Folding, and Refolding ... and yet again Refolding

Isaac is your typical oldest child, he loves to please and help you any way possible. Yesterday I was folding and putting away laundry. Usually Isaac doesn't pay much attention to me so I fold and go about my own thing. While hanging clothes in the closet I heard a little, "hmm,huh" behind me. Isaac had grabbed a handful of the folded clothes and was handing them to me to hang up. I smiled and took them, thanking him for being so helpful. Little did I know that this would encourage him more. As I work on refolding those clothes, he comes in with an armful and drops them at my feet. Now I have to re-sort and refold.

As a preemptive strike, I grab his hand and say, "Thank you, but can you help Mama fold these instead?". He watches for a second and apparently thinks 'Mom's got this!' and goes out to the remainder of the folded clothes to 'refold' them for Mama. Ahhhh.... What can you do except smile!

Here's a couple of pictures from the Children's Museum when we went with friends:


Adults should have fun too!



I think I may die the day my son is truly 'motorized'!



Shannon and Mackenzie Baker ... they've begun to think of Isaac as their 'number 5'! ;0)




This kid moves too fast to get a front view! Ahhhh...

Happy Endings!

Isaac absolutely loves the movie Wizard of Oz. I first began showing short clips of it in order to get him to sit still so I could cut his nails. Soon he was 'grooving' to the music and laughing at the silly characters ... except the Wicked Witch of the West. The apprehension was visible and he'd curl up holding his blanket and sit still as a stone until she went away.

It is for that reason that Kent and I have never shown him the ending. We get to the Emerald City, the Lion sings his song about being king of the forest and CUT!!! It sounds silly, but how does one introduce the concept that there is good and evil in the world. More than that, how do you teach it and still nurture the childlike faith in God/goodness.

Our Family Home Evening lessons have focus on that a little. Isaac was captivated as we told him the stories of David and Goliath, Moses and the Egyptians and parting the Red Sea. These were the things I remembered as a child helping me to understand that there is evil, but that good in the end (even if it is only in the eternities) will always triumph. While the Wizard of Oz is by no means on the same level, it would be the first visual (beyond just pictures) of that eternal battle. So we gave him a prep talk and 'binkified and blankified' him for the worst of it and I was surprised how well he took it all.

The dearest part of all was to see the soft heart in my son when Dorothy said goodbye to all her friends from Oz. He actually shed tears silently. How I pray his heart will forever remain that tender and sweet no matter what life brings.

Intangible Treasures

Last night Kent and I had the opportunity to go to a 'high-flyin' restaurant for the company holiday/farewell party. It's called Mastro's, apparently one of 3 found in the USA, Beverly Hills being one of the other locations. I was dying to know the cost of our meal since everything was ala carte, but apparently rich people don't worry about these things because it was never shown on the menu.

It was a rather fascinating and 'exotic' experience for me. I'm your classical cheap Asian ... the one that looks at the list of prices first and then chooses the dinner based on what falls into my range. I have difficulty fathoming why anyone would spend a week's budget on a single meal. But there we were, among those who were use to such lifestyle.

Yes pharmacy earns well and for those who are single, it seems to afford an endless list of fun in travel, eating and clothing. I had such difficulty relating to the women there who were my age that spent time shopping for the highest in fashion and shoes, let alone the best places for brunch. It was like watching the Hollywood lifestyle on 'reality TV'!

For a very brief moment I wondered if I were in their position how different life would be. But the memory of a chubby hand reaching around my neck to pull me close for a butterfly kiss made all the thoughts of fancy food, clothes, and trips pale in comparison. While I may never be able to explain to them the joy found in mothering a sticky, noisy little boy to those women, I know that feeling to be more tangible and worthwhile than all the careless freedoms of the world.

Here's my dear heart playing with curlers!



Of course his stuff animals must mimic Mama too!

Gymboree

I miss the parks we had in Houston, they were so toddler friendly and gave countless outlets for a very active little boy. It's been a struggle here to find activities that are best suited for Isaac and I've been a little sad as he's become more introverted. He shyly watches the older kids from the sidelines, tries climbing on equipment much too large for him and gets frustrated easily. I've also been worried because as the summer hits, there won't be the cool temperatures to go outside and run around, so when I hit upon Gymboree the other day, it was a blessing. They have a one time 'lifetime' membership fee of $35 that they're waving right now. That gives us two 2hr sessions a week on a toddler friendly indoor play gym. Additional classes are optional. We went this morning for our free session today and I was thrilled to see the active, happy little boy come back. He ran, climbed, jumped and swung on everything in hand's reach. The best part was he was laughing loudly for everyone to hear. You just can't resist a smile like his!



I love the little belly!





Going in is always soooo much easier ....



....than getting out!

