To my dear "sweet" boys...

Dear Jackson,

The next time that you and your friend are playing at recess and decide that you are both "sick", please make sure that it isn't when both of your brothers are napping. Also, when you come home because of a stomachache the first thing that comes out of your mouth should not be, "when we get home, can I have some ice cream?" In addition, if you really want people to think you are sick moaning, groaning and laying around are in order. Wrestling, fighting, eating two waffles and generally acting like a wild man with ADHD on PCP are not the best ways to get sympathy. And, yes, you are going to school tomorrow.

Love,

Mom






Dear Luke,

You are more than welcome to jump on Mommy's back when she is laying on the floor and pretend to go for a ride. You are only two so it is understandable that you get your animals mixed up. However, until you learn that people ride horses, not cows, your riding days are over. Also, if you disagree with Mommy when she tells you that it is a horse you are riding and not a cow, choose any other animal to correct her except for the one you chose: elephant.

We will be doing a lot of work on recognizing animals over the next little while.

Thank you,

Mommy

Go ahead, call me Scrooge

I love holidays. They give me something for which to look forward. I love them all. For years, I've had this "thing" about when it is the proper time to begin celebrating Christmas. I have always begun my all-things-merry jubilee on December 1st. However, last year, I felt forced by the uber-early-celebrations all around me to begin my personal celebrating the day after Thanksgiving. And, honestly, I wasn't that upset about it. This year, however, I have to take a stand.

I don't know if it is the city I live in or the entire state of Michigan for that matter, but I kid-you-not when I say that there are at least two radio stations that began round the clock Christmas music the day after Halloween! This is just down right annoying to me. You may call me Scrooge or this crazy guy,



if you must, but this early celebrating is out of control.


You should know that I LOVE Christmastime. I love everything about it, except the cold and the ultra materialism. I will listen to the good old Christmas tunes (and I will love every minute of it) from the day after Thanksgiving to the January 1st. I will drive around to look at the lights and decorate my home and do all things Navidad. Since we moved 18 months ago, Christmastime is even more special because it is the one time of the year that I know we will be with our family and our lifelong Maryland friends. (And, really, what better place to be at Christmastime than "Merry"land. I know, I'm hilarious.) Of course, I love celebrating the birth of my Savior, as well.

On the other hand, there is just something about dragging out a holiday that takes away from the specialness of said holiday. Imagine if there were fireworks every day. How unique would the Fourth of July be? And, not to mention how this early celebrating takes away from the other holidays. I mean, really, what's wrong with Thanksgiving? Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday and I think it is overlooked. It is squished right in between two more "fun" holidays. It isn't full of candy or costumes or cookies or gifts. It is about food and friends and being thankful, what can be wrong with these? And so, I will put up my orange and brown Thanksgiving decorations and enjoy the fact that I have so much for which to be thankful. I will hum Jason Mraz or U2 or even Pink songs and TRY not to acknowledge the fact that I am hearing premature jingle bells all around me. Yes, you can call me Scrooge or the Grinch, I call myself grateful.

Four Words: Ri Dic U Lous

I am the first person to be leery about vaccinations. I am pretty sure I am in the minority because not one person commented on this vaccination post that I wrote way back. I just don't think shooting a kid up with 5 or more vaccines at one time is the way to go. I never let my kids get more than two at a time and even then I research to find out how the preservatives in each shot might interact with each other. Some may call me a freak but I have known that about myself for quite sometime now.

Anyway, we always get a flu shots. So, I have known for quite a while that I wanted our family to get the H1N1 vaccine. Jackson has asthma and Grant is too young for the vaccine so I was HIGHLY encouraged by my OB to get everyone vaccinated. The problem? I can only conclude that it is the Michigan government or the doctors here. Apparently, most of the doctors in the area did not order the vaccine. My pediatrician said that she wasn't all that worried and that her patients would have to find another place to get it if they wanted it. My OB's office is still waiting for vaccines that they did order. There is, apparently, a shortage. However, the local health departments seem to have an unlimited supply of the stuff.

