Eight Months and Three Years

Yes. Eight. Months. Old. Seriously. I am telling you, it seems like as fast as Jakob grew/is growing, Lily is leaving him in the dust!  It seems like this is flying by faster than it did with Jakob, and I do not like it!  Lily's six month appointment was Friday.  That's right.  Her SIX month appointment was two days before her EIGHT month birthday.  I am that mom, and I am okay with it.  Lily weighs 17 lbs 5 oz and is 26 inches long.  She is still wearing most of her newborn or size one shoes.  Her feet are crazy small and petite which means we are way getting our money's worth in the shoe department!  She is sitting unassisted very well and standing while only holding on to one adult finger.  She is so not interested in crawling or being on her tummy.  She is rolling quite nicely from front to back but would never in a million years choose to roll from back to front, thus putting her on her tummy by choice!  Never.  She finds her red-headed temper quickly when put on the floor, or on the couch, or in her high chair, or in her bouncer, or in her crib, or...you get it.  The girl likes to be held.  A lot.  As much as I may not like my hip attachment all day, everyday, I must admit that I love it at the same time.  I know now that this time is all too fleeting, and I am trying to soak up these times with her.  She is incredibly happy and will smile for anyone.  Still no teeth and no swollen gums, but lots of slobber and chewing.  Lily is still stuck on only saying 'da-da' and 'bye-bye,' but is making all kinds of sounds and loving to 'sing along' with the choirs at school.  Jakob may very well be her favorite person on the planet right now.  She watches him with such interest and will laugh on cue at his magic tricks she has seen three thousand times.  She is better with a three-year-old's sense of humor than I am!  :-)

Speaking of that three-year-old, he is as funny as ever.  He has changed so much in these last few months.  He is increasingly thoughtful, responsible, and grown-up.  This last week he was asking me about relationships in our family.  Here's how it went:  "Daddy is your husband, and you are his wife.  (wrinkled eyebrows and finger tapping on pursed lips.)  hmmm...very interesting."  It is so funny and rewarding to see him really start to take ownership of himself.  From things as little as washing himself in the bathtub, dressing himself from head to toe, and opening his own car door to major things like saying prayers with specific requests, cleaning his room when asked without argument (not everytime!), and desiring to learn anything and everything we will talk with him about.  He LOVES to cook.  He will help measure, pour, crack eggs, stir, and of course, eat!  He asks to wash dishes with us, sweep the floor with us, make the bed with us, fold laundry with us...are you catchin on that it is all 'with us'?!  It may take a lot longer to get my tasks accomplished, but I am praying that God continues to give me patience in the timing in order to spend that time with Jakob and teach him all of these things.  He is SO ready to learn to read, write, and do math.  He is forever counting fingers: "2 fingers plus 3 fingers is FIVE FINGERS!"  Love it.  He isn't coloring in the lines or writing legible letters, but he is trying.  He will sound out every word.  On some days, I feel like we talk in syllables all day long.  "Mommy, say but-ter.  Say Lil-y.  Say Jak-ob.  Say...."  You get it.  It is so much fun to see him hit this stage of life.  I just worry that Jared and I don't keep up!  He will go to preschool in the fall for three days a week, and he is more excited that anyone.  We 'practice' having preschool several times a week at his prompting. 

This post (after reading over it) could seem a bit 'braggy', but please know my intent is to make a record for myself, not to throw out a comparison stick in any way.  One of the things God is teaching me right now is just how perfect His timing is in all things.  Just take a gander at Ecclesiastes.  Enjoy whatever 'time' you're in today!

