Where Does the Time Go?

I just put my baby on a school bus for the first time ever. I hadn't really thought about it until last night but he's accomplished so much this summer. He just about perfected last years attempts at swimming without floaties, he learned to ride his bike without training wheels (though he still prefers to keep them on!!), he learned how to tie his own laces, he's sounding out words (he even read me an entire" Bob book" last night, one he had never seen before!), and even though he'll have no idea until Ana's actually here, he's slowly learning what being a big brother is going to be like. I remember when he was born, everyone more experienced than I saying "treasure these moments because time really flies!". I poo pooed them just trying to get through yet another day of baby or toddler hood. It really has gone by too fast!
Just when did he become the little man that I just sent off by himself on the school bus?

A Day with Mimi

Ian loves to spend time with his Mimi. There is always fun involved and often a trip to the dollar store or Ian's other favorite, Rite Aid. I think when Ian and I go to the dollar store he is secretly plotting his plan to get all the things he knows mummy won't let him buy.

Ian spent a few hours with Mimi on Saturday.
This is what he came home with...

Hmmmm....

A gun, a fake badge, some handcuffs and a disguise.
Do you think she is secretly grooming him to rob a bank for her?

Goodbye Sophie

Well, we had a sad day here yesterday. One of our cats, Sophie passed away. I found her under the front steps yesterday afternoon, and it looked like she was taking a nap. I called for her and she didn't budge which is very unusual for her. Usually when she hears my voice she pokes her head up from her slumber with squinty eyes and lots of meows, and when she didn't I knew something was wrong. I really don't know what happened to her, she looked so peaceful that it literally looks like she went to sleep, and I'm hoping that was the case. I'm having a difficult time with her passing. She and her sister Sabina have been with us since we got married eight years ago and they were our babies. I'm feeling sad because just a day or so ago I shooed her away while I was trying to get something done on the computer, she just wanted to sit with me and I was frustrated and just couldn't deal with her at that moment. Especially because since the time we got Milo (the dog) last year she has made herself pretty scarce and we didn't get to give her as much loving as she was getting before, the opportunities were pretty few and far between, mostly when the dog wasn't around. Daily interaction usually amounted to saying good morning to her up in her perch above the refrigerator. I think the hardest thing has been watching Sabina look for her. She slept with us for the first time in a long while last night. I don't know if she needed comforting or if she knew I did but at any rate, I was happy to have her there. Well, sorry to blab on but I'm just feeling really sad this morning. I really miss her.

Guess what we got for our Anniversary?

Today is our 8th wedding anniversary. Greg took yesterday off because he couldn't get today. Turns out, there was a reason for that as we received a call from our social worker yesterday with the most amazing news, we have a daughter! I can't even believe I'm typing those words, but it's true.

Let me introduce Ana, born July 1.
She was 6 pounds 8 ounces and 19.3 inches long.
We are so excited!


Ian confided in me last night, "I like her".......life is good.

5 year old minds

An out of the blue conversation with Ian yesterday.

"Mumma, you're going to be someone else's mumma soon."

"You're right Ian, what do you think about that?"

"It's good."

"You know, no matter how many brothers or sisters you have, I'll always be your mumma too."

"I know, but you are my mumma the longest!"

"That's true, 'cause you are the oldest!"

"Yup, do you have any candy?"

Gotta love how their minds work!!

Different Trips to the Same Place

This is something I remember reading I think in one of our agencies newsletters a while back. Even though it doesn't pertain exactly to our situation, I really like it.

Different Trips to the Same Place

Deciding to have a baby is like planning a trip to Australia. You've heard it's a wonderful place. You've read many guidebooks and feel certain you're ready to go. Everyone you know has traveled there by plane. They say it can be a turbulent flight with occasional rough landings, but you can look forward to being pampered on the trip. So you go to the airport and ask the ticket agent for a ticket to Australia. All around you, excited people are boarding planes for Australia. It seems there is no seat for you: You'll have to wait for the next flight. Impatient, but anticipating a wonderful trip, you wait - and wait - and wait. Flights to Australia continue to come and go. People say silly things like, "Relax, you'll get on a flight soon." Other people actually get on a plane and then cancel their trip, to which you cry, "It's not fair!" After a long time the ticket agent tells you, "I'm sorry, we're not going to be able to get you on a plane to Australia. Perhaps you should think about going by boat." "By boat!" you say, "going by boat will take a very long time and it costs a great deal of money, I really had my heart set on going by plane." So you go home and think about not going to Australia at all. You wonder if Australia will be as beautiful if you approach it by sea rather than air. But you have long dreamed of this wonderful place, and finally you decide to travel by boat. It's a long trip, many months over many rough seas. No one pampers you. You wonder if you will ever see Australia. Meanwhile, your friends have flown back and forth to Australia two or three more times, marveling about each trip. Then one glorious day, the boat docks in Australia. It is more exquisite than you ever imagined, and the beauty is magnified by your long days at sea. You have made many friends during your voyage, and you find yourself comparing stories with others who also traveled by sea rather than air. People continue to fly to Australia as often as they like, but you are able to travel only once, perhaps twice. Some say things like, "Oh, be glad you didn't fly. My flight was horrible: traveling by sea is so easy." You will always wonder what it would have been like to fly to Australia. Still, you know God blessed you with a special appreciation of Australia, and the beauty of Australia is not in the way you got there, but in the place itself.

We have flown to Australia, and it is beautiful! We have spent 5 long years trying to get another flight because it is so wonderful. We do have many friends who have flown 2 or 3 times more during this time with some people who got flights they didn't plan for, and a couple who canceled their flights. At times it just didn't seem fair and all the while, I was feeling sorry for myself and I had to think, do I need to fly, or do I just want to get there? It took a long time to see the beauty of traveling by boat, but we are so excited to have set sail. I'm glad I finally realized that it doesn't really matter how you get there, it's the end result that matters. We are so fortunate that we were able to fly, and equally fortunate we are able to take this different route. Who knows what the future holds, we may fly again, we may travel by sea again, but for now I am so excited for this journey, anchors away!

The Fraize Home for Wayward Frogs and Toads

We have quite a selection of frogs and toads around our yard; Ian and his friends have been very busy capturing and studying them for several weeks now. We have big ones (like Hermie who last summer would sit on our front brick steps and eat the bugs that were attracted to the light), and tiny ones (very cute actually), and then there are the very loud tree frogs. When we first moved here I thought we had some weird nocturnal bird in the backyard. Turns out they are the tree frogs and they are attracted to our pool. I swear there are tree frog parties going on on our pool deck nightly! We even had one get into the house a month or so ago (the one clinging to the wall, that's our living room). The boys have not yet captured a tree frog but toads and frogs beware! The latest fascination is "froggie" (the big one Ian is holding) who lives in a tree in our front yard. He was captured every day for three days straight last week. The past few days he has not been home, I wonder if he up and moved!

I only have a few rules regarding amphibian capture.

1. All captured friends must remain outside at all times.
2. No running while holding a captive.
3. Captives may only be detained for one hour after which they must be released safely where they were found.

Ian is now asking for a pet frog for his birthday....should I refer him to rule number one?