Lost Tooth

Cooper has always had such a baby face to me and I love to squish it between my thumb and fingers!  Tonight he lost his first tooth- now when I squish it I see the evidence that he is truly growing up.  I want my children to grow up but it feels so bittersweet sometimes.  Anyway he looks very cute and he is excited that his straw fits through the hole!  I love you sweet Cooper!

Little things that bring joy

One of the little things that bring me joy is watching my kids come up with games that they enjoy playing together.  Currently their love of slam ball has caused them to play much slam ball on the trampoline.  It is hilarious to watch them jump up and down and take turns slamming the basketball into the Fisher Price plastic basketball goal that cost me 2 dollars at a garage sale 6 years ago.  It is also joyful to see the older 2 ask Jaxon to get off the trampoline and go get their basketballs when the ball rolls into the bushes or under the trampoline when they are playing.  He does it with as much joy and enthusiasm as when he is slamming the ball into the goal.  I wonder how long it will be before he figures out that his brothers are using him : )

Cats and Dogs

When Mason was little (3-4), instead of having an imaginary friend, he became a dog.  If you wanted him to do something like eat, put on his shoes, take a bath, etc..., and he didn't want to do it you would just ask "Fluff" the dog to do it and happily it was done.  Jaxon has done the same thing for several months now, but instead of being a dog, he is a cat.  He is a cat with no name actually.  So, this morning he was meowing as usual before I got breakfast ready and it was really annoying to his brothers.  The fights were beginning so I said, "Jaxon, if you don't stop saying meow you are going to get a spanking."  Jaxon said, "woof"- Oh the mind of a 3yr. old!

12 on the 12th

Jeff and I were married 12 years ago on last Sunday (the 12th of July).  It has been a crazy 12 years to say the least.  We knew when we met that each other was "the one."  In fact, Jeff bought my ring in August before he asked me to marry him in December.  We had only been dating for 5 months when he bought it.  Sometimes we can't believe soo much has happened in the 13 years that we have known each other to say the least our 4 little blessings!  So I would like to share 12 things about Jeff that make me laugh/love him more and more:

1 He is not afraid to do dishes, laundry, clean toilets, or sweep and mop the floor.  I don't ask- he just does them.

2 He is great with money

3 He loves to wrestle and play with the kids

4 He was amazingly supportive through my pregnancies/ labor / and birth

5 He likes to do stupid dances for me and the kid just for a laugh

6 He is a gadget guru!  (techno geek if you will)

7 He loves to shop at Big Lots and Marshalls and then come home and show me all his bargins.

8 He never criticizes my shortcomings as a housewife because he knows the kids come first!

9 He believes that a mommy should stay at home if at all possible and works hard to support that dream for our family. 

10 He knows that I would love to go to nursing school, reminds me of it often, and refuses to let it just be a pipe dream.  He says often, "one of these days babe you will go to nursing school and make an awesome nurse"    : )

11 When we were having problems he was willing to do whatever it took to get help and has not been embarrassed to talk about it to others when asked.

12 He has put into practice full force the things we are learning as the "help" continues and that makes him a strong and powerful man in my eyes!!!

Jeff, I love you!!!!!

Check ups

I took Zoe in for her 1 year check up (ok really her 14 month check up - I'm a little late) and she is very happy and healthy!  Since 3 of the 4 of my kids have been preemies, Zoe included, I have always wondered when and if they would catch up.  The dr. never worries about her size based on everyone else her age, she concentrates on weather or not Zoe is staying with her growth curve.  I am pleased to say Zoe is growing perfectly.  She is actually in the 50th percentile of height and weight.  She is my only child of the 4 that is in the 50th percentile.  All the boys are still in the 25th to 50th -  even Cooper although he was my only full term baby.  Cooper also had his 6 year old check up and passed his with flying colors as well.  He passed both hearing and eye tests and didn't bat an eye to any of the things the dr. asked him to do or anything.  When the nurse came in to give Zoe her shots Cooper looked at her and said, "oh yeah, I don't really want one of those."  What a goof ball!  Praise God for the greatness of healthy children!

funny statements

Cooper: Daddy I need you Mason horsed me in the pool and the rules say no horseplay!

Cooper: Mommy, Mason is calling me a loser under the water

Mommy: Mason stop calling him a loser

Mason: I will if he stops calling me stupid when we are not under the water

(apparently he was doing the looser sign to him under water.)

Jaxon: Mommy I'm not a loser I am a winner

Jaxon: Mommy thanks for the swimming lessons you are a bootiful fish : )

I hate to have to make it back to reality tomorrow- we have had a great time this week!!

