A fun visit

Last night we have the extreme pleasure of meeting a good friend for dinner. We have known Kendall since college. She and her family recently moved from Canada to San Antonio. It is such a joy to have them back in state (even though we didn't get to come visit!) She was in town for a business meeting and we met up for dinner at Cafe Express. This was the first time Kendall got to meet K!! Granted, he is acting like a two year old but he immediately said her name (Kennal)! We had a good time catching up on things and comparing parenting stories. We have GOT to make it down to SA to visit them. After dinner, we went to get gelato (yum) next door. This is where something has never happened...happened. K wanted to walk so he was just kinda walking around and then he noticed the gelato. He turned to Kendall and raised his hands so she would pick him up!! That is amazing! K never does that to new people. Must be that special K bond or something...who knows but I think it made Kendall's day!! Well, that and getting home to her guys!

Lent

Last night was our church's Ash Wednesday service. It is one of our favorite services. We usually have a Mardi Gras themed dinner and a jazz service. This year was bit different. The meal was fabulous!! Jambalaya, Dirty rice, Red beans, and bread pudding!!! So yummy!! K really enjoyed the Jambalya!! We had a wonderful dinner surrounded by our family. C's mom was able to join us and that made the meal even more perfect. It is always a joy to see K having a good time with his grandparents. C and I both have had close relationships with our grandparents and we pray that K has a very close relationship with his.
Due to a tighter budget, we did not have the jazz band that we usually have. Instead, we had a drama skit about sacrifices. Guess who was in it!! Me and C!! It was C's acting debut and he did fabulous!! He ad-libbed a few lines perfectly. I was impressed with my man!! The most touching part of the service is when the pastors put the ash crosses on our foreheads. We have made it a point to have K with us during certain traditions in church. When we have Communion, C goes and gets him so that K can take Communion. It warms my spirit to see K picking up on how we do certain things. He is still working on holding out his hands to receive bread but he really like the juice!! We took him forward with us to receive ashes. After we got our ashes, we go and paint a cross for each of us on banners. What is really cool is that previously in the service, we wrote on a card what we were giving up for Lent. The ushers collected the papers and took them outside and burned them into ashes. These ashes are then mixed in with the black paint we use to make our crosses on the banners. These banners will hang in the Sanctuary for the Lenten season. It is a joy to look up every Sunday and see the three crosses that represent our family!
So, what did I give up for Lent? I gave up the word "No". I seriously feel like that word is overused in my daily vocabulary. Plus, it seems to be K's favorite word. I am consciously aware of how much he learns from us, whether we want him to or not!! So far, it has been hard. I am having to make a conscious effort to think before I speak (hard for me to do!) I feel like this is something that I will not be able to do on my own, like give up chocolate or something. It is seriously a problem that I will need His help with!! Grant me patience and words of love, Lord!

Big shoes to fill

Some of my favorite pics of our nieces and nephews have been them trying on C's shoes.

Here's our youngest nephew C trying them out.

We have one somewhere of E wearing C's shoes. It is so precious but I have no idea where it is saved.

A new word for the day - PARK!

C and I have been on a quest to find fun family things that are free to do that will keep us active. We do not want our kids to be inside kids. I personally feel closer to God when I am outside. While I don't enjoy getting up so early in the morning, I do get to see all of the beautiful sunrises that make me feel the wonder of God's creation. I really wanted to go out for a walk after dinner but I thought K might get too cold. C suggested that we all go to the park since K would be running around instead of riding in a stroller. Great idea!! And what made it even better was taking Duke with us. We stopped by to see if Pop wanted to go with. He enjoys spending time throwing Duke's toy and watching Duke go get it. We stopped by on our way out but he and GNanny were going out to dinner. We invited them to come along on their way and they took us up on the offer. There are a few things we figured out at the park.
One, K feels like he is too big for the kiddie playground. He spent the majority of the time climbing up the big kid's playset and sliding down the super fast slide. He seriously thinks he is years older than he really is!! His favorite thing to do was to climb up the big green climbing wall that leads up to the walkway that joins all of the slides. He would then run all the way to the end slide. He usually tried to just walk down the slide but we pretty much got him to sit down before heading down the steep part. Except for one time. He realized that while the slide is super fast, it is also super ouchy when you hit your head on it!!
Two, Duke loves it when you throw his green bouncy toy REALLY REALLY far. He starts before you let go and tries to beat it to it's landing spot.
Three, Duke loves climbing up the green climbing wall just as much as K does.
Four, and finally, Duke is my dog. C would throw the toy. Duke would run and get it and bring it to me!! He would also follow me up the green wall and walk around the walkway like he was my bodyguard.
When it started getting dark and Duke laid down on the ground, we decided it was time to go. It is amazing how a simple trip to the park gives so many things. And, hello!!! It's free!!

