S.T.O.P

This is a pretty selfish blog site. I honestly don’t write blogs because people read them. If that was the case, I would be pretty disappointed because only 2 or 3 people read my blogs. Plus, I am a blog reader and so I readily realize that mine is lacking in photo quality and writing. I blog because I want to remember. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that life passes too quickly and human memory is weak. I want to treasure Jairus growing up. So really, this is just a public journal.

Anyway – tonight’s blog is really something that I want to remember. It isn’t very unique, cute or funny. Sorry Mom.

Right now I just want to remember that “Stop” is the first word that Jairus can “read.” Now I know that “reading” is actually hard to identify. But, stop is the first word he has been able to identify on his own and in multiple situations. He has noticed it on stop signs for quite awhile. But a couple times in the last week and again just this afternoon, we have been behind a school bus on our drive home from school. On three different occasions, without being prompted by me because I was just in my own little world driving home, Jairus said “the bus says Stop.” Sure enough, on the back door is the word "stop." Not in a red octagon either. But what really convinced me that Jairus can “read” or sight recognize the word “stop” was last night walking into Chick-fil-a. We had to cross the end of the drive-thru lane to enter the restaurant. Joe was carrying Jairus to save us time. As soon as we got on the sidewalk Jairus pointed back down and said “that says ‘stop.’” Yes sir, painted in yellow on the lane is the word “stop.” I promise, we had never pointed that out to Jairus before. Both Joe and I were impressed. So, in my mind and now forever in my memory (thanks to this blog) Jairus’ first reading word is “stop.”

Now, Jairus can of course recognize his own name and has been able to do so for a long time. He started spelling his own name last summer (09). I didn’t think that really counted as a first word. Just for the record. :)

What comes after Z?

I honestly think we have counted to 100 a couple hundred times in the last month. It has been Jairus’ newest obsession. For a long time we have only counted to twenty, but at some point that all changed. We started out with taking turns saying the odds and evens all the way to 100! Yep, it takes some time, but sometimes time is what we are trying to take (like on the 15 hour trip in the car!). But what has helped Jairus the most is seeing the numbers written out (thanks for the flip book grandma!). I honestly think he gets the pattern – we noticed that he used to always skip the “7” numbers, but since seeing them written out, he doesn’t skip them anymore. Now, he only gets stuck on eighty and ninety.

Writing of numbers, we have heard the question “what comes after ________” a lot lately. Jairus seems to enjoy figuring out the sequence. He asks “what comes after (insert any number here),” even though he knows the answer (we sometimes turn it around on him). Every so often he throws in the “what comes before” question too.

So I ran into a snag when Jairus asked me “What comes after Z?” I reminded him that nothing comes after Z because it is the last letter in the alphabet. Maybe, he really wanted to know what comes before Z. No, he asked me again and once again I explained that nothing comes after Z. Jairus responded “Now comes after Z.” Huh….oh yes… QRS, TUV, WXYZ…”now I know my ABC’s, next time won’t you sing with me.”

How to be a millionaire

I know how I could become a millionaire. I just don’t know how make my product and distribute it. Are you curious? Do you think you could help me and get a cut in the profit?

Here it is – I want to bottle pure excitement. Many people mention wanting to bottle little kids’ energy, which would be nice too. But if I could capture one thing from Jairus…the one thing that I wish I could easily add into my life by swallowing a little pill or yummy drink, it would be his excitement. Jairus (as most kids) just loves life…and almost everything is new and exciting. It makes me smile. Just being with him as he enjoys life makes my life better.

I have a few examples that I have noted just in the last week. I know the list could go on and on and on…but here are 3 times that Jairus’ excitement has made me smile and appreciate life a bit more.

1 – Entering a restaurant last Monday the hostess greeted us and Jairus started clapping with a big smile on his face. He was excited to be there. It was also one of those places where you can see them cooking the steaks which Jairus also thought was the greatest thing! How often are the hostesses and cooks applauded? I think he brightened their day too.

2 – Many mornings when we get to school I need to make a few copies for my current events lesson. Jairus gets so excited to make copies. He counts the papers as they come out. He thinks it is great if they change colors in mid-copy job. A task that I find so mundane is super fascinating for him. The excitement makes everyone in the workroom smile.

3 – My favorite Jairus moment these last few months is when I return home from school. As I drive my car into the garage, the house door opens and Jairus stands at the door applauding me saying “Mommy’s home” or “Mommy you’re home!” I feel like a rock star (I guess…I don’t know what rock stars feel like). He is SOOO excited to see me. I love the excitement..love, love, love it.