A couple of weeks ago, Barrington decided to go in late to work to stand in line with me and the three kiddos. We pulled up to the place 30 minutes before the clinic started. The rain was POURING. We parked in the grass and, after bundling everyone up, we made our way to the line. After a quick investigation, we decided that we were not going to stay in a line of which we couldn't even see the end. It was crazy. So I figured that we just wouldn't get vaccinated. But, over the next week the thought kept nagging at me that we needed to get the shots. (Call it the Spirit or call it my hyper health anxiety, either way I was going to listen.)

So, Thursday, Barrington came home early and we took Jackson out of school. This location was at the Palace. This is the stadium where the Pistons play. It is large. It is the home of a NBA team. They decided to move it there so that people could stand in line indoors instead of outside. This is what we found:



Yes, there was a line outside. This was because the line was too long inside. It went around the entire arena and then flowed outside. Is it just me or is this out of control? The woman in front of me had twin 2 month old babies that she and her husband held the entire 4 HOUR wait. The older people in wheelchairs waited without a word of complaint. The children were amazingly patient, even my own. I have to say that I didn't come across one person who had a nasty attitude. The workers and the people waiting in line were nice and helpful. The Salvation Army was there giving out free hot chocolate and water. And the time really didn't seem as long as it was. I was shocked that we were there for so long when we got into the car and saw the time.

What I don't understand is that I have heard of people in other states having no problems getting the vaccine from their doctors offices. My father's doctor in Maryland called him and asked him if he would like to come in and get a shot. THEY CALLED HIM!!! And yet week after week there are thousands of people here waiting in line for shots. And to think, we get to do it all again in 28 days because the boys need two shots to be fully protected.

Have you been vaccinated? If so, what was your experience like?

Fall Festivities

Yes, I'm still alive. I have missed blogging, but I just can't seem to find the time. (Well, time is not really the issue. The issue is energy. I'm forgoing a shower tonight to blog and it's probably not the wisest choice I've ever made.) These days I find myself blogging in my head. I've posted many times since July. The problem is that I've created these posts in my mind while I am bouncing a baby or sweeping crumbs off the floor for the 50th time or out walking. The posts never quite make it to the computer screen. I am hopeful, though, that they will soon. I guess it isn't so bad that I am living life rather than typing. That's how I will rationalize it to myself, at least.

I thought a good place to start would be a quick rundown of all of the autumn festivities that have taken place. When a fellow blogger wrote about her excitement about summers end and autumns start before Labor Day, I thought I would cry. I love the hot air. (Well, it really couldn't be considered hot this year, but it was warm.) I love wearing flip flops everyday and knowing that days will be filled with soaking up sun at the park or taking the kids on walks. I HATE being cold and everything that comes along with it. I thought I would be sick when I saw the first patch of yellow leaves on a tree near our home in September. (Fall starts WAY too early out here.) However, we are in the thick of Fall and I have found myself enjoying much of it.

For the last little while I have been on an orange kick. I am LOVING the color. I want to decorate my house with it and even wear it. I'm not talking about construction cone orange but, well, this:



This is the tree right in front of our house. For about a week it changed nearly daily to different shades of a glorious sunset. I can't get enough of the colors of the fall. These are the trees that I got to see as I entered our neighborhood for weeks.


Don't they just wake you up a bit and make your heart happy? I also love the way the leaves look after they have fallen down and are scattered on the sidewalk (before they turn brown). I've so missed the spring in Maryland when the trees blossom and make me feel like I am walking through a tunnel of flowers. Then the petals fall to the ground like snow. The leaves this year made me feel quite the same way. We had some days when the weather warmed up. I strapped Grant onto me and headed out for some leaf raking. I reveled in watching Luke play in the leaves. He was so very excited to run through and throw them. I hope I will always remember the way he pretended to be swimming through them, so sweet. Afterward, the babies and I had a little photo shoot. Luke was thrilled to get to hold Grant.






We had two sets of last minute visitors. My sister, Kim, and her little girl, Anna, came all the way from England to stay with us for a fun filled week. It was SO wonderful to have Kimmy back around and to get to know Anna better. We watch her on the computer all the time but it just isn't the same. The boys had a blast with their only first cousin. (This was so much fun that it will have to have it's own post...one of these days.)



My awesome father came out to bring us gifts and visit for a while. It was so fun to have him here. The weather was wonderful and Luke is still looking for Pop Pop to play with him.




