breakin' it down

Tonight at dinner, Ted was sharing that he taught his friends to free style rap and beat box today while waiting for the bus. He said that he had to do the beat boxing because the other kids just spit. His friend Cayden did the rapping - mostly about school. And this is what he showed us that he taught them . . .

i have decided . . .

In the short three years and nine months of Ted and Sophie's coexistence, one of them has always been in some sort of stage or season that I've been ready to leave behind. Until recently. This weekend actually. And it was a three day weekend to top the whole thing off. If I could keep them at 6 years 5 months and 3 years and 9 months together, I think I would do it. I like them and I'm having fun with them. And they're having a lot of fun with each other.

Ted has become a bit of a home body. When he gets home from pretty much anywhere, he puts on his pj's and is ready to settle in the for the evening, or the afternoon and evening as the case may be. I've recently discovered that if I need to get him out of the house after school, it's in our best interest for me to just pick him up at school and not come home first. He likes school enough that he goes without a fuss or a fight. But he really just loves to be home with us the most. He still loves to snuggle at night. And Sunday afternoon we had a little movie "date" on the couch at his request.

Strangely enough, 3 was Ted's worst year. But it has been Sophie's best. We're working on keeping her "sas" under control. I've been calling her Sassy the Cat - who is really the Godwins 17 + year old cat that Sophie liked to overfeed. Sassy is such a hard word for kids to understand - she keeps telling me that she's not a cat! But she's getting the hang of big kid things like being able to buckle herself in the car and getting out of bed on her own. She's independent enough, and funny and sweet. And a tad bossy. But we're working on that too.

And maybe the best thing about this whole realization is that it comes in the middle of several really overwhelming and busy weeks for Ben. Usually when he's gone a lot, things fall apart and it's just not pretty. So it's a sweet gift to know this in the middle of this season.

 

In other news . . . 

- Ted had a follow-up with his neurologist last week. He is on the lowest dose possible for his seizure medicine. So in 2 weeks he's going to have another EEG. If all looks well, we'll get to take him off the Keppra. I don't mind it. It doesn't seem to bother him at all. I'd just much rather not have to. This time we will remove all glue immediately after and avoid any more unnecessary hair removal.

- Sophie has moved to the 3rd row of the van b/c she can now buckle herself about 90% of the time. Ted has moved to the middle row which I think is helping his car sickness. So now I'm getting a gazillion questions from Ted  during every car ride. I guess he's been back there thinking lots of things and not asking for the past 1+ years.

- Tonight Ted and I were laying in bed talking about fun things we have planned for the summer. I was encouraging him on his new found manners and kindness and said, "How did that happen?" He said, "The only thing I can think of is God." He is so right. And it's a blessing to be reminded by my 6 year old of how God can change us when we don't even really realize it.

- The month of February seems to be rather picture-less according to my archives. I thought I had a lot more interesting things to say. But I guess not.

i am happy to report . . .

  I am thrilled to report that Ted's hair is growing. SLOWLY. But growing. It's most noticeable on the spot on top of his head. When we came back form Florida it was such a relief to be able to tell a difference.

Jan 18th (ish)

Feb 12th

Jan 18th

Feb 12

 This could take awhile. But it's nice to know it's coming. Whew! Do you know what amazes me though? No one ever asks me about his scar or his hair. I guess I expected at least parents on his basketball team to ask. The only person who has is the guy that fixed his glasses the other day when we went to get them straightened up at the eye doctors. Maybe I'm inquisitive - or nosey. But I feel like I might ask someone when I sat beside them at basketball practice every week. I don't mind. I guess I'm just surprised.

Thanks, Hannah's for the fun gifts! The hat is the perfect size for Ted
and the hat/mitten combo is just straight up fun!

Waiting for Ted to come home on the bus.

We went to our first gymnastics meet today. It was really fun for the whole family.

Sophie wore her sparkly shirt b/c the girls where sparkles on her outfit.
This was obviously later in the day. Ted puts on "comfy" clothes as soon as he
walks through the door.

