Christmas Tree Farm - 2016

All my life I've had a fake tree. I really know zero about having a real Christmas tree. 

But that changed this year! I'd seen one too many Christmas tree farm pics via IG to know that I was missing out. 

So we packed the boys up and headed about 20 minutes down the road to a perfect little farm off the highway. We got to ride two tractors, cut down our own mini tree, drink some hot cocoa, and visit with Santa Claus. I loved it [no big shocker there!], the big boys were fans as well, and the littlest was attached to my hip. All in all, I'd claim it as a success and I absolutely will be adding this to our holiday to-do list for the coming years. 

We ended our day with gingerbread house crafting with Elf playing in the background...can I just say that life right now has been so sweet?? Trying not to take a single second for granted. 

xo, 
Joi

Three Is Almost Over [actually it's been over for months!]

Oh, three.

Like Dave said, we started off rocky, cruised through the middle and are ending a little bumpy. Just like every parenting adventure thus far... just when we think we have it all figured out our little guy goes and changes all the rules. He's kept us on his toes since his second week of being alive and I expect him to do nothing less for the rest of our lives. My spirited, independent, button-pushing, and sensitive little boy, I love you so. So much it hurts. Cliche but absolutely true. 

I want to remember all of the things about you that make me swell with pride and cringe with embarrassment. You are such a Theron Drake and we couldn't be happier to be your parents!


Theron Drake, 

This year...

• You broke your hand falling off the couch
• You got potty trained right after turning 3 and little school helped SO MUCH!
• You only drink water at home...verdict's still out if you drink your milk box at school
• You can count to thirty-ten :)
• You can recognize all your letters and LOVE to have us spell out all of your friends from little school: Scarlett, Bob, Tyler, Carter, Lyla, Paige, Avery, Gracyn, Rhett, Eli and Brinley
• After that, you love to trace your letters on your easel and on the driveway with sidewalk chalk
• You go to big school after little school and get speech 15 minutes a day
• You love riding your tractor 
• You talk with such intonation!
• You use your hands to talk -- it's adorable!
• Some of your favorite words you fill your stories with are "yesterday/somebody/"I told you..."
• You hold your book up and read to momma and daddy like your teachers read to the class
• You love playing with magna tiles, trucks, your barn-house, and coloring
• You like to "get close to the horsies" by our house
• You like to eat dry "cer-a-del"
• You could live on turkey sandwiches from Subway and fish sticks + mac n' cheese--but NOT the spiral kind!
• You are obsessed with the color orange and here lately, purple and red
• You have behaved so well in school up until this last month; you've been on yellow once at little school and had two "X" marks at big school
• Your teachers say you like to repeat instructions to your classmates and are kind of bossy--haha!
• When Miss Jodi spells kids names you yell at them to get in line because you understand
• You love wearing sweatpants
• You have a hard time changing up the shoes you wear everyday
• You are working hard at holding your marker in a tripod position
• You love getting souffles at Bread Co. 
• You like to go to Ace, Rural King, Target, and in general, like going places
• You went to your first movie, Zootopia, a couple weeks ago. You asked if the movie was done after the previews went off. Haha. 
• You've started acing haircuts!
• You went through phases where you loved gummies, suckers, and popsicles
• You phased out of liking Thomas and choochoos and have a real love for mid size truck toys
• You like to play matching games and do tons of puzzles all of the time 
• You like "Taco Tuesday" and "Pizza Friday" 
• You just learned to dip and LIKED your toasted raviolis in marinara sauce this week!
• You've been really obsessed with Paw Patrol and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles but have never seen an episode or movie of either
• You know the months of the year, days of the week, and always ask "What time it is?"
• Your daddy is your best swiend [still working on our 'f" sound]
• Your brother lights up and gave his first true giggle to you
• You like to help mommy "cwean" and mop
• You go to bed by 7 and sleep with tons of books
• You love BIG bubbles in your bath
• You can put your own coat on! Thanks, Mrs. Kelso, for teaching T how to put the hood on first and then the arms
• You have never blown your nose, but we're trying!
• You get annoyed by Bear Bear but also love her to pieces
• You're getting more adventurous going down the slide and can swing like a pro
• You challenge us daily, and most days we have at least one tantrum, but you are starting to understand breaking the rules has consequences
• When you get mad you throw your shoes or cry and say, "No!"
• You ride in your car seat like a champ!
• You worry about Maw Maw's leg hurting her
• You're super fast and can kick a mean soccer ball

::I wrote this months ago but it sat unpublished forever. Today I post it so I never forget::

xo

THERON Talks

While looking at toys online for Christmas:
Joi: Look at these, Theron. Do you like them?
Theron: Ho-we, Mo-we [holy moly :-)]! Those are pretty cool. 

