A Weekend of Baseball and Birthdays

Last weekend was a weekend full of excitement. Todd started his baseball season with their first game. I think Jackson has been just as excited for the season to start as Todd. Of course Jackson got all of his baseball gear together- cleats, Lakeland baseball shirt, glove, ball, bat and his field keys. His great grandma gave him a bunch of keys last year and they have turned into his field keys, just like daddy's. As the morning went on Jackson's cough and runny nose got worse. So before the big game we jumped in the car and headed to the doctors. Jackson ended up having an ear infection and virus. The doctor asked me if I had any questions and before I could answer I hear Jackson say, " Yes, I do. Can I go to my daddy's baseball game now?" The doctor gave us the okay just as long as he was dressed warm. Jackson was very excited to sit in the dugout with the team. Aubrin was content sitting in the stands with me yelling for her daddy every time she saw him.








After the games on Saturday evening, I hopped in the car and drove to Chicago for William and Emerson's first birthday. I can't believe how fast time has gone. I feel like it was just yesterday that we were all anxiously awaiting the arrival of these two little blessings. Erin did a great job planning and decorating for the party. Will and Emerson loved everyone singing Happy Birthday to them and they both dabbled a bit with their cake. Jackson was not very happy that he was not going to Chicago for the birthday party. I was going be gone less than 24 hours and thought it would just be too much time in the car for him. He made me promise that I wouldn't take their presents with me so he could give them to Will and Emerson when they come home for Easter.
Jackson and Aubrin are both excited for Will and Emerson to come home this weekend to celebrate Easter and have another birthday celebration.

Beautiful Week

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What a beautiful week of weather we had. The kids and I had a great time playing outside in the backyard and going to Central Park in Milford. I remember going to the park last summer and Jackson still wasn't sure about going down the big slides and Aubrin still wasn't very steady on her feet. This year it's a whole new story. They were both running around the play structure and laughing together. Aubrin found herself being very independent on the big slides and was very proud. It was an odd feeling that I was able to stand back and just watch them play and enjoy themselves.



I think I am going to be able to count on Jackson to watch out for his little sister. As the kids were waiting in line to go down the slide I heard Jackson say very politely to a little boy behind Aubrin, "Excuse me, you are getting to close to Aubrin's body. Can you please not be so close?" When Jackson started school this year, Todd and I stressed to him how important it is that he gives people space and his hands always need to be to himself. Well, it seemed he wanted to give a life lesson to the little boy at the park as well.



The weekend was a bit cooler out, but we still got outside a little.
The kids also enjoyed watching a movie together before bed on Saturday.

The new members of our family

Jackson has been asking if he could get a frog for his fish tank. As I have said in previous posts, Jackson' s behavior has been a bit trying lately. Todd and I told him it was something that he needed to work for and that if he had a couple of days trying his hardest to use nice words and keeping his hands to himself and not on Aubrin, we would consider it. So, Jackson had a couple of nice days and as promised I took him to the pet store to buy a frog. To our disappointment when we got there, there were no frogs. The lady told Jackson that they wouldn't be getting any in for a while. His response was, " a long time, like 10 minutes?" She said longer than that. Jackson was sad, but quickly got over it when he saw something that would be much better than a frog... a ferret. He thought it was absolutely fabulous. So as I gently told him that was not a choice, I directed him to the fish. He picked out a couple fish and was sure to get a pink one for Aubrin.



We came home and introduced them to their brother Shrek that already lives in the tank and now they are all living happily together.

While I was watching

Over the past couple of weeks I have found Jackson and Aubrin doing some really silly things. A couple things probably not the safest, but I did tell them that...after I took a picture. I can't help but giggle as they are learning to explore and learn from each other.




Aubrin thought it would be a good idea to climb up on the counter and have her apple. She saw nothing wrong with this and was very proud to show me that she used the stool all by herself.





On Sunday morning the kids were playing and I heard Jackson tell Aubrin that her hair was messy. I had not done her hair yet. The next thing I know Jackson is trying to brush her hair and put her pretty in for her. What a great big brother!





Jack was explaining to Aubrin how dogs drink. When I left the room he took my coffee cup from the table and was giving her step by step directions on what to do. I loved hearing their belly laughs from the other room.




Jackson realized that if he put his head by the vent it would make his hair "blow like crazy."

Tomorrow will be better

Growing up I always had an overwhelming feeling come over me when someone was disappointed in me or mad at me. I always felt that I needed to find a way to fix the situation. For those that know me well, know that I still carry that trait even as I've gotten older.
We have had a lot of tough love in our house the past couple of days. Jackson is starting to not nap during the day and instead just have rest time reading books in his room. This is fine, until early evening comes and the result of no nap is clearly evident. The other night before bed, Jackson said to Todd very confidently. "I'm going in the basement to play basketball." Todd explained to him that it was time to go upstairs, read books and get ready for bed, but they could play in the morning. Jackson sat down on the basement step and said, "I'm going down." Now Todd and I both knew this was not going to happen, because Jackson is pretty sure we have bears living in our basement. The chance of him going down the steps to the dark basement on his own was very slim. Although, he stood strong and just sat there. Todd and I didn't say anything and within five minutes, Jackson was laying at the top of the basement stairs sleeping.
Yesterday again we had a difficult day for more reason than one. At dinner Jackson said in a very quiet voice," Mom, I'm sorry I'm not listening so good to you." My response was, "Tomorrow will be a better day." As the night went on, Jackson wanted me to sit with him, even more than normal, read more books, color more- I think he just wanted to be close because he had that feeling that I was not happy with him. Not by what I was saying to him, but maybe for what I was not. A couple hours after the kids went to bed and the house was quiet. I heard Jackson call for me. I went up to his room. I sat down next to him and he put his sweet little arms around my neck and said, "Mommy, tomorrow will be better." And it was....