Reality Check

On Sunday morning, Rosie came into the bathroom for some help fixing her hair.  Having arrived, she sat down on the chair and watched me finish getting ready for church.  After a couple of minutes, she stuck her head out of the bathroom door and shouted to the rest of the family, "Mommy is really beautiful today!"

From the kitchen, Nathan shouted back, "Mommy ALWAYS looks beautiful, Rosie!"

I was feeling pretty good until we were driving to church, when Gareth asked me if I had heard the conversation.  I repeated what they had said, and then he filled me in on Nathan's other comment (made somewhat more quietly), "Well, except for days like yesterday when she cleaned house all day and  just stays in her pajama pants".

This boy will definitely keep me grounded!

Soda Crackers

I've mentioned before that as part of their writing curriculum, the boys keep a journal that we write back and forth to each other in.  This week, Nathan's journal assignment was to write about a time when he was sick.  This was his entry:

Dear Mommy,

Remember when I was sick at Grandma and Grandpa's house?  You said I started throwing up when I was aslee.  I wished I hadn't eaten so much.  You and Dad took care of me until 2:00 in the morning.  I did not feel good.  I was sick for about a day and a half.  I did like the fizzy drink.  And the soda crackers were okay, but they are not my favorite things to eat.
                  
                                                                                                                                                         Love,
                                                                                                                                                          Nate

P.S.  I would NEVER live on soda crackers.

Such typical Nathan!  He never fails to leave me smiling.

From the Mouth of Nathan

One of these days I'm sure that someone's going to suggest that really this is Nathan's blog, as his quotes appear more often than anything else. But, in my defense, he just has so much to say right now (and most of it is really funny)!

Take for instance, my conversation with him earlier this week. I had just laundered the sheets and was getting his bed freshly made just in time for him to crawl into it.

"Right Nathan", I say, "I've got fresh sheets on and the bed neatly made. Now, how about not messing it all up and destroying it on the first night. Not quite so much wriggling and humping about, okay?" His reply: Mommy, that's REALLY hard to do when you're a Nathan!

Oh, I love that boy! What am I going to do with him, though? He's funny, and he knows it!

Thankfully, he hasn't figured out trying to use funny to get himself out of trouble, though. It wouldn't work, but it sure would be hard not to laugh!

From the Mouth of Nathan

Quote of the day, courtesy of Nathan: Sometimes, I think I'm a genuis.

Where does he come up with this stuff?

From the Mouth of Nathan

It is truly unfortunate, that this title couldn't be more accurate. A stomach virus has arrived at our house, and Nathan was the first victim.

But, on the positive side, being sick doesn't affect his sense of humor. Nathan's insight for this morning as he lay on the living room floor listening to Noah and Rosie upstairs: Well, Oreo (his puppy) acts like a labradoodle, and it sounds like Rosie thinks she's a BLABradoodle!

From the Mouth of Nathan/In the Mouth of Nathan

Okay, I know that I'm supposed to be writing a post to update everyone with what we've been doing the last 6 months, and I will get around to it eventually, I promise. It's been a busy week and I won't get it done today, but I couldn't let the week end without sharing Nathan's latest "funnies" with you.

While working at the computer desk this week, Nathan wandered up to me saying, "I bet I know what you wish". "Oh you do, huh?" was my slightly distracted reply. "Yep. I bet you wish you were me"! --Good to know there isn't anything wrong with his self-confidence!

Life as Nathan's Mommy is NEVER dull. He takes his self-appointed role of court jester very seriously. Unfortunately, life as Nathan's Mommy also has more than its' fair share of plain old nasty moments, too. Case in point, last night's bath time:

I had both boys in the shower. After seeing that they'd washed their hair, I told them to turn the water off while I got the towels. When I turned around, I found Nathan down on all fours in the shower, head to the ground. I should have known better than to ask. I think I'd have been much happier not knowing. But, it would seem that 5 3/4 years with Nathan have not taught me my lesson. "What are you doing", I asked. To which his very serious reply was, "I was trying to lick up all the water before it could go down the drain".

He never did get why Mommy was so upset....

