.
Taking some hints from Emerson's dedication weekend made for some really sweet and special touches. Here is a side-by-side of both baby dedications.
Both kids in Poppy's chair.
The Pastry Place made a delicious cake for us.
God Bless Emerson/Landon.
And each little sweetie got a taste of the icing!
I made a display of several of their important clothes, such as coming home and first Christmas outfits, along with their monthly photos.
Each member of our family got a blue, keepsake cross to go with the pink one they received four years earlier.
Our immediate families celebrated with a dinner in his honor.
I can't handle how grown he looks already!
In 2014 and 2018 there were four babies dedicated at our church. The first time we had the only girl, and the second time we had the only boy. I miss no details! Unless I'm cooking something...then I'll most certainly misread the instructions.
This man...Dickie Cullum! I met him and his family in 1995 when they first moved to Dillon. I was in the fourth grade. He's been a part of so many milestones in my life: the high school graduation ceremony, co-officiating our wedding, and both of our childrens' dedications just to name some highlights. I can't TELL you how special that is to us! After almost 23 years of serving as an incredible pastor of our church he is retiring this October, the day before Emerson's 5th Birthday. There won't be a box of tissues big enough for me that day!
What's a celebration without a million group photos?!
The very next weekend was Emerson's first dance recital. I think I speak for many Moms when I say that we dream our whole lives about the moment we see our little girls all dressed up for a recital. Flowers, buns, tights, tap shoes, all of it. It was everything I imagined.
1987 flashback...
Landon was one of the many baby siblings in the audience and got an A+ for his good behavior!
Time. It never stands still. Every moment that you have with your loved ones is a precious, priceless gift. Time doesn't care what job title you hold or how many zeros are in your bank account. Time knows no age. We all have a certain number of ticks.
In the blink of an eye our baby boy turned seven and eight months old this past Spring. How could this possibly happen so quickly?!
#SevenMonthRabbitPellets
#EightMonthSuperHero
Stay tuned for a summer recap of vacations, sandy shores, and more social events.
"Katharine, how do you have time for it all?"
I hear this question about 50 times a week, and honestly there is no one way to answer this question.
What is sleep, exactly? Sleep is the last thing on my to-do list each day. Granted, that's only after making sure Landon is settled and rhythmically sucking his pacifier and after Emerson's bermuda-triangular sleep routine.
It goes a little something like this.
"I need a dress on!"
"Emerson, you can't sleep in that."
"But I need to go potty."
"Okay, go to the bathroom and get in the bed."
"But I need millllllllllk."
I go downstairs to get her milk; it gives me more steps on my Fitbit, anyway. The illusionary Fitbit since I lost my original one soon after I got it.
Emerson finishes said milk.
"But I need to go potty! And I need a different dress!"
And thus, the cycle continues.
:::Scientists study Emerson's REM sleep:::
"It's quite colorful, wouldn't you say?"
After roughly 45 minutes it's time for ME to get in bed; there's just one little problem.
While my body may be in relaxation mode...
Here is my brain...
Don't forget the tuition check tomorrow! Did you brush YOUR teeth? What about that bottle of milk in the car; it's really going to stink in the morning if you don't get up this instant and get it. Remember, such-and-such student needs an email by noon tomorrow. Where are your socks and shoes for your 8:30 gym appointment?! No, they don't have to match. The clothes in the washing machine...are you going to wash them a third time because you keep forgetting to dry them?
:::Landon cries on the monitor:::
Please tell me I'm not the only one. By time all that is done the moon is in a completely different position over our house, and I'm not tired anymore. Instead, I'm reading articles on People.com, checking the 10 day weather forecast, and googling movie trivia and DIY projects.
There are days when sleeping seems absolutely foreign to me. You mean...you don't have to DO anything!? You just get in the bed, close your eyes, and your body does it FOR you!? What is that?! Many nights I lie there waiting to be served with sleep.
Now go.
Not quite.
How about now?
Then I blink and it's morning time.
Crap, I forgot to run the dryer again.
No comments:
Post a Comment