I am a fan of the “natural nickname”. Meaning — I have nicknames for everyone, but it is just what naturally comes out of my mouth instead of a preconceived name.
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Micah is called “Shmickity Dickity” or “Babe” or “Booty”. He answers to any of them.
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Scout is commonly called “Handsome” or “Stinky Dinky”. Both names have evolved and stuck. Both names he answers to.
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Navy is “Icka” or “Ickity Dickity Dock” or “Sweets”. She is aware of each, and think all of them are her real names. (Sushi is another, but was coined and preconceived by Bella.)
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Both of my kids also answer to “weasel” or if I am talking to both of them, I call them the “Tweedles”.
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All of these work. There is no legend to keep track of who is who, everyone just knows.
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So now — I have a HUGE announcement! I didn’t know what would roll off of my tongue for Dash. It was going to be as much of a surprise to me as anybody. And here it is……
Drum roll please…….
“Dashy” has become “Big Boy”!
That is it —-
BIG BOY!
If it wasn’t a “natural nickname” I might have chosen differently, but what naturally rolls off of my tongue is “big boy”!
I kind of love it.
My sister-in-law is finally having a baby, and I am throwing the shower. I say “I”, but really it is Britni and me throwing it. She has been so fun bouncing ideas around with, and she has really delivered.
First off, she, Emily, and Tristen were on sugar cookie duty.
When she delivered her delicacies to us for Valentine’s Day, I oohed and aahed over them. And then she asked the most magical question I have ever heard….”So do you want these for the shower?” Without even hesitating, I said YES!
Little did I know what a perfectionist Britni is. She has these things down to a science. And as meticulous as she was making them, she was even more while she frosted them.
Somehow Icka snuck out of bed and came down to watch the magic happen. She was in awe of the whole process and kept saying, “I need just a little bit of the dough.” Britni was accomodating, but I think Emily was sneaking her more and more. No wonder she said, “I liked that other girl that was here last night” the next morning!
While they baked away, I was making puff balls. Skilly saw them taped to my wall with blue painter’s tape and went home and told Trilby, “Whoa Mom…I am a little worried about Lindsey’s decorations. Everything is pink, but she is using this really ugly blue tape to hang them with.” Poor girl didn’t know they were in their temporary state.
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After baking and puff ball duty, we were all pretty wiped. But Britni was ready for the “skirt”. WE saw something we both fell in love with on Pinterest, and decided to tackle it. So for three plus hours, Tristen cut while Brit tied and I roamed between the both. Luckily it was Wednesday night and we had American Idol and Survivor on in the background.
It became quite the project, and required a ton of tulle. And after we were done, we went down and held it up to the counter. We both were a little overwhelmed by the end, and I admitted to our “Pinterrhea”. I was a little worried that I had a LOT of great ideas — maybe too many. At the beginning of the night, the entire vision was very clear to me, but by the end, we were delirious and my confidence waned.
But laughter is the best medicine, and as Brit came out on her toes as a highly decorated ballerina, we were rolling!
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After Britni left, I plopped myself on the couch next to my mom and said, “Mom…I love it, but I HATE it!”
We just laughed.
And then I repeated the same statement.
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The good news was by the next morning, my vision had returned, and I was glad we knocked it out the night before!
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I have a slight problem of liking things the way I like them. And if I stick my name on something, I want to do it the way I like it. Why can’t I like simple? Poor Micah wants the answer to question — even more than I do!
I finally set up the store for the CTR Bucks chart. There are some girl things and some boy and the prices vary. As soon as I set it up, Scout was all over it. He weighed every single option with his 13 bucks. If he bought something for $5, he would have $8 left. But if he bought something for $10, he would still have $3. This went on and on, and in the end he offered to buy something for Icka. I told him that she needed to earn her own stuff, so he ended up buying bubble rings for $5, because he really wanted to save up $20 so he could buy his Lego Star Wars set. I knew this would be a great exercise in spending, saving, choosing wisely. What I didn’t know is what a great lesson it would be in math!
Scout and his leg finally went back to school!
He was SO excited!
I told him that once he mastered going to the bathroom by himself, he got to go back.
It was that very day that he had the potty mastered.
Do you think he was anxious to go back?
It was exactly one week from the time he took his first steps that he walked up Miss Dianne’s driveway.
Everyone was SO excited — especially Miss Dianne who immediately took his hand and helped him in.
He dropped off his backpack, and slowly walked into the garage where all of the kids were.
And they quickly arranged for him to sit down and pick up where he had left off three months before.
