Our family of four boys is now complete. We are currently entering a new phase of life... we just returned to the USA after a full and exciting seven years in Mexico City. We are using this year to rest, renew, and re-envision our next steps. I have a funny feeling, though, that there won't be a whole lot of resting in this busy household of boys. Enjoy an insider view of our daily adventures with plenty of pictures of the most handsome men I have ever met!
From the earliest years of being a Mom I would comfort my little ones after a scrape on his knee or a scratch with the explanation that God would put a band-aid on it to help it heal and feel better. So they have grown up referring to scabs as God's band-aids.
Yesterday Chase took a dive on the street with his scooter, sliding with his chest and elbows (just minutes, of course, after I told him to be careful and he said he never ever falls). He was tough and didn't cry, however, he did cover his scrapes with neon bandages. These war wounds apparently initiated a discussion at school today between Chase and his good friend Christian.
Chase was telling me about it this afternoon and it made me smile.
Chase: Mom, explain to me what God's band-aid actually is. (as he is sticking more neon band-aids on his chest)
Me: well, it is a covering He places there to cover up the cut or scrape so it can heal from inside. It protects the opening. It is also called a scab.
Chase: well, Christian says its just skin growing over top of it and I told him it is God's band-aid.
Me: well, Christian is right and so are you.
Chase: ya. (pause). Christian is kind of right and I am totally right. (big smile and confident self assured nod)
The following video will surely convince you why I feel terribly sorry for any of you out there who do not have one of these little creatures in your home to brighten your days. This one melts my heart a hundred times a day with his spontaneous and sweet "I lubb youuu Mommy" 's. As he grows and changes, I know he will start to say it more clearly so I needed to capture it and freeze forever how he sounds right now. Hudson is sweet and silly and absolutely precious. He is growing up fast, but this is a seriously fun stage of life! I'll let you see the video and then, below, you can read the detailed "Hudson in a 2 year old nutshell" bio :)
He wakes up running and full of energy. He has learned to open doors (help!) so when his eyes pop open in the morning, he hops out of his toddler bed and heads for the door. I used to hear him call or bang from the inside, or I would see his tiny fingers reaching under the door, so I would meet him there and slowly open it up and maneuver it around his body - his fingers would grip the edge and he would dodge past me with a smile and squinty eyes from the light and begin running through the house with giggles. But now, as in the past 2 or 3 days, he has learned to open it on his own so I just hear the pitter patter of little feet and the calling of my name. I scoop him up and try to snuggle but he usually is full of determination to get food!
He is beginning to recognize humor and he is quick to point out "that's funny" to anyone in the grocery store or around the dinner table. He shows no preference :) and usually covers his mouth with both hands and sometimes slaps his knee. Ha! He knows how to ham it up and make all of us laugh and when he gets started he is not quick to stop - he will carry on with silly faces and dancing and all of that. Very fun!
He adores his brothers - asking often throughout the day where each of them is...one by one...by name. "where's Reecer", "where's Chaser", "where's Piewsen", and "where's Daddy". Now he is beginning to answer his own question with a confident little head nod as he replies to himself "at wowk" or "at coool" He also needs to pray at every meal and with thanks lists each of us by name. It is so sweet.
One of my favorite phrases that he uses is "I'nnn okay Mommy, I'nn ok" with an assuring head nod and a sort of sweetly sensitive head half tilt and eye squint. He does this when he gets hurt or in reference to him needing to go poop. He has struggled with constipation these past weeks so it is all a little traumatic for him.
He is quick quick to say "sorry" and pat the one he hurt and give hugs. Overall, this guy is a snuggle bug and I can't get enough of it. He still remains a Mommy's boy without doubt.
He still twirls his hair when he is really sleepy. He takes an afternoon nap - sleeps longer if he goes down earlier, and definitely has a hard, hard time going down if it is closer to the boys coming home from school. One of the best ways to get him to go down happily - is to remind him that when he wakes up, he can play with Reece and Chase. He usually says "ok with a giggle" and dives into his pillow. He has this special routine for me to stack the blankets on his little bed, laughing and saying "now dat one, now dat one" He sleeps great at night - usually goes down at 8 and wakes up around 7 - 7:15 (sometimes he wakes at 5:45 but when I open the blinds and show him it is still dark and that everyone (again, listing the family one by one) is still asleep, he goes back into bed happily.
Hudson loves going to class (or "kass") - when I drop Pierce at preschool he wants to go in and stay. He loves to state his desire over and over again to go to kass as soon as we pull up to the church building. He is beginning to take a big interest in coloring or scribbling on my table :)
He responds well to reason and explanation of things and doesn't usually resist too strongly...yet. He knows certain things well and fills in the blank - like: "first we put on your... BUCKLE" he yells. Or, "no toys at the TABLE". Or: "be careful because you are gonna fall and bump your HEAD"
He love love loves songs when we are driving. He is beginning to form an opinion about which ones he likes and which ones he doesn't. For awhile there we were listening to "wave your flag" 32 times a day. Enough is enough!
