Mr. Man wanting to be an adult

Oh little man.  You needed the TV rotated and I didn't want to get up.Here is the story:

 Next thing I know he has the remote in his hand, standing on an ottoman trying to push it...its just he still couldn't quite reach. He hunches his shoulders, sighs a big sigh and says, "ohhhh I wish I was an adult." I shall document this moment forever and remind him of it when he actually is adulting and learns the lesson beware of what you wish for!

That same day, you were playing on a work bench Grandma and Grandpa Smith got you.  Your dad told you to get the instructions and build something, and your replied,

"Nah, I don't need the instructions!"

Spoken like a Baskall!!! hahahaha

Okay, and finally, I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but you have this craziness around shoes. You hate them being tight at all and when you break in a pair to the point they are in shambles...it is only then do they become you're favorite pair.

You don't need this, but Grandpa Baskall had an old pair of tennis shoes.  The holes in the front became so bad at one point, his entire foot hung out the front.  Now, he had a perfectly good pair (or two) of new shoes in the closet, but he refused to retire them.  At Grandma Baskall's nagging, he did put duct tape around the front for awhile until finally succumbing and putting on his new pair of shoes.

Jace....sweetie...this is soooo you!  LOL  Oh my gosh and do I love you for it.

Okay, finally, last one.  You are four this year and you found the play guitar and have been trying to strum it.  I decided to show you a video of Daddy playing bass in his band.  You are absolutely hooked!!  You were bopping up and down and banging on the desk...playing pretend piano..the whole bit.  

You're Grandma Smith told us to be careful of what we showed you or you might repeat the path of your father.  That's okay.  Music in your blood Jace.  Grandpa Baskall came from a family of self taught musicians and daddy of course was a professional. Whatever you do..you are so destined for big things, I just know it.  Promise me though, always be my little boy? I love you son.

Mommy

Magic dances in your eyes: The Santa Train

We've been taking you to a Santa Train since you were 1 1/2 years.  You have ADORED trains since you were little, starting from when you could only crawl and watch Daddy's Lionel train.

Oh my gosh, you are so adorable.

Anyway, your first Santa Train was down at the Royal Gorge and truly was like the Polar Express.  It was the best Santa Train, but it was also really pricey.  

The next couple years we switched it up and went to the Georgetown Railroad Train.  

This year, has been a little rough.  I decided we would skip the train this year.  We could take you to see Santa at the mall.  It would be fine.

One day, you asked me when we were going on the Santa Train.  I told you we weren't going to go this year.  Your face fell and you said, "But mom.  How will Santa know what I want?"  You seemed distressed.

I started thinking. You will not believe in Santa for much longer.  The time for Christmas magic is now.  The time we have a childlike innocence is so short, and seems to be getting shorter these days.  As parents, we can experience the magic of Childhood again through our children.  The time is NOW.  

 I booked the tickets.  To you, Christmas and Santa begins with a train, and so it will stay until the day you know the truth.  I only get a short time longer to experience this magic again, and it didn't disappoint.

Your eyes were wide when we the train took off.  You loudly called "Chugga Chugga CHOO CHOO!!"  You stared out the window enamored by the experience. Your eyes literally danced when you talked to Santa.  

You gave him a hug

And in this moment, I felt it.  The magic of Christmas; and I was SO glad I decided to take the kids and go.  How much longer will Jace feel this? I don't know. It's hard to say, so for now though, I will enjoy it.  I will smile, take pictures, and enjoy the magic of Santa through a four year old's eyes.

Palabras de Jace

Earlier this morning....

Me: Jace, it's time to put the tablet away. No more screens.

Insert protesting and whining.

Jace: Buuuuuuuuttttttt whyyyyyyyy mooooommmmmyyyy???

Me: Because, screens aren't good for your brain. You need to go do something else now.

Jace: But I don't know what to do!!!

Me: Jace, you have a ton of stuff. Go play.

Jace: Okay mom, I will, but first, how about I stay on my screen a little bit longer to help me figure out what to do.

Me: JACE!!!!

(Jace laying under the couch foot rest with a screwdriver)
"Uh Ashlynn. I'm gonna need a wrench"
Ashlynn, "ok I'll get you one" and gives him an imaginary one.
"Well...Ashlynn, that's not gonna work, I have an idea, get me a flashlight so I can see what I'm doing" 
Seriously a script from me trying to help my dad when I was little


In the car with Jace
"I can't get out because of the child locks?"
"Yep"
"Well, Mommy, I have to tell you something. Kids don't like child locks."
"Oh no?"
"No. So, will you take it off for me?"
Nice try kid
 😂😂

Impressed with love

Jace, Jace Jace.  My little Jace.  My sweet boy.  My little man in a little boy's body.

I am soooo proud of you.  You are amazing.  You are literally having your best year yet.

At 4 1/2 I finally let you stop taking naps.  It wasn't because I didn't think you need them.  It was because we had a discussion and you understood.  I told you if you didn't want to take naps anymore, you would have to be able to control your body for the entire day, which meant no tantrums.  You totally got it.  If you even start to have a tantrum, all I have to do is remind you that is why you need a nap  and you reign it in.

You continue to excel in karate.  I'm going to keep you in this for a bit because it is enhancing your general athleticism, but YOU are a natural.  You're the smallest but fastest one, most agile one.  I love watching you.  You are so impressive.  I like seeing you proud of yourself.  :)  I see m
y skills in you. Believe it or not, your old mom was once the starter and captain of the varsity basketball team.  I did this despite being in any leagues, playing politics, or sucking my up to the top.  I was really just good. You are that too.  You will be that too.  I can't wait to see what sport you pick because you are going to freaking rock it.

You're also very inventive and innovative.  We have been on Fall Break this week, and I posted two things already that I just loved about you.

