Remember when we used to sleep?

Allow me to reminisce for a moment...the year is 2004, and it's a Friday night. Jeff & I are watching a movie on TV, and both fall asleep on the couch. We wake up around 2 a.m., and go upstairs to bed to resume sleeping until 9 or 10 the next morning. And later, if we felt lazy, or if we were just bored, we might even decide to take an afternoon nap.
Fast forward to May 2008:
Last night, I opened my eyes and literally saw the clock every hour. It was awful. And almost every time my eyes were opened, I'd look over and find Jeff also awake. We'd both roll our eyes and grunt in a caveman-like language that's reserved for 3 a.m. and somehow we both knew it meant, "I'm exhausted. Remember when we used to sleep?" After a night like that, you just know that neither of the kids are going to sleep in. If anything, they'll wake up even earlier. Murphy's Law and all that. Sure enough, Jacob was up at 7 a.m. to begin his morning routine: pee on the potty, ask to watch a cartoon (this morning's choice was Spiderman), and enjoy his first cup of milk. He asks for milk 5 minutes after waking up. It's like his morning coffee.
Jeff often finds himself responsible for meeting Jacob's demands at this hour since he's up getting ready for work. Sometimes I'm up, but other times (like this morning), Alex & I are still lazily passed out in bed until 7:30. Or if I'm REALLY lucky, then 8:00. I hope I've thanked Jeff for doing that. If you're reading, Jeff, and in case I forget to say it later, thank you! Most of the time I really do sleep through all of that activity. Every now and then, I pretend I'm still asleep, and then, lo & behold, I actually do fall back to sleep. But maybe I shouldn't admit to that.
Poor Jeff is probably wondering how I managed to delegate the bedtime & overnight responsibilities associated with Jacob. What happened to the nights we'd hear Jacob crying over the monitor, and Mommy would run to the rescue as Daddy continued sleeping (snoring) peacefully? And what about all those nights that Mommy would get Jacob ready for bed and stay in his room until he fell asleep? I know what happened...Alex! To be fair, Jeff started helping when I was about 7 or 8 months pregnant, huge, and hormonal, and had a crying spell when Jacob wouldn't fall asleep one night. Ever since then, he took over the bedtime duties. And since Alex was born, I'm solely responsible for his bedtime routine & overnight sleep (or lack thereof), while Jeff manages Jacob. So now, when Jacob wakes up in the middle of the night and runs to our room (often bringing his own pillows and tossing them on our bed), he snuggles in beside Daddy. Now Jeff knows what it feels like to lose 3/4 of your side of the bed. It's a good thing we have a King (thanks again, Pam & Sam). The 4 of us often make good use of it.
Sleeping with 2 kids does have its advantages. For example, it's really sweet to cuddle up with your child since he won't always be young enough to want to lay with you. It's also nice to watch your child sleeping before you drift off. However, at other times, it is a bit like a game of Dominos. One person moves or changes position, wakes up their neighbor, who then rolls over and kicks their sleep buddy, who in turn shifts and inadvertently smacks the last person in the face. If you're really lucky, you sleep through all of this. But last night, we weren't lucky. We were just constantly awakened by our 2 wild, restless children. Before we moved, Jacob was sleeping great in his own bed, rarely coming to our room. I really just think his nightly visits are due to the unfamiliar surroundings. He'll probably get used to his room in the apartment just before we're ready to move into the new house. And then we'll start this process all over again.
I absolutely love, love, love having children. I might even be up for a 3rd (but that's another post). But I sure do miss my sleep. And while that's not the toughest part of having kids (I think the worry and fear that something bad will happen to them is), it sure ranks up there. So all we can do is yawn and remember why we had these kids in the first place. Because we love them more than anything. Because they give the best hugs & kisses of anyone I know.


Because they make us so happy. Because they seem to enjoy having us around too.



Because they're sweet, precious, adorable, loving, funny, smart, and all around awesome boys...who occasionally don't like to sleep. I guess these dark circles under my eyes and almost constant feeling of fatigue is worth it after all. :)
Is it bedtime yet?

P.S. Don't feel too sorry for Jeff. Being responsible for getting Jacob to sleep at night also means you can take a nap from about 9 p.m. until 11:30. That ain't bad.

