We Miss Uncle Chris

My baby brother moved to Chicago at the beginning of the month. I knew it was coming, but when it actually happened, it was like a punch in the gut for me. During the months and weeks leading up to the move, I was the Queen of Denial & Repression, and what do you know, it worked. That is, it worked until New Year's Eve, the night before he moved, when I could no longer avoid it.
My parents, brother, sister, and brother-in-law all came over to our house for dinner to spend some time together as a family before Chris's big move (and before my parents departed on their cruise the following day). Kerri took some pictures, and even though I was NOT dressed or made up for photo ops, I made a special exception since it was Chris's last night in NC. Emotions were kept in check until Chris was saying goodbye to the boys. I listened to him explain to Jacob that he was going to be living far away, but that Jacob could come visit. Jacob just stared at him, and finally asked him, in all seriousness, "Can I come with you?" I lost it. I think that probably broke Chris's heart a little bit too.

My head knows this move is what Chris wants. My head knows he'll be happy there (and my heart is happy for him). But, I can't help feel sad about the lengths of time that are sure to pass between visits...and how quickly the boys will have grown during those times.

Chris has always been the best little brother to me and Kerri, so it hasn't come as any surprise to watch him be such an amazing uncle to the boys. They both love him, but Jacob is pretty darn crazy about him. Probably because Chris has always made time to play and really interact with him. And maybe because he passed down to Jacob his old collection of Spiderman and Power Ranger action figures. :)
Naturally, I had to reminisce by going through some old photos of Chris. I thought I'd share.

Having fun wrestling with Chris



Helping to foster Jacob's interest in music at a young age



Helping build sand castles


With both of his nephews


Chris hadn't seen Alex in a while, and during this visit, was surprised to find how animated & responsive he was. You can tell by Alex's expression just how much he was enjoying Chris's conversation.



Chris with his girlfriend, Sarah, at prom in May 2008. Jacob had to keep jumping in the picture to be with his uncle, of course. Where is this enthusiasm during my photo shoots?



Chris's birthday this past October


Surprisingly, Jacob was the most cooperative during this picture taken in December. The two adults gave me the most difficulty with their blinking and sudden hand movements. :)


Classic Chris


Hanging out with the men



Looking handsome before prom in May '08


His last night in NC (thanks for the pictures, Kerri!)
The Guys (Uncle Matt, Dad, Uncle Chris, & Jeff)


With Mom & Dad


Chris & Mom, who somehow managed to hold back the tears


Chris & Kerri


Chris & Jeff


Chris and me, just minutes before my Emotional Breakdown #1


Jacob and his buddy, Uncle Chris


I know you'll love Chicago, Chris. And I'm so glad you're happy. That's all we want. But, we're still allowed to miss you. :)
I love you lots, Margaret Sue.

A Merry Christmas

Well, here it is. My first official post in 2009. Happy New Year! I can't believe I haven't blogged in almost a month. Of course with all of the shopping, buying, preparation, procrastination, and family get-togethers that accompany Christmas (and I did mention procrastination, right?), we've just been busy. If it's any consolation, I've been kicking myself for not updating sooner, but have been finding it difficult to get back in the swing of things. Finally, some drive and determination kicked in as I decided I wouldn't let an entire month pass without a post. I'm squeezing one in just in the nick of time. Our Christmas was great. Very merry. Due to budgetary constraints, it was somewhat smaller than I am accustomed to (last year, Santa probably went a little over the top buying gifts), but naturally, the boys didn't notice any difference. And, they loved the gifts they received. Jeff & I kept Christmas very small between ourselves, because, after all, we DID buy each other a house & furniture this year. Here are a few photo highlights from our December and Christmas.

Naturally, we paid a visit to Santa Claus. This very same Santa has been at the mall for as long as I've taken Jacob, so it's neat to have a familiar face in these photos. I wondered how Alex would do sitting in the lap of a bearded stranger, and at first, it seemed I was right to be concerned. But, after noticing that Jacob was content to sit there, he of course had to follow suit. Even though neither of them are looking at the camera (they're both looking at their mommy who was working her butt off in order to wipe the bewildered expressions off their faces), I love that they're smiling.


Of course I also had to attempt my annual Christmas card photo shoot. For years, I've sent out Christmas cards to friends and family, but never a photo card until Jacob was born. Every year has presented with some sort of difficulty. (You can see previous years' Christmas cards in my Then & Now post.) In the first couple of years, our dog actually proved to be the most uncooperative. But that was nothing compared to what I have to go through now. Ignoring my slight feeling of guilt, I didn't even bother trying to force our dog to pose for the picture (although she has been included every year before). I knew it would be hard enough work to get 2 boys to look at the camera & smile. And I was right. In spite of choosing the worst possible time to attempt a photo shoot (Alex wasn't feeling well, had just woken up from a nap, and needed a snack), I think the pictures came out pretty well. The shot of them gazing at one another was a candid, and I loved it so much, I had to include that one on the Christmas card as well.


