Monday, June 25, 2018

Bad Mommy. (Crosby: 1.5 year update)

For my first two kids I pretty well kept up with their growth and milestones on my blog. Third kid? Not so much. I can't remember the last time I updated about Crosby. Poor buddy!


So let me tell you a little bit about my buddy, Crosby, these days. He's a solid 20 months old - nearly 21 months - so we are somehow closing in on his second birthday. (HOW?!) And we're still breastfeeding. If it were entirely up to me then we would probably be done with it by now but Crosby is still really attached to nursing. I will - no doubt - miss it when we're done. Or at least parts of it. Like the closeness. And how Crosby automatically comes to me for comfort or a place to fall asleep. I can't wait to have a bit more personal space at the moment... but I know it'll be something I miss down the road.

It seems like Crosby will NEVER be done with "milkies" though. Molly weaned herself around 18-19 months of age and I had to cut Presley off at 23 months due to my pregnancy with Molly (I was so super ready for a break from BFing before starting all over again with Molly + I was so uncomfortable and sore during pregnancy) so we're not far off from the end of the other breastfeeding relationships in my life. I plan to write another breastfeeding blog one of these days...


Last month we finally got Crosby baptized. We were back in the Quad Cities (where we lived for 5 or so years) for Betsy's wedding and had Crosby baptized while we were in town. It was wonderful to have our Illinois friends and family there and meaningful to have him baptized at Christ the King -- a church with a lot of personal history for us.


That's Father Levitt. When Tony went through RCIA before our wedding I was lucky enough to sponsor him. Which meant I got to go to classes with him every week for several months. It was honestly such a great thing to go through together ahead of getting married. Father Levitt was at classes every week and I feel like we got to know him really well in that time period. Then came the Easter vigil and Tony experienced baptism, first communion, and confirmation - all with Father Levitt. A few weeks later Father Levitt married us. And then a year later he baptized Presley. There were so many beautiful, unforgettable moments that took place at Christ the King.

So when the opportunity presented itself to have Crosby baptized there by Father Levitt, I jumped at the chance. The baptism took place privately after mass and while I missed my favorite moment where Father says during mass, "Welcome the newest member of our Catholic faith!" -- it was really perfect and intimate and full of meaning for us. We asked my cousins, Drew and Breanne, to be his godparents. Both people who I can only hope my kids get the chance to know because they are some of my favorite people on the planet. Two loving, selfless, hilarious, kind-hearted people Crosby would be lucky to have in his corner. Two people who will be great guides for my little man throughout his life.


Crosby's vocabulary has really exploded lately. I really think Crosby could live off of beans - especially black beans. And milk, of course. He's still a little peanut... he's in a size 4 diaper and he's mostly in 24 month clothes. Oh... and he goes pee on the potty every so often! He'll tell us to put him on the potty and then he'll go! It's awesome and I love how proud he looks afterwards. He is OBSESSED with Daddy and Mommy. He loves his sisters like crazy. He loves his cousins & also looks up to his cousin Matthew in the sweetest way. Crosby loves to play in the water and thinks he is WAY BIGGER than he actually is in the water. It's already so difficult watching three kids in the water at once but when the younger two are literally FEARLESS it makes mommy a little uneasy!


So anyways -- that's the update on my little third born buddy boy who has a super neglected presence on my blog and so many empty pages in his baby book but who has a HUGE place in my heart and all the love he can handle from his family. I love you so much, Crosby Thomas. You are such a hilarious kid with an insanely unique personality and each day we get together I cherish because it's one more opportunity to get to know you. You are such a blessing to our family, big guy.




Thursday, June 7, 2018

HBD, Dad.

My dad would have entered his sixties today.

Honest question here: What are you really supposed to do to celebrate the birthday of someone you love who has passed away? I ask because I'm honestly curious what other people think about it as well as how others spend those days.

If I were the dead one, I am sure I'd want the people who love and miss me to do something that makes them happy. And also something that makes them think of me. Something that would make other people happy.

This year I thought about it and figured 60 is a pretty monumental birthday. I wanted to do something for my dad's birthday that would honor him & his life... things he would maybe be doing if he were still alive today - mostly things that would bring other people joy because that's what he would be doing if he were still alive.

So I'm actively putting together a list of 60+ things to do for my dad's 60th birthday. Things that will make me happy. Ways to remember my dad... to honor him... to make it feel like there are little pieces of him still on earth that he left behind. Ways to make Grampa Scott more real for my kids. Little things, big things... things me and Dad did together and some of the things we didn't have time to do. It's a way to take one of those BIG "I miss you" moments and make it something happy and beautiful.

Here are some of the things on the list so far:

  1. Donate blood every 8-10 weeks. I'm really NOT excited about this one. I have terrible veins and as a result really hate needles and giving blood or anything dealing with needles... but Dad was big on donating so I'm gonna give it a go.
  2. Take the kids to Dairy Queen, Cici's Pizza, Backyard Burgers... the places he used to work at and where I have memories of going to see him!
  3. Take the kids to a hockey game. My dad loved hockey and liked to go to games... he also loved to support local sports. I think he would have really loved having an NBA team in Memphis!!!
  4. Take the kids to a redbirds game. He loved baseball - especially the Cubs!

Once I get the list together I'm sure I'll post it in it's entirety... but those are some examples for now. If you have some ideas for the list, feel free to share because I'd love to hear them.


Happy birthday, Dad. I love you.