Cowboy Picnic

Being home with the boys the last few days has been a rare treat for Jer and I.  It has been a nice change of pace. We have forgotten our hectic daily torture commute and are just, well....being totally and completely LAZY.  It's been heavenly!  The boys have loved it too.  Lazy in their world means staying in pajamas and being more rowdy than any teacher, aunt, or even Granny would ever allow.
Complete freedom from routine has made them a powerful force...a force that brings me to my knees, in exhaustion and prayer, pretty much hourly. So, early this morning when the house became silent, I was terrified to look and see what new messy disaster was waiting for me to clean up.  To my shock and awe, I found my darling duo sitting quietly on their sister's bed having a "Cowboy picnic"...according to Jack.  

I think Jude was just taking a breather before taking on Jack in a jumping on the bed duel.

There was something so sweet and peaceful about my rough and rowdy boys being surrounded by girly pink, just enjoying some quality time together.  

Like most events similar to this, it was fleeting.  Jack broke the calm with a "YEEHAW" and duel was on!  First one to get a knot on the head that doesn't require stitches is the winner!
Life with these two is exhausting, but it will never be boring!

Tuesday Texts on Wednesday

Jer has been home with the boys over his semester break. It's definitely hasn't been boring...



Apparently Jack not only teleports, but breaks through child-proof drawer locks with his super toddler powers.

And this one...well...it's just funny...sorry Hun, but it is...



Poor Daddy! Jude always seems to save those messy explosions for him.

Teleporting Toddler Part Two and the Sickies

Wow!  I can't believe how long it's been since I've written a blog post...I was on such a roll in December.  I could blame it on holiday travel and celebrations, but in all honesty, we've been just plain SICK around here!

We've had an upper respiratory infection, a case of strep, double ear infections, the dreaded RSV, and two bouts of the stomach flu.  That's all in the last couple of weeks!  I think we ALL are finally on the mend.

When I haven't been nursing the illness of the day, I've been chasing this little guy...

Oh Sweet Baby Jude...where has the time gone?  I swear it was yesterday that I was carrying his sweet cheeks home from the hospital...now he is on the move.

Jude has been rocking back and forth on his knees for a while now.  I assumed scooting and crawling wouldn't be far behind.  What I hadn't planned on was Jack giving Jude private superpower lessons.

On Christmas Eve he was scooting backwards and around in circles.  During Christmas evening he started doing the army crawl.  By New Year's Eve, if I blinked, he would be in another room.

It seems that Jack has shared his fine art of teleporting with his baby brother.  Apparently, Jude is a quick study.

I expect 2011 to bring many more adventures inspired by the original Teleporting Toddler and his newly training sidekick...with some posts on organizing, cheap decorating and other creative nonsense thrown in every once in a while.

Christmas Ham

I don't know why I continue to be surprised, but Cracker Jack "hammed it up" at his Christmas program last night...just like last year.

For some reason, I expect my very verbal and charming toddler to suddenly have stage fright.  I truly thought I would have to run up to the stage and dry his tears...rescue him...

Nope.
Again, shocked.
Hundreds of parents staring at him...so what.
Can't see his Mommy...who cares!

But..It's the same little guy whose teachers pry loose from my legs each morning.  The one, who shrieks so loudly, I can hear down the hallway as I rush to my car. Before I burst into tears myself.

No disappointment here...I was beaming with pride.

Jude did great too!  I just expected him to be easy-going about it...just like he is with everything else.

It amazes me what these wonderful teachers accomplish with my baby boys.

Jack 2010

Jude 2010

Jack 2009

Highchair Peace

Poor Cracker Jack never really got to be the baby for long.  Bless his heart, he was only four and half months old when I was completely shocked and awed that I was pregnant with Sweet Baby Jude.  We made sure that we gave Jack all the attention we could in his short time as the only.  We have tried to make the transition into older brotherhood easy for him.  But, hey, he isn't even two...it's been hard!  Ha! For him and us!

So it really wasn't surprising when he became possessive of all his barely used baby equipment.  He hadn't sat in his bouncy seat in over a year, but it has quickly become his lounge chair since the day Jude came home.  I can forget bathing them together right now because Jack throws a fit to sit in Jude's bath chair.  Of course when Jack is in the bath alone, he could careless about sitting in it...figures.  The other day, we found him sitting in the exer-saucer, looking like he had fallen into a paint bucket, just having a blast playing with all the gadgets.

I don't know what I was thinking when I first put Jude into Jack's highchair...seriously Mommy...are you clueless?  It was N.U.T.S!

