Baby Collins #4

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Sunday, September 27, 2009

Happy Birthday to My Little Man!

To say that Asher warms my heart with joy every single day would be an understatement. He is the sweetest boy I could have EVER asked for. As far as little boys go, I think he sets the bar pretty high. Now that he actually sleeps through the night, I would almost venture to say he's close to perfect...in my opinion anyway =) Even though I hate to see my baby disappearing, he just keeps getting better with age. So here's to you little man...I'll love you forever and always.


He's slightly obsessed with Tom and Jerry and I found this shirt on clearance for 3 bucks!

And yet another video, in honor of Asher's birthday!

Is it too early to start worrying about Ayris' first car?

So I was on my way over to my mom's house when this idiot couldn't decide if he wanted to drive or not...and it made me think about when Ayris starts driving...and the expectations she'll have of her first car.

In my personal opinion, I'm sure her car will be rockin because I imagine that we'll have it timed to where she just gets whatever car I last had before purchasing a new one...which means, it will only be about 4 years old, since that's roughly how often I get a new car (Once the warranty runs out, I'm onto the next). So, I think that's a pretty good car, whatever it might be...if it's only 4 years. However, I imagine there'll be Mercedes and BMW's in her high school parking lot as there was mine which will lead her to believe she is completely mistreated in life.

I remember when my dad called me at Dayton's (my job during high school) and told me to come outside for a minute. I had a sneaking suspicion that MAYBE it was a car but I was half tempted to run back inside when I saw him and my mother putt putting around the parking lot in this old as the hills maroon Ford Tempo. FORD should be all I have to say to relay the crappiness of this car (although I didn't know at the time how much Ford sucked...and I'm not dissing ford because of this particular car...I'm hating on Ford because of my second car which I got NEW and it ended up in the shop for about 7 months on and off...three separate visits, three separate rental cars...eventually my engine block was replaced...on a few months old car! Ridiculous...so I'm a Ford hater because of that one experience.)

When I got my Tempo, the gas gauge didn't work so I was constantly putting gas in it as to not run out of it unknowingly somewhere...at some point my muffler fell off and my dad jerry rigged it back on with a hanger...and the coolest part was that I had the privilege of driving it around like that for who knows how long. I'm sure it wasn't forever but it felt like forever with that insane noise roaring in the background...super embarrassing when driving to and from high school.

Anyway, with all of it's problems, I have really great memories of that car because it was my first...and hey, it was a car...and it was mine. Here's hoping Ayris can find the same appreciation for her first car 12 years from now... =) And also appreciate when she gets to haul around her brothers and sisters in it too! =)

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Will trade 3 year old for my sanity...

Chris and I were just talking the other night about how we're not sure how the term "terrible two's" came along...we both thought that age was fine...it's like anything 3 and older and you might as well just hunker down with the idea that you're life is probably going to be miserable during the waking hours while you're around this little person...

Ayris has become a challenge...to say the least. Every single day, I hear the words "why is she so psycho?" floating through my brain. It's like that phrase is on repeat...sometimes mixing it up..."Why is she so psycho? Seriously psycho? Like certifiably psycho?"...

She doesn't want to listen, she cries and whines all day long...she does things to annoy her brother so I not only have one crying child but two. It is insane.

A friend of mine just wrote on her facebook: isn't it funny how your child can make u feel stressed all day then u look at them asleep and realize you love them more than anything in the world!

So true...I've alluded to something similar in the past...that I find myself appreciating them AFTER they've fallen asleep. It's the first chance that I have time to actually form a thought...demon child by day, angel baby by night.

I've also said before that it must be really tough to be a kid (even though it might seem like the ideal spot in life to an adult) but it's sometimes tough to be a parent to a child who thinks it's tough to be a kid.

But, still, I am thankful...that she is healthy and has the ability to be difficult with me. My mom sent me this video below a long time ago...which at the time sucked because it was depressing and IS depressing but...this too makes you thankful for what you have versus, what you don't have (i.e. the perfect child...the one who doesn't wake you up at the butt crack of dawn screaming bloody murder because there is poop at the bottom of her bed...when really, there is no poop in the bed or anywhere else...must've been a REALLY real dream about poop!)



Children are a miracle...no matter how much grief they can give you =)

Saturday, September 12, 2009

My Gratitude

So I've been meaning to write this post since last weekend BUT I've pretty much had an ongoing migraine since then and it's difficult to focus on the things I'm thankful for when my head is throbbing...

Anyway, in one of the books I was reading, it was talking about Africa, and Darfur (it was only a James Patterson novel...nothing completely intellectual BUT I've heard in the past about Darfur and have also seen Blood Diamond) and the woman and children who get raped, the violence, the killing...at the hands of little boys even who are basically trained to be these little killing machines. Anyway, it's stuck with me a little more than most things and I'm trying to remind myself on a daily basis of all the little things I'm thankful for. I'm often thankful for my children, for my husband and for the luxury of being able to stay at home with my kids...but simple things like having running water...just being able to take shower...that whole expression of having a "roof over your head"...I've heard that a hundred times but it was always in one ear and out the other. But I bet there are MILLIONS of people out there who would give anything to take a shower...or to have a hot meal...have shoes on their feet...a bed to sleep in...medication to take, dentists and doctors to visit...PEACE OF MIND...that they're not going to be raped or killed.

Obviously I know not everyone is in dire straights like this...but there are plenty of people who are...so I'm trying to remind myself that though the weight watcher meal that I'm eating is not the McDonalds I'm wanting...it's at least something to eat, etc.

I did hear about a website that that Zach Braff guy from Scrubs was promoting...something about, if you donate $5, two pairs of shoes will be given to a child who needs them. That was another thing that got me to thinking...I just go about my daily life...not ever really thinking that there are kids out there without shoes. That just seems crazy to me. I'm pretty much completely blind to the rest of the world. http://www.50000shoes.com/

I just wanted to put my gratitude out there...because I don't always focus on it...and can complain way too much for someone who really does have it all...hopefully I will forever be stumbling upon things that guide me back into a state of appreciation.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

My little man and his new favorite toy...

Does this not just exude the "look of love?"

Someone to talk to...
To love and hug...

It's weird how you can have a toy for what seems like forever and then one day...it just becomes the most wonderful thing in the whole wide world...


Below is a video of Asher and his turtle...he started doing funny things with his eyes that were cracking me up.

Asher and his turtle from Michelle Collins on Vimeo.

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