Annie at 2 and 1/2

Annie is 2 and a half, now. It has been so long since I last blogged that I forgot how, and had to have Kevin show me how to add a new post. That's sad, people. But since I love the stories I penned from the boys earliest days, I would hate to look back and be sad that I hadn't written anything about Annie. Plus, the boys get funnier and funnier! So it's time. Time to restart the blog. A quick story for my daughter, since this is just a test blog to see if it truly posts (again, I am woefully out of practice). Annie reminds me so much of me, when I was little. She spends all day dressed up in one of her princess dresses (she has several), and asks anyone who will give her the time of day if they will "marry" her. And by marry, she means "dance with." So the boys, Kevin and I all take turn "marrying" Annie. She is a very big fan of Disney's Sofia the First, and pretends to be her, and sings all the songs. She makes me recite lines with her that she has memorized from the tv show. "Mommy, I'll be Sofia, and you be Sofia's Mommy." If you can't find her she has likely slipped out the back door to play alone on the swing set, which she LOVES. And when no one can be coerced into pushing her on the swings, she contents herself with swinging on her stomach and claiming to be "Super girl." She is the best at hide and seek, for she is patient, and will wait quietly, while the boys, in their excitement to be found, or to give chase, give themselves away with fidgeting or vacating their spots prematurely. We often have to call Annie out of hiding to tell her she has won. The other day, I could not find her, and I went to the pantry to put something away-- where I found her standing flush against the shelves, her hand clutching a package of jumbo marshmallows, one halfway to her mouth. She froze, and looked at me for just a moment, said, "Hi, Mommy," then unashamedly continued her closeted bingeing. Kevin and I could not stop laughing. She is as animated as her brothers before her, and possesses a will of her own to boot. She is a pistol, and I love her to bits. So, that's a bit about my Annie girl. Annnnnd...The Bowles tribe is back...again.

Making plans

I like to make plans. I like to know where I am going to be in 5 years, and crucial steps that will need to be taken between this point and that one. Usually once a decision is made, I find myself completely at peace and purposefully striding toward whatever goal I have given myself. For example, when Kevin and I got married, we had a five year plan. I wanted to be married for 5 years before we started a family, to give us time to just be married. We were young after all, and I wanted to make sure we had time to do the things that having a family would have made more difficult. Like travel. Or pay off debt! Judah was born about 4 and a half years into the five year plan, so we got close to seeing that one through. Not all my plans are so easily achieved. Actually, most often I think the Lord gets a big kick out of showing me who is really in charge of my life, laying waste to my best laid plans in a breath. You would think that by now I would have learned to trust Him more and stopped trying to plan out my life in such absolute ways. But I haven't. So here we are again, at the start of a new year. And I find myself making plans. I think the thing that troubles me about not having a plan, or a map for the next set increment of time (whatever it may be) is the "limbo" factor. I loathe being in the "in between" stage. Whether that means in between big decisions, or in between seasons, or even in between dress sizes! I'd just rather be on one side or the other. Probably due to this disposition of mine, I make decisions too quickly. Based off convenience, impatience, logic, emotion, or even knowledge, I can rush the decision making process, thinking that a quick prayer and no clear cut answer is an invitation to take matters into my own hands. Kevin tells me that I shoot before I aim. Touché. Though Kevin will aim all the live long day and never pull the trigger, so it all works out. (God paired us together so very well)! So, the plans for 2012 are tentative -- I cant help but make them, it is how the Lord made me. But I am praying that God enables me to hold them with an open hand... Because if I have learned anything in my walk with the Lord, it is that His ways are higher than my ways, and His thoughts are higher than my thoughts. And in retrospect, each time I saw my own will crumble to make way for His...His was better.

Trimming the tree

We decorated for Christmas early this year. Okay, we do that every year, but this year we actually put our Christmas tree up before Thanksgiving. Usually, we do wait on that until after turkey day, but this year Kevin and I are flying to New York City the Tuesday after Thanksgiving to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. Since we will be in Livingston until Saturday, we'd prefer not to have to drag all the stuff out and then pack... It was a good excuse to start the holiday early is all I'm saying. This year, Canaan was the most enthusiastic decorator. He loved hanging the ornaments! He ran back and forth from the bins unwrapping, and exclaiming over each one, asking who it belonged to, and if he could hang it up. He had a wonderful time, and it was so cute. He especially enjoyed hanging the ones he has collected each year-- a toy story ornament, his baby picture, a truck, and this year's Lightening McQueen. He has inherited his Momma's zeal for the holiday. Judah also enjoyed trimming the tree. He hung a couple dozen of his favorite ornaments, and happily perched on top of the sub to get even higher to secure his favorites among its branches. When he grew bored with decorating, he removed himself to the couch and watched The Grinch, which was playing in the background. Annie was only 7 months old last year, so this is her first time to enjoy the tree and all the decorations. She loves the lights, and she enjoyed pulling the ornaments off the tree as much as Canaan enjoyed putting them on. We gave her a plastic ball ornament that she played soccer with, kicking it around the kitchen. Her ornament this year is a tennis shoe (tiny and covered in pink glitter with a rubber sole and shoe laces, but too small even for a newborn). She smiled with delight and said, "Shoe!!" She then tried to put it on her own foot, stepping on top of it, and growing frustrated that she couldn't figure it out. Eventually she gave up, and settled for putting on Judah's crocs and triumphantly strutting about the living room. The girl loves her shoes! I told Kevin this was my favorite year of decorating the tree so far.

