Sunday, September 30, 2012

A Portrait of Matthew at Five (With Pictures from His Birthday Celebration)

photo 1

(This is not the portrait of Matthew.)

Once upon a time, there was a little boy with brown hair and fair skin and blue eyes that danced with fun and mischief.

photo 1

He was bright and funny. He was curious. He was full of energy, and full of questions, and full of giggles.

photo 2

He liked to play rough, but he also liked to sit and work with his hands. He really loved to laugh, but he still cried easily, often and loudly. He was very dramatic when he was upset.

photo 2

He liked jokes and was always trying out new ones. Most of them were very, very silly.

photo 3

He had a sensitive little nose and liked to smell things--almost everything. Once he tried to smell a pan of cookies that just came out of the oven, and he burned the skin just underneath his nose.

photo 4

He liked to keep things that he found on the ground outside, things like little red berries and plastic rings, pieces of old toys, bits of broken balloon, candy wrappers, and once he even tried to keep a piece of someone's old chewing gum. (His mother put her foot down about some of these things.)

photo 1

He was an amazingly affectionate boy who always had a sweet, soft kiss for his dad or mom. He loved his two sisters and his baby brother hard, and sometimes he could not resist tackling or wrestling with them, which he was not supposed to do. He liked to be tickled, and he was great at high-fives.

photo 5

He often noticed someone's hairstyle or outfit and was quick with a compliment. He would say, "I like you when your hair is that way, Mommy." Or, "You look beautiful in that dress, Esme."

photo 2

These were just a few of the qualities and interests that made up the extraordinary little person named Matthew Wilcox around the time he turned five years old.

I wonder who he'll be when he turns ten?

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Esme's Third Birthday

Our little Esme is three years old. What an amazing year! At two, she still had her feet planted pretty firmly in Babyland, but at three, she's a little girl. Where did my Baby Esme go? Who is this curly-headed, ultra-feminine pixie with the sparkle in her eye and the prance in her step? The one with a definite sense of style and the Daddy who melts when she bats her long, dark lashes? The one who adores her friends and family but has that mile-wide independent streak? That, ladies and gentlemen, would have to be our Esme Rose.

For her birthday on September 8th, Esme had a real treat--a visit from Aunt Dacia! This made the weekend extra special for our girlie. It also meant that we have pictures to share!! Dacia took tons on her iPhone and graciously downloaded them to my computer. Here are a few highlights from our celebration.

Our birthday girl just moments after waking up, wearing the birthday "outfit" she chose when shopping with Aunt Dacia the previous day:
IMG_0905

With the big sister who was so excited for her!
IMG_0908

With Aunt Dacia (and the ubiquitous hat):
IMG_0904

Finally opening that tantalizing purple envelope that arrived in the mail from Gran earlier in the week:
IMG_0914

Lamby jammies from Papa Don and JanJan!
IMG_0955

Her very own copy of a favorite library read, A Book of Sleep!
IMG_0965

Esme rocks! Literally, with her new guitar from Mommy and Daddy...
IMG_1007 - Version 2

Aunt Dacia's special gift was a trip to Build-A-Bear, where Esme got to stuff her own bright pink Hello Kitty toy. (I don't think she liked the noise of the stuffing machine very much.)
IMG_1261

Stuffed and styled Kitty gets a big squeeze from her new mama:
IMG_1276

Thank you, Aunt Dacia!
IMG_1279

Birthday finale: lavender-frosted cupcakes with lots of sprinkles!
IMG_1138

Happy Birthday, Beauty! Thanks for bringing so much laughter and wonder to our lives each day. We marvel at the way God has made you! And we love you like crazy!

Friday, September 28, 2012

Just Home From the Beach!

IMG_0166

We arrived home from our trip to the Outer Banks less than three hours ago. Oh my, was it a wonderful, wonderful vacation!

I also have two September birthdays to blog about. And heaps of school stuff. So I'm just a little behind here, but I sure have been enjoying my family...

More posts and pics to come!

Thursday, September 06, 2012

How Graham's Hair Usually Looks

In an earlier post, I alluded to the fact that Graham's hair is usually NOT all combed down and orderly; to the contrary, it usually looks like this.

Photo on 2012-09-06 at 17.14 #2

Seriously. And people always give him big compliments.

Photo on 2012-09-06 at 17.15 #2

They typically ask if there's a mohawk in his future. Now, personally, I would be nothing short of astounded if the Wilcox or the Nalle line produced a mohawk kind of guy in this generation or the next, but... there are a whole lot of years ahead of us! And in the meantime, we sure do love our smiley boy and his crazy 'do.

Saturday, September 01, 2012

Trusting Jesus

I was completely unfamiliar with this hymn until I stumbled on the lyrics online sometime last week. It was love at first read. I have since looked it up and listened to a couple of versions. This is one of those hymns that sounds as old-fashioned as it is (I have yet to hear a modern version), but, oh... sweet, simple truth for my needy heart.

Simply trusting every day,
Trusting through a stormy way;
Even when my faith is small,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.
    • Refrain:
      Trusting as the moments fly,
      Trusting as the days go by;
      Trusting Him whate’er befall,
      Trusting Jesus, that is all.
  1. Brightly doth His Spirit shine
    Into this poor heart of mine;
    While He leads I cannot fall;
    Trusting Jesus, that is all.
  2. Singing if my way is clear,
    Praying if the path be drear;
    If in danger for Him call;
    Trusting Jesus, that is all.
  3. Trusting Him while life shall last,
    Trusting Him till earth be past;
    Till within the jasper wall,
    Trusting Jesus, that is all.
  4. (Edgar P. Stites / Ira D. Sankey)