perhaps i should clothe my child more often?

We had some friends over for a mommy/baby play date the other day. It was fun watching the kids play together while my sweet friend and I caught up.

It wasn't until after our friends were gone and I was looking through the few photos that I snapped, when I realized that I hadn't even put Levi in clothes that day.

As usual, there he was in just his diaper with his rolly-polly tummy perched on top.

Yes, near-nudey baby was on a date with a well-dressed older woman.

{is she trying to hand him a sock here? i wouldn't be surprised.}

On another note, why is my child the same size as a girl five months his senior?

Dear friends, aren't you grateful for friends that you don't have to try and impress? 

relaxed, secure, and grateful,

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission

auto-responder: vacation notification {woohoo!}

Actually, these photos are not from our vacation. They're from a beautiful afternoon at our local pool/beach a few Sundays ago...

But in honor of the fact that we are well and truly on holiday now, I thought I'd post these holiday-ish looking photos of my boys.

Because, you know, they're just so dang cute.

And because I'm writing (and scheduling) this post about a week before we really are on holidays. (Yeah, I'm tricky like that.)

And mostly because Levi's grandma is always hanging out for more photos of her first grandchild.

These are for you Gigi... your favorite grandson and your favorite son-in-law. (And we'll see you in person soon!)

{those cheeks!}

{those eyelashes! and that little button nose!}

{who needs to be home for nap time when you can just crash out on the beach?}

{responsible mommy keeping my boys under cover of the shade... while i sunbathe of course.}

Dear friends, there's no real reason for this post other than to throw up a few photos in celebration of being on holiday. (And to appease Gigi of course.) But aren't you jealous that I live in such a beautiful place that my Sundays can look like this?

now relaxing with family,

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission

the countdown is on

Within the last few days golf balls have relocated to my throat and a low-grade fever keeps creeping in and out of my weary body. Suitcases sprawl across the guest room bed and floor waiting to be packed. The sink is full of dishes. Twenty emails need to be written. Fifty-seven loads of laundry need to be washed, hung, folded, and put away. The house needs a good once-over... toothbrush-style. My hard drive is in desperate need of a back-up. My neck and back aches and my head throbs. Twelve thank you notes are waiting to be sent. The fridge needs to be cleared out. And on. And on. And on.

And it all needs to be resolved in the next two days.

Why?

Because I am going on a much needed, much anticipated holiday with my family.

BRING IT.

No doubt we will get on that plane. It's Sydney or bust and then onwards to the Home of the Brave.

Things might be "ready". Or not.

I might be "well". Or not.

Life might be completely in "order". Or not.

But come rain or shine we will board that plane on Saturday morning without looking back.

We will load up our gear and stuff the overhead compartments full... and then collapse into those tiny little seats and let out big, relieved sighes as we look at each other and smile the smiles of those that are on...

vacation.

Oh dear God, thank you for a chance to rest. Soon.

But for now, I need to get back to my fifty-seven loads of laundry.

And just because my boy is cute (and I know you love him), I'll leave you with these:

 

Apparently I know how to spell the word "month" after all.

Dear friends, it's Thursday here. My countdown is ON. What are you counting down for these days?

10, 9, 8, 7...

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission

life's little mysteries

There are many mysteries in life... Some significant, others... not so much.


A few of the mysteries I've been pondering lately:


1. Why there is always dirty laundry next to--and on top of--the laundry hamper that often doesn't make it in the hamper unless a certain someone *ahem* goes behind another certain someone *ahem* and does the remaining 5% of the job.


2. Why it takes some packages a week to arrive from America, and others three weeks. (Of course, it is fun celebrating my birthday again in November for a change...)


3. Why the fuel light never turns on until I'm on my way to an important appointment or meeting. (For the record, I think there should be a warning light for the low fuel warning light. You know, like... turn yellow for a while and then turn red? Just like the stop lights. It really would make the world a better place.)


4. Why three things magically appear on my to-do list every time I cross one thing off. This equation makes no sense to me. (Feel free to enlighten me!)


5. And why God thinks it's okay to let my little baby grow 1.3 inches within an eight day period. (I saw this with my own eyes... and about keeled over with shock, horror, and fright.)

{66.4cm on Oct 30 and 69.6.cm on Nov 11. That's 1.3 inches folks... in a week. Crikey.}

Dear friends, what mysteries have you baffled at the moment?

why God, why?

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission

cleerly mommy kan spel reel good

I realized the other day that I'd forgotten to take Levi's nine month block photos. 


Because I knew that I couldn't be trusted to do them monthly, I had decided that I'd do some at three, six, nine, and twelve months... But apparently even taking them every three months is hard to pull off. (He's now half-way to ten months. Ooops.)


It's especially hard to get decent photos as he gets older since he will rarely hold still for more than a nanosecond.... making for a whole slew of out-of-focus snaps.


I wish I could blame his wiggles for my spelling. But that's a whole different issue.