Easily convinced

Every 3 or 4 months or so, there is a carnival that sets up in an empty lot near the big Silverado movie theater off of 249. As a child, (and okay, even as an adult) the neon lights and whirling rides are alluring. The boys bounce up and down in their carseats as we drive past the lot, and beg to go. We have been able to come up with excuses and diversions for a good while (it is raining, it is daytime and therefore, closed...) and never have we gone to the fair. Of course, it is nothing against fairs-- it is just that...well... They are sort of a wallet drain. Super expensive. You pay by ride, and before you know it, your family of five has ridden 3 things and you're $60 poorer. So this last time, when we saw the fair setting up, Kevin told the boys just that-- fairs suck your money away. The boys surprisingly accepted this truth easily, and with righteous indignation. The fair should not charge such outlandish prices! And as quick as blink they went from begging to go to the fair to despising its very presence and scowling at it every time we pass it. Today as we drove past it yet again, they began their rant, "I don't like the fair-- it sucks all your money away! I NEVER want to go there.". And then one of them (I honestly don't remember which one, and the other one picked up on it almost immediately), stuck his tongue out and spit at the fair. So then I heard, "thhhpppth!! I am SPITTING at you, fair! You suck away people's money.". I ADORE these kids. Even when I have to clean the van's windows because of their justice-fueled spitting.

Halloween dinner

This is a busy weekend for the Bowles tribe. The last soccer games were this morning, and both Kevin and I had various obligations today. Tomorrow at church, we are having our fall festival, and "trunk or treat" directly after the late service, and then Behold the Lamb of God rehearsal officially begins tomorrow evening. Monday is Halloween, and we are having our community group over for chili and trick or treating and hanging out with our neighbors. So tonight was our annual Halloween dinner.

We ate spaghetti and meatballs (worms and eyeballs...I put olives in the meatballs for the pupils), and pumpkin punch (orange sherbet with ginger ale), and for dessert we had slime fondue (white chocolate with green food coloring) with strawberries, oreos and ghost shaped marshmallows for dipping. Judah couldn't wait to dip into the slime, even though he had no idea what it was. Canaan was willing to pass, but Kevin talked him into it, and soon he was happily dunking Oreos into the green goo. Annie shrank away from the green stuff and wouldn't open her mouth for a taste. She ate lots of strawberries, instead. The general consensus from the boys? "This is the best night ever!". (They are prone to hyperbole).

We also carved our pumpkin and Kevin did the pumpkin gospel with the kids. Truthfully though, they were too keyed up to really appreciate it. The reactions to the slime inside of the pumpkin were exactly the same as the reactions to the slimy dessert: Judah gleefully hammed up his disgust with his characteristic enthusiasm, while digging into the pumpkin with zero hesitation. Canaan scooped out a couple of handfuls with timid reserve. Annie put her hand near the mouth of the pumpkin, and reconsidered, hiding her hands in her lap. Maybe next year. :)

The Pretenders

Not only the band that performs the moving rock ballad, "I'll Stand By You" but also an adequate description of the Bowles siblings. Current favorite boy aliases include jedi, pirates, ninjas, knights, warriors, princes, superheroes, and as you saw in the last post, Andrew Peterson. And now Annie has joined in the fun. She pretends to be a big girl. And a mommy. She puts her babies to sleep and sings to them, and all afternoon has been sliding her arm through the handles on the doctor kit like a purse and saying, "bye" and disappearing behind the recliner to her pretend destination. Also, she put on the Ironman hemet, calling it a "hat" (which is far too large for her, and caused her to be top heavy and fall down) and then saying,"buttons?" and pressing the buttons to make Ironman talk. If I was a better mom I would have taken a picture. Nothing like a gigantic Ironman head on a tiny 18 month old girl dressed in a rainbow heart decorated shirt.

We're baaaaaaaack!

The above title should be said in the creepy little girl voice from the movie Poltergiest. That movie was my first horror flick, and truly creeped me out. But there I go, down the rabbit trail...

