Mom's Beauty Parlor

Moms - we can do anything, right? I mean, we are nurses, chefs, counselors, chauffeurs... the list never ends. Well, I wanted to add to my resume the role of beautician! My three fellas all get varying degrees of "high and tight" and I wanted to give it a go. I've paid too much money for traumatic experiences at some cheap "salon" at the mall - and with not very good results.

I purchased my kit at Tar-jay for $25 and knew that if I only gave each guy one hair cut, I'd save about $10 - $15. JD was my first brave customer. Truth be told, he just wants to shave his all off since his hair is steadily going away (and not coming back). I figured if I really botched it up, he could get his wish and just lose it all.

I had to do about three touch-ups and there is a weird line above his right ear. But, all in all, it's passable.

On to Josiah, he is so easy. Give him a cookie and he's all yours. His 'do is a little better than Daddy's.

Lastly, I took on my oldest. This was going to be interesting, I just knew. Since he hates getting his hair cut, I had the persuasive argument of telling him that if I did not cut his hair, someone at the mall would. My big error was not putting a towel around him since he started getting agitated when he saw the hair all around him and on his shirt. We finally ended the session with his head about 80% cut. I've since gone back and he's now about 95% done. I just need to do the neck. It's not great but it's not too bad.

So, I'm proud of myself for being resourceful. Truth be told, the cuts are really, well, lacking. But, I bet the gold standard of mommies in Proverbs 31 would have used some clippers for her fellas too!

Alert - Kindness Missing!!

I didn't know that it could happen. I've never read about it in the papers and am not sure that there has ever been a documented case of this strange occurrence. This afternoon, my dear son reported to me that his "kindness had disappeared." Imagine my alarm to hear this statement. Well, based upon his behavior, I knew that some sort of abduction had taken place.

Here's a little background... I am reading a very good book on parenting by Kevin Leman. I'm really enjoying it and feel encouraged by some of the good things we are doing. I also feel the need to change or keep an eye out for some things that I don't really want to impart upon my son. So, some things we are doing are right on and others are things that I could see being potential problems in the future. Leman talks a lot about making the kind of home where your kids want to be there and making sure that our role of parents is not pushed aside due to overly busy schedules and overly ambitious plans.

Leman advises to praise your children for who they are and not always on their abilities and appearance. So, I heaped praise upon Jon David for not only climbing so well at the Chick-fil-A kid area but mostly for not giving up when it was hard to do at first. Last night, I started talking to him about how I like that he is so smart but that I really love how kind he is. I could see his little face light up as I told him of all the times recently that I'd seen him being kind. I'm learning that one of his love languages seems to be words of affirmation.

So, here we are today with a whiny boy whose ears must not have been working based upon the lack of good listening he exhibited. He cried, he sassed and at times was lacking any kindness.

I do hope that his kindness reappears tomorrow!

Thomas the Tank Engine and a Puppy

My sons have great passions in life. For Jon David, it's Thomas the Tank Engine, of course. I cannot even begin to count the number of wooden engines, coal tenders and tracks that are on the floor in the family room right at this moment.

Little brother is also showing signs of what really moves him. For him, he cannot resist playing with a ball and he finds dogs VERY exciting! He gets so happy just seeing a dog walk by our house and is learning to say, "woof woof." Oh, it's really so very cute!




So, finding their costumes was rather easy. Jon David's even contained a litle section to hold candy - how cool is that? We had a great time and gathered quite a bit of candy. Josiah tried his first candy bar (Twix) and was a big fan!!

Next year, I hope to find some cute costumes that they can wear together, like Woody and Buzz from Toy Story. Can't wait!

With Miss 'Cole!

Warning - I'm 3!!

His shirt says, "WARNING, I'm 3!"

My big boy is 3 years old. What a glorious time it has been with our beloved son. I thank the good Lord every day for my sweet, sweet son.

Jon David had a LARGE time at his Pump it Up party. It was wild but in a good way. He had the best time and especially enjoyed his Maggio Moo's Thomas the Tank Engine cake.

Josiah was not really feeling the whole birthday party thing. He was a bit crabby.

This cool present from Cousin Kenzie reads, "Happy 3rd Birthday, Jon Jon." Of course, it's Thomas the Take Engine.

As if one party were not enough, his sweet Sunday School teachers threw him a dream party - a donut birthday party! Mr. Doug and Miss Lynn have been so kind to Jon David (or, as they call him, "JD"). They have been instrumental in getting Jon David to stop screaming for the entire time he spent at church. And, they knew how much our boy loves him some donuts. They even got the GOOD stuff, Krispy Kreme and brought the kids hats. What a sweet send-off for our big boy!

Catching Up

I don't remember Jon David being up to this much mischief. He's never really been one to try and touch "bad" things like electrical outlets, etc. I'm still amazed that when he wakes up from naps and in the morning that he reaches for a few books, turns on his little Tyke Light and reads. He rarely even calls for me. That AMAZES me. He knows how to turn on the TV in the bonus room and I'm always surprised that he just stays in his bed.

