Summertime!

Summer is here!  And oh, how I love summer!
I love the sunshine, I love the heat, I love going to the pool.
I love the way my little boys smell when they come inside at the end of a hot day. Sunscreen and sweat mixed with chlorine.
I love the smell of fresh-cut grass and flowers blooming.

Jackson, Cole, and I have spent the last two afternoons at the pool, and we are loving it.
Jackson pretty much picked up where he left off last summer, and was ready to go off the diving board right away.
And Cole loves the water, and I am chasing him around much of our time there.
Even better than that, this afternoon both boys fell asleep on the way home from the pool-and slept for almost 1.5 hours!!
I am hoping for repeat performances much of the summer.

"Give me the splendid silent sun
with all his beams full-dazzling.

Leaves of Grass (1855; 1891–92)"

Author: Walt Whitman (1819–1892)

How Do I Love You

How Do I love You? Let me count the ways.
I love you as the sun loves the bright blue days.
I love you as the bee loves a fragrant flower.
I love you as the thirsty duck loves a sudden shower.
I love you as the bird loves a song to sing.
I love you as the waking bear loves the smell of spring.
I love you as the cat loves a sunny sill.
And as the dancing snowflakes love the winter's chill.

How Do I Love You? Let me tell you how.
I love you as the nest loves the sturdy bough.
I love you as the sea loves the sandy shore.
And as the ancient world loved the dinosaur.
I love you as the wind loves its own sweet sound.
And as our friendly Earth loves to spin around.
I love you as the moon loves each shining star.
I love all that you will be and everything you are.

"How do I love you" by Marion Dane Bauer.

Jackson turned 5 today.
I think five is a milestone birthday.  I do not feel like he can be a little boy anymore- starting school, and other such things.  He will, however, always be MY little boy.
After church this morning (which came after a special breakfast of-you guessed it-Peanut Butter and jelly Waffles and chocolate milk), we came home and ate lunch.  Grandma came over and Mom, Dad, and Jax went to the movies.  We saw "Kung Fu Panda 2".  Then back home, and off Dad and Jax went to play some miniature golf.  Ryan and Jeana came by with gifts for Jax, Grandma too left something on the front porch for him.  And he opened Grandma and Grandpa's gift when Grandpa got here after work.  His motto for the day was "It's my birthday, and I get to do anything I want today!"
Grandpa swears Cole said "car" today.  I have not heard it, so waiting to add it to the still very short list of words.
I predict Cole's hair is going to bleach out this summer and we will have a platinum blond on our hands by August.

Handsome Little Liar

I knew this day would come, but I have not been looking forward to it.
Today, Jackson lied right to my face.
TJ picked Jackson up from summer school today, and Jackson said he had a hamburger, muffin and a Gatorade for lunch.  When they got home, I asked Jackson what he wanted for lunch, and TJ said he had already had a hamburger. Jackson verified this.  I was surprised because I was under the impression that they only had a snack at summer school.  So, he did not eat any lunch at home.  Tonight, when we are putting Jackson to bed, he informs us he did not have a hamburger at school, just a muffin.  Are you kidding me? So, now, not only has my child lied to me today, but I have failed to provide three meals for him.  I don't know who I am more angry with-Jackson or myself, for not calling the school and verifying the hamburger story. Didn't even occur to me, since Jax is not in the habit of lying, at least not that I know of.

Punishment-I think I am going to have to take his snack money away for tomorrow. He will be devastated.  I don't know if I can do this, since all of the other kids will be eating snack, I will feel bad that he can not get one.  Oh, I will think about it in the morning.

Lost on the First Day!

Today was Jackson's first day of summer school at Coleman.  I dropped him off this morning at 7:45, and afterwards, he was supposed to ride Bus #2 to St. Paul Daycare (I had to work).  He was really excited and felt like such a big boy getting to ride the bus to daycare.  Well, there was a pop-up thunderstorm at about 12:30, and since the kids were supposed to get out at 12:45, they held them over-creaing mass chaos, I am sure.

Meanwhile, I call St. Paul at 1:30, just checking to make sure Jackson got there safely from his 1st day of summer school ever.  Because of the storms, not all of the busses had arrived yet, but they thought the Coleman bus had already been by, but I was told to call back in 15 minutes and check again.  After the longest 15 minutes of my life, I called St. Paul back.  As a parent, the worst case scenario was running through my head.  They had lost my child on the very first day!!

