Anatomy and Phys 101- Teagan Style.

We had a couple cold, wet and rainy days this week, so of course outside time wasn't an option. Plan B: The kids love it when I blow up balloons and we play different games with them and we just go all out nuts! I particularly love to throw the balloons at them and they have to hit it with whatever body part I shout out.

Anyway, this time, one of my "nut-case" children...namely Teagan...turned to me with her balloon in front of her and said: "Look Mom, the balloon looks like my eweterus."

I, of course couldn't contain myself and laughed my uterus off!

"You mean your you-terus?" I replied.

Tea, looking at me as though I'm an ignorant idiot, "Yeah, like my womb... you know!"

Then the thought struck her! She proceeded to relay it to me at a bewildering rate AND all in one breath: "OH, MOMMY....I KNOW!!!!! We could put a little baby balloon inside of it and blow it up and then you could pop this one and it would be like when you pushed Ireson out! Doesn't that sound like a good idea, Mommy?"

I thought to myself amongst my musing: "Yeah...'cause it was that easy."

Only a nurses child! What have I done?

Butt pack

Ireson is having his first sleep over at Aunt Sarah's house this weekend. I asked James if I could use his Thomas the Train Back Pack to pack Ireson's clothes. He gladly obliged as he is excited for his baby brother's big event too!

I gave all the kids a bath and Ireson got out and I wrapped him all snuggly in his big cozy, warm towel. As soon as he saw the "Bek pack" he threw his towel to the side as though he were about to take flight and immediately proceeded to put the back pack on. Then, he must have decided that it was too heavy for take off so he took it off unpacked everything except his precious "B" and then put it back on and started marching around chanting "Bek Pek to Sarah's house...Bek Pek to Sarah's house!"

Now who doesn't envy being able to run around naked and chanting?!

Birthday Boy!

Every Thursday we have gym and swim. This morning before we went to gym we went to the grocery store. I needed to pick up some birthday necessities like candles and balloons. The kids were great as they usually are when we go shopping. We got back in the car and James asked if I was "proud of them for being so responsible and obedient." Absolutely!

I'm a strong believer in shopping with your kids so they can learn how to be well behaved, responsible, know where to shop for the nutritious food, price compare, coupon search, and practice proper life skills. How are they ever going to learn all this if you shove them in the baby sitter's room?! I must say that I also thoroughly enjoy them standing outside the windows of the babysitting room and watch all the kids inside there as though they were animals at the zoo. It cracks me up!

Today, James informed his gym teacher that it was his birthday and all the 30+ other kids cheered him on all day and he got "special" treatment. He scored a goal while they were playing hockey too! He was so proud of himself.

Teagan informed ME that I am "such a great mommy for pushing that great brother of mine out of your belly 6 years ago this very day!" She gave James first pick and let him go first and what not all day.

James asked me yesterday if he could have whatever he wanted for his b'day dinner as long as it was nutritious. He requested "baked chicken, mashed potatoes, and cucumbers" for his birthday dinner. "Oh and a piece of candy for dessert, MOM!...because a little sugar is okay."

Happy Birthday my Sweet Baby James!

Sick-erson

Ireson had RSV when he was 8 days old. Consequently, he is more prone to wheezing if he gets sick and potentially developing asthma as he gets older. Well, the poor boy didn't so much as have more than a measly cold this entire winter. Then his Dad got sick and come mid April he developed a horrendous chest cold and Ireson thought he would enjoy the mucusy fun and get it too!

Come Monday morning he was weak, had a fever, and was wheezing a lot- something he has only done when he had croup a year ago. Luckily, I have a nebulizer from when he had RSV and I whipped it out. I decided to take him to the Dr and get some meds since he obviously couldn't get rid of this thing on his own at this point and just as I thought- it had progressed to a sinus infection. Within 24 hours he was feeling much better. We actually got more than 15 minutes of sleep at a time that night!

He threw an all out fit (very unlike him) the first time I tried to give him a breathing treatment. About the 4th run through though, and a lot of my Pediatric Nurse "distractics", now he will even hold it and turn the nebulizer ("tractor") on himself! He thinks it makes a cool tractor sound. James and Teagan help out a lot by making it a game and playing things with him like dominoes.

