Time to catch up...

It has been a reeeeaaallllllyyyyy long time since I have posted anything (as Mimi pointed out the other day). Our summer was AWESOME!!! I cannot believe that Jackson starts kindergarted next year!! I tried to soak up every single second with him and his brother this summer and just enjoyed my time with my boys.

So, since I took a nice, long break from blogging I have a ton to catch up on. This is just a tiny, little peek at what we have coming up. Just to give you a little hint - I will be blogging about....

a Zoo trip with Jack's best friend Riley, Jacob's 1st birthday, summer adventures, July 4th, our beach trip (x2), a mimi and papa visit, Jack starting Tball, Jack's first day of his last year of preschool, Jacob crawling, Jacob's first (and long overdue) haircut, and many, many more adventures!!

Just to wet your whistle - here a just 3 small pictures of my boys!! Enjoy and see you soon!!

Whew!! Summer is here!!

Can you say busy???? And HOT!!!!

It seems like since preschool ended for Jackson two weeks ago, we have been going nonstop. It has been a ton of fun but I am ready for a vacation (fortunately we are headed to Mimi and Papa's for a few days - praying for some down time in the country where things are always a little slower).

We had 2 weeks of swim lessons - where my big man was in the highest level he could be in for the preschool lessons and they go up to age 6!! He can swim and float on his back, dive (well...maybe belly flop but at least he is trying), and is starting to do some strokes.

He is also learning how to ride his bike with no training wheels!! Lee has taken him to a soccer field several times and let him ride without the training wheels - the field is easier on him when he falls. He is doing so good with this...it will take some practice but, wow, he is really doing it!

No training wheels and Lee isn't holding on to him!! He rode the entire length of this field several times without falling.

And this is just for fun. This is Jackson, Riley and G (and G's little brother W) on their last day of preschool. G and Jack are superhero OBSESSED and often wore the same superhero shirt to school. On the last day all three boys planned to wear their Superman shirts and I just had to get a picture. Of course (as I am learning is normal for 4 year old boys and deserves a post all it's own) they cannot and will not take pictures without making silly faces.

More posts to come - when I can find the time. Jacob just started crawling, though, so I dont see that in the near future.

Look what we're learning to do...

This is the big man the first time he was able to pick up a puff and actually get it in his mouth. He was so proud!! Before that, he would just pick them up and get them stuck to his hands or cheek or shirt. He still has a problem with them sticking everywhere and last night when I put him to bed he had one in his diaper. Super cute - he is growing so fast I cannot believe it. Since this video, he has moved on to little pieces of bagel and banana and (as soon as I make some) he'll try pancakes and waffles.

And this is my bigger man READING!!! Wow, I am so proud of him. I got this Bob book from the library. He has been incredibly interested in figuring out what letter words start with and asking me several times a day "how do you spell (you fill in the blank)"? I really didnt think he would be interested in this book because he got several Curious George and Henry and Mudge books that I thought he would like more but when I showed him how to sound out the words he spent a good hour reading this.

Now, this is the best video I could get of this kid. When I am not filming Jacob, Jackson really wants nothing to do with being filmed.

We just started letting Jackson leave his bedroom light on for a few minutes and "read" after we put him to bed at night. Well, last night he asked for this Bob book and after several minutes called Lee up to hear him read. He read a whole sentence!!! Go big guy!! I am so proud of you!

These boys are growing so fast I cannot keep up! Love them and am enjoying every minute with them!

First words...

Jacob said his first work ("Dada" of course) Easter weekend. Grandpa was here and got to witness it. Since then, the words have just spilled out. I got a "Mama" today. Yes, that is Jackson in the background saying "Dada" every time I ask Jacob to say it. And, yes, he is in the bathroom as he is saying it. Yes, we have lots of conversations while he is in the bathroom. Jacob is just beginning to talk - Jack never stops.

My life as a burrito

Hello, my name is Jacob and I am a swaddle addict.

I seriously think I am going to be sending this little guy to college with swaddling instructions for his roommate. He loves to be swaddled!!! Loves it! Waaaaayyy too much!!

We have swaddled Jacob since he was a newborn. He just slept better that way - and still does. Wait - let me rephrase that - he now will sleep only if he is swaddled. Believe me - we have tried it the other way and it does not work. Last night we put him to bed unswaddled - it took him 90 minutes to fall asleep and then he slept for...get this...a whole 30 minutes. Woo hoo! We then swaddled him up because it was getting kind of late and he was so upset and tired and mad about being taken out of his happy little burrito world that it took him another hour to fall asleep.

Yes, he finally fell asleep - swaddled - last night after that debacle and he will continue to do so until he tells us he is ready to not be swaddled. Hopefully before his 16th birthday.

He's too big for any swaddle blanket so we have a velcro swaddle blanket with the feet cut out over a receiving blanket that keeps his arms pinned down. Sounds weird, I know, but he loves it. If he wakes up in the middle of the night I send Lee up to his room (Lee is the swaddle master. The boy looks like he is in a straight jacket in one of Lee's swaddles) to re-swaddle him. This is what I hear....crying, crying, crying, crying, velcro....silence. The minute you get him all wrapped up - he is a happy camper.


Jacob in his happy burrito world

This is what I usually find in the morning - totally unswaddled - the swaddle blanket is actually turned around backwards on him - one arm (sometimes 2) sticking out and upside down in his crib.

These Boys...

Stole my heart with their first cry and have taught me what it means to fall in love at first sight. They bring such joy to my life and show me each and every day how awesome our God is. I marvel at their tiny hands and sweet smiles. I laugh when they laugh and cry when they cry.

While my days are filled with changing diapers, brushing little teeth, answering 6 millions questions (like "do monkeys wear parachutes?"), getting kids in and out (and in and out and in and out again) of car seats I could not imagine spending my days doing any thing else. What other job would allow my to wear a pink superhero cape to lunch? Or spend an hour playing on the floor while my 6 month old laughs and drools all over me?

Our good friend, Heather, came by yesterday afternoon to take some pictures of the boys. We are so blessed to have Heather (and her sweet family) in our lives. She is such a talented photographer and always willing to take pictures of our little men.

Here are the latest photos of Jackson and Jacob. Jackson was not 100% into getting his pictures taken and only had about 13 wardrobe changes but Heather was awesome to accomodate him (especially when all he wanted to do was spin on his sit n spin). I hope you enjoy them as much as we have!!

Swimmin' Man

We enrolled Jackson in swim classes at the Y. We go 2 afternoons a week - the class is only 40 minutes but, man, they do a lot in those 40 minutes!! I think one day he swam the length of the pool 4 times.

The Y does a great job with these swim classes - he has one other boy in his group and one teacher. They split the kids up based on their level - some kids still need to wear flotation devices, Jack's group doesn't but they both were not comfortable floating on their backs so they didn't make it into the highest level.

Yesterday - Lee said he swam the entire lengthof the pool on his back!! (with a noodle under him). Amazing!! 2 days ago he freaked when you put him on his back in the pool! Now he's just a super swimmin' man.

Look out summertime!!


Ok, I just LOVE this picture. This little guy does NOT love the pool. This was on the 1st day when they were evaluating the kids to see what group they would be in. Just a little credit to the Y - this little guy has a teacher all to himself to help him adjust.

But look at Jack's face. He's kid of like "what's your problem??"