Victor and Grammy Piano Duet

 

A Few of My Favorite Things

Victor and Jemima, sitting companionably side-by-side eating cereal one morning, having a cozy little chat:

Victor: How's it going?
Jemima: No.
Victor: Why?
Jemima: Because Mom is here.
Victor: Oh, okay.
Jemima: Good.

When Lori and Betsy came to visit, Lori painted Jemima's fingernails. This was, of course, very special, and made quite an impression. While I was washing her hands the other day, she urgently cautioned me: Not my finger pops, Mom!

Calvin, after coming down with something, asked to describe how he feels: A little better. Just like an inch. If how I was feeling this morning was a foot, then I would be about an inch better.

 

Jemima is in a current stage of really loving the impromptu solo. I tell her very often that I love to hear her sing. Some favorite (original) tunes include "Hallelujah," "Every Morning Jesus," "God Created Every Woman," and so forth.

https://youtube.com/shorts/0rQadwBZf3g?si=v3mk6iBwPBEYHsMU

 

One of Jemima's favorite things is to hold her special blanket, whom she refers to as "baby," pushes in the stroller, comfort, and generally showing the most tender care.

 

Ben (starting a family discussion): What are 3 words that describe our family?
Victor: Stink, stank, stunk.
Calvin: Lovely, enjoyable, fun.

 

Calvin: I don't really like eating carrots, because it feels like you have to eat them for all your life.

 

Mom to Josiah and Elliot in a grammar lesson, trying to bring clarity about the part of speech of the word "hungry" in a sentence: "Who was hungry?"
Jemima: "Me!"

Sweet moments:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbZDxsVnuUM 

 

Absolutely unbelievable to remember these sweetie pies...

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/mYN20u9RW_8

 And a sweet one of Great-Grandma Vaupel and Calvin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwu3cJrGGNU 

Also from the ancient archives...

Calvin crawling...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JGRGFH2IhM 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUmGNpydYMM 

Bouncing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsfHxI-oppk 

Running

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdZbRUoRVyA 

First cereal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsAk9p77M1Q 

Little Drummer Boy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmTWQoE6QXE 

Obstacle courses

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir-RFiqKYYI 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_x-ssgw8ZU 

Sweet baby Calvin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlPOaVgMYfY 

Reading together

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot5fMMpUzwU

3 Years Old!

3 years old!

2 years old

18 months old

1 year old

11 months old

10 months old

9 months old

8 months old

7 months old

6 months old

5 months

 4 months

3 months

2 months

 1 month

 2 weeks old

Dear Elliot,

My big 3 year old! It is a jolly gift to have you as a part of our family, and I'm enjoying so many ways your little personality is blossoming in these days.


- It is a total hoot to hear you when you wake up. Almost always, you awake with a cheery disposition, and you'll lay in your bed, happily singing, kicking your feet, playing little games with yourself for quite a long time!

- One of my very most favorite things is when you'll alert us in the most charming fashion that it is now time to get up:

- You can definitely pack away a meal, though your preferences are markedly weighted in the direction of pb&j, apple juice, fruit, corn, and treats and away from such things as broccoli, rice, potatoes, and carrot sticks. But really, you've grown in willingness to eat all that is given to you, when helped along.

- You enjoy reading books. It's pretty much irresistible when you ask, "Do you want to read a book with me?" and crawl in my lap somewhere for a good snuggle.

- Another of my favorite things is when you come over to give me a big hug and tell me you're going to "squeeze the jelly out of me."

- You love to sleep with your puppy and blanket. Normally you're on your tummy, puppy under one arm (sure to have the blanket snuggly tucked up to both of your chins). If in the course of falling asleep you will wrangle yourself out of position, you regularly request help getting your blanket back onto your back.

- You love helping in the kitchen and are a surprisingly careful assistant with pouring, measuring, and stirring things (most of the time). You can also wash your own hands now, which is a lovely advance in capabilities.

- You love your brothers... lying next to Calvin for a diaper change, putting together puzzles with Josiah, playing fort with Victor. I love seeing how you boys are becoming buddies.

- You have a musical ear and enjoy sitting on the piano bench, crooning out little melodies to your own accompaniment.

- You have an excellent arm, with great follow-through on your shot.You still love watching hockey or using a little plastic golf club to hit around a bottle cap as your hockey puck. And you have vastly superior eye-hand coordination to make contact with it than your momma!

- You are chock-full of personality. Making faces, striking poses, telling jokes, asking questions (with your cute little head tilted to one side). You can definitely exert your will, but we are learning to take God's help to say no to sin and instead say, "Help me, Jesus!" when it's hard to do what is right.


