Little bro's b-day

It is Jason's birthday today and as we are all scrambling to get ready for his party, Ethan decided to play dress up.




I couldn't resist taking a picture even though I know someday he is going to do the whole "Oh Mom" thing with the frustrated voice and deep sigh. I can't help myself. He actually was a great help woth blowing out candles and opening presents and sharing party favors with everyone. He did insist on having his own party hat and we accommodated.

Showering at school

So today was an interesting one. When we got to daycare to pickup the boys, I grabbed Jason and Jeff went to get Ethan. We met at reception where I got to hear about Ethan's latest escapades. They have a star system for behavior and E has been doing great getting 4 or 5 stars and Ethan has been so proud of his improving scores and gets so excited telling me he got "5 out of 5, Mommy!" But alas, today he lost a star at the very end of the day. Why? So glad you asked. He was playing in the sandbox and got dirty so decided to take a shower in the sand box and use the sand as his "shower spray" (and hair spray). When he realized this did not really help to make him feel any better, he went inside and grabbed the hand soap and put that in his hair as shampoo. Needless to say, his appearance was not much improved by this attempt either.

We are also still repeating everything I say....and many things I would prefer he not say. Why do they sound so much worse out of his lips than they did when they passed mine? For example...Jason has this wonderful habit of tossing peas, carrots, corn, (whatever) off his tray just to watch them fall. He leans WAY over so he can watch the entire trajectory. Now, the first 12 times he did this was sorta cute in an annoying way. Now at 1500, I am losing patience and the word "No" or attempts at redirction are met with a steady glare and smirk. No lie. So this one evening after going through my 12th napkin and 40th pea, I said "oh for pete's sake, jason....keep the food on the plate and eat it" and had to hear for the next week, "oh for pete's sake, oh for pete's sake, oh for pete's sake" ad nauseum...and to a catchy tune.

Ethan has one more lovely habit....throwing your discipline back at you. Jeff tells him he is getting tired of the bad behavior and playing around at the dinner table and E shoots back, "Well I am tired of you too Daddy." Does he WANT to make it to a teenager?

Spring pics

We had school pic proofs come back and they were adorable except that Jason was teary eyed. I felt so guilty since I had been away when the pics were taken and couldn't be there as I was for E's first school pictures. So this week we took them to Sears to get new ones. Jeff deserves a medal for humoring me but this was part of what I wanted for Mother's Day. Riding my horse and sleeping an extra hour were the others but that is a story for a different time. Here are some of my favorite shots.





For more, see my Kodak gallery.

Robot Wars

Jeff and his friends all went to the Durham Museum of Life and Science this weekend to see some robotics exhibit and to watch some robot wars. It was pretty cool and we packed up the kids and made a day of it with a picnic lunch, Dad and Joyce and all 3 boys in tow. We had a great time and toured the animals outside, did the nature walk and played some instruments before running wild on the playground and in the sandbox. They have some great things for kids and Jeff's friends brought their kids as well. E had a great time with Max and was so bummed to have to leave.

Come on dude!

Ethan's latest expression....and some nice pics to show the "bad" image that goes with that.




And then the sweeter side.....

It's almost spring time...

Not much of a winter here but we did run outside to catch snowflakes once. I would have loved to take him to see snow but we are going to wait until next year when Jason can play in it too.



And Ethan came home last night saying he wanted to eat dinner on the porch. He is so funny how he gets an idea in his head and just executes. Or how he get fixated on something. For example, there are just certain rules that have to be followed.

1. If you have belt loops, you need a belt
2. You cannot possibly leave the house without sunglasses, a car/truck and one of his babies
3. Mom needs to do laundry more frequently cause he actually picks his clothes and picks the SAME clothes that he just has to have....including his basketball shirt and Valentines Jammies. And he is not even 3. Imagine as a teenager.
   

Some other things that amaze me are his ability to negotiate. He has been having some issues sleeping lately and wants me to lay down and sleep with him. Of course that would be easy enough to do and would get him to sleep but it wouldn't teach him to go asleep on his own and have confidence in himself. And if he wakes and I am not there, he would just melt down. So we we tuck him in and love on him and tell him he gets to sleep like a big boy. We have a wonderful nighttime ritual. Bath, teeth, books, bed and we chat a few minutes about his day, give eskimo kisses and snuggle. Then the lawyer comes out. "Mommy, you come sleep with me two minutes? Then you can go do my laundry." Humph. Another funny thing is if the phone rings during our ritual. Aunt Jean called and he told her "it is late and we are done for the day. Good bye" and I nearly fell over. Our most recent books have been Cars and Trucks and Things That Go where we find Goldbug and Our World. He is able to recite the latter after just having it read to him for a few days.

