Kitty Cat Jack

Dearest Jack Henry, I love you soooo much! But for the love of Pete…please stop meowing! You are and have been at the meowing stage where you meow like a cat…nonstop. We can get you to get dressed, eat, bathe all by calling you a cat. There are days that you meow all the time. We have to beg you to use your voice like a big boy, we have to put you in time out because it goes forever! I am sure, without a doubt, Daddy and I are the only parents in the world that have to tell their son to be good and not meow. Love, Mommy

Easter 2012

We had such a wonderful Easter this year. The Easter Bunny hid lots of eggs, kids loved their candy and we had a family dinner all together. It was just the four of us this year. Seems like we have been going full speed for weeks and we slowed it down for Easter Sunday. Katie and Jack were so adorable together hunting eggs. Matthew and I are so proud at how they really help each other. They pointed eggs out to each other and were laughing and having a great time. It did take us a while to convince Jack to go hunt for eggs…he was really into his candy! He was not about to leave it to go look for eggs! He did finally give up and went outside and had a blast. We watched a movie together as a family and Matthew made a dinner for all of us. Next year, I want to photo ops, church and the big Easter egg hunt. This year, I must say it was perfect just enjoying my troops!

Please help me remember!

It has been too long and my biggest fear is that I have forgotten things already. Katie and Jack grow so fast and change every day. The small stories that make us laugh, I pray that I never forget. I am just going to throw all the stories I can at the moment with no rhyme or reason:
Jack’s love of eyeballs! He told someone at the zoo that his name was eyeball a few months ago and it has made us laugh every day. This weekend he told me that he wants star decorations and an eyeball cake when he turns 4. He asks every day if he is 4 yet.
At his three year checkup he told me on the way that he was “frustrated” since he couldn’t get the straw in the juice box. Then…he decided only to answer the doctor in meows. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get the varmit to speak!
Last night, he wanted to take his container of goldfish to bed with him. I told him no. He snuck them by Daddy and sigh, it is one of those pick your battle days. He woke up in the middle of the night and asked if he could eat them. Umm….No! Son…go back to sleep. First thing this morning, he sat straight up in bed from a dead sleep and asked again if he could eat them.
Katie seems so grown up. Her first year of Kindergarten seems to have aged her. She is now taking swim lessons, loves to take care of Jack (she can get him to do anything by making him pretend he is a puppy!) and is quite helpful around the house. When Jack locked me out of my bedroom and Matthew was playing golf, she got the tiny screw driver and popped the lock within seconds! I tried for 10 minutes and was trying to call Matthew since it was Oscar Night.
Katie’s logic and reasoning blow Matthew and I away. She loves to hang with Daddy and helps him with everything. When we are sick, she goes into full blown nurse mode and takes awesome care of us. She makes a menu, prepares drinks, get a tray (always with flowers!) and waits on either Matthew or myself.
Sigh…There are so many more moments I need to remember!

My babies

I am amazed that everyone in my house has the ability to sleep. Sleep has been one of those things that evades me even when I am bone tired. Like today. But...I will say, the gift is being able to watch and listen to both my kids sleep. To watch them sleep like the angels they are. Jack....you are a pill to put to bed. Tonight, you decided to count and yell every number. Then like a magic spell, you fall asleep....drop asleep, I should say. You are sound sleeper like you Daddy. I can put laundry away in your room, cover you up and pick up the books you decided to read after Daddy and I told you to go to sleep. Lulu..you are a light sleeper like your Momma. I tip toe around and have learned not to come into your room, as you wake at the slightest movement. One night at about 3 am, I turned your light off thinking it would make you sleep better. You bolted up straight, scared me to death and asked me why I was turning off your light. No worries though..I watch you sleep from a far. Oddly, as little as you are, you HATE covers on you. No matter how cold it is. I laugh when I see you on top of all your covers, while Jack hibernates in his blankets. I will be brave and take pictures of both of you sleeping next weekend.
Sigh....why do they have to get big?

Little Man..

I have always said you have "old man" eyes, meaning that I know there is so much inside you that we haven't been able to hear. Last week, you showed Daddy and I that you could read....like really read! You were playing "I Spy" with Daddy after dinner. Your favorite thing to say is " I spy the moon...outside...high in the sky". Usually it is something odd like "I spy something Mommy....or I spy something Hippie." Last week it was I spy "To Go". Daddy didn't understand what you said...so you told him again. There was a bag on the counter from On the Border with the big words TO GO on there. He called me and you did it again. We were both so shocked....you could read all sorts of words and we never knew it. I bought flash cards the next day thinking we were crazy...and you knew most of the words...even house and yellow. The easy words like dog, cat, mom, dad...but weird ones...like she and he. I am amazed at you. We are amazed at you.

Out with the old.....