Your name means "The LORD is my God." When you belong to God, because you are trusting in His Son Jesus, everything changes. Everything you do can be an expression of your love and trust in Him. And as it is done in dependent trust in Him, it honors and delights Him! This morning I was reading in Colossians 3, and this verse stood out to me:

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23-24)

Can you even imagine how astounding that is? If you are putting away your plate after supper... you are serving the Lord Christ! If you are playing with Calvin to help him feel happy... you are serving the Lord Christ! As you study and learn and grow in school... you are serving the Lord Christ! When you work at home or work to earn a paycheck... you are serving the Lord Christ! I pray, Mr. Elliot, that all your days will be full of joyful, significant, satisfying service of our great Savior, the Lord Christ! He is worthy!

I love you, my precious pumpkin, Elliot James!

Momma

Elliot's birthday interview (4.26.19) 3 years old

1.      What is your favorite color? red

2.      What is your favorite toy? Cars with a light on top, like a police car

3.      What is your favorite fruit? Apple juice

4.      What is your favorite video to watch? Wild Kratts

5.      What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Macaroni and cheese

6.      What is your favorite thing to wear? Dinosaur shirt

7.      What is your favorite game? Tick-tac-toe

8.      What is your favorite snack? pretzels

9.      What is your favorite animal? doggies

10.   What is your favorite song? Hallelujah

11.   What is your favorite verse? When I am afraid I will put my trust in You, God.

12.   What is your favorite book? Clifford

13.   Who is your best friend? Zachary

14.   What is your favorite thing to do outside? Blow my own bubbles

15.   What is your favorite drink? Apple juice

16.   What do you like to sleep with at night? My doggy and my blanket

17.   What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Oatmeal

18.   What do you want for dinner on your birthday? pancakes

19.   What do you want to be when you grow up? I forget

20.   What was one of your favorite things that you did this year? Play at Grammy and Grandad’s house

21.   What is your favorite place to go? To the park with the Kattersons

10 Months Old!

10 months old!

9 months old

8 months old

7 months old

6 months old

 
 5 months old

4 months old

3 months old

 2 months old

1 month old

2 weeks old

Dear Calvin,

Somehow we have passed another month already! Now it is April, the snow (from last week) is melting, and the world outside wants to introduce you to that glorious sensation of warmth called spring. What a lovely time!

Since last we checked:

- You have 6 big teeth in that cute little mouth of yours! The arrival of your 2 front teeth make you look like 1) quite a big man and 2) the spitting image of your Katterson brothers and cousins.

- I no longer prop a pillow behind you while you sit, but that doesn't mean you still don't throw yourself backwards more than occasionally. In addition, you like to reeeeeeach for toys out of grasp and flop onto your belly as well. You don't crawl, but you can kind of scooch in a sitting position to get where you want to go (quite a bit farther than I normally anticipate). You don't really care to be constrained by the exersaucer or jumperoo anymore. So limiting.

- You sleep! Having girded up my loins and made it through a few rough weeks, you now sleep pretty consistently from 7:15pm or 7:30pm to somewhere between 5am and 7am. Maybe you have a half feeding and go back to bed or maybe you make it to full wake-up time (anytime after 6:45am) and have a full breakfast. After a season of concerted effort at convincing you to take a bottle, you scream upon sight of one (at least for me). So we gave that up.

- You eat! Cereal, pears, peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, banana, applesauce, prunes (just a touch), squash, and so forth. You reeeally love your little half-Cheerios, though if given in too great a quantity (i.e. more than like 3 at a time), you'll kinda gag and puke all over. But it doesn't stop you from wanting more...

- I'm still trying to squeeze you into 12 month clothes, but it's real hard to zip.

- You get cranky around mealtimes, so I'll often put on some bopping music (for example, the Let's Go channel on Pandora), and you love to groove! It's most especially funny (to you) when Momma dances too.

- Josiah's playing peekaboo is h.i.l.a.r.i.o.u.s. You give him a belly laugh like nothing else, and it doesn't matter how long he keeps popping out from behind the refrigerator, you jump every time and laugh to beat the band!



We are in the midst of Holy Week, just three days until Easter. Each day your brothers and Daddy are going through the Resurrection eggs, little by little recalling the events that led up to Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection.

How purposeful He was. He would not be distracted from the mission of the Father. How humble He was, receiving the praise of children and the cries of the crowd as He entered Jerusalem, even knowing full well that they would reject Him, demand His death just a few days later. How loving He was, serving His disciples with symbolic bread and wine and giving them promises and hope to hang onto before they understood what a crucible was coming. How obedient He was, praying for the Father's will to be done, even as He bled out of His pores for the pain, the crushing horror of bearing His Father's wrath. How gentle He was, refusing to lash out at the weakness and injustice of Pilate, the abuse of the guards, the guilty insurrectionist released in His place. How holy He was, that He could become the perfect substitute, the perfect payment for my sin--and for yours, little son.

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

This is the good news. This is the breath-stealing trade offered to anyone who will put off the insane craving to prove our own worth before God and receive the gift of the credit of Christ's righteousness instead.

