Time Lapse: Mi-Ma's Backyard

Meli was funny with the squirt guns. She mostly just drank out of it.

This past April marked 5 years since we moved back to Oregon. Meli's first time seeing our beautiful state and (in my opinion) finding her home. I think Colin could fit in to either state, but Miss Mae definitely has a PNW (Pacific Northwest) spirit. 

My sweet, sweet boy

Good ol' Facebook provided me with a little walk down memory lane of that first month back home. What a fantastically, sweet time with my kiddos.  I was fortunate to be home with the kids for a few years before going back to work and I am so grateful for that period. I am so glad to be back to work now, but it was perfect timing to have that before school started and to help adjust to a new life.

That first summer, we spent a lot of time outside in MiMa's yard. Sprinklers was Meli's favorite thing. 

As the kids seem to be aging at such a rapid pace, I have been loving the memories from those first few years. We all have adapted to being in a new state. I think Colin took the longest since he had more bonds with East Coast family. Meli was not quite 2.

We also lived a block away from one of the local schools, which was a perfect place to take the kids. The air rocket launcher was an enormous hit!

Meli turned 7 this month, and I feel like it is closing a chapter. More about that in a future post. Mama is being emotional this month!

Double Digits...What?!

My affectionate, honest, and fun first-born turned 10 a little over a month ago. I think that out of the milestones we have come to, this one has been the most difficult for me. We are starting on the next chapter of parenting. The next set of years are going to be ones more challenging on us to teach what is right and to provide the skills to handle situations on his own. Leaving the early childhood years behind (for at least one of our kids) is not going to be easy.  I am so thankful for the wonderful memories we have and for building a strong bond with my lovable son. I am so proud of Colin.

I am in utter shock that we are at this point. The last 10 years have gone by in a blink. Literally feels like I closed my eyes and when I opened them he is talking about coding and relationships. It seems like he went from this small bundle in my arms to this kid asking about girls in a fleeting moment. I feel ill-prepared for this next phase of Colin's childhood.

It has really put in perspective how much we need to hold onto these moments even more. I am loving every hand hold, hug, kiss, question, and reading time. These are the memories that I will miss. I know there will be a day that Colin will not want to hold my hand. Or will tell me that he would rather just read to himself at night.

I am so grateful that one of his love languages is time spent. Hopefully, he will need that from me for a long, long time.

I am so thankful for a son who has made being a mother so easy. I love his sense of justice, his genuine goodness, and that child-like wonder that makes him so kind and curious.


                                                                   ~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~
                                                                               The B Family

Walnuts of all things

I love how random items can cause you to recall memories that have been long forgotten. When we took the kids apple picking recently, I found a big bin of walnuts and it made me giddy. I grew up with a big walnut tree in our backyard and love them! The walnut tree was the coolest thing ever. My brothers and I loved this tree. It was such an wonderful source of entertainment. We would climb it, swing on the tire swing my grandpa made, have walnut fights (which hurt like hell) and lay under its shade.

I remember having a big sheet laid on the floor with tons of walnuts on it for us to crack. Usually around the holidays. Perfect memory.

My grandparents house was awesome. We also had a plum and apple tree. I need to get more trees for our yard. We have several but not any that produce actual food. I would love an almond tree!

                                                        ~ Love, Hugs &  Kisses ~
                                                                The B Family

Sorry Baby Girl...Mom's Hair is Curly

Opposites

Meli and I are a great example of opposites when it comes to physical features. She has blonde hair and I have super dark brown (almost black, but totally not black). She has super straight hair and I have super curly hair. She also has porcelain skin. I am not as tan as I used to be, having what I call my "Oregon tan" (basically meaning I am pale). I guess that is really the only three things, but it is enough for people to not pick her as my daughter.  There have been a few times, when I took one of her friends to the store with us or other public places and people always think the darker hair ones are mine. Not Meli.

I straighten my hair every once in a while. Usually when I get my hair cut. This last time, Meli asked me if I could put it back to straight after I had washed it. Not necessarily because she does not like it, but she wants us to look the same. She wants to have dark hair and for me to have straight hair. At least she did not pick for me to be a blonde. I do not think that look would work. At all.

It got me to thinking about how as a kid, I always wanted straight hair. I would have given anything to have straight hair like the other girls. Especially in Jr. High. I wanted to fit in by looking like everyone else. It is funny how we think when we are younger. I thought my hair was too different. Not that anyone ever said anything to make me think that. Usually it was compliments. As shy as I was though, I did not really enjoy the attention it would bring. Another contributor was probably all of the magazines that had girls with straight hair or the hair books in the salons that had mostly straight hair styles. When I was going for a haircut, I would always point to the super short, super straight hairdos. My mom would always have to break the news that my hair would not do that. I thought I always had to have the same hair style to work with my hair. Took my 30 years, but now I know that you can do different styles! I love my A-line. Although, that will probably go away soon, since I made a deal with Will and am growing it back out. He liked my hair cut, but he is definitely a long hair type of guy. I am sure I will chop it off again in a few years.