Jackson and one other pre-K child had been put on the wrong bus at Coleman, and when the bus driver ran out of stops on his route, he still 2 kids on board.  Jackson and Taylor.  He asked Jackson where he was supposed to go after school, and Jax said "St. Paul Lutheran".  The bus driver called the school, then the school called our house (Kenz was here babysitting), she said Jax is supposed to go to St. Paul, so the school called the bus driver back, and he took them to St. Paul.  I called St. Paul back within moments of the bus arriving, and Jax and Taylor were eating lunch.  Praise the Lord!!

So, Jackson, must have been listening this morning when I told him, more than once, to take the bus to St. Paul.  I feel like my worst nightmare nearly came true, but my independent little guy showed me he can handle a situation that would have scared many kids older than he is.

Cole has spent the last 2 days at home with Cousin Mackenzie.  Apparently, he was really good for her, and they had lots of fun.  They played outside, and in the sandpit-Mackenzie learned firsthand that sunscreen and sand do NOT mix well.  And that Cole loves to turn lights and fans off and on-it could entertain him all day-I am not exaggerating.  If only there were light switches in the house that he could reach.

Best Buds and Boredom

Finally, everyone is asleep!  Okay, all the little people anyway. 
Today has been nothing out of the ordinary for us.
This morning, when Jackson came downstairs, he saw that two of his neighborhood friends were already outside playing.  Zed and Amir were playing basketball in their driveway as their parents made the final preparations for their summer trip--to Jordan-the country.  We went over and played for about 30 minutes before they left.  They go to Jordan-where they are from- for the entire summer. They will be back the day before school starts.  I tried to explain this to Jackson, but I am not sure he quite grasps how long they will be gone. I have a feeling he will be asking if I think they will be playing outside tomorrow morning when he wakes up.

Later this morning, I asked Jax if he would like to have Papa over while Mom and Nana went for a walk, or if he wnated to go to Papa's house to play.  To Papa's. 
"I love playing with Papa. He's my Best bud." 
So, I am trying to corral him into the vehicle 15 minutes later to go over there, and for the third time, I say,
"Jackson, please get in the car!  I do not like having to repeat myself".
"Well, Mom, I do not like being bored"
"When are you bored?"
"Anytime I am not playing"

Grandma Harper came over and kept the boys this evening while Mom and Dad went to a dinner party.  I came home just in time to put the boys to bed.  Grandma had already laid Cole down, but he was still rolling around after about 10 minutes, then he started to get mad.
So I did "THE VERY BAD THING!"  I went in there, picked him up, and rocked him to sleep.  Oh, the feeling of a baby falling asleep in your arms has to be one of the best feelings- complete trust and love captured.  I do not get to do this very often, since we teach our kids to put themselves to sleep from a very young age. 
Would have been even better if he had stayed asleep, but I had to back in there three more times.  We determined he was very hot (room temp not fever). The last time I went in I wiped him down with a cool rag (had the air on for a while by this time), and he is finally sleeping soundly.  I think our air is on for good this time.

Dad's Birthday Bash

Another crazy week here.

Jackson had preschool graduation today-a whopping 14 minute ceremony.
It was really cute, all the kids had little hats and they sang a few songs, then got to walk across the stage and receive their "diplomas".  We have really been blessed to have found such a wonderful preschool for him, and will be requesting Mrs. Schmeisser at St. Paul Lutheran Preschool when it is Cole's turn.  Hard to believe that little boy whose birth I remember so vividly-like it was just yesterday- will be starting kindergarten in a few short months.
He starts summer school next Tuesday, so he will be able to acclimate to riding the bus and knowing his way around his new school, Coleman Elementary.  I hope he enjoys it.

This evening, we went over to Denny and Connie's for TJ's birthday bash.  Even Cole got a little ice cream-lucky kid.

Wednesday (the 18th) was TJ's 32nd birthday.  TJ got a little golfing in in the afternoon, and then he and I went to KC (Lacey rode down with us), and we met David and Jana, and Lacey's fiancee, Steven Adams.  we ate at Tomfooleries on The Plaza, and then had Coldstone Creamery Ice cream, and then did a little shopping.
Jackson and Cole stayed home with Nana and Papa and had a blast, I am sure.  Jackson could hardly wait to go to their house.  All day long, he was asking me, "How many hours 'til we go to Nana and Papa's house?"-and then again five minutes later, the same question.  Early onset Alzheimer's???  I think not.

