Christmas Remembered

Another Christmas has come and gone! Last year Will was really upset when it was over. This year he's a bit less upset, though not a lot. This morning the topic of conversation was, if he doesn't listen to me and stop leaning on the gate, and thus he really does fall and break his arm, which holiday will he miss?? Here's to hoping he won't miss anything and his arms will remain in proper form.

And here's to remembering all the wonder of another Christmas season. When I look back on this Christmas, I want to remember...

Will had a great time turning an upside down paper cup and flag pole into a Salvation Army bell while giving me Lego pieces to drop into his bucket (a hollow drum.)

He made his stuffed animals into the characters from the nativity, mainly focusing on the bad king(King Harod).

One December day, Will dropped something on his toe. Although the scrape on his foot was nearly invisible, he declared through huge crocodile tears that his sister was going to have to open his presents for him.

Perhaps this is the last Christmas that Will won't really want much in particular. He pointed at nearly everything in the catalog and said, "Uh huh. Yep." What he didn't want, he picked out for his sister. But when push came to shove, he couldn't really tell Santa one thing that he really wanted.

And of course we want to remember it was Gemma's first Christmas. We couldn't keep her 8 week old self from opening all the presents and staying up late to try to catch Santa in the act! But seriously, she did request lots of hair bows!

Thankful

2 Thanksgiving Turkeys

A speaker recently highlighted this verse...

GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES; FOR THIS IS GOD'S WILL FOR YOU IN CHRIST JESUS. DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT. 1 Thessalonians 5:18-19

and it really got me thinking...

I'm grumpy when I don't get a good night's sleep...because I have the most comfy bed in the world.

I'm lonely when my husband has to be out late...because I'm married to my best friend.

I get frustrated when Will misbehaves...because he normally has unusually good behavior.

I hate paying full price for items...because I have access to great stores and coupons that allow me to get much of what I want and need at a fraction of the normal cost.

I long for vacation every year...because I've been to some of the most beautiful and interesting places in the world.

I hate not being able to find the perfect gift for my loved ones...because my mom always knew just what we would want, even when we didn't even know it existed.

I don't like sitting still...because there are so many interesting things to occupy my time.

I'm worried when my daughter coughs...because I've been blessed with a healthy baby girl.


I'm thankful because everything I truly want and need is at my fingertips...I'm thankful because I'm blessed.

Winds of Change

You know how I love fall, the beautiful colors, the crisp cool breeze. Change is in the air AND the house...

Gemma Grace Wohlford came into the world on October 29th, at 8:11a.m, weighing 8lbs 13oz. and measuring 19 1/2 inches long. What a change for her to leave the warmth and safety of Mommy and come into this crazy world! What a change for Mommy, who already had a horrible time sleeping, to discover that I would be sleeping even less and feel like a zombie for the first few weeks of her life, if not longer. We all love our girl, but I must say that I never imagined I would feel so much like a milking machine! Literally. I had no idea it would be this hard.

Will has accepted everything in stride. He loved the extra attention from Mimi the first week of Gemma's life. Now he's just a tad moody and sensitive, but he loves his sister. Having a little cold has kept him from holding her and playing with her as much as he would like, but he kisses her feet constantly and tells her he loves her. He's making a list of all the things he is going to teach her when she gets bigger...how to play games on the iPhone being at the top of the list.

Daddy is working hard as usual and worrying (as usual), but Gemma is his newest concern. Is she eating enough? Pooping too much? Does she really have gas? Is she really as cute as we think she is?

So we trudge on through our daily lives with the same problems and concerns we had before, but now there is another bright spot...Gemma. Will and Gemma are such huge blessings to us. We love our little family. Just the 4 of us. It has a strange and sweet ring to it. The Winds of Change are good.

Watching the Wheels Turn

He's Growing Up

Sometimes I think God gave me another "baby" because He knew I couldn't handle watching my first baby turn into a big boy any other way. I remember watching him not long after we got him and realizing that he was already growing up. He never would even let us hold the bottle for him. According to American standards, he shouldn't have even still been using a bottle.

Now he's growing into his "big boy" face, still as cute as ever. He loves school. I swear that he grows an inch every couple of days. Those shirts that have been big on him forever finally need to be packed away. The pants that use to hang on his skinny little body finally stay up.

