Magic Moments

Aiden and Tom finished reading The Trumpet of the Swan last week and Aiden is already asking to read it again.  He is completely captivated by the boy, Sam Beaver, and his swan friend, Louis.  If Sam Beaver was a real, live boy Aiden and he would be best friends. I just know it.  And I know that Aiden wishes he was friends with Sam Beaver and could communicate with a Swan too.  Aiden loves nature and so does Sam Beaver.  Since reading the book Aiden has been recording things in a journal, just like Sam, and walking around with his binoculars, magnifying glass, camera and journal and exploring.  It's so cute and I can't get enough of it!  I love having boys that would rather be outside than inside, so Tom and I are more than happy to feed Aiden's obsession with nature.  We spent Sunday at Minnehaha Falls and didn't want to come home.  I had never been there and this place is just the kind of place that I love.  There is plenty...

Sage, how is it that you are 9 ( yes 9!) months old? I definitely baby you more than I did Aiden.  You are the baby of the family and I guess I want you to stay that way.  But, everyday you remind me you are growing into a big boy.  You love to play with Aiden and Daddy...joining in on the wrestling and the laughing even when you have no idea what you are laughing at.  You and Aiden seem to have your own little world at times.  You keep up with him well enough so the 2 of you have special little games you play.  I called you Hercules when you were in the womb and that name couldn't be more accurate.  You are so strong that just holding you down for a diaper change is a major feat. I think your mantra is, "Everything must be explored, moved, and tasted.  Above all else, never sleep longer than 1.5 hours at a time."  Like your brother, you are a determined little fellow although I think you might be the independent one in the family.  Movi...

I used to blog things other than what my children were doing.  But alas, this blog has taken on the look of the social section of a newspaper.  I have thoughts that go through my head during the day that would make for good blogging material, even thoughts I would love to get out on paper, but just as quickly as the thoughts come, they are gone.  I am never sitting long enough to write anything worth reading as the days are filled with care taking, nurturing, playing, and cleaning up messes. This season of life is full of taking care of the littles.  One of these days I'll blog something thoughtworthy, for now this has become my scrapbook. We had a wonderful weekend at home with Tom home .  Sadly, the Back to School season has Tom busier than ever and so he won't be home again for quite sometime.  Come September 15th I'm throwing a PARTY! Saturday we spent at home doing home type things.  We spent Sunday at Minnehaha Falls.  It was wonderful an...

I have two little explorers.  Aiden is a bit more intentional in what he's exploring...he knows what he is looking for and likes learning about what he has found. Sage is just looking for anything he can taste or touch or taste or climb or taste...all important things shaping his views of his world.  They both had lots of fun at the Damn earlier this week.  Aiden ran around with his "BeeNoculars" looking for birds, minnows, fish, bugs.  He kept saying, "I just love nature, Mama! I'm exploring!"  I love letting my boys be boys and I'm really excited for the time when Sage can keep up with Aiden and we can hike and explore until their little hearts are content.

A video would really be better if you wanted to get the full extent of the chaos.  It started out with Aiden painting with Easter eggs and marbles.  And then Sage joined in. And then a frog joined in. And then the hose made an appearance.  I was on the phone with my mother-in-law when the said frog showed up and things escalated from there including me abruptly having to hang up the phone.  The boys were both carried up and plopped into the tub where I let the shower work it's magic. I love my life.

It is both boys' all time favorite.  In fact, we've gone through several copies and that's ok by me!  I can't decide what the caption should say.  Thing 1 and Thing 2? Tweedle dee and Tweedle Dum? Pete and Repeat? Double Trouble? Partners in Crime? Two Peas in a Pod? You pick. :)

Lack of blog posts in the past week and lack of blog posts in the future can be explained by a certain someone (I won't mention any names) and his shenanigans during the day and his many shenanigans at night.  These videos will clue you into what is consuming my days (and sadly, still my nights). sagewalker 1.mp4 from Jenny on Vimeo . And just two days later he's on his own!   MVI 0655 from Jenny on Vimeo .

Sometimes I just feel stuck in the Land of Little Kids.  I feel like I'm just swimming around in deep waters full of diapers, naps, baby food, discipline, crankiness, toys, messes, bed times, schedules, crackers, car seats and more discipline. It feels like I'm never going to get out.  I can get so overcome with the mundane and hard work of it all that I forget to love the little (or not so little) things.  I forget that this time is magical and carefree and supposedly fun.  It often takes someone or something to snap me out of my fog or rescue me from drowning in the aforementioned list. The one thing that has never been "little kid" around here is Aiden's language development.  It's been quite amazing to say the least.  I told Tom I should have done a YouTube series on Aiden's Word of the Day.  He is pretty good at hearing words and then figuring out how to use them.  Last week's new words were: cross (as in angry), ill, accurate, and fabulous...

  Isaiah 28:10 is  my reminder for the morning on how I should teach my boys. ‘For precept must be upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little. ‘ Patiently God intructs us and patiently we must deal with our little ones, repeating the words of God so that it can be hidden in their hearts.   And my practical, inspiring quote that I read this morning is this: "Love your son for who God created him to be.  Even if that is loud, rough, and stinky." (or in our case, teething, persistent, and non-stop.)