So things are finally on the mend. Now- it's time to prepare for the big brother's 6th birthday! I'll keep you posted.

He Is Risen Indeed!

On Saturday we celebrated Christian Passover with Laura & Brian Ross and all the kids. As in the past 10+ years they have done it - it was complete with re-enactments; painted back drops; a tub full of feader fish (the Sea of Galilee); unleavend bread, figs and dates; a ton of decked out refrigerator boxes (Egypt)- on which we colored the doors with red crayons; the upper room; the garden of Gethsamane; the tomb and angel (thanks Kaitlin!), and the new live additions this year including a rooster and real lambs (one blemished, one perfect). Don't worry, we didn't eat that one for dinner.

The kids all experienced Passover (dinnerand all) as real as possible as though they were living then. Big James even got to be a soldier and get his ear cut off! I particularly enjoyed seeing Teagan and the other 4 year olds get chained up as a demonstration of how we are slaves to sin. As always, it proves to be an impressive, memorable, solemn, and most spiritual reminder of the meaning of Easter time. I was very proud of James and Teagan when they chimed in with the right answers throughout the event!

James, Teagan and Ireson spent half the visit collecting the 40 some chicken's eggs (that's the extent of what we do with eggs in my house for Easter!), and helping groom the 3 miniature horses; exercising them by running them on a lead and even riding! James got to canter on Misty! Teagan did too but I was especially proud of my introverted and reserved son having the guts to get on her and let her run! At first it looked like he was peeing his pants but then he realized how much fun it was and he was overtaken with pride and excitement. It was so cool! Abigail let him run the baby Stardust on the lead until we left. OF COURSE- I forgot my camera. Argh!

Ireson, in the mean time was getting sicker by the minute with a horrible chest cold that he contracted from his Dad. See next blog entry for those details.

Then on Sunday, we (James, Tea and I) went to Aunt Cindy's to have an Easter dinner. Devone planned an Easter egg hunt for the kids and then they hid them from the adults. I'm not sure which part they enjoyed more! Cousin Rach was there with her leg cast which she was going to have taken off on Monday. She let the kids decorate it with markers and then Teagan had the great idea of using nail polish to make it even more extravagant after she had finished painting Aunt Sue's nails. Oh the fun we had and Oh the cottonballs that they would be needing later!

We are so blessed with such a wonderful spiritual family. Thank you Lord Jesus!

Budha

Teagan was playing in the water with Ireson as he was taking a bath. She took her shirt off so it wouldn't get soaked. All of a sudden she came running in to my bathroom with her pot belly busting out and pants around her ankles and jumped up onto my toilet. She proceeds to tell me, "Mom, can you please go out so I can go poop and leave me alone because I'm meditating."

Well, I'm so sorry to have messed up the Karma of the whole situation. It's not like I EVER get peace and quiet when I want the bathroom to myself! Sheesh.

On a walk about to Columbus...

This past weekend Sarah, Ragan Cline, and the kids and I went down to Columbus to visit my cousin Tracy Pettinger and her family for Lil' James' birthday...that and it was a great excuse to go visit my family! Kyle and Ryan are James' favorite people and getting to spend a weekend with them and spending the night at their house was the ultimate birthday celebration. To him, going there is likened to most kids getting to go to Disney World.

Ireson was coming down with a his Dad's nasty cold and so he was extra snugly and cuddly in bed with Sarah and I Friday night. He and Sarah shared painting each other's face with his "B" and he likewise showed his love and affection to me by whacking me in the head all night, having to sleep on me and staying awake from 1:30-3:00am coughing and stuffy headed! Teagan did her usual annoying moaning thing around 5am and James' said he slept marvelously up in Kyle and Ryan's room.

James had his first experience with video games, namely the Wii, the following morning. He picked up on it quickly and was great at baseball, bowling, race car driving, and tennis. It was a good reminder to me that we will never have one in our own home:)

Teagan enjoyed all the girl toys of cousin Kayla's and having Reggie and Kay at her beckon call. She became all too bossy with them in all the excitement of temporary sisters for the weekend!

