All the Sun For You

A mom, two boys, a husband, and a whole lot of adventure!

Category Archives: Monday Snapshot


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The Monday Snapshot – Practice Run = Success!

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We will be meeting Santa again this year, but in St. Louis this time two weeks from yesterday.  Meeting Santa last year was not a great experience for Matthew.  We got cute photos of him being scared, which wasn’t exactly what we were going for.  HA!  When Matthew was Bryson’s age, we got cute photos, but he was rather stoic in them.  But man alive, they were cute!

Today, while walking the mall with my mom friends, I thought, “why not try a Santa picture with Bryson?”  He was dressed for the occasion (a darling sweater outfit because jeans don’t fit his little legs) and was in a good mood.  So I got in line (there was no line) at 9:56, waiting for them to let us in.  He did great.  He was so cute and had a great time – and yes – his outfit was pretty perfect!

Of course I bought all the digitals (say it with me, “of course you did!”) and a 5X7 that I’ve already shown Matthew, asking him if he wants to meet Santa too.  He says no.  😉  We’ll see in a couple of weeks.  I’ll keep using that photo as bait, and the Santa-dressed sock monkey Bryson picked out for him while we paid for the photos.

Our photos next week better work out – we all (and I mean, we ALL, including B) have matching sweater outfits for Breakfast with Santa!  I have officially turned into my mother (sigh).

 


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The Monday Snapshot – Getting There

Matthew started soccer last weekend. It’s not anything formal, just a clinic to get them used to kicking the ball and having fun with the sport. They don’t play games, because, well, a group of two year olds aren’t capable of doing that yet.

Last weekend, he just wanted to run around, THROWING the balls, not listening to anyone (B, coaches, nor myself). It was hard for me because I enrolled him to give him something fun, but with structure. I want him to learn to listen well and take instruction. I expected this to come immediately since he’s in school.

Not so much!

B and I parent very differently (that’s a post in the making) and he wanted me to lighten up (rightfully so). It was hard.

This past weekend, I let B take him and I met them there. He refused his shin guards (of course) and his soccer socks, but he was having a good time. And he was listening a little better. He took a quick break to come say hello to me… And was extra cute about it. And then he was off again to have FUN. And I didn’t interfere as much as last week (all the parents step in).

We’re both getting better. We’re both getting there!


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The Monday Snapshot(s) – Awesome Morning!

Bryson had a crappy night last night, which makes sense given he had a super night the night before last. B had to leave town at 4:30 this morning, so when Bryson woke up at 3:30, I just put him in bed with me. It was his second waking since 10:15, which meant there would be more. No thanks! We slept well snuggled up together!

Bryson and I woke up at 7:00 and started getting ready for the day as I marveled in the fact that Matthew just kept on sleeping. I sort of worried about him, being perfectly honest, but didn’t want to wake him. At 8:00, I opened his door so he could hear us moving around and wake up on his own. At 8:08, I heard his sweet little feet running down the hall toward me! He slept for 11 hours last night! He was sad not to see Daddy but gave me a huge hug and kiss!

Matthew ate his breakfast as I got things ready for school. He let me dress him without a fight and we were off for school. We talked about “nice hands” and “good listening ears” before we said goodbye. Matthew loves school!

I am sitting in the Sta.rbucks parking lot as I write this, with a napping, snuggling Bryson in my lap (I nursed him to sleep, oh yes I did!). I’m supposed to be walking at the mall with the other moms, but my perfect moments with Bryson are more important than any walk or social hour. 🙂


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The Monday Snapshot – Mine!

There are moments when I can’t believe that my life is really mine. These moments jump out of nowhere and can truly almost move me to tears. They almost always revolve around the happiness of one or both of my boys (like when Matthew bursts out in dance whenever he hears music, or when Bryson can’t stop smiling at me, even when I’m sucking his nose out).

