What To Wear, Or A Lesson In Autonomy...

Autonomy--n. Having the right or power of self-government.

I would like to make a request that Merriam-Webster place a picture of my son beside the definition of autonomy. Or any small child for that matter. If I had a dollar for every time I saw a princess, fireman, Spiderman, or cowboy/pajama combo at the grocery store, I'd be a very rich woman. My son is no exception. He decided to fire his stylist (me) and opt for his own expertise.

Here's what he came up with today:

I'm a big fan of the Caterpillar rubber boots *sarcasm*. They are showing up everywhere these days. The store. Play dates. And yes, church. They were his accessory of choice for the Awana's award ceremony.

Oh, and then there are these get ups:

The knight/Handy Manny combo was worn for an afternoon of errands...it was casual day. It's difficult to fasten the safety harness of the carseat around the breast plate.

The fashion advice I've learned from Ethan? Pave the way for fashion. It's not what you wear, but how you accessorize.

The Tube Experience...

Well, we soon discovered that four ear infections in three months, and fluid that just won't drain, gets you a trip to the ENT and the grand prize of tubes in the ears.

Yep, the little miss is the lucky winner. Bright and early this morning we took her on a celebratory trip to the outpatient surgery center at Mercy and waited our turn amongst all the other parents of babies and toddlers waiting for either tubes or a tonsillectomy. I should have brought the camera, but I'm not exactly at the top of my game at 5am.

The little miss was sweet and friendly despite being awake so early and running on an empty stomach. She obviously doesn't get that from me. Low blood sugar= stay out of my way or your arm becomes breakfast.

The ENT moseyed his way down the line of partitioned cubicles like a cowboy inspecting the cattle in the chutes. The line was the same, "Dr. ____ here, tonsils or tubes?" And then he began picking off the unsuspecting children one by one. In a matter of 30 minutes, we were in, out, and sitting with the little miss in recovery, still smelling a bit fumigated from the gas they gave her. Somewhere along the way she had a bit of Jekyll and Hyde personality change as she was one HOT mama when she woke up. I don't think I've ever seen her that mad. But, in true Eva style, her sweetness didn't take long to come out.

As I'm typing this we're about 6 hours post-op, and I can already tell a huge difference. She's back to her old self, albeit acting a bit loopy. But, no pulling at her ears, and she seems to be hearing much better.

One kiddo down, one to go. Ethan is up for a tonsillectomy on April 29th. No, I don't enjoy torturing my children. It just happens that insurance is up for a change which meant surgeries close together.

Stay tuned... one strong-willed four-year-old + fear of the unknown=an adventure of great proportions.

We Didn't Suffer At Succotash...

This is a little belated, but I've been kind of busy with bridal showers, a 1st birthday, a baby shower, and getting ready for Eva's tube surgery and Ethan's tonsil removal. April is crazy.

Last weekend we travelled to KC for family, two bridal showers and Eva's 1st birthday sandwiched between. With all the craziness Brent and I decided we needed to sneak away for a little date. The little miss was the cutest third wheel ever, so the date was perfect. Ethan had his papa and nana all to himself, so he was a happy camper. Happiness achieved by all.

Being Kansas Citians, we always head south of the river for our date spots. South of the river boasts the Plaza, Nelson-Atkins art museum, Power and Light District, amazing restaurants, chic neighborhoods and LOTS of walk-ability. Just what we love.

We headed to a new spot (new for us) called Succotash. The name and it's description as a 'brunchenette' was what won us over! But, the food...oh. my. the food. And the atmosphere! Think 80's-kitschy-chic and your grandma's recipes...only better. Throw in a little Duran Duran and the ambiance was great for a mid-day meal. The soda fountain bar served as a display for their generous dessert portions. The staff was friendly and artsy-cool. By the time we left I felt I had known them forever (in a good way).

Our waitress suggested we start with an order of 'Lemony-Lima Bean Hummus'. I love hummus, but not such a Lima bean fan...we went for it anyway. Friends, this is how hummus should be made! It had a touch of lemon and dill which really set it apart. Delicious. Even the little miss went crazy for it! Kid approved.

Brent ordered their generous omelet (tons of bacon and cheese-but not greasy diner style). I ordered the grilled artichoke and Gouda sandwich...delish. Sort of a grown-up grilled cheese.
The little miss loved both. We took our time, visited with the staff and stuffed ourselves with the amazing food. Dessert was out of the question since we cleaned our plates. Our neighbors at the table next to us got a huge slice of a rainbow colored cake that seemed to have a thousand layers...they gave it a great review.

I would rank this restaurant among the best in Kansas City! You should definitely head there soon!

A Letter To My Daughter On Her 1st Birthday...

Dear Eva,

Allow me to give you a year in review:

1) You arrived in record Jackson time...2 hours after arriving at the hospital. Way to go girl!

