Doctor visits, plah-nos, dec-torating, and cobbler...

This is Judson, affectionately known as Judder in these parts. Wow, he is really growing up so fast and it is so hard to believe that he is almost TWO years old. Somebody stop the clock! This photo was taken today....in his first outfit of the day. Judder usually goes through 2 to 4 outfits a day. I know I have four children and should be a total pro at figuring out how to keep a baby in only one outfit per day, but I just don't understand how it's done! This is one messy kid. Evidence will follow.


Dori and Micah both had physicals this morning with a new doctor. They were a little nervous about going, but this place was fabulous. I think we were there "consulting" with our new doctor for almost 2 hours! I have never experienced a doctor's appointment like this. Dr. C really listened to me and had such a great demeanor with the kids. When he went to look in Micah's ear, he said, "now Micah, is there a worm in here (acting totally serious and looking at Micah with big serious eyes, LOL)? Because doctors need to know if boys have worms in their ears!" So funny! Micah *loved* it!
This is Dori coloring while we waited. And her completed masterpiece.

Me and Dori at the doctor's office. I would like to point out the necklace I am wearing. This was my birthday present from my brother Jason this year and I totally love it! It's just a simple silver circle, but I just adore this necklace. Thank you brother!


When we returned from the doctor visit, Judson was "playing Nie Nie." He would actually lie on the floor for quite some time, all covered up in his quilt, and be perfectly still. It was really cute.

Close up of "Nie Nie" time.

Next in the day (and after Judson went down for a nap) was some piano/singing time. Dori took these photos. You may be thinking I'm crazy for waiting until Judson napped to play. Let me explain. When I was pregnant with Dori 8 years ago, I had just finished my music degree and did an awful lot of daily practicing. It was still very much a part of my life (classical playing, I mean). I felt strange not practicing and kept it up all through the pregnancy. I think this is why, when she was born, my playing never bothered her and actually sometimes would put her to sleep! Hahahaha.

I'm getting long winded. Anyway. All my children have heard music going on during every part of the day. It doesn't seem to bother them and I think they like it. Judson sleeps right through *most* days. If I get really rowdy (blush) with the playing and singing he might wake up.


James has a very unique personality and part of it is that he feels compelled to share with me anything he deems important at any time. If I am unavailable for his ramblings, he throws himself on the floor. He must be heard! He must not be silenced! Power to the people!

Inevitably, James finds 92834982482348900 things to tell me at precisely the very middle of a piece I am working on with all my heart. I fight feeling frustrated. I stop. I listen. I wait until he's told me that he's Octopus Prime and Micah is Bumblebee, or is it he's Bumblebee and Micah's Octopus Prime? Because you cannot mess up the regurgitation of his message or it will all begin again even more emphatically! Trust me. I know. I love my James. Sometimes he interrupts my playing with incessant taps on my shoulder while saying, "mommy, stop playing the Plah-no" a gazillion times until I stop. Sometimes he can't handle the sounds of the piano and my singing because his little brain is firing away at the speed of light and he starts flailing around like a modern dancer. It is quite a sight. But know this: that little boy will LOVE you, and embrace you, and tell you the world if you'll only let him. So I do. The above photo is what happened after the 23402389248th interruption while I was playing. He tapped me and said, "mommy....I want to squeeze you hard as I can with a hug." He makes me smile.

But wait, it gets better. Jason announced this afternoon that he was making dinner--including clean up. I don't know what in the world led to this, but I am not complaining! He made a delicious dinner of lemon pepper chicken, brown rice, and veggies. It was quite good. But it left a need for dessert. I rarely make dessert in this house. We eat it too fast and we struggle enough with food issues. But tonight was one of those nights that just *needed* a sweet to compliment the meal. I had some blueberries from my mom that needed to be used, so I went in search of a recipe. I settled on Blueberry Cobbler. Oh yum. Heavenly. Delicious. Memories of southern eating as a kid. My children have never had cobbler and didn't know what it was! Haha.

So as I am preparing this, I realize I am out of both butter and baking powder. But nothing will stop me from preparing this awesome southern treat....so I go off to the store.

And this is what greeted me at the back door when I returned:








Thank goodness it was washable! I fussed at James a bit and he said to me, "But Mommy, I was just dec-torating me and Judder." My my. That James.

Here's a picture of what is left of that cobbler. And yes, it was oh so good! Everyone agreed that cobbler is a great dessert anytime.

Cobbler N' Milk

What happens after Cobbler N' Milk! I love this picture. All my boys. I love that J gets in the fray with them. It didn't last long and all were bathed and rid of the markers and cobbler remnants. That is today. July 10