Goodbye, clutter; hello, cash

With baby's arrival inching ever nearer, Scott and I have gotten on a big organization kick. Now, for him, that's not such a huge character stretch, but when I'm the one pushing to go clean out a closet, it makes you peek out the window to see if pigs are soaring past. We've been organizing and straightening some things and clearing out and getting rid of others. It feels rather gratifying to see a once jumbled closet become easier to use or see a cluttered pantry get the amazing overhaul Scott did a week or so ago.

To get rid of the excess we've accumulated as well as put a little money back in the bank account, I've turned to a local Facebook garage sale page. People post pictures of what they're selling and others comment to purchase. Then you set up a time and place to meet and swap your old picture frames or bedding for cash. It's great if you have stuff you'd like to get rid of but don't want to have a full on garage sale of your own. (Plus, this way you don't have to deal with those early birds who show up in your front yard at 6 a.m.)

While I have had success in the Facebook group in selling home goods, I have had little to no luck selling my clothes. I found myself with a stack of clothes in my closet floor and no idea what to do with them.

But then I found Twice. It's a website where you can purchase name-brand clothes secondhand for much less and where you can sell your own used clothes and get paid upfront. After reading about how to sell your clothes, it seemed easy enough, so I thought I'd give it a try. I requested the free prepaid bag to send my clothes to them, but you can also print a prepaid label and send your clothes in whatever box you have lying around.

My sorted stack, ready to go// With nothing to compare it to, it's hard to tell, but it was a big bag!

When the bag arrived, I sorted through my clothes to see what qualified to send. Twice only takes clothes that are less than five years old and are on their list of accepted brands, so a few of my Target pieces didn't make the cut, but a number of my sweaters, jeans and tops qualified. I ended up with a little more than 20 items to sell. I stuffed them all in the bag, sealed it up, and took it to the post office. It was really easy, and I didn't have to set up to meet someone I've only contacted through Facebook or meet some consignment shops crazy standards just to sell with them. (I just finished preparing some of Preston's old clothes for a children's consignment sale here in town. I had to get plastic hangers, specific little white price tags, and safety pins and have everything lined up just so. To top it all off, it seemed the sale had caused a run on all safety pins because there were none to be found. This was much easier.)

Once Twice gets my shipment, they'll send me an offer, which I can either accept and get the amount sent to me in a check or deny and get my clothes back for $5 shipping. Since I just sent in my clothes, I can't speak to how happy I am with how much Twice pays out, but the note that came with the bag said that the average seller sends in 18 pieces and gets around $50. If that's how it plays out with me, I'll be very pleased.

So, here's to clean closets and a few more dollars in your pocket. What are your organization tips or suggestions? What do you do with your extra clutter?

Conversations with Preston

While folding laundry
Preston: Mommy, Preston question?
Me: OK, what's your favorite movie?
Preston: Monsters and Baby. ("Monster's Inc.")
Me: What's your favorite thing to eat?
Preston: Mommy's cereal. (Cinnamon Toast Crunch)
Me: What do you like to do with Daddy?
Preston: Play Legos.
Me: What's your favorite thing to watch on TV?
Preston: Golf.
Me: What's your favorite song?
Preston: Happy!
Me: What's your favorite thing to do with Mrs. Jan?
Preston: Play.
(Between each question and answer, he would scrunch his face up and say, "Hmmm..." before he'd respond.)

While cleaning out the guest room to be baby girl's room
Me: What does baby sister need in her room?
Preston: A bed.
Me: Does she need clothes?
Preston: No, dresses!

After the satellite cut out one morning
(Into a Lego, like he was on the phone with DirecTV)
Preston: Hello? Yeah, TV not working. Channel 4 not working. Scott Han-gan.

Getting in the car to leave for the day
Scott: Did you poop?
Preston: Not yet. Nan (his sitter, Mrs. Jan) check it.

Looking at a piece of mail
Preston: (Points to Twitter logo) Hashtag!
(Points to Instagram logo) Picture!
(Points to YouTube logo) Snowman! (He watches the "In Summer" song from "Frozen" on YouTube.)

After Scott painted a swatch of the wall in baby's room pink
Scott: (To me) What do you think?
Preston: (Runs in the room, puts hands on his hips) I like it!

While out shopping and ready to leave
Preston: Daddy's car? Daddy's car nice! Go get in Daddy's nice car?

While playing outside
Me: (Grunts when sitting down.)
Preston: (Also grunts.) Oh man. Tired.

When I needed to give him a bath before we went to an office dinner
Me: Come on, buddy. You need to get a bath.
Preston: No, mommy. Too early.
(And he was right. It was much earlier than he typically gets a bath.)

