3.08

The kids like the Cedarmont Kids Gospel songs tape we have in the van.  It's really cute to hear them singin' with a little soul!

Jax:  "Gwory Howieyooyah, I shall not be moved!
          Gwory Howieyooyah, I shall not be moved!...."

It's funny to hear them singing about laying down their burdens at the riverside.  :)

And  "Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart, in my heart...."

And when Jax was 2:  "Wade in da watuw-
                                  Wade in da watuw, chwidden,
                                  Wade in da watuw, God's gonna twubble da watuw."

*******

4.10.08

Jax's words to "Undignified"

"I'll ---- become!  even more diggafive am pwants...."

Gotta make a concert cd or dvd!!

*******

4.09.08

At bedtime I sent Jax and Mia downstairs to get a diaper so I could change Eli.  They were gone for a long time, so when Jax finally came back upstairs I asked what took so long and he said, "We were watching the Food Network."

At naptime earlier today I went to get Jax a bandaid.  He didn't hear me come back in the room.  He was laying in bed listening to a Praise Baby CD and singing along- "God of Wonders beyond our gawaxy- You are howy, howy...."  in the sweetest little sleepy voice you've ever heard.

*******

4.10.08

Mia knows a lot of words but often gets compound words backwards or other words mixed-up.  Today she came down to our disaster area living room and said "Mommy, look at this house room!  It's a wreck!"

Other mix-ups:  beltseat, tiebow, Suepel or Puesel (Pelsue)

*******

Mia's VERY into role-playing.  After almost every story we read, she immediately assigns parts.  Last night she gave me the part of Goldilocks, Jackson was Little Wee Bear, and she was Father Bear.  A lot of times she assigns parts unrelated to a story- "You be milk and I'll be juice" or "You be the sun and I'll be rain."  Funny girl.

*******

4.10.08

Eli is changing almost daily as far as what he is able to do.  Over the last few days he's started spending a lot of time standing up against something.  His favorite three places to stand and play are the little yellow Jack and Jill rocking chair, the LeapFrog table, and the train table.  He likes banging things together.  He also loves to study things- really doesn't matter what- just whatever is in his hand.  It's so precious to see him pinch a teeny tiny object between his thumb and forefinger and bring it close to his face to study it, lips pooched out and brow furrowed.  Oooh-  so cute.  He also likes sticking his finger into holes- the holes of the big plastic pop-a-beads....

2.25.08

Jackson keeps a really busy concert schedule.  He's always on his way to Indianapolis or somewhere to do a concert, so I was surprised when he grabbed his guitar case today and told me he was going to see the Tarheels.  "Why are you taking your guitar?" I asked.  "I'm going to play my guitar for Rameses.  He's gonna like my music."

*******

2.27.08

Much of the time, Jackson isn't Jackson, he's Uncle Aaron.  Today he leaned over to love on Eli in his swing and Eli got his hair.  "Did you pull my Uncle Aaron hair?"  he said.

*******

2.29.08

Jax, Eli and I got up before David and Mia this morning.  Jax wanted me to go to the bathroom with him so Eli and I went in and sat down on the stool while he pottied.  "Jax, can you tell Eli how to use the potty like a big boy?"

He started explaining, and when he got the toilet paper, said "You hold it on your dingle for 40 days and 40 nights."

*******

Mia names the four season:  Potassium, Judges, Winter, Snow

*******

2.08

David took Jax on a "date" one Saturday to Joseph-Beth to see a drumming demo.  On the way Jax commented on a "white man" he saw on a billboard.  That's the first time we've heard him comment on skin color.  Later that night we were driving home from church.  David was goofing off, doing something crazy, and Jackson said "Daddy, you are a silly white man!"

*******

3.10.08

We went to Em and Aaron's for an extended weekend.  Mia was playing with a plastic baggie , so I told her to put it down because it was dangerous.  "Just trust me, Mom!"  ("What did she just say???"  I'm thinking to myself.)  "Trust me, Mom.  Just trust me."  I still made her throw it away.  By the way, a lot of people comment on how tall she is.  I'm starting to think not really....for a 15-year-old.

*******

On the way home from the same trip, I suggested that we maybe should turn Mia's TV screen around so Eli could watch something.  Of course she flipped out.  Jax didn't go nuts but did calmly disagree with me.  "That will be too weird Mom.  It'll be weird if you slide her TV screen around.  We might get nervous if you do that."

*******


3.08

Mia got mad at JJ, pointed her finger at him and said, "PEACE ON EARTH!"

*******

3.24.08

Jax came to our bed in the middle of the night again.  David said, "Jax, you need to go sleep in your bed."  Jax replied, "I just need a short break."

