Deciding upon costumes this year was no easy task. ??Tori changed her mind 100 times. ??She wanted to be Wonder Woman again. ??Then a Barbie Princess. ??Then a pirate. ??Then Cinderella. ??I REALLY wanted her to be Boo from Monster’s Inc. ??She refused. ?? The day before, I caved and bought the Barbie Princess dress only for her to change her mind, yet again, and insist on Wonder Woman for the second year in a row. ??After I had already invested in the costume, I put my mama foot down. ??Sheeshh.

I wanted Troy to be a cute little owl. ??Daddy and Tanner said “Heck no!”. ??Daddy wanted the Hulk. ??I said “No”. ??Aunt Beck wanted a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. ??Cute idea but I didn’t want to create the costume. ??One day, Troy came out of his room with his too long hair standing up all crazy and looking quite a bit like Chris Farley. ??Jim says “I know what who he needs to be for Halloween! ??Put him in a very small jacket!”

I said “Heck No!”. ?? I also knew that all four of my brothers would take one look at my little Farley brother and know exactly the clip Jim had in mind. ?? Pllllleeeeeeaaaasssseeee! ??(And mom, I totally do not ever refer to people as “fat”, EVER. ??This was all Jim. ??ALL JIM!)

For reference purposes only, I posted the clip but then had to delete it quickly because there was a naughty word in the sequence and I don’t want to get in trouble. ??:) ?? I can’t help but sing “Fat guy in a little coat” though as I type this. ??It’s a catchy little jingle.

 

I finally found a Teeny Meanie Monster costume and that seemed to fit perfectly for our busy baby. ??:) ??In case you can’t figure this out, Tanner was a ninja, Ty was War Machine from Iron Man II, Tori was a Barbie Princess, and Troy, as stated, a little monster (far better choice than Chris Farley though Jim would say not nearly as funny).

Let’s talk about Ty Jordan.

He is my personal secretary. ??When I am trying to talk to schedule things, he often tells me what I have on my schedule (because he has found a new love for reading my calendar every day). ??It has come in quite conveniently on several occasions.

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4:30 AM

Ty: ??Mommy! ??My tummy hurts. ??I think I will throw up.

I relocate him to the front room with a pillow and blanket.

Ty: ??Can you hurry to get me a bowl. ??I am going to throw up.

He sits on the couch with lips white as could be and then looks at me with a big smile and says “So….what are you going to be doing tomorrow?”

And then he threw up.

Who, on earth, is happy in the middle of the stomach flu? ??WHO?

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Bridgette (his OT): ??Ty what do you say when you go trick or treating?

Ty:??Trick or Treat.

Bridgette: ??And then what?

Ty: ??Thank you.

Bridgette: ??And do you say “What are you guys doing tomorrow? ??What did you have for dinner? ??What is your dog’s name?”

Ty: ??Why would I do that Bridgette?

Bridgette and I locked eyes and then died laughing. ??Really?????????

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Ty says that his best best best friend in the whole wide world is Matt (Jenna’s boyfriend). ??He told me today that he wants to work at Burger King but only on Thursdays and only at breakfast to be with Matt.

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I was sitting at my desk and was both sad and angry about some things.?? I got up and left the room.?? Ty and Tanner both follow me.

 

Ty:?? Mom why were you making that face while you sat at your desk??? Here let me show you.

He sits at the breakfast table and tries to imitate my expression.

Tanner:?? You were just thinking right?

(Did I mention Tanner and Jim both have a mild amount of Asperger’s as well lol?)

Doni:?? Yes I was thinking Ty.

He continues to follow me on my trip to the bathroom.?? Impressively, I could tell he was sensing something was wrong but didn’t know how to relate or comment so instead???

Ty:?? You look really beautiful today.?? Do I??? I look handsome don’t I?

Me:?? Yes but can I please go to the bathroom privately?

Ty:?? Oh!?? Ya!?? Right.

Five minutes later.?? I am back out on the couch (still stewing).

Ty:?? Mom!?? I know what you are doing right now!?? You are thinking again right?

Me:?? Actually Ty I am a little sad right now.

Ty:?? What about?

Me:?? About things I don’t want to talk to my little boy about.

I forget what he said next but it was a total conversation change.?? He cracks me up.?? As wild as it is that he can’t read my emotions, the fact that he is finally observing something amiss and asking me to EXPLAIN what he is seeing is incredible.?? Truly amazing.?? I would equate it to a blind person asking you to describe the color red.?? They can’t see it but they want to know what it means to you.?? His very interest in me and what my face is “saying” is such a huge blessing.?? You just never know do you?

