On facebook, I asked what has been some Mamas’ favorite Mother’s Day comments and responses from the kids’ perspective:

“My mom is as pretty as a dog.” ~ Ava, age 5

“My mom looks pretty when she wears a new dress.

I love my mom as much as a dog.” ~ Ty, age 7

“I know my mom is smart because she told me.

I love my mom because she works so hard at being patient.” ~ Elizabeth, age 10

“I love my because she reads me the Bible.” ~ Camille, age 10

Nathan: “Mom, if I didn’t have you I would eat dirt”
Mom: “Why, because you wouldn’t have anyone to cook for you?
Nathan:”No, because you wouldn’t be able to tell me not too.” ~Nathan, age 6

Description of mom: “purple hair, green eyes, happy teeth and is taller than me” ~ Sophie (will be 3 years in July)

Happy Mother’s Day greeting from a toddler: “Lane came busting in yelling, ‘Hoppy bufday, Mommy!’”

An extra sweet card for Grandma: “We wrote on my moms Mother’s Day card: ‘Grandmas are just moms with more f r o s t i n g!!!’”

3 year-old Eli’s take on why we have Mother’s Day: “Be’tause it all ‘da mamas birfday today. And ‘dey gets cakes.”

the reason I celebrate <3

What was your favorite kid quote this Mother’s Day? 

The world may celebrate you 1 day of the year, but I cherish you all 365 days.

<3

Happy Mother’s Day Week, Mamas.

Celebrate you.

Of all the adventures we have had with living room tents, backyard sword fights and zoo-wide quests, my favorite times with you is when we sleepily slow dance in the evening. You drift to sleep as I count every finger and toe, as I marvel at how you are growing.

They told me you would grow too fast. I was sure it was true. But I couldn’t imagine that time could possibly pass so quickly.

While it is bittersweet for me, I beam with pride at how you are growing from little baby to great big boy.

There is an unspeakable and catching joy with you. It is rare that you wake up in a sour mood. You greet each morning with a resounding, “TaDa! It’s ‘da morning” or with a song. Your favorite mantra is, “Todays is a great day!”.

Baby bear, even at 2 years-old I see a great leader in you. The Bible says, “Do not let anyone despise you because you are young.” I speak this over you every day. I pray that you will not wait until you feel smart enough, wise enough, or good enough to lead. If we waited until we were ready, we would never lead. Seek God’s knowledge, wisdom and righteousness. Seek His plan in leadership. His plan is perfect in direction and in timing. I learned that one the hard way, little man. Perhaps you won’t have to.

You are a remarkable little boy, Elijah Myles. Thank you for allowing me such an incredible gift, the gift of being your mother.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Love,

the luckiest mama around

One evening my husband surprised us with a copy of “The Polar Express.” It was a couple of weeks before Christmas, and he still danced about with anticipation. I raised an eyebrow. He could barely contain himself as we flipped through pages. We poured over the beautiful illustrations and became lost in the story.

About mid-way through, however, the husband could stand it no longer. He nearly burst, “I have a surprise. A good one. Like a really, really good surprise! It’s for us as a family!” He grinned as Eli and I waited for the reveal.

Finally I called out, “Well!?”

He sighed, “I shouldn’t tell you. I’m sorry. Let’s just keep reading.” He buried his head back into the book.

I did not carry on our reading.

Eventually he looked back up, and I waited patiently. One of the most maddening and wonderful things about my husband is that he is a big kid. I knew that if I wanted to know the big secret, all I had to do was wait.

“Okay! I can’t take it! We’re going on the Polar Express! I got tickets, and we wear our pajamas…well, Eli does anyway. And we drink hot chocolate, and Santa will be there!”

My husband and I counted down the days. We told Eli of the our next great adventure. He was excited, but he couldn’t quite grasp the idea of seeing a REAL train.

Finally the day was here. In the middle of the afternoon, we dressed Eli in his pajamas and his dinosaur slippers. We packed his favorite blanket and piled into the car. It was a 2 hour drive to The Polar Express, and our little one slept the entire way.

Once we arrived, I cradled my drowsy boy as he blinked in disbelief at the great steam engine before us. He peered cautiously over my shoulder. A loud whistle pierced the winter air, and Eli cowered into my chest.

“It’s too loud. ‘Dat twrain,” he muttered.

I reassured him, “It’s all right, Baby Bear. That’s the train’s way of saying hello.”

Gradually he uncovered his face to take another peek.

Trains are wonderfully noisy and powerful. Steam engines bellow stacks and stacks of steam as they barrel down the track. It is an awesome sight no matter how many times one has seen it. But to see that towering engine and never-ending line of cars for the very first time is a moment that is pure magic.

