Kids Say....

February 23, 2012
Gordon's top button on his shirt kept coming undone and he was very concerned about it:
G: I can't wear this shirt to the store
M: Why not?
G: Because all the people will see me and call the police.
M: Why would they call the police.
G: Because I am not being modest!

11/3/09 - Gordon was at a friend's house while they were getting their windows fixed and when it was time to leave, he wanted to say goodbye to the workers. One worker asked Gordon his name and told Gordon his name was Paul. As we were walking out to the car Gordon said to me, "That worker guy's name isn't Bob the Builder."

4/11/09 - Gordon got to hold a little baby rabbit at Baby Animal Days and I was explaining that the bunny was shaking because he was scared and the bunny didn't know who he was. Gordon said, "I'm Gordon!"

3/24/09 - Gordon is trying to have more adult conversations. He asked Chris the other day, "So how was school?" And he asked me the other day what I did while he was gone.

3/09 - Gordon is now into complimenting. It is so cute. "Katie, I like you earrings." "I like your new shoes Kambree." "I like your boobs Mom" (he really did say that.) "Thank you for making dinner." And so on...

1/5/09 - This morning I asked Gordon what I should wear today and he said, "The pink shirt. I think that would look so beautiful." I said, "Okay lets see how it will look." After I put it on he said, "Wow!" It was the cutest thing ever.

Maps For Sale

The other day Gordon taped this sign to the end table and proceeded in trying to sell me a treasure map. I thought, sure, here is some fake money. No, he wanted real money. Cash, specifically. He wants money to buy his own stuff.

It's my own fault really. Every time he whines that I won't buy him something I say, "When you are old enough and have your own money, you can spend it however you want." Yesterday, he started cleaning without me asking. He cleaned the bathroom, washed the table, dusted, did some dishes, and picked up the front room. He did it all with such a happy, positive attitude. Now, what is it that has him so motivated to make money? He really wants a turtle. We went over to a friends house for dinner last week and they had a fish tank with a turtle in it that they had caught at a golf course pond. Now he won't give up until he catches a turtle. He's seen two just on the little walks we take. He is a very persistent kid. I talked to him about how animals in the wild are meant to stay in the wild and if he really wants a pet we need to get one at the pet store. He has been wanting a pet for at least a year. Chris promised the boys a dog when we got a house and that didn't happen. And it is not going to happen now that we are in an apartment. 

But the boy needs a pet. That is where you come in. 

What is a good pet? I want something in a cage obviously. Something a 6 year old could take care of. Something not stinky. But something fun, that he is not going to loose interest in. What are your thoughts? 

Gordon's 5th Birthday Interview

Interview with Gordon:
1. Something you do well.
swimming... plus one is two.
2. Something you wish you could do better.
do gymnastics
3. Your favorite food.
quesadilla
4. 3 words that tell about you.
me is me
5. What makes you happy.
you.
(oh, that is so sweet.)
Is there anything else that makes you happy?
No.
Something that makes you smile?
you.
6. The most important thing in your life right now.
the airport.
Why?
because that's is where airplanes land. That is where they start driving and fly.
7. Your favorite movie.
G-Force, Wipe-out, and Polar Express
8. Your favorite book.
Runaway Bunny- a bunny runs away and the mom bunny runs after it. If the baby bunny is a fish the mom bunny will fish for it.
9. Your favorite thing.
watching movies. My favorite song is You Better Watch Out! You better not cry!
10. Your favorite place to go.
to Izzy's house
11. Your favorite thing to draw.
Disneyland
12. Something you want for Christmas.
You know what Spencer got for Christmas at Papa's house. It is green and white and you plug it in? That is what I want.
13. Your favorite color.
Blue, yellow, white, green, red, black, peach
14. What do you like to play?
Going to Vegas
How do you play that?
Get on the couch. Pretend that the couch is a rocket. Get all your stuff, make a mess. (he means pack his clothes but I always tell him he is making a mess) Take a shower, take a bath, and go to Vegas!
15. What do you like to do when it's raining?
Stay inside. Play Vegas. Hug you. Take naps. Hahaha
16. Your favorite animal?

You.
No.
Um...Edison.
No.
Um...my favorite animal is...ME!
No.
an elephant.
One plus one is awesome!