Similarly…

After a recent shoot, I decided to pick up Chipotle and I had Ty, Tori and Troy with me. ??I had been pretty scatter brained that day and apparently, my kids realized it. ?? ??After having to turn around yet again because I made a wrong turn getting Jenna home, I arrived at the restaurant after 8:00 PM. ??When I got back to the car, I couldn’t manage all my packages so I set the diaper bag and purse down on the ground to free up my hands to get Troy in his carseat. ??Ty approaches.

Ty: ??Mommy I have your food. ??I am going to put it down right next to your purse.

Me: ??Thanks Ty.

He starts to walk away but comes back.

Ty: ??Mommy don’t forget your food. ??If you do, you’ll be hungry.

Me: ??Okay. ??Thanks Ty.

He starts to walk a way a second time and then returns yet again.

Ty: ??Mommy I am just going to get your food.

Now, as tempting as it is to make this story about how scatter brained I must be if my children are following behind me babysitting such situations LOL, that is not the direction I am trying to take this. ?? What amazed me about this was that he noticed!!!! ??He realized I was plate spinning and dropping plates and SO HE DID SOMETHING about it!!!! ?? Totally remarkable. ?? I know this seems like no big deal but in our home it is a HUGE DEAL. ?? I can’t even tell you how much these things encourage me.

 

Let me tell you about my little “monster” as of late…

I can’t keep him from climbing! ??I have had to lay every chair in the house on its side and it is becoming such a pain. ??If we forget and stand a chair upright, he is WALKING across the table tops. ?? Yesterday I caught him standing up on top of Tanner and Ty’s dresser drawer. ?? This afternoon, while in the bathroom with Troy (because of course I always have a small person in tow when I am in the bathroom), he climbed up on top of a bench and used it to get on top of the bathroom cabinet. ??Then he sat down in the sink basin and turned the water on. ??I don’t really want you to picture the scene of me having to race from the toilet to get him out of his sink bath but I worried he turned the hot spout. ?? So, yes, bench now removed from bathroom. ?? Good golly Miss Molly. ?? The climbing escapades are continual. ??I caught him on top of the table with an entire box of cereal poured out sitting in the middle of it munching away. ??One day he pulled a chair up to the pantry and was throwing all the breakfast boxes onto the floor looking for the meal of his choice. ??I caught him on a chair at my island adding a knife and a pen to my meatball mixture. ??I was in the kitchen but was at the sink and didn’t see him hijack Tori’s helper chair. ?? Thus the reason why we now have all of our chairs laying down on their side.

He also has quite a little temper these days. ??When he is mad, he is starting to throw himself down on the floor. ?? Fact check. ??A firstborn has much more success with that ??than a fourth born. ??I just look at him with a “have fun with that” look and go find something else to do. ??The other morning he woke up grumpy and threw himself down on the kitchen floor. ??Was I not making breakfast quite quick enough? ??Couldn’t figure out what he was mad about. ??So I left the room and decided to sit at my computer for a few minutes as I wasn’t going to??indulge??the tantrum. ?? Next thing I know, I look over my shoulder and I see these little eyes peeking around a chair at me. ??He had followed me. ??Tantrums are no fun without an audience. ??So funny. ?? I secretly grinned at my success. ??Two points for mom.

He learned to say “eat” this morning and he says “hi” so adorably. ??He sounds ??like my Grandma Z when he says it. ??This long drawn out girly southern sounding “hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii”. ??Did I learn it from Grandma? ??I used to love the way she said “Hiiiiiiiiiii” in her southern drawl so I must imitate it. ??I need to get a recording of it. ?? ?? He is STILL calling me “Daddy”. ?? ??First person he asks for when he wakes up is Daddy too (and in this case, he does mean Jim and not me because he goes looking for him). ?? He really isn’t adding many words still but he is??certainly??a chatter bug. ?? Love him love him love him.

He figured out that if he cries about an hour after bedtime that he stands half a chance of cuddle time with mama so this week I have been rocking him back to sleep. ??I like it more than he does but shhhhhh don’t tell. ??He also has been going back into his room and swiping his pacies out of his bed when he is sleepy. ?? ??All these months and he has had the pacy only at bedtime and now at 16 months he starts going in to get it.

He loves food lately and I think he has gained quite a bit. ??He still looks little compared to his peers but he is??definitely??growing. ??The patching is going pretty good. ??We have to patch 3 hours a day and most of the time he lives with it. ??The glasses are still a royal pain though.

Tori has been taking her own sweet time to do what I ask her to do lately and that is entirely my fault because I have not been disciplined about being consistent with her on this issue. ??I have committed to work on this resulting in an evening chat with her before bed.

Me: ??Now Tori, tomorrow are you going to do what mommy says WHEN mommy says it?

