Love- Week 6

Love....

A mother's love is so much and means so many different things, like the sweet snuggles and kisses and the un-fun love of discipline and rules.  Love is also loving yourself and doing for you so you can take care of the others.  The guilty un-fun side of love is tough and is what makes being a parent so hard, but it all seems to be made up with the fun side- the giggles, grins, snuggles, and big hugs. 

Mary Eloise has begun with big hugs (well has been for a while, but really understands now) and will run up so happy to give a hug. Mostly to Mama (*proud*), sneaks them in for others, especially if you have something she wants.  One of her new funnies is when asked for a hug or kiss, she will sweetly reply "No", with a clever grin and giggle.  Mary Eloise has also begun to love school and her school friends and teachers.  When we say our prayers (another FAV) before bed, we will say them together and I lay her in bed afterwards and then she will begin another litany of prayers for her Elmo, Elmo Hop-Hop (when he becomes a rabbit in one of her videos), Tucker (sweetly pronounced "Tucka") one of her little classmates, and then Mama, Dada, and there is no telling who else she will pick out.  We pray with her at meals, but we love that her class does also, which I think has further solidified her love for prayer.  I love watching her grow into such a sweet girl with a big heart and love for praying and love for Jesus. 

It amazes me each day how much she does or says or points out in observation.  The other morning, Jason went to wake her for school, and she tells him with her eyes closed, "No Daddy, "sweep"".  Jason said her further began to coax her out of bed and she said, "No, "sweepy"", he then told her she could slide at school and he said she said (still with her eyes closed) "Swide?".  Nothing like the bargaining factor of a slide to get out of bed, hopefully it will continue to be so simple. 

For the day of Love, Valentine's Day, I made ME some sweet Valentine's cards for her classmates and attached some goldfish and took cupcakes for her class to have for snack.  Fish are another thing she adores, so I thought what better way and I know her classmates can enjoy them. Jason said when he picked her up from school, all she could talk about was the "ca-cake".  We got ME a little book with flaps she can lift to look at pictures, a play camera that she loves to play with, although, does not really enjoy being photographed, and *shock* a new Elmo dvd.   Jason and I don't celebrate Valentine's Day for each other, we generally get each other a card, but having worked in my friends' Dad's pharmacy each year making baskets and arranging flowers, I told him years ago he was best suited to save his money for something else unless what he was giving sparkled or had keys to it.  We do however, eat a traditional Valentine's dinner of pizza.  It is a silly tradition, but I love that we have kept it. 

This week was so full of things, however the biggest celebration of Love was started on Ash Wednesday.  The season of Lent begins and my heart is so full with love of my family and knowing God's love for all of us.  Although this is a time of penance and  deep reflection, I cannot help but feel more full and blessed and eager to participate  because of Jesus' ultimate sacrifice given to each of us because of His love.


Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler! Joyeux Mardi Gras!




Valentines for her classmates



Our second favorite at Pet Smart- the "Tuh-tles"

"There she is!" Is what she says when she's playing peek-a-boo



Major static



Filling my heart and soul

New Year, New Resolutions... Week 1

Sorry it has been so long. That's all I can come up with to say.   For a while, I used my evenings to go running, which I truly enjoy.  Well, the time change occured and my running buddy changed jobs, so then I used my evenings to be lazy :).  I really think I may change the format of how I do this blog, but I don't know, it may grow on me.  I do know I am resolving to try very diligently to pick one night a week to write down the events of the week.  And with my purchase of an Iphone, I take more pictures on it and will have to import them over to post.

This week has been full of great fun!  We have been fortunate enough to enjoy some weather that we can bundle up and go to the park.  Getting outdoors is Mary Eloise's favorite activity.  She loves to look out the window and yell "Outside!" and then point out that we are "Inside!"

Mary Eloise has been enjoying her gifts from Santa and everyone else.  Her favorites have been her little small baby doll and "magic" bottle.  She also loves to jump on her little trampoline and climb on her climber with the slide in the basement. 

The past few weeks her favorite thing to do has been to "colo colo" - color.  She really likes her crayons and does well with them, although this week she has begun to try to color on other things like her puzzles and books :(. 

On Saturday, we began our morning going to Mommy and Me Time fitness(www.mommyandmetime.com).  I have been once before with my friend Allison and had a great workout.  ME wasn't walking yet, so she didn't really enjoy me running off and seeing all the other kids run away too.  This time was different, she picked up her 1 pound weights and ran a few laps around the gym.  She also added some great weight to my planks and some squats.  I bought a package for the month of January and am excited about getting back into shape, but really happy about he positive, healthy influence to be for ME.  After ME's much needed nap, we were very excited to go visit our friend Joel.  Joel lived with us for a while several years ago and then took a new research job in Seattle and (obviously) moved across the country.  The last time I saw him I was pregnant with Mary Eloise, so it was exciting to see him and have him meet her.  We also got to visit with his fiance Mary.  Mary Eloise turned on the charm and the tricks for her audience and showed them how well she could eat the yummy Savage's cookies they had provided.  (So much for the healthy example.)

We had a lovely Sunday going to Mass with Jennifer and her family.  Their church does not have a cry room, so we sat in the pews with everyone else.  Mary Eloise did well initially, when seeing her Tee (Jennifer) she wanted to be held by her, then she wanted to sit with me, and then it became climbing on the pew.  Mothers with toddlers, give me advice on how to handle them in church!!! Something she loves to do is ask where her family members are, well today a lot of them were there, so mid-Mass she begins to say "I see Mama, I see Dada, I see Ree-Ree, Bubba, JJ, Tee, and Jesus".  I'm glad she took role for church.  Then she gave her sign of peace by doling out some high fives to the children behind us, who didn't help by holding out their hands and talking to her, but it was sweet.  I do love the fact that Catholic church is so family friendly and looks past our little noises. And lastly ME decided to announce that she "had poop" (which she did not), but it is something she enjoys saying.  Sometimes its true and sometimes it is not.  On the times its true, we already know it, but it is showing us it is getting close to potty training time. We then went to lunch with everyone and enjoyed one of her favorites- cheese dip!  Then home for a nap for ME and for mommy!

We had a play date with Vivian and Caroline on New Years Eve and the girls enjoyed eating baked ziti and playing with Vivian's Little People Princess Castle. ME was the party pooper and would not lay down at Allison's so the grown-ups could visit, so we had to take the crank-monster home.  I don't know if it is a phase, but she is funny about falling asleep in other places.  (It is probably my fault for being so funny about nap and bedtimes. Ah well, it can be a jumping off point for her in therapy later on in her life, lol.)

All the Scoggins rang in 2013 fast asleep!  I must say, of all the New Years Eve fun that could be had, I think we had the most fun, spending it with who we love and treasure most and catching up on sleep :) 

I look forward to the things God has in store for us this year.  I really love watching Mary Eloise grow each day and listening to all the things that she is saying.  My funny/frustrating moment of the week came last night as I was trying to get her to sleep (she has been into throwing things), she threw her paci (which she calls "Afi") out of her bed and looks to me to pick it up and give it back to her, in trying to teach a lesson, I said "No, you threw it and I asked you not to" to which she replies so sweetly "Oh no, it fell".  I couldn't help but chuckle and listen to it again and then return it. Then she grabbed my hand and fell asleep.  Little moments like that are so precious and make me so thankful to be her mother.