Mobile Man & Show-off Jeb

It's official...now every marble,every rock, every dust speckle, every crumb of food, and every toy that Jeb litters around the house is hazardous to Caleb's health. He is not "crawling" but he can roll to anywhere he wants to be...it is SCARY. I have dreaded this--ha...he tore down Jeb's tower today...the first of many. Jeb was not a happy camper about his kicking legs.

Caleb is not sure if he likes peas or if he doesn't. My homeade baby food is working out great--the peas, squash and green beans are a bit grainy, but he is eating them well despite that fact.

Caleb is good at primping...it is pitiful...the primp heard round the world! It i really manipulative! I have put a picture of his poor, poor, crying self on here...I'd do anything to stop that!

When Jeb was little I was totally devoted to having sparkling floors. I am not sure how this child is going to stay healthy, when the floors are yucky and there is enough food for a small country under Jeb's seat some days.

Jeb had Grandparent's Day at his school. He was SUPPOSED to be singing...but like he always does, he was putting on a stellar sideshow. He tugs his pants, pulls up his shirt, and my personal favorite--playing peek-a-boo with his audience. He also put up his hand to stop the show and several occasions...not sure what that was about? He also talks to himself up there...I guess that is a nervous tick.

Zippety Doo-Dah!

Jonas recently added a zip-line to our fun and FREE stuff to do around here. Jeb says, "Mama, I want to go zip." The picture here was taken during one of his first "zips". He loves it now and has mastered putting his feet up, twisting around, and not hitting the tree at the end with any part of his body--which is good! The kids really enjoyed it after small group the other night. One child even did it with a broken arm--amazing! Speaking of small group--we are so blessed to have an awesome group of 6 other couples that are so fun and so sweet to be around. It is just the right people and just the right number of people. God is so good. We are going to be dive into God's Word and see what he has to say about disciplining our children.
Also, you see a picture of the BIG BAG that Libby and Mom gave me for my B-day. So cool--big enough for even children to fit in! I love it! It is the ultimate pool bag.

Daddy Time

Everyday when it gets to be close to 4 Daddy arrives and the boys are excited. Caleb does some flapping and Jeb is doing everything he can to get Jonas' full attention. It is crazy. If he tries to talk to me there is always someone crying or jumping on his back or Jeb is saying Daddy....about one hundred times in a row. We have finally broken him of grabbing Jonas' face. The poor guy about had his neck broken! I have attached some pictures that show what it is like in the 4 o'clock hour!

Wild Ride

Our family is really striving to keep Sundays rest days (it is sooooo hard), but it is hard for people like us to really, truly rest...so we often do family activities after "naps/resting period." Last Sunday, we had planned to go to the river and take Jeb tubing....but we left church at 12:41 and quickly realized that Jeb was rank and that the Chatooga would be COLD! So we decided to ride the horses. We started at 3:30 and at 6:00 we were on all three horses and headed out. By 6:10 were off the horses..not by choice. PJ apparently did not like that Patty got caught up behind him and he started bucking...Jonas bailed with Jeb. Both were unscathed--thanks to GOD! I carried Jeb back to the barn/shop on my back. Since I was the one out chasing the two horses that are hard to catch I was pretty POOPED! We tied Jack up, but he didn't stay that way so I had to catch him and take all the tack off...thank goodness Jacob showed up to help me load it--that stuff is heavy. Still, we ended up getting Patty to the corral for Jeb to ride all by himself. He liked it, but in hindsight he would've liked the river and we should have gone. Another Sunday that ended up to be not so relaxing and peaceful. Maybe next week! Jeb and Jonas are planning at camp out at the creek this weekend with friends--should be interesting!

Still swinging ...confessions of a desperate mom

I know, I know, I promised that I would not allow my second child to swing all night long until he was 6 mos old. But, Alas, my desperation set in. My second child is indeed not swinging all night, but all afternoon. He is 5.5 mos and yes, the aquarium swing is still a rockin'--all afternoon. He sleeps in his crib at night and even for his morning nap. But, the swing is once again my ticket to some peace. And, you know what, this time I don't feel guilty at all. Swinging never hurt a soul! D-batteries are not cheap, but the peace I feel from 1-2:30 is worth every penny. Well, that and Scooby-Doo buys me some peace in the afternoon since Jeb is not taking naps. So between the D-batteries and the Ti-Vo I estimate that an hour of peace for me is costing us about 50 bucks a month. Ha!

Plague of Crickets

What a sleepless week. The baby has been sleeping better and now we had CRICKETS in our house. At about 10pm (when we are getting ready to crash) as little whistling started each night. Well, let me back up, the first night...I guess they all hatched or something we were awakened in mid-slumber--about 2 am. We looked around our room and generally belly-ached about the serenading. The next day we went to war. Jonas killed 3 before bed that night...one on the molding, one downstairs, one, yes, behind some books in our room...he was the ring leader, the star singer, keeping us up all night. There was just one more that we kept hearing and last night we sent him packing...finally a quiet, peaceful night around here...even the baby slept till 5am! Oh the joys of country living. These things were TINY. But, when they all started singing it was an awful noise. I like camping and hearing water rushing and crickets singing when I am in a tent, but they are NOT WELCOME back in my house!

