One, Two, Three...

So.

My sweet girl is four.

Four.

How did three years skate by so quickly!?

On her birthday I decided to flip through old photos.

May favorites include the following:

1. Days we never changed out of pjs, brushed our hair or bathed.

2.  Days we never left the house.

3.  When she was about 18 months - the age Little Dude is currently.

She has grown so very much.

She's intuitive and perceptive.

Plays in worlds birthed completely from her vast imagination.

Recognizes all her letters and most numbers through 20.

Sings.  Endlessly.

Eagerly prays over meals.

Loves on her brother - unconditionally.

Hates broccoli.

Loves blueberries.

And has absolutely no personality at all.

Okay.  Maybe she has personality.

Just a little.

I love you my dear, sweet Nellianne.

You made me a mother.

You are my joy and sunshine

and as much as I love you,

my precious four-year-old,

Jesus loves you even more.

Happy Birthday Sesame! 

Science and Laughter

 

 That's right.  Science class starts at age 2 in the G-clan household.  "Why?" you ask, because:

A)  Science is fun.
B)  My daughter asked to do a "Science Peer-i-scent" aka "Science Experiment."  Yes, that's right, she asked to learn.  I'm sorry people, but all the mounds of dishes, laundry and toys can wait.  If my Sesame requests to learn, I'm going to soak up the opportunity.
C)  I secretly love having a toddler about so I can make messes and then blame her.
D)  Science is fun.  Duh.

Today's adventure includes a lesson in density.  :)  I completely stole this experiment from an episode of Sid the Science Kid saw this somewhere, and decided to spice it up a bit.

So.
Here we go.

The cast of characters:

As you can see, I have six glasses out that appear to be filled with water.

Oh, but they are not all water.
Muahahahaha.


(That was my evil scientist laugh - I felt it was appropriate here)

That's right.  White Vinegar.

With the baking soda.

Boo-yah.  Take that Sid the Science Kid.  I'll take your density and raise you...um...some cool reaction thing.

(Note:  Husband is the scientist.  I studied liberal arts.  Cut me some slack on the terminology.)

Step 1:  Begin adding one ingredient to each glass.

Step 2:  Take excessive photos of terrific, tiny toddler hands.

Step 3:  Stir ingredients in and discuss why some float (pepper & parm) and why some dissolve (sugar & salt).

Step 4:  Take photo of cute little scientist in her apron.

Step 5:  Be sad when you realize your baking soda is old and does not react well with vinegar.

Step 6:  Show toddler the fabulous lemonade and mix it together with enthusiasm.

Step 7:  Be sad again and start gagging when you realize your baking soda is not expired - you only mixed it with water.  How do you know this?  You just drank vinegar-lemonade.

Ew.

Gross.

Step 8:  Listen to your toddler laugh hysterically while you spit, gag and rapidly drink coffee to wash away the gross-ness that is vinegar-lemonade.

Step 9:  Improvise and make cool vinegar-lemonade-baking soda explosion.

Step 10:  Laugh at the cool bubbles with your toddler and admire the sweet mess you made together. :)

Tomorrow's play time experiment:

And, to appease Grammy :):

Guess who is starting to dig story time at our house!?  Little Dude LOVES it when Sesame and I read.  It makes me so happy.  :)

A Note.

I love my kids.  :)
They rock.

Sesame was twirling around the house with a Sunday straw hat on and an open umbrella yesterday, singing "Let's Go Fly A Kite" at the top of her 2.5 year old lungs.  She told me she was Mary Poppins.  I told her I was Bert.  She said "Mommy you are a gurrrrrrrl.  Bert is a boy.  You can be the penguins that dance."  I said "Okay." and waddle-danced around the living room.  Lil Dude just tooted and cooed at the crazy dancing penguin people.

Squirt urped on me 5 times yesterday.  Five.  Times.  These five times were the only times I had to actually change my clothing because of the copious amounts of fluid that erupted out of his teeny, tiny 9 week old mouth. There were other urp incidents that were not wardrobe change worthy.  It's amazing what I deem acceptable with number two.

Squirt is totally rockin' the old man expressions these days.  His strained peas smile spreads across his face more and more frequently ever day.  His falling into mild patterns that are allowing me to plan more effectively for outings and quality time with Sesame.  I love the special time the Lord grants me between 5 and 6 am with Squirt.  He wakes, eats and is happier, more satisfied and animated than any other time throughout the day.  I'm eager for him to be a bit bigger, but am cherishing moments such as these.

Sesame lined all her stuffed animals and dolls up on the couch today.  When I inquired, "What are you doing?"  She proudly reported, "Sending them to school."  "Oh," I replied, "Are you the teacher?" She looked at me like an alien "Mommy, I am 2, I cannot teach them school.  I will teach them Sunday.  About Jesus and dying on the cross."

