Buddies, Gabe and Thomas

Recently I read a post on another blog stating how the person couldn't stand going to blogs where the main feature was that blogger's children. Wow. I was taken aback. For me, that is one of the reasons I started blogging; so I could share my mommy experiences with my family and close friends. I feel like I should post a warning here: kid pictures ahead, beware...

Now that I have that off of my chest, I can post about our fun day yesterday. The rain held off while we were visiting Thomas, and the crowds were not bad at all (hate to see it this weekend, though). I have been looking forward to spending this day with Gabe for weeks, and it totally lived up to all of my expectations (and I think his, too).

Living so close to the park where Thomas was stationed, we parked a little ways off and walked (ran) to see him...



After buying our tickets at the train station, we had some time to play before our departure. Although the price of the tickets was pretty outrageous ($16 per person), most of the activities were free. Gabe played putt-putt (that boy is a great putter)...

His first tattoo (well, not really, it just sounded good)...

There is a real train parked next to the track where they do little lectures about train history, etc. Gabe kept shouting "Alllll Aboarrrd!", and "Take my pitcher, mom!".

After about 45 minutes, it was time to board the train. You could feel the excitement pouring from this boy, let me tell you. And I'm such a sap, I was totally tearing up, watching his eyes and facial expressions, filled with such joy and wonder. I'm so glad I saved this day to be just the two of us, because I was able to concentrate on Gabe and Gabe alone. I relished in this moment.

This was one of my favorite pictures of the day. I already have a scrapbook page in mind, even. Right after I took this shot, Gabe started yelling out the window at the passersby "Hey, I'm here! You wanna hop on? Huh?! I'm on Thomas, you hear me?!" I was cracking up! I doubt people could tell what he was saying, but they waved and smiled just the same. (How could you resist?)

This next pictue is blurry, because I couldn't keep him from coming toward the camera. But the joy is just contagious, and sums up the day, so I had to share it:

I'm not usually a huge souvenier person, but I wanted Gabe to have a little something to help remember the day. We headed into the gift shop tent, where he promptly picked out the $129 train. Umm, I don't think so, baby. I steered him in a (cheaper) direction, and he picked out this battery operated train for $16.99. Fairly reasonable, I think. And the hours he has spent playing it since yesterday have totally made it a great buy.

For the past three years, Gabe has loved seeing Thomas. Next year, he'll be five when Thomas comes to town. I wonder if he'll still be as excited as he was this year. Kids are so fickle, you just never know. I'm so glad we had this day together, to treasure right now, and years from now when we are looking back at our scrapbooks.

Thomas update

Well, I must have some pull with Mother Nature, because the rain held off for the two hours we were there to see Thomas.

I'll post some pics later; we had a great time, Gabe was a chatterbox full of excitement, and I felt like a good mom again.

Now if she'd only listen to me about Ike...

Mother Nature

Dear Mother Nature,

We need to talk.

You see, Thomas is in town. And I have a four year old boy who was promised a (very expensive) train ride today for having a successful day at preschool on Wednesday. A boy who will be devastated if we don't get to see Sir Toppham Hat and Percy and Thomas himself. We really need to get on that train.

I know you have sent some "heavy rain and thunderstorms" our way, destined to hit at approximately the same time the conductor is shouting "All aboard". What I'm asking is for here is a small favor. Could you just hold things off a bit, maybe until after noon or so? Really, a boy's happiness is on the line. Would you be able to live with yourself, knowing you ruined his day (and mine, too)? Please...?

(And while I'm asking here, could you also please soften the blow that Hurricane Ike is preparing to wreak on the state of Texas? I have friends there, you know, and I would appreciate it if you could look out for them.)

Thanks for your time,

Heather

From football to tattoos

Okay, first off, you all have to check out Becky's blog today. It is the first time someone has made a tribute post to me (and yes, I cried. While at work. A little embarrassing. Thanks, Becky.)

Today is not only a sad day of remembrance for those lost in the tragedy of 9/11. Today is also a day when two moms met on a YMCA flag football field and somehow became the best of friends. It was through our sons Elijah and Jake that our friendship began, and it was through God that we made our relationship a priority, in the midst of kids and husbands and jobs and families and just surviving.

Becky, you are the childhood friend I don't keep in touch with anymore. You are my high school BFF who parted ways after graduation. Although we have only known each other one year, I feel like it's been our whole lives. With all the crazy things we have in common, it's really pretty amazing that we didn't find each other sooner. Your friendship is a gift that I will treasure forever.

"If I had one gift that I could give you, my friend, it would be the ability to see yourself as others see you, because only then would you know how extremely special you are."~B.A. Billingsly~

Love, Heather

Update on Being Undone

First off, let me just thank you all for your prayers and your sweet comments after yesterday's post. You don't even know how much that meant to me, and helped me get through the day. Catherine was asking for an update, so I thought I'd just make a post about it (what every blogger does, right?). So here it is:

When I pulled up to the church to pick Gabe up, right away I heard the sound of his laughter on the playground. A good sign. When Mrs. Edwards told the kids to line up at the gate and get their backpacks, Gabe was one of the first in line. Another good sign. Then I noticed he was wearing different clothes than what I had dressed him in. Hmmm. When Mrs. Edwards opened the gate for Gabe, she told me he had had a little accident (probably from waiting too long to actually go to the potty, I'm sure). I swear, if it's not one thing, it's another. At least this wasn't too big of a deal. He was worried I would be upset, though. I reassured him, praised him for doing all the right things at school, and we went on our way.

Today was a great day! Becky and I survived our first "Muscle Max" class (man, am I sore), and Gabe did well staying in a different nursery at this new Y-express we went to. After a delicious and well-deserved breakfast at the ole Cracker Barrel, we were off to school. He went right in, cheerful and excited, promising to be "a good boy". And he was. The afternoon went off without a hitch, he was still happy (and dry) when I picked him up, and was so excited to show me his "work" from the day.