Jakob's Cat Like Ninja Skills

A lot of really great Jakob stories have passed us by during my time "away", but true to form, he provided us a doozy to come back to!  Some people in this little tail (yes, that is an intentional typo) will remain nameless so as to protect their identity!  Yesterday, the Hardy foursome had a few things we needed to do including going to a friend's house to visit for a bit.  While these people are precious friends, we aren't at their house often, especially with Jakob.  They have two cats who were not familiar with Jakob and with whom Jakob was not comfortable.  They introduced one as 'Monster Cat' and told funny stories of it being dropped down the stairs one to many times as a kitten.  Ha!  What a cute and funny story!  Jakob, in case you didn't know, is crazy afraid of animals...crazy.  We've come a long way, but he was obviously nervous around the cats.  (As a quick aside, these cats have been raised around kids, they are inside cats who are current on all of their shots, and they are loved by the most wonderful family...truly)  He was sitting on the couch next to Jared when the cat innocently hopped up.  Cue Jakob quickly standing to move behind Jared.  Prepare for it.  You know what's coming.  That sweet, slightly off kitty cat pounced onto my sweet Jakob.  Pounced might be putting it lightly.  It enveloped his torso.  Picture this:  the cat's belly was on top of Jakob's head and its previously assumed 'clawless claws' were going to town on Jakob's back, neck, and arm.  Wow.  Wisely, Jakob's reflexes took over and he crouched into a ball, protecting his face.  Jared grabbed a handfull of fur to pull the cat off of Jakob, our sweet friends were mortified, there were screams I think, and their beautiful lamp had taken its final bow onto their lovely hardwoods.  Jakob freaked.  Bless his heart, he was hurting really badly, scared to death, panicked, and embarrassed.  He has never held me so tightly in his whole life.  Our poor friends (who we are NOT upset with in ANYWAY whatsoever) were understandably beside themselves.  They had had the cat declawed, but in the way of all things 'Jakob Hardy,' there were still some claws left in there when that cat felt threatened.  Last night in the bathtub, Jakob said to Jared, "I think Miss ____________ is wrong.  Her cat does have claws."  Yeah, buddy.  I'd say so!  What a memory.   

Where does the time go?

Wow.  It has been a while to say the very least!  One way to tell when things around here have gone crazy is to see how long it has been since my last blog update!  Whew!  While the busy-ness has been so much fun and rewarding, it required that some thing take a backseat.  The blog got pushed to the rear-end for sure!  Since Christmas, we have had eight straight weekends of work-related contests, clinics, concerts, and commitments.  (like the alliterations?!)  One of these days I'll catch up on everything on here (yeah, right!) but in the mean time, let's just pick up where we are, shall we?! 

While thing have been quite exciting and successful professionally lately, the greatest accomplishment of our lives has come into fruition.  That's right...JAKOB IS POTTY TRAINED!!!  Eight months, 16 days.  Longest. Year. Of. My. Life.  God love him, he proved everyone right...one day, it just clicked.  Praise the Lord!  I know without a doubt that I learned a lot more during this journey in Jakob's life than he ever did!  I have been so embarrassed at the amount of time it has taken to reach this point.  "Jakob is so smart."  "Jakob could teach others how to do what he refuses to do."  "Jakob is just doing this to spite me."  "What have we done wrong?"  "What must people think of our parenting skills?"  Yep.  Thought it all and more.  God has really started a change in my thinking toward other parents/situations.  What a life lesson I should have learned a long time ago:  you just don't know the road someone else is walking.  Give some slack.  Give compassion.  Shut. Your. Mouth.  It has been a tough lesson, but one that I pray will stick with me and continue to revolutionize my thinking and my parenting.

Lily is 7 and a half months old.  Seriously.  We are having more fun with her.  She is so laid back until she gets hungry or tired.  Then, she goes 0 to 60 in no time at all!  Her hair is continuing to turn the most beautiful shade of red and her attitude matches it perfectly!  Just like Jakob, she is a late bloomer in the teeth-cutting category.  We have buckets of drool and no teeth to show for it.  Poor thing.  She said her first word on February 1:  'Da-da.'  You can imagine Jared's excitement!  Soon after, she mastered 'bye-bye' and the wave.  We are trying so hard to soak her up during these last non-mobile days.  Her laugh.  Her smile.  Her excited discoveries of her hands, feet, and tongue.  Just her.  I could eat her up!

Jared and I are just trucking along.  I realized that my Christmas cards are still sitting, unfinished, in the floor.  We may be sending St. Patrick's Day cards with a Christmas theme and Lily's birth announcements.  I am still the world's worst at actually sending things.  Sorry.  We are preparing for concert and sightreading contest on March 11 which is Jared's big day, but doesn't require any after-school work!  Halleluia!  5 rehearsals left.  Yowzas! 

I don't even have a new picture to add.  I'll work on that.  Now, where is my camera cord again?

this is IT!!!