His mind is changing just as fast. He's still all boy with his favorite word being "bum" (as in the body part) and any kind of bodily excrement is just fascinating. He writes his own rhyming songs about body parts and the things they do. He's learning by leaps and bounds and still loves school.

Unfortunately I am no longer able to tell him what to like. I had to take back an adorable Halloween shirt because "Spiders are scary!" He really wants one of those tacky Pillow Pets. If a song he doesn't like comes on, he yells, "I want COUNTRY music!"

It's fascinating to watch his little wheels turn...especially when it comes to the new baby. Yesterday he told me, "You are going to be driving and the 'stretch marks' on your belly were going to crack open and you will look down and see a hand. And it will be a baby hand!" I couldn't decide whether to be scared or if that would be an easier way to deliver.

A couple weeks ago he told me we needed to take the baby to China and leave her. "Not for long, just for a little while. Then we will come back and get her." He's fully aware that he was in China as a baby and Mommy and Daddy went to get him. On a separate occasion we were driving down the road and he asked me, "Mommy, what took you so long to come get me in China?" He's also told me that we need to actually go to China to have the baby and that he wished this baby came from China. That had been after an emotional doctor visit and I wholeheartedly agreed with him.

I'm aware that some people will think that Will wanting to leave the baby in China is awful, but give him a break...he's still 3. He's just trying to figure it all out and wants the baby to be like him. (Who can blame him? He's pretty great!) Will is proud that he came from China and is happy to tell anyone who asks. Those who don't agree that he has a proud heritage obviously haven't learned much Chinese history.

Back to my emotions, they've been fairly normal until a month or so ago. Now I've cried in front of Will a few times, even though I try not too. The first time must have scared him to death as he loves to tell people that "Mommy cried at the doctor's." The last time he just looked at me from the back seat and said,"What's wrong Mommy?"

Will's so sensitive, and, we are learning more and more, quite shy. His teachers say he doesn't talk much at school. Although passionate about fire engines, he declined the opportunity to climb into one twice within a week because he was afraid it would take off with him in it. We're praying he will outgrow this stage as John and I were both shy as children (Can you picture John shy?!) and we don't want him to miss out on anything because of it.

This cute, sweet, sensitive boy is going to make an excellent big brother. He is very excited and carries around his new What to Expect When the Baby Comes Home book all the time. He constantly wonders what she will look like. (He's even told me he hopes she looks like Ella, a little girl in his class he has a crush on.)

And Then There are Morons
(I should title this part of the post a little nicer, but at 5:41 a.m. I'm feeling a little blunt.)

Just as Will's wheels are turning and putting everything together about China and babies, etc., so are the wheels of perfect strangers.

While walking through the mall and ogling baby clothes, a woman asked me if Will was adopted. (Yes, some see Will out with just John or myself and think perhaps the other parent is Asian.) She told me she was just asking because she, a Caucasian, just adopted an African American and she doesn't know how to handle the stupid comments people make. I agreed that it was difficult and it really depended on who was saying it and what I thought they could handle. She proceeded to tell me about stupid comments about how they had "darkened up" the baby, etc. I told her my greatest pet peeve, when people tell me they are happy we can have a baby "of our own," etc. Will is mine!!! So the other mother and I bonded with Will right there and I'm sure he was taking it all in. (Don't you remember eavesdropping on adult conversations as a child? I sure do!) I hope he caught a glimpse of how passionate we were about our children and how much he is loved.

Ironically, that same night, we went to Michael's Craft Night to make a little plaque for the baby's door. A soon-to-be grandmother and her daughter were there making something for their baby. She had a whole slew of silly questions...
1. Was Will making something for himself?
The theme of the class was gifts for the new baby.
2. Oh. We were having a baby. Would she be of the same relation?
My response, with a dazed and confused look on my face..."Relation?
What do you mean?" All I could think of was that she was going to be his
sister. What's so confusing about that? Then the lady asked where she would
be from. My answer, "From my belly." Now I have never been super skinny and
surely she could see the basketball attached to my waistline.
3. Was this planned? That was great that we could have
"one of our own."
My response..."Actually Will was planned. We really wanted him. This baby
was the surprise." Lucky for her my phone rang just then as I was getting
ready to go off, but you should have seen the look of utter confusion on her
face while she was trying to figure out why on earth anyone would plan on
adopting a baby instead of having "one of their own." I'm sick and tired of
people telling acting like this baby
is a bigger blessing than Will was. It's great we are "having" a baby, blah,
blah, blah. But it was just as great, if not greater, that we could adopt a
baby. Not everyone has a little Chinese angel, especially a boy, running
around their house. I wouldn't care if he was an alien. He'd be MY alien and
I love him with all my heart.

