The Wait Is Over!

We got pictures taken this weekend by our amazing friend and photographer, Kristin King.  I've been hitting the refresh button obsessively on her blog waiting for the pictures to be posted.  They're up!  I'm so proud of the pictures and in awe of Kristin's talent.  Check out our family pics at www.kristinkingphotography.blogspot.com - and schedule your family pictures with her!  You won't believe what she can do!

Little Siblings

Dear Second (and all Subsequent) Children,

True, our lives are filled mostly with staring at ceiling tiles at various favorite establishments, sleeping and eating on the go, and generally being ignored.  And, for the most part, I am quite happy to take life in stride and follow sister to her appointments.  But, after 6 months with my family, I have found a few distinct and powerful ways to ensure that I am seen, heard, and appreciated.  What follows is a list I have complied to make sure other children aren't overlooked as I am often in danger of being.

1. When someone walks by as you lay on the floor, flap your arms and feet and grin from ear to ear, just in case they happen to look down at you and you might catch a moment's attention.

2.  Find your own niche.  For example, sister grew teeth late, I am doing it early.  Sister was ahead of the curve on physical movement, I refuse to sit.  Find ways to set yourself apart!

3.  Re-invent favorites.  If sister is small, I make sure I'm smaller.  She was 25% percentile at 6 months?  I'll weigh in at 7%.  She wore dark, long hair as a baby?  I'll make mine darker, longer, and sometimes curly. 

***Side Note:  6 month check up stats: 12 oz 13 lbs (between the 3rd-10th percentile) and 24.75 inches (between the 10th-25th percentile)

4.  Cry often.  And only stop if being held.  I first discovered this one as I observed sister.  At first I thought it, well... backhanded of her.  However, the more I watch, the more it seems like a viable option.  And, well, it works!  Especially if you smile, coo, and giggle at the person who picks you up after all the tears.

5. Make sure that every interaction with Mommy or Daddy makes their heart melt.  Grinning, giggling, hiding your head in their shoulder, holding hands while nursing... anything that might endear them to you - do it!  

I have already begun to notice that I spend less time in the car seat and more time either being held or laying near activities.  I even got to slide down a slide at Pump It Up on Friday!  Whether it is because I'm getting bigger and can do more (Mom's claim) or because my helpful hints really work, I can't say.

Good luck, little siblings.  Forge ahead!

Click here for pictures of the week

Love,

Katie Beth, a member of the Little Siblings for 6 months

PS... Mommy says I have to tell you that it isn't as bad as I make it out to sound.  And she says I have to say I'm not as bad as I make me out to sound, too.

A Week of Avery-isms

On Sunday, while spending the night away from home:
"Nana, I ready to go home. I have a good family. I have a good mommy and a good sister and I gonna have a cousin. And I have a good daddy."

On Monday, after washing her hands:
"I all done daddy!"
"Here I come, baby."
"You such a good daddy, daddy."

On Tuesday, after nap (before which Mommy did NOT happen to be angry...):
"You not angry anymore, Mommy? Sometimes Mommy is angry."

(And Tuesday night, headed down the stairs to meet daddy at the door:
"She just wants me for my body." - Mommy and daddy nearly flipped out until we realized it's from a preview to Cars and NOT stranger danger...)

On Wednesday, after the Blue Bell ice cream tour, while putting her shoes on the right feet:
"I so proud of my parents."
And while walking Dottie Mae:
"Dottie, stop. Dottie! Stop! You freaking me out!"

On Thursday, after an accident on the floor:
"Avery, what happened?"(crying)
"I just want to put teetee on Mommy's floor."
"Why in the world would you think that's ok?"
"A-cuz I am a princess."

On Friday, after a baby shower at Clay's when the rain started coming down:
Mommy: "Boom, boom, boom, Mr. Brown is a wonder, boom, boom, boom, he makes thunder."
"No, mommy, Thee-thus (Jesus) makes thunder."

On Saturday, while spending the day with just Daddy while Mommy and Kate were in Spring for the weekend:
"I eat oranges in 3 weeks." (Remember the Charlie Brown tree we planted 1 week ago...)
"Well, baby, we'll eat oranges when the tree makes them. Maybe longer than three weeks."
"Uh-huh. Three weeks."

Click here for pictures from another full week!

Love,
Avery-ism McClinton

New Life

Mommy (recently renamed "Mah) says:

I can't keep a plant alive.  I tried repeatedly.  And then I gave up.  Until this year, when Avery became enthralled with flowers.  She wants to pick every flower we see.  And since most of those flowers are a part of business landscaping, we've had to tell her no.  "No," we'd say, "these aren't our flowers to pick."  So, in Avery's 2 year old wisdom, she decided she needed flowers that were all hers to pick.  She began asking to plant flowers.  We decided it could be a special family activity for Easter.

Walking up and down the aisles of the Houston Garden Center, I was filled with such a sense of hope.  A feeling of new beginnings, 2nd and 3rd and 15th chances.  I may have failed 100 times in the past, but this time - this time!  I was going to keep flowers alive!  

Then something else incredible happened.  I was walking Avery down the aisle to pick her pot, and she looked at me in the middle of the fertilizer and soil and said, "Eww, stinky."  I looked down, and in my teacher-mother tone, replied, "Yeah, baby, it is stinky.  But the stinky is what makes the flowers grow so pretty."  And then it hit me.  Suddenly my little teaching moment was over, and I was fighting back tears.   

I have gotten really sentimental since the birth of my kiddos.  I was deeply touched by an old truth, discovered in a new way.

It's not a new concept to see God analogies all over gardening.  But for me, on Good Friday, feeling such moments of hope anew and the promise of life, I saw Jesus so beautifully through the $3 zinnias we brought home.  That's what Easter is.  It's Jesus, offering His life so that we could have new life, life eternal.  It's the promise that God will take the "stinky" of life and work it for His good.  

The beauty was not lost on me this Easter.  

Click here for pictures of the week .  It was a BIG week, too, complete with 6 egg hunts, 2 carnivals, lady bugs (yes, real ones!), a bunny cake, egg dying, confetti eggs, gigantic bubbles and Easter baskets.

Happy Easter!

The McClinton Clan

You know it's bad when...

Avery came downstairs today and loudly announced, "Yook, Mommy! Yook at my house! My house is so messy of a house!"

Sigh. A week of reading The Time Traveler's Wife and ignoring all responsibilities is even starting to wear on the toddler. It must be really bad if even she cares!

High/Lows

A game Mommy loves is High/Low, in which we share the High and Low point of our day with each other. Our High/Lows from our big wedding weekend are as follows:


Daddy:
High: Hanging out with a special friend and lots of family
Low: Changing a tire on the side of a busy highway and driving home on a doughnut (although he was very heroic about it!)

Mommy:
High: Aunt Erin brought her fancy camera so Mommy took time off from playing photographer and still got amazing pics! (Oh, and the family time, and seeing her girls in precious dresses, and watching me grow up and play alongside other kiddos...)
Low: That long drive home!

Avery:
High: Playing with cousins my age, watching White C-rah get married, seeing my extendeds, watching "Horton Whoooooo"...
(Although, when asked, I told Daddy my favorite part was "the Amanda part." Wow, Aunt Amanda!)
Low: Everyone left me to fall asleep alone in my hotel room and I had to cry by myself "for three minutes" (my own understanding of the length of time)

Kate:
High: Sweet potatoes! Where have you been all my life!
Low: Low? What's a low? Oh, look, tree branches. Happy, happy!

Congrats also to our happily married cousins, Sarah and Shawn!

Click here for pictures.