For Grandma's, Grandpa's and those that love my Carson

My apologies

I remember as a little girl always following my older sister around. She had this friend that lived up the horse trail from us and whenever Jocelyn got to go to her house, I seemed to get to go too. I even remember her name. Kelly O.

I'm sure my mom saw me and Jocelyn as a pair. When you get Jocelyn, you get Jana too.

Score for me. But I know my sister would have had things differently if she was the boss. Lucky for me, she wasn't. I got to do so much with her.

And so it is with Jackson and Noah. I have been thinking about this for awhile now, ever since Jackson started school.

Jackson has made some really good little friends from school and church. He gets invited to so much. And Noah is in a preschool where there is only one other boy his age, and his church class doesn't give him too big of a selection either. So, even though we love his preschool buddy, I wish I could offer Noah more friends.

I haven't made the jump to sending Noah with Jackson wherever he goes, but when Jackson has a friend over to our house. . . well, I see my boys as a pair. If you want Jackson, you get Noah too.

Today, Jackson had a friend over after school. Kian is his name. After playing in the basement for awhile, Noah came upstairs and told me that Kian said he only wanted to play with Jackson. Noah came to tell me the "news" and so I then called for Jackson to come upstairs.

Noah, "Jackson, come upstairs right now. Mom wants to talk to you."

Noah, "Mom, he's not coming."

Noah, "Jackson. RIGHT NOW!"

Jackson, "Noah, I already know what Mom is going to say. She's going to tell me to 'Start playing with Noah right now or I will call Kian's mom to come pick him up!'"

I was sitting in the living room with Carson, listening to my boys and getting a good laugh form the conversation. It brought back so many memories of when I was little and was such a tag along with my sister.

So,
Dear Jocelyn,
I am so sorry for always making you include me. I can see that might have been a little annoying to you. :) (I know it is to Jackson).

But TOO BAD! My boys come as a pair!!! :)

And so did Jocelyn and Jana.

And here's Ellie Belly helping make brownies. She LOVES LOVES LOVES to help in the kitchen. And my major O.C.D. makes it hard for me to let her. But I want her to love cooking and baking as much as I do so I am trying hard to let her do all she can. (To an extent. There are some things I just can't let go of). :)

Weekend of adventure

My ward here in Ann Arbor has a very neat tradition each year of doing a Relief Society Retreat. It starts Friday night and goes through Saturday afternoon. Some spend the night, some don't. It was one of my best weekends in a very long time.

To put it shortly, it was 2 days of laughing so much it hurt and being extremely spiritually fed.

On Friday night, after a hilarious display if lip syncs and delicious food, we watched an inspiring movie called "Celebrating What's RIGHT With The World" and if you ever get the opportunity to watch this video, I highly recommend it. I loved it for so many different reasons.

Saturday was breakfast and some incredible women sharing life experiences that strengthened all of us. Then a few classes and home I went.

I think if I ever get called to a Relief Society calling, I would seriously like to do something just like this.

Then Saturday night Jason went to work and I was going about with my normal business. I called the kids to the table for dinner and they all came running.

Then I heard Jackson crying his little heart out and I went to see what was wrong. Normally I hear crying and I tell all of the kids to please stop it and get to the table. . . or wherever I am calling them to. But I could tell this time Jackson was hurt.

I was hugging him and telling him to just take a deep breath. He finally did and I asked him to show me where he was hurt. He touched his ear and I took a look.

I called my dear Farrah and she came right over. Jackson and I left to the ER for some stitches. Jackson was scared and worried about it, but he was great. I ended up calling some of our good friends here that is a fellow in facial plastics for ENT. He told me the oral surgery guys were on call and not to let them do the stitches. :)

We left the ER after about an hour and headed to target for a new DS game for being so brave.

Dan (fellow) came over to our house, stitches in hand and did the whole thing on the kitchen counter. He had to give Jackson a shot in his ear for the numbing and Jackson did great.

Three stitches later and my son was whole again.