19mm and Growing Strong

I went to the doctor yesterday and was relieved to see the ultrasound and the 'little one' at 19mm and growing strong. It's always a wonder to see the fluttering heartbeat. Babies, no matter how they come, are always a miracle. To think that 19mm can cause so much physical discomfort is amazing too! ;0) Ahh... I've forgotten soooo much!

How Many Kisses

Isaac's latest fascination is with kissing ... he never knew how many kinds of kissing there can be! No no, don't worry, this is very much a "G" rated post! Before he naps now he needs 4 kinds of kisses, a Binky kiss, a regular kiss, an Eskimo kiss (consists of nuzzling noses) and his personal favorite, a butterfly kiss (fluttering eyelashes next to his cheek). Afterwards, he's sure to gently run his finger along your eyelashes and smile sweetly. He's such a darling sometimes!

I've been trying to work with the 'second wife' a little more. Kent's set on not using any pre-set items, I'm not so keen, I have have too much to do with just a little boy. So I'm working with what Kent calls the 'automatic' or 'semi-automatic'. You didn't know that picture taking could be so violent! ;0) Here's what I managed on a semi-automatic. Unfortunately I didn't realize that Kent had the color balanced changed from before, that's why everything looks a little blue. Just a few pictures at playgroup in the park.

Kent's Pictures to you!

So with our new camera, I've gone a little crazy with picture taking. We've had the camera less than a month, and I've taken over 1,000 pictures. I'm determined only to use manual settings and avoid use of a flash at this point. I'm also learning that photography can be an expensive hobby (not that I'm buying everything I want - only the original camera!). Anyway, thought I'd share some fun ones. . .



No this isn't just blurry! I slowed down the shutter speed and zoomed in as the photo was being exposed.



Here I was playing with my polarized filter. Flo really likes this shot of the sky.

With these next two, I was playing with my telephoto lens to capture some "nature" shots. Took me a while to find some birds to shoot pictures of!

Showing Off Family

Growing up we hardly ever took family pictures, we hardly ever had pictures of us up on the wall for that matter. For those who know me, I hate having my picture taken, (which is why it's a bit of a trial having a husband who is camera happy now) but I wanted to do differently and have the things that matter most on displayed for those who come over to visit. A personal touch if you will. The following is the old wall and then the new wall. We just had pictures taken again. It's amazing how quickly the little guy grows up.




Yes, I'm up there too and I'm learning not to cring when I see myself! ;0)

I Need Love!!!!!

Happy New Year to one and all!! Kent and I had a wonderful time wth the Bakers, Johnsons and Fannins last night as we rung in the new year. Originally Isaac was to sleep in his playpen in the Baker's bedroom, but he simply refused to miss in the fun and excitement. ('simply refused' is an understatement, the kid screamed his guts out!) He did surprisingly well, playing with toys on his own, snuggling with Mama and eating snacks. He even slept in for us this morning! Thank heavens, the morning sickness worsens the more tired I get.

We played at the Bakers' again today and all acted like big kids!



Isaac's first experience on a trampoline.



I swear the Bakers ALWAYS feed us. We need to set up a 'Feeding-the-Montierth's-Budget' for them!



I loved this captured smile of Emily's mid-action.



All the Baker kids, kindly obliging Isaac by crawling on their knees with him.




We had alot of fun but I guess somehow in all the playing, Isaac got jealous of the time Josh spent with his Papa. Isaac is really socially aware and I've watched as he longs to play with the older kids, but knows when he's not welcomed. It's not the case with the Baker kids, but he recognizes when he's not as able to play because he hasn't learned the skills or doesn't understand the game. He gets insecure and tries to cover it with an exaggerated laugh but inside I'm sure he hurts. I think he felt a great deal of that today when Kent played on the trampoline with Josh. Isaac couldn't jump with them and felt left out. It showed after his nap today when he'd fuss and misbehave in ways that were not typical.

It hit a climax at dinnertime where he refused to eat. This kid never refuses to eat, his appetite is comparable to mine - at least when I'm not pregnant! After some good cuddle time and a long talk with his Papa, he settled down into his sweet usual self for the remainder of the evening.

It got me thinking alot. I guess it made me realize the importance of a child feeling and coming to know that the love of a parent won't ever change. There was a peace that settled in him after his one-on-one time with Papa that made everything else alot easier to deal with. In reality, we just all want to be loved. We've been trying hard to help him recognize and communicate that need as he's gotten older in the hope that it will help him understand his own feelings. I can see within myself that the time I'm upset are simply the times that I'm needing to be reassured taht I'm loved and that I matter.

From a bigger picture, I can also see that parents influence a child's view of God profoundly. How can an individual believe that an all-powerful and perfect being loves them when they can't see them and when they can't feel secure in the love of a parent they see daily.

I'm sure this isn't news to most of you, but it was a good reminder to me. It has me a little worried for when the next little one comes and I work through that sibling jealousy. Any tips on how to prepare Isaac would be greatly appreciated!