The next morning he crawled in again.  He looked over at me and said "Mommy, your hair is beautiful."

*******

Now that he's learned to tee-tee like a big boy (standing up, "like Daddy does it"), he's serious about the matter.  I was getting ready to give them baths, so they were both naked in the bathroom.  "Y'all need to go tee-tee before you get in,"  I said.  Jax proceeded to put his boxer 'greasers' (briefs) back on so he could pull his dingle through the hole- tee-teeing the big boy way.  Wow.

*******

One day last week Mia was in our bed in the morning.  She heard J stirring in his room.  (GASP)  "I hear my boy!  My boy is awake!"

1.30.08
Today we went on an adventure. I took all three kids to the Don Jacobs dealership to get the brakes inspected (they squeak horribly). They did great while we waited, thanks mostly to the big basket of DumDums in the waiting area (3 each!). After that we went to Sam's for some picture enlargements and pita chips. Of course we had to eat hotdogs there, too. They LOVE Sam's hotdogs. On the way home, Jax said from the back,


"Mommy, when I grow up I wanna be a rock start. But when the rockin' is over, I wanna be a firefighter."


Mia: "And i want to be a doctor when I grow up."


Jax: "And when my guitar gets sick, Mia can put new strings on it and make it better."


****


Jax was snuggling with us in bed one morning last week. He put one arm tight around David's neck and one arm tight around my neck and pulled us close.


"I love my Daddy. I love my Mommy.
Daddy, you are my sweet boy.
Mommy, you are my sweet girl.
I love you guys."


****


12.07


What should we get them for Christmas?.....


Nor: Jackson- snowflake pajamas Mia- pink ice-cream


Pop: - snowman pajamas - motorbike
- a pan to cook


Chris: - a dollar - motorbike


(They ran off to play before I could get to Jen, Gracie and Isaiah)


****


2.10.08


Jackson was in our bed, and I said "Do you want me to take you to your bed?" and he said, "Yes, I have some more dreams left."


The kids were listening for the first time in a while to Five Iron Frenzy's "Suckerpunch"....a few seconds into the song Jackson said "It's Ernzy!" and Mia said "It's Fruit Punch!"


Jackson took a silver streamer and put it underneath his nose and said "I've got a breathe". I said "Where have you seen one of those?" and he said "Jackie". (Referring to GongGong's sister Jackie who he'd seen at the Christmas Eve party a couple months ago.)


****


2.11.08


It started snowing a little while before we took the kids to Yvonne and Gladys' house. By the time we got there, there might've been 1/4" on the ground. Jackson jumped out of the van, laid down on the driveway, and started making a snow angel. :)


****


2.12.08


My sweet JJ snugglebabied with me this morning. He was as close as he could get to me with his arm tight around my neck, twisting his head and working to readjust his shoulders for optimal snuggling. We were both quiet until he said "Mommy, you wook wike an angel. (pause) Mommy, you wook wike gwory to God in the highest."


****


2.16.08


We took the kids to see Clifford the Big Red Dog at Joseph-Beth today. They had a lot of fun- hugged Clifford, got faces/hands painted, balloon animals, blow-up obstacle course, made a necklace...Afterward we went thru the Chick-fil-A drive thru and ate in the van. All of us were quiet, eating, when Jax said


"Mom?"
"Yes, Jax?"
"I love this."


Sweet little grateful heart.


****


2.18.08


Mia said "Mommy, you need to take a picture of me in the morning."


"Why?"


"Because I'm so cute!"


****


At naptime today I put Eli and Mia down at the same time in the same room. I reminded Mia not to talk to Eli and to be a good girl and show Eli how you should lay down and be quiet to take a nap. A few minutes later I could hear the 2 of them having the time of their life. "Aaaaaaah.....Giddy!!" she'd say, and he'd cackle at her, over and over. They love each other. (and I let it go, by the way. It was too cute.)


****


2.23.08


David took Jax out for a "date". While Mia was at home with me, we talked to Nanny on the phone, who'd been at Charlotte's house the last few days. I told Mia that Poppy had been at home by himself....


"What should we do?" (thinking she'd suggest calling him....)


"We should send Nanny back to him."


****


Mia wore a new dress with leggings today. She brought the dress to J's attention he looked at her and said, "Mia, you look WONDERFUL!"


****


Jax saw some competitive skiers on TV. They were all wearing ski gear and all happened to have on black pants. One was wearing a red shirt, one yellow and one blue. He asked, "Mommy, those are the Wiggles?"


****


On the way home from church David was joking around with the kids. Jax said "Dad, you are a silly white man!" (That's the first reference we've heard to a "white" man!)