I love this season of the year, when all the bleakness outside starts to hint again at life and growth and the miracle of spring. It is a picture of what God does inside to those who trust in Jesus--where everything was dead, ugly, sick, and wrong, He gives new life and forever hope. How we pray, my Calvin, that you will come to worship and trust in Jesus as all you ever need. He is so good! And He is risen, He is risen indeed!

I love you, Calvin David,
Momma

-

Beatitudes

We Have an Announcement...

For those of you who have been on pins and needles, wondering whether the streak of blue will continue or take a surprising turn for pink ... the announcement.

AKA Take 6:



The outtakes:









Another one of these cute little cowboys?

Yep, we're tickled pink.

Elliot's First Steps

Just look at the big man go!



Victor was there with me, and after being excited for a minute, he said sadly, "But I don't want Elliot to grow up!"

The perennial tug of a momma's heart, no?

1 Year Old!

1 year old!

11 months old

10 months old

9 months old

8 months old

7 months old

6 months old

5 months

 4 months

3 months

2 months

 1 month

 2 weeks old

Dear Elliot,

Wow, what a day! You are one year old, and you are growing by leaps and bounds.

It's always fun to mark a first birthday... Today you got to devour an entire piece of coffee cake, a bowl of yogurt, lots of bread, baked beans, crackers, some bits of grape, and a mountainous cupcake. All of which you polished off with supreme ease and enjoyment. You wore it well, my son.

Here on your first birthday, we make note:

- You are definitely mobile. Your favorite destinations are the area under Victor and Josiah's chairs at the kitchen table, where you happily graze among the crumbs for many long, quiet minutes before I notice. You still have a cute little two-legged hop to some of your crawling steps. It's pretty sweet.



- You throw up a hand and say (your version of) "Hi!" when someone comes in the room. It's very cheery and warm.

- You still only have 2 teeth, but that doesn't stop you as long as the food is nice and soft. Saltines, cereal (Special k and corn flakes), and yogurt are favorite foods. You are also a fan of whole milk. But you don't handle your own sippy cup, you still won't drink from a bottle, and Mom is a little nervous about leaving you for 4 days the week after next... But I'm sure you'll do fine!

- You still put everything in your mouth, but normally when I come to fish something out, you'll kind of stick it out with your tongue, so it's not too tough to reach. That is very accommodating, buddy.

- When you wake up from naps, often Victor will come in to greet you. He almost always sings to you (Jesus Loves Me and My God Is So Big). You really like it!

- You still give absolutely the best snuggles. You put your head down on my shoulder and grab my arm, and just lean in for long moments.




Today I want to remember and pray for you again, my special verse for you. The meaning of Elliot, and our greatest hope for you: "The LORD is my God." As Zechariah 13:9 says:

And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

Elliot, when the troubled times come, call on the LORD.
When joyful times come, call on the LORD.
When your heart is uncertain, call on the LORD.
When all hope seems lost, call on the LORD.
When you are amazed and humbled at the grace in your life, call on the LORD.
When you feel like you have no friends, call on the LORD.
When you see brokenness in the world and in your own heart, call on the LORD.
When you feel your need for forgiveness and mercy, call on the LORD.

Last Sunday we celebrated Easter. The victory of Christ over the sin and death. O my son, may He, our gracious Maker, Keeper, Savior, and King, be your God and the hope of your heart all the days of your life.

I love you , my big one-year-old!

Momma

Bible Story Time

I love these sweet boys.

Merry and Bright and Otherwise

It has been quite a December! Amid the dishes a-washing, laundry a-folding, and boxes a-packing there have also been many festive and sweet moments tucked in.

Special dinner with Mr. Kevin and Miss Sue

Our little family Christmas (coinciding with a new round of colds), 

and new sleeping bags to snuggle in during neb treatments

We got together with the Kattersons for a little Christmas celebration the night before we hoped to go to Iowa. It was a fun time, with jambalaya, games, gifts, and skyping Grandma Kay!

We made it to Iowa! 

Here is our houseful of cousins watching Shaun the Sheep

Pizza Ranch with Grammy and some droopy little boys

So good to see Grandma Vaupel and Aunt Sue!

All the boys were sniffling, coughing, sneezing, and generally seeming sluggish and lethargic. Elliot was not eating or sleeping well, and they were just feeling pretty crummy.

That night, instead of the planned big family dinner all together, we had a "big Katterson trip to the urgent care," where 2 of 3 boys were discovered to have ear infections.

After many prayers and several doses of antibiotics, 

we were able to get all the cousins together 

for Grammy's special ornament activity!

A little cutie pie (and a big one) able to smile again

Sometimes Christmas, with all its togetherness (or not), chaos, bad attitudes, sleeplessness, and viruses, provides an uncomfortable reminder that Jesus' first advent was not a journey of unbroken sweetness and cheer. The reason that Perfect Child came (in the chill and smelly welcome of a barn) was to unbreak the painful brokenness of our world, to extract the poison sting of sin and death, and by His own bruised body to crush the serpent's head. What a Savior!