The Many Faces of Lennon

THE INVESTIGATOR

THE CHEESINATOR

SILLY BOY

HEAVEN

Pure As Gold

Mia came downstairs wearing a smile as big as Texas.

"Do you know why I'm wearing this necklace backwards?" She asked showing off a beautiful jeweled, heart-shaped necklace backwards.

"Why?" I asked filled with proud anticipation of what I expected to be an amazing answer coming from my amazing daughter.

She looked proud of herself even as she started to respond to me. "Because, you might look weird on the outside, but you could still be beautiful and wonderful on the inside." And she danced away. How did I get so lucky to be the parent of such a wonderful, wise little sweetheart?

I'm Not Competitive, You Are!

Mia and Mateus. Like a pint size version of an old married couple. Everything is about who did it better or faster or first. Even the most mundane activities that should be enjoyable for everyone can be turned into a brutal battle to the death.

For example, a couple of days ago we all went out in the back to pick some fresh blackberries that were perfectly ripe. Everyone grabbed a bucket and we headed out in the late afternoon to gather our delicious berries. It didn't take long before they were comparing who had more, bigger, juicier berries.

Me: You know everything doesn't have to be a competition you guys. Sometimes you can just enjoy each other's company and have fun together.

Mia: Everything isn't a competition....At least not to ME.

I think that sums everything up pretty well.

me and the GIANT!

one day Mia went off in her backyard.

She knew that there was woods in her backyard,

but she didn't mind at all so she went inside

the woods! It wasn't scary to her but...........

ahwooooooooooo! suddenly a big wolf went

right by her! But she wasn't scared at all.

"Wolfy!" she cried. "What's the yellin about?" she said.

He pointed his paw haaaaaa!

she gasped right in front of her was a giant.

"Ruuuuun......................................................."She screamed.

"Wait, it is ok!

I was just walking around." Said the giant.

"Oh ok I was just going home. Bye bye." Said Mia.

hawooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap!

hawooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

staaaaaaaaaaaaaooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaap

the end!

hawooooooooooooooo I got you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by mia

the end again

An Outside View

In the middle of singing Lennon's goodnight songs I suddenly felt more like an outside observer than an active participant. I looked down and saw a mother swaying back and forth holding her little boy as close to her chest as she possibly could. He lay limp in her strong arms. The rest of their lives stands ahead of them. I started to cry a little. It was such a short time ago Mia was almost two. We were living in Austin and Shelby was working at Blockbuster and I didn't know how we would ever make it. Five years later with number two about to turn two here we are in a home we love, with friends all around us, staring down a road that has yet to be named. What will tomorrow bring? There are more possibilities now than ever. I suddenly feel so lucky to have all that we do have. We may not have any idea what will happen tomorrow, but just knowing that we are here - together, is enough for now. Moments later, I'm just appreciating that glimpse of positivity I had back there. Not sure when the next one will come I decided to capture it here on the blog to remember.

Pobbies and Tiddy Taats

A few more Lentronics words for your enjoyment.

Pobbies: Strawberries

Tiddy Taat: Kitty Cat

Piebey Man: Spider Man

Sea Sick: Cheese Stick

Bonka Bu: Bianca

Bonka Bu Mommy: Claire

Bonka Bu Daddy: Walderi

He also seems to think that all men ride choo choo trains all day long. If Shelby isn't at home and you ask Lennon he will tell you he is "iding choo choo." If he picks up the phone to "talk" to Grandaddy, Papa, or any other man they too are "iding choo choo." Sometimes men eat lunch while they ride trains according to him, but they are always on the train. He's a funny little dude.

What We're Up To

Having Mia home from school for the summer is so awesome! We are having so much fun, but the time if flying by so quickly. She is full of energy. Writing songs, creating businesses (the nail salon), constant playdates and exploration of the "wilderness" in our backyard. The house sits on almost an acre, but backs up to several more acres of undeveloped forest some of which is rocky. There are multiple hideouts the kids have either built or claimed and the swingset is a regular part of our days now. Lennon prefers to lay across the swing on his belly. Mia has been playing with her Polly Pockets and Barbies a lot more this week. I have long felt like she had some of her creative energy sucked out of her by going to school and now that she's had such a nice long break I can see some of it coming back. It makes me nervous about putting her back in school in the fall, but I know I can always try something different if it doesn't work out. Who knows. The school here could be a much better environment for her spirit.

