Bend It Like Beckham

Logan is obsessed with soccer. Seriously obsessed. I'm not sure what prompted this love as he only recently went to his first soccer game. When the weather turned cool this fall I had to tell him every pair of pants were soccer pants so he would wear them instead of his soccer shorts. Did you know corduroy pants are soccer pants? I found a cute pair of football pants at a consignment sale that matched his UCA jersey and planned for him to be a football player for Halloween. He wore the uniform proudly...but told everyone he was a soccer player. He was given a soccer ball and soccer goal for his birthday and the obsession has officially peaked since.

Last night Logan insisted on wearing his cleats to bed. I told him no shoes on the sheets so he made a pallet on the floor. When I went up to check on him, I found him without a pillow...balancing his head on his soccer ball. Some battles are not worth fighting.

This morning I had just gotten out of the shower when I heard the ball bouncing down the stairs with the pitter patter of Logan's feet following close behind. He dribbled the ball (very well, I must admit!) into my room and then dribbled it into the kitchen for breakfast. The ball was dribbled outside to the car when it was time to load up for daycare. Once at daycare he was reminded that toys stay in the car. He hugged his soccer ball and gave it a big smooch. I got a high five.

Perhaps this obsession will fade after Christmas presents are opened, or I may need to prepare myself to be a soccer mom!

The Great Pumpkin

I have fallen behind on my documentation of life events. I recently wrote about preparing for Christmas and am now traveling back in time to record pre-Thanksgiving goings on. Anyone that knows me understands that I live in a stream-of-consciousness state. My dad once told me that I talk with footnotes. On with the story...

Logan and I packed up one Saturday morning and drove up the road to Jones Orchard to pick our pumpkins. I was a little disappointed to learn that the pumpkins had already been picked and were piled on crates near the entrance of the orchard. The orchard was instead set up for the popular Haunted Corn Maze. Nevermind my disappointment. Logan leaped up and down clapping and shouting "Pumpkins, my pumpkins!" He pointed at another little guy picking out his pumpkin and said "Mommy, that baby is having so much fun!" We inspected all (and I do mean ALL) of the pumpkins and gourds. After trying to pick up every pumpkin, Logan finally settled on the perfect one. We carried our 3 pumpkins to the car and went to the stand to pay. We also picked up local peach jelly (good but nothing like we were able to get in Georgia) and a bag of peanuts. (yes, I know. Logan is supposed to avoid nuts but I caved and he later wheezed...lesson learned)
The following day Logan painted his pumpkin. He artfully layered black, green, and white paint before a final coat of silver glitter. The end product was a gray pumpkin. Perhaps his art skills will improve before next year. He was so proud of his pumpkin! He carried it all over the house and even asked if his pumpkin could sleep in his bed with him. He couldn't wait for Sweet P to visit so he could show off his creation.

Fast forward another day...Logan was in bed and Trey and I were watching television upstairs. I made the comment, "I wonder where Banjo is." Trey replied with something like "Probably downstairs getting into something." A few minutes later our sweet puppy came sauntering up the stairs and into the playroom. She looked guilty. Those sad hound eyes...Oh, and she had pumpkin goo hanging off of her chin. Trey and I both ran downstairs with fear in our hearts. The nightmare was real...Banjo had eaten Logan's precious pumpkin!

What to do, what to do? We put our heads together and came up with a plan. We did what any 3 yr old-fearing parents would do in this situation. We cleaned up the evidence, distracted the kid the following morning, and Trey bought a replacement and painted it before Logan got home from daycare. Trey was proud of his reproduction. All was right in the world until Logan got home. I held my breath and only looked out of one eye. The new pumpkin was considerably bigger than the original. Logan heaved and hefted the new pumpkin into his arms. He looked at me directly. Sweat began to form on my brow and the hair stood up on my head. In a seriously intimidating voice, my son said "Mommy, my pum'kin is growing big like me." WHEW! Someday we will have to fess up and tell him the tale of the great pumpkin. But for now...I know our secret is safe with you!

