What’s that mean?

This is so my life.

I answer questions all.of.the.time. There are requests for snacks, candy, and tv continuously throughout the day. Most questions are asked at least 3 or 4 times each, even when an answer has been given.

Today we went to Target just to kill time before Derek got off work. I told him ahead of time that we were going to buy zero things {that’s a Jackson phrase} and yet he still asked throughout every single aisle, “Can I get this?”

The most common questions are, “What’s that mean?” and “Because why!?” Derek has been explaining lately that the phrases “copy/roger that” are the same as “yes/I understand” while I have spent most of yesterday and today explaining that “twice means two”. I have caught myself a time or two carefully planning my words in conversations with him and even just when he is in ear shot, just so I don’t slip one in that he’ll ask, “what’s that mean.” He needs to know what every single word means, even if I’m not talking to him and ESPECIALLY if Derek and I are talking in code.

And nothing is worse than the questions in which I don’t know the answer! Mostly they are about Autobots, Super villains, dinosaurs, and how things work.

I love Jackson’s inquisitive mind. He’s a sharp little boy. But whew… I really do feel like I’m playing 21 questions 5,424,349 times a day!

Last week, during VBS though, Jackson was asking great {albeit a lot!} questions about Jesus, the Bible, and Heaven. His wisdom of those topics at his young age nearly brought me to tears. Next time you see him, ask him about Heaven. He’ll get all excited and say, “Heaven is a place where Jesus lives! And when you love God, you get to go to Heaven when you die!” Oh, the faith of a child. I love it.

While I’m talking about VBS, this is Jackson’s recap of the story one day: “Daniel was with the lions. He had NO music, NO pillow, and no place to eat for THREE WEEKS(?)... but God and Jesus saved him. They were the superheroes.”

Lastly, I saw this today too and it too fit perfectly. Custom designed baby.

Yummy!

Doesn't this look delicious? 

Why yes, it's peanut butter and race cars.

He cried when I took it away... not because I was making him stop, but because he didn't get the chance to add the jelly. If he doesn't pursue his career in photography, he will certainly become an excellent chef!

The other side of the text

We visited my parents yesterday and Jackson ended up staying with them to spend the night. I got a series of text messages from Dad this morning that totally made me laugh out loud. I am constantly sending them pictures of Jackson making messes (like this, this, this, this, this, and this... and those are only the ones I actually blogged about) and so it was so nice to be the one receiving the texts instead of sending!

Entitled: this is what happens when you don't get up with a two year old....

Yes, that in an egg mixed in each of the yogurts! 

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!

(this would be far less funny if it was at my house)

I've experienced the two-year-old with yogurt, which explains why I have dried yogurt on my couch... but thank goodness he can't reach the eggs in my fridge. He *loves* to crack eggs when we cook together!

Entitled: He's cleaning up the mess from which he dumped out a package of shredded cheese.

Well, at least he is cleaning it up himself!!

Ha ha ha ha ha. 

(I am humored by this far too much.)

The lesson to learn: The few extra minutes of shut-eye that you may receive while nodding off and allowing your toddler to entertain himself for awhile is hardly ever worth it!

Ha ha ha ha ha

(yes, I am still laughing)

Today at a glance

We got Belle giggles!!!!! This little cutie happens to be super ticklish- her neck and her feet, especially. It was so super cute. I am a bit relieved to have found a way to get her to giggle without having to flail about like an idiot, as was required to get laughs from Jackson. She's sleeping now, but I am almost tempted to go wake her up just to hear those laughs! Okay, I would never wake a sleeping baby for that... but I am totally looking forward to more giggles tomorrow!

Derek left for drill tonight. After packing all 50 million pounds of gear, he raided his tootsie-roll bank to score some change to feed his caffeine addiction over the weekend. You can tell he's done this a time or two before as his pile is mostly bronze. I may check him in to Dr. Pepper rehab once he starts taking 104 pennies to QuikTrip.

