Changes from generation to generation

It occurred to me the other day that like things of my mom’s past, I am now old enough to have experienced things that you most likely will not.  Maybe some of these things will show my age, but we all age at some point right?  And it’s how old you feel you are that counts right? 

I could not help but wonder, will you know what this symbol # is/was called?  I think quite possibly it could be Jeopardy trivia in about 30 years.  “This symbol used to have other uses before it became the precedent to a hashtag.  What is the pound sign Alex.”  Yes, Alex most likely won’t be around but I could not help but chuckle at the mere fact that the pound sign is quickly and mostly known as what goes before the hashtag and I can see, as the use of it increases, quickly becoming called hashtag itself. 

Growing up I used to get confused when calling some numbers.  They would ask you to put in your zip code or some other number and for the longest time, I had to think, “Okay.  When they ask me to push the pound sign when I’m done, which one is it, # or *?” 

This reminds me of our trip to North Carolina a few weeks back.  Your cousin Nick walked up to me and showed me what he called a GPS and that it didn’t work.  Now, I could not help but laugh.  It was an old Sony Walkman!!!  This was something we used to listen to music on as kids!

Your generation probably won’t know how cool we thought cassettes, or better known as tapes (this is what we played on the Sony Walkman), were as kids.  We’d listen to the radio and try to record the song that was playing to the tape but you had to get it just right so as to get as much of the song as you could before the DJ would come in.  It became a skill!  Don't even get me started on records!  There are people who are my age that haven't listened to a record!  Insanity!  (smile)

Or the fact that there used to be toys in the cereal boxes!  Yes, you read that right, toys!  They weren’t very big but it was always fun to see if you got the toy when the cereal was poured and if not, who was going to get it and when would it fall out?! 

And phones, well, they used to be much different than they are today.  Today, most people have cell phones and no longer have home phones or land lines.  We decided to get a land line when you were born but we still have digital phones.  The original phone was attached directly to the wall and had a cord that went from the phone to the handset.  And, you’d talk and walk on the phone and get tangled up in it!  Sometimes, it would be quite hilarious to see how tangled you got!

(And the phone below still looks more high tech than phones we used growing up!)

Which brings me to a similiar topic, payphones.  They used to be everywhere!  You would go to them and make a collect call (a phenomenon where the person you were calling  would either accept the charges of the phone call or not) or deposit a quarter into them for 60 seconds worth of time!  Now, when you  see them (they have become more and more rare), they have a slot for credit cards and usually cost at least a $1 per call!

It’s kind of neat to think about all the changes that will happen in your lifetime and the rest of mine.  What will be here, what won’t be here.  And funnier still, when you watch “Back to the Future” part 2 knowing that the time period in the movie is past and how wrong they assumed things would be. (smile)

Love you baby cakes! 

Mommy

PS...For readers, what are some other things you can think of that have changed or that you think will change in the future?

When life is hard, look for rainbows,

There are times in your life where things will be hard.  That's just how life is.  This year, and going back into the end of 2012, have been really hard for me.  So much has happened but there seems to be so many more dips than rises that it has gotten me down.

The past several weeks have really put me in a not so great state of mind.  To the point that I stopped talking to God.  Now, it's not that I don't believe in Him or Jesus, but I couldn't talk or pray.  I have been so angry and hurt and have been putting that on God.  He could change things but has chosen not to.  That's what I kept telling myself.  Two weeks ago, I was ready to start talking to Him again.  I was ready to confess my sins and receive Him back into my life wholeheartedly.  But then, another blow, and I'm back down to where I've been for a while.

Last night I could see the dark clouds billowing in the West.  I was driving and just wanted to get home before the storm hit.  But as I looked into the rearview mirror, I couldn't help but say, "God, it's been so hard.  I cannot handle anymore.  I just want my rainbow.  Please show me my rainbow so I know everything will be okay.  You gave Noah his rainbow, now I need mine."

We got home, got into the house and not 30 minutes later, the storm hit.  It rained so hard our street was flooded instantly.  Rain water was coming out of our gutters as the sheer pressure of water was more than the gutters could handle.  We watched as impressive lightning strikes hit, and loud clashes of thunder pounded our ear drums.  You loved listening and kept reversing which was thunder and which was lightning but you loved the storm.  We played and listened as nature came down on our house.

The storm ended as fast as it came.  All of a sudden, bright sunlight shown in our large picture window in the foyer.  Daddy looked out the window of our backyard.  "Hey look!  There's a rainbow!"  I couldn't believe he said that.  He had no idea of what I'd said/prayed.  I ran to the kitchen window.  And sure enough, this is what I saw:

It's hard to see but there is a double rainbow.  I immediately thought of what I had said in my head earlier.  God showed up.  Not only did He give me exactly what I asked for, He helped restore my hope.  Here's to hoping for a brighter half of the year. 

