Some Pictures for You

I'm being brave today. I just hope brave does not turn into "sorry", and that nobody creepy views this blog with the hopes of snagging pictures of a cute baby and doing weird things with those pics. Okay, do I sound paranoid enough? I shouldn't be, since I think there are a grand total of about 3 people who even view my blog, and I know your intentions are legit! Anyway, I thought I would post so pics of my chillins for ya to enjoy. Most of these are from Easter. The first one is Little Man at my mom's grand Easter party. He hit the motherload with all those empty Easter eggs! Heaven!
The next is Bubby at the family Easter shindig, hunting eggs.
And Bubby climbing the walls to get an egg.
Then there's Little Man with his little egg at our house that morning.
The last is my favorite. A tender moment shared by brothers. My little loves!

On-A-Roll

This is my Bubby. Isn't he the cutest little chef you have ever laid eyes on? Let me tell you a little about Bubby.
It's been kind of a tough year for my sweet little blonde angel. Moving has really turned his world upside down. And we moved 3 times in the past year. So, that being said, his educational journey over the past year has been a roller coaster. Lots of emotional upsets and disappointments. Thankfully, this school year has brought us the most amazing teacher. She loves my little boy, and has been willing to work with Bubby to help him overcome his struggles.
And since we have moved into our new home, I think we have been turning a corner. I think my sweet boy is FINALLY feeling settled and secure. As a result, he has been able to get a handle on his emotional outbursts.
And he has been working REALLY hard at home and at school. Ove the past few months, homework has not been the nightmare it previously was. I wasn't sure if the changes I have been seeing at home have been taking place at school. So, I sent Bubby's teacher an e-mail and asked. And you know what? She has chosen him for this quarter's "On-A-Roll" student for her class. Every quarter, the teachers in each grade can choose one or two students from their class who has shown improvement from previous quarters, is working hard, and is generally worthy of the honor. I am so excited for my little guy! I am thrilled that his teacher is recognizing his improved attitude and efforts. I hope it is a good boost for him. And that life just gets nicer for him.
I love my little Bubby so much. He is such a happy boy. So I am so glad that he is getting back to his happy self! WAY TO GO, BUBBY!

SEVEN!!!!

This past Saturday, my little Bubby went and turned 7. What?!!? How did that happen? Where does the time go? Well, since he was born at 8:20 on the morning of March 27, 2003, at 8:20 in the morning on March 27, 2010, D and I sang happy birthday to the boy who made us parents. We sang all the birthday songs we know. Then, we sat and told him the story of the day he was born. It was a very sacred moment for us to relive. We told him all about that first day, and who came to see him. And how we couldn't decide on a name, so we wrote all the possibilities on the white board in our room and as people came to visit, they would give us their opinion. And that night, we took him for a walk around the maternity ward and discussed the names we liked most. We went to bed that night with a prayer in our hearts, and when we awoke the following morning, we both had the same name in our minds. And that is how he got his name!

After reminiscing, we made breakfast. I made a special pancake for Bubby shaped like a 7. He loved it! After Little Man woke up from his morning nap, we loaded up and went to a city event that had blow up toys and performances, and a 16 foot albino python. We all got a Snowie, Bubby jumped in a bouncehouse, petted the python, made a penant at an art station, and then we left for a 7 year old's paradise for lunch - McDonald's. With a play land. Not my choice, but it wasn't my birthday! Then we went to Haba's house to play with the cousins that were there. After a few hours of play, we picked up pizza and a movie, went home, put Little Man to bed, and enjoyed our pizza and and a movie with our 7 year old. He loved it!

The day after his birthday, we had a family reunion (of sorts) with all the family that was in town for my niece's wedding, and I had made 2 cakes. One that was not fancy. One that I decorated to look like a cell phone (Bubby LOVES LOVES LOVES phones). With the piece that I cut off to shape the cell phone, I made a number 7, which ended up being Bubby's cake to blow out candles (since he had a cold, I gave him his own cake so his germs would not be spread all over the cake others would be digging into!). The whole family got to sing to him. Boy did he feel special!

Okay, so here are 7 things I LOVE about Bubby:
1. My little Bubby is so tenderhearted.
2. He has a great imagination. He can entertain himself for HOURS playing by himself.
3. I love my little snuggle bug.
4. Bubby is an amazing big brother. He loves to carry his baby brother around. And he helps his dad with Little Man's bedtime routine every night.
5. He loves to help. In the kitchen, in the yard, with the cleaning. Everything but making his bed :)
6. My bubby gives great hugs and says "I love you" at least a dozen times a day.
7. Bubby made me a mommy. I couldn't ask for a better child to be my firstborn.

I love you Bubby! Thanks for coming to our family!

Dear Nosy Primary Teacher, Butt Out!

SO when I went to pick up Bubby from Primary today, his teacher (who is, how can I put this nicely?....aged)instigated the most irritating conversation. Here's how it went:

Teacher: Have you considered medicating him?

Me (Incredulous, and stern, but not mean): NO, I have NOT considered medicating him, NOR WILL I consider medicating him.

Teacher: Well, he just had so much energy today and seems to have difficulty keeping his bottom in his chair. And you know, not EVERY child gets called up to do something during sharing time and he had a difficult time dealing with not be called on.

Me: I know he has a lot of energy. He is 6. And if you consider all the changes in his life, he's had a lot to deal with and I am aware of the difficulty he is having with these transitions. He has moved from a home and a life that he loved, is living with his grandparents, and has a new baby brother. That's a lot for a person to deal with all at once, much less a 6 year old. We are actually looking into finding a counselor to help him deal with all that. It's been tough. But we are dealing with it. I have no intention of medicating him because at this point I have no reason to believe medication would help him.

