*8* is great!

Just as it is hard to believe that the baby is 6, it is unbelievable that Jackson is turning 8 today.  This past year has been such a neat year for him.  He has really matured in ways I never expected. 

In addition to being a great little paddle boarder, he has gotten really good at skateboarding.  he doesn’t have the greatest balance, but he works hard {and leaves more than his share of skin on the pavement} until he improves.  He just got a new custom board that he is hoping to learn lots of tricks on!

He got it as an early bday present while we were in SC, and he loves it a lot!  Hopefully he can learn some tricks without too much damage!

Jackson has such a fun sense of humor that has come out in the last year.  In the past he has been very literal and all of a sudden he is making jokes and they are funny!  We love seeing that in our boy.

Last night we were eating ice cream and Allen and the boys were finished just as I was about half way done.  I was marveling at them not having ice cream headaches when he looked at his dad and said, “She’s not one with the cream.”  That kind of funny.

He has also become very responsible.  He is great at making his bed, taking out the trash, letting out the dog and is even starting to fold his own laundry in addition to putting it away.  These are things that we have worked with him on all along, but he is becoming so responsible in his own right too.

He is such a big big brother.  He bosses his brother around like a pro, but most of the time he is just trying to get Miller to stay in line.  He is also such a big brother in that he has really grown to love pestering his brother.

He adores dogs.  Our dog Hank isn’t as peppy as Chele’s puppy Maggie, but he still talks to him and tries to get him to play.  He named her “Snugglebunches”!

We are so happy that even though Jackson gave up any public displays of affection a long time ago, he is still very affectionate.  He loves to snuggle, hug and just generally be close to us.  It makes him not being able to hold my hand in public a little less painful!  He has gotten so big that I often have to remind him that he hurts me when he attacks/hugs me

Jackson is still in love with all kinds of creatures.  He is forever bringing home crabs, lizards, fish, octopuses {octopi?) and lots of other creatures.  I think he will always be looking for critters to observe and play with.

He also loves reading.  It makes me so proud that he will sit down and read a book.  Not really sit and read a book for a while, but he sits and reads the whole book.  Front to back.  I can’t wait to get to a town with a library.  I love buying him books, but I can go broke doing that very quickly!

Jackson also has these opinions that are all his own.  As much as I would like to dress him cute, he insists on wearing nylon sports clothes every day.  I tried hiding them and then he just wore his school gym shorts.  He really likes them.  I’ve come to realize that he doesn’t get to choose his own clothes on a daily basis because of the uniform, so I have to let it go and let him do his own thing.  I have relented but also told him I won’t complain now about it if he doesn’t complain when I tell him he needs to wear something nice.  We’ll see how that goes!

Jackson has grown so much in the last year.  he drinks about half a gallon of milk a day and you can tell.  He has always been tall, but now he is just BIG.  Sometimes I look at him and think “He’s not going to be able to fit in a twin sized bed when we get back to the U.S.!”

Jackson has so many wonderful characteristics and it is hard to put them all down here, but I know that the coming year we will get to know this amazing boy even better and we can not wait to see what he is going to show us!

Happy Birthday Bug!

6! The baby is 6!

How can my baby be 6 years old already?  It seems like just last year that he was born.  Have I told you about when Miller was born?  I never tire of it because it is so “Miller”!

I was induced in labor and things were going well.  At 2 p.m. the doctor checked me and said she thought it would be about another 4 hours, but that it may be a little sooner than that.  She told Allen he could get some lunch.  They topped up my epidural as I was in a lot of pain.  I was so uncomfortable the nurse checked me again after about 15 minutes and called the doctor back.  Miller was born at 2:20!

He is the funniest, sweetest, smartest and most fun loving child I’ve ever known.  He is so loving and has a hug and usually a kiss for everyone.  The other day he said, “I’m a lover not a boxer.”  I think he meant I’m a lover not a fighter, but he has his own way.

Watching him blossom in Kindergarten has been amazing.  His teachers loved him to bits and it made such a difference for him.  He is such a great reader.  It just works for him and that is incredible.

His love for Jackson is tremendous and absolute.  Sometimes Jackson doesn’t appreciate that enough.  Miller WILL NOT let Jackson get in trouble alone.  He will sit with Jackson in time out.  Even if Jackson is in time out for hurting his brother.

He recently lost his tooth.  Here’s what he has to say about that.

I have to tell you the whole story… He walked behind Jackson on the swing and it got knocked out.  He didn’t cry a bit!  Actually he was thrilled!

He is a total Geography whiz and will amaze you with his knowledge of random countries. One morning he ran and got this book about Peru.  He told me this is where Miss Cally and Miss Vazquez are today.  The book is about Peru and it has a picture of Machu Pichu.  He was right, they were in Peru on their way to Machu Pichu.

He knows about Machu Pichu.  He knows things that make my head spin.  You know when people say their kid is a genious?  Yes, he really is one!

He still gives us the thumbs up all the time.  It’s his thing.

It kinda means he is happy.

The other day we were in the car he asked me a question I’ll never forget.  “Why do people love me so much?”  It’s the truth.  When 4 teachers from school want to hang out with him over the summer it means he is extra special.