Personalizing Christmas

Logan is getting to the age where he aware of holidays and becoming inquisitive about celebrations and practices. It is important to Trey and I to establish family traditions while honoring some of the traditions we grew up with in our own families. I remember tree decorating as a funny experience. Mom usually attempted to make the decorating a family event but Dad would get frustrated with her desire for the lights to be perfectly spaced, David would be distracted, and I would want to do things my way. Our family would begin bantering back and forth but I most clearly remember the jokes. David and I would argue over which Nutcracker ornament was higher ranked and therefore would have a higher placement on the tree. Mom would move less attractive ornaments on the back of the tree and David and I would move them back to the front. Mom and Dad have accumulated several odd ornaments over the years....Elvis, a talking ornament from family friends that will need to be hidden from my son as to not teach him language I'm not ready for him to have, and a couple oddly shaped angels. Trey's family has a competition in which they try to beat the other family members in saying "Christmas Eve gift" on Christmas Eve. The reward for being the first to say it is that you get an additional gift.

The Tree: This year Logan and I began assembling the Christmas tree the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I had made hot cocoa and had Christmas music on the stereo. Every branch I put on (allergies = artificial tree), Logan systematically took off. We finally wrestled the tree up to discover our lights must not have made the move from Georgia. It is difficult to explain to a 3 yr old that lights have to come before ornaments (footnote: he calls ornaments instruments??). The following day we bought lights and were ready for ornaments. I quickly (ok, maybe not so quickly) decided that we wouldn't put any glass ornaments up this year (we only broke 5). Our 8 month old basset Banjo thinks it's fun to get under the branches and spin laps around the trunk. CHAOS!

Santa: Gotta love daycare!? Logan has had a few behavioral challenges this year. I am in (near) full support of the daycare providers use of timeout, playground consequences, and restriction of toys but am NOT ok with them threatening to call Santa when he misbehaves. The fallout of said action (which prompted 2 separate "Come to Santa" meetings with the daycare) is that Logan is petrified of Santa. Horrified that a man would sneak down our chimney while we are sleeping. Terrified that he is watching and knows if you have been bad or good. Traumatized by the meer suggestion that children are supposed to sit on his lap! We have finally gotten to a point where we can say "Santa" without the poor child bursting into tears.

The Nativity Story: I proudly put out our nativity scene in the living room and Logan and I have been role playing the story. It is important to Trey and I for Logan to know why we celebrate Christmas and what we believe. We have read books and told stories in which to illustrate Christmas for Logan. Here is what he knows...He told me that Jesus has 2 daddy's. (How else do you explain God and Joseph to a 3 yr old with no exposure to stepparents?) He thinks baby Jesus is adorable! He keeps getting in trouble for carrying our infant Lord around the house. His response has been "but he's so coot." Logan calls the 3 Wise Men the clowns. He thinks they have funny hats on and therefore must be clowns. We have talked about Mary and Joseph taking a trip to find a bed for baby Jesus. I overheard Logan telling the dogs that Mary and Joseph are going to Arkansas so baby Jesus can go night-night. Yep...that's our religious foundation. Cute baby Jesus was born in Arkansas. His 2 dads love him very much and the 3 kings brought presents from afar.

Maybe next year we can begin the tradition building.

Expect the Unexpected

It always seems that the second you begin to feel settled something else happens to shake the foundation. That is certainly the case for our family. We knew a year and a half ago that leaving the Army had both positive and negative consequences. On the positive side, no more deployments, Trey's knees could have respite from daily PT, and we might feel more in control of our future. However, while in the Army we were guaranteed stable employment, comprehensive (although frustrating) health benefits, and a comfortable income. After listing both pros and cons, we knew the pros won and we prepared to begin the next chapter. After months of transition, job searching, and living with a sense of uncertainty we were thrilled to set up shop in Memphis ('burbs). We love our home, church, and neighborhood. BUT then the other shoe drops and we are back to job searching.

Those who know me well understand that transition is not my strong suit. I like stability and thrive in creating tiny adventures in an otherwise boring life. I have to refocus my energy every day and avoid my tendencies for self pity and nervous obsession with the "what if's." During a recent tantrum, I cried to Trey "I feel like our marriage has been one period of waiting after another. I just want stability!" Have I mentioned how incredible my husband is? Seriously, he is my perfect match and has the ability to bring me back to reality like no one else. He held my hand and said, "Lauren, we have stability. We are married and that's not changing. We are parents and that's not changing. We have supportive friends and family and that's not changing." So very true.

I don't know what is next for our family. Perhaps more tough times are headed our way. I don't know if we will continue establishing roots in Memphis or if life will lead us elsewhere. But...I have stability and am striving, with considerable effort some days, to take comfort in this fact.

