Thursday, December 30, 2010

Santa and the P Family Christmas

It was a great Christmas! The boys are at such a fun age.
One of my favorite parts of Christmas was Christmas Eve. We went to church and our entire immediate families were there all sitting in one long pew together - both sets of our parents and all our sisters, our children and our nieces - it was really cool!
When we walked in church the boys wanted to know where Baby Jesus was. There was a manger made of twigs at the front of the Sanctuary but Baby Jesus wasn't in the manger. I said "He's not there yet" and Jackson kept saying "He's coming? Baby Jesus is coming?" Which, of course, couldn't have been more suitable for Christmas. They all felt better when they saw Baby Jesus in a Nativity on the way out. They also wanted to know when we were having Jesus' birthday cake.
We spent Christmas Eve at our cousins home and added a twist to the traditional family grab bag that had everyone laughing and was perfect for our smaller crowd.
We woke Christmas morning and had a breakfast picnic on trays on the floor of Jackson & Peyton's room. Our main level is pretty open so we didn't want to spoil any surprises.
Santa did bring the Coo Coo Clock Jackson and Peyton asked for and once an hour it scares the life out of me when the monkey pops out and goes "ooh ooh ahh ahh" (Yes, our coo coo clock has a monkey instead of a bird :)


Brett hanging out on our bed waiting to see if Santa came

I joked I got a rubber room for Christmas, but really the boys got a bouncy to burn off energy! When Peyton saw it he said "It's a jumpy thing!!"

Another of my favorite Christmas moments. Santa brought each of the boys a Sesame Street Kinex - kind of like a Mr. Potato Head but each one is a Sesame Street character. They all wanted a turn on Daddy's lap while he built each one with them.

After Santa we headed over to Grandma & Granddad's. We had a delicious meal together and the boys had a blast. Unfortunately we don't have a picture of it here, but they received a train table from Grandma & Granddad and have been playing with it ever since. Here are some photos from our afternoon:

Auntie Rhonda helps Brett open his gifts

Jackson enjoying some of the gifts he received at Grandma & Granddad's

Granddad and Brett enjoying the Gorilla he got from Auntie Rhonda.

Jackson loving his jingle bells from Aunt Brenda and Uncle Steve. I think if there were a speech bubble above his head it would say "I think I can use these to drive my parents crazy tomorrow!"

Me with Peyton, Brett and Jackson opening a gift together.

Jackson: "Did you see all the cool toys I received?" Peyton: "I don't think I could open another package."

Thursday, December 23, 2010

The C Family Christmas

We celebrated Christmas early with my side of the family. It was a great day. Despite skipped naps everyone held together. There were lots of smiles and excitement over really great and generous gifts and best of all everyone was together. It was an awesome day.

I already have the most perfect gifts!

All the kids were so good about trying to be patient and take turns opening gifts. I love how excited they all are over something Brett received!

Enjoying watching Grammy open her gift from her grandchildren.

Sophie and Jackson sharing a Christmas dance.

Brett playing with the new barn from Grammy & Poppy (notice he is sitting by HIMSELF!!!)

PJ time! Caroline, Peyton, Brett, Jackson & Sophie.

We celebrated Caroline's birthday (which was the day after this party) with a cake and singing. The highlight of the night was Uncle Jackie bringing out his guitar and the whole family dancing and singing Christmas and children's songs. Here's Jackson singing into his microphone while wearing Caroline's birthday hat.

Monday, December 20, 2010

The wonder of Christmas


So we started the Christmas season with Jackson saying:
"Santa is just a pretend guy."
Tate and I were so shocked we could not believe it. We don't have the influence of older children around us so we don't know where that idea got in his little head. We, of course, explained to him that is not the case.
We also do Elf on a Shelf and our elf Ernie heads to the North Pole each night to report to Santa and returns in a new location each morning. One morning after the boys found him in a coffee mug in the kitchen Jackson says:
"Daddy puts him there."
Again - complete shock. Again, I explained the situation to him. I'm not sure he bought it. But he has been the one that has been telling Ernie to tell Santa he wants a train.

The boys enjoying watching the Santa train at Grandma & Grandad's



That is, until about a week ago.
I was preparing the boys for their upcoming visit with Santa and reminded them they had to tell Santa what they wanted. Jackson said: "Not a train, Christmas music" and then said "I'm just teasing - a train."
Then I asked Peyton what he was going to ask for. Until this point he never said anything. But this night he said: "A coo coo clock."
What?
I sort of laughed and said: "A coo coo clock?" and all the boys thought that was just hysterical and were all laughing and saying coo coo clock and giggling.
For the rest of the week if you asked any of them what they wanted from Santa - you guessed it - a coo coo clock.
So this past weekend we visited Santa and the boys all did great!