The bad news is, he is off of preschool for four days (only goes M-T-W). I hope we don't have to start all over on Monday. I really think he is getting the hang of it (and I am, too).

Now, it's off to work for the night for me, saving lives and cleaning up poop; what all ICU nurses do best, huh, Jen?

What's a Mom to do?

As many of you have probably gathered from reading even just a couple of posts from my "flog", my third child is definitely my most challenging child. Poor Elijah and Isabel take a backseat sometimes to the chaos that is Gabriel; thank God they have the personalities they do, being understanding and very mature about it all when Gabe requires all of my attention. I have very good intentions about spending more one-on-one time with each of them, and now that I am decreasing my hours at work, I am determined to do just that. But until the end of October, I have to learn how to stretch myself even thinner than I usually do, to try to help this baby of mine learn how to function in society.

We are struggling with preschool. Every day is a new and different issue. The first two days, he was so excited to go that he refused to leave when I came to get him. To the point of running away from his teacher and screaming, "I'm not gonna go!!!". Well, Mr. Gabe and I had a "discussion" about that, and he promised not to behave that way again when it was time to return to school on Monday.

Monday comes. We go to school, excited and still wearing his Elmo backpack, determined to be a good listener and be ready to leave with Mommy at the end of the day. When I return to pick him up, he's not one of the kids playing on the playset. Because he's on the bench, sitting with his teacher. In trouble. Apparently, when it was time to clean up before going outside, Gabe decided to dump a whole bin of toys on the floor and defiantly refused to pick them up. So he lost his recess privileges. And when he saw me, he fell apart, crying that his teacher was mad at him, sobbing hysterically. Gabe is nothing if not dramatic, if you haven't noticed. His teacher was NOT mad, and she was so sad to see him being so sad, and it was just a bad scene. On the way home, we had another talk about appropriate school behavior, and how this wasn't it. He promised to be a good boy tomorrow (which kinda broke my heart...he is a good boy...just, well, sometimes not very easy to deal with).

Today I take him to school. He's been up since 6:30am at the sitter's house, since I worked last night and needed to sleep. He fell down the stairs while playing there, she told me. He's fine, but had a rough morning. When we walk in, instead of running into his class, he hangs back in the hall, hesitant to look at Mrs. Edwards. She welcomes him to the class with a singsongy voice, and he eventually goes in. No tears, just this...hesitation. That alone was enough to make me cry. I want preschool to be a good experience for him, like it was for Elijah and Isabel. Gabe needs to learn that there are rules in every part of our lives, and sometimes you just have to follow them, even when you'd rather just dump a bunch of toys on the floor and play. Mrs. Edwards is so consoling to me, telling me "we'll get the hang of it, mom, don't worry". I just hate being the mom with "that" kid. I've never been in these shoes before, and I don't like the way they fit. I am praying so hard for God to make me be the mom that Gabe needs, 'cause I don't think I'm doing a very good job of it right now. If you're the praying kind, please lift me up today, 'cause I am struggling here.

God has given me these sweet kids to love, adore, raise and teach; I feel like I'm failing in the raising and teaching categories. Gabe is so full of love and energy and emotion, and I don't want to destroy that in my efforts to get him to just behave.

Oh, I hope today is a better day when I go to pick him this afternoon. Please let it be...

Weekend Fun

We had more fun this weekend than should be allowed, one night without kiddos, the next day with the whole family. Just had to share some pics with y'all...

Saturday night, I made reservations for six at Maggianos. Becky and Mike, Catherine and Kipper, and Joe and myself all got babysitters for our collective nine children, got dressed up and headed down to Kenwood for a great time. The food was delicious, our waitress was a doll (she took this photo of us and joked around with us the whole night). I think we were there for over three hours, and never once did we feel rushed to hurry up and get done. (I can't wait to eat some leftovers, yum...).

Joe's favorite dessert...tiramisu. It was even pretty to look at.

We were home to relieve the sitter by 10pm, which was late enough for us, since we had our Sunday School kickoff the next morning, and Joe is one of the teachers for the "Dads" class. This was Gabe's first experience outside of the church nursery, and he did great! We have finally turned a corner, since he's a big four-year-old now. He even had his first communion (we do communion the first Sunday of the month at our Methodist church). Wish I would've had my camera for that one :)

After naptime, we headed out to the local retirement community where we always have our church picnic. The weather was beautiful (75 and sunny), and every single one of us had a good time. I was not raised in a church family, so I delight in these kind of events, and I'm so glad my kids love them, too. We ate ourselves silly, played games, went exploring, and enjoyed fellowship with our friends and churchmembers, young and old.

This girl of mine is just too much for words. I am truly dreading the teenage years when boys start knocking on our door...

Finally, I chased Elijah down and convinced him to stand still for a picture. He was so busy playing football and baseball with all the other boys, he didn't want to take too much time out for his mom (jeez, mom, hurry up!).

Gabe hooked up with another little boy, Phillip. Man, that boy is just like his dad when it comes to sports. He has never played this game before (bocce ball, I think, or jai-alai); yet he could toss that ball up like a pro!

Joe spent a lot time doing this (cornhole), when he wasn't busy feeding his face with all the yummy homemade foods at the potluck :)

I have only one picture of myself to even prove I was there, taken by a fellow parishioner. Not the most flattering, but beggars can't be choosers, right?

Overall, the weekend was a blast! We are so blessed to have so many great friends and a terrific church family, and the good health to be able to enjoy it all. And now, it's back to school and work and laundry and cooking and cleaning and...well, Gabe says it best in this picture:

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Sometimes we just don't want the fun to end...