While pushing a laundry basket
Preston: Driving
Me: Where are you going?
Preston: Buy pacis. (Stops.) Parking, be right back! (Leaves the room and comes back with two pacis to put in the basket.) Pay for it. (Starts pushing basket again.) Oh, red light.

Every morning at breakfast
Preston: Hug, mommy! Hug! (This happens about three or four times, and I never get tired of it — soggy cereal and all.)

P.S. In case you missed the first one.

Actually pretty in pink

Let me be the first to say that I never ever ever thought my daughter would have a pink room. I have been waging the fight agains the frilly since the ultrasound nurse said "Girl!" As a young girl, I never liked pink. It's not so much the color itself, just the super girliness it seems to represent. I distinctly remember sitting in church, face red from crying and arms folded tightly, because my mom had made me wear a pink dress that day. And I was probably 12 — a little too old for such pouting. While I wasn't coordinated enough to wear the title of tomboy, I definitely wasn't a girly girl.

And this anti-girly girl mindset came into play when making decisions for baby girl. In my mind there would be no poofy dress that looks like a cupcake trying to swallow my child, there would be no Carmen Miranda bows the size of grapefruits adorned with feathers and sparkles strapped to her head, and there would be no glitter, no rhinestones, and no tulle. Sure, I want her to be feminine and sweet, but styled like a contestant on "Toddlers in Tiaras." I wanted the same style for her room, and to me that meant little to no pink.

Who would've thought that it would actually be Scott who selected the color and changed my mind about it. His way of preparing for baby has been planning her room, and it's been so sweet to watch him searching the Web, pinning what he likes to a secret pinboard (The boy's on Pinterest! It doesn't get much cuter). When he sent me what he had in mind, I was surprised with how much I liked it. While it did have pink, it was a pale pink, and paired with a kelly green in her bedding and curtains, it was just too perfect to say no to.

Thanks to our friends Katie and Nate, baby girl's room got painted this Saturday. Scott and Nate worked hard while Katie and I entertained Preston with sidewalk chalk, golf, and the sprinkler. Our part was much less difficult.

Now with the paint, it really feels like baby girl's room is beginning to take shape, even if it is only a pink room with a white dresser/changing table in it right now. And even though I've accepted the pink, I still stand firm on my cupcake dresses policy.

Fourth in four

While last year's Fourth of July consisted of moving and boxes and more boxes and boxes within those boxes, this Fourth was a lot less cardboard heavy and a lot more kick your feet up and eat some more. I will always prefer the latter. Here's what we were up to in Instagrams.

1. While bomb popsicles are definitely marketed to a younger crowd, I was the one who requested them for the weekend. (Really, I passed it off on baby girl. She's quite demanding.) They were the perfect accompaniment to sitting outside (With highs in the 80s, it was heavenly!) and watching Preston splash in the wading pool his Gran got him. Preston was hooked at first bite, but a little confused by the word popsicle. After he finished his bite, he said, "Oh! Ice cream!" Now we were speaking his language!

2. We kept Preston up way past his 8:15 bedtime to venture to the next town over for their fireworks show that Friday night. The noise and the lights frightened him a bit, so he and my mother-in-law watched from inside the car. (Once again, when on any other Fourth of July in recent memory could you sit in a turned off car and not pass out from heatstroke two minutes in?) Afterward, Preston said the fireworks were "Too bright!" and "Too loud!" but "Better in car."

3. We capped off Saturday by roasting the biggest marshmallows you've ever seen for s'mores. From the moment we got to Scott's mom's Thursday night to the time we left Sunday afternoon, I was never hungry. I ate, but it was never because my stomach growled and let me know I was running on empty. I mean, you've got to try at least one rib fresh out of the smoker, even if it's 11 p.m., right?

4. Since we were outside most of the weekend, it was obvious that the Rhino would make an appearance. Preston loved it, but you couldn't tell by his face. He took it all very seriously with the little crease between his eyebrows present for the entirety of his ride. Scott let him sit in his lap and "steer" while they made slow loops around the yard, and I thought after that we'd never get either one of them back inside.

Preston's two year old photos

Preston likes a lot of things: The Today Show, a pink stuffed giraffe originally intended for baby sister, Cheetos, bubbles, being splashed with cold water, scaring people, Jimmy Fallon, ice cream, making funny faces, Monster's University and Monster's Inc., going outside, playing drums, and his paci.