I know it's bad parenting to compare children but how can you not? I'm not comparing with the intention of one child being my favorite, etc. That would be impossible. But, this journey of parenting is new for me and I can't help but compare experiences.

So, today Josiah was playing with the lazy-susan. He takes a bottle of vegetable oil and puts it in his chubby hands. I casually glance at him, thinking nothing of it. Then, something tells me to walk over and look at him. It takes me a few minutes to figure out why his PJs are wet in some places and what's in his hair. Then I realize, he opened the bottle of oil and it was soon all over the floor. Lovely!! Of course, these things only happen when Daddy is gone. Thankfully, it was also time for his AM nap and I quickly scooped him up to bed (being careful not to slip on the VERY slick floor). Sorry, no picture but I did include one from another messy episode.

Jon David kept me on my toes Thursday morning. We had one of our all-time worst public outings. I took both boys to get haircuts. Jon David started out being so sweet. He complimented the stylist on her use of the water bottle on his hair. "Oh, you are good with the water. That's nice. I like water!" He was so ready to be the good boy that we talked of him being. Well, she was new and slow. And, she jumped every time he moved (which was often). Things were not going well.

And about halfway through the cut, things start to QUICKLY unravel. Just imagine a child with a half-cut head of hair totally acting out. I was DETERMINED to not leave with him looking like that. And it was totally ridiculous. The end result: a so-so haircut and nicks upon his neck. It was a disaster. We've since talked about it a few times and I've told him, "Jon David, that cannot happen again." Ugh!

Alas, the boys remain super sweet. Bath time is great fun as my two monkeys splash together in the tub. We found out that Dora the Explorer bubbles are the best - lots of bubbly fun. Josiah adores his big brother. Jon David now calls his beloved cow his "baby" and even puts the cow down for a nap. (I'll have to blog about that someday). These are indeed the sweetest days.

Blame it on Facebook!



I have found updating my status much easier than doing a blog post. Bad mommy!! I'm taking the easy road. To use Facebook language Denise is... sorry she has not blogged.



Jon David is doing very well. His cough is almost gone and he's had a few little viruses that remained minor deals. Normally, minor viruses turn into week-long exiles at home. But, he's been able to show real improvement. Praise the Lord!

Josiah is a MESS! He's all over the place and now says my name for any and every need. You will hear him all day long saying, "MaMa MaMa MaMa!!!" It's cute but, wow, he says it a lot!

I also took pictures tonight of the boys taking a bath together. They are so cute and really have fun playing together. I just love it!

So, if you want to hear more from me, let's become Facebook friends! :)






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Happy Birthday, Sweet Baby Boy!

Bad, bad, mommy. Yes, I know! It's been TOO long since I've posted and I have one VERY important post that simply must be done! I did at least get his pictures professionally taken, so that counts for something!

My sweet baby boy turned ONE!!

Little Josiah, oh my dear baby boy - he's one!!

For the past year, I've chronicled his many spectacular achievements and milestones met. I gushed and bragged about this most special boy. Truly - every day with Josiah has been a joy. He's my sweet baby. I wonder - how many times have I used the word "sweet" when describing this special boy in the past year?? Well, whatever the number - it's not enough.

So, yes, Josiah turned the big 1 on August 20th. He weighs just shy of 22 pounds and is 30 inches long. He's a bona fide walker and very vocal, saying words like "Ut OH (his favorite, especially when in his crib)" and "Baaaaa" (ball). While of mild temperment, he does tend to lose it a few times a day, usually when he's done eating and ready for b-e-d ("nigh nigh" as we call it).

So, I must truly thank the good, good Lord for the privilege of being Josiah's mommy! Happy Birthday, Son!

Children's Hosbibal

Jon David has his bronchoscopy tomorrow at 8:30 am. According to him, they are going to reach down and grab his cough and make him all better. We've been working to prepare him for the big morning and here is a phone conversation with him telling his granddaddy about tomorrow. He also goes on to talk about eating at Moe's with Daddy and that he'll get to eat at Maggie Moo's near church once he starts telling us when he has to go potty. It's pretty entertaining and he was a chatty cathy!!

Cruisin'

Look at these hunky dudes going cruising!

Gavin is a big 4-year-old and my friend's son. He's a sweetie and very big brotherly (he has two younger sisters). While at his house, Jon got to go for a spin in the cul-de-sac with Gavin who drove very safely (though I was nervous at times even though Jon had on his seatbelt and they were not going too fast). Gavin even gently pushed Jon David back to be sure he was sitting correctly in the car/Jeep/tractor.

Quincy with a bottle of water in one hand and one hand on the wheel. What is she - 20?? :)

In addition to these hunks were crazy Quincy (and her own pink Barbie wheels) and sweet Josiah in the red wagon pulled by Mom. (His expression is WAY TOO grown up in the picture below! How'd that happen???)

Treatment for a broken finger

My sister recently broke her foot (ouch!) and came over with a tripped out scooter thing. Of course, Jon David thought it was a cool toy. And, strangely, now he has many ailments that require the same kind of scooter. Usually, his injury is a broken finger. When you ask to see the hurt digit, he often shows you a different finger each time. So, imagine our difficulty coming up with a treatment plan. I guess we don't need a plan. If we'd only listen to him, he could be all better. He needs a scooter.