Going to the Columbus Zoo was the main agenda item for our Saturday. We heard news of a new born baby elephant that was only 9 days old! We got there around 10 something and stood in the 49 degree, sunny, yet windy cold for almost an hour waiting to see the baby! However, the kids had a blast playing and watching the other elephants. Cleveland Zoo's elephants were there living until we get our Pachyderm building completed. I felt some reassurance that they were doing well and said "hi" from all of us Clevelander's. The rhinos were entertaining, as well as the various other animals and their handlers stationed at different intervals to make the wait seem not so tedious! Finally, we got to see the little un-named gem. It was well worth the wait. He was so precious and just an awesome testament of God's wondrous creation!

The Pettinger kids were like our own personal tour guides- having gone there so many times. Everything is so close together and they have an awesome variety of animals who breed like no other zoo! It's as though all the animals knew we were coming and were on their best and most entertaining behavior and offered us the best seats in the house!

The apes were hilarious, the manatees were mesmerizing, the tiger was roaming and ravenous right next to the glass, there was a scuba diver down in the massive aquarium tank feeding the fish -right in front of us, giant vampire bats, Cammodo dragon breath, and finally the weather cooperated and it turned out to be a perfect day! The kids rode a carousel, pet an owl and armadillo and had a most wonderful time- as did the adults! It seemed there were Kodak moments at every turn!

Back at the home front that evening- us ladies had Guacamole, Margaritas AND Pina Colada's followed by a superb dinner. The perfect end to a perfect day!

Sunday we had a lovely home Church with another family and then we headed home. Come Sunday afternoon, having had no naps and little sleep at night, the kids were spent and I was done with them. They slept most of the way home and went to bed early.....and yet I woke up today wishing we were still there.

Come Lord Jesus quickly come!

Dinner time prayer by Teagan: "Dear God, thank you for this food and help me not to take forever to eat it. And please help Ireson to keep feeling better and for Mommy to get un-sick and to feel better...or maybe could you just send Jesus down to touch her just a little and make her all better so she won't be cranky and so tired...and Jesus name - Amen."

I feel better already and I'm choosing not to be so cranky. Thank you Teagan. I love you daughter! And Jesus- if you could come down anyway- that would be great!

"Vengence is mine," sayeth the 4 year old?

Sarah was over on Monday and I was about to leave to go workout. Sarah, likewise, was headed out the door to go home. Teagan and James decided that they wanted to whine about me leaving and ambushed Sarah and I at the door...about to go out...so close...yet so far....

James kept asking (i.e. whining), "But, WHY do you have to go tonight?! Can't you just go tomorrow?" Whimper, Whimper.

Teagan, chimed in (i.e. higher pitched whining), "Yeah can't you just go tomorrow....I don't want you to go." Snarff, snarff.

Sarah, being the older and wiser sister, thought she should nip this in the bud and tell them very matter-of-factly why I had to go tonight.
"Your Mom has to go tonight. Otherwise, her butt will get big (pause) -er."

I of course just looked at her, busted out a laugh and assumed a retrieval high-five position at my own burned expense.

But- hold the press! Before said high-five could even be delivered, Teagan (the apparent wiser, younger, little sister) said: "Yeah- like you!"

HA! Take that Sister Sarah! I felt such sweet victorious revenge...and it wasn't even of my own accord.

I'm glad Teagan has my back...or butt rather:)

James Jaguar

Whenever there is a scheduled Elders/Deacon's or board meeting at church for James to attend, I try to schedule going over to Sarah's or Lydia's that day/evening. After running around we'll go to Sarah's to take naps and then eagerly await her arrival home after work that evening.

This past Tuesday we had a day of absolute blessed and beauteous weather. James went outside, sat on her stoop, and patiently waited for Sarah's car to pull in to her parking lot.

