Mannequin Etiquette

After an extremely long sabbatical from blogging, I am back!  It is an impossible project to go back and cover the last 7 months, so I'll just summarize.  Levi was born on March 29.  He turned my world upside down.  I struggled with an extreme lack of sleep, some post-partum depression, and I questioned my faith in God.  I could not understand why I felt so hopeless when I knew my life was and is so blessed.  It has been a daily process, but I have finally turned the corner and found hope in the goodness of God again.  I am so thankful for my husband, family, and friends that have listened (to my crazy talk), supported, and prayed for me over the past few months.

Levi is just over 7 months old.  He is a baby full of personality; a momma's boy who is already on the move.  His favorite spot is perched up high in my arms so he can keep an eye on all the action and entertainment provided by his brothers.   He is loud.  A screamer when mad; a talker when happy.  He sucks his two middle fingers just like Caleb did.  He brings many smiles to our faces and is a sweet snuggle-bug.  

So now, you ask, what prompted this blog today and what is up with the title?  Well, I realized I need to capture some of the little things before they are forgotten.  Today provided a couple of those moments.  This morning I took the 3 younger boys to the mall.  I have set foot in the mall maybe twice this entire year, the boys maybe once.  On the way there, Caleb kept asking me what a "mall" was.  The first thing that caught their eyes were the mannequins.  Caleb peeked under a girl mannequin's skirt to "see if she had a bottom."  Josiah would hug each one and caress their legs.  It cracked me up and embarrassed me all at the same time!

The highlight of our time there, though, was when we came out of the bathroom, and Josiah walked up to the first mannequin he saw to give it his mandatory affection . . .only to realize that it was not a mannequin but a real person.  Thankfully the man took it well and laughed.  And Josiah gave him a surprised, but friendly "HI!"  I think we will be having mannequin etiquette classes around our house before we attempt a mall outing again.