Keeping Up with Ron, Sara, Jackson and Addie

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Sick

We have not been healthy much in our household this year.  We can't wait for spring to be in full swing to open the windows and rid our house of the germs that have cause stomach virus, coughs, sniffles and other not so fun symptoms.  Last weekend it was Addie's turn.  She woke up at 3am and couldn't be consoled.  After many snuggles she finally fell asleep with me on the couch.  Where Ron found us in the morning and took this picture.  (Looks like I'm a cover-hog even with my poor kids)

We woke up and got our day started, Addie did pretty well eating her breakfast pancakes.  Ron and I were buzzing around the house trying to get a few things done.  I came down the stairs to Addie standing at the bottom of the stairs and in true Parenthood fashion when I asked Addie what was wrong... she puked!  Ack!

Jackson played the role of excellent big brother and opened the garage door, and in his best "outside voice," tried to get his dad to hear him over the sounds of his table saw.  "Dad you have to come inside, RIGHT NOW!"  Then I asked him to get us a towel from the cupboard... and this is where I thought it was going to get even worse.  As Jackson walked by Addie and I to get up the stairs to get the towel, he started gagging. 

"Oh, please no... please don't throw up kid"

But he didn't and he made it to the cupboard to get us a towel when Dad walked in to the commotion.  We cleaned up, Dad and Addie read a book and for the most part Addie seemed to get better as the day wore on.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Chores

I didn't realize how big of a help Jackson could be until last week when Grandma Jan bought us a Swivel Sweeper.  A full dustpan's worth of dry cereal, food, scraps and other items can be found on our floor at any given moment.  No matter how many times I sweep in  day you can mostly likely find at least one cheerios somewhere on the floor.

Well Grandma brought over the Swivel Sweeper and I told Jackson that we had found a new chore for him and surprisingly he was excited.  Jan shortened the handle for him, so it was a perfect kid size and away he went.  He's now even started bringing it to my bathroom to sweep up the hair on my floor.  It's great... while I get ready in the morning, the kid sweeps the floor.  Hmmm... what other chores can a four year old do?

Monday, April 25, 2011

Easter in Photos...

It's back there!



It's a Star Wars basket!


I found it!






Star Wars Pancakes!


A visit to see Grandpa Joel

Easter Dress Number 1




Blowing bubbles with cousins Kim and Shannon.
Thanks for the help cousin Kim.





Egg hunting (Dress Number 2)
Egg Hunting
Egg Hunting





Friday, April 15, 2011

A year for Jackson...


This is Jackson one year ago today. He's growing taller but mostly in the last year he's grown emotionally. He's extremely inquisitive, his attention span is longer and his behavior is much better.

Jackson these days...

is sleeping in his underwear "because daddy does"
can pour his own breakfast cereal
doesn't like to poop at school
likes playing pirates
thinks Star Wars is really cool even though he's never seen it
can ride his bike (with training wheels) all the way to the park
likes to go to the library
is earning stickers so he can get a rat
wants to ride his sister's tricycle (but we won't let him)
absorbs information like a sponge
can get dressed in 30 seconds if he's motivated
can get dressed in 30 MINUTES if he's not
still likes to snuggle

Friday, April 8, 2011

My what a year brings...


I can't believe how much a year changes these kids or how fast a year goes by. Addie these days:

- is using a spoon to eat her cereal
- sleeping with a nuk still
- is able to get herself to sleep for nap and bedtime
- catches bubbles that Jackson blows
- enjoys being pushed in a swing
- has a new friend, Leah (grandma is watching another little girl during the day)
- screeches whenever something doesn't go her way
- can be found saying three word sentences
- plays a lot of hide and go seek
- watches Sesame Street
- loves Elmo
- has the run of the house
- is climbing up on chairs
- would rather be outside

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

A peek inside our day the first 30 minutes:

I took this idea from another favorite of my blog reads: Dooce.

I wake up startled and look at the clock, 7:31am. Ron is not next to me as I lie and listen for the noises of the house. Nothing. The house is still quiet as if everyone is sleeping. I head to my bathroom and strip from my clothes. It is then that I realize I am still wearing the same long-sleeved tee and sweatshirt I wore the day before. I exchanged the jeans for sweats before bed but I was so tired it’s as far as I got. As I walk toward the shower, about to step in I hear the water turn on for the downstairs shower. Argh.

