Tuesday, December 20, 2011

It's the little things...



Ok...I had to post this.  Being a stay at home mom really is awesome.  I truly believe that it is a privilege to stay home with my crazy...er..um..sweet little ones.  The only thing is that it does become monotonous as I am sure any job does.  It's day in and day out of cooking, cleaning, grocery getting, driving to activities, changing diapers, laundry, never really sitting and did I mention cooking and cleaning?  Cooking and cleaning are the bane of my existence these days it seems.  Sure I know my kids love me but it's just that everything my we do for them is just, well, second nature now.  I rarely get any recognition for what goes on around here.  It just gets done.  I don't get paid and I don't get thanked very often.  It's ok.  I'm totally not complaining I am just merely speaking the truth here.

Well it's funny how you receive just a little thanks and recognition and it makes everything so right again.  It makes me almost want to do the laundry.  My 9 year old is such a softie.  He came home today with this letter for his Dad and I.



As I read I was fighting this little lump in my throat and my eyes got teary.  To hear your kid thank you for cooking and laundry was just to much.  I am always trying to be cautious as to not spoil my kids with things.  I always want them to know how lucky they are to have the things that they have.  It's sometimes hard to tell if they "get it". This letter confirmed that at least my sweet 3rd grader is aware of how lucky he is and he is thankful. 

This letter seriously made my whole month.  I love how he signed it, "your son, Jake L."  Just in case I didn't know who Jake was he had to add the L.

Jules

Friday, December 9, 2011

7!?




My middle little punk is 7 today!  Life has been a true adventure since this little one entered into our lives.  I am unusually cool, calm and collected today.  When it is any of my 3 boys birthday's I am usually a little blue and weepy.  So far today I am perfectly hormonally balanced! We are unfortunately having a sleepover party tonight for his birthday.  I'm sure by tomorrow I will be blue and weepy but from lack of sleep.

There are so many ways to describe Brady.....ALWAYS the life of the party, will literally do anything for a laugh (even if he has to risk getting in trouble for it), feisty, full of life and energy (can't sit still to save his life), compassionate, self conscious, lover of carbs and sweets, smart, sensitive.

Brady has this blessing and a curse of being enormous for his age, hence the nickname, "Moose."  He weighs around 10-12 pounds more than his older brother. It is a blessing because he is pretty athletic and good at sports for his young age.  He has really good hand/eye coordination.  The curse of it is that people think he is 9 or 10 but most definitely doesn't act like a 9 or 10 year old.  I feel like people are always judging me thinking-what is that 15 year old doing acting like a 6 year old?  Well maybe they don't think he is 15 but you get the idea.  I even have to remind myself sometimes that he is only 7.  Because of his size people really do expect more from him.  Hopefully everything will all even out eventually.

He is beginning to be an excellent reader.  It's so amazing to me to watch my kids learn how to read. The difference between August when school started and now is crazy and it's only been 4 months.  This age is so fun because they absorb everything in school and they still like it.  Brady is always eager to do his homework and do it correctly.  He takes time and is meticulous with his work which is impressive to me.  Some nights I am thinking to myself good God just finish already!  But he won't finish till it's right.  He didn't get that from me!

Brady is artistic.  I am amazed sometimes at things I will look at that he has drawn.  It is odd to me because I can't draw a straight line and either can his Dad.  There are alot of creative/artistic people on his Dad's side so I guess one of my kids was bound to get that gene.  I really try to nurture that in Brady.  He is also really creative when he plays.  I find him in his room or in the basement by himself alot just playing a made up game with himself.  I love that about him.

He's not so much into video games like his older brother.  He would much rather be doing something outside or playing with someone.  The boy just has so much energy that I honestly think it's hard for him to sit still and play a video game.  Even if he is watching t.v. He is usually upside down on the couch.  He's literally upside down.  It drives me crazy.  If he's not upside down then he is moving in some way.  Maybe a leg twitch or a foot twitch.  When he is tired is really the only time he may be still.  I truly take full advantage of his tiredness because it is the only time he will let me hug on him.  He generally hates me to kiss him and hug him but when he's tired he will let me sit with him with my arms around him.  He's just so dang big that he can't really sit on my lap anymore :(.  He does like me to still read him stories in his bed at night which of course I LOVE!

Right now he is really into Lego's and anything with professional wrestling.  He does try to pull out the wrestling moves from WWE when he is out back on the trampoline with other kids.  He is the one who usually ends up crying because he got hurt.  I hate it but I kinda think it's funny.  Is that mean?  He also is into Tom Brady and we got him a Tom Brady jersey for his bday.  He thinks it's cool because it says, "Brady" on the back.

To celebrate my little man we are taking a small slew of his buds to a Japanese Steak House for dinner then back here for a Star Wars Party and sleepover.  Please wish me luck and a teeny tiny sleep for tonight!


Wednesday, December 7, 2011

TEACHER'S GIFTS!

Does anyone else wait till the last minute to purchase gifts for teachers?   I always do and I don't know why.  I love my kids teachers and they are the people that almost spend more time with them than I do.  This year I was very organized about it.  I always procrastinate and then buy a stupid gift just because I didn't know what else to get.

I saw these coffee cozy's at http://www.houseonhillroad.com/.  I love this blog and have followed it for years.  She even gives you a free tutorial.  I tweaked it a bit making my coffee cozy's reversible.  I have a total of 5 teacher's to buy for this year and I thought this gift was thoughtful, economical and c'mon...who doesn't like a handmade gift?  Of course I made some extra's for some other friends and one for myself.  I can't wait to go to Starbuck's and use my new cozy!   I thought this coffee/tea cozy and a giftcard to Starbuck's would be a nice gift this year.  I hope so anyway!



Jules