I have a whole grab bag of thoughts (and a couple questions) for you on this Miscellany Monday.

I have a new obsession called the Library. My sister in law (the one I live with) took me a few weeks ago and all they required for membership was local mail with my name on it. So I got a card and I go often. Lately I have been talking up my Library membership like it is the new iPhone. I am that cool.

 I know Valentine’s Day was a month ago, but SJ had surgery that day so we basically didn’t acknowledge it at all. We did however go to a young married party at our church that weekend and we played the newly wed game. It was so much fun. I loved seeing how alike and different J and I answered each question.

One question was
“If there were a fire what 3 things would your husband try and save?”
My answer was family, computer, and photos. And while most husbands answered that they would save their wife and/or children, the answers ranged from pets, to guns, to TV. I knew J wouldn’t save our TV because we have a 13 year old box TV that switches from color to black and white, the latter being more and more frequent. In fact I think if we saw a fire fighter coming out of a burning house with our TV we would throw our hands out and scream “Noooo! Put it back!!!” Anyway, back the game, when it was J’s turn to answer he said “family, computer, and photos” SCORE!

Another question was which would your husband least want to do, go shopping with you, or clean the toilet? I misunderstood and thought it said which would your husband rather do, so I said go shopping. All the guys were answering, go shopping, go shopping, go shopping. Then J meekly squeaked out scrub the toilet. I was shocked and blurted out “WHAT YOU WOULD RATHER SCRUB THE TOILET THAN GO SHOPPING WITH ME!?” That’s when everyone explained what the question actually was. Which made sense, because shopping is one of our favorite things to do together, but then it hit me… “Sooo… all of you guys would RATHER scrub the toilet?” There was a resounding yes. I never knew J was such a rare find.

Another thing I’ve been thinking about and wondering if I am a minority in is the use of area codes. I am old enough to remember not having to use an area code, but these days its 10 digits and that’s that. The problem is not everyone sees it that way. I have to exchange phone number a lot because of SJ’s appointments and I start with (972) and then give the rest and it throws people because they automatically put in the local area code. Or if they give me their office number they leave out the area code and inside I am thinking “REALLY? You expect me to know the area code. Not only am I new in town, but even if I weren’t there are several different area codes in one metroplex. Add the mass use of cell phones and you are dealing with even more!” So what do you think, area code, or no area code? That is the question.

Lastly I leave you with the quote that’s been in my mind the most lately.

When Z was a baby he was given these two winter suit hand-me-downs. I have pictures of Z wearing it the exact same date 5 years ago (Z was 6 months old).

and I have SJ in the matching white one at 9 months old

and here is E at 5 months.

I know he is not smiling, but Z was the one behind the camera so I’ll take what I can get. I do have a couple smiley ones from my phone.

Lastly I have some pics that I took of him wearing some of the cute clothes I found for super cheap at a consignment shop. I just can’t keep up with him at the rate he is growing. He is now 18 pounds, wearing size 3 diapers, and 6-9 month clothes!

Thanks for modeling Ezie!

A year ago we celebrated your second birthday. We threw a big party for you with family and friends and we had the best time. You were such a fun, cute, and fearless little two year old.

This was a big year for you because mommy and daddy took you to see a doctor, who told us to bring you to another doctor who told us that you can’t hear! But that’s not the only thing we found out about you this year. You are one sweet surprise after another.

We have learned that you are extremely independent.

 You don’t mind if I take you to the bathroom, but if you have to go… (how should I say this?) #2 then you point to the door and shoo me out of the room so that you can have privacy.

One time you locked yourself in the bathroom and there was no key to get you out so daddy had to saw the knob off and break in to rescue you. You also like to dress yourself from head to toe. No matter how many times it takes you will keep at buttoning your shirt or tying your shoes until you get it right (or at least close enough). 

You have even tried to prepare your own meals, but it’s usually something eccentric like a butter sandwich. One time you made a bowl of broccoli and marshmallows. You heated it in the microwave just long enough to melt the marshmallow. By the time I caught you you were shoveling it down with a fondue fork and you finished every last bite.

We have also learned that you are left handed, just like 3 of your aunts, even though only one of them is blood related.

We’ve learned just how very girly you are. You aren’t afraid to play with trucks or get dirty, but you tend to gravitate toward dressing up, dancing like a ballerina, or wearing high heels. 
One time after a therapy session your teacher said that you were doing a sign where you wiggled your fingers under your chin and and she asked me what it meant? I told her it was the sign for dirty, icky, gross. She said that you were playing with a paper doll and when the teacher put a straw hat on the doll you wrinkled your nose and signed yucky then switched the hat to a tiara. She said you were very adamant about it.

