Titus: Two and Trazy!

Yeah, I couldn't think of a good "t" adjective that really fits Titus.  He isn't "terrible," nor is he a "terror."  He's just "t-razy"!!

This last month I've been compiling pictures of some of his trazy-2-year moments.
I don't know if I've had a kid like this before.

Isaac at two: an ANGEL!
Eli at two: so EMOTIONAL!
Titus at two: a force of happy DESTRUCTION!

Shall I show you some of the pictures?
Well, okay then, I will!


Gave himself a black eye during a tantrum!
(Pulled the chair on top of himself.  Smooth.)

Knocked over my laps, on two different occasion.  

The last was fatal, and I didn't get a picture.  

The lamp smashed into too many pieces... sad.

How bout the time when he opened the vacuum, and spilled its contents?

Or the time he completely mutilated the boys' favorite search book, Spiderman?

And then all those bathtub trips!! Agh!  

Left:  Fell off the hammock--face first.

Right: Threw cake in the air, which landed everywhere.

I must do this almost everyday.  Pull our "island" infront of the fridge so Mr. Titus won't open it and beg for food; and in cases where I don't listen to him, grab food/drink as he pleases. 

Then the "art work," goodness gracious.  

1) He took finger paint into his room and "painted" the puzzle boxes, and he spilled on the floor... just a bit! 

2) Crayon on the wall.  Need I say more? 

There are actually a ton more that I can list.

- dropping a workout weight onto the tile, which chips the tile--in 3 places!

- Grabbing the syringe of Motrin out of my hand, then squirting it out all over the bathroom wall.

- Taking off his diaper at night, leaving it by the toilet, putting his pants back on, and going back to sleep.

- Taking his diaper off when he feels like it is too big. (YES!  We have started potty-training)

I'll stop there, how 'bout.  Don't want him to read this when he's older and think that he was insane and hard to raise, now would I? :) 

Here's the thing about Titus, he always wants to be doing something.  

The more interesting and destructive, the better.   

Titus thinking, "I'm just going to go into the kitchen with my bubbles.  

You stay there, Dad, I have things to investigate!

Kids' Stories: Summer 2012--Sept 2012

Eli starts to name the trees around the house and neighborhood. "Mommy tree, Daddy tree, Eli tree, Titus tree, Isaac tree. All friends!"

September 2012

It's time to blow Isaac's birthday candles out. Titus jumps the gun and does it for Isaac--twice. Titus was then moved to the other side of the table.

September 2012

"Wow," says Isaac, "this ice cream makes my teeth hurt... It also gives my head get a earthbreak.

"Do earthbreaks happen in warm places or cold places?"

September 2012

Isaac, "Eli, Grammie teaches kindergarten kids--"

Eli, "R2D2?"

Isaac, "No, Eli, not R2D2--"

Eli, "C-3PO?"

Isaac, "No, she doesn't teach about C-3PO!"

September 2012

"Come on, Titus!" yells Isaac, while playing.

Titus responds, "No, I Tiny!"

September 2012

Matt is on his bike, and I'm pulling Isaac on the trailer bike. Matt begins to bump Isaac's back tire with his front tire. Isaac starts to peddle really fast, then starts to (pretend) throw anti-personnel weapons at Matt, yelling: "Grenade! [throw] Claymore! [throw] Flashbang! [throw]"

August 2012

Matt gives the boys his homemade mac-n-cheese.

Isaac says, "Dad you make pretty good mac-n-cheese, and Mom makes the best chocolate chip muffins in the whole world!"

September 2012

Titus is pretty determined to do everything for himself. This includes putting a new diaper on himself and buckling himself in his set belt. When he wants to do something by himself, he screams: "I HELP!!" (However when it comes to ice cream feeding, I can assist him.)

August 2012

Me and Eli are in a public restroom stall together. He uses the restroom, then I have to go. I try to hide myself, but he spots me, and asks: "Mom, you pee broke? You have bum?"

August 2012

When Eli gets home he usually exclaims: "I so hot!" and strips down naked.

