My Superheroes

Halloween was a blast this year.  We had gorgeous weather and I had two little superheroes to protect me!  

Huston we started off a week early by double dating with Heather and Gavin to the Mummy and Me dance.  There wasn’t much dancing, but there was lots of running up and down the halls and chasing balloons.

Then on Halloween day, I got to go to both of your school parties.  Momma is lucky to have a job where I am able to take off work and enjoy these moments with you!  First stop was Huston’s kindergarten class.  We had some spooky snacks and then made a bat as the craft.  

Then we moved to Nolan’s daycare party where we had even more snacks and games.  

Next stop was the karate party at H’s after school program.  You both got to wear your costumes (Iron Man and Batman) and do karate tricks.  Everyone was great about showing Nolan what to do and you both had a blast.

Then we went to a trunk or treat with a bouncy house and hayride.  It was lots of fun and Nolan you even trick or treated like you’d done it a million times.   You were very polite and said “thank you” to each person.  Then looked at them all sweet and said “more”.

It was a fun, but exhausting night.  When we got home Iron Man went to bed and Batman passed out candy until we ran out.

Love you boys!

Nolan - November 2014

Nolan,

You are TWO!  How this happened so quickly I have no idea.  You were my chubby baby and now you are this skinny little toddler that never quits moving.  As much as I enjoy watching you grow, I miss my widdle biddy baby.  Lucky for me you are a huge cuddler and give me lots of loving.  You will sit right by me on the couch and put your little arm around my neck and hug me every 15 minutes or so and look at me and say “momm-mma”.  You have really started talking and can repeat almost anything we say.

At your 2 year old well baby you weighed in at 28.2 lbs (52%) and are 33.25 inches tall (26%).  You got one shot and gave the nurse a dirty look and pointed at her and said "you poked."  The whole drive home you said “doctor poked, doctor poked” in a sad little voice.  

You also have the most adorable curls.

You love to wrestle your big brother, jump, free fall off any high surface and your new thing is making sound effects for it all.  We went to the park earlier this week and you climbed up the huge slide (going the wrong way) and then slid down it.  No big deal.  You are fearless and I’m just waiting for the first ER trip….I know it’s happening soon.

Now that you are a little older, you are obsessed with farm animals, mostly cows.  Only you can’t just say cow…it’s “Papa cow”.  You love your Papa.  You got a barn and animal set for your birthday and will play with it for hours.  You love doing animal sounds too and it just might be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen when you do a mouse.

The TV has also caught your eye and you discovered Handy Manny.  This was also Huston’s favorite at two, so you were handed down Manny and his tools.  You go around the house repairing things and are glued to the show when it’s on.

It is fun watching your sweet little personality turn to a little bit of crazy.  You are starting to tease, stand up for yourself with “brubber” and try to make people laugh.  I just love you so much and always hope you know what you mean to me.  There isn’t a day that my heart doesn’t well up at something sweet you’ve done or something that makes me proud.  I love you baby boy.

Huston - November 2014

Huston,

You might be turning into a teenager already.  Everything is “boring”.  You prefer showers over baths.  You have homework.  You’d rather play on your “phone” (aka iTouch) than anything else.  You are only FIVE, stop it!  Be my little boy again.

 

After school you go to the Stillwater Martial Arts program.  You really enjoy it and have had two belt ceremonies and a tournament.  I love seeing the confidence you have in yourself and how well you follow direction.  You really look up to the guys that run it and they are really good about talking to the class about focus, discipline, etc.

 

With the time change it is dark when we get home, so you are really missing playing outside with your friends.  I have to say I kind of like you being indoors with us though, we kinda missed you when you were outside from the time we got home until bedtime.  Hopefully you can bundle up and play with them on weekends still.

 

You are working on being polite and phrase things the cutest way.  "Mommy is it ok if I please play outside?"  Although you still lose it from time to time, I’ve really noticed your patience improving.  I’ll hear you get short with Nolan and then you will calm down and rephrase in a softer voice.  You are really proud of yourself when you teach him to do something and he just falls more in love with you each time.  That little brother of yours ADORES you.

 

You are learning so much at school.  It still amazes me when you spell a word or write something really clearly.  There are times you will just blurt out some random bit of knowledge and it takes me by surprise because it seems like you are too young to grasp.  You are going to be a thinker.  You’ll hear something or watch how something works and sometimes hours later you will follow up with how you think it works or ask more questions.

 

You are a little quirky with your outfits and I’ve learned to just let it go.  It’s not uncommon for you to go to school with some random colors going on or high water sweat pants with crazy socks on.  You are definitely expressing yourself.

 

I love you so much Huston.  You are such a smart, handsome and caring boy and every day I am proud of you.  I hope that you always love your momma as much as you do right now.

Huston - August 2014

Huston, you are FIVE years old!  We had a great summer with lots of sun, water and friends.  You went to the karate summer camp during the day and played with the neighbor kids until the sun went down.  I have really seen a change in you over the last few months.  Your vocabulary and sentences shock me daily, you have more patience and you are making really good decisions.  You have become a lot more thoughtful and helpful around the house too.  It's amazing how much you've matured in such a short time.

I really think the instructors at the karate camp have helped.  Not only are they teaching you some very entry level karate, but they really help you work on discipline, confidence and and focus.  They phrase things in a way that really gets across to you and you think they are sooooo cool.

You are also sleeping in your own bed, eating better and getting yourself dressed and ready for school.  Which is amazing for me!  I've also noticed you aren't as timid about making new friends and trying new things.  I guess you are growing up....

