Jones has been fevered, since Saturday afternoon. Around 5 o'clock today, though, he finally cooled down enough to climb off of my lap and start playing for the first time in three days.
He saddled up on his buddy Bullseye - which was a total Tractor Supply impulse buy from the nite before the nite before Christmas. He said, "Ride away, Bullseye!" and when Bullseye DIDN'T "ride away," Jones looked at me, all confused, and said, "Eet's not werking!"
Finally, he figured out how to put a little pedal power to his pony. He also invited his brother to join in the fun ("Come on, Buzz," he said, channeling Sheriff Woody).
It sure was good to hear my big boy back at play. I've missed his sweet little silly spirit these past few days. When I put him to bed tonite, his temperature was normal for the first time all weekend, so here's hoping this ugly bug has run its course.
Also, I'm realizing how much I sound like Scooby Doo when I laugh. Just listen...
I'm going to hijack the boys' blog to tell the story of That Time Their Mama got to Meet Amy Grant.
In case you don't know, this is kind of a big deal.
Here's why:
When I was five years old and living in Anderson, SC, my sister took voice lessons taught by a guy named Joseph Lundkovsky. At least, I think that was his name. His name is immaterial. His impact on my life, however, is significant, because one day, he sent my sister home with a cassette bootleg of Amy Grant's "Age to Age" album.
He gave it to Sissy, I assume, to help her learn some songs, and it worked. We ended up learning the songs - in fact, I'm STILL singing those songs - and, being five, I assumed that the fact that we knew her songs must've meant that we knew her, so pretty much, I grew up thinking Amy Grant and I were best friends.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago. After years of ridicule for my unashamed love for AG, I was told I'd get to meet her before her Greenville concert with Stephen Curtis Chapman. It might surprise you that I received this news with mixed emotions. While I was excited - SO excited - to meet my lifelong hero (and really, REALLY grateful for the opportunity), I also knew that a 33 year-old bubble would burst when she didn't ask me out for a post-show dinner or even look at me with the same kind of recognition that I'd show her.
But that's not how it went down at all. I've been terrified of the total fool I was sure I'd make of myself when I saw her. My parents, my friend Leslie, and I walked into the pre-show meet and greet at the Bi-Lo Center (It'll ALWAYS be the Bi-Lo Center to me). As soon as I saw Amy, I got a little emotional; the tears welled up. "Oh, no," I told my people. "This is gonna be ugly."
Somehow, though, I pulled it together. When she got to our place at the end of the line, I didn't cry. I didn't hug her. I didn't even use the word "obsessed." I just made small chit chat about how we'd both gone to Furman and, "Welcome back to Greenville."
I have never been so proud of myself.
Nor have I ever been more relieved that someone I've loved from afar for so long seems just as lovable in person as she is in the press.
Also lovable was Stephen Curtis Chapman. I didn't really know much about him, until the show, but he definitely won me over at the meet and greet.
When I posted a picture of me and Amy on Facebook, my friend Amanda reminded me that I've now met three of my heroes - Ashley Judd, Toni Collette, and, now, Amy Grant. That hadn't occurred to me, but she's right. As Amy Grant (who sits atop my Hero Hierarchy) might say, "Baby, I'm the Lucky One."
If you know me, then you know how near and dear I hold my friend Brooke. She and her family just bought a house in Nashville, and now that they have an extra bedroom, they may never get rid of the boys and I - especially not if every visit ends up being as fun as the one we had earlier this week!
I prepped the boys by telling them we were going to see Baby AJ. I'm not sure Jones completely understood.
"Goin' see the BABY! ... Baby Jonathan!"
I have absolutely ZERO idea where he got the name Jonathan, unless he's been eavesdropping on my calls with my friend Leslie who has a nephew named Jonathan. If not that, then, how? Regardless, he'd go on to call AJ "Jonathan" more than he called him "AJ," which was kind of hilarious and which will probably become a running joke between AJ's mama and me.