Sophie was a sight for sore eyes today. She's taken to wearing headbands in such a way that causes her hair to look absolutely ridiculous. Plus she was in full static mode. So half her hair was plastered to her head and the other half was sticking straight up. Totally missed the photo opp on that one.

So, I'm happy about Ted's hair as little progress as it is. And, I'm really thankful that Ted has become way less whiny and cry-y about things recently. It was getting a little ridiculous. In fact, he stayed with Ben at WyldLife on Friday until 10:30 and was great. Ben's official WyldLife sidekick now. Even slept in Saturday morning. But, unfortunately, Sophie has become the whiner now. Glad it's not both of them at the same time. 

things i've noticed

Things I've noticed recently . . . 

- I've gotten into a really bad/frustrating habit of forgetting one MAJOR ingredient for dinner most evenings. And I don't realize it until I'm well into dinner preparation. The second jar of sauce for the ziti. The shells for the tacos. The potatoes for the roast. Seriously, major items. It's come out of no where and it's frustrating the heck out of me - and probably Ben who has to pick up most of these items on the way home from the office. 

- The two times I've pursued work outside our home in the past year, it's turned out not-so-hot. And both times the offers fell right into my lap. Most recently, it was a law firm with a little "too goo to be true" schedule and money. Thankfully this most recent job I didn't even actually start. They decided (after they'd offered me the job and I'd accepted and found childcare) that they needed someone full time. And I just can't do that right now.  I'm not sure what the Lord is trying to tell me. I'm just trying to do what's best and I can't quite seem to figure out what that is.

- The entire routine of bedtime really brings out he worst in me when I'm on my own. And I hate that. Baths, teeth, potty, drinks, snuggling, more drinks, more pottying. I do love the part of snuggling - especially with Ted and hearing about his day. But everything leading up to that is just painful. Our recent memory verse was James 1:19 - "My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and SLOW TO BECOME ANGRY." That's me at bedtime.

- We took the kids with us to Oglebay this weekend for the annual YL Regional Weekend. There was 50 of us (high school and college students and one other young family) in a 30 person cabin. Plus 15 adults that were at the lodge or came for the day. It's fun to share a vision with people and watch them grab on. And it was fun to have my kids there.  They did a really great job. Although my kids may not get to experience some things in world, they get to experience so much richness in people. Between Ted playing knee football with some of the guys, and Sophie finding a new love for gum via Lisa, I'm so thankful for the people in our lives and the things our children get to experience. Tonight Ted topped it all off by being the guy that does "whatever he wants" and gets clocked by the camp linebacker. I'm sure that will go over well when he does that one day at school.

january catch up

Sophie "exercising" on the kitchen floor.

We've had one snow day. So we built some castles

And then I took Ted on a date to look at the toys at Walmart.
We spent a LONG time there.

Then we had lunch at Eat-N-Park and took home a smiley cookie for Soph

We (well, they) played in the snow

I have a video that I really want to put on here but might get me
in trouble b/c Ted hits his head rolling down the hill. Oops!

Don't eat the yellow snow, Soph

Ben's hair and beard were out of control, so he let Ted help cut it.

Not exactly painless!

We had a follow up appointment with Ted's pediatrician and I talked to a dermatologist friend. They both seem to think that his hair will grow back just fine. It may take awhile. The dermatologist told us that if it's not growing back by summer, they'll give him some steroid shots to help. But no one seems to be worried. I feel MUCH better.

I was putting Ted to bed the night we got home for Florida and he said the sweetest thing. I thanked him for being so good while we were gone so that I could go with Daddy. He said, "Mom, I want to be able to take Sophie on a date. You always go on dates with Daddy. Dates are for boys and girls. But I can't take her to a restaurant because I can't drive." So sweet! I'm working on a plan to have them go on a "date."

And lastly, Ted and I were doing his devotional this morning. We were reading  a verse from Joshua that said something to the affect of, "I will never leave you. I will never desert you." He looked at me so seriously and said, "Mom, does this mean we can never have dessert again?" A boy after my own heart!