Jake's First Snow

We had a dusting the other week but we woke up to the REAL thing on Saturday. Jacob stared and stared, banged on the window and finally convinced me to let him touch it...I forget about these magical moments sometimes, you know, until they remind me!

A Good Old Fashioned Christmas Tradition!

I have always wanted a real Christmas tree! This year I got my wish...our house smells wonderful!

Remember Him?

You can read more about him here and watch a video of little bitty Ben and Mr. Beebs here just after Ben turned 2. Then of course there is the breastfeeding phase...when Ben did not receive the breasts he requested for his third birthday...here

Ben's beloved tiger, "Mr. Beebs" has made various blog appearances over the years...he is still a fixture in Ben's life and I like to tell "Mr. Beebs"stories to him to relate real life experiences to him...our currant favorites are "Mr. Beebs forgets to be gentle to Jacob" Mr. Beebs likes to try new vegetables" and "Mr Beebs uses the toilet"... Of course he also remains a loyal bedmate.

A few nights ago Ben woke up with a nightmare (owls...of course) and was crying for me to come lay down with him. I did and as I got up to sneak out when I was sure he was asleep again he pulled me close again suddenly and whispered "Mommy, find Mr. Beebs!" He could sense his absence as sure enough he had fallen off the end of the bed. Ben thanked me and held the tiger tight.
"Are you going to be okay now Ben?"
"Oh yes". He assured me. "Mr. Beebs eats scary things for breakfast".

Good to know.

"

His Thing

Here is Jacob...where you will find him most nights. Still eating, long after everyone, two, five and ten times his size are done. Where does it go???

10/12

Ten months old!

(weren't you just born?)

1- You love going up the stairs...you pound the step and laugh maniacally at your achomplishemt.

2- You have the most heartbreaking cry...sob. When something doesn't go your way you collapse in disappointment at the closed dishwasher that you NEEDED to climb into or the stair gate that Mommy shut just as you almost got away with your daring adventure. You pop your lip out and put your bum in the air with your head burried in the floor and sob and sob with big fat tears until Mommy tickles you until your laughing again.

3- You radiate happiness. I can only dream that you retain this most wonderful quality. You are always smiling and it takes only a grin or a poke to have you collapsing in giggles.

4- You have started snorting when you laugh really hard, which makes Mommy laugh and you, in turn laugh harder.

5- You can "sniff", wave, give high fives, and give awesome hugs and open mouth kisses.

6- You say "Mama" very clearly and appropriately only to me. It makes my heart blow up and wrap itself around you, I love to hear it sooooo much! I love when you call me when I am in the shower from your crib; " Maaaaaama...Maaaaaaaa Maa!" When come and get you, you collapse in your bed laughing and wiggling.

7- I think you say Ben and Daddy too but they just sound like "Bah" and "Deh".

8- You hate to get dressed or in any way manipulated into clothes. You arch your back in ways I didn't know possible.

9- You love to play with cars now and make the appropriate noises...until Ben usually snatches them from you... I am sorry about that... we are working on it.

10- We are debating entering you into an eating contest. The other night for dinner alone you ate half a chicken breast, potatoes, avocado, corn, carrots, toast, applesauce and some cantaloupe. Then we stopped even though you wanted more because we thought you might actually blow out your stomach! We could not believe you were still shoveling food in your mouth. So far there is no food you refuse.

We love you Jacob!!!! You are such an amazing little boy, you glow with spirit, charm and spunk. You delight me everyday.

To Nap or Not to Nap, That is the Question.

Ben is pretty consistently not napping any longer. He went from three hours a day with an 8 o clock bedtime followed by 12 more hours of wake less sleep I thought maybe he could use perhaps a shorter nap. He has started arguing with me more and more however when I try to encourage this and so recently we had a talk about it.

"Why don't you want a nap anymore Ben? Aren't you a little bit too sleepy in the afternoon when you don't have one?"

"No Mommy. I have too many things to do"?

"Uh huh. Like what?"

"All my jobs. Colouring, play dough, trucks, my movie. Alllllll those jobs".

Well who was I to hold him back from his important work?! Not I... so napless we are. It is the end of an era.

I thought I would dread this day but I don't. Ben really does work hard during this time. He moves from one activity to another and impresses me with his independence and his ability to self regulate from painting, to clean up, shoes on to the sandbox, hands washed and self made toast. This boy of mine. He's growin' up and it doesn't look like I have a whole lotta say in the matter.

Lessons From a Boy

Yesterday, like most days, we walked up the street to our box to see what mail it held for us.
When we got there however we were saddened to see there was nothing. Ben tried our key on all 29 other boxes to see if perhaps there must have been a mistake. Unfortunately we had to give up and go home empty handed.