The boys and I had our typical "Tuesday with Daddy"lunch date on Monday instead. We headed out immediately after. I'd thought that, in so doing, the boys would sleep for the bulk of - or at least SOME of our drive. As you can see, Jones was VERY tired when it was time to hit the road.
"What are you doing?" "Sweeping. Yeah. I close my eyes, and I can SNOOZE. I am tired. Nite nite, Mama! I wah oo. Oh, we not take a snooze yet. I wah oo. Take a good rest. I'll miss you. Have a good snooze."
When we pulled away, I told them to take a snooze. Before he could, though, Freddie said, "Ghost!" and Jones said, "GHOST??!? I awake! I awake! I awake!" Ghosts have become prevalent around these parts with the addition of "Stooby Stoo" to our entertainment canon.
Finally, the boys DID fall asleep ... about 45 minutes after we left Waynesville. They proceeded to stay asleep for about an hour, which left another three hours for them to ... take in the scenery. Jones handled this relatively well. Freddie, on the other hand ... did not. About forty minutes out of Nashville, he finally lost his mind. I, in turn, lost mine, too.
Before that, though, we drove through the tunnel in the Tennessee Gorge. The boys LOVE tunnels. I blame Thomas and the many tunnels on the Island of Sodor. When we got through the tunnel, Freddie said, "Again. Tunnel. Again." As if I could just circle back around like you do when there's no wait for the ferris wheel at the fair.
We finally made it to Brooke's adorable abode; when we did, we were greeted by Brooke and AJ, as well as my Furman friend Liz. Now, if there were such a thing as a Cuteness Olympics, Liz would win the Gold Medal, and there wouldn't even be a silver or a bronze, because no one comes even a little bit close to the cuteness of Liz.
We visited with her and her boys for a little while, and then, it was time to play a little before dinner. Jones was instantly OBSESSED with "Baby Jonathan." He'd do his little, "He's so cute!" face where he puts both hands right up on either side of this lips. All three boys played AMAZINGLY well together, though Freddie was definitely more stand offish with AJ than Jones was. They spent a lot of their time riding their bikes and tractors in this great playroom off the kitchen.
When bedtime came, I'd thought that Jones and Freddie would fall quickly asleep. After all, we'd had a long day; Nashville is on Central Time, and they only had a one hour nap. That's not exactly how it all went down, though. They were both bunked up in the spare room, and they two of them talked for THREE.STRAIGHT.HOURS.
These boys, who have been in bed by 7:30 almost every nite of their entire lives, stayed up until 10:30, talking to each other from one Pack and Play to the other. At one point, Jones was crying, because his tummy hurt. I heard Freddie, whose heart is truly ten sizes too big, saying, "JoJo kay?" Or when JoJo would get quiet and it'd seem like he was falling asleep, Freddie'd wake him, saying, "JoooooooooooJoooooooooo" in a super sing-songy voice, and the whole thing would start again.
The next morning, they were at it again - 5:30 a.m., I heard Jones say, "Freddie! You 'wake?" Needless to say, they were separated the next nite. Freddie's Pack and Play fit perfectly in Brooke's guest bathroom, and the three of us slept SO.MUCH.LONGER.
Jones ADORED AJ's sock monkey jack in the box,
which Jones carried around calling "the monkey box."
To have had the long days and shortened naps that they did, our three toddlers held themselves together amazingly well. They loved playing together in "Baby Jonathan's" bed - the best part probably being his "TV"with its non-stop Baby Einstein show. On Tuesday morning, the boys were playing in the crib when Jones saw Brooke's husband, Michael, walking down the hallway. Jones said, "Wook! It's dat baby's dad!"
Well, what's HE doing here?!
The rest of the day was spent doing a photo shoot in Brooke's backyard and another one at her parents' farm. The pictures she got are PHENOMENAL. I always think my boys are being completely uncooperative when she shoots their pictures, but she always manages to get so many great ones. I don't know how she does it. I also don't know where I'll put all of the prints I want to get from this shoot (will post my favorites as soon as I get them in the next few weeks).
