Family Watermelon Picnic

aka "white trash Clappers"


Picture this....a spring like Sunday evening in the "charming" (I use this term loosely) town of Audubon. The Clapper family has just been reunited after the parents took a fabulous vacation for a full 36 hours. To celebrate our time together we break out a recent favorite-WATERMELON! My ever so brillant husband just decides to bring the watermelon and knife on the front porch. No plates, not cutting board, no nothing....just a watermelon and knife. He proceeds to start handing out wedges of watermelon. Given how the event began, I decided that there was no class left in us nor any dignity and promptly began stripping the children so that their clothes could be spared. Although you couldn't tell from our front yard picnic, their clothes were not items I picked from a trash can 20 years ago-I did think they were worthy of wearing again, without watermelon stains. Although we certaintly looked trashy spread out in our "spacious" front yard, they sure had fun which, in my opinion, is all that counts!
Ellie likes to eat her watermelon big girl style. If you hand her a piece, she turns her head as if to say "I am so over eating small pieces. I can hold it myself!!". I do not allow her to hold it herself....that is even messier than biting it. She gets stripped down anytime she eats watermelon.

Unfortunately this picture was taken at the beginning of our "picnic". Literally 5 pieces later, his stomach was covered in juice. I literally had to take a wash cloth and scrub it off. And he wonders why I make him take his shirt off.

It's official....my son is a boy!

It all started as an innocent game of "hokey poky". Since I spend every waking moment caring for my children's every need and furthering all areas of their development, never spending time blogging, e-mailing or on facebook, I was taking the time today to teach David some new songs. I began "Hokey Poky" and went through all obvious extremities that one would use for this song. I thought he would think it was funny if mommy "stuck her bum in, stuck her bum out, stuck her bum in and shook it all about". Well, I was quickly informed "mommy, we only talk about our bums in the bathroom, not in the bedroom". He DOES learn from me-amazing!!

I proceeded to ask what else we could put into the hokey poky game. He responded "eyes". Ok, eyes it is. "What else?" I should have known to stop with eyes....just do the basics! Why was I trying to be supermom and invent new verses? WHY? I ask you!!!??

David:"mommy, we could put our balls in."
Mommy, trying to not jump to a conclusion in my mind, thinking maybe he means his baseball which he has grown fond of...nope, not what he meant.
Mommy: "what balls do you mean David?"
David: (While giving instructions while pointing, with an element of disgust that I don't know what he is talking about) "the balls that hang underneath my penis".

Oh, right, of course. Song over! I do not remember exactly how I handled the comment although I am sure there was some muffled laughter, turning of the face to laugh and a rub on his head and a "i love you buddy. you sure are mommy's boy!"

Note to self: When I tell him that we only talk about bums, poop, etc. in the bathroom only, I apparently need to add "balls" to the list! Well, at least he knows his anatomy! He may not know his numbers or letters, but he knows his anatomy. Whatever-letters and numbers are highly overrated!

P.S. Sorry this is a post without pictures, but I did not know exactly what picture would be appropriate for a post of this nature! I figured you should appreciate a pictureless blog in this instance...

Jersey Shore, Here We Come....

"Down the Shore...."

David to Me "Mommy, play with me".
M to D: "I am playing with you".
D to M: "I don't think you are mommy. I don't see a toy in your hand".

Look alike?

I can never really decide if I think David and Ellie look a lot alike. I can definitely tell that they are siblings, but I don't think I see the big resemblance everyone talks about. I will let you be the judge......

David 8 months

David 9 months

Ellie 9 months

David/Ellie 9 months

It's a God thing

I often hear people use this phrase and I can attest to so many God moments in my life myself. I recently had such a special God moment. On Friday night we had dinner with David's boss. It was a last minute thing and we didn't know if it would be a good idea to go because of the kids and a few other things. Since they were kind enough to invite us, we decided to go. It was a lovely time. The Shabbat meal was delicious and the company just wonderful. We met various people who were friends with this family. Our kids really took to them and that is always nice to see. Even Ellie enjoyed being held by Paul, David's boss. For anyone who knows Ellie just a little, this is unreal. She usually cries as people's arms are being stretched out to get her. She smiled at him and seemed to really enjoy herself. I was amazed. He had the touch. It was just a wonderful night and I am so thankful to them for inviting us. The evening was great, but I expected it to end just that way-as a great evening with friends. I had no idea what this evening would mean to me in the next 24 hours-that it would be another God moment in my life.

Late Saturday night I checked our home voicemail from my parent's home. There was a message from our pediatrician telling us that Ellie's blood/urine work came back and that there was concern with it. He suggested we see a Nephrologist. As soon as I did my mad internet research, I started to come up with a plan. I instantly remembered that I had met a Nephrologist, Carol, the night before. I have no recollection of how her profession came up into conversation, but I remembered that she said it and we spoke about it briefly. I had never known a Nephrologist and now I meet one 24 hours before this preliminary diagnosis. I asked David if we could call Paul and ask for Carol's number. I thought it would be helpful to talk to her to gain more information.

David e-mail Paul first thing Sunday morning. We went from just wanting a phone number to Paul making numerous calls and landing us an appointment with the Chief of the Nephrology department at CHOP for the coming week. I am still amazed at Paul taking the time to make the calls to get us in. I am very thankful that he cared enough about our Ellie.

God knew all of this would happen and He worked out every smallest detail. I am so thankful to God for these small, yet significant details....

• God knew we were going to go to dinner even when we didn't know if we would make it.
• God knew that Carol would be there.
• God knew that Ellie would take to Paul. God allowed Ellie to feel comfortable with Paul which made Paul really fall for her too. Paul now calls Elllie his girl.
• When Paul went up to check on Ellie and happened to wake her up and bring her downstairs at 9:30 at night I was a little like "why did you wake a sleeping baby?" But, God knew that was part of the plan. It was after Ellie was awake at 9:30 that Carol held her. It was while Carol was holding Ellie and asking questions about her that I realized her profession.
• God ordained that this was the week our doctor was finally going to do the blood work and he knew that the results would come back after our dinner meeting.
• God had given David wonderful work talents that has made him successful at his job. His success gave us the opportunity to even meet Paul and his family. Because of his God given talents, he has created a good relationship with Paul.
• God knew that Paul knew people at CHOP who could get us an appointment.

God is just so awesome....He works every detail out in our lives, in ways and through people we would have never imagined. I know that all that God does may not feel good in our lives, but just knowing He is there is so very comforting. He does care about every detail of our lives. We are being told that this is likely a very treatable diagnosis for Ellie and we pray that is true. God cares even though it is minor. But, if it isn't an easy road that we are about to walk, we know that God will walk with us-through whatever. I serve a very great God and I am so very thankful that He died for my sins. That He calls me His child. That I can call him Father. That He cares about every detail of my life.

My son is obsessed with butter

THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO STEPHANIE!

I don't know why, but David frequently has an obsession with butter. When he was about 2.5/3, he would frequently ask for butter in EVERYTHING! He would lick his butter off of his toast. His obsession subsided over the past 6 months or so. However, about 2 months ago, while riding home with a friend, he was asked if he wanted cream cheese on his bagel. I wasn't there, but I believe said "I like butter." Well, on Saturday he asked if he could have a piece of butter bread for breakfast. I put the butter on the table (my first mistake) while I went downstairs to get a new loaf of bread. This is what I found I came back upstairs.....

"I LIKE BUTTER"

Needless to say, the butter was destroyed!