Happy Father's Day!

Feeling lucky today (and always) that Chuck has the most amazing dad that shows him everyday what a good husband, father and man looks like.

And Dad, well, you already know. I'm forever grateful you're mine and so proud to be yours. 

Happy Father's Day to all the proud Papa's out there. Hope you're surrounded by love, fits of laughter and a whole lotta sports - the Open and game five?! Somebody really wanted John to have the very best day. 

13 Months!

So once you turned a year, I thought I'd do every 3 or 6 month posts on all our happenings, but there's just too much change and development. By the time we were at 15 months, I'd have a novel to write, so for now, we're keeping it monthly. And because you're understanding every freaking thing I'm saying lately, I'm just going to talk to you like I do all day anyway. 

This month has been a complete explosion of mobility, words and understanding, and while we were cautioned time and time again with "just wait until he starts walking...", your dad and I couldn't be more grateful for your burst of movement. And your words? Oh my. They make life so much easier. In so many ways, life was probably technically easier when you were just a smushy baby. You slept, ate, repeat; you sat on a blanket outside for hours looking at the trees or birds or playing with the same five toys; you were entertained by simply just being around the action, but now you want to be part of the action at all times. And I think your dad and I were made to be toddler and beyond parents. We love your curiosity, activity, and independent nature.

Walking started conveniently while your GiGi was in town for the week with us. I was working in the mornings, and you were practicing, practicing, practicing with your GiGi. I'd come home in the afternoons, and you'd almost always have a new trick - more stability, more courage and more steps. We went to playgroup at the park mid-week, and I could have fallen right over. You just took off walking all around the equipment and the park like all the other big kids. It was a magical afternoon to watch you in action. You were, of course, so proud of your new skill. And I think since that day, I've classified you as a walker. It's been A-MAZING to watch you master your new skill from day to day and week to week. You get stronger and smarter and more agile seemingly every minute. Watching you learn to stand up without pulling up on anything was perhaps my favorite. You just figured it out. Falling down is way less frustrating when you can pop right back up. You're so smart, sweet boy.

Communication has been on the rise for a couple months, but I swear you have a new word almost every day lately. Your words aren't completely consistent yet, and I know most people wouldn't know what you were saying, but hey, your dad and I understand, and for now, that's all that matters to you. Everyone can understand your uh-oh, bye-bye, more! (it's always exclaimed), up, wow, hot, hiiiiiiiii (it's always really drawn out, high-pitched and most often directed at animals), but you're working on dog, cat, yuck, all done, help, drop (Stan loves, not really, that you're commanding him to do things), eat, thank you and in the last day or so you've started trying to say e-i-e-i-o. It's mostly e-i-e-i, but I know what you're getting at and we sing the song every time - a great motivator. And your understanding is kind of mind-blowing. I can ask you to sit down, go feet first, come here, let me put on your shoes, get a diaper, etc. etc. and you totally understand. We pretty much just talk to each other all day long. You like it best when I'm explaining EVERYTHING to you, and while I'm sure I look a bit crazy at the store or park or wherever we are, I know you're absorbing and processing it all. And I love it. Words. Communication. Understanding. Unbelievable.

The fountain prompted wild up-up-ups and help! 

This month you blow on things when we say they're hot whether it's food, drinks, or the grill, love to just sit in chairs, and are obsessed with the water - the pool, the fountains, splash-pads, the rain. You don't discriminate. We were invited to a pool party at the end of the month, and you were in absolute heaven. No fear when it comes to the water. You just waded right in, and while I could tell it was making the other moms nervous that I would let you fall and your head go underwater, it seemed like a step backwards to tell you no or make you afraid. I'd rather just pull you out of the water smiling than make you scared of trying new things. You woo-woo when you hear a dog barking, are so excited to eat in the mornings that your whole body wiggles as we step out of your room, and you love to laugh. It's a fully-belly chuckle, and it makes my whole heart smile. You understand that your pacifier is only for bedtime and reluctantly hand it over when your nap is finished. And the outdoors is still your very favorite place to be. Although I think we're going to have to live at the pool for the next couple of months because it's getting dangerously warm in the afternoons at the park without large quantities of water. You love hills and are getting to be an awesome climber. Your dad has high hopes for your trail-running future, so I hope your interest isn't fleeting. You're amazed by the trash truck, and we've taken to sitting in the driveway on Friday mornings wishing and hoping and praying they swing by before naptime, for several reasons, but the trash truck always, and I mean always, gets several WOWS. And wows are just my favorite right now.