How does it feel to be 5?
I don't know I haven't been 5 for very long.
What was your favorite thing about being 4?
Swimming and playing with Terin
What did you not like about being 4?
Not playing with rocks. I played with rocks when I was 3 but not when I was 4.
What is going to be exciting about being 5?
I am getting older.
What is good about getting older?
I am getting close to being a grownup.
What is so great about being a grownup?
Grownups are stronger and can lift heavier things and kids can't do that.

Better Late than Never

Gordon's party was monster themed and it was perfect because all the Halloween stuff was 75% off. I found this invitation online and changed it to suite our party:

I printed off some Yo Gabba Gabba monster masks and had the kids color them and add different things to them. Then we practiced being really scary monsters. We made scary faces, stomped, and made scary noises. Then we played Hide-n-Scare. Half the kids hid while the other kids looked for them and then they jumped out and made scary faces!

 All the kids making scary faces. Now the story behind the cupcakes. I found these cupcakes in the Fall issue of Taste of Home and that is what started this monster themed party. Well, we had the party planned and everything was ready, including the cupcakes and then Gordon woke up sick (vomiting). So we cancelled the party and ended up throwing away a lot of cupcakes. Well, Chris insisted that we make the cupcakes again and try for the party the next week.

 I wasn't so sure I wanted to make all those cupcakes again! But it actually turned out easier the second time. The kids absolutely loved them. And Gordon even got to help create some with the left over supplies.

At the end we had them follow the green monster footprints to find their goody bags. I just bought a bunch of Halloween stuff (spiders, googly eye glasses...) and I made some slime and put them each in a ziploc bag. All in all it was a successful party.

I have been working on a few projects for the boys room. I still have a few more but who know when they will get done so I thought I would post what I finished.

I don't know if you remember this blanket...

I am trying to decorate the boys room with this blanket as the focus. I want to paint the small bookcase in their room orange or green. I think green would be a little safer but orange would be fun.

You're so sassy

Gordon has been really sassy lately. Most of the time it is not funny but sometimes it really is. Like the other night. We had to go pick up daddy's car at work so he could drive to Twin Falls tomorrow. We left it there over the weekend because he came home with us. It was getting close to bed time so Gordon was trying to stall. He wanted to go for a drive and he was telling us where to go. We obliged for about 5 minutes but then I started telling him we needed to get home. Here is our conversation:

G: I am in charge and I make decisions

M: No, I am the boss.

G: No, we are going this way

M: Okay, how about we go over the big hill and then we will go home.

G: Okay, but I am not going to bed

M: You don't have to go to sleep but you do have to get in your bed

G: I will just get out of my bed

M: Then I will put you back in bed with no books

G: I will just get out of bed again

M: Then I will give you vinegar

G: Then I will throw up on you.

M: Then I will give you a spanking

G: Then I will give you a spanking

I couldn't help but laugh. Then I told him that I was in charge and he better do as I say or else...

A Child's Prayer

We recently decided to start paying Gordon a dime for chores he does around the house. I was hoping to motivate him a little more and teach him about money (it doesn't grow on trees, ya know). Well shortly after he started saving his money he started praying about money all the time.

• "Thanks that dad can make money, and money, and more money, and money."
• "Thanks for all my money...and thanks that I can have money..."

I was kind of worried that I had created a greedy little monster, but it only lasted about a week or so. It is still hard to motivate him to do much of anything. Any ideas?

Gordon also NEVER forgets to bless Aunt Katie on her mission.

• "Thanks that Katie can deserve a mission..."
• "Thanks that Katie can teach people about Jesus..."
• "Thanks that I can deserve a mission when I get big..."

Gordon has a hard time saying "please bless..." everything is always, "thank you..."

• "Thank you that we can bless our food..."

I guess I should be glad that he is so thankful! I love listening to his prayers it is an insight into what he is thinking about.

Its Been Decided...

We decided to take Julie's advice and cut it but also leave the curls. I tell you what, its all about the mullet. You get the best of both worlds! And plus, living here in the sticks, Gordon fits right in...

Just Kidding. Here is what his hair cut really looks like.

I think we both knew the curls needed to go. The problem with keeping hair longer is that it was way cute about two weeks ago and now it is just a big mess of curls. You had to work with it for like 4 whole minutes. Which in little boy time is an eternity! Gordon was sad at first to see all his hair dropping to the ground but I know he will like the low maintenance of it.

To Cut or Not to Cut?

We have been growing Gordon's hair out for about two or three months now and we are so back and forth about what to do with it. I think it drives Chris crazy. What do you think?

