A Mother's Memories

I wouldn't have thought that my friend Beth was the sentimental type, so when she approached me and told me that she had saved each little outfit that she had brought her boys home from the hospital in and their first blankets and several other things including the nightgown and robe she wore to the hospital and wanted me to make them into a blanket, I was surprised.

But of course I told her yes.

I'm pleased with how it turned out and I know she is too.

You can't really see it in this picture, but I had the machine quilter add her boys names and birth dates on the big yellow square near the bottom left hand corner.

When I asked her what she wanted on the label she said she wanted it to say something about where the pieces came from, but she didn't know how to say it so I wrote a little poem.

As parents watch their little boys grow,
delighting in laughter that flows,
and antics that follow a twinkling eye,
that speaks of mischief and sometimes strife,
this quilt is meant to remind them of each little lad,
just brought home and snuggled warm
under softest cotton blankets.
Of chubby cheeks, and dimpled hands
and ten tiny toes that wiggled and squirmed in outfits worn,
keeping them warm on that cold winters morn.
-Sydney Larson

I'm linking up today with Amy for her semi-annual Bloggers Quilt Festival, hope you enjoy the show.

Oh, and one more thing, I posted about my friend Krista and the quilt I made for her during last years festival, her cancer has returned (metastatic Stage 4) so please would you say a prayer for her and her family.  She is on her last chemo treatment and will start taking Herceptin indefinately.  I hope her quilt is a reminder that she beat this thing once and she can do it again.

Cheers.

A Mother's Day Text

Rather than going home after church on Sunday my boys took me out to lunch for Mother's Day to their favorite restaurant so while they played I texted my sister to let her know where we had gone.  I'm considerate like that.

Well . . . sometimes I am.

:

Me:  We're at McDonald's getting a headache.

Her:  I didn't know they sold headaches at McDonald's.

Me:  They don't.  They're the free prize that comes with each happy meal for the moms.

Her:  Aren't you the lucky one!

Me:  And you're the jealous one!

Her:  Yes, jealously sitting here enjoying the quiet reading my book.

:

I hope you all had a wonderful day regardless of your circumstances, enjoying, remembering and celebrating.

Engaged

My biggest problem with blogging to remember is remembering to blog.  So if my stated position for blogging is remembering I'm not doing such a good job.

Anyhoo . . .

HT has often told me and/or asked me if he and I could get married when he grows up and I have sadly had to tell him no, because I'm already married to his papa, so he has settled for the next best thing, his Aunt Susan.

That is until the other day when I picked him up from pre-school, he came bounding out of the class room very excited.

"Mom, Mom, guess what!?"

"What?"

"My girlfriend and I have decided."

"Your girlfriend?  Who's your girlfriend?  Averi?"

"No, its . . . (Pause with me a moment, while he runs back into the classroom to check.) . . its Abby."


"Oh, and what have you all decided."

"Mom, my girlfriend and I have decided that when we grow up we're going to get married!"

"Hmm, I thought you were going to marry Aunt Susan.  Won't she be disappointed?"

"Well, I guess that would be okay."


::


I didn't ask him if he meant it would be okay to marry Aunt Susan or if it would be okay that she would be disappointed.  I'm pretty sure though that she will understand.

An Inquiring Mind, Part Two

This boy does love to talk and to talk non stop and every time he opens his mouth at least one question tumbles out into the atmosphere.  Hanging there waiting for an answer . . . like I should know.  I do try, but sometimes, well sometimes there isn't an answer that doesn't involve a masters degree in divinity or science or at something or other.  Sometimes I wonder though if even that would help.

Just thought I would share.

::

"Mom, what if we have a bomb in our backyard?"

"I suppose it would leave a big hole, why are you worrying about bombs."

"Well, if der was a bomb, would I still get to play outside?"


::

"Mom, what would happen if aliens had no arms?"


"What do you think would happen?"

"I suppose they wouldn't be able to grab me."


::

"How can alien space ships get to earth?"

"Rocket boosters"

"What if they didn't have any?"

"Then they couldn't get here."

::

"What if wheels had spikes?"

