Skechers

Since before he even finished kindergarten, Jacob has been asking for a pair of Skechers.
Yea- it starts that early.
So I told him way back then "When you get ready to start first grade, you can have new shoes." And of course, I kept my word.

I was out running errands with just lil Sam last weekend, and saw a huge sign on the shoe store saying "buy one, get one half off." As much as I cannot be tempted by a sale, having such unbelievable amounts of self control, I decided to go in and have a look. And I was met by aisles and aisles of Skechers.

I called Cotton to see if he wanted to bring Jacob up there. Shoes were the only thing left on my BTS shopping list. He did.

Jacob went NUTS! "These are airators, and these are z-straps" Cotton (a little freaked out by Jacob's profound shoe knowledge) picked up a pair with lights, and Jacob tried to ignore him. He, the kid who has wanted lights on his shoes since the beginning of forever, ignored the light up police car shoes. Airators are apparently much cooler.

Cotton cruises down the aisle and says "Hey! These are cool!" I said "I know. Those are adorable." It was these.

And then it happened. We instantly became... dun dun dun... the uncool parents. The look that boy gave us. My heart dropped. Our taste sucks. He wouldn't be caught dead in the shoes we both loved. And he is SIX!

So after, oh, an hour or so of Jacob deciding- he settled on these. Very cool.
I think I made him get a size too big. But at $50 a pair (mind you he is SIX), I want my money's worth. haha. Actually, he needed a 1.5, and I had to pick between a 1 or a 2. I am feeling a little freaked out by the bigness of them. But he says they are comfortable, and he can walk, and it had to be THOSE shoes (and OBVIOUSLY he had to have them right then), so what is a mom to do?

While Jacob was running around finding the absolute awesomest pair of shoes for his first grade feet, Lucy asked "do they have girl shoes here?"
Why yes, honey, they do.
"Can I look at girl shoes?"
My wallet cramped up. Ugh. I really prefer Target and Payless for girl shoes, ya know.
"Suurrrre you can."
She rounds a corner and starts to squeal
"THEY HAVE GIRL SKECHERS!!!!"

Oh lord... here we go...
Of course, if Jacob the all knowing says Skechers are cool- Skechers. Are. Cool.
Thank goodness for the "buy one get one half off" sale, right?

I can't find a picture of hers online, so you'll just have to trust me that they are adorable.
And she will need a pair of white sneakers now that cooler weather is descending upon us. (could have got them for $10 at Target, but whatevah...lol)

As I choke on my gum paying way too much for my children's shoes, Cotton said "Wow. I'd hate to have their shoe bill."
I turn around and see a family with about 6 kids walking in. Lol. Yea, me too.

Football practice

Just a little cuteness.
He's in the red jersey and black pants.

Listening to coach

Getting ready to run


Jumping jacks

Kind of a weird face, but he didn't have time for me to re-shoot, lol
His first game is this Saturday! We are all so pumped!

regarding bunko

Among the many wine bottles left behind at my house, this one is my favorite.
I wonder if it comes in a red...
Sam was happy to spend some time in Auntie Rachel's lap.
I think she's his favorite
(though I can't imagine why...)

dice and liquor- such a good influence on my kids! ha!

I made this- Chocolate Coconut Trifle:



but I didn't make it in time for bunko. I, being ME, did not fully read the recipe through. I had all of the ingredients on my counter. I was mixing and all excited to make a tasty treat for my girlfriends. And then I get to "refrigerate for 4 hours before serving." D'oh!

Rachel saved the day with a store bought oreo cookie cake.
And we ate trifle all weekend... YUM! It was all chocolatey, and apricotty, and coconutty... and it didn't last long.

I already know what I want to make for November. And yes- I will read the recipe THOROUGHLY and well in advance!

for comparison

and also just for fun, because they were such beautiful babes (not that I am biased)...here are some pics of my other babies, as little babies. See any resemblance?

Lucy:

about 4 mos


about 6 mos


really tiny, not sure of the age




about 3 months (with payton)


6 months


Jacob (he was pre-my going digital, so I don't have as much, sadly):

about 2 months


about 8 or 9 mos


I have no idea, lol


about a year


year and a half

5 months old!

