Stories About Bees and Trees and Feet and Fur and More

So far, the Elf on the Shelf has been fairly successful.  Anytime Jackson starts to push our buttons, we just remind him that Jack is watching him.  He gets it!  I love that.  But even more than loving the behavioral part, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE each morning when Jackson gets so excited to find Jack.  Sometimes, he needs a little help in locating Jack, but has done pretty good the last two mornings. 

Tuesday night was basketball night for Josh, so I was home with the kiddos.  And it was bath night!  I did manage to get a few shots of the kids before that.  I love them.  After the baths were complete, we headed back downstairs so Jackson could select a new book to open.  He managed to pick the Dr. Seuss book "Stories about Bees and Trees and Feet and Fur and More." 

It is a collection of five stories.  We took the book up to Audrey's room and Jackson selected three of the stories to read while I nursed Audrey before bed.  Halfway through the third story, Jackson was telling me that it was taking too long.  I guess he was done reading.  As he walked out of Audrey's room, he told me to put Audrey to bed and that he would be downstairs waiting for me when I was done.  "Yes, sir!"

I also had my 6 week postpartum appointment in the morning.  Everything is all good and I am back to my pre-Audrey-pregnancy weight already.  Super pumped about that.  After the doctor, Audrey and I hit up a few stores and tried to start/finish up some Christmas shopping.   We managed to get all the cousins done and picked up a few things for Jackson and Audrey.  Audrey was a pretty good little shopper!

Once we got all got home, I managed to get a few shots of the kiddos.  We are working with Jackson on "smiling with his eyes open."  Sometimes, we get crazy eyebrows and sometimes we get closed eyes, but every now and then, we get a great shot.  Even Audrey is started to really give us some smiles!!  I love it!

Wednesday was a little rougher for some reason.  Audrey and I took Jackson to school and did little else that day.  We took a nice long nap in the afternoon and then Audrey was in a great mood and I got some really sweet pictures of her.  I still can't believe that she is almost six weeks old already.

And, of course, I had to get some pictures of J when he got home from school.  He didn't really want me to take any, but I managed to get a couple worth sharing! And yes, his face is blue from the sucker he was eating!

 

After supper last night, Jackson helped Josh hang up the outside lights.  (I did not get any pictures of that since I was nursing Audrey at the time.  Oh well!)  When they were all done, Jackson came inside all proud of himself and told me that I HAD to go check out their handy work.  It does look lovely.  I love icicle lights.

 

Last night's book was "The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About Christmas."  Jackson spent most of the story pointing out every time he saw the word cat.  Now, this is great that he recognizes words, but it really makes readying the story suck!

 

Tonight's book - The Ugly Duckling.  Jackson asked me today why all the presents under the trees are all books.  I guess he is ready to open something other than a book.  Although, he really looks forward to opening them and then reading them.  I have to say, this was a really good idea.  An expensive one, but a good one, none the less! 

Tonight, I was making tacos and Mexican rice for dinner.  The meet was browning, the rice was cooking, Jackson was crying that he didn't like tacos (he does) and Audrey was now screaming to be fed and Josh was calling.  For a moment, it was CRAZY!!  Jackson finally stopped complaining about tacos and decided that he was going to eat Cheese Its with his tacos.  He gets out the box that wasn't opened yet and decides that he can open it himself.  Next thing I know, the Cheese Its are all over the floor and counter because the bag ripped right down the middle.  "Sorry mama!" he says.  I practically hang up on Josh, and then help Jackson clean up the mess.  Once we got that cleaned up, I sat down to nurse Audrey on one side while the rice finished up and the taco meat simmered. After I got her to stop screaming, I fixed Jackson a taco.  As I turn around to fix my own taco so I can then sit back down to finish feeding Audrey, Jackson is oh-noing.  He spilled all the taco meat and cheese out of his taco and most of it landed all over him and the floor.  Now we are cleaning up the second mess of the night.  Oh boy!  We managed to get through dinner without any more mishaps.  Thankfully.   Then it was bath time for the kiddos.  Jackson was still eating his dessert on the way up stairs.  Tonight's selection - Sour Patch Kids.  While standing naked in the bathroom trying to finish his dessert, he turns the bag upside down to get out the last "Kid" and all the sugary stuff ends up all over the bathroom floor.  There was a TON of it.  Jackson is now 3 for 3 on messes!  God love him.

And finally some Christmas pictures... turned out okay considering neither of my kiddos wanted to have their picture taken at that particular moment!