As taken by the moment as my little one was, he continued to be cautious. He would watch the train from the safety of mine or his Daddy’s arms.

“I wonder if he’ll get on,” my husband whispered.

“Oh, he will, ” I smiled confidently, hoping my doubt didn’t show.

The time to board came. Eli continued to cling to us, but his curiosity pushed him to walk onto to the train.

Quietly he looked around as his feet dangled off of the seat. He had said very few words since arriving at the station.

My husband and I exchanged glances, “Eli, do you like the train?”

Eli slowly nodded.

The conductor called out, “ALL ABOOARRD!” Not long after, a lurch propelled us forward.

Eli began to breathe quickly. My cautious child was stuck between being thrilled and terrified. But slowly a smile crept across his face, “I like ‘da twrain.”

The Polar Express took us all the way through to the North Pole, though it took a different route than Chris Van Allsburg’s tale.

We traveled the farmland and woodland of East Texas. We zipped past quiet creeks and towering pines. We waved to horses and watched for deer.

My cautious boy was now bouncing, clapping and cheering as the train chugged along. Servers danced in the aisles and the entire car overflowed with Christmas spirit and the incomparable excitement of children. We were on our way to the North Pole; We were going to see Santa!

Hot chocolate and cookies were passed to the passengers with song and smiles. Eli took a sip. He handed it back and said, “‘Dat’s not cow milk.”

Before long, the sun had melted into a pink and orange masterpiece across the sky. Our scenic route began to fade into the darkness. We listened peacefully to the rhythm of the train on the tracks.

As darkness enveloped our world outside of the train, there was a faint twinkle. It could barely be seen through the trees. But it was there. A few moments passed and that faint twinkle grew into countless lights of all colors. They draped from the trees and traced along fence posts.

Then, there it was: a sign that read “Welcome to the North Pole”

The train erupted into cheers. Children danced in their seats. “Where is he? Where is he?,” they called out  with noses pressed to the glass.

Santa stood on the porch of his workshop. He waved a hello and hurried to board the train. Chatter and cheers rose as everyone anticipated a visit from our very important guest.

As we waited our turn for Santa to visit, Christmas carols were belted out. The servers danced through the aisles and invited the children to join. It was a moment of pure innocence and joy. It was a moment of pure Christmas.

Only a few songs had passed, and it was announced that our turn was next. Santa was coming to see us!

We chanted, “Santa! Santa!” My child practically vibrated with excitement. His heart pounded as he joined the chant. In his anticipation, he covered his eyes.

Santa burst through the door. Eli clapped and yelled, “‘Dere my Santa!”

Santa took a turn with each child. Eli’s turn came, and he began to shy away. Santa smiled, “Would you like a bell?” Eli nodded and held out his hand. A shiny silver bell landed in his open palm. His eyes widened. Quickly he shook the bell with vigor. A smile stretched from ear-to-ear at its silver song.

I scooped him into my arms and whispered quietly in his ear, “As long as you believe, you will hear the bell.”

In a voice barely above a whisper, he answered, “I’s believe.”

Craving more pictures of our Polar Express adventure? Check out mamacravings’ fb.

With a new home, a loving husband, the cutest toddler around, supportive family and friends, I am one blessed mama!

Thanksgiving 2012: the mama, the baby and the daddy

Here is a list of 3 things that make me especially thankful:

1. “I loves you berry guch.”

There is nothing quite as heart-melting as my little boy cradling my face in his tiny hands and saying with the most serious of 2 year-old voicies, “I loves you berry guch.”

2. 5 AM wake up calls

While I have a love/hate relationship with my alarm clock, I am thankful for those quiet early morning dates with my elliptical and then with my Bible and a big, cold glass of water. Before the household stirs, before the check lists are made and the day becomes a whirlwind, it is a moment where I can wake up my mind, my body and my soul. It’s a moment to pause and to appreciate what I had yesterday and what I am blessed with today.

3. Plans that aren’t mine

I’ve always been a planner. Even as a child, I marveled over checking off a to-do list and making my master plan. It seems as if the more I plan, the more lessons I learn in letting go.

Eli is a wonderful example of learning to be patient and throwing out  my plan. I prayed, counted calendars and was disappointed month after month for over a year while trying to get pregnant with our son. I was so frustrated when my doctor told me it was a “time” thing. This time thing and these plans were not lining up. So, I learned to wait patiently. I learned to pray diligently. I learned to toss out my plans. But through the waiting, praying and tossing I learned to be a better mother.

I hope that each one of you had a beautifully blessed Thanksgiving!

**Thank you to my brother Ryan for taking pics of our family!

It is cramped, long and full of off-key singing.

Last year was Eli’s very first road trip. It went really well, so we decided to make it a little more interesting this year. We added a mother-in-law and 11 year-old brother-in-law to the mix.