"Well, I suppose it would make it harder to drive, it would be kinda like having a goat head sticker in your shoe."

"Oh, dat would be not good."


::

"Mama, why does everybody poop?"

"Um, because they need to."

"What doesn't poop?"

::

"How do ghosts defend themselves?"

"By trying to scare you away."

"Well, I would just yell BOO to der face!"

::

"Mama, how do clouds stick together?"

"They hold hands."

"But I can't see dem holding hands."

"That's because their hands are in their pockets."

"Oh."

::

"How do clouds move?"

"The wind blows them."

"But I can't see it."

"Nope."

"But why can't I see the wind?"

"Nobody can, but we can see the effects of the wind."

::

"How did God make the cups and plates?"

"He didn't."

"But what about the wife?"

::

"How much breath does God have?"

"Lots."

"How much breath do we have?"

"Enough to keep us alive."

"What happens if we get older?"


::

"I miss myself."

"How can you miss yourself?"

"Because I'm not having a happy face, but sad!"

I had a dream ...

that Charming's Mama posted a new blog. Then I woke up to see HT staring at me willing me awake. It was a chilly morning and he wanted 2 things. To be under the covers where it was warm and my nook so he could play Angry Birds Space.

Since the dream was so vivid I decided I'd post again. I'll apologize in advance that I'm not as eloquent as she is.

HT and I had gone to run a couple of errands and on our way home I guess I was a little bit vocal about someone who was on their phone and not paying attention to their driving. As we passed them HT shook his fist at their car and yelled ARGH!

EM came up to me with tears streaming down his face saying that "Mama said no again". When I asked what it was he wanted he just repeated that Mama said no. Given the evidence on his face I suspect it was no to another cookie but I could be mistaken.

I tried a new recipe over the weekend, a variation of Mongolian Beef made in the crock pot, and HT told me that his taste buds were telling him that it was a little salty. He ate it all, but he was right slow cooking the soy makes it a bit salty, I'll have to tweak the recipe a bit.

I had some friends over for a poker night and EM melted hearts when he shyly asked one of the ladies to pick him up and he cuddled right in.

~Aunt Susan

The picture really has nothing to do with the post, it's just one of my very favorite images of the boys. It is so much what love is.

Yesterday ...

I had to run to the store to get some bread. EM had finished his supper and was tormenting HT so I took him with me.

I mentioned in my previous post that EM has issues with T's, wellll, as we were driving down the road he started pointing out all the trucks he saw.

1 Fruck, 2 frucks, red fruck, blue fruck.

I couldn't stop laughing.

~Aunt Susan

Moments...

Since it looks like the Tyrant's Mama is in a blogging slump right now I thought I'd step in and share a couple of moments that have happened recently.

HT .. "No brother you can't go with me and Aunt Susan, I need my Aunt Susan alone time."

EM .. I walked into my bedroom the other day and found EM sitting in front of my shoe rack busily tearing the insides out of my shoes.

HT .. "I'm pretending to be a puppy today" as he licked my arm.

EM .. thinks vitamins are candy, I walked into the kitchen and found him sitting surrounded by vitamins and his mouth overflowing with them.

EM .. bumping down the stairs on his bum yelling wheeeee!

HT .. wants to have sweep over at least once a week in my extra bedroom. He gets to stay up late and jump on the bed. =)

EM .. sitting in church looking at the bottom of his shoes and seeing a dump truck and tractor and yelling "Dumb Fruck". Walking into the grocery store, seeing a fire truck parked in front and yelling "Fire Fruck".

EM .. listening to his Papa telling him to say "t t t truck" and saying "t t t fruck"

HT .. picking him up from school and hearing about his friends and all the things he learned today.

EM .. following HT around and having to eat, wear, say, anything his big brother is eating, wearing, saying, doing.

HT & EM destroying my living room, tearing the couch and chair apart to make forts and hiding places and tents. Racing up and down the hall, jumping on the beds, yelling at the top of their lungs. Sitting quietly on the couch watching Peep & the Big Wide World, listening avidly to a story book, sleeping soundly and looking angelic.

Lots of little moments that make up the everyday and that make living with 2 little boys an adventure.

~Aunt Susan