Right now, I have a group of teenagers in my basement watching Titanic. I totally thought it was a weird movie choice, but it turns out that there are several who haven't ever seen the movie. Americans-- you should be ashamed of yourselves! I mean, even the Dane, German, and Israeli have seen it. Geez! How can this be?! Even worse... most haven't seen Grease either. 

Even though this was yesterday, I'm still including it! In attempts to occupy Jackson without using the television (he asks to watch tv every second of every day and sobs when I say no... so I have to be creative!). He totally had fun. His favorite "toy" was the medicine measure spoon.

He also liked to play "where's my feet?"

As you can see, this was a pretty messy activity. Derek was home for a few minutes in mid-morning and when he left, he remarked "have fun!" in a total "yeah right" sort of way. So, I asked, "is he climbing on the counter? is he crying at my feet? No? Well then I *am* having fun!" Who cares if I find beans around the kitchen for the next 5 years?!

I came out alive...

While I once prided myself with a clean car back in my college days, we're talking monthly washings and vacuuming... that's just not a reality anymore. In fact, the last time it got a really good, full interior cleaning was the month before Jackson was born. Yes, he just turned two. Sad isn't it!? Even worse, is that only a few months ago the filth got to the point where it bothered my dad and he dug out the wet vac on the front two seats.

On the way to the mall today, after Julie and I dug our way to find our seats I vowed that I just had to clean out my car sometime soon. The weather today was fabulous, the clutter and dirt finally got to me, and I went to clean out the car. I worried that I might not survive, but I did. Though, I did have to warn friends to come check on me if they hadn't heard from me in awhile!

This is kinda embarrassing, but I'm determined that I'm not the only mom with a car like this. So, maybe another friend will see this and feel a little better about herself.

The backseat-- no visible floor, period.

The passenger floor that Julie navigates through every time we go somewhere.

I brought our large trashcan over to the car ready to pitch whatever needed to go and sorted through the rest. Well, sorta... there are still boxes on top of my kitchen table that I have to go through more. But this is what I came up with.

Two boxes of crap. Three pairs of shoes (two pairs Jackson, one pair mine). Random toys. Portable high chair. Monkey puppet. Two pumpkins. Can of green beans. Unopened roll of Christmas wrapping paper. Child-size life vest. My missing music folder for ladies' ensemble. Various DVDs.

 

Six adult jacket/coats. Three toddler sized.

Two large blankets and a never-been-used set of queen sheets that I purchased in summer 2009 before I knew we would have a king sized bed. Never made it inside.

Lots of papers-- including this take home sheet from Jackson's 12 month well baby visit, from October of 2009. What is this still doing in my car?!

At least I found several of my missing plastic containers!!

And Jackson helped. He was mainly in charge of the music and hitting the button on the garage door opener so it opened and closed about a billion times.

Of course, lots got thrown away too. It feels good! If the weather is nice tomorrow, I'm gonna invite myself over to the in-laws to use their carpet-cleaner vacuum to really get this good and clean. Good knows that it might not get cleaned out again until this baby celebrates her second birthday!

A big chocolate mess

With a heat index of 110 degrees, it seemed like a good day for some ice cream. We were already out in the sweltering heat to return some books to the library, so we made a quick stop at Sheridan's.

I have to say that when I looked at the menu I was thinking, "Crap! I'm gonna have to spend $6!" but then I found the mini-concrete option (chocolate with mixed in strawberries) and I was gonna get the small cone for Jackson. Even better, the guy mentioned that a pup cone is free for the little guy with any purchase. It ended up only costing $2.71. Way cool!

The cone was the perfect size for his little hands

 

Then it starts to get a little messy.

 

And then it got a lot messy...

 

He was covered head to toe with chocolate-- running down his chin, all up his arms, his clothes were covered, and there were drips down his legs.

  

But he a happy chocolate mess!
(looks kinda like a goatee, doesn't it?)

It was so delicious and totally worth the mess!!