God bless,

Mommy

Wow, You're 2.5!

This past week or so has been rough, a reason I haven't been writing many letters.  One bright spot in all this is that you turned two and half this past Monday!  I cannot believe how quickly you are growing up!  I am so happy to be your mommy and watch you and experience you in my life and watch you in yours.  I am also a little sad because this is going so quickly.

Your latest thing, singing.  You've always liked to sing, but now, you sing all the time and are surprisingly learning tone too!  You are never quiet and I love it.  You sing Mr. Golden Sun, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and so many other songs you learn from school.  You also clap to the beat of the song you are singing or listening too!  Music is in your blood baby!  But that also means, when you are quiet, you're doing something you shouldn't be.  (smile)  Just the other day you were singing, then silence.  You came to us with a mouth full of colored rocks.  Um, not a smart move baby girl.  We don't want you to choke.

You also like to repeat, EVERYTHING.  We always try to watch what we say but it is even more important now that you are getting older and like I stated, repeating everything.  You take your toys that talk, and push their buttons over and over again until you know what they will say next and you say it with them.  It's funny and at the same time, we then hear "Elmo Loves You!  Elmo Loves You More!" over and over again.  (smile)

With this oppressive heat wave we've been having, we've been playing in your little pool on the patio.  It's big enough just for you.  You love to splash around in it and I love watching you start to have a love for the water as your mommy does!  I'm hoping to get you into some sort of swim class but still hopeful I can take you to your Uncle Steve's pool or Aunt Laura's pool and start working with you myself.  Anywho, one of the things you love to do....is drink the pool water.  EWW!  (smile)  So we are working on that and your smart self has said, ok, they don't like me drinking it, I'll lick it.  Silly girl.

One thing, and I'm guessing this has something to do with you being two and learning what's acceptable and what's not, your tantrums aren't as fun as we'd like.  (smile)  But who likes a good tantrum?  For a while, I have been using the "count to three" method on you when you were not listening and it seemed to work.  All I would have to say was what I'd like you to do fill in the blank followed buy ONE.  You'd stop, sigh, and do what I asked in the first place.  Never had to go to two or three.  Well, come to July 2013 and that has changed somewhat.  I still count to three but now, more times than not, I have to get all the way to three.  Sometimes it results in you yelling "NO!!!" and doing what I had asked.  Other times, well, you and "The Step" have gotten to know each other very well.  (smile)  There are even times when you have done something that I have told you not to do over and over and you look at me, and say "I need to go sit on the step mama."  But if you do something and we have to put you on the step, GAME OVER.  You get quite upset.

You are also have a bit of the flare for drama.  We affectionately call these times Twama (two and drama).  (We also have what we call two-itude, two and attitude.)  You are a very passionate person and that passion leads to some full blown drama meltdowns.  Occasionally it leads to you screaming at the top of your voice in an not so nice tone and those times, you sit on the step (see previous comments about not liking it when we put you on there).  But it's also in that passion that I know you are going to be a lover and a fighter.  You will love deeply, and hurt deeply just like your mommy.  It makes me sad that you will have these hurts but at the same time, we are trying to teach you now how to handle these hurts in an appropriate manner so that when they happen as an adult, you know how to react.  We love you so much!

One last little note, when you were born, I decided to learn how to crochet and make crafts.  I even opened a "store" to make and sell items!  It's called Kreatively Krystin.  I haven't been updating it much lately but hoping to get back to it.  But that doesn't mean I haven't been busy crafting with you or for you!  Back when you were born, I made you your newborn blanket (I made it oversized and you are still using at 2.5 and asking for it every night) and since then TONS of different hats for you for all seasons and holidays.  I even made you your first birthday outfit with the help of Aunt Maria!  Just recently, you have loved what I've made and try to put it on yourself, even if it's not something that can be "put on."  And I love it.  Your enthusiasm for what I am doing melts me.  You are my inspiration little girl.  It's all you and I hope someday to teach you how to make some of these items yourself.  :D

Here are a couple pictures of you, my 2.5 year old:

Swimming in your pool:

Wearing your Patriotic Headband courtesy of PixelYarn:

Wearing your Sugar Skull Slouch Hat courtesy of Glamour-4-You:

Wearing your Spikalicious Beanie courtesy of Schere's Crafty Crochet:

You have my heart and I want to give you everything I can baby girl.  I love you to the moon and back.

