Want to Know What You Are Getting For Christmas This Year?!?!

I have decided that everyone I know can expect one of these in the mail for Christmas this year.

It is a crocheted Cabbage Patch hat.

Men, don't think you will be left out.

You are welcome.


Link HERE to story on Yahoo.

You can buy the pattern HERE on Etsy.

HDH – 21 Months.

So I realized recently that I haven’t been keeping up on updates of Henry.  The last one was when he was 17.5 months old.  He is now 21 months! (You are aware that is 3 months from two, right?!)   Where does the time go?!?! 

Like I have said before, I do it more for me to have a record as I do not write it down in a book.   Plus this time goes so quickly and he CHANGES so quickly that I fear I won’t remember it all.

I often forget some of the little things he does because he is changing, what seems like, every single day!  He is constantly learning, becoming his own stubborn independent person, and constantly surprising us and making us laugh.  I am not sure how many times in a given day we utter the words "God, I love that kid"...but it is a lot.  Unfortunately, I do remember the frustrating times and often forget those special little moments.  And let’s be honest, those little moments can be the best.

So I am writing my update because I want to remember some of those special moments that can easily be jumbled into my scattered brain and forgotten.

I want to remember…..

….what it sounds like when you ask him “what does the lion say” and in this faint whisper of a voice he smiles and responds “roooooaaaaarrrr”.

….how last night I went to put him to bed and he was extremely ornery and had the giggles and out of the blue he turned MY head to the side, put his mouth on my cheek and just started blowing zerberts.  And then he started kissing my face for a long time and it was SO slimy but we were both cracking up.  yes, it delayed bedtime, but it was worth it.

….the way he says “No” because it is so sweet (even if it can be frustrating at times) and also so firm in his response to a question.  He is becoming very opinionated.

….when he slept in bed with me at my parents (which he never has done before and doubt I will do again...mama needs her space) and we cuddled both nights.  And by cuddle I mean most of the night he slept on me in some way....the best was with his head ON my feet.

….how he hugs me.  Oh, I know I will NEVER forget this one.  But right now, his hugs are simply amazing.  We ask for “squeeze hugs” (tight hugs) and he wraps his arms around me and squeezes so hard.  It truly is the best feeling.

…. the look of amazement and wonder when he sees something new.  He says “WOOOOW” in the sweetest voice.  It can be him seeing an ant crawl on the ground outside, seeing something new for the first time, or playing with his toys in a way that just amazes him in that very moment.  The pure joy and wonderment on a child’s face is simply beautiful.

….how he has started saying “Oh Yeah!” every time you answer a question he asks you.  Henry: Pointing to the new clock “Whats dis, mama?” Me: “That is a cat clock” H.: Big smile and giggles “oh yeah!!”

….how when we ask “How much do mommy and daddy love you” he puts his arms in the arm and we say “this much”!

….how when he runs he bends down and puts his arms behind and runs with his full body!

….the face he makes when you ask him to smile, or say cheese.

And folks, there is SO much more.  SO. MUCH. MORE. 

I need to get better at writing these moments down and capturing them in my memory.  They are fleeting, and I don’t want to forget these little things.

Overall Henry right now is funny, incredibly sweet, stubborn,  a thinker, active (SO active), inquisitive, and just so fun to be around. 

(Ok, now insert tons of random pictures to show off Henry's personality!!)

The "what?!" face.

Cool Dude!

CRAZY HAIR!

Looking so grown up!

 SPLASH!

 He is totally cool on this bike.

(Me on the same dirt bike when I was 6...total bad ass.)

Sitting on the back of the couch, just watching the world go by :)

 Loves to color.

Him with his best friend, Monkey.

 Stacking...his favorite.

"Go, Go, Go!"

He is looking more and more grown up every day and getting so big.

Look at him!  This was him last year when we went home to my parents....

....and this was him this year.  I know it is a year....but still, where is that tiny little baby?!?!  

This all goes SO fast!

I mean, is he 21 months or 4 in this picture??  I am not really sure.

*SIGH* I absolutely love being his mom.

SO. MUCH. STUFF.

Lets talk about stuff, shall we.

I feel our house is always in disarray.  ALWAYS.  