Lennon is changing so much every day. He begs to play "Hunnny Hipppos" on a regular basis and he does pretty well too. It's easy to tell when he's had enough because he just starts throwing the marbles across the room. He's doing much better at listening and obeying (when threatened with time outs.) Not to say, by any means, that he always or even usually obeys, but he's getting better. I've said it a hundred times I'm sure, but boys sure are different than girls. Lennon's has also been getting lots of use out of the math manipulatives kit Mia got for Christmas. He has fun playing with the beads and stringing them together in different patterns. Obviously, he doesn't know he's making patterns, but he has fun and it keeps him occupied. He's gotten so much better at playing with other kids lately too. There's really starting to be some give and take in the play style instead of just the side by side stuff. He LOVES his sissy's Barbie's and "Baabee Home." Which he's only allowed to play with when she is not playing with it because if she is playing with it she goes crazy when he moves a bowl or takes a shirt out of Barbie's dryer or whatever. There are lots of little tiny pieces and she, like her father, has a very specific vision for where everything should be in her creation. She's great with him though and doesn't at all mind him playing with it as long as she isn't trying to.

Lennon's sleeping which was once erratic and out of control is so awesome these days. He goes to bed super easy at 7 and sleeps until 6 30 or 7 15 every day. Then he takes a 2-3 hour nap every afternoon. the three hour naps are not nearly as often and the 2, but when they come along it's awesome. I get so much done. It's a really fun time for me and Mia to get to play games or read together. Both of them are loving living here and having built in playmates across the hall. A friend of mine recently said coming to my house was like visiting someone in a college dorm. People coming and going from every direction all the time. It's crazy sometimes, but it's fun so far.

I've organized a camping trip for a big group of our friends for Labor Day weekend and we're all looking forward to that a lot. We're going to go to New Hampshire and go to Storyland one day and hang out at the lake at our campground the other days. So far there are five families booked. Shelby will be done with school in about another week for about 6 weeks which will be a much needed break for him. I'm up to the same old same old. Cooking, cleaning, playdates and coffee.

I Want To Ride My Bicycle. I Want to Ride My Bike.

Mia went on her first real bike ride today. At the old house we couldn't just go outside and ride because we were surrounded by steep hills. Here we can just walk outside and ride on the sidewalk. The road is fairly busy, but it's better than nothing. She rode all the way to her new school and back and it only took about fifteen minutes in each direction with lots of stopping. She is still really heavy on the breaks and is definitely scared on going downhill even just the slightest bit. At one point I helped her to see how much fun small hills could be and she wanted to me put her comment on the blog.

"Wow! Hills really can be fun. THANK you guys for hills!...Actually, Thank GOD for hills!" (short pause) "You should really put that on the blog that I said that."

Right now Mia and Lennon are in a secret hideout she made in the corner of the living room watching The Lion King. They are both naked having just gotten out of the bath.

Bedtime soon. Then maybe a little reading or a movie or possibly even both for me. Believe it or not, my house is relatively clean so I can relax with a clean conscience. Shelby is off at the office working on school. Ahhhh. Peace and quiet. It's so rare.

Mickey Mouse's Daddy

No one is quite sure how Lennon got the idea that tall stone statues of men are Mickey Mouse's Daddy, but that is his belief nonetheless. There is some iconic statue of Walt Disney holding a tiny Mickey Mouse, but neither Shelby nor I remember looking at or pointing it out to Lennon at any point. Weird. This was the first statue he pointed to in the car the other day.

Lennon: Ahhhhh, Mik Mou Daddy! Mick Mou Daddy!

When I Grow Up

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Mia: Barbie Designer

Mateus: Police Man

Miranda: Fireman, well, a fire woman

Bianca: Mia

Lennon: Mimi (one of his words for Mia)

Liar, Liar Pants on Fire

Lennon has officially told his first whopper. A few days ago I mistakenly left the room while Lennon was holding a yellow highlighter. When I returned, not surprisingly, he had colored all over the coffee table, a DVD case, his face and body as well as a few other things in the room.

Me: Lennon? Oh, no! Did you color on yourself with that marker?

Lennon: No.

Me: Lennon, did you mark on your face with that highlighter?

Lennon: Not! (he sometimes says not instead of no for emphasis)

Me: How did that highlighter get all over your face?

Lennon: Uh...uh...uh...uh.......Maaw do dat.

Me: Angel colored on your face?

Lennon: Ah. (that means yes.)

Later that night at dinner I was retelling the story to Shelby and when Lennon was again asked if he colored on his face with a highlighter he stuck with his story.

Shelby: Lennon did you color on your face with a highlighter?

Lennon: Not! Ennon not do it. Maaw do it.

Shelby: Come on Lennon, you really expect me and mommy to believe that Angel colored on your face with a highlighter?

Lennon: Ah.

