Cute things

Ryan is starting to put together sentences. Generally two words but watching him develop is awesome.

Today we are on our way home, Jack was being very obnoxious and we reminded him of appropriate behavior in the car. He then decided to jam along to the music. After about 10 minutes Ryan decided he was going to annoy his brother. Over and over again he said, "Jack, HI!" After about 10 times Jack begins saying "Ryan stop that's annoying." Then Ryan decides to make his penguin noise, which sounds like "Ackkk Ackkk" Tom and I had to laugh.

As I am putting him to bed tonight he says. "Ryan funny."

Also everytime the phone rings he says "Shorty talk" any indication of how much I talk to my mom?

Keeping up

I guess I started this because I wanted to remember all the things that made me laugh and even cry about my boys. I sat tonight working on a new photo book, because I haven't done one since Ryan turned one, and I realized how incredibly blessed I am . I also realized that I need to take time each day to reflect on the good. So, I am going to try..... ;)

Today the boys and I went out to Albion to see Drumunity. It was an amazing performance geared at kids. We went with Aunt La-La, Anderson and Lilli. I think my favorite part was watching the boys faces as they pounded away on the drums. Of course I could have done without the noise, but hey that's life.

Back to school

Okay so I know that boys tend to not be very good at being sick. I also know that I should not complain. I am very lucky to have a great husband who is very helpful. BUT I would like to vent for a moment.

So I have been sick since Friday. I'm not dying but I am not on my A game. We had a party yesterday. Tom was great for the pre and post party.
Today was my first day of grad school. Tom slept in till 10:O0, I knew he wasn't feeling well so I got up with the boys. Fed them, dressed them, etc. Once he got up I showered and left for school. I was at class from 12-4. I got home and he went back to bed. I then spent the next two hours putting away laundry. Then I had to unload the dishwasher so I could load the dirty dishes from the sick into the dishwasher. At 7:00 I finally sat down to relax.

Wow it's been a day! But honestly I wouldn't change it. I just wish sometimes I could take a vacation from reality ;)

Conversations with an almost 4 year old

Jack is quickly approaching 4. It's weird that you can actually have a full on conversation and he tells stories that are actually quite detailed. Here a a few of his funny ones.

J: Mommy, today Ryan P kicked me in the "knuckles" it hurt so bad.
M: Did you tell Miss Carrie?
J: No, Miss Carrie was driving bus and Miss Kim was going home. So I told Miss Jackie.
M: What happened?
J: She said "Not nice, Ryan go sit on the bench." Then she got me a boo-boo ice and I put it on my pee-pee. It hurts to get kicked in the "knuckles"
M: I guess so


M: Jack, Santa is watching. Do you want to be on his nice list or his naughty list?
J: Maybe his naughty list
M: If you are on naughty list you don't get any presents.
J: Hmmm maybe the nice list.

An indication that my child has too many toys. At his birthday party he opened the Batman Castle that he got last year from Santa.
J: Wow a Batman castle! I always wanted one.
Later when we discussed he already had one he said he wanted to keep it. I tried to explain we didn't really need two and maybe he could pick something else.
J: Yeah but if we keep it, than my baby can play with the old one and I will keep the new one and then I don't have to share.

Every year my close friends and I get together for ChristmaKuh . The kids all got gifts. Addie got a Barbie and some clothes. As the other Moms were cleaning up I was playing with the kids. Also known as stripping and redressing Barbie. Sammy and Jack came over.
S: I want to play with Barbie.
A: There is only one.
S: I want a Barbie.
J: Me too!
Me: Sammy do you want a Ken so that maybe you can play Barbies with Addie?
S: Yea that would be okay.
J: I want a Ken too!

Jack is capable of taking care of himself in the bathroom. However, periodically he will yell from the bathroom "I'm DONE!!" Which translates to will someone come wipe my butt. We get a big kick out of it, because a larger version of Jack used to do the exact same thing. In the middle of Jack's birthday party we heard a "Daddy! Daddy, I'm done." It progressively got louder and more desperate. Turns out other 4 year olds do the same thing. :)

Needless to say they are keeping us entertained and that doesn't even include the stuff Ryan has been up to. :)

Fisherisms

It has been brought to my attention by loved ones that there are phrases that I over use. I am assuming that it is even probably annoying. The funny thing is that I honestly don't even realize that I say them.

• Jack has started saying "Really Ryan? Really?" or different variations of "Really?" When I said to my mother, I don't know where he get's it, she laughed and pointed at me.
• A co-worker gave me a compliment and poked fun at me by saying they "We in awe of my teaching and the fabulous use of "Kay?" Again as innocent as a newborn I said "Really? Do I say it that often." Her response was giggles.
• My good friend Megan has reminded me several times that I say "Dude" enough that people may think I am part surfer.
• If something is funny my token come back is "That's hilarious."
• I know I have said um, uh , ah, enough that a principal wrote it in an observation.

All of this has made me aware that I may not be communicating as a professional or even an intelligent human being. =) I guess I need to be more aware of the words that come out of my mouth.

A few giggles on our account

* Jack will occassionally call people names. Recently he was calling people Taco. I figured it was fairly harmless and then I realized that it could be considered a racial slur........so I told him again it wasn't nice to call people names and not to call people Tacos. We didn't hear "TACO" for awhile and then it resurfaced again. I told him again to not call people names the next day he said to me "Mommy you are a cracker." -Great what's next.

* Both boys are addicted to icecream that they know where it is and what it is. One night after I finished mine I shared with both of them. Jack went to the refrigerator took out an icecream and took it to Tom.

*Jack's stomach has a voice, it is rather deep it randomly says "I'm still hungry" or "My belly is full." It is rather funny.

* In the Smokey Mountains there was a bear statue on the bottom of the stairs. Ryan would not crawl past it, however he did growl at it. I guess he figured that if it wasn't scared of him, he shouldn't mess with it.

* Going into the grocery store Jack asked if he could bring his spider man. I told him yes and he says "This time Spider man is going to behave or it will be a real bummer for him to go to his room. "

*My mom was entertaining Ryan by talking like Donald Duck. Ryan and Jack found it exceptionally funny. The best part is that they try to do it too and Ryan sounds like a heavy breather.

How to tell your son drives with his father

So as I was driving with Jack I realized not once but several times that my son will drive like his dad.

1. "Why are we stopped?" Jack asks
"Because there is traffic."
"Go around it." he responds

2. As I state to a car in front of me, "Nice blinker."
Jack from the backseat says "Yeah you damn idiot."

3. He tells me that is not how daddy does it, goes etc.....

4. Mommy you drive too slow

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