The first was that you haven't yet mastered pumping your legs to swing.....so instead, I look at the window to see you have fastened a bungie between two swings, and your sister was effectively pumping and swinging for the both of you! You have good problem solving skills!

The second was in the evening.  You had a "real" screwdriver in your hand, and you were underneath daddy's footrest on the couch with your hands "fixing" it.
You have good "fix it" skills.

I have to be somber for a moment Jace.  Family is family for a reason.  Our blood is our blood for a reason....and family MUST stick together.

Ashlynn has many strengths too.  She will love you unconditionally, because that is who she is. It is a gift in this life to be loved unconditionally.  Not many people can do that, and not many people will do that for you.  In return, I need you to love her, understand her, and accept her...unconditionally.  You need each other.  Family needs each other.  It is a two way street.  You bring your talents to the table, and you give them to each other for the greater good. Please be that for her Jace.  You are already capable and I'm so proud of you for that.  You're amazing, and I love you.  Please always return that love.

Love mommy.

Helping your sister

Jace, someone said it best to me today when they said, "He is really changing."

You ARE changing, and for the best.  I have to say, I'm more impressed by you every day.

Tonight you had to come with me to take Ashlynn to private swim lessons.  I feel bad you have to tag along when you want to get in the pool too, but you will have karate tomorrow in which Ashlynn tags along, so I feel okay with it.

I could write a blog post, but my facebook post sums it up.

I love you so much. Thank you for looking out for Ashlynn.  It's not her fault she got apraxia and dyspraxia.  It's not your fault you didn't.  However, as her family, we need to help her.  We all need to help each other actually, not matter what the problem, because that is what family does.

Tonight you showed that without anyone asking.  You just knew inherently what to do.  You're such a good boy Jace.  Always look out for one another.  This world is bad enough, we should never have to wonder if our family has our back.  Rather, we should know from a visceral level, that they do.  

Love you,

Love,

Mommy

My little man, trapped in a boy's body

Your sayings lately are getting too much to keep up with.  I keep posting them on facebook, but man Jace you are funny.  Not only are you funny, but your sayings at just four years old show how smart you are! I pray I can help you channel that.  For now, let's have a laugh or two courtesy of you just being you. <3

Jace is camping with his daddy and grandparents and I stayed home. Talking to him on the phone
Jace: So, whatcha doing mommy?
Me: Just sitting here on my computer talking to you.
Jace: What did you do today?
Me: Well, I went to work, saw clients, wrote 4 reports, cut out coupons, went to the store, cleaned our my car, did two loads of laundry, vacuumed and now I'm talking to you.
Jace: Oh....that's all?



 😳Me half asleep when Jace comes in this morning, gives me a hug, and then sweetly asks: 
Mom, can I play with your iPad?
Me: Yawn...I guess but it's in my work bag and it's almost dead.
Jace: Again?? Mom, if you want the iPad to work, you HAVE to keep it plugged into the charger! 
Me: Thanks Jace. What would I do without you bud? 😂😂 I seriously get stuff like this from this kid on a daily basis.

Driving to school (in a hurry) and the gas light comes on in my car.
Jace: Oh no mommy!! Your gas light is on! Hurry! We need to get to a gas station!
Me: Jace, it's fine. I'll get gas later.
Jace: Well, it looks like you've been driving too fast and you vroomed out all the gas!
Where the heck does he come up with this stuff and how is it I have my dad in the car with me again?

  

And the sweetest ever the other night, I wake up to find your puppy on my pillow.  Not remembering if you were in bed with me, I quickly found out.  You came in my room and told me you had left puppy on my pillow for me.  When I asked why you said, Oh because I wanted you to be cozy."  I told you thank you but that you didn't have to worry about me and you took puppy back and gave him this squeeze. 

You loved me so much you voluntarily gave me your beloved puppy just to make me "cozy."  Sigh.  At four you've already learned how to steal a heart.  Love you little man.

And the 

So, SO PROUD of you!

Jace, not only have you had an EXCELLENT and continued start to the school year, I am so proud of you for your behavior at this year's apraxia walk.  I know it's not easy to see Ashlynn get a medal for apraxia, and you don't understand why.  Not yet anyway.  Either way though, you stick by her side, held the sign during the walk, and supported her the best way you could.

You asked me why you didn't have apraxia, as though it was something to want to have.  Though this makes me happy for Ashlynn's sake, it also makes me sad.  One day, when you understand what apraxia is, you will also understand it is not something to envy, and because of it, this may be the only award she earns during her school career.

I see you in karate.  Your motor skills are developing at lightening pace speed.  As your mom, it's remarkable to witness.  Both your grandfathers on each side were very athletic.  They had great "natural ability" as my dad describes it.  You have that too.  I see it.  I want you to remember Ashlynn cheers you on at your karate classes.  She is your loudest supporter when you earn a new belt, and I want Ashlynn to remember how you were there for her too at her apraxia walk; cheering her on and holding her sign when she got tired.

My dad, your grandfather, is a BIG believer in family.  He's like this because his youngest brother died at 27.  I don't think he's every forgiven himself for it, even though it was not his fault.  He always told me though,  had his brother called family....he wouldn't have been dead.  He wanted to make sure the same for me and my siblings, and I want to make sure the same is true for you and Ashlynn.  Regardless of your fights or squabbles, at the end of the day, family MUST always be there for each other.  That is the blessing of a family.  That is the gift of a family.  Family is love, and as Corinthians reminds us:

 Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always hopes, ALWAYS perseveres.

 Whatever the challenge, a parent's greatest wish is that her children, whom she loves equally, will be there for each other as well.  In my absence or presence, I always want you two to "have each other's back."  The world can be cruel.  It can be lonely....but one thing you should always be able to count on is your family.

You both make me proud.

Love,
Mommy