You are so pretty mommy

I was eating lunch with my kiddos the other day, and I was scrolling through facebook.  The Duchess Kate just gave birth to a baby girl, and the internet was buzzing about how hours later she was up greeting the public looking fresh as a daisy.

Mom's everywhere were apparently gasping, in awe of how amazing she looked after giving birth. Many were feeling bad about themselves and remarking they didn't look like that.

I can honestly say I wasn't jealous of her at all.  How ridiculous!  Duchess Kate doesn't live real women's lives.  She obviously had a glam squad.  Sure, I'd look like that too if I had people like that. I wouldn't have wanted to though.  That's not reality.  That's not beauty.  Not to me.  Beauty is the miracle of childbirth.  Beauty is in the body that grew a life and then birthed it.  Beauty should be in the sweat and in the certain smile that only a new baby can give a woman.  I remember my picture after giving birth.  I have no makeup, my hair is disheveled, I'm in pain and I'm wearing a hospital gown, but I am smiling a genuine smile snuggling with my baby.

My son, I want you to see the faces of real women with no glam squad.  Real women who look beautiful with no makeup and no team of beauty experts.  I want you to see these women and think about how you love them, and then make sure when your wife births a baby, you see the beauty in her too.

As I was thinking these things, I glanced over at you and you were looking up at me.  "Mommy," you said, "you are so pretty."  I couldn't believe it!  It's like you read my mind.  Love you Jace.

Mommy & Jace

Aunt Amy & Josie

Aunt Kris & Jerod

Aunt Erin & Brody

New discipline plan

Jace is so defiant and it's wearing everyone down. We use timeouts with fidelity(locking him in his room), but it doesn't seem to be affecting much change.

Cody has been putting him on the top bunk, which he doesn't like, but again, doesn't seem to be affecting much change.

I was talking to a co-worker who said she had very obedient kids.  I said I didn't know how that was possible unless you spanked them into submission ( like I was).  She said she never spanked.

Curious to know more, I told her my story with Jace.  She said timeouts are obviously not his currency.  Interesting.

It got me thinking about what IS his currency, because if we continue on this path he's going to be in jail.  He has zero respect for authority.  Two days ago his grandma reported he kept spitting at her and telling her to shut up.  Sigh.

Well, yesterday we told him if he was good he could play with the iPad.  He was good the whole day!  We let him play with iPad when Cody got home.  Unfortunately, he screamed at Cody when he said it was time for bed, so we pulled his beloved puppy and told him he couldn't sleep with him tonight.  Turns out, his puppy might be currency.

Sigh.  We'll see. Parenting is hard.  I know Jace's behavior is only going to get worse unless we get it under control now.

Pray for us!

Give me back my HOE!!

Oh my!  Jace is at it again!  Easter just passed, and in their Easter baskets they both got a gardening set that had a rake, shovel and hoe.  Ashlynn stole his hoe the other day, and I hear him screaming, "Ashwinn!!! THAT'S MY HOE!"  Cody happened to pass by at that moment and sarcastically said, "yeah Ashlynn, that's HIS hoe. Give him back his hoe!"

Sigh.  This is my life, but what a funny, happy life it is.

NO...TOUCH...MY POOH!!!

Jace and Ashlynn got cards from their Grandma Smith the other day at the dollar store.  Jace picked up some Winnie the Pooh the cards.  They were doing well keeping them separated, you know, until they weren't, and Jace's cards started to get mixed up with Ashlynn's.  After trying to spread them out and keep them separated, Jace finally said in exasperation

"ASHWINN!! DON'T...TOUCH...MY POOH!"

I know it's not that funny, but you have to know his inflection and animation.  It was just too funny.

My little engineer in the making: like daddy and Grandpa

Cody's parents always described him as a child who had to touch every button.  I didn't realize how trying that was until I had Jace.

Jace is not yet 3, yet he is constantly touching the remotes, cell phones, playstation controllers, and plugging and unplugging cords.  He is obsessed with learning how things work.