(I should be embarrassed posting these, but it is just the way it is.  

Finding time to clean just always isn’t my priority or always easy to do.  

Granted, I should make time for it, but I don’t always do that when things get busy. This was from this weekend.)

Toys everywhere, dishes always in the sink, goldfish crackers all over the dang house, laundry always needing done, clutter stacking up.   

I sometimes get frustrated/envious when I see other people's homes on FB (who have kids) and their houses look so clean and organized.  HOW?!  That can't be real!!!  Nope. I don't believe your house looks like that...only that small corner where you took the picture.  Well, that is at least what I say to myself so I don't feel so bad about my house :)   

And while I know my house will always be in some sort of disarray because that is my reality, I do feel we have too much stuff which isn’t helping the clutter situation.

Before Henry was born we had lots of stuff and we wanted to have a garage sale to get rid of said stuff.  But we didn’t.  Why? Because putting a garage sale together is annoying and we procrastinated because we thought maybe the garage sale would just plan itself….or at the least little elves would magically get it ready for us.  Stupid elves never showed up.

So then Henry was born and we got even MORE stuff.  Too much stuff.  An amount of stuff we never anticipated.

Stuff in the living room.

Stuff in the dining room.

Stuff on the stairs.

Stuff oozing from the closets.

Stuff under beds, on beds, beside beds.

Stuff in the basement.

Stuff in the storage unit.

Stuff under more stuff that is on top of other stuff.

So much stuff everywhere.  

EVERYWHERE.

And frankly, we are tired of all this stuff.  I am tired of looking at it.  I am tired of rearranging it.  I am tired of storing it and paying to store it.  I am tired of trying to hide it.  I am tired of the fact that we have SO much stuff everywhere you look.

And Folks, it is just STUFF.  Most of it isn’t important or of any value or are things I felt I needed to keep to use “someday”....well "someday" has been here and is long gone.  You know those type of things I am talking about, right?! Boxes of papers/cards kept over the year.  Tons of clothes that either don’t fit (but some day will….right) or are outdated. Knick knacks, paddywhacks*, and other odds and ends just stuffed in boxes over the years.  Gifts that have been given that are just stored away.  Things that I have appreciated getting or felt over the years were worth keeping but are now taking up space.  Duplicate items from when Terry and I moved in together many years ago that were just put away as “back-up” items. 

But now, now they must go.

Why, because there is no room.  Our house is small and made even smaller by the apparent thousand items it takes to raise one child.  Because if we haven’t used them in the past couple years (minus a handful of sentimental items of course) then we don’t need it and it is doing nothing more than taking up space.  Because Terry and I need to declutter and simplify as I think being surrounded by so much stuff sorta brings you down and keeps your mind in a state of “clutter”.  Because even Henry doesn’t know what to play with at times because he has so much stuff and there is no reason for a kid to have more than his parents!

So we are officially planning and preparing for our FIRST garage sale together.  Which means we have eight years of combined stuff since living together and thirteen years of stuff saved as a couple.  Stuff from when I moved here and started college in 1998 through living on my own.  And at least 20 years of stuff since Terry has been living on his own.  Which means, our house is messier now that it has ever been. 

(Bags of clothes in our room waiting for the garage sale.  Yeah, those aren’t in the way at all.)

Stuff starting to pile up in the garage for the sale....want anything?!?! :-)

But to declutter you sometimes have to create a mess…..right?!?!  That is what I keep telling myself.  I will say this, whatever doesn’t sell is up for grabs and/or going to the Goodwill.  WE DON’T WANT IT.

I really think we need to start simplifying what we have in our lives.  We do not need so much stuff.  I admit, T & I are both packrats to a point and I am very sentimental so EVERYTHING has some sort of sentimental attachment….. “oh this is the pen I used to write the first love note to terry.  Or maybe it isn’t, but it could be.”  Really, Jenn.  I need to start choosing what is really worth keeping and say “see ya” to everything else.  Keep it simple and streamlined and organized and maybe the mind I feeling I am losing will become more streamlined and organized :) Well, that is the plan!!

Talk to me…..do you feel you have too much stuff?!  How do you remedy that?  And what about garage sales, do you have one regularly?!

*Read what a paddywhack is here.  Ew.