Tuesday, January 3, 2012

One Word

One word to describe your child. Is that possible? How about one word and a follow up paragraph? I started thinking about how to end the blog for this year. Of course this should have been done on New Years Eve but it fell off my long list of want -to-do's during this holiday break. I was able to check a lot of stuff off my list, updating baby books, sorting and donating toys, putting Christmas decorations away, cleaning house...BIG thanks to Jeff for not only putting up with my list but helping me complete it. The only thing left undone was putting Christmas on the blog and a concluding post. Again I mean to publish this blog, our life so far, and this year it might actually happen. So, I started looking around to see if there were any lists of questions I could use to help describe my boys, where they are, what they are like, at this point in time. That's when I came across the task of describing your child in one word. Can I do it? Probably not. But, I can do it if I include supporting details!


Luke, 4 years-7 months

Thinker: Luke is a thinker. Not a talker. He did not talk until he was two, not an intelligible word. Oh he'll talk to me, he's not quiet all the time, but elaborate stories? that's not him. Luke will play for hours with his trains. The sweetest moment for me is when he asks, mommy, will you play trains with me? Or sometimes, I'll play with Eli while Luke is playing trains so that Eli won't bother Luke's trains. This always gets a 'thanks mom, for playing with Eli so he won't get my trains.' I know he's listening and learning and taking it all in because the times come when he'll say or do something that lets me know he's been listening. It's kind of hard to describe really because if you know Luke, you would not really describe him as quiet. He talks but it's not really chatter, it's about something he wants you to know or a question he wants to ask. Luke is kind (other than the typical brother stuff) and loves his brothers. When I do the old, OK Nathan, I'm leaving, see you later routine, Luke is quick to holler, NO! Don't leave him. Luke is sensitive. That might have been an even better word to describe him. He's sensitive all around but in particular he's sensitive to change, change in our schedule, our routine. He tells me, let's just all stay home together. He's excited to go home and play. Even though he gets annoyed with Eli, he loves him. He kisses and hugs him, brings him toys and tells me things he thinks will make Eli happy. He is also rambunctious at times. He can run around the house with the best of them. Soccer is still up for debate. He goes happily but mostly enjoys running around with the other kids, playing with Coach Steve and the gum, the gum is a big deal. He seems to make friends easily and plays with most kids, even the annoying bossy girl in the class who no one else will be center partners with. When I asked him what he wants to be when he grows up he says a construction man (and I say oh, an engineer?!). No, I mean the man driving the tractor. Or, sometimes, it's a race car driver. Both sound good to me. Luke's not a cuddler. But, sometimes I can still steal a quiet moment with him and get a soft, I love you too mommy.


Nathan, 3 years-6 months

Pleaser: Nathan is a pleaser. Is he perfect? NO! his teacher would shout. (The second word to describe Nathan is mischievous.) But, Nathan loves to help and bring me things and get Eli things and read with me and rock with me and remind me that he's obeying when Luke is not. Nathan puts his arms around my neck in the early (pre-dawn!) hours and tells me he loves me. Nathan is also a talker. When I want to know something, I ask Nathan. I will get a long and somewhat confusing story but he'll do his best to tell me what happened, at school, on a tv show, in a book, whatever. Nathan is all boy. He loves sports and cars and trucks and sitting on Eli. He is not sensitive and I can count on one finger the number of times he's cried going to school. He goes in and gets busy playing. He loves his friends (and girlfriends) and talks about them all the time. He makes connections from books to life and life to life and amazes me with the things he says. He does not know his letters or numbers and does not really care to. He's too busy playing or tackling or getting into time out. But, his heart is very loving and I can see him being a loyal friend. And the dimples. All I can pray is that he uses his powers for good one day. Nathan wants to be a monster truck driver when he grows up. That's great I say. My cousin wanted to be a big rig driver when he was small and now he's a marine biologist who travels the globe. There's time.