It's not just his dad in his genetic make up like that.  His Grandpa Baskall was reportedly the same way.  Always tearing apart radios, he ended up being able to fix literally everything in my house growing up.  Heck, just the other day he came over and fixed our washing machine, something Cody had been having some difficulty with.  Jace was right in the thick of it.  "you fixing it grandpa?"

When Cody met my dad, he usually found him tinkering with something or working on a car.  It is a known fact that yelling and cursing at inanimate objects is part of my dad's talent in making them work again.  It actually might be the secret ingredient.  Jace is still just a little boy, but boy can that little boy YELL.   I came out one day finding him trying to shove a shape in a box and he was yelling "come on!!" over and over and over again.  His dad told him to stop yelling and try another hole, but inside I was chuckling.  Oh he would have...eventually.  It was just part of the creative process. :)

Jace is also always cold.  Total opposite that way of his dad.  The other day he shivered after drinking some ice water and declared he was "chilly."  He went and turned on the space heater (because yes, he knows how to work it) and just sat in front of it.  I was on the phone with my mom at the time, and she remarked how that reminded her of a story my dad's mom used to tell.  She would come home from work and find my dad, the oldest of 4 boys, asleep on the floor in front of the heater.

Jace also likes to "hide" in closets.  Another trait he apparently picked up from my dad; although, my dad hid in closets for much different reasons then my son. :(

The last thing I remembered was my husband and I talking the other day about our kids.  Ashlynn is so tough due to her under responsive sensory system, but Jace is not baby.  He just gets mad when he's hurt.  As I was telling this to my husband, it reminded me of my dad who my mom says gets "madder than a hornet" whenever he gets hurt.  lol

I like seeing my dad in my son, and seeing my husband in my son.  It's cute and endearing.  I love that little dude.

Jace's sayings

I want to keep a list of all the funny things Jace says, and here it is :)

Let's go to the alligator (elevator)
Mom, my butt hurts.  Can you get the sour cream?
Daddy, I want panpapes! (pancakes)
Mommy, is this daddy's squirts? (cologne bottle in hand)
Daddy!  We saw a pirate today!  He's a good stranger! (Referring to the paramedic at Chick Fil A)
I see a cranky!  (referring to a crane)
Dad, watcha doing with that waffle maker? (referring to the portable grill)
Mommy, will you turn on my night moon?  (referring to his night light)
Sahara!  Go to your candle!  (kennel)
Daddy!  My butt burns!  It burns like a toaster!

I farted in my mouth...and other sillies

Jace has one speed....GO.
Jace has one volume.....LOUD

Jace is my full throttle kid, just like his daddy.  He likes things loud and fast!  He is hilarious and even though I still don't get sleep (and now I have started melatonin therapy, but that's another blogpost) he is also loving and affectionate.

He is into knowing how EVERYTHING works.  That kid has his hands on everything: the remote, the playstation controller, the space heaters, the car stereo buttons, and my personal favorite...shoving everything into an outlet!  If this kid doesn't get eloctrocuted, I know I will have done my job well because it's full time with this kid.

The other day it got quiet downstairs.  I called down to the basement, "Jace?  Are you being good?"
I hear the pitter patter of feet, and matter of factly he tells me, "No.  I was playing with the heater."

Oh this kid!

At his Grandma's the other day, she said he burped.  He quickly announced, "Grandma!  I farted in my mouth."

Oh boy!

He recently picked up riding the tricycle and big wheel and he is starting to fly down the sidewalk!  I don't know if 2 years 7 months is advanced, but it sure feels that way.  Jace is my baby, but I feel like he came out wanting to be all grown up.

He never wants to be held (unless it's bedtime or he's hurt), but even then, after hurting his knee one day I went over to hug him.  He patted my back and said, "It's okay.  I'm okay mommy."

Oh Jace.  I love you baby boy.  You are a force to be reckoned with.  I only hope I can help you channel all that amazing energy!