Okay, if you read this blog often or know me personally, you know exactly what this blog is about...my life's worth.  Okay, not entirely, but it is certainly what my job comes down to each and every year.  This is Area audition weekend.  Who will and will not be with us in San Antonio for the TMEA All-State Choir?  We have 11 students going with us this weekend, and I could not be more proud of their hard work and dedication this year.  They have been working this music and auditioning stage by stage since July...July, people.  I don't have that much dedication to my home decor!  If you happen to think of 11 random kids or one crazed vocal coach on Saturday, please send up a prayer (or a thousand prayers!) for strength of voice, calm presence, and crisp precision of technique.  We have all worked so very hard for this weekend, and I pray that we will have more celebrating than not this weekend!  Thanks, faithful friends!

The Greatest Decade

2010.  Wow.  Can y'all believe it?!  When I think of just the numbers side of things, it seems like yesterday that we were holding our breaths for Y2K fallout.  When I think of the situational side of things, however, it seems like 2000 was a lifetime ago.  I was a sophomore in college, not even dating Jared, serving as Miss Wayland, and refusing to grow up.  I was 'working' for my college choir director.  (I missed more often than I showed up, that is for certain!)  The circumstances of my life were not the greatest, made so by my own choices.  I can only imagine the massive prayers sent up by my parents during the beginning of this decade.  How sovereign God proved Himself to be. 

Highlights of the decade:  Jared.  Jakob.  Lily.  I loved our engagement, wedding, and honeymoon.  It was all home-made.  Cheap.  Practical.  We were so truly broke.  Although I would re-do the color scheme, the gift registry, and the flowers, I wouldn't change the outcome of June 8, 2002 for anything in this world.  I remember our first apartment was the tiniest thing you can imagine.  What should have been the 'master bedroom' for our unit was the laundry room for the entire complex.  I need to remember that aparment when I feel my current walls closing in around me!  This decade brought Jared and I the gift of debt...yep, the gift.  We have now officially climbed out of the pit and on to solid ground.  What a gift to fight together against a common adversary and come out on top.  God proved Himself to be our Deliverer and our Portion.  We bought our first home after living in more rent houses than I care to remember.  We have jobs that allow us to serve others as a family.  Jakob has been with us at good ole FHS since day #1.  God love him, all of his milestones seem to happen in the choir room.  I'm sure Lily's will too!  I love that, though.  We are blessed to share our days with one another:  good, bad, or ugly.  What a gift the Lord has given our family through Frenship and our 'jobs.' 

As I look back 10 years ago, I see way too many of the same character flaws within myself than I should.  Lack of margin.  Lack of follow-through.  Lack of relationship.  Lack of self-control.  Lack.  Lack.  Lack.  I'm not one on resolutions.  (lack of follow-through and self-control, you know!)  But, this decade I hope to allow the 'lack' to be filled up...to be made found 'lacking in nothing.'  I cannot fathom that when the next decade rolls over I will be the parent of a 13 year old and a 10 year old.  Nuts.  Simply nuts.  One thing is for certain, we lack not in laughter, joy, love, and fun around here, and for those things, I am ever truly grateful to my Father.  Happy New Year, y'all. 

Christmas in Pictures

Since I have been the worst blogger ever in the last few months, I decided to make up for a bit of lost time by sharing a TON of our Christmas pictures in one fatal dose! We truly have had a great Christmas so far. As previously mentioned, this is our first Christmas at home for the whole break, and we may become spoiled! Hopefully, there will be time and energy in the future to tell some of the stories behind all of these pictures, but if not, make up your own version of what you think might be happening in the pics! Okay, enough words...I'm going back to the fabulous people you see below! Happy New Year's-week!

The Hardy Holiday house including an impromptu mudroom!

No longer just dreaming of a White Christmas!

Frosty Hardy

Lily's First Christmas

Christmas Eve

Christmas morning complete with a well-built-with-love-in-the-snow trampoline and a broken high chair!

Merry Christmas!!! (I promise that I was involved in all of these activities even though the pictures don't prove it! I have reached the 'never in another photo, only taking the photo' stage of my life.)

Smart kid.

