distracted

Can't turn my back for 30 seconds.  Jackson sure keeps me on my toes!  Yesterday I was trying to get the boys out the door for some open gym time with friends at Jamestown.  (It snowed yesterday.  Ugh.)  So, there's always just a little chaos with getting kids out the door.  I was distracted for just a bit and Jackson managed to get in trouble in the bathroom.  I found him busy unraveling a toilet paper roll into the toilet.  The bowl was filled, but thankfully I caught him before he tried to flush! 

He almost made up for it tonight at supper by saying, totally unprompted, "Thank you [for the] broccoli, Mommy. Best mom EVER!"  Melt my heart. 

Also, tonight at supper we were having a good spiritual conversation.  That's one really neat thing about the boys getting older - I love having good talks with them.  It's so exciting to see what questions they come up with, what observations they make, and what they remember from previous conversations/lessons at church or school/etc.  Mike had a good talk with them earlier this afternoon and he was retelling it to me at supper.  They each shared about when they had accepted Jesus as their Savior, something Caleb and Logan have said they did before but hadn't really mentioned when.  Caleb says it was around Christmastime, prompted by something he heard in church.  Logan says it was quite awhile ago when I was helping him with his Word of Life devotions.  Then they were saying that Levi did just a few mornings ago when he was with them.  We were very excited and talked about how neat that was.  Our conversation continued and after a little while I could see Levi was upset about something.  I took him away from the table and asked if he wanted to talk about it.  He said he did, which just that alone is pretty huge.  When he's upset he totally shuts down and you can't get any response out of him whatsoever.  I took him in our room and wondered if he would actually open up to me, and he did!!  He was crying and said to me, "I didn't TOTALLY ask Jesus in me heart!"  I asked if he wanted to pray about it to make sure, and he did, and I asked if he'd be okay repeating after me, and he was - another HUGE thing because when he was really little he would pray out loud, but a few years ago he stopped and absolutely refused.  So he repeated a simple prayer (so thankful for the simplicity of the Gospel!) and then he felt much better.  Of course, inside I was freaking out.  This parenting thing is exhausting!  :)

break

It's Spring Break already!  What happened?!  The weather's chilly outside, but at least sunny for now, so the boys can get in plenty of outside playtime.  (Okay, that was yesterday when I started writing this...now it's cold, rainy, and thundering!)  I still don't take Jackson outside to play much; I know, I'm terrible.  It's just so much work....in the house he's at least somewhat contained, you know?  He's hard enough to keep track of as it is - if I take him outside who knows what ideas he'll get (and he's fast!). 

The rest of March passed by without too much crazy.  We had Boden and Heidi overnight once (not TOO crazy), I had my last few volleyball games (so fun), I helped with a couple things at school for Reading Month (popcorn and ice cream), Levi had a friend over to play (Liam), Caleb and Logan moved up a belt in Martial Arts (gold), we went to the school play (so funny), and banquet for school (Dr. Thornbury and Jonny Diaz), Levi went to a friend's birthday party (Catch Air), Mike made a trip or two up to the cottage to help Harold (looking good), and of course there's always work on the farm for Mike to do with my Dad (moo).

A couple fun Jackson things from lately.  One of his recent favorite books is Good Night, Good Night, Construction Sight.  There's a page where the dump truck is snoring, and there's a guy shouting from a building, "Hey, pipe down!"  Now Jackson loves to go around telling people to pipe down.  Ha!  Also, I love how he literally tries to get into the books we're reading - he'll lay the book on the floor and jump into the water, ride the camel, or climb the ladder.

Jackson is quite attached to Caleb and Logan's stuffed animal monkeys that they received as a gift when I was pregnant with them - Bob and Larry.  Jackson especially loves Larry and generally takes him everywhere.  When we're out in public sometimes he'll hold out Larry to show people (so not shy).  The other day it really cracked me up when a couple different people asked what a monkey said, and instead of making a nice "oo-oo, ah-ah" noise, he did a loud howler monkey noise.  Took them off guard a little bit.  :) 

Jackson is definitely trying to become more independent.  We're in that fun stage where he so badly wants to do things for himself ("Jackson do it!"), and there are some things with which he's successful (buckling his booster seat at the table), but there are plenty of other things that he insists on doing himself but cannot and then gets frustrated but still refuses help (putting on his shoes). 

