Easter pictures
'Cowboy Day' at Mother's Day Out
(see story at the end of next entry "A Coleman Story")
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
I know I should be posting Easter pictures, but I haven't taken them off of my camera yet... maybe this week. :)
Instead, I have a Lincoln story.
Lincoln is very competitive. Everything is a race- even getting his seatbelt buckled first is a race. For instance, the other night Brad, Lincoln, Catherine and I were at a new store (Coleman was with Brad's folks). On our way out, after checking both ways for cars, we decided to run to the van. As we started running, I said "I'm going to beat you!" (and I wonder why he is so competitive?). Like most parents, I let Lincoln win many things on purpose, but that night I decided to let him lose. Just steps from the van, I hear Lincoln trip and fall ... I think I heard Brad say something, because I immediately set Catherine down to turn around and check on him. Instead of crying or hollering, he checks his "boo boo" and immediately goes into a dissertation on how him falling wasn't fair and how he REALLY won the race. While climbing in the van he went on to mention that he was the one who made the rules for the race, and the rules were that whoever FELL won the race. This was not a short conversation (partly because I kept saying, in fun, "Nope, I won."). It wasn't until Brad, acting as a judge, announced that Lincoln was the winner did he stop trying to prove his case. Brad and I found humor in his determination (however, when he is a teenager this won't be so humorous.)
Since then, I have been wondering about his wanting to win all of the time. I wanted to reflect to see if he was a good loser as well. I decided that the answer was sometimes. Lincoln has mentioned that one friend colors better than him, that another runs faster than him, that another has toys that are "more fun", or another is better at soccer.... and while he thinks about those things, he is okay with them. Now, has he wanted to stop riding big wheels because his cousin kept going faster? Yes. Have I heard him laugh at a friend (or me) when they've swung at a ball and missed? Yes (and this is addressed). Has he ever wanted to quit playing basketball, soccer, or tag because he wasn't as good as someone else? No. And that's a good sign to me. So, I will stop worrying about his competitiveness and thank God for the little bit of Lincoln that makes everything fun!
I wrote the above paragraphs yesterday. Here is another example: this morning Lincoln was the last to wake up (he is usually the first). He said, "Mommy, I was the last one to wake up, so I won. I slept the longest." I still can't help wonder what I have fostered in him that makes him think that that is something to win.
This morning Coleman showed a little side of himself that I found amusing. Lincoln and Catherine were dressed up for 'Cowboy Day' at their Mother's Day Out (school). I wanted to take a picture of the 2 of them. So, I got them into postiton while trying to keep Coleman out of the frame. Just as I was about to take the picture, Lincoln sits down. Then, of course, Catherine sits down (We call them Pete and Repeat). And then, suprisingly, Mr. Squirm, Turn and Holler for the Camera (Coleman) sits down in front of me laughing. As I try to take the picture over Coleman's head, he decides to stand up, turn around, back into Catherine and lay down on her lap for the picture... and SMILE. Catherine was of course thrilled that Coleman finally sat in her lap happily (She's been trying to get him to do that since he was 6 months old). I was thinking 'hmm, Coleman, you are showing me your cards. Thanks for the heads-up for what's to come!'
I will post the picture as soon as I get new batteries in my camera.
Instead, I have a Lincoln story.
Lincoln is very competitive. Everything is a race- even getting his seatbelt buckled first is a race. For instance, the other night Brad, Lincoln, Catherine and I were at a new store (Coleman was with Brad's folks). On our way out, after checking both ways for cars, we decided to run to the van. As we started running, I said "I'm going to beat you!" (and I wonder why he is so competitive?). Like most parents, I let Lincoln win many things on purpose, but that night I decided to let him lose. Just steps from the van, I hear Lincoln trip and fall ... I think I heard Brad say something, because I immediately set Catherine down to turn around and check on him. Instead of crying or hollering, he checks his "boo boo" and immediately goes into a dissertation on how him falling wasn't fair and how he REALLY won the race. While climbing in the van he went on to mention that he was the one who made the rules for the race, and the rules were that whoever FELL won the race. This was not a short conversation (partly because I kept saying, in fun, "Nope, I won."). It wasn't until Brad, acting as a judge, announced that Lincoln was the winner did he stop trying to prove his case. Brad and I found humor in his determination (however, when he is a teenager this won't be so humorous.)