Interesting indeed.

we crammed all 5 of us, the luggage, the toys and books, the diapers, the snacks and the stroller into my Mazda 6.

Our way to San Antonio

We left before the sun rose that morning There were a few stops along to way for stretching legs and changing diapers. 6 hours later, we were there: San Antonio, TX.

I learned a few things on this 6 hour drive:

1. Mother-in-laws have the best gossip.

2. Little Eli isn’t fond of sitting for 6 hours, even with my fantastic repertoire of songs and his favorite toys.

3. Reading in a car with a toddler, a tween, a mother-in-law, a husband and a GPS will not happen.

All-in-all it was a great drive. The kids were patient with us. The GPS app got us to where we were going. The drive was beautiful and scenic.

A little sneak peak of a few of our adventures in San-Antonio (more to come!)

Sneak Peak: Sea World

Another Sea World shot (one of my favorites)

Sneak Peak: Alamo

mamacravings

The room was hurried. Nurses scurried. Doctors checked. Family celebrated. But I sat still. I wanted to soak in  every detail of the minute 6:33 PM on 12 March 2010, the moment I became a mother.

Elijah Myles was pink, wrinkly, wiggly and loud when he entered this world. And he was healthy. Praise God, he was healthy!

The Day I became his mother

I held him all night. My arms ached. My husband snored softly on the bed beside me. The nurses chided me to get some sleep. I just smiled and shook my head. No way. No way could I sleep. He’s here! He’s finally in my arms. I can kiss his toes and count the hairs on his nearly bald head. I can look into those deep blue baby eyes. There’s no way I could sleep. I spent the night counting his fingers and toes and analyzing his features to whether they were an Ortiz or a Williams trait. For staring at a baby all night, the hours passed so quickly. I frowned at Time for speeding up now that he was finally here.

Finally here. I tried to count the months and even the years that it took for our family to at this point. It seemed like forever. But it could have only been 3 years, maybe even a few months shy of that mark. Without knowing the specifics in time, I knew the exact moment. It was the moment when I prayed for a family.

photo by Maria Hatheway

.

I prayed for a baby every day since that prayer, many times multiple times a day. Sometimes I prayed patiently. Other times in frustration and many times in tears. I prayed persistently and with faith.

I knew God had a plan.

More than a year passed. I celebrated the pregnancies of dear friends, and I continued to wait. I can’t count how many times I read the story of Hannah and her patience as she waited to have her son Samuel.

There were doctor’s visits and lab work, but medically everything seemed great. That was good news, I suspected. Perhaps it was just a timing thing.

I knew God had a plan.

More than year had passed, but it was so worth it. I beamed! I knew everyone must know. I was sure I was terrible at hiding my secret. But I quietly planned how to tell my family. I quietly made doctor’s appointments. Finally! I was going to have a baby!

As full as my heart was during those weeks, it was just as broken the day I lost the baby. I ached for that child. I was physically ill over our loss. I tried to have faith. I tried to be patient.

A few months later brought a second pregnancy. It also brought a second heart break.

I wondered if God had a plan.

I never stopped praying. I needed God more than ever. I didn’t know a heart could hurt this badly and still live. “Please don’t forget me,” I would whisper to God.

Time continued to pass despite how I felt. I clung to God and to His peace and patience.

19 July 2009. I stood in my bathroom, as I had countless times, and peered at a pregnancy test. A faint, pink positive peeked through.

I felt faint. I snatched my phone and shakily dialed my brother’s number. “There’s 2 lines,” I choked out. “To what, Dude?,” he yawned. It took a moment of sputtering and crying, but I finally got him to get it. There was silence and then “Hold on.” I heard footsteps and the door to his office close. When the surroundings were secure, we both whooped and hollered.

“It’s going to be okay this time,” he said. I am so thankful for brothers that will love you through the worst situations and through how you act in the worst situations.

Secrecy was sworn, and I was off to plan the big announcement to my husband, my friends and my family. I was so quiet about the first 2 pregnancies, but I wanted to be sure to celebrate this baby. I wanted to the world to know, and I wanted them to know now.

16 weeks pregnant

Weeks continued to tick by. Thanksgiving brought the news that our little baby was going to be an Elijah and not an Ellie (as I had suspected him to be).

God had a plan.

photo by Maria Hatheway

Baby clothes were bought at an alarming rate. My mother and I giggled and dreamed. My husband bought baseball shoes and even a small tee and bat.

At 31 weeks, I began to complain about some pain. The pains were pretty frequent. I chalked it up to being excited and over-exerted about our move to a new place. As I wobbled and bossed about what goes where. The pain continued. Then I fell. It wasn’t a hard fall, but I did tumble very ungracefully over drawers laid out to be put in the dresser. I fell and Eli quit moving.