I had to include a couple of shots of the long hair because it looks so different everyday.

I don't want to be one of those mothers who thinks their kids hair is cute when it is so totally not. I will be sad to see the curls go but if that is what needs to happen, I am ready for the truth. Let's be honest now.

There is a poll at the top left. Go ahead and vote. And leave a comment!

Random-ness

Today it was 4 degrees (felt like -10 degrees because of the wind.) when the kids wanted to go out and play in the snow. I let them because we have been, for the most, part stuck in this house all week. It was -4 degrees on Monday. I cannot believe how cold it is!!

(Hey boys, don't try to look happy or anything, okay.)

Edison looked so funny in all his snow gear. He loved walking around the house in his boots.

A long time ago (about 4 months) I thought it would be fun to do home-made gifts for Christmas for each other. Now I am thinking--not so fun. Chris and I are both working on the rag quilt for Gordon since that is the one that is taking the longest to get anywhere. This picture was taken in March when I just started cutting out the fabric and I was so excited. Now I have sworn never to sew again! I think I should be embarrassed to admit that I started this project in March but I am so over it.

And I am also making a quiet book for Edison. Which is coming along quite nicely, thank you. I was going to make a headboard for our bed for Chris but we decided the project that he is working on for me will be both of our presents since it is costing more than we thought. He is making a bookcase and it is going to be the nicest piece of furniture we own. Got to start somewhere right?

And finally some good news. We found our camera. Such a funny story. So I decided to wake up at 2:45 a.m. to be at Target by 3:00 a.m. to buy a new camera. This was the first time I woke up really early to do Black Friday shopping. It was kind of fun just because I had my sisters with me. Anyway, at the end of the weekend, Chris decides to go up and check our room one more time to make sure we didn't forget anything. He looks in the big dresser to see if the kids maybe put something in there, and there was our camera!! Yeah! We were so happy. And thankful.

And now, I may just have to post Halloween pictures in December. Would that be too awful?

Meet Puddy

A little introduction to the interview below. This dog/blanket was Gordon's since he was a baby and we always called it Buddy. Gordon couldn't say buddy so he said "Puddy." Even now that he can say buddy, it is still "Puddy." Puddy has always been there, but more in the background, until lately. I think it was around the time we moved, Puddy became Gordon's best friend. Puddy went everywhere and did everything with him. And now without further ado, I introduce to you, Puddy...

M: What is Pudddy?
G: Her's a girl
M: What does Puddy like to do?
G: She likes to pick up movies and put them in their spots. Her likes to play with choo-choo trains and...her likes to play outside.
M: What does she like to do with you.
G: Her likes to hug me.
M: anything else
G: Nope
M: Why do you like Puddy?
G: Because her's my baby.
M: Where did you get Puddy?
G: From Logan. Her just, we didn't even found her.
M: How do you take care of Puddy
G: Her can have a blanket and a picnic. Look at her picnic blanket.
M: Do you love Puddy more than you love mommy?
G: Yep, well Puddy's mommy died. Because her is a little bit much. Her makes a mess for lunch.
M: Anything else you would like to tell us about Puddy?
G: Yep, her likes to play hide and seek.

I've had this in my drafts for awhile now and I think it appropriate to post it now as a tribute and a goodbye. We lost Puddy at a relatives house and it was deduced that the dog took her away and buried her. It was very sad for Gordon (not so much for mommy.) It took a couple of weeks to forget about her but I think he has finally moved on. It happened about a week before his birthday and he kept asking me if Puddy was going to come to his party. I think once she was a no-show, Gordon decided to find a new best friend, his stuffed moose. Moose is no where near the status that Puddy once was. Moose is often forgotten and doesn't have to go in the car with us everywhere we go. Moose doesn't ever get to eat breakfast with us and rarely gets to sleep with Gordon at night. Moose just isn't the same. Goodbye Puddy. You are loved and missed (by at least one of us.)

Gordon's par-tay

I think I am loosing my mind. Well, I am definitely loosing everything else. We can't find our camera. The last time we remember having it was at the Halloween party at my parent's ward...hopefully it turns up.

So I am more than a week late in posting about Gordon's 4th birthday. I had to borrow my sis-in-law's camera. The theme was: BUGS!