But there is one thing Preston loves. In fact, you might say he's obsessed. This boy cannot get enough golf. He loves to play with his little plastic set of clubs, whacking white, plastic golf balls all over the yard calling, "Nice shot!" He wakes up from his Sunday afternoon naps asking to watch golf because he knows it's on. He calls the reflexes hammer from his doctor kit his club and hits his pacis across the living room floor. The other day while I was brushing my teeth, he started jumping up and down with his hands over his head chanting, "Play golf! Play golf!" for no real reason at all.

It's obvious why it seemed so fitting that his two year photos incorporate his deep love for golf. After rescheduling with Cassie numerous times (If you're ever in need of rain, let me know and I'll schedule a shoot with Cassie. It works like a charm), we finally were able to meet up at the local country club and get Preston's pictures on their practice putting green. The boy was in heaven. I had to hide the clubs for the first half just so he would sit and get some non-golf pictures first.

I absolutely love the finished result and how they really freeze Preston just as he is now, which is something I cherish even more as he seems to be growing so quickly now. I couldn't ask for a boy much better than this one. And all the sudden, that's what he is — a boy, a walking, talking, opinion-having, giggling, cheerful, albeit stubborn boy. I find myself searching for traces of the baby we brought home. I see glimpses in his chubby cheeks or the way he sleeps with his lips puckered and apart like a little fish. But there are more signs of the big boy he's becoming. Bruises on his legs, dirt under his nails, and little fists clinched tightly around any ball he can find and throw. And while it's sad to see the baby in him fade away, I sure do love this boy of mine.

Conversations with Preston

Preston has reached a point where he's talking all of the time, and it's so fun to hear what is going on in his little brain. I'm often tempted to post a Facebook status or tweet whenever he says something cute, but I try to keep from being that person on social media (all bets are off on my Instagram, though). So I thought I'd start a little series on conversations with Preston so I can share them and have them stored away to look back on some day.

Playing with his singing steering wheel:
Preston: "Ooh ooh! We here!"
Me: "Where are you going?"
Preston: "Walmart!"
Me: "What are you going to get?"
Preston: "Gross-ies (groceries) … and cookies!"

When we leave the house in Scott's car:
Preston: "Ready! We goin'! Bye, Mommy's car!"

Overheard on the baby monitor one morning, talking about his blanket bear:
"Mommy's bear? Nooo! Daddy's bear? Nooo! Coco's bear? Nooo! Pops' bear? Nooo!" (This went on in loop for a while.)

After splashing water on the floor:
Preston: "Eww! Mess!"
Me: "Who made that mess?"
Preston: "Pops!"

While Scott and I were getting ready:
Preston to Scott, who wasn't wearing a shirt: "Daddy! Shirt!"
Scott: "You want me to wear a shirt?"
Preston: "Uh-huh, myson (bison) shirt!"

After he'd thrown a fit getting out of the bathtub and I told him to use his words when he's upset:
Me: "OK, so why did you get so mad?"
Preston: "(whining) Frustrated!" Then he collapsed onto my shoulder.

When Scott went to get him out of bed:
Scott: "Preston, where's Mommy?"
Preston: "Doing dishes."

Sitting at the table:
Preston: "Hmmmm…"
Me: "What are you doing?"
Preston: "Finking (Thinking)," and taps on his chin with his spoon.

Looking at a J.Crew catalog:
Preston: "Oh, Mommy! (pointing to model on the front) Dress, Mommy! Mommy's cute! Cute Mommy!" (Nothing makes a five-month pregnant lady feel better than being mistaken for a model — and being cute too!)

P.S. I took these pictures the other night while we were all outside. They feature Preston's two favorite things — golf and cold water. He literally requests "Cold water!!" every night in the bathtub and was happy to find it can come from the hose, too.

My favorite Netflix documentaries

We've reached that point in the summer where all of your old favorite shows are in reruns, you've already watched this week's "Bachelorette," and the rain messed up your recording of "Halt and Catch Fire." OK, so all of that may just be me, but I think we can agree that there's not a whole lot to watch during the summer. Sure, that probably means you should be outside catching lightening bugs, reading a book, or eating dinner with friends late into the evening, but when you love TV like I do, a DirecTV guide full of "American Ninja Warrior" and "Shark Tank" is truly upsetting. #couchpotatoproblems

This is where Netflix comes to the rescue. Sure, they've got great series you can binge on to get you caught up for the fall (we tried starting "Call the Midwife," but after one episode I decided I was too hormonally imbalanced to handle it right now), but lately Scott and I have gotten into some of the documentaries they offer. 

