This is what I do

For those who have heard that I have a "side job" (because apparently being a full-time mom isn't enough!) This is what I do. I am a digital artist and create digital scrapkits for others to buy, sometimes I make freebies. These are my two newest kits... so now you know what my biggest hobby is right now. :) And yes, I go by "Wimpychompers" in the design world. It's a name that gets noticed to say the least. lol.



And here is a layout I did with my top kit, this is Ariana as a 1 year old. See any resemblance with her brother Camden? Sheesh, my kids look alike or something! Crazy!!! lol. By the way, isn't she adorable??? :)

Alex did it!!!

Oh my goodness! I know this is a minor thing for most of you but Alex poo'd in the potty today! He's only ever done this twice, it's not that he doesn't feel the sensation but rather gets so constipated (sorry, tmi) and does it when he can. We saw the nutritionist recently and she told me some ideas (adding bran to his food mostly) along with sneaking vegetables and fruits into his foods (which I had started doing before we saw her) and powdered milk for proteint. It's apparently working, his bowels are getting more "normal" and today he poo'd a lot. So nasty but come on, the kid will be 5 next month and potty training has been a long road. He's finally getting it! Next step is to get him to do it all the time. Boy was there cheering when I figured out he'd done it!!! lol. Preschool is working with him too and that really helps me because I am not doing this solo. Start praying for him that this will happen, he needs it before August when Kindergarten starts.

On the same front, Ariana is doing well too. She still slips (mostly when daddy is home for some reason) but does well and knows how to stay dry when she chooses. Whew!

Camden is doing well too, he's talking like a mad man! He is having conversations with us now (mostly jabbering but does give 2 to 3 word phrases at times). Scares us to realize how much he's growing up, the baby is now a toddler... like it or not. lol. Guess it's time to have another baby.. :) If only it was that easy for some of us.

I am doing well too, just staying busy. Ray is working hard, we're all working hard!

I’M INVISIBLE

This is to all moms - and moms to be ———

“Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise, risking more than others think is safe, dreaming more than others think is practical, and expecting more than others think is possible”

I’M INVISIBLE

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I’m on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I’m thinking, ‘Can’t you see I’m on the phone?’ Obviously not; no one can see if I’m on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I’m invisible. The invisible Mom.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I’m not a pair of hands; I’m not even a human being. I’m a clock to ask, ‘What time is it?’ I’m a satellite guide to answer, ‘What number is the Disney Channel?’ I’m a car to order, ‘Right around 5:30, please.’

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She’s going, she’s going, she’s gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a hair clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, ‘I brought you this.’ It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn’t exactly sure why she’d given it to me until I read her inscription:

‘To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.’

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, ‘Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.’ And the workman replied, ‘Because God sees.’

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, ‘I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you’ve done, no sequin you’ve sewn on, no cupcake you’ve baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can’t see right now what it will become.’

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don’t want my son to tell the friend he’s bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, ‘My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.’ That would mean I’d built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, ‘You’re gonna love it there.’

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we’re doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Rambling

Well first of all Alex really loves school. He has a nice teacher and a small class so he can really learn from this. It's so good for him! He was upset when he found out they weren't serving pizza every day for lunch (he is so picky and likes routine). We finally signed a waver saying they won't feed him at school anymore and I have to bring a breakfast and lunch for him each day. Kind of a pain, I liked that they feed them, but it only lasted 3 days because he just wasn't eating! Can't afford to let him not eat!

He adjusted so well, he never cried (and neither did I! Yay!) He did have a day where he announced his teacher was mean... when asked he said it was because she makes him go pee. (They are trying to help him potty train too now). Stinker. He was playing a game in his room one day where the "mean" people were making his toy stay and the toy (which was named Alex) was looking for his mommy. He was very sad and wanted his mommy and had his friends help him... the end of the game he found mommy and felt happy again. (I can learn a lot of how he's feeling by his games, it's really helpful). It made me feel bad but he's done better...

He has an ear infection right now, we took him to church with a slight fever and then when I got home I noticed his ear had *oozed* on his shirt. I had tried to convince him to stay home but he refused so really it wasn't my fault he went. Thankfully we got meds yesterday at the dr but he's been home from school the last 2 days. (Not complaining but apparently he has a really high tolerance to pain because she said it's really infected). Ick.

So here are some funny things that have been said in my house today, thought maybe someone might enjoy this:

"Camden, we do NOT put Winnie the Pooh in the toilet"
"Ariana, I don't think you should give Camden a piggy back ride... he's almost as big as you are" (I swear he's so stinking tall, he's in 2 T pants and only 18 months old here soon).
"Alex, stop picking your nose"
"Ariana, stop trying to take the towel off Camden. He doesn't want to be naked too!"

Here is a conversation with Alex today... his 'hand' was talking (it's a toy for him, his hands are always puppets).
Me- "Alex, who are you talking to?"
Alex- "My hand"
Me- "Oh, does your hand have a name?"
Alex- "Hmmm... I call him... Stinky!"
Me- "Stinky huh? That's a silly name!"
Alex- "Yep, he's my best friend!"
(We both started giggling and he thought he was so funny)

See, not boring. Stinky lives in Alex's hand! roflol.

Oh and Ariana came in the other day when I was getting dressed for church... trying to decide between 2 skirts

Ariana- "Mommy.... umm... that doesn't look so good"
Me- "What do you mean? I like this skirt?"
Ariana- "You need to take it off and try the other one..."
(I try it on)
Ariana- "Yah, much better!"

Great, fashion advice from my 3 year old. (I about died laughing). By the way I should post photos of Miss Independent and the amazing things she wears in public. Ack! lol. Oh and she's on a kick where she wants to do her hair... it looks, well.... it doesn't look so good...

Messed up already

Apparently I invited all of you to view my "business" blog instead of my personal (or there was a glitch and that's what blogger did for me). Anyways, I re-invited you... sorry about that! Ugh. Anyone else want to be added? Sorry about the confusion.

Going Private

Well I hate to say this but I will join those who go private soon. I have my blog linked up to my "work" blog (aka the blog for my digital scrapbooking). I got a really weird comment and don't want "junk mail" on my comments like I got recently so email me at wimpychompers@hotmail.com or leave me a comment, I'll get you added. Sorry everyone! Got to remain annonomous to the world sometimes. lol.

Good things happening

Well Alex starts Preschool tomorrow! YAY! I am of course panicked, this is my first to go to school. It's 4 days a week and only 3 1/2 hours a day, it will be until the end of May. I figure this is the "get him ready for Kindergarden" time for this fall so I'll take it. They're hoping to help him get potty trained finally too, yay! Nothing I've done has worked so I'm willing to try what they do!

He also has an appointment with the Nutritionist on Feb 11th. We've asked to see one for years now to get ideas on what might help his diet, this is a huge step for us. That reminds me, I have to get an appt with his ENT still. (He's had tubes in his ears for almost 3 years! One finally fell out, not sure about the other, but he's not seen an ENT since his surgery).

I'll have to take photos of my big boy tomorrow, we have to leave by 7:30 so this should be interesting! lol.