(Jackson was at school when we realized that we hadn't taken pictures right before Dad had to get on the plane.) Having family here is probably the biggest reason that I am seeing things through rose colored glasses lately.

And, of course, there was Halloween. I love dressing up the kids. (Especially when they are young enough for me to choose their costumes.) This year Jackson decided to go as Batman, while Luke got to be Frankenstein and Grant was a little puppy for his very first Halloween. We were blessed enough to have friends to trick or treat with which made the experience so much more fun for all of us.



I was so thrilled to find the doggy costume that Jackson wore when he was a baby. I couldn't find it for Luke's first Halloween. I just think it is the cutest costume ever. (And the baby is pretty cute too.)



This is the first year that Jackson was able to carve his own pumpkin. He was very proud of himself. (That's his Batman mask on his head, not a du-rag. We don't roll like that yet, hopefully never.)



And now most of the leaves have fallen and even been bagged and taken away. Winter is on it's way. I'm going to try to keep a positive attitude about it. Maybe it will turn out to be just as nice as the Autumn has been.

Luke at Two

This was written on July 20, Luke's second birthday:

Dear Sweet Luke,

We love you SO much. It is hard to believe that you have only been in our lives for two years. It feels like you have always been with us.

You are such a happy little boy. When you smile your entire face beams with joy. You light up the room, and our hearts. You love to cuddle and are the first one to offer hugs and love to someone who is sad or hurt. You can be seen on many days following your big brother around and trying to do whatever he does. You often walk about ten feet behind him with a little bounce in your step. It is almost like a march. Most of the time you are carrying your "silky" and have your paci in your mouth. (You remind us of the youngest brother in Peter Pan who is always at the end of the line with his bear.) You swing your arms when you run in such an adorable exaggerated way.



You love to play. Any kind of ball will do for you. You love bubbles and balloons. You can spot a balloon from a mile away. You get very sad if you let go and it flies into the sky. You think that all cards play music and you can't understand why you can't lift a picture out of a book and play with the object. You love to play in the water. And to throw things into water. It doesn't matter what. You will throw anything in to a cup of water, a wading pool or the toilet. You like to get toilet paper and throw it into the toilet, even if someone is using it at the time.

You are scared of bees and don't like it when people that you don't know very well talk to you (unless you are in Mommy or Daddy's arms.) You are learning lots of new words and you get so excited when your "friend" comes to help you with your speech. You have called everyone "Daddy" until two weeks ago (including Jackson, his friends and Mommy). You FINALLY know that the lady who takes care of you is called Mommy. You say, "one" when you want some food that someone is eating. You can be heard throughout the day calling "Daddy" and looking all over for him. You say "see" about a million times a day and then show us a new skill or try to make us laugh by doing something silly like smacking yourself in the head. You put everything from hats to buckets to clothes on your head and walk around the house.

We are pretty sure that your development is right on target as you began throwing yourself on the ground and tantruming today. You love to torture the cat. You chase her all around the house. You throw EVERYTHING. When you are done with your food, you throw it onto the floor piece by piece. If someone offers you a snack and you have your paci in your mouth, you take it out and promptly throw it onto the ground. When you are feeling less hurried, you may hand it nicely to Mommy. You will try almost any food and usually like it even if it is something that little children do not like to eat. You like to dip your fingers in condiments and lick them off of your fingers. Your favorite meal is McDonald's chicken nuggets, apple slices and chocolate milk. You chase Daddy around the house for treats and squeal with excitement when you get one.

You are so loving and with your little brother. You always want to kiss him and hug him. You would probably drag him around the house with you if we let you get close enough. He takes up a lot of Mommy's time and that makes you a little sad. You whine a lot to be picked up and haven't been sleeping very well since baby Grant came home. You wake up very early and then sleep with Daddy on the couch or wake up early from your nap and sometimes fall asleep again while cuddling with Mommy. You don't usually take your frustration out on Grant, though. You love to listen for him in the monitor and tell Mommy when he is crying. Then you run up to his room and help. (You then run downstairs as fast as you can and try to get into Mommy's chair because you know that is where Mommy and "Baby" are headed.) You are great at throwing diapers away and often try to give "Baby" a paci. You are so proud of yourself when you help.

