Saturday, October 06, 2007

Big, huge, giant catch up...

Yikes,



I haven't updated this blog in too long. I kind of lost track of it and I realized that not only were you not getting frequent updates, but I was missing out on logging the wonderful things that have happened in Cubby's life. I am back on the blogging bandwagon.



I'll start with today, because it is his birthday. It is hard to believe that this boy is 3 years old. He has just learned how to say "I am two". Now he wants to say "I am four". About a month ago he watched a Blues Clues episode about a party and then he has Norah and Lulu have THEIR party's, so he was READY to party this year. For the last few weeks all our conversations have been about what color of cake to have (pink), if we should have a pinata (yes and hit it with a stick), balloons (for sure), and opening presents. He was set. Each morning he would walk down the stairs and say "Today........is............my...........birthday!!!!". And each morning we would say "not for a few more days". He could hardly stand it this morning when he woke up. He had a doughnut with a candle (and he wouldn't go near it, he didn't like the flame) and presents that were wrapped in orange and black. He got an aquadoodle, a transformer, a Razor scooter (he loves Lulu's) and some puzzles. We could have stopped at the Aquadoodle. Then he ate his doughnut and played with is balloons.

We didn't have soccer this week, so we decided to go to the beach to a really fun pumpkin patch for the morning. I dressed the kids in orange and black and hoped to take some fun pictures with them. As you will see, I didn't get GREAT pictures, but I got a LOT of pictures. When Jacob gets into big places that have lots of people, he can kind of shut down a little. Mostly he is a fearless kid that loves to put on a show for people, but at places like Disneyland, Chuck E Cheese or the pumpkin patch, he just wants to hang on daddy's leg. He just watched from the sidelines while Lu and Nori jumped and played and picked pumpkins. He had a good time though because in the car all the way home he kept talking about it! Last night their babysitter took them to Chuck E Cheese and he had a great time there too. So he is partied out!! Tomorrow we are having a party with a few friends and family and the pinata and cake. I'll take pictures of that too and post them.



Almost every day Jacob does something that reminds me of his brothers or of you. He continues to have such an outgoing and fun personality. He is quick to laugh and finds most things that are supposed to be naughty, to be really funny. At home he loves to dance and to sing and play his little piano (complete with head bobs and dancing hands). He will copy and all things that Lu does and watches her very closely. He will color, draw and "read" books when he sees her doing it. He can ride his little bike with her and swim (without a vest) like a fish. He jumps off the diving board and puts his face in and floats and everything. The reason he got a scooter for his birthday is because he always tries to push Lu off of hers. He can balance on it easily and I think will be not needing his training wheels on his bike soon either. He is still VERY strong. He loves to shoot baskets and play soccer. Derek coaches Lu team and Jacob is just waiting and waiting for the day he can play too.





Jacob loves to watch Blues Clues and Barney and Sesame Street. He loves Elmo and Abby Cadabby. He would rather be playing outside. We have a very small back patio, but there is plenty of dirt to dig in and lots of room to throw a ball and swing a sword. He has become very interested in pirates this year. If you ask him "what does a pirate say?" he will answer" Arrghhhh". He is going to be a pirate for Halloween. We have already started letting him wear the costume and he loves it. We are right in the middle of the "I can do it myself" and " I want to help you" phase. He just learned how to jump on the counters and help himself to the snacks up there. Between that and the fridge, he is not going to go hungry at all. He still has his lamb "nightie" blanket and only sucks his thumb when he is holding it. I tried to get a picture of him holding it today, but he wouldn't let me.





J has also started to potty train. He is in pull ups and will always go if we remind him, but he doesn't often remember to tell us when he thinks he needs to go. I think that if we keep working on it with him, he will get it. I seem to remember that Douglas was older when he did it too. I have tried offering him stickers or candy if he goes, but he doesn't seem too interested in those yet. Maybe I need to have him call a pirate or something. Either way, we will let you know how it goes. He LOVES to wear his big boy underwear (we have Diego and Elmo). I am not too worried about it yet.





Jacob also is such a good brother. He really loves having Norah around and is very patient and gentle with her. He never hits her or acts aggressive with her. He never has, not with Lauren either. Although, with Lu he does like to try and tackle her and play rough with her but she only likes that half the time. If anything, Norah bosses J around. He will often come running up to me to tell me that Norah took something from him or that she is "teasing" him. Norah knows exactly how much she can get away with when it comes to Jacob.



