Its a Wonderful Life {Holiday Highlight}

Every January brings a customary greeting between friends and acquaintances, an instinctual question following the initial "Hi" or "How are you?"

"How was your Christmas?"

There are the standard responses you come to expect.

"It was great!"

"Oh, it was so busy."

"Would you believe Justin nearly killed himself stringing up the lights again?"

And then there is my response this year.

I pause. I chuckle a little to myself. I look up at the sky as I try to find the right words, while you stand there thinking: "Jody, this is not a hard question. Did you have a good Christmas or not?"

Ahhh yes, Christmas.  It really was a beautiful Christmas. Indeed, we had a good Christmas.

Christmas is always an amazing and magical time of year.  Children make it even more magical.

Children also make Christmas chaotic. 

Why I have to keep reminding myself of this is beyond me. But each and every December, a part of me still fantasizes about that Hallmark Christmas where I wake peacefully before my children and have a few moments to enjoy my morning coffee before the three of them wander out from their bedrooms, eyes sparkling at the sight of the tree and presents.

Hallmark said nothing about changing dirty diapers before the coffee was even brewing, or refereeing two toddlers as they duke it out over the single phonics toy they just unwrapped. As their fighting was reduced to ear-splitting screams at one another, I found myself wondering exactly why I thought one phonics toy would be a good idea for two toddlers.

{insert forehead smack here}

By the way, I so seldom have to admit I am wrong that when I do - even when I merely type the words - it sends out a little vibration. A tremor, if you will. And just like that, the hubs feels it all the way from the next room: "What's that, honey?  Of course you were wrong. Everyone knows you never buy one toy for two babies."

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

What I'm saying is that somewhere along the way (before Christmas, obviously) I forgot how busy the toddler stage is - how much constant tending a parent must do to keep a child from climbing too high, playing in the toilet, biting their sibling(s), slamming their fingers in doors, pulling down a Christmas tree...  and its that crazy with just one toddler. Throw in another one, plus a few not-so-routine Christmas activities like photos with Santa, a few late nights, some traveling, playing with cousins, and opening new toys (just not two phonics toys) and you've got yourself a wild ride.

A few days before Christmas I finished sewing Kendry's Christmas jammies while watching Its a Wonderful Life. One of my favorites.

If you've seen it, you know the part where George comes home at the end of the day, downtrodden and sure he is about to lose everything. He gets irritated over and over again, until Mary finally says, "George, what's wrong?"

George replies: "Wrong? Everything is wrong...Why did we have to have all these kids?"

And just like that I was laughing and laughing, and then nearly crying.

We really do have a wonderful life.

We adore each of our children, and thank the Lord for them every day. 

But occasionally I convince myself that our holidays, our mornings, our life - should look like that movie, that magazine cover, that blog, and I forget how to simply live in our NOW - and be thankful for our now.

Our now this Christmas was special.  

We watched the boys perform in their Christmas programs, although 'perform' might be too strong a word for Cohen, as evidenced in the video.

We made gingerbread houses with friends.

We rode with Santa on his Harley.

We made silly snacks.

We continued to form our own family traditions - attending Christmas Eve service, making homemade pizzas for dinner and then opening Christmas jammies.

There was a little basketball.

There was a little snow.

There was a lot of extra volume with Kendry's new guitar and the twins' new blocks, which incidentally make an incredible crash against our hard floors.

But our now this Christmas also included some chaos, and that is okay.  That is real.

"Please just sit still for one second...at the same time..."

So when you ask me "How was your Christmas?" I will be real with you. This Christmas was a lot of work, but it was wonderful.

Oh, and I totally made up the part about Justin nearly killing himself while stringing up the lights.

That was two years ago.

For the Love of Reading

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We began reading to Kendry at an early age.  Over time this made it easy to establish a bedtime reading routine – some of our most cherished, quiet moments with our little man.

We still read at least one story before tucking Kendry in for the night, and lately he has started reading some to us. Fortunately, he has moved on from the Dr. Seuss obsession he had at age 2. In fact, he prefers a nice variety these days - from chapter books like Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing to his early reader Bible, and pretty much anything by Mo Willems. Last month he demanded we check out a geography book about Yemen.

Like I said, variety.  And variety means our couch isn't "eating" many books these days.

I would love to tell you I read to the littles in their first 6-8 months of life, but honestly…and it pains me to admit this…I really don’t know where the time went those 6-8 months. 

Or where my memory went, for that matter.  Although I very clearly remember this stage:

By the way, if you called me during that 6-8 month stretch and I still haven't returned your call, please don't be offended. Rest assured you are not the only one.

Much to my chagrin, up until their 16 month mark the twins' only interest in books was yanking them off the shelf - a very sore point for this OCD mama. After too many times stacking the books back up on the shelf nicely (spines out, of course), I finally threw in the towel. Totally not worth the stress.

FYI: any mommy blogger who displays pictures of her 5 and under kiddo's bookshelves looking all neat and tidy is lying.  Lying!

Ideal:

Reality:

Before punishing myself too much over the littles' lack of love for the written word, I came to two realizations.

Point #1:  In order to effectively read a book to a toddler one must first get the toddler to sit still. As in, stay in one place for more than two seconds.

Bwaa ha haa haaa!

Point #2:  In a situation with two toddlers, one must hold the book with a vice-like grip to keep Toddler A from turning pages whilst Toddler B tries to yank the book away.  Although technically, in keeping with proper multiples referencing, it would be actually be Toddler A (aka Jack) yanking the book away from Toddler B (aka Cohen).

