Mother's Day 2013

Because I've been in the business of playing catch-up with this blog ever since Wade was born, I'm posting a very belated picture of my first Mother's Day with 2 boys.

We had a family of house finches build a nest on our back porch, and we noticed on Mother's Day that the baby birds had hatched.  It was quite amazing to watch her feed her little ones.  They've all flown from the nest now, and she returned to her nest for her second litter (if that's what you call it for birds).  Today we noticed that they just hatched out.  We're enjoying a back porch biology lesson from this little family of finches.  

Strawberry Pickin'

In my mind, the spring of 2013 will always be remembered as the Season of Strawberries.  

There have been several times in my adult life when I've thought how fun it is to be a parent (as an aside, there have also been countless times when I've thought how un-fun it is to be a parent), but picking strawberries with my boys this spring -- letting them get dirty and sticky as they explored an endless field of strawberries -- this has to be one of my favorite activities we've done so far.  We went 3 times this year and it never got old.

Cupcakes & Goldfish

I think I mentioned earlier that McCord and I have planned to do one really fun thing each day until the baby arrives so that we can really make every day count.  It has been so meaningful having these special memories with McCord through our last days of being one-on-one.

Today's outing: the cupcake bakery!

If you are local - check out the new Sweet Art Cakes on Ebeneezer.   Not only is it charming and cheerful, but oh! so! delicious!

It took him no time at all to choose the Koolaid cupcake (with sprinkles)!

Yesterday we had a picnic at the nearby public garden and fed the monstrous goldfish.

Bo and I just love this picture of Mc.
While I was shooting this, I was talking to him about becoming a big brother.  We talked about all the things he can show the baby since he's so big.  He demonstrated his baseball swing, and attempted to hit something very small near his feet with his imaginary golf club.  Then he got real still and folded his hands together like he was praying.  He watched the fountain like this for a minute or so and then looked at me and nodded as if he was really considering his role as a big brother.   It's one of those motherly moments you want to remember forever.  

We tried to get a picture of ourselves smooching, and it took several out takes to get this one.  Loving some special time with McCord!

And remember the baby robins that hatched in a nest on our front porch?  They're all grown up now and two of them have made our front yard their home.  We often spot them hanging out on the fence together.  They're almost as big as the full-grown robins, but they have some spots on them where their mature feathers haven't come in yet.  We've had the best time observing them!

Someone stop me!  I made Mc another pair of pants - this is the 3rd pair in about 2 weeks!  But what 22 month-old doesn't need blue seersucker football embroidered pants?!!!

Like Father, Like Son

The other day McCord and I were at the Chic-fil-a playground and he was clearly having the time of his life.  I snapped this picture with my phone and sent it to Bo at work.

We couldn't help but notice how much he's favoring his daddy these days.  Remember this photo of young Bo I posted a few weeks ago?  First, check out their outfit.  Completely coincidental. Now, look at that smile!  True, genuine joy!

And in other news, the Robin who's been nesting on our front porch has hatched 3 babies!  We've had the best time watching her feed her tiny little birds and care for their every need.  She shelters and protects them. And I kind of feel a maternal bond with her.

Signs of Spring

• A robin nested on our front porch, and we've had the best time watching her build her nest and sit on her eggs.  

Decorating our "High Cotton" Easter tree

• Yesterday Bo was working in the yard and discovered 2 baby bunnies under a pile of daffodils!  One of them was so stunned, McCord and I were almost able to catch it - it was about the size of the palm of my hand, brown, and oh so soft!  

Dying Easter Eggs

• We're growing a caterpillar!  Our church's preschool program orders caterpillars for the children to take home and "raise" until they develop into butterflies.  On Easter Sunday, the preschool children release them into the Memorial Garden.  So far, Harry The Caterpiller has made his cocoon.  I hope we'll have a butterfly soon!

Here's Harry - he came with all the food he'll need until he becomes a butterfly (fingers crossed we haven't killed him yet in his cocoon state).  When we first got him, he was about 1 cm in length.  Right now he's hanging upside down in his cocoon and we transferred him to a big jar.

• My mom has decided to raise chickens!  She came up to visit us about 2 weeks ago and left with 6 baby hens from a local nursery!  

And I'll leave you with a close-up of this spunky little girl.  My nephew named her Captain America.   Doesn't she look rather patriotic?!

Just the 3 of us

at the duck pond the other day

Choose & Cut Christmas Tree Farm You'll Love

Happy belated Thanksgiving! 