The boys loves hockey. He always asks to play - grabs his little mini stick and hangs with the big boys. He takes the wooden tinker toy wheels and forms his own little pucks and whacks them around the house. He has a better back-hand than forehand so his NHL future may be on track - ha! As soccer season approaches I am sure he will follow suit and wanna be like the big boys again.
He loves to be outside - always wants his shoes on so he can be ready to go.
Still a picky eater. Loves candy but is learning to accept the many "no's" he gets with a little more grace.
There is so much to say about my favorite 2 year old. He is simply awesome! A day doesn't go by that I don't think of what a blessing he has been and a true true gift of grace to our family. We love you Hudson!
I got a very special invite to spend the morning - in my PJ's - with Pierce at preschool! It was lovely. We ate breakfast together and then snuggled on the floor in his classroom with a pillow, favorite blanket and favorite Bible story. I loved the one on one time with him and it was neat to look around the room and see lots of Moms reading God's words to their little ones. It was simple, and beautiful.
On a funny side note: I have had to laugh because where I come from, and thus, in my home now, we don't pronounce pajamas with the "awww" sound - rather, it is the way it should be said: with the "aaaa" sound. However, maaa-maaa's in pa-jaa-maa's doesn't fly. So for this week alone, I changed my dialect for the sake of this wonderful little celebration - ha!
Piersen presented me with this placemat and a vase of flowers - he made the vase all by himself and it is the prettiest vase I have ever seen. It will be around for a long, long time. As will the love me and this little guy share! Thank you Pierce for making me feel loved and appreciated. I love you.
We made it through the week of single parenting and are very happy to have Benjy home. I was without my true valentine for the 14th but there was still plenty of love to go around here at home. Here are a few snapshots of my handsome guys on Valentine's day.
Hudson saying "good morning" to Daddy in Mexico.
Huds and Reece checking out the
valentine's day loot from school.
Pierce and Chase
We sugared up on love milkshakes
with extra whipped cream and red sprinkles!
Hudson was thrilled!
Chase thought it was a race to finish it off first :)
And Pierce! Below are pics of our "cookie
hugs and kisses" game. The game pieces began to get
eaten before we actually had a winner!
Some candy treats and loving valentine's words
to each of them from their Mommy.
The brown box was full of deliciously chocolate dipped fruit,
I have a house full of boys. No question there. But...... they are the sweetest boys around.
I gave them the option: buy or make their own valentine's day cards. They all yelled "make!" Whooo hooooo! (see, they are sweet to me.... because of course I am going to love homemade creativity more than commercialized Disney premade stuff - no offense, if that is the direction your family went :)
So they potato stamped blue and white hearts on to lightly colored feminine colored papers (I would not admit to them they were pink and purple - we went with a rose and lilac description to avoid a "grrroooooossssssssssssss" and "nooo wayyyyy" revolt! even then, there were several close moments)
I loved this part about it all: the elementary teachers specifically asked that the kids sign their own names and gave them the option to address them to specific classmates, or to go generic. Reece's wheels began turning and he said out loud, but to himself: it will take up more time delivering them if I have to search for every person.... "I want to label mine" he replied :) Smart cookie!
Chase also chose to list each friends' name on the front. He took great care to make cool swirly heart shapes on each little card.
But preschool Pierce was told very specifically to NOT address the valentine's card to his classmates. I assume it makes it less chaotic to hand them out - I understand that. But Pierce went about things in his own, extremely sweet way. As he was folding and sealing each one with a sticker this morning at the breakfast table, these were his comments: * "I want the star sticker for Sydney because her favorite song is "twinkle twinkle little star and she sings it all the time" :) * "Austin loves snakes. the snake sticker for him" :) * "Miss Sue loves songs so the one with music notes on it" :) * "Jackson is so cool so I am gonna give him this sticker that says "c-o-o-l"" :) * "Miss Marilyn gets the one with teacher things like books and apples" :) * "Maya likes stars so I will give her this one" :)
Isn't that so sweet. He was denied the chance to print each name but he personalized each one in an even more special way. And, yes, he assured me this afternoon that each one got the one with their special sticker on it.
Sweet, sweet boys!
I gotta get working on a special Valentine for each of them...
This post is dedicated to the educators in our family who will surely enjoy this journal entry that Chase brought home to us recently. Each Friday he brings home his Family Journal - a letter written to us that summarizes something he learned that week at school. Follow his thoughts through to the last page - I had to hold back my laugh when I read through it the first time. So cute! Hope you enjoy!
We got this paper from the boys' school... for our Piersen Benjamin!
How can this be?! Although I know how ready this little guy is to be a full time big school boy, I sure will miss having him around.
Pierce, on the other hand has zero doubt about his excitement level to begin this leap into the next life stage!
Yesterday we had a parent/teacher conference with his beloved preschool teacher, Miss Marilyn. She gave him glowing reviews in every area - reassuring us of how kind and hard working he is. A good listener, an eager helper, diligent at coloring his best, and so on. He has his letters down, can count past 35, gets a little mixed up with the rectangle and oval shapes, but the most startling thing Miss Marilyn shared with us was this: she recently asked each of the students in her class what they would like to be when they grow up.
Pierce looked at her with his confident little grin and said: "I wanna be a rock star!"
