(January 12, 2011)
I was a little behind getting Coop to his 1 year check-up. So he is actually 13 1/2 months old!
WEIGHT: 19lbs 1oz- just under the 5th percentile
HEIGHT: 28 1/2 inches-just under the 10th percentile
He is on the same growth scale as he was when he was born. Such a little runt though!!! Dr. Hopkins wants to see him in 3 more months and just make sure that he is continuing to grow!!!
DENTIST…yes nothing fun and exciting here. Instead of a fun trip, or a cruise, or a warm weather get a way…it was a boring and expensive, but necessary trip to the dentist!!!
I am so proud of the way Bridge and Addi handle themselves at the dentist. They are so good and do everything that is asked or expected of them.
Getting x-rays and cleaning those pearly whites.
Addi was so good when she was getting examined and worked on by Dr. Smith. He is so excellent and always makes it fun for the kids. She had one little cavity in between two teeth…so actually I guess it was two cavities. She just watched “UP” and was calm and collected the whole time.
Now Bridge on the other hand had a little more work that needed done. He has a filling that has fallen out 3 times now. I was trying to avoid the expensive silver cap on a tooth he will loose in a few years, but this time it had to get worked on! Dang…I hate that. They actually had to numb him, but he didn’t mind the laughing gas at all.
Dr. Smith said they were so good they could pick out 2 toys…of they were so excited!!! That is definitely the best part of going to the dentist.
You guys make mom very proud! Thanks for being such great kids, and making it so much easier to take you to to the doctor!
I got this email from a friend, and really love this. I want to be able to look back and remember it. I think it is worth sharing to all of you moms who live YOUR life for your kids.
THE INVISIBLE MOTHER
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way
one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be
taken to the store.
Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'
Obviously, not.
No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even
standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.
I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing
more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to
ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the
Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that
studied history and the mind that graduated suma cum laude - but now they had
disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going; she's
going; she is gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a
friend from England ���
Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on
about the hotel she stayed in.
I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It
was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself.
I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully
wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.'
It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe ..
I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription:
'To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building
when no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover
what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern
my work:
No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their
names.
These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see
finished.
They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God
saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the
cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on
the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so
much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one
will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place.
It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see
the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of
kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too
small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but
you can't see right now what it will become.'
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease
that is erasing my life.
It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote
to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of
the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on
something that their name will never be on.
The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be
built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to
that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's
bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning
and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and
presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a
monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is
anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'you're gonna love it there.'
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing
it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only
at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the
sacrifices of invisible women.
Great Job, MOM!
Share this with all the Invisible Moms you know...I just did.
Hope this encourages you when the going gets tough as it sometimes does.
We never know what our finished products will turn out to be because of our
perseverance.
Happiness keeps you sweet,
Trials keep you strong ,
Sorrow keeps you human,
Failures keep you humble,
Success keeps you glowing,
But only GOD keeps you going!
Live Simply. Love Generously. Care Deeply. Speak Kindly. Leave the rest to
God
Bridger was elated to have the first race of the year FAST approaching. It was on Saturday, January 8, 2010. He gave it all he had and then some. He was “pinned” the whole time, as Bridge put it. His sled just needs a little more power to keep up with some of the other “stock” (ya right) sled. We were bummed that some parts we ordered a few weeks ago didn’t make it in time, but, let me back up a few days…
Jason had ordered some parts for his sled. He needed a few things to “soup” it up a little, and give it more horsepower. MOST of them were on backorder, and they still haven’t shipped. Then on Wednesday night Bridger was doing a few practice laps at the house, and all of a sudden there was a terrible noise…he got off and told Dad, and sure enough the clutch housing on his little sled had gone bad. So Thursday morning Jason made a few phone calls and overnighted the part we needed. Friday the parts arrived. So when Jason got home from work it was straight to the garage (I wish I had taken some pictures…but I didn’t even think of it). After a couple hours in the garage he realized that they had overnighted the wrong part, and it wouldn’t work. We had one devastated little boy, and a very upset and heartbroken Dad. Call after call to buddies to see if they had the part he needed, he decided that he would take a different route! He called our neighbor that had a little Polaris sled, and they let us “barrow” parts off of their little sled. We were so thankful for them. I am so thankful for Jason and the heartfelt time he takes to make our kids happy. He loves them so much, and we are so lucky to have him. He went the extra mile for Bridger this weekend, and made him so happy. THANKS HUBBY.
I wasn’t able to attend the race. I went to Courtney & Christopher's Open House. I hate it when I can’t be in two places at once. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss the Open House, so I am so thankful to Gary & Lori for supporting Bridge in the race, and taking some pictures and video taping for me, so I can feel like I was there. THANKS SO MUCH!!!