I haven't been to the Dr. yet for his check up, but he is still on the small side. He wears 2T clothes and loves to dress himself. He mostly wears khaki or jeans pants and t-shirts with stripes or polo shirts. When he gets up from nap he often has other clothes on that he put on from his drawer. Either that or he wants to be naked all the time. We have a hard time keeping clothes on him and it is impossible to keep shoes on him at all. He doesn't like them at all. I don't know how tall he is or how much he weighs, but I will let you know after the next appointment.

Our typical day is very mellow. Jacob usually gets up at about 7:30 and calls me until I let him out of his room. He has his own toddler bed now and can putter and play until he gets up. We go potty and dress him (for the first time). Once all the kids are up we have breakfast (he watches Sesame Street until then). Jacob loves oatmeal and hard boiled eggs for breakfast. He will eat cereal or cheese or yogurt but the other stuff is better. Then take Lu to the bus stop. Jacob LOVES to watch the bus. He always tells her goodbye and blows her a kiss. Then it off to do a few errands, Target or the grocery store. At lunch we come home and eat. Jacob loves lunch meat (neither of the big kids will eat a sandwich, but they will eat all the stuff IN a sandwich), pickles, tomatoes, noodles, veggies (especially broccoli and carrots). Then it is off to nap/rest time. Sometimes he sleeps, sometimes he plays but he always needs a rest. At about 4 everyone gets up and we swim or play till Derek comes home. J can get pretty grumpy at this time of night and wants to be held or have me sit right next to him. I find that I can get him interested in what I am cooking now and I might have a little chef in the making here. For dinner I can always count on Jacob to eat whatever I make. He is not picky at all. He LOVES salad and veggies, chicken, anything. His favorite right now is lasagna and sausages, but he will eat anything. At bedtime, Jacob is the first to be up the stairs to brush teeth. He LOVES it. He loves the dentist too (and I don't even have to be in the room with him). He has GREAT teeth. He loves to floss. Then we go to the bedroom and get lambie and then lay down. We sing songs, his song is "I am a child of God", and then say prayers. Lately Jacob fights to say the prayer. He usually remembers to say his name and a very LOUD amen. He usually goes down without a fight and sleeps all night.





J starts preschool this week and that should make for some very interesting stories. On the whole he is a very strong, very smart and happy little guy. He is talking and understanding more and more each day. He is very headstrong in some ways but very loving and sweet in others. He is NOT aggressive and he plays well with other kids. He doesn't like to share much, but what three year olds do? right? We see so much of you all in him.





Hope you are doing well. I put these pictures on the blog so you can see them. I send another package to the address you gave me last time, and like last time they got returned to me marked "return to sender". I know you were looking for a new place to live, so when you have an address you can let me know. Please double check it and I can send more pictures for you.



I hope all the of the birthdays in your house were fun and that the boys are doing well in school. I just braided Norah's hair for the first time and didn't do a very good job. When I see Emma's hair I remember how good you are at that! I wish you lived closer.

We love you and will update again soon.







































Sunday, May 06, 2007























Cooking Day...









My kitchen counters are decorated with Lulu's artwork. The one on the left is called "My Mom" and the one on the right is called "My Treasures" (Jacob, a rainbow and a key).
One morning last week, as I was busily trying to edit photos of Mexican orphans that need sponsors, I actually allowed the children to be in the kitchen. This is traditionally a "no kid zone". Mostly because the computer is in here and Cubby's favorite game is to run up to me, pretend to give me a hug, and then at the last minute spin around and turn off the whole system on the CPU. The little stinker. He knows that it makes Mamma act really funny and crazy. He laughs and thinks the whole thing is hilarious.





Hence the rule.









Lauren isn't allowed in because she gets into the fridge and doesn't close the door. This also makes Mamma act really funny and crazy. I used to dream about being the kind of mom that taught her daughter to cook at an early age, but I am going to have to leave that to the Grandma's. She just makes messes. Right now the only one that is allowed in the kitchen is Norah. When she starts be distructive then she is banned to.