He sat there for a good 10 minutes or so before coming in and asking me if he could climb that "great climbing tree right outside her door and if I would give him a boost." It was indeed a GREAT climbing tree for a boy. Every kid should climb a tree in their childhood if not have some great ones in their yard at least!

Anyway, I said "sure!" So he commences up the tree and perches himself in an animail-ic sort of style whilst looking at me with these intent and glaring eyes. I had a feeling of what was coming....He let out his quite impressive jaguar snarl/growl. At that moment, it just so happened that Sarah's neighbor was walking to his door. James looked right at him, as though stalking his prey, and let out the same snarl and then proceeds to warn the poor middle-aged man that "I'm going to eat you!"

"What kind of bird are you supposed to be?! " the man asked.

"I'm a jaguar not a bird. (Insert another growl here) -that's what jaguars do," replies my head-case child.

"Oh! I thought you might be an opossum or something," said apparently confused neighbor.

Trying to assure the man that this was typical 6 year old boy behavior, I said: "If he were an opossum, he'd end up my road-kill at the end of the day!"

Well, laughs were had by all and James remained pouncing and perching around in that tree for a good 45 minutes explaining all the different things that a jaguar could do in that tree including: "drag (me) up the tree and eat (me) because he has fully retractable claws."

It's a good thing he chose fajitas for dinner.

Halloweeners

I was a painting fiend all this past week. I did Teagan's room in two days and then my room another two days with some assistance from my painting guru cousin the last day.

In the meantime, the kids were great at entertaining themselves, getting along, taking care of their baby brother, and being all around good little siblings.

On the 3rd day, I heard an awful lot of laughter coming from Teagan's room so I went to investigate. Upon entering I see James all decked out in Teagan's hair paraphernalia like a lion with a headdress and Teagan likewise donned herself like an African princess.

Oh the gaudiness! Oh the somewhat disturbing-ness seeing your son so enjoy the girlish festivities!

I asked them what they were doing and they told me that, "they were dressed up like all those Halloweeners."

"Halloweeners?"- I asked?

"Yeah, ya know...all those kids who are too old to get candy who dress up and look funny on Halloween. They're Halloweeners."

I had comfort in knowing that my kids have never heard the word they didn't intend -"wiener" and have no idea what it could mean. And yet, I thoroughly enjoy that title and description of "all those [dumb and selfish] kids who are too old to get candy [because their parents are morons and let their kids go out T and T-ing] who dress up and look funny [and often very inappropriate] on Halloween."

I too say- "they're Hallow-wieners!!"

Ingenious!

The other day, Ireson was eating a snack (one of his favorite pastimes). He stuck a grape on the end of his pretzel stick and proudly stated, "HA! Look Mom, Sucker!" - I wonder if I could market that?!

Dr. Ross

We took Lexi to a grooming appointment which requires a 35 minute or so car ride to get there. Lexi came to us with a severe car phobia of which it has taken almost 8 years now to break! She does much better now and jumps into the car on command and barely even drools anymore. She happily assumes her seat in the back next to James.

About half way to our destination I asked James how Lexi was doing.
He said: "She's okay. She's only drooling a teeny bit and she's not even shaking. I think she's pretty stable."

I'm glad I didn't have to get there Stat!

Rain Man

I asked Teagan if she wanted to take a "B" (blanket) to Sarah's to take a nap. She said "no, she has a blanket there for me to use if I need to." I asked her if she knows where it is and she replied, "Definitely, definitely not. You may have to call her because I definitely don't know where it is."

Man oh Man!

James was down working in the basement today and I gave Lil' James the option to go down there and work with him instead of resting. He heartily replied: "Hmm....(big sigh) Okay- but I might get immersed in doing manly stuff."

I'm glad he warned me!

The Cool Cat in the Hat

Ireson loves to wear hats. Unlike typical kids that will pull them off after a few minutes, he'd wear his all day long and even sleep in it (which he's tried!) The other day he grabbed his hat while sitting on the counter and put it on and said, "COOL!" Then he proceeded to turn it around backwards on his big ol', not to mention same circumference of his brother's head, and said, "Heh, Heh,- Me more cool!"

Only a Lansing would be proud!