Caleb, Logan, and Levi all had great 3rd quarter report cards!  We are so proud of them, and it is fun to see what areas they really enjoy.  They are doing well in all areas, but Caleb is really getting into reading, and he also enjoys math.  Logan loves science, and does really well in art.  Levi really seems to like math the best so far.  They all love having chess on Thursdays, and are very excited about chess camp this summer.  Caleb and Logan have Drama on Friday's, it sounds like they have fun with it, and they really got a kick out of seeing the school play.  Love being at a small school where they know almost all the kids in the play, even though they're mostly high schoolers.  They especially enjoyed seeing their cousin Jason.  :) 

I love seeing their creativity and imagination when they play outside.  The last couple days their project was building a jump for their bikes.  The other day they were nailing boards on one of the trees to build a ladder.  Quite often they are working on something in the dirt (mud).  The fresh air and free play time is so good for them! 

paci

About a week and a half ago we took away Jackson's pacifiers.  And it has gone amazingly well!  One of those things that apparently I dreaded unnecessarily.  It was a spur of the moment decision on my part - we talked about sharing it (first with me, and then with other babies), and he seemed okay with that.  For the first few days bedtimes went just fine, but he didn't nap.  After three days of not napping (and he is NOT ready to give up his nap), I was resigned to try giving him a pacifier back just for naptime, but then he fell asleep on his own!  The next day he was wound up and I did end up giving him his pacifier, but ever since then he has done pretty well.  He has asked about it a couple times, but there have been no tears over it.  Thankfully, if he's not napping he's perfectly happy just hanging out in his crib for quite a while.  So, we are all done with his beloved "fi"!  Hopefully potty training goes as well as this did.  :)

Last week sometime Jackson got it in his head that he wanted to go to Sunday School and see Miss Stephanie.  Of course, he has no sense of time, so telling him it would be a few more days wasn't very helpful.  Love it that he was so excited for it - he'll talk about songs that they sing, and even list off a few of his friends that are in class with him (Kassie, Tommy, and Reese). 

Levi is SO CLOSE to losing his first tooth.  I'm not sure I'm ready for that.  :(  He has a bottom one that's been pretty loose for a couple weeks now, so if he spent some time working on it I'm pretty sure it wouldn't take too much to get it out.  A couple different times now Levi has gotten to go up to the cottage with Mike and Harold on a Friday when he's not at school, but Caleb and Logan are.  Works out pretty well as he jumps in and helps where he can.  (They are doing a major remodel.) 

A couple weeks ago Logan came down with another stomach bug.  So glad it didn't spread to anyone else, but I felt so bad for him!  There was one afternoon/evening that he was in pretty rough shape.  Thankful it passed quickly.

Last week Caleb and Logan finally had their 8 year well-child visit to the doctor.  No surprise that they're healthy.  :)  Caleb is 77 lbs (93%) and 4' 8" (>99%).  Logan is 65 lbs (75%) and 4' 5" (83%).  So thankful for healthy, growing boys!

After months and months of waiting, we finally took the boys to Rebounderz (an indoor trampoline park).  :)  They had been begging and begging, and so at Christmas we promised we'd go sometime.  And, finally, last week it happened.  (We were going to do it the week before, but that's when Logan got sick.)  It was so much fun for all of us!  I was surprised at how much Jackson enjoyed it as well.  There was a small child play area with a slide that he really liked, but he also had a lot of fun in the area with all the different trampolines that you can go back and forth on.  Most of us tried out the Ninja Warrior course, the foam pit, and the tall jump.  (The foam pit was miserable for Mike and I, it's nearly impossible to get out!) 

We're in that 'fun' transition time with the weather.  I guess I'm ready for the weather to get nicer, but it's still bittersweet since I know Mike only has a few more Friday's off left.  :(

Adventures with J

I really need a camera following Jackson at all times.  This kid is just too much and I can't possibly make note of it all.  Before I know it he's going to be all grown up and I'm going to forget what he was like at this age!  Boo hoo.

Today he fell in the toilet with his clothes on.  He had done his business in his diaper - AFTER he goes is when he insists on going on the potty.  I tell him to go upstairs, we're going to change his diaper, but he runs in the bathroom and lifts himself up on the toilet.  And, no surprise in this house, someone had left the toilet seat up, so down he went getting his pants wet.

