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ULGH....

HELP!  I am having blogger trouble.  I have tried about 20 times now to change my blog background/template with "thecutestblogontheblock"...it is now TOTALLY messed up.  So much so, that I am considering making a new blog and ditching this one.

I want to post about our move, Glenn's job at Dreamworks, and all the decorating and anxiety... but, I think it will have to wait until this looks functional.  Any tips are very welcome!

Previsualizing the new space

Jonas, Darling

I know a lot of mothers feel the miracle of creation when they hold their newborns in their arms, but for me I get that rush when I start to hear the wheels turning in their own heads. I LOVE to hear what they are thinking about; what their creativity generates; what their hearts long for.

Jonas is in this stage. Naturally, I am feeling head over feet in love with him for it~ So, I have to take a moment to jot some of it down.

*Jonas is such a little lover. He will take my chin in his hands and say "Mom, you are a good girl, and dad is a good boy." "I love your heart." and "Mom, I'm proud of you too for buckling your seat belt- we're proud of each other!", "Mom, Ali IS a princess!"

*He has really been contemplating the toilet lately as he's been in there. "Mom, the toilet has a hole? And a tank? Is that how the potty doesn't get on the floor?"

Other deep questions have been looming in his head as he's on there, like "Mom, do I have bones? Do my eyes have bones?" (He's been on a real bones kick lately. We have an awesome book with 3D diagrams of the body's systems that I think is beginning to answer his questions.)

*He loves to randomly ask, "Mom, can I listen to your heart?" often this is preceded by a statement like "Mom, you have beautiful eyes", or the "Mom, I love your heart" line again. Melts me every time though. Smooth little man, I am so worried when he begins to date... he may have to be 21.

*Carpooling Max to school also gets Jonas thinking. He usually sparks up when he sees the "Bubble Van" each morning, but today he was in solemn thought. "I wish my clothes had a parachute in them" was what he eventually shared. He is SO Glenn's son.

*He's finally settling into being a lefty. Glenn will be ecstatic. When Jonas showed some potential to be left-handed, he recommended we tie his right hand behind his back :). Looks like we won't have to take such drastic measures after all!

*Jonas longs to paint, eat snacks, climb and jump, and play with the forbidden bricks in the backyard. He is so genuinely thrilled by the little things (again, like his dad). The other day as I made his lunch, I turned to him and pointed to my eye, then made a heart out of my hands, then pointed to him. He literally squealed with delight- he thinks making a heart out of your hands is the best thing since marshmallows.

*Lately, Jonas has been having nightmares. Poor guy came in beside-himself-bawling into our room last night about some bad guys doing something.

A couple of weeks ago he had a recurring dream where a light would come and take him away, he'd cry because he missed us and it would bring him back. Sometimes it takes him away and we "aren't anymore". He came into my room one morning, climbed into bed with me and said, "Mom, what are the two eyes that look like this (poked his finger on the pillow twice to indicate two dots) that look through the rectangle?" Anyone else think this is freaky? I hate to admit that he gets the tendency towards nightmares from me...

*Nutella, Ali, Max, and Rio Orton are his best friends. Well, and the color blue.

I LOVE this little man.

Alison Kim

I'm looking through my files for a pic of Jonas and Ali for Nursery next week. I ran across this one and love it. I remember seeing how CUTE she was that day and wanting a picture together. It is really nice to have a daughter, and I am REALLY fond of this girl!

Also ran across these shots... the day she suddenly decided to take out (and re-line) the garbage all on her own! I love this girl and her spunk!

Some pictures

From Grandma's internment. Love this sweet family of mine.

Max is 6!

Today Max is SIX! It has been such an honor to be this little man's mother. He's brilliant, oh-so-kind hearted, trusting, obedient, creative & engineering well beyond his years (or mine!), loving, fun & funny, insightful, and full of faith. He brightens all of our days around here and we wouldn't trade him for the world! Happy birthday my darling Max!

Max wanted a Pokemon party this year, so these were the invites.

Glenn did the drawing of Max as a Pokemon trainer :)...