Oh, and as a special shout out to Aunt Dees, this video includes her very favorite thing - Jon's "crazy eyes." You too can do crazy eyes - just blink your eyes over and over. He does this often when people comment on his eye lashes. Anyway, Cindy - this is for you. (sorry for the cartoons in the background and you can probably hear that he was sniffly today)

"This is entertainment, Mommy!"

For months we've been promising Edward to Jon once he gets potty trained. Here he is with his big prize! Such a look of pride!!

Well, it's not exactly what I'd describe as prime entertainment but while sitting on the potty this week, Jon David proudly said, "This is entertainment, Mommy!" You know what, I think that boy may be right. We've had a lot of laughs this week.

When I was pregnant with Jon David and having some worries about being able to have a healthy baby, I used to think to myself of people as I saw them, "There's another successful pregnancy." I have a new way of looking at people - I now think, "There's someone who has been successfully potty trained." Now, I'm having to just make some assumptions about this as I have no real way of confirming their potty status.

I've been manipulating my oldest for months saying, "Hmmm - I wonder who will be potty trained first, you or Josiah? I just wonder who will get Edward..." He would always respond with a passionate, "I am!!!" I usually would respond, "Oh really? Great - go hop on the potty." He'd ignore me and I'd once again think that he'd be graduating from high school in diapers. But, on Monday, he actually went into the bathroom and, with some help from me, went pee pee.

So, at this point, the "toothpaste is out of the tube", so to speak. We can't go back. We're committed, "in it to win it" - you know what I mean. I knew we'd be laying low last week since I wanted to be sure that he was no longer sick with the virus before venturing back into society.

Day One Progress

Day Four: much better!

If I had to give Jon David a grade, I'd give him a solid B. In fact, today he did not have any accidents which is especially impressive since we were at church for a few hours and also a few hours with our church small group. No, he did not hold it the whole time but he did successfully use the potty away from our house.

My potty training essentials: Lysol wipes, juice boxes, Diego training pants and reading materials.

I've spent more time on the floor reading books and sitting in the doorway of our downstairs bathroom than I ever thought humanly possible. Since he's not yet telling me when he has to go, I have to regularly put him on the pot. I've been peed on, had him pee in my hands (to my shock and dismay) and worried that my house smells of urine (though I do clean as we go and again before bed).


One thing I did not really bargain for - I need to also train my husband. No, not like that - he's definitely potty trained at this point in his life. But, I need to train JD to be on guard for "that look" that our boy gets as he goes to hide and poop in his training diaper and to remember to take Jon David to the potty when out. I wouldn't say that he's as hard to train as our son but it is taking some reminding on my part.

We stayed very hydrated and I let Jon David pick whatever juice boxes he wanted.

All in all, I'm proud of Jon David. He's not thrilled with potty training and fights me most times to go to the bathroom. Once we get started and I read to him, he moves on and is not upset. And little Josiah has been a dream. I put a bunch of puffs in his exersaucer and he's spent a whole lot of time stationary in there. Thank you, Josiah!

In closing, it has been A VERY LONG week but I'm so proud of my son (and myself too!).

After going through 4 pairs of big boy undies in one day, I switched back to training pants. I know it may make this process take longer but it was necessary for my sanity.

Just Helping Out

This is Jon David here. Mom said I could do this post. She's too busy finding ways to avoid folding the 5 loads of laundry that she says are "calling her name."

So, like Josiah is walking - or rather sort of taking steps. Well, I've been doing that for a long time. It's easy, okay? I can run, jump AND walk backwards.

It's not like I have a hard time sharing the spotlight. In fact, it's the opposite. If people were as exciting or interesting as I am, I would not find it necessary to inject myself into various situations.

Like the family talent show in Tennessee, it was fun. All the people had some good skills and it was rather entertaining. But, there was one thing missing from all the presentations... me! Like my really sweet and cute girl cousins, they were singing a beautiful song. It was lovely. But, there were no boys - rather, there was no Jon Jon. I did the only thing I could think to do to take the show to the next level of entertainment... I "helped" them and did it without them even having to ask. I don't know if they thanked me. They may have just been overwhelmed with gratitude. Hey, I'm just glad I could help.

What happens in Tennessee

Well, I had to get that last post out there about our E/R drama and that means I delayed a momentous (literally) update! Josiah took his first steps on Saturday at the family talent show. It was actually just before the talented stars hit the stage. I proudly announced that we had already seen the best talent of the day (Si's walking) and that everyone could go home.

JD was across the room and someone asked him, "How long has Josiah been walking?" JD was like, huh??? We were all very excited and proud.

But, I guess sort of like the saying for Las Vegas, what happens in Tennessee, stays in Tennessee. It appears as if my baby boy has forgotten how to take steps unassisted. I would not call what he did as walking but there were definitely independent steps taken that resulted in forward progress being made. The attached video is proof. He actually did better than the video shows but at least it's something.