Eli, 1 year-10 months

Changing: If you had asked me about Eli a couple of months ago, this description would have been really different. Well not really different, but different. Eli has been an amazing third child. He is very self sufficient, plays alone or with the other boys for long stretches, sleeps GREAT and very easy going. But now, he's starting to change a bit. Not so compliant Eli anymore. Very opinionated, even about his pajamas lately! But, mostly, he's still happy and loving and loving Thomas more every day. He loves to read with me in his rocker, before bed. And when we start to rock, he gives me a sweet, sleepy smile and lays his head on my chest, even when he's rammed me with his head a little earlier because I did not do his bidding. He's talking so much lately. He's even mastered phrases like 'I don't want that!' while flinging his milk off the table. Pretty good for a 22 month old. He's patient too, being the recipient of many ill placed kisses and rough hugs from two big brothers. He's pretty fearless on the playground but still cries sometimes when he goes to school. He's my baby who is becoming less and less of my baby each day.


Another year down. Too quickly passed. A lot of fun squished in with a lot of hard work.


And to Tulsa!

The third part of our Christmas Celebration was a trip to Tulsa. After opening presents and having a little fun, we loaded the Jeep and headed to Tulsa. The fun few days finally caught up with the boys.

There was a great turkey dinner ready when we arrived.
Then it was time for presents!





Mimi and Aunt Leanne!

Luke and Nathan got Big Wheels!

Kyle and Kristin got Green Machines!

Fun riding outside at Mimi's!



Later, a little movie time.



Personalized by Daddy!

A great end to a great Christmas!

Christmas Eve

A happy Christmas Eve was spent at Grammy and Papa's with Uncle Jake and the Mosley crew. We had a delicious Mexican food dinner with tamales and quesadillas!

To start off, here's a yummy shot of Eli. What's better, cupcake (Happy Birthday Jesus cupcakes) on the face mess or a double barrel of snot?!

Checking out the stocking loot. All three boys got a headlamp, just like Daddy! (they LOVE these!)

Luke, Ashley and Abby!

Sporting the new headlamp.
Present time!
Mosley kids and their presents!
Sweet Grammy!

More of the festivities (with Uncle Jake, Aunt Julie, Uncle Brian, Grammy and the back of Papa!)

Checking out Grant's new scooter!

Papa, introducing the joy of bubble wrap!



And the most treasured present of all, a handmade footstool fashioned (old fashioned, with no nails!) after a footstool that has been in the Wilson-Watkins-Wilson family for at least 80 years. The original, now with Papa and Grammy, is thought to have been made by Grammy's grandfather (Dr. J. Wilson) in about the 1920's. The stool then passed to Grammy's mom ('Dottie' Wilson Watkins) and then to Grammy and Papa. Wow! What a treasure and keepsake for our boys. And, Papa only lost one finger in the process :) (almost).
What a great way to start our Christmas celebrations!

Christmas CelebrationS

As usual we had the Christmas that kept on giving! Although out of order, this first Christmas post is Christmas morning at our house.

The tree! We got a smaller tree this year so we could put it in the living room, in front of the window. For future reference when I'm old and asking myself, what is that terrible white spot on the wall, we are waiting to paint the house until closer to the time we will put it on the market. Painting a house that is full of boys and expecting it to stay nice would just be an exercise in frustration. So, that's why there are white texture repair spots all over the house. Lots of handmade little boy ornaments all over the tree!

The stockings, filled to the brim, along with the empty plate of Santa cookies. Nathan was SO excited that the plate was empty. So glad we got that reaction on video. Then night before, after we had decorated the cookies, I asked Nathan where we should put the cookies. He said, "We should put them by the fireplace, that way Santa is sure to find them!" I could just eat him up!
Eli, investigating his stocking with Mommy.

Checking out the Thomas pillow pet!

Showing Mommy Luke's James (Santa should have brought Eli more trains!).

Loving on his USM sock monkey :) (and holding Luke's other train from Santa!)

Luke and Nate digging into the stockings. Luke was happily digging into the first treasure, candy corn, when he realized there was more!

And, the famous Track Master Cranky! Luke had been saying he wanted Track Master Cranky for months!

One of Nathan's favorite gifts!



And, his other favorite gift! Santa had to work HARD to find these two gifts for Nathan.

We'll have to leave the football playing to Nathan I guess.

A few pictures of my super handsome boys!







It was a Merry Christmas!