Counting my Blessings

With Mother's Day having come and gone I was thinking of what Mothers day really is. I sort of always thought of it as a day to let your mom know how special she is (which it is) since that has been my memory of what happens on Mothers Day. Being a mom of kiddos that are in the early stage of their lives and unable to understand such a thing yet it tends to be just another day of doing the usual mommy sorts of things. But I found moms of tots enjoy mothers day in a different sort of way. Its more of a day to reflect on the blessing it is to BE a mommy and just to enjoy being able to do the mommy sorts of things for them knowing that way too soon they'll be too big to need the help with so many little things and the comforting over ouchies and such, and to realize how much happiness and meaning these little gifts from God bring into my life. When I stopped to think about the fact that the Lord has entrusted into my care these 2 precious gifts, and that He has appointed them to us to raise for Him, and how much they so completely depend on me and trust me to care for them, it made me feel amazingly wonderful ...and terribly inadequate! :) Only in HIS strength can I be that example I would desire to be for them.

So here are some things about them that make me happy. :)

When I come upon Miss Kate reading stories to Elliott or sharing and playing nicely with him.

She told me, "Mommy, I teachin' Eh-ee-ut," as she pointed out things to him and named objects for him.

Miss Kate protects Elliott from the overly friendly Neighbor Cat when they eat lunch outside.

The most important thing to protect is his 'binky' of course. ;)

And the next most important thing to protect is the food.

Miss Kate loves to feed Elliott and often asks "Can he have dat, mommy?"

If the answer is "Yes," she happily feeds him along with an answering, "Otay, you can have dat," and a nod of her head to Elliott.

She is amazingly coordinated and cleanly about it too.

90 % of the time Kate is a wonderful babysitter!!

She is a wonderful protector. She often brings things to me and asks, " Tan Eh-ee-ut have dat?"

And then exclaims with a big smile, "Oh, Otay, you tan have dat. Der ah go."

On this day I had left the kids outside and run in to get something. I gave a quick peek out the window and saw this. I had to grab my camera. She never knew I was watching.

The sprinklers in the park came on and one of them hits the big tree in the corner of our yard. She wrapped her arm around Elliott protectively and was assuring him that it was "Otay".

Unfortunately about 2 seconds after this pic (no exageration) she suddenly leaned away and gave him a shove which quickly ended the sweet photos and turned into a trip to the bedroom and some comforting for a bump on the noggin. ...Remember I said she's a great babysitter 90% of the time...but I really gotta be careful of that little 10% that's missing in the great department. :)

Kate is helping to develop Elliotts appreciation for the Great Outdoors. Teaching him the wonder of flowers and finer things. ;)

He tried to eat them, much to her dismay... just like a man, too busy thinking about food to enjoy the flowers. :D

My little orphan. :)

This pic of Kate shows so much about her personality. She is my tough, and independent kiddo who likes to 'help' and stay busy and always have something going on.

Her 'Little Brother' on the other hand, is much more of a cuddlebug and a mommy's boy, but very easygoing and content.

She is also usually very responsible when she is on her own

If she ever doesn't know where I am or can't find me she helps herself to the bread bin and gets food for herself and Elliott.

On the occasion below I had just got home from the grocery store and deposited Elliott in his carseat at the top of the stairs. As I turned to go retrieve the groceries He voiced his protest and I said over my shoulder," I know you're hungry, mommy will get you some food in just a minute buddy." When I returned with my armload of grocery bags I found that Kate had gone to the fridge and found some of his left over food from breakfast. She smiled up at me and said proudly, "I feedin' Eh-ee-ut, cuz he hungry (with a little nodding of the head for emphasis)". :)

She often asks to feed Elliott and does a good job of it.

But if he doesn't snap his bite up fast enough...

she eats it for him. :D

She likes to tease him with food as she knows that is something that is particularly dear to him.

She is also very careful and particular about things.

I can trust her with hot things while working in the kitchen.

She often tells me, "be tareful, mommy!" when I'm getting something out of the oven or working over a hot stove. :)

I came into the kitchen (after leaving for a moment) to find that she had scooted a chair over to the stove and found the wire wisk to stir a pot of boiling BBQ sauce. I said "Oh my!" upon entering and she happily replied, "I stirring dis mommy. " As I hurried over to her she added,"Be tareful, mommy. Dis is HOT." :)

I just couldn't choose between these next couple of photos because they all seems to capture a different expression.

Impish

Concerned

Thinking

Actually, I think this captures her pretty well.

Leftover PB&J from lunch on her face, dirt smudges from helping daddy work, a gap in her bangs from a self do with the haircutting scissors, and a faraway look in her eye as she ponders something thats caught her attention.

If she knew what her face looked like she would have giggled sheepishly and run to find a rag to wipe it clean with in the mirror, checking carefully to be sure it was all clean. :)

Well, I feel like Elliott kinda got left out of this but its getting so long I think I'll save his review for his birthday. Suffice it to say that he simply adores his big sister and gets bored to death if she's not around to entertain him. He also puts up with alot of abuse from her and laughs at some awfully rough stuff she does to him...just because its her doing it. :)

T.T. F. N.