Kitty

I miss my Oli.  Makes me the most sad to think Nathan won't know him.  "Kitty" was Nina's first word...
But I am so thankful for the health and safety of all my family.  Especially my dad who still seems to be recovering with much hope for a healthier/happier future.

Here comes Christmas!

After watching craigslist like a hawk I got it!  A sweet sturdy kitchen for Nina to bake many imaginary dishes for her little brother and I.   And I'm glad to say that thanks to craigslist, and a nice man named Dan, I paid less than half of what a new one would cost.

I love giving.  So excited for Christmas to come.  It's going to be so much fun teaching Nina all about the birth of Jesus and all the exciting ways we share the love, warmth, and joy in the holidays.

time flies when you are having fun!

"mouse"

I cannot believe it is October 19th already.  I have been busy with all sorts of fun activities including a new public blog about my creations such as cooking, crafts, design work.  I am really enjoying creating the content for this blog (http://madebymamita.blogspot.com/).   So here is a long over due personal update on the Kirby clan.

Nina Kate's latest accomplishments

• knows a few states!  To my shock she pointed out and clearly said "Waoming" before I had a chance to the other day while reading her the 50 States of USA (a Target dollar spot flap book I've been reading to her since she was tiny).  Then she pointed out Hawaii.  I was speechless!
• knows the complete alphabet thanks to Elmo and Apple.  Who is Apple you ask?  Why only the most expensive baby toy ever... the i pad.
• all her books have names
• laughter.  She laughs her head off when the turkey has pants on his head in her beloved "oops" book or when she tickles Grover in the ipad version of "The Monster at the End of This Book."
• she is always pushing her babydolls in the swing or stroller and giving them bottles and "passy."



"oops"



"bible"

• favorite foods are raisins (menits), oatmeal, and Gogurts.

"how"

Nathan's accomplishments

• excersaucer.  He is getting so strong.  He does really well in the excersaucer.  
• loves to sit up and pull up to standing when you hold his hands
• talks and coos a ton
• first laugh was at sister who came to visit him while he was in his swing
• pooping less frequently (hooray!)
• The past 3 days he has consistently eaten only twice during the night. 12am and 4:30 am

Teaching Beauty

I have had a very healthy body image during my adult life. But lets face it, I'm still a girl. I still struggle with wanting to be externally beautiful and desirable.

Today I was looking in front of the mirror and grabbed my mid section and declared "I feel fat." I heard my sweet little girl echo behind me "fat." My heart dropped and I realized every day I am teaching my daughter about beauty and what it means to be not just a woman, but a daughter of God. She is always watching, always learning. There is no room in my life for momentary slips into shallow self scrutiny.

Charm is deceptive, beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised

More tales of shopping disasters

So my Hobby Lobby Horror entry reminded me of another shopping tale I meant to blog about but got too busy.

This time I was at Target and Earthfare. It was another long shopping trip with two kids in a "buggy," as they call them here in the south. Exhausted I push my amazing clicker and the two van doors slide open (don't think I could be an SUV mom, I love my remote operated doors). I push the kids up to the van and I leave Nina in the red Target cart as I carry brother around to the other side of the vehicle. As I lift him up, I look through the van and I see just a glimpse of red that is quickly disappearing. Nina Kate is rolling away! I panic and toss Nathan's carseat in the van. I didn't have time to click it into it's base so I just kinda threw him in haphazardly, hoping he wouldn't fall. And I scream "Nina, Nina!" and take off after her as she chugs down the parking lot clueless and carefree.

Thankfully there were no speed demon drivers rushing through the parking lot at that moment and I caught up to her while she was still safe and sound.

I didn't realize how terrified I was until after both kids were safely secured in their seats. Then suddenly the world started spinning and my heart was beating violently. Now I can't help but laugh as I remember the look on Nina's face as she rolled through the parking lot. It reminds me of the classic cartoon scene when they are on a raft and have no idea they are about to tip over the edge of a giant waterfall.

Hobby Lobby Horrors- You must read to the end

Nathan is asleep in his car seat, so I lug the almost 30 pounds of baby and carrier in my right arm, have my diaper bag over my shoulder and cling to Nina's hand as we walk in the rain to the Hobby Lobby sidewalk. My arm burning, we finally get inside the store and I go to put Nathan in the back of the cart so Nina can sit in the front seat thing. Alas, the cart is too small! So Nathan takes up the front 2/3rds of the cart and I stick Nina in what was left of the back of the cart, her body underneath Nathan's carseat and just enough space for her head to stick out of the cart. Poor girl was a good sport about it.

But wait, the horrors are still to come!

The precarious seating arrangement only grows increasingly dangerous as I gather the supplies for a few projects. Two giant posterboards, a wooden dowel, candles, and a large picture frame later me and my cart are very bogged down and difficult to maneuver without losing a kid, an item, or someone's eye. Nina's sweet looks charm another customer and they stop to talk to her. Only this time the lady's appearance isn't quiet so friendly as usual. She appears tattered, her mouth is shaped as if a few teeth have taken a bow and left town. As she chatters to Nina I politely stop to let a few sentences be exchanged. I notice as I pause that Nina's shoulder has become a little red from rubbing against the shopping cart. I lightly stroke at it to make sure it's nothing too serious and then the disheveled stranger did something that completely startled me.

She grabbed Nina's arm and said "owwww." I have NEVER had anyone touch my child before. And I stood there mouth gaping as she rubbed up and down my daughters arm! Any parents freaking out yet? Well wait, it gets much worse! Still holding and caressing my daughters arm she tells me "my grandson just came down with some awful disease. It's kin to the chickenpox you know, but it's not the chickenpox. He's got these awful blisters all over his hands and his face." !!!!!! Even recounting it I can't think of anything to say but exclamation marks! But she's not done! Still holding Nina's arm she says "It's very catching. He's already given it to two kids."

She finally lets go of Nina's arm. I retract and try to smile and say some sort of something in response as I flee. I rip open my diaper bag and squeeze what's left of my hand sanitizer on Nina's arm and rub it all over.

To top it off. I later found the woman wandering around Hobby Lobby talking to herself.

Oliver Twix, the Kitty from the Vending Machine

I've never seen squirrels in our backyard before. Today I've seen two squirrels, a chipmunk, and countless birds bounding through our property. One even dared sit on our porch. The sight of this made me realize that Oli probably isn't returning. Even though he's just kitty and I'm aware that my biggest blessings in life are still right here with me, my heart still aches. He was such a good kitty. Pretty much irreplaceable. He would let Nina do anything to him without any retaliation. Kitty was her first word. She would pull his tail, pick out his fur and taste it, chase him around the house. He would take walks with us. He always wanted to be where we are. Which is why it is so odd for him to disappear.