From Inmates to Playdates

Posts Tagged ‘Alex’

Four is fun!

Your four favorite shows are Tom and Jerry, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Monster Jam, and Transformers.

Four things that cause you to make this face are, your zipper getting stuck, being asked to do or say something you don’t want to do or say, not having a job at school, and tripping or falling because it means you are being slowed down.

Your four favorite foods are Oatmeal, Yogurt, Poptarts, and Jelly sandwiches. (But you would eat poptarts for every meal if we’d let you!)

Four things you love to play are CARS, Monster Trucks, Race tracks, and musical instruments.

Four things that make you giggle are Stevie, Daddy, Tom and Jerry, and a tooter. (Oh my mercy, why do boys think the whole tooter thing is so funny?)

Four things you are great at - hugging, cleaning up your room, climbing, and matching your socks to your shirts (which is pretty impressive by the way!)

Four weird things you like – sitting on shoulders, stuffed animals, the heap, ahem, I mean Jeep, and camping “because mommy fixes pancakes almost every morning!”

Four random things about you – you are an awesome medicine taker, you take care of your glasses, you have memorized three Pioneer Bible Verses (that we know of, there are probably more!), and you can shift gears in the Jeep.

Your four favorite questions are, “Mom, can I please watch a show?”, “Is it time to pick up Stevie?”, “Can we take the Jeep?”, “Is it bedtime?” and “Does it have nuts in it?” (I could go on and on right here, because the questions? They are constant!)

Four is full of fun!

This week’s You Capture challenge is Quiet.

Which is a bit tough for a girl that comes from a long line of loud.

In addition to that, I have two children under the age of seven. One of which has two speeds – Wide open. And asleep. Another who only gets loud when he is talking to the other two loud people in this house, which is pretty much all the time.

So, all that to say, that I had to get really creative this week.

Once the kids are in bed, I can enjoy some peace and quiet in the bathtub.

Perhaps my favorite place for some peace and quiet is right here…. (at least until 6:30am when the stinkin’ alarm does its thing!) -

And lastly, this picture screams quiet.

And sweetness.

And preciousness.

It’s worth noting that just seconds before I snapped the picture Stevie was holding the remote.

My sweet, sweet boys. I am so blessed!

——–

Head over to I Should Be Folding Laundry for more You Capture Quietness.

Next Week’s Challenge: Reaching

To: My Two Sweet Babies

From: Your Mom

Date: March 8, 2010

RE: Just So You Know

Dear Boys,

So much has happened in the past two weeks that I wanted to get it all down while the information is still fresh in my mind. You boys are the light of my life and even though I say it all the time, I am so thankful to be your mama. You are both growing up so quickly and with everything in me I would love to stop time. This season in our lives is so very special and I am trying to take it all in because I know it will pass so quickly.  

Like today when the two of you climbed up on my lap. As I hugged you and kissed both of you on the top of your sweet little heads, I inhaled because I wanted to remember the smell. I wanted to feel your short stubbly hair on my cheek. I wanted to remember the moment forever. I love those moments. The moments when the two of you climb up on my lap or into my bed and we talk and laugh and act silly. Sweet babies, those times are precious to me and I want to remember them always.

Love, Mommy

——

Dear Stevie,

We were told when you were two years old, that you needed glasses. I cried on the way home from that appointment. Not so much because you needed glasses, but more so because I wanted your eyes to be okay. While your right eye is normal, you are far-sighted in your left eye and have been for five years. During our visit to your eye Doctor last week, she was pleasantly surprised that your left eye is getting better. So much better in fact that your Doctor reported that in six months you may not have to wear glasses any longer. She also reported that in small children where there is such a drastic difference in the eyes, they rarely ever get better to the point where a child no longer needs glasses.

I say glory!

Your glasses are a sort of trademark now and I can’t hardly imagine you without glasses. We will leave it in the Lord’s hands and pray about it.

This has been an exciting month for you.

For the father/son Scout cookoff, you and daddy prepared a Beach Cake….

