Jackson's 4th Birthday

You would think now that I am staying home WITHOUT a gazillion kiddos running around my home, that I'd be better about keeping up with my blog.  The truth is that we have been doing so much lately, that every time I sit down and think about blogging, I get overwhelmed with everything I should post, and don't.  I guess the most major event that has passed is Jackson's birthday. 
I was about 33 weeks pregnant when Jackon's birthday hit. After the Mario birthday party I threw for him in Tulsa last year (that he talked about and asked me to tell him "the story" about at bedtime for months afterwards), I had decided that this year we were going to keep it low key to make it less work for me. I looked into bounce house places and swimming pools, but everything was so expensive and I just couldn't justify the cost for only a few hours. He had requested a superhero birthday party, and I was all set to throw him a standard pre-packaged superhero birthday party, but this is me we are talking about and I just couldn't wrap my mind around something so unoriginal, especially if it is COSTLY and unoriginal.

So...I researched some homemade superhero party games and decided that the theme of the birthday party would be Superhero Training Camp. The kids would complete a series of heroic tasks and then get to decorate a superhero cape and masks as they celebrated becoming "real" superheroes. I invited most of his friends from preschool, sewed simple superhero capes, cut out felt shapes and letters for each child's name, and bought some superhero masks. Here are some pictures to document how much fun we had.

This is the villian pinata I made.  It started out as a cheap baseball pinata from Hobby Lobby, but I painted it.  The kids took turns beating up the bad guy with boxing gloves and then a bat.

This is SuperHero Jackson.  I made some felt masks with each child's name on them and we played pin the mask on the superhero.

This bad guy served as target practice with the dart gun.  The kids had to shoot him to prevent him from stealing the money from the bank.

Here is the one concession to the standard superheroes that I made.  The cupcake tower was all decorated with Batman and Spiderman stickers and decor and I tried my hand for the first time with gum paste cupcake toppers.  I just made standard store bought cake mix and made cupcakes and frosted them with store bought frosting, then made the toppers and stuck them to the top.  Easy Peasy!

Here is a cute shot of little brother Sam, age 27 months, hitting the villian pinata with the boxing gloves at the party.

And well, it was the beginning of September in Texas, so it was hot.  We had to have a water balloon fight to end the party!  My camera was dying so I just clicked away, and you can't really tell what the kids were doing.

 Here is a shot of the capes I made for the youngest partiers, the 2 year olds, Samson and Alex (Bradley Andersen's little sister).  I made their capes beforehand since I thought they'd need a lot of help to make them and that way I could use them as examples for the bigger kids to follow when designing their own capes.

The new superhero squad...

...showing off their successful completion of training camp!  :)

(One game was not pictured - as I mentioned, my camera was dying - the kids had to rescue a "victim" from the top of a skyscraper.  I had spray painted a box black and cut out yellow rectangles for windows and put a baby doll on top.  The kids had to walk ONLY on the yarn spiderweb path to get to the skyscraper.)

Wasting My Potential

In 1984, I was the first and only female kindergartener in my elementary school to be identified and accepted into the brand-new gifted program. 

In 4th grade, I wrote a poem for my teacher, which he loved so much, he had it professionally illustrated and mounted and framed.  Last I checked, he still displayed it on his wall above his desk. 

In middle school, several poems I wrote were published in Young Authors anthologies. 

In my senior year in a high school of over 2,000 students (juniors and seniors), I was the assitant editor and feature editor of the Broken Arrow High School newspaper and won multiple state writing awards for my newspaper articles. 

I also played Varsity Soccer, was on the Oklahoma State Olympic Development Soccer Team for a period, and played on a competitive team as well.  I won a college scholarship to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, a Division I college to play soccer and study Journalism. 

Since college, I have earned an Insurance Agent's License and a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education, become licensed to teach in 2 states, taught preschool, 3rd and 4th grade, became English as a Second Language Certified, and ran a successful business out of my home. 

Now I am the stereotypical barefoot-and-pregnant stay-at-home mom.  And you know what?   I love it. 

There are some who would make denigrating comments toward me (and have to my face and behind my back), insinuating that I "wasted my potential" and that I am subservient to my husband.  These people don't know me very well, do they?

Anyone who knows me would laugh at the absurd idea that I am subservient to Ben.  He would probably tell you that if you would let him in on the secret to get me to be so, he'd gladly pay good money for it.

And as for wasting my potential...well, I suppose we all choose which "potential" we want to develop, don't we?  Sure, maybe I could have been a cuthroat reporter or a famous author.  Maybe I could have used my brilliant mind for some high-paying career.  Maybe that makes some people happy.  Good.  It wasn't what I wanted.  I chose my life, and I choose it every day.  I count myself blessed to be able to stay home with my children, who I love and enjoy (if you can't tell by my multiple facebook posts about them every day).  They make me laugh, and I find no greater fulfillment than seeing the results of something I have taught them.  I am grateful that before I send them out into the world of public school, I can be confident in knowing that the foundation of their selves and all their values came from me, and not some other caregiver who may or may not share my ideologies.  I can know that they were taught more than preschool skills.  They were taught manners, discipline, hard work, perseverance, compassion for others, how to resolve their own problems and be independent, how to control their temper, how to talk to other people in different social settings, that they don't always get EVERYTHING they want and that's okay, how to eat nutritiously, and the difference between right and wrong.  To me, that IS my potential.  That is the potential that GOD saw in me when he made me a mother.  It is my greatest responsibility on this earth.  What good is all the money from my high-paying career if I go to heaven and can't look the Lord in the eye and tell Him I did my best to teach more of His children how to return to Him!  What good is all the status I can acheive in this life if my children grow up to be failures and can't carry on the legacy I create? 

And on a side note, if it is financially feasible for me to stay home, why would I CHOOSE to add stress to all the lives of my family members, but mostly me, by trying to balance the responsibilities of managing a home, plus the role of a career woman, mother, and wife?  By staying home, I not only GET to be with my children every day, but I can remove stress from my husband by supporting him in his career, manage the duties of home, AND still have time to pursue my talents and interests.  Who says that by doing this I AM wasting any kind of potential?  I got my degree.  If anything happened to my husband, I could support my family if need be.  And just because right now I am not focused on a career, doesn't mean that I never can be.  Maybe when my children are grown, I'll go back to school, earn a Master's, maybe even a Doctorate, and go teach in the education department of a university.  Or maybe, just maybe, while I am at home relaxed, and in my creative element, I'll write that children's book I have had an idea for at the back of my mind.

Sam Doesn't Eat!!

Almost every night, Sam refuses to eat dinner.  Doesn't usually matter what we are eating, he is just not a dinner eater.  At all.

We typically eat dinner between 5:30-6 pm.  Sam typically goes to bed between 7:30-8.  If he doesn't eat, our rule is that he gets no treats and nothing to eat or drink except water before bedtime. 

Then every morning Sam demands that we all wake up as soon as he wakes up (usually between 6:30-7) and go downstairs and "eat some brep-pest."  Some days I feel a little guilty letting the boys watch a show so I can sleep in a bit because Sam is always demanding food and I know he hasn't eaten since he woke up from naptime the previous day and had a snack.  (and trust me, I have eliminated the snack and extra drinks in the afternoon and still...he doesn't eat dinner.)  So we come downstairs and I make the boys scrambled eggs and cinnamon raisin toast or Kashi waffles with strawberries...etc.  A good breakfast.  But every morning after making me feel like a horrible mom for not getting up as soon as he does and making him breakfast immediately, he eats only a few bites of breakfast, puts his plate in the sink and declares himself done and cannot be coaxed back to eat another bite.  I could accept that maybe he just isn't going through a growth spurt right now and so doesn't need much food, except that a half hour later he is begging me for juice or a "spe-shal treat" or some kind of junk other than what I served for breakfast. 

I hold strong.  I don't give him what he wants, except to offer him water (which he HATES).  He throws a major temper tantrum and goes to his room.  Yesterday he came right out of his room, and disregarding my warning, asked me for apple juice AGAIN when we reached the bottom of the stairs.  Of course, I made him give me the scripted "What does no mean?" answer.

(When the boys ask us repeatedly for things after we say no, we make them give us the scripted answer.  It goes like this, "What does no mean?"  "No, and stop asking."  It was adapted from the scripted answer my grandmother used to make us say when we'd visit her for 2 weeks over the summer and became exasperated with us.  Back then, no meant, "No, and SHUT UP ABOUT IT!!"  lol)

Anyway, you know what happened next.  He threw a screaming fit, and back to his room he went.

I am so frustrated to start my day this way every day!  Most days I have been awake for less than 45 minutes when I have to deal with this kids temper tantrums, and if it isn't daily, it is at least 5 days a week.  And I am NOT a morning person, so this has been trying my patience.

I will say that by the time lunch rolls around, he usually scarfs it down, then has a drink and a small snack after nap, like I mentioned earlier, but that is it.  A few bites of brakfast and a drink.  Nothing till lunch time.  A big lunch and a treat for eating it all gone.  A snack and drink after lunch.  And then? Nada.  Unless they go outside to play, in which case, they get a small glass of water or juice, because...well, it's Texas and it is HOT!!!