A bunch of rambling

I really should be cleaning up the kitchen and unloading groceries, but decided I'd find one more thing to do in order to procrastinate. Hence, the following post with a bunch of random thoughts & stories.

Jacob's Quote of the Day:
The following question has been asked multiple times today. It was prompted by seeing people wearing a wrap or handkerchief-like accessory on their heads.
"Mommy, is that a pirate?"
Pirates were running rampant at Target today. Maybe it was because of the sale.

An idea for a new bedtime routine??
Something to consider for those nights the boys don't want to go to bed...stick some food in front of their face and call it a night. It worked at snack time!




Jacob Tidbit:
Jacob just walked up to me with one hand behind his back.
Jacob: "Pick a hand." (He hasn't quite gotten the hang of this game. It's pretty easy to choose a hand when only one is behind his back.) :)
Me: "OK, that hand."
Jacob: (grinning) "I got a 'prise for you!"
Then he whips his hand around to show me a peppermint patty.
Jacob: "I want a piece of chocolate. I like chocolate. Me have this chocolate?"
Not much of a surprise for ME, but at least he's enjoying it. :)

Earlier today, Jacob did something that really reminded me of his daddy. I'd gotten him dressed before our outing, and he ran into his bathroom. I asked where he was going. He said, "Gettin' my stool!" With his little stepstool in hand, he hurried to my & Jeff's bathroom, and placed the stool in front of the sink. He stepped up on it, found his hairbrush, and turned on the sink. He then wet the brush, and began slicking down his hair in a Julius Caesar style that might just be making a comeback. He continued this grooming process for several minutes. Like father, like son. At least he didn't get into his daddy's hair gel. Apparently, he takes the appearance of his hair very seriously. Last weekend, his Pop Pop (my dad) affectionately rumpled his hair. Jacob immediately told him, "No mess up my hair!!"
Sometimes he just knows he's cute. What a pose!


Alex Tidbit:
Alex has a tooth that's just breaking through his gums! Soon he'll have TWO whole teeth!
I tried giving Alex peas for the first time yesterday. They were a huge hit. Honestly, this picture was taken right after his first introduction to peas.



I could hardly keep up with the pea demand! I'd barely pulled my hand out of Alex's mouth before he was opening up for more. And when Jacob saw how much Alex was enjoying the peas, he asked for a bowl with a spoon. So that was one of our afternoon snacks yesterday. Peas.




Lauren Tidbit:
I detest bathing suit shopping. My parents are having the grand opening of their pool this weekend, so I figured I'd better get serious about finding a suit. I never go clothes shopping for myself anymore (my new favorite thing to shop for is clothes for the boys- if anyone knows a baby or toddler who needs to hire a personal shopper, let me know.). I didn't want to subject the boys to a long time spent browsing and trying on items in the dressing room. So I saw a suit in Target today that I thought was cute, picked it up, and threw it in the cart. I just tried it on, and all I can say is, it looked much larger on the hanger. Ugh. I think I need a Hostess cupcake to cheer myself up. On the upside, though, I did find 2 cute swimming trunks for the boys. See? I'm better at buying for them. Jacob is so excited about his new Spiderman swim shorts, that he is currently modeling them. And of course, shooting webs & fighting bad guys.



This kid LOVES Spiderman! I can't wait for his Spiderman-themed birthday party next month. But that's for another post. I think this one has gone on long enough! :)

Lessons Learned

Just a few lessons I've learned today. And I've only been awake 4 hours!