When David dropped something:
David: Uh oh, spaghetti O!
Theron: Uh oh, mac 'n cheese!

When Theron gets in trouble:
Theron: I telling on you! I telling my mom you're not being nice!

Talking about Townes:
Joi: Aw, you love your brother!
Theron: I do, Mommy. He's my best swiend. He's my savorite boy [still can't say our 'f' sound but it's the cutest.] Townsie likes to eat, sleep, and poop, Mommy!

Talking about Townes eating:
Theron: Townsie gon' eat on the other side, Mommy? He eats off your belly like I did when I was wittle. [haha! sure, buddy...my belly!]

xo

THERON Talks

When asking to watch a certain commercial:
Theron: Can I watch Medicare, Daddy?
Dave: Sure! What's Medicare for?
Theron: It's for when you go to the doctor!

When talking about Townes:
Theron: He's a monster!
Joi: No he's not. That's not nice. 
Theron: Yeah he is, Mommy! He's a bad guy!

When Theron gets in trouble:
Theron: I telling on you! 
-or-
Theron: Don't yook at me, Daddy/Mommy!

Talking about Townes:
Joi: Well, sometimes babies cry. You cried a lot when you were little!
Theron: No I didn't, Mommy! I was happy! (Haha, think again, kiddo!)

While watching Price Is Right:
Bob Barker: I'm going to sell you an automobile!
Theron: It's an SUV, Bob!

After throwing up [I know, TMI for most of you, but I want to remember--haha!]:
Joi: You ok, buddy?
Theron: I'm good. It makes me seel better. 

With David:
Theron and Dave: Men, men, men, men [a little song they sing]! We men, Mommy. You can be men with us, too!

When talking about his best friends:
Joi: Who's your best friend at school, Theron?
Theron: Gracyn & Silly Bob are my best swiends!

When watching a commercial for princess toys:
Joi: What are those, Theron?
Theron: Those are princesses. Are you a princess, Mommy?

xo

THERON Talks

More of my main little dude's convos...

When talking about a booboo that hurt him while taking a bath:
Theron: Sometimes little boys get hurt. 
Joi: Yes, you're right. 
Theron: Etan gets hurt, too! [Etan is actually Ethan, one of my best friend's boys who Theron constantly talks about!]

When talking about his hot pizza:
Theron: Mommy, this isn't hot?
Joi: Well, it's a little hot. 
Theron: It's not big hot, mommy. 

While getting disciplined:
David: Theron, if you do that I'm going to put you in time out. 
Theron: Daddy, YOU go to timeout. 

After Theron sneezed:
Theron: Bless you, Daddy. 
Theron: Thanks, Daddy. 
Theron: You're welcome, Daddy. 

When any visitor leaves to go home:
Theron: Bye-bye, [insert name].
Theron: Make sure to tall me when you get home!

Randomly chatting in the morning:
Theron: I like trucks!
Theron: Daddy, you like airplanes!
Theron: Daddy, Papa likes food! [David's dad is known to be a foodie and food forcer--even if you're not hungry! Looks like Theron picked up on that!]

When Theron doesn't get his way:
Theron: You're not coming to my birthday party anymore!
-or-
Theron: I'm telling on you! [wonder where he heard that? Haha! The joys of preschool!]

xo

THERON Talks

Kinda like TED Talks, haha, even though I don't even know what those are. 

A couple years ago I bought this mother's journal and wrote in it occasionally about stuff but then stopped. So typical of me. I want to get back to writing sweet/sentimental/simple/crazy/tiring moments in there on a daily basis but I don't have much hope for myself! It should be easy because it's only intended as a "one line a day" quick recap but I'm still failing. 

Anyhoo...David and I have been talking about how much Theron has been talking lately and we don't want to forget any of it. For so long we hoped and prayed to hear his little voice and now he doesn't stop. He also uses so many hand motions and facial expressions that add a definite amount of sass to his convos!

THERON talks:

While at Grandma and Papa's house outside...and pointing at me frantically:
Theron [going inside]: I just be wight back, mommy. You stay here. 

While talking about friends:
Theron: We buddies. 
Joi: Who?
Theron: Me and Daddy! 
Joi: Can I be your buddy?
Theron: No, mommy! 
Joi: How come? 
Theron: Betause you a girl, mommy. Nobody's your buddy. 

While talking about potty problems:
Joi: Theron, why did you potty in your pants at school?
Theron: Betause I tired, mommy. 

Again...about potty problems:
Joi: Theron, why did you potty in your pants at school?
Theron: Betause I do, mommy!

When we're going anywhere for the day...
Joi/David: We're going to ________.
Theron: Do they have toys over dere?
Joi/David: Probably. 
Theron: Do they have gummies over dere?
Joi/David: Maybe. 
Theron: Do they have chippies over dere?
Joi/David: Maybe!
Theron: Do they have loader over dere?
Joi/David: I think so!