Even Levi was less than impressed with me this time:

"Really mom? Nine MOTHS? Is that the best you could do?" said Levi, complete with his classic "scrunchie face".


Dear friends, I'll have you know that I did notice this mistake about thirty (mostly blurry) photos in and still had time to fix "moths"... But honestly, I'm still trying to find my groove! Because at the moment... Life. Is. Nuts. Are you with me? Do you have your groove right now... or are you trying to get it back like I am?

tryin real hard,

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission

juggling one too many things

In my latest (failed) attempt at (overly ambitious) multi-tasking, we had many tiny casualties.

I was tempted to put my son on the floor and let him go to work. After all, I had cleaned the floors earlier that morning.

But then I remembered the sandy poo diaper from a few days ago... and changed my mind.

Dear friends, have you had any good blunders lately? Care to share?

broom in hand,

I decided to jump back on the bandwagon. 
Would you care to vote for the Memos?



 Have you registered your blog here yet?

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission

so you think i'm nuts?

A few of you have been asking... Where am I? Is everything ok? 


The answers to those questions are... Here! and Yes!


Life. Has. Been. Busy.


I have no idea how to explain the word "busy" in a way that would make sense to anyone... but it looks something like...


Both hubs and I were working full-time this last week... No, make that over-time... Sick baby for six days (and counting) needing mama's attention/affection every spare moment... Late nights preparing my teaching material after baby is in bed... Cleaning the house top-to-bottom (picture holding a miserable little Levi with one hand while scrubbing the toilet with another - true story) for incoming international house guests... Receiving international house guests... Welcoming 50ish people home from our latest medical outreach to Papua New Guinea on the YWAM Medical Ship... Sending off another two teams of young people to do outreach in Australia and Papua New Guinea... Hosting about 120 delegates to conferences being run by the non-profit we volunteer/work for... Receiving over 50 new students into our training schools... Oh yeah, and did I mention sick husband... And baby tooth number four - that same little culprit that first poked through at four months creating such havoc before disappearing again and now (five months later) has finally moved in for the next several years... And doctors visits... And groceries... And five million loads of laundry...


So yeah, when I say "busy" it looks a little something like that.


And I guess you can add that at the end of this week when my (lovely!) overseas guests depart, I have a few hours to wash the sheets and clean and get the guest room ready for another guest that comes for the following week.


Oh, and then there's the preparing for our trip to America that is {gasp} less than a month away. And getting our immigration paperwork sorted. And booking our hotel and car for our layovers. And lining up when to see what friends and where. And scheduling visits to the dentist. And organizing our Christmas party, which will double as an anniversary party to celebrate our 10 years volunteering/working with YWAM. And finding our stockings so we can take them with us. And...


Maybe I should have just stopped after writing, "preparing for our trip to America" so that I wouldn't be breaking into a cold sweat right about now. {ahem}


Oh yeah, and somewhere in there I'm going to try and celebrate my 33rd birthday. (I really want to have a lawn bowling and mustache party... we'll see if we can pull it off.)


That's all I have for you today. My head is FULL of things that I want to write about... and my hard drive is FULL of half-written posts that only need some attention and editing... But right now it's all I can do to sit and write out my madness.


So welcome. To my madness. Welcome to my madness.


Life is crazy. My family is nuts. 


But we are happy.


We love all the excitement and the challenge and the things going on around us.


BUZZ.


So... I am here.... I am great... Just busy. That's all. Just busy.


Thanks for asking. 


I'm scheduling some writing time in the next few days so I'll be back... I know, I know... you wait on the edge of your seat. {grin} I'll try to deliver. I'll try not to disappoint.


I'll write about motherhood and babies and all the stuff you've come to expect... and maybe a few things you wouldn't expect. {more grinning}


Dear friends, do you think I'm nuts? Are you nuts? Is life more fun when it's nuts?? I know I'm not alone here... What does your "busy" look like?? Is it as nutty as mine?


love with a side of nuts,

I decided to jump back on the bandwagon. 
Would you care to vote for the Memos?



 Have you registered your blog here yet?

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission

zachary is a smelly pants

I have a riveting post for you today.

A few days ago I was checking out my blog stats and the demographics of my readers... and I came across the list of search item entries that have caused people to end up on the Memos.

Here are some of the more notable things people have googled that have landed them on the Memos:

• bunny bear
• losing your marbles while pregnant {I should have written that post... sounds profound.}
• memos to hire babysitter
• bear and wookie
• cuddle, sleepy, child, love
• dear levi lesson plans
• pictures of sweet guys sleeping {This one's almost creepy.}
• wookie-pookie
• wookie wiggle {Ummmm....}
• son named bunny bear {Really?}

And my personal favorite:

• zachary is a smelly pants

I swear I didn't make these up. I copied them exactly how they were entered.

I just hope these people have found what they are looking for here... especially Zachary's friend (or maybe his little sister?).

That's all.

grinning,


P.S. I think this is the culprit of a lot of those strange entries. But still, why would you be searching for those words anyway??? Feel free to enlighten me.

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission