Friday, November 2, 2012

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Also Testing

Rob also downloaded the app. For those curious, it only allows pic uploads - no videos. I can show you this but not place it where I want. Updates to the app should come soon, I imagine.

Ben discovered pizza this week - he loves it.

Friday, August 31, 2012

Testing

So I downloaded the Blogger app to see how easy it is to update from my phone. I am hoping this will lead to more blog posts. We'll see.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

A Special Treat for Grandma Stockman

Jackson decided that he wanted to make a special treat for Grandma Stockman. What makes this even more special is he turned off Shaun the Sheep to do so. We don't let Jackson watch much television, so the fact that he stopped a show to make something for someone is pretty nice.

Since I have no cake mixes or anything on-hand we had to make something completely from scratch. This is not something I normally do. We made Strawberry Shortcakes. I measured and Jackson did pretty much everything else that didn't involve the stove or cutting. He was so proud of himself! When Grandma arrived he told her all about it, but told her she couldn't have it until after dinner. Smart boy.





Monday, July 9, 2012

Our Little Fish

Jackson took some lessons at Houston Swim Club last year. He never really had a great time. There were some weeks that were better than others. We tried Mommy and Me. He did some privates. Some days he cried. Some days he was okay.

Today we started lessons with four other kiddos in someone's backyard. She was AWESOME! Jackson did stuff he's never done before and did great. The only tears he had were at the end because he didn't want to leave. He even jumped off the diving board (though he was scared to walk on it to the end). I am actually considering shelling out money for some private lessons with Ben just to get him a little more used to the water since he's the daredevil. 

WAY better than Houston Swim Club!!







Tow Truck Driver

I love how much Jackson's imagination has come alive in the last few months. He comes up with some funny stuff. In this photo the rocking chair became his tow truck. He's towing his plasma car. At one point though I guess he decided he'd just stop and fix it himself instead of towing it to the repair shop.


Shortly after he operated this a restaurant on the ottoman that served milk and raisins.  Your seating options included the plasma car, rocking chair, or rocking horse.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Ben Loves the Piano



Happy Father's Day!

Again, a few weeks late...

Happy Father's Day! My two boys are so lucky to have such a loving, involved, fun, awesome Daddy. And boy do they LOVE their Daddy.

Notice Jackson's legs in the bottom right photo. He thought it was the funniest thing ever.

The Morris Family Arrives

So..this post is like three weeks late... Yay! The Morris Family (minus Stephen) arrived safely and headed straight for Chuy's!


Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Jackson's First T-Ball Game

So Jackson had his first t-ball this past Saturday. It was pretty much what you'd expect from a game of three year olds. Kids cried because the ball didn't come to them. Kids cried because they were ready to stop playing. Kids cried because the game was over. Kids ran away from the game way way out away from everyone else. And that was just our son.

All in all I think it was successful and Jackson wants to keep playing. So that's a good sign. I did learn that when your husband is "Coach" and you have a one year old to chase around, you just don't get many photos. Here are a few.





Summer Fun At the Children's Museum

We are lucky to have some great friends and family give us memberships to the Children's Museum and Zoo. It's especially great in the summer when we have some extra time to go frequently. The boys love them both.  We had our first trip to the CM this past week and we meet up with one of Jackson's favorite friends Graciela. She's moving to Germany so, we we are trying to get in as much Graciela time as possible. We haven't had the heart to tell Jackson that she's leaving yet because we know he's going to be so crushed. Poor kid. :( This first photo is him waiting eagerly for her to arrive.





New Neighbors


Sunday, June 17, 2012

First T-Ball Practice

So Rob is supposed to write something about his first practice as coach, but he can come back and add it later. 

From my perspective.... my softball friends wouldn't have known me. I actually kind of found it cute when my son was the one who ran to first base and promptly sat down and started picking flowers. Ben was definitely more into wanting to play than his older brother. Also, please note the length of the uniform the boy is wearing to Jackson's side in the top left photo.




Saturday, June 16, 2012

Getting Ready for T-Ball

They each had their own ways to prep for the start of T-ball. Note that Jackson's glove is on the wrong hand and his shoes are on opposite feet.


Summer

Extra time for stories, walks to the mailbox in pjs, and too much cuteness!

Car Ride

If only all car rides were this peaceful. Tonight, there was screaming, tears, and thrown milk. I decided to post these from the other day so I could remember these car rides too because I have a feeling the ones like tonight will stick in my head.

Graciela Turns 3

Jackson's favorite friend Graciela just turned three and had her party at Old MacDonald's Farm in Humble. The boys had a ton of fun despite how incredibly hot it was. Ben rode a horse for the first time and Jackson got to play in a huge pile of dirty. 

