Family Pumpkin Farm Photos

We attempted to get some fall photos of the family at Grandpa & Grandma's pumpkin farm. Here's some of the highlights...
{After this shot of Chloe walking in front of the gourd '2008' setup...}

{We actually got them all to look through the gourds & at the camera!}

{Love this one of my muscle men...}

{And one of the boys with mom's painted pumpkin faces made into a pumpkin totem pole. Of course, their favorite is the Spiderman face, which was their request.}

{And a shot of the girls in the family...}

{We got a couple of family photos. Grandpa took time out from farming to take these for us. Thanks Grandpa!}


{Chloe & Gabe...}

{Then Coop thought he'd better join in...}


{Got some individual photos of each of the kids. Here's Gabe...}

{And Cooper...there are better ones, but this one is so funny!}

{And Chloe...}

{As it got late and the moon came up, Chloe got sleepy so Daddy held her...}

{The End.}

Simply Said

{Above photo taken on Wisconsin Dells Trip, Winter 2008.}

Gabe and I had a conversation the other day. This is one of those conversations that is so simple, yet means so much. I didn’t want to forget the details and won’t now that I am posting it here.
Keeping in mind that I cry at the drop of a hat, the tears did flow when this exchange of words took place. Sometimes experiences phrased so simply mean the most. I'm sure there would have been days when a conversation so seemingly mundane could have passed me by without a thought. But something about the details Gabe remembered so fondly made this one conversation to remember.

{Note: The following took place right after Gabe came home from school and was excited to see that everyone was sleeping except me.}

Gabe: Hey Mom.
Me: Hey What?
Gabe: I’m remembering something great!
Me: What’s that?
Gabe: I remember the last time Cooper and Chloe were still asleep when I came home from school. You remember?
Me: Yeah.
Gabe: And we went outside to play and you pitched balls to me. Remember?
Me: Yeah.
Gabe: And then you asked if I missed you while I was at school and I said, ‘A little.’ Remember?
Me: Yeah. {Remembering, but shocked he remembers so clearly!}
Gabe: And then you said, ‘Just a little?’ And I said, ‘Yeah.’ Remember?
Me: Yeah.
Gabe: And then you started to chase me and you caught me and tickled me because you said I should miss you a lot while I’m at school, not just a little. Remember?
Me: Yeah. I sure do. {Tearing up, realizing that this event obviously meant a lot to him.}
Gabe: Well then, ask me again if I miss you while I’m at school. {...said with a beaming face.}
Me: {Speechless, smiling and in tears.}
Gabe: Ask me....{in a playful, half laughing voice.}
Me: {Pulling it together...} Ok, do you miss me while you're at school?
Gabe: {Laughing} A little {then runs looking for me to chase him, and I did with pleasure.}

It's times like this that a child remembers. Times when he knows your attention is all on him, and that at that moment, nothing else matters but playing with him and spending time with him. No preoccupations, no interruptions, just you and him. Times when you're silly, times when you're goofy. Times that may only take a few moments but last a lifetime. It usually means putting off that load of laundry that needs washed or waiting to do bills until they're asleep. But those are the times they remember, and the times I remember too.

The Different Faces of Sickness

It's no secret that people deal with sickness in different ways.
Some lay in bed, moaning and groaning, using their cell phone similar to the way a sick person would use a bell to beckon their wife to wait on them hand and foot.
I present Exhibit A:

{Yes, I actually get phone calls on the home phone from Jason's cell phone because he's so sick, he can't yell loud enough for me to hear him from the bedroom. Funny, I know.}
And by the way, Jason's probably going to kill me when he sees that I post this, but it was too funny not to share, so it's worth it.

And yet, other sick people exercise in their underwear.
Exhibit B:

Coop has never been one to get too sick. I think part of his resilience is that he takes after me and never runs a fever!
Regardless, I'm taking care of my sick boys the best I can and praying that no one else in our family gets sick!

More Gabe Photos

I had to post Gabe's latest photos. Many of you will remember the start of Gabe's photography hobby a few months back. {If not, click on the 'few months back' link...you gotta see these professional-looking pics Gabe shot!}
Today Gabe's subjects were again Chloe and I, and just look at the different expressions he got out of Chloe. Too bad she was looking at his hat instead of the camera, but still very cute photos of Chloe. I look a bit tired {Jason and Coop have been sick again with a stomach bug, which makes for long days for mom} but I wanted to post these anyway 'cause Chloe's so darn cute!



A little later, Gabe also captured this photo of Chloe. He then decided she'd had enough and the photo shoot ended.

Book Worm

Chloe LOVES books. She loves to sit with books, look at books, even talk to books.
Her favorites are her board books such as 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' & 'I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly', but I often finding her sitting with her brothers' Spiderman or Train books too.
She looks at the pictures, points and says, 'What's This?' And she talks to the books too.
It's entertaining just watching her with her books.
Last night she was having quite the interaction with one of her favorite reads, 'Little Duck.'
It's a cute finger puppet book, and it really keeps Chloe entertained.
{Chloe looks at the book...}

{...laughs about the book...}

{...ponders the book...}

{...And talks to the book.}

Cooper's Makeover

I gave the boys haircuts the other night.
Gabe's cut was more of a trim, but I had let Cooper's hair grow out so his cut was more of a makeover.
Gabe and Cooper have completely different hair texture. Gabe's is fine and straight like Jason's hair, while Cooper's is more coarse and has some body like mine.
So, I can let Cooper's hair grow out and it looks cute longer, whereas Gabe's fine textured hair is better kept short.
Anyway, all of a sudden, Coop looks like a big boy with his new haircut. It's funny how a simple haircut can change a kid's whole look. I'm missing my little boy, but Coop does look quite handsome with his new shorter style.
{As of late, Cooper doesn't smile for photos. It's either a
funny face or a serious face as you can see in the photos below.}
So here's the before...