Mommy

Wordless Wednesday at Westview Orchards

Another scare,

This is a long post today detailing some of the events of this past Saturday:

“Today is not all there is. Things will NOT continue on forever just the way they are right now. Eternity is quickly approaching, and with it a weight of glory that so far surpasses the troubles we are experiencing that Paul dares to call them “light and momentary” (2 Corinthians 4:17).”

I read this today from this blog and I cannot tell you how much it spoke to me.  I know I haven’t finished writing down the events of your diagnosed febrile seizure, but this past weekend, you had another one.  Not nearly as severe as your first one, but another one just the same.  I don’t understand why this is happening.  The first one you were catching a cold, but this one, we were playing at the orchard, checking out the celebration of 200 years of farming. 

You were so excited to go to the Orchard.  We had spent the last couple days talking about it.  Free donuts!  A free playground!  Free wagon rides!  And…your favorite part, a free petting farm!  We were so excited to see you in your element!

We headed out the door and got there just after they opened.  The parking lot was becoming filled with cars and as we walked to the entrance, the balloons caught your eyes!  We headed right over to them and you hugged one and kissed it.  You wanted to touch EVERY SINGLE ONE.  (smile)  Once we got to the sign in, we headed straight over to the Petting Farm.  You were so excited!  There were donkeys, sheep, goats, LOTS of goats, chickens and big white geese!  You petted each one and most of them kissed you right back!  You even had one goat try to eat your flower in your hair!  (“Billy goat silly goat chews everything just because he’s curious.  And when he nibbles at your clothes, it might make you furious!” from My Farm Friends book you love to read!)  You loved all the animals but kept saying, “Let’s go find the cow mama!”  Sadly, this was one petting farm that did not have a cow.  Hopefully the next one will!

We traveled over to the information center where you got to pick a donut.  It had lots of red and blue sprinkles!!!  Now, it didn’t mean much to me then, but you really weren’t interested much in the donut (your first seizure you also weren’t interested in food that morning…maybe this is our clue?).  You had maybe 2 bites total but what you really wanted was your water.  You chugged an entire sippy full of water!

We then went over to the wagon ride.  You were excited to get it started!  We sat for what probably seemed like ages to you.  (smile)  You were so happy when it started moving.  We were told it would be about a 30 minute ride with three stops to teach about farming the orchard.  The stops were really neat to listen to and it really put it into perspective that the farm was started back when George Washington was president!  WOW!  But as we listened to “The Bug Lady” at the first stop (taught us how they trap and look for certain bugs to keep the harvest at its peak,  green and healthy), you wanted me to pick you up.  So I held you and you started to drift off.  We quickly put a pull up on you, you had after all just drank an entire sippy of water, and I held you.  As the wagon ride went to the next stop, you passed out cold.  It was nice to sit and hold you while you slept.  We figured you were still so tired from the prior evening.  You had been out late and then woke up at 1am crying and had a really hard time getting back to sleep.  But it was nice to sit there and hold you.  The last time you did that you were sick and the time before, you were just a baby.  I know I won’t get many more times like this so I cherish them when they happen.  We took some pictures and the people around us smiled.  (I'll try and post a couple of pictures later on this week.)

When we got off the wagon, there was the free playground.  This farm had a TON of wooden things to play on.  One of them was a train.  You LOVE trains!  So, despite being exhausted, we went over to the train and you sat on it for just a minute.  Then you asked Daddy to pick you up.  You kissed the train goodbye and we headed to the car.

On the way to the car, there was a hotdog stand.  They were selling hotdogs for $2 and you asked for one.  So we bought it.  Surprisingly, they were REALLY TASTY!!!  We all blew on it and took some bites as we headed to the car.  Daddy carried you the entire way.  Once we got to the car, we set you down, handed you the hotdog and daddy started to put you in your carseat. 

I had gone to the driver’s seat and turned around as it happened.  This time, you dazed off, stared out into space with big wide eyes.  I started talking to you, again not realizing at first what was going on.  Then, we saw you start to drool, mouth wide open, drool pouring out.  We instantly knew what was going on.  I jumped out of the car and Daddy quickly picked you up out of the carseat.  We did everything to get you to pay attention.  Nothing worked.  Like last time, your arms and legs were cool but your forehead was burning up.  We started the car and put the air conditioning on high.  We sat in the parking lot with you on Daddy’s lap in the front seat for only a minute before we decided it was better for you to get the air on you directly than to move you to the back seat.  Regardless of this illegal action, I headed for home. 

We took the freeway (thank goodness it is an unpopulated freeway) and drove as fast as I safely could to get you home to give you some Motrin.  The entire way home Daddy was playing with you, trying to get you to respond.  I called the doc and we waited for his/her return call.  As we pulled into the driveway you told us you were cold.  Music to my ears!  You weren’t out of the woods yet, but you were coming back.  We raced inside, stripped you and gave you Motrin.  By this time, your temp under your arm read 98.9 on one side and 100.1 on the other.  Almost the same as last time.

