Saturday, April 25, 2015
Judah | January - April 2015
The past few months have had a lot of transition for Judah! He went from being the little baby man to being a big brother and it's been tough. He loves his little brother, but cries a lot more easily now (with some wailing episodes whenever he wakes up from his nap) and is missing the affection and Mommy time since my arms are full with baby all the time. I'm hoping that he will adjust as Liev gets older and I have more time for both of them.
Judah has been learning a lot in school this year. We aren't doing anything formal, so he listens in on Jael's social studies and science. He knows his colors, numbers, a lot of shapes, and a good portion of his letters. He sits very well through school time and loves our search and find books at the end. He enjoys reading stories with Daddy every night before bed as well and loves to help Mommy in the kitchen to make food, when she has time.
Judah's favorite past time is to play with his sister. The two of them spend hours playing with their Disney figures and Duplos. They play act all kinds of stories with funny little voices and Jael often tries to convince Judah to go outside with her, but he's usually reticent and prefers the house. He does enjoy digging in the dirt when it's warm out.
Judah continues to be very verbal and articulate. He is a little philosopher and ponders the details of life. He notices every thing and likes to think about abstract ideas (see below quotes). He feels joy and loss very passionately and this can lead to some explosive conflict with his sister, but they tend to make up quickly. Fighting has definitely become an everyday part of life, but we're working on learning to solve things and express ourselves kindly.
So far he doesn't pay much attention to his little brother other than a kiss goodnight, but he is sure to let me know when Liev is crying or kicking or needs nursies. <3
Oh. And Judah is always, always hungry.
Misc quotes:
January 7:
Judah, picking at his food: "I don't like this s'ketti. I like the real s'ketti."
Me: "But Judah, these [rotini] are easier to eat. See, you just pick them up with your fork. Not so messy!"
Judah, with a sigh: "But Mommy, the real s'ketti is good. You just sloop it into your mouth! I like that."
January 13:
A little too much theology at breakfast and my brain hurts. ;) "Only God knows when we will die, right? Do angels die? If all the people on the earth died, would angels live here? If an angel's wing got cut off, would God heal it? Are there angels in our house?" Etc etc.
January 15:
I turned off the radio today after rolling my eyes at Mark Gungor and his relationship "expertise". (Quote of the day: "Women adore tilling the garden of their relationship, sowing it, watering it, watching it flourish. Men don't like working on their relationships. It's just how they are.") Jael asked why I turned it off and I told her I didn't want to listen to that guy talking. She wanted to know why. "Well, he doesn't say smart things!" Jael nodded and repeated wisely to Judah: "That guy is not bad, but he does not know what he is saying and they aren't good things." haha.
January 18:
Judah: "When I am grown up, I will NOT be sca'wed of haiwcuts and and I will watch ads on TV!" In case you can't tell, today included a haircut and a football game, lol.
February 1:
Judah, furrowing his brow and getting ready to roll the dice for his board game: "Big. Money. BIIIIIIIG MONEY!"
Somebody's been playing games with Daddy lately. :P
February 23:
We're getting bored waiting for baby to arrive, so we baked a birthday cake for his birth day. Judah looked at the pretty blue chocolate cake on the kitchen counter and sobbed agonizingly, "This baby is taking HOURS to come, Mommy!"
Don't I know it! :P
April 2:
Car rides with my kids.
Jael: "Why are you going slow? That sign says 30!"
Judah: "Can I have a larry-pop at Twader Joe's? Larry-pops are galicious!"
Jael: "Mommy, Judah says heaven is boring. But he doesn't know because HE'S NEVER BEEN THERE!"
Judah: "Is God as big as the world? Or as big as....a tree?"
Liev: *stares wide eyed at his siblings*
April 14:
Judah is becoming wise in the ways of baby care. This morning he watched me eating breakfast and said seriously, "You should nurse Liev after you eat. And you should eat quickly. Because I see him kicking his legs and that means he is getting cranky!"
Jael | January - April 2015
Jael is almost done with her first official year of school! She learned to read this year (sometime in November-December) and is reading short readers every school day now. She picks up on phonics very quickly, although penmanship can be more of a struggle. She loves our history and science every school day and right now we have finished our textbook, so she gets to pick picture books to read each day. Next week we are going to tour her new school (North Star) for the first time and see if we can get her signed up for a couple classes next fall.
Jael spends more of her time keeping busy with her brother and acting out various imagined stories. (The current theme right now is an 'maginary dragon who directs all their play) She loves to play outside by the chicken coop whenever it is warm, but duplos keep she and Judah busy in the house as well. Jael also creates a multitude of exciting creations out of paper on a daily basis and there is usually bits of paper all over the dining room floor as a result. She is very giving and draws all kinds of cards, books, and pictures for her family.
Jael is a manager and tends to run play time, although Judah isn't necessarily accepting of all her ideas and conflict can ensue. But generally they get along well. Jael is very affectionate and loves to hug Daddy goodbye every morning. She is a lot more independent than her brother and is content to play alone for hours. She is still shy in public and very intense, taking it to heart when small trials happen.
So far, Jael leaves Liev to Mommy and Daddy, but she is a very helpful big sister and regularly fetches diapers or the bouncer or holds Liev for a minute while I do something. Although she isn't quite confident or interested in holding him or interacting with him yet, she likes to mimic Mama's baby care with her dollies.
And Jael just starting asking about a baby sister. Not sure what to say about that! ;)
Misc quotes:
January 13:
A little too much theology at breakfast and my brain hurts. "Only God knows when we will die, right? Do angels die? If all the people on the earth died, would angels live here? If an angel's wing got cut off, would God heal it? Are there angels in our house?" Etc etc.
January 15:
Jael complained today, "Why do we have to stay with Grandma when the baby comes? Why can't we go with? I want to see how it happens!"
January 15:
I turned off the radio today after rolling my eyes at Mark Gungor and his relationship "expertise". (Quote of the day: "Women adore tilling the garden of their relationship, sowing it, watering it, watching it flourish. Men don't like working on their relationships. It's just how they are.") Jael asked why I turned it off and I told her I didn't want to listen to that guy talking. She wanted to know why. "Well, he doesn't say smart things!" Jael nodded and repeated wisely to Judah: "That guy is not bad, but he does not know what he is saying and they aren't good things." haha.
January 27:
Me, figuring out what to wear for an appointment: "I hope this still fits..."
Jael, cheerfully: "It's ok, Mommy, I saw you wear that before when you were fat. It will work!"
February 9:
Apparently I need to add a lesson in subtlety to the lesson about "smoking is very bad"....after Jael walked past a man smoking in the mall parking lot today and went into a fake paroxysm of coughing and gagging and "Something smells HORRIBLE!"
February 12:
I was explaining to Jael that I don't like barbies because they don't look like real people (she has a couple of them passed on to her from her cousin, but I didn't want to buy more). She shook her head vehemently and said, "No, Mommy, they DO look real. They make some that look like you! I saw one and it was very pretty!"
Kind of nice to hear when you feel as huge as a whale. haha. Sweet girl, I guess the whole body image thing is over her head right now.
February 22:
Jael: "Now Daddy, I have lots of friends. But mostly I have boy friends. Elianah is my only girl friend."
Jeff: "Oh? Who are your boy friends?"
Jael: "Ummmm. I don't want to tell you."
Jeff: "Well. This isn't starting well."
March 28:
Liev was fussy this evening, so I was pacing with him in the hallway....when I looked down to see Jael pacing beside me, very seriously patting her doll and murmuring to it.
April 2:
Car rides with my kids.
Jael: "Why are you going slow? That sign says 30!"
Judah: "Can I have a larry-pop at Twader Joe's? Larry-pops are galicious!"
Jael: "Mommy, Judah says heaven is boring. But he doesn't know because HE'S NEVER BEEN THERE!"
Judah: "Is God as big as the world? Or as big as....a tree?"
Liev: *stares wide eyed at his siblings*
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Judah | February - December 2014
Judah: 2014
February 22: My children have very different approaches to prayer. Jael is very matter of fact: "Dear Jesus, help my dolly not to wake up lots tonight. Help Talon [our cat] not to be a whacker. Make my owie better. Amen." Judah takes a melt-mama's-heart approach: "Dear Jesus, help me not hit Jael. Love Mommy, Daddy, Jael. Sleep good. Happy Sabbath. Amen."
February 24: And the snow keeps coming. Judah cried last week when I told them I thought we were done with snow for the year, but I was wrong! Jael is making paper snowflakes and I think we'll make hot chocolate for supper.
