Introducing......

Hyvää Syntymäpäivää Busia!

Happy Birthday to You,

Happy Birthday to You,

Happy 90th Birthday our Dear Busia!

Happy Birthday to You!

 

This year would be my Grandmother's 90th birthday.

The sun is shining, the temperature outside is perfect, and the smell of fall is in the air. I'm trying my hardest to make this day the happier of the two days that seem to weigh so heavy on me, but it's proving to be more difficult than usual. Not only is it my Grandmother's birthday today, it is my Grandfather's birthday as well. He's 92. Unfortunately this morning he was admitted to the hospital in preparation for an exploratory heart surgery scheduled for tomorrow morning. In fact, he's in surgery now getting a temporary pacemaker for the procedure. Not only does he have to spend this day alone without her, he has to do it utterly alone in a hospital room. He didn't get to visit her. This really bothers me to the core. Happy Birthday to him too, huh? What a crappy birthday present. This year is far from normal. You can just feel it.

Regardless, I brought my usual single stemmed red roses over to my Grandmother and wished her a happy birthday with the kids. We cleaned up her stone for her special day as Colin "fluffed" up the heads of our roses. Kellan of course had her usual laundry list of questions to ask about her Busia and needed to once again be shown where heaven is. "If she comes back to us you won't have to miss her anymore. I know you really miss her Mommy, I do too. Maybe we should leave her a picture of our house so she knows where to find us."

Here is our home Grandma. Feel free to stop by any time you'd like. Our door is always open for you. I wish it were as simple as Kellan sees it. I'd love to have a visit.

Arlene Elaine Taurence

September 18th, 1921

"Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday dear Colin!

Happy Birthday to You!"

 

Chapter 3: "Mama! Bu-yoon!"

Today marks the end of the second chapter in the Story of Colin, and we're well on our way into the third. As I've watched my son grow and develop this year I'm truly amazed at his abilities. He's fearless, fun, and so very intelligent. He's made some wonderful discoveries in his world. He's figured out how to drive, what outlets are for, and the marvel that are "poley poleys!"

By year's end Colin definitely has his own likes. Of course there's Mater, McQueen, and the awesome Finn McMissle. He'll tell you how "cool" they are. He's a dipper like his big sister and loves cheese. His favorite book is "Pout-Pout Fish" and sleeps with it at night. In fact, he's worn the binding down to nothing. The boy is a water magnet. He's become such a brave swimmer. He loves speed and will jump on anything to take it for a ride. He'd sleep "ow-si" all night if it meant he didn't have to come inside, ever. Bubble Guppies is his favorite show. His sisters are his best friends. He'll point out every bird, plane, and cloud in the sky. When he's excited he points for "Mama! Mama! Mommy! See?", especially when it involves BUGS! He'd have a "poley poley" farm if there was such a thing. He's happiest when they're crawling all over his hand and intertwining through his fingers. If spotted in the wild he hunkers down like an ostrich and gazes at them in their natural element, our driveway cracks.

I love my son more than words can say. Each day when he wakes up I can't wait to smooch him. He never ceases to amaze me. The smell of his hair is one of my favorite scents. I adore my little boy. Happy Birthday Big Boy Colin!

"A Day Late and A Dollar Short, But Hey, Who's Counting?"

There are two days during the year that I tend to get overly sedimental on. It's not that I scratch these dates out on my calendar with huge sad faces to remember the day is to suck, it just happens. No matter how good my intentions are I seem to remember the date the moment I open my eyes. I find that strange since most mornings I can't remember what day of the week it is.

This weekend was my Grandmother's 89th birthday. Well, what would have been her 89th birthday. No matter how much I tell myself that of my two days this is the happier of the two, I still carry a small lump in my throat until I finally fall asleep at night. Even though in theory I celebrate this day, I mourn it as well. Truth is I miss the woman and feel very cheated that we aren't sitting around eating some cheap box cake from Krogers with a large load of candles on it. I wish I was taking video of my kids clapping to "Happy Birthday" on her lap. I'd love to buy her the most mushy card Hallmark had to offer. I wonder what that would be like.

As this day passes I know the next one nears. Thankfully it's not until snow starts to fall that it starts to swallow me whole.

I'd love to give my Grandmother on large, loud,  Happy Birthday from myself and my children. Even though you have passed you are loved, missed, and cherished each day.

This is my son earlier this week. It's amazing isn't it? Wait, you don't understand why? Let me enlighten you... I never taught him how to push around a car. In fact, I never even showed him the huge drawer of cars we own in the playroom. His sister was looking for something and just happened to hand him one and walk away. Are you starting to get my drift? He innately knew exactly what to do. 

Somehow both my children have caught on to gender specific activities and ran with them. My daughter figured out princesses without me. I was never a huge fan of the whole Disney princess line. I always thought they were dorky. I never liked Mickey Mouse novelties, not even as a child. I remember when I was little thinking it just wasn't for me. Kellan's love for the rodent was all on her own. Now Colin has a love for cars and trucks without my mapping out how to get there.

That amazes me. The first time I saw him drag a car across the floor I had chills. That first morning he played with that car from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Kellan and I sat on the floor for over an hour with him faking crashes, parking them in his Little People car garages (which were cousin Riley's. Again, not me), driving them across the floor, rolling them to each other, and making motor noises. He LOVED it. He was in his own little form of heaven on Earth. I've never seen him so excited. He's never really latched on to any specific toy or catagory of toy until now. People have started to ask me what I think he might like for his first birthday and at first I really didn't know. He didn't have any real likes. Now? I have a laundry list of things I know he'd enjoy. It almost gives me a sense of comfort, like now I know my son.  I'm not guessing what I think he might like anymore. It makes me happy. He makes me happy. I'm diggin' him even more :)

Just Another Milestone to Scratch Off the List...

I've known my son had wings sticking out the sides of his head for some time now. I've had them pointed out to me more times than I can count. "Gee, thanks, I see him every day and never noticed", right? I knew he needed a haircut, I just didn't want it to be this soon. But with his first birthday pictures coming up and a wedding to attend this weekend, I gave in and finally took him. 

My heart sank the moment he was finished. He did an excellent job holding still all by himself. He smiled continuously through the whole ordeal. I wasn't worried one bit that he'd cry and scream. But when I saw him for the first time with his "big boy" haircut I was taken off guard. He seemed to have grown in those five minutes he sat in that chair. He looks so darn handsome. He melted my heart before and somehow he melts it even more now. 

Just another milestone to scratch off the list....

"....And Mio Is The Place, Yo!"

Last week my sister Emily and I headed up to our family's cabin in podunk Mio, Michigan to have some getaway fun with our kids. Let me tell you what... you CAN have fun with 3 adults, 5 children and 2 dogs in a one bedroom, one bathroom cinder block cabin by the river! Other than becoming mildly obsessed with the card game Skip-Bo (which is a whole other topic of conversation due to it's intense mental and strategical thought when playing with my brother-in-law Ron), I came back more relaxed then when I left. I'd say that's a winning outcome, right? Score. Here are some photographic highlights:

P.S. I would TOTALLY post the AWESOME picture I captured of all the kids jammed into the one stall shower all naked and soapy, but I am not one for "soap on a rope". If you see me, I'll be glad to show you in person. But I will put pretty stickers over winkies first....