2) You were the easiest baby! You slept. slept. slept. Rarely cried, and put up with everything your big brother dished out. Our conclusion: you were faking sleep so your crazy family would leave you alone.

3) You got a case of Roseola at 4 months. Those were 8 tortuous days of high fever, rash and crying if we picked you up. Three after-hours clinic visits and one ER visit later, and you were on the mend. You were a trooper.

4) Did you know you came to work with mommy every Tuesday and Wednesday? We had a lot of fun and you made lots of new friends.

5) Your brother warmed up to you and now you two are inseparable. You are his best audience during his stand-up routines. Your laugh is infectious...and he's the one who brings it out of you.

6) Just so you know (which, I think you are well aware) you have had daddy wrapped around your finger since day one. Enough said.

7) You got your first tooth at 10 months

8) You started trying to stand and cruise at 10 months...now on your first birthday, you are walking. The record: 10 steps

9) You. eat. everything! You love all food. You love toilet paper too...but, I won't tell.

10) You are beautiful. I never prayed for beauty. I prayed for you to be kind, loving, joyous, gracious, a servant. Beauty was what God added on His own.

You are a gift, a jewel, a precious girl. I pray you will be good and kind to others and bring joy to others. Serve HIM with all your heart and love HIM above all else. Know you can talk to me. I will listen. I will pray. There is nothing you could tell me that would change my love for you. I pray for you and your brother every day. I'm even praying for your future husband. Save yourself for him. Many boys will come along, but don't be clouded by their words...there is only one who is truly yours. Wait for him. Smile. Be Polite. Say hello. Be gracious. Be the light God created you to be. I love you and I'm so proud to be your mommy.

Love,

Mommy

What My Cupcakes Got Me...

Remember my post on bribery? Well, here's what those two cupcakes got me:

Oh, and let's not forget the sweet little miss:

And then...well, just indulge me one last time...

Nicole...you out did yourself yet again! Thank you for being the fun person you are and bringing out my kiddo's personalities! You did a great job!

Candy for Breakfast and Jesus is Risen...

First, allow me to apologize to Ethan's Sunday School teachers. I apologize that I allowed my son to eat most of the candy from his basket, resulting in sugar induced hyper-activity. I monitored his intake initially, but somehow lost control after chocolate bunny #4 mysteriously disappeared.

I had no intention for the basket contents to become breakfast, and sorely underestimated the seduction of candy coupled with the speed of which it could be consumed by a four-year-old.

Sincerely,

Nikki

Overall, it was a happy Easter had by all in the Jackson household. We spent the last couple of weeks preparing Ethan for the celebration and explained that our basket gifts were one way of celebrating Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection. By the end of the two weeks he understood that Jesus hadn't done anything wrong, but instead he was dying because of our sin. He said to me, "mommy, that's not fair." How true. It's not fair that Jesus died for us, when the penalty of our sin was truly ours to bear. But, how gracious and merciful our God is that He would have a replacement for us in His OWN Son.

2 Corinthians 5:21

God made Him who Knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

How grateful I am to God, that He didn't wait until I was good enough, nice enough, righteous enough or sinless (for that would NEVER happen!). He gave His son while I still fell short. I am sinful, weak, faithless, and selfish. God, in His justice and righteousness, still required the debt and penalty of my transgressions be paid...IN FULL. But, instead of holding me accountable and requiring my life as a payment, He sent Jesus as my substitution. I am humbled by His mercy.

We celebrate because He doesn't lie in a tomb. There is no body. He conquered death. He is Risen.

Sort of a low for me...

Before becoming a parent, I kind of looked down my nose at parents who bribed their children to get them to perform accordingly. While watching them dangle candy and other treats before their children's eyes, I made a mental note to NEVER do that!

The first time I broke my rule was during my sister's wedding. Ethan was two and had it set in his mind that heading down the aisle carrying a satin pillow simply wasn't his style. It wasn't my style to offer him several mini bags of m&m's, but it was what got both of us through the day. I told myself, "It's only one day."

Well, I sort of did it again. Yesterday to be exact. This time a cupcake was the bartering tool in exchange for some photos with his sister. Okay, it was actually two cupcakes once all was said and done. Yes, I'm a bad mom, and yes I've read lots of Dobson that has warned me against such parental mistakes. It worked like a charm, and every time he got grumpy I sweetly reminded him of those chocolate cupcakes with the white frosting and his smile grew bigger and bigger.

You already know that I daily commit parental sin...I'm just keeping it real for you.

To Nicole, the preggo-photographer-genius...the photos were everything I could have hoped for and more. I love them and can't wait to share them with family and friends! Thank you for blessing our family with your talent!

I'll post the photo shoot soon!