Halloween: Costumes

book.

We are reading Ant and Honey Bee to get us psyched up for Halloween this year! It's a cute little book about a pair of friends getting their costume ideas and trick or treating. So Tegegne, last year you asked to be a cow, so you were a cow that made chocolate milk. This year you have asked to be a horse or a bird. We thought a cardboard airplane would be fun too. While wrestling with Ababayeh he noticed that you have quite a good growl with a rolling tongue and all, so that makes me think you'd like being a monster. I think Little Hens could be a monster too.


How about something along these lines...

pottery barn kids.

My two favorite costumes as a child were Rainbow Brite and Punky Brewster!

Do you remember yours?


More cute costumes for kids:
1. Super Hero (kids can make!) 
2. Gnome
3. Joker
4. Scuba diver

Baby costumes:
1. Little Lambs
2. Spring Chicken
3. Max 

Hensley Ruth: What Just Happened?

Hensley Ruth, you are seven months old and you just peed and pooped in the big potty! Holy cow! This has your mother so excited and proud! You peed in the big potty last week too!


So, am I crazy? Maybe. (Crazy for the midwest, but if I lived in San Francisco, I may be normal!)  I've been sitting you on the big 'ol toilet just after you eat (because I noticed that is usually when you go) and after the second time I sat you there, you went pee. It was quite interesting to see your little mind and body work. 


I just ran into this article from the NY Times on infant potty training and I totally need to read more! Wish I would have heard of this stuff earlier. Watch out, this mommy is full speed ahead and going to be finished scooping poop out of those cloths before we know it! 


Some tidbits from the article:
For many parents in the United States, the idea of potty training before a baby is able to walk, or even before age 2, is not just horrifying but reprehensible - a sure nightmare for parents and baby, not to mention a direct route from the crib to the psychiatrist's couch. But a growing number of parents are experimenting with infant potty training, seeing it as more sanitary, ecologically correct and likely to strengthen bonds between parent and child.


As with breastfeeding, a turn toward infant potty training would represent a leap into the past. Before the 1800's, babies in Western societies were swaddled, which restrained them and contained their wastes, Laurie Boucke said in "Infant Potty Training" (White-Boucke Publishing, 2002), one of several books she has written that advocate the technique. When cleanliness became a virtue in the 19th century, Ms. Boucke wrote, infants were regularly held over a chamber pot until they learned the habit of using it.

"When I started doing this, I got to start seeing him as a little person with abilities," she said.


At two recent meetings of support groups, mothers and one father shared signals their babies gave: kicking, nose-rubbing, getting loud, getting quiet, hiccupping, feeling warm to the touch, shivering.

If you or a friend have done this please comment and let me know! I'd love to learn more. Or if you have a baby and want to try it together contact me!

Chocolate Me! : By Taye Diggs

Thanks, Taye Diggs, for writing this book. Our family will most definitely be purchasing it. We also use the words chocolate and vanilla. As a "white" mom, it is tricky sometimes to know how to talk about differences and how often to do so. Tegegne is going to love this book!

Hensley Ruth: 7 Months!

Hey little stink bug. You're 7 months old and you wanna shout it! You are ready to do everything your brother does, and you just may be able to in a month at the rate your going! Tegegne loves to feed you, and you enjoy him doing so. My favorite times with you recently are right after we drop Tegegne off and do a little shopping. We shopped around the thrift store today (SA on 10th and Tracy...so good!) and we scored some goods! I am still so excited about our purchases. You just hang out in the cart and make noises or give me cute little looks, quite different than if we have that wild and crazy brother along for the ride! Oh, but we love him!

We are going to the lake with Geo and Jan and we cannot wait to have a nice relaxing weekend! And I must say that I am just giddy giddy today. I'm so glad our pastor preached on joy the other day because I'm full of it and it's here to stay! (Sometimes I feel really happy and I start to worry that something bad must happen soon...because things are going so well now...does that ever happen to you?)

And I have to do a side note of Conversations with Tegegne real quick:

T: (sees me put allergy medicine in the bag for the lake and says...) Mommy, I'm not really feelin' good. My leg hurts from runnin'. I think I need some medicine. 

The other day he made me laugh:

T: Mommy, Gaga just got picked up by a tow truck. He was runnin' on the road and got picked up. He's really big. Isn't that silly? He's so silly. 

Taryn + Micah: A Ranch Wedding

The Waters/Summers wedding was held at Big River Ranch in Lexington, MO. That place is serene and beautiful and down home and boot'-lickin' fun all-in-one! We took a hayride from the barn to the ceremony down by the lake. There were cowboys on horses galloping through the field. It was perfect.

Here was my hot date. Making a great face for the camera of course. 