I think I was about 21 to 23 when I realized that I loved my hair! It was nice having something that made me different. Lots of people have wavy hair but probably quite a bit fewer with curly, curly hair. Or as Meli calls it "crazy hair".  Rather than when I was a teenager, I can now appreciate what makes us different.

Around 21.

I also realized that my hair works best for my personality. I need something that is not high maintenance, because I just do not do that. I need minimal time to get ready. I am not someone who will spend hours getting ready. I am irritated  if it takes me more than 30 minutes. My hair gives me the freedom not to wash it very often. I hate having wet hair and I do not blow dry...so once a week - hell yeah! (Caveat - I do shower daily). If my workout makes me sweat too much then this will not work as well.  Too much sweat = Frizz galore.

I do miss long hair

I was telling a friend that you can tell what day from my last wash I am by my hair style! Unless it has been raining a lot. Rain and curls - oh my! I will have to try and take pictures of the different stages.

There are some things I would change. I hate frizz, but that is just a necessary evil that is fixable. I know when it rains, I will not be having a great hair day...but I love rain - so I am OK with that. Sloppy bun day or a cute braid will do. It also takes me longer to get to the length I want. My hair grows super fast, but it also gets curlier the longer it is. It amazes me to straighten my hair and see how long it really is. 

Poor Meli. I am sure when she is older, she will learn to appreciate our differences. She also could eventually turn curly. When her hair is wet, she definitely has some texture to it. Unlike Colin's, whose is just straight when wet.

Maybe curls in her future

                                                         ~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~
                                                                        The B Family

Almost...a Six Year Old

Alexandria, VA - 36 Weeks

We are getting ready for Meli’s birthday next month, I cannot believe that she is going to be six! Once they start elementary school, it just seriously flies by and so many changes occur. They seem to transform from little babies to kids overnight. As I tend to do this time of year, I reminisce on my pregnancy with Meli, her birth, and the years we have had. Facebook assists in this with all my time hop pictures.

I love brick 

 My pregnancy with Meli was (in certain aspects) more enjoyable than with Colin. My first pregnancy the morning sickness never seemed to went away. So, with Meli I had the expected 3 months or so and then I was done. No more. I craved food that was abnormal for me to do so with Meli. I surprised Will by requesting a steak dinner more than once! I am pretty sure that was our first time eating at Outback together. I also started to like peanut butter! That one stuck, but the meat cravings did not.

Mama

My position at work during this pregnancy required traveling, which was an interesting experience. I got a chance to see how other countries approach pregnancies. Like in Italy the restaurant owner insisting that I have a liquor shot after my meal (I thanked him and snuck it to my co-worker).  I will say that European airlines treat pregnant ladies so nice! It is like the princess treatment compared to US airlines. At least in my experience. I should note that most of my conus travel was done United Airlines,so I can only really say that about them. I was not treated horrible whatsoever, but a stark contrast to the European airlines I traveled with (a few different ones) throughout my pregnancy.

Love

One of my favorite things about my pregnancy (for selfish reasons) was that my doctor prescribed me to have ice cream every night. This was because once I had reach the time where you typically feel the baby kick and move, I was not feeling Meli. The only time that I would feel her was when I ate ice cream. I was totally OK with this. I love ice cream, but my stomach does not always do well with it. During my pregnancy with Meli, I had a stomach of steel. All my typical triggers for an upset stomach did not seem to bother me. So, I enjoyed my ice cream time guilt-free!

Alexandria

One reason we had to monitor Meli, was that at one point very early on she seemed to have been trying to come way too early.  My doctor kept an eye on her from then on.  This was also due to her discovering with my first birth that my body did not create the best placentas. She had likened my placenta to what they call “Smoker’s Placenta”. Now, from recent lessons-learned – I should clarify. For those who do not know me very well, this DOES NOT mean that I smoked during my pregnancy. It only means that my body creates not so great placentas and like those of someone who chooses to smoke during the pregnancy, mine deteriorate earlier than most. This is not good for the baby. That is why I have had to be induced with both pregnancies. I was not able to sustain both babies in my womb past a certain number of weeks. For some women, they have things that cause it to be difficult to deliver without a c-section, for others producing milk is difficult…For me, creating placentas is not my body’s strength. We all have our things. My doctor even told me after delivering Meli, that “I was built to deliver babies – I just cook them too fast”. Rest assured, I did not smoke at all while pregnant. I have never been what I would call a “smoker” anyways. I was what you would call a “stress smoker”. Meaning I smoked only under extreme stress (like a major break-up or my parents’ divorce) and only in my super early 20’s. I would buy a pack and then maybe buy another one 3 or even 6 months later. I have never had a cigarette while Will and I have been together (which covers both pregnancies). I do not condone smoking while pregnant whatsoever. There was even a young girl who was in the same pregnancy week that I was (IAP) that talked about smoking while pregnant. I am fairly certain that she left the group due to the comments that myself and the other moms made. Not that we were mean, but gave our thoughts and encouraged her to quit. Hopefully that clears up any confusion that maybe out there from my past posts. I hate the thought of people getting the wrong idea of me.

