A Croupy Christmas

Last Wednesday we took a Christmas Vacation.  We drove all of 9 miles to Grammie and Grandpa's House and slept overhrough Saturday.  The kids were in their glory getting to see their grandparen't every day for 3 days straight!  Relaxing, crafting, cuddling, scripture reading, baking, playing and giggling filled our days. 
We'd wake each morning and make a fantastical breakfast and ate ham or bacon almost everyday!  This too was a highlight to the kids as well as James and I for we don't eat pork unless it's offered at someone else's house.  We felt the effects mind you but it was well worth it.  We're detoxing this week as a result! 
We went to ou wonderful annual Christmas Eve Service at church and then headed back home to Grammie's.

Sarah and her dog Penny came over that night to sleep over as well which was a special treat for the kids and for Lexi (our dog).  Happy feelings were abundant!

Then about 1am...happy feelings gone.  Apparently, Croup came upon a midnight clear.  James was sharing a room with Ireson and he came into our room at 1am and told us to "Come quick, Ireson needs you, he can't breathe."  I was proud of him for acting quickly and looking out for his baby brother. 

Sure enough Ireson was having an acute attack of Croup...except when he gets Croup (1 day out of the whole year!) it's a combo of Tracheaitis and bronchiolitis and he goes into respiratory distress.  Big words I know- but trust me...it's bad.  Due to having RSV when he was only 1 week old he's more prone to developing asthma and so this was basically an acute asthma attack.  The poor boy was crying, freaking out and coughing and getting himself worked into a panic stricken frenzy.  Thank the Lord, I got out some Eucalyptus Oil the night before thinking that he sounded slightly congested and I thought he may be getting a cold.  I soaked a cotton ball with the oil and rubbed down his shirt and his chest and unfortunately I had to yell at him to calm down so he could breathe.  He listened and started to breath a bit easier.  I knew that we had to get home stat and get out his Nebulizer Aerosol Machine (that has been collecting dust for a year) and give him and Albuterol and Steriod treatment or head to the ER.  His lips were actually starting to turn blue until I got him calmed down and taking deep breaths of Eucalyptus vapor.  It's nature's bronchodilator! 

Thankfully, I felt we got him stable enough to make it home.  James, Ireson and I loaded up in the car and I told Sarah that we would be back sometime tomorrow.  We got home in less than 10 minutes with no one else on the road at 1:!5 in the morning so that was a plus.  After two, 30 minute steroid-aerosol treatments ( I mixed in a little colloidal silver too:)- my own special concoction and he was able to breath normally with minimal wheezing.  He finally fell back asleep on one of us on the floor of the steam filled bathroom.  I let James listen to his lungs to hear what wheezing sounded like.  I think it made him appreciate the seriousness of the situation even more though it feeds the emotions of fear and stress.  It's handy to be a nurse and have a real stethoscope lying around the house as part of the toy itinerary.  Come 2:30am we said "Merry Christmas" to each other and we finally went to bed. 

James and I now had time to come out of the adrenalin rush and deal with the emotional turmoil from the night.  The kids rarely get sick, but when Ireson gets even a simple little cold-it takes me back to when we were in the hospital with RSV and almost lost him.  As I lay next to him in bed watching him look all pathetic and weak and listening to him breathe, I tried to regulate my own breathing and tears as I thanked God for the reminder of his grace, watchful hand, and my abilities that he has blessed me with as a Mom and a nurse.  The writing was on the wall.  I still wouldn't go back and change a thing.

Ireson slept well the rest of the night.
He woke up around 9am and looked at me smiling and said with a frogy grogy voice, "Mom, I all better now.  Can we go to Grammie's house now?"  It was so sweet.  I started him on a breathing treatment regimen for the remainder of the week.  He was slightly congested on Christmas but happy and energetic just the same, a new kid.  He was done opening his gifts in record timing and then began bestowing his adoration and thanks on the whole family with all smiles and snot.

We relaxed and stayed in our PJ's all day!  The kids got a bunch of fun videos (animal, Shirley Temple, Charlotte's Web)  tons and tons of legos and Knex, books, games, Teagan-fairy stuff, James got an orienteering kit and a flint necklace, Krinkle blocks, a dodge ball game with target vests!, hand made clothes from Grammie, and a lot of other loot.  I even got a nap for Christmas!

That morning we discovered that Teagan had a loose tooth!  She was thrilled.

The day after Christmas we went home, had naps, and then Teagan, James and I headed over to Cindy's where we had wonderful time with the entire extended family.  We had oodles of fun and ate like kings while Ireson had special Daddy time back at home!

We were simply having a wonderful Christmas time.  See ya next year!

"Peanuts's" are gross.

This year for my birthday, Mom took Teagan and me to see "The Nutcracker Ballet."  It was a special mother-daughter day.  I hadn't seen The Nutcracker since I was in Junior High.  I remember getting all dressd up and going to see it with my Mom and Grandma as well.  The lights, the costumes, the giant theater, the larger than life music and the eloquent dancing was all so captivating!

This was Teagan's first official ballet.  A momentous occassion that required us to get all dressed up.  We had great seats too and they even provide boosters for the kid's seats!  As we were sitting there waiting for the lights to dim and the curtain to go up Teagan informed me that "the people behind the stage were going to have to move that curtain thingy so that the ballerina would have room to dance.  What are they thinking?"

