houpley

I still can't believe Jack turned 10 in August. He had a fun filled birthday with some friends - they went paint balling, to Wild River Country, movie watching and slumber partied. It was a fun (exhausting) day. It is interesting to see how 10 fluctuates from immature boy to young adult. One day he is pestering his brother during breakfast before getting ready for school.  He can't find his shoes and no one knows (even Jack) if he has brushed his teeth. The next, he is out in the yard with me raking leaves for five hours like a grown man. Encouraging his little brother to read, practicing to perfect his lay up and studying Greek mythology on his own. He still loves to read. He could read for hours. He loves learning new things. He is amazing to watch on the soccer field. This year he played defender and goalie. He has a boot for a leg. Watching him on the field/court is getting more emotional for us as the games start to become more important to him. But every time he is...

There is a stop sign we pass every day on the way home. One day, a sign had been taped right over the word STOP. After a few days, Jack and I agreed we should take that sign off so the sign would be visible again. We talked about safety and taking care of your neighborhood, etc. When we pulled up to it, he hopped out and tried to reach for the taped-on sign but could not reach it. He jumped and jumped but still wasn't close. So he suddenly grabbed the stop sign pole and started climbing up it. In his cowboy boots! He forced himself up there and grabbed the taped on sign. We were all impressed. But... He is now so immensely proud of himself that EVERY TIME we pass this stop sign he refers to it and his stop sign. Every day: There's my stop sign! This kid, ya'll. I love him.

We all know Jack has a flare for the dramatic. Still, sometimes it catches me off guard. During basketball practice one night, he was running toward me for a water break. As I handed him his water bottle it spilled all over my dress. Welp, I guess this dress is washed now. Ha! That's funny. Thanks. (He turns to me with a serious expression and puts his hand on my shoulder - like he is the parent!) You know, that's what I love about you, mama. You always stay positive!

Each night, when I tuck the boys in I tell them how much I love them, how they are good, smart, kind, funny boys. The other night when putting Eli to bed I forgot my usual end of day speech and as I was close to the door Eli stopped me with: But Mama! You forgot all the sweet stuff! The sweet stuff? Yeah, you know how I'm smart, funny, cute? You know.                                                          ------------------------------- Just last night, Eric put Eli to bed. But he returned to the living room defeated and said that Eli still needed to see me. So I went to his room and asked what was wrong. He peered up at me from under the covers with a look of absolute shock: Mama, daddy didn't even do my songs or my compliments!

Eli! How exciting! You used your goggles to swim under water. What did it look like under water? Famous!

I'll be right back. I have to use the restroom. Are you going to do a pee-pee or a poo-poo? That is none of your business. I'll take that as a poo-poo.

Eli, would you like me to read Flat Stanley to you? No, ma'am. I can read it with my mind.

Over heard between Eli and Jack at the pool - both are wearing goggles - when Jack was irritating Eli: You can't see, but I am rolling my eyes at you.

Eli, you know how to get rid of those hiccups? No. Well, some say if I scare you it will get rid of your hiccups. Ok. You want me to scare you? No. I want Jackie to do it when he comes home.

Mama, I think the whole world shines bright at night!

Mama, when I grow up I'm going to be a vampire. Turn into a bat and everything!

Eli was struggling with a little girl at school. She was telling him his choice of books was not appropriate. He had selected an action-packed book that the classmate felt was too gory. Eli explained to me that he liked this booked precisely because it was action packed: Maybe you should tell her not to worry about your business. You don't have to explain yourself to her. Yeah! I don't need to explain my beeswax!

While putting him to bed one night, Eli asked me if I had named him: Yes, I did name you Eli. Why? Because it is a family name. And it was perfect for you. No, you got it wrong. I did? Yes. That's not my name. Then what is your name? Eli Rocket Blaster Cyborg Copley.

One of Eli's favorite things to do is scour his I Spy books. He loves searching for things. One particular Thanksgiving-oriented I Spy book asked him to find a pumpkin. Once he finally located it, he announced: I found you! Ha! Who's the pumpkin now!

Eli had just completed a massive laughing fit: Whew!  Geeze Louise! No, literally mama,  Geeze Louise!