March 19: I got Judah's fever/headache/the works and spent the day trying to sleep and on my laptop....and explaining to Judah that I was too sick and would nurse him later. When Jeff got home tonight, Judah solemnly informed him, "Mama's nursies sick 'day, Daddy." And on another note, after eight episodes, I can't get the Friends theme out of my head.
April 2: I told Jeff yesterday that Judah had slept through the night in his room for the first time. Judah was listening and laughed, "Me? I not sleep, Mama!" Yeah. I guess that child knows himself pretty well. (And....he woke up 4 times last night, of course.)
April 4: Definitely Friday. One of those days where the whining and fighting just doesn't let up. After the 587th whiny question from Jael, I told her, "You're sure being a cranky lady today." Not to be left out, Judah chimed in, "I'm a crying sad man today, Mama." (I wish I had a picture of his very loud, animated fake cry. He's got definite dramatic potential. )
April 8: My boy and his expressive nature are going to be a heart breaker someday. This morning during breakfast he sidled up to me, put his arm around my shoulder, and whispered in my ear, "Thank you fo' making this good bweakfast, Mama. I WUV pancakes!"
April 14: Judah had lunch with Grandma today, so I asked him what he'd had when I picked him up. He thought seriously and informed me, "I ated smashed potatoes and bwoccoli plants!" Technically correct, I suppose....I'm just glad he'll eat broccoli!
April 19: Jeff: "Judah, are you big or little?"
Judah: "I little. But someday, I be gwown-up like Daddy. I no will have nursies and I will have a BIG BIG BIG SLIDE!!!!!!!!" Because that is the epitome of grown-upness.
May 9: Judah: "I want to play on that new swing set!"
Me: "No, Judah, it's not safe by yourself. Craigon didn't finish it yet."
Judah: "I will be fine, Mama."
Me: "I don't know, Judah. It's probably not a good idea..." *gets distracted by what I'm baking*
And then I look up out the kitchen window two minutes later and see that little guy hightailing it across the yard as fast as he could. I guess that means he can open the front door by himself!
May 23: Jael's storybook last night asked what she wanted to do when she was grown-up. She wanted to "get married and wear a marrying dress like Mommy" and invited Judah to marry her. He refused with some agitation and informed her, "I no mawwy you! When I am gwown-up, I will climb to the WEALLY TOP of the climbing wall!"
May 25: Jael was working out with me to a Jillian Michaels video routine this evening when Judah wandered by. He looked at the video for a few minutes, looked at us in our shorts and t-shirts, and decided we need some instruction on correct work-out attire. "Mama! You s'posed to be naked!" I guess sports bras and spandex shorts don't count as clothes in his mind, ha.
May 28: Jael: "Mama, yeste'day I was really sad 'bout Ginny [her cat] running 'way from me. And I went to my room and cried and cried. But Talon [Judah's big old cat] came to comfo't me. And he licked away ALL my tears! Judah, are you gonna cry when we leave to skate today?"
Judah, thoughtfully: "Yes. I fink so. I have a muffin, Mama?"
At least he's not worried about it, I guess. lol.
June 3: Today's adventure: speed planting our hills of pickling cucumbers and zucchini. It started thundering and Jael ran to the garage for shelter while Judah danced up down next to me, frantically yelling, "We go NOW, Mama! It funders! It get us!"
June 11: Judah just beat all his previous records for most-horrible-mess-ever. I should have been suspicious when he was so quiet while I was cleaning my room. Came out to find the dirty cat litter box dumped all over the kitchen floor and back porch. And he walked all through it. *gag* No wonder he smelled so bad.
June 18: I could have some real submissions for that "reasons my toddler is crying" blog. Today Jael cried because she is going to "miss my dolly when I'm a grown-up". And Judah cried because it was raining. Not because he wanted sunshine, but because it wasn't snowing. (Made me think of you, Jo )
June 28: My favorite of Judah's new words: "I pwease want a snow cone for bweakfast, Mama!" [scone] Even after Jeff corrected him twice, he's still got it in his head that he loves "snow cones". 2 is my favorite age!
July 5: I turn around for two minutes and Judah is outside, completely naked except for his crocs, picking raspberries. The joys of country living, right?
July 8: Put Judah down. Two minutes later, he is screaming. Jael comes trotting downstairs to get me. Hike all the way up there and he is distraught because - of all things - I only tucked him in with a sheet and no blanket. Which is completely unacceptable. Never mind our long discussion about the fact that his room is 85 degrees, since we just turned on the a/c. A blanket is how you're SUPPOSED to be tucked in. Obviously.
July 19: You know what is impressive? My son will eat raw garden tomatoes sliced on bread with salt. And he's 2. I can't even get Jael to eat cooked ones unless they are completely blended into unidentifiable sauce.
July 25: Judah was on a roll tonight. I told him we needed to go to the garden and pick zucchini earlier and he was entranced. "Mama, I want to go pick bikini with you! I will get a BIG bikini and you get a SMALL bikini. Mama, I think Jael no like bikinis, but I WEALLY LIKE bikinis." OK then.
August 2: This lightning and hot, dry wind are making me nervous. Jael and Judah are watching out the window and shouting updates to me ("That tree almost fell on the shop! Daddy's going to be really sad if it smashes his climbing wall!"). I'm more worried about fire; apparently there's a brush fire in Spokane right now.
August 12: Judah, at Costco: "I want that chocolate thing, Mama!"
Me: "Sorry, buddy, that's too sugary. We don't need that."
Jael, disapprovingly: "Yeah, Judah, that is very bad. It would be like eating cake all day."
Judah: "Ummmm. I see some healfy cwackers....we can get those?"
Judah, after more shopping: "We don't get that, Mama. It have daiwy in it.....we don't get those yucky things, Mama, those are yucky eggs.....I see meat, Mama! We don't eat that stuff!"
I swear I don't lecture them about food all the time or tell him something is yucky. He is so black and white about everything, lol.
August 14: Judah, staring at my stomach: "That baby going to come out of your tummy YET, Mama?"
August 17: Judah, watching Jeff talk to my stomach: "Daddy! You are a silly man. You can't talk to that baby. It's INSIDE Mommy!" *pauses and frowns* "Mommy....is that baby...in your BLOOD?" (He was quite enamored when I said no, it's swimming in water )
November 3:
November 13:
December 15: I think we may have found the magic answer to Judah sleeping through the night. tongue emoticon Jeff noticed that he always sleeps without waking up on vacations or at my mom's house. So we took him out of his toddler bed and put him on his floor in a sleeping bag. And.....he slept through the night immediately and for several nights after! Crossing my fingers that this will stick.
December 19:
February 22: My children have very different approaches to prayer. Jael is very matter of fact: "Dear Jesus, help my dolly not to wake up lots tonight. Help Talon [our cat] not to be a whacker. Make my owie better. Amen." Judah takes a melt-mama's-heart approach: "Dear Jesus, help me not hit Jael. Love Mommy, Daddy, Jael. Sleep good. Happy Sabbath. Amen."
February 24: And the snow keeps coming. Judah cried last week when I told them I thought we were done with snow for the year, but I was wrong! Jael is making paper snowflakes and I think we'll make hot chocolate for supper.
March 19: I got Judah's fever/headache/the works and spent the day trying to sleep and on my laptop....and explaining to Judah that I was too sick and would nurse him later. When Jeff got home tonight, Judah solemnly informed him, "Mama's nursies sick 'day, Daddy." And on another note, after eight episodes, I can't get the Friends theme out of my head.
April 2: I told Jeff yesterday that Judah had slept through the night in his room for the first time. Judah was listening and laughed, "Me? I not sleep, Mama!" Yeah. I guess that child knows himself pretty well. (And....he woke up 4 times last night, of course.)
April 4: Definitely Friday. One of those days where the whining and fighting just doesn't let up. After the 587th whiny question from Jael, I told her, "You're sure being a cranky lady today." Not to be left out, Judah chimed in, "I'm a crying sad man today, Mama." (I wish I had a picture of his very loud, animated fake cry. He's got definite dramatic potential. )
April 8: My boy and his expressive nature are going to be a heart breaker someday. This morning during breakfast he sidled up to me, put his arm around my shoulder, and whispered in my ear, "Thank you fo' making this good bweakfast, Mama. I WUV pancakes!"
April 14: Judah had lunch with Grandma today, so I asked him what he'd had when I picked him up. He thought seriously and informed me, "I ated smashed potatoes and bwoccoli plants!" Technically correct, I suppose....I'm just glad he'll eat broccoli!
April 19: Jeff: "Judah, are you big or little?"
Judah: "I little. But someday, I be gwown-up like Daddy. I no will have nursies and I will have a BIG BIG BIG SLIDE!!!!!!!!" Because that is the epitome of grown-upness.
