Half

**Megan 6 months old, April 1999** Drew, 6 months old, September 2009**

(In case you are wondering, no, Drew will not get a 'Half Birthday Celebration.' You aren't allowed a half birthday until you've had a real birthday.)

Though I am beginning to love a lot of ages and stages, one of my absolute favorites is the 6-12 month stage. I love it.

I remember the day Megan was exactly 6 months old. It happened to be my mom's 47th birthday. Even though it wasn't until 2003 when Luke was 1 1/2, that I decided to celebrate half birthdays, the 'half recognition' began April 12, 1999.

When Megan was a newborn I was in such a rush for her to get to 6 months. I don't know why. Of course I didn't know what a six month old would really be like, but I just didn't 'love' newborns like some people. I was thrilled when Megan turned 6 months old. The same thing happened with my next two. It wasn't until baby number four and five that I treasured the newborn stage.

And now that is all over.
My baby is 6 months old.

Though I look forward to the next few months of 'my favorite stage'.... I am a little older and wiser since the six month mark, ten and a half years ago...I have mixed feelings now...

I am continually reminded,

'The days are long but the years are short.'

Sewn with Love

Recently, I left to run some errands. I left Megan and Ellie playing 'dance class.' When I returned, Ellie was wearing this skirt over her leotard.


Somewhere during the 'dance class' Megan became distracted and started a Home Economics class instead.

Megan made this skirt in the hour I was gone. With no help at all. (Well if you count Ellie's opinion as help.)

Though the hem has been left raw, the skirt is complete with a sewed on elastic waist and ties closed with a sewn on piece of ribbon.

I was very impressed.

I was even more impressed when Thursday afternoon rolled around and it was time for Ellie's real dance class. She came downstairs dressed in the leotard and skirt. Really, how could I tell her not to wear it?

When it was time to pick Ellie up from class and drop Megan off for hers, Megan and I walked into the dance studio. Megan saw Ellie dancing and turned to me and said, in the almost-eleven-year-old-I-care-about-clothes voice (and facial expression),

"I made the skirt for dress-ups not to be worn for reals."

I simply shrugged my shoulders. And as any intuitive mother can relate, I couldn't help but see through the almost embarrassed grin on Megan's face, that really she was proud that Ellie was wearing the skirt "for reals."

Guaranteed: Difficult.

My friend, recently decided that for 30 days she is 'going vegan.' She had lots of supportive, encouraging, comments on her blog, except for me. Being the hamburger-ice cream-cheese-steak-friend that I am, I told her I think I would rather die.

I love food, all types. (But really, that could be a whole 'nother post...)

Really though, I am supportive of her in her personal challenge. I mean, supportive that I let her pick the restaurant we ate at last week. Supportive that I didn't order a juicy hamburger or steak. And supportive that when the waiter mistakenly brought a volcanic-chocolate cake-dripping-with-more-chocolate dessert to our table, instead of "accidentally pretending" it was ours and basking in the non-vegan glory, I said in unison with her, "We didn't order that." I continued eating my non-vegan meal that was more subtle in it's non-veganism.

BUT, though I would rather die than try something as drastic as going vegan. When my friend announced on her blog she was doing this she issued the following challenge to her friends and readers:

"What about you? Is there anything you have been meaning to accomplish or change? Any goal that you have been putting off? Why don't you join me in my first 30 days. Think of something you have been trying to improve, or something you want to start. Let's try it together, working towards these goals, for 30 days. We can complain together, support each other, and congratulate ourselves when we reach our goals."

I told her I would think about it. I have. Even though it has taken me two weeks, and even though she is now two weeks into her worthy goal/challenge, I've picked mine.

Warning, it will be hard... Maybe harder than not eating meat or dairy...

I'm not going to raise my voice to my children or husband for thirty days. (I'd say not raise my voice to anyone, but unfortunately, I only raise my voice at them. Yes, I only raise it at the people I love the most...)

UH-OH-I've admitted it publicly.
I have a permanent record of it now.
I have to do it now.
I will.

I issue the same challenge to you that my friend did to me. What are you going to do? What challenge are you going to live with for thirty days?

And what will the reward be after thirty days? Perhaps when we reach our goals, we can all go out and celebrate together, and while my friend eats a non-vegan meal, I will yell!

Senses

During lunch the other day, Ellie mentioned, "I had my eyes checked at school today." A brief, "Oh you did. How did it go?" was all that was replied, the request to put more ranch on her plate distracted us both.
Later in the afternoon, my friend, who serves as the Volunteer Co-Ordinator on my PTA board came over. She asked to use my phone to make some phone calls to get volunteers for the Kindergarten Eye Screening. "Oh," I replied. "I think it was today." We both turn to Ellie, a little concerned we had the date wrong.

My questioning went something like this,

"Ellie, did you get your eyes checked today?"
Ellie, went into Ellie-Mode; complete silence while maintaining direct eye contact.

Kim moved on with the phone calls. Though, I was slightly perplexed that my daughter had her eyes checked today... yet we were recruiting volunteers for the Kindergarten Eye Screening the next week...

The afternoon continued.
Evening followed.

While I was doing the dinner dishes, Ellie announced,

"When I was getting my eyes checked today, we had to raise our hand when we heard a noise."

Eye Screenings... Hearing Tests...

Aren't you supposed to know the difference between eyes and ears sometime BEFORE Kindergarten?!?

Sunny Day

Wednesday started out a not-so-good-day. (Thursday started the same way...) My mother, handed me a bouquet of sunflowers Wednesday morning and said,

"Hope this helps your day get more sunny."

A bouquet of sunflowers on my kitchen table, kind thoughts from loved ones, questioning emails from friends, phone calls with other friends, a long walk with a friend, dinner with a friend and even kind comments on my blog, all make my "days sunny."

Thank you, to you, to you and to you!

Where My Money Goes...

When I read people's blog posts on potty training. I get mild anxiety. In two weeks, I will have been changing diapers for eleven years straight. Eleven years!

It isn't eleven years changing diapers that gives me the anxiety. It is the thought of having two more children to potty train.

In my 11 years of parenting, and five children later, potty training has to be one of the most difficult tasks for me. I dread it.

So...
I will look on the bright side. I'll just love my two little diaper boys while I have them.
PS-Do I need to have anxiety over something thousands do each day?

Land of the Free

(Megan, Tiffany, Mike and Luke-BoxHill, England August, 2003)

When I was 13 years old I moved from England to Utah.

I met people who demanded my whole life story and why I was now living in America.

I had people ask me REPEATEDLY to say a particular word.

I had people laugh at my ignorance of certain things in the US culture.

I have had people tell me they can tell I'm from England because of my yellow teeth!

I can't count the times I've heard that the British drive on the 'wrong side of the road.'

I've had people laugh and try to mock me because of the 'war England lost.'

I've had people make fun of the Queen and the Royal Family to me.

I've known people to ask me if regularly I drink tea and eat crumpets.

I've had people upon hearing I am from England try to do their own version of an English accent right then and there.

I, like many of you are blessed to live in America, be it we originated from England, Ireland, Japan, Australia, Canada or Mexico. Am I offended by the comments I have heard and continue to hear about my heritage?

No, I am simply reminded I live in a land of freedom.......

One of those freedoms being freedom of speech.