Shark Teeth October 2013

Abram has been trying to lose a tooth since he was four. No joke. One day I walked in and saw that he had marks on the foot board of his bed. I asked if he had been driving cars alongside it-nope, not cars, just HIS TEETH!!! "Mo-om, I really want to loose a tooth!" Thankfully the scratched foot board kept me from laughing-poor kid. So we had a talk about loosing teeth, and waited, and waited, and waited, and he would swear that one was loose, and yet-it didn't really happen. But then he started complaining that his tooth hurt-I kind of blew it off until a lump started forming behind a tooth-lo and behold, his big tooth was growing in behind it!! This poor kid who had been TRYING TO LOSE A TOOTH FOR 2 YEARS had a tooth growing in behind it, not making the one in front loose enough to fall out. I looked up some info and found out it's sometimes referred to as "shark teeth"-which being a shark lover-Abram was content with that. Thinking maybe his love of sharks could have been a contributing factor. Okay, I may have suggested that to ease the disappointment. So we visited the dentist...

Abram is so funny, whenever he gets nervous he is always polite about it. He kept saying, "Uhhh...no thanks." and as you will notice, he kept one and a half legs over the side in case he needed to make a quick get a away-seriously. At first he kept sitting up, "...uhhhh no thanks, no thanks." The dentist came in and asked if he could help with that tooth. "Uhhh no thanks" as I was nodding enthusiastically. A little numbing cream, a sweet set of pliers-and it was out. Abram was in shock.

Reese also got to visit the dentist (for his first time) a few days later. He thought it was great, chatted it up with the hygienist for a good 15 minutes-until he realized the equipment he had been playing with was actually to be used on him......and then the screaming started, and the hyperventilating, and the "scene" making-oh and did I tell you I saw someone I used to work with-there with her kids? Yaaaah. The funny part was he almost got an x-ray done (which I think is the "hardest part" because of the stuff you have to hold in your mouth makes you gag). He had the stuff in his mouth fine, sat down and as soon as she was about to click the picture (you know, where nothing happens-except a picture) the screaming started again.

We left without getting his teeth cleaned.

First Grade and Preschool 2013

We were rezoned this year because of a new school being built. Abram's new school is A LOT bigger than the one he went to Kindergarten. I was a little nervous about that, but so far he has only gotten lost once :) This was the first year he became a bus rider (on the way home)-I was really nervous about that too-UNTIL we became the first stop and I realized not only did he love the bus, but waiting five minutes at the bus stop versus 45 minutes on the street was a little piece of heaven. First day of school...

The Reesemiester started preschool the next week. There was a definite transition period-but now he LOVES it, even when he says he doesn't I know he does. He will constantly talk about what he learns, or shout fun facts and I will ask how he knew and he says, "Ms. Mary told me." His teachers are fantastic-I love them. They love Reese, and that is the best part. I don't even mind when he is upset that I am there to pick him up because he is "busy". He was also excited to bring his lunch to school.

This one is blurry, but I was waiting for the "Don't leave me!" speech, and instead I got the, "Hey, there's Daniel." (friend from church) and he sat down and got to it. Might I say it was the strangest feeling walking away without a child?? I constantly felt like I was missing something all day.

Personalities (2013)

This past Summer, Abram went through this phase of wanting to wear Kris's name tag from his mission. It was completely random, and he wore it to church for weeks. He was always really careful with it, like he knew how important it was to Kris. One Sunday I tried to take a picture of the boys together. I HATE that this turned out so blurry because it captures so much of their personalities. In fact, it's one we may have to redo in 11 years or so...

 
 ...and this one below just melts me. I already have a master plan for two pictures in a frame side by side-I hope he always remembers how important he is. How important it is to make good choices. How much he is loved. It's so funny, when my kids talk about going on missions for our church-Abram says he is going to the Rainforest, Reese says he is going to Ohio. I don't know if it's possible to love them more.

Summer 2012-Cousin Time

When pictures are more than words....

Summer 2013

I know, what a LAME-O, cramming Summer into one post. I am anxious to get caught up-and truth be told, most of what I recall from Summer is RAIN. It was the forever raining Summer. So, I am going to hit my favorite parts of Summer.

We went to the zoo A LOT.

We also went camping. This was probably the most fun thing we did as a family this past Summer. Some friends asked if we would be interested and we responded with a "HECK YES!!" Kris had taken the boys on father/son campouts before, but we had never made time to go as a family. "Are you sure our tent is big enough?" I say. "Plenty big enough." he says. "Looks like it might be a little cramped." I say. "No-TONS of room." he says. "Will you get our sleeping bags out?" I say. "Sure, but it's so warm we'll just be sleeping on top of them" he says.

Fast forward to waking up cold in the middle of the night.

Uhhh, am I am laying on GRAVEL? I was sure I fell asleep on a pad. I am squished against the side of the tent, laying on gravel next to a four year old sprawled out snug as a bug-next to a husband sprawled out, snoring away. The oldest at my feet contently wrapped up in what appears to be a huge sleeping bag of comfort. SO I stuck my legs in my sleeping bag..and wonder who has "short sheeted" me. I'm confused, so I try again to stretch out my legs, only to learn that my 6 year old and I have each others bags!!! So I just grinned and bore(?) it. Upon my family awakening from a deep slumber, "We are buying a bigger tent." I say.

Camping was seriously so much fun. The best part to me, was seeing Abram in his element. As a parent, I get myself way too worked up about finding my kids elements. What is the thing they'll be good at, love, etc.I let it stress me out, which is silly. But I have noticed ever since Abram was a tot, he has loved the outdoors. He loved hiking, climbing trees, and being outside. He glowed that weekend, and had a smile on his face the ENTIRE time. It made me so proud and happy for him, and made me aware that I needed to make a better effort so that he can experience more of these things. This is how many kids were there camping with us. It makes me laugh because it's a ridiculous amount of kiddos. It also makes me laugh that Reese wanted nothing to do with getting his picture taken. This rock was the center of our campsites and I may have had 7 heart attacks while suddenly seeing my children on top of it.

The next weekend or so Erin, Bonnie, Kris, and I took our kiddos to Pickett State Park to hike a couple of trails for Girls Camp. It rained, and rained, and rained. This kids were such troopers. By the end, my kids were shirtless in the rain-typical all boy. It was so fun. But rain=no pictures.

Speaking of no pictures. I was able to go to Girls Camp this past Summer and be in charge of the YCLs with two other AMAZINGLY AWESOME women. Fortunately, there was a rule of "no cell phones", unfortunately that meant, not a lot of pictures. It was so wonderful. It was so spiritual. It deserves it's own post.

What else did we do? We did play dates....

We did movies.....

We did Cades Cove...a few times. Note that this was in Abram's "fedora phase". I don't know what brought this about. But he had to have one, and he had to wear it every. where.

Raisor boy totem pole...

Traditional Swinging Area....

 Somebody was getting tired.....

My most favorite people in the whole. wide. world.