 Obviously Ben and Jackson had different thoughts about whatever it is they are looking at in the photo above...
 Jackson's first piñata.
 So...my son decided to hide the toys he was using (in the huge sand pile) under a truck so that nobody would play with them while we went to ride the train...yeah...
 Train ride with friends!


Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Black Heels

Everyone needs that perfect pair of black heels, right?


Sunday, June 3, 2012

Last Day of School


Jackson and Ben had their last day of school at Five Star on Friday. Unfortunately when we dropped the boys off not too many of his friends were there yet, so we don't have too many photos of them.





In August, they boys will attend The Innovative School. We're very excited for them! I know the boys will love the place. I think it will be a transition for Jackson who won't stop saying that he wants to be in Ms. Christine's school, but once he adjusts he'll love it. The majority of the teachers there have been in Montessori education 25 years and train new montessori teachers in the summer. The lunches come from Georgia's Market and the menu looks great. But, for now, the boys will enjoy summer!

And We're Back

So we are recommitting to the blog now that it's "summertime." It's in quotes because it's summertime for Rob, Jackson, and Ben but Noelle still has to work for a while. On the first day of summer Jackson woke up and said, "Daddy. My clock is green. It's summer!"

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Ben 11 Months Old


Our little baby is growing up. We can't believe he'll be one in less than a month! Well, actually, we do have some clues that he's getting close to being one. He is heading to the big oh-one as quickly as he heads towards anything - running, not allowing anything to get in his way. It's hard to believe a month ago he was not walking. It was January 7th that he took his first steps and he seemed to put all his energy into perfecting balance after that. While some toddlers toddle about, this kid stands there, arms out, getting his balance perfect, then he moves forward, determined and focused. He can make it to the other side of the room so quickly that it's difficult to catch him on camera. Once you get set up to take the picture, he's already out of the shot or grabbing onto your legs. This negates Rob's method of removing Ben from trouble spots (under a table, by dog food, near schoolwork) - Rob would just put him down on the other side of the room, thinking it would take him long enough to make it back that Rob could get some work done, but Ben is pretty much back where he wants to be immediately. He's fascinated by climbing too. He's climbed onto the Plasma-Car toy the Kemps bought his brother, and even though this car is on wheels and in motion, Ben had no problem getting his leg over it to ride it. He has also been caught standing on it several times. He has no fear. Even Jackson doesn't stand on it. He also uses his balance for climbing and we have only a few bumps to show for it. Bath time is pretty much full on wrestling to keep him from going underwater or over the bath tub wall. 

And that's Ben - he's watched his brother and decided that is how he will be. He already trucks along to follow his brother anywhere. He now realizes that to keep what you like, you have to grab hold as hard as you can and scream if someone tries to take it. Ben's grip is strong and his screams are powerful. He's also essentially all muscle, because if you lift him up when he wants to walk or does not want to be lifted, he will try his best to use his legs and back to buck or push his way right out of your hands. Despite the strength, we're keeping a tight hold on him. Jackson is even more firm with him. He's taken some good smacks from his big brother in the past month, and I'd say Jackson has about two more months of Ben being defenseless before Ben starts sweeping the leg or pushing him down. Ben has already clocked Jackson with a toy or two and has managed to pull Jackson down a few times. 

But he loves that brother of his. When they play together or laugh together or scream back and forth, you'll see Ben's eyes stay focused on Jackson as he laughs. If Ben sees Jackson getting attention, he wants to get in the middle of the action immediately. Jackson is the same way, of course, always wanting to know where Ben is and wanting to help with Ben when we're with him. (Add in two attention-starved puppies and you have two parents who are getting exhausted giving out attention.) 

Then there are the teeth - Ben finally has some. His third tooth just broke through and number four is right behind it. Let's hope this may make it so he'll eat something besides liquified baby food and puffs. Every remotely lumpy baby food is met right now with disgusted looks and his tongue pushing out the clumps for us. He's a quick sorter of food by solidity, in case you were wondering. 

He's still a little guy, still wearing some 3/6 month pants today. He wants to be held if he is remotely tired and he will run into our arms now. He's just getting to enjoy waving to people, but he only calls Mama and Dada by name. (I swear the last few days he has started saying no... This would be from his brother.)

Man does Ben love socks and shoes. If you put his socks on his feet, they will be off and in his mouth in less than a minute. If he's moving around, odds are he's trying to find someone's shoe (or its best alternate, a remote control). He also loves to play cars like his brother, but anything can be a car for Ben. He'll make lots of car noises as he moves something around in front of him. 

With the constant war for attention in this house, we have let a few dates slip past. The other day, Rob realized Jackson's 1,000th day should be happening soon. He checked, and it was the 1,002nd day. He then discovered it was Ben's 334th day, literally a third of Jackson's age. This means Ben is halfway to being half of Jackson's age. It all happens so very quickly. Luckily, there is a photographer in the house who is happy to capture some of the little smiles we get each of his 341 days.