Grandparents

Logan is a lucky little boy. Not only does he have two incredible (if I do say so myself...haha!) parents who worship the ground he walks on but he has wonderful grandparents. I wonder what a group of grandparents would be called; a gaggle, herd, mass?? We'll go with gaggle for now.

Recently, my parents and grandparents were highlighted in a newspaper article about grandparents. The author wrote about my mom driving back and forth from Conway, Arkansas to Savannah, Georgia to see Logan and help me out while Trey was in Iraq. The author talked about Logan calling my dad "Granddude." The article also discussed my grandparents repeating some of the most special acitivities they did with my brother and I with Logan. (ie. popping popcorn and watching football and basketball games). I grew up never doubting that I was loved. My biological grandparents and 2 stepgrandparents have influenced me (and continue to influence me). While many of my friends had grandparents scattered across the country or who were too feeble (or busy) to interact, my memories are "bustin' at the seams" with the gray hairs!

As I write this blog, my mother in law is running around her large yard with Logan in a wheelbarrow. I hear their combined shrieks of laughter and his yells "Go faster, Grand!" Trey's stepdad Phil has spent the morning repairing several fishing poles in the off chance we'll have time to take Logan fishing this afternoon.

Again, Logan is a very lucky boy...and Trey and I are grateful tenfold!

It's not night-night time...

I'm sitting at the computer checking email listening to my child protest bedtime. So far his excuses have included:

• It's not night-night time.
• I want my Banjo. (our dog)
• I want my Mojo. (our other dog)
• I need my daddy.
• Mommy, I'm awake!
• I want to read a monkey book.
• I need to go to Bear School. (what he calls his daycare)
• Mommy, Sweet P is talking on my phone to me.
• It's wake up time!
• Daddy say it's tickle time! (the only other time he knows)
• I not tired!
• My eyes are awake.
• MOMMMMMMMYYYYYYY!
• My door is closed. I need it open.
• I need chocolate in my milk.
• I want to go potty.

Seriously!? Surely he'll fall asleep soon. At least his pleas are humorous!

Our fantasy world...

Many of my favorite childhood memories are of times my imagination ran wild. I fondly remember a dear friend and I walking around the block brainstorming what would happen if an evil witch returned to our camp. We developed a game plan for combatting her terroristic threats that would make many heads of state jealous! I also remember spending hours designing tree forts, club houses, and forts in the woods. I sincerely hoped my parents would allow me to knock a hole in the wall of my closet to expand my room into the bathroom. Many plays were performed on our front porch and our kitchen chairs were easily converted into a train or the corners of a tent. We had tv, nintendo, and a VCR when I was young...it wasn't THAT long ago...but a majority of my memories don't involve those things. David and I also had toys that talked (ie. David's scary Teddy Ruxpin) or moved (a roller skating doll) but I preferred the toys or objects that could be whatever I dreamed. I once whittled a stick into a treeman and played with him for days!

I'm recounting these silly experiences today and wonder how I will ensure that Logan develops a healthy imagination, the ability to create fun, and to think outside the box. I want Logan to view our backyard as an ocean full of pirates, an African savannah, the wild west, etc. I love to watch Logan begin to stretch his fantasy legs. Below is a list of recent creative moments...allow me to brag for a second, but isn't that what this blog is all about!?

1. Logan told me he couldn't go "night night" because a "monster ate his bed."

2. While talking about my brother's upcoming visit, Logan said "I like Unc. He dances." - I don't remember recent incidents in which David danced for Logan...

3. Logan tells me he swims "like a pig."

4. Prepare yourself...this is perhaps my favorite moment ever...out of the blue, Logan said "I love you big big like a water tower." Collective awwwwwww...

5. Logan fell from the kitchen chair (while not sitting on his bottom like he was instructed) and then refused to walk for 15 minutes because "my legs break'ed."

6. He LOVES to construct complicated block castles, towers, and houses. (Then gets furious when one of our 4 legged beasts knock them over.)

7. We taught Logan to give us bear hugs awhile ago. Now he substitutes various animal sounds for frog hugs, bird hugs, bug hugs, etc.

8. He has begun to draw with purpose. His scribbles are, in fact, daddy or Banjo or his name.

Looking at this list, I feel initially proud...a little nervous that my kid may be psychotic (ha ha)...but still proud. I can't wait to see what is next in his development. I don't often evangelize but...God is good. Logan is proof of an amazing creation perfectly made for this family.