He is easy to love and at the same time he is tough to parent.  He has very strong ideas and when his ideas are different from ours we end up breaking his heart.  Usually he gets over it pretty quickly, but when he doesn’t give in……prepare for battle because he won’t give up!  It will serve him well in the future, but for now we will pick our battles.

He’s not easy, but he’s worth it!  Ask him a question and you never know what you’re going to get.  He will tell you things and go on and on and you’re thinking, “I just asked if you wanted chicken!”  and he has gone and told you everything he knows about World Cup Soccer and Bosnia as well as why chocolate milk is his favorite.

I could spend days wondering what he will be like when he gets older.  He has so many unique qualities that no matter what I imagine, it will no doubt be different from whatever I could dream for him.

Happy Birthday Butterbean!  We love you more that we thought possible

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALLEN!

Today is a special day in our family!  It is Allen’s birthday and while he doesn’t really get excited about birthdays his boys sure do!

We just couldn’t let today pass without the boys and I putting together a little something to remind Allen about the amazing year he has had.  I know this coming year will be even more amazing!

 

 

Happy Birthday Allen, we love you!

Weekend Fun

We had quite a busy weekend. 

First thing on Saturday morning we  had two soccer games.  Unfortunately Miller made a bad choice right before his game and we took him home to think about it.  {FYI being a parent is hard}  Fortunately, we live close to the school so Allen and I could tag out at each watch some of his game.

Jackson’s team did great and he played hard so that was awesome!

Last weekend they got a “cut hip” --that is Bahamian slang for taking a beating.  It wasn’t pretty, but this week was much better!

After the game the boys were both invited to a birthday party at Atlantis.  From 12-5.  That is right, we had an entire afternoon at Atlantis to have a date.    A lunch date and reading by the pool.  Ahhhh!

Sunday morning we had some time around the house.  First they played Play Doh.  I love that they still love it!

Then the boys and I gave hank a haircut.  I dread it, but he is so much happier and more comfortable with his hair short.

We took this much hair off the old guy!

It looks like a giant possum is in the bag!

In the afternoon the boys had another birthday party.  They ate candy, bounced on the bouncy house, climbed trees and had a ball.  Sunday night was an early bedtime for sure!

Seven!

As usual Jackson’s birthday always leaves me speechless.  How can he be 7?  Maybe 4, but surely he cannot be 7?!?  But yes on Saturday he turned 7, and what a birthday it was!  Look how grown up he is!

He wanted something yummy for breakfast, so he feasted on chocolate croissants! That boy loves some sweets.  Any kind of carbs really!

He opened a few small presents.  He was thrilled with his wallet and new sneakers!  He has been asking for green Vans all summer.

Afterwards he took a paddle on his big present.  A paddleboard of his very own.  Look how awesome he is doing.

After lunch, we went out on the boat with some friends and they boys had a total blast.  He loves being with his friends.  He’s also really into anything to do with extreme sports.

Jackson learned to ski on a stand up paddleboard.  It was awesome.  Here is a video.

We also had a new tube for the boys.  Miller wasn’t quite up for it, but Jackson and his friends were in love with it!  See above about extreme sports!

 

We came home had a quick dinner before his cake. {more carbs!}

The highlight of his birthday must have been his first real sleepover!

Needless to say we were all exhausted the next day.

At 7 years old Jackson is all boy.  He loves bike riding, skate boarding, scootering and most anything with wheels on it.  His dad is still his hero and thinks he can do anything!  He is much braver than I have ever been!  Although it makes for some hard to breathe moments for me, I am so proud of him!

Alive at 5!

On Tuesday Miller turned 5 years old.  He has always been hilarious, but being 5 {or almost 5} has made him even funnier.

He is still very loving and sweet, but can change his mood in the blink of an eye.  He has an amazing imagination and believes in Super Heroes.  Superman is his favorite, but he really just likes them all!

Yesterday he woke up with balloons in his room and still had to ask if it was his birthday.  Jackson was more excited about Miller’s birthday than he was.  He is super easy to please too.

His unpredictable nature that drove me insane when he was a toddler is still in full force, but it isn’t as outlandish as it used to be.  He did lick the window in the airport the other day.

He decided that of his french toast with strawberries and whipped cream that Allen had made him for breakfast was a bit much.  He just wanted strawberries.

I tried to get him to hold up 5 for his fifth birthday, but he didn’t quite get it.  He thought I wanted him to give me 5.

After he had breakfast, Jackson insisted that he open his presents.

Those were just some little things we had gotten him so he’s have something to open.  His real present was on the dock!

The boys each got a paddleboard!

We ended up putting Miller on the front of Allen’s paddleboard and Jackson took off on his like an old pro. 

I followed behind in the kayak.  I’d never paddleboarded before and with two boys eager to get moving it certainly wasn’t a good time for lessons!

We ended up picking up the twins and heading for the beach.  Along the way we saw at least 9 spotted eagle rays.  {I almost ran us into the rocks trying to get pictures.}

The boys had a great time playing on the boards and just being boys at the beach!

The boys spent a couple of hours with the twins and then they all headed home with us for some more playing.  Miller’s birthday tradition combines two of his favorites.  Pizza and the pool!

After that we headed back to the house for some cake.

Miller is such a fun active boy and he deserved to have such a fun action packed day!

We love you Miller!