The Perfect Toy Finally Found!

After we bought Aidan's big car seat we had a giant box leftover. Jayson immediately adopted it and we've had it for almost two weeks now. I would love to throw it away since our apartment is already so small, but everyday it's something different and important, like a rocket ship, oven, house, mailbox, cave, tent, boat, fire engine, bed, and others that I have forgotten. It's becoming tattered now and it's days are numbered, but it's been a good life for that old box.








On Saturday Aidan and I attended our first Mommy and Me swim class. He loved it! I don't know which of us was shivering more, so we'll have to invest in some warmer swimwear.









Also, on Friday morning we went to the grand reopening of the Smithsonian Museum of American History, where Jayson got to meet R2-D2! This was especially poignant, because we bought Wall-E the animated movie a couple of days before. It's about a Robot who is terribly lonely and meets a friend, Eva. Jayson was deeply affected by the movie, and cried when Wall-E was almost destroyed and Eva brought him back from wherever it is that robots' minds go to after suffering an "emotional" breakdown. Jayson has been very sensitive lately, which is sort of the opposite of what I thought would happen to him once he started going to school. He's so sweet though, and was very touched to meet R2-D2 and he tried to explain to the robot that we had to go see other stuff in the museum when it was time to go on. He was a little teary-eyed. He has no plans to watch Wall-E anytime soon, because it's too violent (so he told me).

Last week my mother visited us for a whole week (yeah!) and we had a lot of fun.



She went with us to Jayson's swim class and we did some touristy stuff. Aidan (of course) got sick just in time for her to come so she rode the Metro all by herself to see the museums at the National Mall. She didn't get lost at all, which is more than I can say for our overnight stay to Manhattan. Jay came home on Saturday morning from Oakland so my mom and I left the boys with him and rode the Chinatown bus up. The Subway system is rather more complex than the DC Metro, but wqe made it alive and even got some great shopping in! My mom can shop like no one else I know. It's a talent.




On her last day here we all went to Old Town Alexandria then to Arlington Cemetery where it was freezing then dropped her off at the airport and went sadly home. Three days later as we were eating dinner, Jayson looked around and said "oh, where's Grandma!?" We reminded him that we had dropped her at the airport a few days earlier and he thought about it then said, "oh, with Grandpa. That's fun. It's fun at Grandpa's house...I want to go there!"

It's Hard to Grow up!

Today I had several realizations that my children are growing up and I need another baby. I'm so reluctant for Aidan to experience the milestones that prove your child to be a toddler, no longer a baby! He was weighed at the doctor today (he has bronchialitis AGAIN so they prescribed a steroid to use in his nebulizer)and he is well over the 20 pound weight requirement to move him from his rear facing car seat. I don't know why I was so shocked when I realized that in one month when he turns one we'll be putting him in a "big boy" car seat like Jayson. I'm seriously crying a little bit while I type this. I don't want them to grow up. I really don't. Today after I picked Jayson up from preschool we went to the pharmacy for Aidan's RX and while I waited in line Jayson went over to check his blood pressure. I know that there's a sign that says no children or whatever, but I've always felt that since my child is so advanced and responsible for his age that sign doesn't really refer to him (ha, ha). I wasn't worried at all because he does it every time..he sits down, puts his arm in, waits for the beep, and comes back to tell me what the machine says about his heart. I forgot to watch him while I paid and when I was done I turned to find Jayson standing, looking at me. As soon as I said "oh, hi" he started sobbing. His face just crumbled. I looked over at the 12 year old that had been sitting in the chair next to the machine but he was just reading a book. I asked Jayson what was wrong but he wouldn't even talk to me. I started to get worried that someone had hurt him or who knows what. Finally, after I took him out to the car and we were driving away he told me that that boy had told him the machine wasn't a toy and had turned it off. I kept asking him if the boy had hurt him or hit him or said something mean but Jayson said no. He was just completely crushed and ashamed that the boy had told him not to play on it. I have never seen Jayson's feelings hurt like that and it was heart-breaking! He has perfect self-esteem (up until now). That's one of my favorite things about him...his absolute assurance that everyone loves him and each other. His eyes were opened to the realities of growing up: self doubt, embarrassment, shame. He suddenly seemed so young and vulnerable to me. I hate that they have to grow up. I know that it's unavoidable and necessary, but I just wish I could protect them from pain, grief, hate, and every other thing they'll encounter in this world while they're in it. I guess all I can do is try to help them see the good in things. I need to get prego stat before I become irrational over Jays and Aidy.

Hi Daddy!

It's only been two nights and one and a half days but we really miss Jay! Nothing is as fun without him here, although much more organized. That's not really a very good trade. The boys and I went to vote today and there were no lines, which was really nice. I changed all of the batteries in toys that needed them replaced and sterilized all of the Legos and bouncy balls in the dishwasher. Jayson has been a "life gardener" all day and insists on blowing his whistle and telling me and Aidan when we can or cannot walk, eat, talk, etc. He didn't wear his life jacket today, for which I'm grateful because sitting in a car seat with a life jacket is never a great idea. In fact, it's impossible. Don't expect Jayson to agree with that statement: I spent a long time trying to convince him of it while I tried to pry his fingers off of the buckles to get it off yesterday so we could go to the grocery store. It's 3:00 here and I have the worst chocolate craving, and Jay really hid the Halloween candy well before he left this time! I've looked everywhere I could think of. I'm going to go look some more, but I do hope I don't actually find it

Tonight's Jaysonism

Tonight for scripture study we read about Saul in the New Testament and how he fell down and heard the voice of Jesus Christ. After I read it, Jayson said, "yesterday when I was big (that's his usual way of starting a whopper) I was walking and I fell down and I heard Jesus and he said (in a deep voice)'Oh, why did you fall down? I didn't know you.' and I said 'Oh, it's me, Jayson. I think there was a stone. (he's been very specific about rocks orstones or boulders. They're all different.)' and Jesus said, 'are you okay?' and I said, 'ya, I'm okay.' and that's all." My favorite part of that story was the voice change he made to differentiate between himself and Jesus, I guess for my sake, so I wouldn't confuse the two of them. I guess the important thing is that he was listening to the scripture. Pretty much.