So probably the biggest event this summer was your BIRTHDAY!  You wanted to have it at your karate place because they let you cut your cake with a real sword.  Since you also wanted Ninjago as your theme, it worked out perfect.  You had so many friends come and we had a great time.

This year you started Kindergarten at Westwood Elementary.  You love your new teacher and your new school.  I've been pretty impressed with how you talk about your day when I pick you up.  You go on and on about school and about your karate after school program. 

I'm really excited to see what this school year brings for you.  You seem to have grown up overnight and it makes me so proud to see the young man you are becoming.  Don't get me wrong, you will still snuggle me and can be silly but at the same time you are so grown up.  I love you so much and I hope that you feel that every day.

Nolan - August 2014

Nolan, I can't even tell you how much joy you bring to my life.  Everyone that meets you falls in love with you instantly.  You are so sweet, funny and crazy that I never know what you are going to do next.  One minute you will crawl up on the couch and sit by me and put your arm around me, the next you will head butt me and then free fall off the couch.

You love dogs. You love cows. You love your Papa. But man oh man, do you love your brother. In the morning when I go to get you out of your crib your first word is "brother?". When I pick you up from daycare and we walk to the car, you say "brother?"  You are your brother's little shadow and not only do you follow him everywhere, you also imitate him and play with whatever he plays with.  I don't even know why you have age appropriate toys because all you want to do is play with his legos and ninja turtles.

You have really started talking and you love to read books.....way more than I do!  You are very insistent and will keep putting one in my hand until I stop what I'm doing and sit down and read to you.  You enjoy your daycare and don't really fuss that much when I drop you off anymore.  You say "walk" and you run in as fast as you can, pet the little rabbit that lives up front and then run back to your classroom.  Every day when I pick you up you run straight to me with arms out wide, almost knock me over with your hug, say "paper" and get your daily sheet, study it really intently, then you bring it to me and kiss and hug me.

You love to dress up in anything that isn't yours, so it's never a suprise to see you walk in with my heels on, a stocking cap, sunglasses and a random glove.  You really like wearing hats and sunglasses.  You've also learned to roll your tongue and have found the joy of sticking your finger in your nose.  You are a great eater and I'm a bit scared of my future grocery bills based on your current intake.  Not only do you eat a lot, you love to eat.  There are lots of mmmmmm sound effects going on if you really like what you are eating.

We've had a great summer and you have loved playing outside and going to the lake.  I'm excited for FALL to be here because not only is it my favorite time of year, but it is our birthdays!  I can't believe you are almost 2!

I love you so much little buddy.  I love watching you learn and form your little personality.  You are going to be a handful and I'm seeing some glimpses of the "2's" coming out in you, but I'm sure you will be able to smile your crooked little grin at me and I'll get over anything you do pretty quickly.

Huston - June 2014

Huston Dean, you graduated from Pre-K and will start Kindergarten next year!  I went to your certificate party at school and got to see Mrs. Weaver and your friends one last time.  I thought you were going to have a hard time that you won't be at Highland Park next year, but when you found out your friend, Garrett, from across the street goes to Westwood too, you got over it really quick.

One day right before school was out, you got to go on your first play date at a friends house without momma.  Holden and his mom took you to school and picked you up and you played until I got off work.  You thought you were pretty big stuff!



You are loving summertime.  From the minute you wake up until you crash you are going full speed.  You started karate camp and can't wait to get there each morning.  They run you hard and you don't get a nap, so there are some nights you fall asleep on our way home.  Once we get home you go straight outside to play with the neighbor kids until the street lights come on.  You got a new bike from your Dad, so you think you are super cool.  Pretty soon we can take off the training wheels, but I'm going to let you get few more crashes under your belt first.





You also finally got to use the fishing pole that Poppop got you right before we left California.  I really wish he could have been the one to take you on your first fishing trip, but Papa Lowery had fun taking you too.  You impressed us both with how easily you learned how to cast it and work the spin cast.  You stayed interested longer than I thought you would, but once you realized the fish weren't biting, jumping in the mud seemed like a much better option.

Once you do finally slow down, you will come in and want some cuddles.  I know one day this will change, so I'm eating it up while I can get them.  If I get too busy, you'll even tell me "Momma, I haven't gotten cuddles in a long while."  You love to have your back scratched and will wiggle your way under my hand so that I can do it from anywhere.  Little brother is already in bed, so I enjoy getting some one on one time with you.

You have become so independent, I really don't have to help you do much.  You get dressed, get snacks, brush your teeth, take baths, etc. all by yourself.  You have also gotten modest and don't like to go to the bathroom or change where Nolan and I can see you.  But that doesn't stop your from streaking through the living room after bath at all....

You have started using more adult words and phrases and they sound so cute coming out of your little  mouth.  You ask a lot of questions about how things work and why things happen and you soak everything in.  When you explain something to me, you'll end it with, "Right, mom?".  Like watching a cartoon, you'll say "Dogs can't really talk, right mom?"

One thing I wish I could help you with is how frustrated you get.  I know a lot of it is how hard you play and how tired you get, but toward the end of the evening, you can lose your patience really easily.  I hope this isn't something that you struggle with your whole life.  I try to walk you through ways on how to not let things bother you, but most times you just want to throw something or yell to get over it.  Then, seconds later you are back to your normal funny, sweet self.

I love you so much buddy.  One of my favorite games we play is we take turns telling each other things we love the other one "bigger" than.  My favorite is when you say "I love you bigger than the Statute of Wibery".  Or you tease me and say "I love you bigger than a lego....that's not very big!  I tricked you mom."