Little Hams

Kyle sometimes gets shy in front of the camera, but on his first time to ride his bike, he was too preoccupied to notice me! Makenna obviously loves the camera!

Spring is great for lunchtime picnics! Kyle also thinks it's fun to get into Makenna's swing...then he likes to scale the side of the playscape...he just needs some rope and some caribiners and he's all set for some serious climbing. I also love to swing!

That's it...now you're getting it...

Sometimes I feel like nothing I say is making a difference in my kids' lives and that the things that I do or fail to do are making a bigger difference, for better or for worse. In spite of my failures and shortcomings, prayer is one of the constants in our life and our kids' lives. So I have to share how immediate God is in answering our prayers sometimes. I prayed yesterday in church that we would see evidence of the Holy Spirit in Kyle in a real and visual way, in a way that would compel me to praise Him and give glory to Him.

We have been rewarding Kyle with dollars (pretend money) when he exhibits patience, a good attitude, self-control, obedience, etc. It is very motivating for him and really helps him stay focused and helps him change his behavior when we remind him of the reward when he obeys and practices self-control or shows kindness to us and Makenna. He then saves up the money and goes shopping in my store which has items in it worth $10. It takes several days to save up the money and we also take money away as a consequence to unacceptable behavior.

So last night when I was putting him to bed and we were saying his prayers, he prayed for the first time in thanksgiving for David and me. That just melts away all those undesirable times, you know? Then he thanked Jesus for 'being good and shopping.' What he meant was thanksgiving that he was good and got to go shopping. So I reminded him how Jesus loves it when our hearts want to please him and when we do things that bring joy to him and others. He then said, "I know--that's why I thanked him." Sigh...he's finally getting it. Those are the things that help me grow my compassion for him as I watch him develop the fruits of the Spirit. It is a painstaking process at times. But in those moments, sigh...I see he's really getting it...and something we're saying or doing must be 'working' in spite of ourselves. I'm grateful God works in my kids' lives in spite of me. I can't wait to hear what his heart prays for tonight.

My Little Praying Mantis

One of my terms of endearment for Kyle is bugaboo. Makenna is boo-boo. Sometimes I just call Kyle 'bug,' like 'ok, bug, it's time to go.' Yeah, maybe it sounds strange, but it's cute and he likes it. He knows it's just something I call him. I have also recently discovered he's my praying mantis.

We had our neighbor Mandi babysit the kids Friday night while we went to dinner with friends. When we came home, he had just gone down to bed recently and Mandi said that he did stay in his room (Kyle and I had a good talk about staying in his bed when Mandi put him to bed). He knew he'd get a dollar in his money cup (for shopping in my store) if he stayed in bed for her. She said though that she heard him talking in his room so she went to check on him. She asked him what was wrong. He told her, 'nothing. I'm just talking to God. I'm praying that Mommy and Daddy get home soon and safe.'

I was stunned. I had just been chatting with a friend about Kyle's prayers, how he prays for the lamps and the curtains and his trains and he does name friends too and last night he thanked Jesus for Easter. I loved that. So I was amazed that our little almost-4-year old is starting to pray on his own. I have told him before that when he can't sleep that he can just talk to Jesus becuase he's always with him and will always listen and help him fall asleep. I had no idea he truly was paying attention to what I was saying.

Now to just be a fly on the wall of the room of my little praying mantis...

Not Ready and Ready

I love our high chair. Both our children learned to sit up in this chair. They both ate baby food here and eventually finger foods and on to eating off plates and using little forks and spoons. I have cleaned this chair a couple of thousand times if you consider that I do it three times a day and both children have each used it for a year at least. Makenna would probably love to sit in a 'real chair' at the table. But I'm attached to this high chair for all the memories it holds. As I scrubbed it, trying to get off bits of dried food, ketchup, and grape jelly, I knew the little smidges of food would be there when and if I took out the high chair again for a little one to sit in, whether it was another child for us or a grandchild. And it would remind me of when Makenna was very small and in that high chair herself. And then I knew I wasn't ready yet.

David had brought in the booster seat and we were going to put it at the table and transition Makenna tomorrow. I detailed the high chair, thinking the whole time that this was a milestone that I wasn't ready for. I didn't want to be silly about it, but when I told David it was clean and ready to be packed away, I also told him that I didn't think I was ready yet. He recognized my dilemma and suggested she wasn't ready since she throws her food and her plate onto the floor at nearly every meal. And she hasn't learned yet that we sit at the table the entire meal and don't have free reign to get up throughout the meal. Giving her free access to the entire kitchen table would be oh-no-fun.

And so he came up with a 'good excuse' to keep our beloved high chair there. Maybe she'll move out of it next week or next month. And maybe not. I know she won't go to high school sitting in that high chair. Until then, I'll keep her my baby in the high chair, until the right time comes. And I'll know it's the right time, just like I knew when it was time to transition Kyle to a toddler bed and then a big boy bed and when it was time to get Kyle a 'real haircut' with the razor. I knew when it was time for Makenna to experience a piece of chocolate for the first time. It just felt right when it was time for Kyle to start preschool. And I knew when it was time to wean both of them. You just trust yourself. Somehow you just know these things.