Scout got a package in the mail from his cousin Samuel. It was a huge box, so Scout was super excited to see what was inside. And what we found was awesome!
It was a hand-written note from Samuel that told Scout he must have been “miserable” during his cast. And so he sent 3 Lego Bionicles that he put together himself for Scout to play with.
Scout was SO excited. He thought they were the coolest things he had ever seen. In fact, he opened the box right before church and begged to take one with him. Stupidly, I said yes.
Do you know how humiliating it is when your boy is whispering (or what he thinks is a whisper) “you must DIE or I will KILL you” while he holds this ugly monster up in the air for everyone to see. I’ll admit that he was really good in church this Sunday, but does the cost outweigh the benefit?
After he got home, he reunited with the other two, and is in love with his new Legos. Icka wanted in on the action, but Scout wasn’t hearing of it. In fact, she quickly became a lowly pawn in his whole saga. And soon after this picture she was running from the room yelling, “The monster is trying to kill me!”
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Dear Samuel,
You are the nicest cousin. Thank you for the fun toys and note. My mom thanks you for the Junior Mints! I love my new Bionicles, and can’t wait to make on myself. But my mom said to enjoy these because she is never going to buy things that try to kill my sister. I love you.
Love,
Scout
Navy has always wanted a sister.
So when Bella came down with a beautifully transformed Dash, Navy was thrilled.
I hated to tell her that fake ponytails don’t change gender!
Robby was one of our family’s favorite cousins while we grew up. He was Nathan’s age and was always nice and fun. He now lives in Utah and we haven’t seen him in years, so when we got a call that he was coming to California to visit, we made him come to Sunday dinner.
Robby came with his wife and four kids
We caught up for a while, and then we sat down and ate.
Our kids and his two boys sat at the kids table.
And this little girl had them laughing most of dinner!
We caught up and had a blast hearing about everyone and their lives. After dinner, we had a mini talent show. My mom and I are both fans of people showing off their talents without being begged, and his kids were awesome at that. His two girls sang for us — and they have incredible voices. And then his boy Eli had magic show for us.
We gathered around the table — including Vince, the neighbor who was having a blast being part of everything.
Once the magic show started, we prepared “to be amazed”! And honestly, we were! He was awesome! I think he is eight years old, and he had his tricks mastered. Apparently, he has been working at them since Christmas, and his slight of hand was perfect! It was really entertaining.
The best part was his influence on Scout…
Because even though Scout was slow at walking, he made his way upstairs and back down again with his magic show.
And his little bunny in the hat trick delivered!
After my kids were giving me a run for my money one day, I came up with what I would like to think is a brilliant idea.
Introducing…..
Scout and Navy’s “CTR Bucks” charts!
Of course I had to utilize Megan and her amazing computer skills.
So when I called her up with my idea of a dollar bill with their face and “CTR BUCKS” on it, she created masterpieces.
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After I put it all together, we had a Family Night where I presented it.
Th idea goes like this:
They both have a chart.
Each can earn CTR Bucks by Choosing The Right.
I described that normal day to day things that are already expected of them isn’t what we are going for. I want them to go the extra mile.
Obviously Scout immediately grasped the concept.
But my competitive “Sure Mama” girl is coming from behind.
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So after they earn their bucks, they can turn them in to the store.
The store has different items with different prices. We have everything from rolls of pennies (to take to The Spectrum to throw in the fountains) to Lego sets. The beauty of it is that this chart covers a whole lot of areas.
1. My kids are trying to be extra nice.
2. My kids are learning to save money for bigger items they may want more.
3. When we go somewhere, and they wants stuff, I will buy it for the store, so they can earn it.
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So far, so good. We are in the very preliminary stages. I am hoping to report back with very positive results. But for anyone who interacts with my kids — maybe you will just see the change on your own as they walk around with angelic glows.
And if they do…I am patenting my most awesome chart!
My little girl has started to really like ballet. She comes home humming all of the music, and actually tries to follow directions while at class. There is no more coming to the door to give Dash and me kisses. Possibly because I talked to her in the way to class #2 and told her to really pay attention and follow what the teacher says so that she can become the best. Something in that talk triggered that girl, and she is well on her way! Nice work sweet thing.
Nonnie did the honors!
Scout finally got his hair cut.
He looks like a boy again.
Hallelujah.
And then he hopped in the tub for some scrubbing down.
With his brother and his sister.
Three clean cut and bathed kids is a little slice of heaven to a mother.
But where is B and the Clifford touch?
She’s taken a hiatus.
But I have her number, and I am making an appointment.
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