John Michael

John Michael is quite the fighter these days. I honestly can't think of anything he loves more than to gather his growing collection of Nerf swords, shields, daggers, battle axes, maces, etc. and bring them to Johnny to have a war.  They fight and fight and fight. It really feels like the essence of boyhood.  He swings as hard as he can only to be blocked by his strong daddy. He grunts and giggles and shrieks with delight.  He talks about his gear when he isn't playing with them and carries it around the house. He's in love. And we're in love with him! Because despite this all out boyish behavior he is the most tender child that ever lived. He loves to care for people, to comfort them, to bless them, to snuggle with them, to encourage them.   He's growing up to be strong and sweet.  

Breaking the Pattern.

To the three people who still might read this blog... namely, my parents, my grandparents and my sister, long time no see!  

Here is a sweet little picture of Greyson. He is 15 months old this week. He hates vegetables & fruit and only sometimes eats dairy. He usually doesn't say no to carbs though! Especially the snacky kind, goldfish, pretzels, crackers, etc.  He's still very smiley but is learning very quickly how to throw a tantrum.  He isn't walking but for the first time I'm noticing some readiness skills. He is looking at the next thing to hold onto and considering going over to it without holding on before plopping down and crawling. I think this summer will be when he starts walking!

His eyes are so blue and spending time in the sun over the past couple of weeks is making his hair blonder. He loves to be wrestled with, thrown around and held. He loves telephones and computers and reading books.  He hated taking baths for the entire first year of his life but now he BEGS for them and cries when he has to get out.  Everybody is gaga for grey grey.  

After I posted this i realized that his eyes aren't all the way opened and he looks constipated. Oh well, he's still cute. :)

Greyson's First Christmas

Today Greyson is 9 months old and I didn't even realize it until I started to write this post.  These days my brain only keeps track of who is eating wheat these days and who isn't.  It only registers poopy diapers and cries of pain... while little milestones get overlooked.  

And its his first Christmas. He loves the Christmas tree... but there isn't much he doesn't love.  I call him the happiest baby in the world, because he is.  I think I can count the number of times he's really cried on one hand.  

Grey got his first tooth last month at my sister's house. It was a rough night for him but it finally came through and he's chomping away at Cheerios and puffs these days!

He's a sweet boy. I can't wait to see what he's going to be like when he's older. He's definitely my most relaxed baby yet... and I'm sure he gets that peaceful demeanor from his mother.  :)

He is one of the most precious gifts God has given us and it is my prayer that I will learn to enjoy him more and clean less. That I will show him how great my God is and that he will call Him his Lord too.  That I will be the display of the grace of God to Him and that his memories of life at home will be joyful, full of the Spirit and fun.... not just efficient.

My little Grey-bee.

Glasses Girl

My girl got glasses.

My girl loves glasses.

My girls insisted on pink glasses.

I love my girl.

John Mikey

Yesterday while I was making my free Walgreens photo book I realized that I don't take many pictures of John Michael!  And I don't know why because he is my most willing subject.  This boy LOVES the camera and he is FULL of personality. He a full dose of the cheesy-nses that Johnny & I both have and its a non stop show for him in our house. He's a true 2nd child, laughing one minute, crying the next. There's nobody like him!!

A few other things about John Michael.

He loves school. He BEGS to do school... and while his fine motor skills aren't very strong he rarely gets an answer wrong.  (I couldn't resist the rhyme, I know, I know...)

He eats more meat than Cookie Monster eats cookies.

His hair is adorable if he washed it that day... if not people look at me strange.

He's cuddly and snuggly.

His first instinct when he gets hurt is to ask me to pray for him.

He *adores* Greyson... but is often a little too rough with him. :)

He's still very attached to his "b" (Blanket) and wants to take it everywhere even though we try to limit it to his bed.

Addy calls him John Mikey, Nicholas calls him John Yichael.

He's really, crazy tall. 

We love him!

How I spend my time.

Someone very dear to me is often teasing me about the fact that I don't always answer my phone or my texts. I assure them that its not personal... but it is. A while ago it occurred to me that if I put down a child or a book or a toy to answer the phone every time it rings that I'm showing my children that something is more important than spending time with them at that moment. I work hard. Most of the day I am working... so these times when I am sitting with my kids, playing, reading, pretending... are precious. And few things could be worth interrupting those times.  Those personal, one on one, or one on four :), times of personally connecting with my kids.

I have the privilege of connecting with my kids just about every day.  This year we made the hard decision to homeschool. It was embarrassing if I'm honest. I feel like I'm constantly defending my choice to home school (is that word one or two??) with, "Well, you know, private schools are just SO expensive." And they are. And we might've sent Adeline to a private school if circumstances were different. And that would've been fine and good.       But as it is, circumstances aren't different and through MUCH prayer and MUCH conversation we've chosen to homeschool.  I kind of went into it kicking a bit... and stressing a LOT. I wanted to be a stay at home mom whose kids were in school all day! What if my child ends up illiterate? What if he/she ends up completely socially awkward? What if they are DORKS!?  What if it doesn't work? What if I choose the wrong curriculum?  But what it comes down to for us is this: every day for the foreseeable future *I* have the privilege of being the one to personally connect with my school age kids. I have the opportunity to train them live for God and not themselves.  I have the delight of watching them learn to read, to write, to discover, to love, to worship.  I won't lie, its hard.... but its personal. Its connecting. And its my life right now.

I took the obligatory backpack picture because all my friends were doing it and I didn't want Addy to not have one (YES, I have ISSUES.) but this one is so much more us. :)

Someone stole my curls.

I used to think pregnancy robbed me of my curls. 

Now I know it was John Michael.