Superheros and Jack o lanterns!

Josh promised Bryce that this Halloween they could carve a pumpkin into a Jack O Lantern, so Bryce and Nana picked out a pumpkin at Walmart and this past Saturday since it was a "no work" day for Josh they got to work. Bryce could hardly wait to take off the "hat" but was soon disgusted by what he found inside! With all of his texture issues, I guessed this is what would happen but he would not let the "guts" near him.

This was his face when I asked what he thought of what was inside the pumpkin! I told him that some people take out the seeds and toast them and eat them. His response was "you and Daddy can but I am not"

They had a blast though and Bryce wanted to make sure his pumpkin looked "friendly" much to Daddy's frustration because "friendly" pumpkins have round eyes! They got it done though and we put a candle in it and every evening Josh or I have gone out to light the candle and Bryce doesn't realize this (he doesn't pay attention to life sometimes) so he thinks he has a magic pumpkin that turns on at night!!

Don't you love matching pajamas - less annoying than constant matching outfits but just as cute! They were both happy to be dressed as Batman, even though I am sure Collin had no idea what was going on! Josh put Collins pjs on him and told me that in the body they fit him really well but the sleeves and legs were a bit too long well, when I looked this morning, I had accidentally gotten him a 24 months in the pajamas! And they were not extremely big, he may catch Bryce soon!

One more thought for the day...we had another thing to add to our "list" the other night. Josh had to threaten to put Bryce in the corner if he did not quit "barking"! Oh the things you have to say as a parent!

"Woos, woos" - Bryce...translated "Woof, woof"

Just add it to the list!

I learned something today. The first day of school after the first sick day is a step backward! I left Bryce wailing at school today, not fun! He had some pooing problems for a few days and didn't go to school on Tuesday so we got all thrown off, and for a kid that is obsessed with things being the same as they were last time, not good! But we will make it over this bump too! God gives me the strength to make it through each day, and boy to I need it these days!
Josh and I have a mental list (and I have it on my Facebook profile) of things we never thought we would have to say as parents and another one to add to that came up last night. We were getting Bryce ready for bed and Josh noticed something on his neck. After a huge ordeal (I know, surely not with Bryce right?) of me holding his arms down and him screaming, the spot was removed. He looked Josh right in the face and said "Da - yee, you hurt me" and here it comes...Josh looked at him and said "if you wouldn't wipe boogers on your neck, that wouldn't happen" I got out of control laughing, seriously, would you think you would ever have to say that to anyone? Little boys!

Turning the corner

Okay the pictures don't really go with the post today, but my boys are cute and they were matching (I don't do that often) so here they are!

I think there is a good possibility that we turned a corner with Bryce and preschool. He has not cried at all this week! He tells me that he whines a little but he is 4 I have decided that is what they do! On Tuesday before we left home he told me that he thought he was afraid of Temple Tots (scary place, I know, ha ha). I asked him why and he said that sometimes he has to pee and Miss Stacy says that it is another boy's turn in the bathroom. I guess he was afraid of having an accident at school, in front of his friends and probably more importantly Miss Stacy! I explained to him that all he has to do is tell Stacy that he has to go bad and can't wait and she will do her best to let him go! Well, that seemed to fix his issues! He didn't cry that day when I dropped him off and today I detected a hint of a smile! Plus, he has been voluntarily talking about school and the kids and what he did during the day! Turning 4 and knowing that he could go to the bathroom when he really needed to may have been the ticket! I won't declare him cured of his school fits just yet, but it looks like we could be on our way!

I need to go clean my house. Our bible study starts back up tonight and I am very excited but I want there to actually be carpet you can see when people get here! I have missed our group, although I was relieved for the break at the time that we took it - I was 37 1/2 weeks pregnant! I am ready to start back in, here's to diving into Acts!

Ready for the Real World?

One quick "Bryce story"... about 10:30 this morning Bryce asked "Where is Daddy anyway?" When I told him he was at work, he said "yeah but it takes a long day to get there so he is not there yet." Since Bryce went to work with Josh yesterday before school and left "before the sun was awake" which was utterly astounding to him, I knew he knew how long it took to get there. I said "well, remember Daddy leaves before the sun comes up so he has been there for awhile." Bryce said "well, you know, you pass my school on the way to mine and Daddy's work." And I said "so, you work there too now?" to which Bryce replied "yes, but you never let me go there!" Only 6 weeks of preschool and he is ready for the workforce!

This is what "4" looks like for Bryce! Never a dull moment!

Birthdays and Bugs - Again!