The set design and the costumes were indeed impressive and inspiring. - Well, to me anyway.  Teagan had other ideas about the boy dancers and their not so "modest" attire.  As soon as the first male dancer began his solo Teagan felt compelled to report her "issues" with their tights in a not so quiet whisper. 
"MOM! (tugging on my shirt with disgust)  Are they wearing tights?!!!!!!"

Seeing where this conversation was headed, I tried to ease her concern.  "Well, their not tights exactly, they're men's ballet pants that they need to wear to be able to dance so freely... but they look alot like tights though, huh?"

"Yeah!  Boys are NOT supposed to wear tights!  Boys have to be modest too, MOM!  That is not responsible of them!  You can see their p*#@^!"  Insert big sigh and humph accompanied by rolling eyes and gritted teeth here!

"Okay, Teagan, let's just be quiet and watch.  There are other people here that can hear you and they'd like to watch the performance quietly."

Well, we made it to the intermission without much fidgeting and further anatomical commentary.  I felt there was hope for the second Act after a refreshing snack and potty break. 

I was wrong.  She spent most of the second Act facing me or turned around in her seat.  I asked why she stopped watching and all she could do was look at me upset and said, "I can't watch the boys, their p*#@^'s are gross!"   Insert another big argh and sigh here this time complete with raised hand expressions of more disgust.
I understand how distracting it was and is and there was little I could do to encourage her to not notice and not worry about it.  She didn't want to look through the binoculars that I brought anymore either.  She asked me to tell her when the boys were done and she could turn around to see the girls dancing.  I happily and somewhat proudy obliged.

Despite her "Disgust" of certain show features, amazingly she was paying attention to every little dancing detail down to the pointing of the toes and the extended finger with the arm extensions.  She's been dressing up in her ballet garb every day since dancing for me and showing me all these new and often impressive moves that she's imitating.

The next day at church she was relaying her experience to Aunt Sarah.  Sarah reports the following from the encounter:
"How was the ballet Teagan?!" Sarah asked not knowing what would come of her innocent inquisition.
Teagan poignantly and rather loudly projected:  "The boys wore tights and their peanuts's were gross!"
Sarah tried to reason with her, as only Sarah can:  "Well, when you're married, you may not think their so gross."
Teagan looked at Sarah rather stunned and apprehensive as she asked:  "Do husbands wear tights too?!"

Ahhhh, the childhood human experience.  What a journey.
Looking back, I am proud of her for watching everything, even a ballet, with God's eyes and choosing to decipher right from wrong even in what we would think to be the most innocent of situations.  I prayed that the men in tights wouldn't be the only thing that she remembered and thankfully it wasn't.

Thank you God for the ladies in my life, young and older and the special memories we're creating.  Thank you Grammie for the very special day and all the gigles and laughs and photographs.

Thank Full.

We were incredibly blessed this year to spend Thanksgiving week in Virginia Beach amongst some of our most favorite people.  People who are brothers and sisters; people who taught James the Truth; people who counseled us and married us; people who had an integral role in James' and my relationship during our courting years; people who you wish lived right next door; people who you will spend eternity with in the Kingdom.  It makes you long for that glorious day even more. 

The trip down was quite eventful as one hopes it wouldn't be.  Forty-five minutes into the trip-Ireson threw up his entire breakfast all over himself, his car seat, seat straps and all.  We stopped for over a half hour cleaning up, wet wiping everything, changing clothes, bagging clothes, and taking apart his car seat-instantly upgrading him to a booster seat since we had to revert to using the seat belt rather than his puke laden car seat straps. 
1 hour later it hit again in a less aggressive and bountiful manner but gross just the same.  Once we hit the mountains and the twists and turns, it was well...all up hill from there.  We stopped at a gas station/subway shop to clean up AGAIN and we went inside to eat what our stomachs could bear.  At this point my stomach is in knots and my nerves were shot from constantly turning around every time I heard him move and then lunging to catch anything that was expelled.
Ireson was pale and pathetic and cuddling on me and just laid there with his poor pasty head on my shoulder.  I rather enjoyed it for a few minutes.  Luckily for me, I passed him off to his Dad just in time.  I finally had hands free to eat my sandwich when we saw him start to lurch. James headed for the bathroom though I needed to assist with the door opening since his hands were literally full with either a kid or throw-up.  Sorry for the graphic visual, but I'm recording this mostly for posterity.  Anyway, once his stomach was completely void of contents and we were passed the mountains and into VA he fell asleep and things died down or rather stayed down.

We spent the night in a hotel (always fun!) to ensure that Ireson was merely car sick and nothing more.  He had done this sort of thing on a smaller scale on numerous other trips, so I was pretty sure that it wasn't an actual sickness.  Anyhow, we took chicken and mashed potatoes back to the room and settled in.  Ireson was running around being his jovial old self all pink and perky.  He sat down to eat and intensely inhaled 2 pieces of chicken and a ton of mashed potatoes.  Of course we encouraged him to pace himself but the poor kid hadn't eaten anything in over 12 hours.  Needless to say, all turned out fine and we headed out Sunday morning for bacon at the Waffle House. 

The kids walked into The Waffle House chanting "bacon, bacon, bacon!"  The poor pork deprived children thought this to be the best official start to our vacation.  I indulged in the swine tasting as well!