Jacob had a Christmas sing-a-long program at his preschool. They practiced songs during classes, and for 2 weeks before the concert, he'd burst into adorable renditions of "Twinkle, Twinkle Christmas Star" and "Jingle Bells." I'm not sure it's possible for him to look more handsome than he did that day. After Jeff styled his hair and we added the tie as a finishing touch, I actually became teary-eyed because he looked so grown up. Where'd my little toddler go?
Jacob was content to play with his tie (that he was thrilled to wear "just like Daddy") and look around at his fellow preschoolers during some songs, but during others, he was quite the enthusiastic performer. He sung along to every word, sometimes including a solo on an air guitar, and even showed his appreciation for the audience with a seated bow. He loved every second of it.


Grandmom buys the kids matching Christmas pj's every year, so we do our best to get a picture with all of them. As you can see, sometimes we need to resort to an action shot.


Alex showing off his new pj's and telling us bye. He loves waving "hi" and "bye", two words which sound identical when he says them. But if he walks away from you after saying it, you figure he meant "bye".


A picture of me and Jeff? How often does this happen? Rarely. Jeff & I were able to enjoy a fun evening out at his company's Christmas party while Nan watched the boys for us.


There was one gift both Jeff & I were excited for Jacob to receive. Nan found a cooler version of the gift than I had already bought, and was kind enough to let the gift come from Santa. It was such a cool gift, it had Jeff excited. He even asked two days before Christmas if we could go ahead and give it to Jacob. I compromised and let Jacob open it on Christmas Eve. Jacob has become quite the musician as of late, picking up a plastic Elmo guitar he received as a birthday gift when he turned 1, and "strumming" on strings that make no noise. He's a jack of all trades these days...guitarist, singer, keyboardist, and drummer. He was thrilled when he saw his new guitar, and has played it at least once every day since Christmas.


Without further ado, Christmas morning!
I mentioned in the Jacob's Christmas List post that he asked for a popcorn machine after seeing a picture of one online. Well, apparently that request was a genuine one. He continued to mention it almost every day, and during his visit with Santa Claus, it was the only thing he said he wanted. Mean old mommy (with a tight budget) was going to wrap up an old air popper Jeff received a few years back, and give that to Jacob. The main appeal for him is actually seeing the popcorn pop, so I figured that would suffice. But, Grandmom came to the rescue and helped Santa Claus. Jacob was thrilled to find the popcorn machine waiting with his gifts on Christmas morning.
Step 1: Pour the kernels in...

Step 2: Grin at mommy while waiting to hear popping noises. And, show off the messy countertops in the background.

Step 3: After the first popping noise is heard, stand by in eager anticipation.

Step 4: Proudly display your first bowl of popcorn made by your very own "popcorn uh-sheen."

Step 5: Eat popcorn for breakfast, of course! After all, it IS Christmas morning.


More serenading with his guitar on Christmas day...


Both Jacob and his cousin, Daniel, have ride-on John Deere tractors, so Grandmom & Granddad decided it was time for Alex & his cousin, Lainey, to have their own smaller versions. Alex LOVED his, in case you can't tell by the look of pure excitement on his face.


Alex enjoying his gift from his Aunt Tricia & Uncle Scott. Conveniently, he also enjoys cleaning up the balls that spill over the edge (or get thrown).



A lovely ending to Christmas Day...cupcakes at Grandmom's & Granddad's house.



Thank you to our families and friends for the wonderful gifts, the time we spent together, and the beautiful Christmas cards. We hope everyone's Christmas was as merry as ours!

Another Edition of Jacob Quotes

And now, folks, it's time for another installment of...
"Quotes from the Adorable, Funny, and Sometimes Too Smart for His Own Good...Jacob!"

Jacob's way of telling you he is really enjoying something, be it an activity, a TV show, something he's eating, or really anything that can be loved, is, "I LOVE dat!"
Jacob's way of telling you he is NOT enjoying any of the above examples: "I don't love dat."
The other day, I was performing the classic, never fail Mom trick of wiping Jacob's face clean with my spit. Yes. I'm that Mom. In my defense, we were about to walk into his preschool, I had nothing else to use, and he had dried Pop-Tart crumbs all over his mouth. So, as I'm rubbing this top-notch cleaning solution beside his mouth and around his chin, he has an almost disgusted look on his face. Probably thinking, "Geez, Mom, do you have to do this in front of all of the other preschool kids?" But, what he said aloud, in a very matter-of-fact tone, was, "Mommy...I don't love your spit."


