Olympic Spirit

I must admit, I so easily get sucked into watching the Olympics for hours on end!  I just get hooked!  This year is even more fun as I have a little buddy to share the joy with!  The topic at preschool this month is 'Olympics/Canada' which has been awesome.  All crafts and activities have been centered around those two topics (including making a Sochi Olympic torch).  He knows all the words to 'Oh Canada'.  He points out Canada flags and maple leafs (or is it leaves?!) WHEREVER we go.  We talk about the sports and watch them on TV together.  It's been a nice treat.  To top it off, Nana got the boys some nice Canada Olympic apparel.  They love it.  Jackson wore one of his shirts to school this morning and was proud as punch to tell everyone it said Canada.  I love that pride.  We really do live in an incredible country.

Enjoy the Olympics Everyone!

Family

Jackson had a project at school that he required a family photo for.  A family photo that we don't really have!  So, that led to me pushing to get a recent photo of all of us together.  A friend of mine snapped the photo, I edited it, and the next day he had it ready for Preschool.  Talk about cutting it close.  Ah well, it was exactly what was needed and I'm so glad we finally have a photo of all of us together!

It was such a warm day until 30 seconds after we got to the bridge and the snow started flying and it got COLD!  So really, we had about 3 minutes to work with.

And something else I don't have - a photo of ME with my two boys!  I will treasure it always :)

Sawyer at 22 Months

This little bugger is almost 2.  Seriously, where did the time go?  I just feel like it's all a blur.

He is very active and is always trying to keep up with his brother.

A very good eater - except for breakfast, he has no interest in breakfast until about 10 am.

When it comes to food, he is most definitely a carnivore!

Sleeps well at night.  Trying to boycot nap, but I'm sticking to it!

LOVES 'bots' like his brother (rescue bots).  

Actually he pretty much loves everything his brother does.

Still a fan of water.  Showers, baths, always looking to play in water.

His words are coming along.  I was worried maybe he was behind on his language, but the closer I pay attention the more I realize that he is communicating just fine.

Stubborn as all heck.

Short fused and gives up easily in frustration.

He is sensitive!  We thought moose was our sensitive one, but if Sawyer does wrong or gets told no, he will break down in tears of shame or disappointment.

Snuggly.  He can be stingy on his hugs - but really appreciates his cuddle time.

Loves to hold Jackson's hand.  In the car, around the house.  Jackson is everything to him.

Is very good at hide and seek.  Counts to three, so better hide fast!

Very athletic - has an amazing throw on him and for weeks carried his hockey stick everywhere.

Favorite food is MEAT or yogurt.

Has the best laugh ever.

Loves being upside down.  

Loves to be jiggled and shaked - but don't dare swing him!

Sawyer, you are our little fire cracker.  Full of so much drive to succeed and be 'big' like the rest of us.  I promise you that your time will come when you can do everything that your big brother can do.  Thank you for teaching me patience daily.  Thank you for the extra snuggles or sneaky smiles.  The giggles and laughter.  Thank you for being such a key part of this family.  We love you and can't wait to see what's around the corner for you!

 

Snotty Noses and Cutting Teeth

Slowly we've been falling under the weather over here.  First Sawyer, than me.  Or was it me and then Sawyer?  Doesn't matter, either way we are both snotty and grumpy!  Sawyer's also cutting his 2 year molars.  All four of them at once; which isn't a surprise as he has always cut teeth in quantities of 4.  I guess it's a good thing to just get all the pain and discomfort over with at once.  Or at least that's what I tell myself.  He is definitely uncomfortable and in pain.  Then throw in a constant snotty nose - which I'm sure is just annoying!  I can empathize - I have a snotty nose as well!  Colds suck, but they are part of winter!  It may be slowing us down, but not holding us back!

Jackson and Sawyer frequently come up with all sorts of games to play using our chairs and bar stools.  Either they line them up as a bridge to crawl under or hike across or they use them to hide under for hide and seek or they create monster truck ramps - really the possibilites are endless!

On this particular morning, they quickly became a bridge!

Mischief

Me: 'Jackson, what is Sawyer doing upstairs'

Moose:  'Oh nothing, just undoing all the toilet paper roll'

Me: 'SAWYER!!'

Sawyer: With the most innocent 'Mama?!' as he approaches the main level trailed by a 2 1/2 foot trail of toilet paper behind him on the stairs!

Lesson Learned:  If two little boys are quiet for longer than 5 minutes they have likely found mischief!

Mom of the Year

We all have those 'Mom of the Year' moments.  And if a mom tries to tell you they haven't they are lying.  I promise.  Being a mom is trial and error.  It's also full of mistakes...some preventable, some just natural consequences.  The two I'm going to share with all of you are totally accidental and totally preventable.  But they happened and they ruined my mom cape at the time.  They make me cringe at the thought of them.  But they also make me giggle, so that must mean time is healing wounds.  Which it does, always!

Mom of the Year Moment 375 (probably!)

