Conversations with Jaxon

It's been quite awhile so I present another 'Jaxon-ism' post!

While on our way to school on September 11, we heard a tribute song for the victims. Jaxon was immediately aware that something 'not good' happened and started with the questions. Not wanting to lie to him or cover anything up, I told him as much of the facts as I could in kid-friendly language.

 He was STILL talking about it when I picked him up that afternoon and that evening after dinner. He says to me, "I don't think that really happened. I think you're just pretending." I should have just let it go and said, "yes, you're right." But I didn't think that was right. So, I Googled pictures of 9/11. Yeah. Maybe not the smartest thing, but Jaxon is fairly mature and handles facts well. 

As we are looking at the pictures and I'm giving him facts about that tragic day he says, "I don't think the bad guy was really bad. I think he was a good guy who was eating a snack and let go of the plane's steering wheel and crashed into the building by accident."  

There you have it. Such an innocent mind. 

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My dad's birthday was last month so we baked him brownies and sang happy birthday. After he blew out the candles Jaxon asks him, "Did you wish for love, Abu?"

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Jaxon like to play Starbucks when he's in the tub. Last night he asked me if I wanted a 'peppercino'  or a FRAPPacino. 

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Jaxon has really taken to drawing pictures and writing stories. He insists on hanging everything up. This is what our fridge looks like all of the time.

A few of my favorites:

Jaxon's fish 'Rocky' died a couple months ago. He drew a picture of him and told Ms. Courtney what happened. 

"He fell on the ground out of his cage. Last night he died. We saw him floating on top. I didn't see him, I was taking a bath. My dad didn't show me."

That pretty much sums it up. 

Rocky's bowl was on Jaxon's dresser. Jaxon climbed up and the entire dresser fell over taking Rocky with it. The next day, Rocky was dead. 

And this one. The preschool ordered an Ocean Animal toy set of course Jaxon was all over it. Well, he was all over me to order him the set. He also was all over bringing the box home. Yeah. That wasn't happening. That last thing I need is another random box floating around. So, when I said no. He thought and thought of how to bring it home and he came up with this. Cutting the picture out, gluing it to a piece of paper and calling it an art project. Gotta hand it to him. He's pretty clever!

One day at school he must have been feeling especially punchy because he 'wrote' me a letter. Sigh. Wait till you read it. It's hilarious! Let me give you background. I usually see Jaxon at recess and I am almost always summoned to him each time. On this particular day we missed each other. He also got a boo boo and the only band aid Ms. Courtney had was a big one. Of course that wasn't good enough. 

So here goes...

Mommy,

I want to wear a band aid that isn't big. I want to bring a blanket to school. I have to wear a big bandaid. I don't want to. I can take it off when we go inside. I want to take a nap here.I want you to come out. I checked today and you weren't out. I wanted to tell you something. I want to go home. My band aid is scratchy. I want to go play at home. I want my forest animals that I ordered. They are going to take seven days. I want to be like my normal self without a bandaid. I want to give you this note. Come outside.

Jaxon.

One last thing. Jaxon helped Brian cut the grass one weekend. With scissors.

Sweet Siblings

These two love each other for sure

And I love them.

Yes, Reese looks less than thrilled, but I promise you she LOVES him!

And Brian & I went on a much needed date last weekend. It had been months.

More Simply Snapshots

Meridy has done it again! She has taken stunning pictures of my babies! I am so in love with each and every one of these pictures. I want to order a 16x20 of each photo and cover my walls with them. I'm not kidding. 

We'll start with Jaxon. 

She offered a mini-shoot for back to school. Please notice the background. Jaxon wrote his name on the chalkboard and under he wrote a 'P' for Pre-school. First of all, I'm SUPER proud he could write his name in order and with fairly good formation. Second of all, I'm excited he knew how to write a 'P'! We haven't even practiced at home! Thanks Preschool! 

He makes me so proud

I honestly think he will be able to read all 3 of those books
in 2 years. 

Love love love

And now on to Reese. There are no words. 

