I'm Awake!!!!!!!!!

For the record...I can totally relate to this picture.

Oh, Brother the last two weeks (well frankly, the entire month of January) has been a wash when it comes to sleep in the Jackson household. Brent has a major deadline at work and has pulled extremely late nights every night of the week, the little miss has struggled with an ear infection, and Ethan...well, he's the reason I'm writing this post.

Starting about two-and-a-half weeks ago Ethan began waking anywhere between 3am and 4:30am. How do I know this? Because he yells from his bed at the top of his lungs, "I'm Awake!" Over and over until either Brent or I acknowledge his wakefulness. So, upon the announcement, one of the two bleary-eyed parents in our household stumbles their way to his bedroom and firmly tells him it's still night-night time. You'd think that would be the end of it right? Oh, no. This happens a couple more times, followed by a firm chastisement and warning of a spanking for announcement #2 and typically a spanking on announcement #3. This is every night (err...I mean morning) my friends. Can I add, that our disciplining is NOT WORKING.

I look haggard, and you can imagine what the hubbs looks like after already being at the office late.

So, I'm pleading with you, for the sake of the tremendous bags under my eyes, I will take any advice you have to offer. How do you keep your little ones in bed? Or rather, how do you keep your little ones QUIET in bed?

Thank you. I'm going to lie down now.

Potty-Mouth Patrol...

Like every household we have some no-no words. They are not particularly naughty, I suppose. It's just that they don't sound good coming out of a four-year-old's mouth. Among them are 'stupid', 'shut-up', and 'butt'. Ethan knows these words are not allowed and, therefore, takes it upon himself to remind others. We could be out and about or have guests over and when one of the red-flag-words are spoken Ethan quickly opens his mouth wide with shock and says, "Uh-oh!" It happens so quickly you'd think the 'FCC' just stepped in to bleep out the speaker.

The trouble is with the word 'butt' in particular. He doesn't understand that there is also another, 'but' which is used as a transition in a sentence. Therefore the potty-mouth patrol is constantly busting me in conversation. It would go something like this: "Yeah, I was going to go to the store, but..."UH, OH!" Then I'm trying to explain the word 'but' is different than 'butt' and everytime I say it he's saying, UH OH! Until finally I give up. It can be quite frustrating. I've had to start rethinking my speech pattern to avoid certain words. So instead I will say, "I was going to go to the store, unfortunately, I was running late." It's craziness! I guess my vocabulary is going to be extended, though it seems our good intentions are coming back to bite us in the "UH-OH!"

What to do when you get a time-out...

In our household time-outs are viewed as the worst punishment...ever. Ethan hates time-out. Therefore, it's pretty effective. Well, one day, he was particularly up in arms about having a time-out...so much so, that he pulled a 'King David'...and...well...I'll just let the picture speak for itself...

That's right. He was so grieved that he removed all of his clothing. Unfortunately for him, we had no sackcloth or ashes.

Also, unfortunately for him, I happened to have my camera near and captured him, mid-lament for posterity.

You want funny? I got your funny...

The little Mr. is on a roll here lately with all his 'Ethanisms.' The little guy is providing continuous comic relief. Hear that Leno? I've got your new staff writer right here! Ethan can help freshen up your material that is sorely lacking...just sayin'. Oh, and if you want to put him behind the wheel for your little obstacle course, that will really help liven things up. I know...I'm his mom and half of these (okay, okay more than half) will only be appreciated by me.

So, without further ado...

1. "Mommy, mommy! My tooth fell out!" (slight freaking out on my part) "I'm just pullin' your legs."

2. "Mama, Jesus said He wants some cookies." Just to elaborate...Jesus also wanted candy canes a week ago and cake the other day. Poor Jesus is taking the rap for Ethan's sweet tooth. I wonder if this is how cults get started?

3. "My ice cream looks like a 'Po-Cano'." Referring to his ice-cream sunday looking like a VOLCANO.

4. "Is the Dr. going to look at my 'pencils'? " Referring to his TONSILS

5. Ethan: "Mama, can I pick my boogers?" Me: "No, buddy, that's gross." Ethan: "Too late."

6. "Uh, oh...I'm going to turn blue...I ate my toothpaste."

7. "Mama, Stella ate my breakfast." Me: "Did you feed it to her?" Ethan: "No, she ate it from my hand."

8. "Mama, I peed in the tub. " Me: "Buddy, no, no, we pee in the potty, not the bath." Ethan: "I pee in the bath all the time."

9. After belching loudly at the table Brent asked Ethan what he should say. He replied, "Woof, Woof Woof!"

10. "I'm the mommy Kandawoo and this is my Joey"

Gasp! We are Iwanians!

This was a joke my hubby and I came up with when we relocated from Kansas City to Des Moines we thought it was funny. When we moved, we started fresh...and when I say fresh I mean scratch. We didn't know anyone and I personally thought Des Moines only had corn...which is partly true, but I've since come to defend that corn.

We pretty much stuck out like a sore thumb and my griping of Iowa winters and size didn't help us blend any better. Despite my complaining, people welcomed us with open arms and kindness. Friendships grew and we began calling Des Moines 'home'.

Then I started working at AFC (America's Family Coaches) and a sweet little thing named Sarah befriended me. She and her husband Curtis showed us hospitality and welcomed us into their family and tight knit circle of college friends. We were welcomed to backyard barbeques, helped each other remodel homes, watched our families expand and kept up a tradition we've come to adore the last 4 or 5 years...Christmas Brunch.

Every year just before Christmas we gather together to share a meal, play games and let our kiddos run around. We cherish this every year. No gifts are exchanged, it's just simple fellowship at its finest.

This year we hosted the brunch and spent 4 hours of fun, food, chatter, laughter and a special storytime for the kiddos led by motorcycle man Ryan. Like all the years past, when time came to say our goodbyes, none of us wanted it to end.

Here are a few pictures of the gang:

Back row from left to right: Nicole Vogler, Josh Vogler

Ryan Faircloth, Nora Faircloth, Sarah Carroll, Curtis Carroll

Front row: Dan Gin, Me, the hubby

Kiddos: Eva, Maggie, Miriam and James...not pictured is Ethan...he was having a meltdown.

Ryan reading the kids a story...with inflection! We were impressed with this unknown talent!

I simply can't brag enough about our friends. They are sweet, genuine, funny and would do anything for you. If I go on, my screen will get blurry from tears. We are blessed to have them in our lives and they, along with our other sweet Iowa friends and church family, are why we can say, Des Moines is our home. It's official...we're Iwanians!