The randomness of being a family….
Wrestle Mania
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He is My Boy
August 29, 2010 By
First? Because Ann didn’t get back to me within 48 hours of being announced the winner (and I couldn’t find an email address for her), I drew a NEW winner of the Gussy Giveaway…PINKFLIPFLOPS! You are the new winner! Email me at ksluiter (at) hotmail (dot) com and I will get you hooked up!
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Yesterday was a glorious day. It was the kind of day we live in Michigan for. It was a boating/beach day.
We frolicked in the big waves, soaked up the warm sun, and played on the sandy beach. We had fun.
We were on the beach for a good four hours before riding back to the marina. It was a rolly, wavy, day, but we loved it.
We all returned home wind blown, a little sandy, and very much exhausted. But very happy. And very grateful to friends who are like our family.
As expected, after his bath, Eddie was WAY tired after missing his nap–save for a snooze on the boat out to the beach and back from the beach. So I rocked him and he was out by 8:00pm.
I popped some popcorn and Cortney and I settled in with our computers and the History channel and some water to re-hydrate us from the big day. All was well.
Until 10:00pm. It started as just a small whimper. Usually if we hear a little moan or whimper it just means he’s rolling over and we don’t hear another peep.
This time the whimper turned into long, sad moans. I looked up at Cort and said that I would go see what the deal was. I figured he lost his pipey in all his blankies and lovies and just needed it back and maybe also a little pat on the back.
When I walked into his semi-dark room I saw him lying on his back just wailing. He was frantic. He was afraid. And his eyes were still closed.
Bad dream? Night terror? It’s hard to tell when they are this small and can’t tell you. So I picked him up and tried to give him his pipey and rock him.
He screamed. Terrified wailing screams.
He was shaking. He was gasping for air. He was TERRIFIED.
So I brought him out of his room into the living room where the lights and TV were on. I tried to hand him to Cortney, but he screamed harder. He reached for me. He shook because he couldn’t catch his breath.
I took him up in my arms and he put his head down and stopped crying. He was still shaking and gasping for breath, but he wasn’t crying.
I thought maybe he could be rocked. We went back into his room and rocked back and forth, back and forth. He quieted. His eyes closed. He clung to his blankie.
I gently set him back in his bed. As I was walking back down the hall? He started screaming again.
Cortney tried this time. Eddie bawled while Cort rocked him. He screamed when Cort tried to lay him down. He bellowed as Cort brought him back out into the living room.
And then he saw me. And reached frantically for me.
I took my little boy. And he quieted. And snuggled down. We hunkered down in my chair together until he fell asleep. Then I took him to his room and rocked for a little while.
He woke up one more time, but Cort was able to sooth him back to sleep for the night.
But you guys? In that terror? He wanted ME. He clung to ME.
Most days he doesn’t care which parent has him. He has even had times where he has preferred Cort. But for the first time? He only wanted ME.
Although I had visions of the night being LOONNGG if he didn’t stay sleeping and wouldn’t let Cortney console him? something in me smiled that my little boy wanted his mommy when he was scared.
It settled something deep inside me that he could only feel safe enough to close his eyes if he was near me. It made the momma in me sing.
This is what I longed for all summer. It is the connection I had hoped to foster with my little boy. It was the one goal on the To Do list that really mattered.
And after last night? I can indubidably say that that goal? Has been checked off the list…and I am quite enjoying it.
And my little boy?
He is MY little boy. And I? Am HIS momma. We have a bond. And it is strong. Indubitably strong.
Potter Picnic 2010
August 26, 2010 By
This past weekend was the annual Potter Picnic–Cort’s mom’s side of the family. There are five siblings in my mom-in-law’s family and each of the five sibling families wore a different color T-shirt. Ours? Yellow!
The Potter Picnic is fun, but it is SERIOUS fun! It is NOT your mediocre, run-of the mill family reunion. OH NO…
It all starts out with games…tournament style…where you get to compete for prizes. There is something for EVERYONE.