May 9: Judah: "I want to play on that new swing set!"
Me: "No, Judah, it's not safe by yourself. Craigon didn't finish it yet."
Judah: "I will be fine, Mama."
Me: "I don't know, Judah. It's probably not a good idea..." *gets distracted by what I'm baking*
And then I look up out the kitchen window two minutes later and see that little guy hightailing it across the yard as fast as he could. I guess that means he can open the front door by himself!
May 23: Jael's storybook last night asked what she wanted to do when she was grown-up. She wanted to "get married and wear a marrying dress like Mommy" and invited Judah to marry her. He refused with some agitation and informed her, "I no mawwy you! When I am gwown-up, I will climb to the WEALLY TOP of the climbing wall!"
May 25: Jael was working out with me to a Jillian Michaels video routine this evening when Judah wandered by. He looked at the video for a few minutes, looked at us in our shorts and t-shirts, and decided we need some instruction on correct work-out attire. "Mama! You s'posed to be naked!" I guess sports bras and spandex shorts don't count as clothes in his mind, ha.
May 28: Jael: "Mama, yeste'day I was really sad 'bout Ginny [her cat] running 'way from me. And I went to my room and cried and cried. But Talon [Judah's big old cat] came to comfo't me. And he licked away ALL my tears! Judah, are you gonna cry when we leave to skate today?"
Judah, thoughtfully: "Yes. I fink so. I have a muffin, Mama?"
At least he's not worried about it, I guess. lol.
June 3: Today's adventure: speed planting our hills of pickling cucumbers and zucchini. It started thundering and Jael ran to the garage for shelter while Judah danced up down next to me, frantically yelling, "We go NOW, Mama! It funders! It get us!"
June 11: Judah just beat all his previous records for most-horrible-mess-ever. I should have been suspicious when he was so quiet while I was cleaning my room. Came out to find the dirty cat litter box dumped all over the kitchen floor and back porch. And he walked all through it. *gag* No wonder he smelled so bad.
June 18: I could have some real submissions for that "reasons my toddler is crying" blog. Today Jael cried because she is going to "miss my dolly when I'm a grown-up". And Judah cried because it was raining. Not because he wanted sunshine, but because it wasn't snowing. (Made me think of you, Jo )
June 28: My favorite of Judah's new words: "I pwease want a snow cone for bweakfast, Mama!" [scone] Even after Jeff corrected him twice, he's still got it in his head that he loves "snow cones". 2 is my favorite age!
July 5: I turn around for two minutes and Judah is outside, completely naked except for his crocs, picking raspberries. The joys of country living, right?
July 8: Put Judah down. Two minutes later, he is screaming. Jael comes trotting downstairs to get me. Hike all the way up there and he is distraught because - of all things - I only tucked him in with a sheet and no blanket. Which is completely unacceptable. Never mind our long discussion about the fact that his room is 85 degrees, since we just turned on the a/c. A blanket is how you're SUPPOSED to be tucked in. Obviously.
July 19: You know what is impressive? My son will eat raw garden tomatoes sliced on bread with salt. And he's 2. I can't even get Jael to eat cooked ones unless they are completely blended into unidentifiable sauce.
July 25: Judah was on a roll tonight. I told him we needed to go to the garden and pick zucchini earlier and he was entranced. "Mama, I want to go pick bikini with you! I will get a BIG bikini and you get a SMALL bikini. Mama, I think Jael no like bikinis, but I WEALLY LIKE bikinis." OK then.
August 2: This lightning and hot, dry wind are making me nervous. Jael and Judah are watching out the window and shouting updates to me ("That tree almost fell on the shop! Daddy's going to be really sad if it smashes his climbing wall!"). I'm more worried about fire; apparently there's a brush fire in Spokane right now.
August 12: Judah, at Costco: "I want that chocolate thing, Mama!"
Me: "Sorry, buddy, that's too sugary. We don't need that."
Jael, disapprovingly: "Yeah, Judah, that is very bad. It would be like eating cake all day."
Judah: "Ummmm. I see some healfy cwackers....we can get those?"
Judah, after more shopping: "We don't get that, Mama. It have daiwy in it.....we don't get those yucky things, Mama, those are yucky eggs.....I see meat, Mama! We don't eat that stuff!"
I swear I don't lecture them about food all the time or tell him something is yucky. He is so black and white about everything, lol.
August 14: Judah, staring at my stomach: "That baby going to come out of your tummy YET, Mama?"
August 17: Judah, watching Jeff talk to my stomach: "Daddy! You are a silly man. You can't talk to that baby. It's INSIDE Mommy!" *pauses and frowns* "Mommy....is that baby...in your BLOOD?" (He was quite enamored when I said no, it's swimming in water )
August 22: Very thankful for a husband who gets up with a screaming, distraught 2 1/2 year old who decided at 4AM that he absolutely had to poop RIGHT THEN. At least this potty training concept is starting to sink in. :P
August 26: Jael, instructing Judah on how to play make-believe correctly: "Now, Judah, you must not do any mean things to me. Because I'm going to be your really nice wife. And you can be the good king."
Judah: "OK, I do that. I must FIGHT the bad king!!!!!!!"
Judah: "OK, I do that. I must FIGHT the bad king!!!!!!!"
September 12: Judah came into my room bawling because Jael was mean to him. Then he sniffed, looked morose, and told me seriously, "I fink we should get a diffwent Jael."
September 17: 6:30AM or not, my kids are running around on the lawn screaming and yelling at turkeys. Because our property must be defended from intrusion! (I still can't stop laughing at the bewildered turkey running in every direction. Or the slow ones with Judah charging a few feet behind them all the way to the fence.)
September 26: Judah just climbed into bed with me, snuggled under the covers, and informed me that "You look like Hilda, Mommy." (the hippo) Thank you, buddy, just what I wanted to hear. tongue emoticon To be fair, I think he meant it as a compliment since Hilda was a princess in the last episode he saw. ha.
September 29:
Jael: *takes Judah's toy*
Judah: "JAEL WOCKWELL SCHIWLT! YOU STOP THAT!"
Jael: "That's not my name! That's YOUR name!"
Judah: "No, it's not! MOOOOOOOOOOOMY! MOOOOOOMY!"
Judah: "JAEL WOCKWELL SCHIWLT! YOU STOP THAT!"
Jael: "That's not my name! That's YOUR name!"
Judah: "No, it's not! MOOOOOOOOOOOMY! MOOOOOOMY!"
October 2:
Jael, as we drive home: "Judah, my dolly wants to marry your baby."
Judah: "No! I don't want my baby to mawwy your dolly!"
Jael, with a dramatic sigh: "I know, I don't either. What should we do? Do you have a plan?"
Judah: "I don't know."
Jael: "Well. I will tell my dolly that she may NOT marry your baby. But what if she says she has to? Then I will give her nine time-outs. That will be our plan. And you can come to my room and we will talk to the dollies about this."
I have no idea where this stuff comes from. ;)
Judah: "No! I don't want my baby to mawwy your dolly!"
Jael, with a dramatic sigh: "I know, I don't either. What should we do? Do you have a plan?"
Judah: "I don't know."
Jael: "Well. I will tell my dolly that she may NOT marry your baby. But what if she says she has to? Then I will give her nine time-outs. That will be our plan. And you can come to my room and we will talk to the dollies about this."
I have no idea where this stuff comes from. ;)
October 24:
Jael: "Ginny [cat] ate part of a mouse yesterday, Judah."
Judah: "Yuck. People don't eat mouses!"
Jael, solemnly: "No...but some people eat turkeys."
Judah: "Ewwww! That's gwoss! Bears should eat turkeys!"
(The only turkeys they have seen are the wild ones running around our backyard. wink emoticon )
Judah: "Yuck. People don't eat mouses!"
Jael, solemnly: "No...but some people eat turkeys."
Judah: "Ewwww! That's gwoss! Bears should eat turkeys!"
(The only turkeys they have seen are the wild ones running around our backyard. wink emoticon )
November 3:
Jeff's doctoral regalia came in the mail for his graduation next month. I am ecstatic that he's almost done. Jael and Judah are highly amused. ("Your arms look big and fat!" "Why do you have to wear that funny hat?")
November 7:
Jael: "Judah! There's a fire! Call Fireman Sam!"
Judah: "I will get him! Calling 999! Calling 999!"
Apparently I need to teach them the American emergency number.
Judah: "I will get him! Calling 999! Calling 999!"
Apparently I need to teach them the American emergency number.
November 13:
Cashier at Fred Meyer: "Are you excited for Christmas?"
Kids: "YEAH!!!!"