"The Short Game"

This movie focuses on the best young golfers in the world who are competing in North Carolina to be the world champion and hope to be the next big golfer — once they get a later bedtime, of course. Not only are these nine kids the movie follows adorable, but they are incredible golfers. I loved watching their determination and persistence in practicing and improving their golf game right alongside their goofy, 7-year-old ways. The movie took me through the whole range of emotions, from joy when they succeeded to heartbreak when they didn't do as well as they hoped. 

"Muscle Shoals"

This documentary tells the story of Rick Hall who founded FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.  In his studio, he developed a signature sound that made FAME a popular place to record for many artists and helped launch some big name artists and hit songs. It's full of great music and some surprising stories — like how Aretha Franklin was dropped by her original record label because she wasn't selling, only to be re-signed by another and take a trip to Muscle Shoals, which helped propel her to the star she is today. 

"Undefeated"

Filmed at a high school in Memphis, this movie tells the story of the Manassas Tigers football team as they attempt a winning season after years of losing. They're turned around by their head coach, who teaches them character and how to excel on and off the field. It won the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 2012. We found about about this movie because one of the students Scott was recruiting was actually part of the team when it was filmed. Now he gets to put "featured in an Academy Award winning film" on his resume for life. If you love heartwarming sports movies about a rag-tag team who comes together under the leadership of their coach, then you'll love this one!

"Mitt"

"I have looked, by the way, at what happens to anybody in this country who loses as the nominee of their party. They become a loser for life, all right? That's it. It’s over." That's one of the first things you hear from Republican presidential nominee hopeful Mitt Romney in a 2007 fundraiser. That idea sets the tone for the documentary since we, the audience, know his ultimate fate in losing the nomination to John McCain in that election and going on to lose the presidency to Barak Obama four years later. It provides an interesting personal look into Romney's life, making him seem less robotic than what many voters saw on the campaign trail. It was a great look behind the scenes, and I especially enjoyed seeing his family's perspective, since I never thought much about the toll the process of his running for president must have on them.

So, there you have it. What are you watching this summer? Or are you one of those "we don't even own a TV" types? If so, to quote Joey from "Friends," "What does all of your furniture point at?"

The mom who knew too much

Scott and I met up with my parents in Memphis over Memorial Day weekend. We found a little park for Preston to play on before we went to dinner, so my mom and I sat watching Scott and my dad show Preston how to go down the tube slide. While I watched Preston cross a bouncing bridge and peer down the slide, I asked my mom, "How did you ever let us play on a playground? That side is wide open for kids to get to the monkey bars, and it's a three-foot drop down! And we used to climb along the tops of the bars and jump off!" "There was a lot of gasping and jumping on my part," she said. "But you were always OK."

While it seems impossible now, at some point Preston will be climbing and leaping and swinging from those bars all on his own, like my sister and I and millions of children before us, and he'll get blisters or scrapes or fall and get the breath knocked out of him, like my sister and I and millions of children before us. And he'll be OK — like my sister and I and millions of children before us.

And those aren't even the scariest things he'll do in his lifetime.

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the balance between protecting my children and teaching them independence. I keep dwelling on a scene from "Full House" (that beacon of parental wisdom) where Uncle Jesse and Aunt Becky are at odds with each other about which parenting technique is better for their twin boys. They flash forward to the future, and one — influenced by Becky — is a whiney, teenage nerd who still needs cornstarch sprinkled in his pants for diaper rash while the other — lead by Jesse — has multiple tattoos and is too wild to control. While I know there's an in between that is better, sometimes I prefer the idea of the teenage nerd with corn starch in his pants. At least I'd know he's not getting into trouble!

All this thinking was spurred on further by this article I read on Salon.com. The title, "The day I left my son in the car," had me sickeningly panicked from the beginning, afraid something terrible happened to her son. But it didn't. The four-year-old wanted to stay in the car and play a game on the iPad while she made a quick run into the store. It was an overcast, 50 degree day; she cracked the windows and locked the car and was in and out in less than five minutes. But a bystander saw her leave her son and reported her to the police. Now she was faced with a warrant for her arrest and a trial for endangering her son.

The main thought presented was that society has moved into a school of thought where children are completely unsafe when not under constant parental supervision and how that way of thinking is unfounded. How many times as kids were we left in the car and never thought about all of the ills that could befall? How many times were we free to roam the neighborhood or parks on our own? But now that seems completely reckless. The author speaks with a lady who points out that the most dangerous thing she did was not leaving her child in the car but putting him in the car at all — as more children die in wrecks than in parked cars. But we hear the bad, the one in a million stories, and we as parents feel that we must protect our children from everything. We know too much.

