Rambling... tired... what?

So I thought we adopted boys, not chipmonks. Turns out they are one in the same. What it is about storing food in their cheeks? Anthony did that today (again). I don't know how many times we have to tell that kid not to do it! We ate breakfast (cinnamon raisen bread), then we got dressed and went down to the park. By the time we made it back home and were about to start homeschooling it was nearly 11 o'clock. And he goes to answer a question and I noticed a crumb on his tongue... when he went to swallow I saw a massive piece of bread he was storing under his upper lip. What a weirdo! Seriously that is just gross.

Of course after that little discovery homeschooling went down hill quickly. Why? I don't know, I didn't yell at him or anything, just told him to swallow it and re-explained that we don't store food in our mouth. YUCK! But I caught him, and he wanted to hang on to that bread... who knows when he might get another meal... uhhhh, like in 30 minutes.

On a different track completely... I have been working this Lent to control some of my more sarcastic remarks (in real life, not in my blogs, I can't just give up cold turkey) mostly because we've noticed that in certain situations the boys have learned my sarcastic tone and the words I use... but they mean them in the nicest of ways... they have no idea I'm being sarcastic. One of my favorite (and hardest ones to break) is "good job genius" when especially Austin does something that always ends up with him running into a wall or falling down smack on his face. I always help him up and dust him off and give him love if he is hurt... but that little phrase would pop out in the moment of the action. Well, the other day DH was in the room with them and Austin was on the floor with his train saying "I'm a genius, I'm a genius" over and over again. Seriously I haven't used it in weeks (to the best of my knowledge), but point taken... must stick to my lenten sacrifice!

Last week's business trip

Okay I have a few more thoughts from the trip we took last week.

Here is something I saw that made me laugh... "Molly Brown's Amish Furniture & FIREWORKS", it might just me but I cracked up laughing. I mean... when you think of Amish Furniture you always think of fireworks...

Sometimes Austin plays things 'for real, for fake'. I know, scratch you head and wonder what in the world that could mean. Well, take for instance while we were at the Shrine and the kids were on the playground. There was a little playhouse that had a bench inside. There he sat pretending he was in a train and that the train was going. The place he was sitting was REAL, but the activity was all in his head... he is a special one :-).

Some other notable Snookie-isms from the trip:

• "I'm going to STIT STILL"
• "I'm stirsty"

Honestly I can't remember things that were as funny before we had kids, and the stuff we hear and see our kids do now that we have them.

How can you love someone more when you already love them completely?

This is a thought that I've had for some time now, how is it that every morning I love my boys more than the moment before I went into their room... how is is possible when I already love so completely and unconditionally. And yet every morning when I step through that door and announce "Good Morning" my heart seems to expand and fill with more love... just overflowing.

Take this morning, I battled all night with a migraine (and well into the morning). I didn't want to get out of bed, fearing the horrific pain of simply walking, but I knew it was time for the kiddo's to get up and get breakfast. So I marched down the hall near tears, opened the door, and was met with "good morning's" even before I could get the words out myself. Out came Jelly Man, full of morning roars of love, then Bubba gave me a great big hug and told me he love me and that he tried to stay dry but had lost the battle, and Austin was bouding about talking about breakfast. No I didn't feel great, but seeing them made me feel so good and the pain started to subside.

There are just so many moments that I can picture, and I just can't believe that they are hear... and that my heart just keeps overflowing with complete and utter love for them. Things as simple as sitting in the gameroom reading books to them, their eyes fixed on me and the book waiting patiently (some times) to find out what is going to happen next even in a book we have read a hundred times. Seeking my approval when they create something out of their legos, or a new song they want me to hear... there are times when I just look at them and really can't believe that this is real.

And the whole mommy instinct has become so much stronger. Like last week when we were at the Shrine, Bubba tripped and fell. Usually I like his father, simply say brush it off and lets keep going; but something inside told me to bend down and give him a hug. So that is what I did, and as his face reached my shoulder he just balled. After a moment he regained himself and was off again doing his thing... but at that moment he needed me to console him, and I knew it... what a wonderful feeling inside it left me with.

Life is just so different now, so full, so complete!

Nephew's birthday

You can drill your own children all you want, but when it comes down to it someone else's new birthday toys are just too much of a temptation.

So we were at my nephew's birthday party last weekend, and on the way there we worked with the boys over and over about how we behave at other people's birthday. Yes, our kids have been to plenty of birthdays but most of them have been for their own brothers... which are a little different... and it has been a little while since the last festivity. Anyhow, we told them that they can play with Gabe's old toys, but that his new presents were off limits. They were doing fine with this, not asking for anything (only because we hadn't gotten to the "open presents" point). Then that time came. Gabe sat down, and the boys were near him with my husband right behind the boys. As the paper began to fly, Andrew leaned back to Andy and pointed to one of the new gifts and asked if that was now and OLD TOY. After being told NO, we were certain that now he understood and wouldn't need to ask again... not the case. Sure enough another way cool toy was opened and the minute it was placed to the side for another unwrapped package, Andrew asked again. So I now need to add a new favorite saying to my list: "Are those old toys yet?"

