I would walk 500 Miles

We've had a lot of firsts around here lately. Above is Simon's first ride in the hiking backpack that was given to us. It's SO nice. The only problem is he would hang out of that one side and it threw off my center of gravity.

I just finished reading The Hobbit to Frankie, and we listened to a lot of it in the car when we went to Cali last December. I am mostly not liking the movies, probably because the book is too fresh on my mind, but I did love the line in the 2nd movie when Bilbo tells Gandalf that he "found his courage."

So has Frankie.

Frankie inherited my cautious nature. I'm glad of this in a lot of ways, because he's safe, but I know I missed out on a lot of things in my growing up years because of fear. Or even just fear of being afraid (and looking stupid in front of other people.)

Imagine my surprise when a few weeks ago I picked up the kids from Jeremy's parents and found out that Frankie had been helping DeVere up here:

He had to climb up via the camper, and then jump over to the roof.

One more with Simon and Grandpa. My adrenaline as surging a bit on this one with him that close to the edge. Like I said, I have issues. Frankie said he wasn't scared because he knew he was in control. 

That's what Jerm says, too.

Next on the list: Frankie figured out his 2-wheeler on January 18th. (And I realized shortly thereafter that it's too small for him.) On that day he went out by himself, and just figured out how to coast along and get going on his own. No one pushing his seat and letting him go, that's not how Frankie works.  (We had tried that plenty.) Most all of his milestones have come on his own time, when he's ready to conquer it in his own way and without help. Then he's instantly proficient. 

But with his bike he also had to overcome fear, because he had been so worried about falling down that he didn't want to do it. These days he cruises fast, takes corners like a champ, and has had a few tumbles. (Including one that ripped a pair of uniform pants. Oi.) 

(Jeremy is insistent that he will ALWAYS wear his helmet. You know, works at the ER.)

The park near our house has a path and a playground, it's fun to head up there for Frankie to ride and play, and me and Simon to walk. Occasionally jog. When I feel like I need some misery.

Frankie has also started swimming really well and overcoming his little moments of panic all on his own. Then, on his recent second trip to the Veyo skating rink he was skating around and falling down like nobody's business. (I didn't witness this first hand, but I did see all the bruises on his legs.)

Frankie learns in his own way in regards to his school work, as well. Last year in Kindergarten I tried to do all the stuff I'm supposed to with him. Read 20 minutes a day, sight words, etc. None of it was coming easy for him and I was making him miserable. So last spring I backed off. I still tried to have him read and such, and this year he has math and other homework he has to complete, but I haven't made it as high-pressure. Low and behold, last summer his reading took off and has been accelerating ever since. He is grade levels ahead now. I'm so proud of him, he has worked hard for it. 

Alison and Nick gave him an awesome set of Roald Dahl books for Christmas. I had already read him The BFG and James and the Giant Peach. He's now reading the latter on his own. He also loves his science/informational books, and has recently acquired a lot of neat ones from National Geographic kids and the like that he can read on his own, but aren't boring to him. 

In my brain this post was going to flow beautifully, but it kind of doesn't. On to more, then:

Simon's first apple slice, he retrieved it from the floor and wouldn't let it go. He LOVES these but it's so stressful to monitor him while he's eating them that he doesn't get to as much as he wishes. For the last few weeks he has finally taken to table food and is eating like a champ. It's so nice to know we can sit down for a meal and he can usually eat what we're eating. He likes most everything he's tried. Especially the treats his Grandpa's have smuggled him.

Crazy play time with Daddy is a 3 person event these days. The kids wear him out eventually and win. Simon has been a pro at pulling up on everything ever since he learned to crawl. This week he has been letting go and standing on his own, and even attempting some steps.

Frankie is such a good helper. He usually does his chores without complaint, and I'm working on teaching him to help me cook, too. It would help if I cooked more often.

We love going on walks and being outside. St. George in the winter. Beautiful. 

Oh, yes. Simon is also rocking the sippy cup these days. He still will not hold his bottle when we are feeding him, but I don't mind doing it for him so it's fine. 

Frankie got to take the "All About Me" poster to school a few weeks ago. My favorite parts: 

I am special because: "I help others"; I help others by: "Making sure they are ok". Something I like to do at school is "Eat and recess"; Something I like to do at home is "Eat and play." He has been growing like a weed lately, (he's never done that before), and food is a big deal. He is always starving.

This made my day when I saw it. I love phonetic 1st grade spelling. Frankie has always said our cat Knightley's name Nik-ley instead. I'm starting to realize we should probably correct some of his speech mistakes that were always too cute to fix before. Anyhow, there's a drawing of the cat complete with name as Frankie has always known him. 

And So it Goes

Around here we have sunshine, too big hand me down jammies, patient fat cats, a brilliant first grader, brothers who are buddies despite their age difference, good jobs, health, and oh so much happiness.

I miss blogging. Immensely. It's therapy. It's counting blessings. It's laughing later at the memories and the moments. I was thinking about it all today, and I read a bit of my blog archives. I spent years pining for more kids, and now I have this beautiful baby growing up so fast and I'm not documenting it. So no more. I am coming back. I don't know if anyone will read but me, but this is the closest I've ever come to a real journal and I want it back.

Plus other social media makes me feel weird. Perhaps that's another post for another day. 

Some happenings of today (which is a lot like many days right now): 

I had Frankie ready right on time for carpool. We opened our eyes from saying prayer and Chrissy was outside. Go all of us for being on time!

But, I was 10 minutes late for Simon's well child visit. Mostly because I put off waking him up from his nap for too long. He barely even whimpered when getting his flu shot. (It's concerns me a bit what a champ he's been for all his immunizations. I hope he feels some amount of pain or life could be dangerous.) 

My Mom watched Simon for a bit while I ran to the office, trying to make progress on my deadline next week. 

I picked up the boys at school, then we picked up Simon. I grabbed invitations from my friend Tana that needed to be delivered for our Relief Society activity tomorrow. We talked through the car window, Frankie got impatient and ran home, making sure that he beat me.

Simon didn't want to take his second nap. We battled. I won.

Frankie ventured out to the neighborhood (along with the pack of little girls that he plays with now, all the little boys have moved), and put most of the invitations on the doors for me.

We had "fend for yourself" dinner. Frankie helped get his prepared. Simon munched puffs and was not impressed with his veggie baby food. But eats it anyway, he doesn't miss a meal as a matter of policy. Jeremy headed out to play some indoor Volleyball.

After dinner we played with Simon's cars in the kitchen. Frankie and I passed them back and forth, Simon chased them. When we would make them crash (and yell "crash!"), Simon would first laugh, then do this crazy shriek with clenched fists. He was either upset or excited, it was hard to tell. He's kind of a shriek-er in general, it is turning out.

(The DSLR is a little big and heavy for Frankie to handle, but I love this one despite it's blurriness)

 Don't do it, Simon. Don't stand up in the middle of the floor and start walking. It's overrated.

After the craziness that is bathing these 2 together I realized they were in somewhat matching pj's, and so I tried to take pictures of Frankie reading Simon his bedtime story. It turns out Simon wasn't all that interested tonight. Things with cords that are plugged into the wall are much more fun. But Frankie took every Sandra Boynton book we have back into his bed with him to read.

(That bright orange blanket really clashes with their jammies. Should have moved that. Ah, retrospect. Black and white better, perhaps?) 

I snuggled that lavender scented baby for quite some time before he got sleepy enough to put him in his crib.

Which I absolutely can't complain about.