My absolute favorite

She's showing off her clapping skills here

Her lips. I'm in love with them.

Yeah. My kids should be models :) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Simply-Snapshots/141345359236484

Rollin' & Clappin'

We have a roller! It's about rollin' time! Now that Reesey can roll she is a rolling fool! She will just roll back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. It's a wonder she doesn't get dizzy. 

She's happy to be on the move that's for sure.

I left Reese on the blanket, sitting up. I came back a few minutes later and she was here.

Oh. Back to the blanket.

Just kidding. Back to the carpet.

She's learned to clap too! 

Reese is also 9 months! Brian & I both went for her 9 month check up. Boy am I glad I wasn't by myself. There was literally blood, sweat and tears at this appointment. Ok, not sweat, but blood & tears for sure. Poor Peese, she was pretty miserable.

First there was a toe prick to check her iron levels. This didn't even phase her.




Then there was waiting while Brian & I asked a million and one questions.

Then there was the check up. Which turns out she has 2 nasty ear infections. Mother-of-the-year right here.

Then came a breathing treatment. Reese has had a pretty bad cough and terrible wheezing on and off for the past several months. We've taken her to the pediatrician and to the pulmonologist for this on several occasions. This week the cough is back. Dr. Goldberg suggested a breathing treatment to see if her cough improved. Oh dear God. The girl was a basket case.
 Crying, screaming, flailing. It was awful. I'm sure we scared away all of doctor's patients.

If that wasn't enough, she needed a shot. Thank goodness it was only one. The second the needle touched her leg she began screaming. Again. The girl doesn't lack for drama that's for sure.
As any good mom, I pick up my crying girl to comfort her. I look down at my dress and notice BRIGHT, RED BLOOD all over it. Super. Did I mention I was wearing  WHITE dress? Yeah. Even better.

By the way, every spot of blood came out. Thank you OxyClean! 

Seriously. In my almost 4 1/2 years as a parent and holding my kids over a dozen times after shots, I have never, not once, even seen a dribble of blood. Today, I wear white and the girl is oozing blood from her leg.
Good times at the pediatrician.

BUT. There is good news! I was able to circle 'yes' on 23 of 27 question on the developmental questionnaire! Yay, Reese! I've never gotten past the first question on the back. :)



AND loads of formula.



Now onto the stats...

Weight : 18lbs. 5 oz. - 41st percentile (on a 9 month scale, not 7 month!)
Height: 29 in - 91st percentile
Head: 44 cm - 51st percentile

While she 'caught' up to her 9 month peers in growth, developmentally not so much. She hasn't yet caught up in that department. Developmentally she is on track for a 7 month old, which is her adjusted age.

All in all she is on track.

My favorite part of Reese at 9 months... she can sit up in the bathtub! She absolutely loves taking a bath with Jaxon.
Bathing two kids at once is so much better than one at a time.

Love it.

Random Happenings

I have been terrible at taking pictures lately. I take a periodic picture here and there and I don't even use my 'real' camera! The iPhone has changed everything. I have taken a few videos of the kids, nothing too exciting, but it's always fun for me to post a video.

That's why, tonight, we have a Random post.

A little sprinkler action before 9:00 am

Proudly posing with his new organizing buckets.
He has a bucket for arctic animals, reptiles, prehistoric sharks, whales, ocean animals and....
"land animals who are not extinct, you know still walking the Earth"

Reesey took her first 'big girl' bath today with Jaxon. 

She's pretty pleased about it!

Reese still needs to be swaddled to sleep. She's almost 9 months. Probably not the best habit to continue since she has yet to learn to roll from her back to her front. But, once you see this video you'll understand why we still swaddle her as tightly as humanly possible. 

I mean the screaming is ridiculous! 

Brian has always said that Jaxon has good eye-hand coordination. I think the video proves it. I don't know many 4 year olds who can consistently hit a baseball that is pitched to them. Isn't that why they start with Tee Ball at 5? But, then again, I'm not much of a sports know-it-all.