You are starting to really enjoy going to the nursery at church and playing with the other little children but you don't like it very much when Mommy, Daddy or Jackson leave you there. You love to go out. You carry Mommy's shoes to her often and try to put her feet in them. In a couple of weeks you will move to your third home.

You only like to watch two things on television: Baby Einstein's World Animals and Baby Galileo. You love to listen and dance to music on the television but then usually busy yourself with other activities. You love to watch home movies of yourself, Jackson or your cousin on the computer and know what button to push to watch the videos over and over. You LOVE music. You dance like crazy to almost every song that you hear. You have great rhythm and really know how to move to the music.

We could go on and on because you make us so happy. We love you SO much. Happy Birthday!

With more love than you know,

Mommy and Daddy


Here are some of our favorite pictures of you:



At your first birthday party:

Meeting your baby brother:




At your second birthday party:

First Day Nerves

Jackson began first grade today. This is the first time that he will have a full day of school. You would think that he would be nervous, but he has been saying that he is not. I, on the other hand, feel those butterflies in my gut. I'm pretty shocked that I'm nervous for him. I cannot ever remember any of my friends feeling this way. Sure, I've heard of people being sad because their child is growing up, but never nervous. I have more information than Jackson does, at this point. I happen to know that he is not in the same class with any of his buddies from last year and being with those friends is the only thing that he was looking forward to about school.

I think that I have figured out why I am feeling this way. When I was in elementary school, I loved it. I loved everything about school and I was good at it. I'm pretty sure the only time I got a grade other than an A from kindergarten through sixth grade was in handwriting. All of the teachers loved me. Toot-toot. (That is me beeping my own horn.) I only got in trouble once in all of the years that I was at Hyattsville Elementary School. I was pretending to tie my shoe in the third grade so that I could keep talking to my friend without being noticed. It was quiet time in the cafeteria and I got busted. Mrs. Bacon made me sit on the stage (with all of the "bad" kids.) I was so embarrassed and sad. I probably looked like I was going to cry and she said, "Don't turn on the water works." My principal came by as we lined up to go to where ever the bad kids go instead of recess. Mr. Stoffa was SO tall. From my puny viewpoint he seemed like a giant. I loved him, though. (On St. Patrick's day he wore a tuxedo with tails that was completely green.) Anyway, he saw me in that line and told Mrs. Bacon to let me go. "She's a good one", he said. (It is amazing how vivid that memory is because I don't remember very much from back then. I guess it really made an impact.)

My worry for Jackson is mostly because he is a boy. I have only two sisters, no brothers. My experience with the other half of the population has been fairly limited. Before I had boys, I thought they were just...crazy. Well, I still think they are. I thought that most of their stereotypical male behavior was just because they were behaving badly. Now, after becoming very well acquainted with the male gender, I realize that these alien creatures are just different. They are louder, they are WAY more active and they think gross things are quite interesting (i.e. insects or beating each other) or just plain hilarious (i.e. making your underarm toot). Here is my calm first grader ready to go to school and see his friends. (He didn't ride the scooter to school, he just wanted it in the picture. We have to drive now that we have moved.)



My hope is that Jackson's teacher has boys of her own and that she won't label this normal male behavior as "bad" the way I may have before I became immersed in it. Barrington and I had a long talk with Jackson last night about being nice to other kids and being appropriate at school. Barrington also gave him a father's blessing.


Ultimately, I know Jackson will do well. He seems to be well liked. True, he can be VERY active, loud and precocious, but he is a pretty nice six year old. He can be very sensitive to others. He is polite. He needs to get back to school because he is just plain bored at home and as he learns he will be greatly excited and feel like he is accomplishing something.

He changed his tune as we entered the parking lot and saw massive amounts of cars parked everywhere, even on the grass. It really was a scene. There were even parents who let their kids ride the bus and then drove to the school to wait, cameras in hand, taking pictures as the kids exited. When I asked him if he was nervous he said, "no". But by the time we got to the corner he had progressed from that to, "I am freaked out, terrified AND think I'm going to throw up!" Here he is waiting in Mrs. Held's classroom. Note how the expression has changed.



