Random Stuff

We are deep in the process of packing. Of course we will be moving twice - which means that everything has to be put into two categories - things we need (or might need) and things I know we can do without for three or four months. This is harder than it sounds. Toys, - we need. My collection of cookbooks from the 60's can go to storage. Clothes & towels - we need. Sewing machine - storage. Wedding photos? - Storage. But some things are harder - how do you possibly know which books to leave out and which to pack? Raising a Puppy for Dummies? Pack. The Iliad - Pack. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare? - That's a hard one but I ended up packing it, mostly because it is huge. So, what made my summer must-have reading list? The Baby Book by Dr. Sears. Grace Based Parenting by Tim Kimmel, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Job Interviews for Dummies, all three books of the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer (last one is coming out in August so I need to be ready), and a St Francis of Assisi devotional. The exercise really gave me pause - of all that we have, how much of it do we truly need? What separates a want from a need? How does what we choose to keep close, those things that we cannot bear to be without, define us?

Little things that Jacobs says lately really crack me up, for instance Will's mom has a birthday this weekend. I asked Jacob how old did he think she was and he answered - "She's real old, like maybe 7." Will took Jacob to pick out a little toy and he came home with a sea turtle. I said Hey Jacob did you get a Sea Turtle? He looks at it for a moment and says, no maybe it's an "A" turtle. I took Jacob to see his first movie in the theatre today. We saw Horton hears a Who. He really enjoyed himself but it ran a little long for him, the last 20 minutes or so he was fast asleep in my lap!

In addition to crawling, Bella is now able to move up into a standing position - of course she has to hold or lean on something. I would need to look in the baby book but this seems way ahead of when Jacob did these things. I think she's moving fast to try and keep up with what she sees her big brother doing. It is good timing in several ways though - first off she is into EVERYTHING but everything breakable is packed so it works out. Secondly, it might mean she will walk early. This would be great because the main rooms of the new house downstairs are all tile and the steadier she is on her feet when we move in the better. Being a seasoned mom I know tile is the right choice for us in the long run but I worried about her taking a tumble while she was still learning.

I'll end with two recommendations for great services and products that we've had recently.

I ordered and received a grocery cart cover for Bella from this site: http://www.angelynrose.com/servlet/StoreFront it is so well made and there were such cute fabrics to choose from. (Aunt Shirley on Will's family' side - if you are reading this thank you because this is what we did with the check you sent for Bella!)

On Friday morning we took the kids to have some family photos made. I whole heartedly recommend Portrait Innovations up at the front of Kingwood! It was quick, fun, inexpensive and we got really great casual pictures.