Thanks Dan. You have no idea how happy I am that we are all moving to Utah. I plan to live very close to you.

Jackson Luke

I really don't think a mother could ever adequately describe the joy that each child has brought into her life. And so it is with my Jackson. From the day I found out that I was pregnant, to this exact day, my love for him has grown to be something that could never be fully expressed. He means the world to me.

Of all my children, Jackson brings more peace and calmness to the Smythe storm than is to be expected. :) He has always been my one child that is so passive and pleasant in almost every situation. Not that my other kids aren't wonderful in many ways, but they are definitely on the more "normal" side of child development. Is that a good way to put it? :)

Here is a quick example. And NOTHING out of the ordinary for him.

I made cupcakes last night for his class at school. After I made all 24, Jackson came downstairs and told me there were 25 in his class.

WHAT?!

I said, "Well, I hope someone is absent tomorrow."

Jackson said, "No Mom. It's okay. I don't need one."

And that is the real Jackson. Always making life easier for his mommy. Always. And never giving it a second thought.

Jackson helps me all day long with whatever I need. Yes, he gets annoyed with me many times, asking for so much help, but regardless of how annoying I am, he does what is asked. Every time. I could count on one hand the number of times Jackson has really been punished. (Don't ask about Noah and Ellie). Like I said, Jackson isn't a totally normal child. I just don't want anyone thinking I'm oblivious because he is my child. I SPEAK THE TRUTH!

I love you Jack!! You make me happier than I ever thought possible. The last 6 years have been the best 6 years of my life because I have a son like you. I couldn't be more proud and thankful to have you in my life, exactly the way you are.

Nothing but my kids

Just some pics of the kids and a little video of Carson.

This is a pic of how I found Ellie tonight after dinner. She means business when changing her babies diaper.He was so set on holding that Wii remote and any time I touched it he would cry his heart out. The reason I'm laughing so hard in the video is because Carson is one of the happiest babies around. He really never cries. So seeing him react this way is too funny. Just so not like him.

So, I have tried FIVE THOUSAND times to get this video on my blog and it WILL NOT let me do it. So, no video. But trust me. . . it was hilarious.

Just for laughs

In our back yard we have a pretty good sized hill. And it is perfect for sledding. Which my boys do every day after school. Jason went out with them a couple of weeks ago and videoed them. I just watched the clips and thought I was going to die laughing at Jackson. He was seriously upset at his outcome! Enjoy!

Panic

I dropped Jackson off at the bus stop this morning at 8:30am. Then went back home, cleaned up breakfast, packed the car with the other kids and dropped Ellie and Noah off at pre-school at 9am. Then I took Carson to his Dr appointment by 9:30.

My morning was running fine. Totally normal. I turned my phone on vibrate at the Dr's office and of course people called. When the Dr. left, I checked to see who called. It was Lakewood Elementary. Jackson's school. So, I quickly called them back thinking Jackson might be sick.

Then the nurse came in to give Carson his second dose of the H1N1 flu shot.

The lady at the school asked me if Jackson wasn't coming to school today. I said, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! He was on the bus this morning."

She said, "Ohhhh, well, he isn't in class. He is marked absent. I will call you right back and check down there."

I said, "No, I'll hold."

TWO MINUTES LATER, she came back. I was having a serious panic attack. Serious. The tears were swelling up and the worst was going through my mind. This is all while poor little Carson is laying there getting a shot and his mother is doing nothing to help console. And the nurse was trying to deal with crazy mom and sad, neglected baby.

When she FINALLY came back, (it felt like much longer) she said, "Oh, I'm so sorry. He's here. How silly."

I said, "NO! How NOT silly!" I mean really. Silly? That's the appropriate word to use? Then I asked her how something like that happens she said, "It's a glitch in the system."

Fix your glitch! Those 3 minutes of me feeling like Jackson was snatched up at the bus stop were 3 of my most fearful minutes.

I'm so mad at Lakewood. Try double checking next time you call a PREGNANT mother about her missing, but not really missing child!!!