JDaniel Moments Archives - Page 5 of 15

It’s in his genes

June 1, 2011 By Deirdre

JDaniel is a happy mix of both my husband’s and my genes.

This is a picture of my father in-law holding JDaniel who is looking at a picture of my husband.

JDaniel looks like his dad. When I look at pictures of this toddler years, my husband looks just like him. My husband looks just like his dad. I joke that I may not live to see JDaniel3 in his eighties, but I know what he will look like.

My husband prefers to read non-fiction books. I read all kinds of books. JDaniel loves to look at and be read books that are based in real things. Fairy tales are not his favorite. He loves books about construction equipment and robots right now. Although if you give him a good book with rhymes and rhythms in it. He will look at it over and over again repeating what he remembers from the book.

We all love to be outside. Our family does a lot of yard work and playing outside. JDaniel can’t get enough of it. We spend time inside during allergy season, but once that passes we are outside a lot.

We all like to put things together. JDaniel has unfortunately inherited my let’s try to put it together without a manual and then get frustrated when it doesn’t work out genes. Maybe he can learn from my husband how to read manuals.

JDaniel has inherited mixed up sleep and awake time genes. He has my husband’s night owl genes along with my early bird genes. I am still hoping the early bird and night owl genes will become recessive. If that happens, he may finally sleep ten hours straight. I have heard it is possible in the teen years for the sleep genes to change.

JDaniel has inherited my auditory learning genes. He talks through what he is learning and needs clarification of by talking about it all the time. It drives my husband crazy. It is like oral processing in stereo. JDaniel has things he is talking about and I have things to share too. Despite the fact I try to filter at least 70% of what I am thinking .There are times he has to seek refuge in the bonus room where JDaniel’s 90% of what he is thinking can be silenced for a few moments. ( JDaniel keeps the 10% of thought s related to trouble he is going to seek to himself)

We are amazed as we watch JDaniel growing older as to how much of who he is comes from his DNA. The same DNA he inherited from us. I laugh at the things that come from my husband and my husband laughs at what comes from me.

JDaniel is his own person, but he has a lot us in him.

What genes did you pass to your children?

This post is link to Mrs. Matlock’s Alphabe and Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop.

Beets Can Beat It!

May 19, 2011 By Deirdre

I abhor canned beets! I haven’t decided if it is their slimy texture or the flavor I just don’t like.

As the main shopper at my house, I can avoid buying them. They have only been in my shopping cart once ever. I was trying to get JDaniel to try new foods and tried some in his Muffin Tin Monday meal. He didn’t like them either.

My mom loves beets! When you go to her house for dinner, you will probably find beets on the table. She always seems surprised when none of us eat them. Maybe she makes them in the hopes there will be leftovers. Maybe she finishes off the bowl of beets with relish when we leave her house while sitting at the kitchen table or watching her favorite book talk on television.

Early in the spring I grabbed a bunch of seed packets at Walgreens when they had them on sale four packets for eighty cents. It really didn’t matter what seeds the packets held. I just wanted JDaniel to get the experience of planting seeds and watching them grow. With my lack of a green thumb I was sure some of them won’t grow.

Guess what!? Some are growing better than others, but they are all growing. The sunflower plants look a little sickly. The lone pumpkin plant has started to lose color. The zinnias actually look like they may be flowers. The beets look amazingly healthy.

Yes, I said beets. Who knew when I grabbed a bunch of seed packets that one of them would contain beets.

You knew didn’t you that as soon as I said I just grabbed a bunch of seed packets that beet seeds had to be in the mix.

Well, maybe fresh beets will taste better than canned ones, if they don’t we probably won’t be eating many of them. My mom will probably get most of them.

This post is a part of Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop!

Childhood Gifts- Flowers for Mom

May 12, 2011 By Deirdre

Dear JDaniel-

You love that you stoop down and gather dandelions for me. I love watching you trot over to deposit them in my waiting hand. The fact that you bring them to me like cherished gifts makes them all the more special.

I have to remember to tuck them carefully behind my ear or wrap them around a belt loop of my jeans so that I won’t lose them. They can fall so easily to the ground. I want you to know that I value the gifts you have bestowed on me.

You have spoiled me. We have been able to have so much time together just the two of us so much while I have been home with you. We spend many days stuck like glue sharing memories and building dreams.

I fear that just like the seeds of these precious golden flowers you will someday be blown in millions of different directions. I am not ready for you to get old enough to take flight begin to look for new places to take root and grow.

I cling to the fact you are only three and that we have years to be together collecting flowers and sharing time to console myself. Time seems to be spending up though. You are quickly leaving toddlerhood behind. Each day there are more “big boy” things you are doing. You are so much more independent in your thoughts and deeds.