Well, it happened, my little guy turned 4! It doesn't seem like it is even possible for it to have been 4 years ago since I spent 28 hours in labor bringing this little guy into the world! The last four years have been filled with ups and downs, easy days and hard days but such is the life with kids, I quickly learned from this fellow!! It is hard to believe someone when they tell you how much you will love your kids until that first one comes and you get a good look at them for the first time, it is a love that you have never had before but amazingly can feel over and over because when the next one comes you love them just as much! God has blessed Mommies and Daddies with that ability to love each and every kid 100%, and that gift could only come from God because it is hard to comprehend until you feel it and you just know!

Anyway, Bryce got to have his special day. We took him to lunch and to Petland and purchased him an aquarium and 4 fish (since he was 4 and all). He was absolutely thrilled! But the excitement didn't end there, he got to have his party. He had a great party with a houseful - literally - of friends and family. His friends Ben and Anna Kate even got to come from South Point (thanks guys - it made his birthday really special)! There were kids and babies all over the place! It was a great party and he had a great time!

The next day he got to take birthday snack to school. He took Ohio State cupcakes to the kids in his class and thought that was great! He was a little whiny from just recovering from his bug and being up late from his party but he still thought it was a big deal!

But Tuesday night, I got the dreaded bug! I lost a whole day being in bed. It was like Wednesday never happened! I have been so blessed with a wonderful husband who saw to things and an awesome Mom who took care of my boys while Josh was at work! God has given me a wonderful family who is willing to help in any way that they can! Thanks Mom!!! I am on my way to getting better but the bug took with it my energy and appetite (not the best way to lose baby weight)! We are praying that it stops with me, this house has become the Clorox wipe and Lysol capital of the world, I have sprayed and wiped everything, hopefully stopping the bug in its tracks. Josh has his fishing trip coming up and Collin is too little to handle such a bug! Keep praying with us that it stops with me!

Bryce and his fish tank! He named the fish Dorothy, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, and Scarecrow. He is his mother's son!!

Bugs and Birthday Bummers!

Well, I am supposed to be preparing to welcome party guests in just about an hour and a half but instead I am sitting at the computer in pajama pants and a t-shirt and hoping that no one else starts throwing up! Bryce started yesterday morning/early afternoon with a stomach bug. He threw up 4 times before we made him lay down for a nap. After he woke up from that and an unplanned nap in the floor, he said he felt better and wanted to eat so he ate toast and Sprite and then asked for a Popsicle so he ate that too, then went to bed. At about 11 pm, I heard him in the bathroom throwing up again, bummer. He threw up 2 more times before 9:30 am, so we decided to postpone his party and have it on Monday, given no one else in our house is sick. It absolutely broke my heart to have to do that, he was very much looking forward to his party. I am praying round the clock that God will protect all of the rest of us, my baby just wants to celebrate turning 4! We are especially praying that Collin doesn't get it, at such a young age, a bug like this can be very dangerous! Just keep us in your prayers and hopefully I will be posting on Tuesday about the wonderful 4Th birthday party. Regardless, my first baby will be 4 on Monday, that seems like such a big boy age! I can't believe how the last 4 years has zoomed by!

Why can't it always be like this?

Look at that face...is there anything sweeter? Bryce has such potential to be a sweet and easy kid and the reason I know that is that he used to be that way...and sometimes still is! It has been a rough 6-8 months with him! I have a lot of people tell me it is his age but that does not make it any less frustrating! He is disobedient, defiant, and just generally difficult much of the time. After his big accomplishment of no crying on Thursday at school, today he decided to throw a screaming, wailing fit! It is frustrating because I am where I feel God wants me, at home with my babies, but now I am questioning that choice with this one. Would he be better adjusted if he had to stay with someone else? Am I doing him harm by staying with him all of the time? Even though I know it is not true these questions swirl through my head every time we have problems with him! He will be 4 in 6 days, that is so hard to believe! And I know "this too shall pass" and in 2 years when I have to send him to kindergarten I will be wishing for the days when he could be home most of the time! And then in 10 years when I send him to high school, I will wish for the time when he wanted to be with me!

This is just an example of the drama that surrounds Bryce though, last night he could not go to sleep and had to keep worrying about where he and his future wife were going to live when they got married, why couldn't they just stay here with me and Daddy? Even far off "problems" cause issues...

Just airing some frustrations...I love that kid more than anything and wouldn't trade him for 10 perfectly behaved children...he makes life interesting and challenges me everyday and is a reminder of God's grace...we are not born innocent and nobody teaches us to misbehave but God sent His Son to fix that and everyday it is a surrendering process to give God rule of my life...especially in parenting!