And After... {TaDa!}

ZINGO

Zingo is our family's favorite game for kids. If you haven't heard of it, it's like Bingo, only it's called 'Zingo.' It's Bingo with a Zing!

Zingo really is such a fun game...the boys could play it for hours! We got it from some friends for Gabe's birthday a few years back and it's been a great addition to our game inventory. I highly recommend it!

Tonight Cooper won for the first time all by himself. I usually have to help him and remind him to pay attention to his Zingo card, but tonight it was all Cooper. He was so proud of himself, and mom was proud of him too.

I was also quite proud of Gabe. Gabe can be a bit of a sore loser at times. He's ultra competitive...wonder where he gets that from?? *typed with plenty of sarcasm.* But tonight, Gabe was genuinely proud of Cooper for winning too. It was a sweet moment. Who knew a game of Zingo could make me cry? But I guess if you ask Jason, almost anything can make me cry, so that's not saying much!

'Boys Only' Fort

Jason decided to "build" the boys a fort this morning before he left for work. There's no school today, so I guess he figured they need something to do.

Now when I've built the boys a fort in the past, it involved simply securing their bed comforters between the bunk beds and their dresser in their room, creating a hideout of sorts. Jason's idea of building a fort involves actually moving furniture and, of course, conveniently building this fort right in front of the television in the living room. And, as you'll see from the photos below, the fort dress code is apparently underwear only. I'm thinking this must be a guy thing, lounging around the living room in front of the tv in just your underwear. Any guys dream fort, right?!

That's why I wasn't surprised when Gabe informed me of the fort rules. 'This is a boys fort mom. Only boys are allowed.'

But it's amazing how much the fort rules change once someone {Coop} breaks it. All of a sudden mom is allowed in the fort for repair. Again, very convenient.

Really, it is so fun seeing the boys laying together in their fort. Brings back memories of my childhood days, only sadly I played in forts with imaginary friends since the youngest of my three older brothers is 11 years my senior. Our kids are really blessed to have each other as buddies.

School Tears

The first time I visited Gabe at school about one month ago, he cried for one hour straight after I left. I talked with him about it, and although I never got a good reason as to why he cried, he assured me he wouldn't do that again.
Well, he did. Today, I stopped by after I picked Cooper up from preschool. Gabe was out for recess and we saw him playing with friends on the swings, so we thought we'd stop and say hi. Bad idea! Immediately, tears erupted.
"I don't want you to go," Gabe said. I had just gotten there, and his first words were not 'Hi,' but instead a plea for me not to leave. His friends were even consoling him, and asking him to come play with them. But to no avail. He wasn't leaving his position attached to my leg for anything!
I have to say, this is not like Gabe at all. From birth, he's never cared if I leave. He loves to go with anyone {such a people person} and is always outgoing and never shy, unless he pretends to be.
Independent is a great word to describe Gabe. He's always been a go-getter, and is his own person. That's why I'm so puzzled by this behavior as of late.
With the help of his teacher, we finally got him calmed down, but I left with a sad heart. I feel for the moms whose kids cry every day when they drop them off at school or daycare. I know that my delicate emotions could never handle that kind of thing on a regular basis. God made me sensitive, and at the same time, He knew what He was doing when He gave me outgoing, independent kids. One day of leaving a sad child where he said he didn't want to be is enough to do me in!
And it's definitely enough to create an apprehension about going to school to visit Gabe. But the school welcomes, even encourages parental visits and involvement in the classroom. And I desire to help and share in Gabe's day, but not if I leave him in tears!
Hopefully next time will be easier...I'm suppose to help in the classroom on Monday. We'll see how it goes I guess :)

Our Chatter Box

Chloe had ear tube surgery this morning. The surgery went really well, but since this is our third child who has had this surgery, it's amazing how routine it has gotten for us.
One factor that is different with each child is how they will wake up from the surgery. The general anesthetic had a very different effect on each of our children.
Gabe has actually had surgery twice. Once to put tubes in his ears when he was about 18 months old and once, just a few months ago, to take one of the tubes out that didn't fall out on its own. Both times Gabe was very, very sleepy, opening his eyes for a few minutes and then falling right back to sleep.
Cooper had tubes put in when he was about 13 months old. He woke up from surgery crying, and cried for about an hour straight.
And then there's Chloe. Jason & I were sitting in a recovery room where they put people waiting for family members to wake up from surgery. We could hear Chloe from clear down the hall. The nurse said as soon as she woke up, she sat up and started talking. "Mommy...Daddy...Blankie," she was just chattering away.
The nurse who brought Chloe to us was laughing and said,
"She's a Chatter Box, isn't she." So true!
Chloe talks and talks, lots of it being jibberish, but with a few real words mixed in. Her expression while talking is the best, either becoming really serious and placing her hand on you while she's talking, almost like she's saying, "now listen to this." Or, she's really silly with lots of influx between words and a big smile on her face.
It's exciting now that her own baby language is becoming intermingled with more and more words that we can actually recognize. I thought I'd take this opportunity to record a few of her vocabulary words as of late.

Chloe's Favorite Words at 16 months old:
Mommy...Daddy...Doggie...Kitty...Night-Night...Hi...Bye...Grandma...Grandpa...Gee {Gabe}...Pooker {Cooper}...Chloe {Says her own name very clear}...What's that? {She says this a lot}...No {She says this a lot too}...Yes {Wish she said this more}...Apple...Fish...Nana {Banana}...Cheese {Nope, not the food. Mom takes too many pictures}
These are her most commonly used words. She's growing so fast, getting so big and looking less and less like a baby and more and more like a little lady.
*Tear, Tear*
Why can't they stay little just a little longer?