Anything could happen is a common refrain voiced by such parents. And I know what they mean. We’ve seen the television movies about abducted children. We’ve heard the heart-rending stories of kids injured in carjackings, or forgotten in sweltering cars. And once you imagine something, imagine what it must have been like for that parent or child who suffered it, it’s not a great leap to imagine it happening to you or your child, and then, if you’re like most parents, you will do anything in your power to prevent it. It’s not a matter of likelihood or statistical significance, but the terrible power of our imagination.

That hit home with me in a powerful way — because I completely get that. Stories about people who fall, break their nose, and the bone shard penetrates their brain race to the forefront of my mind when I see Preston running with reckless abandon. Stories like Natasha Richardson's fall on the ski slopes and undiagnosed concussion that lead to her death echo alongside the thud of Preston's head when he knocks it on the bath tub faucet. Snake bites, West Nile Virus, food-born illness, broken bones, car wrecks, abductions, drowning … I've thought long, hard and fitfully about them all, not to mention all of the school shootings and other general crazies out there. Forget the nerdy, corn starched teen — Preston's going to be a bubble boy at this rate.

My friend Hannah posted about dropping off her eldest at camp. She mentioned one girl had fallen on day one and broken her leg. "Sooo sad! Poor girl. And poor parents of all children, having to learn to let our kids spread their wings and explore and break bones," she wrote. And there it was: Not only is it important for children to learn independence, but it's important for their parents to learn to accept that independence and allow it to happen. I feel like I could break out into hives when I think about Preston going to school, being around kids I don't know with a teacher I don't know making decisions without my supervision. But I have to trust in the kid I've raised that he won't do anything truly stupid and that, if he does, one part of learning comes from acquiring bruises, broken bones, broken hearts and other uncomfortable consequences. I can impart what wisdom I have, but another big part of children's learning comes from experiences all their own.

It's a difficult thing to learn … that "Let It Go" is more than a catchy, now overplayed song from a Disney movie.

It's a girl!

Yesterday, Scott and I got to see sweet baby #2 when I went for my second ultrasound. It's amazing how babies go from little beans at nine weeks to fully looking like a human at 18 weeks. After marveling at the baby's profile, tiny fingers and froggy legs, the ultrasound nurse told us that baby was a girl. While part of me was surprised (I just knew it was a boy), the other part of me felt like she was telling me something I already knew.

When we found out Preston's gender, I had been certain he was a girl, so in my mind being certain it was a boy this time around just meant we were getting a girl. Also, Preston had been telling us it was going to be a baby sister for a couple of months already, and he's a pretty smart kid.

It was fun to see the already apparent differences in my two children at this stage during my ultrasound. With Preston, he never really moved much or seemed bothered by the ultrasound wand invading his space. There were a couple of times after an ultrasound where I wondered if Preston could actually move his legs because he kicked around so little in those brief moments where we could watch him on a screen. He was always a chilled, laid back baby on the inside and continues to be one (for the most part) on the outside.

Baby girl, on the other hand — not so much. From the minute the ultrasound wand was pressed against my stomach, you could tell she did not enjoy having her space invaded. She kicked and wiggled, trying to get away as best she could. I've noticed that the best way to feel her kick is to curl my legs up in front of me to give her a little less room. It gets her stirred up every time. Looks like we need to be ready for a girl who needs her own space.

Prior to this ultrasound, Scott and I had decided not to do too much planning until we knew the gender. We got to enjoy a nice little stretch of expecting a baby while not fussing with the logistics too much. Now, it makes the reality of everything sink in a little more. Baby sister will be here in four and a half months! We've got to start making decisions — the biggest one at the moment being what we'll call her.

While baby now has a pronoun, she doesn't have a proper noun. Girls' names seem to be much harder to decide on than boys names for me. Scott and I spent the majority of the time batting names back and forth while waiting for the doctor yesterday. Every name was either connected to a person one of us had a bad memory of, sounded like we were trying too hard, or just wasn't a good name. The naming conundrum always brings me back to this "Friends" scene.

So, for now, we'll start pulling the newborn stuff out of storage while running through ever-growing lists of girl names. Too bad Vito is a boy's name.

Image via Pixels.com

What to do next?

Every so often I get blogger's block and can't think of anything to write. I get to a point where I feel like people can only read so much about my life before they get bored. Sure, I have some drafts of posts that I need to finish (an update on Preston and his feeding therapy, some of my summer favorites), but I just haven't felt pushed to complete them. I've sat down to try to write something several times over the past two weeks, but I've come up empty. So, I thought I'd turn to you for some ideas!

In thinking about what I'd like to write about, I kept going back to the movie "Julie & Julia." The main character cooked her way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in a year. I think I'd like to do something like that. Whisking and basting my way through Child's monumental tome might be a little more than I can manage (plus, you know, it's been done), but the idea of working through something and completing little challenges like that seems fun.