I have started to bend this rule recently because when I don't, Jacob picks up anything he can find and throws it over the dog/kid gate (the only one that can keep him out) into the kitchen. He usually starts with the dining rooms chairs and works his way down to the toy baskets and Derek's piano music. This doesn't usually bother me, but the last time he did it he broke one of our fancy IKEA dining rooms chairs and then used the pieces of bang the gate, like a prisoner. The prison idea was so accurate it made me laugh. Then I rembered that sometimes prisoners are so motivated to get out they will dig thorugh solid cement. Since Jacob has yet to figure out that if you put the chair up to the gate (rather than throwing it over), you can climb over the gate. I don't want to give him any motivation since I prefer to leave this an unexplored skill.
The other day when I let the kids in the kitchen, they decided to "cook. " At first I didn't realize what they were doing, but as I started to listening in, I was really touched by how cute they were playing together. This is honestly the first time I have seen them play together. Usually Jacob just wants to do whatever Lu is doing and then she screams until he goes away. This day has been 2 years in coming. Also, they have NEVER played with the pretend kitchen as long as they did here. They worked and worked and talked and played. Lu would venture outside to get "ingredients" while Cubby manned the grill. It made my mamma heart proud AND I got my work done.









Disclaimer, Jacob is only in a diaper in these pictures. I guess this is my official application to Trailer #4 in Whitetrashville. This kid wants to be naked all the time. Yesterday after naptime I found that he had gotten out of bed, taken off his diaper and put it in his garbage can and then crawed BACK into bed naked. I consider keeping him in any type of clothes a victory. And yes, Lauren is still in her jimmy jams (pj's).
I give you









Gatronomique..









I let the kids use whatever they wanted as long as it wasn't a knife. If you look closely at the little silver box by the bread Cubby is flattening, you will notice that those are the controls to the stove. Just push the button and you get all the heat you want. Child friendly, huh? I was informed that these are "hard boiled rocks". Sounds delish. This is the menue. I find this funny because Lu can write and spell. I guess this was faster. I was told to check out the "pepsi salad" and "yummy noodles".Serve them up Cubbo!









Nice war paint on his cheek. That is yogurt









Lauren, ever the patient supervisor, is always ready to smile for a picture...









Lauren goes in search of ingredients outside and comes back succsessful. This is Egg Salad Soup.

Jacob goes looking for ingredients of his own









He leaves no source unchecked. That garbage can is a microcausim of my life, eggs, cookies, Diet Coke and a diaper. That says a lot about me.
Jacob is watching the master work her magic
Stirring the Hard Boiled Rocks is hard work...

Jacob checks his orders..... (note that the ottoman he is standing on into the kitchen because he threw it over the gate earlier in the morning)
Salt makes everything better, even bark
Or just on it's own
This the best part. Lauren made this sign for the resturant.It reads "Pancake Fest, the rest Royalty" I don't know what that means, but she chanted it the rest of the day. The bottom one says "Pancakes are Royalty, Royalty Rules....... Go, Go, Go, Pancakes"

Friday, November 17, 2006

LETTER!!!!!!!!!

Michelle,

I got the letter today that was forwarded by the attorney. I didn't open it and I put it right in his special box (I have other pictures of you and the kids and my journal entry from that time as well as the wonderful scrapbook pages you made him...). THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

The pictures were separate (I think the lawyer opened the letter to see what it was...) and you look great. I forgot how beautiful you are. I forgot how beautiful you handwriting is!! Jacob is looking so much like you. Man alive...................

I will get some pictures ready to go to send out to you. I really cannot tell you how much this means to us and to Jacob. He will know you. We have pictures of you in a book that he looks at. I don't even use the word "birthmother" because that doesn't seem like enough. I just say "other mom". It will be fun to see you all this Christmas time.

I hope that you are all doing well. Is we hope that Emma is starting to sleep better and that all the boys are being good for you!

Talk to you soon,
Rebecca

Sunday, November 05, 2006

October Pictures......

This month I tired to get Jacob to pose with the pumpkins on our porch. His favorite toy right now is his little blue plastic golf club. They feature heavily in our October photo shoot.


Jacob, look at Mamma. Over here!!!


No....don't throw those pumpkins at me........

I mean it.........
Timber!!! I love that his is parallel to the ground.
Look at the little white pumpkin that is airbourn. Perfect.

We also made Halloween sugar cookies. Cubby was pretty much just interested in the candy

What a sticky, candy face.

Handsome little man.

Cubby was Mr. T for Halloween. He loved the chains.

At the pumpkin patch, all Cubby wanted to do was slide down the ramp of the bouncy castle. Silly boy.



Norah's blessing day. Jacob was not happy.

I love this picture. It captures his personality so well.

This is how we know he is sick. He just passes out.

He is obsessed with Elmo, books and this elf hat. He takes it to be each night.

He is a climber. Here is he balancing on a soccer ball.