Poor kid... you would think that there were no cool toys at our own home... :-)

We are on a business trip

Well we are currently nearing the end of our first family business trip. Andy did business in Missouri this morinng while the boys and I swam in the hotel pool. Okay... we realized another milestone while swimming, Andrew and Anthony can touch the bottom in shallow 3ft end. I couldn't believe it! They are getting so tall. Right now they still need to be on their toes to keep their mouths out of the water, but my guess by the time we are in regular swimming season they will be flat footed.

More about the business trip...

The boys are doing really well. Fortunately three car seats fit across the back of the company car, so our gas was taken care of and no new miles were put on the Suburban. And of course, the boys were freakin' thrilled to be riding in the company car. So doing the trip we regularly heard things like...

• Not right now I'm workin' (by the boys)
• We're on a business trip, we're on a business trip, we're on a business trip....
• I like the work car
• You gotta have smunchies when we are on a business trip
• Pass the pretzels!

Tomorrow we are visiting Our Lady of the Snows... always to get in some pilgrimidging done while you are out and about. Then we will be headed back to the ole' ranch around lunch tomorrow... 10 hour car trip... oh YEAH!

Back in the Saddle Again :-)

Watch them as they grow

The boys are now caring for something of their own. No it isn't a pet, it's a plant. Last weekend we went to a nursery and let them (guided of course for proper climate) pick a plant that would be theirs tocare for. And boy oh boy did they have fun picking plants that they liked. Bobcat picked Marigolds, Bubba picked some odd but cool tropical palm, and Snookie chose Geraniums (sp?). When we got home, with my help they each got to plant their flowers in the pots... what fun was that :-). Bobcat did a great job and was so gentle with each of his little marigolds. Andrew helped out pounding on the plastic container to get his palm out... well, Snookie, he tried to help but the call of the front yard was too much for him to bear! That kid just needs to run around sometimes and there is no gettin' in his way.

So now either before lunch, or after nap time we all trot out to the front yard and water our plants.

They take pride in watching them grow and know that they had a hand in the success of that plant. Which I guess isn't too different than the way I feel about them as I watch them, teach them, feed them, and love them!

Vintage Train ride

What a great weekend adventure we had. We got on the train at 1:00, and were down in the Stockyards around 2:30 (yes, a wonderfully long train ride) and grabbed a meal. An unexpected (to us) St. Paddy's Day parade and cattle drive occured right near the train station so we enjoyed that before we got back on the train. Then we were whisked back to Grapevine and were at the car by 6:00. The kids had a wonderful time, and so did we.

Little sayings

These are just a few little sayings that boys use regularly that are pretty funny... at least to me their mom!

Snookie (age 3)

• I loves you, Mommy
• Stop it HAND, you are bad
• The CLAW, Grrrrrr
• MY NAME IS (insert anything that strikes his fancy)!
• No comprendo!?!

Bubba (age 4)

• How did you do that for?
• I'm hungry (this is a pretty regular thought for him)
• Mommy can I stay with you (usually after nap time and he knows I'm cooking dinner)?
• I want to sing the Texas Song... Deep in the Heart of Texas, clap clap clap.

Bobcat (age 5)

• So, what are we going to do today that is going to be fun?
• That would be cool, right?
• I'm going to be a priest and drive a motorcycle (warms a mothers heart!).
• Healing rain, comin' down (when he sings this song, it is GREAT)

Sometimes they are too cute for their own good!

An unexpected milestone

Okay, this is a first for me... as are most things :-) Our middle son who happens to be the tallest did something today that freakin' amazed me. He can now stand on his tip toes and flick on a light switch without a stool to reach. I can't believe it. He is getting so tall!!! I nearly cried. I know, I know, I'm such a mom... but this really is a big thing. It is the little things that each of them are making that is making my help less necessary. Sure they need me for the big things... but it is moments like these that lead me to reflect on what is coming in their future. They are growing up.........................

Last week

There were some events that should have had more fanfare last week, but simply didn't happen mostly because I wasn't feeling well. Dang allergies or even a cold, who knows, with this dang weather what was the real cause of all the conjestion... but I digress. Last week was the one year anniversary of the finalization of the boys adoption. YEAH!!!! That means that we have had them for a year and half... that is just crazy. Crazy because most of the time I can't think of a time when they weren't here, when they weren't a part of our daily lives. And then there are other times, when something new happens and I look at them and feel like it was just yesterday that we met them for the first time. I'm sure all parents feel like that in one way or another, but man life sure has a way of sneaking up on you.

The other marked event... that wasn't an event at all was my birthday! I was kind of sad when I came home that day and there wasn't a card or something that boys worked on for me. Don't get me wrong we had gone out the previous weekend to see a movie, dinner, and I bought a little jacket... but I thought there would be more thought on the day of... the first person to tell me Happy Birthday was by phone call at 6:45 as I walked in the door from a 10 work day. Oh well, maybe next year.

A break through

Well, it happened last week... and it has continued on thru this week. Bobcat can sound out words and then say the word! It is a miracle. When it happened last week, I did a dance, jumped for joy... you name it, I did it. We finally had a break thru with him, and I couldn't be happier. Man alive, I wasn't certain if that would happen at this stage in the game after so many set backs in homeschooling with him. But with enough encouragement he finally got over his fear and just did it.

Not mention the who reading a word, but he let down his fear and seems to have gotten the grasp of money. Well, pennies, nickels and dimes that is. He can count them!!! Next up, letting him give the change to a cashier. I think he will really enjoy that!