Lauren's lessons:

1) Embarrassingly enough, I learned today that I have very similar reactions to finding a huge, dead spider as I do when I encounter a huge, live spider: a bloodcurdling scream & running away. I even run when it's dead because what if it's only pretending?? How do I know this? Let me preface this explanation by asking you to google "wolf spider" so you can see what is sharing our living space. I'm not talking about itsy bitsy spiders, although I've been known to let out a girlish yelp when I find those as well. Currently the apartment we're staying in while our house is being built is full of wildlife. Sometimes it feels like we're living on the set of a Discovery Channel reality show. This morning, as I dutifully began my first round of straightening up for the day, I discovered a surprise waiting for me under a large pack of diapers. A huge, smooshed, spider. Naturally, I screamed. Jacob came running, asking, "What, mommy? What?" I don't want my sons to be a sissy like me when it comes to bugs, so I lied, and said something to the effect of "I thought I saw something." I know you're impressed with my quick thinking. I had to give myself a motivational speech before I was able to pick up the dead spider. After 3 failed attempts, 6 crumpled up paper towels that were so thick, I could barely get a grip on the thing, and two horrified, full body shudders later, the corpse made it into the trash...which was then immediately taken outside. I HATE spiders. So I guess the lesson to be learned from this is to leave the squished spider under the pack of diapers, and let Jeff take care of it when he gets home. :)

2) Jacob will ask for a bologna & cheese sandwich at any time of the day. Even 9 a.m. Apparently there is no wrong time to eat this delicious meal.

3) When Alex raises his arm during feeding or turns his head to the side, it means "Stop shoving food in my mouth or else." If the feeding continues after the fair warning, his ninja reflexes will counter by knocking the spoon out of my hand & send it flying across the room. Naturally, whatever was on the spoon (in this case, applesauce), will also spill in every place imaginable. I will also find applesauce behind his ear and on my ankle.

4) In order to have clean dishes & silverware, I have to load the dishwasher. This method is much easier than selecting a dirty spoon or bowl from the sink & hand washing it.

Conversations about Jesus

Last night before bed, Jeff & Jacob had a very deep & heartfelt discussion about Jesus. Jeff has been great with talking about Jesus and teaching Jacob about prayer. Quite honestly, he has done a better job with it than I have! Jacob will tell you that Jesus "lives up high" and point up to the sky. Last night, Jacob was apparently very curious about Jesus, and so began the inquisition.

Jacob: "Is Jesus big?"

Jeff: "He can be big. But He can also be small. Small enough to fit in your heart."

Jacob: "Oh. A tiny one? A tiny Jesus?" (and holds his thumb & index finger about an inch apart)

Jeff: "Yes, a tiny Jesus."

Jacob: "Oh. Does Jesus fight bad guys?"

Jeff: "No, Jesus doesn't fight. He loves everyone. He wants to give everyone a hug."

Jacob: "Oh. Does Jesus like food?"

Jeff: "Yes, Jesus likes food."

Jacob: "Like strawberries? And apples? And bananas? And grapes?"

Jeff: "Yes, I think He does. He made all of those things."

Jacob: "Oh. Does Jesus wear shoes?"

Jeff: "Yes, I think He does wear shoes."

Jacob: "Does Jesus like to walk?"

Jeff: "Yes, He likes to walk. He walks a lot. Do you know how you're daddy's son? Well, Jesus is God's son."

Jacob: "Ohhh. OK, goodnight, Daddy."


And tonight, as Jeff was putting Jacob to bed, the following conversation ensued:

Jacob: "What's your favorites, Daddy?"

Jeff: "Jesus, God, Mommy, Jacob, & Alex. What's your favorites?"

Jacob: "Cookies...muffins...and Jesus...and God."

So sweet! :)

What's in a name?

I just felt I should explain the title of this blog.   No, we are not crazed, obsessed fans of Batman's sidekick, Robin, The Boy Wonder. But we do love superheroes in this house.  And since I think of my boys as super sweet, super cute, and super all around, they pretty much are my little superheroes.  When I was a little girl, I was crazy about Wonder Woman.  How fitting that I now have my own little boy superheroes- or Boy Wonders- living with me!
The word "wonder" also encapsulates many of the feelings the boys & I have about each other and about our lives. Sorry for the English lesson, but to explain what I mean and why I chose the title, here are a few definitions of the word:

wonder: rapt attention or astonishment at something awesomely mysterious or new to one's experience; a cause of astonishment or admiration; to marvel; to feel curiosity; exciting amazement or admiration

A boy wonders what happens...if I pick up this bug & show mommy? If I pour my milk out on the table? If I bite mommy's boob while I'm supposed to be nursing? If I pull the dog's ears? If I yell as loud as I can, what will it sound like?