We were soon at the hospital. I was in pre-term labor. There were tests, shots, IVs and a lot of prayer.

I spent 6 weeks on bed rest at home. The day I hit 37 weeks, I went into active labor. Nearly 7 hours later, I held my baby boy in my arms. He was here. He was healthy.

photo by Maria Hatheway

For me, Mother’s Day is a moment to remember 3 babies that I lost. I also miscarried a child this fall. In fact, I would have been at full term right now. I ache for them. I cry for them frequently. This morning, as I snuggled with Eli, I asked God to give my 3 angel babies an extra hug. “Tell them I love them. Tell them I will never forget them. Tell them they would be so proud of their brother Eli.”

Mother’s Day is a moment to celebrate my precious son. What a joy I have in raising him! He is smart, funny, handsome and loving. I am so proud of him. I am so proud of the boy he is growing to be.

God has a plan. I cannot wait to see how it unfolds for our family.

I am a mama who has lost. I am a mama who has been blessed. I am grateful for what I have learned through both.

My beautiful blessing

Happy Mother’s Day to those that already hold their children, hold them in her bellies or are holding them in their hearts. Be blessed.

mamacravings

Our world is focused on ladders. There is the career ladder, the social ladder, the ranking of your little one’s preschool, a Likert scale of stars judging your latest purchase on Amazon…While these ladders can be used to inspire, connect and to make the best purchase choice, they can also distract from what is important, such as not spending all one’s time on ladders.

One of my biggest fears as a mother (besides the obvious) is that I won’t take the time to sit still. I want to cherish the time that Eli is snuggling with me during cartoons and thinks that I am the funniest person in the world, besides his daddy. His daddy does a killer “Itsy Bitsy Spider”.

I have even scheduled “sit still” time in my planner. How ladder-like. However, I have found that there are days when scheduling a moment to breathe, enjoy and take account of how my little one has grown in just a day’s time is necessary.

Taking a moment to breathe and enjoy

This past weekend was one such scheduled time. While it didn’t have “sit still” penciled in, there was a colorful sticker with “Family Weekend” printed on it. Eli birthday present was concert tickets to his favorite band. We decided to make a weekend of it, but not to schedule anything but the concert and a visit to see my best friend (who lives close to our weekend destination).

Taking the time to sit still

We spend a good portion of our weekend reading books, snuggling, and just enjoying each other’s company. Eli and I took the time to chat, which can prove challenging with a two-year old. But I was shocked out how his language development has blossomed into mispronounced but reasonably follow-able and definitely delightful conversations.

enjoying some wonderful company

We played motorcycles. We counted the cars in the parking lot. We marveled at our view from the hotel window. We discussed colors and sang songs. It was one of my very favorite family vacations. It wasn’t fancy. It certainly won’t rank as the most exciting, well planned out, fun-packed weekend, but it was perfection. All because we took the time to sit still.

The view from our window at the hotel

I crave quiet, quality time with my baby boy.

mamacravings

Whether your family is no-candy, sometimes-candy or just wants a break from the candy, here are some great Easter egg fillers that go beyond the traditional jellybean and whoppers.

5 Alternatives to Candy in Easter Eggs

1. Non-Candy treats

Raisins, Cheerios or any of your kids’ favorite and most portable treat will go nicely. Last year, Baby Eli’s eggs were stuffed with his favorite Puff (Happy Baby Organic Puffs).

non-candy edible treats

2. Discount Store or Party Store Toys

First note whether or not these toys are safe for the age of your child. It is dangerously easy to stuff your Easter eggs with choking hazards.

Discount stores and party stores offer a plethora of small toy items to fill Easter eggs. Balls, small figurines and jewelry are all fun options.

Discount Store/Party Store toys

3. Play-Doh

For this idea, I was inspired by nonmom‘s review of Hasbro’s Play-Doh filled eggs.

Simply, fill your eggs with Play-Doh for a fun and playful treat in your child’s Easter eggs. This was Eli’s personal favorite out of all the fillers. He much preferred the Play-Doh over the actual egg.

Play-Doh

4. Stickers

Stickers are a win no matter the age. Tailor the stickers to your child’s interests. This year our stickers will feature sports, Elmo and potty training.

Stickers

5. Words of Affirmation

An Easter egg hunt offers a great opportunity to encourage your kids. Little notes tucked into an Easter egg is a special and memorable way to share with your kids how much you love them.

Older kids can join in on this activity by writing why the family is special to them.

Words of Affirmation

What is your favorite Easter egg treat?

Baby Eli is looking forward to an Easter egg hunt.

Have a wonderful Easter!