READY…SET…GO…
What a race it was…Look what he got!
Seriously THANKS from the bottom of my heart to Jas for going the extra mile to make this possible for him. It was a long long day, but was completely worth it all! I am so proud of you Bridger for the little boy you are. I love you so much! You make your mom very proud.
Congratulations on another amazing trophy!!!
On December 28th, Courtney and Christopher were married for Time & All Eternity in the Oakland, CA Temple. I was so sad that Jason and I couldn’t make it to California for there amazing day. I head that it was almost perfect! I am so happy for them. What a great couple they are.
But when city girl meets country boy, and life takes a full circle it brought them back to Victor! I was so excited to be able to attend the open house they had a little closer to home then California.
The happy couple…So in LOVE…
Everything looked enchanting and so elegant…
I just love Courtney. She is an amazing girl. I was asked a handful of times if I was her sister…because they thought we looked alike. What a complement. Doesn’t she just look stunning…
I had to get a picture of Chant & I…Shannon hadn’t made it there yet.
My Dad & Mom (Kenny & Jonna), Dave (Courtney’s Dad), Glenda, Denise & Jan, Kerry & Tina, and Lori & Barry…
I love this picture…Don’t hate me for posting it Court… Look at that blue cupcake! They were delicious... and brought the kid out in each of us! I even had blue teeth after I ate mine. Chelsea's Larrisa had a completely blue face…Laughing…
I love to take pictures, and here are some of my favorites from the day…
(I just have to share) I made this for the Newlyweds.
CONGRATULATIONS you guys. I am so proud of you two. We sure LOVE YOU!!!
Meet Jezabell…
This is Addi’s new best friend. I ordered her from an extremely talented and amazing woman…Christine. You really need to check out her amazing website HERE. I can not believe the hours she puts into these little dolls. They are cute beyond words. I am in love with them. The craftsmanship of them is immaculate, and the really are just darling! Pictures don’t do them justice. I actually ordered one for some of my little nieces for Christmas, along with Addi’s. I was able to do this because she traded me vinyl and a custom calendar for these amazing dolls.
Oakleigh’s Addisyn’s Boston’s
Aren’t I so lucky? I sure think so. They each came with the doll, a tutu, and pajamas and even a blanket. I also got Addi a few little sundresses as well. I LOVE that she LOVES her. This little doll was almost 2wks old when she finally got her name. Some of them that didn’t stick; Londyn. Sally, Lisa (which completely warmed my heart, and she came up with all on her own), Tally, Kenzie…but it is Jezabell that was repeated twice after I asked her what her name was. Yes…it is Jezabell off of Marmaduke that she got her name from!
If you can’t tell she was dancing with her…
And she sleeps with her. I couldn’t resist this picture. Usually I have to put her PJ’s on when Addi puts hers on, but this night she didn’t fall to sleep in her bed, it was on the way home!
THANKS CHRISTINE-The girls just love them!!!
It is a good thing Bridger can’t read yet, because he would be so mad at me for posting this…but, that is what Mom’s are for!!! Isn’t it?
This is Miss Emma. She is in my little preschool. She is a darling little girl. She has a wonderful personality; spunky but sweet at the same time, an adorable laugh, such a cute smile, a very petite frame, and my little 5 year old has a little crush on her (I am almost certain of it).
One day Bridger says to me “Emma is cute huh?” To which my reply was “She sure is.” THEN…Grandpa Gary would tease Bridger on preschool days about his girlfriends…. Then one day Bridger said all shy and reserved TO ADDI “Emma’s my girlfriend…” I was in the other room and hear this. It made me giggle out loud. Ever since then Bridger gets all shy and almost mad when someone teases him about his “Girlfriend Miss Emma.” He always says “Just leave it alone.” BUT SERIOUSLY do you blame him. Look at that face. She is simply adorable!!!
Good pick Buddy for you first little Crush!!!
After Preschool today Deegan stayed and played. The boys and Addi had a FANTASTIC time. They played and played and played. The only time they stopped was to pee or eat.
One of the first things there imagination conjured up was this SWEET SLIDE…
They were so HOT. The fire was going, so the basement was nice and toasty. They all took their shirts off including Little Miss Addi. I told her that she had to put her little tank top back on, because girls need to wear shirt. Bridger says “Ya, so we don’t see your…I don’t know if I can say this but (laughing)…boobs.” Deegan chuckles and says “boobs.” It was so funny!!!
When sliding down the stairs on the couch cushions became boring it was time to JUMP down the stairs onto the cushions…
I even took a turn at the fun. It isn’t nearly as fun as it was years ago when we would come up to grandmas and jump off the stairs onto the big red beanbag. But…it made the kids smile.
THANKS Deeg for playing. We love you, and Bridge had an amazing time playing!!!