I intended to do a Thanksgiving post, but my almost 17 month-old decided to drop both his morning and afternoon naps simultaneously this week and throw the Biggest Tantrum Witnessed in the History of Motherhood.  In T.J. Maxx.  With a store full of shoppers.  You might have seen us.  I was the mom who abandoned a cart full of merchandise to haul my son (kicking, screaming, and flailing arms) in the football hold through the nearest exit.  I did not see you because I was averting eye contact with every living being. 

Needless to say, blogging didn't make it on the to-do list. 

 
But tantrums aside, we had a fabulous family day today driving into the Blue Ridge Mountains to this Choose & Cut Christmas Tree Farm.  Driving up to North Carolina has been a tradition that Bo and I started as newlyweds and each year we've chosen a different farm to explore.  Sometimes we just hop in the car without a plan and see where we end up, but this year, I did a little research to find a farm that Monkey would love.  It did not disappoint.  Not only did we have acres of beautiful Frasier firs to choose from, but we also visited with Santa, miniature donkeys, goats, chickens, and ducks.  There is also a free hayride offered that views a 100-year old historic log cabin. 

Here are a few pictures from our excursion - hope to get pictures up of our decorated trees later this week. 

Stopping to fuel up at a Mexican restaurant prior to finding the perfect tree

Helping Daddy string the lights on Mc's playroom tree

Since I didn't get to blog last week, I have many exciting things to share.  Here are some upcoming posts:

• McCord and I have a clumsy visit to the world of Ikea
• New blog head!  A high school friend (thank you FB for bringing us together!) of mine has thoughtfully designed a new blog head for High Cotton Handmade
• Updates on our bathroom renovation (we have a toilet! and antique dresser/vanity will be installed this week)
• I plan to make a few Ruffle Knit Wraps next week and list them on etsy ($27 each).  Let me know if you'd like to place an order for Christmas.  If you've spoken to me about this already, I'll be in touch.  Assuming all fabric is in stock, here are the color options: cranberry red, tangerine, citrine green, chocolate brown, charcoal, and bright/rosy pink.

Feeding the Ducks

Earlier this week Aiya (my mom) came up to spend some time with McCord so I could run around town and get a few things crossed off my list.  One afternoon, the three of us visited the duck pond and met lots of new feathery friends.  McCord squeeled as he saw the ducks swimming towards us from far across the pond.  I want to remember that sheer excitement from a 14-month-old's eyes forever. 

At one point we were surrounded by about 75 ducks and geese and about 10 hungry turtles peeking their noses up from the surface of the pond.  McCord got right in the thick of it and was almost the exact same height as the geese who would come right up to him and wait to be fed. 

With his naturally stoic personality, McCord took his job very seriously.  He very deliberately pinched the tiniest crumbs of bread and tossed them for all the wildlife.  One goose decided he was a little too stingy with his offering and pecked right at McCord's empty hand looking for larger morsels. 

This friendly fellow at their feet was not shy!  He'd wait patiently and then take the bread right out of their hands when they offered it to him. 

I think this guy would have come right home with us if we'd let him!

Remembering

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God of all creation, our hearts are broken over the destruction and loss we remember this day. And we acknowledge, O Lord, that on that day of human carnage yours was the first heart to break. In our remembering, may we stand with those who mourn and those who cannot stop mourning. Through remembering, may we find new comfort in your care. In our remembering, may we be drawn to a new hope for the whole world and may we gain for ourselves a measure of your peace.

You who can turn the shadow of night into the bright promise of a new day, empower us to shape a world marked by ways of life that lead to justice and peace for all peoples. Fashion in us a people who are more ready to grow in understanding than eager to judge those who are different from us. Form us as a people determined to heal wounds rather than inflict them.

We pray at last that you would cultivate such love in us that we may reach out in compassion to all those who are still wounded by the events of that day; and in seeking to heal others, may we experience a love that makes us whole. This we pray in the strong name of Jesus our Christ. Amen

(Source: National Council of Churches, prepared by Rev. Eileen W. Lindner, Ph.D., pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Tenafly, N.J., and the Rev. Jon Brown, a Presbyterian minister and Pastor of Old Bergen Church, Jersey City, N.J.)

This is a prayer our minister shared with us today, and I have been comforted by it and wanted to share it with all of you.

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Today on our morning walk, Bo and McCord and I saw a white dove flying overhead.  I've never seen one before in the wild.  It kept circling overhead and was very symbolic. 

Praying

Dear God most high, hear and bless

Thy beasts and singing birds;

And guard with tenderness

Small things that have no words.