I got this idea from Cara. I just loved it. Super cute and pretty easy. The only problem was we made the first batch of bugs too skinny so when transferring them to the cupcakes, they all broke. But once we learned that lesson...easy, peasy.
I made antennae headbands for all the kids and I must say, "Super cute". My twin nephews had the brilliant idea of using them like headset walkie-talkies so everyone kept going around, "Come in commander, can you pass the glue." Aaa-dorable.We made little bug scenes with stickers, markers, glue, and paper while we waited for all the kdis to arrive. Then we played stick the dot on the ladybug with Oreos. Lick it and stick it. That was fun even if the my ladybug looked a little squashed.
Each kid also got a tiny magnifying glass and had to go outside in the back yard and hunt for bugs. Then we did cupcakes and "bug juice." The kids loved that and Gordon still asks for it. Silly, silly. My dad was telling all the kids that they had to squeeze so many grasshoppers to get all this juice. Gross.
I didn't get very many pictures of the opening presents part because the kids kept crowding around. I wish I would have gotten a picture of the garbage truck we got him but I'm not joking when I say that thing was gone before I could blink. The kids loved it and Gordon has been playing with it non-stop. It looks pretty much just like this. All in all, it was a fun time. And I know someone who really enjoyed their cupcake...
Happy Birthday Gordon. We sure love you!!

Gordon

Gordon is now four. Here are some things he is into now-

1. Lying. It is true. We had to have a little talk about lying and now he still doesn't get it. When I tell him I think his shoes are up in his room but really they are in the car, I am a liar. I told him, that's not lying because I just thought maybe his shoes were there. So the other day I asked him if he picked up the movies. He said no so I went and checked. They were picked up. He said, "I didn't lie, I just thought they weren't picked up." Silly boy.
2. He loves watching movies. Anything and everything. He would watch movies all day if I let him.
3. Lately he has really gotten into coloring where before he would sit for about one minute and color. I am loving it. He is getting really good coloring in the lines too.

Gordon

Dear Gordon,

This birthday letter is a little late, but I still wanted to talk about this stage in your life and tell you how much I love you. The move to Heyburn has been hard on all of us. You miss your good friends, as do I. I know it took me awhile to get back to being the mommy you need me to be and I want to thank you for being patient with me and always loving me. You are so forgiving and loving.

You are my big helper. Always have been and always will be I think. You love to "help" with your brother Edison. You mean well, but sometimes I have to remind you that Edison only needs one mother! You are so good with Edison and you guys play really well together (for the most part) because of your kindness and patience.

This year we are doing Joy School with several other moms and kids in our ward and you have really enjoyed it. You are very social and love to have friends. You learn very quickly and love to pick out the first letter of different words. You'll tell me, "Telephone starts with T" and then continue telling me other words that start with T as well.

As always, you love to watch movies. Recently we watched Robin Hood and now you like to pretend you are Robin Hood using a hanger as your bow and arrow. You also have like Peter Pan and love to play Captain Hook and Peter Pan, especially with the pirate hook and sword you got for your birthday. You also saved up enough dimes to go to the local discount theater and watch Planet 51. You love the "big TV" and would probably sit through any movie at the theater.

You are my best buddy and we love to do everything together. You are very obedient and I thank my Heavenly Father every night that I was blessed with such good boys. I love you so much! Happy Birthday Gordon.

Love,

Mom

Entertain ME

Gordon has to be constantly entertained. He rarely plays by himself for longer than 5 minutes. Since I am always trying to come up with fun things to do I thought I would share what I've come up with if you promise to share your ideas too!The other day Gordon and I made some vanilla pudding and I found this great idea to put the pudding in a muffin tin and add different colors to the tins and do some finger painting. It really was fun, fast, and easy to clean up.Then when they were done painting, I gave them graham cracker sticks to eat it all up with. If you think this is gross you should see what else they put in their mouths.Another easy way to entertain kids, especially boys, get some flour or oats and pour it onto a large cookie sheet and let them dig around in it with their little cars. Gordon loves this. The first time we did this he would play for the whole time I made dinner every day for a week. It was great. Now he only plays for about 15 minutes to a half hour depending.In this picture he is telling me to stop taking pictures so he can just play. Hence the angry look. So what are some fun things you do to keep your kids entertained?

Its a good thing I didn't go into child psychology

Could someone please tell me WHY-

• it is so much fun to throw food on the floor
  
• my eighteen month old drools so much he needs a new shirt by midday
• Gordon likes to stick things in the back of his underpants and keep them there. (It tickles his bum, he says.)
  