Tears of Joy

Today I cried tears of joy! I haven't done that in a long time, but I couldn't help it. I sat in my beach chair and put Zoe to sleep with the sound of the waves and the seagulls. I watched as Jeff was out in the water jumping waves with Mason and Cooper and took turns helping them with the boogie board. Jaxon was with our new friends Beverly and Erin (they are from San Antonio)-they were busy teaching him how to catch "little white wiggly fishes". I couldn't help but stop, absorb, and thank God for the amazing moments in life!!!!

Some funny statements of the day:

Cooper: Dad, I was born to do this that is why I am so good at it

(this was after Jeff went to retrieve him on the boogie board because it was time for lunch)

Cooper: Dad are we in Miami?

(this was after Jeff went to retrieve him on the boogie board "again" - he had gone way down the beach without Jeff seeing him- pretty big undertow today)

Cooper: I read a real book and it said there were no beaches in Texas.

Me: Jaxon what color were the fishes that you played with today

Jaxon: Dey were white before dey were dead and den dey were bwown. De gugulls don't wike dem when dey are bwown.

(trasnslation: they were white before they were dead and then they were brown. The seagulls don't like them when they are brown. )

I will do my best to get some pics up when we get back but I am really bad at that part of the blog thing. Suffice it to say- if this is what Heaven is like I really want to be a part of it!!!!!!

This world is sooo very small

It was cheaper this year by far to come to the beach on vacation than to go to Nashville. However, that has made it more difficult for me this summer because other than the quick trip home with Zoe in the spring when my grandmother was sick I have not been able to spend time at home with my family and friends. But, in perfect God fashion he finds a way to put Nashville near me when I am hurting. Today's small world story (thank you D'lyn for coming up with that phrase)- I met a family at the pool today with 3 boys- 10, 8, and 6. The man was from Nashville - His wife from Atlanta- turns out he knows tons of people that I know and even went to a tiny, rival christian school in Nashville. I loved visiting with him and talking about all the people we knew in common and all the similarities in our worlds. I am thankful that God finds a way to put peace in my heart when I feel anxiety about not being "home". Thank you God! For my Nashville friends that follow this blog the man's name was Ken Whitehead (I think) and he went to Goodpasture to high school. To my college friends, while he did not go to Lipscomb growing up his best friend was Kyle Coker. ( Kyle Cokermania)- Strange small world!!!

seagulls

Jaxon: Daddy come yook at the googulls - we can feed dem and eberyting

(traslation: daddy come look at the seagulls we can feed them and everything)

Cooper: There must be at least 10 mommy seagulls out here and the others are twins of each other-

huh?

Poor little city folk boys - learning about the rats with wings is a whole new experience for them.

On a separate note we went to the beach to play today- It was great to see the boys getting used to jumping the waves and learning to boogie board with daddy. Zoe didn't think too much of the water rushing around, but she loved running around and carrying her bucket. Jaxon fell asleep in our little tent and then we discovered he was running a fever. Poor little beach buddy!

Treasuring those moments

Today was the first day of our vacation- a real vacation- just the six of us. We are staying in Port A near the beach. I remember being excited as a child when travel time would arrive. My dad was always very intense about loading the car "right"- there were 6 of us then as there are now and I know why now! He was a great packer and taught me everything I know. We had to help bring the luggage out to the car and I can remember how frustrated he got if we brought out the pillows or toys first : ). This morning while loading and packing Jaxon and Cooper were already in the car. Jaxon actually had his seatbelt on, even though it took me a good 30 min to pack the car the way I wanted it packed. Oye! Thanks dad for teaching me how to pack a car. We loaded up and got to the exit of our subdivision only to realize that neither of us had the directions to where we were going. We turned around and about the time that we did I heard Jaxon in the back say, "are we at the beach yet?" I knew then it was going to be a long 3 hour "tour". The trip wasn't too bad and the kids love the place where we are staying. Cooper said it felt just like home! He said at dinner that this was the happiest he had ever been. Then he thanked us for taking a vacation. I have mentioned several times in my life that I love how The Bible makes mention of the fact that "Mary treasured all of these things in her heart." I will never forget the looks on my kids faces seeing the beach for the first time. Zoe smiled from ear to ear. Mason couldn't believe you could drive on the beach- he thought that was very cool. Jaxon loved loved loved the sand and the water!! Cooper - that sensory boy buried his feet in all the different textures of the sand and said several times that he wanted to feel the waves on his feet. That is my boy! Even Jeff who is relatively silent about most things unless asked said out loud with no prompting- wow it is really pretty here and look how happy the kids are! I stopped and thanked God for those 5 blessings standing there by the ocean and put it into my heart. God is Good!!!! All the time!!!!