Jimmy K

My baby is growing so fast, I can hardly stand it. He got his two bottom teeth (within a few days of each other) about two weeks ago, and is really only content standing now (though he'll only do it if he's distracted. If we try to get him to stand, he immediately sits.)Everything still goes to the mouth (hence the pictures)--more teeth must come, right?--and he eats everything! Hamburger, curry, chili--as long as it has texture, he's in heaven.



Poor little guy got croup from his brothers, though, so has not been himself the past few days. This is him watching a football game with Rob--nothing soothes a man's sole like a little BYU, right?

It must have done the trick, 'cause last night he had plenty of energy and laughs while Daddy gave him blanket rides all over the room! Look at that crazy hair!

I think I have a lineman . . .

Livin' the Dream

I've loved boys for as long as I can remember. I distinctly remember having a crush as a Sunbeam and in preschool. Maybe that's why I am a lone woman in a house of dudes. What's so weird to me, though, is that boys don't seem to care much about girls. Weird, huh? As a matter of fact, they've got some kind of BOY POWER thing going on!
The boys were at their friend Carter's house the other day, and they had to listen their "Boys Theme Song" for their "Boy Club". Then Ty had some friends over, and his buddy Masen came in very concerned that they needed a "No Girls Allowed" sign. Robbie made it and put it on the table so they could play in peace!

You are what you wear!

Each child really is a unique little person. My kids' personalities seriously correspond with their clothes! Robbie is so methodical, responsible, careful . . . he lays out his clothes the night before and is careful to make sure everything matches. I'm not really sure what the dressing process is to Ty, all I know is that there doesn't seem to be any kind of organization to the chaos. He regularly has something on backwards. The other day at playgroup, I had to explain why he had on a tank top and snow boots.
This is Ty before church. Nothing says reverence like a mesh football jersey over a collared shirt!


Last night Rob's mom called and asked each of the boys what he wanted for Christmas. Ty had a catalog of ideas! "I want a motorcycle, but my mom and dad won't let me. I have to be sixteen" (Try never! We just tell him he can't drive 'till he's 16, he likes to assume that means he'll get a bike then.)
"So," he went on, "I want a Captain America with a car. Wait! No, I want a Green Lantern with arms and legs . . ." (He lost his Green Lantern and is stuck with only a PEZ one right now.)
When we handed the phone to Robbie, he kindly said, "I don't really know yet. I'm still thinking about it."

It's so characteristic of them, Rob and I couldn't help but laugh!

Learning and Growing Up

With basketball season beginning this week, I told Robbie he HAD to learn to tie his shoes. He did it! He's officially a shoe-tie-er!

Rob and I both were in speech as children. I had a lisp. Rob couldn't say his Rs. Robbie got a little bit of both of us! I always thought it was cute and wasn't a big deal yet (he's not even in Kindergarten!) until I realized that his writing is affected. He writes notes to Rob and tapes them on the garage door so Rob has a little surprise on his late nights. I saw one note was "FWUM Robbie." In another he explained his pictures as "DIS is . . ."
What I love about Robbie is he is determined and wants to do things right. I started working with him, and now for the last two weeks, every R sounds like a car engine and his THs are so deep on his tongue he spits. He's doing great! Last night, the note was "FRUM Robbie". Love this kid.

It's a Haas trait, really--always talking about government corruption, how they've been wronged etc. It's almost a family joke now. Well now I see how the "trait" is being perpetuated. This morning the boys were counting out money they have been saving; Robbie wants a new bow and Ty wants The Flash action figure. Robbie had his money all lined up and was proud to announce he finally had enough.
"Well, you are actually going to need more than that, 'cause the tax," Rob says.
"What's that?"
"It's money the government takes from you."
I step in here--"It's for roads and lights . . ."
"Yeah that's some of it, but they waste a bunch of the money too," Rob finishes.
I give him the big-eyed-Seriously!-look and he shuts up.

A few hours later I hear them in the boys' room; Rob's with them. Somehow the topic of stealing is brought up.
"No, we NEVER steal money," Rob says emphatically.
"Yeah," Robbie agrees. "Only bad guys steal money, like the Egg Grabber-Napper on Chip-n-Dale or the government!"
I rush into the room to see a huge smile on Rob's face, looking down at the ground. He doesn't look up, but says, "Heard that, huh?"

Nice.

Freezer Meals

My friend Amber invited me to try out this freezer meal group--I was a little leery at first, but am now sold! You make ten freezer meals and then get nine other meals in exchange--so fabulous. Goodbye 5:00 panic!I made Red-and-white Mostaccioli (Thank you Aimee and Food Nanny). Two pounds of butter, one gallon of cream, and ten pounds of cheese later . . .
This is me at dinnertime now. No mess. No hassle. Just me and my oven!

Darling Little Dudes

My friend Caetie gave me these darling linen suites! Though Ty's got my dad's long arms, long legs, and big feet, I'm afraid the suit is just plain small. I think part of the charm is that he looks hilariously huge in it--only cute little guys can pull that kind of fashion faux pas! Rob's secret career wish is to be a hairstylist, I think. He blowdries, mooses, gels, combs . . . he has a blast with the boys' hair.



And this is just a taste of my Saturdays in action. Yes, I have my own team of superheroes always to save me.
(Side note: Robbie and Ty love the Bible for all its heroic and miraculous stories. Well, the other day I came downstairs to hear the boys playing superheroes against the bad guys in Babylon. They are so perceptive and I was tickled that they were playing real heroes :))