Trash truck wows.

And lastly, sleeping. Dear Charlie you have been like a little dream this month. At the beginning of the month you were going down so easily for naps and at night that I considered having at least 15 more children. But as usual, just when I'm feeling like the MOTY (mom of the year, duh), you remind me that you're really in charge. We had a slight dip in ease of falling asleep mid-to late month, but you seem to be back to your routine in the last week. Naps and nighttime look like this - pacifier (always), we sit with you in the chair as you roll around, sit up, and climb, we sing songs or read books and then inevitably you point towards your crib, and we ask if you're ready to lay down to which you always shake your head yes. We kiss you goodnight, lay you down and walk out. You babble, laugh and happily shriek for anywhere from 5-30 minutes and then you're out. I miss you falling asleep in my lap or laying down for naps with me sometimes, but I know we've reached the goal. And I'm grateful you're doing it.

This month was filled with playing, playing, playing with friends and exploring everything and everywhere. We've been to pools, splash-pads, the Natural Gardener, the Children's Museum, the library, the zoo, parks, on hikes, and so much more. And in June we'll go on your second airplane ride, spend the week at the lake and laugh until are faces might fall right off with your dad's sweet extended family. What a lucky little life we're living. Keep up the good work, sweetest little friend. As always, somehow things just keep getting better. Lots of love.

TRUE Action

This morning John and I made a small commitment to help, to change, to grow. I went to a brunch this morning in support of a friend's nonprofit - TRUE Action. I've known Staci for a little over a year, and while I vaguely knew she and her sister started a school in Uganda, I had the pleasure of learning the extent of their selflessness today. Needless to say, I left with a gigantic lump in my throat and hope in my heart. The work they're doing is truly moving. The entire story is detailed on their website (http://trueaction.org/greaterstory), but the short and sweet of it? Staci played on a soccer team with a guy Anlo. He traveled to Uganda to film and met a 21 year old refugee, Kalenga. Staci and Anlo sponsored Kalenga through University, and once he finished school, he decided to give back by educating the children in the rural community Kamuli Uganda where there was truly no option for education. Kalenga, Staci and friends started extremely small with $2000 and 50 students. The Ugandan community built desks and furniture, and with the money donated, Staci and Kalenga bought the students new clothes, toiletries and school supplies. Since 2006, they've grown into the non-profit TRUE Action with 100% of donations going to the school. Currently, they educate 154 students. They've hired a head mistress, three teachers and are now housed in an eight-room school house. They've added a "grade" every year except for this year because they are out of space and funds, so the 8 and 9 year olds graduated at the end of December. And as you can imagine, graduating is actually a sad time for these students because they will begin working. So what did I do? What can you do?

Because there were still many students needing sponsorship for the school year, John and I chose to sponsor 4 cute kiddos. I picked their pictures from the pile today and look forward to corresponding with them throughout the year. The cost per student is $69 which covers their schooling and includes two meals/day for the year - all $69 goes directly to the school. Once you sponsor a student you get their picture and their name and can correspond as little or as much as you'd like. And if you choose you may continue sponsoring the same students from year to year. Obviously, the immediate need is to get all students sponsored, so if you'd like to sponsor a student, please visit trueaction.org/sponsorastudent and donate.

True Action's long-term business plan and ultimate goal is to buy land in Uganda, build a bigger school, gardens, and a library for the students, enabling them to educate more students and impact more of the community. The cost to buy the land and build a school is $25,000, and while they've been able to get grants from organizations like the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation to put towards food, they have not been able to get any real corporate backing. If you know of any business (or an individual) that might be interested please let me know.

And if neither of these options are appealing, consider hosting a brunch, like the one I went to today, for your friends. They ask for a $20 donation at the door, provide breakfast, and do a short presentation on True Action. Afterwards, if people choose, they can look through the pictures and sponsor a child or make a donation to the organization. Let me know if you're interested, and I'll work on coordinating with Staci.