Cashier: "Are you going to write a letter to Santa?"
Judah, frowning: "No. I don't like Santa."
Cashier: "What! Why not?"
Judah, solemnly: "Because. Santa IS NOT WEAL."
Kids: "YEAH!!!!"
Cashier: "Are you going to write a letter to Santa?"
Judah, frowning: "No. I don't like Santa."
Cashier: "What! Why not?"
Judah, solemnly: "Because. Santa IS NOT WEAL."
November 19:
Judah's favorite kitten found a home and he cried. I told him we were happy that Charlie has a family to love him and he sobbed, "But WE'RE a family." #nowmamaiscryingtoo #adoptakitten
December 15: I think we may have found the magic answer to Judah sleeping through the night. tongue emoticon Jeff noticed that he always sleeps without waking up on vacations or at my mom's house. So we took him out of his toddler bed and put him on his floor in a sleeping bag. And.....he slept through the night immediately and for several nights after! Crossing my fingers that this will stick.
December 19:
Radio: "Don't miss so-and-so, in Spokane for only one night of an incredible performance that will change your life, call TicketsWest for more information!"
Jael, wisely: "Ads, ads. They're just trying to get you to buy stuff, Mommy."
Jael, wisely: "Ads, ads. They're just trying to get you to buy stuff, Mommy."
September 1: Poor Judah has insomnia. He's been down for nearly an hour without sleeping and keeps yelling in frustration every few minutes with random excuses. This last time, I asked him what was wrong and he thought, wrinkled his forehead, and finally sighed mournfully, "Ummm.....ummm....ummmm....I have pwoblems." #icanseethat
Jael | March - December 2014
Jael: Glimpses of Life from 2014
March 3:
Me: So Jael is going to be an excellent cook when she grows up. She invented a recipe for me to make today - strawberry chocolate chip cookies!
Jael: Yes, Daddy, and when I am big, I am going to be a Taco Bell food maker worker!
Jeff: ?!?!?!
March 11: Jael has decided she can pray by herself before bed. This is sweet and everything, except she realized she could capitalize on this ability and extend bedtime. So we're hearing prayers like this: "Dear Jesus, thank you for Mommy and Daddy and Judah and Grandpa and Grandma and Craigon and Kendall-at-college and Nenna and Brandon and my dolly and my baby and my kitty and Judah's kitty and all our toys and Judah's dump truck Scoop and Judah's baby and Judah's dolly and the barn kitties and..." Yeah. Ad infinitum. :P
March 14: Overheard in the car from Jael today: "Now Judah, you see, the sperm comes from the daddy and the egg comes from the mommy. And then the mommy grows the baby in her tummy!" I really didn't think she was absorbing that much from her preschool health book yet, lol.
March 18: Well, a 104 temp from Judah pretty much nixed my plans for the day. Poor little guy is finally sleeping now, while Jael and I work on science and social studies. (She is currently adamantly correcting me: "It's not a cactus, Mommy, it's a cacto-pus!").
April 6: I said something to Jael about our plans for Monday and she immediately wanted to watch her "movie about Monday". She absolutely insisted that her favorite movie was about a little girl named Monday. I was totally lost until after much discussion, I realized she was talking about Fireman Sam and "Mandy". Gotta love the British accent. ;P
April 20:
Jael: "Judah, when you are growed up, you could be a hammer worker man! Or a fire man! Or a cooking food man! Or a picking flowers man. Or even you could pretend to be a grown-up baby!" [giggling hysterically]
Me: "I don't think anyone has a job like that, Jael."
Jeff, dryly: "Well....you'd be surprised."
May 7:
Jael, watching Craigon unload the parts for our new swing set: "When will he be done? When can we play on it?!"
Me: "It's pretty big, he's going to work on it all day, but it might not be done until tomorrow."
Jael: "Wow! Just like the Israelites! He has to work hard all day and not stop, like they were in Egypt!"
May 11: Jael explained to Jeff quite seriously that because it is Mother's Day, he was required to make breakfast for me and put it on a tray and bring it to me in bed. Which means I got sleep in and he made pancakes!
May 14: Lately, Jael has been constantly narrating stories and ad-libbing songs. She made up a song to sing to Judah before bed, which she calls "Goodnight, Judah-boy." ("Goodniiiiiiiiight Judah-boy....when the stars come out....and they're bright...and we reeeeeeead our stories!! And Mommy tucks us into beeeeeeeeed.") The other night Judah woke up wailing at 1am and when I went to ask him what was wrong, he gulped and thought for a minute and said, "Jael forgot to sing me 'Judah-boy' fore bed tonight!"
May 16:
Jael: "Mommy, why don't you let go and let the car drive itself? Then you can get me chips."
Me: "No, Jael, I have to steer the car or it will crash."
Jael: "And then it will drive again?"
Me: "No! Then it will be all smashed up and not drive!"
Jael: "Oh. I think Daddy would be very sad. And probably mad. You should drive it."
May 23: Jael's storybook last night asked what she wanted to do when she was grown-up. She wanted to "get married and wear a marrying dress like Mommy" and invited Judah to marry her. He refused with some agitation and informed her, "I no mawwy you! When I am gwown-up, I will climb to the WEALLY TOP of the climbing wall!"
June 3: So our barn cats all have names now, at the least the grown-up ones. They are as follows: the Mother, Rain, Chester the Rooster, and Roly-Poly. I guess it's a good thing we didn't have Jael help name her brother. Now we just have to decide which kittens to keep! (Our neighbors just claimed two, so that's two less going to the Humane Society, yay)
June 8: We have progressed from "sit on the floor and keep Mama company in the bathroom" to "pass secret notes under the door to Mama in the bathroom". Progress, right? ;)
June 16:
Me: *brushing Jael's teeth*
Jael: "Owww! Owwwww! OWWW! Stop hurting me!!!!!!!!!!"
Me: "Jael, don't exaggerate. If you keep doing this, no one will know when you really are hurt."
Jael, without missing a beat: "Jesus will!"
Sometimes I have no words. ;)
June 18:
I could have some real submissions for that "reasons my toddler is crying" blog. :P Today Jael cried because she is going to "miss my dolly when I'm a grown-up". And Judah cried because it was raining. Not because he wanted sunshine, but because it wasn't snowing.
June 20: Jael made a bed on the floor in our room because she is "sick". And she is now currently laying there talking to her stomach. "What did you say, tummy? You want the blanket off? OK. I will give you fresh air. What did you say? Did you say juice? Mommy, my tummy made a 'mmmmm-mmm-mmmm" sound. That means I need juice because I am sick." Riiiiiiiight.
August 1: My children have a new favorite past time: running out to the barn to chase away the flocks of turkey coming to eat up all the cats' food. tongue emoticon What I don't understand is why the cats don't do the chasing themselves!
August 12:
Judah, at Costco: "I want that chocolate thing, Mama!"
Me: "Sorry, buddy, that's too sugary. We don't need that."
Jael, disapprovingly: "Yeah, Judah, that is very bad. It would be like eating cake all day."
Judah: "Ummmm. I see some healfy cwackers....we can get those?"
Judah, after more shopping: "We don't get that, Mama. It have daiwy in it.....we don't get those yucky things, Mama, those are yucky eggs.....I see meat, Mama! We don't eat that stuff!"
I swear I don't lecture them about food all the time or tell him something is yucky. wink emoticon He is so black and white about everything, lol.
August 26:
Jael, instructing Judah on how to play make-believe correctly: "Now, Judah, you must not do any mean things to me. Because I'm going to be your really nice wife. And you can be the good king."
Judah: "OK, I do that. I must FIGHT the bad king!!!!!!!"
September 17: 6:30AM or not, my kids are running around on the lawn screaming and yelling at turkeys. Because our property must be defended from intrusion! (I still can't stop laughing at the bewildered turkey running in every direction. Or the slow ones with Judah charging a few feet behind them all the way to the fence.)
September 29: Jael: *takes Judah's toy*
Judah: "JAEL WOCKWELL SCHIWLT! YOU STOP THAT!"
Jael: "That's not my name! That's YOUR name!"
Judah: "No, it's not! MOOOOOOOOOOOMY! MOOOOOOMY!"
October 2:
Jael, as we drive home: "Judah, my dolly wants to marry your baby."
Judah: "No! I don't want my baby to mawwy your dolly!"
Jael, with a dramatic sigh: "I know, I don't either. What should we do? Do you have a plan?"
Judah: "I don't know."
Jael: "Well. I will tell my dolly that she may NOT marry your baby. But what if she says she has to? Then I will give her nine time-outs. That will be our plan. And you can come to my room and we will talk to the dollies about this."