****


On their date, Jax and David were walking into a store. J spotted a lady and said "Hello, friend!" She looked at him and said he was a cutie. Then he looked at David and said "Did you see, Dad? I said hello to the nice girl."


****

Mia's killing us using "CHUCK-O!" as a cuss word toward Jackson when she's mad.

December 3, 2007
When you what Mia what she's doing and she tries to answer "nothing"- she usually answers "anything!"
***
We're working to fill in all eight slices of a pizza picture to earn a trip to Chuck E. Cheese. Slices are earned by staying in your OWN bed all night. Needless to say, Mia has earned 4 of the 5 potential pieces this far. One night Jackson came to our bed around midnight. David was explaining to him that had had to go sleep in his own bed if he wanted a slice of pizza. "
"I just wanna snugglebaby for 1 minute, Daddy!"
and he crawled over and clued himself to me. He did go back to his bed but was back with us before the sun came up. A couple nights later he came again. David went through the deal again, concluding, "so don't you want to go back to your bed so you can get a slice of pizza?"
In his sleeping stupor Jax answered,
"I need to fink about it."
The snuggles won out.
***
January 7, 2008
Eli makes the sweetest sing-songy breathy baby noises. I love it.
His favorite thing to look at is the couch and loveseat material.
His favorite thing to chew on is his toes.

Eli's nicknames:
Ewi
Ewee
WeeWee
Mr. Littleby
Wee Guy (Poppy calls him that)

from Jackson and Mia:
Geegee
Giddy, sometimes "Gid"
Mr. Giddy
Giddy Boy
Giddy Boo
***
January 20, 2008
David, Jackson and Mia are curled up together in the recliner watching a Hillsong United worship DVD. A few minutes in Jackson said "I like it, Daddy!" They kept watching- there were a lot of people on the stage. David said "Look at all the people worshipping God with their hands" (in the audience). When it panned back to a guy on stage Jackson asked,
"Is that God?"
"No, buddy, that's not God. We can't see God- He's not a person. He's our Creator. He's invisible. We just talk to Him even though we can't see Him and have faith that He's there."
"Faif? What is faif?"
David and I looked at each other like "how do we explain?"
Jax cont'd thinking aloud. "Faiful."
(Repeating it as he heard it in a song.)
David said "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
Jackson had no idea what that meant, but the answer seemed to satisfy him- for now.
***
January 22, 2008
Jax came down the steps this morning telling me he needed help because his button came untied.

Our toilet was out of order today so I told Jax he couldn't use it.
"I fink you need some new batteries, Mom."

Mia was downstairs in the living room with me while Jax was upstairs playing. She looked at me and said "I'm gonna go upstairs and check on Jackson. You stay here and watch da wedder." (weather)

Roofers came to fix a couple places on our roof. Jackson and Mia are always excited for anyone to come to our house. J said- "Those men are gonna like Giddy."

Mia's cusswords:
DUNGO
MINKY
JUKA
CHUCKO
GONGY
PASQUALE
BOO-PAH
NOOKAH
PEACE ON EARTH!
FLEA MARKET!
and Aunt Emmy's favorite- "SHADRACH!" as she walked out of the room after not gettting what she wanted.

November 2007

I thought it would be fun to see what Jackson and Mia thought we should buy some of our family members for Christmas. Here's what they came up with:

Jackson's List:

Eli: snowflake passy

Emmy: ballerina clothes

GG: stand for T-Bird's cage

Nanny: microphone

Poppy: a microphone, too

Pam: a bow

Drew: a rockstar guitar

Aaron: 2 rockstar guitars

Mia's List:

Eli: a bottle

Emmy: ballerina clothes

GG: tweezers

Nanny: for her tongue to feel better

Poppy: rockstar pants

Pam: a ballerina dance

Drew: rockstar pants

Aaron: purple pants

Nov. 27, 2007

Jackson walked into our bedroom in the morning, climbed into our bed, looked Eli in the face and said "Hello, my friend!" Then he turned to me and said "He is so sweet."

Nov. 28, 2007

Jax came into our room and patted his hand over the sheets. He was looking for Eli. When I asked what he was doing, he said, "I wanna see my sweet precious baby boy."

Nov. 30, 2007

I put Eli down for a nap. He was crying as he tried to go to sleep. David was sitting at the computer and heard Jax start up the stairs.

"Where are you going, Jax?"

"Upstairs."

"Why?"

"My buddy is sad."

November 11, 2007

Jackson, trying to open playdough can, said "I can open it 'cause I'm a STRONG BOY!"