Honestly, I can't totally pinpoint why this moved me like it did this morning except that Staci and her husband are in the same boat as John and me, but no matter their circumstances, they are doing something impactful. And I think it's amazingly humble that Staci's doing life-changing work but doesn't, not even once, boast or brag. And I left marveling at how the world works - playing on a soccer team led to all of this. It just kind of blows my mind. I know there are many, many things at home, practically in my own backyard that I could be putting my time and energy towards, but something about TRUE Action’s message, motivation and need made my heart swell today. Many of the other moms at brunch mentioned sponsoring kids for their own children, using it as a teaching moment to educate their kids on selflessness, gratitude, and giving back to the world around you. And while I know Charlie will have no idea why there are African children pictured in his room right now, I hope he grows up knowing them and understanding the importance of giving, even if you don't have much to give. 

Starting top left and moving clockwise -
Fahad, Moises, Shila, Neri

Puddle Jumping

Walking has opened up our world. Charlie is back to being the most contented kid I know and the tantrums of month eleven have flown out the window. I guess it's pretty frustrating to be working so hard on a skill and just not quite be able to perfect it. He started walking the day after his birthday, and everyday I'm in awe of how quickly he's figuring everything out. But quite possibly my favorite moment of walking came today when I big storm swept through Austin. 

Charlie was taking a wonderful afternoon nap when the storm revved up, and while I was more than enjoying getting a little laundry done and sneaking some reading of Sedaris's Me Talk Pretty One Day (and dying of laughter), I was ecstatic that Chuck awoke before the storm rolled by. I scooped him out of bed, and we ate his afternoon snack on the porch punctuated by a series of "Wow!" - Charlie's new favorite word (and mine too). Before Charlie finished his grub, he was eagerly asking, "up, up, up" and pointing down the stairs. I figured why not, so we darted inside and threw on our raincoats. What an experience. Charlie's seen the rain before - when he was just a few days old it rained and rained and rained and sleeping outside in his dad's arms was his favorite place to be, but he's never really been out in it. Initially it was a bit startling, but this kid is the bravest tiny person I know, and it wasn't long before he was cruising through the yard and headed for the tidal wave running down the street. Glee. Pure joy. 

When I was little I remember parading around my circle in the storms belting out American Pie until I just couldn't get more soaked, and sharing this afternoon with Charlie was maybe my favorite day we've ever had. He's a total kid lately, and we're having so much fun exploring. Can't even believe rain or shine I get to play with this sweet, adventurous kid everyday. 

It's Charlie's Party

And he cried all the way through it. We'd been looking forward to Charlie's 1st birthday for months now, planning everything just so knowing we're on the cusp of creating this wonderful memory. We created a memory alright. Just not quite the one we'd envisioned.

Lets journey back to somewhere around month eleven when we had to take Chuck in for a sick visit on a Saturday. As we said our goodbyes, I remembered I needed to reschedule his one year appointment. I insisted we could do it on his birthday...what's the big deal...he'd never had any reaction to shots before other than being sleepy...I'm fine with him sleeping on his birthday...he'll be all rested up for his party on Saturday. Boo in your face, Kathryn. You're an idiot.

Charlie woke up in a great mood on his birthday. We had birthday pancakes and played with the decorations around the house, and for about two hours his birthday was perfect.

Then we left for the doctor. We returned home with three pricks in his leg, and he settled in for a wickedly short nap. Weird. We went to lunch with his GaGa and Papa, and returned home to no nap at all. Extra weird. We put him down that night, and he could barely keep his eyes open long enough to get his pjs on, but within the hour, he was up. Crying, shaking (chills...the nurse thinks), and manically hyper. Once I got him up, gave him Advil and started to settle him back down for sleep, he could not stop moving or talking. "Uh, oh, uh, oh, uh, oh, uh, oh, uh, oh...dododododododododododo...whasstha, whasstha, whasstha..." And as soon as we'd get him down within an hour or so, he'd pop right back up. By the time my brother arrived at eleven, Charlie was up for the third time, and John and I were at a loss. Lets just say the night carried on with lots of crying and little sleep. I'm not quite sure what happened, and the nurse I talked to swore shots don't cause hyper-activity, but I think I'll beg to differ. The next morning none of us where in party-mode, but Charlie took two normal naps, and we were hopeful he'd rally for the afternoon.

