Fairy Tale Retold

Our Little 4 Year Old!

This week with J:

I was reading a books to J and B and as usual Little C didn't want anything to do with the book reading time. She was instead enjoying swinging around a fairly heavy toy snake that kept hitting our book and sending it flying. I kept getting the book again and reading. Finally, I told her that was not kind and settled to read again. All of a sudden J who had showed NO SIGN of anger put himself backward (calmly) and said "Dear God, please forgive me." said J. I said J "what did you do?" J said "I was angry at Kitty" (Little C). Wow! He was asking forgiveness for a sin in his heart not even an action!

J (just turned 4) kept coming to me saying how R wasn't being nice and was annoying him. He wanted to be apart of what R was doing and I guess R wasn't making that easy. J came to me a number of times telling me this but I pretty much stayed out of it except to relay a message to R to be nice (that didn't work:-) Anyway, J came back again and said "Maybe I should bring him paper or a snack."( paper being aka a homemade card he would make with stickers or whatever) I told him I thought that was a good idea. Time went by and J came back to me and said "It worked" I asked what he did "I gave him chips." TOOOOOO funny how a 4 yr old solves the problem!

J yesterday was getting super fussy and crying over truly nothing. He realized that he was being silly so he asked me "Mommy can you leave so I can try again?" So he wanted me to walk away and give him another chance to act to correctly! So I did! I walked away and came back and praised him for acting correctly! He smiled at the praise! What an amazing kiddo!!!

One other story! I took J to the store with me and he was riding in the cart with all the items we had purchased. When we got back to the van he was helping by handing me stuff so I could put it into the trunk. When we were done I was pushing the cart over to the cart return with him still in it. He said, "Last but not least, Me!"  I laughed and laughed!! He is soooooo funny!!

Ninja Certification

 Big sister "A" has worked with little "J" on becoming a "ninja". She used a vest we had purchased from the dollar store and when he would complete a "ninja" task she would make him a felt badge and put it on his vest. Oh boy did he like this! He also got items like the dollar store toy knife on his wrist after completing tasks. Tasks included such things as walking up the stairs quietly, sneaking up on mommy and giving her a hug without me turning to see him coming, staying in his bed at nap times or night night 3 times (that is a big task but he made it!), etc. She made the above certificate for him on the computer as having successfully completed jr. ninja training. What a special memory for the 2 of them to have as the years go by.

In the above picture she used painters tape to put the big N on his outfit and below she made his hat.

Funny and Sweet J

This morning at breakfast I was praying for the 3 littles ones before they ate. I remember thanking God for green grass that the kids can play on, etc. When I got done J (just turned 4) said
"I love God! How did he make all the things in the world without getting tired?"

He was so thankful for all the work God had done on his behalf!! A bit convicting to see that sweet thankful spirit when it is so easy to get caught up in the stresses of life.

Ok, this video we have gotten some great laughs out of! J is very expressive and I am so glad Daddy got this video so as the years pass we can still watch that cuteness!!

G has been wanting me for a while to make sure I put on the blog about J using the word "thumping" instead of something. It is SOOOOO cute!!!

Sweet Memories

Jedidiah told me he had a belly ache. I said "Ohh, let me hold you!" I picked him up and held him in the rocking chair. He said to me "Will you hold me forever?" I said "Do you want me to?" He replied, "Uh, hu" Sweet sweet memory for sure.

Jedidiah saw the book cover on our CS Lewis book. He asked "What is that?" I told him it was a dragon and that a little boy had been turned into a dragon. This got his attention. Then he noticed that the dragon had a tear and commented that he was crying. He said to me "How will he turn back into a boy?" He answered himself that "someone needs to give him a kiss."  I loved seeing his thought processing that kindness and love would fix it.

Life of J

Tonight in the van J kept saying over and over "Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord" and I asked him what he was praising the Lord for and he said "that God loves me."

Yesterday at dinner "A" asked "J" what he wanted to be when he grew up. He looked a bit perplexed so I loudly whispered to him "whatever God wants me to be" again this seemed a bit out there for him and then a bit frustrated he said loudly "GOD WANTS ME TO BE ME!"

Great answer!! End of discussion!