I cried a little.

My sweet Sesame is growing into such a person.  A person who shares the gospel message with stuffed animals, grocery store clerks and her little brother.  I don't mind that potty training is taking forever - she's picking up quickly on what's important.  :)

If only we were all so bold as Sesame.

Growing Boy.

This won't be long.

No, really - it won't.

I'm not going to elaborate on how I'm typing this in the kitchen, standing up with a pile of asparagus in front of me while Sesame is playing in a sink full of water, pantless.

I won't spend my precious moments of time recounting the tale of why my couch cushion is sitting in the middle of my dining area, covered in baking soda and seltzer water.

I don't think you even want to know why I'm on my fourth shirt of the day and why the only pair of summer weight pants that fit me have been washed twice today.

Even though you would most likely cackle uncontrollably if let you hear how I chased after my dog.  Only to find out that it was, in fact, not my dog - I will not tell the tale.

Why?  

Because this little dude:

has been waaaaaaaaaaaaay too fun today to think about any of that!  :)  

Have a fabulous day!

Laughing Out Loud

I found some photos.  I know, you all are shocked.  :)  There I was, planning to post something all crafty, because for once in my life I remembered to take photos of a project, when I found these fantastical photos.  And I laughed.  Out loud.  No, really, not just like IM speak "lol" - I really laughed out loud.

The first:

This is so hilarious because what you don't see is my daughter's face when she realizes there was something in the bucket that she put on her head.  "What was inside?"  You ask.  Water.  That she put there.  Two seconds before this photo was snapped.  :)  See - you're starting to think about laughing aren't you????

Then there is this photo - which needs no explanation save my husband has waited his entire life to have children for a moment like this:

I'm sorry, can we just zoom in on that face a bit:

Ah, parenthood.  :)  Happy weekend!

On Missions.

I have a heart for missions.  No, like a heart that wants to move to Kodiak, AK someday to help with missions on the Emerald Isle - kind of heart - for missions.  I feel very called to serve in that particular place for my Lord.  But, the time is not yet.  Regardless of my love for the people of Kodiak I know that the Lord has me here, in this time, and in this place for a purpose.  He's been teaching me about contentment.  He's been teaching about my role and job as a missionary to my neighbors.  He's opened doors and shut them.  He's moving and creating opportunities to share the Good News that is Jesus Christ.  (Can I get and Amen?!)  

That said, Husband and I have talked several times about instilling a love for missions in our children.  What does that look like?  How do we do it?  How do you show them to perceive the needs of others - both spiritual and physical?  When is too soon?  When is too late?

As with most things parenting, we determined you can never start too early.  :)  

Our Middle School kids are doing their yearly mission trip this week.  There is no grand trip across, or out of, the country.  Our kids are preparing the grounds of an area where Missionaries come to rest between travels. They are working in a local food bank.  They are doing work which they will see the results of in their own community.  Awesome. :) 

Husband is with them.  We decided since I am 2 weeks away from birthing Little Squirt that maybe I shouldn't be shoveling dirt, digging ditches and hauling metal fencing, so I'm visiting them and taking photos.  :)  Although, all that manual labor could through me into a welcome labor.  But them husband would miss the rest of the trip.  And that would be sad.  I digress...

Sesame and I visited yesterday morning.  On the way over, I explained that we were visiting the kids and we would be helping.  "I wanna diiiiiiiiiiig!"  She shouted from the backseat.  I sighed to myself thinking, she totally doesn't understand in her little 2/5 year old mind what's going on.  She is totally going to be unhelp.

No.  She jumped right in.  New shoes dirty and grimy.  Her little Elmo shovel in hand, placing tiny bits of dirt into wheelbarrows.  Little Sesame grunts echoed around the open field as she tried so desperately to move the wheelbarrow.  It rocked.  :)  Afterward, on the way to Pappy and Yia Yia's, I asked her what she thought.  She replied, "I like ta help the people."  "I know, aren't the kids cool!" thinking she meant the middle school kids. "No, Momma!  You tell me dah fish-uhn-rees (missionaries) we helped." I paused.  "Yes, Sesame, we helped the missionaries so they can go tell people about Jesus."  "I like Jesus," she said, "An i cream (ice cream) We have i cream?"  

While she doesn't totally understand, something got through.  :)  At least Jesus came before the ice cream.

We brought our own Elmo tools to help with.

 
She jumped right in without hesitation - but what kid doesn't want to dig in the dirt and help with wheelbarrows!  Come on!  :)

 
Takin' a break after an entire hour of work!  Whoa baby!  :)  She even got to drink kool-aid out of a big girl cup!  Look out world!  :)