From North of Here: July 2005

Vocabulary Lessons

Here are some new words Wilson has learned this weekend:

Opportunity: The few seconds you have to claim one of the two mixer attachments after Mommy has made cake mix before Mommy gives them to the dogs.

Responsibilities: What you should have taken care of and cleaned up before Daddy steps on it barefoot.

Discrepancy: Daddy's version of a clean closet and Mommy's version of the clean closet.

Teamwork: What Mommies and Daddies do so that there is no discrepancy in the cleaniness of your closet.

Humorous: What Mommy and Daddy think you are when you show up in the kitchen wearing underwear, a Spiderman mask, an Easter Bunny ears headband, and boots.

Lessons Learned from John Wayne

Wilson is getting ready for his brother/sister to arrive in February. He is doing the preparation by "branding" his belongings. Let me see if I can give you the background of this strategy:

Saturday night we watched "Red River" with John Wayne. There's a scene where John Wayne and his ranch hands are branding their cattle. Wilson asked why they were branding cattle and I explained that if you brand something (cattle) everyone who sees the brand knows it belongs to you. See where this is going?

Friday night we ended up with two of the gift giveaways from the FW Cats game - piggy banks shaped like baseballs. Sunday night Wilson told me one was his and one was Peanut's. How kind of him to share with Peanut! I told him how proud we were that he was sharing and how wonderful it was for him to be a good big brother. A few hours later he told me to get a marker and write "Wilson" on one of the banks. Wilson can't read, but he can recognize his name when it's written down. Not only that but he wanted to make sure his name was in all of his books - so they don't get "lost". What he really means here is that if something is "branded" everyone knows it's yours. What Wilson didn't learn from John Wayne is that younger siblings can't read, and even if they could, they don't care. Younger siblings don't follow rancher codes of the Old West.

Later I saw the boy running around the house gathering up all unclaimed loose change. He lifted up sofa cushions, looked on Chris' desk, gathered money off of the dryer - all of it went to his room. I asked him if he was going to put any of that money in Peanut's bank. He was very precise in his answer "Peanut can get his own money." So you can lead your sibling to a plastic piggy bank, but you don't need to fill it up for him/her. I think Wilson's goal is to collect all money he can find before February brings Peanut - because it's not being selfish if there's no one else here yet. Smart kid.

It's a...

Just kidding, we won't find out until September - but it got you all interested didn't it?

Thursday night Chris and I took Wilson out to see The Fantastic 4. Before the movie we grabbed dinner at the Farmer's Market across the street from the theater. The Farmer's Market sits on the end of the Carswell Joint Reserve Base runway. So as you're eating you will be in what seems like the direct path of jets and large cargo plans landing and taking off. It's cool, especially to watch Wilson as he sees and hears them. On the other hand, if someone overshoots or undershoots that runway... well, I just figure they know what they are doing and I don't think about it.

Friday we all headed out with our friends Karen and Maria to watch the Fort Worth Cats play baseball. The Cats are in the Central Baseball League so it's not professional baseball in that these guys aren't making any real money - which is why I don't mind going to watch. Of course, I don't hesitate to go to Cardinals games in St. Louis but I'm NOT going to go watch our local professional baseball team. The Cats are at least fun to watch and I doubt any of them are currently fighting charges of assaulting photographers. If you'd like to check out the Cats' website go to www.fwcats.com. The game was fun - there were what we have termed "the 3 1/2's" where Wilson has a "moment", but we figure it's just hard being 3 1/2 and to top it off there's the looming of a sibling on the horizon and poor Wilson just doesn't know what to expect from that. Pray for him - it's hard being 3. :) In all he's an angel and a really good kid. We're thankful for that.

Today we ran around doing our errands - bookstore, Target, lunch at Steak 'n Shake, pet store, and the public library. We were on our way to get library cards but we were told the computer system was down and we will have to go back next week to get cards. Wilson was disappointed - we had already explained the library has tons of books and he can read and read and read. He didn't want to leave empty handed. Poor kid. Tonight we watched "Red River" with John Wayne. The two boys were only interested in the movie until the cattle train left Texas, then they lost interest. Goofs.

At the FW Cats baseball game Friday night. Larry and Bob have more secret service around them than the president! Of course, every child in the stadium was trying to get to those characters!

For those who don't know, this is Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber from Veggie Tales. Not only were Bob and Larry on hand, but so were some of the Hooter's Girls. Something for the kids AND their dads... Clever promotions staff! (We have no photos of the girls. Sorry.)

"Just some good ol' boys, never meanin' no harm..."

Wilson concentrating on eating his dippin dots before they melt.

LaGrave field.

Chris loves to take sports pictures. LaGrave field is very beautiful - you get a great view of downtown Ft. Worth from the ballpark.

There's me in the center of the crowd, telling Chris it's time to stop taking sports shots and return to helping me corral our child, who I might point out is missing in action in this shot.

Maria and Wilson. They're smiling because the sugar in their dippin dots has just kicked in, not because they LOVE baseball.

He's smooth. Of course, when her daddy sees this Wilson's going to be a wanted man.