Teacher: Well, I recommended medication to another family I knew who had a 4th grader who had the same behavioral issues, and they sought a professional's advice and let the child be involved in making the decision whether to use medication. Now, I'm not sure what the outcome was, but they took my advice and sought professional assistance.

Me: Well, good for them. My husband and I are doing what we feel is best for our son. I have no intention of seeking medication for him at this point. Perhaps when we are settled in our own home, and life has settled into a routine and is not so up in the air all the time, if he is still having difficulty coping with some things in life, I may pursue an evaluation. However, at this point, I feel very good about our current efforts to help him to be happy. We have to go.

At this point, I ended the conversation and walked out of the room. I mean really...she thinks I should medicate my NORMAL 6 year old, so life can be easier FOR HER once a week?!!? It's a good thing I was still feeling good from an amazing Relief Society lesson, because it may have been a HEATED discussion. As it was, I handled the situation with honesty and sternness, but NOT with anger. The Mama Bear anger didn't start to settle until I got home and told my husband and my mom about it (did I mention that this primary teacher is also my mom's VT and spent half of her last visit, just last week, bossing around my niece and nephew who were at our house while she was here? I didn't? well, she is and she did).
So, I have taken to my blog to vent. Thank you, Cyber-Blog-World, for lending me your, uh, eyes(?). I feel much better now!

Easy to Please

SO tonight, D asks Bubby what he wants for Christmas. Here's how the conversation went.
D: So, what do you want for Christmas.

Bubby: I want what you got me.

D: What did we get you?

Bubby: Oh, I don't know what it's called.

Me: What did we get you?

Bubby: You know. What you got me when you went shopping.

Me: You want whatever we bought you when we went Christmas shopping the other day?

Bubby: Yeah. I want whatever you bought for me.

Me: So, you only want two presents?

Bubby: I get TWO presents? (big smile on his face). Wow, thanks! I'm so excited~

Me: Bubby, I love you so much! You are so easy to please!

post script:
seriously, can you think of ANYONE who is THAT easy to please?

Post post script:
he's getting more than 2 presents. really.

Bon Jovi by Bubby

"You Give Love a Bad Name" comes on the radio as we arrive at our destination last night. My 6 year old, who is well versed in MANY radio songs, and says "This is the song in Dad's truck" EVERY time he hears a familiar song, begins to sing along. Here's what we hear:
Bubby: "Shot through the heart, and you're to blame, darling you give looove, a BANDAID."

Yep, we like that version better, too! :)

And Another One

This latest Bubby-ism came tumbling out last night when we were at Chili's, just after our dinner was place on our table:

Bubby: "Hey, we're at a restaurant, so we don't have to pray! At home we have to pray before we eat, but not at a restaurant!"

Thank goodness for his dad, who told him to say a prayer in his head when we are at a restaurant. But then, this was the reply:

Bubby: "You know what I just prayed for in my head? I just prayed that I can have a green card day at school tomorrow."

Well, he was thinking ahead to not getting in trouble at school (a "green card" means he didn't get in trouble. Trouble at school leads to a yellow card, then a red card, then a blue card - he's had several yellows, about 3 reds, but no blues. When he keeps his card on green, he gets a slushy from Sonic - you know, they have half price drinks from 2-4, so this little reward system only costs me $0.50).
Now if he had caught that what his dad was getting at was to ASK A BLESSING ON HIS FOOD in a silent "head prayer", I might feel a little less guilty right now. I mean, seriously, how have I passed on to him that NOT praying is a RELIEF of sorts? I feel an FHE lesson about the BLESSING of prayer is imminent!
Oh, yea. We are not consistent about FHE, either. Great, bring on the guilt~

Bubby-isms

As we were leaving:
Bubby: "Bye Haba"
Haba (aka my mom): "Bye Darlin'"
Bubby: "Did you just call me 'darlin'? Well I'm gonna call you Haba Bobba!"

At Church, on the way out of the chapel going to Primary:
Bubby: "Bye Haba"
Haba: "Bye Honey"
Bubby: "Did she call me 'honey'? Honey is for Bees!"

I love this kid!

Conversation at the Boarder of Dreamland

So Bubby lost his second tooth while we were at church this past Sunday. (His first tooth came out exactly 6 weeks prior, on the very same day we blessed our Little Man in Utah - that's a cute story, too. I'll have to tell you sometime). That tooth was pretty loose before we left for church, so D folded up a paper towel and stuck it in Bubby's shirt pocket, in case the tooth should come out while we were at church. I'm married to a very smart man! Thinking ahead like that! Thinking of me, really - you see, I DESPISE stain treating, and yet am subjected to it EVERY time I do laundry! - so that if blood accompanied the tooth, it could be sopped up with the paper towel rather than drip onto the shirt. Like I said, thoughtful, prepared husband!
So, sitting in Sunday School, in walks my little Bubby with a big ole' jack-o-lantern grin holding his now dislodged tooth! He was so excited, he said (3 or 4 times),"I can't believe I lost my tooth at church! I just can't believe it!" pretty cute! Then he said,"Now I get to put it under my pillow so the tooth fairy can leave some money for me!" Enterprising young man! So, I took said tooth, put it in my wallet and said we would put it under his pillow that night.
I. Am. A. Slacker! The tooth has yet to make it under his pillow! SO, here is the conversation that ensued between Bubby and his father last night (Bubby had been in bed for about 5 minutes):
D: Are you still awake?
Bubby: A little.
D: Did you want to put your tooth under your pillow for the tooth fairy tonight?
Bubby (very sleepily): Are you talking about the tooth fairy?
D: Yes. Did you want to put your tooth under your pillow for the tooth fairy?
Bubby: Dad, I just need to go to sleep so I can have a good day at school tomorrow.

And that, my friends, is a conversation on the boarder of Barely Awake and Dreamland!