Merry Christmas from the Hardy Hacienda! While I have so many great pictures and stories to tell from our week so far, one story takes the cake, for sure. This year, Santa brought Jakob a trampoline. Not only was it the only thing he asked for, but it was on sale on Black Friday including the enclosure, and my couch cushions need a break! It takes Jakob quite a while to warm up in the mornings...he takes after me in that manner! This morning, however, we were fully expecting him to be up and at 'em quickly and with great excitment for the tampoline fully assembled in his backyard. Not so much. Here's how it went down:

Everyone: JAKOB!!! Good morning! Merry Christmas

Jakob: *nothing but tired stares*

Me: What did Santa bring you, Buddy?!

Jakob: (referring to the box under the tree and spoken in truly dull tone) a trampoline.

Jared: Where did it come from?!

Jakob: (totally straight-faced and uncaring) Wal Mart.

He did wake up and warm up to things pretty quickly, thank goodness! We hope your Christmas was filled with the light of Christ and the laughter of the season. Merry Christmas!

Christmas STAYCATION!!!

Whew! We made it to the end! Another semester come and gone with much blood, sweat, and tears left behind from the Hardy, Party of 4. While I am so excited for a little break, I'm sad too. You see at our house, childhood milestones are recorded as to which time of year and which contest are going on. For instance, Lily's first real sickness was during Solo and Ensemble assignment week. Jakob first crawled in the choir room during Celebration rehearsals, 2007. I'm sure every house has their way of remembering milestones, but here they coincide with the choir schedule. Drives me nuts sometimes. I mentioned Lily's first sickness. yeah. That would be right now. Miss Thang has been one sick little puppy this week. What started out as a runny nose and small cough turned into many nebulizer treatments and at least 3 sleepless nights. We'll see what tonight brings. This is not be complaining, though. I have seen this week just how blessed we are around here. While there have been some seriously scary moments for us with Lily this week, I had no doubt that she would be fine and we would get through without a scuff or scar. I have been so mindful of other families who deal with these things consistently and without the promise of "everything will be alright" at the end of it. God bless those families.

It has been a nutty few months. Here's the catch up: my parents are moving to San Angelo. Sold their house. Offered on a new house. Punk buyer in Oklahoma backed out, so they had to back out in San Angelo. boo. Join us in praying for them as this is a yucky time of hear to sell a house. We are so sad to be 'losing' our vacation place in Oklahoma. We haven't been anywhere on vacation since they moved to Oklahoma because their house was truly the most relaxing place on this earth. Nevermind the free babysitting! Here are some pictures from their house when we were there for Thanksgiving. Oklahoma, we'll miss you dearly. Welcome back to Texas, mom and dad...we're glad you're here!

Our boss as school is still having some medicals complications from a cancer diagnosis which has put Jared in the driver's seat on and off during this semester. The choirs are HUGE. The success is HUGE. The work is NEVER-ENDING. The reward is ETERNAL. Nothing more to say there. We are blessed beyond measure in our profession...and busy beyond comprehension.

We are staying home this Christmas...a first in the Hardy family. We are staying home for both of the previously mentioned reasons: 1. my parents have no home (well, sort of...you know what I mean.) 2. we are having to work through the second half of this holiday break 3. Jared's brother's family moved to Lubbock 2 weeks ago. We are excited to be able to be with all of our family (minus my sister and her sweet boys. boo!) at some point during this Christmas week. So, Merry Christmas to y'all! Enjoy your break, no matter how short, wherever it is that you and yours land this year!

Best Show on TV

Tonight at a big family dinner, Jared and I were asked if we were into the Office. We responded that we were not. I know that it is a huge show and most people who watch it absolutely love it, but we just haven't ever gotten into it for some reason. Then, we realized that our 'office' is just us. Jared and me. Our Office is more like Glee.

Stupid is as stupid does...

Isn't that how the saying goes? I have neglected my blog for weeks now for two reasons: 1. We have been incredibly swamped, and the internet has been the thing that lost out on time. 2. I had dislocated my camera cord and couldn't upload any pictures. Well, don't you just love when your forced to own up to your own stupidity? Come to find out, our computer has a slot for an SD card. Who knew!? It wasn't until I was trying to find the USB slot to charge the iPod that I saw this strangely familiar looking card slot. Hmmm. I still don't have time today to sit and type, but I DO have time to upload some pictures of two pretty great kids. We've missed you, blog world.

mmmm...peas

So close to sitting all by herself!

Good grief. How do you not fall all over yourself for those eyes?!

Jakob helping to build his new bunk bed.