How to Be Somebody - Age 4

Okay quick funny story that I had to share about my 4 year old Jackson. He has always been a talker, question asker, and overall thinker. Yesterday when I picked him up from school he was building this tower which he told me was "3 bedrooms (no mommy - not stories) high, with a small castle on that, and then the statue of liberty on top". Very creative, I thought to myself...then as we were driving home we proceeded to talk about the new class he is in with the kindergarten teacher (she is teaching the older pre-k kids this year) which he thinks is BIG time. We passed by one of the local high schools and he said that once he finished Ms. Nina's class, he would go to high school. "No sweetie, first you will go to elementary school", I politely corrected. "And then I go to high school?" "No actually then you go to middle school - like the one right by our house" "Oh yeah....and THEN I go to high school?!". As a mom who will take any opportunity to plant the seed of higher education I added "And then...you will go to college". To which he so sweetly added "yeah mommy I'm gonna go to college and THEN I'm gonna BE somebody." (long pause while I smile to myself and mentally pat my husband and I on the back for creating this obvious love of education in our son. Maybe the tower he built today means he wants to be an architect - maybe the next Frank Lloyd Wright - I was swelling with pride at the thought). And then, as a four year old probably should...he brought me back down from my parental cloud nine and said "I'm gonna really be somebody....like....a race car driver". Hmmm....now in the past he has said that he wanted to do things like be a doctor, a physical therapist like daddy, a vet, but no...today it was - race car driver. Being a thoughtful (and I'll admit tired) mommy, I decided to spare him the discussion that it isn't like the movie Cars and about how only a very small handful of drivers make any kind of money at that "profession". No I thought I would let him be 4 for the day.... since being 4 means that I'm sure his mind will change tomorrow. That is to say it will change back to the other oh so likely professions he has chosen... football player, drummer, baseball player, etc. Ah what it means to "be somebody" at age 4.

Cruisin' on a Sunday Afternoon

Okay so it wasn't Sunday afternoon...but he is for sure CRUISIN' and hey it was another music title!! Take a look at the video below of my "not so baby-like" baby.

NOTES:
1. Yes the shrieking sounding (and very annoying voice) is yours truly. Why is it that we have owned a video camera for well over a decade and I can't seem to remember that when you are filming - you can be heard...VERY clearly!
2. Yes that is an OU football pylon (sub-note: for those non-sports types, a pylon are those things that are at the four corners of the end zones that help signify a touchdown.)
3. Yes we are crazy about sports and in unparalleled anticipation for the impending football season, we have a mini end zone set up in our living room in order to run routes and practice the art of the over the shoulder pass....pinkies together - not thumbs!
4. Yes my dear husband is responsible for the SEVERE brainwashing towards Oklahoma football (although I will share my secret inner joy in hearing my son tell him over the weekend "Daddy let's play and I will be Kansas" :) - there's hope people...there's hope!)
5. Yes this is the first time I have posted a video (pardon the quality...not only have we had a video camera for over a decade - it is the same video camera. It's good but the whole digital video thing was new at the time) - hope it works!!

Ch-ch-changes

I knew the day would come when I would no longer feel like I had a "baby" anymore...I just wasn't prepared for it to happen quite so soon. I admit that sometimes I am still even in denial about my four year old not being a baby. The latest conviction that he is 4 (going on 14) was after he made a trip to the Kane house and hung out with his much older cousins (high school age). Jackson went with one of the guys to get their haircut and he got a haircut too. He has now informed me that he doesn't want to go to the cute/fun/geared for toddlers haircut place that he has been going to since his very first haircut (see picture - sniffle sniffle) but instead he said "Momma, I want to get my hair cut at Sport Clips". He might as well have said he was going to get a crew cut and join the army!

Then as if not to be out done by his big brother, my 81/2 month old (I could say nine since it will be in three days but clearly I'm not ready people) has decided that he is too old for that baby food stuff and wants whatever we are eating. It has been a while since I have done the table-food-for-a-baby-thing so I began with the cereals and have been starting to explore the fruits. He is ALL ABOUT IT...even gets this excited/anxious little whimper whenever he sees a cereal box. We've done Rice Krispies (thanks for the suggestion Rachelle), Cheerios, Kix (I'm hoping that since they are "kid tested - mother approved" that means approved for babies as well), Wagon Wheels, and Mum Mums. And his votes are yes, more, now, and keep it coming! The fruits were equally as welcomed and we have tried bananas, grapes, and peaches...mainly because that is what we had on hand. Last night he even ate over a quarter of a peach all by himself! I have never considered myself a "baby person" but I must admit that I can't believe that we are already where we are...my the times they are a changing!

"Talk to Me, Goose"

I saw this on another blog recently and thought it was interesting. This isn't meant to be philosophical or particularly humorous and yes it does change dramatically from day to day. Here are my 10 Things I Say to Myself (today)....what are yours??

1. Man I'm tired, but if I get up now, I will have time to stop at Starbucks... the "snooze button" is for procrastinators, that's what E would say.
2. If I did one page layout every day, that's 30 pages in a month, 12 months in a year, subtract holidays, add time for the retreat, I'd realistically be caught up.....hmmm - let me start over - that math doesn't seem right.
3. I need a hair cut, why do I only remember to call her when it is 6:00 in the morning...I'm guessing she is not a morning person.
4. I'm hungry, I wonder if my fruit is cold yet.
5. What time is it? Wow - time flies...whether you are having fun or not!
6. Sometimes I am sooo my mom and then sometimes I am sooo my dad - goodness I love my family! Blessed.blessed.blessed!
7. What did we do before the Internet? How did we find anything...and more importantly, how did we avoid paying full price for things!?!
8. Computers can make or break your day...I don't know why but Ebay scares me...I need to post pictures on my blog because G is killing me with his cuteness!
9. Music is sooooo therapeutic....I LOVE my "Shuffle" (and my sister for gifting it to me).
10. Why is my memory so bad...ugh that is frustrating!!

Okay I think I talk too much...to myself. Does blogging count as talking to yourself - I sure hope not. I guess it isn't as long as someone else comments (proof that someone besides yourself saw the words). I need to get to work... (thought #11).