We headed off to church where we saw a bunch of brethren that we hadn't seen in over three years.  Then it was back to Ruthie's house to settle in where we had an afternoon of fabulous fellowship time with some seriously special people and their adorable children.  Jonathan & Corrina and Meredith and the twins were a great start to a great week!  The kids all hit it off great for not having seen each other in years! 

During the week we spent hours talking scripture, eating, reminiscing, relaxing, eating, and spending quality time with "Queen" Esther, Ruth and Murray and Joanna, Shay and Cian while eating.  I would have been perfectly content simply staying home, talking and spending time with everyone all week.  However, we did make a few jaunts to various venues.

Tuesday:  Ocean - Along with the misty, windy and slightly chilled weather, we HAD to go to the ocean.  So we set out with our wind breakers to go take in the sights, smells and sounds on the outskirts of Neptune Park. The previous week a hurricane had hit and they lost a 1/3 of their beach!  Fortunately for us, the hurricane left a ton of sea debris on the beach and we had a great time scavenging the sea weed for dead sea life and some real life science application.  Shells, egg sacks, horse shoe crab shells, dead mini crabs, and trash were a few of our findings.  I counted that as a school day!

Wednesday:  Ruthie treated us to an afternoon at the Zoo- Teagan was absolutely enthralled with the 4 week old baby giraffe.  We couldn't tear her away.  I think her maternal instincts were telling her to take it home.  She got all teary eyed when we moved on to the next exhibit where James got to meet 4 lion cubs!  Their pride was proudly perched up on top of this mountain thing in their enclosure.  We had a great and eerily up close view.  They all got to pick out a stuffed animal or souvenir to take home.  James got a Fennec Fox, Teagan a baby Tiger, and Ireson a bag of bugs.  Good times and another school day accredited!

Thursday:  Thanksgiving Day!  We went in the morning to see some brethren and to check out "Queen" Esther's in-law suite under construction.  Then a bunch of family including: Jesse, Jacob, Joanna, Shay and Cian, and Uncle Bascom came over to share in the festivities.  Much food and fun was had by all. Later, we went to Murray's parent's house on the edge of a river!  The view was outstanding.  What a blessing to have that in the family.  Jesse took James and Jacob and the kids out on his fishing boat for a 2 hour excursion!  Teagan stayed back and built sand castles and animal burrows and watched pelicans with Joanna and me.  My kindred spirit, JoAnna and I had some "intense" conversation while trying to stay warm, watching the sun start to set, and wondering where our children were!  As the boat approached at high speed, all you heard was squealing and laughter!

Friday:  We went over to Nathan and Antonia's house to visit.  Nathan was James' best man in our wedding so it was great to reconnect and have our kids play together.  Teagan disappeared 30 seconds after getting in the door.  She saw a girl and girly toys and went running.  I think she was please to be surrounded by some estrogen.

Saturday:  We got up, ate another delicious breakfast, with bacon!  It was a great start to the end of our trip for we headed home around 10am.  We took a bunch of pictures after Ruthie and "Queen" Esther spent time reading the Bible to the kids.

As we were pulling out of Ruthie's development, Teagan pathetically piped up "Oh Mommy, I miss Ruthie already.  How am I going to do this?"  James and I just looked at each other and started crying.  10 minutes later she so matter of factly states:  "Mom, aren't Cian and Shay special?" To which James concurred, "Yeah.  Aren't they so much fun?!"

Indeed they are.

For the ride home we prepped Ireson at breakfast with some ginger laden applesauce.  Ruthie gave us a bucket just in case.   Ireson was adamant that "I not throw-up Mom."   I was torn but eventually I did give him dramamine to help ensure an uneventful trip home.  He was fine the entire ride home.  Shew.  We got home safe and sound and tired around 8pm.

Our Thankful Tank is Full.

Foul Play

James and Teagan were playing upstairs in Teagan's room.  All of a sudden I hear Ireson banging on her door yelling, "Let me in!  Let me in James!"

Then I hear the skeptical inquiry from the eldest:  "Did you get your diaper changed?!"

Ireson replied:  "YES!  Mommy just changed me so I not stink anymore!   Now let me in-Pleeeeaaase!"

James opened the door and said, "Welcome, Sir.  Come on in but ONLY if you're SURE that you don't stink anymore."

Ireson:  "No I not.  See- smell my butt."

I asked James about the course of events that had just played out.  Apparently, they told him that he was not allowed in to play with them until he went and had his poopey diaper changed.  Teagan informed me that "He smelled sooo bad, Mom, and we couldn't handle being around him."  James concurred, "Yeah, Mom- it was hard to even breath!"

The truth to the matter is that they were right!  No excuse for the banishment of the little brother yet I was just telling Ireson the same things moments ago when the not so honorable diaper changing occurred.

Animal Antics

Anyone that meets my eldest son, James, will soon realize that he is an avid animal lover and virtual walking animal encyclopedia.  He's more than happy to share some sort of interesting facts he's gleaned from his years of animal observations, book reading, and studying.  He's been some sort of animal every year for Trick or Treating since his first year.  Lions, elephant, gorilla, and this year a blue jay (hand made by him and Grandma).
Our family weekend movie nights typically consist of an animal show of some sort.  And when we're fortunate enough to catch a Nature show on PBS, he's quick to inquire if "David Attenborough is going to be the narrator." 

