But, you're big Mom!

So now that I am getting bigger and bigger, it's a lot harder to play with the kids on the floor. I have been trying to explain to Gresham that mom can't quite push trucks around the floor or set up a zoo on the floor because "I am too big."

The other day, Gresham and Aidan were playing dart guns. They asked me to play, so I said okay. I sat down on the ottoman, and Gresham said, "Mom, you can get up and walk around. You are big enough!" Today he told me, "You can do this puzzle Mom. You can do it." I guess he figures that I can do so much more than him because I am bigger, so what's the big deal? Why is Mom saying she can't do things because she is too big?

Spring Break!

This week was Spring Break for me at school. We had been planning to do some fun things on Jordan's two days off, but because of various circumstances, he is currently the only manager at his store! He worked a lot of extra hours this week, but we were able to do a few fun things anyway. On Wednesday we went to the zoo with Grandma. If we had known how crowded it was going to be, we wouldn't have gone! It was spring break and half-price Wednesday, so we knew it would be busy, but it ended up being a record-breaking crowd. It was even on the news! They said that there were 23,000 visitors that day, which broke the previous record of 17,000. So now I need to take the boys again, so that they can actually see some animals! (We did see some, but had to miss several things because of the lines...)

Gresham got an ice cream cone, which was one of his favorite parts. He wanted to see "a bunch of elephants" and "a bunch of alligators." The last time he was at the zoo, he was only 11 months old, so he didn't really know what to expect. Unfortunately, the alligator was off display, but when we were leaving they had a baby alligator to see in the parking lot. A lady was holding it and showing it to people to entertain them while they waited in line for 3 hours to get tickets. (Okay, maybe it wasn't 3 hours, but it was pretty bad!) Gresham loved the baby alligator, and said, "It's so BIG!"

This is a typical Aidan face.

On Friday, we went to the park for a picnic. It was a beautiful day! Aidan took his bike and had fun riding.

Now it's back to real life for next week!

Gresham Eating a Popsicle

Okay, I know I've posted pictures recently of Gresham eating a popsicle, but this video was too cute not to post...

29 Weeks

Aidan took these pictures. The first one makes me laugh, because it's taken from his point of view. I guess that's how he sees me... I had him stand on a chair for the second one.

Rudeness

Now that I am walking around with two little boys and a very pregnant belly, friends and also random strangers seem to feel the need to comment on the gender of the upcoming child. Things like, "So is it a girl this time? No? Oh well, at least you tried." Okay, maybe they don't say that exactly, but that's the attitude. Like having a third was a fine idea because we were trying for a girl. If we already had one of each gender, I'd probably get lots of people wondering why in the world we were having another one.

Three boys is fine with me; in fact, they are a blessing from the Lord! I do feel like I'm raising golden retrievers at times, but they sure are loyal to their mom. They will support me well in my old age.

Just this morning, a lady asked while we were out, "So... is this one a girl?" But the best of all was a saleslady in the shoe dept. at Dillard's last week. Obviously they are not selling much these days, because the salespeople were kind of vulture-like.

Her: Are you looking for anything in particular?
Me: No, just looking
Her: Well, we have lots of good sales right now. Do you like this brand?
Me: Um, uh huh
Her: (eyeing Jordan with the two boys) So... how many more are you going to have??
Me: One more, for now
Me (to Jordan): Let me show you one pair across the store, and then we can go.
Her: Well, they look just like your husband. Sorry. I know you do all the work.
Me: courtesy laugh
Me (to Jordan): Let's go to the Walking Company and see if they have what I'm looking for...
Her: I heard that!!

10 or so more weeks... Then everyone will look at the cute newborn, and it won't matter that he's dressed in blue... (unless the ultrasound was wrong!)