Worst job in the world - wearing a mascot costume in Texas in July and having to do a mascot dance-off contest. It was 105 and these poor people are out dancing for applause.

Gorgeous kids! Wilson and Maria. Wilson sometimes sings "Maria" from West Side Story and says it's about his friend. Too cute.

Home Again - With Photos!

Last week we went to Missouri to visit family and spent time at the farm and at the Lake of the Ozarks. There was so much going on, but we decided to throw in some photos to show just a few of the exciting things we did. It was great to get away and see family. Mom, Dad, Amber, Bernie, Chris, Wilson, and I stayed at the farm and played games, fished, ate a ton, saw Aunts and Uncles and cousins, swam, and got a lot of sun. We were also able to go see Nate, Christy, and Adison while they were with Christy's parents and her sisters at the Lake of the Ozarks. Of course, Sheri was there so Wilson was on cloud nine. He's so in love with her!

The worst part of vacation is coming home - not because you have to leave family, or have a ton of laundry and unpacking to do, but because you've spent time as a family in close quarters and then have a 12 hour drive home together. We won't go in to details, but Callie, our 45 pound puppy, decided to break in our new car by chewing on the back hatch handle. She did it quitely for several hours. Chris was a little ticked. It will cost about $100 to fix - on a car we've only had for one week. But we're laughing about it now... we won't be when we go to have it fixed, but we're laughing now.

So it's back to work and back to our normal schedule. I can't wait to go back on vacation.

My Uncle Rick and my Aunt Sara have a Jeep for their grandkids - Wilson found it.

My "baby" sister, Amber. The funniest thing about having a sibling is to see your own mannerisms in someone else. It's neat - and scary sometimes!

I hope Wilson and Peanut have as much fun as I have had with my sister. I've had fun with my brother too, so I look forward to Wilson not being "alone".

Two summers of swimming lessons and a ton of money so the boy can learn to swim without floatation devices - all down the drain after Honey gave him these pink water wings. Now he won't swim without something on. She owes me my swimming lesson money! :)

My mom and dad met on a blind date - here. For their 20th wedding anniversary my dad bought the lake and the property for my mom. It's a great spot for all of us to spend time as a family.

Amber ready to catch dinner.

Talking bass. Bernie and Wilson with the big catch.

I had my doubts, but Dad actually was able to get all 18 steaks done by dinner time on that tiny grill. Food Network's next star, right here.

Grandpa and Clayton - they were helping Poppy with the steaks. :)

Riley, my cousin Craig's daughter, and Wilson. These two are buds - just like Craig and I were when we were their age. It's like deja-vu.

I was reading to him, but my Aunt Jill really likes Dr. Seuss... :)

Reality Bites. Wilson caught me "holding that boy." I'm reading to my 1 1/2 year old 2nd cousin, Keagan. Wilson was M-A-D. He'd better get used to sharing, cause Peanut will be here in about 29 weeks.

This is where I was told that I fish like my mom and don't set the hook right. Apparently I "fish like a girl".

Dad and the 100th fish he caught while we were in the boat. He gave me junk bait - I know he did. Last summer I caught three times as many as he did, but he didn't pick out my bait last summer. Suspicious, huh. I'm on to him. (And yes, I'm pregnant, not just a fat lady sitting in the boat.)

He's riding his tricycle, eating bacon, and wearing Bernie's hat... and nothing else. Goober.

Adison and her Grandpa.

Those are just some good looking kids if I do say so myself. Believe it or not, Wilson's nickname is Will and her's is Addy Grace. So, they are Will and Grace.

Nate and Adison playing.

Adison in the pool.

The pool was pretty peaceful - until we made a hostile and noisy take-over. We're the kind who run everyone else off from the pool.

The family. Or, the "Famiglia" - as Bernie would say.

Jumping in to Sheri.

Wilson swimming with Sheri.

We meandered at the pool for a little while...

...meanwhile down at the dock where the boys were...

You just don't want to know the answer to some questions. As soon as I asked "Where's Wilson?" I knew. And I wished I hadn't asked.

So if you and your husband talk about it and decide it's probably not safe to let Wilson on a jet ski, that conversation means nothing if the kid's uncle wasn't there. But, in all Nate is very responsible and I was totally fine with them cruising around. Wilson LOVED it.

Wilson will do anything with Nate. He says Nate is "pretty cool". Everyone needs a pretty cool uncle.

Adison relaxing. She's really just too cute! And those sunglasses! Precious!

Mom kept saying she wasn't worried about Nate driving Wilson, but she said "That other guy out there is a nut and he's driving too fast!" When that "nut" got closer, it was Bernie.

He kept telling Nate to keep going around. He didn't want to get off. So if you're looking for a Christmas gift for Wilson...

Charlie's Angels on the Jet Ski - Sheri, Meagan, and Amber.

Wilson and Aunt Christy swimming in the lake. He was fine until boats went by and made waves - then he decided he liked the swimming pool better. Not the great outdoorsman.

This is my beautiful sister-in-law, enjoying the life of the rich and famous on the Lake of the Ozarks.

You know, Nate has always been Mom's favorite... It was sweet to see him driving his Mommy around on the Jet Ski. And he didn't throw her off. Every mom needs a good son.