a Moment for Mama

Who says selfies are just for teenagers?!

(This blog isn't about me, but it IS for me and by me. That's why I'm posting this anecdote - and others like it - that I want to remember as much as I do stories about the boys. You okay with that? Thanks for understanding.)

I know my husband is handsome.

What I'm learning more and more, though, is that he's also really wise. Take, for instance, last nite. I was whining, complaining about having a less-than-stellar week of Weight Watching, imagining that a few caloric improprieties would lead to double digit gains in the same amount of time it'd take me to polish off a Papa John's pizza. After doing the diet so well for so many weeks, I didn't just fall off the wagon. I took the wheels off of it.

Son of a beesting.

Jeremy doesn't know this, but I complain about these things to him in hopes that he can somehow fix them.  Can't he erase the calories? Doesn't he have a pill I can take to undo what I did? Well?!? DOESN'T HE?!!?

He may not have a pill, but he did make me feel better. Sitting on the window seat, pulling on the legs of his flannel pajama bottoms, he said this:

"Even the best rounds of golf have some bogeys in them."

Well, now.

Why didn't I think of that?

Freddie's His Own Best Friend.

I've already shown you how Freddie "found" himself in the mirror.

I haven't, however, shown you Freddie finding himself in the mirror. This morning, I caught my favorite little narcissist in the act of checking out A-Number-1.

Freddie's Found His Voice.

When Jones was just a little older than Freddie is, he started making this sound. It was like a dolphin - or a squeaky wheel - or the title character in that movie that my sister used to love about a vocally-challenged angel.

Yesterday, Freddie started making a sound of his own. At first, I couldn't tell if it was a cry or a laugh, but he's continued to do it today - a lot - and since it's never accompanied by tears, I'm thinking it's just his way of saying, "Hey, Y'all. Let's get this party started."

Yes, Freddie Bear. Let's.

Not-So-Much-Fun in the Sun

I couldn't wait to get Jones in Mom & Daddy's pool today.

It was to be the first time he'd been swimming, since last summer, and, much as he loves a bath, I just knew a ginormous "tub" would be better than watching every episode of "Chuggington" on an endless loop, while drinking chocolate milk.

Apparently, I'm not as smart as I think I am.

Instead, Jones was PETRIFIED of the water - terrified, clinging to me, while his brother sat happily in a portable swing just under the shade of the covered porch. I tried the new pirate-themed boat I bought him. I tried the "Puddle Jumper" lifevest. I tried everything short of promising him a koozie full of Coca-Cola, and nothing seemed to help ... until it did.

Time is what it took. I started out holding a screaming child in the hot tub, hoping he'd get so distracted by watching the big kids play that he'd forget the "horror" he'd been subjected to. As his wails died down, I put him in the pirate boat. Eventually, he settled down enough to let go of my arm and, even, to smile. 

Or maybe he'd just figured out that the quickest way to get out of there was to let me get the pictures I wanted, so that I'd let him out of the water? Actually, I didn't let him off the hook that easily. Our living at Mom and Daddy's most of the week means that the little man is going to HAVE to get used to a pool, because he's going to be in it a lot this summer. We've also got a beach trip coming up, not to mention various weekends to spend at Lake Chatuge, so I'm committed to getting him to warm up to water, no matter how cold it may be.

He ended up out of the hot tub and into the big pool for an hour or more, so I think we're on the right track. 

We'd better be.

Fair is fair.

If Jones's first ride on a John Deere gets a post, shouldn't Freddie's?! As a second child, I say a resounding, "YES!" I'm trying really, really hard to do for Freddie as I did for Jones. I must say, however, that I'm beginning to sympathize with my mom, who can tell you the first time Sissy picked her nose but can't remember how, when, or if I started to walk.

I love this picture, because Freddie's face makes him
look like a cranky old man. He's neither -
cranky OR an old man!

You're forgiven now, Mom. I get it.

Anyway, let me start by saying that this weekend was exquisite. God outdid Himself. The weather was just incredible - immaculately sunny but not yet humid enough that my hair got frizzy.  In a word, "perfect," as the frizziness (or not) of my hair is how I measure the success of most things.

We spent a good amount of time out and about as a family, which I absolutely loved. First, we had lunch with the Pressleys at Sid's on Saturday,  After the boys' naps, we drove out to Lake Logan, stopping by the Meadowbrook playground on our way back home (Jones still loves swings but remains deathly afraid of slides ... even when accompanied by his thumb and his mother). Jones spent Sunday afternoon at Nan and Pop's, and when he got home, he spent some time "helping," as his daddy did some yard work.

Freddie came outside, too, after his nap. Jeremy took the opportunity to introduce Brother Bear to the thrill-a-minute of riding a tractor. Of course, Jones rode along, too (typical).  The ride didn't last long, because Jeremy wasn't sure how well he could steer with both boys on his lap, but at least, Freddie got a little taste that will, hopefully, hold him over until he's a little bit bigger.

