The Cravy Family

It is now 2 days before our scheduled C-section at Covenant Lakeside Hospital here in Lubbock and we are what I would call “anxiously nervous.” Or is that “nervously anxious?” Either way, the anticipation is starting to get to us a bit as this date has been scheduled since our first doctor’s appointment. This feeling is like when we were kids and we were waiting for Christmas morning, only times a hundred. For those of you who are wondering, we are doing this as a C-section because we had to have an emergency one with Natty and it just made sense to us to go ahead and plan this ahead. We are scheduled for the procedure at noon on Friday, June 1st. So, unless baby boy decides to try and come out early, that is about the time that we anticipate having our son.

I ask that you please pray with us that all will go smoothly and that Micah William Cravy will be born healthy and happy. Also pray that Andi will come through the surgery without problem and that her recovery will be quick. I will do regular updates from the hospital as they have Wi-Fi in the rooms and I will be doing digital pics and video along the way.

Natty had her 3rd birthday party on Saturday (5/26) at a place called the Coyote Run Ranch just outside of town. It is a great place where kids can do horse rides, feed some farm animals and have a hay ride among other things. With Andi just about to pop with baby Micah, we did a combined party with cousin Emmalie this year. It certainly made it easier for both us and Nena. It was a great time and I think all the kids had a blast. We even avoided the wild weather this year, unlike the great hail storm that hit during last year’s party. I put some pictures up on the gallery page for all to see.

3 years ago today, at 12:28 a.m. I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl! Who knew a little girl could bring so much joy and love into our hearts! Natty is such a great kid! She has the most wonderful laugh and such a great heart! We couldn’t ask for a better kid. We have a birthday party planned for this weekend at a ranch. Coyote Run Ranch has a petting zoo, horse rides and hay rides. Happy Birthday Nathalia Faith Cravy, momma and daddy love you so much!

Today is Mother’s Day. And more than any previous Mother’s Day, this one has had special meaning for me. As you may know, my wife and mother of my beautiful daughter Nathalia, is nearly 9 months pregnant with our son. Even though she has been a mom for three years now, I don’t think I appreciated her the way that I do now. Perhaps it is just an appreciation that has grown over time, as I have watched her interact with Natty and how she has carried this new child with such grace and patience. She truly is a magnificent woman and I love her with all that I have to give. I owe her my worldly happiness and joy and I truly look forward to the next 50 years (or more) of Mother’s Days. Happy Mother’s Day, my love.

As a child learns to talk, they often get words mixed up. I woke up one morning earlier than I usually do. Aaron was getting ready for work and Natty was in our bed getting her last bit of rest. I heard a noise coming from the bedroom, so I went to check it out. Natty was sitting up in bed listening and talking. I looked at her and laughed then asked her what she was doing. She looked at me so seriously and said ” Mom, I’m talking to the birds!” I opened the blinds to let her see the birds. I asked her what the birds were saying . She looked at me and smiled and say in a high pitched voice ” A,B,C,D,E.” I laughed so hard! I asked her how she knew what they were saying, she just looked at me with such a stern face and said, ” I just do!” Who knew bird talk was CHEEP!

Here is a quick, funny story for today. Natty and I have a neat little routine that we do most every night before bedtime. We cuddle up on the couch and we turn on Ninja Warrior which is a Japanese game show that is aired on the G4 channel. It is a hugely popular show in Japan that is a series of nearly impossible obstacle courses for competitors to complete. Anyway, each night she says she wants to watch it with Daddy while drinking her nightly chocolate milk. While watching, she will ask what each competitors name is and she will then repeat it in her own nearly 3-year old way. So we were watching it recently and one of the favorites comes on and she asks “What’s his name?” I say its “Nagasaki,” and she repeats every so seriously “Not-My-Socky?” I then tell her “Yes baby, Nagasaki.”

Just her way of making an unfamiliar name fit into what she knows and we were rolling on the floor laughing about it afterwards.

As a mom I often wonder what am I teaching my daughter, and as a mom I have come to accept that I have no privacy especially when it comes to going to the bathroom. Before the age of 2, Natty was potty trained! As a 2 year old, she is still learning how to wipe and clean herself. One night we were watching t.v. when Natty jumps up and yells “I’ve gotta go potty!” Not really that unusual in our house. The next thing we hear is “Momma, I’m done!” So naturally, I get up to go check on her. Her yelling is her way of telling us she had gone poop and is ready to be cleaned. I clean her up and sent her on her way. Then I realize I have to go. Natty then proceeds to sit on the tub and wait. I tell her momma is a big girl and she can go potty by herself. Natty runs out of the bathroom and stops at the door, and says to me, ” call me when you’re done!” I laugh and say “ok.” She runs out into the living room and comes back and says “are you done?” I laugh and tell her no. She then grabs a baby wipe and sits on the tub. I was done taking care of business, when she looks at me and says “ok let me clean you!” I tell her I already cleaned myself but thanked her for wanting to help. As I wash my hands she begins to cry. Her feelings had been hurt because I didn’t let her help me. As some may know, Natty is always wanting to help and is very sensitive. I then try and explain that momma is a big girl and didn’t need any help, but when baby brother comes, she can help me clean his booty. Natty laughed and was excited to know that she would be able to help clean baby brother’s booty. I think I’ll start locking the door.

We often wonder where Natty gets what she says. I think a lot of parents do, well when you have an almost 3 year old, that is. Since my sister recently moved to Lubbock, we pick up my niece Emmalie. Natty and Emmalie spend a lot of time together and Natty is learning a lot from Emmy, both good and bad. We were driving one day when we hear Natty, in the background repeating banana who. banana who. Aaron and I looked at each other and asked, what? Natty then goes into telling her first knock knock joke, only, she says it backwards and to herself, without the punchline. “Banana who, banana who, banana who, Knock knock, who’s there? Banana who, banana who.” The day before Emmy had told her a knock knock joke. I’ve never laughed so hard at a knock knock joke and we still don’t know the punchline!