Memoirs of a Moorings

Goodies and Climbing Beds

  "The ideal home:  big enough for you to hear the children, but not very well."  ~Mignon McLaughlin

Got some goodies in the mail about a week ago. Pretty paper! Soon to be turned into invitations for the 3rd Girlfriend Gathering to be held next month. All those who have attended, be on the look out for your invitations in the mail in the next week. The gathering started as a time for me to reconnect with my girlfriends. As a new mom three years ago, I was starving for some girlfriend time. So I called all my friends, we had a soul food potluck and a guest speaker who spoke about the importance of female relationships. Talk about fun times! I couldn't believe the response!! The ladies requested another gathering which happened last year with a co-worker speaking about sowing seeds into other people's lives. As an added bonus, we had a swap and shop with the ladies taking home some goodies that the others couldn't fit anymore. Then again, this year, the ladies started asking when was the next gathering. So, it's on! And I am about to burst with the details, but I'll keep them under wraps for now :-) But it's going to be a blast!

And for the last month, we have been heavily into Operation Keep-Rhyan-In-His-Own-Bed. We tried this back in May with NO success. Of course, I've been bribing him with computer time and the promise of a "climbing bed" i.e. bunk bed. And it's worked! Every morning that he sleeps in his own bed he gets a sticker on the calender situated next to his bed. He even reminds me about the sticker. The deal is: he has to stay in his own bed until the sun is up. We've only had about 3 nights of backsliding! Woo Hoo! Talk about happy. I haven't been this rested in months.

This weekend found my dear hubby and I stopping in on a number of our favorite furniture stores looking for climbing beds and Rhyan couldn't have been more pleased. As we looked at beds at store number one, it hit me. OH MY GOODNESS, I'm a parent. I mean, looking for bunk beds to accomodate our growing child. WOW! I definitely had a moment. I'm a grown woman, with a husband and kids! HUH? How and when did that happen? In any event, I'll keep you posted on our search for the perfect climbing bed.

In cute little kids news, Rhyan has taken a liking to his tool set that I bought him ages ago. If anything needs to be fixed (and even if it doesn't) he's on the scene with his tool set--hammering away. Nothing is safe--not even the wildly growing bushes in the backyard. He sees to it that they get a good "sawing." Gotta love this kid!

Discoveries

"The child must know that he is a miracle, that since the beginning of the world there hasn't been, and until the end of the world there will not be, another child like him." ~Pablo Casals

Tonight Rhyan rummaged through the kitchen pantry and pulled out the honey. He asked what it was. I told him it was honey, the same stuff that Winnie the Pooh likes to eat out of his honey pots. Tonight, I discovered the honey in his bedroom next to his new favorite book "Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin." Sometimes I wonder what is going through that kid's head.

And he's been practicing his name and the letter R like crazy. I love stumbling across the remnants of my little guy's day!

Things I'm Loving Right Now

"My favorite thing is to go where I've never been." ~Diane Arbus

~ The surprise birthday gift I got in the mail from my girlfriend Toni. Thanks Toni! Love the wrapping, the cute little details--all this for a gift certificate. Can't wait to go spend it all at See Jane Work!

~ Watching Rhyan finally learn how to tumble and then watching him lounge on the grass.

~ Seeing Rhyan's enthusiam at being my mother's helper in the garden.

Double The Fun

"Boys are found everywhere -- on top of, underneath, inside of, climbing on, swinging from, running around or jumping to. Mothers love them, little girls hate them, older sisters and brothers tolerate them, adults ignore them and Heaven protects them. A boy is Truth with dirt on its face, Beauty with a cut on its finger, Wisdom with bubble gum in its hair and the Hope of the future with a frog in its pocket." ~Alan Marshall Beck

Looks like these cute little Air Jordan's won't go to waste. We found out today that Baby number 2 is a boy. My sister, who believes in only wearing top-of-the-line brand name tennis shoes bought these for Rhyan when he was barely out the womb. She knew I wouldn't! Of course, he only wore them for a month, but I just couldn't part with them--even though I thought we were done with the baby-making. We were sorta hoping for a girl this go 'round. Just thought it would be fun to see what kind of girl we could make. Nevertheless, we are two happy parents after seeing our happy bouncing (and kicking) baby boy during our ultrasound today. Can't wait to meet this little guy!

Props

The slideshow of  this breathtaking proposal that has hit everyone's email inbox has gotten the attention of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. They ran a story this weekend on the couple whose engagement has gotten everyone buzzing. A GREAT story about how the whole thing unfolded. Check out the story here.

Gratefulness

“When you are grateful fear disappears and abundance appears” ~Anthony Robbins

Grateful for.....
~ another birthday 7/11/07
~ a free birthday cupcake from the Frosted Cupcakery
~ a husband who leaves a lovely birthday gift for me to find and then has another delivered
~ parents in town visiting
~ my daddy regaining his vitality and strength after his bout with cancer
~ the fragrant jasmine blooming outside our front door
~ a little boy who tells me I look like a princess mommy
~ a growing belly which reminds me of the life growing inside of me.

Technology Vs. the Great Outdoors

"If it keeps up, man will atrophy all his limbs but the push-button finger." ~Frank Lloyd Wright

When I was little technology didn't play as big a role in the lives of kids as it does now. My days were spent with my nose in a book or exploring the great outdoors. Staying inside on a sunny day almost seemed like punishment. Now with a little one of my own, I'm realizing that technology creates just as much of a pull for them as being outside does. Interestingly, the New York Times recently ran an article on the death of streetball. It basically discusses how today's generation is light years away from the days when going outside didn't cause our parents any major concern. Take a read when you have a moment.

The older Rhyan gets the more I see technology luring him--and the harder I'm working to get him to love outdoors. Good thing for me he's happiest outside. But how long will that last? My little techie has mastered the one computer game that made him so frustrated just two weeks ago. And he's taken up photography lately. He loves snapping pictures and then scrolling through the shots to see what he's taken--and yes, he can do this all by himself at 3 years old!

Here's a shot of mommy. A pic of his lap. Of course one of James the train--oops those toes got in the way!

It Runs In His Blood

"OUR history begins before we are born. We represent the hereditary influences of our race, and our ancestors virtually live in us." ~James Nasmyth

My sister is the queen of computerized gadgets. She cannot put that PSP down! At least we know Rhyan got it honest!

Hot! Hot! Hot!

"Summer is the time when one sheds one's tensions with one's clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all's right with the world. ~Ada Louise Huxtable

About a week ago, it was downright HOT here in Southern Cali. So we broke out the shorts and the sprinkler. Only thing is this kid kept running away from the water rather than towards it. Daddy had to literally drag him through the sprinklers! What kind of kid is that?!!