My sweet baby. I am both in denial that it has already been 5 months, and also completely unable to imagine how it felt not to have you in my arms.
You are such a big boy now.
You've got your own little personality- serious, reserved, focused...
You've got quite a busy little set of hands on you.
You are already "all boy," and love to splash wildly in your bath and slam things around on your high chair.
You stare after your brother and sister (and dog), and long to run around getting into trouble with them (soon, baby, soon).
You go ape when anyone has something to drink. I got you your own sippy cup and you are absolutely nuts over it.
You can sit on your own for about a minute. Even when you wobble, you correct yourself and sit a bit longer.
You still love mommy the best for cuddles and kisses.
You think Daddy is the most fun.
You make me laugh every day, and I love you so very much...

and without further ado- the pictures.

He's so very serious! One of the ladies that fawned all over him at the grocery store asked him "Can you smile for me?" I told her "He CAN, but he probably won't. He's a very serious baby." She laughed and said "He's a very smart baby. He just doesn't have time to listen to everyone's nonsense." Lol!
"a little help, lady?"
Cabbage patch hair, teehee
Are you ready for this? (because I'm NOT)Yep, you're big all right
now excuse me while I push him over...
Hey hey smiley face!
:sigh: my little dreamboat
She adores him. He adores her. A match made in heaven.
and 2 peas from the very same pod, obviously!
He's quite fond of that thumb!

what did I tell you about the thumb?see?
How cute are sitting babies? I mean- it's a whole new dimension of cuteness!
Taking a bath with big brother.
he was too busy to look at me, and I was afraid to let Jacob hold him tooo long. Ha. So these are the best "2 boys in a tub" pics I could get.
And if you ahve a few minutes to spare, and are really interested in how noisy Sam-man can be, lol, here ya go

!


So there you have it. 5 months gone by. I might as well start planning his birthday party. Time is absolutely flying

I am a GREAT mom

and let me tell you why. lol.

It's not because I am patient, or because I am organized, or because my house is immaculate. It has nothing to do with my cooking skills, or how many books I read the kids, or how often I floss their little teeth.

We went to Wal-mart today, and Lucy picked up a package of banana creme oreos. I thought they looked kind of gross, but bought them for her because she REALLY wanted them.
After she was in bed, Cotton opened them and ate a few. Then Jacob came along and ate a few.
I went in the kitchen, and thought "what the hell..." and tried one.
Oh chocolate and cremey banana goodness... they are YUMMY!
This is a rather smallish package of cookies. Not your regular oreo package. And there were maybe a third of the cookies left.
I scarfed down about 4 of them, and then looked. There were like 6ish oreos left. I heaved a huge sigh, rolled the bag up, and hid them in the cabinet where the boys wouldn't find them. For Punkin. I would hate myself if she asked for her cookies tomorrow, and I had to tell her that mommy polished them off in the night. No way.

And I am sitting here wishing with all my might that we had bought 2 packages. Those things are GOOOD!

I am reminded of a quote that really struck me once, and had to look it up.

"A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie." -Tenneva Jordan

I never did really care for oreos anyway. :sigh:

Dear pinky toe,

Please don't be broken.
I know I'm an idiot, and yes i knew that wall was there. It's been there for 3 and a half years. And I've been walking for a long time- usually not into door frames.
Just return to your normal size and color, and I will never do that again. Thank you kindly.

Love, clumsy

Oh gawd it hurts. The whole side of my foot, ankle, even my knee. I dread waking up tomorrow and getting out of bed. Ouch.

Jacob and I make quite the gimpy couple around here tonight.
He limps to the left, I limp to the right.
And he wouldn't leave my side as I sat in the hallway clutching my foot and crying. (yes, it was THAT bad). He was hovering and hugging me and holding back his tears. Have I mentioned lately how much I love that kid?
I let him stay up late, and I played with him for like an hour past bedtime, just because he cried when I cried. I couldn't bear to send him away from me after that.