I have no idea where this stuff comes from.
October 24:
Jael: "Ginny [cat] ate part of a mouse yesterday, Judah."
Judah: "Yuck. People don't eat mouses!"
Jael, solemnly: "No...but some people eat turkeys."
Judah: "Ewwww! That's gwoss! Bears should eat turkeys!"
(The only turkeys they have seen are the wild ones running around our backyard. wink emoticon )
November 3: Jeff's doctoral regalia came in the mail for his graduation next month. I am ecstatic that he's almost done. Jael and Judah are highly amused. ("Your arms look big and fat!" "Why do you have to wear that funny hat?")
December 2: One of our cats kept howling for food the other day and I told her, "Stop acting like you are dying when you have a bowl full of cat food!" Ever since then, if Jael hears the cats meowing, she seriously informs them, "You are ok. You are not going to be dead. I gave you food. You are not dying." I forget how literal my children are. :P
December 4: I look outside and see a light sprinkling of snow. Jael looks out and sees all the magic of a winter wonderland and holiday excitement. And the potential for hot chocolate at breakfast. wink emoticon Before I had breakfast on the table, she had put on all her snow gear and went out to collect a cup of snow so she could bring it inside to "watch it melt!"
December 5: Jael was looking at a new history picture book from the thrift store and brought it to me in horror, asking what "the bad guys were doing to the poor man". I was worried I had accidentally traumatized her with some awful details of the Medieval Inquisition or something, but no, it was just about mummies. She was thoroughly relieved to find out that the "poor man" was dead before they yanked his brains out. :P
December 8:
Jael: I want to see Mary in heaven. Because she is beautiful [romantic sigh] and she is my favorite.
Judah: How do you go to heaven, Jael?
Jael: Well. Mostly after you die.
Judah, looking concerned: But I weally don't want to die.
Jael: Don't worry, Judah! You don't die until you are really really old. Like......29, I think.
December 30: Jael read her very first picture book with me today! #kindergarten #growinguptoofast
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Judah | 24 - 28 months
Judah has grown in leaps and bounds over these past few months. Sometime around Christmas, his vocabulary took off and he is talking almost as fluently as his sister. It's adorable and funny to hear such grown-up sounding sentences coming out of his mouth! He sometimes even pauses to make sure he pronounces a word correctly. Some of his common phrases are "I'm fine", "me ei-der", "I'm cold", "WANT TO! WANT TO!" [don't want to], "I love you", and "one nursie! one nursie? Please? Please?". He is very good at communicating and likes to let me know how he's feeling ("I'm sad", "Me miss you", etc). It also makes me smile to see the difference between he and Jael. Jael plays independently for hours, but Judah always comes trotting back to check in with me every now and then. He likes to stay in touch.
Right now, his favorite activities are not sleeping, climbing on Daddy or playing bear or cow etc, eating (he has a huge appetite!), reading George and the Dragon or anything about tractors or firetrucks, spinning in a chair with Jael, pushing his dump truck around the house, and playing make-believe with Jael. They have started playing together a lot more recently and he listens to her about half the time. The other half involves screaming, kicking, and somebody running away to get me eventually. Now that we have moved into our master bedroom, they have a playroom upstairs and are LOVING it. Judah goes up and down and up and down his slide and they make a disaster of the room by evening every day. (Thus the resulting toy purge)
Judah is very observant. He likes to watch for details. He often checks to make sure Daddy has shaved and if he hasn't, warns him, "Nails, Daddy. Nails! Save! Save!" He has been picking up on gender differentiation lately, too, and likes to check and ask about which families members have a penis and which do not. ("Mama penis? Daddy penis? Jael penis? Fwanklin penis? Pingu penis?" and on it goes). He also saw Jeff with his shirt off the other day and informed him, "Daddy have pwetend nursies." ;)
He is also our clean, organized little man. He gets distressed during meals if food spills on his shirt or at his place. It is very important that everything is in its proper place and activities are engaged in properly, in the correct order. Daddy is usually at fault here for not being familiar with our daily routine and Judah is quick to inform him of the problem!
Judah is also becoming a lot more aggressive and mimicking "man" behaviors. He likes loud animal noises, truck noises, and fighting "bad kings". His general response to conflict or physical contact from Jael is head-butting, which can be painful for both of them! He even grits his teeth and grimaces as he butts his head forward. ;) Besides Daddy, his main male role model is Kienan, who he informed me is "awesome" the other day.
And lastly, Judah has undertaken preschool with Jael. He doesn't have the patience to listen to everything, but he generally sits through the Bible story and the science book, and then returns to complete our worksheets for the day (followed by a sticker, which is highly motivating). He is quite good at phonics and identifying sounds already.
Facebook highlights:
October 4: If my iPod was charged, I would totally be videoing Judah right now. He is happily marching around in Jael's play high heels with pink "silk" gloves on his hands, and one hand/arm held up with a pink purse hanging from the crook of his elbow. The life of a boy with an older sister, I guess.
October 12: I was enjoying a quiet moment this evening while the kids were happily occupying themselves at the kitchen counter, looking at pictures they had colored earlier. After awhile, I heard Judah happily muttering, "Cook-cook! Cook-cook!" And there they were, happily stuffing their faces with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. As fast as they could. *facepalm*
October 30: If only there were a magical answer for 2 year old sleeping woes. Not sure why Judah slept decently on vacation and then decided to spend half of his first night at home yelling and crying. So much for my catch-up-on-sleep plan....
November 5: I had a perfect moment this evening where supper was cooking on the stove, Jael was coloring in the dining room, the house was generally clean, and I was playing the piano with Judah building duplos on the floor next to me. It's just how I imagined motherhood in my mind before I had kids. It lasted about three minutes. ;D
November 15: I told Judah it was snowing outside and he immediately said, "Lots? Lots? 'Side? 'Side?" My kids love winter like I do. ;)
November 30: Judah is helping me make these for lunch, after reading some books this morning about how God kept the oil burning for eight days....he was quite thrilled to learn that one of the story's main characters was Judah Maccabee and he's been going around the house muttering, "Magga! Magga!" ever since. ;)
December 29: Eventually that skating rink otherwise known as our road will melt, but for now I've resigned myself to backing down the hill every time we pull out of our driveway and getting a run at it. Judah loves it and yells, "Fun! Fun! 'Gain! 'Gain!" when he hears the tires squealing and spinning out. (I do have studded tires, but it's literally one big sheet of ice!)
January 5: Adventures in toddler breastfeeding.
Judah, tapping my chest wisely: “Nursies, Mums. Nursies. Boys!”
Me, thinking he was reflecting the gender differentiation he’s been learning about: “That’s right, boys don’t have nursies!”
Judah: “No, no, no! Boys nursies MOUF! Food!” [exaggerated eyeroll and rubbing his stomach] “Good food TUMMY!”
January 8: How does Judah wake up at 3, 3:30, 4, 4:30, 5, get up at 5:30, and bounce up cheerful and ready to start his day? Meanwhile I'm prying my eyes open and feel like a zombie. That boy needs so little sleep compared to his sister.
January 9: Sometimes when Mom takes forever to do a return at the mall, a fellow has to resort to creative ways to occupy himself. Like practicing his planking skills. On the gross, dirty floor at Sears. :P
February 3: It's pouring snow outside, Christmas music is playing (it's ok, because it's just instrumental piano ), Jael's Valentine lights are twinkling, and I'm cooking breakfast on my cast iron pan for the first time. Reminded again why winter is my favorite season. Me: "Judah, look at the snow falling! Isn't it beautiful?" Him, without skipping a beat: "No, Mums. Handsome!"
February 4: Judah just walked into my room, sighed, hugged me with one arm, and whispered in my ear, "Secwet! Secwet! Loves....mawwy you." (I know this is totally his sister's doing, for brainwashing him with all the play weddings, but I still melted. ;) ) - On the other side of the spectrum, he is now running around the house roaring, "Bad king! Bad king Craigon! Fight him! Fight him!" ha.February 8: Only my son would come running out of the dining room halfway through dessert and refuse to finish any more it - not because he was full, but because he needed his hands washed before he could commence enjoying it again. You just can't enjoy dessert with sticky hands.
February 9: Watching the team men's free skate....with my little man next to me yelling, "Go Jason! Go Jason! Jason Bwown!"
February 20: Many thanks to my brother, who speed cleaned blood off our new carpet, drove us to the hospital while I held Jael's cut together, occupied Judah for several hours while we sat waiting....and took selfies with him, of course.
