Thursday, January 21, 2010

On Sunday. . .

We busted out home videos!
And it got me thinking about this kid. . .

How did he go from this?
(and don't get me started on the tongue thing - no wonder he had to have stitches in his tongue -its never in his mouth)
to this so fast?
(and don't get me started about how a kid that started off with no hair can now have hair that needs to be cut on a weekly basis)

Most of the time Kristopher can be found here. . .
at his new table with all his new "art" stuff!

But I couldn't help while watching all the old videos being reminded of these days with this kid.
I mean really - look at that face.
So cute - yet that devious little smile!
There were a lot of incidents like this one back in the day with Kristopher.
He was a curious little kid.
(If you are thinking it's a sharpie permanent black marker all over his face then you are having the same panick attack that I had - imagine my relief when I found out it was only my mascara smeared all over his face - that's probably why I was calm enough to take a picture)

But then I would turn around and he was doing something like this - and it was really hard to get mad at him sometimes.

I said sometimes.
There were days when all I could do is throw my hands up in the air and say "I'M DONE!"
We went through a swearing phase.
(It's hard to even think back to those days)
We went through a throwing phase.
(A broken rear view mirror as proof)
We went through a poop stage
(Really  - that one makes me sad to even think about that stage)
We went through and sometimes still go through a temper tantrum stage,

but I'm glad I wasn't really DONE - Even though it was so hard sometimes to be consistent with this little fella -  It was so worth it.

And I like now that I can look back and remember all the good stages we went through.

This was one of my favorite memories of Kristopher.
He was suppossed to be taking a nap - but he figured out how to unzip the tent just enough to stick his head out and would call to anyone who would listen to come and get him out of the porta crib.
Kristopher is definately not one to conform to rules.
 I can tell you that from experience.
Take for example Legos.
You know they have kits that you can build exciting things like castles and pirate ships and things - but those require you to follow directions.

Not Kristopher's strong point.

So these are the kinds of creations that Kristopher comes up with.
But - every lego has a purpose on his creations and he loves to tell you what each and every thing does!

I mean who says you can't carry around nerf gun safety goggles, a metal dart, a Ben Ten Watch, a measuring spoon, and tweezers from the doctor kit on a tool belt?

Or that a spiderman floaty isn't going to keep you safe in the ocean?

Or that zuchinnis that big cannot be eaten.


And for sure don't tell him that tools are not for 5 year olds.
He won't listen.
But he'll work. In the yard that is. For hours with his dad.


So I'm not gonna lie that I was a little nervous for Kristopher to start kindergarten. I mean there are definatley rules in Kindergarten that cannot be broken and I was afraid that my little man might just break them.

So he starts school and loves it.
Loves the homework.
Loves the backpack.
Loves his teacher.

And I can prove it to you.
Here is his class picture.
Look closely for Kristopher.
He's the one lovingly staring at his teacher.
I love this.
There is no better class picture anywhere.
I dare you to try to beat this one.

Every day with this kid is MAGICAL!
I'm sure gonna miss him when he's gone all day next year!
I love you Kristopher!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Something happened today

that made me really love this boy.

But to get to what happened a story needs to be told. . .

Let's rewind to our Beach house trip this year.

This is Kale and his Uncle Robby.
Robby was the baby of the family and didn't have any little brothers to torture like his older brothers tortured him.
Enter Kale  - his oldest nephew!

Here they are having a sand war.
What is a sand war you ask?
Well according to Kale it is throwing wet sand at your opponent as hard as you can.
According to Robby it is sticking sand crabs down your opponents pants.

Now don't think Kale is a victim here.
You see. . . he is a smack talker.
Always has been really.
It goes against his entire tender hearted personality.
I can't explain it.
But he is.

So the entire week he smack talked his uncles. . .
And then this happened. . .
(I will let the next set of pictures speak for themselves)




His dad finally saved him.

Now don't think there were any egos harmed.
As soon as Kale emerged from the ocean with his pants back on - 
he was right back smack talking those two same uncles.

It's just who he is.
(now I want to clarify that in no way does he hurt others feelings  - he just has a "just try to mess with me" attitude)

Moving on with the story. . .

This year Kale played Fall Baseball again.
He played last year and made a pretty good friend on the team.
So this season I decided to sign him up so he could play with the same friend.
Long story short - In order to be on the same team I had to sign Kale up for MAJORS which is 10-12 year olds. My son made the cutoff by 2 days so he could play as a 9 year old.