He knows the entire Planet Earth series by memory and will even go as far as to mimic David Attenborough's vocal inflections when he relays to you what he's learned!
I especially love that he watches them through a biblical lens, using God's eyes and God's ears.  When evolutionary philosophies are mentioned in some of it's segments, he is quick to point out, "Oh, Mom, that's not right!  He needs to read his Bible.  What?  That's crazy talk."... etc., etc.  He will make many similar comments as he watches them by himself as though he and David are holding a private conversation.  Apparently, they are on a first name basis.

Here are a couple of the more comical comments I heard from him just last week as he was watching Planet Earth.

*Humpback whales mating-  "MOM!  Did you know that humpback whales have a 12 foot long penis?!!!!!!  That's crazy!  I'd need new pants if my penis was that long!"
New pants indeed.  This fact is quite impressive to observe in action on the video mind you.

*Ant Eaters - "Mom!  Did you know that certain Ant Eaters have a tale that can hold their entire body weight?!  I need to get a tail.  I'd be sooo good at climbing trees!"

Intelligence Inquiry

Today, during school time, Teagan asked me:  "Mommy, when did you become sooo smart?!  Was it when you married Daddy?"

Favortism - Humph.

The kids and I were goofing around on my bed this afternoon.  Giggling, laughing, tickeling, fun, and snorting was accomplished by all. 

As the festivities calmed down I declared, "Alright, I'm going down stairs.  Who's coming with me?" 

Ireson jumped up and then off the bed onto me and excitedly hollered, "I'm going wiff you!"

My response was of a joyous sort as I laid on the kisses and zuberts: "Oh goodie- I like myself some Ireson!  Do you like your Mama too?!" 

To which he replied:  "Yeah...but I like Daddy the best!"

True story.

Boys And Their Toys

Man vs. Wild Style - building a fishing pole.

A little assist from Dad to help bear the 30 some pound weight.

Fueling up for some leaf blowing.

Blowing solo.

Bear Poison

Last week we were over at my Mom's along with my sister.  Ireson walked through the kitchen, where we were all standing around.  Trailing behind him was a rather foul odor of the most stenchy proportions. 

The conversation that followed has stuck with us... much like the smell of a skunk after it's aroma has infested your car.

"Wow, Ireson, you stink!"  "Holy cow kid!"  "Get him outta here!"- were the numerous comments from the on-smellers.

Ireson just smiled and laughed as he passed by Grandpa to get to his Dad.

Grandpa:  "Geesh Ireson.  You could kill rats with that smell!"

Ireson, rather proudly replied with a giggle:  "Yeah!...rats....and bears too!"

Always the comedian.  A true Stinkerson.

Flight School

Oh the things we let our kids do....Tonight Lil' James put a bunch of pillows on one of our "Fat Chair" base pillows and used it as a landing pad.  James and I sat on the sidelines and observed the madness.  Okay- we cheered on the madness. 

Launch Pad:  Window seat or Ottoman or ...

Mission:  Jump a good 4-5 feet onto the pile, or shall we say tower of pillows. 

Flight Plan:  Acrobatic stunts, and choreography to be performed at your own risk.

Flight Plan Safety Precautions:  Just aim and hit the pillows please!  Don't flip over the top of them, and avoid banging head on couch.

Responsible parents (yeah right-we failed that test!)- make sure that the pillow zippers weren't on the receiving side of flying body and catch any loose canon children! 

Please note:  I was in charge of the camera.  James was in charge of keeping track of the children's launching point and trajectory. 

Case and Point:

Window Seat  

Entertainment Center? Honestly Daddy?!

Bruised knees, goose egg= pain is only weakness leaving the body.

Mid air collissions = bones will heal.

Black eye =  scars will fade
                            No Broken Bones, memories made = Priceless!

Becky Rice Rosskins

Last night, Lil' James, Teagan and I went with Laura Ross and 5 of her kids to go see Mary Rice Hopkins way down in Lagrange, Ohio. It was about and hour and 20 minutes away. The kids had a great time playing in the car and snacking on special treats from their very own treat bags the whole way there. James especially enjoyed hanging out with Michael and Megan, while Teagan and little Sarah were "Good Buddies" all night. We got there about 30 minutes early and so we acquired great seats and had a great view the entire time.

The Puppets with a Heart put on a show throughout all of the musical performance and it was an all out fabulous blast! The kids were enthralled the entire time. Laughing and giggling filled the sanctuary! The puppets were named Gringo and OH-NO. They were brothers who, like all kids, go through different troubles in their young lives. The puppet characters each have a removable heart that contains an object that is used as a visual aid for that particular part of the show. Mary would take them out to see what's inside and then she would talk about it and replace the bad stuff with something good and a verse from God's Word. Wonderful object lessons that really stick with the kids.

I got to meet one of my favorite children's praise musicians and the kids got to meet the lady who gave them all their favorite songs (The Hippopotamus Song, Superman, God Did, Matilda the Gorilla, Splish Splash, etc.)

I try to tell everyone about her wherever we go. I primarily use her amazing repertoire of music when I direct different kid's choir at Bible Schools. There was a few hundred people at the concert but only about 50 kids or so.

My kids know almost all her songs and the accompanying hand motions. So when Mary came down into the audience and saw Teagan's enthusiasm, dancing and hand motions, she came over and sang with her and turned towards me so I could to take their picture together. It was Teagan's first meeting with a celebrity! I think I was more excited than Teagan.

