And The World Will Know...

In a desperate attempt to end Spencer's recent, very unanticipated nap strike, I have started laying down with him on my bed to make sure he falls asleep, since he just plays and plays when left in his own room to his own devices.

The Plan: Mommy lays very quietly until Spence falls asleep and then she sneaks out.

The Execution: Spencer lays very quietly until Mommy falls asleep and then he sneaks out.

Well.

At least one of us is getting some sleep around here.

Brave Face

Since our little Lex is often mature beyond her years and also quite the trouper about a lot of things, I find that I am actually surprised at times when she has a normal, kid-like reaction to something that I didn't expect would upset her. 

A few days ago. Alexa came home with a scrape on her knee. She had fallen on the sidewalk at school on her way to lunch and her knee was slightly banged up. She told me about it after school and I offered a hug and my sympathies, and didn't think too much else about it. Later that night, as I was putting her to bed, she brought it up again. This time she told me that, not only had the falling upset her, but none of her friends had asked her if she was okay after it happened. Again, in a rush to get her to bed, as I usually am, I offered her a little validation and then got ready to turn off the light. As I turned to walk out of the room, I heard her quaky little 6-year-old voice say, "I tried really hard not to cry when I fell. Like really, really hard."

Oh, my sweet brave girl.

 I immediately felt regret for not taking more time to talk with her about what had happened; for not letting her tiny heart grieve and sigh the way that it needed to grieve and sigh. Because she always does so well, always exhibits such bravery in the face of life's little trip-ups, I never even imagined that she'd feel the need to cry this time. I never thought that she'd want to cry about something that seemed so small to me.

And then I thought, maybe there are many times that she wants to cry, but puts on a brave face instead. Maybe I only think that things aren't bothering her only because she doesn't show that they do.

And then I thought some more.

About all of the people who manage put on a brave face when what they really need is to curl up into a ball and have a good, long, body-shaking cry. About all of those who manage to tramp through life with a smile and even a helping hand, precisely at the moment when their own hearts are shuddering and shaking from pain, splitting in two, invisible from the unsuspecting world. About those who spend the majority of their minutes and their days, trying, "like really, really hard," not to cry, no matter how the tears may be building up behind their weary eyes.

And I say to them:

Good Job, you brave souls. Way to climb out of bed every day and keep it together. Way to somehow function even when you feel like you can barely stand. Way to bear the weight of the world--and more--and still love and serve and give to those around you. You are doing it, and you are amazing.

And I also say:

Go ahead and cry.

You'v earned it.

You deserve it.

We'll be here with the Kleenex when you're ready.

It's time.

Normal Is Okay

  

Normal day, let me be aware

of the treasure that you are.
let me learn from you, love you,
bless you before we depart.
Let me not pass you by in quest
of some rare and perfect tomorrow.
let me hold you while I may,
for it may not be always so.

 One day

I shall dig my nails into the earth,
or bury my face in the pillow,
or stretch myself taut,
or raise my hands
to the sky and want, more
than all the world, your return.

 Mary Jean Irion

Cold Feets and Other Tales

These days we are doing all we can to soak up all of the magic of our handsome little threenager, Spencer. Sure, I'll admit that 3 is the new 2, and tantrums and general craziness certainly abound on at least a daily basis. But, 3 is also the age where an overwhelming amount of growth and progress are made each and every day, and it is an astonishing and wonderful sight to behold. 

I think it helps that Spencer was a late talker and so every thing that he is able to say and express at this late age still feels very new and special. (I have a sneaking suspicion that the magic and wonder of this age had already somewhat worn off with our little Alexa, who had been talking pretty clearly and consistently since about 2. Now, at 6, she just talks like an adult. And empties the dishwasher like a boss.) Every sentence of Spencer's still feels really awesome to hear, and we are constantly amazed at the way that he can finally express himself after so many months of not being able to articulate what he needed. (And crying in frustration instead.)

Add all of this to the fact that he is our youngest child, whose fading babiness we are struggling to soak up each day, and maybe you can understand why our hearts melt a little bit when he asks for just about anything. Often he sounds a little too demanding at first and I have to remind him to ask more nicely, at which time he revises his request with, "Mommy, can I have (insert 3-year-old desire here) pleeeeeeease?" I know. It's ridiculous. But it totally works.