Instead of focusing on the days to come what I need to do is cherish each dandelion you give me and display it proudly knowing that it was given out of love.

Love Always,

Mama

What part of your life seems to be flying by?

Bunny-Ful Gifts for My Prince

April 28, 2011 By Deirdre

While Prince William and Catherine may not like receiving the gifts pictured below from their wedding guests, JDaniel loved receiving them from the Easter bunny.

Moving from right to left the gifts were as follows:

An entertaining film on taking care of the Earth called Curious George Goes Green.

A machine crafted sculpture crafted from chocolate commonly called a chocolate rabbit.

A deviled egg holder in the shape of an English hare containing twelve colorful orbs filled with organic treats.

Two pieces of literature for the Easter Bunny to read when he relaxes and puts up his rabbit feet for a moment after multiple stops at others homes prior to dropping off non-regal treats at our house.

A plate that used to contain a slice of carrot cake with cream cheese icing before the Easter Bunny savored the treat we put out for him. It now contains only small crumbs.

A furry doorman who was charged with greeting the Easter Bunny while our family was asleep last Saturday night. Apparently the doorman savored carrot cake too. He was found to have crumbs in his whiskers.

This post is linked to

Mama Kat’s Writing Workshop.

What Will JDaniel Grow Up To Be?

April 14, 2011 By Deirdre

Based on their personalities, what do you think your children will be when they grow up?

He argues and he does it well; this would make him a winning defense attorney.

He remembers things we did last summer in detail; this would make him a wonderful accountant or computer programmer.

He loves to build forts with sticks in the backyard; this would make him a fantastic architect.

He has pockets full of acorns after playing outside; this would make him a terrific naturalist.

He notices abandoned cupcakes at parties and tries to help them feel needed; this would make a compassionate social worker or counselor.

He loves to test his parents to see if they will do what they say they will do; this would make him a great judge or maybe psychologist.

He can sneak into the kitchen and assess whether there are any yummy items within arms reach; this would make him a great secret agent.

He loves to ask questions about God; this would make him an inquiring theologian.

He will spend long period of time picture reading books; this would make him a great story time librarian.

He lives to taste the samples offered in the bakery at Publix; this would make him a wonderful food critic.

He loves to help in the kitchen and clean dishes; this would make him an awesome husband.

Heaven only knows what he will grow up to be. It will be wonderful to wait and see.

This post is linked to Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop.

Do you have any idea what your children will grow up to be?

Zillions of Toys in Bed

April 6, 2011 By Deirdre

Do your children sleep with zillions of toys in bed? Until last fall JDaniel had never had anything in his bed. I was afraid he would lose his pacie in the night and not be able to find it under toys and blankets.

Last fall he asked for a blanket to be added to his crib. He noticed that we had one on our bed and wanted one too. A blanket sounded like a great idea.

I brought JDaniel a Build-A- Bear teddy bear back from the Type A Conference last fall. He really loved Teddy and asked if he could have him in his crib at night. That was fine. Two objects in bed weren’t too many.

Over time more and more things seemed to appear in his crib. It was getting really crowded in there. I cleared everything out one afternoon and let JDaniel place six things back in. He chose his Pillow Pet, two blankets, and three stuffed animals.

Months went by and those six items remained in his crib. He didn’t take any away or add to their number.

Right before he turned three at the beginning of March JDaniel moved to a twin bed. We moved all his lovies to the big bed. Every now and then a new toy or blanket or pillow would appear and we would narrow the number back down to six.

Just last week we started hearing JDaniel’s bedroom door open and close along with footsteps in his room after he had been put to bed. The walking around never seemed to go on for long. By the time we got up stairs to check on him, he was in bed again.

In the morning I noticed that some of the animals in his bed had changed and that there were now books in his bed.

I asked him about how they got there and if he was walking around his room at night.

“Yes,” he said.

“Isn’t it dark in here when you are walking around?” I questioned

“Well, I turn on the light so I can see,” he replied.

“Then what happens?” I asked.

“Well, I get what I want, turn off the light and go right to sleep,” he said.

“Why do you open the door?” I inquired.

“I want to make sure you are not looking,” he answered.

We are in such trouble. I can just see him waiting up and trying to go get a midnight snack.

What mischief are or were your children up to at night?

This post is linked to Mrs. Matlock’s Alphabe Thursday. It is Z week.

Yearning for the Beach

March 30, 2011 By Deirdre

Playing in the sand is one of JDaniel’s favorite things. My mom gave him a huge bad filled with toys to take to the beach last summer. He had the best time scooping up sand with his plastic shovel and depositing it into a pail. Minutes of enjoyment turned into hours of fun repeating the process over and over again.