We learned that you have a million different facial expressions and everyone you come in contact with usually comments on that fact.

We already knew what a good little sister you are 
and know we know you make a great big sister too!

Lastly we’ve learned that there is nothing that can hold you back.

Yesterday we celebrated your third birthday. We threw a big party for you with family and friends and we had the best time. You are such a cute, fun, and fearless little three year old. 

*WARNING* This post contains graphic images that are inappropriate and definitely unsuitable for children!!! Please, please, please proceed with caution!!!***

Does anyone else remember the children’s song “Oh be careful little eyes what you see… There’s a father up above and he’s looking down in love, so be careful little eyes what you see.” It’s a simple Biblical concept about guarding yourself and being aware of what you do and say and where you go.
I have had a message burning in my heart for some time now and my friend Amy inspired me to final say something.

She has been blogging about body image all week for NEDA (national eating disorder awareness). This topic is soooo important to me because I see the damaging effects that an unhealthy body image can have on young girls/women. They don’t value themselves so they become dangerous in what they will do as they struggle to find self worth. I went through a time in my life where I longed to be someone else. I really felt like I was hideous. I hated who I was and lost years of my life being distracted by this issue. I praise God for delivering me from the darkness that held me down in that period. I am grateful that although I don’t wake up every morning feeling like a beautiful creation, I know that I am loved and I am lovely.

I don’t think I need to state hundreds of statistics about how women are objectified in our society or how millions of women are suffering from eating disorders. We all know (I think we do) that this is a problem. We are responsible for the example we set for younger girls. Lets talk about what we can do about it. I don’t think there is anything wrong with exercise or wanting to look nice. I think obsessing over how we look and coveting other women’s bodies is a problem. You might think of lust as something guys do, but women lust over women’s bodies in other ways and it’s just as bad. I have had pinterest for a year now and I have to admit as much as I love the recipes and craft ideas I get fed up with some of the racy content that I see nearly everyday. If my child (or husband) was looking over my shoulder while I was scrolling through the pages I would have to close my web browser. You might be wondering who am I “following” that would show topless women or women in thongs. It’s coming from girls I grew up with and women including mothers from church and it’s pins about exercise. Really, that is all it is, but the images are often (in my opinion) unrealistic and offensive. These are just a couple examples that weren’t completely x rated, and I am sorry to be circulating the exact garbage I am trying to avoid, but I feel like it’s the only way to show you the content I am talking about. They might make you laugh or cringe, but if you are like me they will make you mad.

 LADIES! This woman is the only woman that looks exactly like this! Embrace individuality!

We’ve spent a lot of time focused on SJ’s ears lately. She had her 2nd (and final) cochlear implant activated yesterday. So she is hearing bilateral now. YEA! Thank God everything went smoothly and both surgeries were successful without any complications or infections. Ironically, baby E is the one that ended up with the ear trouble this week.

None of my kids have ever dealt with ear infections, so when E wasn’t acting like himself we couldn’t figure out what the problem was. He was so upset on Saturday night that on Sunday morning we kept him home from church even though he didn’t have a fever. I was worried that my easy going baby had turned into a colicky bundle of discontent and when the Doctor couldn’t get him in on Monday they suggesting bringing him to an urgent care so I did.

Sure enough the Doctor cringed when he looked in E’s ears. He has a double ear infection and ruptured eardrums. I have heard of people bursting their eardrums and I knew it was painful, but I never realized how common it is or that the eardrum heals itself. E didn’t burst his eardrums, for if he had it would have brought relief from the pressure, he did tear them though. I knew his cry sounded like he was in pain. J and I both agreed on that and our parenting instincts were right, but it’s still sad to confirm that the shrieking and screaming meant he was suffering.

The doctor and I talked for a bit and I learned that he and I are alike in that we are both really cautious and conservative when it comes to antibiotics especially with a little baby, but in this case there was no way around it. This makes E by far the youngest of my 3 children to ever be on antibiotics. Z and SJ were well past 2 years old when they had to take anything. Either way I am grateful there is a remedy for what he is dealing with. He hasn’t had any Tylenol today and he seems to be back to his usual bubble self, which means I am a little more bubbly too.

When we got home this cookie bouquet was sitting on the doorstep. It was from SJ’s school.

She was really excited about the delivery.