"Mommy! shriek! Mine! Mine! shriek! Up! Up!"

He was hanging on the tray practically pulling the thing over.  Jack really doesn't even need his highchair anymore, but let him see Jude sneaking in on his territory...and it's O.V.E.R.

I finally just gave up and started feeding Jude in the bouncy.  I guess highchair trumps bouncy in Jack's world.  Anyway, have you ever tried to feed a wiggly 5 month old in a BOUNCY?  Again, Mommy what were you thinking?  Jude bounced so much that I rarely could hit is mouth with the spoon. When I thought I had a good aim, his bouncy limbs would send the strained squash flying. Sigh.

I never in a million years thought I would have two boys in two years, and I never really thought there would be a day that I needed TWO highchairs.  Believe me I have fought it.  Yes, I thought about other options like a booster, but no, Jack wanted HIS highchair.  So I finally broke down and bought another one for Jude.

And this is what having two highchairs got me...

Peace.

Best money ever spent.  Look at that brotherly love!  Yep, Jude looks hungry...

Aren't they sweet?!?!

Of course Jack could now careless about HIS old highchair.  The new one is now HIS...more than likely cause it sports a monkey motif.  Hey, I pick my battles!  Jude is now more than welcome to sit in his chair now.

Oh, and the peace lasted for about 2 minutes and 37 seconds, then the strained squash and hot dog nuggets went flying!

A Loving School

Tuesday night was “Back To School Night” at my boys’ school.  We use the word “school” in our house, when many people consider it a day care center, but to us it is our boys’ school.  It is the place where they go to have their health and safety needs met while Jer and I are at work, but it is also where they go to play, make friends, be silly, and grow and learn about their world.  Their “school”, our school, is much more than a day care center for my boys.

As I left the event to go home and squeeze my two pairs of chubby cheeks, I couldn’t help but feeling overwhelmingly blessed to have such an amazing place, overflowing with incredible people, available to me and my family.

Many people ask me...

”How can you stand to be away from your boys for so long everyday?”

“How can you stomach the tuition each and every week?”

“Why don’t you just stay home?”

“How can you leave your boys to be cared for by strangers?”

My answers are always the same...

Being away from my boys is terribly hard.  I miss them each and every day, and yes some days it kills me.  This is what our family needs in this season of our lives.  This is our reality.  Plus, I simply enjoy my job.  I love what I do!

Yes, it is emotionally and financially hard to write that check each week, but it is all about how you look at it.  I am happy to pay for a quality education and top notch care for my boys.  Yes, I said education.  We call it “school” for a reason.  The boys are constantly participating in valuable learning activities...even Sweet Baby Jude!

Stay home?  It is not financially possible for me at this time in my life...period.  Because of that I am very thankful and happy to work at a wonderful company that supports my role as a full time employee and full time Mommy. I work because that is what my family needs.  Will it change?  Maybe, maybe not.  But right now, this is how our life works.  Daddy goes to work, Mommy goes to work, the boys go to school, and everyone manages while being happy, healthy and well adjusted.

The “cared for by strangers” question always cracks me up!  Strangers!?!  Are you kidding me?  The administration, teachers and staff who manage and work (tirelessly, I might add) at our school are part of our family, and we are a part of theirs. They have made a point to get to know us and we in return have grown to know them.  Because of this you can tell their “heart” is in what they do everyday...it shows. 

Jack’s teachers know his likes, dislikes and how to make him laugh.  They know that currently a whimper is usually followed by a full blown tantrum, but they also know just how to soothe him.  They know that he is having trouble giving up the paci at home because for some reason Baby Jude gets to have one and he doesn’t.  They know he is obsessed with bockets, bobots and some strange reason, apples at the moment.

The wonderful women who care for Baby Jude everyday know the meaning of all his coos, quirks and funny faces.  They get just as excited about his milestones as we do, and if he hits one while we are away...they pretend it never happened and let us discover it ourselves. They are in love with his infectious giggle the same as we are.

I never worry about the boys’ care because this group of people are truly concerned about the welfare and happiness of the children in their charge.

Yes, some mornings when Cracker Jack is eager to go into the arms of his teachers, I do get a little sad...wishing I was the one who got to spend the day with him...secretly wanting him to cling to me instead.  Then I remember how fortunate and blessed I am that Jack admires, enjoys and trusts his teachers...completely.

That thought alone changes the outlook of my day, and makes it so much easier to walk way.  With a smile on my face, I leave knowing that my children will not only be watched over throughout the day, but TRULY loved.