Shelby: Lennon, Angel doesn't even have hands, how is he supposed to hold a highlighter?

Lennon: (without skipping a beat puts his fists together and says) Ike dat. (like that)

Days later he still maintains that Angel colored on his face. He has also mentioned several times that we should buy hands for Angel.

Trip to Smolak Farms

Yesterday morning we had an impromptu trip out to one of our favorite farms to pick some fresh strawberries and raspberries. It ended up being a pretty large group comprised of my Stoneham friends as well as a couple of my church friends. Everyone had a blast. We always go apple picking in the fall, but this was the first time we had gone out there in the summer. It was as gorgeous as ever. Everything was super green and alive. Claire and I drove together and got lost which is pretty much par for the course with us. We still made it in time to have lots of fun, but the babies had to miss their naps. Lennon did really well despite missing his nap. We ended up with a whole bunch of delicious fresh picked fruit!

Lennon and Michael going in for the kill.

We put the kids to work! From left: Tyson, Mateus, Miranda, Mia and Lennon

Mid-field snuggles

Discussing the ripeness of the strawberry

Beautiful raspberries

Mia read a book about how every little girl can be a princess the night before and it mentioned that they should always dress beautifully, so she wanted to wear her flower girl dress from Kelsey and Bethany's wedding. We compromised on this $7 salvation army dress that is just as fancy.

Mia, Michael and Mateus wrestling after a snack.

Lennon enjoying a nice clementine.

Taking a break for a snack

Mateus and Mia posing on a tractor in the playground. I think the way he is looking down at her is so sweet.

Mateus and Lennon after feeding the goats. Lennon thinks Mateus is the coolest!

Mateus feeding the goats

Lennon's hands got so tickled by the animals.

Letting a sheep lick his hand

All the Stoneham kids

A Nice Week So Far

Mia's soccer camp ended today. Her coaches comments said "Great Work this week Mia, you've been a pleasure to coach, always have a massive smile on your face and give 100% in each game. Well done." I guess maybe those two years of soccer did teach her a thing or two. She really enjoyed the camp and there's another one toward the end of the summer that we'll likely sign her up for if I can arrange another deal with Claire. For this week she paid for the camp and I'm going to give her extra free babysitting during the daytime to make up for it.

It was nice having just Lennon and Bianca around this week for a few hours. It's amazing how much calmer the house is when the older two are not here. I love having them around it's just such a different vibe when they aren't. Claire and I just sat around upstairs in the playroom drinking coffee while the babies played peacefully (well, mostly peacefully.)

This week at bedtime Mia and I have been reading The Secret Garden. We read a version from a collection called Classic Starts that they sell at Barnes and Noble. They take classic books and condense them so that they are manageable for younger kids. We've also read The Little Princess and Granmommy bought her several more for her birthday. Well, now I am dying to read the original Frances Hodgson Burnett because this condensed version was so good. I was fighting back tears the whole last chapter and Mia and I both had tears in our eyes by the very last page. It was so good. I don't think I've ever cried at a book before. I don't read much fiction. This made me want to do more of that though. It was sooo good. I am going to get online and see if I can get ahold of a DVD version of The Secret Garden movie that I remember loving as a kid. I can't wait to watch that with Mia!

Lennon's newest concept is "almost." As in:

"Ennon amos done eating." Me, "You're all done?"

"NO. Ennon AMOS done eating."

or: "Mia's amos done pay socc?"

And he is quick to point out as we drive past that "Piinonnees" is a "ettnaught."

Pignones is a restaurant

We also often drive by the local hardware store or the "tee hou tore, Mommyyyy!"

tree house store Mommy!

Birthday Party Pics

Mia and Naomi goofing off at one of the two playgrounds by the lake

On the way up the hill for the treasure hunt

Rechecking the treasure map

Pirate Daddy explaining treasure hunt protocol

Lennon loving the water. I forgot his swimsuit, but he didn't seem to mind

Mia and Mateus swinging super duper high

Mia helping me decorate the table before the party

We made some cute centerpieces, but they were both broken before the end of the party. Good thing they were from the dollar store.

I think I have more pics. These are from Granmommy's camera I think.

One Tough Girl

Mia's in a soccer camp this week and it's going really well. She is loving it and I think she's already learned a lot more than she did doing league soccer in Malden for almost two years. Yesterday she was accused of tackling another little girl. She denied doing it and was very upset about the accusation. The coach sort of laughed it off and said it looked to him more like she fell, but also said "she's a tough one though...I like it!" Lennon isn't a big fan of dropping Mia off so far, but he gets over it quickly. I have forgotten my camera so far when dropping her off and picking her up, but I'll get a picture before the camp ends.