Out of the Mouths of Babes, Vol. 5

Yesterday at lunch, Jack told me, "From now on, I think I'll just call you Laura."

Um, no, big boy...you won't.

The Many Faces of Ben

We've officially entered that phase where trying to capture a picture is about impossible.  98% of the time you're going to get the back of his head or something is going to be blurry.

And poor Ben...most of his pictures are just from my cell phone.  Who has the time to bust out the camera these days?

Out of the Mouths of Babes, Vol. 4

I got summoned to Jack's bedroom about 20 minutes after he was supposed to go to bed.  He told me, "I don't want to hear ANY noises and NO talking.  It's too loud.  ... AND I have way too much energy to go to sleep." Okay, then.

Jack's Pictures

By Elisabeth Smith

Dinner Date

With my 3 favorite boys!!!

Didn't love being in his carseat.

I think all we heard from him was, "I'm bored." and "I'm hungry."

Needless to say, we don't venture out for dinner very often.  

It's just not quite the pleasant, relaxing experience one yearns for when splurging on dinner.

Regardless, every now and then, you have to try it anyway...

That would be Cheesecake Factory leftovers...and Flying Cupcake to take home!
Which probably was worth the hectic atmosphere inside our little booth with 2 crazy little boys.

Ben loves...

...his pacifiers.

Out with the Old, In with the New

We got new living room furniture yesterday.  

The sectional couch just wasn't working for us anymore.

I missed end tables and coffee tables...you know, places to set drinks.

So, when the delivery guys showed up yesterday, it was time to say sayonara to our old couch.

I won't miss it.

But I will REMEMBER it...forever.

It's the couch I brought my babies home to.

The couch I snuggled them on, nursed them on, changed them on.

It's the first couch Bob and I ever purchased together.

Last pictures on the couch...

Ben waiting for the delivery guys to make their appearance...

The new stuff...

I think we have a vote of approval!

Brothers...

It was very obvious yesterday how much these two (especially Ben) missed playing together.  

I had really not let Jack get super close or touch Ben while he was sick.

But yesterday, since his fever had finally gone away and he seemed to be back to his usual self...

...they played together all day.  

Ben followed Jack everywhere.

And since Ben has hated the bath tub lately, they even took their first bath together.

I don't think it was nearly as much fun as Jack had hoped for...

...but it made a big difference for Ben. 

He was quite a happy camper.

Ben will NOT leave this outlet alone to save his life...literally.

Out of the Mouths of Babes, Vol. 3

Jack: "Mommy, I'm very very disappointed."

Me: "Why?"

Jack: "Because I want water."

Me: "So who are you disappointed with?"

Jack: (points his finger at me)

Better...

And, finally, on the sixth day...we are fever free.  

He even has an appetite today.

Progress.

Sick and Tired

We are sick and tired of being sick and tired around here. 

Day number five of fevers for Jack.

My Sick Little Buddy

I found these little stick-to-your-head cool packs last night when I ran to CVS to get some Advil.
Since Jack always complains about his eyes and head hurting when he has a fever, I thought I'd give them a try.
He really seems to like them.  They are just barely cool, but not cold.  And they last for 8 hours.  Pretty nifty.

Jack woke up this morning still quite sick.

He was 102.7 at 10am AFTER Advil.

He has cried every time I've left the room to feed Ben.

Not wanting to end up at Urgent Care over the weekend (because I despise it so), we went ahead to the doctor.  He said it's probably just an enterovirus.  Let him have some Gatorade and Popsicles.  And to expect another possible few days of this.  Bummer.

Crossing my fingers now for the rest of us and Ben.

Whistling

Jack is really trying to whistle.  

He was certain he'd figured it out.

State Fair or Bust.

Bust.  Total, complete bust.

This was Jack this morning after I told him we were going to the fair today with Poppy, TT, and Uncle Tom and Aunt Andrea.  He was so excited to see the animals and ride rides.  He was determined to ride a roller coaster (initially he asked if the State Fair had loller coasters, but when I asked him to repeat his question for the camera, he corrected himself).  He told me he was going to ride them and be REALLY brave.  

Well, the weather forecast wasn't looking so hot.  About an hour before the rest of the fair-goers arrived Jack told me his head hurt, then he readily agreed to a nap.  I was slightly worried about him (okay, so my job has made me so psychotic I briefly hoped he didn't have a brain tumor).  Anyways, I was so busy thinking worst case scenario, I spaced that when he says he has a headache it ALWAYS has meant he has a fever.  So when there was a break in the weather, we headed out and hoped for the best.  In the car, he told me his tongue was hot.  Uh...

...okay.  I got it now.  Crap.  

He was still acting fine.  We were already on our way.  

I figured we'd strap him into the stroller and he'd be good to go. Not so much.  

It was rainy and gross.  All the stinking food tents closed up shop as soon as it started to rain.

We were basically stuck inside the Coliseum (at least there were competitions going on) while it poured and stormed outside. And Jack was miserable.  He just kept asking to go home. So my mom and I geared up to head out (everyone else was going to stay to see if it let up and finish watching the horse competition).  It was pouring down rain, and we got completely drenched.  I paid $20...and all I got was a freaking corn dog (that cost me an additional $5).  No fried mac n cheese.  No fried cookie dough.  No milk shake from the dairy barn. No corn on the cob.  No cute pictures of the kids and animals. No pony rides for Jack. 

And most definitely no roller coaster ride for the sick boy.

(He was 100.8 when we got home, gave him some Advil since he felt so terrible, and he perked right up.)

And that will be my only fair experience this year. Boo.

A few pictures we did get...

My Uncle Tom (the 76ers Fan) meeting Boomer, the Pacers mascot.

Jack looking at the paper Boomer autographed.

This is how Ben hung out until he finally went to sleep.
He kept leaning way back and staring at the ceiling/sky.
He was making a complete spectacle of us, but at least he managed to stay dry.

Trivial Matters

Jack loves to race on Super Mario Kart for the Wii.  And after several months of sporadic practicing, he's gotten pretty awesome at it.  Today he got 1st place in a Grand Prix event for the first time.  Then he repeated the performance immediately after.  He said, "I'm so proud of myself."

After this, he tried a different sent of courses and got 2nd place.  He told me (he was racing as Donkey Kong) that the monkey looked really sad.  I asked him why.  He said it was because he didn't win.  I replied that 2nd place was really good.  Jack said, "It's still losing." I'm pretty certain he shouldn't feel this way at age 4.  Maybe he watched too many Russian gymnasts at the Olympics.