Since then, I have been wondering about his wanting to win all of the time. I wanted to reflect to see if he was a good loser as well. I decided that the answer was sometimes. Lincoln has mentioned that one friend colors better than him, that another runs faster than him, that another has toys that are "more fun", or another is better at soccer.... and while he thinks about those things, he is okay with them. Now, has he wanted to stop riding big wheels because his cousin kept going faster? Yes. Have I heard him laugh at a friend (or me) when they've swung at a ball and missed? Yes (and this is addressed). Has he ever wanted to quit playing basketball, soccer, or tag because he wasn't as good as someone else? No. And that's a good sign to me. So, I will stop worrying about his competitiveness and thank God for the little bit of Lincoln that makes everything fun!
I wrote the above paragraphs yesterday. Here is another example: this morning Lincoln was the last to wake up (he is usually the first). He said, "Mommy, I was the last one to wake up, so I won. I slept the longest." I still can't help wonder what I have fostered in him that makes him think that that is something to win.
A Coleman Story
While I am here :) I will share with you a Coleman story.
This morning Coleman showed a little side of himself that I found amusing. Lincoln and Catherine were dressed up for 'Cowboy Day' at their Mother's Day Out (school). I wanted to take a picture of the 2 of them. So, I got them into postiton while trying to keep Coleman out of the frame. Just as I was about to take the picture, Lincoln sits down. Then, of course, Catherine sits down (We call them Pete and Repeat). And then, suprisingly, Mr. Squirm, Turn and Holler for the Camera (Coleman) sits down in front of me laughing. As I try to take the picture over Coleman's head, he decides to stand up, turn around, back into Catherine and lay down on her lap for the picture... and SMILE. Catherine was of course thrilled that Coleman finally sat in her lap happily (She's been trying to get him to do that since he was 6 months old). I was thinking 'hmm, Coleman, you are showing me your cards. Thanks for the heads-up for what's to come!'
I will post the picture as soon as I get new batteries in my camera.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Daffodil field in Tullahoma
(for those from Ttown- it is off of Ovoca Road)
(for those from Ttown- it is off of Ovoca Road)
Playing around and over the creek at my parent's house.
above: Lincoln "flying"
Goin' fishin'.Something I love about having children are memories. Not only the memories we make with our children, but the memories that arise from my childhood. I read one of my cousins blog's today, and what she wrote made me think of many happy play times in the woods around her house.
Seeing the kids play in and around the creek at "home" bring so many memories back too. The above pictures could easily be one of Amy and me or my brothers or cousins. It is the same bridge and the kids are doing the same thing- fishing, leaping, throwing sticks and flowers in.... They are having fun with their imaginations!
Maybe I have been a little nostalgic for my childhood this week. But how could I not when memories like these arise. I am thankful for the memories, because when Lincoln says, "Mommy, tell me a story about when you were little" I know exactly what to say.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Random Pictures from this past week
Coleman's first haircut. He sat so still!
Such a sweet face! 
Brad loves to write. Which is a good thing because that is what he does most of the time at work. With that is his amazing ability to tell stories. In this picture, Catherine is attentively listening to the story Brad is telling her. I think the story was about Catherine and 2 friends going to the North Pole to meet Santa Claus. It was so sweet, because she was so close to his face. It was as if she was breathing in his words so not to miss one. Lincoln loves Brad to tell super hero stories starring Lincoln as the super hero. Every night as I put Coleman to bed, you will find Brad, Lincoln and Catherine in our big recliner reading bible stories, singing songs, and/or telling stories. Happy times!
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