He is a picky eater, but it has come a long way.  He does much better now about eating more of a variety of fruits, veggies and meats which he mostly used to refuse no matter the mealtime.  I used to have to be tricky about getting him to eat things.  But now he either eats it willingly or finds it hidden, and picks it out if he deosn't want it.  I have seen him refuse things for breakfast and dinner that I KNOW he loves!  He just doesn't want to sit down and eat dinner and doesn't eat much breakfast.  Okay, and also, despite all this, my child is not in any danger of poor health and nutrition.  He is about average when it comes to both height and weight and doesn't have any digestive problems or bowel movement issues.

Anyone have any supermom suggestions about things I could try to help him eat appropriately?

Fun with New Friends on the Fourth

Going home and watching the fireworks show in Tulsa with his family for the 4th of July is Ben's favorite holiday tradition, but this year he had to work the next day, so we opted to stay here and go see a local show with our little family.  We chose to go to the Trinity River show which is just ten minutes down the road from our house here in Fort Worth.  We got there at 4:30.  It was roasting hot.  The show wasn't scheduled to start until 9pm.  There were all kinds of fun things to do along the river:  water bounce houses, a live band, lots of food vendors, including complementary water and watermelon, cardboard mat sliding down the hill, and the Fort Worth Cats baseball game in the stadium right behind us.  Plus, there were people floatingthe river and all sorts of other river activities.  With me being 6 mos pregnant, and as hot as it was, I mostly held down our blanket while Ben carted the boys off to fun activities alone.  I felt bad, btu I actually got a little nauseous after hauling so much stuff such a long distance in the Texas July heat.  Sometimes I just overdo it.  Anyway, we happened to notice some new friends walking by!

This is Kajal.  She is recently married to Veer, one of Ben's new resident buddies.  Jackson was instantly enamored with her and was sitting in her lap or doing something to try to impress her all night.  She is a saint, and didn't seem to mind!  :)

Here is Sam, cheerfully enduring the heat.

Jackson and Daddy, resting and rehydrating after a trip to the bounce house.

Here are Veer and Kajal.  Notice that you don't see Jackson in this picture, but don't worry, Sam was stepping up to fill his absense.

My multi-talented Jackson.  It is a wonder Kajal didn't drop at his feet, in desperate love!  ;)

The large pregnant woman holding the blanket down.

I managed to coax him into my lap long enough to take a picture. 

Veer is comforting Sam.  Sam was throwing a fit.  Who knows why.  Sometimes I don't think he needs a reason.  :)

We had a lot of fun with Veer and Kajal, and more resident buddies joined us as it started to get dark.  I am so grateful that Ben works with some really wonderful and fun people.  We've had a few over to our house since then to play games and there were a lot of laughs. 

Ally's nursery...so far

For some reason, it won't let me put these pics in the order I want to, so sorry if you have to scroll around some.

Here is the bedding I decided to go with so I didn't have to repaint all the nursery furniture. After it got here, I painted the walls a VERY light green, which you can kind of see from this picture.

Remember the brown cubbies that were behind my front door when I ran the preschool?  I painted them black, distressed them, and found these super-cute pink fabric bins at Target.  Gonna get a few more of these to fill most of the cubbies, but I thikn I'll leave some empty.  Thoughts?

This is a close up of the quilt and crib skirt so you can see the cute detail I tried to copy on the dresser.

And the dresser after I hand painted (and scrapbook papered) a similar design on it.



The dresser BEFORE...as it was in Sam's pirate room.

Close up of the detail work before I glued on the ladybugs.

Total cost of all paint and bedding:  abt $200.00, but I am betting having Ally in it...is priceless. 

(10 weeks left.)

Independence

Now that I am staying home with the boys without other children in the house, I have decided that it is time to teach them to do more things on their own, especially wth a new baby coming!  So far they have been completely on board, as both of them frequently use the words, "by myself."  As in, "I wanna turn the light off by myself!"  "I want to put my pants on by myself."  "I want to climb up this ladder by myself!"
Here are a few things we have implemented to promote independence and help our day go smoothly:

1.  Jackson now lets Lady out in the morning when we all go downstairs together and lets her back in.  He also gets a scoop of food for her, dumps it in her tray and then takes her tray to the bathroom sink and fills up the other side with water.  He is very proud of himself for taking care of our dog "all by himself"  and sometimes wants to feed her and let her out more than need be.  :)

2.  Sam changes his own wet diapers.  We are on the brink of potty training, I think. I have not been wanting to start since it was such an ordeal with Jackson, but Sam insists that he "need-a go potty"  all the time, so I bought him some pull-ups to encourage him to practice pulling his pants up and down "by himself," and he does.  He announces he needs to go potty, goes in, pulls the step stool up to the toilet, pulls his pants and pull-up down, steps up there and earnestly tries to go multiple times a day (without success so far).  Then puts his own pull-up and pants back on (with occasional help from mom).  When he is wet, he takes his old diaper and puts it in the diaper trash and gets a new one out of the diaper drawer.  When he is poopy, he is usually very grossed out and comes to tell me immediately, but just in case, I check him before he takes off his diaper every time.  He always announces it before he does this, so I have to chance to check him first.