And YOU were so excited when they called your name and presented you with a 2nd place trophy…

Sweet boy, I was so proud of you (and Daddy) because I can certainly tell you that you did NOT get those cooking skills from your mama. So yes, winning an award for your baking is a pretty big deal. You were so very proud of your trophy and are still talking about it.

After a couple of weeks of practice, you have finally mastered the art of tying your shoes! You want to be the best at everything you do and that motivates you to be better, and faster.

You are such a joy, Stevie. You are kind, and funny, and cute, and loving. And on top of that you are a great big brother.

I love you!

Mommy

——

Dear Alex,

One day a week or so ago, Stevie and I were practicing his memory verses for the Pioneer Club Youth Service. The same verses that you have – time and time again – refused to practice with me. After reciting his verses perfectly, I was so surprised and proud to hear you recite those verses without prompting and with a beautiful, big smile on your face. Daddy and I are so proud of you for learning Psalm 119:105, Hebrews 12:2 and the Pioneer Club aim (that we may glorify the Lord Jesus) sweet boy. Way to go!

I love your smile, your giggle, and your sweet hugs. I can always count on you to give me a hug for absolutely no reason whatsoever and my favorite thing is when you ask me to rock you. I know those opportunities are going to be few and far between now that you are four, but sweet boy, I will rock you any ole time you ask me. Gladly.

Last week, both of your Sunday School teachers (independantly) made a point to report to us that you were kind to a little boy who was having a very bad day and crying in class. They both mentioned how patient you were andtold us what a good friend you were to him. My heart leaped with joy and I would love to have been secretly hiding in the room to see it for myself. For a little boy who has two speeds (wide open and asleep) it is great to know that you have a caring way about you.

You have learned to fasten your seat belt on your own. One of the funniest things about you is how much care you take in matching your socks and shirts. My OCD appreciates that so much and more often than not, you match them nicely. You are also really good about picking your toys up and putting them away after playing.

Oh, and you were thrilled to be star of the week at school a few weeks ago.

Sweet boy, you are a bright shining star and we are so proud of you!

Love, Mommy

For more Wordless Wednesday posts, head over to 5 Minutes For Mom!

“How to give a haircut!”

As told by a random barber at Patrick Air Force Base.

Circa 2006.

Step 1: Attempt to talk to cute little boy with Mohawk so that he will feel comfortable with you. Watch in disbelief as his sweet smile turns to a sour scowl. Decide you will probably need back-up and a butt-load of patience.

Step 2: Secure all necessary equipment making for sure it is within reach because you will have to move fast.

Stealth, actually.

Step 3: Reassure little boy that it won’t hurt A BIT and IT WILL BE OVER BEFORE HE KNOWS IT.

Hope for the best.

Step 4: Before beginning, pose long enough for the crazy mama with a camera to take a picture of her angel’s first haircut. Shoot the breeze with the boy’s father because the crazy mama is taking 412 pictures for some unknown reason.

Step 5:  Say a quick prayer because as any barber knows it could go either way with a child’s first haircut.

Step 6:  Hold child’s head tighter. Secure your grip of the clippers because forheavenssake this child is a squirmer.

Step 7:  Determine this must be the most challenging haircut of all time. Vow this will be your last first haircutever. Stoop down to get closer to the child. CUT FASTER paying little attention to how straight you are actually cutting the hair because AFTER ALL THIS CHILD IS NOT COOPERATING IN THE LEAST AND YOU JUST WANT IT TO BE OVER!

Step 8: Smirk at crazy mama as she entertains the little boy who is now smiling because you are no longer holding his head in a death grip.

Step 9: Exhale.

Step 10: Admire cute little boy with great haircut as you make your way out the door to find a stiff drink.

THE END.

Kisses.

That’s this week’s You Capture challenge.

I tried to figure out the best way to shoot me kissin’ my fellas, but ultimately I figured y’all might not appreciate pictures of my playing kissy-face, so I movedrightalong to something else.

Yes, you are welcome.

I couldn’t pass up the chance to shoot these because after all? They are Hershey’s ace in the proverbial hole.

And because no post about kissing would be complete with my three favorite fellas, here they are in all their glory!

And this?

I kissed this bad boy the minute it met my finger. It is my Birthday/Christmas/Deployment present and I love it! Sadly, of the 412 pictures I attempted, I was unable to get the flash, the macro, and the zoom to love on eachother.

Clearly, I’ve got more learning to do.

You Capture is hosted by I Should Be Folding Laundry.

As is usually the case, I have learned a great deal of random stuff this week. So, if you’re in the market for random, you have come to the right place my friend.

The only problem is that I have one eye on the 2010 Winter Olympics and one eye on my laptop screen. So, I hope you’ll excuse the fact that I am using the handy-dandy list to compile the stuff I learned.

1. I learned that barbecue ribs (or peas, or strawberry poptarts) is capable of causing heartburn. Really bad heartburn. The likes of which I have not seen since pregnancy. Blech.

And no, that is not a hint of any kind.

I’m just sayin.

In fact, the heartburn has reached a level that has sent me on the search for some tums.

2. A very determined stubborn four-year-old has no qualms climbing on top of a cozy coupe if it makes it possible to retrieve his beloved cowboy boots from the top shelf in his closet.

3. The very fact that my four-year-old is willing to use the cozy coupe as a ladder is proof that perhaps I should prepare myself for a future of possible probable disasters.

4. No matter how careful you are when painting, you will discover paint in places you would never expect weeks after the job is completed.

5. If you forget to add washing detergent to the load of laundry you are washing, the stains will probably not come out.

6. If your four year old is in the mood, you can get some awesome pictures of him.

See.

7. I like the name Kessa better than the name Kaydence, but not as well as the name Kendi. Our niece, Kessa is due any day. The name is growing on me.

8. TweetDeck is a lot better than Echofon. (For those of you not in the iPhone Cult Club, Tweetdeck is an iPhone App for Twitter).

9. When one decides to change her Twitter name from ‘Inmates’ to ‘JulieatInmates‘ she should work out all possible interpretations in her head or else a concerned blog reader might come up with this mess –  ’Juli Eatin Mates’

Dang.

10. Before changing a Twitter username, one should consider the fact that she has no earthly idea how to change the name on her professionally designed Twitter home page.

Double Dang.

11. It bothers me when the outfits (costumes?) of the Olympic Ice Skating Figure Skating pairs do not match.

Yes, Russia. I’m talking about you!

12. NBC has some really clever shows on the horizon (Parenthood, A Minute To Win It, and another one I can’t think of right now!). Likewise, the new show Undercover Boss is a refreshing change in reality TV.

13. When watching the 2010 Olympic Games while doing your weekly What I Learned This Week post, it is likely, your post will be random longer than you expected.

14. Thankfully, expired Tums are better than no Tums.

Okay, I’m done!

Visit Musings Of A Housewife to find out what others have learned this week!

To: My Sweet Boys

From: Your Mama

Date: February 10, 2010

RE: Just So You Know

Dear Randy and Ralphie Stevie and Alex, 

I cannot be sure but I think I missed doing a  Just So You Know post last month. Just so you know, I am so sorry about that. Since the great basement project of 2009 started, I am a little behind on most things and a lot behind on some things such as my scrapbooking. As you know, the great basement project of 2009 has evolved into the great basement project of 2010. We are working hard to get the playroom in order, and you should know that once that happens, I don’t expect to see one single monster truck or CARS car on the coffee table ever, ever again. Thank you very much.

Rarely a night passes that there isn’t something with four wheels on the coffee table and really, we have toyboxes, buckets, and baskets for all manner of toys so I am confused as to why they are left out every. single. night. Can we work on that? Pretty please?

Dear Stevie,

You had a great time working on your pinewood derby car last month. Unfortunately it was a tough lesson in sportsmanship for you, but you must remember it was your very first year doing the derby. You designed a great car and you did 97% of the work all by yourself. If you ask me, your car was the coolest one there. For someone that really didn’t want to do Scouts, you certainly enjoy that hour a week you spend with the Tiger Cubs. We are proud of you for trying something that you didn’t really want to do and even happier that you really enjoy it!

You were also the cutest wise-man ever in the history of church Christmas plays this year (which by the way was held in January because of the stupid snow and its erratic behavior!)

Regarding your teeth. Most every kid in your class has lost a couple of teeth. You, on the other hard are still holding on to the same twenty-one teeth you’ve had for the past six years. It’s as if they are holding signs that say “Don’t mind us, we actually like it here!” Child, if genetics has anything whatsoever to do with teeth, you should know that you are in for a long, frustrating road of orthodontic treatment and appliances. And if I’m being honest, I love your baby teeth. Especially the right one in the front that sits a bit crooked because that extra tooth had to have somewhere to hang out. I’m kinda dreading you losing your teeth because there will be pain, and well, blood. Which is a no-win situation for you and me. So, no, I’m in no hurry for you to lose your pearly whites. I will tell you that daddy is a floss fanatic. You should totally follow his lead because I am not so fanatic about the flossing and well, your teeth will be much healthier if you floss often.

You really enjoy first grade and have lots of friends. You are a reading machine and enjoy riding the school bus one day a week to attend gifted. I am thankful that you enjoy school. I love you sweet boy!

Love, Mommy

——–

Dear Alex,

Sweet child. Where do I begin?

First let me start by saying, I understand the stubborn streak. Shoot, I may even be to blame for it. So, understand me when I say I get it!  That doesn’t mean that I enjoy it though.

Last week at school, for instance, the monthly calendar asked us parents to work you our sweet children on the Pledge of Allegiance adding that each student who could recite the pledge would be given a flag. To my surprise, you knew the pledge word-for-word. When I asked if you were going to recite the pledge at school the next day, you replied with, “We’ll just have to wait and see!” I explained to you that I would not be a bit happy if all the other kids recited the pledge except you. When I picked you up on Wednesday, every. single. child. in your preschool class, except you, came from class carrying a flag.

When I asked you why you didn’t say the pledge, your response was, “Well, I really didn’t want a flag.”

Sweet mercy, child. You are so stinkin’ frustrating.

It’s a really great thing that you are so darn cute!

After a ten-minute rant, I took your favorite shoes away and promised you would not get them back until you said the pledge. Sadly, the whole shoe bit really matters to you. The next day, I was happy to see you carrying a flag. It would be nice if you would just do things when people asked you to instead of requiring a bribe or issuing a barter.

While I have your attention, can I also mention one more thing? Dinnertime is an important time for our family. I attempt to fix something that will appeal to all four of us, however, that is not always possible because we must eat, um, I don’t know, vegetables and healthy stuff from time-to-time. Your cooperation on days that dinner does not appeal to you would be appreciated. When I gave you a pre-dinner pep talk today, explaining that you would eat what was put in front of you without quarreling, you replied, “I might just cause some trouble!”

That statement stopped me in my tracks. There’s going to be trouble alright. Between you, me and the Pampered Chef spoon if you decide that causing trouble is acceptable because clearly, it is not. I would be lying though if I said that you’re statement did not make me chuckle inside.

So often I see mannerisms that remind me of myself (foot stomping and door slamming) and I am reminded that there is a God and that He does have a sense of humor. I love you very much, but you have to understand that you may not stomp your feet, or slam your door. Mkay? Thanks. Let’s just hug and kiss and love and smile instead.

Your new favorite thing is to play is kitchen. I love our lunch dates and I enjoy every meal that you fix for me. You are the best chef I know and I will join you for lunch any ol’ time. I am thankful that you are mine! I love your big hugs and your sweet smile! Oh, and just so you know, we love your manners, too!