Here is a pic of Daddy reading to the boys:

Kids really do say the darndest things...

And I want to file them all away with how good they make me feel. I love when we go to sleep at night...

"Can we go shopping?"

"Ladies and gentlemen..."

"For goodness sake! Can I say that?"

"Wait a minute!"

"Daddy, Mommy and I are talking to ourselves"

"I know I am small now but when I am bigger, I am going to drive a dump truck. And Jason is going to drive his own dump truck. His is white"

"I am a good boy today. I did not hit, I did not punch, I did not push or kick any of my friends at school. I'll try again tomorrow." Now would that be he will try to kick them tomorrow or he will try again to be good tomorrow? Judging by the amount of time he spends in time out, I am thinking the former.

"When we get home, I want to go outside and play with Daddy. We want to play football outside before dinner." Substitute golf, basketball, etc as the mood suits him and the season allows.

"May I want some ice cream please"

"Can we watch a movie? And make popcorn?"

"Sing Hush Little Baby, Mommy". We have our own version. I bought this great book that uses that lullaby with different words. Things like Mama's going to show you the evening sky instead of buying stuff to make their baby happy. We love it and sing it every night as we read the book.

"You want to sleep with me?" We snuggle together at night for a while and he always asks me. We make tunnels with the covers and I pretend to eat his ears and neck and nibble his toes like a monster and he just giggles.

Happy New Year

We finally had some rain around here but today was beautiful and about 48 or so. I took Ethan out to play and blow off some steam before we went over to celebrate New Years with the family. We had a great time but Ethan didn't want to go down the slide after the first run since it was too cold on his bottom. Hello? Aren't you like a 2 year old boy? It actually is par for the course. Last night we toasted with hot chocolate and watched a DVD and he was all worried about wiping the table from where his cocoa had dripped. He is too funny. He does love the swing set and takes such pride in remembering that Daddy and Grandpa built it for him and he helped measure. For such a neatnick, he does love his tools. This past weekend he got to use his new drill from Santa to help Jeff build a stool for the garage workbench. He was thrilled. He and Jeff spent the entire afternoon together on Saturday doing projects, playing basketball, swinging on the glider and it is now all E can talk about. He still likes me to tuck him in and sing him songs so I think my job is secure for now.





We spent the rest of the day today over at the Becker Grandparents having more food....yep, appetizers, pasta dinner, and dessert once again. Ethan grazed all day and Jason just tried to grab at anything that wasn't nailed down. All he got was organic baby food - peas and bananas to be exact. He was less than thrilled. Here is a pic of the boys playing together:

Santa Claus found our house!

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends. We have had a busy and exciting day so this will be brief (ha!). The boys woke at the crack of dawn as usual and got to play with their Santa presents and open their stockings. They were dressed alike in their reindeer jammies and Ethan just adored showing Jason all his presents. Jason just liked the chew toys best.

Waiting on breakfast....with JT eating his new cell phone/chew toy:





Our beautiful tree:


The haul:



Jason wearing Ethan's stocking stuffer.....E loves sunglasses and sports them in the next picture surveying his Santa presents (the unwrapped ones).





Daddy is dressed for the minute in green....but Jason got him before long.


And E gets dressed and insists on wearing his new belt even without belt loops...


And notice how he will not put down the drill. I wish there was an off switch on this and the guitar...mental note...do not buy toys without volume switches and adult friendly on/off switches.



Notice Jeff is now in blue. Thanks, Jason!

After stockings, the 4 of us had a fabulous pancake, eggs and sausage breakfast and then got dressed and waited for the grandparents before opening all the rest. Aunt Susan arrived bearing gifts and food. We had a wonderful present for all when Granddaddy Ed came for the dinner party and we were thankful he had good flying weather and made it.