3.  Jackson can get his own juice. (There is a limit to how many glasses of juice he can have.)  I bought a large container with a spout and put it on a low shelf in the fridge.  I keep it filled with half juice/half water mixture (and sometimes just water) and put cups for Jackson and Sam next to it in the fridge.  When he wants a drink (or his brother does), he serves it "all by himself."  Occasionally he does spill it a little when he gets eager to pull the cup out from under the spout, but I just put a paper towel on the bottom of the fridge and change it out ever so often.  A slightly sticky fridge is worth it so see how happy he is to be a big boy and get his own drink when he is thirsty.  The side issues this also helps with is a) drinking out of a big boy cup instead of a sippy cup, b) keeping drinks in the kitchen only (which in turn helps me not to have to clean up disgusting forgotten sippy cups from all around the house).

4.  Both the boys undress themselves for bath, and while I am dressing Sam after removing him from the tub, Jackson gets his own towel, dries off and gets himself redressed in bedtime attire I set out while runing the bath.  This has dropped 5 minutes off our bedtime routine.  Love it!  (I don't know why I didn't do this one sooner, but I guess I just got into the habit of dressing them both myself.)

5.  Both boys brush their own teeth.  I put the toothpaste on (non-flouride still) and turn on the toothbrushes, then I take a short "turn" after they are done.

6.  Jackson gets his own clothes out of the drawer and clothes for Sam in the morning.  He dresses himself and sets Sam's clothes out for me.  We are working on teaching Sam to dress himself too, but this is where we are at right now.  To make it easier for Jackson to do this, I have showed him which drawer his summer clothes are in, and when I put them in the drawer, I put them together in outfits that match so he doesn't end up dressed crazy.  Eventually, I will teach him how to find clothes in his drawer that match, but he's only almost 4 right now, so that lesson will have to wait until he is older.

7.  Of course, both of the boys are in charge of keeping their own rooms and the playroom clean.  They have to put their toys away at the end of the day, but we have been cleaning up our own messes as part of our preschool day for so long, that they really don't question it.  In fact, Jackson was up later than usual last night, and I was rushing through the bedtime routine and he noticed that he had left a bucket of Tinkertoys out on the floor of the playroom, and before I could read him his bedtime story, he insisted that he needed to clean up his mess.  Jackson also hates when there are toys on the floor of his room at bedtime.  I think they leave scary shadows that he is not used to, so before he will go to bed, he will pick them up himself and put them where they go so that everything casts normal shadows while he is trying to sleep.  :)

8.  Do you have two story house?  Do you find that you are constantly picking things up that need to go upstairs and storing them on the stairs for members of your family to put away?  And how often does that happen?  ;)  In my house, our stairs were always a mess, and I was the only one who would take things up and put them away.  So I instituted a basket system.  There is a basket for me, Ben, and the boys, and every night when we go up for the night, we have to take our own basket up and put the items where they go.  Right now we are doing some home improvements to our living room and dining room area.  Ben is going to replace our carpet with stained concrete floors and put in a mudroom area by our front door.  Our stairs are directly in front of the front door, so when the mudroom is complete, the baskets will be stored on a shelf instead of on the stairs.

Well, that is all I've got so far.  If you have any ideas, I welcome them.  I think one of my newest projects will include an incentive chart for good behavior and chores, but I am still figuring out how I want to do that.

Mother's Day weekend

Me: 16.5 weeks, Mom's Cousin Nancy, and my Aunt Sara

I know this is belated, but for Mother's day weekend a whole group of female members of my family booked a scrapbook retreat in McKinney, TX. We had a blast. The original purpose was to spend as much bonding time as possible with my mom. She has been fighting Stage 4 breats cancer for some time now, and although she is now cancer free again, just a few months ago she had so many tumors in the truck of her body that she had a nasty cough and was really limping around. The chemo takes such a toll on her. Thank goodness she is now done with that non-productive clinical trial and is back in the hands of her miraculously capable doctor. Anyway, here are a few pictures to commemorate how much fun we had!!

The 3 generational group of beautiful ladies all stemming from the Whitis family. :)

And my mother, Mollie Conroy, hard at work, scrapbooking in the crop room.