Or he'll take his clothes of in his room, come to me in the kitchen, show off his curves (with hands on hips), and smile and says: "I naked boy!"

Summer 2012

Every time we bike to school we pass a tree that Isaac calls the "Avatar tree."

Today on our way back from biking I hear Eli yell, "Avatar tree!"

And Titus yell, "Apple Juice-tar tree!"

August 2012

Eli says, "I'm Darth Vader!" And shots his arm vertical up above his head.

Eli says, "I'm Darth Mal!" And shots his both is arms out horizontal.

Summer 2012

Isaac asks, "Do I just have 5 days left of Kindergarten?"

I say, "Nope, 180 days more days."

Isaac laughs, and says, "You're just kidding! Right?"

I say, "No... I'm not."

Isaac says, "What? Is that a lot of days, like this?" And he hold his hands out wide to indicate a distance/time length.

I say, "More or less like that."

As I leave the room, Isaac asks again, "Are you just kidding about that though?"

August 2012

I dunk Eli a bit under water, then some more, and finally push all the way to the bottom of the pool and bring him back up.
With water all over his face, and a huge smile, he shouts/grunts: "AWESOME!"
July 2012

A teenage boy jumps high out the the pool. Isaac exclaims: "Wow! Look at that human!"
July 2012

Titus lets out a full sound toot.
"See that?!" he exclaims.
July 2012

Eli looks at the evening sky, points, and says, "I wanna go there."
I ask, "You want to go to the moon?"
He sighs, "Yeah..."
Summer 2012 

Titus likes to point to the tree filled sky and yell, "Spiderman!"

Summer 2012

Eli LOVES the Imperial March from Star Wars (Darth Vadar song). He sings it all the time! But today I hear him putting his own special words to the tune--words that are about his day, and what things are going on in his life.
July 7, 2012

I serve some homemade mac-n-cheese. The boys eat it up! But Isaac remarks, "Wow, Mom, this is really good. But Dad makes it better."
July 7, 2012

Titus' singing sound more like a cat. Each note has it's own special "meow!" sound.
Summer 2012

Grammie (my mom) hoses down a smoldering fire, and huge smoke clouds form. Isaac exclaims, "Wow! That's like World War 2! That was a big war."
June 2012

Eli tells me, in a very hurt voice, "Ant, eat me, E-i. Owie!"
June 2012

Isaac is looking at the pool and says, "I wish I could walk on water like Jesus... Hey! Did you know nijas can walk on water with special shoes?"
June 2012

I'm getting Eil ready for the night and it is time to brush his teeth. He tells me how I should do the brushing by saying: "Eee, Ahh, Ugh." So I brush his teeth, and we do an "eee," then an "ahh," and I think we are done. I take the toothbrush away and Eli says, "No! Ugh!" (meaning tounge, which I forgot to do).
June 2012 
I'm getting the boys down for bed and tell them to pick out a song to sing after "I am a Child of God." Unanimously "Darth Vadar Song" is chosen.
June 2012

Isaac looks at my very hair legs and says in a very worried voice, "Mom, why are there splinters all over your legs?!"
Summer 2012

When Titus thinks he has done something pretty awesome, like stand with one leg sticking out in front, he says: "See?! Look e'me!"
Summer 2012

Isaac is sitting on Nana's couch in a blanket. He tells me, "Mom, I'm hot."
I say, "Take the blanket off."
He says, "I'm not hot on the outside, just in the inside."
I think for a minute, then come this conclusion, "Isaac, do you want a popsicle?"
Isaac, "Yes!"
Summer 2012

Marbles on Hardwood Floors

As I pack mine and the boys' suitcases, getting ready to head back home from our weekend trip to Bama, the sound of marbles being rolled on hardwood floors fills my parents' home.  Along with laughter, small feet running, and cooperative dialog. 



I know these boys completely overwhelm me, sometimes saying that I wish they were just a little bit farther apart...
... But I'm so very grateful they have each other, and that I'm their mother. 

What's life without a bit of chaos?!



Family Photos... From May?

Yup.  Family photos from May!  So I'm a little behind.