A long time ago I introduced the older boys to my favorite musicals - we listen to the cd's in the van.  We had taken a break for a while, and a week or two ago I put Fiddler on the Roof in.  Jackson especially likes the last song, "Anatevka", and will request it quite insistently.  Sometimes he'll chime in on "To Life, To Life" with an enthusiastic "To life!"; but many times he just keeps saying/shouting/growling "Anatevka!".  I've created a monster.  Today I put in Annie to see if I can get him to enjoy something else.  He insisted on Anatevka a few times, but then did actually listen some, so we'll see.

I love seeing how kids remember things at this age.  Quite some time ago we were at the mall and Jackson enjoyed giving high-fives to the mannequins.  Last week I quick ran to the mall to get something and when we pulled in (and not in the same area we parked before), he started up with "High five mannequin!  Hive five mannequin!"  He periodically refers to when Roxy pooped in the house a few weeks ago ("Roxy poop a house?  Ewwww!  Goss!").  Or, ever since we celebrated Aunt Lea Anne's birthday here a few weeks ago he likes to sing Happy Birthday, and today when he saw a picture of her he said "Happy Birthday to you!", and he'll talk about blowing out candles.  Also, he has been told not to mess with the beautiful basket Mike brought home from Guyana for me, and there's a book with a similar looking basket in it - when he sees that page he says, "No, no, Jackson!" 

Jackson loves to look at his baby book, and he'll specifically ask for "boat" (there's a page with a pic of our boys and Harold & Kara's kids on the pontoon boat).  Then the other day he mentioned Uncle Tom, so we found the picture of Mike, Harold, and Tom with all their kids.  After looking at Uncle Tom, Mike pointed to Harold and asked Jackson who that was and he said, "Uncle Harold"; and then Mike pointed to himself and asked who that was and Jackson said, "Uncle Mike!"  Ha!

This age is SO much fun and SO exhausting all at the same time.  I love how he's just soaking everything in, but wow, does he have a lot of energy, and it's amazing that I'm able to accomplish anything during the day.  Thank goodness for nap time!

hugs

I SO wish I had video of this, but alas, I'll do my best to convey it through words.  Last night we went to the airport to pick up Mike from his trip to Guyana (more on that later!).  First, we were getting some looks on our way in because of our "Welcome Home, Dad!" sign, and basically anytime you're out in public with more than a couple kids you're bound to get attention (my four + my niece, my sis-in-law, and myself).  As we were approaching the common area outside where passengers exit from the terminal, Jackson just starts running at people with his arms open and giving out hugs.  He kept going and they all loved it!  He spotted the people that he had noticed in the parking garage with a sign and balloons and went over to them - they ended up giving him a balloon (he didn't ask!).  Then people started coming out of the terminal and he was giving out hugs left and right.  Everyone was getting a kick out of it, and I was just cracking up.  Finally Daddy came and he could run up to him and give him a big hug.  :)  And then he was happy to see Grammy and Papa, and Uncle Eric and Boden who had also been on the trip.

This really reminded me of my last visit to my grandma in the nursing home and how the residents there were getting such a kick out of him.  Well, now we found another way to spread a little joy - free hugs at the airport from a cute two-year-old!  (Under close supervision of his mother, of course.)

finally

I've had "blog" on my to-do list every day for a week now, so it's about time I face the music and get a little bit written.  I can't say writing is a passion of mine but I find family history fascinating; therefore, I write.

A couple weeks ago I was able to bring all the boys with me to the airport to pick up my parents from their trip to California.  Often since then Jackson will say, "Grammy, Papa, pane (plane)."  :)  That night our family went to our friend Jose's house for dinner.  He had his mom come cook for us, and she is an AMAZING cook.  We've had her food a number of times, and have never been disappointed.  Of course it was a learning experience for the boys - always good to expose them to different experiences.  :)