We were shopping and Sawyer was growing impatience.  In my final attempt to humor him, I lifted his 35 pounds of existance onto my shoulders.  He likes it up there, but my body does not share his enthusiasm.  But as a mom, you tend to do almost anything to keep your kids happy in public!  So up there he was, and it did the trick - it bought me a few more moments of time to wrap up the transaction and get to the car.  Here's where my award was handed to me...right there in the parking lot in front of strangers...who didn't applause I assure you!  As he's up there happy as can be, as he doesn't get up there often, I proceed to the back of the car after Jackson climbed in.  I opened the tailgate...and as it automatically lifted I heard a loud THUD followed by some wonderful screams and tears.  I knew exactly what had happened. And it was too late.  You see, I never have an extra couple feet above my head while opening the tailgate, so it didn't occur to me that the tailgate was at the right level to smoke my child in the face.  I've never gotten a child off my shoulders as quick as I did in that moment.  There were tears coming from his eyes, blood coming from his nose, and angry stares from people around me.  Was this on purpose, of course not.  But it happened.  And these things do happen.  He bounced back and recovered quickly - but it still sucked!  Every single part of it!

Mom of the Year Moment 397

Jackson needed a haircut.  I've done this dozens of times.  Literally.  It's a quick and painless date with the clippers.  Except on this one night.  This one night about a week ago, I set everything up, had an eager and willing little boy.  I picked up the clippers, armed them with what I thought was an 8 guard and away I went.  But you know what?!  It wasn't an 8.  Nope not an 8 at all.  In fact, it was 5 levels away from an 8.  It was A THREE!  And I didn't notice until the first pass through his hair...when a lot fell to the ground.  Do you want to know what else fell to the ground?  My tears.  Instantly.  It was too late, you have to keep going!  So that I did, and my cute little spiky boy sat there wearing a buzz cut.  It sucks.  I likely won't cut his hair for a long long time now.  But hair grows back - or so my husband told me as he attempted to console my broken heart!  And this too shall be a funny memory one day.  Right?!  RIGHT?!

Really, if any mom out there tries to tell you they haven't had 'a moment', they are LYING.  It happens, it sucks, and life goes on!

Little Helpers.

Seeing as how I left the last post saying that I wish the kids could help more with some things, I thought I'd start this post by pointing out something they are really great at helping with!  Being my test subjects!  I'm sure one day they will roll their eyes and mutter under their breath, but for now - they are USUALLY willing!  Often after I get my studio set up for a photoshoot, I call in the troublesome twosome for some test shots to test my lighting, backdrop combo, etc to see if in fact it all fits together like it does in my head.  The night of these photos was one of those nights and they were being so cute it REALLY made me wish they weren't wearing their PJs and underwear!  Or does that add to the cuteness!?  Who knows!

I'm laughing to myself as I'm looking at these photos because Sawyer looks so cute, doesn't he?!  Want to know the truth?!  The past three days he's started cutting his 2 year molars and I tell ya what, he's anything but this cute!  Think instant meltdowns, quick disappointments, picky behaviors.  It's been a lot of fun!  Friday while dropping off Jackson was a perfect example of this.  I tried to hold his hand, he snatched it away with an I do it myself "NO".  I walked ahead of him and once I reached his version of too far ahead,  he threw himself on the floor in a huff.  I let him do the stairs on his own and he fell at the bottom resulting in a defeated expression paired with feel sorry for me tears.  And yes, I did feel sorry for him.  He wants so bad to 'keep up with the big dogs' so to say.  His world is very frustrating to him right now.  It sucks for him...and you know what, sometimes it sucks for us too ;)  The kicker is that the impatience, the easily disappointed feelings, the short fuse - that's ALL ME!  Yup, that's his Mama in him so I can't even complain!  And of course this is me sharing the rough stuff.  I guess I will end with his cute little cuddles last night at bed time where he made up his own kiss/cuddle pattern game while we were rocking.  He is endearing.  He is sweet.  He is becoming his own person.  And we love him...on the bad days, and the good.  It's just a little easier on the good!!

Post-Christmas Chaos

It's such a mess taking down Christmas.  I usually tend to avoid it but this year it was actually down before New Years just so Trev could be around to help.  The glitter, the garland, the glorious mess!

 I look forward to the day they can be trusted enough to help ;)  I'm sure they are not as enthused about that time coming!  Kids always want to grow up - if only there were a better way to explain that all grown ups long for the days they were kids!  Ah, the grass is always greener, ain't it!

Practice Practice

Jackson has started working on his writing.  The hardest part, in my opinion, so far has been the constant reminders of how to hold the pencil/marker/etc.

When I finished my Christmas Promo photos, Trev (ah hem Jackson) got me a card.  It was super cute and the first time I've had Jackson's writing on things.  Obviously, we drew out in pencil where to go, and he followed.  It was great :)

He's growing too darn fast.  I hate it!

Christmas Photos Take 2

These are the photos that were taken and used for Christmas Cards.  I will ALWAYS prefer outdoor photos to indoor photos.  These photos were taken on my parents' front step while the sun was setting (too damn fast) after I picked them up from the airport.  Nothing like being up against the clock.  But I'm happy if I at least get the three shots...one together, and one of each individually!

 And here it is all put together in our Christmas Card...

Front...

 Back...

Christmas Photos Take One

We did some studio photos with the boys this year...but they didn't make the Christmas Card cut, although I really wanted to use some of the latter ones, and they are now living on my fridge!

Christmas at Mom & Dads

I didn't take many pictures at my parents' place.  We got there later than expected and there wasn't much in terms of light.  The three boys ran around and chased each other, played tractors, opened gifts, and ate some turkey - which didn't go down as easy as the dessert!  Why is that?!