You are really into Monster trucks, Tom and Jerry, and Brown Sugar and Cimmanum poptarts. And you call license plates – silence plates. And I would bet the farm that you are the best medicine taker / breathing treatment patient that there ever was. Seriously, you are a champ!

Love, Mommy

Welcome to my little corner of the blogosphere. I’m so glad you’ve stopped by. If you are one of my eight loyal blog fans, I appreciate you and hope you learn something about me you don’t already know. If you are new here, I sure welcome you to visit any ole’ time. I just love having company.

For starters, I started blogging in June, 2006 for myself and 200 of my closest friends on mySpace. After deciding that me and this bloggy gig could be a happy couple, I decided to take the bloggy plunge and join the blogosphere. That whole Inmates to Playdates title? Well, let me just say that my title has nothing to do with me finding love in jail. Before hanging up my handcuffs to be a stay-at-home-mom, I was an inmate counselor at a Regional Jail.

I am 36 and I am married to McDaddy who happens to be the most patient man on the planet. He is a control systems genius engineer and also a member of the WV Air National Guard. He was recently deployed for six-months at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba where he diligently protected our butts, our freedoms and whatever else needed protecting . I talk about him often here at Inmates and I so proud to be his wife. Oh, and did I mention he is hot?

I have a seven-year-old son named Stevie. He is a cool kid who loves Lightning McQueen, Monster Trucks and his beloved DS. He is one of the sweetest kids I’ve ever known and I’m not at all just saying that because he is mine. He is thoughtful, polite and loving. (He’s also very smart but I don’t want to sound like one of those mothers).

I also have a four-year-old son named Alex. He has two speeds. Asleep. And wide open. It is comical to watch him in action. He loves to run, jump, climb and bulldoze. He also likes Lightning McQueen, Monster Trucks, Tom & Jerry, and his Leapster. He is sweet, independent and cute as a button.

My boys are the joy of my life and I am thankful for the privilege of being a [stay-at-home] mother. Even though I always thought I would have a daughter, I am thrilled that my boys are the best of friends and wonderful playmates.

As my tagline says, I am a self proclaimed princess who gave up a career in corrections for stay-at-home-mom royalty. I have a truck-load of quirks and I am gifted in the art of conversation. Just ask anybody. I enjoyed my time in jail very much but I enjoy motherhood even more. I love the Saturn Sky, Reality TV, and Dr. Pepper. I am also a Longaberger consultant and scrapbooker.

This blog is like a bag of chex mix. Sometimes you get a boring ole raisin and sometimes you get the M&M. Either way, when enjoyed together, it is a great mix.

I have talked at length about my funeral, watching an embalming and even pap smears. Some days I talk about my sweet boys, my hubby or my Jesus.

Although I realize you have a lot of stops to make, I invite you to nose around and enjoy my daily dose of crazy. Believe me, there is plenty to go around.

It was nice meeting you! I hope to see you soon! Many thanks to Household6 Divafor hosting this party for those of us who couldn’t make it to blissdom.

There is nothing in life that makes me happier than the three special fellas in my life. Well, except maybe, a big, fat diamond, or a chili pepper red Saturn Sky.

Oh, I kid.

Sort of.

Especially when the three special fellas are smiling. And sometimes, even when they are not smiling because I love them unconditionally even when they won’t smile for my camera because they are too darn stubborn. (Ahem!)

Have a look at my sweet Alex Ryan (who will smile for my camera if I beg plead bribe -

And my sweet boy, Stevie (who will smile for my camera on demand just because that’s what you’re supposed to do when a camera is pointed in your general vacinity) -

And their sweet dad, McDaddy (who would rather have a tooth pulled than smile for my camera), well maybe not a for-real tooth pulled, but you get my point, right?

Dang, he’s handsome.

You might recognize this girl (who smiles for my camera every. single. time. because she’s crazy like that!) who is blessed beyond measure -

Yes indeed, just face it – Faces make me so happy!

For more happy faces, visit Beth’s place – I Should Be Folding Laundry.