I realize that there are some big changes coming up in the next five months and spare time to complete an ongoing task like this may disappear, so I'm not going to put a tight time constraint on it, but I would like to have it to go back to when I'm needing something to do for me.

So, my question is this: What should I do? It could be cooking through a cookbook (maybe one centered on budget-friendly dinners — something I'm always needing more of) or working through a self-help book (I have a book called 52 Ways to Wow Your Husband that has been sitting, unread, on my Kindle for a while), learning something new through a how-to book, or attempting 50 Pinterest pins. I'm open to anything you might suggest! Let me know your ideas in the comments or elsewhere, and I'll go from there.

Side note: These pictures are from our trip to Memphis this past weekend and have absolutely nothing to do with the post. I just wanted to share them!

Preston turns two, part 2

I guess when you turn two, you have to have two parties to make it official. That's at least how Preston celebrated turning the big two with his second party this past weekend. We (obviously) went with a Cookie Monster theme, Preston's favorite among the Sesame Street gang. This made it extremely easy to decorate for. We didn't buy any of the Cookie Monsters for the party. I just grabbed them from the toy bins while Preston was napping before the party. We even had the glass milk jug sitting around, and Scott filled it up with water and a little acrylic white paint to look like milk. I got the rest of the decorations from Oriental Trading, which I had heard of but never ordered from. Afterward, though, I wondered why I hadn't used them sooner. I got plates, napkins, bunting, paper straws and paper snack cups for $17! Super easy and affordable — just like I like it.

Preston's grandma made his Cookie Monster shirt and a local bakery made the cupcakes and cookies. I'm not good under pressure, so I can't bake or even think about baking the birthday cake without feeling incredibly anxious. So I was glad to give that task to someone else. They turned out much cuter that way.

All of that paled in Preston's eyes to the balloons that were floating in the kitchen when he woke up from his nap. I think we could get him a balloon next year and he'd be pleased as punch.

It was a simple party but definitely a good one. There's nothing that warms my heart more than celebrating this sweet, goofy little boy with the people who love him as much as we do. That's reason enough to have two birthday parties!

Lots to celebrate

Birthdays, hoodings, graduations — oh my! We had a very busy couple of days this past weekend as we traveled to Nashville to celebrate my sister's graduation from pharmacy school as well as Preston's second birthday, which means we not only had a lot to celebrate, but also a lot to photograph, so please excuse the overabundance of pictures.

On Friday, after we had gone to Courtney's hooding ceremony and Preston had taken a very lengthy nap, we celebrated our boy turning two (even though it feels like we just brought him home). He woke up to find a giant Elmo balloon waiting for him, and I'm pretty sure he would've been happy with just that. But he also got a couple of things from my parents and sister. He was elated when he opened the little computer my parents got him, but the biggest hit was probably his own little set of golf clubs. When Mom brought them out, he shouted, "Golf!" and the rest of the afternoon was spent hitting and chasing the plastic golfballs all over the house.

After dinner, it was time for cake — a super blue Cookie Monster cake to be exact — and Bubble Guppies masks. The cake left us all extremely blue in the mouth region, so it was best that it was shared among family only. I was very proud of Preston for actually taking a bite of the cake, even though I think the blue icing frightened him a bit. It's a huge step from where he was this time last year.

Saturday was graduation day, and in addition to the ceremony itself, Mom and Dad had planned a party at their house afterward with most of our family and friends coming for both. We had quite the cheering section for Courtney as she crossed the stage. We were just a few rows back from where she crossed to return to her seat. When Preston saw her, he shouted, "Hi, Coco! I watched you on the steps!" Since most of the arena was quiet so that each person's name could be heard when called, he was heard by everyone in our general area and got a laugh out of them.

Let me just take a minute to brag on my sister. While she was in school these past four years working to get to this point, she's really been working much longer than just her time in pharmacy school. She has been determined to do her best for as long as I've known her, and all of that determination paid off. I'm so proud of my sister, Dr. Courtney Harris.

Back at my parents' house, we ate lunch and celebrated the new doctor and new two year old. Courtney's cake congratulated her "Breaking Bad" style. After lunch, Everyone ended up outside while Preston and others tested out his collection of bubbles that my grandmother gave him for his birthday. We were all a little pollen- and bubble solution-covered when we came back inside.

It was wonderful to spend time with family and celebrate these two occasions!

It was even better to take a nap afterward.