Nope. With each arriving guest, he grew increasingly agitated. We set up the party out back (Charlie's absolute favorite place to be), and he wouldn't even stay out there. He kept walking me inside to sit in his room. What a social butterfly. And while most of the party games were created with his older friends and cousins in mind, I thought he'd love digging in the sand or planting a flower. Nope. All wrong, Mom. He didn't want to play, he didn't want to eat, he didn't want to be sang to, he surely didn't want any cake, he didn't want any presents, etc. etc. etc. Everything was wrong and nothing was right. We got one smile the entire night when his friend Oli suggested they take a bath together before bedtime. Sweet, little two-year-old Oli knew exactly what he needed.

Admittedly, Saturday night and into Sunday, I was pretty disappointed. I'd poured so much stinking energy into making his party "one to remember" that I might have forgotten for a minute he doesn't really care. And while I've threatened to never do much of anything for his upcoming birthdays, I think I'll probably just skip getting his shots beforehand. What an idiot I am. What a freaking idiot.

Happy birthday, Chuck. They can only go up from here. I promise.

Party Favors - Plant your own flower.

Gnome Knockdown 

Digging for Treasure

Charlie's your Gnomie?

Twelve Months of Chuck

Happy Mother's Day!

What a year. Last year I felt like I cheated my way into celebrating my motherhood. I'd been mothering for going on 10 days when Mother's Day crept up on us, and I was still very much a new mom - nervous, exhausted and overwhelmed. Oh, what a difference 365 days make. Charlie's a totally different kid, I'm a completely different mama, and this day holds a whole new meaning. With a year of mothering under my belt, I have a new appreciation for ALL that moms do. A new respect for stay-at-home moms, working moms, and those of us who fall somewhere in between, for moms of multiples, for moms with more than one, and of course, for grandmas - mothering truly never ends.

I hope this day is full of love, laughter and whatever you wish the most for your Mother's Day. Much love to all of the AMAZING women in my life who make me a better mom everyday because they share their time, stories, and expertise. I wouldn't want to laugh, cry, share the joys and heartaches of this most important role with anyone else.

Happy Mother's Day, mamas!

Lighting the Way

Thirteen years ago today my favorite girl in the entire world was born, and my sister became a mom. My mom woke me up early that morning to tell me she was heading to the hospital and would call. Before school started, Madi was already here, and I called my new boyfriend, John, bawling and barely coherent muttering, "I won't be at school. We had a baby. What?! I mean my sister had her baby." I was overcome. This little person felt like an extension of me from almost the moment she popped into this world. Maybe because she was the first baby of a sibling or maybe because I needed the positivity that she provided our family. I don't know, but Madi is a source of light for me. And watching my sister mother is my inspiration. 

For thirteen years I've been absorbing my sister's every mothering move, and she is a natural - nurturing, active, involved, brave, cautious, and confident. She's firm but flexible, sets boundaries without building walls, and loves with her entire being. She's raised two of the most amazing kids I've ever met. They're funny, smart, polite, thoughtful, adventurous and kind. And while my seventeen-year-old self believed Madi was just an "easy" kid, I now know my sister is just an amazing mom. Her instincts, whether on discipline or structuring playtime, will forever remain my model. Jennifer's helped me realize that motherhood is one part instinct, one part consistency and one part hope. 

And while instinct and consistency come easy, emulating Jennifer's level of hope will forever be something I strive to make my own. Because of her hope for her children, she's made some tough choices along the life and parenting spectrum, and even though I didn't always understand her choices at the time, I've come to trust and respect that she's doing what's best for her, for the sweet kids. And I've seen first-hand how this hope can transform. I hope so many things for our sweet Charlie, but mostly I hope for the strength in parenting that my sister displays at every milestone, every new step. 

Thirteen years of the most wonderful girl I've ever met. Thirteen years of watching my sister mother. But probably only one year of truly understanding what that kind of mothering really means. Understanding how a kiddo like Madison really happens. Happy birthday, Madi girl, and happy mothering, Jen. As Charlie enters all his new phases, your example will guide my instincts, and your hope will light my way.