The evidence

Here it is....the evidence that our lovely, sweet, gentle daughter Sadie has been in a room.

Previously perfectly good ipod--now stuck on this screen perpetually

Matt's formerly effective glasses--now less so

Perfectly good Croc----no longer a pair---apparently Sadie thought its mate would be better served in flight out our car window

I guess Sadie thought this child no longer needed the help of its mother
Need we say more? I hope we don't have anymore evidence anytime soon. We've informed her that her college fund is beginning to dwindle.

Farm Days

One of the benefits of living here in Columbus is that we are about 5 minutes away from COSI--the Columbus Science Museum that was rated #1 in the country by Parents magazine. It's an amazing place and I'm sure we'll be visiting many times this year. But this past week they had "COSI's Farm Days" where they bring in all kinds of tractors, combines, balers, etc and help kids experience life as a farmer.

I was so excited to take the kids and surprise them----I absolutely love surprises (big and small) and couldn't wait to surprise the kids. I didn't tell them anything about it until that morning and all I said was that I had a 'surprise' for them. On the way there, Wyatt was talking to my mom on the phone and said, "Nani, we're going to a surprise but I can't tell you where it is because it's a surprise".

Of course as we pulled up to COSI and entered, the kids didn't really understand what the surprise was. So we headed up the elevator to get out to the Farm Days exhibit and as we got off the elevator, there was this little carpet with roads and fields on it and tractors sitting on it to play with (see pic below). Wyatt goes, "Mom, I love this surprise! Thank you!" I had the presence of mind to stop and allow the kids to play---after all, this was supposed to be fun for them, so if this was fun then that's what we were going to do.

But after a few minutes, I told the kids we should go outside to see an even bigger surprise and this was what we walked outside to see---you can only imagine hos big Wyatt's eyes got and how loud the gasp was!

Sadie was just as excited to get on and try everything out.

This was where Wyatt was comfortable starting out....

He quickly moved up to the bigger tractors. He loved this one because it was "just like Grandpa Sorensen's"

These combines were HUGE!!!!! You can barely see Wyatt down in the tire.
The kids also loved the fountains outside......especially since it was getting pretty warm.

Part of life as a farmer is milking a cow, and of course we had to try this......especially since we are from Wisconsin.

The highlight of the day may not have been the tractors and combines, however. On our way inside to eat lunch, I pushed the stroller onto the elevator and my keys, camera, cell phone, and water bottle all dropped out of the stroller. Of course everything was fine, except that the keys fell down the elevator shaft and we didn't hear them hit the bottom for a good couple of seconds. Wyatt immediately started crying--I think partly because of the reaction of everyone else in the elevator and partly because he thought we might not be able to get back home. So we found a maintenance guy to go get them and while he was retrieving our keys, the kids entertained themselves here.....I think I put over 50 pennies in this thing!

We did get the keys back and after lunch, headed back outside. Wyatt had no reservations at this point and even climbed up on the huge combine by himself.

It was funny how many comments Wyatt got about his Favre jersey. I hadn't really realized it, but he was wearing it just days after Favre had signed with the Jets. And Wyatt repeats everything we say, so when people would ask him if he liked Brett Favre, his answer would be "Yeah, did you know he plays for the Jets now? Isn't that sad?" And inevitably, people would crack up at this comment coming from a 3 year old. But his answer is still the same today---in addition to being able to recognize Michael Phelps and immediately say, "That's Michael Phelps, the best swimmer of all time". Be careful what you say around him, because it will be repeated!

Hear it straight from Wyatt

Sadie at 16mos.

Sadie is at such a great age now. She is talking all the time (even stringing two words together at times) and her personality seems to be emerging more and more each day. This sweet little girl whose smile just melts us.........

......was eating this the other day. Yes, this exact ant was in her mouth when I looked at her and said, "Sadie, what are you eating? Spit it out" and this is what she spit into my hand. She has also eaten dirt, sand, and (unsuccessfully) rocks. Who knows what else has been successfully consumed that I don't know about.

She is also obsessed with taking her shoes off. She has figured out how to take off every pair of shoes and it's the first thing she does when we get in the car. On Sunday, I had to take her in to the nursery at church with no shoes on because she had thrown one of them out the window.

And she is a wanderer. When Wyatt was this age, I would just walk away from him if we needed to leave and he'd quickly follow----but not Sadie. She could care less if anyone is around or not. This picture was taken out our back door and she was taking off for a walk with her babydoll. She'll put the baby in the stroller, throw any bag over her shoulder (like a purse) and say, "Bye Bye" and then she's off!

our little mommy

I had to put this picture on because she just looks so sweet---you'd have no idea that she has started throwing full-on tantrums. Yep, the throw-your-body-on-the-ground-and-scream kind. When we say 'no' or take something away that she wants, this is the response. Sometimes she'll even bite whatever is close by because she is so mad (unfortunately that was her brother one day!) So on the days when her independence seems unbearable, I'll just look at this picture and remind myself of what a sweetie she can be!