If I can reach that chocolate if I pull this chair over to the counter? If I splash my brother with bath water in the face? If I disobey? If I say I'm sorry? If I jump off the couch and land on cushions on the floor? If I jump off the couch without cushions on the floor? If I take my brother's toy? If I hug my brother? If I kiss my mommy? If I put this piece of dirt in my mouth?

If I'm really good, will Mommy buy me that toy? If I keep asking over & over for that toy, will Mommy buy it? If I'm pretending to be Spiderman, is it OK if I hit? Why? Why not? Why? Why not? And countless other wonders & curious thoughts of every minute of every day!

Every day I marvel at the boys Jeff & I have created. I also marvel at some of the juggling acts I'm able to perform with kids: nurse Alex while typing, nurse Alex while pouring Jacob a cup of milk, eat my meal while talking to Jacob & feeding Alex his finger foods. It's quite impressive. On the flip side, sometimes I marvel at my "mommy brain". I'm quite certain that "forgetful" and "scattered" were not 2 traits that immediately came to mind when describing myself before I gave birth. Just to give you an example, a moment ago I was putting a new pull up diaper on Jacob. I heard him saying, "Not two, Mommy" over & over. But I was distracted and not paying attention. Then I realized WHY he was saying "not two". Because he didn't need TWO diapers! I'd neglected to take off the original pull up before adding the new one. Next time I'll listen to his instructions. :)
On a serious note, Jeff & I are amazed by how quickly our boys grow, develop, and change, and feel truly blessed by the two wonderful boys God has given us. We are especially astonished at how the 2 of us made such handsome little boys. ;) I always envisioned myself having two kids: one boy & one girl. Now that we have 2 boys, it's hard to imagine life any other way. Each day I am reminded of the wonders of boys, and just how lucky I am to have TWO of them!

I hope that explains it. And please, no Robin jokes! :)

And introducing...Alex!

I gave Jeff the news of our second pregnancy at Christmastime in 2006. I tried to keep the news a secret from him until Christmas Day, but was too excited. But I made it to the 22nd! I think I should get credit for keeping it to myself for an entire 36 hours!
We were thrilled to be expecting our second child, but I found I had a few concerns as well. Would I be able to handle 2 children? Especially 2 children who would be so close in age? How could I possibly love a 2nd child as much as I loved Jacob? This 3rd question plagued my thoughts as I worried about having a favorite or not finding enough love in my heart for another. Now I can look back and realize what a ridiculous concern that was.
John Alexander (Alex) was born in August 2007. He's named after my grandfather, John (my dad's dad). He is exactly 2 years, 2 months, and 2 days younger than Jacob. Where Jacob was born at a whopping weight & height, Alex was much closer to average at 7 1/2 lbs, and 21 inches. He has, however, continued to grow quickly, and supersede the average heights & weights of babies in his age bracket. I guess I just make big boys!

As he continues to grow up, I know we will learn a lot more about his personality. But at 9 months old, I can already tell you he is adorable, sweet, loving, is absolutely crazy about his big brother, and has quite the little temper (that of course he gets from his mommy, according to Jeff). He gives hugs & sloppy wet kisses that make you feel so special. And when he lays his head on my shoulder, I just melt. He absolutely loves bathtime, and if Jacob's in the tub, you can forget about the idea of a solo bath. Alex has attempted many flying leaps into the tub, and if you try to deny him of the bathing experience, you'll get a glimpse of that aforementioned temper. :) He's a great eater & is particularly enjoying the new experience of "big people food". He loves Cheerios, crackers, pasta, potatoes, chicken, green beans, & carrots. He just started drinking out of a sippy cup, which he also loves. If he sees Jacob with his cup, then I know I need to get him one of his own, or else Jacob can't enjoy his drink in peace. :)

He loves his mobility now that he's a professional crawler. Watching a baby crawl toward you (or away from you with that little diaper butt) is one of my favorite forms of entertainment.