I looked around and Laura and I were two of only a few people who seemed to know all the songs and were doing everything and looking like we should have been part of the show. She and I have been told that we should take a show on the road. This was even more incentive.

It took everything in me not to jump up in the middle of the aisle and start doing all the hand motions and teaching the audience and getting them fired up with dancing and moving. It's what I do!

James' review: "I loved the puppets. Gringo and OH-NO were the best."
Teagan's Review: "The fun part for me was when she sang the songs with me. I learned that God can heal your heart if it has band aids on it."


After the concert, we went up to meet her and got our pictures taken. I told her that she needed to include this Mary Poppins joke I made up during a part of her concert when she pulled this large (obviously expandable shovel out of a very small bag). She cracked up, wrote down my joke, asked me my name so she could give me credit at her next concert. THEN she told me that if I come up with anymore good jokes that I should email her. I also told her that it was all I could do not to jump up and help her out with the motions, etc. For her, it was more of a solo show this time. Usually, she has a back up singer or other players or something. She has a nephew that lives in Lagrange, so I think she was doing a concert as part of her visit. She said, next time I should just get up and join the show.

I tell you what- you can guarantee that will happen! Just call me Becky Rice Rosskins

Thank you Lord for an awesome spirtually filled and blessed night!

Be sure to check out her Puppets With A Heart TV show on TBN.org.

Grocery Store Blues

I usually take all 3 kids with me to the grocery store. Sometimes I wait until James gets home and then go- but that's a rare and special occasion. As I've said before, I think it's more important to tough it out, tantrums and all if they happen, and teach the kids to be responsible, respectful, obedient, and functional children of society. I'm raising young adults after all. Consequently, I don't stick them in the babysitting room either- if I go to that particular store.

Today, I figured we'd go in the morning to our grocery store and do our Math and some reading and spelling while we were there. James was walking around looking at prices and I had him tell me how many of each value there were on some price tags.
$7.99 - "That's 9 units, 9 tens, and 7 one-hundreds. Or 799 pennies. Whoa- that's a lot of pennies!! Or seven ninety-nine. Seven dollars and 99 cents." He'd rant and chant several of these and so on. He would get excited when he'd see a giant sign and run up to it and practically yell what the number was and what it meant. I rather enjoyed the people's stares and smiles at his enthusiasm. I had to tell him to simmer down a couple of times.

As we walked around, all the kids would say "hi" to passers-by, in their happy and squeaky little voices. Ireson would yell if he saw a baby. "Go see it Mom!"- He'd request.

Teagan and James would both read some words as we passed them or I'd give them something to put in the cart and they'd have to read it first. We also played the guessing/spelling game with some of the things on our list.

For example-"I'm an spicy dip that we eat with chips-what am I?"
"Salsa!"
"I'm white and I come from cows." Milk!"-they'd say and then they'd have to spell it. Fun, educational and intellectually occupying all at the same time. Who knew that the grocery store could qualify as a field trip?!

James and Teagan do this funny walking thing to entertain Ireson too. Sometimes, they'll walk while he rides, and strut their goofy stuff up and down the aisles and have him laughing his head off! I mean- the belly laugh that makes you think he might throw up if he doesn't get a break. They look like total goofballs as they come up with these hysterical dances and Ireson loves it! They could take their show on the road. Perhaps I should hire them out for other parents so they can entertain their kids too!

We got to the check out and I got in line that was over by the babysitting room. It has 3 giant windows. As I checked out I let the kids go and look through the windows and see what's happening. They stand there and look on in awe- much like observing animals in the zoo. I'm not kidding. They find it fascinating. The 3 of them stood there waving, and smiling and watching the 4 kids behind the glass. I saw another cashier walk over to the the lady that manages the joint and talk to her. She immediately got on the overhead intercom and made an announcement.

She said, and I sadly quote, "Attention customers, the Eagle's Nest [Babysitting room] can be a fun, interactive, and an educational place for your children -ages 3-9 years old. Please stop by today!"

I sighed in grieve disappointment. I sighed as I looked at the 4 TVs lining the wall with video games on waiting to lure in their next victim (3 were already occupied). I sighed as I looked at the big screen TV in the opposite corner playing a Disney movie that I find inappropriate for young children. I sighed because I didn't see a single book in that huge room! Not one! I sighed because of what our society has labelled as "fun and educational". Granted there was a train table, a kitchen area, and some great baby dolls and toys. But not one of them were being utilized by small fingers.

Thank you Lord that my kids don't ask to go in there. Thank you Lord that they had a truly "fun and educational" time with their mother and siblings interacting in a positive and responsible way learning life lessons. Thank you for the time we spent together laughing and enjoying each other's company. Now home for some more "real life" education.

Mr. Ross

When I'm doing one on one school work with one of the older kids, I have the other one go work with Ireson and be his Preschool teacher. Teagan especially loves this job as she gets to boss her baby brother around at her mother's request. They will usually do puzzles, read to him or do sewing cards with him while teaching him his shapes and colors.

The other day I asked James to go read to him. He gladly obliged. Ireson was excited to have some one on one time with his older brother and eagerly ran to collect some of his favorite farm books and ran over to James and climbed into one of our "Fat chairs." The next moment I looked over , I saw Ireson climbing up onto his brother's lap, as though James were a grown-up with ample lap room to hold a big toddler. James didn't even seem the slightest bit thrown by this- since this is what kids do when they have a book read to them!