Books that linger

Do you have a book or books that have stuck with you for years? While I have read several great works of literature during my time as an English major and just trying to be a well-read individual, the one book series that stands out most in my mind is one I read in elementary school — the Ramona series.

There are so many things in those books that I remember so vividly, descriptions so wonderfully painted that still resonate with me now. There's the scene where Ramona makes slacks for her stuffed elephant but fails to account for her rump, leaving the elephant with saggy knees and pants that don't cover her behind. I think of this whenever I wear leggings, worried if I, too, have saggy elephant slacks knees.

Of course, there's Ramona's classmate with the curly blonde hair and Ramona who just itches to pull one of those locks to see if it bounces like an actual spring. She eventually does and, of course, gets in trouble because that's just what happens to Ramona.

Other moments that stand out are when she describes being curled up in the booth at Whopper Burger with her dad, and the coziness of that booth mixed in with the warmth of the french fries — crispy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside. Or when she squirts the whole tube of toothpaste into the sink because it looks like frosting, only to have to put all of the toothpaste into a jar and use it herself (because the whole family dipping their toothbrushes into one jar would be unsanitary).

And there are many, many more I could list (turning the Q of her last name into a cat, the "No Smo King" signs, throwing up at school) …

For whatever reasons, these images have stuck with me for 20+ years. As a writer, I can only hope that one thing I've ever written lingers with one person for longer than a week, so it's awesome to think of generations of children growing up with this character and her impact lasting past childhood. Scenes so perfectly depicted like in this series are one of the reasons I fell in love with words and writing in the first place. What seems simple so accurately captures an idea or moment that you can't help but carry it with you long after the book is finished. That's an impressive thought.

So, share with me. What book or book series still sticks with you today?

The big haircut

Last week, Preston got his first official "big boy" haircut. Even though Scott and I had been pretty resistant to cutting his hair, when we noticed he was rocking the Andy Samberg circa 2006, we decided a haircut might be overdue. 

The main reason I'd been dragging my feet to cut Preston's hair is that I didn't know what to do with it. I think it's easier with a little girl. You can give them a simple little bob and it can be as long or as short as you want it. The most difficult decision there is bangs or no bangs. A little boy actually has to have a style: bowl cut, crew cut, buzz cut, etc. But when I saw this little boy on Mini Boden, I thought his hair cut would fit Preston perfectly.

I'm thankful my friend Amber was able to do it since my usual hair stylist was booked solid. I took Preston over to her house, and she cut his hair in her bathroom. She was so sweet to take time out of her afternoon to clean up this shaggy little dog.

While he loved Amber and an excuse to play with my iPad, he hated the clips she used to section off his hair. Whenever he'd reach up and feel one in his hair, he'd cry. When she got to the top section, he reached up to feel for a clip to find there weren't anymore in his hair. He was so happy that he clapped and shouted "Yay!"

I love this new 'do, and he looks so cute it makes us wonder why we didn't cut it sooner. As an added bonus, since his haircut, no one at Walmart has called him a girl. So it's a win all around.

I can't get over how big he looks in this photo. I can't believe he'll be two on Friday!

Gift ideas for mom

Mother's Day is fast approaching. For whatever reason, this holiday always has me scratching my head about what to buy. What do you get the woman who not only woke up at all hours of the night to feed you and made it through the ages of 2 and 12-18 without shipping you to the zoo but also came to stay with you for two weeks after you've had a baby and listened to whatever problem (real or imagined) you brought to her over the course of 28 years? While one gift might not say all of those things, here are a few ways you can tell your mom thanks for being your mom.

1. How cute is this set of pears? I love the sweet, simple sentiment and can see them easily fitting in to any mom's decor. This is a great gift if you happen to live far away from your mom because they would be such a nice reminder for her to glance at every day when she might not see you as much as she likes.

2. Of course, every mother needs a Mother's Day card, and I love everything Rifle Paper Co. does. This card is great for when you can't get your mom an actual trophy but wish to express that feeling just the same.

3. A stack of these dainty initial bracelets would make any mom proud. Get one for each of her children's (and even grandchildren's) names. They'd make a great conversation starter, and what mom doesn't want an excuse to gush about her kids?

4. My parents always request pictures of Preston when I ask them what they want for any gift-giving occasion. One of my favorite places to go for everything photo is Shutterfly. They offer tons of wall art options to display those timeless memories. I love the look of the mounted wall art, but they also offer canvas, wood, acrylic and even metal prints, plus cute decals. With all of the choices, it's easy to find an option that fits your mom's style and features her favorite face for all to see!

5. Buying scents for others can be tricky, but this Nest set of five offers the recipient a variety to choose from. And with such beautiful packaging, these bottles would look lovely on your mom's vanity.