Christmas

"A" LOVES LOVES sign language now! Will be exciting to see if she can continue to grow in her knowledge of that. G is progressing in Latina and modern Hebrew. Here he is singing in Latin. Fun to see their interests!!

The Simple Things

"A" and I went to the thrift store today and found this old type hammer toy. I bought it for CG pretty sure she would love it. She did and so did the other littles! I got some cute clips of them playing with this together this afternoon!! Glad I have this on video for my memory bank.

J wanted to sing to his sisters last night . . .

Usually big Sis sing to the little girls before bed but last night J wanted to sing and he did a GREAT job and the girls LOVED it!:-)

The Littles Keeping Themselves Active

Love this Song!!

This especially struck a chord with me being in the Navy that really we won't find that perfect place to be until Heaven and then what joy that will bring. We've seen Edinburgh, London, Paris, etc. but Heaven is so much better  . . . it has Jesus and that is all we need!

As I was playing this song today little J said to me "What city do we like?" (Ok, that is just sooo cute!) I said, "Heaven". He said "Ok" and I told him. "Jesus is there and that is all we need."

Funny J Stories

Story 1 --J was in the van with Daddy and me and we were on our way to pick up one of the vans at Walmart after being serviced. He knew Daddy was leaving for Germany soon and was confused thinking Daddy was taking the van to Germany. He asked Daddy "How far away is Germany?" Anyway, he seemed to think he was going too and it was explained to him that just daddy was going. He said "Well, I guess I am going to Walmart." HILARIOUS!!! Then Daddy said that maybe someday he could come to Germany with him and J said (not harshly but just matter of factly) "I am trying." We get the biggest kick out of him! He just said these statements so matter of factly we enjoyed our life moment of humour.


Story 2-- He has had a problem lately that if I am not in the room that he thought I was in he will start screaming and crying and in my words freaking out. On one occasion I heard him do this and he was in the room with the twins and one of the twins was trying to kindly talk to him and he cried in sadness "I am thinking about Mommy!"

Story 3--Another day J did this and I talked with him about how it is dangerous when you are scared to "freak out" because that means you are not thinking things through and that can be dangerous. I said instead of freaking out he needs to calmly call out "Mommy, Mommy" and if he is scared he needs to pray. He immediately walked into another room and I heard him talking (I don't know what he said or if he was praying or what) but he then started walking and calmly calling out my name and trying it out! SOOO CUTE!!!! I praised him!!

Story 4-- One day J asked me to go downstairs with him to get a drink but then he stopped and said "I will go myself. God is with me!" and he went!

Funny 5-- He calls the twins "his babies".

Funny 6-- He often says the phrase. "Sure you can!"

Funny 7-R, CA, and J and I went on Saturday morning to buy our weekly doughnuts. The set up at the grocery story is strange in that the cart goes down one side of the checkout and the customer down the other. So the boys all went down the side with the cart which had J in it. J saw the check out lady scanning things and he took it as her buying things. He looked at his brother and said "Quick! Get me out of here before she buys me!! We got a kick out of that!!

Jedidiah Sweetness

Today Jedidiah said to me "I am glad God gave you to me."

Later he asked me to go downstairs with him and then he said "God is with me! I will go myself!"

Dear comments for my mommy memory.

Sweet J

J told me today he loved me and said "Did God give me to you?" He remembers me telling him that before! I said "Yes" and something to the effect that we are so blessed He did. He likes hearing that which is so sweet!

A Simple Thank you

I went to put J down for bed and saw that I hadn't put his sheets and blankets back on after he had an accident and I had to wash them. I went down to get them and when I brought them up he said to me that he had pottied on those. I reassured him that I had washed them and he said "Shoo!! Thank you Mommy!" No pay better than that.

Before I forget . . .

I better get these stories down before I forget them . . .

Little J (3 years old) thought one of the twins said "two" to him the other day and he emphatically said "I am NOT two I am fourteen!"

R, Big Boy C, and Little J were out riding bikes and in J's case a scooter toy. R crossed a line and said "I won!" Then little J wanting to be a winner too said "I won too". I already know the kids view on "everybody winning" because they have heard it before and talk about it that that is what liberals say.  They STRONGLY dislike the philosophy. So I said "Everybody wins " just to make a joke. Shortly thereafter C (6 years old) rides by on his bike and says "I don't see how a man could be liberal." Too funny but thinking about it that is a good point! Boys like to be the best and they strive for that! What boy wants to be a mediocre winner with everyone else??? My 6 year old certainly didn't get it!!