Matt's family all got together in Las Vegas for a cousin's wedding.  (She's from Vegas--it was not a "Vegas wedding.")  We had a lot of fun that weekend, hanging out together and staying in nice hotels!  And since this was the last time we were all going to be together for a while before Matt and I moved Georgia we took family photos.

Getting all coordinated was a bit of work, and finding a good spot to place us all took some creativity, but it all turned out well!

Titus, silly, only wanted to be held by his Nana!   

The anchors of the family:
Mr. Darren and Mrs. Deanne

Look at these sweet little boys.
Also, Matt did give Titus a mow-hawk for the pictures.  Thanks, Babe.  

Siblings and spouses, unite!
Caitlin, Marcie, Tyson, Matt, Shannon, Chase, Jenese 

A Fantastic 4!

We 3 In-Laws...
... Just waiting on the 4th to be added, Caitlin ;)

Hammock Time!

I know.  Where have I been the last week?  Well, just around, I guess...

... and enjoying our new hammock!  Can I get a "heck yes!" from the crowd?!

Oh, what a wonderful addition to our yard.  When Matt first looked at this property he said, "We have to get a hammock."  I didn't get his enthusiasm at first, but was willing to go for the purchase.

We found one on clearance, hung it up, and it was an instant hit!  And now I can't imagine life without it.  Relaxing with trees!  What could be better than that?

Oh, right boys, wrestling with trees.
Take a look at the fun they've been having just this week:

(And for realz, we could hang up 6 more hammocks.  These oak trees are amazing.)

Look at that face!  Melt my heart, why don't you, Eli? 

Happy Isaac.
Secure on the hammock.

Sad Isaac.
Hammocks are tricky things, aren't they?  Flip you right over, if you're not careful.

Oh, and thanks Dad for the cold pizza for our Sunday morning snack before 11am church. 

Yeah, shirtless in October!  

Hard headed boys.  Literally. 

Love the faces, guys. 

Our backyard, looking from the side street.

Below:  my attempt to a full shot of the side of the house and backyard.

Awe, Daddy time is precious. 

Yes, Eli is playing a harmonica.  

The Boys as Animals, I Imagine

I do this a lot.
I see people, myself, and close friends and family as animals.

Sometimes the imagery changes.  For instance: when I was in 9th grade I thought I was comparable to a brown puppy dog and the guy I liked was like an orange cat.   I now think of myself as a middle sized wild cat--but brown, since I have brown hair.   Personality change had a lot to do with this switch.  I'm calmer, fiercer, but still a little spunky.  (9th grade Shannon was a happy, crazy child.)

I've never assigned Matt an animal, I think it's probably because he's so dang good looking; I mean, why give him something so earthly as an animal when he's clearly a Greek god!  (I'm serious.  Have you looked into his eyes?  Yup, the universe stands still.)


And though I think my children are all very handsome, I've still given them an animal likeness.
It has a lot to do with the way each one looks.  Hair texture and color, eye shape, head shape, body build.


Isaac:  Red Panda 

• Isaac has fuzzy-stick-straight up hair!  With lots of volume. 
• He also has a square face, a little wide too. 
• I don't see Isaac as a primate, and I don't see him a real bear either.  So I think the Red Panda is a great fit.  
• Though the only thing is: Isaac is long and skinny.  The Red Panda is a bit fluffy, but doesn't really have the heavy body mass of other animals.   I think it works!

Eli:  Grizzly Bear Cub

• Oh my, I love this match up!  Eli really is a bear cub to me.  Large head, small body. 
• There is nothing I love more than Eli holding on to me with his whole body and screaming, usually naked.  He is furry all over, he has a stocky build, and his hair is soft and bristly at the same time!   

Titus: White Faced Monkey

• Titus is such a little monkey!  He's always had a primate face to me: facial features on the lower part of his face, beady eyes, and a narrow face.  
• His body type is long and small.  So when he holds on to me screaming I can just imagine a little baby monkey doing the same thing to his/her mother.  
• And shall we mention the hair?!  White and furry. 

Next animal comparison:  

If our kids were sharks, which ones would they be most like?