And watching him & Jacob both smile & laugh as Alex chases after him is so cute. But it sure was easier to plop him in the middle of the floor, surround him with toys, and know he'd stay there unless I moved him! And don't get me started on how excited he is by his newfound ability to pull up on furniture & cruise around. I've found myself forgetting that he has reached this new milestone, and absentmindedly putting something "out of his reach" on a table. I'm sure he was laughing in his head at my stupidity when I put a full sippy cup he was reaching for on the couch up high on the end table. I'm also pretty sure he deliberately waited until I turned my back, then easily pulled himself up and got it. He's a clever little one. :)

He's also at the stage where everything goes into his mouth. It may start off in his hands, he'll bang it on the floor, shake it around, look at it, but it will always end up in his mouth. Babies are the best vacuum cleaners; he can spot any little piece of dirt or an object that seems camouflaged against the carpet. He's also pretty vocal. His favorite thing to say is "Babababa" and high pitched squeals that almost reach the decibel levels only dogs are able to hear. He is a very happy, smiley baby. In fact, Jacob's nickname for him used to be "Smileypants." He has chunky little feet & hands that I'm in love with. And I could kiss on his chubby cheeks all day.
I'm sure I rank high up on his list of favorite people, but I have no doubt who's at the top: Jacob, hands down. He lights up at the sight of his big brother. He doesn't even have to SEE him to get excited. If he even just hears his voice, he stops what he's doing. If he's nursing when this happens, he'll pop right off, and look around upside down to find his best friend/big brother. The upside down smile I get to see when he finds him is priceless.

And Jacob LOVES being adored. He tells Alex, "I love you", and on several occasions has said, "Alex is my brother and my friend." When Alex wakes up from a nap, Jacob always follows me into the bedroom to greet him. You should see the reunion that takes place! You'd think Alex had been napping for an entire day. I should leave it at that and not mention the times Jacob has been eager to leave on an outing, but we had to wait on Alex to wake up from a nap. Impatient to leave, Jacob will ask, "Leave Alex here?" See, it was sweeter if I had left out that little tidbit. :)
As it is with most, if not all, siblings, sometimes they play beautifully together, and other times..."Mommy, no want Alex to play with my toys!!" And naturally, Jacob's toys are WAY more exciting than baby toys. But when Jacob does share, it is awesome to watch. During my pregnancy, and when Alex was a newborn, I daydreamed about the boys playing together. These are just a few of the moments I daydreamed about:










I look forward to many memorable moments between Alex and Jacob. I know I'll have to break up many arguments & fights in the future, but I also have a feeling they'll be the best of friends. Alex is my sweet baby boy, and I am so happy he is a part of our family. What a perfect addition he is! His precious one-toothed smile you can't help but smile back at, gorgeous big blue eyes, dimples, and giggle are completely irresistible. Add all that to his sweet disposition, and you've got one adorable baby that I love just as much as his big brother. Turns out it was no problem to love TWO little boys as much as I do. I can't wait to meet the big boy he's quickly turning into!

Introducing...Jacob!

Jacob is my oldest. His middle name, Carl, was given to him in honor of his deceased great-granddad (Jeff's dad's father). It's hard for me to believe that he'll be 3 years old next month. I can recall with such clarity the excitement I felt the night I got a positive pregnancy test, seeing his image on ultrasounds, hearing his heartbeat, giving birth to him & crying happy tears when the nurse laid all 9 1/2 lbs & 22 1/2 inches of him in my arms.

He was a happy, easygoing baby, and is the same way as a toddler. He is a sweet, kind, sensitive, happy, funny, intelligent, and affectionate boy.
He's the boy who sees someone crying and tries to comfort them. Or if someone gets a boo boo, he's there to help, offering to get them a cast. :) There have been times he has seen his mommy cry, came to sit on my lap, and stroked my hair, saying, "Don't cry, Mommy. It's OK. It's OK."

He's the boy who gives spontaneous hugs and kisses. This is especially cute when he doles out his affections on babies & other small children. One of my favorite things to hear him say is, "I love you so much" to me, his daddy, or his brother, Alex. The other day, the boys & I were sitting on the bed, just talking and playing around. Alex began to smack me excitedly on the thigh with a big grin on his face. Jacob reached over, gently caught his wrist, and said, "Hey, don't hurt her. She's my friend." My hero! :) It did make me feel special that he wanted to "protect" me.