Last night, we were THOSE people

Last night, we met Chris's family for a birthday celebration dinner at Patrizio's in the Uptown in Cedar Hill. We found this place a few months ago and really like it. Good Italian for good prices. Plus, kids eat from Sunday-Thursday!! We were almost done with dinner. K had bowtie pasta and really did a good job of eating it up. He decided he wanted a bite of his aunt's pizza. I told him he needed to take a drink of milk so that he could swallow some of the food he had in reserve in his cheeks. He kinda choked on the milk and spit up a bit. Then he started crying probably because he was scared and a bit embarrassed. So C got up to take him to the bathroom to calm down and wash his hands. I set to cleaning up his highchair. Then the family told me that C needed me in the bathroom. I head over that way and that's when I see the reason why. Hansel and Gretel were so lucky that they left a cookie trail. I had a puke trail that went from the hallway to the men's restroom. It led to an even worse sight. C was holding K and they both had puke on them. K got most of it though. We rushed into the men's restroom and were both trying to figure out what to do. I started stripping K and C went and got our waiter. While we are in clean-up mode, our wonderful waiter brought us a trash bag for K's clothes. He also went and got our bill ready and boxed up our food. C gave him our card and everything was taken care of within 5 minutes. The manager also came in to see if we needed anything. He got someone on mopping up the floor while he squirted a bottle with the ever lovely orange stuff. His phone rang while this was all going on. The person must have asked him what he was doing because he said to them, "Actually, I am mopping up vomit." I literally felt myself shrink to about 3 inches tall. I felt so horrible and kept apologizing and thanking everyone. They really were nice about it and never made me feel like they were upset with the situation. I went into the women's restroom to change K into a new diaper. And I found out something I did not like about Patrizio's - NO CHANGING TABLE!! The only place I had to change K was the marble counter. He cried and cried since it was so cold. Fastest diaper change EVER!! We calmly made our way out of the restaurant. We stopped by the family table to tell everyone bye. As we left the table, a man at a nearby table stopped us and asked if K was ok. He said he hopes the little guy gets to feeling better. How sweet!! My son totally grossed you out with his re-enactment of Mt. St. Helens and you hope he feels better. Again, I felt 3 inches tall. And we headed out the door. I had K in my arms and he was only in his diaper. GREAT!! I'm sure we got some wonderfully spiteful looks but we have yet to remember to pack K an extra pair of clothes. And the worst part?? We didn't get any birthday cake!! And it was really good. A gal at our church made it and they are WONDERFUL!! R - just your kind of icing!! She's a stay-at-home mom so I like giving her some business.
On the way home, we were both silently praying that this did not mean that K had the dreaded flu that has been making the rounds. It is just not fun being around a sick kiddo since there's not much you can do to make them feel better.
K has been fine ever since. He woke up and was really hungry - go figure! We're just thinking this was a sign that we really need to get those extra clothes into his bag.
C is going to call Patrizio's and thank the manager and our waiter. He is also going to recommend they install changing tables. When we go back, we will definitely ask for the same waiter!!

Little blessing

So, C and I are still stuck about why K gets up so early. We are working on a set bedtime routine. We have K help us feed the dogs (It will be his job when he is older.) first and then we brush his teeth. Then it is story time in his bed. Prayers, hugs and kisses and then night-night. We are hoping that the routine will help calm him down so he can get that good sleep.
But I did have a revelation this morning. This year, my district changed out start time from 8:30 to 7:30. That means I have to leave the house around 6:45. Usually, K would sleep until 7 or 7:15 so I never got to see him in the mornings. I hated that!! But, this morning, I realized that with K waking up early, I get to see him in the mornings!! Totally changed my mindset about his early birdness. And this morning was a good one. He slept until 6:45. When it was time for me to go, i got my bye-bye kiss from him and then we went and found C. C picked up K and then leaned over to give me a kiss bye. K started saying, "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" and then he leaned over and gave me another kiss!! What a sweetie!!! Totally made my heart fill up with butterflies. C and I made the decision that we wanted our kids to see us being affectionate to each other. To have K recognize this made it a good parent moment.

Menu Monday

No new recipes this week since we did not go grocery shopping
Monday: King Ranch Chicken
Tuesday: Dinner out For C's mom's b-day
Wed: Hot dogs at the church
Thurs: BBQ (new place on Main in GP - YUM!!)
Fri: Pasta
Sat: Dinner out (we're planning a "Thank God It is Over" dinner with my co-chair and her hubby!)