Teagan and Ireson were sleeping so I had my "special time" with James since he only needs a nap about 1-2 times a week now. During this time I like to do our 1 on 1 school time. Most of the time it's reading and phonics and is reading has blossomed since it's quiet and he can concentrate without his 2 younger siblings clucking in the background. Today we decided to just play games. Crazy Eights was the game of choice today...a game that we played many a time with my dad when we were all little. This particular deck however, is decked out (no pun intended) with animals. So about the 3rd or 4th game I told James to go ahead and deal the cards while I went and started dinner. I got the meat browning and he called me over when he was done. About a third of the way through the game I realized that the kid had 3 eights (wild in this game) in his hand and he didn't need to draw a card yet! I on the other hand had to keep drawing to find the card tho match what he kept changing it to with all of the eights he had! Finally, he goes out on an eight!

I sarcastically said, "MAN - You didn't shuffle very well! How did you end up with three eights?! Sheesh!"

He just looked at me with this "stop feeling sorry for yourself/matter of fact" look on his face and said: "What?! I gave you one."

Allow yourself to imagine my face in total shock and awe at this point! Uh huh- that little stinker totally stacked the deck.
"You little cheater. James! I can't believe you did that!" He's just laughing and turning red and giggling at his clever little self.

Honestly though, I couldn't help but grin and chuckle to myself and be a little proud thinking about he was following his natural genetic predisposition of becoming a Lansing cheater.

Sucked Dry!

Ireson still nurses about 2-3 time a day: morning, nap, and night. He only goes for about 30 seconds or so on each side. Then he pulls off and looks at me and says, "All gone, Suck dry." I said that to him months and months ago as he looked at me with question and concern and says "all gone?" I simply had to tell him that he drank it all...it's sucked dry! Now it's his affirmation that he's done and all is well.
He loves to be all sweet, loving and fatherly and role play with baby dolls and nurse them, etc. Yesterday he was nursing his baby and patting her back. He pretended to pull her off and said, while shaking his head and giggling, "doh, doh, doh, baby...all gone. Sucked dry."

Packed and Dry

Teagan has this thing where she LOVES to put her baby dolls and stuffed animals in Rubbermaid bins. She packs them in there nice and tight and then snaps the lid on...nice and tight. It just seems wrong on so many levels doesn't it?! I can't help but laugh whenever I see a new stuffed and shoved toy! I asked her what the deal is with doing that - to which she replied: "Oh, it's so they won't get scared and they feel safe."

And yet I can't help but think that her poor little lamb is scared to death of suffocating and feels anything but safe!

To make matters even more interesting. I found one of Teagan's dolls all tied up on her dresser with her jump rope. She told me that she got her wet and that she was "hanging her out to dry." I shudder to think she gets her parenting tactics from me:)

Einstein?

I was helping James build a fort/garage with his Lincoln Logs. We were having a heck of a time trying to figure out the best way to maintain stability for the structure on the carpet. Amidst the assembling and encouraging of each other, James asked me if I knew how to build houses like Daddy does. I told him no but I can still be pretty handy around the house when I need to be. Then I suggested we use a certain piece to brace this other piece, and so on and so forth. James boisterously burst out "Mom, you are a genius!"

Golly- he'd never called me that before! I felt very honored and so smart. Why did a compliment of this caliber, coming from an almost 6 year old, make my day? Well, I don't know- but it did!

Then he concluded: "Even though you can't engineer stuff like Daddy, you're still pretty good at this building stuff...but you're NOT as smart as Daddy is though!"

Huh...pride, warm and fuzzy feelings gone. Sigh. I just convinced myself that he was talking about me not being as smart at building stuff rather than everything in general because...well....come now! I had to retain some semblance of dignity at this point!

It's sad to think that the day is soon coming when my son will realize that I don't know EVERYTHING! I remember thinking my parent's knew EVERYTHING when I was younger. Yet, thank goodness that I don't remember the point when I realized that they didn't know everything...because...well...come now! - that would have been as shocking as me admitting that James is smarter than me at EVERYTHING!