a breadbox - a red box

While driving in the car to Waimea Bay, the kiddos were starting to act up, so I pulled out the trusty '20 Questions' game.  We usually start off with the questions - 'Is it a person?  place?  thing?  animal?  And then to determine the size, we try to compare it to things we know - Is it bigger than me?  A car?  Our house?  etc.

My mom has her own way of starting the questions - one that appeared a bit old-school.

Right off the bat, she asked, "Is it bigger than a breadbox?"

I looked at her sideways, and ask "What kind of reference is that?  These kids don't know what a breadbox is?"
                                         
From the backseat Madeleine's voice pipes up, "Yes I do!  I know what a RED BOX is!"

I looked at my mom again, but this time we both chuckled and she granted that my point was taken...a breadbox is definitely not the reference of size that these kiddos know about!

sleep training

We're doing two different types of sleep training in our home this week -

1) Emilia had a crazy May going to her sibling's end-of-year performances and having a rather busy schedule for a lil' 5 month old!  The result - her naps were thrown for a loop, and that girl was not as happy at naptimes and the end of the day for bed as she used to be.  I tried during the times we were home to get her to sleep, but she would cry and cry while I would hold her - when before I would hold her and she would fall asleep within a few minutes and then I'd lay her down.

Since she turned 6 months last week, I figured it was time to sleep train the lil' lady.  I started it a few days before the children got out of school, because I knew it would be hard for me to try to put her to sleep for the hour + it was taking once the kiddos were home for summer break.  Also, I was hoping that the sleep training would mostly be finished, as I had a hunch the kiddos would not like to hear her cry.

The sleep training is still going along, although each day is getting significantly better!  There are times when I put her to sleep and she cries for just a little bit, and then soothes herself with either her blanket, a binkie or one of the lovies in her crib (a little square of soft fabric, or one of her stuffed animals - she particularly loves the lamb that Madeleine gave to her a few weeks ago that Madeleine bought for her from her student store.  She has always been super thoughtful of her siblings - and since Emilia has been born she bought her first a little stuffed rabbit and then a stuffed lamb.  I thought both were great because I have called Emilia 'mon petit lapin' (french for my little rabbit) and 'my little lamb' since she has been born.  Such cute & perfect little stuffies for her!).  

Tonight was a great night - although she didn't have the best evening nap and she went to bed later than planned...I laid her down in her crib after singing her some songs, she gave me a big smile and then started to play with the lamb while I left the room.  I heard her cry out for a moment, and then all was quiet and when I checked on her she was all cuddled up on her side holding onto her blankie.  Her little legs make us smile - she is long & lean, but she has these little darling rolls on her upper thighs and her skin is super smooth all over.  We are so in love with this precious girl!

2nd) The other sleep training - or NON-sleep training is with the older three.  In one week (ONE WEEK!) we fly out for our bi-annual pilgrimage to Laie, Oahu, Hawaii.  The time difference is 6 hours behind us, and so I'm allowing them to stay up later than they usually would so that the first few days we can hopefully ease into the schedule and the drastic time difference!  I'm not as worried about the older three - they have usually handled the time change relatively well, but I am worried about the lil' babe, and so if the older three can get good sleep, they can play with her when I need to take a nap!  Also, Grandma Joy will be with us the first week, which between two adults we should be able to function during the day to get everyone to the beach, worn out and then come home to take a nap and get to bed at a reasonable Hawaiian time!

All in all, I'm so thankful that our family loves sleep!  Our children are not the type that have ever been first to rise with the sun...I think that would seriously take years off the life of me and Bryson!  They have woken up this first week of summer break between 8-9am which works perfectly to get things finished in the morning before we need to be out the door for Madeleine's volleyball camp at 11am.

I love my little sleepers!

blessing

On her 6 month mark, I took Emilia in for some photos.  I haven't done any "professional" photos, because technically that is why I have my camera.  However, I take photos as a hobby and I don't think of myself or the photos as exactly professional.  Then again, after the photo session - I'm wondering if I just put in a few more hours and actually read the manual for my camera if I can't up my game that much more to never set foot in a studio.  Ever again.  For the most part I'm always so disappointed in the results!  I don't visit really expensive photography studios - as much as I love pictures I just can't spend hundreds of dollars on a photo session.  So, we usually end up at something like the Picture People.  Back in the day of Madeleine and Bryson as babies I thought Picture People was the bomb.  Then again, I didn't have a really nice camera.  Still, I would mostly take in my own props, and have a clear vision of the picture(s) I wanted to walk out with.  All in all, that set-up worked for quite some time and a few weeks ago when a Groupon came through for a session at Picture People I decided to give it a try with Emilia....after all, I have wanted to get a nice picture of her in her blessing dress (yes - her blessing was like 3 months ago, but I wanted to wait until she could sit up to get the photo).

So, what did we experience?  Well, I hauled in our own props...of course.  And it wasn't just a flower or a basket - I took in my Grandma Miller's old antique chair that my mother inherited.  I loved the old style and thought it would be beautiful with Emilia's vintage looking dress.  The girl seemed to be getting a lot of smiles out of Emilia, but when we started to go through the pictures I noticed that she was just off a few seconds in getting the "golden" photo.  There were a good handful of pictures that I liked, and I did choose my favorite - but when they were printed off I realized that the girl made a huge mistake....one I should have caught!  She put our antique chair covered in a dark red wine/burgundy color, against a backdrop of the same color!  Granted there were some designs in the backdrop, something like a Fleur De Lis, but it was A  LOT of red, and after quickly glancing at the photos I haven't been able to look at them again.  I'm tempted to take them back and have them do a vintage tint on them - or maybe in a few days I'll take them out and be in love with them.  

With that, I decided afterwards to just try my own skills at the same picture - except outside and getting some natural light.  Here are my results (without any editing, because that is part of the skills I need to learn).  

sure sign of summer

Cutting open that first ripe, red & juicy watermelon, to me always screams 'summer's here!' The boys LOVE watermelon & were so excited when I came home from Sprout's with this red jewel! We're so excited that summer is here!!

Soccer fans

Both boys are playing spring soccer & Emilia & I try to go to a few games to cheer our favorite players! This was a really beautiful day, with their games back to back & the boys each played great!

Forever & Always

It's been another hectic May day. But I was just sitting here rocking Emilia to sleep & considering how blessed we are to be safe in our home, when others in Oklahoma were affected by the tragic tornado yesterday. Throughout the world each day, too many individuals are without home, family, food, love & so many other parts of life that I can so easily forget how blessed I am to have in my life.

While I sit here & hold my sweet baby & gaze at her long lashes & enjoy the sight of a slumbering babe- I'll remember that life is precious. As tragedy always teaches - life can go from "perfect" to nothing in mere seconds to minutes.

"And as the mother held her baby she sang, 'I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be'".

Athough I know my babies will be mine forever - not just while I'm living. Blessings.

never eat alone

This morning the boys were in our bedroom trying to avoid getting ready for school.  I came in while they were having a conversation over by our bookshelf, which on the bottom shelf are many of the books Bryson Sr. has acquired over the years on business matters.  They seemed to be discussing this book:

Bryson Jr.:  "See, I told you that you never want to eat alone." 

Jacob:  Why?  Why don't you want to eat alone?"

Bryson Jr.:  I don't know, it's Dad's book - ask him.  But the title says 'Never Eat Alone' so maybe its so you don't get lonely.  Or if you choke you have someone there.  Or so someone is there to tell you stuff - like to eat slowly, or what to do at the table...like Mom does."

Jacob:  Yeah......but I think that sounds like a weird book.