Bridesmaids (four not in photo) + Mama of the Bride and Little Cousin Macki. I LOVED the colors and all of our dresses.  

My hair. 

Walking down the aisle, family style! We carried our babies and the rest of our kids walked in pairs. See below!

Tegegne and Lochlan rang cow bells. The kids procession was quite darling. Don't you love the Here Comes the Bride sign? 

I cannot wait to see Ms. Jackson's photos of the radient bride and groom! I'll skip down to the cake table. Tree stumps, lace, and delicious cupcakes! And an adorable little antique cake topper bride and groom. Ideas by Taryn, decorated by yours truly.  And there's that cutie, Little Hens. She and her dad cut a rug on the dance floor later in the evening. I've got a video!

The proud fire-starters. Dane and Michael.

This boy is all boy. That makes his dad proud. That did not make a grandma proud...Tegegne put the frog on this little girl's dress and arm...I thought the grandma was going to flip! She had her granddaughter head straight to the restroom to wash off. I laughed on the inside!
P.S. Speaking of dancing. I also have video of this little man CUTTING A RUG! So cute! He is a dancer and knows how to draw a crowd!

These horsies played it cool and laid low in the background all night.

Taryn and Micah: Got Married!

What a joyous day it was on Saturday! Taryn and Micah had the most beautiful marriage ceremony with a special salt covenant, followed by a feast and ridiculously fun dance party! 

More photos to come.

(P.S. I'm part time mom and part time designer today and tomorrow. Working on a few 3D renderings and I'm totally enjoying it.)

Mother Daughter: Good Times

Hensley Wooth, Wooth, Wooth

You have not one, but four tooth tooth tooth.

You giggle when your brother and I 

do the wiggle.

You love your da, da, da. 

And you say it night and day.

Even when your brother is being quite the stink, you'll flash a smile my way,

and I can not even think!

Love you,

Mom

P.S. You are crawling. It's so cute. No more putting you on the bed or the couch, or chair. I must get some baby gates. 

Birthday Cake: Tree and Bird

Holy cow, didn't Ababayeh make a beautiful tree and bird cake? Tegegne asked for a tree cake. with a bird on it. a blue bird. So that's what he got. Nice work Ababayeh! 


Last year you had a dino cake. Wonder what it'll be next year...

Happy Birthday: Tegegne Dena Jones!

Tegegne, your birthday party was awesome! Everyone had a blast! I meant to take a group pic so you could remember all of your friends that came, but we were having too much fun to take photos! 

We love you, son. Do you remember what you were thinking in this photo a year and a half ago? It was the first day that you met us. None of us knew what was in store. 

Okay, okay it's fun to go down memory lane, but let's get on to the good stuff! You got a B-I-K-E for your birthday and yesterday you learned how to ride it! Your "coach" is Ababayeh and I have never seen him more proud of anything!

So yesterday, you fell down a lot but with Ababayeh hootin' and hollerin for you, you got back up, gave a thumbs up and kept riding! Then Ababayeh called half of the people he knows to share the news! 


Fun video on Day 2 of bike riding! 

 "Bicycle! Ride it, and smack it!"

After riding around the park you rode to the grocery store while Ababayeh jogged, so you could pick out a special treat after your birthday dinner. 


And lastly, I've got to share a conversation we had at the park... 


Man: Is that your son?
Ababayeh: Yes. He's four years old today. It's his birthday and he learned to ride a bike. 
Man: Are you sure? He's a different color.
Ababayeh: Yes. He is our son. 
Mommyeh: Have you heard of adoption? (we were using friendly, casual voices, btw)
Man: Ooohhhh. Okaaayyyy. 
Mommyeh: Where are you from?
Man: Somalia. 
Mommyeh: Oh good. You have children?
Man: Yes, I have eight. 
Ect, ect. 

Tegegne: Is Someone Turning 4?

Happy Birthday Tegegne!

We love you sooooo much. You are quite hilarious these days. We hope you enjoy your party!

Speaking of which, I am in the middle of preparing for your party right now.  What was supposed to be a small party is not going to be so small after all. You know how it goes...a few friends from school, a few from church, a few from the neighborhood, immediate family, and before you know it there's 40 people coming!  A bouncy house in the back yard, chili, chicken tortilla, and lentil soups, cornbread, juice boxes, wine...it's going to be a party! A celebration indeed! 

You have requested a "Tree Cake with a Bluebird" so Ababayeh will make you just that! You also noticed the awesome pinata's at the Mexican grocery store, so we'll have one of those too. (Still gotta stuff the thing...the man at the store suggested that you American kids would not be so fond of the spicy Mexican candy.) 

We have been talking up your party all week, and I know you are going to love it, cute kid.

Hasta Manana! 

Mom