We recently upgraded his blankie size due to cold feets. The air conditioning keeps his bedroom at refrigeration levels of cold, so every time his blankets slip off in the middle of the night, instead of putting them back on, he comes into our room to report, "Daddy, my feets cold," so that he can get tucked back in. We thought a bigger blanket might curb the problem and pave the way for some solid sleep for these tired parents, but it doesn't seem to have helped. And, we even break our cardinal parental rule from time to time and let him get in bed with us occasionally. (At which time he picks a snuggle buddy--usually Craig--who then does not sleep well for the rest of the night, or until Spence gets carried back to his own bed. So much for not spoiling the baby of the family.) 

   

"It doesn't smell yucky, Mommy!"

Other fun phrases include:

"Argh! Mommy, it's keep on doing!" This means that something (anything from a watch to a racecar) is not doing exactly what he wants it to, and "it's keep on doing" something to annoy him instead.

"Mommy (or Daddy, or grandma, or Julia, or anyone), I lub you." This happens several times a day. And it makes my heart swell every time.

"Jus' a little bit? For my birthday?" He holds his tiny little fingers about half an inch apart up to his eye to show how small of a favor (or snack, or whatever else) he is asking for. Then he mentions his birthday, which was four months ago, just for good measure. This one doesn't usually work, but it has become a Monson family catch phrase.

"Please? It's really good!" He expertly used this one to procure a Batman costume from Costco two months before Halloween. When he saw that my initial firm "no" was wavering and I was about to cave, he really put on the pressure. "Please, Mommy? It's really good! I promise, Mommy. Pleeeeeeaese??"

Well, I had hope that these tales would, many years hence, be the source of fond memories of Spencer's three-year-old cuteness and adorable little voice. Now I'm wondering if we'll look back at this time and say, "Yep. That must have been when things really started to go wrong."

Time will tell. But for now I am just going to love on him and smooch on him and hug on him and hope that I don't give in to his whims too, too often.

So, It Wasn't ALL Swimming

We definitely had our share of swimming this year, which was especially awesome given the fact that we didn't have any fun family trips planned this summer and swimming kept us busy just about every single day. (Oh, and also given the fact that swimming is pretty much the only outdoor activity in which someone can safely participate here on the planet of the sun.)

BUT, we also managed to have some other adventures over the summer break, and I know you are dying to know what they were.

June 3: Super Bowl.

 

Evidently bowling involves a lot more sitting around and waiting than actual movement and/or action. Which probably means we won't try this again with all the kiddos for another 3 to 5 years. 

June 7: Trying a New Look

Spencer and Kaden had a contest to see who could grow facial hair the fastest. We think it was a tie.

June 1-15: Lots and lots (and lots) of consecutive hours of "Saved by the Bell."

This constituted a special torture for me, I'm not gonna lie. Thank goodness they finally ran out of episodes.

June 7: Just a little skin cancer surgery to break up the monotony of the summer.

The nose. Two months later, it still tingles. (But it's a small price to pay to get some cancer off of my face.)

June 11: Women's Basketball.

 June 11: Indoor football. (Yes, that's a thing.)

Leave it to Craig to make sure we get our money's worth out of our Pogo passes.

June 16: Celebrating the Best Daddy in the World on his 36th birthday.

As a special gift to him, we let him barbecue dinner for us while we all hung out in the pool.

June 18: Newsies! 

Only Christian Bale himself could have made it cooler.

June 19: Standard Post-Church Shenanigans.

After some epic Sunday naps under our belts, we like to get crazy for a few hours.

June 21: Planning a Camping Trip. 

Don't let these Google Maps pics fool you, though. These "trees" are actually bushes.

June 25: The Zoo.

Splash pads, tram, lunch, duck feeding. Boom. In and out in under two hours.

June 26: Dinner With Friends and Trying a(nother) New Look

It suits him, no?

June 26-27: Colonoscopy prep and procedure.

Spence couldn't eat anything but Jell-o and clear liquids for the 36 hours leading up to the procedure. It was a sad, difficult, day and a half, punctuated by the consumption of about 37 popsicles.

This kiddo was such a champ before and after the time at the hospital. We are so proud of our cute little trouper.

***********************************

And, there you have it. Well, for June, anyway. We actually had more adventures (and/or random things that we happened to take pictures of) than I initially thought. Lucky for you (and our posterity, of course), there were even more exciting events (and/or additional random things that we happened to take pictures of) from July.

Tune back in soon!

You know, after the Olympics.

 Or whenever.