The Rockstar and Girly Girl

This morning I watched Mia and Halle for a little bit. Mia wanted to play hair and I was HAPPY to do pigtails for her to live out my dream (with the daughter I don't have). Of course Jake wanted to join in so all three of us put "product" in Jake's hair and his pose SO FITS the look he was going for! Tough guy! Later Mia touched his poky hair and he said very seriously to her, "I'm a rockstar Mia"

Swim lessons in the bathtub

Lately Jake has been very obsessed with his swim skills, ribbons, etc. He has all two ribbons proudly hung on the fridge and tells every guest that enters the house "this one says I backfloated all by myself and this one says Awesome". He has been working REALLY hard with Lena to get his rollover ribbon (our fingers are crossed for today!) but the stinker will not STAY on his back after he rolls. So Jake explained to me that Lena always tells him 'almost' when he's working on his rollover. The other day, Tyrone from the backyardigans had a ribbon and Jake said with a smile "I get ribbons!"
So with all this talk about swimming I should not have been surprised to witness this scene in the bathtub the other day...the boys were in the bath and I went into the kitchen for a second (I know, I should not admit that!) I heard Sam fussing and Jake yelling at him, "SAM, STAY STILL!" I briskly walked into the bathroom. Sam was laying on his back trying to flip on his tummy but couldn't because Jake was holding either side of Sam's head, pinning him down and said, "I got him mom! He's backfloating!" I don't think the Hubbards will be hiring him anytime soon!

Adventures of Jake Shores

So I feel like the only time I write is when I have some bogus story of what Jake has done or said, but it always just stands out to me as worthy of mention.
The other day I went to put my wedding rings back on, which I had placed on the sofa table, and only my wedding band was there, not the engagement (expensive) one. I immediately freaked out and frantically asked Jake where it was. His response was "I needed it to hold my bity"(vitamin). I kept asking him where it was but no response, and then I remembered he had been reaching into his pullup earlier, so I peaked in and there in the croch of his pullup was my ring, with a bity fit snugly inside it!
Next story: this morning apparently Jake woke up at 4:40am (after going to bed at 8:30). I was oblivious until he asked for milk at 5 which I stumbled out to get. Jake smelled sweet, and he told me he had to show me something. He took me to the kitchen and did his usual presentation with his hands out like when a curtain unveils. There on the ground was paper muffin cups spread out with vanilla and brown sugar poured in each (as well as all over the stove top, cabinets and floor). His response was, "I wanted to make a treat". (AT 5 IN THE MORNING!!!) No picture this time, I was too pissed. Although in hind sight, I'm proud of my 3 year old cooking partner for remembering at least 2 crucial ingredients when we bake cookies together!

What a morning!

So all two of my viewers know that Sam has had diarrhea for 6 days. I am up to my elbows in poop, washing two fitted sheets a day, car seat covers that are IMPOSSIBLE to remove and re-install, blankies, pjs and towels with poop...so this morning as my bacon is burning because I'm changing Sam who has poop running down the FRONT of his thighs and is even on his toe nails, Jake is lounging in the front room watching cartoons. It ocurred to me that it was time for a "potty break" for him as we are potty training as we speak. When I went to pull his pants down I received the gift of not just pee (with no diaper or undies) but poo as well! The kid was SUCKING HIS THUMB, LAYING BACK ON THE COUCH, ARM BEHIND HEAD with POOP in his pants! So round two, (at 6:45 am) I march him outside to hose him down (I was hoping the cold water would be a wake up call but instead turned into playtime in the water as he giggled "OOOOH, that TICKLES!" Matt's standing in the doorway with naked Sam saying, "isn't that water freezing!?" me-do you have a better idea? Matt-No, but don't forget to put a diaper on the kid with diarrhea, Sam left a surprise for you on the carpet, I've gotta leave for work, have a good day! So back inside for round 3 of poop cleanup (within a 15 minute period). After all that is said and done I find Jake looking snazzy in his half zipped fleece and naked below standing on the top of the slide screaming at the top of his lungs to our lawn guy whose mowing with headphones, "BRIAN! BRIIIIIANNN! I HAVE A TREAT FOR YOU!!" He's holding out a rice krispie treat that he sneaked, and all I could think is, I'm sure Brian really wants to except food in the dirty hands of a naked 3 year old! (I was right, he declined). I told Jake I was going to take a shower, we need to take Sam (who is now napping... and crapping, no doubt) for his Dr. app't. When I came out of the bathroom Jake was footpainting with green food coloring ALL OVER the kitchen floor. It's amazing how far one little dropper can go. I dropped my bag in disbelief, noticing the chair positioned next to the counter top which he climbed to reach the very top shelf where I "hide" it. When he saw me, he quickly dropped the dye and goes running through the living room GREEN footprints with each step and hands dripping with dye. I'm yelling, "JAKE, STOP RUNNING!!!" But he knew he was busted so he kept running. When I caught up with him in the hallway he was making a B-line for his newly carpeted bedroom, and I reached out to catch his leg and pull him back just in time. He looked at me timidly and said "are you gonna spank me?" I think I actually said outloud, "ABSOLUTELY!"
Just had to share my fun morning, and I know any mom can appreciate how chaotic things can get. It's pretty comical once you make it through the heat of the moment! The picture of Sam with Matt was just too cute...he loves to sit in our lap when he's done eating breakfast and scrounge for more from us. (not sure where he puts it but the kid EATS!)

