Boring...

Can someone please help me get my blog into the 21st century? All I know how to do is change the color of the background from blue to another boring color. I want a cool background like I see all my friends getting. Maybe something a bit more contemporary and fun with designs or patterns. Anything would be better than the three different shades of blue I currently use. I don't know how to do it and I can't stand to look at mine anymore.

Can anyone help?

Early Morning Wake-up Call

I was jostled out of my blissful slumber this morning at 3:18 a.m. by a little girl in search of her turkey. Yes, I said turkey. Last week in school, Lauren picked a small, orange, plastic molded turkey from the prize bin. It is small enough to fit in her hand. She hasn't left if out of her sight for two weeks. She takes it to bed with her and inevitably loses it in the covers or on the floor each night. It's never usually a problem because she only realizes it's gone when she wakes up in the morning. Last night was a different story.

I hear my name being called from the dark doorway with the words "turtee"(turkey) following close behind. I stumble to the door and start escorting my little bundle back to bed so I can crawl back under my covers as soon as possible. I pretend that I didn't hear her request hoping that she will forget what she got up for by the time she reached her room. No luck. It's 3:18 and I am on my hands and knees looking for the turkey. I give it one look and tell her I can't find it. Maybe the effort alone will suffice her for a while. I got her to go to sleep without it. Victory, right? Well, yes, for me anyway. I went back to sleep and didn't move for the next few hours. I didn't even hear her get up again.

This time Ty got up in an effort to get her back to bed. Apparently, Lauren got up around 5:00 and stood outside her door yelling for me like she was getting chased by the boogie man. Ty darted out into the hallway to see Lauren leaning against the linen closet door. As soon as she saw him, she got a big grin on her face. She held out her hand and said to Ty, "Daddy, look. Turkey." She had found her beloved turkey and was so excited that she needed to wake someone up just to share the good news. We didn't hear a peep from her for the rest of the night.

Yup, we have our hands full.

First...

This year will be the first year we are in NC for Christmas. Usually, we all stay at my mom's house and wake up there Christmas morning. Now that Lauren is older, it's time to start our own traditions as a family. Besides, I don't want to be 80 and still be going home to my house for Christmas. I'm pretty sure my parents won't be there unless modern medicine allows them to live to be 115 years old.

Anyway, I am an emotional wreck. Not because I am sad, but I am super sensitive to seeing Lauren do the things that I used to do as a kid. For example, we let Lauren stay up and watch The Polar Express. She had so much fun and stared at the TV with her mouth hanging open. I don't think she blinked until the commercials. As I watched her, I realized that it's my turn to see the wonder in her eyes during this season. I got all choked and teary-eyed. (I guess that's not anything new to some of you. Many of my friends have seen me cry at Hallmark commercials...literally). This year seems different than the last few. I think it might be because she is more aware of what's going on around her. Whatever it is, this year seems more magical, for both of us.

Since this is our first year, I would love some ideas for cool Christmas traditions that you think would be fun to start in our family. If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them. Chances are good that they will make me cry.

Change in Perspective

I have decided to change the way I look at something that has made me a little blue in the past. It's amazing how different things can look when you look at them with a different set of eyes. It's not magic, it's a choice. I am tired of feeling this way and I have the power to change it.

For the longest time, I have viewed Lauren's hearing aids as a burden for her. Something she has to deal with every day. I worried that kids would make fun of her or she would feel bad about having them. That's no longer acceptable for either of us. How she views her aids (and herself) has a lot to do with how I view them (and her).

So from now on, I am looking at Lauren's aids as nothing different as a pair of glasses. People need glasses to see, and seeing is just as much of the five senses as hearing. No one cares if you wear glasses, they are no big deal. You need glasses to drive, read, or see something clearly. Lauren will wear her aids for driving and hearing something clearly. People take glasses off at night. Lauren takes off her aids at night, too. There's not much difference. So why not change my perspective? I wouldn't care if she had glasses, so why care if she has aids? They are very similar, after all.

One day she is going to come to me with questions as to why she has them or why she has to wear them. If I can get my perspective right, she has a better chance of accepting who God has made her to be. It's a big responsibility, but one that I accept with a certain anticipation.

Thanks Clemson!

Thanks Clemson for confusing my four year old by making your logo very similar to Blue's Clues.

Here's my conversation while waiting for the bus today:

(A car rolls down the street with a Clemson flag flying proudly)

Lauren: Mommy look, Blue's Clues.

Me: No honey, that's not Blue's Clues. That's a football team.

Lauren: Blue's Clues car, mommy.

Me: Not quite Blue's Clues, but close.

Lauren: Bye-bye Blue's Clues.

Me: Bye Blue's Clues.

It was a lost cause.

Great Night

I know I should probably post something I am thankful for or something turkey-like because of thanksgiving, but I'm not. I just need to take a minute and express how much fun I had last night with my hubby.

I usually have a softball game on Wednesday nights, but not this week due to the holiday. My hubby took it upon himself to call a babysitter, help me clean up the house, and surprise me with the best date we've been on in a while. The best part was that the entire date cost less than $40 (not including the sitter).

We started the night by running a few errands that we had been putting off. Not very glamorous, but a nice treat to be running them together. We went to dinner at On the Border and enjoyed some good Mexican food. The greatest part of the night was when we went to Starbuck's and wrote out our Christmas list over some coffee and hot chocolate. We put everyone we needed to get a gift for on paper and brainstormed what we wanted to get them. We can't spend a lot on each person, but we sure do put some thought into it. The funny thing was that I found an old gift card for Starbuck's that I forgot was in my wallet. Our frothy beverages were paid for completely.

By then end of the night we had our list done and a night of laughing and talking. It was nice to have a entire conversation without being interrupted every thirty seconds by a four year old. We didn't have to spend a fortune and we had a night that I will remember for a long time.

Pull-Up Free

We have finally hit another milestone that makes us think it's time for another kid. Lauren no longer wears pull-ups at night! One less expense that I am glad to see happen in our life. I almost feel weird not buying things like pull-ups and diapers. It's all I've known for the last four years. Aren't you supposed to have more kids when you stop having to buy kid stuff? I better hurry, I might forget how to be a mother to a little baby and change my mind.