Later on that week sickness hit our family.  Boo.  On a Thursday morning Levi threw up at school, so I brought him home.  (One of those situations where it was a little iffy in the morning, and Mike said, "You know if you keep him home he'll be fine, and if you send him to school you'll get a call later...")  He rested and was okay the rest of the day, until around suppertime he threw up again.  The next day he was totally fine, eating and playing normally all day.  Then at bedtime he said he didn't feel well, and he threw up sometime in the night.  The next day I stayed home with him and Jackson, while Mike took Caleb and Logan to his cousin Joe's to go sledding and hang out.  They were fine all day, then around bedtime both were saying they didn't feel well.  Great.  Yup, they both started throwing up.  Ugh.  We cancelled our church duties for Sunday and stayed nestled at home.  Caleb just kept throwing up, couldn't even keep down a sip of water.  :(  Logan didn't throw up anymore, but had a low fever and was just wiped out all day.  Levi was recuperated by this point.  Mike and I were just hoping ourselves and Jackson would stay clear!  It was not to be.  Sunday afternoon Jackson threw up, and then Sunday night it was my turn.  Mike was down on Monday, but never actually threw up (lucky).  It was a fast and furious bug!  Thankfully there was no school Monday anyways, and Mike called in sick to work (he had already called in when I got sick and before he did, just so he could be home to help).  Tuesday Mike felt good enough to go to work, Caleb and I were still lacking energy, he only made it through a half day at school, and then I would say we were back to normal by Wednesday.  Which was good, since EARLY Thursday morning Mike was leaving for a missions trip to Guyana!  Funny story from the sickness, when Jackson had thrown up, I went into his room and he was standing on one end of his crib with the mess on the other end.  I go in his room and he's just like, "Ewwww!!!  Yucky!  Goss! (gross)"

Mike's been gone for almost a week, he has a few more days to go, and so far we're doing alright!  I think the anticipation of it was worse for the boys - Caleb especially was anxious about him going.  The first day was the hardest for me, I'm sure it didn't help that I had trouble falling asleep the night before and then got up at 3am to bring him to the airport.  (It's a little harder for me to be positive when sleep deprived...)  Friday night we had Lea Anne and Heidi over for tacos and a movie (Eric and Boden are on the trip as well.).  Saturday morning I tried taking the boys to the library (somehow I always forget that it never goes well...), and then in the afternoon they spent several hours playing with their friends across the street.  So thankful for nice weather!!  They were able to play outside quite a bit Sunday afternoon as well.  Last night we went to my in-law's for dinner and had a nice time.  Going over to a friend's before church tonight, picking up take-out tomorrow night that friends in AZ wanted to buy for us, and we have other plans Fri and Sat as well.  No down time to feel too sad!  It has been such a blessing to see how the Lord has provided in various ways for this trip.  Mike gets home Saturday night, and it will be great to be together again!

metal

Last week was our first full week back at our normal activities after the holidays, and it went well!  Monday night was volleyball and we had a great game.  (We needed it!)  Tuesday morning the Bible Study I attend started a new book, and I think it's going to be really good.  It's a study on The Sermon on the Mount, by Jen Wilkin. 

Wednesday evening Word of Life started back up for the older boys, so it was Dad, Mom, and J-man hang out time.  :)  I needed to go to Kohl's, so we hung out at the mall.  Jackson wanted to give high-fives to as many mannequins as possible (almost knocking over a few in his eagerness); and he thought he wanted to ride the carousel, until it started and he did NOT like it! 

Thursday was a big day for Caleb - he got his braces and retainer.  He was anxious beforehand, but he did really well getting them put on.  Side note, I was a little nervous about having Jackson with me and keeping him occupied the whole time.  There was a train table in the waiting room, and he was loving it!  Actually, he threw a fit when we had to leave.  :)  I had other toys and snacks packed for him, and he didn't need any of it!  Mike was able to leave work for a bit to come as well, and I think that was really good for Caleb - not just having a supportive father, but since Mike had braces he can sympathize.  We're a few days in now, and Caleb is still pretty sore.  Hopefully he'll be able to eat fairly normally soon.

Friday evening we dropped the boys off at my brother and sis-in-law's house, and we were kid-free for the weekend!!  We decided to just stay home.  We love adventure and going fun places together, but there's also nothing like being in your own home when it is peaceful and quiet.  :)  We could be on our own schedule, easily walk out the door when we wanted to go somewhere, and just veg.  We had a few meals out - all great.  Crazy Horse Steakhouse on Friday night, Cracker Barrel on Saturday morning, and Butcher's Union in downtown GR for dinner Saturday night.  Either I'm old or a country girl (or both...), but I don't need to go out on the town all the time.  :)  Butcher's Union is apparently a popular place (they did have REALLY good food) - the restaurant was packed and loud.  Didn't bother me at first, but after a while I was ready for some peace and quiet!  Ha!  On Saturday we managed to complete our search for a "new to us" elliptical after a few strike-outs.  Seems like it was a good find, hope it works out well!  The thing is a BEAST (in a good way).  Took a bit to get it in the basement yesterday, but we managed without anyone getting hurt.  Mike and I were both able to work out on it this morning, and so far so good.  Time to get these old bods in shape!