Life Lately

This is almost a "Day in the Life" post for today, Saturday. I know someday I will look back on this season of my life- when we moved to Detroit and Harbor was two years old- and wonder what my days were really like.

We started the morning with breakfast and trains. It is how we start every morning it seems. Harbor really loves trains. We live in a city jammed packed with trains. They come rumbling through our area at all hours of the day and night. We hear them as we drift off to sleep and now.. we sleep right through their long, lonely whistles.

Harbor can build his own tracks and make bridges and tunnels {out of toilet paper rolls I save for him.} He has excellent fine motor skills and really enjoys designing shapes for the train track. He even has red and white striped poles {made from straws I saved for him} and stops and starts his train as he opens and closes the poles. We are stopped by trains almost daily as we go to the library and grocery store. They are everywhere.

I have a basket system for Harbor's favorite toys. Lincoln Logs, trains, blocks, cars and trucks, and animals all have their own baskets in the living room on a buffet table I use for storage. Harbor also keeps a few toys in his room and we are lucky to have a big open playroom in the basement where we house everything and anything he isn't currently playing with. On most trips to the play room, he will ask to bring something upstairs. When that happens, we usually rotate toys out. 

For the most part, it works really well. Harbor can pull them down himself and make selections without asking for help. But, let's face it. After a few hours inside, the area behind our sofa table looks like this despite my best laid plans. Such is life with a busy toddler. I just love my little boy. Boys are wonderful {and busy!}

Harbor loves to climb and play. A few days ago, he pulled out his dresser drawers in his bedroom and tried to climb up them while I was not even three feet away on the landing. His dresser {solid wood} fell over on top of him, crashing to the floor and left him with a bruised back and a cut arm.

If I turn my back, he is on top of the table. He is a good little boy, sweet and obedient, but full of curiosity {as he should be, of course.} He keeps me on my toes and I look forward to interacting with him every day at home.

In order to keep my sanity, I find that tackling little projects, like organizing the junk drawer with simple Tupperware bins, fills me with peace and a sense of calm {so that I can carry on.  : )

After lunch today, we went outside to play with sidewalk chalk. Harbor requests sidewalk chalk almost daily and we entertain ourselves with making railroad tracks, ABC's, and hopscotch. Today, we took his plastic bug collection and drew habitats for each of them {an ant hill for the ant, a leaf for the caterpillar, etc..} While playing, Harbor was stung by a wasp. Poor boy. I watched him closely all afternoon for an allergic reaction, but was so thankful there was little to no swelling.

While Harbor rested, I did several loads of laundry and worked on the guest room in preparation for my parents visit next week. I also tried to organize a  few things in my craft room while Harbor played with a sticker book in the floor.

Before dinner, David and Harbor spent a few hours washing the Jeep by hand. Harbor was quite the little helper and the activity outside with Daddy seemed to erase the sting on his little hand.

While they worked, I made dinner. Harbor is {knock on wood!} potty trained for the most part. He will have the occasional accident, but he wears big boy pants all day and out in public and will let me know if he needs to go to the potty. He stopped working with Daddy tonight for two potty breaks. He is such a little boy these days, though he still likes to be called "my baby" and will correct me if I say he is "big." I know someday soon he will no longer request to be called my baby.

My picture taking was cut short as Harbor climbed all the way in the bucket.

The boys came inside for dinner {I made baked chicken and red potatoes in a roasting bag with salad and sliced garden tomatoes from a fruit stand.} After dinner, Harbor and I went for walk and Harbor collected sticks he found in peoples' yards and brought them home.

David gave Harbor a bath while I started on the kitchen. I think the excitement of the day caught up with me, however, as I ended up lying on the couch and just resting. After Harbor's shower, I brushed and flossed his teeth and read for 30 minutes with him while David offered to clean the kitchen. While I was still reading, David ran to Blockbuster for a movie and came back with a diet coke for me from McDonalds {we love the $1.00 deals there on drinks right now!} And as I blog, David is watching a movie.

Everyday is different, but today was a typical day. Maybe I need to do these type of posts more often. Someday soon, it will all be a memory.  : )

I feel so blessed to be a wife, to be a mother. I am so unworthy of this life as I am a sinner, saved only by grace. It is only by the grace of God that I have such blessings and I am forever thankful that Christ so loved me that He died and rose again. Because of Him, I live and love and have meaning in my life. Be grateful in your life, regardless of the season. Jesus loves you!  : )