Randomness

Eli

This child is CONSTANTLY begging to be rubbed on.  "Bub my back!" Bub my bebby!" "Feet too!" "Wegs too!" are the cries of this boy.  I mean, it's all of the time.  And if we are busy doing something and can't rub him, he takes it upon himself to rub himself against you.  If I'm standing in the kitchen making dinner, he'll weave figure eights between my legs.  I always say that he's part feline.  Matthew says that he must have a skin disorder that requires him constantly be rubbing against something, much like a dolphin that needs to shed it's skin by rubbing on things.   It's rather humorous, but can also become somewhat irritating.  As Eli was laying between us demanding his rubs the other night, Matthew looked at me and said, "You can make anything a drug."  So true.  "Bubbing" is certainly his addiction.

It's been so fun to listen to him talk lately.  I swear he picks up new words every day.  The other day, he wanted something, and when I told him no, he slapped his chubby little thighs with both hands, and said, "No fair!"   It was definitely one of those moments where it is inappropriate to laugh, but you'll burst if you don't. 

Owen

It's been amazing the past few weeks to watch this boy grow and change.  He's definitely on a mental growth spurt.  He thinks about everything, asks intelligent questions, and formulates plans that seem so far above his age.  A few days ago, he spent the entire day sitting with his Aunt Sar, telling her about all kinds of things.  He gave her all of the details of the house that he's going to build one day.   It'll be on a lake, and it's going to have an underwater fish feeder that the fish can press a button to get some food. It's also going to be built out of different colored wood, and it's going to be nicer that our current house :)

And for all of the mental development that he's displaying, he still struggles with his emotional maturity.  It's got to be frustrating to have the thoughts and ideas that he does, but to not have the maturity to match them.   We received his kindergarten readiness score, and academically he scored incredibly high- however he is still not ready to sit through a full day of school.  He's not able to focus on and complete his work in a timely manner.  He still makes decisions with decidedly questionable judgement.  The kinds of decisions where you say to yourself, "WHAT was he THINKING?!?!?!" 

But unfortunately, I have to admit that that his emotional volatility comes honestly.  The other night, as he was getting ready for bed, he came storming down the hallway, crying, and says, "Seriously! These jammies don't smell good!"   Matthew and I looked at each other and had to laugh, because some nights, I will pull two or three different {clean} shirts out of the drawer before I find one that "smells" right to sleep in.  No joke. This is actually a neurosis of mine.  And one that Owen has never even seen me do.  Apparently, the need for good-smelling shirts at bedtime is genetic. 

Yesterday, I had to take Owen to the Dr. because of the funk that he's had on his face for several months.  It's just dry patchy places, but they're red and drive him crazy scratching.   Thursdays are his Dr.'s day off, so we were scheduled to see one of the other docs,  Dr. C. looked at him and finally told me that she just wasn't sure what it was, but that his doc, Dr. S, had stopped in, so she'd go see if she wouldn't mind coming in to take a look.   Owen was thrilled to death to see Dr. S, and apparently had been making a mental list of things that he wanted to tell her.   As she's wrestling him around, and trying to figure out his mystery rash, he's jabbering at her non-stop about  how he likes to eat carrots, and how he eats salad now.   Dr. S turned away from him to try to tell Dr. C what to write on the chart, and Owen reached up, put his hand on her cheek and turned her face back to him, and in his most serious voice said, "I wasn't done telling you about the salad yet." 

After finishing the salad soliloquy, he went on to give her a detailed description of a caterpillar that he had recently captured, observed, and released.  The vocabulary and descriptors that he used were astounding.  Dr. S looked over at me and said, "His IQ has got to be through the roof."  We went on to talk about how his smarts probably play a big role in the behavior problems we have with him.   

I'm sure glad that she loves my kids and is willing to take that kind of time with them (and me) on her day off.  I'm so thankful that she appreciates my precocious (almost) five year old enough to listen to him drone on about salads and bugs, when all she probably really wanted to do was go home.  I'm also so appreciative of the fact that she encourages and praises my parenting, even when I'm scared out of my wits that I'm doing it all wrong.   As we were getting ready to leave, Dr. C started to give me a lecture about making sure that I always put bug spray on the kids, but Dr. S interrupted her, and said, "You don't have to tell her, she's a meticulous mama. He's just a kid that gets bit no matter what." 

