I Want To Remember This

Last night I was fixing dinner, fish and sweet potato fries. I heard some of the sweetest words from Jadon.

A little background first, usually when I fix dinner I get hit with I don't want that or I don't like that. Which I usually follow by saying, "sorry that's what we're having" or "yes you do, you at it and liked it the last time we had it".

Jadon at times just doesn't want to eat what has been picked for him to eat. Maybe this is another way his independance is trying to manifest. But, from the beginning I've never planned to make more than one meal for my family to eat. What I fix is what's for dinner end of discussion.

So, back to last night while fixing dinner Jadon came to the kitchen and here is our conversation:

Jadon, "That smells good."

Me, "Thank you Jadon."

Jadon, "You are a gooood cook."

Me, "Thank you Jadon."

Jadon, "I like your food."

Me, "That makes mommy feel good that you like her food."

Jadon, "I do."

So, the next time I hear complaining about the food I'm fixing I will remind myself of this night when I was a good cook.

Mommy Down 1, Daddy Up 1

I knew this day would come. Todd even helped prepare me for this day when we found out we were pregnant with a boy.

The day where our son would want more to do with Daddy than Mommy. Up until recently, for the most part, Jadon and I have been like peanut butter and jelly. Now, it's him and Daddy.

He wants to go with Daddy everywhere, he wants Daddy to take him to bed, he wants Daddy when he's in trouble, it's all Daddy.

I've done quite well with this whole change thing. Until today when he was telling stories to Daddy and he was telling him about his castle and that the top floor had two gold chairs and one red chair, the gold chairs belonged to Jadon and Daddy and the red one belonged to Haven. My chair was yellow and on the middle floor.

I've been demoted. Not only is Jadon growing up and needing his Daddy more, I've lost status even in his stories.

So, I've become the mom that lives on the middle floor all by myself.

At least I still have Haven and Jude for a little while longer. I will cherish the time I have with them wanting Mommy and Mommy being the greatest thing since tutti fruiti dessert baby food.

News break: My spirits are somewhat lifted by Jadon coming into the living room while I am typing to let me know I could be the Mommy and Todd could be the grandpa; he and Haven are playing house. Take that Daddy!

We All Had A Little Jump Mania

I met a dear friend from school and her daughter and son, which are the same ages of Jadon and Jude, for a playdate in Springfield on Friday. Jump Mania just opened a few months ago and is full of inflatables. It's a very nice set up, with inflatables for all different ages, and tables set up all around for the moms and dads to sit at while you try to keep an eye on your child. One of the things I like best is the measures they take to make sure no one can leave with your child but you.

This was our first experience at this new, wonderfully busy with kids running every where place. I'm not usually a paranoid mom, but I do like to have vision of my children in public places at all times so my heart did a little racing when I realized that wasn't really possible.

I did my best and when one of my children got lost and stuck in the largest of the inflatable obstacles I went in after her. Thankfully my dear friend, if that is what she would be called at that moment, did not have her camera right then. Otherwise there would probably be pictures of me trying to climb through an area they call "the squeeze".

It's exactly how it sounds. There is a short wall that you have to climb up while another part comes down, so you have a very small area to get through. An area that even Haven had a hard time getting through, but duty calls and you do what you need to do, right?

I'll just say Haven was threatened to not go in that inflatable again.

Jadon was such a good big brother, walking behind Haven while they climbed up the wall. This is Jadon trying to make it through the squeeze. The same one I had to try to fit my body through. Jadon and Haven along with my friend's daughter. This is a friend Jadon made while there. After we left he asked me if he could take his friend to Cubbies. There was even an area for Jude to crawl around and toys for him to play with. Can you tell his excitement?

Family Time

Todd called me yesterday at work and said he had requested to take half a personal day from work. He wanted to go on a family date. I love that about him, he is so thoughtful and in tune with the needs of his family. We had needed a time away from the house with just us.

Our options were Silver Dollar City if it didn't rain or plan B, to be determined later, if it did rain. Well, it was raining just a little so we made the decision to take the kids to the Butterfly Palace in Branson. Jude has not been feeling well so we left him with Mema. That was hard for me since it was suppose to be a family get away. But he needed sleep more than seeing butterflys.