Scooby Doo

Jeb's latest declaration:
"I am going to start eating more meat so that I can fit into my Scooby-Doo PJ's soon."

Thanks Ashley for passing those down. He is pumped. He got on the scale and weighs 31--this is big for us! So, he ran down the hall and low and behold--THEY FIT! Anything to get him to eat--

After small group last night, one of the sitters came to me and said that Jeb was so funny and that he had more facial expressions than any kid she has ever known.
Now that would not be that big of a deal if so many other people had not used those EXACT same words. A pediatrician that plays on my tennis team said that before he was one! Maybe he will be the next Brad Pitt--he sure does love drama and babies--ha! See pics for just a sampling of the many faces of Jeb!

Oh happy day!

Hey, today is my big 30th b-day. What a day! It is pretty dreary and I was changing pee-pee sheets around 6:30 am. However, at 4am when Caleb awoke to nurse God had already put a new song in my heart. This is sooooo odd. I woke up at 4 am singing a song, as clear as day, that I used to sing at GA camp...now that was a LONG time ago.

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tride and true.
And with thanksgiving, I'll be a living, sanctuary, for you.

WOW! What a way to start a birthday. I hope that this year I will be in constant praise and worship for another wonderful year of blessings. And even in the not so good ole days I pray they will not make me weak--but brave and even more faithful. I realized as I shared my 9 things last night as small group (3 places, 3 events, 3 people that affected my life) that many of my events have not been so wonderful...yet, GOD has turned many of those shaping events into blessing and character growth. It was quite a epiphany for me. My one positive event with no negative string attached is still marrying Jonas. I know folks are sick of hearing that...but it's true. The birth of both of my kids is also my other event!! WHAT A MIRACLE and privilege to have 2 healthy boys.

Last night, our small group did our sharing--it was risky for so many introverts among us to open up and share...it was even tough for some extroverts. But, the pay off was neat. Many of us have experienced similar heartaches and have a similar focus in our life--family and loving our children. I think it is going to be an awesome time together with them this year.

Smarty Pants

Smarty Pants

Well, I don’t know what happened to my sweet-faced three year old this morning, but starting pre-school must have turned him into an adolescent all the sudden. As I was prompting him to eat his strawberry cereal, albeit over and over again, while he was trying to watch Scooby-Doo he looked at me and said, “Mom, you are getting on my nerves.” I had to laugh!


Caleb is making a new face. He is furrowing his eye brows and it is funny.

I went to the consignment sale and it was great---again! Jeb desperately wants to be a Dalmation for Halloween. So, we have been on the “Intwanet” looking at costumes and bidding on a few on ebay; we lost 2 auctions. Oh, and most of the Dalmation costumes were for girls—yikes. It still did not deter my little man. I think he was almost willing to wear tights—ha! Low and behold there was a BOY 2T Dalmation costume at the sale –for 5 bucks! God cares, even about the little things!

What God is interested in…

A while back Greg O spoke about how God is more interested in your character than your comfort…I wish that was not true…but it is.

As a parent, I should be more worried about holiness than happiness for my kids. What a thought. Too often I let tears and whining guide my decisions and not character development. I should not just make my kids desire to be good—but godly. I should not be happy with sweet, well- mannered kids, but kind, generous, lovely, joyous, peaceful, patient kids…God sets the bar high!

The last couple of weeks Caleb started squealing all the time…it is precious. You know he is awake in his crib when you hear what sounds like fire works exploding upstairs! He is a hoot. He’s so happy he doesn’t know what to do with all his new noises.

Deep Sleeping Daddy

This week when I got up feeling waves of nausea (no I am not pregnant) I said something to Jonas about how sick I felt. He rose up in the bed and said,” blah, blah, blah (I couldn't understand it)'Just print two off…I’ll have to draw you a schematic.'” Hummm…glad he’s not the one up and down all night in that sleep coma he’s in.

Puppeteering!

I have been thinking lately about how kids love puppets; I know that is very strange. So, on the way home from work the other night I thought…why don’t Jonas and I do a puppet show for Jeb? I quickly hatched a plan to make a show about a dog who does not like going to school. Jeb did NOT want to go to school this morning so that is why I chose that for our skit. The cow was the MC and Timmy the Turtle, Harry the Horse, and Dummy the Dog (played by Jonas!) did an impromptu, non scripted, hilarious sketch about why school is fun and all the things that you learn at school. It was so funny that I was laughing until I was crying. Jeb was participating in answering the questions like a champ. He was a fabulous audience. Then, he decided to do his own show…which was even funnier. Jonas tried to put the moves on me while Jeb was behind the “curtain,” which was REALLY a hoot. The whole thing was a memory that I will laugh about for years when I think of it.