Luke also started preschool for the first time today. A friend from church who stays at home with her kids and has a degree in early childhood education decided to do a little school at her home for six of the kids from church. Luke already knows the kids from the nursery at church and for the price, I really couldn't say no. Having a couple of hours with just Grant will be nice and just might help me to stay sane. Luke is such a cutie. He only cried twice at school today and walked right out pulling his new Car's backpack all the way to the car.





Daddy was nice enough to take some pictures before he left for work. He didn't have time to be in one himself, though. (He thinks that it is SO important to be to court on time, go figure.)



Grant didn't start school today, but he was thrilled to check out all of the action.

What I've been doing...

The last time that I posted anything that required more than 10 minutes of my time was nearly 7 weeks ago. Since SO many of my readers and friends have been heartbroken and bored without a new post to read AND have been using every last moment of their time to find out if I am still alive, I thought I would fill in one of the blanks. (By the way, when I say SO many of my readers and friends, I mean my sister, Kim.)

You may remember the saga of our landlords deciding to foreclose on their home. (I'm sure I will get around to posting the ending of that nasty tale at some point, but not today.) After 5 months of looking and 8 houses falling through in one way or another we FINALLY found another house that we both like well enough to rent and the owners actually choose us. (Boy will they be sorry about that choice after they see what three crazy boys can do to a place.)

As you might imagine I have spent the last 7 weeks packing, moving and BEGINNING to unpack. (Oh yeah, and taking care of the 3 month old. AND doing my best to ignore the other two as much as possible until the 2 year old has a meltdown or the 6 year old dumps sugar all over the kitchen floor.) Even though I had a lot of help with the packing process, (My lovely mother even came out to hang with the kiddies.) I ran out of packing time and ended up throwing things in GROCERY bags just to have something in which to carry them. That doesn't make for a very organized life once said bags are at the new place unlabeled.

Also, I had no idea how difficult it would be to find the time to get the house unpacked and in order while caring for a very young baby and the other guys, as well. Some days I get nothing accomplished. And other days, just when I have gotten a box or two unpacked and feel like I am making progress, I look the opposite direction and see mounds of dishes or laundry that need to be done. Or, someone gets a weird rash and we have to waste our day at the doctors office only to find out that we ALL have Strep throat. (Is my life glamorous or what?)

I have, oh-so-many, posts to write and past events to chronicle. I really have missed blogging and have, often, "written" posts in my head while we are walking to the park or setting up for the yard sale. I'm going to try my best to fit it in among the chaos, which had better be cleaned up before it snows and we need the garage for our cars. Right now, this is what I'm dealing with:

Help Make a Miracle

My dear, dear friend needs help. She has been trying to have a baby through infertility treatments and/or adoption for SO long now. She has had many setbacks (The most tragic being one of the birth mothers that she and her husband were working with had an abortion when she was six months pregnant.) Megan and Scott are beginning to feel hopeless.

Her family came up with the idea of having an auction to help raise the money that they need to have a sweet little child in their care. I've known Megan for 10 years and this girl ROCKS. She is kind, smart, spiritual, and loads of fun. As I get to know Scott I can say the same for him. This couple is amazing and will make some little child's life absolutely wonderful.

Please take a moment and read their story here. If you are really feeling the love, post something on your blog to get the message out to as many people as possible, become a follower and/or donate something for the auction. You can help make a miracle.

(For those of you who were in the Silver Spring Stake, this is Elder and Sister Neilson's daughter. If you remember this amazing missionary couple, you can bet the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.)

Bad Parenting 101

This was Luke at 11:45 am yesterday. How many examples of bad parenting can you find in this picture? (There are seven, that I know of...)



Be honest in your comment, how many did you identify BEFORE you look at the following answers?

Answers: (1) The child is close to being naked. (2) The only thing making him NOT fully naked is the USED swim diaper after spending some time in the wading pool. (3) The hair hasn't been touched except, maybe, by fingers that have jelly on them. (4) Yes, that is his lunch that he is eating ON THE COUCH. (5) Oh, yeah. He is eating Skittles and potato chips FOR LUNCH. (6) What you can't see in the picture is that he is watching tv. (7) And it's not Barney, it's THE VIEW. (I'm not even counting the fact that the couch is made into a bed which means that the cushions are ALL OVER the family room probably laying on top of Goldfish crackers or crushed up chips.

Feel free to come on over. I'm open to giving lessons...