February 22: My children have very different approaches to prayer. Jael is very matter of fact: "Dear Jesus, help my dolly not to wake up lots tonight. Help Talon [our cat] not to be a whacker. Make my owie better. Amen." Judah takes a melt-mama's-heart approach: "Dear Jesus, help me not hit Jael. Love Mommy, Daddy, Jael. Sleep good. Happy Sabbath. Amen."
Right now, his favorite activities are not sleeping, climbing on Daddy or playing bear or cow etc, eating (he has a huge appetite!), reading George and the Dragon or anything about tractors or firetrucks, spinning in a chair with Jael, pushing his dump truck around the house, and playing make-believe with Jael. They have started playing together a lot more recently and he listens to her about half the time. The other half involves screaming, kicking, and somebody running away to get me eventually. Now that we have moved into our master bedroom, they have a playroom upstairs and are LOVING it. Judah goes up and down and up and down his slide and they make a disaster of the room by evening every day. (Thus the resulting toy purge)
Judah is very observant. He likes to watch for details. He often checks to make sure Daddy has shaved and if he hasn't, warns him, "Nails, Daddy. Nails! Save! Save!" He has been picking up on gender differentiation lately, too, and likes to check and ask about which families members have a penis and which do not. ("Mama penis? Daddy penis? Jael penis? Fwanklin penis? Pingu penis?" and on it goes). He also saw Jeff with his shirt off the other day and informed him, "Daddy have pwetend nursies." ;)
He is also our clean, organized little man. He gets distressed during meals if food spills on his shirt or at his place. It is very important that everything is in its proper place and activities are engaged in properly, in the correct order. Daddy is usually at fault here for not being familiar with our daily routine and Judah is quick to inform him of the problem!
Judah is also becoming a lot more aggressive and mimicking "man" behaviors. He likes loud animal noises, truck noises, and fighting "bad kings". His general response to conflict or physical contact from Jael is head-butting, which can be painful for both of them! He even grits his teeth and grimaces as he butts his head forward. ;) Besides Daddy, his main male role model is Kienan, who he informed me is "awesome" the other day.
And lastly, Judah has undertaken preschool with Jael. He doesn't have the patience to listen to everything, but he generally sits through the Bible story and the science book, and then returns to complete our worksheets for the day (followed by a sticker, which is highly motivating). He is quite good at phonics and identifying sounds already.
Facebook highlights:
October 4: If my iPod was charged, I would totally be videoing Judah right now. He is happily marching around in Jael's play high heels with pink "silk" gloves on his hands, and one hand/arm held up with a pink purse hanging from the crook of his elbow. The life of a boy with an older sister, I guess.
October 12: I was enjoying a quiet moment this evening while the kids were happily occupying themselves at the kitchen counter, looking at pictures they had colored earlier. After awhile, I heard Judah happily muttering, "Cook-cook! Cook-cook!" And there they were, happily stuffing their faces with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. As fast as they could. *facepalm*
October 30: If only there were a magical answer for 2 year old sleeping woes. Not sure why Judah slept decently on vacation and then decided to spend half of his first night at home yelling and crying. So much for my catch-up-on-sleep plan....
November 5: I had a perfect moment this evening where supper was cooking on the stove, Jael was coloring in the dining room, the house was generally clean, and I was playing the piano with Judah building duplos on the floor next to me. It's just how I imagined motherhood in my mind before I had kids. It lasted about three minutes. ;D
November 15: I told Judah it was snowing outside and he immediately said, "Lots? Lots? 'Side? 'Side?" My kids love winter like I do. ;)
November 30: Judah is helping me make these for lunch, after reading some books this morning about how God kept the oil burning for eight days....he was quite thrilled to learn that one of the story's main characters was Judah Maccabee and he's been going around the house muttering, "Magga! Magga!" ever since. ;)
December 29: Eventually that skating rink otherwise known as our road will melt, but for now I've resigned myself to backing down the hill every time we pull out of our driveway and getting a run at it. Judah loves it and yells, "Fun! Fun! 'Gain! 'Gain!" when he hears the tires squealing and spinning out. (I do have studded tires, but it's literally one big sheet of ice!)
January 5: Adventures in toddler breastfeeding.
Judah, tapping my chest wisely: “Nursies, Mums. Nursies. Boys!”
Me, thinking he was reflecting the gender differentiation he’s been learning about: “That’s right, boys don’t have nursies!”
Judah: “No, no, no! Boys nursies MOUF! Food!” [exaggerated eyeroll and rubbing his stomach] “Good food TUMMY!”
January 8: How does Judah wake up at 3, 3:30, 4, 4:30, 5, get up at 5:30, and bounce up cheerful and ready to start his day? Meanwhile I'm prying my eyes open and feel like a zombie. That boy needs so little sleep compared to his sister.
January 9: Sometimes when Mom takes forever to do a return at the mall, a fellow has to resort to creative ways to occupy himself. Like practicing his planking skills. On the gross, dirty floor at Sears. :P
February 3: It's pouring snow outside, Christmas music is playing (it's ok, because it's just instrumental piano ), Jael's Valentine lights are twinkling, and I'm cooking breakfast on my cast iron pan for the first time. Reminded again why winter is my favorite season. Me: "Judah, look at the snow falling! Isn't it beautiful?" Him, without skipping a beat: "No, Mums. Handsome!"
February 4: Judah just walked into my room, sighed, hugged me with one arm, and whispered in my ear, "Secwet! Secwet! Loves....mawwy you." (I know this is totally his sister's doing, for brainwashing him with all the play weddings, but I still melted. ;) ) - On the other side of the spectrum, he is now running around the house roaring, "Bad king! Bad king Craigon! Fight him! Fight him!" ha.February 8: Only my son would come running out of the dining room halfway through dessert and refuse to finish any more it - not because he was full, but because he needed his hands washed before he could commence enjoying it again. You just can't enjoy dessert with sticky hands.
February 9: Watching the team men's free skate....with my little man next to me yelling, "Go Jason! Go Jason! Jason Bwown!"
February 20: Many thanks to my brother, who speed cleaned blood off our new carpet, drove us to the hospital while I held Jael's cut together, occupied Judah for several hours while we sat waiting....and took selfies with him, of course.
February 22: My children have very different approaches to prayer. Jael is very matter of fact: "Dear Jesus, help my dolly not to wake up lots tonight. Help Talon [our cat] not to be a whacker. Make my owie better. Amen." Judah takes a melt-mama's-heart approach: "Dear Jesus, help me not hit Jael. Love Mommy, Daddy, Jael. Sleep good. Happy Sabbath. Amen."
Jael | 4 - 4 1/2 years old
Since Jael turned 4, we've had a lot of changes! I graduated in December and we've wrapped up most of our remodel, so after Christmas, we moved back into our daily preschool routine. Jael and Judah read a Bible story, a science picture book with me, part of their social studies textbook with an accompanying picture book, complete a page or two of alphabet work, and a page or two of math. Jael is beginning to recognize some letters and numbers (February) and is very good with sounds. Jael made a transition with Sabbath School as well and moved up to primary, with Teacher Terry. I was worried about how she would do, but she loves her new class. She sings very enthusiastically with all the children and has fun making a new Bible craft every week.
We had a lovely holiday season, although a rather busy one. During November - December, we made a couple of trips down to southern Oregon to say goodbye to my grandpa and then for his memorial service. This was Jael's first introduction to death (outside of books) and I tried to communicate with her fairly factually about it, which seemed to be helpful for her. She wasn't at all upset and seemed contemplative about the whole experience. Traveling through the gorge and through a snowstorm in Oregon was a little too much excitement for all of us, but with my parents' help, we made it through.
Over the past few months, Jael's main interests are reading books in her room, playing tea party or dress up with Ginny, and making crafty things. She loves scissors and will spend hours drawing and cutting up pieces of paper. Since Valentine's Day, she has been making valentines constantly. She can't write any letters from memory yet, but she draws lots of O's and 1's on paper in various combinations and then explains to me what they mean. She also started ice skating lessons in January after we watched the US Figure Skating Championships. She was rather disappointed to find it was a lot more difficult than she expected, but she's getting better. She rarely falls and is very very cautious, but she's slowly picking up speed! And we just bought her first pair of skates.
Jael and Judah have begun to play together a lot more over the past couple months as well. It's been fun to see how much they enjoy each other. Usually they start out the day very well after breakfast and play together quite happily until school time. Afternoons and evenings are more challenging and we have a lot of fighting as well, usually in the form of both of them laying on the floor and kicking or flopping on top of each other. Walking away never seems to cross their minds. ;)
Here are Facebook highlights since the last post:
October 8: I was singing Judah the muffin man song this morning when Jael interrupted. "Mommy, why is the man making muffins? Daddies don't make muffins. Mommy does!" I told her that some daddies like to make muffins and she still wasn't satisfied. "But why? Did all their mommies die?" ;) I guess we know who does the cooking and baking around here, lol.