Cole may be even more ornery than Jax-we will have to wait and see. His favorite thing to do right now is to push the button on the carbon-monoxide detector in the basement, and then run from it, chuckling.  It makes this terribly loud alarm beeping sound and I think he only does it because the rest of us cover our ears, and tell him "NO, NO"!  He is not deterred at all. 

When I See You Smile

When anyone asks me if I have any children, I always say that I have 2 little boys.  But that is not entirely true-a more appropriate response would be 2 little boys have me.  And that they do.  They are my identity.  Before I am anything else-a pharmacist, a runner, a friend, a wife, a daughter-I am a Mother.  This is how I think of myself. 

They make me laugh, they make me cry (happy tears), and I find myself smiling when I think of them throughout the day.

Cole has a couple of new tricks he has been trying out on us.  He has started walking backwards, and of course since we laugh, he keeps doing it.  he also thinks it is hilarious to get down on the floor and roll until he runs into something, and then turn and roll in another direction until he runs into something, repeat-you get the picture...

Jackson got a new bike this week, and we have been threatening to take the training wheels off of it since we brought it home.  I have him talked into Tuesday being the Big Day!  We are going to go to a empty parking lot and try out our new set of wheels, sans trainers. 

When I See You Smile (as sung by Bad English)

Sometimes I wonder

How I'd ever make it through,

Through this world without having you

I just wouldn't have a clue

'Cause sometimes it seems

Like this world's closing in on me,

And there's no way of breaking free

And then I see you reach for me

Sometimes I wanna give up

I wanna give in,

I wanna quit the fight

And then I see you, baby

And everything's alright,

everything's alright

When I see you smile

I can face the world, oh oh,

you know I can do anything

When I see you smile

I see a ray of light, oh oh,

I see it shining right through the rain

When I see you smile

Oh yeah, baby when I see you smile at me

Baby there's nothing in this world

that could ever do

What a touch of your hand can do

It's like nothing that I ever knew

And when the rain is falling

I don't feel it,

'cause you're here with me now

And one look at you baby

Is all I'll ever need,

you're all I'll ever need

Sometimes I wanna give up

I wanna give in,

I wanna quit the fight

And then I see you baby

And everything's alright,

everything's alright

So right

 

Spring

Jackson is having trouble listening. Not hearing, just LISTENING.
I repeat myself so much I feel like I am schizophrenic-talking to myself.  It is no wonder Cole will not talk, I have to say the same thing so many times, he probably feels conversation has no meaning.
Mostly, Jackson does not listen when he is asked to do something he is not yet quite ready to do.  Like, Say, come inside from playing at the end of an evening, or maybe come home from the neighbors when it is time to take a bath.  Another example, letting the water out of the bathtub when told and brushing his teeth when asked (and these are all just in the last 2 hours). My list goes on and on.  Tonight his punishment was losing his bedtime books, which I hate taking away from him, because I really want to instill a love for reading.  But, it is also one thing he really feels is punishment. Sending him to his room does no good. He is a pretty good self-entertainer. 

Both of the boys got haircuts yesterday-it was time.  Jackson's is so thick that he looks like he has a helmet on-think TJ's Senior pictures, and Cole's gets long so fast I was afraid he was probably really hot (it has been 90 degrees here the last few days).  They look really cute, but Nana likes their hair long, so I am sure we will have at least one critic.  At least Daddy will be pleased. Cole looks so much like my Dad when his hair is really short, it is so funny.

I think Cole might have said "Dog" this evening, but I am waiting for a repeat performance before I add it to his very short list of words.
Jackson's writing has really improved recently, and he made me a very special Mother's Day card he wrote himself.

Some goings on in the world recently.  Easter has come and gone, Prince William and Princess Katherine of England are married, Osama bin Laden is dead, and Spring has definitely sprung.  It is hot. 
True to form, both of you boys want to spend every waking moment outside.  I am so glad, but I am also sure I should probably be buying stick in a sunscreen company. We go through a spray bottle about every 2 weeks around here in the summer months.
Cole has a penchant for walking in the street.  I am not sure what is so enticing about the street. The concrete looks the same to me, but when he gets close to the street, he takes off at a sprint so that he gets there before anyone has time to stop him. 

They keep me busy. 

I will stand by you
I will help you through
When you’ve done all you can do
If you can’t cope
I will dry your eyes
I will fight your fight
I will hold you tight
And I wont let go

Rascal Flatts-Won't Let Go