***

Jax is always making up or substituting words in familiar tunes. This morning I suggested we all go back to bed (since The Wiggles concert was last night). Jackson said he'd go back to Mommy's bed and started to sing (to the tune of the Choo-Choo Soul theme song): "All aboard to Mommy's bed, All aboard to Mommy's bed, All aboard to Mommy's bed, All Aboard-All Aboard!!"

***

We've discovered it's hard to get the truth out of Jackson and Mia about who committed what offense when you ask yes or no questions. This morning they were upstairs when Jax called down to report that Mia was jumping on the bed.

"Mia, come here."

They both came scrambling downstairs.

"Who was jumping on the bed?"

In stereo, "Mia was."

Just to make sure Jax wasn't guilty, I said "What were you doing while Mia was jumping on the bed?"

"I was wooking in da mirror at my Wiggles shirt." (he was still dressed like Murray from the concert the night before.)

***

November 12, 2007

***

Jax came walking into our bedroom in a daze around 11:30 p.m. He grinned a sleepy face grin and said "Hello, Mommy! Hello, eddyone!" and then he snuggled up tight to me and said in his stupor, "I wuv Poppy. Poppy is my friend." Then this morning he came and climbed in again, snuggled up to me and said, "I'm mommy's wittle buddy."

***

Jax was in the bathroom, Mia and I were in there too. I looked at her and said "Mia, you're so beautiful- are you my little princess?"

"Yes, and this (extending her arm to Jax) is Joseph."

Me: "Hey, Joseph."

Mia: "This is baby Jesus (cradling an invisible baby in her arms). Would you like to pet Him?"

Me: "Sure."

(And I reached out to love on Baby Jesus.)

Mia then laid the invisible Baby on the floor and proceeded to bend over. She was facing the floor, shaking her head back and forth.

Me: "What are you doing, Mia?"

Mia: "I'm rubbing noses with Baby Jesus!"

***

November 13, 2007

***

Brooke was at our house this afternoon. We were at the table eating supper when Jax must've looked at the refrigerator and seen the picture with PawPaw in it.

"PawPaw's in heaven," he said, talking to Brooke. "He's with Jesus. I'm gonna go see Jesus, too. When I go see Jesus, PawPaw's gonna get on the microphone and he's gonna say 'Introducing-

JEEE-SUUUS!!!'"

***

Both say "Let my do it" for "Let me do it"

***

Mia says "cuge" for "huge".

***

Jax suddenly stripped off his pj's one morning and put on his Murray clothes. As he was changing, Mia said "You funny, Jackson!"

"No, I not funny. I'm Murray."

Oct.28, 2007

On the way to church:

Jackson: "Look, Mommy, the sunshine came out! This is our day."

Mia walked into the living room where Eli was laying on the floor. In a sing-songy voice she said "Well, bless his little heart."

At Fazoli's today, Mom brought some croutons to the table.

Jackson: "Well, wook-ey here. Wook-ey here! Wow! Thanks, Nanny."

Oct. 27, 2007

Mom, Jackson, Mia and I went to Target. Jackson must've said 35,000 words while we were in there. "Mommy, I see VACUUM CLEANERS!! Wook, Mommy, I see Dora! And Thomas! There's the Wiggles! Wook, Mommy, I see a PUMPKIN. Over there is a CHWISTMAS TWEE!"

He talked CONSTANTLY.

Other people were noticing. My ears were exhausted from overload. Whew.

Mia calls a smoothie a "smoodie" and a mermaid a "wermaid."

They're into drawing right now. Jackson draws a lot of little circles, side by side. He also likes to draw clowns. Mia likes drawing rainbows (rows of straight lines) and spiders (a circle with 15 lines around it). I love it.

Jackson sings:

"Shout unto God

Da boice ub twiumph.

Shout unto God

Da boice ub praise.

Shout unto God

Da boice ub twiumph.

We liftcha Name up

We liftcha Name uuuuuup."

Mia was in the bathroom poo-pooing today singing "Joy to the World."

Nov. 4, 2007

I put Mia in her bed for the night.

"Where's the sun, Mommy?"

"The sun is resting from shining on us all day."

"I wanna touch the sun."

"The sun is too hot. It would burn your finger if you touched it."

"I wanna touch the moon."

"Okay, Mimi, maybe someday we can touch the moon."

""I'll say, 'Hi, Moon!' and I'll tickle the moon!"

Jackson was pressing on the toes of his brown boots as we were getting ready for church, as if checking to see if they fit.

"How do they fit, Jax?" "They fit.....nicely."

Jax calls boxer briefs "boxer greasers" and Five Iron Frenzy "Fire Fire Ernzy".