The first day of practice comes. I know the boys are going to be a little older and I'm a little nervous, but nothing prepared me when we drove up to the field and I saw a bunch of giants out there warming up. 

Kale looked at me like he has never looked at me before. . .

His eyes were saying:

"I can't go out there."
"I can't go out there."
"Those boys are huge."
"I can't go out there."

(OK maybe that's what I was thinking for him)

But he took his bag, threw it over his shoulder and headed out on the field.

Now so you don't think I am over exaggerating on how big these boys (men?) really were I took a few pictures from the season.

Um, that catcher is the same height as Kale bending over. . .

Yep, that's what I thought. Kale comes up to about his waist.

And here's Kale with some of his team. . .
Do I even need to tell you he is number 1?

Really. It's not the camera angle. He's really that short compared to the rest of them.

But you know what?
It didn't matter how small he was.
He held his own with those boys (men?).
He didn't go out all timid and afraid.
It was just like he was hanging out with his uncles (except these boys (men?) were even taller than his uncles (sorry Rob and Ryan) smack talking with the best of them!



For the first few games I was so nervous for him. Not even about how he would do in the game but how he would interract with the boys (men?).

He was the one standing in the dugout always cheering (with a little bit of smack talk here and there) for his team.

There was one moment in particular that I remember. 
Kale was on deck and one of the other players was up to bat - one of the biggest players on the team I might add, and he struck out. 
He got a little frustrated at himself and as he walked back to the dug out - 
Kale says to him "Dude - what were you swinging at - you know you can hit off this guy"
I instantly thought to myself 
"don't hurt my boy. He doesn't know what he's saying. He doesn't realize that you could step on him and break him in half"
But he looks at Kale and says - "you get him for me"

I was impressed. My little guy wasn't intimidated to be on the team with these big kids. He could handle it.

So what happened today to bring on this huge blog post.

Today I walked into the kitchen from the laundry room and I saw Kale on the phone. When he saw me he left the room. A few minutes later he came back in the room and I asked who he was on the phone with. He didn't answer. I asked again. He got a little teary eyed and so I walked over and gave him a hug and asked him what was wrong.

He then told me that he was a little frustrated at the end of school today because he is having a hard time with this chapter of math and wasn't looking forward to coming home and doing his math homework. So while he was walking home with the neighbor girl down the street he said he was a little bit "frustrated" (his way of saying awnry) with her.
 He felt bad and so he had called her and apologized to her.

He really is the most sensitive smack talker there has ever been and he never ceases to amaze his mother!

I really, really, really love him.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

I'll admit it. . .

I miss Christmas a little bit. . .

maybe because I'm all out of these cute little candy canes I found this year.
Kara loved them - taught herself how to say "candy" and it took a good 20 minutes for her to eat one. Twenty minutes of her being completely entertained is better than Christmas!

Saturday, January 2, 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year 2010!
Yep - It's midnight - Yep those are my three children still up - and Yep it was super fun!

Kale had his first drink of DR. PEPPER!

Here's Kyle getting his New Years Kiss. . .

Like I would let him get off that easy!

But really like with every New Year we have been watching  ALOT of Football. . .
Tennessee lost, but these two had fun watching anyway!


BRING ON 2010!

Friday, January 1, 2010

We really did have a Christmas I promise. . .

It just isn't documented by very many pictures this year. . .
You see Santa brought mom and dad a new video camera and Christmas was captured on video this year rather than in pictures!
I was having so much fun video taping I forgot all about my camera for a while.

We did manage to capture a few gems. . .

Like this little lady actually understanding the whole unwrapping concept. . .
She's a pro now.
And there has never been a little boy so excited to receive his own table and chairs!

And Santa brought the boys a laptop!
Yeah! They actually have somewhere to play their computer games!

We opened our "gift of LOVE" together this year. . .

Our Family!
Mom has a project in the works for these!

After presents, breakfast (german pancakes with Caramel Syrup), and maybe a quick nap by dad. . .
We headed through this. . .
to spend some time in this!

It couldn't have been a better day!
We drove to Truckee to see Jeff, Jaimie and Cole and they took us sledding!


Kara wasn't so sure at first,

but Jaimie finally convinced her that the snow can be fun!

What goes up . . .

must come down!



He didn't know I was zooming in on him to take a picture of this daring act!


Step 1

Step 2
Step 3
(and I think everyone within probably 10 miles heard the
"oh crap" he yelled on the way down)

There couldn't have been a better way to spend Christmas this year!