A Failed Attempt

Here's what happens when you try an impromptu photo shoot with children who would rather be engaged elsewhere . . .


Not bad so far, but here's where the fun REALLY begins.

Me: Say Cheese

Nicholas: I not say cheese.

Nicholas: I don't like it pictures. Pictures stupid!

Nicholas: I not gonna have pictures.

Here's the story of how it happened . . .

Late one night, a mother sat comfortably at the computer. Here brief moment of silence was interrupted when her blonde six year old came in softly crying.
"What is the matter?" She asked as she tenderly lifted him onto her lap.
"My tooth hurts," he sobbed. The mother looked at the boy's tooth. It was indeed very loose. "Well," she began. "You can pull it out now or you can wait until the morning and see what happens."
"I'm convinced it needs to come out," said the boy. "But I'm afraid to pull it out."
"Would you like daddy and I to help?" The mother asked.
The young boy nodded his head yes, and began to cry even harder in anticipation. The mother called in the father to help relieve the boy's pain. The father wiggled the tooth and pronounced it ready to be removed. So the mother held the boy, while the father reached his hand into the boy's mouth . . .

"I CHANGED MY MIND!" The boy began to scream. "STOP!! I DON'T WANT YOU TO DO IT! STOP RIGHT NOW!" The boy was now thrashing his body around, pinching his mother with his free hand and trying desperately to move his mouth away from his father's hand. But this did not stop the tooth removal already in progress.

A sudden loud shriek let the mother know that the tooth was out, and she relaxed her grip on the screaming boy (to which he responded with a swift, hard kick). He was full out sobbing now and he turned to both of his loving parents and said, "I TOLD YOU TO STOP! I DIDN'T WANT MY TOOTH TO COME OUT! LEAVE ME ALONE!" And with that he ran into the bathroom to rinse out the blood.

The parents tried to console him with hugs and praise of how brave he was. The boy would not listen. He stomped off to bed.

The next morning, he showed off his new look to his older brother. The older brother asked if it hurt. The young, now toothless, boy responded, "No it wasn't so bad."
Hearing this, the mother asked if he would like his other loose tooth removed.
"No way!" exclaimed the boy. " I'm not letting you do that again. I've learned my lesson!"

Happy Half Birthday!

Eliana is 6 months old today. I can't believe she's been here for half a year! She is delightful and we love her so much . . . we've even come to accept the fact that she is a powerful screamer. The demand for ear plugs has increased exponentially since August 7, 2007 -- just ask anyone who attends Sunday church with little miss Ellie.

Seriously, though, have you ever seen a cuter baby?

OK -- so even the beautiful people have an off day. It reminds us that they're only human.

Motherly Pride

Dear Nicholas,

You are growing up so fast! You are becoming such a little man, so sure of yourself. Why, just today you showed me how you could set a goal for yourself then go about trying to achieve it. You saw Sammy's Valentine candy and wanted it. No matter how many times I said no, you kept right on asking. And then you took matters into your own hands. You pulled a serrated knife out of the drawer and started sawing the box open. Such persistence from one so young!

Or what about last week with the candle? Every time dad lit a fire in the fireplace, you asked to help. But dad always said no because he thought you were too young. You had faith in your abilities and a desire to stretch yourself. So you waited until you were alone, found a box of matches and lit the candle. Sam is almost eight, and just learned how to light a match -- but you, young Nicholas, knew you could do it -- and you did!

I admire so much your love of freedom -- your desire to run carefree outside. Nature seems to call you no matter where we are. If you are at church with dad, nature beckons you to run out the door into the full parking lot. At the doctor's office, nature invites you to make a break for it when the door opens. At home, nature entices you to sneak out the garage by opening a locked door, then quietly closing it and quickly opening the outside garage door. Yes, every time an opportunity to commune with the outdoors presents itself, you embrace it with open arms (and the fastest feet of any two year old I know).

But today, what I am most impressed with is the fact that when you say no, you mean it. At the table, I asked you to eat dinner and you said no. I said please, and you said no. I offered a bribe and you said no. I said that you would sit there until everyone was done, and you said no and dumped your entire plate of food on the floor. Yes, you know what you want and will not allow yourself to go against those convictions.

So, my dear Nicholas, it is with great motherly pride that I tell you -- keep being you! I can say with all honesty that you are one of a kind!!

Love, your frazzled mother

p.s. if we both make it to your third birthday, I will know that miracles really do happen!

What is wrong with this picture?

Half the fun of living in Texas is being able to brag about the perfect winter temperatures.
24 degrees? 24 Degrees!!
All bragging rights are lost with today's temperature!