James, practically pushed into a lying down position by Ireson, proceeded to read to him with no hesitation as to his own comfort. I reached for the camera to take a picture hoping they wouldn't notice, but Ireson did (striking his usual pose) and then James noticed.

Too precious.

The Good Book

After I put the kids down for naps, I usually go in to check on them about 1/2 hour later, if for nothing else but to check what pose they've struck as they fell asleep.
Today, about 45 minutes after I put the kids to bed for naps, I heard Teagan singing and I went to her room annoyed and ready to discipline her when I caught her reading in bed. As I was geared up and ready to discipline her for her blatant civil disobedience, I noticed that she was reading her Bible.

She looked at me with droopy, tired eyes and said: "I'm reading and singing my Bible to God like you Mommy."

Sheesh...way to make a mother's heart melt right?!

I gave her 5 more minutes for her to finish her biblical obedience and time with God and then she really needed to go to sleep.

I love these moments that reassure me that at least I'm doing something right!

Aspirations

Teagan's arms have finally started to grow long enough that she can decently reach to wipe her own booty after she has a dooty. She is like her mother in that she has seriously short arms in comparison to what they should be in proportion to the rest of her body. There is a test to determine this- no joke.

Anyhoo, yesterday evening, she went #2. When the task was complete she ran out of the bathroom all excited and proud and ran up to me yelling, "Mom, I went poop and I wiped my own butt! Aren' t you proud of me?!"

"Good job Teagan. How did it go? Do I need to check?" I asked.

She informed me, "No, it was awesome!"

"Awesome huh?" I chuckled.

Teagan: "Yeah, I'm the Awesome-est Butt Wiper Ever!"

Now there's something for all of us to aspire to.

Real Men

While throwing the football around with Lil' James this evening, I watched him as he intentionally stretched his natural ball-gifted-abilities to see how far, high, and fast he could throw the football while still maintaining accuracy, precision, and spin. Impressive he is to most who witness his natural inclination. Friends and family and gym mates often comment on how good he is at whatever sport we're playing at the time. I have to figure out a better response than, "Yes, he's good with balls!"

Anyhow, as he wanted to go "all out", he mustered up a bunch of gusto and threw the football at me with manly force. Due to the testosteronian gumption that he used, he fell forward and landed with his front leg out almost into the splits, arm stretched and flexed forward, and he held this Trojan-like stance until he could see how and where the ball landed. He looked like one of those "still photo shots" of a Quarter-back after an awesome pass. Yes, he too could have his own Calendar.

I caught the ball as I laughed at his pose. He responded to me very coach-like, as though I shouldn't be surprised at how he looked.

"Well, sometimes that's what real men HAVE to do, Mom."

To Know True Love is to "B" Loved

Definition of a "blankie" according to dictionary.com: A blanket, especially one used as a security blanket.

In the Ross household we call "blankies"- "B's." I guess it's our abbreviation for blanket. I've heard relatives call their security blankets this as well and I think it simply has stuck with me. I used to call my security blanket a "blanket." You see, my creative skills were evident even then...and yes, I still have it!

With each child, I'd purchase a pack of the all cotton, thick white cloth diapers. For James, I left them white, and for Teagan I dyed them pink, and Ireson's are blue. I figured with multiple duplicates of the security blanket- it makes losing and replacing them easier and not so traumatic! I have emotional scars from my childhood from losing my precious blankets! Each child has called them their "B's" and has used them since birth to fall asleep with and as a comfort measure. Ireson simply cannot go to sleep without his "B". We even have back-ups at Gramma's and Aunt Sarah's.

Well, the definition of a "B" has taken on additional meaning in our house.

Definition of a "B" according to Ireson.com: a blankie, a cloth diaper dyed blue to distinguish it from sibling's same style of "B", used for soothing or comforting a child in their youth, a must, a necessity for life, an absolute entity to general happiness, a hypnotic device used to lure oneself to sleep, used to adorn "'B -love" onto loved ones, and used for prodding and poking one's own ears and nostrils?!

When he could sit on his own, and had the hand control and the dexterity to accompany it- Ireson would take a corner of his "B" and tickle himself in his ears or stroke it back and forth under his nose. I'm talking about the kind of tickling that would feel like a bug flying around in your ear of a feather being stuck up your nose! For the average man, you could relate it to a modernized form of Chinese torture!
If you went up to him and asked him if you "could have some 'B' love?"- he'd share the same adoring and loving technique with you too- if you were so privileged!

His fondness and techniques for his "B" have progressed in the past 2 1/2 years since this new found skill erupted. He now prefers his "B's" to have a string (no longer than 1/2 inch), or a rip at the corner with a small tassel or such, to accentuate the tickling and effectiveness of self-donned "B" love. Thanks to Aunt Susie, he has also perfected the art of "face painting" with the tassel serving as the pretend paint brush head. He will trace over your features or pretend to draw whiskers or something on you as you lay there, the two of you, drifting off to sleep. Or, in my case, grin and cringe and bear it, until cuddle time is over and you can escape.

He has 7-8 "B's" to choose from and I keep 5-6 of them in the cupboard of his dresser. Three, however, are only worthy to be slept with since they posses the proper attributes for his security-companion sleeping. Sometimes though, I will check on him during his nap and he will have gotten them all out of the cupboard and I will find him sleeping on a mountain of B's.