From the Mouth of Nathan

On the way to the store this morning, Nathan piped up from the backseat, "Mommy, you are very wise. Mommies need to know all sorts of things to be good Mommies, and you know them all." After a brief pause, he went on to add that he thought that Miss Lindsey (the most marvelous housekeeper/friend/munchkin-sitter ever) knew them, too.

Bless him, he made my day. Especially as once we were at the mall, we visited Dillards and happened to walk through the area where all of their prom dresses were on clearance sale. He promptly wandered over, picked out a long, red, sequined one and told me that I would be so beautiful in that dress and would I please buy it. I pointed out that I didn't really need a ball gown as I didn't have any where to wear it. His reply, "Yes you do. You can wear it at home while you take care of us. Mommies should wear beautiful dresses while they take care of their kids".

A Message From Nathan

Setting the scene: While we were visiting the farm 2 weeks ago, Nathan got a small hard lump at the base of his skull. As he had been out playing in the woods and picked up several bug bites and a couple of tick bites, I wasn't too surprised, and have just been keeping an eye on it. At first, he just complained that it itched, but by last week-end he began to complain that it was sore. It developed into a sore spot, and yesterday another small lump began to form underneath it. By last night, Nathan had developed "pea-sized" knots running down the left side of his neck through his lymph nodes. Needless to say, Mommy was concerned and we visited the Doctor first thing this morning.

The Doctor had a good look and a poke around. He agreed that his lymph nodes were swollen and after checking found more lymph nodes throughout his body swollen up. Then, we agreed that it might be just a virus, but that as he had a couple of tick bites, we should have some bloodwork done to rule out Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Nathan was such a trooper! I told him that we needed to have some blood drawn and that it would hurt a little bit like when you get a shot, but that it wouldn't last for long and I would hold him while the phlebotomist took his blood. Nathan promptly assured me that the sore wasn't that sore and the peas in his neck didn't hurt, so we should probably just go home.

But, we didn't go home, and having assured him that this was really important, he said "okay" and crawled up into my lap for tickles. When they called his name, he took my hand, marched right into the lab, crawled up into my lap, let them have his arm, turned his head so he couldn't see the needle go in, and didn't even flinch when they stuck him. Then, he turned his head back and watched the blood going into the tubes with big eyes and open mouth. The phlebotomists and I were suitably impressed with his bravery, and so was he. He was feeling so brave and grown-up that he informed the phlebotomist that he didn't need a sticker afterwards.

Anyhow, all of that is just background, and this blog post is really supposed to be about a message that Nathan said I should put on the blog. So, without further ado, Nathan's message:

I was pretty brave, and I didn't even look. It was a little scary, but it didn't really hurt much. I just didn't even look. And, it's a good thing my blood wasn't green, cause that would have meant I was an alien. But it wasn't green; it was red. So, they know I'm not an alien, I'm a boy. And, I was really brave, so I got to have a drink at Sonic, and I'm going to get a pick out of Mommy's treasure chest. It doesn't really hurt now, not even a little bit. Okay, that's all.

Nathan's Prayer

Nathan asked if he could pray before breakfast this morning.

"Dear God, Thank You for today. Thank You for my Mommy and my Daddy. Thank you that You made it so my Mommy could learn how to cook so that she can feed us good food. Thank You that you planned for me to have a brother. And thank you for my sister, 'cause I love her very much. Thank you that you made it so that Rosie would be adopted to our family and that You made a plan for her to be safe in Ethiopia until she could be with us. Amen."

Definitely a lump in the throat and over-flowing eyes type of morning.

From the Mouth of Nathan - Posted by Daddy

Feb 14th - Sunday Evening.

Nathan to Daddy... Why does my candy have two bits in in?

Daddy: So you can share one with your Valentine.

Nathan: Who is my Valentine?

Daddy: Well who do you love the most?

Nathan: Mommy!

Short time later...

Nathan: Mommy, I'm going to share my candy with you tomorrow!

Daddy thinks: Just as well Sarah is on a sugar free diet because not only will I get Nathan's candy, but I won't have to share my fresh stash of British Candy!!!!