Menu:
We had quite the dinner choices thanks to help from Mom B, Susan, and Aunt Marie:



Main course:
Turkey, stuffing and gravy (Mom B)
Ham with cranberry chutney (Jenn - like how hard was this one?)
Corn casserole (Aunt Marie)
Broccoli casserole (Susan)
Spinach stuffed tomatoes (Aunt Marie)
Autumn salad (recipe from Grandmother Whitfield and made by Susan)
Cranberry walnut mold (Mom B)
Deviled eggs (I actually made this one)

For appetizers (I did all of these):
Brie with a fig pear jam
Blue cheese and walnut dip with crostini and tapenade
Pears and grapes
Smoked salmon with horseradish and capers

Desserts:
I can't type this much but my mother bought pies...apple, harvest berry, pecan.
I made cupcakes, lemon bars, 7 layer bars, almond toffee bars, peanut butter grahams, Jeff's bourbon balls (Mom's recipe and hard work too), choc magic cookies, Christmas cookies etc etc etc.


Family pics:

A few of us ripping the presents open....





The train table from Aunt Jean and trains from Jeff and I (with a cool tunnel from Grandmother and Granddaddy Ed)






And a few of us playing with E's tractor from Grandma and Grandpa (being opened above):








JT looks so grown up there....sigh....

And a peek at the sand and water table for JT from Grandma and Grandpa:



And some of the rest of the family and the kids:
















Christmas reflections:

We need to do even less next year!

Remind me that I need to hide the Chipmunks CD from Ethan. He loves it and rocks out in his carseat but trust me when I tell you, there is only so much an adult can take. Thanks for this one Jeff. :-)

Sharing is a two way street....Jason doesn't just have to share with Ethan.

Buy 2 Christmas trees next year since Ethan continually asked if we could decorate again and I so wanted to say "okay".

I love the Heat Meiser and Rudolph needs to get a voice coach or sinus medication.

Baking cookies

I am so not domestic normally. Anyone who knows me would tell you that as well. But now I have kids and desire to be super mom. Yes, desire, not succeed. But today we baked. And baked and baked. And we are doing more tomorrow. I couldn't decide which cookies and baked goods to make for the holidays so am making 12. Nothing like jumping in. But they have come out pretty good so far and I am so proud of myself. And I know Mi-ma would be incredulous. Mom and I even made her butter horns. Here is a pic of Ethan helping us to bake the Christmas eve cupcakes and then one of him decorating cookies. He loved it and made stockings, sleds, gingerbread men, angels, stars, Santas and trees. Yes...I told you...all out! They turned out to be my favorites. Mom B oversaw all activities to ensure sanitation grades were met.



So tomorrow should be interesting. Jeff is taking both boys down to Columbia to visit his Grandmother. Yep...both. I am staying home since I have to do the Whole Foods run, get the house cleaned and prepare dinner for 12 for Xmas. Stress is my middle name and it would be my first if I didn't have the weekend to prepare. Luckily, Mom Andrews and Susan and are going with. I think it will be such a great opportunity for Ethan to bond with them and to establish some independence. And all I can think of is sleep...and sympathy. And worry. I bet I call 15 times. Poor Jeff.

Thank-mas

...is what Jeff's Dad calls our gathering during the holidays. Since we were in Seattle for Thanksgiving and they visit Joyce's Mom on Christmas, we do a combined celebration in between so there is no traffic, stress etc. It is a fabulous idea and we had an awesome weekend. Susan and I attempted to make Grandmother Whitfield's 12 layer cake. What a mess...but it tasted okay. Remind me a level oven helps with layers, don't take them out of the pan until cooled and frosting shouldn't run. Susan, you are a saint as always and I really had a blast!

We had a nice dinner and the boys opened their presents and totally got spoiled by Maw-maw and Paw-paw. Ethan just adores them and always asks if "Maw-maw and paw-paw come and see Ethan". He made everyone pictures since we are trying to teach him that Christmas is about giving and sharing. Some days go better on that front than others. We are also trying to teach him not to say "i want" or order us to do stuff and he has become quite creative in his approach. "You want to pick me up?" "You want to come sleep with Ethan" "How about 5 more minutes til night time?" My little negotiator. Here are a few of my favorite pics from the day.

The finished product (sorry Grandmother W):



Maw Maw and Ethan making a stocking. It was so cool...she brought a craft to do with Ethan and he was so excited. They made a Christmas stocking. It is still hanging on our door knob and he was so proud to lace it and put on the cotton. Thanks, Maw Maw.





Paw Paw and the boys:



Reading the Gingerbread Man while Ethan holds his latest baby to add to his night time collection: