Memories of Kids

I want to remember the little things and sometimes when I am getting ready for bed or rocking livy to sleep I think about all the little things my kids did that were so cute that I will write in my journal (AKA Blog), and not five minutes later I have forgotten them...so here is a short list of things that will hopefully trigger my memory of the little fun times with such adorable kids:

Livy dancing down the aisles of the grocery store like she is doing the hokey-pokey with her hands going up and down. She does this a lot. But it is especially cute when you see other shoppers stopping to stare and laugh, because she is usually singing a song as she goes. (some of her favorites lately are Taylor Swift, the joy school welcome song, "he has tant ee heyr"- her name for I am a child of God., and twinkle, twinkle little star).

Livy standing out in front of the check out counter while the cashier is ringing up the groceries and stopping her one foot forward and yelling in her deep voice "HI" to everyone that walks by. Or "BOO". It is really cute and kind of embarrassing at the same time. But it is really funny to watch people's reactions. Some step away, others laugh and wave and say hi back, and then there are those that immediately look around for her mother and roll their eye's with that smirk that says-"Are you kidding me."...it really is pretty funny, especially because it is so Livy.

Livy wearing her yellow rain boots to church today. And I didn't fight it today...it was one of those mornings. And again, because of this little girls cute, spit fire, fun personality, it just me laugh. (the old me would have either forced her to wear different shoes and have her kick and scream and yell, or been so embarrassed of what others might be thinking about how I could ever let my child wear yellow rain boots to church. But today I laughed and let it make me smile whenever I looked at her. And Livy, it did rain today on our walk home from church, so good for you for wearing your rain gear.)

I want to remember how eager Brooke has been to do her "secret service". We did an FHE lesson on service and we all picked names out of a hat of who we would serve. And even though it is kind of totally pointless for Jackson and Livy, it has been such an awesome activity for Brooke. And she asks all the time if we did our service or lets us know what service she has done for Jackson.

I want to remember how in love these girls are with their little brother. Brooke will play, hold, "read", set up toys and pillows, kiss, feed and just enjoy this boy. She CANNOT get enough of him. Last night at the table she looks up at me with a huge smile and her eyes of excitement and says, "Mom, isn't that so great that Jackson got a tooth. It is so great! He is so cute!" Livy loves to sit next to him in the high chair (of course this is after a little tantrum becasue she is not in the high chair) and yells "hi" in his face and they both laugh and laugh. Then she has to feed him a few bites of food. Then she goes to find any toy that is near (even if it is not a toy) to give it to jackson and sit next to him and tell him all about the object she just gave him. On friday when i was putting Livy down for a nap, Brooke was in charge of Jackson. She kept calling me to come look. You could hear the excitement in her voice. "Mom, come quick you have to see this. Jackson is SOOOO cute. Mom! Hurry!." When I finally got out to the family room, she had taken jackson's onesie off around his shoulders and belly and was tickling his belly and sides and making him laugh and laugh and laugh. It really was cute. And it was even cuter that she was so excited about it and was enjoying it so much. Every night she still has to give him ten thousand hugs and kisses and loves (as she calls it) before she gets in bed (and after she gets in bed-and after jackson gets in bed...the wanting for more loves to give to Jackson never ends. And I am grateful for it.)

I want to remember how considerate brooke is becoming of others. If I sit in the chair at night for a little bit she always asks if i would like a warm blanket from her closet. Last night it was, "Mom, I can get you a warm blanket from my closet if you want, or there is a blanket on the back of your chair. You can put it over your legs." And today, after putting Livy down for a nap, I came out to the family room and she had put Jackson's blankets on ben's legs and lap because he had fallen asleep. She said, "Mom, look, i tried to make dad comfortable and warm. Isn't that good."

I want to remember how important it is to tell and show Brooke how much I love her. She has asked about five times a day for the last three days that even if I am mad at her do I still love her. Even if she does something wrong, will I still love her? Even if she forgets to do her chore will I still love her? She is going to be a girl that needs and wants a lot of verbal and physical affection, and I need to remember that to be a good mom to her.

I want to remember how smiley Jackson is. I want his belly laugh to be ingrained in my memory forever.

The Kids

Jackson is sitting up for about 10 seconds now. He is a bit top heavy, so he wobbles. (Angie said it reminds her of the little weeble-wobbles they used to have.) He has this little chuckle he does now, where he almost starts to laugh. It is so cute. His skin is so soft. His cheeks are so big and cute. I love how he strokes my hand when he nurses. His hands are so soft and it brings back memories of the girls. Brooke always grabbed my side under my arm when she nursed, and Livy always wrapped her tiny hand around one of my fingers and held tight til she was done eating. I love those precious memories, and I love when they just come flooding back when you feel a similar touch. J is really into grabbing his feet and looking at his feet. About two weeks ago it was all about his hands. He stared at them as if they were magic. And now he grabs his toes and rocks from side to side. He loves to hold things in his hands and chew on things. He continues to be a drooler. His biggest fans are still Brooke and Livy. Brooke asks to hold him every ten minutes or so. And especially loves to hug him and kiss him before bed. Livy is following suit.

Livy is sooo cute. She loves to sing. And picks up full songs just from brooke singing them a few times when she gets home from pre-school. She also asks ten times a day to go on an airplane to see Cami. "Please Mom." is what I hear a lot from her. And the last few days she has added that she wants to go to disneyland with Grandma and Boppy. "Not you, mom." She LOVEs to wear shoes. And they have to be mismatched. One white, one black. And they are both dress shoes. Thankfully for church she would wore both white ones without much of a fight. When I got them out of the box, they looked brand new, as Brooke hadn't worn them out, but they are so worn after only three weeks that I am going to have to buy her different dress shoes. Two weeks ago it was her yellow rain boots. I am sure next week she will find something new. She also loves to wear her monkey shirts that grandma bout her and her doggy shirt. She doesn't go anywhere without her "packpack" stuffed with her baby doll and cell phone and doggy blanket. It is really cute! She is talking so well now. And this past week she started saying Yes very clearly so it makes her sound even more grown up. Before she would say yeoh, and it was kind of hard to differentiate yes and no. She still loves her sippy cup of rice milk, cuddling with mommy at nap time and loves, loves, loves riding her bike with "Boodtie" (Brookie). She still loves to color and is into writing (or thinking she is writing) letters. She copies Brooke and will get out a paper and pen and start saying "ut next, mom" meaning what letter is next mom, because that is what she hears brooke say to me when she is practicing her letters. It is really cute.

Brooke is getting sooo tall! She has found a new love for My littlest Pet shop. It is a great prize for the end of the week chart! It is fun to listen to her and Livy play with them. She loves preschool (except for Bruce who is constantly hitting her). She is trying to learn how to read and is picking up words amazingly well. (I say trying because she tells me she wants to read and then it is like going into battle when I try to teach her). She loves to be read to. She is still a very sensitive and kind little girl. She is starting to be very helpful around the house. I love that she loves to help her dad clean. (sometimes i wish she loved to help me clean, but I will take what I can get.) She is obsessed with riding her bike. Every time we go outside to get in the car, she has to ride her bike up and down the driveway a few times first. I love that she is so confident in it, she is constantly showing me new "tricks". She is a great big sister. She loves to help Livy and Jackson. Livy doesn't like the helping so much, but Jackson just goos and gahs when she is around. She runs into his room to tickle him whenever she hears me changing his diaper. She is really into wearing thick headbands with her hair straight down. And she always wants to be colorful. (Sometimes I will ask her to change her shirt or headband because it doesn't exactly go, and her response to me is, "But Mom, I want to be colorful today.") She still loves to color, draw and write letters.