Someday, when I've had all I can take, someone is going to get an earful.
Hopefully it won't be you. You have no excuse...you've read the rantings of
my blog!

School Bells

I was right...Will loves school!

At open house he waved down and sat with the only friend he knows in his class. Once in the classroom, he saw the cars and road rug and it was all over. I was impressed with the no-nonsense approach his teachers seemed to have. They did things the way I liked to do them...no carrying your kids in, etc. I was also pleased that they must bring a healthy snack to eat, especially since I'd already had a request for cookies and cupcakes.

Afterward we went to Walmart for a backpack. Luckily we found the last Lightning McQueen backpack in the whole store. I don't know what we would have done if it hadn't been there! Will wore it all over the store.

The first morning of school we took Will to McDonalds to begin the annual First Day of School Breakfast tradition. He was so rotten there that I had no tears to cry when we left him. He was so excited that he almost went in without saying good-bye. (I put a stop to that!) I was already proud as he went right to the correct hook with his name on it and hung up his backpack and also located his name on the apples outside the door. Plus...no accident when we picked him up.

The only downside...Now that I'm at the "every 2 weeks doctor visit" mark, so much of my "free" time I was looking forward to is gone. :( Plus, preschool is only 2 mornings a week!

Fall is Coming!!!

Sorry there was no post in July. We were busier than ever! We have had lots of fun with weddings and other photography. We're a little behind on that blog too, but make sure to check out our photography blog, www.wohlfordphotography.blogspot.com over the next couple of weeks for lots of photos and updates!

Even though I can't post a photo at this time, I wanted to go ahead and put up a new background and small post. Notice the school background. I have been lusting after all the cheap school supplies. This year, more than the 2 previous years, I have missed setting up a classroom. (And the paycheck!) Don't get me wrong...it's a LOT of work! Most of that organization wears off pretty quickly once the students arrive. But I love to plan and organize, love the excitement of a new year, fresh classroom, eager students, all the possibilities. I also love the line in You've Got Mail when Tom Hanks sends Meg Ryan an email and talks about a "bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils."

I'll get a little school fix this year when Will starts preschool in a just a couple of weeks! There will definitely be first day of school photos to post then! He warmed up by attending 3 1/2 VBS programs this summer and was away from me far more than he will be on his 2-morning-a-week school schedule. When I ask him if he is excited about going to school, he says, "No. I will miss you." But even right now he is asking me where we are going today, so I know he will be glad to have places to go and things to do! Just this morning he told me he wanted to go to Bible School, even though at the time he said the same thing he is saying about school, "I don't want to go. I will miss you."

I'm sure even though it's less than 6 hours a week, I'm really going to miss him too. I anticipate some tears, as he is my baby, going off to grow up. I know, preschool is optional, but I also know it's what's best for my smart little man. I also plan on spending my 6-7 weeks (hopefully!) of pre-Baby preschool getting a few things done, relaxing in a coffee shop or two (drinking hot chocolate, not yucky coffee), relishing the EXTREMELY rare chance to be alone without an agenda. And then it will all be over, hello Baby!

But before she gets here we do hope to squeeze in a few trips to the pumpkin patch. We probably won't be able to make it 3 or 4 times like last year, but we better make it some. Looking forward to the joys of a pregnant woman being hoisted onto a hayride. That should make for some comic relief!

Clarification

We (really I) came up with our cheesy blog name because we had faith that we would some day expand our family. Now the time is finally here! It all came to light when I couldn't function without a 2-3 hour nap each afternoon. We thought...well, maybe...

The morning I confirmed it, John was asleep and I was ready to head back that direction. After all, when you've failed a test several times, you don't really expect a different result. I took just one quick glance before heading back to bed and noticed the 2 lines. You know what that means... Then my conversation with John went something like this...