When I yawned, it sounded realistic. - Eli

Mama, I like all colors of jello. But I don't like that purple jello. It really creeps me out.

Mama! This thing I made has a battery. No! It has 31,200 batteries. This thing has batteries everywhere! I spent a lot of time on this baby!

Mama, Dottie smells like rain. Yes, Eli. She does. She smells like dirty rain. Well... Like hot sun.

Last night, Eli runs up to me and lays a sloppy, sticky, wet kiss on my cheek. He turns to run into the kitchen and leaves me with... "You know it, girl."

Eli, did you have a good day at school today? Well, I didn't get in trouble today so in my world ... that's a good day.

It's been a little over two years since we had to put Elvis down. He was 13 and enjoying his grumpy-old-man-retirement. Until one Sunday in October, he woke up from a nap, started stumbling a bit and looked at me, confused. It was as if he'd had a stroke. He was confused about his inability to walk but he also wasn't clear on who I was. At first he wouldn't eat - which if you knew Elvis you would know that was the No. 1 sign of trouble. Elvis would eat anything at anytime - including the 6 corncobs and 1 grape stem we had to have the vet remove years ago. But this day was different. After a few attempts at eating a hot dog and stumbling in the back yard, we knew. Sometimes, you just know. We were fortunate to have that Sunday. It gave us time to let the kids hold him and say good bye. To let him eat whatever he would like. To tell him how much we loved him. To take a moment. The next day we took him to the vet and he had a very peaceful transition. Eric and I...

You guys. Eli just had his graduation ceremony from Pre-K. He was too precious with his white cap and gown. They had a talent show portion which included all types of talent from Eli reciting his poem and singing his song to other kids joke telling to singing to piano and ending with a batman demonstration. I was doing ok with minimal-mom-emotion until they announced: Please applaud your future graduating class of 2030! And then I fell in between the church pews into the fetal position. In fact, I'm writing this from under the kneeler.

Eli, are you all cracked out from DQ? No. Oh, ok. Wait. What is DQ? You know, Dairy Queen? Oh yeah, yeah, I think I am. What did you think I meant? I thought you meant the end of the world, mama. From now on, I'm going to call DQ: hard boiled meatballs. K.

Jack, did you have fun at the birthday party? Yes. Was the mom nice? Oh, yes. Party moms are always the nicest.

With the anticipation of a child barely able to go to sleep on Christmas Eve in the hopes that St. Nick will be popping down the chimney with gifts, was Jackson's own anticipation for the day he can start wearing deodorant. For the last year, he has had two priorities: to acquire a phone and his own deodorant. Weekly he has asked me for each. The phone is an entry for another time. The deodorant was simply on hold as I kept telling him he has no body odor. He would regularly fling his armpit in my face for a sniff test. Nothing. My precious baby boy, I would say, you simply have no stink. After a soccer game there would be more armpit flinging. Nothing. Sorry, I would say to his crestfallen face: No stink, sweet boy. After a baseball practice, a dog walk, a Nerf gun battle, a field trip mining crystals, mowing the lawn .... nothing. No stink. You smell as fresh as the day you were born, baby, I would say shaking my head. And he would walk away his head held low. Guys,...

Eli, what are you doing in the bathroom? I'm having a staring contest with the guy in the mirror. Oh...ok. Ha! I win! He blinked!

Jackson, what does your toothpaste taste like? Bubblegum. Bubblegum? Yes. Well, mine tastes like Star Wars.

Mam, is Izzy a rescue dog? Yes, Eli. She is. Who has she rescued?

Eli, when do you think you will stop sucking your thumb? Maybe when I'm big like you? I see. So you don't know when? I don't know. Well, I was just curious as to what the plan was. I don't have a plan. Oh. Long pause... But, Mama? Yes. I do have a plan for hugging! Oh, you do? Yes, and the plan is: HUGGING!

Daddy, what does this key go to? I don't know Eli but leave it alone. Put it back in my drawer. But what does it open? I don't know. It's just an old key. But put it back, ok? Ok. Later that day.... Mama? Yes, Eli. When will I get to be old enough to have a bunch of old keys that I don't know what they go to? Soon enough. Well, I'm getting a Spiderman key to go with my Spiderman car.