Thank Heaven for Little Boys

My sister Blanche just sent me the sweetest email with parenting reflections and advice. When she was a mother of young kids, I was still in high school and didn't notice what an amazing job she was doing until...hmm, about four years ago.

Now my sister's kids are in high school and college and all that love and patience has resulted in what anyone would call an enviable relationship between the parents and the children. They are a very close family.

I want that! So I thought I'd open the floor up for more wisdom.

What do you want to share with me about going from a one-child household to splitting my energy between two (actually three) boys? Or any other parenting advice you'd like to give me; I'd love to hear it!

(I should warn you, I've already mastered the "let the housework go" advice.)

On a silly note, my friend Kitty has a 4 year old named Boston. He's cute enough to be a Ralph Lauren model (both of her kids are) and his sweet nature is just as lovely. He's being pursued by a little girl, Hailey, at day care, but he already has a sweetheart named Bailey, so he told Hailey in a little kid way that he's off the market.

This tidbit is taken directly off an email from Kitty and I think its priceless!

So I told you all about Hailey asking Boston to marry him. Well,

On Tuesday, September 1 (our 8 year anniversary), my little baby boy got his first kiss on the lips from a girl !!!!!! (PS, I asked, he liked it). Of course, it was Hailey, she ambushed him behind a bookshelf. (Little hussy)

Well, on Wednesday I picked him up and asked him if he played with Hailey today and he said "No, she told me she had a headache and didn't want to play with me"

Then Hannah [7 year old sister] adds, "That was nice, she didn't want Boston to get her headache"

'Fast little girl!

And God knows what he's doing giving me two little boys.

Favorite Things

I had a rough few days. I was plagued by all these different aches and pains that made me realize my pregnancy has been pleasant overall, until last Friday.

Then it was a miserable few days where I could hardly walk or move around. MMA was wonderful and did his best to knock out his weekend chores, take care of me and keep Only Child from bouncing off the walls.

As of Wednesday, I am happy to report I am feeling much, much better.

My mind's not into blogging right now on account of the the 30 pound baby I'm carrying around. He's due any day now (actually Sept 24th, but if I keep saying "any day now" I feel more proactive in willing this thing to happen sooner.)

I'm predicting I will go into labor on September 14th.

I made a special exception to participate in Girly Stuff's OurFavorite Things link-up.

Is it any surprise that when I think of favorites, all that comes to mind is food? Even still, I'm going to cheat a little...

Here we go.

1. MMA! Sorry, he's the only one and he's not for sale! I just found out today that he's been shopping for my push gift. Now I don't even need the gift. The thought alone makes me happy. I think I'll have his baby.

2. Girly Stuff is one of my favorite people in all the world. She showed up at my house on Saturday at 9 am and didn't leave until I practically pushed her out the door at 10 pm. She was helping me get my former guest room all dolled up for the new baby. This involved shopping, putting up hardware, making drapes...and all the brilliant ideas she had been mentally banking for months. Seriously, I could hardly get her to eat or call home all day. The amazing thing is that she would do this for anyone of us that she calls a friend; very beautiful and generous heart, this one!

3. Kitty, my BFF for 25 years and counting. When we were little girls, we talked about being Olympic synchronized swimmers AND college roommates. We realized one of those dreams. Kitty is quirky and silly and so much fun to be around! She will probably be the first one at the hospital (again) when I have this baby. We've hit every major life milestone together...except sex (she was doin' it way before me.) What? That's the hormones talking, I don't know what I'm saying. She has been good to me in a dozen different ways just this week. (I hope our sons end up being BFFs, too.) We heart Kitty!

Favorite things, favorite things, (think Oprah...)
4. HEB...'love that store! Lately I've been doing what I'll call cold-turkey shopping (with no coupons, and no mapping out the deals.) No question, my grocery bill is always lower at HEB. Plus, Only Child thinks its a great treat to go there. Not sure why. So HEB, we salute you as a favorite thing!

5. There is an HEB brand product that we like so much, it merits its own shout out. HEB's frozen chicken chunks (in the black bag, frozen, in the fresh meat department.) They are so good, they rival Chick fil A's. Need I say more?


6. Blue Bell ice cream. And no, that is not my freezer.

7. Oscar Mayer Bacon Bits. Bacon is a distinct food group in this house and as a family, we eat a bag of these every week. We use them in every variation of eggs you can imagine. We put them on salads, baked potatoes, Butt Burners. Maybe I should add 4 bags of these to my baby registry.

(OK, non perishable favorites; let's see...)

8. Author, Tom Perrotta. I mentioned once before how much I love the movie, Election. I didn't know it was a book or who might have written it until my friend Red, chose Little Children as her book club pick for the year. I adored this book, only to learn that the genius behind both works is one and the same!?! I have to get my hands on some of his other stuff. Any hack can slap you in the face, ala the Farrelly brothers, but smart and subtle satire is, to me, much more delightful. So yah, Perrotta. New favorite.

9. Half Price Books. Another family favorite.

10. The newly renovated Children's Museum of Houston. Wow!