• my almost-four year old has to tell me he needs to go to the bathroom EVERY time before he goes (he doesn't want my assistance just the knowledge that he needs to go.)
  
• but he cannot ask my permission before he gets any food out of the fridge
• kissing an owie makes everything better (not complaining about this one)
• it is fun to throw toys down the stairs or dump all toys on the floor- not to play with them, just to have them all over
  
• and what is so enticing about screaming in the car? Happy or sad. Edison loves to scream in the car
  

And...We're Back Online

Finally we have the internet again! Life here in Heyburn is slow but we get to see a lot more of Chris so I'm not complaining. Gordon and I have had some great conversations. Here is one we had yesterday.
(We could here our neighbor girl screaming and so Gordon said she was throwing a fit and got locked in the tower FOREVER. After discussing the many ways she could escape, Gordon told me a dragon knocked down her door and saved her.)

G: And then the dragon will come and eat you.
M: I thought he was a nice dragon?
G: He is. He only eats fat people.
M: I'm not fat.
G: Yes you are.
M: Gordon, do you even know what fat means?
G: Yes, it means you are like an elephant. And you are like an elephant and you have an elephant nose.
I stopped the conversation after that before he could come up with even more insults!

My Hero

Gordon was sitting on the rocking chair pushing against the desk with his feet. "Mom, look at me. I am so strong. I am growing so strong and healthy I am going to be big like daddy and never bleed." I responded with, "Dads never bleeds, huh? How come?" "I don't know, they just don't." He said it so matter of factly it was precious.

A Mother's Nightmare

Once again, we spent our Saturday evening in the hospital. I sat there feeling so awful, wishing I could take away my little boy's pain; beating myself up thinking I could have prevented this. Am I really that bad of a mother that my children are in the hospital every other month? Gordon HATES hospitals ever since last December when he had to go in for dehydration and we had to pin him to the bed to get an IV in him (it took 4 tries because his veins kept collapsing). He was so scared and I just wanted to take him in my arms and make it all go away with the power of my hug.
What happened this time, you ask. We were finishing a wonderful day at the local swimming pool, I had just wrapped Gordon tight in his towel to keep him warm; he took two steps and fell flat on his face, with no arms to catch his fall. There was a lot of blood and tears but over all not a big deal. We stuffed some tissue up is nose and in his mouth and started to head for home. And then the nightmare began. This was our conversation in the car ride:
Gordon: What happened?
Me: You fell down.
G: Where?
M: At the swimming pool, remember?
A few seconds pass
G: What happened?
M: You fell and hurt your nose.
G: Where?
M: At the swimming pool. Do you remember swimming?
G: Yes. (Few seconds.) What happened?
M: (I'm really starting to freak out now, too many medical dramas on TV pop into my head) Honey you fell down. Where did you fall down? Do you remember?
G: Where? Tell me.
This went on and on for about 5 minutes. Then we told him he was going to the hospital and he started crying. After a few minutes he asked where we were going. Again, to the hospital. Crying.
Long story short. A lot of waiting at the hospital to find out, after the Cat Scan, everything was fine. Just a concussion. Phew!!

These are a few of my favorite things

Gordon loves to play "house." He is the dad and someone is always the baby. Poor Terin has learned not to fight it and just accept his role. Gordon also loves to play Tiger! He likes to crawl around and growl at me and I have to run and be very afraid of the big mean Tiger.
Of course sometimes the roles are reversed and I have to be the Tiger chasing him. We got a new bed for Gordon a few months ago and he loves to jump on it and jump OFF it onto his bean bag. After that got old he wanted to start jumping of his dresser. I told him that wasn't a good idea and he said, "but mom, it's so exciged."
He also loves to shoot things and since we don't have any guns he uses his fingers. This is his gun.
He also makes a little "pikchoo" noise and closes his eyes. It is pretty darn cute as long as he doesn't point it at me or Edison or anyone else for that matter!
Gordon is also very emotional lately. He is so dramatic; everything is like the world is coming to an end. I am trying to teach him to talk about it when he is upset or sad but we're still working on it.
Gordon loves to answer the phone and talk to anyone who will listen. Sometimes I don't hear the phone ring and then he will come in the room talking to someone. Silly kid! And last but not least, Gordon LOVES to play with my camera and take pictures. Here are a few of his best.