At the farm, Freddie took to the tractors and the animals as quickly as I expected him to, and Jones was as standoffish as I imagined he'd be - though he did start to warm up just before it was time to leave (of course). That nite, the boys went their separate ways at bedtime, while Brooke, Michael, and I watched the UK / Alabama game (which Michael was thoughtful enough to DVR for me!) and then a Mike Birbiglia comedy special (which convinced Brooke and I that, if AJ was gonna be "Jonathan," Jones should either be "Jonesie Bag of Donuts" or, more simply, "Joe Bags").
The boys slept long and hard in their separate rooms (and I decided to delay bunking them up together at home, because OH, MY GOSH, if they slept that little every nite ...), and we headed home the next morning after an amazing, incredible, absolutely awesome stay.
If Brooke and I said it once, we said it a million times how grateful we are that our boys were such quick and easy buddies, and I was honestly AMAZED at how all three kept it together, in spite of all being out of their routines and in new places and with new people. They just acted they'd known each other forever - and, given the volume of time their mothers spend on the phone with each other, they pretty much have.
Both of my boys were instantly warm to Brooke and Michael, as AJ was with me. And while it was EXHAUSTING keeping up with three toddlers who were, most of the time, sleep deprived, it wasn't STRESSFUL. They were, by and large, very agreeable and obedient and made me want to nurture their little relationship, because EVERYBODY needs a baby "Jonathan" in their lives (I swear I'm gonna quit calling him that ... some day - "Joe Bags & Jonathan" is going on a t-shirt, I'm telling you that).
I think I've captured everything from our first (of many, I hope!) visits with the Morgan family. But Brooke, if I've left anything out, please let me know!
Oh, and when we got home, it was very nearly bedtime (mercifully). As soon as he got to the top of the garage stairs, Freddie headed to his room to get his "SHOE MON!" The foot fetish remains in full effect. The boys then watched a little tv, and when I could tell they were at the end of themselves (because they started chronically disobeying), I sent them to Freddie's room while I got ready in the bathroom.
A few minutes later, just as I was thinking how well they were behaving by staying in the room, Jones ran down the hall and said, "HELP! We made a mess! It's a ghost (told ya we have a lot of those around here)!"
I walked in to Freddie's room (which was neat, if not, necessarily, clean before we left) and found EVERY.SINGLE.DRAWER AND LAUNDRY HAMPER HAD BEEN EMPTIED ONTO THE FLOOR. "We tried to make a rocket ship out of clothes," Jones explained. He then immediately said, "We need to clean it up."
Yeah. That'd be nice.
The boys proceeded to clean up the disaster they made, and while, clothes-wise, I have no idea what's clean and what's dirty, because it's all been crammed into two big baskets in Freddie's room, and I have NO idea when I'll get around to sorting it, I was SO proud that they cleaned up their mess - and of their own initiative!
I told them when they were done that, while I wish they hadn't made that huge mess, I was REALLY proud of them for admitting to it and cleaning it up.
Somehow, these two are really, really good boys. There are definitely moments when I have to pull the car over ... twice ... in ten minutes (please see above), but for the most part, they give me a lot to brag about - and oh, so much to remember.
Joe Bags with "the monkey box"
On the way to the farm, the boys sat
three across. When AJ cried, sweet Freddie
handed him one of his Matchbox cars.
"Here go," Freddie says.
I am so far behind in blogging that I'm not even sure how to get caught up. I'll just start with some pictures (and a story or two) from this week and try, maybe (but probably not), to finally post all of the anecdotes I've been wanting to write about after the boys are in bed. I'll be honest, though: the boys and I are leaving for Nashville tomorrow morning, so I'm way more likely to pack for the trip than to catch up on my all-but-forgotten blog tonite.
1) LIBRARY TIME.
