Cuteness

Hey! Guess what everyone? I'm still alive! Barely!  My parents and entire family were up a few weekends ago to celebrate Sam's birthday (party #3) and to just hang out. We got the first ever, actual decent picture of all of the kids sort of looking in our general direction. Cat herding is hard work. :)

We're off to the SWK again this weekend for more family fun, so I'll have more to post soon.

Loves,

The Hot Mess

Cake Wreck: Sombrero Edition

As many of you probably know, I really love to make my children's birthday cakes. I am not a cake decorator by any stretch, but one of the things I loved from my childhood were my homemade, home decorated, birthday cakes.  It's instant nostalgia for me.

Sam and two of his friends have birthdays in August, and instead of all of us having 3 separate parties, we always do them all together, in one big blow out day.  This year the theme was the Three Amigos, so mustaches and pinatas and sombreros were a must.  The cake wreck theme was born: A giant sombrero.  We also make personalized cookies for the kids with mustaches on them.  They all turned out adorable!  I love them.

Happiest of Birthdays, My Sweet Sam.

August 8, 2007 was a day that changed my life forever.  My beautiful miracle child came into the world. It was quite a production, as Sam does nothing on the small scale. He wanted excitement, terror, happiness, panic, and love...and he got all of it. He still does nothing small.  Sam's motto is "go big or go home." 

This week, Sam jumped off the diving board at Aunt Megan's house with no life jacket, in the deep end, with no adult there to catch him or make sure he wouldn't sink to the bottom.  He kicked over to the ladder and continued doing it for the rest of the afternoon.  The people there might not have noticed, but hubs and my hearts were bursting with pride for our daring child.

Sam's vocabulary is expansive now, and he will pretty much repeat everything anyone says. This can be a good thing and a bad thing. :)  His favorite thing to do is sing songs, many of which he's only heard once before.  He likes to recite commercials, too.  Hubs and I have a good chuckle every time we hear Sam tell us we can get something "for the low low price of 19.95!" or talk to us about the "3 levels of insulation in the Pack-It cooler".  It's not so funny when he reminds me that I need to bust out the cuss jar again.

Sam starts preschool in September, and we are most excited for this transition in his life.  Uneasy transitions are not Sam's strong suit, but he's head strong and will figure anything out he sets his mind too.  And he's got some of the most wonderful, caring instructors, therapists, and people in his life.  I have no doubt that Sam will continue to do Big Things.

Jump off the diving board of life, my sweet son.  Though there might not be anyone there to catch you, I know that you will kick until you make something wonderful of whatever situation arises.

Happy Birthday, Samuel Mark.

Like Mommy, Like Sloaney

This past weekend we visited my family back in Southwest Kansas.  I am to a point in life that I really do appreciate and love going back home, even though at 18 if you'd have told me that I'd have laughed in your face.  It's good to get away from the grind in my own home, and Sammah and Papa's house is a great place for the kids.

I take a lot of pictures. A lot.  I'm the family photographer; everyone always knows that I will show up with my Nikon, shooting every minute of our gathering together.  I can't help it, I want to preserve memories.  I want to remember times like these, where my kids are cute and smile and laugh...so that I can ease the pain when they are mean, have attitude problems, and want to G.I. Jane their hair or dye it green.

This weekend I caught Sloane playing mommy. I asked her what she was doing, and she said "I'm being you", and she'd grabbed an old camera and was walking around telling everyone to Smile! and Say Cheese!

Too cute for words.  I hope she gets some of my other attributes, too.

Saying Goodbye

My dog Jackson is coming up on 11 years old.  We went to college together, went to frat parties, had beers at Louise's West, and moved into what seemed like a new apartment every year I attended KU.

He came as part of the package when I moved in with my then boyfriend, and was "best dog" when the boyfriend became my husband. Hubs and Jackson have had a rocky relationship, but my husband knows how important that dog is to me, so he rolls his eyes and admits defeat when it comes to the wonder pup.  We've added another dog, and two children to the brood, and Jackson always gives me his disapproving look like "really? another one?", but accepts the new members into our family.  He's learned to love snuggling with Sloane, because he can always count on her to pull a snack out of somewhere and share with him. Jackson is my life travel partner. We  ride the roller coaster together.

More recently, we've been riding Jack's cancer roller coaster together.  For the past 6 months, we go to the vet, find the tumors, cut them out best we can, and go on our way. It's getting harder for Jackson, and the tumors are getting more aggressive.  We're starting to have long talks of "are you up to this again?" and I'm talking to my husband about "the day".  It's heart breaking and sad for me.

Jackson is more than just a dog to me. He is a friend. He is also the last remaining piece of my "past life."  When I moved here, I wanted a companion to start fresh with.  Jackson has been here through thick and thin, happy days, and heart ache.  My early twenties when I was looking to find my place in this world, and today as I am settling in to my calling as a mother and advocate.

It's going to be hard when "the day" comes, and it's coming sooner than I had planned on.  Even if his time on Earth is coming to a close, he will always be one of my first true loves. My love before a husband, or a house, or children.  My travel buddy through the journey of young adulthood.  My buddy.

I'm Famous! Ish.

My husband works at the local newspaper here, and I've been giving him grief for years that he never publishes anything related to me or our family in the newspaper. "It would appear to others that I am playing favorites", he says. Of course, the minute I get arrested for going postal on a budding sociopath at the local playground, or for refusing to leave the karaoke bar after too many limoncellos, well...I imagine THAT would probably make headlines. But, I digress...

My friend Megan is a feature blogger on the newspaper's entertainment website.  She has zero problem making my newsprint dreams come true, and she does. Often. Have I mentioned to you how much I love that girl? :) When I introduce myself to her friends I've not met, I get the "oh! YOU'RE the Lindsey!" Yes. Yes I am. It's good to be known as something other than "Mother of Mini Messes" or "the totally whacko person who talks out loud to herself at the library".

We like to cook, drink, kick and stretch. We like to cook together and watch shenanigans ensue.  This is one of our recent adventures. Read it. It's funny, and the food was good. I dream of it. You are welcome.

Lowered Expectations, Volume 17

Today I did something I swore to myself I would never, ever do.  I bought my son a leash.

OK, it isn't a proper leash. It's a kid friendly "child safety harness system" that has a loveable cuddly monkey shape to it. Sort of like this one:

But, let's all be honest...it's a leash.  And you know what? It is a gift straight from the baby Jesus. I am tired. I am busy. I have to run errands and buy groceries, and since my husband works a mere 70 hours a week, most of the time my kids are being schlepped all over hell's half acre with me. I'm sure a lot of you have 2 kids and manage just fine.  I bow to you. If my neck bulges any more at the store while Sam is running away, laughing at me, I'm bound to blow a carotid right there in aisle 8.

And so, I purchased the leash. And he loves it. Finally, the store is a little bit more manageable. I can't wait to get "the look" from strangers, or have people feel free to interpret my son's harness as me being a lazy parent.  Seriously. I dare someone.  I pack a mean left hook, and my wedding ring is made of platinum and sharp diamonds. Bring it.

I think I'll put a sign on the monkey that says "If you pet me, I go bananas."  Might as well have a good laugh at my expense. :)