Adam's first 10 years

What?! Adam is turning 10?
I know it is crazy, but . . .it's true!


I have decided that 10 feels like the end of little-boyhood, so I am going to celebrate (mourn) each boy's 10th birthday by reflecting upon his "childhood" (I started this on Eli's 10th birthday April 2009)


I want to include many of Adam's zany, funny, clever little comments--made throughout his life, which I have diligently kept in his own special journal, and which we have read over each year on his birthdays in the past, but . . .I CAN'T FIND THE JOURNAL--keep it in your prayers (it's killing me!).

Therefore, this relfection will have a different feel to it than it otherwise would, but maybe that's not so bad--I'll make his photo book much lighter--after I find the journal!

Presenting: Adam Von Moss

a.k.a. "Adomius Supremius", "A.V.", or "Sweet-and-sour-sauce" Moss

Rebekah's journal, November 4, 2000:

It was wonderful for me to be able to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time. I cannot put into words the spirit of joy and excitement that filled me when I heard the proof of the life growing inside of me. As I drove home from the doctor's office, I couldn't keep from crying out of love for this new baby. I was grateful to my Father in Heaven for allowing me to be a part of bringing his spirit children into the world.

November 19, 2000:
It was a beautiful blessing, but as I heard the words David spoke concerning the strength and support I have around me, I knew that the test results would show a problem. He spoke not only of family and friends on earth, but made reference to spirits on the other side who would strengthen me. He got choked up as he became more specific. He said that one who was there and supporting me all the way was the spirit of the baby I am carrying right now. Tears streamed down my face as I thought of that spirit in particular, knowing that I am to be his mother. David said that this individual was happy to know he was coming to a home where he would be taught the gospel and be raised by a father and mother who love their Heavenly Father. . .I was especially comforted because I felt that this baby would be okay . . .



January 29, 2001:

I still really think that I am having a boy. David and I have narrowed the names down to Adam or Isaac. I lean a little more toward Adam and David a little more toward Isaac. I thnk this one will be Adam, but that we will be using Isaac down the road, because I like it, too.

March 11, 2001, writing about Adam's birth:

Before I knew it, Adam was laying on my stomach. Tears came to my eyes as I looked at this new little member of our family. I was so glad he was here and appeared to be so perfect. He weighed 7 lbs 9oz. and was 20 inches long.

That night I got up with Adam a few times, to feed him. I was glad to be alone with him. I just watched his face and touched his little body as I fed him. I really fell in love with him that night.

May 13, 2001:

David blessed Adam to have a special bond of friendship with Eli; to have a healthy body and mind; to serve a mission; marry in the temple; and to be understanding of his parents as they raise him. I was particularly touched by the first part, which mentioned a friendship between Eli and Adam. I am sure that there will be times when such a friendship may not be as apparent, but Iam certain that they will be close and grow to really appreciate having one another. That is just so neat for me to think about--I am not just having children, I am giving these spirits earthly brothers and sisters.

July 27, 2001:

Adam is a sweet little guy still. He is a bit picky, liking to be held up and facing out whenever he is awake. He already weighs 17.5 pounds (4 months). He is just the most smiley baby, when he is happy. He is often found in his crib, in the morning, with his feet in the air, his hands grabbing at whatever, and bubbles spitting out of his mouth, or cooing loudly. He is also rather ticklish and will laugh the most adorable laugh!

August 29, 2001:

Radiation treatments are done!

It has been a long year and yet, from hindsight, it seems to have gone by fairly quickly. Of course, the greatest moment in it all was March 11, when Adam Von entered our family--for him and his existance, I would do it all again, but thank heavens, I don't have to! :)
December 9, 2001:

David gets such a kick out of the boys and their complete adoration of him. If Adam is awake when David walks in the door, his face just beams and he does all he can to let David know he wants him to hold him (since he can't crawl to him yet this means grunting and slamming his hands down). If David walks in the opposite direction of Adam for even one second, out comes an enormously dejected cry that lasts until he is in Daddy's arms.

January 10, 2002:

Adam's first tooth finally broke through, AND he crawled for the first time. He must have known that if he waited even one day longer he would be 10 months old, and that is just too long to wait for either of those accomplishments! :)

October 20, 2002:

I am so glad that Eli has Adam, and that we have Adam. Though Eli can be tough for Adam sometimes, I also already see what a wonderful thing it is for them to have each other to play with and laugh with. Nothing makes Eli happier than when he gets Adam to laugh, and nothing makes Adam happier than laughin with Eli!