The Rausty Naust

I'm not even sure if that's how you spell it and since Wyatt can't spell yet, I'm not sure we'll ever know how to spell it. But "the rausty naust" (and it has to have 'the' in front of it) came up at lunch the other day. We went out for lunch after church and Wyatt was eating chicken strips when he looked at Matt and said, "Ooh Dad, look, there's the rausty naust", pointing to the end of the chicken strip where it curved a bit. Matt looked at him and said, "The rausty naust!" (In a tone which sounded like he knew exactly what Wyatt was talking about). He continued, "Wyatt, that's the best part!"
Wyatt proceeded to explain to me, apparently the only one who didn't know what 'the rausty naust' was, that it is anything that is a bit curvy or pokey on the end of food. The curvy part of the chicken strip, the little curve on top of a dairy queen ice cream cone, etc...that's "the rausty naust".
As I write this now, Matt and I are just dying of laughter at how hilarious it was. As any of you who have read our blog in the past know, Wyatt loves to make up words and this ranks at the top of the list as one of the most creative yet. He even used it tonight at dinner...he had taken a bite of his brownie, leaving a small "appendage" which he told us was "the rausty naust". And his favorite part of making up these words is that Matt acts like he knows exactly what Wyatt is talking about--it's like their secret language that I have to ask questions to get in on.
So if you happen to be around Wyatt when he makes up one of his many "words", just go with it. He'll love you for it!

FYI---If you google "rausty naust", you'll get "Did you mean rusty nuts?" Is that what Wyatt meant after all??

What my shopping cart taught me

So this past week has been filled with lots of new things and many "firsts" for us. I could write about many of them and I'm sure I will in the future, but there is one that stood out in my mind. As the kids and I entered one of the grocery stores in the area, Wyatt was immediately drawn to the fun shopping carts they had--brightly colored with fun kid seats in them. As Wyatt asked, "Mommy, can we take this cart?" I noticed that these were shopping carts unlike any I have ever seen before. They had the kids' seats down in front and were fully equipped with a TV screen inside. I immediately said, "No Wyatt, lets just take this cart that looks like a racecar and you and Sadie can pretend to drive."
Wyatt didn't put up much of a fuss and complied and our shopping trip went fine. But the next time we went in, he asked again. This time is was about 5pm--the store was busy, my kids were getting hungry, and I needed to make this trip as quick as possible. So I said we could take the "TV cart" and we got to pick between watching Thomas the Tank Engine, Bob the Builder, and Clifford. The kids watched Thomas as I was able to wuickly grab the things I needed and get in line.
But I noticed the looks I got from some other parents. Ok, maybe I didn't really get looks and I just imagined them, but nonetheless I felt like a bad parent. I felt like the mom who uses the TV to babysit her kids--something I said I would never do. And I have prided myself on the fact that my kids rarely watch TV and when I do let them watch it, it doesn't even hold their attention for longer than 15 minutes or so. People seeing me in the store probably thought that I let my kids sit in front of the television all day so that I could do what I need to do. Then I realized that other people probably weren't giving me those looks at all but they were my own looks coming back at myself. Hopefully I don't convey this attitude to other people, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't think these things. And it made me realize how judgemental I can be--and how much I don't want to be! You can never truly make an accurate judgment on a situation until you've been in the exact same situation as someone else--which rarely happens. You may see a mother (like myself) put her two kids in a shopping cart with a TV in front of them and it may be the only time they watch TV or maybe they watch 5 hours of TV a day. It may be a reward for the kids or it may be part of their routine. It may make shopping easier for the mother who has had a horrific day with her kids and allows her to destress and calm herself down before they get back in to the car.
So whether or not anyone thought anything of me putting my kids in front of a television for our shopping trip or not, it really made me rethink my thoughts on what other people do. Different people have different experiences and different challenges to face---therefore, the results are different.
Isn't it amazing how simple things like shopping carts can teach such profound life lessons?

Our first visitors

We haven't even lived here in Columbus for two weeks and we've already had our first visitors. One of my friends from high school was in Columbus to visit her brother and then off to see a Cincinnati Reds game, so we were able to meet up at Barnes and Noble for a few hours during their time here. The kids played with the trains---actually her son played with the trains and my kids ran all over! Wyatt decided to take all the jackets off of several books and Sadie wanted to run wherever I told her not to go. But we had a great time and it was so great to have people visiting us already!!

Encouragement

I have been reading a phenomenal book recommended by a friend of mine about being a godly mother. It's called "A Mother's Heart" by Jean Fleming and I have underlined something on just about every page. I could write pages about what a great book this is, but I'll let you read it on your own as I'm sure each person will gain something different from it. I think this is one of the few books I'll have on my 'rereading list'. But there is a great little paraphrase of I Corinthians 13 (the love chapter) that I really wanted to share. Hopefully this will encourage everyone who reads it as it encouraged me.


If I keep my house immaculately clean, and am envied by all for my interior decorating, but do not show love in my family--I'm just another housewife.
If I'm always producing lovely things--sewing, art; if I always looks atrractive and speak intelligently, but am not loving to my family--I am nothing.
If I'm busy in community affairs, teach Sunday school, and drive int he carpool, but faily to give adequate love to my family--I gain nothing.
Love changes diapers, cleans up messes, and ties shoes--over and over again.
Love is kind, though tired and frazzled.
Love doesn't envy another wife--one whose children are "spaced" better, or in school so she has time to pursue her own interests.
Love doesn't try to impress others with my abilities or knowledge as a mother.
Love doesn't yell at the kids.
Love doesn't feel cheated because I didn't get to do what I wanted to do today--sew, read, take a long shower.
Love doesn't lose my temper easily.
Love doesn't assume that my children are being naughty just because their noise level is irritating.
Love doesn't rejoice when other people's children misbehave and mine look good. Love is genuinely happy when others are honored by their children.



I think I need to reread this every morning to remind myself of what God has called me to be as a mother. I have a tendency to be very self-centered and to focus on what I want to do and my 'tasks'. I often times resent my children's interruptions because I can't get done what I want to do and I want my heart to instead be thankful to God that I could be there to help my children when they have a need. As Jean says in her book, "Making time for our children costs something, but it is an expression of our love for them".