October 12: I was enjoying a quiet moment this evening while the kids were happily occupying themselves at the kitchen counter, looking at pictures they had colored earlier. After awhile, I heard Judah happily muttering, "Cook-cook! Cook-cook!" And there they were, happily stuffing their faces with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. As fast as they could. *facepalm*
October 18: I hadn't paid much attention to the guys working on our remodel today until we were driving to town and Jael asked me, "Mommy, did you see the funny man with the funny hair? He took his hat off and Judah and me thought he was a SILLY MAN!" My best guess is that she saw the guy with a borderline mullet. haha.
November 4: After Jael and I read her Bible story book this evening (in which we discussed a Bible character who followed Jesus), Jael informed me quite sincerely that "I don't think Judah follows Jesus very much, Mommy. Because he hits me and things and takes my toys and kicks me sometimes." Time for a lesson about the whole "all have sinned" concept.
November 5: I had a perfect moment this evening where supper was cooking on the stove, Jael was coloring in the dining room, the house was generally clean, and I was playing the piano with Judah building duplos on the floor next to me. It's just how I imagined motherhood in my mind before I had kids. It lasted about three minutes. ;D
November 11: I'm afraid my daughter takes after me. I just offered to get her flashlight so she could "read" picture books before she went to sleep tonight and she said, "No, Mommy, it's ok. I'm just going lay down now and think."
November 15: Jeff and I went dashing into the dining room when we heard an agonized shriek from Jael. She was sobbing hysterically and after asking her what happened several times, she finally choked out, "Judah said I don't like chocolate! And - I DO!" *facepalm*
December 6: Jael, listening to 'I'll Be Home for Christmas': "Mommy, I think he is at college. And not at home. And his mommy is very sad. I think she is crying because she wants him to be home." haha....I guess she thinks you are missed, Kendall, since you're the only one she knows who is at college! ;)
December 22: I came home from Christmas shopping to find that Jeff had very sweetly painted Jael's fingernails and toenails bright pink for her. But apparently that wasn't enough and at her persistence, Ginny's (her cat) front nails are also pink. The life of a cat in our house. :P
December 26: Jael started singing Christmas carols for the first time this year and yesterday I finally listened to what she was saying: "Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners rest and smile!"
December 27: As soon as we finished our Christmas celebration this week and drove off in our car, Jael asked Jeff, "Daddy, is tomorrow the first day of summer now?" We laughed, but when I went to Target to look at Christmas clearance the next day, they were setting up displays of garden gloves, watering cans, and flower bulbs. :P
December 30: Jael was showing her Playmobil zoo flamingo set to my brother, who has been adjusting to the culture shock of going to school in Tennessee. He told her, "There are lots of flamingos where I live now!" She said, "Really?" And he was like, "Yeah - in trailer parks! Next to Bojangles Chicken!" (I thought the last part he made up, but apparently it's a real fast food chain? ) :P
January 12: Snuggling on the couch with my girl and watching the men's long program [US Figure Skating Championships]. She was concerned about "where their ladies are" (we watched pairs first ), but now she decided they are pretty after all. I'm just still so excited that Ashley Wagner made the Olympic team!
January 24: Jael sighed dramatically after she had had her bath tonight and said happily, "I smell beautiful! I smell happy like a daddy flower who kissed a mommy flower!" I don't know where she comes up with this stuff. ;)
February 7: Last night before bed, Jael finished her prayer with, "And please keep us safe and keep away the bad people who want to come in our house and get us." I told her not to worry, no one was trying to get in our house, but she explained, "I had to say it JUST IN CASE, Mommy." She's just like her daddy - gotta make sure she covers all her bases. :P
February 22: My children have very different approaches to prayer. Jael is very matter of fact: "Dear Jesus, help my dolly not to wake up lots tonight. Help Talon [our cat] not to be a whacker. Make my owie better. Amen." Judah takes a melt-mama's-heart approach: "Dear Jesus, help me not hit Jael. Love Mommy, Daddy, Jael. Sleep good. Happy Sabbath. Amen."
We had a lovely holiday season, although a rather busy one. During November - December, we made a couple of trips down to southern Oregon to say goodbye to my grandpa and then for his memorial service. This was Jael's first introduction to death (outside of books) and I tried to communicate with her fairly factually about it, which seemed to be helpful for her. She wasn't at all upset and seemed contemplative about the whole experience. Traveling through the gorge and through a snowstorm in Oregon was a little too much excitement for all of us, but with my parents' help, we made it through.
Over the past few months, Jael's main interests are reading books in her room, playing tea party or dress up with Ginny, and making crafty things. She loves scissors and will spend hours drawing and cutting up pieces of paper. Since Valentine's Day, she has been making valentines constantly. She can't write any letters from memory yet, but she draws lots of O's and 1's on paper in various combinations and then explains to me what they mean. She also started ice skating lessons in January after we watched the US Figure Skating Championships. She was rather disappointed to find it was a lot more difficult than she expected, but she's getting better. She rarely falls and is very very cautious, but she's slowly picking up speed! And we just bought her first pair of skates.
Jael and Judah have begun to play together a lot more over the past couple months as well. It's been fun to see how much they enjoy each other. Usually they start out the day very well after breakfast and play together quite happily until school time. Afternoons and evenings are more challenging and we have a lot of fighting as well, usually in the form of both of them laying on the floor and kicking or flopping on top of each other. Walking away never seems to cross their minds. ;)
The most recent big event in Jael's life was her first trip to the ER (2/20). I was trying to set up their "school movie" (educational DVD) when I heard a loud "bang" and Jael scream. I turned around to see blood everywhere! Since I knew head wounds bleed a lot, I wasn't terribly worried, and immediately put pressure on her forehead. Her face and dress and my hands were soon covered in blood, as was the floor, and I yelled for Craigon to come help us. He cleaned the carpet quickly and took us to Sacred Heart, where Jael was stitched up. She had four stitches. The process was a bit traumatic (she did well with the wound cleaning, but the few minutes of lidocaine injections and stitching were traumatic for both of us and I was having an awful time trying to hold her hands and not watch!). The NP was very sweet with her, though, and she left with a stuffed toy prize, so all was good. She'll be getting her stitches out tomorrow. (Oh, and she weighs about 37lb now, per their scale)
Here are Facebook highlights since the last post:
October 8: I was singing Judah the muffin man song this morning when Jael interrupted. "Mommy, why is the man making muffins? Daddies don't make muffins. Mommy does!" I told her that some daddies like to make muffins and she still wasn't satisfied. "But why? Did all their mommies die?" ;) I guess we know who does the cooking and baking around here, lol.
October 12: I was enjoying a quiet moment this evening while the kids were happily occupying themselves at the kitchen counter, looking at pictures they had colored earlier. After awhile, I heard Judah happily muttering, "Cook-cook! Cook-cook!" And there they were, happily stuffing their faces with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. As fast as they could. *facepalm*
October 18: I hadn't paid much attention to the guys working on our remodel today until we were driving to town and Jael asked me, "Mommy, did you see the funny man with the funny hair? He took his hat off and Judah and me thought he was a SILLY MAN!" My best guess is that she saw the guy with a borderline mullet. haha.
November 4: After Jael and I read her Bible story book this evening (in which we discussed a Bible character who followed Jesus), Jael informed me quite sincerely that "I don't think Judah follows Jesus very much, Mommy. Because he hits me and things and takes my toys and kicks me sometimes." Time for a lesson about the whole "all have sinned" concept.
November 5: I had a perfect moment this evening where supper was cooking on the stove, Jael was coloring in the dining room, the house was generally clean, and I was playing the piano with Judah building duplos on the floor next to me. It's just how I imagined motherhood in my mind before I had kids. It lasted about three minutes. ;D
November 11: I'm afraid my daughter takes after me. I just offered to get her flashlight so she could "read" picture books before she went to sleep tonight and she said, "No, Mommy, it's ok. I'm just going lay down now and think."
November 15: Jeff and I went dashing into the dining room when we heard an agonized shriek from Jael. She was sobbing hysterically and after asking her what happened several times, she finally choked out, "Judah said I don't like chocolate! And - I DO!" *facepalm*
December 6: Jael, listening to 'I'll Be Home for Christmas': "Mommy, I think he is at college. And not at home. And his mommy is very sad. I think she is crying because she wants him to be home." haha....I guess she thinks you are missed, Kendall, since you're the only one she knows who is at college! ;)
December 22: I came home from Christmas shopping to find that Jeff had very sweetly painted Jael's fingernails and toenails bright pink for her. But apparently that wasn't enough and at her persistence, Ginny's (her cat) front nails are also pink. The life of a cat in our house. :P
December 26: Jael started singing Christmas carols for the first time this year and yesterday I finally listened to what she was saying: "Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners rest and smile!"
