TheKiddos ~
TheKiddos »
Christmas Morning
While looking through my newly uploaded pics I was struck still once again. How did they all get to be so big? A boy with an MP3 player and a never-to-be-removed baseball cap? A princess I hardly recognize except for the required tiara in her hands. And a baby - who’s not a baby any longer. TheMiddlest is just as shockingly old, just not seen here. When? How? I promise I haven’t blinked once. And yet..
(No, Santa didn’t deliver on a new camera - turns out Santa gets tax returns - I expect something grand come March, but he did bring a shiny new external hard drive - and isn’t that what everybody dreams of anyway?)
TheKiddos »
Empty boxes from computers at Daddy’s work
+ Daddy’s awesome imagination
+ a bunch of co-workers in on the box-saving fun
- Mama’s stress over a colossal mess
“The Best Club Hous Ever!” - as written on the door by TheOldest
TheKiddos »
…but soccer season is finally here again!
For that sweet girl on the right, well, she has another long year before she can join the fun. It’s so hard to wait.
TheOldest. His confidence level is unbelievable this year.
TheMiddlest. I’m amazed how much he retained from last year. Oh, and he scored 2, count them t.w.o., goals in the game!
After the games, when they were told to “stand together and hug like you like each other.” It worked well, don’t ya think?
Look, I’m a Soccer Mom with a cuddly future soccer player.
TheKiddos »
Last week we celebrated our oldest’s 7th Birthday. (Two days before the penny crisis derailed all thoughts for the rest of this week.) It was the birthday without a party. The first of it’s kind around here. You know the kind of party, the kind that involves balloons, lots of people focused just on this one child and lots of unneeded presents. Full of meltdowns and tired kids. Not to mention my inability to spend two real minutes with my birthday child. The thought of eliminating these events has been kicked around for awhile, but we just weren’t sure. We jumped off our party wagon and had our own version of a party. With just our family. Where we baked a cake and only the Birthday-Boy got to help. He also designed our menu for the special evening. Macaroni with Cheese (original not shells), Sweet Potato Casserole, and of course, Bacon. Really. We cooked and ate these things. Together. On one plate. With smiles on our faces. The cake is a basketball (that he decorated himself). You know, because Troy Bolton of High School Musical (hello, people, get your head in the game) plays basketball, duh. I loved it. The quiet evening (quiet, you know for us - remember this is the point that I yelled “ssshhhh….top!”), the $2 roller skates that were bought at a garage sale, the gold fish (hey, did you know they’re all of 28 cents?! “Sure, everyone can have their own goldfish!” TheBaby-est got one - who knows what he would name it if he could - probably something like “Penny”, TheMiddlest named his “Fish”, TheBirthdayBoy named his “Oliver”, and ThePrincess named hers “Pirates of the Carribean Enemy.” Really.) We have video of TheBaby-est singing his heart out to his oldest brother. So sweet. And I had real time with my baby. That is growing up. You can’t help but blink, can you?
TheKiddos »
Caught? Doing What?
Doesn’t everyone eat their ice cream like this?
What? Why’re you lookin’ at me?
TheKiddos »
This baby is somethin’ else!
He is creepin’ up on 18 months old - still rotten as the day is long and cute as a button all at once.
My little walking contradiction. He reminds me of the little girl with the curl in the middle of her forehead.
When he’s good, he’s very, very good. But when he’s bad, he’s horrid!
Mr. Independent. Doesn’t want to hold your hand. Doesn’t want your help. And yet, must have me. Only me. Still hates to be away from me (hates is mild). He will play at church now (as opposed to the full scream for the entire time that he did for weeks on end).
Still climbin’ everything in sight. He climbs on the couch, then onto the end table and jumps/rolls/dives head first onto the couch, laughing the whole time. He can jump. Some of the time with both feet off the ground. He can do flips on the floor. Real head over heels tumble. Runs to do everything. Runs. Remember, this is the child that pushed me to the point of googling “6 month old doesn’t roll over.” It’s been a year since that google search, now he has more bumps, scratches, and hurts than I’ve ever seen.
He loves playing with his siblings. And rough is the only way to go. Loves to wrestle.
He loves cuddlin’. But only on his terms. He must choose who’s the recipient (this can change from minute to minute) and you’re either gonna get 500 of the wettest cutest kisses over and over with the sweetest tight neck hug or you’re gettin’ snubbed. And if he’s on the outs with you, no amount of begging will win you a sloppy smooch.
He’s not a blow you a kiss kind of sweetheart. He’s a give me five kind of boy.
He will point to body parts that you name, mostly, but don’t ask him where his eyes are - I’m afraid with his enthusiasm he may pluck them out one of these times. Good grief.
He still does his signature “be bop” whole body dance to most any music. And in the car, he will move his head back and forth in time to the music.
He puts hats on, hides under buckets, and plays “look at me” kinds of games.
He is not only a ”parrot” now, but will also use words meaningfully. A few of his favorites: hot, down, ‘ck-up (pick up), balloon, bubble, MAMAAA!! (just started saying this one, but makes up for the long wait with much urgency), daaa-ddy, ice (he loves to dig in daddy’s cup and chew the ice), yook (look), treat, cookie, chips, shoes, thank you, ’tuck (stuck), bye-bye, but the simple “hi” may very well be my favorite.
Everytime he got caught doing something, he used to make this face:
He’s recently discovered, however, that cute is the way to go. The second he gets caught he says, with a smile, no less, “Hi.” Followed up with a hug and open-mouthed kiss if he senses that it’s BIG trouble. It’s one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen.
He has almost all of his teeth, just waitin’ on 2 on the bottow row to make their appearance. That chipped tooth has become his calling card. So him. And you get to see it all the time. He either is giggling and laughing uncontrollably or he’s screamin’ mad.
He sleeps through the night in his own bed (for the most part), although I do indulge him a nursing mid-sleep if I’m too tired to put up with the scream-it-out kinda night. Yeah, still nursing. Completely. He still won’t drink very much milk at all, and I don’t feel like pushing it, since he’ll nurse at any moment.
And since I know how quickly this age melts into the next, I’m goin’ with it. Nurse on, my little sweetie, all too soon your babyhood will only be a memory.
TheKiddos »
it’s all fun and games
until …
but fear not,
in a bowl like this
life can be made right-side-up just as quickly as it was made upside-down.
