November Birthdays

I had a great time planning this party. I told myself over and over again to keep it simple and I think we did. The Lego pops were fun, but easy and the cake was simple too!

November 2010

Orlando turned 7 on the 7th and Ammon turned 4 on the 3rd. We celebrated with a very fun, very awesome Lego Birthday Party. In addition to getting a good start to a great Lego collection, we had Lego games-the most fun being building a bridge to hold an egg!! Then on the porch testing them-having an earthquake and letting them crack open!! The pinata was also a hit!

We made Lego pops, Lego cakes, and had a "loaded" hot dog lunch. I'm glad I threw the party and they had several friends able to enjoy their special days.

My mom came into town which was great 'cause usually with Thanksgiving and Christmas she doesn't make the Nov. Birthday celebration.

My boys are growing up...

Orlando at 6.5

I am really enjoying Orlando these days. What a fun boy! Here are a few of the endearing things he has done recently:

1. Prayed for his lion and teddy that he forgot to bring on the 4th of July trip.

2. Successfully go tubing behind a boat with me and his Aunt-he truly had the biggest smile the entire time! Then he went with just his cousin and felt so grown up!!

3. When we went to hear the band at the football stadium before fireworks he didn't want to play tag, instead he asked me to dance with him.

4. Looks after the safety of everyone.

5. Being in Oklahoma for the 4th just further pushed his Indian questions. Talking with his uncle Ben who is a full-blood fascinated him. When uncle Ben gave him a dream catcher with Indian feathers-Orlando was nearly speechless!

6. Adding to his "Indian Collection" Orlando has made his own "spear" out of a long stick that he is sharpening with rocks. He plans to go fishing with it as well as get any large animals that we might need for their skins. Ya know, like lions, bears, or deer.

7. Also reading more and more and last night caught him up late with his brothers reading to them book after book.

A mom describes her feelings when son looses a tooth..

Orlando has lost his first TOP front tooth.

And I am feeling very sentimental.

And I'm not going to apologize for it. I just am going to add it to my list of things I didn't know would happen when I took on motherhood.

No one warned me that when your six year old looses a top tooth, that the mom feels like she looses her baby- and gains a BOY!

He is my oldest, but he was my first baby. Come on! I can't believe how he looks so much like a BOY--a real, true, BOY! My baby days are gone forever with him. And I miss my Landino-Bambino.

and I am in mourning.

Orlando was a colicky, difficult baby. But he was the most beautiful one I had ever seen. And I was determined to protect him and love him. When I gave up teaching it was hard. No one warned me how hard it would be to become a mother. I thought often on how I just wasn't good at it. I had no natural talent it seemed.

But I've grown.

I'm still not good at it always, but I understand more. I understand that the joys I find in motherhood ARE sweeter than any other. That time spent with my children IS precious.

And I am also learning this week, with the help of a tooth, that YES they really do grow up fast.

So I sound like the old ladies in the supermarket.

And I sound like my mother-in-law.

And I sound like (gasp) my mother.

And these women are right.

And so am I! So to all of you who have a baby tonight, I say:

Love your babies, they grow up so fast!!

A Great Compliment

My son's friend commented while eating dinner with us, "these meatballs are good!"

Orlando quickly explained:

Ya. My mom makes really special meatballs.

Friend:

How?

Orlando:

Well, first she gets them out of there (gesture to freezer) and they are cold. Then she puts them in the microwave until they are warm and then they go on the table!

LOL!!

Later, the friend said he liked my cookies.

Orlando said, ya my mom makes special cookies.

This I can't deny, since they have white beans in them (and the kids have no idea!)

Ask, if you're interested in the recipe.

Orlando's wanna-be birthday.

Orlando participated in all the hoop-la of Ammon's birthday party on Tuesday and has been such a good sport about his very low-key birthday. But, it ended up a little bigger then I thought. Since Josh is working today (the 7th) we had brownies last night with candles. I also took cupcakes to his Kindergarten class and he LOVED the attention!

We decorated left over brownie tonight....also the ward had a primary activity today and they all sang to him. Then some friends and I went to Burger King (sorry to anyone who maybe would have joined us it was very impromptu) and had a "surprise" birthday party for Orlando. OH, and he got to spend 5 dollars at a garage sale. He's been really into games and is even learning the rules to chess (which means I am learning them for the first time). And so no surprise he looked for games at the garage sale. We got Jr. Clue and Jr. Monopoly. Great shape, all the pieces $1.00. Thank you very much! We played for hours today while Ammon napped.

Orlando is SIX!! I can't believe it. I'm putting together a collage of pictures of this kid that I love so, so much.

Next weekend Josh will be off and we are planning on bowling as a family. I may let him bring a friend or two. And, I think he needs a better cake. Those brownies look sad. But his cupcakes (that I did not take pictures of ) rocked!

I love you, Orlando. And I plan on beating you in Monopoly tomorrow!

With Thankful Heart

I'm happy to report that Ivan's MRI today looked "normal". Normal, by the way, is a beautiful word. I always get nervous when he has these six month pictures done--wondering maybe, just maybe, that ugly tumor is starting up again--just one little cell got away...