A couple of weeks ago, during a family outing to buy groceries, Jacob decided he'd drink his juice cup...without using his hands! He & Alex both do it, and both find it amusing. They stick the spout in their mouths, and look around from side to side, as if to say, "Hey, check THIS out! No hands!" Often, this trick does not have a happy ending. At best, it falls out of their mouths and splashes a few small droplets of whatever liquid is in the cup. Sometimes, however, the cup falls in slow motion, lands at the perfect angle to knock the lid off, and spills every single ounce of beverage remaining in the cup.
So, when I saw him standing in the store aisle performing the "No Hands" trick, I told him, "Jacob, please hold your cup with your hands or you'll spill." Sometimes it's a blessing and a curse being right all of the time. :) Naturally, it spilled. And, of course, since it was a full cup of apple juice, the worst case scenario spillage occurred. Jeff went off to look for paper towels while the boys & I stood guard by the apple juice flood. When I saw a store employee, I pointed out our mess, explained what happened, and apologized. He was nice enough, but Jacob wasn't a fan of his. Maybe Jacob was bitter over spilling his juice, or that he was "forced" to sit in the fun car attached to the front of the cart (mean Mommy), but he had some words for Mr. Store Employee. Mr. Employee was saying things like "kids will be kids" as he plopped down a Wet Floor sign. Then, he asked Jacob, "Did you spill your drink?"
Jacob nodded.
He mumbled something about it being a big mess, and I thanked him profusely for his help. I apologized again, and he said it was OK. Then he said, "That's alright, little guy." And, he started walking away.
Thankfully, by the time Jacob climbed out of the car, and put his hands on his hips, he was too far away to hear the following comeback:
"Hey, I not a little guy! I a big boy! YOU a little guy!"
Aaaaand, back in the shopping cart we go.
I love grocery shopping.


The other day, Jacob asked for a cup of milk. So, I obliged, poured him a full cup, and handed it over. He took a couple of gulps, and with much gusto, exclaimed, "Mmmm!! Dis milk is so good!" Then, he hugged my legs, and said, "Mommy, you're the best milk maker EVER!"
I never got this compliment from him during breastfeeding, so I'll take it now. Better late than never!


Last night, Jacob & I were talking about Christmas.
Me: "It's almost Christmas, Jacob! Have you been a good boy?"
Jacob: "Yes!"
Me: "You have been a good boy. So, is Santa going to bring you presents?"
Jacob: "A popcorn machine!"
Me: "I can't wait for Christmas. And I can't wait to see what presents you and Alex get from Santa."
Jacob: "Jesus get presents too?"
Me: "Oh, because Christmas is Jesus's birthday?"
Jacob: "Yes."
Me: "Maybe we can sing Happy Birthday to Jesus."
(he & I both sing a beautiful, perfectly harmonized version of "Happy Birthday to Jesus")
Me: "Know who has the next birthday? Lainey! We're going to her birthday party in 3 days!"
Jacob: after a moment of deep thought, he looks up and asks excitedly, "Will Jesus be at Lainey's party too?"


Ever since we moved to the apartment while we waited for our new house to be built, Jacob has been coming to our bed in the middle of the night. Literally, every single night, and literally, since the very first night in the apartment. First, I chalked it up to new surroundings in the apartment. And, when we moved to the new house, I used the same reasoning. But, now, I'm pretty sure it's just habit. Jeff & I have both been lazy about putting a stop to it. Honestly, just because neither of us mind having him in our bed for a few hours every night. He snuggles. He kisses us and whispers, "Good morning." If we aren't ready to get up, he'll continue to calmly lie in bed with us. Granted, sometimes, he's a wild sleeper, and one or both of us get punched or kicked in the face. And, the other night around 3 a.m., he woke Jeff up to ask, "Why are your eyes closed?"
But, you've got to take the bad with the good.
We figured we should nip this in the bud at some point, though. So, Jeff was trying to warm Jacob up to the idea.
Jeff: "Soon, you'll sleep in your own big boy bed all night! Daddy will still lay down with you, but you'll stay asleep, and not get up until 7:30!"
Jacob: "But, then I won't be in your bed."
Jeff: "I know. You'll be in your own bed like a big boy!"
Jacob: "But when I wake up, and you aren't dere, I get up and follow you."
Jeff: "I know you do. But, big boys sleep by themselves in their own beds."
Jacob: (ponders this for a moment) "No, they don't. YOU sleep in bed with Mommy!"
Hard to argue with logic! :)


Jacob was eating a hot dog for dinner, and a few minutes after he finished, he asked, "Where'd my hot dog go?"
Me: "You ate it all, bud. It's in your belly."
Jacob: "Maybe dat hot dog went to his home to be with his family." And, smiling, he added, "Maybe dere's another hot dog dere waitin' for him!"
A hot dog family in his belly. You can't make this stuff up. :)

Stay tuned for future editions of Cute Jacob Quotes.