December 8, 2002,

After starting treatments again:

Adam is easily loved and has fallen in love with his Grandma Moss. He loves to sit with her and sing with her.

I worried that Adam would have nothing to do with me after my hair was gone. But he has been okay. For the first day he would point at me and with dramatically open mouth, say, "Ahh!" He wasn't afraid, he had found a new game (every time he did it someone would laugh).

Eli reminded me of this from Adam's childhood:

Eli did something to make Adam upset and Adam said, "You're just a jerk!" I had never heard Adam say that before and so I asked him if he knew what it meant.

Adam replied, with mischeivious grin, "It means, 'I love you, Eli.'"

May 17, 2004, mom is pregnant with child #3:

Adam was pretty excited when he heard the heart beat. Since he comes to all my Doctor appointments, he was very aware of what it was, and when he heard it he announced to us all, "That's my baby's heartbeat!"

June 1, 2004:

Adam loves to talk about being a big brother. He often says hello to the baby and gives me kisses asking, "Does the baby like kisses?" It will be so fun to see him with this baby.

August 11, 2005:

I look at my Adam, who just cracks me up, and loves it. I wonder if he will ever decide to stop telling me every morning that he loves me and thinks I am pretty.

I live for his cute compliments and goofy faces.

He is getting so long and thin. I love to pick him up and hug him because he is still not too heavy, but he has those long arms and legs that just wrap around my body, and I feel so engulfed in little boy--I don't know many things that feel better than that!

Adam loves to play Madlibs. Some of his favorite words to use are:

noun: poop, pee

body part: bum, armpit hair

verb: poo

adjective: stinky, hairy

liquid: purple liquid of the mind

You get the idea.

He can laugh for hours over some of these combinations. Boys, boys, boys. . .

Adam's journal May 5, 2009:

My name is Adam and I am 8.

Pasta is my favorite food.

I like to play Stratego.

I will play that now with Eli.

October 10, 2010:

We just got back from church and Sister Rice gave me a bag of gumdrops. Well, I'm very grateful to her.

Well that's just one thing, and I also have a new cousin. Her name is Hannah Maureen, born 10-10-10. Caleb's sister.

10-4.

Poem by Adam, January 20, 2011:

Equal to Each Other

Men so tall and kids so small

Are equal to each other.

Good thing we have

Our Father in Heaven to guide us

And protect us

And make us maybe live

With Him again.

Everyone is equal

Like millions of people.

So much could be written, so much has been left out, but as Adam said to me yesterday:

"An Adam is an Adam, and ya can't change that!"

My reply?

Who would want to?

Thanks for the memories, little boy Adam. I'll miss you, but am excited for the young man you are working toward becoming.

Mom

Winter--it's been fun!

It's been a long time, but not because we haven't been busy and full of things to say (just ask anyone who gets on the phone with me).
We are loving the winter--a particularly snowy one for CT this year!
My boys may be happiest in the winter--they find so many fun things to do in the snow.

They don't necessarily like the responsibility of snow removal--though they would take it over any form of house-work.

We have changed our eating habits pretty significantly during the past few months. The boys aren't thrilled with all the changes, but they can really get into our morning smoothies--if there is enough fruit.

They started a new chant:

You hoot, I hoot, we all hoot for ice fruit!

If it is too green and Kale-ish, it isn't as appetizing for them, but they still drink a little. Eli has become quite a pro at making them for the family.

The kids are really enjoying the neighborhood boys. There were quite a few snow days this year, so I often had 8 boys playing nerf wars in my basement.

When there isn't a snow day, my kids can't wait until their friends get home from school, and will camp outside, waiting for the bus to drop them off.

The boys, and friend Johnny, dug a nice deep hole in the snow in the front yard. The hole was at least 4 feet deep. It was pretty cool until David was out playing king of the mountain with the boys and Eli was knocked into the hole, bum-first. He could not move and if David hadn't been there it would have taken some pretty significant mamma-strength to get him out. We decided no more deep, narrow-ish holes.We have also really enjoyed watching the wild-life around our house. I love to see the cute squirrel, deer, and chipmunk prints on the snow.

We spent over an hour one morning watching an interesting Owl verses Crows stand-off in one of our big oak trees. These crows were edging their way closer to the owl (I can see why a group of crows is called a murder--they can look pretty creepy). It looked like they were trying to get him to leave. We found out later that they were all desperate for a squirrel the owl had caught. We discovered this when the squirrel leaped out of the owl's nest and sped down the tree trunk (about 30 minutes after we started watching).