When Tate told them to tell Santa what they wanted Jackson and Peyton both said coo coo clock.
Santa, clearly a pro, looked at me and Tate and we both shrugged.
Santa diplomatically said "I'll have to look around my workshop and see if I have one."
So that afternoon I called a gift shop I remembered had such clocks many months ago and YES, they still carried them. So Tate rushed over and picked one up.
While he was out in the hustle and bustle on the Saturday before Christmas I was back home with the boys.
When Jackson woke from his nap he said: "we had to put away our Nativity." I asked why and he said, kind of sad, "because Christmas is over."
I was confused and asked what he meant. He said Santa came so, Christmas is over.
I said "did you think today was Christmas at the Santa party?" Jackson and Peyton both said "yes" and then Peyton said:
"I didn't get a coo coo clock, I got a firetruck. Oh well." And they went off and started playing with the little toy they had gotten at the party.
And there I was both surprised by their misunderstanding, thinking about the fact that I just sent Tate on a wild coo coo clock chase and in the end my 2 1/2 year olds are just as happy with whatever Santa has to give.
So I wonder, who is teaching who?

Thursday, December 16, 2010

The quarterback sneak


Much to our delight our boys love football!
When they realize it is Sunday they always want football on and after they wake from their naps they get to hang out in the TV room and watch football with Daddy.
We don't watch much TV but they love to watch and ask questions - what's he doing? why is his helmet off? what's that guy? he got tackled daddy?
Peyton especially seems to like football.
One night as they were getting ready to go to bed Jackson said he had to go potty one more time. Peyton said he was going to stay in the room and cuddle on a pillow until we came back to tuck in.
When I returned to the room - no Peyton.
Where did I find him? On the couch downstairs.
He said "I have to see this football mommy." - Really?
The boys have never gone downstairs after we've gone up for bedtime so I was shocked.
Similar situations have occurred almost every Sunday night since.
Last week Peyton was heading down the stairs when he got busted and he said "I forgot to say goodnight to the football guys."
Tate and I have been calling it the quarterback sneak.
Here are some pictures of Jackson & Peyton enjoying football. I am having trouble getting video on my blog, but someday I'll share some video of the boys playing tackle. It involves them asking you to play catch with a football, them throwing the football AT you and then rushing at you full blast to knock you down.
I am slowly learning, this is how boys play.

Peyton (left) and Jackson watching the Bears game with Poppy. Lately when Peyton watches and someone gets the ball and runs (no matter what team they are on) Peyton yells Go, Go, Go! I'm pretty sure they picked that up from Poppy.

Peyton giving a high five to a football figure Tate gave them to play with. This is a Miami Dolphins house so lots of orange and teal here!

Jackson was worried Ricky Williams was getting hungry so he is sharing his snack. Today he told me Ricky Williams had a fever and needed to go to the doctor. I guess football guys aren't so touch after all!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Monday, December 6, 2010

Thankful

Thanksgiving Eve I intended to come home from work, put the boys to bed and write a blog about all the things I am thankful for while making some special stuffing for the boys. But, God had other plans.
Shortly after I got home Tate and I noticed Jackson's cough sounded kind of weezy. A few minutes later I asked him to sit in my lap and I could tell he was struggling to take a breath. I bundled him up and we headed to urgent care less than a mile from our house. By the time we arrived Jackson was having a hard time breathing.

A breathing treatment and a chest X-Ray later we found out he had pneumonia and they sent us to the hospital.
Jackson was feeling much better by than, but they wanted to give him intravenous steroids/antibiotics overnight and breathing treatments. Jackson, usually our dramatic one, just said "hey" when they stuck his arm to insert the needle- he never shed a tear or fussed - he was so brave.

Jackson insisted on sitting with creepy Ronald McDonald before heading up to his hospital room.
Jackson was the darling of the pediatric ward. He said hi to all the nurses (he called all of them doctor). He answered all of their questions and flirted like crazy.
He was enjoying the one-on-one with mommy, maybe a little too much.

Loving that they brought him the exact breakfast he asked for and he got to eat it in bed.

Playing with some toys.

Getting goofy
He was a chatter box and was loving the attention and I began to worry that he would think a stay in the hospital was "fun." But a few hours later when he was getting stir crazy and missing his brothers and Daddy (who was at home cooking the Thanksgiving bird) he broke down and decided he didn't want to be there anymore.

Here he is trying to change the clock ahead so the nurses would think it was time for us to leave!
We were released late in the afternoon and were able to spend some time with Tate's family and Aunt Peggi and Uncle John visiting from Georgia.


The next day we had a fun Thanksgiving hosted by Auntie Kiki, Auntie Nancy, Grammy & Poppy and celebrated Auntie Kiki's Birthday. (I must have been too tired to take photos - sorry :(
Little did we know that Jackson had picked up a nasty stomach bug either at the hospital or at the doctor's follow up the next day. The boys all got it (including Tate) than my sisters, my niece and parents got it. Tate's parents and sister got it. It spread like wildfire. It was unpleasant in so many ways. By the grace of God I never got it.
Everyone seems to be on the upswing. So as I reflect on this past Thanksgiving, despite all the bumps in the road, I find I am even more aware of my blessings. I am thankful for health, for the great care everyone gave Jackson, for family and friends and all the prayers and offers to help. I found myself realizing that sometimes it's in the midst of tough times that you realize how really good you have it.
This song by Christian artist Matt Redman has been tossing around in my head since Thanksgiving day so I wanted to share it:

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name