In early January we went to play at a local playground and JDaniel noticed the volleyball pit. “That would be a great place for sand toys!” he declared. I whole heartedly agreed. It really was ideal. The pit was filled with wonderfully soft beach sand and no one would care if we played in it in the dead of winter.

The next time we went to the park we brought his beach toys with us. JDaniel had a blast. We tried to build sand castles but, the sand wasn’t wet enough. Deep hole digging and sand sifting were a success. He loved getting to have the sand slip through his finger. It was a wonderful way to spend a winter morning.

What about summer do you yearn for?

This post is linked to Mrs. Matlock’s Alphabe Thursday. It is Y week. Mrs. Matlock wrote a wonderful guest post for me yesterday called

Pause Life for a Moment: Mrs. Matlock. Please take a moment and check it out.

Very Valued Neighbor Takes The Cake

March 9, 2011 By Deirdre

Last Saturday was JDaniel’s third birthday. I asked him what he wanted to do for the day. Did he want to go to the children’s museum or a bouncy place? Was the library where he wanted to go? He announced he wanted to stay home and have the little boy next door come to play.

I got on the phone and called next door to see if Bryce was available to play. Bryce was more than available his mom told me. She would slip his shoes on and send him across the driveway as soon as she hung up the phone.

No sooner had I told JDaniel that Bryce was coming over than the doorbell rang. Both boys were running around the living room before I could close the front door.

They had the best time exploring all the birthday toys JDaniel had received. They laughed and talked silly baby talk like Ming Ming from the Wonder Pets in JDaniel’s new indoor tent. We played a Curious George Memory game and a fishing game together. The two boys had a wonderful morning pretending to drive construction vehicles all over JDaniel’s room.

Right before lunch time I announced that Bryce was going to have to go home for lunch. He is a super picky eater and doesn’t like anything I have at my house to eat. “Well, I could just eat chocolate cake for lunch,” he informed me. Bryce had been at JDaniel’s birthday party on Friday morning and had eaten only chocolate birthday cake for lunch.

I informed him that chocolate cake would make a good snack after JDaniel took a nap. He quickly asked if he could come back for that. “That would be fine,” I told him.

Bryce headed home after I called his mom and told her that he was heading back across the driveway to wait for JDaniel’s nap to end.

At about four o’clock I got a phone call from Bryce’s dad. “You won’t believe this,” he said, “Bryce took a nap today right after lunch. (Bryce usually refuses naps.) He says that earns him chocolate cake at your house. Is that true?”

“It sure does!” I informed him. “JDaniel is just waking up from his nap and he wants cake too. I would love serve them both cake,” I replied.

We are so blessed to have Bryce right across the driveway. He and JDaniel have the best time playing together and eating chocolate cake.

This post is linked to Mrs. Matlock’s Alphabe Thursday and The Writing Workshop.

Muffin Tin Monday- Construction Equipment After Party Snack

March 7, 2011 By Deirdre

JDaniel had his birthday party on Friday. He chose a construction machine theme. It was a lot of fun to put it together. All his pals were given construction hats to wear while they played. JDaniel received a construction hat with light from my husband and I to wear in the salt mine he created upstairs. I bet you can guess which hat everyone wanted to wear.

When you have a construction machine themed party, you have to have a construction site cake. Tammy of Tammy’s Two Cents came up with the idea for this cake. We were e-mail chatting a few weeks ago about her son’s birthday and I shared with her JDaniel’s birthday theme. Literally she walked me through how to create the cake. It is just a chocolate cake with chocolate icing. Crushed Oreos were placed on the cake along with three construction vehicles. Traffic cone candy corns edge the sides of the cake. It was the hit of the party.

JDaniel was so wound up after the party. He really didn’t want to take a nap. I promised that if he took a nap of any length he could have a construction machine muffin tin snack. It took about thirty minutes for him to fall asleep, but he eventually did.

The top row of the muffin tin was inhaled quickly and the second row was dismissed. I don’t blame him. The health things are in the second row and the fun foods we don’t have often are in the top row.

The tortilla chips, candy corn, and Oreos disappeared faster than you can say front end loader. The salsa was deemed too spicy. The cucumbers and carrots were left without mention and teeth marks.

This post is linked to Muffin Tin Mom.

Enjoying The Box While Waiting For The Table

March 5, 2011 By Deirdre

JDaniel received a water table in the mail from my mom for his birthday. He was so excited when UPS delivered it that he danced in the hall and shouted, “It’s here! It’s here!”

It took a few days for my husband to have the time to put the table together.

He has been working long hours.