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Buddies!!

The boy and his buddy Emily at the bouncy house.

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On our way to the bouncy house.

The boy is QUITE excited.

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The boy refused milk this morning, insisting instead on apple.

I expect him to ask for coffee any day now.

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Wow coooooool!

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Happy Easter Egg!

the big 3

As many of you have started asking what the boy would like for his Big 3... here's a link to his Amazon Wish List. ANYTHING off of the list works! We've done lots of culling of the toys, and analyzing what he REALLY plays with - and we think this list best represents what he would want.

Now - don't get me wrong - he doesn't need/want EVERYTHING. I just put lots of options so you can choose what YOU want to give him.

We don't want anyone to be offended by our list - we just really are trying to avoid having to store toys we know the boy will not play with.

A quick cheat sheet would be:
Duplo blocks
Wooden Thomas and Friends EnginesBooks
PlayDough/Art Supplies
Musical Instruments

Love you all.

Explore Jasper's Wish List

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Trains in trouble?
Have no fear!

Super J to the rescue!

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I love how he makes a nest.

Reminds me of someone...

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Will they grow...?

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Today my son took a nap.

Not the
fall-asleep-in-the-car/mom's bed/couch/high-chair/floor
kind of nap.

No, he took an honest-to-god,
walk into his bedroom,
climb into his bed,
throw a tantrum (the boy not mama),
pet his head and say soft words (mama not the boy),
drift off ON HIS OWN,
kind of nap.

Mark my words, this may
or may not
happen again.

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I KNEW the new "Dora" cereal would be a hit ... (that bowl was full)

Jasper says "mmmm tasty!"

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This boy is ready to ride...

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Today I found a blog post written by a local stay-at-home mom... I really just wanted to record it here as she is DEAD ON. 

***

"It is a joy to be a mom. Let me start by saying that. This journey that starts with so much expectation of the unknown, so much waiting, until finally a child is brought forth in patience, blood and pain and most importantly, excitement. The promise of new life. The hope for what will someday come to fruition with much hard work. There is not anything that can compare with the joy of being a mother. There is nothing like it in the world.

"But there is also nothing like the trials of motherhood. To be completely honest, the last couple of weeks have been very difficult for me as a mom. Often, I feel completely alone, struggling to make sense of the emotions that I feel. I feel guiltly, I feel frustrated, I feel exhausted. I think that's what I rotate through the most. Some days, I just want to quit, you know, like you would be able to quit a job. I find myself saying "I quit" under my breath during a temper tantrum or difficult naptime, like I actually could put in my two weeks!

"I talk to moms that have gone back to work and when they find out that I stay at home with Jude, the most common response I get is "wow, that must be hard – I don't think I could do that." Yeah. It is hard. Harder than anything I have ever done before. Harder than my job in an office. And I don't get paid for my hard work. At least not with money. There are days that I wish with all my heart that I could just drop my kiddo off with someone else so that I could go back to work. To wear 'business casual' once more. No screaming tantrums. No finding banana stuck to the bottom of my shoe after I've walked all over the house. No disciplining stress. The predictability of the workplace is something I miss the most. I'm pretty sure none of my old co-workers or clients would ever through themselves down on the floor in the middle of the street, screaming at the top of their lungs because I wanted them to be safe. Oh goodness no.

"At the same time, I value the fact that I get to stay home with my child. I know not everyone has this opportunity and I am grateful for it. These days will never come again and I'm sure that one day I will look back on them with fondness, daydreaming about the age that Jude would sit on my lap and read a book, or want me to write the alphabet over and over again. It's such a duality of good and bad, difficulty and joy. Some days I laugh at the idea of being a part of the corporate world – I mean, who would trade work for playing in the rain with your child, hearing him count to ten for the first time or nap time? But other days, after an endless string of sickness, teething, laundry, whining, ironing, tantrums, messes and cleaning, those days seem bleak and pointless. Like the impact of my life will not be felt very far.

"And I know, everyone is going to say that this is completely normal to feel these things, to feel so lost and alone. I know it. In my brain I can recognize that I am going through something common, but in my heart. . . it's a different story. Isn't that always the way?

"And with that, I will leave you all with a quote that comforts me on days that I feel like my task at hand is small and meaningless. It reminds me how important what I am doing really is . . .

"To be Queen Elizabeth within a definite area, deciding sales, banquets, labours, and holidays; to be Whitely within a certain area, providing toys, boots, cakes and books; to be Aristotle within a certain area, teaching morals, manners, theology, and hygiene; I can imagine how this can exhaust the mind, but I cannot imagine how it could narrow it. How can it be a large career to tell other people about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one's own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone and narrow to be everything to someone? No, a woman's function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute." G.K. Chesterton

Courtesy of Think Liz

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"turn corner train!"

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I hate it when he's sick... But I LOVE how snuggly it makes him.

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We're pretty snotty around here... Looks like a Dora day.

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We may be sneezy... But we're sneezing at the park.

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Num num num. Pancakes.

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It's like watching a snake eat a mouse. Slow, smooshy, and intent.

That poor sandwich never had a chance.

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Just a quick snapshot.

...

Life is good.

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I'm no super-smoothie-maker (AKA daddy), but I can pull it in a pinch.

Especially when the boy requests - no - DEMANDS ice cream for breakfast.