There were lots of oohs, ahhhs, and screams coming from inside our house, but the creatures didn't seem to notice.

One crow (there were at least 7 in the beginning) and the owl flew up and rested on the tree closer to our house where the squirrel had run. I took this shot of all three of them--waiting. (the squirrel ended up getting away--at least for awhile).

It was so interesting.

I just love the winter sunlight pouring into my kitchen--it makes things so cheery (not including the highlighting of finger-prints on my black appliances, of course).

*My sweet friend, Miss Angie, sent me that adorable heart apron. She said when she saw it she knew it was meant for me. I love it!! I am just happier cooking/cleaning/mothering when I have it on!

And, The Grand Finale:

The middle bathroom (mostly complete)

Isn't it happy?!

hallelujah chorus

Cool experience!

Our friends, the Treadwells, heard about a minister who was organizing a flash mob singing of the Hallelujah Chorus. Anyone who knew their part was welcome to join in on the sing at the local mall (Buckland Hills Mall in Manchester, CT).

It was at 3:00pm on a Sunday afternoon, and we decided it would be a neat thing to witness, so we packed up our families and headed over. *Eli commented that he had never been to a mall on a Sunday before--I let him know that I didn't think I ever had either.

We weren't sure how the turn out would be, so we took place in the outskirts near the big yellow advertisement sign. Pretty soon we were packed in tight. When the trumpet started to play and the conductor's arms went up, the number of voices we heard was awesome!

We were possibly the only members of our own faith represented there that afternoon, but what a thrill to be surrounded by fellow Christians, belting out a song in praise of the Savior of us all!

*You can always pick out David holding Isaac, and Gabe's best buddy Chase, who is in front of the yellow sign, on his dad's shoulders. Look for the rest of us.

Merry Christmas!

All Isaac wanted was a T-Rex Birthday

Isaac Warner is now 3 years old! I just can't believe it.
I guess that it feels like he has been a part of the family for at least that long, but he is Lolla-pop--he can't grow up!

He didn't really grasp the whole birthday thing--I'm not so good at teaching my kids the answers to crazy questions like, "How old are you?", so he was completely clueless that there was a number associated with him. All he knew was that he was going to have a party.

And, from the beginning he was adamant that his would be a "T-Rex Birthday". He practiced his growl and roar all week.

See, he wasn't thinking about getting T-Rex toys, he was thinking about being a scarey T-Rex, himself. All the rest of the birthday stuff was just perks. And he got some fun perks:

His cake may not look like much, but it was a fun licorice-spewing volcano, complete with 3 T-Rex dinosaurs, and Isaac thought it was great fun to play with.

Well, he chased and roared and growled to exhaustion (not unlike most days, except for the exhaustion part):Isaac sure has been an exciting 2 year old --3 should prove interesting!

We don't know what life would be like without this entertaining and constant little fellow. He is truly adored by all in our household, and has gripped the hearts of many outsiders--there is just something so fascinating and un-ignorable about our Moss boys, especially our Isaac-a-lolla!

A MARY POPPINS HALLOWEEN!!!!!

Yes, it has finally happened.
I've looked forward to this day for quite some time.

Aren't we cute?!



Okay, so we aren't exactly Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, and some of our penguins are a bit large (one is admittedly a Vampire Penguin--how else do you talk an 11 year old into being a penguin for Halloween?).

A couple of years ago I highlighted family halloween themed pictures from our past to prove the point that my husband loves me--well, he must still really adore me! He was willing not only to put on the assigned clothing (a suit made out of old curtains--how very Sound-of-Music of me, eh?), but to do it while feeling rather under the weather.

Thank you, my David!!

Another Halloween come and gone.
What should we be next year? Hmmmm.

A great Birthday

My 33rd birthday was spent out in Kent, CT hiking next to a waterfall, collecting pretty leaves with Gabriel, enjoying charming New England covered bridges, and spending time with my sweet cousin Tobra and her family.

It was wonderful. I really just feel so happy when I can be out enjoying a beautiful scene.

Okay, so I talked my kids and husband (he is the hardest) into a number of pictures, since it was my birthday. My cousin's husband Mark took most of them--thanks Mark!

I call this next picture my Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde picture--can you see why? We laughed for quite awhile over this one: (Isn't my Little Miss Sunshine shirt cute?!!)

33!

My kids thought I had already been 33, and was turning 34--so it is like I got a year younger! Thanks boys!