Shoot, we have family members who haven't figured that out about Owen yet, and like to lecture me for our kids' bug bites. 

The funniest part of it all was that later that night, Owen looked at me and said, "That wasn't very nice what Dr. S said today." 
I couldn't figure out what he was talking about since I felt that she'd been very complimentary.
"What wasn't very nice?" I asked him.
"When she called you and 'Ridiculous mama'." 
lol

We then went on to have a vocab lesson on the meaning of "meticulous". 

On God and Stuff

Tonight as we were riding home in the car, we received a poignant reminder of how little ears are always listening to the things that we say.  (Even if those same little ears usually don't 'listen' to a thing we say!"   Owen was in the back seat, watching a movie and Matthew and I were discussing a child that had passed away during a surgery.  We were talking quietly to one another, and assumed that he was totally engrossed in his movie, but alas, he heard us.

Immediately, the onslaught of questions began, and all basically revolved around the concept of, "But aren't people supposed to die when they're old?"

"Yeah, Buddy," I responded, "That's how it usually happens."  I was hoping to leave it at that.

No such luck.

"But you said that a little girl died.  She wasn't old. Why'd she die?"

Matthew and I exchanged the hopeless look of two parents desperately needing the wisdom to say the right thing.

"Sometimes," I slowly started, my mind racing. "Sometimes, God just has different plans and wants to bring someone home to Heaven a little earlier."

He thoughtfully considered my answer, and finally replied, "Probably God runs out of little kid pieces sometimes so he needs to bring some kids to Heaven to get some more."

Those little wheels are ALWAYS turning.

Riddles

You know how kids go through the "No!" phase, and the "Why?" phase, (sometimes simultaneously??) Well, we're in a new phase with Owen and it's called the "Riddle" phase.   It works like this, Owen gives us a string of clues related to some random memory that he's thinking of and we have to try to guess what it is.  He is very detailed with his clues, so usually after wracking our brains, we can figure it out. 

For example, one night we were eating dinner and Owen says, "I wish that I could see that nice girl again." 
"Which nice girl are we talking about, buddy?" We asked.
"The one at the church with the birthdays." He tells us, "She sounds like lasagna." 

hmmmm.

This time it took both of us to figure it out.  Matthew finally figured out that the "church with the birthdays", is Winchester Congregational Christian- you know, the one where we hosted Great Grandpa Norbert's 90th BIRTHDAY, as well as other family events.  From there, I figured out the "nice girl that sounds like lasagna." is actually my cousin, Vanessa. (And she is indeed VERY nice!)  

Clear as mud, right?


Sometimes, we have a harder time. Currently, we have an unsolved riddle to which we have clues such as,
-People dressed up like sandwiches
-The guys that came out of the little doors
-Something that makes everything green
-It's a Jesus day

We have no clue.

It's clear that he makes his connections in atypical ways.

Last Day

I can't believe it, but we're already through with another school year.  It's hard to believe how fast time flies.  Owen is actually disappointed to be out of school for the summer.  He truly had a wonderful year!
I'd just like to say a huge thank-you to these two ladies for being everything that preschool teachers should be.

For encouraging, teaching and loving my son- I'm truly grateful. We're so happy that he'll be with you again for another year!

Bounce Baby Bounce

A while back, Owen decided that he'd really like to have a trampoline. He mentioned it a few times in passing, and then it became more a focused subject to him. We told him that if he worked hard and saved his money that he'd be able to buy one. (I promised him that I would match his savings- since I also wanted a trampoline.) One of my proudest moments while he was saving was when he looked at my mom who had suggested that we buy him the trampoline, and told her that he was buying it with his money. I reminded him that he didn't have enough to make the purchase yet, and he simply replied, "I'll just have keep working until I earn enough." Seriously, I know an awful lot of adults who can't understand that concept. Last weekend, after many weeks of hard work, he hit the magic number, and we were off to Wal-Mart to make the purchase.

He carried his little, "spend" box into the store so proudly and helped the cashier count out every last penny. (A big thanks to the patient cashier who didn't get frustrated by a four year old with a box full of small bills and coins.)

We got it home, and within a couple of hours- we were in business! Let me tell you, I'm loving this thing, because on the days when he's spent several hours bouncing, he goes right to sleep! Plus, it's a lot of fun!