December 27: As soon as we finished our Christmas celebration this week and drove off in our car, Jael asked Jeff, "Daddy, is tomorrow the first day of summer now?" We laughed, but when I went to Target to look at Christmas clearance the next day, they were setting up displays of garden gloves, watering cans, and flower bulbs. :P
December 30: Jael was showing her Playmobil zoo flamingo set to my brother, who has been adjusting to the culture shock of going to school in Tennessee. He told her, "There are lots of flamingos where I live now!" She said, "Really?" And he was like, "Yeah - in trailer parks! Next to Bojangles Chicken!" (I thought the last part he made up, but apparently it's a real fast food chain? ) :P
January 12: Snuggling on the couch with my girl and watching the men's long program [US Figure Skating Championships]. She was concerned about "where their ladies are" (we watched pairs first ), but now she decided they are pretty after all. I'm just still so excited that Ashley Wagner made the Olympic team!
January 24: Jael sighed dramatically after she had had her bath tonight and said happily, "I smell beautiful! I smell happy like a daddy flower who kissed a mommy flower!" I don't know where she comes up with this stuff. ;)
February 7: Last night before bed, Jael finished her prayer with, "And please keep us safe and keep away the bad people who want to come in our house and get us." I told her not to worry, no one was trying to get in our house, but she explained, "I had to say it JUST IN CASE, Mommy." She's just like her daddy - gotta make sure she covers all her bases. :P
February 22: My children have very different approaches to prayer. Jael is very matter of fact: "Dear Jesus, help my dolly not to wake up lots tonight. Help Talon [our cat] not to be a whacker. Make my owie better. Amen." Judah takes a melt-mama's-heart approach: "Dear Jesus, help me not hit Jael. Love Mommy, Daddy, Jael. Sleep good. Happy Sabbath. Amen."
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Jael | 4 years old
Jael had her 4th birthday this month! We celebrated early with Papa and family, which was fun and overwhelming all at once. This week, for her actual birthday, we went as a family to get ice cream and cones and went to the park for the evening. Jael also got to turn her carseat around, which was a momentous occasion involving much giggling excitedly and narration on the way home.
We also began preschool this week. I am using kindergarten science and history texts complemented by library books, as well as the Bible story series and some math and writing workbooks. We're only doing about an hour every day, two days a week, but we'll increase that to four days once I finish school in November. Jael is very excited about school and loves to sit down and read with me. I'll be glad when I can dedicate more time to her.
Jael is a very independent minded little lady. She occupies herself very well and has a vivid imagination. She and Judah are playing together a little bit, but mostly frustrating each other (property ownership and sharing are confusing concepts) and Jael is learning not to use force when she wants something. It's a work in progress. She's also become a lot more defiant in the past few months, which I am afraid is a combination of stress and chaos in our house, but maybe developmental as well. I'm trying to figure out how to respond to that. She is very sweet, though, and watches out for her brother, too. The other day they disappeared while I was blow drying my hair and I almost panicked when I couldn't find them in the house until I looked outside and saw them trotting out to the barn where Daddy was, with Jael holding Judah's hand carefully and leading the way.
Highlights via Facebook:
August 8: I got my hair cut today. My stylist was out sick and I wasn't happy with the new stylist's cut. I asked Jael what she thought and she said very seriously and politely, "Mommy, it looks tewwible. I don't like it. Last time you got your hair cut at that place by Fwed Meyer, it did not look like this." ;D At least my hair grows fast, I guess!
August 25: Just caught Judah coloring all over the wall and informed him that coloring is ONLY for paper. Jael quickly reassured me that, "It's ok, Mommy, we have some poison that will get it off." Apparently my efforts to teach her that Goof Off is dangerous are working. ;D
August 28: Jael informed Jeff this morning that his face was dirty and he should wash it (he hadn't shaved yet), asked if she should wear long-sleeves because "it's 9 degrees cold this morning", and in keeping with what she's been hearing lately, tried to spell a secret to us so Judah wouldn't understand ("it's the e-m-j-s-r, Daddy"). I'm loving the grown-up conversation attempts.
September 6: Jael just informed me that, "My dolly did something very bad and she is in prison. Now my room is a prison." This after she was battling Judah earlier in a duel of swords (wrapping paper tubes) and yelled for him to, "Fight! Fight in this WAR!!!!!" Maybe she won't be as much of a girly-girl as I thought...
September 12: In celebration of Jael's 4th birthday yesterday, we switched her carseat forward-facing today. She wouldn't stop talking the whole way home. "Mommy! It looks all different! Why are we going this way? It feels like we are going into the ditch! Are we on a mountain? Are we going up? This feels funny! I'm backwards now! Are we going to the South Hill? I'm a big girl now. I hope my panties will still fit even though I'm big!" I was totally cracking up that the panties were such a priority!
September 23: I wore my first pair of clip-on earrings today and Jael told Jeff, "Sometimes mommies put handles on their ears so they can open them up! And look inside! And they have mirrors on them!" (they were a bit square and shiny)
October 7: Jael got to watch a lot more TV/Netflix than usual yesterday because she was throwing up all day, so this morning I explained that since she was getting better, we were only going to watch a little bit today. She thought about this and told me, "I'm glad I'm sick. I like being sick!"
We also began preschool this week. I am using kindergarten science and history texts complemented by library books, as well as the Bible story series and some math and writing workbooks. We're only doing about an hour every day, two days a week, but we'll increase that to four days once I finish school in November. Jael is very excited about school and loves to sit down and read with me. I'll be glad when I can dedicate more time to her.
Jael is a very independent minded little lady. She occupies herself very well and has a vivid imagination. She and Judah are playing together a little bit, but mostly frustrating each other (property ownership and sharing are confusing concepts) and Jael is learning not to use force when she wants something. It's a work in progress. She's also become a lot more defiant in the past few months, which I am afraid is a combination of stress and chaos in our house, but maybe developmental as well. I'm trying to figure out how to respond to that. She is very sweet, though, and watches out for her brother, too. The other day they disappeared while I was blow drying my hair and I almost panicked when I couldn't find them in the house until I looked outside and saw them trotting out to the barn where Daddy was, with Jael holding Judah's hand carefully and leading the way.
Highlights via Facebook:
August 8: I got my hair cut today. My stylist was out sick and I wasn't happy with the new stylist's cut. I asked Jael what she thought and she said very seriously and politely, "Mommy, it looks tewwible. I don't like it. Last time you got your hair cut at that place by Fwed Meyer, it did not look like this." ;D At least my hair grows fast, I guess!
August 25: Just caught Judah coloring all over the wall and informed him that coloring is ONLY for paper. Jael quickly reassured me that, "It's ok, Mommy, we have some poison that will get it off." Apparently my efforts to teach her that Goof Off is dangerous are working. ;D
August 28: Jael informed Jeff this morning that his face was dirty and he should wash it (he hadn't shaved yet), asked if she should wear long-sleeves because "it's 9 degrees cold this morning", and in keeping with what she's been hearing lately, tried to spell a secret to us so Judah wouldn't understand ("it's the e-m-j-s-r, Daddy"). I'm loving the grown-up conversation attempts.
September 6: Jael just informed me that, "My dolly did something very bad and she is in prison. Now my room is a prison." This after she was battling Judah earlier in a duel of swords (wrapping paper tubes) and yelled for him to, "Fight! Fight in this WAR!!!!!" Maybe she won't be as much of a girly-girl as I thought...
September 12: In celebration of Jael's 4th birthday yesterday, we switched her carseat forward-facing today. She wouldn't stop talking the whole way home. "Mommy! It looks all different! Why are we going this way? It feels like we are going into the ditch! Are we on a mountain? Are we going up? This feels funny! I'm backwards now! Are we going to the South Hill? I'm a big girl now. I hope my panties will still fit even though I'm big!" I was totally cracking up that the panties were such a priority!
September 23: I wore my first pair of clip-on earrings today and Jael told Jeff, "Sometimes mommies put handles on their ears so they can open them up! And look inside! And they have mirrors on them!" (they were a bit square and shiny)
October 7: Jael got to watch a lot more TV/Netflix than usual yesterday because she was throwing up all day, so this morning I explained that since she was getting better, we were only going to watch a little bit today. She thought about this and told me, "I'm glad I'm sick. I like being sick!"
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