When we went back today, we found an arm full waiting for us. With delight Ben took it all out piece by piece and put it in the stroller basket as usual. Today, however, he careful took a brightly coloured envelope and placed it back in the box, shut the door and locked it.

Confussed I asked him, "Ben why did you leave a letter behind"?

"So I will know there will be mail tomorrow and I will be happy".

Way to make your own happiness Ben!

The Cake....

I did it! I made Jon a birthday cake that he loved!

Phew!

All I can say is thank goodness for icing...it can hide a multitude of cake sins.

My Pink Lovin' Husband

Since the members of our family sporting testosterone are colour liberated now Jon was free to ask for a pink cherry chip cake with little merichino cherry pieces and cherry juice dyed icing as a birthday cake. Well...I try my best, every year but cakes...are not my thing. The one didn't collapse or get stuck in the pan and come out in ten parts but I did leave it on the hot stove so the icing melted all over it. Hmmm.

When I came back it looked like the birthday boy didn't mind too much. This was the practice cake...he ate the whole thing. I think I am ready to try it for real tomorrow! I am ready to Cake Boss that thing!

Gettin' Close...

To the big 3-0 that is! One more year Jonny-cakes, but till them you can hang out in the cool twenties with meeeee!

That's right, Jon is 29 today!

As is my fashion on a birthday, here is a tribute to my one and only.

I call Jon the "Jon-athon" because to be him is a like running a 24 hour marathon. He does so much in a day, I am unsure how he gets even half of it accomplished. From a demanding job he gives his all too he stirs up some magic energy to come home and roll around on the floor with his boys who are over the moon for him. He does baths, diapers, tuck ins and extra kisses with enthusiasm. He gives me foot massages and throws in a load of laundry without being asked. Despite his love of golf, guns, and fast cars he can throw on an apron, cook a full roast chicken dinner to drool over and bake a chocolate cake from scratch like nobody's business. Oh, did I mention he smells awesome and has a butt made for dark denim?
Jon (athon...) sports a level of humility that would make him blush too deeply if I mentioned all that he does for others. If anyone in need even looks in his direction he is there. Anyone asking him to do a small task, will be met with an outcome always exceeding expectation. Jon is funny, like really really funny, he makes me laugh everyday. He spoils me, indulges me and tries his best to make me happy (quite successfully). In the husband lottery, I am certain I got the jackpot. As a bonus our boys get to have him as a father...those lucky lucky boys! He loves them so much and is so much fun. There is nothing he won't do for them. In turn they simply adore him. I am so happy that they have a role model like him to emulate and look up to. He does not disappoint in his example. Jon is also a smarty pants. He knows just about everything...except exactly just how crazy I am about him!

I love you!!!!!

Enjoy your last year in the twenties!

Jennxoxoxoxoxoxox

My Pink Lovin' Son

We were out buying winter boots last week when a first happened. Ben, who usually doesn't care what I put on him to wear (such a good little dolly...) had an opinion. He turned his nose up and raised his voice at the sensible blue and gray pair that matched exactly his winter coat. The quick and easy trip got a little hiccup at the sight of the pink, purple and shimmery Dora the Explorer boots. These would not do for a few reasons.
1- His coat is blue and gray.
2- The boots are pink and purple.
3-They have Dora on them.
4- I don't buy clothes (or boots) with cartoon characters on them. I just don't.
5-I kind of despise her.
6- I stopped taking the kids to the gym childcare because all they do is watch her, I despise her that badly!
7-As a result he has only ever seen the show half a dozen times, he doesn't love her thaaaaat much.
8- they didn't have his size anyway.
9- They were pink, he is a boy. (Whoa, did I just think that?!) ....and that is exactly what I told him. Ben, these are pink, don't you want these nice blue ones? you like blue (and he does...just like he likes red and brown and green and any of the other appropriate gender selected colours unconsciously supported...he also likes pink).
"No, I like pink. JUST pink".
Mmm. Now I am not the kind of parent who thinks that preschool colour choices influence in the least future gender confusion, sexual orientation or degree of masculinity. I do think it would be a great big fat old headache to deal with the amount of comments I/we would receive over the next 14 weeks. Because some people really do think that there is something wrong with a little boy in pink and purple shimmery Dora the explorer boots. I would like to think I am not one of them....but the lone color fact did pop into my head. How deeply ingrained it is. Pink is for girls and blue is for boys. The end.
And it was; the scene ended as impulsively as it started when Ben got over Dora and realized that the ride on dump truck he had just spotted was his new love. I ushered him over to the masculine, rugged black toy and quietly slipped his blue boots into the cart.

