Messy Memories Are the Best

Many / most of you have children of your own, so you get the mess and chaos that comes with having a toddler in the house. We are officially experiencing that evolving phenomenon in our own house, and I have to say that, like many things with Addie, I just can't complain. No, I'm not blessed with an abundance of patience (just ask Philip. ..sorry. ..) and I'm too OCD to just be "ok" with my house being a declared disaster area by nature. I am, however, blessed with a survivor who has earned every last crumbled, ground up bit of Goldfish littering the kitchen (and sun room and living room and nursery and dining room and, yes, even the half bathroom) floor. I can't tell you how many times I would be working in the kitchen last fall and see the neat floor and cabinet doors closed and dream of the day when she would be exploring and pulling everything out. I wanted my house to be filled with the sound of chatter and wooden spoons beating on pots. I have (very vague.. .it's been more than a little while) memories of playing with pots in my mom's kitchen floor, making terrible banging sounds ("It's music, Mama!"), and I want those same memories for Addie.

Thanks to months of hard work, great PT's, OT's and ST's, lots of prayers and more small miracles than I can keep track of, my kitchen is now a disaster. ..and I love it. Nothing makes this mommy's heart happier than to turn the corner and see Addie sitting with her back to me, engrossed in the contents of the lazy susan or the ever so delightful cabinet that contains her personal favorite - the loaf of bread for my daily PB&J - while surrounded by a plethora of toys and magnets that have migrated into the kitchen over the course of the day. I have to admit that the lopsided PB&J's make my heart melt just a little.. . for some reason, she always drags it out and often winds up either stepping on it or sitting on it or landing on it when she's trying to cruise. I wish I could eat lopsided PB&J's forever

We had a momentous occasion yesterday; Addie broke her first dish! I'll admit it; once I had scooped her up to make sure she didn't cut herself, I smiled just a little to myself. She was crawling, exploring and enjoying the sound that little custard dish made and was strong enough to lift it up just high enough that it broke when she dropped it. ..That's an accomplishment in my world, folks! Now, when I use those cups again someday, I will smile when I stop to remember why I only have 3 instead of 4. We are incredibly blessed. ..

Anyway, here are a few pictures I've snapped trying to capture the messes that I know I will miss someday. ..

Hmmmm...what's in here?? Bread. ..now where are the marshmallows?!

Poor custard cup. ..moments before it earned notoriety in Addie's baby book.

Still playing with the bread.. .and tortillas. We apparently enjoy carbs in this house. 

Caught in the act!

Another day, another loaf of bread..

Fun with magnets - I love that our dishwasher apparently serves as a wonderful magnet board!

Bread again.. .shoes undone. ..marshmallows soon to be squished.

Thanks, sweet Addie Bug, for keeping life in perspective, and thanks to my mom for teaching me that the bigger the mess, the more fun was had by everyone involved.