Let me point out that my hope is that Freddie's rides with Daddy are relegated to tractors only. By that I mean, NO JETSKIS (you hear me, Jeremy?!?)!

I love this picture, because of the way Jeremy
is looking at our Freddie Bear.

Pretty nice little Saturday

Cause & Effect

Because of this ...



... this.

Jones loves "Jake & the Neverland Pirates." Well, Jones loves the credits of "Jake," anyway. Whenever he hears the theme song, he stops what he's doing and does this dance, usually throwing one arm in the air, just like Jake. Most of the time, he loses interest after the credits. But for those thirty seconds, he is completely enthralled.

The first time Jones noticed character merchandise of any kind, it was a Jake soap dispenser. We were at Wal-Mart when he saw it and pointed to it on a shelf. When I handed it to him, he laughed and pulled it to himself. Wouldn't you just know it, Santa ended up bringing him that very soap dispenser (how did he know?!)!

Today - again at Wal-Mart - I saw some more merchandise that I thought might make Jones as excited as the "Jake" credits. I was on the market for some summer jammies, and these seemed like the perfect choice.

You like?!

Little Boys Blue

To show Jones and Freddie's support of Andrew and Aaron Harrison's decision to return to UK next season, I wanted to post some pictures of my favorite little boys in blue.

I've already discussed it with his Pop: Freddie's first visit to Rupp Arena will be for Midnite Madness next October.

MAN, my Mayme would be lovin' this!

On, on, U of K!

Two things

1) Jones loves a rocking horse. He has two at Mom & Daddy's, one that they gave him for Christmas and another - larger and with springs! - that's been in the family, since Camden was a little cowpoke.

The larger one is right by his bed, and most of the time, he'll stand up in his crib after a nap and point at it, wanting to take a quick ride as soon as he wakes up. 

The other he's just getting tall enough to climb on himself. This morning, he mounted the stuffed steed and sat on it, while he and Brother got one of several daily doses of "Imagination Movers," a show on Disney Junior that I can't quite figure out but that Jones just loves. 

I thought he'd have trouble getting off of it on his own. I let him try (taking all that "Raising Boys" reading to heart!), with me sitting close enough by to catch him should he start to fall in Freddie's direction, and he figured it out, all by himself!

2) The elevator that I mocked Mom & Daddy for installing in their house has saved my head on more than one occasion! With two babies - one of whom, as I've already mentioned, can walk but won't - it's the only way I can safely get them both to the same place at the same time.

Typically, I'll sit Jones on the floor of it and hold Freddie while we ride. Whenever we get to where we're going, though, Freddie and I will step off, and Jones will stay in, sliding shut the folding door, as if he's after some alone time. He does this without fail. Every single ride. Not only is it precious, it's also practical! I'm able to put Freddie down, knowing Jones is safely contained in a wooden rectangle whose buttons he can only reach when I'm in there with him.

Win-win.

While we're talking buttons, let me just say that his favorite is the light switch. If it's just me and him, I'll hold him; he thinks it's the funniest thing in the world to cut the lights off ... with the hand that's not attached to whichever thumb he's sucking. 

(As with the rest of these posts, these stories aren't meant to be poetic; they're just meant to be my reminders of sweet little moments with my sweet little boys.)

"On the fro-o-ont porch with you ..."

It's been the longest, coldest Winter that I can remember.

Finally, today was warm enough to get outside. Since Lizzie Gray was over, she and Jones spent some time on the front porch swings. Because I'll do anything to get a good picture, I started squirting the two of them with a spray bottle. The results were the smiles I wanted and an excessive amount of merriment.

See what I mean?

Jones's Baby Book

I'm not sure I put as much time into my dissertation as I did into Jones's baby book. In spite of that, there are STILL things I'd change about it; nevertheless, here is a link to see the book made to commemorate my first son's first year.

Now, the pressure is on to do the same for my second son.

Heaven, help me.

 

Click here to view this photo book larger

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Guess what, Y'all ...

... Jones can WALK!



Don't be deceived. Just because he CAN walk doesn't mean he DOES.

He took his first steps just a few weeks before he turned 18 months. I'd been in Spartanburg all day for a Teach Them Diligently Convention, and the boys were with Jeremy's parents. Jones took about four steps that evening but didn't do it again for a few days. Here we are almost a month after that, and crawling remains his primary mode of transportation. The doctor says he's physically fine, but he's sending Jones to physical therapy to see if the therapists can give us some exercises to do that'll help get our boy up on his feet more regularly.

Until then, I just watch this video over and over again to remind me that he CAN do it, even if he won't!

Freddie's New Friend

(I'm just going to pick up blogging and pretend that it hasn't been nearly four full months, since the last time I posted anything. Please just play along.)

Freddie Bear made a new friend earlier this week. After I changed his diaper, I sat him up on the changing table (which, while we're at Mom and Daddy's, also doubles as a dresser), and he spotted himself, all full of flesh and wonder.

Luckly, I had my camera on hand, because I got some of my favorite pictures of him yet!