Then I went home and questioned my reaction.

I suppose it is something so unconsciously driven and rather insignificant that I wouldn't bother thinking too deeply about it unless forced to, eye to eye with a shimmery pink Dora for instance. I am not one to care too much about what others think especially when motivated by ignorance . I am also not one to sign my children up unnecessarily for social exclusion or ridicule. Granted an easier winter would be had by all if he just wore blue so I held firm in my choice this time. I have a lot I feel passionately about and will debate, to my detriment until I pass out cold from lack of oxygen, but this?...not one of them. I did however, have to admit my ignorance. Why does everyone seem to agree that pink is for girls and blue is for boys.

After reading a little about the history of it here It seems this was not always the case! In fact, it used to be reversed. Blue was seen as a soft, pretty color, associated with the Mother Mary and used commonly for little girls before the last century. Pink was seen as a watered down version of the masculine and strong red, preferred in all its variations for a boy.
So what caused the change? During the second world war the Nazi's used a pink triangle to label homosexuals. It has, thereafter been associated with femininity and homosexuality. Well. That changed things for me. Recognizing that my acceptance of gender color assignment had Nazi origins that we still support made me want to go out and get those pink boots after all!

Isn't it interesting to get to the root of collective ideas, no matter how seemingly frivolous? I was pleasantly surprised at how my attitude changed with a little enlightenment. My boys can wear whatever color they desire in the future, I will explain when asked why truly it doesn't matter, and in the meantime...call them vintage.

Where's Jake?

Our Jakey is kind of like a cat. He takes off on me if I look away for a second (to get away from his brother...who treats him like a pet). I know his "spots"; behind the couch under the sofa table, behind the front door (where the door stop is, that kind of gives him away) under the desk or under the chair at the head of the kitchen table. I know where to get him if we are going out or it seems like he should eat (just kidding...he doesn't hide ALL day..poor kid, just occasionally..) but I prefer to say "wheeeeeeeeere's Mommy's Jaaaaaakey? (you know, and pretend I can't hear him giggling...) then he will pop out with THIS grin! Isn't it awesome? He is way better than a cat (although the whole litter box thing still runs in their favor...)

First Snow

We woke up this morning with an early taste of winter! The boys were so excited to see fluff coming from the clouds.
We celebrated with some warm cider, date balls, a winter walk and an afternoon in pajamas!

Bag Boy

Ben has a little bag he carries with him EVERYWHERE. He wouldn't even get his haircut yesterday without it clutched on his lap. Often others will ask "Ben what is in your Bag?" He looks at them like it should be obvious. "My toy magazines".
It is a bag stuffed with toys R us, walmart and magazine insert toy flyers from the last three months. They go with him everywhere and are sorted at least ten times a day. He reads them again and again, to the point they are soft and crinkled. I feel for his little feelings when the inquirer will usually start to laugh. When they look at me I say simply "He has quite the collection." And he does. Regardless of his ignorance in the adorableness of his hording.

As his attachment to them got stronger, his dedication to acquiring new material grew and the amount of time he spent looking at them, sorting and memorizing the pages increased I began to worry. Is he "wanting" too much? Is this encouraging ingratitude, materialism and frivolousness? I told him he could pick one thing for Santa to bring him and he looked at me in horror.

"But Mommy, I really just want another "magazine!"

I think it is funny that he values the ads for the items more than the actual items in the pages. Santa is going to get a break this year in our home and needs only deliver a sears wish book I think for Christmas to be a true hit!

Nine Months in the Making!

Nine months old! (well on the 21st of October...I am a little late. Good thing he is such a forgiving little fellow...as long as I feed him on time he is pretty relaxed!)

1- Jacob is pulling himself up and cruising around everything. Crawling was so last month!
2-The stairs are his newest accomplishment
3- He loves loves loves food! His favorites include roasted butternut squash with cinnamon and maple syrup, avocado, spaghetti, blueberry and applesauce, toast and apple butter, oatmeal and date balls, banana chips and any fresh fruit.
4- Jake is only gracing us with one wake up a night now and puts himself to sleep for naps which is quite the relief.
5- He loves to play with balls and anything his brother is playing with...
6-Jake has a hard time with his carseat and diaper changes...not such a hard time letting us know.
7- His eyes get bluer every month
8-He has a huge smile for everyone!
9- He waves, claps, signs milk and more, says Mama and Dada.


Jake, you are the happiest, sweetest baby ever! We adore your laugh, your giggles, your grins, your pouts and your cheeks! We love you so much!