WayfaringStrangers

When I was pregnant with Graham, Behn and I made the decision that, if possible, I'd stay home with him for at least a year. But we needed my income, so we prayed about how God would provide. And He did! He provided Baby F- Frankie- to come stay with me full-time M-F. Money was still tight, but it was so helpful to have that paycheck. The boys have kind of grown up together. Frankie's always been a little ahead of all his developmental milestones, so Graham had someone to mimic.  They've learned to sit up, crawl, walk, and talk (more Frankie than Graham. Frankie can say a million words!). They eat 'real' food, play with toys, splash in water, and color pictures. They are so big! It's been a fun, hard, exhausting, and rewarding year+. It's much harder to haul 2 kids in and out of the car, keep an eye on 2 little runners at a park, and coordinate the naps of 2 boys. I haven't been able to run errands during the day because taking the 2 of...

Well, I'm 20 weeks pregnant! I should accompany this statement with a picture, but I don't like the ones Behn took yesterday, so we'll have to try again later today. I look about the same (but a little bigger) as I did when I was preggo with Graham. I feel bigger though. My sciatica nerve in the bottom of my back is giving me grief at the end of everyday. This didn't happen til waaay later on in my 1st pregnancy. Fortunately, the baby isn't big enough yet to shove my innards into my ribcage. That was a terrible part about being pregnant last time and I'm sure it'll happen soon. I'm enjoying feeling the baby kick and move. I'm enjoying 'looking' pregnant. I'm enjoying eating too much food. Watching Graham and Frankie is becoming really, really difficult. I know that these are 'first world problems.' I don't have to carry my water from a well, or boil beans for hours on end to make dinner, or go potty in an outhouse. I have ...

We are way overdue for some pictures. First off, Frankie and Graham in a box. I like to keep them contained. Just kidding ;-) As if a cardboard box could contain them.  This is how Graham spent the one snow day of the year. Poor boy. I loved the cuddles though!  What I do not love is my couch. It's been my heart's desire for a new couch for some time. Trying to be patient about it!  Winter wonderland:  The next day the snow was melting fast, so even though G was still running a little fever, I gave him Tylenol and bundled him up. He was happy to be outside, he'd been pointing to the door all day. Smurf:  My child is really, really cute in person. But if you so dare to pull out a camera, he puts ALL his effort into looking away from it. He's a STINKER!! Not photogenic at all. But I caught a smile... " Mmmm, kind of tasty." Don't eat the yellow snow, Graham.  Toddler footprints in the snow. That's just sweet. I'm...

I haven't been the most fun mommy/babysitter the past few months. I don't love it about myself, but as soon as the holidays were over, the winter blues seemed to set in. The days are loooooong and so, so monotonous. Days when we can get out of the house are better than the days we're stuck here (sharing the car with Behn has been a challenge). These 2 boys get into everything, and I find myself saying 'no,' 'don't,' and 'stop it' more than I'd like to admit. And it's been a mild winter, but it's not like you can frolic around in a sundress or t-shirt. We still have to bundle up most days. It's just been....blah...lately. I always thought once I had my own home, it would be a happy one. Silly expectations. Not that our days are miserable, but they could be sweeter. I wanted to be a 'fun' mom. Ready to explore, have adventures. Not just 'get through' our days. Enough about my failures. Today Graham had decided ...

I'm realizing I like to blog more during the week because it's a fun excuse to avoid actual work and my ongoing list of to-do's. I have several ideas for posts to write, and Behn's been talking about writing something up on here too, so stay tuned for that! There's a new kind of crazy up in here, ya'll. For real, this job of mommy/babysitter has gotten so much harder lately. I just had several days off from babysitting and really enjoyed spending lots of quality, one-on-one time with my son. It was so special to give all my attention to him and truly enjoy all his little antics. Moms who have the privilege of staying home with your firstborn: enjoy it! Once there's another one around, it's chaos. I'm not complaining about keeping Frankie. He's a joy- he's hilarious- he loves me and I him- he and Graham are best buds- God has provided for our needs through this extra job. But it is harder. So, back to the crazy: Graham is now walking indep...

It's pretty hard to describe my 'typical' day with these two boys...but I will try! I try to stay on a general schedule, but every day is different. Some days we have playdates, some days we don't. Some days we're outside a lot, sometimes we're inside more. Some days they nap well, some days they don't. Some days I want to give up, pull my hair out, lock them in a cage (just kidding), or sell them to a circus (kidding again). Some days I delight in their giggles, kisses, and silly antics. Frankie gets here around 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. Graham is always excited to see him. They usually play for a little bit while I inhale coffee and say bye to Behn. I try to have Graham's breakfast over with before Frankie gets here, so that I can focus on giving Frankie his breakfast. Of course, when one kid is eating, the other wants to eat too. We play for a while or go for a walk, then around 10:30 I try to get one or both of them down for a nap. Then I spring into ...

Ok Patient Parents and Grandparents, I'm finally posting pics of our little pumpkin!! The costume was a gift from Graham's Uncle Stephen. Stephen called me one day and said he would like to buy G his halloween costume and what would I like him to be? How sweet is that? So my mom and Stephen went to Target and picked out this: It was so cute on Graham! He even left the hat on. He was a sweet, cuddly little pumpkin. (Albeit, not very photogenic. As SOON as he sees the camera come out, he refuses to look at it. He's all smiles and interaction except for photo shoots. Sigh.) Graham and Frankie went trick-or-treating downtown together. Of course they had to go together, that's what best buds do! The Pumpkin and I. I feel bad I got no pics of Behn with G. Graham and Frankie went out with me and Frankie's mom, but Behn was working. When Behn came home from work we took Graham out to a friend's house but it was dark and we didn't get any photos. Anyway, it was a...

I've never put a picture up or used the name of the other child I watch on the blog- I wasn't sure if his parents wanted me to. But over the weekend Graham got to go to his first birthday party and I took lots of pics and got permission from Frankie's mom to post them (yup, Baby F is Frankie). It was really sweet going to Frankie's 1st birthday party- after all, he and I have a pretty strong bond and Graham really loves his best bud. Frankie's party was at a farm! How fun is that?? We had a really hard time getting them both to look/smile. On a hayride. They both loved it! So much to see.. Picking a pumpkin Looking at Baby Goats with Daddy It was a fun fall day. Graham really does love Frankie. Every morning when Frankie gets here, Graham is all squeals and giggles. They play together, fight, wake each other up, and get into trouble together. Basically, they're like brothers. Sweet little boys that keep me on my toes. Speaking of which, I should go now bec...