When telling Theron not to do something:
David/Joi: Theron, don't hit/throw/whine etc. ...
Theron: Don't tell me to..., mommy/daddy!

When talking about food:
David: Did you drink milk at school today?
Theron: No, Daddy!
David: Did you drink juice, buddy?
Theron: No, Daddy! Juice yucky. I yike water. Water's good [sounding like he's German with the "goot" pronunciation]. Water is yummy in my tummy!

And not necessarily conversations but it's so dang cute when he starts + finishes all of his sentences/requests with mommy&/daddy. For example:
Theron: Mommy, I wanna go swimming, mommy!
Theron: Daddy, I wanna ride my twactor, daddy!
Theron: Mommy, more water, pease, mommy!

When talking about his favorite show, Price is Right:
Theron: Mommy, I watch Drew, mommy!
Joi: Ok! Have you been a good listener?
Theron: Yes, Mommy! I watch house game [a random commercial] & puppy gog [another random commercial], too!

When asking what we do on certain days [we obviously are pretty consistent!]:
Joi: It's Friday, Theron! What's that mean?
Theron: Pizza day!
Joi: Yes! You're right! What do we do tomorrow then?
Theron: We go choo-choo store [It's a actually a toy store in a nearby town]! Den, Seak-n-shake! I eat chicken, sries [can't say his "f"s] and water!
Joi: Ok! We'll go if you're good! What about Sunday?
Theron: Hawdee's day! [David and I have went to Hardee's almost every Sunday for nearly 15 years! haha!]
Joi: Yup! You're right!

I'm sure there are more but that's all I can think of right now. I'm glad I wrote these down because I don't want to forget anything at all! It's like I can hear his little voice saying all of this again! 

xo

4th of July - 2015

Save for last year when we spent 4th of July with some of our best friends, this year's 4th was the best! Theron started it off with a bang [haha!] by waking up at 1p.m. in the afternoon. He's been sleeping in so much lately and it makes Dave and I wonder how he'll be as a teenager! He definitely comes by his sleep habits honestly-I could take a nap every single day and sleep in til noon if allowed. Some things never change!

After he got up we took a little jaunt to a nearby town to snap some pics in front of a huge painted flag. Theron was interested in pics for about 2 seconds but I managed to snap a couple good ones. 

We then headed down to our hometown and spent the afternoon with my in-laws! 

After dinner we made our way to the carnival with my family where Theron got to ride so many rides and he had an absolute blast. 

The only thing that caused tears were the lines he had to wait in. TD is seriously lacking in the patience department. I think he comes by that honestly, too. Whoops. 

After the carnival we set up shop and waited for the fireworks. 

The nice people next to us shared their sparklers with TD and he was intrigued. 

When the fireworks started he wavered between liking them, playing in the back of the truck, covering his ears/eyes, and asking to go home. Haha! Once they were done he clapped and shouted that he loved them! Success, I say. 

We made it home by midnight with a sleepy little boy and I couldn't have been happier with how the day went! 

Hope you all had a happy 4th, too!

xo

Theron Drake: Apraxia Update

I don't think I've talked much about Theron and his speech issues on the blog. Long story short: by 18 months we knew something wasn't "right" and had him tested where he showed a 30% verbal delay. By two years old he did not have a single word but was in speech therapy once a week that continued until he was three years old. 

Theron's speech therapist, Ms. DeDe, was a GODSEND and worked so very hard with our stubborn little guy. She never gave up on him and encouraged him to work hard, try his best, and make even the simplest of sounds. She was the one to diagnose him with Apraxia, something I had researched and assumed he had. By the end of their time together I was super emotional about her having to stop due to Illinois law. David and I are convinced that she is/was one of the most influential people in Theron Drake's life. 

At 2.5 years old, Theron started daycare since my Maw Maw became ill (she's better now after they found and removed the colon cancer--thankfully!) and couldn't care for him anymore. He has done wonderful adjusting and I think the social interaction with peers his own age has also done amazing things for his speech development. 

When Theron turned three he started Early Childhood and began his IEP for more speech therapy. During the school year he goes to "little school" in the morning and then the bus picks him up to take him to "big school" for a half day. We are fortunate that at three years old the school district is responsible for providing services if the need is present. Luckily, Theron liked his new speech teacher and classroom teacher and responded well to both of them. We have high hopes that he will like next year's teachers the same. 

Fast forward to the present and Theron Drake has so many words we can't keep up! His pronunciation and sequencing is probably not at age level but he gets closer and closer every single day. Take today for instance, Theron usually substitutes the hard "c" sound for a "ch" or a "t" but totally nailed saying "cookie", "Connie", and "Carol" (both grandma's names) clear as day tonight! Also, he jabbers all of the time and speaks in long sentences. 