Ehhh, so I took six months off from blogging. I harbor no false impressions that more than a handful of people actually read this thing, so I figured my presence from the blogosphere went by largely unnoticed. However, my children are 6 months older, and the stories must be told, lest I forget. And that is the reason for the blog in the first place. So one day my family and I can look back and remember and be blessed!

Let's begin with the oldest, shall we? Judah is 5. We homeschool (preschool) 2-3 days a week, and he attends a bridge program in Cypress on Tuesdays and Thursdays. His school experience this time around has been more favorable, though not without it's hiccups. He loves his school, his teachers, and most of all, the other students. He is so social, and enjoys so much being with the 8 other kids in his class. He has had a difficult time acclimating to the disciplined nature of a formal school setting. Namely, waiting his turn to speak or, well, do anything... And letting the teacher teach the class.... And sitting still. He has a rather impressive and annoying habit of correcting the teacher's Bible stories. We don't do much editing, I am afraid, when we tell the stories. So, Judah indignantly insists that Adam and Eve realized that they were NAKED, and God killed and animal to make clothing for them from the fur. Or explains insistently that Moses's mother cared for Moses in the palace because a woman was needed to breastfeed him, and the princess could not do it. Now, I get that he should let the teacher teach, but you have to admit...it is pretty funny. He played pharaoh in their impromptu play regarding the Exodus, and the teacher said, "pharaoh, what do you want to do?". Judah, arms crossed over his chest in smug self-importance announced in deep 5 year old tones, "kill the babies!". He can read short books now, and is starting to really develop an interest in reading on his own. Though, he really enjoys math best. I cannot believe how big he is getting.

Canaan Andrew is 3 and 1/2. Don't for get that 1/2 either--he will most certainly correct you! Canaan participates in our homeschool days on Mondays and Wednesdays for much of the material. And he is crazy smart. He picks up things very quickly, and if I pushed him, I know he could be reading by the end of the year. As it is, he can read a handful of small words, because he didn't want to be left out of the sight word game I was playing with Judah. His biggest interests these days are still cars, and now Mario. We don't even have a Wii yet, though I think we have decided to get one for the kids for Christmas. He plays at my parents house on Wednesday evenings when we go to community group. He and Judah are neck and neck in video gaming ability, and Canaan would play all day if we allowed it. But we don't. My quote is "your brain will die if you watch too much TV or play too many video games.". It's true, too. We only allow them to play on Fridays and Sunday afternoons. This rule eliminates crazy excess, and also the begging to play all week long. They know their days of the week, and we do a calendar, so it works. Yesterday, he came into the kitchen and said, "Mom, guess who I am pretending to be?". I raised my eyebrows and said, "who?". Canaan replied, "I am Andrew Peterson.". I just love this kid. He is playing his first organized sport this fall--soccer. He is easily the most focused and competitive child on his team. Wherever the ball is, Canaan is there. He made a goal a couple of games ago, and he has saved several as the goalie. But more importantly, he really loves to play. Last week he let a goal go by while he was the goalie, and he was upset that he missed. He really gets what is going on. (Meanwhile, Judah still forgets he is chasing a ball for a purpose, and not merely romping about with a bunch of friends!) Most of the kids on his team have to be bribed into playing, but Canaan will happily play all 4 quarters just for the fun of it.

And now, sweet Annie Beth. She is 18 months old, and will not stop talking. I cannot get over how well she speaks. Or climbs. Today, we had some friends over to play, and the boys went outside. Annie would live outside if I would let her. I turned my back for a second, and she was up the ladder scooting on her bottom toward the slide, yelping, "I did it! Slide!! Slide!!". After I helped her slide, she said, "whoa....gen? (again)". I already found her on top of the coffee table this morning, and right now, as I type, she is busying herself by climbing onto and off of the couch. She still loves shoes, books, and babies, and now has favorite stories she requests 200 times a day--the Karen Katz book "Twinkle Toes" and "Llama Llama, Red Pajama.". She sings along with the music in the car, and absolutely loves "juju" and "caycay", her big brothers. She has started finding things that could pass for purses and slinging them over her elbow, saying, "Go! Bye-bye!" and pretending to walk off. And Miss Sassy Pants mimicks my "look.". If I want her to stop some behavior, I lower my chin and raise my eyebrows to give her a pointed mom-means-business look. She lowers her chin and raises her eyebrows right back at me with her best best mommy impression and a hint of a smile. Yesterday she started telling knock knock jokes in the car. "Knock knock!". It took me a second. It sounded just like "knock knock".... After she said it a couple more times, growing more and more frustrated with me, I asked experimentally "who's there?". She laughed with delight and said "Dada!". Uhhhh... "Dada who?". She clapped her hands and said, "that's punny!". I love this stage.

Alright, enough for now. More to come. The Bowles Tribe is back.