Friday, November 22, 2013

It's a Construction Birthday Party!


My little boy is 3… and there was no other way to celebrate then to get down-right dirty with a construction party.  And it was a success.  The birthday boy is already asking for a "green" tractor next year!  
 
Uncle Blake was kind enough to drive over a tractor and pull it into the backyard.  FUN!
 Learning about construction is just as much fun as doing it!



 This cement truck spits out cheerios when the drum turns… the kids loved it!
 Buckets of dirt...
 Brownies in the dump trucks and excavator.
 Nailing station with foam blocks (wood) and golf tees (nails).
The kids (and adults) loved building towers and watching them crash!
 The painting station was also a hit. Jed requested a blue house… because "blue is my favorite"

But, in the end… the girls won with a little bit of purple!
 Grandpa and Jed
 Plus grandma D
 Great Grandma and Grandpa talking to Riley...



 Cousin Austin was all dirty… loving it!  
 Candle time… 


 The two best grandmas on earth!!!
 Aunties and Oma...






Sunday, November 17, 2013

Jedidiah: 3 years old

I can hardly believe it.  By baby is 3 years old today.  It must be true: time flies when you are having fun…
Jedidiah is such a special boy.  Particular.  Loves sleeping with his blanket, one side is silk, the other side is fuzzy.  He asked for his "cold side" speaking of the silky side, to touch him every night/nap.  Doors must be closed.  Food can not be too hot.  Before we brush his teeth, he must fill his tiny cup up with water.  Calculated.  He will sit back, assess a situation and then take action.  One time he was driving his motorized jeep outside.  We told him it was time to park and go eat dinner.  He paused, then began driving, avoided two people, swerved to the right, parked the car in the garage with 2 inches on other side of his spot and got out and walked in the door.  Every adult had to pick their jaw up off of the ground.  Predictable.  He wakes 95% of the time between 5:30-6:00.  He wants the same music on in the car every time. Whenever we get food, he will request a blue plate.  "Blue is my favorite, mommy"  He wants to sing skida-ma-rinki-dinki-dink every night before bed.  We could read the same book 10 times and he will point out the same thing with the same phrase on any specific page ("look mommy, that fire hydrant is red").  Sweet.  He loves to kiss his sister sometimes… but when he does it is one kiss on each eye (yes, eye)…every time.  Spicy. Well, he is 3 after all.   

Some of my favorite stories/sayings:
Looking at the moon (a full moon)… He said "mommy, that moon had a good dinner just like me" And left it at that… I looked up and thought… what???  Then I got it… 

When Riley wakes up he wants to be the first one into her room.  We sing "good morning, good morning, good morning it's time to rise and shine..." to her every morning.  

He loves ALL things firetrucks.  When I asked him what he was thankful for this year, it was 1. God and 2. Firetrucks.  (hopefully I'll make it on that list one day) "Mommy, hurry hurry… it's a MERGENCY!!!"  "Crash!  Get out the jaws of life…" 

He calls Jesse's honda our "daddy's tiny car" while showing the length of one inch with his fingers and my sequoia... "mommy's BIG car" 

He loves driving his jeep around.  On multiple occasions we have had friends over where Jed will allow their child to drive.  On each occasion, he has asked to get out.  (Typically because they aren't very skilled at driving).  Patiently waited and said, "mommy, I should drive next time"… hopefully he has this judgement when he is 16!  

"Mmmmmm… that's TASTY!" 

We put Jed to sleep with clothes on every night (right?).  I have made a habit of going into his room to kiss him… AND… make sure he has clothes on.  I would say 1/4 nights he is stark naked.  (Must take after his grandpa Hanson)

He loves football.  And, ironically he loves the Fresno State Bulldogs and Boise State.  One night the Bulldogs weren't on TV.  He asked to watch a blue team, because, "Blue is my favorite".  I found the Boise game and as you know they have a BLUE FIELD!!! Every time we watch football, he asks for the blue team with blue grass…  He will sit with me and watch an entire game.  Now, we are working on learning offense and defense!  Highlighting the word particular above:  He will only wear his bulldog hat during a football game… and every time he puts on his red and blue sweat pants he asks if we are going to watch the bulldogs… 

He loves to help get stuff done.  If we are folding chairs, moving them, moving tables… gardening, hosing off the back yard… cleaning the garage… He is right in there doing it.  And you can see him get into his achiever mode.  He will work side by side the entire project most of the time.  

Preschool had been such a blessing to us.  He loves going to "Miss Andi's house".  Before we go, he asks me if we have his backpack and folder.  He must put it on and take it to the car himself.  When we get there, he knows that he gets to play with playdoh … he asks in the car about it… he sits in the same chair… ROUTINE, ROUTINE, ROUTINE…

He does like to knock everything down… when he is in the mode, he will run around and just start destructing… (boys)…

Every time he is at Oma's house and the gardeners come he begins to tremble in fear.  Run inside… "It's too noisy"

My favorite times with him are in the early morning before our day has really started.  We have great conversations about any and everything.  I can tell the this brain has been thinking of all of these things over night.  He jumps from topic to topic… Opa's Jeep to his library books to Riley's toys…

Jed loves play on words… one example is that he makes a "fork lift" out of his fork and food or plate…

He is a good eater.  He loves flavor… will try anything if you ask him to.  And mostly likes it.  His favorite is a "peter-budder-jallie" sandwich.  Second favorite must be the cheese burger.  

Speaking of cheese burgers.  Jed has named his sister (Riley) "Burger"… sometimes it's "Pink burger" other times it's "Cheeseburger"… he will occasionally correct us if we call her Riley.  

The boy can swim like a fish.  He can kick to the bottom to get toys, cross the pool… he loves the water.  A couple times this month he has asked to swim…

When he gets out of the bath he often shouts "I'm FREEZING, I'm FREEZING…"

Bob the Builder… "Yes we can!" need I say more?

This year, Jed finally decided to love church.  (for a while he would scream when we drove into the parking lot… and continue UNTIL we left).  When we arrive, he asks if he will get a snack, and if he can sing the songs. 

Singing songs.  Jed loves the same "God" music in my car.  If it isn't the kids bible story/song CD, he will say, "mommy,  I want GOD music"… as if K-Love isn't.  He has memorized the stories and songs.    He has started singing along.  "12 guys, OrDI-nAry guys…" or "Lub (trying to say love), lub… Lub lub, everybody's talking about Love love."

When getting a spanking, "mommy, be gentle… be gentle, soft mommy, soft!" "I don't like these, mommy" (isn't that the point?)

We love you so much Jedidiah!  Thank you for 3 rich and full years.  Thank you for challenging me to look at myself… thank you for lubing (loving) me so much.  You enrich our lives.  

Mommy