T: Do you want to look at this?
J: Not really.
T: I think you might want to look at this.
J: (Squinting and looking) Okay. (Then rolling back over. After a few seconds, seems to have an epiphany. Then grabs his glasses and looks again.) What does that mean?
T: What do you think it means?

The million dollar question/statement that we've gotten in regards to our discovering we were pregnant..."I bet you were surprised!"
I'm guessing that, except for those rare people that seem to get pregnant just by looking at someone, pregnancy is kind of a surprise for anyone. For those of you who were wondering if we were trying, the answer is that we were trying to adopt again as soon as possible.

Even though I've written about it and told a gazillion people, it doesn't seem to sink in. We didn't adopt because we couldn't have a baby. We adopted because we knew our baby was in China. So, were we surprised we could get pregnant? No. Just a little surprised that it happened with no planning at all. We really would have been happy adopting all our kids and figured that was God's plan. As always, God surprised us.

The next big statement...I bet you are excited.
For lack of a better term, "Duh!" Of course we are excited to be having another child. I don't mean to be on the defensive, but the way most people say it, what I hear is, "I bet you are excited to be having a biological child." So far, I've been tired and sick and worried. The best thing about this pregnancy is that there is a lot less paperwork than last time! But I am no more excited than I was with Will. Adoption is a very exciting, albeit long, process. Everything from finding the child God picked for us to learning about and visiting another country was priceless. I'm not too excited about the birthing process. I'll just be glad when it's over.

Are we excited to have a tiny baby since we missed out on that stage with Will? I bet Will was the most adorable baby! But John and I had recently decided that we weren't really baby people. Will was walking and talking and lots of fun when we got him. I figure we have a year, give or take, before this baby does that sort of thing. I'm excited about cute baby photos, but the whole baby stage, not really. I expect that to change. But for now, someone sucking their fingers just doesn't sound that exciting to me.

The Miracle Aspect
Having a child is a miracle no matter how that child gets to you. We won't go into the details of how this came to be, as I'm sure you know as much as you need. But beyond that, we haven't really done anything. I'm trying to get plenty of rest, eat healthy, and exercise a little more. In spite of my efforts, or lack there of, we can see on the ultrasounds, that our baby has 2 arms and 2 legs, a little tiny heart that beats really fast, a spinal chord with all these little tiny bones, and itty bitty girly parts. We did absolutely nothing to make this happen. Our baby is a work of God. We don't feel proud that we made it, because really, we didn't.

A world away, God did the same thing in crafting our Will. He also led the powers that be to put us together into a family. Will is so much like us it's scary. He's perfect for us. Even though I never carried him, God chose him for us. We did no choosing from a list of babies. We simply said yes when we saw that sweet face. In fact, we're a little concerned that this baby may not fit in as well. Children, even from the same biological parents, can be night and day. I just pray I'm as close to this baby as I am to Will.

Our Beautiful Baby Girl
No worries. We will love our little girl just as much as we do Will. I just felt the need to clarify, for some, that we will love our Will as much as our little girl. And now, here she is...

Little Lessons

Will in his Easter best

Lesson 1

Another month has come and gone without a post, mainly because I've had so much on my mind...aka worrying. I know I shouldn't and I usually don't too much, but life has seemed to remain pretty stressful this year...some good, some not so good.

So a few weeks ago while we were driving down the road, John and I were discussing our current predicament. Okay. Maybe I was doing a little more venting, and a little less discussing. So I made the comment, "Surely God is watching over us and has some kind of purpose for all this." I probably should end that with a question mark/ exclamation mark/tears. It was more of a "Come on God, prove me right!" kind of thing.

Then, from the back seat, I hear, "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy! You just said God is watching over us!" Will was really excited to hear me telling his Daddy about a concept we try to instill in him constantly, particularly at night when he's scared of the dark. But to me, this comment was kind of a slap in the face. Instead of living what I've been preaching, I was doubting it. Oh, ye of little faith.

Lesson 1--God is with us.