And in typical Owen fashion, he wants to make sure that he keeps that trampoline clean. After learning the hard way that sandboxes and trampolines are not a good match, he was right out there getting it swept off.

He cracks me up.

Success!!

Guess what!

We are FINALLY a diaper free home (during the day)  Our little man decided that it was high time to stop crapping in his pants, and we couldn't be happier.  

It's kind of funny because we'd allowed the potty training process to become a power struggle, and honestly what a stupid thing to have a power struggle over.  I mean, who's going to win that one? The one with the actual control over his bodily functions, or ones trying to bribe, bully, plead, and coerce?   Lesson learned- you're not going to win a power struggle with a two-year-old over anything potty training.

Let's just say that we didn't win the struggle.  We did however accept defeat, and stopped worrying about it all together.  We changed his diaper in the morning without a single word about using the potty.  We cleaned up foul messes without complaining. We just dropped the subject all together.

Three days later, he got up, took off his diaper, brought us a pair of roos to put on him- and he's been using the potty every since.  He did it. On his own terms.  He won.

(Don't tell him, but I kinda feel like a winner too!)

Here are a few pictures from our Big Boy celebration at Chuck E. Cheese.

(Who looks like the bigger kid in this picture?)

YAY!

Inappropriocity

Is that a real word?  If not, it should be.  And once you read this post, I'm sure you'll agree.
Because by definition, Inappropriocity is being naked in inappropriate places.

Gather round folks, and I'll tell you the story of the time that I durn near died of embarrassment.  I do believe that this one even tops the tow truck incident .

 Last Friday, we kind of had a lot going on.  Dr. appointment in the morning, Owen's class picnic at Hummel Park, and a Mommy/Daddy/Eli date to celebrate his big accomplishment (more on that later).  Well, when Matt and I got home from the dr.'s office, we had to quickly get the boys dressed and ready to go to the picnic.   We sent Owen to his room to get himself dressed, (like he does everyday!) Matt threw some clothes on Eli, I packed the lunches, and we were out the door in a few minutes. 

We got to the park, played, ate lunch, played some more.  Everything was going wonderfully, that is until the elastic that adjusts the size of Owen's shorts, (and therefore holds them up around his skinny butt), ripped.  The kid was running along, and then all of the sudden his shorts were around his ankles.  And guess what, in the getting ready rush, he hadn't put on his under roos.  You know what isn't the best time to find out that your kid didn't put on under roos that morning? If you answered, "In the middle of the class picnic, in front of God and everyone." You would be correct.

And to top it all off, instead of being totally embarrassed, he shrieked with laughter, and just kept running- until his mortified mother spear tackled his naked butt to the ground to try to rectify this catastrophic wardrobe malfunction.   

I. Wanted. To. Die.  A thousand deaths.   If I could have willed the earth to just swallow me up, I would have done it.  I don't embarrass easily, but this was almost the end of me.  

One Year Later

May 17, 2010

Nolan is born!  

Can you even believe how adorable this little guy was right out of the oven?  Ahh, I just love him. 

 May 14, 2011

Nolan's first birthday party. 

I honestly can't believe that it's already been a year. 

 Nolan, it has been so fun to watch you grow and change this year.  You are about the cutest, funniest, little guy ever.  You're a joy to have around, and we're so thankful for your sweet little self. 

Happy Birthday!

He was cracking me up with the big cheesy grin every time he saw the orange light from my camera.

Exhibit A

  After taking a tumble, he was very sad with a very big pout. He was so sad in fact that he managed to skunk his mama into taking a pouty face picture with him.  Too bad he looks anything but sad in this pic :)

And of course the four boys together.  Eli was psyched to be there.



Birthday Preview

There's gonna be some superhero action up in this joint!

P.S.  Who said that my baby was allowed to be 5?  Uncool.

This Much

Today we were outside sitting on the front porch and Owen started playing the, "I Love You THIS much game".  It went like this: "I love you all the way to the Jeep (sitting in the driveway), all the way to those deers over there (fake ones in the neighbor's yard), all the way to that tree (down the road a little ways), and ALMOST to Florida.  (Long pause)  And all of the way to the moon, and all of the way to the sun.

Thanks little dude.  I love you that much too.