When the doc called they told us they think it is another febrile seizure but cannot be sure.  Each time your temp didn’t read very high but it’s the speed in which the temperature rises that can cause this to happen.  There is nothing that can pinpoint for sure a febrile seizure.  They wanted us to monitor you over the next few days and possibly make an appointment with a pediatric neurologist, which we plan on doing, just in case.  We laid down in the rocking chair and you pulled the blanket up over you.  But then, you immediately asked for lunch.  The turn around on you was remarkable this time.  In less than an hour from it happening, you were already acting almost 100%, like nothing had happened.  So we ate and then put you down for a nap. 

During your nap, you literally wet the bed completely due to all the sweat.  Your hair was wet and matted.  And you started crying after only sleeping for an hour.  We knew you were still not 100%.  We took your temperature again and it was again 98.2 and 98.9, not considered a temp.

We still are not sure what is going on.  Your head was on fire but the rest of your body was cold, and I cannot help but wonder, if like last time, that means you were not getting oxygen to your extremities.  Like I stated earlier, I’m working on getting you an appointment to see a pediatric neurologist and hoping and praying you continue to heal.  This time, it came out of no where as you were not catching a cold, nor were you overheated or dehydrated.  We’re baffled as to why it is happening but also, concerned because there doesn’t seem to be any link as to when it could happen. 

And as I posted in the beginning, “Today is not all there is. Things will NOT continue on forever just the way they are right now. Eternity is quickly approaching, and with it a weight of glory that so far surpasses the troubles we are experiencing that Paul dares to call them “light and momentary” (2 Corinthians 4:17).”

With so much love for you baby girl,

Mommy

A letter to mom's on Father's Day...

I read this today and am so moved by it.  Thank you to The Better Mom for posting this letter.

Quodlibet, Cornelis Norbertus Gysbrechts

My Dear, Beautiful Daughter,

Today is Father’s Day. I know there’s a lot for you to do, and this isn’t a day you usually think much about yourself. But in all of today’s busy-ness , there were some things on My heart that I wanted you to know.

I see you. I see you patiently tying the shoes for what seems the fourteenth time in an hour, picking stray macaroni and cheese bits out of the carpet, washing yet another load of laundry. I see you struggling, too often alone and too often unnoticed and unthanked. I see your heart wilting a little when you feel unsupported, and I know you think you fail way too many times.

You need to know how much I love you. I am with you every moment and I do not miss any of those sacrifices you make for your children and family and for the people around you. I see them all. I am so proud of who you are. While perfection feels so far out of your daily, practical reach, I see that perfection already in your life because of my Son. There is nothing you could do today to make Me love you one bit more than I already do. Your efforts make Me smile and they are not in vain!

You know how your heart feels like it could burst when you sneak into the children’s rooms at night and catch a glimpse of those long lashes on rosy cheeks — the way you jump at their every cry for help — that surge of pride you felt at every new step, every accomplishment, every bit of progress as your little and big ones learn new things? All of those feelings originated in My own great heart. And I feel every bit of that same love and glory and pride as I watch your own progress.

I am cheering you on. I will never, ever fail you; I will never, ever leave you; and I will never, ever give up on you.

You are a diadem of beauty in my hand. I am perfecting everything that concerns you. I am the Author and Finisher of your faith.  And I am waiting to refresh you at every step, to strengthen you at every turn, to carry you whenever necessary.

And on this Father’s Day I want you to know that I am proud to be your

~Daddy

Cloth Diapers at major retailers!!!

Just a quick note this morning:

Wow!  I am so excited!  This past weekend, Mommy and Daddy got a chance to be away for a couple hours.  It was SOOOOOO nice.  I love you dearly but one thing that is very important in marriage is that Mommy and Daddy get some time for just the two of us.  So with me being sick (we'll discuss that in another letter) and Daddy not being 100% yet, we decided to stroll into Target and take a quick look around.  I have an addiction to looking at baby items so we went down the baby isle.  And, this is the exciting part!!!  They now carry cloth diapers!!!  Woo hoo!!!  I know it's silly to be excited about that but I am so in love with cloth diapers!  They were too cute on your bum and they help save the environment!  We are becoming a greener and greener family and I'm loving it!

Then I open my e-mail this morning to discover Sears is now carrying cloth diapers online!  You can have them ship free to your local Sears store and pick them up!!!  Yay!!!  Cloth diapers rock!

Love you baby!

Mommy