Sicky-Poo

We've all been sick with the stomach flu (except Matt) and I was JUST telling sis, Amy how my boys, epecially Jake being 3, really have not gotten sick. So after Sam had been dealing with it, we're in the car and Jake just pukes everywhere in his seat, blankies, clothes. It was so sad because he was crying and saying, "what IS that? What's happening!?" He thought it was spit up, like a baby. So I pulled over, took him out of the car to clean up and I was explaining that he has a bug in his tummy and throw up is the way our body cleans the "bug" out. Fortunately I had an extra seat in the car so I asked if he wanted to climb into that one instead, he was climbing over his and said "yeah, because that one has bugs in it!" It reminded me of a few weeks ago when he said his tummy hurt ( I think he had to poo) and he said "My tummy has a bee"...after asking what like three times, I caught on, "Oh, you mean a BUG!?" He agreed yeah, a bug! Kids literal interpretations of things just cracks me up! As adults we don't think about these things!

ASU Basketball Game

Jake got to go to his first ASU...anything game yesterday. For once it was at 3:30, not naptime or bedtime. The anticipation of the walk to the stadium (which took of course 4x as long with Jake), knowing "Barksy" was going to be there (Sparky) AND daddy, was enough to make the whole game worthwhile. However I should've left at halftime because after that the meltdowns escalated! Imagine sitting in one tight stadium seat with a 3 year old in your lap for 2 1/2 hours! What could we really expect!?

This week in the Shores' Home

One of Jake's favorite things to do is help me in the kitchen. Yesterday I pulled a huge salmon filet out of the fridge. I flipped it on the scale side and said, "look Jake, can you believe this used to be a big fish in the river?" His response, in a LOVED squeezing the lemon juice all over the fish and sprinkling the pepper too.

I don't know why he's so sensitive lately. Monday while I buckled him in after work, Jake asked where I got the owie (sp?) on my finger, he asked if I fell (it was like a dot!) I said, I don't know, I probably cut myself with a knife. I don't know why I thought that answer would sit well with the owie patrol. He asked very concerned what happened and I simply explained that sometimes when I'm preparing food I knick my skin a little bit. He said, "ohhh, that hurts my heart."

So Jake's really into taking off his wet diaper lately and either running around naked or putting on a new pair of his Trey-hand me down undies. He was looking in the mirror at himself in the tighties(and I agree, he looked adorable!) he grabbed his package and said, "awww, it's so little, how cute!"

I don't know where Jake got this from but he always describes himself and others as a _guy. So "I'm just a little guy: or "he's a funny guy", etc. So in his OCD "coloring" time the other day, which involves him asking me to draw the picture that he wants because he can't do it good enough (oh boy), I drew his carrot and told him to color it. Exasperated he said, "NO, I CAN'T! I'm a tough guy!" I guess tough guys don't color.

Sam has now made a new game of wiggling out of my arms when I get him out of the car or open the door even a crack. He bolts for the street, literally walk-running and smiles the whole way down. If I haven't called his name by the time he gets to the sidewalk, he looks back at me, and when I give him the "no" face or say no he smiles and proceeds forward as I'm running to grab him before stepping into the street. He will do this over and over and over until I finally take him inside. Hmmm, so much for a less persistent son this time around :)

New signs, gestures and word include: hi, bye with wave,(signs and says)dog and duck, says turtle, signs more and all done. Signs blowing a kiss, and gives hugs and kisses on command (SO CUTE!) He's trying to say Jake, it sounds like "day"

Matt got offered some cool extra sports med jobs this week. He will be working with the White Sox during Spring Training as well as the Diamondbacks. He will also be covering the NBA All Star events hosted here in Phoenix, including the practices with the NBA All Star players and the Celebrity All Star Game. He continues to travel with the ASU Basketball team on their away road trips and is loving it, especially the star treatment he receives with food and lodging. He looks forward to watching the biggest superbowl of his life-to date this Sunday!

I am thoroughly enjoying the balance of teaching at the swim school (just got a raise, woohoo!) and playing with the boys. I was viewing a little video clip of Sam when he firt learned to walk a few months ago, and I got kinda sad at the thought of how FAST these boys are and will continue to grow up! But NO, I do NOT want another anytime soon! I am quite content with my load at the moment!