We took a huge risk leaving at 12:30 and skipping naps all in the name of family fun time. With my kids naps are very important so it was very risky if they would be in a good mood or not.

They had no idea where we were going so when we got there it was so fun to surprise them.

It was a great time and we enjoyed the butterflys, the frogs, lizards, maze of mirrors and the 3-D movie on how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. The maze of mirrors was hysterical, we would be walking along and then there would be a "thud". One of the kids had walked into the mirror.

The 3-D movie was entertaining, we even learned the mating rituals of the praying mantis and then it ended with the butterfly getting ate by the praying manits. It disturbed Jadon a little bit that the butterfly was eaten.

The butterflys flew around free in the butterfly room. The frogs and lizards were enclosed in glass aquariums.

One of the many butterflys we saw and a frog climbing on the glass.

Jadon and Haven making funny faces. Jadon liked the butterfly hanging out on him, Haven wasn't so sure, after a few seconds she was ready for it to be off.

The maze of mirrors - Todd and I both thought how much trouble would we be in if there were actually 2 Havens. The picture of Jadon turned out to be an accidentally really good picture.

Hanging Out

I wanted to show some pictures I got of the kiddos just hanging out at the house. Haven was in a particularly cooperative mood for taking pictures. I rarely catch her in those moods and then usually when she gives in she announces very clearly she's done after 2 pictures.

So, enjoy. I enjoyed getting several of them together.

I had to throw some of just Jude in there he's such a happy baby and this is usually how you find him, smiling. Also, his new favorite thing to do is sit. He will crawl for a little while and then sits and smiles and laughs.

Potty Training

We are at that time we have started potty training Haven. I really wasn't sure how this whole thing would go over with her. We joke sometimes about the two sides of Haven, the Smeagol side and the Gollum side (Lord of the Rings).

It was definately time to start because she had gotten to the point of asking us to clean her bottom after she went in her diaper.

I have a policy, when they start asking to be changed and cleaned then it's time for them to learn to start using the potty.

We started on Friday and it was rough at first. We would set her on the potty and she would scream repeatedly, "get off!"

We made it through to Sunday and it started to become easier. I kept up with it while traveling on Sunday and Monday. It kept getting better.

Then on Tuesday and Wednesday she had only one accident throughout the entire day. And as I type this she has not had any accidents today. She even just woke up and is still dry.

She's even going poo poo on the potty and telling us when she has to go.

I'm so proud of her and what started off rough has ended fairly quickly and with no battle wounds.

Way to go Sister!

Labor Day Weekend

After church on Sunday evening we headed down to Thayer for a much needed visit with our friends the Hirsch Family. It was a great weekend of just hanging out and Todd was able to have theological conversations with Gary and Lynette's parents. He was due for one of those conversations and I'm just not good for those kind of conversations.

Jadon and Bekah

Haven and BelleJude and BethanyThe whole gang

I Will Survive

This has been my motto for the past two weeks.

Even now as I sit here to write about what has gone on I'm having troubles finding a starting place.

Last week I had one of those weeks that you do silly things just from pure exhaustion. I actually went to take a shower and forgot to take clothes off. Someone, please wake me up! I might need to start taking some caffeine. Then, I'd just be a jittery, exhausted person.

On Friday was 5 years since we lost our precious Karis Rose. As every year the Lord revealed more of Who He is to me. On the day we were remembering our little girl a wonderful, sweet woman from church lost her husband. I hurt for her as I remembered the day we lost Karis.

This lady was one who so fervently prayed for us after our loss. At the visitation I went to her and hugged on her and we talked about this weekend. Exactly 5 years ago we lost our daughter on the 29 which was a Friday and Labor Day weekend. We buried her on Tuesday because Monday was a holiday.

I proceeded to tell her that we could get together every year and before I could finish my sentence she responded by saying, "rejoice."

Joy, that word has different meanings to different people, but to her I saw where her joy comes from. Her joy comes from the Lord and that is why she can say the word rejoice while at her husband's visitation.

I told Todd I want that kind of joy. I look forward to gathering with her and rejoicing in the lives and deaths of our dear loved ones.