So, it is always a great relief to hear that he's okay. We'll do this again in April. And October. Then maybe just in Octobers. I hope. I worry and worry and buy him special treats, and get movies, and wash his blanky, and pray. Oh, and worry (did I mention that?)

In addition to that, I took Orlando to his field trip. I made him a wonderful sack lunch, got him all excited, made sure he was dressed for the pumpkin patch and then took him to school at 8 when he usually goes in the afternoon....only to find out it is next week.

How embarrassing.

I blame it on stress. Somehow I got the MRI and the field trip on the same date in my head....

Sheesh, I thought Lando might make it to 4th or 5th grade before I started embarrassing him, I guess not!

Well, I'm thankful for my boys even if they may struggle with giving thanks for this scatter brained-worry-wart of a mom.

I wasn't going to

I wasn't going to go. And I certainly wasn't going to get into it. Pre-school graduation. Come on people! We over do everything these days!! I got the invitation and thought: gee, one more thing.

But, I went. (Duty-mom called). I didn't have a sittter so I took the other two. Luckily it was low key and in their classroom. They had a cake and some fruit and the kids sang for us. We watched a DVD slide show of the kids and all they've learned. Lando got his cap and teddy bear diploma.

And then it happened.

A sudden rush of emotion.

He came over, sat down, obeyed everything his teacher said. He had friends, he was a good student, he's tested out of speech this year, he has learned and grown much.

Rushing over me filling me from head to toe. Mother's Love.

Look at this boy, with his "I did it" smile!

Yes, I went. Yes, I got into it. Yes, my son is a graduate. And YES! I am so happy to be his mom!

Orlando's Wisdom

Here is some insight to my 5 year old pre-schooler:

****

Lando: Mom, am I going to be a bus student or a car student next year?

Me:  I don't know.  I have to find out where and when Ivan needs dropped off.  We will see.

Lando:  (Exasperated Sigh)  Just go to www. school.com, then find Kindergarten.  Next, see bus and car.  Find my name!  

***

Dad:  Lando, what did you learn at school today?

Lando:  We learned about maps.

Dad:  Maps are cool!

Lando:  Ya, my teacher has a map that goes in her car.  She puts her house and then where she wants to go and it tells her.

Me:  A GPS?

Lando:  Ya, a GPS.  Those are cool maps!

***

Lando:  Mom, huge and humongous rhyme!

Me:  They mean the same thing, but they don't rhyme.  They both mean big.

Lando: Ya.

Me:  Lots of words mean big.  Huge, humongous, large, great, big, enormous.  When words mean the same thing, they are called synonyms.

Lando:  (long pause, wheels turning).   Mom, Synonyms and M&M's rhyme!!!

***

Hi, my name is lion.

For those of you who haven't met me my name is Lion.  I am more loved than anyone can imagine because I belong to Orlando.  Lando takes me everywhere.  Here we are at the arch in St. Louis.

Lando also thinks I am beautiful.  He took mom's camera and took this next shot himself.  I've been with Lando since birth, so we are close.  Hey, I'm a great comfort item.  Although, I once was left at a gym for two weeks, like a good cat, I found my way miraculously home!  

I've been with Lando through his ups and downs.  I always went to preschool with him, until he got comfortable there.  I sometimes ride in his backpack for old times sake.   And when Ivan was in the hospital, I was essential to his comfort.  Lando is a sensitive boy who worried about his brother.  He still gets upset about Ivan's scar and Ivan being gone.  I'm still the one he holds.  Gee, I'm good! 

I've ended up in many family photos.  My tail has been chewed nearly off.  And I actually lost my nose on the last road trip.  Luckily Lando's dad knows how to operate, and he put it back on!!  Too bad no one took pictures of that one!  Oh, and Lando was crying when he saw dad put a needle in me--he didn't want me to hurt.  But, he WAS glad that I would get my nose back.

Lando can, like all children, get angry.  This is when I really shine.  No one helps him calm down quicker than me!  It is my specialty.  I know Lando loves me very much.  He has tried to feed me ice cream and cereal.  At one time I even had a place at the table.  He also has taught me to say my own prayers.  He dances with me, turns me in flips, and today I was part of a parachute project.  He cuddles with me every night, and I have my own voice and can answer questions!!  

So what could I want more than Orlando?  Not a thing.  You see, I love him too!

Orlando's Story

I asked Orlando about a picture he drew.   Here is what I was told:

I was in a race.  We were racing in a maze. I was going super fast on my fire-car skateboard!  Dad and I we was racing fast around and around and around.  Then a shark was chasing us so we had to go faster and FASTER!

 So then BLAST-OFF!!!  

We went to outer space. We went to a planet. (He said the word planet with a lot of feeling something more like "plahnnnehtttt" so super wow, awesome, and cool were all inferred.) 

Me: On your skateboard?

Lando: Ya.  and  then we had to come back and we was going faster and faster and then (deep exhale)  We Won!!

Not too bad for a kid who didn't speak hardly at all until after his 3rd birthday.  I'm so thankful for his progress! I love the story because it has all the elements: a beginning, a middle and an end. I also love it because of the picture he drew--big big spirals and then some fuzzy stuff that I guess is the "blast-off" smoke.  There are a couple of faces in the spiral maze--him and his daddy.  

Too cute.