He is a fantastic big brother. He adjusted to a new baby in the house with such ease. We did go through a period of time when he seemed to act out more frequently than normal, but he has never been anything but loving to his brother. When Alex was smaller, he'd ask to hold him, he kissed on him, he'd walk over & just gaze at him. And now that Alex is crawling and wanting to play with Jacob, he LOVES it. Sometimes he'll say, "Alex, chase me!" Is there anything better than watching your kids play & have fun together? It just warms my heart. Sometimes I have to remind him that he can't wrestle with Alex just yet, but other than those moments when he thinks he's playing with another 3 year old, he's terrific with him. He loves him so much. I'm not sure which hugs are my favorite: the ones between Jacob & Alex, or the big group hugs that include all of us.

He's the boy who acts silly and says, "Watch this, Mommy!" just to get a laugh out of me. Of course once I laugh, I get to view the performance again & again & again. He loves making his brother laugh. For some reason, when he grins & breathes quickly & deeply several times (think hyperventilation), Alex gets a kick out of it. So if a new joke isn't working with his brother, he resorts to his old standby trick. Works like a charm.
We're at the age right now where he is talking up a storm. I so enjoy our conversations. Since I stay at home with him, I'm lucky enough to experience the majority of these sweet & funny interactions firsthand. But my husband, Jeff, shared a cute one with Jacob the other night as he was lying down with him before bedtime:
Out of the blue, Jacob begins rattling off a list of things.

"My toys...Spiderman...mommy...daddy...Alex...cookies...muffins...dat's my favorites. What's your favorites, Daddy?" Just one example of something I always want to remember. And I'm grateful to be ranked right up there with Spiderman.
What else can I say about Jacob? He's probably the most ticklish person I know (even more so than his mommy, which is saying a lot). He will start laughing before you even touch him, which makes changing clothes, putting shoes on, or pretty much any task that requires physical contact especially difficult when he is in these extreme ticklish modes.
He loves to play with his cars. Playing with the little Matchbox cars was one of my very favorite things to do as a child, so I like that this is another thing he & I have in common. I like to eavesdrop on the conversations the cars have with one another, or that he has with the cars. The other day, I heard him ask a car, "Do you want to come with me?" There was a pause, as if he was waiting for the car to respond. And I guess the car did answer, but presumably with a "no", because then Jacob said, "Oh, alright. I'll be right back." Same thing goes when he's playing with his Spiderman action figures. Some of the villains are extremely polite. Spiderman will ask, "Why did you hit me?" I've actually heard Venom respond with a very sincere, "I'm sorry. No mean to."

I could fill up pages & pages about my sweet big boy. He is at such a fun age. I look forward to watching him grow, learn, and become a man. But at the same time, I know I will be heartbroken when he is too old to want to snuggle with his mommy.
I love everything about Jacob and I am so proud of the person he is. In addition to that personality of his that I love so much, he has a smile that makes you smile in return, a voice that makes you melt, and blue eyes with lashes I'm envious of. He looks just like his daddy. He's adorable & precious. And I feel blessed every day that he's mine. He'll always be my baby.

P.S. And just so you don't think I have a perfect saint, sometimes he completely ignores me, has selective hearing, deliberately disobeys me, is stubborn, and won't share his toys. But isn't that every 3 year old?

Am I really starting a blog?

First, I say blog, but really, I'm using this as more of a glorified family website. After Jacob was born, my husband worked hard to create a website with pictures that we planned on updating periodically. Sounds good in theory, but I believe it hasn't been updated in over 2 years. Jeff doesn't have time to keep it current and I don't know HOW to use the program he did. Hence, my creation of the blog/family website, complete with updated pictures & stories about my little guys.
I see so many opinionated, intellectual, and well articulated blogs, but as you will quickly find, that's not at all what mine will be like! :) I thought this would be a fun way for me to document the funny, cute, frustrating, annoying, and wonderful things my boys do. I borrowed (stole?) the idea from my dear old friend, Dina. It's a place for those family members and friends who rarely see us to become better acquainted with my sons. It can also be a place for family we DO see regularly to pop in and see if they're missing anything. Now let's just see if I can keep up with it.