(If Ron and I take a shower at the same time there is no water pressure or hot water.) I slip on my robe.

I walk into Jackson’s room and listen for a moment as he snores. I prop open his door as I leave so the sounds the house wake him.

I walk the house picking up toys and dirty laundry off the floor so our cleaning lady, Jane has a clear run for vacuuming the floors. I open our blinds and let the morning sun shine in and when the water turns off downstairs I head upstairs to my shower. To my shower that is cold, not luke warm or chilly but c-o-l-d. It’s a good way to wake up the senses and get me moving in the three minutes that I am able to stand the cold water.

I come out of the bathroom to my freshly showered and dressed hubby and hear sounds of a girl ready to get out of her crib. Ron gets Addie up and dressed while she calls out to everyone. She alternates between “Jackson” and “Breakfast”.

Ron and I take turns going into Jackson’s room to rouse him from his slumber without much luck. When he finally wakes, he grumps and groans and then proceeds to throw a fit as soon as we tell him that it’s a school day. I fight with Jackson to put on his clothes and even offer to help him this morning. His argument, that is not lost on me, is that because he fell asleep in his clothes he's already dressed. And as tempted as I am to leave him in yesterday's clothes, Ron is the voice of reason and tells Jackson that it's not an option. As I’m helping him into his Wonder Pets underwear he complains that he would rather wear Spiderman underwear. (WonderPets are so six-months-ago). Jackson grabs the Spiderman underwear but at this point I’ve given up helping him so he puts them on by himself. He puts on the clothes I have picked out for him and I wrestle his two feet into socks. After all of this, Jackson reluctantly comes to the breakfast table, wrapped in his Star Wars blanket.

It’s just then I remember it’s “X“ week at school and Jackson needs to bring something for sharing that starts with the letter “X”. I call out to Ron to see if he has any ideas and he thinks there is an X-ray in one of Jackson’s books. So I scan the book spines looking for the “Jobs” book, but the search is fruitless. Ron checks the living room book stash without any luck either. Jackson helps in the search by looking in the downstairs book stash and comes up the winner.

All this happens while Addie sits quietly eating her bowl of Cheerios with milk. It’s exciting to her because she would usually get a sippy cup of milk and dry Cheerios but Ron is trying something new. The trial has had some successes and some spills. For instance this morning, when there weren’t any more Cheerios floating in milk she, like her dad and brother alike, picked up the bowl to drink the milk. Only, she missed her mouth and poured the milk into her lap. But this is the only way she will learn.

Ron pulls out box after box of cereal as Jackson informs him that each is not the one he is pointing at. He finally figures out that Jackson is pointing at the oatmeal on the top shelf. Jackson thinks this game is fun and is completely able to verbalize that he wants oatmeal, but we play into it and therefore stretch what should be a ten second conversation into a five minute production. Ron microwaves oatmeal as I prepare my frosted mini wheats. I bring my bowl to the table, take a few bites and then Jackson asks for juice. I pour his juice and return to my slightly mushy mini wheats. Addie complains for more and I get her a banana to fill her little tummy and come back to just plain mushy shredded wheat. As I finish eating Ron writes out the check for Jane and I open the door for her.

I originally hoped to give you the first hour. The first hour between the time we wake up and the time we get out the door. But this is long enough already and I’m only half way through our routine. I will let you in on the second half of our morning another day.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Cute sick moment...

Jackson is lying in our bed and I came in to ask him if he needed anything.

He says, "just you."

Oh alright, I guess I can snuggle in next to you for a little while. (I HEART being a Mom!)

Saturday Night Fever

This post is not exciting as the title would make you think.  On Tuesday morning Addie started the day with a fever.  She was irritable, cranky and sleepy. She spent most of Tuesday night perched in my chest acting as a mini heater. Wednesday she hogged our bed, leaving Ron and I about a foot on either side of her. This went on until Thursday evening when the fever finally broke, she slept through the night and woke up in good spirits!  We had talked to an urgent care nurse who talked us through signs for meningitis and settled on it probably being Roseola.  We've been through Roseola before, Jackson had it around the same age so we knew we just had to wait it out.  And Friday we made it through the tunnel... in the clear on our way a sunny fabulous weekend.

 Screech!!!!!

That's the sound of my happy train coming to a screeching halt!

Saturday morning, Jackson woke up with a fever.  Here we go again!