Our Sweet Family

TJ is so creative. He is always trying to create a new game, along with a unique game board. He also loves to make items or creatures or characters that he has seen on TV or in movies. They love the movie Transformers, played on the clear play DVD player of course! So, TJ is making each of his brothers an All Spark Cube out of paper. Then they can all pretend to be Autobots together, each with their own cube.

Alex loves to have fun. Yesterday I forgot to give him his afternoon remedy. Ouch! So, I asked him to unload the top wrack of the dishwasher. It took him forever. He was playing and being silly. He is great at making silly sounds. Are all boys good at that because I can't do it at all. I was on his case a little about it and he said, "But Mom, I just want to have a little fun." Man, he is so sweet. The funny thing is that when he is on his remedy he can focus and get things done. When he hasn't had it I have to redirect and redirect and redirect until I am very frustrated with a child who can't really help that fact that he can't stay focused. I am thankful for this remedy because I know he must hate getting in trouble so often for things that are out of his control. And deep inside I know that it is hard for him, so I give him a lot of leeway, but then sometimes I don't give him enough. He is such a great kid! He doesn't like to go to Cub Scouts until we get there. Then he loves it. If we have to TV off, which is off a lot more now, he more easily handles a change in what he is doing. When the TV is on though. Whoa! Too much stimulation. It must be stimulation overload.

The TV has stayed off for four mornings in a row! Woo Hoo! Yesterday they were able to watch it a little more, but it still stayed off most of the day. It is so fun to hear them playing nicely together and making all the sound effects for their toys. How do they do that, seriously? Little Ladybug girl just watches them play.

Max has been in his own little world most of the week. He is quiet unless someone takes a toy he had. He should have a warning label, "Attention all children. Do not take away my toys. You don't want to see me when I get ANGRY!" Poor kid. He is making such awesome improvements. He understands more and responds verbally more often. He plays better with other children. At the end of the school year he actually had a couple of friends that he knew by name. That was a huge feat for him! The children in his class were so excited when he would call them by name. Even they saw his improvements. He has such a sweet little spirit too.

Colin just wants to be loved. He is so cute! He would hate it if I said that in front of him. He is such a tough guy. He wants to be a big boy, but at the end of the day he wants Mom to snuggle with him and hold him. I treasure those moments. My big boys like hugs and to sit by me, but I miss the snuggle time. They are just getting too big for that. So, I love it when Colin snuggles! I spend a lot of time with little Ladybug lately and he sometimes feels neglected. Then he starts filling the bathroom sink with water and dunking his head in it to get his hair all wet. When he pulls his head out the water splashes on the mirror and walls and dribbles and drips down his head, onto his neck and soaks his shirt. Then he runs out to show me. What a nut! He climbs on counters, chairs, dressers, colors on the wall (not recently thank goodness), and just wants to be noticed. So, today I am going to do my best to spend some one-on-one time with him.

Little Ladybug is 8 1/2 months. She scrunches up her nose and looks so cute. Her little chubby legs are adorable! She sits on the floor with her toys and turns around. She sits almost Indian style with her feet touching in front of her and rocks back and forth while reaching for toys. She has yet to crawl. She gets mad when I put her on her hands and knees. Oh boy. She doesn't like that! She LOVES her Daddy. When he comes home for lunch she stares at him with a huge grin on her face until he notices! Then she giggles. Daddy has to hold her for at least a couple of minutes while he eats or she gets upset. She loves her Daddy! She will lunge for him when I am holding her. She makes her wants known! She talks very loudly when she is playing. TJ asked if we could quiet her down the other day. I just chuckled. She is a very loud talker right now. I think it is cute at home, but not so much at church! She talks to her hands and her food and her toys. I just love it!

Todd got the HR job on the base, that was pretty much promised to him. Shocker! He applied for a different job also, in the Comm flight. The job would be working with computers. It would be a Technician position instead of an AGR position, which is what he is currently. There are some benefits to being Technician. One of them being that he would have the opportunity to increase his pay more so than if he stays AGR status. It can be very confusing and it takes me asking a lot of questions to really understand the tiniest part of it. Please pray for him. I want him to be happy at work again. Not that he is miserable, but he loved his other job. He loves Readiness. But it was not to be. I know Heavenly Father has something for him. He just needs to find it. Maybe it is the Comm job. Who knows!

I am staying very busy caring for my children, cleaning the house, doing my calling, baking, cooking, doing laundry and all of the other things that go along with being a Mother. I love to read. I love a good movie. I love sitting on the couch next to my Eternal companion, even if for just a silly TV show. I have the most wonderful husband ever! He thinks I am funny. He might be watching a show and I am reading, but we are together. I love it!

How are all of your sweet families doing? My thoughts are with all of my friends!