Lesson 2
As I mentioned, at night we often remind will that God is watching over him. He use to pray that angels would come and sit in his blue chair and protect him while he slept. Now he skips the angels and goes straight for the Big Guy, Jesus. Who am I to question? It reminds me of John Micheal Montgomery's "The Little Girl," when the little girl recognizes Jesus' picture at church because he hid with her behind the couch when her parents were fighting.

One particular night between 3 and 4a.m, on the third time Will had woken me up in an hour, I found Will curled up in his blue chair. When I suggested he get back in bed, he just curled in tighter, put on a silly grin, and said, "I'm with Jesus!" Again, I couldn't argue with that logic. He looked so peaceful and sweet! Of course that didn't save him 15 minutes later when he had peed in his pull-up...

Lesson 2--Peace.

Lesson 3
Will's favorite books lately seem to be his Bible stories. He pours over several at a time and retells the stories. He is going to be quite the author some day. He also write songs, but that's another entry.

Not only does our boy write songs, but he also acts the stories out. For David and Goliath, we take turns pretending who is who. Goliath usually starts with, "What are you doing here, David?" in a big mean voice. Then David winds up his arm and then gently knocks Goliath in the head. Goliath does a slow motion death scene, ending up in pile on the floor.

After catching Will sitting on the sink washing his feet, I asked him what he was doing. His reply, "Washing my feet just like Jesus!" Once again, can't argue with a kid who wants to be like Jesus, so Will usually has the cleanest feet in town.

The Easter story is a little less fun. I refuse to participate in that one, as Will is usually the soldier ordering Jesus around with a "sword" in his hand. (Please tell me that's okay because he's only 3!) Luckily I've succeeded in getting Will to act that one out with much less frequency.

Lesson 3--The joy of The Word.

Will has definitely been my best Bible teacher lately, a constant reminder of God's love for us and a constant source of joy (except maybe at 3:30 in the morning when he first wakes me up). I meant to get an Easter post up, but this is what it's really all about. I'm so glad my little boy is learning to live the walk, even when I'm not!

To Consign or Not to Consign?? Consign, Of Course!

Will cheesing it for a 3rd birthday picture (outfit courtesy of Children's Place birthday coupons)


Happy March! Or should I say, "Happy Consignment Sale Month?" Our visit to Little Lambs went pretty well, with 2 more sales on the planner. I came away with a pretty good load for Will's spring wardrobe. The big bummer was that another lady with impeccable taste happened to be there and got to a bunch of stuff I wanted just seconds before I could snatch it up. I guess you can't have it all!

I must admit that if I am going to buy used clothes, I get pretty picky. I want Will to look like a Rock Star! I have a whole new appreciation for my mother who always spent way too much on clothes for me when I was growing up and hardly ever bought herself anything nice. Thanks Mom! I think I have now turned into her. My taste far outweighs my pocket book. I'm sure everyone would be shocked if I actually dressed the way I dream.

Although we are now super thrifty, the fashion diva in me rears her ugly head and races to the racks, trying to be the first one at the sales so my little boy can look like a million bucks. I'm not ashamed to admit that most of his clothes come from consignment sales. However, I am a sucker for a Children's Place coupon or sale, especially at Easter or Christmas! Since we don't spend $$ having pictures taken, the outfits are my guilty pleasure!

Regardless, I think Will would still look good in a paper bag and, if we lived near Hollywood, that he would have already been discovered. Perhaps I am a tad prejudiced? What do you think?

What a Week!

February is not only a short calendar month, but with Valentine's Day, Will's birthday, and my birthday, it can be a fun and busy month as well. The funny thing is that those events always fall within the same week. This year we even added Chinese New Year to that week as well.



I may have mentioned before that we LOVE Moms Club! Will attended a Mom's Club V-Day party and needed valentines to hand out, so we put on his ring bearer tux that he also LOVES, bought a rose, and made some pictures. We may not have topped him being cupid last year, but you have to admit, he is a handsome fellow!

And as an added bonus, all we have to do to get him to smile now is say the word "poop." He is such a BOY!!!

In case you were wondering, Will "signed" his own name on the card! (With a little guidance.)



Happy Chinese New Year! If you are interested in Chinese New Year at all (or even if you are not!) you should check out the free show at the library downtown. They change it up a little each year. It's very interesting. Plus it always inspires us to get will into Kung Fu some day and/or Chinese sword dancing! They are start lessons at 4 years old, so look out next year!