2010 in a recap brought Matthew and I:

Move to Keller (ok...2009, but still in the same haze)

Matthew quite smoking

I went a few months without a job and had some financial struggles associated with that

I found a job at Baylor Health with the ENT Consultants of North Texas....GREAT job, horrible commute from Keller (90 minutes)

The kiddos were in daycare in Keller, which was a good thing...but they were horribly green gooey sick. It took Jack getting a sinus infection and a double ear infection that caused him to cough for over a month and throw up. Many MD appointments, X-Rays and drugs didn't help. Father Brown finally called it enough and sent us the money to get a nanny. More on that later.

Speaking of sick, Matthew was "delightfully" stubborn and got sick and waited 2 months before being diagnosed with pneumonia. Right in the middle of the sick little ones. Hmm....I was not so impressed with his delay of treatment.

Katie's magical 4th birthday was marked with Jack getting a VIOLENT stomach virus that caused him to throw up for 3 days. I managed to keep enough (barely) in him so he didn't have to go to the hospital and be admitted. I have never seen a child that sick before. Finally, the MD told us to hydrate him or admit him. With the help of a chemotherapy nausea pill, we turned the corner.

We started to look for a house and that of course turned into a circus act with the College Station realtor being a hag. We finally resolved that....but more stress to the mess. It sold the month our subsidy ran out with SYSCO, so that was a blessing.

We found a perfect house, at a perfect interest rate and perfect for 3 kids. Chelci decided that she wanted to live with us. Long story short, she found it more comfortable back in Allen

During the move, our car insurance company switched carriers and the delay in two addresses, we found out we were driving uncovered! Delightfully..it was AFTER Matthew got pulled over and ticketed. It took some sorting out...sigh. Then we figured out that Plano has red light cameras too....woo hoo!

The move from Keller....egads. The house needed to be repainted top to bottom (thank you Matthew!!), which was mostly done in August with no electricity. The movers stiffed us for an extra $500 and threatened to (and actually started to lock our stuff up and leave until we paid). delightful.

meanwhile...the Trailblazer that we leased went over in the terms and in mileage. Although we had it on our minds, it got tabled. $3k...got our attention. Enter the Honda van. Matthew worked a deal, but financially, not bright on our part. We got the van to get the whole family (Katie, Jack, Chelci, Mom and Dad and Winston)

Winston left to spend time at camp with Mom and Dad. TRAUMATIC for all involved. Katie still misses him with all her heart. In fact, I do too.

The babysitters turned into a fracas as well. We got Megan to help out which seemed fine, but in retrospect, we should have found someone closer. She however, was amazing for Chelci. We put an ad in the paper and found Vonnie, who turned out not to take to Katie...so be gone! Enter Carmen...thankfully, the kids transitioned to her quickly and she has been a stable force in their life for a few months now.

Bucky and Katy's wedding...wonderful. We threw some parties...engagement and a stock the bar....let's note that I missed it due to Jack's fever and Katie's hand, which had been stepped on and she had to go to the ER. Fun times :(

Finances were so tough that we weren't sure what we were going to do. The stress from that added 20 years to Matthew and I. We were thankful for family support during those times. I pray we have turned the corner there. Time will tell

Chelci...well that story is most stressful...and one I am not willing to record...but want to note it so I can see where we are in time

My friends in College Station...I miss them dreadfully. I haven't made close connections here. That is something I need to change

Trip to Big Sandy for the Thanksgiving holiday where CB invited some stranger to hunt and stay. AWKWARD!! Sigh...more trauma. LOL...good old Jack at dinner with Donna and Craig, threw up in front of everyone. Good way to make an impression

Katie cut her beautiful hair before the move...golden white locks of curls.....a feeling one will not forget

The Pennsylvania land deal came through in the nick of time...and saved us from going under

Matthew....driving fool. His territory is forever away but we are closer to his headquarters

There is more...I know I am blocking out of my memory!

Daddy Moment

We had the most amazing trip to see Uncle Craig, Hunter and Madison for Thanksgiving. The moment that I remember the most is stopping in Monroe, LA with the kids. We grabbed dinner and Katie and I got our "secret cake" that we hid from the boys and ate while we snuggled in bed. The best part was Matthew and Jack snuggling in the bed watching the OU/OSU football game. Jack really seemed to watch at 2 1/2! He kept telling Matthew "they fell down" and "nice play". He fell asleep during the game. It was most adorable. We fell asleep too...and unfortunately missed one of the most amazing games this year!!!

Lulu..how I love you!

Lulu is so amazing at 4 and a half years old. She is my little buddy and I am beyond addicted to her. I love just talking with her...she says so many things and I can't remember all of the adorable things she says. She is a flower girl in Bucky's wedding this weekend. When I told her we needed to go practice, she told me she didn't need to practice, that she has been throwing leaves on the ground. Lulu thought that the wedding would be on a boat (Little Mermaid), I told her it was going to be in a church. She asked me why....and I replied so God can celebrate with us. She looked at me and was beyond excited "I get to meet GOD there???"
She takes amazing care of Jack. Tonight I always want to remember her in talking to Jack after he went to bed and then sang him "You are my Sunshine"
She is perfect. Every blond curl on her head is beyond perfection. I love her.