Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Randomness!

So I really wanted to post pictures from Taryn's 1st Birthday, but alas Steve took the camera to scout camp with him. That post will have to wait! I know of a couple of friends who's husbands are gone this week too. One of them said that you are blessed with more patience for your children since you don't have anyone to spell you off. So far that is proving to be mostly true! Byron is in a phase I like to call "push all the buttons I can find, on Mom!" This phase has its interesting moments to say the least!
I actually chock my extra patience up to reading a blog more than Steve's absence. The blog is http://adailyscoop.blogspot.com/ I got the link from Megan's blog and got sucked in for about two hours on Saturday. It is a very well written blog by a woman named Stephanie. She had a baby girl (her fourth) on April 19 (I believe) last year. So three months before Taryn was born. Her name was Camille. She drowned on June 15th this year. She was revived, but did not recover, and died three days later. Her blog is inspiring and real. It was very thought provoking and put life back in perspective. There were a quite a few amazing entries! It helped me to remember to be more patient with my children and life. To stop and love them more, play more, hug more, kiss more and be more! I cannot imagine only having Taryn around for two more months. That would be so heart wrenching and devastating! I will love my babies more everyday. I was so touched by her profound words, and the reminder to cherish our children each day that we have with them. That has definitely increased my patience this week.
Also, my childhood friend Ann has a blog that I love to read! I agree with one of her recent posts in which she says that "blog land" can be a little too perfect sometimes.  Just another way to feel like I have to "keep up with the Jones'!"  She is so funny and real in her posts. I have been inspired to be a little more relaxed in my posts. I am rethinking what I want out of my blog. Originally I wanted it just to journal and document my cute family and all our fun goings on! But I think it is a really fun way to share random thoughts and ideas too!  I just want to share too!  So who knows what I will come up with! 

Too start off the sharing here is some random info. about each of my sweeties:
As mentioned above Byron has become and expert button pusher.  He actually seems to get a kick out of getting a rise out of people (do they all? Is that just human nature?), especially his sister.  He will hug and hug her until she just yells and cries and then tell me that, "I was just hugging her mom!"  He is very compassionate too (does that even work? :)  It really bothers him when she is hurt or sad, and he does his best to comfort her.  He loves to get Taryn up from her naps and get her a snack.  He is such an independent guy.  He loves to help in the kitchen.  He really enjoys baking right now.  He is very creative too, and it shows in his art projects, his imaginative play and in the excuses he comes up with when he gets in trouble.  Typical stuff like, "Taryn knocked it off the counter." "Lucky hit her."  The not so typical, "this little monster guy flew in a rocket and spilled the blocks.  I tried to shoot him, but he got away and flew out the window."  On the super hero front we have some bad news for Ele Vader (see earlier post)!  There is a new guy in town.  His name is . . .  Drum roll please!  The amazing and incredible --

THUNDER MAN!
According to Byron thunder man has fight special punch powers and is totally a good guy!  The two things on his shoulders are his bow and arrows.  That thing on his arm is a webber thing, so I can tie the bad guys up till the police come.  The police are good guys too, they are on my team!  Then if I tie them up and they get close enough I can punch them in the nose, or anywhere you want!

The clear thing in the back of my shirt is the shooter thing.  The orange thing sticking out of his pants (flashlight) is so that I can find my friends in a dark cave and help them.  You know I can go on adventures by myself, because I am four and I am not scared!  Good to know!

This is where I hide from the bad guys if they are really good at punching!  It is my ship too, because I built my ship out of a hiding place.  It is cool isn't it!  My ship also takes me to Africa, the Jungle or the Tiger Place!  I hide in my  ship and look out of it!  
Byron used pretty much every pillow in the house to build this impressive ship while I was washing dishes downstairs!

Oh my little Taryn!  She is so funny too!  She makes great attempts at speaking.  More usually sounds a lot like her "ma, ma, ma."  Done sounds like "da, da, da."  However, she does an amazing, "no, no, no" finger shaking at you and everything.  I keep watching all the other kids around to see where that came from.  I certainly don't say no and shake my finger, so far it is still a mystery!  The first time she did it was to her uncle Todd while we were in New York.  He gave her more enchiladas (after she said more).  When she wasn't eating any Todd told her, "Taryn eat your food."  She stuck her little finger out, wagged it back and forth and told him, "no, no, no, no, no!"  Karalee laughed so hard then, and telling me on the phone later that night!
That girl can out eat her brother, and does so on a regular basis.  Especially if pancakes are on the menu.  She can eat 5-6 pancakes!  And I'm not talking about cute little silver dollar sized ones either.  She particularly loves them with blueberries or chocolate chips!  I may have mentioned this before, but she is a yeller!  Particularly when she is in her high chair and you aren't getting her more fast enough!  Lately though she wants to be sure she is heard all the time, even her happy chatter sounds.  Am I really loud?  Is that were my kids get it from?  I'm not sure I want anyone to answer that :)


She knows the good stuff!  Brain freeze anyone?  Seriously, it is the same size as her, don't worry she was sharing with me!

Byron happily introduced her to cotton candy at the baseball game on the 4th of July!  No way she's touching my camera with that hand!  I love her big blue eyes!

I wonder what costumes and characters she will come up with!  I love my children!

8 comments:

. said...

You crack me up and, Byron, he is a hoot!!!! It was great chatting with you the other day, it has seemed like forever. Stephanie's blog is amazing and I can't imagine ever going through that. Don't forget to check for some dates for a BBQ...

Derpina Derp said...

What a funny kid Byron is! He sounds a lot like Todd was when he was little. Todd was always making up funny junk like that. He had quite an imagination! He never pushed buttons, though. (At least not intentionally.) He was such a sweetie! Sometime I'll have to tell you about some of the things he did. You will die laughing!

Taryn is so cute! I love the pic of her in the car seat with the Slurpee. My kids are addicted to those even though they only get them once in a blue moon. Every time we drive by 7 Eleven, Andrew yells, "Lurpee! Lurpee! Very funny!

Kristin said...

So fun to read about the hilarity that goes on at your house! Can't wait to be a part of it for a few days when we're there in a couple weeks! Love you!

Larae Taylor Merritt said...

Janelle, I'm so glad you found my blog. Your kids are so cute. Your boy cracks me up! Very creative. I'm sure he'll teach his sister well. It is so true we need to enjoy our kids. I am trying to incorporate this into my daily life. It gets so crazy sometimes, I'm just trying not to scream! I'm sure it takes practice, even though I feel it should be natural.

Jamie G. said...

Hey Janelle~
It's Jamie Garyson! We moved to Indiana. I'm so glad I found your blog through Megan's. You're kids are so grown up & adorable!! Feel free to check out our blog. We love it here in Indy & feel like true Hoosiers already!

i said...

I laughed saw Byron. He definately doesn't get to watch much tv! I love it! What cute kids you have!

Charise said...

I love Byron's creativity- He is the best!

Chuckie said...

It was a blast to have Steve at camp with us and to get to know him better. Does this count as home teaching?!