We had a busy weekend, full of visits with B’s family every day of the weekend. We had his brother over Friday night, visited his parents Saturday, and met his sister and niece for breakfast on Sunday. It was a LOT of family time, and a bit too much for me, frankly. B’s sister will talk with him and unintentionally leave me out of the conversation each.and.every.time we see her. It’s frustrating. And Matthew LOVES his cousin and they play hard, and Matthew gets a little naughty and out of control. 😉 So Sunday was a morning of trying to interject (unsuccessfully) into an adult conversation, being the only one able to tend to both boys during yet another meal, and trying to get Matthew to calm down.

Sigh.

But then Matthew did this, and it stopped my heart for a moment. His happiness overwhelms me sometimes, and reminds me to lighten up. And for a split second, I gaze at him and think, “I can’t believe he’s mine!”


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The Monday Snapshot – Family Photo!

We went down to Kansas City this past weekend to see some friends and to spend some time at an indoor water park.  We have a few friends and family members who live there, so we try to see everyone each time we go, which isn’t always possible.  One of our sets of friends down there is Steph and her family from Blawnde’s Blawg.  Steph and I have been “bloggy friends” for a year and a half now, and we’ve seen each other 4 times if you count their stay with us on their way to ChiBLOGo (I certainly count it because Steph and I stayed up late, talking and wondering (and sometimes crying) if we could love our soon-to-be-babies as much as our current babies – HA!).  I can’t imagine going to KC and NOT seeing Steph and her family – they are so much more to us than “bloggy friends!”  I was so excited when they were able to meet us for a LONG dinner on Friday night and then again the next day at the apple orchard.

B and I both had our phones, and Steph had her fancy camera, but none of us got photos of all of us together.  What a bummer!  There was one shot I wanted to get of Matthew and Chloe together, but both of them were D-O-N-E with all of us by the time we got the cameras out!  I mean, come on – there were DOGS and FIRES and WISHING WELLS and BARNS to play with and explore  😉

However, I did get my new favorite photo of my boys together (see my banner above) and Steph got a family photo of the 4 of us.  Aside from my “boo boo” black eyes and cut, I absolutely love this photo.  Thank you, Steph, for taking it!

(I did apply a filter to make it look a little more fall-like, and to mute my super bright teal shirt and my scuffed up face!)

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The Monday Snapshot – He Looks so Small

Bryson isn’t a small baby. In fact, he was 18.5 pounds just Thursday at the doctor (another ear infection). Because he’s so “sturdy,” I had no hesitation putting him in this stroller before the suggested age of 6 months. For the first time in a long time, my baby looked sooooo little! I love little reminders like this that he’s still just a little wee baby. 🙂


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The Monday Snapshot – Hope

Remember this post? Looking back, that was just CRAZY of me.  What was I thinking buying sleepers for an embryo that was only 4w2d old?  I remember people saying that they hoped I didn’t jinx myself.

Today’s post proves that you cannot jinx a pregnancy.

You just can’t!

These sleepers are sized 3-6 months – and that should have worked for the Halloween season.  However, Bryson is 17.6 pounds this morning, so I am in a rush to get these particular sleepers worn in the next two weeks or so.  For some reason, they are just special to me.  We talked about giving them to someone – but they symbolize too much.

They symbolize MY hope!

This is my contribution to the Monday Snapshot hosted at PAIL.  Go check it out!


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The Monday Snapshot – Seasons

Friday marked a seasonal shift for us here in Iowa. It’s been unseasonably hot for weeks, but on Friday, there was finally a cool breeze in the air. It was so cool that I had to get some jeans out for Matthew to wear and I realized that this was his first time wearing 2T pants. Matthew’s gotten rather slim this summer, with his size 5 diapers being bigger on him in September than they were in May, but there’s no denying his growth in height. His legs are longer and leaner, and he definitely needs the extra length in his 2T jeans.

He looks so much older.

He looks like a big kid versus a toddler.

It’s a new season, both in temperature and in parenting. This picture makes me very aware of that.