What's going on over here

Why- it's the start of peewee football season! That's what!
Jacob's first practice was today!
After he was given the okay by our trusty family physician to play, he strapped on his new cleats and went to work.
(Monkey boy managed to tear his Achilles Tendon by falling off his bunkbed! Luckily, it is a small tear, and he got away with just an ace wrap and a "take it easy at practice." Talk about timing!)
(oh and omg- this is probably weird, but he looks SO cute in his ace wrap. heehee. so athletic!)

So here he is in his helmet, stealing my heart.
Aren't football players supposed to look tough- I find this one quite snuggable. Heehee.
Uncle Bonk is pretty fired up. As a former peewee player himself, he gives Jacob a few pointers.
Hmm... this helmet might be too big.
Talk about excited- beneath that purple helmet is a man who has been waiting for this day since the second line appeared.
I promise to have lots of better pictures of Jacob in his gear Thursday. I couldn't go to his practice today because I had another engagement... read below...

While football is the big news of the day around here- it won't go without notice that Miss Baby is starting her 2nd year in ballet and tap.
We are trying out a new school (though we loved the old one- certain circumstances make this one a better fit for us at the present).
Tonight was her first class.
Damn she's cute! The cheeks, the curls... I could just bite her... ha!
I had enrolled her in the 3-4 yr olds' class. Because she's 4, right...?
We went to it, and she had a lot of fun. But I watched her learn so much last year... too much to have her skipping around in circles while half of her 20 tiny classmates suck their thumbs and cry for their moms. Don't get me wrong, I love babies- and I know this is what you expect from young 3 yo's. But Lucy is a lot older, and wanting an education in dance. She's WAY beyond baby class now.
I asked the teacher about putting her with the 5 and 6 yo's instead. She invited us to stay and try that class- right then. lol. Lucy was tired, but she wanted to stay. So we did.

SO much better. There were 7 girls in the class. Punkin is the youngest (and also one of the shortest- wow! but not by much). Most of them are on their 2nd year of dance, and right around her skill level.
The teacher showed them a little tap combo, and my girl picked it up and danced it right back to her. YAY! I welled up and sat on my hands to keep from clapping. ;-)
She did fabulous with her ballet positions, and tumbled GREAT!
I am really excited about her going forward with another year.
I mean- I'm not planning on her making a career of dance (she is, though), but how cool to see her actually learning and picking up these skills!

My sweet girl asked for a lemonade after class. I got her one. She sucked it down, wolfed down some chicken, and CRASHED!

And last but not least, my itty bitty has discovered a passion of his own.
Water bottles. The kid LOVES water bottles. He goes ape when he sees one, reaches for it and grunts and squawks, pulls it to his mouth, gags on the water, grins, lets it run everywhere, and then throws a helluva fit if you don't let him do it again. And again.
Cotton got a water bottle out of the fridge tonight, and was standing in the kitchen talking to me. Sam spotted it and started reaching and leaning for Cotton. We were both mightily impressed, as Sam NEVER volunteers to leave my arms. Especially not during "The witching hour" before bed.
Yea- he loves Daddy. Squeals and smiles for him constantly. But it wasn't Daddy he wanted. Hahaha!

"Ah! That's cold!"

Ya know what's adorable?

When my little toothless child tries to pronounce an "S" sound.

"I'm sssirsty."
"I don't see any bassstoys in zere." hehehe

I love it so much.
It's now been a year since he lost his first tooth. And he hasn't yet replaced that one, or it's neighbor!
Now don't freak out. He lost his top teeth prematurely. They had been knocked loose a couple of times when he got lippy with me... I mean when he .... cough, cough... FELL! (phew, that was a close one) So at the ripe old age of 5.5, they fell out quite suddenly. Followed quickly by the "normal" teeth kiddos lose first- the bottom ones.

His bottom "real people" teeth are growing in nicely,. and he's got nice swollen lumps on the top.
I'm sure those teeth will erupt soon.
I mean zose teessssse. Heeheehee!

When I spend an entire day taking pictures...

I get a lot of pictures. Haha.
(some of them really good)