Sickies

This week started well and ended well but the middle plain stunk!  Jackson woke up on Wednesday morning and didn't feel like eating.  That's not like him at all.  Shortly after, he told me that he was too tired to do school.  He's not used this excuse in awhile but still, I wasn't buying it (I regretted that later).  Not even an hour passed and the poor kid was hurling and there was little I could do to help him.  I wanted to keep Sawyer as far away from him and his room as I could.  Whew!  Well, Sawyer's three week cold decided to rear it's ugliest head that day too.  He was fussy, mad, hard to please, and just not his chipper self.  Webb had meetings and was tied up and I knew that I couldn't possibly ask family to come into our contaminated environment.  I found out quick how hard it is to look after two sick children.   By Thursday, Jackson was happy and relieved to be over that virus.  Still, Sawyer wasn't happy.  Finally, at 3:00 in the afternoon,  I decided to make a trip to Minute Clinic, not my favorite place in the world but I knew that it was going to be hard to get an appointment at our practice at that time of day.  After waiting for over 30 minutes in a drug store with a toddler, we were finally seen.  Yep, it should be called 60 Minute Clinic.  The practitioner was Indian and I couldn't understand half of what she said.  Heck, she probably couldn't understand me either.  I did catch that both of Sawyer's ears were infected but one was worse than the other and he was running a fever.  He still doesn't act well and last night was a rough night.  He and I are both tired today.  We're hoping and praying that the Amoxicillin will do the job and that Sawyer gets well soon.  

Here are pictures from this week.  Jackson is starting a new history, science, and art curricula. He was quite inspired yesterday after reading about William Sidney Mount, a famous American painter.  Sawyer enjoyed painting too but he works in 5 minute intervals with pretty much anything and everything. Addison joined us for some painting too and I've included other pictures from some of afternoons this week with cousins.

Wearing Mom's watch and playing in her makeup in the sink

Although she is unruly at times, she makes up for it in sweetness

A mix between an Uncle Charles/Morgan and Webb look:)

 Bennett's "ride"

Syan, Melea, Bennett and Sawyer

Melea and Cole

Swingin'

Drawing with a partial marker tip.  Can you guess where the rest of it went?

Working on a landscape painting

One painting interval

Addison

"Random" painting is what Jackson called this one.  I love it! 

A New Year

Webb reminded me last weekend that I've not updated the blog is awhile.  I didn't realize that it's been since Christmas.  Yikes!  2012 really did sneak up on me.

All is well at the White House.   Jackson is doing great getting his school work done these days and for that, I am thankful.  I think he's very motivated to finish during the day because he's eager to play with friends that are tracked out right now.  Whatever the reasons, I will gladly take it!  Additionally, Jackson is doing very well with his reading.  We are meeting with his tutor, Ms. Lisa, next week to go over his progress but she says he's doing great.  I sat in on one of his sessions last week and I was so impressed with how he's progressed and what he's learned when it comes to spelling rules.  Barton Reading and Spelling focuses on reading, spelling, and writing.  Each level of Barton has different spelling rules.  For example: Floss Rule- One syllable word, ending in a F,L,S or a Z, you need to double that letter at the end.  He's learned little tricks to help him with reading and spelling.  In addition, Jackson has moved from a child who hated writing to one who journals every day! We've certainly taken some baby steps but I'm just so thankful when I look at how far we've come together.  I'm often reminded of a quote by Dr. Sears' which I first read when Jackson was a toddler: 

"The conduct of a growing child is full of undesirable and desirable behaviors -- weeds and flowers. Given good nurturing, flowers grow so well you hardly notice the weeds. But often these flowers wilt at certain seasons and the weeds become more noticeable. If you just wait until that season is over, the weeds subside, and the flowers bloom again -- sometimes so beautifully that you forget the weeds are even there. Sometimes the weeds grow more quickly than the flowers, and you have to pull them out before they take over. So go the behaviors of a growing child."  


What was true when Jackson was a toddler is still true today!  Some days, it's easy to see the weeds over the flowers and some days, it's easier to wait patiently for the flowers to bloom.
Well, I think it's probably about time for me to post the quote on my refrigerator again because we have a full-fledged toddler in the house.  He's wonderful and most days, fairly easy to parent.  I'm sure that we'll need reminders from time to time about the weeds showing up in our beautiful garden.  Sawyer had his first meltdown last week.  He wanted to go outside with the basketball but it was dark.  Eventually, Webb and I both had a billiant thought.  Why not let Sawyer go outside and see that it was too dark to play?  We did just that and he mostly calmed down a few minutes before crashing hard, for bed.  His tantrum made us all very tired.  Again, welcome to toddlerhood! 

Sawyer had a check-up this past week and they confirmed that he's doing great.  He is finally moving up in the charts away from the 10 percentile.  He's now in the 25th-50th in height and 25th in weight.  His head is still above average.  They say that's typical of toddlers but I think he comes from a family with large noggins.  That's a good thing though, right!

Sawyer loves to dance, sing, and play outside.  His favorite things right now include popcorn, balls, and balloons.  Did I mention that he really really loves balloons?  He's fallen asleep a few times with a balloon in hand.  No worries, he's not in a crib with one.  He just loves living on the edge I guess since toddlers aren't really suppose to have balloons or popcorn. 

We pulled out the little potties last month and Sawyer enjoys using them mostly as step stools.  He decided that he'd rather stand on one and "pee pee" in the big potty.  He's a ways from potty training but it's pretty neat when we ask, "You wanna go pee pee in the potty?" and he takes off running. Maybe our potty training days will be a little easier once they get here. 

Well, the big boys are off to the batting cage.  In less than a month, Spring ball starts.  The temperatures this weekend are predicted to be in the upper 60's.  I think we're getting another little taste of spring this January.  No complaints here! 

Hanging out

Playing with brother's old pirate ship