Today I was cuddling with him before nap, and he was asking to "B" love me because he knows that this drives me crazy! He started to peruse his current "3-B" collection on his bed to decipher which one would administer the best method of torture to his loving and all too tolerant mother. The "B's" on his bed just wouldn't do so he started whining for me to "get the other ones, Mom!" So I grabbed the pile out of the cupboard and he carefully examined and sorted his B's until he found the proper one. To his surprise, he found 3 B's that were so blessed to carry the rare quality! I put the others back in the cupboard and laid down with them. With a B in each hand and a "this is the life" look on his face, he laid down and B-loved me. It only lasted a minute after I tackled him and tickled him and encouraged him to move on to B-loving himself. So he did and I looked on from the side-lines of the sport with a smile.

"Look Mom, two B's! Two B's for two ears!" (Simultaneously, inserting tickling strings into both ears here).
giggles and giggles....and then
"Two B's for two noses, Mom!" (Simultaneously, inserting tickling strings into both nostrils here with nary a snort or wiggle).

Notice the corner of the "B" by his thumb- it has the string. He had just hypnotized himself to sleep before I took this picture by stroking his left ear.

My day is now complete, now that I have been B-loved.

The Toothless Troll

An adored book from our childhood is one from the Mole and Troll series. In our favorite book it discussed the many methods that Mole and Troll used to take out a loose tooth. My sister Sarah so graciously read this story to James a couple of weeks ago when we were over there. James has asked for her to read it every time since.

We've been waiting for his stubborn tooth to fall out for over a month! This was his first loose tooth so we've been enjoying discussing using one of the methods that Mole and Troll used such as tying it to a door knob and slamming the door. Grandpa has offered to use a hammer as well.

Considering he didn't get his first baby tooth until he was 12 months old- I'd say it was right on time. The longer they keep them the better is what the professionals say!

His adult tooth has been coming in with a vengeance and pushing up behind the baby one all crooked and far back. So- the other day Daddy decided to take matters into his own hands. This tooth was coming out one way or the other if it took all night.

Lil' James was fine with this option because he couldn't wait for Mommy or Daddy tooth fairy to sneak into his room and give him his special gift. So, Daddy and Little James locked themselves in the kids bathroom for over a half an hour! James put ora-jel on Lil' James' gums and rubbed it for a while. With much nimble a finger and patience, the ingenious husband of mine wrapped floss around the tooth and jiggled it and wriggled it and finally pulled that sucker out! There was a good bit of blood indicating to me that it wasn't quite ready- but oh well...or should I say fair well?

Lil' James proudly approached me with a rather proud grin across his one less toothed face and told me that they "Did it...but can you have Daddy sneak into my room?!" I guess since I didn't have a hand in the matter that my sneaky expertise wasn't needed. He was sort of disappointed that he didn't talk funny. He also tried whistling and that too was the same old same old.

The movie Milo and Otis was the prized reward for accomplishing this rite of passage. James being an animal lover extremist was quite thrilled.

As I wrote this he came in and asked me what I was doing. I told him that I was writing about him losing his tooth. "Oh...well can you write that I took it like a man?" he asked.

With pleasure my dear boy.

Boy vs. Wild

We don't watch TV much at all in this house. James and I have maybe 3 shows that we may make the effort to watch during their season. The kids never ask to "watch TV" because they really only know of videos that we carefully select for their viewing. There are some great shows on PBS including Nature shows which catch our fancy every other week or so and some mornings they get up early and will ask if Clifford or Curious George is on. They are accustomed to sitting down and reading or playing outside or playing cards together rather than wasting time with the tube. People are shocked when I tell them that we only pay $7.95/month for our 20 odd channels- 3 of which are Shopping Networks, 2 Spanish (can be fun to dub in your own dialog as to what you think is happening), 2 PBS, 2 Catholic, 1 Croatian, 1 African American, and a few weird odds and ends of local info channels with nothing but postings. So really we've got the basic ABC, NBC, and FOX. I simply and ignorantly refer to them as 3, 5, and 8.

About a year ago James and I started utilizing Netflix. We recently discovered that you can get DVD's of shows from the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, TLC, and all those other channels with which I would have a serious problem controlling myself by not turning them off and leaving them on all day for my own gluttony! So really, the not doing TV is for my benefit as much as the kids. :)

Well, our family has acquired a "Boob Tube" obsession. We have been watching the Discovery Channel's "Man vs. Wild" series. We're in Season 2. Surprisingly, it has been working out great with the kid's school and correlating well with their geography, Peoples of the World studies, and history. After we find out where Bear Grylls is headed, we look it up on their markable map and discuss it in relation to our studies. A month ago, the kids would cringe at all the lovely creepy crawlies that he'd dig up from under a rock or rip off of a carcase and say "Ewww...gross! I would never do that!" Then, last night when we were watching Bear (we're on a first name basis with him as well as planning on naming our next child "Bear") in the Panama Canal, he ate a snake, an iguana, a worm and had termites for dessert. Not an "Ewwwwweeee, gross, or disgusting" dared to leave their lips. It was merely a, "Well, if that's what you've got to do to live..." response from Teagan. It's amazing how desensitized kids become in such a short time!- Another reason we don't do TV! Yet this wasn't a bad case of desensitization. It has been a great case of imagination revitalization!

