I don't blog enough. I simply do not blog enough. My children are growing up faster than I can put them to bed and it is passing by with little documentation. So here is a quick update.

Some things worth noting: 

 Photo taken today 3/2/13


On July 23, 2012 Raquel said "bye" for the first time.

7/30/12
L shook her head "no" at me when I tried to give her Vitamin D drops. I was trying to give her vitamin D drops and with a grin as big as she could do while still holding her mouth tightly shut (unlike her, she loves those drops) she proudly shook her head side to side. I think she was just testing out her new skill. It's not that she didn't want the drops but that she had been waiting for a chance, any chance, to let me know what she could do.

8/14/12
L threw my washable nursing pad in the toilet...while J was pooping in it. I threw it away after fishing it out. Oh the life of a mother.

8/20/12
Raquel not quit 13 months has recently started shaking her head "yes". She's been shaking her head "no" for a week or so but "yes" she seems to do with much more excitement than "no." She also says, mama, dada, hi, bye, and, yeah. Too cute.

Oh yeah she also signs, "milk," "more," and "all done" and also waves but has actually been waving now for a while.

10/29/12
Raquel went potty on the toilet for the first time!!! She came walking into the bathroom, grabbed her potty seat, put it on the toilet, and started asking for help onto it. Then she peed!!! Fully initiated by herself.

11/26/12
Raquel's words at 16 months in order of when she said them: mama, dada (maybe), hi, bye, eye,  I love you (slurred together to sound like ILaOo, hot (pronounced ha), dog (sometimes pronounced da sometimes pronounced og), bite (pronounced ite). I've been told she also says car but have yet to hear it, and today she said dada with definite intent; she looked at Rob, pointed at him, and said "dada."

12/16/12
Raquel finally has more than 4 teeth. She cut her fifth one yesterday.

12/28/12
Raquel has cut her 6th tooth!

12/28/12
I heard L making kissing noises over and over so I take a look at her to see that she was holding the the hand held mirror up to her pudgy little face, was looking in it at herself in awe as she continued to "kiss" herself with the curiosity only a 17 month old could possess.

Cute things Jamison has said: 

  Photo taken today 3/2/13

7/25/12 (Raquel's birthday)
J: Mom, is Raquel one?
Me: yes
J: But why isn't she talking to me than?

7/3012
J: I thought I was going to be a bird when I came out of your belly and I was sad when I wasn't in a nest.

Hm, maybe the Buddhists have it right.

 7/31/12
J's dream: I dreamt I was an adult in a kid pool and I put my whole head in the water.

7/31/12
While clipping J's nails he said, "mom, when you get old and can't clip your fingernails, I'll clip them for you when I'm an adult" He actually sounded very excited like it was a brilliant idea. Brilliantly compassionate. He's so sweet. I think I'll hold him to this one.

8/2/12
J: I just kissed Raquel. That means I love her. I'll never stop loving her. I just can't stop loving her. I also can't stop loving you, mommy. I can't stop loving my whole flamily (yes, I know it's mispelled, that's how J says it).
Me: Oh Jamison. I can't stop loving you. No matter what I will always love you. I will love you if you make good choices. I will love you if you make bad choices. I will love you if you make silly choices.
J: you just made me happy.

8/22/12
Me: you can pick whatever you want to wear for your first day of school. You can pick something that shows who you are.
J: I don't have anything like that.
Me: You don't?
J: Yeah, none of my clothes have my name on it.

9/5/12
Me: What did you do in class?
J: We sand a song but I didn't sing.
Me: Did anyone else not sing?
J: Nope, just me.
Me: Why didn't you sing in class?
J: Because it is boring... I really mean it (he said as he held out his pointer finger pointing it slightly towards me and then giving it a little shake as if to show me how serious he was).
Me: That's okay. You don't have to sing if you don't want to.
J: but don't worry about me because I'm learning lots of things (he said in a rather reassuring tone).

9/8/12
J: Mommy, can I have a sucker?
Me: no
J: Mommy, can I have a sucker?
Me: no
J: Mommy, can I have a sucker?
Me: no
J: Mommy, this is your last chance give me a sucker.

He got a sucker. Hey, don't think of me as a parent that caves under whiny pressure, he said it was my last chance.

 9/25/12
J to Raquel after I asked Raquel not to do something: Raquel, you don't have to listen to mommy.

They're already ganging up on me!!!

10/26/12
Yesterday J kept wandering off into the guest room. Whenever I checked on him I found him staring at his class photo. He even brought the photo to bed with him. When I asked him what he was looking at in his class photo he said, "the girl with the curly hair." I said do you like her," he replied, "yes. I don't know her name though but sometimes we play at recess." I think my son may have his first little boy crush.

10/31/12
After trick or treating J said, "I got a lot of candy so my whole family could have some."

11/28/12
J: Mom, do you know who my favorite grown up is?
Me: Who?
J: Daddy and Santa Clause

How exactly did I come in below Santa? Actually it seems more like I don't come in on that list at all. Doesn't matter, I still love that little kid with every cell in my body.

11/30/12
So this one is, ahem, lets just say not G rated.

J to me: What's a pussy?
Me: says nothing. Stares blankly unable to make eye contact with my innocent 4 year old. I took a deep breath as I sorted out exactly how I would answer his question...
J followed up with: Garfield is a big fat pussycat.

Um, yeah, I'm corrupted. How did I possibly think he meant anything other than a pussycat.

12/9/12
J: Mom, we gotta help someone out for Christmas. Like if there was a kid who don't have any shoes, we have to buy him some.

I can honestly say I do nothing to prompt these kinds of statements from him yet they are frequent. Jamison is innately kind, generous, and compassionate. I'd love to take credit with my wonderful parenting but Jamison is gentle through and through with or without my style of parenting. I am so proud of who he is becoming.

12/12/12
J: Mom, maybe for Christmas you'll get me Chick Hicks and the King because you like me so much and because I'm your son and Daddy's son.

Cute reasoning of a 4 year old.

12/16/12
J: Mom, just loving Lola makes my heart feel bigger.

Just hearing that fills mine up with joy.

12/18/12

J: Mom, I have two jobs. One is to take care of Raquel and two is me and Raquel make sure you and daddy have lots of love.

12/24/12
Mom, do you want to know what's more important than presents or toys? My family.

I see an overall theme here of generosity, compassion, love,  and caring beyond what I would expect form a four year old. He's an amazing little guy.