David and I get so proud of him and then he smiles so big and it makes him proud of himself. I would be lying if I told you I didn't tear up every time this happens. I honestly did not know if he would ever talk. And that's not me being dramatic, some people with Apraxia don't ever talk. As a mom, I have normal fears of kids being mean to him for not speaking clearly or leaving him out if they can't understand him. I don't want anyone to be hurtful to my baby...you all can relate, I'm certain!

During one of our recent nighttime reading sessions David took this video and it amazes me to hear how far he's come. 

He used to refuse to say almost anything and only point to words he recognized & now he says words with gusto! Parenting is such a rollercoaster of emotions and experiencing this hurdle has taught me so much about persistence, patience, faith, love, and empathy. 

Anyone else know someone with Apraxia? I'd love to hear their story if so! 

xo

Baby #2!

I haven't officially announced my second pregnancy on the blog because I just started making a little extra time for blogging since it's sweet summertime. 

We found out we were expecting baby #2 in early January! 

Just like Theron, this baby was conceived with the help of fertility meds. I totally did not think they would work this time around since it took longer than it did with Theron. 

So many people were shocked when we told them we were expecting! I don't blame them because after Theron, I swore I wouldn't have another kid. I sold or gave away a ton of his baby gear because there was no way I was going to go through that again. He was such a handful and if you are a longtime reader or know me personally, you know that as an infant...he nearly broke my spirit. If you're new here, take a read at this blog and especially this blog to get a little glimpse into the life of a child who never stopped screaming. 

But, time heals all wounds, so "they" say and Theron did grow out of his screams. He is still a high maintenance kiddo but -that- we can manage! He barely posed for this shot but once is all it takes--haha!

We found out early on--around 10 weeks by doing the Harmony blood test--that we were having another boy. We kept the secret to ourselves for awhile and shared the news with our family and friends a few weeks later. 

Much like with Theron's pregnancy, I experienced some minor complications early on and was put on bed rest. Those have since subsided, thankfully, and we hope we will have smooth sailing from here on out. 

I am currently 25 weeks pregnant and am feeling pretty good. I started my pregnancy with sever nausea and while that has ended I am left with a bad taste in my mouth, usually all day, no matter what I eat every single day. I find that I have more energy this pregnancy, and I'll attribute that to it being summer and that I have more free time. I'm sure that's it! 

I've been better about taking bump pictures but still don't write down as much stuff as I see a lot of other bloggers documenting. Maybe I'll start doing that more since I've got the time--who knows! 

Today we're working on the nursery and we're trying to copy these great walls, seen here and here. 

Thanks for sharing in our joy! I'll share some bump pictures this summer! If you'd like to see some...follow along on Instagram [@joidan82]!

xo

Summer Water Fun

Theron's never really been swimming; you can't really count the time he walked around in a hotel hot tub as a swimming outing! He took part in swim lessons two summers ago and wasn't the biggest fan and also only semi-enjoyed the splash pad we took him to last year. 

However, his school puts on a water day every Wednesday during the summer and I think our kiddo may have had a change of heart. 

Since his tastes and 'tude have seemed to change, I decided to break out his water table and baby pool this weekend. Much like I thought, the kid loved it and I was thrilled! I love to be outside if only to be by water so this new discovery means great things for this summer! 

I thought Theron may be hesitant to get into the pool because it was so cold but he didn't care in the slightest!

Dave's always the good sport! 

Baby in my belly and my first baby holding my hand. Nothing better. 

It took awhile for T to figure out the hose, but once he did, look out! 

I'm hoping to make lots of trips to the splash pad this summer now! 

xo

Theron's Big Boy Bed

Theron's three years old and since we have a new baby boy on the way [eek!] we thought it the perfect time to switch him over to a big boy bed. 

He has been in his crib-converterted-toddler bed for awhile now...maybe even over a year. He did so well with that transition and thus far has done great with this latest one, too. 

I was hesitant on buying a bed because they are not cheap. I mean, you can find some cheap ones but I didn't want to waste my money on something that wasn't sturdy or that we would have to replace in his teen years. 

I debated between a couple metal beds from Target and Walmart but finally settled on the one I had always loved from West Elm. It has a classic shape, color, and is solid wood so I hope it will stand the test of time. I still want to get him some new bedding but the current setup seems to be working for now. 

We were worried that Theron would roll or fall out since we decided against purchasing bed rails but so far, so good. He happily went to bed the first night and didn't have an issue one. I hope I'm not jinxing us by writing that!

When we first moved in his room looked like this:

Then we transformed it into this:

And now, here it is with his big boy bed:

It's a simple space, but one that our kiddo seems to love! 

xo