Tori: ??What are you going to ask me tomorrow?

I actually had to ask her to repeat that because I thought surely she didn’t just say what it sounded like. ??She did.

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At the dinner table…

Tori: ??Can I have a lunchable instead of this dinner like Ty?

Me: ??No. ??Ty??isn’t’ eating this dinner because

Tori: ??Because he has Asperger’s.

The next day while getting ready in my bathroom.

Me: ??So Tori, do you know why Ty has Asperger’s?

Tori: ??No.

Me: ??Because he was born so early. ??Babies are supposed to stay in tummies almost twice as long as Ty did.

Tori: ??So how did we get in to this?

Me: ??Get in to what?

Tori: ??This thing we are talking about?

I felt like I was having a conversation with a teenager.

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After watching Cinderella…

Tori: ??I wish we had birds to help me with my room but we can’t have birds in our house right? ??Cuz they would make a wreck of it!”

Newsflash. ??Four kids make a wreck of it too.

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Tori: ??Mom I hope you don’t turn out like me.

Me: ??What do you mean?

Tori: ??All crazy and stuff.

No idea where that came from. ??LOL.

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After a recent photo shoot with a newborn…

Tori: ??Mommy did you do all the pictures I told you to.

Me: ??No I didn’t.

Tori: ??Why didn’t you?

Me: ??Because baby Keirstin didn’t want to go to sleep.

Tori: ??Well I guess you should have let me help you shouldn’t you have?

Guess so. ??:)

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Tori: ??Braxtyn said that I said the S word.

Me: ??Did you?

Tori: ??Yes.

Me: ??Tori. ??What is the S word?

Tori: ??Stupid.

Eleven years into this parenting gig and I have learned to ASK.

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Troy climbs up on chair while I am sweeping. ??I, exhausted from this issue say…

Me: ??(BIG SIGH) ??Troy….be careful.

Tori: ??That’s all your going to say?

Me: ??What do you think I should say?

Tori: ??Get down. ??Maybe?

I realize much of this wouldn’t be funny if she weren’t four. ??But she is four. ??And that makes her powerful, sassy, spirit quite funny to me. ??She’ll learn but I sure enjoy this little big person.

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Tori must have thought I was particularly wordy in a recent conversation with Ty because when I was finished she said “Wow! ??That was a lot of words!”.

 

And just so you know, I do not allow my children to play ??in the street. ??In this instance, we were on a lonely desert road with a clear view. ??Just sayin.

And my little Tanner? ??Sweet as ever. ??He is preparing tonight for his second annual big game hunt. ??Last year he got his first deer on the first day out. ??That was cool. ?? He and Jim took a gun safety course before he turned 10 so that he would be all prepared. ?? ??I remember having to drive all my brothers back and forth from gun safety classes when they were young and now the process starts again with my babies. ??I suspect Tori will be attending when she is 10 too as she loves to shoot.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to take pictures of all my nieces and nephews this year due to the location of our family party (and there were some goodies too!). ??I was glad though that I at least got to capture these five little monkeys.

Earlier in the week, I asked Cozy what she wanted to be for Halloween and she told me “A chicken pot”. ??For the life of me I couldn’t figure that out. ??When I saw that Graham was dressed as a Hip Hop Chicken, I assumed that was what she meant. ??Noah was a gangsta’ (who I thought really looked a bunch like JB but he wouldn’t admit that). ?? Brooke and the girls were all four seasons (wasn’t that a great idea?). ??Brooke was Winter, Braxtyn was Fall, Cozette was Spring, and Quinn was Summer. ??Loved it.

Tori is right smack dab in the middle of Braxtyn and Cozy with eighteen months in between them all.

There is a wild card in every shoot. ??:)

Recently we discovered that Troy is afraid of animals. ??(Notice he is cautiously observing the Hip Hop Chicken safe in brother’s arms). ?? It started when we took him to a friends house with a small dog. ??The dog was let loose and jumped on him (in a very friendly way) and Troy flipped out. ??The dog did not injure Troy in any way but the attention scared him. ??Ever since, he starts yelling if he sees an animal. ??I was laughing so hard on Halloween because he accidentally ran Ryker’s little indoor tryke into Ryker’s hamster cage. ??When the hampster came out to investigate, Troy started screaming. ?? He would get up close to the cage to check out the hampster IF the hampster was hiding but as soon as the little guy would come out, Troy would start screaming again. ??Poor hamster was equally afraid of Troy (and for good reason). ??He also is hating stuffed animals that light up or sing. ??Remember how I had to get rid of the glow baby and all animals of the sort when Ty was little? ??Same thing.

Whew…tired of typing now. ??10-4 all.