The other day we were going to walk to the library which is about a 20 minute walk. It ended up being a blistering hot walk but we made it. I let the 3 older ones take their bikes and my 6 year old wanted to bring his scooter. I said "No" he would not be able to ride 40 minutes on a scooter and would be faster for him to walk. He knew how to ride a bike but was not good at it yet. I told him he needed to start practicing on his bike and then I would let him take that.

Big C took it to heart and often asks me to take him out to ride his bike and he has improved A LOT in just about a week and a half! Anyway, it is so cute to watch him. Last night when I took him out he was singing over and over again as he rode up and down the street "there is power, power, wonder working power in the Lamb!" Then one time as he sped by he said "when you hear that sound it is my bike.":-) He was quite proud of the loud whirring sound of fast tires.:-) I took him out again this morning and was really getting a kick out of hearing him sing another hymn which I cannot remember the name of.

Sound of Music School Production

"G" was in his school's Spring play. He had tried out for this after Christmas but didn't make the cut. He was disappointed and it ended up being a great learning opportunity of resting in God's plan/will. Due to a change in plans later on he was called up and needless to say the director did a lot of work with him to get him ready for his small part of yodeling and puppet dancing.:-)

 In other schools he would have been made fun of but this school is very unique. In fact, G said to me one day "Do you know what makes Veritas different from other schools?" He said "No one cares if they are cool or not." That is a unique school. The seniors talk to the 7th graders, etc. G was even invited to one of the seniors graduation party. We were so impressed with the quality of the students that he attended school with each day. What a blessing for him to get the opportunity to be apart of this AMAZINGLY well preformed production!! He now has seen the work it takes to put on a production. He was EXHAUSTED show week but also having lots of fun. One day he fell SOUND asleep going to the theater where they performed and a friend of mine thought it was so funny how out he was!! She said her daughter was the same.

The production was like watching the movie just about. The talent was amazing.

At the post production party they gave everyone a silly award and G got the "I can sing award.":-)

One of G's foavorite teachers. She taught his Omnibus class.

A senior that the kids really got a kick out of and enjoyed watching him play the part of a na*zis in the play!!! He scored a perfect score in at least 2 sections of the SAT:-) and yet he takes time to stop and talk and laugh with little ones. Sharp and godly young man he is.

Dinner at the L's Part 2! Tuscan Soup Has Never Been As Fun As This!

J's First Trip to the Dentist!

 J said he was "sited (excited) to go to the dentist.

He did a great job!!!

He liked the idea of wearing his Daniel Boone T-shirt:-)

Brother R snapped the above picture after J's cleaning and exam were done.

 We have an amazing pediatric dentist. 

I told J this dentist is the nicest one I have ever met!

J's 3rd Birthday

 The pictures immediately above and below are not actually part of his birthday party but probably on the same day. J's birthday this year fell during the very busy time of us moving. Thankfully, Grandma and Grandpa J were here to help us throw a little celebration for him. They were in town to help us with our move and they were a TREMENDOUS blessing. Looking back I can't imagine what it would have been like without all their help!!!

I see I got no pictures of his birthday cake which I am not sure how that happened! Anyway, I had told J I would let him pick out his birthday cake but one day he was with Daddy and some of the other kids and I were where we could get one. I called and talked to him and in his growly voice that he so often uses he said "Cau, Cau pick cake." So Cau, Cau I think felt quite honored that he was bestowed the honour of picking out the birthday boys cake! The cake had white frosting but about 4 layers and each layer of the cake was a different color. It was beautiful!!

 The procession. No imagination in this house at all . . .

 We actually had quite the feast and it was very yummy!

Baked potatoe bar and hot dogs, etc.

 J absolutely LOVED LOVED his birthday balloon!!!

We threw his birthday party one night early and then on the morning of his actual birthday Grandma and Grandpa J took everyone out for IHOP. J was SOOOOOO excited to get funny face pancakes and the waitress was getting a kick out of his enthusiasm:-) He LOVED this!!!