Merry Christmas!

-The DeFoggi/Ayers Family

"Do you want your children to obey you out of fear or out of love?"

A friend gave me this quote yesterday and it hit hard.

Just pondering it more...

It Doesn't Make Sense

Mommy: "Ellery, can you tell me what happened and why you are in time out?"

 Ellery: "Because I hit Walt with that thing from the kitchen (tongs) because he pulled my hair!"

Mommy:  "Well Ellery, just because Walt did something to hurt you does not mean it's okay to hurt him back.  The bible tells us that we need to show love to those who hurt us."

Ellery:  "Well Mommy, that doesn't make sense!"

Mommy: (laughing) "Yes Ellery, I know.  But sometimes the Lord asks us to do things that don't make sense and we just have to obey him.  So next time Brother does something to hurt you, please tell me and let me handle it instead of you returning hurt for hurt."

Working Together

Working together doing 1 activity at the same time is something I'm trying to get these 2 to do. NOT easy. Definitely NOT done every day. But it's a practice.

My "hook" for Ellery was, "Hey Ellery!  Can you teach Brother how to color?"

She was all over it!

He was so cute sitting in a chair all by himself.

                                     
                                      

I'm gonna call it, Ellery is a lefty and Walt is a righty.....

Ice Cream Truck

The ice cream truck makes it way through our neighborhood every Tuesday evening.

This is one of the "Summer To Do" list items.  I LOVED it!

Seeing the kids running across the yard to catch the truck as it went by just made my heart so full, as a mom.

It's just fun knowing that this one little thing is going to make my toddler's joy immeasurable and create a memory for her lifetime.  She definitely did a good job eating her entire dinner so she could have her special treat!

1st REAL night of no milk

Tonight is the first night where I put Walt down and refused to nurse him.

(sigh) SAD.

I am preparing to leave the family for the weekend and it's almost 14 months (the same age I wiened Ellery) so I figured it is about time.

There was no plan.  Last night while I was nursing him to sleep I realized it was the last time and I hugged a little tighter and enjoyed the moment a bit more than usual.  But I know it's time.

So tonight I simply read him a story while he drank milk from his sippy cup, then popped in the binky and held him close for a while.  He did tug on my heart strings when I was standing next to his bed about to place him in the crib he just began signing "milk" to me over and over.

Ohh, my heart.  It's like he still needs me.  I don't know.  Maybe I'll waver and try nursing again when I return.  But for now at least I know he can go to bed, not screaming for me, and be satisfied with cold sippy cup milk and snuggles.

Summer Fireflies

One of our summer activities is to catch fireflies. 

 What a FUN thing to do.

I found a cute little bug catcher at the dollar store and grabbed it.

You would have thought I bought her a new diamond necklace, she was so excited.

While we waited for them to come out we did a little research on how to catch them.

Yea, it's pretty much the same as when we were kids but I thought it

was good for Ellery to see what they looked like BEFORE we caught them.

Daddy is the BEST bug catcher, EVER!

Every time the little creature crawled to the top of the box, Ellery jolted with fear.

It cracked me up.  Again, just like her Mommy.

Our new little friends are currently hanging from Ellery's chandelier in her bedroom while she sleeps.

Man, what great memories I have of lighting bugs crawling around in the mason jar by my bed at night.

Aww, fun summer nights...