6. My collection of recipes derived from my mom, grandmothers, great-grandmother and mother-in-law. It's such a neat collection of generations of special women. This vintage-feeling recipe tin would be a great gift to keep all of those treasures in one place.

I hope this helps you on your quest to celebrate all of the mothers in your life!

Easter 2014

I hope you had a very happy Easter weekend! I was able to snap a few pictures of Preston hunting eggs after church. Getting pictures of him has gotten increasingly difficult for me because he wants to come and grab my camera from me and point it around saying "Cheese! Cheese!" So the eggs were a good distraction — and a big hit, too! When we walked out the front door, he squeezed his little fists together in excitement and squealed, "Ay-ggs!" He kept shouting that to Scott, "Daddy! Eggs!" And while he understood the concept of finding the eggs, he didn't get the "put them in your basket" part. He would just pick them up and set them back down.

We were also able to celebrate a huge milestone in Preston's eating this weekend. I put some Annie's graham bunnies in Preston's Easter basket, and with much cheering and fist pumping, he actually ate them — chewing, swallowing and even asking for more! He's making such progress with therapy, and Scott and I were so proud of him. It was an Easter miracle!

I'm always a little sad that, because of Scott's job and how busy this weekend for the university, we're never able to visit family and have to stay in town. But, over the years, I've come to enjoy a holiday that's just ours. We get to make some new traditions and memories while carrying over pieces from our past. I always make my mom's hash brown casserole because it has always been a staple on Easter Sunday for as long as I can remember. And watching Preston hunt eggs was a fun first that I look forward to doing in years to come.

I loved the day with our little family and look forward to many more Easters that we can make our own.

P.S. I just had to include this picture. Scott was coaching Preston to pose by leaning against the tree, and this was Preston's translation.

My writing process: A blog tour

A week or two ago, my dear, sweet friend Alex asked me if I wanted to participate in a blog tour sharing about my writing process. Now, while I have a blog, I don't tend to do a lot of those communal, bloggy things. I used to do "What I'm Loving Wednesday," but that's about as close as I got. But this one seemed different, and I liked the topic at hand, so I went for it.

As a side note, if you don't know Alex or don't read her blog already, you are missing out. Alex is a beautiful person, inside and out, and I love her dearly. God is working through her in an incredibly difficult time in her life, and to see His glory shine through her is incredible to witness.

With that being said, on to the questions!

1. What am I working on?

I'm a writer professionally, which, even after almost six years of doing so, sounds incredibly strange to say. I work at the university I attended and write for the alumni magazine and various other university publications. I'm also the copy editor, so I get to mark up text and make it better. Right now, our spring magazine is in the building stages, where the copy is complete and being edited and placed into the magazine layout. One of the less glamorous things I do is the commencement program editing, and this May the university is transitioning from two to three ceremonies because of the large number of graduates. So, I have more than 900 names to comb through and compile, complete with hometowns, honors and majors.

As far as my blog is concerned, I use this as an outlet to write about whatever I want and don't tend to work too far into the future. If it strikes me as something I'd like to write about, I write it and publish it, so I don't have a whole lot waiting in the wings.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

From the perspective of my blog, it's different because I'm different (which is basically what Alex said but totally spot on, so I have to agree). While there are millions of blogs out there written by women, some of whom who are Christians, some of whom have a husband and kids, some of whom have jobs, some of whom like to talk about clothes, at the end of the day they aren't me.

3. Why do I write what I do?

I began this blog mainly as a way to keep Scott's and my families informed as to what we were up to. It was also nice to have a place to write recreationally rather than professionally. It slowly evolved to a place where I could record memories, reflect on what I'm feeling, talk about things I liked or that interested me, and just serve as a map of where life was taking me. Lately, I've really appreciated having chronicled my pregnancy with Preston because I've looked back on it to help me remember what's to come this time around, like approximately how big I was at 20 weeks so I know what to look forward to at the beach this year.

4. How does your writing process work?

When I blog, it's pretty much coming straight from my head to the keyboard to the world. Sometimes I take a little more time to "craft" a post, but usually they are ideas I've been batting around in my head for a little bit or something that's been weighing on my heart. I tend to write it all out the night before I post it, look over it the next morning, and publish it at some point that day. Sometimes, I open a draft, type one phrase, sentence or paragraph that I've been formulating for a while, then come back and build around that.

In addition to visiting Alex's blog, you should check out these three women and their blogs. They'll be posting their writing process next week!

Katie 

from Kate + Nate

Taylor 

from Tea With Mrs. Kee

and Charlene

from From Bisons to Buckeyes