Badminton
Ladder Ball (or as we Sluiters call it, Hilly Billy Golf)
Cornhole (yes, that is the real name of this game. what can I say? we are classy)
more corn hole…just because we all needed one more giggle at the name.
Volleyball
Horse shoes
Yes, there were even written quizzes. The Potter family? They take competition seriously.
and you can’t leave until you guess how many m&ms or what the three objects in the coffee can are.
And you KNEW there was a score board, right?
And Grandpa and Grandma Potter? They supervised and enjoyed watching us run amok.
And the littlest Potter also did some supervising. Oh hey, Miles!
The trophies: which totally went to the Red Shirts (Keith Potter family) AGAIN this year. I think they have everyone by sheer numbers in their family!
Debate over the scoreboard.
Did I mention it’s serious business? Because it SO is.
Even Eddie found it fun to run around the playing fields (yes, there are even regulation lines chalked in. SERIOUS, people.)
The yellow team? We did not do so well.
But Cody totally represented by qualifying to climb the rope! And he did it with speed AND agility! We were so proud!
We all watched the climbers. They were pretty amazing. And? I am glad I didn’t have to try because I am fairly sure I would have hurt myself in more than one way.
The yellow team in their glory…with G&G Potter
The entire Potter Picnic. We are so dang lucky to have this much love in just ONE of side of the family!
Such a fun day…even if we had to leave before dinner because Eddie was LOSING it from lack of nap.
And I think? Grandpa and Grandma had a pretty happy day too!
We Can Be Quiet
July 21, 2010 By
Nightswimming deserves a quiet night…
The day of our wedding was great. It was very…us. We are quiet a squirrelly, rambunctious couple. We like to bring the fun. We laughed through our whole ceremony. People still talk about all the laughing and chatting and smiles that went on. In fact, we wrote our own vows. Mine were all serious and lovey. Isn’t that how vows are supposed to be? Apparently not.
Cort’s rhymed. That is A. B is that they were also funny. Those who could hear (they forgot to mic him) we rolling. In fact, our wedding was anything but quiet.
The photograph on the dashboard, taken years ago
Turned around backward so the windshield shows
Every streetlight reveals the picture in reverse
We were (are!) best friends. The group of friends and the events of our life that got us to the alter are nothing less than a rambunctious muddle of awesome.
We have so much history. We have so much love. We have so much us. It was very fitting that we were not quiet and solemn up on that alter.
Nightswimming deserves a quiet night…
But we can slow it down. We can be quiet and loving. Our minister slowed us down and (unexpectedly) had us recite the traditional vows as well.
I’m not sure all these people understand,
It’s not like years ago…
We were glad we did. But even gladder that we had said our own to each other. And since we weren’t sticking to ordinary anyway? We picked a first song that no one knew (well, a few did, but that is because they rock our socks).
These things they go away,
Replaced by every day.
I had to specially give our DJ our song by R.E.M for our first dance. It was magical. It was slow. It was love. And it was us.
Nightswiming, remembering that night,
This dance? Was when I really felt like I had said, “I do”.
And what if there were two
Side by side in orbit
Around the fairest sun?
But because we are not quiet 99% of the time? We also had another very special song. Just for us to be introduced to as Mr. and Mrs. Sluiter for the first time. And it was? RAMBUNCTIOUS! The song? Big Pimpin’ by Jay-Z. Yeah, people still talk about it.
And that song? Helped with the atmosphere for the rest of the night! I mean, I bet YOU didn’t have someone announce his intent to run for the presidency in the next election? (he did not run, by the way. Don’t worry, I did not have McCain or Obama at my wedding. Apparently is was just his political unrest and the beer talking. Mostly the beer.)
But for that four minutes and fourteen seconds? It was just us. Quiet.
The photograph reflects,
Every streetlight a reminder,
Nightswimming deserves a quiet night, deserves a quiet night.
Song lyrics from Nightswimming by R.E.M.