Will chose a Disney's C@RS theme for his birthday. After months of being obsessed with trains, he has moved on to Disney's C@RS. I have to admit I am excited that he likes these over matchbox cars. There is still something cute and little boyish about the Disney version that makes it easier to get excited about them than the others. If I'm going to play with them, I want to have fun too! Of course we are looking at between $3-$5.50 per car instead of 50cents...quality, not quantity.



As usual, my birthday was one of the first pretty days in the middle of the COLD gray winter. I like to think of it as God sending me a birthday present! After church, we went to eat Mexican and I got to wear the sombrero for the first time in my life. Will was really excited. Once they sang to the guy at the table next to us, I knew my turn was coming.

I hope everyone else had an eventful month like we did! And these were only some of the adventures...

Ho Hum

It seems like the holidays have been gone forever. When we took down the Christmas tree, Will kept saying, "It's over, Mommy? Christmas is over?" But in spite of the calendar, Will insists on looking for our chimney every time we pull out of the driveway (because Santa comes down the chimney!). Will also managed to stow away the chicken that dances to his own special rendition of We Wish You a Merry Christmas and The Chicken Dance. I've been trying to reassure him that the Christmas season will officially be upon us again in just 10 short months.

So here we sit at the end of January, a usually less than eventful, ho hum kind of month. But already lots of little things have happened and the year is 1/12 over! So here's to January and all the little events that made it pass quickly...

Happy belated birthday to my sweety, John, who turned 39 this month. Among other things in your time on earth, you've managed to snag a beautiful wife ;) and a brilliant son! Cheers to you! But seriously, there is no one on this earth who's character I admire more. I love you!

Will got to meet Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber. He asked why they weren't talking. John told him they were shy because they are use to just hanging out with other vegetables.

We saw 2 snows. Will got to make snow angels and go sledding for the first time. He is begging to make a snowman, but unfortunately we are still waiting for snowman snow that will stick together.

Wohlford Photography participated in our first (hopefully of many) bridal fairs. We have already booked a few weddings for the upcoming year and look forward to more!

We have had our first 2 family movie nights, beginning with Disney's CARS. Will is now obsessed. At least 10 times a day we must retell the part of the movie in which Mater and Lightning go tractor tipping. Will is developing his own story telling skills as we put our foot down to telling the story for an 11th time and Will must tell it to us instead.

We decided on a preschool for Will. The sign-ups for the fall begin in January and fill up quickly. Kind of crazy! I never really thought I'd send my children to pre-school, especially not at 3 years old. But it's one of those things I just felt in my heart we needed to do. Will is smart and social and can use a little extra variety and stimulation. At such a young and impressionable age, we wanted him to attend a Christian school. We were also looking for a place that would challenge him when he's ready to move ahead. (Yes. You probably figured out we think he's smart! As a teacher, I'm going to try hard not to be his teachers' nightmares!) So after looking around, we decided that Will will be attending Porter Memorial. I'm sure my parents are secretly happy about the Baptist influence. I just can't wait to see him act out the Christmas story in December!

Growing up next to Fort Knox, I always managed to become best friends with the army brats (their term, not mine). So each year I had a new best friend because my old one had moved away! This month I said goodbye to another good friend of mine, who's daughter also happened to be a good friend of Will's. It brought back some sad memories for me. I tried to explain what was going on, but Will didn't seem to understand much until we left her going away party. As soon as we left, he kept begging to go back to her house and it broke my heart. Thank goodness that now, unlike when I was a child, we have Facebook, blogs, and cheap long distance to keep us connected! (We'll miss you a lot Nancy and Sophie (and Paulie and Dan)!

Will has developed a fear of Goliath and other giants, as well as an increasing fear of the dark. When he's scared we remind him that God is watching over him. We've talked briefly about the fact that Jesus is coming back to get us some day. The other night while we were praying, Will asked if Jesus is going to come back and get us. I told him yes. Will continued by asking,"He got good toys?" I replied, "The best." But just to be sure, he asked, "Him got cars???"

I have loved every stage of Will's life so far (except the waiting for him!), but by the things coming out of his mouth lately, I'm really looking forward to this 3 year old stage coming in a few weeks!