So anyway, back to my main point. If you come up with a way to capture and sell that pure joy, lets talk! I think we could be really, really rich. But honestly, I am rich already because I have little boy who finds life exciting :)

Yep, it happened!

It was bound to happen. On Sunday (March 27) Jairus asked for Dr. Pepper... by name. Out of his mouth came the words…"I want a Dr. Pepper, Please.” Shocking? Well, not really considering the addiction Joe and I have to Dr. Pepper. We buy gallons of it at a time and have at least one can daily. Even when I was pregnant, I continued to drink Dr Pepper; so Jairus had it in the womb. (and I think he turned out ok.) Now, we were good and didn’t let him drink it in bottles or anything. In the last couple years he has had sips of our Dr. Peppers at restaurants. But we have never ordered him his own or anything. With kids meals he gets milk or juice. At home he doesn’t drink out of our cans. We don’t even call it Dr. Pepper – the code name is mommy’s juice. So, we were surprised when he actually asked for Dr. Pepper. But he is a smart kid afterall and he knows the good stuff! :) :)

Shake it off!

Recently I have been encouraging Jairus to shake off minor boo-boos. It is just a good skill for a kid to learn. So, if he falls and just kinda hits his knee, I say “Shake it off” and I help him shake. This of course causes him to laugh, which really helps get rid of any pain. The same applies for that stubbed toe, or hurt finger, etc. You get the idea.

Many times I add “bye bye owie!” But, when I do that Jairus doesn’t repeat me. He says “bye bye ant bite!” It doesn’t matter what the hurt is – he always says “bye bye ant bite.” I am serious. A hurt knee? Bye to ant bite. A hurt thumb? Bye to ant bite! Last fall he got a couple painful ant bites and I guess that made a BIG impression on him! He seems to think all boo-boo pain = ant bite!

A New First

Please notice the “marker” board in this picture. Everyday when the kids come into class, they move their personal marker from home to school. (as Jairus is doing here.) Then please note the 3 colored circles (not surprisingly green, yellow and red) at the top of 3 columns on the board. As one can surmise, those are warning spots. When a child has been disciplined, his/her marker gets moved into the next column.

Well, this week it happened. Jairus had his marker moved to green. Come to find out, he and his friend, Noah, were throwing a little bit of food at lunch. Thankfully, they both responded well to being corrected and made it through the rest of the day without incident. On the way home Jairus was able to talk through the situation with mommy and then again once daddy got home.

Joe and I both got a chuckle out of this. Not that Jairus got in trouble, but just the situation. Our little boy is a normal little boy. If only discipline would always be this easy! :)

God is always working

God is always working. What a comforting thought.

God isn’t a creative cosmic being that is drinking lemonade as he watches humans on earth like it was just a movie. Nope. He is working and moving on behalf of his adoptive children. We are actually assured that God works all things out for the good of those who love him. (Romans 8:28) God is engaged in circumstances on earth. He is interested. He cares. God never sleeps. Psalms 121 verses 3-4 remind me that God won’t let my foot slip because He is watching me. God is not “slumbering” or sleeping. Instead, He is watching over me. God is always working.

Either at school or at church (or maybe both), sometime in the last couple weeks Jairus has heard the phrase “God is always working.” I know that because he has repeated it at least twice in conversations with me or his daddy. (I am pretty sure he didn’t come up with that phrase on his own…he is a mimicker.) But much to our surprise, Jairus said the phase with a negative connotation. And I am 100% sure that isn’t how it was used in the context he learned it.

The best example was last Sunday morning when we were pulling into church. Jairus and Joe were talking about how the church was God’s house. As we were getting out of the car Jairus said, “Yea, but God is always working.” (negative connotation)

That is when it hit me. Jairus has grown up with Joe working from home. And as a teacher, I often do work from home as well. I couldn’t even begin to count the number of times he has heard us say “Jairus, I’m working” when he has requested a game, or a book, or to go outside, or….the list could go on and on. Not that we abuse him or he is neglected by any means. But, there are times when we can’t or don’t meet his immediate need. And what “excuse” or phrase do we use? “I’m working.” So, I figure that to Jairus, the idea of a God who is always working isn’t very appealing. I mean, who wants a God who is too busy for you? Who wants a God who has other things to do all the time?

This was just a good reminder that as parents, we have a huge impact on Jairus’ world view. How Jairus views God and his foundation of faith will be largely influenced by us. I am not afraid that we have scared him for life, or royally messed up. It was just a reminder, that is all.

And it made me thankful that we don’t have a God who is always working….that is too busy for us…that is distracted. Instead, we have a God who loves to listen to us, read books with us, spend time with us, and the list could go on and on!