Thankful

I actually started writing about our Thanksgiving a week ago, but obviously have not posted it, and have since deleted it. I had 3 paragraphs describing each of our three Thanksgiving meal experiences. I just haven't found (or made) the time to finish the post. Lately, I'm in a bit of a slump. I'm finding myself overwhelmed with everything I have to do before Christmas. Add to that all of my usual day-to-day tasks, and somehow, the house looks like we pulled every toy and item of clothing from its proper place and scattered it about on every square inch of floor. I'm tired. I'm stressed. I'm not even close to being halfway done with Christmas shopping. But, having said all of that, and in the spirit of the Thanksgiving post I skipped, what better time to focus on...

What I'm thankful for:

- Jacob Carl and John Alexander
Even after the end of a long day, I always know how blessed I am to be the mom of two such wonderful, sweet, precious, funny, smart, and adorable boys. I love them more than anything in the world.



- The boys' smiles and their laughs

- The boys' friendship with each other
Watching them play and laugh together always makes me smile, regardless of my mood.

- Moments I can drop everything and just BE with the boys
Whether that means playing with cars, action figures, chasing each other around the house, tickling, laughing, dancing, singing, playing instruments, or snuggling, I love it all.

- The boys' declaration of their love for me
When Jacob says he loves me and holds me tight. And when Alex gives me an impromptu hug, or lays his head on my shoulder as I hold him. Especially when he pats my back as he hugs me.

- When it's clear the boys love each other

- Jeff
Yep, I still know after 14 years. I'm lucky to have married a good husband and great daddy.


- Being able to stay at home with the boys
I can't imagine working and missing out on the many firsts I've witnessed, and passing up on so much 1 on 1 bonding time. The knowledge that not every parent can do this makes me even more appreciative of my time at home. If I was at work, I wouldn't be the one who knows my boys best. Or know everything they did that day, and not only that, but watch them do it. I wouldn't be able to dance with them every time a song comes on "Imagination Movers". And, I'd miss catching Alex in the trash can playing with chocolate pudding leftovers.


- My family


- More specifically, my parents
Excluding a brief period of time during my early teenage years, I've always considered myself beyond fortunate in this department. Together, they have been the most loving, caring, and supportive parents ever. And now, they are an amazing Nan & Pop Pop. I don't know what I'd do without them.



- My sister and brother. And my brother-in-law, of course.
I know that I haven't always been the best sister to my younger siblings (darn teenage years), but I hope by now I've made up for it. These two always make me laugh, and when we hang out, it's like I'm with friends. We talk about everything. Plus, the way they interact with Jacob and Alex makes me love them even more.



And of course I can't forget the boys' Uncle Matt. I couldn't have hand picked a better husband for Kerri. He fits in with our group perfectly, meaning, of course, that he's nice, funny, smart, and sarcastic. And, he's a terrific uncle to the boys. He never tires of letting Jacob try on his work clothes. :)


- Jeff's parents
When I met Jeff's parents our junior year in high school, I bet they never imagined they'd be stuck with me for this long! I'm not only thankful to them for raising Jeff, but also for all of their love, support, forgiveness, and being such a wonderful Grandmom & Granddad to the boys.




- My sister-in-law and brother-in-law
Jeff's brother, Scott, and his wife, Tricia. Not only are they an awesome uncle & aunt to the boys, but good friends and neighbors to us as well. I'm not only grateful for all of the help they give us with the boys and the countless photos Tricia takes of our kids, but also for their friendship. It would be tough having a sister-in-law I didn't get along with, but thankfully, I lucked out!



- That our families live so close to us

- That the boys have great-grandparents to spend time with and love
There's something pretty amazing about having 4 generations in 1 room. Jeff and I miss the grandparents we've lost, but are so thankful for the ones we still have in our lives.








- My nephew & niece
Not only are they family, but Daniel & Lainey are the boys' best friends. And, because of the 9 months that separate both Daniel & Jacob, and Lainey & Alex, it makes for 2 sets of perfect playmates. They all play well together. I have the absolute perfect foursome picture to post, but am forbidden to do so just yet since it's a surprise Christmas gift for a family member. So, I pulled out a couple of never before posted oldies from a year ago. And one of me & Lainey hanging out on Thanksgiving.




- Our friends
I'm thankful for new friends and old friends. I'm thankful to still keep in touch with friends from as far back as junior high and elementary school.




- Our home

- Our good health

- Our country, and all of the freedoms and rights associated with living in the U.S.

I'm thankful for all of these things, and each and every day I get to be here with my little boys and all of the people I love.
Happy Belated Thanksgiving!