On a side note, whoever thought up board books?  GENIUS!  Just try to rip pages out of those suckers.  It cannot be done!  Well, except the time a two-year-old Kendry was left unchaperoned in his bed with an open-the-flap board book.

Oh the massacre…  

Anyhow, after months of pondering this difference in our children, and praying that Jack and Cohen would soon appreciate books as Mommy and Daddy (and big brother) do, God has answered our prayers, in excess. 

The personality on this biting, climbing, shrieking little fella' is deserving of its own post - and its own parenting book.  For now, just know that if the house goes quiet with Cohen around you should investigate immediately.  He either has his nose in a book or his hand in a toilet.

While still early in his speech development, Cohen prides himself on stating "The End" at every last page. His current favorite is Hand Hand Finger Thumb by, you guessed it, Dr. Seuss. Each time he finds this book on the shelf he comes pleading for story time.

Then again, and again.

"Millions of fingers, millions of thumbs, millions of monkeys drumming on drums..."

I'm not ashamed to admit another Dr. Seuss book has found itself eaten by our couch in recent months.  A parent can only take so much.

Jack's favorite book?  Whatever Cohen is currently reading.

Its a Boys' Life

How we have fun on a weekday morning:

Step 1:

Get yourself wet. I mean really wet.

A garden hose is essential. 

A water table works great too.

Step 2:

While still dripping wet, insert yourself into the nearest dirt pile.

Maybe bury yourself a bit.

Help yourself to a bite or two.

Mommy is always telling me how much she loves diapers embedded with gritty sand.

Just remember to keep the hose handy; that dirt can really dry out your mouth.

Step 3:

Smile innocently.

Bonus Options:

20 bonus points to each boy accomplishing this messy feat before 10:00 a.m. PST.

50 bonus points if said feat is accomplished within 24 hours of your last bath.

Can you see why I need this sign?

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Kendry's shoes after this particular morning adventure:

Its a good thing I'm not a clean freak, right?

About a Five Year Old Boy

 To our precious Kendry Dru:

You have been counting down to this day for months, so you would think Mommy and Daddy would be more prepared for this, your 5^th birthday. 

I must confess that as your Mommy, I still see the little boy inside – the way you still cuddle with your lovey bear when you sleep, the way you still get frustrated with buttons or snaps when you dress yourself. But with each day we see more young man characteristics emerging – when you cheerfully help clean the house or you talk gently to a crying little brother. 

Your career as a 4 year old has been a memorable one. Your big accomplishments this year include learning to ride your bike without training wheels, running your very first 5k, getting four more stitches in the head, taking your first ride on a motorcycle, and learning to read.

Two days after your 4^th birthday you excitedly welcomed Jack and Cohen, and immediately found your stride as a proud and doting big brother.

Sure, you play a little rough with the babies from time to time, and despite being told countless times not to, you still pester by poking their cheeks when you think we’re not looking. But the way your little brothers’ faces light up when you enter the room says it all: they adore their big brother.

Like a true firstborn, you police your younger siblings, notifying us of misbehavior (“Jack got the remotes again, Mom!”) or regulating injustices (“Cohen, its not nice to take your brother’s binky.”)  Those two little mischief-makers don’t get away with much on your watch, which makes Mommy and Daddy’s job a little easier.

I’m not sure what I would have done without your help this last year. You are Mommy’s right-hand man when it comes fetching diapers, taking items out of a baby’s reach, and entertaining one baby while Mommy is busy with the other. When I ponder all the time you’ve spent waiting patiently for me to finish feeding the babies, changing the babies, and loading the babies into the car, it makes me so proud I could cry. You are such a trooper, bud!

Your imagination, mile-a-minute conversation and endless energy continue to keep us on our toes. An average day for you includes several costume changes (from football player to ninja to cowboy to FBI agent) and at least three games of Uno.

This year you were Mr. Incredible. A lot.

You've hit another growth spurt and are now wearing 5-6 tops and 6 bottoms. We let you wear your size 5 bottoms a little too long this year and you now think that highwaters are the norm. We’re having a hard time convincing you that the size 6 jeans that actually cover your ankles are, in fact, not too long for you.

You are now into a size 13 / 1 shoe. As velcro shoes are getting harder and harder to find in your size, our new mission is to teach you to tie your own shoes…stat!

You still believe in Santa.

You think the lighted cross displayed on the hill every Easter is the cross, and that Jesus repeatedly dies on it every year.

You came up with “Cohings” as your own personal nickname for Cohen.

You are so excited to attend kindergarten, even if Mommy isn’t quite ready for you to go.

You have a deep love for flowers and ask to buy a bouquet every time we shop at Costco. Now that its spring we have to specify which flowers you are permitted to pick and which you are not - otherwise our yard would have no blooms.

You are our sunshine, bud. 

Never lose that sparkle in your eye or your enthusiasm for the little things, for those 'little things' (like finding a beautiful flower) are often reflections of God's incredible love for you.

Choose positive talk over negative, remembering that everything you say should be good and helpful.

Look after your little brothers. They will annoy you, wreck your block buildings and rip up your artwork, but they love you and they are watching how you behave.

Always be kind. Always.

We love you, 5 year old. Happy Birthday!

Love,

Daddy, Mommy, Jack and Cohen