I think I've blogged before about trying to teach the boys (read: FREDDIE) to sit and listen when I'm reading. He's finally starting to want to read; he just doesn't want ME to read. He'd rather do it - and just about everything else - himself. In his defense, he's getting to where he'll sit on Jones's bed and make it through a book and, sometimes, two, but his cooperation is definitely not a slam dunk.
Partially to test how he'd do listening to someone ELSE read and partially to have something to do that wasn't within the four walls of our house, I thought we'd go to Story Time at the Waynesville Library this week. We went once last summer. The boys seemed to like it, but we haven't gone back.
So Wednesday, we went.
During the book time, the boys actually did remarkably well. They weren't perfectly silent and still, but they were close enough to perfect to make me proud of the progress they (read: FREDDIE) have made. It was the non-book time that things got a little dicey.
They did a smart board program, and the boys were just THOROUGHLY uninterested. They paid absolutely ZERO attention to the lesson on the letter V - except for when they showed a picture of a violin and Jones shouted, "Look, Mama! It's a GEE-tar!"
They preferred playing to listening to the lesson. At one point, Freddiie was on Jones's back like he was on horseback and then Jones, somehow, flipped him over and pinned him.
Honestly, Y'all. I have NO.IDEA.
I was excited, though, when Freddie wanted to take a turn to write on the whiteboard. After the story, they gave all of the kids a chance to come up and write. Jones was, not surprisingly, out from the beginning. After hesitating for a few minutes, though, Freddie walked up to the front and took his turn, which ... let's just say he didn't want to end. He didn't pitch a fit or anything, but I had to walk up and lead him away from the board, because he'd have been just as happy to stay up there indefinitely.
2) BATH TIME
3) WELCOME HOME, DADDY!
More than once this week, Jones has called Jeremy "our friend Dada." For instance, he came home Wednesday nite (bearing dinner, bless his heart!), and Jones told me, "Wow, Mama! It's our friend Dada!"
4) PLAYING AT MAYME & POP'S
Jones loves to watch his "shadder." That's what he's doing here.
These next few pictures make me think, "Ho.ly.cow. My baby boy looks so grown up!"
I thought Jones was going to smell the flowers ... and then he spit on them.
5) PLAYING OUTSIDE
It's finally getting warm enough to play outside. It's a good thing, too, because we've been holed up inside for so long that there are parts of my house we can't even walk through.
I told a friend that, if Jones ever joins a 90s alt rock band, this (below) is gonna be his album cover art.
Or one of these.
I had no idea how sad Jones looked until I put these
on my computer! I have no idea what was bothering him.
He was acting completely fine!
Two big things happened, while the boys were playing outside. The first is that Jones FINALLY mastered pedaling. Up until now, he's powered himself like Fred Flintstone. He could pedal AT MOST a few seconds at a time, but today, he was able to do it for some extended time, and I was so proud.
The second thing that happened was Freddie took a hard fall from the railroad tie onto the concrete. He didn't cry - but whimpered for a split second before sitting up and kissing his own knee (like so). "Do you need Mama to kiss it," I asked. "NO!" he responded forcefully. "I will kiss it."
Contrast that with Jones. At the park on Saturday, he must've (lightly) scraped his finger on something. He put it in my face and said, "Can you kiss it?" That Felix and Oscar thing doesn't end with the way they eat.
6) PARK
Finally, we went back to the park today for the first time in a long time. The boys had a ball. In fact, Jones wanted to swing the whole time, while Freddie preferred to slide.
Jones wore his Super Man t-shirt (handed down from my friend Stacey's boys) for the first time. When we drove by a tractor on our way to Jeremy's office after they played, Jones said, "That's a John Deere tractor!" I said, "Are you a John Deere man?" (typically, he tells me, "I a John Deere man" without even being asked), and he said, "No. I a SUPER Man."
Jones has been fevered, since Saturday afternoon. Around 5 o'clock today, though, he finally cooled down enough to climb off of my lap and start playing for the first time in three days.
