Looking for Rainbows

I seem to have only a few memories of my childhood and one of them is just a 10 second video clip, if you will, in the dusty back corners of my mind from around the time my family first moved to Idaho. All 5 of us lived together in one bedroom. I can't imagine what that must have been like for my mom! She used to play the primary songs at bedtime while we were tying to fall asleep. I'm not sure if we only had one tape (ha!) of them or if she just particularly liked the one we listened to, but we listened to the same "playlist" of 25 or so songs every night for I honestly don't know how long. It could have only been a week, but in my memory it was the entire time we lived there.

One of the songs was I like to look for rainbows whenever there is rain. I remember my mom singing that one a lot.

Since that time I have shared my mom's love for that song and for rain storms. I love the smell and the sounds it makes. When the thunder and lightning come it reminds me in the strongest way how there is no other way this earth could have been created, but by God.

I'm trying to pass that down to my boys. When it rains we like to go outside and see it and feel it. Although I'm the only one contemplating the parable significance of it, I hope someday they'll look back on how much fun we had playing in it every time.

In the world . . .

Both of my bigger boys are infatuated with super heroes and I honestly have no idea how. I have been pretty strict as far as their TV viewing privileges go. Currently, they are only allowed to watch 2 hours of TV per week on Saturday mornings. The only channels we have are ABC and PBS. These two stations don't have cartoons Saturday morning like I remember from when I was a kid, so they gratefully and excitedly choose from a CD case full of pre-screened movies that Eric and I have decided are okay for them to watch at this age. There's a good 20 movies in there. Not one of them involves any super hero action whatsoever. Unless you count Woody and Buzz as super heroes like my boys and we do :).

However - for Christmas last year, they got a set of super hero Squinkies. Look them up if you don't know what they are. Although they are kinda "over them" now, they loved, loved them when we first got them and played with them for a good hour at a time.

This year Braxton not only remembered what Halloween was, but he had his own idea about what he wanted to be. Dang. I really loved picking out their costumes. He brought me the itty-bitty Captain America Squinkie (the one he's always told us is his favorite) and let me know that he'd be needing a shield. We told Grandma and Grandma delivered. One red frisbee left in the mailbox. Now all it needs is a little bit of paint. He's dying to get on that, and boy, oh boy, is that a good thing. The one thing I always need is a kick in the pants to get a head start on things.

Smiley Face Guy

Dear little Pagogo,

You have, so far, been my hardest child. And I love you for many reasons, but also just for that alone. You will hear over and over again that challenge and struggle is what often (and possibly always) makes us rise to the occasion. I am who I am because I have the opportunity to love you, you 'witta stinka'. You're a daddy's boy through and through. Often I learn things about you by reflecting on things I know about your dad. And often, I learn things about your dad by spending so much time with you. My heart overflows with love for you, buddy.

For a couple of days you've been grouchy. I mean really grouchy. As in crying and whining all day long. All. Day. Long. I've done everything. I've given you extra naps and extra treats. I've cuddled you and spent extra one-on-one with you. I've even tried bribing you. Yesterday we had a good moment on our bike ride when I explained to you about how you have to choose to be happy. I could tell you really got what I meant. Your eyes brightened and your countenance changed. You even laughed. It was a moment (cue angels singing)! About 7 and a half minutes later, it was fast forgotten and you were back to Mr. Grouchypants. You know how people say they get so frustrated they want to pull their hair out? I've never been to that point until yesterday. Then I knew what they meant. I gave up for the day. I endured the negative attitude for the rest of the night without trying to talk you out of it anymore.

On a whim this morning I made you a couple faces with a sharpie and a paper plate that was sitting on the counter. One was a smiley face and one was a VERY ugly frowny face; complete with "mad eyebrows" as you seemed to fondly refer to them. They came with strict instructions. Frowny face had to stay in your pocket. No one likes a frowny face, right. He makes you feel yucky and no one else feels good around him either. He's really not  fun to play with, or eat with, or even look at. He stays put away for sure.The other one was smiley face. Everyone likes that guy. He's the 'bomb diggity'; he feels good and makes everyone else feel good, too. He should be out all the time. He went with us on our bike ride today. He even did laundry with us and when he fell in a basket and got covered with dirty clothes, he came right back out smiling, just like he went in, didn't he? He really is the bomb diggity. I like that guy.

You did too.

And every time I reminded you to keep frowny face guy in your pocket and find smiley face guy, you remembered to choose to be happy. And for a 2 year old, that's big. Who am I kidding? For a 25 year old that's big. And that's why I stay home with you 24/7, little dude. Because I want to be absolutely sure you learn those little lessons.

I have a feeling those little guys will be around at least a couple more days. And we'll welcome them into a few more conversations, I'm sure. Today, they at least got us to nap time with less than half the melt-downs we had yesterday. Progress.

this morning

Staples; not the paper kind.

Braxton fell off the trampoline on Sunday. After quite the dramatic ER entrance, we left the hospital with 5 staples and a 9-1-1 Emergency coloring book. Lucky us :) Monday night he informed us of this: "Mom, I do not like staples in my head. Staples go only in paper, not in heads." I completely agree, buddy.

in case you missed it

which you most likely did; considering we haven't been very good at updating the ol' blog . . .

We added another little man to our little collection :) Which makes me pretty darn outnumbered around here. But I'm definitely not complaining.



The boys are loving having him around too.



He loves having them around too :)



Conner turned 2. Although, I'm pretty sure he has no idea he's any younger than Braxton at all.



Talon's growing even faster than the other two did.






I cut my hair. I left the salon with it longer than I intended to go . . .



And as of Sunday, Eric and I have been married for 6 years. Wow. That was fast.

Talon Carter Gallup

Here is our newest addition to the Gallup Family.
Talon Carter Gallup
8 pounds 8 oz
21 inches long