From the Mouth of Nathan

We had hot dogs for lunch yesterday (Yeah, I know, I'm a bad mother allowing my children to eat an occasional nitrate-laden processed meat, but they LOVE them, and it is only occasionally).

Anyhow, Noah and Nathan decided they wanted chili dogs. When I put them together and saw those hot dogs covered in chili and cheese, I decided that a fork and knife were probably in order.

Nathan is just beginning to be allowed to use a fork to cut his own meals. He makes hard work of it! About half-way through trying to cut up his chili dog, the bun wasn't cooperating, and the hot dog was sliding around. He looked at it very indignantly and said, "You hot dog. You're just not cooperating. You're heinous, that's what you are, a heinous hot dog."

Definition of heinous: hateful, odious; abominable; totally reprehensible. Okay, well, we probably need to work on the definition a bit more with him, but it does make me smile to hear my 4-year old learning and trying to use big words!

From the Mouth of Nathan

Noah used a little bit of his Christmas money to buy a DVD of Tom and Jerry cartoons. Who knew that a $5 DVD could provide so much entertainment? All 3 of the kids love it. They want to watch it everyday, and they want me to watch it with them. Almost every meal is spent discussing which part is their favorite and what they would do if Tom and Jerry came to live at our house.

A couple of afternoons ago, the boys were allowed to watch cartoons during quiet time in the afternoon. I was working in the kitchen when Nathan came barreling down the stairs shouting, "Mommy, Mommy, come watch this one. It's my favorite. It's the one with the Purr-ocious lion!" I tried hard not to laugh and told him that the lion was ferocious, but he wouldn't be convinced. That lion is purr-ocious!

From the Mouth of Nathan

Warning: This post is NOT for the squeamish or overly sensitive!

Setting the scene: About 11:00 I heard someone creeping around the childrens' rooms, and Gareth was sent to investigate. He came out with Nathan, who said he needed the potty. About 2 seconds after sitting down, there was horrible howling and wailing. Gareth cleaned Nate up and came back to report that Nathan said his bottom was burning. Gareth made sure he was clean, applied some cream, and put him to bed. The howling continued and was intensifying.
Enter Mommy, who got him up, took him to our bedroom, couldn't see any problem, so popped him into the bathtub for a little soak before reapplying the cream. The howling and dancing had stopped by then, but the complaining had not. So, cuddling up with him on the bed, Mommy begins to attempt to calm him.

Mommy to Nathan: You know, Nathan, you probably need to make extra, extra sure that you are really clean after you go potty. That's probably why you're sore.

Nathan to Mommy: I don't think so.

Mommy to Nathan: Well did something else happen tonight that made you sore?

Nathan to Mommy: Well, I think I have a hole in my bottom. I sat for so long in choir, that I think I rubbed a hole in my bottom!

At which point, Mommy found it necessary to exit the room so that she could laugh hysterically without offending the Nater Mater.

From the Mouth of Nathan

Tonight while cuddling on the couch, Nathan said to Mommy: Mommy, will you scratch that itchy spot on my back up there on the right? It's like the fleas know just the spot that I can't reach.

From the Mouth of Nathan

Overheard at snacktime this morning-

Nathan to Mommy: Mommy, I think I might need one more of those cookies, because I do need to keep my strengths up.

From the Mouth of Nathan

We've been working on helping the kids learn some of the songs that we sing during church services that they won't learn in Sunday School. Evidently, Nathan is getting the hang of them. Well, sort of....

Overheard from the back of the van yesterday on our way home, " You are beautiful beyond prescription..."

Laughed so hard I cried and thought I was going to choke on my caramel frappuccino!

A Conversation with Nathan

Mommy (rubbing Nathan's back to try to wake him from a nap): Is there a Nathan in there?

Nathan (with a little grin, eyes still shut): Yes!

Mommy: How are you, Nathan?

Nathan: Grrreeeaaat! I was hunting for pirates.

Mommy: You were hunting for pirates?!!!

Nathan: Yes, only I couldn't find mine. I did find some of Noahs, though. I whacked one of them. I whacked him so hard his parrot's beak nearly flew off!