National Harbor

Meli has been such an interesting girl. She is such a free-spirit, stubborn (just like her mom), funny, and a tad grumpy. Her body knows when she needs food (meaning she gets hangry) and she needs her sleep. She definitely dances to the sound of her own drumbeat. I am so glad for the privilege of being her mom. It may have its difficulties at times, but any parent knows that comes with all kids. None of them are very likely to be a cake walk.  I love her difficulties and all. 

Alexandria

One of my faves

Greece, 28 weeks

Italy - 27 weeks - sadly my ownly belly pic from there

I tried to post different pictures than I usually do for post about my pregnancy with Meli. All of the Alexandria pictures and National Harbor were taken by my sweet friend, Amy.

~ Love, Hugs &; Kisses ~ The B Family

Goodbye Mr. Cowley

“Some days there won't be a song in your heart. Sing anyway.”

- Emory Austin

Yesterday, I drove to my hometown to say goodbye and celebrate a life of a very special person. It was surreal sitting in a multipurpose that I have not been in probably 16 years or so. To revisit a very exciting and important time in my life and at the same time saying goodbye to a person that was very prominent in that period. I was fortunate to know him by different names; 1) Coach Cowley - my 7th grade basketball coach, 2) Mr. Cowley - my art teacher for 3 years, and 3) Dan - a family friend.

Dan was a great person, teacher, and coach. A person who showed a passion for creating, compassion for teaching and coaching, and joy for life. It was evident in life and in the pictures shown at the Celebration of Life that he had a great relationship with his son and  so much love for his wife. People say pictures can be deceiving but not when the joy is so obvious. True joy is hard to fake.

Someone mentioned this yesterday and truly hit it on point. He did not treat us as kids, but as people. This is a very important thing during the teenage years. Mr. Cowley would give my younger brother and I a ride to school during my 9th grade year... He knew me during some of my moodiest years and he was always full of patience. He would offer a laugh when that was what I needed and an ear when I really just needed to be heard.

It is sad that it took his passing to remind me of all the things he taught me during those formidable years. Even so, it was a very much needed reminder. It is amazing how much one person can teach you if you are just willing to pay attention and be open to learning.

After the celebration, I was able to catch up with some of my other favorite teachers from Jr. High. I was amazed how much some had changed and how a few who looked exactly the same. I noticed that if I were to name my favorite teachers there (Mr. Cowley included) they all had similar traits and outlook on life. They were kind, easy-going, and funny. They took learning and life seriously but not so seriously that they did not enjoy it. Their humor and joy was infectious.

I am very glad to have know Dan, to witness his love for his wife and son, and to have the memories of a great coach and art teacher. To have the privileged of being one of his students who heard on several occasions "Add more detail" to my drawing or painting, and one of his athletes who had to run lines for talking too much during practice learning the importance of focus. Along with the important lessons and instructions, I remember the laughs and the high fives after a great shot or play.
Goodbye Coach. Go red!


"Make every Day your Masterpiece" - Dan Cowley

“Life is a first impression. You get one shot at it. Make it everlasting.” 
― J.R. Rim

"Live Simply. Dream Big. Be Grateful. Give Love. Laugh Lots. - unknown.


~ Love, Hugs &; Kisses ~ The B Family

Flashback - 3 Years Ago

Rest area break - they were so small!

Facebook reminded me that three years ago this last week, we said goodbye to our life in Virginia and started our drive to Oregon. I enjoyed looking at the pictures that I had posted during that drive. Meli was so small, not quite 2 and Colin was 5. I remember being nervous about the drive because Meli hated being in the car. Anything that restricted her was not cool. That is why I opted out of flying with just her. I knew it would only be one day, but man I could not imagine her in such a restricted place like a plane. Colin was a great flyer at 2, but I was fairly certain Meli would not be the same. 

Colin was set

Surprisingly, she did fantastic in the car. We had a few tricks up our sleeve. Like each day she had something new like a book, coloring book, or toy to entertain her. We also bought a DVD player for the car. We were not big on the idea of that but for long trips such a lifesaver. 

Sleepy Mae

I cannot believe that is has already been three years! A lot has happened in that time. I am so glad for our move and I think it was the right choice, but I really do miss the east coast too. 

Continental breakfast are wonderful!

I think this is Wyoming. 

Meli loved the hotel rooms!