My eldest son, James Arthur Ross III, has deemed himself the "Boy vs. Wild." His name makes him sound like he should be a Duke of something somewhere rather than a boy of nature. I'll settle for Wild Boy of the Woods of Burlington". Yet, since our encounters and travels with Bear Grylls, James has taken it upon himself to build a fort in the back yard made of sticks, wood, vine and twine equipped with a rock surrounded fire pit and mat. He went into the woods and pulled out fallen trees and asked me if he could cut off the dried-out and old lily stems. "These would make a great bed so that I'm off the ground and away from the life in the undergrowth, Mom. Oooo, and I could use some of it for tinder and tie the sticks together too!"

He was using other sticks and the side of his spade to chop up some twigs, trees and branches. With some frustration growing from stubborn sticks- he confidently informed me that, "This isn't the best way to do this Mom. I think you might have to teach me how to use a knife like Bear." I chuckled while at the same time thinking, "You are a very responsible and self-discplined boy that I have a mind to let you...but I don't want people arresting me for stupid mothering." Next thing I know, he'll be asking me to but him a flint necklace so he can start fires. I already told my husband that I want one for Christmas.

He has built dozens of spears and hunting tools and all around has become one with our "wild," big backyard. I'm so proud of him and his constructive imagination. Yesterday, he came running in from the garage, where he had been diligently working on something for over a half hour. In passing, he hollers to me that he needed red construction paper, and scissors. He ran to get his craft box and aforementioned essential tools of the trade and went to work. I was quietly observing him and smiling while I was working with Teagan. I heard him say to himself, "Okay, I need to cut a bunch of triangles of different sizes." A few minutes later he was "Done...perfect." "Okay, MOM! Now I need some tape since I ran out of twine."

Thoroughly intrigued, I asked him what he was doing. He excitedly told me that "I'm making the spears for the bow and arrow I just built. I'm gonna go hunting for dinner later. I can't wait to show Daddy- now COME AND SEE!" He grabbed the tape and off he went to finish his Big Boy bow.

We've become very impatient waiting for Daddy to get home in the evenings because I've been told by the kids that "It's just not the same watching it without him."

By this afternoon, JAR III, or "3 sticks" as his Indian heritage demands, had made a large bow and set of arrows and a smaller one for his Dad as a birthday present. Perhaps he thinks his Dad isn't boy enough to handle the big boy bow.

I think that the pride his Dad feels is present enough.

Events Full

This Labor Day weekend- we had a family split of International proportion. I shall do my best to report these events as they have been relayed to me orally or over bad cellular reception.




East Coast Report: James went to Norfolk, VA to help put the roof on Esther Giordano's in-law suite at Mark Giordano's house. He left Thursday morning and came back Monday night. My only requests were that he drive down safely and he comes home with his Indian tan in tow! I think it was a reasonable request for a girl! I called him on Friday and asked at what point he had taken his shirt off and how his tan was coming. :) My cousin and Uncle also went to help. They got about half of it completed before the torrential downpour arrived on Monday and they headed home. Not only did he come back with a bit more of a tan- he brought three whole days of facial scruff too! Of course, he will invoke his modesty and shave it all off before he goes to see anyone this week. He did have to renew his license on Tuesday and he kept it for the ID picture...so I have it documented!!! Ahhh....such thoughtfulness and adoration:) He took off Tuesday to stay at home and work on his talk for Sunday and play with the family.




Midwest Report: Teagan went with Grandma, Aunt Lydia, and cousin Sadie to Rockford, IL to stay at the Johnson's and have special Sherry, Grammy and Sadie time. On the way they stopped at our usual Cracker Barrel site and bought her brothers a special toy from her "oh so special" trip. They arrived Friday night around 11pm our time and woke up, on average, at 5am every day. Sadie and Tea had especially fun girl cousin time, goofing around and annoying Lydia during the car ride, eating Swedish pancakes, painting toe nails, playing with a new found treasure of toys at Grandma Sherry's house, playing with dear friends from Bible School, watching girly girl movies, reading with Grandma Sherry for hours on end, going to the Apple Orchard, oh and the endless whining. She finally got some sleep in the car- as uncomfortable as it may appear.




International Report: Meanwhile, my Dad was in Jamaica for the 30-something time experiencing serious intestinal distress at multiple airports, Jamaican shacks, and other run-down and nasty venues that weren't equipped with, shall we say- sanitary and suitable facilities. No more detail is allowed at this time as this is a rated G blog. Moving on...



Local Report: Lil' James, Ireson and I decided to go to Sarah's house over in Wickliffe for the duration. Before the weekend was through we were able to have some quality time with Deanna, Cindy, Devone and kids, and Aunt Sue came over on Sunday evening after Sarah, Devo, and I went to the movies! All I have to say about that is "Go Joe! ...and red-heads rock!"


James spent much of his time climbing Sarah's tree, taking the dogs out, catching bugs to feed the Venus Fly Trap, watering flowers and making a mud slide down her back slope, checking out the new neighborhood Dollar store, finding caterpillars, watching giant spiders spin webs and eat their prey, and watching Animal Planet- the highlight of the weekend! We made 2 batches of Rice Krispie treats, ate cookies and had 2 or maybe it was 3 Marguerita nights! I think I gained 2 pounds. I think being so sugar/preservative/processed deprived in normal life led us to be ravenous junk food beasts for our special weekend. After all, we were on vacation too!

Now back to reality....bleh.