Independence at it's finest

Elli decided that she would walk home with Lex for a while. However, today she had cheerleading practice so I decided to walk up and meet him. He was waiting at the door with the lady in charge and I hear him say, "there's my parent." As he proceeds to walk PAST me he says, "I have papers for you" and then proceeds to walk a minimum of twenty feet ahead of me the entire way. Um, I think he's okay to walk by himself. He does love me, right???

Sleeping with puppies

Both boys still sleep with puppies at night. I'll start with Nate. He has two puppies from Build-A-Bear. Both of the puppies have full outfits so that the actual cost when I check out is around $50 a bear. Nice, huh? And I couldn't have come up with this idea why?? I digress...
I mention the outfits because neither. puppies. have. clothes. on. Dang, I am apparently quite upset by this whole clothes for animals things.
Anyways, Nate goes to bed with both of his puppies. His "regular" puppy and his "new" puppy. He hugs them both and that's how I find him when I check on him before I go to bed.
Lex has a puppy that was given to him by Erik's dad when he was about 2 months old. He sleeps with this thing all the time. It is so ratty and loved. Apparently, it kept falling on the floor during the night so Lex used his brain to fix that problem. He just shoved the puppy in his boxer shorts with his head sticking out. Kind of like a kangaroo and her joey. Yep. I just compared my kid to a kangaroo. I went in the other night to cover him up and this is how I found him. I literally had to run out of the room because I could not control my laughter. I doubled over and laughed for a good five minutes. Oh, the things that I find in this house...Blackmail!!!

Lex goes to kindergarten!!!!!

He came downstairs at 6:32 AM fully dressed. I'd say he was a tad bit excited. He quickly brushed his teeth, ate his cereal and then was ready for Elli to pick him up and walk to school. I informed him that I wanted some pictures of his first day and he wanted me to take them right then so as I did not have to walk to school with him. I'm trying to find comfort in the fact that he is an independent person. He really does love me, right? So, we get all ready, backpack on and lunch box in hand and head outside to snap a few shots. I think I got three and he told me that was plenty. *sigh*
So, Heidi gets here with Elli and he is out the door telling her to take the shortcut and, "Let's go!" I literally had to call him back to tell him good-bye so as I would not do it at school and to remind him that I would be walking behind him today and where I would meet him after school. Nate cried the entire.way.to.school. because he wanted to walk WITH Lex not behind him. Oh, fun times. And, because Nate wanted to wear his backpack like his brother, people thought he was going to kindergarten and I"m yelling at this kid going to school for the first time. Did I mention fun times??
Anyways, we get there and he is to go into the cafeteria where he meets up with some friends. I take them all down to their room. Lex is off like a flash. Pretty much wants nothing to do with me. A bit independent. I said that, right? So, I managed a few more pictures that he didn't notice. Then, I told him we were leaving. No tears!!! I asked for strength last night during my night prayer and He gave it to me. No tears in front of Lex. Be strong.
So, as I get ready to leave, he called me over and gave me a kiss and told me he loved me. I told him I loved him too and would see him later. Walked back home and was strong with no tears.
Now, as I writing this. I am crying like a baby. My baby is growing up. This is good thing. No, this is a great thing. I have had the pleasure of raising a wonderful young man. I can sit and think of all the things I could have, should have and would have done differently over the past five years but I refuse to do that. I will choose to think of only the positives, how we can grow and where we will go in the future. I am a lucky, lucky Mom.

Nate fought the door and the...door won

Well, not really. I just can't stop singing that song lately and it fit for what happened to him this weekend. We were at Eisenhower for their open house. Nate managed to run right into an open door and slam the left side of his face into it. There was a red mark and small bump, but he seemed okay. He woke up this morning and looked like a boxer! (It doesn't help that he has a sweatshirt on with the hood up.) His left eye is all swollen and bruised. Poor kiddo. He hasn't complained at all. What a trooper!

Rough night sleeping

Full day kindergarten is right around the corner. I've known this. I've prepared Lex for it. I thought I prepared myself for it. And then...last night it hit me. He's going to be gone all day long! He is so ready and so excited for it it's almost crazy. I am so incredibly happy that he's independent and ready for this monumental step in his (and mine!) life. He told me he didn't want me to walk with him on the first day. He's walking with his cousin, Elli. *sigh* I am happy for this step. I really am. Just last night I started thinking of all the coulda, shoulda, wouldas of the last five years at home with him. I got a little teary last night thinking about it. But, I can't think of the past. I can think of the good things. Is he spirited? Hell yea! And, I wouldn't have that any other way. I let him be a kid! I let him be all boy! For the most part he's respectful. I did say he's a kid, right? He finds the positive in almost everything. I can say with all my heart that he truly enjoys life and it is so visible on his face. He prays every night with me. He prays for other other people. He gets as much (if not more) joy watching people open presents that he purchased for them than opening his own gifts. I think overall we've had a pretty damn good five years at home together. I really am one lucky Mom.

The Leamon boys tired out baby Simion

Yep. They did. We went up to visit for the day. We got there right around lunchtime. The boys were so excited to see Aunt Hollie and baby Simion. (Poor Simion will forever be baby until this family has another one to dote on.) They played with toys and then devoured lunch. Then, it was outside to run around in the yard and take a little walk in the woods. More playtime back home while Simion laid down for a nap. We decided now would be a good time for some pool time. After that, it was more playtime and then dinner! Who doesn't love a dinner of mountain pies and s'mores!?! More playtime in the yard. At that point, Simion stopped playing and laid right down in the yard. Hollie busted out laughing and took a picture of him and said she was going to label it, "A Day with the Leamon's." Apparently, he doesn't normally get that tired that he just has to lay down and rest in the middle of the yard. He did it three times within the hour. I guess my boys tired him out. He ended up being up about two hours past his normal bedtime. And, the Leamon boys were completely out within twenty minutes of their house. A good, no, a great time was had by all!

I must be doing something right...

Yesterday we were all outside doing some yard work. As I was walking across one area of our yard, in which a certain dog we no longer have dug holes in, I fell. I mean I FELL. I could feel my ankle twist and knew right away it was going to be bad. So, I tried, in the whole millisecond I had, to throw my weight off of that ankle. I went face first to the ground. Like a plank. Yep. Thank the Lord, my face didn't hit because I would have easily broken my nose. Pretty sure I jammed my shoulder right up into my neck. (To say I'm sore today would be an understatement.) It hurt so bad that I literally couldn't see anything and my face sort of felt numb. Lex ran right over and asked if I was okay. He then said, "Here, give me your hand and I'll help you up." I couldn't even move. I had to lay there for a few minutes. He yells, "Nate! Come over here. Mom tripped and she needs our help." I managed to get up and thank them. Then, they both went over to another part of the yard and picked some some wild flowers for me because, "they will make you feel better." Man, I love those kids.

Reality

I think I am going to have a huge reality dose next week when Lex goes to school. Nate will too. The boys had a really hard time around mid-summer when they realized Bailey wasn't coming back here for school. Last summer, they were okay with her leaving because we constantly talked about when she would be coming back. About mid-July they started to ask again. We've had to really talk to them a lot about her not coming back here until Christmas time. It was hard for them. Really hard for them. They would both tell me how much they missed her and how they wanted her to be here so they could do different things with her. I want to take their pain away. I think Nate is going to go through that again (and me) when Lex goes to kindergarten next week. He's been here with us all day every day. Now, he'll be gone five days a week from 8 until 3. That's going to be a hard pill to swallow. With the boys being here by themselves this summer, they've had some serious bonding time. I've been trying to prepare Lex for school and, in turn, he's been preparing Nate for him not being here for hours during the day. We'll get it through it. It's life. But, it's definitely going to be bittersweet. Now excuse me while I have good cry because my babies are growing up...

New school shoes

Went out a few weeks ago and got Lex his new school shoes. He wanted a specific pair of light up ones. These were the most expensive pair of shoes I have ever purchased for him. But, I do believe in buying the kids a good pair of sneakers as they usually last all year long. I told him he was not allowed to wear them until he went to school. He gladly agreed and put them up in the shoe holder on the back of the door and they have stayed there ever since. I then went out about two weeks ago to buy Nate his school shoes. He's starting preschool so I figured it was time for him to get a pair of good shoes too. No hand-me-downs this year. He also wanted light up shoes. He was super excited to see them and wanted to wear them immediately outside. I told him he could not wear them outside until school started, but he was welcome to wear them in the house for now. He refused to do that because we "don't wear shoes in the house, Mommy!" Why is it they pick certain times to listen to the rules????

Nighttime...will it ever be normal?

I admit it, we co-sleep. When the boys were brought home, they slept in their bassinet in our room for six months before we moved them into their own room in their crib. When they woke up, it was just easier for all of us, to just bring them to bed with us and then we all got sleep. Both boys were out of their cribs and into the toddler bed with they were between 24-26 months old. Both boys realized at around 3 years of age that they could GET OUT OF BED and come into ours in the middle of the night. I admit, I would just lift them up into the bed, cover them up and go right back to sleep. Erik did the same thing. Now, however, it's still happening. Lex is five. About a year ago, when I felt him coming into bed (I should have said IF), I would get up and take him back to his room. He wanted me to lay down with him for a minute, so I did (he is in a twin sized bed). Now, if I don't get up right away, he'll just climb into bed. If Nate is already there, he'll just sleep at the bottom and I won't know until I go to turn and my covers won't move. Nate, is now 3, and is still climbing into our bed. I don't mind; however, if he can't sleep, he wants to talk and/or sing. Yep, the ABCs, twinkle, twinkle, etc. Yep, singing. I love sleeping like this, most of the time. I do not like being woken up because *I* moved wrong on *my* pillow. I do like waking up and realizing that I have a whole six inches in which to "spread out" while everyone else in my bed is comfy. I have been leaving my bed and going to sleep in Lex's bed by myself. *sigh* This too shall pass. Enjoy them while they are little. Soon, they will be grown up and won't want to cuddle with me.

Fighting over the vacuum

Yep, you read that correctly. The boys were actually fighting over the vacuum cleaner and today and who go to do the sweeping. At first I was irritated that they were arguing and then I realized that this could seriously work to my advantage. I started Lex downstairs sweeping. Then, I took Nate upstairs and let him go at it with the upstairs vacuum. (Don't ask about why I have two vacuums, that will come out later.) It was pure bliss. Two vacuums running at once and I was sitting down!!! Honestly, I think they did this for a good 45 minutes. :)

A quick prayer for rain

We haven't had a Wii for the past few months. Erik went out and bought one the other day. Lex is obsessed with playing video games. Yesterday, I "forced" him to go outside. This is the child, who normally, I have to force to come inside! So, needless to say, it's a bit of a change. Today he wakes up and wants to play the Wii. I let him, for a while, and then tell him it's off. He wants to know when he can play the Wii again. I tell him he's not playing again during the day unless it's raining. He says to me, "I'll be right back. I have to do something private." He walks out the backdoor and I hear him whisper, "Dear God, I really want to play the Wii again. Can you make it rain soon so I can? Thank you. Amen." Then, he walks back inside, looks at me with a sly little grin on his face and says, "I'll be able to play again soon."

Praying for the Word of Boys

Well, I've been reading the Bible daily again. It's so great to read it with new eyes. The last time I read the Bible I was in high school. Now, I feel like I am so different in my walk with God. I feel like a different person and, add to that, a mother and wife. It's just unique to me to see this Living Word in a different perspective.

So, along those same lines, I'm going to pray for my sons. I pray daily, but I'm going to try something a bit different. I'm going to pray for 21 days following The Warrior Prayers-Praying the Word for Boys; 21 Days of Prayer for Sons-Fall 2011. Here is the link to the facebook invitation: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=249108918441695. Will you join me?

I'm excited to post daily on this. I cannot wait to go back and read this blog with my sons in years to come and see the exciting changes that have taken place in our walk with God and our life overall.

bed time

Every night before bed, the boys and I have some alone time. I sit on the floor next to Nate's bed (he's still in a toddler bed) and we go through the day together. We talk about our favorite parts and then we pray together. Lots of hugs and kisses and he's out within a few minutes. Then, I'm on to Lex's room. I lay next to him and we talk about the day and our favorite parts and we pray together. I have come to realize that this time is really special to the three of us. Although we are together a lot, this time is different in so many ways. It's just hard to explain. It's one of my favorite parts of the day. :)

This and That

The other day the boys and I went for a walk/bike ride. My bike is broken, so I walked. Anyways, Nate and I brought up the rear while Lex was ahead. He was waiting for us at the end of our driveway when Nate and I got there. I thought I heard him say he had to go pee so I told him I would go unlock the door. He informed me that he already did. "What do you mean you already did? The door is locked." He informs me, "I went in the yard." Now, keep in mind, we live right in town. "Buddy, you cannot pee in our backyard!" "Oh Mom, I didn't pee in our yard, I peed in our neighbors yard." Oy!

Last night, Nate was upset because Lex either hurt him or hurt his feelings, I can't remember which. So as he's crying on my lap I ask him if we should give Lex to another family (a running joke for us). He shakes his head no. "Are you sure you want him to live with us?" Nate looks at me, with tears in his eyes and says, "No, he needs to find a new house." I ask him where Lex should live. He asks me, excitedly, "Can we build him a tree house out back to live in?!"

Pretty sure the world is ending

This is what I told my husband last night. For the past few days the boys have been getting along. I don't mean getting along most of the time, I mean ACTUALLY getting along! I know, right? Let me give some examples of this. The past few months, Nate has decided that whatever Lex picks up, he instantly has to have. And, with that, he is going to cry, yell, stomp and refuse to leave my side (while doing the aforementioned) until he gets that toy. I try hard to talk him through it, how Lex had it first, talk with Lex about sharing soon, etc. Lately, when this happens, Lex will hold onto said toy for just another minute or two and then say, "Here Nate, I'll find something else to play with, you can have this." He's not saying it to get Nate to stop crying either. I asked him! He honestly just wanted to share with his brother, his words! I'm kind of at a loss for mine.
They've been saying good night to each other, helping each other, sharing with each other, playing nicely with each other, well, you get the idea. I'm telling you, I don't know what to think of it all. Except, it truly lets me sit back and watch them enjoy each other and I get to fully enjoy that. I feel like now they are really "brothers" in all sense of the word. I'm one lucky Momma!