My Two Sillies

Keeping Aidan Busy

This week, Aidan started swimming lessons for the first time. We don't have a neighborhood pool or a city pool (at least not an affordable one...), and so we don't swim enough each summer for him to really get used to it. He's always been very cautious in the water. "Cautious" may not seem to go with his personality, but as exuberant as he is about life, he is very hesitant to try new things. I think it's all about being in control for him.... Anyway, we decided that this year we HAVE to do swim lessons - even with Jordan along, there's not enough arms to help 3 boys in the water!

So far, he has had two classes at the Keller ISD pool. He has had a great time, even though he is shaking the whole time from fear (and from being cold)! He actually jumped off the side this time. Well, "jumped" is a strong word, and he was wearing a life jacket, but he was very happy with himself. I told him that when he can jump off the side by himself (no life jacket) and then swim to the edge, I will buy him a treat at the concession stand. He's pretty excited about that.

We have also started doing violin lessons. I have been teaching him myself for a year, but I thought that he needed some outside motivation. So we are driving more than an hour each way to a really good teacher in Dallas! We are only going once a month or so because of the drive, but it has definitely been worth it so far. The best part in Aidan's opinion is that she has a creek around her property that he gets to play in when the lesson is over!

What?

This morning, Aidan was saying the funniest things while in the van on the way to Grandma's...

"Mom, does the earth travel to another country, and then the sun from another country shines on it and makes it day over there?"

"What????"

"Does the earth leave this country and go to another country..."

"Well, a country is a part of the earth, so the earth can't leave a part of the earth..."

"Yes, I KNOW that. What I'm asking is..."

I never did figure out what he was trying to ask, but while trying to figure out some sort of answer, I did realize that I need to be more content with him being 5. Do I really want him to be grown up and ask me questions that an adult would ask? No, not really. I think I'll stick with age 5 for now.

Manners

A couple weeks ago, our friend Pam loaned us a fabulous book on manners that was written in 1949. We (well, at least Jordan and I) have been enjoying reading little sections from the book at dinner, as our boys need LOTS of instruction in manners. (Pam was kind to say when she gave us this that she didn't think that my children were badly behaved - but that she knew I would actually read and enjoy the book...)

It's called Manners Please by Gail Brook Burket, and here is the introduction on "Being Kind":

"Having good manners means being kind. We should not think of good manners as a set of rules to be remembered, such as saying 'Please' and 'Thank you,' when we should. Good manners begin in the heart. They are always based upon kindness. As soon as we learn to let kindness guide our words and actions, we have good manners.
It is not always easy to be kind. We have to train ourselves to think of other persons rather than to think only of ourselves. Unless we practice being kind, we think, "I'll beat everyone to the swing!" Or, "That looks like the largest serving of ice cream. I'll take it." Instead of letting such selfish thoughts direct us, we have to learn to ask ourselves, "What is the kindest thing to do or say now?" Then we must do or say what we know is kind, no matter how hard it is to control our selfish wishes."

The text is more fun reading it on the 1940's paper.

This is really a spiritual concept - without repenting of selfishness and looking to God for change, we will never have very good manners. Because the book is written from the viewpoint that we are all selfish by nature, the kids can really relate to it, and it will be very helpful for all of us, I think.

The book has many chapters on topics such as "getting up promptly," "being neat," "using good table manners," "doing one's share of work," "using door mats," "chewing gum," and my personal favorite - "getting attention," which is about showing off. (Aidan is really into saying "watch me" constantly, and then he makes up a trick AFTER the person is watching...)

Some of these seem pretty obvious, but that is pretty much what I do all day - point out the obvious!

Here are the things I said tonight at Tom Thumb:
Please don't put your mouth on that railing. Sit down in the cart. Please don't hang on that shelf. See all the jelly jars? Those will hurt you if you pull the shelf down. No, I don't know exactly how heavy they are. Just don't pull on the shelf. Please don't stand in front of the cart while I am trying to go forward. Don't take things off the shelves. Please don't whistle THAT loudly. We are in public, and not everyone wants to hear you. Put that pen down - it's not yours.

Wow, I'm tired. It's time for bed...